Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27470
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
This is enjoyable but not too much of a stretch. I’m not keen on 17d and one of the homophones seems very dodgy to me. Do let us know what you thought of the puzzle and how you fared.
If my hints fail to point you in the right direction you can cheat and see the answer by highlighting what’s concealed between the brackets under the clues.
Across Clues
1a Leak stopped by retired lawyer in adventure (8)
{ESCAPADE} – reverse (retired) the abbreviation for a US public prosecutor inside a leak (of gas, say).
5a Leap a risky proposition, we hear (6)
{GAMBOL} – this verb to leap or frolic, often associated with young lambs, sounds like a risk or speculation.
9a Complain freely with volume down? (5,3)
{SOUND OFF} – double definition, the first a phrasal verb meaning to rant and rave.
10a Rick beginning to recuperate in country (6)
{SPRAIN} – insert the first letter of R(ecuperate) into a European country.
12a Festivity containing posh cooked meat in country (9)
{GUATEMALA} – a festivity or public celebration contains a) the letter used to describe someone or something posh or upper-class and b) an anagram (cooked) of MEAT.
13a Source of light in loft or chamber (5)
{TORCH} – hidden in the clue.
14a Satirical work lacking any money? That’s not new (4)
{SKIT} – start with an informal word meaning lacking money or broke and take away the N(ew).
16a Gentleman taken aback by German dish (7)
{RISOTTO} – if you’ve never seen a variant of this clue before then you must be fairly new to cryptic crosswords. Reverse (taken back) the title given to a gentleman and add a common German male forename (not Hans, the other one).
19a Slate a revolutionary style (7)
{PANACHE} – a charade of a verb to slate or criticise severely, A (from the clue) and Crosswordland’s favourite Argentinian revolutionary.
21a Something carrying current and old message (4)
{WIRE} – double definition, the second a mainly transatlantic word for that old form of message, the telegram.
24a Tea provided by sailor in mess (5)
{CHAOS} – an informal word for tea is followed by the abbreviation for an ordinary seaman.
25a A gull hid after flying around large municipal building (9)
{GUILDHALL} – an anagram (after flying around) of A GULL HID is followed by L(arge).
27a One cadging food in pub (6)
{BEGGAR} – put an item of food (as produced by the homophone in 11d) inside another word for pub.
28a Lofty figure from Scottish mountain defending a European (8)
{BEANPOLE} – a Scottish word for a high mountain contains (defending) A (from the clue). After that we need a European national.
29a Turn over books penned by judge (6)
{ROTATE} – put the abbreviation for some books of the Bible (the ones full of begetting and smiting) inside a verb to judge or evaluate.
30a A top duet being played is current (2-2-4)
{UP-TO-DATE} – an anagram (being played) of A TOP DUET.
Down Clues
1d Points on token to get flag (6)
{ENSIGN} – two cardinal points are followed (on, in a down clue) by a token or symbol.
2d Cat in cargo unloaded around bend (6)
{COUGAR} – this is what our transatlantic cousins call a puma. It’s an anagram (unloaded?) of CARGO containing a type of bend common in our domestic plumbing arrangements.
3d Father connected ultimately with military outfit? (5)
{PADRE} – this is a super all-in-one clue where the whole clue is the definition. String together an affectionate term for father, the ultimate letter of (connecte)D and the abbreviation for the sappers.
4d Notes found on Scot featuring in paper being bold (7)
{DEFIANT} – two musical notes are followed by what most Scottish men are called in Crosswordland inside the abbreviation for the pink paper.
6d Peer is apt to order early bit of food (9)
{APPETISER} – an anagram (to order) of PEER IS APT.
7d Drinking venue flanking independent hotel in French resort (8)
{BIARRITZ} – a place where drink may be purchased contains (flanking) I(ndependent). After that we want the name of a posh hotel (there’s one in various cities including London and Paris).
8d Formal fare produced by a French church in Spanish city (8)
{LUNCHEON} – a French indefinite article and an abbreviation for church both go inside a city in northern Spain.
11d Noise of hen in animal enclosure (4)
{LAIR} – this enclosure where a wild animal lives may sound to some ears (but not mine) like a hen.
15d Thrills needed on sharp sudden impulse (4-5)
{KICK-START} – an informal word for thrills followed (on, in a down clue) by an adjective meaning sharp or acid in taste.
17d Source of room with keys? (5,3)
{SPACE BAR} – this cryptic clue doesn’t really work for me. If you’re typing something and you want to make room or insert a gap between two words, say, which of the keys at your disposal would you use to produce it?
18d Due to meet objective like a bull? (2,6)
{ON TARGET} – where you’d see the bull when you’re standing on the oche.
