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DT 30222

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30222

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

Greetings from Ottawa, where the weather is unseasonably warm. We are in the midst of Winterlude, our annual three-week winter festival, but many of the attractions such as snow and ice sculptures have melted and the Rideau Canal skateway likely will not open for a single day this year due to the warm weather. Very bizarre as the first day of the festival (just over a week ago) was cancelled due to cold weather (the high temperature that day was -32° C). The temperature is forecast to reach +7° C later this week – a swing of nearly 40° C in less than two weeks!

One might say today’s puzzle from Campbell contains a 26a of anagrams and a surfeit of charades. I don’t believe even Mr K could find enough synonyms for charade to uniquely hint every clue in this puzzle. Nevertheless, the puzzle was the usual pleasantly enjoyable early week bit of mental exercise that we expect from this setter.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

Across

1a   Expedition heading for Surtsey, a distant island (6)
SAFARI — string together the initial letter of (heading for) SURTSEY, the A from the clue, another word for distant, and the abbreviation for island

4a   Information, given prior to summit, in contradictory language (8)
NEWSPEAK — current information preceding the summit of a mountain

9a   Film a vessel joining a river (6)
AVATAR — concatenate the first A from the clue, a vessel for storing or holding liquids, the second A from the clue, and the map abbreviation for river

10a   A couple of pianos increase in value (8)
APPRAISE — a charade of the A from the clue, two instances of a musical direction to play softly, and a synonym for increase

11a   Well-known short novel, Rider’s first for Longmans’ (9)
PUBLISHER — link together a truncated term (short) for well-known or not private, a novel by H. Rider Haggard, and the initial letter of (‘s first) RIDER

13a   Tense, small daughter finds river (5)
TWEED — join together the grammatical abbreviation for tense, a Scottish word for small, and the genealogical abbreviation for daughter

14a   Away team risk a long shot (7,6)
OUTSIDE CHANCE — sew together away (from one’s home or office), another word for team, and a synonym for risk

17a   Best nuts and biscuits (5,8)
CREAM CRACKERS — a synonym for best (because it infers rising to the top?) and nuts in the sense of insane or crazy

21a   Express a point of view over coniferous tree (5)
OPINE — the cricket abbreviation for over and a coniferous tree (perhaps from Scotland)

23a   Put out when mine is swallowed by bar worker (9)
INDIGNANT — place a verb meaning mine or excavate inside a bar or pub and follow with the usual six footed worker

24a   Of theoretical interest only, relating to a college education? (8)
ACADEMIC — a fairly obvious double definition

25a   Black bird dog (6)
BEAGLE — the single letter for black and one of my fellow birds of prey

26a   Brief period in deficit (8)
SHORTAGE — knit together synonyms for brief in duration and period or era

27a   King‘s wife in dread at sea (6)
EDWARD — the genealogical abbreviation for wife placed inside an anagram (at sea) of DREAD

Down

1d   Seafood fraud private investigator reveals (6)
SCAMPI — a fraud or swindle and an abbreviated term for a private investigator

2d   Snapped after apartment cleaned out (4,5)
FLAT BROKE — a British apartment and a past participle meaning snapped or fractured

3d   One who’s pragmatic about top celebrities? (7)
REALIST — a short preposition denoting about or concerning and a catalogue of the celebrities of the highest echelon

5d   Veteran suffered (11)
EXPERIENCED — a double definition …

6d   Extend prison term (7)
STRETCH — … and another double definition

7d   Select English, low in calories (5)
ELITE — the single letter for English and a Madison Avenue term for low in calories

8d   Very much involved, want to enter tower (4-4)
KNEE-DEEP — another word for want enveloped in a castle tower

12d   Very scary, shock increasing (4-7)
HAIR-RAISING — a shock or tresses and a word meaning increasing

15d   Wistfulness may be shown by lots again in resort (9)
NOSTALGIA — an anagram (in resort) of LOTS AGAIN

16d   Science, principally, reportedly grabs students (8)
SCHOLARS — the principal or initial letter of SCIENCE and a homophone (reportedly) of a word meaning grabs or arrests

18d   Actress, having stitch in side, retired (3,4)
MAE WEST — first, place another term for stitch (as a verb) inside a cricket or football side; then reverse the lot (retired)

