Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27216
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Giovanni’s in a fairly gentle mood today. Do let us know how you got on.
Incidentally, a little bird tells me that one of my co-bloggers has notched up a half-century today, so I’m sure you’ll all join me in wishing someone a Happy Birthday on this significant milestone.
Across Clues
1a Fascinating gent in car wandering around end of town (10)
{ENTRANCING} – an anagram (wandering) of GENT IN CAR containing the end letter of (tow)N.
6a Full one may be seen just before you get to a capital (4)
{STOP} – capital is not a large city but a large letter.
9a Trader working morning or evening originally (10)
{IRONMONGER} – an anagram (working) of MORNING OR and the original letter of E(vening).
10a/11a Festival’s right to change to offer a big emotional experience (4,2,5,5)
{LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT} – an anagram (change) of FESTIVAL’S RIGHT TO.
12a In a while senior clerics will get the edges knocked off (4)
{ANON} – knock the first and last letters (edges) off senior clerics attached to a cathedral.
13a Debts of gratitude one good discharged in religious offerings (9)
{OBLATIONS} – start with debts of gratitude which you’re morally bound to pay and take out (discharged) the I (one) and G(ood).
15a Supervisor in charge of someone wise (8)
{OVERSEER} – a charade of a preposition meaning in charge of and someone wise or farsighted.
16a Films and some music in e-magazine (6)
{CINEMA} – hidden (some) in the clue.
18a French woman, the first person hugged by this writer (6)
{MADAME} – the first person according to Genesis is contained inside (hugged by) the objective pronoun that the setter (this writer) would use to describe himself.
20a Argument by Cornish river — voice is high-pitched (8)
{FALSETTO} – an informal argument (3-2) comes after (by) a Cornish river.
23a Water pouring into bit of furniture? Dog will learn better, if this! (9)
{TRAINABLE} – some water coming down from above gets inserted (pouring) into a piece of furniture.
24a Father beginning to show anger (4)
{SIRE} – the beginning of S(how) followed by a synonym for anger.
26a Flag poses one with endless danger (4)
{IRIS} – I (one in Roman numerals) is followed by a danger without its final K.
27a They could be in snow gear! (10)
{NORWEGIANS} – this is a very neat semi-all-in-one. These people are an anagram (could be) of IN SNOW GEAR.
28a Wind in last two-thirds of month (4)
{GUST} – the last four letters of a month.
29a May hates to travel around — she’s this then? (4-2-4)
{STAY-AT-HOME} – an anagram (travel around) of MAY HATES TO.
Down Clues
1d Name of woman is name featured in Muslim festival (4)
{ENID} – N(ame) is inserted in the word for a Muslim festival, that celebrated at the end of Ramadan being one example.
2d Clobber making a mess of counter (7)
{TROUNCE} – an anagram (making a mess) of COUNTER.
3d What may be given by the man getting agitated with dim son? (12)
{ADMONISHMENT} – an anagram (getting agitated) of THE MAN with DIM SON.
4d Excuses being cheated, taken in by tricks (8)
{CONDONES} – a past participle meaning cheated or swindled is contained (taken in) inside tricks or hoaxes.
5d Anger is unnecessary, but couple finally part (6)
{NEEDLE} – the definition here is a verb meaning to anger or irritate. Start with an adjective meaning unnecessary and take away the final couple of letters.
7d Couple of women meeting seaman in book (7)
{TWOSOME} – W(omen) and the abbreviation for an ordinary seaman are inserted in a large book.
8d Newspaper mogul to continue energetically, circumventing prohibition (5,5)
{PRESS BARON} – a phrasal verb meaning to continue energetically (5,2) goes round (circumventing) a prohibition or restriction.
11d See 10a
14d Laying out floor covering — in favour of making a start (10)
{FORMATTING} – a type of floor covering is preceded (making a start) by a preposition meaning in favour of.
17d Travel on a road to find meal (8)
{TAKEAWAY} – a verb meaning to travel on (the bus or train, for example) is followed by another word for road.
19d Sadly missed Princess stars in written accounts (7)
{DIARIES} – start with the name of the princess who was killed in 1997 and add the name of the constellation said to represent the ram whose golden fleece was sought by the Argonauts.
21d Fuss about sailors facing a big storm (7)
{TORNADO} – put a fuss or commotion (2-2) around the abbreviation for our sailors and A.
22d Religious leader said to be one of a comic duo (6)
{ABBOTT} – what sounds like the head of an abbey is actually one half of an American duo who were supposed to be funny (perhaps it’s just that humour doesn’t travel well).
