Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30647
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 22nd June 2024
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A slightly tricky but interesting Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and important feedback.
The very first clue had the last three words of four letters each and could be easily accommodated in the light squares that came to light only when solving the early down clues and the problem was solved by repositioning the typographical error of the sequence from 1a, 10a, 5a to 1a, 5a, 10a.
In my late twenties and early thirties, I had watched some of the matches, among others, of Ivan Lendl, the answer to the clue of 3d. I was aware that he was ranked World No. 1 in singles for quite some time, but for how long that was not known to me. Anyway, I wanted to have some more information about him after I had solved the puzzle and so explored the net. I learnt that he is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He ranked World No. 1 in singles for a then-record of 270 weeks and won 94 singles titles. He won eight major singles titles and was runner-up 11 times, making him the first man to contest 19 major finals. He also contested a record eight consecutive US Open finals and won five-year-end championships. Lendl is the only man in professional tennis history to have a match winning percentage of over 90% in five different years, that is, in 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989. He also had a comfortable head-to-head winning record against his biggest rivals, which translates to a 22–13record against Jimmy Connors and a 21–15 record against John McEnroe. He is commonly known as ‘Father of Modern Tennis’ and ‘The Father of the Inside-Out Forehand’. He was also nicknamed ‘The Terminator’ and ‘Ivan the Terrible’. He received prize money worth US $ 21,262,417 that was 26th all-time leader in earnings. After retirement, he became a tennis coach for several players; in particular, he helped Andy Murraywin three major titles and reach the world No. 1 ranking.
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Across
1a, 5a and 10a Muddled sister had an idea — one not as simple as she might pretend (6,4,4,4)
EASIER SAID THAN DONE: An anagram (muddled) of SISTER HAD AN IDEA – ONE fetches the definition of a phrase describing something more readily talked about than accomplished or that it is easy to say or advise, but extremely difficult to practice or follow
5a See 1 Across
9a What gets furious Turkish commander around island? (10)
MADAGASCAR: What the mad (furious) Aga (Turkish commander) would use to get around, go to different places or travel around is his car, i.e. MAD AGA’S CAR that leads to the definition of a large island in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Southern Africa, east of Mozambique
10a See 1 Across
11a Sort of bob or crew cut? (8)
SKELETON: Double nounal definition; the first referring to a skeleton bob, bobsled or bobsleigh that a sportsperson rides in a winter sliding sport down a frozen track with face lying down and head-first riding position and the second referring to a skeleton crew or the minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item, such as a business, organisation or ship
12a Party to defeat thoroughly (6)
THRASH: Double definition; the first being an informal noun for a party, especially a lively or lavish one and the second a verb meaning to defeat heavily in a contest or match
13a Family gathered round large oven (4)
KILN: KIN (family) as one’s relatives or family placed about (gathered round) L (large) as the abbreviation for large that is usually referred to large size of shirt or other clothing takes to the definition of a furnace or oven for burning, drying or processing something, such as porcelain or bricks
15a Fearless one with books about returning depression (8)
INTREPID: The definition of an adjective meaning fearless or resolutely courageous is obtained from I (one) as the Roman numeral for one followed by (with) NT (books) as the abbreviation for New Testament that is a collection of Christian texts and forming the second part of the Christian Bible, consisting of the Gospels, Acts, Epistles and Book of Revelation, which together describe the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, RE (about) as a commercial jargon used to indicate ‘concerning’, ‘regarding’ or ‘about’ and DIP (depression) as a hollow or depression coming from the other end (returning)
18a Fit and active, cat, lithe, needs putting out (8)
ATHLETIC: The definition of an adjective meaning physically strong, fit and active is arrived at from an anagram (putting out) of CAT, LITHE
19a Fail to answer Mastermind question but progress? (4)
PASS: Double verbal definition; the first referring to the word used in Mastermind by a contestant who doesn’t know an answer and wants to move on quickly to the next question because the number of questions that the contestant faces is limited by a fixed time and the second meaning to proceed, advance or progress
21a Goods thrown from ship or planes before noon (6)
JETSAM: The definition of goods that are cast overboard from a ship, especially in an attempt to lighten the ship as during a storm is reached from a charade of JETS (planes) as airplanes powered by one or more jet engines and AM (before noon) as the abbreviation for the Latin phraseante meridiemmeaning before noon
23a My French bird: it preys on rats and snakes (8)
MONGOOSE: A charade of MON (My French) as the word for the possessive determiner ‘my’ in the French language and GOOSE (bird) as a large waterbirdwith a long neck, short legs, webbedfeet, and a short broad bill takes to the definition of a small carnivorous mammal with a long body and tail and a grizzled or banded coat, native to Africa and Asia, that feeds on snakes, rats and eggs of birds
