sat times

[bluemanx3]

1a picture of amateur jockey on horse old note 4,5 h---/--v--
13a contract might be bringing wounded child closer 3,3,2,6 p--/---/to/----- put out to tender?
17a hit roughly she sees double unfortunately at first 4,5,5

[MarkRae]

13a PUT OUT TO TENDER
17a BLUE SUEDE SHOES

Today's puzzle is exceptionally difficult, IMO...

[cathfromsaron]

h??? fiver?

[bluemanx3]

ty mark rae! (its always difficult 4 me!)

[MarkRae]

I'm wondering if 1a might be HOME MOVIE as in 'picture of amateur', though I'm struggling with the rest of the clue...

[MarkRae]

I've never heard of a half fiver, though something in the back of my mind is telling me that a ten-bob note used to be called a half livre...

[cathfromsaron]

mmm ... good idea

[Lie-in King]

May I? Mark's pretty much got it -

1a Home movie (picture of amateur) - 'vie' (jockey, on) 'H(orse, as heroin)' + 'o(ld)' + 'memo' (note)

[cathfromsaron]

brill deduction both x

[MarkRae]

Thanks. Is 11a CANTATA, then...? I get 'TATA' = 'so long' as in cheerio...

[Lie-in King]

Hi Mark - yes, 'Cantata' - can(e) (rod, cut) ...

[MarkRae]

Thanks again. In which case, if 9a is ROVER as has been suggested elsewhere, then 2d must be either MAVEN or MAVIN and 3d MARMADUKE?

[Lie-in King]

Yes to both -

2d Maven - (up, in) "...o NE VAM p's..."

3d Marmaduke - 'ram' (stuff, up) + 'made' (round) 'UK'

[MarkRae]

Many thanks. That was the hardest Times crossword I can recall for years...

[Lie-in King]

I agree, very enjoyable though :-)

[MarkRae]

It took me 1 hour, 53 minutes and 26 seconds, according to the website. I can normally complete them in around 30 minutes. Others are commenting about how difficult it was...

[Lie-in King]

I don't use the site, nor do I time myself - I'd hazard a guess at about 30-40 mins? 5 mins wasted by not including 'to' in the anagram at 10 across...

[roslyn251254]

Mark - yet I see "some people " have finished it in 1min, 2 mins , 4mins!!! Methinks these people go out abd buy the paper first!!!!

[cathfromsaron]

they are only cheating themselves ...

[MarkRae]

30 minutes is seriously impressive for today's puzzle.

Some people clearly complete the puzzle off-line first and then fill it in very quickly. The web admins know it, of course, though there's little they can do about it...