DT 28230 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 28230

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28230

Hints and tips by Big Dave

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment **

Shropshirelad has decided to withdraw from blogging duties for personal reasons – I hope he may change his mind at some time in the future.

Today’s puzzle was very ordinary and didn’t take up much of my time.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a    Minutes wasted mean a gent gets running (10)
MANAGEMENT: M(inutes) followed by an anagram (wasted) of MEAN A GENT

6a    Is infuriated to lose leader for a long time (4)
AGES: Start with a verb meaning is infuriated and drop its initial letter (leader)

9a    Cow’s bottom? (5)
LOWER: How a cow could be described because of the sound it makes (not moo, the other one)

10a    Identify corgi seen barking (9)
RECOGNISE: An anagram (barking) of CORGI SEEN

12a    Dad’s wise to provide safe conduct (7)
PASSAGE: A charade of a two-letter word for dad, the S from ‘S and an adjective meaning wise

13a    Room‘s heat cut by 50 per cent — it turned cold (5)
ATTIC: The second half (cut by 50 per cent) of [he]AT is followed by the reversal of IT and C(old)

15a    Resisted work and assumed an attitude (7)
OPPOSED: A two-letter word for a musical work followed by a verb meaning assumed an attitude

17a    Twitch returned in actual concert (7)
RECITAL: Put the reversal (returning) of a three-letter twitch inside an adjective meaning actual

19a    Hide debts? That’s mad (7)
FURIOUS: Animal hide followed by the usual debts

21a    A designer’s initial put on clothing label (7)
ADDRESS: A charade of the A from the clue, the initial letter of D[esigner] and a verb meaning to put on clothing

22a    Regularly adore a mother’s excitement (5)
DRAMA: The even (regularly) letters of [a]D[o]R[e] followed by the A from the clue and a two-letter word for mother

24a    26 to get old piece of information (7)
MESSAGE: The answer to 26 Down followed by a verb meaning to get old

27a    Huge robin up in the air, one close to another (9)
NEIGHBOUR: An anagram (up in the air) of HUGE ROBIN

28a    Tick seen on old south-east American deer (5)
MOOSE: A tick or brief period of time followed by O(ld) and the abbreviation for south-east

29a    Watched some characters returning in Brookside yesterday (4)
EYED: Hidden (some characters … in) and reversed (returning) inside the clue

30a    Large dress fantastic in any event (10)
REGARDLESS: An anagram (fantastic) of LARGE DRESS

Down

1d    Spy a mark on the skin (4)
MOLE: Two definitions – the first one being a usual suspect

2d    Novel’s mediocre writing on the Queen? It could be within solver’s grasp (9)
NEWSPAPER: A charade of a three-letter word meaning novel, the S from ‘S, some mediocre writing and the Queen’s regnal cipher gives something that could be within solver’s grasp, unless solving online like I do

3d    American soldier’s circling both directions to get young ladies (5)
GIRLS: The usual American soldiers around (circling) both directions

4d    Mythical creature I rammed at sea? (7)
MERMAID: An anagram (at sea) of I RAMMED

5d    Enthusiast almost certain that power could come from Hinkley Point? (7)
NUCLEAR: Most of a three-letter enthusiast followed by an adjective meaning certain or beyond doubt

7d    Flash from top of golden material (5)
GLINT: The initial letter (top) of G[olden] followed by some material

8d    Mum‘s budgerigars, finally flying, cheep not so much (10)
SPEECHLESS: This word meaning mum or unable to talk comes from the final letter of [budgerigar]S followed by an anagram (flying) of CHEEP and a word meaning not so much

11d    Looked good with weapon on back of steed (7)
GLANCED: G(ood) followed by a weapon and the final letter (back) of [stee]D

14d    Trust prisoner to dispose of stolen goods without identification (10)
CONFIDENCE: One of our usual prisoners is followed by a verb meaning to dispose of stolen goods around (without) ID(entification)

16d    Swallow and food ends up here? (7)
STOMACH: A verb meaning to swallow or tolerate and the place where food ends up

18d    So article about king is in enemy’s grasp? (9)
THEREFORE: The definite article followed by a two-letter word meaning about and the Latin abbreviation for king inside (in … grasp) an enemy

