Daily Telegraph No 28264
A full review by gnomethang
This puzzle was published on 5th November 2016
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Morning All! The difficulty was upped this week and I found the puzzle all the better for it.
Across
1a Rather dull people — time to give some flattery? (12)
BLANDISHMENT – A charade of BLANDISH (rather dull), MEN for people and then T for Time.
9a Sort of contract for sirloin or rib-eye perhaps (2-5)
NO-TRUMP – Split as NOT RUMP to allude cryptically to a different cut of steak to those quoted.
10a Overturned race held by personnel dept — fresh start needed (7)
REBIRTH – This is a TRIBE or race held inside HR (Human Resources or personnel dept) all reversed (Overturned).
11a Cooking equipment is gourmet’s first problem (7)
GRIDDLE – G for the first letter of G(ourmet) followed by a RIDDLE or problem.
12a King with delay about to alight from carriage (7)
DETRAIN – R for Rex (King) with DETAIN (delay) around or about it.
13a Bank provides accommodation for $1,000 animal (5)
TIGER – A TIER or bank of seats with G for Grand ($1000) inside (being accommodated)
14a Angus brought back esoteric sweet stuff (5,4)
SUGAR CANE – Reverse GUS (Angus in short) and then add ARCANE for esoteric. Also stop trying to make ARLOAF fit!.
16a Person serving minor nobleman shortly behind the Queen (9)
BARTENDER – An abbreviation (abb.) of Baronet is BART. Follow that with END (behind) and E.R. for Elizabeth Regina – the Queen.
19a Mexican ready to assemble posse (5)
PESOS – Ready here being a Usual Suspect meaning money. Make an anagram (to assemble) of POSSE.
21a French cop in international force (7)
INFLICT – The French slang for the police is “les flics” so one of them is a FLIC. Place him inside INT, the abb. Of INTernational.
23a Shame on you getting stuck into booze more like Botham? (7)
BEEFIER – Place FIE (an archaic term meaning ‘shame on you’) inside BEER/booze.
24a Facial expression shows I’m in blissful state (7)
GRIMACE – I’M from the clue in a blissful state of GRACE.
25a Crackpot embroiled in a cult (7)
LUNATIC – An embroiled’ anagram of IN A CULT and a very smooth surface reading.
26a By implication, fat royal without consideration (12)
UNTHINKINGLY – Fat, by implication, is UN-THIN. Add KINGLY for royal.
Down
1d In cricket club, Bell’s sound (7)
BATTING – In is the simple definition (In at the crease in Cricket). Ad a BAT/Cricket club and the TING of a (small) bell.
2d Like the following text in pieces (7)
ASUNDER – AS for Like and then UNDER – all the following text in the down clues.
3d Act to hold newspapers down (9)
DEPRESSED – A DEED or act containing (to hold) the PRESS or newspapers collectively.
4d Scrap and run in Slough (5)
SHRED – R for Run (from the cricket abb.) inside SHED or slough a skin.
5d Criminal robs: Met Police seek him (7)
MOBSTER – One of the easier clues and another solid surface reading. A criminal anagram of ROBS MET.
6d Peace vehicle impounded in Iran unfortunately (7)
NIRVANA – A VAN or vehicle inside an unfortunate anagram of IRAN.
7d Men on board captain’s place on ship — posh area (13)
KNIGHTSBRIDGE – The KNIGHTS or chess pieces (on board) followed by the BRIDGE where the captain works on a ship.
8d Thus nerd in crash with traffic staggered (13)
THUNDERSTRUCK – An anagram (in crash) of THUS NERD with TRUCK (traffic/dealings as in ‘I have no truck with this’) afterwards.
15d US soldier captures a coarse Italian revolutionary (9)
GARIBALDI – A GI (General Issue/Infantry) or US soldier containing/captures A from the clue and RIBALD or coarse.
17d One’s violent if brought up in care of rugby enthusiast (7)
RUFFIAN – A rugby enthusiast might be called an R.U. FAN. Reverse (it is brought up) IF and place inside.
18d Inscription around grave — a record before death finally (7)
EPITAPH – AN EP – extended play record around PIT (mass grave) and A from the clue before adding the final letter in (deat)H.
19d Old German bit writer about France having upset drink (7)
PFENNIG – The bit being a coin. Place a PEN/writer around F for France and then reverse/upset the drink of GIN.
20d Arch bridges are not perfect (7)
SAINTLY – SLY or arche goes around (bridges) AIN’T for ‘are not’.
22d Maybe book of film that is in the can (3-2)
TIE-IN – Place I.E. , the abb. of Id Est or ‘that is’ in Latin inside a TIN can.
I’ll see you all in a fortnight