DT 30091 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30091

Daily Telegraph Cryptic 30091
Hints and tips by Twmbarlwm

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

 

Good morning. Mr K is moving from Tuesdays to Thursdays, leaving me with an entertaining challenge that seemed a little tougher than average. There was plenty of ingenuity on display and some neat deception, plus a couple of terms (3d and 19d) that I vaguely remembered but had to check in Chambers.
Many thanks to the setter.

In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual.
Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle and which aspects you liked etc.

 

Across

1a Promotional work to bring joy to church dignitary (7)
PRELATE: A two-letter initialism for promotional work is followed by a verb meaning to fill with high spirits

5a Element in rebellion is enjoying acclaim (7)
LIONISE: The solution lurks in the clue. (Has any setter ever clued this as a homophone of an Eagles hit?)

9a Trees as an object of study? (9)
GENEALOGY: A cryptic definition, with the trees being the lines of one’s ancestors

10a Arab citizen with no small love of sound (5)
AUDIO: The usual symbol for love is preceded by a citizen of an Arabian country missing a letter for ‘small’

11a Something picked in dry outfit for woman (5)
ANITA: Contained (in) by a two-letter organisation for recovering drinkers is something that can be picked literally or, by a pedantic person, figuratively

12a Stop here possibly to take in variable conjuror’s expression (3,6)
HEY PRESTO: An insertion (to take in) of one of the letters for a mathematical variable in an anagram (possibly) of STOP HERE

13a Persevering figure is given account with financial promises (9)
TENACIOUS: A cardinal number with an abbreviation of account and the plural of a note for money owed

16a Examine royal house with gold stolen in Surrey’s borders (5)
STUDY: Inside (in) the outer letters of Surrey is the dynasty whose first king was Henry VII, without (stolen) the letters for a gold colour

17a Obsession followed by the Parisian music maker (5)
BUGLE: A word for an obsession or craze is followed by a definite article in French

18a Assured fine don works in college tutorials, principally (9)
CONFIDENT: An anagram (works) of FINE DON is contained (in) by two initial letters

20a A new piece of advice regarding early part of meal (9)
ANTIPASTO: A charade of ‘A’ from the clue, a letter for ‘new’, a word meaning hint, and a two-word phrase meaning ‘regarding’

23a Bishop’s neighbour announced time for rest? (5)
NIGHT: A homophone (announced) of a piece that accompanies a bishop

25a Slow utterance or line by person in custody on reflection (5)
DRAWL: A letter representing ‘line’ alongside a reversal (on reflection) of someone a guardian has custody of

26a Former student struggling in a test is difficult to change (9)
OBSTINATE: An initialism for a one-time male student of a public school next to an anagram (struggling) of IN A TEST

27a Look by English ship for titled female (7)
PEERESS: A verb meaning ‘look’ next to a letter for English and a two-letter term representing a ship

28a Meet the requirements of doctor first, say, right away (7)
SATISFY: An anagram (doctor) of FIRST, SAY, minus the letter for ‘right’

Down

1d Attendant trailed by worker in procession (7)
PAGEANT: A type of servant is followed by a familiar six-legged worker

2d Greek character in Eastern province shows weariness (5)
ENNUI: A letter of the Greek alphabet ‘in’ abbreviations for a direction and part of the UK

3d A downfall affecting moguls? (9)
AVALANCHE: Cryptic definition in which ‘moguls’ are mounds of compacted snow on ski slopes

4d Aspire in turn to be around clubs for long period (5)
EPOCH: A reversal (in turn) of a word meaning wish contains (to be around) the letter that represents clubs

5d See ordinary detective with younger relative (3,4,2)
LAY EYES ON: A charade of synonyms for ordinary (eg in the church, not clerical), a private detective, and a male descendant

6d Working couple initially rejected being televised? (2,3)
ON AIR: A synonym for working or in operation, and a duo without the first letter (initially rejected)

7d Popular side developed around place that’s being debated (2,7)
IN DISPUTE: A two-letter word for popular or trendy, plus an anagram (developed) of SIDE ‘around’ a verb meaning place

8d Firm cutting money desperately makes saving (7)
ECONOMY: The usual abbreviation for firm or business going inside (cutting) an anagram (desperately) of MONEY

14d Treat obtained by one in uncluttered entrance to eatery (9)
NEGOTIATE: A word for obtained alongside the Roman numeral for one inside (in) a word meaning uncluttered or tidy, plus the first letter (entrance) of eatery

15d Causes or events of special significance (9)
OCCASIONS: A double definition, one of which is a verb meaning ’causes’ or ‘gives rise to’

16d Cox, perhaps, sits with nice blue on bottom of boat (9)
SCIENTIST: A definition by example that’s an anagram (blue) of SITS and NICE followed by the last letter of boat

