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DT 26203

by Libellule  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26203

Hints and tips by Libellule

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

An easier crossword than yesterday in my opinion. with generally good surface readings. However there is a real mixture of clue quality, the worst for me being 23d or 13a, whilst the extra star (two stars has been usual for a while) for enjoyment is for 1a.

If you highlight the space between the curly bracket, you will reveal the answer. Please leave a comment, and I hope the CC enjoy this one.

Across

1. Die of cold (3,4)
{ICE CUBE} – A cryptic definition that works quite well for me. The die you are interested in is often used in games.

9. Pa ceased to be prepared for adventure (8)
{ESCAPADE} – An anagram (to be prepared) of PA CEASED is a a wild and exciting undertaking that isn’t always legal.

10. Rightly reasoning that a piece of wood has little dietary value (7)
{LOGICAL} – String together LOG (piece of wood) I (one) and CAL (the abbreviation for calorie).

11. Sidney cares about motorcycle attachments (8)
{SIDECARS} – Take the shortened form of Sidney and then an anagram (about) of CARES and you have one-wheeled cars used for passengers that are bolted onto the side of motorcycles.

12. Covering Southern shrub land (6)
{SHEATH} – A case for a blade (for example) is simply S (southern) and another word for a moor.

13. Span a superior crossing (10)
{OVERBRIDGE} – An exact double definition of “to span” (verb) or “a superior crossing” (noun) as per Chambers.

15. On the street I run activity (4)
{STIR} –A synonym of 27a. Put I, and then R (run) on an abbreviation for street.

16. Before today agreed territory for the first lady (9)
{YESTEREVE} – An archaic word for yesterday evening, or morning is made up from a word of consent, an abbreviation for territory, and the wife of Adam.

21. Idiot lied regularly to obtain small portion (4)
{DOLE} – Take the even letters (regularly) of idiot lied and you have a payment that is made to the unemployed, but can also be a small portion or share.

22. Minor tremor as a result of bombshell (10)
{AFTERSHOCK} – A charade of AFTER (as a result of) and SHOCK (bombshell) is also a less powerful earthquake that follows a much bigger one.

24. Arrival of revenue (6)
{INCOME} – A double definition. The act of coming in, or money earned over time.

25. I reshape eccentric self-righteous person (8)
{PHARISEE} – An anagram (eccentric) of I RESHAPE as well as being a self-righteous person is also a member of an early Jewish sect that appears in at least two of the parables.

27. Keep moving the Italian through a doorway (7)
{AGITATE} – Put the abbreviation for Italian, inside (through) A GATE (doorway) to find another word for keep moving.

28. Bed accommodating Master that is most spacious (8)
{ROOMIEST} – Bed in this case usually refers to a perch or place for a sleeping bird. This goes around M (Master) and IE (id est – that is) for a word that means very generous or large in area or extent.

29. Crush the work of the media (7)
{OPPRESS} – The musical term for work commonly used in crosswords followed by a common noun for media. An obsolete definition in this case is crush, a more modern definition would be to treat with cruelty or injustice.

Down

2. Works decoratively on intricate corset with check lining (8)
{CROCHETS} – Put the chess abbreviation for check inside an anagram (intricate) of CORSET, and you are creating needlework using a hooked needle.

3. Courtsey shown by Greek character to lady by railway (8)
{CHIVALRY} – Definition is courtesy. Now put together the 22nd Greek letter, a girls name, and then RY (railway).

4. Covers punts, for example (10)
{BOATHOUSES} – A cryptic definition and it would cover, if you knew that punt in this case meant a flat-bottomed boat.

5. Wine tastier than some (4)
{ASTI} – An Italian white wine is hidden in the word tastier. The hidden word indicator presumably is “some”, and “than” is just used as padding.

6. Rush wildly through one’s life (6)
{CAREER} – A regular double definition. If this is the first time you have seen it – enjoy.

7. Thank you for the poets’ coats (7)
{TABARDS} – a knight’s sleeveless or short-sleeved coat for example, take TA (thank you) and then follow this with another word for poets, of which Shakespeare is the most well known.

8. Fevered Al seems to have spots (7)
{MEASLES} – An anagram (fevered) of AL SEEMS.

11. Eve strode out with dock worker (9)
{STEVEDORE} – Another anagram (out) of EVE STRODE is a person who loads and unloads ships.

14. Putting an end to getting divorced (8,2)
{BREAKING UP} – Double definition?, demolishing a ship for example, or ending a relationship.

