DT 28200 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 28200

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28200

Hints and tips by ShropshireLad

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BD Rating – Difficulty */**Enjoyment */**

Good morning everyone from a bright and sunny day in my part of Shropshire. Not exactly a R&W but not far off it. I actually quite enjoyed it, but after doing the review I’ve knocked half a star off due the ‘bittiness’ of it all (take the ‘a’ …… abbreviation….etc). I have a feeling that today’s mystery setter is the same as last week – due to the use of certain words. Calling is one of them.

As usual, the definitions are underlined to give you a leg up if required and if the hints and tips are not helpful – you can always view the answer by clicking on the ‘click here’ button.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a    Broadcaster has quarrel regarding west-facing building (10)
SKYSCRAPER: Start with a certain Mr R Murdoch’s cash cow TV empire (broadcaster), add a synonym for ‘quarrel’ and finish with the abbreviation for ‘regarding’ – reversed (west facing).

6a    Senior’s outraged? Not half! (4)
AGED: The instruction in the clue is to take ‘outraged’ and reduce it by 50% (not half).

9a    About to apply reason (5)
CAUSE: One of the standard abbreviations for ‘about’ is followed by a synonym of ‘to apply’ – eg employ.

10a    Exchanges knitted garment with us (9)
ARGUMENTS: An anagram (knitted) of GARMENT and (with) US.

12a    Earning from gambling, good for bishop (7)
GETTING: Start with a synonym for ‘gambling’ on horse racing perhaps and then replace the abbreviation of ‘bishop’ with the abbreviation for ‘good’.

13a    Son starts to look extremely exhausted — prompting this? (5)
SLEEP: Take the abbreviation for ‘son’ and follow that with the leading letters (starts to) the next 4 words.

15a    Free drink after one drops one! (7)
UNTWINE: Take a four letter synonym for ‘one’ and remove the letter ‘I’ (one drops one) and place it ‘after‘  ‘before’ a type of drink.  Thanks to all who noticed my intentional mistake (blush) – as CS said it’s one of those clues that are easier to do than explain.  That’s my excuse :)

17a    State cleared criminal (7)
DECLARE: An anagram (criminal) of CLEARED.

19a    Bride’s upset about invitations, initially — they’re below par (7)
BIRDIES: An anagram (upset) of BRIDES and I (invitations initially).

21a    Endure sitting in the German express (7)
DELIVER: Start with a synonym of ‘endure’ and place it in (sitting in) the German for ‘the’.

22a    Royal appears in picture gallery (5)
REGAL: Our one and only lurker of the day.

24a    Describe former lover? Unattractive (7)
EXPLAIN: The usual abbreviation for ‘former lover’ is followed by a synonym for ‘unattractive’ usually associated with ‘Jane’.

27a    A daughter calling for permission to enter (9)
ADMISSION: Start with the ‘A’ from the clue, add the abbreviation for ‘daughter’ and end with a term for ‘calling’ in life’s work.

28a    Gullible citizen ignoring Brexit’s conclusion (5)
NAÏVE: An indigenous member of a country (citizen) without the last letter of ‘Brexit’ (ignoring Brexit’s conclusion).

29a    Child taken round new class (4)
KIND: A 3 letter synonym for ‘child’ contains (taken around) the abbreviation for ‘new’.

30a    Torch is snazzy and easy to carry (10)
FLASHLIGHT: A synonym for ‘snazzy’ is followed by a term for not heavy (easy to carry).

Down

1d    Lay off dry white wine (4)
SACK: Double definition – the latter relating to various dry white wines from Spain and the Canaries.

2d    Child’s potty gone rusty (9)
YOUNGSTER: An anagram (potty) of GONE RUSTY.

3d    The man’s in court for a case (5)
CHEST: A shortened term for ‘the man’s’ is inserted (in) in the 2 letter abbreviation for ‘court’.

4d    A rising artist restricted by shortcoming: greed (7)
AVARICE: Start with the ‘A’ from the clue and then add, the abbreviation for ‘artist’ reversed (rising) in (restricted by) a synonym for a ‘shortcoming’.

