Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26829
Hints and tips by Libellule
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Another lovely day here today, although we have a cold north wind. Today we have a normal enjoyable Monday crossword from Rufus.
If you can’t work out the answer, just highlight the space between the curly brackets to reveal the answer.
Across
1. Heraldic battle-dress? (4,2,4)
{COAT OF ARMS} – A gentle cryptic definition that refers to the official symbols or bearings of a family or state.
9. Score a point, being clever (4)
{CUTE} – A three letter word for an incision is followed by an E (East – point).
10. After game, find Scrabble piece that’s on the floor (6,4)
{QUARRY TILE} – A type of floor covering is constructed from another word for hunted animals and then a word that describes a marked playing piece.
11. Left one with a Shakespearean part (6)
{PORTIA} – The nautical term for left, then I and an A is a character from the Merchant of Venice.
12. Humorist better touring the South (7)
{PUNSTER} – Put a word for a person who places a bet around S (South) to get someone who acts, speaks or writes in an amusing way.
15. Cracked up as a result of despair (7)
{PRAISED} – An anagram (as a result) of DESPAIR.
16. Knave withdrawn from the pack? (5)
{ROGUE} – Another word for a scoundrel or a rascal could also be a wild animal which lives apart from or has been driven from its herd.
17. Marine feature which may be permanent (4)
{WAVE} – A roller at sea could also be a type of hairdo.
18. Lake where mill initially stands before the end (4)
{MERE} – Take the first letter (initially) of mill and then add a poetic word for before to get another word for a small lake.
19. A tax return to distribute (5)
{ALLOT} – A and a reversed fixed charge or tax produces a word meaning to parcel out or allocate.
21. Head left students to get good jobs (7)
{EARNERS} – Remove the first letter from a word for scholars or trainees to get the sort of people who might be getting decent wages.
22. Irregular deliveries (2-5)
{NO-BALLS} – The sort of extra’s you get in cricket when the bowler oversteps the crease.
24. Entertain a chap with drink (6)
{REGALE} – A word that means to entertain sumptuously could be a man’s shortened first name (e.g. Elton John’s original name) plus another word for beer.
27. New hotel suite in outline (10)
{SILHOUETTE} – An anagram (new) of HOTEL SUITE.
28. Forget to put it on order (4)
{OMIT} – Add IT onto the abbreviation for the Order of Merit.
29. It looks like the military is involved (10)
{SIMILARITY} – An anagram (is involved) of MILITARY IS.
Down
2. Love to drink up after work (4)
{OPUS} – O and a three letter word for swallowing a small amount of liquid is reversed to produce the sort of creative work usually associated with composers.
3. Causes confusion in projects (6)
{THROWS} – Double definition. An informal word for causing confusion or perplexity, or to hurl or fling something.
4. Carriage upside-down on road crossing (7)
{FLYOVER} –A three letter word that describes a one horse carriage (usually for hire) if it had tipped up could also be “an intersection of two roads at which one is carried over the other by a bridge”.
5. Wet weather is the rule, it’s said (4)
{RAIN} – This weather sounds like reign.
6. May come to respect the royal staff (7)
{SCEPTRE} – An anagram (may come to) of RESPECT.
7. The sea seems to be quite calm, fortunately (4,2,4)
{JUST AS WELL} – The definition is fortunately, but if you split this as (4,1,5) it could also describe the normal undulating movement of the sea.
8. Lacking respect, notwithstanding (10)
{REGARDLESS} – A word that might mean to hold something with a smaller amount of esteem or respect is a also a word that can mean in spite of.
12. A magazine for ladies? (6,4)
{POWDER ROOM} – A term for a woman’s rest room could also be where you might store your ammunition.
13. That’s the last time — I always make losses (5,5)
{NEVER AGAIN} –You might never make a profit if you split the answer into (5,1,4).
14. Posh vehicle for baker’s deliveries? (5)
{ROLLS} – The sort of vehicle that might have been built by Mr. Royce and his partner.
15. Don, still in bed, gets up (3,2)
{PUT ON} – A phrase that means to get dressed, could also be a phrase that means still sleeping if reversed.
19. Checks made by police? (7)
{ARRESTS} – Cryptic? I suppose so, but only just. A word that means to slow or stop, is also what happens when you are seized under the authority of the law.
20. The cover on the bed (7)
{TOPSOIL} –The bed in this instance is the sort of bed you might find in the garden.
23. Seem to come into view (6)
{APPEAR} – Double definition. Seem to be true or probable. Or to come in sight or view.
