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DT 30002

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30002

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

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

Kia ora from Aotearoa.

Last week’s gallivanting from one kiwi is now over so we are back to our usual team effort again.

Our New Zealand winter weather pattern is firmly in place and we’ve had several wet days recently, interspersed with clear crisp frosty ones.

The puzzle felt like what we expect and appreciate from our regular Wednesday setter.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Counter-agent seeing point in a new link (8)
ANTIDOTE : ‘A’ from the clue, and N(ew) then link or connection contains a point or full stop.

5a     Relative newcomer’s first record cut (6)
NEPHEW : The first letter of newcomer, followed a 45 rpm record and a word meaning to cut possibly wood.

9a     Sticky mess in front of new fridge — oh no! (4,5)
GOOD GRIEF : A three letter sticky mess, and an anagram (new) of FRIDGE.

11a     Obscure sweet (5)
FUDGE : A double definition. Obscure here meaning obfuscate.

12a     Approach Rome’s first person looking for a catch (6)
ANGLER : An approach or way of dealing with things and the first letter of Rome.

13a     Right answer lies in diplomacy and conduct (8)
TRANSACT : R(ight) and the three letter abbreviation for answer are inside a synonym for diplomacy.

15a     Looking into getting visa sorted out by heartless Iran (13)
INVESTIGATING : The first and last letters (heartless) of Iran plus an anagram (sorted out) of GETTING VISA.

18a     Order Dutch treats, accepting half of mums make the grade (3,3,7)
CUT THE MUSTARD : An anagram (order) of DUTCH TREATS contains the first two letters of mums.

22a     Bearing the cost of transport (8)
CARRIAGE : Double definition. Bearing here is stature or demeanour.

23a     Plant some now as a biennial (6)
WASABI : A lurker, hiding in the clue.

26a     A bit of loin, regularly wanting garlic sauce (5)
AIOLI : Every second letter (regularly wanting) from the first four words of the clue.

27a     Breaking rule again? Such a pain (9)
NEURALGIA : An anagram (breaking) of RULE AGAIN.

28a     Feel bitter about attending without power (6)
RESENT : Start with a word meaning attending and remove P(ower) from the start of it.

29a     Worries stones must contain it (8)
AGITATES : A type of semi-precious stone surrounds IT from the clue.

Down

1d     Sort of topping month with vermin at home (2,6)
AU GRATIN : The eighth month, then a verminous animal and the classic two letter ‘at home’.

2d     Strip and run escaping from crowd (5)
THONG : Remove R(un) from a crowd or large group.

3d     Risks losing name for good weapons (7)
DAGGERS : Start with a word meaning risks and replace its N(ame) with another G(ood).

4d     Catch on small branch (4)
TWIG : A double definition. ‘Catch’ here is hear or understand.

6d     Address English females and finish with one (7)
EFFENDI : String together E(nglish), F(emale) twice, a synonym for finish and Roman numeral one.

7d     Extremely happy with a garden designed for growth (9)
HYDRANGEA : The first and last letters (extremely) of happy and an anagram (designed) of A GARDEN.

8d     Grabs wife and relaxes (6)
WRESTS : W(ife) plus relaxes or takes a break.

10d     Prepares listener, surrounded by models (8)
FOREARMS : Models or templates contains a listening organ.

14d     Aiming for reform outside church state (8)
MICHIGAN : An anagram (for reform) of AIMING encloses CH(urch).

16d     Filling the place of another priest with evidence of debts (9)
VICARIOUS : A parish priest and the four letters that indicate debts.

17d     Officers may see arms laid at sea (8)
ADMIRALS : An anagram (at sea) of ARMS LAID.

19d     Teaching and feeling not hot (7)
TUITION : Start with a word for feeling or premonition and remove hot or trendy from the start of it.

20d     Constituency must keep network impenetrable with this preparation (7)
SEALANT : A semi all-in-one with the answer being a preparation that stops leaks. The wordplay is a parliamentary constituency surrounding a type of computer network.

21d     Delicacy of European Community retreat (6)
ECLAIR : The two letters for the European Community and a retreat where an animal might be found.

