DT 27899

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27899

A full review by gnomethang

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BD Rating – Difficulty *– Enjoyment ***

This puzzle was published on 5th September 2015

Morning All! Not much to say about this one. It was definite Lone Star territory for difficulty (an opinion generally shared on the day) and apart from a couple of clues I didn’t care for much I thought that there were some very good surface readings.

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           Pale in colour after meeting the Spanish (6)
PASTEL – A charade of PAST (after/over) and EL, ‘the’ in Spanish.

5a           Send off Desmond with Patricia Church (8)
DESPATCH – A charade of DES(mond), PAT(ricia) and CH for Church as an abb.

10a         It could be a grave sign of stress (6)
ACCENT – The French accent grave as opposed to the acute accent. These stress a different vowel sound.

11a         Commercial broadcast idiot put before new supplement (8)
ADDITION – Start with an AD or commercial (advertisement) then make an anagram (broadcast) of IDIOT before finally adding N for New.

12a         Hospital trip NHS organised for benefactors (15)
PHILANTHROPISTS – A good anagram but one I spotted almost immediately (not sure why!). Organise the letters of HOSPITAL TRIP NHS. A good solid surface reading.

16a         Bulb in garden plot diseased (8)
BLIGHTED – Place a LIGHT bulb inside a BED or garden plot.

18a         One can fasten a garment yet not in reflection (6)
BUTTON – BUT for yet is a synonym, add a revesal (in reflection) of NOT from the clue.

20a         It’s a hangover from freezing weather (6)
ICICLE – This cryptic definition is something of a chestnut roasting on an open fire. They depend on cold weather as well!

21a         Letitia moving around gathering in right academic circles (8)
LITERATI – An anagram, indicated by ‘moving around’ of LETITIA includes R for Right.

22a         Rang Bill about two, on the phone, and demanded an explanation (6,2,7)
CALLED TO ACCOUNT – Called for rang and ACCOUNT for Bill (of sale) around TO which is a homophone (on the phone) of two.

27a         Without a stitch in this suit? (8)
BIRTHDAY – Another not very cryptic definition

28a         Monstrous thing, being last for ages (6)
DRAGON – When split (4,2) this mythical beast will DRAG ON and last for ages.

29a         Avoid team having overturned favourites (8)
SIDESTEP – A football SIDE or team followed by the reversal (overturned) of PETS/favourites.

30a         Agreement to attempt to catch swallow (6)
TREATY – A TRY or attempt contains (to catch/grab) EAT or swallow.

Down

2d           Supper with recklessly raised spirits? (9)
ALCOHOLIC – A cryptic definition of one who drinks (sups) spirits in a reckless fashion.

3d           Strangely ethical to keep old diary of religious studies (11)
THEOLOGICAL – A strange anagram of ETHICAL including O for Old and LOG for diary – THE (O LOG) ICAL.

4d           Concede a goal — perhaps the French can (3,2)
LET IN – Split as LE TIN gives us ‘the’ in French and a TIN can.

6d           Bush senior in church (5)
ELDER – Two definitions – the first the bush/tree and the second an ELDER statesman in the church

7d           Groom, stiffly formal, accompanied by page (5)
PRIMP – Start with PRIM (stiffly formal) and add P for Page.

8d           Having flipped, a 50/50 call follows (5)
TAILS – The cryptic definition is a 50/50 call of ‘heads or TAILS’. The main definition is follows or dogs.

9d           Worker’s lad personally involved (5-2)
HANDS-ON – Split as (4-3) and you get a HAND or farm worker and SON or lad.

13d         Nobleman‘s gold hair mainly to be restored (7)
HIDALGO – I knew the word for a Spanish Nobleman. Take all but the last letter (mainly) of GOLD HAI® and then make an anagram (to be restored).

14d         Go round men’s section (5)
ORBIT – OR for ‘Other Ranks or ‘Men’ in the army and then a BIT or section.

15d         Misleadingly, perhaps, put in policing organisation, getting knocked back (11)
INTERPOLATE – I’m with Big Dave on this with the definition – I only knew the other. A charade of INTERPOL the EU Policing Organisation and then ATE for ‘knocked back’.

17d         Banker‘s material (5)
TWEED – Two definitions – the river upon which Berwick stands and also the twill cloth.

19d         Definite C&B (3-3-3)
OUT AND OUT – Two ways to get OUT in cricket are Caught and also Bowled (although C&B – Caught and Bowled) is one other way. In any case you, as a batsman. Would be OUT-AND-OUT.

20d         Cool copper seen on public transport, sexy devil (7)
INCUBUS – A charade of IN (cool), CU , the chemical symbol for copper, and then BUS or public transport.

23d         Was first to go round ancient city being beguiled (5)
LURED – LED (was first) around the ancient crosswordland city of UR – nice to see you back!!

24d         Spirit of those cycling? (5)
ETHOS – An anagram (cycling) of THOSE.

25d         Move quickly northwards, then east, in traffic (5)
TRADE – TO DART or move quickly, reversed (northwards for a Down clue) and then E for East.

26d         Tom is shown round employment department as trainee (5)
CADET – A Tom CAT around the expired DE or Department for Employment.

Thanks to the setter – I will see you all next week.