Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26932
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment **
If you like long anagrams then you’ll like this puzzle because it has three of them. It also has two different types of duck (three if you count the cricket variety). The surface readings in a lot of the clues are not terribly smooth and I think that this detracts from the overall enjoyment. Let us know how you got on and how you liked it.
The answers are hidden between the brackets under the clues – highlight the space between the brackets to reveal one. If you’re accessing the blog from a mobile device there’s some advice on how to do this in the FAQ.
Across Clues
1a Observe after some music cartoon hero (6)
{POPEYE} – a verb to observe follows a type of music to form the name of a cartoon hero.
4a Bear visa wrongly? That’s irritating (8)
{ABRASIVE} – an anagram (wrongly) of BEAR VISA makes an adjective meaning irritating or grating.
10a Collect in the morning Jenny maybe (5)
{AMASS} – a verb meaning to collect is a charade of the abbreviation for in the morning and what a jenny (ignoring the false capitalisation) is an example of in the animal world.
11a Route agent planned with time off for set of followers (9)
{ENTOURAGE} – an anagram (planned) of ROUTE AGEN(t) with one of the T(imes) dropped.
12a Carry soldier’s award around island having ritual associations? (7)
{TOTEMIC} – this is an adjective describing something with ritual associations or spiritual significance. Start with a verb to carry and add an army award for gallantry containing (around) I(sland).
13a Part of serial is after old record and poem (7)
{EPISODE} – an instalment (part of serial) is constructed by appending IS to an old record format, then finishing with a lyric poem.
14a Agree on terms in industrial dispute with a set of lawyers getting advantage (6,1,7)
{STRIKE A BARGAIN} – this is a phrase meaning to come to an agreement. String together a) industrial action, b) A (from the clue), c) a collective term for lawyers allowed to represent clients in the higher courts and d) an advantage or improvement.
17a Trim paths and area requiring cultivation around old oil worker? (14)
{AROMATHERAPIST} – this oil worker is someone who works with essential oils for healing and cosmetic purposes. It’s an anagram (requiring cultivation) of TRIM PATHS and AREA containing O(ld).
21a Literary work produced in late autumn by jazz singer (7)
{NOVELLA} – a type of literary work comes from an abbreviated month in late autumn followed by the forename of a female American jazz singer.
23a Brown duck followed by a further one circling end of stream (7)
{OATMEAL} – a pale brown colour is formed from the letter that looks like zero (a duck at cricket), A (from the clue) and a breed of real duck containing (circling) the end letter of (strea)M.
24a Reportedly, conflict between industrial plants important in US city (9)
{MILWAUKEE} – an industrial city on the shores of Lake Michigan is made up of two homophones (reportedly). What sounds like a bitter conflict between industrial plants or factories (4,3) is followed by a homophone of an adjective meaning important or essential.
.jpg?resize=235%2C222 "Milwaukee")
25a Hard work getting organ for transplant (5)
{GRAFT} – double definition.
26a Jack, perhaps, providing level of excellence (8)
{STANDARD} – another double definition. Jack here is a small national flag flown by a ship to show its nationality.
27a A body might display this military entertainment (6)
{TATTOO} – and one more double definition.
Down Clues
1d Follow expression of approval around court (8)
{PRACTISE} – a verb meaning to follow or carry out comes from an expression of approval or acclaim containing the abbreviation for court.
2d Worker in building showing final signs of hesitation after spot of painting (9)
{PLASTERER} – a skilled worker in the building trade appears when you put a synonym for final plus two exclamations expressing hesitation all after the first letter (spot) of P(ainting).
3d Talk endlessly about quiet graduate in religious clothing (7)
{YASHMAK} – ‘talk endlessly’ makes one think that a truncation is needed but we actually want a variant spelling of an informal verb to talk at length about nothing very much. This goes around an injunction to keep quiet and the letters that may appear after the name of an arts graduate to make a face-covering worn by some Muslim women in public.
5d Maybe sheet with knot must be unfurled in addition (2,3,4,5)
{BY THE SAME TOKEN} – this is a phrase meaning in addition or for the identical reason. It’s an anagram (must be unfurled) of MAYBE SHEET and KNOT.
