Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28433
Hints and tips by Miffypops
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BDs very own rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning from the sunny heart of Downtown LI. Here we have a puzzle that is the epitome of a Rufus offering. There are only three and a half anagrams but we have the trademark double definitions and cryptic definitions to baffle us.
What a feast of Rugby we had on Saturday afternoon. Well played all four teams. I hope the final lives up to expectation.
The hints and tips below have been written to help you solve the clues you may be finding difficult. The answers lie beneath the words click here
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a They are buried in peace (8)
HATCHET: What we bury when end a conflict and become friendly according to an old saying
6a Cracked a nut, go for something sweet (6)
NOUGAT: Anagram (cracked) of A NUT GO
9a It sounds quite cold but it may be hot (6)
CHILLI: This pepper, a fruit of the capsicum family sounds like a term we use to describe cold weather
10a Dance around on broken toe? Might make a good story (8)
ANECDOTE: Use an anagram (round) of DANCE and a second anagram (broken) of TOE. Place one in front of the other to provide the answer
11a Willing scholar returned to provide means (8)
AMENABLE: A M(aster) of A(rts) is reversed (returned) and followed by a verb meaning give (someone) the authority or means to do something; make it possible for. Thank you Big Dave. I could not see how this clue worked.
12a Quiet little brook anything but quiet (6)
SHRILL: Use a two-lettered sound one might use to quieten somebody and add a small brook such as the one climbed by John Ridd at the beginning of Lorna Doone
13a Welcome salesman, game to go back and pursue easier way to pay? (4-8)
HIRE PURCHASE: A four-part charade which includes a reversal. A two-lettered greeting, our usual three-lettered salesman. The abbreviation for the game mentioned in my preamble written backwards (to go back) and a five-letter verb meaning to pursue. Put together and split 4,7 they fit the underlined definition
16a Immediately how one knows that someone is surprised (4,3,5)
FROM THE START: A typical Rufus cryptic definition. We need a noun that means a sudden movement of surprise or alarm. (This is the third word of the answer) It is because of this that we can deduce that one is surprised
19a Pay to stay (6)
SETTLE: Pay a debt or become established
21a Retired people won’t get such a fanciful idea (8)
DAYDREAM: These fanciful ideas won’t happen to those in bed (retired) at night.
23a Clumsy lout made to tone down remarks? (8)
MODULATE: Anagram (clumsy) of LOUT MADE.
24a Astronaut found in local, drinking (6)
ALDRIN: Hidden within the words of the clue is the surname of an astronaut. The second person to walk on the moon
25a Slow movement gets a soldier in trouble (6)
ADAGIO: Place the letter A from the clue together with the regular initials used to denote an American soldier inside a word meaning trouble
26a A glass ship (8)
SCHOONER: A double definition
Down
2d Relaxed reception (2-4)
AT-HOME: Without the hyphen this denotes that one is comfortable or relaxed with something
3d Stop small company taking fifty on (5)
COLON: This punctuation mark is made up using the abbreviation for company, the Roman numeral for fifty and the word ON gifted from the clue
4d Dine out on hot food when up in northern capital (9)
EDINBURGH: begin with an anagram (out) of DINE. Use the abbreviation for H(ot) and a slang term for food. Reverse these (when up)
5d Mix a cocktail, say, and get fish in to eat (5,2)
SHAKE UP: Place a fish inside a verb meaning to take drink or liquid food by sips or spoonfuls
6d When the devil drives, they must (5)
NEEDS: Proverbially these must when the devil drives.
7d Was inadequate as an air gunner and fell short as a pilot (9)
UNDERSHOT: A double definition, the second referring to a pilot landing short of the runway
8d Its members draw on the master’s guidance (3,5)
ART CLASS: A cryptic definition of a form of students studying how to draw
13d Powerless to get substandard player suspended (9)
HAMSTRUNG: The poor player here is a poor actor. This is followed by the past participle of a word that means hang (something) so that it stretches in a long line.
14d Yard chase forged money (5,4)
READY CASH: Anagram (forged) of YARD CHASE
15d Title that’s used in all-in wrestling? (8)
FREEHOLD: The title deed of your property could also be a wrestling hold
17d Gloomy study son makes blue (7)
SADDENS: String together a word meaning gloomy, a study or lair and the abbreviation for son
18d Local vet in a shambles (6)
NATIVE: Anagram (shambles) of VET IN A
20d A long time to muse (5)
ERATO: Use a three-letter word defining a long time and add the word TO straight from the clue.
22d One can’t see what it offers as entertainment (5)
RADIO: A cryptic definition of a wireless set. The pictures are always better on the wireless
All finished in good time leaving me to enjoy a lovely sunny Monday.
The Quick Crossword pun: foot+bawl+teem=football team
Super start to the week. A solid grid with just the right level of difficulty for this solver on a Monday. The biggest dose of amusement came from smiling at my daft self trying to reconcile ‘Rodeo’ to fit the ‘entertainment’ definition (22d). As well as the literal as in ‘can’t see’ = understand how sitting on a ton of very angry well-armed beast could ever be considered entertainment for rider or observer, I was imagining that it might be more entertaining if either or both were blindfolded. I suspect I am alone with this one and I deserve to be.
