Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26991
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Libellule and I have done a swap this week and he’ll be along tomorrow. Before I started to solve this Rufus puzzle I vowed not to use the words gentle and smooth, but having done it I can only describe it as gentle with many beautifully simple yet smooth clues, an excellent start to the week. Do give us a comment with your thoughts.
To reveal an answer just highlight the gap between the curly brackets under the clue.
Across Clues
1a Paying for yourself twice — it’s incomprehensible (6,5)
{DOUBLE DUTCH} – something that sounds like gibberish could, cryptically, be paying your own share of the bill twice.
9a When a fight should start? Not a moment too soon (5,4)
{ABOUT TIME} – split as (1,4,4) this could inform you when a contest in the ring is due to start.
10a Live and prosper, lacking nothing (5)
{DWELL} – start with a phrase meaning to prosper (2,4) and take out (lacking) the letter that looks like zero or nothing.
11a Angle of density? (6)
{OBTUSE} – double definition – an angle between 90 and 180 degrees and an adjective meaning dense or slow to understand.
12a Writer’s addition that may be removed when it gets to the theatre (8)
{APPENDIX} – another double definition, this theatre being in a hospital.
13a Group of soldiers in particular (6)
{DETAIL} – double definition, the second a noun meaning particular as in the phrase ‘you are correct in every particular’.
15a Receiving regular payments, disposed to give lad a rise (8)
{SALARIED} – an anagram (disposed to give) of LAD A RISE.
18a Production of Haydn’s oratorio (8)
{CREATION} – double definition, the second the title of an oratorio by Haydn.
19a Learned person makes witticism, spoken in French (6)
{PUNDIT} – a charade of a witticism or play on words and the French past participle meaning spoken. Although we’ve seen it several times before it’s worth reproducing the BRB’s witty definition of this learned person: Someone who considers himself or herself an authority.
21a They are paid by formal visitors (8)
{RESPECTS} – … who call to deliver polite greetings.
23a Boy and girl being pretentious (2-2-2)
{LA-DI-DA} – a charade of a synonym for boy and a girl’s name.
26a Some overseas lines (5)
{VERSE} – hidden (some) in the clue.
27a A bloomer he made, being too fond of his image (9)
{NARCISSUS} – cryptic definition of the beautiful youth in Greek mythology who became infatuated with his own image in a pool of water, pined away and was turned into a flower.
28a Minds centre around intelligence (11)
{DISCERNMENT} – an anagram (around) of MINDS CENTRE.
Down Clues
1d Area inside American bases (7)
{DIAMOND} – cryptic definition of the area inside the four bases in an American sport.
2d Vessel about to break up (1-4)
{U-BOAT} – an anagram (to break up) of ABOUT.
3d Former habit of night work? (4,5)
{LATE SHIFT} – a charade of an adjective meaning former or deceased and a habit or garment.
4d Having party at home is murder (2,2)
{DO IN} – combine a party (the festive rather than political sort) and an adverb meaning at home.
5d He paints badly but he can act (8)
{THESPIAN} – an anagram (badly) of HE PAINTS.
6d Avoid commitment that’s about agricultural land, perhaps (5)
{HEDGE} – double definition, the first a verb meaning to be evasive or avoid making a definitive statement.
7d Slackened, becoming loose in a rush (7)
{RELAXED} – an adjective meaning loose or negligent goes inside a rush (a plant that grows on marshy ground).
8d It’s a blow that has to be faced (8)
{HEADWIND} – cryptic definition of something blowing towards you and slowing you down.
14d Worship money (8)
{TREASURE} – double definition.
16d To laud in a new excess of flattery (9)
{ADULATION} – an anagram (new) of TO LAUD IN A.
17d Satisfies all within (8)
{CONTENTS} – double definition, the first a verb meaning satisfies or makes happy.
18d Two vehicles joined by a third one (7)
{CARAVAN} – two vehicles with A between them.
20d Start in winding passage (7)
{TRANSIT} – an anagram (winding) of START IN produces a noun meaning passage or the carrying of goods or passengers from one place to another.
