Times Quick Cryptic 1630 by Hurley

Author   jackktPosted on Categories Quick Cryptic

My solving time was 10 minutes. Congratulations are in order for yet another 150th Quick Cryptic notched up by a setter, this time by Hurley. Well done, and please keep them coming! Hurley began this run with QC #6 on 17th March 2014. Some old TfTT hands may remember that he was one of the earliest recruits to our team of bloggers, making his debut with the 15×15 on 27th November 2006 and he continued blogging Saturday Jumbos until 2009. Thanks for all the pleasure given.

As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]. I usually omit all reference to positional indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.

Across
1 Heard Christopher briefly angry — a pattern (10)
CRISSCROSS : CRISS sounds like [heard] “Chris” (Christopher briefly), CROSS (angry)
7 Aussie jumper’s time to get somewhere to sleep (5)
ROOST : ROO (Aussie jumper – kangaroo), S (‘s), T (time)
8 Lean back in playground row (7)
RECLINE : REC (playground – recreation ground), LINE (row). Followers of Coronation Street in the early years may remember references to ‘the red rec’.
10 Society go off British silver container (6-3)
SADDLE-BAG : S (society), ADDLE (go off), B (British), AG (silver). Not the most helpful definition but the wordplay is a standard assembly job.
12 Returning best trophy (3)
POT : TOP (best) reversed [returning]
13 On way back, see about 250 in Greater Manchester town (6)
ECCLES : SEE reversed [on way back] containing [about] CCL (250). Not sure how well-known this town is beyond these shores, but it has a famous cake named after it containing pieces of currant, also sometimes called ‘squashed fly cake’.
15 Fierce woman seeing sailor repeatedly (6)
TARTAR : TAR (sailor) TAR [repeatedly]. Not specifically female according to some of the usual sources.
16 Something to use on Avon river first of all? (3)
OAR : O{n}, A{von} R{iver} [first of all]
17 Performer can depart after broadcast (3-6)
TAP-DANCER : Anagram [after broadcast] of CAN DEPART. Another non-specific definition but the anagram fodder and checkers leave little room for error.
20 Burst, irruption, using rider’s equipment (7)
STIRRUP : Hidden in [using] {bur}ST IRRUP{tion}
22 Lock of hair, very French, extended at end? (5)
TRESS : TRÈS (very, French) + S [extended at end]. Not a device we see very often in wordplay
23 See Ray tyre changing? That day is gone (10)
YESTERYEAR : Anagram [changing] of SEE RAY TYRE
Down
1 Large group boasted, English put off (5)
CROWD : CROW{e}D (boasted) [English put off]
2 At home, instruct, excite oddly, showing brainpower (9)
INTELLECT : IN (at home), TELL (instruct), E{x}C{i}T{e} [oddly]
3 Get rid of   stunted vegetation (5)
SCRUB : Two meanings
4 Finally refer to exotic mythical bird (3)
ROC : {refe}R {t}O {exoti}C [finally]
5 Pins up favourite piece of information (7)
SNIPPET : PINS reversed [up], PET (favourite)
6 Wealthy US proposer involved (10)
PROSPEROUS : Anagram [involved] of US PROPOSER
9 Take part getting award we hear for initiative (10)
ENTERPRISE : ENTER (take part), PRISE sounds like [we hear] “prize” (award)
11 Ensure aid recipient includes usual application initially (9)
GUARANTEE : GRANTEE (aid recipient) contains [includes] U{sual} + A{pplication} [initially]
14 Worry about container for rifle (7)
CARBINE : CARE (worry) containing [about] BIN (container)
18 Just defeat queen’s musician (5)
PIPER : PIP (just defeat – pip at the post), ER (queen)
19 Like perfect showjumping round — that’s evident (5)
CLEAR : Two meanings. In showjumping, as in some other sports, completing the course without incurring any penalty points is called ‘a clear round’.
21 Dreary routine, in truth (3)
RUT : Hidden [in] {t}RUT{h}

41 comments on “Times Quick Cryptic 1630 by Hurley”

