DT 30689 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30689

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 10^th August 2024

BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***

A friendly pangram for our Saturday morning entertainment and a chance to win The Mythical

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Across

 

1a           Initially, just under 1,000 pence in vault (4)
JUMP – The initial letters of Just Under M (1,000) Pence

3a           Check gold, Macron’s said (5)
AUDIT – AU (the chemical symbol for gold) and DIT (the French, as used by President Macron, word for said

6a           Gem of a wedding after 40 years? (4)
RUBY – The gem that should be given to celebrate forty years of marriage –  I had a pair of ruby earrings for mine!

8a           At some stage it provides a different background (6,2,7)
CHANGE OF SCENERY – A different background, whether on the stage or away from home

9a           Man entertains student and physicist (6)
KELVIN – KEVIN (man) ‘entertains’ L (student)a

10a         Declare something even with lines left to be penned by Civil Service (3,5)
CRY QUITS – RY (railway lines) QUIT (left) ‘penned’ by CS (Civil Service)

11a         Feeling in street and in court (8)
INSTINCT – IN (from the clue) ST (street) IN (from the clue) CT (court)

13a         I also worried about Charlie’s party (6)
SOCIAL – An anagram (worried) of I ALSO goes ‘about’ C (Charlie in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet)

15a         Do an outstanding job? (6)
EMBOSS – A cryptic definition of a way of creating something raised from the surface

17a         Brenda struggling to cover borders of estate in city (8)
ABERDEEN – The idea of someone called Brenda struggling did make me smile.  An anagram (struggling) of BRENDA ‘covering’ the borders of EstatE

19a         Colours tough-sounding material used in staining? (8)
DYESTUFF – DYES (colours) and a homophone (sounding) of TOUGH

21a         End with American leaving pale ale, e.g. (6)
TIPPLE – TIP (end) with the abbreviation for American ‘leaving’ PaLE

22a         Form a touching relationship? (4,4,7)
COME INTO CONTACT – A cryptic definition

23a         Ox captured by Belize butcher (4)
ZEBU – Hidden in (captured by) beliZE BUtcher

24a         Singer and pianist in the Spanish fashion (5)
ELTON – EL (Spanish definite article) TON (fashion)

25a         Begrudge messenger dropping round (4)
ENVY – ENVoY (messenger) ‘dropping’ O (round)

Down

1d           Dive with sailor on cutter (9)
JACKKNIFE – JACK (sailor) KNIFE (cutter)

2d           Overcome, as Leslie describes disease (7)
MEASLES – Hidden in (describes) overcoME AS LESlie

3d           A range of English peaks – or ones abroad? (9)
APENNINES – A (from the clue) PENNINES (range of English peaks)

4d           Skilful to include old chemical company in shortfall (7)
DEFICIT – DEFT (skilful) to ‘include’ ICI (old chemical company)

5d           Rather like a nail perhaps, lacking in taste (5)
TACKY – Although this means lacking in taste, it could also describe something being like a small nail

6d           Gave up animal during split (9)
RENOUNCED – OUNCE (Crosswordland’s favourite cat) inserted into REND (split)

7d           Attire that’s worn by bishop? (7)
BIRETTA – An anagram (worn) of ATTIRE follows the chess abbreviation for Bishop

12d         Strangely, use as tour gear for match (9)
TROUSSEAU – An anagram (strangely) of USE AS TOUR

13d         Business invested in new western food (9)
SWEETCORN – CO (company, business) inserted in an anagram (new) of WESTERN

14d         Georgia leaving sort of inelegantly, mercifully (9)
LENIENTLY – GA (the abbreviation for the State of Georgia) ‘leaving’ an anagram (sort) of INELEgaNTLY

16d         Country dance centre (7)
MAYPOLE – Something found at the centre of a particular country dance

17d         Insult a female on promenade (7)
AFFRONT – A (from the clue) F (female) FRONT (seaside promenade)

18d         No longer flat? Make it clear (7)
EXPLAIN – EX (no longer) PLAIN (flat)

20d         Bones, unreal possibly, not right (5)
ULNAE – An anagram (possibly) of UNrEAL without the abbreviation for Right