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DT 30030

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30030

Hints and tips by pommers

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

Hola from the Vega Baja where July has arrived with a bang. As I write this it’s only 0900 and the temperature is already 28°C with a top of 32°C forecast for this afternoon.

Today we have a typical Monday puzzle which is mostly fairly easy but with a handful of head scratchers.  There are seven anagrams and some of them are quite long so if you can crack them you’ll get a load of checkers to get you going.  I don’t think many of you will be needing these hints.

As usual the ones I liked most are in blue.  The definitions are underlined in the clues and the answers are under the “click here” buttons so don’t click on them unless you really want to see the answer.  Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Where one may see drinks dispensers  in prison? (6,4)
BEHIND BARS:  Double definition.

6a           Tennis champion‘s good service (4)
GRAF:  G(ood) followed by one of the armed services.

10a         Working on ruin close to Heidelberg (5)
DOING:  A phrase (2,2) meaning to ruin or kill followed by G (close to HeidelberG).

11a         Is impressed by better jam (9)
IMPROVISE:  IS from the clue is inserted into (impressed by) a word meaning to make better.  Spent too long thinking of the strawberry type of jam.

12a         Disinclination to act in time to catch it on the way back (7)
INERTIA:  Start with the IN from the clue and a long period of time and put it all around (to catch) the IT from the clue but it’s reversed (on the way back).

13a         Gathered action involves French duke (7)
DEDUCED:  Take a word for an action or act and insert (involves) the French word for duke.

14a         As every other represented through time? (4,3,5)
OVER THE YEARS:  Anagram (represented) of AS EVERY OTHER.

18a         Scale of money spent may represent this? (5,7)
FALSE ECONOMY:  Anagram (spent) of SCALE OF MONEY.

21a         Top four leaving administration (7)
EXECUTE:  Top as in kill.  Remove IV (four leaving) from a word for an administration.

23a         Get back about allegation (7)
RECLAIM:  Two letters for about and then an allegation.

24a         French actor gripping whip hard in sporting contest (9)
DECATHLON:  A French actor placed around (gripping) another word for a whip and an H will get you the sporting contest that Daley Thompson was very good at.  Never heard of the actor but apparently he’s quite famous in France.

25a         Aims of some inside a seminary (5)
IDEAS:  A lurker hiding in (some) the last three words.

26a         Reportedly lawful ceremony (4)
RITE:  The ceremony sounds like (reportedly) a word meaning lawful or correct.

27a         See below platform (10)
UNDERSTAND:  See as in get or twig.  A word for below followed by a platform.

Down

1d           Needle person supported by family (6)
BODKIN:  A slang term for a person followed by the usual family.

2d           Farm animal, slaughtered if here (6)
HEIFER:  Anagram (slaughtered) of IF HERE.

3d           Uncooperative union may cause a financial problem (8,6)
NEGATIVE EQUITY:  A word for uncooperative or against followed  by the actor’s union.

4d           Old curiosities in remarkably barbaric boxing clubs (4-1-4)
BRIC A BRAC:  Anagram (remarkably) of BARBARIC around (boxing) a C(lubs).

5d           Quick attack seizing power (5)
RAPID:  Take a word for an attack, perhaps a quick one, and put it around (seizing) a P(ower).

7d           Croatian’s battered mac (8)
RAINCOAT:  Anagram (battered) of CROATIAN.  I’m a little surprised that I’ve never come across this anagram before!  This is perhaps TV’s most famous example of one of these battered macs.

8d           Swimmers must secure one object — that’s very difficult (8)
FIENDISH:  Take some animals that swim and put them around (must secure) an I (one) and a word for an object or aim.

9d           Cyborgs dope him in motion picture (7,2,5)
GOODBYE MR CHIPS:  Anagram (in motion) of CYBORGS DOPE HIM.  I really liked Martin Clunes’ version of this film.

15d         Hotel diner with can staggering in bar (9)
HINDRANCE:  H(otel) followed by an anagram (staggering) of DINER CAN.

16d         Culprit given fine having split old electric guitar (8)
OFFENDER:  Start with O(ld) and a famous brand of electric guitar and insert (having split) an F(ine).

17d         Stray may produce a howl climbing about on a tavern’s roof (8)
ALLEYCAT: A from the clue and a reversal (climbing in a down clue) of another word for a howl.  After that you need two letters for about or approximately and a T (Tavern’s roof).

19d         Arrived with artist’s photographic device (6)
CAMERA:  A word meaning arrived followed by the usual artist.

20d         Entertained, in the morning, American editor (6)
AMUSED:  Two letter for in the morning followed by two letters for American and then the usual editor.

