ST 3284 (full review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3284

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 29^th September 2024

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

Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, friendly puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and essential feedback.

Perspicacity, the answer to the clue of 1a, was a completely new word to me. After solving the puzzle, I explored the net to know more about it, including its etymology. I found out that the word has come from the Latin perspicācitās, meaning throughsightedness or discrimination. I also came to know that perspicacity is also known by the term perspicaciousness. Perspicacity is a clarity of vision or intellect that provides a deep understanding and insight. It extends the concept of wisdom by denoting a keenness of sense and intelligence applied to insight. It is also regarded as a deeper level of internalisation. Perspicacity is also defined as the ‘ability to recognise subtle differences between similar objects or ideas. It also indicates practical wisdom in the areas of politics and finance. Being perspicacious about other people, rather than having false illusions, is a sign of good mental health. The quality is needed in psychotherapists who engage in person-to-person dialogue and counselling of the mentally ill. Perspicacity is different from acuity, which also describes a keen insight. While having closely related meanings, acuity emphasises sharpness and its definition encompasses physical abilities such as sight or hearing; perspicacity conveys senses of meaning more related to clarity and penetration.

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Across

1a          Monkeying around with cryptic, ape is understanding! (12)
PERSPICACITY: An anagram (monkeying around with) CRYPTIC, APE IS guides to the definition of an acuteness of perception, discernment or understanding or an ability to notice and understanding things that are difficult or not obvious

9a          A godsend iron, it feeding vital organ (4-5)
LIFE-SAVER: The definition of a person or thing that gives help in time of need, an example of which is a godsend that refers to a person who or thing that provides unexpected but much needed support or help is obtained from a combo of FE (iron) as the symbol for iron in chemistry abbreviated from ferrum, the Latin word meaning iron and SA (IT) as the abbreviation for the phrase ‘sex appeal’, that is also known by its informal term ‘it’ getting in (feeding) LIVER (vital organ) as a large organ in the abdomen that performs many important bodily functions, including blood filtering

10a        Unfamiliar story about which article written (5)
ALIEN: The definition of an adjective meaning unfamiliar, strange or unknown is arrived at from LIE (story) as a made-up or trumped-up story that is placed around (about which … written) AN (article written) as one of the indefinite articles used before a noun with vowel sound

11a        Bird of Eurasia? (6)
TURKEY: A cryptic definition of a large bird in the genus Meleagris that is native to North America and that shares its name with a country that is mainly located in West Asia and a smaller part in Southeast Europe, the present name of which is Türkiye

12a        Truck gives yours truly a lift – as would this! (4-2-2)
PICK-ME-UP: PICK UP (truck) as a light truck with an open body and low sides and a tailboard takes in (gives … a lift) ME (yours truly) as the setter of this crossword referring to himself or as used by any other speaker referring to themselves, leading to the definition of an informal noun referring to something that restores a person’s energy, improves their mood or generally lifts their spirits

13a        Priest has bust zip (6)
ESPRIT: PRIEST from the clue subject to an anagram (has bust) yields the definition of a noun meaning energy, vigour or zip

15a        Over 50 per cent, old PM has it with backing of constituency (8)
MAJORITY: The definition of a noun meaning greater in number, quantity or extent is reached from Sir John MAJOR (old PM) as a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom having alongside (has) IT from the clue and (with) the back or end letter (backing) of [CONSTITUENC]Y

18a        Person writing some odes, say, is terrific (8)
ESSAYIST: The definition of a person writing essays or literary works is arrived at from part of or hidden inside (some) [OD]ES, SAY, IS T[ERRIFIC]

19a        Chocolate-coated Easter item for the man on the street? (6)
BEGGAR: BAR (chocolate) as referring to a bar of chocolate that is an amount of food or another substance formed into a narrow and solid block covering or containing (coated) EGG (Easter item) as denoting a dyed or decorated egg, traditionally associated with Easter guides to the definition of the man, usually without a home, who solicits alms for a living on the street

21a        Remarkably pretty as a picture that’s woven (8)
TAPESTRY: An anagram (remarkably) of PRETTY AS produces the definition of a picture or design that is woven or sewn into a textile or a piece of cloth and hung on a wall for decoration or used to cover the seats of chairs

23a        Dunce or idiot finally put in correct class (6)
ASSORT: ASS (dunce) as a dunce, oaf, simpleton or airhead, OR from the clue and the final or last letter (finally) of [IDIO]T brings forth the definition of a verb meaning to put in the same or correct category or class as others

26a        As the night sky is initially unseen, wait (5)
TARRY: [S]TARRY (as the night sky is) as describing a night that is abounded with stars in the sky devoid of (unseen) the initial or first letter (initially) takes to the definition of a verb meaning to wait or stay temporarily

