Just seconds outside my target 15 minutes this morning, although I have to say, I wasn’t feeling too bright after a disturbed night. A generous smattering of double definitions, a little General Knowledge required (10d), but otherwise there wasn’t much here to frighten the 2ds.
I think this is the second time I have blogged an Orpheus QC, and from memory, they have each been enjoyable puzzles – thanks Orpheus. Must rush now for a hospital appointment - see you later.
Across
1 Chief intimidator, likely to fall over if pushed? (3,5)
TOP HEAVY– Double definition, the first cryptic – a chief intimidator could be described as the TOP HEAVY
5 Mammals that fly, crazy (4)
BATS– a second double definition
8 Go hiking– support Wolves perhaps? (8)
BACKPACK– Another double definition – is there a trend here? The question mark indicates that other PACKs are available to support, or BACK
9 Islamic governor Coleridge’s poem is about (4)
EMIR– Samuel Taylor Coleridge is famous for penning ‘The RIME of the ancient mariner’. Turn RIME around (or about) as instructed to get EMIR, the Asian governor much loved by setters in Crosswordland
11 Some dealt a rotten card (5)
TAROT– Hidden answer indicated by ‘some’ in {deal}T A ROT{ten}
12 Most accessible listener in shelter (7)
NEAREST– The shelter is a NEST which has a listener, or EAR in it
13 Tipple that’s good in absence of spirit? (6)
NOGGIN– Absence of spirit could be NO GIN, and put G{ood} inside for the answer. A NOGGIN is a small mug or wooden cup, or its contents (beer or spirits)
15 Rickety seat is used for afternoon nap (6)
SIESTA– Anagram, indicated by ‘rickety’ of [SEAT IS]. A siesta sounds increasingly good to me with every passing year!
18 Salesman’s pitch about large dish (7)
PLATTER– A salesman’s pitch can be described as his PATTER, with L{arge} inside it describes a large flat plate or dish
19 Organised trip to catch a S American mammal (5)
TAPIR– Another anagram, this time indicated by ‘organised’, of [TRIP] and [A]
21 Flag displayed in Fair Isle (4)
IRIS– Hidden, this time obviously indicated by ‘displayed in’, in {fa}IR IS{le}. Flag in this case refers to any of the various FLAG Iris plant species that are common in our gardens
22 Left theatrical role in middle of act (8)
DEPARTED– Theatrical role is a PART which is surrounded by (is in the middle of) a DEED or act
23 Craze giving rise to intense anger (4)
RAGE– A craze is a fashion or RAGE, as in ‘it is all the rage’ as well as RAGE being an intense anger, so this is another double definition
24 In drama, represent first officer’s child’s friend (8)
PLAYMATE– 'In drama, represent' gives us PLAY, and the first officer of a ship is the MATE (thanks to Galspray and other's below for clarifying this for me - I had been seeing a much more complex parsing which isn't needed). A PLAYMATE is a child’s friend.
Down
1 Asian giant eating beef regularly (7)
TIBETAN– the giant is a TITAN ‘eating’ (i.e. containing) alternate letters (regularly) of B{e}E{f}
2 Going north, run over horse (5)
PACER– ‘Going north’ in a down clue can mean to read or write upwards. To ‘run over’ is to RECAP, which if written upwards (reversed) gives PACER, the walking harnessed horses that are popular as a gambling sport in some countries, but not in the UK as far as I am aware
3 Speak in detail about Republican, one living abroad (10)
EXPATRIATE– To speak in detail is to EXPATIATE. Add an R{epublican} and you get the noun that means ‘one settled abroad’
4 Empty container covered by tax (6)
VACANT– The tax is, of course, VAT which has a container or CAN inside
6 Posing no threat to Cockneys, like the Venus de Milo (7)
ARMLESS– The Venus de Milo is the famous Greek statue of Aphrodite, which has unfortunately lost most of her upper appendages. Cockneys, at least in Crosswordland, nearly always ‘drop their aitches’, so posing no threat to a Cockney could be described as being {h}ARMLESS
7 Minor disagreement about river fish (5)
SPRAT– A minor disagreement is a SPAT which has R{iver} in it to give the small herring-like fish
10 JPs collectively– wise men descending on southern girl (10)
MAGISTRACY– The Wise Men are the MAGI on top of S{outhern} and TRACY is the girl. MAGISTRACY is not a word I often, if ever, use knowingly, so it becomes my word of the day (WoD)
14 Framework of barssetting our teeth on edge (7)
GRATING– A kind of double definition, the second reminding me of the moment in Jaws where everyone’s attention was grabbed by Robert Shaw dragging his fingernails down the blackboard
16 Cut end of sprig carried by newly-wed (7)
ABRIDGE– A BRIDE (newlywed) containing (end of) {spri}G
17 Traumatic experience of Parisian entering exam (6)
ORDEAL– French (and therefore Parisian) for ‘of’ is DE, and this is inserted into ORAL (exam)
18 Top monk extremely popular around S American port (5)
PRIOR– Extremely popular indicates the first and last letters of P{opula}R, which letters surround (or are around) RIO
20 Bread? It’s mine, thanks (5)
PITTA– Mine is a PIT, with TA for thanks.
