DT 30185 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30185 (Hints)

by crypticsue  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30185 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

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A dark, damp and unseasonably warm New Year’s Eve brings another Saturday Prize Puzzle with an opportunity to play ‘guess the setter’.

I found this one of those crosswords where you solve one corner at a time, the one in the SW taking the longest, although looking at it now, I am not entirely sure why. If I haven’t hinted the clue you are stuck on, see if it might be an anagram or a lurker

As this is my last blog post of 2022, can I take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year

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    Priest with proclamation to foretell (7)
An abbreviation for priest and a proclamation

12a    Lowly servant (6)
Relating to work of a lowly nature or a servant performing such work

13a    Clothing in which one does not puff so much! (10)
A cryptic definition of some articles of clothing

16a    Ground rent originally under here (9)
The point on the earth’s surface directly over the origin of something that makes the ground ‘rent’

22a    Sharp played by mistake? (10)
A musical term for a note not in the key signature, eg a sharp; or an adjective meaning happening by mistake

25a    Criminal from Germany full of dread (8)
The abbreviation for Germany into which is inserted (full of) dread or anxiety

29a    Leaves chaps in shot (7)
An anagram (shot) of CHAPS IN

Down

2d    Radio he’s retuned in old country (8)
An anagram (retuned) of RADIO HES

6d    Be quiet gently going round edge in bright pink (6)
An instruction to be quiet and a musical abbreviation meaning gently go ’round’ an edge

7d    I, during bungee jumping, dance (7)
I (from the clue) inserted into an anagram (jumping) of BUNGEE produces a dance of French-West Indian origin

14d    Rickety vehicle, shake catch (10)
Synonyms of shake and catch

19d    Rider maybe looking very tired (7)
The surname of an author of adventure fiction romances set in exotic locations (Rider being his middle name) or an adjective meaning looking very tired

26d    Sharp instrument piercing the peel (4)
Piercing or going inside the last two words of the clue

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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: ODDER + SEIZE = ODYSSEYS

44 comments on “DT 30185 (Hints)”

  1. The fact that I too solved in quadrants and in roughly how you would write an X (NW,SE,NE,SW) might suggest the X man himself (not Professor Xavier)
    A tad harder than some Saturdays but all the better for it. 16a pleased the most when the penny dropped with an “earth shattering” bang!
    Thanks to Sue and setter. I shall be raising a glass to all here After I get to grips with the toughie tonight.

  2. Same for me. A slow but rewarding solve with the SW corner last in but in retrospect not sure why and 16a as favourite! Here in Norwood (near Boston) it has been v cold but we were sitting out on the deck yesterday afternoon….

  3. 2*/3*. This proved to be a light and pleasant finish to the cryptic year with no particular favourite.

    Is “like” necessary in 11d?

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS.

  4. CS. Like you, the SW corner held out the longest and I wonder why.
    A few answers I felt were rather dated. 14d is a case in point but it is a lovely word never the less so I’ll have it as my COTD.
    Is there any news on Big Dave? I’ve seen several queries over the last few days but no response. We are naturally concerned.
    Thank you for your contributions over the past year. Here’s hoping for a better 2023!

    1. I’ve been asking after BD for a couple of weeks now, I can only surmise that he’s doing no better. He went home so I’m hoping he’s still at home.

  5. I thought this needed a bit more thought than usual for a Saturday puzzle, and enjoyed the challenge more as a result. 16a was my final entry and favourite.

    Thanks to our setter and to CS. And a Happy and healthy New Year to everyone.

  6. Much fun here. My first pass was patchy, but went well with a second go. Again, 16a was my LOI, COTD and PDM. 13, 22a and 6d join it on the podium if it’s big enough.
    Thanks setter and CS.

  7. Funnily enough the SE corner held out the longest although 16a was my last in too. Thanks to all and Happy New Year everyone.

  8. Not a pangram. No double unches. So, not Cephas? While X-type has made the occasional SPP appearance, when he ‘claimed’ DT 30175 on the 20th of this month he finished off his comment with ‘See you in the New Year.’ So not him? So, whodunnit? I have no idea. But a very enjoyable end to the back paging year – **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 9a, 25a, 8d, and 19d – and the winner is 9a.

    Thanks to the setter and thanks to CS especially for all your hard work throughout the year :rose:

  9. Like others, 16a was my last one in and my favourite. Also like others, it was the SW that took the longest to solve, with ticks going to 22a, 25a, 19d, and Cole Porter’s divine ‘Begin the 7d’. Very enjoyable SPP. Thanks and Happy New Year to CS and everyone here, today’s setter included of course. **/****

    1. I think anyone who remembers Cole Porter’s 7d is of a “certain age”, never hear of it these days.

    2. My favourite reference to 7d is in Noel Coward’s Nina from Argentina, who refused to begin the xxxxxxx when they besought her to … and in language profane and obscene she cursed the man who taught her to … she cursed Cole Porter too. Love it.
      I really struggled with this puzzle – it’s taken me all day on and off and there are still one or two unhinted ones I don’t fully understand. Many thanks to Cephas and to CS for her hints. Happy New Year everyone.

  10. Can I record my thanks to all who have provided the hints this year and which represent a significant effort and commitment by those writing them. The hints have evoked responses from me stretching from “How can I be so dim” to “you have to be joking”. All have added to the pleasure of the crosswords. Thanks and HNY to you all.

