Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26519
Hints and tips by pommers
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Hello from sunny Spain where Spring seems to have sprung in the last couple of weeks. Thankfully no panic this week, just the usual Wednesday wizardry (presumably from Jay) which I’m sure you will enjoy as much as I did. There’s a good mix of clues and the usual couple of tricky ones to keep us all on our toes.
I’ve highlighted my favourites in blue but let us know what you think in a comment. If you want to see the answer, highlight the space between the curly brackets.
Across
1a. Support worker for stroke (8)
{BACKHAND} – A type of stroke in tennis for example is a charade of a word for support (4) and one of the usual crosswordland words for a worker.
6a. Primate’s disapproving expression during prohibition (6)
{BABOON} – This large primate is an exclamation of disapproval inserted into (during) a prohibition.
9a. Pass on news of explosive sound (6)
{REPORT} – A loud noise, as from an explosion or a gun firing, is also a verb meaning to pass on news, by a newspaperman for example. I spent quite a while trying to do something with ‘die’ for ‘pass on’, D’oh!
10a. Sort of car trader so troubled (8)
{ROADSTER) – A two seater, soft top, car is an anagram (troubled) of TRADER SO. Pommette had a mid-life crisis and had a Mazda MX-5 for her 50th birthday (which I had a lot of fun in)!
11a. Established model for record that’s always popular (8)
{STANDARD) – A double definition. Something that’s established or normal is also a word to describe a song that has been popular for many years.
12a. Fairy godmother’s last letter enveloped in rancour (6)
{SPRITE} – Insert (enveloped) the last letter of godmotheR into a word for rancour or malice to get this fairy.
13a. Carelessly ratify cost as meeting requirements (12)
{SATISFACTORY} – An adjective meaning OK (meeting requirements) is an anagram (carelessly) of RATIFY COST AS.
16a. Country applying conditions to football team for example (6,6)
{UNITED STATES} – A common name for a football team, there’s one in Manchester and Leeds for example, followed by (applying) a word for conditions gives a large country located ‘across the pond’.
19a. Young lady’s mother finding nothing even in shell (6)
{DAMSEL} – This rather old-fashioned word for a young lady (often in distress) is a word for mother, of a horse perhaps, followed by the odd letters (nothing even) of shell.
21a. Pictures popular in doubles (8)
{IMAGINES} – The definition is pictures, as in picture in your mind. Take the plural of a word for a double, a spitting *****, and insert the usual word for popular.
ARVE Error: need id and provider
23a. Impetus gained by minute show of hesitation (8)
{MOMENTUM} – A short length of time (minute) followed by a hesitation gives the impetus or energy held by any moving object.
24a. Part of Asia losing southern peninsula (6)
{IBERIA} – Take a part of northern Asia and remove the S (losing southern) to get the peninsula in western Europe where I live. This may be another candidate for the rest home for retired crossword clues!
25a. Posts gate receipts within seconds (6)
{STAKES} – A word for the receipts at a football match with an S at the beginning and end gives these posts.
26a. His slang becomes annoying (8)
{HASSLING} – A word meaning annonying or irritating is an anagram (becomes) of HIS SLANG
Down
2d. They represent a man with bearing (6)
{AGENTS} – People who represent others are a charade of A, a word for a man and a point of the compass (bearing).
3d. Recognised for currently replacing one in the family (5)
{KNOWN} – A substitution clue. Take the usual word for family and replace the I (one) with a word for currently, or at this time, to get a word meaning recognised.
4d. A dry run — pretended to be charmed (9)
{ATTRACTED} – Add together A, the usual abbreviation for dry, as in no alcohol, R(un) and a word for pretended to get a word meaning charmed by or drawn towards
I think the construction of this clue is very clever!
5d. Travels on after poor exam grades for mocks (7)
{DERIDES} – The definition is mocks as in scorns, nothing to do with mock exams . Two poor exam grades followed by a word for ‘travels on’, on horseback perhaps.
6d. Scrounges trousers for student to wear (5)
{BLAGS} – Some rather loose fitting trousers with the usual letter for student inserted (to wear) gives a colloquial term for scrounges.
7d. Levels of interest result from low esteem and source of shame (4,5)
{BASE RATES} – A charade of words for low, to esteem and the first letter (source of) of S(hame) gives the level of interest set by the Bank of England.
