johninterred

My fellow TimesforTheTimes contributor and expert solver, Phil Jordan, and I are continuing to produce crosswords to fill the gap left by the Saturday Times not having one. The plan is for us to alternate, publishing one a fortnight, and this week it's Phil's turn.

You can find links to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as you would do on TfTT.
[Solution (click to open)]

My fellow TimesforTheTimes contributor and expert solver, Phil Jordan, and I are continuing to produce crosswords to fill the gap left by the Saturday Times not having one. The plan is for us to alternate, publishing one a fortnight, and this week it's my turn.

You can find links to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as you would do on TfTT.
[Solution (click to open)]

No time for a full soluton blog today, but a few may just biff 10A which is a little on the tricky side for a QC but I couldn't resist.
10A Back six teams? {7}
ELEVENS - [back] six -> XIs = ELEVEN (XI in roman numerals) S

At least I resisted the temptation to make it even more fiendish with the (IMO) neater "Six backsides?"!

My fellow TimesforTheTimes contributor and expert solver, Phil Jordan, and I are continuing to produce crosswords to fill the gap left by the Saturday Times not having one. The plan is for us to alternate, publishing one a fortnight, and this week it's Phil's turn.

You can find links to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as you would do on TfTT. Alternatively any queries or comments on the puzzle are welcome by email to 1147philjordan@gmail.com
[Solution (click to open)]

As interest hasn't waned, (thanks to all who had a go and, especially to those who provided feedback) my fellow TimesforTheTimes contributor and expert solver, Phil Jordan, and I are continuing to produce crosswords to fill the gap left by the Saturday Times not having one. The plan is for us to alternate, publishing one a fortnight, and this week it's my turn.

You can find links to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as you would do on TfTT.

[Solution (click to open)]

And here is an explanation of the answers.

Definitions underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, deletions and [] other indicators.

Across
1 Johninterred's one weird tester (6)
    SETTER - [weird] (tester)*.
4 School-leaver rankings provided by A&E, for example. (6)
    GRADES - Cryptic definition. Go to hospital to take your exams? Teacher knows best, allegedly.
8 Oliver's request for another card (5)
    TWIST -  Doublde deinition. "Please Sir, Can I have some more?" or another card at pontoon.
9 Postie's equipment is reportedly a manly accessory (7)
    MAILBAG - Sounds like (reportdely) MALE (manly) BAG (accessory).
10 Some thinkers fill pens with this (3)
   INK - Hidden [some] in thINKers.
11 Grins anew about refuting an argument (9)
   ANSWERING - (Grins anew)* [about].
12 Foreign variety of dressing that goes with beans and toast? (6)
   FRENCH - Definition and a cryptic hint - French Beans, French Toast.
13 Unfaithful? Not according to the facts (6)
   UNTRUE - Double definition
16 Reinvents career, set to be different (9)
   RECREATES - (career set)* [to be different].
18 Author of "The Female Swan" (3)
  PEN - Double definition.
19 Cross-channel invaders were no loveless Romans (7)
  NORMANS - NO RoMANS witgout the O = 0 [loveless].
20 Initially amazed this once meant smallest fundamental particles (5)
  ATOMS - First letters of  (intially) Amazed This Once Meant Smallest.
22 Firstborn of the French captured by English lieutenant (6)
  ELDEST - DES (of the, in French) [captured by] E (english) LT (lieutentant.
23 "Redo it!", ordered crossword compiler's boss (6)
  EDITOR - (Redo it)* [ordered].

Down
1 Take a test model (3)
   SIT - Double Definition.
2 Try to catch trout in river? On the contrary! It's just a little stream (7)
   TRICKLE - TICKLE (try to catch trout)  outside not [in] [on the contrary] R (river).
3 You may have to pass these to get into school (8,5)
   ENTRANCE EXAMS -  Cryptic definition.
5 Threaten to strike if you want to say something in class (5,4,4)
   RAISE ONES HAND - Cryptic definition.
6 Name a single luxurious Arab destination (5)
   DUBAI- DUB (name) A I (one; single).
7 Tone of wise environmentalist (4-5)
   SAGE GREEN - SAGE (wise) GREEN (environmentalist).
9 Fail to understand teacher (4)
   MISS - Double definition.
10 Drawing a conclusion in conference without counter argument (9)
   INFERENCE - IN conFERENCE [without] CON (counter argument).
14 Hit wine together to make emotional bond (7)
   RAPPORT - RAP (hit) PORT (wine).
15 Aussie pick-up trucks regularly found among gum trees (4)
   UTES - Alternate letters [regularly found among] of gUmTrEeS.
17 Was anxious about colour of rear light (5)
   CARED - CA (circa; about) RED (colour of red rear light).
21 Knight brought up in Bristol. (3)
   SIR - Reverse hidden [brought up] in BRIStol.

