Quick Cryptic 62 by Eccles

by

This week’s 11 x 11 crossword from the Guardian, intended to teach cryptic crosswords, found here

This week we have the second Quick Cryptic by Eccles, a new setter to the Guardian, although there is a regular setter for the Independent named Eccles. Today we have two clue types with all the letters given – anagrams and acrostic clues, plus insertions and double definitions, all of which we’ve met several times before.

The whole point of these crosswords is support and encouragement of new solvers, so special rules for these crosswords apply – see here – those rules include not posting solving times.

This blog continues to develop in response to suggestions. We hide the answers and the wordplay descriptions (parsing) too.   To find the solution click on “Answer” and to find how the word play works, click on “Parsing” which will reveal the hidden information. You can choose to reveal everything using the “Expand All” button. If you have partially revealed the page, refreshing it will clear that, and allow you to expand all. The definition is in bold and underlined, the indicator is in red.

For additional help click here

There is a summary of the tricks used in the first six months here and a Guardian Crossword blog called the ultimate beginner’s guide has tips which may be useful for some solvers

For abbreviations and clue tips click here

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
  • indicators are in red.
  • CAPITALS to indicate which bits are part of the answer, e.g. oRANGe for the naked words and tHe sAMe for the middle letters
  • anagram – letters being used shown in brackets (SENATOR)* for the clue below to give TREASON.
  • anagrind – anagram indicator – in the case below it is “arranged”
  • insertion – the clue below is R (republican – from American parties) inserted into (entering) PO (Post Office).
  • CAD or clue as definition– where the whole clue gives the definition, sometimes called an &lit. These are rare.
  • DBE or defintion by example – e.g. where a dog might be clued as a setter – often using a question mark, maybe, possibly or e.g. to show that this is an example rather than a definition.
  • 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 – because the clues have moved on from the clue descriptions below, I am now adding more to the descriptions hidden above. Clues begin or end with a definition of the answer. The rest is one of these:

  1. Anagram An anagram of the answer and a hint that there’s an anagram
    ‘Senator arranged crime (7)’ gives TREASON
  2. Double definition Both halves are definitions!
    ‘Search scrub (5)’ gives SCOUR
  3. Acrostic The first letters of the answer
    ‘Initially Get A Good joke (3)’ gives GAG
  4. Insertion One thing inside another makes the answer
    ‘In favour of republican entering Post Office (3)’ gives PRO

ACROSS Click on “Answer” to see the solutions
1
By stopping vehicle, gets luxury food item (6)
Answer

CAVIAR
Parsing

insertion of (stopping) so VIA (by) inserted into (stopping) CAR (vehicle) to give CA VIA R
4
Russian leader to support American Republicans, at first (4)
Answer

TSAR
Parsing

acrostic (at first) To Support American Republicans
8
Up to United Nations to improve leadership, primarily (5)
Answer

UNTIL
Parsing

acrostic (primarily) of United Nations To Improve Leadership.
9
Religious fraternity to request beer? (5)
Answer

ORDER
Parsing

double definition with the second being a definition by example, hence the question mark.
10
Animated child hides mischievous graph (3,5)
Answer

BAR CHART
Parsing

insertion (hides) so BART (animated child- referring to Bart Simpson) is around (hides) ARCH (mischievous).
13
Drunk bathes in spirit (8)
Answer

ABSINTHE
Parsing

anagram of (BATHES IN)* with anagrind of “drunk” for this spirit.
16
Distinctive character of those partying (5)
Answer

ETHOS
Parsing

anagram of (THOSE) with anagrind of “partying”
17
Upper part of house from Greece? (5)
Answer

ATTIC
Parsing

double definition with the second referring to this example – with a question mark to indicate a definition by example
18
Get rid of outhouse (4)
Answer

SHED
Parsing

double definition the first a verb, the second a noun
19
Heads of state expect very extreme radical savings and cuts (6)
Answer

SEVERS
Parsing

acrostic (heads of) State Expect Very Etreme Radical Savings
DOWN
1 My bits of bread? (6)
Answer

CRUMBS
Parsing

double definition “my” often clues Cor or other exclamations of surprise, as it does here – all those old cracker jokes and cartoons.
2
Strove to stir people deciding politician’s fate (6)
Answer

VOTERS
Parsing

anagram of (STROVE) with anagrind of “stir”
3
Beth and Stella fighting? Good luck! (3,3,4)
Answer

ALL THE BEST
Parsing

anagram of (BETH STELLA)* with anagrind of “fighting”. We sometimes see this – two words that are to be used in an anagram with an “and” or “with” between them – which has to be ignored and can be confusing.

