DT 30065 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30065 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30065 Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club

(hosted by crypticsue)

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Tilsit is back from his German break and straight into dealing with customer queries on another rail strike day, thus leaving him no time for crossword solving or hinting.

Today’s Prize Puzzle is, without doubt, another Cephas pangram – there are quite a few anagrams in the words I haven’t hinted.

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, an assortment of clues, including some of the more difficult ones, have been selected and hints provided for them.

Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.

A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.

Some hints follow.

Across

1a    Observe then follow monitoring group (8)
As the clue says, you need synonyms for observe and follow

6a    Tap shoe? (4)
Tap in the sense of press someone for information – the same word can also mean a type of shoe

10a    Grip across awkward situation (8)
A prefix meaning across and an awkward situation

14a    Cricket team losing in Newcastle area (6,4)
A cricket team and an adverb meaning losing

19a    Regalia, precious stones on top of one’s head (5,6)
Some precious stones go after the top of one’s head

25a    Hustlers possibly becoming devoid of passion (8)
An anagram (possibly) of HUSTLERS

Down

2d    A strange bloomer (4)
A (from the clue) and a synonym for strange

5d    Incur wrath when you have a bath? (3,4,3,5)
What you do when you have a bath

12d    Dust Kelvin, say, used in potentially explosive situation (6,3)
Dust-like particles, the abbreviation for the base SI Unit of thermodynamic temperature, and an abbreviated way of saying for example (say)

17d    Toughened up, accepting Jack’s hurt (7)
Another of saying toughened up ‘accepting’ the abbreviation for Jack

20d    Part of duck that’s brought at end of meal (4)
This part of a duck is the same word as something brought at the end of a meal out

21a    So taken in by enthusiasm (4)
Hidden in (taken in) by enthusiasm

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As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out!

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The Quick Crossword pun: JAY + CUB + MALI = JACOB MARLEY

Other clues in the Quick Crossword relate to the pun: 9a and 20/23a

82 comments on “DT 30065 (Hints)

  1. A brisk start with the pangram coming to my rescue on the last one in. Thanks to CS and today’s setter.

  2. I suspect Jonners’ and my last ones in were one and the same, helped by the knowledge that a pangram was on the cards. This was light and fun. 1.5*/3.5*.

    Many thanks to Cephas (?) and to CS.

  3. Steangely, for once, I realized it was a pangram and it helped me with my last one in too. It was a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle. I enjoyed the anagrams, of which there were quite a few, 14a, which was a good piece of misdirection, 9a and 16a, which made me laugh, when the penny dropped and the last one in, 10a. Thanks to Cephas, always consistently entertaining and to CS for doing the Saturday hints again.

  4. Good solid Saturday fare. I did want Legonrat to be a political Party, ideally in the House of Commons, even though it wouldn’t quite parse of course. 3d my COTD because the combined surface of clue and answer makes me smile and I do like that word.

    1* / 2.5*

    Thank you to Cephas and CS

    1. Do you mean it’s not legonrat! That’s my only hold out and inevitably not hinted. Rest very enjoyable.

  5. Just enough food for thought but certainly not plain-sailing. SW last to fall. Perhaps 16a surface would read more smoothly using calculates. Kelvin in 12d clue baffled me hence bunged in. Thank you Cephas and CS.

  6. Nicely and cleverly clued, medium struggle.
    Last in, 18d and 15a.
    Latter, guessed correctly but second meaning new to me.
    Many thanks to the setter and to CS.

    1. 15a looms large in our family legend. A horrible reminiscence of when George and our Greek-Cypriot-neighbour-up-the -gin-path decided to make wine from the grapes on our pergola as he remembered it being done when he was a boy. A nightmare. Oh dear.

      1. A friend and I did that with the grapes in his greenhouse. It won a prize at the Shrewsbury Flower Show!

      2. You should at least be thankful for the fact that they conducted the experiment outside. My then other half attempted something similar in our spare bedroom – first we knew of the disastrous results was when a large stain appeared on the sitting room ceiling!

          1. My neghbour tried wine making in his garage. One hot afternoon, like today, while we were all relaxing in our gardens, a very loud explosion was heard and a crashing of broken glass. A very disheveled neighbour appaered from the garage after a brief but worrying hiatus to reassure the assembled neighbours that the only thing damged was the wine-making equipment and his pride.

            1. Yep. Many who try winemaking forget that the brewing process produces gas and that it has to go somewhere.

  7. Too tough for me today. Managed all but 4 but that was it.
    Somewhat above my solving abilities.
    *****/*
    Thx for what hints there were

  8. 9a in the quick crossword – old Ebeneezer gets a very bad press – didn’t he buy the biggest turkey in the shop?

