ST 3214 (Full Review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3214

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 28^th May 2023

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Another Dada Sunday Prize Puzzle

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Across

1a    Fruit on top surrounds something on dinner table (6)
TOMATO – TOO (on top of, in addition) surrounds MAT (something on dinner table)

4a    Group picking up pensions, covered (8)
BANDAGED – BAND (group) AGED (picking up pensions)

10a    Shovel down, finish (6,3)
POLISH OFF – Eat something quickly or to dispose of finally

11a    Old lady’s working for builder (5)
MASON – MAS (old lady’s) ON (working)

12a    Queen embraced by King Edward, say, lying back in hideaway (7)
RETREAT – Insert ER (the regnal cipher of our late Queen into TATER (potato, King Edward, say) and then reverse (lying back) the result

13a    Fit and healthy, he’s pain free (2,5)
IN SHAPE – An anagram (free) of HES PAIN

14a    Superfluous nuts (5)
SPARE – Double definition, the first one is obvious but the second refers to a slang expression – go spare – meaning to become furious or frenzied (nuts)

15a    Grounded miscreant, loser probably (8)
UNDERDOG – An anagram (miscreant) of GROUNDED

18a    Save after pass that goes over goalkeeper’s head (8)
CROSSBAR – CROSS (pass) BAR (save)

20a    Silent movie’s second animated film (5)
DUMBO – DUMB (silent) O (the second letter of mOvie)

23a    Server in trouble gutted, nurse has claimed (7)
CATERER – The outside (gutted) letters of TroublE inserted into (has claimed) CARER (nurse)

25a    Old favourite covering page — or part of one? (7)
EXCERPT – EX (old) CERT (favourite) ‘covering’ P (page)

26a    First words in print, romantic (5)
INTRO – Found in prINT ROmantic

27a    Coffee came in, or a rum (9)
AMERICANO – An anagram (rum) of CAME IN OR A

28a    Partial coincidence of two girls found somewhere in north-western Europe (8)
NORMANDY – The partial coincidence refers to the fact that NORMA and MANDY cross over each other in the solution

29a    Jittery, abandoned gelding’s caught (2,4)
ON EDGE – Found in (caught) abandONED GElding

Down

1d    Better money for chief execs, say (3,5)
TOP BRASS – TOP (better) BRASS (money)

2d    Extra force required, one fired into target on the up (7)
MILITIA – I (one) LIT (fired) inserted in a reversal (on the up) of AIM (target)

3d    Offensive sales test devised (9)
TASTELESS – An anagram (devised) of SALES TEST

5d    See you in Bavaria? (3,11)
AUF WIEDERSEHEN – The German (as used in Bavaria) for goodbye (see you)

6d    A discredited name arising, southern French writer (5)
DUMAS – A (from the clue) MUD (discredited name) reversed (arising) and followed by S (Southern)

7d    Some suggest a policy for secret police (7)
GESTAPO – Hidden in some of sugGEST A POlicy

8d    Fool with first of dynamics in tune (6)
DONKEY – D (first of dynamics) ON KEY (in tune)

9d    County rebel oddly given under a month to reform (14)
NORTHUMBERLAND – An anagram (to reform) of the odd letters of ReBeL and UNDER A MONTH

16d    Introduce new cutting (9)
REDUCTION – An anagram (new) of INTRODUCE

17d    Podiatrist’s comment? (8)
FOOTNOTE – A comment made by someone working on feet?

19d    Muscle that might be twisted either way? (7)
ROTATOR – A palindrome (that might be twisted either way)

21d    Arm waving, one entering sea — fabulous swimmer? (7)
MERMAID – An anagram (waving) of ARM and I (one) ‘entering’ MED (Mediterranean Sea)

22d    West London area taking one on board — director’s call? (6)
ACTION – ACTON (West London area) taking I (one) ‘on board’

24d    Show up carrying drink, initially — wine (5)
RIOJA – A reversal (up) of AIR (show) ‘carrying’ JO (orange juice, drink)