DT 30144 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 30144

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30144

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Ottawa, where our spell of unexpectedly warm autumn weather appears to have come to an end with temperatures now hovering just above the freezing point. In any event, it was wonderful while it lasted.

As for the puzzle, Campbell is in top form today delivering what I found to be a very enjoyable offering which is also not overly difficult.

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   Protest by class, a convincing demonstration (6,6)
OBJECT LESSON — to protest or voice one’s disapproval followed by a period of teaching

8a   Hence broadcast about a new lift (7)
ENHANCE — place an anagram (broadcast) of HENCE around the A from the clue and the single letter for new

9a   American four, returning, reportedly steered clear of bridge (7)
VIADUCT — reverse (returning) the abbreviation for American and the Roman four; then append what sounds like (reportedly) a word meaning steered clear of

11a   Satellite town initially associated with the Spanish celebrity (7)
TELSTAR — this is a charade formed from the initial letter of town, a Spanish word for ‘the’, and another word for a celebrity

12a   Anger shown during term at sea in galley (7)
TRIREME — insert a word meaning anger into an anagram (at sea) of TERM

13a   Smell nothing grim (5)
ODOUR — the letter that resembles a zero and a word meaning grim or sullen

14a   Film: ‘Spellbound’? (9)
ENCHANTED — double definition in which the first is the title of a 2007 Disney production and the second is deceptively capitalized to suggest Hitchcock’s 1945 opus

16a   Lodger, perhaps unattached, meets mother with child (9)
FREEMASON — in this charade, we find a word meaning unattached or able to do as one pleases and an informal term for one’s mother together with her male offspring

19a   Colour of line round centre of Earth (5)
OCHRE — a line in front of a dart board envelopes the centre letter of Earth

21a   Warship seen from coast, heading for Rosyth (7)
CRUISER — a synonym for coast as a verb followed by the head letter of Rosyth

23a   Wiped out text, start to finish, describing elected Conservative (7)
EXTINCT — begin by moving the initial letter of TEXT to the end; then wrap the result around a word denoting having been elected and the single letter for Conservative

24a   Learn a new skill on set (7)
RETRAIN — a short word signifying on (the subject of) followed by a set of wheels acting on each other, for transmitting motion (according to Chambers) or a set some children may find under the Christmas tree (according to me)

25a   Godparent playing spoons right at the back (7)
SPONSOR — an anagram (playing) of SPOONS preceding the single letter for right

26a   Railway in splendid cowboy film (5,7)
GREAT WESTERN — a colloquial term meaning splendid or excellent and another term for cowboy film alluding to the geographical locale where the action typically takes place

Down

1d   Rings circling the lines in play (7)
OTHELLO — two instances of a letter that resembles a ring bookend THE from the clue and the plural abbreviation for lines found in textual references (or two instances of the singular of that abbreviation)

2d   Caretaker of a joint in resort overlooking river (7)
JANITOR — an anagram (in resort, think re-sort) of A JOINT preceding (overlooking, in a down clue) the map abbreviation for river

3d   Dull, sitcom involving the French head of state (9)
CHEERLESS — an 80s sitcom set in a Boston bar imbibes a French word for ‘the’ and the head letter of state

4d   Large old vessel, a muted green (5)
LOVAT — the clothing abbreviation for large, the single letter for old and a vessel that holds liquids rather than floating in them

5d   Spot occupied by male, adult showing endurance (7)
STAMINA — a spot or discolouration encapsulates the abbreviation for male and the result is followed by the letter denoting an adult film rating

6d   Work with Universal, fast becoming rich (7)
OPULENT — concatenate an abbreviated musical work, the letter denoting a Unversal film rating, and the fast that precedes Easter

7d   Naval man? Fit type force employed (5,7)
PETTY OFFICER — an anagram (employed) of the preceding three words

10d   Runs inside to take care of dogs, leaders of the pack? (12)
TRENDSETTERS — put the cricket abbreviation for runs inside a word meaning to take care of and follow this with dogs that one might suppose are favoured by compilers of crossword puzzles

15d   Agreement to include wayward son in survey (9)
CONSENSUS — an anagram (wayward) of SON contained in an official count of a population

17d   What map line may show, a route winding across Quebec (7)
EQUATOR — an anagram (winding) of A ROUTE wrapping one of the several abbreviations for Québec (although not one with which I am familiar Que., Qc, QC, PQ (Province de Québec)) the letter represented by Quebec in the NATO alphabet

18d   A disfigurement hidden by the old lady’s cosmetic (7)
MASCARA — position the A from the clue and a disfigurement resulting from a wound inside the mother from 16a

19d   Arrive after published result (7)
OUTCOME — a verb meaning to arrive follows an adjective denoting published or made public

20d   Personally involved with worker — occasionally swoon! (5-2)
HANDS ON — a worker (on a farm perhaps) and an alternating sequence of letters from SWOON

22d   Frenchman and wife make a fresh start (5)
RENEW — link together a French male name (M. Artois peut-être) and the genealogical abbreviation for wife

I’m not even going to attempt to pick a favourite – there are just too many deserving contenders.


