DT 30247 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30247

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30247
Hints and tips by Twmbarlwm

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

Good morning. Among the very welcome anagrams and relatively straightforward clues, there seemed to be a little more than the usual amount of fiendishness, albeit with brilliantly clever wordplay – eg 17a and 25a –  and some lovely disguises. This led to a longer solve for me, but a very satisfying challenge. 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 Drunk amused when leader is changed (7)
PICKLED: A word meaning amused that was frequently used by Ken Dodd has its first letter (leader) changed

5a Ship commander‘s hat — one with brown on the outside (7)
CAPTAIN: A type of hat precedes the Roman numeral for one around which (on the outside) goes a word for a shade of brown

9a Hurry with small beer for rugby player (3,4)
FLY HALF: A simple construction of two synonyms for hurry and small beer (or a measure thereof)

10a Regularand what one wears? (7)
UNIFORM: The solution is an adjective, the definition a noun relating to someone who serves in the military

11a At home, taking care of planning (9)
INTENDING: The common two-letter word for at home, plus a word for taking care of, or nursing

12a Some town errands for proprietor (5)
OWNER: The solution is hidden (some) in the clue

13a Lizard — try grabbing neck but not head (5)
GECKO: A synonym of try containing (grabbing) a word in the clue minus its first letter (but not head). [The character in the photo has a slightly different spelling]



15a Levi runs off with article in general (9)
UNIVERSAL: An anagram (off) of LEVI RUNS and A (implied by ‘article’)

17a Flipping chose to keep at firm (9)
DEDICATED: A reversal (flipping) of a synonym of chose, or made one’s mind up, containing (to keep) ‘at’ from the clue

19a Agitate Arab leader by the sound of it (5)
SHAKE: A homophone (by the sound of it)

22a Window attachments badly installed in ship (5)
SILLS: A synonym of badly, or sick, inserted into (installed in) the usual two-letter initialism of a large ship

23a Bump into Parisian in buffet (9)
ENCOUNTER: The French (eg Parisian) word for in, plus a word for buffet, or the surface it might be served on

25a King, for example, is keeping in contact with realms (7)
REGIONS: The letter that represents ‘King’ from the Latin, plus the letters that stand for the Latin phrase meaning ‘for example’, then a word from the clue containing (keeping) a two-letter word for in contact with, or atop

26a Last bit of breakfast cereal, nuts, syrup (7)
TREACLE: A final letter as indicated precedes an anagram (nuts) of CEREAL



27a Please speak about this sofa on a regular basis (7)
SATISFY: A word meaning speak goes around (about) alternate letters (on a regular basis) from two words in the clue

28a Abandon swallowing small sweet (7)
DESSERT: A synonym of abandon containing (swallowing) the usual letter for small

Down

1d Bird finally landing, breathing heavily (7)
PUFFING: A bird that nests in rabbit holes, plus a last letter as indicated

2d Weep quietly — it’s over Charlie’s description of this crossword? (7)
CRYPTIC: A synonym of weep, then the letter in music that indicates quietly or ‘piano’, followed by a two-letter reversal (over) and a letter that’s represented in the clue by its name in the NATO phonetic alphabet

3d Discover manager’s back in bank (5)
LEARN: A final letter (‘s back) goes ‘in’ a word meaning bank, or tilt

4d Troublesome pants could fit if nothing’s removed (9)
DIFFICULT: An anagram (pants) of COULD FIT IF minus O (nothing’s removed)

5d Held top of church organ (5)
CLUNG: An initial letter (top of) plus a vital organ in the body

6d Cooler tenants? (9)
PRISONERS: Cryptic definition. Took me a while!



7d Measures adult horses (7)
AMOUNTS: The single letter for adult plus a slightly poetical word for horses

8d 5 maybe lure man astray (7)
NUMERAL: An anagram (astray) of LURE MAN with no connection to 5a or 5d as the setter perhaps wanted us to think

14d Over 100 casinos prepared for events (9)
OCCASIONS: Another anagram (prepared) of CASINOS follows the letters for over and 100 as a Roman numeral

16d Awfully I danced — and it showed (9)
INDICATED: Unusually, three anagrams in a row: I DANCED and IT (awfully)

17d Edward upset father’s wishes (7)
DESIRES: A diminutive of Edward is reversed (upset) and followed by a synonym of father[‘]s as a verb

18d Entrance dim? (7)
DELIGHT: A double definition, one of which is deceptively a verb, the other a whimsical play on words that may elicit a groan or two!