8d. Finished on time with university concerning approach (8)
{OVERTURE} – This term for an approach, also a piece of music played at the start of a ballet, is a sum of a word for over, T(ime), U(niversity) and the abbreviation for concerning or about.
13d. Drunk, with nothing to say, as it were (2,2,5)
{SO TO SPEAK} – Put together a drunk (3), O (nothing) and a word for ’to say’ and split the result (2,2,5) to get a phrase meaning ‘as it were’.
14d. Risk assessors sign, after a drastic cut (9)
{ACTUARIES} – These risk assessors for insurance companies are a sign of the Zodiac placed after A and an anagram (drastic) of CUT.
15d. Leave quietly, seeing thief unconscious (5,3)
{SNEAK OUT} –A type of thief followed by a word for unconscious gives a phrase meaning to leave quietly or unnoticed.
17d. Win attempt to be heard on universal rate (7).
{TRIUMPH} – A homophone (to be heard) of an attempt, U(niversal) and an abbreviation for rate, as in speed of a car, gives a synontm for win.
18d. Harmless drunk being nice — at first (6)
{BENIGN} – Something harmless is an anagram (drunk) of BEING followed by N (Nice at first). Nice surface reading.
20d. Plant parasite mostly found around the root of ragwort (5)
{LOTUS} – A wingless parasitic insect with the last letter removed (mostly) placed around the last letter (root of) ragworT is a plant which is the national flower of India – Nelumbo Nucifera. Amazing what you can find out from Wikipedia!
22d. Perfect cards handed out by one (5)
{IDEAL} – I (one) followed by a verb meaning to hand round cards before the start of a game give a word meaning perfect, as in excellent.
I like all the ones in blue but favourites are 4d and 6d.
The Quick crossword pun: {half} + (writers} = (arthritis}
Another pleasant puzzle today to go with the sunshine and the outlook of a nice long bike ride,
Thanks to Pommers and Jay
Good but (I think) quite strange puzzle today. At first run through, thought I as going to be in trouble, but in the end it only took 20 minutes, 1 cup of coffee and NO trip to the little crossword solvers room.
No great problems in the end – started to panic when I had a word ending in M_H but figured it out fairly quickly.
Enjoyed 6A, 19A, 25A, 26tA, 3D,14D, 17D but favourite was 5D
Another cracking review, Pommers, love the motors!. I found this much more straightforward than recent Jay puzzles but still very imaginative and enjoyable. Favourite without a doubt for me is 18d for the surface reading and the story told.
Thanks to you and to Jay for the puzzle.
As a ‘petrol head’ I’ll use any excuse to put an F1 car in, specially one being driven by one of my heros!
A little too straightforward for my liking today I’m afraid. All but 7 clues solved at 1st pass! Anyway thanks to setter and Pommers.
Can anybody please offer an answer to “SAD – a place for Phillip”, which is supposed to be a cryptic clue to a London tube station? It’s not a crossword so don’t know the no of letters, and I don’t have any cross-checkers. To put you in the mood, some others are “Not quite round” – ans. “Oval”, “Pachyderm and Turret” – ans. “Elephant & Castle”, and “Where the sun sets on a Japanese greeting” – “West Harrow”. The only solution I can come up with is “Queensbury” which, if it’s right, would make it a really bad clue.
BD – Sorry to hijack your site like this!!
Tufnell Park ??
Thanks Gazza, please explain. I get the cricket link, but SAD?
Can’t help with SAD – sorry! Are there any stations whose name ends in Green? What about Parson’s Green?
That’s all I could think of, but don’t get the SAD element
How about this one then:
SAD can mean School of Art and Design. The London College of Art and Design is at Marylebone, just across the road from Regent’s Park – does Prince Philip count as Prince Regent? Still somewhat tenuous I’m afraid, but Regents Park sounds pretty good to me. (I’m still working on this, you’ve got me going now).
Thanks Skempie – I’m afraid it doesn’t work as he’s not a Prince Regent. He could be styled as Prince Consort probably, but is actually just a Duke and husband to the ruling monarch.
bearing in mind the others clues think Regents Park is actually favourite-perhaps setter is not a monarchy expert-school of art and design is known as SAD
Tufnell Park perhaps? Or ‘something’ Green – there are other Philips than the prince
Are the letters of SAD capitalised in the clue? If so, I would concentrate on that feature. It cannot be coincidental. Seasonal affection disorder? There are only 303 tube stations so you can just scan them
Yes, SAD is in upper case. However, I don’t know for certain that that’s intentional or relevant. I did think of Seasonal Affected Disorder, Search and Destroy etc but I’m afraid they didn’t lead me anywhere.
