Nicely clued, and a very friendly grid. Favourites were 1ac, 22ac and 16dn. Thanks, Rufus.
| Across | ||
| 1 | WEDNESDAYS CHILD | Weekly issue full of woe (10,5) |
| cryptic definition: “issue” as in CHILD, and referring to the rhyme Monday’s Child [wiki] | ||
| 9 | ANCESTRAL | Describing one’s descent from Lancaster (9) |
| (Lancaster)* | ||
| 10 | ANTIC | Can it broadcast a frolic? (5) |
| (Can it)* | ||
| 11 | HOTHEAD | Oath he’d let out, being a quick-tempered person (7) |
| (Oath he’d)* | ||
| 12 | OVERSAW | Was responsible for past words of wisdom (7) |
| OVER=”past”, plus SAW=a proverb=”words of wisdom” | ||
| 13 | EMU | Stratagem used to catch a bird (3) |
| Hidden in [Strateg]EM U[sed] | ||
| 14 | RELENTS | Goes easy on the French in tears (7) |
| LE=”the [in] French”, in RENTS=”tears” as in torn areas | ||
| 17 | TSUNAMI | A big wave from chap coming back in a new suit (7) |
| MAN=”chap” reversed/”coming back”; inside (suit)* | ||
| 19 | HABITAT | Tabitha abandoned her natural home (7) |
| (Tabitha)* | ||
| 22 | SUBJECT | National topic of discussion (7) |
| double definition: “National” as in someone belonging to a particular nation | ||
| 24 | ARC | Car negotiated a bend (3) |
| (Car)* | ||
| 25 | STAND-UP | Comedian who may fail to keep a date? (5-2) |
| double definition | ||
| 26 | REFRAIN | Stop in a few bars (7) |
| double definition: “Stop” oneself from doing something; a repeated phrase, such as a few bars of music | ||
| 28 | OSIER | Wild rose one found growing by the river (5) |
| a willow found in wet habitats. (rose I)*, where I=”one” | ||
| 29 | TATTOOIST | He leaves a permanent impression on one (9) |
| cryptic definition | ||
| 30 | MISAPPREHENSION | Cause of wrongful arrest? (15) |
| cryptic definition, with “arrest”=’apprehend’ | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | WEATHER THE STORM | Survive a heavy blow (7,3,5) |
| cryptic definition, with “blow”=a strong wind or STORM | ||
| 2 | DUCAT | Tube holding a gold coin (5) |
| DUCT=”Tube”, around A | ||
| 3 | EASTERN | Fantastic seabird from the Orient (7) |
| Fantastic sea / bird => (sea)*, plus TERN=”bird” | ||
| 4 | DERIDES | Mocks desired changes (7) |
| (desired)* | ||
| 5 | YELL OUT | Tell you it’s wrong to shout (4,3) |
| (Tell you)* | ||
| 6 | CHATEAU | French castle in which a tea urn is lost (7) |
| Hidden in [whi]CH A TEA U[rn] | ||
| 7 | INTESTATE | Indicative of a lack of will (9) |
| cryptic definition – describing someone who has not written a will | ||
| 8 | DICK WHITTINGTON | Summoned by bells, he took a turn for the better (4,11) |
| cryptic definition – a mayor of London, who according to legend heard bells saying: “Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London” [wiki] | ||
| 15 | LIBRARIES | Two signs merge to show where books may be had (9) |
| LIBRA and ARIES are “Two [astrological] signs”, merged at the shared ‘A’ | ||
| 16 | TEA | Leaves note attached to article (3) |
| TE=musical “note”, plus A=indefinite “article” | ||
| 18 | SOU | Thus university finds little money (3) |
| SO=”Thus”, plus U[niversity] | ||
| 20 | TIDE RIP | Possibly die during journey in turbulent waters (4,3) |
| (die)* in TRIP=”journey” | ||
| 21 | TAPSTER | His drawings are refreshing (7) |
| cryptic definition – someone who draws drinks from a bar tap | ||
| 22 | SCRATCH | Cancel score (7) |
| =”Cancel” as in ‘scratch that’; =”score” as in make scratch marks on something | ||
| 23 | BUFFOON | Fool is in his bare skin, having nothing on (7) |
| BUFF=”bare skin”, plus O=zero=”nothing”, plus ON | ||
| 27 | ALIBI | Defence of the absent (5) |
| cryptic definition – the defence of someone who was absent from the scene of the crime | ||
Thanks to becoming a Guardian member I can do the crossword in ‘real time’ and join the discussions from Melbourne.
