Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27079
A full review by crypticsue
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
The Saturday Mysteron provided us with another of his typically straightforward Prize Puzzles, the main cause for celebration on the day being the fact that, for a change, the apostrophe was actually included in the enumeration for a clue – 27a .
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
Across
1 Macabre kill unravelled — he threatens to expose offender (11)
BLACKMAILER – An anagram (unravelled) of MACABRE KILL
9 I am a success in perfect form (5)
IMAGO – IM (I’m or I am) A (from the clue) and GO (success, in the sense of making a go of something).
10 Working contract for stylish gnashers? (9)
INDENTURE – IN (stylish, in fashion) and DENTURE (a set of teeth or gnashers).
11 Musical style of Rice perhaps in vogue (7)
RAGTIME – Insert TIM (Rice) into RAGE (vogue, fashion).
12 Rainforest inhabitant got back round bank, right (4,4)
TREE FROG – Insert REEF (bank) and R(right) into a reversal (back) of GOT.
14 Regular performer let round team (8)
RESIDENT – A regular performer at a club – Insert SIDE (team) into RENT (let out).
15 A politician’s sound equipment (4)
AMPS – A MPS (a Member of Parliament’s) produces the abbreviation for amplifiers of sound.
17 Indication to look elsewhere in document for leak (7)
SEEPAGE – Look elsewhere in the document or SEE PAGE …!
19 Native-American dance leading to onset of inundation (4)
HOPI – A HOP or dance followed by the initial (onset) letter of Inundation produces a member of a Pueblo people of NE Arizona.
20 One lacking belief in Italy’s foremost composer (8)
PAGANINI – PAGAN (one lacking belief) IN (from the clue) and I (Italy’s foremost).
21 Entertainer to fool around TV etc (8)
COMEDIAN – Insert MEDIA (TV being an example of the media) into CON (fool, take in).
23 Keeps checks restricting irregular soldiers (7)
RETAINS – Insert the abbreviation for the irregular soldiers of the Territorial Army into REINS (checks).
25 Penny has to be keen about old apartment (9)
PENTHOUSE – P (penny) plus ENTHUSE (be keen) into which is inserted (about) O (old).
26 High position — Jane holds one (5)
EYRIE – A stronghold perched on high, or an eagle’s nest – Insert I (one) into the surname of Jane EYRE.
27 Assassinated President — heinous act — needs initially lots of lawyers (7’1,3)
LINCOLN’S INN – President Abraham LINCOLN was assassinated. Follow him with SIN (heinous act) and N (needs initially).
Down
2 Succession followed by monarch such as Queen Mary (5)
LINER – A series or succession of dependents – a LINE – followed by R (Rex or Regina) – Should I admit that I actually once saw the Queen Mary at Southampton – as a very small child you understand!
3 They’ll make champs toast including women (7)
CHEWERS – People who champ, bite, much or chew – CHEERS (toast) with W (women) inserted.
4 Provide with engine needing short time to get up (8)
MOTORISE – MO (short time) TO (from the clue) and RISE (get up).
5 Totter up gets sly look (4)
LEER – a reversal (up in a down clue) of REEL or totter.
6 Desiring changes, this gives a good view (8)
RINGSIDE – The best seat from which to view a sporting event such as a boxing match is an easy anagram (changes) of DESIRING.
7 Platform setting out team’s info (9)
MANIFESTO – An anagram (setting out) of TEAMS INFO produces the declarations of intentions, opinions or motives of a party or body.
8 Spy on headquarters, providing interference (11)
MOLESTATION – MOLE (spy) and STATION (headquarters).
12 It shifts cargo from errant ports at sea (11)
TRANSPORTER – Another anagram – this time errant indicates that PORTS AT SEA should be rearranged.
13 Illustration showing mostly favourable quality about Greek character (7)
GRAPHIC – Insert the Greek letter PHI into GRAC[E], most of a favourable quality.
16 Heartless clique upset a politician producing intense discomfort (9)
PURGATORY – Remove the middle letter from a GROUP or clique, reverse (upset) the remaining letters and follow with A from the clue and TORY (politician).
17 Submitted before the Spanish guard (8)
SENTINEL – SENT IN and EL (the Spanish word for the definite article)
18 Weapon gathered aluminium alloy (8)
GUNMETAL – Another charade- GUN MET and AL (the chemical symbol for aluminium).
19 Ghastly house I’d renovated (7)
HIDEOUS – Another anagram, this time HOUSE ID is renovated.
22 Priest beheaded for serious crime (5)
ARSON – Remove the first letter, or behead, a PARSON or priest.
24 Drive bowling of Swann? (4)
SPIN – Apparently Graeme Swann is a SPIN bowler – SPIN can also mean a drive out in a car – the verb spin means to go swiftly, especially on wheels.
I had thought I wouldn’t be back for a while as it is changeover week for the weekend blogging rota, but I will actually be back in a couple of hours with a review of today’s Giovanni.