DT 27378

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27378

A full review by gnomethang

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

Morning All! A fairly strong puzzle this week with a few clues which might leave the non-UK contingent scrathing their heads for the reference!

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Across

1 Reproducing Booth in spirit, I will be crusader against drink (14)
PROHIBITIONIST – An anagram (reproducing) of BOOTH IN SPIRIT I. With, I assume, a reference to William Booth, a Methodist (i.e. temperate) and the founder of the Salvation Army.

10 Be at focus? Not exactly what Sir Humphrey does (9)
OBFUSCATE – Another anagram (Not exactly) of BE AT FOCUS. Knowledge needed of Yes (Prime) Minister.

11 Discernment shown by taking son into art gallery (5)
TASTE – Place the abbreviation (abb.) S for Son inside the TATE gallery.

12 Dismissed footballer in wild place (7)
OUTBACK – OUT for dismissed (in cricket) and BACK (a defender in football).

13 Cycle endlessly wearing one skimpy costume (6)
BIKINI – All but the last letter of BIKIN(g) followed by I for One.

15 Turner at sea portrayed dynamic content (4)
EDDY – Hidden in (content of) portrayED DYnamic.

17 Clears jungle for American president with journalists (10)
BUSHWHACKS – A charade of BUSH (either of the two US presidents) then W, abb. of With and finally HACKS (journalists).

18 One on the bench is bitter being kept back in lively game (10)
MAGISTRATE – Place IS form the clue and a reversal (kept back) of TART inside an anagram (lively) of GAME.

20 Disgraced cricketer’s incredulous expression (2,2)
AS IF – Mohammed ASIF is a former Pakistani cricketer convicted of match fixing in 2011. Split his name (2,2)

22 Model’s easy chance (6)
SITTER – Two definitions – one  who sits/poses for an art class and a simple dolly catch.

23 Without knowledge of peacekeepers a conflict heads east (7)
UNAWARE – Start with UN for United Nations/peacekeepers then add A WAR (conflict) and then add E for East.

26 Supporter of the classics finally cut short (5)
ATLAS – In classical Greek mythology Atlas was a Titan who held up the heavens. Remove the last letter from AT LAS(t) or finally being cut short.

27 Performer of ritual mostly bombastic in inclination (9)
LITURGIST – Most of the word TURGI(d)/bombastic inside a LIST or inclination.

28 Breaking up rioting detains reprobate (14)
DISINTEGRATION – Two choices of anagram indicator but we want the one at the end (reprobate as an adjective). The anagram fodder is RIOTING DETAINS and the definition is at the front.

Down

2 Whistler’s just the thing to renovate (5)
REFIT – A charade of a REF (referee/whistler) and IT (just the thing).

3 Reckless uprising trapping American soldier (6)
HUSSAR – Reverse RASH (reckless uprising) and add US for American. For once we are not looking for a GI!

4 Rogue bishop to go without protection (10)
BLACKGUARD – A nice charade of B(ishop), LACK (to go without) and GUARD (protection).

5 Wooden actor (4)
TREE – A cryptic definition of Herbert Beerbohm TREE, the perennial crossword actor.

6 Bird extremely ridiculous concealing head (7)
OSTRICH – Start with MOST RICH (extremely ridiculous) and lose the starting letter (head).

7 Gut feelings of scientist going wrong finding neutron not electron (9)
INSTINCTS – Start with SCIENTISTS, remove the E for Electron and add N for Neutron then make an anagram (going wrong).

8 Cause of failure — it’s the fake dosh counterfeited (3,4,2,5)
THE KISS OF DEATH – A counterfeit anagram of IT’S THE FAKE DOSH. Nice apposite anagram indicator!.

9 Murder suspect to lam scoundrel painfully (7,7)
COLONEL MUSTARD – One of the suspects in the board game Cluedo and an anagram (painfully) of TO LAM SCOUNDREL.

14 One throws weight around club after drink (4-6)
SHOT-PUTTER – A golf PUTTER (club) after a SHOT or short drink of spirits.

16 Using numbers is a drug (9)
DIGITALIS – A charade of DIGITAL (using numbers) and IS from the clue. A drug from the Foxglove plant genus used for treating hard conditions.

19 Tramples partner’s issue (7)
STEPSON – Run together STEPS ON (tramples) to find the issue/progeny of one’s partner but not of oneself.

21 Repeat the standard nonsense (6)
PARROT – A charade of PAR (standard on a golf course) and ROT (nonsense/rubbish).

24 Friend takes a turn round motorway (5)
AMIGO – Place A GO (a turn) around MI for the M1 motorway.

25 Sportsman entertaining rabbi (4)
BLUE – Two definitions –A sportsman who has represented either Oxford or Cambridge and also the Rabbi Lionel BLUE who is well known in the UK at least.

Thanks to the setter. Without consulting the almanac I believe that I have a week off so I will see you the week after next.