ST 2563 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 2563

by petebiddlecombe  

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2563

A full analysis by Peter Biddlecombe

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

More high class fun. It’s a bit dull on this slot – you never get anything to moan about …

Across
1 Be held back by girlfriend in argument (6)
DEBATE – “be” reversed in DATE = girlfriend
4 Number put on uniform for one of the services (8)
EVENSONG = “one of the services” – EVEN = uniform, SONG = number
10 Said to quote prophet as person having interesting views (9)
SIGHTSEER – “cite” = quote, SEER = prophet
11 Golf club giving Woods, initially, slight advantage (5)
WEDGE = golf club – W from Woods, EDGE = slight advantage
12 Disastrous run, so he gets put out of seat (7)
UNHORSE = “put out of seat” – anag. of “run, so he”
13 Boisterously frolic as high-flier (7)
SKYLARK – 2 defs – a high flier (bird) and to frolic
14 Discard diamonds with irritation (5)
DITCH – D = diamonds, ITCH = irritation
15 Invincible military leader invading land before day’s end (8)
ALMIGHTY = invincible – AL(M)IGHT,(da)Y
18 What offers support and love to a girl? (8)
PROPOSAL – PROP = support, O = love, SAL = a girl – our first all-in-one
20 It’s found amongst Russians as handle (5)
SASHA – hidden word – a mysterious name – Sasha is a Russian diminutive for (did you guess?) Alexander – another all-in-one, using handle = name.
23 Light that’s seen in the morning sky (7)
LUCIFER – 2 defs – an old-fashioned match=light, and Venus as the “morning star”
25 Product of mine included by those people in mathematical work (7)
THEOREM – ORE = product of (e.g. copper) mine, in THEM = those people
26 Player takes a bow for this female Shakespearean role (5)
VIOLA – 2 defs – an instrument needing a bow (and a thick skin to put up with all those jokes), and a character in Twelfth Night, like her near anagram Olivia.
27 Child really likes receiving good gentle treatment they provide (3,6)
KID GLOVES = “gentle treatment they provide” – G = good, in KID LOVES = “child really likes”
28 Wrongly take solitary man with king or queen (8)
ROYALIST = anag. of “solitary”, with “with” meaning “on the same side as”
29 Cage bird (6)
PRISON – 2 def’s, one from rhyming slag (birdlime = time)
Down
1 Put off key publication without notice (8)
DISSUADE – D = key, then AD = notice, in ISSUE = edition of magazine or similar = publication
2 Enlarged photo for somebody (3,4)
BIG SHOT – 2 defs
3 Cooked trout with steamer, say – job for instructor (9)
TUTORSHIP = job for instructor – anagram of trout, SHIP = “steamer, say”
5 It’s delirium – I’ve distorted appearance of reality (14)
VERISIMILITUDE = “appearance of reality” – anag. of (it’s delirium I’ve) – a piece of cake IF you know the word ‘verisimilitude’ and what it means
6 Monarch eliminated from European kingdom? Certainly not! (2,3)
NO WAY = certainly not – R = king/queen removed from Norway
7 Lad lost at sea turning to experienced crewman (3,4)
OLD SALT = experienced crewman, salt being yet another word for sailor – anag. of “lad lost” – “lost at sea” is a very nice bit of clue-writing
8 Europeans who fought the people of Paris (6)
GREEKS – who fought the people of Paris – son of Priam, the King of Troy
9 Commander attacks all-out efforts by protesters (7,7)
GENERAL STRIKES = “all-out efforts by protesters” when “out” = on strike. GENERAL = commander, STRIKES = attacks
16 Evangelist’s cry of support for one who’s charming? (9)
GOSPELLER = evangelist – “Go, speller!” being the cry of support
17 Pears man ruined? Hard cheese! (8)
PARMESAN = hard cheese (please grate it fresh rather than using the vile stuff that smells like powdered vomit) – anag. of “pears man” – slightly ironic as pears go really well with both Parmesan and blue cheeses, the latter especially ideally accompanied by Sauternes, Tokay or port. That’s enough dribbling – Ed.
19 About to join Conservative and another in place of minister (7)
RECTORY = place of minister – RE = about, C = Conservative, TORY = another (Conservative)
21 Works hard to retain right in Cornish town (7)
STRIVES = works hard – R = right, in St. Ives
22 More demanding title role in musical (6)
OLIVER – CD based on Oliver Twist asking for more (from about 7:30 in the clip)
24 Morally weak female held up by bar (5)
FRAIL = morally weak – F = female, RAIL = bar

6 comments on “ST 2563”

  2. I found this a tad easy but nothing to complain about (as usual from Mr Greer).
    Think you missed an I out in Verisimilitude Peter (and I do know the word!)

  3. Man Alive, Peter, those Violist jokes were harsh!.
    A Rock Band tour bus crashed and the rhythm guitarist woke up from a big operation with the band at his bedside.

    “Good news and bad news, mate!”
    “What’s the good news?”
    “You have had a full lobotomy”
    “What’s the bad news”
    “We have bought you a Bass”

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