I was wondering why there was no Quiptic blog yet; then I discovered that I was due to write it. I think this hits just the right note for a Quiptic.
| Across | |||
| 1. | Blood cell? 150 discovered in new procedures (3,9) | ||
| RED CORPUSCLE | An envelope (‘in’) of CL (Roman numeral, ‘150’) in an anagram (‘new’) of ‘procedures’. The question mark in the definition is justified, since red corpuscles are incomplete cells, having no nucleus. | ||
| 8. | Very small gap near fence (7) | ||
| ENCLOSE | A charade of EN (‘very small gap’, the width of a letter n in printing) + CLOSE (‘near’). | ||
| 9. | Sheep summon up storm (7) | ||
| RAMPAGE | A charade of RAM (‘sheep’) + PAGE (‘summon up’). | ||
| 11. | Stupidly eat nuts, causing medical problem (7) | ||
| TETANUS | An anagram (‘stupidly’) of ‘eat nuts’. | ||
| 12. | Test’s ending in a robust hit for six (7) | ||
| ASTOUND | An envelope (in’) of T (‘tesT‘s ending’) in ‘a’ + SOUND (‘robust’). | ||
| 13. | Blushing queen first slipped up (5) | ||
| ERRED | A charade of ER (Elizabeth Regina, ‘Queen’) + RED (‘blushing’). | ||
| 14. | He values worship held by a priest (9) | ||
| APPRAISER | An envelope (‘held by’) of PRAISE (‘worship’) in ‘a’ + PR (‘priest’). | ||
| 16. | Reckless devil’s dirty books (9) | ||
| IMPRUDENT | A charade of IMP (‘devil’) + RUDE (‘dirty’) + NT (New Testament, ‘books’). | ||
| 19. | See 1 down | ||
| – | See 1 down | ||
| 21. | Drops off files, interrupting Mr O’Connor (7) | ||
| DROWSES | An envelope (‘interrupting’) of ROWS (‘files’) in DES (‘Mr. O’Connor’). | ||
| 23. | I’m angry about running period of history (4,3) | ||
| IRON AGE | An envelope (‘about’) of ON (‘running’) in I RAGE (‘I’m angry’). | ||
| 24. | Take it to be true quietly and carry on (7) | ||
| PRESUME | A charade of P (piano as a musical instruction, ‘quietly’) + RESUME (‘carry on’). | ||
| 25. | Fitted in, but with one left to be included (7) | ||
| INBUILT | An envelope (‘to be included’) of I (‘one’) + L (‘left’) in ‘in’ + ‘but’. | ||
| 26. | 6½ pairs — of bloomers, perhaps? (1,6,5) | ||
| A BAKERS DOZEN | 6½ pairs = 13.. The reference is to bloomers as a type of bread loaf. | ||
| Down | |||
| 1,19across. | Measure of disaster breaking cleric’s heart (7,5) | ||
| RICHTER SCALE | An anagram (‘breaking’) of ‘clerics heart’. The Richter scale measures the intensity of earthquakes. | ||
| 2. | Northbound road had submerged (7) | ||
| DROWNED | A charade of DR, a reversal (‘northbound’, in a down clue) of RD (‘road’) + OWNED (‘had’). | ||
| 3. | Exaggerate surplus, say (9) | ||
| OVERSTATE | A charade of OVER (‘surplus’) + STATE (‘say’). | ||
| 4. | Leave behind a warm coat (5) | ||
| PARKA | A charade of PARK (‘leave behind’) + ‘a’. | ||
| 5. | Island of volcanic traumas? (7) | ||
| SUMATRA | An anagram (‘volcanic’) of ‘traumas’, semi-&lit. | ||
| 6. | Workmates rejecting top three unions (7) | ||
| LEAGUES | A subtraction, [col]LEAGUES (‘workmates’) with the first three letters removed (‘rejecting top three’). | ||
| 7. | Burping babies will take fright (3,3,4,2) | ||
| GET THE WIND UP | Double definition. | ||
| 10. | Lots of backing for drivers’ penalties (12) | ||
| ENDORSEMENTS | Double definition. | ||
| 15. | Aghast, if tired out after exercises (9) | ||
| PETRIFIED | A charade of PE (physical education, ‘exercises’) + an anagram (‘out’) of ‘if tired’. | ||
| 17. | Saw rail company once on the way up after test (7) | ||
| PROVERB | A charade of PROVE (‘test’) + RB, a reversal (‘on the way up’ in a down clue) of BR (British Rail, ‘rail company once’). | ||
| 18. | Not fast food for peacekeepers? (7) | ||
| UNSTUCK | A charade of UN’S TUCK (‘food for peacekeepers’). | ||
| 19. | Films, TV etc depict interior of holiday island (7) | ||
| SHOWBIZ | A charade of SHOW (‘depict’) + [i]BIZ[a] (‘interior of holiday island’). | ||
| 20. | Song about sailor with new horse (7) | ||
| ARABIAN | An envelope (‘about’) of AB (able-bodied ‘sailor’) in ARIA 9’song’) + N (‘new’). | ||
| 22. | Unqualified lieutenant abandons retreat (5) | ||
| SHEER | A subtraction, SHE[lt]ER (‘retreat’) with LT removed (‘lieutenant abandons’). ‘unqualified’ in the sense of unconditional – ‘it was sheer/unqualified foolishness to do that’. | ||
And I was wondering why there were no comments. Your comment that this hits the mark is the reason I guess, so ta to setter and blogger.
Thanks, Peter. Glad to see that others of my generation have senior moments …
I did enjoy this one and thought the clueing was just right for Quiptic solvers. I thought PETRIFIED and SHEER were the best clues today. Well done to Nutmeg for a nicely pitched beginners’ puzzle.
No Rufus blog yet??