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DT 26926

by Gazza  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26926

Hints and tips by Gazza

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***

Tuesdays, more than any other day, are ‘pot luck’ days. This puzzle is a pangram so that may point to the setter being Shamus (or I may be totally wrong). In any case I quite enjoyed it – how about you?
If you want to see an answer just slide your cursor through the space between the curly brackets under the clue.

Across Clues

1a  Bank on much litter? (6)
{FARROW} – this is a word for a litter of pigs. A bank or array follows (on) an adverb meaning much or to a great degree.

4a  Exclude most of domestic fowl (6)
{BANTAM} – continuing the farmyard theme, a small breed of fowl comes from a verb to exclude followed by all but the last letter (most) of an adjective meaning domestic or trained.

8a  Make a public announcement in favour of application (8)
{PROCLAIM} – a verb to make a public announcement is a charade of a preposition meaning in favour of and an application.

10a  Judge relative to be sprightly (6)
{JAUNTY} – J(udge) is followed by how a child might address an older female relative.

11a  Influence wife in the course of speech (4)
{SWAY} – a verb to influence or win over is made by inserting W(ife) in a synonym of speech.

12a  An inquest performed close to Brixton Prison (3,7)
{SAN QUENTIN} – an anagram (performed) of AN INQUEST followed by the closing letter of (Brixto)N produces the name of a notorious prison in California.

ARVE Error: need id and provider
13a  Disapproving of an American cocktail (3-9)
{OLD-FASHIONED} – double definition – a) an adjective meaning disapproving (often applied to a look or facial expression) and b) a North American cocktail consisting of whisky, bitters, water and sugar.

16a  A fireball, Annie Oakley? (8,4)
{SHOOTING STAR} – double definition. Annie Oakley was a markswoman and one of the acts in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

20a  What the successful dramatist has put on vessel (10)
{STAGECRAFT} – this is what a successful dramatist has. It’s a charade of a verb to put on or produce and a general word for a boat or ship.

21a  Conceal very horrid lie (4)
{VEIL} – a verb meaning to conceal comes from V(ery) followed by an anagram (horrid) of LIE.

22a  Classical composition from Brahms, on a tape (6)
{SONATA} – hidden (from) in the clue is a classical composition for an instrumental soloist.

23a  Which dear French stateswoman? (8)
{THATCHER} – the answer is “the one over there” followed by the French word for dear.

24a  Pretentious boy kissing girl (2-2-2)
{LA-DI-DA} – an informal adjective meaning pretentious or snobbish in manner or speech comes from a synonym of boy followed by a girl’s name (not one used much these days – think of Ms. Lupino, the film actress and director).

25a  Song from Zaire associated with many a fanatic (6)
{ZEALOT} – remove the song from the word Zaire, then add a way of saying many (1,3).

Down Clues

1d  Food source for so long (8)
{FAREWELL} – a charade of a general word for food and a source or supply (of water, say) produces an exclamation used on parting, slightly more formal than ‘so long’.

2d  Staggering film (5)
{ROCKY} – double definition.

3d  Aboard a steamship is a shipping magnate (7)
{ONASSIS} – this is the name of a Greek shipping magnate. String together a preposition meaning aboard, A (from the clue), the abbreviation for steamship and IS (from the clue).

5d  Move elsewhere on Jura, possibly letting daughter move in (7)
{ADJOURN} – this is a verb used to mean to go somewhere (quite often a pub) for a break. It’s an anagram (possibly) of ON JURA with D(aughter) inserted (letting … move in).

6d  Steaks done differently in city on the Loire (9)
{TOURNEDOS} – small round thick fillet steaks come from an anagram (differently) of DONE inside the principal city in the Loire valley in central France.

7d  Graduate takes in said mould (6)
{MATRIX} – a degree awarded to an arts graduate is followed by a homophone (said) of a verb meaning takes in or deceives to make a mould.

9d  Arm of the Irish Sea — a master in it, adrift (5,6)
{MENAI STRAIT} – this is an arm of the Irish Sea between Wales and Anglesey. It’s an anagram (adrift) of A MASTER IN IT.

14d  Female is hard on night-watchman in Welsh port (9)
{FISHGUARD} – moving down the Welsh coast a bit from the previous answer we come to a port. String together F(emale), IS (from the clue), H(ard) as in pencils and finally what a night-watchman is.

15d  Display list of passengers flying (8)
{MANIFEST} – double definition – as a verb it means to display or exhibit and as a noun it’s a list of the passengers on a flight.

17d  In which one may pick apples or variety of beet? (7)
{ORCHARD} – OR (from the clue) is followed by the edible leafstalk of a variety of white beet.

18d  Lunatic fan on trial (7)
{NUTCASE} – an informal term for a lunatic is a fan or enthusiast followed by (on, in a down clue) a trial or legal action.

19d  Casual walk in street with wind behind (6)
{STROLL} – the abbreviation for street is followed by a verb to roll (in the surface reading wind rhymes with Sind, but in the wordplay it rhymes with bind).

