DT 30022 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30022

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30022
Hints and tips by StephenL
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****/*****

Good morning folks, I’m back again, this time covering for Deep Threat.
Not a great start for me this morning as I had trouble loading the puzzle onto my tablet. Thankfully I found the puzzle itself reasonably friendly and it went in quite smoothly once I had a few checkers. I thought it was excellent and enjoyed it a lot. I won’t disclose the setter but the silky surface reads are a big clue.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

7a   Month away from uni, it surprisingly brings enjoyment (8)
FRUITION:   Anagram (surprisingly) of the preceding three words once the abbreviation for Month has been removed

9a   Stuart essentially is touring foremost island paradise (6)
UTOPIA:   Place the essential letters of stUArt around a synonym of foremost and the abbreviation for Island

10a    Sound that comes from artist performing (6)
STRAIT:    Anagram (performing) of ARTIST. The sound is a stretch of water

11a Expressing refusal, say, to enter local (8)
NEGATIVE:   Place the usual two letters representing “say” inside a local (inhabitant)

12a Cleric, comparatively dull one perhaps (8,6)
CARDINAL NUMBER:   Start with a man of the cloth. Add an adjective meaning dull (one’s senses perhaps) in its comparative form. Good clue

15a   Good person departs over primarily unscrupulous boss (4)
STUD:   The abbreviation for a good person in a biblical sense and the abbreviation for Departs are placed around the initial letter of Unscrupulous

17a   Solution to receding hairline uneasy Rupert adopts (5)
SYRUP:   Hidden in the clue (adopts). This produced a smile!

19a   Wickedness in current revolutionary (4)
EVIL:   Reverse (revolutionary) a synonym of current as an adjective

20a   Dress style she flouted for working outside hospital (3,3,8)
OFF THE SHOULDER:   Anagram (working) of the preceding three words plus the abbreviation for Hospital

23a   Plot a snub for the audience getting award (8)
CITATION:   Homophone (for the audience) of a synonym of plot as a noun, A from the clue and four letters that sound like a synonym of snub as a verb. I think that’s it!

25a Spot youth at intervals enthralled by French resort (6)
NOTICE: Alternate letters of yOuTh sit inside one of the usual French seaside resorts

27a  Shielded dealer in stolen property, diamonds (6)
FENCED:  A word for someone who receives stolen goods in order to sell them on at a profit and the abbreviation for Diamonds

28a   Cheat with ultimately unsuspecting sweetheart, making bloomer (8)
FOXGLOVE:   A synonym of cheat or trick as a verb plus the the final letter of unsuspectinG and a term of endearment

Down

1d Worry about appearing in newspaper (4)
FRET: Insert a preposition meaning about into the abbreviation for a national newspaper.

2d Habitual sunbather in Cornish coastal area (6)
LIZARD: A reptile that likes to lie in the sun is also the name of a peninsula in Cornwall. Easy for me, living relatively close to it.

3d Content to leave Australian organisation extremely soon (4)
ANON: Remove the inner letters (content to leave) of AustraliaN and add the outside letters (extremely) of OrganisatioN.

4d Martial art genius occasionally visiting this country, upset receiving fine (4,2)
KUNG FU: Start with the occasional letters of GeNiUs. Insert them into the abbreviation for our country. Reverse the result (upset). Insert the abbreviation for Fine in the appropriate place. I liked this.

5d Piano or piece of furniture that’s easily moved (8)
PORTABLE: The abbreviation for Piano plus OR from the clue and an item of furniture

6d Joint second-placed team on Olympic podium? (10)
SILVERSIDE: The colour of the medal a runner up receives in the Olympics plus a synonym of team. Great clue.

8d   Designs popular equipment for campers (7)
INTENTS:   Designs here is a noun. The usual synonym of popular plus what campers sleep in…or attempt to, it has zero appeal for me.

13d   The US radio broadcast given official sanction (10)
AUTHORISED:   Anagram (broadcast) of the preceding three words

14d Botham, say, having last of Tests here (5)
LORDS: The title the great Sir Ian Botham holds plus the final letter of testS gives the name of possibly the most famous cricket ground in the world. As Silvanus has confirmed that Botham’s last test was indeed here I’m taking it as a very clever &lit.

16d   Challenge intended to undermine Democrat leader in election (8)
DEFIANCE:   Intended here is cleverly disguised as a verb but is a noun. It follows the abbreviation for Democrat and the initial letter (leader in) Election. Brilliant clue.

