Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26441
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
This puzzle, from Jay?, had a few slightly tricky clues but turned out to be solvable in about average time.
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 Settlement is potentially put at risk (10)
{COMPROMISE} – a double definition – a concession or to undermine
6a Mark’s love kicked off film award (4)
{SCAR} – this mark left by an earlier injury is derived by dropping the initial O (love) from a film award
9a Doctor of French left a poser (5)
{MODEL} – one of those abbreviations for a doctor is followed by the French for of and L(eft) gives someone who poses
10a Discredited journalist chasing each poor writer (9)
{CHEAPENED} – a word meaning discredited is generated by putting that favourite journalist after chasing an anagram (poor) of each and a writing implement
12a Can lease be adjusted, after profit from retail activity? (9,4)
{CLEARANCE SALE} – put an anagram (adjusted) of CAN LEASE after a word meaning profit to get this retail activity in which goods are at reduced prices in order to make room for new stock
14a Half of locals in a delayed share out (8)
{ALLOCATE} – put half of LOC(als) inside A and a word meaning delayed to get a share out
15a One who has to follow Germany’s depressing experience (6)
{DOWNER} – put someone who has or possesses after the IVR code for Germany to get a depressing experience
17a Officially cancel toll applied to engineers (6)
{REPEAL} – a word meaning to officially cancel or annul is created by putting a toll of bells after the Royal Engineers
19a Woolly logic — ultimately a daring plan (8)
Woolly headed, ultimately taken in by a caring doctor (newspaper version)
{CARDIGAN} – this woolly comes from the last letter of logiC (logic ultimately) followed by A and an anagram (plan) of DARING – alternative wordplay for the newspaper version: put D (headeD, ultimately) inside an anagram (doctor) of A CARING
I don’t like the positioning of the anagram indicator in either version, its like saying “a caring doctor” instead of “doctor a caring” – “a caring doctored” would work, but that would wreck the surface reading
21a Stop one’s studies and manage to survive (4,3,6)
{STAY THE COURSE} – a part-cryptic double definition
24a Exchange sold euros without a stink (9)
{ODOURLESS} – an anagram (exchange) of SOLD EUROS gives an adjective meaning without a stink
25a Welsh town’s pure heart (5)
{NEATH} – this Welsh town is a charade of a word meaning pure, used for whisky with no soda, and H(eart)
26a American sort of ox found around the North (4)
{YANK} – this slang word for an American is derived by putting a type of ox around N(orth)
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ARVE Error: need id and provider |
27a Notice ultimately worrying a tree doctor (10)
{ADULTERATE} – a short notice followed by ULT(imately) and an anagram (worrying) of A TREE gives a word meaning to doctor or contaminate
Down
1d Horse covering miles in search (4)
{COMB} – put a short-legged strong horse around (covering) M(iles) to get a word meaning to search methodically and thoroughly
2d Detectives turning up during lunch, say, for a health check (7)
{MEDICAL} – a team of detectives reversed (turning up) inside lunch (say indicates a definition by example so it could be breakfast or dinner) gives for a health check
3d Ride wave on cargo ship (13)
{ROLLERCOASTER} – this fairground ride is a charade of a type of wave and a cargo ship
4d Staff charge is steep (8)
{MACERATE} – a charade of a staff, like the one once wielded by Michael Heseltine, and a charge gives a word meaning to steep or soak
5d Mug shot disheartened a Berliner (5)
{STEIN} – this type of mug is created by removing the middle letters () of S(HO)T and following it with the German for one (a in Berlin) – a nice allusion to JFK’s Berlin speech
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ARVE Error: need id and provider |
7d Hold back if in on act being planned (7)
{CONTAIN} – a word meaning to hold back is an anagram (being planned) of IN ON ACT
8d Diversion created by bolshie girl’s band (3,7)
{RED HERRING} – this diversion which is intended to be misleading is a charade of bolshie (Bolshevik / holding left-wing views), a female pronoun and a band
11d The overwhelming amount of homework none cared about (13)
{PREPONDERANCE} – an overwhelming amount is derived from homework followed by an anagram (about) of NONE CARED
13d Just yawns, disheartened with right-wing pack of lies (5,5)
{FAIRY STORY} – a word meaning just or reasonable is followed by YS (yawns disheartened) and a word meaning right-wing to get a pack of lies
16d About to stir on left luggage area (8)
{CAROUSEL} – a charade of a single-letter abbreviation for about, a word meaning to stir and L(eft) gives the area at an airport where the luggage goes round and round until collected
18d Soldiers additionally incorporated into scheme (7)
{PLATOON} – a group of soldiers is created by putting a word meaning additionally inside a scheme
20d Spanish city with eyes initially for a part of the Caribbean (7)
{GRENADA} – start with a Spanish city (the one under whose spell you might fall!) and put an E (Eyes initially) instead of the first A to get a Caribbean island
22d People in education improve (5)
{EMEND} – put some male people inside ED(ucation) to get a word meaning to improve or correct
23d What might set off hose? (4)
{SHOE} – put a sock in this!
Off now to see if I can tackle the Toughie in the same time as I took for this one, like Crypticsue!
I agree Dave, from 1a onwards a lot of the clues took some thought.. The whole puzzle was very tight and well constructed I thought.
Too many favs but 11d was worth special mention. A sense of achievement when I finished. Thouroughly enjoyable.
Thanks to you Dave and Jay ?
An enjoyable puzzle from Jay – if it were he – that had some nicely devious worplay. Favourite clues were 27a, 11d and 13d. Thanks to the setter and to BD for the first half of the review!
You can read the other half now!
I very much enjoyed this, having as it did a few clues where you really needed to get through the wordplay. Favourite tfor me was 8d.
Thanks to BD and the setter.
