DT 30258 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30258

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30258
Hints and tips by Gazza

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

We are playing a game of musical chairs this week only – I’m ‘sitting in’ for pommers today, pommers is covering for Twmbarlwm tomorrow and Twmbarlwm is being let loose on my Thursday Toughie blog.

It’s often been said that writing good yet fairly simple clues is trickier than writing good hard clues and Campbell (like Rufus, his predecessor in the Monday slot) is a master of his craft. Thanks to him for this pretty straightforward and enjoyable puzzle.

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

Across Clues

1a Stand up to model after work (6)
OPPOSE: a verb to model follows our usual abbreviation for work.

4a Dirk’s case maybe found in second taxi taken by poet (8)
SCABBARD: assemble the abbreviation for second, another word for a taxi and a literary term for a poet (often used for Shakespeare).

9a The old lady, impressed by military building’s layout (6)
FORMAT: an affectionate word for one’s old lady goes inside a military stronghold.

10a Charm one’s way in (8)
ENTRANCE: double definition, the first a verb to charm or delight.

11a Jogger grabbing a rest (9)
REMAINDER: a jogger or nudge contains A from the clue.

13a Fool sheltering next to deep chasm (5)
ABYSS: a word for a silly fool contains a preposition meaning next to or adjacent to.

14a Senate at first undecided on widespread government expenditure (6,8)
PUBLIC SPENDING: the first letter of Senate and an adjective meaning ‘yet to be decided’ follow an adjective meaning widespread or communal.

17a Lose control, as protesters sometimes do? (3,7,4)
GET CARRIED AWAY: what may happen to protesters when the police remove them.

21a Small amount of uranium to be imported by when? (5)
OUNCE: the chemical symbol for uranium is contained in a conjunction meaning when.

23a Mend set, in pieces, broken by American –- I can’t afford not to (5,4)
NEEDS MUST: an anagram (in pieces) of MEND SET with a 2-letter abbreviation for American contained inside it.

24a Bubbly at pier, provided as a drink to whet one’s appetite (8)
APERITIF: an anagram (bubbly) of AT PIER followed by a conjunction meaning provided.

25a Good open ground, initially, for retriever (3,3)
GUN DOG: the abbreviation for good, a verb to open and the initial letter of ground.

26a Adolescent brewed green tea (8)
TEENAGER: an anagram (brewed) of GREEN TEA.

27a Go to a nurse about temperature (6)
ATTEND: A (from the clue) and a verb to nurse containing the abbreviation for temperature.

Down Clues

1d Type of shoe in box, for display (6)
OXFORD: hidden in the clue.

2d Supreme soldier sitting on horse (9)
PARAMOUNT: an informal word for an airborne soldier sits on top of another word for a horse.

3d Sales pitch involving a new breed of 25 (7)
SPANIEL: an informal word for a sales pitch contains A and the abbreviation for new.

5d Heart set on article — an epergne, perhaps (11)
CENTREPIECE: a synonym of heart or core and an article (written for a newspaper, say).

6d Pub: get value for money? (7)
BARGAIN: another word for pub and a verb to get or obtain.

7d Irritate any number inside (5)
ANNOY: ANY with an abbreviation for number inside it.

8d Costume to get on for equestrian event (8)
DRESSAGE: a word for costume or attire and a verb to get on or become long in the tooth.

12d Dogmatic, a director in cast (11)
DOCTRINAIRE: an anagram (cast) of A DIRECTOR IN.

15d Very confused at home, a Greek character, theologian, over the Parisian (2,1,6)
IN A MUDDLE: string together an adverb meaning ‘at home’, A, the twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet, the doctoral degree associated with a theologian and a French word for ‘the’.

16d Italian lady heading off –- extremely nescient, lacking in education (8)
IGNORANT: the title of an Italian lady without its first letter is followed by the outer letters of nescient.

18d A married girl in the USA (7)
AMERICA: cement together A, the abbreviation for married and a girl’s name. When I was at school we were pulled up for using the answer for the country and told that it is a continent, not a country. That useful distinction has fallen into disuse over time.

19d Attack a sailor on the radio (7)
ASSAULT: ‘on the radio’ signals a homophone. This sounds like A and an informal word for a sailor.

20d Put on leg pad at the end (6)
STAGED: a word for a leg (part of a longer event) and the last letter of pad.

22d Pleasant entertaining English relative (5)
NIECE: an adjective meaning pleasant contains an abbreviation for English.

I’ve selected 11a, 17a and 20d for the medals. Which one(s) got your gongs?

