DT 30586 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 30586

by Mr K  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30586

Hints and tips by Mr K

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

BD Rating  -  Difficulty ** -  Enjoyment ****

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. I found this puzzle a joy to solve and to hint, full of smiles and tight cryptic grammar that made writing the hints easy.  I do hope that our setter will drop in later to claim it. Thanks to everyone who wrote kind words in comments following Wednesday’s web site issues – very much appreciated. I’m still not sure what caused the problem. Growing pains, perhaps.

In the hints below most indicators are italicized, and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions. Clicking on the answer buttons will reveal the answers. In some hints hyperlinks provide additional explanation or background. Clicking on a picture will enlarge it or display a bonus illustration and a hover (computer) or long press (mobile) might explain more about the picture. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

 

Across

1a    There's no way he can act on broadcast (3,1,6)
NOT A CHANCE:  An anagram (broadcast) of HE CAN ACT ON 

6a    British left-wingers talk vainly (4)
BLAB:  The single letter for British with the abbreviation for a left-wing political party 

10a   Balance 51 cups on a chest? (5)
LIBRA:  The Roman 51 with a pair of cups found on a female chest 

11a   Place for putting e.g. Othello back in actors' lounge (9)
GREENROOM:  The place where one might use a putter is followed by the reversal (back) of what Othello defines by example (e.g.)  GREEN (a place for putting) + the reversal of MOOR (e.g. Othello)

12a   Might they do business in Cheshire or Lancashire? (13)
CHEESEMONGERS:  A cryptic definition of a person selling Chesire, Lancashire, etc. 

14a   Mammoth and moose run awkwardly (8)
ENORMOUS:  An anagram (awkwardly) of MOOSE RUN 

16a   Not amateur side dropping American for now (3,3)
PRO TEM:  An contraction of a word meaning “not amateur” is followed by a synonym of side minus the single letter for American (dropping American) 

18a   Batting, prepared to bag 100 in cricket, say (6)
INSECT:  A word to describe a cricketer who is batting is followed by a synonym of prepared containing (to bag) the Roman 100.  The say indicates that the definition is by example 

20a   Official  language (8)
MANDARIN:  A fairly straightforward double definition 

22a   Museum operating system to display glass items (6-7)
LOUVRE-WINDOWS:  Follow a museum in Paris with the most widely-used computer operating system 

26a   A prickly sort shocked Rt Hon. ex-president (9)
THORNBUSH:  An anagram (shocked) of RT HON is followed by a US ex-President 

27a   Don't stick  a hero in a Victorian novel (5)
TWIST:  “Don’t stick” in the card game Pontoon is also the surname of the hero in a Victorian novel 

28a   Poor character in Macbeth removing coat (4)
DUFF:  A character in Macbeth who doesn’t get killed, minus (removing) another word for (rain)coat 

29a   Kind of white car handy, on travelling around (10)
CHARDONNAY:  An anagram (travelling around) of CAR HANDY ON 

 

Down

1d    Invalid, somewhat ill, unable to rise (4)
NULL:  The answer is hidden in (somewhat) the reversal of (to rise) ILL UNABLE 

2d    It creates addiction to revolutionary taxi firm (7)
TOBACCO:  Link together TO from the clue, the reversal (revolutionary) of another word for taxi, and an abbreviation for a firm or company 

3d    Conservative Party's desire (5)
CRAVE:  The single letter for Conservative with a party that the BRB describes as A mass gathering of young people to dance to loud music under bright flashing lights, often associated with the use of certain drugs, especially Ecstasy

4d    Summer time with American statesman of yore (8)
AUGUSTUS:  A summer month with an abbreviation for American 

5d    European cutting jam and dairy product (5)
CREAM:  The single letter for European inserted in (cutting) jam or stuff 

7d    Most relaxed ladies and gents maybe set out (7)
LOOSEST:  What Ladies and Gents define by example (maybe) informally with an anagram (out) of SET 

8d    What puzzles provide - live entertainment, but no answer (10)
BEMUSEMENT:  Live or exist with a synonym of entertainment minus the single letter for answer (… but no answer) BE + [a]MUSEMENT

9d    Caught kind of drum in finale (8)
ENSNARED:  A type of drum inserted in a synonym of finale 

