Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2904
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on Sunday 18th June
BD Rating – Difficulty */**– Enjoyment ****
A nice crossword for a sweltering day – my favourite is 2d
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Across
1a Stop fighting provided fleet is around (6)
PACIFY – RACY (fleet in the sense of fast) goes around IF (provided)
4a Guy, before end of service, left place of worship (6)
CHAPEL – CHAP (guy) goes before E (the end of service) and is followed by L (Left)
8a Get in touch with about right legal agreement (8)
CONTRACT – CONTACT (get in touch with) goes ‘about’ R (right)
10a Open discussion about British fish (6)
BROACH – B (British) ROACH (fish)
11a Heavy blow for party (4)
BASH – Double definition
12a Painting, say, in church, again apply green or yellow (10)
CHARTREUSE – ART (painting, say) goes in between CH (church) and REUSE (again apply)
13a State that’s perfect? It’s fine prior to anarchy (12)
FLAWLESSNESS – F (fine) goes ‘prior to’ LAWLESSNESS (anarchy)
16a Close cabaret in disarray that’s hard to run competitively (8,4)
OBSTACLE RACE – An anagram (in disarray) of CLOSE CABARET
20a Minor thoroughfare that is hidden by trees, bizarrely (4,6)
SIDE STREET – ID EST (that is) ‘hidden by’ an anagram (bizarrely) of TREES
21a Part of speech showing lack of global organisation (4)
NOUN – Run together NO UN (lack of global organisation)
22a Converted monk covering one with old Asian robe (6)
KIMONO – An anagram (converted) of MONK ‘covering’ I (one) and then O (old) is added at the end
23a To some extent, soothes piano player on stage (8)
THESPIAN – Lurking in (to some extent) sooTHES PIANo
24a In view of the fact that it’s basis for belief? (6)
SEEING – Because as everyone knows ‘seeing is believing’
25a How workers are rewarded, securing pound in secondary action (2-4)
BY PLAY – BY PAY (how workers are rewarded) ‘securing’ L (£ pound)
Down
1d In all likelihood, supporting learner in child (8)
PROBABLY – PRO (supporting) followed by BABY (child) into which is inserted L (learner)
2d Drawback for part of school taken on board (5)
CATCH – The part of school being some fish taken on board a trawler
3d Female, possibly a niece — she’s committed to union (7)
FIANCEE – F (female) and an anagram (possibly) of A NIECE
5d Frequent visitor rather put in shade (7)
HABITUE – A BIT (rather) ‘put in’ HUE (shade)
6d Academician having chair rearranged for posers (9)
PROFESSOR – An anagram (rearranged) of FOR POSERS
7d Place and time for swarming insect (6)
LOCUST – LOCUS (place) T (time)
9d Couple holding hands in carriage are not obvious (11)
TRANSPARENT – N and S (couples holding hands of cards in a game of bridge) inserted into TRAP (carriage) and then ARENT (are not) is added at the end
14d Predicament over arithmetic problem pronounced good for you (9)
WHOLESOME – Homophones (pronounced) of HOLE (predicament) and SUM (arithmetic problem)
15d Position in church following a constant truth (8)
ACCURACY – CURACY (position in church) following A (from the clue) C (constant)
17d Kind of protest nobody can stand to participate in (3-4)
SIT-DOWN – The cryptic part of the clue doesn’t really need me to explain it
18d Flower-girl carrying article in supple way (7)
LITHELY – LILY (flower-girl) ‘carrying’ THE (definite article)
19d Parts of body, and irritating remarks about it (6)
DIGITS – DIGS (irritating remarks) go ‘about’ IT
21d Land in Asia in plane that’s gone astray (5)
NEPAL – An anagram (that’s gone astray) of PLANE
Only a slight quibble – a third of the clues require you to put something into something else.
S2