DT 30138 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30138

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30138

Hints and tips by pommers

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

Hola from Vega Baja where the warm autumn seems to be coming to an end.  I had to dig out some long trousers on Saturday evening, which is something I haven’t done since the middle of May, but it’s still pleasantly warm in the afternoons.

Maybe it’s just me but I thought today’s puzzle was a tad trickier than the usual Monday fare but looking at the clock I see it didn’t actually take me very long.  Four anagrams and three double definitions give plenty of ways in so I don’t think many of you will need these hints.

As usual the ones I liked most are in blue.  The definitions are underlined in the clues and the answers are under the “click here” buttons so don’t click on them unless you really want to see the answer.  Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Fellow pilot — look out for their place? (7)
COCKPIT:  You need an informal term for a fellow or mate and then the PILOT from the clue but without the two letters which mean look (look out) to get the place where you might find said pilot.

5a           Several books in one  large vehicle (7)
OMNIBUS:  Double definition.

9a           Plain in part of Cornwall an observatory (5)
LLANO:  A lurker hiding in (part of) the last three words of the clue.

10a         I cried aloud being stared at (9)
EYEBALLED:  If the answer is split (3,6) you would get two words which sound like (aloud) two words for I CRIED.

11a         Strange hound — tail’s wagging (10)
OUTLANDISH:  Anagram (wagging) of HOUND TAILS.  One of those clues where both the first and last words could be anagram indicators or the definition and you have no way of knowing which is which.

12a         Greek god shown in maze, usually (4)
ZEUS:  Another lurker hiding in (shown in) the last two words.

14a         Watch a big bee, cuckoo, and butterfly (7-5)
CABBAGE WHITE:  Anagram (cuckoo) of WATCH A BIG BEE.

18a         Exciting experience after agent returned by chance (12)
PERADVENTURE:  An agent or salesman is reversed (returned) and followed by a word for an exciting experience.

21a         Japanese drama about a biblical character (4)
NOAH:  A form of Japanese drama is placed around (about) the A from the clue.

22a         Ring a teacher at university, and name a drug (10)
BELLADONNA:  A slang term for to ring by phone and the A from the clue are followed by a word for a university lecturer and then N(ame) and lastly the other A from the clue.

25a         Attempted to deceive comic in Detroit (5,2,2)
TRIED IT ON:  Anagram (comic) of IN DETROIT.

26a         Relative in Riviera resort, reportedly (5)
NIECE:  This relative sounds like (reportedly) a place on the French Riviera.

27a         Ordinary  uniform (7)
REGULAR:  Double definition.

28a         Large in poster, and slim (7)
SLENDER:  This is a poster as in someone who posts a letter.  Think of another word for him and insert (in) an L(arge).

Down

1d           Green, everything devoured by female elephant (6)
CALLOW:  Green as in inexperienced.  It’s the usual word for everything inserted into (devoured  by) the term for a female hephalump.

2d           Modest order hotel put in (6)
CHASTE:  An order of society has an H inserted  (H(otel) put in).

3d           For heathen, US lawyer causes publicity (10)
PROPAGANDA:  Three letter meaning for or in favour of followed by a heathen and then the usual American lawyer.

4d           Time to remove unwanted plants in river (5)
TWEED:  T(ime) followed by a word meaning to remove unwanted plants or even the unwanted plant itself give a river in southern Scotland.

5d           Innocent mistake concerning vision (9)
OVERSIGHT:  A word meaning concerning or about followed by another word for vision.

6d           Elegant American in final (4)
NEAT:  A(merican) inserted into (in) a word meaning final as in your final pay after deductions.

7d           Report of patient’s progress round home (8)
BULLETIN:  A round of ammunition followed by the usual two letters for home or at home.

8d           Avoid team that has upset favourites (8)
SIDESTEP:  Another word for a team followed by some teacher’s favourites but they are reversed (upset in a down clue).

