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DT 26422

by Libellule  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26422

Hints and tips by Libellule

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

The usual offering from Rufus to cheer up our Monday morning cups of breakfast tea. Favourites for me 19a and 31a, whilst 26a gets a could do better.

The answer can be found by highlighting the space between the curly brackets.

Across

1. Nobody’s late so there’s no need to hurry (3,2,4,4)
{ALL IN GOOD TIME} – A phrase used to tell someone to be patient because the thing they are eager for will eventually happen when the time is right.

10. Pardoned and released (7)
{EXCUSED} – Double definition – forgiven and allowed to leave.

11. He may be prepared to sell his land (7)
{TRAITOR} – The sort of person who betrays their country.

12. Is paid, we hear, pots (4)
{URNS} – Sounds like (we hear) earns.

13. He wrote of French rival (5)
{DEFOE} – DE (French for of) and another word for an enemy was an English writer and journalist who wrote Robinson Crusoe.

14. Turn pale — guilty perhaps? (4)
{PLEA} – An anagram (turn) of PALE.

17. Having our nose put out of joint is hard to bear (7)
{ONEROUS} – Another anagram (out of joint) of OUR NOSE.

18. Tragic female chosen by the Royal Academy (7)
{ELECTRA} – A word for those that are to picked out, is then followed by the abbreviation for Royal Academy is also the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra.

19. Joint league champions? (7)
{TOPSIDE} – A cut of beef from the thigh containing no bone is when split (3,4) what a league champion also is.

22. Attendant in a mess (that is official of course) (7)
{STEWARD} – A double definition, the second being an official that you would find on a racecourse.

24. Priest needed by the sick (4)
{CURE} – Double definition, a term for a parish priest, is also a remedy.

25. Traps specially designed for small fish (5)
{SPRAT} – An anagram (specially designed for) TRAPS.

26. Hannah takes her to heart (4)
{ANNA} – Another girl’s name is hidden in Hannah.

29. The Parisian is on river for relaxation (7)
{LEISURE} – The French (masculine) word for the, IS, and finally a river in North Yorkshire, gives another word for ease or relaxation.

30. I’m old-fashioned, there’s no getting away from it (7)
{IMPASSE} – IM, plus a word for gone by or past one’s prime creates a word to mean a deadlock or a stalemate.

31. What stealing a product is? (7,3,3)
{AGAINST THE LAW} – An anagram (product) of WHAT STEALING A.

Down

2. Freedom no longer required for dogs (7)
{LICENCE} – Double definition, one of which refers to the sort of certificate you needed before 1987 to prove that you owned a dog.

3. This month in an abbreviated way (4)
{INST} –The abbreviation for “in or of the present month”, is also IN and the abbreviation for street.

4. She’s worshipped by a man in the gallery (7)
{GODDESS} – Put DES (a man) inside a term for the highest and cheapest gallery of a theatre for a female deity you might worship.

5. Beaten, due to no preparation (7)
{OUTDONE} – An anagram (preparation) of DUE TO NO.

6. Kind of door catch (4)
{TRAP} – A door you might see in a stage floor, is also a stratagem for catching someone unawares.

7. Sailor gives great deal to wife (7)
{MATELOT} – Another word for a sailor is constructed by using a word for your other half, plus LOT (a great deal).

8. Air force degrees? (8,5)
{BEAUFORT SCALE} – An international scale of wind velocities devised by a British admiral and hydrographer.

9. Punishing sort of diet (5,3,5)
{BREAD AND WATER} – A meal that was typically given to prisoners.

15. Tie that is put on by rock star (5)
{BOWIE} – A type of tie, is followed by I.E. (that is) to give the name of a well known British pop musician.

16. Not what landladies should do to boarders (5)
{REPEL} – A naval order issued when a ship was threatened with an enemy assault, is not something you would expect a woman who rents rooms to do.

20. A result of splitting hairs? (7)
{PARTING} – This would give you a nice neat hair style when you comb your hair in different directions.

21. Train to be articulate (7)
{EXPRESS} – A word meaning to communicate with words is also a high speed train.

22. Great is possibly used to describe Britain (3-4)
{SEA GIRT} – An anagram (possibly) of GREAT IS is a term that describes a country that is surrounded by water.

23. A name is wrongly given due to forgetfulness (7)
{AMNESIA} – Another anagram (wrongly) this time, of A NAME IS.

27. High spot for tourists in Japan? (4)
{FUJI} – The highest mountain in Japan.

28. Point a primate out in church (4)
{APSE} – Put S (South – a point of the compass) inside another word for a primate for the domed or vaulted east end of a church.

42 comments on “DT 26422”

  1. I warmed to this crossword more towards the end than at the beginning. There were some barely cryptic definitions but the crossword was redeemed by some brilliant clues such as 31a, which was my favourite, and some lovely oblique definitions in 8d and 20d.

    Many thanks to Rufus for the crossword and to Libellule for the review.

  2. I found this tougher than Mondays usually are and needed help to finish. 8d had me completely flummoxed, and I didn’t help myself by thinking 19a started with ‘hip’. I also took ages working out 31a as I hadn’t thought of ‘product’ as an anagrind. However, I did finish it and it’s a bright sunny day, so now I can get on.

