Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2658
A full review by gnomethang
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BD Rating – Difficulty **– Enjoyment ****
Morning All! We had a reasonably straightforward puzzle last Sunday week. There were a few clues that looked a bit daunting but the wordplay cleared them up OK with the checking letters. I peg this as a 1.4 standard Virgilius. As usual the definitions have been underlined.
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Across
1a Communication on warship that’s prepared to surrender (10)
SUBMISSIVE – The warship is the SUB(marine) and the communication is the general MISSIVE.
6a One of two related presidents — elder, perhaps (4)
The first definition refers to George and George Dubya and the cryptic is the elder which is a BUSH or shrub.
9a Doctor having look inside — that’s good to hear (7)
MELODIC – LO (an archaic exhortation to look) inside MEDIC for doctor.
10a Uplifting act as artist and I perform musically (7)
RAISING – RA (Royal Academician for artist) plus I and then SING (perform musically).
12a Medal winner and I, with this kind of clue (8,5)
VICTORIA CROSS – VICTOR (winner) and I with ACROSS – the type of clue that this represents).
14a Small delay with multiple sources of overhead lighting (6)
STARRY – An adjective for starlit. S for Small and TARRY for delay.
15a What’s in erratum is no mere verbal infelicity (8)
MISNOMER – Make an anagram (in erratum) of IS NO MERE.
17a A short time ago getting everything out of rare chance? Not likely (8)
RECENTLY – I’ll borrow BD’s clue from the day as it is so succinct – “Drop the inner letters from (getting everything out of) the last four words in the clue”
19a Complaint coming back, left with little energy, weak (6)
FEEBLE – A reversal of BEEF (a complaint or grumble) then L(eft) and the abbreviation of Energy.
22a Person making money dishonestly from damaged fruit tree once (13)
COUNTERFEITER – A damaged anagram of FRUIT TREE ONCE.
24a Perform as substitutes in Test and international (5,2)
STAND-IN – I think that there is an erroneous S at the end of ‘stands’, not really necessary as far as I can see. The answer is hidden in the last three words.
25a British invading to pressurise part of Middle East (7)
LEBANON – B for British inside LEAN ON or pressurise.
26a Owing to cut, one can’t perform this piece of music (4)
DUET – Shorten the phrase DUE TO (owing to). A person on their own cannot perform this.
27a Regulations about sci-fi movie getting Oscars, for example (10)
STATUETTES – STATUTES (regulations) with ET (a sci-fi movie with a disgustingly cute alien).
Down
1d Problem with ring for kind of wrestling (4)
SUMO – A mathematical additional problem with O for ring.
2d Bachelor joining woman in faraway country (7)
BOLIVIA – B for Bachelor with an exotic woman OLIVIA.
3d Forced to accept beliefs, with change of direction, and about time (13)
INDOCTRINATED – An anagram of DIRECTION with AND around T for Time.
4d Nonconformist group or division (6)
SECTOR – A simple charade of SECT (nonconformist group) and OR.
5d After six, I ring devastated area in Eastern state (8)
VIRGINIA – Place an anagram (devastated) of I RING after VI (six in Roman Numerals) and then add A for Area.
7d Cover for student body university provided within convention (7)
UNIFORM – A charade of U (University) and IF (provided) inside NORM for the convention or status quo.
8d Under the influence, setter disorientated in shopping area (4,6)
HIGH-STREET – HIGH is under the influence. Add an anagram (disoriented) of SETTER. I would like to think that we don’t have drunken crossword setters shambling around Westfield!
11d Popular kind of TV covering cricket side before big match? Sure (13)
INCONTESTABLE – Start with IN (popular) then inside CABLE (a type of TV feed) place ON (a cricket side) and TEST (big match). Bit of a stretch to parse but the checking letters helped!.
13d Swimming across tide, separated from everyone else (10)
OSTRACISED – A swimmingly good anagram of ACROSS TIDE for a verb meaning to have been sent to Coventry.
16d Something instrumental in dividing red wine (8)
CLARINET – Very simple to parse but the surface reading made it a lovely clue. IN inside CLARET (red wine).
18d Bold quality about the times we live in (7)
COURAGE – C for Circa or about with OUR AGE (the times we live in).
20d Start of book on sculpture, say, including a title (7)
BARONET – The original letter of B(ook) and ART (sculpture for example) with ONE for A included. Note that the two are considered synonyms and appear occasionally.
21d Wine found in Metro drunk chucked over line (6)
MERLOT – An anagram (drunk) of MERLOT around (chucked over) L for Line.
23d Responsibility borne by setter and solver together (4)
ONUS – Slightly chestnutty for me but the treatment is good. ON for by and US (the setter and solver together).
Glad to say that I managed to blog this one. A massive thank you to crypticsue for the extended coverage when I am caught at work. I will attempt to make amends this Thursday after Petitjean’s Crossword Workshop with a nice lunch in the country.