13d         Dean’s crowd reviewed steps taken by Highlanders, say (5,5)
SWORD DANCE:  Anagram (reviewed) of DEANS CROWD.

15d         Warder, female, feeding bird (9)
BEEFEATER:  A warder at the Tower of London is an F(emale) inserted into (feeding) a bird.

16d         Short trip with short authoritarian old maid (8)
SPINSTER:  A word for a short trip in a car followed by a word meaning authoritarian but without its last letter (short).

17d         Really not looking forward to day studying (8)
DREADING:  D(ay) followed by a word for studying at university.

19d         Mean, new cardinal featured in papers (6)
INTEND:  N(ew) and a cardinal number inserted into (featured in) the usual two letters for identity papers.

20d         Rush  job (6)
CAREER:  Double definition.

23d         Rising star I left, Lucy’s brother (5)
LINUS:  Our nearest star and the I from the clue and then L(eft) are all reversed (rising in a down clue) to get Lucy’s brother in the comic strip Peanuts.  We had a picture of this chap in my last blog so here he is again . . .

24d         Heart-throb may be lazy, we hear (4)
IDOL:  A word for a heart-throb sounds like (we hear) a word meaning lazy.

My top three today are 1a, 22a and 7d with 1a on the top step.


Quick crossword puns:

Top line:      GAIT      +     KEY     +     PURR     =     GATEKEEPER

Bottom line:   TOOL     +     EFT     +     FEAT     =     TWO LEFT FEET

47 comments on “DT 30138

  1. Still raining in Sandhurst, I’m thinking of building an ark!
    Nice easy puzzle to start the week, with quite a bit of lateral thinking
    required. Got through it without any real trouble. My favourites today
    are 3 and 15d.

  2. 1*/4*. The usual light and fun puzzle for a Monday with my only hold up being to check my BRB for my answer to 9a, which was a new word for me.

    My top picks were 10a, 22a, 26a (nice alliteration), 7d & 15d as well as both Quickie puns.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to pommers.

  3. Started off super quick but wasn’t quite read and write; I did need to look up a couple of my constructions. Favourite clues were 1a, 10a and 3d.

    Thanks to today’s setter and pommers.

  4. Enjoyable and certainly doable start to the crossword week..
    From the bottom up, as, at first run through, couldn’t get a hold on the upper half.
    Smiled at 18 and 22a
    Thanks to Campbell? and pommers.

  5. Sound start to the week, took a while to parse 1a and a steady progress followed,
    Some excellent charades eg 3d and 22a contributing to an enjoyable solve, a **/**** for me-thanks to Pommers for the pics

  6. Mainly enjoyable but with a couple of slight quibbles.
    5 and 18a are a bit dated, as is 16d (and nowadays derogatory). Seemed to be quite a few first letter abbreviations too.
    Top two for me were 10a with standout favourite 8d.
    Many thanks to Campbell and Pommers

  7. A gentle and thoroughly enjoyable start to the crosswording week that was up to our regular setter’s standard. 10 and 22a were my joint favourites with an honourable mention to the Quickie puns.

    Thanks to Campbell and pommers.

  8. Found this a good bit trickier than the usual Monday fare taking me into ** time to complete. Needed to confirm both 9&14a & can’t say I’ve ever had cause to use 18a in a sentence either. Still an enjoyable start to the week. Like Jonners I’ll plump for a podium of 1&10d + 3d with 8d & 22a just missing out.
    Thanks to Campbell & Pommers

  9. There were some really good clues in this puzzle, although it lacked some of the smootness of Campbell’s usual fare. The variety of clue types was quite appealing too. I liked the 15d lego clue and the anagrams at 14a and 11a, whilst the 9a lurker was well disguised However, the COTD forme was the 10a homophone. Thanks to Campbell and to Pommers in warm and sunny Spain from me insodden, over ast Oxfordshire.

  10. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: */****

    Candidates for favourite – 10a, 22a, 28a, 5d, and 23d – and the winner is 22a.