13d   Made rules member and I criticised (10)
LEGISLATED:  Join together a member that you walk on, I from the clue, and another word for criticised 

15d   French leader eats a starter from Italy - maybe this? (8)
MACARONI:  The French president contains (eats) A from the clue and is followed by the initial letter of (starter from) ITALY. The definition refers back to the rest of the clue 

17d   Rocket may go in this meal, without a sign of hesitation (8)
LAUNCHER:  One of the three daily meals containing (without) A from the clue and followed by an interjection expressing hesitation 

19d   Say nothing, you said, with aristocrat in quarantine (4,3)
SHUT OFF:  Concatenate an interjection meaning hush or say nothing, a homophone (said) of YOU, and an informal name for an aristocrat  SH (say nothing) + U (you said) + TOFF (aristocrat)

21d   Like Bismarck, losing power like Tsar Nicholas? (7)
RUSSIAN:  What Bismarck defines by example (like) minus the physics symbol for power (losing power). The definition is also by example (like …) 

23d   Whiskey that's vile inspiring a novelist (5)
WAUGH:  The letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by whiskey and an interjection that could be expressing “that’s vile” are sandwiching (inspiring) A from the clue 

24d   Expose Democrat with love for Trump (5)
OUTDO:  Assemble another word for expose, the single letter for Democrat, and the letter resembling a love score in tennis. The false capitalisation of Trump is just misdirection 

25d   Sides from Surrey receiving cheers and support (4)
STAY:  The outer letters of (sides from) SURREY containing (receiving) a word meaning cheers or thanks 

 

Thanks to today’s setter. So many great clues today that it is hard to pick favourites. I got big smiles from 10a, 11a, 18a, 3d, 13d, 24d and the Quick Crossword pun. Which clues did you like best?

The Quick Crossword pun:  NEW + TREE + KNOW = NEUTRINO

88 comments on “DT 30586”

  1. As Mr K also judges not the hardest Friday puzzle but v pleasant. I thought */**** with everything flowing well and no head scratching. My LOI was 8 down and what a nice clue it is. I thought for its economy and simplicity 21d was COTD. Thanks Mr K and our setter.

  3. So very nicely done. 10a made me smile (makes a nice change from the usual supporter) and I ever knew 11a was one word – marvellous. 8d’s adorable and 24d is simply brilliant. Many thanks to this smooth setter and Mr K.

  4. An escapee envelope from the Monday/Tuesday pile I suggest – very gentle indeed, let alone for a Friday. A pleasant puzzle with good surfaces and a lovely mixture of clues. Honours to 12a, 8d & 23d.

    ≤1* / 3*

    Thank you setter and also Mr K.

  5. Slowly, slowly solve
    The puzzle.
    All good fun.
    Excellent surfaces.
    So, 2.5*/5*
    Thanks setter and
    Mr K.

  6. Outstanding. Truly, outstanding.

    This flowed beautifully from start to finish and will please people of all abilities, I’m sure.

    Very much like in ‘When Harry Met Sally’, this compiler said to the waitress ”I’ll have what RayT’s having”, i.e some friendly juice as I’ve never given back-to-back 2 stars for the Thursday/Friday comby.

    Selecting my top three is way harder than the puzzle itself but I’ll go with the last three down clues with 24d being my fave. Clever stuff.

    Many thanks to Silvanus (?) and Mr K.

    2*/5*

      1. Absolutely.

        I’m glad you also picked 24d as your fave as it’s one of the best clues I’ve seen in a good while.

        I am really pleased with today’s offering as Friday’s crossies can cause a few ‘harrumphs’ with some campers.

        But, not this time.

        He says……

        2. Ah ha! It looks like you don’t have a monopoly on the silky smooth stakes then, SV.

          I wonder if it’s The Big Z?

          Talking of monopoly, I heard that a film is currently in development based on the game. We need Tarantino to direct it to take a bonkers slant on it.

    2. It has certainly pleased this solver of lesser abilities. I was able to get 8 across clues and 7 downs on first read through, unheard of for me on a Friday.

      I think if I twist my brain a little more I might be able to finish this one.

        1. Finally got there with the exception of 17d, which I had to reveal. The clue mentions “without a” so I was confused why I had to add an “a” to arrive at the solution.

