Budmo has produced a number of crosswords for the Guardian Quick Cryptic slot, but this looks like their first foray into Quiptics. An excellent debut it was too, in my view.
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 Most modest, I agree to get into bed
COYEST
An insertion of YES in COT. The insertion indicator is ‘to get into’.
4 One goes up for flowers
IRISES
A charade of I and RISES.
9 Senior don peels orange, I suspect
OLD-AGE PENSIONER
(DON PEELS ORANGE I)* with ‘suspect’ as the anagrind. OAP is a bit dated these days; crinklies like myself are generally more comfortable with SENIORS. Leave out coffin-dodgers, though.
10 Intimate snuggling is generally nice after lunch, first of all
SIGNAL
The first letters of the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh words of the clue. You need to consider ‘intimate’ as a verb and not an adjective (in other words with the stress on the last rather than the first syllable). ‘He intimated/signalled that the relationship was over.’
11 Item of underwear found in drinks carrier, leading to mockery
TRAVESTY
An insertion of VEST in TRAY. The insertion indicator is ‘found in’.
12 Wine professionals picked up reverberation
PROSECCO
A charade of PROS and ECCO, aural wordplay (‘picked up’) for ECHO.
14 Ragtime in China?
TEA SET
We need to perform a ‘lift and separate’ manoeuvre on ‘ragtime’ to turn it into ‘rag’ and ‘time’. Then it’s a charade of TEASE for ‘rag’ and T for time.
15 There’s a hip joint near here where The King is on piano
PELVIS
A charade of P for the abbreviation for the musical term ‘piano’ (softly or quietly) and ELVIS.
18 Milk producer Ian is after chips
FRIESIAN
A charade of FRIES and IAN.
21 Start to attack feature of some old front rooms
OPEN FIRE
A dd. A fair enough clue: you won’t find open fires in new-builds because they are energy inefficient and allow all the warm air to escape up the chimney. They are psychologically warming, though.
22 Stuff in itemised boxes limited in nature
FINITE
Hidden in stufF IN ITEmised.
24 For certain, ruled out one working in the dead centre?
FUNERAL DIRECTOR
(FOR CERTAIN RULED)* with ‘out’ as the anagrind.
25 Hard to enter dark and depressing boat
DINGHY
An insertion of H in DINGY. The insertion indicator is ‘to enter’.
26 Record boring joke for credulous husband?
JOSEPH
An insertion of EP for ‘record’ in JOSH. Being told by via an archangel that your chaste betrothed is pregnant by a supernatural being does require a certain suspension of disbelief.
Down
1 Miner’s dog runs
COLLIER
A charade of COLLIE and R.
2 12 months with Braverman, ultimately, is long
YEARN
A charade of YEAR and N for the last letter of the Tory leader politician’s surname. Far too long for many in the party, as Robert Jenrick will witness.
3 That woman will account for gramophone record
SHELLAC
A charade of SHELL (for SHE’LL) and AC. Shellac was popular for making records until the late 1940s, when vinyl/PVC became the material of choice, so ‘gramophone’ points you in that direction.
5 Resumption of relaxation with paintings, perhaps
RESTART
A charade of REST and ART.
6 Fish is rock singer with a low voice
STONE BASS
A charade of STONE and BASS.
7 Respect supply staff
SCEPTRE
(RESPECT)* with ‘supply’ (in a supple way) as the anagrind.
8 Almost alongside
NEXT TO
A dd. The only problem with this clue is that NEAR TO works just as well (‘I was near to/almost crying’) and I stuck that in at first, which only became clear as an error when I couldn’t solve 11ac.
13 A number observed around incident
SEVENTEEN
An insertion of EVENT in SEEN. The insertion indicator is ‘around’.
16 Describe former unit of currency
EXPOUND
A charade of EX and POUND.
17 Boisterous chaps taking home vegetable
SPINACH
An insertion of IN in (CHAPS)* The insertion indicator is ‘taking’ and the anagrind is ‘boisterous’.
