Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27659
Hints and tips by Deep Threat
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning from South Staffs on another damp,grey November day.
I was heading for * time until I was brought up short by 26a, and it took a little while first to identify the definition and secondly to parse it..
In the hints below, the definitions are underlined. The answers are hidden under the ‘Click here!’ buttons, so don’t click if you don’t want to see them.
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 The deal now being negotiated is shabby (4-2-4)
DOWN-AT-HEEL – Anagram (being negotiated) of THE DEAL NOW.
6a One put in grave, as already mentioned (4)
SAID – Put the Roman numeral for one inside a word meaning grave or solemn. The answer is often found in legal documents preceded by ‘the’, and describes something previously mentioned in the document.
9a Seductive type to come in, wanting one caught, trapped (7)
ENTICER – The Roman numeral for one, again, and the cricket abbreviation for Caught placed inside ‘come in’.
10a Goes round a hill to the west with group returning (7)
ROTATES – Reverse (to the west) A from the clue and a type of hill found especially in the West Country, then reverse (returning) a word for a group.
12a Pastor Michael could be up in the clouds maybe? (13)
ATMOSPHERICAL – Anagram (could be) of PASTOR MICHAEL.
14a Chemical in Italian river and lake occupied by bird (6)
PHENOL – Crosswordland’s favourite Italian river with a female bird inside it, followed by Lake.
15a Unwelcome visitors disturbed maidservant putting out mat (8)
INVADERS – Anagram (disturbed) of (ma)IDSERVAN(t) removing the letters of ‘mat’.
17a Moves to another country abandoning good Arab lands (8)
EMIRATES – Remove the G (abandoning good) from a word meaning ‘moves to another country’.
19a Nasty cricket delivery to get one smiling? (6) Revised online version: Ray’s meeting the Queen — that should get one smiling (6)
BEAMER – Double definition, the first being an illegal head-high full toss. An unfortunate clue given this week’s news, though the crossword was obviously compiled in advance of the incident, and it was not one of these which hit Phil Hughes.
The revised version has another word for a ray of light folloowed by the Queen’s regnal cipher – and a nice surface reminding us of one of the other Telegraph setters.
22a Determined to be famous (13)
DISTINGUISHED – Double definition, the first being a verb meaning ‘marked off’ or ‘set apart’.
24a Extra notes about South Africa strewn across a study (7)
CADENZA – The Latin abbreviation for about or approximately and the IVR abbreviation for South Africa, placed either side of a study, giving the bit in a concerto where the orchestra pauses while the soloist shows off.
ARVE Error: need id and provider
25a Imitate bird having got out of office (7)
EMULATE – An Australian flightless bird, and a word for departed or out of office.
26a Kind of game not to be played gently (4)
SORT – Remove the musical symbol for softly or gently from another generic word for game.
27a Getting rid of debt in colony (10)
SETTLEMENT – Double definition, the first being an agreement with one’s creditors.
Down
1d Pass away before time — if this is bad? (4)
DIET – ‘Pass away’ followed by Time.
2d A person who does not drink into money and power (7)
WATTAGE – A (from the clue) and the letters indicating someone who does not drink alcohol, placed inside money received in return for work, giving a measure of electrical power.
3d The homeless may be looking for this compromise (13)
ACCOMMODATION – Double definition, the first being a straight statement of what homeless people are looking for.
4d A right idiot undermining hospital creates worry (6)
HARASS – Hospital followed by A (from the clue), Right, and an idiot.
5d US marshal needs to get sharper piece of audio equipment (8)
EARPHONE – The US marshal who took part in the gunfight at the OK Corral, followed by a verb meaning ’to sharpen’.
7d For example, a leader? (7)
ARTICLE – A leader is one example of this. Others will be found elsewhere in the paper.
8d Party line being held with certain release of information (10)
DISCLOSURE – Put Line inside a type of party where recorded music is played (usually very loudly) and add a word meaning ‘certain’.
11d What may offer 3 in a row (8,5)
TERRACED HOUSE – The 3 here is the answer to 3d, and the clue is a mildly cryptic definition of a variety of residence.