24d     Anxiety is no good in a way (5)
ANGST : ‘A’ from the clue and a thoroughfare surround the two letters for no good.

25d     Bribe consisting of cake and sugar essentially (4)
BUNG : A cake perhaps like one from Chelsea and the central letter of sugar.

We liked finding all the tasty things to eat.

Quickie pun    subdued    +    essay     =     sub judice

56 comments on “DT 30002

  1. This is turning out to be a great week for crosswords with today’s offering not bucking the trend. Just the right amount of head scratching and inspiration needed to get over the finish line. I loved the surface of 5a and the anagrams were just right in that they occupied the brain cells for a good while. All in all, a wonderful puzzle with my COTD being 13a.

    Thank you to the Jay for the fun challenge. Huge thanks to the 2Ks for the hints.

    A very Happy Birthday to Shropshire Lad. :good:

  2. A light delight with only 20d causing any pause for thought though the sauce was new to me.
    Top three for me 9a plus 16d with top spot going to 18a, one of my very favourite idioms and one I try to shoehorn into conversation whenever possible.
    Thanks to the setter, Jay I presume, and the reunited Ks.

  3. 2*/4.5*. Light and great fun with 1a, 22a & 26a beating off stiff competition to make it onto my podium.

    Many thanks to the three birds now that we are back to our full Wednesday quota.

  4. Most enjoyable puzzle while it lasted, although with all that food (especially if the 12a is successful) and the sauces/dips, I think a couple of indigestion tablets might be in order! Some great surfaces and lovely concise clueing. Highlighting for special mention 9, 12, 22 and 26a; 19d, with 21d my COTD just becuase it prompted recall of one of the most amusing definitions to be found in the BRB.

    1* / 3.5*

    Many thanks to Jay and to the 2Ks.

  5. A light delight about sums it up. No particular favourite just typically high quality clueing throughout together with 3 things to tickle the palate.
    Thanks to Jay & 2Ks

    1. I counted six edibles (OK 18a might be a stretch). I’m probably just hungrier than you.

  6. An unusually lenient Jay I thought – if it is he – with an enjoyable */**** affair. Although 20d was clear I did use the hints to understand it as the LAN reference was new to me. I thought 1a one of the cleverest of the many clever clues so that is my COTD. Thanks to the 2K’s now reunited and our setter.

  7. A bit more enjoyable plain-sailing with no serious snags to overcome. South fell to first. Enjoyed parsing 1d which then became Fav. IMHO 10d only loosely prepares and likewise address for 6d. Thank you to all the birds for a chilling out spell.

  8. Unlike others, I found it hard to get a start on rhis puzzle but gradually speeded up until I got stuck in the NE corner, which took time to sort out. Favourites werec1od, 13a and the geographical clue14d, with 18d as COTD. Thanks to the compile rand the Kiwis.

  9. All good fun, just right for a sunny day.
    Plenty of choice for top spot but I think 13a just has the edge.

    Thanks to Jay and to our 2Ks for the review.

  10. Lovely crossword, completed in one of my brief periods of being awake. As I’m in my sixth week of bronchitis, I’ve been prescribed mega-strength antibiotics and the effect is like being hit over the head by a fellow wielding a snooker ball in a sock. It’s rather a pleasant wooziness, to be fair. I am under the benign spell of Morpheus.

    25d was my last in because a) I’m daft; and b) blame it on the drugs.

    Thanks to Jay and The TwoKays

      1. Hope it gets better soon. The only thing to do when you feel like that is to climb in bed or your favourite recliner and crash out. Don’t feel guilty, your body is telling you to rest, so do it. Its just a shame it has to be Jubilee weekend! Commiserations, Terence.

  11. Very enjoyable mid-week entertainment, just what I would expect from Jay in the puzzle and the 2Kiwis in the blog – **/****.

    Candidates for favourite – 13a, 22a, and 24d – and the winner is 22a.

    Thanks to the aforementioned three birds.