20d Perhaps a tiny portion with no starter (7)
ARTICLE: A cleverly disguised definition clued by a word for a very tiny thing minus its first letter (with no starter)

21d Serious wear in vest when all tops are removed (7)
EARNEST: Three words from the clue have their initial letters (all tops) removed



23d Try ales with 50 per cent off, perhaps (5)
ESSAY:  A word from the clue has half its letters deleted (with 50 per cent off) and is followed by a word meaning perhaps

24d Those who take drugs giving rise to research in America (5)
USERS: A reversal (giving rise to) of a three-letter abbreviation of research [in Chambers dictionary] goes ‘in’ two letters that stand for America

My particular favourites were 9a,17a, 25a, 27a, 6d, 14d and 18d. What were yours?


Today’s Quick Crossword puns: Top row  PIC + CAN + CHEWS = PICK AND CHOOSE  Bottom row  TESTS + END + TOR = TEST CENTRE

60 comments on “DT 30247

  1. The trend continues, great fun yet again. Superb misdirection at 8d, hands up anyone else who was trying to stick in a very high ranking naval officer (but couldn’t quite see why) until they got the first letter c/o 5a.
    My favourite today was 23d, just seemed to amuse me for some reason. Very well done to our compiler today.

  2. I found this one pretty accessible at */*** for some reason. A nicely clued anagram in 26a and a fun 18d but 6d raised a smile and is my COTD. Not sure who the setter is but I like his or her style. Thanks to Twmbarlwm for his contribution and the setter.

  3. Good fun from Anthony Plumb’s ‘other’ grid – **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 17a, 23a, 2d, and 17d – and the winner is 23a.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb and Twmbarlwm.

  4. Enjoyable solve , clever cluing and nothing obscure a **/**** for me,
    Favourite was 23a as per Tipcat, liked the surface of 9a, 13a made me smile.
    Thanks to setter and Twm for the pics.

  5. Tuned in straightaway with 5a and I was off – like the competitors at Prestbury Park this afternoon, and may they all return safely afterwards as untroubled by their races as was I by this lovely puzzle. Some clever deceits and anagrams but nothing that odd or arcane, at least for me. Hon Mentions to 13a, 23a, 1d and 20d, with COTD 8d for me.

    1 / 3

    Many thanks to AP (but not the jockey!) if ’tis he, and to Twmbarlwm.

  6. I am most puzzled by the difficulty rating of ***, not the crossword.
    I think * and ** for pleasure as the dog got an earlier walk.
    More like a Saturday crossword perhaps.

  7. Another superb puzzle, this time full of clever misdirection in succinct clues, with just enough anagrams (not my favourite thing) to get an early foothold. I should think the whole of Yorkshire heard the deafening clang when the coin fell on 6d -brilliant! Others jostling on the podium are 1a, 17a, 26a, 2d and 20d. Thanks to our setter and Twmbarlwm, whose comment on 18d I thoroughly agree with.

  8. MY rating is 2*/4* for a light and fun puzzle with 9a, 18d and 24d fighting over first place.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr T.

  9. Amusing and enjoyable, with some sparkling word play throughout. A three-way tie for favourite today (too hard to pick just one): 6d, 18d, & 23a. Thanks to Twm and Plumb. **/****

    Awfully good Toughie today too.

  10. As some others have said an accessible crossword with straightforward cluues. 1a and 1d were the best of the clues for me . Thanks to Twmbarlwm for the hints and to the compiler for a pleasant Tuesday puzzle.

  11. Great fun today, I particularly liked 8d once I realised it was an anagram.

    Many thanks to Twmbarlwm and the setter.

    1. I had to ponder some more than others but this was a great challenge and very satisfying to solve. I do like the way clues such as 21d appear gradually out of the page as the clue is stared at. They are rather like interrupted lurkers. Plenty of ticks across the page again so I hope it is a sign for the rest of the week. I liked the surface of 26a and the smile that 18d raised but my COTD for the terrific dropping penny is 6d.

      Thank you to the setter for the fun. Thank you, Twmbarlwm for the hints.

      1. Sorry, Iain – I have no idea how my post ended up with yours. :scratch:

        As it has – the answer to 18d relates to entrance rather than dim. :grin:

          1. De-light to mean “to dim the light” is a rather lovely pun – see TS’s earlier comment, below – but whether you take the clue as being a double definition or definition & wordplay is way above my paygrade!

