DT 30283 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30283

by Twmbarlwm  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30283
Hints and tips by Twmbarlwm

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

Good morning. A fairly brisk solve with perhaps a greater proportion of straightforward clues than we usually see on a Tuesday, but plenty of well-disguised deception and clever exploitation of multiple meanings to keep us on our guard.

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 Exercising, Lily and I groan to begin with (10)
ORIGINALLY: An anagram (exercising) of LILY [and] I GROAN

6a The wingless bird’s screech (4)
HOWL: ‘The’ minus its outer letters (wingless) plus a nocturnal bird of prey

9a Old tax benefit — it helped, partly (5)
TITHE: The solution is hidden (partly)

10a Ferry entrance (9)
TRANSPORT: A double definition, both verbs, one of which means to enrapture

12a Watch old boy put the ball into play (7)
OBSERVE: The two-letter initialism for old boy (as in former pupil/student) precedes the opening shot in tennis etc

13a Rascal not beginning to make mistake (5)
ERROR: A word for a rascal without its first letter (not beginning)

15a Laid next to adult struck with the nut (7)
ABUTTED: The usual letter for adult precedes the past tense of a verb meaning hit with the head, as e.g. goats do

17a Comfort from drink — something alcoholic (7)
SUPPORT: A synonym of drink as a verb, plus a fortified wine

19a Most enthusiastic expression of surprise over cosy retreat (7)
KEENEST: A reversal (over) of an expression of surprise – sometimes seen in old strip cartoons when a mouse appears – plus a cosy retreat, especially for birds

21a Dad, accepting banter, ultimately becoming more distant (7)
FARTHER: The formal word for dad containing (accepting) a final letter (ultimately)

22a Pants, just no top (5)
AWFUL: A word for just, or legal, minus its first letter (no top).

24a Soldier‘s uniform (7)
REGULAR: A double definition, the first a noun, the second an adjective

27a One might be seen in this car next to bypass (9)
MINISKIRT: A type of car that, like the solution, was particularly popular in Britain in the 1960s precedes a synonym of bypass or circumvent

28a Complaint from European after purchase (5)
GRIPE: The usual letter for European goes after a synonym of purchase or leverage

29a River cruise liner partially capsized (4)
NILE: The solution is hidden (partially) in the clue when reversed (capsized)

30a Eccentric people — cleaner reacts badly (10)
CHARACTERS: An anagram (badly) of REACTS follows a word for cleaner or a domestic

 

Down

1d Promise Oscar a little time with husband (4)
OATH: A letter represented in the clue by its NATO phonetic alphabet name, plus ‘a’ from the clue, and the usual letters for [little] time and husband

2d Strangely I don’t rue wrapping Charlie’s present (9)
INTRODUCE: An anagram (strangely) of I DON’T RUE containing (wrapping) another NATO phonetic alphabet-indicated letter

3d I’m going round the hotel leaving small objects (5)
ITEMS: The letters in the first word containing (going round) the fourth word minus (leaving) the NATO phonetic alphabet letter for hotel, and finally the letter that stands for small

4d Changed novel later with editor (7)
ALTERED: An anagram (novel) of LATER followed by the diminutive version of editor

5d Those who beg to be free of quiet Sunak and Starmer? (7)
LEADERS: A word for those who beg, missing (to be free of) the letter for quiet/soft in music

7d Smell? Nothing serious (5)
ODOUR: A letter that looks like a number (nothing/nought), plus a synonym of serious or gloomy

8d Written works from retailer but unfortunately book’s lost (10)
LITERATURE: An anagram (unfortunately) of RETAILER BUT without the letter for book (lost)

11d Upset about former PM’s railway support (7)
SLEEPER: A reversal (upset) of the two-letter word for about, or with reference to, and the 19th century PM who founded the police force. plus [apostrophe] s from the clue

14d Game — approve of meat (10)
BACKGAMMON: A word for approve of, or show support for, and a kind of meat that’s often served with pineapple, supposedly to neutralize the meat’s saltiness

16d Grass around middle of Everest is support for climbers (7)
TRELLIS: A synonym of grass as a verb, or inform [on], containing (around) a middle-letter as indicated, plus ‘is’ from the clue

