DT 29449

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29449

A full review by gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on 22^nd August 2020

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

Morming All! Or even Afternoon! Apologies for the delay – I had an hour this morning on site to write this but alas I was needed in four locations all at once and lunch didn’t happen either! I enjoyed ths puzzle quite a lot.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Steal in the ears as Dalek’s voice? (7)
ROBOTIC – A charade of ROB/steal and OTIC/in (or of) the ears.

5a           City needs a good hospital — 500 coming in sick (7)
BAGHDAD – A G(ood) H(ospital) and D for 500 in Roman Numerals all inside BAD for sick/ill.

9a           Eire faces uneasy truce (9)
CEASEFIRE – An uneasy anagram of EIRE FACES.

10a        Cardinal in south quits (5)
SEVEN – S for South followed by EVEN for quits/level.

11a        Divert attention from London-bound coach? (7)
UPSTAGE – A London bound coach might cryptically be described as an UP STAGE (up being the direction TO London and Down AWAY from London on roads and rail).

12a        Greek victor going inside roasts nuts (7)
STAVROS – V for Victor going inside a nuts anagram of ROASTS.

13a        Writing after interval, news can be so old (5-4)
THIRD-HAND – HAND or writing after a musical THIRD interval.

16a        Dramatic device from smooth Yankee (5)
IRONY – To IRON or smooth/press followed by Y for Yankee in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet.

17a        Former potentate at last getting stick (5)
PASTE – PAST for former and then the (at) last letter in (potentat)E.

18a        Martial arts student, inexperienced, given punch (5,4)
GREEN BELT – GREEN for inexperienced and a BELT or punch/hit.

21a        Mister Solo animated after a little hesitation (7)
AEROSOL – An anagram (animated) of SOLO after A (from the clue ) and ER – a little hesitation.

22a        Think pigmies occasionally must conceal a trap (7)
IMAGINE – The even (occasional) letters of p I g M I E s hiding/concealing A GIN (a trap)/snare.

25a        Work period for Peter Grimes? (5)
OPERA – OP for work (opus) and then an ERA of time.

26a        Olympian collapsed in pit — oh dear! (9)
APHRODITE – An anagram (collapsed) of PIT OH DEAR.

27a        Job description from one in surgery? (7)
PATIENT – Job being the biblically PATIENT person.

28a        Something very irritating in opening chatter (4,3)
TEAR-GAS – A TEAR or opening followed by GAS for chatter.

Down

1d           Check votes again in detail (7)
RECOUNT – To RE-COUNT the votes ain an election and also to detail or relate a story.

2d           Supporters start to save money (5)
BRASS – The BRAS (those which support breasts) and the Starting letter of S(ave).

3d           Article cheers European character (5)
THETA – THE (the definite article) and TA for cheers/thanks.

4d           Wild idea to correspond with artist (7)
CHIMERA – To CHIME or correspond and then RA for Artist (Royal Academician)

5d           Actor Brian shed blood around ship (7)
BLESSED – BLED (shed blood) around SS for ship.

6d           Development in East got rebuilt (9)
GESTATION – An anagram, indicated by ‘rebuilt’, of IN EAST GOT.

7d           Port only provides fish (5,4)
DOVER SOLE – The port is DOVER and only is SOLE.

8d           Extremely dirty and repulsive house (7)
DYNASTY – The outside/extreme letters in D(irt)Y and then NASTY for repulsive.

14d        One sten gun shot bags resistance rebel (9)
INSURGENT – I for one then a shot/broken anagram of STEN GUN inclusing/bagging R for Resistance.

15d        Velocity rising with single step in void (4,5)
DEEP SPACE – Reverse (risinf in a Down clue) SPEED or velocity then add a PACE (single step).

17d        Aesop mixed up thick broth (3,4)
PEA SOUP – An anagram (mixed) of AESOP and then UP from the clue.

18d        Brave man to vex six-footer? (7)
GALLANT – To GALL (vex) an ANT (a six-footer i.e. insect). The Question Mark is required to indicate a definition by example – other insects are available.

19d        Soubriquet’s essence in letter written up (7)
EPITHET – The PITH or essence is inside a reversal (written up) of the letter TEE (T) as pronounced/written.

20d        Greek hero recognised in Florida and Georgia? (7)
THESEUS – A bit weird hence the question mark – Florida and Georgia states are in the South East of America hence THE SE US.

23d        Subtle charm of an Italian city (5)
AROMA – A from the clue and then ROMA for the Italian capital (in Italian!).

24d        Freezing in panic in Gdansk (5)
ICING – A hidden word to finish IN(side) pan IC IN G dansk.