22d Troops invading England’s boundaries? Correct (5)
{EMEND} – troops (ordinary soldiers) go inside the boundaries of E(nglan)D.
24d Problem children (5)
{ISSUE} – double definition.
25d Charge is about right on the house (4)
{FREE} – a charge, for professional services say, contains R(ight).
Four clues which I liked a lot (all seeming very simple, but beautifully constructed) were 10a, 1d, 18d and 24d.
Today’s Quickie Pun: {NOES} + {FAWN} + {EWES} = {NOSE FOR NEWS}
Nice straightforward puzzle today. Had a doh moment when I realised 20d was an anagram.. 23a is one we have had before wasn’t sure if it was Ida or Eda at first. Very enjoyable start to the week can’t argue with the BD rating of ** and ****.
Strangely I didn’t find today’s as straightforward as normal for a Rufus, my favourite setter. Perhaps it was 3.5 hours out in the rain this morning which dampened my thought processes.
Still, a pleasant start to the week. Thanks to Rufus and Gazza for the puzzle and hints.
I liked 1a, possibly because it was the first clue in
Nothing wrong with smooth and gentle in my book, just what I needed on a dreary Monday morning.
Finished with only one recourse to google, for the oratorio.
Thanks to Gazza for the review and to Rufus for a pleasant interlude.
Oh well, back to reality, washing and ironing day.
Not enough balance between clue types for me, too many double definitions. But a simple start to the week for all that … and perhaps because of it.
A gentle start to the week for me. Too many nice clues to pick a favourite. Definitely **/*** today. Thanks to Rufus & to Gazza for the review.
I have to score this enjoyable crossword ***/**** as i got stuck on 1d and 13a before ‘the base ball field ‘dawned and the remaining clues then slotted in, probably too much Robbies bitter ,last night!
Like you 1d was the last to go in. I eventually filled in Diamond as the only possible but needed this blog to explain why. However, the real reason for this reply is your closing comment. As an ex Stockport man now living in France, the thought of a pint of Robbie’s bitter makes me drool!!
A pleasant start to the week. 1a made me smile.
Thanks to Rufus, and to Gazza.
Perfecr puzzle for me – **/**** . Funny how in nearly all crosswords there is one word which I don’t know (pop star, plant, Greek god, actor). Today it was 1down.
It’s how we learn things – great ammunition if someone tries to tell you that doing crosswords is SUCH a waste of time!
Like Beaver I got completely stuck with 1d, which I’m sure we must have had before, and 13a. Apart from my problems with those I agree that this was both gentle and smooth.
I liked 1, 10 and 18a and 4, 18 and 24d.
With thanks to Rufus and Gazza.
Miserable day here – grey and drizzly.
I found it very enjoyable but had to revert to this blog to finish it. 19a and 8d both beat me. Still nearly finishing it is not bad for me when sometimes I can only just start it! ****/**** from me.
Smooth gentle straightforward – all those things – thank you to Rufus and to Gazza too.
Fans of gentle with a smile might like to look at the Guardian Quiptic today. Available free on line – this one is by Arachne whose crosswords are always great fun.
I agree that the Arachne is great fun and, by one of those weird coincidences, it has an alternative clue for 1a in this puzzle.
I did wonder if it was ‘word of the week’ but haven’t found it anywhere else today
Arachne on Twitter says “It’s Coincidence”. Hmmm? I believe her!
Afternoon Gazza, what a great crossword, so many sharp, short funny clues (didn’t use smooth or gentle
), thank you Rufus for a lovely start to Monday,although I did get stuck on the bottom Left corner for a bit, thanks for hints as usual Gazza, not needed today, too many nice clues to pick one favourite, oh go on then… 1a, 2d, 10a, 12a, 4d etc. etc. etc. :-D, enjoy this one everyone, who knows what comes tomorrow! 
, mild grey day here today
Just one thing 15a, ‘disposed to give’ is a very unusual anagram indicator isn’t it?