18d   Reportedly charge nothing to reach American city (7)
PHOENIX:  A homophone (reportedly) of a synonym of a charge in a monetary sense and an informal synonym of nothing

21d    Bob, for instance, or I had to be replaced (6)
HAIRDO:   Bob here is not a man. Anagram (to be replaced) of the preceding three words. Here’s the brilliant Walter Becker

22d   Departed with lady on vacation not long ago (6)
LATELY:   How you would refer to someone who has departed this mortal coil and the outside (on vacation) letters of LadY.

24d   Stink pair of females at home raised (4)
NIFF:   Start with two abbreviations for Female. Add a 2-letter word meaning at home. Reverse (raised) the result. New word for me.

26d  Old chap in short coat (4)
COVE:  A coat or coating loses its last letter.

Quickie Pun: Rhodes + Eyed = Roadside.

Fabulous puzzle, I’ve highlighted the ones I liked. Which were your standouts?


 

94 comments on “DT 30022

  1. Phew! Quite a tough end to the week at ***/*** with some unusual clues I thought. 2d came easily living in the SW and the other place name in 18d was not too hidden. I thought 12a very good and that was my COTD although 5 and 6d were excellent too. We have seen 8d in one form or another quite a lot recently I think. Well – it is summer and people do that sort of thing then! Thanks again SL and the setter.

  2. There can only be one candidate for setter for today’s very enjoyable puzzle – 2*/4.5*.

    StephenL – semantics, or is it pedancy, since Ian Botham got ‘kicked upstairs’ he is a peer of the realm and no longer a knight of the realm.

    Candidates for favourite – 11a, 25a, 5d, and 18d – and the winner is 5d.

    Thanks to Silvanus and StephenL.

  3. 2*/5*. A perfect end to the crosswording week. You can perm any three from the twenty-eight clues to produce a podium selection.

    Many thanks presumably to Silvanus, and also to SL.

  4. I thought 12a was a very elegant clue and deservedly became my favourite. In truth, this setter rarely if ever produces anything other than a polished grid, so finding a favourite was never an easy task. Great entertainment for a Friday morning.

    My thanks to a Silvanus and SL.

  5. Enjoyable end of the week Friday puzzle, liked the 9a charade-I’m never quite sure of the letters length of the’essentially’ word in question.
    Favourite was 12a for the surface and 18d amused.as did 17a
    Agree with FL’s **/****.’
    Tricky quickie with a D’oh moment pun.

  6. Absolutely cracking crossword while it lasted, the most enjoyable of the week so far, and I concur with Senf in putting it at Silvanus’s door. A lovely “horse derve” for the main course this afternoon.

    The surface readings were sublime. So many clues could have made it to top spot, let alone to the podium – 1a, 11a, 12a, 23a (wonderful homophone), 3d, 4d, 6d, 14d – but for me the COTD goes to 18d: laugh out loud pleasure at that one.

    2* / 5*

    Many thanks to Silvanus (or if not he then to whoever else deserves the plaudits for this one!) and to StephenL

  7. This puzzle was a bit of a struggle for me and I eed2d electronic help for one clue to complete it. However there were some very good clues. The best of the bunch for me were w3a , 28a and COTD 18d, although at first, I kept trying to put Peoria in there, spelt wrongly. I had problems with the anagram fodder for 13d, as I was trying to find the ‘z’, with which I always spell the answer. Thanks to SL for the blog and to Silvanus for an interesting a d varied puzzle.

  8. A bit of a workout for me but thoroughly enjoyable at the same time. Although 12a and a number of other sleek clues deserve to be on the podium, I’m in the mood to award some clues that I was delighted to solve without having to google around: 2d (been there!) and 14d (knew him!). Also liked 23a but never heard of 24d (had to be that, though). Thanks to the hard-working StephenL for his review and Silvanus (apparently) for his usual good fun. *** / ****

  9. Another little masterpiece from Mr Smooth which slotted together nicely with the exception of 7a which fooled me for a while and – stupidly – the habitual sunbather who announced his arrival with the thudding of several pennies!
    Tops for me were 12&28a plus 16d.

    Many thanks to Silvanus for the pleasure and to Stephen for the review and another of his ‘off-the-wall’ music selections!

    1. Hi Jane.
      I think Walter Becker is one of those artists you need to listen to several times before you suddenly “get”. But as one half of Steely Dan there’s no doubting his pedigree.

