Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28635
A full review by gnomethang
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 13th January 2018
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Morning All! A pretty standard Saturday puzzle that I solved in about two star time. There were some divertingly constructed clues that were quite enjoyable to fathom even if the answer pretty much presented itself from the checking letters (although that might not reflect everybody’s solving experience!).
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 I overacted terribly with embellishments (10)
DECORATIVE – An anagram (terribly) of I OVERACTED.
6a Society driver? (4)
CLUB – Both an e.g. Gentleman’s Club and a golf club.
9a Green rat? (5)
GRASS – Two definitions – the GRASS on a putting green for example and also to inform upon.
10a A nice mild rum having restorative effect (9)
MEDICINAL – An anagram, indicated by rum, of A NICE MILD.
12a New era at EU after number ring honoured scientist? (5,8)
NOBEL LAUREATE – Place an anagram (new) of ERA AT EU after NO. for number and BELL or ring. The question mark at the end denotes the definition by example in that there are other Nobel Laureates that just scientists.
14a Charming computer pioneer losing head after everything (8)
ALLURING – Remove the head letter from Alan (T)URING the computer pioneer and place after ALL/everything.
15a Wimp keeping theologian in union (6)
WEDDED – A DD or Divinitas Doctor/theologian placed inside a WEED or wimp.
17a Bets on first races (6)
RELAYS –LAYS for bets with RE for on/about coming first.
19a Puddings one gets anxious about (8)
DESSERTS – A reversal (about) of STRESSED for anxious.
21a Bland heir to the throne’s gripping performance — monarch (13)
CHARACTERLESS – The heir to the throne is Prince CHARLES. Add the apostrophe ‘S from the clue and insert into that (it is gripping) ACT for performance and ER, Elizabeth Regina for monarch – CHAR (ACT ER ) LES’S
24a One’s work is boring (9)
TUNNELLER – A pretty straightforward cryptic definition where tunnels are bored out.
25a Get smart advertising demon (5)
PRIMP – Advertising can be PR (Public Relations). Add an IMP or demon.
26a Bird no longer around pair of gulls (4)
DODO – To gull someone is to con or ‘DO’ them. A pair of gulls is thus DO DO
27a Go and allow to swallow new sweet (10)
PEPPERMINT – PEP for go/oomph and PERMIT/allow which has swallowed an N for New.
Down
1d Likes lodgings (4)
DIGS – To appreciate/like in the vernacular is to DIG and the second definition is lodgings or temporary rented accomodations.
2d Luxury brand covering northern TV station (7)
CHANNEL – Place CHANEL (a luxury fashion brand) around (it is covering) N for Northern
3d Fruit producer gets show of disapproval — switch (9,4)
RASPBERRY CANE – To disapprove by blowing a RASPBERRY followed by a CANE for a switch/length of light wood.
4d Abdominal jewellery on view in acrobatics (8)
The last word in the clue was incorrectly shown as scrobatics in the newspaper version and for a while in the online version
TUMBLING – Some jewellery in the midriff might cryptically be described as TUM BLING.
5d Dave almost OK drunk — with this? (5)
VODKA – An anagram both of DAV(e) (almost? and OK .
7d Rope some coated in grease (7)
LANYARD – ANY for some is enclosed by/coated in LARD for grease.
8d Hurry to settle beneath less hairy bunk (10)
BALDERDASH – to DASH or hurry underneath (beneath in a down clue) BALDER for less hairy.
11d One complaining must accept maybe dog’s little cleaner (6-7)
CARPET SWEEPER – One complaining is a CARPER. It must include/accept both PET’S for dog’s and WEE for little.
13d Created debt Africa is suffering (10)
FABRICATED – An anagram (suffering) of DEBT AFRICA.
16d Father eating bit of cereal with doctor — that’s sweet (4,4)
PEAR DROP – POP for father including/eating an EAR (of corn, say) and DR for doctor.
18d Scholarly study taken up following work of Shakespeare (7)
LEARNED – Reverse (take up) a DEN or study and place after (King) LEAR – a Shakespearean work.
20d Composer of opera in which French king admits terrible sins (7)
ROSSINI – An anagram (terrible) of SINS inside le ROI or French for king.
22d Fine material gives Jethro ecstasy (5)
TULLE – Jethro TULL with E for Ecstasy.
23d Raise suggestions for means to roast meat (4)
SPIT – Reverse (raise) TIPS for suggestions.
Thanks to the setter – it felt like a Peter Chamberlain (?). I’ll be back next week.
For the first time I’ve remembered to keep the crossword from the previous week – managed to find it too.
What I can’t remember is how tricky I found it – think I had trouble with a couple of the less difficult clues.
My clear favourite was 8d and I like the green rat too.
Thanks to the setter and to Gnomey.
PS – Just remembered – I did this one after spending the day with the Elder Lamb, partner and baby so it was quite late before I even looked – that sort of thing always makes a difference to the level of difficulty for me.
Hints appreciated for this one.
Liked the restorative rum in 10A.
***/** for the puzzle.
Just a note to point out solution to 8d is ” balderdash ” – probably a typo.
I think we all spotted the misprint of ” scrobatics “
Welcome to the blog Leonard
I’ve corrected the rather obvious typo.