Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27959
A full review by crypticsue
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment **
This puzzle was published on Saturday, 14th November 2015
When I’d finished solving the crossword, I decided this would be an ideal puzzle for anyone new to cryptic crosswords (or a newspaper hoping to increase the number of people entering the prize competition), but judging from a few of the comments on the day, perhaps I was wrong.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five best!
Across
7a Charge independent politician separately (7)
IMPEACH – I (independent) MP (politician) EACH (separately)
9a Tree maintenance (7)
SERVICE – Double definition.
10a Conservative inclined towards socialism is divided (5)
CLEFT – C (Conservative) LEFT (inclined towards socialism)
11a Complain and put down joiner (9)
CARPENTER – CARP (complain) ENTER (put down).
12a Confined below, lay, knocked out (5,4,3,3)
UNDER LOCK AND KEY – UNDER (below) followed by an anagram (out) of LAY KNOCKED.
13a Followed across river, being towed (7)
TRAILED – TAILED (followed) goes across (or has inserted) R (river).
16a Income steady in Parisian’s street (7)
REVENUE – EVEN (steady) inserted into a French (Parisian’s) street or RUE.
19a The Express newspaper’s report? (8,7)
DEFINITE ARTICLE – DEFINITE (express, specific) ARTICLE (newspaper report).
23a Dessert with my new vegetable (9)
SWEETCORN – SWEET (dessert, pudding) COR (my!) N (new).
24a Shows the way in speech in English city (5)
LEEDS – A homophone (in speech) of LEADS (shows the way).
25a Right about returned item — proof of purchase required (7)
RECEIPT – RT (right) put ‘about’ a reversal (returned) of PIECE (item).
26a Mechanic, in part, is answerable (7)
ARTISAN – Hidden in pART IS ANswerable
Down
1d Volume is to include nobleman (8)
VISCOUNT – V (volume) IS (from the clue) COUNT (include).
2d Former exam relating to the countryside (8)
PASTORAL – PAST (former) ORAL (exam)
3d Decisively beat Oscar? Jolly good! (6)
WHACKO – WHACK (decisively beat) O (Oscar in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet).
4d Encourage operator to release latest of numbers (4,2)
URGE ON – ‘Release’ or remove the latest letter of numberS from a SURGEON (operator).
5d Male elected to keep investment, in error (8)
MISTAKEN – Insert (to keep) STAKE (investment) between M (male) and IN (elected).
6d Back with fish to sell down the river (6)
BETRAY – BET (back) RAY (fish).
8d Appeal of polytechnic’s first principal (5)
PLEAD – P (the ‘first’ of Polytechnic) LEAD (principal).
9d Attacker in match (7)
STRIKER – Another double definition.
14d Caught wearing muddy loafers outside (8)
ALFRESCO – C (caught) put inside (wearing) an anagram (muddy) of LOAFERS.
15d Tried to set off for US city (7)
DETROIT – An anagram (set off) of TRIED TO.
17d Go against country importing it (8)
VITALITY – V (versus, against) and ITALY (country) the latter ‘importing’ IT from the clue.
18d Regular air service (8)
EVENSONG – EVEN (regular) SONG (air)
19d Abandon in wilderness (6)
DESERT – And another double definition
20d Can appearing upside down humour blockhead? (6)
NITWIT – A reversal (appearing upside down) of TIN (can) followed by WIT (humour).
21d Declare invalid must be taken round area once a year (6)
ANNUAL – ANNUL (declare invalid) ‘taken round’ A (area).
22d Musical game (5)
CHESS – And to finish, a final double definition
S1
I thought that this was above average for a Saturday puzzle and liked 6d, 14d and 18d. Thanks to Mr Ron and CS.
As I remarked at the time 9a was new to me but I checked with Google and there it was, thanks to setter and as always a sincere thank you to CS – I am amazed at the amount of things you cram into a day makes me feel serously slothful.
I knew the 9a tree but managed to forget it and for some unknown reason I took ages to work out why 25a was what it obviously was.
I liked 10 and 19a and 3d (although not many others seemed to like that one) and 20d. My favourite was 14d.
With thanks to Mr Ron and to CS.
So it was Whacko Jacko. Just didn’t know it meant Jolly good.
Thanks to CS.
Do not understand 22d. Chess????
If you Google Chess Musical you will find that Tim Rice collaborated with Bjorn and Benny from ABBA in a musical called Chess