Nice easy start to the day.
No need to become a Guardian member, unless you feel guilted into it.
How much more of a write-in can Rufus become?
My own problem was 13A where I put MOA (m.o. for strategem, plus A). Otherwise I was filling them in almost as fast as I could write although the long ones needed some checkign letters first
Very easy today with my only delay being to look up TAPSTER in the dictionary. A question – where is the anagram indicator for ANCESTRAL … “from” doesn’t seem right to me?
I really enjoyed being able to gallop through and the clues were often really neat and clever.
A lovely gentle start to the week. The only problem was that it was over too quickly – but to say that it was easy is not a criticism, it’s supposed to be on a Monday.
There were lots of great clues. 26a (“Stop in a few bars”) was very nice. And EMU brought a smile as I was just reading yesterday about P G Wodehouse’s fascination with the prevalence of this bird in crosswords (dating back to the 1920s).
I also really liked ANCESTRAL. Matrixmania @4, personally I thought the anagram indicator was fine: ie you get the answer “from” the letters of Lancaster.
Re P G Wodehouse and EMU: this is from “The Knightly Quest of Mervyn”, 1933.
“The wise man, finding himself in a dilemma, consults an expert… If it is a crossword puzzle and he is stuck for the word in three letters, beginning with E and ending with U and meaning ‘large Australian bird’, he places the matter in the hands of the editor of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.”
I found this easier than the quiptic.
Thanks Rufus and manehi
Although this felt like the easiest crossword I’ve ever done (easier than “Quicks” in fact), it was still entertaining. I particularly liked MISAPPREHENSION, and it was good to see ALIBI being used correctly for a change.
…oh, and EASTERN too – Rufus doing “lift and separate”!
Yes, very straightforward even by Rufus standards, but all pleasant enough.
Thanks to Rufus and manehi
PS Flavia @2 – you may think there is no need, but the Guardian needs defending and should not be taken for granted – now that the Independent has gone it is the only voice of reason left in the UK newspaper industry and its future is in some doubt…
muffin @10 – that struck me too, but he has done it before…
Thanks Rufus and manehi.
Yes, straightforward but full of lovely clues of which my favourites were the elegant LIBRARIES, MISAPPREHENSION and REFRAIN. I had no trouble spotting the Lancaster anagram. TAPSTER was new to me.
beery @11-couldnt agree more about Graun.
I thought this was an ideal puzzle for any one starting out on crosswords.
bh @11
PS Flavia @2 – you may think there is no need, but the Guardian needs defending and should not be taken for granted – now that the Independent has gone it is the only voice of reason left in the UK newspaper industry and its future is in some doubt…
That’s the most amusing thing I’ve read in years!!!!!
I agree it was probably the easiest Guardian cryptic in a long time – a complete write-in for me. Some neat clues though. Being from the old County Palatine of Lancaster, my favourite was ANCESTRAL. Another neat one was MISAPPREHENSION.
Thanks, Rufus and manehi.
P.S. Today’s simple sum, to be completed before submitting comments here, was at the easy end too: nine x ? = 9. Er… um…
Many thanks Rufus and manhei. I enjoyed this gentle start to the week and 15d and 30c both brought a smile to my face. I do subscribe to the Guardian and have amazing value for the money. I do not expect it to be free.
This was literally the easiest cryptic I have ever done in the Guardian, but it was fun all the same. Thanks.
Totally agree
BNTO @15 – we obviously don’t agree on anything political but even you should see the value of some diversity of opinion in the press.
“Easiest Rufus ever?” – I agree! Often some of his CDs and DDs are rather elusive, for me at least. I liked LIBRARIES, ANCESTRAL and BUFFOON. Thanks to Rufus and manehi.
Thank you Rufus and manehi.
