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DT 30343

by Gazza  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30343
Hints and tips by Gazza

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

Huntsman is off on a jaunt today so I’ve been temporarily promoted from the reserves to provide some hints.

Thanks to the setter for the puzzle. I found it very enjoyable but luckily I have a shortcut for the word ‘abbreviation’ in Microsoft Word because I did have to use it a lot in writing the hints.

Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle.

Across Clues

1a Anti-mosquito sprays, wrong price? (12)
MISQUOTATION: an anagram (sprays) of ANTI-MOSQUITO.

9a Not entirely routine opera (5)
NORMA: drop the final letter of an adjective meaning routine or usual to get an opera by Bellini.

10a Artist in boring book group, bit of a thinker (5,4)
BRAIN CELL: insert (boring) our usual abbreviated artist and IN (from the clue) between the abbreviation for book and a word meaning group (possibly of political activists).

11a Swallow sheltering is tense and agitated (10)
DISTRAUGHT: swallow here is not the bird but the act of drinking which contains IS (from the clue) and the abbreviation for tense in grammar.

12a Mysterious vessels circled around by Valparaiso funicular (4)
UFOS: hidden in reverse.

13a Intellectual English master inspiring good grades at first (7)
EGGHEAD: an abbreviation for English and a senior schoolmaster contain the abbreviation for good and the first letter of grades.

15a A new bridge, the end of lorry chaos? (7)
ANARCHY: assemble A (from the clue), the abbreviation for new, a synonym of bridge or vault and the end letter of lorry.

17a Old record of Hull account (7)
SHELLAC: start with another word for the falsely-capitalised hull or outer covering and add the abbreviation for a financial account.

19a Ancestor‘s majestic public address (7)
GRANDPA: an adjective meaning majestic and the abbreviation for public address.

21a Stylish establishment warrants reporting (4)
RITZ: this sounds like (reporting) warrants issued by a court.

22a One providing security, in the main (10)
COASTGUARD: cryptic definition with ‘in the main’ meaning ‘at sea’.

25a Restorative instilling energy before noon in first-year student (9)
FRESHENER: insert abbreviations for energy and noon into the word for a first-year student at university.

26a Was model wearing shiny fabric? (5)
SATIN: join together a verb meaning was a model (for a painter or photographer) and a preposition meaning wearing.

27a Spread wrist with cream around radius softly for this? (7,5)
WRITER’S CRAMP: an anagram (spread) of WRIST and CREAM contains the maths abbreviation for radius. Finish with the musical abbreviation for softly.

Down Clues

1d Frustrating experiences for some horses (5)
MARES: double definition, the first a slang word for frustrating or unpleasant experiences.

2d Where Steps are playing, writes a couple of lines (9)
STAIRWELL: an anagram (playing) of WRITES A followed by two occurrences of the abbreviation for line. Steps here is falsely capitalised.

3d In Paris, one spring, without any ties? (7)
UNBOUND: a French word for one and a spring or leap.

4d Tram cheap, but MP going for the tube (7)
TRACHEA: remove M and P from the first two words. Very neat!

5d Maybe Turner portrait in art exhibits (4)
TINA: hidden in the clue, indicated by ‘exhibits’.

6d Yawning in front of Met, looking innocent (4-5)
OPEN-FACED: charade of an adjective meaning yawning or gaping and a verb meaning met (another false capitalisation) or confronted.

7d Only daughter, say, brought up having kittens? (2,4)
ON EDGE: an adjective meaning only, the genealogical abbreviation for daughter and the reversal (brought up, in a down clue) of an abbreviation meaning ‘say’.

8d Evil influence? No doubt about it! (3,3)
I’LL SAY: a synonym of evil or unfavourable and a word meaning influence or clout.

14d Some stars are irritating on the radio show (5,4)
GREAT BEAR: ‘on the radio’ signals a homophone so we want a homophone of a verb meaning ‘are irritating’ or rub up the wrong way. Add a verb meaning show or carry.

16d A single drunk in support group finds relief from pain (9)
ANALGESIA: an anagram (drunk) of A SINGLE goes inside the abbreviation of a very relevant support group.

17d It’s ref breaking up fighting (6)
STRIFE: an anagram (breaking up) of IT’S REF.

18d Charlie and Wayne briefly getting first glimpse of reed warbler (7)
CROONER: the letter for which Charlie is used in the Nato Phonetic Alphabet followed by old footballer Wayne without his last letter (briefly) and the first letter of reed.

19d Occasionally grabs stark inch of stomach (7)
GASTRIC: odd letters from three words in the clue.

