ST 3074

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3074

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This puzzle was published on 20 September 2020

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Usual Dada Sunday Service.

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Across

1a    Better message initially lacking in US author (6)
CAPOTE – CAP (better) nOTE (message ‘initially lacking’)

4a    Subjects ready to return over border (6)
THEMES – A reversal (to return) of SET (ready)goes ‘over’ HEM (border)

8a    Everything bagged by cleaner in large hall (8)
BALLROOM – ALL (everything) ‘bagged’ by BROOM (cleaner)

10a    Change around religious text for monk, say? (6)
VOTARY – VARY (change) goes ‘around’ OT (Old Testament, religious text)

11a    Funny turn in second gear (4)
SKIT – S (second) KIT (gear)

12a    Revolver used (6-4)
SECOND-HAND – Without the hyphen this would be something that revolves round a watch face

13a    Lively piece a favourite at children’s parties (6,6)
BOUNCY CASTLE – BOUNCY (lively) PIECE (castle)

16a    Wandering emigrant, alas, political target? (8,4)
MARGINAL SEAT – An anagram (wandering) of EMIGRANT ALAS

20a    Political strategist in fix after revolution (4,6)
SPIN DOCTOR – DOCTOR (fix) goes after SPIN (revolution)

21a    Design tie (4)
DRAW – Double definition

22a    Split, something to do with drum? (4,2)
BEAT IT – Another double definition – an informal way of saying leave (split) or something to do wit a drum

23a    Navigator in water behind swimmer (2-6)
CO-DRIVER – RIVER (water) goes behind COD (swimmer)

24a    Very dry ditch (6)
DESERT – Double definition – a very dry place or a verb meaning to ditch or abandon

25a    Wine in Bristol remembered, looking back (6)
MERLOT – Hidden in reverse (looking back) in BrisTOL REMembered

Down

1d    Excellent bowl for fruitcake (8)
CRACKPOT – CRACK (excellent) POT (bowl)

2d    Constant fortune for guide (5)
PILOT – PI (constant) LOT (fortune)

3d    Red has run before blue (7)
TROTSKY – TROT (run) before SKY (blue)

5d    Down-and-out‘s shelter oft unoccupied (4-3)
HAVE-NOT – HAVEN (shelter) OfT (unoccupied or without the inside letter)

6d    Well ahead with all games called off? (9)
MATCHLESS – With all the matches being called off

7d    Season well (6)
SPRING – Double definition

9d    Hectic: man is busy describing physical science (11)
MECHANISTIC – An anagram (busy) of HECTIC MAN IS

14d    Names in Minnesota misspelt (9)
NOMINATES – An anagram (misspelt) of MINNESOTA

15d    Bird bit around tropical fruit (8)
PARAKEET – PART (bit) goes ‘around’ AKEE (tropical fruit)

17d    Bird list includes duck (7)
ROOSTER – ROSTER (list) ‘includes’ O (duck in cricket scoring)

18d    A game cut short (7)
ABRIDGE – A (from the clue) BRIDGE (card game)

19d    Poached pears on top of dish for feast (6)
SPREAD – An anagram (poached) of PEARS goes on D (the top of Dish)

21d    Rigorously teach primate (5)
DRILL – Double definition

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