Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28366
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on Saturday 4th March
BD Rating – Difficulty *– Enjoyment **/***
A crossword for fans of Lego clues and double definitions. It is also one for bloggers who have to draft this review; and then draft three further reviews for publication in due course. Fortunately all last Saturday’s clues were in the ‘easy to explain’ category.
Across
4a Blue feathers thrown (8)
DOWNCAST – DOWN (feathers) CAST (thrown)
8a Beat the interminable spots (6)
THRASH – THe (‘interminable’ indicating the need to remove the end letter) RASH (spots)
9a Uncovered meat in rush (8)
REVEALED – VEAL (meat) in REED (rush)
10a Military two-step? (3,5)
WAR DANCE – A cryptic definition
11a Go round using permit (6)
BYPASS – BY (using) PASS (permit)
12a Treading awkwardly, seeing inclined surface (8)
GRADIENT – An anagram (awkwardly) of TREADING
13a Nothing in temporary accommodation where maiden’s sheltered that’s soothing (8)
OINTMENT – O (nothing) IN TENT (in temporary accommodation) where M (maiden) is ‘sheltered’
16a Comprehensive brushwork (8)
SWEEPING – an adjective meaning comprehensive or work done using a brush
19a Catch ten wriggling fish (8)
ENTANGLE – An anagram (wriggling) of TEN and ANGLE (fish)
21a Central core of bandsmen, Blockheads, forming as a group (2,4)
EN BLOC – Lurking in the central core of bandsmEN BLOCkheads
23a Where you can’t get in a word or aside? (8)
EDGEWAYS – Part of a well-known expression or sideways
24a Fusspot‘s second difficult problem (8)
STICKLER – S (second) TICKLER (difficult problem)
25a Learners in swimming-bath going backwards move along in ungainly style (6)
LOLLOPS – L L (learners) in a reversal (going backwards) of POOL (swimming bath)
26a Essential to redraw triangle (8)
INTEGRAL- An anagram (to redraw) of TRIANGLE
Down
1d Where you may end up in stitches in more ways than one (7)
THEATRE – A cryptic definition – depends on whether you are watching a comedy or having an operation
2d Contender Frank was a consumer (9)
CANDIDATE – CANDID (frank) ATE (was a consumer)
3d Money that’s often resisted (6)
CHANGE – Money or something resisted by people who like things to stay the same
4d Big boss arranged credit or information on real diversifying (8-7)
DIRECTOR-GENERAL – An anagram (arranged) of CREDITOR, GEN (information) goes on another anagram (diversifying) of REAL
5d Beckon over group that’s used in radio transmission (8)
WAVEBAND – WAVE (beckon) goes over BAND (group)
6d Restrict muscle pain (5)
CRAMP – Another double definition that really needs no explanation from me
7d Partner’s issue, being on flight first (7)
STEPSON – ON (from the clue) with STEPS (flight of stairs) going first
14d Average toff has good intentions (5,4)
MEANS SWELL – MEAN (average) SWELL (toff)
15d Global flier (8)
CIRCULAR – An adjective or a noun – take your pick in yet another double definition clue
17d Man gains weight (7)
WINSTON – WINS (gains) TON (weight)
18d Drama, son becoming one of the glamorous idle rich? (7)
PLAYBOY – PLAY (drama) BOY (son)
20d Leg got broken in little bar (6)
TOGGLE – An anagram (broken) of LEG GOT
22d No end of good fortune concerning money (5)
LUCRE – LUCk (good fortune without the end letter) RE (concerning)
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