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DT 30505

by Huntsman  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30,505
Hints and tips by Huntsman

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** –  Enjoyment ***

Very cold here in Harpenden today but lovely & sunny so perfect for a good walk providing you’re wrapped up warm.

As Senf would say typically Tuesdayish from Mr Plumb today. I reckon most will find this one fairly straightforward though a couple of the clues require a bit of thought on the parsing front. Nicely clued throughout I thought & certainly enjoyable.

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.

Across

1a Food that could be too apt? (6,6)
MASHED POTATO: think of a suitable anagram indicator & place before for an anagram (could be) of TOO APT. Advertised by this lot in the 70s.

9a Religious ritual is arranged papa’s admitted (9)
SPIRITUAL: an anagram (arranged) of RITUAL IS + (admitted) the letter that Papa represents (NATO phonetic alphabet).

10a Unattended criminal on edge, to an extent (5)
ALONE: a lurker (to an extent) found in the 3 words following the definition.

11a Trouble after hospital department’s demand (6)
ENTAIL: a synonym for trouble (verb) follows the usual hospital department.

12a Playwright heading off with Parisian is creating concern (8)
INTEREST: delete the first letter (heading off) from a Nobel Prize winning English dramatist & screenplay writer then append the French for IS.

13a People with intelligence following jolly leader of Labour Party (6)
SOCIAL: 3 bits of lego; a synonym for jolly (adverb) + the guys (people with intelligence) over the pond based in Langley, Virginia + the first letter (leader) of Labour. Ignore the capitalisation in the definition – surely an ironic reference to KS.

15a Agitatedly press one for answer (8)

RESPONSE: an anagram (agitatedly) of PRESS ONE.

18a For kids, probably the best thing about Christmas spirit, we hear (8)
PRESENTS: a homophone (we hear) of a synonym for spirit.

19a Difficult keeping old, small squirrels away (6)
HOARDS: insert the single letter for Old into a synonym for difficult & append the letter for Small.

21a Large gut’s wobbling, losing a fight (8)
STRUGGLE: an anagram (wobbling) of LaRGE GUTS less (losing) A.

23a Tantrum from tense European politician her husband ignored (6)
TEMPER: the single letters for Tense & for European + the usual for a politician then append hER in the clue without the letter for Husband.

26a Regrets penning last of chain letters (5)
RUNES: insert the final letter (last) of chaiN into a synonym of regrets for characters with an early Germanic writing system.

27a Change trains leaving Italy with mum (9)

TRANSMUTE: start with TRAiNS in the wordplay less the IVR code for Italy + a synonym for mum as in keeping shtum.

28a Think about a bully oddly a lot (12)
CONSIDERABLY: a synonym for think about + A from the clue + the alternate letters (oddly) of BuLlY.

 

Down
1d Acquires knowledge of minute flowers (7)
MASTERS: the single letter for Minute + perennial flowering plants.

2d Change dress (5)
SHIFT: double definition – can’t say I was familiar with the dress style.

3d Finish off ale in time, for a change (9)
ELIMINATE : an anagram (for a change) of ALE IN TIME.

4d Christian apostle from university in China (4)
PAUL: insert the single letter for University into a synonym for China (cockney rhyming slang).

5d Skilful editor supporting story not disheartened (8)
TALENTED: another word for a story + NoT (disheartened) from the clue + the usual newspaper boss (supporting in a down clue).

6d Dog turned up in the car thankfully (5)
TRACE: a reverse lurker (turned up/in) found in the last 3 words in the clue. Nowt to do with this fella though.

7d Rancour regularly following Tory leader (8)
GOVERNOR : crosswordland’s seemingly favourite nightclubbing Tory + the alternate letters (regularly) of RaNcOuR.

8d Watch article generating rage (6)
SEETHE: a synonym for watch + a definite article/determiner.

14d Carpenter initially discovering no new gap in wood (8)
CLEARING : the first letter of Carpenter + a synonym for discovering less the single letter for New.

16d Model poses for right university worker (9)
PROFESSOR: an anagram (model) of POSES FOR + the single letter for Right.

17d Perhaps baseball players from America allowed in the south (8)

ATHLETES : start with the single letter for America then follow with THE in the clue into which you insert a synonym for allowed. Finish with the single letter for South.