A very elegant crossword and fun to solve; it was pleasant for me to be able to finish in a reasonable time for once.
The future of the Guardian is worrying. Although the circulation of most newspapers has dropped, the Guardian has reached a critical level, in 2006 the average January figure was 394,913 copies a day whereas in 2016 it was only 164,163 copies a day. Hopefully online subscribers will help keep it going. I have been taking the Weekly 50 years now and would hate to see it go.
Thanks Rufus and manehi – easy, but really enjoyed this one.
BH @20
I’m all for diversity of opinion.
However the majority of Guardian aricles I have read over the last year are pure “clickbait”. Pseudo liberal, ill-considered nonsense designed to provoke a reaction.
My normal reaction is that I would prefer something more balanced written by someone with life experience rather than the usual mid-twenties drivel that is offered. Just my humble opinion of course.
I found six LANCASTER ANCESTRAL clues since March 2008 in the Guardian; perhaps beer hiker can check for earlier ones.
Thanks manehi and Rufus.
I have to agree with most comments; I found this was the easiest Xword I have done. I didn’t record my time, but I am sure I have beaten my pb which has stood since ~1966 for an Altair, or Janus, I forget which.
Does BNTO write the script for Ed Rearden 🙂 ?
Dave @25:
I think this is the full list of clues for ANCESTRAL and LANCASTER (not all of them use the anagram):
Rover 24354: Tars clean out of line (9)
Rufus 24532: These voices were heard in Xanadu (9)
Araucaria 24681: Inherited from Lancaster? (9)
Quantum 24829: Lancaster, possibly from a long line (9)
Rover 25102: Genetic modification could produce clean rats (9)
Paul 25428: An essential pole switched, then handed down (9)
Quantum 25802: With reference to forerunners from Lancaster incorrectly recorded (9)
Rover 26150: Clear ants out of the house (9)
Orlando 27065: Passed down from Lancaster? (9)
Shed 22407: Of the family of Lancaster, perhaps (9)
Fiore 22873: Lancaster comprised such a home for Gaunt’s kin (9)
Rufus 23115: Down the line from Lancaster (9)
Orlando 23622: 23 tars at sea, coming down a line? (9)
Paul 24263: Family trips not starting, I abandon path (9)
Nutmeg 24806: Hereditary earls can’t, unfortunately (9)
Rufus 24917: Describing one’s descent from Lancaster (9)
Taupi 24987: House for 2? (9)
Shed 25028: Cavalryman protecting a virtuous soul from bomber (9)
Paul 25573: Ancestral settlement where Pendle Witches hanged (9)
Araucaria 25664: The rose-red city (9)
Gordius 26556: Ancestral development of royal house (9)
Chifonie 26913: Ancestral building – a royal house (9)
Paul 26972: Misplaced as central English city (9)
Araucaria 24537: Way with throw-in to right? (9)
Orlando 26177: Bomber’s house (9)
Araucaria 25208: Actors in a way on right side in 27 (9)
Rufus 25463: Gaunt house (9)
Re the future of The Guardian: I recently forked out £50 p.a. to become a Supporter or whatever it is, because I really appreciate its perspective. I read it a lot online, and of course print out the puzzles.
For those now at a loose end, the Quiptic today is a much tougher challenge than this one.
Apologies to Rufus but I’m another who found this very straightforward. Not that I’m complaining: a gentle start to the week.
I add my name to those who enjoyed MISAPPREHENSION and, like manehi, I liked WEDNESDAY’S CHILD once I’d got off the idea of a newssheet of some kind. EASTERN and LIBRARIES solved quickly but were both clever. Favourites: TAPSTER and TEA.
PS. Median@16 I nearly had to give up on posting a comment one day last week when the ‘Captcha’ was 7×8!
Can I just add my support for the Guardian. Our subscription is worth every penny. I like having the actual paper – not sure how long that will last.
All very straightforward, but enjoyable nonetheless. 3d particularly appealed, as did 30ac. Anyway, having got through this in record time, I have no excuse for delaying my tasks for the day any longer.
