ST 3076

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3076

A full review by gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on 4^th October 2020

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

Morning All! Thanks to CS for covering yet again on what have been some extremely busy weeks for me. Nice to be working of course but sometimes – Phew!

A Failry bog standard Sunday here with the usual mix of good clues.

Across

1a           Ridiculously small fish cut by father from the back (8)
DERISORY – A DORY (fish) is cut by the reversal (from the back) of to SIRE or father.

5a           Peace brought by saintly light in outskirts of Stockholm (6)
SHALOM – A HALO or saintly light inside the outer letters (outskirts) of StockholM.

10a        Very happy — as Robert Peary may have been in 1909? (2,3,2,3,5)
ON TOP OF THE WORLD – Robert Peary being an explorer who claimed first to have reached the North Pole.

11a        Offer for model (7)
PROPOSE – PRO meaning for and to POSE or model/sit.

12a        Second empty volume published, leave (4,3)
MOVE OUT – A MO for a second, V(olum)E having been emptied of letters and then OUT for published (e.g. the book is out).

13a        New against old capital (8)
SANTIAGO – A New anagram of AGAINST followed by O for Old.

15a        Authority, morally justified (5)
RIGHT – A simple double definition.

18a        Fix yours truly, with bandages (5)
AMEND – AND or with goes around (bandages) ME for ‘yours truly’.

20a        River entering a state — state of the US (8)
ARKANSAS – R for river entering A KANSAS (another US state).

23a        Amount of freedom secure, set to return (7)
LEGROOM – A reversal (to return ) of GEL/set and MOOR/secure.

25a        Guided a jerk round fortress (7)
CITADEL – Another reversal (indicated by round) , this time of LED A TIC (guided a jerk).

26a        Batty aunt promoted war in fanzine or blog, say? (11,4)
PORTMANTEAU WORD – An anagram (batty) of AUNT PROMOTED WORD.

27a        Untidy novel revealing quality? (6)
NUDITY – A novel anagram of UNTIDY.

28a        Ready, man in corner, for example (3,5)
SET PIECE – SET for ready and a PIECE on a chess is also a man.

Down

1d           Bad day up, year looking tired (6)
DROOPY – Reverse POOR D(ay) (they are up) and then add Y(ear).

2d           Thinking small amount allowed, bitter (9)
RATIONALE – A charde of a RATION (small amount allowed) and ALE for bitter.

3d           Help kind guards up onto roof of penitentiary (7)
SUPPORT – SORT or kind/type surrounds/guards UP from the clue and also the top ;etter/roof of P(enitetiary).

4d           Hunt weapon (5)
RIFLE – Two definitions – to hunt through a place looking for something and also a weapon.

6d           Float carrying you and I, still (7)
HOWEVER – To HOVER or float carrying WE wor ‘you and I’

7d           Caterpillar going somewhat slowly (5)
LARGO – A hidden word (somewhat i.e. a bit of) caterpil LAR GO ing.

8d           Consider referee stealing captain’s heart (8)
MEDITATE – To MEDIATE or referee containing the middle letter/heart of cap T ain.

9d           Rhinestone, perhaps, in Irish plant (8)
SHAMROCK – Rhinestone, being a fake diamond, might cryptically be called a SHAM ROCK.

14d        Scary, a leader in London providing weapons (8)
ALARMING – A from the clue then the leader letter in L(ondon) followed by ARMING or providing weapons.

16d        Work ignored, as striking (9)
GRANDIOSE – An anagram (wo work) of IGNORED AS.

17d        Fifty-fifty chance secure, suddenly lose control (8)
TAILSPIN – TAILS is a 50/50 chance in the toss of a coin. Add PIN for secure.

19d        Mouse, where homeowner puts her foot down? (7)
DOORMAT – Two definitions – a meek individual and the Welcome mat.

21d        Anything but bottom, high bid (2-5)
NO-TRUMP – Anything but the bottom would be NOT RUMP.

22d        Second shelf for slipper? (6)
SLEDGE – S for second and a LEDGE for a shelf.

24d        Impaled, blush? (5)
GORED – The cryptic definition is to GO RED or blush.

25d        Con fleeing certain Greek island (5)
CRETE – Remove the CON from CONCRETE or certain.