Quickie Pun: (top) MORE + TIFF + EYED = MORTIFIED
(bottom) LEAD + JERK + LARK = LEDGER CLERK

68 comments on “DT 30258

  1. It’s always nice to ease into the crossword week with a gentle grid with some lovely smooth surfaces.

    1*/4*

    Fav 13a LOI 12d.

    Thanks to setter and Gazza.

  2. As Gazza a straightforward but skilfully clued puzzle, which was very enjoyable .my favourites were 5d, 17a and COTD, the 12d anagram. Many thanks to Gazza for the hints and to Campbell for another Monday winner .

    1. Just responded to your comment re pain killer from yesterday. Mine was Tramadol too! To be avoided in future.

  3. A pleasant Monday morning workout with some subtle misdirections to keep us on our toes. I especially liked 11a, 25a and it’s companion 3d. Thanks to Campbell and Gazza

  4. A perfect example of the old “it doesn’t have to be difficult to be enjoyable”.
    It was all good but I particularly enjoyed 11(excellent)&23a plus 20d.
    Many thanks indeed to Campbell and Gazza.

  5. Very enjoyable start to the crossword week accompanied by a beautiful sunny day – hubby has been eagerly awaiting the first grass cut? I had to google a word in 5d as it was new to me. I liked 3d as it made me chuckle.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Gazza for the pics and hints, which I still read even if I complete the puzzle, to see how the experts parse the clues

    I am now off to do weeding which will make minimal visual impact compared with the grass cut!

  6. Thought the 1d lurker neat but the 2 long ‘uns at 14&17a would be my picks in a gentle but pleasant puzzle.
    Thanks to Campbell & Gazza – hope that 3d remembers to look both ways.

  7. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell a little trickier than usual but as enjoyable as ever :good: **/****

    Candidates for favorite 1a, 4a, 25a, 2d, and 15d – and the winner is 15d.

    Thanks to Campbell and Gazza.

  8. A pleasant start to the week on the whole but I got a little bogged down in the top-left section. I had a good laugh at 17a! :D
    !

  9. Loved this! Wonderfully elegant surfaces, and just the right degree of challenge for a Monday. A little harder than usual, I thought.

  10. The clocks have gone forward, the sun is shining, Spring is upon us, and Campbell treats us to a fun, gentle start to the week. What’s not to love? COTD for me was 17a which made me laugh when I worked it out after a bit of head-scratching. Now to brace myself for a week of rain starting tomorrow. Hey-ho!

  11. Thought I’d got ‘very confused at home’ a la 15d when Gazza appeared in the blogging seat today but it was lovely to see him and get to laugh at his very witty cartoons. It was also nice to see Mr K’s felines being given a run for their money by the adorable puppy illustrating 3d.
    Another excellent Monday offering from our setter almost guaranteed to bring a smile to everyone’s face.
    Top three here were 11&17a plus 8d.

    Thanks to Campbell and to our surprise blogger.

  12. Just enough challenge to make today’s exercise satisfying fun. Long time since I had come across epergne as per 5d. No particular Fav but just all round fair cluing. Thank you Campbell and Gazza.

    1. I had not heard of epergne before either but managed to work it out from the clue. It took me a while to parse 3d. My favourite, along with other bloggers above, was 17a.

    2. Hi Angellov -sadly Hintlesham Hall was not up to expectations. The hotel was lovely, the food was not – so disappointing. Both our main courses last night were pretty dire but breakfast this morning was dreadful. Our hot food of scrambled eggs, bacon and tomato arrived about 4 minutes after our order. Obviously been under a hot lamp and the egg was cheffied into a tower, burnt on top and the consistency of a cake. The tomatoes were burnt too and the bacon all curled up. We will not be visiting again.

      1. Manders, I had heard that was the case with HH nowadays but I didn’t like to mention it as you were still due to visit. What a pity!

      2. Oh dear, Manders what a disappointment after you were so looking forward to it. Mrs. C and I are members of the RAF Club in Piccadilly, London. The breakfasts used to be superb then they moved to the so called “hot plate” method and the standard dropped considerably. Their sausages used to be well cooked but after a scare about “overcooked meat “ causing cancer they started, as did all hotels, to serve sausages with just a brown line down one side.

        The only two establishments where I, personally, have had excellent breakfasts are The Grand Hotel in Brighton and The Moors Inn at Appleton-le-Moors, North Yorkshire.

        Others will, no doubt, know of similar establishments where good food takes precedence over authority.