20d    This person’s unknown amount of money collected, we hear (7)
SOMEONE: Split as (4,3) this sounds like (we hear) an amount of money that has been collected

21d    Albert leaves one country for another (7)
AUSTRIA: Drop AL(bert) from one country to get another

23d    One very captivated by alcohol — bubbly? (5)
ALIVE: I (one) and V(ery) inside an alcoholic drink

25d    Directed the writer inside to help (5)
AIMED: The first person objective pronoun (the writer) inside a verb meaning to help

26d    Where the regulars eat hash? (4)
MESS: Two definitions – these regulars are regular soldiers

At least there’s the Toughie to do next, although I rather suspect that will be nearly as easy.


The Quick Crossword pun: diner+might=dynamite


82 comments on “DT 28230

  1. I’m not too busy this morning, so I managed to do this in real time (ie before the blog is posted). For me, not at all challenging though fairly enjoyable – but a good one, I’m sure, for the thousands of DT readers who like a daily crack at the back-pager. 21d is one of the oldest chestnuts ever. 1*/2.5*

  2. A nice diversion from a spell of writer’s block while trying to put the Toughie review together.

    I rather liked 9a (mmm, rump steak) and thought 28a had a good surface. I also smiled at 16d and 23d.

    BD is right that the other puzzle is not too tough, so do have a stab at that if you feel like it.

    Thanks to the setter and to BD.

    I very much hope that after taking a break, SL returns to the blog and his friends here.

    A video for 4d:

    1. Kitty,
      Echo your thoughts on the Toughie: it is very much in my scope so should be for most. Taking the two together probably equates to a toughish backpager for us “amateurs”.

      1. I wonder if BD will give us another Bette Midler link from her Sophie Tucker jokes involving 13d?

  3. This puzzle probably took longer than it should have done because my first answer for 1d was just plain wrong which meant that relying on it for the first checkers of 1a and 9a was no help at all. Needless to say those were the last ones in when I figured 1d out with help from the smaller Chambers.

    I initially thought that the 3 letter word for mediocre writing in 2d was new to me but I am beginning to think that I have come across it before, probably in another crossword or two!

    Favourite a toss up between 8d and 26d (an oldie but goodie?) with the winner being 8d.

    **/** – thanks to Mr Ron and BD.

  4. I found this to be a very easy puzzle which should give heart to the newer solvers as long as they do whatever it says to do. I am off to Pembrokeshire tomorrow morning. The second time I will have travelled abroad this month. I have booked lunch at Shaun Hill’s Walnut tree restaurant on Saturday as a treat for Saint Sharon who will have a second treat that day when we return home and she sees the state of the kitchen after my Damson Jam making exploits. Fortunately Saint Sharon is a very capable KP.

      1. Kitchen Porter. There are loads of things to wash up. The place is a complete mess. I would do it myself but I have had to mow the field. I have a dental appointment this afternoon I need to get change from the bank. I have to open up. Play Crib away at The Dun Cow in Hornton. Come home. Lock up and get up at 4.00am ish to drive to Pembrokeshire. I would love to sort the kitchen but i don’t know where to start.

  5. Oh No! I will miss SL, here’s to hoping he may return at some point…

    Favourite today is 8d (Mum’s budgerigars..)

    Made life hard by bunging in SPOT for 1d (a strange coincidence with today’s toughie!)

    “within solver’s grasp” is nicely used in 2d, pity we also have “in enemy’s grasp” in 18d.

    Took me a while to make sense of 20d – is ‘unknown’ part of the definition perhaps?

    Many thanks setter and BD

  6. 2d doesn’t apply for me :-( . I neither solve it online or in the newspaper. I photo copy it and the Quickie, plus the two from the Manchester Evening News onto an A3 sheet of paper then I fold it up into a solid, compact rectangle so I can solve it on the bus or wherever.

  7. Found the parsing a tad tedious today with oodles of lego flying around ie 2d,8d,14d,18d thought 20d rather weak and agree with BD on a **/**.
    Lacking a bit of sparkle ,me and the crossword.

  8. 1*/2*. BD’s description of this puzzle as “ordinary” is spot on.

