DT 30014 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30014

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30014

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ****

Kia ora from Aotearoa.

We have had horrendous weather this last week. A series of frontal systems have followed each other bringing strong winds, thunder storms, lots of rain and heavy snow in some areas (though not for us). It has just gone on and on and everyone is heartily sick of it.

At least we have these good fun puzzles to keep us distracted.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Such a school may be happy to have a change of heart (7)
CONVENT : Start with a word meaning happy or satisfied and change the central letter.

9a     The girl’s in a depression, being a follower (8)
ADHERENT : ‘A’ from the clue and a depression or sunken area contain a feminine possessive pronoun.

10a     Intense as Marine band may be? (7)
SEARING : A body of water described as marine and then a band or circle.

11a     Apes discovered salted nuts stand (8)
PEDESTAL : The two central letters (discovered) of apes and an anagram (nuts) of SALTED.

12a     Butcher reportedly finding transport for winter (6)
SLEIGH : A homophone of a word meaning to butcher or massacre.

13a     Show bearing (10)
APPEARANCE : A double definition.

15a     Became aware of misery engulfing king (4)
WOKE : The chess abbreviation for king is contained by misery or grief.

16a     Propose a new adult programme (4,5)
SOAP OPERA : An anagram (new) of PROPOSE A is followed by another A(dult).

21a     Idiot daughter’s shock going topless (4)
DOLT : D(aughter) and a shock or bump loses its first letter.

22a     Daily row about golf organisation giving impression of power (5,5)
PAPER TIGER : A daily such as the Telegraph and then a row or line contains G(olf).

24a     Clever — ordering Radio Times originally (6)
ADROIT : An anagram (ordering) of RADIO and the first letter of Times.

25a     Left here mindfully clutching instrument (8)
THEREMIN : A lurker, hiding in the clue.

27a     Short dresses worn by working employees (7)
MINIONS : Nineteen-sixties short dresses surround the two letter ‘working’.

28a     Deteriorates after hospital department charges (8)
ENTRUSTS : Deteriorates, as something made of iron does over time, follows crossword’s favourite hospital department.

29a     Bothered by son getting caught (7)
SNAGGED : Bothered or went on and on and on follows S(on).

Down

2d     Ignore appearance after a bit of cricket (8)
OVERLOOK : A set of deliveries by a bowler in cricket and then appearance or demeanour.

3d     Maelstroms of rot developing in bad habits? (8)
VORTICES : An anagram (developing) of ROT is inside bad habits or sins.

4d     Casual discussion about local area network underpins denial from France (10)
NONCHALANT : Start with the French word used for denial, then informal discussion contains the computer abbreviation for a local area network.

5d     Some did less not working (4)
IDLE : A lurker, hiding in the clue.

6d     Never wrong about European facade (6)
VENEER : An anagram (wrong) of NEVER contains E(uropean).

7d     Part of circle succeeded — still surviving (7)
SEXTANT : The genealogical abbreviation for succeeded and then a word meaning still surviving.

8d     A telephone that is right for a studio (7)
ATELIER : ‘A’ from the clue, then the three letter abbreviation for a telephone number, the two letters for the Latin phrase meaning ‘that is’ and R(ight).

11d     What may be played in church or a pigpen, possibly? (4,5)
PIPE ORGAN : An anagram (possibly) of OR A PIGPEN.

14d     Republican limit under president is an anomaly (10)
ABERRATION : The nickname for the 16th US president, then R(epublican) and a limit or restricted allowance.

17d     Loving covering new decking (8)
ADORNING : Insert another N(ew) into a word meaning loving or idolising.

18d     Pact resulting from Germany abandoning affair (8)
ALLIANCE : Add the IVR code for Germany to the front of the answer to find the affair.

19d     Phrase that describes article found in Yorkshire’s last mine (7)
EPITHET : Start with the final letter of Yorkshire and then a mine or colliery surrounds the definite article.

20d     Planet needing to change yen in abundance (7)
APLENTY : An anagram (needing to change) of PLANET plus Y(en).

23d     Right — the man’s American, and a primate (6)
RHESUS : R(ight), then a pronoun for ‘the man’ with ‘S and the abbreviation for American.

26d     Keen on popular test opener at first! (4)
INTO : A two letter word for popular and the first letters of test and opener.

We are spoilt for choice once again for a favourite but will go with 11a because of its surface reading.

Quickie pun    collar    +    knees    =    colonies

44 comments on “DT 30014

  1. Lovely crossword, solved with three slices of toast and orange juice with no bits in it.
    No Ottoman emperors nor any Japanese aprons; always a bonus.

