DT 30231 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30231

by StephenL  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30231

Hints and tips by StephenL

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

Good morning everyone from a wet and windy South Devon coast

The setter has given us a superbly entertaining puzzle with just enough about it to qualify as a late week back-pager. I hope someone pops in to claim it.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a Hot stuff from Sun involved in slanderous attack (7)
MUSTARD: Insert what the sun is in an astronomical sense (ignore the capitalisation) into what could constitute a slanderous attack if “thrown”

5a What an uninvited guest may do under it, possibly (7)
INTRUDE: Anagram (possibly) of the preceding two words

9a Helps to chase runs and attacks (5)
RAIDS: Follow (to chase) the abbreviation for Runs with a straightforward synonym of helps.

10a International campaign to evaluate vehicle (4-5)
TEST DRIVE: A (cricket say) international is followed by a campaign, push or crusade.

11a Usual male in charge beginning to doubt (10)
ACCUSTOMED: Insert a male (cat perhaps) into a synonym of charge or blame and add the initial letter of Doubt to the result.

12a Expedition dispensing with a fine outfit (4)
SARI: Remove (dispensing with) A from the clue and the abbreviation for Fine from an expedition to observe animals in their natural habitat.

14a You’d better believe that I don’t want responsibility for technology (4,2,4,2)
TAKE IT FROM ME: This expression imploring someone to believe you could whimsically be asking to absolve oneself of responsibility for Information Technology

18a Reckon Italian song not initially oppressive (12)
TOTALITARIAN: A charade of a synonym of reckon or add up, the abbreviation for Italian, a typically operatic song and the initial letter of Not…….Here’s a beautiful song I was going to include in my Toughie blog on Tuesday but decided it deserved a wider audience.

21a Attack fully-grown kid (4)
GOAT: The kid here is not a young person but a hooved animal. Split the solution 2,2 to see the reference to attack.

22a Handle that may be used only occasionally? (6,4)
MIDDLE NAME: Cryptic definition, the handle being an epithet.

25a A politician prevaricated about one female and added more detail (9)
AMPLIFIED: Follow A from the clue and the usual 2-letter abbreviated politician with a slightly stretched synonym of prevaricated into which is inserted the letter that looks like the Roman numeral one and the abbreviation for Female.

26a Mock turtle’s first relation (5)
TAUNT: The initial letter of Turtle and a female relative.

27a Lost dignity doing some work around house (7)
TIDYING: Anagram (lost) of DIGNITY.

28a Poor angler has right of course to elaborate (7)
ENLARGE: Anagram (poor) of ANGLER plus (has) the final letter (right of) coursE.

 

Down

1d Countless millions milk supplier put up (6)
MYRIAD: The abbreviation for Millions and the reversal (put up) of a distributor or storage facility for milk products. Lovely word.

2d Slow, losing heart and urge to change (6)
SWITCH: The outside letters (losing heart) of SloW and one of crosswordland’s favourite urges.

3d Organised sales base to include seconds subject to tax (10)
ASSESSABLE: Insert the abbreviation for Seconds into an anagram (organised) of the following two words.

4d Detective exaggerated over the same thing (5)
DITTO: Start with an abbreviated Detective Inspector. Add a reversal of the abbreviation for Over The Top (exaggerated).

5d New prison to include European court examiner (9)

INSPECTOR: Insert the abbreviations for European and Court into an anagram (new) of PRISON.

6d Movement bound to be heard (4)
TIDE: A homophone (to be heard) of a synonym of bound or fastened giving a movement often associated with a large body of water. Think neap!

7d Fix weapon held by American, protesting hotly (2,2,4)
UP IN ARMS: Place a word meaning fix (in place perhaps) plus a generic word for a weapon inside (held by) an abbreviated American.

8d Might this describe an orbit? (8)
EYELINER: The orbit we need here is on one’s face and we need to see describe in the sense of mark out

13d Surprised man on alert for decorative plant (10)
ORNAMENTAL: Anagram (surprised) of the following three words

15d Bringing about ten for a change and suffering (9)
ENTAILING: Follow an anagram (for a change) of TEN with a synonym of suffering or in poor health.

16d Standing men only name worker (8)
STAGNANT: A charade of a men only party, the abbreviation for Name and a working insect.

17d Needing money from son, in a corner (8)
STRAPPED: Append a word describing someone in a corner in the sense of being without options or freedom to the abbreviation for Son.

19d Juliet needs a minder, mostly for cat (6)
JAGUAR: Follow the letter represented by Juliet in the phonetic alphabet with A from the clue and a minder or escort without its last letter (mostly), giving this quite magnificent animal.

