Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30149
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 19th Nov 2022
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A pleasant and friendly Saturday puzzle from Cephas that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and important feedback.
Derv, the answer to the clue of 5d, was completely a new word for me. So I took to the net to know more about it. I discovered that the term ‘derv’ is an acronym standing for diesel-engine road vehicle. It is also the official term for white diesel. In the United Kingdom, diesel fuel for on-road use is commonly called diesel, but also sometimes referred to as white diesel if required to distinguish it from a tax-advantaged agricultural-only product containing an identifying coloured-dye known as red diesel. Diesel fuel is known as distillate in Australia, solar in Indonesia and gazole in France. Diesel fuel is another name for diesel oil, but it has many other colloquial names. Most commonly, it is simply referred to as diesel. Diesel fuel originated from experiments conducted by the German scientist and inventor, Rudolf Diesel for his compression-ignition engine he invented in 1892.
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Across
1a Intimidated, we drove criminal across America (8)
OVERAWED: An anagram (criminal) of WE DROVE is placed around (across) A (America) as the abbreviation for America, leading to the definition of a verb in the past tense meaning daunted by arousing fear
9a Last team member, perhaps (8)
ELEVENTH: A cryptic definition of perhaps the last member of a cricket, football or hockey team
10a Old king at home? Smile (4)
GRIN: A charade of GR (old king) as the abbreviation for the Latin word Georgius Rex that, in English, translates to King George, a past king of the United Kingdom and IN (at home) as present at one’s home, taking to the definition of a verb meaning to smile broadly
11a Advice by birth certificate? (8,4)
DELIVERY NOTE: A charade of DELIVERY (birth) as the manner of an act of giving birth and NOTE (certificate) as a short official document certifying a particular thing guides to the definition of a document sent with goods to the customer, detailing the goods and signed on receipt as evidence of their delivery
13a Enlivened by article, I won on board (8)
ANIMATED: AN (article) as one of the indefinite articles, I from the clue and MATED (won on board) as checkmated and won in chess that is a game played by two players on a square board, taking to the definition of a verb in the past tense meaning enlivened or gave inspiration, encouragement or renewed vigour to someone
15a Wandering after word or hesitation, hurried by square (6)
ERRANT: A combo of ER (word or hesitation) as an exclamation expressing hesitation and RAN (hurried) as moved at a speed faster than a walk, never having both or all the feet on the ground at the same time is followed by (by) T (square) as referring to a T-square that is a technical drawing instrument used by draftsmen primarily as a guide for drawing horizontal lines on a drafting table takes to the definition of an adjective meaning travelling in search of adventure
16a Alliance building? Not quite (4)
BLOC: BLOC[K] (building) as a large single building subdivided into separate rooms, flats or offices that is not in its entirety or devoid of its last letter (not quite), arriving at the definition of a group of countries or political parties with common interests who have formed an alliance
17a Happen again to be somewhat more curious (5)
RECUR: Part of or hidden inside (somewhat) moRE CURious guides to the definition of a verb meaning to occur again periodically or repeatedly
18a Artillery in working port (4)
ORAN: RA (artillery) as the abbreviation of Royal Artillery, the commonly-referred to name of the Royal Regiment of Artillery is placed inside ON (working) as functioning or working as of an electrical appliance or power supply, arriving at the definition of an Algerian port that is also known as the Port of Wahran
20a Mounting castle maintenance (6)
UPKEEP: A charade of UP (mounting) as an adjective meaning directed or moving towards a higher place or position and KEEP (castle) as the strongest or central tower of a castle, acting as a final refuge guides to the definition of a noun referring to the financial or material support of a person or animal
21a One or two girls that might add taste (8)
ROSEMARY: The definition of a small fragrant pungent Mediterranean labiate shrub, whose leaves are widely used as a flavouring in food is arrived at from ROSEMARY or ROSE and MARY (one or two girls) as the name of one girl or two girls respectively
23a Stationer Sid revised thesis (12)
DISSERTATION: An anagram (revised) of STATIONER SID guides to the definition of a long essay on a particular subject, especially one written for a university degree or diploma
26a Gloomy linesman sent back (4)
DRAB: BARD (linesman) as an author or poet as in Shakespeare is made to return (sent back) as a reversal in the across clue, taking to the definition of an adjective meaning drearily dull or lacking brightness or interest
27a Harvest fruit to crop up again (8)
REAPPEAR: A charade of REAP (harvest) as to cut or gather a crop and PEAR (fruit) as a yellowish-green or brownish-green edible fruit that is typically narrow at the stalk and wider towards the base, with sweet, slightly gritty flesh leads to the definition of a verb meaning to appear again or return after a period of time
