Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2592
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 20th May 2018
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Great surface readings in another fine Sunday puzzle – my Across favourite is 20a and my Down favourite is 2d
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Across
7a A whistle-blower singularly shod? Not so (8)
BAREFOOT – A REF (a whistle-blower) shod or put inside a BOOT (singularly indicating you only need one item of footwear)
9a European was bounder, ran for union without approval (6)
ELOPED – E (European) LOPED (was bounder)
10a Steps up attempt to escape (6)
FLIGHT – Double definition
11a We are prone to absorb blow as harmless deception (5,3)
WHITE LIE – WE LIE (we are prone) to ‘absorb’ HIT (blow)
12a Disorderly march cancelled — is even changing into friendly campaign (5,9)
CHARM OFFENSIVE – An anagram (disorderly) of MARCH followed by OFF (cancelled) and another anagram (changing) of IS EVEN
15a Shot in game (4)
SNAP – Another double definition
17a Deliberately lost to the other side, as stated (5)
THREW – A homophone (as stated) of THROUGH (to the other side)
19a Little child‘s great strength, as you can hear (4)
MITE – Another homophone (as you can hear) of MIGHT (great strength)
20a How pieces of chintz are ordered — or almost! (14)
ALPHABETICALLY – The ‘pieces’ or letters of CHINTZ and/or ALMOST are ordered alphabetically
23a Foreign citizen producing articles about part of UK (8)
ATHENIAN – A, THE and AN (articles) go ‘about’ NI (Northern Ireland, part of UK)
25a Stuff that’s less shiny? (6)
MATTER – Because if something is less shiny, it will be more matt
27a Rubbish removed from seaside briskly (6)
DEBRIS- Can be removed from where it lurks in seasiDE BRISkly
28a Moron I’ve confused who will swallow anything? (8)
OMNIVORE – An anagram (confused) of MORON IVE
Down
1d Part of foot that may be painful in dance (4)
BALL – Another double definition
2d Flip ingredient in pub one’s unable to choose? (6)
BEGGAR – EGG (an ingredient of a flip) inserted into BAR (pub) – as we all know, beggars can’t be choosers
3d Waters rising, hence state of anxiety (4)
STEW – A reversal (rising in a Down clue) of WETS (waters)
4d Kindly include head of government in African country (6)
BENIGN – The G at the ‘head’ of Government inserted into the African country of BENIN
5d Only Conservative is above criticism, ultimately, for bad behaviour (8)
SOLECISM – SOLE (only) C (Conservative) IS (from the clue) M (criticism ‘ultimately’)
6d Get marine redeployed on left of colonel’s men (10)
REGIMENTAL – An anagram (redeployed) of GET MARINE on L (left)
8d For remote settlement, excel in sending mail? (7)
OUTPOST – Split the solution 3,4 to ‘get’ the second part of the clue
13d Women having fun with jolly fellows around new piano (3,7)
HEN PARTIES – HEARTIES (jolly fellows) around N (new) and P (piano)
14d Mainly overlook how to make money illegally (5)
FORGE – Most of the letters (mainly) of FORGET (overlook how)
16d Manipulation of figures elevated favourite — be curious about it (8)
PUPPETRY – PRY (be curious) goes about UP (elevated) and PET (favourite)
18d Western criminal paid to kill American poet (7)
WHITMAN – W (western) HITMAN (criminal paid to kill)
21d Surrounded by diamonds, in a haze (6)
AMIDST – D (diamonds) in A MIST (a haze)
22d Showing lots of energy against English after start of play (6)
ACTIVE – V (versus, against) E (English) go after ACT I (the start of play)
24d Alternative responses to request for secluded place (4)
NOOK – NO and OK (alternative responses to request)
26d Noble, sooner than should be the case, ending like that (4)
EARL – EARLY (sooner than should be the case) without its last letter (ending like that ie sooner than expected)
Prepared in haste and with apologies for the delay in posting as everyone’s favourite Gnome is stuck doing incomprehensible (to me anyway) work-related things