19d   Boffin, for example, good leader (7)
EGGHEAD — the abbreviation for the Latin term meaning ‘for example’, a teacher’s mark of good on a test or assignment, and a leader or boss

20d   Visit a nurse following onset of tetanus (6)
ATTEND — assembled according to directions, line up the A from the clue, the initial letter (onset) of TETANUS, and a word meaning nurse or care for

22d   Leaders in Israel did address head of state (5)
IDAHO — the initial letters of (leaders in) the next five words in the clue

In lieu of picking a favourite today, I will spotlight 11a for its soupcon of historical accuracy. While there is no reason why clues should be accurate in a historical, geographic, or any other sense, I am always intrigued when they are. The novel in 11a was, in fact, published by Longmans but I suspect it was the second H. Rider Haggard novel to be published by that firm (the first likely being Allan Quatermain).


Quickie Pun (Top Row): PIG + MAY + LYON = PYGMALION

Quickie Pun (Middle Row) : ARDOUR + SNAILS = ‘ARD AS NAILS (HARD AS NAILS)

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : RAPS + OWE + DEE = RHAPSODY


89 comments on “DT 30222

  1. I found this very light, I don’t think I’ve done many quicker, but good fun with smiles aplenty.
    I’ll pick 8,16&19d as my podium sitters.
    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  2. +/++++ Lots of smooth surfaces and smiles. COTD 17a.
    I’m still a little unsure about parsing 11a but I’m guessing a novel slips in there. Many thanks Falcon and (must be) Campbell.

  3. Good fun if on he easy side of the spectrum. 18d was a worthy favourite ahead of the middle pun.

    Thanks to our triple punner and Falcon.

  4. A bit different to the usual run of Campbell puzzles and quite entertaining , thete was some clever misdirection in some clues. Most of the clues were gettable, akthough I struggled to parse some parts of the charades. I liked 8d,18d, 27a and 13a. Many thanks to Falcon for the hints and to Campbell for an interesting puzzle.

  5. Although 1a went in immediately I struggled to get a foothold in the top half and thought this was going to be more challenging than the usual Monday. However having moved to the lower half and completed with relative ease the top fell into place without a problem. My overall favourite was 8d and I also liked 4a, 14a and 23a. Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for helping me to fully parse 11a.

    1. For those looking for a lovely straightforward diversion, lots to recommend in todays Graun quiptic spot occupied by Giovanni‘s aler ego.

  6. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: 1.5*/4.5*

    Candidates for favourite – 10a, 25a, 12d, and 16d – and the winner is 12d.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  7. Very Mondayish, I thought.
    Nearly a whoosh, stumbled over spelling of first part of 18d which added .5 to my * time.
    Much to amuse, especially 8d.
    And was delighted with its illustration, above.
    Many thanks, Campbell and Falcon.

  8. A sub * time solve & like Stephen not sure I’ve ever completed one quicker. The Quickie actually took longer as I’d bunged in a wrong synonym for education which took longer than it ought to have to spot. Good fun for the short time it lasted. Fav a toss up between 8&16d.
    Thanks to Campbell & Falcon

  9. I seemed to be on Campbell’s wavelength from the off and this one ultimately proved to be a reasonably straightforward solve. I went round in an anti-clock direction from the NW so LOI was 4a. COTD for me – 17a. Thanks Campbell ; thanks Falcon for the hints – enjoy your winter T-shirt weather.

  10. A very entertaining puzzle – thanks to Campbell and Falcon.
    I liked 14a, 3d and 18d.
    I thought that 11a was clever but since Longmans is just an example of the answer I’m a bit surprised that there’s no indication of such in the clue.

      1. Thanks,Jane. Yes that would cover it. Presumably the QM has been corrupted to the “‘” in the online version.

          1. Thanks, Senf. So it was only we who are resolutely sticking to the ‘old’ site as long as it still exists who got the dud version.

            1. And that includes me. I only looked, out of curiosity, this morning.

              The only use I have for the ‘new’ web site is confirming how many Quickie clues contribute to the Pun on the days that I am blogging.

        1. The apostrophe was rather confusing – more so when I discovered the publisher is named Longman and not Longmans. A bit more research revealed that the firm has undergone 28 name changes since its establishment as T. Longman in 1724. When She was published in 1887, the company was called Longmans, Green & Co. This was shortened to Longmans in 1959 and to Longman in 1969. In its lengthiest incarnation in 1832, the publisher was known as Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans. To add to the confusion, She first appeared in serial form in Longman’s Magazine which has both an apostrophe and an S.