18d He swore it moved differently (9)
OTHERWISE: An anagram (moved) of HE SWORE IT

20d Sailor picked up in ship not half dull (7)
TARNISH: A three-letter word for sailor, a two-letter reversal (picked up), plus a word with 50% of its letters removed (not half)

21d Boxer perhaps less heavy after change of starter (7)
FIGHTER: A comparative adjective meaning less heavy has its first letter replaced by a different one (change of starter)

23d Decisive tip from fisherman in a lake (5)
FINAL: A first letter (tip from) precedes two words from the clue and the letter that represents lake on maps

25d Reason American soldier cuts hair short (5)
LOGIC: A two-letter US Army soldier goes inside (cuts) a word for hair (particularly a piece of it) missing its last letter (short)

26d Told to make fun of what golfers use? (4)
TEES: A homophone (told) of a word meaning mock or provoke

My particular favourites were 6a, 10a, 27a, 3d, 8d, 16d and 25d. What were yours?

Today’s Quick Crossword pun: AIR + STY + LISZT = HAIR STYLIST

63 comments on “DT 30283”

  1. Found myself on the right wavelength immediately with this one, and hence it was just a case of read ‘em and write ‘em today.
    Are those two mentioned really 5d? I don’t think so, heads of department maybe at best!
    Like the misdirection in 28a very clever. Don’t get the first bit of 19a so will see the hints to see what the connection is. All in all good fun, but over a little quickly.

    2. 19a almost last in. Word fitted but I did not reverse the first three letters till I got 14d

  2. They don’t get much lighter than this but it was enjoyable to solve with just the mildest bit of misdirection here and there.
    15a made me smile as did 22a, I also liked 27a plus 11d but my favourite was the well constructed 3d.
    Many thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.
    For those with a bit of time on their hands, why not have a go at today’s Toughie, it barely registers as such but is a lot of fun.

    1. Yes SL – on your tip I had a go and it was also easier than usual and good fun. Thanks👍

  3. Nice, brisk, pleasant surfaces and fun to solve. Just the ticket for a Tuesday but over too soon. I think that 22a is my favourite, and wouldn’t it be a treat if that’s the last time we see ‘pants’ this year! Thanks to Twm and today’s setter. */***

    1. With eight months to go, don’t hold your breath on not seeing ‘pants’ again this year!

  4. Great to meet old friends.
    I countered seven.
    Welcomed the clever newcomers.
    Especially 27a which becomes my COTD.
    Thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.

  5. I had two cups of coffee and a banana for breakfast so I was buzzing through this, only paused on 5d when I initially thought it might be Brexit related. Thanks to setter and Twmbarlwm. Let’s hope my fired up brain still works for the toughie

  6. That was certainly a different kettle of fish after yesterday. No reason for anyone to be unhappy today, although I expect there will be those who say that it was insufficiently taxing for them! It was indeed on the gentle side, but there was a good variety of clue types along with some clever misdirections and plenty for those who like anagrams. My podium today consists of 10a, 28a, 3d and 11d. Favourite was 27a. Thanks to our setter and Twmbarlwm

  7. Very pleasant ramble for a lovely sunny morning on the island.
    Rosettes handed out to 6a along with 5&25d.

    Thanks to our setter and to Twmbarlwm for the review.

  8. Not particularly rime-consuming and with a fair number of strightforward and, often, familiar clues, this crossword was a little disappointing. Thoseclyes rhat were neant to bemore challenging were rather clumsily worded. I found rhe best technique was to pick out the definition, look at the checkers and guess the answer before trying to fathom how tthe clue was supposed to be parsed . Not really my cup of tea but thanks to the compiler for his efforts and to Timbarlwm for the review

  9. A real peach, perfect for a Tuesday. I agree with Robert, twice over. Yes, pants is arguably overused but when it’s put to such brilliant, pithy effect, all is forgiven. There is a place, of course, for long and cleverly convoluted clues but 22A is a great example of my personal favourite: short and sweet. Great stuff. Thanks, as ever, to the setter and to Twmbarlwm, even though I always have to cut and paste his unspellable name!