18d Maybe Danish dad’s on trial (6)
PASTRY: a rather old fashioned word for dads (ignore the apostrophe) + a synonym for trial. Yummy but currently swerving post Christmas eating excess.

20d Witchcraft contemptible outside church (7)
SORCERY: place a synonym for contemptible around a 2 letter abbreviation for church.

22d Rush over, showing enthusiasm (5)
GUSTO: a synonym for rush as in sudden flow + the single letter for Over.

24d Fruit bowl bird abandons completely  (5)
PLUMB: remove (abandons) a bird from Bowl & add to type of fruit. I wonder how many  think the phrase in relation to LBW references the fruit.

25d One splitting bananas daily (4)

MAID: insert the letter representing the Roman numeral for one into what bananas is a slang term for giving you a domestic help.

13a just pips the nice starter at 1a as my pick of the clues. I also rather liked 17,18&24d. Which ones ticked your boxes?

 

Today’s Quick Crossword pun: TIC + KIT + OLDER = TICKET HOLDER

 

67 comments on “DT 30505”

  1. Paused for a slight head scratch on 13a, otherwise pretty straightforward. Plenty to like here, 21a gets my vote.

    Thanks to Huntsman and today’s setter.

  2. Another goodie. What a fab start to the week.

    Lots of great constructions with some splendid surfaces.18a took me longer than it should have done as did 27a.

    My podium is 21a, 27a and 3d.

    Many thanks to Mr P and ‘Hoots mon’.

    2*/4*

  3. 27a was my LOI and main hold up in what was otherwise a reasonably rapid yet enjoyable solve. I liked a lot of the inventive clueing, with my favourite being 13a.

    Thanks to AP and The Hintsman.

  4. Great stuff this one at **/**** for me. Lots of accessible anagrams and the only pausing cf parsing was in the SE for some reason. In fact my LOI was also my COTD being 17d. Also thought 14d stood out. Thanks to Huntsman and the setter for a nice start to the day.

  5. I am in agreement with H on favourites and parsing a few came later,
    Thanks to Misters P and H

  6. A nice puzzle to accompany the mid-morning coffee. A rapid completion until suddenly it wasn’t, with a few trickier (certainly for me) clues in the S. I wouldn’t normally think of baseball players as being 17d, but of course they are. Some lovely surface reads and a number of very devious red herrings / constructions. Podium places to 19a (surface), 23a (ditto), 24a and 7d – I knew him a little, many years ago, some time before he became an MP: one of the nicest, most considerate, intelligent and genuinely concerned people I have ever met.

    2* / 3*

    Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman

    1. I am not grinding any axes but how nice to hear something positive and nice said about a politician- any politician. They all seem to be rat bags according to the media! We knew Sur Anthony Grant very well – lovely man. G took his wife out a couple of times (before they were married of course) as they played rugby together at Twickenham (not Sonia !).

      1. Daisy, you’re never wrong! The same goes for MG, of course. Back when he was a journalist he was certainly held in very high regard: hugely likeable, impossibly clever. I can’t, however, speak for him now.

  7. I got excited thinking that 15a was DOORBELL, totally missing the anagram indicator :-)

    Overall a great puzzle for my level, very testing with a lot of cunning misdirection and wordplay. Loved it despite having to rely on the hints quite heavily.

    By the way, there are two 16d’s in the hints.

  8. An excellent Tuesday back-pager with not a dud clue in sight – many thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
    It was difficult to pare down the clues I liked for a shortlist, but I’ll plump for 13a, 19a and 18d.

  9. Yes, Typically Tuesdayish, and definitely an Anthony Plumb production supported by both grids and a ‘personal appearance’ in 24d – 2.5*/4.5*

    Candidates for favourite – 1a, 27a, 5d, 18d, and 25d – and the winner is 25d.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.

  10. It was the ‘jolly’ that caused me problems – I was thinking in terms of people getting a free outing! Also took a while for the penny to drop with regard to the carpenter.
    No problems to report elsewhere and no particular favourite to mention although the advert in the hint for 1a made me smile.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb and to Huntsman for the review.

  11. 1.5*/4*. This was light and great fun, and presumably with our setter giving himself a name check in 24d.

    19a was my favourite.

    Many thanks to Anthony Plumb and to Hintsman.

