Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28330
A full review by gnomethang
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This puzzle was published on Saturday 21st January
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Morning All! Pretty standard fare for a Saturday prize puzzle, I thought, and not much to trouble. This was slap in the middle of two star difficulty for me.
Across
1a Man in female costume (4)
ALEC – A hidden man IN femALE Costume.
3a Problem coming from wandering cows on farm (3,2,5)
CAN OF WORMS – An anagram (wandering) of COWS ON FARM.
8a One sheep back with another on grass (6)
MARRAM – Reverse (back) a RAM and add another RAM.
9a Spring fuss? That’s rich! (4-2-2)
WELL-TO-DO – A WELL for a spring and a TO DO for a fuss.
10a Using limited lingo, spell ‘doctrine‘ (6)
GOSPEL – Another hidden word, this time indicated by ‘using limited’, of linGO SPELl.
11a Clay Rita modelled, showing eager promptness (8)
ALACRITY – An modelled anagram of CLAY RITA.
12a Church painter, one who hoped to reform (8)
CHARTIST – One abbreviation (abb.) of church – CH, followed by an ARTIST or painter.
14a Make healthy preserve (4)
CURE – Two definitions – successful treatment by a doctor and also to preserve meat.
16a Tailless animal seen in colonnade (4)
STOA – Remove the last letter (tailless) of a STOA(t).
18a No charge for trip that brings you straight down to earth (4,4)
FREE FALL – A charade of FREE (no charge for) and FALL or trip.
19a Officer locks maiden in jail (8)
CHAIRMAN – HAIR (locks) and M for Maiden (a cricket abb.) inside a CAN or American slang for a gaol.
20a Cable was knotted, grabbed by that man’s counterpart (6)
HAWSER – An anagram (knotted) of WAS inside HER which is the female counterpart of HIS (that man’s).
21a Smooth, in a manner of speaking (8)
ELOQUENT – A simple cryptic definition.
22a Long-winded argument in favour by learner, not quite ten (6)
PROLIX – A charade of PRO (in favour), L(earner) and then IX – the Roman numeral for nine (not quite ten).
23a Stoned yet teetotal, getting wrecked on the beach, perhaps (4,3,3)
HIGH AND DRY – Stoned yet teetotal might be said to be both HIGH AND DRY.
24a We hear someone complaining she often arrives before Lisa (4)
MONA – A homophone (we hear) of a MOANER.
Down
1d Member with silver is able to set up drink (8)
ARMAGNAC – An ARM (member being a part of the body) then AG, the chemical symbol for silver and finally a reversal (set up) of CAN/is able to.
2d Hard top of vehicle put on rapidly (8)
CARAPACE – A CAR (vehicle) put on top of APACE or rapidly.
3d Soft cloth a rich meal spoilt (9)
CAMELHAIR – A spoilt anagram of A RICH MEAL.
4d Recent players joined to support the French football club (9,6)
NEWCASTLE UNITED – Start with NEW (recent) and CAST (Players/actors) and then UNITED (joined) is under (to support in a down clue) LE or ‘the’ in French.
5d Kind of action outside trade organisation. Jaguar, maybe? (7)
WILDCAT – The cryptic definition is a WILDCAT strike/union action that occurs quickly.
6d Most spacious motors, i.e. custom-built (8)
ROOMIEST – An anagram (custom-built) of MOTORS I.E.
7d Ostentatious display before close of play (5)
SHOWY – Nice and simple: a SHO or display before the closing letter of (pla)Y.
13d One of seven little chaps with make-up on, cheerfully reckless (4-5)
SLAP-HAPPY – HAPPY – one of the Seven Dwarves – with SLAP or make-up ON top (in a down clue).
15d A desire to follow career, or beat it (3,5)
RUN ALONG – Place A from the clue and LONG/desire after (to follow) RUN or career.
16d Lizard that’s easy catch for early bird? (4-4)
SLOW-WORM – The definition is lizard and the adage says that the early bird catches the worm but a slow one would be even easier to catch.
17d An old king with uplifting first-class medical condition (8)
ANOREXIA – An from the clue then O(ld) and REX for king with finally a reversal (uplifting) of AI (A1 or first class).
18d Recipe for mum including bulb topped and tailed (7)
FORMULA – Start with FOR MA (for mum) and include (b)UL(b) – topped and tailed meaning to remove the start and end letters.
19d Reportedly vet is one from a European republic (5)
CZECH – A homophone (reportedly) of CHECK.
I’m quite new to cryptics and this is the first one I’ve ever completed. I managed it in two days. I’m very pleased
Welcome to the blog Emerson and congratulations. Hopefully it will be the first of many.