Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28012
A full review by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
This puzzle was published on Saturday, 16th January 2016
I took a much longer time than usual to get to grips with this particular Prize Puzzle – had the cold weather made my brain freeze? did the dental references put me off ? (I don’t like going to the dentist) or was it that it had been so long since I’d had one of those ‘bars’ in 9a that I’d forgotten all about them?
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Across
1a Mourns epic broadcast in part of theatre (10)
PROSCENIUM – An anagram (broadcast) of MOURNS EPIC
6a Bubbly essential for post-Christmas tipple (4)
ASTI – Essential not least because it forms part of ChristmAS TIpple
9a Doing stunts on high bar, one caught cracking nuts (10)
AEROBATICS – AERO (chocolate bar) and I (one) and C (caught) ‘cracking’ or going inside BATS (nuts).
10a Dishes half smashed? Little reptile! (4)
CROC – Obtained by removing (smashed) half of CROCKERY (dishes).
12a One with equal role upset actors (2-4)
CO-STAR – An anagram (upset) of ACTORS
13a Stop meeting professional villain (8)
PROROGUE – PRO (professional) ROGUE (villain)
15a Opted to work with incisor, as part of dentistry (12)
PERIODONTICS – An anagram (to work) of OPTED with INCISOR.
18a Orchestra‘s man arranged main orch. (12)
PHILHARMONIC – PHIL (man) followed by an anagram (arranged) of MAIN ORCH
21a Extra work performed in the long run (8)
OVERTIME – Split 4, 4 to see the ‘in the long run’ bit.
22a Sir Tim recalled eating the French cake (6)
ÉCLAIR – A reversal (recalled) of RICE (Sir Tim’s surname) into which is inserted the French female word for ‘the’
24a Look back and observe (4)
KEEP – A reversal (back) of PEEK (look)
25a People in a series of races have not commonly achieved goal (10)
ATTAINMENT – A TT (a series of races) and AINT (have not commonly) the latter having MEN (people) inserted.
26a Count as Swiss hero (4)
TELL – A verb or a Swiss folk hero, take your pick.
27a Shakespeare role American’s doing well (10)
PROSPEROUS – Prospero (from The Tempest) and US (American)
Down
1d Fish I displayed in position (6)
PLAICE – I ‘displayed’ in PLACE (position)
2d Quiet after performing rugger forward surge (6)
ONRUSH – SH (quiet) goes after ON (performing) RU (rugger – Rugby Union)
3d Savoy perhaps with unusual end to Madame Butterfly (7-5)
CABBAGE WHITE – CABBAGE (Savoy being, perhaps, one type of cabbage), an anagram (unusual) of WITH and the end of madamE.
4d Clear visitor from the heavens appears in holy books (4)
NETT – ET (Extra Terrestrial, visitor from the heavens) appears in NT (New Testament, holy books)
5d Neglected racer found wandering (7-3)
UNCARED FOR – An anagram (wandering) of RACER FOUND
7d Two types of fuel sent up to house the Queen in women’s quarters (8)
SERAGLIO – Reverse (sent up in a Down clue) OIL and GAS and insert ER (the regnal cipher of our current Queen).
8d Appreciate batsman’s position (8)
INCREASE – Split 2, 6 and then you can start to discuss the finer points of cricket terminology (see Saturday’s comments!!)
11d Smelly stuff gives fellow utter outrage (12)
FRANKINCENSE – F (fellow) RANK (utter) INCENSE
14d Around start of concert there’s more merit playing sensitive instrument (10)
MICROMETER – An anagram (playing) of MORE MERIT put round C (the start of concert).
16d Tooth present briefly in place where it should be (8)
SPROCKET – The abbreviation (briefly) for present inserted into a hollow into which something such as a tooth fits
17d Pack mainly containing revolt, warning things are too hot (4,4)
FIRE BELL – Insert REBEL (revolt) into FIL (most of FILL = pack)
19d Manage model party (4,2)
MAKE DO – MAKE (model) DO (party)
20d We hear of Alfred and Alexander, perhaps, in scrapes (6)
GRATES – Alfred and Alexander were both known as GREATS so the solution (we hear) is a homophone of ‘greats’.
23d Clear flirtatious move (4)
PASS – A double definition to finish with, the first one meaning clear or sanction, the second one I leave up to your imagination :wink:
S2
I fell into the trap missing aero, knew the dental one because a friend mentioned it only the day before. First one in 7d just because I love the sound of it. Thanks for your summing up.
18a If it is Phil and an anagram of MAIN ORCH. The answer is PHILHARMONIC not philharmonia
Thanks Jo Jo. Now corrected