Quiptic 849 by Anto

by

The newest kid on the Quiptic block returns with an enjoyable challenge to start us on the cryptic week.

A certain amount of head-scratching required, but some nice touches here and a puzzle that put a smile or two on this solver’s face.

Across
7 GO NATIVE Vetoing a change to side with the locals (2,6)
An anagram (change) of VETOING A
9 ERASED Took out part of chapter as editor (6)
An answer hidden in (part of) chaptER AS EDitor
10 TEAM Starts training eleven athletic men to be one (4)
The first letters (starts) of Training Eleven Athletic Men
11 POTTY-TRAIN Eccentric coach to teach kids to hold it (5-5)
POTTY (eccentric) TRAIN (coach)
12 IRONIC Funny girl cons rich couples at the centre (6)
The middle two letters (couples at the centre) of gIRl cONs rICh
14 THE F WORD The press mostly give it three stars (3,1,4)
A reference to the practice in certain newspapers of printing the f-word as f***. I suppose the answer could equally be ‘the c-word’
15 DOTAGE Mark time when senior moments become the norm (6)
DOT (mark) AGE (time)
17 CLIENT Patron makes charge in court (6)
An insertion (in) of LIEN (charge) in CT (court)
20 LEGOLAND Legal nod for redevelopment of bricked-up resort (8)
An anagram (for redevelopment) of LEGAL NOD
22 GOSSIP Try taking wee word back to informer (6)
GO (try) next to (taking) a reversal (back) of PISS (wee word)
23 DRAWING PIN Tack required when priming grenade … (7,3)
A reference to drawing the pin from a grenade before throwing it
24 PHEW … not many sound relieved (4)
A homophone (sound) of FEW. Not entirely sure about the equivalence of ‘phew’ and ‘relieved’
25 BUDDHA Old teacher had trouble following friend (6)
An anagram (trouble) of HAD after (following) BUD (friend)
26 SURE-FIRE OK, let go! It’s bound to win (4-4)
SURE (OK) FIRE (let go)
Down
1 DOG-EARED Much read setter for one that’s equipped to listen (3-5)
I think this is DOG (setter for one, i.e. a setter is an example of a dog) next to (that’s = that has) EARED (eqipped to listen)
2 PALM Some think fine lines reveal life there … (4)
A cryptic definition. The reference is to palmistry
3 BIOPIC … a projected life perhaps (6)
A cryptic definition. A screen biography might be described as a projected life
4 VERY WELL Reluctant agreement to get extremely fit (4,4)
A double definition. VERY WELL = reluctant agreement. VERY WELL = extremely fit
5 NARROWNESS Snores warn about constriction (10)
An anagram (about) of SNORES WARN
6 DENIER One rejects measure of silk (6)
A double definition. DENIER = one rejects. DENIER = measure of silk
8 ESTATE A bit upset at seeing return for property (6)
An answer hidden in (bit) a reversal (return) of upsET AT SEeing
13 NATIONWIDE Idea in town spread across the country (10)
An anagram (spread) of IDEA IN TOWN
16 GRAUNIAD This paper makes a university take on graduate (8)
A UNI (a university) contained in (take on) GRAD (graduate)
18 TOILETRY Used to clean litter you endlessly scattered (8)
An anagram (scattered) of LITTER and YOU minus its last letter (endlessly)
19 ADOPTS Approves party in small apartments (6)
DO (party) contained in (in) APTS (small apartments)
21 EARFUL Afraid to drop leading female for scolding (6)
FEARFUL (afraid) minus its first F (to drop leading female)
22 GENERA Information age types … (6)
GEN (information) ERA (age)
24 PUFF … turn up with very loud promotion (4)
A reversal (turn) of UP followed by (with) FF (very loud)

 

15 comments on “Quiptic 849 by Anto”

  1. Thanks Anto and nms
    Yes, much improved. I liked LEGOLAND and ESTATE in particular. Main quibble – no indication in the definition of the misprint for GRAUNIAD. I wrote in GUARDIAN, assuming that I would be able to parse it later.

