[tommytwotone]

As promised - so I've compiled a couple of crosswords, originally I'd aimed to release them at Christmas but then thought that The Grit Call was probably a more significant event in the UKB calendar.

I've done a quick and a cryptic to hopefully satisfy everyone.

Both are available in PDF form here (hoping this works - it's my personal Dropbox):

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rmpe7rzvjotucr9/AAC_4z7wVklJ5xXxG7quznNta?dl=0

They're both loosely themed - I won't give too much away but it should be obvious once you start solving.


I have the solved versions to post once everyone's had a fair run at them. In the meantime I'll leave it to you to decide whether you want to farm clues etc here or wait for the solutions!

[andy_e]

Quick, 20 across - should that be 7,6 or 6,7 (or none of the above)?

[tommytwotone]

Dammit - sorry, yes - 7,6. If I'm right the grid is right, it's just the clue that's wrong.


Corrected version now in the folder.

[Duma]

Ace, nice one ttt!

[moose]

well... that's buggered my productivity for the day (nearly done the cryptic - 2 to go, 1D and 21D - and there's a couple where I'm sure I'm correct but not entirely got the parsing).

[andy_e]

Even Google is drawing blanks on Quick 1 across...

[moose]

Well... I've solved the cryptic... I think (my solution for 21D seems a bit odd, as does part of the parsing of 26A).

Really enjoyed that though - first cryptic I've tried for 6 months (been on the wagon lately, so no hungover mornings to waste at work).

[tommytwotone]

Nice one Moose - good effort!


DM-ed you on those answers.

[tommytwotone]

Even Google is drawing blanks on Quick 1 across...

That was kind of the idea!

[nai]

seems a bit odd, as does part of the parsing of 26A).

I had to have that expalined step by step and I was still 

[moose]

I got the way it was constructed correct, I just thought the synoym used for one of the parts was an unusal sense of the word.

[Will Hunt]

I got the way it was constructed correct, I just thought the synoym used for one of the parts was an unusal sense of the word.

I've put that in but couldn't quite parse it. Now that you put it like that it makes sense, but agree that the synonym is pretty tenuous.
Edit: wait. No sooner had I pressed send I thought of another meaning of the word. The clue makes perfect sense. Bravo, TTT.

I don't think 9A works properly but there's enough corroborating information in there to figure it out, and it's an easy mistake to make (presuming it is a mistake and I've not just misunderstood).

Not finished yet but am really enjoying it. There's some great clues and those little niggles I mentioned are very very minor.

[moose]

9A works perfectly to me - the first part, expert, is in the sense of marksmen (or goal scorers), and the second part, report, as in an explosive noise (the report of a rifle).

[Duma]

No spoilers please moose!!

[tommytwotone]

Maybe we need a separate [no spoilers] crossword clue farming thread...

But yes - "report" to mean noise of a gun is very much a favourite of the Guardian's setters!

[mr chaz]

the report of a rifle

… or of a loose Moose cannon?

 

[Will Hunt]

Could use the NSFW function for spoilers?

NSFW  spoilers:

But yes - "report" to mean noise of a gun is very much a favourite of the Guardian's setters!

Ahh, OK. I hadn't spotted that. I saw the meaning of expert but was taking the "report" to be craic - as in, "what's the craic".

[tommytwotone]

I hope some of you have done / spotted the "theme" in the quick!

[Duma]

Yup, very good!

NSFW  :

though since I appeared in the guardian quick a few weeks ago, I was disappointed with the omission of "lower house of Russian parliament (4)"

[36chambers]

I hope some of you have done / spotted the "theme" in the quick!

Not yet. These are all climbing related right?

[tommytwotone]

NSFW  :

Cryptic is pretty obviously climbing related...quick is, well, kind of...

[andy_e]

NSFW  :

The thing that threw me with the quick is that not all the clues seem to be related to the theme, unless I'm missing something.

[tommytwotone]

NSFW  :

Hell no!


I got as many as I could in, and just getting non-themed words that fitted around them took nearly a week of lunchtimes!


In that respect, the quick was actually harder to make than the Cryptic.

[Will Hunt]

Phew, have finished the Cryptic. Very nicely done, TTT. Must have taken some work. Nicely pitched for me at about the level of the Everyman or the Quiptic. Too easy for Moose though, I suppose! I found the parsing spot on but had a long time puzzling over the last 3 in (12, 1, 11).

NSFW  :

I hesitantly sketched in Wobbly for 12 and only got 1d when I scrubbed it and looked at it afresh. In 11, what drink is TTO?

