Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27124
Hints and tips by scchua
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
This was quite easy and enjoyable, so a 1.5* difficulty/3*enjoyment. Thanks to setter.
P.S. If you still find the mechanics of the hints a mystery, you should read the following, which should help in understanding.
Definitions are underlined in the clues (in blue).
Words in blue are lifted from the clues.
Italicised words are instructions for constructing the answer. Parentheses following these enclose the indicators from the clues. Eg. Reversal of(up, in a down clue).
[xxx;yyy] denotes that a synonym for xxx or yyy is required.
{ } are used to give the order of construction. Eg. Reversal of(up, in a down clue) AB + C is different from Reversal of(up, in a down clue) {AB + C}.
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 Loads of horse stuff found in empty stables (6)
{STACKS} : [horse stuff;riding equipment for a horse, eg. saddle, etc. collectively] contained in(found in) “stables” minus its inside letters(empty). And horse stuff reminds me – if you haven’t heard these:
“Just found some burgers that were past their use-by-dates … aaaaand they’re off!”
“I ate some Tesco’s hamburgers and – no wonder – they gave me the trots!”
5 Book vulnerable defender (8)
{SOFTBACK} : [vulnerable;easily hurt/damaged, eg. such targets are open to terrorist attacks] + [a defender in a football or rugby team].
Answer: A type of an edition of a book in general.
9 Sailor’s knots? (8,5)
{NAUTICAL MILES} : Cryptic defn: The knot, a measured distance at sea, is the marine counterpart of the slightly shorter distance on land.
10 Cowboy loves to chase uncooperative horse (8)
{BUCKEROO} : [2 x the letter that looks like zero;love in tennis scores] placed after(to chase) [an uncooperative horse;a horse that tries to throw its rider off].
Answer: A local term for a cowboy, especially used in California; alternatively spelled with an “a” instead of an “e”.
11 Bone‘s diameter to be halved (6)
{RADIUS} : [a line that’s half a diameter of a circle].
Answer: A bone in your arm.
12 Iron Lady’s hat (6)
{FEDORA} : [chemical symbol for the element iron] + [a lady’s name].
14 Frantic, but awfully refined, clasping the last letter (8)
{FRENZIED} : Anagram of(awfully) REFINED containing(clasping) [the last letter of the English alphabet].
16 Bewildered prisoner joined (8)
{CONFUSED} : short for [a prisoner] + [joined, literally, by the application of heat]
19 Attack silence after working game (6)
{ONRUSH} : [an exclamation to call for silence;hush!] placed after(after) { [working;not off] + [abbrev. for an internationally popular sport, no, not football] }.
21 Decorative work endlessly baffled company (6)
{STUCCO} : [baffled;unable to proceed any further with understanding something] minus its last letter(endlessly) + [abbrev. for “company”;a commercial firm].
23 Packing fun gifts for dispatch (8)
{STUFFING} : Anagram of(for dispatch) FUN GIFTS.
25 What might link two lines of kids on speed! (9,4)
{CROCODILE CLIP} : [a line of people, especially schoolchildren walking two abreast, looking like a reptile moving, no, not a snake] + [to move rapidly, or, as a noun, a fast speed].
Answer: Normally used for making an electrical connection/link, so-called because of the teeth on it.
26 Areas barred for young drama writers? (8)
{PLAYPENS} : [a form of drama on stage] + [writing instruments;writers].
27 Scoff in effort to get peace agreement (6)
{TREATY} : [to scoff;to devour;to consume] contained in(in) [an effort;a go at].
Down
2 Crown worn by brother? (7)
{TONSURE} : Cryptic defn: Reference to a brotherly monk and his crown of (lack of) hair.
3 Caught attractive man getting a large portion (5)
{CHUNK} : C(abbrev. for “caught”, as in cricket notation] + [an well-built sexually attractive man].
4 Mistakes covering radio broadcast — I deleted entries for services perhaps (4,5)
{SLIP ROADS} : [mistakes – sometimes “of the tongue”] containing(covering) anagram of(broadcast) “radio” minus(deleted) “i”.
5 She has no heart — a rising tide means fish (3,4)
{SEA WOLF} : “she” minus its central letter(has no heart) + reversal of(rising, in a down clue) [a tide;literally, a current of water].
