ST 2938

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2938

A full review by gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on ^11th February 2018

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

Morning All! There are some wonderful clues in this!

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           Prepare to discharge mine in scene of conflict (7)
COCKPIT – To COCK a gun trigger (prepare to discharge) and a PIT for a mine.

5a           Got to grips with change — of course, provided with guidance (7)
TACKLED – A charade of TACK (a change of course in sailing) and LED (provided with guidance).

9a           One who’s pragmatic about a problem for vessel (7)
REALIST – RE for about (Reference, Re:) then A from the clue and then LIST – a problem for a seagoing vessel.

10a         Sails south in attempt to raise political support (7)
CANVASS – Place S for South inside to CANVAS or ‘attempt to raise political support’.

11a         At home and away, covering team very thoroughly (6,3)
INSIDE OUT – Place a SIDE or team inside IN (at home) and OUT (away).

12a         Dance music is what ends concert heard on radio (5)
TANGO – The final letter of concerT is a T or TANGO in the NATO phonetic alphabet (heard on the radio).

13a         Closing section of shelf in a library (5)
FINAL – A hidden word (section of) shel F IN  A L ibrary.

15a         Mean one-line defamatory text about artist (9)
ILLIBERAL – I L for the abb.s of One Line and then a LIBEL or defamatory text around (about) RA for artist/Royal Academician.

17a         Another sport in place of equestrian events (9)
BADMINTON – Two definitions really, the latter is an annual equestrian event.

19a         Animal’s lair or home for humans (5)
EARTH – Another double definition – A foxes lair or the planet which is home for humans.

22a         For example, taste part of chosen selection (5)
SENSE – A hidden word found in (part of) cho SEN SE lection.

23a         Place for holding water as river rose disastrously (9)
RESERVOIR – An anagram (disastrously) of RIVER ROSE and a great surface reading.

25a         I destroyed plenty with clumsy actions (7)
INEPTLY – I from the clue followed by an anagram ( destroyed) of PLENTY.

26a         Land in East and North, a part of US (7)
INDIANA – Start with INDIA a land in the East, then add N(orth) and A from the clue.

27a         Haphazard gleaner is not particular (7)
GENERAL – A haphazard anagram of GLEANER.

28a         Was left embracing son (7)
EXISTED – EXITED or left including (embracing) S for Son.

Down

1d           Method of payment providing firm’s first capital (7)
CARDIFF – TO pat by (credit or debit) CARD followed buy IF for provided and the first letter in F(irm)

2d           Make more vulgar, getting a censor agitated (7)
COARSEN – An agitated anagram of A CENSOR.

3d           Said group of wild animals had a curious look (5)
PRIED – A homophone (said) of a PRIDE of lions.

4d           Asian philosopher has little time to put in as superficial decorator (9)
TATTOOIST – Place T (little abb. of Time) and TO (from the clue) inside a TAOIST or Asian philosopher.

5d           Understood how attic might be reconstructed (5)
TACIT – An anagram (how it may be constructed) of ATTIC.

6d           Artist carefully studies figures systematically arranged (9)
CONSTABLE – A charade of CONS (carefully studies/revises) and a TABLE of figures arranged systematically.

7d           Apprentice left lucrative job (7)
LEARNER – A lovely simple but deceptive clue with a great surface. L for left and then an EARNER or lucrative job.

8d           Sped off with painting as plunder (7)
DESPOIL – An anagram (off) of SPED and then an OIL painting.

14d         City in which man’s name is heard — he’s seen when ice disappears (9)
LEICESTER – Lots going on! A homophone of the man’s name LESTER who’s name you can find from removing the ICE from the answer LE(ice)STER. Good stuff!

16d         Secure Labour leader in faction gets decisive electoral result (9)
LANDSLIDE – LAND for secure (a deal) then the leading letter in L(abour) inside a SIDE or faction.

17d         Lying in sun, very hot without shade, initially (7)
BASKING – Place the initial letter of S(hade) inside BAKING or very hot. Note that witout can mean outside of’.

18d         Wrong done with gun in prison cell (7)
DUNGEON – An anagram (wrong) of both DONE and GUN combined.

20d         Way to restore order once in port, supported by diplomacy (4,3)
RIOT ACT – A charade of the port of RIO and TACT for diplomacy.

21d         Firm about a sort of Bible university in America (7)
HARVARD – Place HARD/firm around A from the clue and RV for Revised Version (of a bible)

23d         Turn up unlike clergy or VIP (5)
ROYAL – Reverse (turn up) LAY (unlike clergy) and OR from the clue.

24d         Right above a diameter, two other lines in circle (5)
RADII – R for Right then A from the clue, D for Diameter and II (two in Roman Numerals).

Thanks to the setter. I am off for a week.