ST 3070

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3070

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This puzzle was published on 23^rd August 2020

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Another enjoyable Sunday crossword from Dada

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Across

1a    It helps manoeuvres in crazy naval game (11)
BATTLESHIPS – An anagram (manoeuvres) of IT HELPS inserted into BATS (crazy)

10a    Indian sauce in meat, I argued, on the turn? (5)
RAITA – Hidden in reverse (on the turn) in meAT I ARgued

11a    Country manor as elaborate, in parts (3,6)
SAN MARINE – An anagram (elaborate) of MANOR AS into which is inserted (parts) IN

12a    Many lads initially captivated by lady (9)
COUNTLESS – The initial letter of Lads ‘captivated’ by COUNTESS (lady)

13a    Topping work of butcher perhaps hasn’t started (5)
ICING – The butcher hasn’t started dICING the meat

14a    Only a little relief for terrorist, shot (6)
EFFORT – Hidden in only a little bit of reliEF FOR Terrorist

16a    Queen in frenzy having lost lead — charge! (8)
AMPERAGE – ER (the regnal cipher of our current Queen) inserted into a rAMPAGE (frenzy) without its lead

18a    Areas for playing, also in doubles (8)
SANDPITS – AND (also) inserted into SPITS (doubles)

20a    Capital seemed unpleasantly cold, looking westward (6)
WARSAW – A reversal (looking westward in an Across clue) of WAS (seemed) RAW (unpleasantly cold)

23a    Panic, much like marines (5)
ALARM – A LA (much like) RM (Royal Marines)

24a    Resolve to hug new head (9)
TOUGHNESS – An anagram (new) of TO HUG followed by NESS (head)

26a    Where picture might be hung immediately (2,3,4)
ON THE NAIL – Although a proper picture hook might be better

27a    Old priest reversed banishment (5)
EXILE – EX (old) ELI (Old Testament priest)

28a    Yellow flower existing with cherry (4-7)
LILY-LIVERED – LILY (flower) LIVE (existing) RED (cherry)

Down

2d    Something rolled in gold for so long (5)
ADIEU – DIE (something rolled) inserted into AU (chemical symbol for gold)

3d    Person trying to carry old appliance (7)
TOASTER – TASTER (person trying) to ‘carry’ O (old)

4d    Banquet attendee doffing cap for religious festival (6)
EASTER – Doff or remove the ‘cap’ from fEASTER

5d    Big fine (8)
HANDSOME – Two of eleven possible definitions for the solution

6d    Sweet pear in caramel finally cooked (7)
PRALINE – An anagram (cooked) of PEAR IN and the final letter of carameL

7d    Insect main issue when bats come out? (7,6)
CRICKET SEASON – CRICKET (insect) SEA (main) SON (issue)

8d    Vehicles requiring some time to catch terrible Russian (8)
MINIVANS – MINS (some time) to ‘catch’ IVAN (the Terrible)

9d    Language overcoming terrifying blow? It’s hard to say (6-7)
TONGUE-TWISTER – TONGUE (language) TWISTER (terrible blow)

15d    Steering mechanism rates extraordinarily beautiful work (4,4)
FINE ARTS – FIN (steering mechanism) and an anagram (extraordinarily) of RATES

17d    David etc ratty, as upset about university (8)
STATUARY – An anagram (upset) of RATTY AS ‘about’ U (university)

19d    Show two under bottom of gravestone in old burial site? (7)
POMPEII – POMP (show) II (Roman numerals for two) E (the ‘bottom’ of gravestonE)

21d    Might one be going for gold teeth, almost all being rotten? (7)
ATHLETE – An anagram (being rotten) of TEETH and almost ALl

22d    Central parts in clue, confusing (6)
NUCLEI – An anagram (confusing) of IN CLUE

25d    Best books in central Greece (5)
ELITE – LIT (books) in the central letters of grEEce