My apologies for the late appearance of this post. I needed to be reminded (thanks Pierre) that the scheduled blogger had not turned up. In the interest of minimising the lateness, I will mainly include just an analysis of the clues.
Across
8 Bird using arts to fish (8)
STARLING – anagram (using) of ARTS LING (fish)
9 Unfriendly after fine story’s broadcast (6)
FROSTY – F (fine) anagram (broadcast) of STORY
10 Say “hail and farewell” to a Roman (4)
CIAO – cryptic def. – who else confidently entered ‘vale’ and then had to change it when solving 1dn and 2dn?
11 Two dogs also discovered to be perfectly behaved (4,2,4)
GOOD AS GOLD – anagram (discovered) of DOG DOG ALSO – ‘discovered’ as an anagram indicator?
12 Graphic image of a vessel holding us back (6)
VISUAL – VIAL (vessel around (holding) US reversed (back)
14 Bug an ex-president’s wife (8)
LADYBIRD – double def.
15 Lizards gain us a diversion (7)
IGUANAS – anagram (diversion) of GAIN US A
17 For a clear understanding, view at home first (7)
INSIGHT – IN (at home) SIGHT (view)
20 Loud team managed to change pitch (8)
MODULATE – anagram (managed) of LOUD TEAM
22 Appoint delegate (6)
ASSIGN – double def.
23 Pastry often pictured as funny (7,3)
CUSTARD PIE – cryptic def.
24 It’s owed for daughter’s strange bet (4)
DEBT – D (daughter) anagram (strange) of BET
25 Sad about loss of beer brewed for teetotallers primarily (6)
BEREFT – anagram (brewed) of BEER F[or] T[eetotallers] (for teetotallers primarily)
26 Likely loser grounded perhaps (8)
UNDERDOG – anagram (perhaps) of GROUNDED
Down
1 Arresting those refusing to work (8)
STRIKING – double def.
2 Group in histrionic mode (4)
TRIO – hidden in ‘hisTRIOnic’
3 Roman poet‘s sixth dancing girl! (6)
VIRGIL – VI (sixth) anagram (dancing) of GIRL
4 Base where somehow I belong (7)
IGNOBLE – anagram (somehow) of I BELONG
5 Going away with no coming back, working periodically (3,3,2)
OFF AND ON – OFF (going away) AND (with) NO reversed (coming back)
6 Hobbling, so doctored creatures that cause us trouble (10)
HOBGOBLINS – anagram (doctored) of HOBBLING SO
7 Fashion for Queen’s hairdresser (6)
STYLER – STYLE (fashion) R (Queen)
13 In great difficulty, having climbed aloft? (2,1,3,4)
UP A GUM TREE – def. & cryptic indicator
16 Briskness shown in article on the French city’s about right (8)
ALACRITY – A (article) LA (the French) CITY around (about) R (right)
18 Cultured, lofty British line (8)
HIGHBROW – HIGH (lofty) B (British) ROW (line)
19 Lend a hand when charlady’s away (4,3)
HELP OUT – def. & cryptic indicator
21 New spouse works (6)
OPUSES – anagram (new) of SPOUSE
22 Turkish official covers finish of matters to be dealt with (6)
AGENDA – AGA (Turkish official) around (covers) END (finish)
24 Black day for Noah’s boat (4)
DARK – D (day) ARK (Noah’s boat)
Thanks, Gaufrid, for stepping in, and Moley for the puzzle.
A good Quiptic-level puzzle but I thought 7dn was rather weak: apart from STYLE and STYLER being so close, a hairdresser is known as a stylist. Even Chambers doesn’t have STYLER in that sense – only ‘a device for styling the hair’.
” …who else confidently entered ‘vale’ and then had to change it when solving 1dn and 2dn?”
Well, I initially entered ‘vale’, but with much muttering, not confidently, since it means ‘Farewell’. The full phrase is ‘Ave atque vale’, the address used at Roman funerals and the title of a poem by Catullus. Apologies for misjudging you, Moley. 😉
Thanks, Gaufrid.
Enjoyed this one and I think most of the target audience (whoever they are …) will have liked it too.
Count me as another VALE person (although the clue is actually very fair and clever). STYLER was a bit weak, but I smiled because it reminded me of one of Arachne’s clues (might not have been in one of her Quiptics and I might not have remembered it exactly):
Stylists taking too many toilet breaks? (10)
For those that can’t get it, I will reveal all later.
Thanks Moley & Gaufrid. About the right level for a Quiptic, I thought.
I took far too long to see CIAO, although I didn’t try ‘vale.’
In 19, isn’t it charlady=help and away=out, or is that what you meant by the cryptic indicator?
Having started with 2d for no very good reason the vale question didn’t occur. Thought 19d same as Robi. 7d probably should have been referred back but that is the editor’s decision.
Thanks Gaufrid and moley for the puzzle.
Did this to test my earlier assertion that today’s Logodaedalus was easier than most Quiptics, and I think it was at about the same level (so fair enough for a Quiptic). No issues with any of the clues (I accepted STYLER without really thinking about it), last in was BEREFT.
Thanks to Gaufrid and Moley
I agree that this puzzle was on a par with today’s main puzzle, and it was as pleasant a solve. I had the checkers for 10ac before I got around to solving it so I’m another for whom “vale” was never an option. I agree that STYLER doesn’t look right.
Just wondering why Monday, possibly a “faithful day” – see above – is the day for two “easy” Guardian crosswords. Managed both of them – unusual – with a temporary holdup after entering ROLLER(!) for 7dn.
many thanks to Moley & Gaufrid. about right for a Quiptic. just one thing to add: 23a also an anagram of “pictured as”.
For anyone still awake/interested, or both, the solution was SHAMPOOERS.
Thanks, K’s D: it rang a bell but I just couldn’t think of the answer. I’ve looked it up now
http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/10/06/guardian-25446-arachne/
and find that Arachne wasn’t allowed that clue: the ‘bowdlerised’ [her word] version was ‘Head of salon put rollers in baskets for the juniors’! 😉
Sorry I missed this one, but as my last Quiptic was only three weeks ago on a four-week cycle it was in my diary for next Monday.
Easy (as it should be) but lots to enjoy.
Fave 23a which (as indicated at #8) works both as a CD and an anagram.
In Flanders and Swann’s “Friendly Duet” there is a line:
Said Sampson, ‘Delilah? She’s my hair styler, We’re friends – just friends’.