Guardian Quiptic 1,144/Carpathian

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A sound, pleasing and well-constructed puzzle from Carpathian this morning. I’ve nowt more to say about it, and that’s meant as a brava! to the setter.

Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed

definitions are underlined

Across

1 A-lister’s cool futuristic vehicle
STARSHIP
A charade of STARS and HIP.

5 Bits of cold strange US rubbish
CRUMBS
A charade of C, RUM and BS. I guess BS for ‘bullshit’ is more American English than British English.

9 Inept act reformed miserable wage
PITTANCE
(INEPT ACT)* with ‘reformed’ as the anagrind.

10 Bloke with revolutionary knack for incantation
MANTRA
A charade of MAN and ART reversed. The reversal indicator is ‘revolutionary’.

12 Magnificent piano left on purpose in here with front missing
RESPLENDENT
An insertion of P, L and END in [P]RESENT. The insertion indicator is ‘in’ and the initial letter removal is indicated by ‘with front missing’.

15 Mature heads of Royal Institution promote educational networks
RIPEN
The initial letters of the last five words of the clue.

17 A traitor enters river to get clear
EXONERATE
An insertion of ONE RAT in EXE. The insertion indicator is ‘enters’.

18 Tried firs chopped up and cooked
STIR-FRIED
(TRIED FIRS)* with ‘chopped up’ as the anagrind.

19 Vegetation initially found living on restricted area
FLORA
The initial letters of the last five words of the clue.

20 New dawn as rains cease spreading across North
RENAISSANCE
An insertion of N in (RAINS CEASE)* The insertion indicator is ‘across’ and the anagrind is ‘spreading’.

24 Instruction in reduced working
LESSON
A charade of LESS and ON.

25 Glorify ladies dancing around island before start of evening
IDEALISE
An insertion of I in (LADIES)* followed by E for the initial letter of ‘evening’. The insertion indicator is ‘around’ and the anagrind is ‘dancing’.

26 Hostile part of song
AVERSE
A VERSE

27 Aware male is lacking in feeling
SENTIENT
SENTI[M]ENT

Down

1 Exceptional whistle-blower is great on turf
SUPERGRASS
A charade of SUPER and GRASS.

2 Clean six-footer having one month in charge
ANTISEPTIC
A charade of ANT, I SEPT and IC. ‘The procedure was carried out in a clean/an antiseptic environment.’

3 Creature written about in Italian sonnet
SNAIL
Hidden reversed in ItaLIAN Sonnet.

4 Awkward naked fiend in popular religious establishment
INCONVENIENT
An insertion of [F]IEN[D] in IN CONVENT. The insertion indicator is ‘in’. Setters will use words like ‘naked’ or ‘unclothed’ to ask you to remove the outer letters of a word.

6 Boar’s feet prepared for Sunday lunch?
ROAST BEEF
(BOARS FEET)* with ‘prepared’ as the anagrind. Boar’s head, for preference, although trotters are considered a delicacy by some folk.

7 Medium upset couple
MATE
A charade of M and ATE. ATE for ‘upset’ or ‘worried’ is a crossword standard.

8 Various cabbages have skin disease
SCAB
Hidden in variouS CABbages.

11 Subordinate part in inferior play
SECOND FIDDLE
A charade of SECOND and FIDDLE.

13 Mother’s nag about missing lid on sage sauce
MAYONNAISE
This wins today’s Trickiest Clue to Parse Prize. You have to read ‘mother’s’ as ‘mother has’. Then it’s a charade of MA, ANNOY reversed and [W]ISE. The reversal indicator is ‘about’ and the initial letter removal indicator is ‘missing lid’.

14 Lowering of Parisian somewhere below ground
DEBASEMENT
A charade of DE for the French word for ‘of’ and BASEMENT.

16 Villainous foe ruins a broadcast
NEFARIOUS
(FOE RUINS A)* with ‘broadcast’ as the anagrind.

21 Begin small pastry dish
START
A charade of S and TART.

22 Parasite in rotten leaf
FLEA
(LEAF)* with ‘rotten’ as the anagrind.

23 Regularly dissolve something in water
ISLE
The even letters of dIsSoLvE.

Many thanks to Carpathian for this morning’s entertainment.

17 comments on “Guardian Quiptic 1,144/Carpathian”

  1. Excellent Quiptic. Very enjoyable.

    My favourites: CRUMBS, INCONVENIENT, STARSHIP, LESSON, EXONERATE, SENTIENT (loi)

    Thanks, both.

  2. I always enjoy a Carpathian Quiptic. This one took a bit longer than usual because I spent too long trying to fit a REF into 1dn. EXONERATE was my favourit today. Thanks, both.

  3. Thanks Carpathian and Pierre
    Very nice. My favourite was the neat ISLE.
    A bit odd to have two first letter solutions in the same puzzle?

  4. Pretty much spot on for the Quiptic slot, I thought. Struggled with ANTISEPTIC meaning clean so LOI, but that’s my pedantry around the word rather than Carpathian’s error.

    Ta both.

  5. A scab is not a skin disease. It’s a healthy part of the healing process.
    Still enjoyed the crossword. Thank you.

  6. Enjoyed this

    Favourites included ANTISEPTIC, INCONVENIENT, SECOND FIDDLE, AVERSE

    Thanks Carpathian and Pierre

  8. Thanks Carpathian and Pierre. An exemplary Quiptic with much to enjoy. Nice wordplay and smooth surfaces. I said much the same about today’s Guardian Cryptic, hard to separate them for quality or difficulty level, both excellent. Trotters and head equally good in my book, as long as they’re prepared well, and that’s a fine anagram for ROAST BEEF.

    Red Groaner @5 – you’re being too anthropocentric. Scab is a disease of plants.

  9. Very enjoyable, if rather easier than the average Quiptic. I did like SNAIL. Yes, I wasted time trying to put a REF into 1d.

    Oh, and SCAB is a skin disease – of sheep.

  10. Good, enjoyable Quiptic with good surfaces.

    I was another trying to fit ref into 1D. I liked CRUMBS, the dancing ladies, INCONVENIENT and MAYONNAISE.

    Thanks Carpathian and Pierre.

  11. Love a Carpathian because these are the ones I can usually complete on the same day I started. Just right for my level of focus and imagination on a Monday.

  14. MediumOne @13: it gives you IN – in as in popular, cool, trendy, the in thing. Then you have IN CONVENT and you’re told to insert IEN into it from “fiend”, which is the function of the word “in” in the clue. Hope this helps.

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