Quick Cryptic 102 by Chandler

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

This week’s 102nd puzzle is by Chandler who has set 15 of these puzzles, plus regular Quiptics in the Guardian. Today we have anagrams and alternate letter clues with all the letters present, plus charades and reversals where the words come from the solvers general and cryptic knowledge. I am part way through a summary of the tricks and crosswordese from the first 100 puzzles, and depending on what else I get caught up in this weekend, I’m hoping to get it out sometime soon.

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. haVE ALtered 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”
  • soundalike – is indicated by “Wilde” – so in the example, Oscar “Wilde”, the playwright and author, is indicating the soundalike WILD.
  • 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.
  • reversals – the reversal element of a clue is indicated by < – so in the example clue below, VieTNAm <.
  • 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 Anagram of answer and 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)
    These are a lot more complicated – so more above.
  3. Reversal Answer backwards, and a hint that we’re reversing
    ‘Deity’s pet returns (3)’ gives GOD – from DOG < (pet)
  4. Alternate letters Choose every other letter for answer
    ‘Oddly EnViEd First Lady? (3)’ gives EVE

ACROSS Click on “Answer” to see the solutions
1
Eclipse publicised party (5)
Answer

OUTDO
Parsing

charade of OUT (published – it’s now out in print) + DO (party). DO for party is a regular in all cryptic crosswords (but it could be an abbreviation for a political party).

4
Convener cold, then hot before broadcast (5)
Answer

CHAIR
Parsing

charade of C (cold) + H (hot) + AIR (broadcast) – H & C for hot and cold come from taps. Convener as in the CHAIR of a meeting.

7
Boring type with female, flipping idler (7)
Answer

LAGGARD
Parsing

reversal of a charade (flipping) of DRAG (boring type) + GAL (female) < all reversed. This feels a bit full fat cryptic – both using two tricks and a less common word.
8
Decline in talk kept back (3)
Answer

SAG
Parsing

reversal (kept back) of GAS (talk) < – GAS as talk is crosswordese – but we do hear it in GASbag for someone who likes the sound of their own voice. The cryptic grammar gives us the definition (decline) with the definition of the word to be reversed (talk/GAS) then the reversal indicator (kept back). The word to be reversed is next to the indicator, and the indicator is on the end, which gives the clues as to which to be used.

9
On reflection, hidden danger in role (4)
Answer

PART
Parsing

reversal (on reflection) of TRAP (hidden danger) < – and here the cryptic grammar is reversal indicator (on reflection) TRAP (hidden danger) becomes a role.
10
Particular deal? It is corrupt (6)
Answer

DETAIL
Parsing

anagram of (DEAL IT)* with an anagrind of “corrupt”. Think the particulars of a contract.
12
Clerics in six estates, maybe (6)
Answer

VICARS
Parsing

charade of VI (six – Roman numerals) + CARS (estates, maybe) The maybe indicates a DBE, (definition by example) because an estate is an example of a car.

14
Retreat for dull poet (4)
Answer

BARD
Parsing

reversal (retreat for) of DRAB (dull) < – and these aren’t the most common of words, but BARD for poet comes up regularly in crossword world.
17
Sticky stuff at fair at intervals (3)
Answer

TAR
Parsing

alternate letters (at intervals) of aT fAiR – and when I see an alternate letter indicator I start with the first letter (odd letters), and if that doesn’t give a word, use the even letters.

18
Scapegoat following everyone given ridicule (4,3)
Answer

FALL GUY
Parsing

charade of F (following) + ALL (everyone) + (given) GUY (to ridicule). F for following comes from references – ff = the following pages. GUY is another word for tease (as well as ropes to hold up a tent and informally a man) and because it’s usefully ambiguous it turns up regularly in cryptic crosswordland.
20
Curves in cylindrical device given backing (5)
Answer

LOOPS
Parsing

reversal (given backing) of SPOOL (cylindrical device). With cryptic grammar of definition (curves) is SPOOL (cylindrical device) reversed (given backing) – and all the reversals in this puzzle have the reversal indicator at one end of the clue with the word to be reversed in the middle.

21
Reckon gout eases on and off (5)
Answer

GUESS
Parsing

alternate letters (on and off) of GoUt EaSeS

DOWN
1
It lubricates socials on a regular basis (3)
Answer

OIL
Parsing

alternate letters (on a regular basis) of sOcIaLs – a cryptic definition. OIL is something that lubricates.
2
Note German, one marked with stripes? (5)
Answer

TIGER
Parsing

charade of TI (note – from the sol-fa scale) + GER (abbreviation for German) with another cryptic definition and a question mark to indicate that. The other 5 letter solution with stripes is often a zebra, but the parsing doesn’t give that.
3
Gemstone not pearl? The odds are non-existent (4)
Answer

OPAL
Parsing

alternate letters (the odds are non-existent) of nOt PeArL for the semi-precious stone. The odds are non-existent is saying remove the odd letters – when you imagine putting notpearl together as one word.

4
Something chewed by set in club (6)
Answer

CUDGEL
Parsing

charade of CUD (something chewed – by ruminants) + (by) GEL (set) – and this sort of club. The surface (sense the clue makes) is suggesting snacks in the sort of clubs celebrities (the smart set) hang out in to socialise.
5
A seat when broken in a mess (2,3)
Answer

AT SEA
Parsing

anagram of (A SEAT)* with an anagrind of “when broken”. AT SEA comes up a lot as an anagram indicator, as does “in a mess” – so lots of ambiguity in this clue.
6
Dale and Reg when tipsy given entertainment (7)
Answer

REGALED
Parsing

anagram of (DALE REG)* with an anagrind of “when tipsy” – and here the anagram material is split, with the instruction of “and” to use both REG and DALE. The audience of John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme are REGALED/given entertainment of his tall stories and other sketches (using an occasional crossword setter for the example).
9
Key lot a VIP upset (7)
Answer

PIVOTAL
Parsing

anagram of (LOT A VIP)* with an anagrind of “upset”

11
Works hard making first of grand floating platforms (6)
Answer

GRAFTS
Parsing

charade of G (first of Grand) + RAFTS (floating platforms)
13
Vehicle to leave goods put on a ship (5)
Answer

CARGO
Parsing

charade of CAR (vehicle) + GO (to leave)

15
Glean shifting point of view (5)
Answer

ANGLE
Parsing

anagram of (GLEAN)* with an anagrind of “shifting”.
16
Market sport on a course when given lift (4)
Answer

FLOG
Parsing

reversal (given a lift – in a down clue) of GOLF (sport on a course) < – with a cryptic definition of the word to be reversed.
19
Positive response by Jesse intermittently (3)
Answer

YES
Parsing

alternate letters (intermittently) of bY jEsSe.

3 comments on “Quick Cryptic 102 by Chandler”

  1. thecronester
    #1 - Sat 14th Mar 26, 09:11

    I’m trying the QCs now without looking at the clue type hints for an extra bit of spice, and I thought this week’s was quite challenging and would have been impenetrable 2 years ago. I think new beginners may have found this a struggle as their first quick cryptic. But very fair clueing from Chandler. My favourite was CUDGEL and also my LOI, with LAGGARD not far behind. I agree with Shanne that LAGGARD would not have been out of place in a top end Quiptic or weekday Cryptic. Thanks Shanne for your blog and Chandler for the Saturday challenge.

  2. Getting there
    #2 - Sat 14th Mar 26, 10:04

    very good! missed 2 letters of cudgel, but was such a wrong track that I still had to reveal it. enjoyed it thanks to both setter and blogger

  3. Comment #3
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