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DT 29262

by Deep Threat  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29262

Hints and tips by Deep Threat

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***

Good morning from South Staffs, where the sun is visible as I write, which makes a pleasant change.

This week’s crossword doesn’t contain the trademark four Xs of the last couple of weeks, so is probably not by ProXimal – who’s on Toughie duty today. Beyond that, I have no idea about the setter. It took me a little while to get on the right wavelength, so *** for difficulty.

In the hints below, the definitions are underlined. The answers are hidden under the ANSWER buttons, so don’t click if you don’t want to see them.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Rivals in union: one French — righteous, utterly — facing Scotsman linked to church (6,8)
UNHOLY ALLIANCE – Put together the French word for one, another word for righteous, another word for ‘utterly’, a name commonly associated with Scotsmen, and the initials of the Church of England.

9a           That girl’s gloves, we hear they’ve become separated (7)
HERMITS – A pronoun for ‘that girl’s’, followed by what sounds like some gloves.

10a         Thrill to have good racket after losing clubs (7)
GLAMOUR – Good followed by another word for ‘racket’ or ‘din’ with the initial C (for clubs) removed.

11a         Having consumed whiskey, revolutionary number one is drunk, proverbially (4)
NEWT – The reverse (revolutionary) of a three-letter number wrapped around the letter represented by Whiskey in the NATO alphabet. The answer is a small animal which features in the saying ‘as p—-d as a —-‘.

Image result for newt

12a         Wavering, abstain — RIP trying to please both sides? (10)
BIPARTISAN – Anagram (wavering) of ABSTAIN RIP.

14a         Go the wrong way with shopping trip? (6)
ERRAND – Another word for ‘go the wrong way’ followed by another word for ‘with’.

15a         Torture giving detectives bit of a shock (8)
DISTRESS – Some Detective Inspectors followed by a piece of what grows in a shock on your head.

17a         English welcome in patio after rambling about country (8)
ETHIOPIA – Put together English and a short word of greeting, then wrap an anagram (rambling) of PATIO around the result to get an African country.

18a         Group in open red omnibus, backward-looking in fashion (6)
MODERN – Hidden in reverse (backward-looking) in the clue.

21a         Lacking the capacity to host for five? Impossible to justify (10)
UNPROVABLE – Put together the Latin word for ‘for’ and the Roman numeral for five, then insert the result into a word meaning ‘lacking the capacity’.

22a         Chap touring Spain gets tight (4)
MEAN – Another word for a chap wrapped around the IVR for Spain.

24a         Is the Italian island phone firm turning over capital? (7)
TBILISI – Put together IS (from the clue), the Italian word for ‘the’, an abbreviation for Island, and a two-letter telephone company, then reverse the result (turning over) to get the capital of a former Soviet republic.

Image result for tbilisi

25a         Outline device to have a lasting impression? (7)
STENCIL – Cryptic definition of something which can be used to apply a design to a surface.

26a         Farming types with rustic guitars dancing around lake (14)
AGRICULTURISTS – Anagram (dancing) of RUSTIC GUITARS wrapped around Lake.

Down

1d           Make psycho release the door? (7)
UNHINGE – This word for driving someone mad could also be a way of taking a door off.

2d           Excessive admiration of that man over rank or posting (4-11)
HERO-WORSHIPPING – The pronoun for ‘that man’ followed by a rank or line, followed by OR (from the clue) and another word for posting a parcel to someone.

3d           Put clock up (4)
LAID – The definition is in the past tense, so the answer is the past tense of another word for ‘put’, which also happens to be the reverse (up) of another word for a clock face.

4d           Attack while yacht maybe goes under (6)
ASSAIL – Another word for ‘while’ or ‘when’, followed by what you might do in a yacht.

5d           Book taxi home for cottage in wood? (3,5)
LOG CABIN – Put together ‘to book’ or ‘to record’, another word for a taxi, and ‘at home’.

Image result for log cabin old

6d           Paint a toad for a change? Yes (10)
ADAPTATION – An all-in-one clue, where ‘change’ is both the definition and the anagram indicator. Anagram of PAINT A TOAD.

