DT 28444

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28444

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on Saturday 4th June/strong>

BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment **

Another read and write average Saturday puzzle, for me just being saved by the smile induced by 18d

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Across

1a Italian lady’s apprehensive about French wine (10)
CHARDONNAY – CHARY (apprehensive) goes ‘about’ DONNA (Italian lady)

6a Cheap servant’s filling niche (4)
APSE – Lurking in the filling of cheAP SErvant

9a Pot of cream I whipped up cold (7)
CERAMIC – An anagram (whipped up) of CREAM I followed by C (cold)

10a Indian company possesses very strong electronic material that’s light (7)
TAFFETA – TATA (Indian company) ‘possesses’ FF (musical abbreviation for fortissimo – very strong)

12a Prisoner going down with superior attitude (13)
CONDESCENDING – CON (prisoner) DESCENDING (going down)

14a Turn corrupt, mostly concealing ace (6)
ROTATE – Most of ROTTEn (corrupt) ‘concealing’ A (ace)

15a Like care provided by teacher beyond examination (8)
PASTORAL – PAST (beyond) ORAL (examination)

17a Familiarise Bill with whimsical charm (8)
ACQUAINT – AC (account, bill) QUAINT (with whimsical charm)

19a Slough provides men in service (6)
MORASS – OR (Ordinary Ranks of soldiers, men) in MASS (service)

22a Insult that’s set out to stifle panache (4,2,3,4)
SLAP IN THE FACE – An anagram (that’s set out) of STIFLE PANACHE

24a Crime committed by handler of stolen goods (7)
OFFENCE – OF FENCE (crime of a handler of stolen goods)

25a Move abroad spurning grand Arab state (7)
EMIRATE – EMIGRATE (move abroad) spurning or rejecting the G for grand

26a Legendary queen was idle apparently (4)
DIDO – DID O (did nothing, was apparently idle)

27a It’s lustrous but terribly indiscreet (10)
IRIDESCENT – An anagram (terribly) of INDISCREET

Down

1d Palm tree taking care of company (4)
COCO – CO (care of) CO (company)

2d A container filled with mostly luscious fruit (7)
APRICOT – A POT (a container) ‘filled) with most of RICh (luscious)

3d Trainmen stood off the rails in protest (13)
DEMONSTRATION – An anagram (off the rails) of TRAINMEN STOOD

4d Steal the Spanish coin (6)
NICKEL – NICK (steal) EL (the Spanish definite article)

5d Tyrant caught traitor following car (8)
AUTOCRAT – C (caught) RAT (traitor) following AUTO (car)

7d Leading US rock band in support (7)
PREMIER – REM (US rock band) in PIER (support)

8d Preacher converting evil agents (10)
EVANGELIST- An anagram (converting) of EVIL AGENTS

11d They hold office party on house (13)
FUNCTIONARIES – FUNCTION (party) ARIES (House of the Zodiac)

13d Cutter in East Anglian waters given signal (10)
BROADSWORD – BROADS (East Anglian waters) WORD (signal)

16d Woolly dress kit a Wren sports (8)
KNITWEAR – An anagram (sports) of KIT A WREN

18d Groomed like Elvis, but I will be ousted by a drunk (7)
QUAFFED – Elvis was ‘quiffed’ so you need to ‘oust’ the I and replace it with an A

20d Mean hail storm (7)
AVERAGE – AVE (greeting like hail) RAGE (storm)

21d Guard ate up remainder (6)
DEFEND – A reversal (up in Down clue) of FED (ate) plus END (remainder)

23d Let rip (4)
RENT – To let a property; a rip or tear

S2