  13. Lovely start to the week 😃 **/**** Favourites 17a, 2 and 19d Thanks to Gazza and to the Setter 👍

  14. A terrific start to the crosswording week that was fairly simple yet elegantly clued, with 11a taking the honours.

    A big thank you to Campbell and Gazza.

  15. I found this a bit tough in places but quite doable, nevertheless. Having sold quite a few at fine art fairs, I know what an epergne is so 5d came quite quickly. With one lying at my feet, 25a had to be among my favourites but my COTD is 17a because Mrs. C. was when protesting for nurse’s pay back in the early 70s in Edinburgh.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the fun and puns. Thank you , Gazza for the hints.

    1. Yes, that’s what I think of as an epergne, not Gazza’s pic. We had one in Jamaica, candlesticks and vases entwined, but I don’t know what happened to it.

      1. Google labelled my picture as a Victorian epergne so perhaps they looked different back then.

      2. Epergnes can vary from small, relatively plain glass ones up to large, elaborately ornate silver ones.

        1. Yep, they were made glass, silver and silver plate. Some were quite plain while others were extremely elaborate. It depended on the size of the table and the wealth of the owner.

    2. Before we left England, I was an avid member of of local flower arrangers club, and enjoyed competing in local events. Many of us used an epergne for as a base for our arrangements, as long as you could safely tape some wet oasis into the cups.

  16. Well of course, ‘epergne’ is a new entry on THE LIST (tuts), but other than that a lovely crossword provided by our splendid Monday setter.

    We went for a lovely walk on Witley Common; a marvellous combination of birdsong, and pines, birches, and oaks. Like so much of the Surrey Hills one can still see hints of life during the Second World War when (mainly Canadian) soldiers inhabited the area both as a training camp, and as a potential last fighting ground to stop Hitler’s men reaching London (happily not required).
    However, I suggested that we would not return as the noise from the nearby A3 was so overwhelming that it ruined the ambience.

    Then we popped in to the Crown Inn at Chiddingfold (one of our favourite spots) for a couple of drinks before returning home.

    Thanks to Campbell and the former England midfielder.

    1. Yes Terence I know the Crown and have enjoyed many visits there as my sister lived for many years just outside Chiddingfold.

  17. 1*/4*. Very light but very good. Perfect for a Monday, which is just as well as I get easily confused by all the changes in bloggers and setters (although of course Campbell seems to be a constant presence at the start of the week).

    My favourite is a toss up between 11a & 17a.

  18. A solid start to the week: beautifully crafted with some nice humour thrown in. 15d does conjure up a great image!

    An alternative clue to 24a could be what an old fella from the East End calls his dentures.

    As I ran off in the wrong direction for 11a, I’ll make that my COTD.

    9a was the last one in.

    1*/4*

  19. Another Monday … another Campbell puzzle that was a little on his trickier side this week, I thought, but nothing that isn’t eminently solvable.

    2*/4* for me

    Many favourites in the clue department but I will list just my top five … 4a, 23a, 3d, 7d & 15d with winner 15d
    Chuckled at a few such as 1a, 9a, 13a, 3d & 6d

    Thanks to Campbell and to Gazza for the hints

  20. Thanks to Campbell for an extremely entertaining puzzle. Could kick myself for getting 6d wrong (should have known as my answer wasn’t in Chambers) making 14a impossible. Thanks to Gazza for hints which made me realise my mistake. Loved the pics!

  21. That was a class act, no messing about, all doable with the right degree of head scratching. My grandmother had a silver 5d of which she was very proud. Wonder where that went? I think 2d was my favourite, with 23a & 25a running close. Off to the dentist in Cambridge this afternoon, if they go ahead with the proposed congestion zone charges it is going to cost me twice over. Many thanks to Messrs Campbell & Gazza. And I did like the top Quickie pun.

  22. Afternoon from sunny West Wales, a two star again for me today, slowly getting back into the swing of things, must admit to needing help on one or two, thanks to my original mentor Gazzza 😀 really never heard the word epergne before 😱 Gazza can you tell me how to get my little dog back instead of the silly face????? 🤷🏻‍♀️

    1. Hi Mary,
      You’ve changed your email address from what you used to use and your avatar is linked to your email address. See items 21 and 22 in the FAQ for how to set up a new avatar.

      1. Good luck with sorting that one, Mary, I finished up getting BD to sort an avatar for me so wouldn’t dare to ever change my e-mail address!

        1. Yes, I think Dave sorted it for me originally, unfortunately had to change my email because of hackers!!!!!

      2. Thanks Gazza, looks too complicated!!! Will have to put up with the funny face!!!!!😬

  23. It’s what I would call a starter puzzle , perfect for a beginner .
    I opt for 19 as my favourite.
    Thanks to all concerned .