  10. A light Tuesday */**** with I think 5 anagrams and one partial and 3 lurker based solutions. My LOI was 3d and I’m not sure why……
    The one that made me smile the most was 15a so that is my COTD. Thanks Twmbarlwm and the setter for great fun.

  11. 1 only at most for difficulty and 0 for enjoyment.
    Coupled with yesterdays crossword, that didn’t last beyond my boiled eggs, it seems the crosswords like everything else are dumbing down?

    1. Each to their own, of course, but I quite enjoyed today’s crossword. Maybe I’m only clever enough to solve a “dumbed down” crossword!
      I do know that yesterday’s crossword should have an apostrophe in it!
      Thanks to the setter and Mr T.

    2. Dumbing down? If you want something more difficult, perhaps you would be happier solving the Toughie. Some of us actually enjoy a puzzle we can finish, particularly if it is unaided.

  12. Lovely puzzle that had me smiling from start to finish. Hard to pick out a favourite clue. Thanks to the setter, and to Twmbarlwm for the happy illustrations that accompany the hints which I used a couple of times to check the parsing. Am enjoying the sunshine, plus drying the washing outside, whilst it lasts ☀️

  13. A rapid but enjoyable solve with some fine clues to keep the interest going. I particularly liked 3 and 11d. It is inevitable with 365 puzzles a year that we will get the odd straightforward puzzle, just as it is statistically probable that there will be some really tough ones to average things out.

    My thanks to our Tuesday setter and to Mr T.

  14. After yesterday’s ‘Monday struggle’ I was hoping for ‘typically Tuesdayish’ but this was something of a curate’s egg for me – 2.5*/3*

    Favourite – a toss-up between 10a and 14d – and the winner is 10a.

    Thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.

  15. That was much more Mondayish than yesterday’s marathon offering and I enjoyed the walk in the park. Admitting to being a bit of a fuddy-duddy, I am in agreement with Robert as I’m not awfully keen on increasing use of pants for 23a. “One might be seen in this” is somewhat unfocused for 27a. Thank you Messrs. Ron and T.

      1. Oh, Angellov, never fear. No apologies needed. I give a new meaning to fuddy-duddyism.

    2. Like you Angellov, I dislike the word pants as meaning rubbish, but my sons were using it when they were kids at school in the mid nineties. Seems it has been around quite a while now.

  16. Lots of lovely clues leading to an unaided solve and parse.
    Just the job for me after yesterday’s marathon.

    Thanks to the setter and to Twmbarlwm.

  17. I really enjoyed this today. Yesterday was very hard in comparison. As has already been said it’s good to have a variety of puzzles, keeps us on out toes. 14d made me smile and I certainly didn’t have any 28a. Thankyou Mr T and setter.

  18. A pleasant puzzle which didn’t cause too many problems – thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.
    My favourite clue was 20d.

  19. This bunny was relieved to have a more straightforward offering compared with yesterday and successfully finished. I will happily be able to garden in the sunshine! I checked the parsing of 11d and 18a and had 27a as favourite.

    Many thanks to Twmbarlwm for the hints and to the setter.

  20. Gentle and light, rather like myself. Who are you kidding? You could lose fifty pounds in weight, big boy!
    How rude! Truth hurts, pal!

    Lovely crossword. No sesterce or haragake to frighten the horses.

    Going to pop outside, hoping that the grass is still wet from yesterday’s rain so I don’t have to cut it. Then I won’t have time tomorrow as we’re going to Chelsea. Increasingly, my life is a quest to find reasons not to do things.

    Thanks to the setter and The Twmp.

    1. I love your writing style, Terence. It’s very similar to mine when I used to write newsletters. I would make out I had been dragged once again by the editor from the dungeon, where I was fed on stale bread and dirty water, then chained to the desk to write. Once I had written, I was thrown back into the dungeon.

      Please keep it up. I love it! 👍

  21. Found this Tuesday puzzle about on par with most of them in recent weeks. Some fun clues in this one as well as a few head scratchers like there were in yesterday’s puzzle.

    For me today 2*/4*

    Favourites include 10a, 27a, 28a, 16d & 25d with my winner 27a

    Thanks to setter and Twmbarlwm

  22. 1*/3.5*. Light but good fun.

