DT 30289 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30289

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30289
Hints and tips by Twmbarlwm

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

Good morning. A super puzzle with some witty and stylish surfaces, an &lit or two, and a well-judged mix of difficulty, with containment clues dominating and fewer anagrams than usual (4 out of 32). I had a handful of hold-ups – including 1a right off the bat which didn’t help! – which could have been just me being a little sluggish, but considered together with the low number of anagrams (and all of them partial), I’ve added a half star for difficulty.

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 Wholesale delivery that’s inaccurate with an array of food (10)
WIDESPREAD: An inaccurate delivery in cricket plus a word for a variety of food in a buffet, say

6a Old country in Asia Minor (4)
SIAM: The solution is hidden ‘in’ part of the clue

9a Smack son in art gallery (5)
TASTE: The letter that stands for son goes ‘in’ the name given to art galleries in London, Liverpool and St Ives

10a Right to be entertained by new concerti? Wrong (9)
INCORRECT: The usual letter for right is inserted into (entertained by) an anagram (new) of CONCERTI

12a Accurate summary by European (7)
PRECISE: A six-letter French-derived word for summary precedes the letter for European

13a Cowboy might bring this girl round (5)
LASSO: An informal word for girl, particularly in N England and Scotland, plus the letter that’s ’round’

15a Getting the ball rolling over trap in golf (7)
OPENING: A charade of the letter for over in cricket scoring, a synonym of trap or cage, ‘in’ from the clue, and finally a letter indicated by its term in the NATO phonetic alphabet. Clever surface, ‘trap’ being another term for a bunker in golf

17a Exceptional charm almost encapsulates people with intelligence? (7)
SPECIAL: Another word for charm, as in something that’s cast by a witch, missing its last letter (almost), contains (encapsulates) an initialism of an Intelligence organisation

19a Grazed Edward with axe to begin with (7)
SCRAPED: a diminutive of Edward is preceded by (to begin with) a synonym of axe as a verb, as in get rid of

21a Puts back books on these? (7)
SHELVES: A double definition and a semi-&lit, one of the definitions meaning puts back or defers

22a Animal one cuts horn off (5)
RHINO: An all-in-one involving an insertion (cuts) of the letter that resembles the Roman numeral for one in an anagram (off) of HORN

24a Food in ship where horses are kept (7)
STABLES: An old-fashioned formal word for food, which is also what people sit at to eat it, goes ‘in’ the two letters that precede the name of some ships

27a California — the flipping fat bishop might be found here (9)
CATHEDRAL: A two-letter abbreviation for the US state, plus ‘the’ from the clue, then a reversal (flipping) of a word for fat, usually as a cooking ingredient

28a Bird created by sculptor after a change of heart (5)
ROBIN: A famous French sculptor’s surname gets its middle letter (heart) changed

29a Kind soldiers in street (4)
SORT: The two-letter label for soldiers from ordinary ranks goes ‘in’ the abbreviation for street

30a Community sorting out payment (10)
SETTLEMENT: A triple definition, one of which is synonymous with a ruling

Down

1d Wife in test regularly displays brainpower (4)
WITS: The letter for wife plus alternate letters in the two words that follow (regularly)

2d Leave fruit after daughter is a little quiet (9)
DISAPPEAR: A common orchard fruit goes ‘after’ the letter for daughter, ‘is a’ from the clue and the letter in music for (little) quiet/soft

3d Part of a play recognised on the radio (5):
SCENE: A homophone (on the radio) of a word meaning recognised

4d Suggesting worshipping with no pressure (7)
RAISING: A synonym of worshipping minus the letter that stands for pressure

5d Family on radio knowing about climbing sierra? (7)
ARCHERS: A synonym of knowing, or bow in another context, plus a reversal (climbing) of a two-letter term for about, and finally the letter that’s denoted in the clue by its NATO phonetic alphabet term. My first automatic thought was ‘on radio’ signified a homophone, despite that device having appeared two clues earlier!

