Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3271
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This puzzle was published on 30th June 2024
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
Another Sunday puzzle from Dada – y I typed the word ‘anagram’ six times and ‘A (from the clue) four times!
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Across
1a Possible cause of ignition for rocket scientist? (6,5)
BRIGHT SPARK – A person with many good ideas
9a Beardless gent I dressed up describing a jacket (6-8)
SINGLE-BREASTED – An anagram (dressed up) of BEARDLESS GENT I
11a Tug reaching northern settlement (4)
TOWN – TOW (tug as a verb) N (Northern)
12a Empty safe filled with flat tool (5)
SPADE – The outside (empty) letters of SafE ‘filled’ with PAD (flat)
13a Stable business (4)
FIRM – Double definition, the first an adjective, the second a noun
16a A strange clay pit unlike any others? (8)
ATYPICAL – A (from the clue) followed by an anagram (strange) of CLAY PIT
17a Newspaper reported a bloomer (6)
DAHLIA – A homophone (reported) of DAILY (newspaper) followed by A (from the clue)
19a Setter with lolling tongue, say, sees snack (3,3)
HOT DOG – a DOG (setter) on a HOT day, might well have its tongue hanging out (lolling)
20a Sore calf massaged outside (8)
ALFRESCO – An anagram (massaged) of SORE CALF
22a Passage from classic, it explains reference (4)
CITE – Hidden in a passage from classiC IT Explains
23a Old man has requirement for break (5)
PAUSE – PA (father, old man) USE (requirement)
24a Separate land in Tahiti’s legendary (4)
ISLE – Hidden in TahitIS LEgendary
27a Present leg? (8,6)
STOCKING FILLER – A small Christmas present or a cryptic description of a leg
28a In cold manner? That’s about right! (11)
HEARTLESSLY – HEATLESSLY (in a cold manner) ‘about’ R (right)
Down
2d Halt protest, standing at end of street (7,7)
RAILWAY STATION – RAIL (protest) and STATION (standing), the latter going after (at the end of) WAY (street)
3d Talk about good jokes! (4)
GAGS – GAS (talk) goes ‘about’ G (good)
4d Actor, drama ultimately in the turn (8)
THESPIAN – The ultimate letter of dramA inserted in THE (from the clue) SPIN (turn)
5d Stick in wages for burlesque (6)
PARODY – ROD (stick) in PAY (wages)
6d Concrete in one side of Madrid? (4)
REAL – Concrete (actual) or a football team in Madrid
7d Alloy seen, a little bendy, three seconds to break it? (9,5)
STAINLESS STEEL – An anagram (bendy) of SEEN A LITTLE into which is inserted (to break it) SSS (three seconds)
8d Common maiden when shattered grabbing a kip (1,4,1,5)
A DIME A DOZEN – An anagram (shattered) of MAIDEN ‘grabbing’ A (from the clue) and DOZE (kip, sleep) Interestingly, although the expression refers to an American coin, the BRB doesn’t show it as being American
10d Staple on first of contracts in facility – that should hold the documents (7,4)
ATTACHE CASE – ATTACH (staple) and the first of Contacts inserted into EASE (facility)
14d Youth worker down the pit, we hear? (5)
MINOR – A homophone (we hear) of MINER (worker down the pit)
15d Top resort’s opening on island, Italian 24 Across (5)
CAPRI – CAP (top) R (the opening of Resort) I (island)
18d Happy gathering fills bus (8)
BLISSFUL – An anagram (gathering) of FILLS BUS
21d Speculation about name for German composer (6)
WAGNER – WAGER (speculation) ‘about’ N (name)
25d 24 Across, heaven on earth originally (4)
SKYE – SKY (heaven) on E (Earth originally)
26d Something positive in case of prodigal American (4)
PLUS – The ‘case’ of ProdigaL US (American)