Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26410
Hints and tips by Libellule
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
The usual Monday morning frolic from the Monday Maestro. A case of quick, slow, quick for me, as I started well, slowed down and then finally finished at a canter. Favourite 13d, least favourite 2d.
If the hint does not provide enough of a clue to get the answer, just highlight the space between the curly brackets.
Across
1. Drink cures heart-break (10)
{CHARTREUSE} – An anagram (break) of CURES and HEART is also an aromatic green or yellow liqueur flavoured with orange peel and hyssop and peppermint oils; made at a monastery near Grenoble.
9. Squalid place where many people live, fifty in all (4)
{SLUM} – Put L (the Roman numeral for fifty) inside a word for total (in all).
10. Start of play (5,5)
{FIRST NIGHT} – I came up with a couple of possible solutions to this, so waited until I had some checking letters, especially for the second word. By the way, the second word is not scene. The clue refers to the opening performance of a theatrical production.
11. I may be in raging anger, but recover possession (6)
{REGAIN} – Put I inside an anagram (raging) of ANGER for a word meaning to find or get back.
12. Stay and use up the money oppressing you and me (7)
{SUSPEND} – Place another word for you and me inside a word for paying out money and you have another word meaning to cause to stop for a period of time.
15. Pair out on the river, having a drink (7)
{CAMPARI} – A Cambridge river is followed by an anagram (out) of PAIR is a drink that I only remember because of a series of television commercials with Lorraine Chase in the 1970’s.
16. Be punished, do you understand? (3,2)
{GET IT} – Double definition, a slang term to receive a punishment, or a question to make sure you have understood something.
17. Withdrawal from English football team before time (4)
{EXIT} – E (English) followed by the Roman numerals for eleven, and then finally T (time).
18. A bird others turn to (4)
{SKUA} – Reverse the plural of one type of diving sea bird to get another type of sea bird.
19. Measured and glued (5)
{SIZED} – A double definition I am sure we have had recently, where glued means to treat with a sticky substance and measured means to have worked out the physical dimensions of a particular object.
21. Politician makes a defamatory statement about an artist (7)
{LIBERAL} – Put another word for a false statement around the usual abbreviation for an artist (RA) and you should end up with a politician who represents one of the political parties currently in government.
22. Unusual tale set somewhere in the USA (7)
{SEATTLE} – An anagram (unusual) of TALE and SET is a city in the American state of Washington.
24. Place of duty for a nurse going to the front (6)
{ONWARD} – A word that means moving forwards is also, when split into (2,4) a place where you might find a nurse in a hospital.
27. Protection on landing for party backing American commerce (10)
{BALUSTRADE} – Reverse LAB (party backing) and then add US (American) and then a word meaning the buying and selling of goods to give a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony.
28. One doesn’t have to have it (4)
{NEED} – A condition or situation in which something is required or wanted. For example if you don’t have it you might want it.
29. Correct attire for drill instruction (5,5)
{RIGHT DRESS} – The proper clothing to wear is also be a drill instruction where soldiers (for example) turn their heads to and raise their arms parallel to the ground in order to get the proper distance from each other.
Down
2. Hydrogen air-locks (4)
{HAIR} – Think of locks as the a possible covering you may have on your head. It seems a little strange to have three quarters of the actual answer in the clue.
3. Rebel when told to get out of bed (4,2)
{RISE UP} – To take part in a rebellion, could also be the act of getting out of bed.
4. Going fast or simply standing (7)
{RUNNING} – Double definition, going faster than a jog, or entered as a contender.
5. Surgeon’s inner drive (4)
{URGE} – The inner drive is hidden within the word surgeon.
6. Beg for something nice to follow in French (7)
{ENTREAT} – Put another word for a delightful surprise or an especially pleasant occasion after EN (in – French).
7. There may be plenty of jumpers at these second-hand stalls (4,6)
{FLEA MARKET} – These jumpers are any of the various small, wingless, bloodsucking insects of the order Siphonaptera.
8. Meat-pie can be served free (10)
{EMANCIPATE} – An anagram (be served) of MEAT PIE CAN.