20d Hot actor, extremely hollow (6)
ARDENT: the extreme (i.e. outer) letters of actor followed by a hollow or dimple.

23d Pretend to be riding horse around (3,2)
ACT UP: a verb meaning ‘pretend to be’ and an adverb meaning riding or in the saddle.

24d Separated from wife, watch out for gossip (4)
CHAT: remove the genealogical abbreviation for wife from the word ‘watch’ and make an anagram (out) of what’s left.

I liked 10a, 15a, 8d and 23d with my favourite clue being 4d. Which one(s) hit the mark for you?

Quickie Pun: JAW + JELLY + HUT = GEORGE ELIOT

90 comments on “DT 30343”

  1. As they say here in N Ire, “there were some real melters in there”. 5d became Simply the Best as ‘Turner’ had me looking in so many wrong directions for ages should have remembered What You Get is what you See I suppose :scratch: . Others worthy of mention, 12a, 8d and 4d (“but MP !!” :roll: ). V good.

  2. I found this one much harder than most Tuesday offerings, and took a dog’s age even to get the first one in, but as is often the case, once a few were in and the dial slowly crept round the right wavelength (or frequency for us engineers that went to college in the 80s) they started to seemingly get easier. In the end it turned out to be a real cracker with plenty of variety. Two favourites for me were 4d and 27a.
    Many thanks to our setter today for this gem.

  3. A really good work out here! Got 1a right away and that was a springboard.
    Couldn’t believe the famous old fashioned record came out of what should have been it’s grave! Poor youngers! EP, LP but most don’t know cassette!
    Enjoyed it though!
    Thanks to setter.

    1. I thought it was something the ladies put on their nails! You learn something new everyday…..

        1. I would think those are the two most commonly known current uses. There seem to be other current uses including use in food as E number E904 (just as well the setter didn’t employ that). The Oxford Dictionary of English has it as a kind of varnish (and says that in N America it is also informally used as ‘trounce’), but crosswordland seems to use Chambers, which lists it as an old record whether or not made of the substance. I’ve never heard the word used in that way before, and I don’t imagine I ever will again other than in a crossword or maybe a quiz programme!

  4. Early start but not so early finish. I dotted around the top half and had that filled before the bottom had got going, I think it was the early onset of 27a sorting anagram fodder that allowed me to twig the bottom half. 4d my fave too, thanks to setter and Gazza.

  5. Struggled with this but
    Finished, apart from spell-checking
    16d, unaided.
    Did not like the first part of 8d
    Likewise Id. Never heard anyone
    Saying it.
    Very obscured lurker in 12a and
    sheer brilliance in 4 and 7d.
    So, 2.5*/3.5*
    Many thanks to setter and Gazza.

    1. 1d, in fairness I felt the same but then recalled hearing it in Only Fools and Horses several times

      1. Absolutely common usage at my university 30 odd years ago. He’s having a mare. Or if it was really bad, he’s having a Weston i.e. a super mare. Used to make me laugh anyway

  6. 2*/4*. This was great fun with 4d my favourite joined on the podium by 10a & 5d.

    Many thanks to the setter and to super-sub Gazza.

  7. Excellent puzzle; very entertaining and enjoyable. Thanks to setter whose clever 3D is just edged as my favourite by the brilliant 18D. **/**** for me

  8. Very enjoyable solve today with a little head scratching but no real hold-ups. I didn’t know that meaning of 17a, only associating it with nail varnish, but Mr Mhids confirmed my answer for me. He comes in useful only very occasionally ( where crosswords are concerned) You know I’m not an anagram person but for the second day running I am very impressed by the mind that sorted out the wonderful one at 1a. I also liked 2d and 4d. Favourite today was 10a which requred a little lateral thinking. My thanks to our setter and to Gazza for stepping in – loved the cartoons.

  9. The excellent lurker at 5d was my final entry; nicely disguised. There were so many really good clues it as hard to pick a winner, but I think 18d just takes it by a neck from 4d. This was a pleasingly tricky puzzle this morning, and hugely rewarding to complete, so thanks to our setter and supersub Gazza.

  10. Perhaps not quite at the standard our setter achieved last week but still very enjoyable. 1d made me grit my teeth a little but there were plenty of goodies elsewhere and I ticked 19,21&27a plus 4,5&8d.

    Thanks to our setter and to lovely Gazza for taking the reins review-wise and giving us another sample of his great cartoon selection.

    1. 1d I felt the same but then recalled it has appeared in Only Fools and Horses with that meaning.

