Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26543
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Hello from a not so sunny Spain! Pommette and I may have taken the sun with us to the UK but we seem to have forgotten to bring it back!
After my rather grumpy blog a couple of weeks ago I’m pleased to say I thoroughly enjoyed this fine puzzle from Jay (presumably it is he) and recommend it to all. There are a few fairly easy clues to get you started and a few to make you scratch your head a bit – a nice mixture IMO. I took longer in the NE corner than the rest of the puzzle put together but looking back I’m not sure why that was. I’ll be interested to hear how you get on with it.
If you want to see the answer, highlight the space between the curly brackets.
I’ve highlighted my favourites in blue but let us know what you think in a comment. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.
Across
1a. Is he used to getting drunk in pubs? (4,6)
{TIED HOUSES} – These pubs, that are linked to one particular brewery, are an anagram (getting drunk) of IS HE USED TO. A nice anagram indicator in view of the rest of the clue!
6a. Express disapproval bearing gift (4)
{BOON} – A gift or benefit is made up of what an audience might shout to express disapproval and a compass bearing.
10a. Gold coin in America in circulation (5)
{ORBIT} – A word meaning circulation, around the Earth perhaps, is the heraldic term for gold and an American term for a small sum of money – 2 of them equal 25 cents. As far as I know there isn’t actually a coin in circulation of this value but I may be wrong there.
11a. Fat Charlie gets rich importing rubies originally (9)
{CORPULENT} – Definition is ‘fat’. Start with Charlie from the phonetic alphabet, add a word meaning rich and insert (importing) an R (rubies originally).
12a. Burgeoning retail activity taking in women (8)
{SWELLING} – Burgeoning or growing larger is a word for retail activity or trading with W(omen) inserted.
13a. In America, one shoots a man on board (5)
{PIECE} – An American slang term for a handgun is also a term for a ‘man’, on a chess board perhaps.
15a. Feeling generated by English movement (7)
{EMOTION} – A feeling is a charade of E(nglish) and a synonym of movement.
17a. Preparing food in a state of mental turmoil (7)
{STEWING} – A double definition of a method of cooking and being in a state of mental turmoil or worry, ******* in one’s own juice perhaps.
19a. People locked up at home with friends (7)
{INMATES} – The usual 2 letter term for ‘at home’ followed by some friends gives a word for people locked up in jail.
21a. I may hide in ruined vacant buildings in Rome (7)
{VATICAN} – An anagram (ruined) of VACANT with an I inserted (may hide in) gives a place in Rome which is the home of the Roman Catholic church.
22a. Senior member’s swindle with foreign currency (5)
{DOYEN} – This senior person is a charade of a word for swindle (2) and the currency of Japan.
24a. Name included in record catch from journey (4,4)
{LONG HAUL} – Put N(ame) into a word for a record, of a ships voyage perhaps, and follow with a word for a catch of fish maybe to get a rather extended journey.
27a. Joined Labour party (5,4)
{CHAIN GANG} – A cryptic definition of a group of workers who are all linked together.
28a. Military exercise? It bores (5)
{DRILL} – Double definition. A military exercise or ‘square bashing’ and something you may use to make a hole in a wall or piece of wood.
29a. Hapless son comes into fortune (4)
{LOST} – A word for fortune or fate with S(on) inserted (comes into) gives a word meaning hapless.
30a. They help in church, dears, with early changes (3,7)
{LAY READERS} – These non-clerical people who help in church are an anagram (changes) of DEARS and EARLY.
Down
1d. Promote right in Conservative city of old (4)
{TROY} – Take the other word for the Conservative party and move the R(ight) nearer to the start (promote) to get an ancient city in what is now Turkey.
ARVE Error: need id and provider
2d. Scope to lower boom in a storm (5,4)
{ELBOW ROOM} – This scope or space is an anagram (in a storm) of LOWER BOOM. As a sailor I quite like the surface of this one.