  11. Really enjoyed this one and successfully completed. I did not know the book in 11a. 12d made me laugh so that was my favourite.

    I have discovered a tip which may help other beginners (or I may have a very odd brain). If I am stuck on a down clue I write it out as though it is across and for some reason that usually helps me see the answer more easily. I would be intrigued to know if anyone else has found this?

    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon

    1. Yes, I always do that with down clues so maybe I have an odd brain too. I also write anagrams in circles!

    2. Remember the book. It was published in 1887 and apparently “was extraordinarily popular upon its release and has never been out of print”. It is also extremely popular with crossword setters.

  12. A pleasant romp as we’ve come to expect on a Monday with several smiles along the way.
    Top three for me were 14&17a plus the middle Quickie pun.

    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the review – can’t help thinking that the unseasonable weather means that we’ll all be crying out for air-con when the Summer comes!

  13. Campbell in top form today with a very entertaining puzzle. I had ticks all over the page such as 1a, 14a, 16d and 18d. I tried to make sense of 4a, at first, by using “gen” for information. I thought it was one of those new compilation words that I had not heard of. My COTD is the literary 11a.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the fun and Falcon for the review and hints, which I did not need today but will now read.

    Beautiful day in The Marches, Hudson asleep at my feet while Perks plays football with a rolled up piece of aluminium foil.

    1. Give Hudson a pat for me and tell him what a good boy he is to accept a youngster batting balls around.

      1. I have done, Merusa and Hudson sends his licks – sorry but they are a bit sloppy. In the meantime, Perks played centre forward for Manchester United this evening and scored a fantastic goal. The crowd went wild! 🐈🐈🐈🐈🙄

  14. Quicker than the Quickie but a pleasant wakeup-with-coffee solve for me this chilly morning in the Carolinas. I’m always pleased to see WCFields’s favourite co-star at 19d when she appears in one of our cryptics and so she deserves at least a little statuette today, following 11a and 14a on the podium. Thanks to Falcon and Campbell. */***

    Finally, one of my favourite teams wins a very immersive Super Bowl, with 8 seconds to go. Let’s hear it for Kansas City! (“Everything’s up-to-date in Kansas City, / They’ve gone about as far as they can go!”)

    1. When we visited Delaware about thirty years ago, The Philadelphia Eagles were not rated very highly. The family I was staying with were staunch Dallas Cowboy supporters and laughed at the Eagles. The lady of the house had even been a Cowboys cheerleader. That made me support the Eagles and, to the family’s derision, I bought an Eagles sweatshirt that I still have.
      A lot can happen in thirty years!

      1. Your Eagles fought valiantly last night, Steve, and could have won quite easily–it was that kind of game–but KC just outplayed them by a yard or two.

        1. When we Skyped our daughter at the weekend, Robert, I was so enthusiastic about the fact The Eagles had made the final. The reason we went to Delaware was she was working there for a year as a nanny. It was she who got me into The Eagles – we Cowlings always support the underdog. Sadly, her enthusiasm for The Eagles had waned. She and her husband now live in Melbourne and are ardent supporters of The Demons in the AFL – a game that is even more confusing than American football to a mere Brit such as I.

          Nevertheless, I am quietly proud of The Eagles.

    2. Here’s a bonkers fact: Kansas is the most populated city in………wait for it, wait for it…….Missouri!

      It straddles the Kansas river, the border between the two states.

      I am very happy with that as I am with today’s puzzle. There’s nothing better than starting the week with a gentle ‘Campbell amble’ through Crosswordland.

      1*/4*

  15. 1*/4*. This was light and huge fun with 17a, 8d & 18d making it onto my podium.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  16. Lots to like in this Campbell puzzle to start the (non)-work week … very entertaining!

    1*/4.5* for me

    Favourites could easily rival Sunday’s puzzle and with lots of chestnuts in here too.

