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DT 30010

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30010

Hints and tips by Sloop John Bee

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

Good Morning from North Yorkshire. Deep Threat is still on holiday so I am back for another go at the back pager. I am also at work until 18:30 so apart from a brief visit during my lunch break I will be unable to comment. Play nicely. I am sure my fellow bloggers and commenters will help with any problems.
We have an X-less pangram today so it must be proXimal but maybe a step easier than some of his Sunday Toughies
I have no real idea of gauging ratings but I have knocked off a Difficulty * and added an Enjoyment *.

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

1a Criminal to John’s rear is old con (6,5)
TROJAN HORSE: We start with an anagram indicated by the word criminal, I am not sure if I approve of having my backside being described as such, but I didn’t spend too long sitting on it before the penny dropped. Is appears to be a bit of padding and as my rear needs no more padding I have put it with the definition. This con was one the Ancient Greeks are alleged to have pulled against some neighbours.

Mystery Fanfare: Cartoon of the Day: Trojan Horse

7a Din from Californian city doctor bitten by dog (7)
CLAMOUR:  A Californian city, well known in crossword circles, provides two letters, the doctor in his military guise provides two more. They are inserted (bitten by) a dog that has cropped up a fair bit recently.

 

8a Uncovering line, refers to prompts (7)
INCITES:  To uncover L IN E we remove its outer letters, add a synonym of refers to and we get a prompt or encouragement.

 

10a Partners having issues with IT coming to the fore (5)
ITEMS:   A synonym of issues as in issues forth, moves the letters I and T to the beginning (to the fore) and becomes a describer of the relationship between partners or significant others.

 

11a Victor against odd disheartened soldiers (9)
CONQUEROR: There are pros and cons to this clue. We start with the latter as a synonym of against, add a synonym of odd after it has lost its middle letter (disheartened) and then those soldiers of no particular rank.

Pelle the Conqueror (1987) by Bille August

12a An empty potty gets deposit perhaps (7)
PAYMENT:  Another anagram here indicated by potty, An empty being the fodder and deposit the definition. A bit of a loose definition but the perhaps allows us to stretch it a little.

 

14a Discontented tutor that is teacher assessed for suitability (5,2)
TRIED ON:  The assessment of suitability is one made when you check the fit of garments in a changing room. Constructed by taking the contents out of TutoR, an abbreviation for that is or id est and a senior university teacher.

 

15a Special backing on board (7)
NOTABLE: A reversal (backing) of on and a board on which food may be served are special.

 

18a Pure sample of orange lichen (7)
ANGELIC:  A lurker, contained in the last two words.

 

20a Financial expert redistributed coins to me (9)
ECONOMIST: Another anagram is indicated by (redistributed) the last nine letters of the clue.

 

21a Around edges of woods deer look for water (5)
DOWSE:  More edges of words here, the outer letter of WoodS have around them a female deer. A curious custom of seeking water with forked sticks that move when you are near a source of water. I don’t know why it works but it does.

 

22a Butcher’s cut bearing wide bandage (7)
SWADDLE:  A cut of meat, usually Lamb or Venison surround or bear the cricketty abbreviation for a Wide.  (More deer! the decaying remains of the one I couldn’t avoid are a constant pain in my mind, wallet and bumper on the trip to work.)

 

23a Drink after retiring turned into delight (7)
ELATION:  A type of beer is reversed (retiring) and an anagram (turned) of into, become a feeling of intense delight.

 

24a Gathered across boat, fish caught for Billingsgate? (11)
MARKETPLACE:  A synonym of gathered surrounds (across) Noah’s biblical boat and a homophone (caught) of a type of flatfish. Billingsgate is a definition by example here indicated by the question mark, as there are many other examples where fish or other goods are traded.

 

Down

 

1d Attempt to conceal old misfortune (7)
TRAGEDY:  A go or attempt goes around (conceals) another synonym of old.

 

2d Instruments for blowers regularly seen (5)
OBOES:  Regularly seen is regularly seen in crosswords to indicate alternate letters. If we take the first word of the clue as the definition, these instruments are spelt out alternately in the rest.

First attempt at this piece of music was blocked by YT I hope this one plays for you.

3d A rotten crop — it is fruit (7)
APRICOT: an anagram (indicated by rotten) of A CROP IT. Is appears to be padding again but it certainly helps the surface.

 

4d Beginning to hail carriage, figure lifted headwear (7)
HAIRNET: Start with the beginning of H-ail, add one’s carriage or demeanour and the figure one profits by after costs TEN that is reversed (lifted in a down clue) (thanks Ian C) and we get a type of headwear that  Ena Sharples was rarely seen without.

