Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27507
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
A typical Jay puzzle – if you have struggled then afterwards you can’t see why!
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
1a Responsible prisoner‘s time — out of practice! (6)
{TRUSTY} – T(ime) followed by an adjective meaning out of practice
4a Story about a ship’s dog in pictures (6)
{LASSIE} – a story or untruth around the A from the clue and a SteamShip
8a Odd sock’s potential cause of merriment (3,5)
{RUM PUNCH} – an adjective meaning odd followed by a sock or blow
10a Roofing material for brood on top of tree (6)
{THATCH} – a verb meaning to brood or incubate preceded by the initial letter (top) of T[ree]
11a Just loud music (4)
{FAIR} – the musical notation for loud followed by some msic
12a Open popular castle regularly occupied by herald (10)
{INAUGURATE} – a two-letter word meaning popular and the even letters (regularly) of cAsTlE around (occupied by) a herald or soothsayer
13a Unhappy and confused client, so sad, accepts ring (12)
{DISCONSOLATE} – an anagram (confused) of CLIENT SO SAD around (accepts) the letter shaped like a ring
16a A barrier for good girl securing broadcast? (5,7)
{GLASS CEILING} – G(ood) and a young girl followed by what sounds like (broadcast) a verb meaning securing
20a Where a sommelier might be cooking tuna rarest (10)
{RESTAURANT} – an anagram (cooking) of TUNA RAREST
21a Policeman embracing universal success (4)
{COUP} – a slang word for a policeman around U(niversal)
22a Stung by scrap — then dismissing hospital (6)
{BITTEN} – a scrap followed by T[H]EN without (dismissing) H(ospital)
23a Rough cost of redeveloping site with partner (8)
{ESTIMATE} – an anagram (redeveloping) of SITE followed by a partner or companion
24a Fail to embrace South American neglect (6)
{DISUSE} – a verb meaning to fail or perish around S(outh) and an American
25a Watch nurse have a go (6)
{SENTRY} – a three-letter abbreviation for a qualified nurse followed by a go or attempt
Down
1d A mist swirling around tabloid catastrophes (8)
{TSUNAMIS} – an anagram (swirling) of A MIST around a tabloid newspapers
2d Stimulant that’s found in shoe (5)
{UPPER} – two definitions – a stimulant and part of a shoe
3d Stress formerly missing from new part of house (7)
{TENSION} – drop the EX (formerly) from a new part of a house
5d Important I guarantee to provide accommodation for holiday destination (7)
{ANTIGUA} – hidden (to provide accommodation for) inside the clue
6d Air pocket occurring mid-flight? (9)
{STAIRWELL} – a cryptic definition of a shaft in a building in which a flight of steps is built
7d Quote by divorcee to cause great emotion (6)
{EXCITE} – a verb meaning to quote preceded by a divorcee or former partner
9d Putin, say, has to defeat revolutionary (4,2,5)
{HEAD OF STATE} – an anagram (revolutionary) of HAS TO DEFEAT
14d Muses get a Stoic in trouble (9)
{COGITATES} – an anagram (in trouble) of GET A STOIC
15d Attempt to underpin flower business (8)
{INDUSTRY} – an attempt preceded by (to underpin in a down clue) a flower or river
17d Graduate students supporting a learner with sign of hesitation (7)
{ALUMNUS} – the usual students preceded by (supporting in a down clue) the A from the clue. L(earner) and a sign of hesitation
18d Call sir? (7)
{ENTITLE} – a verb meaning to call or name and a phrase meaning to give call by a name – this one is easier to solve than it is to explain!
19d Challenged proof of title to cover Grand Prix racing (6)
{DEFIED} – proof of title to a property around (to cover) the two-letter abbreviation for Grand Prix racing
21d Space traveller finds the compiler in bed! (5)
{COMET} – the first person objective singular (the compiler) inside a child’s bed
Scchua should be back next week.
The Quick crossword pun: (porch} + {chew} + {keys} = {Portuguese}
This was reasonably straightforward and completed before lights out last night. But, I do agree with BD that, where I did have some head scratching moments, I didn’t understand why afterwards. Several favorites, but I think 17d was the best.
Struggled a little to sort out the ending for 17d, the acronym not so familiar to us, but soon sorted. The usual good quality Wednesday entertainment.
Thanks Jay and BD
Very pleasent puzzle but agree with BD, a couple of clues I struggled with which seemed obvious on solution ie 24a. Still don’t see the air pocket in 6d, v odd.
Spent some time while trying to get ‘rag’ into 3d!
Loved 8a, nice misdirection.
Thx to all.
PS I think the setter must have spent some time in 5d where they make great 8a
Re 6d, I thought that for ages ( like many people the aeroplane version was uppermost in my mind) and then I thought………Towering Inferno ?! I.e. Those flights act as chimneys.
What do you reckon?
Thanks to Jay and to Big Dave for the review and hints. I really enjoyed this high quality puzzle. Lots to smile about on this dull day. The NE corner took me longer than the rest of the puzzle. So 3*/4* for me. Favourite was 4a, with 8a&5d getting a special mention. Last in was 10a. Off to try the Toughie, I hope I can do better than yesterday :-)
Probably a bit more than 2* difficulty for me as I got very stuck with my last few answers. Nearer 4* for enjoyment.
I missed the hidden answer in 5d and didn’t know that Grand Prix is the same as F 1 – both of those probably go without saying!
Spent too long trying to make 24a start with ‘mis’.
I was slow to get 10a – thinking of the wrong kind of brood – and couldn’t see 6d for ages.
I agree with BD – why did I have trouble?
I liked 4 and 11a and 9 and 21d. My favourite was 8a.
With thanks to Jay and BD.