6d A fool occupied by greed, say? That’s comical (7)
{AMUSING} – start with A, add an informal term for a stupid or gullible person, then insert (occupied by) what greed is one example of.
7d One minute since insect’s development stage (5)
{IMAGO} – the final, fully developed, stage of an insect comes from I (one), the abbreviation of minute and an adverb meaning since.
8d English still entertaining the French in a part of Oxford, say (6)
{EYELET} – the falsely-capitalised oxford is a type of lace-up shoe. Part of such a shoe comes from E(nglish) followed by a synonym for still, containing (entertaining) a French definition article.
9d Elaborate bench near market abandoned by European financial expert? (8,6)
{MERCHANT BANKER} – this is a financial expert, one providing advice on company takeovers for example (although, after the shenanigans of the last few years, this is nowadays often a term of abuse). It’s an anagram (elaborate) of BENCH NEAR MARK(e)T without one of the Es (abandoned by European).
15d Pedlar I detected near ground in shade (9)
{ITINERANT} – the answer looks like an adjective, but, as here, it can also be a noun for someone who travels around, like a pedlar. Start with I then insert an anagram (ground) of NEAR inside a shade or colour. ‘Detected’ is just padding.
16d Argument about incomplete work? It could be pointedly offensive (8)
{STILETTO} – an argument (3-2) goes around a verb to work the land without its final L (incomplete) to make a weapon with a point.
18d Duck and a lot of meat promoted with fat (7)
{MALLARD} – a breed of duck (another one) comes from reversing (promoted, in a down clue) all but the final letter (a lot) of a type of meat, then following this with fat from a pig.
19d Island opposed to sentries (not half) (7)
{ANTIGUA} – a Caribbean island is formed from a prefix meaning opposed to followed by the first half of another word for sentries.
20d Hostility in opossum in Australia when climbing (6)
{ANIMUS} – a word meaning hostility or ill-feeling is hidden (in) and reversed (when climbing) in the clue.
22d Team in short in holiday home (5)
{VILLA} – a shorthand way of referring to a Midlands team in the English Premier League is also a superior type of house, which can be used as a holiday home.
The clue I liked best was 8d. Tell us which ones you liked.
Today’s Quickie Pun: {COLL} + {CANON} = {COLCANNON}
Not one of my favourite puzzles, and I found the anagrams irritating.
Thanks to setter, and to Gazza.
The toughie is enjoyable, and one of the across clues gets my vote for clue of the month.
Jezza, if you thought the anagrams in this one a bit annoying, I’m surprised you enjoyed the toughie, I think I counted about 7 in that.
Very diificult with poor clueing; I solved it but with little pleasure.
I did enjoy this but perhaps not quite as much as usual. I like anagrams, particularly long ones, which helped the enjoyment level to go up. I was quite slow to understand several of my answers – 2, 15 and 16d. I also spent far too long (and failing) to make 25a into another anagram. 20d was a new word for me.
I liked 14 and 24a and 8 and 19d.
With thanks to the setter and Gazza.
There is no Toughie in the paper today – AND it’s raining! :sad:
The Toughie is in a separate section on the back page of the Telegraph Plus supplement. If your newsagent does not insert this into the main paper you have to remember to pick up the supplement to get the Toughie and other puzzles that usually appear in the middle of the paper.
Thank you. We don’t seem to have that bit of the paper. Maybe I’ll go over and talk nicely to our newsagent – not, by any stretch of the imagination, one of the most helpful people on earth!
You have mail.
Thanks! :smile:
Kath, there are at least 7 anagrams in the toughie today and the whole thing was a stroll in the park.
I counted 10 – nearly had to take my socks off!
I still only make it 9 but who cares, I nearly fell asleep trying.
Thanks – just about to have a go at it.
I thought that it was a fairly difficult solve today and give it***/***.Don’t particularly like long anagrams either,wanted to put some old painting school in for 17a ie some thing like- pre raphaelite for ‘oil worker’ till the penny dropped.Thanks Gazza for the wordplay for 2d as i was short of an ‘er’.Took a long time to see the double definition for 25a as i thought it may be somrthing to do with an organ of the press-ie the FT till the transplant happened.Hope the sailing improves today!
