DT 30329 (full review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30329

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 17^th June 2023

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from Kolkata. A very friendly and straightforward Saturday puzzle from Cephas that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and valuable feedback.

Rosehip, the accessory fruit of the various species of rose plant and the answer to the clue of 17d, made me inquisitive to know more about the fruit unknown to me until then and therefore a visit to the net became inevitable. I learnt so many things about the fruit. Rosehip can also be written as ‘rose hip’ and it is also having other names like rose haw and rose hep. It is typically red to orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form after pollination of flowers in spring or early summer and ripen in late summer through autumn. Roses are propagated from rose hips by removing the achenes that contains the seeds from the hypanthium or the outer coating and sowing just beneath the surface of the soil. Achenes are simply dry fruits produced by many species of flowering plants. They contain a single seed that nearly fills the pericarp, but does not adhere to it. The seed, in many species, is actually an achene or a fruit that contains the seed. The seeds of rose hip take quite a long time to germinate. Most species require chilling. One among them is Rosa canina that germinates after two winter chill periods. Rose hips can be eaten raw, but with care to avoid the hairs inside the fruit. The hairs are used as itching powder. Rose hips are used in bread, pies, jam, jelly, marmalade, syrup, soup, wine, tea and other beverages. They are commonly used in herbal tea, often blended with hibiscus. An oil is also extracted from the seeds. The Alaskans mix rose hips with wild redcurrant and highbush cranberries and boil them into a syrup. Rose hip soup is highly popular in Sweden. Rose hips can be used to make pálinka, the traditional Hungarian fruit brandy popular in Hungary, Austria and Romania. Some rose species like Rosa moyesii and Rosa macrophylla are also grown for the ornamental value of their hips.

Mimosa, the answer to the clue of 20d, was another botanical investigation. It is a genus of about 590 species of herbs and shrubs, in the mimosoid clade of the legume family ‘Fabaceae’. The generic name of Mimosa is derived from the Greek word μῖμος pronounced as mimos and it means ‘mime’ or ‘actor’. The suffix –osa means ‘resembling’, suggesting its ‘sensitive leaves’ which seem to ‘mimic conscious life’. Two species in the genus are particularly notable. One is Mimosa tenuiflora, which is best known for its use in shamanic ‘ayahuasca’ brews due to the psychedelic drug ‘dimethyltryptamine’ found in its root bark. The other is Mimosa pudica, which we all know as ‘touch-me-not’. I remember my childhood days when I would often go to the park close to our home that had one ‘touch-me-not’ tree. I would enjoy touching its leaves and patiently wait to observe how the leaves slowly unfolded themselves.

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Across

4a    In the event of returning, stay home (8)
FIRESIDE: IF (in the event of) as a conjunction denoting on the condition or supposition that or in the event that coming from the other side (returning) as a reversal in the across clue is followed by RESIDE (stay) as to dwell permanently or to stay in a place, leading to the definition of a hearth or home, especially when seen as a place of comfort and love

8a    Departed class with hesitation (6)
FORMER: A charade of FORM (class) as a type or variety of something or a class or year in a school, usually given a specifying number and (with) ER (hesitation) as an interjection expressing hesitation or a pause in speech guides to the definition of an adjective meaning before in time or occurring in the past

9a    Band‘s protracted farewell? (4-4)
LONG-WAVE: A charade of LONG (protracted) as lasting or taking a great amount of time and WAVE (farewell) as to convey farewell by waving one’s hand or something held in it takes to the definition of a radio wave with a band or wavelength longer than a kilometre

10a    One in armchair perhaps, a learner finding fault (8)
CRITICAL: An armchair CRITIC (one in armchair perhaps) as an example of someone who speaks critically on topics one actually knows very little to nothing about is followed by A from the clue and L (learner) as appearing in an L-plate each displayed at the front and back of a vehicle denoting a learner driver, taking to the definition of an adjective meaning tending to find fault or judge with severity

11a    Reprimand traitor captured by drone (6)
BERATE: RAT (traitor) as a renegade or turncoat is taken inside (captured) by BEE (drone) as a stinging winged insect which collects nectar and pollen, produces wax and honey and lives in large communities and the male of which is called drone, arriving at the definition of a verb meaning to scold or chide severely

12a    Lacklustre club’s pressing requirement? (8)
FLATIRON: A charade of FLAT (lacklustre) as lacking emotion or dull and lifeless and IRON (club) as a golf club with a metal head takes to the definition of an old-fashioned device for pressing clothes, especially one that is heated externally, as on a hearth or stove

13a    Finally visiting relative, allowed protective clothing (8)
GAUNTLET: The final or last letter (finally) of [VISITIN]G is followed by AUNT (relative) as a father’s or mother’s sister and LET (allowed) as allowed to go or come, guiding to the definition of a protective glove, usually extending over some of the forearm, worn as part of medieval armour

16a    Shimmering over resort (8)
BRIGHTON: A charade of BRIGHT (shimmering) as giving out or reflecting much light and ON (over) as a preposition meaning in a position above guides to the definition of a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the city of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England

