Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28425
Hints and tips by Miffypops
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good day from the rather damp heart of Downtown LI. The very succinct Deep Threat is unavailable today so you have the wordy Miffypops sitting in for you. Giovanni is in fine form today throwing in a couple of words I have not seen before. The fairness of his clueing makes them easy to solve.
The hints and tips are there to help you to an answer if you need help. Furthermore they should help you to understand why an answer is correct when you are not quite sure. Definitions are underlined. The actual answers are hidden beneath the words ‘Click here!‘.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Destructive types raid coast furiously, led by monarch (11)
ERADICATORS: Anagram (furiously) of RAID COAST with our monarch’s initials in front ( led by)
9a Ultimately manager riles football team (7)
RANGERS: The final (ultimately) letter of manager is followed by a synonym for the word riles. Together they form one of Glasgow’s football teams
10a An alto sadly lacking a certain musical quality (6)
ATONAL: Anagram (sadly) of AN ALTO
12a Policeman and doctor let loose (7)
MOUNTIE: This Canadian policeman can be found by using a doctor or Medical Orderly and adding a word meaning let loose as one would if one released knots on a prisoners ropes
13a Ray maybe keeps work quiet, being wet (7)
FOPPISH: This Ray swims in the sea but is not a mammal. He keeps inside himself our usual crosswordland abbreviations for work and quiet
14a Working for characters in Sunderland (5)
UNDER: A hidden word denoted by the words characters in
15a Most worthless fool finally attempts to get in touch (9)
PALTRIEST: Take the final letter of the word fool (fool finally) add a verb meaning attempts. Now place these inside (in) a word meaning to touch as one would a cat or dog.
17a Footballer getting sacked had an unfortunate effect (9)
BACKFIRED: This footballer is not a forward. Use him and add a word meaning to have been sacked from a job.
20a Stein’s original potato dish is a hit (5)
SMASH: Use the first or original letter of Stein’s and add a potato dish. The one where you bash the hell out of the spuds and add butter and cream or milk
22a Run meal organised for 2 or 3, say (7)
NUMERAL: Anagram (organised) of RUN MEAL
24a Circle with peer and politician, both inadequate (7)
EQUATOR: This circle encompassing the world is made up of two unfinished (inadequate) words. A synonym for peer and a conservative politician
25a Little woman closed, having not finished, a book (6)
JOSHUA: Begin with one of Louisa May Alcotts characters from her book Little Women. You have Meg Jo Beth and Amy to choose from. Add a word meaning closed minus its last letter (having not finished) Now add the letter A from the clue. The result is one of the books of the Old Testament
26a Put a hard coat on metal, front edge being lost with corrosion (7)
INCRUST: Begin with a silvery white metal that has lost its first letter (front edge being lost). Add a word meaning corrosion usually associated with iron or steel. This is a new word for me.
27a Spy dispatched, having collected odd bits of gear etc (6,5)
SECRET AGENT: An anagram (odd bits of) GEAR ETC is placed inside (having collected) a word meaning dispatched
Down
2d Become a member again, as penitent person but no pawn (2-5)
RE-ENTER: A seven letter word meaning a penitent person drops the letter p (the abbreviation for pawn in chess notation)
3d Paint is something that can affect dogs badly (9)
DISTEMPER: A double definition, the first being a kind of paint using glue or size instead of an oil base, for use on walls or for scene-painting and the second a viral disease of some animals, especially dogs, causing fever, coughing, and catarrh
4d Guy with a couple of females after church (5)
CHAFF: A verb meaning to tease can be worked out by using an abbreviation of church followed by the letter A lifted from the clue and two (a couple of) abbreviations of the word female
5d Soldier held up by fire, poor thing (7)
TROOPER: A lurker. Hiding away within the words of the clue. Indicated by the word held. Deviously the word up tells us that it is a reversed lurker or a rekrul.
6d Understand what could be easier will engage learner (7)
REALISE: Anagram (what could be) of EASIER around (will engage) the abbreviation for a learner
7d Highest-quality 27 as investment in lottery (7,4)
PREMIUM BOND: The first word here means of a higher or superior quality. The second refers to the answer to 27 across. The word required is the surname of one such as this. A fictional character in a series of books by Ian Fleming and a character in a series of preposterous and silly films
8d Provided the last bit expected to be brought in (6)
ENDUED: A three letter word meaning the last bit has a three letter word meaning expected inside it as indicated by the words to be brought in. I don’t think I have met this word before.
