This is the twenty-fifth Guardian Quick Cryptic, a series of 11 x 11 crosswords designed to support beginners learning cryptic crosswords. The whole point of these crosswords is support and encouragement of new solvers, so special rules for these crosswords apply – see here. The puzzle can be found here.
This week we continue consolidating clue types learned earlier in the series. This crossword uses anagrams and alternate letter clues which provide all the required letters, with some more tricky double definitions and cryptic clues, which have been seen before. The cryptic definitions appeared once before in Quick Cryptic 21. If they aren’t your favourite clues, these may prove a bit more challenging.
Fifteen Squared uses several abbreviations and jargon tricks, there’s a full list here, of which I’ve used the following in this blog:
- underlining the definition in the clue – this is either at the beginning or end of the clue
- CAPITALS to indicate which bits are part of the answer, e.g. PASS (qualify) to get PORT (drink) or EnViEd (first lady), see below
- anagram *(SENATOR) shows letters in clue being used, see clue below.
- anagrind the anagram indicator (arranged)
- surface – the meaning from reading the clue – so often cryptic clues use an English that could only be found in a cryptic crossword, but a smooth surface is a clue that has a meaning in English, which can be pointed or misleading.
TODAY’S TRICKS – from the crossword site – which can be found at www.theguardian.com/crosswords/quick-cryptic/25
Clues begin or end with a definition of the answer. The rest is one of these:
- Anagram An anagram of the answer and a hint that there’s an anagram
‘Senator arranged crime (7)’ gives TREASON - Double definition Both halves are definitions!
‘Search scrub (5)’ gives SCOUR - Alternate letters Choose every other letter for the answer
‘Oddly envied First Lady? (3)’ gives EVE - Cryptic definition Whole clue is playful definition
‘Die of cold (3,4)’ gives ICE CUBE
| ACROSS |
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| 1 | A fast time? (4) |
LENT
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| cryptic definition – LENT is a time of fasting in the Christian Church calendar, 40 days before Easter – similar to Ramadan in Islam. (Originally Advent was also a period of fasting, but less strictly). | ||
| 3 |
Please eccentric getting some rest (6)
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ASLEEP |
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anagram of (PLEASE)* with anagrind of eccentric
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| 8 |
Orate wildly for Greek Muse (5)
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ERATO
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anagram of (ORATE)* with anagrind of wildly
ERATO is the Greek Muse of poetry – she and the other muses appear in cryptic crosswords enough that I, who attended the local comp and had no classical education whatsoever, now know of at least some of the nine through cryptic crosswords.
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| 9 |
Regular components of doors I sell, or a window (5)
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ORIEL
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alternate letters of (regular components) with dOoRs I sElL
for this kind of window Oriel window
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| 10 |
Every so often, reveal a slippery customer (3)
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EEL |
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alternate letters (every so often) of rEvEaL
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| 11 |
One rat’s dreadful betrayal (7)
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TREASON
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| anagram of (ONE RAT’S)* with anagrind of dreadful
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| 12 |
Aged men involved in a bit of chess (7)
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ENDGAME
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anagram of (AGED MEN) with anagrind of involved
involved as in intricate gives another anagram indicator
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| 14 |
Sailor showing what’s in ciggy (3)
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TAR
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double definition using one of the many, many terms for sailor, and referring to one of the damaging components of cigarettes.
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| 15 |
Hearing test(5)
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TRIAL
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double definition TRIAL meaning court hearing and a sports try out
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| 16 |
The man of the match? (5)
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GROOM |
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cryptic definition a GROOM is the man making the match or marriage
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| 17 |
Greatly enjoy a condiment (6)
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RELISH |
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double definition – to greatly enjoy or relish eating something, particularly one with a condiment or relish on top
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| 18 |
Regularly applauds advantage (4)
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PLUS |
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alternate letters (regularly) of aPpLaUdS
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DOWN
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| 1 | Is one supposed to pick up pork pies? (3,8) | LIE DETECTOR |
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cryptic definition relying on the understanding that pork pies are lies (in cockney rhyming slang originally -and where porkies for lies came from).
