Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Dailay Telegraph Cryptic No 28066

A full review by gnomethang

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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***

This puzzle was published on Saturday, 19th March 2016

Morning All! This was another quick solve. I found it fairly fun with a few easy clues to get people started.

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

3a           Stronghold I’m in is very very noisy (10)
FORTISSIMO – Start with a FORT or stronghold then add  IS from the clue and then place I’M from the clue inside  SO for very. The second very is part of the definition. FORT ISS (IM) O

8a           Wasted opening in ball game (6)
BLOTTO – The opening letter of B(all) followed by the LOTTO game from Camelot, say.

9a           Model drunk? Take no action (3,5)
SIT TIGHT – A charade of SIT (model/pose) and TIGHT for drunk.

10a         Excessive devotion adroitly put in a new light (8)
IDOLATRY – An anagram , indicated by ‘put in a new light;, of ADROITLY.

11a         Figure that’s less sensitive (6)
NUMBER – A double definition that has been around a bit.

12a         Planner, furious about wrong name put inside (10)
MASTERMIND – Starting from the inside place TERM or name inside a SIN or wrong inside MAD for furious.

14a         Quiet trip before marriage causes loud quarrel (8,5)
SHOUTING MATCH – Start with SH for quiet, add an OUTING or trip and follow with a MATCH or marriage/union.

20a         In my opinion, after gym, boy must go into assembly (10)
PERSONALLY – Place a SON/boy inside a RALLY or assembly and add this to PE for gym.

22a         Spite shown by male meeting Christopher Robin’s nurse (6)
MALICE – I didn’t know that ALICE was Christopher Robin’s nurse but place her after M for Male.

23a         Reported diarist who ordered erotic entertainment (8)
PEEPSHOW – PEEPS, A homophone (reported) of Samuel PEPYS, followed by an anagram (ordered) of WHO.

24a         Count, after support, is on the wagon (8)
TEETOTAL – Place TOTAL for count after a TEE or support for a golf ball (guess what I am doing at 09:20 today!

25a         Educational institution — it’s for both men and women (6)
UNISEX – A UNI(versity) or educational institution followed by SEX for the ‘it’/the Old Wehey!.

26a         Drink on break, and a biscuit (6,4)
BRANDY SNAP – The drink is BRANDY and the break is a SNAP.

Down

1d           Special clothes pleased some newspapers (4,4)
GLAD RAGS – GLAD for pleased and then RAGS for some (usually the Red Tops disparagingly) newspapers.

2d           Fired up in fight for knife (8)
STILETTO – Place LIT or fired up inside a SET TO or fight,

3d           Promote nurse (6)
FOSTER – Two definitions, to engender or promote and to care for/nurse.

4d           Man holding spades is hopeful (4)
ROSY – Place S for spades inside ROY.

5d           Manned it at sea, together (2,6)
IN TANDEM – Make an anagram (at sea) of MANNED IT.

6d           Special mark obtained by Greek character? About time! (6)
STIGMA – The Greek letter (character) of SIGMA around (about) T for Time.

7d           Austrian composer and US author heading firstly for island (6)
MAHLER – Remember the US author Norman MAILER. Replace the I for Island with H – the first etter of H(eading).

13d         Intimate meal date overlooked (5)
INNER – Remove (overlook) the D for Date in d(INNER) or meal.

15d         Embroidered cloth — videos sample (8)
TAPESTRY – To video something (remember that kids!?) is to TAPE it. Add TRY for sample.

16d         Send maiden over in carriage (8)
TRANSMIT – Place M for Maiden (over) inside TRANSIT or carriage.

17d         Revered husband acknowledged (8)
HALLOWED – H for Husband followed by ALLOWED for acknowledged (in an debate for example).

18d         One looking after another round Aintree’s far end in gallop (6)
CAREER – A CARER (one looking after) around the far end letter of (Aintre)E.

19d         Cub reporter from broadsheet in Tinseltown (6)
TINTIN – I forgot that TINTIN was always referred to as a ‘cub reporter’. You can find him hidden in (from) broadsheeT IN TINseltown.

21d         Accelerate round marker ahead (4,2)
OPEN UP – To OPEN UP the throttle. A charade of O for round, a marker PEN and UP for ahead (in a points game for example).

23d         Spy briefly in plot (4)
PLAN – All but the last letter in a PLAN(t) or spy.

Thanks to the setter. I’ll see you all next Friday.