11d Yon revolutionary has ceremony befitting right-wing politician (11)
THATCHERITE: Yon here is a determiner with four letters referring to a specific thing. The revolutionary is Mr Guevara’s Christian name. The final four letters are a synonym for a ceremony
16d Heather, full of terrible dread, is running (9)
LADDERING: Begin with an alternative name for the plant Heather. Insert (full of) an anagram (terrible) of DREAD. I believe the answer refers to faults in nylon stockings or tights
18d Design firm wants male model (7)
COMPOSE: Join an abbreviation for company (firm) an abbreviation for male and a verb meaning to assume a particular position in order to be photographed, painted, or drawn.
19d Help to a greater extent (7)
FURTHER: A double definition. The first being a verb meaning to help the progress or development of something
20d A little bit in cup soon dissolving (7)
SOUPÇON: Anagram (dissolving) of ÇUP SOON. Please note the use of the cedilla
21d King with skill, taking time, missing nothing (6)
ARTHUR: This king noted for his round table can be found by using a three lettered noun meaning the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power followed by a period of time, one twenty-fourth of a day minus (missing nothing) the letter that looks like zero. This is possibly the longest sentence I have ever written. The emboldened italicised words have been copied and pasted from google definitions. I’m not that clever you know
23d Most insignificant saint buried under meadow (5)
LEAST: Our favourite crosswordland abbreviation of the word Saint is placed after (buried under) our favourite crosswordland synonym for a meadow.
I though this to be an excellent puzzle. How about you?
The Quick Crossword pun: Autumn+attic=automatic
Hi MP, well done for stepping into the breach.
I found this on the gentler side from Giovanni, I am currently stricken with man-flu, so a good opportunity to do the crossword while my brain was still working.
Last in was 8d, fav was 25a.
Rain at last in London!!
Sorry to hear you are under the weather Hoofs
Seem to recall you are a bit of a bird (feathered) man. We are on vacation in the US. & a Mourning Dove (so I have identified from Google) has a nest on top of the fan housing on thebalcony. It is hatching 2 eggs & the owner thinks the eggs are due to hatch while we are here. The bird is oblivious to us & according to the owner she hadn’t moved for a week now. Hoewever Mr Google said the male and female usually share the duty & sure enough this morning Mr (or Mrs) appeared & they swapped over. We now await the joyous birth.
Hi LROK, hope you are having a good time in the US.
As you say, I am a committed birder, so the Mourning Doves are of interest. I am off to Pegwell Bay on the East Kent coast to look at the summer waders and wildfowl.
Millwall in the play-off finals next Saturday, so fingers crossed.
Neither of us are & it is fascinating to see “nature in action” literally from our settee. How they know what to do without Mumsnet etc.!
Watched a bit of your team before we left & they deserved it. Will follow on the internet. Wanted Fleetwood to get there. Something appealing about a team having fans called the Cod Army.
**/*** – some head scratching required and one or two answers that mystified me on the parsing, especially 4d; it took a lot of Chambers’ searching to understand that one.
Several potential favourites, but I think 7d comes out on top.
Thanks to Giovanni and MP.
On the easier side for a Giovanni puzzle,but I just couldnt work out 11d. Favourites 4d & 8d. 2.5*/2.5* Many thanks to the Don and MP.
Initial trepidation was soon dispelled and then I enjoyed grappling with today’s offering. Thank you Giovanni and the self-confessed “wordy” MP particularly for the description of the difference between the two music qualities in 10a. 24a as Fav just beat 11d to the finishing-post. I failed to parse 2d and wasn’t sure where “guy” came into 4d. Hear hear HFYD finally we too have had proper rain in West Sussex. ☔️
2*/2*. I found this straightforward but a tiny bit dull rather like the weather where I am at The Oval and rain has stopped play.
Thanks to setter and to MP.
A pleasant and comfortable puzzle from The Don this damp morning. I felt this was a 2*/3* overall, with 24a just about the pick of the clues and beating 7d into second place.
Thanks Giovanni for cheering up this dank part of the world, and to MP for filling in so ably.
Managed to complete with 3year old grandson asleep on my lap! **/***, favourite 11d for image of Mrs T as a right wing revolutionary. One or two ‘Don specialities’ – obscure words and one bible book. Great stuff, thanks to all.
Have a vague recollection of meeting 8d before but 26a was definitely new to me and had to be verified with the BRB once 16d had negated what I had thought was the initial letter.
