Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27533
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
My apologies for the late posting, but it had totally slipped my mind that Deep Threat had advised me that he was unavailable today due to a family bereavement. I’m sure some will enjoy this somewhat pedestrian Giovanni puzzle, but I am not among them.
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 Irishman is admitting love, in a manner of speaking (6)
{PATOIS} – a name often associated with an Irishman and IS around O (love)
5a Sort of post made of wood mum’s put in (8)
{FOREMAST} – this post is found nearest to the bow of a ship – put some woodland around the two-letter abbreviation for mum
9a Designer of military show presented to the Queen (8)
{TATTOOER} – a military show which is usually held at night followed by the Queen’s regnal cipher
10a Mess in the centre of study? (6)
{MIDDEN} – this archaic word for a mess is a charade of a three-letter word meaning in the centre of and a study
11a Cross woman’s wanting husband to look good (3,1,4)
{CUT A DASH} – a verb meaning to cross or intersect followed by a woman’s name, the S from ‘S and H(usband)
12a I’m Scot messing about in TV programme (6)
{SITCOM} – an anagram (messing about) of I’M SCOT
13a Most magnificent match preceded by terrible rage (8)
{GREATEST} – an International cricket or rugby match preceded by an anagram (terrible) of RAGE
15a Way unpretentious saint becomes invisible (4)
{MODE} – to get this way or method drop (becomes invisible) the abbreviation for a saint from the end of an adjective meaning unpretentious
17a Some racer, this! It’s sure to win! (4)
{CERT} – hidden (some) inside the clue
19a Assertive about not drinking alcohol, one becomes badly behaved (8)
{BRATTISH} – an adjective meaning assertive or self-confident around the two-letter abbreviation for not drinking alcohol and I (one)
20a Gin man briefly knocked back making exit (6)
{DEPART} – a gin or snare and a two-letter abbreviated form of a man’s name all reversed (knocked back)
21a Carry on with syndicate betting (8)
{WAGERING} – a verb meaning to carry on or engage in followed by a syndicate or cartel
22a Selected for team with other prisoners? (6)
{INSIDE} – split as (2,4) this could mean selected for the team
23a Most well set to pass away with tears being shed all round (8)
{READIEST} – a verb meaning to pass away inside (all round) an anagram (being shed) of TEARS
24a One works with lifeless arms (8)
{GUNSMITH} – a rather poor cryptic definition of a craftsman who makes small arms
25a Ecclesiastical offence by saint is unknown (6)
{SIMONY} – the name of a saint followed by a mathematical unknown
Down
2d A top company outside centre of Hull — in port (8)
{ACAPULCO} – the A from the clue, a top or lid and CO(mpany) around the inner letters of [H]UL[L] gives a port in southern Mexico
3d Go beyond nature and go wild (8)
{OUTRANGE} – an anagram (wild) of NATURE and GO
4d Work hard on article always as one promoting a cause (9)
{SLOGANEER} – a four-letter verb meaning to work hard followed by the two-letter indefinite article and a poetic word for always
5d Salesman hopes to sell object thus, if you think that matters (3,4,3,5)
{FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH} – a salesman would hope to sell an object for its full value
6d Wanting only the best in hotel, it is thought (7)
{ELITIST} – hidden inside (in) the clue
7d Sailor given order, losing heart, is to give up (8)
{ABDICATE} – the usual sailor followed by an order or rule without its middle letter (losing heart)
8d Belief blokes should be housed in family apartment? (8)
{TENEMENT} – a belief with some blokes inside (housed in)
14d Fish of poor quality poet brought aboard ship (9)
{STINGRAYS} – an adjective meaning of poor quality and the name of a poet famous for his elegy inside (brought aboard) the usual ship
15d Average playing of violin — male leader, not female (8)
{MIDDLING} – a verb meaning playing the violin with the initial letter (leader) F(emale) replaced by M(ale)
16d Stop little woman keeping a father and son pinned down (8)
{DIAPASON} – this organ stop is a charade of a short (little) woman’s name, the A from the clue, a two-letter word for father and SON
17d Glamour surrounds revolutionary model’s movement popular with workers (8)
{CHARTISM} – some glamour around (surrounds) the reversal (revolutionary) of a verb meaning to pose gives a 19c reform movement that campaigned for the extension of political power to the working classes
18d Verbally attacks plump boy (6,2)
{ROUNDS ON} – an adjective meaning plump or rotund followed by a boy
19d Specially designed bedroom — could it send you to sleep? (7)
{BOREDOM} – an anagram (specially designed) of BEDROOM
What did you think?