Answer: Also a term for a nautical villain.
6 Father grabs large bird bone (5)
{FEMUR} : [abbrev. for a priestly or clerical father] containing(grabs) [a large flightless bird from Oz].
Answer: This time, a bone in your leg.
7 What might shift a sleeping elephant? (9)
{BULLDOZER} : [a male elephant] [one that is sleeping;one taking a nap].
Answer: It might very well be able to shift a sleeping elephant (a small one). Nice surface.
8 Habit formed by such drama? (7)
{COSTUME} : Double defn: 1st: Distinctive clothing worn by members of a group, including the habit worn by monks; and 2nd: A type of drama, set in a certain period, featuring dressing, sets and props of that period.
13 Soil regularly found on plant affecting the nose (9)
{OLFACTORY} : 2nd and 4th letters of(regularly) “soil” placed above(found on, in a down clue) [a manufacturing plant].
15 Pay united workers in new motel (9)
{EMOLUMENT} : { [abbrev. for “united”] + [workers;male employees] } contained in(in) anagram of(new) MOTEL.
17 Work on note and state of sight (7)
{OPTICAL} : [abbrev. for a musical work] placed above(on, in a down clue) [a syllable for a certain musical note – or, as the song goes, “a drink with jam and bread”] plus(and) [abbrev. for a state in the western USA].
Answer: Pertaining to the eyes.
18 Sack attractive girl finishing early and feel absence (7)
{DISMISS} : [an attractive girl – good enough to eat?] minus its last letter(finishing early) plus(and) [to feel the absence of someone, especially your lover].
20 Star’s patch of tropical beach? (7)
{SUNSPOT} : Double defn: 1st: A dark cool patch on the earth’s star; and 2nd: A sunny holiday resort in the tropics beside the sea – could also be defined as a “patch of tropical beach” (human being not included).
22 Gas found in Australia once carbon is extracted? (5)
{OZONE} : [slang by Australians for their country] + “once” minus(is extracted) [the chemical symbol for the element carbon].
24 Not genuine, and not quite safely transported (5)
{FALSE} : Anagram of(transported) “safely” minus its last latter(not quite).
Today’s Quickie Pun: {BRAINS} + {CANNES} = {BRAIN SCANS}
First look – stumped, I’ll never do this.
Then, from bottom up did it, it just flowed.
Enjoyable.
Thanks setter and scchua for the review.
Morning scchua from a grey and chilly Kent.
I agree with your ratings for this nice Jay puzzle – I have a new recommendation this morning – start at 12 acrossand work down the acrosses from there, then the Downs and then back to the top of the acrosses again. Weird but it works. Thanks to both you and Jay.
The Toughie is fairly straightforward so do give it a go.
CS – I’m going nowhere near the Toughie for a few days. It’s positively toxic over there. Seriously can you not mediate between Pommers & BD? It would be a shame to lose such a talented & friendly blogger.
C’mon chaps – they’re only bloody crosswords not the Sanskrit Scrolls you’re arguing about!
Oh dear I’ve just read yesterdays toughie comments, such a shame, as far as I’m concerned this blog has always been open to everyones comments, it would be sad to see pommers go, there is always a bit of banter on his blogs, come on pommers don’t resign, please????
Oh dear from me too. Would like to suggest a truce but feel that it’s probably best kept out of. One of the many things that I’m just beginning to learn from this blog is that there are times to keep big mouth shut.
I too have felt the rough edge of BDs tongue in the past, now try to phrase my comments carefully and often not as I truly feel as I have no wish to be publicly castigated again.
I never even attempt the Toughie as its way beyond my pay grade but I concur that it would be a great shame to lose Pommers whose reviews I also enjoy.
I don’t go near the Toughie either, but have just been to see what all the fuss is about. Oh dear, what a shame. I derive a great deal of pleasure from this blog (thanks BD) partly because it’s mainly gentle and supportive. Even when I was quite critical about an over-esoteric (IMHO) DT Cryptic by Giovanni last year, the man himself responded to me encouragingly. How good is that?
I digress. I hope some accommodation can be reached to keep Pommers whose comments and blogs I too enjoy immensely.
In Jamaica we have a saying “cockroach don’t business in fowl fight” but I will say that Pommers would be greatly missed.