  10. Shamefully I needed Dan word for 9 a but otherwise it was a nice straightforward solve.
    I liked the misdirection of 10a and the humour of 17a
    Not such nice weather in South Devon today SL but at least the humidity has dissipated.

    1. Do you resort to Danword because you want the answer before 11.00 am or because your are still unclear after reading the hint?

      1. Couldn’t wait!! I then left the completed crossword until gone 11a.m, I always feel cross with myself when I see the answer and realise that, with a little more effort, I should have got it. This time I was looking for some exotic South Sea island. Silly me!

  11. Lovely to hear the Walter Becker track.
    This is an example of my favourite sort of puzzle (for my level of competence) in that I stare at it and think, “Oh my giddy goodness!” and then slowly but surely work my way through it. Thus, I threw in 15a and meandered on from there. Delicious fun, with three (!) slices of toast and orange juice with no bits in it.
    Additionally, no Hanseatic League or Ottoman people. A real bonus.

    Thanks to the setter and Stephen.

  12. Great fun whilst it lasted. 12a, 28a and 2d get my vote today. Thanks to today’s setter and SL.

  13. A perfect ending to an excellent week of puzzles. Thanks to StephenL who got to blog an excellent Silvanus puzzle. Thanks to Silvanus for the puzzle. This leaves ProXimal or Zandio for SLB to look forward to next Friday. Deep Threat will return on Friday July 8th after his holiday in France.
    Those interested in a Birthday Bash at The Bridge House: 13 Westbourne Terrace Road, London, W2 6NG in Little Venice should pencil Saturday January 28th 2023 into their diaries or smartphones and watch this space.

    Our leader BD posted this yesterday
    Update
    I’m still here
    I twisted ligaments in my knee and can’t stand, so tomorrow I am going for an endoscopy (don’t ask)

      1. Knees are dodgy things and about a year after retirement 13 years ago I had a meniscal tear in the left then a year later in the right. The consultant did comment they had been on the same journey!
        Lest of encouragement to BD although his complaint is different – fully recovered now following surgery.

          1. Perhaps his knees were dodgy because he was teuted ro have made his home in a large jar—it must have been jolly cramped in there an myrder on the knees.

          2. Curiously there is another SW connection here – Diogenes was a tramp painted by our local now deceased artist in Plymouth Robert Lenkiewicz many times. This rather bohemian artist kept his subject’s body in a drawer in his house following his demise. A rather macabre tale sorry folks.

    1. Thanks for the update on the boss, MP. His knee ligaments must be in a real stew if an endoscopy is needed in order to see them! 😳

      Birthday bash noted. 👍

      1. I think “endoscopy” is getting confused with arthroscopy – but if you pronounce that carelessly it could be pretty much the same thing! :-)

      2. Yes, I’ve had four endoscopies, and they all involved going down my throat and esophagus. That’s a long way to the knees!

        1. I’ve had two and they both involved entry from the ‘bottom’ end into the colon. I think someone, maybe BD, has got their info slightly confused – at least I hope so!

  14. Top stuff, many thanks Silvanus(?) and SL. Agree with RD above, any are worthy of podium – but 15a gets a mention as the setter must have a psychic hotline to Mr Dowden. Thanks again!

  15. Enjoyed solving this Friday puzzle on Thursday evening as we look forward to a warm (25-30C) weekend … best temperatures of the year so far.
    Enjoyable solve and not a Friday struggle this week.
    My rating for today is 2.5*/4*
    Favourites include 12a, 28a, 1d, 2d, 14d & 18d with winner 14d but all were great clues. … some with PDM’s for me.

    Thanks to setter and StephenL

  16. Many thanks to Stephen L (great to have you blogging one of my puzzles) and to all those who have taken the trouble to comment. I’m glad that you found a variety of clues to like.

    Thirty years ago this month Ian Botham played the last of his 102 Tests for England and it was at 14d too, something I factored in to the clue.

    May I wish everyone a good weekend and I hope to be back again soon.

    1. Thanks for popping in and claiming this gem of a puzzle Silvanus, an honour as well as a pleasure for me to blog it.
      I did wonder about 14d and meant to investigate, so a very clever an &lit.

      1. Forgive me for an extremely late request for clarification and an obvious exhibition of naivety but I still don’t understand the 14d cricket reference relevant to Mr B. I know nothing of cricket save the usual crossword references. Could you enlighten me please SL or our illustrious setter?

