Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3267
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This puzzle was published on 2nd June 2024
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Another Sunday Prize Puzzle from Dada – I only typed the word anagram seven times this week
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Across
1a Fascinating time legally recognised (12)
SPELLBINDING – SPELL (period of time) BINDING (legally recognised)
9a See one mat and another mat turned on the same side (4,5)
TEAM MATES – An anagram (turned) of SEE MAT and MAT
10a Head measurer (5)
RULER – The head of a country or something that measures
11a Improvement when put off vessel (6)
UPTURN – An anagram (off) of PUT followed by URN (vessel)
12a A cold, cold ebbing river into which ship entered (8)
ACCESSED – A (from the clue) C (cold) C (cold) and a reversed (ebbing) river DEE into which SS (ship) is inserted
13a Bacon, say, as rasher that is sizzling there, first of all (6)
ARTIST – The first letters of As Rasher That Is Sizzling There
15a Proceed to cut cost for convention (8)
PRACTICE – ACT (proceed) to ‘cut’ PRICE (cost)
18a Suggestion also formulated by rugby player (8)
PROPOSAL – An anagram (formulated) of ALSO goes by or after a PROP (rugby player)
19a Short song about US soldier, very sad (6)
TRAGIC – TRACk (short or truncated song) goes ‘about’ GI (US soldier)
21a European raincoat in a storm? (8)
CROATIAN – An anagram (in a storm) of RAINCOAT
23a Old country in America is republican, though left-leaning? (6)
PERSIA – Hidden in reverse (left-leaning in an Across clue) in AmericA IS REPublican
26a Drink that’s glorious, on reflection (5)
LEGAL – A reversal (on reflection) of REGAL (glorious)
27a Artistic design, how a drink developed (9)
HANDIWORK – An anagram (developed) of HOW A DRINK
28a Girl wanting dog, reportedly – one unlikely to buy it? (5-7)
PENNY-PINCHER – PENNY (girl) and a homophone (reportedly) of a PINSCHER (dog)
Down
1d Planted whole, a fruit (7)
SATSUMA – SAT (planted) SUM (whole) A (from the clue)
2d Stick raised, time to perform (5)
ENACT – A reversal (raised) of CANE (stick) followed by the abbreviation for Time
3d Red meat American company packed with last of flour (9)
LAMBRUSCO – LAMB (meat) US (American) CO (company) ‘packed’ with the last letter of flouR
4d Keen on a little Chopin, toddler (4)
INTO – Hidden in ChopIN TOddler
5d Custard spattered over back of dirtiest rubbish truck (8)
DUSTCART – An anagram (spattered) of CUSTARD goes over the back of dirtiesT
6d Fibre in sauce? (5)
NERVE – Double definition, the latter referring to impudence
7d Repeatedly on and off relationship hugging tree! (8)
FLASHING – FLING (relationship) ‘hugging’ ASH (tree)
8d Union member has kept line in check (6)
BRIDLE – BRIDE (union member) has ‘kept’ L (line)
14d Complete, but unrefined (8)
THOROUGH – THO (but) ROUGH (unrefined)
16d A canister destroyed using axes? (9)
CARTESIAN – An anagram (destroyed) of A CANISTER
17d Very long scar on a shortened strip of leather (8)
MARATHON – MAR (scar) A (from the clue) THONg (shortened strip of leather)
18d Photograph animal that climbs, little monkey (6)
PICKLE – PIC (photograph) and a reversal (that climbs) of ELK (animal)
20d Wonderful thing, something for Christmas? (7)
CRACKER – Double definition
22d Little piggies perhaps run into you (5)
THREE – There are THREE little piggies in the well-known story – R (cricket abbreviation for Run) inserted into THEE (you)
24d A sinful hanger-on? (5)
SLOTH – One of the deadly sins is also the name of an animal that hangs on to trees
25d Twenty per cent off bird, bargain! (4)
SNIP – Remove 20% off SNIPe (bird)