Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25893
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
A cryptic crossword that does “exactly what it says on the tin”.
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Across
7. Someone with an offer for model (8 )
{PROPOSER} – For is PRO, and a typical synonym for model in crosswords is POSER, put together they give someone who makes an offer, or a formal motion.
9. Piece of cloth covering end of power tool (6)
{TROWEL} – The piece of cloth is something you use to dry yourself with (TOWEL), around (covering) the end of powe(R) which results in the name of a tool commonly used for gardening or for laying bricks.
10. Position of a new church at end of street (6)
{STANCE} – A N(ew) CE (church) placed after ST(reet) for the attitude or position of a standing person or animal.
11. Drink – a magical one ensnaring volunteers (8 )
{POTATION} – As is usual (like 7 across) volunteers in this case is T(erritorial) A(rmy), placed within (ensnaring) a magical drink – POTION to give another word for drink, especially an alcoholic one.
12. Artistic man – he and I may be troubled by people good at sums (14)
{ARITHMETICIANS} – An anagram of ARTISTIC MAN HE I (troubled) for people who are good at mathematics.
15. Book from this writer backed by arts graduate (4)
{EMMA} – The writer in this case refers to a ME (the author of the crossword) which is then reversed (backed) and followed by a M(aster) of A(rts). To give us the title of a famous book by Jane Austen.
17. Agricultural establishment managed by companion (5)
{RANCH} – C(ompanion) of H(onour) placed after RAN (managed by) gives the name of a agricultural establishment common in the west of the United States.
19. Pleasure excursion? It’s almost complete rubbish! (4)
{TRIP} – The stomach lining of a cow or pig commonly used as a food, is also used as a term for complete rubbish. If you remove the final letter – E, you now have a word for pleasure excursion.
20. Healthy men nose around riverside town (6-2-6)
{HENLEY-ON-THAMES} – An anagram of HEALTHY MEN NOSE (around) gives the name of a town in Oxfordshire famous for it’s annual regatta.
23. Copper to huff and puff following old Conservative resident (8 )
{OCCUPANT} – O(ld) C(onservative), followed by the metallic symbol for copper (CU), and then followed by a synonym for huff and puff, the sort of thing a dog does if it is too hot, results in another word for a resident.
25. Canine with tongue hanging out for food? (3,3)
{HOT DOG} – Talking of dogs that are too hot, what do you think the type of food is, that is being referred to here?
27. On board ship be without trousers (6)
{SLACKS} – The usual shortened term for ship, S(team) S(hip) is placed outside a word for being without, LACK, to give a word that can be used for casual trousers.
28. Drunk had somehow bumped into rodent in unruly residence (8 )
{MADHOUSE} – The rodent was made famous by Disney, and within (bumped into) you need to place the the drunken had (ADH). This gives a term for an unruly residence popularised by Russ Abbott in the 1980’s.
Down
1. Daughter wants nasty person? Blow! (4)
{DRAT} – The shortened form of D(aughter) followed by another type of rodent is a slang term used to express annoyance.
2. Instrument Spike brought into group (6)
{SPINET} – A group is a SET, and you then need to bring in a PIN (spike). This results in a small, compact upright piano (instrument).
3. A little medicine provided by doctor before operation? (4)
{DROP} – DR. (doctor) and OP(eration).
4. Something shocking that could be found in attics (6)
{STATIC} – An anagram of ATTICS (could be found in) for something that could cause a shock.
5. Abridge legal document (8 )
{CONTRACT} – A pun on bridge the card game, but also another term for abridge (to cut short, curtail), that is also a legal document.
6. One dervish dancing in a part of England (10)
{DEVONSHIRE} – An anagram of ONE DERVISH (dancing) gives an alternative name for Devon.
8. Ship beginning to sail with crew having little hesitation (7)
{STEAMER} – The first letter of S(ail) beginning, followed by another term for crew, TEAM, with a little hesitation, ER. For a ship powered by a steam engine.
13. Neglected male animal’s needing comb (10)
{RAMSHACKLE} – The plural of a male sheep, followed by (needing) a term used to describe the long slender feather on a turkey or chicken’s neck or even the name of a comb used for dressing flax. Gives another word for something that is usually badly constructed.
14. Dance requiring zest, nothing additional (5)
{TANGO} – A dance made popular in South America is constructed from a word used to describe a distinctively sharp taste, flavour, or odour (zest), followed by an (additional) O (nothing).
16. Publicise girl gaining a little weight (8 )
{ANNOUNCE} – A girl’s name (the Princess Royal) followed by (gaining) the equivalent of 28.3495231 grams is another term used to make something known publically. [It takes a Canadian to point out that the Princess Royal is Anne, not Ann – thanks Falcon. BD]
18. Henry longed to be married? (7)
{HITCHED} – H(enry), and ITCHED (longed to) is another term for to be married.
21. Pass by, please, after an accident (6)
{ELAPSE} – An anagram of PLEASE (after an accident) is another word meaning for time to pass by.
22. A tonic can change behaviour (6)
{ACTION} – Another anagram in this case of A TONIC (can change) for the state of a process of doing something.
24. Little man with little energy is the enemy (4)
{TIME} – A shortened version of TIM(othy) (little man) plus a little E(nergy) gives a word often used in a well known phrase and is usually referred to as an enemy.
26. Get rid of some vicious thug (4)
{OUST} – The answer to this is hidden in viciOUS Thug (some), and typically means to remove someone from office.