25d What wise editor restricts? It makes sense to me! (1,3)
{I SEE} – hidden (what … restricts) in the clue.
I liked 6a and there were some good anagrams today, notably 3d and my favourite 27a. Do let us know which clues hit the spot for you.
Today’s Quickie Pun: {MADE} + {HENLEY} = {MAIDENLY}
We found this a little bit challenging, top end of a three star for us. Thought that 27a was a very clever anagram too. Good fun.
Thanks Giovanni and Gazza.
I’ll second all that
Happy birthday Mr. Ron
Fairly straightforward puzzle today with no real issues, 23A made me chuckle & my favourite was 27A.Many thanks to the setter & Gazza for the review. The weather cant make its mind up at the moment here in the deep south, wishing all a good weekend.
A steady solve, though not a fast one, and thoroughly enjoyable. Out of the half a dozen or so I’d starred, 27A was the stand-out. Thanks to Giovanni and Gazza.
I also found this harder than 2* diff, 3/4 nearer the mark for me.
Saved by the anagrams, some lovely clues, 27a definitely best clue of the week IMO.
Thanks for the review.
Thanks to Giovanni.
An unknown word as usual on Friday with 13A. 27A was probably my favourite clue. **/*** . I’d have given another half a star if it wasn’t for the two clerics we had to suffer today
17d. Take = travel? I can’t see these being synonmous!
I take the bus to work / I travel on the bus to work.
If you’re American, Gazza. Don’t we “get” the bus? Americans also “take” a shower or other bathroom functions, where we would say “have”. I still think it’s a bit of a stretch getting from “travel” to “take”.
You don’t have to get from ‘travel’ to take, you have to get from ‘travel on’.
But we take the train, also ‘Ye’ll tak the hee road an ah’ll tak the low road’
I agree with the comments so far, except that I made life much more difficult for myself by putting “enchanting” for 1a as my first answer in which held me up with 2d and 4d. I feel so stupid as I spotted immediately it was an anagram of GENT IN CAR N but I couldn’t be bothered to check off the letters
I won’t be making that mistake again – I hope!
Yes, a very enjoyable puzzle. My rating is **(*)/***. Lots of good clues, with 27a also my favourite. Many thanks to Giovanni and Gazza. Nice picture for 23a – no wonder The Times thinks we are an unsavoury bunch on this blog
I still think The Don is my favourite setter, never too easy but always solvable. Spent ages trying to do something with FORMICA at 14D and initially thought of the wrong piece of furniture for 23A – 19D soon put paid to that.. I thought the two big anagrams (10A/11D and 27A) to be very clever but I think 1D has to be my favourite (when I was working in Saudi, the religious festival was a really good time with some good bargains to be had in the shops)
Thank you DG – I thought that I would really struggle with this after the first reading. However, having got a few letters in, it all started to fall into place. A very enjoyable puzzle. Thank you Gazza for your review – King Harry ferry at 20a ?
Yes.
Coming down your way – or SW anyway ! in 10 days time for a few days birdwatching. Yarner Wood, Aylesbeare Common etc. Would appreciate fine weather if you can do that !
Morning gazza, thanks for hints, I wouldn’t have finished without today, more a three star at least for me, more a crossword to get through than enjoy, I thought, I did have two clues I liked however 27a & 6a
, so whoever it is, congratulations and have a lovely day!
Happy birthday to… I think I’ll stop there because although I could take a guess, I might offend someone, on the other hand I might make someone’s day
You could, like c’wobbles above, just wish Mr Ron a happy birthday
When the review first came up (last night for us), the birthday persons name was there briefly, so, Happy Birthday **********. I won’t give your secret away though.
2*/3* for me today. I thought the semi &lit 27a was pretty good too.
Thanks to Giovanni, and to Gazza.
Back to the toughie, which i’m struggling on today.
This was more than 2* difficulty for me – at least 3* and 4* for enjoyment.
Someone said quite recently – think it was gazza but could very easily be wrong – that one of the marks of a good crossword is finding it difficult at the time and then, when it’s finished, wondering why. In that case I think Giovanni must be a very good setter indeed.
I usually do anagrams very quickly and easily – not today – they nearly all took ages even though I had all the right letters. That includes 9a and I even managed to miss the anagram indicator for that one.
I spent far too long trying to make 14d begin with ‘pro’. Was slow with 6 and 18a and 22d. I didn’t know the Muslim festival but could only think of Enid and Edna as four letter women’s names beginning with ‘E’ and with an ‘N’ in them and ‘Eda’ didn’t seem to be a Muslim festival!
All good fun. I liked 6 and 28a and 5 and 25d. My favourite was 27a.
With thanks to Giovanni and gazza.
