This is the thirty-eighth Guardian Quick Cryptic, a series of 11 x 11 crosswords designed to support beginners learning cryptic crosswords. The whole point of these crosswords is support and encouragement of new solvers, so special rules for these crosswords apply – see here – those rules include not posting solving times. This puzzle can be found here.Following a number of comments we now hide the answers and the wordplay descriptions too. To find that hidden information, click on “Details” and it will pop up. The definition is in bold and underlined, the indicator is in red.
This week we have a return of Chandler to the Quick Cryptic, his 4th puzzle in this slot. He is a regular setter in the Quiptic slot, who has set an occasional Cryptic at the Guardian. He is changing up the clues this week, so today we see anagrams, acrostics, decapitations and reverse hidden clues, all helpfully have the letters provided, giving solvers a foothold. It’s only the second time we’ve seen decapitations and reverse hidden clues.
There is a summary of the tricks used in the first six months here and a recent Guardian Crossword blog called the ultimate beginner’s guide has tips which may be useful for some solvers.
Fifteen Squared uses several abbreviations and jargon tricks, there’s a full list here, of which I’ve used the following in this blog:
- underlining the definition in the clue – this is either at the beginning or end of the clue
- indicators are in red – adding later and some of these are split.
- CAPITALS to indicate which bits are part of the answer, e.g. some haVE ALtered meat, Get A Good,
- anagram *(SENATOR) shows letters in clue being used, see clue below.
- anagrind the anagram indicator (arranged)
- decapitation – losing the first letter so tALE (a story) – tale becomes ALE (beer)
- reversal – by using the < symbol – so below: vieTNAm < hides ANT (insect) reversed.
- CAD or clue as definition– where the whole clue gives the definition, sometimes called an &lit.
- DBE or defintion by example – e.g. where a dog might be clued as a setter – often using a question mark, maybe, possibly or e.g. to show that this is an example rather than a definition.
- surface – the meaning from reading the clue – so often cryptic clues use an English that could only be found in a cryptic crossword, but a smooth surface is a clue that has a meaning in English, which can be pointed or misleading.
TODAY’S TRICKS – from the crossword site – which can be found at www.theguardian.com/crosswords/quick-cryptic/38 – because the clues have moved on from the clue descriptions below, I am now adding more to the descriptions above.
Clues begin or end with a definition of the answer. The rest is one of these:
- Anagram An anagram of the answer and a hint that there’s an anagram
‘Senator arranged crime (7)’ gives TREASON - Acrostic The first letters of the answer
‘Initially get a good joke (3)’ gives GAG - Hidden reversal Answer defined and hidden backwards
‘Insect returns in Vietnam (3)’ gives ANT - Decapitation Answer is another word without first letter
‘Beer in story without intro (3)’ gives ALE
| ACROSS |
Click on “details” to see the solutions | |
| 1 |
Food in places to sit when overlooking front (4)
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EATS
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decapitation (overlooking front) of sEATS (places to sit)
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| 3 |
One with deadly aim leads to some not invading places easily reached (6)
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SNIPER
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acrostic of (leads to) Some Not Invading Places Easily Reached</details
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| 8 |
Deficient and being inactive with last of managers gone (7)
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LACKING
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decapitation (with last of managerS gone) of sLACKING (being inactive) – the instruction here is to remove the S, the last letter of managerS. This is the sort of instruction you’ll find in full-fat cryptics where the letter to be removed or added could be anywhere in the answer.
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| 9 |
Antlered creature with no end of fans gets label (3)
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TAG
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decapitation of (with no end of fanS) – so sTAG (antlered creature) minus the S (end of fans) removed (with no)
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| 10 |
Gourmet so excited in place for visitors to stay (5-4)
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GUEST-ROOM
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anagram of (GOURMET SO)* with anagrind of excited
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| 12 |
Criticise diet range in a poor state (9)
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DENIGRATE
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anagram of (DIET RANGE)* with anagrind of in a poor state
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| 14 |
Sailor has some other attempt making comeback (3)
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TAR
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hidden reversal (some … making comeback) otheR ATtempt < Tar is one of the many, many words for sailor that comes up in cryptic crosswords – apparently so called for the tar covered tarpaulin they used to keep dry and the tar used in their pigtails to hold them in place.
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| 15 |
Exulted dancing at lodge (7)
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GLOATED
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anagram of (AT LODGE)* with anagrind of dancing.
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| 17 |
Trick duly enraged lots undergoing desperate economies for starters (6)
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DELUDE
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acrostic (for starters) of Duly Enraged Lots Undergoing Desperate Economies
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| 18 |
Mistake ignoring liberal in part of church (4)
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APSE
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decapitation of (ignoring Liberal) lAPSE (mistake – lapse) removing L for liberal as in political parties (it’s in Chambers).
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DOWN
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| 1 |
Devices used by anglers right away to get slender fish (4)
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EELS
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decapitation of (right away) rEELs (devices used by anglers) with R (right) removed (away)
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| 2 |
Natural contraction elicited in part on reflection (3)
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TIC
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reverse hidden (in part on reflection) eliCITed<
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| 4 |
Ignore a tot that’s disturbed one involved in making deals (10)
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NEGOTIATOR
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anagram of (IGNORE A TOT)* with anagrind of that’s disturbed
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| 5 |
Help too for replacing cavity on a road (7)
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POTHOLE
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anagram of (HELP TOO)* with anagrind of for replacing
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| 6 |
Principally, ruler expected gains in most efficient system of government (6)
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REGIME
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acrostic of (principally) of Ruler Expected Gaines In Most Efficient
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| 7 |
Aged design possibly making one emotionally detached (10)
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DISENGAGED
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anagram of (AGED DESIGN)* with anagrind of possibly making
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| 10 |
Military officer starts to get every name entering regiment at last (7)
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GENERAL
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acrostic of (starts to) Get Every Name Entering Regiment At Last
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| 11 |
Some cadet I’d encouraged in turn and corrected (6)
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EDITED
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hidden reverse (some … in turn) caDET ID Encouraged <
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| 13 |
Lazy rebel disillusioned somewhat after revolution (4)
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IDLE
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hidden reverse (somewhat after revolution) rebEL DIsillusioned <
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| 16 |
Leading place to pick up bus passengers lacking in sun (3)
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TOP
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decapitation of (lacking in Sun) sTOP (place to pick up bus passengers) – S for Sun is also in Chambers and is another regular crossword abbreviation found in crosswords
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