Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29479
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This puzzle was published on 26th September 2020
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
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Across
8a Throw for all the players (4)
CAST – Double definition
9a Weed student pulled from cavity (3)
HOE – Remove (pulled) the L (learner, student) from HOLE (cavity)
10a Mature and complex schedule (6)
AGENDA – AGE (mature) and an anagram (complex) of AND
11a Glass we might raise to ourselves? (6)
MIRROR- Something to use to look at ourselves
12a Written work about border plant (8)
PRIMROSE – PROSE goes ‘about’ RIM (border)
13a Not natural to be a whisky hater? (7,3,5)
AGAINST THE GRAIN – Whisky being made with grain
15a Fiery monster devouring old soldier (7)
DRAGOON – DRAGON (fiery monster) ‘devouring’ O (old)
17a Engaging question from one lacking confidence? (7)
AMIABLE – The question of course being AM I ABLE?
20a Dean intends to be awkward in last romantic occasion (2,10,3)
ST VALENTINES DAY – VALE (dean can mean a small valley) and an anagram (awkward) of INTENDS inserted into STAY (last)
23a Platforms elevated with two-way struts? (8)
CATWALKS – Where models strut up and down
25a Amusing person to laugh uproariously (6)
SCREAM – Double definition
26a Hot stone cracked around lake (6)
STOLEN – Not sure this is an anagram as the first three letters of STOne appear in the solution but the last two letters are reversed (cracked?) and L (lake) inserted
27a Yorkshire banker in ancient city close to Cumae (3)
URE – UR (the Old Testament ancient city) and the ‘close’ to CumaE
28a Lose balance — beer knocked over! (4)
SLIP – A reversal (knocked over) of PILS (beer)
Down
1d Really warm support Conservative lost (6)
BAKING – Remove the C (Conservative lost) from BAcKING (support)
2d Songbird in sun on heather (8)
STARLING – STAR (sun) LING (heather)
3d One can’t know why the votes aren’t counted! (6,2,7)
THERES NO TELLING – Telling of course being a verb meaning to count votes
4d Clairvoyance in ceremony causes delay (7)
RESPITE – ESP (clairvoyance) in RITE (ceremony)
5d Irregular bet incriminates leading politician (7,8)
CABINET MINISTER – An anagram (irregular) of BET INCRIMINATES
6d Naughty child brings sin into prominence (6)
TERROR – ERR (sin) brought into TOR (prominence, high piece of ground)
7d Price of round and capacious cups? (4)
ODDS – O (round letter) DDS (capacious bra cups)
14d When one replaces article, all is not well (3)
ILL – Replace the A in ALL with a I (one)
16d Routine when animals do it (3)
RUT – Double definition
18d Sailor surest to develop beyond comprehension (8)
ABSTRUSE – AB (sailor) and an anagram (to develop) of SUREST
19d Advanced paper under discussion (2,5)
AT ISSUE – A (advanced) TISSUE (paper)
21d As and When You Like by Shakespeare? (2,4)
AT WILL – AT (by or next to) WILL (Shakespeare)
22d Fuss about an American soldier moving very slowly (6)
ADAGIO – ADO (fuss) goes ‘about’ A (an) GI (American soldier)
24d Singer in laryngeal torment (4)
ALTO – Hidden in laryngeAL TOrment
In 20a should dean be spelled dene as in a dene is a vale.
Welcome to the blog
The small poetical valley can be either a DEAN or a DENE
Oh dear, got 25a wrong – thought it was shreak – never could spell!
Could 19d also be a double definition? A newspaper at an advanced state is ‘at issue’