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ST 2821

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2821

A full review by crypticsue

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

This puzzle was published on Sunday, 8th November 2015

I did agree with other solvers on the day that this crossword provided yet another fine start to Sunday morning.

However, I bet none of the commenters noticed what I did once I started to draft this review. Almost half of the clues are ‘insertion’ clues – I’ve had to type the word ‘inserted’ eight times, and there were five other clues requiring you to put something inside something else.   I’ve deducted half a star from the enjoyment rating as this week I ended up a little grumpy whereas normally blogging the Sunday puzzle gives you twice the fun than any other day’s crossword review.

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

Across

1a           Cook aromatic plant that’s specified in prescription (6)
DOSAGE – DO (cook, falsify) SAGE (aromatic plant)

4a           Widespread alarm about endless protest (8)
PANDEMIC –   PANIC (alarm) goes round DEMo (an ‘endless’ protest)

10a         Person to blame as head’s seized in second attack (9)
SCAPEGOAT –   CAPE (head) ‘seized’ or put between S (second) and GO AT (attack)

11a         Excerpt from popular song giving serious offence (5)
ARSON –   An excerpt from populAR SONg

12a         Isn’t confused about aim or aims (7)
INTENDS –   An anagram (confused) of ISNT put round END (aim).

13a         Insurance lacking first piece, being too old (4-3)
OVER-AGE –   Remove the first ‘piece’ of COVERAGE (insurance).

14a         Slow movement of mythical ship on lake (5)
LARGO – L (lake) ARGO (mythical ship)

15a         Homeric hero suffers pain with internal problem (8)
ACHILLES –   ACHES (suffers pain) with ILL Inserted (‘internal’ problem).

18a         Projection for securing rope is holding male climber (8)
CLEMATIS – M (male) inserted into CLEAT (projection for securing rope) and the result followed by IS (from the clue).

20a         Bottle for medicine that contains temperature is essential (5)
VITAL –   T (temperature) inserted into VIAL (bottle for medicine).

23a         Letter from Greece put in container for Asian (7)
TIBETAN – BETA (Greek letter) inserted into TIN (container).

25a         Something worn by noble, possibly made of gold, one seen in court (7)
CORONET –  OR (heraldic gold) and ONE (from the clue) inserted into CT (the abbreviation for court).

26a         Right to a lawyer after introduction of new material (5)
LINEN –   LIEN (a legal right) with N (new) inserted.

27a         Instrumental work in last opera composed (9)
PASTORALE –   An anagram (composed) of LAST OPERA.

28a         Singers inside bars in holiday islands (8)
CANARIES –   Caged birds or, with a capital C, some islands where people go on holiday.

29a         Without objection, good woman covers her head (6)
GLADLY – G (good) LADY (woman) with an L (the ‘head’ of Lady) inserted.

Down

1d           Pass securing science place for some teacher’s student (8)
DISCIPLE – DIE (pass) ‘securing’ or having put inside SCI (science) PL (place).

2d           Chap with pistol people run away from as quickly as possible (7)
STARTER –   I’m going to disagree with a number of commenters on the day and say that I liked this clue.

3d           Apparently envious over opportunity that’s provided for rest of players (5,4)
GREEN ROOM –   GREEN (with envy perhaps) ROOM (opportunity).

5d           Psychiatrist so confused scientific type (14)
ASTROPHYSICIST –   An anagram (confused) of PSYCHIATRIST SO.

6d           Flier, one largely responsible for historic Spanish flight (5)
DRAKE –   A male duck or the Elizabethan sailor to caused the Spanish Armada to flee for home.

7d           Millions I bet in error (7)
MISTAKE – M (millions) I (from the clue) STAKE (bet)

8d           Recorded  Brahms and Liszt (6)
CANNED –   Music recorded in advance or a colloquial term for being inebriated,  as is Brahms and Liszt.

9d           Work secured by continentals relocated in ancient capital (14)
CONSTANTINOPLE –   OP (work) inserted into (secured by) an anagram (relocated) of CONTINENTALS.

16d         Northern city as source for vital organ (9)
LIVERPOOL –   split 5,4 this city might be a source of a liver (vital organ).

17d         Excessive praise from playwright about coffee (8)
FLATTERY –   FRY (playwright) goes round LATTE (coffee).

19d         Swedish philanthropist upset about an unstable country (7)
LEBANON –   Reverse (upset in a Down clue) NOBEL (Swedish philanthropist) and insert AN (from the clue).

21d         Mug taking military vehicle on a road (7)
TANKARD –   TANK (military vehicle) goes on A RD.

22d         Unlike upright type in centre of hospital, I cheat (6)
ITALIC –   Hidden in the centre of hospITAL ICheat

24d         General meaning to expand number of regiments, initially (5)
TENOR –   The initial letters of To Expand Number Of Regiments.

S2

3 comments on “ST 2821

  1. Thank you CS for this, I agree with you about 2d I thought people were making an inordinate fuss and could not quite see why. I always enjoy the Sunday crosswords and this was no exception. Mr G certainly keeps us on our toes.

  2. The usual Sunday enjoyment – thanks to Mr G and Mrs S. I can see that cook = do = falsify works in 1a, but I thought it just meant cook in its more literal sense as in “I’m doing chips for dinner”.

  3. I remember enjoying this one – anyway, I’ve found the crossword so can read what I put on it.
    I also remember being completely sunk with 2d – I ended up putting ‘scatter’ – well, don’t want to dwell on it too much but people would scatter from a chap with a pistol . . .
    I liked 1 and 29a and 5d (although the anagram took me ages and I needed loads of letters in before I saw it) and 9d.
    With thanks to Virgilius and to CS.

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