Chandler has a well-crafted Quiptic for us this morning which should appeal to improving solvers and perhaps attract new ones.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Resort name is hard in European language
SPANISH
A charade of SPA, N, IS and H.
5 Bag for books put in stores at Cheltenham
SATCHEL
Hidden in storeS AT CHELtenham.
10 Mention of orchard fruit for couple
PAIR
A soundalike clue (‘mention of’) for PEAR.
11 One regularly making changes?
BELL-RINGER
A cd. The reference is to the phrase ‘ring the changes’.
12 Throw off course dishonest type with journalist when backsliding
DERAIL
A reversal of LIAR and ED.
13 This person’s to thrive after leaving society that’s not acceptable
IMPROPER
A charade of I’M and PRO[S]PER.
14 Rally those heading each new company before this period?
ENCOURAGE
A charade of ENC for the initial letters of ‘each’, ‘new’ and ‘company’ and OUR AGE.
16 Reportedly, substantial framework of bars
GRATE
A soundalike clue (‘reportedly’) for GREAT.
17 First of police in place showing deliberate nastiness
SPITE
An insertion of P for the initial letter of ‘police’ in SITE. The insertion indicator is ‘in’.
19 Score in darts led pub too to get excited
DOUBLE TOP
(LED PUB TOO)* with ‘to get excited’ as the anagrind. DOUBLE TOP is double twenty: the 20 is the part of the ring at the top of the board.
23 Drab outcome at work still in area around Darwin
NON-EVENT
An insertion of ON and EVEN in NT. The city of Darwin is in the Northern Territory, abbreviated to NT. The insertion indicator is ‘in’.
24 Fine sailor was ahead of others, being legendary
FABLED
A charade of F, AB for Able-Bodied (Seaman) and LED.
26 Old man managed by soldiers badly in France, defying rational explanation?
PARANORMAL
A charade of PA, RAN, OR for Other Ranks or ‘soldiers’ and MAL for ‘badly’ in French.
27 Requirement once ready at intervals
NEED
The even letters of oNcE rEaDy.
28 Put out note before rental agreement
RELEASE
A charade of RE for the second ‘note’ of the sol-fa and LEASE.
29 Flatter American scheduled to tour Californian city with tons
ADULATE
A charade of A and an insertion of LA for Los Angeles and T for ‘tons’ in DUE. The insertion indicator is ‘to tour’.
Down
2 Gradually introduce heaps for repair at home
PHASE IN
A charade of (HEAPS)* and IN. The anagrind is ‘for repair’.
3 Woman found in Oregon or Maine
NORMA
Hidden in OregoN OR MAine.
4 More delicate sort of troubles, nothing less
SUBTLER
(TR[O]UBLES)* with ‘sort of’ as the anagrind.
6 Fancy bar elevated front in Torquay? That’s unexpected
ABRUPT
A charade of (BAR)*, UP and T for the initial letter of ‘Torquay’. The anagrind is ‘fancy’.
7 Charlie attending programme of study in large open space
CONCOURSE
A charade of C for the phonetic alphabet ‘Charlie’ and ON COURSE.
8 Perhaps, lead factor
ELEMENT
A dd.
9 Leading limo to move in due course
ALL IN GOOD TIME
(LEADING LIMO TO)* with ‘move’ as the anagrind.
15 Dealing with a problem, like an attentive lawyer?
ON THE CASE
A dd cum cd.
18 Crude advertising by individual around flag intermittently
PROFANE
A charade of PR and an insertion of FA for the odd letters of ‘flag’ in ONE. The insertion indicator is ‘around’.
20 British brace of fellows probing complicated deal in a confused state
BAFFLED
A charade of B and and insertion of FF for two ‘fellows’ in (DEAL)* The insertion indicator is ‘probing’ and the anagrind is ‘complicated’.
21 Acquire too much fuel?
OVEREAT
A cd.
22 Model couple of Poles, people of great energy
DEMONS
A charade of DEMO and NS for the two ‘poles’ of a magnet or planet.
25 Embargo a line of a hackneyed nature
BANAL
A charade of BAN, A and L.
Many thanks to Chandler for this week’s puzzle.
Nice distraction with a well-crafted puzzle. I liked SATCHEL, BELL-RINGER and OVEREAT.
Ta Chandler & Pierre.
That was fun and just about the right level of chewiness. Thought ELEMENT was elegant. My LOI, DEMONS, took longer than it should have.
Good fun. I didn’t understand BELL-RINGER. Didn’t think much of the clue for OVEREAT.
I don’t really understand the definition on “DEMONS”. The nearest I can get to it is “speed demons”, but that’s not really synonymous with “people of great energy”.
Overall, I wasn’t a big fan of this one. The cryptic definitions in particular were not nice “aha” moments, like they sometimes are.
Thanks for the blog, Pierre.