3d. Establishment providing spicy egg and lettuce starters (5)
{HOTEL} – This establishment, which may well serve said egg and lettuce, is made up of a word for spicy and the first letters (starters) of Egg and Lettuce.
4d. The oily manner required for topless work (7)
{UNCTION} – Take a word meaning work, in the sense of operate, and remove the first letter (topless) to leave a word meaning oily manner or obsequiousness.
5d. Free range case of eggs makes you angry (7)
{ENRAGES} – An anagram (free) of RANGE followed by E(gg)S (case of) gives a word meaning makes one angry.
7d. Some mothers-to-be see themselves as such! (5)
{OBESE} – A semi all-in-one. What some pregnant ladies may think of themselves is hidden (some) in mothers-to-be see.
8d. Head merely starts encouraging a football skill (10)
{NUTMEGGING} – A football skill of putting the ball between the opponents legs is a charade of a slang term for head (3), M(merely starts) and a word for urging. We had this unusual term last week from RayT so I hope you’ve all remembered it!
9d. Place in cockpit for parachutes — worry! (4,4)
{JUMP SEAT} – This spare place in an aircraft cockpit sounds like it might be somewhere you start to parachute from. It’s also a charade of a colloquial terms for parachutes (5) and a word that can mean worry(3) then split 5,3
I think I’m missing something here as I can’t see where the word ‘worry’ comes into it. Thanks to gnomethang et al for the wordplay on this one!
14d. Badly copied rail publication (10)
{PERIODICAL} – This publication is an anagram (badly) of COPIED RAIL.
16d. Mentioning changes without me singing (8)
{INTONING} – A word for singing is an anagram (changes) of MENTIONING without the ME.
18d. Comprehensive girl ultimately trapped by involving us in vice (9)
{INCLUSIVE} – A synonym for comprehensive is an anagram (involving) of US IN VICE and L, (girL ultimately).
20d. A bit of a result — a natural leader’s wife! (7)
{SULTANA} – The wife of an Arabic leader is hidden (a bit of) in ‘result — a natural’.
21d. A sour disposition and rising anger after French wine (7)
{VINEGAR} – The French word for wine followed by a synonym for anger reversed (rising in a down clue) give a word meaning of sour disposition.
23d. Positive response protects a source of revenue for ages (5)
{YEARS} – A positive response around (protects) A and R (source of Revenue) gives a long period of time.
25d. Lofty-sounding doctor — a monster! (5)
{HYDRA} – A charade of a homophone for lofty, one of the abbreviations of doctor and A gives a many headed monster from Greek mythology.
26d. Beheading puts an end to troubles (4)
{ILLS} – Take a word for ‘puts an end to’, in the sense of slay, rub out, slaughter, and remove the first letter (beheading) to leave a word for troubles.
There are several good clues in this puzzle but my favourites are 1a and 2d.
The Quick crossword pun: {beefy} + {terse} = {beefeaters}
Thanks for a Fine review Pommers – your favourites equated pretty closely to my own.
Regarding 9d – it is actually a charade of ‘Parachutes’ and then a word for ‘worries’.
Thanks to Jay as well for the entertainment.
So it is! Thanks Gnomey, I’ve been worrying at that one for ages!
9d. I reckon worry=eat
Thanks ayayay – see reply above.
Just appear to have had a blind spot on that one!
I agree, a great puzzle today with quality clues and a nice sense of achievement on finishing.
Thanks to Pommers and Jay
Sorry, a bit too straightforward again today I thought. All but 7 solved at first run through, and then all solved after second pass. The only one that I had to think about (last one in) was 9d, and came to the same conclusion as Gnomethang.
Thanks to setter and to Pommers – hoping for a bit more of a stretch tomorrow…………….???????
I believe we’re due a RayT tomorrow. He’s usually stretching enough!
Very enjoyable puzzle today, again with no great problems (except when I put the answer to 5D in he space for 4D, D’Oh !
