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DT 30354

by Falcon  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30354

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from Ottawa, where we have been experiencing some quite unsettled weather. Late last week a pair of tornadoes touched down. Fortunately for me, this time they were several kilometres away and not 200 feet as was the case in 2018.

I found today’s puzzle from Campbell to be slightly to the less difficult end of the scale.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

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

Across

1a   False rumour an eccentric put about (6)
CANARD — the AN from the clue has eccentric (as a noun) put about it

5a   Group of musicians — see men playing around British Legion (8)
ENSEMBLE — an anagram (playing) of the first two words in the clue surrounding the initials of the final two words in the clue

9a   Promotional material must have right look, it’s said (10)
PROPAGANDA — when spoken in the appropriate accent, this sounds like (it’s said) synonyms of right and look

10a   Daughter and I very edgy, initially, in disreputable bar (4)
DIVE — string together the genealogical abbreviation for daughter, the I from the clue, the single letter for very, and the initial letter of EDGY

11a   Baffled, as Clouseau often was? (8)
CLUELESS — how the inept and incompetent Inspector Clouseau from The Pink Panther films might be described

12a   Guard southern passageway (6)
SENTRY — the single letter for southern and a passageway used for ingress

13a   Primate crossing small part of church (4)
APSE — a zoological (rather than theological) primate containing the clothing abbreviation for small

15a   Hotel, even more attractive (8)
HANDSOME — the letter represented by Hotel in the NATO alphabet and a (3,4) expression denoting even more

18a   Policy of factory rejecting new mould (8)
PLATFORM — remove the single letter for new from another word for factory, then append an industrial (rather than biological) mould

19a   Have a meal in Madrid, inexpensive (4)
DINE — a lurker hiding in the final two words of the clue

21a   Free renegade held by US soldiers (6)
GRATIS — a renegade or traitor contained in the usual US soldiers

23a   College backing up reserve computer (8)
NOTEBOOK — a reversal (backing up) of Crosswordland’s most popular college and a verb meaning to reserve (a room at a hotel, perhaps)

25a   Refuse in private room close to study (4)
DENY — a private room, itself often called a study, and the closing letter of STUDY

26a   Topical story, when released, about whiskey (10)
NEWSWORTHY — an anagram (released) of STORY WHEN around the letter represented by Whiskey in the NATO alphabet

27a   Leaves railway behind English writer (8)
GREENERY — the abbreviation for railway follows The Third Man author

28a   Leave course having lost heart (6)
DESERT — remove the central letter (heart) from a course at the dinner table

Down

2d   Thirty days in Capri left (5)
APRIL — a month having thirty days lurks in the final two words of the clue

3d   Pets aren’t barking just now (2,7)
AT PRESENT — an anagram (barking in the sense of mad) of the first two words in the clue

4d   Finish first of games on hole that bends sharply (6)
DOGLEG — a two-letter word meaning finish or complete, the first letter of GAMES, and the other name for the on side of a cricket field

5d   Answering me, they ruffled American author (6,9)
ERNEST HEMINGWAY — an anagram (ruffled) of the first three words in the clue

6d   Madness, regularly wearing fancy gowns for final act (8)
SWANSONG — extract a regular sequence of letters from MADNESS and insert them in an anagram (fancy) of GOWNS

7d   Fielder, Mike I assume (3-2)
MID-ON — concatenate the letter represented by Mike in the NATO alphabet, the I from the clue, and a synonym for assume (where assume is used in the archaic sense of put on)

8d   Stable worker, guy after special uniform (9)
LIVERYMAN — another word for guy or chap following a distinctive uniform

14d   Head of possum, strange arboreal animal (5,4)
POLAR BEAR — the initial letter of POSSUM and an anagram (strange) of ARBOREAL

16d   Facial hair of border poet (9)
SIDEBURNS — another word for border and a Scottish poet

17d   Northern name full of love and understanding? Rubbish! (8)
NONSENSE — start by inserting the tennis score of love between abbreviations for northern and name; then append another term for understanding or awareness

20d   Editor, following troublesome situation, gets drunk (6)
STEWED — an abbreviation for editor following a troublesome situation

22d   Herb helping to make healthy meal (5)
THYME — a lurker hiding in the final two words of the clue

24d   Second article in gold (5)
OTHER — a grammatical article inserted in a heraldic term for gold

My top pick today goes to 5a, an anagram with a very smooth surface and an indicator that is far from immediately obvious.