7d International publication for teachers holds 1000 articles (5)
ITEMS: The letter for international is followed by the three-letter abbreviation of an education-related UK weekly that contains (holds) the Roman numeral for 1000

8d Still without proposal? (10)
MOTIONLESS: A double definition, one of which refers to a formal proposition in a debate or meeting

11d Dull story in party with no end (7)
RELIEVE: A word for story, as in untruth, goes in a synonym of party or carousal missing its final letter (no end). Nicely concealed deception in the definition

14d Builds prisoner’s trust moving around cell, primarily (10)
CONSTRUCTS: A three-letter diminutive of a synonym for prisoner plus apostrophe-s followed by an anagram (moving) of TRUST ‘around’ the first letter (primarily) of cell

16d Perk up one minute before show (7)
IMPROVE: Single letters representing one and minute respectively are followed by a synonym of show or demonstrate

18d At home, fancy veil is keeping bride’s head impossible to see (9)
INVISIBLE: A two-letter word for at home precedes an anagram (fancy) of VEIL IS containing (keeping) a first letter (head) as indicated

20d Initially, detectives expect wait on warrant (7)
DESERVE: The first letters (initially) of two words in the clue plus another word for wait on

21d Red mark lethal? Not half! (7)
SCARLET: A mark of injury followed by 50% (not half) of a word in the clue

23d Bury penniless playwright (5)
INTER: The surname of the author of The Caretaker is deprived of a capital P (penniless)

25d Big student quarrel university ignored (5)
LARGE: The letter for student/learner plus a synonym of quarrel as a verb without (ignored) the letter for university

26d Insect bite upsetting (4)
GNAT: A reversal (upsetting) of a word for bite or piquancy

 

My particular favourites were 6a, 9a, 10a, 13a, 15a, 22a, 8d, 11d, 16d, 18d and 20d. What were yours?


Today’s Quick Crossword pun: BUN + CHA + QUAYS = BUNCH OF KEYS

96 comments on “DT 30289

  1. The paucity of anagrams as mentioned pushed me into ** time for this competent puzzle. I thought the best of the bunch was 5d and the rest pretty even. Solid Tuesday fare. Thanks Twmbarlwm and the setter.

  2. 3 in the NE turned what was an otherwise brisk completion into a bit of a struggle across the line. 17a along with 5&11d were the head scratchers for me with the last of them my pick of the clues for, as T says in the review, the concealed deception in the definition.
    Thanks to the setter & T
    Ps having fun with Donny’s Toughie trying to remember (then spell) the full names of bods more usually referred to either by first or surname.

  3. The lack of anagrams made this right up my street. A good mixture of clue types and only a little general knowledge required should suit most solvers ( but you never know!) My solving was somewhat haphazard but with no real hold-ups.I liked 9a, which caused some discussion last time it appeared, 27a, 28a 21d and my favourite 8d. Thanks to our setter and Twmbarlwm.

  4. Enjoyed this a lot but 11d was guesswork as I haven’t come across that word for ‘dull’. Have started the Toughie and have managed about a third so far but will get back to it later. Lovely day here but a chilly wind on the coast. Thanks to the setter and hinter. Hope the ‘man flu’ clears up for all our chaps! Do you all have ‘man bags’ to go with the flu?

      1. I can see 11d used in that sense but the definition needs the qualifier of pain, as a stand alone direct synonym it is an exceptional stretch.

        1. Hi Buzza

          If a word in an expression can be replaced by a synonym in that expression then all is tickety boo. In this case, dull/******* the pain which fits perfectly, i.e no stretching. The fact that you can’t replace dull with today’s answer in the clue is by the bye.

        2. B. In the 11d surface dull means uninteresting/flat/prosaic but as the clue definition dull has a different meaning: r*****e/blunt/alleviate and as such is a good synonym of the answer.

          1. IMHO there is a jump as in dull = mitigate = relieve there is no direct connection without adding further explanation. I’ll leave it at that, and say no more, it’s becoming a very relieve subject…..

