This week’s 11 x 11 crossword from the Guardian intended to teach cryptic crosswords, found here
This week’s puzzle is the 17th puzzle set by Ludwig, one of the regular setters in this spot now, alongside other puzzles in the Guardian. This puzzle has reversals and hidden words and with all the letters in the clues, plus anagram minus, which we’re seeing for the third time, where the letters are given but need a second step and double definitions where the words and letters need to be found by the solvers. This crossword layout, like a sticklebrick, with initial letters not helpfully provided by crossers, can also be trickier.
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:
- Hidden word(s) Answer hidden in clue’s words
‘Some haVE ALtered meat (4)’ gives VEAL - Double definition Both halves are definitions!
‘Search scrub (5)’ gives SCOUR - Reversal SAnswer backwards, and a hint that we’re reversing
‘Deity’s pet returns (3)’ gives GOD (deity) from DOG < (pet) - Anagram minus Remove one letter, jumble the rest
‘Crazy Thor runs off, steaming (3)’ gives HOT
from (THO[r])* anagram of THOR, with R (runs) removed
| ACROSS | Click on “Answer” to see the solutions | |
| 4 |
Tudor queen’s booze (6,4)
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AnswerBLOODY MARY |
Parsingdouble definition and the cryptic reading changes the meaning of the apostrophe s – instead of being a possessive, so a drink belonging to a Tudor queen, it is an apostrophe to indicate omission – this Tudor queen is also a drink |
| 8 |
Tyrannies suppressing musical (5)
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AnswerANNIE |
Parsinghidden word(s) (suppressing) in tyrANNIEs for this musical. |
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| 8 |
Touring Europe with no love for foreign currency (5)
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AnswerRUPEE |
Parsinganagram minus (touring … with no love) of (EUR[o]PE)* – this clue has split indicators as often happens with two part instructions. The “with no love” is an instruction to remove the O from the anagram fodder, love meaning 0 (zero) in tennis, and “touring” is the anagrind. |
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| 10 |
In Muscat, lascivious one that’ll show you the world (5)
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AnswerATLAS |
Parsinghidden word(s) (in) in muscAT LAScivious – with a cryptic definition. |
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| 12 |
Flipping city transport’s swish (5)
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AnswerSMART |
Parsingreversal (flipping) of TRAMS < (city transport). This meaning of “swish” is in my idiolect, and is in Chambers as the second definition, marked as slang. |
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| 14 |
Old boy to worry about exercise regime (3-2)
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AnswerTAE-BO |
Parsingreversal (about) of OB (old boy) + EAT (to worry) < reversed (about) to give this exercise |
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| 15 |
Bizarre notion: no time for veg (5)
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AnswerONION |
Parsinganagram minus (bizarre … no time) with another example of split indicators – anagram indicator (bizarre) of (NO[t]ION)* with the T removed (no time). |
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| 16 |
Force to leave (3-2-3-2)
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AnswerGET-UP-AND-GO |
Parsingdouble definition the first meaning is the force – the drive to do things, the second: the literal meaning if the hyphens are removed |
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|
DOWN
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| 1 |
A little promenade in the city (4)
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AnswerROME |
Parsinghidden word(s) (a little) in pROMEnade for this city. |
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| 2 |
Country’s scrumpy brewed miles away (6)
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AnswerCYPRUS |
Parsinganagram minus (brewed miles away) of (SCRU[m]PY)* with an anagrind of “brewed” and an instruction to remove the M (miles away) for this country. |
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| 3 |
Fictional Jane taking part in Henley Regatta (4)
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AnswerEYRE |
Parsinghidden word(s) (taking part in) in henlEY REgatta for this literary heroine. |
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| 5 |
Extremely solitary – not married – prepared emollients (9)
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AnswerLONELIEST |
Parsinganagram minus (not married – prepared) of (E[m]OLLIENTS)* with an anagrind of “prepared” with an instruction to remove the M (not married). The m for married comes from genealogy. |
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| 6 |
Demanding a retrial? That’s cute (9)
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AnswerAPPEALING |
Parsingdouble definition the first in the sense of a verb, requesting a second trial at a higher court, the second as an adjective something that is attractive or cute. |
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| 7 |
The father of avant-garde art (4)
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AnswerDADA |
Parsingdouble definition – the first a pet name for a father, the second referring to this school of art. |
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| 11 |
Snuggles up and asks too many questions (6)
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AnswerSNOOPS |
Parsingreversal (up – in a down clue) of SPOONS < (snuggles) – I did look for a link for this, but the Wikipedia entry is NSFW (not safe for work), so you’re going to have to look it up yourselves if you’re interested. |
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| 13 |
Taste insect that’s served up (4)
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AnswerTANG |
Parsingreversal (that’s served up – in a down clue) of GNAT < (insect) for a regular reversal in crosswordland. |
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| 14 |
Gloat about not having large garment (4)
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AnswerTOGA |
Parsinganagram minus (about not having large) of (G[L]OAT)* with an anagrind of “about” and an additional instruction to remove the L (not having large – L in clothing sizes), for this garment. |
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| 15 |
Swinish sound coming from radio in kitchen (4)
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AnswerOINK |
Parsinghidden word(s) (coming from) radiO IN Kitchen. |
Thanks. BTW the second part of 14a has a typo. I had to come here to understand that clue!
Thanks Ludwig and Shanne
Hardest so far.
5d would be better with “most” rather than “extremely”.
MattD @1 – corrected. Muffin @2 – I agree, I nearly commented and then was falling asleep (we had thunderstorms at 4am so I was up and blogging early)
The anagram minus clues were fun – something to look out for in regular cryptics. I found this straightforward apart from 14a. I’ve never heard of TAE-BO and couldn’t figure it out. I’m sure I must have come across worry=eat before but didn’t remember.
Would have scared me off if I’d seen this one two years ago. Tricky clues like 14a and 11d – these were my last ones in. Enjoyed the anagram-minus clues. Thanks Ludwig and Shanne.
I think 14a was pushing it for a QC – at this stage I think eat=worry is a stretch. I’d also say that “about” is not an obvious enough reversal indicator in this clue (for a QC). Added to that the fact that most of us don’t seem to have heard of tae-bo (I hadn’t!)
Ok, let’s talk about 14a, shall we…
I suspect I knew 14A from an Everyman a while back, but it was of the later clues in .
Surely 14a is a trick too far? This appears to be a ‘reverse charade’ (of an abbreviation and a not-obvious synonym) and this is not ones of today’s clue types. The general knowledge needed to recognise the answer once you’ve found it is also way above my pay grade.