Quickie Pun (Top Row): MIST + ICKX = MYSTICS

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : PLEA + SCAR = POLICE CAR

80 comments on “DT 30354”

  1. A fine start to the crosswording week with some laughs brightening the morning coffee. The one that made me laugh out load was 9a and this is my COTD. The bottom Quickie pun was a corker as well.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the fun and Falcon for the hints.

    1. Steve I’m assuming you know you were name checked in yesterday’s Toughie guzzle & John’s review

      3. Oh, I was struggling with the toughie last night but did not look at the hints. I’ll have to check. By the way, went to the lovely doctor this morning and conversation naturally centred round being old and decrepit (me, not her) and I said but I do do the DT cryptic every day. She said her husband ( a man who became well known during lockdown) tries but struggles. So of course I did my promotional spiel about Big Dave and we may have another customer!

          1. I have just completed yesterdays toughie and saw the reference to you! What a compliment. Of course if the gentleman concerned uses an alias I may never know who he is, unless at some stage he makes an unguarded reference to driving an antique tractor! I’ve taken a punt on 13a, it has to be one or the other. What would we do without crosswords? Get on and finish putting the pesky concealed zip in skirt is the answer.

        2. Whenever I tell anyone over here that I enjoy my breakfast with the crossword, they assume I mean a GK, and I get vacant stares when I try to explain that no, I do cryptic puzzles. But at least my now adult and almost adult grandchildren are starting to ask “what is a cryptic Nanny?”.

            1. Oh I did believe me. I think they think of me as being the English eccentric.. 😊.

  2. Got held up in the NW corner, and when 1a finally went in, it helped complete the last few remaining. Good start to the week with a good mix of clues and nice surfaces.

    2*/3.5*

    Fav 22d LOI 4d.

    Thanks to setter and Falcon.

  3. This was pretty straightforward, apart from a few head-scratchers, with the bottom half beingeasier to penetrate than the top. I particularly the misdirected anagrams 26a and 6d but COTD is the double homophone at 9a. Thanks to Campbell for a very enjoyable guzzle and to Falcon (glad thhe tornado gave you a wide berth this time but sorry for those who were acfected.

    1. Agree about 9ac. Groans from both sides of the table about that one!

      (I do wish compilers wouldn’t put an ‘e’ in whisky — unless it’s needed for the clue. There will be irate hordes of Scotsmen after blood one of these days!) 🥴

      1. The ‘e’ is needed for the 26a clue. The relevant word in the Nato Phonetic Alphabet contains the ‘e’.

      2. …and it will all boot off in Irish and American distilleries if the e is taken out.

        Potato, potato. Let’s call the whole thing off.

  4. Fun clueing today and as SC says a fine start to the week,(including the quickie puns)
    11a my favourite followed by 27a, liked the surface of 6d.
    Going for a **/***,

  5. Last in for me was 4d, think it’s right, but for the life of me can’t make it work from the clue, so will look at the hints to see how it’s done.
    Favourites for me today were 9a and 26a. Good fun start to the week.

    1. come on bob as a cricketer you know that on is leg and as a golfer you know the answer

      1. Yep, but it just didn’t click today, too much ale watching the tennis yesterday maybe!

      3. Ah – that has helped my last one in. Thankyou. I was trying to fit in ‘in’. I am not a crickety person but have been assured I am getting better! 😊

        1. To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement- and after bigging you up as an expert the other day…..

          1. Oh please don’t be so hard on me – I am still learning. Maybe you thought I was more advanced than I am?

  6. Happily on wavelength from the off for a brisk stroll in a shade over * time. It wasn’t particularly challenging but it was delightfully clued & right up there with his best in my view. We haven’t seen the 28a scribbler for a while & then he pops up on successive days. My particular likes were 5,9,11,15&21a with 15a my fav.
    Thanks to Campbell & to Falcon

  7. Will make this snappy as a big dark cloud threatens and my duvet cover etc., almost dry! Enjoyed this a lot although did not know the word for 1a but that’s what it had to be. Why do I always spell 5d with an a as the second letter and then wonder why it doesn’t fit in? Wasn’t the tennis wonderful yesterday and I’m so glad the lovely, polite Spaniard won. I just knew the Serb would go for an extended ‘break’ when he lost that set. Thank goodness all over for another year. Thanks to the setter and Falcon and to CS for doing double duty yesterday – hope Senf is on the mend.

    1. At 12.07 my computer said rain due at midday so nipped out and got the washing in – stepped through the door and it is hosing down now – result!

      1. Same for me, Manders. The moving radar weather map on my phone showed laege clouds approaching just before 11am so I vemptied my whirly and brought all the laundry in. 5 mins later it was spitting with rain. Winner.