18 Pals ignoring first of rebellious devils
FIENDS
F[R]IENDS
19 Free of inner hell
INFERNO
(OF INNER)* with ‘free’ as the anagrind.
20 Opposed to Oscar being supported by church in ancient city
ANTIOCH
A charade of ANTI, O for the phonetic alphabet ‘Oscar’ and CH. ‘Being supported by’ works because it’s a down clue.
23 Drunk announcement of relative’s specialism
NICHE
Someone who was a bit mullered might slur their speech and pronounce NIECE as NICHE.
Many thanks to Budmo for this week’s Quiptic. I could handle some more like this in this slot.
Pierre – I must have had a long sleep. When did Cruella Braverman become the leader of the Conservatives?
I had the same problem with 8 down. Otherwise a very enjoyable Quiptic. Thank you Budmo and Pierre.
Hawa@2. And me
Obviously the fish was a something-bass, but the STONE BASS was new to me. I also nearly had NEAR TO, but never mind, this was a very entertaining Quiptic: I liked the TEA SET and Elvis playing the piano in the hip joint down the road. Budmo is a welcome addition to the Quiptic roster.
Same problem with 8d/11a – ended up checking word on 11a to verify the crossers which revealed the error on 8d.
I’d never heard of antioch, but got it from the charade and crossers.
Good puzzle for those progressing from the Quick Cryptics.
Crispy @1, it is me that is clearly suffering from lack of sleep. Braverman, Badenoch … seen one Tory, seen them all. Blog amended.
I enjoyed this very much, especially after battling with the last few cryptics. I’m not sure I’ll ever find much pleasure in the cryptics with tortuous and absurd clues. I do like a smooth surface. More from Budmo, please.
Much the same as others had wrong ‘right’ answer for 8d which caused me a similar hold up with NE corner. And started with CENTRAL for 24a which didn’t help either…
Thank you Budmo and Pierre
Echoing (Proseccoing?) others’ thoughts, I really enjoyed this. Same issue with 8d but will tolerate it for the lovely ‘hip joint’ clue.
Thanks to Budmo and to Pierre – the latter especially for parsing TEA SET for me; still not great at spotting L&S clues.
This was the first time I’d encountered Budmo – and what a pleasant experience it was! A host of satisfyingly smooth surfaces and pleasing clues.
FRIESIAN, DINGHY, PROSECCO and PELVIS all made me smile; I also liked the brevity of COLLIER and INFERNO.
I’m yet another who started out trying “near by/to” for 8D: saw my mistake when I got 11A. A teeny quibble which fades to insignificance compared to the rest of this classy crossword.
Thank you Pierre for the blog, thank you Budmo for the fun.
I’m with Amma: more from Budmo please!
Excellent Quiptic debut, with the bottom half taking a bit of extra thought. PROSECCO, TEA SET, FUNERAL DIRECTOR and JOSEPH were my favourites. I smiled at your choice of ‘a bit mullered’ in NICHE.
Ta Budmo & Pierre.
8d. I think NEXT TO works a lot better for alongside and almost. You can be near to something without being actually alongside. And “I’ve NEXT TO nothing left in my purse”.
Thanks to Budmo and Pierre.
A slow start and feeling like it was going to be another one of *those* quiptics, but that was my brain taking its time to get into gear, as well as getting used to a new (to me) setter. After that it was a really good solve (though I too initially had NEXT TO for 8d).
Worked from top left to bottom right so finished with the laugh out loud credulous husband.
A fine quiptic.
Thanks both.
Thanks to Budmo, I now have a seemingly ineradicable earworm of Janis Ian’s song ‘At SEVENTEEN’. I hadn’t thought about it for years, but it is extremely adhesive. I shall have to go to the works of Miles Davis or Sonny Rollins to seek out a cure.
Same for next to! Thoroughly excellent quiptic. Loved tea set and pelvis and Joseph!
Balfour @15: bizarrely I had @17 in my head, while trying to nod off a couple of nights ago, for no apparent reason that I can fathom.