  2. For 14 I had the press = the crowd making the c word but that didnt really account for “mostly”.
    This time I was pleased with Anto as Rufus was pretty flat(spoilt after orlando last week)

  3. Thanks both. This setter is improving, much to like here.
    I agree with muffin re GRAUNIAD, it should have had a reference to Private Eye maybe.
    In my opinion, 22d would be smoother as “Information ON age types”

  4. Enjoyable puzzle that wasn’t too taxing. Always love a clue that makes me chuckle and 14a did that today. Very clever.

  5. Thanks Anto and nms.

    This was really good, I liked so many of the clues that it is hard to select a few – GO NATIVE, DOG-EARED, BIOPIC, IRONIC, DOTAGE, GOSSIP, DENIER and I could go on.

    THE F WORD I think is the right answer since there is “it” in the clue, but I wonder if there is a better wording that would avoid having “The” at the beginning? Today’s press?

  7. Very glad of the direction (from the snug) to this Quiptic – I haven’t met Anto before, but I’ll surely be returning. I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of clueing devices and the deft, light `touch`.
    (Unusually, the right half fell into place before anything did on the left.)

    Smiles a-plenty: `three stars`, tack, 20 & 22a… I liked 12 and 1d as well, very much.
    So good to see you, too, nms. Thanks, both.

  8. dirkybee @ 7
    If you look back in the archive, you will see that Anto hasn’t been as appreciated as here in his (?) previous efforts.

  10. muffin @8
    I rather gathered as much. As a half-full sort of solver, I’ll stick with my first impression, but thank you.

    @newmarkets-odit, dear `bangers`- isn’t the def `sound relieved` at 24? (And does that beg the question, `double duty’? If so, I am improving, in the meta-language stakes. Possibly?)

  11. I have been very critical about this setter in the past.
    Certainly not my top favourite among Quiptic setters, if a favourite at all.

    However, today’s crossword was really enjoyable, Anto’s best thus far.
    Even if I am not a fan of clues like 14ac that perhaps for others may create a LOL moment.
    I had to think deeply about ‘take on’ indicating that something goes around but I guess it’s fine.

    I am not very keen on half-definitions like the one in 18d.
    ‘Used to clean’ is meant to be ‘Something used to clean’.
    Of course, we see this very often and a lot of setters do it.
    However, usually the wordplay replaces the definition in the appropriate position to make a proper sentence.
    I mean this: ‘Litter you endlessly scattered used to clean’ [impossible surface, indeed] leads to ‘Toiletry used to clean’ which I prefer.
    Anto tells me ‘Used to clean toiletry’ which doesn’t work for me, or at least doesn’t take away my aversion against half-definitions.

    But hey, this was a good puzzle.
    Still a tad too hard for a Quiptic but coming close enough.

    Hats off to Anto.
    Especially, the use of ‘leading’ in 21d did not go unnoticed – very precise.

    Thanks newmarketsausage.
    (hope to see you someday at this spot)

  12. I thought this was a nicely-pitched Quiptic. My favourite was DOG-EARED, a little ahead of LEGOLAND and the cheeky GRAUNIAD. I didn’t have a problem with the latter as it is so widely known and used as a jokey alternative name for the paper that it is no longer really a misprint, if it ever was.

    Thanks, Anto and nms.

  13. @dirky
    Nice to see you in this neck of the woods.

    Actually, I’m coming round to thinking ‘relieved’ is OK as the def for 24a. Funnily enough, I have a similar homophone clue for PHEW in my notebook: ‘Cry of relief not many heard’.

    Greetings to all in the snug. I see Arachne is entertaining you today. It’s nice to see her back on a regular basis again 🙂

  14. Yes, Sil, 21D is ferociously accurate, isn’t it.

    If all Anto’s clues end up being as neat, we’re in for a treat.

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