Quick Cryptic 61 by Dice

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 Dice, a new setter to the Guardian, although, according to the chat last time, they do set elsewhere. Today we have two clue types with all the letters given – naked clues and a new clue type, middle of the word. We met naked clues once before back in #47 set by Ludwig. The other clues are the familiar charades and cryptic clues, which clue-type has turned up three times previously.

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
  • 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 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. Cryptic definition Whole clue is playful definition
    ‘Pair of braces (4)’ gives FOUR
  2. Naked words Remove first and last letters from another word for answer
    ‘Called for citrus to be peeled (4)’ gives RANG
  3. Middle letters Answer from centres of other words
    ‘Essentially tHe sAMe meat (3)’ gives HAM
  4. Charade Combination of synonyms/abbrevs
    ‘Qualify to get drink for ID (8)’ gives PASSPORT (pass + port)

ACROSS Click on “Answer” to see the solutions
1
Golfers’ cries had sound of pain to give a sign of things to come! (10)
Answer

FORESHADOW

Parsing

charade of FORES (golfers’ cries) + HAD (from the clue) + OW (sound of pain). There are a couple of footpaths across golf courses locally, so Fore! is supposed to be used to warn pedestrians on the course, but it’s a bit hit and miss (fortunately, usually miss)

8
Lay to rest when wintery, naked (5)
Answer

INTER

Parsing

naked word (naked) wINTERy – inter is one of those very useful crossword words, so worth filing away.

9
Characteristic straits laid bare (5)
Answer

TRAIT

Parsing

naked word (laid bare) of sTRAITs

10
Hide cocaine after a line (7)
Answer

CONCEAL

Parsing

charade of C (cocaine) ONCE (after) A (in the clue) L (line) – C for cocaine we have come across before, but not some time. Generally, drugs often get abbreviated to a single letter (H for heroin, E for ecstasy), L for line is new, but is in Chambers – the last of the lists of abbreviations in my edition.

12
Express surprise Pooh’s removing clothes (3)
Answer

OOH

Parsing

naked word (laid bare) of pOOHs

13
About time, moggy! (3)
Answer

CAT

Parsing

charade of CA (about) + T (time) – ca is another new abbreviation in this slot, but turns up in the full-fat cryptics – it’s an abbreviation for circa, as is c. T for time is from physics formulas and is a regular.

14
Hot sauce centres in oxtail kebabs Ainsley concocts (7)
Answer

TABSCO

Parsing

middle of word (centres in) from oxTAil keBAbs ainSley conCOcts – note in even-lettered words the two central letters were taken, in odd the middle letter only (although I have seen 3 central letters in odd words before). This is a trick that some setters use regularly. Nice surface to this as Ainsley Harriot is a oookery writer of Jamaican heritage, known for his spicy food and food products.

16
Dismissing case for salient foreigner (5)
Answer

ALIEN

Parsing

naked word (dismissing case) of sALIENt

17
Soldier shelled veteran (5)
Answer

OLDIE

Parsing

naked word (shelled) of sOLDIEr

19
Troubling rhetoric undermines talented Latino singer, essentially (10)
Answer

TORMENTING

Parsing

middle of a word (essentially) of rheTOric undeRMines talENted LaTIno siNGer – essentially is used in cryptic crosswords to indicate the middle of something

DOWN
2 Old United shirt is unfashionable (3)
Answer

OUT

Parsing

charade of O (old) U (united) T (from t-shirt)

3
Mysterious, internally leerier (5)
Answer

EERIE

Parsing

naked word (internally) of lEERIEr

4
Go away and stay here! (5)
Answer

HOTEL

Parsing

cryptic definition – a hotel is somewhere you stay when you’re away. Cryptic definitions don’t have two parts to the clue the way normal cryptic clues do, they have a punning definition that you either like or don’t. I like the wordplay to confirm the definition, so in this puzzle, the cryptic definitions were my last in.

5
Creep regarding small mythical beasts (7)
Answer

DRAGONS

Parsing

charade of DRAG (creep – like schoolboys dragging their feet to school) ON (regarding) S (small – from clothing sizes)

6
A good place to go if you’re looking for trouble! (10)
Answer

WATCHTOWER

Parsing

cryptic clue – a good place as a lookout for trouble coming …

7
Spelling? (10)
Answer

WITCHCRAFT

Parsing

cryptic definition – I needed all the crossers for this one – WITCHCRAFT could be casting spells – with a question mark to indicate a definition by example, and without the crossers it’s ambiguous.

