DT 28006

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28006

A full review by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***

This puzzle was published on Saturday, 9thJanuary 2016

One for fans of anagrams and/or double definitions

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Across

7a           Discover pens an Anglican church paid for (8)
FINANCED –   Pens indicates the need to put inside FIND (discover) AN (from the clue) and CE (Church of England, Anglican)

9a           Given somewhere to live in Provence, where sheltering in untidy shed (6)
HOUSED –   The French (as used in Provence) word for where – OU – put inside an anagram (untidy) of SHED.

10a         Came first, second or third and rested (6)
PLACED –   The first of several double definition clues

11a         Put up with varied role in gallery (8)
TOLERATE –   An anagram (varied) of ROLE inserted into TATE (gallery).

12a         Where a koala’s likely to be    in a fix (2,1,3,4)
UP A GUM TREE –   A cryptic definition;  and  in a difficult situation.

14a         Men seen going west and east for winter festival (4)
NOEL –   Reverse the man’s name (going west and east) and you get another man’s name.

15a         Captain’s gloom — after manoeuvres he rings the changes (13)
CAMPANOLOGIST –   An anagram (after manoeuvres) of CAPTAINS GLOOM.   Once again, I’d like to point out that bellringers can be female too.

17a         Man that offers a car lift (4)
JACK –   A man’s name or a device used to lift a car.

18a         Maybe get out of first  dress again? (6,4)
CHANGE GEAR – And another double definition.

20a         Naughty kiss by ace before evening of entertainments (5-3)
APRES-SKI –   An anagram (naughty) of KISS goes after A (ace) and PRE (before).

21a         Suffering trance? You need a drink (6)
NECTAR –   An anagram (suffering) of TRANCE

23a         Work to rule (6)
GOVERN –   No, not industrial action, but ruling a country.

24a         Plant droop reversed with grafts (8)
GASWORKS –   A moment’s pause to make sure I wasn’t after a garden plant –   As the clue helpfully says, SAG (droop) is reversed and followed with WORKS (graft being an informal term for hard work).

Down

1d           Mentioned man’s incentive (6)
FILLIP – A homophone (mentioned) of PHILIP

2d           The French female in command is not clerical (4)
LAIC – LA (French female definite article) and I C (In Command)

3d           Scholastic community needs an accountant, with media circling (8)
ACADEMIA –   Associated Chartered Accountant followed by an anagram (circling) of MEDIA.

4d           Slope away, being put off (6)
SHELVE –   And another double definition – lots of people didn’t know the first one but it is easily found by consulting a dictionary.

5d           Gnu foolishly galloping in life-threatening traffic? (10)
GUNRUNNING –   An anagram (foolishly) of GNU followed by GALLOPING (running).

6d           Thing that’s almost as good in texts Ben amended (4,4)
NEXT BEST –   An anagram (amended) of TEXTS BEN.

8d           Stop one old sailor getting worse (13)
DETERIORATING –   DETER (stop) i (one) O (old) RATING (sailor).

13d         Plucky sportsman who works on the estate? (10)
GAMEKEEPER –   GAME (plucky) KEEPER (sportsman).

15d         Second  winner (8)
CHAMPION –   To back someone/something or a winner.

16d         It groans discordantly if he plays badly (8)
ORGANIST –   An anagram (discordantly) of IT GROANS.

18d         Ring will go after most of money in gaming room (6)
CASINO – O (the letter that looks after a ring) goes after most of CASh (money) and IN (from the clue).

19d         Make inquiries in Alabama or another state (6)
ALASKA –   ASK (make inquiries) inserted into ALA (the abbreviation for Alabama).

22d         Work following credit being cut (4
CROP –   CR (credit) OP (work).

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