Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30394
Hints and tips by Mr K
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ****
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. I found lots to like in today’s puzzle, with a few instances of cunning misdirection that required a little thought to unscramble the word play. I hope that our setter drops in later to take a bow.
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 Employee who records what ref may do if goalie commits foul (10)
BOOKKEEPER: The answer split (4,6) describes what a football referee would do if a goalie commits a serious foul
6a At first, good rates allow banks to provide interest (4)
GRAB: Initial letters (at first) of GOOD RATES ALLOW BANKS
9a Ordinary clothes possibly fit on Greek character (5)
MUFTI: An anagram (possibly) of FIT following (on, in an across clue) a character in the Greek alphabet
10a Avoid more convoluted picture dealing with travel (4,5)
ROAD MOVIE: An anagram (convoluted) of AVOID MORE
12a Renegotiated the loan? This makes you merry (7)
ETHANOL: An anagram (renegotiated) of THE LOAN
13a Picked up tea, beers and pork pies (5)
TALES: A homophone (picked up) of tea is followed by some beers. The definition here is slang
15a Begs fashionable models to eat seconds (7)
INSISTS: A synonym of fashionable with models or poses containing (to eat) the single letter for seconds
16a Society girl catching boat west in dodgy place to surf (4,3)
DARK WEB: A new society girl containing (catching) both a biblical boat and the single letter for west
18a Largish figure has last of French and German wine (7)
HUNDRED: Link together the last letter of FRENCH, “and” in German, and a generic type of wine
20a Aristocrat about to drink Italian wine in citadel (7)
BASTION: The reversal (about) of an informal word for an aristocrat containing (to drink) a usual Italian wine
21a Drove back from Timbuktu, say, reversing into road (5)
URGED: Follow the back letter from TIMBUKTU with the reversal (reversing) of the Latin abbreviation for say or “for example” inserted into the abbreviation for road
23a Sleep in regularly? Certainly, for relaxation (7)
LEISURE: Alternate letters of (… regularly) of SLEEP IN are followed by another way of saying certainly
25a Foolishly tamper with Ray's Persian rug, perhaps (6,3)
PRAYER MAT: An anagram (foolishly) of TAMPER RAY
26a Mathematician's electronic measuring device not right (5)
EULER: The single letter for electronic with a linear measuring device minus the single letter for right (not right). Read about BD’s favourite mathematician here
27a Liverpool's left-wingers? (4)
REDS: The informal name for Liverpool football team is also some left-wing people
28a Drunk after non-alcoholic drink? It's indisputable (10)
WATERTIGHT: Another word for drunk comes after a very non-alcoholic drink
Down
1d Sign one's expecting minor collision (4)
BUMP: A double definition, the first referring to an impending delivery
2d Switch positions, crossing oceans in slack period for travel (9)
OFFSEASON: The two positions of a light switch sandwiching (crossing) a synonym of oceans
3d Participants in chess game in central London area (13)
KNIGHTSBRIDGE: Some chess pieces with a card game
4d Engineers raised money in Durban, given small tasks (7)
ERRANDS: Assemble the reversal (raised, in a down clue) of some usual engineers, the unit of money in Durban, and the clothing abbreviation for small
5d English tabloid journalist was a correspondent (7)
EMAILED: Join together the single letter for English, the short name of a tabloid newspaper, and a usual abbreviated journalist
7d Party noisily in bar, spinning around (5)
REVEL: The reversal (spinning around) of a bar that’s used with a fulcrum
8d Best bra designed by individual to show bit of chest (10)
BREASTBONE: An anagram (designed) of BEST BRA with another word for individual
11d Does one come late to lessons? (6,7)
MATURE STUDENT: An cryptic definition, where “late” is meaning “late in life”
14d Speaker's greeting top athlete (4,6)
HIGH JUMPER: A homophone (speaker’s …) of a word of greeting is followed by an item of clothing that’s a top
17d A few light struggles? This shows I surrender (5,4)
WHITE FLAG: An anagram (struggles) of A FEW LIGHT
19d Cover up Miss Woodhouse's awkward situation (7)
DILEMMA: The reversal (up, in a down clue) of a cover for a jar is followed by the first name of Jane Austen’s Miss Woodhouse
20d French cheese sandwiches dry, large and fragile (7)
BRITTLE: A soft French cheese sandwiches both a usual abbreviation for dry or abstaining and the clothing abbreviation for large
22d August Strindberg ran drugs, concealing this (5)
GRAND: The answer is hidden (… concealing this) in the remainder of the clue
24d Intelligence to grasp king's decree (4)
WRIT: Intelligence or cleverness containing (to grasp) the Latin abbreviation for King
Thanks to today’s setter. Top clues for me were 21a and 3d. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: GREENE + GROW + SIR = GREENGROCER
What a super puzzle, this light delight by some distance back-pager of the week for me.