Enjoyed 1A, 13A, 19A, 22A, 24A, 27A, 1D, 2D, 25 D. Favourite for me was 8D and I’m afraid that I disagree that its an ‘unusual’ word, I can certainly remember it from the 70’s (when football was a sport and not a business – I still think all the football reports in the DT should be moved to the business section so real lovers of sport can get their fix in peace without having to read about the antics of people with little brain and less manners)
Back from the Antipodes and still dizzy with jet-lag, I have a month’s worth of puzzles to catch up on. Was afraid I’d forgotten how to do them, but this was encouraging and I managed almost to finish it without the hints — especially needed for 8d. Many thanks to Pommers and to Jay. :-)
Welcome home Franny hope you had a really good time :-D
Thanks, Mary, it was a good visit. I managed to see a number of friends and to spend lots of time with my very frail and elderly mother. It’s good to be back.
I was utterly stumped by 13a even though I had every other letter.
By the way, Pommers, I apologise for trying to be a clever dick the other day with ‘Buenos Días’
No pasa nada! Sorry, don’t know how to do an upside down ! on the blog!
I think 13a might well have been my last one in.
Pommers, thanks for the review of a very enjoyable puzzle! I presume your keyboard problem of yesterday evening has been resolved.
¡No pasa nada! ¿Que?
Inverted ! is Alt + 0161 on the numeric keypad. Inverted ? is Alt + 0191.
Thanks Franco.
Problem is that my netbook doesn’t have a numeric keypad and the Alts don’t work with the numbers across the top.
Pommette’s keyboard problem is not resolved. She’s going to have to take all the keys off again and clean all the contacts with earbuds and cleaning solution – or pay the local computer shop to do it! At least the computer still works with the wireless keyboard from our old machine!
Pommers,
Ah good – I see Pommette did get my email.
Yes – Thanks Libellue, just sent you an email. Would attach a picture of my two keyboard arrangement at the mo – but can’t work out how to!
(Pommers cheated for me and put the picture in)
I used to have a number pad on my laptop “pero ahora está muerto”
¡Qué triste! Have you tried throwing a glass of Rioja over the keyboard?
Steady on there boy! Why waste a good glass of rioja?
Step away slowly from the Rioja, Franco.
13a was the last one in for me could not see it without Pommers help
Am with Pommers in that the NE took me more then the rest of the puzzle, largely due to not knowing the american slang in 13a, otherwise very enjoyable. Thanks to Jay and Pommers
By the way, forgot to mention that in the Quickie pun, I originally entered “meaty” as the first across answer which of course also yielded a pun of sorts. Unfortunately, it didn’t help with my solving of the rest of the top corner!
Another good puzzle from Jay. I follow the trend of the NE being the last to complete.
Thanks to setter, and to pommers for the review.
Back to the toughie – struggling to finish it today.
Thanks to Jay for the entertaining puzzle and to Pommers for the excellent review. Did I detect a “fat” mini-theme (11a, 12a, 7d)?
I did enjoy this one, and the review too, thanks to both Pommers and Jay. I think the fat-related clues were my favourites.
It is at this point that I normally comment on the ‘other’ puzzle. The toughiest toughie for a very long time IMHO – if I ever finish it, I will let you know :)
I’m pretty sure I won’t!
A nicely paced puzzle, started very quickly then gradually slowed to a crawl in the NE corner. I have not come across 27a before so it is my firm favourite.
Many thanks to Jay for a super smooth puzzle. Fortunately, this was not too challenging as I needed the better part of the journey to work to crack on with the Toughie! Thanks too to Pommers for the review.
I wasn’t too keen on the first clue as it reads as one of those semi all-in-one clues – and it isn’t. Sorry to sound so picky!
Many thanks to setter and reviewer.
I found this a little too simple today- I actually finished it over my bacon sandwich for the first time ever. I’m going to have to start trying the Toughie again, although the last time it was like reading ancient Greek.