[moose]

Phew, have finished the Cryptic. Very nicely done, TTT. Must have taken some work. Nicely pitched for me at about the level of the Everyman or the Quiptic. Too easy for Moose though, I suppose! I found the parsing spot on but had a long time puzzling over the last 3 in (12, 1, 11).

NSFW  :

I hesitantly sketched in Wobbly for 12 and only got 1d when I scrubbed it and looked at it afresh. In 11, what drink is TTO?

11 is one of the ones where I got it quickly but wasn't happy with it, the parsing is:

NSFW  :

TTO is meant to be derived from TOT for drink, Tommy said he would put in an anagram indicator if he did it again, perhaps "hazy drink"

[tommytwotone]

Have to say generally, the experience of doing these was fun - but bloody hell it's difficult. You think you've got a "quarter" of the grid sorted and then realise you've painted yourself into a corner where you have a load of letters where there is no word that will fit.

I sometimes get pissed off with crashing into some random scientific term / flora or fauna / latin phrase in a crossword, but can totally see why they end up in there - it's that the setter has no other option!

[Duma]

Is there an error in the cryptic 18D or am I being a bit dense?

[Will Hunt]

It doesn't work perfectly (imo).

NSFW  :

I don't think I've seen "maybe?" used to indicate a homophone.

[Duma]

Ignore me I was being an idiot...
Had put 24D into 24A

NSFW  :

Will I was okay with the homophone, though I still think using breaking in a clue where break appears is well dodge, unless I'm still being an idiot??

[Will Hunt]

You've got the answer. Maybe TTT was being gentle on us?

NSFW  :

Your comment makes me wonder whether you've got 25A yet?

[Duma]

Will,

NSFW  :

do you mean 26A? (Though you're right, I haven't got 25A yet, I'm not sure how it would affect 18D)

[Duma]

21D help/confirmation please

NSFW  :

I can only come up with impart, but seems a bit of a stretch as a synonym for expose?

[Will Hunt]

21D help/confirmation please

NSFW  :

I can only come up with impart, but seems a bit of a stretch as a synonym for expose?

NSFW  :

I thought the same until I put define: impart into Google.

[Duma]

Phew, in that case I'm all done and feeling quite pleased with myself! My biggest struggles were from a poor knowledge of

NSFW  :

Stanage VS's.

Thanks again TTT, really enjoyed those, and well done getting them into a standard grid, can imagine how hard it must get for the last few!

Think 25A was my favourite, though 24D, 20A worked really well too.

[andy_e]

I'm stuck on the Quick.

NSFW  :

Of 1A, 8A, 10A, 2D, 3D, 4D, 6D and 7D, which conform to the theme and which are unrelated please?!

[Duma]

NSFW  :

only 8A of that list I think, and that needs to be read with another of the themed answers to make it work nicely

[andy_e]

Hmm, thanks. I feel I might need more clues...

[tommytwotone]

Is there an error in the cryptic 18D or am I being a bit dense?

Fair point re: "maybe?", but I've seen it used to mean "this is a bit of pun" as well...

[tommytwotone]

UPDATE: Solutions available now (if you want them) via:


https://www.dropbox.com/sh/sjfcilpdatr9t0t/AAAfVaFIE26wtF8q9fkKImyFa?dl=0

I've put them in a separate folder which should hopefully share OK but let me know if not.

[andy_e]

I gave up. Devious. Thanks TTT!

[tommytwotone]

Assuming we can break the embargo on spoilers...thanks all, glad you enjoyed them.

Was definitely fun making them, though boy is it time-consuming. For the grids I just ripped off Guardian ones from the day I began - I had to hunt around about for the Quick, because I knew I'd got a few specific lengths of words I needed to fit in.

And on the quick - you'd be surprised how few of the (regular) posters on here have a name that is a proper word that can be used as a clue!

Have to say I was toying with trying to fit Houdini and Fingers Of A Martyr in there for the OGs but it was complicated enough with what I had...

Having a busy time at work so making no promises but if I get a quiet period I may do another one for Xmas, let's see.

I'll try and address some of the setting / parsing things above now.

[tommytwotone]

Will I was okay with the homophone, though I still think using breaking in a clue where break appears is well dodge, unless I'm still being an idiot??

That is a good point - and something I hadn't noticed until you pointed it out!

Could easily have just put "Method of resolving stalemate:...or similar.

[Duma]

... making no promises but if I get a quiet period I may do another one for Xmas, let's see.

Pleasepleasepleaseplease