The Quick crossword pun: (soup} + {eerier} = {superior}
Not a problem for me. I’m just pleased we get reviews at all and I am grateful to all the bloggers who give freely of their time to help those of us who sometimes need assistance.
Unfortunately cannot open 27533 – struggling today and need your help!
Annie if you click on the comments link youi can get in that way
Welcome to the blog Annie
Should be OK now. I forgot to add a title to the post.
No problems, but no smiles either. Usual couple of words I’ve not heard of in 16D and 25A but not hard to work out. 17D gave me some pause. Thanks to the setter and to BD for the review and stepping into the breach. Condolences to DT.
I agree with both bifield & BD. I completed the puzzle but did not find it to be on of Giovanni’s better efforts. So ***/** from me today (also thanks to the (Don)
Btw BD I could only access your review via the ‘comments’ hyperlink as the crossword number hyperlink does appear on my tablet – Is it just me?
Sorry – that should have ‘doesn’t appear’
surely 5 across is forest with Ma inside. Do not need to use the ‘S
as for 14 down, I am still clueless
THANKS for all the helpful and entertaining hints and solutions
Welcome to the blog Dann
You are quite right and I’ve changed the hint. More haste less speed as they say.
14D is TIN and GRAY, inside SS. I had to do a little dictionary work to remind myself that tinny can mean “cheaply and flimsily made”.
I really enjoyed solving this one – agree with 3* for difficulty. Thx to setter and BD.
I thought it was a Toughie in disguise; some obscure words, even more obscure definitions (sort of post = part of a ship – really?) and lots of unhelpful double unches. Took me three goes and a lot of electronic checking to get there and I can’t say I enjoyed it much. 24a would work much better if tired replaced lifeless – these chaps mostly repair not make. 4*/1* for me.
At least only six double unches today comapred to the plethora yesterday ;)
I made it eight
I found the bottom half very difficult, for some reason and really appreciated the hints when they came. I am very glad it was only an oversight that caused the slight delay and not something more serious.The postings are so regular and reliable that I did wonder. Thanks to all concerned.
Having recently retired getting to grips with crosswords, found this one to be below usual standard, it had me leaping to the thesaurus.
I found it harder than the Saturday prize offering.
Welcome to the blog Pete
To be fair, it has been traditional for a long time now that the Saturday Prize Puzzle be fairly easy – presumably so that it attracts more entries, and with it more addresses to harvest for subsequent mail campaigns.
Quite a logical crossword ,which suits me, although somewhat pedestrian in the wordplay, so a **/** .16d a new word also 25a,but as I said the a logical solve so the solutions soon arrived, can’t say there were any d’oh moments or inbuilt humour, all in all a bit ‘flat’ like Mr Murray.
Thank you DG. I found this difficult to get started and then more difficult to progress ! I managed to finish it, only because of the hints were delayed otherwise I would certainly have resorted to them to bring the unequal struggle to a conclusion. So I suppose I should be pleased to finish without resort to extra help. I certainly needed the BRB close to hand for the usual Friday introduction to new words – plenty of them today. Thanks BD for your review and hints. The short delay forced me to think for myself
It all seemed rather a struggle and not much fun.
Well, I found this quite a slog, so glad to get done. Thank you BD for keeping us from drowning. I often seem to struggle with Thursday’s puzzle, but don’t know why…. But thank you, setter, nevertheless. And I know it’s Friday today, so am hoping I’m not adding to my Thursday struggles!
Oh good – I thought it might be just me. I thought this was quite tricky (at least 3*) and a bit on the dull side so only 2* for enjoyment.
My last two answers were 21a and 14d – don’t know why really.
Three new words for me today – 10 and 25a and 16d.
16d took ages – I thought it was going to be one of the “little women” in the book and could only remember three of them – oh dear – got there in the end.
In 19d I’m a bit doubtful about brash=assertive. I think there is a difference between the two.
I liked 15 and 18d. My favourite was 19d.
With thanks to Giovanni and BD.
. . . or even 19a.
10a would be familiar to all fans of Professor Mick from Time Team!
Sorry to be dim but I don’t understand.
The late and much missed Professor Mick Aston from Time Team always liked it when a medieval or even later midden turned up as he thought you could tell so much from the stuff people threw away.
