DT 26157 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 26157

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26157

A full analysis by Big Dave

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** Enjoyment **

My first thought was that this was one of the better Saturday puzzles, but on closer analysis I found it a bit dull. Perhaps solving it on the journey home from the White Horse jolly had something to do with it!


Across

1a    Stick tiny quantity of water on sweet (7)
GUMDROP – straightforward charade of GUM (stick) and DROP (tiny quantity of water gives a type of sweet

5a    Right away hit song was remixed (2,5)
ON SIGHT – a phrase meaning right away is an anagram (remixed) of HIT SONG

9a    Liberal about to include gentleman retiring as workers’ champion (9)
LABOURIST – after L(iberal) put ABOUT around SIR reversed to get someone who supports or works for the rights of workers

10a    Full of subject-matter or beef perhaps (5)
MEATY – a double definition

11a    Many grew old behind bars (5)
CAGED – C (Roman numeral for 100 / many) combined with AGED (grew old) gives a word meaning behind bars

12a    About fifteen in charge included are competent (9)
EFFICIENT – an anagram (about) of FIFTEEN is placed around (included) IC (in charge) to give a word meaning competent

13a    From one brief look there’s a label on the spear (2,1,6)
AT A GLANCE – a phrase meaning from a brief look is built up from A TAG (a label) and LANCE (spear)

16a    Had done some sketching although looking tired (5)
DRAWN – a double definition

17a    Beds Scotsman (5)
SANDY – and another double definition – a place in Bedfordshire and the affectionate form of the Scottish forename Alexander

18a    Swindler put hands on instrument (4-5)
CARD SHARP – a card-playing swindler is built up from hands of CARDS followed by HARP (instrument)

20a    Convenience call? (3,1,5)
PAY A VISIT – a call to the convenience!

23a    Sweetheart’s more frenzied love (5)
ROMEO – Juliet’s sweetheart is an anagram (frenzied) of MORE followed by O (zero / love)

25a    Lady has fewer than a dozen to take permanent possession of (5)
ANNEX – ANNE (lady) is followed by X (ten / fewer than a dozen) gives a word meaning to take permanent possession of

26a    Work at prison’s a crime (6,3)
INSIDE JOB – a part-cryptic double definition

27a    Any dope prepared for occasion when public may visit (4,3)
OPEN DAY – an anagram (prepared} of ANY DOPE gives an occasion when public may visit

28a    Worker on short time gets a wrong mark — it’s a disease (7)
ANTHRAX – ANT (Crosswordland’s ubiquitous worker) with HR (abbreviation for hour / short time) and A X (a wrong mark) gives a disease

Down

1d    Good girl in northwest Spain (7)
GALICIA – G(ood) and ALICIA (girl) combine to give a historical autonomous community in northwest Spain

2d    Large amount of motivational research first for head of criminal organisation (2,3)
MR BIG – BIG (large amount) with MR (Motivational Research) first gives the head of a criminal organisation – I’m not at all sure that big, which is an adjective (or adverb), is a large amount, which is a noun

3d    Song or two about the Orient (9)
ROUNDELAY – a song with a refrain is built up by putting ROUND and LAY (two other types of song) around E (the Orient)

4d    Group of animals coming before the fall? (5)
PRIDE – a group of lions and an allusion to the saying that pride comes before a fall

5d    Undressed? (3,2,4)
OUT OF GEAR – a sort of cryptic definition

6d    Tree French novelist climbed (5)
SUMAC – this tree or shrub of the genus Rhus is derived by reversing (climbed – yet another down-clue construct) French novelist Albert CAMUS

7d    You reportedly found in entrance Alma reconstructed in the country (9)
GUATEMALA – put U (you reportedly) inside (found in) GATE (entrance) and follow it with an anagram (reconstructed) of ALMA to get a Central American country

8d    Take a risk for fashion? (3,2,2)
TRY IT ON – a phrase meaning to take a risk could describe what you do with an item of fashionable clothing

14d    Anyone can remove chagrin (9)
ANNOYANCE – an anagram (remove) of ANYONE CAN gives a word meaning chagrin

15d    Need no luxury (9)
NECESSITY – a sort of double definition – a need that is not a luxury

16d    Record radical item that’s a disgrace (9)
DISCREDIT – a charade of DISC (record) RED (radical) and IT (item / thing) gives a word meaning a disgrace2

17d    Upscale performer (7)
SOPRANO – a cryptic (?) definition

19d    Sorry case needs money put into it (4-3)
POOR BOX – a charade of POOR (sorry) and BOX (case) gives something to put money into

21d    Cross river in outer limits of Valladolid (5)
VEXED – a word meaning cross, as in annoyed, comes from the River EXE inside VD (outer limits of ValladoliD)

22d    Contraltos can embrace opera (5)
TOSCA – this opera is hidden inside (embrace) contraltos can

24d    Chief officer, accountant to leave island (5)
MAJOR – to get this Chief officer take CA (Chartered Accountant) away from (to leave) the island of MAJOR(CA)