Podium contenders 13,16,21&28a plus 1&14d but could have mentioned several more. Special booby prize for 27a!!!
Great stuff.
Many thanks to the setter,
(very Robyn-esque) and Mr K.
3*/5*. I thought this compilation, presumably from our Mr Smooth, was absolutely excellent.
I’ve never heard of the expression that is the answer to 10a but it couldn’t be anything else.
For me, the synonym needed for the answer to 15a using the definition “begs” seems a bit of a stretch. Can anyone please provide an example which shows they could be used interchangeably?
Once again I have a plethora of ticks; far too many to select a favourite or even a podium choice.
Many thanks to Silvanus (?) and to Mr K.
I agree, RD, re 15a. I can’t think of any case where one could be use in place of the other.
By heck … just look up implore in the BRB!
The 15a synonyms are a little tenuous but I think work in the sense of asking earnestly or urgently for something, the answer being more usually used with the addition of “on” as in “He would beg to be left alone” or “He would insist on being left alone”
Sorry, RD (and others), I am not today’s setter. If you needed proof of that, Brian found it “very enjoyable”, he and I seldom see eye to eye ;-)
I would have responded sooner but I have been in the dentist’s chair for most of the morning!
The clever nisdirection made this crossword tricky at times. It was doable but by no means light or a walk in the park from my point of view There were a few clues in which I could work out part of the parsing but not all of i. However there were some veery clever clues, which I really enjoyed. 16a was a delightfully cryptic lego clue and my COTD, whilst3d was another god lego clue with clever misdirection. I also liked the2 5a anagram and 11d cryptic definition. Thanks to Mr K for the hints and posing pusskits and to the compiler for a more enjoyable than usual Friday backpager .
I found this fairly tame for a Friday one. Breezed through it as if it was a ** offering, but having said that, I did slow up in the SE corner for a bit until the sum merchant at 26a shot straight back into the mind giving me flashbacks to 1982, sitting in Reading College during a pure maths lesson, wishing that the teacher would shut up soon so we could all get down the boozer before last orders (10.20 in them days!)
Liked it though, best clue for me was easily 2d. Many thanks to our setter today.
I am not sure how or why but I found this to be the gentlest this week. I liked the setter’s style and thought all the clues were top notch. I often find what others find easy tricky but today the pendulum swung the other way. Very enjoyable. Thanks Mr K and our setter.
Very light indeed, would not have been out of place at t’other end of week. Despite the near R&W completion, very enjoyable indeed with nothing arcane and all GK being of the most basic variety, great surface reads and plenty of amusement throughout. I share RD’s bemusement about 15a, and was delighted post hoc to see that August Strindberg was a real person! Hon Mentions to 1a, 20a, and 3d.
1* / 3.5*
Many thanks to this so gentle-for-a-Friday setter and to Mr K
A good cranial work out to end the week from a member of the Friday triumvirate and my two half-crowns are ‘saying’ Zandio – 2.5*/3.5*
Candidates for favourite – 16a, 18a, 4d, and 19d – and the winner is 19d.
