ST 2512

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2512

A full analysis by Peter Biddlecombe

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

Another easy but very classy puzzle from “Sunsetter”. I wondered whether there was a little theme when the two crossing words in the middle both had two Vs and so did 8D, but I guess this could just come from the need to fit in with the two long across answers.

Across
7	Fellow engaged in it flipped Indian pancake (8)
CHAPATTI – CHAP = fellow, AT = engaged in (esp. in the phrase “at it”),TI = it flipped
9	Verses and essay by American author (6)
POETRY – Poe = Amer. author, TRY = essay = attempt
10	New driver attached to museum is Germanic type (6)
VANDAL – V & A = museum, L = new driver – the Vandals were a Germanic tribe who sacked Rome./
11	Joy, as girl’s name (8)
FELICITY – two meanings
12	It badly affects aspirations when company’s output is unhealthy (7,7)
PASSIVE SMOKING – cryptic def. with aspirations = breathings in and “company” = people you’re with, rather than ambitions and a business
15	Pack to set between opponents in card game (4)
STOW – “to” between S & W from bridge or similar
17	Striking a couple of sixes before finally bowled (5)
VIVID – VI,VI,(bowle)D
19	Endlessly blush as failed presidential candidate (4)
GORE from “go re(d)”
20	Resorting to train, invariably one must enter inside this (7,7)
RAILWAY STATION – a brilliant all-in-one that seems to be just an oddly-phrased definition until you look harder – I=one in ALWAYS=invariably, all inside an anagram of “to train”, indicated by “resorting”
23	Cause of ill-feeling not allowed back inside — that’s good (8)
VIRTUOUS – rev. of out=not allowed, in VIRUS=cause of ill-feeling
25	Apprehend a ring-leader, then the others (6)
ARREST – A,R(ing),REST=others
27	To show or not to show? (6)
SCREEN – two defs, screen being one of those words with two opposite meanings – watch out for similar ones for sanction, table and cleave
28	Unexpected bonus some players got before season (8)
WINDFALL – wind = some players (orchestral), fall = season
Down
1	In poorer health, bird unable to fly (4)
RHEA – hidden word. The clue looks a bit like a double def. for a bird like a RHEA or KIWI, but “in poorer health” would almost certainly need an -er on the end, leaving a measly two letters for a synonym of “sick”. Simple mechanics like this can be just as useful as exotic knowledge in solving clues.
2	Passed out as a major (6)
SPADES = anag of “passed” – a major = major suit, in bridge
3	Row back and forth in eight if fitter (4)
TIFF – a hidden word with a twist – in “eight if fitter” it’s hidden both forwards and backwards
4	A line in Merchant of Venice naming Greek god (6)
APOLLO – A = A, (L = line in (Marco) POLO = “Merchant of Venice”)
5	Activity in school can grow, initially, without a head (8)
TEACHING – EACH = “a head”, inside (TIN = can, G = good)
6	Movie star making Bogart rage incoherently (5,5)
GRETA GARBO – anagram of “Bogart rage” – with G,A and R in both words, anagrams of this lady are hard to disguise.
8	A live TV broadcast in city on Med (3,4)
TEL AVIV – anag. of “A live TV” – same comment about the two V’s
13	Religious work of bishop, say, supporting convert, we hear (10)
ALTARPIECE – ALTAR = “alter”=convert, “bishop, say” = (chess) piece
14	Knowing verses to recite outside (5)
SAVVY – vv. (two V’s not one W) = verses, in SAY=recite. If you’ve seen pp. = pages and/or ll. = lines, vv. should not be a surprise, even if new to you
16	After game, sides kept apart by English referee? (8)
WHISTLER – WHIST = game, L(E)R – “referee?” is the definition
18	Run into delay, so get out of carriage (7)
DETRAIN – R=run in DETAIN=delay. (A clue for the passengers rather than the driver, who I guess also detrains, but from the loco).
21	Trying to win, side secures scoreless draw (6)
WOOING – O-O = “scoreless draw”, in WING=side
22	Economy seen growing in seaside area (6)
THRIFT – two defs, one describing the plant that used to appear on the back of threepenny bits – a fact doubtless exploited by crossword setters of the day – “Growth seen on back of royal portrait” or similar.
24	Tacked, perhaps, in all directions (4)
SEWN – a partner for NEWS as a word using all four compass points
26	Constituent of seawater found in barnacle (4)
SALT – 2 defs, apparently with barnacle as in Barnacle Bill (or so I thought), but look harder and you’ll see the NaCl (Sodium chloride) in the barnacle.