ST 3304 (Full Review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3304

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 16^th February 2025

BD Rating –Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Another Sunday, another Prize Puzzle from Dada

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Across

1a           Fortunate description of doughnut, for example? (5)
JAMMY – An informal word meaning fortunate or a description of my favourite type of doughnut

4a           False start in effect brings humiliation (5)
SHAME – SHAM (false) and the ‘start’ in Effect

10a         Large number in pack, a fleet of ships (8)
FLOTILLA – LOT (large number) in FILL (pack) followed by A (from the clue)

11a         Hard worker in Paris, maybe (6)
TROJAN – Paris being someone from the city of Troy in Greek mythology

12a         Sound of musical country (6)
GREECE –  A homophone (sound) of GREASE, the musical

13a         Fine leader using his head? (8)
THINKING – THIN (fine) KING (leader)

14a         Left tucked inside novel is open letter to Socrates, say (7)
EPSILON – A letter used by Socrates the Greek – the abbreviation for Left ‘tucked in’ an anagram (novel) of IS OPEN

16a         Some birthday I recall travelling westward in Arabian city (6)
RIYADH – Hidden in reverse (travelling westward) in birtHDAY I Recall

17a         Wet swan behind flood barrier (6)
DAMPEN – PEN (female swan) goes behind DAM (flood barrier)

19a         Gases emitted: ten in the USA, unfortunately (7)
EXHAUST – X (Roman numeral for ten) inserted into an anagram (unfortunately) of THE USA

21a         Grey tea Carol’s drunk (8)
CHARCOAL – CHA (Tea) and an anagram (drunk) of CAROL

22a         Arachnid on mayo and ketchup etc, doing the backstroke? (6)
SPIDER – A reversal (doing the backstroke) of RE (on the subject of) DIPS (mayo and ketchup)

23a         Get down narrow channel (6)
GROOVE – Get down in the sense of having a pleasurable experience, or a narrow channel

24a         Common sense shown by old maid joining new church (8)
PRUDENCE – PRUDE (old maid) N (new) CE (Church of England)

25a         Elizabeth’s favourite county? (5)
ESSEX – Elizabeth I’s favourite courtier has the same name as a county

26a         Guide flowing well having missed introduction (5)
USHER – gUSHER (flowing oil well) without (having missed) its first letter

Down

2d           Fugitive in the main (2,5)
AT LARGE – Double definition

3d           Religious leader heading for monastery further over lake (6,8)
MOTHER SUPERIOR – M (heading for Monastery) OTHER (further) SUPERIOR (one of the Great Lakes)

5d           Detect figure bringing cheer (7)
HEARTEN – HEAR (detect) TEN (figure)

6d           3 Down? (9)
MATRIARCH – the female head of a family, in the case of 3d, one of nuns!

7d           Visibly short of oxygen near the knuckle (4)
BLUE – The colour one turns when short of oxygen or an informal word meaning obscene

8d           King overwhelmed by financial concern? Nonsense! (6,8)
MONKEY BUSINESS – K (chess abbreviation for King ‘overwhelmed’ by MONEY BUSINESS (financial concern)

9d           Reportedly, gang excluded (6)
BANNED – A homophone (reportedly) of BAND (gang)

15d         British citizens lecturer introduced to reclusive types (9)
LONDONERS – DON (lecturer) ‘introduced’ to LONERS (reclusive types)

18d         A certain broadcast on terra firma (6)
ASHORE – A (from the clue) and a homophone (broadcast) of SURE (certain)

19d         Cover completely secured by crocodile clips, evidently (7)
ECLIPSE – Hidden in crocodilE CLIPS Evidently

20d         Last of breakfast cereal mixed in molasses (7)
TREACLE – An anagram (mixed) of the last letter of breakfasT and CEREAL

22d         Warmer in winter, perhaps, therefore happy (4)
SOUP – SO (therefore) UP (happy)