22d         Girl in lifestyle magazine, ultimate in fashion (5)
ELLEN:  A girl’s name is made up of a lifestyle magazine followed by N (ultimate in fashioN).

As usual there’s a lot of good stuff but my favs were 18a, 21a and 3d with top spot going to 18a.


Quick crossword puns:

Top line:     KNOT     +     RUDD     +     ARM     =     NOTRE DAME

Bottom line:   HOW     +     SPAR     +     TEES     =     HOUSE PARTIES

76 comments on “DT 30030

  1. Very enjoyable. I needed all the checkers to get the film, which I’d never heard of but the fodder was clear despite the clever attempt to hide it. 1d a new word (I’d be surprised if they are still in use) but easy with checkers and wordplay and needless to say the French actor went over my head but the solution was easy.
    I liked lots but my podium is 11a plus 3d with “top” spot going to 21a.
    Many thanks to Campbell and a hot Pommers.

        1. Me too Stephen. Bodkins are very useful when teacing grandchdren to sew too!

    1. Yup. I’m with the other ladies here, bodkins used all the time in upholstery and how else would you thread elastic through your knickers?

    2. Hamlet in the “To be or not to be” soliloquy – “When he himself might his Quietus make / With a bare Bodkin?”.

      1. The Shakespearean bodkin is a dagger – not the best implement to use to thread elastic through one’s knickers. :wink:

    3. I’m with both DG and Jane to facilitate threading knicker elastic and other similar tasks.

  2. I agree with our blogger that once the long anagrams were in place, the rest was fairly plain sailing. Like SL, it is hard to look beyond 21a for the COTD. Thanks to our double punner and pommers. Do I see a Toughie in the iPad version on a Monday?

    1. I think the consensus is the Toughie is likely to be tomorrow’s that’s been incorrectly scheduled as it’s apparently not on the puzzles app. Don’t know about the newspaper version, perhaps someone can let us know.

      1. No Toughie in today’s paper, Stephen. Just the usual Monday GK puzzle on the page where the Toughie appears on the other weekdays.

        According to the Telegraph’s list online of this week’s Toughie setters, tomorrow’s should be set by Gila, with Giovanni, Firefly and proXImal to finish the week.

        1. Ah, I enjoyed solving “today’s” Toughie (no.2881) in the app, thought it might be a welcome new addition for Mondays!

          1. Toughie 2881 (by Gila) was due tomorrow so it looks like you’ve got an advanced copy.

          2. I solved The Toughie on the iPad whilst watching Bairstow and Root bat this afternoon! Most enjoyable on both counts.

    2. It’s solved and blogged and scheduled for publication at 2.00pm tomorrow. That leaves me with more time to irritate Nurse Ninepence in the morning

      1. Oh what I would give for a bonus 24 hrs to prepare a Sunday Toughie!

  3. Solved alone and unaided. Needed Pommers to help me parse 10a and got stuck on 21a for a while.
    A very enjoyable crossword.

    Lots of old references, though, French actor, tennis champion, old film…which was OK for me as I am , well, old.

    Thanks to Pommers and to the setter.

    1. Think ‘mature’ rather than old. Although sadly it’s your bones that feel old!

      1. Thank you, DG……you’re right about the bones.
        Not sure that people who know me would actually describe me as ‘mature’……

  4. I was bang on wavelength this morning, so this slotted together easily, with some pause for thought on 23a which was my LOI.
    Favourites were 6a and 23a.
    Nice fact for 6a – both her and her husband hold the golden slam, having won all 4 majors and Olympic gold.
    Thanks to Campbell and Pommers

  5. Lovely crossword to start the week. I liked 9d; and my favourite, which raised a smile, is 21a.

    Here’s me, and The Youngster, at my delayed birthday luncheon, yesterday – Harry’s Dolce Vita, Knightsbridge. Afterwards we went for a walk round half of The Serpentine, and en route we could hear a chap called Sam Fender who was on the supporting bill for The Rolling Stones. It was LOUD.

    Thanks to Campbell, and pommers sizzling in Alicante.

    1. Nice to ‘see’ you, Terence. You look exactly like a soft touch for a discerning Lola!

      1. Doesn’t he just! Amalia is following Sadie and trying to find the perfect spot in the bed.,

        1. So good to see you, Merusa, I bet Sadie is really glad to have you home. How are you coping?

          1. A bit slow and weak but I have aides every day. I have PT coming so I’m hoping for help getting the Legs working again. I’m pretty much bedridden now, frustrating but only room for up now!

            1. I reckon you have an indomitable spirit, Merusa, you’ll be back in that pool in two shakes of a lamb’s tail!

              1. Onwards and upwards, Merusa and do what the physiotherapists tell you to do that’s my motto. Hope you’re feeling better and getting more mobile soon.