I did not quite understand the wordplay in 6 down. What has ‘old Nick got to do with it?
Thanks to Rufus, MP, the DT editor and anyone else who had a hand in this crossword and it’s decode.
Agreed with MP’s rating btw.
See here
Have you never heard the old saying – ***** must when the devil drives
Ah… thank you both. I was completely ignorant of the full version of that saying. Not any more! One of the great things about this blog is that it fills in all the holes in one’s education and in my case, that’s a lot of holes.
Incidentally, I was able to type this reply only after regaining my vision after crying at Peter Kay. Thanks Miffy – awesome blogging.
The usual friendly Rufus to start the solving week.
If and when the Independent puzzles website gets its act together, can I highly recommend our Beet’s debut cryptic crossword there today
I’ll second that recommendation. The girl done good!
very enjoyable start to the week – over too soon.
Congratulations to our Beet on her debut Independent puzzle today – hope the website gets sorted soon.
many thanks Rufus and miffypops
I think you might have missed the game in 13a.
Thanks and well spotted Tonto. Now sorted. I think I am suffering a surfeit of RU after Saturday’s wonderful games
So I had a good time in solving this puzzle but somehow the clues did not seem quite so innovative as those in puzzles last week.. I really enjoyed some of those but sadly I often didn’t finish the puzzle ……lack of time and getting stuck ….. and so never posted …
The best clue today for me was 13a – but i got the answer before I solved teh clue!! And then had to work quite hard to understand why the answer was the answer…
1*/3* overall with 16a my favourite. Loved the off-the-wall cartoon at 8d. A gentle start to the solving week. Many thanks to Rufus and MP.
Good fun when I eventually got going. Fav was 15d. Came up with wrong solution for 17d but fortunately it didn’t affect anything else. Needed help for 20d which is a new one on me. Thanks Rufus and MP whose much lauded hints I will now read.
Nothing too difficult on a beautiful Monday morning in Hampshire. Short sleeve sitting in the garden weather today and as I have a punting pole to make I can sit there removing the bark from a sapling that had been growing in the wrong place namely in a canal bed that is destined to be restored. The last one in, was 17d where I ended the word in ness (being too hasty). Doh. Thanks to Miffypops for putting me right and Rufus for a gentle start to the day.
Me too with 17d but the mistake didn’t cause any problem as I say in Comment 7 above.
1.5*/3* – just right to kick the week off.
Watching the Monkees video brought back vague memories of a young Micky Dolenz as Corky, aka Circus Boy. Around 1960, anyone?
Favourite was 16a.
Thanks to MP and Rufus.
With Noah Beery as the ‘father’ figure, shown on Saturday’s at ‘tea time.’
Circus Boy was a favourite of mine.
Nice straightforward start to the week */*** Liked 13 & 16 across 😃 Thanks to MP and to Rufus
Not quite R&W but once the first couple went in the remainder slotted together easily enough.
Top two for me were 13a & 7d.
Thanks to Rufus and to MP – full marks for today’s clips although I couldn’t get the one at 25a to play. What is it, I wonder?
It is an example of the answer by Bach.
I thought it might be that but I also couldn’t get it to play.
Much indignation if you read the Youtube blog below the clip – it’s Marcello not Bach. Lovely just the same.
I have changed the clip. it works now on my computer
Thanks, it works a treat now!
Works on mine as well. Thank you.
Thank you – lovely piece of music.
1.5*/4*. I refer to my comments of last Monday and the Monday before and the Monday before that and …
Many thanks to Rufus and to MP for continuing to make Mondays special.
A pleasant canter, as Senf would say. */***
Thanks to Rufus and to MP for the clip, very funny.
Beet is there now
http://puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/cryptic-crossword-independent/#!201701
At the risk of being dim, again, how do I persuade the blasted thing to get to a point where I can print it out?
I did one last week. It was a pain in the proverbial to control. Good puzzle. Awful site.
Once you’ve clicked onto the link:-
press ‘solve now’.
wait for the short advert to finish, after which there is a notification to say that the puzzle is loading.
when that’s completed press ‘play’ on the new page that opens.
a small ‘print’ symbol can be found on the left side just above where ‘ACROSS’ is written.
Thank you.
Instructions tailored perfectly for the technically challenged – success, but could they make it any more difficult if they tried?
Thanks to everyone for plugging my puzzle on here, and for persevering despite technical difficulties.
If anyone has time to spare you could check out the review of my very first attempt at a (Doctor Who themed) puzzle http://bigdave44.com/2014/10/06/rookie-corner-026/
It was a complete and utter dog’s breakfast, but BIg Dave very kindly published it anyway, Prolixic was utterly patient explaining all the myriad ways I had gone wrong, and the commenters in Rookie Corner were very encouraging in a way that was entirely unmerited by the puzzle. The RookieCorner commenters and setters gang have been my biggest supporters and a special thank you to them. Especially to my gang of test solvers who contribute directly to knocking my puzzles into shape – Sprocker, CrypticSue, Silvanus and Snape
Well done, Beet.
for you.
I loved your crossword in the Independent.
