DT 30235 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30235

by Twmbarlwm  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30235
Hints and tips by Twmbarlwm

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **/***   –  Enjoyment ****

Good morning. An entertaining puzzle with a decent variety of devices and a nicely-judged mixture of difficulty, with some clever deceptions in some definitions. I found the bottom half of the puzzle trickier than the top, but there were no great hold-ups in the end.

Many thanks to the setter.
In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual.
Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle and which aspects you liked etc.

Across
1a Backlash concerning section of the orchestra (12)
REPERCUSSION: The common Latin two-letter term for concerning, or regarding, plus the section of the orchestra that some musicians call ‘the kitchen’

9a Simon said strange acknowledgement (9)
ADMISSION: An anagram (strange) of SIMON SAID that recalls the children’s game

10a Prime Minister on the radio? Blast! (5)
BLARE: A homophone (on the radio) of someone who was elected PM last century

11a Northern Ireland flipping certain to get guarantee (6)
INSURE: The initials of a part of the UK are reversed (flipping) ahead of a synonym of certain

12a Make miserable, good-looking person cut hair (8)
DISTRESS: A four-letter word for an attractive person without its last letter (cut) is followed by a word for some hair, often when it’s long and flowing

13a My boss improved it originally? Only partly (6)
EDITOR: The solution lies hidden in the clue (only partly)

15a Scared small birds (8)
CHICKENS: A synonym of scared, or a kind of coward, plus the common letter for small

18a Relaxed at home with kind American student (8)
INFORMAL: A two-letter word for at home, or present, precedes a synonym of kind, or type, and letters that stand for American and student respectively

19a What leisurely walker did — risked going topless (6)
AMBLED: Another term for risked, especially with money at stake, is missing its first letter (going topless)

21a Wind up judge (8)
CONCLUDE: A double definition, one of which is to finish

23a Soft drink, please — just half (6)
SUPPLE: A synonym of drink as a verb, plus a word from the clue reduced by 50% (just half)

26a Spots 1,000 boats (5)
MARKS: A Roman numeral plus a synonym for a kind of boat in the plural, one of which featured in a bible story

27a Doctor has spoilt his places of work (9)
HOSPITALS: An anagram (doctor) of HAS SPOILT

28a First of cigars and old male appeals for matches (12)
COMPETITIONS: An initial letter as indicated, the single letters for old and for male, then a word meaning appeals, or lists of signatures

Down

1d Material that is wrapped around small twig (7)
REALISE: A synonym of material, or actual, is followed by the two-letter abbreviation for ‘that is’ containing (wrapped around) the usual letter for small. This clue was my favourite

2d Persistently questions upper-class politicians under pressure (5)
PUMPS: The letter for upper-class and the initialism for members of parliament go ‘under’ the letter that stands for pressure

3d Turbulent river rose creating large body of water (9)
RESERVOIR: An anagram (turbulent) of RIVER ROSE

4d University can upset single person (4)
UNIT: The letter for university plus a word for can as a container reversed (upset)

5d Dawn reveals this insult about United Nations (8)
SUNLIGHT: A synonym of insult, or snub, containing (about) a two-letter initialism

6d Sphere of action in government I brought up (5)
ORBIT: The solution is hidden in the clue in reverse (up)

7d See you scoff very much (8)
FAREWELL: A word for scoff as a noun rather than a verb, plus something that means very much, or considerably

8d Acts to secure son’s meals (6)
FEASTS: A synonym of acts, or accomplishments, contains (to secure) the letter for son

14d Group of soldiers finding young child on railway (8)
INFANTRY: A word for a child of primary school age precedes a two-letter abbreviation of railway

16d Red tonic mum’s drunk (9)
COMMUNIST: An anagram (drunk) of TONIC MUM’S

17d Need solid vessel (8)
HARDSHIP: A synonym of solid, or firm, plus a general term for a sea-going vessel

18d One new scoop oddly dropped this writer’s earnings (6)
INCOME: The respective letters for one and new are followed by the alternate even letters (oddly dropped) of one word in the clue, then a personal pronoun for ‘this writer’

20d Bandages doctor, with ease, seems to get cut evenly (7)
DRESSES: An abbreviation of doctor plus the alternate odd letters (cut evenly) of two words in the clue

22d Cowboy may hold this girl with nothing on? On the contrary (5)
LASSO: A word for a young woman has underneath it – rather than ‘on’ it (on the contrary) – a single-letter representation of nothing or zero

24d Joanna‘s leg enthralling a head of orthopaedics (5)
PIANO: An informal synonym for leg, as in the limb, containing (enthralling) ‘a’ from the clue, precedes a first letter (head of) as shown. (The definition is Cockney rhyming slang)

25d Keeps staring, to an extent — this might attract attention (4)
PSST: The puzzle’s third hidden solution (to an extent)

My particular favourites were 13a, 21a, 27a, 1d, 3d, 7d and 24d . What were yours?

