DT 26530 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 26530

by Gazza  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26530

Hints and tips by Gazza

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***

I’m not sure whether this is by Shamus. I think that it’s his turn this week and although this one is not a pangram, the Quickie is. If it is a Shamus puzzle then it’s one of the easiest ones he’s given us and an ideal puzzle for someone starting out on cryptics, with an entertaining mixture of clues. Let us know how you got on in a comment.
If you need to see an answer just highlight the space between the brackets under the relevant clue.

Across Clues

1a  Public entertainment coming in rounds? It disappears (6)
{CIRCUS} – this is public entertainment which is indeed viewed in round arenas and which is much less popular than it used to be and possibly in danger of disappearing completely. Remove IT (disappears) from a word meaning rounds or circles.

9a  Neat act with cue going wrong producing stress (10)
{ACCENTUATE} – the definition is to stress or emphasise – it’s an anagram (going wrong) of NEAT ACT and CUE.

10a  Time, say, taken by a President once, we hear, to accept name in historic document (5,5)
{MAGNA CARTA} – this is a famous charter of political rights which limited the powers of the English monarch. Start with what Time is an example of (say) and add A and a sound-alike (we hear) of the name of a US President of the 1970s. Finally insert N(ame).

11a  Old boy, individual pouring out heart in instrument (4)
{OBOE} – start with the abbreviation of old boy then add a synonym for individual without its central N (pouring out heart).

12a  Regulars in dour mob lacking intelligence (4)
{DUMB} – the odd (regulars) letters of dour mob give us an adjective meaning lacking intelligence.

14a  Taking everything into consideration like some theatres? (2,3,5)
{IN THE ROUND} – a phrase meaning taking everything into consideration is also how some theatres are built, allowing the action to be viewed from all sides (an example being the reconstructed Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London).

17a  Cool young reporter surrounding league supporters’ group? (3,4)
{FAN CLUB} – this is a supporters’ association. A verb meaning to cool is followed by a trainee reporter containing L(eague).

18a  Vulgar quality shown in sport adopted by daughter in built-up area (7)
{CRUDITY} – the definition is vulgar quality. Put the abbreviations for a 15-a-side sport and daughter inside (adopted by) a large urban area.

20a  Obtain article associated with kick and lose one’s position? (3,3,4)
{GET THE BOOT} – a colloquial phrase meaning to be dismissed from one’s employment is a charade of a verb to obtain, the definite article and a verb meaning to kick.

21a  Excellent group housed in wealthier area (4)
{RARE} – an adjective meaning excellent or outstanding is hidden (housed) in the clue.

22a  Male in scientific place is young creature (4)
{LAMB} – put M(ale) inside the abbreviated form of a place where scientific work is performed to get a young creature which is born around this time of year.

23a  Football club arranged vital loans (5,5)
{ASTON VILLA} – the name of a football club based in the Midlands is an anagram (arranged) of VITAL LOANS. Very appropriate fodder for struggling football clubs.

25a  Sense mood to accept second criterion (10)
{TOUCHSTONE} – a standard or criterion by which something is judged is made from one of the five senses followed by a synonym for mood with S(econd) inserted (to accept).

26a  Worker taken in by sign for shed (4-2)
{LEAN-TO} – a common Crosswordland worker goes inside (taken in by) a sign of the Zodiac.

Down Clues

2d  I’m at a clue possibly containing bit of misdirection? It’s flawless (10)
{IMMACULATE} – an adjective meaning flawless is an anagram (possibly) of I’M AT A CLUE with the first letter (bit) of M(isdirection) inserted.

3d  Tribe make ringing sound endlessly (4)
{CLAN} – a loud ringing sound loses its final G (endlessly) to leave a tribe.

4d  Holy quality in cadets’ unit when deployed (10)
{SANCTITUDE} – an anagram (deployed) of CADETS’ UNIT.

