DT 30773 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30773

A full review by crypticsue

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

I had no doubt whatsoever that this clever and enjoyable Saturday Prize Puzzle was the work of the NY Doorknob, aka Donnybrook

Please let us know what you thought

Across

1a           University clubs keeping old vessels (1-5)
U-BOATS – The abbreviation for University and some BATS (clubs) ‘keeping’ the abbreviation for Old

5a           Object after wild cat put out (8)
ARTEFACT – An anagram (wild) of AFTER and another (put out) of CAT

9a           Charming Charlie taken in with guile (10)
WITCHCRAFT – The letter represented by Charlie in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet inserted in WITH (from the clue) and followed by CRAFT (guile)

10a         Excellent on river in Yorkshire (4)
AIRE – AI (excellent) RE (on the subject of)

11a         Weird American avoiding press and public (2,6)
IN CAMERA – An anagram (weird) of AMERICAN

12a         He runs back to devour warm food again (6)
REHEAT – A reversal (back) of HE and R (runs) followed by EAT (devour)

13a         Russian fighter touring north – in 7 21 he was 16! (4)
MING – MIG (Russian fighter plane) ‘touring’ N (North)a

15a         Mince meat twice for colleague (8)
TEAMMATE Make two anagrams (mince) of MEAT

18a         Short crack in a certain ship? (3-5)
ONE-LINER – ONE (a certain) LINER (ship)

19a         Quintessentially English girl made progress (4)
ROSE – A classically beautiful English girl or part of a verb meaning made progress

21a         Henchman crossing road – is it Ramsay? (6)
GORDON –  GOON: an unindicated American hired thug (henchman) into which is inserted (crossing) RD (road)

23a         Ruddy duck that’s a wader? (8)
FLAMINGO – FLAMING (ruddy) O (duck in cricket scoring)

25a         Spades with another tool – last product? (4)
SHOE – S (the card suit of Spades) with HOE (another tool)

26a         Mad Hatter cast with some difficulty (2,1,7)
AT A STRETCH – An anagram (mad) of HATTER CAST

27a         Helpless monkey returned to hospital department (8)
IMPOTENT – IMP (monkey) a reversal (returned) of TO (from the clue) and ENT (hospital department)

28a         Wise man in wine store (6)
NESTOR – Hidden in the last two words of the clue is a name applied to the oldest and wisest man in a class or company

Down

2d           Blessed? He’s a very naughty boy! (5)
BRIAN – Mr Blessed, the shouty actor, or the main character in The Life of Brian, a Monty Python film

3d           Principal investor offering chilled port? (9)
ARCHANGEL – ARCH (principal) ANGEL (investor)

4d           Ears blasted with CD that’s divine (6)
SACRED – An anagram (blasted) of EARS with CD

5d           Advertising Standards Authority unimaginative really (2,1,6,2,4)
AS A MATTER OF FACT – ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) MATTER OF FACT (unimaginative)

6d           Voice disapproval with one in examination class (8)
TUTORIAL – TUT (voice disapproval) with I (Roman numeral for one) inserted in ORAL (examination)

7d           Glare last from Chief Whip (5)
FLASH – F (the last letter of chieF) and LASH (whip)

8d           Writer to attend female relatives did you say? (9)
CERVANTES – Homophones (did you say) of SERVE (attend) AUNTIES (female relatives), although you would have to be my Yorkshire Granny to pronounce the relatives in the required manner

14d         Beefy hearts in Manitoba pickled (3,6)
IAN BOTHAM – Beefy was the nickname given to this cricketer – H (hearts) in an anagram (pickled) of MANITOBA

16d         Is an ungrateful Frenchman so unfeeling? (9)
MERCILESS – An ungrateful Frenchman would be MERCI LESS

17d         Single sister with love interest in Bury (8)
INUNDATE – Misleading capitals time – I (one, single) NUN (sister) DATE (love interest)

20d         Keep desiring person of easy virtue? (6)
WANTON – WANT ON (keep desiring)

22d         Maradona‘s two passes? (5)
DIEGO – Two passes – DIE and GO

24d         Lizard good on City floor? (5)
GECKO – G (good) EC (City of London postcode area) KO (floor or knock out)