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DT 29831

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29831

Hints and tips by Deep Threat

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ***

Good morning from South Staffs on a damp and dreary morning. and, having seen the banner on the site, happy birthday to Crypticsue.

Apart from teasing out the parsing of 3d, where the answer was obvious but the construction wasn’t, I found today’s puzzle to be a steady solve.

In the hints below, the definitions are underlined. The answers are hidden under the ANSWER buttons, so don’t click if you don’t want to see them.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

7a           Last piece of Arctic roll for dessert (7)
CRUMBLE – The final letter of ArctiC followed by another word for ‘roll’ or ‘trundle’.

Nigel Slater's apple crumble recipe - BBC Food

8a           Military order read out (7)
MARTIAL – This word for matters military sounds like (read out) a word for ‘order’ or ‘arrange’.

10a         Somehow depend on keeping agreement essentially indeterminate (4-5)
OPEN-ENDED – Anagram (somehow) of DEPEND ON plus the middle letter (essentially) of agreEment.

11a         Smart chain mayor finally removed (5)
STING – Remove the last letter of mayoR from a word for ‘chain’ or ‘sequence’.

12a         Start working with firm (5)
ONSET – Another word for ‘working’ followed by another word for ‘firm’ or ‘solidified’.

13a         Finished plan creating bank facility for customers (9)
OVERDRAFT – Another word for ‘finished’, followed by a plan or outline.

15a         Arrest adult trio that’s regularly expressed upsetting language (7)
ITALIAN – Put together an informal word for ‘arrest’ or ‘catch’, an abbreviation for Adult, and alternate letters (regularly expressed) of TrIo, then reverse (upsetting) the result to get a European language.

17a         Hound immoral head of judiciary in Northern Ireland (7)
BASENJI – Another word for ‘immoral’ or ‘low’, followed by the abbreviation for Northern Ireland wrapped round the first letter (head) of Judiciary.

Basenji - Price, Temperament, Life span

18a         Go crazy around Eve (9)
ENDEAVOUR – Anagram (crazy) of AROUND EVE, giving us a ‘go’ or ‘attempt’.

20a         Cast finishes off brief rehearsal you began watching (5)
FLUNG – The final letters (finishes) of the last five words of the clue.

21a         Unknown cuts record for composer (5)
LISZT – An algebraic unknown inserted into a record or sequence of items or events.

23a         Wager Mark will find something fast to drive? (6,3)
SPORTS CAR – Another (somewhat unusual) word for ‘wager’, followed by a mark on the skin.

24a         Suggest what experienced fashion model might exhibit? (7)
PROPOSE – Split the answer (3,4) and you have something that an experienced or non-amateur model might adopt.

25a         Unfortunately rudeness almost is guaranteed (7)
ENSURED – Anagram (unfortunately) of RUDENES(s) without its last letter (almost).

Down

1d           Rock band’s also touring large part of Australia (10)
QUEENSLAND – The band that Freddie Mercury used to front, plus the ‘S from the clue, and another word for ‘also’, placed either side of an abbreviation for Large.

2d           Worthless article yields nothing for American (6)
ABJECT – Start with a word for an article or thing, then replace the letter which looks like a zero with an abbreviation for American.

3d           Expel from university without reason extremely shocked individual (4,4)
SEND DOWN – The parsing of this one took me some time. Wrap the outside letters (extremely) of ShockeD around another word for a reason or motive, then add an adjective for ‘individual’ or ‘personal’.

4d           Second European defends abuse over guitarist originally in Blur (6)
SMUDGE – Put together a metaphorical word for ‘abuse’ or ‘slander’ and the first letter (originally) of Guitarist. Then put the abbreviations for Second and European either side of the result.

5d           Campaigns running scared, limiting empty undertakings (8)
CRUSADES – Anagram (running) of SCARED, wrapped round the outside letters (empty) of UndertakingS.

