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.