            1. Using synonyms in this way is very common practice and has been around for as long as I can remember.

  5. A really enjoyable puzzle for me today…though I did need Twmbarlwm’s help parsing 19a.
    I liked the fat bishop and the lethal red mark.
    Great fun!

    Thanks to the setter and to Twmbarlwm

  6. The dearth of anagrams sometimes reduces the fun of a crossword for me but this one had some good double definitions at 21a and 30a and a clever cryptic definition in 8d not to mention the charade at 1a, my COTD . There were rather a lot of fiddly lego clues for my taste but overall it was enjoyable. Thanks to Twmbarlwm for help with parsing of my bung-in for 20d and to the compiler

  7. 1*/4*. I thought this was very light but found it great fun from start to finish with 8d my favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr T.

      1. Yes, thank you, MTF, I did. It was remiss of me not to have acknowledged it but I was very busy yesterday getting Mrs RD ready for her knee replacement operation today, which I am delighted to say seems to have gone very well. The only snag was that the hospital car park was inevitably overflowing when I went to visit her this afternoon and I ended up parking a mile away and walking from there. At least it wasn’t raining!

        1. I was not sure you would have definitely returned to the blog after the message got posted. I do hope Mrs RD makes a speedy recovery and gets home soon. You clearly have more important things to be attending to than box at the moment!

            1. David’s knee replacement about 12 years ago, fantastic success so hope Mrs R D’s just as good!

              1. Yes, RD, everyone I know who has had a knee replacement has had excellent results. I’m sure she’s going to be fine, but the rehab can be quite painful. Good wishes to her.

                  1. I am another one with a two year old knee. Fabulous, I can even kneel. Just make sure she does all her exercises, the first couple of days are the worst. Best wishes to you both.

  8. Quite enjoyable, started at a gallop but finished at a trot. COTD 8D **/***

  9. A really enjoyable puzzle – thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.
    Top clues for me were 1a, 17a (people with intelligence? – excellent) and 20d.

  10. A sound Tuesday puzzle, last in was 17a ,new to me but confirmed with my Chambers.
    Lots of my favourite Charades ,favourites were 27a and 17a.
    Agree wiyh Twm and a**/*** ****-thanks for the pics
    Straight forward cluing throughout and very enjoyable.

    1. I must be getting better because I fairly raced through this. I even got the crickety bit of 1a so l am learning – thanks also to MikeyC (I seem to remember?) for explaining soccer yesterday. Today 8d was my favourite, but am I the only one who did not like 22a? I cannot help thinking if the poor animal having its horn cut off, it seems an unfortunate clue😢 I haven’t even finished my lunch yet so I had better look at the toughie. Many thanks to the setter and to Twm.

    2. I’m sorry Beaver, that my comment seemed to be attached to yours – you must have been puzzled. What a lot of comments todays guzzle has produced!

  11. Typically Tuesdayish so five bob on Anthony Plumb as the setter – 1.5*/4*

    Candidates for favourite – 1a, 30a, 8d, and 20d – and the winner is 30a.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb, or whomsoever if it is not he, and Twmbarlwm.

  12. V light & v fun, many thanks to Mr Plumb!

    An enjoyable “top-to-bottom and go back to 11d to finish” sort of puzzle. Nothing complicated and only standard GK required. Equines still snoring away. These days that radio serial might more accurately be “The Horrobins” or “The Aldridges” – it has changed quite a lot in the last 5 years! COTD for 8d.

    1 / 3.5

    Thank you also to Twmbarlwm.

      1. I cannot disagree. However times move on, residents (and their actors) get older and die/move on, and the programme has of necessity “adapted to survive”.

        I too have moved on, with the emasculation of Brian Aldridge being the last straw for me! Thank heavens for Fourble, and for wonderful podcast players such as Podcast Addict – possibly the most used app on my phone.

