DT 26475 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 26475

by Libellule  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26475

Hints and tips by Libellule

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

In memory of Blue Dragon, who died unexpectedly last week.
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If you need to reveal the answer just highlight the space between the curly brackets.

Across

1. This jumper rides up (11)
{PARACHUTIST} – The sort of jumper that jumps from an aircraft.

9. I return to a trivial item (4)
{IOTA} – I and a reversal of TO followed by A is a very small amount.

10. It’s cold fare put out for a revolutionary leader (5,6)
{FIDEL CASTRO} – An anagram (put out) of ITS COLD FARE gives the name of a famous Cuban leader.

11. Fish tea for Londoners (4)
{CHAR} – A trout like fish is also a slang word for tea.

14. Initiator of enterprise needs one in support (7)
{PIONEER} – Put ONE inside the sort of support that may be holding up the spans of a bridge to get a developer of something new.

16. Kick out married lover (7)
{ADMIRER} – An anagram (kick out) of MARRIED is also a person who has a strong liking for someone.

17. Decides officially and draws the line (5)
{RULES} – A double definition, governing and drawing a straight line.

18. Trifles — child’s play really (4)
{TOYS} – Lierally – what a child would play with.

19. Father to the French wife of a German husband? (4)
{FRAU} – After 9a last week, I wasn’t going to get caught out with this one. The definition is “wife of a German husband”. FR (father) and then a French word for “to the”.

20. Municipal palindrome (5)
{CIVIC} – A word that means relating to a city can also be spelt the same way forwards and backwards.

22. Delightful as any isle could be (7)
{ELYSIAN} – An anagram (could be) of ANY ISLE is a literary word for blissful.

23. Agitated ladies, about fifty, rushed out (7)
{SALLIED} – Another anagram (agitated), this time of LADIES around L (Roman numeral for 50) for the kind of rushing out that could have taken place from a castle.

24. It’s a bit wet — and so is he (4)
{DRIP} – A drop of liquid falling, or someone who is considered to be a weakling.

28. Concerning demeanour, inclined to be imperious (11)
{OVERBEARING} – Another word for concerning and another word for demeanour (how one conducts oneself) produces a word that means domineering in manner.

29. Manchester footballers not united (4)
{CITY} – The other lot who would appear in a Manchester derby.

30. One of the family takes the veil in religious order (11)
{BROTHERHOOD} – A male person having the same parents as another person, followed by a covering for the head and neck (veil?) is also a member of a religious group.

Down

2. Surrounded by a number in support (4)
{AMID} – Put the Roman numeral for 1,000 (number) inside another word for help to create a word that means among.

3. Swear and a parson gets upset (4)
{AVER} – A word that means to declare consists of A and the abbreviation for reverend reversed (gets upset).

4. He breaks into a politician’s address (7)
{HECKLER} – Not a burglar but the sort of person who might interrupt a speech with questions and objections.

5. A pre-match fling (4)
{TOSS} – Heads or tails?

6. Beaches or deserts (7)
{STRANDS} – A double definition, lands bordering water, and to leave someone helpless.

7. Sad mourners hit the gin (7,4)
{MOTHERS RUIN} – An anagram (sad) of MOURNERS HIT is also another name for gin.

8. Legitimate justification for places of entertainment (11)
{FAIRGROUNDS} – If you split the answer (4, 7) and came up with a phrase that also meant legitimate justification, you would also have a word that when put together describes the places where you might find Helter Skelters, Dodgems, etc.

12. Saw man being sweet (7,4)
{SPOTTED DICK} – A dessert of steamed suet pudding containing dried fruit normally served with custard.

13. Key office workers not prepared to be dictated to? (4,7)
{COPY TYPISTS} – The sort of workers whose job is to type from written or typed drafts.

15. Dispute arrest (3,2)
{RUN IN} – A double definition, have an argument, or to take into custody.

16. Shelter for soldier in rising sea (5)
{AEGIS} – Put an American soldier inside a reversed SEA to get a word that means protection.