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| 2 |
Irishman, one I call old at intervals (5)
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NIALL |
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alternate letters (at intervals) of oNe I cAlL oLd
for the Irish man’s first name
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| 4 |
Famous British rock group? (10)
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STONEHENGE |
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cryptic definition referring to this particular group of rocks
Stonehenge –
when I was a child (before 1977), the stones weren’t fenced off or protected in any way. They were also on our drive to my grandparents – so I remember stopping there many times, including for breakfast – at dawn – pretending to be sacrificed on the big stone! |
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| 5 |
Diet’s going wrong, making changes (5)
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EDITS |
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anagram of (DIET’S)* with anagrind of going wrong
Don’t forget, you can mostly ignore punctuation in cryptic crosswords – until you can’t because it’s the definition.
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| 6 |
Maybe Hannah, Eve, Bob, Otto, Viv and Anna? (11)
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PALINDROMES |
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cryptic definition – by example, so maybe – all the names are palindromic
One of these puzzles had PALINDROMES as a clue type – here you’re seeing another trick in cryptic crosswords – turning clue and answer around.
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| 7 |
Server errors? (4,6)
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FOOT FAULTS |
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cryptic definition referring to tennis – so if the server does not stand behind the line, their serve is faulted and disallowed.
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| 13 |
Use a boring tool in practice (5)
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DRILL |
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double definition to DRILL using a DRILL or take part in exercise DRILLs
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| 14 |
Online provocateur’s story on Lily oddly cut (5)
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TROLL |
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alternate letters of (oddly cut) of sToRy On LiLy
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Loved this.Something up my alley.Personal favourites stonehenge and lie detector.Thanks Picaroon and Shanne.
Thanks Shanne. I thought this was a notch up in difficulty, not just because of the introduction of cryptic defs, but also the ‘general knowledge required. For example, if you don’t know tennis, how would you get FOOT FAULTS? And if ”palindrome ” is a new term? …. one essential to know though in cryptics. ENDGAME, if you don’t know chess, also a challenge if involved as anagrind is not readily seen, and definition “a bit of chess” is disguised. I just thought there were a few too many extra demands in this grid, although lots to store away for future reference.
A tweak to the blog. 11a BETRAYAL. Anagrind is dreadful.
paddymelon @2 – thank you – I’ve corrected 11a
This series covered palindromes in Quick Cryptic 11 and cryptic definitions in Quick Cryptic 21. Yes, I have a spreadsheet – because I’m planning a summary of the first 6 months when we reach 26 crosswords in the series. I’m not sure how much to assume that solvers have followed the whole series or not, but it feels like mostly the same people – or when new people discover it, they go back and catch up.
I’m with you DrMZ2@1. I enjoy cryptic definitions. As well as your two, I also liked GROOM and FOOT FAULTS, but then I’m partial to Christmas cracker jokes. I liked the misdirection server error in Foot Faults, made me think computers.
Thanks Shanne@3. I wasn’t aware (read: didn’t remember) that palindromes and cryptic defs have already had an outing.
I enjoyed this but was held up by the tennis clue, although if I’d twigged that ‘server’ could refer to tennis it would have been easier – I was stuck on hospitality workers or computers. Loved Stonehenge and the lovey linked picture of oriel windows. Great blog as always Shanne and thanks Picaroon.
Shanne@3
Great service indeed. I am sure many people are benefitting from your blogs.
Today’s blog (as usual) is quite neat and detailed. Thanks Shanne.
pdm@4
I enjoy cryptic definitions.
Me too!
A couple of thoughts (very minor)
EDITS
Def: Changes (with the ‘making’ as a link word)
DRILL
Def: Practice (with the ‘in’ as a link word)
This was great fun. A lot of witty clues.
I agree the cryptic clues were more challenging, and 1d took me a bit of time to solve, complicated by needing a crosser to ensure the answer to 1a was correct.
Thanks Picaroon and Shanne
Clearly I’m in the minority on cryptic definitions as I did not enjoy this week at all! PALINDROMES was the only cd I “saw” rather without having to get all the crossers I could from the other clues and then start guessing words that might fit. To each their own I guess, as I know others really don’t enjoy the soundalikes we’ve had in the last few weeks which I find relatively straightforward so…
Thank you to the setters and bloggers for supporting us beginners with the quick cryptic. At last, a way into these mysterious cryptic crosswords.
Marc@9 I agree that the cryptic definitions are the most difficult, but there is that little burst of dopamine when you get them, even with lots of crossers.
Well pitched puzzle from Picaroon. Pure cryptic clues can be tough if you don’t get on the wavelength so I sympathise with Marc @9 (and any one else who struggled with them). Elsewhere Picaroon gave us lots of letters on the board from other clues. Minor note that TREASON happens to be an anagram and the example provided for anagrams is also for treason but completely different clue.
