Colgan's cryptic crossword
Across
1. A counter-blow (6)
4. Explorer supports a more recent one (6)
9. Editing out sitcom character is reviewed as an insult (7,6)
10. Absolute rubbish rejected by agent (7)
11. Energetic, and displaying real taste (5)
12. Condition imposed around a process (5,8)
15. When heavy, this has hard rock heart, they say (5)
16. Not yet finished on the state of the track (7)
18. Frustrated cop has similar narrow views (13)
19. Substitute recruited from players at Zurich (6)
20. Moves quickly to beats (6)
Down
1. Fabric manufactured from animals (7)
2. Sporadic activity as attack on bunker commences (4,3,6)
3. Live show’s opening takes part outside (5)
5. Pincer affected almost nothing (7)
6. Is captured in a remote beach when previously in north-eastern
Africa (5,3,5)
7. Time for cool drink (5)
8. Apprehension in an open market? (11)
13. Make formal application, subsequently sanctioned by law (7)
14. Takes in jokes being told (7)
15. Mark has pruned centre from fruit tree (5)
17. Ambush in the wild west overlooked dry ravine (5)
Wine to win
For your chance to win a bottle of Whistler wine, fax your
completed crossword to (08) 8302 5785 by October 17.
Solutions published online on October 22.
Solution
Explanations
(C = cryptic part of clue + S = straight part of clue; or S +
S = clue holding answer twice with two different straight meanings;
or POW = play on words.)
Note that joining words may or may not be an integral part of the
clue.
Punctuation and capital letters are irrelevant.
The art of the setter is to make it non-obvious how and where to
split the clue, and to mislead the solver along an irrelevant path.
Across
1. S: counter = buffet
S: blow = buffet
4. C: explorer (Sturt) supports a (holds “a”)
S: more recent one = Stuart
9. C: editing out (cutting) sitcom character is
reviewed (Kramer, backwards)
S: insult = cutting remark
10. C: absolute (real) rubbish rejected (rot, backwards)
S: agent = realtor
11. S: energetic = zesty
S: displaying real taste = zesty
12. C: condition imposed around (anagram of “imposed around”)
S: process = modus operandi
15. C: heart, they say (homonym of “mettle”)
S: when heavy, this has hard rock (heavy
metal) = metal
16. C: on (on) the state of the track (going)
S: not yet finished = ongoing
18. C: frustrated cop has similar (anagram of “cop has
similar”)
S: narrow views = parochialisms
19. C: recruited from players at Zurich (part of “players at
Zurich”)
S: substitute = ersatz
20. S: moves quickly = whisks
S: beats = whisks
Down
1. C: manufactured from animals (buck, ram)
S: fabric = buckram
2. C: attack (fit) bunker (sand) commences
(starts)
S: sporadic activity = fits and starts
3. C: show’s opening (s) takes part outside (exit,
outside)
S: live = exist
5. C: affected (twee) almost nothing (almost
“zero”)
S: pincer = tweezer
6. C: is (is) captured in a remote beach (inside
“a far sands”) when (as)
S: previously in north-eastern Africa =
Afars and Issas
7. C: time (t) cool (okay)
S: drink = tokay
8. POW: apprehension in an open market
(agora) = agoraphobia
13. C: subsequently (so) sanctioned by law (licit)
S: make formal application = solicit
14. C: in (in) jokes being told (homonym of “jests”)
S: takes in = ingests
15. C: mark (M) pruned centre from fruit (remove centre of
“apple”)
S: tree = maple
17. C: ambush in the wild west overlooked dry (dry-gulch,
without dry)
S: ravine = gulch