  12. Enjoyed my croissant and coffee as I pretty much sailed through this engaging grid from 1a to 29a (though 20d did give me a few moments’ pause). 9a, one of my favourite interjections, led the winners onto the podium with 16d, 22d, and 1a following close behind. A gentler Jay than usual but still most enjoyable. Thanks to him and to the Kiwis. ** / ****

    A very doable Toughie today.

      1. You’re quite right Robert, I wondered where he had got to. I miss his well-balanced comments. Hope he is alright.

  13. First look, too difficult!
    But, eventually, and a start, the SE corner yielded followed by a sometimes head-scratching progress to completion.
    Great stuff.
    Top prize 13a.
    Last in, ashamed to admit, 26a.
    So, just touching 4*/*****
    Many thanks Jay and the 2Kiwis.

  14. Back in the south of France now.
    It was great to be able to hold the proper paper in my hands while staying in Ireland. Was unable to do that since Xmas 2019.
    Lovely spicy to sweet menu today.
    Favourite 9a.
    Thanks to Jay and to our reunited Kiwis for the review.

  15. A good morning. I love a bit of rotational symmetry with a foodie grid. Nothing too scary apart from the Turkish dignitary. I sometimes wonder why we concede any brain space to words we may need twice a decade for a crossword and never in a crisis. Hardly Darwinian. I’m fact my wife suggests my chances of procreation diminish considerably when I triumphantly retrieve a person of high standing in the Caucasus.
    Many thanks to our friendly setter and for the lovely hints and tips.

  16. Very enjoyable crossword which I managed to sneak in whilst preparing for my Birthday celebrations – BBQ with friends and the Queen if she finds the time to attend :) Today would have been my official start of being an OAP – unfortunately that date has moved so will continue to keep my begging spot next to B&Q for a while yet :(

    I have ticks beside quite a few clues – but I will plump for 9a as my favourite of the day. Thanks to the setter for the puzzle 2K’s for the review and to BD for the Birthday banner. I hope you are all keeping well and in good health – long may that continue.

    1. Happy birthday Jim.
      Didn’t see the banner on my phone.
      All my love.
      JL

    2. Happy birthday. Mine this month too, and our 65th wedding anniversary (sapphires, George).

      1. Congrats on your 65th. We have 56th looming and hope to make it to your milestone. Not stone appropriate sadly.

          1. Thanks to all of you for the Birthday wishes – much appreciated :) Hopefully I’ll get back into the routine of posting again.

  17. Agree with RC that theToughie is doable, perhaps a little easier than this.
    COTD here is 17d. Because it sticks to its sea theme. Clever

  18. An enjoyably straightforward solve before I moved on to the Toughie, prepared the Hints and Tips for that one and then went to Wednesday Morning Cinema Club again – this time to see Operation Mincemeat which was very good, if a little long, with every possible British actor you could think of turning up in one role or another!

    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks and many happy returns to Shropshire Lad x

    1. A really good film though I still don’t believe the identity of the decoy. Just a word of warning, Colin Firth is better looking than his historical counterpart!

  19. The Wasabi was new to me requiring Mr G to check the lurker, otherwise a steady solve.
    Thanks to the three birds for the entertainment.

  20. Another cracking backpager that was full of fun and food, with the excellent lurker at 23a taking my top spot. It may not have been particularly difficult, but it was most entertaining.

    My thanks to our three favourite birds, and Happy Birthday to my Salopian neighbour.

  21. Went well until two thirds through then a complete full stop. Needed the 2Ks to make sense of the clues to get the solutions. I could have thought for the next 13 hours and not worked out the word play which is obvious on explanation but obfuscated very well.

    My thanks to the 2Ks and to Jay.

  22. What a ripping puzzle as my Great Aunt Florence would have said. I know I shouldn’t have multiple favourites but I always do, 5, 26&27a and 1d particularly caught my eye. Many thanks to the setter and hinter, J,K’nK I guess. Quick dash into the Cambridge Archivist this morning to borrow the Melbourn Silver Jubilee scrapbook which I compiled in 1977 having been chairman at the time. When I look back at what we did I feel faint Elizabethan Fayre, Morris dancers, baby show, big parade, fireworks, concert, tea party for pensioners and then the infant school plus a Jubilee Ball with Phil Collins and much more. Those were the days…..

