DT 26212 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 26212

by Libellule  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26212

Hints and tips by Libellule

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***

A nice enjoyable and gentle start to the week. With exactly what we expect from Rufus. No complaints from me. Both Gazza and I agree that 15d is the clue of the day.

As usual if you want to see the answers directly, just highlight the space between the curly brackets.

Across

1. New schoolmasters lacking the places to teach (10)
{CLASSROOMS} – I am sure I have seen this one before. An anagram (new) of SCHOOLMASTERS with THE removed (lacking) are places to teach.

9. Snack an angler looks forward to? (4)
{BITE} – A gentle cryptic definition, a snack, or when a fish accepts the bait.

10. Loud shrieking comes from this bird (10)
{KINGFISHER} – Loud is F and an anagram (comes from this) of SHRIEKING is a brightly coloured fish eating bird.

11. Put right in the picture? Yes (6)
{INSERT} – Yes indeed – The definition is “put” and you put R (right) into another word for a small map or illustration found inside a larger one.

12. Don’t agree to leave the ranks (4,3)
{FALL OUT} – What happens if you have a disagreement with someone, or the command given at the end of a military parade.

15. No deviation from a working party policy (7)
{BEELINE} – I am not 100% sure of the word play here. You are looking for a word that means “the most direct route from one point to another” in other words “no deviation from”, this could be a cryptic definition because in the case of a specific insect this is exactly what they do (their working party policy) or it could be BEE, a gathering of persons to unite their labour for the benefit of one individual or family, followed by LINE (policy).

16. Fear head chopped off in mistake (5)
{ERROR} – Remove T (head chopped off) from another word meaning extreme fear, and you end up with another word for a mistake.

17. Grasping what is meant by average (4)
{MEAN} – Double definition. Grasping in this sense means miserly.

18. Yield what is sown, say (4)
{CEDE} – A synonym for yield, that sounds like (say) SEED.

19. Carried on fighting for pay to touch five hundred (5)
{WAGED} – A word meaning to continue a war for example, is constructed from WAGE (pay) and the Roman numeral for five hundred.

21. A tract of meadow felt to be different (7)
{LEAFLET} – Think of the crossword word for meadow, and then add an anagram (to be different) of FELT. Tract in this case means a religious or political pamphlet.

22. Clearly sound touring organisation (4,3)
{RING OUT} – An anagram (organisation) this time of TOURING for a phrase that means to sound loudly, clearly and suddenly.

24. More suitable for one on the assembly line (6)
{FITTER} – A person who assembles or repairs the parts of a machine, etc could also be more appropriate.

27. The appeal of a fashionable career (10)
{INVOCATION} – The definition is appeal. Fashionable is IN, and then you need to add another word for one’s occupation, business, or profession.

28. State university gets backing of capital investment (4)
{UTAH} – An American state is constructed from the abbreviation for university followed by the reversal (backing) of something you might wear on your head – a capital investment.

29. Singer has tension after her work (10)
{SONGSTRESS} – Put another word for physical, emotional or mental pressure after what a singer would sing and you have an alternative word for a singer. If you see what I mean.

Down

2. Place where cubs may be left warm and dry (4)
{LAIR} – L (left), and a verb meaning to leave something to warm and dry is also the den or retreat of a wild animal.

3. Remarkable way to communicate (6)
{SIGNAL} – As an adjective this word means remarkable or notable, as a noun it means a transmitted effect conveying information. According to Chambers.

4. Reproduce and distribute university series (7)
{REISSUE} – An anagram (distribute) of the abbreviation for university and SERIES is also another word for reproduce.

5. Some darts pro cheats, by overstepping this line? (4)
{OCHE} – The line behind which a darts player must throw is hidden between pro and cheats.

6. He may be in or out (7)
{STRIKER} – Another word for a batsman (in), is also someone who is refusing to work for their employer (out).