  11. If it wasn’t for putting off rather boring and time consuming weeding I would not have finished this but given up and got on with other jobs. All doable with a lot of thinking and playing with possible words. In short a very hard but honest puzzle.
    Honourable mentions to 1& 27a for the anagram help with with mentions for 47 & 21a, and 18&19d.

    Thanks to Gaza for stepping in and to the setter. Now for a very tedious and lengthy weeding afternoon.

  12. Not Typically Tuesdayish, Mr Plumb, presumably, has really upped the ante this week but in a very enjoyable way.

    Candidates for favourite – 15a, 22a, and 26a – and the winner is 15a.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb(?) and Gazza.

  13. Initially I thought I’ll never manage this , apart from 1a.
    There were quite a few anagrams ,so that helped.
    I nominate 18d for COTD.
    Thanks to Gazza and Huntsman.

  14. 21a held me up as did the parsing of 6d. I’d say I was having a bad day but the toughie proved otherwise.

    4d gets my vote.

    Thanks to today’s setter and Gazza.

  15. I’ll go against the grain here, in saying that while it wasn’t a particularly challenging puzzle it was probably the least enjoyable one I’ve tackled in a very long time. The overly-repetitive use of abbreviations, the slang and some odd surfaces all made me think this was a newly-published backpage setter for the DT rather than an old hand. The style, too, did not feel very DT. I can’t remember the last time I finished a puzzle with no clues ticked afterwards for special mention, but that was certainly the case for me today.

    2* / 1*

    Sorry setter, thank you but just not my cuppa today. Thank you to Gazza for the review.

  16. Agree a step up in difficulty from the usual Tuesday fare, with some clever misdirection. I’m glad there’s no test match today which would make it a difficult decision on what to watch today. Just need to decide on whether Mr Murray can make a wining start to Wimbledon or Mr Cavendish can claim that allusive record 35th stage win in the Tour de France.

    2*/3.5*

    Fav 16d LOI 10a.

    Thanks to setter and Gazza.

    1. I’m rooting for both but earphones trained on Cav and the rest of the TdF

  17. I’m afraid I did not get on with this at all. To me it seemed far too obscure and I just could not get into it and I derived no enjoyment at all. I had to use far too many hints.

    Thank you, setter – it is not your fault that my brain stayed in bed today. Many thanks, Gazza for the much needed hints.

    Tomorrow is another day.

      1. She is feeling much better thank you, Manders. Still sleeping in the lounge because she’s not confident about climbing the stairs yet but hopefully, that will improve with time.

        1. Perhaps a bungalow might be the answer? Although of course I understand you might not want to leave your home. When we moved in here I said they will have to carry me out in a box.

          1. I understand your reasoning, BL but, for Mrs C, the cottage is becoming a bungalow. I am trying to persuade her to have a permanent bed downstairs so stairs will not be a problem. However, my lady is stubborn and is flatly refusing to sleep downstairs permanently. I admire her spirit but I can see she is weak and the staircase is steep. Nevertheless, I will not deny her spirit. I will just keep a close eye on her.

  18. As Corky remarked, itwas a doable puzzle with a toe in the deep water of Toughie territory. The clues were big on misdirection and !attempts at humour (unappreciated on my part), with such convoluted wordplay that, at times I needed a roadmap to follow it. It was not mycup of tea but 27a and 1a were a good enjoyable anagrams. Thanks to Gazza for the hints , which I shall now use to clarify theparsing of some of the clues. Thanks also to the compiler (was it really Mr Plumb, having an off-day perhaps?)

  19. Finished but little fun. Far too many false capitalisations, tricksy clues and odd clueing generally.
    Feels to me like a Campbell, he always is a bit weird.
    Not the best Tuesday offering IMHO.
    Thanks for the hints to explain far too many odd clues and obscure operas.
    ***/**

    1. Unlikely that it is Campbell two days in a row.

      As for the opera, based on its frequent appearances in DT puzzles, I would classify it as an Oldie but Goodie. Probably easier to write a clue for than many other musical works.

  20. Now latched on to someone’s Wi-Fi in Bergen (in the clouds!). I enjoyed this tussle today so thanks to all. One more day to go, then home.

  21. Found this Tuesday puzzle a little easier, (at least for me), than most Tuesday puzzles. A few head scratchers and a couple of PDM’s with a tea tray crash along with it.
    An enjoyable solve for me on another warm 28C Monday evening at 8:30pm. Gotta love summer.

    For me 1.5*/4* today

    Favourites today include 1a, 22a, 2d, 4d & 16d — with winner really hard to pick, but I chose 4d.
    22a & 2d would have been runners-up.