I’m really none the wiser but thanks anyway – Mr Google might be busy . . .
Scots often refer to a compost heap as a midden
Thanks to Giovannis for an enjoyable and slightly tricky puzzle and to BD for the review.
Hmm, some strange words being used as answers in this crossword; I cant say I really enjoyed it, but then there’s always tomorrow…
Thanks to all
Completed this with a bit of electronic help and found it rather satisfying as I normally struggle considerably with the don’s puzzles. Maybe attempting his aliases in the guardian and independent have helped.. Thanks to BD for the hints which I didn’t need today and thanks to Giovanni ***/3.5*
The least satisfying c/w for me this year – I was just not on the same wavelength. 24a was a poor clue; 16d and 25a were totally new to me and my favourite was 15d. Thanks to BD for the hints. 4*/1*. I shall console myself with what I trust will be a great match between France and Germany.
I see even Big Boab found this slightly tricky, so what hope for the rest of us? We managed to finish without much help, but it took two goes with a dog walk in between, and it was just a bit irritating for some reason. Anyway, thank you to the setter and to BD for the explanations.
All done any my favourite of the working week. 29a is new for me.
Tough but fair as you would expect from the Don.
I’m sure no one will be surprised that 25a was a new word to me but Google came to the rescue. Best for me was 13a and the worst was 15a, needed the hint to explain the answer although ‘way’ was the key.
Thx to all.
This is not Giovanni at his best! Quicker solve than usual.
This morning we shopped in St. Aygulf for basics and got back home as it started to rain.
Lunch was moules marinieres and the dinner will be fish. as well.
Managed to complete it without the hints except for 25a which is a new word for me. Found it quite tricky though. My favourite was 15d. 3*/3* for me. Writing this with an eye on France versus Germany on television. Allez les bleus! Many thanks to Giovanni and BD.
I meant 25a too! Lord’s tomorrow with the Prize Crossword.
Oh dear – it looks as if I’m the only one who thinks that brash and assertive are two very different things.
Shall I shut up now or keep on about it?
I think so, too.
Thanks – just you and me then.
Well, I finished the crossword in good time. Came here to check one answer. Returned to the iPad app … and, for the fifteenth time in six days, it had wiped all my answers. There are hundreds of reviews in the App Store that rubbish the latest ‘bug fixes’ – that have introduced more and worse bugs. It really is pathetic. I think the developer does it in his spare time … when he’s not being the village idiot. What does it take to get the management to take notice?
Rant over.
Whenever we sit down with a Friday puzzle we always make sure we have the BRB within reach. It was needed for a couple of answers. We enjoyed the solve that took just a little longer than the usual Friday.
Thanks Giovanni and BD.
I love ‘pedestrian’ and I love constructing, without assistance, new words, eg 25a.
Many thanks Giovanni for an enjoyable work out, and BD for the review.
I would go for 3*/3*, although it took longer than usual to complete, but l fear that was just me being (even) more than usually dense. 16d and 25a were new words to me, so thanks to Giovanni for expanding my vocabulary. As for a favourite, l can’t choose between 15 and 17d. Thanks BD for the review as well.
When I have a busy day and get home later than usual I find it tiring to read the clues never mind attempt to solve them. This is why I sometimes miss reading and contributing to the blog. However, this evening, I just sailed through this without reference to the review. This is a rare occurrence for me so shall have dinner and a glass (or two perhaps) of cheeky red in a greatly contented mood and raise my glass in thanks to BD for his review.
Thanks to Giovanni and to Big Dave for the review and hints. A very difficult puzzle that took me all day, but didn’t raise one smile. Too many obscure words, 16&17d and 25a. Was 4*/1* for me.
After a long, hot, tiring, painful (dentist) day, I was hoping for some fun before turning in. Sadly, this offering from the Don didn’t provide it. Oh well, there’s always whisky. Thanks to BD for stepping in 3*/2*
As an alternative to BD’s guide to 17d, I would like to propose it as ‘most of “charism(a)” with a famous Ford car “t” inserted. Overall I found much of this puzzle beyond me with words outside my vocabulary, like 2d and 3d.
i thought it was straightforward other than gunsmith, i don’t understand the lifeless
Simony was one of the sins punished in Inferno. The perpetrator, whose name I forget, was buried waist deep over a chest of gold. Only he was buried head down and his feet were set on fire.
Welcome to the blog Michael