21d  Outspoken against coal being mined (5)
{VOCAL} – the letter used to mean against (in a list of sporting fixtures, say) is followed by an anagram (being mined) of COAL.

The clues I liked best were 25a and 1d. What took your fancy?

It’s a pretty good day – the weather’s wonderful, the Micawber Toughie is superb, Paul’s in the Grauniad and soon all the hype will be over and we’ll actually get some Olympic sport.

Today’s Quickie Pun: {PALACE} + {TYNE} = {PALESTINE}

64 comments on “DT 26926”

  1. Quite tricky this morning I thought, but very fair and amusing. Fav. clue 23a and last in 7d. Thanks setter and Gazza

    1. Mike

      Your comments keep needing moderation because there is an error in you email address “btinterne.co”. We have amended it so that your avatar is displayed correctly.

  2. I enjoyed this one and thought some of the clues were delightfully sneaky. 5* for enjoyment and no more than 3* for difficulty. Also loved 25a, but 12a was my favourite.

  3. I agree with the *** for difficulty – 1a last in. But some of the surface reading is very good. 17d 16a 12a 23a and 24a all stand out for me. At least a **** for enjoyment. Many Thanks.

  4. An enjoyable crossword and a fair challenge. Enjoyed it more than yesterday. 3*/3* for me. 12a my favourite of a number of good ones.

    Thanks to Gazza and ?

  6. A bit tricky in places but very enjoyable. A good mix of clues. My favourite 12a. thanks to setter & to Gazza for the hintsb which I did not need today.

  7. Re 24a – I initially thought of La De Da – Eda being a more unusual girls name. Ida makes more sense but I think it could be either. Any thoughts?

    1. Chambers doesn’t give la-de-da as an alternative spelling (though other dictionaries do).

      1. You are quite correct. I use my Chambers very sparingly as it is falling to pieces. I tend to keep the Collins handy or more recently the i-pad app – where both versions are listed .

      2. Gazza – What a wasted opportunity for a bit of “It ain’t half hot mum!” showing La-Di-Da Gunner Graham…

  8. Second day without electric help, so struggled a bit, but eventually cracked it.
    Nice puzzle with fair clueing enjoyed it greatly.

    Thanks Gazza for the review and to the mystery setter.

    This level of competence is entirely due to all the gen I’ve picked up on this blog, so thanks all.

  9. Suffering from some sort of summer lurgy has forced me into my first sickie for over 4 years. The boss wonders whether this has something to do with today being the best day of the year but I haven’t felt as ill as this for ages and ages. Still the crosswords today have all cheered me up no end.

    A fairly Tuesdayish Shamus (?) I thought. No particular favourites, but I am grateful to gazza both for the review and explaining 25a – my poor befuddled brain just couldn’t see it. I highly recommend both the Micawber Toughie and Paul in the Graun too – niether take particularly long, thank goodness, but are superb as usual.

    1. Today (and the next couple of days) seem to be the worst of the year for pollen, and I’m having a rough time right now.

      I spent years in denial before accepting that, quite late on, I have actually started to suffer from hay fever. Might you be in the same boat? Whatever your vessel, fell better soon :-)

      1. I started suffering from it at age about 40! It was the oil-seed rape that started it and I was bad for all the time the fields were yellow. As soon as the yellow went so did my hayfever. Fortunately they don’t grow the blasted stuff round here but now I find I have an allergy to olive pollen, D’oh!

        1. Thanks chaps for your concern. I have suffered from hay fever for 50 years (despite only being officially 35 :) ) and if what I am suffering from now is hay fever, it has taken itself to a whole new level.

            1. Some time ago I asked if women could get man flu – someone (you, I think) said that they couldn’t and that the worst thing they ever have is a mild girlie sniffle, or something like that! :smile:

    3. Do hope that you feel better soon – it’s really not fair to be feeling poorly on such a lovely day. Poor you.

  10. Straightforward enough for me but plenty of enjoyment. As usual I completely missed the pangram!. Thanks to the setter and to gazza for the review.

          1. What is the correct spelling of:- “Ooh, er, Missus”?

            “Titter ye not!” – not in Chambers 12th edition!

  11. Quite tricky but full of admiration for some of the clues; 16a, 3d and 6d especially. Did anyone else put ‘vile’ for ‘veil’ at 21a?

    1. Yes, I started with ‘vile’ for 21a; but, that was before I had got 15d. Got the bottom half done before lights out last night. After a slowish start they all ‘dropped’ into place. Neede lots of help on the top half this morning – thanks Gazza. 23a and 25a were favourites.

    2. I thought about vile, but it didn’t quite work. Tricky clue for a four letter answer.

  12. My rule in life – whenever there is an X and a Z, it is a pangram.
    Great puzzle.
    Thanks setter and Gazza

  13. Bottom half**, top half ***. Like Nigel,1a last in.**** for enjoyment.Thought 13a was an anagram until i got 13d, not heard of the cocktail,a tad refined for my taste.Did’nt quite work out the wordplay for 7d-thanks Gazza-thought we could have had an illustration of the film of the same name with the blog, anyway thoroughly enjoyable,all we have to do is win at cricket.