13d Extra bits of written material I’d pen with space free (10)
APPENDICES – Anagram (free) of I’D PEN and SPACE.
16d Be left standing in capital city (8)
BELGRADE – Put together BE (from the clue), Left, and standing or status.
18d Pub drink, did you say? I know things others don’t (7)
INSIDER – This sounds like (did you say?) another word for a pub and a variety of drink you may get there.
20d Chum protecting journalist, one to act as a go-between (7)
MEDIATE – The usual journalist and the Roman numeral for one placed inside a pal or chum.
21d Strip bar on Little Street (6)
DIVEST – A scruffy bar or nightclub followed by the abbreviation for STreet.
23d Food kept in home — atrocious! (4)
MEAT – Hidden (kept) in the clue.
The Quick Crossword pun DINAH + MIGHT = DYNAMITE
As a ‘friend’ says:
Glad to see the DT participating in Black Friday with the toughness levels of both crosswords discounted by 50%
Is this the easiest Friday Cryptic ever? It certainly feels that way to me…
Sincerely hope friends and family of Phillip Hughes are not crossword fans. Could the timing of publication of a clue ever be so tragically unfortunate.
That’s a bit of a stretch – he was hit by a bouncer, not by 18A.
Yes, I know STB but it is still a rather unfortunate coincidence – are there any crossword editors about these days???
It’s an unfortunate accident but people are too sensitive these days – you can’t walk around on eggshells just in case someone gets upset.
An accident – unfortunate and horrible but nevertheless an accident!
I think there must be, my version says “Ray’s meeting the Queen -” etc.
Yes mine too Merusa .
Online version was amended….
Agree with DT that * was looming until 26a, which was the last in and took as long as the rest put together to work out, although I was pretty certain what the definition was ,only one alternative Spry was a possibility, thanks DT for the explanation ! so can’t quibble with a **/***
as for 26a, i simply took KIND to be the definition so it was easy but i fail to see the connection with “not” played or game or gently a case of the setter being too clever by half methinks
i quite liked this, especially some of the 4-letter clues which weren’t write-in for me, e.g. 1d, 6a, 26a. i like 7d as a new version of an old chestnut. And 11d was nice, i liked “3 in a row”.
Doing the toughie now – black friday or not, the answers aren’t exactly leaping out at me.
many thanks setter and DT
Tricky one today. Used up quite a few grey cells. I eventually got 26a but got 19a wrong. I put SEAMER, as in ‘seam bowler’ but put a query against it to check the blog as I could not reconcile it with ‘smiling’. I must say that I have never come across that cricket term before. Thank you DT for educating me.
26a took me into 2* time… not sure why it took me so long to find the right word!
Thanks to Giovanni, and to DT.
I was held up in the SW corner for a while after confidently putting ADDENDA in for 24A, still didn’t want to change it even once I’d solved 13D (thought that I must have it wrong). Hum Ho.
I thought ‘Black Friday’ was a way for stores to clear their shelves ready for putting all the Christmas stuff in, now having seen what’s going on in Ferguson, I realise its just looting practice
A 1* Friday – what is the world coming to? Still it should cheer Brian up…
Thank you DG another enjoyable puzzle – and I agree with the above comments – one of your easier ones. In fact the whole week seems to have been on the gentle side – suits me ! Time for other stuff. Important today as we have 9 children/grandchildren with us. We are taking them all to Martin Mere tomorrow – anything to avoid the local football team
Thanks DT for your review and hints – and photos of course.
May not be your ‘thing’ – but do take the grandchildren to see the Otters being fed, it’s delightful for youngsters.
Reasonably straightforward until left struggling with 4-letter word at 26a but glad to see I am not alone with that so thank you DT for confirming the only possible answer and also thanks to the Setter. Otherwise not really anything to write home about. Not sure why in the U.K. we have adopted talk of Black Friday as we don’t have Thanksgiving to precede it but presumably it is commercially advantageous and encourages retail therapy. ***/***.
I knew I could rely on Giovanni to rescue me from yesterday’s trough of despair. Surely no one can complain that this was too difficult? Probably the most straightforward one I have seen from the Don but so enjoyable nevertheless.
