Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30947
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 7th June 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
My inability to see what was going on in in two clues took me into my 3* difficulty time. The presence of puns in both the top and bottom rows of the Quick Crossword would indicate that this is the work of Chris Lancaster
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Across
1a William regularly left party, we hear, to find love letter (6-4)
BILLET-DOUX – BILL (William), the regular letters of lEfT and a homophone (we hear) of DO (party)
6a US sporting champion remains outspoken (4)
ASHE – A homophone (outspoken) of ASH (remains)
9a Man made? (5)
ROBOT – Of course, a man that’s been made !
10a Women’s trendy skirt collection (4-5)
WHIP-ROUND – W (Women) HIP (trendy) ROUND (skirt)
12a Start to improve, or go round the bend? (4,3,6)
TURN THE CORNER – Double definition – one metaphorical, the other literal
14a Sack members producing weapons (8)
FIREARMS – FIRE (sack) ARMS (members)
15a Reluctant as ever to move (6)
AVERSE – An anagram (to move) of AS EVER
17a Giants sit back, securing bronze (6)
TITANS – A reversal (back) of SIT ‘securing’ TAN (bronze)
19a Good criminal strange criminal (8)
GANGSTER – The abbreviation for Good and an anagram (criminal) of STRANGE
21a European tie, due to late foul, that might be attractive? (3,2,8)
EAU DE TOILETTE – E (European) followed by an anagram (foul) of TIE DUE TO LATE
24a Veteran bats at Lord’s, e.g. (3,6)
OLD STAGER – An anagram (bats) of AT LORDS EG
25a Meat that one may bring home? (5)
BACON – As in ‘bring home the bacon’ or achieve something successfully
26a King upset starship captain (4)
KIRK – The chess abbreviation for King and IRK (upset or annoy)
27a Foolish to seize ultimately risky opening, no matter what (2,3,5)
IN ANY EVENT – INANE (foolish) to ‘seize’ the ultimate letter of riskY, the result followed by VENT (opening)
Down
1d British ship in bay (4)
BARK – B (British) ARK (ship)
2d Seafood? Throw rest out (7)
LOBSTER – LOB (throw) and an anagram (out) of REST
3d Show diversion (13)
ENTERTAINMENT – Double definition
4d Spooner’s settlement, ten cents for break from work (8)
DOWN TIME – Or as the Reverend Spooner would have said TOWN (settlement) DIME (ten cents)
5d Followers set up naked couple (5)
UNITE – Reverse (set up) RETINUE (followers) and then remove the outside letters (naked)
7d Big punch? It’s a cracker! (7)
STUNNER – Double definition
8d Chuck perhaps going after senior, one that’s fruity (10)
ELDERBERRY – BERRY (Chuck the singer, perhaps) goes after ELDER (senior)
11d Swede maybe in love with Greta to be different (4,9)
ROOT VEGETABLE – An anagram (different) of LOVE with GRETA TO BE
13d Out of trouble and unable to receive calls? (3,3,4)
OFF THE HOOK – Out of difficulty or a telephone handset not on its rest
16d Prisoner stopped by old Scottish river vessel (8)
CAULDRON – CON (prisoner) ‘ stopped’ by AULD (Scottish word for old) and R (river)
18d Loud noise from leopard finally snared by angry hunter (7)
THUNDER – The final letter of leoparD ‘snared’ by an anagram (angry) of HUNTER
20d Syrup‘s temperature ruined cereal (7)
TREACLE- T (temperature) and an anagram (ruined) of CEREAL
22d Instrument‘s mouthpiece (5)
ORGAN – Double definition
23d Insect bite coming up (4)
GNAT – A reversal (coming up) of TANG (bite)