5d    Tied up or about to tie the knot (7)
ENGAGED: Double definition – the latter meaning you have accepted a request to be married.

7d    Information about literary style (5)
GENRE: Take a 3 letter abbreviation for ‘information’ followed by another abbreviation for ‘about’.

8d    Upset, pa’s despair fades away (10)
DISAPPEARS: An anagram (upset) of PA’S DESPAIR.

11d    Annie perhaps makes false claim about American (7)
MUSICAL: An anagram (makes false) of CLAIM containing (about) the abbreviation of ‘American’.

14d    Clumsily move ahead of sailor? Hazel’s possibly knocked down by him (10)
LUMBERJACK: A charade of a term used for ‘clumsily move’ and a name normally associated with a ‘sailor’. The ‘Hazel’ here is a tree.

16d    Hangers-on that are frozen out? (7)
ICICLES: Cryptic definition for frozen water hanging from roofs in Winter.

18d    Promoting a volume about discoing? On the contrary (9)
ADVANCING: Take the ‘A’ from the clue followed by what you would probably be doing at a ‘Disco’ around the abbreviation for ‘volume’. The clue initially suggests that ‘volume’ should be around ‘discoing’ – that is reversed by the last part of the clue ‘on the contrary’.

20d    Peculiar ice in drinks all overturned (7)
SPECIAL: The ‘drinks’ is a verb describing how a cat or a dog may drink and that contains ‘ice’ from the clue, all reversed (all overturned). Not sure the definition is ‘nailed on’ here.

21d    Deputy closes banks (7)
DEPENDS: An abbreviation of ‘deputy’ is followed by a synonym for ‘closes’. The ‘banks’ have nothing to do with financial institutions or rivers.

23d    Street urchin: a male consumed by alcohol (5)
GAMIN: A type of clear spirit contains (consumed) the ‘A’ from the clue and an abbreviation for ‘male’.

25d    Cancel a Northern university being hosted by the Netherlands (5)
ANNUL: Guess what you do with the ‘A’ from the clue? Yes, follow it with the abbreviation for ‘northern’ and then add the usual abbreviation for ‘university’ inside the IVR code for the ‘Netherlands’.

26d    Reduce study temperature (4)
DENT: Take a synonym for ‘study’ followed by the abbreviation of ‘temperature’. An ever so slightly stretched definition?

There are a few clues I have a tick against (9 & 28a) – but I’ll go for 4d as my favourite. Did any clue(s) tickle your fancy today?


The Quick Crossword pun: air+row+plain=aeroplane


73 comments on “DT 28200

  1. Forgot to say – I see there’s an article today about the church in our favourite landlord’s neck of the woods. Not allowed comfy seats.

    1. As a regular Pew Hauler I say let us have the chairs we want. We have a perfectly good bonfire every Guy Fawkes Night where we can dispose of the pews. Any restaurants with bits of wood instead of plates are welcome to bring as many bits of wood as they like. I have put The Messiah on twice in our church with an eighteen piece orchestra and a 45 strong choir. Believe me those pews are heavy. I am not staging The Messiah or any other similar work until we have got rid of the pews. At least we can have chairs. I think at the last time of asking the recommended chairs were £600 each + vat. We need quite a few. The upholstered ones are considerably cheaper.

      1. Quite take your point, MP, but have to admit that it saddens me to walk into a beautiful old church and find it filled with stackable chairs in place of pews. Surely it’s not beyond the talents of some of our brilliant designers to come up with an alternative that would fit the bill in terms of practicality but remain in keeping with these hallowed spaces?

        1. On the other hand those with tender behinds can always bring their own cushions to church particularly when attending concerts, etc. as is done at sporting arenas. Alternatively churches can (and do) make money from hiring out cushions rather than ripping out vintage pews in historic churches such as 12th century Holy Trinity in Long Itchington to replace them with incongruous padded chairs.The problem in these days of waning congregations is with churches having to be multi-functional in order to survive. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it would be ungodly but I am afraid I am with the Consistory Court of the Diocese of Coventry’s decision. Sorry MP!