7. Bring about a wage increase for someone? (4,4,2)
{GIVE RISE TO} – A phrase meaning to cause or to bring about, could also indicate that someone has just received a pay increase.

8. Community to pay workers overtime (10)
{SETTLEMENT} – A word for a colony is also SETTLE (pay), MEN (workers) above T (time).

12. A struggle that is relatively bitter (6,4)
{FAMILY FEUD} – The key word here is “relatively”, and it is used to mean kin. So what is a struggle between kin called?

13. Corrupt deal, say? (4,6)
{LEAD ASTRAY} – If you were to draw someone into a wrong course, or seduce them from proper conduct, you might have an anagram of DEAL.

14. Doctor to buy one a drink (5)
{TREAT} – To deal with a sick person is also a word used to mean to stand a drink or other gratification.

15. Dog may have a second helping (5)
{BOXER} – It’s the sort of dog who might fight in a ring.

19. We sign for flags (7)
{WEARIES} – WE, followed by the star sign for the ram also means to tire or droop.

20. Makes a film with misspelt credits (7)
{DIRECTS} – An anagram (misspelt) of CREDITS, is to plan and superintend the production of a film or play.

23. Order a hose connection (6)
{GARTER} – The highest order of knighthood in Great Britain is also a band used to support a stocking – in other words “a hose connection”.

25. It’s flat and square (4)
{EVEN} – Its level, and its also fair.

26. Expresses disapproval of alcoholic drink, say (4)
{BOOS} – Expressing disapproval sounds like (say) BOOZE.

56 comments on “DT 26212”

  1. Gentle as you say Libellule but 28a, how you arrive at hat from capital investment takes a long time to get round to.Not a word that sprung to mind as I read the clue, state and university gave it away.
    Favourite, can’t decide

    1. Nubian,
      Re. capital investment
      Its one of those things – if you have seen it used before, it tends to stick with you. But its not too difficult to derive the answer to the clue, and then work backwards to the wordplay…

  2. Pleasant, and not overly taxing for a Monday morning. I kept wanting to put seamstress for 29a (Singer sewing machines) even though I knew it was wrong. 15d very clever!

  4. Yes, nice easy start to the weak. Nothing contentious.

    I agree with 15d being the clue of the day – closely followed by 13d.

  5. I agree that this was a gentle run out – but for some reason I really struggled. NE corner was the problem, I took ages to see the word play for 15d and 15a was last to go in. Also misspelt the second word of 12d which didn’t help with 28a! My spelling is 100% visual memory, and for down clues it occasionally trips me up – anyone else have this problem?

  6. Now, after the gentle Torygraph runout from Rufus today – go and do his Grauniad version, and then please come back and explain 4d there to me…..

    2. I thought that the Telegraph one was much better than the Guardian today.
      What it means to a barman (7)
      If you ask a barman for Gin & IT, you get ITALIAN vermouth.

      1. Cheers , Gazza – I knew someone on here would come up with the bizzo . You are so right – but I thought the Grauniad version was twice as hard as the DT today – I’d have to ask Rufus whether that was a cunning plan, because I try and move onto his G-version if I have time and only on a Monday. Don’t get to try the Grauniad Rufus edition every week, though……..

      2. Gazza – been thinking about that – IT stands for Indian Tonic as in Schweppes Gin and IT, so now none the wiser, even though I managed the Crossword.

        1. I hate to disagree with you, Chairman, but “It” stands for Italian Vermouth in “Gin & It”.

        2. I agree with Gazza.

          In the long-ago days when I worked in a pub, Gin and It or Gin and French were the “cocktails” of their day.

          1. Gentlemen – thank you so much – absolutely can’t argue a single word. But , as you may now appreciate, that’s why I struggled on a single clue – which I obviously solved – in a crossword which we’re not even discussing here. ……Gin and IT – sorry, guys, still can’t see too many Italians……

        1. So did I, and when I finally found Boxer I couldn’t think why. I mean I know it’s a dog but that second helping stumped me for a while.

