This week’s 11 x 11 crossword from the Guardian intended to teach cryptic crosswords, found here
This week’s puzzle is the 4th puzzle set by Brassica, who started setting Quick Cryptic puzzles in February with #97. The last two I’ve blogged have been found challenging. Mostly this one feels dialled down in difficulty, but there are a couple of clues which feel as if they are cheating for the slot – using two clue types in one clue. This puzzle has anagrams, last letters and hidden words with all the letters in the clues, plus insertions, where the words and letters need to be found by the solvers. We have seen all of these clue types several times before.
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 - Hidden word(s) Answer hidden in clue’s words
‘Some haVE ALtered meat (4)’ gives VEAL - Insertion One thing inside another makes answer
‘In favour of republican entering Post Office (3)’ gives PRO
PO (Post Office) around (with R for Republican entering) - Last letters Final letters give answer
‘Finally pulL thE ruG showing limb (3)’ gives LEG
| ACROSS | Click on “Answer” to see the solutions | |
| 1 |
Indian tourist destination with last vestiges of a crumbling mortar pagoda (4)
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AnswerAGRA |
Parsinglast letters (last vestiges) of A crumblinG mortaR pagodA for this Indian city with a very famous monument. |
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| 4 |
Mediterranean island with a little travel bag (4)
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AnswerELBA |
Parsinghidden word(s) (a little) in travEL BAg for this Mediterranean island. |
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| 7 |
Narrow escape as ninth rage erupts (4,5)
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AnswerNEAR THING |
Parsinganagram of (NINTH RAGE)* with an anagrind of “erupts”. As far as I’ve listed out the anagram indicators, “erupts” is a new one in this series, but it does convey the disruptiveness of swapping all the letters around. |
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| 8 |
Good sense to take portion of babaganoush (4)
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AnswerNOUS |
Parsinghidden word(s) (to take portion of) babagaNOUSh – I like babaganoush, and would willingly take a portion of it, so Brassica has, as usual in cryptic puzzles, used an appropriate indicator to make the surface more satisfactory. |
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| 9 |
Gloomy and arid: that captures attention (6)
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AnswerDREARY |
Parsinginsertion (captures) of DRY (arid) with EAR (attention) inserted. Ears for attention as in “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears” (from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar). |
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| 10 |
Immediate credit arranged (6)
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AnswerDIRECT |
Parsinganagram of (CREDIT)* with an anagrind of “arranged”. This is one of those standard anagrams you get to recognise when doing cryptic crosswords. |
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| 13 |
Creepy-crawlies found inside pantsuit (4)
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AnswerANTS |
Parsinghidden word(s) (found inside) pANTSuit – and if you’ve been stupid enough to sit on one of their nests (tempting hummocks in old grassland), then you will end up with these creepy-crawlies inside your pantsuit. |
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| 14 |
A quiet servant receiving tip that’s tacked on (9)
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AnswerAPPENDAGE |
Parsinginsertion (recieving) – although I’m going to quibble and say this is a charade plus insertion: A (from the clue) + P (quiet- from musical notation) + PAGE (servant) with (receiving) END (tip) inserted, so rather more full fat cryptic than this slot usually has. |
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| 15 |
Aargh! The historical novel, ultimately, is a deeply unpleasant experience (4)
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AnswerHELL |
Parsingfinal letters (ultimately) of aargH thE historicaL noveL – and I get the impression that Brassica is not a fan of historical novels from the surface of this clue. Having read a few more recently-written historical novels that just made me cross because I knew various details were wronger than a wrong thing (Longbourn, I’m looking at you), so much so that I couldn’t suspend my disbelief for the rest of the novel, I can sort of see his point of view. |
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| 16 |
Pop diva taking part in archery (4)
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AnswerCHER |
Parsinghidden word(s) (taking part in) arCHERy – and CHER is the usual crosswordland pop diva, even if she turned 80 earlier this week. |
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DOWN
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| 2 |
Slags off Crystal (5)
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AnswerGLASS |
