DT 30548 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30548

by 2Kiwis  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30548

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Kia ora from Aotearoa
We were hoping to be able to report that our painting project has been finished but we were greeted this morning with a southerly breeze and occasional showers so the finishing off coating of doors and window trim will have to wait for better conditions tomorrow. It is nice to have the end in sight.
A not too taxing fun puzzle to solve this week.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Hard work is what might get you a job (11)
APPLICATION : A double definition.

7a     Shows amazement, back inside Japanese pagoda (5)
GAPES :A reverse lurker, hiding in the clue.

8a     Ageing doctor keeps arguing, you heard (7,2)
GROWING UP : A doctor serving a local community surrounds arguing or disputing and the letter that sounds like you.

10a     Leader deserts mutiny, creating issue (7
EDITION : Start with a synonym for mutiny or insurrection and remove the first letter.

11a     Spinning object unchanged when spun around? (7)
ROTATOR : The wordplay tells us to look for a palindrome.

12a     Things you can’t do with child, running around (2-3)
NO-NOS : The reversal of a male child and then running or in operation.

13a     Concerned with smell round large manufacturing plant (9)
OLFACTORY : The round-shaped letter, then L(arge) and a place where goods are made.

16a     Person working out tax without hesitation, right? (9)
EXERCISER : Tax or duty contains the two letters indicating hesitation and finally R(ight).

18a     Look after bishop’s territory as well, we hear (3,2)
SEE TO : The area served by a bishop and a short word that sounds like as well or also.

19a     Flipping cheek, forbidding traveller to Mecca? (7)
PILGRIM : The reversal of cheek or backchat and then forbidding or menacing.

22a     Rogue hates work in cafe (3,4)
TEA SHOP : An anagram (rogue) of HATES and an artistic work.

23a     Big stars dare Sting to get a makeover (3,6)
RED GIANTS : An anagram (to get a makeover) of DARE STING.

24a     Telegraph, say, or what spin doctors do receiving copy (5)
PAPER : The two letters for what spin doctors do to manipulate the truth contains copy or imitate.

25a     Croatian port getting support in a jiffy (5,6)
SPLIT SECOND : A port on the Dalmatian Coast and then support or sponsor.

Down

1d     Scotsman caught breaking tech company’s gizmo (9)
APPLIANCE : A Silicon Valley company surrounds an archetypical Scots name and C(aught).

2d     Don’t fail to include game in meat-filled snacks? (7)
PASTIES : A game or match is enclosed by don’t fail an exam.

3d     Cunning crossword compiler, one using anagrams (9)
INGENIOUS : The personal pronoun our compiler would use and an anagram (anagrams) of ONE USING.

4d     Endless regret after a love affair (5)
AMOUR : ‘A’ from the clue then a word for regret, possibly for someone’s death, without its last letter.

5d     Regularly find kid on Twitch silly (7)
IDIOTIC : Alternate letters from four words in the clue.

6d     The Darkness or Sir Elton John, say, on the radio (5)
NIGHT : A homophone of the honour conferred on Elton John.

7d     Inexperienced goalie is tender of course (11)
GREENKEEPER : Inexperienced or rookie and another name for a goalie.

9d     Portray pope, possibly, as a killjoy (5-6)
PARTY-POOPER : An anagram (possibly) of PORTRAY POPE.

14d     Warning corrupt state, giving hint of what’s to come (9)
FORETASTE : A golfer’s warning shout and an anagram (corrupt) of STATE.

15d     Hope very crooked Democrat is promoted, inappropriately (9)
OVERHYPED : An anagram (crooked) of HOPE VERY plus D(emocrat).

17d     Warm drink (7)
CORDIAL : A double definition. Warm here equals friendly.

18d     Cleaner of Barnet Post Office wearing fake ring (7)
SHAMPOO : Fake or phoney, the two letters for Post Office and the ring-shaped letter.

20d     Heads for loss, if doubling one’s stake in the pools (5)
LIDOS : The first letters of five words in the clue.

21d     French artist working in New York gallery (5)
MONET : Working or in operation is contained by the abbreviated name of a New York art gallery.

