A mixture of straightforward charades, insertions and anagrams in a puzzle that would be ideal to show a beginner how to get going with this cryptic malarkey.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Flog ancient doorstep
THRESHOLD
A charade of THRESH and OLD.
6 Terrible actor was famously useless Lear first of all
AWFUL
The initial letters of the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth words of the clue.
9 Live with great husband in a lower position
BENEATH
A charade of BE, NEAT and H. ‘That was a neat/great way to clue that particular word.’
10 Hairpiece to secure across priest’s head
TOPKNOT
An insertion of P for the first letter of ‘priest’ in TO KNOT.
11 European cause is controversial
EMOTIVE
A charade of E and MOTIVE.
12 Mocking metal barrier
RAILING
A dd.
13 The Parisian follows deplorable account
CHRONICLE
A charade of CHRONIC and LE for one of the words for ‘the’ in French.
15 Dance in circle repeatedly
DISCO
A charade of two circles: DISC and O.
16 Water vapour from running water (not river)
STEAM
ST[R]EAM
19 Suitor on inappropriately embracing love becomes infamous
NOTORIOUS
An insertion of O for ‘love’ in (SUITOR ON)*
22 Cut short a card game
ABRIDGE
A charade of A and BRIDGE.
23 Asks secretary to return rings
APPEALS
A charade of PA for ‘secretary’ reversed and PEALS.
25 Sire mixed about 59 potions
ELIXIRS
An insertion of LIX for 59 in Roman numerals in (SIRE)*
26 Perfect university head I paint regularly
UTOPIAN
A charade of U, TOP, I and AN for the second and fourth letters (‘regularly’) of ‘paint’.
27 Wait to look over recreational vehicle
SERVE
An insertion of RV in SEE. SUV = Sports Utility Vehicle; MPV = Multi Purpose Vehicle; RV = …
28 Teens were treated as bribe
SWEETENER
(TEENS WERE)*
Down
1 Propose returning pieces of Melba toast
TABLE
Hidden reversed in mELBA Toast.
2 Managed firm united by Republican spite
RANCOUR
A charade of RAN, CO, U and R.
3 Botanist losing head travelling to Waterloo perhaps
STATION
Vigo is inviting you to remove the first letter of ‘botanist’ and make an anagram (‘travelling’). So it’s ([B]OTANIST)*
4 Church coated in mineral paint type
OCHRE
An insertion of CH in ORE.
5 Cleaner put off by posh bloke
DETERGENT
This one has definitely been around the block a few times. A charade of DETER and GENT.
6 Assigned practical was relevant
APPLIED
Not a dd, but a td – a triple definition.
7 Little cakes cooked in cafes
FANCIES
(IN CAFES)*
8 Settled debtors notes involving US soldier that’s quick to sue
LITIGIOUS
A charade of LIT and an insertion of GI in IOUS. LIT here is the alternative to ‘lighted’ as the past tense of ‘light’ in the sense of ‘settle’.
13 Throw a bag and small instruments
CASTANETS
A charade of CAST, A, NET and S.
14 Agreement about bit of society covered by official count
CONSENSUS
An insertion of ON for ‘about’ and S for the first letter of ‘society’ in CENSUS. The insertion indicator is ‘covered by’.
17 Attention given to story run previously
EARLIER
A charade of EAR, LIE and R.
18 One helping with delivery of male fish to mate
MIDWIFE
A charade of M, ID and WIFE. Interesting etymology: mid was common in Old and Middle English as a preposition but has been completely superseded in Modern English by ‘with’ (except in this word). It’s cognate with Modern German mit and Modern Dutch met. Wyf was the Middle English word for ‘woman’; its use to mean a married woman (or ‘mate’ as Vigo has it here) came later. So the word comes from mid and wyf, for the ‘woman who is with’ the mother at childbirth.
20 Hit drink to form connection
RAPPORT
A charade of RAP and PORT.
21 Address old fixed allowance
ORATION
A charade of O and RATION.
23 Serious wound admitted to A&E
ACUTE
An insertion of CUT in A and E.
24 Arson destroyed location device
SONAR
(ARSON)*
Many thanks to Vigo for the start to the Indy week.
Good Monday puzzle; thanks Vigo.
Thanks Pierre for a good blog and the derivation of MIDWIFE, which had one of my favourite clues.
Very nice. This was light but fun. A good TD is always going to be a contender for my favourite and 6d gets my nod today. 18d ran it close.
Many thanks to Vigo and Pierre.
Thank you Vigo & Pierre.
I know “it’s in Chambers” but chronic=deplorable=yuk
Why is ID fish? I thought it must have been a garbling of IDE.
Ian SW3
From Chambers:
id or ide
noun
A fish (Leuciscus idus), closely related to the chub, inhabiting fresh water in N Europe
Thanks. News to me.
One can always rely on Vigo to produce an enjoyable and satisfying puzzle – always a game winner in my book.
As is often the way, I concur with RD about the top clues – 6&18d.
Many thanks to Vigo – lovely to chat to you recently – and thanks also to Pierre for the blog.
Thank you Pierre for both your entertaining and informative blogs today. Thank you also to everyone who took the time to comment.
Jane it was lovely to chat to you too. We may be stopping by the hollies on our way to Anglesey at half term!
Vx
A pleasant stroll today, nothing too difficult but some thought required. No real favourite, it was all good.
Thanks, Vigo and Pierre.
I had hoped the setter’s name would have returned to the app version by now. I’ve managed to get the powers that be to agree that the setter’s name is more useful to a solver than the timer, but if others feel the same it might speed things up if they also make their voices heard
Lovely crossword as expected. Many thanks to Vigo and Pierre.