        1. You are of course quite right. The Archers is but a microcosm of life……sadly in some respects.

          1. Nothing wrong with The Archers. Still some Archers left in the village. Some great characters.

  13. Like Andrew, I set off at a gallop and ended on a slow walk. It was all very enjoyable, though and I have a number of ticks on the paper. Like others, I had to ponder 11d for a while until the penny dropped. I agree there maybe should have been an indication in the clue for pain. Pain can be dulled but so can a knife. Anyway, what do I know? I stopped listening to 5d when they callously killed off one of the main characters a number of Christmases ago. My COTD is 27a because I loved putting the bricks together. It was closely followed by 17a.

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

      1. That he was, MG. It was amazing how long his cries lasted after he fell off the roof. They made the house seem like it was a thousand feet high.

      2. Yes poor Graham Seed no way back. Despatched to the world of pantomime.

        1. He did return to The Archers in 2011 as one of the jurors in Helen’s trial.

  14. An otherwise spot-on Tuesday puzzle marred for me by the ill-chosen wording of the clue for 22a. I guess this isn’t the right place to jump onto that particular soap-box……….
    On the upside, I really liked 8,16&20d and smiled at the thought of the 28a bird being given that particular sculptor’s treatment!
    Wonder whether I’m alone in never having listened to a single episode about the lives of the 5d family?

    Thanks to our setter and to Twmbarlwm for the review.

        1. You don’t know what you are missing. I’ve been listening (albeit with gaps) since the radio was a wireless (don’t know why as it definitely had wires), and a Home Service and light programme. It was housed in a large wooden cabinet which stood on the floor. When it blew up it was replaced by a Bush in Bakelite.

    1. I used to listen to 5d on a crackly short-wave radio when up-country in Africa. Then, in 1972, the BBC kicked out the originator and script editor, Godfrey Baseley, after which, for me, the cultural shift towards the Guardian readership became unbearable…

    2. One, in January 1981, when the then matriarch of the family passed away apparently asleep in her favourite armchair.

      1. Was that Doris? If so, her son Phil shrugged of his mortal coil in the same way. I believe the actress was Gwen Berryman who recorded from her home when she could no longer travel to Birmingham.

        1. I listened to it for years and years but when Covid started I stopped for some reason and have never listened to it again. Someone told me Jennifer had died, what a surprise. Funny how Rhuari (if that’s how it is spelt) went one day having a broad Irish accent to the following day having a cut glass English accent.

  15. A great fun puzzle for what seems like the start of the week. Not too taxing, but I did have to have a bit of a head scratch on 17a and 20d which were the last two in. Good to get a bit of cricket and general knowledge in the clues today, many thanks to our setter.

  16. Ah, memories! 70 years ago in boarding school listened to them (5d) in Matron’s room before we were put to bed!
    Nice puzzle, the longest part was Googling for the teacher’s mag just to check.
    Thanks to setter and Mr T.

  17. A lovely light dessert after the Donny Toughie. It was all thoroughly enjoyable but my standout top two are 17a and 8d.
    Many thanks to Mr Plumb and Twmbarlwm

    1. I’m trusting your review will feature KR & The First Edition’s wonderful rendition of Mickey Newbury’s Just Dropped In & hopefully with the Busby Berkeley routine from the movie – one of my all time favourites

  18. A general observation prompted by Tipcat’s remark but in no way specifically addressed at them, so please don’t be offended.

    I’m always intrigued by references to GK as being required or not. Surely GK is required for the completion of every clue in every cryptic (and many or most other) crosswords?

    A knowledge of basic grammar (inc. tenses, articles), military references, cricket terms (leg, off, over), US state abbreviations, kings & queens, countries in Europe, art galleries, birds, sculptors, former names of countries, the essentials of the “big 4” religions (5 if you include Jedi …), abbreviations & acronyms etc etc etc is taken as read in every DT cryptic crossword. A decent vocabulary – GK, again – is needed for finding synonyms. Even knowing who Rev. Spooner was – and why he is still remembered! – comes under GK, and that knowledge is usually key to several clues each week between backpage & Toughie.

    So when someone remarks that “too much GK” was required in a puzzle do they really mean “there were things I didn’t know”, or am I missing something? I’d like to reiterate that this is a general question rather than having any particular contributor in mind, and I intend no offence, so please don’t take any!