20d Advantage shown in financial document when uncovered (4)
{EDGE} – start with a document containing financial accounts and take off (uncovered) the two outer letters (coincidentally the left and right letters!).
21d Review immediately heard and promoted (5-2)
{WRITE-UP} – a homophone of an adverb meaning immediately or exactly (as in ‘the snooker hall is immediately opposite’) followed by another word for promoted (a lower league football club finishing top of its division, say).
22d Greek island associated with a savoury snack (6)
{SAMOSA} – a Greek island followed by A gives us this tasty triangular snack.
23d Record-holder‘s a bit of a jumper (6)
{SLEEVE} – double definition – what you used to (and may still) use to protect your LPs and part of a jumper or other upper garment.
26d Dog in wild? Yes! (5)
{DINGO} – a semi-all-in-one. It’s an anagram (wild) of DOG IN.
I liked 23d and 26d today but my gold medal is awarded to 3d. Which ones hit the spot for you?
Today’s Quickie Pun: {TONE} + {AILS} = {TOENAILS}
Hi Gazza, thanks for blog, I agree with you about 11d, also not too keen on the homophone at 5a! Other than that pretty straight forward today, I quite liked 27a but as I’m going to stick to one favourite it will be 25a because of the reading
Welcome back Mary, I hope that you are well. If you hav’nt been anywhere and are fine I take it back
Thanks collywobs, I am fine thanks and am very much ‘in and out’ these days as we are away in the campervan quite a lot
A very enjoyable if untaxing crossword today, nothing to write home about yet strangely satisfying, thanks to the setter and to Gazza for the usual immaculate review.
Agree with the star ratings, my favourite clue was 12A but thought 11D was a bit limp.Many thanks to the setter & Gazza for his review.
I liked this one today. I thought the &lit 3d was very good, and I keep thinking there is more to 17d than a cryptic definition, although I cannot see what it is!
Many thanks to setter, and to gazza for the review.
The toughie is also very good today (IMHO).
Hi Jezza, 3d is just the type of clue I don’t like, I know they’re ‘all in one’ or &lit but when I was ‘learning’ a few years ago I was told that the definition shouldn’t be a part of the clue!!! but I’ve goven up arguing this one now
Hi mary
We all have clues we don’t like. Don’t get me on to Rev Spooner …
Oh I don’t know,they are always fun. My favourite was cattle ships and bruisers –
battle ships and cruisers
I agree Brian…I like spoonerisms
I like Spoonerisms too.
It looks like I am on my own in the anti-spooner club!
Sure there must be someone Jezza…there’s someone for everyone out there
Don’t feel too lonely – somewhere in my head there’s something telling me that CS doesn’t like Spoonerisms.
You are definitely not on your own Jezza, I detest them.
I’m with Gazza on a **/*** today. I also found 17d a bit of a stretch – favourite is, like Mary, 25a. Many thanks to setter and Gazza. I must have absorbed something from my lurking as second day finish with no outside help. Huzzah!
Well done – how long have you been a lurker?
Since the beginning of the year, Kath.
Now we are both retired, from working outside the home, my Best Beloved and I share a companionable and leisurely breakfast whilst he does the Sudoku and I tackle the crossword.
It took a while to summon up the courage to comment then – not surprised – it took me ages too but that was either nearly three or nearly four years ago now. I think it’s nearly four years.
Now I think she holds the title of the most prolific comment person
wasn’t sure how to say that!!! Commentator? Comment maker?
Commenter? And anyway who are you calling a gas bag?
As if Kath…even if…but I never would…call you that!!!!
Kath’s a long way behind you, Mary, but if you keep going AWOL your lead may be threatened.
I already thought I had been overtaken Gazza!!! I’m amazed
Welcome aboard. TattieMagpie. May your successes continue.
I agree with Gazza too – 2*/3*. It was a shame that a good puzzle was spolit by 11d & 17d, which IMHO were both dreadful. Homophones can often be contentious, but 11d was unspeakably bad
Many thanks to the setter and to Gazza.
I’m also with most of you so far today – 2* difficulty and 3* for enjoyment.
I have to confess to needing the hint to explain my last letter for 4d – had the DEF as keys which meant I had a spare letter floating around at the end. Oh dear!
I agree about the rather dodgy 11d homophone.
I thought that unloaded as an anagram indicator in 2d was a bit odd – I was expecting to take the middle out of cargo, leaving me with CO.
I liked 10 and 21a and 22 and 23d. Favourite was 26a.
Thanks to Mr Ron and gazza.
My days are in a muddle – Friday felt like Saturday so Saturday was Sunday – don’t know what Sunday was because it was Sunday yesterday so today’s Monday.
Are you sure about all that Kath???
I’m never sure about anything on Mondays!
You’ll be confusing me in a minute and I’m already confused enough
At least you don’t have to attempt the Toughie, if today is Monday.
