Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26451
Hints and tips by Libellule
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Standard Monday morning stuff from the maestro, and I expect no major problems amongst the massed ranks of solvers out there. Please feel free to leave a comment.
If you do need to reveal the answer, just highlight the space found between the curly brackets on the left of the page.
Across
1. It’s quite untrue such a novel wouldn’t corrupt (4,7)
{PURE FICTION} – A phrase used to describe a story that is completely invented, could also be a book that would not contain anything that might cause fault.
9. Girl and chap at university flirted (7,2)
{CARRIED ON} – A girls name (6) (Steven King’s first novel) is then followed by the name of a college or university professor, when put together you should have a phrase that describes “playing” around.
10. Boarded, and did well with studies? (3,2)
{GOT ON} – A double definition.
11. Undirected commercial break (6)
{ADRIFT} – AD (commercial) and another word for a split, for a word that means aimless.
12. Clear of secret corruption (4-4)
{SCOT FREE} – An anagram (corruption) of OF SECRET.
13. Green Party finally contrived to get power (6)
{ENERGY} – An anagram (contrived) of GREEN and the last letter (finally) of party.
15. Honoured with high rank in the finish (8)
{ENNOBLED} – Put a word that describes a titled peer of the realm inside END (finish) to describe what might happen if you were conferred an honour.
18. Bob indicates a more direct route (8)
{SHORTCUT} – The bob in this case refers to a style of haircut. Chambers has this as two words (5,3).
19. Close to anger (4,2)
{WIND UP} – Double definition. To bring to or reach a conclusion. Or to tease someone.
21. Fast sailing ships take the wool crops (8)
{CLIPPERS} – Ships that carried tea from the east, are also tools used to shear sheep.
23. A new paper to be published (6)
{APPEAR} – A and an anagram (new) of PAPER.
26. Hastily made and hoisted a flag (3,2)
{RAN UP} – Another straightforward double definition.
27. Ground and house might be theirs (9)
{LANDLORDS} – LAND (ground) and the “upper” house of Parliament.
28. Deathly pale, going out to appear as Hamlet? (4,3,4)
{PLAY THE LEAD} – An anagram (going out) of DEATHLY PALE describes the sort of role you might have if you were playing Hamlet for example.
Down
1. Sort of holiday for which you need to get cases ready on time (7)
{PACKAGE} –A type of holiday where everything is included is constructed from a word used to describe putting articles into various receptacles, and a long period of time.
2. Two kings embracing are not seen so often (5)
{RARER} – An abbreviation for a king is R, place two of them around (embracing) ARE for a word that means infrequent or uncommon.
3. Not a scrap of bias (4,5)
{FAIR FIGHT} – I like the misdirection here. The clue is actually referring to a contest that takes place under proper and evenly balanced rules.
4. Accountants pocketing hundreds? The scoundrels! (4)
{CADS} – The abbreviation for Chartered Accountant is made plural, then place the Roman numeral for five hundred inside.
5. Blameless cleric who had trouble with King John (8)
{INNOCENT} – A word that describes someone who is free from evil or guilt, was also the name of a Pope when King John was on the throne.
6. Nearly time — time for bed (5)
{NIGHT} – A word meaning almost, is followed by a T. Is also the usual time people consider going to sleep.
7. Struggle to study with care (7)
{CONTEND} – Definition is struggle. Take a common crossword word for study (not den), and then add a word that means to take care of.
8. Frightened from the beginning then went ahead (8)
{STARTLED} – Another word for beginning plus another word for being ahead, gives a word that means alarmed or surprised.
14. Feelings shown by people put into some distress (8)
{EMOTIONS} – An anagram (distress) of INTO SOME.
16. Smile upon frolic that’s spontaneous (2,7)
{ON IMPULSE} – Another anagram (frolic) of SMILE UPON for something that could take place without any careful thought.
17. It sounds a beastly form of warfare (8)
{GUERILLA} – A type of warfare that sounds like a very large ape.
18. When children are about the dog is tied up (7)
{SECURED} – Put CUR (dog) inside a synonym for offspring to get a word that means firmly fastened.
20. Read by custom on the first of December (7)
{PERUSED} – PER (by) USE (custom) and the first letter of December.
