DT 25969 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 25969

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.

11 comments on “DT 25969

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

    1. At least your one name allowed me a link to one of my favourite Check Chuck Berry tracks! [I can correct my own mistakes!]

  4. I enjoyed this one Shamus, thank you. I flew through it save 8d and 29a. A straightforward puzzle in my humble opinion.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

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