DT 27518 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 27518

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27518

Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty **/***Enjoyment **

It’s very pleasant weather and it’s nice to be able to sit outside to solve the crossword. There’s nothing really exceptional about this one (except possibly the enumeration of 12d). What did you think?

You can reveal an actual answer by highlighting what’s concealed between the brackets under the relevant clue.

Across Clues

1a Piece of writing right away found in bar (6)
{EXCEPT} – remove the R (right away) from a short piece of writing (normally part of a larger work).

4a Officer with a jacket starts to upbraid tetchy worker (8)
{ADJUTANT} – string together A (from the clue), the abbreviation for a jacket worn on formal occasions, the starting letters of U(pbraid) and T(etchy) and the usual working insect.

9a Trace confusingly large set of firms (6)
{CARTEL} – this is a group of companies who are conspiring to defraud, e.g. by fixing prices. It’s an anagram (confusingly) of TRACE followed by L(arge).

10a Some ladies press on to get coffee (8)
{ESPRESSO} – hidden (some) in the clue.

11a Office drudge‘s pound going to drug-dealer (3-6)
{PEN-PUSHER} – a pound or animal enclosure is followed by a drug-dealer.

13a Appeal associated with German river for couples (5)
{ITEMS} – an informal word for sex appeal and the name of a river in North-West Germany.

14a Cold call area seen to be suspect for retail event (9,4)
{CLEARANCE SALE} – start with C(old) and add an anagram (to be suspect) of CALL AREA SEEN.

17a Like a boozer, maybe, with untold gin, ever drunk (13)
{OVERINDULGENT} – an anagram (drunk) of UNTOLD GIN EVER.

21a A second film in mould (5)
{ASPIC} – string together A, S(econd) and an informal word for a film.

23a Complete crane manoeuvres around posh explorer’s ship (9)
{ENDURANCE} – Shackleton’s famous ship comes from a verb to complete or finish followed by the letter used to mean posh and an anagram (manoeuvres) of CRANE.

24a Father is back in seedy joint, scoffing (8)
{DERISIVE} – reverse (is back) a father (especially a stallion) inside a seedy joint or disreputable nightclub.

25a Respect a daughter facing messy situation (6)
{ADMIRE} – a charade of A, D(aughter) and a messy or confused situation.

26a Not forthcoming  like table in popular restaurant? (8)
{RESERVED} – double definition, the first describing someone who is uncommunicative or reticent.

27a Block current politician with PM mostly (6)
{IMPEDE} – the symbol of electric current is followed by the usual elected politician and all except the final N (mostly) of a British Prime Minister of the 1950s.


Down Clues

1d Issue in European painting having land obscured (6)
{ESCAPE} – E(uropean) followed by a painting depicting an area of countryside without (having … obscured) the LAND.

2d Record man among stylish outsiders in lounge (9)
{CHRONICLE} – a man’s abbreviated forename goes inside an adjective meaning stylish or sophisticated, then we finish with the outside letters of L(oung)E.

ARVE Error: need id and provider

3d Avoid publicity showing first Overture (7)
{PRELUDE} – a verb meaning to avoid or evade is preceded (showing first) by the abbreviation for the issuing of some information to the media in order to publicise it.

5d Inspectors with infantry soldier came first making one sulky (11)
{DISGRUNTLED} – string together the abbreviation for detective inspectors in the police service, a slang word (especially in the USA) for an infantry soldier and a verb meaning came first or spearheaded.

6d This country getting damp weather before Spain — and another (7)
{UKRAINE} – the abbreviation for this country (i.e. where the Telegraph is published) is followed by damp weather and the IVR code for Spain.

7d Man, perhaps, addressed in part of church (5)
{AISLE} – Man is the first word of the clue to disguise the fact that it has to be capitalised. So we want a homophone (addressed) of what the capitalised Man is an example of.