Hear hear spindrift. I can’t tell what went on yesterday re the Toughie, because I suspect the argument between Big Dave and Pommers has been pulled. That’s fine because we don’t want to see squabbles made public. I can see that Dave bit Franco’s head off. Perhaps that’s what started it. Anyway, please everybody calm down. We all have days where we can easily cop the hump, and say things that we perhaps shouldn’t have said. It would be a real shame to lose Pommers as a blogger and a reviewer. Come on guys, bury the hatchet and apologise to each other and let bygones be bygones. I’m sure that would clear the air.
I feel a groundswell of opinion rising…
maybe it’s best to just let it settle quietly and enjoy the blog as usual
Yes, Mary – I totally agree with you – enough said on the subject.
As always – words of wisdom prevail. I shall say no more on the matter.
Heno
There is no hatchet, no argument, and no comments have been deleted.
I’d like to put the record straight on this one. Pommers made rude comments about Elgar’s last two Toughies. I was asked to pull the some of these comments, but refused. I only stepped in when he made inappropriate comments about the setter himself. I have re-read yesterday’s comments and can’t see anything that could be construed as an argument between us and, to the best of my knowledge no such argument exists, in spite of the efforts of others to imply otherwise. Pommers’ decision to leave the blogging team has been entirely his, and against my wishes.
Dave
Thanks for posting that. I was trying to think how to say what I mean but you’ve said some of it.
Agree I overstepped about Elgar and apologise but also noticed that I’ve been a bit OTT with Una and Franco recently with no real reason, except I’m just becoming a grumpy old man. Pommette reckons I’m grumpy since I was in hospital but who knows.
I see BD said 2 hours for a blog so that just proves he’s faster than me – takes me on average 3 hours. Doing the review isn’t as easy as it sometimes looks and I think I need a break. Maybe due to the illness or just that 2 years is long enough.
If you’ll all have me back I may return later in the year as I have no problems with BD or the blog in general – we’ll see.
Off to UK tomorrow morning for a mate’s 60th birthday bash (word of the month I think) so maybe in a better mood when I return.
Pommers, Mike or Mr Grumpy, have a break if you need one, but just look at the posts on here , just like at New Year when your health went awry. Someone has a lot of amigos on this blog methinks.
I heard today that the pope has a degree in chemistry !
Nice and gentle today but very enjoyable. Thanks setter and Scchua.
Easier than usual for a Wednesday, once I corrected 19a from ‘rococo’, which held me up a bit!
Found this fairly gentle and agree with scchua’s ratings,my favorite was 25A many thanks to the setter & to sccua for the review.
A nice gentle puzzle today, no particular problems, all fell into place quite quickly.
A knot is more correctly a speed not a distance, although nautical mile per hour doesn’t fit, BRB does give that definition qualified by…loosely.
Thanks for the review, agree with difficulty rating.
Thanks to the setter.
I too am more familiar with the speed meaning, but, in addition to Chambers’ as you cite, Merriam-Webster’s also gives the distance meaning, qualified by “not used technically”.
I agree re 9a Colmce, when we had boats I was always told off for getting it wrong!
Me too – In my Yacht Master Inshore exam when under pressure doing a blind nav I got really stressed and was trying not to throw up on the chart table. I said something inane about nautical miles instead of knots in a conversation with one of the other crew. The examiner gave me a grumpy look and hummmmed a bit until pommers laughed, punched me on the arm and told the examiner that I was useless and always said silly things when about to throw up. Which I promptly did! Think the examiner took pity on me and passed me!
Really good fun .I too found the lower half an easier starting point .
Faves 7d,13d and 25a .
Thanks very much.
Also worked my way up from the bottom. Doesn’t sound too good but that was how it was ! Enjoyable, thank you Jay and Scchua for your review and the usual tasteful photos. More new words for me. Another lovely day here in the grim North. Better make the most of it – sometimes it is not like this !
As I somehow missed the double definition in 8D (although the answer was fairly obvious) I came up with an anagram (formed) of ‘custom’ (habit) ……. but couldn’t find the ‘e’ to finish off the word. Thanks to Scchua for pointing out the correct way to solve this clue. Can’t help but agree with Colmce, with regard the use of ‘miles’ for ‘knots’ in 9A and I thought this was unusually weak for a Jay clue – as they are normally so precise.
