Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29103
Hints and tips by Tarzan of the Apes
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **
What a weekend for music. Neil Young and Bob Dylan at Hyde Park on Friday. Billy Bragg and Van Morrison with others on Saturday at the Cadogan Hall. Sunday! What a day for sport with two thrilling finals taking place simultaneously. England’s win was never in doubt at Lords but they did make it tight. Federer gave his all against Djokovic but it wasn’t quite enough. After all of these great events today’s crossword can best be described by the word Mondayish. In the unlikely event that you need help, here it be.
These hints and tips have been created lovingly to help those of you who may need help to solve a couple of clues or to understand why an answer is what it is. Usually a clue consists of two parts. 1. A definition, which is usually at the beginning or end of a clue. 2. Wordplay which tells what to do to solve the clue. The hints and tips help with the wordplay of the clues. Definitions are underlined.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
5a American aboard a moving train, one coming from Vienna? (8)
AUSTRIAN: The usual two-letter abbreviation denoting an American sits comfortably between the letter A which is a gift from today’s setter and an easy anagram (moving) of TRAIN
8a Meaning to bring in goods from abroad (6)
IMPORT: A double definition, the second part being rather obvious
10a I must be in comedy film, a scream (6)
SHRIEK: A comedy film which quietly takes the mickey out of the Disney empire sits around the word I
11a Better money for army chiefs, perhaps (3,5)
TOP BRASS: A verb meaning to better is followed by a slang term for money
12a Man on board offending adventurer (6,6)
KNIGHT ERRANT: This man is on a chess board usually in the form of a horse’s head. He is followed by a word meaning straying from the accepted norm or standards. The second word also means travelling in search of adventure. I never searched for adventure when travelling but adventure certainly searched for me.
15a Try in international match (4)
TEST: Another double definition. Both rather obvious
17a Gemstone, part of robbery loot (5)
BERYL: The answer is part of the clue as suggested by the words part of which made me look for a word hidden in the clue. I had been solving for about twenty years before Mick Price told me in The Plough at Shilton that an answer was an included word. I’d never heard of them before and there was no internet in those days.
18a Become bankrupt following trouble (4)
FAIL: The abbreviation for following is followed by a verb meaning to trouble usually to be troubled by an illness
19a Appropriate grips? A cyclist may have them (7,5)
TROUSER CLIPS: Here we go. The first word of the answer here is a synonym of appropriate where appropriate means to steal. Cue comments where this definition is unheard of. The second word is a synonym of grips as a noun. The answer is what cyclists used to use to prevent oil from the chain soiling their trousers in the days when a bicycle was used as a means of transport. Modern day mamils (middle aged men in Lycra) have no need for such items as they speed through villages at inappropriate speeds heads down on their over-expensive bicycles wearing over-expensive gear with their iPhones strapped to their arms recording their every heartbeat.
22a Unfit rugby player stuck in dreadful mire (8)
IMPROPER: A beefy rugby player who supports the hooker is surrounded by an anagram (dreadful) of MIRE
24a Fur belonging to me taken by that woman heading off (6)
ERMINE: the personal pronoun denoting that woman needs to lose it first letter (heading off) this is followed by a pronoun which suggests ownership
25a Shocked son wearing silver fez, maybe (6)
AGHAST: The chemical symbol for silver together with what a fez is an example of surround the abbreviation of son
26a Height of distinction? (8)
EMINENCE: Yet Another Double definition. I don’t mind these but I prefer working out a clue’s wordplay
Down
1d Smart catching right train (6)
STRING: To smart is to feel a sharp pain. Place this sharp pain around the abbreviation of right
2d Fine cook, yet bit flustered (7-3)
TICKETY-BOO: An anagram (flustered) of COOK YET BIT
3d Women’s group representative gets wet (4)
WIMP: The abbreviation of the Woman’s Institute is followed by the abbreviation of your parliamentary representative
4d Drink American provided for each Italian inside (8)
APERITIF: A four-part charade. 1. The abbreviation for American 2. A short word meaning provided. 3. A word meaning each. 4. A two-lettered abbreviation of Italy. Place in the order suggested by the clue
6d A French female tennis champion is leaving editor in a crazed state (8)
UNHINGED: The French translation for A is followed by a female tennis player Ladies singles winner at Wimbledon in 1997. The word IS needs to be dropped from her name and replaced with the abbreviation for editor
7d Order book in animal sanctuary (6,7)
NATURE RESERVE: Begin with a synonym of the word order where order refers to the basic or inherent features, character, or qualities of something or somebody. Add a verb meaning to book something. A table at a restaurant for example.
