DT 27989

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27989

A full review by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **

This puzzle was published on Saturday, 19th December 2015

Unlike most of the commenters on the day, it took me longer than usual to get on the setter’s wavelength, probably due to having half my brain working on various festive ‘things to do’.

This is my last review before Christmas so Seasons Greetings to my fellow bloggers, all the setters and commenters and lurkers too.

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

Across

1a           Ruin simple mechanical part in kitchen appliance (10)
DISHWASHER   – DISH (ruin) WASHER (simple mechanical part)

6a           Unwanted messages and plans sent back (4)
SPAM –   A reversal (sent back) of MAPS (plans).

9a           Mineral gunners kept in container (5)
BORAX –   RA (Royal Artillery, gunners) ‘kept’ in a BOX (container)

10a         Fashionable French writer takes ship for northern city (9)
INVERNESS –   IN (fashionable) VERNE (Jules the French writer) SS (steam ship)

12a         ‘Topple Tunisia’ ordered Roman governor (7,6)
PONTIUS PILATE –   An anagram (ordered) of TOPPLE TUNISIA.

14a         I will set down after nasty chap with current American car (8)
CADILLAC –  CAD (nasty chap) ILL (I will) AC (alternating current).

15a         English hunt’s regressive reputation (6)
ESTEEM –   E (English) followed by a reversal (regressive) of MEETS (hunt’s)

17a         Aquatic creatures returning fight around river (6)
OTTERS –   And another reversal (returning) of SET TO (fight) put around R (river).

19a         Witness is able to put across artist — producer of graffiti? (5,3)
SPRAY CAN –   Insert RA (Royal Academician, artist) into SPY (witness) CAN (is able to)

21a         Anne perhaps to deal with broadcast in a Scottish way (7,6)
PRINCES STREET –   PRINCESS (Anne perhaps) and a homophone (broadcast) of TREAT (deal with).

24a         Decline on working — showing this? (9)
INDOLENCE –   An anagram (working) of DECLINE ON.

25a         Nobleman by end of party having good time (5)
EARLY –   EARL (nobleman) Y (the ‘end’ of party)

26a         Flat race maybe failing to finish (4)
EVEN –   An event (race maybe) ‘failing to finish’ or without its last letter.

27a         Sewer of open water leading to mass anxiety (10)
SEAMSTRESS –   SEA (open water) M (mass) STRESS (anxiety)

Down

1d           Obligation of first appearance leaving university (4)
DEBT – Remove the U (leaving university) from DEBUT (first appearance)

2d           Get rid of journalist that’s played violin badly (7)
SCRAPED –   SCRAP (get rid of) ED (editor, journalist).

3d           Speaking enthusiastically of disc with song Los Angeles rejected (6,7)
WAXING LYRICAL –   WAXING (disc – recordings were originally made on wax cylinders) LYRIC (song) and a reversal (rejected) of LA (Los Angeles).

4d           Blade — I am just the thing to open old wound (8)
SCIMITAR   – IM (I am) IT (just the thing) inserted into (to open) SCAR (old wound).

5d           Presley with energy overwhelming island’s little folk (5)
ELVES –   E for Energy replaces I for Island in ELVIS.

7d           Churchman to talk at length about the Spanish (7)
PRELATE –   EL (the Spanish definite article) goes inside PRATE (talk at length).

8d           Quiz in which dimmest ran out (10)
MASTERMIND –   An anagram (out) of DIMMEST RAN.

11d         Getting back in control before declaration (13)
REINSTATEMENT – REIN (control) goes before STATEMENT (declaration).

13d         Assistant from place comic upset (10)
ACCOMPLICE –   An anagram (upset) of PLACE COMIC.

16d         Raised issue that’s against the current (8)
UPSTREAM –   UP (raised ) STREAM (issue forth).

18d         Aimless motion makes Ted wild (7)
TWIDDLE –   And another anagram (makes) of TED WILD.

20d         Set place to rest on lake (7)
COTERIE –   COT (place to rest) ERIE (lake).

22d         Following church after wrongdoing (5)
SINCE –   CE (Church of England) goes after SIN (wrongdoing).

23d         Those in favour will give a positive response (4)
AYES –   A YES (a positive response).

S2