  24. Another Monday beaut from Campbell, which is just what I needed after a terrible round of golf . 1* / 3*
    Favourites were 11a and 17a
    Thanks to setter and blogger

  25. Made it finally, having read more of Maugham’s ‘Ashenden’ stories into the wee hours. As with many others, 17a and 11a were my runaway favourites in this very enjoyable little gem, perfect for a Monday. And 12a deserves a special shout-out. Thanks to Campbell and Gazza. **/****

  26. Sorry, not puzzle related but this is an impressive leap by Perks to catch a fly! :grin:

    1. I think Mr K ought to make room for that pic in his collection!
      More importantly, did he catch the fly?

    2. Go gettem Perks! Amalia came in yesterday with her “got it” meow, I know there’s got to be a giant ameiva running loose in the house.

      1. Perks hasn’t brought anything in from outside yet, Merusa because he is still a little unsure of the big wide world. He is venturing further now, though.

    3. As long as it is the door and not the curtains 😊. We had one rascal who used to delight taking a running jump at ours, and then hang there by her claws.

  27. It’s Monday.
    Very much so.
    Slight hesitation with 5d.
    Correctly guessed, though, making its synonym in the clue a new word for me.
    Liked the clever 7d most.
    Just a head of the humorous 17a.
    So, */3*
    Thanks, Campbell and Gazza.

  28. Enjoyable Monday puzzle today with few hold ups but had to look up what an epergne was and see it is now on THE LIST! Thanks to all involved on a beautiful day which I fear will be the last for some time.

  29. I think this must be my best attempt at a Campbell puzzle so far….solved alone and unaided and only needed help with parsing 25a.
    Maybe I am finally getting on to his wavelength….maybe….

    Thanks to Campbell and to Gazza.

    Beautiful day up here . Sun streaming in my windows, silvery Tay glittering. But really very cold for the time of year.

  30. A great puzzle today. My last one in was 9a, took a while to unravel it. Thankyou Gazza for the hints and the lovely picture of 3d. Kitties beware! Thankyou also to the setter.

  31. I got off to a good start and thought I might, at last, have learnt Campbell’s wavelength – maybe not, after all!
    The bottom half seemed much harder, to me anyway.
    After so many years of doing crosswords I can’t believe that I haven’t met 5d (epergne) – must have forgotten it!
    Lots of good clues including 11a (because of the jogger) and 2d and 15d. My favourite was 17a.
    Thanks to Campbell for the crossword and to Gazza for the hints (and his usual wonderful pictures!)

    1. Nice to hear from you again Kath, it’s a while since we conversed. I hope you are recovering well. I often think of you.

  32. I’m such a happy camper, a perfect puzzle from Campbell, solved unaided, no strange words. I’m really stumped choosing a fave, maybe 17a? Worthy of a giggle. Good lurker at 1d, and last in was 9a.
    Thanks Campbell for all the fun, and thanks Gazza for the hints and funny pics!

  33. I didn’t find this quite as easy as some, just took quite a bit of pondering across the middle. COTD definitely 17a for the chuckles it provoked. Happy to have a good start to the week.

  34. Lovely start to the week. I actually nearly joined the ‘finished this over a coffee’ group but had 3 still to do and tantalisingly I had to leave it until after lunch. Started to message before going out but it disappeared into the ether and then it was time to dash off to the local cinema to see ‘Alleluejah’. Many thanks to Campbell and Gazza.

  35. I had to Google expergne then the answer was obvious but if you ain’t heard of it you ain’t heard of it. Apart from that this was a Monday puzzle for once. Favourite was 17a, long may they continue to keep doing that to these idiots. I’m fed up to the back teeth of the majority being controlled by the fanatical minority. Rant over. Favourite was a tie between 3d and 25a as my last remaining one is asleep at my feet as I write. Thanks to Campbell and Gazza.

  36. 9a was also my last one in today. I too learnt a new word in 5d. Lovely puzzle, but I did need several goes at it before it all fell into place, hence the very late completion. Thanks to Campbell and Gazza.

  37. LOI 9a strangely and the only one I paused over and had to go through the alphabet. Too many favourites to list but mainly in the acrosses. I could not immediately bring the meaning of épargne to mind but did not bother to look up and solution easy to get with some checkers. I agree that it is more skilled for a setter to provide a puzzle that is easy to solve but with clever clues. Thanks Campbell and Gazza although I even managed all the parsing.

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