There is a poet called Sad Crystal.. A place for Philip = Palace?. Could the answer be Crystal Palace?
Hi Moggy, Your solution seems to hold together a little better than any others I’ve either thought of myself or have been suggested to me. However, Sad Crystal seems to have written about 6 poems from what I could find on the net (which is only about 5 more than me!) – she doesn’t even warrant a Wikipedia entry! So, I can’t help thinking that it’s a little too obscure to be the right answer. Many thanks though.
T’was a desperate attempt to link SAD with Crystal. I too googled it. Are there any other stations ending in Palace? As it’s an anagram of “a place,” & with Prince Philip, seemed to be the right track..
Alexandra – SAD?
Both Alexandra and Chrystal Palace are train stations, not tube stations. OTOH, place for Philip should be palace if the Duke is meant.
Are you sure it must be a tube station?
Very good point, the title of the quiz is “Cryptic tube” and it says “all the answers are names of underground stations”. I haven’t checked that all the other answers are actually underground as opposed to overground or DLR etc, but I’m pretty sure they’re all right. There are 33 of them so too many to list here.
There’s also a Kingsbury… Also an anagram of A PLACE is PALACE but that’s not much help I imagine
Hi Zak, Thanks, I thought of Kingsbury but Philip’s not a King. I also got the Palace anag but couldn’t relate it to anything.
Does the clue actually have double LL in Phillip as you’ve written? – if so that must rule out the Prince, Tufnell and Green who all have just one.
It does have LL, but I suppose it’s not impossible that it’s a typo.
In that case, the answer HAS to be Crystal Palace. Do a search on Anomalous X-ray scattering, in X-Ray Crystallography a technique called Single-wavelength Anomalous Dispersion (SAD) is used, and Palace is deffo the place to find Phil the Greek (even if he does only have one L in his name). I met him once, very strange conversation –
‘What’s that under your arm?’
‘My gym kit Sir’
‘Gym kit? Gym kit? What’s Gym kit?’
‘Errrr, my kit …. for Gym?’
Probably why I’m still waiting for my knighthood.
Wow! It’s difficult to believe it could be that difficult but maybe this is the one question that’s supposed to sort the wheat from the chaff in determining the quiz winner. I have a Physics degree and I can’t say I’ve ever heard of it. I’ll go with that then Skempie. Many thanks to all who’ve offered opinions/suggestions – it’s much appreciated.
……………except that if you look up a list of London Underground stations, Crystal Palace doesn’t feature! I think I’ll have to check that each and every answer is strictly underground. Doh!
If anyone’s still reading this………..there’s only one other answer I have that doesn’t appear on Wikipedia’s list of Underground stations, and that’s Gerrards Cross. The clue for that is “On your head”. So, now I’m worried that that one might be wrong.
Could the answer to that one be High Barnet?
Bugger
One last try – only reference I can find to Phillip (with 2 Ls) is for Phillip Schofield, he does an early morning show so can we go with Mornington Crescent (tenuous to the extreme). Agree with High Barnet for ‘on your head’. Let us know when you have the answers. PLEASE !!!
Reply to Skempie and Moggy – many thanks for your continued valiant efforts. High Barnet (lofty hair-do) and Mornington Crescent (Moon at heavy sunrise) are already answers to other questions. It’s possible that “on your head” could be “New Barnet”, but that would be a bit disappointing as it’s nowhere near as good an answer as “Gerrards Cross” which I thought was hilarious! Anyhooo, if it is New Barnet, I’m afraid we’re back to square one on SAD Phillip.
You could always try Brent Cross – I believe Mr Brent is a player of Association Football.
Sorry Skempie, forgot to add that the last date for entries is 1st of May, so it will be a little while before I hear what the answers are I’m afraid.
Hi Roland
I’ve read all the above with interest but I’m sorry I can’t think of anything better than already posted, Crystal Palace looks favourite to me. Be interested in the answer to this one so please don’t forget to let us all know.
However, can I have my blog back now please?
Yes of course, sorry Pommers. I promise not to mention it again – unless I figure out the answer!