17d Cover group of corporate bigwigs on the rise (5,2)
BOARD UP: Collectively, perhaps directors sitting around a long table, plus a synonym of ‘on the rise’ or elevated

19d One scavenging rubbish by yard is near to collapse? (7)
TOTTERY: A word for a scavenger, or more commonly a person adding up figures, followed by an abbreviation for yard

21d Seeded food is something checked by a medic (5)
PULSE: Double definition, one of which refers to something that can be felt on the wrist

22d Old fool limiting current place for refreshment (5)
OASIS: An abbreviation for old and a word for a foolish person containing (limiting) a one-letter representation of a current

24d Rat that’s a feature in a garden (5)
GRASS: A double definition, one of which means a traitor

Hard as always to choose favourites, but I particularly liked 16a and 16d. What were yours?

Today’s Quick Crossword pun: PIQUE + THYME = PEAK TIME

73 comments on “DT 30091

  1. A very warm welcome to Twmbarlwm, our new Tuesday blogger, who’s started with an excellent blog. Thanks to him and today’s setter (I have an idea who it is but I’m not confident enough to bet on it).

    I thought that this was bit trickier than as is usual for Tuesday. I didn’t know the 3d moguls but the definition and checkers sorted out the answer.

    Top clues for me were 1a, 14d and 15d.

  2. What a pleasingly testing and tricky little devil this turned out to be. If this had appeared as a Toughie it would have been a good challenge. That said, it was hugely enjoyable and entertaining with some elegant clues, foremost among which were my two favourites, 16a and 16d as per our new blogger.

    Thanks to our setter, and thanks and a big welcome to our debutant, hereinafter called T.

  3. Not a typical Tuesday, far more challenging I thought. I was particularly held up by 11a and 14d, the latter due to having nightmare stuck in my head, and so it proved.
    A very satisfying solve, with some clever clues. My favourites were 9a, 23a and 16d.
    Thanks to Twmbarlwm and the setter

  4. This was a bit of a swine for me today, almost up to Toughie spec.
    Last in was 11a, probably because I’d convinced myself it was an obscure piece of
    lady’s clobber!
    None the less very satisfying upon completion, favourites today were 5 and 14d

  5. For me, not Typically Tuesdayish at all, indeed, it could easily trade places with the Not So Tough Shamus Toughie – 3.5*/3.5*.

    But, plenty of candidates for favourite – 9a, 16a, 20a, 23a, and 5d – and the winner is 20a.

    Thanks to the setter and thanks and welcome to Twmbarlwm.

      1. Indeed. And did you notice in last Monday’s Newsletter – the report on August’s clue-writing contest was reduced to merely listing the top 3 winning clues and no answer word was given for September’s competition. Has it finished?

        Also, in yesterday’s NL it tells us that there isn’t a NL at all next Monday (19th).

        1. I assumed that no NL next Monday because it is now a holiday for HM’s funeral and NL’s are not published on holidays (most of the time).

  6. A reverse engineering special, after a slow start got me some checkers. I guessed quite a few and then figured out the parsing, aprt from the moguls one– I didnt know what that meant either. I had to use the hints for 17a and 16d and could have kicked myself in the case of 16d. Exceptionally good misdirection and some elusive synonyms made this quite a bit harder than most Tuesday puzzles and I struggled at first, , whom I’ll refer to as Tuntil a few checkers went in but all the clues were gettable. I enjoyed the 5a lurker (such a lovely word), the complex lego clue at 20a, the cryptic definition at 9a and the well-hidden anagram at 18a plus 12a made me laugh. Thanks to the compiler for a very clever puzzle and a good brain workout and to our new Tuesday hints expert, whom I’ll refer to as T.

  7. As YS says above, a tricky little devil indeed, but very craftily clued and really quite enjoyable. Took a bit of unravelling in places and pushed me almost into *** time. I assume the Cox alluded to in 16d is the popular physicist over there (but not so well known here Across the Pond), and I wonder still about the ‘scavenging rubbish’ connection in 19d, but the definition had to be what it is. My favourites are 14d, 3d, & 5d. Thanks to our new blogger, Twmbarlwm, and to today’s setter. 2.5* / 4*

    1. Robert, I married a “South London gal” and these people would come around (1960/70 period) on a horse and cart and take any “scrap” rubbish ! Like broken washing machines, grass mowers, saucepans away giving out balloons and sometimes goldfish in plastic bags filled With water! So they had the children on their side!! Not allowed any more! Something about cruelty to goldfish!! Which is why any open space became a dumping ground for it all!!! Government !!

    2. A Totter, Robert, I think is an East End word for a rag and bone man.
      Hope I am right on that, digging deep into the memory box.

