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DT 26365

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26365

Hints and tips by Big Dave

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

If you were wondering what had happened to Ray T when he failed to put in an appearance last Tuesday, now you know the answer. He has become Captain Scarlet, on a mission to repel the Mysterons!  I’m sure he will be along later to confirm, but today’s Quick crossword has his trademark single word clues.

Gazza was tickled pink with 2 down – a pity that he is not doing today’s review

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.

Across

1a    Get off with airhead blonde (6)
{ALIGHT} – to get off, for example, a bus combine A (Air head) with blonde, as a shade of colour

4a    Inconsistent United Nations’ record (8)
{UNSTABLE} – a word meaning inconsistent is a charade of UNS (United Nations’) an a record kept in rows and columns

10a    Robin and Batman originally caught by arrested crook (9)
{REDBREAST} – another name for the robin is formed by putting B(atman) inside an anagram (crook) of ARRESTED

11a    Simpleton admitting small peculiarity (5)
{TWIST} – inside a word for a simpleton put S(mall) to get a peculiarity or quirk

12a    Frank, personal writer? (7)
{DIARIST} – Anne Frank, to be precise, was this

13a    Ham finished before a case of claret (7)
{OVERACT} – to ham on stage is a charade of finished and the outside letters (case) of ClareT

14a    Pin back a vine (5)
{LIANA} – reverse a type of pin (one you hit with a hammer) and add A to get a vine or climbing plant

15a    A fish’s outside wing giving a shock (8)
{ALARMING} – put A and a fish that appears in many crosswords around a wing and you get a verb meaning giving a shock

18a    Madness of Dane, with time, deranged (8)
{DEMENTIA} – a synonym for madness comes from an anagram (deranged) of DANE and TIME

20a    Damn solution consuming last of brains (5)
{CURSE} – a word meaning to damn is created by putting a solution around (consuming) S (last of brainS)

23a    Stomach wind leading to endless joke (7)
{GASTRIC} – stomach here is being used as an adjective, as in stomach pains, and is a charade of some wind and a joke without its last letter (endless)

25a    Waster of time, getting sack by year’s end (7)
{TRIFLER} – this waster is a charade of T(ime), to sack and R (yeaR‘s end)

26a    Did I omit to include phrase? (5)
{IDIOM} – a phrase is hidden (to include) inside the first three words of the clue

27a    Head of state’s occupant after power (9)
{PRESIDENT} – the head of a state is derived by putting an occupant after P(ower)

28a    Composed in concert (8)
{TOGETHER} – a double definition – composed and in concert

29a    Capital of Yugoslavia, then Serbia (6)
{ATHENS} – the capital of Greece is hidden inside the last three words of the clue

Down

1d    Given a draught beer after growler? (8)
{AIREDALE} – a word meaning given a draught, or ventilated, is followed by a (proper) beer to get a type of dog (growler)

2d    A top spot here’s Gary Jones, perhaps (7)
{INDIANA} – I bet a lot of you didn’t know that Gary is in this US state, although the Jones of several adventure films is easier to get – this clue is a tribute to regular reviewer Gazza, who has allowed me to “out” his real name!

… and a blast from the days when pop music was worth listening to, courtesy of the Explosive Freddie Cannon

ARVE Error: need id and provider

3d    Raunchier broadcast provoking storm (9)
{HURRICANE} – an anagram (broadcast) of RAUNCHIER gives this storm

5d    This should provoke a popular uprising! (8,6)
{NATIONAL ANTHEM} – a cryptic definition of a piece of music, during the playing of which it is traditional to stand

6d    The French bird’s on call (5)
{TITLE} – the French definite article is preceded by a bird to get a verb meaning to call or name

7d    Monarchy, it’s kept in mind (7)
{BRITAIN} – to get this monarchy put IT inside (kept in) a mind or intellect

8d    Grounds for divorce finally, say (6)
{ESTATE} – these grounds, or area of land, are a charade of E (divorcE finally) and to say

9d    It could be eaten or drunk (4,10)
{PAST PARTICIPLE} – the part of speech that covers eaten and drunk

16d    Turner say, seeing a feature in fog (9)
{MACHINIST} – a person who operates, for example, a lathe is derived by putting A and a facial feature inside a light fog