I’ve done a live solve which is over at https://youtu.be/F4kHRnsJW2s … talking through my approach and initial impressions of clues and how I break them down. May be helpful to anyone wishing to get ideas tips and tactics.
Thank you for the blog and explanations.
I found this very difficult.
Almost the entire left hand side of the grid remained empty.
The difficulty of Cryptic definitions is always very subjective – I thought this was the hardest quick cryptic so far. One either sees cryptic definition or not; there is no real middle ground
Enjoyed immensely. Thanks Picaroon and Shanne
Fun puzzle.
Favourite was STONEHENGE, my loi.
paddymelon@2 – I thought FOOT FAULTS was fine considering that we often have clues referring to cricket, golf, billiards, football, soccer, rugby – some of which I fail at as I am not familiar with the last 4 sports mentioned but I have picked up a few terms via crosswords.
I also think PALINDROMES was fine – anyone who knows the word anagram is likely to also know the word palindrome, right? In my experience, people who enjoy word puzzles of all sorts know about palindromes.
Thanks, both.
I was slightly amused to see that “treason” as the answer to 11a is also the answer to the example of an anagram.
Shanne, thank you and the Guardian setters for this series of crosswords, and the great explanations on this site.
I’ve long wanted to get into and understand cryptic crosswords and through a combination of these Saturday morning puzzles and your clear explanations of the cluing of answers I now feel like I’m finally making good headway. The quick cryptics generally get completed in a reasonable time, and I’m working my way through the Quiptic archive, with many stumbling blocks, but it’s a lovely journey, and couldn’t have been done without this series or your clear blogs to assist me! Many thanks!
I loved this. I found it the most difficult of the Quick Cryptics – I’ve done them all – but I did finish it. The cryptic definitions appeal to me as it is so satisfying when you see it. Frustrating though when you are not on the setter’s wavelength as I’ve experienced with many of the proper cryptics. I know tennis and palindromes but am completely at sea with cricket, football, opera et al. Many thanks for all of the clear explanations in these blogs and comments.
I think it’s a mistake to assume that the novice Cryptic solver this series is aimed at doesn’t have the same level of general knowledge as the rest of us: they are just as likely to know about FOOT FAULTS as anyone. (More so in my case; tennis isn’t my thing and it took a while to see that one.)
I liked all of Picaroon’s cryptic defs, but the problem is always that if you can’t see it, there’s nothing else in the clue to help you (though thinking of famous British rock bands might help with the first bit of STONEHENGE.)
Stared at SW corner for a while. Needed a bit of help to get FOOT FAULT, then it came together. Thought server meant waiter, didn’t think of tennis. Don’t like tennis.
gladys@18 and michelle@14. I didn’t mean to suggest that the QCs should assume that novice solvers don’t necessarily have a similar level of general knowledge as experienced solvers. The point I was clumsily trying to make was that if you don’t know tennis, at all, there is no way in to the clue for FOOT FAULTS, when the objective is to build confidence with this kind of clue. I accept that palindromes may be more widely known amongst people who enjoy word puzzles , as Michelle said, but I think I also only learnt that while learning how to do cryptics. I’ve also had to learn a lot of things unfamiliar and not necessarily of interest to me, such as references to sports, chess, church, biblical texts, and military abbreviations, to have fun with cryptics. MAN OF THE MATCH is a sporting term which I do recognise. 🙂
As you say, gladys, with a cryptic definition, if you can’t see it, there’s nothing else in the clue to help you . I was just lucky to crack STONEHENGE, being a non Brit. Didn’t even think of the Stones. 🙂
Thanks Picaroon and Shanne
I too thought that this ws the hardest Quick Cryptic so far. ORIEL for a window and ERATO as a Greek muse are other examples of not common general knowledge.
I took a long time to see GROOM and hence STONEHENGE!
DNF. I knew it was some kind of tennis fault, but I’ve never heard of FOOT FAULTS specifically, so I gave up. The crossers weren’t enough to help, but perhaps with some thought I could have given it a guess.
