Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26020
A full analysis by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment: ***
Starting this week, Peter Biddlecombe is reviewing the Sunday puzzles.
This one is better than many recent prize puzzles, but lacks that extra something that gives you a feeling of satisfaction as you fill in the final answer.
Across
1a Carrier with mouldable catch (7,3)
PLASTIC BAG – This carrier is a charade of a PLASTIC (mouldable) and BAG (the catch from, say, a pheasant shoot)
9a Hack composer dropped in (4)
CHOP – Fryderyk Franciszek CHOP(IN)
10a A bear at port first causing uproar (10)
HULLABALOO – A and BALOO (the bear in the Jungle Book) are preceded (first) by HULL (port) to give an uproar
11a Incomplete picture contract (4,2)
DRAW IN – drop the last letter (incomplete) from DRAWIN(G) (picture) to get a phrasal verb meaning to contract
12a Pre-eminent spinner has only 50% of the game (7)
TOPPING – a synonym for pre-eminent is a charade of TOP (a spinning toy) and 50% of PING (PONG) – the alternative name for a game of table tennis
15a Damage said key shelter (7)
MARQUEE – MAR (damage) and QUEE (said / sounds like key) give a large tent (shelter) – I didn’t like this as quee is not a word; marquee sounds like mar key but quee on its own has no sound
16a Last month, one year after producing rot (5)
DECAY – DEC(EMBER) with A (one) and Y(EAR) give a word meaning rot
17a See inside joint (4)
LOIN – LO (see) and IN (inside) combine to give a joint of meat
18a Sister turned up in siding (4)
SPUR – SR (an abbreviation for sister) with UP reversed (turned) inside gives a siding – my dislike of “A B in” meaning “B in A” continues!
19a Lad wrong to include doctor (5)
SIMON – this lad is derived by putting SIN (wrong) around MO (Medical Officer)
21a By way of channel bridge (7)
VIADUCT – VIA (by way of) and DUCT (channel) combine to give a bridge
22a New awakening concerning one’s origin (7)
REBIRTH – a new awakening that is a charade of RE (concerning) and BIRTH (one’s origin) – the two definitions are rather close making this a poor charade
24a Get official reprimand (3,3)
SEE OFF – SEE (get in the sense of to understand) and OFF(ICIAL) combine for a rather weak reprimand
27a Fellow with reddish-brown coat reckoned to have hindered (10)
FRUSTRATED – a charade of F(ellow) with RUST (a reddish-brown coating) and RATED (reckoned) results in a synonym for hindered
28a Only ten, not fifty getting precious stone (4)
ONYX – ON(L)Y X (ten) without the L (fifty in Roman numerals)
29a Desire data about much-wanted poem (10)
DESIDERATA – an anagram (about) of DESIRE DATA gives a poem by Max Ehrmann
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Down
2d Where in France between both sides there is menacing scowl (4)
LOUR – put OU (where in French) inside L(eft) and R(ight) to get a menacing scowl
3d Got rid of all one’s stock of drink that’s dated inside (4,2)
SOLD UP – one of those phrasal verbs, this one means got rid of all one’s stock, is constructed from SUP (drink) with OLD (dated) inside
4d Having arrived, go energetically heading towards station (7)
INBOUND – IN (having arrived – at the crease?) and BOUND (go energetically) together give heading towards station (as opposed to away from)
5d There’s no fighting in fortification that’s a huge structure (4)
BULK – remove WAR (fighting) from BUL(WAR)K (a fortification) to get a huge structure
6d Pleasant time for formal greeting in Oz? (4,3)
GOOD DAY – a double definition that I thought was very weak
7d Display item of clothing for rider (10)
SHOWJUMPER – a charade of SHOW (display) and JUMPER (item of clothing) gives this horse rider
8d Type of surgery on hospital furnace! (4-6)
OPEN-HEARTH – take OPEN-HEART surgery and add H(ospital) to get a type of furnace
12d Box set (10)
TELEVISION – a double definition with a smile 
13d Detective appearing periodically? (7,3)
PRIVATE EYE – a detective and a satirical magazine
14d Understand, say, soaring bird (3,2)
GET IT this expression meaning to understand comes from E.G. (for example / say) reversed (soaring, as it’s a down clue) followed by TIT (a small bird)
15d Norma moved house (5)
MANOR – an anagram (moved) of Norma that results in a house
19d Jeered when old Bob made guttural sounds (7)
SCOFFED – a word meaning jeered is derived from S (shilling / old bob) and COFFED, which sounds like coughed (guttural sounds)
20d Contradicted Edward holding entrance money (7)
NEGATED – a word meaning contradicted NED (Edward) around (holding) GATE (entrance money) – I always thought that the gate was the attendance at a game, but Chambers gives it as an alternative for gate-money
23d Partly skimp airing leading to damage (6)
IMPAIR – hidden (partly) inside skimp airing is a word meaning to damage
25d Fish hung up, salted initially before first smoke appeared (4)
HUSS – this fish comes from the initial letters of Hung Up, Salted and then the first letter of Smoke
26d From Zambia, set off with gusto (4)
ZEST – from Z ( the IVR code for Zambia) and an anagram (off) of SET comes a word meaning gusto – here “with” is misleading, but is required for the surface reading