  1. Biffed INTELLECT and, stupidly, YESTERYEAR: I don’t write down anagrist in QCs, and I glanced too quickly at the clue and flung in YESTERDAYS. That, of course, slowed me down until GUARANTEE finally forced itself on me. A man can be a TARTAR, too; I’ve known a few. 6:28.
  2. Got delayed by CRISSCROSS and TAP DANCER. Pretty good for me though and a good start after last week’s dismal showing. That said, a larger than usual number of clues just leapt out at me (is that called Biffing?) and so there was not as much solving as usual to be done. Nonetheless it’s put a spring in my step this sunny Monday morning.
    I might even have a go at The Big One!
    Thanks Hurley 👍

    Edited at 2020-06-08 03:30 pm (UTC)

  3. Shrub didn’t fit either part of the clue can’t imagine why I wrote it in except that it fitted the checkers and came close to fitting the clue. Do DNF in an otherwise pretty good 12.55. I was feeling pleased with myself for not settling for yesterdays and actually checking the anagrind too! LOI was STIRRUP – very nicely hidden – I had been looking for a word ending with CROP for rider’s equipment. If only I’d solved on paper, I’d think I’d done well!
  4. 12:54, my fastest time for weeks and in my best five ever. Obviously I liked the puzzle with a lot of consonants as checkers after the first pass. Everything was parsed except for GUARANTEE, so thanks to Jackkt for the explanation, and to Hurley for this and the other 149 puzzles.
    I havn’t had a ‘dead fly pasty’ for years, I must put it on my list.

    Brian

    Edited at 2020-06-08 07:48 am (UTC)

  5. A very enjoyable, gentle Monday puzzle is what that felt like to me. All done and parsed in 1 Kevin + 10 seconds for an Excellent Day. I may have been a bit faster than usual because having got CRISSCROSS straight away I was unable to resist all those first letters and so solved in the “cluster” method instead of my usual “all acrosses then all downs” pattern. Only really chewed my pen over ROOST and OAR (durr).

    Many thanks to Hurley for this one and all the others, and thanks for the blog, Jack.

    FOI CRISSCROSS, LOI YESTERYEAR, COD & WOD CARBINE

    Templar

  6. I was off to a flying start with CRISSCROSS, and just kept going. Paused briefly to confirm anagrists for 17a and 23a, and finished with PROSPEROUS, then CARBINE in 5:55. Thanks and congrats to Hurley, and thanks to Jack for the blog.
  7. A nice puzzle for a new week – thanks to Hurley for this and his impressive range of earlier puzzles. I found this enjoyable and fairly straightforward. A few answers were easily biffable, given some crossers, but all complete and parsed in 2.5mins under target (well under 2K which is pleasing). Thanks to jackkt, too. John M.
  8. Nothing too testing today, although for some reason I decided that 1a should start with a ‘K’ so I didn’t get 1d on my first visit. I had a MER at TARTAR being specified as female but it worked so went in with a shrug. Finished in 9.11 with LOI ENTERPRISE.
    Thanks to jacckt and congrats to Hurley.
  9. Very pleased. Don’t usually start until lunchtime but inspired today.
    Thanks all round.
  10. Judging from the above, I wasn’t the only one to find this relatively easy. Came in at an enjoyable 11:17, would have liked to get below 10 mins today but my brain’s still warming up at the start of the week.

    FOI: crisscross (I always thought this was hyphenated but Google seems to disagree)
    LOI: enterprise
    COD&WOD: carbine

  11. Congratulations to Hurley not least because I was on wavelength today and scored my second best time ever at 6:08 (1 Kevin). FOI was CRISSCROSS quickly followed by PROSPEROUS giving lots of first letter checkers. SADDLE-BAG and TRESS were biffed and YESTERYEAR initially went in as yesterday – one letter short. LOI was ENTERPRISE. Thanks Jack for the blog.
  12. A rare (these days) sub-10 minute solve at 9.20 for me, with LOI CARBINE, and everything else going in pretty much in the order tackled. I considered shrub at 3D, but couldn’t make it work, and I was another tempted by yesterday until the anagrist was checked. I thought I might struggle with the Mancunian town, but being a lover of the cakes, I had heard of it after all. Incidentally, the bakery at M&S do a very good line in Eccles Cakes. Thanks and congrats to Jackkt and Hurley in turn.
    1. While the M&S take on an ECCLES cake isn’t really traditional, they’re exceedingly better than anything Mr.Kipling could possibly produce !
  13. …. I’ve been put off by Crewe. It was only a slight delay before I left 1D, picked up SCRUB, and took a quick round trip to pick off CROWD as SLOI.