    Thanks to Campbell and pommers.

  11. Perhaps a little more challenging than the usual Monday offering but managed with only one outing to the BRB, my knowledge of Japanese drama being non-existent. The dated answers don’t bother me. I suspect a few of us are ‘dated’! Today I especially liked 1a, 22a and 8d along with both quickie puns. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers.

  12. StephenL thinks 18a to be a tad outdated but it is such a lovely word I’d hate it to be lost.
    10a was clever and I don’t think anyone could object to the homophones.
    Difficult to believe the pest that is 14a is a butterfly. Nothing attractive about it at all.
    COTD? The above mentioned 18a.

  13. A gentle and fun start to the week – thanks to Campbell and pommers.
    I’ve picked out 1a, 10a and 1d for my podium.

  14. I found Campbell a little trickier than normal today but it was still enjoyable, nevertheless. I have never heard of 9a but it had to be so given the clue. A quick check with Mr. G. showed it to be correct. It took me ages to parse 1a but when I finally got it a huge smile ensued. My knowledge of Japanese theatre is non-existent and I doubt I will remember the one at 21a.

    Most enjoyable with my COTD being the aforementioned 1a and the two Quickie puns. (Note to self – stop spending ages looking for more puns on a Monday).

    Many thanks to Campbell for the fun and pommers for the hints, which I will now read.

  15. What larks, eh Pip? Well, I rather larked my way through this enjoyably gentle start to the week, with 10a, 3d, & 15d making it to the podium, just edging out 14a, 1a, & 8d. Thanks to pommers and Campbell (especially for the Quickie puns). 1.5*/3.5*

  16. Light and straightforward, an enjoyable Monday morning coffeebreak challenge, with only the Japanese drama being out of the ordinary, but it was unlikely to be anything else. And wasn’t. 5a may indeed be somewhat outdated, but where would the man from (or indeed to) Clapham be without it, even now? I still use 18a occasionally, and TBH can see nothing wrong with 16a either as a clue or an answer, sorry Stephen … or maybe I’m just a little outdated myself! Ticks all over the place but will limit mentions to 10a, 26a (agreed: admirable alliteration), and 15d.

    1* / 3*

    Thank you to Campbell and to Pommers

    (And commiserations to Terence, if you’re lurking, however this is one very happy Gooner today!)

    1. I agree MG. Most lawyers became very familiar with the man on the Clapham omnibus early in their career. In fact, I was familiar with the word at primary school to explain why we had to put an apostrophe in front of the shortened version.

      1. Until relatively recently my mother would still put an apostrophe in front of frig for refrigerator, but no full stop after it. Fortunately she now tends to write “fridge” instead …

  17. Our clocks went back yesterday so I’m a bit “jet-lagged” this morning. Nevertheless, I did manage to complete the puzzle in decent time. Enjoyable start to the week, with 22A and 8D my top picks, and hon. mention to 21A just because it’s my grandson’s name. Thanks Campbell and Pommers.

    Anyone heard how Jane’s doing?

  18. I was going to quibble the synonymity of 6d with elegant then I remembered I’m not that person. I had fun unpacking 1a, remembered the plain so all in all a good Monday.
    A few favourites. 20d because it’s always good to remember your job can go rapidly downhill out of control; 14d’s great surface/anagram and 22d’s charade.
    Many thanks pommers and Campbell.

  19. I always find Campbell tough and this was no exception, definitely *** time for me, but all good fun with some clever clue-ing….I particularly liked 1a once the penny dropped…..

    1. I also always find Campbell tough – all to do with wave-length and today no reception at all . . .

  20. I agree with pommers a bit tougher than our usual Campbell and I though his rating right. I needed the hints to understand why 1a was what it was which is a bit embarrassing as I sit in one often. Best of the bunch was 10a just popped for my by the clever 7d. Thanks to pommers and Campbell.