We appreciated the cleverness of 3d.

Quickie pun    wreck    +    tiff    +    eye    =    rectify

 

82 comments on “DT 30548”

  1. Absolutely no scribbling on the paper around the grid today, always a sign that it’s a fairly straightforward puzzle. That said, I found it immensely enjoyable, just the right balance of toil and fun.
    Loved the misdirection at 25a, which was one of my clues of the day along with 10a, my last one in.
    Great crossword, great fun!

    1. Likewise Tipcat, a very unusually clean sheet of paper, apart from the filled grid.
      My favourite was 18d.
      Thanks to all

  2. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Wednesday is rapidly becoming the new Monday for me. This was a cracker as far as I’m concerned and very enjoyable. It had just the right balance of read and writes together head scratchers. I’m not sure about 12a because I thought the second word is short for “numbers” but what do I know? I loved 7d and 9d but my COTD is the cleaner of Barnet Post Office at 18d.

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

    Rain again in The Marches!

    1. OED has a 12a as being “something which is forbidden, unwise, impossible, or unacceptable; a failure, a hopeless case”, with the etymology of simply repeating the 2-letter word that makes up each half of it.

    2. Steve, 12a. Nos (or NOS) is an abbreviated form of “numbers”. But here, NOS is just a reversal (around) of SON (child). And the other NO is a reversal (around) of ON (running/operating).

      1. I got the “son” bit, Jose but “nos” just doesn’t look right to me. I have always thought it was “noes”.

        1. I’m with you Steve – the wordplay & answer obvious but the spelling didn’t seem right to me either

    3. I had the same problem with 12a Steve, plus it just doesn’t look right, despite what the dictionaries might say.

        1. Funny, I didn’t see anything wrong with it until your post above … yes, “noes” does look better.

  3. Good fun, but I thought the Quickie probably took me longer. This was nicely clued, though, with 18d my favourite ahead of 7d.

    Thanks setter for the entertainment, and to the 2Ks.

    1. Funny you should mention the difficulty of The Quickie, YS. I have been finding it more difficult of late. So much so that, once I have the pun, I don’t bother with it.

      1. I have the same issue with the quickies of late. Often with one or two left I reveal the answers on my iPad.

  4. Very doable and enjoyable
    Mental tussle.
    Thought 2d a very 3d.
    But the former is not
    True.
    I have just scoffed a
    Cheese and onion one.
    Nice to meet my old
    Friend 25a.
    Many thanks today’s setter
    And the 2Kiwis.

  5. 1.5*/4*. This continues a week of light but fun puzzles. There were super-smooth surfaces and clever clueing throughout with 1a, 4d, 14d & 18d my top picks.

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks.

  6. Very enjoyable mind workout on iphone whilst on the train no scribbling today. As a Scotsman I especially enjoyed the Barnet formula at 18d.

    1. Not surprised you did – mind you it was Barnett (Callaghan’s Chief Sec to the Treasury who devised the ridiculous formula)

  7. A very pleasant */*** but for some reason I couldn’t quite understand or parse 24 and 25a and 2 4 and 7d all of which were easily solvable. Thanks to the 2Kiwi’s for their assistance in this respect. 3d gets my COTD for obvious reasons! Thanks to the setter.

  8. My routine has been disturbed over the last week as I stay in Birmingham to look after granddaughter and dogs, whilst daughter and son in law sail the seven seas. So another straightforward (for me) solve is welcome.
    5d Pip is missing his 4d.
    Many thanks to setter and 2Ks. When I next make it to NZ I expect your home will be bright and shiny. Perhaps I will walk along your beach again. Happy memories.

  9. Lovely puzzle today – 3 and 5d pleased me today as I thought the compiler was having a go at one of the editors at Telegraph Towers…
    @danielpeake
    Have you annoyed your setter today?

    @Sloop_John_Bee
    Hahaha! Apparently so…

    Daniel twitches puzzles and crosswords regularly – they are fun

  10. Enjoyable and light, with many good surfaces and, as has been said above, no need for scribbles. Big smile for 3d, generally good surfaces. Podium places to 5d, 21d & COTD 18d.