    1. It seems to me, Mustafa, that some people much prefer clues in which they can use logic and powers of deduction to solve complex wordplay rather than information oreviously learned. I prefer a puzzle with as many different clue types as possible, in which you have to jump from one way of thinking to another. It’s god from an entertainment perspective and good for your brain and, as my dad used to say, knowledge is easy to carry through life and often useful.

      1. Our great compilers might also argue that without any previous knowledge one might cryptically parse an answer and thus only need the hints for confirmation of a hitherto unknown piece of general knowledge. In my case it is usually an obscure plant!

        1. Sporty clues are the ones that often mystify me, although I got the crickety one today. Anything to do with golf is probably beyond me.

    2. Hi M

      I think we need to replace General with Obscure as that is what most people are referring to when they see a word that gets on to El Tel’s list. I understand it when some of us see a word that they will probably never see again. But, I’m all for it as I have learnt so many words that I occasionally use in Scrabble. Very satisfying.

      A light and enjoyable challenge with some good constructions and smooth surfaces.

      1*/3*

    3. I agree, as ever. Though I would say that grammar, syntax and vocab aren’t generally regarded as GK, even they they are really, of course. Certainly, knowing what a wide is, etc, does fall into the category, but cricket terms are so much of crosswords’ DNA, I think that fact often gets overlooked. I agree with Chriscross, too: knowledge is always a weapon. There’s certainly some pretty basic GK required in today’s “toughie”. Personally, it’s always welcome. Even when it’s summat horribly unfamiliar, like some obscure acid or bookbinding. Oof! But that’s more Times territory, I know.

    4. My “General” knowledge is somewhat lacking … apart from Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant.

    1. Are you trying to rival Hrothgar’s Haiku -style with a new form of alliterative revue? It could be quite a fun challenge.
      Lovely comments all round tod

  19. Quickly through this one, to the extent that I failed to realise how few anagrams it contains. light and breezy stuff, with plenty of quality clues. Thanks Mysteron and Twm.

  20. Lovely crossword. As I am a simpleton, I was foxed by 5d for a while. I tumbled right into the trap and assumed it was a homophone. Thus it was my last one in. I fell out of love with the series when poor Nigel was despatched from the roof. I have always held David responsible.

    With H hobbling with her broken toe, we were unable to partake in a lovely walk yesterday, so we had a late lunch at the refurbished Drummond in Albury. Happily, the changes are not too severe and much of the old character has been retained.
    Between the pub and its car park is a small wooden bridge and H always worries we are going to tumble into the Tillingbourne.

    Thanks to the setter and The Twmp.

    1. Your photograph is lovely Terence, but I would have thought it had many, many more gigathings than my modest little picture if a bean planted in a loo roll centre. I don’t understand.

  21. A full quarter of my solve on 5d. Perhaps pen and paper would have helped. Kicked myself when it appeared. Good one@

  22. Another regular sort of Tuesday puzzle. Nothing too hard, but it took a while for me to get through this one. Liked it though.

    2*/3.5* for me

    Favourites include 9a, 29a, 5d 16d & 21d with winner 5d
    A part of my past UK history for me.

    Thanks to setter and Twmbarlwm

  23. Not much to add to all that has been said above, 5d last in as I was on the homophone track for ages. My favourite 27a. Really enjoyed the mixture of clues.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Twmbarlwm

  24. Cracking pace
    Slowed by 5d
    Brilliant Lego clue
    Worthy of a Toughie.
    Four Podium attendees,
    Above and 1, 17 and 22a.
    The winner 5d.
    So, a solid */4*
    Many thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.

  25. 2/4. Very well constructed puzzle with too many good clues to single one out. Thanks to the setter and Mr T.

  26. Last three in 5 20 and 8d. Favourites 28a, lovely concise clue, and 8 21 23 25 and 26d. Thanks to Mr Plumb if it be he and to Twmbarlwm. I confess to checking I had the answer right for 17a when I was having difficulty with 8d.