          1. We have upholstered stackable chairs already. The pews are falling apart and are not particularly aesthetically pleasing. We have permission to remove the pews and replace them with chairs. The issue is which chairs. Wooden at great cost is what is going to be forced upon us. It is easy to spend someone else’s money. Just what have The Victorian Society got to do with our Anglo Saxon church. It was standing long before Augustus Pugin came along. As for hiring cushions in Church – Mark 11: 15-19. Any we are not allowed to talk religion. I want the cheaper chairs so we can begin with the Organ restoration.

            1. Oh, M’pops, what a beautiful old church. I think you are a closet American; if it’s more than 50 years old, it needs updating or replacing!

      2. I see the Telegraph Editor today suggests parishioners might make “decorously embroidered” (tapestry?) cushions as per recently made kneelers to overcome the “bottom numbing” pews but presumably that wouldn’t satisfy MP and the Long Itchington Pew Haulers?

  2. Back after a busy summer of travelling. I am still finding that Tuesday is the easiest (for me) day of the week, and that Rufus on Mondays is still somewhat tricky.
    Thanks to Mr Ron for an enjoyable puzzle, completed comfortably before lights out last night – */*** – favourite 28a, with 30a as a close second.
    Thanks to SL for the review.

  3. SL. 26d: Think you may have a point about it being a slightly stretched definition. The answer is a noun but the clue definition (reduce) is a verb and the nounal version is reduction. The answer and reduction are eminently synonymous. Is that what you were getting at?

    1. Perhaps not commonly used, especially in the present tense, but 26d can also be used as a verb. But, I would agree it is a bit of a stretched definition.

      1. Yes, you’re right – I’ve found it as a verb in the SOED (my BRB is at home). Thanks for that. That’ll teach to make quick, extemporaneous comments!

        1. And now I’ve found it as a verb in my trusty BRB at home. So it appears thus in 3 premier dictionaries which would make me ordinarily conclude that it is not a stretched definition after all. Although, I must admit it is uncommon and under-used as a verb and if that qualifies it as being stretched in crosswordland then I will defer to your and SL’s greater knowledge of these technicalities.

    2. It didn’t occur to me that 26d was anything but fine – whenever I can’t do the Toughie (which is most days) the 26d in my crossword confidence gets a bit bigger i.e. my confidence gets reduced. :sad:

  4. Agree with SL ratings. Curate’s egg for me with nothing overly difficult but some distinctly underwhelming clues.
    Is untwine really a synonym for “free” in 15a? I’ll have to buy one of BRB things. Should “after” and “it” in the hint be reversed?
    Thanks to setter & SL for hints.

  5. A lovely puzzle , not difficult at all with some really nice clues. Thanks to setter and to Shropshirelad for the review.
    As an aside for those scared of the Toughie, give it a go today.

  6. 2*/3*. I enjoyed this particularly as it seemed to contain quite a lot of drink. 15a was my last one in and 23d was a new word for me.

    Many thanks to Mr Ron and to SL.

    P.S. If I ever visit Long Itchington I’ll head for the pub and not the church after reading today’s article on p7 of the paper.

  7. Had a complete mental block over the ‘broadcaster’ in 1a – silly when we’ve had it so often – so wavered over 1d. Also wanted ‘chapel’ as the last part of the answer for quite a while, which didn’t help at all.
    No other problems although I did check 15a – I’m only familiar with ‘entwine’ – and the required definition of 26d.
    Favourite was 30a – made me smile.

    Thanks to Mr. Ron and also to SL for the great blog. Kitty will be delighted by the pic at 13a but, personally, I’m not so sure about the name check at 24a………I think you did it on purpose! Gorgeous picture of a street urchin – brought out all the old maternal instincts.

  8. A real delight of a puzzle. Fairly clued and easy to unravel or untwine. Our indicator that Summer is coming to and end has shown its first flush of pink today. The Sedum Autumn Joy has light green bracts which change to a deep red in Autumn. That first flush of pink is late this year. Ta to all as usual (when I remember)

  9. Well within my limited capabilities, this one, and enjoyable for that. For 26d, that’s going to dent the figures. Thanks to all.