    1* / 3*

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks

  11. An enjoyable midweek puzzle – thanks to our setter and 2Ks.
    My awards went to 1a, 2d and 7d with my favourite being 18d.

  12. Just a little more head scratching than the last couple of days but still on the gentle side. I agree with Young Salopian that the Quickie created more of a challenge. Lots of ticks on my paper so I’m spoilt for choice. Favourite was the amusing cleaner of Barnet PO with honourable mention for 13a, 16a, 19a and 25a. Thanks to the setter and the 2 Kiwis.

  13. Very gentle, but jaunty. 8d was fun and 19d’s surface is nice. 18d was sweet, too. 12a reads brilliantly but why the comma? It would be even better without it, I reckon. Thanks to the setter and the 2Ks.

    1. Good day, Alpingtons. I hope you’re in fine fettle.

      I think that, if there was no comma, it would be just the child running around. Maybe a colon or hyphen would have been better, i.e a list of things that you and your child can’t do together.

      1. But surely it’s funnier – and more accurate – without the comma, no? Because there are all sorts of things one can’t do when your child is running around, causing havoc!

        1. I may have misunderstood it. I took the comma to mean that you aren’t able to run around too. But, I think I’m wrong.

          You’re right…bin that comma!

        2. I reckon the surface is misdirectional, whether it has a comma or not. The definition/solution relate generally to “things you can’t do” in a myriad of different situations. The surface read leads the reader to only consider “things you can’t do” because you’re tending to a boisterous child.

  14. Last one in was 10a. Kept staring at it and couldn’t get it. Then I did. Barnet clue was especially splendid.

    Wembley on Sunday was exhausting; both the game, and perhaps more so – the grind of the traffic issues in North West London. It doesn’t seem to matter how early one attempts to arrive, the entire area is always gridlocked. Then, I cannot even describe the traffic trauma after the game. My proposal – knock down all buildings within a three mile radius of Wembley Stadium. That would sort it out.
    My Chelsea – six successive Cup Finals at Wembley; six defeats. It is draining… and yet…
    Off we go tonight to Stamford Bridge to go through it all again, this time versus Leeds United, in the F.A. Cup. What could possibly go wrong?

    Thanks to the setter and The TwoKays

    1. My last one in was 10a as well. The rest was a joyful solve especially 18d. I share your feelings about the state of our football teams! We also feature tonight and after the unbelievable performance at the weekend I don’t hold out much hope.
      Hope springs eternal!
      Thanks to setter and Kiwis.

  15. This was great fun. A perfect midweeker.

    Stacks of excellent surfaces makes it tricky to pick a podium but I’ll go with 8a, 3d and 18d.

    Many thanks to the setter and Le Touquet.

    2*/5*

  16. Gentle stuff again today but very enjoyable nonetheless. For me the downs had it over the across clues with ✅s for 1,7,14,15&18. Like YS I found the Quickie a little trickier because I couldn’t recall what villein meant until I’d eventually thought of a synonym for ardent
    Thanks to the setter & to the 2Ks for the review.

  17. I have not attempted the Telegraph crossword since having my first child 44 years ago so have struggled a bit on deciding recently that the old grey cells really need a reboot. Finding your site is a dream as it brings back to me all the little tricks and “shorthands” the compilers use. thank you so much Guys for your generosity of time and good spirit. Hopefully, I will get more and more of the clues as I pick up on the nuances. Certainly found some puzzles harder than others but with your help maybe I will get better and better. THANK YOU

    3. Welcome from me too. I am the opposite of you, I started doing the DT cryptic in 1969 after the birth of our first child. Struggled along for many years, and have learnt so much from this blog.

  18. A small step up in difficulty from Mon/Tues but still very good fun. My leader board hosts 1&25a along with 3&9d.

    Thanks to our setter and to our 2Ks for the review – sounds as though you’ve made good headway with the painting!

  19. What fun that was. Lots to like particularly 3d and my favourite 18d. I am sure this weeks good run will end soon!

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2 kiwis for the hints.