25a Gleaming ring seen inside worth a lot (4)
HALO: Notice inside or part of (seen inside) [WORT]H A LO[T] brings the definition of a luminous ring or disk of light surrounding the heads or bodies of sacred figures, such as saints, in religious paintings
26a King Edward quit throne leaving British destroyed (10)
ERADICATED: ER (King Edward) as the abbreviation for Edwardus Rex in New Latin meaning King Edward followed by A[B]DICATED (quit throne) as a verb in the past tense meaning renounced or relinquished a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility or thelike, especially in a formal manner devoid of (leaving) B (British) as the abbreviation for British provides the definition of a verb in the past tense meaning removed or destroyed utterly
27a Alienated youth almost totally distressed? (8)
SKINHEAD: A cryptic definition of a young person, especially a man (youth), refusing to accept society and behaving violently towards others (alienated) and is ‘dis-stressed’ or having lost one’s tresses or having no hair (almost totally distressed)
28a Be wrong in wanting amontillado? (6)
SHERRY: ERR (be wrong) as to be mistaken or incorrect placed inside (in) SHY (wanting) as deficient, inadequate, wanting or not enough to meet a demand or requirement takes to the definition of a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain, a darker and heavier version of it being amontillado
Down
2d and 14d Simple having skinned minke whale at mismanaged zoo? (1,4,2,3,4)
A WALK IN THE PARK: The definition of something that is easy or simple is reached from an anagram (mismanaged) of a combo of [M]INK[E] with its outermost letters removed (skinned) and WHALE AT followed by ZOO (park) as referring to a zoological park that is an establishment where wild animals are kept for public showing
3d Court success in one vehicle, close, parked between lines? (4,5)
IVAN LENDL: The definition of the Czech-American former tennis player who had been highly successful in tennis court, winning 94 singles titles, ranking as World No. 1 in singles for a then-record of 270 weeks and is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time is arrived at from I (one) as the Roman numeral for one, VAN (vehicle) as a covered motor vehicle for transporting goods etc by road, END (close) as a stop, end or finish placed (parked) between L and L (lines) as each L representing the abbreviation for line
4d Retreat back to famed Venetian bridge (6)
RIALTO: LAIR (retreat) as a secret or private place in which a person, especially a criminal or enemy, takes refuge coming backwards (back) followed by TO from the clue yields the definition of the famous bridge of the 16th century and the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy
5d CO2? (6-2-7)
SECOND-IN-COMMAND: A cryptic definition of the officer next in authority to the commanding or chief officer or who is ranked ‘Number Two’ in an organisation is arrived at from CO as the abbreviation for Commanding Officer (CO) who is ranked number two (2) as in authority
6d Angry about IT after computer’s last bug (8)
IRRITATE: IRATE (angry) as an adjective meaning angry or enraged placed around (about) IT from the clue preceded by (after) the last or terminal letter (last) of [COMPUTE]R (computer’s) takes to the definition of a verb meaning to annoy or bother someone
7d Royal family study form, disregarding all outsiders (5)
TUDOR: [S]TUD[Y] [F]OR[M] from the clue deprived of all the outermost letters (disregarding all outsiders) guides to the definition of the House or its members belonging to the English royal dynasty which held the throne from the accession of Henry VII in 1485 until the death of Elizabeth I in 1603
8d Cost in gas changing? We’re not convinced! (9)
AGNOSTICS: An anagram (changing) of COST IN GAS (changing) takes to the definition of persons who are not convinced or are unsure and do not have a definite belief that God exists
14d See 2 Down
16d Sea Pigeon frolicking in agent’s field (9)
ESPIONAGE: An anagram (frolicking) of SEA PIGEON guides to the definition of the practice of spying or the systematic use of spiesto obtain information, especially by a government to discover military or politicssecrets of a foreign government
17d Impressed with tail of Spitfire in flight (8)
STAMPEDE: STAMPED (impressed) as a verb in the past tense meaning impressed a pattern or mark on a surface, object or document using an engraved or inkedblock or die followed by (with) the hindmost or last letter (tail) of [SPITFIR]E takes to the definition of a sudden, frenzied rush or headlong flight of a herd of frightened animals, especially cattle or horses
20d Intimate clothing becomes a zombie? (6)
UNDIES: Double definition; the first being a noun referring to an informal term for an underwear, especially panties or underpants of the females and the second a verb in the third person present tense singular form meaning becomes amythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse
22d Black out in no time consuming whiskey (5)
SWOON: The definition of a verb meaning to black out or suffer temporary loss of consciousness is reached from SOON (in no time) as promptly, quickly or within a short period taking inside (consuming) W (whiskey) as the letter represented by W in the NATO phonetic alphabet
24d Small fruit for Lance (5)
SPEAR: A charade of S (small) as the abbreviation for small and PEAR (fruit) as a yellowish-green or brownish-green edible fruit that is typically narrow at the stalk and wider towards the base, with sweet, slightly gritty flesh guides to the definition of a lance, shaft or any long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon
There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 9a, 23a, 25a, 26a, 27a, 28a, 3d, 5d, 7d, 20d and 22d; 5d being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to NYDK for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have an enjoyable day.