Thanks to Zandio, or whomsoever if my five bob goes down the drain, and thanks to Mr K.
I don’t think it’s any of the usual three suspects on Friday, you can see from my comment who I’d put my money on with an outside bet on NYDK.
I don’t think Zandio, I can’t get to first base with his guzzles.
I agree, Merusa, I can’t get to grips with Zandio either
Very enjoyable (as was yesterday’s excellent Ray T which I didn’t get a chance to comment on). Very good clueing apart perhaps from 21a which was a little clumsy. Never heard of the mathematician in 26a or the character in 19d but both were solvable without that knowledge.
Whatever I enjoyed this one so thanks to all concerned.
***/****
Not going to risk my five bob this week but have to say that if this was indeed penned by Zandio then it’s the best puzzle from him that I’ve solved thus far. My only issues came with the film genre I’ve never heard of in 10a and the ‘synonym’ in 15a.
Rosettes awarded to 1&28a plus1&20d.
Thanks to our compiler and to Mr K for the review and felines. Question for Mr K if he pops in – for some reason, I can only view the pics etc on your posts if I swap browsers – doesn’t happen with any of our other bloggers’ posts so I can’t understand the reason.
Hi, Jane. I believe that the current default for the site is to insert pictures with a URL beginning http://. I use the more secure https://, which will eventually be the site default. Does it make a difference if you access this blog with https://bigdave44.com/2023/09/01/dt-30394 or with http://bigdave44.com/2023/09/01/dt-30394
Ditto the first line of Stephen’s opening comment so all in it’s one by Silvanus. Not a dud in there & any number worthy of a podium spot but I’ll go for 3&8d with 16a on the top rung.
Thanks to the setter & to Mr K
Like other commentators above, I found this very easy for a Friday, doing the clues in order Across then Down, then filling in the gaps without much effort. Maybe the setter has taken pity on those of us affected adversely by the extended ULEZ in London!
OMG, I do pity anyone dealing with this ULEZ stealth tax. Does Khan’s oversight as Mayor really cover the wider area? Just waiting for someone over here to steal this idea…🙁.
Is it Friday?
Ah well, if you say so.
Raced through this, much
Help from the perimeter clues, to
just 26a to solve.
Feeling blasé and lazy, Googled
For this mathematician.
Easily parsed.
Big smiles at 20 and 28a.
Thanks to Zandio for this confidence
Builder and Mr K.
A bit slow due to tears! Had pictures of my retinas done this AM.
Great puzzle but confess to not knowing of 26a though fathomed it and I thought 6a a bit weak?
Overall a perfect Friday puzzle!
Thanks to setter!
As others have said this was fairly gentle but extremely enjoyable – many thanks to our setter and Mr K.
I have loads of ticks including 1a, 16a, 21a, 1d, 2d and 11d.
Well for a Friday puzzle this was not what I was expecting. Instead of the hardest puzzle of the week, it was a rather nice surprise solving this on my Thursday night. I enjoyed this one.
No idea the setter, (and I see 3 different names have been put up so far), but for the most part, it made good sense and parsing was solid.
2.5*/4* for me
Favourites include 9a, 13a, 18a, 2d, 14d & 19d with frankly each of then a winner, but to pick one … has to be 13a for its roots.
Got chuckles/smile/laugh from 18a, 26a, 28a, 3d, 8d & 19d … all were really good.
Thanks to setter and Mr K for blog/hints
What a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle for a Friday; not too difficult but an absolute delight to solve. This is yet another crossword where I cannot in all honesty pick a winner, or even a podium as the entire grid was terrific. Perhaps a nod to the Quickie pun instead?
My thanks to Silvanus, for it must be one of his, and to Mr K.