28a Cure is found by worker for whom I have great affection (8)
ANTIDOTE: ANT (worker) as a social insect working together in groups and I DOTE (for whom I have great affection) as of whom I am extremely and uncritically fond of, arriving at the definition of a medicine taken or given to counteract a particular poison
Down
2d Pure lady loses one pound (8)
VIRGINAL: VIRGIN[I]A (lady) as the name of a lady that is devoid of the letter I (one) as the Roman numeral for one followed by L (pound) as the abbreviation for pound sterling, arriving at the definition of an adjective meaning being, relating to or appropriate for a virgin
3d Type of storage facility with irregular entry (6,6)
RANDOM ACCESS: A charade of RANDOM (irregular) as haphazard or irregular and ACCESS (entry) as the means or opportunity to approach or enter a place takes to the definition of a type of storage facility that allows access to stored data in any order the user desires
4d Notes contents of this small case (6)
WALLET: A cryptic definition of a small case containing monetary notes
5d Contents of cylinder, viscous fuel (4)
DERV: Part of or hidden inside (contents of) cylinDER, Viscous guides to the definition of a fuel also known as diesel oil that is obtained from petroleum distillation and used in cars and lorries
6d Listen twice to exclamation of approval (4,4)
HEAR HEAR: HEAR (listen) as to perceive with the ear the sound made by someone or something that is repeated (twice), leading to the definition of a phrasal expression denoting wholehearted agreement with something said, especially in a speech
7d Keen about replacing motion, not second (4)
INTO: An anagram (replacing) of [MO]TION without (not) as not put to use of MO (second) as an informal term for a short period of time, taking to the definition of a preposition meaning of a person taking a lively and active interest in something
8d Endanger that erne fluttering (8)
THREATEN: An anagram (fluttering) of THAT ERNE guides to the definition of a verb meaning to cause someone to be vulnerable or at risk
12d Was cautious after contract, unable to accept other opinions (6-6)
NARROW-MINDED: MINDED (was cautious) as a past participle verb meaning was cautious and alert to risk or danger is following or preceded by (after) NARROW (contract) as to contract or confine, arriving at the definition of an adjective meaning not willing to accept opinions, beliefs, behaviours etc that are unusual or different from one’s own
14d Just over four weeks with gold furnishings (5)
DECOR: A charade of DEC (just over four weeks) as referring to the month that follows the present month of November after completion of its thirty days and (with) OR (gold) as the tincture gold in heraldry, indicated in engraving and chiselling by dots, arriving at the definition of the general decorative effect of colour-scheme, furnishings etc of a room
16d Restrict a railway line (8)
BOUNDARY: BOUND (restrict) as to restrict or place within certain limits, A from the clue and RY (railway) as the abbreviation for railway take to the definition of a line which marks the limits of an area
17d Press person with regard to beer (8)
REPORTER: A charade of RE (with regard to) as a commercial jargon used to indicate ‘with regard to’, ‘concerning’ or ‘about’ and PORTER (beer) as dark brown bitter beer brewed from malt partly charred or browned by drying at a high temperature guides to the definition of a person who reports news or conduct interviews for the press or broadcasting media
19d Turn up in notorious surroundings being overbearing (8)
ARROGANT: GO (turn) as to change to a new system going upwards (up)as a reversal in the down clue in the vicinity (surroundings) of ARRANT (notorious) as notorious or emphasising how bade someone is, arriving at the definition of an adjective meaning imperious, overbearing or revealing an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities
22d Put peg in instrument (6)
SPINET: SET (put) as put, lay or stand something in a specified place or position having PIN (peg) as a peg round which one string of a musical instrument is fastened taken inside (in), leading to the definition of a smaller type of harpsichord or other keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ
24d Criticise
winning every trick? (4)
SLAM: Double definition; the second being a noun referring to the winning of a grand slam of all thirteen tricks in bridge or whist that leads to the first an informal verb meaning to criticise severely or harshly
25d Drivers touring ancient city creating atmosphere (4)
AURA: AA (drivers) as the abbreviation for Automobile Association, a British organisation that provides services for car owners going round (touring) UR (ancient city) as an ancient city in the region of Sumer, southern Mesopotamia, in what is modern-day Iraq, creating the definition of the distinctive atmosphere or quality that seems to surround and be generated by a person, thing or place
There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 11a,13a, 18a, 20a, 26a, 12d and 22d; 26a being the best of the lot. Many thanks to BD for the encouragement, to Cephas for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have a nice day.
3*/4*…..
liked 4D “Notes contents of this small case (6)”