Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26689
Hints and tips by Gazza
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
I didn’t think that this was one of Giovanni’s more challenging puzzles, but it may come as a bit of a relief to some after yesterday’s effort. I’ve written this with one eye on the TV – hard luck, Wales (if only they’d remembered to pack their kicking boots!), we’ll have to wait for 2015 now.
If you want to see an answer just highlight the space between the brackets under the relevant clue.
Across Clues
1a Football team depressed about very best wingers being missing (6)
{WOLVES} – this is the nickname of a Midlands football team (who for a period in the 1950s were probably the best team in England). Reverse (about) an adjective meaning depressed and add V(ery) and (b)ES(t) without the outside letters (wingers being missing).
5a Game in naval station followed by dance (8)
{BASEBALL} – a charade of a naval station and a formal dance.
9a Dismay is hidden by adherent being put out (10)
{DISHEARTEN} – put IS inside an anagram (put out) of ADHERENT to make a verb meaning to dismay.
10a What’s earned is money taken to bookie? Not right! (4)
{WAGE} – start with the money you give to a bookie (in the, normally forlorn, hope of getting more back) and remove the R (not right).
11a Fellow in dressing-room can be awfully tame in different ways (8)
{TEAMMATE} – the dressing-room here is not in the theatre but at a sports ground and this fellow player is constructed from two different anagrams (awfully) of TAME.
12a Expand time for event to accommodate the Italian (6)
{DILATE} – put the Italian definite article inside (to accommodate) the time when an event is due to happen to make a verb to expand.
13a Indication of happiness with bother finally swamped by drink (4)
{GRIN} – an indication, on one’s face, of happiness comes from inserting (swamped by) the final letter of (bothe)R in an alcoholic drink.
15a Scientist’s going around western communities established quite recently (3,5)
{NEW TOWNS} – the name of a famous English mathematician and physicist (plus the ‘S) goes round W(estern) to make communities established quite recently like Milton Keynes and Livingston.
18a Murders escorts (5,3)
{TAKES OUT} – double definition.
19a Christian Scientist in a whirl (4)
{EDDY} – double definition, the first being the surname of the American lady who founded the Christian Science movement (a name that I always associated, weirdly, with a cake mixture having her two first names).
21a Try twisting worker, as terrible boss? (6)
{TYRANT} – an anagram (twisting) of TRY is followed by the usual six-legged worker.
23a Mess created by amount of paper spread across annual meeting (8)
{QUAGMIRE} – a quantity of paper (a twentieth part of a ream) contains (spread across) the abbreviation for a company’s annual meeting.
25a Told son to get help (4)
{SAID} – S(on) is followed by a synonym for help.
26a Seat in front of lots of flats etc. (5,5)
{PIANO STOOL} – cryptic definition of a seat in front of an instrument with flats (and sharps).
27a Dismissal of some French companion when Irishman’s brought in (8)
{DESPATCH} – the definition here is dismissal. The French word for “of some” is followed by the abbreviation for an honoured companion with the forename associated with an Irishman inserted (brought in).
28a Perhaps an old clue slightly amended about drug (6)
{REHASH} – the recycling with minor amendments of something used before is a charade of a preposition meaning about or concerning and another word for cannabis.
Down Clues
2d Like event at rink that’s postponed (2,3)
{ON ICE} – where you might see Torvill and Dean performing is also a phrase used to mean postponed.
3d Forcefulness of macho types in very English part of the Establishment (9)
{VEHEMENCE} – insert macho types (2-3) between V(ery) E(nglish) and the abbreviation for the established church in England.
4d Beetle brings endless alarm to sailor (6)
{SCARAB} – an alarm or panic without its final E (endless) is followed by the abbreviation for a sailor to make a beetle regarded as sacred in ancient Egypt.
5d Food dished out in US banquets — truth! (9,6)
{BUTTERNUT SQUASH} – this is a semi all-in-one. An anagram (dished out) of US BANQUETS TRUTH is a fruit, similar to a pumpkin, with a sweet nutty taste.
6d Dismissed from uni with less of an odour, we hear? (4,4)
{SENT DOWN} – a phrasal verb meaning expelled from university sounds like (we hear) the odour is less strong.
7d Part of body has nasty smell, not totally healthy (5)
{BOWEL} – this is possibly another semi all-in-one and it’s quite amusing. Start with the abbreviation for a personal pong and add a synonym for healthy without its final L (not totally).
8d Being illuminated, he tingled with excitement (9)
{LIGHTENED} – an anagram (with excitement) of HE TINGLED means illuminated.