      1. You are Daisy. They uaed to come round the strees with a barrow, collecting anything from old boilers to used clothing. Ours used towarble , “Any old iron”. The modern version in Oxfordshire comes round the dtreets with a loud hailer but does the same job .

        1. Thank you all! I’ve heard the phrase ‘any old iron!’ and even wondered if it might be Dickensian, somewhere.

  8. Found this easy going although I did pause over the parsing of 19d, the scavenger not being a term I was familiar with. Favourites were 3d, 13a and 23a.

    Thanks to today’s setter and Twmbarlwm.

  9. Gosh, I was clearly fortunate to get my FM/LW/MW/SW tuning gear right on tune today, because I flew through this wonderful puzzle in scarcely more time than yesterday’s Campbell challenge.

    Absolute cracker, I thought, with many super clues throughout. Though my first thought at 16d after dismissing those of the swain type was of Radio 2’s Sara Cox (most definitely not her picture in the hints above!), who isn’t especially known for being a 16d … Hon Mentions went to 11a, 16a, 23a, 3d, and 5d, with 8d just being pipped to the COTD post for me by 9a.

    1* / 3.5*

    Many thanks indeed to the Setter, and especially to Twmbarlwm for joining the team of bloggers.

  10. My rating is 2.5*/3.5*. The moguls in 3d were new to me, and can someone please explain why “blue” can be used as an anagram indicator?

    Many thanks to T and welcome to the blogger’s chair. Many thanks too to the mystery setter.

    For anyone interested in having a go at a Toughie, today’s is reasonably accessible, taking me less time than this back pager (although I still have one pesky four letter answer with two letters empty), and very enjoyable.

    1. RD, on ‘blue’ – other than it is shown as an anagram indicator in the Chambers Crossword Dictionary, no.

      1. The second definition of blue is squander, scatter or disperse – the latter word also appearing in the list of anagram indicators in the 12th edition of the BRB

        1. ‘Sad’ as well as ‘blue’ appears in the list of anagram indicators in Chambers Crossword Dictionary so I suspect that’s the meaning.

          1. Still doesn’t sound right, even ‘sad’ needs ‘sadly’
            Maybe blue as in obscene, censored, edited?
            I have a degree of disdain for ‘it’s in the dictionary’ clues, personally
            Supposed to be everyday fun in my book, not questionable

  11. I so wanted the answer to 9a to be ‘dendrology’! It doesn’t fit and still have many more clues to unravel.

  12. Unbelievable!
    11a took as long as the combined times of most of the other clues.
    Great misdirection.
    I never give up, the answer came as I scratched my head.
    I remembered a school nurse for that.
    Second last in was 14d.
    Certainly my COTD.
    Many thanks to the setter and to Twmbarlwm.

  13. Welcome Mr T . I see your namesake often and , although not personally , know several people who have enjoyed the wonderful views from your “ Dolly Varden “.
    Lovely crossword , testing yet satisfying on completion. Like others needed to get some of the parsing in retrospect especially 14d as I was trying to stupidly work “ gate” into the equation.
    Thanks to the setter , of course .

  14. Welcome to the chair Twmbarlwm, very nice review. Thanks to the setter, a very nice puzzle, that I found quite tricky. Started with 24d, and finished with 11a. Solving the latter took a while. I thought 16d referred to Brian Cox. No particular favourite. Was 3* / 3* for me.

  15. That was very tricky but enjoyable esp my favs 19d and esp 3d. Was not impressed by 16d and 14d, over-verbose and tricksy.
    Tuesday is coming to closely resemble the Toughie again😠
    Thx to all
    ****/***
    PS since when was BLUE an anagram indicator, don’t follow the reasoning at all.

      1. As CS replies in comment 11 just up the page, “The second definition of blue is squander, scatter or disperse – the latter word also appearing in the list of anagram indicators in the 12th edition of the BRB”

          1. On reflection, the word meaning squandered etc. is spelt blew, not blue.
            So I’m with Gaza at 11. Blue in this particular clue means sad etc.
            OK both are in the BRB as anagram indicators but I personally am uncomfortable with it.
            Blue, that is.
            But who am I to disagree with the BRB? :)

  16. I was nicely led down the garden path by our setter with 11a & 16d – well, a Cox is an apple, everyone knows that! Also needed to check on the scavenger, new word for me.
    15&16d take my top spots.

    Thanks to our setter and a big welcome to our new blogger, Twmbarlwm.

  17. A very enjoyable crossword (love the grid) with the fifth letter of 9a tripping me up. I can’t believe it’s not an o but the etymology makes sense.