  14. Good fun crossword today, 1a being my personal favourite. Thanks to the setter Shamus?) and to Gazza. Toughie is very reasonable today, for those who might not normally try it, give it a wee go..

  15. Very enjoyable crossword today, not overly complicated, but fun to work out. Favourite clue has to be 6d, as I very much like Gaza’s illustration of the old town – I know it well.

    1. Yes – a lovely city. We are heading in that direction in August as brother-in-law lives near there.

  16. No paticular favourites in this one – just overall good stuff. I’d give it 2*/3*.

    Spotted the possibilty of a pangram after we’d got the J, Q and Z but it didn’t help at all!

    Thanks to the setter and to Gazza.

  17. Thought this was a stroll today. I seem to struggle with the 1 and 2 star crosswords and find the three and four star much easier, relatively that is.

    I rarely comment these days but usually read the blog on an I pad. Recently though I find that on many occasions I can only get half of the answers. Can anyone throw any light on this?

    Thanks to setter and Gazza.

  18. I am sure I’m being dim but I cannot see what the Pangram is – could someone help me please?

  19. Enjoyed this puzzle.
    Faves : 1a, 12a, 16a, 23a, 3d, 6d, 9d & 21d.

    Weather here is very blustery today but still very sunny.
    BD with my new android tablet, I cannot open the brackets to check the solutions – I do allow cookies – I
    don’t often need to do so

  20. Obviously not my week this week. After yesterday’s I can’t manage a single answer today at all! Been a long time since I was unable to even start a crossword. For me an absolute horror.

  21. Really enjoyed this one from the unknown Tuesday Setter. Surface readings – superb! Let’s have more of the same!

    Favourite: 12a – The Brixton Prison one – fortunately, I didn’t spend too much time there!

  22. I really enjoyed this today though completely missed the pangram .Favourite clue 23a. :smile:

  23. Its true to say that without this blog I would be cross with some of these clues. Getting the correct answer is no good if you don’t understand all the parts. e.g. 7d; I was fixated on mould and had Mitria. I realised it wasnt right. I wasnt happy with the synonyms that made up 1a, farrow. and for some strange reason my dictionary did not give passenger list for 15d manifest. I knew it was a list or something revealed or obvious but had forgotten that it was also a list of passengers. Apart from that I did not find it too difficult but cannot nominate a favourite (sorry setter). So as usual thanks to Gazza and the setter.

    1. Bob

      To get full enjoyment from Telegraph crosswords you really need a copy of the BRB (Chambers Dictionary) – that’s the full version not one of the smaller alternatives. Perhaps you could put a copy on your Birthday or Christmas list!

  24. I enjoyed this one very much – probably the first time I’ve ever realised that it was likely to be a pangram AND it helped. I was struggling with 7d and then saw it. Agree with 3* for difficulty.
    It seems that I’m the only one to have started off with “stagecoach” for 20a – or no-one else is admitting to it! Sorted quickly when I got 18d. I needed the hints to explain 1a and 25a. I’ve never heard of the cocktail in 13a.
    Favourites include 10, 12, 23 and 24a and 3, 6 and 17d.
    With thanks to the setter and gazza. Lovely pictures of Fishguard and Tours – know both well.

    1. The cocktail is sugar syrup, boubon, angostura bitters and lemon peel. Tried it once and it’s disgusting – no, actually it’s worse than that :grin:

      Can’t remember the proportions but it’s mostly Bourbon.

  25. This was a good workout. Having just spent some time in Portugal it was nice to get back to cool weather.
    Thanks to Gazza and Shamus

  26. Too hard for me. Worst of the bunch either 25 or maybe 13 – the answer does not mean disapproving, in fact it can often be taken to be a compliment, as many Telegraph readers would probably agree. And still can’t get 7 even with hints (I cannot view the answers on my Blackberry).

  27. Must admit I’m struggling even after reading clues, 1, 4, 13, 6 & 7. Loved 12. Doddle anagram of day 9. Must be losing my touch, may give toughie a go, if easier than this. Must report had a look at last Friday’s toughie. Content that I’ll never be up to that standard!

  28. Thanks to the setter & to Gazza for the review & hints. Enjoyed this one, was stuck on 7d for a while, then read the blog, and saw it was a pangram, so perhaps an x in 7d? Yes. This told me that I’d spelt the prison wrong, then got 1a, but had to confirm it, as I’d not heard of the word or it’s meaning. 12a was interesting, because without all checkers, autopsy could’ve have been the second word. Good misdirection. Favourites were 21a, 3d & 21d. Lots of entertainment. Found my contact lens, it was stuck in the case ! Potential saving of £200, hooray :-) Enjoy Summer until Friday :-)

  29. With a vocal proclaim
    and a jaunty sonata
    I bid farewell to the rain
    and adjourn to the sun (with laughter)

  30. Cannot agree more Gazza, the “tramp” in swahili good too. If tis Shamus thank you , 12a sublime. Cheers all

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