20a and MP’s clip for same made me smile. The first time I was allowed to holiday without my parents involved a week’s stay in a caravan with my ‘best friend’. We existed for the whole week on a diet of tinned hotdogs and 20a washed down with cheap plonk.
Pick of the bunch for me today were 12a & 7d with a mention for the lovely word at 20d.
Thanks to DG and to MP. If you have the time, MP, you might enjoy the Hoskins puzzle in Tuesday’s Indy. Rather up your street I thought.
Honest solutions
Not much time today and wasn’t getting very far, so had to resort to Miffypops’ hints for several across clues. Once I had them in, the checkers helped with most of the down answers. Not heard of 26a, nor 8d. Favourite was 3d, clever cryptic. I guess I was just not on Giovanni’s wavelength. But enjoyed nevertheless.
Like some others I have not come across 8d and 26ac before and needed help from MP for 8d. Favourite clue must be 24ac as I kept trying to fit an O in for circle before it finally clicked. ***/*** for me, many thanks to the Don and MP.
Very enjoyable, appreciated the playfulness of 7d which is not something I would normally associate with DG. Very neat and concise clues as usual, without the dictionary pounding and historical/religious education. A nice balance.
Thanks to Giovanni and to MP for stepping in. **/***
Average difficulty and enjoyment for a Friday.
Like others I’d never met 8d or 26a – suspect if the first letter of 26a was an ‘E’ we’d all have heard of it.
I was a bit slow with the four longish answers round the outside but apart from those no major trouble.
I liked 17 and 20d and 4 and 18d.
Thanks to Giovanni and to MP for standing in.
We’ve finally had a bit of rain but not much and certainly nowhere near enough.
I found this tough going today and fell a bit short of the line.
Not my favourite puzzle of the week. Suppose it’s just a wavelength thing.
Thanks for the hints.
Personally, I didn’t think this was much harder than Monday’s puzzle. Quite enjoyed it, but the thing that pleased me most today was the ‘Smash’ advert!
I found this a bit tricky, never did solve 12a or 8d – pretty silly not to get 12a considering how many times it has shown up.
Fave was 25a, but 7d and 11d were hot on its heels.
Thanks to Giovanni, and to M’pops for his help with the missing answers, and for filling in for DT.
Thanks to Giovanni and to Miffypops for the review and hints. I found this a very hard slog, and didn’t enjoy it at all. Two new words for me in 8d&26a. Good misdirection in 22a. Needed the hints for 12a,8,11,19,21d. Was 4*/2* for me.
Enjoyed this. 8d was an addition to my vocabulary. My favourites were the same as Merusa’s
Crossword of the week for me ***/**** 😄 So many good clues it is difficult to choose but 7 & 11d dead heated with 25a not far behind 😉 8d & 26a were new to me as well Big thank you to MP and to Giovanni 🌧 In the East but nowhere near enough 😰
A challenging but enjoyable puzzle with a couple of new words for me. Many thanks to the Don and to MP for providing much needed hints
A straightforward and enjoyable solve from Giovanni today.
Thanks to MP and Giovanni 1*/3*
A top quality Friday puzzle that all went together smoothly for us.
Thanks Giovanni and MP.
Greetings from the sunny and very warm SoCal (no apostrophes for missed out letters here) desert as opposed to S. Wales.
Found Giovanni in relatively benign mood. Whether a “holiday mind” or solving the Friday puzzle on a Thursday helped I don’t know.
COTD was 25a & not just because of the coincidence that we will be visiting the Joshua Tree National Park which is about 60 miles from us. Apparently the tree gets its name from looking to some Mormon settlers like Joshua reaching to the sky in prayer.
Thanks to Giovanni & MP standing in & as ever providing an entertaining and informative review
I slowed down a little in the SW corner, but the rest went in straightforwardly enough. Giovanni on good form again.
Yes, 2*/3* is about right. I liked 11d and 12a. Thanks to the Don and MP.
The Don still showing us his gentle side, with a couple of top clues as well which, when I had worked them out, made me feel a tad smug. So thanks for that and the ever-readable MP (I’ll be passing through LI on the boat next week, on my way to Stratford – shame the Green Man doesn’t have water frontage). 2*/3*
Late on parade today with this solve. Slow start… slow middle too, but then sped up to finish smoothly. 25a was my fave. 2/3.5* overall.
Thanks to the Don, and to the Mondayman for stepping in.