It seemed to take me a while to get into this one. I read all the way down to 25a before I applied my pen. but then suddenly I was off. I didn’t know the movie genre but easy to guess. There was some very clever misdirection and it was a fine end to the week. 21a, 25a and 2d got a daisy. Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the cats. PS I guess that 27a is footbally?
Yes it is footbally. I googled it and it’s right!
Wouldn’t have said this was a walk in the park, but a very enjoyable stomp through some dense woodland. Lots of clever misdirections. Thanks to setter and Mr K.
Well put 😊.
Fun whilst it lasted; read and write except 21a. Favourite was 1a. Thanks to today’s setter and Mr. K.
Definitely Friday lite but there’s no skimping on entertainment value. Thanks to Mr K and the setter for whom there seems to be no shortage of candidates today.
In my experience, the 10a term is in very common use and appears in the opening line of the Wikipedia article on the film cited by Mr K. From a generation earlier, the film Easy Rider is similarly described. Of course, a couple of generations before that a 10a would have starred Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour!
Frank Capra’s 1934 screwball comedy, It Happened One Night (Colbert & Gable), perhaps the most acclaimed early road movie – one of only 3 films in Oscar history to bag the top 5 awards.
I’ve recently rewatched a couple of excellent ones in the genre – Terrence Malik’s Badlands & Jonathan Femme’s Something Wild.
Smooth surfaces and plenty of smiles. The perfect ingredients for a good puzzle. This wasn’t good, it was excellent. Ticks aplenty.
Many thanks mystery setter and Mr K.
Very laboured start but softly, softly catchee monkey and it eventually all came together beginning in the South. 15a “begs” (?) and not sure about 6a or 21a. 26a unknown to me. Fav 1d! Thank you Messrs. Ron and Kay.
I really enjoyed this although I had nothing on first run through. I needed a couple of extra hints from Mr K so thank you and also for the lovely cat pictures which really cheer me up. I’m back from Norfolk holiday and we were really lucky with the weather. I didn’t make it to Cromer but did get some lovely fresh crab from the market in Southwold and it was delicious. I managed to get stung by a wasp while on the beach but luckily there was a lovely old fashioned chemist in the high street and I was really looked after. Apparently there has been a spate of wasp stings there this week. I wouldn’t have minded but I wasn’t annoying it or eating or drinking anything! Thanks also to the setter.
Pretty straightforward for a Friday with no major hold-ups, a cracking puzzle though. Favourite was 28a. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K
I had to go to my calendar to be sure this was Friday, what a most pleasant surprise, what fun. I agree with RD about 15a, but it couldn’t be anything else. I needed word search help for 26a, not really a household word. I was looking for a pangram when I got 14d, but it was not to be. How clever was 22d, could be my fave but so many more contenders. Loved it all.
Thank you setter, what a huge relief! Thank you Mr. K for our kitty cats, i do look forward to those – oh, and for unravelling 5d.
A splendid puzzle to finish the week. Mr Smooth has got competition!
I had all the checkers for 11d but it took me an age.
1a is one of those rare words that has three consecutive double letters. Someone told me that a sub********** is a job which would mean four consecutive double letters. I’ve just gone online and it looks like it’s legit though it may be hyphenated. Either way, all good wordy fun.
3d is another not oft seen word that has six consecutive consonants. Catchphrase is another.
The following can take a bow: 13a, 11d and 22d as I would love to be called August Strindberg.
Many thanks to Mr K and Hoo Nose.
3*/4*
Loved this one 20a as my favourite thanks “hoo nose” (!) and mr k
Great fun today, lots to like. 11d my favourite but could have been many others. A clever mix of clues and initially appearing as though I could not start. I finally found a down clue and then I made steady progress.
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the hints and cat pics.
Good afternoon
All done, although not without several instances of head-scratching, and a very slow start. But that’s the way it should be. One or two solutions today where I had to rely on Mr K’s hints to check my work; I’m giving a Wry Smile Award to 11d, and a Crikey! to 13a.
