ST 2887

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2887

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on Sunday 19th February

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

So much to enjoy in yet another splendid Sunday puzzle.   I bet even Kath had a whole galaxy of stars by ‘clues she liked’; I certainly did, although I’ve managed to whittle down the list to nominate 20a as my favourite Across clue and 26d as my top favourite Down clue.

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

7a           Last word in food and source of water (8)
FAREWELL – FARE (food) WELL (source of water)

9a           Part of passport allowing entrance (6)
PORTAL – Lurking in part of passPORT ALlowing

10a         Collide with small child’s transport (6)
STRIKE – S (small) TRIKE (child’s transport)

11a         Almost cancel insignificant examination (8)
SCRUTINY – Almost all of SCRUb (cancel) plus TINY (insignificant)

12a         Rationality was unusually seen in training facility (7,7)
RAILWAY STATION – An anagram (unusually) of RATIONALITY WAS 

15a         Go mad when turned back (4)
STAB  – A reversal (back in an Across clue) of BATS (mad)

17a         Try followed by team’s first red card (5)
HEART – HEAR (try) T (team’s first)

19a         Objective in prison, after change of heart (4)
GOAL – change the ‘heart’ of GAOL (prison)

20a         A great shot inside box by US player (7,7)
ABRAHAM LINCOLN – who was of course sitting in an American theatre box when he was shot by an actor

23a         Laws in parts of America restricting organisation of workers (8)
STATUTES – STATES (parts of America) ‘restricting’ TU (trade union, organisation of workers)

25a         Provoke statement of where local stands (6)
INCITE – A homophone (statement) of INN SITE (where local stands)

27a         Exact retribution for destruction of Geneva (6)
AVENGE – an anagram (destruction) of GENEVA

28a         Fellow became different, started to function unreliably (8)
FALTERED – F (fellow) ALTERED (became different)

Down

1d           For example, fly in section including front of aircraft (4)
BAIT – a fly can be used by an angler as a bait – A (the front of aircraft) included in BIT (section)

2d           Refusal to allow part of UK to break agreement (6)
DENIAL – NI (Northern Ireland, part of UK) ‘breaks’ DEAL (agreement)

3d           Applauds, with odd exceptions, what’s beneficial (4)
PLUS – Odd exceptions tells us to take the even letters of aPpLaUdS

4d           A carriage’s overturned in old city (6)
SPARTA – A reversal (overturned in a Down clue) of A TRAPS (a carriage’s)

5d           Visibly in pain, I object after heartless conflict (8)
WRITHING – I (from the clue) THING (object) go after WaR (‘heartless’ conflict)

6d           Old projectile making member of clergy yell audibly (10)
CANNON BALL – Another homophone, indicated by audibly, of CANON (member of clergy) BAWL (yell)

8d           Initially elm, then other trees, rot (7)
EYEWASH – E (initially Elm) then YEW and ASH (other trees)

13d         Putting time into art somehow, energetic and able to draw (10)
ATTRACTIVE – T (time) inserted into an anagram (somehow) of ART and followed by ACTIVE (energetic)

14d         Workers and others, moving south, become less cold (5)
SWARM – The movement of workers and other bees – S (south) WARM (become less cold)

16d         Reprimanding and whipping ringleader put inside (8)
BERATING – R (the leader of Ring) put inside BEATING (whipping)

18d         Of minimal importance, as opposed to one in suit (7)
TRIVIAL – V (versus, opposed to) I (one) in TRIAL (suit)

21d         Loathing headgear, like that of cardinal (6)
HATRED –  Because a cardinal wears a RED HAT

22d         Prestige as result of long standing in court (6)
CACHET – ACHE (long) standing in CT (court)

24d         It can support two or more in periods of austerity (4)
SOFA – A lovely well-hidden lurker – a piece of furniture that can support two or more is hidden in periodS OF Austerity

26d         Set of digits starts off 2,1,8,7 (4)
TOES – The ‘starts’ of Two One Eight Seven.  Brilliant! 

 

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