14d Unoriginal girl said to be after money (5-4)
{READY-MADE} – a homophone (said) of a girl goes after a slang word for money to make a description of something bought off the shelf rather than an original creation.
16d Defeat in game at the end of bowler’s short spell? (9)
{OVERMATCH} – a, mainly American, verb meaning to defeat with superior force is formed from a game or contest after a bowler’s short spell (of six balls).
17d It’s not hard to detect an affectionate feeling (4,4)
{SOFT SPOT} – the opposite of hard is followed by a verb meaning to detect or notice to make an affectionate feeling or weakness for something or someone.
20d Approval shown by number clutching King James Bible (6)
{FAVOUR} – a number goes around (clutching) the abbreviation for the version of the Bible authorised by King James I (or VI, depending on where you live).
22d A theologian in an elevated position to be convincing (3,2)
{ADD UP} – a charade of A, the abbreviation for a theologian and an adverb meaning in an elevated position produces a phrasal verb for to be convincing or make sense.
24d Brushes not initially provided for apartments (5)
{ROOMS} – remove the first letter (not initially provided) from brushes to leave apartments.
The clues I liked best were 11a, 3d and 7d. Let us know what you liked.
Today’s Quickie Pun: {CORE} + {SICKEN} = {CORSICAN}
Good morning Gazza, well I think we have to admit this time that Wales just weren’t good enough, no excuses! Not a good day for me I can’t print the puzzle off as one of my ink cartridges has run out and although the black one is full, it won’t print if one is empty!! I can’t see me getting round to this now as I have my art class and flute practice! Good luck everyone
Maybe later!
Try the web site direct. I got straight on to it again
Enjoyable, and not too taxing from Giovanni today. Thanks to him, and to gazza for the review.
Favourite clue 7d.
The Toughie is good today, and reasonably gentle (compared to some from Elgar).
Not the best Giovanni, bottom half very tricky I thought, most certainly not a 2star diff for me!
Still don’t understand 1a, can see the team but the rest in shrouded in a fog.
Too many religeous refs for me today, what is a Christian Scientist anyway.
Thx to Gazza for the hints.
Depressed=Low (then reverse it (about). followed by V (for very) and ES (bESt without the wingers – ie, the outside letters)
I thought this had some fairly tricky clues, I got stuck around the bottom left corner for a while, but then 20D popped into the old grey matter and hey presto. Having said that, I enjoyed today’s offering from Giovanni even if I were a little (ok, a lot) distracted by the rugby (and Gazza, I would have thought that Wales had learned about their kicking problems over the last few matches – especially after the France game). I was really impressed with 23A – very clever cluing indeed.
Incidentally, does anyone know the answer to 8D in the quickie – Site of Hindu cremation (4)
{GHAT}
Cheers BD ( I didn’t think it would be O, HOT)
I got in a mess at the bottom as I had ‘cash’ at 14 down, though I couldn’t work out why it had anything to do with a girl! That made 27a impossible to get, so thanks for the hints to get me out of my pickle!
For me the best cryptic of the week.
Fav. clue 26a and the Victor Borge clip brings back many memories. Thanks to Giovanni and of course Gazza.
10a is very clever. I’m struggling with the rest though. 2* may be a little low
Sorry 11a
I have seen that several of you are not satisifed with the DT website. I am considering taking up this option rather than buying the paper every day. Do members believe that the DT site has been made sufficiently robust to warrant taking out the subscription in UK?
Over the past week, I have managed to access the site on the first attempt, without any problem.
Before then was another story…!
My experience of it has improved remarkably in the last week. Usually get on first attempt; I’m not sure that is the same for everybody. It is certainly a great resource but you might want to wait a while to see how it improves.
I often have to access the site from overseas, and have managed it twice in the last week. Although it’s an improvement on recent weeks, it’s still not as reliable as it should be.
I’m now getting on first time every time from France
For just printing off the site is working well now since last week. I like pen and paper and am not interested in submitting the solution so as long as current level of efficiency is maintained I am happy with it. I would hope that the repair work just done would ensure that the poor performance wasn’t repeated. Incidentally I did get a refund on my subscription because of the outage.
I think it depends on the time you access it. I am in Chicago so am usually trying between midnight and 5 am UK time and have not been able to get on then. I got on about an hour ago which would be 4 pm UK time and usually find access from 4pm to around 8 pm UK time ok as I figure most in the UK have got and checked their puzzles by then.
It’s worked every day for me since last Saturday with no problems. On Wednesday I bought the paper as I had a hospital appointment and expected a long wait. Why I bothered I do not know – the best use of it was to tear into four, put a hole in each corner & pass a string through it then hang it in the outside privy.