            I have more of an issue (even a grump) with words such as “emplane” and “deplane”, both of which are certainly in the BRB but I suspect are vanishingly rare in being used these days.

            1. Are they really words, MG?

              That is bonkers.

              I can see Hyacinth Bucket saying it as she boards the plane at Athens airport, having cruised The Med for a week.

              Hilarious.

    2. Hi IC.

      I think the compiler is having a bit of fun with us. The question mark is saying…

      ‘I appreciate that this isn’t a used word but, if it was, it could clumsily mean to dim.’

      An enjoyable, pleasant romp with 26a getting the nod for it’s cleverness though the last comma could be replaced by the word ‘and’ to make it flow grammatically.

      1*/4*

  12. In perfect sync with the setter, so many were read and write.
    Then parsed.
    1d was a cheerful start.
    Overall, neatly put together.
    Good confidence builder for the rest of the week.
    Thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.

  13. An enjoyable puzzle – thanks to our setter and Twmbarlwm.
    The clues I liked best were 13a, 25a, 18d and 20d.

  14. Pleasant diversion over coffee this morning, which wasn’t helped by putting the wrong 50% in 23d, but quickly remedied as obvious answer for 23a.

    2*/3*

    Fav 7d LOI 6d.

    Thanks to setter and Twmbarlwm.

  15. Good stuff, fun and varied solve with some smiles as I went. Overall on the lighter side with plenty of anagrams and gentle wordplay . Last in for me was 6d, got with a groan – which I thought quite cunning misdirection on the usual DD. I’m breaking the habit today and picking 4 favourites; 6d, 26a for the great and amusing surface, 21d for the wordplay and 20d gets my COTD for the subtle definition */****

    Thanks to AP (?) and MrT

  16. A split level puzzle for me. Left was good right side less so. I thought 25a and 17a both clumsy and poor clues. Still cannot fully parse 25a even with the hint. However 6d is brilliant.
    Difficult to rate but it was better than most Tuesdays which are seldom my favourite.
    ***/**
    Thx to all

    1. 25a King, for example, is keeping in contact with realms
      King = R
      for example = eg
      is = is
      keeping = container indicator for ‘is’
      in contact with = on [insert into ‘is’]
      realms = definition

  17. Today’s crossword completed in a haze of Lorazepam after a visit to the dentist. I’m coming back to earth now but half an hour ago I thought there were secret clues in the Brian Eno music I was listening to as I stumbled to actually put letters into the white spaces.

    Therefore quite an achievement to have completed it without help. I feel certain that some of my words are even in the right order in the right section of the grid. Who knows?
    I found myself staring out the window at tree branches and deciding that life is a miracle of joy and love.

    I hope to have returned to normality by tomorrow; although this alien state is rather fun.

    Thanks to the setter and The Twmp

  18. A two sittings effort. My return saw the fog disperse until I was left trying to think of horses – wrote it out horizontally and there it was. Good one!

  19. An excellent, highly polished gem of a puzzle that had some sparkling misdirection and plenty of wit. I particularly liked the short clues, 6 and 8d.

    My thanks to the two Misters, A and P.

  20. Had a lot of fun solving this one, right up my street. Far too many ticks to name just one favourite but my short list would be 1&9a plus 1&20d.

    Thanks to our setter – want to put Mr Ed in the frame but guess it could be Mr Plumb, and to Twmbarlwm for the review.

  21. Interesting Tuesday puzzle for this week, gentler it seemed to me.
    Nothing to scare the horses today,

    1.5*/3.5* today

    Favourites include 9a, 19a, 26a, 18d & 23d with winner 23d
    Chuckles and smiles for 9a, 27a, 1d, 2d & 18d

    Thanks to setter and Twmbarlwm

  22. Nice one! I particularly enjoyed 17A and 8 and 18D. Thanks to Twmb and today’s setter.

  23. Well, I just agree with everyone that this was an 18d all the way. Too many clever, misleading and devious clues to mention , I mean really! What sort of sideways mind has our setter got? Anyway, huge thanks to Messrs Plumb & Twmb, and TWO pubs in the quickie, we are being spoilt. Warm here in the sunny conservatory but bitterly cold outside. Our Arts Society had a brilliant lecture this morning at Churchill by Chris Richter about German post war monuments. Sounded dull but it was really, really interesting and thought provoking.