    Thanks to setter and Gazza for blog&hints.

  22. Oh this had me a-reeling in one direction and a-rocking in the other. Confusion now hath made his masterpiece for I salute the setter in giving me both the heebie-jeebies and the whim-whams.

    Oh yes, I grant you – 17a bung it in; 12a yes indeed, scribble it in. But oh my goodness…

    ‘Casta Diva, Senza nube e senza vel!’ I murmured to myself as I tried to put a horse to sea in the first half of 22a.

    I feel like that shot-putter from Belgium who finished the hundred metres hurdles three days after everyone else had finished. Today I am Constable Charles d’Albret at Agincourt.

    Thanks to the setter and the former Lazio and England midfielder.

      1. Yes, that’s right Senf, among others, which include the club he supported as a child.

    2. Where on earth did you disappear to for two weeks? Where has Terence gone?

      1. Terence did fill in the request for leave of absence form two weeks ago – well he said he was going away for a couple of weeks and wouldn’t have internet access – but presumably he’s now back home

  23. The reason many found this difficult was that some clues just didn’t parse well 10a ,17a ,22a, 27a .1d to name but a few

    1. Can you explain what you mean by “didn’t parse well”? I can’t see anything wrong with any of the clues you’ve listed.

      1. I can’t see owt wrong with the parsing either, okay they maybe tough, but they’re fair.

      2. There were tricky ‘piglets’ perhaps but nothing wrong with the parsing I don’t think.

      3. OK I don’t know if it the site or my laptop but editing doesn’t work too well so I was trying to change post to ………..

         I think that’s a little unfair ….
        There were tricky ‘piglets’ perhaps but nothing wrong with the parsing I don’t think . As a recently retired lecturer :yahoo: I had it done before the poor unretired (lol) were at their desks ( I DID start at 6:00 am as usual with coffee, doughnuts and DT from local petrol station so 3 hour head start) but with no feelings of unfairness regarding definitions, allusions, puns, etc as it came together.

      4. I found a substantial amount of this crossword remote and/or complicated, but I thought they worked out when explained. I can’t say I enjoyed it. As a new solver, it is less easy to say tomorrow’s another day, as the crosswords get harder as the week progresses, but there’s next week I guess!

        1. Sometimes it depends on your mindset, Mark. I have known weeks when I have struggled with Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday only to find Thursday and Friday enjoyable.

          Please don’t throw in the towel because today’s guzzle was hard. Wednesday can often surprise these days.

        2. I started ” in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and seventy four” :eek: lol – there are definitely ups and downs – stick with it.

          1. I started the guzzle in the yesr nineteen hundred and frozen to death! 🤣

  24. Finished but not without some tumbles into pits along the way! I thought this was trickier than the average Tuesday. My last in and favourite was 4d.

    Many thanks to Gazza and to the setter

  25. Slowish start but rapid finish, I found this light but good fun.
    My only concern is, though the solution was pretty obvious, shouldn’t “Wayne” in 18a be followed by perhaps, maybe or something similar?
    I’ve ticked 10a plus 2&16d with 23d taking top spot.
    Many thanks to the setter and Gazza.

    1. Strictly speaking you’re right, but occasionally when the name is either unique, or the person is more well-known than others with the same name (eg Sleep), it can be acceptable without.

  26. I think Steve said it well at 17, though I bunged in answers that I knew were probably wrong but couldn’t think of anything else. I was DNF with three to go and three just plain wrong. There were some good ‘uns though, fave was 15a, but I liked 22a, 27a and 2d as well. Imagine what Friday is going to be like!
    Thank you setter, and of course Gazza for unravelling it for me.

  27. Can’t say I really enjoyed this. I found it rather a slog. Not sure 5d will stand the test of time when this puzzle ends up in a book of cryptics
    Today I’ll settle for 27a as my COTD

  28. Good evening
    I found today’s crozzie to be a struggle to begin with, and then – well, you must have heard several loud clunks as pennies began to drop. Last one in was 20d; I really had to think about that one. Definitely a Crikey! COTD = 27a, 15a runner-up.
    My thanks to our compiler and to Gazza

  29. I looked at this for a while before I’d even had one answer and thought, “Oh help”, or something like that!
    Then I manage a couple of answers but not many more than that.
    What a very peculiar crossword – it didn’t feel familiar to me at all.
    Do we have any idea who may be the setter?
    I’m not sure what to say apart from thank you to the setter and thank goodness for Gazza and your much appreciated cartoons.