  21. Yes, very nice exercise today – I did like the nice anagram at 14a and also 2d appealed. I think 18a is a lovely word but I agree that I don’t hear it used often! 9a was a bung in so thanks for confirming that, Pommers, I have stored it away. Thanks to the setter and hinter- Still raining here.

  22. Another good puzzle from Campbell to start the week. Just right for those without the higher skills of crosswording but who can read and think and also recognise words from the checkers that have to the right one.

    Must remember the use of cuckoo as an anagram indicator ; spent fruitless minutes looking at lists of butterflies before getting enough checkers to get the answer and realise it was an anagram.

    3d my favourite today with 10a getting a very honourable mention. Thanks to Pommers and Campbell for their excellent service this Monday.

  23. Yes, a little higher on the difficulty scale today, but all went in from the wordplay.
    9a and 18a were new words for me, and Mr.G was required to confirm my guess for the Japanese ref in 21a.
    Thanks to Campbell for the well clued exercise and pommers for the hints.
    Note, I hope Southern Water are filling plenty of bottles with rain water just now…..some hope!

  24. It’s always a pleasure to work through Campbell’s smooth clueing, with 10a as my favourite. Thank you Pommers for the hints

  25. Back to the non-work week in the *POURING* rain as I complete this on Sunday night. Nice puzzle from Campbell again this week, with lots of great clueing. 1.5*/3.5*

    Favourites today include 5a, 14a, 22a, 25a, 4d & 16d — with winner the lego 22a.

    Did not know the word in 19a and will check the parsing for 21a when I read the blog.

    Thanks to Campbell and pommers

  26. Not my favourite Campbell but achievable in a reasonable time. I thought 9a was a hidden word but took me a while to find it. Quite a few only revealed themselves when all the checkers were in. Favourites 3 and 7d. Thanks Campbell and Pommers.

  27. On my first read through I wasn’t confident that I would get very far with today’s puzzle but I was wrong. The grey cells saw the light and I just skated through. I had to check the Japanese drama but I was right. My only hold ups were 18a and last one in 23d. I rather fancy a 3rd pun ‘ lain grief-stricken’. Many thanks to Campbell for a very enjoyable exercise and to Pommers.

  28. I was caught out by 4d. I saw unwanted plants, scribbled “weeds” in the margin, added the “t” for time and hey presto….I had one letter too many.I forgot that weed could be singular or plural.
    My husband was born in Berwick-upon-Tweed, north of the river, but is English by about 50 yards. The Tweed runs through north Northumberland at that point.
    Thank you setter and Pommers.

  29. My usual Monday/Campbell trouble.
    Perhaps a few less problems for me today.
    I think my favourite was 16d – oh, and too 22a.
    Thanks to Campbell and to pommers too.

        1. To quote my Dad – twaddle!!
          No – not two faves just a second thought . . . and this one has not fallen – it never was mighty . . . .

  30. I really liked this crossword 😃 ***/***** Favourites 11a and 15d with honourable mentions for 22a, 10a and 3d 👍 New words were 9a and 18a. Loved the skirl o’ the pipes, what a lovely way to start the crosswording week 🤗 Thanks to Pommers and to Campbell

  31. Had to check 9a and the Japanese drama but both had to be what they were so no quibbles. Favourite was 3d. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers.

  32. That was quite a demanding launch into the cruciverbal week with SW holding out longest. 9a a new one on me. 15d was a bung-in but had to be with all the crossers in place and what a colourful critter it is. 10a my Fav. Thank you Campbell and Pommers.

  33. Thought this was really tough for a Monday.
    Struggled to finish. Definitely *** for us. Has a lot of difficulty spotting the lurker in 9 across.

  34. I have to concur with the view that this was slightly trickier than the norm for Monday, but I managed to get there just before my lunch break was over. 18a required a consult with the BRB. I bunged in median for mean justifying it as the papers are part of the media with n for the cardinal point, sorting that corner out delayed me the most.
    Thanks to Campbell and pommers.

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