DT 27097

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27097

A full review by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

A slightly trickier Saturday offering made slightly more  tricky for me by my blind spot with 14d.

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Across

4a           Everyone sits in afternoon, then everyone follows London street (4,4)
PALL MALL –  ALL (everyone) sits in,  or is inserted,  between P (and) M (the usual abbreviation or afternoon) which should then be  followed by another ALL (everyone follows) and split 4,4.

8a           Louisiana local engineers imprisoned by old king? (6)
CREOLE  –  I wasn’t the only one who had to look at this one twice on Saturday.    Insert the RE (Royal Engineers) into Old King COLE.

9a           Magic Circle where one kind of doctor may be admitted (8)
RIVETING  –  magic or fascinating –put I (one) and VET (a kind of doctor) into a RING (circle).

10a         When premium’s above average size, it’s fireproof (8)
ASBESTOS –  AS (when) BEST (premium) OS (outsize).

11a         Take a chance to raise money (4,2)
TOSS UP –  To raise money by literally tossing it in the air may give you an even  chance of winning something.

12a         Missile in the news (8)
BULLETIN –   BULLET (missile) and IN (from the clue).

13a         Base protagonist in novel on the fair female doing a flit (4-4)
ANTI-HERO –  A principal character who lacks noble qualities –   an anagram (novel) of ON THE FAIR, once you have removed the F (Female doing a flit).

16a         Aussie bounder (8)
KANGAROO –   A cryptic definition.

19a         Avengers dispersing poisonous substance (5,3)
NERVE GAS – an anagram (dispersing) of AVENGERS.

21a         Rider scratches, it’s announced (6)
CLAUSE –   Chambers defines rider as a CLAUSE added to an already completed contract.   It is, of course, a homophone (announced) of CLAWS (scratches).

23a         Two-thirds of explanation by editor will be restricted (8)
RATIONED –  Two thirds of a RATION(ALE) or explanation, followed by  ED, the usual abbreviation for editor.

24a         Document professional first mentioned on the radio (3,5)
PRO FORMA –   PRO (professional) followed by  a homophone (mentioned on the radio) of FORMER (first).

25a         Kindle involved in foreign items (6)
IGNITE –  A word meaning to set fire to is hidden  or involved in foreIGN ITEms.

26a         Screen volunteers about to finish bitter feud (8)
VENDETTA –  The second appearance of VET, this time as a verb meaning to screen or examine critically.   Insert a verb meaning to finish – END – into VET and then finish with the TA (the ‘volunteer’ army).

 

Down

 

1d           Sharp right taken in coach by that Parisian (7)
BRUSQUE –  Sharp or abrupt in manner –   Insert R (right)  into BUS (coach) and follow with the French  (as used in Paris!) word for that – QUE.

2d           Hurry   to make progress (4,5)
COME ALONG –   A double definition – the first an exhortation much used by exasperated mothers and the second a verb meaning to make progress.

3d           Go away and bang your drum? (4,2)
BEAT IT-   An expression meaning to  go away hastily or furtively might also be an instruction as to how you should bang your drum.

4d           According to boy, immediately cavorting at rag makes one out of favour (7,3,5)
PERSONA NON  GRATA –   PER SON (according to boy) ANON (an adverb meaning immediately) and an anagram (cavorting) of AT RAG.

5d           Hang about gallery after playing live (8)
LEVITATE –  To hang about, usually while floating,   An anagram (playing) of LIVE followed by (after) the TATE gallery.

6d           Scholar takes this after dropping one school subject (5)
MATHS –   MA (Master of Arts, scholar) followed by TH[I]S once you have removed the I (dropping one).

7d           Be about to leave lounge bar, suffering lack of energy (7)
LANGUOR – the word where I always hesitate before putting in the U and the O!   Remove  BE (letters which are reversed (about)) in  LOUNG[e] [b]AR and then make an anagram (suffering) of the remaining letters.

14d         Veil’s tied, being narrow-minded (9)
HIDEBOUND –   VEIL (a verb meaning to hide) and BOUND (tied).

15d         Real determination to see a movie? (4,4)
TRUE GRIT – double definition.

17d         Generally   free (2,5)
AT LARGE –  And another double definition.

18d         Misleadingly meant to include silver or red (7)
MAGENTA –   An anagram (misleadingly) of MEANT with AG (silver) inserted.    Yes, we know, it isn’t red-red but more purplish-red!

20d         Keep terriers in check (6)
RETAIN –   Insert the TA, the abbreviation used for the terriers of the Territorial Army into REIN (check).

22d         Hungry FBI agent following French one (5)
UNFED –   Follow the French word for one – UN with  a FED or agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Thanks to Cephas for the Saturday morning diversion.