DT 27773

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27773

A full review by crypticsue

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

This puzzle was published on Saturday, 11th April 2015

One of those puzzles that seemed to take longer than it actually did to solve.  I’ll forgive the number of instances of ‘take a letter off’ clues as the anagram indicators are splendidly original this week.   Like quite a lot of people on the day, my favourite has to be 27a.

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Across

1a           Food for picnic spread I chew visiting beach (10)
SANDWICHES –   An anagram (spread) of I CHEW visiting or going inside SANDS (beach).

6a           Mischievous child’s endless racket (4)
SCAM –   Remove the final letter (endless) from a SCAMP (mischievous child).

10a         Balance achieved by former party of the centre — right area (5)
LIBRA – LIB (the Liberals used to be the centre party in British politics) R (right) and A (area).

11a         Dog with tail docked in old-fashioned style I always must follow (9)
RETRIEVER –   Remove the final letter (tail docked) from RETRO (in old-fashioned style) and follow with I (from the clue) and EVER (always).

12a         Work out clues with books, having enough resources (7)
SOLVENT –   SOLVE (work out clues) and NT (books of the New Testament).

13a         There’s remarkable energy about Conservative when deputy leader’s in charge (7)
REGENCY –   An anagram (remarkable) of ENERGY around C (Conservative).

14a         Chef in big country house may have one? (7,5)
COOKING RANGE –   COOK (chef) IN GRANGE (in big country house)

18a         Fancy a soft drink consumed by kid (4,1,5,2)
HAVE A CRUSH ON –   A CRUSH (a soft drink) consumed by HAVE ON (kid)

21a         Small support sustaining a composer (7)
STRAUSS –   A (from the clue) put into S (small) TRUSS (support).

23a         Pardon little woman keeping home (7)
AMNESTY – AMY (one of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women) with NEST (home) inserted.

24a         One’s projected to make a return flight (9)
BOOMERANG –   A cryptic definition of an Australian missile that usually comes back (unless you are Charlie Drake of course – who else remembers his 1961 surprise hit record?)

25a         Actor seen in clubs (5)
IRONS –   Jeremy IRONS, the actor,  or some golf clubs.

26a         Turning in the water, bear’s heading off (4)
EDDY –   Remove the ‘head’ from a TEDDY bear.

27a         Honestly, it’s what shepherd seeks in Bible reading (8,2)
STRAIGHT UP –   A homophone of STRAY UP – the shepherd in the Bible was of course looking for lost sheep, a tup being another name for a ram.

Down

1d           Show is cut, having brought in little money (6)
SPLASH –   a P (penny, little money) inserted into SLASH (cut).

2d           Browse books dipping into ‘The Flower of Africa’ (6)
NIBBLE –   B B (books plural) inserted into the NILE (the flower [river] of Africa).

3d           Queen’s expression showing a tremendous awe? Not exactly (2,3,3,6)
WE ARE NOT AMUSED –   An anagram (not exactly)of A TREMENDOUS AWE.

4d           Temporary manager to have another go at test in vehicle (9)
CARETAKER –   RETAKE (have another go at test) inserted into CAR (vehicle).

5d           Kitchen utensil’s taken first slice off apple (5)
EATER –   Remove the first letter from BEATER (kitchen utensil).

7d           Granny in desire for agreement (8)
COVENANT –   NAN (granny) inserted into COVET (desire for).

8d           Outlaws and William finally make mistake with strong desire to capture maiden (5,3)
MERRY MEN –   M (the final letter of William) ERR (make mistake) and YEN (strong desire) into which is inserted M (maiden).

9d           Blaming childish art — ordinary, not advanced (6-8)
FINGER-POINTING –   Change the A (not advanced) in FINGER-PAINTING (childish art) and replace it with an O (ordinary).

15d         Lost again uneasily longing for the old days (9)
NOSTALGIA –   An anagram (uneasily) of LOST AGAIN.

16d         After church a Yankee turned up and almost messed up priest’s garment (8)
CHASUBLE –   CH (church) A (from the clue) SU (a reversal – turned up in a Down clue) of US, Yankee) and BLEW (almost all of blew, messed up).

17d         Hyped-up spells of cricket out of date (8)
OVERSOLD –   OVERS (spells of cricket) and OLD (out of date).

19d         Go along with tight corset (6)
ESCORT –   An anagram (tight [‘drunk’ – which can also be used as an anagram indicator!]) of CORSET.

20d         Craft shops stocking unknown fragrant plant (6)
HYSSOP –   An anagram (craft) of SHOPS stocking Y (mathematical unknown).

22d         Sharp  pain (5)
SMART –   Double definition – sharp or clever; a prolonged stinging pain.

S2