    For me today I pick 1a, 10a, 13a, 14a, 17a, 8d & 12d — and winners today would be 13a & 14a

    Enjoyed the 6N England – Italy match on Sunday too.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  17. Thanks to Campbell, very enjoyable solve. And to Falcon – didn’t need your hints today, but always enjoy reading them

  18. Swift and enjoyable while it lasted, equines all quite relaxed, very similar to a Times Quick Cryptic. 1* / 3*

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon – remarkable change in the weather. And with New Zealand’s North Island really in the thick of it at present, this is already shaping up to be quite a year.

  19. It must be me.I found this almost impossible. I managed only 6 answers. Just could not get on the right wavelength at all.
    For me *****/*. The worst Monday puzzle I can remember.
    Thx for the hints

    1. Totally agree with you. It was a tangle of barbed wire. On any other day, it would have been a walk in the park. Obviously, it’s a wavelength issue.

  20. 4a was a new word for us but other than that pretty straightforward for a change. Favourite was 17a. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  21. For some reason I was slow out of the starting blocks but once underway it all fell smoothly into place and it was a very enjoyable solve. Joint Favs 4a and 10a. Thank you Campbell and Falcon. Failed to suss the bottom line of the Quickie pun as I had different 22a.

      1. I was stuck with bars for ages. Spent far too long saying the result with differing accents, emphases and intonations. Then the proverbial dropped! 😊

  22. Unlike Our Brian I found this rather gentle and it needed to be as I stayed up until 3:30am watching the splendid Super Bowl (I’ve seen them all since the early 1980s and this was one of the very best).
    The culmination of a long day that included climbing Coombe Hill in The Chilterns and watching an eccentric movie (chosen by The Youngster) called ‘Triangle Of Sadness’.

    Thanks to Campbell and The Bird Of Prey.

    ‘Everything’s like a dream in Kansas City, It’s better than a magic lantern show.’

    1. There really are some very fine art deco high-rises there too, though Will Parker didn’t get around to singing about them. He got carried away by all of those ‘burley-Q’ shows!

  23. First ever cryptic crossword I have completed without using this blog for clues! (Though I did use ‘reveal mistakes’ function quite often). I’m getting better! Had to visit here to understand the clue for 11a, but I guessed it based on other letters.
    Thank you for the blog it’s a big help!

    1. Welcome to the blog. Congratulations on your achievement. We’re always pleased to hear that readers are benefiting from our efforts and improving their solving skills. keep at it and keep commenting.

    2. Welcome from me, dayonedisc and congratulations on your first unaided completion – always a very satisfying event. I hope you continue to tell us how you are getting on. :good:

  24. Managed to get only one spelling mistake which held me up until 21a went in. Was a late reader and the only exam I failed was”Use of English”. Do the crossword to try and mitigate the problem, plus they are such fun.

    1. Welcome back to the blog – it’s been a couple of years since your last visit. Congratulations on your success. Your comment went into moderation because you used a new alias. It (and all the previous ones) should now work.

    2. Welcome back, Dislex. I take it your name refers to word blindness? In which case, all power to you for doing the crosswords. I have a friend who has the same condition and simply cannot make sense of crosswords because of it and won’t even attempt them.

      If I have that completely wrong, please forgive my being forward.

      1. My sister is more dyslexic than I am ( she would agree) She has a law degree but cannot do crossword puzzles or Wordle. All very strange.

  25. This wasn’t as hard as Brian said but it wasn’t a R&W as most seem to have found it; on the other hand, I think I’m being pretty dim today. I managed to work out 4a from the clue but had to look it up. I was so convinced that 8d started with “keep”, idiot, when I visited it again, it fell into place. I needed word search for 9a, goodness knows it’s been on the box often enough. I also spelt 1d as ending in “y”, so I suppose that’s a technical DNF. My fave was a tossup between 11a and 18d, but there was a lot of good stuff.
    Thanks Campbell for the fun and Falcon for the hints and pics.

  26. Oh dear – my last one in was 13a despite the majority of the 97 miles being on this side of the border. Became one of my favourites along with 1a and 8d.

    Thanks to all.

  27. Can you stop showing women in bikinis at every opportunity, however tenuous the link to the clue?! Some women do the crossword every day so how about some beefcake for us, to balance the sexism?

    1. You’ve expanded your first name since your previous comment so this needed moderation. Both versions will work from now on.

      What did you think of the crossword?