I think my favourite was 8d or perhaps 9d or even 27a.
What a star – a
Today’s puzzle was wonderful, Beet. How far you’ve come since the Doctor Who days!
Great puzzle today Beet. I wish I could comment more often on the rookie puzzles but time is limited. Your first across clue above made me laugh then and it made me laugh just now.
Enjoyed this one, not too hard, and some amusement along the way.
South went in fairly easily, followed by NE.
Had to use e-help for 1a, and couldn’t see 11a, but now well explained.
Favs 16a, 13a, 25a. 2*/4* for me. Many thanks to MP, BD, and Rufus.
I enjoyed this one much more than I sometimes do on Mondays even allowing for the slow start.
Lots of typically Rufus clues which I’m so bad at.
1a and 8 and 22d were my last answers.
I tried for ages to make 12a begin with a ‘P’.
I can’t spell 4d.
I liked 1 and 23a and 8 and 22d. My favourite was 16a.
Thanks to Rufus and to MP.
I haven’t yet tried to get hold of Beet’s Independent crossword but I’m sure it’s wonderful. Well done to her.
Off to the garden, just for a change.
A very pleasant puzzle on a very pleasant sunny day, my two favourites were 16a and 8d. I was surprised at the overlap between wordplay and definition in 17d, not something one normally sees in a Rufus clue.
I think Miffypops must have got tired of counting the anagrams as I spotted five and a half, and a quick check of his hints seems to tally with that number.
Can I add my congratulations to Beet and encourage everyone to have a go at her excellent Indy puzzle today.
Many thanks to Mr. Squires and to MP.
Rufus in a benign frame of mind again, completed at a fast gallop – */***.
A selection of candidates for favourite – 1a, 12a, 26a (an oldie but goodie), and 22d – and the winner is 1a.
Thanks to Rufus and MP.
My first ever genuine R & W, really enjoyed it. Didn’t need any hints but always read them anyway as part of the overall pleasure so many thanks to MP and Rufus. */****
Typical Rufus clues and very pleasurable as usual. Thanks MP for the blog.
No holdups at all today. The closest I have been to what the cognoscenti on this site term a R&W.
Thanks to Rufus and to Miffypops for the review and hints. A very nice puzzle to start the week. Needed the hints to parse 11a which was last in. 9a&4d made me laugh, but my favourite was 16a. The saying in 6d was the catchphrase of the scullery maid in Upstairs Downstairs, it always makes me laugh. Was 2*/3* for me.
Another winner from Rufus, I so enjoy his Monday offerings.
So many to like here, 1a, 6d, 22d in particular, but fave was 16a.
Thanks to Rufus and M’pops for his lovely choice at 25a.
Having struggled with Virgilius yesterday, I was more than pleased with today’s Rufus contribution. If I hadn’t foolishly bunged in amicable for 11a and rental for 19a I would have got there on my own. Thanks to Miffypops who showed me the error of my ways. Two COTD – 21a and 15d ☺️
Another fun puzzle from Rufus, although I hadn’t ever heard of that old saying either.
Thanks to Miffypops and Rufus.
The usual Monday enjoyment. It was fairly easy for me although the anagrams popped up just in time. Many thanks to Miffypops for the clear hints, a couple of which were most helpful, and, again, to Rufus for the puzzle. Having just recovered from the Rugby on Saturday we now have one more match which should be a thriller and, then, the summer tours.
Rufus in relatively benign mood, say ** for difficulty. Last in 1ac, which elicited one almighty groan when I got it, which is no doubt what Rufus hoped for.
A pleasant start to the week, and a very entertaining blog.
Nice way to start the week. 1a was my favourite and overall definitely 2/4*.
Thanks to Rufus and of course to MP for his review.
A nice gentle week-starter: 1*/3*, and 13d made me smile in some embarrassment (recalling some of my own theatrical exploits, when the first part of the solution would have been a remarkably restrained description of my performances!). Thanks to Rufus and Miffypops.
Have now read your hints MP which I enjoyed but particularly the fabulous Bach Adagio – a super few minutes. Thank you.
I do try to entertain. Thanks for the thanks.
Late on parade today. Very enjoyable puzzle. Thanks to Rufus and MP.
Completed this except for 1a and 15d in double-quick time, then ground to a halt.
Needed the hints for the above, I could have stared at them for years and not got them. Such is the way with Rufus, I always struggle with a couple of the double/cryptic definitions.
Very enjoyable though.
Thanks MP and Rufus.
1a got the better of me, and I’d never heard of the 6d expression before tonight. I was stuck on 17d for ages as I’d bunged in ‘from the heart’ for 16a because of all the checking letters. Serves me right for not going back and actually reading the clue. The rest was all good Monday fun. Many thanks Rufus, and thanks too Miffypops for the review, especially the 25a clip.
Didn’t know the 6d expression either but I couldn’t see much alternative.
13a is probably the worst clue ever printed by the Telegraph methinks.
So nice to see 26a. Reminded me of when crosswords were created.
But lets bury the 1a.
That still hasn’t put me off entirely and I shall carry on solving the Monday back pagers and read the great reviews from the main man MP.
Thanks.