5d  Unite a cold island abroad (7)
{ACCRETE} – a verb meaning to unite or grow together is made by stringing together A, C(old) and a Mediterranean island.

6d  Ancient people in California shortly (4)
{INCA} – an ancient South American people is formed from IN and the abbreviation (shortly) of California.

7d  Irregular like a naughty monk? (3,2,5)
{OUT OF ORDER} – a phrase meaning irregular or in an uncontrolled manner could also, cryptically, describe a monk who has been expelled for misbehaviour.

8d  Inscription represented by a digit maybe (6)
{LEGEND} – an inscription or caption could also be a cryptic (3,3) definition of a toe. Definitely an old chestnut.

13d  Following uninterruptedly description of flowing movement on a rugby field? (4-2-4)
{BACK-TO-BACK} – this is an adjective describing two consecutive events with no gap between them. It’s also a semi-cryptic description of a passing movement (not involving the forwards) on a rugby pitch.

15d  Rule one nut broke in transport link (10)
{EUROTUNNEL} – an anagram (broke) of RULE ONE NUT.

16d  A learner entertained by one barely appearing an expert in animals? (10)
{NATURALIST} – put A and L(earner) inside (entertained by) someone who has a limited wardrobe (one barely appearing, or one appearing barely).

19d  Amount of food and drink about right (7)
{PORTION} – a drink with supposedly healing or magical properties contains R(ight) to make a serving of food.

20d  Cake at front of office — and ice cream (6)
{GELATO} – the Italian word for an ice-cream is made from a verb meaning to congeal or cake followed by AT and the first letter (front) of O(ffice).

23d  Mistake to drop Latin in part of church (4)
{APSE} – drop the initial L(atin) from a mistake to leave part of the structure of a church.

24d  Nationalists capturing Hebridean island (4)
{IONA} – hidden (capturing) in the clue is an island in the Inner Hebrides, the traditional burial place of Scottish kings.

The clues I liked best were 1a, 23a and 16d but my favourite was 10a. Tell us which ones you liked.

The Quickie pun is {MANNER} + {CULL} = {MANACLE}

36 comments on “DT 26530”

  1. Clearly a gentle one today if I’ve done it already. There was a bit of guess work here and there with 5a being a new word. Some nice anagrams and several smiles along the way.

    Thanks to setter and Gazza, will read the review later.

  2. Didn’t take me long to realise that this was possibly the easiest crossword I’ve found in the Telegraph. 5d was a new word to me but simple enough to work out from the clue. Maybe what it lacked in challenge it made up for in satisfaction! Thanks to the setter, and I echo Gazza’s comments in his intro. Perhaps more of a training exercise than a real ‘puzzle’ for me.

  3. Quite enjoyable today, again, no real demons. Liked 10A, 5D, 15D and today’s favourite 17A – very clever.

  4. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a crossword given less than 2* for difficulty before but, for me, that is probably about right even allowing for the “footbally” clues. Anyway, I enjoyed doing it and now have no excuses not to get out into the garden. 16d took me the longest – always forget ‘naturist’ and could only think of ‘nudist” – just being a bit slow! Also completely missed the significance of ‘Time’ in 10a although the answer was obvious.
    Favourites today include 1 and 14a and 2, 5, 7 and 15d.
    Thanks to whoever set this one and to Gazza for the hints.

  5. Not as easy as the rest of the world seems to think… but not that hard and I enjoyed it. Thank you to the Setter and Gazza for the review.

    Favourite clues: 16a and 7d.

    Red-faced moment: Took ages to get 1a (!)… just didn’t see it at all.

    Hope everyone gets a bit of time in the sunshine today.

    Nick

  6. At the risk of sounding like a bit of a crotch, i really didn’t like the definition in 12a – I really don’t expect to come across Americanese such as this in the Telegraph crossword. Harrumph!

    Thanks to setter and reviewer.

