In case of problems accessing the puzzle it can be found here: http://feeds.thetimes.co.uk/timescrossword/20141020/293/
Either we have a new setter name or there is a typo in today's heading. We've had many a puzzle by Mara previously but this is the first I've noticed by Marav. [The Editor confirms below it should have read Mara]
11 minutes for this fairly straightforward offering. There's no obscure General Knowledge apart perhaps from an old musical instrument and a couple of biblical references that may not be familiar to some. The priest is standard crossword fare though, so needs to be learnt, and the book of the Bible is one of the more familar ones. It could be useful to swot up on books of the Bible and their abbreviated names.There are rather more double definitions than usual, I think.
Deletions are indicated by curly brackets
Either we have a new setter name or there is a typo in today's heading. We've had many a puzzle by Mara previously but this is the first I've noticed by Marav. [The Editor confirms below it should have read Mara]
11 minutes for this fairly straightforward offering. There's no obscure General Knowledge apart perhaps from an old musical instrument and a couple of biblical references that may not be familiar to some. The priest is standard crossword fare though, so needs to be learnt, and the book of the Bible is one of the more familar ones. It could be useful to swot up on books of the Bible and their abbreviated names.There are rather more double definitions than usual, I think.
Deletions are indicated by curly brackets
Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Poor side in cricket going about brand new game (9) |
| BADMINTON - BAD (poor), MINT (brand new), ON (side in cricket) | |
| 6 | Donkey covered in molasses (3) |
| ASS - Hidden [covered] inside molASSes | |
| 8 | A silent suspect, conspicuous (7) |
| SALIENT - Anagram [suspect] of A SILENT | |
| 9 | Smoke in garage starts to fill vehicle (5) |
| CIGAR - I{n} + G{arage} inside CAR (vehicle) | |
| 10 | Young lady produced wine, I gathered (12) |
| MADEMOISELLE - MADE (produced) then 'I' inside MOSELLE (wine) | |
| 12 | Untidy, muddled exposure (6) |
| NUDITY - Anagram [muddled] of UNTIDY | |
| 13 | Idiot in retired nincompoop (6) |
| NITWIT - IN reversed, TWIT (nincompoop) | |
| 16 | Any video game is unintelligible first time out (6,6) |
| MAIDEN VOYAGE - Anagram [unintelligible] of ANY VIDEO GAME | |
| 19 | Harmful thing, priest inhaling carbon monoxide (1,4) |
| E COLI - CO (carbon monoxide) inside ELI (priest - in Books of Samuel) | |
| 20 | Train entire cast to captivate you, finally (7) |
| RETINUE - {yo}U inside anagram [cast] of ENTIRE | |
| 22 | Give voice, perhaps (3) |
| SAY - Double definition | |
| 23 | Reference the tail of an old reptile? (9) |
| THESAURUS - THE, SAURUS (tail of an old reptile - e.g. brontosaurus) | |
Down | |
| 1 | Sculpturein pieces (4) |
| BUST - Double definition | |
| 2 | Failure to inspire a couple of learners, a right dunce! (7) |
| DULLARD - LL (couple of learners) + A + R (right) inside DUD (failure). 'Inspire' is the enclosure indicator. | |
| 3 | Fury, as father blows top (3) |
| IRE - {s}IRE (father blows top) | |
| 4 | The military display a particular image on arms? (6) |
| TATTOO - Double definition. The question mark covers the possibility that tattoos may be somewhere other than on arms. | |
| 5 | A must to build city with sense (9) |
| NECESSITY - Anagram [build] of CITY SENSE | |
| 6 | Guardian article set (5) |
| ANGEL - AN (article), GEL (set). This is a definition by example as 'guardian' is only one type of angel. | |
| 7 | Unexpected present, old instrument (7) |
| SERPENT - Anagram [unexpected] of PRESENT | |
| 11 | Former remits corrected, having little time for zealot (9) |
| EXTREMIST - EX (former), anagram [corrected] of REMITS, T (little time) | |
| 12 | Anaesthetists in OT book? (7) |
| NUMBERS - Double definition, the first being a bit whimsical | |
| 14 | Vehicle's driver departed during conflict (7) |
| WAGONER - GONE (departed) inside WAR (conflict) | |
| 15 | A piece of poetry that's unsympathetic (6) |
| AVERSE - A, VERSE (piece of poetry) | |
| 17 | White substance that's key? (5) |
| IVORY - Double definition, the second with reference to ivory keys e.g. on a piano as illustrated in the expression 'tickling or tinkling the ivories' meaning to play said instrument. | |
| 18 | Canteen in awful state (4) |
| MESS - Double definition | |
| 21 | Earl Grey? A character, they say? (3) |
| TEA - Sounds like the letter (character) 'T' | |