20d Resolve to pay (6)

SETTLE: Double definition, the less obvious being to reach an agreement.

23d Steer clear of daughter held by magistrate (5)
DODGE: Insert the abbreviation for Daughter into a Venetian magistrate who crops up in crosswordland more often than real life.

24d Part of problem in ironing dress (4)
MINI: Hidden in the clue (part of).

I liked 1&14a best. Which ones earned your admiration?

Quickie Pun: SIMPER +THIGHS= SYMPATHISE.

 

 

 

75 comments on “DT 30231”

  1. Much, much harder today, but still very enjoyable nonetheless. Had a couple I just had to have a stab at without fully understanding how they worked from the given clue, namely 8d and 11a, will see the hints with fingers crossed hoping that I’m right. Also keen to see who our setter is today as I’m never too good at the guessing part!
    Favourite today was 18a, thanks to our setter, good testing fun.

  2. A fairly benign Thursday cryptic – helped by quite a few anagrams. Good mixture of types of clue to make an enjoyable solve.

    However, got myself in a bit of a knot with the last 3 letters of 4d. I was trying to fit a three letter adverb meaning “more than enough” until I saw the light. A bit like Eric Morecambe’s piano playing – right letters, wrong ratio and not necessarily in the right order.

    Favourites are 1a and 8d.

    Thanks to compiler and hinter. (Bonny day here in North-East Scotland – off to the beach with the dog now)

  3. Like Tipcat above, I finished OK but will have to now read the hints to see how I got there. 11a is a good example. Many thanks to all. Now to tackle the Toughie after two days managing to complete it – at least its not an Elgar offering.

  5. Wot larks! A charming puzzle and most enjoyable to solve; a few odd surface reads and it felt as though there were more anagrams than turn out to be the case, but otherwise a good midweek challenge and nothing to alarm the equines. Hon Mentions to 11a, 14a, 21a, 16d & 19d (would have included 1a were it worded libellous rather than slanderous!), with COTD for me by a neck to 8d.

    1.5 / 3

    Many thanks to the setter, whomever they are, and to Stephen for the blog – haven’t heard Blur for a long time.

  6. I thought this was very friendly for a Thursday, but perhaps it’s just a wavelength thing. Although I don’t challenge myself timewise it was over very quickly but the quality of the clues was impressive. I loved the lego clues at 18a and 25a and the misdirection at 8d made this my favourite. Almost all the others are jostling for position on the podium. Thanks to our setter for the enjoyment and StephenL who helped me see the correct parsing of 11a.

  7. 3*/4.5*. I found this quite challenging and very enjoyable. My one qualm is that, for me, “prevaricated” in 25a means avoided telling the truth, which is not the same thing as lied.

    8d was my last one as it took a while for the penny to drop and one of my top picks along with 10a, 18a & 7d.

    Many thanks to the setter. The smoothness suggests Silvanus to me. Thanks too to SL

    2. RD, 25a. Whilst lied possibly isn’t an absolutely precise definition of prevaricated in every context (and that is not vital in this case) they are listed in Collins Online Dictionary and as synonyms in both Collins Online and Chambers (book version) thesauruses. Don’t shoot the messenger! :-)

  8. Oh, this was great fun, most enjoyable, but also the toughest backpager of the week so far for me, especially 8d, my LOI, and 12a. But my runaway favourite is 14a–so clever, I thought–with 21a (probably an old chestnut but it made me laugh) and 7d fleshing out the podium. Thanks to Stephen for the review and today’s setter. 2.5*/4.5*

  9. Entertaining and not too tricky – thanks to our setter and StephenL.
    The clues earning my admiration were 10a, 14a, 21a and 8d.

  10. A bit of a slog, this puzzle probably suffered by comparison wirh yesterday’s fun-filled winner. Icfinished it and managedto parse them all, whether correctly or not I’m not sure until I read rhe hints. There was certainly a fair amount of guesswork involved. I quite liked1d and17d. Thanks to the compiler and to SL for the hints.

  11. On course for 1.5* time.
    But shuddering halt at last in, 8d.
    So, proverbial penny. making completion in 2* time.
    Nearly more contenders than podium space.
    And the winner by a whisker is 11a.
    Thanks to the setter and to StephenL.

  13. Not a Ray T Thursday, and I am inclined to disagree with RD’s suggestion of Silvanus, so a real guess the setter day and my five bob is staying in my pocket – 2.5*/3.5*.

    Candidates for favourite – 10, 14a, 1d, and 16d – and the winner is the ingenious 14a.

    Thanks to the setter and Stephen L.