    Thanks to Rufus and Libellule. :-)

    1. I’m with you Franny, not my favourite Rufus puzzle, ‘product’ isn’t given as an anagram indicator in Chambers list, produce and production are but not product!
      I needed lots of help today from Libelulle, thank you Libelulle :)

      1. I’m running a book on how many posts Mary makes today. There were 32 on Saturday so I am predicting 20 today. The person who gets the closest number will win 10 Euros.

        By the way Mary, are you Welsh?

  5. Slow to start but once in thought this a most enjoyable start to the week. Some very ordinary clues/answers and although solved 22D a new phrase for me.
    Favourites 19A and 8D. 31A the last to go in.
    Thanks to setter and Libellule.

      1. From the first verse of the Australian national anthem, Advance Australia Fair,
        …We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil,
        Our home is girt by sea…
        So I don’t expect this clue to cause our Australian readers any problems.

          1. Growing up in Worcestershire with a big orchard full of plum and other fruit trees whenever the National Anthem was sung and we got to the line with “send her victorious …” etc I was always mystified about why the Queen would want plums as I was so used to hearing people talk about Victoria plums!

  6. I thought this was a very nice start to the week. Not too taxing – I won’t admit which clue took me the longest to get – a proper D’Oh moment if ever there was one!. I liked 19a and 31a too. Thanks to Rufus and Libellule.

  7. 8d, 20d and 31a were runaway favourites for me but I wasn’t that taken by 16d – I just cant see the sense in the cryptic part of a landlady doing the repelling.
    All very good apart from that.
    Thanks to Rufus and to Libellule.

    1. I thought 16d was a weak clue – it was my last to go in. And I don´t understand why 31a is such a favourite. Can somebody explain what is cryptic about the clue?

      1. Hi Nora, I suppose it’s just because the answer is an anagram of ‘what stealing a’ I agree with you both 16d, why repel?

      2. Nora, Not only is the definition an anagram (product) of WHAT STEALING A, if you read the whole clue it also supplies the definition as well. It is an example of an All-in-one or &Lit.

        1. Gnomey,
          Ta for that – just seen the comment.
          Re. 16d, In the navy when a ship was attacked and was about to be boarded, an order would be given. “Stand by to repel boarders”…. not something you would expect a landlady to say.

        2. Thank you both. I hadn´t even realised it was an anagram. I just went straight to the answer without having to cogitate or persevate – must have been a rare flash of inspiration.

    2. I also think this was a weak clue and I had to look at the blog to complete it. Even with the allusion now explained I still don’t think it’s good- there’s no naval hint in the clue.

  8. Was this a nice start to the week, or just too easy??? I think the latter. There are a number if old chestnuts, eg. 12a & 24a, and a few hardly deserving to be called “cryptic”, eg. 3d. Sorry, but I didn’t find this enjoyable.

    1. Vince,
      3d is cleverer than it first appears and is a semi all in one. (thanks Gazza).
      As per my hint:
      The abbreviation for “in or of the present month”, is also IN and the abbreviation for street.

      1. The problem for me with this clue is, that at first reading, you think that it is a simple abbreviation for “instant” so any cleverness in the wordplay is drowned in the initial impression.

        1. Prolixic,
          Agreed, that is indeed the problem – its only on a second or third careful reading that you realise it. I missed it, and needed Gazza to point it out.

  9. If you have finished this, the Guardian Rufus today doesn’t take long and has some good clues in it.

  10. Got about half of it, which isn’t bad for me. I particularly liked 30 across for the play on words. I got “goddiva” for 4d – I don’t know what I was thinking….

    Many thanks to Libellule (I spelled it right for once!) and to Rufus.

  11. Finished without hints and in reasonable time today. The 31a anagram took me ages to get as did 13a and 20d (which was the last one to go in) No particular favourites today. Still cold in Oxford – only 2C but sun just coming out. Off for dog walk now then to check ancient Mum again having already been there twice today – this is going to be difficult – oh dear! :sad:

  14. I’m def with Mary today, much tougher than the usual Monday with some nasty clues such 31a and 22d, not nice!!
    Did like 30a, esp loved 8d, very clever. Interestingly I put 22d into my electronic buddy and it did give me Sea Girt but the only explanation then was a town in the USA!!

  15. Enjoyed today’s not too taxing favourite clue was 31a, thought it was an excellent play on words. :D

    Thanks to Rufus and Libellule.

  16. Got about half of this during another jolly day at the Crem, but it finally defeated me. Found I couldn’t access the blog for an hour or so when I got home – the page just didn’t load. Never heard of a 8d or come across 19a for league champion. Getting 28d wrong didn’t help – I put A and P(rimate) in CE, which I didn’t think was unreasonable for a point!

    Thanks for puzzle and review.

  17. Have never heard of “sea girt” and like a wally missed 8d as was convinced it was to do with our famous RAF. 11a was my favourite and good to see the Thin White Duke aka David Bowie getting a sort of mention.

    A good puzzle for a Monday. Ta to the setter.

    1. I’ve completed this crossword whilst listening to the Manchester United [1] – Arsenal [0] game but I’ve had to refer to the hints like you, Little Dave, as I’ve never heard of ‘sea girt’ either. Since the new program’s been installed, Big Dave, I’ve noticed that the cursor isn’t pulsing whilst pausing typing these comments, which I’m sure it did previously. Is it the new program or is it me?

  19. I enjoyed it, although like Little Dave I’d never have gotten “Sea Girt” without help. 26a did remind me of an easier clue from Lovatts, although there was no shortage of toughies here.

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