12. Entranced over spring-time? Just the reverse! (10)
{SPELLBOUND} – The definition is entranced. Put a synonym for a period of time, in front of another synonym for spring or leap. Is just the reverse necessary? It is after all a down clue.
13. He could get one person LBW (4,6)
{SPIN BOWLER} – If you know your cricket, and have some checking letters, this will go in without much thought. However a specialist type of deliverer of a ball at cricket is an anagram of I (one) and PERSON LBW.
14. He is the cause of many a bad thing (5)
{DEVIL} – I wondered why this was cryptic when I wrote it in. Further analysis indicates, D = many (the Roman numeral for 500), followed by EVIL (bad thing).
15. Names, landmarks and eyesores, say (5)
{CITES} – A sounds like clue (says), is another word for names, and sounds like sites or sights.
19. Spit in the sea (4,3)
{SAND BAR} – The sort of spit that you might run a boat aground on.
20. Settle for the account that attracts interest (7)
{DEPOSIT} – Double definition, sediment or a type of bank account.
23. Fear of a mischievous child? (6)
{TERROR} – Another double definition, intense, overpowering fear or an annoying or intolerable pest.
25. Give a signal and slow down (4)
{FLAG} – And another, to signal, or to decline in vigour or strength.
26. Roman day that is endless (4)
{IDES} – A Latin phrase for “that is” has its last letter removed (endless) and is also the 15th March in the Roman calendar.
Not sure what has happened but everything after 24a is in hidden text.
I found this a case of quick, quicker – oh that’s it then! One and a half stopper today! Many thanks to Rufus for the crossword and to Libellule for the notes.
Prolixic,
Now fixed, a small typo.
I found this one quite straightforward today. My last one in was 19a, and as Libellule says, I recall seeing this one fairly recently.
I also did not like 2d, and to be honest I thought it was a dreadful clue. Apart from that I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the puzzle, so thanks to Rufus, and to Libellule for the notes.
I have just looked at this and it seems to be a different puzzle than the one downloaded to my phone (which is eerily familiar now!).
Excellent !, I have another puzzle to do!
Nice start to week ,finished over coffee while looking out at another foot of snow we had last night on top of the foot we already have.
Not going anywhere today . Now more than last winter already !!
Straightforward today even tho’ suffering from over indulgence of wine last evening. Had mental block on 19a for a while. 2d was awful (sorry). Still sunny but cold on south coast, no snow YET!.
Morning Libellule or afternoon for you, like you I had a quick start then ground to a halt did the hoovering came back and slowly finished it, agree 2d not a good clue but a year ago I probably wouldn’t have seen it! 13d, didn’t like, I can’t see it really has a definition? lots of clues I liked, 27a, 7d, 12d, fav clue 15d :) any snow where you are Libellule?
Thanks for hints Libellule and once again Rufus – have I ever mentioned I really like Rufus puzzles! :-D
Mary,
Some snow yesterday afternoon, but its melting now.
I started off going quickly and then slowed down, equally quickly! I did 19a early on and instantly thought ‘pangram’ – wrong, yet again! Made life unnecessarily difficult for myself by getting a couple wrong – I can usually either do them or not but rarely get them wrong. Rather stupidly I put ‘toward’ for 24a – put that right fairly soon so that was OK but the other one was 15d which, even more stupidly, I started with an ‘S’ (should have read the clue properly as it is pretty obvious what it should be) thereby completely screwing up 15a which proved to be impossible until I read the hints and found the mistake! Oh dear! “oops” Apart from the problems that I created for myself I didn’t think this was very difficult. Along with other people I didn’t care too much for 2d – in fact I didn’t put it in for a while as I thought I was just falling into a trap and that it had to be more complicated than it was. Didn’t know that 29a was a drill instruction. Managed 13d without any trouble even though it was cricket – somebody congratulate me PLEASE. Liked 10 and 27a and 7 and 26d but favourite was 12d. Still very cold in Oxford but not as cold as I’ve heard it is in other parts of the country – no snow but grey and unpleasant and generally not conducive to doing anything terribly productive.
