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DT 29982

by Falcon  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29982

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Ottawa, where it feels more like mid-summer than mid-spring with temperatures reaching a daytime high in the low- to mid-twenties and forecast to increase to near 30 degrees by the end of the week. Mind you, overnight temperatures dropped close to the freezing point a couple of nights ago.

Campbell has given us another enjoyable puzzle that I found trickier than usual but I was distracted by other matters so perhaps was not fully focused on the task at hand.

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   Begin a filling meal (6)
LAUNCH — the A from the clue inserted into a midday meal

4a   At sea, a duck coming in low (6)
AFLOAT — the A from the clue followed by a cricketing duck inside an adjective denoting low or not hilly

8a   Point out charge involving a European (8)
INDICATE — to charge formally with a crime wrapped around the A from the clue with the single letter for European trailing

10a   Seats in church look small (6)
CHAIRS — a charade of the map abbreviation for church, a look or manner, and the clothing symbol for small

11a   Represent guys holding answer (4)
MEAN — guys or chaps wrapped around the single letter for answer

12a   Brutal, gendarme initially, running in car thief (3-7)
CAT-BURGLAR — anagram (running) of BRUTAL and the initial letter of Gendarme inside CAR

13a   Fruit, choice, next to one of London’s stations (8,4)
VICTORIA PLUM — choice or especially valued or sought following a central London railway terminus and underground station

16a   Character associated with ‘The Big Sleep’? Yes and no (3,3,6)
RIP VAN WINKLE — Yes, this character had a big sleep (dozing through the American Revolution); no, he did not appear with Bogart and Bacall in the 1946 film

20a   Specialist continued to handle Muslim ruler (10)
CONSULTANT — abbrevation for continued containing a Muslim ruler, perhaps the leader of the country appearing in 6d

21a   Starts to read Ayn Rand’s epic — excellent (4)
RARE — the initial letters of four words in the clue

22a   Anger returned during school term (6)
PERIOD — reverse a synonym for anger inside a small school of whales

23a   Full round in between (8)
THOROUGH — insert the round letter in a word meaning between

24a   Irish novelist in grave close to Joyce (6)
STERNE — a word meaning grave or severe followed by the closing letter of JoycE

25a   Book first of tests after much delay (2,4)
AT LAST — a book of maps and the first letter of Tests

Down

1d   Leering nastily, taking in one’s underwear (8)
LINGERIE — anagram (nastily) of LEERING enveloping a Roman one

2d   League match (5)
UNION — double definition, the second a match finallized before an altar

3d   Opportunist appearing in court, shortly (7)
CHANCER — the Lord Chancellor’s court stripped of its final letter (shortly)

5d   Truthful, female over material (7)
FACTUAL — F(emale) preceding (over in a down clue) material or tangible

6d   Protestant‘s row in Arabian state (9)
ORANGEMAN — a row, rank, or series of items inside a country at the eastern corner of the Arabian peninsula

7d   Likelihood of seeing nurse outside hospital? (6)
THREAT — nurse as a verb containing the street sign symbol for hospital

9d   Wasteful tramp runs out after more (11)
EXTRAVAGANT — a synonym for tramp or bum with the cricket abbreviation for runs removed follows a word denoting more or additional

14d   Act with panache, in audition, producing revolver? (9)
TURNSTILE — combine a short act in a variety show and a word that sounds like panache or elegance to produce a revolving device at the entrace to a football stadium

15d   Acceptable in one piece (3,5)
ALL RIGHT — double definition, the second denoting unhurt

17d   Hurt fencing schoolboy champion (7)
PALADIN — hurt or ache wrapped around a male child

18d   Lacking humour, husband no longer in the game (7)
WITHOUT — a charade of humour or levity, the genealogical abbreviation for husband, and another word for eliminated or no longer in the game

19d   Number reduced, would you believe? (2,4)
NO LESS — the abbreviation for number and a word meaning reduced in amount

21d   German’s fine after port wine (5)
RIOJA — a German word denoting affirmation or agreement follows puzzle setters’ favourite Brazilian port

Contenders for favourite include the feline thief (12a), the sleeping character (16a), and the armed actor at the screen test (14d) with top honours going to the admirer of women’s undergarments (1d).

Quickie Pun (Top Row): PIQUE + UNEASE = PEKINESE

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : KNIGHT + THYME = NIGHT-TIME

60 comments on “DT 29982”

  1. A flurry of grid-filling was followed by an extended period of head-scratching, then followed by another flurry of filling, all of which pushed us just into *** time with the same rating for enjoyment.

