DT 30111 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 30111

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30111

Hints and tips by Mr K

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

BD Rating  -  Difficulty *** Enjoyment ***

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Thursday. I thought that this was about average for Thursday difficulty-wise, with many smiles being generated as the solve proceeded. 

In the hints below most indicators are italicized, and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions. Clicking on the answer buttons will reveal the answers. In some hints hyperlinks provide additional explanation or background. Clicking on a picture will enlarge it or display a bonus illustration and a hover (computer) or long press (mobile) might explain more about the picture. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

 

Across

1a    Official on course or attendant in mess? (7)
STEWARD:  An official on a race course is also an attendant in a mess serving food 

5a    English company in Knock shows propriety (7)
DECORUM:  The single letter for English and an abbreviation for company inserted together in knock or beat

9a    Morally correct ceremony for broadcast (5)
RIGHT:  A homophone (broadcast) of a ceremony that might be religious 

10a   Understand Europeans banning a new drug (9)
DIGITALIS:  1960s slang for understand with Europeans from a boot-shaped country minus (banning) both A from the clue and the abbreviation for new 

11a   Bloom shows full desire uncontrollably (5-2-3)
FLEUR-DE-LIS:  An anagram (uncontrollably) of FULL DESIRE 

12a   Spot  unwanted garden visitor (4)
MOLE:  A skin spot is also something you probably don’t want visiting your garden or lawn 

14a   A cold fish admitting she has fatal flaw (8,4)
ACHILLES HEEL:  Link together A from the clue, a synonym of cold, and a long fish containing (admitting) SHE from the clue

18a   Nothing but repetition? Rather regular repetition maybe! (12)
ALLITERATION:  A short word that could mean “nothing but” is followed by a synonym of repetition.  The maybe indicates that the clever definition is also by example 

21a   Black bird in wood (4)
BOWL:  The pencil abbreviation for black with a nocturnal bird. This wood might be seen on a lawn with a kitty

22a   Spy one-time GP playing on piano (7,3)
PEEPING TOM:  An anagram (playing) of ONE-TIME GP following (on, in an across clue) the abbreviation for piano 

25a   Management  course (9)
DIRECTION:  A double definition. Course in the navigational sense 

26a   Lazybones unusually riled (5)
IDLER:  An anagram (unusually) of RILED 

27a   Article by poet a slow piece (7)
ANDANTE:  A grammatical article with an Italian poet, writer, and philosopher 

28a   Gas connected to north-eastern French region (7)
ARGONNE:  A noble gas with the abbreviation for north-eastern 

 

Down

1d    Make low attack in first RAF exercise (6)
STRAFE:  The answer is hidden in the remainder of the clue

2d    Endless joy seen in swallow? One born to fly (6)
EAGLET:  Joy or great happiness minus its last letter (endless) inserted in swallow or ingest 

3d    Coal: an ancient land imports it (10)
ANTHRACITE:  AN from the clue with an ancient land in south east Europe that contains (imports) IT from the clue

4d    Avoid Venetian magistrate incarcerating 500 (5)
DODGE:  A Venetian magistrate (whose palace is a famous landmark in Venice) containing (incarcerating) the Roman 500 

5d    Wild flower: give to old drunk (3,6)
DOG VIOLET:  An anagram (drunk) of GIVE TO OLD 

6d    Fetching chopped artichoke at last (4)
CUTE:  A synonym of chopped with the last letter of ARTICHOKE 

7d    See Romeo's revolutionary supporter for bigger prize (8)
ROLLOVER:  The reversal (revolutionary) of the fusion of “see” or “behold” and the letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by Romeo is all followed by an enthusiastic supporter or fan 

8d    Accomplished as male teacher? (8)
MASTERLY:  The answer might, whimsically, mean “like a male teacher” 

13d   Aunt's dog in wild really impressive (10)
ASTOUNDING:  An anagram (wild) of AUNT’S DOG IN 

15d   Ancient Hebrew realities distorted (9)
ISRAELITE:  An anagram (distorted) of REALITIES

16d   Assist old boy with raincoat going up country (8)
CAMBODIA:  Put together help or assist, the abbreviation for old boy, and an informal word for raincoat, and then find the answer as the reversal (going up, in a down clue) of that lot 

