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DT 28762

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28762

Hints and tips by Miffypops in Painswick

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

After being blessed with the beauty of The Roseland Peninsula We are now in the land of Laurie Lee. Cider with Rosie country. The natural beauty here is stunning. Is there any better view from an English pub garden than that from The Butchers Arms in Sheepscombe?

Today’s puzzle comes from the mind of John Halpern aka Dada and jolly good it is too. (I know he did last week. Just trust me, it’s a Dada). Hints and Tips are provided by a well-meaning Miffypops who didn’t see the puzzle until he woke up this morning. Answers lie beneath the click here boxes. Definitions are underlined. If anything is not clear, please ask. The rapid response unit that makes up this happy community will rapidly respond.

Across

1a    River Test commercial (10)
INDUSTRIAL: We begin with a chestnut clue. A given for some. Start with a river. One which is one of the longest in Asia. Add a synonym of the word test.

6a    Novel ending mercifully, maybe another starts? (4)
EMMA: This Jane Austen novel can be found using the initial letters (starts) of four consecutive words in the clue.

10a    Confused, like a sailor? (2,3)
AT SEA: This small phrase meaning confused is also where you would expect to find a sailor after the ship has left the harbour

11a    Lost cause, rotten stew (9)
CASSOULET: Anagram (rotten) of LOST CAUSE

12a    A payment secured by friend of father and mother? (8)
PARENTAL: Place the letter A from the clue together with a payment for a property lease inside a good friend

13a    Half a score otherwise for singer (5)
TENOR: A score is twenty. Halve it. Add a synonym for otherwise

15a    Capitol out of sight (7)
OPTICAL: Anagram (out) of CAPITOL

17a    Shingle shifted from some UK shores? (7)
ENGLISH: Anagram (shifted) of SHINGLE

19a    Drug used in growing muscle, or in weight-loss programmes, contrarily (7)
STEROID: Place the word OR from the clue inside the plural of a weight loss regime. The word contrarily suggests we reverse the lot.

21a    Poisoner tainted sarnie with dash of cyanide (7)
ARSENIC: Begin with yet another anagram (tainted) of SARNIE. Add the letter C (dash of) from cyanide.

22a    How much interest regarding pinafore! (5)
APRON: The interest here is the Annual Percentage Rate. Use the initials thereof and add a short word meaning regarding

24a    One thus set on fire, a refinery gutted (8)
SOLITARY: A four-part straightforward charade. Follow each instruction correctly and sit back and smile. 1 Begin with a word synonymous with thus (regularly used in cryptic crosswordland) 2 Add a three-lettered word meaning set on fire (the past participle of light) 3 Add the letter A from the clue. 4 Remove the internal letters (gutted) of the word refinery.

27a    Member is slow to establish laws (9)
LEGISLATE: Begin with a member. Actually, a limb. Add the word is from the clue. The final part of this clue doesn’t work for me. Slow = late. Please enlighten me.

28a    Dash can get shortened (5)
TINGE: An alternative word for a can (of beans perhaps) is followed by the word get from the clue minus its last letter (shortened)

29a    Essence: it is in pub (4)
PITH: Place the word it from the clue inside the abbreviation for public house

30a    Beauty — small-minded nature about right (10)
PRETTINESS: Begin with a noun meaning undue concern with trivial matters, especially in a small-minded or spiteful way. Wrap this word around (about) the abbreviation for the word right

Down

1d    Yours truly is a leader in mosque! (4)
IMAM: The shortened form of “Yours truly is” followed by the A from the clue and the initial letter (leader) of M[osque] – the whole clue is meant to be the definition

2d    Demolish testament in dreadful tirade, ultimately (9)
DISMANTLE: Place the abbreviation for the most recent biblical testament inside a word synonymous with dreadful or gloomy. Finish off with the last letter (ultimately) of tirade

3d    Say ‘Florida’, possibly? (5)
STATE: To say or utter is what Florida is an example of. Michigan, Texas or any one of 50 would work equally as well.

4d    Reading article the wrong way (7)
RECITAL: Anagram (the wrong way) of ARTICLE

5d    Clear answers billions initially work out (7)
ABSOLVE: Start with the initial letters of the first two words of the clue. Add a word meaning to work out just as you do with crossword clues

7d    Fruit eaten up by rhino, lemons (5)
MELON: A reversed lurker indicated by the words eaten and up

8d    Sweet wine gets more trembling? (10)
AFTERSHOCK: An informal word for sweet, dessert or pudding is followed by a German wine

9d    Prisons around extravagant country residences (8)
COTTAGES: These prisons are similar to what one might keep budgies or canaries in. They surround a three-letter phrase meaning over the top

14d    Rubbish fish’s served with batter (10)
CODSWALLOP: Begin with a white fish. Add the S from ‘S and a verb meaning to strike or hit very hard

16d    Comedic, common error that’s come up in church (8)
CLOWNISH: Place inside the abbreviation for church a word meaning common and the reverse (that’s come up) of a word meaning an error or transgression.

