ST 2814

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2814

A full review by gnomethang

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

This puzzle was published on Sunday, 20th September 2015

Morning All!. THis puzzle was in 3 star territory for me although I am not sure why having written it up. Probably the smoothness of the surface readings makes it hard to insert the mental crow-bar to prise it apart.

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

Across

1a           Diction’s modified by subtle difference in end (14)
DISCONTINUANCE – Start with a modified anagram of DICTION’S and then add NUANCE or subtle difference.

9a           Player is put in room inside, with temperature reduced (7)
CELLIST – Is from the clue placed inside a CELL or a room in a prison (inside) and also T(emperature) reduced to the SI Unit/abbreviation (abb.)

10a         Get together in Queen’s returning train (7)
RETINUE – UNITE (get together) inside ER for our UK current Queen (Elizabeth Regina) all reversed (returning) – R (ETINU) E.

11a         Speaker’s position revealed in odd selections from diaries (4)
DAIS – The speaker’s podium is also the odd letters (selections) from DiArIeS.

12a         He is right to be disturbed about power for religious leader (4,6)
HIGH PRIEST – Make an anagram (to be disturbed) of HE IS RIGHT around the outside (about) P for Power.

14a         Concerning fuel, say — not for the first time (6)
REPEAT – A charade of RE (reference/about) and PEAT – the low quality burning fuel from bogs.

15a         Faithful person has to live with deception, endlessly jolly (8)
BELIEVER – A charade of BE (live) then LIE (deception) followed by VER(y) or Jolly with the end off.

17a         Slacks, perhaps? It’s the opposite of kind taking in employer (8)
TROUSERS – Reverse (take the opposite of ) SORT for kind/type and then insert (it is taking in) USER or employer/one who uses.

18a         Finish off some hard stuff (6)
SCOTCH – Two definitions – to SCOTCH a plan and a snifter of SCOTCH – the hard stuff being a spirit.

21a         Like lions, affected outside protected area, finally (10)
PREDACIOUS – This took a while to get. Place PRECIOUS (affected) outside of the final letters in (protecte)D and (are)A.

22a         Accordingly you are pronounced embittered (4)
SOUR – SO for accordingly or thus followed by the letters that sound like you (U) and are (R).

24a         With no attempt at concealment, devouring a cold ham (7)
OVERACT – OVERT (open/with no attempt at concealment) to include (devouring) A and C for cold.

25a         Plausible story about a new dog (7)
SPANIEL – A SPIEL (plausible story or patter) around (about) A and N(ew).

26a         Hobbyist for whom mail brings items of interest (5,9)
STAMP COLLECTOR – An easy cryptic definition. The postman delivers the item of interest (stamp) on the letter.

Down

1d           Person providing determination for crucial game (7)
DECIDER – Two definitions – the person who decides (provides a determination) and also a deciding game in a football cup tie for example.

2d           Arrange some film PR event as way to gain in status (4-11)
SELF-IMPROVEMENT – An anagram (arrange) of SOME FILM PR EVENT.

3d           Expression of triumphant surprise about current state (4)
OHIO – OH!, an expression of triumphant surprise around the outside of (about) I, the SI unit for electrical current/amps.

4d           Little bird pecked choice delicacy (6)
TITBIT – A charade of a TIT (little bird) and BIT (pecked at/ate).

5d           Another’s wrecked in part of Atlantic (5,3)
NORTH SEA – An anagram (wrecked) of ANOTHER’S.

6d           Religious work giving convert ease of mind, we hear (10)
ALTARPIECE – Two homophones, (we hear), ALTAR sounds like ALTER (convert) and PIECE for PEACE (ease of mind).

7d           Green satin cover is not to be changed (15)
CONSERVATIONIST – An anagram, indicated by ‘to be changed’, of SATIN COVER IS NOT.

8d           Over time, dressed up somebody in red (6)
DEBTOR – Take ROBED (someone dressed) around (over) T for time and reverse the whole lot (it is UP).

13d         A large mammal seen in part of country, no real reason for anxiety (5,5)
FALSE ALARM – A from the clue then L for Large and SEAL (mammal) inside a FARM or a feature of the countryside.

16d         Creative extremes expelled from party – is movement out of control? (8)
ARTISTIC – Remove the outside (extreme) letters from (p)ART(y) then add IS from the clue and finish with a TIC or an involuntary movement (that is out of control).

17d         Advice to European to proceed with caution (6)
TIPTOE – A charade of TIP (advice) TO from the clue and E for European.

19d         Athlete facing obstacles ruled out in hard runs (7)
HURDLER – An anagram (out) of RULED inside H for Hard and R for runs.

20d         Replacing centrepiece of meal, possibly uses shellfish (6)
MUSSEL – replace the EA in MEAL with an anagram (possibly) of USES.

23d         Covering for shoulders, also head (4)
CAPE – Two definitions again. The first is the poncho or hood and the second is a headland, spit or ness.

I’ll be back for two stints next Thursday.