Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26181
A full analysis by Big Dave
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
A bit harder than last week – heading in the right direction!
Across
1a A way to join the union? (8,7)
MARRIAGE SERVICE – cryptic definition
9a Space where rackets are exposed first (9)
COURTROOM – ROOM (space) is preceded by tennis COURT (where rackets are exposed) – then read the whole of this all-in-one clue to get the (cryptic) definition
10a Exult over converted goal and initial try (5)
GLOAT – to exult over comes from an anagram (converted) of GOAL followed by the first (initial) letter of Try – does initial try actually give T? What do you think?
11a Who in France accepted Anglo-Saxon as it were? (5)
QUASI – QUI (who in French) around (accepted) AS (Anglo-Saxon) to get a Latin word that means as if or as it were
12a Roll angry worker had about lunchtime (9)
CROISSANT – this a crescent-shaped bread-roll made with a large quantity of butter is built up from CROSS (angry) and ANT (worker) around I (1 o’clock / lunchtime)
13a Became fixed in the rose garden perhaps (8)
EMBEDDED – the second part of this double definition is cryptic
14a Architectural feature to leave you cold, it is reported (6)
FRIEZE – an architectural feature that sounds like (it is reported) freeze ( to leave you cold)
16a Melvyn will take in your old chemical (6)
METHYL – put MEL(vyn) around (take in) THY (you, old-fashioned) to get a chemical
18a Dealer smelt rat suspiciously (8)
MALTSTER – a dealer in an essential ingredient of whisky is an anagram of SMELT RAT, indicated by suspiciously
22a Measurement of denims, I altered leg (9)
DIMENSION – this measurement is an anagram (altered) of DENIMS I followed by ON (the leg side in cricket)
23a Inventor riskily included gold lace (5)
ORRIS – hidden inside (included) inventor riskily is a kind of gold (or silver) lace used in the 18c
24a Initially left out one flannel and sponge (5)
LOOFA – the first letters (initially) of Left Out One Flannel And give one way of spelling this sponge
25a Getting on a bit in German locality of battle where valuable metal can be found (9)
GOLDFIELD – put OLD (getting on a bit) inside G(erman) and FIELD (locality of battle) gives a place where valuable metal can be found
26a Like the one that spoils the barrel? (6,2,3,4)
ROTTEN TO THE CORE – one apple like this is all that it takes to spoil the barrel
Down
1d Staff included a question about monkey (7)
MACAQUE – put A QU(estion) inside MACE (staff) to get a monkey of the genus to which the rhesus and the Barbary ape belong
2d Drama criticism is a growing thing (7)
RHUBARB – a double definition
3d Now detaining a shady criminal (2,4,3,3,3)
IN THIS DAY AND AGE – a phrase meaning now is an anagram, indicated by criminal, of DETAINING A SHADY
4d Greek mistakenly chose northern currency (8)
GROSCHEN – GR(eek) followed by an anagram (mistakenly) of CHOSE and finally N(orthern) results in a former Austrian and German unit of currency
5d South American youngster, he was betrayed (6)
SAMSON – S(outh) AM(erican) and SON (youngster) give this biblical character who was betrayed by Delilah
6d Cost of enrolment whilst circulating foreign treatise (12,3)
REGISTRATION FEE – the cost of enrolment is an anagram (circulating) of FOREIGN TREATISE
7d Hard time long ago (4,3)
IRON AGE – IRON (hard) and AGE (time) for a time long ago
8d Give name to bird in centre of Henley (7)
ENTITLE – a word meaning to give name to is derived by putting TIT (bird) inside ENLE (centre of Henley
15d Grand relative enabled to have cover for one hand (8)
GAUNTLET – a charade of G(rand) AUNT (relative) and LET (enabled) gives a cover for one hand
16d One becoming involved in someone else’s concerns for fruit, say (7)
MEDDLER – someone becoming involved in someone else’s concerns sounds like (say) medlar (a fruit related to the apple)
17d Suitable moment in the open air to have short break (4,3)
TIME OUT – TIME (suitable moment, as in the right time) and OUT (in the open air) gives a short break
19d Trooped out to see missile (7)
TORPEDO – an anagram (out) of TROOPED gives this missile
20d About eleven players going round the bend with what is left (7)
RESIDUE – RE (about) and SIDE (eleven players) around U (the bend) result in a word meaning what is left
21d One cannot sit still and do this (6)
FIDGET – a cryptic definition
Hopefully continuing the recent trend of the Saturday challenge becoming more challenging?
Thanks for the review BD.
I was a little surprised that there seemed to be nothing to indicate where to place the ‘I’ in 12a. Does this sort of thing occur sometimes, or is left to us the make the judgement, or is it obvious, or is it not a very good clue? Just curious …
It is usual to say that A is included inside B without saying whereabouts – you are told sometimes, but not often.
Thanks for clarifying. The impression I had gained over the last few months was that more often than not where to include such single letters was indicated in the clue.