This is only Wurm's second outing as our setter, his (?) first appearance being on 21st June this year when I completed the puzzle in 7 minutes. I needed 17 minutes to finish this one, although a good proportion of that time was spent on a single clue, 1dn, a double-definition which even now I am not 100% sure that I have understood completely. A nice puzzle though.
After all the trials and tribulations over at the revamped Crossword Club it's a pleasant relief to spend time in QC-land where nothing has changed with the basic puzzle, but those who wish to do so can now participate in QC leader-board rivalry with other solvers. For myself, I doubt I shall ever bother with this as I don't like solving on line one little bit..
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
After all the trials and tribulations over at the revamped Crossword Club it's a pleasant relief to spend time in QC-land where nothing has changed with the basic puzzle, but those who wish to do so can now participate in QC leader-board rivalry with other solvers. For myself, I doubt I shall ever bother with this as I don't like solving on line one little bit..
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]
| Across | |
| 3 | Arterial route in China or Taiwan (5) |
| AORTA - Hidden in {Chin}A OR TA{iwan} | |
| 7 | Branch installing new vault (6) |
| SPRING - SPRIG (branch) containing [installing] N (new) | |
| 8 | Metal to conduct (4) |
| LEAD - I think words like this that are spelt the same but pronounced differently depending on their meaning are called heteronyms | |
| 9 | Cute and rare wild animal (8) |
| CREATURE - Anagram [wild] of CUTE RARE | |
| 10 | Wounded Romeo put inside cabin (4) |
| HURT - R (Romeo - NATO alphabet) contained by [put inside] HUT (cabin) | |
| 11 | Handed over dollar and avoided duty (6,3,4) |
| PASSED THE BUCK - Two meanings with PASSED suggested by 'handed over' and BUCK by 'dollar' | |
| 15 | Scottish king worried about old country seat? (8,5) |
| SHOOTING STICK - Anagram [worried] of SCOTTISH KING containing [about] O (old). A somewhat uncomfortable temporary seat that's often associated with country pursuits. | |
| 16 | Character from SW? (4) |
| TONE - A straight definition and a cryptic hint - 'from SW' = 'to NE' | |
| 18 | Former tie broken in WW1 battlefield (8) |
| SOMETIME - Anagram [broken] of TIE in SOMME (WW1 battlefield). This answer appeared little more than a week ago in the main puzzle clued as "Former leaders of European triumvirate inevitably going into battle (8)" | |
| 20 | So far, one mythical hairy creature (4) |
| YETI - YET (so far), I (one) | |
| 21 | Some girls have nails closely cut (6) |
| SHAVEN - Hidden [some] in {girl}S HAVE N{ails} | |
| 22 | Edna turned south for the mountains (5) |
| ANDES - Anagram [turned] of EDNA, S (south) | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Deal with / proposal (8) |
| APPROACH - Two definitions. I took a long time to think opf a single word that would fit all the checkers here as neither definition leapt out at me. I think the meanings work in these examples: How would you approach/deal with such-and-such? My approach/proposal would be to do so-and-so, | |
| 2 | Most famous listed building here? (4) |
| PISA - A classic chestnut of a cryptic clue relying on 'listed' being interpreted as 'leaning' | |
| 3 | Silver used in renovated Christian emblem (5,3) |
| AGNUS DEI - AG (silver), anagram [renovated] of USED IN. The symbol of the Lamb of God has appeared through the ages as an emblem of the Christian faith. | |
| 4 | Rough diamonds in Parisian street (4) |
| RUDE - D (diamonds - cards) in RUE (Parisian street) | |
| 5 | Does it store all the letters one writes? (8) |
| ALPHABET - A more original cryptic clue than 2dn, in the form of a question | |
| 6 | Hot wind causes shock (4) |
| HAIR - H (hot), AIR (wind) | |
| 12 | Lost son alive in the country (8) |
| SLOVENIA - Anagram [lost] of SON ALIVE | |
| 13 | Mum boards tall ship for solemn celebration (4,4) |
| HIGH MASS - MA (mum) is contained by [boards] HIGH (tall) + SS (ship) | |
| 14 | Two coppers, married, live on river — it's cool! (8) |
| CUCUMBER - CU+CU (two coppers), M (married), BE (live), R (river), with reference to the saying 'as cool as a cucumber'. | |
| 17 | Sign from ladies losing weight (4) |
| OMEN - {w}OMEN (ladies) [losing weight] | |
| 18 | Potato small and sweet (4) |
| SPUD - S (small), PUD (sweet) | |
| 19 | What's changed in warmer weather? (4) |
| THAW - Anagram [changed] of WHAT | |