6d           Antipodean principal, small of stature reportedly (4)
KIWI – Put together homophones (reportedly) of another word for ‘principal’ or ‘crucial’ and ‘small in stature’, to get a familiar word for the people of one of the Antipodean nations.

7d           Film excerpt about reptile, current connection with it? (9,4)
CROCODILE CLIP – A large reptile followed by a four-letter word for a film excerpt, giving something that may be used to make an electrical (current) connection.

BU-103TX | Mueller Electric Crocodile Clip, Stainless Steel Contact, 5A | RS Components

9d           Inclined to steal gin, the girl fed appallingly (5-8)
LIGHT-FINGERED – Anagram (appallingly) of GIN THE GIRL FED.

14d         Newscasters in US on CNN are changing (10)
ANNOUNCERS – Anagram (changing) of US ON CNN ARE.

16d         Current lawsuit leads to state where nothing’s happening (8)
INACTION – Another word for ‘current’ (fashion) followed by another word for a lawsuit.

17d         Person withdrawing library books, one with 13 perhaps? (8)
BORROWER – Double definition, where the 13 refers to the answer to 13a.

19d         Competed in medieval combat re-enactment topless, getting thrown out! (6)
OUSTED – Remove the initial letter (topless) from a word for what knights did in medieval tournaments.

20d         Rearing cheetahs, it effectively inspires obsession (6)
FETISH – Hidden in reverse (rearing) in the clue.

22d         Son given powerful injection (4)
SHOT – An abbreviation for Son followed by ‘powerful’ (as a chilli might be).


The Quick Crossword pun BEE + BUSY + JUAN = BBC ONE

81 comments on “DT 29831

  1. Cracking puzzle to end the working week, very enjoyable from start to finish.
    I liked the (double) homophone at 6d (surely no one can object to this one) and the two rock band related clues along with the “experienced model” but my favourite was the skillfully constructed 17a.
    Great stuff.
    2.5/4*
    Many thanks to the setter and DT for the top notch entertainment and a big happy birthday to Cryptic Sue.

    1. I’m a big fan of Blur. Take a listen to this, I can guarantee that virtually all UK residents will recognise it, without realising from where it came.

      1. Well, I am glad that I left the UK before they had any (small) amount of success and I hope that they are very forgettable.

        1. Senf…just looked on YouTube. That video has 12 million views to go with worldwide record sales of over 70 million and 26 top 40 hits. They clearly had rather more than a “small” amount of success, have millions of fans, though not any, it appears, on here.

      2. I’m a UK resident and recognizes it … but also know it came from the album after Parklife (the 1995 one that has Country House on it), seemingly as that album’s equivalent track to To the End.

  2. I think we have been royally entertained as well as being teased today! The Friday “back page” slot seems to be shared between three setters: proXimal, Zandio and Silvanus. They have very different styles but with one thing in common, their puzzles are all excellent!

    As I started solving today, the ultra-smooth surfaces led me towards attributing this to Silvanus, but, as I progressed, I suspected a pangram might be on the cards. With only a handful of clues left to solve, I was missing only X and Y and spent longer than I needed trying to fit one or both of these letters in. Would it be a pangram from Silvanus or an X-less pangram from proXimal?

    Answer – neither! So, my conclusion is that Silvanus has, probably unwittingly, teased us.

    This was a worthy 5* offering for enjoyment which took me my 3* time to complete largely due to having spent too long looking for an X and a Y.

    Favourite? Pick any one of these brilliant clues.

    Many thanks to Silvanus and to DT, and Happy Birthday to CS.

  3. As is often the case on Friday, I guessed correctly but didn’t get the parsing for 5 of the clues in this puzzle. I managed to finish it in 3* time with 2.5* for enjoyment. Like DT, I puzzled over the parsing for 3a and 6d was also a problem. Thanks to DTfor the explanationsfor these two and for confirming my half-formed theories on the parsing of 8a, 15a and 20a. Finally thanks to the compiler for his efforts.