Today’s Quick Crossword pun: CHI + SAN + WITCH = CHEESE SANDWICH

69 comments on “DT 30235”

  1. 1a went straight in today and the rest was over in double quick time. I found the bottom half a little more taxing than the top but it was all very enjoyable. My overall favourite was 1d and I also liked 1a, 21a, 7d and 17d. Thanks to our setter and Twmbarlwm, whose help I didn’t need today.

  2. I found it a little bit more thinky than yesterday’s, to be honest. Some good clues though…25d took me ages and 10a & 24d are strokes of genius! I’m like, who on Earth is Joanna and what’s so important about her leg?? :)

  3. Thoroughly entertaining but over a little too quickly, with nothing particularly obtuse or challenging.
    That said, there were some nice constructions with 1a and 24d taking the honours this morning.

    Thanks to our setter and Mr T.

  4. Another one that seemed straightforward to me. Had to decide if 10a was the PM or the soundalike, so that was last area to be finished. In answer to the above Aunt Joanna is piano in cockney rhyming slang.

  5. I found the S something of a write-in, but was held up into 2* time by a few clues in the NE, which took as long as the rest combined: to me these contained some very clever deception and I found it difficult not to read the clues without that deception! I rather suspect it’s been quite a few decades since a good-looking person was so described (12a), but otherwise some super clues, great surfaces (especially 24d) and plenty to smile about.

    Hon mentions to 10a, 13a, 14d and COTD for me 19a.

    2 / 3

    Many thanks to the setter and to Twmbarlwm

  6. Good Tuesday fun but, based on the grid, nothing less would be expected from Mr Plumb – **/****.

    Candidates for favourite – 1a, 1d, 8d, and 17d – and the winner is 1a.

    Thanks to Anthony Plumb and Twmbarlwm.

  7. I zipped through this so I’m on something of a roll (it won’t last). This despite a family member accidentally ringing me after I had just entered my first answer. It gave me the heebie-jeebies for a few seconds as a telephone call from this family member at 9:30am would be most unusual. Phew.

    Now the excitement mounts as we await the supermarket delivery (which, incidentally, seems to cost about 50% more for the same items, compared to a year ago).

    Thanks to the setter and The Twmp.

      1. Amazingly, all of our items were delivered with nothing missing and no substitutions. Our supermarket seems to hold secret supplies!

        1. I got everyrhing I needed in yesterday’s deliverycplu a bonus pack of green tea, which I’m sure I didn’t order!

            1. I love green tea! It makes a good root canal irrigant!

              As for the shortage of vegetables, our local village shop has plenty and is not bothered by the so called shortage.

  8. Pleased to complete this one on my own whilst on another trip around the circular car park (aka M25j
    The south was for me much easier than the north. I needed the hints to fully understand how to parse 7d, thank you Twmbarlwm.
    A very enjoyable and fun puzzle, thank you to the setter.

  9. Pleasant, steady solve.
    Time, though, increased by taking too long over last in, 7d.
    Memo to self: Remember ‘see you’ is an old favourite.
    Smiles, 1 and 10a and 17d.
    Last my COTD.
    Many thanks to the setter and to Twmbarlwm.

  10. Gentle, pleasant, and mostly straightforward–in short, a perfect Tuesday Cryptic, with 1d my favourite, and happy ticks to 24d, 17d, & 7d. Thanks to Twm and today’s setter. **/***

    Chalicea’s excellent Toughie today is quite accessible, with one clue that really floated my boat.

    I’d like to mention a recent work of historical fiction that is very dear to me–Shelley Burchfield’s The Earth Remains. Set in South Carolina before and during the Civil War (and even afterwards), it is a moving, often painful, and altogether revelational saga about slavery and slaveowners. I wept in a number of places while reading it and rejoiced afterwards because I had read it.

      1. Sorry I’m so late replying! Well…close but no cigar! It was 13d that lifted my spirits (which were already high, thanks to 16a and 14a) when I twigged the ‘the’. Keep your bobs, Mr Hunt; you were in the ballpark.

  11. For me a wee bit trickier than the last 3 days edging the solve just into ** time. I did make a complete Horlicks of parsing 5d as I initially thought about in the wordplay an anagram indicator & couldn’t figure out what GH had to do with the UN. Perfectly pleasant though maybe lacking the fun element of the last few days.
    Thanks to the setter & T

  12. 1.5*/4*. A light and pleasant puzzle using the Plumb grid to continue the week. My top two clues were 1a & 1d.

    Many thanks to Anthony Plumb and to Mr T.

