Here are the clues I left you with last week from the Warwick Daily News:
- A bright statue? (6) ASTUTE
- Our shandy may be a waterless substance (9) ANHYDROUS
- A fishy sausage (7) ABALONE
If you are a fan of the Stickler, then I’m sure these clues will leave you shaking your head. They have nothing “right” about them, yet they are constructed, paid for, and published in a daily newspaper. How do these clues “work”? As with all cryptics, people become used to a setter’s way of doing things. A simplified rule-set, and a reduced number of devices makes every clue obtainable without much effort. Do a few of these crosswords and you’ll be an expert at them. All a solver has to do is look for a word or words that could form an anagram and see if it works or look for the answer buried in the clue’s letters or listen for sounds when reading to see if that sparks something. There’s not much else – no need to think outside the box. Indicators are not needed as the options are limited.
Why does this “work”? The clues are written to be solved in a short time; simple words are used in the grid, there’s no obscurity in any part; there’s no real disguise or cleverness – intentionally; solving normal cryptics requires time and effort to learn – these don’t.
These “skim” cryptics have their place, but not in any newspaper that takes itself seriously. Sadly those who solve these cryptics are missing out the full cream experience that decent cryptic crosswords bring.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | COLOSSAL | |
| Massive deficit absorbed by energy producer (8) | LOSS inside COAL | |
| 5 | CHASER | |
| Dose of arsenic has eradicated it, say? (6) | arseniC HAS ERadicated | |
| 9 | VAGRANT | |
| Family member on board large vessel is unsettled (7) | GRAN inside VAT | |
| 10 | CALL OUT | |
| Disgruntled members of local trade union backed order to strike (4,3) | Anagram of LOCAL + TU reversed | |
| 11 | ROCKETEERS | |
| They fire up support for ball held by musicians (10) | TEE inside ROCKERS | |
| 12 | BEEF | |
| Complaint left one lacking in faith (4) | BELIEF minus (L + I) | |
| 14 | GASTRITIS | |
| A stone lodged in backbone is a medical problem (9) | (A + ST) inside GRIT + IS | |
| 16 | EBAY | |
| Auction site may be redesigned just after opening (4) | Anagram of M(AY BE) | |
| 18 | CLUB | |
| One in pack featuring leaf primarily? (4) | CUB outside (L)EAF | |
| 19 | CHICANERY | |
| Up-to-date ER implicated in some dishonest practices (9) | CHIC + (ER inside ANY) | |
| 21 | LOCK | |
| A little hair clasp (4) | Double Definition | |
| 22 | ITINERANTS | |
| Point and talk wildly in view of island nomads (10) | (TINE + RANT) inside IS | |
| 25 | BRIGAND | |
| Criminal outfit trapped by posse (7) | RIG inside BAND | |
| 26 | ADAPTOR | |
| Plug fitting into a switch the wrong way round (7) | APT inside [A + (ROD reversed)] | |
| 27 | TENDER | |
| Ship’s boat requiring careful handling (6) | Double Definition | |
| 28 | REVERSES | |
| Goes back on statements of a biblical nature (8) | RE + VERSES | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | COVERAGE | |
| Shut up about extra insurance (8) | CAGE outside OVER | |
| 2 | LOGIC | |
| Dope not picked up by disoriented police dog with good sense (5) | Anagram of POLICE DOG minus DOPE | |
| 3 | SPACE PROBE | |
| A copper’s prepared to remain with high-flying investigative unit (5,5) | Anagram of A COPPERS + BE | |
| 4 | AUTHENTICATED | |
| Certified heat unit acted strangely (13) | Anagram of HEAT UNIT ACTED | |
| 6 | HOLE | |
| Digger used on the perimeter of large excavation (4) | HOE outside L | |
| 7 | STONEWARE | |
| Shop stocked with latest stuff – a collection of pottery (9) | STORE outside (NEW + A) | |
| 8 | RATIFY | |
| Sign please, with no initial (6) | GRATIFY minus G | |
| 10 | CHRISTIAN NAME | |
| Man brought up in China tries changing given title (9,4) | MAN reversed inside anagram of CHINA TRIES | |
| 13 | REPATRIATE | |
| Send home pirate involved in charge (10) | Anagram of PIRATE inside RATE | |
| 15 | SELECTION | |
| Pick limitations of licence applied in subdivision (9) | (L)ICENC(E) inside SECTION | |
| 17 | EYESORES | |
| Climbing types of Japanese rose, yellowing, may be ugly looking things (8) | japaneSE ROSE YEllowing reversed | |
| 20 | ALL BUT | |
| Very nearly two litres in a tub tipped over (3,3) | Lx2 inside [A + (TUB reversed)] | |
| 23 | NOTES | |
| Written records not assessed at the centre (5) | NOT + ass(ES)sed | |
| 24 | LANE | |
| Unrestricted aircraft regularly travelled route? (4) | P(LANE)S |
Suspect the above puzzles (or similar) crop up in our local Toowoomba Chronicle – which is why I don’t bother. Prefer my weekly dialogue with you & yours. Even if it’s over in a couple of days another soon will follow – the anticipation factor. Major part of my restricted weekly activities. As always – sincere thanks
Richard
This was one of your tougher (and more satisfying) ones. For 5ac, I worked out the wordplay and answer fairly easily — but I was totally stumped on the definition until I gave up and looked at the clue hints. Very tricky.
12ac, 22ac, 26ac, 28ac and 24dn were good. 18ac was fabulous.