Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2498 – Review
A full analysis by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
The sun still shines brightest on Sunday!
Across
1a Confused supporter of monarchy, we hear (6)
THROWN – a word meaning confused that sounds like (we hear) throne (supporter of monarchy)
4a Consequence — of aiming too high? (6)
UPSHOT – a double definition
8a Great warrior’s prominence shown in top honours (8)
ACHILLES – the great warrior of Greek mythology comes from HILL (prominence) inside ACES (top honours in playing cards)
10a Less sensitive piece of music (6)
NUMBER – another double definition – less sensitive is more numb
11a Time for visiting supporter (4)
STAY – another double definition – time for visiting and a supporter
12a European leader’s opportunity to get a lot of money back (10)
CHANCELLOR – Germany’s leader comes from CHANCE (opportunity) and ROLL (a lot of money) reversed (back) – terrific surface reading
13a Kind of mental treatment one never gets (5,7)
GROUP THERAPY – a cryptic definition
16a Cheated and wrongly charged to NHS (12)
SHORTCHANGED – a word meaning cheated is an anagram (wrongly) of CHARGED TO NHS
20a Like astronauts returning heartbroken before spring (10)
EARTHBOUND – an anagram (broken) of HEART is followed by BOUND (spring)
21a Ill-fated climber wanting some water, we hear (4)
JILL – one of the two who climbed the hill sounds like gill (a quantity of water) – a nice idea, but for me it just doesn’t work
22a A miscellaneous collection of Old Testament characters (3,3)
JOB LOT – this phrase meaning a miscellaneous collection is built up from two Old Testament characters
23a Produce at steady, fast rate — OK? Just the opposite (5,3)
KNOCK OUT – to KNOCK things OUT at a steady, fast rate is represented by KO, the opposite of OK
24a Strain produced by puzzle (6)
RIDDLE – a double definition
25a Predator circles quarry (6)
OSPREY – this predatory bird is a charade of OS (circles) and PREY (quarry)
Down
1d After 3, I become uncommunicative (8)
TACITURN – the answer to 3 down defines an anagram of CAT, which is followed by I TURN (I become) to give a synonym for uncommunicative
2d Wet fish at home kept inside (5)
RAINY – a word meaning wet comes from RAY (fish) with IN (at home) inside
3d Fierce person not having approval of union (7)
WILDCAT – a double definition
5d Criticise expert over a universal health solution (7)
PANACEA – a charade of PAN (criticise) and ACE (expert) over A gives a universal health solution
6d Greeting Asian from mountainous region (9)
HIMALAYAN – this charade of HI (GREETING) and MALAYAN (Asian) gives someone from a mountainous region
7d Boy named in public — shown up, right? (6)
TREVOR – this boy comes from OVERT (public) reversed (shown up – yes it’s one of those down clues!) and R(ight)
9d Desperate to act when son’s trapped between vehicles (5-6)
STAGE-STRUCK – a word meaning desperate to act in the theatre is derived by putting S(on) between STAGE and TRUCK (two vehicles)
14d Restless without people (9)
UNSETTLED – a double definition
15d The writer in France with a dreadful suspicion of rival (8)
JEALOUSY – a charade of JE (I, the writer, in French) A and LOUSY (dreadful) gives a word meaning suspicion of rival
17d Having spoken about segment of round-the-world trip (7)
ORBITAL – put ORAL (spoken) around BIT (segment) to get this round-the-world trip in a spaceship
18d Screen old American that’s very ugly (7)
HIDEOUS – a charade of HIDE (screen) O(ld) and US (American) gives a word meaning very ugly
19d Prefer a verse found in number of gospels (6)
FAVOUR – a synonym for to prefer is created by putting A V(erse) inside FOUR (the number of gospels in the New Testament)
21d Card not suited for a person who’s not serious (5)
JOKER – the cryptic part of this double definition is a playing card which is not in any of the four suits