    Whilst I’d probably be a little alarmed to have Ottawa’s forecast temperatures for any extended period at this time of year, I would certainly welcome some warmer weather. I’m developing a ridiculous tan from wearing three-quarter length tights for running, so vanity dictates I need to get into shorter legwear soon!

  2. 3*/4*. I found this tougher than usual for a Monday, but still very enjoyable with my top three clues being 12a, 1d & 14d.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  3. Really enjoyed this, I always admire the style and craft with which Monday’s puzzles are put together. I thought this was light and fun with some nicely disguised definitions.
    I particularly liked 4&12&18a plus 8,14&18d.
    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  4. Great fun while it lasted, a typically light and breezy start to the week from Campbell. Plenty of humour, good surfaces, lovely concise clueing, and no specialist ‘general’ knowledge required: what’s not to like? Hon Mentions to 4a, 16a, 9d and 18d, with COTD to 14d. Next stop the online-only Campbell, hopefully for a bt more of the same.

    1* / 3*

    Many thanks indeed to Campbell and to Falcon

  5. A crackerjack Monday for me. Having given up trying to find permutations of Bogey and Betty for 16a (‘Shucks’, I said), I crowned this one my COTD but there were many strong contenders: 1d, 12a, 18d, & 14d. Lovely puzzle, considerably more engaging that the bonus cryptic #707, which still has its charms. Thanks to Falcon and Campbell, really in his element today. ** / ****

    Has anyone else read E StJ Mandel’s ‘Sea of Tranquility’ yet? Rather like ‘enigma variations’ in prose but quite stunning.

  6. Unlike Falcon I found this quite tricky but it was well worth the grey matter exercise. For me SE was toughest corner. Fine as 21d constituent is stretching it a bit. Needed prompt with 25a which then became my Fav. Thank you Campbell and Falcon.

  7. Trickier than yer standard Campbell, I feel, but great fun to complete. In much the same manner as Gayle (above) I chucked a few in with nonchalance, but this was followed by some scratching of the bonce.

    A handy reminder to me to re-watch the excellent Coogan and Brydon movie of Tristram Shandy.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

    1. They’re great together. Loved them in The Trip.
      Been listening to a covers album, Georgia Blue, by Jason Isbell & 400 Unit + guests. Worth a listen to if only for a superb version of The Allman Brothers instrumental In Memory of Elizabeth Reed

  8. Great Monday puzzle as we have come to expect from Campbell. My favourite clue being the so far ignored 13a. Thanks to Falcon for confirming my parsing and to Campbell for his continuing high standard puzzles for Monday.

  9. I found this a tough ***/*** and needed Falcon’s hints for which thanks to deal with 24a – a new author to me – and to understand 16a. I really liked 12a and 9d the latter being my COTD. Hard for a Monday. Thanks to the setter.

  10. I’m pleased that others found this to be on the tough side. I was starting to think I had lost my mojo! Yes, quite a challenge for a Monday and I hope it is not a foretaste of puzzles to come this week. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable in parts and I did like 12a and 3d although I had no COTD today.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the beating and huge thanks to Falcon for helping to make sense of it all.

  11. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: but as others have said, by Campbell’s standards, a bit of a head scratcher. Fortunately, the same did not apply to the Weekly OLPP.

    Candidates for favourite -1a, 10a, and 17d – and the winner is 10a.

    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

    1. The bonus online puzzle was a sub * time write in until the pandowdy at 5d. I know nowt about dolls other than Barbie & Ken & gave up trying to make sense of the anagram so cheated.

        1. Is it just me Robert or have the last 2 weeks of the Everyman been far tougher than usual ?
          I’ve still a couple from yesterday unsolved & had one wrong he previous.

          1. I haven’t worked this week’s Everyman yet, but #3942 seemed about average for me, as I recall. I remember that 13d was my LOI and made me laugh. I’ve had to cut back a bit on cryptics; they were interfering with my books! And were causing a ruckus in my dreams! But I’ll look at this week’s Everyman: which two, by the way?

            1. OK, finished this week’s Everyman…the NE corner the last to solve, with 16a and 8d the last two in. Good fun.

              1. 12a & 8d for me. Don’t know why I couldn’t see them yesterday – mentally spent after proXimal probably

        2. Yes, the dolls did for me as well. Strange, I would have expected to know the name for them.

          1. Just cannot quite parse 5d – presumably ‘work at’ is ‘do’, but I can’t place the second ‘s’, unless it’s an abbreviation for ‘special’ – which would then have two functions in the clue.

            Otherwise an enjoyable puzzle for which my thanks once again to Campbell.