Hi Scchua, thanks for todays blog, didn’t need it today though, a two to three star once again for me, started at the bottom finishing in the top R/H corner, two or three I didn’t think read well but apart from that a lovely Wednesday crossword with 7d being my favourite, bright and sunny here at the moment but not weather to go out without a coat!
Bright and sunny here too, so far, but it really is coming to something when 5C feels warm!
I hve never seen 10A spelled with an e rather than an a. The BRD gives the e version as an alternative (see Backaroo) rather than the primary spelling, so shouldn’t the clue have been worded to indicate that? Very irritating.
I always spell it with an a too Chris, couldn’t make out how a ‘buckar’ was an uncooperative horse
A *and maybe a** as it was all over to score too quickly to warrant more,the skeleton key helped,Thanks to Scchua for the amusung ‘pics’- where did the disparate pirates in 5d come from -and don’t say Penzance,looks like an Am Dram to me, remembered the Errol Flynn movie of the same name -you could have had ca ‘pic’ of him in seabooted splendour!
Those unlikely looking pirates (I think the fish looks fiercer) are explained here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latvia_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2008. It’s got references to both sea and wolves.
I thought this was great – probably more of a 2* for difficulty and at least 4* enjoyment – I reckon we’re having lovely crosswords this week, so far.
I didn’t have too many problems once I’d stopped trying to justify ‘frazzled’ for 14a and also thought of ‘men’ instead of ‘ants’ in the middle of 15d – you wouldn’t believe how many words I invented during that process!
I thought there was a distinctly anatomical flavour to several of the clues.
I liked lots of these – 1, 11, 23, 25 and 26a and 3 and 13d. My two favourites were 10a and 7d – they both made me laugh which is always a good way to start the day.
With thanks to Jay and scchua.
26a reminded me of a friend of mine who was very good at sewing. When our kids were little her younger one, who was a toddler at the time, was an absolute little demon. She tried putting him in a playpen – it didn’t work – he screamed so she took a chair, a small table, her sewing machine and her sewing into the playpen and left him with the rest of the room. It worked!!
My mum used to put me in the playpen so I could read or draw quietly and let my younger brother rampage round on the outside without ruining my fun.
We couldn’t afford a play pen and being the middle child, with a brother not quite a year older and one eighteen months younger I was often acting as a buffer between them!!
A walk in the park today. Mrs C-S (Not Cryptic Sue) has gone to her mothers so I can ignore all jobs and wander off to the land of the toughie.
I didn’t get a look in this morning – did the first clue and then nipped out to collect the grandsprogs for school – arrived home 15 minutes later to find that ‘her in doors’ had completed it. Ah well, we’ll see what tomorrow’s Telegraph brings. How does one deal with a wife with a silly grin?
Buy her her own paper/print her own copy off tomorrow morning!
I clearly have the perfect marriage! Mrs W (aka the papergirl) fetches the DT and leaves it with me to do the crossword while she plays round with that soduku nonsense… what is all that about anyway?
Our marriage is like that too. We do share the Saturday General Knowledge puzzle!
Us too, works very well:-)
Us too, I print off and do the cryptic and print off sodokus for other half, keeps him away from my crosswords
must be something wrong with my marriage , I do both.I find a good “diabolical” comforting after a difficult crossword.
I thought I was in a bit of trouble at first, then things started to drop into place at 12A. 5D had me really stumped and I finally gave up and decided I couldn’t do (first time for a loooong time), as I clicked on the site, it suddenly popped into my head – must be psychosomatic, never wanting to be beaten!
Had a bit of snow forecast today (about nowish) but bright sun at the moment, even thought about turning the heating off but thought better of it.
Normal day for a pleasant change today. Very enjoyable. Nothing contentious and one or two nice smiley moments. Last in was 25a. Can’t argue too much with today’s BD rating. Many thanks to all.
Probably the simplest Jay puzzle for a long time but still extremely enjoyable. Thanks to Jay and to sschua for a fun review.
I can’t get the crossword this morning, wonder if my sub has expired? Anyone else having a problem?
I had problems with the Telegraph Puzzles site this morning, but it did eventually work.
