DT 29090 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29090

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29090

A full review by Gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on 29th June 2019

BD Rating – Difficulty *Enjoyment ***

This Prize Puzzle pangram provided a pleasant but short-lived solving experience. Typing the review reveals several ways of using the letter O and two different meanings for den

[Difficulty rating and prologue by crypticsue]

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Across

1a    One searching after man on board gets the bird (10)
KINGFISHER – A FISHER or someone searching/fishing for clues, say, after a KING – one of the men/pieces on a chess board.

6a    Face some balls, having put ball in vessel? (4)
BOAT – TO BAT or face some balls in cricket with O for a ball (shape) inside.

8a    Thrilling going to include Charlie (8)
EXCITING – EXITING or going with C for Charlie (NATO Phonetic alphabet) included.

9a    Risk spoiling garden (6)
DANGER – An anagram (spoiling) of GARDEN.

10a    American blocks beer getting water instead (5,3)
ADAMS ALE – A for American and then DAMS/blocks and ALE for beer.

11a    Save engineers given second signal (6)
RESCUE – RE for the Royal Engineers, S for Second and a CUE for a signal.

12a    Lady taking only half of mosaic pieces (4)
TESS – Half of the word TESS(ERAE)/mosaic pieces.

14a    Lot more quivering with this musical effect (7)
TREMOLO – An anagram (quivering) of LOT MORE and an apposite surface reading.

18a    Like junior perhaps going to pieces (7)
ASUNDER – AS for like and UNDER being junior or working UNDER.

20a    Stone ring next to New York Times (4)
ONYX – O for a ring next to NY for New York and finally X for ‘times’ (by).

23a    One retiring will consume small dish (6)
MOUSSE – A shy retiring person is a MOUSE. Include S for Small.

24a    Odds on second one mentioned to make a splash (8)
SPLATTER – The SP or Starting Price (odds) and then LATTER for second one mentioned/the LATTER of the two.

25a    The point of frosty weather? (6)
ICICLE – A cryptic definition of pointed frozen water.

26a    Summarise London area studies first (8)
CONDENSE – Place CON and DEN – two synonyms for a study before the SE or South East area of the UK which includes London.

27a    One might cut commercials when broadcast (4)
ADZE – A homophone (when broadcast) of ADS for Advertisements/commercials.

28a    Place of worship a celebrant organised (10)
TABERNACLE – An anagram, indicated by ‘organised’, of A CELEBRANT.

Down

1d    Continue to protect a bird (4,2,2)
KEEP AT IT – To protect a bird might be to KEEP A TIT.

2d    Drink in sort of trance (6)
NECTAR – An anagram (sort) of TRANCE.

3d    Thief’s developed obsession (6)
FETISH – Another anagram, indicated by ‘developed’, of THIEFS.

4d    One in a suit or vest being worn (9)
SINGLETON – A vest being worn is a SINGLET which is ON you.

5d    International organisation visibly embarrassed and angry (3,5)
RED CROSS A charade of RED (visibly embarrassed) and CROSS (angry).

6d    Ernie, possibly a servant (8)
BONDSMAN – You need to know that ERNIE is the acronym for Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment which draws the Premium BOND numbers in the UK. Hence it might anthropomorphically be described as a BONDS MAN.

7d    Barely sufficient these days to regard as similar (8)
ADEQUATE – A.D. for Anno Domini (these days) and then EQUATE meaning to regard as similar.

13d    Instrument reportedly fires round ring (9)
SAXOPHONE – Start with SAX – a homophone (reportedly) of SACKS/fires then add O for a round letter and PHONE for ring/call.

15d    Heard ‘Lady in Red’ and felt great joy? (8)
REJOICED – Place JOICE – a homophone (heard) of JOYCE/a lady in(side) RED from the clue.

16d    Large number care about carnage (8)
MASSACRE – A MASS is a large number of people. Add ACRE – an anagram (about) of CARE.

17d    Very much likes to put away chair (4,4)
LOVE SEAT – LOVES for very much likes and then EAT for ‘to put away (food).

19d    Fetch dog right away (8)
RETRIEVE – A fairly weak clue OMHO. Remove the final R from a RETRIEVER dog.

21d    Governor fighting over place of thieves (6)
WARDEN – WAR for fighting above/over in a down clue a thieves’ DEN.

22d    English itch badly to accept any number from a particular community (6)
ETHNIC – Start with E for English, add an anagram (badly) of ITCH and include N – used to denote any number in certain mathematical equations.