    Thanks to the setter and the drenched TwoKays

    In honour of 25a (yet another remix):

    1. Thank you so much for posting that clip, Terence – I’ve just been losing myself in Beach Boys and other 25a tracks, and in doing so was fascinated to learn that the instrument used in Good Vibrations (and I understand two others) was a further development of the “hands in the air” 25a, an “electro-25a”, invented by Paul Tanner and Bob Whitsell because the original instrument was so difficult to play. There’s a clip here –

      1. I wrote this straight in. From memory he escaped to the US and was abducted by the KGB never to be heard of again. I could be wrong on this of course, I have been before.

  2. A perfect Wednesday puzzle, solved on my Tuesday evening, accompanied by a G&T with two lime ‘wedges’ (including the bits – sorry Terence) – 2*/4.5*.

    Standout favourite – 4d.

    Thanks to Jay and the 2Kiwis – it sounds like you have been ‘enjoying’ the NZ equivalent of Colorado Lows.

    P.S. The Stick Insect Toughie is very ‘accessible.’

  3. Nicely challenging with SW last corner on board. 21a bung-in as shock didn’t occur to me and likewise for 14a with President furthermore I couldn’t parse my duff bung-in for 21a – note to self: parse before bunging! 10a was last in but surface made it Fav when marine band penny dropped. Thank you Mysteron and 2Kiwis (strange to read of your weather when we are apparently embarking on a heatwave).

    1. If you always parsed before bunging in a correct answer you might miss out on checking letters elsewhere. Or you might bung in a possibility and reject it because a letter J will never follow a letter Z. Of course this method will totally ruin a dead tree and ink grid but won’t bother us superior users of modern technology

      1. Pencil and rubber dear boy, old technology is not necessarily bad technology.

      2. As an aside am I right in thinking you were responsible for the introduction of “bung in” term to BD blog?

  4. I was a bit off wave-length today and struggled with a few clues in the NW corner particularly. I enjoyed 14d, 18d and 25a (I remembered hearing the latter from the days when I lived in London and my husband and i went to a lot of Prom concerts). thanks to the compiler and to the Kiwis for the hints (I kicked myself when I read the one for 10a, which i had bunged iN. Sorry the weather in your Antipodean corner of the world is so bad. Here in Oxfordshire, we have had very little rain and cold night-time temperatures. The garden is a bit behind itself, apart from my strawberries, which have never done so well before.

  5. 2*/4.5*. As Senf rightly says – a perfect Wednesday puzzle.

    Many thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  6. Spoilt for choice, indeed, as the Kiwis say. I rather bounced around in solving this amusing and engaging gem after the NW corner drew a blank at first. But when I returned, everything fell nicely into place, with 10d, 3d, and 1a dropping like dominoes. Those three, along with 4d, 19d and 23d, get my top votes. This charmer has the wily feel of a Jay to me, so thanks to him and the be-weathered Kiwis, for whom I hope brighter days are ahead. ** / ****

    Another top-notch Toughie today!

  7. All the expected fun from our Wednesday setter with 11&22a taking top positions here.

    Thanks to Jay and to our weather-beaten 2Ks.

  8. A good Wednesday challenge, and at 30 clues a money’s-worth puzzle! Motored round at such a pace that the pen barely left the paper until I hit the NW, where the last four took longer than the other 26 combined, requiring a good head scratch. Hon Mentions to 11a, 4d,14d and 18d; COTD to 7d.

    1.5* / 3*

    Many thanks to Jay, and also of course to the 2Ks

  9. Enjoyable progress to completion in * time.
    Of the contenders 10a, 22a and 18d, 22a gets the top spot.
    Last in, again, a pesky four letter word, 5a.
    Many thanks, Jay, and the 2Kiwis.

  10. An enjoyable solve that, nevertheless, took some teasing out in places. I always forget the instrument at 25a (despite it being a lurker) even though I tell everyone that it was used by The Beach Boys in Good Vibrations (except it wasn’t as Mustafa G says at #1). I note that 16a has appeared a number of times lately and I see that the latest most irritating trend has finally appeared in a back pager at 15a. My COTD is 4d.

    Many thanks to Jay for the fun and the 2 Kiwis for the much appreciated hints.

  11. I agree with the 2 Kiwis rating and thought this very good. I enjoyed the well concealed anagrams in 16a and 6d. Never heard of 25d but with all the cross checkers no problem. 22a excellent but my COTD is 19d. LOI was 10a which took me into ** time. Thanks to the 2 Kiwis and the setter.