Many thanks as always.
It could be due to the sudden onset of winter weather here on the Costa del Sol, but I struggled with this one and needed help on 24a and 26a. But it might have been that I didn’t manage the Quick in time. I can’t find reference to Frieshy or Ton anywhere on the Net.
I think you will find it is Frousty
I think you will find it is Frowsty
Typo
Ton is a word often used in Regency novels. 4D is frowsty, I think.
Thanks for that, Chris – it was a ‘bung-in’ for me!
Thanks to Giovanni and to Deep Threat for the review and hints. A good puzzle, very enjoyable, not too difficult. Was 2*/3* for me. Favourite was 5d. Last in was 21d. I thought Black Friday was when the Stock market crashed, or was it a Monday?
Nice to see the Goonerium appearing at 17a Heno. Good win against Borussia D.
Monday
Like others, 26A was my only hiccup. I had the correct definition and answer but needed the hint to parse it. Thanks to Giovanni for a gentle end to the week and to DT for the review.
Black Friday over here now starts at 6 PM on the evening of Thanksgiving Day for many of the big box stores. I don’t leave the house until Saturday.
I don’t leave for the whole weekend, unless I have to get food or drink!
*** enjoyment for me on a Friday. ** difficulty thanks to one or two that took a little while longer than most. Held off writing in the ‘obvious’ answer to 26a as I couldn’t see the explanation, so thanks to DT for that.
Favourite, probably 5d.
Thanks to setter and DT.
An error in your e-mail address sent this into moderation. I’ve corrected it for you.
Apart from failing to “sort” out the whyfores of 26ac this did not put up much of a fight at all. I did use the pencil to work out just how many words could be got from the checkers in 26ac. That is twice this week. Thanks to all who set the puzzlesand all who write the reviews. It is interesting to see that as setters can be recognised by their style of setting so reviewers can be recognised by their style of reviewing. It is National Indulgence day on Monday. can’t wait.
I’m keeping my powder dry for National Over-Indulgence Day.
National Indulgence Day? Tell me more!
if you hear anything Hanni please let me know
Thank you setter, and special thanks to DT for rescuing me from a complete standstill because I’d put Ibid down for 6a so got nowhere with 7d! Otherwise I’d have finished it quite a while earlier
quite a few clues to make me smile, but don’t know what on Earth a beamer is, unless it’s on the face of Poppy being tickled… Hope everyone has a good weekend.
I own up to the same hubris re 6a Poppy….even though it bore no relation to the first part of the clue, I still wasted time trying to find something suitable for 7d that started with a B…
also had ibid first… but with doubt
Hi Poppy
A beamer is a cricket delivery where the ball leaves the bowler’s hand at high speed and arrives at the batsman at head height without ever touching the ground. Truly nasty, and dangerous.
Perhaps an unfortunate clue given the recent tragic accident in Oz.
Indeed so. Phil McNeil must have been having an off day to let that one through.
That was what I should have said in my post #2. Definetely no blame attributable to Giovanni.
Yes , a very sad event and I have put my cricket bat outside the front door. But no blame should attach to the crossword editor either. He was not having an off day. The puzzle was off to press and no crossword editor can be expected to remember all clues in all puzzles. Unfortunate, but any criticism shows a lack of appreciation of how publishing and deadlines operate, I am afraid. But thanks for appreciative comments anyway
Please do not think I was in any way criticising either your good self or the paper, it was as you say just an unfortunate coincidence. Having played cricket for many years my heart goes out to his family but also to the unfortunate bowler.
As Merusa has pointed out above the online site is now showing a different clue for 19a (one which is actually pretty good if you take Ray to be Ray T).
I’ve now updated the review to show the alternative version as well.
What is the new clue for 19a?
(I’m a Paper Boy!)
,
just go back up to the review. it’s all there
When does the paper version of the crossword go to press?
Occasionally there are differences between the on-line version and the paper version … I’ve always wondered why?
Telegraph Crossword Editor here.
Hello Franco. In general, crosswords are sent to me by compilers at least six weeks before publication and often long in advance of that. I file the finished puzzle into the Telegraph system around two weeks before publication, ready to be put on the page. It actually goes on the presses the night before publication.