  6. 1.5*/3.5*. Nice light Monday fun with the outstanding 21a the clue of the day.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to pommers.

  7. I thought pommers right at **/*** and the anagrams did help a lot. I thought 1a and 24a both good and happily I knew the French actor and the film at 9d which I think was Robert Donat. A pleasant start to the week and thanks to pommers sweltering out there and our setter.

  8. I kept trying to fit OK or Hello into 22d! Got there in the end. Alain Delon was absolutely scrumptious to look at although I have just googled him and his looks have rather, well, disappeared. Forgot to Wordle yesterday so my run of 176 is over and I don’t intend to restart. Enjoyed the puzzle and the long anagrams helped. I think Martin Clues is terrific in the film. Thanks to the setter and to Pommers. Isn’t it wonderful that some of the more snooty and entitled tennis players just can’t snap their fingers for their towels to be delivered by some poor ball girl/boy between each point. Wimbledon should ban the practice in future. Lovely to see what Terence above looks like.

    1. Glad it’s not just me with the Hello problem. Trying to crowbar the word so it could launch a thousand ship cost me minutes.

  9. Unlike the rest of you, having been lulled into a false sense of security in the straightforward NW, I became lost, bothered and bewildered in the rest of the puzzle amongst the Lifestyle magazines, octogenarian French actors, mid 20th century films etc. Thank goodness for the anagrams, 9d being particularly fine and 3d ( I did know the luvvies’ union). So in other words, due to my own ignorance, I made a real meal of a perfectly good pu,zle. Thanks to Campbell and to Pommers for the review.

  10. Excellent confidence builder to start the week.
    Last in 15 and 17d.
    Gold to 21a
    Silver to 12a
    Many thanks Campbell and pommers.

  11. No problems to report although the surface read of 2d bothered me somewhat.
    21a takes gold by a long way with 3d pushing in to second place.

    Thanks to Campbell and to pommers whose temperatures I don’t envy in the least!

  12. Spent ages trying to parse 18a and 21a and Pommers points out the former’s an anagram, wow brilliant! Very enjoyable puzzle, thankyou Cambell, and gratitude to Pommers.

  13. Top stuff, thanks Campbell and Pommers. All was rather good but the honours have to go to 21a, an outstanding clue as others have mentioned.

  14. Back on Campbell’s wavelength or vice versa today. I was slowed up by 18a (solved but didn’t spot the anagram), 21a (couldn’t see it for a bit despite clear hard-working in the clue) and the wrong magazine at 22d, must change my subscr. Thanks Campbell, and Pommers for the inimitable Peter Falk. Special mention for 18, 21a, 3 & 8d.

    1. Hand-holding not hard-working. Autocorrect. I’m sure Campbell is hard-working too.

  15. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: although I did get a little ‘bogged down’ in the SW – guess a lifestyle (a.k.a. ladies’) magazine! **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 13a, 23a, and 1d – and the winner is 1d.

    The OLPP was just as much fun and the OLPP Quickie seems to have a Top Line Pun.

    Thanks to Campbell and pommers.

  16. Enjoyable light start to the cruciverbal week. 21a the stand-out COTD. Never heard of the actor, which mattered not as the clue was so fair in construction – as were all the clues.

    1* / 3*

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Pommers.

  17. A much more benevolent Campbell this Monday. Fairly flew through this puzzle with just couple of stumbling blocks in NE.
    1*/4* today. No hints needed today, so that was a plus too.

    Candidates for favourites include 6a, 18a, 2d, 3d & 8d with winner 8d

    Thanks to Campbell and pommers

  18. A very accessible and enjoyable puzzle today with 21a and 8d sharing the honours. Always late coming to the blog in spring and summer with so much gardening to do but I was soon on track eating my sandwiches and managed to finish before feeling guilty for wasting time sitting around.

    Thanks to Pommers and Campbell for their Monday efforts.

  19. Very enjoyable. My favourite being 16 down brought back memories of Buddy, Hank and Jimmy

  20. Most enjoyable, I only came unstuck on 11a. Particularly liked 21a and 8d. Many thanks to Messrs Campbell & Pommers, well known purveyors of cruciverbal paraphernalia. I have just added more badges to the dozens which hang by George’s old blade. You can see his competitors badge from 1953, the oldest in the collection. The posh metal ones are Members badges from Stewards and Remenham , wives and visitors just get cardboard. Every year the shapes are changed and the cords and colours reflect different clubs.

      1. I get that Sue. I post and nothing seems to be there but if I log out and in again there it is in all its glory

  21. A nice start to the week. The film is worth watching. I liked 1a as it brought a smile to my face.
    Thanks to the setter and for the hints (which, for once, I only needed to help with parsing).

