ST 3098

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3098

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 7^th March 2021

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

I thought Dada had upped the difficulty level with this particular Sunday crossword.  My favourite was 7d

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

8a    Where curved scissors may be used immediately (2,3,4)
ON THE NAIL – Double definition

10a    A little reprobate, a selfish kid (5)
TEASE – Hidden in reprobaTE, A SElfish

11a    Mouse in short evil, badly nipping man (9,6)
SHRINKING VIOLET – An anagram (badly) of IN SHORT EVIL ‘nipping’ KING (chess man)

12a    Sharp, male wordplayer? (7)
PUNGENT – a GENT who makes a PUN

13a    End for Becket, turbulent priest, one predicts (7)
TIPSTER – The end for BeckeT and an anagram (turbulent) of PRIEST

15a    Collection of pictures fixed up with aplomb, Hogarth? (10,5)
PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM – An anagram (fixed) of UP with APLOMB HOGARTH

19a    Single queen needed after good start (7)
PIONEER – ONE (single) and ER (the regnal cipher of our current Queen) needed after PI (good)

22a    Fire again appropriate around bowels of hell (7)
RELIGHT – RIGHT (appropriate) goes around the bowels or insides of hELl

24a    What simmering mouse stew might do for dish? (6,3,6)
BUBBLE AND SQUEAK – What a simmering stew of mice might do

26a    Underground I’m better, not seen regularly (5)
METRO – The even letters of iM bEtTeR nOt

27a    Expression in dance, sure quirky (9)
DISCOURSE – DISCO (dance) and an anagram (quirky) of SURE

Down

1d    Battle in progress, no messing up! (4)
MONS – Hidden in reverse (up) in progresS NO Messing

2d    Wicked name that is for villain (6)
MEANIE – An anagram (wicked) of NAME followed by IE (that is)

3d    Vessel is entering race (8)
CANISTER – IS (from the clue) ‘entering’ CANTER (race)

4d    Number of steps taken, trip (6)
FLIGHT – Double definition

5d    I hope it regenerates a country (8)
ETHIOPIA – An anagram (regenerates) of I HOPE IT followed by A (from the clue)

6d    Bed where darling tucks everyone in (6)
PALLET- PET (darling) ‘tucks’ ALL (everyone) in

7d    Sensed left isn’t right (4)
FELT – An anagram (isn’t right) of LEFT

9d    North American city to change or not? (7)
TORONTO – TO (from the clue) and an anagram (to change) of OR NOT

12d    Appear spring-operated (3-2)
POP-UP – Double definition

14d    All letters redirected, watch post (5)
TIMER – Reverse (redirected) all of the letters in TIMER (watch)

16d    Extraordinary love or passable for miss? (8)
OVERLOOK – An anagram (extraordinary) of LOVE OR followed by OK (passable)

17d    Heaven exists in exhibit (8)
PARADISE – IS (exists) in PARADE (exhibit)

18d    Torment and carry threat (7)
BUGBEAR – BUG (torment) BEAR (carry)

20d    Circles in traces of gold? (6)
ORBITS – OR (heraldic symbol for gold) BITS (traces)

21d    Country golf club welcoming women, initially (6)
RWANDA – R AND A (golf club) ‘welcoming’ W (women initially)

23d    Drink taster mentioned? (6)
LIQUOR – A homophone (mentioned) of LICKER (taster)

24d    Charge the earth? (4)
BOMB –  To charge or go fast down a motorway perhaps, or an informal term for a lot of money – as is ‘the earth’

25d    Hold gander upside down (4)
KEEP – A reversal (upside down) of PEEK (gander being Cockney rhyming slang for look)