Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2807
A full review by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/***– Enjoyment ****
This puzzle was published on Sunday, 2nd August 2015
I’m standing in for Gnomey who is “doing his bit for the Greek economy”, although possibly not getting quite as much sun as he hoped – he was having to shelter his beer from the rain in the last post I saw. I’ve probably got the better deal with the chance to enjoy this Sunday puzzle all over again.
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Across
7a Minimal temperature and pressure in main plant (5,3)
SWEET PEA – WEE (minimal) T (temperature) P (pressure) inserted into SEA (main).
9a Article by son constitutes academic work (6)
THESIS – THE (definite article) S (son) IS (constitutes).
10a Exercises needed on part of flight in Russia, it’s plain (6)
STEPPE – STEP (part of a flight of stairs) PE (physical exercises).
11a Source of amusement, including game — good topic for mathematicians (8)
TOPOLOGY – TOY (source of amusement) with POLO (game) and G (good) inserted.
12a Explanatory addition providing insurance for landlord? (8,6)
COVERING LETTER – This explanatory addition to something could describe a landlord’s insurance document.
15a Support one’s withdrawn from pioneer (4)
PIER – As the clue says, withdraw or remove ONE from PIoneER
17a Young woman in novel returning before final chapter (5)
WENCH – A reversal (returning) of NEW (novel) goes before the abbreviation for chapter.
19a Back part of city in no-win situation (4)
DRAW – A reversal (back) of WARD (part of city).
20a How unwavering person acts during passage, mostly without roughness (14)
INTRANSIGENTLY – IN TRANSIt (during passage ‘mostly’) and GENTLY (without roughness).
23a Imitator of style in a sport I’d transformed (8)
PARODIST – An anagram (transformed) of A SPORT ID.
25a Area within career that brings expression of delight (6)
HURRAY – A (area) inserted into HURRY (career here meaning to rush)
27a Particular sci-fi movie shown in Irish house (6)
DETAIL – ET (Crosswordland’s most useful sci-fi movie) inserted into the Irish house of parliament – the DAIL.
28a Somebody else working with a learner? Only in theory (8)
NOTIONAL – NOT I (somebody else) ON (working) A (from the clue) L (learner).
Down
1d Hard-working student recovers from breakdown? Just the reverse (4)
SWOT – A reversal of TOWS (recovers from breakdown).
2d Folk including couples from right parts of Europe stop awhile (6)
PEOPLE – The final two letters (couples from right) of EuroPE stOP awhiLE.
3d Quietly play part in treaty (4)
PACT – P (piano, quietly) ACT (play part).
4d Secure, in a way, important element of diet (6)
STAPLE – To secure in a particular way; or an important food source in one’s diet.
5d Legal document about property needing to be blown up (8)
DEFLATED – DEED (legal document) put round FLAT (property).
6d It’s on hand, providing quick coverage (10)
FINGERNAIL – A cryptic definition of part of one’s hand.
8d Early opportunity to see clergyman I located sitting in church? (7)
PREVIEW – REV (reverend, clergyman) and I (from the clue) located or inserted into PEW (somewhere one might be sitting in church).
13d Arose and made a speech, having imbibed one drink (10)
ORIGINATED – GIN (one drink) imbibed by or inserted into ORATED (made a speech).
14d Part of family showing brilliance? Not I (5)
GENUS – Remove the I (not I) from GENIUS (showing brilliance).
16d Like brain operations, helping almost everyone (8)
RATIONAL – RATION (helping) AL (almost ALL, everyone).
18d No flat cap for such a snob (4-3)
HIGH-HAT – An informal term for a snob or aristocrat is the opposite of a flat cap.
21d Failed miserably away from home (6)
AFIELD – An anagram (miserably) of FAILED
22d New directional aid used in restricted channel (6)
NARROW – N (new) ARROW (directional aid)
24d Selection from Internet entertainment in place of circus (4)
TENT – Hidden in a selection from interneT ENTertainment.
26d Open a little container with key, initially (4)
AJAR – A (musical key) goes before (initially) JAR (container).
S4B2
Thanks to Virgilius for another set of super-smooth clues and to CS for putting in the overtime to do the blog. I’d pick out 1d, 2d and 6d as candidates for the honours list.
Got 11a from electronic supertoy and looked it up after BD’s masterly explanation and picture, if I am really honest I still do not understand. Enjoyed the fingernail and preview.