Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27026
A full review by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***
A very enjoyable puzzle from Cephas with a good mix of clues, including his trademark anagrams.
Remember that the defiitions are now underlined.
Across
2 Hanger-on, one getting behind shelter (4-8)
CAMP-FOLLOWER – A cryptic definition of a civilian who follows the army, providing services for military personnel. CAMP (shelter) and FOLLOWER (one getting behind).
8 Dash! Old train service goes by ten (4)
BRIO – An originally Italian expression meaning dash in the sense of liveliness or vivacity. BR (British Rail, the old train service) and IO (ten).
9 Rush to get computers, etc, and scarper? (3,3,2)
RUN FOR IT – An expression meaning to scarper might also mean there was a rush to obtain computers or other pieces of Information Technology.
10 Strung-out Louis must drop round for shot in the arm (8)
STIMULUS – Remove the O (drop round) from L[O]UIS MUST and rearrange the remaining letters – strung-out being the anagram indicator here.
11 Student starting late as breadwinner (6)
EARNER – Remove the first letter (starting late) from a [L]earner or student.
12 Top rep’s book? (10)
BESTSELLER – A rep who sells the most – or a book that has sold more copies than any other.
13 Six-footer in religious group (6)
INSECT – Easy peasy – IN (from the clue) plus SECT (religious group).
16 More than one bird in negligee, seductively (5)
GEESE – More than one goose is hidden in negliGEE SEductively.
17 Capital of Puerto Rico’s leaders with a visitor losing the way (6)
PRAGUE – The capital of the Czech Republic. PR (the ‘leaders’ of Puerto Rico) follows by A (from the clue) and the first three letters of GUEST (visitor). The clue tells you to lose the way – ST – the abbreviation for street.
18 High flier‘s suite? (10)
NUTCRACKER – Double definition – A bird of the crow family which feeds on nuts and seeds or a suite of music by Tchaikovsky.
21 Building not likely to move (6)
STABLE – And another double definition, the former a noun, the latter an adjective.
23 Expressions of disbelief and surprise, going by island in boat (5,3)
NOAHS ARK – The expressions of disbelief and surprise are NO and AH and the (Channel) island is SARK.
24 Commotion as noisily make tea with a laugh (8)
BROUHAHA – A homophone of BREW (make tea) followed by HA HA (laugh).
25 Other ranks generally disheartened by revelry (4)
ORGY – OR (the abbreviation used for the ordinary soldiers, or Other Ranks in the Army) followed by the outside letters (disheartened) of Generall Y.
26 Vocalist drunk on recent tour (12)
COUNTERTENOR – The highest male alto voice – an anagram (drunk) of ON RECENT TOUR.
Down
1 Feel acute embarrassment for the man supporting court order (6)
WRITHE – WRIT (court order) and HE (the man).
2 Training regularly? (9)
COMMUTING – A cryptic definition of someone who travels on the train every day to work.
3 More than one course that is African sweetcorn (6)
MEALIE – An ear of maize or sweetcorn which is ground up and made into a type of porridge in South Africa. MEAL (several courses of food) and IE (that is).
4 Ship’s officer‘s instant true-life representation (5,10)
FIRST LIEUTENANT – An anagram (representation) of INSTANT TRUE LIFE, split 5,10.
5 I may be seen in 51 green assorted undies (8)
LINGERIE – Having met him on more than one occasion, I have to say that I can’t imagine our setter really wearing the items suggested by the clue!! LI (fifty-one in Roman numerals) and an anagram (assorted) of GREEN.
6 Bouquet is old, that’s grim (5)
ODOUR – A bouquet or smell – O (old) and DOUR (grim).
7 Proof of independent study clubs being held by the First Lady (8)
EVIDENCE – Insert into EVE (the first lady on earth) I (independence) DEN (study) C (the abbreviation for the suit of clubs in a pack of cards).
14 One after another (9)
SUCCESSOR – Literally a person who comes after another.
15 Tenth speaker in musical story (8)
ORATORIO – A story set to music – ORATOR (speaker) and IO (tenth)
16 Produce family unit price (8)
GENERATE – GENE (family unit of inheritance) and RATE (price).
19 Where a gangster traps US politician (6)
REAGAN – A clever hidden word (in wheRE A GANgster) gives us the name of one of the past Presidents of the United States.
20 Anger of jittery general when cut off at rear (6)
ENRAGE – Remove the last letter (cut off at rear) from GENERA[L] and make an anagram (jittery) of the remaining letters.
22 Bear east, fleeing from Brunei in confusion (5)
BRUIN – Take the E (east fleeing) from BRUN[E]I and an anagram (in confusion) of the remaining letters gives a name for a bear, especially in children’s stories.
Thanks to Cephas once again for the perfect puzzle for a Saturday – keeps the cryptic addiction going nicely but allows time for all the necessary chores!