22. Kind of toaster gets dad out of bed (3-2)
{POP UP} – Does anybody really need a hint for this?
24. Strange direction leading to lake (5)
{EERIE} – A word that means strange or unusual, usually in a supernatural sense is E (east – direction), and one of the Great Lakes.
25. Speed of a ship steaming to tie up (4)
{KNOT} – Double definition, a unit of speed equivalent to one nautical mile per hour, and a type of fastening.
Would have been fairly straightforward, but I put ‘chatted up’ for 9a! Thanks to setter and Libellule.
You are not alone in making that mistake!
Definitely not …
I thought about it too but decided to wait before putting it in – that was lucky wasn’t it?
Thanks to Rufus for a nice gentle puzzle to start the week, and to Libellule for the notes.
My last one in was 18a – I was unaware that this was spelt as one word.
Very gentle start to the week. Many thanks to Rufus for the review and to Libellule for the review.
… Does that mean that the review was a combined effort?
I missed that when I originally read the comment – nice one!
The last few clues took a bit longer than usual but still a pretty gentle puzzle of the usual Rufus quality. Thanks to him and to Libellule.
Good morning Libelulle, I have to say I found this a lot harder than most Rufus puzzles ( I normally love them, have I ever said!!
) but I struggled with this today, having put chatted up for 9a also, there seem to be a lot of ‘up’ s in this puzzle! also 17d since when has this been spelt with one ‘R’ only, if it comes from the Spanish ‘guerra’ for war, or French guerre, how can one ‘r’ be dropped, I know Big Red Chambers gives both, but have never seen this anywhere else?? thanks Rufus for the puzzle but its not one of my favourites, hope Mrs Rufus is better? Thanks for blog Libelulle
also put entitled for 15a! first time for ages that I have had to have blog help for Rufus
Mary,
Let me just say that I am surprised. Re 9a how does your answer fit the clue
With 17d regardless of the spelling, I would have thoought the answer was fairly obvious.
Well, re 9a Libelulle, ‘chatted up’ is flirted, up is at university, Ted is the chap and I must admit I haven’t heard of a girl called ‘chat’ , so it was just , almost a possibility, which it seems others thought too
as for 17d, you are right,, no the answer was obvious but I hadn’t seen it spelt with one r before so couldn’t quite work out what I had wrong
I think its because chatted up definitely fits flirted but I soon realised I was wrong as I couldn’t find a girl anywhere!
I know Sue, in my mind ‘chatted up’ fits flirted better than ‘carried on’ which is not quite the same?
now if it had said French girl we would have been ok, because ‘chat’ is French for cat and cat is short for Catherine! enough, sorry Libelulle
I don’t understand the debate. It is clearly ‘carried on’ parce que girl (carrie) and chap at university (don).
no debate collywobbles, just provoking some thought
Nice start to the week as usual. Though got off to a bad start by putting ‘pulp fiction’ first for 1a!
I struggled a bit with this today, taking a couple of minutes longer than the average Rufus but I put this down to overstretching the cryptic brain cells review-writing at the weekend. Very enjoyable Nice to know I wasn’t the only one who considered chatted up and pulp f xxxxxx
Thanks to Rufus and Libellule.
A gentle stroll on a Monday morning, where my only blemish was inserting another “up” in 9a. 12a & 3d probably the best clues; and thanks to Rufus and M. L
Thoroughly enjoyable and a good way to start the week. Thanks to Rufus and Libelulle
re- 9a if last letter is of the 7 is taken away and added to last 3 the last 3 you get two names , one girls and 1 boys
So, it seems that I was the only one to put in “cost-free” for 12a.
it didn’t fit with the pope Gazza
but its a good answer
Oh dear, two wrong, 1a (‘pulp’ instead of ‘pure’) and 9a, even though I wasn’t happy with ‘chat’. Needed the blog to sort it out and then to finish, not to mention understand some of them. Harder than the average Monday for me too.
Enjoyed the rest of it, thanks to Rufus and LIbellule.
have tried arioso on flute Geoff not near as good as JLW but will keep practising between crosswords, thanks for that
Good start to the week.
