Cryptic 5x5 #30 by tuber

Comments

• dilly 🤓4:49 · 2024-08-01T09:47:38.891Z

  Wasn't familiar with the def for 6A, but the surface was incredible. Ditto for 5A and 8A. I'm not finding the parse for 7D, though.

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  • Polyagonist 🤓9:18 · 2024-08-01T19:23:13.212Z

    The Cryptic Definition there is that the Cat (o' nine tails) was a literal scourge (lash) used at sea. If there's another level that gives a double definition I've missed it.

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  • tuber constructor · 2024-08-01T15:13:59.150Z

    7D's intended as a cryptic definition, and your mileage may vary. It's a cryptic variant of a straight clue, something like "a nautical whip". ("Scourge" has a definition as "a whip used for punishment", and "cat" is an abbreviation for the cat o' nine tails, a whip historically associated with the Royal Navy.)

    For 6A, I can only advise that your setter has lived 20 years or so in Scotland (but is yet to use the word "outwith" in a crossword clue.)

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    • dilly 🤓4:49 · 2024-08-01T21:32:03.768Z

      Ah, I just wasn’t familiar with “cat“ being used for “cat o’ nine tails,” fair enough. Great puzzle, I will keep Scotland in mind for the next one!

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• tuber constructor · 2024-08-01T13:13:10.590Z

  Hello, solvers, and thanks for having a crack at this silly thing. A little bit unconventional, in terms of cluing 1A and 1D in addition to 2D, but it seemed rather cruel on the solver otherwise. As always, drop a hello in the comments and let me know how you got on. The wash-up looks like this:

  ACROSS. 1A. Cycle letters of "distance" = RANGE. 5A. Homophone of "chorus of disapproval" = BOOS. 6A. First of "Baratheon" = B + remove first letter of "peace" = tRUCE. 8A. First letter of "dreadful" = D + "commercial" = AD. 9A. Alternating in "shyartist".

  DOWN. 1D. Anag. ABYE around first letter of "baby" = B. 2D. Anag. BROTHERBEGANYARN minus "right" = R. 3D. Reversal of "A" + "couple" = DUO, after "good" = G. 4D. Remove first letter of "multiplies" = BREEDS. 7D. Cryptic def. for the nautical "cat o' nine tails".

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• tuber constructor · 2024-08-01T16:18:52.333Z

  Hello, solvers, and thanks for having a crack at this silly thing. A little bit unconventional, in terms of cluing 1A and 1D in addition to 2D, but it seemed rather cruel on the solver otherwise. As always, drop a hello in the comments and let me know how you got on. The wash-up looks like this:

  ACROSS. 1A. Cycle letters of "distance" = RANGE. 5A. Homophone of "chorus of disapproval" = BOOS. 6A. First of "Baratheon" = B + remove first letter of "peace" = tRUCE. 8A. First letter of "dreadful" = D + "commercial" = AD. 9A. Alternating in "shyartist".

  DOWN. 1D. Anag. ABYE around first letter of "baby" = B. 2D. Anag. BROTHERBEGANYARN minus "right" = R. 3D. Reversal of "A" + "couple" = DUO, after "good" = G. 4D. Remove first letter of "multiplies" = BREEDS. 7D. Cryptic def. for the nautical "cat o' nine tails".

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  • tuber constructor · 2024-08-02T01:07:58.818Z

    Grr. I posted this twice because I thought my phone had eaten it the first time.

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• El Gordo 42 🤓3:45 · 2024-08-01T23:13:34.611Z

  Ooh, that was a fun one. I may have set a personal best time for a 5x5 cryptic.

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• Aaron Riccio 🤓5:52 · 2024-08-02T01:37:00.922Z

  I liked this one a bunch. I particularly liked the split of [rock a bye/baby] in 1D. Top marks to 6A (even if he wasn't the one who was decapitated on GoT) and 1A. I'd quibble about 7D as clued—[Scourge o' the seven seas?] might've been a bit clearer—and with 8A, I love the surface sense, but I wonder if [of] was needed as a connector (e.g., [Number one of dreadful]).

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