20. Stiff man enters vehicle (7)
{CADAVER} – Put a mans name (B.D. for example) inside CAR (vehicle) to get a word for a dead body.

21. On reflection, it’s a great help for motorists (4-3)
{CATS-EYE} – Simply a piece of glass that delimits lanes on a road.

25. Go for a jog, taking wrong turn (4)
{TROT} – An anagram (or reversal) of another word for a civil wrong could be the gait of a person that is faster than a walk.

26. A way through on foot (4)
{ARCH} – A passageway under a curved masonry construction, is also a structure that can be found in your feet.

27. Prepare for take-off? (4)
{UNDO} – to untie, disassemble, or loosen your clothes for example.

The Quick crossword pun: {harm} + {monicker} = {harmonica}

70 comments on “DT 26475”

  1. I think this offering is a bit on the weak side. Clue 5a isn’t even cryptic, 29a barely and a lot of anagrams are blindingly obvious: 3d, 7d, 22a, 16a, 23a, 10a. The answer to 10a is a living person. Is that Ximenean?

    Having said that, I did smile a few times. IMHO the following are very good clues: 19a, 27d, 8d, 12d.

    On balance I’d say: diff *, enjoyment **, in words: ridiculously easy and under average enjoyment.

    I apologise to the setter for a less than favourable comment but, hey, we cannot score a hole in one every day and it is easy to kibbitz. So: thank you, setter and thanks Libellule for the review.

    PS: I changed my screen name from Nestor to Nestorius to avoid confusion with the homonymous setter.

    1. Nestorius, it isn’t really a Ximenean idea to not clue living people. It is certainly a rule in the Times cryptic though not, I believe, the Telegraph.
      We have references to Ernie Els and Cher kicking around in wordplay after all.

      1. Mine was a genuine query, hence the question mark. I now know that living persons are fair game.

        Thanks for enlightening me!

        Funny how this xword has elicited so many completely opposite reactions. It must be so hard to be a compiler.

  2. Must be me then, I am finding this much harder than our usual Monday puzzles and am leaving it for a while, maybe all will become clear when I return!

    1. I agree with you, Mary. I too thought that this was harder than the usual Monday puzzle. I kept thinking that 5d would be related to a stag night, but my favourite clues were 1a and 13d.

      2. Thank goodness for that! I have finished it now, without the hints but glad I’m in good company! My fav clue was 20d, good win for ‘us’ on Saturday Gazza, Italy next :)

    3. No, don’t think it’s you at all Mary – or if it is it’s me too! thought this was really quite difficult today.

    4. No, it’s not you. As soon as looked the grid, I knew I wouldn’t get far with it – never do with 4-letter words. And as for 10a, certainly didn’t expect a name. Very chuffed hat I did get 29a! Roll on the workshop …

  3. Very sorry to hear about Dr Gooderham, my condolences to his family and friends.

    A few in the top left caused a bit of head scratching – I couldn’t see what ‘politicians’ were doing at 4d. Apart from that no problems. Thanks to Rufus and Libellule.

  4. I agree with Nestorius – too many simple clues.
    Sorry to appear stupid but I don’t understand the Ximenean reference. Could someone enlighten me please?

      1. Thanks Libellule, I had looked up a similar website before posting earlier. However, I didn’t see (scan reading admittedly) any reference to Ximenes not writing clues about living people – that was really my query.

  5. Morning Libelulle, not my favourite Rufus crossword, I found it difficult to get into and agree that several clues were not very crytic, however there were several I liked once I had got them, fav clue 20d, also liked 26d, 27d, 2d and 3d, good luck friends in CC although some people may find it easy today , it goes without saying that not everyone will, so don’t be discouraged, stick with it and perservate :)

  6. I sat staring at the top left corner for ages, I think I nodded off at one point or my brain went into recharge mode for a short while. Nevertheless I finished it but felt drained.
    Thanks to Libellule and Rufus.

