ST 2866

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2866

A full review by gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on Sunday 18th September

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

 

Morning All! – A slightly tricky puzzle to get stared on but all came together quite well with the usual excellent cluing.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.

Across

1a           Following lofty principles in trade, one’s put in unlimited time (8)
IDEALISM – Place DEAL for Trade and IS for “one’s” inside IM (t)IM(e) without its limits (unlimited).

9a           Stop possessions otherwise being covered by tax (8)
EXORCISE – OR for otherwise inside (being covered by) EXCISE or tax/duty.

10a         Flat boat at stern of ship on river (4)
RAFT – The stern of a ship id the AFT. Place that after (on in an across clue) the abb. R for River.

11a         At end of a new part of speech, stick declaration (12)
ANNOUNCEMENT – CEMENT or stick goes after (at the end of) A form the clue, N for New and then a NOUN for part of speech.

13a         Senior investigator’s command producing state of confusions (8)
DISORDER – A senior police investigator’s command might be interpreted as a D(etective) I(nspector)’S Order (or DI’S ORDER)

15a         Administer like high-fliers, including Conservative (6)
INJECT – C for Conservative is included inside IN JET or the position of those that are flying high.

16a         Fruit that’s unlike peach, by the sound of it (4)
UGLI – The fruit that is the opposite (unlike) a peach/something beautiful.

17a         Cast, getting fine fish (5)
FLING – A charade of F for Fine and the LING – a common crossword fish.

18a         Path travelled on horseback — or went by boat, we hear (4)
ROAD – A homophone (we hear) of both RODE (went on horseback) and ROWED (went by boat).

20a         Formidable type that dentist can deal with (6)
TARTAR – Two definitions – The old Turkish warrior and also the gum/tooth problem.

21a         Worked on plot, dreadfully deranged (8)
GARDENED – An angram (dreadfully) of DERANGED..

23a         Two kinds of seaman like hot cakes? (12)
MERCHANTABLE – Two sailors – A MERCHANTE and an ABLE (bodied seaman) create an adjective for things that can sell like hot cakes.

26a         Heap is what Pat may have dropped (4)
RICK – The RICK is what might be dropped from (Pat)RICK to give a stack or heap (of hay for example).

27a         Cultivate area on hill, producing food for Mexicans (8)
TORTILLA – TILL/cultivate and A for Area go after a TOR or hill.

28a         One isn’t perturbed about learner that’s cheeky (8)
INSOLENT – An anagram (perturbed) of ONE ISNT around L for Learner.

Down

2d           Artist’s work crossing line, in a manner of speaking (8)
DRAWLING – A DRAWING or artist’s works goes around (crosses) L for Learner.

3d           Belligerent Nato is acting peculiarly (12)
ANTAGONISTIC – An anagram , indicated by peculiarly, of NATO IS ACTING.

4d           In affair, one desperately pressed one’s suit, perhaps (6)
IRONED – A hidden word (IN) inside affa IR, ONE D esperately

5d           People going over University’s list of courses (4)
MENU – MEN or people above U for University.

6d           Feeling pain under military leader giving instruction (8)
COACHING – Place ACJING/feeling pain underneath the CO or Commanding Officer.

7d           Graves, for example, that can be found in vault (4)
WINE – A crossword chestnut – GRAVES being a wine from the Gironde department of France. The clue is then a cryptic definiton and nothing to do with coffins.

8d           In other words, visibly embarrassed about condition (8)
RESTATED – RED for visibly embarrassed around (about) STATE or condition.

12d         Officer, as usual, supporting former PM (5-7)
MAJOR-GENERAL – GENERAL or as asual underneath (supporting in a down clue) the former PM John MAJOR.

14d         Head of government, after financial disaster, in a sorry state? (5)
RUING – G for the head letter of G(overnment) going after financial RUIN.

16d         Final is not altogether difficult — I’m at ease (8)
ULTIMATE – Another hidden word is part of (but not altogether!) difficULT IM AT Ease

17d         Story with moral about weapon that’s okay for fieldworker? (8)
FARMABLE – One of Aesop’s FABLEs (a moral story) around an ARM or weapon.

19d         A chap consuming steamed rice, as some Indians are (8)
AMERICAN – A MAN (a chap) containing (consuming) a steamed anagram of RICE.

22d         Old master manages to swallow half of beer (6)
RUBENS – RUNS or manages containing (is swallowing) half of BE(er) from the clue.

24d         Right on time, turning up — excellent (4)
RARE – Place R for Right on top of the reversal (turning up) of an ERA or time period.

25d         No-win situation stated in Asian language (4)
THAI – A homophone (stated) of a TIE or no win situation.

               
Thanks to the setter. I will be back tomorrow for a review of last weekend’s Saturday puzzle.