    I’m not particularly keen on the definition for 27a, but other than that everything was shipshape.

    My podium choice is 6a, 20d & 25d.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr T.

  23. Very enjoyable if pretty straightforward – not sure why Editor doesn’t swap Mr Plumb (my 5 bob for today’s setter) & Campbell around, because the former is now consistently the more Monday-ish of the two, in my view. Some great surfaces, clever deceit, and thought it felt as though there were lots of anagrams (I started with the downs) the end result was pretty average. For me Hon Mentions to 27a, 3d & 11d.

    1 / 3.5

    Many thanks to the setter / Mr Plumb and to Twmbarlwm.

  24. That’s more like it – fairly straightforward, but still needed a bit of thought. Happy to have been able to both both complete and parse after yesterday.

    Thanks to Twmbarlwm and setter

  25. Most of it very smooth. Not for the first time in recent days I came to a halt on the LHS. Had a snooze then galloped or trotted on. Missed the over in 19a so only parsed when I got 14d. I had been looking for a something arian. Favourites 22a and 5 7 14 and 16d. Thanks setter and Twmbarlwm

  26. Agree this was not as tough as yesterday. Always thought 27a was two words but hey ho. 6a simple but good disguise so took a bit of working out. Thanks to all.

  27. I liked it. Last in was 20d although I had guessed it from the checkers but it was the last penny to drop. My cotd 22a.

  28. To all those grumbling that this was too easy, I would politely suggest having a crack at today’s Times. Their 3D is an absolute stinker that made my head hurt. We should be v careful what we wish for!

    1. Didn’t get to see this Times puzzle until late this evening, ALP, but was fortunate to tune in quite swiftly, starting in the SW. Some brilliant clueing (inc 24a and 3d!), but it’s fair to say that some of the required knowledge was a little more than general – all very fair, though.

  29. I stalled half way through and was questioning the * rating. I think my brain did not get out of bed when I did this morning. As more evidence. I crashed in Wordle, oh dear. A second coffee, a few hints, thank you and I was able finish. Just didn’t enjoy it much for some reason.

  30. Well I made much harder work of this pleasant puzzle than I ought to have done. Not sure why but the SW took twice as long as the rest of it & turned what looked like a sub * time solve into a sedate completion so unlike J+F at comment 11 that quartile clearly required a wee bit more dumbing down for the likes of me. Last in was 27a – I’m with RD & Angellov in finding the def a bit iffy. No particular fav but some nice clueing throughout.
    Thanks to AP & T

  31. Good evening.
    A day off, and I’ve been back and forth to the crozzie all day, finally getting to the end ten minutes ago. Thank you Twmbarlwm for the hints; I had to look for an explanation of 19a! Thanks to our compiler. “Crikey!” for 15a and 3d

  32. 1/4. As Mr T says, a brisk puzzle today. Favourites were 27a and 14d. Thanks to all.

  33. Zero GK. No words I hadn’t heard of before. Very solvable. Thank you setter.

  34. Would you Adam and Eve it! I wrote my lyrical words at about 1 45 and must have forgotten to press Post. Just think what wit and wisdom have been denied you! I shall just say thanks to all concerned and that whilst 6a was my favourite, I cannot abide ‘pants’ as awful. Sorry, I am an old Duffy Duffy. (That is predictive text for fuddy duddy. )

  35. Some of this took a deal of thinking about and some of it didn’t so perfect for a Tuesday. SW was last in for no other reason than it just was. Lots to like. Favourite was 11d. Thanks to the setter and T.

  36. Tuesday is the new Monday- per the puzzle site this was my quickest solve ever. Must have been a good brain day. 6a was the favourite.
    Thanks to setter and The Wise Man Bearing Answers…

  37. Late to the party because of a drive back home from Ryedale. Because of it, I had only a short time over breakfast to look at the puzzle before packing. Why is it there seems to be much more to take home from holiday than there was to bring?

    I will look again at the puzzle tomorrow but from what I did solve it was enjoyable.

    When Mrs C and I arrived home I promptly tripped and fell into our lavender bush. No harm done except a few bruises, mostly to my pride, but I do now smell nice! 😎

    Many thanks to the setter and our own Welsh Hill for the hints.

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