So it is possible to change a puzzle on the day before publication. However, during the two weeks since I filed the puzzle, I will have solved/edited a further 22 Cryptic crosswords and checked around 30 Quick and GK crosswords and quizzes (the GKs and quizzes are fact-checked by our Puzzles Assistant Editor, Daniella Gomés, I hasten to add).
So, as Don kindly points out, I don’t think one could expect the crossword editor to remember every clue that has been sent to press. Sometimes a topical event will ring an alarm bell — for instance, “beheading” was a common technique in Cryptic crosswords until this summer. Inevitably, and sometimes unfortunately, the implications of other topical events may get missed. I’m sorry I missed this one.
(Regarding clues being different online: By the time the puzzle is published, we hold it in four versions, including the file that will appear in the newspaper and the version on the Telegraph Puzzles website. Any changes — which may come from the compiler or the editor — need to be done in all four versions. If the final versions are different, that usually means that I have omitted to transfer editing marks to one of them. Occasionally it is deliberate — for instance if a Toughie setter uses his or her pseudonym in a clue, as the online solver won’t know who set it unless they have looked at the Toughie setters list.)
Thanks for your interest.
Phil
Phil, many thanks your reply.
And I thought that being a crossword editor was an easy job!
Obviously not!
(19a today – very strange how these coincidences occur,)
Well, I’m impressed, and I am guessing most commenters are too.
Sorry Phil. I wasn’t really slagging you personally but merely suggesting it was a bit surprising to me that you didn’t change this clue after what’s happened in Oz.
I appreciate the difficulties involved and it’s obvious that you can’t remember everything. However, you mentioned alarm bells. A batsman being killed is so rare that it must surely ring alarm bells when you consider how many cricket allusions there are in crosswords.
I’m really sorry Phil if a comment I made @ 11:10 has caused any offence to either you or the Don. None intended.
No problems from me Phil. The world turns. We know not what it will throw at us.
I think that everybody understands it was just a horrible coincidence.
Poppy add me to the list for having ‘ibid’.
Like DT, 26a was last for me and I took a little while to identify the missing p. Otherwise, this was a softie that was easily whipped into shape. Thanks to Giovanni and Deep Threat.
Funnily enough, I had no issues with 26a….but well done to most of the rest of you, as I was held up by 3 or 4 other clues, so I’d rate it as 2.5 difficulty.
Thx to DT for 24a hints ( knew the answer but got bogged down in South African coal stock prices via Google re the ZA bit) forgetting about vehicle reg IDs….
I was also held up by entering the answer for 27a in the 13d space….
Think I’m going to have to write out a list of vehicle reg. IDs. SA made far more sense to me!
BD has already written them out for you, in The Mine – see here.
As I’ve said before, gazza, you’re always there to help out – many thanks!
Like many others last one in for me was 26a, I knew the definition was kind of, thus sort but just couldn’t work the rest out Duh!!!!
, a fairly easyish Friday crossword IMHO of course, not needing too much help from electronic friends today, lovely day here, new dog waiting for walk 
Welcome back Mary. New dog here as well.
What a nice puzzle. True, it was fairly easy but that does not mean it was not enjoyable. So, many thanks Giovanni and thanks to DT for the hints which were useful for reference
You can’t just say “new dog here too” when posting on this blog. These are dog peeps, we need more information; small, large, puppy, grown, name, etc.
Hi Merusa, I did say yesterday, Cai is a rescue dog, he is about a year old, very much puppified still, we think he is a cross beagle/vizsla, about the size of a beagle, he was on ‘death row’ when the rescue saved him, thank goodness, I cant imagine why he was abandoned, he is the most perfectly well behaved dog you could wish for although he does have a stubborn streak! He is also beautiful and very handsome and has settled in as though he has lived here all of his short life, I don’t know how to input pictures or I would, perhaps just as well or the blog would be full of pictures of our lovely pets!!!