Quickie Pun (Top Row): FOR + BUY + FORE = FOUR BY FOUR

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : MISS + TEA + PHI = MISTIFY


58 comments on “DT 30144

  1. Another in a long line of typically enjoyable and very accessible puzzles from our regular Monday setter. It was great to see the return of crosswordland’s favourite vessel at 12a after a long absence at sea. Tough to pick a winner but I did enjoy 16a.

    My thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  2. Unfortunately, I needed help with 4d so not an unaided finish, which is a shame because it was a terrific puzzle. I cannot parse 22a assuming I have it correct but I can’t see it being anything else. 12a reminded me of quinqueremes of Nineveh from distant Ophir. I have no real favourite today, just an enjoyable solve.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the fun. Thank you, Falcon for the hints.

    Sunny at the moment in The Marches but with ominous looking black clouds all around.

    With regard to The Tornados and Telstar, I watched a film about Jo Meek the other day. It was really quite depressing. What a waste of talent.

  3. I have been ordered to stop working so hard in the garden now that Autumn is well and truly here. So I will have a coffee after breakfast and sit with the crossword which will only be finished on Mondays by the time I get out in the garden where I will have to work twice as hard to get it ready for its winter sleep.

    So it’s Monday and Campbell making things more difficult but not too difficult. Only my ignorance about sitcoms, awful programmes, held me up this morning in what was a fine puzzle. I liked 1, 9, 16, and 26 across, and 10d.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

      1. Frasier was arguably better. Can’t think of another spin off sitcom that you could say that about

        1. Yes, much arguably better! The last sitcom I have watched faithfully week after week. But since it ended, weeknights now in rerun mode over here, and just as good as ever!

          1. I agree – if Cheers is good, Frasier is brilliant in my opinion. Luckily it is on almost permanent rerun on Channel 4 here in the UK – I never get bored of it.

            1. Indeed. Frasier is brilliant! Extremely well-written with plenty of hilarious comedy/farce. But there are also some sequences of really poignant drama, which those great actors can deliver expertly too. I watch it every morning on Channel 4, even though I’ve seen them all several times before.

          2. I do worry that the planned reboot may spoil my fondness for Frasier, especially as rumours suggest that Niles, Daphne, Roz and others will probably only get guest spots.

  4. Thoroughly enjoyable offering today, just right for a Monday. No hold ups at all once I’d got the correct sort of galley identified. The four longer answers helped to get a good foothold. What’s not to enjoy? Especially liked 1a, 9a, 7d and 15d. My favourite was 10d. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  5. Pretty straightforward today with a couple of lesser known words here and there. A big thank you to the Turner clothing company catalogue for the answer to 4d, they’re mad for flogging trousers in this colour and the word has just stuck in my memory! Liked 16a the best today.

  6. 23a my pick in a nice gentle kick off to the new week. 4d did require confirmation though. Yet to get round to the NTSPP & Sunday’s Toughie so I guess a double helping of proXimal will present a sterner challenge.
    Thanks to Campbell & Falcon.

  7. 19a…so now we have darts added to our list of sports! We had “oche” very recently when I was pleased to remember it.
    11a is a blast from the past and my COTD

  8. Light and enjoyable, I don’t think I’ve done many puzzles quicker than this though a couple of easily obtainable new words in the NE.
    I quite liked 16,23&26a with favourite being 10d.
    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon (my interpretation of set/train in 24a was in the sense of a sequence as rather than a locomotive?)

  9. Another vote here for 16a as pick of the bunch with a nod to 11a for the memories.

    Thanks to Campbell for the Monday fun and to Falcon for the review.

  10. Back to front.
    Word in then parsing.
    With most of these neat clues.
    16a made me smile as did 9a.
    In summary, */****
    My COTD. 18d, worth a revisit.
    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  11. Gentle but excellent and thoroughly enjoyable. 4d was new to me but what else could it be? Glittering surfaces throughout, and a very distinguished podium today, with 23a, 16a, & 15d leading the pack. Thanks to Falcon for the review and Campbell for another delightful Monday. **/****

  12. I really enjoyed this puzzle. I vaguely remember 12a from an episode of Morse many tears ago. 23a and 14a made me smile.

    1. Yes! The fellow crossword loving Endeavour Morse and his creator Colin Dexter were responsible for helping me remember 12a too.

  13. 2*/4*. Perfect for the Monday back-page slot!

    I thought we might be heading for a pangram but it finished two letters short of a full set.

    23a was my favourite of many contenders.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  14. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: 1.5*/4*

    Candidates for favourite – 1a, 19a, 26a, 6d, and 20d – and the winner is 26a.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  15. Good start to the cryptic week. The Monday offering is always fun to solve. Top of my pops is 16A , followed by 1A and 23A. Thanks Campbell and Falcon.

  16. Fun whilst it lasted. In my commuting years I always considered 28a to be a violation of the Trade Descriptions Act but we finally now have the Elizabeth Line to moan about instead.