  12. Nice puzzle that only held me up in parsing 19d (thx for the hint) and 25a which was new to me but the checking letters gave the lurker. Not too sure about 1a being a school as such but my fav was 22a.
    Thx to all esp BD for a speedy recovery.
    **/***

    1. I can assure you that there are indeed 1a schools. Both of my girls attended one in Cheshire and received an excellent education.

      1. My grandmother went to one, my sister and various cousins and relations to others. I guess all the respective parents hoped the religious and moral ethos would rub-off on to the girls. Oh well, best laid plans &c …. !

  13. Well clued throughout and around a **/****, favourite was 22a-great pic from the 2K’s.
    Lked 11a.Enjoyable solve nothing obscure.
    25a a new instrument for me too.
    Just completed stick insect’s Toughie, well worth the visit.

  14. How lovely to sit in the garden with the birds twittering and complete such a nice puzzle whilst eating a salad prepared by George and an innocent little glass of orange juice with bits (sorry, Terence – I am trying to inure you). The little ginger cat from next door wandered round and I picked her up and thought of Lola, but she covered my navy linen frock with hairs. I bet Lola doesn’t do that. I particularly liked 11 & 24a and 19d. The church school sprang to mind straight away but I stupidly needed the hints to explain the substitution. Many thanks to J & KK.

  15. Thanks Jay for an enjoyable stretch. I failed at the final pair of hurdles (10a, 7d) so thanks to 2Kiwis for the assistance there. I hope your weather improves as we sizzle.
    I had the great pleasure of watching Bill Bailey playing the theremin, amongst 30 other instruments, recently.

  16. Way out of my league so needed the 2Ks hints for at least a third. Favourite was 4d. Is it true that convent schools would not let the girls wear patent leather shoes?

  17. A cracking Jay puzzle for a sunny Wednesday morning. I think 19d was my favourite upon completion, but I finished it so long ago I cannot honestly remember. Great fun though as always from this compiler.

    My thanks to the three birds.

  18. Took a little time to get going on this one, but eventually managed to get a few and steadily progressed. 2.5*/4*
    Favourites today include 12a, 24a, 25a, 19d & 23d with winner 25a.

    Thanks to the 3 birds for puzzle and hints

  19. I found this quite tricky especially in SW 26a never seen before and unfortunately will have forgotten when it appears again 😳 ergo ****/*** Favourites are: 10a, 29a, 2d & 18d 😃 Thanks to the 2x Ks, keep well wrapped up, and to the Compiler. Surely it can’t be Jay

  20. 1a last one in although I went to one. Straightforward puzzle. Thanks to Jay and kiwis
    Had an interesting 70th birthday today starting with my Australian grandchildren singing Happy Birthday in English, Spanish and French. Not to be outdone, my Manchester grandchildren sang in English, Spanish and Chinese. Then the 5 year old went off piste and ,(allegedly) sang in Italian, polish, welsh and that well known language African! Sounded very authentic but…

    1. Happy 70th Birthday – I have mine coming up in two months time! I hope that you had a lovely day. How wonderful that your grandchildren could sing to you in so many languages.

  21. Morning all.
    Looks like Jay has managed to please all the solvers once again. That is all the solvers who have left comments so far. We had a slight hesitation until we had a checker or two for 1a and then it all flowed freely from there.
    Our weather still has not calmed down completely. Winds have moderated somewhat and not much rain forecast. Lots of cleaning up and patching up work to be done now in many parts of the country.
    Cheers.

  22. Like many of the early posters, I sailed through most of this superb Jay puzzle until I stalled in the NW.
    Once again this was completed in the garden sunshine before lunch, which makes the news of the Kiwi weather even more difficult to appreciate, hope the wintery storms soon subside down under, we wish you well, as always.

  23. Forgot to add that I spotted the lurker, but a new word for me so required MrG to verify.

  24. On wavelength for the second week running, a new record for me. Favourite was 25a. On hearing Good Vibrations my mother confidently stated it was an Ocarina, she wasn’t often wrong but was on this occasion. Thanks to Jay and 2K’s.

  25. Re 25a Joe Bonamassa playing the instrument on the Ballad of John Henry at his recent Royal Albert Hall gig was my favourite bit of a superb set. As for the puzzle a typical Jay gem kicked off with his trademark letter substitution clue at 1a. Can’t say I’d come across the required plural spelling at 3d which needed checking so something new learnt but otherwise pretty straightforward & very enjoyable.
    Thanks to Jay & the 2Ks.

  26. Some brilliant clues. At first glance impenetrable but then right hand side straight in. It was the NW that floored me. I was nearly there but not quite without a hint. Favourites 2, 4, 14, 18 and 19d. Thanks J and 2Ks. How could someone not have heard of a convent school?

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