  27. What a perfectly enjoyable puzzle, lots of great clues and nothing obscure. I did get 5d, despite having never listened to a single episode, but it just had to be. 1a led me in straight away, and that it was all fun from then on, with top marks going to 8d and 27a. I do so love a crossword which is doable without any hints or googling. Big thanks to the setter, I would love more like this.

  28. Alas, I was DNF in the NE, natch 5d was beyond my ken, not surprising for someone across the pond. Of course, I’ve heard of it but never listened to it. I also needed hints for 11d and the “why” of 17a, clever that. Apart from that, very enjoyable. I liked 8d and 21d, but fave was 27a.
    Thank you Mr. Plumb, if indeed this is your offering. Thanks to Toombarloom for the hints and unraveling, which I needed today.

  29. Would have been a personal record in terms of time to complete had I not stumbled significantly on 5D having been greatly misdirected entriely as the setter intended. Darn them! Particularly liked 8D

  30. On track with this super crossword, so ** because we finished it before breakfast!

  31. Very late today as I continue to struggle with this mysterious ailment that just keeps rearing its ugly head. Nothing daunted (well, not too much anyway), I keep working these remarkable puzzles. I found this one rather playful for the most part but also with a couple of very UK-centred clues (5d, 1a) that held me up a bit. Strangely, I find that 15a emerges as my favourite–one of the ones that held out the longest. Thanks to Twm and today’s setter. 2*/4*

    Loved Donny’s Toughie today–one for the ages!

    1. Keep fighting the wretched thing, I know you can do it.
      Having now finished both The Salt Road (Jane Johnson) and Glamour Girls (Marty Wingate) – both of which I really enjoyed – I am about to embark on a re-read of Brideshead Revisited as you suggested so you’ll have to be firing on all cylinders to answer any questions!

    2. Sorry to hear that you’re still under the weather. Thought of you while struggling with the literary/artsy Toughie. I might join you all with the Brideshead re-read

    3. Jane and Huntsman: This afternoon, I did in fact begin my re-read of Brideshead. I’m on page 9 on the 75th Anniversary Edition, a very handsome Back Bay paperback. I look forward to hearing from both of you.

  32. Good evening
    A long break at work means finishing off today’s back pager, having got started at lunchtime. An enjoyable solve, with a particularly deserved cry of Crikey! for 27a; that made me chuckle!
    Many thanks to our compiler and to Twmbarlwm

  33. Nicely Tuesday, with plenty of simple but effective cluing. I too was slow to spot 5d, firmly misdirected by the potential homophone like others. I found a few stretched synonyms today dampened my enjoyment a little but generally a fun solve **/***

    Thanks to Messrs Plumb and Twm

  34. I enjoyed today’s puzzle and managed to fit it in between numerous tasks. Only delayed over 11d and LOI. Many thanks to today’s setter and Twmbarlwm. The weather seems to be warming up here in the NW though sadly, the frost got to some of the spring buds last week and most of the Camelias with not be flowering!

  35. Three in the NE were last to fall for no reason other than they just were. Last in was 17a and cotd, people with intelligence – priceless. My biggest hold-up was breaking my pencil but that didn’t detract from the enjoyment. Thanks to the setter and T.

  36. Enjoyable and fun crossword, thanks to the setter and thanks too to Twmbarlwm…..especially for the picture of Salisbury Cathedral, one of my favourite places.

  37. NE was only real hold-up in an enjoyable enigma. Suppose 15a constituent conveys trap. 30a triple definition didn’t occur to me as was the case for 11a dull so both were bunged in. Fav was 8d. Thank you AP (?) and MrT.

  38. I must be in the minority here as I found this puzzle to be very tricky and unenjoyable. Unless, of course, some are not being as honest as they could be 😉

    Seriously though, I managed to answer only 1/3 of the clues. Then a little despondency set in and I gave up. Even some of the blogger’s hints did not assist me.

    Oh well, there’s always tomorrow. 👍

  39. 2*/3* …
    liked 1A “Wholesale delivery that’s inaccurate with an array of food (10)”

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