Thanks to Rufus and Libellule for the hints.
well done to you and me Kath on getting 13d! I also put ‘toward’ at first for 24a! but my biggest blunder was 10a and 4d!! no more snow here as yet, it is forecast for later so ‘d better go out soon, everything is really frozen and the snow is waiting for the rest! :)
Three cheers for Mary and Kath on managing to do 13d – has anyone noticed how much I’m writing on here today – it’s called procrastination!!
ot too much time on your hands for a change :)
Luckily I read the hints because it seems I had 10a wrong, I had first eight, then I had reeling for 10a!!! making it fit as in a fisherman simply standing reeling in a fish!! anyone else make the same mistakes???
The more i think about this the more I realise why I don’t write reviews ….Gnomey!
On an entirely different subject could we offer the IT skills of Big Dave to the Daily Telegraph as I find its website truly & utterly appalling. Links don’t work, passwords are not recognised & then for no reason that I can think of (unless it could hear my language) it threw me out altogether! I despair, I really do.
More snow forecast for Middle England overnight & we’ve got quite a few schools closed so at least the kids are enjoying it.
Looking out at the heavy snow falling here in Newcastle and thanking my lucky stars I am retired.
Gentle start to the week, thanks to Rufus and Libellule.
Must be something wrong with me today … I found some of that quite difficult and needed several hints after getting little more than the NE corner filled. Sad to say, I also found it quite dull; it hardly had any of the usual Rufus sparkle for me.
Thanks to Rufus and Libellule and congrats to Kath on 13d! Even I got that one, but didn’t see the anagram.
Thanks Geoff.
I dashed through this one in what is possibly a record time, even for me! What I described to Prolixic and Gnomethang as a ‘train hardly left the station’ time. It also struck me that the clues had what I would call an ‘old fashioned’ feel to them, reminded me of puzzles when I started. Thanks to Rufus and Libellule.
I hardly dare to say this in print in case I am tempting fate, but still very little snow in our part of Kent. Long may it stay that way.
Blimey – an unusual (and temporary) escape from the CC today and completed in ***** minutes. Guarantees I wont get started tomorrow! Thanks to Rufus and Libellule
Hi Droopyh as I have discovered once you’re out of the CC that’s it, you are not allowed back in! You are now in the JOCC until you graduate to ahigher level :) Well done on getting out!
Late on duty today but was waiting to see what Mary and Kath thought about 13d after my exhortations of yesterday. Obviously they are taking more interest in cricket now. Well done the boys in Oz, by the way. Nice easy start to the week with best clue 13d [sorry M and K]. Thought 2d was pants – thats a lovely word that I have learnt from this site! Liked 3 15a 15d [who put styes in] 19d 27 and 29. On to Adelaide!
Mary and I did well today didn’t we? I thought that 2d was pants too although I came across the expression before I found this site, as in something a daughter once said, “Mum, I need some new bras – all mine are pants!!”
Must remember that one. What did you think to the cricket?
Beginners luck!
Haven’t a clue!
As soon as Mrs N and myself finished clearing the drive it started to snow again. All part of of lifes rich tapestry.
There’s a moral there – clearing the drive of snow is a bit like hoovering up dog and cat hair – not much point as you only have to do it again!
Nice gentle start to the week. Like others I was surprised at 2D and was looking for something more devious. No particular favourites.
Snow relentless here in N. Yorks. and unlike Nubian I am not bothering to clear the drive because I cannot get out of the road. Spent an hour trying to dig out a neighbours car, he thought he could get out! He couldn’t!
Thanks to setter and Libellule for the hints.
As usual Pete there is a hedden agenda. I have no intentions of going anywhere but since I can’t get my bike out I need some exercise as part of my diet, sorry, lifestyle change.
Thanks to Rufus and Libulelle, a very gentle start on a not so gentle day,
Thanks for the clues and puzzle. Enjoyed this mainly as I got all but 28a. My (poor) guess was noel . Kicking myself as otherwise would have been a first completion without hints. By the way I thought 26d was the 15th of any month not just march
hangdog.