Seems a bit mean to let finishing the puzzle hang on that small detail of a sport not everyone enjoys, but I suppose by that logic, you’d never get to put GK in your crossword, which would be dull.
gladys@18 Thanks for saying this. I am very much a novice but have a good general knowledge and a strong literary background – I know who Erato is, for example. But I’ve never before attempted cryptic crosswords and am only slowly learning the tricks. The most difficult thing I find is firstly recognising what kind of clue it is (it seems that almost anything can serve as an anagrind) and then teasing out the logic of taking the last letter of this and the middle letters of that and finding a synonym for a word in the clue which then becomes an anagram . . . . Sometimes the whole process feels quite mad!
@20 Paddymelon – while I agree with your general point about pure cryptics clue are typically either “get them or don’t” …. faults=errors is gettable. Not easy but gettable. That just leaves deliberation over -O-T which has many possibilities. But I also think with Wimbledon being free-to-air most people have seen it or given it a try.
I’m not sure we should be hamstringing the setters too much or they won’t have anything to work with. Overall the majority of comments seem positive
Agree with others that the cryptics made this one of the tougher QCs. I hope that anyone doing a QC for the first time and struggling doesn’t get discouraged, but goes back over some of the previous ones. Thanks to Shanne for another great blog.
I came here to have Foot Faults explained to me – I’d got it, but had no idea what it meant, even though my first thought on the clue was that it was tennis. But my quibble (jokingly) is that it is NOT cryptic! Server errors is a perfectly sound description of Foot Faults, isn’t it? Or… is the cryptic nature that because it is a cryptic crossword, one expects it Not to be about tennis, and therefore …
Anyway, I enjoyed this a lot. I’ve had a go at the Quiptic the last couple of weeks and although extremely hard work for a beginner like me, at least it made doing this QC a comparative doddle! (Heavy stress on the word Comparative)
Was floored by 18 across as I had palendromic instead of palendromes; which would also appear to be a valid answer to 6 down. My favourite was 15 across “trial”; beautifully succinct clue. Great fun, thank you.
Like others found this a tougher work out than previous Quick Cryptics due to the number of CD’s. Got most of the right side but left side mainly blank and didn’t help myself by putting Stoneroses for 4dn! Eventually penny dropped for 1dn, and then across clues quickly followed and corrected 4dn. Very pleased to have finished. Thanks setter and blogger.
One query: Still don’t follow “maybe” at 6dn. They’re either palindromes or they’re not.
Forgot to add: Last one in was 15a: forgot hearing in the law court sense; very clever.
Forgot to add: Last one in was 15a: didn’t connect hearing with the law court sense; very clever.
Hi Tyro @29 – yes all those names are palindromes, but they don’t define a palindrome, they are examples. Convention says that if a clue uses a definition by example rather than a definition it uses a question mark, maybe, or something else to indicate that.
This took me a bit longer than some of the other recent QCs. I find double definition and cryptic definitions the hardest of the clue categories we have had so far. So thank goodness for the anagrams and alternate letters to get some crossers in. Amused we had TREASON as a solution when it’s used in the examples – and it was an anagram LOL. Also amusing that all the alternate letters were on the evens even the one that mentioned ‘oddly’.
Thanks Picaroon for the puzzle and Shanne for the explanatory blog which I always come to read to check my workings out or to enlighten me if the wordplay has stumped me.
@26 Florrie – the cryptic part of “Server errors?” is that it might relate to computers or waiters/waitresses but turns out to be about tennis. Just like the “Man of the match” clue isn’t about football, it’s about a wedding.
Depending on what your background / first thought is, this sometimes happens – that you immediately see the answer and wonder why it’s cryptic.
I really enjoyed this and completed it on the train home from a day’s outing. My brain must have been in gear as, on the whole, each clue just slotted in. All of these four types of clue seem easier for me than the soundalikes and spoonerisms. Although I didn’t always immediately work out which letters to use in the alternate letter clues ( at least I knew that’s what they were – just had trouble where to start ). And I too put in Stoneroses before the real answer dawned.
So a sense of achievement thanks to the skills of Picaroon and all the guidance I’ve had from Shannes blog in the past few weeks.
Just hoping I’m not completely at sea for tomorrows quiptic which I really struggled with last week.
Holly Anderson @34 – you and me both – I’m blogging tomorrow’s Quiptic!
Agree, Holly Anderson @34, I also find Spoonerisms and soundalikes more tricky. An enjoyable puzzle, thanks Picaroon and a great blog as always Shanne.
A very pleasant example, getting marginally tougher each time. Definitely not a write in as several took a long hard stare before the penny dropped.
