Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2650
A full review by gnomethang
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Morning All! Given that I am currently on holiday and have no idea what day it is I realised that I had forgotten to blog this – hence the alarm call at 6 this morning to get up and do it!. We have a very pleasant puzzle from Virgilius that most found quite straightforward.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post
Across
1a Have influence on current parliamentarian decree (6)
IMPACT – To move or have force on. I for Current (the S.I> Symbol) then MP for Member of Parliament followed by ACT – a decree of parliament or law.
4a Successive notes I had put outside and set apart (8)
ISOLATED – take the successive notes SO LA and TE from the tonic sol-fa scale and insert them into I’D (A contraction of I HAD). This leads to a word meaning set apart.
10a Sudden fall of snow disturbing a mostly calm haven (9)
AVALANCHE – This dangerous sudden fall of snow from a mountainside is an anagram (disturbing) of A (from the clue), most of CAL(m) and HAVEN.
11a Announced posts for about 50% of the population (5)
MALES – The 50% of the population that sounds like MAILS (posts)
12a Wave from a friend in Paris on back street (7)
TSUNAMI – Place UN AMI (a friend as a Parisian would say) after the reversal of ST for street (back). The result is an extremely dangerous tidal wave.
13a Intelligent ruler wrapping present (7)
KNOWING – Intelligent or arch. Wrap KING (ruler) around NOW (present)
14a It is switched after very short call (5)
VISIT – make an anagram (switched) of IT IS after V (The abbreviation (short) of Very) to get a verb meaning call or pop round.
15a Two men, and not a woman, in part of France (8)
NORMANDY – There are two cryptic definitions to this French Region: NORM & ANDY (two boys) or NOR (and not) MANDY (a girl).
18a Pace trio varied — some of Mozart’s music is like that (8)
OPERATIC – A simple anagram (varied) of PACE TRIO gives a description of some of Mozart’s musical works.
20a Police officer having a meal half-heartedly (5)
SUPER – Take one of the double letters from the middle of SUP(p)ER (A meal half-heartedly). This is an abbreviation or colloquial term for a Superintendent in the police force.
23a In part, holds altitude, as experienced crewman (3,4)
OLD SALT – The salty old sea dog can be found in part of hOLDS ALTitude.
25a Managed to continue providing capital earlier for some Asians (7)
RANGOON – The former capital of Myanmar (Burma) which has been superceded by Naypyidaw. Make a charade of RAN (managed) and GO ON (to continue).
26a Immerse foreign coin in acid to clean thoroughly (5)
SCOUR – The abbreviation for Cent (foreign coin) inside SOUR for acid gives a verb meaning to clean thoroughly.
27a Put too many into lift, say — more than three? (9)
OVERCROWD – Three is a CROWD (two is just company!), so more than three is OVER (a) CROWD.
28a In the same way, enjoy having knowledge (8)
LIKEWISE – The definition is ‘in the same way’. Make a charade of LIKE (enjoy) and WISE (having knowledge).
29a Repeatedly copied single in newer kind of record (6)
CLONED – Repeatedly copied from the same template. Place LONE (single) inside the abbreviation for Compact Disc (A newer kind of record than e.g. a 7” vinyl single from the good old days!).
Down
1d One caught in local, not at work (8)
INACTIVE – The definition is not at work or idling. Start with I for One then put C (caught in cricketing nomenclature) inside NATIVE (local)
2d Very little paid for source of oil (7)
PEANUTS – A colloquial term for very little money and also one source of oil.
3d Card one of the people dramatically played (9)
CHARACTER – A definition, card also being a joker or wag, and a cryptic definition of one of the dramatis personae created in a play.
5d Location in West End anyone can use for their address (8,6)
SPEAKERS CORNER – A nice cryptic definition of the place in the West End of London by Hyde Park/Marble Arch where any person is allowed to stand and address the crowd.
6d Branch office’s head in a state of uncertainty (5)
LIMBO – A state of uncertainty, particularly with reference to dying with the Original Sin still in ones soul accordion to some Christian speculative belief. Lake a LIMB of a tree (branch) then add O for the Head of Office.
7d Matched, having the same score for each team included (7)
TALLIED – The definition is matched (as in two totals). Place TIED (having the same score) around ALL (as in how one might say 2-2, Two ALL).
8d Be condescending about son’s intention (6)
DESIGN – DEIGN (be condescending) around S for Son gives an intention or plan.
9d Positions before battle — start of drama in progress before Waterloo etc (6,8)
ACTION STATIONS – The position of readiness before a battle. Make a charade of ACT I (start of a drama) then ON (in progress) and finally STATIONS (Waterloo, Victoria, Fenchurch St are all London train stations).
16d In charge in club, liable to prove poisonous (9)
ARSENICAL – Place IC (the abbreviation of In Charge) inside the ARSENAL (the club that Big Dave describes as ‘The Scum’) to get a clumsy sort of word for containing arsenic, therefore poisonous.
17d Racket set up inside secret society in tropical island (8)
TRINIDAD – Reverse DIN (set up ‘racket’) inside TRIAD, the oriental secret business society, to get a tropical island
19d Walk carefully on weed in field (7)
PADDOCK – A charade of PAD (walk carefully or softly) and DOCK (a common weed) leads to a field or grassy enclosure.
21d Part of speech from prof, no dunce, without notes (7)
PRONOUN – This part of speech of found from removing all the notes (A to G) from PRO(f) NO (d)UN(ce).
22d Endlessly seek advice from diplomat (6)
CONSUL – A diplomat overseas is all but the last letter of CONSUL(t) or seek advice from.
24d Old weapon found in a river bank (5)
ARROW – The old weapon fired from a bow is a charade of (found im) A + R(iver) + ROW (bank or tier).
My thanks as always to Virgilius. I am back next week for a Sunday then a Saturday review so I’ll see you all then.