  4. This was an excellent puzzle that was a little harder to solve than others this week, and was definitely more rewarding and satisfying as a result. Like RD, picking a favourite from such a worthy number of clues seems somewhat disingenuous, but I will go for the very smooth 17a.

    It certainly feels like a Silvanus compilation, so thanks to him (with apologises and thanks to the actual setter if not him), and to DT. Finally, very many happy returns to CS.

  5. Excellent diverse cluing and a top draw end to the week.
    Last in was 15a not sure which of the two languages gave the definition until I spotted the ‘reversal’
    Difficult to pick a favourite,going for the clever 6d.
    Had the correct words for the quickie pun but it still does not work for me-must be missing something!

  6. A very good puzzle to end the non-work – **/****.

    Like RD, I was thinking Silvanus, for the surfaces, or proXimal, for an X-less pangram, but the post-solve letter check showed that ‘Y’ was also missing – so, I still have my five bob from last Saturday and it is going on Silvanus.

    Candidates for favourite – 15a, 21a, and 16d and the winner is 21a.

    Thanks to Silvanus and to DT, and Happy birthday to CS.

  7. A lot of fun. I had to check the hound but fairly clued. 15a was my favourite. Thanks to setter and DT.

  8. Some lovely smooth surfaces, and assisted by a generous dollop of anagrams, this was a most enjoyable “Friday Fluffy”, while it lasted.

    Am not sure why the b of Blur is capitalised, other than as a red herring to follow on a theme from the guitarist – was there a guitarist in Blur of the answer’s name?

    HMs to 2d, 6d, 14d, and 1a; COTD to 17a.

    2* / 3.5*

    Many thanks to setter and to DT

  9. Terrific puzzle. A lovely mix between ‘chuck ’em in’ and ‘mmm… need to ponder this one’.

    I’m currently going through boxes of clothes and arranging them into ‘clothes bank’ or ‘charity shop’. This has resulted from the realisation that a return to a 36″ or even 38″ waist is never going to happen. They have been stored for over five years in the vain hope of a slimming regime. That ship has sailed.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: Frederick Delius – The Walk To The Paradise Garden
    (on reflection, it should have been Madness – Baggy Trousers)

    Thanks to the excellent setter, the ever reliable DT and Happy Birthday to Cryptic Sue

        1. I have the opposite problem T. A few years ago I bought a really nice tweed suit then promptly lost two and a half stones so I’ve hardly worn it. I was hoping to grow back into it but it’s not happened so far, try as I might.

  10. An excellent effort for a Friday. I’m in the Silvanus camp today but what do I know. All went in rather smoothly but I’m uncertain how 1 down works. ‘Irritating repetitive Pop Pap band’ perhaps. Thanks to Silvanus for the puzzle (if it were he] and thanks to DT for the review. The Quickie Pun made me smile once I realised how it worked. It’s the weekend. Beer and Rugby for sure

  11. It will probably be a year or more until I get round to downloading this puzzle along with the rest of this week’s ‘back pagers’ and ‘toughies’, but as I had dropped in to visit an old NTSPP review and saw the banner I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to wish CS a very Happy Birthday! After all, comments for this date will be closed in a year or so’s time… :smile:

  12. What a fantastic puzzle today, which adds to my thoughts that our editor is being kind to us lesser mortals this week. I found it a steady solve with some lateral thinking needed. I did not know the hound but the parsing gave me an educated bung in, which the BRB confirmed. Favourite and my COTD is 4d.

    Many thanks to the setter and, of course, DT for the hints.

    Last but by no means least, a Very Happy Birthday to CS. :rose:

  13. Enjoyed today’s mental workout but with only partially parsed solutions leading to some bung-ins. East was easiest going. Stupidly put in homophone for 8a which left me trying to justify Thai for 6d. 17a hound new one on me. Fav 24a. 9d seems to be a bad penny – a coincidence or is there a common source I wonder? Quickie pun is ingenious. Thank you Mysteron and DT. Felicitations Sue 🎂.

