Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2490 – Review
A full analysis by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
There have been a lot of good Sunday puzzles recently, and this was another. Sorry for the late appearance of this review, but I’m still sorting out Friday morning’s computer crash.
Across
1a Its selections are bound to finish up in literary posts (4,4)
BOOK CLUB – good surface reading for this cryptic definition
5a City hospital is minister’s responsibility (6)
PARISH – PARIS (city) with H(ospital) for the area of responsibility of a minister of the church
9a Manoeuvre to draw us away from the centre (8)
OUTWARDS –more fine surface reading for this anagram (manoeuvre) of TO DRAW US giving a word meaning away from the centre
10a Lethargy produced by Proust novel (6)
STUPOR – novel is such an obvious anagram indicator for PROUST, but the surface reading hides it well
11a Economic decline making part of Ireland act (8)
DOWNTURN – an economic decline that is a charade of (County) DOWN (part of Ireland) and a TURN (act)
12a Prize captured by Christian (6)
BOUNTY – a double definition of a prize and the ship on which Fletcher Christian led the famous mutiny
14a Stop going round the bend –- it can be shattering (10)
STRAIGHTEN – the first of two appearances this week for this anagram (it can be) of SHATTERING – the other was in Toughie 172
18a I’d got in very close to be threatening (10)
INTIMIDATE – put I’D inside INTIMATE (very close) and you have a synonym for to be threatening
22a Paper ready to go when evening starts (6)
SUNSET – a simple charade of the SUN (newspaper) and SET (ready, set, go) gives the time when evening starts
23a Copper involved in a case? Right (8)
ACCURATE – put CU (the chemical symbol for copper) inside A CRATE and you have a word that means right
24a Handsome youth, extremely awkward, often impetuous (6)
ADONIS – this handsome youth is derived from the first and last letters (extremely) of AwkwarD OfteN ImpetuouS
25a Information on start of strike, or less extreme action (8)
SLOWDOWN – just put LOWDOWN (information) after S (start of Strike) to get this less extreme action than a strike
26a Failing to cross to other side (6)
DEFECT – reasonably straightforward double definition
27a Dry area surrounded by sea in part of Europe (8)
BRITTANY – insert TT (TeeTotal) and A(rea) inside (surrounded by) BRINY (sea) to get somewhere in North West France (part of Europe)
Down
1d Swearword disturbed old boy (6)
BLOODY – an anagram (disturbed) of OLD BOY
2d With nothing originally, a Scottish inventor raised capital (6)
OTTAWA – O first (nothing originally) and the A {James) WATT (a Scottish inventor) reversed (raised) gives the capital of Canada
3d Leader of crazy expedition, pure and simple (6)
CHASTE – C (leader of Crazy) is followed by HASTE (due expedition) to get a word meaning pure and simple
4d Work little as pupil? Be prepared to take part if necessary (10)
UNDERSTUDY – to work little as pupil is to under study – very similar to a clue in the daily puzzle that came out four days later (DT 25970)
6d Contribution to original thoughts, however (8)
ALTHOUGH – hidden inside (contribution to) originAL THOUGHts is a synonym for however – the definition cleverly made to look like padding
7d Freedom from punishment –- I am powerless without it (8)
IMPUNITY – a word meaning freedom from punishment that comes, very cleverly, from I’M (I am) and PUNY (powerless) around (without) IT
8d Persistently bothering prince in middle of night (8)
HARRYING – a word meaning persistently bothering that is a charade of (Prince) HARRY, IN and G (middle of niGht)
13d Like joint with piano, nice (10)
PARTICULAR – take ARTICULAR (like a joint) and precede it with P(iano) and you have a word that can mean nice – special would, surely, have been a better definition
15d Quick service provided before second helping? (5,3)
FIRST AID – a pair of cryptic definitions
16d Number ten’s position in deadlock (5-3)
STAND-OFF – in Rugby Union the fly half, or stand-off half, wears number ten on his shirt
17d Directions I needed to get into a computer lacking memory (8)
AMNESIAC – put N(orth) E(ast) S(outh) and I into A MAC (a computer) to get a word meaning lacking memory
19d Put one over on old fool outside university (6)
OUTWIT – to put one over on comes from O(ld) TWIT (fool) outside U(niversity)
20d Some worship a god ardently in temple (6)
PAGODA –hidden inside (some) worshiP A GOD Ardently is a temple
21d Brave grabbing European in nasty way (6)
MEANLY – put MANLY (brave) around E(uropean) to get a word meaning in a nasty way
Thank you Jed for another excellent puzzle.