    1. For what it’s worth my initial thoughts were ProXimal, it felt in his style but the absence of his signature trait would suggest otherwise. Maybe NYD is a doing double duty this week.

  14. Rather too many stretched synonyms for me but an enjoyable puzzle nevertheless.
    Podium places went to 1,14,21&22a.

    Thanks to our setter and to Stephen for the review – I did wonder whether 6d would make you smile!

    2. I thought of you this morning when my friend and I were been almost blown over in the most freezing wind for some time as there were between 100 and 200 Brent Geese ‘murmurating’ – we’ve never seen them do that before. Sadly the photos I took didn’t do the sight justice

          3. We had some very impressive startling murmurations over our house at the end of last month. Very impressive…..how do they do it?!

        2. We don’t see as many murmurations of starlings in The Marches now as there were. An amazing sight. How on Earth do they not collide while making such intricate formations?

      2. I did find a couple of videos of Brent gese at Reculver. I wonder if they were the same ones we saw yesterday

  16. 14a and 8d came out on top of my pile this morning from this entertaining romp through crosswordland. I have run out of ideas as my Thursday list of potential setters has been exhausted, but I hope whoever compiled this little gem comes on and takes a well-deserved bow.

    Thanks to him or her, and of course to SL.

  17. A nice Thursday puzzle. Not too tricky, but still the most difficult of the week so far, with good clues providing an enjoyable solve. No stand-out favourite but I will mention 10a and 8d. 2.5*/3.5*.

  18. I thought this was great but got stuck for a bit in the NW like others. I needed the hints to explain the answer to 11a. I liked the variety of types of clue with 8d being favourite.

    Thanks to Stephen for the hints and pics and to the mystery setter.

  19. I too thought lied for prevaricate a bit iffy but knew it’d be listed somewhere or other as synonymous. Very enjoyable & a pretty swift completion albeit last in 8d was a sort of bung in. 14a my fav
    Thanks to the setter & Stephen

  20. Another enjoyable guzzle. Daisies for 14a and 1,3,4,5, and 16 but I think 1d took the biscuit. Very clever and such a lovely word. As far as 22 is concerned I have been known by my second name all my life. A great inconvenience, thanks muchly Mummy & Daddy. Many thanks to StephenL and Mr Setter.

  21. A tricky puzzle I thought for this non RayT Thursday puzzle.
    Found the NW the last area to succumb that took an extra .5* on my solve time.

    2.5*/3.5* today.

    Favourites include 14a, 21a, 22a, 26a, 1d & 6d with 1d winner as it was my last in and caused a huge groan and PDM … along with the tea tray dropping too.

    Thanks to setter and StephenL

    1. With you on the NW corner. I needed the hints for two there but shouldn’t have done really. Good puzzle for a Thursday though.

  22. This one took me quite a bit longer to get a foothold than many puzzles have done recently. Having read a few clues and understood none of them I put the paper down, breakfasted and went shopping. Re-read the clues upon returning home and the sound of pennies dropping was deafening – figuratively speaking, of course. A superb and most entertaining mid-morning coffee break ensued. 14a raised a chuckle, as did 21a, but of many mental ticks, 22a came out on top for me.Thanks to today’s setter and also to SL.

  23. Possibly 1a gets my vote today, but a fine puzzle, as ever not too hard for me, and good entertainment indeed.

  24. Very entertaining and lots to think about, thank you setter and StephenL – I4a is a brilliant clue!

  25. I’m afraid I am with Andrew Evans at 15 above.
    Sorry, setter but thanks anyway….just not on your wavelength I guess.
    Thanks to StephenL for help with the parsings .

  27. What a brilliant puzzle! A real tester.

    So many good clues but none of them can hold a torch to 8d which was sublime.

    Btw, subliminally is a really hard word to pronounce. I have to slow it right down.

    3*/5*

  28. Most difficult of the week so far but needed hints for two to finish and hints for several others to understand why they were what they were. The end of the world did not arrive nor was it bricks without straw. 15a took a time but got it in the end with a loud clanging of rusty wheels whirring.

    Thanks to SL and to the setter whoever they may be.

  29. This helped take my mind off my aching back (self induced, doing too much low level pruning), and I did pretty good for a Thursday. Did find 8d rather poorly clued, and still can’t understand, even with the picture, how the answer is justified. COTD, on the other hand, was a laugh out loud at 14a. Can’t sit here any longer, but hoping I can fill in at least a few boxes tomorrow.