    Many thanks to the setter and to BD, and, as others have said, we’ll miss SL. Let’s hope he will feel able to return at some stage.

  9. We’re back and up and running again after a very enjoyable break in Sri Lanka.
    We cut out numerous puzzles that we didn’t have time to do which eased the 7 hour
    wait in Abu Dhabi airport. Hence the joke: People in Dubai don’t understand the
    Flintstones, but the folk in Abu Dhabi do!!!
    Non taxing affair today but some really nice clues and very enjoyable.

    Thanks to Mr.Ron and Big Dave…

    1. Glad you enjoyed your hols, PD. How could you bear to leave the two little terrors behind? Hope they behaved themselves in your absence and didn’t give you the cold shoulder when you returned home!

      1. Thank you Dutch and Jane for your comments. The two little terrors were delighted to see us but they’ve become
        a little out of hand. Serious doggy training starts NOW!

  10. Not the hardest of puzzles, but I always get some satisfaction when I finish one. Sorry to hear about SL, hope he has a change of mind in the future. 1.5*/2* Many thanks to the setter and to Big Dave for the hints.

  11. Easy riding again today but IMHO not much fun. Perhaps we will be made to pay for lack of challenge by being presented with more demanding puzzles as the week progresses. We will miss you SL – thanks for past enlightenment. Thank you Mysteron and BD. */* *.

  12. Hi Dave, from a very wet West Wales although we are promised some sunshine later, thanks for blog tho’ I did manage to complete it without, last one in for me was 21d and although the country was obvious I really couldn’t figure it out!!!!!

  13. Fairly simple but tidy enough. Agree with RD’s rating.
    Hope to see SL back soon.
    Thanks to all as ever.

    1. Had a thought about your comment yesterday. Maybe the “van” comes from “avant garde” which used to do all the reconnaissance work.

  14. Definitely a ‘what you see is what you get’ type of puzzle but still satisfying to complete. Nearly fell into the same trap as Dutch with 1d until I spotted the obvious 9a which forced me to rethink.
    Liked the surface read of 14d but 19a takes the honours for me.

    Thanks to Mr. Ron and to BD for stepping into the breach. I do hope that SL has a change of heart – he will be missed.

    By the way – Kitty and BD are quite right about the Toughie. Well within the range of most of us back-page solvers.

  15. Expected the comments regarding the difficulty but it just balances days when people are saying they gave up.
    Thanks to setter & BD.
    Although it was always said, thanks to SL for increasing my enjoyment of the puzzles. Best wishes & hope you can see your way to returning.

  16. Oh no! Am I to be the only Salopian on the blog. Come back soon Shropshire Lad.

    This was probably the easiest puzzle we have seen for some time. Meaning no disrespect to those who may struggle with it, or to the setter, this was straightforward and perhaps lacking a little sparkle. I did enjoy 8 down, and the cow’s bottom appealed to my schoolboy sense of humour.

    1*/2.5* from me, with thanks to the Tuesday Mr Ron and BD for his breach-filling.

  17. I don’t think I’ve come across the (oldest) chestnut in 21d before or if I have I’ve missed it. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I’ve been regularly stumped by the DT for the last 20 years or so. I am doing much better since I discovered this blog and particularly since I’ve been tacking the down clues first, the logic of which defeats me. Anyway, I am indebted to the bloggers. SL had a kind word for me a little while ago. I wish him well.

  18. That’s three Tuesdays in a row now finished during my morning commute; nowhere near that speed on other days.

    Last in 8d, somewhat ironic given that my daughter let her recently acquired budgies out of their cage for the first time last night and it took an eternity to rehouse them. Mum refused to enter the room during the whole debacle.

  19. Hmm, I found this one a bit disappointing I’m afraid. As has been said, a distinct lack of sparkle. No real favourites and overall 1/2*
    Thanks to the setter and to BD for stepping into the breach.

  20. A smooth, steady solve today. A bit like the weather in the south – rather grey, dreich and unexciting but it got the plants watered. I am still stuck on 20d though. I will resort to the hints later if I still cannot sort it out.

  21. Quite gentle for a Tuesday I actually managed to complete without any outside assistance.
    Thanks to BD and setter also to SL for his amusing and informative blogs, come back soon.

