DT 28282

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28282

A full review by gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on Saturday 26th November

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **

 

Morning All! I found this quite straightforward and a bit samey when explaining the answers.

Please leave 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

7a           Published letters in remote military camp (7)
OUTPOST – A charade of OUT (published/exposed) and POST or letters.

9a           Surface area of a prison about to be included (7)
ACREAGE – Start with A CAGE (a prison) and include RE for about/reference.

10a         Earlier religious house, incomplete (5)
PRIOR – Almost all of (incomplete) a PRIOR(y) or religious house.

11a         Male in lengthy run in opera (9)
LOHENGRIN – Not an opera that was known to me but the wordplay is clear. Place HE for Male in LONG/lengthy then add R for Run (from the cricket abb.) and finally add IN from the clue.

12a         Doctor phoning later about boy — don’t take offence (7,8)
NOTHING PERSONAL – Make an anagram (doctor) of PHONING LATER and place about SON for boy.

13a         Songbird in series on box (7)
SPARROW – a ROW or series after (on in an across clue) SPAR for box/fight.

16a         Organ only faulty near the start (5,2)
EARLY ON – An EAR (sense organ of the body) and then an anagram (faulty) of ONLY.

19a         Survive difficulties in Mother Earth’s wet ground (7,3,5)
WEATHER THE STORM – An anagram (ground) of MOTHER EARTH WET’S.

23a         Make a mistake confronting it in Conservative area (9)
TERRITORY – to ERR/make a mistake and IT from the clue inside TORY/conservative.

24a         End of the opening contest (5)
EVENT – The end letter in (th)E and then VENT for opening.

25a         Restrained at home by vet (2,5)
IN CHECK – In for at home and then CHECK/vet.

26a         Expert, holding tight, pulled back trigger (7)
ACTUATE – An ACE or expert into which has been placed (it is holding) and reversed (pulled back) TAUT for tight.

Down

1d           Shorts currently in demand with power workers (3,5)
HOT PANTS – A charade of HOT/in demand with P for Power and ANTS for workers.

2d           Messenger bringing in tons for royal attendant (8)
COURTIER – A COURIER or messenger with T for Tons brought inside.

3d           Prison camp, male only, holding the French (6)
STALAG – STAG or male only (as opposed to hen) with LA, the in French being held.

4d           Founder of order, one’s withdrawn Swiss currency (6)
FRANCIS Remove the I from FRANCIS, the founder of the brotherhood/order.

5d           Bond suspicious about angry tirade (8)
WARRANTY – WARY or suspicious about/around a RANT or angry tirade.

6d           Appearing in spring in ‘Cavern’ all-nighters (6)
VERNAL – A hidden word IN ‘CaVERN ‘ ALl-nighters.

8d           Unexpected development for Dickens character (5)
TWIST – Two definitions – An unexpected TWIST in a plot and young Oliver.

9d           A lease secured by the sportsperson (7)
ATHLETE – A from the clue then a LET or lease inside THE (secured by).

14d         Involving unwelcome consequences, I ate carp unwisely (2,1,5)
AT A PRICE – An unwise anagram of I ATE CARP.

15d         Magician in conflict over door fastening (7)
WARLOCK – A WAR or conflict above (over in a down clue) a LOCK or door fastening.

17d         Poet rude to sister (8)
ROSSETTI – An anagram (rude) of TO SISTER and my last one in.

18d         Talk idly, accepting award? It’s not important (2,6)
NO MATTER – To NATTER or talk idly accepting O.M. or the Order of Merit.

19d         Progressive comedian knocked (4,2)
WITH IT – A WIT/comedian and HIT or knocked when split as (4,2).

20d         Farm animal provided that in here somehow (6)
HEIFER – IF or provided that inside an anagram (somehow) of HERE.

21d         Period of greatest success, incredibly heady years (6)
HEYDAY – An anagram of HEADY (incredibly) followed by Y for Years.

22d         Musical drama depicted by mostly well-known artist (5)
OPERA – Most of the word OPE(n) or well-known followed by RA , a Royal Academician or artist.