    2. Same, I found it vague (could anything looping apply..?), not helped by checkers being all vowels.

    3. I commiserate with you re having backache from too much low pruning, Busylizzie. For the last couple of days I have hardly been able to get up out of my chair after I took advantage of the good weather and got on with some extra pruning in difficult places!

      I am also baffled by the answer to 8d. Spent ages looking at the clue but decided to leave it until looking at the hints as didn’t think it could be right?

      1. Oh dear, I am not the only one guilty of hurting themself then…. I was doing fine until the last, and sixth, bush. I do hope you feel better soon. This too shall pass.

      1. Indeed Merusa I read the describe that way too but somehow the whole clue is too clever by half.

  30. Oh dear obviously failed to post my eatlier Comment so here goes again. Quite enjoyed this but turned early to a few digital prompts as I had list of things tbd today. Not sure about outfit for 12a. Plumped for wrong kind of handle for 22a and that made for problems particularly with 13d. Joint Favs 1a and 26a. Thank you Mysteron and StephenL.

  31. I was ticking along nicely until I wasn’t today, getting held up by 8d, which I didn’t see for ages and a couple in the SW. My favourites included 14a, 22a, 25a and 1d. It’s been a great week of cruciverbaling so far, what will tomorrow bring… **/****

    Thanks to setter:unknown and StephenL

  32. Good evening
    Got there in the end – needed a little help from ShanmorTi (my wife) to get the last two, which were 8d and 12a. As Connie Francis said, “whose sari now?”
    Thank you StephenL and to our compiler.

  33. I really enjoyed today’s puzzle and fairly cantered along but chose the wrong first word for handle and that in turn upset 13d. Whilst I was certain 13d was an anagram I was looking for the name of a plant! I couldn’t parse 8d even after just looking at the hints. From my modest ability It’s been a great week but assume tomorrow’s puzzle will be much harder thus hopefully fulfilling the needs of the greater minds!

    Many thanks to the setter and StephenL.

  34. I really enjoyed this, even though it was a DNF due to 1d. The puzzles are gradually getting trickier as the week progresses, exactly as it should be, so thanks for that editors. The NW was the trickiest part, maybe if I learnt to spell 11a I might have made it easier for myself. Once I saw the word “orbit” at 8d I knew what to look for, we’ve had that so many times in the past. There was so much to like, I liked 21a but I think the blue ribbon goes to 14a, clever that.
    Thank you setter, what a pleasure to solve a Thursday without tying myself in knots. I needed your help today StephenL for some unraveling, much appreciated.

  35. Finished without help and no spelling mistakes. That is a morale boost on a day when I needed distraction. Thanks to all involved. Your hard work and enthusiasm is appreciated.

  36. Wow that was hard! Bit above my pay grade for enjoyment. Bit of a boring slog.
    No favourites.
    Thx for the hints
    ****/**

  37. Did this one in the Services on the way to the Peak climbing for a week.

    14a a clear favourite!

    Who is the setter?

    Great stuff at **/****

  38. I really do wish that the brilliant compilers for the past two days would step forth and accept their laurels. Please!

  39. Looked at it this evening after dinner and thought it looked hard. However once I had a few checkers all fell into place. I don’t quibble with prevaricate and lie. I have seen 8d before so it didn’t hold me up. I guessed what would be the word for handle but I needed checkers for the first word as original thought was Sunday. Favourites 14 and 21a and 1 and 23d. Certainly not a read and write but nothing detained me too long. Also managed the parsing which I’ve subsequently checked. Thanks Setter and SL.

  40. Late on parade again because of other things. I didn’t finish today’s puzzle but I like to think that is because of lack of time rather than not being able to solve it. 😏

    I managed about three quarters and loved it. My COTD is 14a, which I thought had a great surface.

    Many thanks to the setter and SL.

    I now have time to go through the comments with a Grouse. 🥃

  41. I made harder work of this than necessary, I’m blaming out on the brain mangling toughie. Good and enjoyable puzzle though. Favourite was obviously 14a. Thanks to the setter and SL.

  42. I found lots to like in this entertaining crossword, my favourite is 1d. Thanks to setter and StephenL

  43. Very late on parade today following a jet lagged lie in following by an hour at the dentist. Very enjoyable if a wee bit taxing. 14a was my stand out clue. Thanks to the setter and SL for the hints.

  44. Only just finished this. However managed to solve it all bar 8d in spite of realising orbit probably alluded to socket. So, sorry to report 4* time but 5*+ for enjoyment. Thank you Stephen and the setter for a great challenge. Now off to do today’s puzzle!

    1. I also completed all bar 8 down and concur with your rating as well. I did see a 1.5 for difficulty in earlier comments !
      Not many would concur with that, I’ll bet !

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