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Just a Cryptic #1

◆ · By mondestrunken · Published 2021-10-14T14:01:41.826Z

Constructor's Note
Still very new to setting cryptics, so advice very welcome! Hope you enjoy. :)
Parses below:
1A Definition: courts. Wordplay: A (accepted) + S (small) + SIZES (measurements).
5A Definition: the singers. Wordplay: Anagram of ORCH (ORCHESTRA - ES (Spanish) - TR (translation) - A (a)) around I (with me among).
8A Definition: net (as in internet) chauvinist. Wordplay: IN (trendy) + CEL (frame, as in animation).
10A Definition: monster. Wordplay: LIBAN (LIBYAN without Y (no young)) after (follows) CA (about, as in circa).
11A Definition: sharp. Wordplay: DE (Germany) inside APT (fitting).
12A Definition: bends. Wordplay: SKINKS (lizards) without the first letter (headless).
13A Definition: foundlings. Wordplay: OR (alternatively + PANS (snapback, a.k.a snap backwards) around H (covering hand).
14A Definition: it's a hit! Wordplay: MAS (SAM (American uncle) in reverse (comes back)) within SH (in silence).
16A Definition: bond. Wordplay: Replace the H (hydrogen) in THE with I (iodine).
17A Defintion: on the beat. Wordplay: Anagram (freely) of POINT ME.
19A Definition: retro music. Wordplay: Anagram (adjust) of LOOSEN + U (up).
22A Definition: hooks. Wordplay: Anagram (bend) of RULE followed by SIN (guilt).
24A Definition: cast. Wordplay: COMP (free) + ANY (either).
25A Definition: to trespass. Wordplay: ER (ERGO (So) - GO (no-go)) around R (river).
26A Definition: ink. Wordplay: hidden within plaIN DIAgram.
28A Definition: rubbers. Wordplay: ER (Cockney girl (aka HER without the initial H)) repeated (stuttering), holding A S (a sister), followed by S (a bearing (aka south)).
31A Definition: &lit clue - delta is an older form of the letter D (dee) Wordplay: Take the letters in the prime-numbered positions (in its prime) of "A 'dee' letter, as": a DEe LeTter As.
32A Definition: taste. Wordplay: MAMI (IMAM (Muslim leader) reversed (returns)) coming after (pursuing) U (union).
33A Definition: silly doubledef Wordplay: Twitchy = erratic. Twitch is also a popular livestreaming platform, so a (live) stream might be Twitch-y?
34A Definition: inexperienced with. Wordplay: NEWTON (force's unit) without the final letter (interminable).
35A Definition: Alice's instruction (in Alice in Wonderland). Wordplay: some (of the letters) of trEATMEnt.
36A Definition: publish again. Wordplay: RE (about) + I (one) + S (second) coming before SUE (petition).
1D Definition: chili. Wordplay: SANCHO (Panza) without its first letter (head blown off).
2D Definition: fertilizer component. Wordplay: SALT (brine) + PETER (decline, as in peter out).
3D Definition: animal. Wordplay: BRAZE (BRAZEN without last letter (cut foot off)) anagrammed (crazy).
4D Definition: it's never been worse! Wordplay: ALISON KENT WOWS anagrammed (bizarrely).
5D Definition: auditorium. Wordplay: ASSR (ASS (idiot) + R (monarch)) within LOOM (tower), following C (cold).
6D Definition: show. Wordplay: O + PER (for) + A.
7D Definition: want to throw up. Wordplay: THRE (four (letters) of THREE) + C (one hundred) anagrammed (confused).
9D Definition: doubledef/charade. Wordplay: CONTENT (happy) + CREATOR (god) - and a CONTENT CREATOR is someone with online influence.
15D Definition: old currency; the 'mais oui' hints that it is French. Wordplay: hidden within maiS OUi.
17D Definition: down. Wordplay: BILLY with its first and last letters removed (stripped).
18D Definition: on the grapevine? ('tis a grape.) Wordplay: CAMUS END I anagrammed (edit).
20D Definition: glimmers. Wordplay: PALES (fades) before CE (church (of England)), within (in) O (old) S (South).
21D Definition: amateur. Wordplay: LADY (woman) without (loses) D (daughter).
23D Definition: &lit. Wordplay: Take the alternate letters from jUg RaNk - and an urn is an alternate type (rank) of jug(?).
26D Definition: season (as in to acclimatise). Wordplay: homophone (audibly) of 'in your'.
27D Definition: lottery. Wordplay: FAR (a long way) reversed (back) in DT (withdrawal - delirium tremens, common withdrawal symptom). (This might be the furthest stretch in this puzzle haha.)
29D Definition: covers. Wordplay: Metal (AL (aluminium)) + IBI (B (book) within II (two)).
30D Definition: fashion. Wordplay: Anagram (change) of LETS surrounding (around) Y (homophone (say) of why).
Checking for previous play data...

