Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28390
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on Saturday 1st April
BD Rating – Difficulty *– Enjoyment **
I solved this crossword while having a cup of tea after the weekly shop, then went and helped Mr CS with some (ongoing and seemingly endless) tree surgery, had lunch, solved three more puzzles, more tree surgery, drafted the NTSPP review and then turned back to this puzzle. I found when I did my usual ‘type it into Telegraph Puzzles to make sure its right’ [and yes I do wait for the clock to tick round to my actual solving time before pressing ‘submit’] that I didn’t remember any of the crossword at all. Drafting this review proved that it was both simple to solve and explain, just sadly didn’t make that much impression on me compared with the other puzzles I solved on Saturday.
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Across
7a PTO to see it (8)
OVERLEAF – Because that’s what you’d see if you obeyed the instructions Please Turn Over
9a In the morning exam, not bothered if it’s right or wrong (6)
AMORAL – AM (morning) ORAL (exam)
10a A hat the French female brought back in fleecy wool (6)
ALPACA – A reversal (brought back) of A CAP (hat) LA (French female)
11a Love writer — reserve one that’s easy to read (4,4)
OPEN BOOK – O (love) PEN (writer) BOOK (reserve)
12a In every rota going round, insert colonel as coffee-maker (10)
PERCOLATOR – COL (colonel) inserted in between PER (in every) and a reversal (going round) of ROTA
14a Liberal, fifty, being hugged by each woman (4)
ELLA – L (Liberal) L (Roman numeral for 50) ‘hugged by’ EA (each)
15a Enforce order with redistribution of wealth — took a nap first (3,4,3,3)
LAY DOWN THE LAW – An anagram (redistribution) of WEALTH goes after LAY DOWN (took a nap)
17a National racecourse — leader’s abandoned (4)
SCOT – ‘Abandon’ the ‘leader’ of ASCOT racecourse
18a Warn of collapse, no longer frozen? (4,6)
GIVE NOTICE – GIVE (collapse) NOT ICE (no longer frozen)
20a Head’s put by cash for cake (8)
DOUGHNUT – NUT (head) put by DOUGH (cash)
21a Showy display page penned by hack (6)
SPLASH – P (page) ‘penned by’ SLASH (hack)
23a Welcome break from porridge? (6)
ESCAPE – porridge being a slang term for prison
24a Gatecrasher called and stormed (8)
RAMPAGED – RAM (something used to crash a gate) PAGED (rang)
Down
1d Spin without beginning to unravel (6)
EVOLVE – REVOLVE (spin) without its ‘beginning’
2d Millions getting lost in woman’s song (4)
ARIA – Lose the M for Millions from MARIA
3d Two kinds of fuel sent up to cover the Queen’s women’s quarters (8)
SERAGLIO – OIL and GAS (two kinds of fuel) reversed (sent up in a Down clue) ‘cover’ ER (the regnal cipher of our current Queen)
4d Speed of progress through life (6)
CAREER – Double definition time – a verb meaning to speed or one’s progress through life
5d Note this accommodation could be for two families (6,4)
DOUBLE FLAT a musical note sounds like it could be a home large enough for two families
6d Religious orders (5,3)
CANON LAW – a cryptic definition
8d Elector all at sea? (8,5)
FLOATING VOTER – Someone not attached to any political party sounds like they might be at sea
13d ‘Bout of weeping got pram fixed’ — could be a coded message? (10)
CRYPTOGRAM – CRY (weeping) and an anagram (fixed) of GOT PRAM
15d Cromarty’s partner wearing flimsy fabric, being game (8)
LACROSSE – ROSS and Cromarty is an area in the Scottish Highlands. To get the game, ROSS needs to be ‘wearing’ LACE (flimsy fabric)
16d Attractive employee takes part (8)
HANDSOME – HAND (employee) SOME (part)
18d Some characters here began netting bird (6)
EGRET – The bird was lurking in some of the characters of n beGAN NETting
19d Money you and I raised for something to eat — that’s nutty (6)
CASHEW – CASH (money) followed by a reversal (raised) of WE (you and I)
22d Man‘s post redirected (4)
LIAM – A reversal (redirected) of MAIL (post)
S1
Am I being a bit abstruse in observing re 5d that a double flat is not actually a note but a sign that alters the pitch of a note ?
Welcome to the blog Richard
thanks for the explanation of 22d, CS. The rest of the puzzle went in as fast as I could write, but this stumped me, I do dislike answers that are proper names, but shame on me nevertheless….