ST 3089

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3089

A full review by gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on 3^rd January 2021

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

Morning All! I very much enjoyed this puzzle with a few tricky clues pushing it inti *** difficutly for me,

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Jump on this passenger vehicle: European tours popular (10)
TRAMPOLINE – A TRAM/passenger vehicle and a POLE/Europen goes around (tours) IN for popular.

6a           Order another sherry: brandy overpriced initially (4)
ASBO – The initial letters of Another Sherry Brandy Overpriced.

10a        Joint that goes to a bishop’s head! (5)
MITRE – Two definitions, the woodworking joint an the Bishop’s Titfer.

11a        Jockey chose rare animal bred for speed (9)
RACEHORSE – An anagram *to jockey) of CHOSE RARE.

12a        Extra book (7)
RESERVE – Two definitions – something kept additionally to usual consumption and to book out with e.g. a deposit.

13a        Top trimmed beef stuffed with prunes (7)
ECLIPSE – Trim the outer layers from (b)EE(f) and then stuff in CLIPS for prunes.

14a        Thrashing received, might this selection be preferred in volleyball team? (3,2,3,4)
SIX OF THE BEST – The second cryptic definition refers to the number of members on a Volleyball team and the fact that one might prefer them all to be among the best.

18a        A curry in pie, a Greek dish (12)
TARAMASALATA – place A MASALA (A curry) inside TART for pie and then add the final A from the clue.

21a        Great revolutionary and Territorials meet on water (7)
REGATTA – An anagram (revolutionary) of GREAT followed by TA for the Territorial Army.

23a        Talk about an obsequious character! (7)
SPANIEL – SPEIL or talk around/about AN from the clue.

24a        Stew: tiny bit unfinished — that’s a problem (3,6)
HOT POTATO – A HOTPOT or stew with all but the last letter (unfinished( of an ATO(m) or tiny bit.

25a        Cup of tea taken in Bayreuth in Germany (5)
THING – It is worth mentioning the definition here – as my ‘cup of tea’ is a synonym for my ‘THING’ i.e. ‘what I like’. In any case it is a hidden word ‘taken in’ Bayreu TH IN G ermany.

26a        Bet money at the Curragh, some years ago? (4)
PUNT – Two definitions – A bet and also the old Irish currency.

27a        Scenarist wary about getting into trouble (10)
PLAYWRIGHT – An anagram (about) of WARY inside PLIGHT or trouble.

Down

1d           Weary about doctor’s tone (6)
TIMBRE – TO TIRE around/about MB for doctor (Medicinae Baccalaureus).

2d           Evidence watching the Ashes, say? (6)
ATTEST – If you were watching the Ashes you would be AT a TEST match.

3d           More tiny fragments in elixir — so fluid? (6,2,6)
POETRY IN MOTION – Make an anagram (it fragments) of MORE TINY and place in a POTION or elixir.

4d           Son: a cruel, wicked criminal (9)
LARCENOUS – A criminal anagram of SON A CRUEL.

5d           Bay in European resort containing harbour, originally (5)
NICHE – The first/original letter in H(arbour) is found in the European/French resort of NICE.

7d           Poor fugitives finally caught (8)
STRAPPED – The final letter of (fugitive)S and then TRAPPED for caught.

8d           Breakfast landlord neither starts nor finishes? (8)
OMELETTE – A Landlord might be a HOME LETTER. Remove both the start and finishing characters.

9d           Character stole awfully large car (7,7)
CHELSEA TRACTOR – Make an anagram (awfully) of CHARACTER STOLE.

15d        Fairytale with a giant? (4,5)
TALL STORY – A lie or fairytale is a TALL STORY – particularly when it includes a giant!

16d        Features cool in space rocket (8)
STARSHIP – A charade of STARS/features and HIP for cool, Daddy-O!.

17d        Approved accessing Scottish peak in lift (8)
BRIGHTEN – Place RIGHT for approved inside a BEN or Scottish peak.

19d        Family into great outdoor activity (6)
BIKING – KIN or family inside/into BIG/great.

20d        Minor act of neglect (6)
SLIGHT – Two definitions, small and a snub.

22d        Use a mask, did you say? (5)
AVAIL – A form the clue and a homophone (did you say?) of VEIL. Nice and topical!.