25. Fifty stick around, looking far from pleased (4)
{GLUM} – Put L (Roman Numeral for 50) inside another word for a type of glue. Result a word that means moody or melancholy.
26. Reader’s plea for original expression (4)
{STET} – A word typically used by an editor to direct that a letter or word for example that was marked for omission or correction should be retained.
The Quick crossword pun: {beckon} + {annexe} = {bacon and eggs}
A nice challenge for me. Managed it all unaided but had to think. Some very nice cues too – particularly liked 7d. I found the bottom half easier than the top or would have done if I hadn’t spelled 27a incorrectly initially!
Thanks to R & L.
W
Have a look at the Guardian – it’s another Rufus but with more of a bite than today’s gentle introduction to the week
I thought he was easier in the Graun. His clue of the day is in the FT Club retainer who used to drag his wife along (4,3)
Found parts of this very tricky indeed esp the left hand side. Never heard the term in 12d before and this was a crucial clue. Why cute is clever and praised is cracked up is beyond me. No favourites as I can’t say I enjoyed this one at all. Thx to Libellule for the invaluable hints.
Hi Brian I must admit, I don’t really understand ‘praised’ either, maybe someone can explain?
Unless it’s from the term ‘ it’s not all it’s cracked up to be’ ?
That is how I understood it.
I think cute is a not uncommon synonym for clever e.g. “don’t be cute”.
W
Brian
To crack up = to praise.
Shrewd, clever.= cute
Never heard that before Libelulle i.e. to praise = to crack up
What about the expression “it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be”?
Sorry Mary – didn’t see you’d already said that.
Good morning Libelulle, I hope all is well at home, thanks for todays hints, I found this a slightly different Rufus today, might just be me, a lot more association rather than working out wordplay I thought, as Wozza, I found the bottom half easier, I got stuck on four at the top for ages, 10a, 4d, 8d and 11a, mind you 11a was my own fault for putting spectre in at 6d!! Fav clues today 7d & 13d, a three star for me today I think, mostly enjoyable but different?
Lovely day here so far but a lot of frost around earlier on!!
Rather a strange puzzle for Rufus I thought. While there were many clues that I thought were very good (as per normal) there were a few that just did not work. 3D and 4D didn’t click with me at all, 3D being very tenuous in the project department and 4D just didn’t gel at all.
Having said that, I thought 7D was a very good clue and 12D was excellent.
I agree skempie rather ‘different’ today
Yes – I thought it was slightly different today as well. 10a and 3 and 4d took me quite a while. Having got the “U” as second letter in 10a I managed to convince myself that “RU” was going to be the game and couldn’t get beyond that. Started off by putting “scar” at 17a but changed my mind fairly quickly. I think that 12d is probably an American term – used to work with an American who always said “I’m just going to powder my nose” whenever she was off to the loo! I liked 7, 8 and 14d. With thanks to Rufus and Libellule.
Hi Kath
I had the same problem with ‘RU’ at 10a!
Oh good – always nice to know that I’m not the only one.
me too
I went further and entered RUBBER. It took four stations before the penny dropped.
You weren’t the only one thinking that see other comments below
I had ru too
Don’t think it is American specifically – my Yorkshire granny always ‘powdered her nose’
It is also an activity that occurs in the ‘Gents’ of some less than desirable SW London drinking establishments!
Not the sort of place my granny would have frequented. I will take your word for it that such places exist
not just SW London Jezza!
Sorry Jezza and andy – don’t understand – suspect it’s one of those things that I probably DON’T need to have explained to me ….
As did others, I filled in the bottom half quicker than the top. The couple that held me up were 10a (the first word), and 4d.
Favourite clue – 20d.
Thanks to Rufus, and to Libellule.
I have to agree that this wasn’t the usual Monday fare – I thought 4d and 12d worthy of a gentle Toughie. I enjoyed it all the more for that. “Cracked up” and “clever” seemed to me to be perfectly acceptable – I rather like disguised definitions. Very entertaining today. Thanks to Rufus and Libelulle.
Harder than normal for a monday, probably***/ ***.did enjoy quite a lot of the clues-eg12d,7a,12d Rufus could somehow have linked topsoil with allot(ment)-ie bed, or am i thinking toughie? Thought Saturday,s cryptic was enjoyable and harder than usual-anyone else do it.
I thought it was trickier Rufus today – took me twice as long as a ‘usua’ Rufus. Very enjoyable as are his other offerings today. Thanks to him and to Libellule too.
Many thanks to Rufus for the usual enjoyable and untaxing start to the crossword week and thanks to Libellule for the informative review.
