Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30275
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 15th April 2023
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Crosswords don’t get friendlier than this Cephas Saturday Prize Puzzle – it was difficult to decide which clues to hint last Saturday, and exceedingly straightforward to review
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Across
1a British port and spirit (4)
BRIO – B (British) RIO (port)
3a Agree officer has right to reply (10)
CORRESPOND – CO (Commanding Officer) R (right) RESPOND (reply)
8a Sentimental type having nervous reaction (8)
ROMANTIC – ROMAN (type face) TIC (nervous reaction)
9a Trust European leaving part of swimming pool? (6)
DEPEND – Remove an E (European leaving) DEePEND (part of swimming pool)
10a Agent in favour of entertaining turn (6)
FACTOR – FOR (in favour of) ‘entertaining’ ACT (turn)
11a Force to cover two miles in traffic (8)
COMMERCE – COERCE (force) to ‘cover’ M M (two abbreviations for mile)
13a Meet and study border (8)
CONVERGE – CON (study) VERGE (border)
14a My code cracked? That’s amusing (6)
COMEDY – An anagram (cracked) of MY CODE
16a Young woman distributed medals (6)
DAMSEL – An anagram (distributed) of MEDALS
19a Trade, one might be asked to mind one’s own (8)
BUSINESS – a trade or something one might be asked to do rather than interfere in others’ affairs
21a Related to a man of the cloth? (8)
CLERICAL – Related to a man of the cloth (or someone working in an office)
22a Mysterious beggar can enter houses (6)
ARCANE – Housed by beggAR CAN Enter
23a Kind governor initially found in country (6)
BENIGN – The initial letter of Governor found in the West African country of BENIN
24a Picked up and assembled (8)
GATHERED – Double definition
25a Help prince finally run off to find adjutant (4-2-4)
AIDE-DE-CAMP – AID (help) E (the final letter of prince) and DECAMP (run off)
26a Mother goes to New York a lot (4)
MANY – MA (mother) NY (New York)
Down
1d Type of liar who needs no unmasking? (9)
BAREFACED – A shameless liar or a description of someone without a mask
2d Busily working in the navy, maybe (2,6,7)
ON ACTIVE SERVICE – Busily working, perhaps in the navy
3d Queen perhaps with two words of hesitation for provider of food (7)
CATERER – CAT (queen perhaps) with ER ER (two words of hesitation)
4d What greens do on bike (7)
RECYCLE – RE (on the subject of) CYCLE (bike)
5d Stop mutated mice native to a particular area (7)
ENDEMIC – END (stop) and an anagram (mutated) of MICE
6d Spice and herb with top of the milk that’s sweet (10,5)
PEPPERMINT CREAM – PEPPER (spice) MINT (herb) CREAM (top of the milk)
7d Trick magistrate to lock up Democrat (5)
DODGE – DOGE (Venetian magistrate) to ‘lock up’ D (Democrat)
12d Fish paid for at the door (3)
COD – Fish or Cash On Delivery (paid for at the door)
15d Beatles’ hit not long ago (9)
YESTERDAY – Double definition
17d A couple of new drivers will get the lot (3)
ALL – A (from the clue) and L L (couple of new [learner] drivers)
18d Permit silence to be shattered (7)
LICENSE – An anagram (to be shattered) of SILENCE, here permit is a verb
19d Ban logo redesigned for European city (7)
BOLOGNA – An anagram (redesigned) of BAN LOGO
20d Jump suddenly, brilliant performer put about (5,2)
START UP – STAR (brilliant performer) and a reversal (about) of PUT (from the clue)
21d Snake having firm support (5)
COBRA – CO (company, firm) BRA (support)