8d Hoisted swag the woman had found in outhouse (4,4)
{TOOL SHED} – reverse (hoisted, in a down clue) swag or plunder and add a feminine pronoun (the woman) and the single-character contracted form of had.

12d Introductory cheer? (4,1’6)
{HORS D’OEUVRE} – cryptic definition with cheer meaning food. Those who complain of apostrophes being omitted from the enumeration will raise a cheer – on the other hand it does make the answer a lot more obvious than had it been (4,7). I don’t mind either way but I would like some consistencyit’s not logical to indicate an apostrophe that follows the first letter of a word but ignore one that precedes the last letter.

15d A time for putting on outdoor gear — I have to be alert (9)
{ATTENTIVE} – string together A (from the clue), T(ime), a piece of equipment for use outdoors and the contracted form of ‘I have’.

16d Lone card represented kitchen item (8)
{COLANDER} – an anagram (re-presented) of LONE CARD.

18d A cutter of food in trap? (7)
{INCISOR} – cryptic definition. Trap is a slang term as used in the instruction ‘Keep your trap shut!’.

19d A queen enters form of model aristocratic territory (7)
{EARLDOM} – A and the single character abbreviation for queen go inside an anagram (form) of MODEL.

20d Get rid of rental property bordered by Scottish river (6)
{DELETE} – a property available to rent is contained inside (bordered by) a Scottish river. Rivers with this name also flow in other parts of the UK.

22d Standard is set for Trojan hero (5)
{PARIS} – a standard (especially at golf) followed by IS gives us the mythical Greek Prince who abducted the woman whose face was said to have munch’d a thousand chips – leading to the Trojan War.

My favourite today was 12d. How about you?

Today’s Quickie Pun: {POLL} + {ENTER} = {POLENTA}



36 comments on “DT 27518

  1. We enjoyed working through this one. No major hold ups. Had a chuckle with 18d and note that the setter has left a signature in 2d.
    Thanks Mr Ron and Gazza.

  2. I’ve missed my daily dose of DT cryptic crosswords and this blog for the past two weeks, but this was a slightly disappointing one to return to. My rating is 2*/2*.

    Although I got all the answers I was flummoxed by the parsing of 27a & 5d and I needed Gazza’s review to understand these.

    A big thumbs up for the precise enumeration for 12d and a big thumbs down for the obscure grunt in 5d.

    Many thanks to Mr. Ron and to Gazza.

    1. Agree your ratings and comment on 5d – I may be old fashioned, but I think the term is disrespectful. Thanks to Gazza for the review.

  3. Not really my scene **/** although 18d did make me LOL. 13a was obvious but have to admit I hadn’t heard of the German river. Thanks Mr. Ron and Gazza. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/icon_neutral.gif

  4. Thank you setter, I enjoyed working my way through this and found it quite challenging. I had the answer for 24a, but it took me a while to understand the wordplay. I kept thinking Fa and Pa for Father. Thanks Gazza for your review and hints.

    1. I think the clue makes a mistake to include the “is”. It reads fine without it, and isn’t a part of the solution. In fact, it obfuscates things bearing in mind the letters appear in the word.

  5. Thought that parts of it were quite difficult today , with a diverse range of clues, and as I quite enjoyed it am going for a ***/*** -against the trend by the comments made so far. Never heard of the ‘grunt’-thanks G, luckily there appeared to only be one answer for 5d.Liked 13a.

  6. Round one over tea this morning left quite a lot of this puzzle blank. Round two saw a few more in. There are still seven to get and I am bereft of ideas. A quick wrestle with a tree stump should set me straight for the third round later. I like it

  7. Not a particularly difficult crossword but clever in parts, 2*/2* for me. Thanks to the setter and to Gazza for the review.

  8. I enjoyed it, but no standout clues for me. Unlike some, I didn’t think ‘grunt’ was obscure at all… not surprising perhaps considering where I live. Thanks to the setter and to Gazza for the review.

