Daily Telegraph No 28186

A full review by gnomethang

This puzzle was published on 6th August 2016

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **- Enjoyment ***

Morning All! – A two star difficulty puzzle that was quite enjoyable. Back with the Downs later on this morning!

Across

1a           Caught bird, chicken (6)
CRAVEN – C for Caught and then a RAVEN for a bird.

9a           Decorated doctor ambled round area (10)
EMBLAZONED – Make an anagram (doctor is the instruction) of AMBLED and place around a ZONE or area.

10a         Expert boards last tube — result, finally (3,7)
END PRODUCT – Place a PRO or expert into (it boards) END (last) and DUCT (tube).

11a         Spell ‘Discharge’ backwards (4)
TIME – Reverse (backwards) EMIT or discharge.

12a         11 kept in by teacher after sentence one’s put here (4)
STIR – An abbreviation of TIME at 11a – T is placed inside SIR or teacher.

14a         Officer in place — occupier (10)
LIEUTENANT – A charade of LIEU (place) and TENANT (occupier).

17a         The old man with good vessel’s capsized — substitute required (7)
STOPGAP – A reversal (capsized) of PA (dad/the old man), G for Good then POT’S (vessel’s).

18a         Verbal hesitation in retreat, poetry’s back (7)
REVERSE – reverse (in retreat) ER for a verbal hesitation then add a VERSE of poetry.

20a         Len coasted aimlessly in youth (10)
ADOLESCENT – An anagram (aimlessly) of LENCOASTED.

21a         Orderly found in dirty ditch after falling over (4)
TIDY – A hidden reversed answer (it is found IN…after falling over) inside dirtY DITch.

22a         Lake as well as countryside (4)
LAND – L for Lake then AND for also.

23a         Diana’s letter is contemptuous (10)
DISMISSIVE – Split as DI’S MISSIVE (diana’s letter).

25a         Maxim I reproduced involving two editors using various arts (5-5)
MIXED-MEDIA – A reproduced anagram of MAXIM I which includes two instances of ED for editor.

26a         Payment for written material coming from Ealing (6)
LINAGE – An anagram (coming from) of EALING.

Down

2d           Said bridle on top must be restored (10)
REINSTATED – STATED for said with REIN for bridle on top (in a down clue).

3d           Siren volume is linked with power unit (4)
VAMP – V for Volume and then an AMP, strictly a current unit not a power unit.

4d           Salerno possibly somewhere in the USA? (3,7)
NEW ORLEANS – SALERNO might be cryptically referred to as an anagram (NEW) of ORLEANS.

5d           Disowned sailor Jack, awfully rude (7)
ABJURED – Start with an AB (Able Bodied Seaman) then add J for Jack (from bridge/card game notation) and then an anaghram (awfully) of RUDE.

6d           Loud variety turn in reality (4)
FACT – F, Forte or loud, and then a variety ACT.

7d           Can man’s following study delegation? (10)
CONTINGENT – A TIN can and a GENT (man) after or following CON for study/read.

8d           Being least active, I had to take the continental way (6)
IDLEST – I’D, a contraction of I had, and then L’EST or the East direction or way in France.

13d         Going up the wall? Take this (4,6)
ROPE LADDER – A cryptic definition of one way of scaling a wall.

15d         Performing Lear, hit act gets histrionic (10)
THEATRICAL – An anagram, indicated by performing, of LEAR HIT ACT.

16d         What smells delightful, almost grand, in rapid decline? (10)
NOSEDIVING – A NOSE is the thing that smells, then add almost all of the word DIVIN(e) for delightful, and finally add G for Grand.

19d         London area team touring a place on the coast (7)
SEASIDE – The SE (South East postcode of London) and a SIDE or team go around (are touring) A from the clue.

20d         Advanced celebrity houses left burning (6)
AFLAME – Take A for Advanced (e.g. A Levels) and then FAME/celebrity includes or houses L for Left.

23d         Protest as one of us served up in party (4)
DEMO – One of us could be ME (or you!). Reverse/serve it up inside a DO or party.

24d         Some risk increasing personal cover (4)
SKIN – A hidden word to finish: SOME of riSK INcreasing.