27a        Man busier when swimming beneath the waves (9)
SUBMARINE: An anagram (when swimming) of MAN BUSIER leads to the definition of an adjective meaning beneath the surface or waves of the sea

28a        Where batsman tucks box – not cricket! (5,3,4)
BELOW THE BELT: Foul, unfair or illegal punch, in boxing, below the waistline of the opponent, especially in the groin area (where batsman tucks box) guides to the definition of an expression meaning unfair or illegal, another way of saying it is ‘not cricket’ meaning unfair or not sporting

Down

1d          Expression of taste in range of colours (7)
PALETTE: A homophone as heard by the audience (expression) of PALATE (taste) as one’s sense of taste or a usually intellectual taste or liking takes to the definition of the range of colours used in a visual medium, in a picture or by a particular artist

2d          Point that will come up just the same? (5)
REFER: A cryptic definition of a verb meaning to direct or point with its palindromic feature in a down clue

3d          Ruth saves refurbished store for future generations (9)
POSTERITY: PITY (ruth) as commiseration, compassion, pathos or ruth retains or keeps inside (saves) an anagram (refurbished) of STORE guides to the definition of a noun meaning future generations or all of a person’s descendants

4d          Big hole, beware! (4)
CAVE: Double definition; the first being a noun denoting a large hole that was formed by natural processes in the side of a cliff or hill or under the ground and the second referring to an interjection of a schoolboy slang meaning beware

5d          Character upon horse I brought over, jumper (8)
CARDIGAN: CARD (character) as a person, especially one noted for eccentricity or distinctive personality placed above (upon) a combo of NAG (horse) a horse, especially a small one and I from the clue taken up or raised (brought over) as a reversal in the down clue takes to the definition of a jumper or a crocheted or knitted garment covering the upper part of the body

6d          Follow song (5)
TRACK: Double definition; the first being a verb meaning to follow the trail or movements of someone or something, typically in order to find them or note their course and the second a noun referring to a recording of one song or piece of music

7d          Hypnotic sound into which I check (8)
RIVETING: The definition of an adjective meaning hypnotic, engrossing or spellbinding is reached from RING (sound) a loud, clear sound or tone having inside (into which) a combo of I from the clue and VET (check) as to examine, check, assess or evaluate

8d          Instant chic (6)
SNAPPY: Double adjectival definition; the first meaning immediately effective or instantaneous and the second denoting chic or neat and elegant

14d        Turn left, requirement for entry? (8)
PASSPORT: A charade of PASS (turn) as a verb meaning to take a turn at something and PORT (left) as the larboard or left side of a ship or as an adjective meaning left takes to the definition of a permit for entering a country or that which gives privilege of entry to anything

16d        Magnify from beginning to end, say (9)
OVERSTATE: The definition of a verb meaning to magnify, amplify or exaggerate is reached from a charade of OVER (from beginning to end) as through or from beginning to end, especially in a cursory or exploratory way and STATE (say) as to say, utter or tell

17d        Drink squash in tea shop, discarding odd bits (8)
ESPRESSO: The definition of a type of strong black coffee made by forcing steam through ground coffee beans is got from PRESS (squash) as to squash i.e. to squeeze or crush fruit, vegetables etc to extract the juice or oil put inside (in) the evenly-placed letters by omitting the oddly-placed ones (discarding odd bits) of the combination of tEa ShOp

18d        See rubbish, including junk – all one owns? (6)
ESTATE: An anagram (rubbish) of SEE having inside (including) TAT (junk) as a jumble or junk of rubbish guides to the definition of all one’s worldly possessions especially at death, e.g. ‘he bequeathed his entire estate to charity’

20d        Back home (7)
RETREAT: Double definition; the first being a verb meaning to move back or withdraw and the second a noun referring to a quiet or secluded place e.g. home in which one can rest and relax

22d        Elegance in trusty leggings (5)
STYLE: The definition of a noun meaning elegance or refinement of manners, dress etc is obtained from part of or hidden inside (in) [TRU]STY LE[GGINGS]

24d        Tree fiendish duck has climbed! (5)
OLIVE: The definition of a tree, Oleaeuropaea, cultivated round the Mediterranean for its oily fruit is reached from a combo of EVIL (fiendish) as an adjective meaning devilish, fiendish, diabolical or satanic and O (duck) as a batsman’s score of nought in cricket going upwards (has climbed) as a reversal in down clue

25d        Help a Yankee, say (4)
ABET: The definition of a verb meaning to urge, encourage or help a person is arrived at from A from the clue and BET (Yankee, say) as to lay or stake money etc, an example of which is Yankee, a kind of a multiple bet on four horses in four races, consisting of six doubles, four trebles and one accumulator

There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle like 1a, 11a, 12a, 15a, 28a, 7d, 24d and 25d; 28a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to Dada for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have a nice day.