Pasquale has a well-constructed and tractable Quiptic for our entertainment this morning.
Nothing to frighten the horses here, I would say, which is how it should be in this slot. An unusually large number of double definitions this morning, but otherwise the setter demonstrating how to write a cryptic crossword for those newer to the dark arts.
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 Gets on to bosses’ groups
BOARDS
A dd.
4 Admiral? Be nice initially and gesture respect
BENBOW
A charade of BE, N for the first letter of ‘nice’ and BOW. First thoughts were probably the inn in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island; but there was a real Admiral of that name – John BENBOW (1653-1702), of some notoriety.
9 Retain castle’s feature
KEEP
A dd.
10 Church singers show off their cross
CHORISTERS
(THEIR CROSS)* with ‘show off’ as the anagrind. A clue made for my Quiptic blogging colleague Quirister, but sadly she’s not on duty this morning.
11 Money found on street or beach?
STRAND
A charade of ST and RAND for the South African currency.
12 Essential truth found in mad and unpleasant place
NUTSHELL
A charade of NUTS and HELL.
13 Belittle Ted in gear that’s unconventional
DENIGRATE
(TED IN GEAR)* The anagrind is ‘that’s unconventional’.
15 One pound for some tobacco
QUID
A dd.
16 One dad or two?
PAPA
And another. PAPA is decidedly upper-class, I would say, although Wills calls the King ‘Pa’, apparently.
17 Protection round the Queen once showing respect
DEFERENCE
Talking of which, Pasquale recognises that Wills’ grandmama is no longer with us, with ‘Queen once’ as the definition. It’s an insertion of ER for Elizabeth Regina in DEFENCE. The insertion indicator is ’round’.
21 Norma let loose in Canadian city
MONTREAL
(NORMA LET)* with ‘loose’ as the anagrind, for the centre of Francophone Canada, originally Mont Royal, ‘Royal Mountain’, although its etymology is the subject of some dispute.
22 Sailor‘s appraisal
RATING
Another dd.
24 A celebrant improvised a place of worship
TABERNACLE
(A CELEBRANT)* with ‘improvised’ as the anagrind.
25 Observed No 5 dropping out
SEEN
The ‘No’ or number, is seven: so it’s SE[V]EN, with the V being the Roman numeral for five.
26 Total set of books held in Ireland
ENTIRE
An insertion of NT for New Testament in EIRE. The insertion indicator is ‘held in’.
27 Where cobbler would work finally
AT LAST
A dd.
Down
1 The bear is shot — it will do this no more
BREATHE
(THE BEAR)* with ‘is shot’ as the anagrind, and a cad.
2 Leading character getting top grade
ALPHA
A dd. The first element is most often seen in the term ALPHA MALE.
3 Journalist turning up with drink for critical game?
DECIDER
A charade of ED reversed and CIDER. Since it’s a down clue, the reversal indicator is ‘turning up’.
5 Orders English dictionary — first requirement for solver
EDICTS
A charade of E, DICT and S for the initial letter of ‘solver’. Pasquale is right – a good dictionary is a key requirement if you’re going to seriously get into cryptics.
6 Dwelling in Somerset city — a building with water facilities
BATHHOUSE
A charade of BATH and HOUSE.
7 Sang in hostilities, having suffered injury?
WARBLED
A charade of WAR and BLED.
8 Going in a circle at all times
ROUND THE CLOCK
A dd cum cd.
14 Job wasn’t apt in time to change
IMPATIENT
(APT IN TIME)* with ‘to change’ as the anagrind. We need the prophet Job from the Old Testament, who was renowned for his patience.
16 Support a new source of energy — it’s a gas
PROPANE
A charade of PROP, A, N and E for the initial letter of ‘energy’.
18 Serious listener gets a cosy spot?
EARNEST
A charade of EAR and NEST.
19 Agreement to provide musical event
CONCERT
Another dd.
20 Nasty men are becoming nastier
MEANER
(MEN ARE)* with ‘becoming nastier’ ‘nasty’ as the anagrind.
23 Physics unit in graduate’s laboratory
TESLA
Hidden in graduaTES LAboratory. Nikola TESLA, the Serbian-American physicist, has the unit of magnetic flux density named after him.
Many thanks to Pasquale for this week’s Quiptic.
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