Vintage Puzzle 10

Daily Telegraph Vintage No 10
Hints and Tips by Rossophile

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BD Rating – Difficulty ***  Enjoyment ***

[When the vintage puzzles started to appear I invited anyone who wasn’t one of our usual bloggers to have a go at blogging one of them. We only had one volunteer, Rossophile, and this is his blog of Vintage Puzzle #10.
As you’ll have discovered if you’ve been solving these early puzzles they are quite different from modern cryptic puzzles and contain many clues which are ‘straight’ rather than cryptic and that makes writing hints tricky. So, well done to Rossophile – I hope that many people will leave a comment for him.
There’s still time for anyone else to volunteer to do a blog – please don’t be shy.  Gazza]

Good morning after Storm Floris  Just a few gusts here in leafy North West Kent. I volunteered to help with some Vintage clueing; they a from a different era and way of thinking. The answers were revealed by James Brydon last week – no such help now. This is my first stab and clueing, so be forgiving.

Good luck.

Across

1a “Wandering near her secret bower molest her ancient — reign” (Gray) (8)

Famous poem by English Poet Thomas Gray (1716-71). His heroine likes being alone.

5a Danger courted by billiard players (6)

Another name for a “pot , also a famous player (in 2025!)

9a His weapon is the pen (8)

The pen is mightier that the sword, with the cutting wit of this writer

10a Tenant of a kind (6)

Another name for leaseholder

11a This bush is a centre of nursery revolutions (8)

Here we go round the ******* bush, famous child nursery rhyme

12a It is no use asking a jazz band to play for this dance (6)

No bells, ropes or flagpoles or weird outfits in a jazz band

14a An early example of the N.A.A.F.I. girl? (10)

A sutler, supplier of provisions to our forces. From the French for “meat”, the female word

 

 

18a The stronger his team the less this member of it has to do (10)

The 11^th man on the pitch.

22a The dim distance (6)

A double definition. Something “in the ******”

23a “Eager set” (anag.) (8)

Don’t travel this way

24a The words that stick in the mouth of the suffragette who has found a husband? (2,4)

Words that make up part of the wedding vow

25a Courteous though exercising compulsion (8)

Another homograph (word written same way, different meanings, opposite in this case)
He was very *********, despite his task ********* him to do something difficult

26a Epithet for that story of the ivy that strangled a sleeper (6)

Think of what ivy does…

27a An old week (8)

Archaic form for seven nights

Down

1d A suitable opening word? (6)

As used by magicians everywhere

2d Not so long ago (6)

Have I told you ******* that I love you

3d This great English painter does not sound like any cubist (6)

He had a lot of initials, and his namesakes rounded wood

4d If there are grounds in the coffee the cook should be this and the coffee this before serving it (10)

Another double definition.  Think of kitchen item to provent this happening.

6d Did a nose get out of order? This may be the cause (8)

Anagram of Did a nose, referring to relevant glands

7d Of various kinds as arranged (8)

Thinks of those lovely liquorice shapes. The other word uses the “as” and then 6 letters

8d Man’s justice (8)

Another word for a judge, archaic except Isle of Man. First part is used in phrases like “it was ****ed” unsuitable

13d We this men’s deaths: it’s very sad (10)

I think it refers to **** seamen for the last 4 letters. First 6 can be noun or verb

15d “Coasting” (anag.) (8)

A religious belief, or otherwise

16d Not the same as a liking for veal (4,4)

Temporary adolescent infatuation, sometimes called “puppy” ****

17d Only on the surface (4,4)

Biggest organ in body, only 5mm thick

19d Gracious (6)

Straight definition. Opposite of malignant on 17d

20d The kind of fence to lose colour (6)

Homograph. What happens when the blood drains from your face.

21d The motive force for a grandfather clock (6)

Reference to something at the bottom of the pendulum

 

I haven’t done the hidden/reveal trick this time. Will learn how next time.