Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3074
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 20 September 2020
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Usual Dada Sunday Service.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought
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
I just wonder whether double definitions can truly be said to be cryptic clues?
Welcome to the blog
They appear in BD’s list of Clue Types in his Crossword Guide
Provided the two definitions suggest something else then yes, that is cryptic misdirection
Thanks for the review CS
This was when I first realised that maybe getting on Dada’s wavelength just might be possible! Thanks Sue
Very enjoyable puzzle – Dada has certainly got the measure of what’s needed on Sundays. Thanks to him and to CS for the review.
22a made me think of Jane (I can’t think why).