Coronation Street and Last of the Summer Wine actress Jean Alexander rushed to hospital - YorkshireLive

5d Split by European uprising, group is recovering (9)
RECOUPING:  This group are usually formed in a circle and goes around an abbreviation for European and an uprising against a government. To recover from losses.

 

6d Went in hospital ward before introduction to doctor (7)
ENTERED: Our usual otorhinolaryngial ward, a poetic before, and the introductory letter to Doctor, Went in somewhere. sounds like the start of a joke. A doctor, a Poet and a Surgeon went into a bar…

 

7d Troop members caught that man on vessel with US characters (11)
CHIMPANZEES: How a cricket scorer indicates that someone has been caught, the dative and accusative form of that man, a vessel you may cook in, and how an American might say the last character of the alphabet. Troop is the collective noun for the members of this species.

 

9d Do housework well with family coming round end of June (6-5)
SPRING-CLEAN:   A well or source of water and one’s family (particularly Scottish) around the last letter (end of) June produce the housework that seasonally should have been done before June.

 

13d Daughter tucked into more Brie after moving garnish (9)
EMBROIDER: The abbreviation of Daughter is tucked into an anagram (after moving)of MORE BRIE for the garnishing of fabric with decorative stitchwork or the lies that fishermen may say about the size of the one that got away.

12 Cat Embroidery Patterns to Help You Celebrate Caturday Every Day

16d Directed arm to fine area on animal’s middle (4,3)
TOOK AIM:  To from the clue, a synonym of fine and the middle letters of an-IM-al. The target where you directed a sidearm.

 

17d Curse this writer audibly after upsetting experience (4,3)
EVIL EYE:   what we experience or go through perhaps is reversed (upsetting) and is followed by a homonym (audibly) of how the writer refers to self. produce a curse or glance that may cause it.

Dr Chris Brown - Has your pet ever given you the 'side... | Facebook

18d Belgian city worker used to be contracted north of Portugal (7)
ANTWERP:   one of crosswords usual workers and a shortened (contracted) synonym of used to be, go before (north of in a down clue) the IVR code for Portugal.

 

19d Disreputable member of Parliament shackled by prison sentence (3-4)
LOW LIFE:   Parliament is another collective noun for a crepuscular (active during dawn and dusk) bird, The bird goes in (shackled by) a long prison sentence. A rather topical clue and a lovely surface that gets my COTD.

 

21d Woman getting an A with papers returned (5)
DIANA:  Another generic name for a woman in this instance is formed from a reversal of some identification papers (returned) and three letters from the clue. The use of generic names in this way may disturb some crossword purists but they happen more and more often and are fair game to setters and crossword editors.

 

The Quickie Pun:  PAW   KEEP   EYES   =   PORKY PIES

just in case you missed it here is the Paddington sketch from the Jubilee,

50 comments on “DT 30010

  1. 2*/4.5*. It’s Friday, it’s fun, it’s an X-less pangram, so it must be proXimal. Many thanks to him and to SJB,

  2. I would have done a bit better if I hadn’t been looking for an old coin in 1a – took me ages to spot my mistake. The Paddington Bear clip was filmed in March, 3 months ago, Her Majesty seems to have lost a huge amount of weight since then so I hope she is OK. Anyway thanks to the setter proXimal? and SJB for making the time to blog.

  3. A most satisfying solve, by some margin the most enjoyable puzzle of the week so far for me. Very gentle indeed for a Friday, but what tremendous artistry and wit in the clues. I was on watch for a pangram from 1a, and, not expecting to see an X, was not disappointed.

    HonMentions could have gone to so many but will restrict to 10a (reminded me to call my ageing parents), 24a and 5d. COTD almost went to 7d (chuckle when the PD’d once I realised it wasn’t going to start with chess…) but then I reached 19d: quite brilliant, a real laugh out loud clue & answer, and contender for COTM or Y, let alone D.

    1* / 4*

    Thank you so much, Proximal (or other setter if otherwise!), and thank you also to SJB.

  4. Xcellent puzzle. Wouldn’t normally choose an anagram but I thought 12a was a pretty good one and I liked 7&17d too amongst a whole host of others.
    Many thanks to proXimal and John

  5. Except puzzle and an excellent blog. Thanks to puzzler and setter. The Green Scythe Fair takes place on Sunday. I will be in attendance

  6. Excellent Friday fun from the X-man – **/*****.

    Although, I am having trouble with the surface of 21a. It reads to me as if deer is plural, which it can be, and that results in a surplus ‘S’ in the synonym used in the answer, or if deer is singular then look should be third person singular which has the same result of a surplus ‘S’. Perhaps something as simple as a comma after deer solves it. I did only get a ‘bare pass’ in English O-level.