Raining in Oxford – it looks as if I’m going to have an enforced day off from the garden. That means I have a valid excuse for watching tennis.
Who are we saying ‘Happy birthday’ to?
He’s being a bit coy about it but his handle begins with P.
In that case Happy Birthday Prolixic
Thanks – he was the only one I could think of as being ‘that sort of age’ although I would have thought he was younger – how’s that for tact!!
Tennis it is for me too Kath, two good matches coming up with Andy Murray and Laura Robson
Yes – it should be good. Thank heaven for the lid on the centre court!
Wha’ abaht that Laura Robson then? Do you think we may have a winner? She’s such a pleasure to watch, as well. Uh,oh, forgot about Serena. Happy watching!
I think she’s good and remarkably self-assured for a nineteen year old. I don’t think that she will win this year, but maybe she will in two or three years time. Good luck to her.
Husband was listening to the news in the car on his way home from the hospital this evening – a reporter made a bit of a faux pas in reporting the result of her match. Having ******* it up he almost got the giggles and so did the person who was on after the news.
Too many religious clues for me today. Never heard of 13a before and didn’t know that a canon was a senior cleric. Found today’s hard going and to be honest not all that enjoyable which for me is odd for the Don.
Best clue for me was 28a closely followed by 29a.
Thx to all concerned.
Thanks to Giovanni and Gazza, a very enjoyable crossword and review.
Worked out OK for me today.
Had the same prob with beginning of 14d for a bit.
Liked the Anagrams today, 3d, 27 and 29a.
Also liked 1d, 18 and 20a..
17d – can’t see “take” and “travel”??
It’s not just ‘travel’ it’s ‘travel on’ – see comment #4 above.
We enjoyed the crossword today although we had to check one or two hints as usual. We didn’t have any difficulty understanding the clues, once we had the answers though, which is always a bonus. Thank you setter & hinter, & to whom it may concern……..Happy Birthday.
Marvelous puzzle, great fun. For a while I thought it was going to be anagrams all the way, which I would not have minded, Mary,because they all read so well.Why all the objections to religious leaders ? I can think of less honorable professions.I liked all the clues , so no favourites. Thanks to Giovanni and Gazza.
Most enjoyable. Didn’t need hints to finish but did need you to explain 22d – never heard of them (well I have now obviously). Without you I’d be on google trying to find who partnered the comedian responsible for ‘Atmosphere’ and ‘All Night Holiday’. May check on Wiki anyway ……
Sorry peeps. I cannot play today. Too much work pumping up tyres on an Ice Cream Tricyle. Now there are three words ripe for cluing. Ice Cream Tricycle.
My Anagram program doesn’t do Norwegian(s).
13a was a new word to me!
Nice one!
Try this one:
http://anagram-solver.net/IN%20SNOW%20GEAR
I thought this probably *** for difficulty but really my fault. It took me ages to understand 5d and 7d, but why? Once you see it, it seems so obvious. Favourite is 27a, it also seems the most popular. Thank you everyone for the entertainment.
A rather gentle puzzle from The Don today!
Faves : 9a, 10a + 11d, 10a, 13a, 27a, 1d, 3d, 8d & 17d.
Shall now revert 100% to the flat screen for SW19.
Needed your help, Gazza, on 1d believe it or not but finished the rest myself with some confirmation from the hints. 10a/11d stretched me but got it in the end. Many thanks for the hints Gazza and to P for an excellent puzzle
2* confirmed because I can’t do 3*s except for RayTs
Thanks to the two G’s. Happy Birthday to Prolixic. A good puzzle from the Don, I found it very tricky, so 3*/3* for me. Favourites were 29a and 25d. I had tobboggans for 27a, needed the hints to correct that and to solve 13a,4&5d. Thought the festival in 1d was ede, so needed the hint for that too. The end of a disasterous week for me, not one completion! Come on Murray.
For some inexplicable reason, having got the second letter ‘O’ and much further on a ‘G’ I also tried quite hard to justify ‘toboggans’ but couldn’t. Anyway it only has one ‘B’ so not enough letters!
I find it quite difficult to whip up any enthusiasm for Murray . . .
I only discovered quite recently that he and his brother were survivors of the Dunblane school disaster/massacre. Don’t know which year it was but I do know it was March 14th.
Quite the most entertaining challenge for a long time – “full, perfect and sufficient” (omitting 13a!) – many thanks Giovanni. Enough letters to guess 9a without realising it was an anagram, tried to put ‘moon’ for 6a, surely 5d is to irritate rather than anger. I too tried to use pro in 14d. Nevertheless all great fun. ***/**** for me.