The Tuesday back pagers (were they on the back page!) don’t seem to be quite as much fun these days and this one took me (relatively) ages to solve too. Thanks to setter and gazza too.
The Toughie only takes a smidge longer to solve but is much more entertaining. Paul in the Graun is the best puzzle today so far.
Ditto, The Paul Graun Nina is quite clever too!
I agree with you Sue, the Graun puzzles have been far better than some of the second rate efforts that the DT have put out recently.
I couldn’t get the top left hand corner today. I’m not sure the expression of approval in 1d is as the answer has it.
Apart from that, a 3*\2* for me today.
Thanks to Gazza for the hints
I can’t see anything wrong with 1d.
The definition is to follow, as in to follow a profession, and it is derived by putting PRAISE as a noun, the expression of approval, around CT, the abbreviation of Court used on road signs.
Enjoyable enough apart from the anagrams, thanks to the setter and to Gazza. ( My tatoos don’t look like that, mind you they are all over 50yrs old.)
The clues seem to be rather convoluted and I found it difficult to work out which words were important in the word play.
Thank you Gazza for your help, which I needed today.
I agree on the convolution. When I print the puzzle off the web site and it uses 2 sheets of paper that is not a good sign. Needed lots of help – thanks G.
To my mind, a second-rate puzzle. Poor surface readings and, as others have said, too many long anagrams
gazza, 24a – I thought it was 3 homophones – Mill – War – Key. But I am most probably wrong! Unfortunately, I don’t understand the (4,3) bit in your hint.
stanXYZ,
I don’t think it works as 3 homophones – plants (plural) would have to be mills. I took the first homophone to be of MILL WAR (a conflict between industrial plants).
Thanks, gazza! Very remiss of me to doubt your explanations! Never again! :oops:
Do please continue to comment if you think I (or any of the other bloggers) have got something wrong. It keeps us on our toes and stimulates debate.
But you lot are never wrong! Maybe one day…………..?
You won’t have to wait long. I get things wrong all the time.
I saw it the same way as you but wasn’t really happy with the lack of plural of MILL. Never thought of Gazza’s explanation though!
See, we ain’t right all the time! :grin:
Sometimes there are two ways to resolve a clue. In a recent Nestor (Notabilis) puzzle in the Indy the blogger explained “Tourism, primarily to unwind? (6)” as “T(o) (first, or ‘primary’ letter of ‘to’) + RAVEL (unwind) = tourism” while Nestor intended “an &lit, T(ourism) + RAVEL (to unwind)” but conceded “it also works as you’ve described it”. I read it the same way as the blogger!
I suppose that if it’s an &lit then it does need the ? on the end, but if it’s the other way the ? is superfuous?
The subtlety of the question mark certainly eluded me when i solved this on the train home from Manchester!
And I STILL don’t understand! :sad:
Hi Kath, not sure I can explain in text but I’ll have a go.
If the clue works as the blogger and BD read it then there is no need for the ? at the end. It’s just simple wordplay. Defintion (tourism) given by T (primarily To) and then RAVEL (unwind) – end of story.
If, however, you want it to be an &lit then it’s a little different. You’re supposed to take T(Tourism primarily) and follow with RAVEL (to unwind) to give the answer, but there’s no definition left in the clue – you’ve used every word of the clue in the wordplay. Therefore the ? is necessary to show something a bit odd is going on. The odd bit is that the whole of the clue is the definition.
I agree it works either way but the ? makes it very elegant – wish I’d had a go at the puzzle!
I got in a muddle with 24a too – in exactly the same way.
Did anyone else find this horrible? 1* for pleasure and 4* for difficulty.
Yes – v. difficult. Made to feel a bit feeble by seeking Gazza’s help at the half way mark.
So inevitably scores low on enjoyment. Part of the pleasure is being able to finish it unaided whenever possible !
Other way round for me!
