Guardian Quiptic 1,218/Chandler

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A delightful Quiptic from Chandler that has clearly been constructed with the less experienced solver in mind. One I will be recommending to real beginners.

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 Shed light on condition acquired by comedian Julian
CLARIFY
An insertion of IF in [Julian] CLARY. The insertion indicator is ‘acquired by’.

5 Fool shortly facing guaranteed shutdown
CLOSURE
A charade of CLO[T] and SURE.

10 This person’s a married prayer leader
IMAM
A charade of I’M, A and M.

11 Estate, maybe, with lands and showy flowers
CARNATIONS
A charade of CAR and NATIONS.

12 A regulation dividing military intelligence in this African country
MALAWI
An insertion of A LAW in MI. The insertion indicator is ‘dividing’.

13 Charlie and son housed in modern arc-shaped road
CRESCENT
A charade of C for phonetic alphabet ‘Charlie’ and S inserted into RECENT. The insertion indicator is ‘housed in’.

14 Pleasant company in a glen when rambling
CONGENIAL
A charade of CO and (IN A GLEN)* The anagrind is ‘when rambling’.

16 Charitable giver supplying name in entrance
DONOR
An insertion of N in DOOR. The insertion indicator is ‘supplying … in’.

17 Insignificant type flustered about time
PETTY
An insertion of T in (TYPE)* The insertion indicator is ‘about’; the anagrind is ‘flustered’.

19 Unwavering fellow found in ground, as stated
STEADFAST
An insertion of F in (AS STATED)* The insertion indicator is ‘found in’; the anagrind is ‘ground’.

23 Choice of candidates barring first in vote
ELECTION
[S]ELECTION

24 Granny prepared for return in French city
NANTES
A charade of NAN and SET reversed.

26 Mother, say, staying in area with work, as far as one knows
APPARENTLY
A charade of A and an insertion of PARENT in PLY. The insertion indicator is ‘staying in’.

27 Cheating footballer might resort to this seedy joint
DIVE
A dd.  Cheating footballers who go to ground too easily in an attempt to persuade the referee to give a penalty are said to be performing a DIVE (it’s really called ‘simulation’, if you must know). And a DIVER would naturally resort to a DIVE for a night out after the match.

28 Encountered article probing helium and a greenhouse gas
METHANE
A charade of MET and an insertion of AN in HE. The insertion indicator is ‘probing’.

29 Unfavourable or commercial part of a poet’s output?
ADVERSE
A charade of AD and VERSE.

Down

2 Measure needing no introduction in the past for a back condition
LUMBAGO
A charade of [P]LUMB and AGO. The first particle is the verbal use of the word: ‘He plumbed the depth.’

3 Some forum basically for Cuban dance
RUMBA
Hidden in foRUM BAsically.

4 Small dissenting group following court proceedings
FACTION
A charade of F and ACTION.

6 Dull learner with a need for redirection
LEADEN
A charade of L and (A NEED)* The anagrind is ‘for redirection’.

7 Stop paying attention with changeover on holiday
SWITCH OFF
A charade of SWITCH and OFF.

8 Unexpectedly, come across leaders of this operation after argument
RUN INTO
A charade of RUN IN and TO for the initial letters of ‘this’ and ‘operation’.

9 Put off playing a certain sport
PROCRASTINATE
(A CERTAIN SPORT)* The anagrind is ‘playing’.

15 Enter uninvited cage mixed with trash
GATECRASH
(CAGE TRASH)* The anagrind is ‘mixed with’.

18 Cover pieces of footage in here at intervals
ECLIPSE
An insertion of CLIPS in EE for the even letters of ‘here’. The insertion indicator is ‘in’.

20 A number detained by US city journalist getting irked
ANNOYED
A charade of A, NO inserted into NY, and ED. The insertion indicator is ‘detained by’.

21 Records are put in these parts of jackets
SLEEVES
A dd.

22 Farm animal, one that’s agitated bird
PIGEON
A charade of PIG and (ONE)* with ‘that’s agitated’ as the anagrind. A humble and unflashy bird, perhaps, but one that still triggers the obligatory Pierre bird link. The wood pigeon is the most common pigeon in these islands and a pair have just started nest-building in the courtyard outside my house. Cue lots of cooing.

25 Greek character and daughter, for example, brought up reminder
NUDGE
A charade of NU, D and EG reversed. Since it’s a down clue, the reversal indicator is ‘brought up’.

Many thanks to Chandler for a fine Quiptic.

