DT 30344 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30344

by 2Kiwis  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30344

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

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

Kia ora from Aotearoa.
Much of the country has experienced a cold Antarctic blast over the last week which brought a blanket of snow to large areas of the South Island. We got off lightly again with very little precipitation and just some bitingly cold winds. The ski field operators and snow sport enthusiasts are delighted.
Enjoy today’s puzzle.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Disappointment of group needing support (7)
SETBACK : A group or clique and then support or sponsor.

9a     Subversive type of bar to use criminally (8)
SABOTEUR : An anagram (criminally) of BAR TO USE.

10a     Edge around cat to get seat at the rear (7)
PILLION : The reversal (around) of edge or rim with the king of the beasts cat.

11a     Suspicious soldier with no papers (8)
PARANOID : An airborne soldier, then ‘no’ from the clue and identification papers.

12a     Good argument finally dealt with hotel development (6)
GROWTH : String together G(ood), an argument or tiff, the final letter of dealt and H(otel).

13a     Party after working once in a while (2,8)
ON OCCASION : The two letter word for working or in operation and then a party or celebration.

15a     Smoker invested in inhalant expecting returns (4)
ETNA : A reverse lurker, hiding in the clue.

16a     Act on behalf of engineers attending (9)
REPRESENT : Engineering soldiers, then a word meaning in attendance.

21a     Right to replace son in only part (4)
ROLE : Start with a word meaning unaccompanied or by itself and replace its S(on) with R(ight).

22a     Sort of green plan to recycle (10)
CHARTREUSE : A plan or map, then a verb meaning recycle or employ again.

24a     Bound to take over room (6)
LOUNGE : Bound or thrust forward contains the cricket abbreviation for over.

25a     Annoying person one’s put in shade (8)
NUISANCE : A shade or overtone contains ‘one’ expressed as a Roman numeral with its ‘S.

27a     Peer needs order for location of stud (7)
EARLOBE : A peer ranking above a viscount and an order of chivalry.

28a     Moving abroad, the French must be lovely (8)
ADORABLE : An anagram (moving) of ABROAD and a French definite article.

29a     Notices found in Scottish river area and lake (4,3)
DEAD SEA : The ‘alphabetical’ Scottish river and A(rea) surround notices or posters.

Down

2d     Leave the country — could be good in Dubai, say (8)
EMIGRATE :  Something of which Dubai is a typical example contains G(ood).

3d     Feeling bad and playing the course well (5,3)
BELOW PAR : A double definition. It is a golf course that is being played here.

4d     Old criminal boarding helicopter is a lummox (10)
CLODHOPPER : A colloquial name for a helicopter contains an anagram (criminal) of OLD.

5d     Slump on sofa at last for a story (4)
SAGA : Slump or droop and then the last letter of sofa.

6d     Lad attending a classical piece of music (6)
SONATA : A lad or male offspring, a short word meaning attending and then ‘A’ from the clue.

7d     Parking in it does upset bank (7)
DEPOSIT : An anagram (upset) of IT DOES contains the letter that signifies parking is permitted.

8d     Sculptor needed in case of everything degrading (7)
ERODING : A famous French sculptor is encased by the first and last letters of ‘everything’.

11d     Favouring remedy to incorporate editor’s way of working (9)
PROCEDURE : A prefix meaning favouring, then a remedy or nostrum surrounds ED(itor).

14d     Destroying a cell, enter to provide defensive structure for castle (10)
CRENELLATE : An anagram (destroying) of A CELL ENTER.

17d     Worried tense Democrat supporting currency (8)
TROUBLED : The Russian unit of currency is enclosed by T(ense) and D(emocrat).

18d     Suitable priest with holy book needing different opening (8)
ELIGIBLE : Crossword’s classic three letter priest and then Christianity’s holy book has its first letter changed.

19d     Screen boy up for outrage (7)
SCANDAL : Screen or examine, then the reversal of another word for a boy.

20d     New Year’s Day rise for caretaker (7)
JANITOR : New Year’s Day written as an abbreviated month and a number, and then a hillock or rise.

23d     They may be worn in absentia, rashly (6)
TIARAS : A lurker, hiding in the clue.

26d     Peaceful state west of Mongolia (4)
CALM : A state on the US Pacific Coast, plus the first letter (west) of Mongolia.

Once again lots of ticks on our pages but we won’t pick out any one for favourite

Quickie pun    forced    +    halls    =    forestalls

 

71 comments on “DT 30344”

  1. A delightful guzzle from start to finish with some great misdirection. So different to yesterday. I was so sure that 22a started with “regen” (sort of green) I wrote those letters in. It wasn’t until I got a few down clues that I realised the error of my ways. I liked the New Year caretaker but I think we have seen him recently. The peer and his stud raised a smile but my COTD is the aforementioned 22a, which I thought clever.

