Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30245
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 11th Mar 2023
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A very impressive Saturday puzzle from Cephas that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and important feedback and comment.
Although Niagara Falls and Niagara River share the same name, Niagara, the answer to the clue of 18a, Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. I further learnt from the net that Horseshoe Falls, which straddles the international border of the two countries, is the largest of them all and approximately 90% of the Niagara River flows over it. It is also known as the Canadian Falls. The smaller American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls lie within the United States. Bridal Veil Falls, the smallest of the three, is separated from Horseshoe Falls by Goat Island and from American Falls by Luna Island, with both islands situated in New York.
Flagstaff is another name for a flagpole, the answer to the clue of 25a, while a flagstick is a removable flagpole marking the placement of the hole on each green of a golf course
While raconteur, the definition to the clue of 7d, assimilated into the English language from French, is a storyteller and a person given to or skilled in relating anecdotes, the female raconteur is called a raconteuse, as in French. The verb ‘raconter’ in French means to tell, recount or narrate. Interestingly, raconteur as a verb in English means to make witty remarks and stories and its present participle is thus raconteuring.
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Across
8a One might be for this athletics event (4,4)
HIGH JUMP: Double definition; the second being an athletic event in which competitors jump high over a bar which is raised until only one competitor can jump it without dislodging it that leads to the first referring to an informal way of describing the situation of someone who is about to be severely reprimanded or punished
9a Acknowledgement of a certain type of letter, we hear (6)
AVOWAL: A from the clue followed by a homophone as heard by the audience (we hear) of VOWEL (certain type of letter) as a letter that represents a speech-sound produced by the unimpeded passage of the breath through the mouth takes to the definition of a positive declaration or an acknowledgement
10a Friend‘s drink sent back (3)
PAL: The definition of a noun referring to an intimate or close friend is arrived at from LAP (drink) as to drink by licking up that has come from the other end or returned (sent back) as a reversal in the across clue
11a Rile Bert badly, causing great fear (8)
TERRIBLE: An anagram (badly) of RILE BERT guides to the definition of an adjective meaning inspiring fear, terror or awe
12a Old penny, one about to become invalid (6)
EXPIRE: A charade of EX (old) as a prefix indicating of a person no longer what they were but still living, P (penny) as the abbreviation for new penny, I (one) as the Roman numeral for one and the preposition RE (about) as a commercial jargon used to indicate ‘with reference to’, ‘concerning’ or ‘about’ guides to the definition of an intransitive verb meaning to become invalid by lapse of time
13a People nowadays not taking notes? (8,7)
CASHLESS SOCIETY: A cryptic definition of the term for people these days who have moved towards a society where the cash comprising the currency notes has been replaced by its digital equivalent, in which money as legal tender exists, is recorded and exchanged only in electronic digital form
15a Pair invested in single unused stamp (7)
IMPRINT: PR (pair) as the abbreviation for pair is put inside (invested in) a combo of I (single) as the Roman numeral for one and MINT (unused) as an adjective meaning new, unmarked or unused, taking to the definition of a noun meaning a characteristic mark or indication or a stamp
18a Another time in retrospect, artist falls (7)
NIAGARA: AGAIN (another time) as once more or another time that is returning or looking backwards (in retrospect) as a reversal in the across clue followed by RA (artist) as the abbreviation for Royal Academician, denoting a practising artist of the Royal Academy of Arts, arriving at the definition of the famous waterfalls in the Niagara River that is partly in Canada and partly in the United States
21a Surprisingly, Sid hints harbour is in old country (7,8)
BRITISH HONDURAS: An anagram (surprisingly) of SID HINTS HARBOUR guides to the definition of the former name of the British colony on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico and the last continental possession of the United Kingdom in the Americas that became a self-governing colony in 1964, renamed Belize in June 1973 and gained full independence as Belize in September 1981
24a Note story with posh setting (6)
MILIEU: A charade of MI (note) as the third note of the scale in sol-fa notation, LIE (story) as a made-up or trumped-up story and (with) U (posh) as a colloquial adjective meaning as used by or found among the upper social classes leads to the definition of a noun meaning environment, setting, medium or element
25a On which standards might be raised? (8)
FLAGPOLE: A cryptic definition of a tall pole or staff on which a standard or flag is raised or hoisted and displayed
26a The Spanish female sprite! (3)
ELF: A charade of EL (the Spanish) as the Spanish for masculine singular definite article ‘the’ and F (female) as the abbreviation for female takes to the definition of a sprite or a small and often mischievous fairy