I was quite surprised to see a Toughie today.
It’s not any old Toughie – it’s a Dada – and, even if you don’t tackle the whole thing (why wouldn’t you?) everybody should have a go at the wonderful 18d.
Thanks – just about to have a go especially as it’s a Dada – it’s absolutely chucking it down here so there isn’t a hope of doing anything useful outside anyway.
Kath, I share your confusion regarding what day of the week it is this week.
For some strange reason it reminded me of the quote, I think from John Lennon, that “Tomorrow will be Muggy, followed by Tuggy, Wuggy and Thuggy”.
And now I am wondering how John Lennon might have pronounced 11d!
We both thought this was tricky but, when we checked, we had completed it in the usual time. Only got 11d from the checking letters, still can’t understand it. Maybe Bolton hens have a Northern accent!
Obviously a very posh hen in 11D. I agree with the negative comments about that clue and 17D but apart from those I enjoyed it with 12A, 4D and 8D being my favourites. Agree with Gazza’s **/***. Thanks to him and compiler.
I think you have nailed the pronunciation…….. Very Queen like!
I didn’t get it at all till I read your entry.
Yes, it’s like when one Sloane Ranger meets another and their greeting is “Well helll air.”
There used to be a publication called ‘Fraffly well spoken’ , a compendium of Sloane Rangerspeak.
I remember it Chris H – “One can oddly sair nuff abot this truly moffler spook” – “Egg wetter gree” ” A truly moffler swurk of grey tumour” Great fun !
Thank you setter – I enjoyed the puzzle. Thanks for the review and hints Gazza. Regarding 11d I have been trying to place an accent that makes the clue work. I was wondering how Alan Shearer – or, for that matter your footballing namesake might pronounce it. It seems to work then. Perhaps the setter is a Geordie ! ??
Definitely not a Geordie.
Very straightforward, I thought. Loved 3D and 26D. I really didn’t pay much attention to 17D since the answer was so obvious, but having gone back and looked at it again, it’s not really satisfying. I also didn’t rate sign as a synonym for token very highly in 1D. 11D was truly awful. But every setter is entitled to have an off day once in a while, so thanks to whoever it was and to Gazza for the review.
Took a while to get going then ok until the bottom left which held me up for quite a while as I could not see 17d until Mrs B saw the computer connection. Lovely clue in 11d but not keen on 18d.
Thx to all.
Now what accent do you have then Brian??
It’s because we call our Chucks layers!
Chucks????
Enjoyable Tuesday puzzle ( or is it Monday). Agree about 11 down. If the setter thinks the two words sound the same, I’m not sure which part of the country he hails from. Still, it’s only one clue so not much to complain about. Horrible weather here in Scarborough today with rain and fog. Thank you setter and Gazza.
re:11d – probably the same part of the country where people think SEX is what coal is delivered in and NETS are a bar snack.
“AIR HAIR LAIR” Said the setter today. “Owdoo” replied Owdoo “Watcher Cock” said Miffypops and Spindrift said something like “ow is thissen our kid”?
Got there after a shopping break . SW corner was the stumbling block .
We have a number of Hens (Saint Sharon knows how many) and not one of them has ever said the word Lair. Believe me, they are on all day from a couple of hours before sun up. Only today one was carrying a book under her wing and saying ” book book bookbookboook” when she met a frog who said “Reddit” I’ll get me coat and go now. Sorry I turned up.
I’ll pay for your taxi to the station
Can I go on The M40 via The Malt Shovel in Gaydon. When I was there last Tuesday the mighty Snecklifter was on tap.
You are very funny MP make me smile anyway!!!!
Speaking of which…Mrs S was asked to purchase 6 bottles of same (special offer of 3 for £5 at Mozzie’s) but came back with 6 bottles of Starpromen claiming she couldn’t remember what I’d asked for and anyway all beer’s the same isn’t it…..If anyone sees her trying to hitch a lift on the A1 up to her mother’s then please be so kind as to pull over.
Shame on you spindrift!
That is funny. Maybe you should have written a note
Was stumped by 14a and the first word of 15d, didn’t really know why. Anyway thanks to Gazza I was soon on the right track! Liked 7d and 12a which made me discover that posh could be u. What is exciting about cryptic puzzles is that one learns something new everyday. For me it was ** ½ for difficulty and *** for enjoyment. Thank you to setter – Ron is it?
It isn’t really “Ron”. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays the crosswords could be set by several different people. Some solvers are very good at spotting particular setters from their style or a few trademark clues but most of us can’t do that. For a long time people used to thank “Mysteron”, in other words the Mystery Setter, but then, ages ago now, 2Kiwis, commenters who not surprisingly live in New Zealand, started saying “Mr Ron” and it stuck.