  14. Definitely one where just find the definition and don’t worry about the often very complex wordplay.
    I did like 7d, the rest were not to my taste. All a bit clumsy to my mind.
    Thx for the hints for explaining 20a, 15a, 2d, 4d, 5d and 6d.
    ***/**

  15. Thank you DT, my coffee went cold as I tried to parse 15a. And I should learn to spell my Hungarian composers. Nice to have Graham Coxon and a rare dog breed on a damp Friday, had fun.

  16. A DNF for me today, had to resort to hints and still don’t understand 6d although I’d bunged it in. Far too clever for me ,but thanks for the work out and the hints.

  17. As many have already commented, this was a very enjoyable solve. I found it trickier than the other puzzles this week, which is no bad thing for a Friday.
    I spent far too long trying to squeeze NSW into 1d and consequently the NW corner was the last to fall.
    An excellent surface read at 15a, although I would normally associate “upsetting” as a reversal indicator in a down clue?
    Thanks to our setter (Silvanus?) and to DT and a very happy birthday to CS.

    1. Hi Shabbo,

      If you think of “upset” in the sense of knocked/turned over, it can work in an Across clue.

      1. Hi Silvanus
        Thanks for dropping in and good to hear from you. Fully understood.
        A great puzzle. Please keep them coming!

  18. Agreed. Excellent workout, stars for 9,10,15,20a and 1,5,14 and 20d. Morse put in an appearance too. Friends of ours had a 17a and although I love dogs, I have to say he was a maverick. Many thanks to setter and to DT for explaining 15a which I put in, but could not justify. I spent last evening making four sprouts. We need at least 50. I’ll tell you more on Monday – although I know it means you will have sleepless nights wondering. 😉
    Never a dull moment in our house. Have a nice day, C.Sue.

  19. A relatively straightforward Friday puzzle. 2.5*/***
    Clues to like were 20a, 23a, 24a, 7d & 9d with winner 29a

    Thanks to setter and DT

  20. Setter here, many thanks to DT for his Hints and Tips and to all commenters, glad to know most of you enjoyed the puzzle.

    The non-barking 17a does crop up from time to time, BD’s excellent “Search” facility tells me it last appeared in February 2019 in a Jay puzzle.

    I’m always intrigued by what subjects become the unexpected subject of debate on the Blog, a few months ago there was a discussion as to whether shrimps were a “bright pink colour” (as the BRB seems to think), and today the merits of Blur came under focus. Well I never!

    May I wish everyone a good weekend.

    1. Great puzzle, Silvanus and a most enjoyable solve. The way the blog travels down interesting side tracks is intriguing, isn’t it? Thank you for popping in.

    2. Great puzzle again Silvanus, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
      I was hoping you were going to admit to being a Blur fan then I would have had at least ally on this site! 😭

      1. I like Blur but didn’t know that song was one of theirs. I was fairly certain i may’ve heard it on an advert (as you point out) but it must’ve been a few years ago as I now reside in the US. However, I occasionally use the vpn to access UK TV so maybe I’ve heard it during one of those occasions…..

        Great puzzle today – very enjoyable. Thanks to DT and Silvanus.

    3. Guessed it was you. Comfortably the best puzzle of the week thus far for me. A delight from start to finish as per. Too many good ‘uns to pick a favourite but particularly enjoyed sorting out the wordplay to the misleading surface of the Blur one.
      Many thanks & to DT too. Happy birthday CS – hoping that you’re having a lovely day.

  21. Thanks Silvanus. I doubt that I’ll remember the hound. My last one in and a google guess from the word play and the checkers. An entertaining workout today. ***/*** No particular favourite. Happy birthday, CS. Thanks to all.

  22. Another crackerjack Silvanus treat. Finished solving in ** time but parsing took me into ***, which proves just how challenging a few of the clues were. Highlights: 3d, 8d, 15a, 17a, with 2d my COTD. Great stuff. Thanks to DT and to the ever-smooth and ever-canny Silvanus. *** / ****

    Finished the Toughie but with a wee bit of e-help. My mother would have been 105 today, but Saint Lois’s spirit still imbues ours…smartest person I ever knew, from dirt farm upbringing to world traveller.

