ST 3259 (Full Review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3259

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 7^th April 2024

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

The most difficult Sunday Prize Puzzle for quite a while – this may have had something to do with the unhelpful grid, where 53% of the clues started with a non-checked letter

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Across

7a           Each on journey, energetically ambitious (2-5)
GO-AHEAD – A HEAD (each) goes on or after GO (journey)

8a           Stylish sprinting (7)
DASHING – Double definition, one more energetic than the other

10a         Man with stapler assembled comprehensive document (6,4)
MASTER PLAN – An anagram (assembled) of MAN with STAPLER

11a         Born with minimum of dosh in poverty (4)
NEED – NEE (born) with the first letter (minimum) of Dosh

12a         Wonderful, decisive blow (8)
KNOCKOUT – An informal name for a person or thing of outstanding attraction or excellence; a decisive blow

14a         Mother’s back pecked by animal — some chicken? (6)
BREAST – The R at the back of mother ‘pecked’ or eaten by BEAST (animal)

15a         Onion on stick for monkey (11)
RAPSCALLION – SCALLION (an onion with a slim bulb) goes on or after RAP (stick)

19a         Ring, where that woman enters fight (6)
WASHER – SHE (that woman) ‘enters’ WAR (fight)

20a         Complete appendage I got rid of (8)
FINISHED – FIN (appendage) I SHED (I got rid of)

22a         Piece from Chanel, a name for style (4)
ELAN – A piece from chanEL A Name

23a         Story about Spanish gentleman not too bad? (10)
PARDONABLE – PARABLE (story) ‘about’ DON (Spanish gentleman)

25a         Brush back (7)
SWEEPER – Something that sweeps (brush) or a defensive footballer

26a         Smudge with slime smeared in empty bath (7)
BLEMISH – An anagram (smeared) of SLIME inserted into the outside (empty) letters of BatH

 Down

1d           Chief having broken eggs leaves (7)
ROMAINE – MAIN (chief) having broken or gone into ROE (eggs)

2d           Talk given in French, a triumph (4)
CHAT – Hidden in the last three words of the clue

3d           E.g. mullet I had, or fishy! (6)
HAIRDO – An anagram (fishy) of I HAD OR

4d           Might one have you in a stew? (8)
CANNIBAL – A cryptic definition of an eater of flesh of their own species

5d           Loud sound hurt ears, initially shocking (10)
THUNDEROUS – An anagram (shocking) of SOUND HURT and E (ears initially)

6d           Popular part of song? The opposite (7)
INVERSE – IN (popular) VERSE (part of song)

9d           Updated draft of Lord’s cricket ground (3,8)
OLD TRAFFORD – An anagram (updated) of DRAFT OF LORDS

13d         Editor with stash of grass — one’s hooked! (10)
COATHANGER – CHANGER (editor) into which is inserted (with stash of) OAT (grass)

16d         Short of money, though secure? (8)
STRAPPED – Short of cash or secured by a strap

17d         Horse carrying short playwright (7)
MARLOWE – MARE (female horse) ‘carrying’ LOW (short)

18d         Small room, it will be accommodating small musician! (7)
CELLIST – CELL (small room) and IT (from the clue) ‘accommodating’ S (Small)

21d         Strand of pasta, old one cooked (6)
NOODLE – An anagram (cooked) of OLD ONE

24d         Large number describing a limb? (4)
ARMY – Your arm could be described as ARMY