Raining in Oxford.
I had the same problem with trying to get “miss” into 24a
That’s the third one this week done before I got out of bed. Lovely clever puzzle. Let’s hope they get trickier tomorrow and Friday.
You wake up very early, get up very late or are very quick at doing crosswords – please delete as appropriate!
Quick solve today.
Fave was 4a – I remember the film in my youth!
The wordplay for 6d is a shade wobbly in my opinion.
Cloudy damp day here in NL.
I found this one straightforward enough today with enough head scratching to make it an enjoyable solve. No real favourite, 2*/3*. Thanks to Jay and to Big Dave for the review.
I agree with everyone – BD, you are right about Jay’s superficially tricky clues which always turn out not to be that obscure ( except perhaps the first part of 15d).
Quite a few misdirections, which always leads to the “d’uh” moment. Cf 19 and 24.
My favourite was 16a. How very apt!
Dull weather but no worries as may be buying something big and exciting………
TV for the World Cup?
I think we all have different ideas of what is exciting.
. . . a greenhouse for the allotment?
Well, a polytunnel is part of the plan, but you have to find someone to erect it……. After the gales we’ve had I would be nervous of glass up there……..
No, the big and exciting thing is……….a motorhome!
Oh, how lovely! You’ll be doing a “Mary” and absenting yourself for weeks at a time! I hope you get great enjoyment from it, sounds like such fun.
. . . and talking of Mary I don’t think the paper work that she filled in covered her for quite such a long absence. Oh dear – she’s going to be in such trouble.
Wow – now that is big. Where are you going to go first?
Somewhere with wi-fi!!
Going for a **/*** as the sw corner held me up for a while, nice and light and my favourite of the week so far, knew that the wife would not get the grand prix part of 19d, so a little smugness has crept in! thought 9d was a very clever anagram and liked 4a- can’t think of a clue for Rin-TinTin at the moment ,but there must be one !
Many thanks to Jay and to BD, a very enjoyable crossword and review.
Woke up at 2am.
Did this on my iPad.
Went back to sleep.
Thanks Jay.
Thanks BD.
Sunshine and showers in Southampton.
Great stuff, apart from 6d which I’m not too keen on.
Fav has to be 8a.
Off to friend’s 65th birthday bash now so may be some time
Weather here 32C and clear shy – Summer has arrived in the last couple od days
Thanks to Jay and BD
I liked your weather summary, and that’s before you had a drink :-)
You beat me to it!
Pished as a rat now – can’t believe that’s typed almothst correctly! Still hot though. Bed . . .
BTW – excellent party.
Thank you Jay, not too taxing, and a pleasure to solve sitting by the pool. Inspired by a short run of success I thought that I would try the Toughie – and bumped into Mr G again ! Surrendered quickly and went for a swim. Thanks BD for your review and hints. I hope RD is getting this 30 degree weather on his cruise.
Nice gentle puzzle from Jay today. I completely missed the hidden answer in 5d.
I really enjoyed this – thanks Jay and of course BD who sorted a couple in the SW corner for me. My initial solve for 8a was lunch in an establishment such as Miffypops’ – fits just as well but messed up 2d for me! ***/****.
This did cause some head scratching but very enjoyable, done and sorted, with the exception of 19d, didn’t know the Grand Prix name. I spent far too much time trying to fit “miss” into 24a, see above. My favourite is 4a, loved the movie, and I won my first prize at school writing a report of the movie, receiving a copy of the book. Having been a dog person since my early years, writing about Lassie was a given.
There were many honourable mentions, 16a for a start, and 8a was also very good; I call them the “shortest distance”, not too many will put you under the table. My Dad earned his living as an engineer in a sugar factory, which also oversaw the rum distillery, but I have never been able to drink rum. Very disloyal.
Thanks to Jay and to BD for the review and help with 19d.
If you click in the curly brackets that are before the hint you can see the answer (except at weekends because they’re prize crosswords).
Before anyone thinks that I’m losing my marbles this was a reply to a comment which has now disappeared leaving me all on my own and lonely and looking like a complete twit!
Got there in the end with help from D T (so total defeat) why did I struggle with 12ac &5d don,t know ,rest no problem .Thanks setter & as always Big Dave
You were the one I replied to – then you disappeared and now you’re back again! I just don’t know . . .
Yes, 2*/3* is about right. My favourite was 8a, but only because it reminds me of a certain Midshipman in the West Indies a bit more than 40 years ago! My thanks to Jay, and to Big Dave.
*/*** for me. 6d simply doesn’t work though.
Hello. It worked for me. helped by the checkers.
Sorry Kath after posting original suddenly got my act together and got the answers I certainly didn’t want you to feel like a twit ,my apologies
I know that Rabbit Dave is away … but we would still like a bit of punctuation, please!
The end
All done in not a bad time considering I started when I got home from work.
Thank you Jay and BD
This went swimmingly according to plan until I was left with 24a. I decided to give in and was on my way to get the iPad to check out BD’s hint when it sprang unbidden into my head. That pencil-sucking delay put this into 2* time! but 3* for enjoyment. Especially liked 24a for the misdirection (I was trying to put SA for South American for far too long). Bed now, as I have live radio to do far too early in the morning and I’ve yet to have a nightcap. Thanks to BD and Jay
Although we completed without the need of hints, we did get held up by 19 and 24. I was really mad at myself for taking so long when I finally twigged FI in 19
Yeah pretty straight forward-got stuck on 24a as I had miss spelt 17d-thought I was looking for plural not singular if that makes any sense.
Thursday and at last some sunshine in SE Wales.
Fairly straightforward, except 8a and 16a which were my last two and my favourites . Thanks Jay and Ray T.