Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28480
A full review by gnomethang
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This puzzle was published on Saturday 15th July
BD Rating – Difficulty ***– Enjoyment ****
Morning All! I found this a good test on the day with some very nice and decieving clues.
Across
1a European given ancient coin, gold, for teacher (8)
EDUCATOR – E(uropean) with a DUCAT (old coin) and OR (the heraldic term for gold).
6a Convincing decent chap to join company (6)
COGENT – A GENT joining CO for company.
9a Former airline with a connection between North and South America? (6)
PANAMA – PAN-AM the defunct airline with A from the clue.
10a Vinyl record demanding attention (8)
PRESSING – Two definitions – A vinyl record is pressed and known as a PRESSING and the other means urgent or demanding attention.
11a Corporal joins with girlfriend in lively dance (8)
FLAMENCO – an NCO (colonel or Non Commissioned OFFICER) after a FLAME (old girlfriend).
12a Be inclined to postpone (6)
SHELVE – NOT swerve!. Two definitions
13a Unexpected victory that could make huge profit (5-7)
GIANT-KILLING – The definition is when a non-league club beats a much better team in football for example. It is a charade of GIANT (huge) and KILLING (profit).
16a Virgin need ‘er to be working! (6-6)
ENGINE DRIVER – A good all in one when you remember that Virgin own a number of rail franchises. An anagram (to be working) of VIRGIN NEED ‘ER.
19a Butcher giving male view (6)
MANGLE – M for Male and an ANGLE or viewpoint.
21a Attribute of northern ‘ealth resort (8)
ARROGATE – An unfamiliar word but remove the aspirate H form (h)ARROGATE – a northern health spa.
23a 9 perhaps which comes after cultural activities rejected (5,3)
STRAW HAT – A PANAMA (at 9a) provides an example of the definition. Reverse (reject) the ARTS or cultural activities and then add WHAT (which).
24a Spike beer used by one politician (6)
IMPALE – ALE or beer after I for one and an MP or politician.
25a Place of learning deconstructed my clue (6)
LYCEUM – A deconstructed anagram of MY CLUE.
26a Place for fan desiring wrestling (8)
RINGSIDE – A better clue than at first glance. Make an anagram (wrestling) of DESIRING.
Down
2d Such as can be achieved seeing sailor cutting benefit (6)
DOABLE – This is an AB (Able Bodied seaman) inside DOLE for benefit/handout. It is NOT, I repeat NOT, an AB in a BOON for BABOON otherwise there is no definition!!.
3d Leaves motorway for a spell (5)
CHARM – The leaves are tea leaves or CHAR. Add M for Motorway.
4d Cost of travelling in coach a long way east (5,4)
TRAIN FARE – A charade of TRAIN (coach), FAR (a long way) and E for East.
5d Tuneless music style left harmony (7)
RAPPORT – RAP (a tuneless variety of music and then PORT for laft.
6d Activity on board revolutionary ship (5)
CHESS – CHE Guevara, the revolutionary, and then SS for Ship.
7d Lively person welcoming period as preacher (9)
A GOER or lively person containing/welcoming a SPELL or period.
8d Something of no significance in Spain, one ventures (3-5)
NON-EVENT – A good hidden word IN Spai N ONE VENT ures.
13d What house coal will do for the usual price (5,4)
GOING RATE – House coal should GO IN GRATE.
14d Fashionable edition turning up (9)
INVERSION – IN for fashionable and VERSION for edition.
15d Small child on railway grunts (8)
INFANTRY – An INFANT for a small child and RY as one abb. fro railway. Nice definition.
17d Note player making a pile (7)
REACTOR – RE is the second note in the tonic sol-fa scale. Add an ACTOR for a player.
18d Time being encased in concrete, impassive (6)
STOLID – Place T for Time inside SOLID/concrete.
20d Surrey town for instance oppresses poor actor (5)
EGHAM – EG for ‘for example’ and then a HAM or poor actor.
22d Is open-mouthed, needing oxygen, say, to take exercise (5)
GAPES – Place P.E. , Physical Exercise, into GAS (of which oxygen is an example).
Thanks to the setter – I enjoyed this one!.
I enjoyed this one very much too – and had I been blogging it, I’d have given it a rare Saturday 4* enjoyment too
I particularly liked the all in one 16a as I liked the way you could have female engine drivers
Thanks Gnomey, I absolutely loved this. There were so many make me smile clues and I felt bereft when I found I had finished.