Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30431
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 14th October 2023
BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment **
I thought this was slightly different to the ‘usual ‘ Cephas Saturday Prize Puzzle – it certainly took a little longer to solve
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought
Across
6a Following dance with girl, don suffers unexpected comedown (6,7)
FORCED LANDING – The abbreviation for Following and an anagram (suffers) of DANCE with GIRL DON
8a Snap this monster, a bloomer (6)
DRAGON – SNAP (from the clue) added to a DRAGON (monster) makes a bloomer
9a After project, chap is mournful (8)
PLANGENT – GENT (man) goes after PLAN (project)
10a Foot caught in trap awkwardly (3)
PAW – Hidden in (caught) traP AWkwardly
11a Writer crosses street, finding bar (6)
BISTRO – BIRO (something used to write) ‘crosses’ ST (street)
12a Where to find a waiter? (8)
ANTEROOM – A cryptic definition of a waiting room
14a In pieces, and sure to be upset (7)
ASUNDER – An anagram (to be upset) of AND SURE
16a A step two feet apart (7)
ASTRIDE – A (from the clue) STRIDE (step)
20a Worrying job for a carpenter? (8)
FRETWORK – WORK that might FRET (worry) a carpenter?
23a Last goal about to bury United (6)
ENDURE – END (goal) RE (about) into which is inserted (to bury) U (United)
24a Cool decision in part reversed (3)
ICE – Hidden in reverse in part of dECIsion
25a Unbalanced individual regularly swindles daughter (3-5)
ONE-SIDED – ONE (individual), the regular letters of SwInDlEs and the abbreviation for Daughter
26a Small depression you might have to face (6)
DIMPLE – A cryptic definition of a small depression on the face
27a Something that’s currently attractive? (13)
ELECTROMAGNET – A cryptic definition of something that uses electrical current to attract things
Down
1d Alarm Conservative seen in Slough (8)
FRIGHTEN – RIGHT (Conservative) ‘seen’ in FEN (slough)
2d Thin person that’s used to train runners? (8)
BEANPOLE – An informal term for a thing person or something used to train runner beans
3d Edge in rock from which boat might be launched (7)
SLIPWAY – LIP (edge) in SWAY (rock)
4d Princess does not have a young child (6)
INFANT – A Spanish or Portuguese princess – INFANTa – without the A at the end
5d Employee of mine down under? (6)
DIGGER – A miner or a form of address used ‘down under’
6d Financier sure about protection from getting burned (4,9)
FIRE INSURANCE – An anagram (about) of FINANCIER SURE
7d Fifth attempt to blow up parliament? (9,4)
GUNPOWDER PLOT – An attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament which took place on the 5th November1605
13d Dine with tenants every now and then (3)
EAT – The even (every now and then) letters of tEnAnTs
15d Moisture that’s expected, by the sound of it (3)
DEW– A homophone (by the sound of it) of DUE (expected)
17d Wade round in Scottish river or racetrack? (8)
SPEEDWAY – An anagram (round) of WADE inserted into the Scottish River Spey
18d First principle is that smallest one should accept little money (8)
RUDIMENT – RUNT (smallest animal in a litter) should ‘accept’ DIME (little money)
19d Slip over line in deprived part of America (4,3)
SKID ROW – SKID (slip) ROW (line)
21d Hanger-on volunteers, with fewer turning up (6)
TASSEL – TA (Territorial Army, volunteers) with a reversal (turning up) of LESS (fewer)
22d Peculiar thing — revolutionary party with heartless song (6)
ODDITY – A reversal (revolutionary) of DO (party) with DItTY (a song ‘heartless’ or without its middle letter
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Loved 2 down.
It actually made me laugh out loud.
3*/3* …
liked 19D “Slip over line in deprived part of America (4,3)”