Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3253
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 25th February 2024
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
Another anagram-filled Sunday Prize Puzzle
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Across
1a Troublesome start while in very hot water? (7,2,4)
BAPTISM OF FIRE – A trying ordeal
9a Hole, after reversing, crossed by a street vehicle (9)
AEROPLANE – A reversal of PORE (hold) inserted between A (from the clue) and LANE (street)
10a Area with trees where police heard? (5)
COPSE – A homophone (heard) of COPS (police)
11a Lightweight knocked out on cue (5)
OUNCE – An anagram (knocked out) of ON CUE
12a Thus in power, government (4)
ERGO – Hidden in powER GOvernment
13a Financial gain, though lack of it for teacher (4)
PROF – PROFit without (lack of) IT
15a Bond formed by boy in group (7)
SEALANT – ALAN (boy) in SET (group)
17a Clobber on, cuter after tailoring (7)
TROUNCE – An anagram (after tailoring) of ON CUTER
18a Taste of claret’s in another drink (7)
RETSINA – Part (a taste) of claRETS IN Another
20a Friend with limo adapted for biofuel (4,3)
PALM OIL – PAL (Friend) with an anagram (adapted) of LIMO
21a Cloak, better back on vampire (4)
CAPE – CAP (better) and the ‘back’ of vampirE
22a All leaders in opposition really antagonistic, Labour said (4)
ORAL – The leaders in Opposition Really Antagonistic Labour
23a Country folk onto you (5)
YEMEN – MEN (folk) onto YE (you)
26a Dawn has lit up place (5)
ONSET – ON (lit up) SET (place)
27a Go to pieces as top camera breaks (4,5)
COME APART – An anagram (breaks) of TOP CAMERA
28a One pocketed by foolish client, I’d want double! (9,4)
IDENTICAL TWIN – I (Roman numeral for one) inserted into an anagram (foolish) of CLIENT ID WANT
Down
1d Snake that’s savage squeezing a prisoner hard (3,11)
BOA CONSTRICTOR – BOOR (savage) ‘squeezing’ A (from the clue) CON (prisoner) STRICT (hard)
2d Old Argentine leader wants agent gone after revolution? (5)
PERON – A reversal (after revolution) of NO REP (agent gone)
3d A promise I broke around first of rules — fair boss? (10)
IMPRESARIO – An anagram (broke) of A PROMISE I goes ‘around’ the first letter of Rules
4d A retreat under yours truly, most unpleasant (7)
MEANEST – A NEST (retreat) goes under ME (yours truly)
5d Case of four, then twice that number for cargo (7)
FREIGHT – The ‘case’ of FouR then EIGHT (twice that number)
6d North toured by first person from Berlin — not very far (4)
INCH – N (north) ‘toured by’ ICH (I, first person, in German)
7d Language one’s pater translated (9)
ESPERANTO – An anagram (translated) of ONES PATER
8d Feeling initially coming up in old cook for meaty dish (4,10)
BEEF WELLINGTON – The initial letter of Feeling and WELLING (coming up) inserted into the famous old cook [Mrs] BEETON
14d Lovely new party game (10)
VOLLEYBALL – An anagram (new) of LOVELY followed by BALL (party)
16d Bonus drink after an assortment of Italian morsels (9)
ANTIPASTI – TIP (bonus) and ASTI (drink) go after AN (From the clue)
19d Fruit with a soft cheese: no thanks! (7)
APRICOT – A (from the clue) RICOTta (no ta, thanks)
20d Stick on audio equipment for contentious argument (7)
POLEMIC – POLE (stick) MIC (microphone, audio equipment)
24d Yowl! I am upset you trod on my paw! (5)
MIAOW -An anagram (upset) of I AM and OW (an exclamation of pain)
25d Minor irritation in dirty accommodation voiced? (4)
STYE – A homophone (voiced) of STY (dirty accommodation)
3*/4* ….
liked 1A “Troublesome start while in very hot water ? (7,2,4)”
Since when is “Alan” a definition of a boy? Given literally anything can be a name, boy, on that basis, can mean literally anything.