ST 3082 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 3082

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3082

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 15th November 2020

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

An enjoyable Sunday puzzle with some nice surface readings

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Across

1a    Just girl entering area: in it bombs (11)
EGALITARIAN – GAL (girl) ‘entering’ an anagram (bombs) of AREA IN IT

9a    I’m evidently being informed, I know! (5,7,2)
YOU’RE TELLING ME – you are informing me

11a    Hooked by warrior, fearsome fish (4)
ORFE – Hidden in (hooked by) warriOR FEarsome

12a    Bulb working with this person about (5)
ONION – ON (working) I (this person) ON (about)

13a    Pen name, ultimately, that may prove an irritation (4)
STYE – STY (pen) E (the ultimate letter of name)

16a    Plant egg behind bird (8)
LARKSPUR – SPUR (egg, encourage) behind LARK (bird)

17a    Cruel fashion in a fur (6)
UNFAIR- An anagram (fashion) of IN A FUR

19a    Having shaken off lead, dog goes after last of Italian pasta (6)
NOODLE – Remove the head from a pOODLE (dog) and put what’s left after the last letter of Italian

20a    Flier maybe almost hit, nearly destroyed (4,4)
MAIL SHOT An anagram (destroyed) of nearly all of ALMOST HIt

22a    A retiring grey (4)
ASHY – A (from the clue) SHY (retiring)

23a    Slowcoach taking cruise round pole (5)
SNAIL – SAIL (cruise) round N (North pole)

24a    Top off initially in pool (4)
LIDO – LID (top) O (off initially)

27a    Schmaltz delivered in Italy met with irritation (14)
SENTIMENTALITY – SENT (delivered) and an anagram (with irritation) of IN ITALY MET

28a    Clearing table perhaps, left building in garden (7,4)
POTTING SHED – POTTING (clearing the table in a game of snooker) SHED (left)

Down

2d    Idler, lovely and free (4-3-7)
GOOD-FOR-NOTHING – GOOD (lovely) FOR NOTHING (free)

3d    Instrument fibber heard (4)
LYRE – A homophone (heard) of LIAR (fibber)

4d    Metallic element: I hide one in stomach (8)
TITANIUM – I (from the clue) TAN (hide) I (one) inserted into TUM (stomach)

5d    List one short — as may be cosmetic? (4-2)
ROLL-ON – ROLL (list) and ONe (one being truncated or short)

6d    Where spinner achieves turn, a big hit coming up (4)
AXIS – A (from the clue) and a reversal (coming up) of SIX (big hit in cricket)

7d    Novel is a right cheat, with a leading author (6,8)
AGATHA CHRISTIE – An anagram (novel) of IS A RIGHT CHEAT with A (from the clue) leading or going first

8d    Decalitre emptied over dry allotment, damage done (11)
DESECRATION – The outside (emptied) letters of DecalitrE go over SEC (dry) and RATION (allotment)

10d    All in ad dancing around in stockings — sauce! (11)
HOLLANDAISE – An anagram (dancing) of ALL IN AD inserted into HOSE (stockings)

14d    Hand round second song (5)
PSALM – PALM (hand) ’round’ S (second)

15d    Originally lost, item of jewellery in corner (5)
ANGLE – Lose the original letter of bANGLE (item of jewellery)

18d    Heading for Hawick, a poet in Scottish town (8)
HAMILTON – H (the heading for Hawick) A (from the clue again!) MILTON (poet)

21d    Engrossed, camping? (6)
INTENT – IN TENT (camping)

25d    Lengthy vehicle in showroom I looked up (4)
LIMO – Hidden in reverse (up) in showroOM I Looked

26d    Map book missing capital of Tunisia, sadly (4)
ALAS – An AtLAS (map book) missing the capital letter of Tunisia