Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29670
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 8th May 2021
BD Rating – ** – ****
Greetings from Kolkata. Looking at 10a, it’s actually the moon which we cannot see because we are facing the unlit half of it and which sets at sunset. It’s only due to the increase in size of the crescent that helps us to witness the crescent moon appearing the next evening and thence the moonset taking place after sunset. The interesting part of the crescent moon, traditionally regarded as the new moon in some cultures, is that it’s always the people of the countries of the Middle East and those falling along the same range of longitudes who first witness its appearance, followed rotationally by the rest of the world and so it’s Eid al-Fitr here today – a day later. I fasted during the past lunar month of Ramadan as usual as I have been doing so every lunar year since the age of seven without a miss ever. So, today, I wish you all Eid al-Fitr Mubarak.
A fairly straightforward puzzle from the setter which I rejoiced in solving insofar as in writing thereafter a full review on it, which I hope you will peruse and enjoy.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Disturbance in medical lecture (7)
DECLAIM: An anagram (disturbance) of MEDICAL
5a Look at what’s on envelope (7)
ADDRESS: Double definition; the first being a verb meaning to examine or think about and start to deal with an issue or problem and the second a noun detailing the particulars of a destination or a place that features on an envelope containing a letter or document
9a Start removing lid (7)
OPENING: Double definition; the first being a noun indicating a beginning or an initial part and the second a verb in the present participle form referring to undoing the cover or fastening of a container
10a Women bent on heavenly body being seen afresh (3,4)
NEW MOON: An anagram (bent) of WOMEN followed by ON from the clue leading to the definition. Traditionally, the thinnest sliver of the waxing crescent moon, as in the image below, is considered the new moon
11a 9 Across character on strike (9)
LETTERBOX: LETTER (character) followed by (on) BOX (strike) as in the combat sport of boxing, leading to the definition of a slot in the door of a building, into which mail is delivered, being synonymous to 9a
12a Motionless to this day (5)
STILL: Double definition; the first being an adjective meaning stationary or not moving and the second an adverb indicating up to and including the present or the time mentioned
13a Exhausted — as is American car? (5)
TIRED: Double definition; the first being an adjective meaning wearied or fatigued and the second also an adjective, cryptically referring to the characteristic of wheels of car fitted with rubber cushion or tube around their rim as spelt in the States; unlike ‘tyred’ as spelt in the Kingdom
15a Subject matter to cover in huge area (9)
CONTINENT: CONTENT (subject matter) to contain (cover) IN from the clue
17a Person buying drink welcomed by ship’s finance officer (9)
PURCHASER: CHA (drink) embraced (welcomed) by PURSER (ship’s finance officer)
19a Nation probing Afghan affairs (5)
GHANA: Part of or hidden inside (probing) the words afGHAN Affairs
22a Somewhat obsolete, went out (5)
DATED: Double definition; the first being an adjective meaning old, but still applicable to some extent, as against outdated meaning not only old, but also obsolete or no longer applicable and the second a verb in the past tense meaning stepped out with a partner for having a romantic tryst
23a Produce notes, pocketing cool money in Austria once (9)
SCHILLING: SING (produce notes) taking inside (pocketing) CHILL (cool) leading to the definition, which remained in circulation till February 2002, to be finally replaced by the euro
25a Take off one, then divide other half by it (7)
IMITATE: The letter I (one), afterwards (then) partition (divide) MATE (other half) by taking inside (by) IT from the clue
26a Resting across raised switches, bolt finally secured (7)
ASTRIDE: An anagram (switches) of RAISED with T (bolt) as the last letter (finally) taken inside (secured)
27a Bloke protecting appendage that’s worn (7)
GARMENT: GENT (bloke) having inside (protecting) ARM (appendage)
28a Feverish, so slept with pyjama bottoms only? (7)
TOPLESS: An anagram (feverish) of SO SLEPT
Down
1d Little tear perhaps left in tatty red top (7)
DROPLET: The abbreviation L (left) is put inside (in) an anagram (tatty) of RED TOP
2d Listened to cat, shark? (7)
CHEATER: The definition of a person who unscrupulously exploits or swindles others is reached through the homophone heard as (listened to) CHEETAH (cat) or the fastest land animal belonging to the cat family and having long legs, a spotted coat and claws that cannot be retracted
3d A plane is out of the way (5)
ASIDE: A charade of A from the clue and SIDE (plane)
4d Much money mother hoards say, somewhere north of Greater London (9)
MEGABUCKS: MA (mother) takes inside (hoards) the Latin phrase ‘exempli gratia’, abbreviated as EG, meaning ‘for example’ (say), followed by the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire, abbreviated as BUCKS (somewhere north of Greater London)
5d Appropriate queen given kiss (5)
ANNEX: ANNE (queen) is followed by (given) X (kiss)
6d Movement on course, swallows fly (9)
DOWNSWING: A charade of DOWNS (swallows) as in consumption of a drink and WING (fly) leading to the definition of the downward movement of a golf club when the player is about to hit the ball
7d Stodge at the bottom, reason for stirring (7)
EMOTIVE: A charade of E (stodge) as the last letter (at the bottom) is followed by MOTIVE (reason)
8d Vest in record time! (7)
SINGLET: A charade of SINGLE (record) and the abbreviation T (time)
14d After downpour initially, day three surprisingly dry (9)
DEHYDRATE: Following (after) D (downpour) being the first letter (initially) is an anagram (surprisingly) of DAY THREE
16d Point assimilated by shaman or the astrologer (5-4)
NORTH-EAST: Part of or hidden inside (assimilated by) shamaN OR THE ASTrologer
17d Page including surplus material (7)
PADDING: The abbreviation P (page) is having alongside (including) ADDING (surplus) and ADDING (including) in a charade
18d Sailor upset with bank gets more irritable (7)
RATTIER: TAR (sailor) as a reversal (upset) is followed by (with) TIER (bank)
20d Stupid, in gatecrashing a function (7)
ASININE: IN from the clue getting inside (gatecrashing) the combo A from the clue and SINE (function)
21d Compound is large in African capital (7)
ALGIERS: An anagram (compound) of IS LARGE leads to the capital of Algeria, which is in the continent of Africa
23d Perfume delivered, it’s said (5)
SCENT: SENT (delivered) as a homophone heard by the audience (it’s said)
24d Lease at an end — relief! (3-2)
LET-UP: A charade of LET (lease) followed by UP (at an end)
I particularly liked 17a, 23a, 4d and 14 d, but 25a was my favourite. Thanks to the setter for the entertainment and to BD for the encouragement. Hope to be here again. Have a nice day.
Thanks, Rahmat — your explanations are always so clear.
Thank you so much, Smylers.
Eid Mubarak, RA, and thanks for the write-up.
I think the definition in 17d is ‘surplus material’ with adding being ‘including’.
Thank you so much for your greetings and words of encouragement on the review, Gazza. Yes, you are right. I knew padding as a cushioning or protective material and therefore took only material as the definition and somehow adjusted surplus meaning additional as part of the wordplay. But now, looking into the finer details, I found out that padding is also simply used to make something seem bigger, and from this, the sense of padding turns out to be the unnecessary extra material or surplus material. I have asked BD to make the changes.
Thanks, Gazza.