Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3039
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 19th January 2020
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
A nice Sunday crossword which flowed easily from start to finish
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Across
8a Plane to Nepal, for instance? (7)
ANAGRAM – Obviously PLANE is an ANAGRAM of NEPAL, and vice-versa
10a All the best English port taken by revolutionary (7)
CHEERIO – CHE (crosswordland’s favourite revolutionary) E (English) RIO (port)
11a Holding back of plate, wash dirt off — in this? (9)
DISHWATER – An anagram (off) of WASH DIRT ‘holding’ the E at the back of platE
12a French painter returning mid-morning? (5)
MANET – A reversal (returning) of TEN AM (mid-morning)
13a Rubbish queen for King Edward, say (5)
TATER – TAT (rubbish) ER (the regnal cipher of our current Queen) – King Edward here referring to a type of potato
14a Drop in business after Christmas time (7)
DECLINE – LINE (business) goes after DEC (December, Christmas time)
17a Hanger-on in class doomed, for failing to grasp minimum of workings (5,2,8)
SWORD OF DAMOCLES – An anagram (failing) of CLASS DOOMED FOR which ‘grasps’ the W that is the minimum or first letter of Workings
19a Player reacts when beaten by striker’s header (7)
ACTRESS – An anagram (when beaten) of REACTS followed by the S that is the ‘header’ of Striker
21a Room to eat a Muslim burger, say? (5)
HALAL – HALL (room) to ‘eat’ A (from the clue) to give the type of meat a Muslim would use for his burger
24a Curry scoffed by Mick or Mark (5)
KORMA – Lurking in (scoffed by) MicK OR MArk
26a Party piece not bad after fourth of sherries (9)
RECEPTION – An anagram (bad) of PIECE NOT goes after the fourth letter of sherRies
27a Night light women switched on (3,4)
NEW MOON – An anagram (switched) of WOMEN followed by ON (from the clue)
28a Vision of ugliness viewed by me, reportedly? (7)
EYESORE – A homophone (reportedly) of I SAW (viewed by me)
Down
1d Criminal gang has it (6)
BANDIT – BAND (gang) has IT (from the clue)
2d Voice ready to break bursting aloft (8)
FALSETTO – SET (ready) to break into an anagram (bursting) of ALOFT
3d Opener once in abstract game (10)
DRAWBRIDGE – DRAW (abstract as a noun) BRIDGE (game)
4s Tie with netting, marked green (5,4)
SCORE DRAW – SCORED (marked) RAW (green)
5d Steering apparatus in hard wood (4)
HELM – H (hard) ELM (wood)
6d Old Germanic character in outer parts of Burundi, small country (6)
BRUNEI – RUNE (old Germanic character) inserted into the outer letters of BurundI
7d Castle geared toward getting lock (8)
FORTRESS – FOR (geared toward) TRESS (lock of hair)
9d Baby power, by the sound of it? (4)
MITE – A homophone (by the sound of it) of MIGHT (power)
15d Boot, one going on one foot: some earth on top (10)
CLODHOPPER – HOPPER (one going on one foot) with a CLOD of earth on top (in a Down clue)
16d Kids on holiday before April or May, say? (9)
OFFSPRING – OFF (on holiday) before SPRING (April or May say)
17d After period of time, man is giving punishment (8)
SPANKING – KING (man) goes after SPAN (period of time)
18d Sweet loaf, one with lemonade? (8)
LOLLIPOP – LOLL (loaf) I (one) POP (lemonade?)
20d Cast dumbfounded (6)
THROWN – Double definition
22d Bank perhaps fine not opening? (6)
LENDER – sLENDER ((fine) without its opening letter
23d Red spots in green cabbage coming up (4)
ACNE – Lurking in reverse (coming up) in greEN CAbbage
25d Scrap the first thirteen letters (4)
ATOM – The first thirteen letters of the alphabet are A TO M