My fellow TimesforTheTimes contributor and expert solver, Phil Jordan, has persuaded me that we can continue to produce crosswords to fill the gap left by the Saturday Times not having one. Thanks Phil! The plan is for us to alternate, publishing one a fortnight, and this week it's Phil's turn.

You can find links to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as you would do on TfTT. Alternatively any queries or comments on the puzzle are welcome by email at 1147philjordan@gmail.com

[Solution (click to open)]

My fellow TimesforTheTimes contributor and expert solver, Phil Jordan, has persuaded me that we can continue to produce crosswords to fill the gap left by the Saturday Times not having one on a regular basis. Thanks Phil! The plan is for us to alternate, publishing one a fortnight, so this week it's my turn.

You can find links to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions as you would do on TfTT.

[Solution (click to open)]

Definitions underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, deletions and [] other indicators.

Across

1   Take a dip like one million from Cornwall and Devon, perhaps. (4)

  SWIM. SW (South West; Cornwall and Devon) I (one) M (million)
3    I shriek out loud for something cold to eat. (3,5)
  ICE CREAM. Sounds like [out loud] I SCREAM. “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream”.
9   Bask by stream and go red. (7)
  SUNBURN. SUN (bask) BURN (stream)
10   Time on the fifteenth of March for ebbs and flows. (5)
   TIDES. T (time) IDES (15^th March).
11   No time for fear? That's a mistake. (5)
   ERROR. tERROR (fear) without the T (time).
12   Inject hydrogen in hope of a strong driving force. (6)
   THRUST. [Inject] H (hydrogen) in TRUST (hope, as in “I trust you are keeping well”).
14   Thor must rend abnormal small violent weather events. (13)
   THUNDERSTORMS. (Thor must render)* [abnormal] S (small).
17   Irrational dread of fake ale, we hear. (6)
   PHOBIA. Sounds like (we hear) FAUX (fake) BEER (ale).
19   Tyneside against the queen? Surely not! (5)
   NEVER. NE (Tyneside) V (against) ER (the queen).
22   Dance from Burma perhaps? (5)
   RUMBA. (Burma)* [perhaps].
23   Some billionaire bigwigs return from European peninsula. (7)
   IBERIAN. Reverse [return] hidden [some] in billioNAIRE BIgwigs.
24   Lots of this gives you 9 or makes you 16. (8)
   SUNSHINE. Mildly cryptic definition.
25   Tim's initially in charge of summer outdoor entertainment. (4)
   FETE. Tim’s [initially] [in] FEE (charge).

Down

1   Doubts they are potential perpetrators. (8)
SUSPECTS. Double definition.
2   Tops champion with shot close to the bull. (5)
INNER. [Tops] i.e. remove first letter from wINNER (champion).
4   Swindles queen and country over time creating dismay. (13)
CONSTERNATION. CONS (swindles) ER (queen) NATION (country) outside [over] T (time).
5   Order crate to provide food for an occasion. (5)
CATER. [Order] (crate)*.
6   Ultimate customer endures change. (3,4)
END USER, (endures)* [change].
7   COVID-19 protection initially makes Americans extremely sick. (4)
MASK. [initially] Makes Americans [extremely] SicK.
8   Disgusting Putin not home free. (6)
      PUTRID. PUTin without the in [not home] RID (free).
13 Alienate sergeant with new order. (8)
  ESTRANGE (sergeant)* [with new order].

15 Upper class gran masks nasty pong unlike normal people. (7)
UNHUMAN. U (Upper class) NAN (gran) outside [masks] HUM (nasty pong).
16 Beaten and converted to leather. (6)
TANNED. Double definition.
18 Maybe aches somewhat for sandy seashore. (5)
BEACH. Hidden in [somewhat] MayBE ACHes.
20 Say nothing about bad habit? On the contrary. (5)
VOICE. VICE (bad habit) [about] O (nothing), rather than the other way round [on the contrary].
21 Some part-song writing, sculpture etc. (4)
ARTS. Hidden in pART-Song.

