DT cryptic 30 Dec 08 No. 25812

[agnostic2]

17a Succeeded breaking into Russian city oil centre (5) t-l-n. Only just got round to doing this crossword! Many thanks. Sedge47 tells me the answer is Tul s a. Could you possibly explain why, please? And is the answer to 18d (really try in a race 2,5) at heart? Many thanks.

[sedge47]

s(ucceeded) inside Tula (a city in Russia) giving Tulsa (oil centre in USA).

[mad_ferrit]

For most of the 20th century, the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma held the nickname "Oil Capital of the World", hence the "oil centre" part of the clue.

Succeeded = S breaking into Tula = a Russian City

= Tul S a

[sedge47]

18d. yes - really = at heart; race =TT, try = hear (as in court)