An enjoyable solve. Some clever surfaces, I thought. Most of my favourites have attracted comments already. But I also quite liked 10a ANTIC, 17a TSUNAMI, 25a STAND-UP, and 17d INTESTATE. Probably all very obvious to seasoned solvers.
Thanks to Rufus, manehi and contributors.
So sad to read this forum and the comments about the future of The Guardian. I am dismayed at the potential loss of informative and diverse opinions in the print press, as well as in the media generally. Our ABC (similar to BBC in Australia) is struggling with funding cuts. Those who most often read newspapers and columnists’ opinion pieces, and watch in-depth analyses of the news, and documentaries, are ageing. Online subscriptions seem to be only a temporary fix for those of the Senior and Baby Boomer generations who are prepared to shift to online rather than print. Social media and its filters are of real concern.
Apologies if this post is too opinionated; I know the forum is meant to be “just about the crosswords”, and that this is not meant to be a soapbox. But The Guardian Cryptic, this forum, and The Guardian feeds I get on Facebook, are really important to me.
I think this is the first time that I have solved a puzzle that actually
was a write in. Given the comments above, it seems that most others found
it as easy as I did. Not that it was a bad puzzle but not really very satisfying.
Mind you,we’ll probably have Enigmatist or someone equally as challenging tomorrow.
Mustn’t be churlish though.
Thanks Rufus
Ps. BNTO is entitled to his opinion. It doesn’t correspond with mine!
Thanks to Rufus and manehi. Yes, easy but great fun. Yes, I look at the Guardian and three other news sources in the AM but find that more and more I’m stopping with the headlines, but I highly value the puzzles thanks to this blog.
Yes, it was a write-in for many of us, but great fun – my only complaint was that it was over so fast.
From being someone who endured Rufus in the past, thinking it was a little too simplistic, I now look forward to Mondays – largely because I find his lighter style of crossword setting a nice balance to some of the more “heavy-weight” setters. There are often more laughs too (or maybe that’s my particular sense of humour).
Thanks to Rufus and manehi.
12a -why does SAW = proverb/words of wisdom?
oh, and while I completed it unaided, it didn’t strike me as his easiest. Held up on a few of the longer clues and several words were new to me: Sou; Osier; Ducat; Tapster. And to me, rip-tide is more familiar than tide-rip.
bobloblaw @37: a saw is a proverb or adage. A rarely used synonym, I suspect – except in crosswords where it turns up occasionally precisely for that reason. Isn’t English a wonderful language for cruciverbalists?
boblobaw @38: me again. Your query re tide-rip intrigued me – as I’m more familiar with the alternative too. A quick bit of research suggests that – possibly pedantically – a rip tide occurs only in tidal waters whereas a tide rip can be the result of crossing currents in a river, as well as in the sea. I suspect both feel roughly the same to a struggling swimmer, who wouldn’t particularly care which he was caught in!
Mark @ 39: I do sometimes hear it used, but usually with the word “old” attached: “that old saw about how haste makes waste.”
For me, this wasn’t quite a write-in, but close. (I feel like I have done a few easier Rufus puzzles.) I had to look up whether TAPSTER was a real word; also, DICK WHITTINGTON isn’t part of my cultural equipment, so I needed a few crossing letters for that one.
I quite appreciated EASTERN, OSIER, MISAPPREHENSION (a joke I’ve used in front of classes before–I teach in a paralegal studies program), and REFRAIN.
Well said, Julie @33.
As I see it, the Guardian’s predicament, and the crisis in the media generally, affect most of us. As well as journalism vs. clickbait (a subject BNTO @24 in effect referred to) we have the growing and more insidious problem of news vs. fake news. We need to be properly informed, and if BNTO sees so much clickbait in the Guardian I wonder how he would describe what you find in, say, the Telegraph (to mention just one of a number of other UK ‘news’ sources).
As for the crossword, this is only the second write-in I have completed this year (the other also being a Rufus), and I would have preferred something more challenging, even on a gentle scale for Mondays. As manehi said, the grid was ‘very friendly’, but so were the clues for all four long words!
Alan B @ 42
Bar 30a, they took long enough (i.e. minutes not seconds) for most of them to drop for me!
