ST 2820

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2820

A full review by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty *– Enjoyment ***

This puzzle was published on Sunday, 1st November 2015

Given the amount of time that elapses between Sunday puzzle publication and closing date,  I always try to draft the review on solving day  so that I don’t forget what I thought of the crossword.   For some reason, I didn’t add a prologue this time and can’t remember (a) why not and (b) exactly what I thought.   Judging by my star ratings scribbled on my solved grid,  I would say that it didn’t take me long (so 1*) and was typical for a Sunday puzzle (hence the 3*)

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.  You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five best!

Across

7a           House upset with MP, new and unsophisticated (8)
HOMESPUN – An anagram (upset) of HOUSE MP N(ew)

9a           Declared a verse outstanding (6)
AVOWED – A (from the clue) V (abbreviation for verse) OWED (outstanding).

10a         Problem around university affected fellow (6)
POSEUR –   POSER (problem) put around the abbreviation for University.

11a         Choke or other part of engine (8)
THROTTLE –   A verb meaning to choke or a valve regulating the supply of steam or of gas and air in an engine, also referred to as a choke.

12a         Sight on coast castaway genius in distress (6,8)
GIANTS CAUSEWAY – An anagram (in distress) of CASTAWAY GENIUS

15a         Give orders to leaders in band of savages, say (4)
BOSS – The ‘leaders’ of Band Of Savages Say

17a         Section of novel — it hopefully is in print (5)
LITHO –   Hidden in a section of noveL IT HOpefully

19a         Play stopped early for wee drink (4)
DRAM –   The first four letters (stopped early) of DRAMa (play).

20a         Child actor as exiled prince (5,9)
YOUNG PRETENDER –   A cryptic definition of a child who acts; or the name popularly  given to  a claimant to the English throne.

23a         Supporting English players, made prediction (8)
FORECAST –   FOR (supporting) E (English) CAST (players).

25a         Engaged in change of course in storm (6)
ATTACK –   AT (engaged in) TACK (change of course)

27a         Western half of very pleasant World Heritage Site (6)
VENICE –   The Western half or first two letters of VEry and NICE (pleasant).

28a         Lacking room to grow, best put back before spring (3-5)
POT-BOUND –   A reversal (put back in an Across clue) of TOP (best) goes before BOUND (spring).

Down

1d           Part of our capital accordingly goes on house (4)
SOHO –   SO (accordingly) HO (house).

2d           Number crossing river, one that rises in Wales (6)
SEVERN –   SEVEN (number) ‘crosses’ or goes round R (river).

3d           Group of soldiers out of ammunition (4)
UNIT –   Hidden in (out of) ammUNITion

4d           Crazy artists in Indian city now recalled (6)
MADRAS –   MAD (crazy) RAS (Royal Academicians, artists) gives us the city  now called Chennai.

5d           Upheld agreement to marry, after wife’s demonstrated subservience (8)
KOWTOWED –   A reversal (upheld in a Down clue) of OK (agreement) W (wife) TO (from the clue) WED (marry).

6d           Son belatedly changed deadline for retailer (4-2,4)
SELL-BY DATE –   An anagram (changed) of S (son) BELATEDLY.

8d           Reading‘s certainly held up by friend (7)
PERUSAL –   SURE (certainly) reversed and inserted into (held up by) PAL (friend).

13d         One or two, very unusually, found in academics’ dwelling (5,5)
IVORY TOWER – I (one) and an anagram (unusually) of OR TWO VERY.

14d         Announced place in church for convert (5)
ALTER –   A homophone (announced) of ALTAR (place in church).

16d         Reminder of place over in US that’s been transformed (8)
SOUVENIR –   An anagram (that’s been transformed) of OVER IN US.

18d         Like final man to leave, survive (7)
OUTLAST –   Split 3,4 this solution could describe the status of  the final man to leave.

21d         Good parties providing wine from Bordeaux (6)
GRAVES – G (good) RAVES (parties)

22d         Switch position after somebody else produces idea (6)
NOTION –   ON (one of the positions of a switch) goes after NOT I (so … somebody else).

24d         Out of pity, person’s kind (4)
TYPE –   Hidden in piTY PErson.

26d         In speech, philosopher is unable     to use specialised language (4)
CANT –  In speech (ie out loud), I’d  say the philosopher KANT and the specialised language CANT as CAN (eg of beans) T.   If I was saying I was unable to do something, I’d say I CAN’T and I’d pronounced the CAN bit as I would say CAR.     Hence I remain, eleven  days later, still confused by this wordplay, but I’d be willing to wager a small sum of money that, within ten minutes of review publication, I’ll be getting an email from ‘a friend’ explaining what my poor old brain just can’t see!

 

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