          Still, a completed Friday puzzle with only a few hints needed. I’ll take that!

          1. This has cropped up recently. Without meaning ‘outside of’. Someone remembered the hymn containing ‘without the city wall…’

          2. Well done, Ciaran. 👏👏

            You’ve earned your glass (or two) of something tonight.

  7. Very straightforward for a Friday, is the Friday triumvirate taking a day off? – **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 16a, 8d, and 13d – and the winner is 8d.

    Thanks to whomsoever and Mr K.

  8. Very nicely done and very much appreciated. So much choice for a top three with the honours eventually going to 22a plus 8&13d. I think 8d makes a good case for wearing the gold medal.

    Many thanks to our setter and thanks to the hard-working Mr K for both the review and getting the blog back on air – now, if you could just sort out why I suddenly have to fill in all my details every time I leave a comment, it would be really good!

    3. Not sure why everyone is having to fill in their name and email again. I will investigate.

      1. Me too .. but I’d assumed it was due to last nights Apple update .. but now I’m not sure.

        1. To get the site back online I had to modify how pages are cached before being served. I suspect it has something to do with that. I’m working on it.

          1. After all your work to get us back online, no need to break your back to sort out the little glitch in remembering our names. We can live with adding our names and emails for a bit longer while you fix it.

            1. You are right, Merusa, but the problem is that many of us are at an age where it is difficult enough to remember our own names let alone an alias. :wink:

                2. Well, you gave your age away fairly recently.
                  Oh dear, that’s not very diplomatic of me. Perhaps it’s too late for people in (dis)United Kingdom to read this, but those of you over the pond. Shhh!

    4. Oh good, I thought it was just me. I have to do it every time despite carefully checking the remember me box. But never mind, at least the site is working.

    5. I have a neat programme called TextExpander. I type the phrases and sentences I use frequently into it and when I want to use them I just have to press a button.
      It now has my user name and email stored it so I don’t have to enter everything every time.

      1. I had one called “short cut” that worked a treat when I was working, to type “the” I only had to type “d” and so on. Alas, I lost it somewhere and can’t find it!

  9. Wonderful word play. This was just my sort of puzzle. As a cricket lover I particularly liked 18a. Clever!
    As already mentioned, this was not a tough Friday offering, but great fun.
    Many thanks indeed to the setter and of course to Mr K who, after his computing skills on Monday, is entitled to smile like the first feline from today’s 12a.

  10. Why would my wife immediately leap to the answer for 29a when I’m thinking “Dulux” colour charts?🤔
    Enjoyable and relatively easy solve, especially for a Friday.
    COTD 28a … from the “Scottish Play”!
    Thanks to setter and M K.

    1. If it’s any comfort, it didn’t spring to mind for me, seeing as I prefer to share a Guinness with Peter, it being a health food ☺️.

  11. Great guzzle. 8 and 22 my favourites.
    14a thanks to Mr K for all his clever work on Wednesday. Also thanks to setter.

  12. Gentle for a Friday as others have said but great entertainment – thanks to the setter and Mr K.
    From a very long shortlist I’ll pick out 28a, 8d and 24d for special mention.

  14. I agree with those who think that this was not the work of our usual Friday triumvirate. I thought it was relatively light for the end of the week but I did enjoy it and my rating is 1.5*/3.5*.

    8d was my favourite.

    Many thanks to the mystery setter and to Mr K.

  15. A slow start for me but it opened up to be a very pleasant solve. My LOI was 17d. 22a my COTD. Thanks to the setter and Mr K for the extras. 🦇

  16. What a lovely puzzle, but definitely a guess-the-setter one!
    Spent an age trying to find a meal with that salad leaf in 17d until some more checkers saved the day. 23d is one of my favourite novelists and I wasn’t sure that 7d would be allowed. Then there’s the lovely 12a too, and of course my favourite 29a white. Anyway fave of the day is 10a (funny that it includes a short version of yesterday’s 11a).
    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the blog and his sterling efforts at fixing the site!

  17. A thoroughly enjoyable puzzle. Lots of ticks everywhere.
    Top picks were 10a, 11a and 27a.
    Thanks to Mr K and the mystery setter.

