Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2523
A full analysis by Peter Biddlecombe
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
As you probably expected, your Sunday setter took full advantage of the puzzle appearing on Valentine’s day. Every clue is about romance, and so are many answers.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | To teasingly excite desire is a talent, in a way (9) |
| TANTALISE = anag. of “is a talent” | |
| 6 | Darling embracing second love – that’s saucy for an Italian (5) |
| PESTO – S=second in PET=darling, then O=love | |
| 9 | Tragic lover’s letter, as heard on radio (5) |
| ROMEO – R in the radio alphabet | |
| 10 | People getting passionate when they go to the pictures? (3-6) |
| ART LOVERS – cryptic definition, “pictures” being paintings, not your chance to snog in the back row | |
| 11/22 | Nothing accomplishes global revolution – so people romantically suppose (4,5,3,5,2,5) |
| LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND – LOVE = nothing, MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND = accomplishes global revolution | |
| 14 | Adore us madly, being full of passion (7) |
| AROUSED = anag. of “adore us” | |
| 16 | Excessively cares for girl embraced back in Greek island (7) |
| COSSETS – reverse of TESS in COS = Greek island | |
| 17 | Diamonds produced in middle of romantic evening (3) |
| ICE – hidden word | |
| 18 | Faces people behaving amorously (7) |
| KISSERS – 2 definitions | |
| 20 | Name of girl combining passion with energy (7) |
| DESIREE = DESIRE,E | |
| 26 | Brother ogling and being playful (9) |
| MONK=brother,EYING | |
| 27 | Tune composed about one meaning to get married (5) |
| UNITE – I=one in anag. of TUNE | |
| 28 | Point about time being short in cosy places for lovebirds (5) |
| NESTS – T=time, in NESS = point = headland | |
| 29 | Valentine from Verona, for example, for a courteous chap (9) |
| GENTLEMAN – Valentine is one of Shakespeare’s two gents from Verona (Proteus is the other) | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Originally try love as novice (4) |
| TYRO = anag. of try, O=love | |
| 2 | Rose’s sweetness isn’t dependent on this, according to 9’s lover (4) |
| NAME – Juliet tells us “that which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet” | |
| 3 | Get excited, mostly about doctor being romantic (7) |
| AMOROUS – M.O. = doctor, in AROUSE(d) | |
| 4 | Silly dalliance, romance, and love all end thus (5) |
| INANE = “in an E” – final letter of the three words mentioned | |
| 5 | Admission at end of card – swept off one’s feet (9) |
| ENTRANCED – ENTRANCE = admission = permission to enter, D = “end of carD” | |
| 6 | Under pressure, loved ones can be insincere types (7) |
| PHONEYS – P=pressure, HONEYS = loved ones | |
| 7 | Weather set badly for recipient of Valentine (10) |
| SWEETHEART – anag. of “weather set” | |
| 8 | Romantic meal that could make sweet story (6,4) |
| OYSTER STEW = anag. of “sweet story” | |
| 12 | Notice a couple of points warning they could be femmes fatales? (10) |
| MARKSWOMEN – MARK = notice (verb), SW = “a couple of points”, OMEN = warning | |
| 13 | They launch Cupid’s darts and play violins etc. (10) |
| BOWSTRINGS – “bow strings” = “play violins etc.” | |
| 15 | In Sherwood, is Robin gently preparing to make love? (9) |
| DISROBING – hidden word | |
| 19 | Like either part of eternity ring (7) |
| ENDLESS – describing both “eternity” and “ring” | |
| 21 | Liable to arouse passion, unless ordered outside area (7) |
| SENSUAL – A=area in anag. of UNLESS | |
| 23 | Paper heart, perhaps (5) |
| ORGAN – two definitions | |
| 24 | Initially fell in love making ‘Love Story’, for example (4) |
| FILM – first letters of words in clue | |
| 25 | Juliet, for one, in passionate entanglement (4) |
| TEEN – hidden word – from memory, Juliet is about fifteen | |
I’m not going to bother picking out individual clues for their greatness as there are just too many. This is possibly the best and most complete thematic puzzle I’ve ever solved, an absolute masterpiece. I could fill another ten lines of text with superlatives, and I really feel sorry for anyone who didn’t get the chance to tackle this crossword.
Top marks, laurels, even the entire collection of Olympic gold medals to the setter.
Anax,
I can only agree with you. I tried to explain how good this was to my wife. Unfortunately the concept of cryptic crosswords is lost on her. However she did understand the theme – thank goodness!
Agreed. As I said on Sunday it was not just a crossword it was a work of art.
Can only reiterate my comment from Sunday .. loved it!!