ST 3092 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 3092

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3092

A full review by gnomethang

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This puzzle was published on 24th January 2021

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

Morning All! A couple of clues held me up (notably 1 Across!) which put this in to tw0-star territory but it contained the usual solid and occasionally whimsical clueing from Mr Halpern..

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

7a Poem, while oddly cheery, funny (8)
CLERIHEW – An anagram (funny) of WHILE and the odd letters in ChEeRy

9a Reportedly, you look for African country (6)
UGANDA – A Homophne, indicated by reportedly, of YOU and GANDER (look)

10a Plan drawn up as result in range (6)
AGENDA – An END or result inside an AGA cooking range.

11a Figure in touch with lady losing heart, it’s plain to see (8)
PATENTLY – The figure (number) TEN inside PAT/touch and LadY losing her heart.

12a Token enclosed in bra, I suspect (14)
INCONSIDERABLE – A suspect anagram of ENCLOSED IN BRA.

15a Feeble chap, somewhat yellow, I’m pusillanimous (4)
WIMP – A hidden word is a bit of (somewhat) “yello W IM P usillanimous”.

17a Possible takeaway in a hurry sent back, unknown quantity in it (5)
PIZZA – Z for an unknown variable (quantity) in mathematics inside a reversal (sent back) of A from the clue and ZIP/hurry.

19a Show element (4)
LEAD – Two definitions – To show/LEAD the way and the chemical element formerly known as Plumbum (whither Plumbers)..

20a Basic foods keep (5-3-6)
BREAD-AND-BUTTER – Two definitions again – The second is one’s keep or the basic money earned.

23a Way Tory grasps a hand (8)
STRAIGHT – A ST (stret/way) and RIGHT (Tory) includes or grasps A from the clue.

25a Two-thirds of dad eaten by bear, thus far (2,4)
TO DATE – Two thirds ODF the word DA(d) inside TORE or carry/bear (a load).

27a If not without cakes supposedly, the first polished off (6)
UNLESS – To be without cakes might cryptically mean to be BUNLESS. Polish off the first letter.

28a Making musical sounds, gaudy and expensive missiles, might you think? (8)
WARBLING – Gaudy and expensive missiles might cryptically be referred to as WAR BLING, innit?!.

Down

1d Stop commercial message (4)
PLUG – Two definitions again – To PLUG or stop a leak and a short advertisement/commercial message.

2d Class: old, old actor (6)
BRANDO – A BRAND or class/type and then O for Old. Who’s yer Godfather?

3d Change handles after lifting (4)
SWAP – Reverse (after lifting) paws/(mis)handles.

4d Ship say at bottom of Pacific, finally (6)
CUTTER – Place UTTER or say/express at the bottom (in a Down clue) of the final letter in (pacif)C.

5d Might one have you for dinner? (8)
CANNIBAL – A cryptic def, of one who chooses to eat the ‘Long Pig’.

6d Doctor treated ulna without nitrogen compounds (10)
ADULTERATE – An anagram (compounds/is compounded) of TREATED UL0n)A without the N for Nitrogen.

8d Warning, principal’s out of bed! (5-2)
HEADS-UP – The HEAD or Principal of a school is UP (out of bed).

13d Exciting, unappetising habit? (4-6)
NAIL-BITING – The second (cryptic) definition refers to the unpleasant and unappetising habit.

14d All disciples, for example, meditate? (5)
DOZEN – There were Twelve (a DOZEN) apolstles according to the Bible) and to meditate might be to DO ZEN.

16d Number of stars paid, else furious! (8)
PLEIADES – A furious anagram of PAID ELSE – Hands up who looked it up just to get the vowels in the correct order?.

18d Judge right to fill in a tooth? (7)
ARBITER – R for right is inside (to fill in) A BITER/tooth.

21d Bore set free, break down (6)
DIGEST – To DIG or bore followed by a ‘free’ anagram of SET.

22d Little sozzled (6)
TIDDLY – Another double def. – Weeny and a bit drunk (sozzled).

24d Settlement that obviously wasn’t negotiated, initially (4)
TOWN – The initial letters in T(hat) O(viously) W(asn’t) N(egotiated).

26d Large container placed over a fish (4)
TUNA – A TUN or vessel placed over A in a Down clue.