Parsinganagram of (SLAGS)* with an anagrind of “off” – and for the surface, “slags off” in UK argot means making aspersions about, so the capital letter of Crystal suggests a girl called Crystal. Adding misleading capitals is allowed in cryptic crosswords, but removing a necessary one is frowned upon. |
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| 3 |
Paid to play, somewhat unwarrantedly (5)
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AnswerANTED |
Parsinghidden word(s) (somewhat) in unwarrANTEDly – where the ANTE is the stake placed to take part in, usually, a poker game. |
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| 4 |
Top table? Well, I eat elsewhere in the end (5)
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AnswerELITE |
Parsinglast letters (in the end) of tablE welL I eaT elsewherE. |
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| 5 |
Tyrant having massive difficulty suppressing resistance (3,7)
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AnswerBIG BROTHER |
Parsinginsertion (suppressing), but again, I think this is a charade plus insertion: BIG (massive) BOTHER (difficulty) around (suppressing) R (resistance in physics/science) – for this tyrant. |
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| 6 |
Stimulate with wild excitation (10)
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AnswerINTOXICATE |
Parsinganagram of (EXCITATION)* with an anagrind of “wild” and an impressive one word anagram. |
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| 11 |
>Get rid of glove box; keep spare wheel at the back (5)
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AnswerEXPEL |
Parsinglast letters (at the back) of glovE boX keeP sparE wheeL – with a surface picture that doesn’t seem sensible – I don’t think wheels have ever fitted in glove boxes. |
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| 12 |
Nasty cut in jacket (5)
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AnswerTUNIC |
Parsinganagram of (CUT IN)* with an anagrind of “nasty”. If I think of the uniform jackets worn in the forces, then the solution makes sense. |
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| 13 |
Space in Accident and Emergency? Visibly astonished (5)
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AnswerAGAPE |
Parsinginsertion (in) GAP (space) in (inserted into) A-E. A&E is the usual UK abbreviation of the Accident and Emergency departments of hospitals (our equivalent of ER in the US) – this almost feels like one of the substitution clues some of the cryptic setters really like – where the & changed to GAP. |
Most of this was straightforward but I was perplexed by the parsing of APPENDAGE and BIG BROTHER so thanks, Shanne, for acknowledging that those clues were not entirely within the parameters of the given clue types.
There is a second pop diva in 16D. I saw ‘Tina’ first. Taking parT IN Archery. Would it be ok for a hidden word to use some of the letters in the indicator too? I get that Cher is the correct and better answer. Just trying to learn.
Thanks to Shanne and Brassica. Particular thanks for ANTED; I was pronouncing it totally wrong in my head and thought I’d never heard of the word before!
I wouldn’t have associated 5D with tyrant, although now it’s explained I see how it was constructed. Clever, but too clever for me!
Some nice surfaces as in 8A NOUS and 2D GLASS. 9A – I parsed DRY but not EAR but crossers helped. 3D ANTED, I parsed but a new word for me!
Thanks Shanne for all the help and Brasdica for the challenge.
Lemna minor @2 – there are usually howls of rage on the blogs when the indicator is part of the fodder, it’s not normally seen as a good thing.
I couldn’t get 5d at all. In the end I had to revealed it, but it would have been a guess anyway – I kept trying to make big trotter fit 😀
Anted is a new word for me, at least in the past tense.
On a different topic, can someone suggest where I could find some more quick cryptic? The guardian quiptic are too difficult (I manage to do the weekly one, but to try the older one has become a chore)
Andrea you can try the daily ones on Minute Cryptic website. There are hints and also a video on how to solve it
I found 5 down hard, only one I had to cheat.
5d and 14a definitely at least in Quiptic territory as they’re using 2 wordplay tricks. Good job there were also anagrams, hidden words and last letters to get traction. Enjoyable solve though and not a cabbage, so thanks Brassica, and to Shanne for your precise explanations.
I did think APPENDAGE and BIG BROTHER were a bit mean. They’d have been fine in the Quiptic, but they’re outside the rules of engagement here. With “APPENDAGE”, I saw “a quiet” and immediately thought “Oh, a charade starting “ap”” and then realised charades weren’t in today’s list of clue types so assumed I was barking up the wrong tree!
Also, I didn’t know “ante” could be a verb!
I enjoyed this though needed crossers at times. I didn’t get antes. I know ante but not anted. I put in acted. I got 14A and 5D but wasn’t sure about the parsing so thanks for the explanations.
What is a cabbage please? Does this refer to Brassica??
Mary @10 – the brassica family is the cabbage family, so broccoli, oil-seed rape and cabbage – it’s just the Latin name for them.
I’ve heard of ANTE, but I’ve never seen ANTED!