  7. Enjoyable overall and slightly tricker than usual. Thanks to Rufus for kickstarting the brain into gear on a cold Monday morning and to Libellule for the review.

    Very sorry to hear about Peter Gooderham. Looking at the link that Libellule posted, I think I was at Clare College with and knew his wife Sarah Tiley. My thought and prayers are with her and the family.

  8. Nothing too difficult for me today guess that’s why I found it enjoyable. 20d made me smile and 29a is taking a risk particularly after the result at the weekend.
    Thanx to all as usual.

  9. I agree with all who found this much more difficult than is usual for a Monday.
    I couldn’t do lots of the little four letter words without resorting to the hints and messed things up still further by putting the answer to 26d in 25d’s place which meant I couldn’t do 30a either – oh dear!!
    Liked 1 and 19a and 8, 12 and 13d – favourite today was 20d.
    Thanks to Rufus for the puzzle and Libellule for the hints – without them I would have given up today. :smile:

          1. I’m not sure. I’d love to go but it’s a weekend very close to our younger daughter’s 30th birthday. She is being, typically, somewhat indecisive about what she’s going to do and when so I don’t really want to be committed to anything just yet. I suppose it’s likely that by the time I discover that I could go there won’t be any tickets left but I think that’s a risk I’ll have to take.

            1. Kath, not sure whether you’ll see this; they aren’t issuing tickets. I was nearby just after I sent the registration form/cheque and called in, it’s just pay and go. It’s a fairly big church, with fairly substantial side-rooms too.

              1. Thank you, Geoff – really useful information. It means that I can just turn up on the day if I can. Wonderful! Do hope that I can but daughter comes first, as I’m sure everyone will understand.

  11. I thought this was an averagely tricky Rufus – even if the word veil in 30 led me to start putting in sister before I realised I had too many squares! Wasn’t at all sure 29a was cryptic. My favourite clues are 1a and 13d (the latter because I was prepard to be ‘dictated to’ in the olden days before bosses discovered email and now do their own typing!!) Thanks to Rufus for a nice start to the week and Libellule for the hints.

  12. Sorry, found it rather easy today. Was slightly stumped on 1a and 6d, but that lasted all of 3 minutes. Don’t think it deserves a 4 star rating I’m afraid.

  13. Can’t say that was my favourite – in fact with so many 4 letter answers I must say I disliked it. A couple of good clues – liked 7d and 21d in particular. Started off really well on the top r/h corner and then paused when it came to 4d (which I didn’t like).

    Thanks to Rufus and to Libellule

      1. It was strange Mary as bought the paper today when I went for coffee (until my friends arrived from the gym) and got stuck in right away and thought – oh this is good. However, once I got home and sat down and looked at it properly I realised the grid was my least favourite. Only occasionally do I figure the setter getds good cryptics for 4 letter words – just one of my bugbears and you were quite right.

  14. “A game of 2 halves”, as they say. Three quarters went in quite easily, but like Nubian & others, I found the NW corner a real block. Toyed with 4d = speaker and 5d = stag, until the bearded one from Cuba apeared from nowhere, and then all fell into place. Definitely a tad harder than normal Rufus, and thanks to him and L’ lule. With K, V and Z thought the Quickie was heading for pangram-land, but it wasn’t to be.

  15. I shuddered when I saw there were twelve 4-letter words – they are never my favourites. It was slightly more tricky than usual for a Monday, but nonetheless enjoyable and solving the 4 letter words helped my enjoyment more. Thanks to setter and Libellule for the review.

  16. Certainly didn’t find it easy today but interesting, favourite clues were :- 20a and 28a with 22a and 16d providing some new words for me. Do we still have 13 down’s any more?
    Thanks for setter and Libellule

  17. Unlike most posters I enjoyed this offering from Rufus, fairly standard fare but good fun. Thanks Rufus and Libellule.

  18. Pretty easy one today on a lousy grid. Too many nasty little 4 letter clues but getable when long ones went in. Fav was 1a and also liked 7 10 12 13 16a and 30.

