Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3266
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 26th May 2024
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A lovely, fantastic puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and significant comments.
I am well aware of the difference in the pronunciation of ‘Lorraine’, the answer to the clue of 5d, by the people of England and those of France. But now, I also got to know from the net that Lorraine is a girl’s name of French origin meaning ‘from the province of Lorraine’ that is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France. However, sweet Lorraine might just be old enough to be ripe for reconsideration. Lorraine as the name of a French place has moved in and out of fashion in the few hundred years it has been used as a girl’s first name, somewhat influenced by the alternative name of Joan of Arc – Sainte Jeanne d’Arc de Lorraine. Joan of Arc was born in Domremy in Lorraine in 1412. Saint Joan of Lorraine was quite popular from the 1920s to the 1950s, but has pretty much been in limbo since then.
Furthermore, I learnt that the expression ‘clear the decks’, the answer to the clue of 9d, originated in naval warfare in the days of wooden sailing ships, when it described preparing for battle by removing or fastening down all loose objects on the decks of the ship, lest they get in the way of causing an injury. But the eighteenth century, the term was being used to mean getting ready for any major undertaking by getting small details out of the way. Usually one now ‘clears the deck’ in this manner when one’s anticipate the arrival of a great task which is going to take a great deal of energy and focus.
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Across
1a Grant given by God and His Majesty? Sweet! (11)
MARSHMALLOW: ALLOW (grant) as to permit or grant preceded by or coming after (given by) a combo of MARS (God) as referring to the Roman god of war and HM (His Majesty) as the abbreviation for His or Her Majesty leads to the definition of a spongy, jellylike sweet made from sugar, egg white, gelatin etc.
10a Circumnavigator, male seen cross the Pond, perhaps? (5)
DRAKE: Double nounal definition; the second referring to a male duck that is a water bird, perhaps seen swimming in a pond that takes to the first referring to Francis Drake who was the second man in the world to lead a circumnavigation of the globe with a ship intact and the first Englishman to complete a circumnavigation
11a Everything on wood block (9)
FORESTALL: ALL (everything) as used to refer to the totality of things preceded by or placed after (on) FOREST (wood) as an extensive wood or a large wooded area having a thick growth of trees and plants clue takes to the definition of a verb meaning to block, hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of someone or something
12a Comrades mixed a drink (5,4)
CREAM SODA: An anagram (mixed) of COMRADES followed by A from the clue guides to the definition of a vanilla-flavoured fizzy drink
13a Wine: a couple cut right back (5)
RIOJA: A combo of A from the clue, JOI[N] (couple) as to mate or couple that has its last letter removed (cut) and R (right) as the abbreviation for right coming from the other end (back) as a reversal in the across clue takes to the definition of a table wine, especially a dry red wine, produced in La Rioja, an autonomous community and province innorthern Spain
14a Brewer, drunken nature! (3,3)
TEA URN: The definition of a large closed urn with a tap, often also a heating device, for making tea in quantity is got from an anagram (drunken) of NATURE
16a Blue coin on end I spun (8)
INDECENT: CENT (coin) as a coin and unit of money worth a hundredth part of the main unit of money in many countries placed after or preceded by (on) an anagram (spun) of END I in the across clue guides to the definition of an adjective meaning blue or obscene
18a Case of fruit out of one’s tree, terrible (8)
NUTSHELL: The definition of the shell that encloses the kernel of a nut that is a one-seeded dry fruit is reached from a charade of NUTS (out of one’s tree) as an informal term for an adjective meaning crazy or foolish and HELL (terrible) as a terrible thing or a situation or place of great suffering
20a Innocent hunted, we hear? (6)
CHASTE: The definition of an adjective denoting morally pure and innocent is reached from a hom*ophone heard by the audience (we hear) of CHASED (hunted) as a verb in the past tense meaning hunted or followed game in order to capture or kill
23a Approach when career finished (3-2)
RUN-UP: The definition of a literal and figurative term for an approach is arrived at when RUN (career) as to move at a speed faster than a walk, never having both or all the feet on the ground at the same time and UP (finished) as denoting finished or closed form a charade
24a Somewhere to lay one’s hand? (4-5)
CARD TABLE: A cryptic definition of a small square table usually with folding legs and having a suitable surface for laying one’s hand that represents a set of cards dealt to a player in a card game
26a Vulgar misrepresentation of sales with test (9)
TASTELESS: The definition of an adjective meaning vulgar and unattractive or lacking in delicacy or refinement is obtained from an anagram (misrepresentation) of a combo of SALES and (with) TEST
27a Wood that’s thin on head of pin! (5)