17d    Remains of dead, it’s true, scattered (8)
{DETRITUS} – these remains are constructed from D(ead) followed by an anagram (scattered) of IT’S TRUE

19d    Newton’s head, wreathed in genius, somehow succeeding (7)
{ENSUING} – put N (Newton’s head) inside (wreathed in) an anagram (somehow) of GENIUS to get a verb meaning succeeding or following

21d    Free experience again taking Ecstasy (7)
{RELIEVE} – a verb meaning to free is constructed from to experience again around (taking) E(cstasy)

22d    One thinks, for example, first about oneself initially (6)
{EGOIST} – someone who thinks about themselves is created by putting the Latin abbreviation of “for example” and IST (first) around O (Oneself initially)

24d    Brief innings possibly up after run (5)
{REMIT} – a brief or terms of reference is derived by taking an innings, as in a spell or turn, reversing it (up – in a down clue) and putting it after R(un)

This puzzle has certainly brightened up what is often a very dull Thursday morning.

49 comments on “DT 26365”

  1. I am glad you gave it 3* difficulty as I was thinking it was me. I liked 2d, not just because of the Gazza connection and 9d for the possible element of confusion. Thanks to Captain Scarlet and BD too.

    I tussled with the Toughie a bit today but it might be one of those that suits Gnomes better than Sues as he finished quite early.

  2. I filled in the state name not knowing why with 2d. Thanks for clearing that up for me Dave, a nice tribute to Gazza.
    Overall I found todays puzzle trickier than most. I sat looking at 25a for what seemed like a lifetime.
    Fav was 17d as it reminded me of my former employment in the water industry.
    Thanks to you Dave and (Sting)Ray

  4. I thought this was a very good puzzle. Favourite clue probably 9d.
    Many thanks to Ray T (assuming it is his), and to BD.

  5. I thought it was a RayT too, I found this really difficult today and after an hour and only getting the bottom l/h corner and part of the right I gave in and as there was no blog up, ran through it on the phone with my brother, some, most clues, I thought Oh why couldn’t I see that but there were a few worthy of a toughie I thought, that I just wouldn’t have got, last to go in 5d, which should have been obvious! and 25a, for me it was a bit like getting blood out of a stone today! got 2d through the actor, I will only ever think of Gazza as Gazza :) I am firmly in the CC after todays the only chance I will ever get of escaping will be on a Rufus puzzle! A 4* for me today!

  6. Clearly not one for me today and the weather is too good to miss. Good luck to the rest of the CC!

    1. Have a god day, the forecast for tomorrow is 20deg, so here’s hoping they’ve got it right!

      1. I have just had two and a half hours of riding by bicycle in glorious sunshine (20 degrees) Mary so I hope you get it tomorrow if not today. It must be the start of an Indian summer if that expression is stiil permitted under PC rules.

  7. Best Thursday crossword for ages, thanks RayT and thanks BD for the review. Very well deserved tribute to Gazza.

  8. What a lovely puzzle to come back to – I enjoyed that. Several nice clues for me – I liked 29a 7d and 16d. Stuck for a while on 1df and kcked myself when I realised what the growler was.- makes a change..

    2d was a nice easy one as I knew both areas of the definition. 16d was my last in as I couldn’t get away from Turner the painter!!! Finally twigged. Glad to find the brain didn’t die while I was in hospital – must have been doing the Mail puzzles.

    Thanks for the blog BD and for the puzzle Captain Scarlet.

    1. Well done Lea, I thought it was a tough one to come back to! Hope you used your good leg to kick yourself with! I kept thinking of the painter too :)

      1. I did Mary – now need to go unpack my groceries as Ocada just delivered.

        BTW I did see what rain was like when I was watching the Ryder Cup in hospital – Wales lived up to its reputation for the downpour – made me think of you.

          2. Ah, we don’t have a Waitrose here, I get Tesco delivery for all the heavy stuff especially the large tins of dog food!

  9. Please forgive the complete ignorance Dave but what has top spot to do with 2d? Is it because it is in the North of the state??

      1. Is it alluding to the capital of the state in a very roundabout way as in the top spot of that state is Gary?

        1. Gary isn’t the state capital which is Indianapolis. I think that a top spot just means that it’s at the Northern edge of the state.