  20. A bit of a grind for me under the influence of a cold or flu or C***d but my clinical thermometer is indicating towards ‘one degree under’ rather than a few degrees over. So, self prescribed Dayquil/Nyquil (equivalent to Day and Night Nurse?) and, as it is minus 20 something outside, staying in today and some amber nectar might be added to the medication later.

    Candidates for favourite – 13a – I always want to put an E between the L and F, 7d, and 18d – and the winner is 7d.

    Thanks to whomsoever and the 2Kiwis.

  21. Bit weird in places but otherwise quite straightforward unlike the Quickie which is in part impenetrable. I thought the one last week was bad but this one is on a par. Just plain weird!
    The cryptic is **.***.
    Thx to all

    1. It certainly was tougher than usual, and would not have been quite so mystifying (a) had there been some way on the old (and generally best!) puzzles website to indicate that the pun spread over three clues and two rows and (b) had I not been set on a different 3-letter word for a different form of carriage for a long time, which made 4d & 12d impenetrable.

  22. The DT seems to be lightening up on us this week. This was another generously clued offering. Lot’s of fun and not too taxing. Stand out clue for me was the ageing doctor at 8a but lot’s of others to like with smooth surfaces throughout.

    Thanks to our setter and the two Kiwis

  23. Another enjoyable guzzle today and not a band of musicians or green plains in sight.
    Top picks for me were 16a, 7d and 16d.
    Thanks to the setter and hinter.

  24. Very enjoyable. 9d made me smile and was a strong contender, but the accolade for cotd must go to 18d. Thanks to Compiler and 2K’s.

  25. Mostly light (a medium start, not so many on the first pass, then speeding up later), but actually a DNF on 10a: I didn’t know the ‘mutiny’ word (it turns out, after looking up the answer) and stupidly didn’t think of the correct kind of issue.

    I particularly liked 13a (“smell”) for the wordplay and 20d (“pools”), because we have one in Ilkley (and I didn’t know the word before we came here). My favourite is 7d for the superb “tender of course” definition. Which also makes it my third goalkeeper-related favourite this month — and I still don’t like football!

    18a’s supposed homophone definitely isn’t one for me, with the 2-letter answer word having the vowel of “hut” and the 3-letter “as well” having the vowel of “loop”. And I don’t even really have a Yorkshire accent any more, but somehow that word’s pronunciation has stuck. Not a complaint though: I’m aware it is a homophone for many, and I got it on the first pass, so I can’t say it’s unfair.

    14d felt a bit same-sidey, with “warning” and “hint of what’s to come” overlapping in the clue, and the etymology of the golfer’s cry being the same as the meaning of the first 4 letters of the answer.

    1. Drove by Ilkley Lido yesterday, Smylers. Using the Timble route to Harrogate as Kex Gill closed again. Lovely run.

      Excellent guzzle with too many faves to select just one. Thank you to the setter and 2Ks.

      1. Hello! Yes, that landslip’s been causing quite a few extra journeys through Ilkley. The 9-year-old’s class went on a school trip to Ripon Workhouse yesterday, and their coach journey ended up being much longer than planned.

        We also can’t get trains to Bradford at the moment, because of a different landslip on that line. Normally you can get a Leeds train and change instead, but yesterday the that bit of the line was closed as well after a WW2 bomb found at one of the stations!

  26. Just me then? Oh dear, it took me such a long time to even get going I nearly gave up – the question is it wrong wavelength or the fact that the marbles have given up for ever!!
    Maybe I’ll have another go a bit later when I come back from helping the Younger Pet Lamb – wish me luck, please . . . .

    2. 🍀 and 🐎-👠 to you, Kath!

      And I’m sure it’s a wavelength thing: there’s always commenters here who find puzzles easy when I struggle and claim it’s too tough when I find it straightforward. Don’t worry about it!

      (Not that that’s the kind of shoe that a horse would wear, but it’s all I could find.)

  27. Anorher pretty straightforward guzzle and very enjoyable it wastoo. I liked the double definition at 1a and rhe lwgo clues at21d and 3a. Thanks to the Kiwis for the hints and to the compiler.