Another good puzzle following on from yesterday. Nothing too tricky today, although 1a took a little contemplating.
Thanks to setter, and to BD.
In my Telegrph paper has 19a as ;- “Wholly headed -ultimately taken in by caring docter ” ?
any one else have this clue?
cheers
Nope, my paper has ‘Woolly’
My newspaper has it as ………..Woolly headed, ultimately taken in by a caring doctor
That’s better – but not good as the anagram indicator is a verb placed after the fodder to which it applies.
My 19a reads:
Wooly headed, ultimately taken in by caring doctor
Welcome to the blog Simon
Thanks to you and AnnB for pointing that out. For some reason there have been a number of instances recently where the online and newspaper clues have not been the same. It was probably changed because the newspaper version doesn’t work – there’s an A missing.
Our paper has “Woolly headed, ultimately taken in by a caring doctor”
A jolly good puzzle, really enjoyed it, too many good clues to single any one out, thanks Jay if indeed it was he and thanks BD for the unused review. The toughie is a tale of another kind!
For me this was absolutely the best kind of crossword – several clues that had me scratching my head for a while but nothing that was impossible. I think 3* for difficulty was about right but I would give it more than 3* for enjoyment.
I’ve got so many clues that I thought were wonderful that I’ve had to weed out a few or the list might be a bit too long – the remaining ones are 27a and 3, 5, 8, 11, 16 and 20. Favourite was perhaps 19a.
Going to take my Mum for a hospital appointment this afternoon – I live in hope but, if the last one is anything to go by, I think that I might be some time ……. !
PS Thank you to Jay(?) and Big Dave
Really having to work at this one—but not rushing it so as to enjoy it properly.
Had to look up the hint & answer for 1a, then had to look it up in Chambers just to check definition as would not have though of that!
So far, fav clues 8a, 11d and 3d.
Thanks for a real challenge and for the review.
I took a while to get started on this one but it soon all fell into place. No particular favourites. Thanks to setter and BD.
If Jezza fancies putting off the paperwork again, the Toughie is great fun and didn’t take me any longer than the Cryptic to solve it.
Hi Sue… I did the Toughie earlier this morning. I completed it, which surprised me, seeing as what I know about the theme I could write on the back of a postage stamp!
Might have a try at the Toughie—usually a no-area for me!
Very enjoyable crossword from Jay as usual, very enjoyable review from BD as usual. Favourite clues were 8d and 11d.
Oh dear, it seems it’s only me that found it really tough, a 4* for me today and couldn’t have finished it without daves help, thanks Dave, I don’t think I’ve got my crossword head back on yet, too many distractions, all excuses of course! some words I didn’t know, some clues I didn’t like, fav clue 25a
, thanks for blog and hints Dave
also liked 6a, 26a, 23d, I always thought 4d was to do with chewing?
Mary – It’s masticate that you have in mind, I think?
Yes thanks Digby but I thought I had also heard macerate to do with chewing too in some shape or form something to do with paper making??
Quite right, Mary – it’s making pulp by soaking. and there’s a thing called a macerator which does it
Well there you go! Does one ever stop learning? Someting to perservate, masticate and macerate over!
Thanks for that Jay
Mary, when I worked in the water industry, most treatment works had ‘macerators’ as part of the screening process. The screens filtered anything that was not water and then squeezed it into the macerator, this was then ejected into a skip for landfill. Hope thats not too much detail but you get the idea. All part of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Treatment at a Sewage Works.
I’ll stop now.
All sounds like a bit too much information for me …..
To continue this…….. a ‘macerator’ is also used when an ensuite WC is installed, say in a cupboard or room off the bedroom and it isn’t possible to have a standard 4ins pipe. When the WC is flushed, you hear a motor start, and the wastewater goes throught the macerator into the narrow pipe and out.
Probably put you off your tea!!!
Ah ……….yes…thanks Sarah!
I was going out for a curry……..now cancelled!
Not surprised – it’s all enough to put anyone off everything, let alone a curry …. !
exactly what I thought Nubian
Although the most common usage of “macerate” involves softening with liquid, I believe that it derives from the Latin macerare and Greek μάσσειν which have several meanings, including “to knead” and “to distress”, both of which could be allusions to chewing. The verb “to macerate” is also used, explicitly, to refer to chewing in medicine.
Definitely not one for the CC, I managed two and that was that!
I found it tough too Geoff, it took lots of perservating after i got stuck on six! I only managed to finish it with the blog
I agree that this was slightly more difficult than usual, requiring more thought. I have no problems with 19a; I tend to go for the anagrams first and I was able to complete this clue early on from the wordplay. With thanks, as usual, to the setter and to BD for the comprehensive review.
All good fun today I thought. 4d unfortunately made me think of horrid plumbing. Urrgh. Thanks for review as always.
Another day when I found the Toughie far easier than the cryptic. Try it Sarah F!
Internet trouble folks hence been away. Got distracted on the train in chatting to a neighbour and never had a chance to look properly all day. BAH! I need peace and quiet on the commute!
I enjoyed knocking this one off this evening while waiting for the dishwasher to finish!
Clues that I liked include 12a, 19a, 21a, 27a, 4d, 8d, 11d, 16d & 20d.
There are often plenty of 8d’s in crossword clues – look at 19a in this one for example!
I really enjoyed this one. Took three goes and was not easy by any means but managed it and very satisfying to complete. At one stage I thought I would have to give up but glad I persevered. Now to the cricket!
Thought 19 across was woolly (a cardigan) made from headed ultimately (giving the d) taken in by “a caring”, doctor meaning anagram.
Welcome to the blog Sarah
Two different clues were published – the one you have qupted was in the newspaper and is reviewed above in green.
Some lovely misdirections today. A very agreeable puzzle indeed.