Daily Telegraph Vintage No 19
Hints and Tips by Rossophile
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***
After some interest yesterday, we have increased our volunteer force. Thanks for stepping forward Deansleigh for Saturday and Steve Cowling for next Tuesday. We know of the setter today (Alan Cash), so retrospective “thanks” may be offered. A 1973 puzzle starting to feel very familiar, with anagrams and sensible indicators, lurkers, charades, and double definitions, and a smattering of general knowedge.
As before, herein two links to access my relevant embedded images, first a solution-blanked PDF, and second a web page with solutions blanked, but revealed with a mouse selection
https://www.macdonnell.co.uk/DT/V19.pdf
http://www.macdonnell.co.uk/DT/V19.htm
Across
1a The colour I associate with wrong-doing (6)
INDIGO: An anagram of doing and I from the clue
4a Secretly decide to return after the dance (6)
BALLOT: A voting mechanism, a charade over synonym for a dance followed by the reverse of TO from the clue
10a A foot of water in the diocese (7)
SPONDEE: a new word for me. A synonym for diocese (the Holy S**) with small body of water (P**D) inserted. In poetry, the solution is a metrical foot of two syllables
11a Saw how the red wine was served (7)
NOTICED: A synonym of saw, and two words advising what not to put in red wine
12a A dram to which the dustman feels he is entitled! (3)
TOT: synonym for a dram of spirit, and something offered to refuse collector at Xmas. Alternatively, a “refuse” is a naval crew member, who traditionally had a daily ration of rum
13a It results in a triumph for the best team of course (5)
RELAY: A sporting course, with each team having several members
14a Artificial way of boating (5)
CANAL: Double meaning: An artificial (water)way, or a way of boating
15a A bloomer strongly urged in the interests of preservation? (7,6)
PRESSED FLOWER: Synonym of floral bloomer, preceded by a synonym for “strongly urged”. The result is a way of preserving that bloomer
18a Swords can’t lie disordered in this royal building (7,6)
WINDSOR CASTLE: An anagram (disordered) of the first three words, producing a building to house the King
23a Day-labourers having second thoughts about 16 Down (5)
PEONS: The abbreviation for postscript PS wrapping around the clue for 16 down. This worker was (previousy) considered of low rank, doing menial work. Ultimately from Latin “pedonem”, meaning pedestrian.
25a Stock-taking device that’s in a class of its own (5)
LASSO: The stock here are cattle, and a lurker is found near the end
26a Right away? (3)
OFF: From the beginning: “they’re ***”; part of a phrasal verb (verb + preposition). If someone is ***, they are away.
27a Concealed sort of goal for a Spanish notability (7)
HIDALGO: Concealed H**, followed by anagram of goal.
28a Stuck on some point (7)
IMPALED: Double meaning. Literally unable to move due to being pierced by a sharp stake (fatal), or figuratively, a difficulty in understanding something
29a Highway robber who was ruthless and sanctimonious in turn (6)
TURPIN: Notorious 18th century highway robber. Insertion of PI into “turn” from the clue: perhaps Pious for sanctimonius. Ruthless, without Pity
30a Irritable man of intelligence about to take forty winks (6)
SNAPPY: Sp* (man from MI5) with n** (forty winks)inserted
Down
1d At home doubtless to guard against risk (6)
INSURE: A charade or Lego construction from home (IN), and a synonym for doubtless
2d What could follow his idle production is just dandy! (7)
DOODLER: Various random scribbling on paper. The 1942 film “Yankee ***** dandy” comes to mind, meaning everything is fine.
3d Result of overturning, perhaps? (5)
GIDDY: A state of vertigo, induced by vertical rotation here
5d It can become grotesque (5)
ANTIC: Anagram (grotesque) of it can
6d A document that authorizes disregard of propriety (7)
LICENCE: A double meaning: A formal legal document, or (somewhat archaic), excessive or undue freedom or liberty
7d Make progress at a very early age (6)
TODDLE: The earliest stages of walking
8d Decide to renounce vice and give up roaming (6,3,4)
SETTLE FOR GOOD: Double definition. The homeless rover deciding to stay in one place, or a wayward individual choosing a virtuous lifestye
9d Where the tiger’s satisfaction with the Rigan young lady was shown, apparently (2,3,4,2,2)
ON THE FACE OF IT: A lady from the capital of Latvia, a circus performer perhaps. She works in a RING (where a tiger was shown), anagrams to GRIN, a way of showing satisfaction on one’s face. RIGAN minus the I also anagrams to GRIN
16d Vast age that disturbs one … (3)
EON: Anagram of ONE
17d … with endless ingenuity (3)
WIT: With minus the T
19d Correct batting sequence? (2,5)
IN ORDER: Double definition: All my papers are ** *****, or the sequence in which cricketers come to the crease
20d The end of a race past all restoration (4,3)
LAST LAP: Anagram (restoration) of PAST ALL
21d Outcome of aiming high, presumably (6)
UPSHOT: Semantic double definition; synonym of outcome, and what happens if you fire your rifle vertically
22d Mr Grundy’s birthday (6)
MONDAY: From the nursery rhyme; Solomon Grundy was born on a ******
24d Obsolete foreign coins I disposed of at first (5)
SOLDI: One twentieth of a Lira, but an Italian reference to all money. The (I) from the clue, followed by made a transaction to obtain money
25d A garden spike (5)
LUPIN: A flower with a “wolf like fang” in the blossom. From LUPUS
Nine down, think limerick
Welcome to the blog, newbie mark.
How did you like the puzzle?
More difficult than I expected, particularly the NW where I needed the hints!
Brilliant! Welcome Mark
An enjoyable solve today but I did need help with a couple. Not heard of the old coin or spondee. 7d is also a dance – “Chicago, Chicago that toddling town”.
Thank you, Rossophile for the hints.
Thank you again, Rossophile. More attainable (for me) today, but, nevertheless, welcomed your review.
A fun puzzle – belated thanks to Alan Cash and thanks to Rossophile for the blog.
I took 26a to be a double definition with right being off(side) the right side of vehicles on UK roads.
The clues I liked best were 29a, 2d, 6d and 17d.
I’m looking forward to trying to solve the Vintage puzzles. I’m printing them all off and saving them. (Alas! I’m not an online solver.)
I just wish the illustrated introductions to each didn’t evaporate so quickly. I hope the Telegraph will eventually publish the Vintage puzzles as a Centenary Special puzzle book.
Many appreciative thanks to Rossophile for the blogs. I think I shall be finding them most useful.
And, of course, much appreciation to the setters of yore.
The NW corner was our nemesis with this one. Our favourite was 9d.
Thanks Rossophile.
3.5* / 2.5* Found this way harder than the last vintage one that I tried, flummoxed by a few but got there in the end. Favourites include the bloomer at 15a and highwayman at 29a
Many thanks to Rossophile
I used to do the Alan Cash Saturday prize puzzle in the Scotsman – he was a great compiler / accessible, witty and clever in his construction – it brought back memories tackling this one and very enjoyable it was
I found this one much easier. Perhaps because the “Ximenean principles” were published in 1966, 6 years earlier. A classical reference in 10a, much rarer nowadays. 13a seems ambiguous: it could also be “rally” (which was a much more mainstream sport in 1973). Many excellent clues, my favourites were 1, 4, 10, 23 and 29a and 17 and 21d.
The history is fascinating. Have tried US crosswords before, and just assumed out of prejudice that, like most American things, they were a corruption of the one true format by people with short attention spans. Not at all. They came first!
This puzzle is also interesting to me because it is from the year I was born. My dad would have done whatever was in the Guardian but my grandfather may have done this one on the day it came out.