This week’s 11 x 11 crossword from the Guardian intended to teach cryptic crosswords, found here
This week’s 100th puzzle is by Pangakupu, their 4th crossword in this spot, Pangakupu also sets Cryptics, Genius, Quiptic and Prize crosswords. Today we have anagrams and acrostic clues with all the letters present, plus reversals and charades mean the words come from the solvers general and cryptic knowledge. And adding later, Pangakupu came along to point out his 6 Ninas in this crossword, which I’ve since highlighted on the grid. We have seen Ninas before, a couple of times.
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:
- Anagram Anagram of answer and hint that there’s an anagram
‘Senator arranged crime (7)’ gives TREASON - Charade Combination of synonyms/abbrevs
‘Qualify to get drink for ID (8)’ gives PASSPORT (pass + port)
These can be complicated – more above under abbreviations and clue tips - Reversal Answer backwards, and a hint that we’re reversing
‘Deity’s pet returns (3)’ gives GOD, from DOG < (pet) - Acrostic First letters of answer
‘Initially Get A Good joke (3)’ gives GAG (joke)
| ACROSS | Click on “Answer” to see the solutions | |
| 1 |
Promote religious figure after sound of disapproval (5)
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AnswerBOOST |
Parsingcharade of ST (religious figure – so abbreviation for saint) after from the clue) BOO (sound of disapproval) to give BOO + ST with ordering instructions followed. This one I didn’t write in because I had so many alternatives in my head, so left it until I had crossers on my second pass through the clues. In crosswords, as well as a saint, a religious figure could be a nun, rev/reverend, fr/father … The sound of disapproval that immediately came to mind was TUT. There are also several abbreviations for saint – ST as here, but also S or SS – which I usually connect with Roman Catholic Churches, but are seen. |
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| 4 |
Sculpting stone for a start (5)
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AnswerONSET |
Parsinganagram of (STONE)* with an anagrind of “sculpting”. The surface here is smooth, using “sculpting” with “stone” suggests a statue being created. |
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| 7 |
Spot dealer operating today, at the beginning (3)
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AnswerDOT |
Parsingacrostic (at the beginning) of Dealer Operating Today – with a surface suggesting the start of an account of a police sting operation. |
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| 8 |
Performing in theatre? Agent so excited (2-5)
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AnswerON-STAGE |
Parsinganagram of (AGENT SO)* with an anagrind of “excited”. There’s a question mark after the definition of “performing in theatre” as that is an example of being ON-STAGE, so it’s a definition by example (DBE). |
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| 9 |
Reject vote after rigging (4)
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AnswerVETO |
Parsinganagram of (VOTE) with an anagrind of “after rigging” – and this feels a very topical clue with the accusations of cheating in the Gorton and Denton by-election, with attempts by Reform to have the vote declared void. |
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| 10 |
Famous scientist not off after amphibian (6)
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AnswerNEWTON |
Parsingcharade of ON (not off) after (from the clue) NEWT (amphibian) – to give NEWT + ON for this famous scientist. In cryptic crosswords, this is the first scientist I’d think of, before moving on to others. (Marie Curie was clued in last week’s prize). |
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| 13 |
Shed: thin, closed (4-2)
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AnswerLEAN-TO |
Parsingcharade of LEAN (thin) + TO (closed) for this sort of shed. TO for closed I think of as northern dialect – is the door to/closed? |
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| 15 |
Drops off, taking bridge the wrong way (4)
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AnswerNAPS |
Parsingreversal (the wrong way) of SPAN < (bridge) – to bridge something is to span it. The clue tells us to reverse the synonym for bridge as it is in the middle of the clue with the reversal indicator at the end and the definition to start. |
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| 18 |
Art: mine decorated mosque tower (7)
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AnswerMINARET |
Parsinganagram of (ART MINE)* with an anagrind of “decorated” – and here solvers have to ignore all punctuation – which is normal in cryptic crosswords, until it’s not. There have been a number of clues in the Everyman and Cryptics where the answer is the name of some punctuation. |
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| 19 |
Individual origins of outdated nuclear energy (3)
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AnswerONE |
Parsingacrostic (origins of) Outdated Nuclear Energy. |
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| 20 |
As a result of two performing together? Love (3,2)
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AnswerDUE TO |