  18. This is a great example of the old adage that a crossword does not have to be difficult to be enjoyable. I loved it. Smiles throughout with 10a and 8d being my joint gold medalists.
    Many thanks to our setter and to Mr K for the hints and for your hard work on the IT this week.

  19. I found this Friday puzzle the toughest of the week so far. Some tricky clues and parsing to get through. A few uncommon words as well as definitions on top of it all. However, it all came out in the wash eventually.

    2.5*/3.5*

    Favourites include 1a, 29a, 7d & 9d — with winner 7d
    Smiles from the winner as well as 1a, 12a, 7d & 15d

    Thanks to setter & Mr K. for hints/blog

    I too noticed that I have to fill in my details each time to post a comment since the site crash (i.e. my handle as well as email address)

  20. The most straightforward of this week’s guzzles for me so most unusually for a Friday 1a of any 8d with this one. Thought it a cracker & very entertaining indeed. ✅s for 11&26a + 8,23&24d with top billing for the last of ‘em.
    Thanks to the setter (Donny maybe) & to Mr Fixit.

  21. Thoroughly enjoyable although like JB I found the southern half took a bit longer to crack. Mr.K is a hero sorting out Wednesdays nightmare And providing cats today. I liked 22a when I fell in having tried to work in Tate, but think I’ll vote for 29a as I had some with my lunch. Many thanks to Messrs Setter & Kay. Enjoy the weekend.

  22. As straightforward as they come but nonetheless enjoyable for that. My biggest hold up was breaking my pencil. Why can’t Mondays be like this? Really hard to pick a favourite but I’ll go with 8d. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K.

  23. As I haven’t popped in for a while, I just thought I’d rectify the situation, thank Mr K for the excellent blog, and wish everyone well.
    (Although I’ve been on all sorts of different days recently, I was also a little surprised to see this relatively domesticated creature released into the wild on a Friday!)

    1. Thank you for an enjoyable puzzle, Robyn – a “domesticated creature” indeed!

    3. Dammit I had an inkling twas you but plumped for Donny instead. Thanks for popping in & claiming ownership. Very enjoyable as ever.

    5. Wow – that’s a surprise! That ‘relatively domesticated creature’ is welcome back any time – a delightful solve, thank you.

    8. That MAN ROBYN’S ON parade, meaning he’s part of the ‘FRIDAY CREW’. SO, good news for us.

      I’m sure someone can improve on it but you get my drift……wood.

      Oh, that’ll do, Tom.

  24. 2*/4* for me today. Top half went in much quicker than lower half, but altogether very enjoyable. Many thanks to the setter and Mr K for the hints (and lovely cat pictures!).

  25. Back in the loop and what a very pleasant return. Ticks by 11 and 12 d and 23 a. Could have mentioned more but there was a lot of fine choice. Setter reveal yourself, your puzzle is so well received. Thanks to Mr. K although for once hints were not needed. That is unusual for a Friday puzzle.

  26. A little late coming to this but it was well worth the wait. Some very good quality clues and misdirection, always a sign of an excellent puzzle. For a favourite I will go for the simple yet elegant 24d.

    Thanks to our mystery setter and the hard working Mr K.

  27. Great fun and approachable for a Friday, with some head scratching required, particularly in the SW. But finished in *** time with no clues needed, which is an accomplishment for me on a Friday (and some other days too!). **** for enjoyment. Thanks to the as-yet unnamed stter and to Mr. K.

  28. What fun that was. Too many great clues which raised smiles to choose a favourite. Good to have a reminder of the use of without in a clue again….once day it might stick in my brain!

    Many thanks to Robyn for the fun and for visiting and to MrK for the hints, cat pics and rescuing us earlier in the week.

  29. Well I was expecting a Friday grilling and have had a reprieve- fun clues throughout with the Victorian hero my favourite. Thank you Robyn and Mr K

  30. Well, I’m lost for words! For which I’m sure many are glad. This was a fun-all-the way solve. I confess to using ehelp to get the second part of 12a, not a term we use here, I looked it up and it means “trader”, so now I know. I have so many tops, how can I choose a fave? Hon mentions to 8d, 28a, 22a … no, I give up, too many. Note, I didn’t mention 24d, as if!
    Thank you Robyn, wotta treat that was, and of course Mr. K for the lovely pusskits and hints.

