DT 27767

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27767

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BD Rating – Difficulty **– Enjoyment ***

This puzzle was published on Saturday, 4th April 2015

A couple to make you think, but apart from that, fairy standard Saturday fare.   I have my suspicions as to the setter, but I won’t say anything in case I am wrong again!

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Across

7a           Front drive in SW19? (8)
FOREHAND –   A cryptic definition of a tennis stroke played at Wimbledon, London SW19.

9a           Thunder and lightning’s beginning to penetrate lower down (6)
BELLOW –   L (the ‘beginning’ of lightning) penetrates or goes inside BELOW (lower down).

10a         This woman wants olive in a cocktail — kind of square? (6)
VIOLET –   An anagram (a cocktail) of OLIVE followed by T (a type of square used for drawing right angles).

11a         Take part in cruise, as on a liner during summer, perhaps? (8)
SEASONAL –   Well hidden in cruiSE AS ON A Liner.

12a         Back number about getting in sunscreen, say, creating film externally (2,8)
ON LOCATION – A reversal (back) of NO (number) followed by a LOTION (sunscreen say) into which is inserted CA (circa, about).

14a         I would put in directions to get extra (4)
WIDE – A bowled cricket ball that is judged to be out of the reach of a batsman and so the batting team is awarded an extra run.   ID (I’d, I would) inserted between the compass directions of W(est) and E(ast).

15a         Communication from solicitor (7,6)
BEGGING LETTER –   Cryptic definition that’s easy to solve  once you realise which type of solicitor you are after.

17a         Garry leaves cap in valley (4)
GLEN –   Remove GARRY from a Scottish cap called a GLENGARRY.

18a         On the radio, Christopher angry with lines cutting across one another (5-5)
CRISS-CROSS –   A homophone (on the radio) of CHRIS followed by CROSS (angry).

20a         Munich running wild, as having been held in so far (8)
IN AS MUCH –   An anagram (running wild) of MUNICH into which is inserted (being held) AS (from the clue).

21a         Carry On Nurse, seen with former partner (6)
EXTEND –   EX (former partner) TEND (nurse).

23a         Half score before point is added in game (6)
TENNIS –   TEN (half  score so half of twenty) N (compass point North) and IS (from the clue).

24a         State of the French pottery (8)
DELAWARE –   DE LA (of the in French) and WARE (pottery).

Down

1d           Thought it should be taken up to be wrapped by midday (6)
NOTION –   IT (from the clue) is reversed (taken up) and ‘wrapped by’ or inserted into NOON (midday).

2d           Scoundrel making one downtrodden? (4)
HEEL – Double definition – a scoundrel or part of the foot that is downtrodden.

3d           A tramp is cooking meat (8)
PASTRAMI –   An anagram (cooking) of A TRAMP IS.

4d           Get on a bit clumsily (6)
OBTAIN –   An anagram (clumsily) of ON A BIT.

5d           Overflowing river moved towards floe (not south) (10)
FLOODWATER –   An anagram (moved) of TOWARDS FLOE without the S (not south).

6d           Think about getting mother involved in ball, that will add fragrance (8)
POMANDER –   MA (mother) involved in PONDER (think about).

8d           Made out to be famous (13)
DISTINGUISHED –   Part of a verb meaning recognised for various qualities (made out) or an adjective meaning famous, eminent.

13d         Arranging instrument with which I make notes (10)
ORGANISING – ORGAN (instrument) I SING (I make notes).

15d         Objective of man, 100 — to stay in bed! (8)
BALANCED –   Insert into BED, ALAN (man) and C (the Roman numeral for 100).

16d         Set out to get inside before time in wind (8)
EASTERLY –   An anagram (out)of SET inserted into EARLY (before time).

18d         Not very careful with chimneys in outskirts of Cromarty (6)
CLUMSY –   LUMS (chimneys) inserted into C and Y, the ‘outskirts’ of Cromarty

19d         Despatched railway guard (6)
SENTRY –   SENT (despatched) and RY (the abbreviation for railway).

22d         Urban area to west and north (4)
TOWN – TO (from the clue) W(est) and N(orth).

Gnomey’s submitted the correct paperwork requesting  a week’s golf  in sunny Spain, so I’ll be back  on double weekend blogging duty again next week too.

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