    2. Oh dear, and I thought that photo was very innocuous.

      But since you asked, here is a photo I used to illustrate a previous review. Hope its what you’re looking for (and hope this upload feature works).

      1. Okay, I’ll cast the dissenting vote on this subject. Please post pictures of hot young women in bikinis whenever possible.

        1. Richard,
          Thanks for the vote of support. Good to see a fellow Canuck (not referring to the hockey team) on board. You’ve changed your “alias” slightly from your last visit, so your comment went into moderation. Any of the various aliases you have used should now work.

      1. I agree with Suzie but would like to know what she thought of the puzzle. 👍

        By all means, though please keep the pics of young ladies in bikinis as well.

  28. Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the review and hints. A very nice start to the week. I found this quite tricky in places. Had to guess the first part of 4a. Favourite and LOI was 27a. Was 3* / 4* for me.

  29. Completed earlier and very enjoyable. Got 11a but hadn’t parsed it properly until reading the hints. Ditto 23a. That’s when this site is so helpful. Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    I do hope that the 2 Kiwis are keeping OK given the bad weather forecast?

  30. I was R&W on this until getting stymied by 4a and a couple of neighbours, but got there after some thought. I suppose I’d have expected an indicator of a fictional language, given the relatively straightforward clues in the rest of the puzzle.
    Good fun for a Monday.

  31. I really didn’t take to this. Although I finished it I felt I was humouring a rather tired comedian.

  32. Didn’t find as light and gentle as some, although I did get about half way through before I had to really start scratching my head. I would never refer to 17a as biscuits, and it’s not the American/English thing. Biscuits are something you can dunk, and you certainly can’t with a Jacob’s. Somehow I have never heard of 4a. I do remember my parents saying “If it’s in the newspaper, it must be true”. Sadly, don’t think anyone says that anymore. So perhaps that is what 4a is?

    1. 4a is ambiguous and deceptive language, used deliberately by bureaucrats and politicians, in an attempt to control public opinion.

      1. ‘Newspeak’ is the term coined by Orwell in “1984” to describe Big Brother’s political and deliberate manipulation of the language such that it is impossible to even ‘think’ heretical thoughts. Some might say that that is a particular issue with wokeism today.

  33. I found this very light, no records but close. Having far less GK this week suited me personally. I liked 7d which kept me guessing for a while and 27a which also happens to be the name of my son! Thanks Campbell and Falcon */***

  34. Well would you believe it I’ve finished the quick crossword and the cryptic on the day it was published- what am I going to do in the early hours? Probably catch up on all the other Monday puzzles and carry on reading The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett – am totally hooked! Many thanks to Falcon and Campbell. Lovely sunny day here in Surrey – visited Wisley with two of the granddaughters- didn’t notice much of the gardens- am sure they were wonderful- will visit next week with a friend and truly appreciate the start of spring.

    1. Hi Granny Helen, I recently read Hallett’s The Appeal and thought that it was diabolically clever and very ‘au courant’ with emails and other non-traditional narrative devices propelling the plot. I still prefer the Jamesian omniscient and specialised consciousness moving the story forward, but Hallett has a talent all her own. I look forward to reading The Twyford Code.

  35. Sorry this is off topic but not sure where else to put it. I have just watched the news about the cyclone in New Zealand. 2 Kiwis and friends, neighbours and relatives, is there anything we can do? I can give to the Red Cross or is there a better more local organization?
    I am sure there are many NZ lurkers on here too.

  36. Have not commented for a while.
    Perfect Monday puzzle. Finished last night without hints. Just reading comments during usual insomnia session. Newspeak was the fictional language in George Orwell’s 1984. I presume that is where the word originated. Regarding bikinis & beefcake, much prefer Mr K’s cat pictures! I am 81 so that’s my excuse .
    Thanks to all

    1. Lol so do I! Mr K’s cat pictures always brighten my day.

  37. Very late having had a busy day, and another today looming – just wanted to say thankyou to Campbell for the brain exercise and Falcon for explaining 5a – not familiar with that. 8d my favourite, brilliant.

  38. Didn’t get time to do this yesterday, but solved this morning in record time. Really enjoyed it, as I do all Campbell’s puzzles.
    Favourites included 4a 14a 17a 25a and 18d (although spelt the actress’s name incorrectly to start with!). Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon for the blog. Love hearing about the extremes of weather in Ottawa!

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