    1. How is the wrist? And are you managing with the voice recognition thingy? Hope all is well.

  9. Had quite a struggle with this today, so thank you setter for another challenging solve. Special thanks to Gazza for helpful hints and an opportunity to jiggle about with the music.http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_good.gif

    1. Yes, I well remember bopping to the music in the ’60s. Oh, to have the same mobility again!

  10. For me an awful drudge with zero enjoyment.
    1a, 2d (what on earth has escape to do with issue?), 13a (not come across the river before), 7d (didn’t get that until I saw the hint), and 12d all totally eluded me.
    Fair to say not my favourite DT puzzle!http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_sad.gif
    Thx to Gazza for the hints.

        1. Chambers: Escape (verb intransitive) to come off or come through in safety; to emerge into or gain freedom; to flee; to slip out; to issue ; to leak.

  11. I did finish, with copious help from my gismo, but I did need help with the understanding of some of the clues. On looking over the crossword, I now wonder why as I am finding it difficult to give an example! I had forgotten about the PM in 27a, so I did need Gazza’s help to understand that one. Even though it stretched me a lot, I did enjoy it, thanks to setter. Thank you Gazza for the review and the enlightenment.

    http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_good.gif

  12. Not too bad a puzzle today but I did have to spend sometime on a few clues to get the gist. I would rate this 3/3 Thanks to Gazza for the review.

  13. I found this tough to get into, the top half generally and the NE corner in particular. I often struggle with this setter’s logic – my brain must be wired differently!

  14. Thanks to the setter and to Gazza for the review and hints. A very difficult puzzle for me, but I quite enjoyed it. Took ages to get three quarters of it. Then I got stuck in the NW corner, and needed to look up 1a and 2&3 down. Also needed the hint for 11a. Was 4*/3* for me. Favourite was 18d. A right scorcher in Central London

  15. I’m in the “tricky to get going on” camp today so I’d give it nearer 3* for difficulty and the same for enjoyment.
    Didn’t know the 13a German river or the infantryman in 5d and took a long time to get the 14a anagram for some reason.
    I liked 17a and 2 and 3d. My favourite was either 12 or 18d.
    With thanks to Mr Ron and gazza.

  16. I rather enjoyed this — **/***. I particularly liked 26a and 18d.

    I was a bit slow completing the NW corner. I needed a hint for 12d.Now I wonder why, bearing in mind I had all the checking letters to assist. One of those infuriating occasions when one’s mind goes blank!

    Many thanks to Mr Ron. And much appreciation to Gazza for the review.

  17. Straightforward solve today.

    Faves : 22a & 5d.

    Gazza – I think we have had 12d before several times!

  18. Hi all,

    Can someone help me understand 7d I think I have the right answer but I don’t understand how it is derived from the clue.

    Enjoyed today thanks to setter and Gazza

    1. Man is an Isle in the Irish Sea (Isle of Man) and the answer sounds like (addressed) Isle.

  19. I rarely if ever say this , but I didn’t enjoy it, sorry.
    On the bright side the weather was glorious, and tomorrow promises to be even better.My leaving certificate students were pleased with their exam today, which is just wonderful after two years hard slog.

    1. For some reason, like you, I didn’t enjoy this crossword very much either, and we needed quite a lot of help to understand the answers. I’m not quite sure why. Thank you setter and Gazza.

  20. Enjoyable and a good tease although I concur to not liking the word for an infantryman. Apart from that I liked 18d and 6d. Last in was 1a. Thanks to all. And respect for the Infantry please!

  21. A couple of people have said that they don’t like or think that the term used for an infantry soldier is derogatory. I don’t understand why. I’d never heard of it so looked it up in BRB – all it says is that it’s military slang. If there is some unpleasant or disrespectful meaning they usually say something along those lines. Maybe I’m wrong and others know much better than I do – that does happen quite a lot – in which case I take it all back.

  22. NW corner tricky – had to cheat on 1a but straight forward to complete after that. On to try the toughie next (Wednesday am )but not optimistic.

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