  12. Didn’t think I was going to like this with its plethora of religious clues but it grew on me if you started from the bottom.
    An ok puzzle.
    Thx to all
    **/**

    1. I am intrigued by your use of the word ‘plethora’, Brian. The only clue I can find where religious knowledge is helpful, but by no means essential, is 4d. 9a is a straightforward anagram. Why exactly do you object to religious clues? I have often wondered.

  14. Not a bad one for me, though not convinced by the synonym for ‘rush’ in 22d, and needed the hints to properly parse 14d (though I was sure enough to pop it in the grid). ***/**

    Favourites were 1a and 16d.

  15. Oh la la! Biffed 2d as skirt, but thanks to Nimrod for putting me right!
    Lots to like, but I’ll put in 1a as fave!
    Many thanks for the fun to Mr 24D and to Huntsman for the correction!

      1. Me too, but was in a hurry this morning and skirt has lots of synonyms. But I did hesitate in that dresses and skirts are different things, so a puzzlement! But time pressed!

  16. In spite of the long list of chores awaiting my attention I was completely hooked on this entertaining diversion and had to hang in there until completion. NE was last in as I stupidly missed two simple lurkers. 26a needed a prompt. China seems to be a cruciverbal regular these days. Of course some time was spent working around 7d Tory leader – thankfully that wasn’t the case! 17d was Fav. Thank you so much Mr 24d and Huntsman.

  17. Off to a good start with 1a, and the mood continued, broken only by the jolly in 13a my LOI. I spent a minute or two putting the word jolly into different sentences until I found one that made sense of the synonym -very clever. Favourite, because of the time it took to sort it out, was 7d with podium places for 27a and 4d. Thanks to Mr Plumb for the enjoyment and Huntsman for confirming my parsing of 13a.

  18. Just beaten by 1a Couldn’t get “Jacket” to fit
    The sun is shining and the dusting of snow disappearing. Thank goodness for that!

  19. **/**** for me today.
    Two great clues vying for top spot with 1a just beating 13a.
    Thanks to Mr P and Huntsman

  20. I could not get on Mr P’s wavelength today. Needed far to many of Huntsman’s excellent hints to complete the grid. Having been given the relevant nudges I can see the cleverness of the puzzle. Thanks to Mr P and Huntsman.

  21. Loved this puzzle finishing relatively swiftly without needing to resort to hints. I groaned out loud when I twigged the first half of 1A. After my record finish yesterday and brimming with confidence I set about doing the prize toughie. It was indeed 😜tough but stuck at it , only having to refer to a few hints and managed to finish it by last evening. Maybe I’ll try today’s too if brain can cope. Thanks Mr Plumb – I’ll add you to my setters list – love the calling card , does he always leave one ? Thanks Huntsman too.

  22. I worked my way down to 15a before any lights dawned then I filled in all of the south easily. The northern hemisphere was more tricky and I still do not fully understand 13a. 2ds were a gift from heaven in the 50/60s for home dressmakers – you could knock up one a week – and I did, especially with all the free fabric around me. I liked 12,19a and 14,20d. I have to admit Rover was my first thought for 6d. Gloriously sunny and warm in the conservatory but bitter, bitter outside. Many thanks to Messrs Setter & Hinter. Had a WI coffee meeting up at the local golf range this morning and there were loads of men out enjoying the sun with a stick and a little ball.

    1. DG, 13a. I’m guessing you still don’t fully understand it even though you’ve read the hints above, so I’ll give a “more detailed explanation”. It’s later in the afternoon, so shouldn’t be too much of a spoiler:

      First 3 words (= CIA) following (after) jolly (= SO, as in jolly/so/very angry) = SO CIA. Then add leader of Labour (= L) – gives SO CIA L.

    2. DG, I too struggled to fully parse 13a but settled on jolly as a British emphasising adjective/adverb.

  23. I thought this Tuesday puzzle seemed a little harder than normal this week. SE last area finished.

    2*/3* for me.

    Favourites include 18a, 19a, 27a, 28a, 20d & 25d — with winner 25d.

    Thanks to AP & Huntsman for blog/hints

  24. Delicious guzzle. Enjoyed solving it.
    I have been at a few social occasions where 7d has been present and I have conversed with him about this and that (not politics) and found him to be a witty, polite, and charming man.

    Andy – I know Richard Hawley has a lovely voice and I have heard the odd track but not much more; so I will explore via the compilation you mention.

    Thanks to the setter and Hintsman.