Parsingcharade of DUET (two performing together) + O (love) – and another question mark to indicate a definition by example and another clue where punctuation is otherwise ignored. |
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| 21 |
Dark monstrous thing (5)
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AnswerNIGHT |
Parsinganagram of (THING)* with an anagrind of “monstrous”. |
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DOWN
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| 1 |
Afflict part of garden? Very bad (7)
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AnswerBEDEVIL |
Parsingcharade of BED (part of garden) + EVIL (very bad) with more punctuation to ignore. |
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| 2 |
Eight debuts of odd characters – totally entertaining television (5)
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AnswerOCTET |
Parsingacrostic (debuts of) of Odd Characters Totally Entertaining Television – with another amusing surface suggesting a TV show with eccentric characters. |
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| 3 |
Implement getting plunder lifted (4)
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AnswerTOOL |
Parsingreversal (lifted – in a down clue) of LOOT < (plunder). Which one is which way round is a cryptic grammar thing again: the implement is at the start of the clue, so this is the definition. The reversal indicator, “lifted” is at the end and next to plunder, so plunder is to be reversed. |
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| 4 |
Seafood available in different storey (6)
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AnswerOYSTER |
Parsinganagram of (STOREY)* with an anagrind of “different”. |
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| 5 |
Clever vehicles on rails, going uphill (5)
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AnswerSMART |
Parsingreversal (going uphill – in a down clue) of TRAMS < (vehicles on rails) – again the cryptic grammar tells the solvers that the definition is clever because it is at the start of the clue, with the reversal indicator (going uphill) at the end, and the word(s) to be reversed are clued by vehicles on rails. |
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| 6 |
Openings for Tranmere in Everton match (3)
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AnswerTIE |
Parsingacrostic (openings for) Tranmere In Everton – and both Everton and Tranmere (Rovers) are football teams. For the definition, “match” – think cup matches. |
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| 11 |
Just beginning North American trail (7)
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AnswerNASCENT |
Parsingcharade of NA (abbreviation for North America, it’s recognised in the dictionaries) + SCENT (trail) – and I suspect the “just beginning” reference is deliberately misleading to acrostics. |
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| 12 |
Sources of sound that excellent recording equipment organises using two channels (6)
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AnswerSTEREO |
Parsingacrostic (sources of) of Sound That Excellent Recording Equiment Organises. |
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| 14 |
New version of inane Broadway musical (5)
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AnswerANNIE |
Parsinganagram of (INANE)* with an anagrind of “new version of” – and the answer refers to this Broadway musical. |
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| 16 |
Amid austerity, millions often need grants at the outset (5)
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AnswerAMONG |
Parsingacrostic (at the outset) of Austerity Millions Often Need Grants – and a surface that makes sense / tells a little story. |
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| 17 |
Shock upturn in almonds or cashews? (4)
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AnswerSTUN |
Parsingreversal (upturn – in a down clue) of NUTS (almonds or cashews) with a question mark to show that this is a definition by example (DBE). In this clue, both the definition and word to be reversed are at the start and end of the clue, with the reversal indicator in the middle, so we’re now relying on cryptic grammar to say which is the word to be reversed and which the definition – but it’s a crossword, so crossers can also help. |
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| 18 |
Overturning weir? That’s crazy (3)
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AnswerMAD |
Parsingreversal (overturning – again in a down clue) of DAM (weir) – and this clue the reversal indicator is at the beginning of the clue, with the word to be reversed in the middle and the definition at the end. |
Got all the down clues easily (except 1D) which was a nice boost for a beginner. I got 20 and 21A but not sure why so thanks Shanne for the clarifications. I enjoyed this so thanks Pangakupu
20a made me laugh.
Found this a little trickier than usual. A few of the answers I deduced from surface meaning and crossers, using Shanne’s brilliant and educational blog after to understand better. I always find Pangakupu’s crosswords the trickiest.