17. Courted a striking teacher (8)
{EDUCATOR} – Yet another anagram (striking?) of COURTED A is also a teacher.

18. Weather conditions relevant to 151 friends (8)
{CLIMATES} – Take the roman numerals for one hundred and fifty one, and then add another word for pals or friends and you have the typical weather normally seen in various regions over time.

19. Vehicle left here (7)
{CARPORT} – The vehicle is a CAR now add the nautical term for left and you have a structure that offers some protection to vehicles usually attached to the side of a house.

20. CHHHCHHOH — hic! (7)
{ETHANOL} – C2H5OH or CH3–CH2–OH to be more accurate. Drinking alcohol.

23. Current, we hear, could be gettin’ higher by the sound of it (6)
{RAISIN} – A double sounds like, a word that sounds like current is also a word for a dried seedless grape that could be getting higher if you added an extra G. (Ugh!)

26. Point to the right (4)
{EAST} – If you are moving North, the opposite of West (point to the left).

52 comments on “DT 26203”

  1. One of the better Thursday crosswords but I agree it was on the gentler side of easy! Many thanks to our setter and to Libellule for the notes.

  2. Enjoyed this one, probably the fastest I have ever completed a DT Cryptic – narrowly missed my cluedup bonus. I actually quite liked 23d and 8d, but also did not rate 13a.

  3. It was ok but 16a, does anyone ever say that, I havn’t heard anyone use it in conversation.
    13a I agree was a bit weak.
    All in all this seems to be another of those puzzles it is a chore to fill rather than a pleasure
    Looking forward to tomorrow

  4. Excellent today, thoroughly enjoyed it and not just because I finished it! Loved 20d and the way it led you to alcohol rather than the chemical, very clever. The complier is to be congratulated in producing a fine piece of work.

  5. Barrie would probably have guessed that I found it very ordinary. I have seen 1 across before, so it went in very quickly.

    Pity about the spelling mistake in 3 down (courtsey instead of courtesy). Was that repeated in the newspaper?

    2. Dave,
      Re. 1a a google search for this clue, does indeed show its a crossword classic and has been used a number of times before. Either I have forgotten about it, or its a first time for me. Not sure which :-)
      But I will leave the three stars, its just about worth it.

    3. Are we a bit grumpy today BD. I finished it in record time so I probably enjoyed it. Usually I struggle to finished without your help

  6. It definitely must be the tabs i’m on, cos although i’ve finished it, i didn’t find it as easy as everyone else seems to, 1a, not seen before and was last to go in, must say i don’t like that one, 20 only got by using my little machine, only one fav clue 27a, it’s def either the tablets or the hour but i am not quite ‘with it’ :)

    1. Don’t fret Mary, it wasn’t that straightforward and Dave only thinks 1a ordinary and easy because as he says he has seen it before. If its the 1st time as it was with me, I thought it very clever but did need some side thinking. Keep well.

  7. Agree with your sentiments on the clue variety, Libellule. I wasn’t much fussed with 20a or 4d either.
    I did like 1a though and also 3d (despite the typo!)
    Thanks for the review and ta to our mystery setter.
    I hope the Toughie doesn’t make a fool out of me (2 to go! ;) )

  8. Agree with most – this was reasonable for a thursday. Crazy but I got hung up on 1a…
    and with regard to 20d. Just glad I listened in chemistry…(or was I drunk)?

  9. Well I finished on my own in record time, and enjoyed it. Maybe being ill has turned off my convergent thinking?

    20a was my favourite – I was initially misled as Barrie describes. Also liked 7d and 23d

    13a is not a word I have met before.

    I liked 16a; it may not be widely used but the clue is straightforward enough.

    2. I think I’ll add 16a to my active vocabularly, along with esurient which came up a couple of days ago.

  10. average fare in my opinion. and I did not like 20d at all. Is it even cryptic? felt more like general knowledge to me.
    1a was the one clue that I really enjoyed as I had not seen it before.

  11. Uninspiring offering today I thought – I enjoyed 1a as did many others and 20d had me scratching my head for a while but I finished this in record time for me and was left feeling let down. Nothing I can point to as being particularly poor but overall a tad too easy.

    Not so the toughie today! Finished, but looking forward to the review for one or two clarifications.

  13. Quite straightforward but enjoyable. Completion is not always achievable for me but I am pleased to report that it was today!!Particularly liked 20d and 28a.

