ST 3210 (Full Review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3210

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 30^th April 2023

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment *** 

The right-hand side of this typical Dada Sunday Prize Puzzle took longer to sort out than the left.

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Across

1a    Opening vacation (6)
RECESS – A double definition

4a    Originally puny thing, little matter? (8)
PARTICLE – The original letter of Puny and an ARTICLE (thing)

9a    Fraud, an unorthodox priest? (6)
SHAMAN – SHAM (fraud) AN (from the clue)

10a    Champion with team — cheeky thing? (8)
BACKSIDE – BACK (champion, support) with SIDE (team)

12a    Strapping top of leg, that ice scattered around it (8)
ATHLETIC – An anagram (scattered) of THAT ICE goes around L (the top of Leg)

13a    Relish tricky situation (6)
PICKLE – A double definition, the second one of which made me think of Kath!

15a    Remarkable twister is in Toronto after winding through Connecticut! (13)
CONTORTIONIST – IS (from the clue) inserted into an anagram (after winding) of TORONTO and then inserted (through) into the abbreviation for the State of Connecticut

18a    Battered by storms, bedraggled plant demolished, primula ultimately saved (7-6)
WEATHER-BEATEN – WET HERB (bedraggled plant) EATEN (demolished) and A (the ultimate letter of primula ‘saved’ or inserted

20a    Caribbean destination, terribly captivating land (6)
TOBAGO – TOO (terribly) ‘captivating’ BAG (land)

22a    Intellectual emptying beer into breakfast! (8)
CEREBRAL – The outside (emptying) letters of BeeR inserted into CEREAL (breakfast)

24a    Swine leads huge crowd, hosting a winter celebration (8)
HOGMANAY – HOG (swine) MANY (huge crowd) ‘hosting’ A (from the clue)

25a    Reduced work in new show — oh dear (6)
WHOOPS – OP (reduced or abbreviated work) inserted into an anagram (new) of SHOW

26a    Similar title makes an odd headline in the end (8)
NAMESAKE – An anagram (odd) of MAKES AN with E (the end of headline)

27a    One in seven affected by hay fever? (6)
SNEEZY – One of the Seven Dwarfs or one of the things that happens when one is affected by hay fever

Down

1d    Devil in Lucifer as callous (6)
RASCAL – Hidden in lucifeR AS CALlous

2d    Reoccurrence of tea dance (3-3-3)
CHA-CHA-CHA – Three lots (a recurrence) of CHA (tea)

3d    Weasel, meadow animal? (5,2,3,5)
SNAKE IN THE GRASS – Could this weasel be found in a meadow?

5d    A barrier, one of two in garden? (4)
ADAM – A (from the clue) DAM (barrier) – the garden being, of course, the Garden of Eden

6d    What to do with false beard? Don’t complain! (4,2,2,3,4)
TAKE IT ON THE CHIN – Could this expression meaning to face something courageously also tells you what to do with a false beard?

7d    Get on top of Chopin with musical refrain (5)
CLICK – Be naturally compatible (get on) – the letter at the top of Chopin with LICK (musical refrain)

8d    Not all attending, cancel event held for Armistice Day, say? (8)
ELEVENTH – A clue that had to be revised to get the correct letters for the solution hidden in cancEL EVENT Held. The original clue read: “Not all attending, cancel event this Armistice Day, say? ” which as several people pointed out on the day, resulted in there being a spare T

11d    Massive test locking up first of offenders for racism? (7)
BIGOTRY – BIG (massive) TRY (test) ‘locking up’ O (the first of Offenders)

14d    As toast may be without starter, it’s said (7)
UTTERED – bUTTERED (as toast may be) without the first letter

16d    Funny one-liners in part of Oxford, say (5,4)
INNER-SOLE – As quite often happens in crosswords, this Oxford is a shoe. An anagram (funny) of ONE LINERS

17d    Hellcat transported by boy set off (6,2)
SWITCH ON – WITCH (hellcat) inserted into (transported by) SON (boy)

19d    Loud insect circling wood (6)
FLASHY – FLY (insect) ‘circling’ ASH (wood)

21d    Times getting stick, crikey! (2,3)
BY GUM – BY (times) GUM (stick)

23d    Small ship for small island (4)
SARK – S (small) ARK (ship)