 

30 comments on “Guardian Quiptic 1,218/Chandler”

  1. Very plesant. The only one I couldn’t parse was CLARIFY, having never heard of Julian Clary (a Brit, I presume?).

    Thanks Chandler & Pierre.

  2. Thanks, Chandler and Pierre. Nice puzzle that does seem to fit the brief better than some Quiptics! Particularly liked the long anagram at 9d.

  4. Thank you Pierre. Great blog. Just shows to go that a less experienced solver doesn’t need to have less of a thrill.
    PROCRASTINATE .. what a find! As was GATECRASH. And so many other clues. Thank you Chandler,

  5. Lovely gentle start to the week. Now for the Cryptic.

    [I have pigeons living on my roof and laying eggs in the loft. I found a pair of baby pigeons up there when I went up to check the roof last month. I left them to grow and leave but since then I have removed any eggs I have found there. The gap gets blocked up this weekend.]

    Thanks Chandler and Pierre

  7. New: the soccer meaning of DIVE; actor Julian Clary for 1ac – thanks, google.

    Favourites: APPARENTLY, TYPE.

    Thanks, both.

  10. Nice and gentle start to the week.

    RUN INTO – it’s been several decades since I studied computing, but are RUN and INTO examples of an operation and an argument?

  11. [A very odd bit of TV was the time Julian Clary co-compered the Sydney Mardi Gras with David Marr (an intellectual heavyweight who wrote, inter much alia, the biography of Patrick White). Talk about awkward!]

  12. Just to add to the discussion of this being a beginner friendly quiptic…

    There was no need for “arc-shaped” in 13a, as road could clue CRESCENT by itself. The additional descriptor just made it easier (a good thing in this context!).

  14. Chandler is a great addition to the Guardian setters. This, though easy, was far more enjoyable than today’s Cryptic.

  17. I thought CLO[WN] rather than CLO[T] for 5a.

    Plus, it was the first quiptic or cryptic I’ve done in a while and thought I was bang on form, until I discovered it was billed as a really easy one!

  20. Thanks both and I didn’t find it too easy.

    I thought FACTION was really good, with F=’following’ providing a nice body-swerve. NUDGE seems to be the word of the moment – it keeps cropping up, but differently clued each time. ELECTION and CLOSURE gave pause for thought and I think these would be difficult for the beginner who may find it a bit of an ask to come up with a word from one part of the wordplay and then manipulate that to get to the answer.

    [I like pigeons. I’ve often wondered why they are equipped with homing talents – what purpose would it serve in the normal life of a pigeon? Other birds don’t seem to get lost….]

  21. Delightful Quiptic, well done Chandler!

    I wouldn’t say that clown is better than clot; usually ‘shortly’ means delete the last letter, especially in a beginner’s puzzle. I liked the RUN IN, the excellent anagram to give PROCRASTINATE, and the farm animal agitating a bird.

    Thanks Chandler and Pierre.

  23. I first thought of clo[d] rather than clot or clown for 5ac. I agree with those who say clown is less good, because “shortly” usually indicates the removal of just the last letter, but I think any of them work.

    I’ve had an exhausting week (and it’s only Monday!), so a delightful and fairly easy quiptic hit the spot for me. Thanks, Chandler!

  24. Was it a coincidence that both today’s Quiptic and Cryptic used the same grid? Like most others here, I thought that Chandler did a better job of filling the grid.

    Both puzzles had britishisms of the (to me) NHO variety, but this one – Julian Clary – was more amenable to google-aid, so it posed no problem for this Canadian. To CLARIFY, I have no objection to britishisms in British crosswords; it’s a small price to pay (and a good learning opportunity) for access to the best cryptic crosswords we can find here.

    I get very few chances to display pedantry, so I must take advantage when the opportunity arises. From a legislative standpoint, laws and regulations are very different things. (Re 12a MALAWI – it was still a nice clue.)

    Thanks, Chandler for the very enjoyable puzzle and Pierre for the excellent blog.

  26. I thought this was an exemplary, textbook Quiptic. Very enjoyable, especially the fantastic anagram in 9D. Bravo!

  27. Might be too late, but for WhiteDevil@10 you are probably thinking about RUN which executed e.g. BASIC programs, and INTO which is a Keyword in SQL for filling datasets

  28. It took me an embarrassingly long time to realise the clue was talking about helium, not hydrogen, and wondering where the second E came from.

    I didn’t get them all this time, but the ones I didn’t get are quite clear so I’ll put it down to being off form. Drat!

  29. As a beginner going into intermediate, I loved this puzzle because it gives me faith. I finished it although I had to spend all night thinking about the word SWITCH for some reason. Thanks for the great puzzle and blog.

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