Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3017
A full review by gnomenthang
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This puzzle was published on 18th August 2019
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Morning All! I solved this just inside my 2 star solving time and rather enjoyed it.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
7a Old relic is around fragments (8)
DINOSAUR – An anagram (in fragments) of IS AROUND.
9a Aggravate player of forty-five, perhaps? (6)
NEEDLE – The second cryptic definition refers to the old school music player that requires a NEEDLE to hit the vinyl.
10a Words on parting very much in need of a trim? (2,4)
SO LONG – Again, the second definition is the cryptic and if one’s hair is SO LONG it might be in need of a trim.
11a Plant fake diamond, possibly? (8)
SHAMROCK – A fake is a SHAM and a ROCK is a slang term for a diamond.
12a Might one paint colours on flag? (8,6)
PAVEMENT ARTIST – A good cryptic definition of an artist that paints on a pavement flagstone.
15a Investment in torpedo, shocking money (4)
DOSH – A hidden word (an investment in) torpe DO SH ocking.
17a Beat time having raised orchestral baton, first of all (5)
THROB – The initial letters (first of all) of Time Having Raised Orchestral Baton.
19a Energy cut briefly, bounce back (4)
ECHO – E for Energy and then all but the latest letter (briefly) in CHO(p) or cut.
20a Utter pro then, in developing driving skill (5-5,4)
THREE POINT TURN – An anagram (developing) of UTTER PRO THEN IN.
23a NCO regarding body (8)
CORPORAL – Two definitions – A Non-Commissioned Officer in the army and also an adjective for ‘of the body’/corpus.
25a Straight into touch one steps (6)
HONEST – Another hidden word into/in touc H ONE Steps.
27a Composer bringing cheer initially: fancy a lift? (6)
CHOPIN – The initial letter in C(heer) and the HOP IN for ‘Fancy a lift?’
28a Magic writing skill (8)
SPELLING – Two definitions – the art of invoking a magic spell and the skill of literacy.
Down
1d Very popular old wine (4)
VINO – V(ery), IN for popular and then O(ld).
2d Doctor was lifted down (6)
MOROSE – A MO or Medical Officer/doctor and ROSE for ‘was lifted’.
3d Bit of a looker, flower girl? (4)
IRIS – A triple definition – part of the eye (bit of a looker), a flower and a girl’s name.
4d After fun spoiled, mood wrong (6)
UNFAIR – An anagram (spoiled) of FUN and then AIR for mood.
5d Car’s left in road, see, abandoned, nothing having been stolen (8)
NEARSIDE – Make an anagram (abandoned) of IN ROAD SEE having first removed (it has been stolen) the O for nothing.
6d Winger tucking contract inside leaflet (10)
FLYCATCHER – tuck CATCH for contract (a disease) inside a FLYER or leaflet.
8d Raise staff get, finally, after month (7)
AUGMENT – MEN for staff and the final letter in (ge)T after the short month of AUG(ust).
13d It’s marked up in butcher’s or baker’s, for example (10)
APOSTROPHE – The high level punctuation (it is marked UP) in both butcher’s and baker’s (as well as greengrocer’s!).
14d Trunk also packed with last pieces of our belongings (5)
TORSO – TOO for also including (packed with) the last letters/pieces of (ou)R (belonging)S.
16d Two instruments for dance on deck? (8)
HORNPIPE – Both a HORN and a PIPE lead the merry dance on board a ship..
18d Irish spirit has been ordered (7)
BANSHEE – An ordered anagram of HAS BEEN.
21d Sovereign, foreign currency for job (6)
ERRAND – E.R. for Elizabeth Regina (our sovereign in the UK) and then the South African RAND (foreign currency).
22d Knot tied at the top corner (6)
TANGLE – The top letter in T(ied) and then an ANGLE for a corner.
24d Record composer listened to (4)
LIST – A homophone (listened to) of the composer LISZT.
26d Number involved in agnosticism on the rise (4)
SONG – A reversed hidden word (involved in…on the rise) inside a GNOS ticism.