  22. A fairly standard early week back pager which could have been a Saturday prize puzzle. Enjoyable all the same and let’s face it we haven’t got time for Elgar level every day! Thanks to the setter and BD for this review and to SL for his previous ones.

  23. Well. You just have to cross the Channel and everything is upside down.
    Don’t usually give star rating but would have given 4 stars for enjoyment.
    I thought that the clues were very well written.
    Liked the “room’s heat cut by 50%” in 13a, “hide debts” in 19a, “enthusiast almost certain” in 5d and ” king in enemy’s grasp” in 18d just to name a few.
    As Dutch, I wrote the same 1d as in the toughie until proved wrong.
    Sorry to hear about our friend’s departure from the blogging chair and hope to see him again soon (at least in York at the end of October. I owe him a dinner).
    Thanks to the Great Tuesday setter and to BD for stepping in yet again.

  24. Thanks to Mr Ron and to Big Dave for the review and hints. Come back Shropshire Lad, you are missed already 😩 A very straightforward puzzle today, I agree with Jose about 21d, so was 15a. Good mix of clues, though I didn’t like the linked 24a26d. Favourite was 8d. Last in was 28a. Was 1*/3* for me. Autumn is drawing on in Central London. As it is elsewhere 😃

  25. Quite gentle today. I also got a little stumped by putting ‘spot’ for 1d, until 1a realized 1a. Quite enjoyed 2d and 8d.

  26. Quite a gentle challenge but enjoyable. 8d was my favourite. Thanks to the setter and BD for the review. The front “yard” needs tidying following the removal of some trees so my works cut out for today.

  27. This came together in a satisfying way. I did stare at 14d for a while until I recalled previous discussion here of the use (or abuse) of “without” in clueing. Favourite for me is 20d, with 21d as runner-up.

    Thanks to the setter and to BD.

    All the best to SL. Your posts and blogs have educated and entertained and will be greatly missed. I hope that we’ll see you back in the chair soon.

  28. I enjoyed that while watching Mrs S painting the under-stairs cupboard & offering her valuable advice on her brush technique which was met with language I hadn’t heard since I was on Hull docks.

    On another note I can announce that, to paraphrase Maggie T, we are a grandfather to Henry who was born last week & weighed in at 8lb 4oz. Both mother & child are doing well after a few complications & he is positively cherubic & is the spit of my son.

    Thanks to Mr Ron & to BD. Now on to the Toughie while Mrs S puts another coat on.

    1. Ouch, Spindrift. If I was Mrs. S I’d be making that second coat the one I wear to go out in!
      Congrats on the new arrival – hope you’re brushing up on your baby-sitting skills?

    2. Congratulations. I am really pleased for you. It’s a great feeling and it gets better and better with time. I will have a pint for Henry tonight.

  29. I found this something of a slow burner, fairly lacklustre initially but some delightful clues emerged later on. 8d, 20d and 21d earned ticks from me, as did the excellent anagrams in 10a, 27a and 30a.

    I’m assuming that the setter doesn’t watch much TV, since Brookside (29a) ended thirteen years ago. Still, better than using Rawhide instead I suppose…

    Many thanks to today’s compiler and to Big Dave. I also hope that SL will not stay away for too long, the blog is definitely the poorer for his absence.

  30. Well, I enjoyed this. I don’t find it necessary to bend my brain out of shape to enjoy a puzzle.
    Fave was 19a, but others came pretty close.
    Thanks to setter and to BD for the hints.

    Note to SL: As you can see, many of us are going to miss you greatly. At least, try and post from time to time so that we can keep in touch without you feeling the pressure of having to blog.

    1. Well said M I hope SL will find the time too.

      How’s the book by the way. ( and what happened to the cat’s ear?).

      1. a) Thoroughly enjoying book; and
        b) when you have a cat spayed here, particularly if you use a charity discounted outfit, they nick the left ear of girls in case they get lost for some reason, that way a rescuer will know that they’ve been “done”. For obvious reasons, boys don’t have to have their ears snipped, only other bits. It’s not likely my cats would get lost, life is too good at Truxton Towers.