  14. As always just goes to show you can’t please all the people all the time :-)
    This was def one for the CC. Thanks once more to the complier on behalf of all in the CC. To the more experienced of you out there, enjoy the Toughie, it’s exactly what it says on the tin!

  15. I don’t usually finish without help, but I got really close today. Mother-in-law had to get the last one for me (23d – don’t know why I didn’t see it).
    mark

  16. I know a lot of you out there are very clever, but spare a thought for the more cryptically challenged like me who never finds any day easy. I don’t want the compilers to feel everything needs to get harder and harder or it will ruin the pleasure I have had over the years of occasionally finishing. The toughie is for those of you with the more developed brains!

    1. Welcome to the blog Susie

      We are not necessarily looking for harder puzzles – just ones with interesting clues. Rufus (Monday’s setter) sets the standard for this.

    2. welcome to the CC Susie (clueless club) for those of us not quite as clever and who find most days a challenge :)

  17. Most of the lower half fell into place quit easily. Came back to it after a break and completed all but four, so still in the CC. Haven’t encountered 1a, never heard of 13a and not old enough to know 16a.

    Thanks to Libellule for unravelling one or two I didn’t understand, even though I got the right answers.

    1. The day I leave the CC Geoff will be when i can do one completely unaided, without books, electronic help or blog, i’ve been doing them 10 months or so no and i still can’t see that day coming, though i can complete without blog most days, so the CC is where i’ll stay :)

      1. I got kicked out yesterday on a technicality lol! Can I still be a member, Mary?

        Hope you are feeling well and many best wishes – if BD is the brain, you are definitely the heart (I reckon I’m the bladder!)

  18. Finished but struggled with the top right as i had1a as ***, TRAY. It wasn’t till i got it right that 3d fell, realising the spelling mistake. I thought it odd that ‘Courtsey’ is an old spelling for ‘Curtsey’. 10a was the last to go. I liked it and learnt a few things.

  20. I would have loved to do this, especially at the end of a stressful day, but Clued Up won’t print it. Also the date on the gobbledegook I receive is January 1970, so I suppose it’s the date. Sigh!
    I’ll not look at the hints and try again another day.

    Have a Happy Easter everyone. :-)

    1. Franny
      You’ll get it if you approach it differently. Click on “Cryptic Crosswords” from the home page, then select play for 26203, then print.

      1. I did that, Gazza, and it didn’t work. However, I just did it today and enjoyed it very much. Only needed help on 20d as chemically illiterate. Shouldn’t the clue for 4d have indicated that the answer was plural? Favourite clue was 10a — for those still reading this. :-)

    2. Happy Easter to y’all!
      I’m driving up to Rugby tomorrow morning to get wet on a golf course for two days.
      It might end up with an indoor putting competition in the hotel bar!

    3. Franny

      When I saw your comment I guessed what had happened!

      Someone must read the blog as the spelling mistake on 3 down has now been corrected. This seems to be done by uploading a whole new puzzle, but they always forget to repair the link on the home page – at midnight it becomes irrelevant. If you have already done the puzzle in its old form, you can collect another 600 points by doing it again.

  21. OMG first time we’ve surfed to help with final clue we couldnt get what a great site. Thanks to all who contribute

  22. Day stuck at home with Laryngitis and Norovirus (Oh the delights of working with small children!). Anyway this kept me sane between sleeps and I managed to finish all but one without the blog (just a little ref to Chambers) – a very good day for me! I loved 1a, 6d, 23d guessed 20d (having given up chemistry at 14). Not so keen on 13a and 19d.
    Happy Easter eveyone! :-)

    1. Happy Holiday from skool Claire- can’t wait for what tomorrow might bring crossword-wise with all day to finish it!

      2. Was looking forward to it but… can’t get on to clue-up website at all this morning. May have to give up and go get a paper!

  23. I enjoyed today’s crossword. The only one to hold me up was the chemical formula – CH3 CH2 OH – but I got there in the end! What’s all the fuss about 1across – surely that was easy as pie.

  24. All done relatively pain-free although I too do not recall 1a featuring before. Liked 4d best. I would equate this to a nice ploughman’s lunch with a pint of guinness to follow.

  25. Enjoyed this one. 4d fooled me almost completely – the whole betting thing on first reading made me think of “horses” rather than “houses”. I am sure that this was deliberate misdirection. Very impressive.

  26. Our first ever post, although we’ve been regular viewers, Enjoyed today finished fairly quickly but to much time spent wondering why the answer to 16a was Yesterday before the penny dropped

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