        1. Hi Nas…Ian Botham is a member of the House of Lords….hence “Lord Botham” ….hope that clears it up.

  17. Mrs C and I have just checked in at Bodelwyddan Castle in Wales. Not seen the puzzle yet but hope to later. Just wanted to let Miffypops know they have Aspall Suffolk Cyder and Doombar on draught.

    1. If you take a walk up into the woodland beyond the castle, they also host a variety of birds and some very attractive deer.

    2. Doombar is a bit thin. Alright if there is nothing else. My advice is to run for your lives – this is on later
      Hits of the Stylistics performed by The Sing Baby Sing Show,

      1. Doombar is popular down here in the far SW but more so with Grockles. Locals hereabouts prefer Jail Ale.

        1. West of the Tamar (the real far SW! ;-) ) we’d rather have Proper Job, Tribute, HSD or a pint of Betty Stoggs!

            1. My son and I visited the Princetown brewery last week. Of course we bought some Jail Ale. It is featured in our local because it is, as they say, “ good behind bars”. Trite but true.

    3. I remember being taken there in my childhood and loving the name as spoken by my Welsh uncle by marriage. It rolls around the tongue!

      1. A great friend of mine attended there when it was a girls’ boarding school – they were all frog-marched across to the ‘Marble Church’ every Sunday for morning service. She tells uproarious tales of girls dressing up in the suits of armour when they were confined to barracks whilst ‘in detention’.

          1. The varieties of marble used in the interior are amazing and the lectern is beautifully constructed. I can imagine that it was a beautiful backdrop for their wedding ceremonies.

            1. it really is a beautiful church. I always looked out for it when going to work at Glan Clwd hospital and promised myself I would go in and have a look around but I never did. Maybe tomorrow.

              1. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve driven past it over the years and threatened to call in ‘next time’.
                It’s well worth the short detour whilst you’re staying so close and don’t have any hospital appointments to get to!

  18. Good puzzle from my point of view. Thanks to Silvanus, if indeed it is he, and also to SL for clarifying some points of parsing.

  19. Thanks Silvanus for a good end to the cruciverbal week and to Stephen for the hint for 21d. Favourites (yes, but it’s my birthday and I can have more than one) 12&17&20a & 18d. Best wishes to BD – knee pain is hell on earth. I still have half a bottle of liquid morphine he’s welcome to have a swig of it. My friends are pressing me to prove I can still do my party trick so if I can get someone to take a photograph I may well bore you with it. If it rains and the grass is wet, no way. ,

    1. Happy birthday Daisygirl. I look forward to seeing the reenactment of the splits!

          1. 24th St. John the Baptist day I believe. I am honoured that I appear on anyone’s calendar. George bought me a bunch of garage flowers which he nipped out and bought last evening. But it’s the thought that counts.

              1. Don’t be too rude about garage flowers. Our local BP garage stocks M&S flowers which are really lovely.

        1. That is impressive, DG. Not got your hands off the ground though, I see. 😀

        2. Happy Birthday Daisygirl I’m always amazed how you manage it. If I wasn’t suffering from sciatica I might have had a go but I think not! Enjoy the rest of your special day 💐

          1. A fellow sciatica sufferer, I agree. I do thoroughly recommend an epidural cortisone shot if you haven’t had one. I feel 85% better since I had mine.

        3. I do hope I didn’t prompt any untoward actions here. I am most impressed! Happy Birthday and well done.

    2. If the grass isn’t wet, you make sure there’s no thistles in the performance area! :-)

      1. Happy Birthday Daisygirl. I used to be able to do rhat–before the two knee replacements and both hip replacements. That put a stop to my gallop. I still do some of the yoga positions rhough.

    3. Midsummer day happy birthday DG,
      I hope you have a lovely evening – think you should leave the morphine alone and have a nice glass of G&T and afterwards some wine with supper!!
      :rose:

  20. Super crossword with some difficult clues. Really enjoyable. COTD for me was 23a. Thanks to Silvanus and SL.

  21. An immensely enjoyable puzzle from Silvanus.

    Favourite clue: 14d (now that Silvanus has explained it in full)

    ps. Best not mention the cricket: England currently 62-6. Oh Dear!

    1. Bairstow not out … 130
      J Overton not out … 89

      I don’t like Cricket .. I love it!




  22. That was tough! I needed a few of SL’s excellent hints to get me across the line. I didn’t enjoy it much but perhaps that is because I had to do it on the iPad. I do like the paper and a pen so.