Sorry, bobloblaw @43 – I don’t feel so good about my comment after reading yours!
However, it seems from many posts on this page that today’s Quiptic and Cryptic are in effect the wrong way round today, and from quite long experience of Rufus I would say this puzzle falls squarely at the easier end of even his own spectrum for cryptic crosswords.
Rufus always has good surfaces and something to smile at. Easier than the Quiptic but good fun. Today we had time to do both of them over lunch. Thanks to everyone.
mrpenney @41: if Dick Whittington is not part of your cultural equipment, yet you occasionally hear ‘old saw’ used, it makes me think you might be based in North America? I have a vague feeling that, when I’ve heard ‘old saw’ used in the way we’ve been discussing, it has been in an American context. I wonder if it’s more preponderant over there?
For all you jaundiced cruciverbalists (if that really is a word!) out there, can I say how much pleasure this crossword gave me as it was my first ever fully completed cryptic and so a milestone for me!
The question is though, are crosswords a waste of good time or a good time for a waster? Addiction beckons – should I stop while I can? There is so much be done – reading the paper for a start ….
After a month away, this was perhaps the easiest possible re-introduction into the Guardian fold. I did chuckle though at the ‘lift and separate’ in 3d – is this a device that Rufus has ever used before?
[David Taft @1 if you’re still there, I’ve just returned from travelling in your country and much enjoyed my stay in Melbourne in particular – which included a few tussles with the cryptic in The Age.]
Donald S @48: I’ve been wasting good time and having a good time wasting by making far too many comments today and I must stop. But I thought your first completed cryptic deserved congratulations. And you started with a nice one. Definitely do not stop now. A lifetime of varied pleasures and frustrations awaits…
Alan B @44 – no worries. As I say, I did complete this one, so it’s definitely at the easier end. Just took a little longer for some to fall into place, which is generally the sign of a better Rufus.
Easiest. Crozzie. Evah.
I don’t know which Guardian BNTO is referring to, but it’s not the same one I read.
Mark @46: Yes. I was born in Indiana, educated on the east coast (Princeton and Harvard), and have lived in Chicago for the last not-quite-20 years since then. I’m among the several Americans who are regular commenters here.
Thanks all
Why so many comments over such an easy puzzle (to quote)!
3down very good.
Another here for whom it was almost a write-in, with just a few in the bottom half causing brief pauses. I’ve actually printed it out for my husband, who is still very much a beginner at cryptics.
I like the variety of puzzles in the Guardian, enjoying a (usually relaxing) amble through a Rufus appreciating the elegant surfaces just as much as challenging myself with tougher puzzles from some of the other regular setters.
Many thanks as always to Rufus and to manehi.
PS – my captcha is “one x ? = seven” – perhaps the system is trying to match the sum to the difficulty of the puzzle. 😉
13ac was my favourite, since “was” = “over saw” 🙂
Having grumbled a bit about some recent Rufuses lots to smile about today. I value wit over difficulty any day.
jennyk @55: a similar situation in this household. My wife is looking at the puzzle as I write, and is very encouraged to be making good progress.
There have to be good puzzles at a level which encourages newcomers to get interested. As I tried to say above, the relative easiness of this one did not detract from its quality. I wonder if some of the more experienced solvers just dash through without taking the time to savour the surfaces and the cleverness of the clues.
As well as the clues I referred to before, LIBRARIES was another favourite.
Regarding 22 across. A national is rarely a subject as there are so few monarchies around nowadays.
I’ve done the Guardian crossword and enjoyed this blog for several months now and am posting for the first time. Despite being a quick solve this was really enjoyable – wit over difficulty (Pino@57) for me as well.
I’m interested in how we (I) solve clues by their visual appearance. I looked at 1ac and went down the paper route and then put 2d in and looked 1ac again and the D made the answer obvious – amazing – how do our brains do this?
DE @26
I had to look up Ed Rearden. I assume you mean Ed reardon who I’ve also never heard of.
I don’t watch much more than 3 hours telly a week and only listen to Radio 3!
Don’t really “get” sitcoms/satire/stand-up etc as there is enough to amuse me in the “real” world. The Guardian being a very good example.