Shanne @35, I hope that this week’s Q is gentler than the recent offerings. No doubt a solver of your calibre will breeze through it, but having kindly taken upon yourself to blog these excellent puzzles I hope that you don’t despair of some of the Q clues putting the new audience off.
For those of you struggling with anagrids, I have a Chambers Crossword Dictionary which has a very useful set of “Indicators” at the front. For anagrids there are nearly 5 pages of 5*60 approx words so it would be beyond most to remember them all. I find myself counting letters and looking for absolutely anything that could mean “mix these up”. Some are quite obtuse like arouse, alarm, alloy etc. and that’s just the ‘a’s. Often the ‘fodder’ is incomplete so you need to cast around for an extra letter or two to collect the set. See 22D below.
I have just managed to complete the Prize, something I rarely do (often don’t even try). 13D is a nice simple entry, 13A very clever as is 21A. 22D is neat. Can’t give too much away for fear of spoiling it for others. Have a quick scan, but don’t kill yourselves, it takes time. Azed is the fiend, lots of obscure and archaic words, but usually very well clued. Have a look at the blogs for a laugh.
My gratitude to Picaroon and Shanne.
Off to the pub to celebrate.
As an american, the biggest challenges for me were the UKisms:
1D cockney slang
2D name
and I stumbled into 9A — figured out the clue but I’ve never heard of the answer
but otherwise was able to answer everything else. proud
Some general comments:
These puzzles are intended not just to be doable for beginners, but to teach them about the intricacies of cryptic crosswords. They should challenge the solver to figure out what type of clue they are looking at, and what tricks are being used.
These puzzles work best in conjunction with Shanne’s superb blogs. So, it’s OK to include slightly trickier clues, as long as they, along with the blog, increase the solver’s knowledge of what to look for in cryptic crosswords.
We should not assume that beginner cryptic solvers are less knowledgeable than the rest of us in matters pertaining to the real world. Some more esoteric GK may make the learning process unnecessarily more difficult, but at the same time beginners need to know that Shakespeare, particle physics, rugby union football, and 1960s garage bands are part of the landscape.
I think Picaroon and Shanne make a great team, creating a wonderful learning tool for beginners. Well done, Guardian and fifteensquared, for setting this up.
cellomaniac@39 … and as one of those beginners I totally second your statements and add my well done to Grauniad and 15^2!
Now onto to this week’s Quiptic (and possibly the Everyman) 🙂
I enjoyed this, probably because it flowed nicely. It’s interesting to read and compare how others are experiencing this series. Clearly shows how people differ in how they think, that is, to say, what’s easy for one is difficult for another.
I’ve struggled on a few of these over the weeks but am enjoying every one of them. I found this one to be relatively easy, [time deleted – Shanne]. But I guess it suited my way of thinking better than some. Many thanks to all involved.
Throughout this whole series I’ve often been frustrated by the attitudes of more experienced cryptic solvers in the comments. It just feels patronising to complete a crossword and then come here and read everyone talking about how it’s too difficult for novices like me and we need hand-holding through it. I’d never completed a cryptic before this series and every one (including this weeks) has been manageable, if sometimes challenging!
This could be a good week for newer solvers to have a go at the Guardian Saturday prize by Qaos. You have all week and can make progress every day . Does not matter if you do not finish , just solve some clues and learn something .
I do not think it is a spoiler if I say my advice is to start at the bottom of the Downs and work through the clues backwards .
Still enjoying these puzzles and blogs. Sometimes I finish them sometimes not. Enjoying the ride, enjoying learning new types of window.
CDs are easily the clue type I struggle with the most*, so I found this hard. I had to Google to get the tennis and greek muse answers, but even then I couldn’t get 1d or 17. I was staring at 6 for ages before I got it.
*The stock advice for crossword newbies is to “try Rufus” but I’ve never found that I can get anywhere with his puzzles because he uses loads of cryptic definitions.
Thanks Picaroon and Shanne.
I went into this feeling positive, after getting through the last few crosswords without getting stuck at all, but I feel very discouraged after this one. I spent a long time, and did finish, but only by guess work and trial and error. There were just so many words that meant nothing to me, like foot faults, lent, Erato, oriel and Niall, and the cryptic definitions felt impenetrable, especially the one about pies, and the list of maybe(?) palindromes. It felt like sitting a general knowledge quiz in a language I don’t speak.
I’m grateful that this blog series exists, so I can at least make some sense of the clues retrospectively.