17d   Female, let down, prospered (8)
FLOWERED:  The abbreviation for female with let down or reduced 

19d   Despot left in dishonour (6)
STALIN:  The single letter for left inserted in a mark of dishonour 

20d   Strike's ending: Unite creates issue (6)
EMERGE:  The last letter (… ‘s ending) of STRIKE with unite or combine 

23d   Old man outside with forest creature (5)
PANDA:  Another word for your old man containing (outside) a synonym of “with” 

24d   Closely examine small container (4)
SCAN:  The clothing abbreviation for small with a metal container 

 

Thanks to today’s setter. My favourite clue was 18a, with 14a in the runner-up spot. Which clues did you like best?


The Quick Crossword pun:  MEET + EEYORE = METEOR


62 comments on “DT 30111

  1. Quite enjoyable, is the setter a gardener I wonder? Three quarters of this went in very smoothly but the NE took a fair bit of thought.
    I’d never heard of the drug/flower at 10a but did twig the wordplay with the aid of checkers then 7d my LOI jumped out at me though the parsing took me a little while to “see”. Lover/supporter?….I guess so, just about.
    I liked the wood at 21a and 18a was clever but my favourite as it made me smile was 22a.
    Many thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  2. A straight forward puzzle,nothing obscure.
    Liked the surfaces of 22a and 27a,favourite was 10a.
    Enjoyed the solve,going for a **/***.
    Thanks to setter and Mr K for the pics- good pun as per yesterday

  3. Breezed through this one until 7d, which held me up for a bit because of the parsing–which I finally decided had to be what it was. I quite liked 2d (and even more so after Mr K’s video!), 14a, 22a, & 10a. Thanks to Mr K and today’s setter. **/***

    Not having much success with the Toughie….halfway done.

    1. Persevere, Robert. I got stuck and then went back to it to complete what was a very good puzzle.

  4. Another very enjoyable and not too tricky puzzle off the Thursday production line, with 14a coming out on top ahead of 18a. I loved the video for 12a!

    Many thanks to our setter and Mr K.

  5. As others have said a very steady puzzle this one. Just about ** and *** for smiles. 18 a is my favourite sort of clue and a natural selection for COTD. Very enjoyable. Thanks to Mr K and the setter.

  6. This puzzle was very much to my taste and I felt on the compiler’s wavelength from the beginning. Until I reached 7d and, like others, found it difficult. However, I liked the anagram T 22a, the 14a lego clue and the geographical clues, 28s and 26d. Many thanks to Mr K for the hints and to the compiler, I’m not clear who it was?

  7. Enjoyable, steady solve in 2* time.
    COTD 18a and brought a smile.
    Thanks, indeed, to the setter and to Mr K.

  8. Enjoyable while it lasted (more of an early week backpager than a Thursday, I thought), held up at the finish by 7d until the wordplay dawned. Evidently not RayT – is he on Toughie duty today? Hon Mentions to 18a and 21a; COTD 10a.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K, of course!

    1. According to the ‘old’ Puzzles Website, proXimal is on Toughie duty today. At the present time, Ray T is on back page duty on alternate Thursdays and was here last week so it’s guess the setter time today.

  9. Hmm, no-one willing to play guess the setter so far. I have two ‘candidates’ in mind for being responsible for this very enjoyable back pager but perhaps I will keep them to myself for now – **/****.

    Candidates for favourite – 10a, 14a, 18a, and 16d – and the winner is 10a.

    Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

  10. Like others, I got held up by 7d which ended up as being the last to fall.
    No stand-out favourite for me although 14a raised a smile as did the Quickie pun.

    Thanks to our setter and to Mr K for the review and the humorous assortment of video clips.

  11. I found it a bit of a beast for a backpager, but enjoyed it, especially 18a.

    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  12. Seeing as it’s Thursday puzzle I did quite well, only needed two hints, so it can’t be a RayT. Could only parse most of them by working backwards from the answers. 7d caused a frown. Thanks to all.

