Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2487 – Review
A full analysis by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
A bit harder than in recent weeks, but an excellent puzzle.
Across
1a They mimic arty types (14)
IMPRESSIONISTS – A delightful double definition of those who mimic on the one hand and the group of painters that included Manet, Monet and Renoir, to name but a few
9a Trail-blazer I found in harbour area (7)
PIONEER – It’s not immediately obvious that you need to place ONE, not I, inside PIER (a structure that extends into the sea) to get this trail-blazer
10a Operating part of hospital as showplace? (7)
THEATRE – a double definition
11a Type of guy’s attire, initially (4)
TOGA – the first letters of (initially) Type Of Guy’s Attire – doesn’t quite work as an all-in-one
12a Top spots for players as championship moves along, we hear (5,5)
TITLE ROLES – the players to whom these top spots are available are actors, not footballers! – TITLE (championship) and ROLES (sounds like rolls / moves along, we hear)
14a Important meeting males held in clubs, say (6)
SUMMIT – an important meeting that comes from MM (males) inside SUIT (clubs, say)
15a Soldiers in cooler, subject to legal process (8)
INFANTRY – these soldiers are a charade of IN, FAN (cooler) and TRY (to subject to a legal process)
17a Steer very erratically around old carrier (8)
CONVEYOR – CON (a word meaning to steer, as used in conning-tower) is followed by an anagram (erratically) of VERY around O(ld) to give a carrier
18a Stuff about English and their saintly representative (6)
GEORGE – GORGE (stuff) around E(nglish) to get St GEORGE (their saintly representative)
21a Poisonous plant girls collected (10)
BELLADONNA – strange that this poisonous plant should be named after two girls – perhaps someone had it in for them!
22a Buzzer used to be quiet (4)
WASP – this buzzing insect comes from WAS (used to be) and P (quiet)
24a Singer has some listeners in a trance (7)
SINATRA – Old Blue Eyes is hidden (some) in listenerS IN A TRAnce
25a Metal used in rake, as usual (7)
ROUTINE – put TIN metal inside ROUE (a name for a rake, a debauched or lecherous person) to get a regular course of action
26a With doctor’s help, he expertly handled many cases (8,6)
SHERLOCK HOLMES – A cryptic definition of the world’s most famous detective!
Down
1d Time’s up, oddly, for incentive (7)
IMPETUS – here oddly signals an anagram, not the alternate letters, of TIME’S UP to get an incentive
2d Food that’s never free for worker having share? (10,5)
PLOUGHMAN’s LUNCH – there’s no such thing as a free LUNCH – and the worker it belongs to is a PLOUGHMAN who makes furrows or ridges with his ploughshare!
3d Vessel starting in one direction, then reversing course twice on river (4)
EWER – this vessel goes East, West and East again on the River
4d Order that is producing attack out of defence (6)
SORTIE – SORT (put things in alphabetical order) is followed by IE (the abbreviation for “that is”) to give a sally from a besieged party to attack their besiegers
5d Strategically get around confused folk at UN (8)
OUTFLANK – to strategically get around is an anagram (confused) of FOLK AT UN
6d Person who splits diamonds? It’s a specialized craft (10)
ICEBREAKER – my favourite clue of the day is a cryptic definition that leads you to a ship for making channels through frozen water
7d System making a NATO militarist mad (15)
TOTALITARIANISM – the system that is an anagram (mad) of A NATO MILITARIST
8d Lower or upper garment (6)
JERSEY – it’s funny how crosswords make you think immediately of cattle when you see low or lower in the clue – this one is a double definition
13d Sampler of drinks given mix of teas in season (4,6)
WINE TASTER – someone who samples wine is an anagram (mix) of TEAS inside WINTER (season)
16d A party held under shade in US, in Western state (8)
COLORADO – A DO (a party) is under COLOR (colour / shade in US) to give a state in the Western part of the USA
17d Painter using black is in fashion (6)
CUBIST – a painter from the school led by Picasso comes from putting B(lack) IS inside CUT (a word meaning fashion in the sense of the way an item of clothing is styled)
19d Train, say (7)
EXPRESS – a double definition
20d Person having unexciting pursuit in top gear (6)
ANORAK – a double definition of an item of clothing worn by a trainspotter!
23d Money needed by entrepreneur often (4)
EURO – this money is hidden in (needed by) entreprenEUR Often