    Many thanks to the setter for the fun and the 2Ks for the hints, which I will now read.

    A bit overcast in The Marches today.

  2. Very straightforward today and just one cup of coffee!
    No stand outs and no laughs.
    Ah well.
    Thanks to setter and others

  3. I thought this was very friendly and good fun with only the excellent 22a giving pause for thought. I also liked 11&27a plus 26d.
    Many thanks to the setter and the duo from down under.

    1. Late to this one & very much enjoyed it. Otherwise exactly wot Stephen says.
      Thanks all

  4. Very varied – I particularly liked the ones which initially sent me in the wrong direction/s ie 10a and ‘edge around’, 8d and ‘case of’, 25d and ‘in shade’ and 20d with ‘rise’. 27a was a groaner :lol: . Definitely took a wee bit longer than a coffee and croissant and good fun.

  5. All a matter of tuning-in to the setter’s wavelength, I guess, because once the tape lifted I was off at a clockwise gallop from 1a/9a and finishing with 4d. A most enjoyable puzzle, lovely witty clueing & great variety throughout. Some lovely red herrings (especially the initially-misleading-to-me 10a), an old friend (20d) and ticks aplenty. Hon Mentions for me 10a, 15a, 25a, 29a, 11d, 18d and COTD the laugh-out-loud 27a.

    1* / 4.5*

    Super, thank you setter, and thanks also to the 2Ks.

  6. A good midweek challenge with a good variety of clue types. Got held up in the NW corner by putting in an incorrect synonym of the first word. Once this was corrected, everything fell into place.

    Favourites include 11a, 27a and 3d.

    Thanks to setter and hinters.

    1. Out of curiosity, was it the same mistake that I made?
      See my comment at #15 below.

  7. I didnt find this particularly straightforward. In fact the clever misdirection and so.e un2xpected synonyms made it quite a lengthy and challenging solve, with a few ferequent visitors like the caretaker to give a start to a difficult corner. The clues were all perfectly logical, it just took a while for the penny to drop. I liked 3d and 22a both excellent lego clues and so wasc8d, with anadded wlement of General Knowledge to makeit my COTD. 14d was a jolly good anagram too., Thanks tto the compiler for an absorbing guzzle and to the Kiwis for the hints. Sounds chiily down there in the Antipodes .

  8. Bang on wavelength this morning with no delays or obscurities. Many potential favourites from which to pick a winner, with 27a coming out on top.

    My thanks to our Wednesday setter and the 2Ks.

  9. A genial, gladsome guzzle.
    Terrific to see the word ‘lummox’. The sort of description that Joan Sims would have used when confronting Bernard Bresslaw as they tried to erect a tent in a muddy field in Dorset (actually Iver Heath or Denham). “Get orf me, ya great lumbering lummox!”
    Both end up in a heap of canvas with Sid James guffawing in the background.
    “Oh never mind, love,” says Barbara Windsor to Joan, “They can always share with us, can’t they Sid?”
    Sid’s face drops. Merriment ensues.

    Thanks to the setter and The TwoKays

  10. A lovely morning coffee solve, was right on wavelength from the start and like my run this morning completed clockwise starting in the NW. As all our brains are likely to be cryptically wired differently, I was wondering which setter you would describe as your wavelength type?

    1.5*/4*

    Fav 11a LOI 10a.

    Thanks to setter and the 2Kiwis.

  11. 2*/4.5*. A splendid puzzle to continue a splendid week so far with the outstanding 22a my favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks.

  12. I normally post late but a penetrating eye injury from a garden plant yesterday has required a very sedentary state. My in – house doctor hubby dealt with it yesterday so didn’t have to go to A &E.
    Today’s crossword was a lovely distraction plus I could do it. Returning from rather gruelling holiday experiences it felt difficult to get back on track – but today was a confidence boost and lots of great clueing.

    1. Hope your eye returns to normal quickly, Dyslex. I have every sympathy. Its usually a twig sticking out of my arm in my case, while I ‘m pruning my prickly Taayberries.

    2. Ouch. That made me wince. I am very careful to have plastic caps or corks on all stakes in the garden in case I fall into a flower bed! How lucky to have instant aid from your husband.

    3. I do hope you are ok, Dyslex. Daisygirl’s idea is a good one and I have heard of it before. It’s a thing I often mean to do but never get around to.

  13. Good and varied compilation.
    Praise for 10, 22, 24 and 29a.
    Big smile at 4d.
    What would we do with our old
    Friend 15a?
    Last in 16a, to my shame.
    Many thanks to the setter and the 2Kiwis.