What we learn from this puzzle is that everything can be an indicator of wordplay. Is “suppressing” an indicator of insertion? Yes, maybe, though I would have thought it was an indicator of deletion. I saw the wordplay only having the crosses…
ANTED was new to me, but that’s not surprising. My English is far from perfect.
And, like others, I saw “a quiet” and thought it was a charade started with “ap”. But yes, the charade does include insertion.
Thanks, Brassica and Shanne!
muffin @12 – I’ve seen and heard “has he ante’d up the deposit?” but I have usually seen punctuation to suggest the pronunciation, and usually colloquially.
Not entirely sure this fitted the brief. As previously mentioned by Shanne and others there are a couple, that feel more Quiptic , or even full fat cryptic that could put new solvers off. However, a nice workout and how do we improve without a challenge now and then?
Thanks to B and S as always.
It was clearly ANTED, but I also thought I hadn’t heard of it.
I even googled ANTED as never heard of it, even though it fit and I could see how to get there. Google not a help so learned something new today
I saw the clue for APPENDAGE and thought “surely they’re not doing the Italian music notation thing here?!” Well, they were.
It’s a staple in cryptic land, but still.
Like others I thought the parsing of those two insertions way too hard although I did eventually work them out.
I struggle with charades anyway so the added insertion is too much. I note though that in the description of insertions the example is a charade – R for republican.
@Andrea – as well Minute Cryptic, which I enjoy, you can easily access the full Quick Cryptic archive on The Guardian desktop webpages (too clunky on mobile site). I print off as pdf and work through them on the go.
Shanne, I think that I’m in agreement with you, and perhaps Brassica re historical novels. Ellis Peters’ “Brother Cadfael” stories spring to mind. Cadfael seems to have a remarkably modern approach to detective forensics for a 12th century monk. I have enjoyed reading the stories, and the TV series, but there are always moments when I think, “Really, in the 12th. century?”.
Thecronester@8 said that the puzzle wasn’t a cabbage?? I know brassicas are cabbages but didn’t understand the reference??
I thought this approachable and enjoyable but agree a few clues were difficult and more than advertised
Thanks Brassica and Shanne
Like LunaLo I was surprised that suppressing indicates insertion. I assumed it must mean delete an r somewhere and spent ages failing to get 5d.
Mary#21 It’s colloquial UK English, or at least this is what I recall. And derogatory, actually, that a cabbage can be a reference to someone who is not very intelligent or somehow mentally not sufficient. So in this case I’m trying to say the puzzle was in no way deficient and actually rather clever. And my apologies as in hindsight it’s not a nice turn of phrase at all.
I also struggled with ANTED as I always thought it was something that jays did to clean their feathers?
Mary @21 and thecronester @24 – I’m not so green as I’m cabbage-looking? that comment – it means that I’m not naive, and it’s the sort of thing I’d say to students trying to pull the wool over my eyes, without trying to be too unpleasant about it.
For those of you querying “suppressing” – it can be used as a deletion indicator, but it can also mean that the other letters smother whatever is being suppressed by surrounding it. Like many of these indicators, they are ambiguous and can be used in several different ways.
I managed to get 5D and 14A without fully understanding the parsing. I was stuck on 9A and was sure it included DRY somewhere .. but somehow, the insertion trick didn’t register. Having read the explanation, it’s so obvious now I can’t believe I didn’t see it! 🙂
Shanne#26 Wow, that’s a new one for me re ‘cabbage’. Is it a regional thing? It’s not a usage I’d heard growing up in NW England during the sixties and seventies. But thanks for another alternative use of ‘cabbage’.
Your help has been more essential than ever today Shanne. Many thanks. Think I’ll have to re-read 5 and 14 as I’m in no way convinced I could spot a charade insertion unless specifically pointed out …and even then …
Thanks Brassica for pushing my qc boundaries!
The charades on top of the given clue type was a feature of some of the very earliest QCs, perhaps when setters hadn’t quite dialled into the concept fully. I seem to remember an early one had a few combined.
All good anyway, once it clicked. Thanks both!
Andrea @6 – there are a hundred or so Quick Cryptics on the Guardian website if you look up previous weeks’ offerings.
Wow thanks for this! Was confused by 9 across, 14 across and 9 down.
Regarding ‘suppressing’ in 5d you could also read ‘having massive difficulty suppressing’ as indicating failure to suppress/delete the R as well as the ‘big b-other’ element of the solution.