ST 3220 (Full Review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3220

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 9^th July 2023

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

Typical Sunday Dada puzzle – mind you if I’d been test solving the crossword, I would probably have pointed out that there are eight clues requiring insertions in the fourteen Across clues, three in a row, two in a row and then another three in a row

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Across

1a    Having bother with nerve, might one be tucked into bed? (3-5,6)
HOT-WATER BOTTLE – HOT WATER (bother) BOTTLE (nerve)

9a    Wrong quarantining people for plague (7)
TORMENT – TORT (wrong) ‘quarantining MEN (people)

10a    Close-fitting jackets on very soon? (7)
TONIGHT – TIGHT (close-fitting) ‘jackets’ ON (from the clue)

11a    God has secured wife for most vulnerable man (4)
PAWN – PAN (god) has ‘secured’ W (wife)

12a    President‘s laundry not returned (10)
WASHINGTON – WASHING (laundry) and a reversal (returned) of NOT

14a    Cardinal clear after withdrawing offer (6)
TENDER – A reversal (after withdrawing) of RED (cardinal) NET (clear)

15a    Holler about flat I renovated in artful style (8)
CRAFTILY – CRY (holler) ‘about’ an anagram (renovated) of FLAT I

17a    Islander Venetian artist has captured I see! (8)
TAHITIAN – TITIAN (Venetian artist) has ‘captured’ AH (I see!)

18a    Shoe: something soft and strong, so to speak? (6)
BROGUE – A type of shoe or a soft lilting accent

21a    Purposeful action saves time at home (10)
DETERMINED – DEED (action) ‘saves’ TERM (time) IN (at home)

22a    What gentleman’s doing given time inside? (4)
STIR – T (time) put inside SIR (gentleman)

24a    Legal dispute was resolved by union: fired up about that (7)
LAWSUIT – An anagram (resolved) of WAS followed by U (union) inserted into (about) LIT (fired up)

25a    Wine in unopened container sent back (7)
RETSINA – A reversal (sent back) of a cANISTER (container) without its first letter (unopened)

26a    Everyone’s cards added to pile, each must make a contribution (3,5,2,4)
ALL HANDS ON DECK – ALL HANDS (everyone’s cards) ON (added to) DECK (pile)

Down

1d    Where problem might flare up with inflamed pimple (7)
HOTSPOT – HOT (inflamed) SPOT (pimple)

2d    How might one assist swimmer after dip? Give up (5,2,3,5)
THROW IN THE TOWEL – How one might assist a swimmer after a dip

3d    Deity partial to warfare, seemingly? (4)
ARES – The Greek God of War can be found in warfARE Seemingly which I think makes this both an all in one clue and my favourite of today’s selection

4d    Catch a percentage, half of nets hauled up (6)
ENTRAP – A reversal (hauled up) of PART (a percentage) and the first half of NEts

5d    Bury the first of combatants, massacred in slaughter (8)
BUTCHERY – An anagram (massacred) of BURY THE C (the first letter of combatants) – although the solution really could really be described as a ‘Scotch Egg’ as you take BURY from the clue, insert THE (from the clue) and then insert the first letter of Combatants

6d    A player of king, turn having come round (6,4)
TUNING FORK – An anagram (having come round) of OF KING TURN

7d    Immediately shocking action? (9,6)
LIGHTNING STRIKE – Something that could immediately shock gives its name to a type of action

8d    Miserly, like a bee? (6)
STINGY – Like a bee or other stinging insect

13d    Date over, crystal clear? (3-7)
SEE-THROUGH – SEE (date) THROUGH (over)

16d    Musical hard on a poet (8)
HAMILTON – H (hard) A (from the clue) MILTON (poet)

17d    Wee drunk (6)
TIDDLY – Very small (wee) or drunk

19d    Label organ note (7)
EARMARK – EAR (organ) MARK (note)

20d    County welcoming a bidder’s possible choice (6)
HEARTS – HERTS (Hertfordshire, county) ‘welcoming’ A (from the clue) to produce a card suit that might be chosen by a bidder in a game of bridge

23d    Film scheduled for school (4)
ETON – ET (film) ON (scheduled)