    Thanks to Falcon and Campbell.

  17. A real struggle to get going but then began to fall into place. I think that I have a pretty good vocabulary but the green colour in 4 down and the dart board line in 19 across were new to us.

  18. As has already been said an accessible little number for Campbell’s Monday offering and as unusually I happened to know the slightly less usual words this one was a */*** for me. I recall 25 years ago acting for the owner of Drake’s Island in Plymouth Sound in connection with a possible base for a 12a but it came to nought. My favourite today was 16a although 9a was a close second. Thanks Falcon & C.

  19. Great puzzle today – no hints needed for a change! I remember 12a from playing Civilisation on the PC as a lad in the early 1990s.

      1. CS. Thought of you yesterday. There was, near Dartmoor, a pillar box surmounted with knitted red poppies.

  20. A most enjoyable romp of a puzzle withsome subtle but effective misdirection. 1 liked 3d (which I got, although I ‘ve nver watched the sitcom) and 4d (I had a Saturday job as a schoolgirl where I used tosell ties and socks in that shade of green). 10d was another good clue but 26a was nyy COTD. Many thanks to Falcon for the hints and to Campbell for another excellent puzzle.

  21. A nice confidence booster to start the week, last in was 12a, can’t say I’ve heard of it before but a check of the hint’s confirmed I was correct. Thanks to all.

  22. Re hint from Falcon on 17d … in this instance Quebec is the 17th letter of the NATO phonetic alphabet rather than an abbreviation for the would be breakaway Canadian Province.

      1. The insertion of a “+” in your alias caused you to be identified as a new poster. So welcome under your ‘new’ identity.

  23. Zoomed through this this morning just leaving three unanswered in NE. Polished them off on my return. 4d 9a and 12dz. I had one earlier mishap when I confidently entered bewitched for 14a. Soon changed it when I came to the downs. Favourites 9 16 and 25a and 1 and 6d. I’d must be an old chestnut but it is wonderfully simple and concise. Simpler to solve than many but I suspect trickier to set. Thank you Campbell and Falcon.

  24. Campbell at his Monday best 😃 **/**** Favourites: 16a, 26a, 6d,10d & 15d 🤗 A very nice start to the week to brighten another foggy day here in the East. Thanks to Falcon and to Campbell

  25. New tactics for dealing with Campbell Monday crosswords seeming to be working – no problems today!
    The long answers all round the outside were a definite help to get going apart from 10a which took a while.
    21a held me up but I can’t see why now.
    I’m not good at films and TV programmes but that didn’t appear to be a problem.
    I liked 14 and 19a and 4 and 18d. My favourite was 16a.
    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcom.

  26. A pleasant and interesting puzzle only a little marred by 24a which I thought a very poor clue.
    I loved 26a, it works on many levels. Thx for the hints for explaining 19a and 26a.
    **/***

  27. Found this Campbell puzzle ok to start then got held up by the top half, which included the two words (12a & 4d) that were unknown to me.
    2.5*/4* today

    Favourites include 9a, 11a, 23a, 26a & 10d with winner 26a
    Love the picture of the train with clue 9a …

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  28. Neat clueing from Campbell as always, but came unstuck with 14a when assuming the film was ‘ Bewitched’. Never mind, great fun, thanks Falcon for the hints

    1. My first thought was Bewitched too. Only corrected it when the surrounding answers did not fit.

  29. A sufficiently challenging and fun puzzle to brighten up a dull day in the Peaks. Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon – great to hear 11a again.

  30. I was embarrassingly slow in getting 26a, especially considering that I was doing the crossword on a London Paddington to Swansea service!

  31. Was really hoping for a pangram but unfortunately the last letter was missing. Found it in last Monday’s Campbell which I solved after this one. Coined it a double crossword pangram.
    Didn’t know the movie in 14a but the synonym was quite clear.
    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  32. To my eternal shame I needed the hint to parse 19a 😳 and parsed 24a the same as Falcon. Apart from that I whizzed through this enjoying it all the way through. Favourite was 19a once it was pointed out what should have been blindingly obvious to me. Thanks to Campbell and and Falcon

  33. I also thought/hoped it was a pangram – it seems a while since we had one…..otherwise, a rapid solve – I must finally be getting on Campbell’s wavelength….

  34. I grew up in the West Country and my grandfather drove steam locomotives on the GWR (God’s Wonderful Railway). So 26a has to be my favourite.

  35. Nice puzzle, just difficult enough for my braincells. I knew the green I think it is in one of the Bee family tartans, remembered the boat, like Henry, thanks to Morse.
    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  36. Sniffed around this puzzle early on then a canter through late in the day aided by a large glass of the full the blushful hippocrene. Very enjoyable and good confidence booster so ta very muchly to all.

  37. That restored my confidence after a poor showing yesterday and I enjoyed the challenge which for me was most testing in the West. My Fav was 16a. Thank you Campbell and Falcon.

  38. 3*/4*….
    liked 18D “A disfigurement hidden by the old lady’s cosmetic (7)” … amongst others.

Comments are closed.