ST 2835 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 2835

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2835

A full review by gnomethang

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***

This puzzle was published on Sunday 14th February 2016

Afternoon All! Apologies for the delay – I had PC problems late last night and my work laptop was on site. This was a typical Virgilius puzzle and very enjoyable.

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Across

1a           Someone waiting for person to start court action (6)
SERVER – The first is the straight definition – one who serves at table, a waiter. The second is the tennis player who serves to start a match (action) in court.

4a           I admit grasping zero, being this? (8)
IGNORANT – I GRANT (I admit) including (grasping) NO for zero.

10a         Old cheat spoiled new Olympic event (9)
DECATHLON – An anagram (spoiled) of OLD CHEAT followed by N(ew).

11a         Piece from Verdi scored for musical entertainment (5)
DISCO – A hidden clue (a piece from) inside verDI SCOred.

12a         Bring back spiritual teaching with part of Bible (7)
REVERSE – Place R.E. (religious education or spiritual teaching) in front of a VERSE from the Bible.

13a         Like work of most poets, but not Keats and Yeats (7)
RHYMING – The cryptic part of this requires you to realise that KEATS and YEATS dor not rhyme (approximately KEETS and YATES).

14a         A hearing not reaching conclusion in Roman courts (5)
ATRIA – A TRIA(l) or court hearing without its concluding letter.

15a         Select a revised time for programme to be seen (8)
TELECAST – An anagram (revised) of SELECT A followed by T for Time.

18a         After brief period, releases North American force (8)
MOUNTIES – Start with a MO (Moment or short time) and then add UNTIES or releases.

20a         One of the Romans occupying seat in European capital (5)
SOFIA – I, the Roman numeral for one, inside a SOFA or seat.

23a         House in reconstructed base (7)
HEINOUS – An anagram (reconstructed) of IN HOUSE.

25a         He deserts the cause in act of betrayal (7)
TREASON – Remove HE from T(he) REASON (or cause).

26a         Have some fast food in famous coffeehouse (5)
SCOFF – Another hidden word, this time it is IN famouS COFFeehouse.

27a         Financial expert giving author clear forecast? (9)
ECONOMIST – The author Umberto ECO followed by NO MIST (a clear weather forecast).

28a         Relax call to fix fiddle or racket (8)
RESTRING – A charade of REST (relax) and RING (call). One RESTRINGS a violin or a tennis racket.

29a         This is where you’ll find the ultimate in unorthodoxy? (6)
HERESY – Another way to say HERE’S Y (this is where you’ll find Y , the ultimate or last letter in orthodoxy. Lovely clue!

Down

1d           Like stars in team, given genuine support (8)
SIDEREAL – A charade of SIDE (team) with REAL (genuine) underneath or giving support in a down clue.

2d           Pick up and put on new jacket for work (7)
RECOVER – Two definitions – to get better (pick up) and to put a new cover/jacket on a book or work of fiction.

3d           Host needs to get into coach right away (9)
ENTERTAIN – Start with ENTER (get into) and then add T(r)AIN or coach with the R for right taken away.

5d           A line is included by peer group in comprehensive statement (14)
GENERALISATION – Place A L(ine) and IS inside GENERATION or peer group (i.e. My generation).

6d           In strange way, sordid play is so lacking in characters (5)
ODDLY – Remove the ODD letters (i.e. ODDLY lacking) from sOrDiD pLaY.

7d           Victorians, for example, as divided by bizarre issue (7)
AUSSIES – Place an anagram (bizarre) of ISSUE inside AS from the clue.

8d           Temperature affected by storm and low pressure area (6)
TROUGH – T for Temperature and ROUGH – affected by a storm.

9d           Famed scientist eccentrically enters lab in tie (6,8)
ALBERT EINSTEIN – an anagram (eccentrically) of ENTERS LAB IN TIE.

16d         Meat dish, in part, inferior to second in container (9)
CASSEROLE – Place ROLE (part) underneath, or inferior to, a CASE/container with S for second inside.

17d         Protected by soldier, I don’t leave chief supporter (8)
MAINSTAY – I is inside (protected by) a MAN/soldier and then STAY (don’t leave) follows.

19d         Forbidding nothing, and negative about nothing (7)
OMINOUS – O for nothing and then MINUS (negative) around/about O for nothing again.

21d         Celebratory showing of test, live, after openers dismissed (7)
FESTIVE – Remove the first letters (openers are dismissed) from (o)F (t)EST (l)IVE.

22d         Tea served up to a point, and different drink to follow (6)
CHASER – Start with CHA for tea and then add half (up to a point) of SERved.

24d         Secure chest, having no upper limit for bid (5)
OFFER – Remove the start (having no upper limit) of (c)OFFER or secure chest.