ST 2863

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2863

A full review by gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on Sunday 28th August

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

 

 

Morning All! There were some lovely clues here and a reasonable degree of difficulty coupled with some great Penny Drop Moments.

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Across

1a           Partner that means to manage economically (7)
HUSBAND – Two definitions – The first the male spouse and the second regarding e.g. animal husbandry.

5a           Start of Euroscepticism in British right and left as well (7)
BESIDES – Place E for the starting letter in E(uroscepticism) included in B(ritish) and SIDES (both left and right collectively).

9a           Dance that is couple’s favourite? Just the opposite (3-4)
TWO-STEP – Star6t with TWOS for couple’s and then the reversal (just the opposite) of PET or favourite.

10a         Deliverer of stinging attack, a tirade about money one’s lost (4,3)
ARMY ANT – A RANT (a tirade) around or about M(one)Y or ;money; with the one removed.

11a         Persuasive speech on behalf of king that was held by revolting peasant? (9)
PITCHFORK – A charade of a (sales) PITCH or persuasive speech, then FOR (on behalf of) and finally the abb. K for King.

12a         Fabric — what’ll need to be cut from that to make hat? (5)
TWILL –  Lovely clue! The answer to the question ‘What’ll need to be removed from THAT to make HAT is the T WILL.

13a         Nurse accepting doctor’s conclusion and direction (5)
TREND – TEND for nurse/care for including (accepting) the final  letter or conclusion of (docto)R.

15a         Old place of learning — don’t leave without degrees (4,5)
ALMA MATER – Place ALTER (don’t leave or change) outside of MA MA, or Master of Arts ( university degrees) twice.

17a         Greeting Asian national at the highest level (9)
HIMALAYAN – A charade of HI (greeting) and a MALAYAN or Asian nationalist.

19a         When we first see the light daily, no longer sleeping (5)
SUNUP – The daily (newsapaper) is the SUN and UP is also ;no longer sleeping’/out of bed. A very good clue.

22a         Variation of rumba in Eastern state recalled (5)
BURMA – An anagram (variation) of RUMBA for the state now known as Myanmar (we recall the old name).

23a         Get back from European capital, initially in great joy (9)
RECAPTURE – The initial letters of E(uropean) C(apital) inside RAPTURE or great joy.

25a         Impatient to get out of ditch, in general (7)
ITCHING – The answer is hidden in (to get out of) the last three words in the clue.

26a         Person who’s finished work about Hebridean island (7)
RETIREE – RE (reference/about) and the Island of TIREE.

27a         Prepared to play, covering what’s on top of charts — met with derision (7)
SCORNED – Place SCORED (prepared to play or written musically) around (covering) N for North, or the abb. of the ploe that is on top of charts/maps.

28a         Casually draws lots, following first of decisions (7)
DOODLES – OODLES or lots/many following the first letter in D(ecisions).

Down

1d           Son splitting stolen drug found in dangerous area (3,4)
HOT SPOT – S for Son in between (splitting) HOT/stolen and POT/a drug.

2d           Dog that is following writer from same place (7)
SCOTTIE – Place I.E. (Id Est or that is) following Sir Walter SCOTT, a historical novelist who also came from Scotland, as does the dog.

3d           A desire that Daphnis and Chloe have in common (5)
AITCH – DapHne and Chloe both have AITCH (the letter H) in their names. A ITCH is the cryptic definition strangely!

4d           Tactful approach revised mad policy (9)
DIPLOMACY – A reveised anagram of MAD POLICY and a very apposite clue.

5d           Expressionless as pound gets deposited? (5)
BLANK – A lovely observation. Put L(ibrum) or pound in the BANK (i.e. deposit it!).

6d           Occasionally making an admiring remark about one of our rivals? (9)
SOMETIMES – I’m not too convinced by this clue but think that gazza has it right on the day – SOME can mean (quite a good) as in “She is SOME actress” so an admiring remark about the telegraph rival, the TIMES would be “ It is SOME TIMES”. Ahem !.

7d           Recorder of events as I attack, having turned up street (7)
DIARIST – A reversal (having turned up) of I RAID (I attack) followed by ST for Street.

8d           Learner taken in by me, say, who’s in unfamiliar territory? (7)
SETTLER – Place an L for Learner (driver) inside a SETTER – e.g. Mr Greer who sets this puzzle.

14d         Daughter, upset at animal, spotted one (9)
DALMATIAN – D for Daughter followed by an upset anagram of AT ANIMAL. Well Spotted!

16d         Provided cosmetic treatment to my satisfied patient? (9)
MANICURED – The satisfied patient might be the MAN I CURED.

17d         Philosopher seen about current interests (7)
HOBBIES – Thomas HOBBES around (about) I for Current (The SI Unit).

18d         Country in which work’s bound to be completed (7)
MOROCCO – Two definitions, the second (unknown to me) is a material used in bookbinding.

20d         Renault crashed in middle-of-the-road position? (7)
NEUTRAL – An anagram, indicated by crashed, of RENAULT.

21d         American author set up second literary type (7)
POETESS – Start with Edgar Allen POE (the US Author) then reverse (up) SET from the clue and finish with S for Second.

23d         After disrespectful term for paper editor was furious (5)
RAGED – The disrespectful term for a paper is a RAG. Add ED for ED(itor).

24d         Heads for paved area that is outside, such as this (5)
PATIO – The head letters in Paved Area That Is Outside.

Thanks to Virgilius for a lovely puzzle – I will see you all tomorrow.