Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26121
A full analysis by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
On balance a reasonable puzzle, in spite of a few not-very-cryptic clues.
Across
1a Judges inquire before one’s second act of treachery (5,4)
JUDAS KISS – JUD is the abbreviation for the Book of Judges in the Bible and follow that with ASK (inquire) I’S (one’s) and S(econd) and the result is an act of treachery under the guise of kindness – note how Judges requires a capital J in this context and this is disguised by placing it as the first word in the clue
6a Common sense, very very little for instance outside (5)
SAVVY – basic common-sense comes from VV (very very little) with SAY (for instance) outside
9a Thomas taking said hat from draw! (7)
TOMBOLA – TOM with BOLA which sounds like BOWLER (said hat)
10a Fully equipped spring discovered (4-5)
WELL-FOUND – a word meaning fully equipped is a charade of WELL (spring) and FOUND (discovered)
11a Ex-allowance (7)
ALIMONY – an allowance paid to a former partner
12a Rules for language school (7)
GRAMMAR – a double definition, rules for language and a school at which you are taught the rules for the English language
13a Most important building to see in Devon (6,9)
EXETER CATHEDRAL – a see is a diocese, and this is the most important building in this Devon diocese
18a Lot giving support to melody (7)
FORTUNE – whatever comes by lot or chance is a charade of FOR (giving support to) and TUNE (melody)
20a Instrument used by one getting 200 during game (7)
PICCOLO – this musical Instrument is constructed by putting CC (200 in Roman numerals) inside POLO (game)
22a Waver coming from local site (9)
OSCILLATE – this word meaning to waver is an anagram (coming from) of LOCAL SITE
23a Nothing taken from extraordinary response from poet (7)
SPENSER – an anagram (extraordinary) of RESP(O)NSE without the O (nothing taken from) gives this English poet
24a Mentally unhinged like Hazel? (5)
NUTTY – a double definition about which the least said the better
25a Consider what hostess should do (9)
ENTERTAIN – another double definition – to consider and what a hostess should do
Down
1d First person in France included extraterrestrial chart for high flier (3,5)
JET PLANE – put JE (first person in French) around ET (everyone’s favourite Extra Terrestrial) and PLAN (chart) for something that flies high
2d I am up in easily managed abode (8)
DOMICILE – I’M (I am) reversed inside DOCILE (easily managed) gives an abode
3d Old penniless top dogs arranging economic policy (4-2)
STOP-GO – an anagram (arranging) of TOP (D)OGS without the D (old penny) gives this economic policy
4d At home yet not at home to some extent (2,1,3)
IN A WAY – put together IN (at home) and AWAY (not at home)to get a phrase meaning to some extent
5d Star in the roof? (8)
SKYLIGHT – a sort of part-cryptic double definition
6d Personality, a medium in London area has the very thing (8)
SELFSAME – word sum time – SELF (personality) then A and M(edium) inside SE (South East / London area) gives a word meaning the very thing
7d There’s absolutely nothing in it (6)
VACUUM – a (cryptIc?) definition
8d Rodney floundering in the distance (6)
YONDER – an anagram (floundering) of RODNEY gives a word meaning in the distance
14d Sameness of nearly everybody in union (8)
EQUALITY – a word meaning sameness is derived by putting AL(L) (nearly everybody) inside EQUITY (the actors’ union)
15d Crack made by vicar accepting a vessel in church (8)
CREVASSE – a crack or split, especially applied to a cleft in a glacier is built up from REV (vicar) A SS (A Steam Ship / vessel) inside CE (Church of England)
16d Cecilia’s former country in Africa? (8)
RHODESIA – this slightly unusual construct tells you to take Cecil RHODES and then add IA to get the country in Africa that he founded
17d Spectator found lone rook circling (6-2)
LOOKER-ON – this spectator is an anagram (circling?) of LONE ROOK
18d Hardly cold (6)
FROZEN – say no more!
19d Scheme for obtaining money dishonestly causes uproar (6)
RACKET – a double definition
20d Peter’s prepared to decide beforehand (6)
PRESET – an anagram (prepared) of PETER’S gives a word meaning to decide beforehand
21d Mad rush that starts after finishing one’s education (6)
CAREER – this double definition can be either a mad rush or what you take up after finishing your education
If you haven’t come across the term before, a pangram is a puzzle in which all 26 letters of the alphabet are present in the answers, like this one.