19a    Egg that could go off after a while? (4,4)
TIME BOMB: The definition of an explosive device that is connected to a time-fuse to go off is cryptically arrived at from BOMB (egg) as a device that could explode or go off for which egg is a slang name preceded by or following (after) TIME (a while) as a period or duration

21a    One getting lots of interest more confident following United (6)
USURER: The definition of a person who lends money usually at excessive rates of interest is arrived at from SURER (more confident) as an adjective in the comparative degree meaning more confident, as of something awaited or expected preceded by or coming after (following) U (United) as the abbreviation for united

23a    Pop article seen in French newspaper (8)
LEMONADE: A (article) as one of the indefinite articles is noticed inside (seen in) LE MONDE (French newspaper) as the daily newspaper published in Paris, France that is one of the most important and widely respected newspapers in the world, arriving at the definition of a still or carbonated drink made with lemon juice or more or less flavoured with lemon

24a    Trick one into performing unpleasant task in large city (8)
SHANGHAI: Double definition; the second being the name of the biggest city in China and one of the largest cities of the world that leads to the first a verb meaning to coerce or trick someone into a place or position or into performing an unpleasant task

25a    Students upset group late in the day (6)
SUNSET: NUS (students) as the abbreviation for National Union of Students overturn (upset) as a reversal in the across clue followed by SET (group) as a group or collection of things that belong together or resemble one another or are usually found together takes to the definition of the time in the evening when the sun disappears or daylight fades

26a    Sweet sort of order? (5-3)
APPLE-PIE: Double definition; the second being an adjective denoting expressing, containing or typically of traditionally-upheld and revered American values that takes to the first a noun referring to a pie made with apples and usually a pastry crust

Down

1d    Refined playing area before second half of July (7)
COURTLY: COURT (playing area) as a piece of ground or floor on which certain games like tennis or squash are played is placed in front of (before) the last two letters (second half) of [JU]LY takes to the definition of an adjective meaning very polite or refined, as befitting a royal court

2d    Following one winning at chess: technology’s involved (9)
IMITATING: The definition of a verb in the continuous form meaning taking or following as a model is arrived at from I (one) as the Roman numeral for one followed by MATING (winning at chess) as short for checkmating that is achieving a winning position in chess in which the opponent player’s king is under a direct attack from which it cannot escape inside and IT (technology) as the abbreviation for Information Technology is taken inside or included (involved)

3d    Provisional supplier? (6)
GROCER: A cryptic definition of a person engaged in supplying provisions

4d    Noting finale, I’ll fancy doing the done thing (7,4,4)
FALLING INTO LINE: An anagram (fancy) of NOTING FINALE I’LL takes to the definition of an idiom meaning beginning to have a similar standard or to do something in a similar way to someone or something or conforming

5d    Work on small car (8)
RUNABOUT: RUN (work) as to be in or cause to be in operation and ABOUT (on) as a preposition meaning on or on the subject of in a charade that leads to the definition of a small car, motorboat or light aircraft, especially one used for short trips

6d    Broadcaster‘s worse when excited (5)
SOWER: An anagram (when excited) of WORSE guides to the definition of a person who plants seed by scattering it on or in the earth

7d    Fan dove fluttering over starting place (7)
DEVOTEE: An anagram (fluttering) of DOVE placed upon (over) TEE (starting place) as a cleared space on a golf course, from which the ball is struck at the beginning of play for each hole in the down clue guides to the definition of a person who is very interested in and enthusiastic about someone or something

14d    Pick of the bunch? (3,6)
TOP BANANA: A cryptic definition of the leading or most powerful or important person (pick) in the group or organisation (of the bunch)

15d    Leading performer’s trendy spacecraft (8)
STARSHIP: A charade of STAR’S (leading performer’s) as of or belonging to star or the main actor or performer in a film, play, television programme etc and HIP (trendy) as very fashionable or trendy takes to the definition of a large manned spaceship used for interstellar travel

17d    Fruit grew hot (7)
ROSEHIP: A charade of ROSE (grew) as a verb in the past tense meaning increased in number, size, amount or degree and HIP (hot) as an adjective meaning hot or currently popular, fashionable or in demand leads to the definition of the fruit of a rose, especially a wild kind

18d    Smeared dirt, say, on the rise in South Dakota (7)
SMUDGED: The definition of a verb in the past tense meaning became messily smeared when rubbed is arrived at from a combo of MUD (dirt) as very wet dirt and EG (say) as the abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning ‘for example’ going upwards (on the rise) as a reversal in the down clue is placed inside (in) SD (South Dakota) as the US postal abbreviation for South Dakota

20d    Plant doctors on board train going north (6)
MIMOSA: MOS (doctors) as the plural form of the abbreviation MO standing for Medical Officer being inside (on board) AIM (train) as to point or direct a weapon or camera at a target that is notice going upwards (going north) as a reversal in the down clue, arriving at the definition of a plant having clusters of yellow flowers and leaves that are sensitive to touch and light

22d    Freely learn about specific organ (5)
RENAL: An anagram (freely) of LEARN takes to the definition of an adjective meaning relating to or of the kidneys

The clues that I liked in this puzzle were 4a, 9a, 12a, 13a, 23a, 24a, 25a, 26a, 1d, 18d and 20d; 23a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to Cephas for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have a pleasant day.