ST 2813

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2813

A full review by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty **– Enjoyment ****

This puzzle was published on Sunday, 13th September 2015

The perfect puzzle for a very rainy Sunday afternoon – not too much time taken to solve it, and typing the review took the same time as the bubbling tomato chutney mixture did to thicken enough to be set and ready to put into jars.   Perfect time management if I say so myself.

Interestingly while typing the review, I thought there were quite a lot of insertions as well as the usual hidden words but a full  survey of the clue types reveals a good balance throughout.   My favourite has to be 20d because of the ‘d’oh moment’ when I realised the ‘why’.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.  You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five best!

Across

1a           Studies kind of theft that involves plotting (10)
CONSPIRACY   – CONS (studies) PIRACY (kind of theft)

6a           Audible warning on course for boat crew (4)
FOUR –   The number of people in a rowing boat crew sound like FORE – audible here being both a homophone indicator and a description of the  warning on a golf course.

9a           Unruly form tucked into favourite fish (7)
POMFRET –   An anagram (unruly) of FORM tucked into PET (favourite).

10a         Like organist, holding note, kept calm (7)
SEDATED –   Someone playing an organ would be SEATED, just insert a D (holding the musical note D)

12a         In current situation, it helps to get one across (8-5)
STEPPING-STONE –   A cryptic definition of an aid to someone crossing a stretch of water.

14a         In OK position to achieve goal selected (6)
ONSIDE –   That football rule no-one understands, if split 4,2 would mean that the footballer had been selected for the team.

15a         Quality of the uniform still required by head (8)
EVENNESS –   EVEN (still) NESS (head).

17a         Doctor at a court who’s in charge? Absolutely! (8)
AUTOCRAT –   An anagram (doctor) of AT A COURT.

19a         Last monarch turned back by chief (6)
REMAIN –   A reversal (turned back) of ER (the cipher of our current monarch) followed by MAIN (chief).

22a         How puzzles are solved at home — instruct one in gradual way (13)
INTELLIGENTLY –   IN (at home) TELL I (instruct one) GENTLY (in gradual way).

24a         Blow up corrupt general (7)
ENLARGE – An ‘old friend’  – an anagram (corrupt) of GENERAL.

25a         Ship making direct course to harbour in the morning (7)
STEAMER –   ‘to harbour’ indicates that AM (the morning) is kept safe by or inserted into STEER (making direct course).

26a         It contributes to whisky exports (4)
SKYE –   A Scottish island which exports, amongst other things, whisky, is hidden in (contributes to) whiSKY Exports.

27a         Write that silly line about Olympic event (10)
PENTATHLON –   PEN (write) plus an anagram (silly) of THAT, L (line) and ON (about).

Down

1d           Constable? Gallery’s conclusion: it’s not original (4)
COPY – COP (police constable) and Y (the ‘conclusion’ of gallery.

2d           In strange sense, I’m the opponent you can’t beat (7)
NEMESIS –   An anagram (strange) of SENSE IM.

3d           Upright piano, with arrangement of a prelude in C, right? (13)
PERPENDICULAR –   P (piano) followed by an anagram (arrangement of) A PRELUDE IN C R(ight).

4d           Duplicate printed matter in entirety, perhaps (2-4)
RE-TYPE   Hidden in entiRETY PErhaps.

5d           Lady-killer appearing in clubs as a star (8)
CASANOVA – C (card suit of clubs) AS A (from the clue) NOVA (star).

7d           Denouement in knockabout comedy (7)
OUTCOME – And another hidden word – this time in knockabOUT COMEdy

8d           Making corrections, runs over revision for designers (10)
REDRESSING –   R (runs) followed by (over) an anagram (revision) of DESIGNERS

11d         Withdrawal of financial support as daughter’s ready for service? (13)
DISINVESTMENT –   D IS (daughter is) IN VESTMENT (in robes ready to take a church service).

13d         As mean people holding test, they’re judgmental about others (10)
MORALISERS –   MISERS (mean people) holding ORAL (test).

16d         Foundation receiving short letter in Asian language (8)
BALINESE –   BASE (foundation) receiving LINE (short letter).

18d         Record number accepting part of Bible in every respect (7)
TOTALLY –   OT (Old Testament, part of Bible) inserted into TALLY (record number)

20d         Start off tiny, finish off likewise — how awful! (7)
ABYSMAL –   Remove the ‘start’ from bABY (tiny) and the finish off SMALl (likewise or also meaning tiny).

21d         Room to accommodate piece cut by editors (6)
BEDSIT –   BIT (piece) cut by EDS (editors).

23d         Flourish without dish, finally, that’s health food (4)
BRAN   – Remove the DISH (without dish finally) from BRANDISH (flourish).

S2