  31. Good luck and best wishes to Shropshirelad. I am always full of admiration for those of you who can solve these puzzles quickly and be able to write the hints with pictures for those of us in need of your help. Today’s puzzle was gentle, with clues that made sense, and therefore right up my street, leaving breakfast feeling very satisfied. I too put in spot for 1d which held me up for a while. Hope Shropshirelad will still be posting his humerous comments. For us expats, comments from and about all things Brit mean a lot.

  32. Like some other commenters I found this a bit bland but have to say 8d and 19a amused me. Thanks to setter and BD.

  33. Enjoyed the puzzle, no real difficulties but 20d took a while to solve. Hard to name a favourite, but as part of my job used to be to identify ticks to see if they could carry Lyme disease 28a edges it. Sorry to hear about SL, hope for a quick return. Thanks to the setter and BD.

  34. One of those puzzles where it was easier to get the answer than understand the clue. I still don’t see 20d, why would ‘some one’ sound like an amount of money? Beyond me.
    Presumably the enthusiast in 5d was Nut, if so how weak!
    Not difficult but for me very little fun, so many poor convoluted clues.
    Thx to BD for trying to explain the clues.

      1. Here in the East Midlands they do not sound the same – certainly on my side of the Trent – which is probably why it was the last one in for me!

    1. Her body. Her choice. She can wear whatever she wants to. I courted a mermaid once. Her vital statistics were 36 – 24 – and 99 pence per pound.

  35. Fairly easy, even for me.
    Nothing particularly inspiring, perhaps Sunday’s belter is still too recent in the memory.
    Struggling for a fav, but 8d at least had an obscure use of “Mum”, but a bizarre use of budgerigars!!!
    Thanks to BD for standing in, hope all ok with SL and thanks to Mr.Ron…
    Summoning up the courage to do the Toughie…pride before a fall and all that…

  36. Late today and didn’t even have time to look at yesterday’s crossword let alone Mr Rookie – too much to do and not enough time to do it.
    I have to confess that I did get a bit stuck with a few in the bottom right corner.
    I liked 13 and 28a and 14 and 18d. My favourite was 23d.
    With thanks to Mr Ron and to BD for standing in.
    SL – you’re greatly missed as I imagine you’ve gathered by now after all the comments – please come back – would a little :rose: encourage you?
    Been listening to all the stuff on the radio about the Wonderful Wogan – got a headache now from crying all day. :cry:

    1. Unless Mr CS’s teeth are a bit dodgy or the flapjacks were burnt I’d say that was pretty quick.
      I do hope that your son’s wedding on Saturday goes really well – we will all, of course, need lots of pics.
      Pink form requesting leave of absence was filed well in advance.
      Have fun. :smile:

      1. Thank you. Three days of grandson wrangling first :)

        Oh and it was a large flapjack, a hungry husband and an almost R&W crossword

  37. Made the same mistake as a few others by putting ‘spot’ into 1d. All put right when I looked at 9a as I have now locked ‘low’ into the brain when it has anything to do with a cow. It’s only taken me two years to remember it. I didn’t finish this in flapjack time, but I did manage to finish it in all day breakfast time. That’s quick enough for me. Thank you setter for a manageable crossword, and to BD for stepping up to the plate for the review. Message to Shropshirelad, please come back. We all miss you.

  38. Is there a clairvoyant setter at work?

    Clue for 3d in a Prize puzzle at end of August:

    Manager sacked as clearly mad.(3,9)

    Or was it advance warning of the “sting”

    Makes me wonder!

  39. Sorry. Thought I had. Love your blog and all the comments. I live in Arizona, land of no cryptics so I download and print them.

    1. Welcome from me AG. Maybe Az is no cryptic land but it is where the sun shines & the dry heat. Most years make a visit to Scottsdale, usually late Sept. This year coincided with the heat wave in late June – not quite so pleasant!

  40. This site is a glowing example of what the Internet should be about – sharing knowledge while amusing its users. Some of the glister, however, has faded with the withdrawal of Shropshirelad, an intelligent and jolly blogger – and damn good company in the pub. I, along with everyone else, wish him the very best and clutch at the hope that he will be back.
    As for today’s puzzle, one or two clues entertained, but it was largely a workmanlike affair, over very quickly with nothing outstanding in the clueing. Thanks (as ever) to BD and the setter. 1*/2*

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