This week’s 11 x 11 crossword from the Guardian intended to teach cryptic crosswords, found here
This week’s puzzle is the 15th puzzle by Chandler, who is one of the regular setters of the Quiptic puzzle. He has now equalled the number set by Picaroon. This puzzle which has anagrams and acrostic words where all the letters are present, plus soundalikes and charades where the solvers have to find the words.
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 was developed 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 – (SENATOR)* arranged - Charade Combination of synonyms/abbrevs
‘Qualify to get drink for ID (8)’ gives PASSPORT (pass + port)
There is more to charades than this, so a more detailed explanation above - Soundalike Something that sounds like answer
‘Excited, Oscar’s announced (4)’ gives WILD – from Oscar “Wilde” (the playwright) - Acrostic First letters of answer
‘Initially Get A Good joke (3)’ gives GAG
| ACROSS | Click on “Answer” to see the solutions | |
| 1 |
Mere ad funnily is created again (6)
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AnswerREMADE |
Parsinganagram or (MERE AD)* with an anagrind of “funnily”. |
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| 4 |
Leading part of a curve by hotel (4)
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AnswerARCH |
Parsingcharade of ARC (part of a curve) + (by) H (hotel – from the NATO phonetic alphabet). The second definition for ARCH from Chambers is “principal, now, esp in compounds” – so the archcriminal, the archdeacon or archangel. |
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| 8 |
Second team has metal pin (5)
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AnswerSCREW |
Parsingcharade of S (second – from the measurement of time) + CREW (team). The “has” is there for the surface, so the clue reading makes sense. |
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| 9 |
Number against the Spanish in literary work (5)
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AnswerNOVEL |
Parsingcharade of NO (number – abbreviation) + V (against – versus) + EL (the Spanish – so “the” translated into Spanish). The NO for number is old-fashioned, I’ve seen it in old documents – usually written No. |
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| 10 |
Close companion is mute also after treatment (8)
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AnswerSOULMATE |
Parsinganagram of (MUTE ALSO)* with an anagrind of “after treatment”. |
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| 13 |
Blueprints, we’re told, for drinks (8)
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AnswerDRAUGHTS |
Parsingsoundalike of “drafts” (blueprints). This one I’m going to quibble about. I didn’t see it until I had all the crossers, because the equivalence didn’t occur to me until I was scrubbing around for words to fit. I’ve printed off blueprints in one of my early jobs, and they weren’t drafts, they were final drawings, huge sheets and using an interesting bit of kit and chemicals. Drafts are preliminary drawings or sketches according to Chambers. DRAUGHTS for drinks I think of as, for example, the hobbits drinking draughts of ale or butter beer in Lord of the Rings. |
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| 16 |
Fail to take advantage of part of garment around middle, it’s said (5)
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AnswerWASTE |
Parsingsoundalike of “waist” (part of garment around the middle). This definition feels clunky, but it’s in Chambers (after the part of the body) |
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| 17 |
Note first person with right stopwatch, perhaps (5)
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AnswerTIMER |
Parsingcharade of TI (note – from the sol-fa scale) + ME (first person) + R (right). The sol-fa scale uses various spellings, so ti / te and me / mi are valid. If you don’t know it, it’s what’s used in “Doh/doe, a deer” – doh, re, mi, so, fa, ti, doh. I and me are both first person indicators. There is a “perhaps” to show that this is a definition by example |
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| 18 |
First signs of these ramblers exhibiting keenness for long journey (4)
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AnswerTREK |
Parsingacrostic (first signs of) These Ramblers Exhibiting Keeness. |
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| 19 |
Sound of large bear is frightful (6)
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AnswerGRISLY |
Parsingsoundalike (sound of) “grizzly” (large bear) for the sort of word that turns up describing the murder scene in detective novels. |
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DOWN
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| 1 |
Oppose leaders of regime exploiting society in short time (6)
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AnswerRESIST |
Parsingacrostic (leaders of) Regime Exploiting Society In Short Time. |
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| 2 |
Reportedly, spot brand of car (6)
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AnswerMARQUE |
Parsingsoundalike (reportedly) of “mark” (spot). I just double checked in Chambers as I’ve never heard this describing anything other than cars and Chambers also marks it as mostly referring to cars. |
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| 3 |
Struggling workman Ted is cheap and nasty? (10)
