Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3084
A full review by gnomethang
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This puzzle was published on 29th November 2020
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Morning All! I enjoyed this with some very simply constructions welll hidden by a good surface reading in the clue.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Bug youth observed in tree (6)
MALADY – I LAD or youth found in a MAY tree.
4a Warming drink may go cold if sent back (6)
COGNAC – A reversal (if sent back) of CAN/may, GO and C(old) i.e. C OG NAC
8a Two allowed in band (8)
BRACELET – A BRACE or pair/two then LET for allowed.
10a Cook eating North African dish (6)
TAGINE – An anagram (cooked) of EATING.
11a Categorise person (4)
SORT – Two definitions – to SORT into categories and a SORT/king of person or a cove.
12a Economy way ahead of limit (10)
MODERATION – A MODE or way is in front of/ahead of a RATIN or limit/allowance.
13a Cooking substance I love mixed up, bag ready to go in (9,3)
VEGETABLE OIL – An anagram (mixed up) of I LOVE to include GET/bag and ABLE/ready.
16a Unacceptable location of trouser pocket? (5,3,4)
BELOW THE BELT – The second (cryptic) definition refers to the location of all trouser pocket (assuming one is wearing a belt!).
20a Audacity about right, showing lack of judgment (10)
IMPRUDENCE – IMPUDENCE or audacity is around/about R(ight).
21a Each found at the back in cabinet: extra clip there for binder? (4)
TAPE – Each of the letters found at the back of cabineT extrA cliP therE.
22a Support band member missing intro (6)
ASSIST – Remove the introductory letter of the (b)ASSIST in a band.
23a Mushroom that’s round and white (8)
SNOWBALL – The first definition is a synonym of mushroom as in grow quickly and the second is a description of the icy ammunition.
24a Determined, was trailing (6)
DOGGED – Steadfast/determined and then a synonym for having tracked/trailed a person.
25a Net wife or husband cut back (6)
ENTRAP – A PARTNE(r) , e.g. a wife or husband that has lost a letter (is cut) and is reversed (back).
Down
1d Branch in second position for monkey (8)
MARMOSET – Place an ARM or branch/division inside a MO(ment) or second and then ad SET for position (as a verb).
2d Allowed to appear in public, I think (5)
LICIT – A hidden word IN pub LIC I T hink.
3d Puzzle book seen after cover lifted (7)
DILEMMA – The novel Austen novel/book EMMA seen after the reversal (lifted in a Down clue) of LID/cover.
5d Canadian province not a surprising Olympic host (7)
ONTARIO – A surprising anagram of NOT A followed by RIO – a recent host of the Olympics.
6d Unfortunate thing hit dance venue (9)
NIGHTCLUB – An unfortunate anagram of THING followed by to CLUB or hit.
7d Hypocrisy concerned with political division (6)
CANTON – CANT or hypocrisy then ON for ‘concerned with/about.
9d Game, drunk’s creepy advances? (11)
TIDDLYWINKS – A drunk person’s creepy advances might be WINKS when TIDDLY.
14d Setter getting up: sound of setter getting on (9)
EMBARKING – A reversal/getting up of ME (from the perspective of the setter writing) and then BARKING – The noise of the canine setter.
15d Go berserk over debacle — put your foot in it! (4-4)
FLIP-FLOP – To FLI one’s lid or go berserk above/over in a Down clue a FLOP or debacle.
17d Attlee upset about daughter, boorish girl (7)
LADETTE – An anagram (upset) of ATTLEE around/about D for Daughter.
18d Weed unhappy in US party (7)
HOEDOWN – A charade of to HOE/weed and DOWN or unhappy.
19d All over the place, sad emu tickled (6)
AMUSED – An anagram , indicated by ‘all over the place’, of SAD EMU.
21d Row about black Italian river (5)
TIBER – A TIER or row around/about B for Black (as initialled on a soft pencil).