18d    One racing out of control, showing lack of awareness (9)
IGNORANCE: Anagram (out of control) of ONE RACING

20d    Loss of hope in the French couple (7)
DESPAIR: Use the word for “in the” in French. Add a synonym for couple

21d    Illness — I left people in bath scratching both ends! (7)
AILMENT: Place the I from the clue alongside the abbreviation for left. Add some people (males) Place this inside the word bath minus its first and last letter (scratching both ends))

23d    Tory privilege (5)
RIGHT: A double definition, the first being the side a Tory leans towards

25d    Grabbing first of toys, old king and I play together (5)
TUTTI: The king is the boy king whose tomb was discovered by Howard Carter. Use the abbreviated form of his name along with the initial letter of toys and the I from the clue.

26d    God has Egyptian seaport to set up (4)
ZEUS: This God is the reverse of an eastern seaport and canal

Home today. Work begins. Life goes on

Quickie Pun: Watt+sup+dock=What’s up doc?


 

55 comments on “DT 28762

  1. Finished in **/*** time, but really there were only three that held me up. The triptych of 2d, 19a & 16d.

    I got the answer to 19a, but just couldn’t parse it, other than it wasn’t cryptic. 2d I don’t equate to DEMOLISH. If you 2d something, you can put it back together. 16d was my last one in, and nearly got COTD. However, that accolade goes to 15a for its beautiful mis-direction.

    Many thanks to MP and Dada.

  2. The proverbial curate’s egg for me . Some good clues but a few contrived in my opinion . 8D favourite but seem to remember it before .
    Finished fairly quickly but the stew got me in it .
    Thanks again to everyone from sunny South Wales .

  3. A mildish start to the week with good clues and a pretty enjoyable solve. Favs: 24a and 2d. 2* / 3*

  4. Another very good start to the work week with one or two familiar looking clues – 8d for example. Much like last week, straightforward, although a small amount of head scratching required, completed at a gallop – **/***.

    Favourite – a toss-up between 9d and 14d.

    Thanks to Dada and GMoLI.

            1. As a current (elderly) student of French I agree with the majority. My knowledge caused me not to insert the obvious answer. To be sure I have consulted my Oxford-Hachette the French/English Equivalent of the BRB. Des is the plural of de and de can be either a preposition or an indefinite article. Further confusion can arise as these are not always used in the same way in French as in English. There are no less than 23 senses for de in the dictionary of which one indicating a manner of doing something is translated into English as “in”. However I cannot think of a circumstance in which the plural “des” could be used. I am sure this is all incredibly boring to all of you who just wish to do the crossword and I apologise to Miffypops. If we are right I am surprised it was not spotted when proof-read.

  5. Good fun to start off the week. No problem in the North but a hitch or two down below however nothing insurmountable. Favs in order of preference – 14d, 8d and 22a. Thank you Dada and the peripatetic MP.

  6. 1d: I reckon we now get more leaders of mosques than the established church these days! What did we do before without him?
    7a of the Quickie needs correcting.
    Lucky you in Painswick. I used to live in the Cotswolds and I miss them. As they say these days “Enjoy”!

  7. I really enjoyed this one, especially 27a. I wonder what the person does with the other member, is that one early? I also liked 14d just for the sound of the word. I had a few other gods in mind for 26d before I got the right one. Many thanks Dada and MP in Pain.

  8. 2* / 4*. Light and good fun. Very nice start to the week.

    Regarding 20d, I think the first three letters in French mean “of the” not “in the”; the surface would work using “of the”. If Jean-Luc pops in perhaps he could clarify this?

    Many thanks to Dada and to MP.

  9. Agree with MP.s **/****, well clued I thought without being difficult.
    Good to see the old chestnuts 1a and 8d, it’s amazing how many different surfaces accommodate this pair.
    Favourite was the Quickie pun!
    That’s all folks.

  10. Enjoyable solve, nice fresh feel to it. West went in a lot quicker than East. Honours go to 14d and the smile inducing and clever 22a.
    Thanks to setter and reviewer for giving me an entertaining morning

  11. A bit of a test as I am struggling with lackofwavelengthbitis on a monday. Stiill happy to complete.
    I must remember the river at 1a.
    Thanks all

    1. I should think it’s more a case of the nerves kicking in, Hoofit! Fingers crossed that the good weather holds for Thursday.