      1. Come on without, come on within –
        You ain’t seen nothing like the mighty Quin.

  14. Phew, such a relief after my joyless DNF yesterday. I enjoyed every minute of this solve with very few hiccups although for some reason NW took a bit of unscrambling and 26d was unparsed. 14a now added to my personal Thesaurus. Fav 3d. Thank you Mysteron and 2Kiwis..

  15. As I started with the down clues, I bunged in the first word of 3d as ‘under’ – luckily I spotted my mistake quickly when I got to the across clues.

    Very enjoyable puzzle; many thanks to the setter and to the 2Kiwis.

    1. Same mistake as me – finished that NW corner last as it slowed me down considerably!

  16. A lovely guzzle today, right up my street. 11a and 27a made me smile but favourite was 8d.
    Thanks to the setter and hinter.

  17. Good Wednesday fun providing a good set-up for, presumably, Ray T tomorrow and whomsoever from the Friday triumvirate the day after – **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 11a, 13a, 22a, 4d, and 6d – and the winner is 22a. It would have been 4d but ‘points’ were lost for the three letter anagram, move one letter, of OLD.

    Thanks to the setter and the 2Kiwis.

    P.S. I note from a DT report that the Duchess of Cornwall, a.k.a. Catherine, Princess of Wales, knows the correct (Cornish) way to apply jam and cream to a scone.

      3. Even in a purely engineering and materials science sense, that is correct …….. surely ?!? (BTW I have been on many training courses with engineers being fed scones, jam and cream during the breaks – I know the order lololol )

  18. An enjoyable puzzle – thanks to the setter and 2Ks.
    My ticks went to 10a, 22a and 20d (which would have been my favourite had we not had a very similar clue quite recently). My favourite was 4d (lovely word).

  19. Right up my street today with a good variety of witty clues. I have lots of ticks but if I have to choose ONE favourite it will have to be 4d. What a lovely word (as is lummox) Others which floated my boat were 11a, 21a, 27a, 11d and 18d. Thanks to today’s setter for the enjoyment and the 2 Kiwis for putting me straight with 26d. I really wanted the state to be north of Mongolia!

  20. Very enjoyable Wednesday puzzle with plenty of ticks awarded here. Tops for me were 11&22a with a nod to the delightful word in 4d.

    Thanks to our setter – presumably the busy Robyn – and to our wintering 2Ks.

  21. Excellent crossword today, very enjoyable. Clue 22a is a masterpiece of the compiler’s art. But still needed the Kiwi help, so thank you.

  22. I like the guzzle idea, and this was one for me. 22A my clear winner today.

    Thanks 2K and setter.

  23. My podium places go to 22A, 4D and 14D, just because I like the words. Mildly irritated by 26D since American state abbreviations are officially two letters. Yes, I know Cal is in the BRB but even so…

    Altogether a pleasant solve, started yesterday evening and finished early this morning, with doors open to enjoy the relatively cooler temps before I have to batten down the hatches against the heat and nasty air quality forecast. Thanks to the setter and 2Ks. I could use a bit of that NZ snow right now!

    1. The three letter abbreviation existed long before the advent of the two letter postal service designator (some states even had four letter abbreviations). The three letter abbreviation still finds frequent use — e.g., Caltech.

  24. Can’t say I was a fan of this puzzle in any way, shape or form. But that is my issue.
    Never heard of 10a, 15a or 14d … but then I suppose I am out of the loop for weird words.

    3*/1* for me today.

    Favourites … or should I say favourite was 4d. Nothing else qualified in my mind.
    And parsing made no sense in so many clues.
    Should have skipped this one. Bring back Jay.

    Thanks to setter and 2K’s

  25. I thought this was spiffing and far too many good clues to choose a favourite, although if pushed I would say 22a as it is such a lovely word. I was rather surprised to see an early comment saying no standouts and no laughs – I laughed at 27a. The old chestnut 15a was my last one in, I am ashamed to say. Many thanks to the setter and two Kiwis. We were promised rain but my washing is blowing in the sunshine, praise be.

    1. We had 4mm of rain yesterday evening/overnight but it still isn’t enough to make the garden diggable unless of course you are strong enough to dig through the equivalent of concrete. We’ve just had quite a heavy shower and are promised more later, so I’m really glad I didn’t do any washing today

        1. Our eldest son and his family live in Northern Ireland – we take clothing for all types of weather when we visit as you never know what to expect

          1. As Billy Connolly said .. no such thing as the wrong weather, just the wrong clothes . paraphrasing , obviously :)

  26. 2/4. Very enjoyable puzzle with 11&22a and 20d making my podium. 22a wins by a short head. Thanks to the setter and the 2Ks.

    1. Last seen when reading a Famous 5 book with the grandchildren, somewhere next to lashings of ginger beer, I seem to remember.

      1. As a kid, I loved The Famous Five as well as the adventure series with Kiki the parrot. Island of Adventure and the rest.

