Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3285
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 6th October 2024
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
The NE corner of this puzzle took the difficulty rating from 1* to 3*, but looking at it now I am not entirely sure why
Had this been sent to me for test solving, I would certainly have enquired whether making 43% of the Across clues (28% of the total clues) double definitions might be a bit much
Please let us know what you thought
Across
1a I lean on dog, boxer (8)
PUGILIST – I LIST (lean) on PUG (dog)
5a Two cats, one’s beaten (3-3)
TOM-TOM – Two TOMs (male cats)
9a Chief in shade of red? (8)
CARDINAL – Double definition
10a Expert built road with that stuff (6)
ADROIT – An anagram (built) of ROAD with IT (that stuff)
12a Lumberjack, one writing in diary? (6)
LOGGER – Double definition
13a Supercilious old rider? (8)
CAVALIER – And another double definition
15a Awful seminar is still available (7)
REMAINS – An anagram (awful) of SEMINAR
16a Succeed in exam? I don’t know the answer! (4)
PASS – A fourth double definition – succeed in an exam or fail in Mastermind
20a Light I observed in diffraction of ray (4)
AIRY – I (from the clue) observed in an anagram (diffraction) of RAY
21a Something wrapped up today (7)
PRESENT – Double definition number 5
25a A fish heads west around little island nation (8)
DOMINICA – A reversal (heads west in an Across solution) of A (from the clue) and COD (fish) going around MNII (little)
26a Bank without capital maintains a charm (6)
ENDEAR – lENDER (bank) without its capital letter ‘maintains’ A (from the clue)
28a Amorous heart holds it back (6)
EROTIC – CORE (heart) ‘holds’ IT and then the result is reversed (back)
29a A knockout coffee, say? (3,5)
HOT STUFF – Double definition number 6
30a Overture key, perhaps? (6)
OPENER – Double definition number 7
31a Dock, where crate and tun shifted (8)
TRUNCATE – An anagram (shifted) of CRATE and TUN
Down
1d Relish predicament (6)
PICKLE – Number 8 – a type of relish or an informal predicament
2d Music genre in fashion south of Georgia (6)
GARAGE – RAGE (fashion) goes south (in a Down solution) of GA (the abbreviation for the State of Georgia
3d Idler with toe broken stood idly! (8)
LOITERED – An anagram (broken) of IDLER with TOE
4d Plans drawn up for online trash (4)
SPAM – A reversal (drawn up) of MAPS (plans)
6d Difficult process if not with agreement (6)
ORDEAL – OR (if not) DEAL (agreement)
7d Newsworthy features ending in paper, hot and steamy? (8)
TROPICAL – TOPICAL (newsworthy) ‘features’ the ending of papeR
8d Second is engaged by wrong driver (8)
MOTORIST – MO (second) and IS (from the clue) ‘engaged’ by TORT (wrong)
11d Sharing wild parsley, for example (7)
GARNISH – An anagram (wild) of SHARING
14d Change of mind has lid put on food (7)
CAPRICE – CAP (lid) on RICE (food)
17d US city, really entertaining also, I say (3,5)
SAN DIEGO – SO (really) ‘entertaining’ AND (also) and I (from the clue) and EG (say)
18d Proper colour, shade of yellow (8)
PRIMROSE – PRIM (proper) ROSE (colour)
19d Sister is working under leader of investigation, together (2,6)
IN UNISON – NUN (sister) IS (from the clue) and ON (working) go under I (the ‘leader’ of investigation)
22d Object in my hands is salad plant (6)
ENDIVE – END (object) IVE (I have in my hands)
23d Blue, an odd cloud of gas (6)
NEBULA – An anagram (odd) of BLUE AN
24d Pudding – that’s not very much (6)
TRIFLE – Just as you think Dada might have moved on from double definition clues, here’s a ninth!
27d Fly spotted by one’s ear? (4)
SOAR – A homophone (by one’s ear) of SAW (spotted)