7d           Alludes to angry former employers? (5-10)
CROSS-REFERENCES – Another word for angry, followed by what former employers may act as when you go for a new job.

8d           My being under doctor goes on (6)
DRONES – An abbreviation for ‘doctor’ followed by the way Her Majesty might say ‘my’.

13d         Latin period (4,6)
ANNO DOMINI – The full Latin expression used to measure the passage of years since thebirth of Christ.

16d         Redesigned atrium covering is sweet (8)
TIRAMISU – Anagram (redesigned) of ATRIUM wrapped around IS (from the clue).

Image result for tiramisu

17d         Value of shares in players’ organisation (6)
EQUITY – Double definition, the second being a trade union for actors.

19d         Noun’s disguised hiding place in puzzle (7)
NONPLUS – Anagram (disguised) of NOUN’S wrapped around an abbreviation for PLace. The definition is a verb.

20d         Forty per cent of public lose trust in Cabinet (6)
CLOSET – Hidden in the clue. The six letters of the answer make up 40% of the letters in ‘public lose trust’.

23d         Rent one’s shed, sadly — that sounds different! (4)
TEAR – Double definition: a rent or rip; or what a sad person may shed. Same spelling, different pronunciation, as the clue points out.

The Quick Crossword pun PAY + PER + WAIT = PAPERWEIGHT

57 comments on “DT 29262”

  1. Once I’d got on the Mysteron’s wavelength, this turned out to be quite friendly for a Friday – no particular favourites. Thanks to the setter and DT

  2. My page has quite a lot of scribbling on it which indicates that I found it quite tricky. I thought some of the surfaces were a little strange but ultimately it all came together well, creeping just into 3* time, mainly because of the pesky 23d, my LOI.
    I thought the lurker at 20d was excellent but podium places go to 15a plus 19d, with top spot to the amusing 1d.
    3*/3*
    Many thanks to DT and to the setter for the entertainment.

  3. I was up early and set to work on today’s crossword. Very much ***/**** but I completed it before the hints were published. I’m glad Deep Threat could explain how some of the answers were derived 😀. Favourites were all the down clues on the top row.

  4. For me, this was a real stinker (*****/-). It took ages to finish it and only then with electronic help. I was convinced it was a ProXimal puzzle as they are usually not on my wave-length. Thanks to DT for help with the half dozen clues I bunged in. Thank you to the compiler too.

  5. Annoyed with myself for losing patience & revealing the answer to 24a having spent as long looking at it as it took to complete the remainder – blindingly obvious. Other than that a steady solve in what I found to be an enjoyable challenge today – particularly enjoyed 1a & 2d. Also one of these days I’ll get my i & a the right way round first time in that tasty though fattening Italian dessert.
    Thanks to DT for the review.

  6. One for the First Division club members I think, but as a Second Division player only it took me quite a time to get through it, but did eventually finish without hints. Thanks to DT. Talking of the best it’s now time to relax and watch Stokes get yet another test century…how pleasurable can this retired life get!

  7. I had similar experience to CS in that first read-through was unproductive however with solution of the lengthy 1a and 2d, which were fun to unravel, I was soon on song and sailed through the East followed by the West. Last one in was 15a but it then became my Fav. Thank you Mysteron (I do miss the Don) and DT.

  8. It took me a while to get on wavelength today also. On the whole I enjoyed it but wasn’t keen on 10a and needed DT to explain 23d fully, I was getting caught up on rent being past tense which didn’t fit the answer.

    It took me rather longer than normal Fridays but I got there in the end.

    Many thanks to the setter and DT.

  9. 2.5*/2*. Not too difficult but a curate’s egg for me with ticks and hmms in almost equal measure.

    There were some very dodgy surfaces in evidence. I would never use “yacht” as a verb and wonder why anybody would want to. “Make psycho” is a very clunky definition in 1d and surely the employers in 7d are the referrers not the references. I also think that 25a is a poor cryptic definition.

    I was going to quibble that “clock” is not synonymous with “dial”, but then I realised both are slang words for face so I suppose that’s just about OK.