    An excellent opening salvo from you Twmbarlwm – an extremely useful Scrabble word if proper nouns were allowed as a bunch of consonants can be a nightmare

  18. What a difference a day can make – after yesterday’s walk in the park this was a bit of an obstacle course but I certainly enjoyed the challenge. Moguls in association with 3d new to me as was the scavenger in 19d and indeed treat for 14d. Unlike Robert Clark 16d’s alternative talent is news to me. 11a Fav when penny dropped – bong! Look forward to learning who this new-feel setter was to whom thanks anyway and also welcome/thanks to “T” hinter.

  19. This took me longer than The Toughie (which is very accessible so have a go).
    Full of cunning and misdirection as exemplified by 1,11a&25a plus 5&14d
    Many thanks to the setter and thanks and a big welcome to Mr T.

  20. Our new hinter must surely come from the Principality with those w’s – welcome! 11a was also my last one in and I was convinced it should be TT for dry, AA didn’t occur to me – yet the answer was working in our garden this morning, our pocket rocket gardener. 16d was sly, I was looking in the orchard and 3d was a bung in which turned out to be right. It was definitely a very 28a -ing puzzle to finish. Thanks as ever to Messrs Setter and Hinter.

    1. Correct on the Welshness! I’m from near the south Wales hill of my pseudonym (supposedly Arthur Machen’s ‘Hill of Dreams’), referred to by KFB @14.

  21. Today is Princess Sadie’s 11th birthday. Please be upstanding and raise your glasses in a toast to her good health and happiness.

  22. Very enjoyable puzzle – thank you, setter – and excellent blog – thank you & welcome Twmbarlwm (hoping to see another Twmbarlwm NTSPP soon?)

  23. Thanks to all for the warm welcome to Blogville, and many thanks to Mr K for training me to use the blog’s software, and to Gazza and Prolixic for their help and advice too. :good:

  24. For me today, I found this puzzle again to be more like a toughie and not a typical Tuesday puzzle.
    Also, found some of the clueing unintuitive and very hard to parse.
    3.5*/2* today … not a satisfying solve for me at all.

    Favourites today were 23a, 25a & 8d & 17d but nothing stands out as a winner.

    Thanks to setter and Twmbarlwm

  25. Sorry but this was far too difficult for me 😟 *****/** so it took far too long to solve and it’s only Tuesday 😳 Favourites 9a and 21d Thanks to and welcome to Twmbarlwm for much needed help (possibly a Welsh anagram 🤔) and also thanks to the unknown Compiler 😬

  26. Very enjoyable and quite a bit above the Tuesday average for difficulty. The cryptic NW corner was the last section to yield. Top clue for me was 8d.

    Thanks to our setter (I wonder if my suspect is the same as Gazza’s suspect) and to Twmbarlwm for an entertaining and assured first blog. The answer to your question about 5a is “not in the last 20 years of Telegraph/Times/Guardian/Indy cryptics”.

  27. Croeso Twmbarlwm! But what a difficult challenge today. Thank you for explaining things and of course a thank you to the setter

  28. I set off at a cracking pace before slowing down and then grinding to a halt. I stuck at it and stumbled over the line. Having finished it I can’t see what the problem was. Enjoyable solve though. I first came across the word for rag and bone man in 19d watching Steptoe and Son. Favourite was 20a. Thanks to the setter and T, welcome from me too.

  29. Defeated. Didn’t spot the lurker. When will I learn, if all else fails, look for a lurker. And cox. Despite being the RVC’s worst ever oarsman I’m still drawn to the aquatic cox. Or apples. And my nightmare trying to reverse engineer 14d. I loved dry outfit and bishop’s neighbour however and still had fun.
    Thanks for the (assured) blog Twmbarlwm, and our esteemed setter.

  30. Crikey that was certainly no stroll in the park. I’d love to know who Gazza & Mr K reckon is the culprit. Like Chriscross a bit of a case of fill the grid in & then figure out the parsing which I managed with the exception of 3d though also a bit nonplused (know now) with blue as an anagram indicator. Top 3 for me were 16,17&20a in no particular order.
    Thanks to the setter & Twmbarlwm – look forward to your next NTSPP & you’ll have to get your 5a query into a clue.

  31. I ended up with 1a, 11a, 13a, 1d and 3d unsolved. A few bung ins, too. Still, mostly enjoyable!

    We had 6d yesterday, and I preferred yesterday’s clue for it!

  32. Thought this would be a dnf early on but got there in the end – 3D was last in as the connection with moguls was completely new to me (scuba diving being my only Winter get away activity)…,

  33. In case you are still looking at this old post Twmbarlwm congratulations on your debut. I completed this but was left with 14d. I was convinced it started with night. Picked the paper up this morning and the answer jumped out at me!

  34. 3*/5* …..
    liked 23A “Bishop’s neighbour announced time for rest? (5)” amongst several others

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