  11. A tad tougher than Saturdays have been of late and it took me quite a time to get into it. I only solved 4 or 5 on the first pass so I expected a defeat but I got there in the end. I had never heard of the vehicle in 14d but it was just a case of follow the instructions. For ages, I was convinced that a word for a group of males formed part of the answer to 29a until the obvious hit me. I liked 28a because it gradually dawned on me but my COTD is 13a.

    Many thanks to the setter – not even going to attempt a guess. Thank you, Crypticsue, for the hints and all your work and I hope you have a Happy New Year as well.

    Also, a Happy New Year to all who make this blog what it is – the moderators, setters, bloggers, commentators and those who lurk. All of you are greatly appreciated.

  12. This one stretched my limited solving ability to the limit but it was enjoyable to work through.

    After one of our Christmas guests spent most of the few days snuffling, sneezing, wheezing, and coughing, we three have now all succumbed to some degree or other. I hope all of us, near and far, have a healthy year to come.

    Thanks to the setter and PC Security (anag)

    1. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. I hope that it is just the ‘common cold’ and not something else.

    2. I do hope it’s not the “dreaded”, Terence and, as Senf says, just a cold. Get well soon.

  13. Wow that was tough! Not as bad as yesterday’s **** but it took 3 visits and lots of thought.
    Far too difficult to be considered enjoyable but satisfying to complete.
    No favs at all.
    *****/**

  16. I thought the final puzzle of the year fairly friendly for the most part but slowed a bit in the south, especially the SE. I hadn’t heard of 14d which seemed to cause the main hold-up. 6d and 13a were my favourites. ***/***

    TY to Cephas and to CS for hints, and a HNY to everyone involved 🥳

  17. Like. others, I found the SW. quite a challenge.
    Overcame it but pushed into 4*time.
    Memo to self, revise anagram indicators.
    Many thanks Cephas for the overall enjoyment and to CS.

  18. Solved alone and unaided but it took me a long while……enjoyable and satisfying, though.
    I was particularly slow figuring out 29a….doh!

    Thanks to Cephas and to crypticsue.

    Happy New Year, when it comes, to everyone and many thanks to all the people who run this site so smoothly.

  19. A nice puzzle for Saturday this week, I thought.
    2*/4* for me.

    Favourites include 11d, 16d, 3d, 14d & 19d — with winner14d

    7d & 26d were words I am not familiar with.

    Thanks to Cephas and CS
    Happy New Year to one and all!

  20. I see I wasn’t alone in finding the SW the toughest going. Some bung-ins – 19d as I didn’t know writer and I suppose “works” for 18d is OK and likewise 11d “reminder”? Am now humming Cole Porter’s 7d beginning. Overall a bit of a curate’s egg but doable with some effort. Thank you Cephas for your puzzles past and present and CS for all your efforts today and in so many ways in BD’s absence.

  21. We found this as straightforward as they come. Were we the only ones who thought 12a and 20d could be read as ‘straight’ clues? Though we parsed them as they were meant. Favourite was 14d. Thanks to Cephas and CS.

  22. Last in for me was 7d. Though familiar with various covers of the song I’m embarrassed to admit that if asked I wouldn’t have been entirely sure what it was they were beginning. Well I do now. 29a my fav in a very enjoyable puzzle to end the year.
    Thanks to Cephas, CS & all who have contributed to the blog during the year.

  23. This was much harder than previous Saturday puzzles especially in the SE corner which took much longer to get the last five clues in the SE as it did for the rest of the crossword.

    Thank you to Cephas for your crosswords through 2022, a happy new year to you and I look forward to the enjoyment? of your puzzles in 2023.

    CS you have guided us through another year so I hope your guidance will do the same through 2023 which I hope will be better than we can expect after this year. Happy new year to you.

  24. I really enjoyed today’s puzzle though 16a LOI kept me guessing for quite awhile. Many thanks to Cephas for all your puzzles through this last year and to CS for all your valuable help during 2022.

    Lots of Thanks for the work involved with this site to Big Dave and Better Health to you and your family for the New Year.

    Wishing everyone who has contributed to the blog during 2022 a very Happy and Healthy New Year.

  25. I found this very tricky, especially for a Saturday. I needed far too much ehelp, but I did get there in the end, pretty good for a tiny brain. My advanced age was a huge help, whoever uses 15a any more? 19d is more famous in crosswords for his novel, took me a while to get it. I think my fave is 7d, memories of dancing under the stars at the Casa Blanca.
    Many thanks to Cephas for our entertainment, and huge thanks for CrypticSue for all her sterling (can never remember if it’s Stirling or Sterling) work over the year. Here’s hoping for a happy and healthy 2023 for all of us.

  26. You’re right Merusa – it’s sterling as per the money system. Happy New Year when it arrives for you.🍾🌈.
    (Sorry should be a Reply to your post above).

  27. Late on parade mainly due to poor phone network in Burwash. A pleasant solve, had to walk up the road to get a signal and understand the parsing of 19d. Happy new year to all and thanks to our setter and CS.

  29. I’m struggling to get my head round 28a. Pretty sure I have answer but don’t know why! Any nudges welcome please

      1. Gazza’s reply refers to 28a in today’s Sunday prize puzzle!

        28a in this (Saturday) puzzle : The definition is ‘stormed’ and you require something that might crash into, for example, a gate, followed by a verb meaning called or summoned

        2. Aaaah. Many thanks. This twit was splitting the answer 4,4 which confused him a lot!

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