DT Cryptic No 25848

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25848

A similar puzzle to yesterday

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Yesterday was a big day here on Big Dave’s Blog – for the first time there were over 1000 hits on the site.  This was partly because it was the first daily cryptic that was covered in detail, and partly due to some excellent mentions on Times for the Times and Fifteensquared, for which I would like to thank Peter and Neil respectively.  Peter also contributed to yesterday’s comments.

Today is a busy day, so I’ll leave the across hints for now:

1a The sort of wedding the bride must be expecting to have (7)
One of the key words here is expecting – the answer is the sort of gun her father could have

5a Humorous drawing showing duck in box (7)
Carton (box) around 0 (duck) – clues like these are useful to get you started

9a Large Italian male is supple (5)
L(arge) It(alian) he (male)

10a August – criticise major competition (5,4)
Grand (august – not used much these days) + slam (criticise)

11a Commercial made by car worker, one shown by the French (10)
Nicely built – Merc (car) ant (worker) I (one) le (the, French)

12a Note, C, struck (4)
Struck is hit

14a What I may want a fence to do with an item I’ve stolen is to heed what I say? (4,2,4,2)
Double meaning to give the phrase “take it from me”

18a Intend to take positive action in limited company (4,8 )
I took this as mean (limited) business (company)

21a Sounds like legal papers for top hotel (4)
Sounds like writs, to give a posh hotel

22a Complimentary strong drink for one not afraid to flout convention (4,6)
Free (complimentary) together with word that describes whisky, gin etc.

25a Portion’s free, served with good English game bird (9)
Part (portion) rid (free) g(ood) E(nglish) – similar type of clue to 11 across

26a Secure draw before winning (3,2)
The draw is a tie

27a Who may have managed head of cattle (reduced herd)? (7)
Ran (managed – this meaning gets used a lot) c (head of cattle) her (reduced her(d))

28a Academic initially showed restraint, it’s said (7)
S(howed) with cholar (it’s said / sounds like collar

Back from an exhilarating trip to the dentist, it’s now time for the down clues:

1d Short Greek island sausage (6)
Not the best known Greek island, cut of the last letter and you have a type of sausage

2d In the shops, shed tears, causing a commotion (6)
Out (in the shops – well ok, but I got the whole answer before working out this bit) cry (shed tears)

3d Actress coming from great fancy dress ball (5,5)
First name is a not too difficult anagram (fancy) of great, second name a synonym for dress + o (ball) – she allegedly said “I vant to be alone”

4d Scary thing, darkness (5)
Straightforward anagram (scary) of thing

5d Girl reportedly getting a note from quack (9)
The first part sounds like (reportedly) Charlotte (girl), followed by “a” and n(ote)

6d Travel free over Spain (4)
Rid (free) + E(spana)

7d Musical state (8 )
I still love this musical

8d It’s unimportant gossip about old maiden (2,6)
Natter (gossip) about o(ld) m(aiden) – those abbreviations again

13d Go over plot with peevish person (10)
Cross (go over) patch (plot) giving a rather old fashioned word

15d Film gentle jockey (4,5)
Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper starred in this classic 1960s film

16d Unfit forward stuck in horrid mire (8 )
This forward plays rugby, not football, and there are two in the front row of the scrum, inside (stuck in) an anagram (horrid) of mire

17d Found golf club rigid (4-4)
Cast (found) and iron (golf club)

19d Trying experience in centre of historical Kent town (6)
My favourite clue in this puzzle – or (centre of histORical) and Deal (Kent town)

20d Proust slipped into a state of unconsciousness (6)
An anagram (slipped) of Proust

23d Odds still short (5)
Even (still) s(hort)

24d Leading parade miles away (4)
Arch (leading) – march (parade without the “m” (miles away)

Feel free to disagree!!

Or add your own comments:
– which clues did you enjoy most?
– were there any you didn’t like?