  23. I’m relatively new to cryptic “crossword land”. Having retired from teaching last year, here in Guernsey , I now have the time to keep the grey matter active by attempting to complete the puzzles and find “ bigdave” a real asset. Many thanks for your contributions to such an enjoyable challenge!

    1. I’m not sure if you have posted before, Mike but, if not, I would like to welcome you to the blog.

  24. Just back from a walk round Goodnestone Park (where Jane Austen was known to take a stroll back in the day) and a most excellent lunch

    Thanks to BD for the birthday banner and everyone for their good wishes

  25. Nothing to do with cruciverbalism but could ornithological members tell me what bird this is? It visited the bird table for the first time today and Mrs. C and I cannot find it in our bird book.

    1. I think it might be a nuthatch. I’m sure Jane will be able to identify it more positively.

      1. It certainly is – a delightful bird. You may well find that he’ll become a regular visitor now that he’s sussed out your feeding arrangements.

    1. Sorry, Florence – my thanks to you for the bird ended up under RD’s post so here is your personal thank you from me. :good:

  26. I started at the top of this puzzle, and have to admit that I failed miserably. I went away and then started again from the bottom. All solved without a problem. Thank you setter and DT.

  27. This was the hardest for me this week including the two Toughies I attempted. Flummoxed by 15a which I just could not parse. I liked the gig which I had never heard of, but which was edd as s’y to get from the clue. Spent a while on 6d. I could only think of those cans of beer. Second time this week for 9d. I liked 2d, short and sweet, and it’s a good word. Thank you Silvanus and to DT also.

  28. Went out with a friend today for a drive round the Conwy valley to see the Autumn colours. Mostly we saw quite a lot of cloud, a fair bit of rain and plenty of rather soggy looking sheep! Not to worry, a pleasant lunch en route and plenty of chatting still resulted in an excellent outing.
    Puzzle done and dusted beforehand and, as ever with this setter, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
    Topping the leader board were 7,17&24a plus 6d with a special mention for the truly cringe-worthy Quickie pun.

    Thanks to Silvanus for the excellent puzzle and to DT for the review and the clip of the extremely dexterous lady pianist.
    Many happy returns to CS – hope you enjoy the rest of your special day.

  29. Took a couple of attempts to solve this crossword 😳 ****/***knew the dog though! Favourites were 24a and 6 & 17d Thanks to DT and to the Compiler 👍

  30. Had to use the electronic gizmo for a couple and needed help fr9m DT with even more parsings, so not my best day today.

    Thanks to Silvanus and DT and Many Happy Returns to CS.

  31. A trip out with Mama Bee to visit the coffee roasters delayed my start on this excellent puzzle. I must confess to a couple of bung ins (That HAS to be the answer but buggered if I can work out why).
    DT’s top-notch hints have sorted me out.
    Big fan of Blur and interesting to this turophile the bassist with Blur (Alex James) is now a cheese producing farmer and I am still waiting for his cheeses to appear at my cheese shop.
    Thanks to Silvanus and DT and happy birthday to Cryptic Sue too.

  32. Thoroughly enjoyed solving this today. My first Friday where I have finished without hints or help for a while.

    Also enjoyed the Liszt video. The music I muted so I could enjoy a phenomenal pianist couldn’t have been further away from this!

    Unfortunately I remember Blur et al and recognised the track mentioned earlier. I tolerated Blur but thoroughly despised the most overrated Beatles tribute band ever aka Oasis.

    Thanks to all.

  33. Well I made harder work of this than I should have but got there and all parsed to my own satisfaction which, happily, coincided with DT’s. Hard to pick a favourite but I’ll go with 2d, my last in. Thanks to Silvanus and DT.

  34. 3*/3*…
    20D ” Rearing cheetahs, it effectively inspires obsession (6) ” ….. also the quickie pun.

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