    Candidates for favourite – 7a, 24a, 1d, and 19d – and the winner is 19d.

    Thanks to proXimal and SJB.

    1. I think 21a is OK, Senf. The surface reading and the wordplay don’t need to align grammatically. As you say, the surface on its own is fine with deer used as a plural, and the wordplay works with deer in the singular.

  7. Cracking Friday puzzle ,started with 1a-great surface and continued throughout-lots of fun.
    Faviourite was 7d for its complexity, followed by 19d-remembered the collective noun!
    Last in was 12a, my D’oh moment.
    Going for a ***/*****.Thanks to our setter and SJB for the entertaining pics.
    Now for the cricket.

  8. That was good fun although I do have to admit to bunging in a few without completely parsing – 10a, 14a (didn’t think of clothes), 17d and 19d. Delightful to see again the marmalade sandwich sequence with The Queen and Paddington Bear. H.M. really is such a good sport and also a talented actress (politically incorrect term nowadays – actor!). Thank you proXimal and SJB.

    1. Should have said SJB that yes indeed Gabriel’s Oboe did come over beautifully and touched as always – thank you for that.

  9. Excellent crossword that stretched me to the limits of my ineptitude. Halfway through I turned to John’s hints to help with 24a and that got me cracking again.
    Turning my attention to the Test Match where New Zealand have made a worryingly carefree start at Trent Bridge.

    Thanks to proXimal, and SJB for a splendid and entertaining blog.

  10. Nice to see the X-man on the back page – he can sometimes frighten the life out of me in his Sunday Toughie guise!
    9d made me smile as I find the housework ‘needs doing well’ once the sticky pawed grandchildren have departed rather than before they arrive…….
    Top two here were 24a & 17d.

    Thanks to proXimal and to JB – particularly for the orchestral clip.

    1. I have had the furniture polish etc out too, after avisit from the sticky- pawed grandchildren, Jane. The french window that goes into the garden needs a polish too.

  11. An excellent puzzle to end the week and many thanks for the explanations. I would just comment that in 4d, surely NET is TEN rising (figure lifted) rather than profits after costs?

    1. And I thought so too but wouldn’t dream of mentioning it. You know, sometimes we just don’t get it right. I mean it’s important to remember that this isn’t a classroom here. This is a simple crossword puzzle we are discussing. We don’t want to make it dusty and academic. If every once in a while we get something wrong it’s not going to kill anybody. Lighten up, enjoy the puzzle and be thankful that we even bother to bother to try and help

        1. Don’t take me too seriously Ian. There is a tongue firmly in the cheek, but …..

  12. A reverse engineering puzzle for me, after a few checkers went in. Figure out the definition, find a word that fits with the definition and the checkers, then try to figure out the wordplay to see if it fits. There were some good anagrams and some intricate clues with many component parts.7d and 1d were the Clues of the day and 21a made me laugh. 8d was a great geographical clue too. Many thanks to SJB for stepping into do the hints for DT and to Proximal for an absorbing Friday puzzle.

  13. A decidedly tricky puzzle to end the work week. My rating 3*/3* for this one.
    NE last area completed.
    Favourites include 7a, 14a, 21a, 7d & 13d with winner 7d.
    Several chestnuts in this puzzle again, but this is OK sit helps with the cross checkers.

    Thanks to setter and Sloop John Bee

  14. This proved a bit too tricky for me and I have to record a DNF. Of those I managed to solve, 9d gets my vote.

    Many thanks to the setter for the thrashing and SJB for the much needed hints.

    1. What was the Wordle today? I’ve had the first three letters correct for 5 goes and am still trying to think of another word that fits! I’ve resorted to an anagram solver with no luck

          1. Apologies all,/should not have used this site – managed to solve so please don’t answer the quesstion

      1. I’ll tell you what the Wordle was Manders. It was 5 for me and 4 for Nurse Ninepence. And to rub it in Quordle was a 6 and a 4 with two not solved for me and. 4,5,6,7 for the bitch troll from hell. What’s worse is that I finished Waffle with 3 to go and Saint Sharon finished with 4 goes left. So a 3 nil win to the feminine side of the relationship. I’ve been curled up in a corner sobbing since 7.30 am. I haven’t felt this bad since Take That split up. I need a pint or two. (And I’ve got to fill my name and email address in again

  15. Greetings to all from the South of France. Thanks to SJB and the others who have kindly stood in for me while I am on holiday.

    Tomorrow Mrs DT and I will be having lunch with Jean-Luc Cheval.

    Next week we start heading north in easy stages, before returning to England at the end of the month.

