DT 30923 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30923

A full review by crypticsue

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

This puzzle was published on 10^th May 2025

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

I solved this lovely NY Doorknob puzzle on the Sunday as on the day of publication we were in Bicester for my niece’s wedding.  I haven’t looked at any of the comments posted on the day so am not sure whether I found it trickier than other Saturday Prize Puzzles  because it was trickier or because I was tired

Please let us know what you thought

Across

1a           City bank taken in by criminal owners (3,7)
NEW ORLEANS – LEAN (bank) taken in by an anagram (criminal) of OWNERS

6a           Magazine’s explosive content? (4)
AMMO – This magazine is a place for military stores

9a           Dua Lipa holds back an Asian dish (5)
PILAU – Hidden in reverse (holds back) in the first two words of the clue

10a         Imagined a Parisian coming in for one flat (9)
PUNCTURED – Replace the Roman numeral for one in PICTURED (imagined) with UN (French, as used in Paris, indefinite article

12a         Former model moved with it (3-4)
OLD-TIME – An anagram (moved) of MODEL with IT

13a         Check out organ in residence at college (3,2)
EYE UP – EYE (organ) UP (in residence at college)

15a/17d  Sumptuously rich cake left each tooth black, ruined with decay (5,2,9)
DEATH BY CHOCOLATE – an anagram (ruined) of L (left) EACH TOOTH B (black) and DECAY

16a         New converts without sin? (7)
NOVICES – NO VICES (without sin)

18a         Shopper consumed by MDMA and booze: mistake (7)
ERRATUM – RAT (shopper) ‘consumed) by E (Ecstasy, MDMA) and RUM (booze)

20a         Design firm beginning to make model (7)
COMPOSE – CO (company, firm), the beginning of Make, and POSE (model)

21a         Sailor is returning bones (5)
TARSI – TAR (sailor) and a reversal (returning) of IS

23a         Agree to accept blame? Nothing’s impossible! (2,3,2)
NO CAN DO – NOD (agree) to ‘accept’ CAN (carry the can, blame or responsibility) and O (nothing)

25a         Mao and Stalin ordered French port (5-4)
SAINT-MALO – An anagram (ordered) of MAO and STALIN

26a         Muse appearing in encounter at Olympia (5)
ERATO – Hidden in encountER AT Olympia

27a         Mysterious river ending in swamp (4)
DEEP – River DEE and P (the ending in swamP)

28a         Create fuss: work as set-builder? (4,1,5)
MAKE A SCENE – This could also mean to work as a builder of sets for the theatre or films

Down

1d           Sleep with American in Californian wine valley (4)
NAPA – NAP (sleep) with A (American)

2d           Non-speaking part broadcast? Feel elated! (4,2,3)
WALK ON AIR – WALK ON (non-speaking part) AIR (broadcast)

3d           Loony drinks French tea – with curled lemon? (5,3,5)
ROUND THE TWIST – ROUND (drinks) THE (French word for tea) and TWIST (a curl of lemon)

4d           One Brontë admits exercising without effect (7)
EMPTILY – EMILY (one of the Bronte sisters) ‘admits’ PT (exercising)

5d           Granny piercing strong cotton cloth (7)
NANKEEN – NAN (granny) KEEN (piercing)

7d           Seconds needed to crack extra code (5)
MORSE – S (seconds) to ‘crack’ MORE (extra)

8d           Frenzied exposure besetting beloved princess? Tragedy (7,3)
OEDIPUS REX – An anagram (frenzied) of EXPOSURE into which is inserted (besetting) DI (the beloved Princess of Wales)

11d         That six-grand Terry Gilliam film? (6,7)
TWELVE MONKEYS – A monkey is £500 so you would need twelve of them to make six grand

14d         Published rates dived appallingly (10)
ADERTISED – An anagram (appallingly) of RATES DIVED

17d         See 15 Across

19d         Buddhist figure – bloke a boy follows around (7)
MANDALA – MAN (bloke) followed by a reversal (around) of A LAD (boy)

20d         Revolution about working in spiralling wind (7)
CYCLONE – CYCLE (revolution) goes ‘about’ ON (working)

22d         Huge ungulate lacking oxygen and energy in river (5)
RHINE – RHINO (huge ungulate) without O (chemical symbol for Oxygen) but with E (energy)

24d         Book large and heavy from my perspective (4)
TOME – TO ME (from my perspective)