    On the plus side, I ticked 14a, 15a, 21a, 22a, 20d (great surface!) & 23d (excellent homonym).

    Thanks to the setter and to DT.

    1. I took “sail” in 4d to be a loose (maybe) or dated synonym for any boat that is powered by a sail…therefore a noun?

  10. The style of this suggested a new setter to me.- but I’m not particularly good at spotting setters!
    It took a while to get going before becoming a steady solve. I liked 1d, 7d and 23d. Thanks to DT for the review and to the setter whether new or not.

  11. This was definitely a wavelength thing this morning, and as others have said it took a while to break the code of the setter’s somewhat quirky style. Once cracked, it all fell into place quite nicely, although I note the reservations of earlier commenters. That said, several fine clues rescued the puzzle from a low rating, foremost amongst them being the excellent 20d.

    Thanks to our mystery setter and DT.

  13. A good cranial workout completed at a canter. It didn’t help that I entered the 24a capital incorrectly by transposing the second and third letters until seeking assistance from the Small Red Book. The enjoyment was spoiled by 10a, 1d, and 4d all of which generated Hmms – ***/***.
    Candidates for favourite – 1a, 11a, 7d, and 17d – and the winner is 7d.
    Thanks to the setter and DT.

  14. Apart from the missing weird word this felt very much a Giovanni to me. Excellent and exact wordplay except perhaps for 10a, can’t make thrill = clamour and nor does the BRB.
    However very enjoyable for all that.
    Thx to all
    ***/****

    1. Thrill equals Glamour …G plus Clamour with the C (clubs) removed…..not the best clue, I admit.

  15. Lots of scribbling for me too. A couple of clues we have seen very recently, but the newt made me laugh. Thanks to all.

    1. I had a mate who had a pet newt called Tiny. I asked him why he named it Tiny and he said “because it’s my newt”

    2. I had a mate who had a pet newt called Tiny. I asked him why he named it Tiny and he said “because it’s my newt”

        1. If I knew what caused the doubling up of my comments I might be able to stop it happening. I have only just been able to post from my iPhone which always doubles up. My iPad sometimes doubles up and sometimes behaves itself.

        2. If I knew what caused the doubling up of my comments I might be able to stop it happening. I have only just been able to post from my iPhone which always doubles up. My iPad sometimes doubles up and sometimes behaves itself.

  16. Once I’d got beyond some decidedly ‘iffy’ surface reads and what I thought was a rather odd definition at 10a, I quite enjoyed sorting this one out. The parsing of 2d proved somewhat elusive so that earns a place on the podium along with 20d.

    Thanks to today’s Mr Ron and to DT for the review.

  17. I recently returned to the DT and very rarely finish on my own but completed yesterday and today’s puzzles with no real issues. Was expecting a * star on both as I generally struggle even with those rated **. Must be on the wavelength of both setters. It’s rather nice to be in this position but now wondering what to do with the rest of my breaks today. Usually finish in the evening with some help from BD. I liked 9a as it made me smile

      1. That’s probably a step too far for me. The last two days are exceptional. I shall take a look though. Thanks for the suggestion

  18. This was more of a struggle for me, but I did get there in the end without troubling any electrons.

    For me 10a was certainly a ‘hmmmm’, and I needed DT’s help to parse 11a. My COTD is 7d.

    Thanks to Mr Ron and DT.

  19. Solved on the bus, and I thought this was excellent! Good clues, a reasonable challenge and a very enjoyable solve. I don’t agree with any of the complaints in the foregoing and regard them as ridiculous nit-picking. Fav: 14a. 3* / 3.5*

      1. You could’ve just typed one “hear” and let the double-posting glitch take care of the second one …

  20. An excellent crossword. Challenging but fair. Re 4d, I was happy to take yacht as a verb.
    Thanks to DT and to setter.

    ***/****

  21. I really wanted to put “emit” into 3D as I thought it was justified by the “clock up”. If the clue had read “put out” it might have been justified. It was all a bit of a mixed bag for me too today. I liked the simplicity of 5d. Many thanks setter and DT.