  10. Nice fun puzzle today. I am crap at spotting setters but when it was suggested I took another look and would plump for RayT.
    5d and the well deserved 2d were favourite.
    Thanks to the presumed setter and to BD.

  11. Many thanks to RayT for making my day. You won’t be surprised to know that I thought this puzzle was excellent!!
    So, if RayT is moving to Thursdays that still leaves us not knowing what’s happening on Tuesdays.

    1. Gazza,
      Maybe an attempt to smooth the week from Easy(ish) to Hard(ish), as the Telegraph used to. Shamus and Ray on Tuesday did provide a bit of a shock after a Monday.

  12. A very entertaining puzzle today and congrats to Gazza for the deserved tribute, although “A top spot…” threw me as well. My favourite clue was 29a, which I just did not see – very elegant and infuriating:) I also liked 5d and 9d – I love those long cryptics.

    Thanks to RayT and BD.

  13. 2d – There is a musical – The Music Man I think – if you have seen that you might remember a song about Gary and the state it is in. And I believe that Michael Jackson and his many brothers and sisters also come from that neck of the woods

    1. Re The Music Man, Gary does indeed sing a song about this state. Although rather repetative, it had the virtue of having no ‘S”s in it,Gary being self-concious about his lisp.

      1. Correction! THe lad who sings it has a lisp, but his name isn’t Gary! I think it’s Winthrop. Close.

  14. It’s a fair cop, guv!

    Many thanks to BD for the review and to everybody else for the comments.

    Ray T

  15. Another fragmented day. Struggled to start with, but with a fresh look 2nd time round it fell into place. Fav. clues 12a and 7d. Cant say I’m familiar with 14a, but was apparent from the clue. Nice Puzzle.

  16. Another very tough one today. Think I’m gradually getting the hang of these charade type clues a bit more thanks to todays and yesterdays. I like 5 and 25 best.

  17. What an enjoyable puzzle for Thursday, more so after the recent Thursday disappointments. I started late today because the weather is so good I spent most of the day walking on the moors. Shirt sleeve order as-well.
    I initially tried to put in “standing ovation” for 5d, yes I know it didn’t fit!
    Too many favourites to mention so thanks to the now confirmed Ray T and Big Dave.

  18. Yes, very satisfactory, so many thanks to Ray T and to BD for the explanations and pictures. I sailed through it this morning with the minimum of help and,but for a couple of phone calls, would have completed it in time for Clued Up. So I shall probably be completely flummoxed tomorrow!

    There were plenty of excellent clues, especially 2d. What a lot of Gary Joneses there are, to be sure! There’s an actor, several football players, a male nurse and even the state accountant for Oklahoma — but then Indiana came to mind and the song from “The Music Man” and all became clear.
    :-)

  19. Two cricket references today (Cryptic – 24d + Toughie 28a) – but I have not seen not a “single” complaint from the Ladies – have they given in?

    1. I very much doubt it – probably too busy getting tea ready. OUCH !!!!! That hurt, Mary!

      1. When they have finished the washing up, they might be interested by a recent clue in the Guardian: Cryptic crossword No 25,115. It concerns, perhaps, the most famous English Woman cricketer (or maybe the only famous English Woman Cricketer):

        13a Batty Ms Flint announcing her resignation? (5-2)

        If in doubt, check it out on the Guardian Web-Site – free for all-comers!

  20. Excellent puzzle today. I would say 4* but managed to complete it, with 2 friend, but no help from the review as had no internet sitting in the sun in Salthouse. Lovely. Took a while though. Sleep well all.

  21. Nice puzzle today, did it at work tonight, didn’t even have any 18a moments.
    Thanks to Ray T & BD :D

  22. I found this to be a very interesting puzzle.
    Best clues for me were 12a & 1d but I also liked 2d, 5d, 7d, 9d & 16d.

    Re 7d : it appears that the mind is not in the brain – I recommend reading “Consciousness Beyond Life”, Pim van Lommel MD, Harper 2010 (or if you have the Dutch “Eindeloos Bewustzijn”, Ten Have 2007).

    It may help people to come to terms with existence.

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