    9a related

  25. Admirably clued.
    13a first in
    As ‘inter’is a common
    Part of many words.
    Good mix of ingredients, eg
    Humour and misdirections
    Many thanks to Mr. Plumb
    And Huntsman.

    ,

  26. Solved without help but did have an incorrect 2d. I had no idea why 13a was what it was, so thanks for the explanation. Most of the clues were solved by just following instructions. I liked lots, fave was 26a.
    Thank you Mr. Plumb for the fun and Hintsman for unravelling a few.

  27. I struggled to get a foothold at first, as Mr Plumb and I are on different planets. But once I got going things became clear, or I should say clearer. Not helped though by two of my least liked politicians getting a mention. Thanks to setter and Huntsman.

  29. I’m afraid I didn’t get on with this guzzle at all. Not the fault of the puzzle, I’m just not on wavelength and could not get a foothold.

    Many thanks to the compiler. Thank you Hintsman for the hunts, which explained it all to me.

  30. Completed before heading out to do our volunteer shift, very enjoyable with lots of nice clues, 13 a last in and my favourite.

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

  31. Defeated by just two today – 13A and 11A. I can see how 11A works but don’t think the answer is a good synonym for demand – not in legal parlance anyway. That said, an enjoyable start to the day.

      1. That’s a great example, Jane. 👏👏

        I was struggling to think of one.

  32. 4d is a bit misleading. Paul was a disciple, not an apostle and China could be “Chum”

      1. Saying that, I don’t think I’ve ever seen China to mean pal (or chum); it’s usually mate. (China plate – mate)

        Has anyone seen this two step clue for China before?

          1. Thank you, AB.

            I reckon it’s reasonably new and one to note.

            So, I guess that:

            Apples could mean flight
            Dog = mobile
            Frog = street

            I’m not convinced that setters should pursue this one but who am I to tell these superstars what to do.

            2. In bookie parlance an apple is £20 – apple core/score

              Film trivia question – “Do you like apples? I got her number. How do you like them apples”
              Who said it, whose number did he get & name the film

              1. Good Will Hunting, Huntsman.

                Minnie/Matt.

                A great film.

                ‘It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault….’

  33. I got off to a good start and was feeling pretty confident until suddenly I was struggling. Went off to my dance class after lunch and the exercise stimulated the ‘little grey cells’. Managed a few more clues but had to resort to the hints in order to finish. The latter certainly helped with 13a and ‘jolly’. Many thanks to Mr Plumb for the challenge and Huntsman for the hints.

  34. Very enjoyable and “jolly” caught me out for “so” long too. Thanks to Plumb and Huntsman.

  35. So jolly confused I was, until Huntsman explained the start of 13a – thank you.
    I’ve been delaying my daily solving, but have not missed you all, as I read your words of (mostly) wisdom regularly.
    A very belated happy new year to you all.

  36. I struggled with the toughie and didn’t find this much easier, just not my day. There’s always tomorrow, well hopefully. I live every day like it’s my last because one day I’ll be right. LOI was 17d, not the first people to spring to mind but I suppose that why they were chosen. Favourite was 27 when the penny finally dropped. Thanks to the setter and Huntsman.

  37. All done apart from 25d. Coming back 10 hrs, later and decided the answer was HAND. It seemed an OK answer so was surprised to see I was entirely wrong. Well misdirected Plumb. Certainly tripped me up. Thanks Plumb and Huntsman.

  38. A dnf for me. I couldn’t get past Mister Potato for 1a, which was obviously wrong. I often fail to get this type of clue.

    Not a fan if 13a. Couldn’t parse for the life of me.

    I thought this was going to be a washout to start with, so pleased to have got as far as I did.

    Thanks to all.

  40. Good evening

    Late checking in today – I’ve been working this afty/evening. I began my attempt at today’s crozzie on my way in; continued on my break, and had to finish off while working a very quiet Plymouth to Paddington.

    I found today’s grid a bit of a 21a to begin with; I eventually staggered through three quadrants before juddering to a halt in the SE. I could have kicked myself for failing to spot the anagram indicator in 16d; 27a and 28a were superb clues, worthy of a Friday BPer; I needed e-help for 17d, my last to fall, which just wouldn’t come for me! – and the excellent 1a is COTD.

    Many thanks to Mr P and Huntsman.

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