  23. I’ve been searching high and low for a t-shirt I used to have with a floral Union Jack on it, but I think I must have given it to a charity shop. What I did find was this one from the Queen’s Silver Jubilee

  24. Must be easy day today, with the Toughie not testing the mettle too much either. I’ll go for 13 across, if nothing else for the fact that it offers excellent advice to, um, certain people. */***.

  25. What an odd puzzle. I completed it without understanding the wordplay on almost every clue!
    Def one to look for definition and ignore the overly complex wordplay.
    Thx for the hints
    ***/**

  26. Another delightful puzzle, we have been really spoilt this week. Not a stinker in sight. Hope I am not jinxing things by saying that. Had completely forgotten 6d, and a couple of others where I took the wrong fork in the road. Thanks to Jay (?), and to the 2Kiwis.
    Sadly, COVID is picking up again here in South Florida. We get an email almost every day with yet another member of our neighborhood reporting being positive. Yesterday it was our next door neighbors. Sorry for them, but luckily for us they are a very anti social pair so we have had no contact with them 😊.

  27. Fun mid-week puzzle from Jay today. 2.5*/3.5*
    Candidates for favourites include 1a, 5a, 15a, 4d & 16d with winner 5a
    6a a new word for me but just built it lego-wise and there it was.

    Thanks to the 3 birds

  28. For once I was on the same wavelength as Jay so I breezed through this but that didn’t diminish the enjoyment factor. I’ve seen 26a in a crossword before but that didn’t stop it being my last in. Favourite was 29d. Thanks to Jay and 2K’s.

  29. I’ve been really slow today – not sure why although I’m sure it’s something to do with how chilly it still is.
    Eventually managed to remember 6d (and to how to persuade the right order of vowels to put themselves in 25a – always a problem with French words for me.)
    The long anagram at 15a took a while.
    My favourite was 9a – good old Snoopy, also his favourite!
    Thanks to Jay and to the K’s.
    Happy Birthday, SL – how lovely to see you – thought you’d forgotten all about us, Jim, x

  30. It was nice to snack away during the solve even mustard on its own is food and I’ll give it a go. Great puzzle as always from Jay, thanks to him. Thanks also to the restored twosome, I hope the gallivanting lived up to expectations. Your blogs are as consistently as good as Jay’s puzzles even when Jay is on Logman duty over on the Toughie page

  31. Late on parade as it was my Mum’s funeral today. Took a bit of unpicking but got there reasonably quickly although I did have to check my construction for 6d. 2d my favourite today. Thanks to today’s setter and the 2Ks.

  32. Morning all.
    Still dark outside at this early morning hour, but sounds like rain falling again. A good day for crosswords then. Hope they are up to the quality of these Wednesday ones.
    Cheers.

    1. It’s bright light here at – oh golly bongs it says your post is at 6.35pm. My iPad tells me it is 06.45 am where you are. It will be full sunlight here tomorrow morning. I rarely go abroad due to a lack of understanding of how the times work and how the currency works. Far safer staying where I feel safe here in England. Why don’t we all have the same time? That would be easier for all

      1. The comment was made at 5.35am on Thursday 2nd June our time.
        You’ll all have to rattle your dags a bit more vigorously if you ever want to catch up with us.
        :smile:

  33. 6.30pm suns over the yardarm crossword finished in a respectable time 🍷 cheers. Nice crossword with lots of good clues ***/**** 😃 Favourites 9 & 13a and 8d 🤗 Big thanks to the feathered trio ( A Jay and two Kiwis)

    1. Apropos to my comment above. The sun is always over the yardarm somewhere in the world so if you fancy a snifter, have a snifter

  34. Thoroughly enjoyed this solve.

    Needed the hint to parse 20d, which is a bit embarrassing having worked in IT for a long time.

    Thanks to all.

  35. 2*/4*…..
    liked 9A ” Sticky mess in front of new fridge — oh no! (4,5)”

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