ST 3206 (Full Review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3206

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 2^nd April 2023

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Very slightly trickier than ‘normal’ for a Sunday Prize Puzzle but just as enjoyable.

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Across

7a    Notion, however, irrelevant in the end (7)
THOUGHT – THOUGH (however) T (the ‘end’ of irrelevant)

8a    Jazz fan hosting simple show (7)
CABARET – CAT (jazz fan) ‘hosting’ BARE (simple)

10a    Reason behind daft vehicle (10)
LOCOMOTIVE – MOTIVE (reason) goes behind LOCO (daft)

11a    Alcoholic drink knocked back, beginning of hangover almost upon us (4)
NIGH – A reversal (knocked back) of GIN (alcoholic drink) followed by the ‘beginning’ of Hangover

12a    Consignment in shop, really (8)
DELIVERY – DELI (shop) VERY (really)

14a    Sponge half screwed up, pair of ducks poking it (6)
LOOFAH – A reversal (up) of an anagram (screwed) of HALF with O O (two ‘ducks’ in cricket) inserted (poking it)

15a    During test, question playing something fine and catchy? (8,3)
MOSQUITO NET – An anagram (playing) of QUESTION inserted into MOT (test)

19a    Attention-seeker backed by boss in workplace (6)
STUDIO – A reversal (backed) of OI (attention-seeker) goes after STUD (boss)

20a    Number of holes he has teeing off? (8)
EIGHTEEN – An anagram (off) of HE and TEEING

22a    Family coming late at night, all kicking off (4)
CLAN – The letters that ‘kick off’ Coming Late At Night

23a    Romantic slur italicised (10)
IDEALISTIC – An anagram (slur) of ITALICISED

25a    Gratified all included? (7)
CONTENT – A synonym for gratified or everything included

26a    Describe old lover, not much to look at (7)
EXPLAIN – EX (old lover) PLAIN (not much to look at)

Down

1d    Little round band — yes! (7)
WHOOPEE – WEE (little) goes round HOOP (band)

2d    Wrestling taken up by Benito Mussolini (4)
SUMO – Hidden in reverse (taken up by) in benitO MUSsolini

3d    All but one of three covers on seat (6)
THRONE – Almost all of THREe ‘covers’ ON (from the clue)

4d    Defeat later remedied in court (8)
WATERLOO – An anagram (remedied) of LATER inserted into WOO (court)

5d    Frontier as worryingly endangered area (10)
RAINFOREST – An anagram (worryingly) of FRONTIER AS

6d    European runner, say, grabbing lead gets inspired, initially (7)
BELGIAN – BEAN (runner, say) ‘grabbing’ the initial letters of Lead Gets Inspired

9d    Flower, as it happens, coloured yellow (4-7)
LILY-LIVERED – LILY (flower) LIVE (as it happens) RED (coloured)

13d    A rendition, ludicrously excessive (10)
INORDINATE – An anagram (ludicrously) of A RENDITION

16d    Result of division not quite sorted out (8)
QUOTIENT – An anagram (sorted out) of NOT QUITE

17d    Bird atop cheese (7)
STILTON – STILT (a long-legged wading bird) ON (atop)

18d    Again consider position under minister, head of industry (7)
REVISIT – SIT (position) goes under REV (reverend, minister)and I (the ‘head’ of Industry)

21d    Couple of unknowns introduced by party host (6)
GALAXY – X Y (mathematical unknowns) go under (introduced by) GALA (party)

24d    Song that’s very long cut by half (4)
SOLO – SO (very) and the first half of LOng

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