DT 26250

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26250

Hints and tips by Big Dave

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

Jay is as reliable as ever, and gives us an enjoyable, not-too-difficult puzzle.

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Across

2a    Broadcast second undertaking by one dropping out of school (12)
{TRANSMISSION} – if you can’t find something that sounds like second undertaking to solve this clue, that’s because broadcast is not a homophone indicator but the definition – put S(econd) and an (Impossible!) undertaking after (by) a word meaning to school without the I (one dropping out)

8a    Scrub minimum amount to be invested in case of waste (4)
{WIPE} – scrub the slate clean by putting 1P (one penny / minimum amount) inside (to be invested) the outside letters (case) of WastE

9a    Drink works for substitute (8)
{SUPPLANT} – a charade of to drink and an industrial works to get a word meaning to substitute

10a    Suppress what’s given to baby out of bed (6,2)
{BOTTLE UP} – a phrasal verb meaning to suppress is built up from what’s given to baby and out of bed

11a    Beats packs, full of energy (6)
{CREAMS} – a verb meaning beats is constructed from a synonym for packs, as in stuffs, with E(nergy) inside

12a    Vague gut feeling about policeman investigating (10)
{INDISTINCT} – a word meaning vague comes from a gut feeling or sixth sense around an officer in the CID (policeman investigating)

13a    Hold out script that lacks start and finish (6)
{EXTEND} – to hold out, as in to hold out your arms, is built from a script without its first letter (that lacks start) and a synonym for finish

16a    Better start drinking after the last word (5)
{AMEND} – a word meaning to better or improve is derived by putting D (start Drinking) after the last word in a prayer

17a    A small man needs weight to make him a fighter (6)
{BANTAM} – add weight to the end of this small man and you get a weight in boxing between flyweight and featherweight

18a    Badly put clue, say, for a tree producing oil (10)
{EUCALYPTUS} – an anagram (badly) of PUT CLUE SAY gives a tree that produces oil

21a    Group one originally thought could produce such a thief (6)
{BANDIT} – string together a group, I (one) and T (originally Thought) to get a thief belonging to a gang and typically operating in an isolated or lawless area.

23a    Institutions that might offer research in cattle crossing (8)
{OXBRIDGE} – the name applied collectively to the country’s two top universities is a charade of cattle and a crossing

24a    Show of appreciation given to a hunky doctor (5,3)
{THANK YOU} – a show of appreciation is an anagram (doctor) of TO A HUNKY

25a    Character-forming vehicle senior officers cut by half (4)
{GENE} – this character-forming vehicle comes from the first half of senior army officers

26a    Nicks work station in den (12)
{INDENTATIONS} – these nicks or marks are an anagram (work) of STATION IN DEN

Down

1d    One’s inside losing — deny any connection (6)
{DISOWN} – put I S (one’s) inside losing, as in behind in a game, to get a word meaning to deny any connection

2d    Examine scheme to include one high-flyer (4,5)
{TEST PILOT} – combine a word meaning to examine with a scheme, the latter placed around (to include) I (one) to get a high-flyer we saw as recently as last Sunday

3d    Insist something of value is inclusive of right (6)
{ASSERT} – a word meaning to insist is derived by putting something of value around (is inclusive of) Right

4d    Horror story of banking facility (8,7)
{SUSPENSE ACCOUNT} – a part-cryptic double definition that gives a home for unallocated banking items

5d    I did something about one elected and had an effect (8)
{IMPACTED} – put I and did something on the stage around someone elected to parliament to get a word meaning had an affect

6d    Value initially found in exclusive work out (5)
{SOLVE} – V (Value initially) is placed inside exclusive, as in an exclusive tenancy, to get a word meaning to work out – just like you are doing now!

7d    Possibly mention source of trouble in application (8)
{OINTMENT} – an anagram (possibly) of MENTION is followed by T (source of Trouble) to get an application for rubbing into the skin for healing or cosmetic purposes

14d    Accessories that are robust start to finish (9)
{TRAPPINGS} – to get these accessories take a word meaning robust and move the first letter from start to finish

15d    Battle for people generally accepting reinterpretation of Torah (8)
{MARATHON} – this famous battle in which the Athenians triumphed over the Persians in 490 BC is created by putting people generally around (accepting) an anagram (reinterpretation) of TORAH – tradition says that Pheidippides, a Greek messenger, ran all the way to Athens with news of the battle

16d    Something in a ring making them stay (8)
{AMETHYST} – a gemstone that you might have set into a ring is an anagram (making) of THEM STAY

19d    Offer beastly king mostly accepts with desire (6)
{LIBIDO} – put an offer inside most of the king of the jungle to get a sexual desire

20d    Universal right to hold onto information that’s critical (6)
{URGENT} – start with U(niversal) and add the two-letter abbreviation for RighT, placed around (to hold onto) information to get a word meaning critical

22d    One who’s desperate in front of church steps (5)
{DANCE} – put the desperate wild-west character from the dandy before (in front of) the Church of England to get these steps to music

As a special treat tomorrow Crypticsue, our first lady contributor, will be reviewing last Saturday’s Prize puzzle. You can read her first blog at 12.00 noon.