9d File snake under heading for reptiles (4)
RASP: A snake of Cleopatra fame sits below the initial letter of reptiles. The very rough file has another name much favoured on the factory floor
13d Foreign leader, Ike, shown round university in Edinburgh (4,6)
AULD REEKIE: An anagram (foreign) of LEADER IKE surrounds the abbreviation for university
14d The man’s fear is to do with Spain (8)
HISPANIC: Split 3,5 we have a word meaning belonging to a man followed by a sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behaviour.
16d Express disapproval over one interrupting examination class (8)
TUTORIAL: Do as the clue says. An expression of disapproval is followed by a verbal examination which has the letter I inserted
20d Allowed to restrain mischievous child, one not easy to shake off? (6)
LIMPET: A short word meaning to allow has another short word meaning a mischievous child slotted inside.
21d Complacent head of security set upon (4)
SMUG: The initial letter of the word security is followed by a word meaning set upon as in attacked in an attempted to steal money.
23d Way of parking at hospital (4)
PATH: The abbreviation for parking is followed by the word AT from the clue and then by the abbreviation for hospital
That’s all folks. See you sooner than you might think.
The Quick Crossword pun: Burr+gull=burgle
Thanks to all. A pleasant puzzle, but** over eggs it,
2D sums it up today . Plenty to enjoy and amuse with no one favourite
Fantastic sporting finishes yesterday .
Thanks yo everyone
This was a quite enjoyable (3*) and relatively undemanding puzzle. My favourite clues were 6d, 13d and 19a so thanks to the setter. Thanks also to MP for the blog. Things are feeling relatively flat today, after all the excitement at Wimbledon, Lords and the Grand Prix
A very straightforward solving experience
Interestingly the paper only has the first two words of the pun in italics
Thanks to the setter and to Viscount Greystoke
As the pun works with just two words I had not looked to include the third.
MP passed on the pun today. I do prefer the two-word version, but it is often three on Mondays. I’ll change it to two.
We don’t get the italics with the newspaper subscription. I didn’t read it properly. Burgulagree doesn’t sound like anything does it.
🙂
“England’s win was never in doubt at Lords”. You must have been watching a different match from me!
A straightforward introduction to the week, completed in ** time. I certainly hadn’t heard the phrase at 19a, I know them as “Bicycle *****”
I think the Quickie pun is just two words.
Many thanks to the setter and Tarzan.
I didn’t find this quite as straightforward as other commenters thus far mainly because of the very dated 19a (not a great clue on any level) and needing all the checkers to get the second word of 12a. I don’t know whether we were spoiled by all the great sporting action over the weekend but I found this a tad uninspiring. I liked 2d and 21d but little else amused me. 2.5*/1.5*
Many thanks to the setter and to the man in a loincloth for his humorous review 😉
A gentle kick-off to the week with no real hold-ups apart from being unaware of 13d so needed help there. SE was last to succumb. My Fav was 16d. Thank you Mysteron and MP.
A pleasant and straight forward start to the week, thanks to setter and MP. Exhausting sports Sunday so needed something not too taxing.
A quite straightforward Monday puzzle that was enjoyable. 19a was the last one to be filled in by me. I never knew them by this name. No real favourites today.
Thanks to all concerned.
Very pleasant and gentle today. Just what was needed after the stress of the 5 set match yesterday. I haven’t used the new site before, huge congratulations on making it so clear and user friendly and thank you for hard work that must have gone in to building it.
Thank you too to TofA and setter.
Can’t believe I finished this without any help of any sort. 14d very pleasant but easy. 2d epitomises the very worst of the whole paper. In the days before grown men chose willingly to display themselves as fools by wearing lycra when not competing in a cycle race of any sort, we would wear trousers to cycle in and called the clips trouser clips as that was what they were.
I have been laden with guilt spending time sitting down with the crossword. I was a complete couch potato yesterday, flicking between cricket, tennis …..and the British Grand Prix. I was so sure that we lost the cricket, I switched it over with two balls left to go. I had recorded it, so had to watch it in “planner” instead of live. What an exciting finish. On to the crossword. I really wanted to put Amoretti into 4d, just ‘cos I had a couple of checking letters. 8a put paid to that. 13d was a given as it’s familiar territory. I’ll be singing there in August at The Fringe. Thank you setter and Miffypops. 2d was my favourite.