  10. I enjoyed this and it wasn’t too much of a stretch. No favorites today. For 26D, I reasoned that to put a dent in something (She put a dent in the plate of cakes all right!) was to reduce the quantity, so it sat fine with me. Thanks SL and setter.

    1. I tokk it in the context ” defeat dented his ego” so it seemed OK to me too.

  11. Enjoyable as ever from Mr. Ron, so thanks to him and the lad from Shropshire for the hints.

  12. Fairly easy I thought, but quite enjoyable. The only one that presented any problem was 1a, I eventually got it, cant believe I got stuck on that one. 2*/2.5* Many thanks to both the setter and to SL

  13. Good fun and not too tricky – just as well – too hot to concentrate properly.
    I always forget the 1a ‘broadcaster’ so was slow with that one.
    15a and 14d were my last ones in but, on the plus side, did manage the ‘golfy’ clue so smug about that.
    Tried to justify ‘singular’ for 20d – well, it did have a reversal of ‘gins’ for drinks at the beginning – but when I tried to put it in it was too long – oh dear!
    I don’t think I’ve ever seen, or known, 23d as a noun.
    I liked 13 and 30a and 1 and 2d. My favourite was, needless to say, 11d.
    With thanks to Mr Ron and to SL.

  14. Thanks to Mr Ron and to Shropshire Lad for the review and hints. I quite enjoyed this one. 23d was a new word for me, but was gettable from the wordplay. I didn’t like 12a. Couldn’t get 15a to save my life. I thought it began with un, but still was beaten. Favourite was 1a.

    1. The hint has got the wordplay back to front – The alcoholic drink goes after the ONE (which the office dictionary defines as a single entity) after that word has the I (one) removed. It is easier to solve than explain!

    2. Oh dear – I do so hate it when someone says, ‘poor clue’ – it sounds like something Brian (or my other half) would say when they don’t understand something.
      I think that all our setters are absolute stars and we don’t really get ‘poor clues’.
      I wonder how many people who say that something is a ‘poor clue’ have ever tried to set a crossword.
      Sorry if I sound grumpy – I’m not really – but this ‘stuff’ really gets me going.

  15. Today’s cruciverbal exercise really was a doddle which unusually enabled me to complete before breakfast. None really to call a Fav but did enjoy parsing 14d. I note nobody has stuck their neck out to name the setter so thank you Mysteron and SL. */**.

  16. Like SL, I also had suspicions that today’s setter might be the same one as last Tuesday. I thought it ok, but not one to stay long in the memory.

    I liked the reasonably topical 28a, but my overall favourite was 2d. A pity that the setter chose to use the same indicator (“upset”) in two of the six anagrams (19a and 8d).

    Thanks to the compiler and to SL. It’s turned “Scorchio” once again here in London, the second half of the summer is doing its best to redeeem the awfulness of June it seems.

      1. Certainly, or “disturbed” or “agitated” or dozens of other potential alternatives. I find it really surprising how often this sort of needless repetition occurs in professionally-set puzzles.

  17. Didn’t like it much. Permission and admission grated in 27a. And in 18d, discoing?? I think that term went out with the 70s.

  18. Nothing too taxing today, and some nice clues made for a comfy solve. Plenty to like, particularly 30a, 7d, 14d, 20d & 21d.
    Thanks to all as ever.

  19. No dramas just good fun. I agree that some of the definitions are a little stretched, but that doesn’t reduce the quality or the ability to solve IMHO. Being made to think laterally is part of the fun, and increases, for me anyway, the enjoyment. 14 down just my favourite, and 2*/3* overall.

    Many thanks to the Tuesday Mysteron and my fellow Salopian for his review.

