Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27594
A full review by gnomethang
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BD Rating – Difficulty **– Enjoyment **
This puzzle was published on Saturday, 13th September 2014
Morning All! A bit of a curate’s egg for me. A couple of excellent clues and a couple that I did not care for. Also a couple that made me think and laugh.
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 Exuberant actors recoiled in false show of emotion (9,5)
CROCODILE TEARS – An anagram (indicated by exuberant) of ACTORS RECOILED.
10a Criticise Mary who cooks on TV, receiving small sound of disapproval (9)
RASPBERRY – I have never heard of the TV cook Mary BERRY. Nevertheless start with RAP (criticise) then BERRY as above and finally insert S for small – RA (S) P BERRY. Gets one from me!
11a Policeman getting tip off on Her Majesty — a work for the Met? (5)
OPERA – Remove the first letter (taking the tip of) from (c)OP or policeman, add ER for the current queen (Elizabeth Regina) and finally add the A from the clue.
12a Get keen on messy place coming clean (7)
HONESTY –Place HONE (get keen for a blade) on a STY. I was taught that A on B in an across clue meant A after B….
13a Advertising European TV with channel already selected? (6)
PRESET – A charade of PR (the abb. of advertising/Public Relations) then E for European and finally a (TV) SET
15a Polish expert (4)
BUFF – A well polished double definition!
17a and 18: Toast in base tent, foolishly — take precautions! (6,4)
BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES – My favourite clue. Take “DOWN THE HATCH” for a drinking toast and insetrt into an anagram (foolishly) of BASE TENT.
18a See 17 (3,7)
See above!
20a Leave out captain? (4)
SKIP – A definition and cryptic def – SKIP being short for Skipper/Captain.
22a Diffuse through cosmos eerily (6)
OSMOSE – A hidden word (indicated by ‘through’) inside the last two words.
23a Unnerves retired lieutenant, restrained by judges (7)
RATTLES – Reverse (retire) the LT for lieutenant and plae (or restrain him ) inside RATES for judges – RAT (TL) ES.
26a ‘Railway Children’ author endlessly recalled playwright (5)
IBSEN – When you get NESBIT, the Railway Children author all you need to do is remove the last letter (endlessly) and reverse (or recall) the result.
27a It’s a grand sight in Venice and in France to this artist (9)
CANALETTO – A great charade of CANAL (the Grand Canal being a sight in Venice) then ET (‘and’ in the French language) followed by TO from the clue.
28a Dirty tricks investing thousand in finance company (6,8)
MONKEY BUSINESS – Place a K (Thousand or Grand) inside of MONEY BUSINESS (finance company). Anyone who thought that a Monkey was a grand go to the foot of the Bow Bells.
Down
2d Sticky stuff keeps son in check (5)
RESIN – Place the abb. S for Son inside REIN or check/control.
3d Picasso, for instance, succeeded in old measure (6)
CUBIST – My last one in. S for S(ucceded) in the family tree placed inside a CUBIT – a measurement dating back to Noah’s Ark in the Bible.
4d Bowler’s tally in local contest (5,5)
DERBY MATCH – A bowler hat is also known as a DERBY. Add MATCH for Tally.
5d Sets down poems (4)
LAYS – Two definitions – to putting down a baby and also a poem set to music.
6d Troon WI misused golf club (3,4)
TWO IRON – A misused anagram of TROON WI and a rarely used golf club!
7d Australian landmark broadcasts on radio with popular music (5,4)
AYERS ROCK – AYERS, a homophone (on radio) of airs and then ROCK music.
8d Reporter at Olympics, perhaps, could make last sprint go with it (8,6)
STARTING PISTOL – The gun that makes a report/bang at the Olympics could be an anagram of LAST SPRINT GO and (with) IT.
9d Mini riot breaking out with bishop banning alcohol (14)
PROHIBITIONISM – An anagram (breaking out) of MINI RIOT and (with) BISHOP.
14d Soldiers taking German gentleman in old military vehicles (5,5)
OTHER RANKS – Place HERR (a German Gent) inside O for Old and TANKS (military vehicles). Nice surface reading.
16d Member of society that’s dispensed with forenames (9)
FREEMASON – An anagram (dispensed with) of FORENAMES.
19d Want expert to limit cattle disease heading north (7)
ABSENCE – The ACE (expert) is containing (limiting) BSE – The cattle disease ) and the heading of North – N.
21d Scarf on top of neck is hot (6)
STOLEN – Place a STOLE (scarf) on top of N for North.
24d Place fortune on American sports car (5)
LOTUS – LOT for fortune on top of US for American.
25d Second taxi to refuse to come out (4)
SCAB – S for Second and CAB for Taxi.
It’s a week off for me – I’ll see you all Thursday week.
Not a show stopper of a crossword but ok for a Saturday morning on recovery from a heavy Friday evening. I enjoyed 16d as I have been a member for more years than I care to remember. Thanks to Gnomethang for a splendid review an to the setter for keeping me amused for a wee while.