Quite enjoyable today if a bit of a Curates Egg. Have to say I’ve never heard of 5a before and was hampered in that corner by putting in Nautical Speed instead of miles.
Did like 7d, a real Smile clue.
My Thx to the setter but thankfully didn’t need Scchas cryptic hints.
I enjoyed this but agree with Kath that it was a ** difficulty for me. It’s the way I like ’em – plenty of straightforward stuff punctuated with some teasers and plenty of humour. Didn’t have a problem with 5a – this spelling is in the BRB on my iPhone as (US), so that’s ok with me. 19a was the last one in today, probably because I was distracted by the visual aid from Scchua, to whom thanks for the comprehensive set of explanations and Jay for the puzzle.
Thanks to Jay and to scchua for the review and hints. I found this quite tricky, but managed to complete it unaided in the end. The top half was more difficult than the bottom half. I also have a quibble about Knots, I thought a Knot was a Nautical Mile per Hour, and so is a speed, but once again there is a subtle definition where it can be used as a distance, live and learn. Nice to see 12a put in another appearance. Started with 2d, finished with 20d. Favourites were 11,25,26a and 22d. A new word for me in 5d. Took ages to get 4d, but it seemed so easy once I’d solved it! Was 3*/4* for me, a very enjoyable puzzle. The WCF a tad less today in Central London, roll on Spring
From Wikipedia (written in Ariel – the font of all knowledge) :
Etymologically, the term knot derives from counting the number of knots in the line that unspooled from the reel of a chip log in a specific time.
Thus ‘knot’ can be considered to be a distance as it is a length of rope used to determine the speed of a ship. Don’t think I’d fancy being the guy who had to reel the rope back in after an hour though, must be several miles of it.
According to the Jack Aubrey stories by Patrick O’Brian, they used a 30-second sand glass to time the log line running out, then did the sums.
Strictly, according to the Penguin Dictionary of Sailing, a 28 second glass was used to make the sums easier.
Thanks, that is interesting.
Quite a pleasant puzzle. I, too, am very sorry that Pommers resigned. He will be a real loss to the site. Come back, Pommers!
Certainly at least a ** for me – took a while to even get started but then began to fall into place. I’m unaware of the infighting history but I certainly will miss Pommers’ contributions – surely grown-up people can forgive and forget?
A pleasant steadily solved puzzle today.
Faves : 1a, 9a, 12a, 25a, 2d, 5d, 7d & 22d.
Had a good laugh at 5d as I am having it for my evening meal tonight.
Usually eat fish Tuesdays and Fridays but had to finish off odd chops last night.
Weather here mixed – some snow AM but cloudless blue sky all PM so snow has gone once more.
Still damned cold so one has to wrap up when shopping!
PS
When did Pommers resign – I missed a few days when the heating was off!
I have just read the blog on Toughie 942 so now I know about Pommers’ resignation.
Pity – Schade – Pitié
That was fun except 19a. Liked 11a. and 13 a. Thanks to setter and Scchua,
Enjoyed the reminiscences about playpens. I had twins and had to turn the playpen upside down or they tipped each other over the top. Yes they were both boys and eventually had to buy a second playpen
I found that quite easy today but probably more of 1.5/3 for me. Come back Pommers we will miss you.
This was finished quite quickly but the enjoyment levels when going back through the clues were at the usual high. THanks to Jay and to Schuua for the comprehensive review.
Should 5D not be 7 letters for the fish definition to be accurate seawolf not sea wolf which I always though was a submarine?
Seawolf is angler fish in English. In Dutch it is Zeewolf and is usually fished in Icelandic waters
Breaking News: Frozen fish cakes found to contain sea horse. An all-in-one surf-n-turf.
Having worked for some time in the USA, I spell 10a with a U and an E.
definitely more than * for me.I am going through a rough solving patch. Thanks to Jay and Scchua.7d my favorite.
Hmmm – don’t know what went wrong with me today but I could actually do this puzzle.
I normally find Jay really tricky and often struggle to get my brain about his clues. No such problems for pommers obviously as he blogged Jay for well over a year.
But today I romped through it. I obviously didn’t solve it quickly – I never do – but deffo a 1* for my level.
Thank you Jay – one happy Pommette – and to scchua for the clues which for once I actually didn’t need.
PS I too spell 11a with an A