5
One’s left team (4)
Answer

SIDE
Parsing

double definition with one referring to the left or right of one, and the other another word for team
6
Bloody unusual (4)
Answer

RARE
Parsing

double definition – one referring to the cooking of meat the other to how common something is – both adjectives.
7
Harmonize unusual decoration (2-8)
Answer

CO-ORDINATE
Parsing

anagram of (DECORATION)* with anagrind of “unusual” – and that use of the hyphen is disappearing, but still can be found.
11
University in Virginia, for example, provides work of art (6)
Answer

STATUE
Parsing

insertion of (in) U (university) inserted into (in) STATE (Virginia, for example)
12
Responds as car set off (6)
Answer

REACTS
Parsing

anagram of (CAR SET)* with anagrind of “off”
14
Starts to collect extremely silly sex tax (4)
Answer

CESS
Parsing

acrostic (starts to) Collect Extremely Silly Sex – for this form of tax
15
Woman keeps old item of footwear (4)
Answer

SHOE
Parsing

insertion (keeps) of O (old) in SHE (woman)

 

 

18 comments on “Quick Cryptic 62 by Eccles”

  1. Lovely puzzle from Eccles, who I wasn’t sure if we’d met in the QC slot before – so thanks to Shanne for confirming we have and for all the hard work on the blog. Thought it was a very doable puzzle with just a few clues that will need a little more thought – particularly the insertions. And I’ve never heard of CESS.

    My talkthrough solve is available from https://youtu.be/ZooAj9VcKEI – aiming to give tips and tactics to beginners on how to approach solving.

  3. Very nice grid. 1d confused me. I could see double-def and thought I needed something for ‘my’ but didn’t think of an exclamation but the bread was ok. Enjoyed the insertions and the anagrams. CESS was new to me. Thanks Shanne and Eccles.

  4. Insertions are the hardest by far for me. I think I got them all from the definition, not the wordplay then had to work back to parse. I still didn’t parse 1a or 15d until I read this.

    Thanks Shanne & Eccles

  7. Not having ever watched The Simpsons, my parsing for 10A would differ with ARCH being inserted into an animated BRAT

  10. Insertions definitely the most tricky – especially 10a, which I got from the definition. I suppose it’s good to have references to popular culture rather than bridge and cricket !
    And like others I’d never heard of CESS . But I must be improving as I worked it out from the parsing.
    Thank you Eccles – and Shanne of course who continues to aid my understanding

  11. CESS was too obscure for a Quick Cryptic. The wordplay said it had to be that but I was looking for a pool or tank to confirm it.

  12. Definitely thumbs up for this week’s quick cryptic.14D I filled in but had to confirm CESS meant tax rather than you know what.10A was my LOI.Thanks Shanne and Eccles.

  13. Thank you for the blog Shanne. I’ve been doing these and Quiptics for several months now and still new things to learn like “my” = crumbs.

  14. @11 Houstontony – part of the challenge when you move up to higher level cryptics is trusting the wordplay because there will regularly be words/answers you don’t know. Today’s very gentle wordplay confirmed CESS so maybe this provided a little lesson in that. When I’m unsure I usually tentatively put in checkers to help / confirm crossing answers (the E and S crossers for ETHOS/SHED).

  15. Spot on by Eccles. A few tricky ones nicely balanced by those on the softer side. I would love for Eccles to have a crack at the Quiptic.

    Thanks Shanne and Eccles

  16. I was puzzled at first and didn’t think I’d manage this but then stumbled on some fairly obvious clues ( such as 18A) and got started. I really enjoyed it in the end. I really agree Dave@7! I am even slowly beginning to understand parsing so thanks Shane and Eccles

  17. can’t wait for co-ordinate to take its last breath. the hyphen in the letter count definitely screwed me on that one

  18. Enjoyed this QC and your blog, thank you.
    Didn’t know definitions for ‘cess’, ‘arch’ and ‘Attic’ so three new words learned 😊

Comments are closed.