NE corner the hardest, and 13a had me stumped for a while.
Todays Toughie is hardly entry level that’s for sure!
Yesterdays would be a better one for a return to the Toughie world.
Curses……. it’s already in the bin!
I could email you a PDF of it if you like. Today’s Toughie is very good, by Giovanni, and quite doable, apart from 8d which nobody seems to have heard of!
Setter here – many thanks to Pommers for the super review, and to all for the comments – sorry if Lostboy found it too easy, my own ancient Greek is non-existent. I’ll get some French in soon ( I’m sure that’ll cheer everyone up!)
Not really complaining- I think it may have been my own lack of hangover that sped me through it!
Think I’ll go for a siesta now.
I was up half the night while pommette tried to rescue her laptop! I actually started the crossword at 0100CEST and then wrote 95% of the blog before finally going to bed – a little tired now so see you later.
Thanks to Jay and Pommers for a very entertaining crossword and review.
Pretty straightforward puzzle from Jay.
10a, 13a, 24a, 27a, 4d, 9d & 21d were my favourites.
Re 27a do any of you remember the film?
Re 8d remembered last Thursday’s puzzled!
Also slowest in NE corner. Had 9d but didn’t put it in as couldn’t really justify it, so thanks to bloggers et al for putting me straight on that one! Scratching my head over 8d untl – suddenly! – last week’s memory banks clicked into action – oh what joy! I begin to think I’m getting better at this game until I try a Toughie, when I crawl back into my box.
I’m with you on 8d Addicted :-)
Hi Addicted
I reckon that today’s Toughie is a bit fierce! Certainly had me beaten without Gazza’s hints.
Addicted – I very rarely manage to get of my box on the “the other puzzle”. A couple of the easier anagrams and that’s me done for!
Lovely puzzle from Jay today, 13a last to go in, done in two parts today as had to go out finished off this afternoon, thanks for review Pommers, welcome back, I had difficulty understanding 9d too!
A long day th the crem again (and another tomorrow) where I completed all but the NE corner without any help. Completely on the wrong track with 11a and no, I didn’t remember 8d, damn it!
Thanks to Jay and Pommers.
Ooops! Forgot to say thanks to the Technical Director – I’ll probably get shot!
In view of pommette’s problems with her computer yesterday thanks are probably even more deserved than usual!!!
That’s okay! You were sleep deprived!!!!!
I’ll echo what pommers said in his introduction, thank him for the tips and thank the setter for so much fun. 9d was a new expression to me, 8d came from somewhere in the back of my mind and I don’t think I’d have got 13a in a million years, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Many favourites.
Hi Mr Tub
Thanks for your thanks!
8d I would never have got if it hadn’t come up in last Thursday’s puzzle (which I wrongly ascribed to RayT in an earlier post). One or two people, particularly Skempie, have said that it’s not an obscure term but I certainly don’t remember it – you apparantly did!
A nice puzzle. Loved 8d and re 9d but, can anyone explain why eat = worry?
Thank you both
Note to self. Read before posting.
Don’t worry Don, that’s one of the synonyms that regularly gets me. I just happened to spot it today!
Thanks Pommers for your entertaining review and Jay for a very pleasant workout with some lovely surface reading.
Particularly fond of 2d, which reminded me of putting the reefs in during recent windy conditions.
Putting reefs in? Are you a sailor as well as me?
Afew of us get away for the odd weekend and combine a couple of days” sailing with a few pints and old yarns!
Sounds idyllic!
Pommette and I sailed the Irish Sea for 14 years in our boats ‘Tidal Flo’ and later ‘Firenze’ and your comment just about sums up a perfect weekend – unless we were racing when pommette’s horns come out!!
No they didn’t! They were always there – just well disguised.
I found 1 a and 9 d rather difficult, but there were also some rather fun clues like 27a.