I generally do the cryptic crossword in the Herald Scotland on weekdays and Saturdays and I got it all the way out again today with only two references to my favourite Crossword Dictionary for help. 🙂
I liked this one better than the one from Wednesday which I commented on in here as this one had better clues and a better variety of clues. You will appreciate some of the words which are made up of three or four separate parts of their clues when you come to them.
Here’s some spoiler space in case you’re still working on the crossword and you don’t want to see the answers just yet. 😀
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Across
1 Animal showing excessive display of hesitation [5]
OTTER
OTT = Over The Top = excessive display
ER = hesitation
4 Condemns senescent criminal [9]
SENTENCES
Anagram of SENESCENT (Senescent means ageing. I think it was just a handy anagram.)
9 Team’s leader organised athletics’ vehicles [9]
TRANSPORT = vehicles
T = Team’s leader – i.e. the first letter of Team
RAN = organised
SPORT = athletics
Good clue! 😎
10 Belts made from hose [5]
SOCKS – double meaning – hose as in hosiery
11 Signs nothing – people start shooting [5]
OMENS = signs
O = nothing
MEN = people
S = start shooting = i.e. the first letter of shooting
Another good one! 😎
12 A benefit of tennis [9]
ADVANTAGE – not all that cryptic
13 Take over, to experience again accepting point [7]
RELIEVE = take over
RELIVE = experience again… accepting
E = point (of the compass)
15 Ross worried about trouble from ship’s crew [7]
SAILORS = ship’s crew
Anagram of ROSS (because he is worried)
AIL = trouble
17 Contracts arrived during bad snow [7]
NARROWS = contracts
ARRived inserted in
NOWS = bad snow – i.e. an anagram of SNOW
19 Everybody in exam was most lofty [7]
TALLEST = most lofty
TEST = exam
ALL = everybody
21 Bound to accept mistake if scared [9]
TERRIFIED = scared
TIED = bound
ERR = mistake
IF = straight from the clue
23 Thinker, born to rule, reportedly [5]
BRAIN = thinker
B = born
RAIN = homonym of REIGN = to rule
24 Stars’ alternative – working around one [5]
ORION = star
OR = alternative
I = one
ON = working
25 Professional writer gets ban [9]
PROSCRIBE = ban
PRO = professional
SCRIBE = writer (I needed the crossword dictionary to get this part – it jumped straight out of the list as soon as I saw it!)
26 Carries old rushes for disposal [9]
SHOULDERS = carries
anagram of OLD RUSHED (for disposal signifies anagram)
27 Measures footprints [5]
STEPS – double meaning
Down
1 Banned party – alternative is alfresco [7]
OUTDOOR = alfresco
OUT = banned
DO = party
OR = alternative
2 Bank clerk gets hold of artist – very representative [9]
TRAVELLER = representative in the travelling salesman sense
TELLER = bank clerk
RA = artist (the initials stand for Royal Academy, I think)
V = very
3 Got up and started to smell the flowers [5]
ROSES = flowers
ROSE = got up
S = started to Smell
4 Warehousing rates go haywire [7]
STORAGE = warehousing
anagram of RATES GO – they’re haywire!
5 These people invest a different way [7]
NATIVES – anagram of INVEST A (signified by “different way”)
6 Line as set out is indispensable [9]
ESSENTIAL – indispensable
anagram of LINE AS SET (because it’s “out”)
7 Fifty per cent of cost doubled on a drink [5]
COCOA = drink
CO = 50% of COST – i.e. the first half
CO appears a second time, so it’s doubled
A – because the preceding letters are on A
8 Some nurses are nuns [7]
SISTERS – double meaning
14 Excited by energy movement on the borders of Argyll [9]
EMOTIONAL = excited
E = energy
MOTION = movement
AL – the borders of Argyll – i.e. the first and last letters
16 Worker’s work time – time given without limits [9]
OPERATIVE = worker
OP = work
ERA = time
T = time
IVE = given without limits – i.e. without its first and last letters, which is the opposite of the preceding clue
I got as far as OPERA with this one and had to trawl through the crossword dictionary for the rest!
17 Gifts do not make countries [7]
NATIONS = countries
DONATIONS = gifts
DO not so you take DO away
18 What a painter might do for second drink? [7]
STIPPLE – something a painter might do
S = second
TIPPLE = drink
19 Boring change is due to…[7]
TEDIOUS = boring
anagram of IS DUE TO, signified by “change”
20 son supporting cash offers [7]
TENDERS = offers
TENDER = cash, as in legal tender
S = Son supporting, as this is a down clue and the S is at the bottom
22 Animal that’s right at home in house [5]
RHINO = animal
R = right
HO = house
IN = at home
23 Resists cash from the United States [5]
BUCKS = double meaning – resists/Dollars
I don’t know when I’ll get to analyse another of these crosswords. I’ve made myself late for bed and there’s a cavity wall insulation man calling in the morning so I can’t sleep too late to make up for my late night. 😳
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