    Congratulations to Hurley on his milestone.

    FOI CRISSCROSS
    LOI INTELLECT
    COD TAP-DANCER *
    TIME 0.53K

    * I seldom give COD to an anagram because so many of them are obvious. The excellent surface of this one meant that it wasn’t.

  14. A quick one for me too. Not far off a pb in 18:45. Just wasn’t sure about TARTAR, mainly because I was thrown off by the woman reference. Also wasn’t sure of the word irruption, but the spell check on here doesn’t seem to mind it so I suppose it’s just my ignorance. Thanks Jack and Hurley.
  15. No hold-ups with this one and all done and dusted in 12 minutes. The parsing was all pretty straightforward, too with the exception of GUARANTEE, where I needed Jackkt to help me. One teeny tiny quibble is with regard to POT as a definition for trophy. DNK ROC, the mythical bird but that had to be the answer. Somewhat intrigued, I looked it up and found this :
    Roc (mythology) – Wikipedia
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roc_(mythology)
    This puzzle was a lovely start to the week so thanks very much, Hurley. Thanks also to Jackkt for the blog.
    1. pot
      informal
      a cup or trophy, esp of silver, awarded as a prize in a competition
  16. About 13 minutes on paper today. Nothing unknown or too difficult but I was careless. Wrote ORC for 4d despite the order in the clue. That meant that 1a was my LOI. I thought it might end in A and so my first thought of CRISSCROSS was disregarded for a time. A quick think about orc,orca and roc got me on the right track.
    Congratulations and thanks to Hurley. David
  17. I tried (and failed) to start with 1ac and 6d, so thought I was in for a long solve. However the bottom half of the grid was more friendly and I surprised myself by finishing in 18mins. Considering this included the best part of a minute wondering what could be a large group beginning with C… I am just grateful for the sub twenty. CoD to the dead fly pie at 13ac – the town is only about 10miles away from where I live, so it was a write in, but a nice clue all the same. Congratulations to Hurley on reaching 150. Invariant
  18. Really chuffed to finish this in just over 10 minutes.
    I biffed CARBINE as I didn’t know this was a rifle and I, too, first of all entered YESTERDAYS until it became CLEAR that this wouldn’t work!
    CRISSCROSS reminded me of the singer Christopher Cross who is reportedly recovering from COVID-19.
    Thanks to Jackkt for the blog (btw the Red Rec still features in Corrie!) and congratulations to Hurley.

    Edited at 2020-06-08 12:41 pm (UTC)

  19. Eccles other claim to fame for us oldies is the warmly remembered Goon Show character: was it Sellers or SpikeM? DMR
  20. Was quite pleased with myself thinking I’d completed this in 20 mins when I realised I had two wrong.

    I’d invented a word for 10ac – “Saddle Pig” and then put “Scrap” for 3dn. Might have been able to justify the latter, but not really sure what came over me for the first one. Dismissing the obvious “AG” I thought Pig might be a form of British Silver and that ultimately a Saddle Pig was a fancy form of sugar container or something.

    Oh well – can I blame it on Monday morning?

    FOI – 1dn “Crowd”
    LOI – 9dn “Enterprise”
    COD – 8ac “Recline”

    Thanks as usual.

  21. Went through this with very few hold-ups. Didn’t initially see the anagram at 17ac and took me even longer to spot the one at 6dn but everything else fell into place more or less immediately.

    FOI – 1ac Crisscross
    LOI – 6dn Prosperous
    COD – 17ac Tap Dancer for the very well hidden anagram

    Thanks Hurley and Jackkt

  22. … as I join those who found this on the gentler side, and finished in 9 minutes. And a sub-10 is rare for me these days. Only hold up was 8A Recline, where I completely misread the clue in spades and was looking for a word meaning lean that would go backwards and fit into a word meaning playground, all to give a word meaning row, either as tier or even as bust-up. A great clue that can lead me up so many garden paths, and my COD as well as LOI.

