Daily Telegraph Cryptic Crossword No 30641
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This puzzle was published on 15th June 2024
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
It was X-Type’s turn to provide our Saturday cruciverbal entertainment
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Across
1a Dreadful description of a snowman? (10)
ABOMINABLE – a synonym for dreadful often applied to a mythical snowman
6a Southern sweet potato (4)
SPUD – S (Southern) PUD (pudding, sweet)
9a The French girl is above board (5)
LEGAL – LE (French definite article) GAL (girl)
10a Rubbish spilt on me – idiot! (9)
SIMPLETON – An anagram (rubbish) of SPILT ON ME
12a Almost entirely missing: amount I prepared as defensive measures? (13)
IMMUNISATIONS – An anagram (prepared) of almost all of MISSINg and AMOUNT
14a Instrument is first of equipment to sort out (8)
ORGANISE – ORGAN IS (from the clue) E (the first letter of Equipment
15a This could create repetition, concerning part of speech (6)
REVERB – RE (concerning, on the subject of) VERB (part of speech)
17a Checks back street one metre initially in length (6)
LIMITS – A reversal (back) of ST (street) I (Roman numeral for one) M (metre) I (the first letter of In) L (length)
19a She’s very domestic and organised: has a fur uniform! (8)
HAUSFRAU – An anagram (organised) of HAS A FUR followed by U (Uniform in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet)
21a Go in a Lada and turn wildly, showing such force (8,5)
NATIONAL GUARD – An anagram (wildly) of GO IN A LADA and TURN
24a Bus maybe providing delight? (9)
TRANSPORT – A bus maybe or delight or strong emotion
25a Throw out some contents of the Victory? (5)
EVICT – Hidden in some contents of thE VICTory
26a Creature returns to get plant (4)
REED – A reversal (returns) of DEER (creature)
27a Beat idol? (5-5)
HEART-THROB – Without the hyphen, this would describe the beat (throb) of a heart
Down
1d Skilled actor Idris on the rise? (4)
ABLE – A reversal (on the rise) of the surname of the actor IDRIS ELBA
2d Working with the condition of a racecourse is continuous (7)
ONGOING – ON (working) GOING (the condition of a racecourse)
3d Colourful parts of manuscripts – some are found in Blackpool (13)
ILLUMINATIONS – Colourful parts of old manuscripts, or the light display in Blackpool
4d One who burns or stains all over the place (8)
ARSONIST – An anagram (all over the place) of OR STAINS
5d Type of lettuce to have when wool-gathering? (5)
LAMBS – This type of lettuce is cryptically described by the rest of the clue
7d Vessel, reportedly complete, in cave (7)
POTHOLE – POT (vessel) and a homophone (reportedly) of WHOLE (complete)
8d Cook hailed buns and cheese (6,4)
DANISH BLUE – An anagram (cooked) of HAILED BUNS
11d Legal document involved part settlement (though not married) (7,6)
LETTERS PATENT – An anagram (involved) of PART SETTLEmENT without (not) the abbreviation for Married
13d Insect maybe, with head in a peak? (10)
POLLINATOR – POLL (head) IN A (from the clue) TOR (peak)
16d Criminal, Joker, catching Batman at last (8)
GANGSTER – GAGSTER (joker) ‘catching’ the last letter of batmaN
18d Encountered Mr Solo, perhaps, on ecstasy – what a gas! (7)
METHANE – MET (encountered) HAN (Mr Solo in Star Wars) E (Ecstasy)
20d More impolite about late princess, becoming more red-faced? (7)
RUDDIER – RUDER (more impolite) ‘about’ DI (the late Princess of Wales)
22d A way in, you could say, for love? (5)
ADORE – A (from the clue) and a homophone (you could say) of DOOR (way in)
23d Mammals climbing? That makes you guess (4)
STAB – A reversal (climbing) of BATS (mammals)