Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3048
A full review by gnomethang
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This puzzle was published on 22nd March 2020
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
Morning All!
Welcome to the last weekend Prize Puzzle review for the foreseeable. Due to the continuing COVID-19 saga (and it IS becoming a saga!), Chris Lancaster and his team have taken the (correct in my opinion) decision to temporarily halt the submissions for prize puzzles as it is unfair to ask a member of the team to drive into a location and wade through the myriad potentially infected postal submissions . Clearly not everyone can submit online so the sensible thing to do is suspend the prize element.
As a result of this we at Bigdave44 have decided (after a poll to canvass opnion) to adopt the daily Hints and Tips format for the weekend cryptics to be published on the day at 9 a.m. The first of these was last Saturday.
Anyhoos, on with the review. This just made it to the 2 Star difficulty for me but had a few nicely deceptive clues and I would echo Gazza’s recent statement that Mr Halpern/Dada has found a good style for the Sunday Spot.
It only remains for me to say TTFN and stay safe, everyone; try to look out for each other and don’t spend too much time hanging on the doom and gloom websites.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
7a Number on both sides in small craft (7)
SLEIGHT – The number EOGHT after (ON in an across clue) the side letters of S(mal)L
8a Person kissing reverend who would muddle his words (7)
SPOONER – Two definitions – One who spoons/kisses and the famous Reverend who might reference or quer old Dean instead of our dear old Queen.
10a Nothing fine about a fine romance! (4,6)
LOVE AFFAIR – Place LOVE for nothing and FAIR for fine outside of (about) A from the clue and F for Fine (an abb. on lead pencils).
11a Trace race (4)
DASH – Two definitions – a dash of soy sauce and a short running race.
12a Behind me, light winds catching a standing stone, say? (8)
MEGALITH – Place an anagram (winding) of LIGHT, including/catching A from the clue, behind ME – ME (G(A)LITH)*.
14a In bid, bolt down agreement (6)
TREATY – To EAT or bolt down inside of a TRY or bid.
15a Distant position of angle (11)
STANDOFFISH – A charade of STAND (position) of FISH/angle.
19a Somewhat infectious, her parent a probable carrier? (6)
SHERPA – A hidden word (indicated by somewhat) inside infectiou S HER PA rent.
20a Where absolute ruler is positioned, especially (5,3)
ABOVE ALL – The first is a cryptic definition, ana absolute ruler being ABOVE ALL his subjects. The straight definition is underlined.
22a Curve in tree initially hidden (4)
ARCH – Hide the initial letter in the (l)ARCH tree.
23a Something funny about a boy — saucy thing (5,5)
SALAD CREAM – A SCREAM – or something funny – around/about A LAD/boy.
25a Feeling of anxiety in business? (7)
CONCERN – A double definition of fret and a business CONCERN/interest.
26a Hang around an old house (7)
HANOVER – Place HOVER/hang around AN from the clue.
Down
1d Loaf rose, say? (7)
BLOOMER – Both a type of bread loaf and also a rose (for example) that is a flower and also a BLOOMER (as it blooms).
2d Particular French holiday destination (4)
NICE – A double definition using the older archaic definition of NICE to mean particular or exact (as in The NICE and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter (Witch))
3d Check building if shut (6)
SHUFTI – An anagram (building) of IF SHUT. A gander in the vernacular.
4d Introductory drink provided after weary old man turns up (8)
APERITIF – IF for provided is after the reversal (turns up) of TIRE/weary and PA/the old man/father.
5d End up with horrible mess under something sticky — oh dear! (8,2)
GOODNESS ME – A reversal (up) of END from the clue and then a horrible anagram of MESS under GOO/something sticky.
6d Rest packed into refuse — how solid? (7)
DENSITY – This one held me up for a bit but I don’t know why – place SIT for rest inside DENY for refuse.
9d In a flash, one bit endlessly fractured (11)
FASHIONABLE – An anagram (fractured) of A FLASH ONE BI(t) – endlessly instructing us to remove the end letter from BI(t).
13d Minor shift, serving joint following dessert (10)
AFTERSHOCK – Serve a HOCK joint of meat after the AFTERS/dessert.
16d Shark on with a cuckoo in floating zoo? (5,3)
NOAHS ARK – A Cuckoo anagram with SHARK ON and/with A.
17d Ancient carrier requires map to orbit moon (7)
CHARIOT – A CHART or map goes around (orbits!) IO – one of Jupiter’s moons.
18d Fish left in hat! (7)
BLOATER – L for Left in a BOATER hat.
21d Dried out meat in NW English town (6)
OLFHAM – A charade of OLD/dried out and HAM for meat.
24d Bird man (4)
ROOK – A double definition to finish – A corvid and a piece/man from a chess set.