          2. Yes it was going to be a totally DIY result, if it had not been for 5d. Did have to give in and look that one up, even though I had the second word. But a lot of fun, so I thank the setter of 707.

      3. That’s a pandowdy of a comment Huntsman. I’ve put pandowdy into my reminders and will hopefully use it over a couple of beers this afternoon

  12. Another Monday delight yielding ticks galore. Podium places went to 10,12&25a plus 14d although several others really deserved mention.
    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the review.

  13. Trickier than usual for me also but at least I finished it in a respectable ** time – unlike the bonus cryptic & Quickie where I was undone by wooden figures & a pit viper. A typically well clued & enjoyable kick off to the week with 16a pinching top spot from 9d&12a.
    Thanks to Campbell & Falcon
    Wordle in 3

  14. A typically bright and breezy start to the crosswording week with just the SW corner holding me up for a short while. The majority of the clues were beautifully concise using eight letters of less (I counted one with nine I think), and 1d proved to be my favourite.

    My thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    Wordle in 2 this morning.

  15. A nice puzzle to start the week.
    A few headscratchers but all well clued.
    Bottom half held me up a bit as I had put a wrong answer in at 14d without fully parsing and also at 18d which I thought I had parsed logically using the first two words as the definition instead of just the first word 🙄

  16. A ‘notch.’ above the usual Monday puzzle for me too,nicely clued throughout.
    Liked the surfaces of17d and 16a, remenbered the old film noire.
    Favourite was 25a-nice D’oh moment, enjoyed the solve and a ***/**** for me

  17. A typically nice nice start to the puzzling week from Campbell the Consistent. I wanted Intimate as a verb for 8 across which suited the definition but not the wordplay. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon for the puzzle and the review. Roll on Friday. It’s Holiday time

  18. Just about to do Wordle when BBC announced answer on the news! Naturally I did it in 1😎🍷🍷🍷

  19. A great start to the week. Tougher than usual for a Monday, but very elegant and a real joy to solve.

  20. Usual, enjoyable Monday fare.
    Last in 17d, came to me after some time from the deep recesses of my mind.
    Shares with 6d the top spot.
    So, **/*****
    Many thanks Campbell and Falcon.

  21. Ouch, that hurt my brain. Just one answer before walking the dog, much worse than my usual Campbell cruise. Funny how a post-prandial almost-doze opened the floodgates. LOI 10a. Thanks Falcon for tidying up a bung -in or 2 and Campbell for the hard-earned pleasure.

  22. Found this one a little trickier than a normal Monday puzzle. 2*/4*
    Favourites today 4a, 13a, 22a, 14d & 19d with winner 13a
    Last in was 21a, not a word I know, (or knew), but had to be what it was.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon … (and I wish we had some of your Ottawa weather here on the south coast of BC … another flippin’ chilly day at 5C)

    Wordle and Canuckle in 4

  23. Not having had the problem before, it’s my turn to have the answers revealed. Any news on this?

  24. I did find this trickier for a Monday but really enjoyed it. I’m sure 7d is perfectly all right but I can’t think of a time when I could interchange it with likelihood! I liked 12a and 16a.
    Thanks Campbell, you never let us down. Your help unravelling was much appreciated Falcon.
    Wordless in 2! Some time ago I had a dream which told me to use “heist” as my seed word. I’ve used it a couple of times with great success.

    2. Medusa, I use adieu as the seed word which if none shows up the answer is probably bongo 😀😀

  26. Usual Monday fare, confused and unnecessarily complex. Finished but understood less than half of the clues fully. Never heard off the obscure novelist which didn’t help.
    Too tricksy by half for my liking.
    **/**
    Thx for the hints

    1. Remember the Irish novelist’s name as he seems to make regular appearances. His signature novel was published in nine volumes!

  27. 3/4. Trickier than usual but enjoyable. Got there eventually but no standout favourites. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  28. Just did the cryptic prize puzzle No.707 and just as much fun as the back pager. A tad easier I thought and no hints to be had, of course.
    1.5*/4* my rating
    Favourites include 12a, 18a, 5d, 14d & 24d

    Thanks to Campbell for this one.

  29. Like others found this tough for a Campbell offering Got there in the end. Excellent challenge and, as always with this setterfairly clued with no obscure GK.
    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon for the analysis.

  30. Thanks for blanking out the answers.
    Really liked the hints.
    16A threw me but hey ho that is what the crossword is all about.

  31. I have to agree with Brian, it seems the Monday toughies continue. I got 4 on the first pass. I preferred the old Campbell, witty concise and straightforward, this, for me, was none of those. Thanks anyway to Campbell and Falcon.

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