Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27965
A full review by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
This puzzle was published on Saturday, 21st November 2015
Took me a teeny bit longer than usual on a Saturday but any puzzle that includes the wonderful word in 14a is fine by me.
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Across
1a Supports daughter in university exam (7)
TRIPODS – D (daughter) in TRIPOS (any of the honours examinations at the University of Cambridge
5a Some maths to give a broken leg support (7)
ALGEBRA – A (from the clue), an anagram (broken) of LEG and BRA (support).
9a Inscription for tombstone adorning cathedral (5)
RIPON – RIP (inscription for tombstone) ON (adorning).
10a Sprinter representing America during race (5,4)
USAIN BOLT – USA (America) IN BOLT (during race)
11a Moving crazy subject for debate (10)
LOCOMOTION – LOCO (crazy) MOTION (subject for debate)
12a Hairdo for every male (4)
PERM – PER (for every) M (male).
14a Extremely old, frolicking nude in Latvia (12)
ANTEDILUVIAN – An anagram (frolicking) of NUDE IN LATVIA
18a Trick Yank, one such as 10 (4,1,4,3)
PULL A FAST ONE – PULL (yank) A FAST ONE, such as the person in 10a.
21a Key followed by old singer (4)
ALTO – ALT (key on computer keyboard) O (old).
22a Two points for this change of religion (10)
CONVERSION – Something for which you’d score two points in a rugby match could also be a change of religion.
25a What could trouble retina? Yes! (9)
EYESTRAIN – An anagram (trouble) of RETINA YES
26a Bird one shot above albatross (5)
EAGLE – When playing golf an albatross is three strokes less than par, and an EAGLE two strokes less than par, so one shot above.
27a Nick appears in TV — that’s feasible (7)
TENABLE – NAB (nick) inserted in TELE (TV)
28a Make money holding a scripture lesson in religious building (7)
MINARET – A RE (a scripture lesson) inserted into MINT (make money).
Down
1d Hour in work provides excitement (6)
THRILL – HR (hour) inserted into TILL (work the land).
2d Influence one legislator to do something (6)
IMPACT – I (one) MP (legislator) ACT (do something).
3d Fancy celebrity books being taken into test! (10)
ORNAMENTAL – NAME (celebrity) and NT (New Testament books) taken into ORAL (test).
4d Sidetrack to avoid centre of Stratford (5)
SHUNT – SHUN (void) T (the ‘centre’ of StraTford)
5d Scientist makes a military alliance fret (9)
ANATOMIST – A (from the clue) NATO (military alliance) MIST (fret).
6d Leaving without International medal (4)
GONG – Remove I (without International) from GOING (leaving).
7d Non-biker somehow prepared for riding (6,2)
BROKEN IN – An anagram (somehow) of NON BIKER.
8d Athenian character gets in some sort of metal (8)
ANTIMONY – TIMON (of Athens) inserted into ANY (some)
13d Shoot head gardener’s product (6,4)
RUNNER BEAN – RUNNER (shoot) BEAN (head).
15d Build up English party address (9)
ELABORATE – E (English) LAB (Labour Party) ORATE (address).
16d Father turns up with mother perhaps in sight (8)
APPARENT – A reversal (turns up in a Down clue) of PA (father) followed by PARENT (mother perhaps).
17d Coffee consumed by nurse, a messy type (8)
SLATTERN – LATTE (coffee) ‘consumed by’ or inserted into SRN (State Registered Nurse).
19d It’s grand abroad* ship, delay departure (6)
LINGER – G (grand) inserted into (aboard*) LINER (ship). When I solved the puzzle and later on in the day prepared the first draft of the review, the typo ‘abroad’ appeared in both paper and online versions. Because you see what you expect to see, would anyone who hadn’t had to look at the clue carefully in order to explain it have noticed the spelling error?? Certainly the first comment on the blog which referred to the error didn’t appear until 5.42pm
20d Camping set (6)
INTENT – Split another word for set (on doing something) 2, 4 and you get the ‘camping’ reference.
23d Have no mercy showing spite (5)
VENOM – Hidden in haVE NO Mercy.
24d Stick salad starter on bill (4)
STAB – S (the ‘starter’ of Salad and TAB (bill).
S2
I was another who missed the 19d typo until it was pointed out. I also agreed with those on Saturday who thought 9a a poor clue – how can cathedral define Ripon? (it’s like clueing Blackpool as ‘tower’ or Warwick as ‘castle’). I did like 1a, 22a and 28a. Thanks to Mr Ron and crypticsue.
With regard to the typo (which has now been corrected in the online version) you can count me in as one who missed it at the time.
I wonder how many know that your “wonderful word” in 14a actually means “existing or happening before the flood”, a reference to the times of Noah and his ark.
I did email Phil on Saturday about the typo which is how it got corrected mid-afternoon.
At the risk of inviting cheeky remarks about my age, I did indeed know the meaning of the word in 14a.
According to my notes at the time 14a leapt off the page at me don’t know why and this set me off happily into the rest of the crossword. Thank you CS, I am trying to take your advice about walking away then coming back but this week has been a struggle.
I didn’t see the 19d typo either.
I didn’t get 10a for ages but really liked it when I did.
As always I forgot about the 21a key – the ‘esc’ gets me every time too.
I liked 10a and 4d.
With thanks to whoever set this one and to CS for the review.