DT 26630

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26630

A full review by Big Dave (and mainly Prolixic but not Gnomethang)

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The blogger seems to have forgotten this one – I’ll try to put something up later. [Apologies to all for the lateness and thanks to Prolixic for taking the time to produce the following – gnomethang]

Across

1a Sung or spoken at church (6)
CHORAL – A form of church service is a word sum of Ch (church) + Oral (spoken)

9a Afterlife on Mars, perhaps? (10)
OTHERWORLD – A double definition for the afterlife and what the planet Mars is if the answer is split (5,5)

10a Chief’s bound to be motivating influence (10)
MAINSPRING – A motivating influence (provided power for mechanical watches) comes from a word sum of MAIN (chief) + SPRING (bound)

11a Victim escapes imprisonment for period (4)
TIME – A period of time is hidden inside vicTIM Escapes

12a Cliff and Mark left by accident (4)
SCAR – A less well known word for a cliff is also the Mark that may be left on the skin after an accident. [gnomethang – SCAR or SCARP is short for ESCARPMENT – I must earn my money somewhere here!]

14a No meat left? That’s disorganised (3,2,5)
OUT OF JOINT – A phrase meaning disorganised could also mean that there is no meat left.

17a Third person takes fitting for Mainwaring maybe (7)
CAPTAIN – The third person in the bible goes around word meaning fitting to produce the rank of the platoon leader in Dads Army

18a Priest’s before and behindhand (7)
PRELATE – A word a priest is a word sum of a three letter word meaning before and a four letter for behindhand.

20a Rambling in company, he appears with housing payment (10)
INCOHERENT – A word for rambling comes from IN (in the clue) + CO (company) + HE (in the clue) + RENT (housing payment).

21a Fish, dead one (4)
DACE – A kind of fish comes from an abbreviation for dead followed by a word for one. [gnomethang’s favourite clue – I used to try to net them at Allington Lock!]

22a Mostly short and thick, giving tip (4)
DUMP – A word for a rubbish tip comes from DUMPY (short and thick) with the Y removed (mostly)

23a With this there’s no clear way to trade stuff (7,3)
TRAFFIC JAM – A play on the word traffic meaning vehicles and trade.

25a Tale cleric recounted using a certain energy (10)
ELECTRICAL – A word for an item that uses A certain form of energy comes from an anagram (recounted) of TALE CLERIC

26a I am leaving messy liniment for flighty creature (6)
LINNET – A type of bird is an anagram of LINIMENT after removing an I (I am leaving)

Down

2d Line of people who are connected? (5,5)
HUMAN CHAIN – A weak cryptic definition for a lone of people joining hands.

3d Control on inside (4)
REIN A form of control comes from RE (on) + IN (Inside).

4d Depressed with side view that doesn’t reveal much (3-7)
LOW PROFILE – An semi-all in one clue. Words for depressed (LOW) and side view (PROFILE) give a phrase meaning lying down in a way that does not reveal much.

5d Frugal, turning thirty with five initially invited in (7)
THRIFTY – A word meaning frugal comes from an anagram (turning) of thirty with an F (five initially).

6d Rower’s first to enter large vessel (4)
BRIG – A word for a sailing vessel comes from the first letter of rower inside big (large).

7d How breakfast may be cooked, recreating bites of old (4-6)
SOFT BOILED – A phrase for how eggs may be cooked for breakfast is an anagram (recreated) of BITES OF OLD.

8d Arrival of Christianity (6)
ADVENT – The answer is the Pre-Christmas season of waiting for the arrival of Christ.

13d Looking back in it at reports etc. translated (10)
RETROSPECT – An anagram (translated) of REPORTS ETC gives a word meaning looking back in it.

15d Initially trees to be chopped down (5,2,3)
FIRST OF ALL – a phrase meaning initially if split FIRS TO FALL means trees to be chopped down.

16d Prominent once albeit camouflaged (10)
NOTICEABLE – A word meaning prominent is an anagram (camouflaged) of ONCE ALBEIT.

19d Second game’s about equal (7)
REMATCH – A word for a second game comes from a word sum of RE (about) + MATCH (equal).

20d Really fashionable act (6)
INDEED – A word meaning really comes from a word sum of IN (fashionable) + DEED (act).

23d Revolutionary movement (4)
TURN – A weak cryptic definition of a movement that goes in circles.

24 d Cockney friend missing a feature (4)
CHIN – A facial feature comes from the Cockney word for a friend (CHINA – china plate – mate) from which the A has been removed.