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AnswerDOWNMARKET |
Parsinganagram of (WORKMAN TED)* with an anagrind of “struggling”. There’s a question mark to indicate that the clue definition is a definition by example (DBE) – Chambers defines this as “commodities relatively low in price, quality or prestige”. |
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| 5 |
Wander over nervously (4)
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AnswerROVE |
Parsinganagram of (OVER)* with an anagrind of “nervously”. |
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| 6 |
Stop here after leaving town initially (4)
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AnswerHALT |
Parsingacrostic (initially) of Here After Leaving Town. |
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| 7 |
One engaged in tuition devised curt intros (10)
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AnswerINSTRUCTOR |
Parsinganagram of (CURT INTROS)* with an anagrind of “devised” |
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| 11 |
Beginners in this higher education module examine several topics (6)
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AnswerTHEMES |
Parsingacrostic (beginners in) of This Higher Education Module Examine Several . |
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| 12 |
Off the rails when on carrier? (6)
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AnswerASTRAY |
Parsingcharade of AS (when) + TRAY (carrier) and a question mark to suggest as quirky definition / word play. |
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| 14 |
Speaker’s hard blow for excessively diligent pupil (4)
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AnswerSWOT |
Parsingsoundalike (speaker’s – so from the speaker) of “swat” (hard blow) think of swatting flies with a fly-swat. |
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| 15 |
Mentioned feature in a supermarket in Skye, perhaps (4)
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AnswerISLE |
Parsingsoundalike (mentioned) of “aisle” (feature in a supermarket) – perhaps because Skye is just one example from the Inner Hebrides. I think if I’d written this clue, I’d have been nastier. “Rum, maybe, discussed in feature in a supermarket” would have hidden the capital letter at the beginning of the clue. |
The tricky soundalikes held me up especially 2d MARQUE. A couple of the charades I also thought chewy. Online Chambers Thesaurus had draft as a synonym for blueprint which is how I got it. Lovely puzzle though, thanks Chandler and to you Shanne for the blog.
Harder than usual, I thought. I gave up and revealed MARQUE, the first time, I think, I’ve revealed an answer in the Quick Cryptic. The parsing of ASTRAY confused me too; I wouldn’t generally equate ‘as’ with ‘when’ though I can see how it works in practice: ‘As/when I was walking down the road . . .’
Thanks both, I enjoyed this week’s quick cryptic. Like the above got held up by Marque, a clever use of an old motoring term. I also found Astray a bit of a struggle, but yes it works. Nice way to start my day. Cheers.
In 8a, SCREW is not the first thing I would think of as a metal pin! A pin, to me is a piece of straight metal of various lengths, usually hit with a hammer. A screw, by definition is not a straight piece of metal.
This seemed quite hard for the Quick Cryptic slot. Despite completing the Prize Crossword most weeks, there is barely ever a cryptic of any level where nothing holds me up. It’ll happen one day. Overcoming a few blockages is part of what makes these puzzles satisfying though. So, I hope people managed it.
Thanks Chandler and Shanne.
New one on me for Marque – I’m used to it in the phrase “Letter of Marque”, the documents giving Privateers permission to commit piracy against vessels from enemy states during war.
I too found “drafts” a weird sysnonym for blueprints, but then I thought about the terms “draftsman” or “draughtsman” for someone who draws blueprints, so I think it’s acceptable.
I guessed ‘novel’ and assumed the clue meant ‘nov’ as in the Latin number 9. I was then a bit peeved that ‘el’ was specified as Spanish but this wasn’t. The explanation here makes much more sense.
Thank you for this fantastic blog, it’s really helping noobs like me!
You’ve missed La out in your solfa scale – Do Re Me Fa So La Ti Do – 8 little names for the 8 notes in an octave (just for those who have not come across it before and are making notes). I’ve come across marque referring to champagne too in the past I think. Found draughts/drafts impossibly hard this week!
What the heck is a marque?
Also, in my book a screw is not a metal “pin*, but a screw… A nail has a metal.pin, or a dowel, but not a screw. I got it thanks to the crossers, but still made no sense….
Had to reveal draughts and astray (although I should have got the latter)
Totally with you on the Blueprint question. They may be intermediate engineering artefacts, but they are not drafts. They have numbers and signatures in the corner!!
Thanks Chandler for a nice challenge (definitely on the hard side for a QC) and Shanne for the detailed blog – though your suggested clue for 15d is definitely beyond QC level!
Three of us doing it here … and we all gave up on 2d. But should have thought: if all else fails with a ‘u’ try putting a ‘q’ before it!!!
Thanks Chandler for a slighly more challenging QC, and Shanne for the great blog as usual.