Everytime I see 17d I think of Pamela Stephenson and Angela Ripon, funny how the male brain works.
Thanks to Rufus and Libellule.
not with you Nubian obviously my brain doesn’t work same way, I am just imagining them in a fight?
I don’t understand either …
When Pamela Stephenson was doing ‘Not the Nine o clock News’ she did a very good impersonation of Angela Ripon and highlighted it with her pronunciation of 17a as Angela would do it.
Maybe Gazza could find the clip and put it on the blog.
Sorry 17d
Ahh perhaps a reference to the Gerald the gorilla sketch – “peanuts bananas and carpet cleaner”… a classic
thanks for that Libelulle
Nice one, thanks L
I rather think it was one of the News Sketches with Ms Stephenson playing either Jan Leeming or Angela Rippon. From Memory:
“In London today one of Mr Mugabe’s Guerrilla was refused entry to a top London restaurant for not wearing a tie. Later, the Maitre D was refused entry for not wearing a head.”
That’s the one I was thinking of and you have set me off again Gnomes!
By the way you do mean Stephenson and not Anderson don’t you. Have I started you off now ?
D’OH! Yes – sorted.
I realised that after I posted the comment, but since the sketch is such a classic I couldn’t resist leaving it….
Brilliant Libelulle, that brings back some memories
Nice puzzle today – just what I needed after a fairly hectic weekend in Paris.
No problems apart from dithering with 9a.
Last ones to go in were 18 and 21a – don’t really know why.
Favourites today – 1, 27 and 28a and 3 and 16d.
Going to read stuff about Saturday’s crossword now – did it during flight to France but couldn’t explain 1a – can’t even remember the clue now and no longer have the paper but I hope there will be something about it ….
Thanks to Rufus and Libellule from a rather grey Oxford.
Good CW to start the week .Enjoyed & no problems cheers to setter & L
A nice, gentle start to the week. Just needed the hint to finish 18d – would have been a long time to think of cur for dog; we’ve had too many collies, so I couldn’t get types of breed out of my head! Thanks to setter and Libellule.
Thanks Rufus and Libellule for the nice start to the week.
Second Monday in row that I’ve finished between London Bridge and Camden Town – this blog is definitely helping! Fav (and last to go in) 3d. Managed to write in PLAY THE DANE in initially for 26a though which was a bit careless…
I’ll put my hand up to that one!. I was all set to throw it in until I spotted the lack of N!
Fell for almost every mis-lead and double meaning (again!). Many thanks for the hints and to the compiler. Off to sulk until tomorrow….:)
Monday morning thickness set in. I couldn’t see Fair fight nor Ad-rift. Had to leave it at the cut off time, came back a few hours later and all was clear. Reinforces my theory that, given time, the brain’s background processor fixes seemingly intransigent problems.
Really enjoyed todays AFTER I had got PULP out of my head for 1a DOH! Didn’t fall for the chatted up pitfall in 9a but struggled a bit with the top left corner for a while. Best clue for me was 18a, nice play on words.
I haven’t been able to sit down properly and concentrate on the puzzle today, but I must say I found it quite tricky and had to consult your hints in order to finish. So thank you, Libellule, for pointing out that 18a could be two words. Once I’d worked that out the rest just fell into place. So thanks to Rufus too.
Because I did not get 18a – I think it should be hyphenated – I missed 17d. 18a should have been clearer but others may think I am being unfair on the setter? Otherwise a nice puzzle.
Dave
As Libellule has pointed out, Chambers has the enumeration as (5,3) when, as here, used as a noun. When used as a verb the enumeration is (5-3). It can be hyphenated as a noun when referring to tobacco.
18a last in and best one for me. As often the blog keeps me right. I had part for first word of 1a but felt it didn’t quite fit. Thanks again.
Usual gentle start to the week from Rufus.
Clues that I liked 1a, 11a, 18a, 21a, 27a, 1d, 6d, 8d, 17d & 20d.
Shan’t do Tuesday’s puzzle as it is my birthday anniversary – 87 years ago!
May I be the first to wish you many happy returns of the day tomorrow – congratulations Sir!
Many thanks Jezza – much appreciated.