  22. 2/4. Usual pleasant fare for a Monday. Liked 16d. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers.

  23. Very pleasant puzzle today, not too taxing but needs some thought. A real relief after some of the brain twisters of late.Never heard of the movie but when I googled it I’m not surprised given the date of it.
    Thx to all
    **/***

    1. The version with Martin Clunes is only 2002 I think and is easily the best version – it’s quite often on TV and is quite a moving film and he is brilliant in it.

      1. I liked the Peter O’Toole version, but that was probably before you were born!

      2. Robert Donat deservedly won an Oscar for his performance, denying Mr Gable for his effort in Gone With The Wind.

        The last line is brilliant:

        While he’s on his deathbed…

        ‘’Poor Chips. He never had any children’’

        ‘’Yes I did, thousands of them and they were all boys’’

        Marvellous.

        Any film buffs amongst us will know that 1939 was THE year for the silver screen:

        These are some of the nominees for best film…

        Gone With The Wind
        Goodbye, Mr Chips
        Mr Smith Goes To Washington
        Stagecoach
        The Wizard of Oz (a Marmite film)
        Of Mice And Men
        Wuthering Heights
        Ninotchka

  24. Just completed cryptic 715 and found this tougher than normal for this week … 2*/3* today.
    Some tricky and head scratching clues today … but nothing that wasn’t solvable or really obscure.
    More like lateral thinking today.

    Thanks to Campbell

  25. Not a barrowload of fun but pleasant enough. SW was last in. 1a and 21a are joint Favs. 4d seems to be a bad penny. Thank you Campbell and pommers.

  26. Once again a nice start to the week 😃 **/**** Favourites 6 & 11across and 22 down Thanks to Pommers and to Campbell and to Pommers 🤗

  27. I had the back-pager as the hands down winner of today’s 2 excellent puzzles & not just because of the film references. 9d was actually my last in & couldn’t believe I needed all the checkers to twig it. Though Clunes was excellent (there’s O’Toole & Marsden also) it’s got to be Donat for me – deservedly pipping Gable’s Rhett Butler for the Oscar. Alain Delon is in one of my favourite films – The Leopard.
    Ticks aplenty here – 18,21&24a along with 3,8&17d six of the best with 21a the pick of them.
    Thanks to Campbell & Pommers

  28. As usual the “Monday Trouble” for me – this time it’s the bottom left corner (several of them).
    I’d forgotten the tennis 6a, and the 22d magazine (and never heard of the French actor) – oh dear!
    I was terribly slow generally with lots of the answers – oh well, too bad!
    All I can say is thank goodness for anagrams!
    Thanks to Campbell for the crossword and to pommers for the hints.

  29. Thanks to the setter and to Pommers for the review and hints. I managed three quarters of this, but could hardly get anything in the SW corner. Couldn’t work out the definitions or wordplay. Needed the hints for 18,21,24a and 17&22d. Was 4* /3* for me.

  30. A mixed bag for me, not helped by putting my back out this morning. Wish I could blame it on something strenuous but it was just turning over in bed. Such is life. I was stuck for ever on 11a as I could only think of two types of jam, the spread and traffic type. Even when the answer was obvious I still couldn’t figure out the jam link. Peter had to explain it to me. But at least I had heard of a Fender guitar 😊. Never seen alley cat as one word. LI was 15 down. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers. We’re at 31c today, with 63% humidity so can empathise with Pommers.

  31. Happy Birthday, America! It’s our 4th of July. Glad to hear from Merusa and hope she continues to fight the good fight. Nice to see Terence and his lovely Youngster.

    I’ll take Peter Donat over all of the other Mr Chips. I knew Alain Delon and like Huntsman remember him in The Leopard, along with the great Burt Lancaster.

    Needed electronic help to finish the SW corner. Calcified brain slowing down these days, but I enjoyed the puzzle, especially 11a.

  32. Nice start to the week. I will join in the acclaim for 21a. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers. Interesting comment from Mr Ed in the puzzles newsletter re the difficulty of puzzles.

  33. More of a Monday feel to this than of late and all the better for it. Didn’t comment over the weekend not through lack of time, usual reason, but I left my phone at home. Favourite was 8d. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers.

  34. I initially thought this was going to be a dnf, but it all fell in to place nicely.

    Enjoyable solve, thanks to all.

  35. It’s always interesting to read this blog a day late. To me Mr Chips will always be Robert Donat but wasn’t there a version with Petula Clark?
    My paper will be late today so I’m in for a studious evening

  36. 3*/4*…..
    liked 17D “Stray may produce a howl climbing about on a tavern’s roof (8)”

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