              1. The person who assists a boxer in his corner between the rounds of a boxing match is called a “second” (hence the cry “seconds out” as a round is about to start, warning the “seconds” to vacate the ring). So a boxer has a “second” helping him.

  8. Classic Monday Rufus puzzle.
    Agreed on 15d (last to go in with 15a) and 28a being favourites. I liked the ‘Return on capital investment’!
    Thanks for the review Libellule!.

  9. Bottom half of puzzle came together quite easily but i was stuck for a while on the top, fav clues 12d, 15d, could not get 15a, and only got Utah through the ‘state’ and ‘university’ part of clue, good luck CC its an ok one for us but definitely not too easy :) merci Libelulle

  10. Good start to Monday – even the four letter words were reasonable today. Thanks for the review Libelullle. Learned a new word in 5d – got it from the clue but had to look it up to make sure it was supposed to be that.

  11. Not at all easy for this CC’er – but that’s largely because I failed to see past some of the clever surface reading. There’s admirable cluing here. Thanks for the review Libellule.

    But, please someone, explain the connection between BOXER and ‘second helping’ .. ?

      1. No idea … a dog?? Good ol’ google returned a BBC boxing jargon guide, so now I know!

    1. Geoff,
      The clue literally tells you to put (insert) R (right) into INSET (the picture) – hence the yes!

      1. Gosh, that straightforward? I was looking for something more complex – ditto 22a, ‘ring out’ was so obvious I thought it must be wrong!

  16. Got halfway through before needing the blog but then a couple of checking letters later and the answers came to me. Like geoff I needing putting straight on 15d and the “yes” on 11a, although I can see why it’s there it still annoys me some. Still don’t understand how capital investment = hat?

    1. Matt,
      Capital can mean relating to the head, and invest can mean to put on, to adorn, clothe, cover (archaic)

  17. Nice start to the week, a couple of tricky ones but overall fine. I agree about 15d, def clue of the day. I also liked 1a, straightforward but made me smile. Not sure about 13d, didn’t read quite right for me.

  18. A good start to the working week with the usual Rufus flair. There were a couple of trickier clues than usual to keep us on our toes. I will go with the flow on 15 as the best clue but followed closely for me by 13d and 12d.

  19. I started off with this very happily, filling in so many clues straight off that I thought I’d be finished in record time — and then I got completely stumped! Needed help with a number of clues, especially 15d and a, and confused myself by putting Seed instead of Cede at 18a.

    But altogether a very enjoyable puzzle and an encouraging start to the week. Thanks so much, Libellule, for getting me through it. :-)

  21. With 14d i had tr?at so even I guessed it must be treat -but I can treat you to a meal , chocolate etc so I would have thought that without any checking letters this woud be difficult as you would looking for gin, tot , rum etc -where does drink come?

  22. i concur-easy start. my favourite was ‘the working party’ one;the relatively simple answer being so different from complex ‘political’ theme of the clue. What a buzz…then progressed onto the Times which was also a gentle loosener. is The Grauniad meant to be diff.?

  23. I enjoyed this and finished it (with a little help from my mother-in-law). I liked 1a and 21a particularly!
    Thanks for the review!
    mark

  24. Found this challenging – not tuned in today and I obviously need a good night’s kip!!

  26. Nice gentle start to the week.
    I liked 11a, 22a, 15d, 19d & 23d.
    Must now hit the sack – too many late nights following The Masters at Augusta!

  27. Struggling with the top right corner of this one. I think I have got 6d correct now (not peeked yet, Libellule!), but as a matter of interest did anybody else try ‘swinger’? That was the wife’s idea – well she started with ‘spinner’, as in bowler, but we decided they were on- and off-, whereas a swing bowler could bowl in- or out-swingers.

    1. Andy,
      Nope I didn’t think of it, but I can see why you did. I assume your wife is knowledgable at cricket then :-)

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