Carpathian sets today's Guardian puzzle.
A gentle, but elegant puzzle that would make an ideal introduction to cryptic crosswords for a new solver. Nothing obscure, overly difficult or contrived and perfectl clued with a good range of devices used.
Thanks, Carpathian.
| ACROSS | ||
| 8 | INFERIOR |
Deduce gold found across island is substandard (8)
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INFER ("deduce") + OR ("gold", in heraldry) across I (island) |
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| 9 | OUTLET |
Market unpopular permit (6)
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OUT ("unpopular") + LET ("permit") |
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| 10 | TIRELESS |
Let’s rise up with unlimited energy (8)
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*(lets rise) [anag:up] |
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| 11 | PIRATE |
Brigand put rodent in dish (6)
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RAT ("rodent") in PIE ("dish") |
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| 12 | STOCKING FILLERS |
Cellists forking out for small gifts (8,7)
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*(cellists forking) [anag:out] |
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| 15 | SPASM |
Jerk succeeded in plans to return (5)
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S (succeeded) in <=MAPS ("plans", to return) |
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| 16 | SEAMY |
Main setter’s disreputable (5)
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SEA ("main") + MY ("setter's") |
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| 20 | DISCONCERTINGLY |
Ignored cyclist cycling around back of van alarmingly (15)
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*(ignored cyclist) [anag:cycling] around [back of] (va)N |
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| 21 | APOLLO |
God of love following a vote (6)
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O (love, in tennis) following A + POLL ("vote") |
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| 23 | HIDEAWAY |
Hotel with concept and means to provide refuge (8)
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H (hotel) with IDEA ("concept") and WAY ("means") |
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| 25 | INTUIT |
Sense one unit changed with time (6)
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I (one) + *(unit) [anag:changed] with T (time) |
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| 26 | RESOLVED |
Sorted out and replaced bottoms of shoes worn by Victor (8)
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RESOLED ("replaced bottoms of shoes") worn by V (Victor, in the NATO phonetic alphabet) |
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| DOWN | ||
| 1 | ANXIETY |
After eleven alien enters some concern (7)
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XI ("eleven" in Roman numerals) + ET (extra-terrestrial, so "alien") enters ANY ("some") |
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| 2 | TELESCOPIC |
Rearrange Colt pieces to be capable of retraction and protrusion (10)
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*(colt pieces) [anag:rearrange] |
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| 3 | DIRE |
Awful funeral song – not good (4)
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DIR(g)E ("funeral song", not G (good)) |
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| 4 | PRESAGE |
Quiet about wise man making forecast (7)
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P (piano, in music, so "quiet") + RE ("about") + SAGE ("wise man") |
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| 5 | COMPLIMENT |
Remark about pelvis regularly getting flatter (10)
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COMMENT ("remark") about P(e)L(v)I(s) [regularly] |
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| 6 | STIR |
Prison unrest I resolved partly (4)
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Hidden in [partly] "unreST I Resolved" |
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| 7 | PERTURB |
Saucy uniform heads of resources brought to upset (7)
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PERT ("saucy") + U (Uniform, in the NATO phonetic alphabet) + [heads of] R(esources) B(rought) |
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| 13 | INS AND OUTS |
Tons unsaid about details (3,3,4)
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*(tons unsaid) [anag:about] |
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| 14 | LAMENTABLE |
Inadequate Los Angeles blokes on board (10)
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LA (Los Angeles) + MEN ("blokes") on TABLE ("board") |
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| 17 | TIMPANI |
I am trapped in unsuitable inverted drum (7)
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I'M (I am) trapped in <=INAPT ("unsuitable", inverted) |
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| 18 | SENHORA |
Hear son running to Portuguese woman (7)
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*(hear son) [anag:running] |
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| 19 | CLEANER |
Caught less productive maid perhaps (7)
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C (caught) + LEANER ("less productive") |
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| 22 | LOUT |
Oaf left unconscious (4)
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L (left) + OUT ("unconscious") |
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| 24 | DISC |
Short dance record (4)
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[short] DISC(o) ("dance") |
Considerably more Mondayish than yesterday’s surprisingly tricky Vulcan. Lots to like including both the long anagrams. Enjoyed the surface of SPASM and the misleading “flatter” in COMPLIMENT. Favourite of a set of very neat clues was TIMPANI.
Disaster struck about half way through. I was just looking at 20a, reached for my cup of tea and my phone slipped, so my finger hit the reveal button.
Disconcertingly this gave me so many crossers that I feel like I cheated. I go about in guilt and shame.
I liked TIRELESS.
I don’t like 14d – something might be lamentably inadequate, but lamentable does not mean inadequate.
£0.02
Most enjoyable, nothing too taxing. If I had to have one grumble, it’s that I don’t think “up” should serve as an anagrind (10a).
What you expect from Carpathian. Very neatly clued with nothing too difficult in there but also not a write-in. A few answers required a bit of thinking.
Like the misdirection in COMPLIMENT and the neat anagrams.
Thanks Loonapick and Carpathian
There are times when I enjoy feeling stretched/tested by a puzzle, and there are others when it’s nice to feel able/competent when solving. This fell into the latter category, and was no less enjoyable for that.