Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26062
A full analysis by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
I thought this was quite an easy puzzle, but there were a few clues that generated queries last weekend. My only real complaints were the use of “from” to indicate an anagram and the American term for a water pistol, which is rarely used in the UK, although I would be interested to read your opinion on these.
Tilsit hopes to be back in this slot next week.
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 Carbon copy for head (4)
CAPE – C (chemical symbol for carbon) and APE (copy) give a head(land)
3a Tom is on hand to turn the pages (5)
THUMB – a double definition – Tom Thumb and to thumb the pages
6a Writer’s cut (4)
HACK – another double definition – a derogatory term for a writer or journalist and to cut roughly
8a Stop at the end of the sentence perhaps (11,4)
PUNCTUATION MARK – a full stop is an example of this (hence the “perhaps”)
9a Some more hashish to use again (6)
REHASH – hidden inside (some) more hashish is a word meaning to use again
10a I speak ill of Cuban perhaps (8)
ISLANDER – this seems to have fooled a lot of people, but it’s just a charade of I and SLANDER (speak ill of) – once again Cuban is merely an example, so it’s well worth watching out for “perhaps” in the future
11a Gareth, go inside with the continental grotesque figure (8)
GARGOYLE – GARY (Gareth) with GO inside and followed by LE (the continental / French) – it is usually courteous to indicate a shorted form of a proper name by putting something along the lines of “Little Gareth”
13a Remained sober, say (6)
STAYED – one half of this double definition is a homophone – STAID (sober) sounds like (say) the answer
15a The right quartet inside prosper (6)
THRIVE – THE with R(ight) and IV (Roman numeral for four / quartet) inside gives a word meaning to prosper
17a Reported poet, one working in hospital (8)
HOUSEMAN – this junior doctor sounds like (reported) AE HOUSMAN
19a Person ignoring nation’s customs (8)
SMUGGLER – a cryptic definition
21a Remove cattle from Ulster (6)
RUSTLE – a word meaning to illegally remove cattle is an anagram of ULSTER – in my opinion “from” is an unfair indication of an anagram and should not have been allowed
22a Blows generally expected (10,5)
PREVAILING WINDS – a cryptic definition
23a Bit of spice readily used by one making cake topping (4)
ICER – hidden (bit of) inside spice readily is an item used by one making cake topping
24a Idiot going round square made progress (3,2)
GOT ON – put GOON (idiot) around a T-square to get a phrasal verb meaning made progress
25a Let rip (4)
RENT – a double definition – to let or rent a property and a rip or rent in some material
Down
1d Protection of original work, imitation being correct (9)
COPYRIGHT – a word meaning the protection of original work is a charade of COPY (imitation) and RIGHT (being correct)
2d Wild animal from Penarth (7)
PANTHER – once again “from” is being used to indicate an anagram
3d Use printing machine with feeling? (5-4)
TOUCH-TYPE – a cryptic definition
4d You, we hear, went in in a roundabout way to straighten out (7)
UNTWINE – combine U (you, we hear) and an anagram (in a roundabout way) of WENT IN to get a word meaning to straighten out
5d Cook right inside grill (5)
BROIL –put R(ight) inside BOIL (cook) to get a word meaning to grill
6d All of us in a hurry? (5,4)
HUMAN RACE – a sort of all-in-one – not quite a double definition and not just a cryptic definition, but quite a good clue
7d Get up in the middle during procession (7)
CORTEGE – put GET reversed (up) inside CORE (middle) to get a procession
12d Recalling thorough check (5,4)
GOING OVER – a double definition – recalling and a thorough check
13d Jet-propelled weapon? (6,3)
SQUIRT GUN – a barely cryptic definition of this American name for a water pistol
14d Evening service (6,3)
DINNER SET – yet another cryptic definition
16d Epic chore I’m fumbling (7)
HOMERIC – a word meaning epic, as an adjective, is an anagram (fumbling) of CHORE IM
17d His part had been arranged for plucky player (7)
HARPIST – an anagram (had been arranged) of HIS PART gives someone who plucks a musical instument
18d Meantime not starting arranging performance (7)
MATINEE – an anagram (arranging) of (M)EANTIME without the first letter (not starting) gives this afternoon performance
20d Not standing falsehoods (5)
LYING – a double definition – falsehoods in the sense of the act of telling lies