I think you can see it as ‘arranged to provide’.
Yes but then Gazza doesn’t it sound as though it applies to the first part of the clue?
Yes – I think it’s working backwards, i.e. the answer (salaried) can be arranged to produce ‘lad a rise’.
I see what you mean, ‘salaried’ disposed i.e. anagram of the answer which is salaried’ gives us ‘lad a rise’ very unusual I’ve never seen one like that before!?
Hi please can you tell what is meant by ‘charade’ when you are explaining the clue?
Thanks
Hi Jellybean – welcome to the blog.
It’s explained, with examples, in BigDave’s Crossword Guide which you can reach via the FAQ or directly here.
Well unusually I seem to have found this easier than others. Finished quite quickly and pleasant enough although it didnt really shine for me on a miserable wet day in Kent. 1*/3* for me.
Thanks to both
1*/4* for me, thanks to Rufus and to Gazza.
Very pleasant start to the week, for once I agree with the ratings
One point though, my copy of Chambers doesn’t show discernment 28a as Intelligence. Not a definition I would usually associate. But that’s just picky, my thx to Rufus for an enjoyable puzzle and to Gazza although I didn’t need his hints today.
The usual pleasant start to the week from Rufus,
1a went in straight away – very understandably for me!
Other faves : 11a, 12a, 18a, 1d, 3d, 14d & 20d.
Weather here in NL started sunny this morning but it is now overcast and we are promised several rainy days.
Grilled chicken for dinner this evening with a drop of Chinon!
Hi Derek, always a pleasure to hear your menu and wine choices, and of course to compare faves. Cheers
Lovely crossword. No peculiar words, no long rambling clues. A pleasure to solve. Thanks, Rufus
Finished, but found this more difficult to get started than the usual Rufus. Put the answers in for 1d and 18a – but had to look at the hints to make sure that they were correct. Usual problem with lack of GK !
Weather not so good here on N Norfolk coast – more like home, and the birds don’t seem to like it either – so able to finish puzzle earlier due to rain showers. The drawback is that Mrs SW escaped to do some shopping in Burnham Market………..
Thanks to Rufus and Gazza for your review.
I have just played 18a – excellent ! which reminds me that on the way here we stopped in Cambridge and heard the Kings College Choir in concert with the Vienna Boys Choir……..brilliant !
Was that last Thursday Sweet William? If so I was there too, I recognised some of the Haydn and Purcell but am on the look out for recordings of unknown, but beautiful renditions heard there.
Yes Andy ! We were there ! We had our trip to Norfolk booked ages ago and it suddenly dawned on me a couple of months ago that we could go via Cambridge and hear the choir. A bit of luck really, I think their term only started again on the previous Monday. We really enjoyed the evening, and walking up and down Trumpington Street looking through the college gates at the beautiful buildings and gardens. I think we would like to return sometime and hear the choir on their own at evensong rather than in concert. We always listen to the radio 3 Carol service on Christmas Eve and then again the televised version at 6.30 ! It is something we have always wanted to do and it was wonderful !
So elegant, and many a chuckle eg 1a and 19a.
And if it’s Rufus, there has to be a vessel (2d)
Thanks Rufus and Gazza.
Agree with all the above comments. We had also saved the NTSPP from the weekend so we wouldn’t have the empty feeling of only one smooth, gentle puzzle on a Monday. (We know we could go to the Grauniad but that feels ‘unfaithful’). This system worked for us. Two very good puzzles. Thanks Rufus and Gazza.
A mercifully benevolent puzzle today, which falleth as the gentle rain from heaven.
(And boy did it fall today…:-)
Thanks to Rufus and to Gazza for the review & hints. I thought about 1.5* for difficulty & 3* for enjoyment. A very gentle start to the week. Favourites were 1a and 1d. Weather horrible in Central London.
1d was a bit of a strange one. Its not even a diamond, its square. What is American football anyway. Does anyone watch it?
I’m not sure if you’re being serious, but the American sport is baseball and the baseball field is called a diamond.