11
More seedy? (7)
Answer

NUTTIER

Parsing

cryptic definition a nut is a seed, so something that is NUTTIER is more seedy – with a question mark to indicate a less definite answer.

14
Under pressure musically, note three of four directions (5)
Answer

TENSE

Parsing

charade of TE (musically note) + NSE (three of four directions) – TE is from the sol-fa scale, often spelt ti, and often used in crosswords. NESW – the four directions – get used a lot in crosswords as a number of directions – here we’re told how many and that it’s 3 out of 4.

15
Raise baboon brood – foster central characters (5)
Answer

BOOST

Parsing

middle of word baBOon brOod foSTer

18
Hollow hearts of swindlers deceive inanely (3)
Answer

DEN

Parsing

middle of words (hearts of) of swinDlers decEive inaNely – in Chambers den is defined as the hollow lair of an animal

 

 

33 comments on “Quick Cryptic 61 by Dice”

  1. Mostly tractable. The cryptic clues gave trouble but the rest flowed smoothly. The number of smooth surfaces made it enjoyable

    Liked OLDIE most – it is a great clue

    I thought OUT and NUTTIER could have been a bit more precise. I also needed all the crossers to solve WITCHCRAFT

    Thanks Dice and Shanne

  2. An interesting QC from Dice – some tough synonyms in there. As always to Shanne for a comprehensive blog.

    I’ve put up a talkthrough solve at https://youtu.be/tUBLMo9X4u0 … will be useful for anyone looking for tips and tactics on how to go about solving.

  3. Since this is a new setter I’m going to let this one slide,but my honest advice please get some tips from your seniors before setting like this!

  4. Wow I spent a while trying to figure out 10a, “once” for “after” never occurred to me. Good one.

  5. I enjoyed this and found the cryptic definitions quite tricky. I spent ages on WITCHCRAFT despite seeing a similar use of spell recently. Enjoyed CAT, and the new clue types.
    Thank you for explaining CONCEAL, I couldn’t work out the word play.

  6. I think it’s a really tough task to get the difficulty level right, when setting a “cryptic-lite”. As a regular solver of the “full-fat” puzzles, I had a struggle with some Dice’s clues.
    I enjoyed the setter’s approach, some original ideas and nice surface readings. Also, “cryptic definitions” are, by definition(!), often the hardest clues in the grid, somewhat rare, so it’s a poison chalice to be asked to set an easier batch of them….and in one small grid.
    I just wonder whether the Quick Cryptics need to be tested by a panel of less-experienced solvers, before publishing?
    It’s a super idea, it would be a shame if the clues do the opposite of the remit, and put newcomers off.
    Good stuff, thanks, Dice & Shanne

  7. The cryptic defs were the ones that caused me most problem with 6d and 7d last in for me. Liked the rest and very approachable and fair clueing I felt. Would have had real trouble with this one last year but now with loads of practice of the QCs and the Quiptics and the learnings from Fifteen Squared, this came together well. Thanks Dice and Shanne.

  8. If this was the first Quick Cryptic I’d ever encountered (no anagrams or acrostics!), I’d be flummoxed but as an improver (I think), I really enjoyed the challenge. I always like a cryptic definition and the naked words and the middle letters thing were great practice: clue types I need to look out for. I couldn’t parse 10a, CONCEAL, until I read Shanne’s explanation. After = once? Really? Some charades make sense to me; others often don’t.

  9. Enjoyed the ones with the middle bits and cutting off letters. The only one I got without understanding it was CONCEAL

  10. Amma @8: “Once I’ve made my coffee, I’ll start the crossword”, or similar, was my thinking.
    Thanks to Dice and Shanne!

  11. “After” in 10 is fair, and I think it might only be seasoned cryptic solvers who misinterpret it as a direction, since I don’t think we’ve yet had directions within charades in a Quick Cryptic.. However, using C for cocaine always strikes me as lazy cluing – does anyone have an example of its being used outside of crosswordland, beyond the convoluted cocaine -> Charlie -> C (phonetic alphabet)?

  12. Yes, I’ve heard, years ago, someone talking about cocaine as C. At the time I had a boss who was a user, his mood swings were something else, and at the factory where he was CEO there were a number of workers who dealt variously on the side. I also have various stories as to how certain drugs were smuggled into the country, including how cocaine was brought in by one dealer.

  13. Remus @11, I was distracted by line as a possibility for cocaine, although I did know C for Charlie (from crosswordland). Looked up once grammatically. Got the conjunction and the meaning of after.