        I believe a “Lashing” is an actual measure but I cannot recall where I read it. I used to spend my holidays at my uncle’s farm in Yorkshire and my aunt would take myself and my four cousins into the fields for a picnic during harvest. She took along “lashings” of her home made ginger beer, which was brewed from a “ ginger beer plant”. This was nothing more than a jar of fermenting yeast with added ginger. We would all sit on a blanket in the sunshine eating strawberry jam sandwiches and drinking the delicious brew while my aunt told us all the names of the birds that were singing.
        Happy days!

  27. Enjoyed this, huge improvement on yesterday. I made a mistake by not paying attention to Democrat in 17d and had the wrong ending, I needed hints to get 29a and saw my mistake. So much to like here, a treat all round.
    Thanks to setter and to the 2Kiwis for their help at the end. Will read the comments later, must get going here.

  28. All done, except for the NE corner, which I will save for later, and will probably need a couple of hints if no light bulbs go off. Thanks to the setter and 2Kiwis.
    Will be late on parade tomorrow as I am scheduled to have my out patient, back procedure tomorrow morning.

  29. What a lovely change from yesterday’s slog. I agree with DG, it was spiffing!
    My COTD has to be 22a, my mother’s favourite drink though I cannot remember if it was green or yellow. Does anyone else remember making a traffic light cocktail with them? Happy days!

    1. I had not recalled that ’til you brought it up !!! Goodness, Happy days indeed (notwithstanding I probably wouldn’t drink them now lol)

      1. I don’t think I’d drink it now either. I cannot remember the red part, Definitely not strawberry as the Australian website quotes. As an exercise in specific gravity, wouldn’t it have enlivened our chemistry lessons!

  31. Finally finished, not at all on wavelength with this today, so it took a long time. 27a was my favourite but many others were very clever kept me guessing.

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2 Ks for the hints

  32. Enjoyed this straightforward solve.

    20d came up recently which helped me get this quickly.

    Favourite was 14d mostly because I was pleased I knew the word.

    Thanks to all.

  33. Yes in total agreement ***/**** 😃 Favourites: 11, 15 & 22 across 👍 Thanks to the 2x Ks and to the Compiler ⛷

  34. Morning all.
    Looks like there is general agreement again that this was another good fun Wednesday puzzle by Robyn.
    We are going to be away next week so you can look forward to a different blogger doing the Hints and Tips.
    Cheers.

  35. Very late today – I found this much harder than everyone else and made it a bit of pigs ear in various places.
    I think its probably no point going into detail how and where things went wrong – just enough to say they did!!
    Enough for today – as they say, tomorrow’s another day (and thank goodness for that I reckon!)
    Thanks to today’s setter and to the 2K’s – have a nice time where and when you’re off next week.

  36. I liked this. I’m still amazed that the addition of one extra letter can turn something apparently unfathomable into something blindingly obvious, this happened to me several times during this crossword. A couple of great words I’ve not heard for some time, 10a and 4d. 10a gets my vote for favourite as it reminds me of a time when a friend was going to give me a lift from Hinckley College to the speedway at Blackbird Road in Leicester on his 730cc Triton in the early 1970’s. At lunchtime we went out to look at his bike and he suggested we took it out for a bit of a spin, me as 10a passenger obviously. Neither us had protective gear on but we set off pootling along at 30 mph heading towards Sapcote, however, once out of the 30 mph zone he decided to ‘open it up’ doing close to the speed limit around a sweeping right hand bend then hitting 120+ mph before slowing down and turning round. We barely did a ton on the way back, it seemed rather pedestrian by comparison. I have no idea how I’ve survived to the age I have as I’ve done other reckless things by my own volition during my life. I’m still here to tell the tale though. Thanks to the setter and 2K’s.

    1. Wow, Taylor! I could think of nothing worse than being on pillion at 120 MPH!

      You must tell us more about your derring-do.

      1. Obviously we had got helmets and leathers for the journey back but we only had jeans and short sleeved T shirts on us at the time. I just had to hunker down and hang on as tightly as I could when he went for it. No point in panicking when you’re not in control. I did have a 500cc JAP speedway bike on which I managed to break my nose and get concussion when it broke in half whilst riding around a friends field. It catapulted me 30 feet and I face planted the ground. I don’t remember much about it after that.

  37. Chriscross and Steve @26: “Lashings of ginger beer” doesn’t actually appear in any Enid Blyton. It comes from the 1982 Channel 4 parody Five Go Mad in Dorset, which is why it seems to have stuck.
    One of the Famous Five was of course Timmy the dog, yet Scamper the Dog was never part of the Secret Seven. Doesn’t seem fair. JUSTICE FOR SCAMPER NOW!

  38. 3*/5* ….
    liked 4D “Old criminal boarding helicopter is a lummox (10)” … never heard of a “lummox” before.

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