Brian,
I’m fairly sure that I’ve said this before but I don’t think it is ever fair to call a crossword “horrible”. You may not have enjoyed it particularly but today’s setter has worked hard to compile it and, if he/she reads these comments, must be feeling a bit on the deflated side.
Something else that I’ve said before, earlier on today, I DID enjoy it.
Thanks to the setter & to Gazza for the review & hints. I found this a bit of a struggle, but got there in the end. Started with 4a,finished with 2d. Favourites were 23a & 3d. Weather back to normal in Central London.
Weather back to normal in Oxford too. Went out a bit earlier – SO dark that my car switched its lights on – it makes all those kind of decisions for me – almost like having an extra husband!
Kath – 8d – Whenever I see “Oxford” in a clue – I immediately think “shoes”. (And for some unknown reason – muntjacs)
:grin: Don’t even start me on the subject!! The little ******** have now found my geraniums – red seem to be their particular favourite at the moment!!
Well, unlike most of you I found this quite an enjoyable puzzle, and not difficult at all!
Don’t usually like long anagrams bot the one’s in this are OK as the answers are obvious so it’s just a question of checking that the anagram fodder fits.
Thanks to the setter and Gazza.
I padded through this one with little trouble and quite enjoyed it, so I’m in a minority (again)! I loved 8d, it’s just the sort of clue that would floor a beginner. I showed this clue to Mrs B and she reckons that nobody in their right mind would connect Oxford with a shoe; it jumped straight into mine. Maybe, as a breed, we are perverse.
Greetings apiece, thanks to setter and Gazza.
It’s also a breed of sheep and a lightweight cotton fabric – how sad am I knowing that? :grin:
Nothing sad about being aware of what’s around you. The sheep we have here are called Herdwicks, they’re smart beasts. To get across a cattle grid, they roll. Who taught ’em that?
Can’t stop laughing at the mental image conjured up by that comment :lol:
It’s absolutely true. I don’t think they are found anywhere but Cumbria. The fields are separated by dry stone walls and where a road passes through, there is always a cattle grid. Over the years, they worked it out for themselves.
Hi Buffer
Sounds a bit bizarre but I do think I’ve heard of it before – have good friends live in Grange-over-Sands, probably them that told me. Finally stopped corpsing :grin:
BTW, if you click the ‘reply’ button instead of making a fresh comment the conversation ‘nests’. No big deal but it makes things easier to follow.
Buffer
It helps if you use the reply option to keep a conversation thread together. It doesn’t matter when the blog is fairly quiet, like now, but it can become very confusing when other comments intervene.
Gazza, forgot to say – thanks for the Ella clip (brill), the very elegant tattoo and you also got a boat in 24a! :grin:
Best not to mention Ainslie at the moment but the boy will come good!!
Ainslie’s got his work cut out if he’s going to beat the Great Dane. However I have every confidence that Wiggo will win our first gold in the time trial tomorrow.
Agreed about Wiggo – unfortunately time trials are not the most compelling TV!
Ben has come back from further behind but the ‘Great Dane’ does look in ominous form. Conditions may help Ben though – needs a full F8 gale really!
Evening all. Definately 3* for me – took a while to get going and I finally finished it with 17a which eluded me all day. Enjoyable and a nice challenge.
Pommette got 17a in about 5 seconds – but her mind doesn’t work like those of the rest of us! Would have taken me all dfay as well!
Very late input from me as got the DT in the evening in St-Aygulf.
Solved it in dribs and drabs.
Fave was 27a.
Weather is manificent and hot!
Very busy day for me today – Did a bit before I left the house and finished it off after dinner (or should that be tea or supper for us northern folk?) Distracted by the repeated ‘Network not available’ sign that still keeps flashing up – now very annoying!
Hard to judge today’s difficulty level but only * or ** for enjoyment due to the Ipad issue. (Not sure that’s fair on the setter) but enjoyment level seriously affected. Thanks to all.
I see the British horses did well today. Shame that the people riding them weren’t quite up to it!
As Ben Ainslie said yesterday – ” there’s nothing wrong with the boat, just with the guy who’s sailing her”!
Going bed now – no, I’m not blogging tomorrow as it’s Falcon’s turn.