I think this is the second time I have blogged an Orpheus QC, and from memory, they have each been enjoyable puzzles – thanks Orpheus. Must rush now for a hospital appointment - see you later.
Across
1 Chief intimidator, likely to fall over if pushed? (3,5)
TOP HEAVY– Double definition, the first cryptic – a chief intimidator could be described as the TOP HEAVY
5 Mammals that fly, crazy (4)
BATS– a second double definition
8 Go hiking– support Wolves perhaps? (8)
BACKPACK– Another double definition – is there a trend here? The question mark indicates that other PACKs are available to support, or BACK
9 Islamic governor Coleridge’s poem is about (4)
EMIR– Samuel Taylor Coleridge is famous for penning ‘The RIME of the ancient mariner’. Turn RIME around (or about) as instructed to get EMIR, the Asian governor much loved by setters in Crosswordland
11 Some dealt a rotten card (5)
TAROT– Hidden answer indicated by ‘some’ in {deal}T A ROT{ten}
12 Most accessible listener in shelter (7)
NEAREST– The shelter is a NEST which has a listener, or EAR in it
13 Tipple that’s good in absence of spirit? (6)
NOGGIN– Absence of spirit could be NO GIN, and put G{ood} inside for the answer. A NOGGIN is a small mug or wooden cup, or its contents (beer or spirits)
15 Rickety seat is used for afternoon nap (6)
SIESTA– Anagram, indicated by ‘rickety’ of [SEAT IS]. A siesta sounds increasingly good to me with every passing year!
18 Salesman’s pitch about large dish (7)
PLATTER– A salesman’s pitch can be described as his PATTER, with L{arge} inside it describes a large flat plate or dish
19 Organised trip to catch a S American mammal (5)
TAPIR– Another anagram, this time indicated by ‘organised’, of [TRIP] and [A]
21 Flag displayed in Fair Isle (4)
IRIS– Hidden, this time obviously indicated by ‘displayed in’, in {fa}IR IS{le}. Flag in this case refers to any of the various FLAG Iris plant species that are common in our gardens
22 Left theatrical role in middle of act (8)
DEPARTED– Theatrical role is a PART which is surrounded by (is in the middle of) a DEED or act
23 Craze giving rise to intense anger (4)
RAGE– A craze is a fashion or RAGE, as in ‘it is all the rage’ as well as RAGE being an intense anger, so this is another double definition
24 In drama, represent first officer’s child’s friend (8)
PLAYMATE– 'In drama, represent' gives us PLAY, and the first officer of a ship is the MATE (thanks to Galspray and other's below for clarifying this for me - I had been seeing a much more complex parsing which isn't needed). A PLAYMATE is a child’s friend.
Down
1 Asian giant eating beef regularly (7)
TIBETAN– the giant is a TITAN ‘eating’ (i.e. containing) alternate letters (regularly) of B{e}E{f}
2 Going north, run over horse (5)
PACER– ‘Going north’ in a down clue can mean to read or write upwards. To ‘run over’ is to RECAP, which if written upwards (reversed) gives PACER, the walking harnessed horses that are popular as a gambling sport in some countries, but not in the UK as far as I am aware
3 Speak in detail about Republican, one living abroad (10)
EXPATRIATE– To speak in detail is to EXPATIATE. Add an R{epublican} and you get the noun that means ‘one settled abroad’
4 Empty container covered by tax (6)
VACANT– The tax is, of course, VAT which has a container or CAN inside
6 Posing no threat to Cockneys, like the Venus de Milo (7)
ARMLESS– The Venus de Milo is the famous Greek statue of Aphrodite, which has unfortunately lost most of her upper appendages. Cockneys, at least in Crosswordland, nearly always ‘drop their aitches’, so posing no threat to a Cockney could be described as being {h}ARMLESS
7 Minor disagreement about river fish (5)
SPRAT– A minor disagreement is a SPAT which has R{iver} in it to give the small herring-like fish
10 JPs collectively– wise men descending on southern girl (10)
MAGISTRACY– The Wise Men are the MAGI on top of S{outhern} and TRACY is the girl. MAGISTRACY is not a word I often, if ever, use knowingly, so it becomes my word of the day (WoD)
14 Framework of barssetting our teeth on edge (7)
GRATING– A kind of double definition, the second reminding me of the moment in Jaws where everyone’s attention was grabbed by Robert Shaw dragging his fingernails down the blackboard
16 Cut end of sprig carried by newly-wed (7)
ABRIDGE– A BRIDE (newlywed) containing (end of) {spri}G
17 Traumatic experience of Parisian entering exam (6)
ORDEAL– French (and therefore Parisian) for ‘of’ is DE, and this is inserted into ORAL (exam)
18 Top monk extremely popular around S American port (5)
PRIOR– Extremely popular indicates the first and last letters of P{opula}R, which letters surround (or are around) RIO
20 Bread? It’s mine, thanks (5)
PITTA– Mine is a PIT, with TA for thanks.