Thank you Kath for your very amusing answer to my query! Bonne nuit!
See you all tomorrow, sadly off to pick up Shadows ashes from vet
From me too.
Many thanks for the hints, Gazza, they were most welcome, especially in understanding the meaning
However, there were some pretty awful clues. 11d and 17d as identified by Gazza, and 28a and 29a seemed very weak to me
You keep mis-spelling the first part of your email address so that it has to be edited.
Afraid I did not find it all that easy, I am in that out of practice. Struggled with the answer to 11d in that l thought I had the answer but did not know why, it only fitted one part. Most liked clue for me was 19a
The easiest corner for me was SE. I must improve.
Thank you Gazza I would not have finished without your helpful hints and to the setter.
Carrie
I enjoyed this one a lot. I must disagree with Lord Gazza and many of you: I thought 17d was a fabulous clue and brought a big smile when I cottoned on. My favourite was undoubtedly 23d, my last one in, after I’d spent too long trying to put EP and LP among the checking letters. 3*/4* for me. Off to tackle the Toughie; oh the delights of a lazy day off work …
11d, dodgy, very dodgy.
Redeemed by 17d
I actually agree with the BD rating for once! I would have given it */*** if it wasn’t for 22d – apparently I’m not that knowledgeable on Greek islands.
I went to PAROS in 1978. Parosa is not a snack or even a word. Never heard of Samos but know the snack (I have sold a few of them)
For 11d I got “lair” as it was the only thing that fitted part of the clue, but I’m equally mystified by the homophone.
I needed the hint for 17d – I was thinking along the lines of a mini-bar in a hotel room…
Overall I found this trickier than normal, so ***/***
I’m not sure if you’re saying that you still don’t know the homophone in 11d. If so, it’s LAYER (Yes – I know it’s rubbish).
Had to get help on 17 down apart from that not going badly
Off for supper now but just thought I’d say how much I’ve enjoyed the blog today – the comments have been fun on an otherwise wet and rather grey day. Thanks to BD (because it is after all his blog) and to gazza (because it was his day for doing his brilliant hints) for allowing all the 1d answer in the Toughie.
and a little flower for each of you. 
Found this rather tricky, but not going to complain. The DT have now reactivated my account, having deactivated it for ‘essential maintenance’ on Easter Sunday afternoon.
Thanks to Gazza and Big Dave for keeping me afloat in the interim.
Homophones quite often give us a pause for consideration as we realise that not everyone speaks with such perfect diction as we have in NZ and we must make allowances for all the odd Pommie dialects, but even we thought that 11d was stretching it a bit far. No idea who the setter might be. Lots of fun.
Thanks Mr Ron and Gazza.
I always remember some Kiwi friends explaining that NZ-landers are taught to hiss their esses and spit their tees in order to enunciate clearly. They certainly do speak very clearly.
The Telegraph have messed up my subscription renewal again! (sigh) It’s getting tedious. Would anyone be so kind as to send me today’s puzzles, or yesterday’s (or both)? Hopefully given another 24 hrs, they’ll get it sorted.
Many thanks in advance.
PS I know I haven’t commented for ages (too busy with new job), but I still very much appreciate the site, especially at times like this.
You have mail.
Thanks Gazza.
I’m with you on 11d, Gazza, but otherwise l found this quite fun. 2*/4* for me and 15d was my favourite. Thanks to the setter, and to Gazza for sparking a hugely entertaining discussion in response to the review.
Two days off and my cryptic skills seemed to have vanished (and it is rather late). So thanks Gazza for really good hints.No favourites.
Is this the best blogging day ever? I think so.
A good blogging day Miffy but there have been even better ones
A Swiss friend of mine said that she went to France on a
‘Cross Flannel Cherry’!!!!
Welcome to the blog cyerlatr
Welcome to the blog cyerlatr.
Now that you’ve introduced yourself we hope to see you again, or even later.
Like it and welcome
In case Kath’s looking for me…have to go out…back later…
The 11d homophone was so bad I liked it
Been away at the Mar Menor for a whilewith no internet so now playing catch up.
Thanks to setter for ths one, and Gazza of course.
Thanks to the setter and to Gazza for the review and hints. I struggled with this, neededhalf a d hints to finish. I hate homophones, but love Spoonerisms. Something for everyone. Was 3*/2* for me.
Hello all
As homophones are nearly always contentious, I check them in the same way that I check spellings and definitions — in Chambers. In this case it gives:
layer lā’ər or lār
lair lār
However, Chambers does have its oddities!
All the best
Phil (Telegraph Crossword Editor)
Thanks for that, Phil.
We hardly ever get 100% agreement on the validity of any homophone but I’d say that 95% of commenters didn’t think much of this one.
Still, they’re very good at enticing lurkers on to the blog!