ST 3269 (Full Review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3269

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 16^th June 2024

BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***

Dada in slightly friendlier mode this week – I typed the word anagram nine times and there are six double definition clues too

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Across

7a           On air, best new singers (9)
BARITONES – An anagram (new) of ON AIR BEST

8a           Figure connected to joint (5)
TENON – TEN (figure) ON (connected to)

10a         Mysterious forces in painting (6)
FRESCO – An anagram (mysterious) of FORCES

11a         Cow behind young horse, not a sheep! (8)
FOLLOWER – LOWER (cow) goes behind FOaL (young horse) without (not) A

12a         Terrific magician (6)
WIZARD – An old informal adjective meaning terrific or delightful; a magician

14a         Shade I like, certainly not going outside (6)
INDIGO – I (from the clue) DIG (like) with NO (certainly not) going round the outside of the dig

16a         Support vertebral area (4)
BACK – Double definition: one a verb, the other a noun

17a         Circumference, right around! (5)
GIRTH – An anagram (around) of RIGHT

18a         Token potato? (4)
CHIP – A token or something made from potato

19a         One or two, say, experiencing effect of anaesthetic? (6)
NUMBER – One or two are examples of a NUMBER; an anaesthetic numbs so number is often used in crosswords to indicate an anaesthetic

21a         Delivery in Tipperary or Kerry (6)
YORKER – A type of cricket delivery is hidden in tipperarY OR Kerry

24a         Prejudiced revolutionary in Sparta (8)
PARTISAN – An anagram (revolutionary) of IN SPARTA

26a         Coloured stick that’s light stolen by criminal (6)
CRAYON – RAY (light) ‘stolen’ by CON (criminal)

27a         Swift group of vehicles (5)
FLEET – Another double definition clue

28a         Being reckless, forget his prudence! (9)
FORESIGHT – An anagram (being reckless) of FORGET HIS

Down

1d           Risky reaching for razor then? (5)
HAIRY – An informal word meaning risky or dangerous could also be used to describe a possible need for a razor

2d           Make-up tips scattered in lap (8)
LIPSTICK – An anagram (scattered) of TIPS inserted in LICK (lap)

3d           A country with capital in Brasilia turning up – South American capital! (6)
BOGOTA – A (from the clue) TOGO (country) with B (capital in Brasilia), all reversed (turning up in a Down solution)

4d           Part of tree in meadow on top of fence (4)
LEAF – LEA (meadow) on ‘top’ of Fence

5d           Tape on rope (6)
RECORD – RE (on the subject of) CORD (rope)

6d           Return what? (4,5)
COME AGAIN – Return or an informal way of saying pardon, what did you say

9d           Winter vehicle where murder reported? (6)
SLEIGH – A homophone (reported) of SLAY (murder)

13d         Ruby’s brought up near English city (5)
DERBY – A reversal (brought up) of RED (ruby) followed by BY (near)

15d         Demo supports liberation of a nut, of course (9)
NATURALLY – RALLY (demo) ‘supports’ an anagram (liberation) of A NUT

17d         Flashy cut bags run, one (6)
GARISH – GASH (cut) ‘bags’ R (cricket abbreviation for Run) I (Roman numeral)

18d         Plant in arboretum ultimately secured by elastic, surprisingly (8)
CLEMATIS – The ultimate letter of arboretuM ‘secured’ by an anagram (surprisingly) of ELASTIC

20d         Surface of bread, say – for this? (6)
BUTTER – B (the surface of Bread) UTTER (say)

22d         Big noise in fraud? (6)
RACKET – A sixth double definition clue

23d         Coffee in Palermo, charming (5)
MOCHA – Hidden in palerMO CHArming

25d         One strange name for gas (4)
NEON – An anagram (strange) of ONE followed by N (name)