Many thanks to our compiler (I’m pretty sure it’s not the Mind of Zandio today) and to Mr K.
More enjoyable than most Friday challenges, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call it tame, gentle or light. A slow start, followed by my usual self imposed ration of hints, and I was underway again. Spent too long thinking of the wrong Miss Woodhouse in 19d. Thanks to the setter and to Mr K, especially for the 1d picture 😊.
Not seen Steve Cowling on here for a couple of days. I do hope everything is alright.
He was on yesterday, late in the day as he is very busy as Mrs C has come home, which is obviously good news.
Snap!
Thanks I missed that.
Yesterday he was here when he told us he was bringing Mrs. C home. He must be busy settling her in with the home help etc. I’m sure he’ll let us know his news soon, all good news too!
Hi all! No, I haven’t disappeared! Thank you for your concern. It’s just I don’t have much time for the guzzle at the moment. Mrs. C is not well at all and has terrible pain in her back. It reduces her to tears as it goes into spasm and I know how that feels having experienced it earlier in the year. Rang the GP for stronger analgesics but cannot get them until Monday. Not good enough says the carer who comes in to help Mrs. C and she made a few calls. Upshot is I collect them tomorrow from Boots.
I hope things will be better tomorrow. The good thing is we have plenty of help coming in a few times a day so I might get a stab at The Mythical but we’ll have to wait and see. What I saw of today’s guzzle made little sense but then I doubt I would have been able to solve Ronnie Corbett’s “Sun, junior crossword, easy clues!” 🤣🤣🤣
It will take her a while to readjust, Steve, and it sounds as though you’re doing everything humanly possible to assist her. As you say, she may well show some improvement tomorrow, I do hope so. Don’t forget that you need to take care of yourself as well……
Oh Steve, Jane is right, look after yourself as well. I’m so glad you’ve got so much home help, that will be so good. Give Mrs. C all our best wishes, if good thoughts can help, she’ll soon be up and about.
Great puzzle, best of the week so far for me..,.
PS I loved the 1d pic – just my kind of cat!
3*/4* …
Liked 13A “picked up tea, beers and pork pies ? “
Really enjoyed this solve. Certainly not as hard as a usual Friday.
Surprised how many have not heard the term in 10a. Google “road movie examples” and I would be staggered if anyone had not seen at least one of these movies. Thelma and Louise, for example.
The only clue I struggled with was 26a. As maths is my least favourite thing, no surprise there. I would rather clean the toilets in a Calcutta train station than do maths.
I don’t normally do a favourite clue, but 1a was superb.
Thanks to all.
I’m quite familiar with many of the titles, just didn’t realise that they all came under the umbrella of a named genre.
Enjoyable send to the week. All went in easily except the 26a mathematician who was new to me. COTD 13a. Thanks to the setter, and Mr K for hints and cats!
Jolly, jolly good! 👍
Thanks to our setter (Mr Z?) and, of course, to Mr K for today’s blog ‘n hints.
Cheers!
Big thanks to Mr K for the cracking blog and to everyone dropping in to comment (and well done to StephenL – bang on the money, with this one being my second Friday, if I remember well.)
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Many thanks for ‘owning up’ Robyn. A really excellent puzzle and Stephen will presumably be buying a round this evening!
Thanks from me too Robyn, even if it might cost me a few quid!
Thanks for popping in and thanks for a great puzzle to solve and to hint. I hope we’ll see more of your creations in the Friday slot.
Many thanks – really glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for popping in. Super puzzle. Was Wednesday’s back-pager also one of yours incidentally?
I’m glad this one hit the spot. It wasn’t me on Wednesday – I imagine it’s always seven different compilers each week.
Highly enjoyable – the puzzles you own up to on here are usually ones I’ve enjoyed a lot 😊
Especially liked 13a, story of my daily life 😋
A really great puzzle. Some groaners in there as well as quite tricky ones. Thank you all.