Comments

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  • Mike D 8:49 · 2021-10-14T17:43:10.148Z
    Nice one! I figure I got about half, maybe. I appreciate having the explanations in the blog post!
    • mondestrunken constructor · 2021-10-15T12:01:51.151Z
      Thanks Mike! Feedback always appreciated! :)
    • Byron 🤓55:33 · 2021-10-29T01:31:57.537Z
      Some were really good, like 35A and 1D. When you need just a letter or two, what you've done in 36A is good ("s" is a common abbreviation for second); whereas 21D requires the solver to make daughter into "d", which I've never seen before. Similarly, 29D uses book for "b"?
      • mondestrunken constructor · 2021-11-01T11:10:57.167Z
        Hi Byron! Thanks for the feedback! I tried to make sure I only used shorthand and abbreviations that I've seen in puzzles before - must admit I don't know specifically in what context they are used, if I do know I'll reply with more clarification! :)
      Play today's daily mini crossword
      1A
      Courts accepted small measurements (7)
      1
      2
      3
      4
      5
      6
      7
      8
      9
      10
      11
      12
      13
      14
      15
      16
      17
      18
      19
      20
      21
      22
      23
      24
      25
      26
      27
      28
      29
      30
      31
      32
      33
      34
      35
      36
      Across
      1. 1A
        Courts accepted small measurements (7)
      2. 5A
        Orchestra loses Spanish translation, and a mix-up with me among the singers! (5)
      3. 8A
        Net chauvinist's trendy frame (5)
      4. 10A
        No young Libyan follows about monster (7)
      5. 11A
        Fitting Germany inside is sharp (5)
      6. 12A
        Headless lizards make bends (5)
      7. 13A
        Foundlings, alternatively, with snapback covering hand (7)
      8. 14A
        American uncle comes back in silence - it's a hit! (5)
      9. 16A
        The iodine replaces hydrogen bond (3)
      10. 17A
        Freely point me on the beat (2,5)
      11. 19A
        Loosen up! Adjust to retro music (3,4)
      12. 22A
        Bend rule? Guilt after hooks (5,2)
      13. 24A
        Free either cast (7)
      14. 25A
        So, no-go around river to trespass! (3)
      15. 26A
        Ink in plain diagram (5)
      16. 28A
        Stuttering Cockney girl holds a sister, before bearing rubbers? (7)
      17. 31A
        A 'dee' letter, as in its prime? (5)
      18. 32A
        Muslim leader returns, pursuing union to taste (5)
      19. 33A
        High-strung - like a stream, maybe? (7)
      20. 34A
        Inexperienced with interminable force's unit (3,2)
      21. 35A
        Some treatment for Alice's instruction (3,2)
      22. 36A
        About one second before petition is to publish again (7)
      Down
      1. 1D
        Panza's head blown off by chili? (5)
      2. 2D
        Brine decline for fertilizer component (9)
      3. 3D
        Cut foot off brazen crazy animal (5)
      4. 4D
        Bizarrely, Alison Kent wows - it's never been worse! (5,2,1,3,3)
      5. 5D
        Idiot monarch in tower, after cold auditorium (9)
      6. 6D
        O, for a show! (5)
      7. 7D
        Four of three? One hundred? Confused! Want to throw up (5)
      8. 9D
        Happy god with online influence? (7,7)
      9. 15D
        Mais oui, it holds old currency (3)
      10. 17D
        Billy stripped down (3)
      11. 18D
        Camus' end, I edit on the grapevine? (9)
      12. 20D
        Fades before church; in old South, glimmers (9)
      13. 21D
        Amateur woman loses daughter (3)
      14. 23D
        Alternate jug rank (3)
      15. 26D
        Audibly in your season (5)
      16. 27D
        A long way back in withdrawal lottery (5)
      17. 29D
        Cover metal book in two (5)
      18. 30D
        Say, why? Let's change around fashion! (5)
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