  13. A nice solve, pleasantly unproblematic, with 1 across and 24 down taking the honours for me.

    Thanks Mr Ron and Twm.

  14. A splendid crossword that is easing us nicely into the white-knuckle rides at the end of the week.

    24d is brilliantly clued.

    1d with a z, as opposed to an s, is the first entry in the OED with the s version being a variant.

    Billy the Conk and his Gallic chums said ‘Non’ to the letter z, replacing it with an s, at any given opportunity as they prefer the soft pronunciation of the latter.

    To not quote Michael Caine (he never said it)…..”Not a lot of people know that.”

    1*/4*

    1. You are partly correct. I believe Peter Sellers first said it when he was taking off Caine on Michael Parkinson’s show. Several years later, Caine did say it in Educating Rita as an in house joke. But Caine did not say it first, and never claims that he did.

      1. I only found out recently and would have (not ‘would of’…..grrr…) bet my bottom dollar that he had.

  15. 1a & 1d paved the way for an enjoyable solve and both finished up on my podium along with 21a & 14d.
    No problems to report and the same goes for Chalicea’s Toughie.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb (?) and to Twmbarlwm for the review.

  16. Early start on the cryptic today for me and an early finish – in fact this was one of my quickest ever- wave and length coming together fortuitously. */****
    1a and 27a floated my boat along with 13a – have to enjoy a decent lurker
    Thanks to Mr P (if it is he) and to our Tuesday almost vowel-less hinter

  17. A pleasant Tuesdayish puzzle – thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.
    I had to wait for the last checker before writing in 10a which could have worked either way.
    I liked the very topical 11a but my medals go to 12a, 15a and 7d.

    1. Sorry, Gazza but I am going to take issue with you (tongue firmly in cheek of course!)

      It is Tuesday so it cannot be a “Tuesdayish” puzzle. It would be if it appeared on a Wednesday.

      I’ll get my coat…..

  18. I set of at a rapid pace only to come to a grinding halt about two thirds through. The remainder took a lot of head scratching before it succumbed but I did need Twmbarlwm’s help with a couple. I was lulled into a false sense of security by getting 1a immediately but it was a while before another fell. I wonder if anyone else tried to get the answer to 5d from an anagram of insult and UN? I also spent ages try to get 15a to start with an “S”.My COTD is 24d because I got the answer early but the parsing eluded me.

    My grateful thanks to the setter for the great misdirections. Thank you, Twmbarlwm for your very helpful hints.

    Perks has been out but the world is a very scary place. He crawls along on his tummy before deciding to dash back into safety. The moment he is in, he meows to go out again. :smile:

  19. Great fun, very enjoyable, just my level. Mind you 24d held me up for a while but when the penny dropped it was delightful.
    Thx to all
    **/****

    1. Forgot to say that I wonder how the setter knew Joanna’s leg(s) enthralled me for two of my teenage years without any orthopaedics necessary. My first love (puppy I think they call it) but not my last. That has lasted 55 years and still counting.

  21. The 2nd straightforward puzzle of the week, which had lots to recommended it.

    Fav 24d LOI 13a

    Thanks to setter and Twmbarlwm

  22. A very nice entertaining puzzle, I really enjoy this setter’s work.
    I thought 23a was excellent and it’s joined on the podium by the (coincidentally?) topical 11a (though we seem to have seem a flipping lot of the flipping device recently) and 1d.
    Thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.

  23. Found this Tuesday puzzle very accessible this week with some great clueing. Overall a fun solve and enjoyable.

    1.5*/4.5* for me.

    Favourites include 10a, 23a,26a, 1d, 7d & 25d with winner toss up between 23a & 1d … both very clever clues I thought.

    The whole puzzle was good, I thought, with my final area finished being the NE

    Thanks to setter and Twmbarlwm

  24. It is always nice when 1a goes in straight away, but there were several clues one had to mull over so it was not a complete read and write, which is just as it should be. Some nice lurkers and a rekrul but favourite was 24a with 12&19a and 3,7,16&20d close behind. 3d was an excellent anagram, almost a synonym of the word you are looking for – like Dirty room for dormitory. Just had lunch with a glass of red wine which was Cold. An opened bottle is anathema for George, it should be full or empty. I complained that it was cold and he said well, it was sitting in the kitchen. Exactly. When will he acknowledge the heating needs to be on all day. The house rings with cries of “you CAN’T be cold”. Well the Malbec was and I am. Many thanks to the setter and Mr Twm from Disgruntled of South Cambs.
    Incidentally, that reminds me – so sorry to hear of Betty Boothroyd’s death. A great character, lived only about 4 miles from us and was very friendly with my mother in her later years. RIP.