    Thanks to Jack for the blog and congratulations to Hurley on 150 up.

    Cedric

  23. Gentle start to the week and we came in at 9 minutes – our first ever completion in under 10 minutes! Congratulations to Hurley on your 150th challenge and thanks to Jack for the blog.

    FOI: crisscross
    LOI: carbine
    COD: tap dancer

    1. Not sure whether that’s the single solver equivalent of 4.5 or 18mins 🤔… but in either case, well done on a new PB!
  24. TARTAR – woman? WHY???

    Allowing clues such as this is doing a great disservice to all concerned. It doesn’t add to the surface (unless you want to add casual sexism to the rap sheet). It doesn’t make the clue any easier or harder to solve. It doesn’t do anything but cause offence.

    I’m happy to take any amount of ‘political correctness gone mad’ accusations but this is me – white, middle age, middle class male with right of centre views and a thirty year police pension.

    We’re better than this.

    Congratulations Hurley for your achievements but please reflect.

    4’15” for what it’s worth.

    1. Hurley has responded to my blog in general and your point in particular. Please see below.
      1. Thank you Jack, and thank you Hurley. I really appreciate the great work done by all setters and bloggers, as well as all other contributors. The last thing I would want to do is leave a sour taste in anyone’s mouth and I am, at times, guilty of living in the proverbial glass house.
        Stay safe everyone.
  25. Just to redress the balance for anyone out there who didn’t find this so easy, I have to admit that it took me just over 26 minutes which is almost exactly the same as Friday’s QC, which was regarded as much harder. My target is 20 minutes but last week I failed that every day. Oh dear! I am going backwards but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the challenge.
    Thanks to Jackkt for the blog and Hurley for all the QCs thus far. MM

    FOI: ROOST
    LOI: SCRUB
    COD: SNIPPET

  26. Hello all. This is my first posting here. I decided a few months ago to get back into cryptic crosswords, after a 30 year absence. Doing the Telegraph cryptic at the back of the auditorium, was a daily staple for me when I was on block release, studying for my Scottish Chartered Accountancy qualification!. Work, family and everything else seemed to get in the way for a few decades, but now I’m back.

    This blog has played a huge part in me getting back into things, so I wanted to say Hello and Thank You!

    Today, I managed the QC in 12m 6s. My best yet. I can generally always finish the QC now, and occasionally the 15×15. I even managed a Saturday Jumbo a few weeks ago but I find the difficulty level of those to be very inconsistent.

    I’m not sure how often I will post on here – I tend to save the crosswords for the evening, as a bit of mental well-being to switch my mind away from a day of work and Zoom calls. The down side of this is that you lot have generally all been and gone. The other down side of this is that trying to do them with GoggleBox/ SpringWatch or whatever on in the background means I don’t often set any speed records! Today’s 12m was done in perfect silence which probably explains things. For once, I didn’t really struggle on any of the clues, and just worked my way through the grid from top left. Perhaps I need to find a quiet spot more often.

    1. Welcome on your first posting, mpdouglas, and I’m glad to hear that you find the blog useful. However late in the day you post you are guaranteed that at least the blogger of the day will see your contribution as we are notified by email when something is added, so don’t let that put you off commenting.
  27. ..wow 150 QCs…speech..well done Sir!… I came home in 9 minutes on the dot – if only CRISSCROSS hadn’t been my LOI!

    FOI 7ac ROOST

    COD 13ac ECCLES

    WOD 10ac SADDLE-BAG – very fifties.

  28. Many thanks Jackkt for the fine blog and your congrats on the 150th Hurley puzzle which is indeed the case!
    Thanks also to posters for the kind remarks on the landmark.
    I’ve noted the comments on TARTAR. The wording was based on Collins Dict example of usage saying it tends to be used esp in relation to a woman in authority. This would not suggest, I think, that the term could not cross the gender divide! If anyone is unhappy about this, I apologise.
    Hurley
    2. Sorry to be slow with this. I see no need to apologise, Hurley. I was slightly surprised by the connection but it is a dictionary entry and there nothing to regret ( or overinterpret!). Thanks for another great puzzle.
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