ST 2488 – Review

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2488 – Review

A full analysis by Big Dave

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****

Our new Sunday setter is now so well established that the old-style puzzles are becoming an ever-dimming memory.

Across

1a Cancels fights (6)
SCRAPS – a double definition with does away with on the one hand and fights untidily on the other

5a Sport and dancing in military camp (8)
BASEBALL – a sport in which the so-called World Series comprises only teams from America comes from a dancing event at a military camp – you can just about say that this is a dance being held in the military camp, making it a cryptic definition rather than a charade

9a Offer to join infantry as rookie (10)
TENDERFOOT – this really is a charade – combine TENDER (to offer) with FOOT (another name for the infantry) to get a beginner or rookie

10a Curly and very short in style (4)
WAVY – put V(ery, short) inside WAY (style)

11a Scorpion, for example, found in parts of Iran and Chad (8)
ARACHNID – the scorpion is one of these, and, although this looks like a hidden word, it is an anagram (in parts) of IRAN and CHAD

12a New spell of duty in state that offends some people (6)
NUDITY – you have to admit that new spell is an unambiguous anagram indicator for DUTY IN to give a state that still offends some people

13a Make heavy demands on one vehicle (4)
TAXI – a simple but effective charade of TAX (make heavy demands on) and I (one) give this vehicle

15a Example of popular position (8)
INSTANCE – this example is a charade of IN (popular) and STANCE (position)

18a Denied needing help with profits (8)
GAINSAID – this is a good charade that combines GAINS (profits) with ASID (help)

19a Get ready for music, a short piece (4)
CASH – look for some ready money that is well hidden inside (piece) musiC, A SHort!

21a Like some fish as part of meal, so to speak (6)
COARSE – this type of fish sounds like (so to speak) COARSE (part of a meal)

23a Journalist’s report of dump outside health resort (8)
DISPATCH – the journalist’s report comes from to DITCH (dump) around (outside) SPA (health resort)

25a City with famous listed building (4)
PISA – where listed is leaning!

26a One who religiously studies old record I included in articles (10)
THEOLOGIAN – this one who religiously studies is O(old) LOG (record) and I inside (included in) THE and AN (definite and indefinite articles)

27a Son falls – or almost falls (8)
STUMBLES – S(on) TUMBLES

28a Complaint from male to a female (6)
MALADY – this complaint is a clever charade of M(ale) and A LADY (a female)

Down

2d Jump over net (5)
CLEAR – I loved this double definition; to jump over in order to achieve a CLEAR round in show jumping or net of all charges and deductions

3d Extra is divided by 100 – it’s hard to take away (9)
ADDICTION – ADDITION (extra) is divided in two by C (100 in Roman numerals) giving something that is hard to take away

4d Leap year, partly (6)
SPRING – a double definition

5d Lack of prudish attitudes among travelling folk? (15)
BROADMINDEDNESS – this cryptic definition of a lack of prudish attitudes seems to be about those who travel on B ROADs, but I’m still open to a better explanation

6d Ain’t mass unorthodox for this? (8)
SATANISM – an anagram (unorthodox) of AIN’T MASS

7d Bachelor with ring got married – submitted to pressure (5)
BOWED – back with the charades – B(achelor) O (ring) and WED (got married) giving submitted to pressure

8d Numbers can be found at the end of this book (9)
LEVITICUS – the third book of the Bible is followed by Numbers, the fourth

14d Biological expert who learns from stiff examination? (9)
ANATOMIST – when you do a lot of crosswords, stiff examinations make you think first of autopsies

16d A transition between sides for Michael, perhaps (9)
ARCHANGEL – A and then CHANGE (transition) between R and L (Right and Left / sides) gives us an angel of the highest order (Michael, perhaps)

17d Each year, cost of accommodation of older generation (8)
PARENTAL – another excellent charade of PA (Per Annum / each year) and RENTAL (the cost of cost of accommodation) to get a word meaning of an older generation

20d Refuge people have no reason to be in (6)
ASYLUM – a cryptic definition where “have no reason” means mad

22d Prepare for war again behind military leader (5)
REARM – this one doesn’t look like a charade, but it is – a word meaning to prepare for war again comes from combining REAR (behind) with the lead letter of M(ilitary)

24d King or queen, say, consuming hot vegetable (5)
CHARD – place CARD (King or queen, say) around (consuming) H(ot) to get a vegetable

Sorry it’s a bit late, but it is still earlier than waiting for the Sunday paper!