Orlando is one of my favourite Quiptic setters and once again he produces a puzzle that is ideal for this slot. Three hidden answers would normally be one too many for a puzzle, but they are all in the right-hand column, which makes them into a bit of a gimmick.
Most of the definitions given are from Chambers 12th Edition. Most of the standard abbreviations used in the wordplay are shown with the unused letters in brackets e.g. M(onsieur). Definitions are underlined in the clue and only included in explanations where further information is given.
Across
9a Hardy dog not needling lead (5)
OLLIE – the first name of Stan Laurel’s partner is derived by dropping (not needing) the initial (lead) C from a type of dog
10a Flooded home — with no indication of when it happened? (9)
INUNDATED – a two-letter word meaning home followed by a word meaning with no indication of when it happened
11a Washer of Los Angeles strip (9)
LAUNDRESS – the abbreviation of Los Angeles followed by strip or clothes
12a Odd bits missing in rift valley country (5)
ITALY – drop (missing) the odd letters from two words in the clue
13a Monsieur in rebuilt Ostend terminal (7)
ENDMOST – M(onsieur) inside an anagram (rebuilt) of OSTEND
15a People on the roads from golf clubs (7)
DRIVERS – two definitions
17a European leading lady? That is weird! (5)
EERIE – E(uropean) followed by the regnal cipher of our leading lady, the Queen, and the Latin abbreviation for that is
18a Father Ted’s capital postman (3)
PAT – a two-letter word for father followed by the initial letter (capital) of Ted gives the postman from children’s TV
20a One who won’t give up row over river (5)
TRIER – a row around (over) R(iver)
22a Strident noise made by loose stones in front of church (7)
SCREECH – some loose stones followed by (in front of) CH(urch)
25a Part of London heard from Isle of Dogs? (7)
BARKING – the sound that could come from an island full of dogs
26a Joiner in Rhode Island with former GI? (5)
RIVET – the abbreviation for Rhode Island followed by a former (retired) GI (US soldier)
27a Detached target (9)
OBJECTIVE – two definitions
30a Scottish dance interrupted by family member showing off (9)
FLAUNTING – a Scottish Highland dance around (interrupted by) a female family member
31a One-off programme for aviator (5)
PILOT – two definitions
Down
1d Register a rapid succession of drumbeats (4)
ROLL – two definitions
2d Fish below, little Florence above (8)
FLOUNDER – a word meaning below preceded by (above) the shortened (little) version of Florence
3d Legal document unaffected by revolution (4)
DEED – this legal document is a palindrome
4d I’ve chucked in tulip cultivation to paint the town red (4,2,2)
LIVE IT UP – I’VE inside (chucked in) an anagram (cultivation) of TULIP
5d Sculpture reportedly transported (6)
BUSSED – sounds like (reportedly) BUST, a sculpture
6d Manage bit of publicity with clergyman (10)
ADMINISTER – an AD (bit of publicity) followed by a clergyman
7d A tantalising person relaxed (2,4)
AT EASE – split as (1,5) this could be a tantalising person
8d Worried gymnast, somewhat nervous (4)
EDGY – hidden (somewhat) inside the clue
13d We turned up with endless Irish pitchers (5)
EWERS – WE reversed (turned up) followed by most of (endless) Irish Gaelic
14d Gluttony and anger I veto after reformation (10)
OVEREATING – an anagram (after reformation) of ANGER I VETO
16d Express a lack of interest in Welsh rugby? (5)
SHRUG – hidden inside the clue
19d Just Boy George’s first potty antiques? (4,4)
TOBY JUGS – an anagram (potty) of JUST BOY and the initial letter (first) of George
21d In names, in titles, in acronyms, letters seen for starters (8)
INITIALS – starting letters of names, titles and the words forming acronyms
23d Uncover most of red meat (6)
REVEAL – most of Red followed by some meat
24d Youngster’s top outlaw, extremely immature (6)
HOODIE – a famous outlaw followed by the outer letters (extremely) of ImmaturE
26d Wading bird under the weather, so we hear (4)
RUFF – sounds like (so we hear) ROUGH (under the weather)
28d Member of force with unknown ape (4)
COPY – a slang word for a policeman (member of force) followed by a mathematical unknown
29d Grub found in wheat sheaf (4)
EATS – hidden inside (found in) the clue
Comments from solvers who are new to cryptic puzzles are more than welcome – and that doesn’t mean the usual suspects can’t add their thoughts as well!
A very enjoyable Quiptic that was set at exactly the right level.
At 9ac I thought that “needling” was just a typo and it should have read “needing”.
@ Andy B
I didn’t even notice it – yes it must be a typo.
Good Quiptic at the right level, I thought.
Thanks Big Dave; I particularly liked HOODIE and you have produced a more attractive pictorial description than is usually seen. 🙂
This was a perfect Quiptic for Brits (eg Pat the Postman) with its wide variety of clue types and clear wordplay. I particularly liked 3d, 6d, 10a, 22a, 17a.
New for me was Postman PAT, the RUFF bird, HOODIE = youngster.
Thanks Orlando and bigdave.
Michelle, HOODIE is not a youngster, it is a type of top that some youngsters wear. The blog does have the correct definition underlined.
AndyB@5
sorry I was not concentrating when I read the blog. I had noted HOODIE as a new word to me as I found in Collins that one of the definitions is “a young person who wears a hooded sweatshirt, regarded by some as a potential hooligan”. Problem is, I had the definition wrong when parsing the clue. I see now that the correct def is “youngster’s top” rather than “youngster”.
Thanks for pointing out my error.
Michelle, I hope you didn’t think I was nitpicking because you seem to take a lot of pleasure from doing the cryptics and learning new words, much as I do.
This is ancient, of course, but I was solving it in the Guardian Quiptic Collection volume. I didn’t get 13d EWERS and it continues to baffle me. So if someone sees this, could they kindly explain how you get from “endless Irish“ to ERS?
Martin John Mills @8
Erse is Irish Gaelic (language) and if it is ‘endless’ you are left with ERS[e].
Thank you, Gaufrid. That was a new word for me. I actually went through the entire Wikipedia entry on the Irish language, and the term Erse doesn’t occur there.