Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2879
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on Sunday 18th December
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
Straightforward and full of things for those of us who enjoy this time of year.
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Across
1 and 29: Across Consumer guide for this week — see intervening answers (3-9,8,4)
PRE-CHRISTMAS SHOPPING LIST
10a Remedy for overindulgence I can’t set out in advertisement (7)
ANTACID – An anagram (set out) of I CANT put in AD (advertisement)
11a Cookie ingredients old man’s mixed (7)
ALMONDS – A mixed anagram of OLD MANS
12a Strange specimen I provided for baked goods (5,4)
MINCE PIES – Another strange anagram of SPECIMEN I
13a Sponge, say, a piece of which isn’t hard (4)
CAKE – A type of sponge often used in the expression ‘a piece of cake’ to mean that something is easy
14a Fare for holiday in foreign country (6)
TURKEY – The usual fare for Christmas dinner or a foreign country
15a Sources of party hats and nuts (8)
CRACKERS – Sources of party hats, tiny gifts and bad jokes or another way of saying nuts or crazy
19a Starts covering up blunder making fortified wines (8)
SHERRIES – SHIES or starts aside like a horse from fear ‘covering up’ ERR (blunder)
21a Cuban products leaders of Irish government put in vehicles (6)
CIGARS – The ‘leaders’ of Irish Government put in CARS (vehicles)
24a Spread put on 15 or loaf (4)
PATE – Spread put on crackers or an old humorous term for the top of the head (loaf)
25a Feigned suffering, we hear, resulting in celebratory drink (9)
CHAMPAGNE – A homophone (we hear) of SHAM PAIN (feigned suffering)
27a Tree decorations also found in non-U things like this (7)
CANDLES – The ‘things like this’ are CLUES, from which the U should be removed (non-U) and AND (also) inserted (but not where the U was!)
28a Important people in Leicester and Derby, for example (7)
CHEESES – slang term for important people – Leicester and Derby are, of course, types of cheese)
29a See 1 Down
2d Something needed in court, always reduced for crook (9)
RACKETEER – RACKET (something used on a tennis, squash or badminton court) and EER (a reduced way of saying ever or always)
3d Helper on course scoundrel gets pass on (6)
CADDIE – CAD (scoundrel) DIE (pass on)
4d In relation to benefit, including right to claim again (8)
REASSERT – RE ASSET (in relation to benefit) including R (right)
5d Announced total, approximately (4)
SOME – A homophone (announced) of SUM (total)
6d Give authority to soldier before scheduled meeting (7)
MANDATE – MAN (soldier) goes before DATE (scheduled meeting)
7d Name of female appearing in revised issue (5)
SUSIE – An anagram (revised) of ISSUE
8d Male American fliers in ancient jumbos (8)
MAMMOTHS – M (male) AM (American) MOTHS (fliers)
9d Part of what one regrets as person making amends (6)
ATONER – Lurking in part of whATONE Regrets
16d Quality of some snacks princess ordered second (9)
CRISPNESS – An anagram (ordered) of PRINCESS followed by the abbreviation for Second
17d State of uncertainty that gives us power in hearing, say (8)
SUSPENSE – US (from the clue) and P (power) inserted in SENSE (hearing being one of our senses)
18d Erects barrier around someone aiding criminal offence (6,2)
FENCES IN – FENCE (someone aiding criminal) SIN (offence)
20d Gradually consume some treat, intoxicated (3,4)
EAT INTO – Another lurker – this time in some trEAT INTOxicated
22d Imposing latest period to avoid oysters? (6)
AUGUST – because you are only supposed to eat oysters in months ending in an R and August is the last month in the year not to have an R at the end
23d Gift container king put in odd place (6)
PARCEL – R (Rex, king) put in an anagram (odd) of PLACE
24d Call for peace expressed in lots of cards (5)
PACKS – Another homophone, this time expressed in PAX (call for peace)
26d Fellow adding sauce in alcoholic drink with egg (4)
FLIP – F (fellow) LIP (sauce)
B2