DT 30911 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30911

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 26^th April 2025

BD Rating –  Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***

Cephas set this Saturday Prize Puzzle

Across

6a           Great success of Brown and Green, say, taking to the air first (6,7)
FLYING COLOURS – FLYING (taking to the air) goes first before COLOURS (brown and green, say)

8a           Taken from Christmas to Lent (6)
STOLEN – Hidden in the last three words of the clue

9a           Ring for help after boat has capsized? (8)
LIFEBELT – A ring that might help while you are waiting to be rescued from a capsized boat

10a         Six about to face unknown lady (3)
IVY – A reversal (about) of VI (Roman numeral for six) to face Y (mathematical unknown)

11a         Out of uniform, samurai possibly one of three soldiers booked? (6)
ARAMIS – An anagram (possibly) of SAMuRAI without the U (out of Uniform) – the book, of course, being The Three Musketeers

12a         Musically challenged, fed a note to perform (4-4)
TONE-DEAF – An anagram (to perform) of FED A NOTE

14a         First opportunity (7)
OPENING – The first of something (a performance, exhibition) or an opportunity or vacancy

16a         Lift United with applause (7)
UPRAISE – U (united) with PRAISE (applause)

20a         Hear about game banning outsiders? Cunning! (8)
TRICKERY – TRY (hear) about cRICKEt without (banning) the outside letters

23a         Father welcomes a time for mickey-taking (6)
SATIRE – SIRE (father) ‘welcomes’ A (from the clue) and T (time)

24a         Ignoring the odds, insult head (3)
NUT – The even (ignoring the odds) of iNsUlT

25a         Be right alongside one repeatedly making complaint (4-4)
BERI-BERI – BE (from the clue) R (right) I (Roman numeral for one) repeatedly or written twice with a hyphen between

26a         Lunatic in French river, we hear (6)
INSANE – IN (from the clue) and a homophone (we hear) of SEINE (French river)

27a         One travelling from pole to pole? (9,4)
TELEGRAPH WIRE – A cryptic definition

Down

1d           Cancel my working for plant (8)
CYCLAMEN – An anagram (working) of CANCEL MY

2d           As one on the pitch? (2,6)
IN UNISON – As one, especially when sounding the same note

3d           Some ninety locals heading north to find follower (7)
ACOLYTE Hidden in reverse (heading north in a Down clue) in ninETY LOCAls

4d           Hydrocarbon on file in a ferment (6)
OLEFIN – An anagram (in a ferment) of ON FILE

5d           Lie and get browned off here? (6)
SUNBED – A cryptic definition

6d           Tense, but outlook could not be better (6,7)
FUTURE PERFECT – FUTURE (outlook) PERFECT (could not be better)

7d           Lass can refuse to develop confidence (4-9)
SELF-ASSURANCE – An anagram (to develop) of LASS CAN REFUSE

13d         Installed in castle, a reed organ (3)
EAR – Hidden in castlE A Reed

15d         Get to island with two different kings (3)
IRK – I (island) R (Latin for King) K (chess abbreviation for king)

17d         Jumble of tea and chips in a mess (8)
PASTICHE – An anagram (in a mess) of TEA and CHIPS

18d         Skilled performer not quite in charge (8)
ARTISTIC – ARTISTe (not quite telling you to omit the E) I C (in charge)

19d         Caught in lacy pants? Doubtful! (7)
CYNICAL – C (cricket abbreviation for Caught) and an anagram (pants) of IN LACY

21d         Reportedly cold pepper (6)
CHILLI – A homophone (reportedly) of CHILLY (cold)

22d         Come out east and join up (6)
EMERGE  – E (East) MERGE (join up)