Easy to solve but clever clues nevertheless. I have as favourites 3, 6, 14 and 16. I can without doubt say completed in 1* time. In fact quicker than I thought possible unless inking in over previously inserted answers. Last one in was 13d. Once I had the checkers (having missed the anagram) I recognised the name although did not know what it meant! Put in first word of 12a and left the second till it came to me. It is the sort of crossword I would like to solve on a train to impress my neighbours! Thanks to setter and to the (on this occasion) redundant MP.
After the stress of yesterday ( I do, of course, mean the tennis – I know none of you would expect me to mean the cricket) I’m jolly glad it was a straightforward crossword.
On the subject of cricket I have to confess that 15a was my last answer!
I was a bit slow with 16d too – thought of ‘boo’ and ‘hiss’ but it took a long time to get to the right one.
Clues that I particularly liked today were 10a and 6 and 14d.
Thanks to the setter and to the monkey man.
Me too re 16d. It wasn’t that difficult, but it was my last one in.
Wasn’t the tennis a nail biter?
Probably the easiest solve I can remember.
Adding your surname put your comment into moderation.
Completed over an early evening G&T (admittedly I do like them on the v. large size). Over all too soon. Thanks to all.
Was the G&T over all too soon, or the crossword? If it was me, it would be the G&T !
Definitely!
Enjoyed, despite finishing in doctor’s waiting room. Ignorance re tennis (6d) and Edinburgh (13d) let me down, so thanks Tarzan. And to setter of course.
In fact the 6d clue is not quite accurate as the tennis player in question was born in Czechoslovakia and became Swiss (not French).
A very quick run through for this one, but no less enjoyable as a result. To be different I will nominate 19a as my favourite.
Thanks to our Monday setter and TOTA.
The tiny brain really enjoyed this. I have a lot to do today so very grateful for the ease of solving. The only holdup was 13d, missed the anagram completely.
Lots to like here, but I think fave is 2d – sorry Corky, but I like it, so very, very Brit.
Many thanks to our setter for the fun and to Tarzan for his hints and pics.
Nice start to the week **/*** 😃 Favourites 13 & 14d 👍 Thanks to MP and to the Setter. (I would much sooner have Mondayish rather than Thursdayish 😳) Pers obs!
Still smiling at 2d. Lovely day out in Skipton. Ta to all.
Not too tricky but with some clues that i did not understand. What is auld leekie? Who was the tennis player (not my sport, too busy watching the finest game in the world and England win!!!) Not comfortable with using slang in 19a.
Apart from that, it was OK.
Thx for the hints.
**/**
Ok just Googled Auld Reekie (misspelt above), new one on me. And the tennis player according to Mrs B was Martine Hengis., no idea!
Martina Hingis (Swiss not French, as per my comment above).
The French does not relate to the tennis player (who is indeed Swiss) but to the French for ‘A’.
Welcome to the blog Charly
The hint is correct.
Re Mamil
Look, anything that gets slightly elderly men who don’t like gardening or golf OFF the sofa is a good thing, isn’t it? At least there’s no 19th hole…….apart from the one they might inadvertently fall into.
While occasionally I have been known to wear lycra my bike is modest and my speed is not excessive and I enjoy the view. I have never worn 19a. Last seen in conjunction with a bowler hat and a furled umbrella on a business man going to the city some time in the 50’s.
The puzzle wasn’t hard but still pleasant. 2d caused some grief as I couldn’t choose between cook and fine for the fodder and then split them 3,7 rather than 7,3.
Thanks to Tarzan and setter.
Post coffee pleasure in this enjoyable exercise, I found plenty to smile at, but as others have said over too soon.
1.5*/3* favs 2d, 12ac & 19ac.
Many thanks to setter for Monday entertainment & Tarzan for his swinging review ( that was terrible!)
I liked it OBJack
My fastest cryptic solve ever, with no help, so I’m feeling very smug – well, I was until I read how easy almost everyone else found it. Very glad that I read the blog today or I wouldn’t have learned my new word for the day – MAMIL – as I live in the flatlands of rural Suffolk I see plenty of mamils, usually from behind as I wait patiently to overtake them on winding country roads.
Still don’t really get why 1d means train.
I rather liked 6d so that’s today’s favourite.
Thanks all round.
If you think along the lines of a camel train, it is a string of camels, ie one after the other. Hope that helps.
Am I the only person who got – I – P for 3d and thought ‘Women’s group representative’ might imply that the answer was PIMP. (I genuinely thought this and then tried very hard to find wet as a synonym for pimp!) Hey ho.
After yesterday’s this was almost a walk in the park! 2d summed it up for me.
Thanks to the setter, and to the old swinger for his review.
2*/4*…..
COD 2D ” fine cook, yet bit flustered (7-3)”