    No real favourites just enjoyed the tussle.

    Many thanks to silvanus for the challenge and SL for the hints.

  23. Unfortunately work is getting in the way of puzzles so I’ve been on catch up this afternoon. Reckon it’s a bit like losing your touch with the short game if not playing golf regularly or at least that’s my excuse for making hard work of yesterday’s Ray T & Wednesday’s Logman Toughie. Can’t say I rattled through this one either. As ever a super crossword (my pick of a fine trio) with 18d my pick of a fine bunch.
    Thanks to Silvanus & Stephen. Now for yesterday’s Toughie.

  24. Very good crossword today. Only one obscurity for me. 17a. How in earth did this word for a wig originate. Had to look it up as the hints didn’t mention it.
    Regards
    **/****

    1. Rhyming slang Bob – Syrup of figs – wigs; at least that’s my understanding.

  25. Am stram gram, pic et pic et colegram, this is one that came out of the hat.
    As Huntsman, work is getting in the way of puzzles and I leave it to chance to choose the crosswords I will tackle.
    Never disappointed though as it often falls on real crackers.
    Favourite 12a.
    Thanks to Silvanus and to StephenL for the review.
    Happy birthday to daisygirl.

  26. An excellent Friday puzzle! Fine clues, a reasonable challenge and an enjoyable solve. I’ve ticked quite a few but can’t isolate a favourite. 3*/4*.

  27. Thoroughly enjoyable puzzle.
    Last in 2d, which, when eventually solved, made me smile.
    Loved the misdirection in 10a and 12a brought another smile.
    All done in 2.5* time,
    Certainly ***** for enjoyment.
    Many thanks Silvanus and StephenL.

  28. Like Huntsman, I’m playing catch up after a busy week of work. Struggled with Ray T’s offering from yesterday, so this was a welcome relief to get some confidence back in my game. Delightfully clued, a real pleasure to complete, and I’ll give my COTD to 14d.
    Thanks to Silvanus and StephenL

  29. Happy birthday to DG and impressive party trick. Thanks to SL for the blog. I needed a nudge in Cornwall, I tried every which way to get SW or TAN in there before the hint for 7a and 2d came to the rescue. I too am suffering from work interfering with crosswords but still enjoyed the fight. Thanks to SL and Silvanus. Loins suitably girded for next Friday as I blog the last of Deep Threat’s holiday puzzles.

  30. With only 7 unaided answers going in so far I have to concede that this is way above my pay grade, getting to be the usual outcome on Fridays. Looked at two hints so far, and fail to see how 17a, Solution to receding hairline = syrup, and 7a, enjoyment = fruition. So not much point in continuing. Thanks to Silvanus, but too clever by half for me, and to StephenL.

    Best wishes to Big Dave on his knee problems, that must be very painful.

    1. Hi BL
      Fruition and enjoyment are synonymous in the sense of fulfillment, and syrup is cockney rhyming slang “syrup and fig”…wig. That may be one that doesn’t travel very well but it made me laugh.
      Hope that helps.

  31. An excellent puzzle to end another excellent week. **/*** for me.

    I feel BD’s pain and wish him well, but was amused by the requirement for an endoscopy to view his knee. I hope Pat and Ella are still where they should be. Meanwhile I am being shunted around between x-rays and CT scans whilst my medical team tries to decide what’s best for me. The problem appears to be located in my diaphragm, so the best thing to do, they say, is to look at the top of my right lung. Okay, go right ahead :)

  32. Enjoyable solve despite not getting 7a and 2d. I should have got 2d, silly man…!

    Today had some really good clues that made up for the dnf.

    Thanks to all.

  33. Like others, playing catch-up with crosswords, not because of work though (happily retired long-since), but my local dead tree supplier has experienced delivery problems resulting in an absence of the necessary until yesterday, when Wed, Thur & Friday papers arrived in one dollop.
    Superb offering from Silvanus to complete an excellent week of back-pagers, particularly liked 12a from a list of great clues.
    Thanks to all and a special mention for The Boss, hope you’re troubles are soon sorted and you are back in the control room pushing the buttons before too long.

  34. HELP please. I have subscribed to the puzzles app since lockdown and pay in April by direct debit. Occasionally I comment the blog. Haven’t downloaded for a week as away on holiday. My subscription was paid as per usual in April. Can anyone give me the correct website details for the puzzle app. Thanks

  35. Hello I know it’s an old puzzle but can you please explain the synonym for snub in 23 across

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