Guardian Quick Cryptic 79 by Budmo

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

This week we have the 3rd Quick Cryptic by Budmo, who sets regular Cryptic puzzles in the Guardian. Today we have anagrams and alternate letters with all the letters given, the other clues are the third appearance of “naked words” and charades.

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. Get A Good joke for the example.
  • 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”
  • charades – the description below only gives the example of words being added together, but charades can be more complicated, adding abbreviations or single letters to another word.  Examples previously used in this series are: Son ridicules loose overgarments (6) S (son) + MOCKS (ridicules), Get rid of dead pine (5) D(dead) + ITCH (pine) – D ITCH, and early on DR (doctor) + IVE (I have) to give DRIVE.
  • CAD or clue as definition– where the whole clue gives the definition, sometimes called an &lit. These are rare.
  • DBE or definition 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. Charade Combination of synonyms/abbrevs
    ‘Qualify to get drink for ID (8)’ gives PASSPORT (pass + port) (there are more examples above)
  3. Alternate letters Choose every other letter for answer
    ‘Oddly EnViEd First Lady? (3)’ gives EVE
  4. Naked words Remove first and last letters of another word for answer
    ‘Called for citrus to be peeled (4)’ gives RANG’ (from oRANGe)

 

ACROSS Click on “Answer” to see the solutions
1
What makes up a significant proportion of the universe is distressing subject (4,6)
Answer

DARK MATTER
Parsing

Charade of DARK (distressing) + MATTER (subject) and according to Wikipedia, DARK MATTER makes up 85% of the universe.
7
Surprisingly, Keir’s one who might go downhill quickly (5)
Answer

SKIER
Parsing

anagram of (KEIR’S)* with an anagrind of “surprisingly”.
8
Scoundrel in patterned shoes rejecting outsiders (5)
Answer

ROGUE
Parsing

naked word (rejecting outsiders) from bROGUEs (patterned shoes)

9
Get the better of Oxford University idiot (6)
Answer

OUTWIT
Parsing

charade of OU (Oxford University – it’s a recognised abbreviation) + TWIT (idiot) with a fun surface.
10
Edit unusual weight-loss regime (4)
Answer

DIET
Parsing

anagram of (EDIT)* with an anagrind of “unusual”.
13
Frightened to take clothes off in custody (4)
Answer

CARE
Parsing

naked word (to take clothes off) of sCAREd (frightened)

14
Petty argument in lunch in India (6)
Answer

TIFFIN
Parsing

charade of TIFF (petty argument) + IN (from the clue) for this Indian meal.
16
More mature Druid poetry regularly ignored (5)
Answer

RIPER
Parsing

alternate letters (regularly ignored) of dRuId PoEtRy
18
Diver confused Italian composer (5)
Answer

VERDI
Parsing

anagram of (DIVER)* with an anagrind of “confused”.
19
Proposes crap new implement for measuring food (10)
Answer

TABLESPOON
Parsing

charade of TABLES (proposes) + POO (crap) + N (new – as in New Testament)
DOWN
1
Detective Inspector’s performance resulted in upset (10)
Answer

DISCONCERT
Parsing

charade of DI’S (Detective Inspector’S – from police officers) + CONCERT (performance)

2
Drunk rioters revel noisily (7)
Answer

ROISTER
Parsing

anagram of (RIOTERS)* with an anagrind of “drunk” and another good surface
3
Spoil drink flavoured with juniper berries that’s on the edge (6)
Answer

MARGIN
Parsing

charade of MAR (spoil) + GIN (drink flavoured with juniper berries)

4
Viscous liquid, with time, becomes pungent (4)
Answer

TART
Parsing

charade of TAR (viscous liquid) + T (time – from science – one of the standard dimensions)
5
span style=”color: red”>From time to time, engage in part of cooked breakfast? (3)
Answer

EGG
Parsing

alternate letters (from time to time) EnGaGe with a question mark to indicate a definition by example (DBE) – as an EGG is one of several possible parts of a cooked breakfast
6
Struggling? Wait – send in Brian Lara, perhaps (4,6)
Answer

WEST INDIAN
Parsing

anagram of (WAIT SEND IN)* with an anagrind of “struggling” and the “perhaps” to indicate a definition by example.
11
Deduce number in Hell (7)
Answer

INFERNO
Parsing

charade of INFER (deduce) + NO (number – regular abbreviation for number, often written No.).
12
Periodically seize TV sets and filters (6)
Answer

SIEVES
Parsing

alternate letters (periodically) of SeIzE TV sEtS
15
Examination of unlimited esprit de corps (4)
Answer

ORAL
Parsing

naked words (unlimited) of mORALe (esprit de corps)

17
Pierce shelled vegetable (3)
Answer

PEA
Parsing

naked word (shelled) of sPEAr (pierce)

 


 

2 comments on “Guardian Quick Cryptic 79 by Budmo”

  1. Thanks Shanne.
    I read 1 across as a double def rather than as a charade.
    Only know TIFFIN from a previous cryptic.
    The intersecting 1d and 13a held me up. Needed the crossers.
    I liked SIEVES, and the interesting inclusion in the surface of “seize”, a reminder of often mispelt words and the schoolday mnemonic, which is not always appropriate: I before E except after C.

  2. Took a little longer today.I’m quite averse to clues involving scatological reference,case in point clue 19A.Thanks Shanne.

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