  19. I think it’s amazing to read the different reactions to this crossword. I’m among the apparently few who found it reasonably easy and only went wrong by putting ‘playgrounds’ instead of ‘fairgrounds’ at 8d. So, Rufus, don’t be downhearted at the slightly severe comments of Nestorius _ I seem to remember Nestor being something of a bore in the Trojan War!!

    1. If my comments create the impression I am criticising the esteemed Rufus under whose feet I am like dust, I offer my apologies. I was merely giving my own reactions to today’s offering.

      I love the DT crossword but what good is a 1-5 star rating system if one cannot occasionally rate a puzzle with a single star? It’s like GCSEs and A-levels: if you are not honest in awarding grades, the higher grades become meaningless.

  20. Dr Peter Gooderham

    We are as sure as we can be that Blue Dragon, who passed away last Wednesday, was the Peter who posted over 300 comments on this blog., the most recent being on 5th February.

    He will be sadly missed.

    1. That is so sad, and he was so young too, I often think that if something happened to someone on this blog we would never know, so thanks for that Dave, condolences to all his family

      2. I agree too – people write comments and then stop – we never know why. Thank you, Big Dave, and I join Mary and Lea in offering my sympathy to his family.

        1. Yes there was somebody called Helen who was getting over cancer treatment and was quite a regular on the blog for a while but we haven’t seen her in ages, hope she’s ok, i think she used to call herself Helen thingummyjig or something similar

  21. I also found this tricky today – most enjoyable though. Many thanks to Rufus, who always causes me a few problems on a Monday morning, and to Libellule for the notes.

    Commiserations and sympathies to the family of Dr Peter Gooderham.

  22. Golly I struggled. Got there in the end though. No online tips, but plenty of dictionary and thesaurus searching. The greater the struggle the greater the smug sense of self satisfaction on completion!

  23. Aint it amazin’ how different we all are?! I too whizzed through it to-day, except for NW corner which had me scratching my head for a while and 1a was last in. Am never sure if I’m pleased when I do it quickly, or not – becos now I have nothing with which to sit in front of the fire whilst dinner is cooking! Hey ho – can either try the Toughie, or Codewords, or find a book. Thanks to Compiler – not ignoring Libellue, but didn’t need the hints to-day! But surely will as the week progresses.

  25. I echo the above: Commiserations and sympathies to the family of Dr Peter Gooderham. Very sad news.

    Dt 26,475 posed me few problems save 1a that I embarassingly missed.

  26. Many thanks for the hints and the puzzle. I got about half.

    Very sorry to hear the news. Peter will be missed.

  27. Evening After Eighters. Yes very sad news. As a relative newcomer to this blog I am only just getting to know some of the regulars and did not get to know Peter but my sympathies go out to his family.
    Just starting so be back later.

  28. Hello again. Finding this tough going at the moment. But very pleased with 22a. You live for 42 years and then find out your name is an anagram of a word meaning delightful and blissful – how wonderful!

    1. I also have lived for 42 years, but even if I live for another 42 years, I doubt Chambers will by then have a suitably complimentary anagram of my name :)

    2. How lovely to have such a nice anagram of your name (if it is your real name, of course?)
      I’m with Jezza – can’t think of an anagram of my name, even though I have lived somewhat longer than your 42 years!!
      Found this one quite tricky – really not good at the blasted little four letter words – unless, of course, they are the ones that I’ve learnt from our daughters!!!

      1. It sure is my name. Yes I found this v tricky and needed many hints – just not on the same wavelength. There is always tomorrow.

  29. Hi folks!
    I found this puzzle was somewhat harder than the usual Monday fare from Rufus. Started it very late last night and completed it early this morning.
    Clues that I particularly liked : 1a, 19a, 30a, 7d, 12d, 13d, 20d & 21d.

    Shall probably miss solving for a few days as have to go into hospital on Wednesday for cataract removal from the left eye after successful treatment to the right one last month.

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