Not difficult, but a pleasant solve – all very neatly and fairly done. Favourites were 24ac, 1dn and 5dn.
Across
1 Woman gets marble put back in wrapping (6)
SWATHE
=”wrapping”. SHE=”Woman”, around rev(TAW)=”marble put back”. A taw is a large, shooting marble.
4 A Catholic clergyman is scrupulous (8)
ACCURATE
=”scrupulous”. A C[atholic] plus CURATE=”clergyman”
9 Praise for entry in the next Olympics (5)
EXTOL
=”Praise”. Hidden inside “nEXT OLympics”
10 Thrill-seeker has lawyer embarrassed by depravity (9)
DAREDEVIL
=”Thrill-seeker”. D[istrict] A[ttorney] = “lawyer”, plus RED=”embarrassed”, plus EVIL=”depravity”
11 Guarantee keeping 150 duck in compound (9)
ENCLOSURE
=”compound”. ENSURE=”Guarantee”, around both CL=”150″ in roman numerals and O=”duck” in cricket
12 Queen finishes in tears (5)
RENDS
=”tears”. R[egina]=”Queen” plus ENDS=”finishes”
13 Works with guerrilla leader and misses visual aid (5,7)
OPERA GLASSES
=”visual aid”. OPERA=”Works”, plus G[uerilla] plus LASSES=”misses”
17 Handles grief badly, showing resentment (4,8)
HARD FEELINGS
=”resentment”. (Handles grief)*
20 Argument about the way that’s least desirable (5)
WORST
=”least desirable”. rev(ROW)=”Argument about”, plus ST[reet]=”way”
21 Now for a tango show (2,7)
AT PRESENT
=”Now”. A, plus T=”Tango” in the phonetic alphabet, plus PRESENT=”show”
23 Advert about port is bottom (9)
POSTERIOR
=”bottom”. POSTER=”Advert” around RIO=”port”
24 Declared being angry about wicket (5)
SWORE
=”Declared”. SORE=”angry” around W[icket]
25 Brief period of famine (8)
SHORTAGE
=”famine. SHORT=”Brief” plus AGE=”period”
26 Claim supporter tucked into the booze (6)
ALLEGE
=”Claim”. LEG=”supporter”, inside ALE=”booze”
Down
1 Sketch, half complete, revealed outline (8)
SKELETON
=”outline”. SKE[tch] plus LET ON=”revealed”
2 Diplomat’s daughter married (8)
ATTACHED
=”married”. ATTACHE=”Diplomat” plus D[aughter]
3 Greeting that man will love (5)
HELLO
=”Greeting”. HE’LL=”man will” plus O=”love” in tennis
5 Reprimands keener cleaner (6,7)
CARPET SWEEPER
=”cleaner”. CARPETS=”Reprimands”, plus WEEPER=”keener”
6 Play down Nell’s rude blunder (9)
UNDERSELL
=”Play down”. (Nell’s rude)*
7 A puff atop the discharge pipe is coming (6)
ADVENT
=”is coming”. AD=”puff”=a complimentary review, above VENT=”discharge pipe”
8 Listen out for conscript (6)
ENLIST
=”conscript”. (Listen)*
10 Stood in London borough creating treachery (6-7)
DOUBLE-DEALING
=”treachery”. DOUBLED=”Stood in” plus EALING=”London borough”
14 A model keeps some servants in accommodation (9)
APARTMENT
=”accommodation”. A plus [a Ford “model”] T, all around PART=”some” and MEN=”servants”
15 Worker to abscond with fast runner (8)
ANTELOPE
=”fast runner”. ANT=”Worker” plus ELOPE=”abscond”
16 Wears tie loosely, so to speak (2,2,4)
AS IT WERE
=”so to speak”. (Wears tie)*
18 Son sponges and pilfers (6)
SWIPES
=”pilfers”. S[on] plus WIPES=”sponges”
19 Quickly dump surplus in river (6)
PRESTO
=”Quickly”. REST=”surplus”, inside PO=”river”
22 Art supporter finds peace on lake (5)
EASEL
=”Art supporter”. EASE=”peace” plus L[ake]
I can’t fault this puzzle. Or the blog. Most annoying. Liked the overlaps in 5dn and 10dn.
Thanks to Chifonie for an object lesson in setting a crossword that is easy without being a let-down – the only criticism I would make is that it was over too quickly. Thanks also to manehi for the prompt blog; I think in 7D the definition is just ‘coming’ as a gerund, but apart from that, it’s all there.
rhotician and PeterO have said it all. Didn’t delay me too long this morning, but a happy start to the day.
Have a good weekend all.
Whilst we’re on the dead picky road…
3d HE’LL = ‘that man will’ not just ‘man will’.
Never heard of keener in the sense of a mourner before.
But yes, this part-timer did it all in under 30 mins, not usual for a Friday! It’s the sort if puzzle that’s ideal for training up newcomers to the hobby.
