DT 27396

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27396

A full review by gnomethang

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

Morning All!. The clock stopped quite quickly on this puzzle . I quite enjoyed the solve though as it had a bit of Old Skool contained therein..

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.  You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.

Across

1a           Planning not to get hitched or committed (6-6)
SINGLE-MINDED – A cryptic definition and definition. The first is descriptive of someone who has planned not to get married i.e. Minded to be SINGLE, the second is a synonym of committed or firm of purpose.

9a           Object of ridicule is nevertheless outspoken (4)
BUTT – A homophone of ‘but’ (nevertheless) indicated by ‘outspoken’, The BUTT of the jokes.

10a         Don’s cruel — naughty rascal (9)
SCOUNDREL – A naughty anagram of DON’S CRUEL.

12a         Mystery of Vietnam GI never going back (6)
ENIGMA – A reversed (going back) hidden word (‘of’ simply indicating)  inside the phrase VietnAM GI NE ver

13a         One may enter after one’s turned round (8)
DOORKNOB – A nice cryptic definition.

15a         Worker has it, he is on island opposite (10)
ANTITHESIS – Start with an ANT or worker then add (has) IT, HE and IS (straight from the clue) and follow up with IS, one abbreviation of Island.

16a         North-east flower show (4)
WEAR – The flow-er or river in the North-East is also a synonym WEAR /sport/show as in a suit or button-hole flower.

18a         Virginia, house-sitter and seductress (4)
VAMP – A charade of VA – the abbreviation of the US state of Virginia and then MP – A Member of the House of Parliament who SITS in sessions.

20a         Check of eco qualities of granite due to be redrafted (5,5)
GREEN AUDIT – One of those neologisms!.  Make an anagram (redrafted) of GRANITE DUE.

23a         Grand race of people (8)
NATIONAL – The world-famous horse-race from Aintree (GRAND NATIONAL)is a cryptic definition for an adjective meaning ‘of people/nation’.

24a         Cave is reached across river (6)
GROTTO – Place GOT TO (reached) around (or across) the abb (abbreviation) R for river.

26a         Not certain if indeed cud is chewed (9)
UNDECIDED – After making an anagram (having been chewed) of INDEED CUD you get the answer.

27a         Fellow‘s insurance not complete (4)
COVE – A rum old cove is a fellow. Remove the last letter (not complete) from COVE(r) or insurance.

28a         Old style of building up — 6am breakfast at the B&B? (5,7)
EARLY ENGLISH – I’ll use BD;s hint of the day as he seems to have an issue with the current B&B starting times: “Cryptically defined as this breakfast in a B&B when served at 6 am!”. The Full English Breakfast for our foreign visitors….!

Down

2d           Private hint (8)
INTIMATE – Two definitions – the first an adjective the second a verb. Both hush-hush.

3d           No end of enthusiasm: ‘It’s a blast!’ (4)
GUST – Remove the last letter (no end of) from GUST(o) or enthusiasm.

4d           Spent frugally — income does need to be put in order (10)
ECNOMISED – An anagram )indicated by ‘need to be put in order’ of INCOME NEEDS. Liked this one!.

5d           Take no notice of topless Italian gentleman (6)
IGNORE – Remove the first letter (The top in a DOWN clue) if (s)IGNORE – the Italian gent.

6d           Put into confusion, tinkled in river! (7)
DERANGE – RANG (tinkled on the phone) inside the River Dee.

7d           Thought on the continent of freedom (12)
DELIBERATION – The French (on the continent) for OF is DE. Add Liberation or freedom.

8d           Unusually piquant, not gentle or twee (6)
QUAINT – Remove the P for Piano (gentle as an abb. in musical notation) from (p)IQUANT then make an unusual anagram.

11d         Maybe for each promotion, enterprise will follow (12)
PERADVENTURE – -An old Victorian usage but I like it!. A charade of PER (for each), AD (ab. Of advert or promotion) and then VENTURE (enterprise commercially).

14d         Where there’s an outside chance of getting drunk? (4,6)
BEER GARDEN – Remember the Summer? This is the outside place to have a beer!.

17d         Private houses (8)
BARRACKS – Another cryptic definition as the last. The Privates are the rank and file soldiery and this is where they live.

19d         One in the ring turned to drama (7)
MATADOR – An anagram (turned) of TO DRAMA. Very nice clue if you like the bull-fight.

21d         Case of four fruit outside (6)
DATIVE – Latin scholars got this straight away!. Place DATE (a fruit) outside the Latin numerals for four – IV.

22d         Reach journey’s end, irritable (6)
TOUCHY – A charae of TOUCH (reach) and then the end of the word journe(Y)

25d         Wildfowl appearing regularly is something to be revered (4)
IDOL – The figure of reverence is located in the even (regular) letters of the first word            .

Thanks to the setter. I’ll see you all next Friday.