  20. Arrrrrrrrgh found this frustrating not a favourite crossword. Struggled over SE corner.
    Better luck tomorrow. Lovely day for dog walking on the cliffs
    Thanks to SL and setter

  21. This didn’t cause much head scratching, but there were a lot that went in without knowing the”why”, e.g. 15a and 26d.
    There were some fun clues, maybe my fave was 28a, followed by 1a.
    Thanks to setter and to ShropshireLad for his review.

  22. A bit held up by thinking of “rogue” in 22a as in rogue gallery until I spotted the lurker. D’oh.
    15a took the longest time to get in an otherwise straightforward crossword.
    Didn’t post on the weekend prizes but enjoyed them both.
    Off to see Star Trek Beyond at the Imax.
    Can’t wait.
    Thanks to the Tuesday setter and to SL for the review. Can never look at a lumberjack seriously without thinking of the Monty Python song.

      1. I deliberately skipped the opportunity to dust off the ‘Lumberjack song’ – I thought I’d leave it to your memories.

    1. Yes – me too with the Monty Python ‘Lumberjack Song’ which then, as so often, takes me back to hospital pantomime stuff which started off with:-
      ‘I’m an anaesthetist and I’m OK,
      I sleep all night and I sleep all day . . . ‘
      The rest of it is not repeatable in polite company . . .

  23. I took an age to get going with today’s offering; I’m not really sure why. Come to think of it I took an age to do the whole thing and I still don’t know why! Must be the heat…..
    I didn’t have any issues with 30d or 15a, they seem quite reasonable to me. Each to their own I guess.
    2d was my favourite and overall I’ll go for 2/3*.
    Thanks to Mr Ron and to SL for his review.

  24. 1*/3*, I think, but by no means out of place for a Tuesday back-pager. I’m afraid I don’t really have a favourite clue. Thanks to The Mysteron and to SL for the review.

  25. I enjoyed this. Today is not a dry day in crosswordland: I was amused to see that we were served plenty to drink. Favourite-wise, because of the heat I will go for the one with peculiar ice in: 20d.

    Many thanks to the setter and ShropshireLad for the refreshment – a well-crafted crossword and another super blog. Jane is right that I liked the picture for 13a, and I thought that she might have something to say about your hint for 24a! You might at least have gone some way towards making it up to her with an appropriate illustration for 19a. :)

  26. Good fun. For some reason 9A and 15A took a while. Thanks for the cat and lumberjack pictures!

  27. A nice crossword a little tricky in places **/*** Had a bit of trouble with 21a 😏 Thanks to SL and to the setter. Liked 1a and 30a and of course the Lumberjack’s song. Far too hot for any 19a today 😎

  28. Thanks to setter and MP for an enjoyable puzzle. 15a was also my last in, primarily as I didn’t understand the clue, and couldn’t think of a four letter word for one, per the hint, I need to remember that in future. Plus more than one stretched definition today methinks.

  29. I down ? Sack does not mean dry white wine in fact it actually means sweet fortified white wine . If it is s dry sack then the word dry will be added to indicate it isn’t the normal sweet sack .??

    1. HI J and welcome from me as well.

      I always use the BRB as my first point of reference when doing a review and under entry 3 for ‘sack’ it says – ‘The old name of various dry white wines from Spain & the Canaries’.

      However, when I wrote the hint I did mean to add that my memory of ‘sack’ related to sherry – Dry Sack and all that. Hope that clears up any misunderstanding. :)

  30. As ever Tuesday is the hardest day of the week for me and the usual wavelength issues meant that this was utterly insoluble.
    Hardest one for a long time.
    Thanks to all.

  31. I have no idea what pew hauling is or why they are not fixed down? Pews don’t move…do they?

    Anyway. Nothing overly taxing..which is good. However at this time of night I can’t remember whether I liked it. I think I did. Defo enjoyed the blog., though..so on that note….ta to all.

    1. Hear, hear! At least they’ve got a decent lump of wood to sit on. What about those poor choristers – they have to wedge half their backsides on those spartan misericords!

  32. I did this one in the late afternoon yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed – I’m getting used to doing cryptics more for fun than anything else. Quite easy but some really good cluing. 2.5*/3*

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