I didn’t mean you, Mary, I meant Collywobbles! I had read with pleasure of your new arrival before and I’m so pleased for you, he sounds perfect. I like the name Cai. I have a little dog who stays with Sadie and me on weekends when her Mum is out of town, and her name is Kaya, similar. It means “darling” in Rasta! Keep us posted how Cai is doing.
Thanks Merusa, will do
Thank you colllywobs, nice to be back, I have missed you, what dog have you got???
Tell you what. I know we are not supposed to comment on other puzzles but try the quickie today for a tricky puzzle. Some really clever clues and a new word at least to me.
Agree with you, Brian! I enjoyed the Quickie!
Some nice clues … Best of the Bunch was 6d!
Excellent quickie today,1 across bordered on the cryptic!
Not the easiest Friday ever but not far from it. **/*** from us too.
Thanks to Giovanni and DT.
Well, today’s puzzle was so much better than yesterday’s. I just don’t ‘get’ RayT I’m afraid, which is a shame because he seems a nice man and always ‘ pops in’. Anyway, thank you to the setter and to DT. I wish this miserable weather would perk up a bit, we have to have the lights on to see the crossword.
Fairly enjoyable, fairly easy. Thanks to all involved.
A lovely puzzle today and really good fun.
Onward and upward – roll on the weekend!
Appalling weather for the 4th day or is it 5th? It seems to last forever. Plus schools are closed and hardly anybody at work in our disaster area. We lost a few lives due to the inundations. Very sad indeed. Specially as we are getting ready to start the Xmas celebrations. On the good side, it gave me the chance to finish the back page and the toughie. Good clues all round and a good dose of poly 14a in my glass of red wine. Apparently they are good for the heart. Thanks to Giovanni for the fabulous puzzle and to Deep Threat for the review. Ps: Happy thanksgiving to Merusa also. Just noticed you lived outre atlantique.
Bonjour, Monsieur,
Sorry to hear about the floods in your part of the world … you seem to have predicted it …
I don’t want to be a bird of ill omen, which incidentally is one of the few clues I got from Elgar’s toughie. But we seem to be in an era of extremes. On all fronts.
Thank you, Monsieur. I am lucky as I live in Miami and escape all the horrid cold weather, though today it is a tad chilly in the 65F range.
Am I imagining it or have the back page puzzles been really easy this week? I fairly breezed through this one until I came to a bit of a halt at 26 across. After considering all the possibilities I opted for the obvious, then checked to see how DT had viewed it – and which brought about a ‘head banging on the desk’ kind of moment – d’oh! A nice gentle crossword puzzle to come home and unwind with after attending a late pal’s funeral this afternoon. Thanks to the Don and to DT.
Btw, what a strange coincidence that 19 across should appear so soon after the cricketing tragedy in Australia. No smiling matter that though.
I don’t normally do Friday’s puzzles, but our usual Friday meeting has been cancelled due to Thanksgiving. I found this entertaining and incredibly easy.
Really had no problem with anything except the ZA in 24a, I learned something today, hope I can remember as it is bound to pop up again.
My rave fave today is 5d.
Thanks to Giovanni and to DT for your review.
A nice easy puzzle for me too but couldn’t figure out why 26a was sort. Thanks to Giovanni andDT.
I didn’t find it very easy today either but I did like the quickie! I also didn’t get to the puzzle until the clue for 16 had changed. TI needed the review. Thank you and thanks to the setter.
First one this week I was unable to complete unaided. Since it’s unanimously decreed to be extremely easy, I will just slink away now . . .
(But not without first thanking DT for help with 6a and 26a, and Giovanni.)
No need to slink away. Crosswords are all about wavelength and if you can get your brain to think like the setter, nothing more or less.
Thanks Merusa – I’ve slunk back!
again problems with 26a finished up with” surf ” F = strong not gentle and surfing is a sport / game and having done some ,it is certainly not gentle . I was therefore surprised to see sort , but a perfectly reasonable , and probably better explanation was given by DT. thanks DT
**/****. Held up for a while with 24a until I realized the IVR code wasn’t SA. Very enjoyable start to black Friday. I’ll not be venturing out today.
