DT 30617 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30617

A Full Review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 18^th May 2024

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

Another SPP from the NY Doorknob with what could possibly be described as a mini theme with three references to the Battle of the 19a, one of which inducing an ear worm which lasted on and off all week

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Across

1a           English wearing sacks for clothes (5)
ROBES – ROBS (sacks, plunders) ‘wearing’ E (English)

4a           See 17 Down

9a           Sausage with it dunked in drink? Thanks! (9)
CHIPOLATA – HIP (with it) ‘dunked’ in COLA (drink) followed by TA (thanks)

10d         Riser lively at last – whence comes the dawn? (5)
YEAST – The last letter of livelY and EAST (the direction whence comes the dawn

11a         Manage poetry in Old English (7)
OVERSEE – VERSE (poetry) inserted in O (old) E (English)

12a         Support from belts or elastic? (7)
BOLSTER – An anagram (elastic) of BELTS OR

13a         Bear brings death to Yorkshire river (6)
ENDURE – END (death) URE (Yorkshire river)

15a         Severe reprimand in court for 29 hero (8)
CROCKETT – ROCKET (severe reprimand) inserted in CT (court)

18a         Terrible bane, this potent liqueur (8)
ABSINTHE – An anagram (terrible) of BANE THIS

20a         Cricketer in pub outside Totnes regularly (6)
BATTER – BAR (pub) ‘outside’ the regular letters of ToTnEs

23a         Crew spotted cutter (4-3)
BAND-SAW – BAND (crew) SAW (spotted)

24a         Talk tediously about old Queequeg’s weapon (7)
HARPOON – HARP ON (talk tediously goes ‘about’ the abbreviation for Old – Queequeg was a character in Moby Dick who would have used this weapon to catch whales

26a         Mournful cry heard – is it Moby Dick? (5)
WHALE – A homophone (heard) of WAIL (mournful cry)

27a         Where fare goes down, Iago hopes when travelling (9)
OESOPHAGI – An anagram (when travelling) of IAGO HOPES

28a         Ivy for one always the ingenue? (9)
EVERGREEN – EVER (always) GREEN (naïve or inexperienced like an ingenue)

29a         All lost after Mexican offensive – leaders herein? (5)
ALAMO – The leaders of All Lost After Mexican Offensive

Down

1d           Who’s Tommy, having wobble over quiet period? (4,5)
ROCK OPERA – ROCK (wobble) O (over) P (quiet) ERA (period)

2d           Bung second-class cheese sandwiches? (5)
BRIBE – B (second-class) sandwiched in BRIE (cheese)

3d           Boys without power or patron (7)
SPONSOR – SONS (boys) go outside (without) P (power) followed by OR (from the clue)

4d           Dodger Luke finally seen with Anakin? (6)
EVADER – E (the final letter of LukE with VADER (Anakin Vader from Star Wars)

5d           Rooms that crossword solver may use? (8)
CHAMBERS – ROOMS or the more formal name for the Big Red Book used by many a crossword solver

6d           CD-i Lily redesigned is wonderful (7)
IDYLLIC – An anagram (redesigned)of CD I LILY

7d           Cunning fellows housed in suitable accommodation (9)
APARTMENT – ART (cunning) MEN (fellows) ‘housed’ in APT (suitable)

8d           Excited atmosphere around street (5)
ASTIR – AIR (atmosphere) ‘around’ ST (street)

14d         Withdraw flawed design before time (9)
DISENGAGE – An anagram (flawed) of DESIGN goes before AGE (time)

16d         Sailor and social worker, in love, shooting American? (9)
TARANTINO – TAR (sailor) ANT (social worker) IN (from the clue) O (love)

17 and 4 Across Whitehall head once spoiled everything (3,5,9)
THE WHOLE ENCHILADA – An informal American expression meaning everything is an anagram (spoiled) of WHITEHALL HEAD ONCE

19d         Gets inside information: that should return savings (4,3)
NEST EGG – Reverse (return) GETS (from the clue) inside GEN (information)

21d         Roman general in a thrilling production on the radio? (7)
AGRIPPA – A homophone of A GRIIPPER (something thrilling)

22d         Cold chicken stuffed with duck son selected (6)
CHOSEN – C (cold ) HEN (chicken) ‘stuffed’ with O (duck in cricket scoring) and S (son)

23d         29 hero from East London region, that is (5)
BOWIE – BOW (East London region) IE (that is)

25d         Honshu port: good enough area encloses it (5)
OSAKA – OK (good enough) and A (area) ‘encloses’ SA (it in the sense of Sexual Attraction)