  9. Struggled with the cricket team until I realised I was in the wrong location 🤦🏻‍♀️. Enjoyable but not too taxing and appreciated the literary theme to the quickie. Thank you CS and compiler.

  10. I’m stuck on two – 15a and 22a. I’ve got all the checkers, assuming they are correct, but cannot fathom out the answers. As usual, they are not hinted but I will persevere. I remember 11a from television in the days when I was interested in who won. My favourite and COTD is 19d.

    Many thanks to the setter for the beating (although not given in yet) and to CS for the hints.

    It’s the last day of the Shrewsbury Flower Show and, according to local custom, that is the end of summer. Not sure it’s going to work this year as I look at the thermometer registering 27 degrees. There will be a superb firework display this evening, which we can see snatches of in the distance.

    1. I’ve explained 22a further up the comments

      If I tell you 15a is a double definition, does that help? Failing that (and if only I had £1 for every time I said this), look up your solution in the dictionary

      1. Thanks, CS – I’ve just this minute sussed them. I had the wrong tense in one of the checkers and a past hobby of mine helped with the other. :smile:

    2. I wonder whether there will be a firework display in view of the current fire risk throughout the UK?

  11. Another fun and friendly Prize Puzzle from the Pangrammeister. 15a was also my final entry, with 3d my favourite.

    Thanks to Cephas and CS.

  12. The pangram alert bell sounded very early on not that I needed it to complete another enjoyable Cephas production – **/****.

    Candidates for favourite – 1a, 5d, and 12d – and the winner is 5d.

    Thanks to Cephas and to CS.

  13. I do admire the way in which some of our setters take quite well-known phrases and construct clues designed to mislead us – Cephas is quite a master of the art.
    Suspecting that a pangram was on the cards did help out with a couple of clues today and I learnt something new in 14a.

    Thanks to Cephas and to CS for the hints – your Christmas present fund must be building up quite nicely with all these extra wages!

  14. Filled it in all bar one clue on the first visit, needed to take a break and re-visit to complete the last obstinate one (10a), just had to keep reading the clue in different ways until I finally twigged!
    Don’t hear the word for 9a used much these days now.

  15. I’m with Brian – this was largely beyond my grasp. Very well done to all those who completed it!

    Thanks to the setter and PC Security (anag)

  16. Managed all but one tiddler. Comment, why are photos displayed in the prize crossword, may as well show answer. Just my opinion.

    1. Because our dear leader allows us bloggers to use illustrations at our discretion – FAQ 9.1 explains.

      Just think of them as part of the hints.

  17. Another Cephas appearance it would seem with another Saturday pangram. Solid and steady solve of this puzzle and rate this 1.5*/4.5*
    Solved this on a slightly cooler Friday evening here on the west coast of BC, but still forecasted for 28-30C weather for the next week. Looks like the UK is getting into dire straits farming wise. Hope things improve soon for you …

    Anyway, several new words for me in 2d and 9a with 9a being last in … as I was only missing one letter that was not in the rest of the grid. Had to be what it was.

    Podium contenders include 1a, 14a, 24a, 8d & 13d

    Several made me grin including 15a, 3d, 18d & 20d

    A great puzzle again from Cephas
    Thanks to Cephas and CS

  18. why do the hints nearly always give help for the ones I’ve already got?!! It must be me, but what about 2D,3D,13D and 22A? Think I know 16A, but is it xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    1. Welcome to the blog

      Especially on a day like today when it is too hot to be indoors by the computer, it is always a good idea to allow time for one of us to see your comment and ‘approve’ it before making a second identical comment

      I hinted 2d, 3d is a hidden word, 13d means to have subscribed or added your name to, 22a has been explained in the comments already, and 16a the solution is a homophone of ‘calculations’

  19. I went to the Flower Show here yesterday, Steve – no fireworks, due to the fire risk – but laser show instead.
    Not as good, but sensible, and we have been promised the fireworks in October.
    Walked back along Town Walls, and a big, beautiful, orange, Sturgeon moon lit up the Town Walls and tower….superb ending to the day!

    1. I would loved to have gone, sabrinastar but other things got in the way. Sensible to have a laser show. I’ll see if I can spot it from Knockin tonight. :good:

  20. Enjoyed this from Cephas and managed to complete without too much scratching of the head! Spotting the probable pangram early helped too I think.
    Re Terence’s anagram above – that had me for a moment 😜 – but of course, may I echo my thanks to the cryptic lady for stepping in with the hints.
    Cheers!