  13. 3*/3.5* for me with 18a my favourite. 7d was my last one in, being both the hardest to solve and the hardest to parse.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

  14. Very friendly for a Thursday and I’m not quite sure where to place my 50p in the game of Guess the Setter

    Thanks to whoever it was and to Mr K

  15. A relief after struggling yesterday. Frustrated when outstanding wouldn’t quite fit into 13d. NE was hampered by ending 8d with ‘ed’ for a while. Liked surfaces of 18a and 25a. Thank you Mysteron and MrK.

  16. That needed some concentration but we got there in the end although I would have spelt 11a ‘Lys’. 22a was very funny and I liked 15 &16d. 21a was last one in until I realised it was a sporty clue. My mother was Lady President of the Cheam Fields Bowls & Tennis Club so I knew about woods. Glorious day here in Cambridgeshire, really warm sunshine. Many thanks to Messrs Setter ‘n Hinter and I liked the videos- especially the peeping Tom!

  17. Just the right level for a Thursday puzzle – thanks to ??????? (no idea) and to Mr K.
    I awarded my ticks to 18a, 21a and 23d.

  18. For me a real Curates Egg. The left was ok if over wordy but the top right beat me all hands down.
    Somewhat above my pay grade as many Thursdays tend to be as most would not disgrace the Toughie.
    Not my favourite by any means.
    ****/**
    Thx for the hints and the answers to 7d and 8d which I could not work out from the hints despite having all the checking letters.

  19. This was a breeze after yesterday. No real hold-ups but was too hasty writing in 8 and 13d. I did not know the French region but knew the gas. It seems north-eastern is doing double duty. Favourites 10a and 16d. Needed no hints but enjoyed reading them after the solve. Thanks Setter and Mr. K.

  20. I have been a bit distracted lately, but am i right in thinking we have not seen Terence lately?

    1. I have a nasty feeling that Terence, along with a few others too (Steve Cowling?) were casualties of the kerfuffle that happened about a month or so ago.

      1. I fear as much, too, with BusyLizzie joining that list of casualties. I miss them very much.

        1. I missed what happened to MP ?

          Nothing too alarming, I trust ?

          To me, he’s the most regular of regulars.

  21. Very much on wavelength for me, all except 7d, so thank you compiler and Mr K for hints and pics. Lovely to see Kitty pop up again.

    1. Thank you Celia :) . It’s nice to be here again, even though I’m spread too thinly at present for it to be feasible to comment daily. I will certainly be popping back.

  22. Not my favourite puzzle of the week.
    2.5*/3* for me.

    Favourites 19a, 14a, 18a & 3d

    Thanks to setter and Mr K.

  23. An excellent Thursday puzzle. Fine clues, a decent challenge and much enjoyment. Fav: 7d. 3*/4*.

  24. Tricky but not as much is as yesterday – think something has gone a bit wrong with my grammar – too bad.
    I ended up with about three gaps and I think that’s as good as it gets.
    I’d never have got 7d or the bit of France – which was OK apart from the gas that I didn’t know.
    I was very happy to have some answers to do with garden apart from as long as they leave the moles alone.
    Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

    1. I had never heard of or been to that region of France either but thought I’d just bung in the only inert gas I can remember from 5th form Chemistry and add the NE and there you go! Your recovery seems to be going space which is excellent.

  25. A very enjoyable puzzle despite being over all too quickly. Count me in the 7d club as last in with the penny only dropping once my penultimate answer gave me the O checker. 10a was a super clue & my runaway favourite with ticks also for 10,14&22a – the last of which is a great film by the great Michael Powell & critically mauled on release but now rightly reappraised as a classic.
    Thanks to Mr K & the setter.

  26. Straightforward until it wasn’t, mainly in the far east downs. Favourite was 18a.. thanks to the setter and Mr. K. I might look at the toughie again, I’ve read all the clues and got 3, all across.

  27. My penultimate one in was 12a. I had earlier thought of the plural and dismissed it for being too many letters…!

    Once I had 12a I worked out, I worked out 7d very quickly. I would have struggled to parse without the hint.

    An enjoyable challenge.

    Thanks to all.

  28. Very straightforward but very amusing puzzle for me, **/ ****. Faves 14A for neatness and 22A for laugh-out-loud.

    Thanks Mister Ron, and Mister Kay :)

  29. 3*/4*….
    liked 18A “Nothing but repetition? Rather regular repetition maybe! (12)”

Comments are closed.