A brief blog today due to travel. I found this medium difficulty which seems about right for a QC - enough to think about but all gettable. Good surfaces and a couple of &lits (clues where the definition is tied up in the wordplay) made this particularly interesting.
ACROSS
7. Rifle - something to shoot with. Partial &lit clue as shot is used for 'shot with this' in the definition and as an anagram indicator of FLIER.
8. Cellist - string player. Left (L) with a homophone (we hear) of composer (Liszt - LIST) after church (CE).
10. Arsenic - rarely included in medicines. Our second partial &lit clue as the definition 'medicines rarely include this?' also contains the answer - in the clue backwards (in retrospect) medi(CINES RA)rely.
11. Medoc - wine. Morse perhaps (CODE) knocked backwards after (M)eal.
12. Inanimate - not moving. In (IN) with a (A) pal from Northern Ireland (NI MATE).
14. Ire - anger. Regularly seen in IsRaEl.
15. Ate - scoffed. At (AT) scen(E).
16. Transient - nomad. Tent (TENT) in which is (invaded by) an anagram (torrential) of RAINS.
18. Issue - question (the issue of how long it takes to solve a QC). Does Susan exist? IS SUE?
20. Tipper - boozy sort. The sort that leaves gratuity (TIPPER) when consuming litres (L).
22. No can do - impossible. Tory (CON) backed, a (A), new (N), party (DO).
23. Mused - thought. Managing Director (MD) at each end of (will limit) employment (USE).
DOWN
1. Organisation - management. Speech (ORATION) about an anagram (I’ll-gotten) of GAINS.
2. Off-stage - in the wings. Anagram (uncomfortably) of GEOFF SAT.
3. Tern - bird. Settling in wa(TER N)earby.
4. Acacia - shrub. A (A) chartered accountant (CA) spies (CIA).
5. Plumbers - craftsmen. Loading junk (LUMBER) into empty Pick-upS.
6. Bird - creature. Over road (RD) you’ll see big tailless (BI)g.
7. Ticket to ride - an extremely appropriate (to me today) Beatles song. A single is an example of a ticket to ride - as is a return.
13. In the end - at last. Plan (INTEND) to welcome His Excellency (HE).
14. Idealist - dreamer. One (I), I (I) spotted inside Kentish Town street (DEAL ST).
17. Action - battle. Minority group losing leader f(ACTION).
19. Sect - religious group. Ready (SET) to carry (C)ardinal.
21. Pump - shoe. Little dog (PUP) eating male (M).
ACROSS
7. Rifle - something to shoot with. Partial &lit clue as shot is used for 'shot with this' in the definition and as an anagram indicator of FLIER.
8. Cellist - string player. Left (L) with a homophone (we hear) of composer (Liszt - LIST) after church (CE).
10. Arsenic - rarely included in medicines. Our second partial &lit clue as the definition 'medicines rarely include this?' also contains the answer - in the clue backwards (in retrospect) medi(CINES RA)rely.
11. Medoc - wine. Morse perhaps (CODE) knocked backwards after (M)eal.
12. Inanimate - not moving. In (IN) with a (A) pal from Northern Ireland (NI MATE).
14. Ire - anger. Regularly seen in IsRaEl.
15. Ate - scoffed. At (AT) scen(E).
16. Transient - nomad. Tent (TENT) in which is (invaded by) an anagram (torrential) of RAINS.
18. Issue - question (the issue of how long it takes to solve a QC). Does Susan exist? IS SUE?
20. Tipper - boozy sort. The sort that leaves gratuity (TIPPER) when consuming litres (L).
22. No can do - impossible. Tory (CON) backed, a (A), new (N), party (DO).
23. Mused - thought. Managing Director (MD) at each end of (will limit) employment (USE).
DOWN
1. Organisation - management. Speech (ORATION) about an anagram (I’ll-gotten) of GAINS.
2. Off-stage - in the wings. Anagram (uncomfortably) of GEOFF SAT.
3. Tern - bird. Settling in wa(TER N)earby.
4. Acacia - shrub. A (A) chartered accountant (CA) spies (CIA).
5. Plumbers - craftsmen. Loading junk (LUMBER) into empty Pick-upS.
6. Bird - creature. Over road (RD) you’ll see big tailless (BI)g.
7. Ticket to ride - an extremely appropriate (to me today) Beatles song. A single is an example of a ticket to ride - as is a return.
13. In the end - at last. Plan (INTEND) to welcome His Excellency (HE).
14. Idealist - dreamer. One (I), I (I) spotted inside Kentish Town street (DEAL ST).
17. Action - battle. Minority group losing leader f(ACTION).
19. Sect - religious group. Ready (SET) to carry (C)ardinal.
21. Pump - shoe. Little dog (PUP) eating male (M).