As Emma (emu66)'s stint as blogger has come to an end I am covering Friday Quickies for the moment. I had a few problems getting started on this one and lost several minutes hopping around the grid putting in odd words here and there, but eventually things settled down and I completed the puzzle in 13 minutes. I'm not sure there's anything particularly difficult here but we shall see what others think. Here's my blog...
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
| Across | |
| 1 | Redesigned forms treated to show economists’ ratio (5,2,5) |
| TERMS OF TRADE - Anagram [redesigned] of FORMS TREATED. I've heard this expression without knowing precisely what it means. The SOED defines it as: the ratio between the prices paid for imports and those received for exports. I guess we'll be hearing a lot more of it during years of Brexit negotiations. | |
| 8 | Moved fast around resort — more than needed (2,5) |
| TO SPARE - TORE (moved fast) around SPA (resort) | |
| 9 | Widow’s share some shrew, odd, recalled (5) |
| DOWER - Hidden [some] and reversed [recalled] in {sh}REW OD{d}. I'm aware of dower house and dowry but again I had to consult the dictionary for the exact meaning here: The share of a dead man's estate that was formerly allowed to his widow for life. The term is now described as "historical". | |
| 10 | Coffee, second of two, unfinished (5) |
| LATTE - LATTE{r} (second of two) [unfinished]. This can also be used more loosely to refer to the last of several mentioned, and not just two. | |
| 11 | French king tucked into fowl, English, wonderful lady supplied (7) |
| HEROINE - ROI (French king) contained by [tucked into] HEN (fowl), E (English) | |
| 12 | Clubs fancy something spicy? (5) |
| CLOVE - C (clubs - cards), LOVE (fancy) | |
| 14 | Endlessly, the guard returned bringing sort of beer (7) |
| DRAUGHT - [endlessly] TH{e} + GUARD reversed [returned]. A rather unusual clue with the answer hiding in full view waiting to be reversed with one letter removed. | |
| 15 | A missing Citroen car crashed? Wrong (9) |
| INCORRECT - Anagram [crashed] of CITROEN C{a}R [a missing] | |
| 17 | Trade Union at first meet Corporation (3) |
| TUM - TU (Trade Union), M{eet} [at first]. "Corporation" being a colloquial word for protruding stomach that I suspect only appears in crosswords these days. "Corporation / Tum" was also in yesterday's 15x15. | |
| 19 | Clandestine people see City sector in trouble (6,7) |
| SECRET SOCIETY - Anagram [in trouble] of SEE CITY SECTOR | |
| 21 | Become active in Antibes, tireless (6) |
| BESTIR - Hidden in {Anti}BES TIR{eless}. Somewhat poetic, methinks. | |
| 22 | Server missing one essential liquid (5) |
| WATER - WA{i}TER (server) [missing one - I] | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Organised top celestial event in the heavens (5,7) |
| TOTAL ECLIPSE - Anagram [organised] of TOP CELESTIAL | |
| 2 | Dish— very dry, provided in port (7) |
| RISOTTO - SO (very) + TT (dry - teetotal) in [provided in] RIO (port). Many ports appear in puzzles of course but I suspect RIO is up there in the top two or three, along with Aden. | |
| 3 | Ascending in medieval society, one worked hard (5) |
| SLAVE - Reversed [ascending] and hidden in{medi}EVAL S{ociety} | |
| 4 | New farmer oddly quiet (5) |
| FRESH - F{a}R{m}E{r} [oddly], SH (quiet!) | |
| 5 | Darts, beer, excited Robin? (9) |
| REDBREAST - Anagram [excited] of DARTS BEER. The bird so beloved by designers of Christmas cards. | |
| 6 | Duke having setter, strangely, in place of PM (7,6) |
| DOWNING STREET - D (Duke), OWNING (having), anagram [strangely] of SETTER | |
| 7 | Eager to be hugged by wizard, enthralling (6) |
| ARDENT - Hidden in [hugged by] {wiz}ARD ENT{hralling} | |
| 13 | Serious attention retreat needed (7) |
| EARNEST - EAR (ear), NEST (retreat). "Needed" completes the surface reading but is otherwise surplus to requirements. It's unusual to have such a word at the end of a clue. | |
| 14 | Lady’s maid, / part of the furniture? (7) |
| DRESSER - Two definitions | |
| 16 | Introduction of competition hurt store (5) |
| CACHE - C{ompetition} [introduction], ACHE (hurt) | |
| 18 | Municipal head from Irish county? Right (5) |
| MAYOR - MAYO (Irish county), R (right) | |
| 20 | Raven’s cry, primarily croaky and whiny (3) |
| CAW - First letters [primarily] of C{roaky} A{nd} W{hiny} | |