  24. Good puzzle with some interesting clues. Liked 17a best.

    Thank you to Twmbarlwm and Mr Plumb, who sounds like he has escaped from one of the Ahlbergs’ books.

  25. For me, continuing the run of excellent Tuesday puzzles.
    My podium is 1&13a plus 2d. Great stuff.
    Many thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.

  26. A straightforward solve & fun from start to finish. The wide selection of picks thus far surely testament to the quality of the puzzle so won’t bother to trying to identify favourites as I liked them all.
    Thanks to AP & T
    Ps very much looking forward to hopefully a stellar display from Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle as suspect he may prove to be the greatest hurdler I’ve seen since Golden Cygnet over 40 years ago.

  27. Good afternoon
    Got ’em all without recourse to Dr Google or the hints. Perhaps a “Crikey!” might be in order for 18d…
    Thanks to our compiler and to Twmbarlwm

  28. Completed on my return from helping to tidy round the trees at a snowy Fyvie Castle.

    I was another lured astray by 8d and 18d was certainly an 18d!

    Thanks to setter and hinter.

      1. Thank you – I haven’t heard The Corries for a long time. Sadly, the snow showers must have been keeping the bonny lass inside today.

  29. Am I the only person who found this a bit tricky for a Tuesday? By the end of the week we’re going to be in the esoteric range again. I had the wrong answer at 1d and I feel very stupid, I love those birds. Of course, I didn’t know the rugby player so that didn’t help. I couldn’t help a groan at 18d, but fave was 6d.
    Thanks to Mr. Plumb and to Toombarloom for unravelling quite a few.

  30. I found this rather doable today, despite a very early morning visit to the eye surgeon for post op check up, followed by a late breakfast. All sailed into place quite nicely, although a 17a was a bung in, or rather the answer found despite the clue, and 18d was very groan worthy. If someone asked me to delight a room I’d probably misconstrue what they were asking 😊. 1d was my COTD, lovely birds. Rather a nice Tuesday puzzle.

  31. Well I got there in the end. Enjoyed 1a and 1d. Wasted an amount of time on 5a couldn’t stop thinking of tricorn until getting 6d another doh moment. Many thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm. A day of mixed weather – rain, sun, a hailstorm giving us a winter wonderland and possibly an overnight frost!

  32. Nice puzzle witty and solvable ***/***😃 Favourites 5a, 5 and 8d 🤗 Thanks to Twmbarlwm and to the Compiler. Not sure the second phrase was intentional 🤔 it is Tuesday

  33. Bit of a breeze today, much like outside. Thanks to Misters T&P.
    Can’t leave without mentioning 1a in the quickie. Is the answer really a shortform of the clue?

  34. We’re really being spoiled today first the toughie and now this superb offering which I fairly whizzed through. Last in was 7d as I was looking for a type of horse. 🤦‍♂️ Favourite was the splendid 6d. Thanks to the setter and T.

  35. There is something very satisfying, even comforting to come home from a day’s voluntary working, which has involved my helping to keep one of our preserved railway stations looking neat and tidy and then to relax with a coffee and an eminently accessible cryptic crossword puzzle. Today was such a day – a wonderfully well crafted, uncomplicated solve after several hours on bended knees, weeding, white outlining flower bed edgings and most else that entails an ‘aprez winter’ clear up – all in readiness for our trains to resume running on April 1st – what a date, lol. Thank yous to both setter and Twmbarlwm. Am now happily quite relaxed and ready to have a ‘shuftie’ at today’s Toughie. PS, I do get to eat between times, lol, lol. :-) Almost forgot to say, 27a has to be my favourite today – for reasons already outlined.

  36. 18 on the first pass lulled me into a false sense of security, and I came to a shuddering halt! Remainder took a little while to tease out.

  37. Gentle but 18d-ful Tuesday puzzle- 1*/ 4*
    Favourites 26a (very smooth) and 6d (very clever)
    Thanks to Mr P (?) and The Wise Man….

  38. I must have been right on wavelength for this pleasant puzzle today for probably my quickest ever back page cryptic solve. Thanks to Twmbarlwm and the setter.

  39. Late to the party again, found this easier than yesterdays but both were enjoyable to complete, not 4d at all but a real 18d. Thanks to all.

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