Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30419
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This puzzle was published on 30th September 2023
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
Another typical Saturday Prize Puzzle from Cephas
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Across
1a Released excess energy, and excused second eleven? (3,3,5)
LET OFF STEAM – LET OFF (excused) S (second) TEAM (eleven?)
7a Strikers’ term? (7)
INNINGS – The period of time (term) a batsman spends striking the ball
8a Bug Nick to feed rodents (7)
MICROBE – ROB (nick) to ‘feed’ MICE (rodents)
10a Wildly excited if centre moves (8)
FRENETIC – An anagram (moves) of IF CENTRE
11a American allowed to recruit marine for band (6)
ARMLET – A (American) LET (allowed) into which is inserted (to recruit) RM (Royal Marine)
13a Called for a step up? (4)
RUNG – A synonym of called (on the telephone) or a step up a ladder
14a Advertising worker, one who sticks up for their employer? (10)
BILLPOSTER – A person who sticks up advertising posts for their employer
16a Stress a cute cat suffers biting new moggie’s tail (10)
ACCENTUATE – An anagram (suffers) of A CUTE CAT ‘biting’ the abbreviation for New and the ‘tail’ of moggiE
18a District some care about (4)
AREA – Hidden in the last two words of the clue
21a Batting order for cricket, say (6)
INSECT – IN (batting) SECT (order)
22a An event I organised for Marco Polo, perhaps (8)
VENETIAN – An anagram (organised) of AN EVENT I
24a Time to interrupt famous symphony: it’s saucy stuff! (7)
EROTICA – T (time) to ‘interrupt’ EROICA (Beethoven’s famous symphony)
25a Lounge where ice cream is served? (7)
PARLOUR – A formal name for a lounge or somewhere ice cream is served
26a Fund managers possibly ignoring Republican in trouble (3,3,5)
FUN AND GAMES – An anagram (possibly) of FUND MANAGErS without (ignoring) the abbreviation for Republican
Down
1d Light lunch (just the starter) before service (7)
LANTERN – The ‘starter’ of Lunch, ANTE (before) RN (Royal Navy, service)
2d Kind offer (6)
TENDER – Double definition, the first an adjective, the second a noun
3d Fussy and unpleasant, removing top after quick one (10)
FASTIDIOUS – oDIOUS (unpleasant) without its first letter (removing top) goes after FAST (quick) and I (one)
4d Problem with old type of wrestling (4)
SUMO – SUM (problem) with O (old)
5d Cart goes round slow mover (8)
ESCARGOT – An anagram (round) of CART GOES
6d Unusual monolith briefly illuminated at night (7)
MOONLIT – An anagram (unusual) of MONOLITh (briefly telling you to omit the last letter)
7d One class taken by local is educational (11)
INFORMATIVE – I (one) FORM (class) the latter ‘taken by’ or inserted into NATIVE (local)
9d Burst in and somehow retain someone on stage? (11)
ENTERTAINER – ENTER (burst in) and an anagram (somehow) of RETAIN
12d Sheet anchor, perhaps (7-3)
CLOTHES-PEG – A cryptic definition of something that anchors sheets
15d Not doing anything on the battlefield? (8)
INACTION – IN ACTION (on the battlefield)
17d Set sail and leave the Needles behind? (4,3)
CAST OFF – Set sail or finish a piece of knitting
19d Catastrophic game, I sense (7)
RUINOUS – RU (Rugby Union) I (from the clue) NOUS (sense)
20d Horse to bump off coming up (3,3)
RED RUM – A reversal (coming up in a Down solution) of MURDER (bump off)
23d Scottish child is initially leaving building (4)
BARN – BaiRN (Scottish child) without the initial letter of Is