The 15th of March was used as an example – since everybody knows it. The ides were in fact,
The 15th day of the months of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of the other months.
Breezed through this today a little hiccup on 15d but penny dropped over a cup of tea favourite clue 27a many thanks to Libellue and Rufus, occasional snow at the moment here in Dover but not settling off to the garage now to do more restoration on the motorbike. :D
On the whole a pleasant start to the week. Needed help with 27a and 12d but loved 29a – brings back memories!
Have just c0mpleted the puzzle and read the blog (and the hints).
Can’t say I thought it a good puzzle – just okay. 2d was awful – 19a was recent as was 19d. No favourites today.
Kath – I started with toward as well but changed it when I got to the downs. Well done you two (and me) for getting the cricket term.
No snow here but I believe we are getting some tomorrow. Went for physio (a real good work out – on the bike, on the wobble board and all the exercises. Then had to get some shopping from Boots and WHS so that I don’t have to go out if it does snow. No Mary – I won’t be tempted to walk in the snow – not taking any chances as have been doing so well.
Thanks to Rufus for puzzle and Libellule for hints.
A gentle Rufus start to Monday (I hope that he is considerably warmer than those of us stuck in the UK). Agree with Libellule that the second sentence in 12d was nugatory. Thanks to you both.
Another enjoyable start to the week from Rufus.
Pretty straightforward.
Best for me were 18a & 7d.
Re 2d – I suppose that the hyphen in the fodder makes it cryptic – but it is rather obvious.
Libellule : campari orange was a commonplace drink in the south of France and of course in Italy for many years. `
I always think of the lasses when there are cricket terms in the puzzle (13d) and I see that they succeeded well!
At 13d I thought ‘Oh help, a cricket term!’ No idea what BTW meant. Thought it might be a kind of sandwich, but eventually worked it out from the clues across. I got through the puzzle with no great difficulty otherwise. A good start to a gloriously sunny winter day after a horrible, snowbound weekend spent rehearsing for a Christmas concert. No time to do any of the crosswords.
So thanks to Rufus for an agreeable hour and to Libellule for the hints. They are so helpful to me, as they often explain why I have answers that I only put in because they fit. I shall lift a lovely cool Campari-soda to you next summer, when it is my drink of choice.
:-)
“BTW” – BMW – LBW – BLT – all very confusing! :smile:
I’m not complaining but…….I would prefer it if the Monday Puzzle was a bit more demanding! However, Thanks to Rufus & Libellule.
Bit of a breeze today, but, like others, I put TOWARD in 26a to begin with, and started 15a with an S. Given I live in CAMbridge I felt a bit stupid. On the whole, quite enjoyable if a little too quick to solve.
Thanks to Libelulle and Rufus.
Haven’t been well recently and just getting back into crosswords. Not quite finished yet but enjoying giving my brain a workout.
Thanks to Rufus and Libelulle.
Heavy snow here in Edinburgh but I don’t have to go out!
HI sarah, nice to see you back :) hope you are getting a little better?
Because of the antics of Bob Crowe and his band of merry men I had time to ponder this like many other London commuters. All done fairly easily. Thanks to the setter. No thanks to Crowe.
A quick finish has allowed me to have a look at the Sunday cryptic which I didn’t have a chance to look at. Enjoying it a lot. Thanks for todays puzzle and the review.
I loved it today – thanks to setter & blogger. Managed to finish it in record time and wth recourse to blog only to check answers which were right. Yippee!
One of my favourite DT grids today, because the blocked squares around the centre look like the tanks in the Atari 2600 game “Combat”.
In fact, with both CHARTREUSE and CAMPARI as solutions (with apologies to anyone who hasn’t solved it yet – I don’t know how to do hidden text here), the puzzle had a bit of a 70s feel to it, I thought.
Not keen on a couple of the clues TBH, but I did like 18A. That was very nice – one of those where you can’t believe that you’d never noticed it yourself, but wish that you had.
Re 26411 I think a few of these today belong in the Toughie! Still not sure on 5a and 6d! will have to wait til later, have to go out now – Laters :)