  7. I agree this was on the easier side and definitely one for those in the Clueless Club to escape. Having said that, I was held up for longer than I should have been by putting “out of habit” at 7d and “ball by ball” at 13d. Favourite clue for me was 10a. Enjoyable crossword and enjoyable weather to boot! Thanks to setter and Gazza for review

  8. I know we aren’t supposed to mention solving times, but I think I broke my own world record with this one! A very enjoyable crossword – perhaps the setter knew we were going to have nice weather and supplied an easy crossword to enable us to get it done and then out into the lovely sunshine. Thanks to the setter for the early morning fun and Gazza for the hints – my favourites were the same as yours.

    The toughie is Tuesday level tough and apart from one (unknown to me) word should be gettable by the majority of visitors to this blog.

      1. If only I could :( – I am stuck in an office looking out at blue sky and lovely sunshine and ……. Roll on Friday :)

            1. Back tomorrow afternoon… I think this weekend we are forecast better weather than Marrakech. :)

  9. As others have pointed out, a VERY quick solve (although not quite in the crypticsue territory).
    I think that the issue for me was that all the anagrams jumped out immediately. Still enjoyable enough – I just had to look at it again to appreciate it.
    Thanks to the setter and to gazza.

  10. Thanks to Gazza for his excellent review and all comments. Re Gnomethang, there were only 5 anagrams in the puzzle so, even if easily detected, they should not confer too much of an advantage! Will hope to have toughened up and flexed my cruciverbal muscles for tomorrow’s Toughie! Happy sun lounging to all.

    1. Thanks, Shamus, and thanks too for letting us know that you’re tomorrow’s Toughie setter – I’ll be blogging that too!

    2. Thanks Shamus, that was certainly not a criticism and I perhaps ought to have said ‘wordplay’. It was just one of those puzzles that I managed to fill in almost immediately without having time to appreciate the clue. Nothing wrong with an easier puzzle from time to time! Looking forward to tomorrow.

  12. I am with Freda on the 12a definition, it’s not really up there with todays pc speak even if iut is in the dictionary. Other than that, a fairly blue sky type of puzzle, no clouds of doubt or contention apart from the above.
    Thanks to Gazza and the Setter, woof woof

  13. I think yesterday’s puzzle and today’s must be the gentlest start to a week since I joined CluedUp. It gives the old confidence a boost, even though a lot of people are saying how easy today’s was.

  14. Easier than normal but sometimes it lets one get on with the rest of one’s life instead of pencil-chewing! I enjoyed this gentle distraction from work. Thanks to both again.

  15. Like most I found this not too difficult although I would not say easy. Getting a good start really helps as one gains many letters for the other clues. 5d new to me too. Favorite clue (well favourite answer anyway) was 23a – always nice when your team comes up. Thanks to Gazza & Shamus.

  16. It might have been ‘a training puzzle’,but it was most satisfactory and once again, I managed to do ‘most’ of it ‘solo’.

  17. A nice gentle crossword today that was ideal for a novice such as myself. No major difficulties except for 14a which is a phrase that I don’t believe that I’ve heard before. I managed to figure it out though from the intersecting letters.

  18. Agree with Gazza that this puzzle was not too taxing – thanks Shamus.
    Favourites for me : 1a, 10a, 14a, 7d & 15d.

  20. 5D was a new word for me, but I worked it out and then checked it in the dictionary.

    Otherwise a very gentle stroll, took me about an hour.

  21. Still can’t fathom the wordplay for first word in 10a, understand second word but not first one. Never mind, tomorrow is another day and the weather is far to nice to dwell on things for too long.

    1. Wayne,
      10a is MAG (Time MAGazine, for example) + A + CARTA (sounds like Carter) with N(ame) included.

        1. I always forget that ‘time’ (I think usually with a capital ‘T’ which helps) is a magazine. I have seen it before but forgot AGAIN today so didn’t understand the answer until I read the hints. One day I WILL remember.

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