ST Cryptic No 2472 – Review

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2472 – Review

A full analysis by Big Dave

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **

Writing up the Sunday puzzles is a very frustrating job.  They tend to be difficult to finish, although this one was easier than most, but then you are left with the feeling of annoyance at some of the clues, which spoils any enjoyment you might have received from some of the others.  This one has more of the annoying clues and less of the enjoyable ones.

Across

1a Train going into the river – awful cries (8).
EXERCISE (train) – EXE (river in Devon) plus an anagram (awful) of CRIES

5a Catch “That’s no hadder!” (4)
HASP (catch) – H ASP (h + adder / snake)

9a When I come in, arranging I second the resolution (8).
DECISION (the resolution) – an anagram (arranging) of I SECOND around
(when … come in) I

10a Having been in bed, are sick and had to go back (6)
DAHLIA (in flower bed) – AIL (are sick) and HAD reversed (to go back)

11a Chatting on about how good it is? (8).
RATTLING (double definition – rattling on about; A Rattling Good Time (1927 film)

12a Show a delight in capturing (6)
REVEAL (show) – REVEL (delight in) around (capturing) A – thanks for that Julie W, if you’re reading this!

14a That’s right. Bonds and real estate (10)
PROPERTIES (real estate) – PROPER (that’s right and proper) TIES (bonds)

18a Desperate measures taken by disorganised postal workers? (4,6)
LAST RESORT (desperate measures) – cryptic double definition

22a Just the job for a bad chill (6)
OFFICE (office job) – OFF (bad) ICE (chill)

23a Open runabout that’s the big attraction (4,4)
STAR TURN (the big attraction) – START (open) followed by an anagram (about)

24a Received in the post (6)
EARNED (cryptic definition) – salary in the job

25a Understood to have become entangled with (6,2)
CAUGHT ON (double definition)

26a Shy movement of the head (4)
TOSS (double definition) – Shy, as in throw at a coconut shy; a toss of the head – talking of coconuts, I just couldn’t resist this link!!

27a Looked like a potential paper editor (8).
APPEARED (looked like) – “A” then an anagram (potential) of PAPER then ED(itor)

Down

2d Said the old location does arouse strong feelings (6)
EXCITE (arouse strong feelings) – sounds like (said) EX SITE (old location)

3d Move from a very desirable residence (6)
CASTLE (double definition) – in chess, to move the king two squares along the row towards a rook and then place the rook on the square the king has passed over; the Englishman’s home

4d What made the doggy mad? The moggy, dad! (10)
SPOONERISM (cryptic definition) – the transposition of initial sounds of spoken words as in “moggy dad” for “doggy mad” as popularised by the Reverend William Archibald Spooner

6d Am sure to beat at, having entered. They’re no experts (8).
AMATEURS (they’re no experts) – an anagram (to beat) of AM SURE with AT inside (having entered)

7d Earned from having drawn the crowds (6,2)
PULLED IN (double definition)

8d Though it’s loud, unable to hear the word “brave” (8)
FEARLESS (brave) – F (forte / loud) earless (unable to hear)

9d A ship seen by day light is the very antithesis (4)
DARK (the very antithesis of light) – ARK (a ship) preceded by D(ay)

13d One lit up on whisky, perhaps? (6,4)
SPIRIT LAMP (cryptic definition)

15d Mistakes for bread (8).
BLOOMERS (double definition)

16d Court trouble when you refuse French vermouth? (3,3,2)
ASK FOR IT (court trouble) – cryptic definition suggesting that you have made a request for It(alian) vermouth rather than the French variety – Do people still drink Gin and It?  When I worked in a pub (well over 40 years ago) Gin and It and Gin and French (and Babycham) were the drinks of choice of a lot of the young ladies – these days they seem to go for spritzers, alcopops and other such ridiculous drinks

17d You’d be mad to let them near your safe (8).
CRACKERS (mad) – a sort of cryptic definition based around safe-cracking, the illegal opening of safes

19d It’s not the trainer that’s the b…. scoundrel (6)
BROGUE (a shoe that’s very much not a trainer) – B ROGUE (scoundrel)

20d Horse that shouldn’t run fast (6)
HUNTER (horse) – an exceedingly bad clue that is possibly a pun on hunter-case watches, which should keep accurate time – let me know if you can think of anything better

21d In a little while, again tips over (4)
ANON (in a little while) – AgaiN (again, tips) with ON (over) another clue that leaves a lot to be desired – thanks to sedge47 for that, I know you will see this!!

Well, that’s it for another week.  I loved 4 down, liked 10 across, disliked 9 down, and hated 20 down and 21 down.  I’m not a great fan of double definitions unless they are done really well, unlike those here.  And if the order of the words is tenuous for proper wordplay, like in 12 across, then the setter should start again.  I guess I was spoiled by last Friday’s Toughie (No 99), a classic of it’s kind.

As always, feel free to add your own comments, observations, experiences etc..