Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25969
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
A bit like last Wednesday, this is a pleasant puzzle that shouldn’t unduly trouble the average solver.
Across
1a Remedy? Date on it has altered (8)
{ANTIDOTE} – a remedy that is an anagram (has altered – an unambiguous anagram indicator!) of DATE ON IT
5a A small amount of change around clubs? It could be grave (6)
{ACCENT} – A CENT (a small amount of change) around c(lubs): it could be grave – or acute or circumflex, but then that would have given it away sooner!
9a Boy includes triumphal cry in aggressive behaviour (8)
{VIOLENCE} – a young VINCEnt (boy) around OLÉ!, the triumphal cry of a matador gives a word meaning aggressive behaviour
10a Author enjoyably tonight comprehended (6)
{BLYTON} – not too difficult to find this children’s author hidden (comprehended) in enjoyaBLY TONight
12a Unusual care and manufacture about cold item for tea? (5,4)
{CREAM CAKE} – an anagram (unusual) of CARE and then MAKE (manufacture) around C(old) gives an item for tea
13a Bring up new employment? About right (5)
{NURSE} – a word meaning to bring up comes from N(ew) and USE (employment) around R(ight)
14a It could feature in buffet (Athenian) (4)
{FETA} – an all-in one definition of this Greek cheese is hidden in bufFET Athenian
16a Work produced by Virginia in nature walk? (7)
{TRAVAIL} – a synonym for work that is created by inserting VA (Virginia) inside TRAIL, a nature walk
19a Station region (7)
{QUARTER} – a double definition – troops are stationed in their quarters, and the Latin quarter, for example, is a region in many towns
21a Eastern haunt, place of innocence? (4)
{EDEN} – a simple charade of E(astern) and DEN (haunt) gives this place of innocence
24a Old car failing to start producing heated feeling (5)
{ANGER} – a (B)ANGER is an old car, and without the first letter (failing to start) gives a heated feeling
25a Absurd quality shown by unusual size in cars I ignored (9)
{CRAZINESS} – this absurd quality is an anagram (unusual) of S(I)ZE IN CARS without the I (I ignored)
27a Ex-President putting energy into newspaper article (6)
{REAGAN} – Ex-President Ronald is derived by putting E(nergy) into RAG (newspaper) and AN (indefinite article)
28a Singer from Italian place with colour (8)
{BARITONE} – a singer that comes from a charade of BARI (Italian place) with TONE (colour)
29a Figure accepting advertising for woman (6)
{NADINE} – NINE (a figure) around (accepting) AD (advertising) for a woman’s name – no comment
ARVE Error: need id and provider |
30a A swinger making time? (8)
{PENDULUM} – a cryptic definition of a part of a clock that regulates the movement
Down
1d A daughter with fault requiring counsel (6)
{ADVICE} – an easy charade of A D (a daughter) with VICE (fault) gives a word meaning (counsel)
2d Garden item allowed to be put up? Have argument inside (6)
{TROWEL} – a small garden implement is constructed from LET (allowed} reversed {to be put up) with ROW (have argument) inside
3d Padre amateurishly harboured distant hope (5)
{DREAM} – hidden word time again, this time a distant hope is hidden inside (harboured) paDRE AMateurishly
4d Musical piece in honour of Persian, say, in California (7)
{TOCCATA} – a musical piece that is one of Tilsit’s word-sums – TO (in honour of) plus CAT (Persian, say) into CA (California)
6d Mark Dean fashioned in a range of columns (9)
{COLONNADE} – here we have COLON (mark) and an anagram (fashioned) of DEAN to give a range of columns
7d Next real drunk outside (8)
{EXTERNAL} – an anagram (drunk) of NEXT REAL gives a word meaning outside
8d Showy and fashionable piece of silk found in the box (8)
{TINSELLY} – a word meaning showy is built up from IN (fashionable) and S (piece of Silk) inside TELLY (the box)
11d European tucks into dull food (4)
{MEAT} – put E(uropean) inside (tucks into) MAT (dull) to get some food
15d Host to admit volunteers at home (9)
{ENTERTAIN} – a synonym for to host comes from a charade of ENTER (to admit) TA (Territorial Army / volunteers) and IN (at home)
17d Young man around court beginning to recognise group (8)
{SQUADRON} – put SON (young man) around QUAD (court) and R (beginning to Recognise) to get a group
18d One removed by conceited sentry in leading party (8)
{VANGUARD} – take I (one removed) away from VA(I)N (conceited) and add GUARD (sentry) to get the leading party
20d Staple cost (minus a penny) (4)
{RICE} – a staple food that is (P)RICE (cost) without the P (minus a penny)
21d A teen being disruptive around mother causing issue (7)
{EMANATE} – an anagram (being disruptive) of A TEEN around MA (mother) give a word meaning to issue
22d Feature of gun? Shrink in horror (6)
{RECOIL} – more a feature of firing a gun in this double definition where the definition is to shrink in horror
23d Honour leaders of each side before match is promoted (6)
{ESTEEM} – a word meaning honour that is constructed by adding E S (leaders of Each Side) to MEET (match) reversed (is promoted – a down-clue only construct)
26d Epic account, one revolutionary parliament supported (5)
{ILIAD} – Homer’s epic account of the final year of the Trojan War comes from I (one) and DAIL (Irish parliament) reversed (revolutionary)
A mixture of the good and the not-so-good, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Is there an extra ‘a’ in 20d?
Not that I can see.
Why the compiler has to spoil a perfectly good crossword with a womans name 29a, and a vague Italian place 28a, I will never know.Very difficult to pick the best of 14a,4d,8d,17d, and 18d.
Enjoyed this which was fairly easy as you say. Liked PENDULUM, RECOIL.
Can’t see a problem in including a woman’s name – I’d have thought too that Bari was fairly well known.
Enjoyable and fairly easy, I too liked 28a.
Thanks for blog and comments on my puzzle. Hope the good clearly outweighed the not so good. Take the view that one name as an answer per puzzle is acceptable – but interested to know what others think.
At least your one name allowed me a link to one of my favourite
CheckChuck Berry tracks! [I can correct my own mistakes!]Come on Dave , CHUCK Berry!
I enjoyed this one Shamus, thank you. I flew through it save 8d and 29a. A straightforward puzzle in my humble opinion.
It was just what I needed at the end of a long hot day. A lot of the surface readings were pleasing. Just 8d didn’t click immediately.
Thank you Shamus. As a beginner I’m afraid I only got about two thirds done but none the less very much enjoyed it. I did not know Bari = italian place but i should have looked that up as I sensed that was how it worked. Mark = colon I would never have got in a 100 years – i must remember that.