ST 2882 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 2882

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2882

A full review by gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on Sunday 15th January

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

Morning All!. This one just wandered into 3-star difficulty for me but was enjoyable as always.

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

1a           Returned volume I am studying that graphically conveys feeling (8)
EMOTICON – Reverse (returned) a TOME or book/volume and then add I CON for I am studying.

9a           Correct a Conservative junior minister? (8)
ACCURATE – A form the clue then C for Conservative followed by a CURATE – a junior minister in the clergy.

10a         Way of doing things aboard satellite (4)
MOON – A charade of MO (Modus Operandum) and ON for aboard i.i. ON a ship.

11a         Odd statement on novel in book collection (3,9)
NEW TESTAMENT – An ODD anagram of STATEMENT after (on in an across clue) NEW for movel.

13a         Judge making criminal face right (8)
CONSIDER – A CON or criminal followed by SIDE/face and R(ight).

15a         Border force repelled with spirit (6)
MARGIN – A reversal (repelled) og RAM/force and then thee alcoholic spirit GIN.

16a         High jumper that’s exemplarily fit (4)
FLEA – As fit as a FLEA that can also jump very high.

17a         Number that’s small, like six or eight (5)
SEVEN – S for small followed by EVEN (or like six and eight).

18a         Loud cry as announcement of delivery (4)
BAWL – A loud cry that is a homophone/announcement of a BALL or delivery in cricket.

20a         Private resentment expressed (6)
RANKER – Another homophone (expressed) or RANCOUR or resentment.

21a         Remaining English newspaper grabbed by fan (4,4)
LEFT OVER – E for English and the FT (Financial Times newspaper) included in/grabbed by a lover OR FAN.

23a         Not complete address for article, for instance (4,2,6)
PART OF SPEECH – The cryptic clue is a SPEECH/address that is not complete i.e. just a PART OF it. A definite or indefinite article provides the straight definition.

26a         Scrutinises start of election very well (4)
EYES – The start letter of E(lection) and then YES for ‘very well’.

27a         Driver of vehicle in which composer covers journey (8)
WAGGONER – The composer WAGNER covering GO for journey.

28a         Doctor almost presented with certain prize (8)
TREASURE – Start with almost all of the word TREA(t) or doctor (as a verb) and then add SURE for certain.

Down

2d           Duck seized by male or female raptor or other bird (8)
MOORFOWL – O for nothing/a duck in cricket inside (seized by) M OR F (Male or Female) and then add an OWL or raptor/bird of prey.

3d           Caught up with small fraud that’s handled in court (6,6)
TENNIS RACKET – A reversal up of IN NET (caught) and then S for small and finally RACKET for fraud/scam

4d           Put men on board lacking refinement, we hear (6)
CREWED – A homophone (we hear) of CRUDE or lacking refinement.

5d           Celebrity from Argentina met again in Latin America (4)
NAME – A twice hidden word inside (from) ArgentiNA MEt and again in LatiN AMErica.

6d           Burns, for example, most dreadfully apparent in examination (8)
SCOTSMAN – A dreadful anagram of MOST inside a SCAN or examination.

7d           Appear satisfied as setter, say — finish off clue and carry on (4)
WAGE – A happy dog (setter) will WAG its tail. Add the finishing letter of clu(E).

8d           Military guard posted on line given new order (8)
SENTINEL – SENT for posted on top of an anagram (new) of LINE

12d         Communist comrades constituting funny foursome (4,8)
MARX BROTHERS – A cryptic definition of the funny foursome might be the MARX (a communist) BROTHERS/comrades.

14d         Frenchman who composed party line (5)
RAVEL – A RAVE or party followed by L for line.

16d         Walk-on parts for boxer? Few as pro, oddly (8)
FOREPAWS – An anagram (oddly) of FEW AS PRO.

17d         It’s smart including our squadrons for aerial attack (8)
STRAFING – A STING or smart containing/including the RAF (our squadrons).

19d         Songbird needing warmth wrapped in clothing (8)
WHEATEAR – HEAT for warmth inside WEAR for clothing.

22d         Woollen coat to take to the cleaners (6)
FLEECE – Two definitions and quite straightforward.

24d         Piece of music from Agra, possibly (4)
RAGA – A gentle anagram (possibly) of AGRA but a nice ALL-In-One since the music does in fact come from that part of the world.

25d         Wine, such as Bordeaux or Malaga (4)
PORT – Both those towns are PORTs.