Thank you Chifonie and manehi.
Thanks chifonie and manehi
Quick but enjoyable. My only problem was (before solving 1d) deciding whether 11a was ENCLOSURE or INCLOSURE – both work, according to Chambers.
Good morning everyone and thanks manehi for the blog.
Hmm…a “1 cup of tea-er” this morning.
Anyone one know why a marble is a TAW? Just is, perhaps? Or is there a derivation?
Nice weekend.
A very easy but satisfying solve. Do you think Chifonie might give some lessons to the most regular Monday setter, or better yet, take over the post himself?
Thanks manehi and Chifonie
Agree with most others above. Gentle, well clued and enjoyable.
I particularly liked 5d.
I agree with PeterO@2. This was at the easier end of the scale but still maintained the interest, unlike what we usually get on a Monday.
It was the perfect easing-off after a more difficult than usual Shed and Paul over the last two days.
Yes, straightforward but well clued. There don’t seem to be any substantive complaints so far, which is a rarity! Thanks manehi and Chifonie.
My quickest solve ever, but still enjoyable. Thanks to Manehi for the ‘keener’ explanation and to Chifonie. On to Phi for perhaps a sterner test …
Probably my quickest solve too. Far too easy for a Friday, elegant but with too many write-ins.
This is the first of the Guardian’s puzzles I’ve done where my only thought while doing it was, “wow, this is really easy.” Lots of clever clues, though–the “keener cleaner” one was a particular favorite.
Indeed, a straightforward and well-clued puzzle that won’t have detained experienced solvers very long but which would have been an ideal crossword for those that are newer to the dark arts. In fact, I think it’s an ideal Quiptic (that’s the Guardian’s online only Monday puzzle for ‘beginners and those in a hurry’).
Well done Chifonie and thanks to manehi for the blog.
Agree with K’s D that this would have been an ideal Quiptic (we’ve had a few tricky ones there lately, even for old hands like me. Nicely straightforward and entertaining too.
Thanks to Chifonie and manehi.
I came across ‘taw’ in the sense of ‘marble’ quit recently in a crossword.
To answer William’s query, Chambers has: ‘Origin unknown’.
All good clean fun.
Some online sources also date the origin of TAW. I found, by looking at not very many sources(!), both 1700-1710 and the more precise 1709. Take yer pick, but it’s clearly been around for a while. Those sources also said “origin unknown”.
It’s a pity we can’t have a votes gadget on here because then we could use that to record where those of us who knew the word come from. That might reveal any regional origin.
Thanks to manehi for the blog.
I would take issue with 8d: to conscript is to force a person into the armed forces but to enlist is to volunteer.
Chas@18 . . . I see your point, and I don’t have Chambers to hand, but I suspect that while you volunteer if you choose to enlist, you might be enlisted against your will.
A Friday Quiptic IMHO, or at least what a Quiptic should be as Sue@15 pointed out. Having said that, it was a pleasant enough solve while it lasted, and it was mostly a top-to-bottom solve other than my LOI, SKELETON.
Had to check with Mrs DP that it’s really Friday, this went in so quickly! Lots of wit, but perhaps revealing its secrets a bit too readily.
Thanks Chifonie and manehi.
Like others, I thought it was the wrong crossword and sailed through it. However, this was due to the very clear clues.
Thanks again, Chifonie.
Giovanna xx
Yes, a pleasant but very easy solve. (Despite the fact we just decided to sample the Whitley Neill Small Batch gin we bought for Christmas but never got round to.)
I fully concur with Ian SW3 @ 7
Thanks to manehi and Chifonie
Thanks all
Quite delightful.
Not a spare word. Lovely.
it would be wonderful to run a double blind experiment and with this posted on a Monday with the name Rufus above it and see whether the comments were the same…
I’ve been looking for a suitable moment to say this, but with reference to Rufus (who, despite the weaknesses of his usual Monday offerings, I do enjoy), this clue was in a “Quick” last week:
Ginger nut? (7) (and no, the solution wasn’t “biscuit”). Worthy of a Monday Rufus?
Rufus thats the colour of some birds
Muffin is the answer to your clue REDHEAD ?
Redhead indeed.
Agree with the general love-in. But I was too quick at 12a – I put RENTS instead of RENDS. Stupid boy.
Crystal clear and polished crossword.Thanks Chifonie,and Manehi.
I too found myself double-checking the day. Yes, 26,165 comes before today’s prize 26,166.
Solved almost as fast as I could write, with only one answer even getting any work in the spare space on my paper, and that was just to finish parsing POSTERIOR.
OPERA GLASSES went in in pencil because I couldn’t believe it was so easy! And the extra “s” (in “works”) for grammatical purposes had me wondering.
I do think Hugh should have used this for one of Rufus’s days off, though.
Splendid little puzzle, thanks Chifonie, manehi, and everyone else.