        1. I do love you CC. I’d like to be vempty my Shirley. I mean whirly. You see what spell cocker does. CHEQUER (shouting)

  8. Just right for a Monday puzzle although I did need to look-up the required F1 driver in the Quickie.
    Top three for me were 9&15a plus 16d – nice touches of humour in those.

    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the review – pleased to hear that you weren’t in the path of those tornadoes.

  9. Having been away from Crosswordland for a couple of weeks it’s nice to come back to a Campbell Monday challenge. Found the NW corner a bit tricksy but got there in the end. Is it my imagination, or have we had the answers to both 1a and 9a relatively recently, albeit differently clued? And 28a with one S or two seems to be served up regularly. No matter – enjoyable stuff and COTD for me was 4d. Thanks Campbell, thanks Falcon.

  10. A splendid start to the week.

    There were some excellent surfaces with my top 3 clues being 1a and 4d, both of which took some teasing out, and 9a which made me chortle.

    I love the word chortle. It can’t be a coincidence that synonyms for it are equally satisfying to say, e.g chuckle, titter, snigger, guffaw, giggle, cackle, snicker, and tee-hee.

    Many thanks to Falcon and Campbell.

    2*/4*

  11. A good, fun start to the week ( give or take the couple of cricket clues!) I’ve always said this site is educational, and we’ve certainly been educated about all things cricket recently. For me Campbell was in a benevolent mood today and steady progress was made, helped by the long anagram at 5d, which was first in. Favourite today was 9a, a LOL moment. Podium places to 18a, 26a and 27a. Thanks to Campbell for the enjoyment and to Falcon. I didn’t need help today but the polar bear picture was an ‘aah’ moment.

  12. I got the “crickety” one, 7a , much to my surprise.It’s funny how much background sounds we absorb when not really listening at all.
    16d was my favourite.
    A pleasant start to the crossword week.
    The Guardian also offers a very accessible cryptic by Vulcan.
    Thanks to Falcon and Campbell.

  13. COTD has to be 15a! Many thanks to Campbell for the mention and Falcon for the blog.

  14. I would go for 9a as a favourite too alongside 7d. A pleasantly straightforward and enjoyable start to the week that was pitched perfectly for a sunny morning.

    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  15. A fun puzzle which didn’t scare the steeds – thanks to Campbell and Falcon.
    My podium selections were 1a, 15a and 7d.

  16. Glad that this was the Monday welcome with nothing too difficult and had many laughs. Across clues seemed particularly good with 9, 11, 15 and 27. Tennis done, crossword done, might actually get some jobs done. Thanks to all.

  17. What a difference a day makes – yesterday’s exercise for me was an uncompleted nightmare whereas today was a smooth dream. Solving 5d early on helped a lot. Setters do seem to make regular use of 23a college. Suppose 12a passageway is synonymous. Fav 9a with 15a a close runner-up. Thank you Campbell and Falcon.

  18. 1*/4* – “it doesn’t have to be tough to be good”, and this was very good with 9a my favourite.

    Many thanks to our Monday punmeister and to Falcon.

  19. I agree with Angelov- today is such a relief! I got 6d and 26a straightaway and then made slow progress to a near completion on my own. I was cross with myself for not getting 9a – I knew the word but just couldn’t recall it. I think it’s called fog brain as I’m just recovering from Covid- whatever it is I’ve had enough of it! No rain in my part of Surrey but overcast. Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  20. I think the Monday man was being kind today as it all slotted into place nicely except for 4d. Perhaps he was exhausted from watching the tennis yesterday, I was certainly hoarse. What a nice young man, and I am glad that despite his temper tantrum with the bent ‘bat’ Djokovic was very gracious in defeat. How Wimbledon gas changed since we 6th formers would be given tickets! Many thanks to Messrs Setter and Hinter, I am going for 1a as favourite as it is a lovely word and came to me immediately. 9a can get the plate instead of the cup.

  21. Lovely puzzle, very enjoyable. Even got the cricket/golf references without help. Result!

    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcom

  22. A delightful puzzle, enjoyed over some pate & cheese – evidently good brain food as it proved to be a swift clockwise completion from the NW & finishing with 4d. Plenty of good clues but the podium places went to 9a, 15a & 16d.

    1.5* / 3*

    Many thanks to Campbell and of course to Falcon.

  23. This was right up my straße, I loved it all, solved without help. I had two bung ins, 4d and 18a, surprisingly both right but I had no idea why. I love the word in 1a, 15a was fun, but fave is 9a.
    Thanks Campbell for the fun, wotta relief after yesterday’s brain mangler, and Falcon for unravelling a few. I hope no more tornados, always think of them in the Midwest, not Canada.