Breezed along nicely until the last three – 7d (really wanted it start AS), 26a (along with several other folk!) and 27a, where I spent far too long trying to fit DEBT (in any order) into a colony.
19a was – as Kath may concur – a ‘bung-in’ and favourite goes to the 3/11d combo, with a mention for 12a.
Many thanks to Giovanni for a great end to the week and to DT for the review. As it happens, I spent this afternoon in the Cotswold Outdoor shop searching out a replacement for my walking boots – the existing pair rather resembled your 1a picture clue. I have now had my feet measured from every conceivable angle, climbed various ‘virtual’ hills in different pairs of boots and – hopefully – finished up with the perfect fit. Needless to say, the ones I chose were NOT included in the Black Friday special offers!
Late today – been busy. I agree with 2* difficulty and 3* for enjoyment.
I admitted defeat with 26a.
The bottom left corner took longer than the rest of the crossword – I was slow to get 13d having missed the anagram indicator and then just took ages to get 24a – tried to justify ‘addenda’ but couldn’t.
I spent far too long trying to make 12a a particular kind of cloud – tricky – not only was I wrong but I don’t know any.
I liked 12 and 22a and 7 and 21d. My favourite was 11d.
With thanks to Giovanni and Deep Threat.
If this Mother Christmas doesn’t round up the reindeer, harness them to the sledge and get herself shifting soon she’s going to be in big trouble – haven’t even thought about it yet.
We had our longest delay with 24a as we had ADDENDA as a first guess. As we never see IVR codes on cars here, they catch us out nearly every time. We thought it was a good fun puzzle.
Thanks Giovanni and DT.
I was SO impressed to see that the Crossword Editor took the time to contribute to the blog. Just goes to show how highly BD’s site is regarded. I hope it makes up to him for the inane comments that some of us come out with!
***/***.
Well I certainly didn’t find this a walk in the park, more a hike up Catbells. But an enjoyable hike.
Although I got 1d I wasn’t entirely sure why? 18d took me awhile as I thought 26a was ‘snap’. Needed the hints to sort that out.
Favourite clue was 11a…just because.
Many thanks to Giovanni and to DT for blogging. I certainly needed your help today.
Hi Hanni, I was waiting for you to sign in so I could tell you how impressed I was that MP thinks you should join in a ‘trinity’ for the blogging. You, Kitty and……….. and then I saw ‘Brian’ and I wondered……..?!! Anyway, I think you’d be a really good blogger – but maybe better paired up with Kath? Yes – I know you don’t want to do it, but it could be really good fun for the rest of us!!!
By the way, I’m guessing that your fav. was actually 11d? I loved it, but thought 3d needed to be included in the accolade.
Have been thinking about your issue with ‘stepchildren’ – from the way you describe them I reckon it’s a perfect nom de plume. They seem to keep turning up on your (door)step in need of food, money and clean laundry!!! Typical ‘kids’, really.
Hi Jane. Blogging…oh God no. I have no idea how our resident bloggers cope? I don’t mind writing exceeding boring reports, actually I do, I don’t mind standing up and talking in front of X amount of people. But blogging would terrify me. The standard is so high. And quite frankly the way I arrive at answers sometimes would leave everyone scratching their heads. But thank you.
Not all are technically mine, all of them are beyond wonderful in their own ways and every single one of them has the tracking abilities of a bloodhound when it comes to food. They can track over actual counties. I may have said that before.
I completely agree about 3d and the link. Great fun.
And you are absolutely right about child type things. You are very perceptive.
Please let me know how the new walking boots ‘go’? I’ve never been properly fitted and wondered if I should. I have for ski boots that I wear for 3 weeks a year and yet never for boots that I usually throw on each day?
Anyway are you any further forward on wedding plans?
Blogging standards? I have none! Get on board girls. Get on board
Of course you have standards. Kitty will be fantastic So would Poppy, Mary and Jane. Now…National Indulgence Day? Do you have hints?
Like so many others, l was on course for a very brisk completion until l got to the SW corner. 26a, and to a lesser extent 24a, held me up for the best part of 15mins. Still, the penny eventually dropped and my overall rating is 2*/3*. Thanks to Giovanni, and to DT for the review.