DT 28018

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28018

A full review by gnomethang

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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***

This puzzle was published on Saturday, 23rd January 2016

Morning All! This was almost a write-in apart from about 3 clues. There were a few amusing and elegant clues in there so I did enjoy it upon reviewing.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.  You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five best!

Across

1a           What makes crust start to rise in pie? (6)
PASTRY – Place the starting letter of R(ise) inside a PASTY or pie.

4a           English journalists will tuck in exceedingly and drink (8)
ESPRESSO – E for English and SO for exceedingly/very with the PRESS or journalists collectively tucked inside.

9a           Place found in rickety pier causing undulation (6)
RIPPLE – PL, the abb. for Place on a street map found inside an anagram (rickety) of PIER.

10a         One car is overturned in plan of action (8)
SCENARIO – An overturned anagram of ONE CAR IS.

11a         Poet‘s house next to watercourse (6)
HORACE – HO for house placed next to a RACE for watercourse (a fast flowing stream).

12a         Alan’s suffering little sister following day’s end breakdown (8)
ANALYSIS – An anagram (suffering) of ALAN and then SIS (a little SISter) following Y – the end of (da)Y.

14a         Little time for sleep? (5,5)
SMALL HOURS – I wanted Forty Winks but this is a different clue – SMALL for little and HOURS for (a length of) time.

18a         Not drinking as sailors can — leading French in this? (10)
ABSTINENCE – A charade of ABS (Able Bodied Seamen or sailors) then TIN (can) and finally EN and CE – ‘in’ and ;this’ in French.

22a         Squirts rush out when it’s played on the lawn (8)
HOSEPIPE – On the Day BD described it as a weak cryptic definition. If the squirts are small children, and they rush out(side) to play when the HOSEPIPE is played on the lawn then I think it is quite a nice clue!.

23a         ‘Nearly all.’ — ‘Nearly all?’ — ‘Nearly …’ (6)
ALMOST – The first ‘Nearly all’ is AL(l), the second simply means MOST. Nice clue.

24a         Living with cook as a temporary solution (5-3)
QUICK FIX – To be living/alive is to be QUICK (q.v. ‘Be Quick or be Dead’ and Quicksilver (mercury)). Add FIX for cook (an Americanism as far as I am concerned!).

25a         Ollie’s partner’s spoken a few lines (6)
STANZA – This is STANZ, a homophone (spoken) of STAN’S (Laurel, the comedy partner of Ollie), followed by A from the clue

26a         Old and sore — stretcher required? (8)
EXTENDER – A charade of EX (old/former) and then TENDER for sore (which is on the banned word list).

27a         Game groom’s first to be hugged by future relative (6)
BRIDGE – The first letter of G(room) included in (hugged by) a BRIDE or future relative.

Down

1d           Buy tea bag on the way round (8)
PURCHASE – A nice diverting lift and separate between tea (CHA) and bag (PURSE). Place the latter around the former.

2d           Prue’s new chap is one with great abilities (8)
SUPERMAN – An anagram (indicated by new) of PRUES followed by MAN for chap. Meh!

3d           Check of presents? (4-4)
ROLL-CALL – The check being of those that are present in this nice cryptic definition.

5d           After short time, speed becomes uninspiring (6-4)
SECOND-RATE – A charade of SECOND (a short time) and then RATE for speed.

6d           Cause long-term irritation in right joint (6)
RANKLE – R for Right and then the ANKL:E joint – nice and straightforward.

7d           Teacher misses motorway pressure (6)
STRESS – Remove the MI or M1 from a school (mi)STRESS.

8d           Old boy is to broadcast as orchestra member (6)
OBOIST – OB, the Abb. for Old Boy from school followed by an anagram (broadcast) of IS TO.

13d         Award one fails to win (5,5)
BOOBY PRIZE – I couldn’t get away from the Wooden Spoon for a while!

15d         Pump provided by men in apartment above (8)
INFLATOR – Take the OR (Other ranks in the army i.e. ‘men’) and add IN from the clue and FLAT/apartment above it (in a down clue).

16d         Urged United to support 27 opponents (8)
ENJOINED – JOINED or United go underneath (supporting in a Down clue) E(ast) and N(orth) who are opponents in a game of bridge.

17d         Eat with wife — have outside in warm spell (8)
HEATWAVE – Place EAT and W(ife) inside HAVE from the clue. Just a write in really!

19d         Verify said money order (6)
CHEQUE – A homophone (said) of CHECK (verify).

20d         Help musician starting late (6)
ASSIST – Remove the first letter (starting late) of (b)ASSIST.

21d         Declared Scots know to get half of spoils beforehand (6)
SPOKEN – Place half of SPO(ils) before KEN – the Scots dialect for ‘know’.

I’ll see you all next Friday unless I see you this coming Saturday!