My fellow TimesforTheTimes contributor and expert solver, Phil Jordan, has provided us with another crossword to fill the gap left by the Saturday Times not having one. Thanks Phil!

You can find links to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions as you would do on TfTT.

Update from Phil : "Just to say that if anybody has queries or comments on my weekend puzzle, I've set up a special email address where I can field them and respond : 1147philjordan@gmail.com"

[Solution (click to open)]

This was another cryptic crossword from me. Hopefully not too tricky. It uses another of the Times Quick Crossword grids. You can find links to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions as you would do on TfTT.
[Solution (click to open)]

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row."

Definitions underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, deletions and [] other indicators.

Across
8 Artful folding of paper giro returned by French pal. (7)
ORIGAMI. GIRO [returned] -> ORIG AMI (French pal).
9 Broadcast Nora and I are transmitting now. (2,3)
ON AIR. (Nora I)* [broadcast].
10 Stomach of ancient Egyptian body loses mass after time. (5)
TUMMY. T (time) mUMMY (ancient Egyptian body) without the [loses] M (mass).
11 Starts to hanker over life in Dales after Yorkshire vacation. (7)
HOLIDAY. Initial letters of [starts to] Hanker Over Life In Dales After Yorkshire.
12 How 18 Oxford and Cambridge blues on the Thames are properly aligned.... (3,2,1,3)
ALL IN A ROW. Cryptic definition relating to the Boat Race.
14 ...and not ultimately from Eton to Windsor. (3)
NOR. Last letters of [ultimately] EtoN tO WindsoR.
16 I agree that's some eyesore. (3)
YES. Hidden in [some] eYESore.
18 Purses lips when little dog consumes last five of Snickers and last of tiramisu. (7,2)
PUCKERS UP. PUP (little dog) outside [consumes] [last five of] SniCKERS [last of] tiramisU.
21 I doubt small mushroom leads to nervous twitch. (7)
SCEPTIC. S (cmall) CEP (mushroom) TIC (nervous witch). "leads to" here is a positional indicator not signifier of inital letters.
22 Greek anatomist is partly dissecting a lens. (5)
GALEN. Hidden in dissectinG A LENs.
23 Pretty maids, we hear, are rung by campanologists. (5)
BELLS. Sounds like [we hear] BELLES (pretty maids).
24 Searchers find king and queen hiding in toilets. (7)
LOOKERS. K (king) ER (queen) [hiding in] LOOS (toilets).

Down
1 Tory creative work set up by railway. That's perverse. (8)
CONTRARY. CON (Tory) ART (creative work) [set up] -> TRA, RY (railway).
2 Lads, I'm awfully gloomy. (6)
DISMAL. (Lads I'm)* [awfully].
3 Scottish Queen was horsey we're told. (4)
MARY. Sounds like [we're told] MARE-Y (horsey). Did that make you groan?
4 Shrivel up due to lack of water and squirm in agony right to the end. (6)
WITHER. Take WRITHE (squirm in agony) and move the R (right) [to the end].
5 Leader's instruction to support Middle East. (6,2)
FOLLOW ME. FOLLOW (support, as in a football team) M.E. (Middle East)
6 Pike-like fish has lair where plants grow. (6)
GARDEN. GAR (pike-like fish) DEN (lair).
7 Type of stinging ant that disturbs our landscape designer, 3D's namesake. (4)
ARMY. [disturbs] (Mary)* (our gardener).
13 Most pine unreasonably for favourable treatment. (8)
NEPOTISM. (Most pine)* [unreasonably].
15 Gardener's readiness to initially register intellectual property makes sense. (8)
RIPENESS. [initially] Register IP (intellectual property) [makes] (sense)*.
17 Attacks with artillery to create inferno on board ship. (6)
SHELLS. HELL (inferno) inside [on board] SS (ship).
19 Tap the french mollusc. (6)
COCKLE. COCK (tap) LE (the in french).
20 Second change for Long John. (6)
SILVER. Triple definition.
21 Boss sadly cries. (4)
SOBS. (Boss)* [sadly].
22 Develop good argument. (4)
GROW. G (good) ROW (argument).

