A surprise to find Pasquale occupying the Quiptic slot this week.
But he has put away his book of obscure words and presented us with a beautifully judged puzzle, just right for beginners and those in a hurry to get their teeth into.
Greetings of the season to all Quiptic regulars, and to all our lurkers too (yes, I know you’re out there. Why not make this the day you pop in and say hello 🙂 )
| Across | ||
| 1 | CHAMPS | Some fantastic Hampshire winners (6) |
| An answer hidden in (some) fantastiC HAMPShire | ||
| 4 | TINPOT | Metal container of little value (6) |
| TIN (metal) POT (container) | ||
| 9 | MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD | Ordinary place for a traffic island (6-2-3-4) |
| A double definition. Ordinary = MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD. Place for a traffic island = MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD | ||
| 10 | SPARTA | Old city paintings etc in health resort (6) |
| ART (paintings etc) contained in (in) SPA (health resort) | ||
| 11 | COALMINE | Where underground workers would engage in some dirty business (8) |
| A cryptic definition | ||
| 12 | RESIDENT | Country’s leader, not the first person living at an address (8) |
| PRESIDENT (country’s leader) minus the first letter (not the first) | ||
| 14 | LADIES | Society women abused as “idle” (6) |
| An anagram (abused) of AS IDLE | ||
| 15 | OBJECT | Something acted upon in article (6) |
| A double definition. Something acted upon = OBJECT. Article = OBJECT | ||
| 18 | SAGACITY | Long story with big town showing wisdom (8) |
| SAGA (long story) plus (with) CITY (big town) | ||
| 21 | INCLUDED | Uncle did wrong, getting embraced (8) |
| An anagram (wrong) of UNCLE DID | ||
| 22 | INCOME | Home company has your truly making bread (6) |
| IN (home) CO (company) plus (has) ME (yours truly). Note the typo in the clue. The inclusion of typos is a security measure the Guardian adopts to assure readers of the authenticity of the site | ||
| 24 | A FISH OUT OF WATER | Someone ill at ease, a type that’s got hooked? (1,4,3,2,5) |
| A double definition. Someone ill at ease = A FISH OUT OF WATER. A type that’s got hooked = A FISH OUT OF WATER | ||
| 25 | TESTED | Edward, having grasped French, is examined (6) |
| TED (Edward) containing (having grasped) EST (French is) | ||
| 26 | INTENT | Aim to be under canvas (6) |
| IN TENT (under canvas) | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | CHIPPIE | Cold dropout in shop offering hot food (7) |
| C (cold) HIPPIE (drop out) | ||
| 2 | ADDER | Summer snake (5) |
| Double definition. Summer = ADDER (one who adds). Snake = ADDER | ||
| 3 | PRELATE | Cleric quietly joining agency to help married couples (7) |
| P (quietly) plus (joining) RELATE (agency to help married couples) | ||
| 5 | ISHMAEL | Abraham’s son needs his meal cooked (7) |
| An anagram (cooked) of HIS MEAL | ||
| 6 | PARAMEDIC | Emergency helper who could give camper aid (9) |
| An anagram (could give) of CAMPER AID | ||
| 7 | TRAINEE | Learner in coach starts to enjoy experience (7) |
| TRAIN (coach) plus the first letters (starts to) of E[njoy] E[xperience] | ||
| 8 | OFFCUT | Bit of stuff female copper wears frequently (6) |
| F (female) CU (copper) contained in (wears) OFT (frequently) | ||
| 13 | IDEALISTS | It’s 14 that could appear as dreamers (9) |
| An anagram (could appear as) ITS and LADIES (the answer to 14) | ||
| 16 | BENEFIT | Been playing, in good health? That’s an advantage (7) |
| An anagram (playing) of BEEN followed by FIT (in good health) | ||
| 17 | TADPOLE | Little creature a little bit European (7) |
| TAD (a little bit) POLE (European) | ||
| 18 | SEDATE | Home Counties person going out with another is staid (6) |
| SE (Home Counties) DATE (person going out with another) | ||
| 19 | GRIFFIN | Monster, one very loud with smile spreading around (7) |
| I (one) FF (very loud) contained in (with … spreading round) GRIN (smile) | ||
| 20 | TEMPEST | Storm encountered going north — a nuisance (7) |
| A reversal (going north) of MET (encountered) followed by PEST (a nuisance) | ||
| 23 | CEASE | Stop Conservative having peace (5) |
| C (Conservative) plus (having) EASE (peace) | ||
Thanks Pasquale and nms
Yes, a very good Quiptic. LADIES, OFFCUT and TADPOLE were great clues. COALMINE seemed a bit weak in comparison.
Thanks nms and Pasquale for a light and breezy Quiptic – just right. IDEALISTS was my favourite and last in – a wonderful pdm when realising it was an anagram of an anagram!
A nice straightforward Quiptic was just what I needed while recovering from a busy couple of days. Thanks, Pasquale and nms (loved your comment on 22a).
Hello and Merry Christmas from a regular lurker. Quite an easy solve, especially from Pasquale. Time to try Qaos now. Thanks to all the solvers/bloggers at 15sq for all your help in times past and future
Hello Roddy. Nice of you to drop in 🙂
First time I’ve looked at quiptic,sagacity and offcut nice, coalmine and object last to get. Wasn’t sure about object. Excellent site.
Hello Joe. Yes, OBJECT was the last one for me too.
Glad you like the site. Open all day, every day 🙂
Catching up on some crosswords as I had a break for several months.
This was a perfect Quiptic. Bravo Pasquale!