Mentally, I am still very sound but physically not quite as I used to be .
My mother-in-law once said to me “old age is dreadful – don’t do it ” – unfortunately , I have and I know what she meant!
However, we all “press on regardless” as we used to say during WW2!
Hello Derek
I went to a friend’s 80th birthday party just before Xmas – he’s one of the sharpest bridge players in our club. Age may slow the body but not necessarily the mind – Happy Birthday!
Mike
And Happy Birthday from me too, Derek.
Derek, Many Happy Returns for tomorrow – for one mad moment I thought it was Jezza’s 87th which might have been improbable given the recent family addition.
Hope you have good day,
Barry
Many Happy Returns, Derek. You’re a stripling compared to Araucaria who will be 90 next month.
I rest my case about age age and the mind! A friend of mine has a mother of 87 who is physically frail but has a mind like a steel trap – definately not one to start a discussion with unless you really know your onions, or don’t mind crashing and burning!
Many thanks Gazza and all the other bloggers who sent good wishes.
I started doing cryptics in the then Manchester Guardian.
Just before Christmas, we celebrated the anniversary of one of my neighbours who was 100 on Christmas Day – he is still mentally sharp and survived the Burma Road affair!
Derek,
And a happy birthday from me too!
Happy birthday Derek, fantastic, have a good one
The two kings clue today reminded me that I meant to tell Mary on Saturday that the 3d biblical clue indicates that we Blues have more of a claim to have a manager as King than the other side of Stanley Park!
Usual Rufus Monday – very enjoyable and good surfaces.
Only problem was that I put COST FREE for 12a which is fine for the anagram and the wordplay! (Was this done on purpose I wonder?). The T fits the checking letter so I was sure it was correct! Slowed me up on 5d for a while.
Anyway, v. enjoyable so thanks to Rufus for the usual Monday excellence and to Libellule for the blog.
Rufus – if you read this my other half, Pommette, is a big fan and has now found there are about 400 of your puzzles on the Grauniad site which she appears to be working her way thorough so thanks for the diversion!
As I can only get to the crossword after work, I love it when it’s one I can complete relatively quickly on my own. By ‘relatively’ I mean at my pace (which is pretty slow), and by ‘on my own’ I mean without prompts from people far cleverer than me. Having just discovered this site a few days ago, I came here to check my answers. I’m on cloud nine, which is a lovely start to the week, but I’m also glad to learn that the same clue that puzzled me for quite a while, ie 9a, also puzzled lots of other people. Thank you to the setter and thank you to the contributors on this site for a lovely shot of confidence.
Hello JAEHANCOCK
If you like Rufus I refer you to my post above. Mondays on the Grauniad are also usually Rufus. Because of pommette’s addiction I usually have to do two Rufi on a Monday!
Hello Pommers
Thank you for your recommendation. I haven’t read the Grauniad for a while, but I did once work (many years ago now) for a company that did their slaes pormotoin!
You never lose the proof-reading slliks, do you?:D
Am I speaking to a fellow proofreader?
Nope! – A Private Eye subscriber! – Sorry!
You can get the Guardian daily crossword for free at http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords and they also do the Observer Everyman on Sundays. There’s a large archive available that’s searchable by setter’s name.
Watch out for Araucaria – devious or what!
Have fun!
Sorry, missed the typos! Was that a Grauniad moment or genuine?
Pommers – it is the traditional Private Eye spelling due to the well known stereotyped lack of proof-reading!
Agreed, but my reading of the post was living proof that if the frist and lsat leterts of the wrods are crorcet tehn it is qiute radeblae!
I’ve just tried typing in http://www.grauniad etc and it redirects to guardian – they apparantly have a sense of humour!
Usually enjoy a Rufus puzzle but could not get into this one.
Needed the blog thank you for many of the clues.
I know I’m a day late, but just wanted to celebrate completing my first Cryptic on my own, without using even an online thesaurus
Struggled a bit with the top right corner, 7d the last to go in (don’t associate con and study yet!)
Thanks to Libellule for the review, needed to check my spelling of Ennobled
Also Happy Birthday Derek!
Welcome to the blog Ken
No relation to Kenny G?