Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2918
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This puzzle was published on 24th September 2017
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
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Across
1a Robust academic work about arithmetic, say? (6)
STURDY – A STUDY or academic work around The letter R which is one of the ‘Three Rs’ or pillars of learning inthe UK – Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic.
4a Natural kind of error in court (8)
UNFORCED – Two definitions – The second being a simple mistake on the tennis court that was not caused by being outplayed.
10a Warning from driver’s unlikely? Anticipate and stop (9)
FORESTALL – A FORE or warning from a golfer (Driver) with the ‘S and TALL for unlikely.
11a Exam following Monsieur’s lesson (5)
MORAL – An ORAL exam after M for Monsieur.
12a Some feel it is too supportive of select few (7)
ELITIST – A hidden word in SOME of ‘fe EL IT IS T oo’.
13a Take energy from vote in the USA somehow (7)
EXHAUST – Place an X or voting mark inside an anagram (somehow) of THE USA.
14a Paradoxical odds? (5)
EVENS – Paradoxically, in betting terms the ODDS of a horse winning can be EVENS or 1 to 1.
15a Something done about wine sent to another country (8)
DEPORTED – A DEED or act/something done surrounds/is about a PORT wine.
18a Bad person devil corrupted, poet’s concluded (8)
EVILDOER – Make an anagram of DEVIL (corrupted)_ and add O’ER or the poetical way of writing OVER.
20a Person being extremely selective consuming fresh seafood (5)
PRAWN – Select the extreme/outside letters of P(erso)N and include or consume RAW for fresh/uncooked.
23a Large volume in vehicle nowadays reduced by more than half (7)
OMNIBUS – The definition is ‘Large Volume’ e.g. thematic books. The cryptic refers to the fact that a BUS is an abb. of an OMNIBUS.
25a What we hear about honour that’s not nice (7)
NOISOME – We hear a NOISE – Place that around/about and OM or Order of Merit/honour.
26a Pa’s letters revealing attraction of zoo (5)
PANDA – The letters of PA are P AND A !!.
27a Master’s work auctioned off (9)
EDUCATION – The schoolmasters work is an anagram, indicated by off, of AUCTIONED.
28a Behaviour of the kind that can produce less rage (8)
LARGESSE – An anagram of the answer could be LESS RAGE – It is nice to be nice!
29a Not even Parisian is as curious as can be (6)
ODDEST – ODD (not even) and EST – the Parisian French for ‘is’ in the third person singular.
Down
1d Piece of news often editorially toned down (8)
SOFTENED – A hidden word (piece of) ‘new S OFTEN ED itorially’.
2d Country music producer briefly having shower inside (7)
UKRAINE – A UKE (short or briefly for UKULELE) with a RAIN shower placed inside.
3d Not happy about one’s small boot (9)
DISMISSAL – Place DISMAL or unhappy around/about I’S for one’s and S for Small.
5d Badly undermined, pals keep your pecker up! (3,11)
NIL DESPERANDUM – An anagram (badly) of UNDERMINED PALS.
6d Expression of surprise about politician’s enthusiasm (5)
OOMPH – OOH, an expression of surprise, around M for politician.
7d Party making Conservative get excited (7)
CAROUSE – C for Conservative and AROUSE for get excited.
8d One learner tucked into fruit — that’s what growing pupils do (6)
DILATE – I for one and L for Learner inside a DATE or frut.
9d Attention to detail, as I had evidence of debts put in safe place (14)
FASTIDIOUSNESS – I’D for I had and then IOUS (evidence of debts) inside a FASTNESS or safe place/fortification.
16d Admonish traveller also crossing border (9)
REPRIMAND – A REP(resentative) or travelling salesman plus AND (also) are around/crossing a RIM or border.
17d Starts off winter in wet communications facility (8)
INTERNET – Remove the starting letters (starts off) (w)INTER (w)ET.
19d Supplier of drink getting very close to centre over time (7)
VINTNER – V for Very and then INNER (a space close to the bull’s eye on a dartboard) with T for Time inserted.
21d Worry a lot as area is seized by Left (7)
AGONISE – Start with A for Area and then GONE (left) is holding seizing IS from the clue
22d Turn on charm endlessly, it’s true (6)
GOSPEL – A GO or turn is on top of SPEL(l) or a charm with its end letter removed.
24d Defy party, holding up start of Brexit (5)
BRAVE – A RAVE or party underneath (holding up/supporting in a down clue) the starting letter of B(rexit).