    1. Tornadoes have long been a common occurrence on the Prairies but rare in Eastern Canada. However the experts are warning that Canada’s “tornado alley” is moving east and, in future, we can expect more in the east and fewer on the Prairies.

  24. Giving myself a big pat on the back for finishing this without hints!!! Thanks to all for the blog. I’m finally getting the hang of this, couldn’t have gotten here without you all

  25. A mix of doable and tricky, but I was rather rushing before I phoned the DT subscriptions department, with some trepidation, re my upcoming renewal increase from £180 to £329. Spoke to a lovely young man by the name of Jared, who promptly offered to renew at £150 instead. Well worth the call, brilliant result, and very pleased. Thanks to Steve Cowling and Huntsman for their advice.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon for the Monday challenge.

      1. No, I can live with that, it’s for the full Digital Plus, not just the puzzles.

    2. I too got a discount on the requested renewal sum when I phoned , rather than renewing online .

      1. You’ve changed your alias so this required moderation. Both aliases will work from now on.

      2. Just glad I found the renewal reminder sitting in my junk mail. I have put a reminder in my phone for next year.

  26. 3/4. I struggled with this yesterday evening but raced to the finish this morning. Can’t see why? My favourite was 15a. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  27. Needed the hints for 1a and 4d…which is not bad for me up against Campbell. Otherwise a lot of lovely clues . I even liked the homophone at 9a !

    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

    Hope Senf is feeling better.

  28. Just me, then today? I couldn’t do anything at all – one of those days, I think.
    It all started out really well until suddenly it wasn’t – oh dear! Too much tennis yesterday maybe!
    I don’t seem able to even pick a favourite – oh for goodness sake – never mind, tomorrow’s another day!
    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  29. A proper Monday puzzle 😃 ***/**** Favourites 15a and 27a 🤗 Thanks to Falcon and to Campbell

  31. Late on parade because two clues (1a and 4d) were still outstanding when I had to catch a bus to my favourite restaurant. Now both complet and complete. Thanks to Falcon and Campbell.

  32. A lovely start to the week. Almost everything just flowed nicely along. I actually managed the cricket clue as it slotted in quite easily. I held back initially with 1a because I thought it was spelt with two nn’s but it had to be right. Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon. Such a relief after struggling with yesterday’s cryptic but I was watching the men’s final and that had priority!

  33. Fun solve today with 15a as a really neat little clue thanks Campbell and Falcon

  34. My penultimate one in was 1a. I seem to remember this coming up recently, otherwise I would never have got it.

    4d was LOI. Once I had the first letter it was straightforward, despite the cricket term.

    Enjoyable solve with COTD the chucklesome 9a.

    Thanks to all.

    1. Just tried the quick crossword and it was a dnf.

      Never heard of the author, let alone the book and also not heard of the pigment.

      I happen to be an F1 fan so could spell the driver, otherwise…

  35. Fun on the train to London this morning until it wasn’t. I know we don’t give solving times but I think it is OK to say I got all but 1a and 4d between Nottingham and Loughborough. Suffice it to stay that the score was the same when we rolled into Dt Pancras. Now returning and got 4d although no idea why but 2a eluded me. I did not know the word. 9a definite favourite.

  36. Good evening
    Just finished today’s crozzie, and I’m allowing myself just a little smile of satisfaction, because there were times this afty when I genuinely thought I was going to dip out.
    Definitely 9a for COTD, and although I intuited – all right, guessed! 4d (but intuited is a much cleverer word…😉) I’m grateful for the explanation of the cricket reference.
    My thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  37. Slighty harder today than the usual Monday I thought. Nice, satisfying solve. The three clues I really liked were 18A, 6D and (especially) 14D.

  39. Enjoyed this one, lots that made me laugh, good wind down after a late finish at work. Struggled with the cricket clues – not my cup of tea at all, so the terminology is beyond me! Agree with most, 9a is my favourite.

  40. Not easy by any stretch of the imagination but not as tough as some Mondays often are. Favourite was 9a. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  41. Miffed
    Beaten by inability to
    Parse 4d.
    Not again, cricket!
    Otherwise very speedy Mondayish.
    Thanks all.

  43. Hello Falcon. A bit late posting, as I print off the Telegraph crossword from their website a few days after publication. Do you know that an Ottawa library card gives you free access to the Telegraph on line where your can print out the crosswords?

    1. Welcome to the blog, Alastair.
      I am aware that access to the digital edition of the DT is available to Ottawa library members through the PressReader service. However, if direct access to the DT website is also available, then that is something I was not aware of.

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