4a and 4d where my last ones as I missed the anagrind.
Still, I find these new ones easier as I can do them in about 30 mins. I am going through No. 25 now and the older ones can take me days (in several sittings 😀 )
Very good grid from Pangakupu for QC number 100 – thanks P. A few of the charades and reversals held me up but very enjoyable. My favourite was STEREO due to its epic acrostic that was a reasonable surface; made me smile as did NEWTON. SPAN and NASCENT were last in. Thanks Shanne for all of your blogs which have been as much part of my cryptic education as the QC grids. And thanks to the Guardian and the other setters for a magnificent 100, and onwards for the next 100.
Happy centenary QC! Very fun puzzle, enjoyed having to think a little harder than some QCs. Thanks setter and blogger
Very enjoyable centenary edition. 17D held me up until I had a crosser. Also, I forgot about TO sometimes meaning closed. Thanks again Shanne.
Thanks for the blog.
Gosh so it’s quick cryptic centenary! I’ve so enjoyed doing them and with the help of Shanne’s blog feel I am improving. Having said that, I’ve found some of Pangakupu’s crossword today quite a challenge. Charades ( such as 20a and 1d) were tricky until
I got more letters in. Still a pleasant hour spent. Thank you
Thanks for the blog. I’ve no idea how people managed to get into cryptics without something like the QC and this blog to give a leg up.
Bo @10 my mother used to give me the Daily Telegraph clues she couldn’t answer to see if I could, and I worked out how cryptic crosswords worked from the completed answers – and then could sometimes answer the remainder, or at least some of them. I’d also complete the Daily Express skeleton if I could find it. I then went on to university and solved with others there, Times, Everyman and after the big Times strike, moved to the Guardian, and used to be with a contingent along the bar solving together, particularly when it was Auracaria or Bunthorne, not that I ever got far wiht Bunthorne. Got back into solving around when all the lockdowns happened around Covid19, and used this site to help me get the tricks I’d forgotten or had appeared in the gaps when I hadn’t been solving.
There is – as a mark of the occasion – a Nina in this one. A sixfold Nina, in fact.
So there is – I’ve spotted your comment and wandered off to highlight it (I could see a 7th, in NewTON, too)
Happy 100 and thank you for the blog, Shanne! I’ve learned so much from Fifteensquared.
Today I needed an explanation about the ‘TO’ in ‘LEAN-TO’.
Pangakupu@12. Thanks for dropping in here. Great work with the six Ninas in celebration, and the whole puzzle, which was a delight.
Thanks Pangakupu , here’s to the next 100 !!
Happy centenary and thanks setters and fifteen squarers for giving me such wonderful challenges. I’ve learnt so much. Loved the 7 ninas but couldn’t find them until I came here. The sos in the middle prompted me to get help.
Please explain the Nina’s again.
TON??
Sorry Mary @18 – crosswordese from 1940s-1950s English slang – a TON is 100 – so “he’s doing a TON” usually means someone is driving at 100mph*, “he made the TON” in cricket means the batsmen made a century, but it’s also used for other sports or games, It’s also used for money, “paid a TON” means £100. It’s in my idiolect from my parents.
* or too fast for British roads, but it was legal when this slang was coined – the 30mph limit on built-up roads has been around since the 1930s, but the 70mph limit on motorways didn’t come into until 1965. I just about remember, because I was so frightened, being driven in the back of the faster car, my parents racing home, one on the M1, the other on the A5, to see if the speed limit made a difference to how fast they could achieve the distance. My father was a racing driver when I was that age.
Having spent years on and off trying to get the hang of cryptic clues I have learnt more in this ‘ton’ of quick cryptics than all my previous efforts. So a huge thank you to all the setters, to Shanne, the blog and to The Guardian!
Frustrated not to get 4d straight away as I love oysters.
Nice and quick. I had missed the nina. I should have realised it should have something to do with it beng the 100th quick puzzle. I thouht 20a was the clue of the day. I did not think that pairing duet and o could lead to something meaningful! Thanks, Pangakupu and Shanne for the as-usual very comprehensive blog