You always know you’re going to get a well-constructed and tractable puzzle from the Don when he’s in Quiptic mode.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
5 Legal profession upsetting Bertha
THE BAR
(BERTHA)* with ‘upsetting’ as the anagrind.
6 Make merry outside a show
REVEAL
An insertion of A in REVEL. The insertion indicator is ‘outside’.
9 Husband facing wrath, one to go in wardrobe?
HANGER
A charade of H and ANGER.
10 Lord that is holy person, coming before all others
EARLIEST
A charade of EARL, IE for id est and ST
11 Appear to give notice before end of term
SEEM
A charade of SEE and M for the final letter of ‘term’. ‘I see/notice that Quixote is now a regular in the Quiptic slot.’
12 Quiet fool in sandy area turned and entered forbidden territory
TRESPASSED
An insertion of P for the musically ‘quiet’ and ASS in DESERT reversed. The insertion indicator is ‘in’.
13 Resist pests, horrible semi-siblings
STEPSISTERS
(RESIST PESTS)* with ‘horrible’ as the anagrind. Semi-siblings often of the pantomime variety, but not all of them are wicked.
18 London arcade in which Heather is embraced by actor Richard?
BURLINGTON
An insertion of LING in BURTON. The insertion indicator is ’embraced by’. If you’re new to all this, ‘heather’ is often LING. When it’s not ERICA.
21 Bird left Noah’s vessel
LARK
A charade of L and ARK, and a chance for the obligatory Pierre bird link. I’ve chosen the Maghreb lark because of his interesting crest.
22 Nasty notice involving six being kicked out of home?
EVICTION
An insertion of VI for the Roman ‘six’ in (NOTICE)* The insertion indicator is ‘involving’ and the anagrind is ‘nasty’.
23 Hallucinogenic drug making one play around in waste water
PEYOTE
Pasquale often clues a slightly unusual word in his daily Guardian crosswords, with a usually clear subsidiary indicator. Here he’s offering us the same in a Quiptic, which is fair enough in small doses. An invertion of TOY in PEE. The insertion indicator is ‘in’ and the reversal indicator is ‘around’.
24 Short break with nothing right in seaside town?
RESORT
An insertion of O and R in REST. The insertion indicator is ‘in’.
25 American soldier leading workers, huge folk
GIANTS
A charade of GI and ANTS.
Down
1 Great mob chucked fruit
BERGAMOT
(GREAT MOB)* with ‘chucked’ as the anagrind.
2 Repeat what is expected — rubbish
PARROT
A charade of PAR and ROT.
3 After a month agent has modern technology falling apart
DECREPIT
A charade of DEC, REP and IT.
4 Row in lake, intercepting ship
SERIES
An insertion of ERIE in SS. The insertion indicator is ‘intercepting’.
5 Old landholders in Athens displaced
THANES
(ATHENS)* with ‘displaced’ as the anagrind.
7 The French hut held together with rope?
LASHED
A charade of LA for one of the French words for ‘the’ and SHED.
8 Member of religious community has been wicked, incited evil
BENEDICTINE
A double anagram: of (BEEN)* and (INCITED)* The two anagrinds are ‘wicked’ and ‘evil’.
14 Joke I’d spun with attempt to show expertise
PUNDITRY
A charade of PUN, ID reversed and TRY. The reversal indicator is ‘spun’.
15 Friend nabbed by gang is getting better
RALLYING
An insertion of ALLY in RING. The insertion indicator is ‘nabbed’.
16 Note Queen leading state
QUAVER
A charade of QU and AVER.
17 Old Roman vehicle bypassing deep track
BRUTUS
As famous old Romans go, BRUTUS is up there. An insertion of RUT in BUS. The insertion indicator is ‘bypassing’.
19 Insect given clouts when flying around
LOCUST
(CLOUTS)* with ‘flying around’ as the anagrind.
20 Sleep with relations under a cloth
NAPKIN
A charade of NAP and KIN.
Many thanks to Pasquale for this week’s Quiptic.
I thought this a lovely Quiptic – very well pitched. hard to pick a favorite given how well constructed they all were. Thanks, Pasquale and Pierre.
I liked the double anagrind in BENEDICTINE. PEYOTE took me a while to work out. LARKs (great pic) revels and BURLINGTON Bertie but not enough for a theme.
Quoting Burlington Bertie rising at 10.30 was probably the only nod to anything lighter than Ludwig my old dad ever gave. Ah, nostalgia aplenty to found in crosswordland. Lovely quiptic, ta PnP.
… to be found …
[ginf@3 My dad used Burlington Bertie as a way of criticising my teenage lifestyle]
Excellent Quiptic as usual from Pasquale. It took me a while to twig the double anagram, so I was searching for that obscure order of Levedictini monks. NHO PEYOTE and didn’t get it until the crossers were in. Thanks both.
About the right level for a Quiptic, says this novice. As in, slightly chewy in places but satisfyingly finishable.
PEYOTE took me a while as I was thinking PSYxxx and was trying to work out six-letter words for magic mushrooms. Which didn’t fit the wordplay anyway. Then I deleted the S and PEYOTE appeared before my eyes.
I often find charade clues tricky but today they fell into place nicely — I liked DECREPIT, EARLIEST and PUNDITRY.
Thanks both.
Fun puzzle. Perfect Quiptic.
Liked NAPKIN, PEYOTE, BRUTUS, TRESPASSED, PARROT, SERIES (loi).
Thanks, both.
Good for a newbie like me.
I’d never heard of aver and Thanes, not that this is Pasquale’s problem.
Thanks P&P
Thanks for the blog, Pierre, and thanks, Pasquale, for yet another exemplary Quiptic. Very enjoyable.
Delboy @9 – make a mental note of “aver” for future reference, it comes up quite often in crosswords.
Very enjoyable – and agreeably paired with today’s equally enjoyable cryptic.
PEYOTE was the last I solved and took me almost as long as the rest of the puzzle, probably because, like Rob T, I kept trying to work psy into the beginning…
Thank you Picaroon, and thanks also to Pierre for the ever-entertaining blog. Great bird pic, too!
Whoops! I meant, of course, thanks to Pasquale. Sorry!
(Am clearly unable to cope with numerous letter Ps: Pasquale, Pierre, Picaroon, Peyote….)
Thanks to grantinfreo@3 and Petert for brighttening my morning with the Burlington Bertie references, which I hadn’t heard of…
Full lyrics on Wikipedia, both the original from 1900, and the Burlington Bertie from Bow that you are referring to. Very fun! 🙂 (The original has references to “l.s.d.” which I had to look up in Chambers as well!)
Enjoyable puzzle from Pasquale, and clear blog from Pierre — thanks to you both.
Failed at parsing PARROT (which was staring me in the face, I now see!) and it took awhile to see state = aver — oh, it’s a verb!
I struggled to finish the NE corner. Figured PASS might have a place in 12a, but got stuck on the beach/shore rather than in the desert. (Most of the deserts here are more rocky than sandy.) Eventually 3d placed the P, and that was the key!
A nice start to the week.
Sorry I’m late to the party but thanks, Pasquale and Pierre, for a fantastic Quiptic and excellent blog.
It was all great but I particularly loved 8D which I just thought was so neat and clever.