No problem – a very interesting discussion!
Hi- no idea like the rest of us where the SAD comes into it–but there is a station called Price Regent on docklands light railway which I believe is considered part of the underground system although it is overground!! Can’t wait to find out the answer the this annoying riddle!
sorry should have read Prince Regent!
“Mornington Crescent”?
SAD = Mo(u)rning – I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue !
Not with that back diagonal, Sir! (unless we are playing the ‘York Gambit’).
Best left to another website!.
Please don’t forget to tell us. I for one am super-intrigued.
No I won’t forget but answer sheets have to be in by May 1st, so it’ll be a little while yet. I’ve got a nasty feeling that it’s going to be an anti-climax though, on the basis that the clue won’t quite work in one way or another.
A gentler puzzle from Jay this week, which was enjoyable to solve.
10a reminded me of my Audi TT I had for a year (and then I got married, and that was the end of that!)
Thanks to Jay, and to pommers for the notes.
Hello all
Being dragged out shopping and for lunch as the mother in law is here for the week. Back in a couple of hours.
Had a go at this today as am off work. Got ‘roadster’ fairly quickly as I’ve just been washing the MGB, Liked the automotive theme, and the Spitting Image clip took me back! Liked 4d, and 13d. Took me a long time to see 14d and 19a. Thanks to Jay and Pommers.
A pleasant enough solve, which got side-tracked by inserting STEAL at 15d. Not a petrol head, but some nice pix Pommers!
Morning Pommers! Thanks for your review.
Today’s offering was a breeze. I finished it well within my usual morning coffee stop.
The Quickie pun is hard to see if I got my northern hemisphere correct. If I am right, if needs two cockney-specific pronunciations to work.
Jay’s challenge contained some v clever clues indeed, mainly because of supersmooth surfaces.
I picked up one new word, the scrounger. Apparently from the French. At home we call such a person a shnorrer.
Thanks to setter and blogger! Off to the Toughie.
The pun can be revealed at the bottom of the review.
A very pleasant if short-lived start to the solving day, thank you Jay. Agree with Pommers about the quantity of good clues and the review is very good too. Thank you. Lunching out in Spain, with or without a mother-in-law sounds very nice to this office-bound person. We do have lovely warm sun and blue skies here for a change.
Apart from one clue, the Toughie won’t cause people much trouble so give it a go.
Hi Pommers and Pommette thank you for the blog once again and the pictures, a very workable puzzle today I thought with lots of nice constructions although the reading at 1a doesn’t really make sense does it, why would you support a worker for a stroke? off to the market now on a lovely sunny day
Mary, I think that the intended surface reading is “Support worker for (those who have suffered a) stroke”; just as you might say, “Support worker for Alzheimer’s”. “Support worker” is meant to be read as a noun. In the solution, though, it’s a verb.
I meant to say that “support” is a verb in the solution.
20d. Although the answer is obvious, surely the root of “ragwort” is R not T.
I wondered about that too and ended up justifying it by saying the ‘root’ ie of a plant is at the bottom, therefore at the end! Perhaps barking up the wrong tree here ….
The root of a word is at the beginning, and of a plant it´s at the end, so I think it would work both ways.
Nice puzzle today. I did it without recourse to the Thesaurus. Not that I think reference books are cheating, but it´s so satisfying to get through without them.
My first car was one of the few which you did not mention or show a picture of, i.e. 11a, in the same vein I also owned a 12a in the dim and distant past ( I could not get in one now ). Enjoyable crossword from Jay and lovely review from Pommers, many thanks to both
Many thanks to Jay for an enjoyable crossword and to Pommers for the review.
If anyone wants a confidence boost and can get hold of today’s Times, try the qualifying crossword for the Times Cryptic Crossword Championships. It took me less time than today’s Jay!
For the first time this week I didn’t have any problems with this one – really makes a nice change and stops me feeling like a complete numbskull!
Favourites today include 12, 19, 23 and 26a and 3, 4, 6 and 13d – best of all 18d.
Beautiful sunny warm day in Oxford – dog walk and then garden, I think.
Thanks to Jay and Pommers.
The usual good stuff from the Wednesday setter. Although I did put “retort” for 9a, but fortunately, it didn’t affect any of the down answers! I liked 3d for it’s cleverness and 19a. Just in answer to Vince, I would say tip of ragwort would be R, root would be T [as the root is underground/underneath or the last letter]. Thanks to setter and the Ps for a fine review
Good workout today – finished in reasonable time, but it took some thought, so thanks Jay.