        1. Very jealous of Deep Threat being in the South of France and having lunch with you. It’s too long since we’ve joyed a birthday bash either brought from France or from Betty’s by Sloop John Bee.

  16. Glad to see you are having a good time DT and give my regards to even Deeper Threat.
    Mr Crabbe above is of course correct and I don’t think my hint about Parliament’s of birds is the right way round either. I would direct comments more appropriately but my internet connection is a bit patchy and I don’t think I will get many comments off before nasal application to the abrasive wheel is required.

  17. A rare appearance here for me.

    We have had our first rain since sometime in April, so I was able to solve this slightly challenging proXimal in bed! For a change I spotted the X-less pangram. We have had warm weather and I am busy cutting grass, removing suckers from olive trees and burning these. Also installing irrigation and water transport from the local spring after the last horrendous electric bill. We have a 140 metre well … the water is free (and excellent) … but we have to pump that up to a cistern and then pump it up to the house, water the plants, citrus trees and vegetable plot. In this weather the swimming pool evaporates at least 300 litres a day. So with the energy crisis water is expensive and I had to get it sorted.

    I rarely get to the crossword before 2pm (after a 5pm start) so by the time I’m ready to comment I am usually dozing.

    Anyway, enough of that. An excellent puzzle with some tricky clues, but all fair. 7 down the penny-dropper.

    Thanks to proXimal and SJB for the blog.

    Sun is forecast to return, so until June 15 (when I stop the 5pm routine) and just enjoy what we have until September I doubt I will have the luxury of a solve in bed!

  18. Straightforward solve today, I liked the complex 7d particularly with its’ excellent wordplay, but although the answer came easily I have to own up to not knowing the collective noun.
    Thanks to the Xman for the fun puzzle and SJB for the hints.

  19. Many thanks to Proximal for an enjoyable puzzle I was just stumped at the end by 7d. Thanks SJB, I don’t think I would have got that even tho I was in pangram alert. The pocket rocket came this morning and I worked alongside her so I am absolutely flaked out. Her energy amazes me. The events organiser at DD1’s home has Covid so no Skype this afternoon. She won’t notice but it is disappointing for us not to see her. I think I am going to put my feet up for 20 minutes. Have a good weekend everyone, quieter than last week!

  20. Best puzzle of the week for me and that’s going some after a very fine week with the grids. So many candidates for awards it’s hard to pick the best but I particularly liked 7d, 11a, 12a, and 17d. Thanks to SJB and proXimal. ** / *****

    Yesterday, Jimmy and I drove 22 miles to Folly Beach–our longest and farthest outing since the pandemic began–where my star scholar of 48 years ago (when I taught at SUNY-Cortland) and his family welcomed us with a lavish lunch, a great Sauvignon Blanc, and generously opened arms. The Atlantic was lovely, my student Howard (a published Keatsian) even lovelier, and we had a golden day to remember.

  21. Excellent puzzle all done and parsed with 5d the last in. I spotted the ‘X’less pangram which helped with 17d. Hard to pick a favourite but I’ll go with 16d. Thanks to ProXimal and SJB.

  22. Steady progress until last in 5d.
    This took too long due to a misplaced checking letter.
    Pushed me into 3*time.
    Some really brilliant clueing eg 24a, 16, 17, and 18d
    Many thanks, ProXimal and SJB.

    1. Many thanks to you, proXimal, for a delicious treat, best of the week for me.

  23. Took a little break from the toughie, as I am still stuck on a couple, to tackle the back page.
    Quite a straightforward solve only held up by 22a and 7d whose collective name was new to me ( unlike the parliament in 19d).
    Thanks to ProXimal for the fun and to the Sloop for the review.
    Very good of you for stepping in so that DT and Even Deeper Threat can enjoy lunch with me tomorrow.
    It was Framboise’s turn last week. She says hello.

  24. Late to the puzzle today but it all went in smoothly and enjoyed the solve. Many thanks to Proximal and to SJB. Enjoy the rest of your holiday DT and a happy weekend to you all.

  25. Another late solve & a very enjoyable one too. Rare for me to crack one from the X- man in under ** time so reckon it on the gentle side.
    Thanks to proXimal & to John.

  26. No time yesterday so tackled this morning. Pure delight. No real hold ups but 17d and 22a last in. Favourites 1 7 and 24a and 9 16 and 19d. Certainly went much moot smoothly than most Fridays for me. Needed no hints but very good SJB especially if you had to get to work. I was however grateful to check some of the parsing. Thanks to ProXimal

  27. 3*/4*…
    liked 19D ” Disreputable member of Parliament shackled by prison sentence (3-4)”

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