ST 3060

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3060

A full review by gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on 14^th June 2020

BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****

MOrning All! We are back in the saddle with the Prize Puzzles so I am back too! This was a run of Sunday puzzles that were very much on the straightforward side for me but as usual there are some fine clues with amusing surface readings.

Across

1a           Very basic accommodation a draw: however, be careful buying it! (6,6)
CAVEAT EMPTOR – A charade of a CAVE (very basic accommodation), A TEMPT (a draw) and OR for however.

9a           Hole behind me perfect for amplifier (9)
MEGAPHONE – Place a GAP or hole behind ME from the clue and then add HONE for perfect (as a verb).

10a        Dear Sir, this editorial’s extraordinarily pretentious, first of all (5)
STEEP – The initial letters (first of all) of Sir This Editorial’s Extraordinarily Pretentious.

11a        Goner undone by one cut (6)
IGNORE – An undone anagram of GONER after/by I for one.

12a        Document graduate left (8)
PASSPORT – A charade of PASS or graduate and then PORT for left, nautically.

13a        All six blokes initially entertained by funny, garrulous type (6)
GASBAG – the initial letters of All Six Blokes inside a GAG or funny (a funny being used as a synonym for a joke, particularly in N. America)

15a        Arrest prophet from the East — East African (8)
SOMALIAN – A reversal (from the East in an across clue) of NAIL/Arrest and the prophet AMOS.

18a        General method acting seen on this US street (8)
BROADWAY – BROAD for general and a WAY for a method.

19a        Compensate for trigger (3,3)
SET OFF – Two definitions – an offset or compensation and to fire/ignite/trigger.

21a        Bosses cut machinery out (8)
CHAIRMEN – Make an anagram (out) of all but the last letter (it is cut) of MACHINER(y).

23a        Destroyed — as are double-barrelled names? (6)
DASHED – Destroyed is the primary definition and cryptically, the hyphen in a double-barrelled name means that they are DASHED (have a dash in them).

26a        King literarily requiring new master (5)
LEARN – The literary King LEAR with N for new.

27a        Winger’s notes about badly made exercise machine (9)
TREADMILL – A bird or winger’s song can be a TRILL. Place that around/about an anagram (badly) of MADE.

28a        Reports with wit unusually penned by senior journalist (12)
SPORTSWRITER – An anagram (unusually) of REPORTS and/with WIT inside/penned by SR – the abbreviation/abb. of Senior.

Down

1d           Conducting search, billions invested in future (7)
COMBING – B for Billions inside/invested in COMING or future.

2d           Shortage of animal produce in vehicle — one wouldn’t want it! (5)
VEGAN – EG(g) – a shortage of an EGG or animal produce  – inside a VAN/vehicle.

3d           Sign of joiner sprinkling Parmesan over top of dish (9)
EMPERSAND – The & sign is an anagram (sprinkling) of PARMESAN over the top letter in D(ish).

4d           Archer hurt, shooting vertically? (4)
EROS – A reversal (shooting vertically in a Down clue) of SORE for hurt. A great surface reading!.

5d           Hold up a short novel, for example — that might amuse baby (8)
PEEKABOO – A reversal )up_ of KEEP for hold then A from the clue and a BOO(k) or novel that is short.

6d           Love which exists in peaceful place (5)
OASIS – O for Love and AS (which) and IS (exists).

7d           New prince eating old, old cheese (8)
PECORINO – A new anagram of PRINCE holding O(old) and also followed by the second O(ld).

8d           Observe cricket side, perfect (4-2)
SPOT ON – SPOT for observe and then the ON (or leg) side in cricket.

14d        Two saw a drunk heading for yacht — one hiding on it (8)
STOWAWAY – A drunk anagram of TWO SAW A followed by the heading letter in Y(acht).

16d        Great leader bitter, cross with Queen (9)
ALEXANDER – A charade of ALE/bitter, X/cross AND/with followed by ER for the Queen (Elizabeth Regina).

17d        This woman’s scary, inferring pa is less organised? (3-5)
MANEATER – If PA is less organised then surely MA is NEATER?.

18d        Break clasp (6)
BUCKLE – Two definitions – to deform and a broach or belt clasp.

20d        Rogue player (7)
FIDDLER – Another double definition. A rogue or con-man and a player in an orchestra.

22d        Quickly produce series at a higher level (3,2)
RUN UP – A RUN or series/sequence that is UP (at a higher level).

24d        Nothing in this designed for lift (5)
HOIST – O for nothing inside a designed anagram of THIS.

25d        Deposit saved by couple, essential (4)
LEES – A hidden word inside (saved by) coup LE ES sential.