  21. The pangram helped us too. Difficult but doable and fun. Favourite was 18d. Thanks to Cephas and CS.

  22. Well, this was a relief after the struggle yesterday. However, I cannot see the connection in 14a with Newcastle. I’ve googled my answer and get a completely different area in the UK. I found the pangram helped a bit as well. Thanks to the setter and to CS for standing in for Tilsit again. Too hot to be outside and rather too hot inside as well. Seems only the other day we were waiting for puzzle 30000 and now we are up to 30065. Does anyone know how Big Dave is getting on?

    1. I had the same problem with 14a, Manders. Look up places in your ‘completely different’ area and you may be as surprised as I was!

      I’m hoping that Tilsit will bring us another update on BD’s progress now that he’s returned from Germany – sadly the rail strike rather got in the way of asking him today.

  23. First of all I think you have photographed one of my shoes, Sue! I agree that spotting the pangram was a help especially with the last two in. It’s taken me a long time as we are lying in the garden under the trees and I keep drifting off. What would we do without the stepping in at short notice hinters? Thank you CS and Cephas. I agree about the beautiful moon and I’ve seen some lovely shooting stars.

  24. Thought this was going to be rather trying, but then magically the SE corner rapidly filled in, and I was off and running. Definitely a down column first for me today. Loved 18d, my favourite type of cryptic clue. Thanks to Cephas and CrypticSue,

    1. Hi BL, just wanted to thank you for your contribution yesterday, the thread could well have got completely out of control. I think heat exhaustion has set in for all of us!

    2. Yes, BL, I would like to endorse Jane’s comment and say I was very appreciative of your remarks yesterday.

  25. I thought that the answer to 5a was as in village xxxx. These in my book are Daps, plimsolls, plimmers and not as illustrated.
    Just shown my wife the picture and unfortunately for me she says they are indeed the answer. So what do I know.
    Thanks to all.

    1. Daps and plimmers are complete unknowns to me – amazing what a variety of terms we use to describe those items of footwear. I do recall that, having been stored in a 6a bag, they were usually rather smelly by the end of a school term!

  26. Here I am, finally! Last night, I started reading Daniel Silva’s new novel (set in Venice, at least so far–one of my favourite places on earth), started reminiscing about my seven visits there, and finally was wafted off into a very long Titianesque slumber. Oh yes, the SPP: like others who profited from awareness of a pangram, I managed a very smooth solve although 14a was a bung-in (but what else could it be?), being geographically challenged by the multiplicity of Newcastles. Interestingly, 9a (a term unknown to us Across the Pond) just appeared in the last book I finished (yesterday) and I remembered it, amazingly. 11a is also another marvellous ‘concept’ that is foreign to my ears, but I think it’s my COTD. Lots of fun, this one. Thanks to CS and Cephas. ** / ****

    1. Oh, how I long for a Titianesque slumber! However, with the nights being hot and sticky my slumber tends to be of the Hieronymusesque variety and that is utter Bosch! 😎

  27. I managed all but 2. 2d escaped me because I don’t like gardening but I think it is probably an old chestnut (that’s not a hint at an answer by the way). Electronic help gave me an answer for 9a but I can’t for the life of me parse the answer.
    My favourite was 14a. I did live near another, not so famous, Newcastle so that moved me away from the north east.
    Thanks to the setter and for the hints.

  28. What a clever puzzle! All fairly clued, so tough but very do-able with persistent thought….

  29. Found this almost as hard as yesterday.

    Struggled with every part of 14a even though I have bunged in the correct answer.

    As with others 10a was last one in and I only got because I saw pangram mentioned.

    Thanks to all.

  30. Coming in late to say I enjoyed this puzzle. No real outright favourite.
    Thanks to CS for stepping up to the plate.
    Is there any news on Big Dave? I see various bloggers are asking after him. We can only hope “no news is good news”.

    1. Thank you for the puzzle, Cephas and for dropping in. I did manage to solve the two that had me foxed and I ended up with a very satisfying solve.

  31. Solved here and there while visiting Whitby, The Red Arrows flew over just as we arrived but by the time we got to the harbour a sea fret rolled in. It gradually cleared as did my brain re the stubborn ones here. I mis tensed 15d too

    Mama Bee on the Swing Bridge waiting for the fret to burn off.

      1. Love The Magpie, SJB. We buy seafood from The Whitby Catch on line. We’re back up there in November.

  32. Probably our last visit to Thurlestone beach for a while given the impending flood warnings. They were so predictable on our local news today! It’s as if having weather along with everything else in life that isn’t hunky dory is a national calamity and requires acres of coverage and government hand outs. Bah. I think this was one of those puzzles where you either got it or didn’t and I did. I would blush to score it. I would like to thank the setter and our hinter for their efforts though and did think this one very enjoyable. Having been on the naughty step one Sunday about 20 months ago and feeling like a No 10 Public Enquiry in the extent of my redaction I shall refrain from any specific comments.

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