    And yes Holypeanut@10. (Where does your moniker come frome?)

  14. Tricky. I wrote in several answers because they fitted and they turned out to be correct thus denying me the satisfaction of parsing them correctly. This seemed to arise from my not knowing several abbreviations: “C”, “L”, “CA” , – so I’m very grateful to Shanne for the explanations today. Upon reflection this was a very good puzzle. The cryptics were my last in too.

  15. Strange isn’t it having tackled the NE corner first with the crossers I had witch in my head for 6D. By the time I got to 7D with just the “I” I saw the wordplay instantly.
    For what it is worth I struggled to parse DEN as well as CONCEAL, couldn’t see how den could be hollow so thanks for the explanation Shanne

  16. I finally get how after can be equivalent to once. ‘Once I’ve finished this crossword, I’ll have a cup of tea.’ Is that it?

  17. paddymelon @13, an old screen name back on MSN messenger, the explanation for which is sadly lost to the mists of time!

  18. WITCHCRAFT was last in for me, quite a tricky one that.
    Like others, CONCEAL was difficult to parse with after=ONCE.
    14d, Is TE really a version of TI? Never realised that.

    Thanks Shanne for the blog and Dice for the puzzle

  19. I’m about 3 months into learning cryptics now. Still haven’t completed a midweek one. Only doing guardian, an app and occasional paper book because of ease to check for mistakes or scribble notes as a beginner. This one was definitely fun.

  20. Zurichwelsh @18: since the names of the notes in solfa are phonetic representations of Gregorian chant syllables, they weren’t standardized in spelling (as do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti) until they had almost been made obsolete. So there are alternative spellings of almost all of them. Doh, me, so, te, etc.

  21. I thought this was going to be horrible, but I got there in the end. I quite liked the cryptic ones I must say.

    Very grateful for the blog to understand the logic. Several of the clues I got from the crossers without really knowing why. CONCEAL and DRAGON for example.

  22. Thanks Dice and Shanne
    I would consider myself to be an experienced solver, but I didn’t parse CONCEAL either.

  23. I’ve only ever heard of cocaine as C in crosswordland too. H and E, for heroin and ecstasy, of course, watch any cop show from the last 30 years. C, never.

    It already has perfectly good single syllable street names in blow and coke. C is just too ambiguous by comparison. I don’t think even a drug dealer would know what you meant.

    But it was a very nice surface clue.

  24. I found it odd that the description for Naked words had you finding citrus=orange and then removing the outer letters to get RANG. But the actual clues had the word given.

  25. Thank you, Snanne.
    I needed explanations about the abbreviations (drugs and about-circa-CA). Someone in the comments under the QC explained about the synonym for after, but he referred to this blog. Thanks a lot!

    Florrie Boleyn @22
    For me, Ti / Te is also Si (or B) and it took time to use to English names. 🙂

  26. Alison @16
    IMO, the ‘naked’ clues were good for learning the ‘naked’ indicators. I wouldn’t guess that ‘dismissing case’ is an indicator for naked, but I saw the answer inside the word given, and now I’ll remember. 🙂

  27. @Alison I also started by trying to figure out a synonym for ‘Wintery’ because of the naked words explanation. Struggled with CONCEAL too.

  28. I struggled with the bottom half of this puzzle. I was flummoxed by the “ middle letters” – looking for one from each word was confused by the use of sometimes two letters, sometimes one. Very difficult to decide what the outcome will be if there is such a flexible”rule”.

  29. Have started doing these in recent weeks with my daughter (12yrs) and it’s a nine thing to bond over, before or after lunch on a weekend. This was one we enjoyed most – some thorny ones we only got late, mostly the DDs or cryptics.

  30. Mary @21 It depends whether the word has an odd or even number of letters.
    Cat = middle letter a
    Cats = middle letters at etc.

  31. I couldn’t finish this. Most of it went in pretty quickly but then I stumbled on a few of the cryptic clues.

    I couldn’t do WITCHCRAFT (I did correctly assume it was to do with magic but with the crossers I got stuck wanting it to end CHANT as in enchant), CONCEAL (unfamiliar with C for coke and confused by ONCE for after until reading the comments), and NUTTIER. I got DRAGONS but I’m not convinced drag is an acceptable synonym for creep.

    Favourite was probably TABASCO. An oxtail kebab sounds nice.

    Thanks Shanne and Dice.

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