    1. Yes, it was rather weird. I got a lot wrong as I just couldn’t understand the clue!

    2. Mr Plumb has been suggested. I’m not experienced enough to have a guess, but this setter used a fair number of fault capitalisations. Perhaps that might be an indicator for someone?

  30. 11a threw me and I now know the interpretation of ‘old record’ in 17a; thank you setter Gazzer

  31. I surprised myself by getting the opera clue, and then it was a bit tedious after that. After a third done, I gave up and went outside to feed and spray the garden. As always, after a while outside in the intense heat, with my head down, I came in and brain was now working on all pistons, letting me finish. I’ve never heard of 17a being an old record, didn’t know the 18d footballer and at a complete loss as to why 11a is swallow. Definitely tending towards a Toughie flavour today. Thanks to the setter for the challenge, and to Gazza for stepping into the breach and for verifying several of my answers in which I had little confidence. But Wordle in 2 so happy there.

    2. Henry David Thoreau
      Thoughts on the matter: “Instead of water we got here a draught of beer…a lumberer’s drink, which would acclimate and naturalize a man at once—which would make him see green, and, if he slept, dream that he heard the wind sough among the pines.” add “is t ” voila. took me a while too :)

    3. ps (I surprised myself by getting the opera clue) I did same despite my vast age ;D

    4. not a footy fan myself but I have heard of Mr. Rooney of sporting fame a few years ago

  32. Took me ages, but it might have been going out to a boozy lunch with a TT High Court Judge and then trying to do the guzzle whilst watching Murray.Also struggling with George to fit a new neon tube (switched on or should I say alive) in the wardrobe we had built in behind the bed, me shouting ‘get a proper man in’ and George saying he could do it. I won. It was an odd workout, some things fell into line straight away but others needed Gazza’s help. 4 d was an outright favourite. I hated 1d do people really say that? Anyway. Thanks as usual to the Setter and Gazza for the much needed hints.

    1. Del used to say it in Only Fools and Horses, lol. Tbh , I have never heard a real person say it but, hey.

        1. As it appears to be a contraction of nightmares should it be ‘mares

            1. You’re doing a fair job of backing up our setter, Twmbarlwm, would he by any chance be your good self?

      2. I frequently use it pat when asked how I got on on the golf course – & if it was a really bad round it’s a Weston (a super- Mare)

  33. I had my doubts I was going to finish this with darts time looming, I had a rush at the end and had to whiz through the comments. Favourite was 15a. Thanks to the setter and Gazza.

  34. Well if you’re going to have the cheek to ask for time off 7 weeks into this hinting gig at least have the sense to pick the week when Mr Plumb got out of the wrong side of bed & upped the difficulty level considerably. Had I been required to blog this one there may well have some early morning panic. Still the solve was an easier ride than I’ve had trying keeping my golf balls clear of the gorse & ferns on the links at Thorpeness – all finished & parsed eventually & rather enjoyed it. Thought 16d a super surface read & my clear fav with 4d&15a taking podium spots. A good few ticks elsewhere.
    Thanks to Mr Plumb & of course to Gazza for an excellent & properly illustrated review.
    Ps Enjoyed both Dada & Campbell over the last 2 days.

  35. I found this harder than the usual Tuesday guzzle by a good margin. Struggled through to the end with Mr Meringue’s assistance with the record….he claims to remember them….

    Thanks to the setter whoever they are and to Gazza.

    Showery here today,

    1. i googled them at 6:30, saw the pics, and that kept me on the wrong track for 1/2 an hour at least !

        1. I did wonder! The only funicular I’ve been on is the Cliff Railway at Aberystwyth. Recommended.

    2. Thanks very much for popping in to claim this excellent puzzle, Twmbarlwm. It was great fun to solve.

    3. Hi T. Did wonder if one of yours would eventually pop up on the day you used to provide the hints. Disappointed to have missed hinting it though it didn’t cross my mind it was one of yours. Anyway pleased I enjoyed it & thanks for popping in. Forgot to post a comment but enjoyed your NTSPP too

    5. Thank you for the guzzle, Twmbarlwm. It wasn’t for me I’m afraid but you can’t win em all! :grin:

        1. Not to worry, Twmbarlwm – I got on well with your last one. :good:
          My brain stayed in bed yesterday.

  37. I put Grandad (GRAND Ad) for 19a which had me chasing my tail till I realised it couldn’t be right!

  38. 4*/3* ….
    liked 16D “A single drunk in support group finds relief from pain (9)” ….
    also liked the pictures to the hints.

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