ST 3138

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3138

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This puzzle was published on 12^th December 2021

BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***

Dada in ‘be kind to the solvers’ mode

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Across

7a    Supporter of bridge game (7)
PONTOON – Double definition

8a    Scribbler observed cutting tool (7)
HACKSAW – HACK (scribbler, journalist) SAW (observed)

10a    Dish rises with cooking (5,4)
IRISH STEW – An anagram (cooking) of RISES WITH

11a    Bones set, unfinished before seventh of operations (5)
RADII – An unfinished RADIo set goes before the seventh letter of operatIons

12a    I’m dense, ignorant, obtuse and thick-headed, primarily? (5)
IDIOT – The primary letters of I’m Dense Ignorant Obtuse and Thick

13a    Point rewritten another way (5-4)
NORTH-EAST – An anagram (rewritten) of ANOTHER followed by ST (street, way)

15a    Piece from Bach’s ending in state of ecstasy (7)
TRANCHE – The letter at the end of BacH inserted into TRANCE (state of ecstasy)

17a    Wheels turned within 1760 yards, phenomenal achievement (7)
MIRACLE – A reversal (turned) of CAR (wheels) inserted into MILE (1760 yards)

18a    Problem seeing east, I agree, row of carriages behind (9)
EYESTRAIN – E (east) YES (I agree) TRAIN (row of carriages)

20a    Training tool (5)
DRILL – Double definition

21a    Painting perhaps buried in what? Ground (5)
EARTH – ART (painting perhaps) ‘buried’ in EH (what?)

23a    Opener in European city’s team (9)
CORKSCREW – CORKS (European city’s) CREW (team)

24a    Showing similar qualities, communist philanthropist? (7)
KINDRED – a Communist philanthropist could be described as a KIND RED

25a    In spite of all that, victory secured by hero we suspect (7)
HOWEVER – V (victory) ‘secured’ by an anagram (suspect) of HERO WE

Down

1d    Friendly hosts I would scare (10)
INTIMIDATE – INTIMATE (friendly) ‘hosts’ I’D (I would)

2d    Work wearing the aforementioned formal item (3,3)
TOP HAT – OP (work) ‘wearing’ THAT (the aforementioned)

3d    Nine cats arranged in case (8)
INSTANCE – An anagram (arranged) of NINE CATS

4d    Pelt rabble (6)
SHOWER – Double definition, the first a verb, the other an informal term for a rabble

5d    Composer has caught cold on hot, hot day (8)
SCORCHER – SCORER (composer) has ‘caught’ C (cold) on H (hot)

6d    Consumed, bit of lemonade sucked up (4)
USED – Hidden in reverse (up) in a bit of lemonaDE SUcked

7d    Whiplash symptom? Headache (4,2,3,4)
PAIN IN THE NECK – Double definition, the second a figurative term for a person who is a nuisance, ie gives you a headache

9d    Informer, one stopping game? (7-6)
WHISTLE-BLOWER – An informer or a definition of a referee (one stopping game)

14d    Frame a chart I’ve redesigned around capital in Reykjavik (10)
ARCHITRAVE – An anagram (redesigned) of A CHART IVE goes around R (the capital in Reykjavik)

16d    Check injury caused by knife, blunt (3,5)
CUT SHORT – CUT (injury caused by knife) SHORT (blunt)

17d    For example, UK clubs in harmony, surprisingly (8)
MONARCHY – C (clubs) inserted into an anagram (surprisingly) of HARMONY

19d    Gallery area briefly accommodating knave (6)
ARCADE – Truncate AREa and insert (accommodating) CAD (knave)

20d    Reject is dressed in blue (6)
DISOWN – IS (from the clue) ‘dressed’ in DOWN (blue)

22d    King with currency (4)
RAND – R (Rex, king) AND (with)