      1. Thanks Jane, what a good memory you have!!
        Not long to go now, ohhherrr!!!

    2. That river and the Italian Po always come to mind first, I’ve been caught too many times.

  12. Very enjoyable;
    Thanks to Miffypops and Dada
    Needed some hints, so 3*/4* for me

  13. Enjoyable way to start the week. Nothing particularly stood out for gold medal position but I did smile over the 14d rubbish.

    Thanks to Dada and to MP – sounds as though you’ve had a nice break from the day job!

  14. At first I thought it was going to be a bit too straightforward , but the trickiness level picked up as I went along .
    Thanks to Dada and Miffypops .
    25d is my favourite .

  15. Enjoyed doing this one.
    Needed Miffypops’s help with some of the parsings and see above for ‘des’.

    Thanks to the setter and to Miffypops.

    PS Did everyone notice that Scotland beat England at The Grange yesterday?
    Just saying…….

    1. Have to say that today’s pun was a beauty!! I’m still smiling now.And as a Scottish expat I did notice!!!!

      1. But they did. Once in a blue moon Scotland come good. Then it is back to loss after loss after loss.

        1. Surely you mean England MP – loss (Test cricket) after loss (ODI) after loss (Rugby Union) Still, there’s the football world cup to look forward to. Yes, I know Scotland won’t be there – we just like to save money in not having to fork out thousands on air travel and hotels etc :smile:

          Nice and enjoyable puzzle for a Monday – so thanks to Dada and to MP for his review.

      1. You must be desperate Florence if you are banking on the England football team!

            1. It was said tongue in cheek HIYD. I just wanted to get you all going. I’m not a football fan but watched Soccer Aid last night when Usain Bolt scored a goal then it was declared offside. I had to get my older son to pause the frame and explain the offside rule. I prefer cricket, rugby and tennis. I’ll watch any sport where England is involved though. Important to give a bit of home support. Perhaps we can always ‘live in hope’.

  16. Many good clues only spoiled for me by the aforesaid 20d and (less so) by 25d as I did not know the shortened form of the boy King and had forgotten the musical term. Difficult to narrow down my favourites so will choose two each way 1 and 11a and 8 and 14d. Thanks setter and MP.

  17. Struggled to get on this setters wavelength as often happens on a Monday these days. A mixed bag of clues for me but a fair challenge. Held up in SE corner although last in was 6a just couldn’t figure that one out for ages. A typical Monday puzzle from Dada completed but not without a fair bit of head scratching.

    Clues of the day: 27a / 14d

    Rating: 3* / 3*

    Thanks to MP and Dada

  18. This was so much fun, I loved it all. Fave was 14d, haven’t heard that for a long time. I thought that 22a was pretty good too.
    Thanks to Dada and to M’pops. I have cousins in Painswick, uncle was a farmer there. Lovely old church, are the yews still there?

    1. There are 99 clipped yew trees in the churchyard Medusa. We counted every one

  19. Thanks to Dada and to Miffypops for the review and hints. What a super start to the week. Great puzzle, quite a few made me think, especially in the SE Corner. I liked 21d and 8d,but my favourite was 14d. Last in was 26d. Was 2. 5*/4* for me.

  20. What a delightful puzzle, thanks indeed to Dada and Miffypops for starting off my week so nicely. Nothing contrived, nothing sporty, nothing requiring in depth GK, although I did need help on the river in 1a. I was torn on picking COTD between 8d, 9d and 14d (all three in a row), but think 8d wins. Going to google the Butchers Arms now. Miffypops favourite places keeps my bucket list growing, and still want to get to that B&B by Hadrian’s Wall.

  21. Nice start to the week 😃 **/**** interesting comments from the francophiles 😳. favourites 1a and 8d. Thanks to MP and to Dada

  22. ***/** I do wish we could return to the previous Monday setter whose puzzles were always a pleasant start to the week. I for one really do not like this ones way of clueing. Probably just me.

  23. An enjoyable ** for difficulty, with only 11ac causing any real difficulties. A what? ;-) I always used to struggle with Rufus, so find myself more in tune with our new Monday setters.

  24. **/****. Very enjoyable if not too time consuming. I too don’t regard 2d as a synonym for demolish. Favourite was 19a. Thanks to all.

  25. Not a bad start to the week. 14d probably my fave today if only for the research into the etymology of the word. I needed the hint for and wasn’t aware of the usage of 25d as far as I knew they were nasty candied lumps in ice cream or cherubs in renaissance art, or am I mixing them up with Putti?
    Thanks to Miffypops and Dada.

  26. A bit late to comment now but that doesn’t usually stop me – what a good crossword.
    I whizzed through most of it and then ground to a complete halt with my last few – now I can’t see why.
    6a, 19a and 2d all had to be what they were but for some reason I just couldn’t sort them out – seriously dim.
    14d reminded me of my Dad and is my favourite although lots of the other clues were pretty good.
    With thanks to Dada and to MP.

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