Pommers, just a small point re 25a: I would’ve thought the word for gate receipts would be singular and that the ‘S’s at the beginning and end would be the seconds, plural. Also, you’ve included the answer to 4d in the hint. Really sorry for being picky! But thank you for the picture for 17d – lovely bike, and the rider’s not too bad, either…!
Re 25d, now I’ve re-read the hint I see i didn’t explain very well. The gate reciepts is indeed singular with the S(econd) at either end.
Sorry about 4d, very easy mistake to make, now sorted.
Why is there a picture of a motor bike? Isn’t it enough to have two cars? The flower in 20d would have been much more beautiful!
Ah Nora – you have to remember that he is a “petol head” so any excuse to get bikes or cars into the photos and he will! And he does try to be a bit “off the wall” with his pictures. A flower would have been far too obvious!
I just don’t understand the love of cars. A box on wheels that gets me from A to B is all that’s required. And mine’s blue!
Hi Nora
Same answer for both clues – not picturres of bike and car but pictures of the answers. If you recognise either it’s an extra clue without giving the game away completely, as the primate picture does.
I suppose I should be grateful for small mercies. There are other reviewers who never can resist putting in a saucy photo, and would no doubt have used a picture of a bra rather than a bike. You’re forgiven.
Nora
Gazza and I can’t possibly think to whom you are referring!
Really? You do surprise me.
Many thanks to Pommers for the review – especially enjoyed the pics, tho’ I was looking forward to seeing an Austin Healey Sprite! Enjoy Spain y hasta la semana que viene.
Gracias Jay pero la semana que viene, vamos a ir a Inglaterra, así que no puede hacer la revisión.
Re Roadsters – I had Austin Healey Frog Eyed Sprite as a vintage car, I was driving as a normal road car a TVR Chimaera at the time. My wife also had a MX5. Loads of fun. Now in France we are somewhat more practical. Mercedes Estate and Berlingo (Zzzzzzzz!).
The Mazda was the only ‘fun’ car we ever owned and pommette was insistant that we used a photo of her own car and not a Googled image, so, sorry, no Frog Eye!. Now we’re down to an Astra diesel estate! It’s more comfortable than the Mazda but BORING!
Pommette,
I still miss all of them.
My wife had three (consecutively)
Sorry, that last post was actually from me, I’d forgotten I was using pommette’s machine! Still, I can imagine – you lucky man!
I still miss mine! he wouldn’t let me bring it to Spain with me. It didn’t have A/C and it’s too hot in the summer to drive it with the top down!
Straightforward and enjoyable. Nothing too obscure but some clever setting eg 4d. My sort of puzzle really so thanks to all.
Not a good day for me – think the sun must have gone to my head on the golf course this morning! Had to resort to the hints to finish off in SW corner – so many thanks to Pommers.
There seems to be a bit of a car theme here that I didn’t notice! 5 clues, 10a, 11a, 12a, 17d and 20d, are makes or models of car! Why I didn’t spot it I haven’t a clue as I actually used illustrations for 2 of them. Perhaps if I’d chosen a Dolomite Sprint picture for 17d the penny would have dropped!
I’m the world’s worst at spotting themes an ninas!
Knocked about 75% of this puzzle out and then had to go to the dentist for biannual checkup –
finished it on return.
Thought it was rather easier than usual.
Best for me : 6a, 16a, 24a, 4d & 17d.
Nice posting Pommers.
Paid 3 euros 20 for the paper at Schiphol airport and got this done waiting for my flight. Back on the commute tomorrow.
Really took my time over this today (which is code for had to do some work for once and fit it in around that) but thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle every time I picked it up. The last few took a matter of seconds thanks to the inspirational powers of the first pint of the day which came too late for my liking. Enjoyed reading the hints while Mrs Tub frowns at Masterchef, so thanks to Pommers for those, and thanks to the setter for so many fun clues.6d and 14d were among several favourites.
Sorry about the rather tenuous link to the video in 21a. As I was thinking about how to hint ‘double’ I had a rush of blood to the head and thought “I can feel a video coming on here” – I just loved Spitting Image! I think I may have written the hint around the idea for the video.