ST 3091

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3091

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 17^th January 2021

BD Rating – Difficulty *– Enjoyment ***

Dada in top form with a  nice mix of clue types – for a change he only has three clues requiring something to be inserted into another word.

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Across

8a    ‘The hell’ seen in inferno, near this (2,5)
ON EARTH – Hidden in infernO NEAR THis

10a    Right country found in middle of book, Woolf novel (7)
ORLANDO – R (right) LAND (country) found in the middle letters of bOOK

11a    Apparently, stress now dissipated for longer period (9)
EXTENSION – The TENSION (stress) is apparently EX or no more (dissipated)

12a    Great surge (5)
SWELL – Double definition

13a    Metallic Brisbane beer? (5)
TINNY – Like tin or an Australian slang term for a can of beer

14a    Yours truly is out in blind alley (7)
IMPASSE – IM (yours truly) PASSE (out)

17a    Ground becoming deeper? That’s more intriguing (3,4,8)
THE PLOT THICKENS – THE PLOT (ground) THICKENS (becoming deeper)

19a    Top diner from Devon? (7)
SWEATER – A SW EATER (diner from Devon)

21a    Lift shoes, turning tail (5)
BOOST – Turn the tail or last two letters of BOOTS (shoes)

24a    Tweet costing little, by the sound of it? (5)
CHEEP – A homophone (by the sound of it) of CHEAP (costing little)

26a    War so appalling within country, lady having a row (9)
OARSWOMAN – An anagram (appalling) of WAR SO inserted within OMAN (country)

27a    US mountain wetter (7)
RAINIER – Double definition

28a    Bandleader in Newport seamlessly going retro? (7)
MAESTRO – Hidden in reverse (going retro) in newpORT SEAMlessly

Down

1d    Crack, one inside cupboard that’s failed to open (4,2)
LOSE IT – I (one) inserted into cLOSET (cupboard without its first letter – failed to open)

2d    Stretch a few words (8)
SENTENCE – Double definition

3d    Accommodation for relative in good and managed state, even (6,4)
GRANNY FLAT – G (good) RAN (managed) NY (New York State) FLAT (even)

4d    Utter word, thing that’s cryptic (9)
DOWNRIGHT – An anagram (that’s cryptic) of WORD THING

5d    Not entirely rich, getting benefit (4)
PLUS – Not entirely PLUSh (rich)

6d    Stick in answer for supporters (6)
ANGELS – GEL (stick) in ANS (answer)

7d    Calm lesson disrupted, military officer on top of it (8)
COOLNESS – An anagram (disrupted) of LESSON with a CO (Commanding Officer in the military) on ‘top of it’

9d    Welcome shower (4)
HAIL – Double definition

15d    Ultimately, cap super headgear for cricketer (4,6)
PACE BOWLER – P (the ultimate letter of cap) ACE (super) BOWLER (headgear)

16d    Best provision of meals right on ship (9)
STARBOARD – STAR (best) BOARD (provision of meals)

17d    TV signal randomly scattered after sixth of channels lost (4,4)
TEST CARD – An anagram (randomly) of SCATTEReD without an E (the sixth letter of channEls)

18d    Massive state, yet with minor ground (8)
ENORMITY – An anagram (ground) of YET with MINOR

20d    Examine cap used by batter? (6)
EYELID – EYE (examine) LID (cap)

22d    Superior fool standing up for inferior (6)
TINPOT – A reversal (standing up) of TOP (superior) NIT (fool)

23d    Short theatrical work, shortened (4)
DRAM – A short measure of spirits – a DRAMa ‘shortened’

25d    Twins perhaps cut, we hear? (4)
PAIR – Sounds like PARE (cut)