I have been using the site all this week with no significant problems. Commands such as “Submit” and “Save” now give rapid response although the score register and “Leaderboard” are not working. I live abroad and have been a user for several years. Until this year, the quality has been A1. Go for it!
I found this very straightforward once again. It’s very strange – all this week I’ve been able to pretty much write the answers straight in with no more than one or two needing to be checked in Chambers. Must be the biorhythms! I’m sure I’ll come down to Earth with a bang next week. Shame for Wales, if only they’d been able to apply the same pressure they exerted in the last 3 or 4 minutes over about 15 mins, they’d have had the Aussies for the taking IMO.
Whizzed through most of this one without any difficulty then came to a grinding halt with about five left to go. Ended up needing the hints to get 11a (just couldn’t see it at all) and to explain 1a. 26a took me a long time, as did 20d. Didn’t know the word at 16d but guessed and looked it up and I’ve never heard of 19a so, again, guessed and looked her up. I liked 18 and 23a and 3, 5, 7 and 17d. With thanks to Giovanni and Gazza, especially for the clip of Victor Borge.
Not sure if I’m breaking an unwritten law by saying what I’m about to say, so apologies to all if I am. I’m appalled by the photographs on the front pages of ALL the papers today.
Me too Kath. Totally unnecessary to publish such horrific images.
Thank you – was beginning to think I’d stuck my neck out a bit too far on this one.
The usual enjoyable start to Friday from Giovanni so thank you to him once again. Thanks to Gazza too – agree the stars, favourite clues and the pics are good too.
Don’t be fooled by the Elgar name at the top of the Toughie – he’s definitely a long way from Vlad today, not quite a pussy cat either, somewhere in the middle so do give it a try.
Thanks to Giovanni and Gazza, usual Friday fare and none the worse for that, very enjoyable.
Very enjoyable crossword from Giovanni. I agree it was one of his easier works of art. Favourite clue was 26a. Thanks to Giovanni for the crossword and to Gazza for the review. I think that the bromide tablets are beginning to work as this is the second crossword in a week where he has not summoned forth scantily clad ladies to illustrate the clues!
Like CS I recommend the pussy cat Elgar in the Toughie – just about the easiest Toughie he has set. Give it a shot, you know it makes sense.
Normal service may be resumed next week. I was distracted by the rugby this morning.
Finally completed it at third sitting. Still think this was a lot trickier than normal but that’s only me! Loved 26a when the penny finally dropped, very clever. Hated 20d (no idea about any sort of bible), and 22d took me a while too. Thx to Giovanni but not my favourite I’ m afraid, sorry!
This was better for me than the last couple of days but I was stuck on 14d being sure the second word would be same and I never heard of Mary Baker Eddy but who knows she might come in useful again. Thanks for the hints. 3 star I think.
Finished this one from The Don in rapid time – not one of his most exacting puzzles.
An American flavour to it!
Faves : 23a, 26a, 4d, 5d, 14d, 20d & 24d.
Re 5d, I cannot find any reference in Chambers or in Alan Davidson’s “Food” but funnily enough the local greengrocer has some at the moment!
We live on the wonddrful 5d all year round. It’s really good roasted in a mix with lots of other vegetables such as peppers onions tomatoes potatoes herbs chili etc with either sausages or chicken thighs cooked with it. (Can you tell it’s time for me to go home and sort out what’s for dinner??)
We regularly make 5d and ginger soup.
You should try going to a Beefeater for an evening meal and asking what the soup of the day is – Nine times out of ten, it’s 5D soup. This is why we tend to have breaded mushrooms and melon.
Ref 12A – there are 8 different versions of the Italian definite article. This knowledge helped me not.
Hi a good Cw today, has anyone noticed the reference to Gaddafi in the answers to 18a & 21a thanks to Gazza & Giovanni.
Finished. A really enjouable Xword and thanks for the hints Gazza and the Victor Borge skit which reminded me how funny he was. Infinately better than yesterdays puzzle
I really liked this, especially 23a, which made me smile. still don’t understand 24d though, even with the hint.
I couldn’t do without this site now, it is so enjoyable to read both the welcome hits and also the comments.
24d Brushes are BROOMS. “Not initially provided” means take off the initial (first) letter.
Thanks to the 2 G’s. A good puzzle. Needed 4 hints all in the SEPT corner, 2 of which I had to look up. Favourites were 23 & 11.
SE corner, blooming auto-complete ! Still can’t post any more from Android smartphone, but it works straight away from iPod Touch.