  31. Good afternoon

    All done, although I genuinely thought I’d peaked a little bit early, having filled in the top half at a reasonable pace – then I came to a shuddering stop! I left the inkless wastelands of the bottom half until this afty; having come back from the Big Shop, and having put myself outside a brew, I’m now done!

    Several contenders amongst Robyn’s witty clues for COTD: 10a, 29a, 17d all take joint 2nd with 27a my winner.

    Many thanks to Robyn and to Mr K.

  32. Very gentle Friday fare from Robyn, but just what’s required for a sunny afternoon. My podium comprises 11a, 12a and top of the pike, 22a if nothing else for the groan when it became apparent. Thanks to Robyn and Mr K.

  33. Robyn was fun and Friday lite today
    22a amused as it reminded me of Del Boy in OFAH… and his LoawVree windows, but this turophile has to go for 12a as COTD
    Thanks to Robyn and double so to Mr K

  34. Got through that without needing hints which I’m happy with (for full transparency I did have to look up Bismarck, I know of him but didn’t know the thing relevant to the answer) and although I got 7d I didn’t understand the first half of the answer until I read the hints afterwards (bit of a face palm for not getting that)

  35. An absolute corker of a puzzle today which I did in the car on the way home from a delightful week in Aldeburgh. The car was brimming with orders for Noon Tarts and smoked eel (the best) from Ash Fishes on the beach. I thought this was a delightful guzzle and thoroughly enjoyed it so thanks to all. Please can someone explain to me why I cannot open the puzzles section even though I am a full subscriber – I only want the Cryptic and the Toughie, is that too much to ask for? Whoops, find I posted this on yesterday’s site!

  36. What a pleasant surprise of an offering for a Friday this was. I needed the hints for one – 26a – because I just could not see the parsing for the life of me. Some of the rest fell easily whilst others produced a fair pile of dandruff. 10a caused a grin as did not sticking at 27a. Played that a lot in my misspent youth. My absolute favourite and COTD are those doing business in Cheshire and Lancashire.

    Thank you to the setter for a very satisfying solve. Thank you, Mr K for the hints and pusskits.

      1. We used to have a great 12a in Shropshire – T O Williams of Wem but they have long since gone. If I want good cheese I get it online from Neal’s Yard. I first came across them in Borough Market in London where they were serving slices of toasted Brie in baguettes. The queue was long!

  37. Well, I certainly wouldn’t grumble if there were more crosswords like that on a Friday! I was a little stuck in the South but once 22a was solved, it all fell nicely into place. In memory of my brother who was fond of a glass or several, my clue of the day is 26a.
    Thanks to Robyn and Mr K…for once, no hints needed on a Friday!

  38. As I am usually short on time on Fridays and don’t get to the puzzle until early afternoon, I have little time or patience to offer. So it was a pleasant surprise to find this treat today. I was a bit puzzled as to why there is a hyphen in 22a, and if 26a had been indicated as a 5,4 I would have got it, not knowing that was the name of an actual shrub. But very enjoyable visit to crossword lane today. Visited a 12a many years ago, I think it was in Streatley, such a treat to see all the cheeses. Thanks to Robyn and to Mr K, with extra thanks for all the hard work you are putting forth on the web site.

  39. A slow start this morning but then made steady progress on taking over the reins this evening. In common with several other bloggers the northern half provided the smoothest ride. 10a is a welcome alternative to the omnipresent supporter if not a bit silly. Joint Favs are 1a and 27a. Thank you to Robyn for much fun (look forward to your next appearance) and to MrK for being there in case of need today and for your work on sorting the web site problem this week and indeed for ongoing sterling technical help.

  40. Thank you, Robyn, and congratulations on producing a puzzle that has got such widespread admiration. It was great fun, with my favourite being 7d (“ladies and gents”) or 8d (“what puzzles provide”).

    Opposite to many others, I finished the bottom half quickly and took a while on some clues in the top half.

    It’s been a week that’s really suited me, a sequence of X-Type, Donnybrook, Twmbarlwm, Django, and Robyn Monday–Friday. Thanks, all, and especially to Mr K for having to fit in unexpected technical support.

Comments are closed.