This was a cryptic crossword from me. Hopefully not too tricky. It uses one of the Times Quick Crossword grids.You can find links to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions as you would do on TfTT.


Definitions underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, deletions and [] other indicators.

Across
1 Toy girl? (4)
    DOLL. Double definition... and a nod to the phrase "Toy boy".
3 Very good at breaking codes. (8)
    CRACKING. Another double definition.
9 Maybe scry unending story with this. (7)
   CRYSTAL. [maybe] (scry)* TALe (story) [unending]. Semi&lit.
10 Offspring is a girl. (5)
    ISSUE. IS SUE (a girl).
11 PPE put on after a month of lockdown. (5)
    APRON. ON [after] APR (April; month of lockdown).
12 Spilt the beans with narrative about king and daughter. (6)
    TALKED. TALE (narrative) [about] K (king) [and] D (daughter).
14 Coped nicely with a twice misprinted reference work. (13)
    ENCYCLOPAEDIA. (coped nicely... a a)* [misprinted]. Oh dear! As Dashworth0 pointed out in the comments, I have missed an "a" out of the anagrist. Sorry! I need to add "twice", i.e. "...with a twice misprinted...". [Update: crossword and blog updated].
17 Look after these when dieting and the pounds will look after themselves. (6)
    OUNCES. Cryptic Definition. With an allusion to the saying "Look after the pennies..."
19 At first the eager novice seemed extremely nervous. (5)
    TENSE. Initial letters [at first] of The Eager Novice Seemed Extremely.
22 Picture that is about regular publication. (5).
    IMAGE. IE (that is) [about] MAG (regular publication).
23 Somehow very in love, so get engaged. (7)
    INVOLVE. [somehow] (v in love)*
24 Tattiest copy is secured in strongbox. (8)
    CHEAPEST. APE (copy) inside [is secured in] CHEST (strongbox).
25 Tie up securely with Granny? I hear not. (4)
    KNOT. Double definition, 2nd a definition by example, with [I hear] a homophone referring to a Granny knot not           being secure.

Down
1 Announced adjusted credit deal without IT. (8)
    DECLARED. [adjusted] (credit deal)* [without] the IT.
2 Put down queen chicken. (5)
    LAYER. LAY (put down) ER (queen).
4 Correspondences family member sends overseas. (13)
    RELATIONSHIPS. RELATION (family member) SHIPS (sends overseas).
5 Nip in the air leads to infection. (5)
    CHILL. Double definition.
6 Rather badly stained. (7)
    INSTEAD. [badly] (stained)*
7 Cultivated some meagre wheat. (4)
    GREW. Hidden in [some] meaGRE Wheat.
8 Use tech in identifying foreign cultures. (6)
    ETHNIC. [use] (tech in)*.
13 Downstairs becomes home for servants over time. (8)
    BASEMENT. BASE (home) MEN (servants) [over] T (time). Rememeber Upstairs Downstairs?
15 Boldness about the modern era. (7)
    COURAGE. C (about) OUR AGE (the modern era).
16 Ready for operation and liable to erupt. (6)
    ACTIVE. Double definition, second as in a volcano.
18 Old Canadian people quietly crawl along the ground. (5)
    CREEP. CREE (Old Canadian people) P (quietly).
20 Material found in many long johns. (5)
    NYLON. Hidden in [found in] maNY LONg johns,
21 Element unknown in capital of China. (4)
    ZINC. Z (unknown) IN [capital (letter) of] China.

This was my first foray into cryptic crossword setting since I did one for the school magazine in about 1974.  I was trying out an evaluation copy of Crossword Compiler 10 which doesn't allow you to reload a saved puzzle, so I rushed to complete it in case my laptop crashed or restarted. Maybe I could have done a bit more work on some of the dodgier clues. The grid was automatically populated by the software using a theme of "drinks" which included a few more obscure words than you would get in a Times Quick Crossword or even the 15x15. You can find the crossword here. Thanks to all who gave it a go. Sorry it turned out rather trickier than I was expecting people to find it, but I hope it provided a bit of fun.[Update: the unfair clue for 15A has been replaced and a couple of other minor changes made].
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