I was going to have a rant about 12a and proper names until i got it, so it has to be my favourite clue today along with 6d as I totally hadn’t spotted the anagram until i had all crossing letters. Last in was 4d as I was convinced carriage was the definition and still didn’t get it with all the crossing letters until i browsed through the dictionary. Doh. Thanks Rufus and Libellule for the explanation to 28a.
Nice start to the week.. Apart from Mrs B interrupting and giving me jobs to do! 2*/4* from me. Some nice clues again. 3d last in. It threw me for a while!
Nice to read the blog and realise it wasn’t “just me” to-day – thought I was slipping as needed hints to finish, so glad others found it a bit trickier than usual. Also found bottom half easier than top – which was not helped by putting “rubber” for 10a (game = bridge – thought it was quite good!) Hated 22a – pesky cricket clue again!! Fav was 7d. Thanks for necessary hints Liebllule.
You weren’t the only one with the rubber tile
I thought it but didn’t write it in as I could see the B wouldn’t work in 3d
I thought it was carpet tile at first, to carpet as in verb to floor – tell off !!
Quite enjoyable. Liked 7d, Still don’t get 4d and 15a across, no matter that “cracked up” may be in some scrabble dictionary somewhere. In any case what a horrible expression! Its a bit liked saying “sexed up” for “more interesting”. I blame the BBC.
In Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable it has ‘to crack up – to praise highly, to eulogise. It also means to break down in health or mind’
What a drag!
I agree.
So so so much wrong with this crossword. Lazy thinking everywhere . Roll on Tuesday.
I’m not sure that’s entirely fair. I’ve never tried to set a crossword, probably never will and wouldn’t know where to begin anyway – I think the only people really qualified to criticise are those who have done so. The bit that I DO agree with is roll on tomorrow – who knows what kind of crossword we’re going to get?
Looking forward to the “unknown” setter tomorrow.
No intention to criticise the setters on Mon / Wed / Fri – but it’s very nice to have a bit of variation – whether it be “too easy” or “too horrid!”
Yes – I agree with you completely.
The only question is “Will I be able to do it”?
Late input from me as nearly forgot to go fetch the DT from the shop – just made it before closing time.
Liked : 1a, 10a, 16a, 4d, 7d & 20d.
The usual gentle start to the week from Rufus.
Queer chilly weather here in NL.
Are you fasting Derek? What is on the menu, a few of us do appreciate your comments on that matter. My favourites today match yours entirely. Strange weather here too, 21d celcius last week, sleet on the way…. Oh well, but many thanks to Rufus and Libellule for what I, and I dont normally comment on ratings, would have been ***/***
I miss Derek’s Menus!
(His taste in wine may be well above my budget!)
Hi Andy & Franco!
Greetings!
No I am not fasting but I was put off “menuing” as some Bird complained that it was boring!
I may restart a bit – at the moment I am clearing out the fridge and deep-freeze so shall begin on a new culinary schedule soon.
Franco – the wines that I drink regularly are not expensive. I have been fortunate in my life span to have sampled many of the world’s top wines many of which are now dreadfully over-expensive!
Evening Derek. I am with Andy here. If we can talk about the weather and other stuff (and things) then the menu is fare (sic) game as well!.
Derek, not boring at all. Restart as soon as possible, Not just Franco and I who are interested. I get some Kudos and your name acknowledged amongst my wine drinking friends for your choices. And also for what food to match with them.
Who was the “bird” who complained that it was boring?
Late to this one as I popped across to France to top up the wine cellar. Never travel on a cross channel ferry during the school holidays!
Quite liked this puzzle, a few blind alleys, but got there in the end.
Thanks to Rufus.
Llibelulle thanks for the hints,needed them to explain why I’d fluked some of the answers.
I so wish I had remembered my lunch left in the fridge at home when i went to work Colmce. School holidays and walking on crutches in a shopping centre is really not much
fun
… but the traffic is so much easier generally in the school holidays – or is it that no-one has any petrol ….. ?
Obeying my usual rule of not writing in an answer until I am sure I had half the grid filled at lunchtime. I proceeded to Kick myself as the rest went in on the train home which shows just how good Rufus is. The misdirection is somethang else. Thanks to him and to Libellule.
Thanks to Rufus and to Libellule for the review and hints. A nice start to the week, I enjoyed it, but was stumped by the first word of 10a and the first thee letters of 4d, never heard of either in those contexts. Favourites were 12&19a and 7&15d. Last day of sunny weather for a while in Central London.