PLANK: The definition of a long, flat piece of wood or other material, especiallyone wide enough and strong enough to walk on is got from LANK (thin) as lean, thin or gaunt placed after or following (on) the leading or initial letter (head) of P[IN]
28a Fuss over number in place (11)
OSTENTATION: The definition of pretentious display intended to draw attention or admiration is arrived at from O (over) as the abbreviation for over or overs as denoted on cricket scorecardsfollowed by TEN (number) as the cardinal number one above nine placed inside (in) STATION (place) as a place or position where a person or thing stands or is assigned to stand or a stopping place along a route, especially a stop for refuelling or for taking on passengers
Down
2d Stone a crowd (5)
AGATE: The definition of a hard stone with patterns of different colours, often bands of colour that are translucent is obtained from A from the clue and GATE (crowd) as referring to the crowd of people who has paid to see a game at a stadium etc, hence the number attending
3d Boat in a mess originally: navigate around it (7)
STEAMER: The definition of a boat or locomotivepowered by steam is reached from a combo of A from the clue and the original or first letter (originally) of M[ESS] surrounded by (around it) STEER (navigate) as to guide or control the movement of a vessel in its course, for example by turning a wheel or operating a rudder
4d Well over twelve inches? I don’t think so (2,4)
MY FOOT: MY (well) as an interjection used for expressing surprise placed upon (over) FOOT (twelve inches) as a unit of linear measure equal to 12 inches in the down clue forming a charade leads to the definition of an informal phrase said to express strong contradiction
5d Girl drops in collected facts (8)
LORRAINE: The definition of the name of a girl is deduced from RAIN (drops) as referring to the raindrops that represent the condensed moisture of the atmosphere falling visibly in separate drops taken inside (in) LORE (collected facts) as a collective knowledge or tradition that has passed down from generation to generation
6d Robe stripped, provide comment (7)
OBSERVE: [R]OB[E] having its extreme or outermost letters removed (stripped) followed by SERVE (provide) as to present food or drink to someone takes to the definition of a verb meaning to say something or make a comment or remark
7d Caine, not entirely with gratitude, performs in film (9,4)
EDUCATING RITA: An anagram (performs) of most of the letters (not entirely) of a combo of CAIN[E] and (with) GRATITUDE guides to the definition of a 1983 British comedy-dramafilm directed by Lewis Gilbert with a screenplay by Willy Russellbased on his 1980 stage play and Michael Caine as the leading actor
8d Noble few in pubs (8)
BARONESS: The definition of a noblewoman who holds the rank of baron or who is the wife or widow of a baron is reached from ONES (few) as the plural of the singular pronoun ‘one’ meaning few or some placed inside (in) BARS (pubs) as the plural of an establishment where alcohol and sometimes other refreshments are served
9d Tidy the 24 Across and prepare for action? (5,3,5)
CLEAR THE DECKS: Double verbal definition; the first telling to tidy up or clear the cards for playing a game that are laid or spread on the card table and the second used literally as a naval expression urging seamen to stow gear and prepare for battle or other action and figuratively, by extension, to cease doing something in preparation for a more important task or happening
15d Blow someone away describing Birmingham area? (8)
ASTONISH: The definition of a verb meaning to astonish, surprise or please someone very much is arrived at from cryptically describing Aston, a well-known area of inner Birmingham in England
17d Facial wound has servant confined to bed, briefly (5,3)
BLACK EYE: The definition of a swollen bruise and discoloration of the flesh surrounding the eye, often resulting from a blow is reached from LACKEY (servant) as a liveried male servant or valet kept inside (confined to) BE[D] from the clue made brief with the removal of its last letter (briefly)
19d Slap she produced, wretched (7)
HAPLESS: An anagram (produced) of SLAP SHE takes to the definition of an adjective meaning unfortunate, miserable or wretched
21d Area of significant activity, inflamed pimple (3,4)
HOT SPOT: The definition of an area of great activity of a specific type is arrived at from a charade of HOT (inflamed) as an adjective meaning intense, passionate or inflamed and SPOT (pimple) as a pimple or red mark on the skin caused by an illness etc
22d Bottoms up for canine command? (6)
PROSIT: The definition of an interjection denoting good luck to you or a salutation in drinking health is obtained from a charade of PRO (for) as the Latin root word for the preposition ‘for’ and SIT (canine command) as a command given to a dog to lower their hindquarters to the floor, with their back legs bent
25d Prime cuts of beef rare as veal, or well done! (5)
BRAVO: The primary or initial letters (prime cuts) of B[EEF] R[ARE] A[S] V[EAL,] O[R] leads to the definition of an interjection meaning well done or excellent
There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 10a, 11a, 13a, 18a, 24a, 4d, 7d, 9d, 15d, 17d and 22d; the topper being 7d. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to Dada for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have a nice day.