An enjoyable quiptic. I liked BELL-RINGER – change ringing is a system of bell-ringing – and ON THE CASE. I couldn’t parse NON-EVENT as I didn’t know Darwin was in the Northern Territories but generally I don’t look up stuff and prefer to do as much as I can with what I know. Then I come here for enlightenment. I forgot about OR for Other Ranks for PARANORMAL though I did remember AB for sailor in FABLED.
Good challenge with a few tricky clues. Last ones in for me were 22d and 13ac.
New for me: DOUBLE POT .
Favourites: NON-EVENT for inclusion of NT = Northern Territory.
Anything to do with BELL-RINGERS always reminds me of The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers.
Nicely done, I thought. Made fairly rapid progress at first and then slowed down as some of the chewier ones presented themselves – a mixed but enjoyable solve.
Didn’t find this particularly easy. 11 and 19 are both crap clues – the crossers are such that if you don’t know those phrases you have to just guess (double is obvious but pot/top isn’t)
Rachel @4 – Sorry to quote Chambers, but one definition of DEMON is “person of great energy or enthusiasm or skill”
Perambulator @9 – You could say that about at least one clue most days depending on what your GK is. For anyone that’s ever had any experience of darts, DOUBLE TOP would have been a write in, but if you’ve never come across the game, maybe not so.
Nice and easy, like a Quiptic should be. A good way to introduce new solvers.
This would sit comfortably as an exercise in a Cryptic Crosswords 101 course, I thought! Clear and direct definitions and wordplay throughout (except in the CDs, naturally), and lots of fundamentals such as those for “sailor”, “journalist”, “resort”, “Poles”, “working”, “managed, “note”, “city” and “at home” – which can feel a bit clichéd in the weekday puzzles but which are absolutely core to the game.
It’s telling that some clues had clearly been kept simple to match the brief. For BANAL for example, “Embargo a line of a hackneyed nature” could easily have been made more elegant via a different synonym of “ban” that gives a smoother surface – but that would also have made the clue harder.
There were some goodies here considering the broader cryptics context. SPANISH, PARANORMAL, ABRUPT and BAFFLED were all cute with plausible surfaces. And a special mention for the use of question marks for PARANORMAL and particularly ENCOURAGE to indicate the cryptic defs used as wordplay components. Classy.
Tx both
BELL-RINGER took me longer than it should have done, as I had just sat down to the crossword having returned from ringing before the morning service (we ringers here are a secular lot and hoof it once the organ strikes up).
I especially liked PROFANE, which I didn’t see immediately but slotted each part into place like a satisfying jigsaw puzzle.
Good stuff all round.
Thanks Chandler and Pierre!
I looked up DEMONS to check and, as Crispy said, there it was in C93. It’s generally the way. I’m not convinced by BELL RINGERS, but it was some people’s favourite so no further comment is required. I too, thought the puzzle and blog combo were particularly useful for improvers. I didn’t think any clues were crap!
Thanks Chandler and Pierre.
Slowed down a bit when I tossed in the obvious “Bank teller” for 11ac. 22d loi, and couldn’t parse 23ac.
Enjoyable, and quite challenging in some places. The NW and SE corners fell into place relatively easily but then I struggled a bit with the rest. I didn’t like the definition for DEMONS in spite of Chambers having it; obscure to my mind. Liked FABLED and ENCOURAGE and PARANORMAL. Thanks Chandler, and Pierre.
Overall, very enjoyable, and thanks to both Chandler & Pierre. But am I the only one who finds that the slang involved in PARANORMAL (Old Man => father => PA) just a trifle out-of-date?
I think PA for old man/father is much too useful to setters for it to go out of date, Roger. In crosswordland, anyway. MA is going nowhere either, I fancy.
Thanks all for comments on DEMONS!
Found the NW corner very hard, but eventually got it. Pleasant level of difficulty for me. Enough to chew over, but not so much to get frustrated at all.
Confounded by DOUBLE TOP. I wrote it in initally as DOUBLE POT which is also a thing in darts. Was certain it was right until I pressed the check all button. Sad.
‘Old man’ being ‘pa’ is fine, surely. Old man is still in common usage for father, at least in Australia.
Am I alone in finding Chandler’s charade chicanery too challenging?
First time I’ve resorted to reveals for ages!
@21 You are not alone.
Very clever and fun Quiptic and excellent blog. Thanks Chandler and Pierre.
Bearing in mind that I had to reveal the final 4, I would say that this was harder than most Quiptics. A combination of the write-in and the …er… what? DEMONS escaped me (they may be people of great energy in Chambers but not really anywhere else. This is a Quiptic, remember?).
He’s cleaning like a demon. She’s doing the essay like a demon. I didn’t get it either but kicked myself.
BELL RINGER I liked – and it’s not really to do with the phrase ‘ringing the changes’ it’s because bell ringers do change ringing. It’s a very English activity not seen on the continent.
Thanks P and C.