    1. I did exactly the same! I’ve had a few clues so far this year where my answer fitted in but was later proved to be wrong.

  22. ***/****. I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. Despite a couple of iffy clues it was a rewarding solve only held up by misspelling 24a initially. Thanks to the setter and DT.

  23. This was a real workout for me. Completed in two sittings whilst watching Stokes and Pope. Retirement is great. Can’t think how I ever had time to go to work!

  24. I found this very tricky but solved most of it with copious use of e-help. Some, like 26a, were gimmes, I like it when an anagram jumps out. Also, the phone company hint at 24a made it a write in, and just paying attention and doing what I was told at 1a gave me another long answer.
    Fave was 11a, like DT I thought of the same phrase – I wish I had a cleaner mind. I awarded points to 16d ‘cos it tastes go good.
    Thanks to our setter and to DT for his hints and tips, much needed today.

  25. I found this very difficult to get started 😳 Like Brian Giovanni, who used to be the Friday Setter, did cross my mind! ***/*** 😬 I quite liked 13 & 17d 🤔 As is often the case I managed to fit the Capital (misspelt) of Libya into 24a thereby spoiling my otherwise clean sheet ☹️ Big thanks to DT and to the Setter

  26. We found this significantly trickier than most back page cryptics and good fun all the way through.
    1a took some time to work out what was going on we name that as our favourite.
    Thanks Mr Ron and DT.

  27. The proverbial clerical egg for me today with a few clues slotting in easily while many others put up a fight. I got there in the end but the fact I had to really struggle to parse many of the clues took the edge off the enjoyment. Not that I expect the DT cryptic to be easy – wouldn’t be worth doing – but I felt no sense of achievement after it was completed. Maybe I’m having an off day.

    I did like 2d.

    Still, the weekend looks set fair and tomorrow is another day.

    Grateful thanks to the setter and to DT for the hints.

  30. Haven’t posted for a while now (my wife and I save the DT cryptic and quickie for our evening entertainment over dinner so we’re behind most of the rest of you) but I felt I should offer some support for the setter re 10a. My wife got this one after I had struggled with it for a bit but once we’d parsed it I thought it was a rather straightforward clue. However, some of the clues were a little more testing and overall much of this was great fun and we thought it worth a ***/****.

  31. Definitely tricky today, and only finished with use of several hints, thanks to Deep Threat. I found 2 answers a bit iffy, I don’t really see how thrill and glamour are synonyms, 10a (even if it does say that in the BRB), and if I would say I was distressed, in no way would I expect that to mean I was being tortured, 15a. But lots of clever clues in this puzzle and not as tough as some Fridays, so overall enjoyed. Thanks to setter.

  32. Glad to see that I wasn’t the only one who struggled with this crossword.
    Also put emit in 3d. That slowed me down no end.
    Eventually finished. Very satisfying.
    Thanks to the setter and to DT for the review.

  33. Enjoyed and finished without hints. So a good day’s puzzling. Thanks to setter whoever you are and to DT.

  34. Other than 13d, which I didn’t appreciate much, thought this was firm but fair once I had a foothold. Like others, 23d was a d’oh having read the first part of the hint. Thank you Setter and Blogger.

  35. Thank you to the setter: I really enjoyed this, with some fun, quirky clues. There were a few I didn’t manage to get, but I don’t mind that — thank you for Deep Threat for hinting/explaining them. Knowing that this essential service is here is what emboldens me to attempt Telegraph crosswords.

    My favourites were also 15a’s bit of a shock and 20d’s 40%.

    14a has now cropped up 3 times in just over a week: last Thursday (29255, 21a), where it was controversially defined as “shopping”, and this Monday (29258, 9a), as a task to perform. Today’s “shopping trip” seems a reasonable compromise of those — and I like the surface of this one best, too.

  36. A day behind as usual for me! For some reason (maybe my quirky mind) I sailed through this one, whereas Thursday’s took more unravelling. In any case I enjoyed the challenge so many thanks to all.

  37. 3*/3*…..
    liked 26A ” farming types with rustic guitars dancing around lake (14) “

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