Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2852

A full review by crypticsue

This puzzle was published on 12th June 2016

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

Another Sunday and another chance for me to scratch my head and try to think (in this case without much success) of something original to say about the wonderful cryptic treats we get each week  from the ever inventive Virgilius, without incurring the wrath of the “favourites” police.  

Please a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.

Across

1a           Professional model, the toast of Berlin (6)
PROSIT –   PRO (professional) SIT (model) combine to give us the German (as used in Berlin) word for ‘Cheers’.

4a           European surrounded by throng was exultant (6)
CROWED –   E (European) ‘surrounded by’ CROWD (throng)

8d           For each child, a line that’s derogatory (8)
PERSONAL –  PER (for each) SON (child) A (from the clue) L (line)

10a         Fabrication’s sound for part of house (6)
STOREY –   A homophone (sound) of STORY (fabrication)

11a         Very easy clue, for example, provided in good time (4)
GIFT –   IF (provided) goes between G (good) and T (time) 

12a         In way that’s not clear, you’ll be upset with Sun (10)
NEBULOUSLY –   An anagram (upset) of YOU LL BE and SUN

13a         New money to encourage specialist in theatre (12)
NEUROSURGEON –  N (new) EUROS (money) URGE ON (encourage)

16a         Military establishment at Waterloo, say, with everyone inside (12)
INSTALLATION –   A military base is obtained by putting ALL (everyone) ‘inside’ IN STATION (at Waterloo, say)

20a         What’s ideal for nice pet is being spoiled (10)
PERFECTION –   An anagram (being spoiled) of FOR NICE PET.

21a         It’s engaged setter and solver in past (4)
BUSY –   US (setter and solver) in BY (past)

22a         Break through, with knight or bishop, say, capturing rook or queen (6)
PIERCE –   PIECE (knight or bishop, say, in a game of chess) ‘capturing’ R (rook in chess) or R (Regina, queen).

23a         Rescue craft with no shortage of mates (5,3)
NOAH’S ARK –  This lovely cryptic definition is one of the clues I really liked this week.

24a         Firm modified ads yet otherwise stayed disorganised (6)
STEADY –   An anagram (modified) of ADS YET, or (otherwise) another anagram (disorganized) of STAYED.   I liked this clue too – a lot!

25a         Some may come late to this meeting, possibly creating a scene (6)
SÉANCE   –  An anagram (creating) of A SCENE.

Down

1d           Careless about energy and power to begin with in building (8)
PREMISES –   REMISS (careless) goes ‘about’ E (energy), the result preceded by (to begin with) P (power)

2d           Violent attack where shooting takes place (5)
ONSET –   This week’s ‘old friend’   –  the shooting being that of a film!

3d           Knock pub sign askew (7)
INNINGS –   A spell at batting in cricket – INN (pub) followed by an anagram (askew) of SIGN.

5d           Determination of tragic lovers, what Romeo and Juliet have in common (7)
RESOLVE –   An anagram (tragic) of LOVERS followed by an E (the letter that RomEo and JuliEt have in common).   Another one for the ‘liked’ list.

6d           Crime story that has errors in grammar and spelling (9)
WHODUNNIT –   If you were spelling this properly, you’d say ‘who done it’ but of course that isn’t grammatically correct as you should say ‘who did it’.

7d           Contributing to aid, we’ll save lives (6)
DWELLS –    Hidden in (contributing to) aiD WELL Save

9d           African imprisoning sailor who’s opposed to oppressive government? (11)
LIBERTARIAN –    LIBERIAN (African) imprisoning TAR (sailor)

14d         Buttress supporting church — it’s under control (9)
REINFORCE –   FOR  (supporting) CE (the Church of England) goes under REIN (control)

15d         Study to be a fighter, and keep in good shape (8)
CONSERVE –   CON (study) SERVE (to be a fighter in the armed forces).

17d         Realise achievement you see replicated, we hear, in offspring (7)
SUCCEED – U C (you see  said out loud –  we hear) inserted in SEED (offspring)

18d         Descent needing rope and lot of time (7)
LINEAGE   – LINE (rope) AGE (lot of time)

19d         Great intelligence information on one world power, initially (6)
GENIUS –   GEN (information) I (one) US (United States, world power ‘initially’)

21d         Vessel in dock (5)
BASIN –   A double definition

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