27a Starts to learn after travelling through European country (6)
LATVIA: A combo of the starting letters (starts) to L[EARN] A[FTER] T[RAVELLING] followed by the preposition VIA (through) meaning by way of, by means of or through directs to the definition of a country in Europe that is situated on the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Estonia
28a Shot item about interval before goods are delivered (4,4)
LEAD TIME: LEAD (shot) as bullets from or for firearm or collectively as a shot followed by an anagram (about) of ITEM leads to the definition of the time taken for delivery of goods after an order has been placed
Down
1d Pictures spies framing staff wanting a raise? (6)
CINEMA: CIA (spies) as the abbreviation for Central Intelligence Agency that is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States involved in gathering, processing and analysing national security information from around the world encasing (framing) MEN (staff) as all the people employed by a particular organisation going upwards (wanting a raise) as a reversal in the down clue, arriving at the definition of the motion pictures collectively or as an art
2d Two companions going around old city building (6)
CHURCH: A combo of CH and CH (companions), where each CH is the abbreviation for Companion of Honour is noticed for its repeated version (two), surrounding (going round) UR (old city) as an ancient city in the region of Sumer, southern Mesopotamia, in what is modern-day Iraq, leading to the definition of a building set apart for public worship, especially that of a pariah, and especially that of an established or once established form of the Christian religion
3d Globule of liquid with tiny amount of food (6,3,6)
BUBBLE AND SQUEAK: A charade of BUBBLE (globule of liquid) as a globule of liquid or solidified liquid blown out with gas, AND (with) as a conjunction used to connect words and SQUEAK (tiny amount) as a tiny amount takes to the definition of a British dish of leftover boiled potatoes and cabbage mashed together and fried, sometimes together with other leftovers
4d Monkey putting vegetables in still (7)
APPEASE: APE (monkey) as any Old or New World monkey placing inside (putting) PEAS (vegetables) as the plural of a spherical green seed that is eaten as a vegetable or as a pulse when dried, arriving at the definition of a verb meaning to calm, soothe, still or quiet someone
5d Canadian clan travelling with Leo in waterway (10,5)
CALEDONIAN CANAL: An anagram (travelling) of a combo of CANADIAN CLAN and (with) LEO guides to the definition of Scotland’s longest inland waterway, running from Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east
6d Linking most of fruit dish with fish (8)
COUPLING: Most of the letters (most) of COUP[E] (fruit dish) as a dessert, usually made with ice cream and often fruit, served in a glass bowl and (with) LING (fish) as any of various fishes, such as a hake or burbot, of the cod family take to the definition of a verb in the continuous form meaning connecting, joining or linking together
7d Raconteur‘s explosive rant and roar (8)
NARRATOR: An anagram (explosive) of RANT and ROAR guides to the definition of a teller of anecdotes
14d Fool‘s step up (3)
SAP: The definition of a foolish and gullible person is arrived at from PAS (step) as a step in dancing, especially in classical ballet that is noticed going upwards (up) as a reversal in the down clue
16d Fellow accepting American with Romeo having energy: that’s sweet (8)
MARZIPAN: MAN (fellow) as an adult male human being taking inside (accepting) a combo of A (American) as the abbreviation for American and (with) R (Romeo) as the letter represented by Romeo in the NATO phonetic alphabet talking alongside (having) ZIP (energy) as an informal term for vigour or energy, leading to the definition of a sweet almond paste used in cakes and confectionery
17d Rescue dog losing its tail (8)
RETRIEVE: RETRIEVE[R] (dog) as a dog of a breed trained to find and fetch game that has been shot is devoid of (losing) its end or last letter (tail), taking to the definition of a verb meaning to rescue or salvage from or out of something
19d Dry atmosphere (3)
AIR: Double definition; the second being a noun referring to a distinctive atmosphere but intangible quality that seems to surround and be generated by a person, thing or place that leads to the first a verb meaning to expose warm or heated air, so as to dry
20d Evasive action that’s seen before deal (7)
SHUFFLE: Double nounal definition; the second denoting the act, right or turn to mix a pack of cards together so as to make their order random before dealing that takes to the first referring to an evasive or deceitful action
22d Arrogant at university? Shame! (6)
UPPITY: A charade of UP (at university) as at or to a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge and PITY (shame) as an unfortunate development or a great disappointment or regrettable fact leads to the definition of an adjective meaning haughty or presumptuous, especially for one’s rank or social standing
23d A sweetheart possibly glowing (6)
AFLAME: A combo of A from the clue and FLAME (sweetheart) as a person one has a romantic relationship with makes it possible to arrive at the definition of an adjective and an adverb meaning in a flaming or glowing state
The clues that I liked in this pangrammatic puzzle were 9a, 12a, 13a, 15a, 18a, 21a, 24a, 28a, 3d, 16d, 20d and 22d; the best of the lot being 13a. Many thanks to BD for the encouragement, to Cephas for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have a pleasant day.