    1. Years ago the company I worked for sponsored Peter and the Wolf at Cambridge Corn Exchange and Betty B was the narrator. My MD came up to me before the concert and shook my hand and said ‘you have now shaken hands with a hand that has shaken hands with the Great Betty Boothroyd’! She was an excellent narrator. Good puzzle today with no hold-ups. Thanks to all. Who said the Toughie was accessible – I’ve only managed two thirds so far.

      1. Sorry, Manders, I really thought it was quite straightforward, hence why I mentioned it. I wasn’t trying to lure the unsuspecting – honestly!

    2. I agree with George, DG. Our friends would often have wine with their dinner. The husband would say to his wife “That’s a lovely wine, Dear! Shall we put the cork in the bottle and have some tomorrow?”

      I used to think that would never happen in the Cowling household. 🥂

      PS I agree with your sentiments regarding Betty – a wonderful lady.

  25. This all went in lickety-split for me (a personal best actually) with my only hold up being 25d. Second day in a row I’ve missed lurkers! Generally I found the wordplay very friendly today. I’m going to concur with previous picks – 10a was a great homophone and 23a was original with a smooth surface – my COTD */***

    Thanks to the mystery setter and MrT

  26. Lurkers and anagrams oiled this */*** puzzle for me. Slight pause for the last one in my COTD the lurker in 25d which was nicely hidden. Slightly damp in the Peak but had a good big trot over the remote Howden Moor today. Thanks to Twmbarlwm and our setter.

  27. Really enjoyed today’s puzzle getting off to a good start with 1a and 1d. Many clues flowed but I spent some time trying to make a shade of red from the anagram at 16d. It was a doh moment when the penny dropped! Last two in were 7 and 8d spent some time trying to make an anagram with the latter. LOI 7d and one of my favourite clues along with 1a. Many thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm.

  28. A pleasant puzzle, but not quite as much fun as yesterday. But that is down to my abilities. Thought I was off and running in the top half, but slowed in the lower half. I tried for ages to make an anagram out of doctor has, rather than has spoilt, in 27a, duh. COTD 1a. Overall, very much enjoyed.

  29. Late on parade today due to an appointment for a thyroid biopsy at the Churchill hospital in Oxford, this morning, chauffeured by my son. This was very straightforward until it wasn’t. The NE corner held me up a bit. I liked 28a, 1a, 5d an some fine lurkers (6d, 13a). Thanks to the compiler and to Twmbarlwm for the hints.

    1. I hope you are saying the puzzle was straightforward until it wasn’t, Merusa. Not the thyroid biopsy!

      I hope all went well. 😘

  30. A good ** challenge today with some smooth and concise clues eg 21a but does 27a need “his” ? Thank you setter and Twmbarlwm

  31. I fairly whizzed through the north but took more than double the time in the south. I had a total of three wrong answers so this officially counts as a DNF! Natch, I put the PM’s name in 10a so 8d was a bung in that had nothing to do with the clue. I also had a wrong ‘un at 23a, couldn’t think what it was. There was lots to like but runaway fave was 24d, I don’t think I’ll ever forget that cockney slang.
    Thank you setter for the fun and Toombarloom for sorting out my wrong answers.

  32. I was completely fooled by 25d. I thought that it was a lurker, but kept reading out the letters individually, and thought “well that doesn’t make anything.” It took a while for the Penny to drop. 24d was my favourite. Thank you setter and Tm.

  33. 2/4. Very enjoyable and well clued. My favourite was 25d when the penny dropped. Thanks to the setter and Mr T.

  34. Decent enough puzzle.

    One demerit point from me for the appearance of “editor”. Not sure why setters are so continually obsessed with this. Surely Chris Lancaster isn’t that prone to flattery :) ?

  35. Had to wait until I got home before finishing, I don’t know why but had trouble with the sons suppers.
    Loved the Joanna clue and dithered over the prime minister or his homophone. Thanks to Twm and Ploom. I will have a go at the Chalicea now

  36. A fun run with, unusually these days, only single word solutions. Enjoyed it all and, for once, have no critical remarks to make. Fav definitely the amusing 24d. Thank you Mysteron for a great puzzle and MrT whose help I managed without today.

  37. Enjoyable and just right for a Tuesday, an excellent mix of clues, NE last in. Hard to pick a favourite though but I’ll go with 20d. Thanks to the setter and T.

  38. Just what I’m looking for in a light early-in-the-week puzzle. Thank you to the setter, and to Twmbarlwm for explaining the couple where I hadn’t understood what I’d done.

    Incidentally, if commentors above are right about the setter, then they get a mention in today’s Cross Atlantic (presumably co-incidentally, since its theme is something else).

  39. Finished this fine puzzle unaided falling into most of the already mentioned traps along the way. NE was last to fall. Thanks to the setter and Twmbarlwm

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