  28. For me, I found this an easier than usual Wednesday puzzle. Some tricky clues but also some that were almost R&W.

    2*/3.5*

    Favourites include 12a, 15a, 25a, 1d, 3d & 9d — with winner 1d
    Chuckles for 12a, 6d, 1d & 9d

    Thanks to setter & 2K’s

  29. Sharing the drive to St. Valery sur Somme today. Would have finished the puzzle if I hadn’t put 12 a. as 3 -2. The French would call me an idiot – it’s the same in French. Come to think of it 5 d. for that matter. Gentle puzzle and much appreciated. Wonder what the beautiful bird is in the picture for 7 a.?

  30. Very enjoyable puzzle **/****. Last one in was 10a – had to keep going back to it before the penny dropped! Otherwise everything else fell into place relatively easily (which doesn’t often happen for me!). COTD was 7d, but also liked 9d & 25a. Many thanks to the Kiwis for the hints and to the compiler for a great puzzle.

  31. This midweeker carries on the previous 2 days lenient vein and it was a trouble-free solve with the smoothest going being in the East. Joint Favs 3d and 18d. Thank you Mysteryone and 2Ks.

  32. Very straight forward for me to today so I guess I was having an on wavelength day.
    Favourites were 3d, the cunning crossword compiler and 18d the Barnet post office both of which amused me as they resolved themselves.
    Thanks to the cunning compiler and to the 2Ks

  34. Perfect, the difficulty upped a little bit each day, as it should be! I almost gave up on 20d as I was convinced it had something to do with football pools, I felt so 5d when I tumbled to “heads for”. All of this is good stuff, 7d, 9d and 18d stood out for me.
    Thank you setter, it was all good fun, and to the 2Kiwis for the hints and pics.

  35. I found this a little more chewy than recent Wednesdays, and took longer than usual. Didn’t feel like the usual Wednesday setter? Pleased with those I solved unaided, but frustrated to need more than the usually allowed amount of help to finish. Thanks to setter and 2Kiwis.

  36. Morning all.
    Looks like a fine day coming up for us so finishing touches to the paint job will happen.
    Always good to see that others enjoyed and appreciated the puzzle as much as we did. The setter will be pleased.
    Cheers.

    3. Welcome, Snudge. Good to have you with us and please keep commenting. 👍
      Where is Bootsie? 🤣

  38. Another enjoyable puzzle with just a few that stretched the grey cells. COTD 25a closely followed by 13a. Spent time deliberating over 10a and 12a and finally referred to the hints to confirm. Many thanks to the setter and 2Kiwis. Sounds like you will have the weather to finish the outdoor painting. Raining, here in the NW!

  39. Enjoyable and solvable what more can you want 😃 ***/**** not sure about 12a 🤔 Favourites 1 & 16 across and 1 down 👍 Thanks to the compiler and to the 2 x Ks

  40. Enjoyed this one. Thought at one stage it might have been aimed at Huntsman! (7&14d)
    Hard to pick a a fave, torn between the cunning and the killjoy, ok 9a it is!
    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks.

  41. Good evening.

    If I may use a terrible old cliché, I’m going to say today’s crozzie was a game of two halves. On my way into work, I rattled through almost the entire RHS; however, the vast inkless wastes of the LHS loomed…..until I managed to work my way up from the bottom to the top, leaving only the NW quadrant and specifically 10a until the very end.

    Despite several excellent contenders for COTD, the winner has to be 3d. 3d indeed! 18d a very close second.

    My thanks to our compiler and to 2Ks.

  42. :phew: Having checked out a few answers the marbles do seem to be working OKish!
    I still didn’t find it as easy as others did – never mind.
    Too late (and too tired as well) to carry on for ages so will keep this brief.
    I liked 12 and 13a and 5 and 6d. My favourite was 9d.
    Thank you to today’s setter for the crossword and to the K’s too for the hints.

  44. Mostly straightforward but struggled in the NW. Looking back I can’t see why, another one on the wrong wavelength I suspect. No outstanding favourite but I’ll go with 10a which was a palm on the forehead moment when I got it. Thanks to the setter and 2K’s.

  45. 3*/4* ….
    Liked 18D “Cleaner of Barnet Post Office wearing fake ring (7)”
    and the quickie.

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