ST 2682

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2682

A full review by gnomethang

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

Morning All!. A fine puzzle from Virgilius. A few to make me think and a very nice &Lit that the man himself had to point out. I got it myself – honest!

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

7a           Rogue who sings, popular earlier (8)
INFORMER – IN for popular and FORMER for earlier. One who “Sings like a canary”.

9a           Sound condition of pound protected by PM once (6)
HEALTH – L for Librum (pounds in Latin) inserted in (protected by) Edward HEATH, a former Prime Minister.

10a         Letter on tap dance by popular composer (6)
CHOPIN – One of the letters on a Tap is C for Cold. Add HOP for a type of dance and finish with IN for popular (again!)

11a         Former Asian capital — and in Asian language (8)
MANDALAY – AND from the clue inserted into MALAY, an Asian language.

12a         Predicament I have with effect of pollution involving those near to me? (7,7)
PASSIVE SMOKING – It took me a while to work out this excellent &Lit (all in one) clue. I knew something was going on as I couldn’t see the definition clearly. A predicament is a PASS (as in ‘things have come to a pretty pass’) then IVE (a contraction of I have, then finally KIN (those near to me) inside SMOG (pollution). All the words in the sentence add to the wordplay and the clue as a whole provides the definition. Excellent stuff.

15a         Masters rare golfing feats (4)
ACES – An Ace is a more common term in the US for a Hole in One at golf.

17a         Orderly attached to hospital in lower position (5)
NEATH – A contraction of underneath. Place NEAT (orderly) in front of H for Hospital.

19a         Abridged book (cut from end) not having brilliant cover (4)
MATT – The Gospel of St MATT(hew) being abridged by removing HEW (cut) from the end.

20a         Continental types a Macintosh user upset (5,9)
SOUTH AMERICANS. Our first anagram (upset) of A MACINTOSH USER.

23a         Sportsmanlike or ethical, in a way, including second time (8)
ATHLETIC – Make an anagram (in a way) of ETHICAL but with the addition of a second T (including second time).

25a         How board meeting may end for prisoner, say (6)
INMATE – The board game is Chess then it may end IN MATE.

27a         Act without moderation in party on left (6)
OVERDO – DO for party is after (ON in an across clue) OVER (left/remaining).

28a         Escape from ordeal with maximum speed (8)
FLEETEST – A charade of FLEE (escape from) and TEST (ordeal)

Down

1d           Nose or chin split and reconstructed (4)
INCH – An anagram of CHIN (indicated by split and reconstructed). The heroine /soon to be victim usually inches her way down a gloomy passage in horror films.

2d           Latin’s body found in library? (6)
CORPUS – The Latin for body and a body of literary works usually found in the library.

3d           One letter from MP set up classical concert (4)
PROM – Either letter from MP would be M OR P. Reverse this (set it up).

4d           Thus including clue for Eastern religion (6)
SHINTO – Place HINT (clue) inside SO (thus)

5d           Resignation letters in fast mail misdirected (8)
FATALISM – An anagram of the letters in FAST MAIL (misdirected). A great and coherent surface reading.

6d           Make what’s initially so disorganised right and neat? (10)
STRAIGHTEN – A semi all-in-one clue. The initial letter of S(o) with an anagram (disorganised) of RIGHT and NEAT.

8d           From motorway, to no avail, I moved vehicle (7)
MINIVAN – Start with the M for motorway then take IN VAIN and move the second I two places forward.

13d         Like prosecutor in case (10)
ACCUSATIVE – Two definitions or a Def + Cryptic. The case is what some might recall as B form from their Latin lessons.

14d         Founders of colony in South with moderately high temperature (5)
SWARM – Locusts or bees – your choice. S for South and WARM for a moderately high temperature.

16d         One who has rows with skivvy, finally, in kitchen (8)
SCULLERY – One who sculls (rows) is a SCULLER. Add the final letter of skivvY.

18d         Central character taking combination of drugs (7)
HEROINE – The drugs being HEROIN and the ubiquitous E for Ecstacy.

21d         American food inflamed canine (3,3)
HOT DOG – A nice simple one. HOT (inflamed) and DOG (canine).

22d         Total return to consciousness (4,2)
COME TO – Two definitions – “What did that last round come to?” and to wake after a sleep.

24d         Blow with hand or part of arm (4)
CUFF – Another two definitions that were reasonably straightforward.

26d         Piece of work from artist, a sketch (4)
TASK – Virgilius’ trademark hidden word, kept short and right  at the end.

I’ll see you all next Sunday for another Virgilius Sunday experience.