DT 30396 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30396

by pommers  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30396

Hints and tips by pommers

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Hola from Almoradí where we have an orange sky! It happens occasionally when Saharan dust is blown northwards. Even though I know what it is it seems a bit spooky!

As for the crossword I’m not 100% this is the work of Campbell.  It didn’t have the right feel and I can only see one pun in the Quickie. Also there are too many anagrams.  I count it as six straight anagrams but there are another five clues that involve an anagram as some part of the answer.  However, I’m the world’s worst at spotting setters and I suppose someone will point out the second pun so perhaps it will turn out to be Campbell after all!

As usual my podium three are in blue.  The definitions are underlined in the clues and the answers are under the “click here” buttons so don’t click on them unless you really want to see the answer.  Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Vehicles but only for good-looking passengers by the sound of it! (6,4)
HANSOM CABS:  The first word of the answer sounds like a word describing a good-looking man and the second is another word for taxis.  I’m always happy when 1a goes straight in!

6a           Wine, or pop? (4)
HOCK:  Double definition.  Pop with its meaning of to pawn.  Took a while for the penny to drop on this one. I’d forgotten “Pop goes the weasel”!

10a        Preserve that is for Oliver, perhaps (5)
JAMIE:  A preserve followed by the usual two letters for “that is” to get a TV chef.

11a        Islanders win at sea, unexpectedly leading English (9)
TAIWANESE:  Anagram (unexpectedly) of WIN AT SEA placed in front of (leading) an E(nglish).

12a        A cry of disbelief, when Gordon’s in front (7)
BENNETT:  If you put the word GORDON in front of the answer you’ll get a cry of disbelief.  Does anyone know where this phrase came from?

13a        Sold wares and used a bike, reportedly (7)
PEDDLED:  The answer sounds like a word meaning to have powered a bicycle.

14a        Back part getting write-up in chiropractors’ journal? (6,6)
SPINAL COLUMN:  This part of your back sounds like an article that might appear in a journal read by chiropractors.

18a        Fact I complain endlessly about: it’s a done deal (4,8)
FAIT ACCOMPLI:  Anagram (about) of FACT I COMPLAIN but without the final N (endlessly).

21a        Where a lawyer might find a case very shortly? (2,5)
IN BRIEF:  Cryptic definition.

23a        Indicate agreement, with nothing but excited certainty (2,5)
NO DOUBT:  What you do to indicate agreement followed by O (nothing) and then an anagram (excited) of BUT.

24a        Type of stadium requiring change, getting ales brewed inside (3-6)
ALL SEATER:  A word meaning to change is placed around (getting . . . inside) an anagram (brewed) of ALES.

25a        Tory minister has run in small wood (5)
GROVE:  The Tory cabinet minister who has the unlikely sounding title of “Secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities” has an R(un) inserted.  I was going include a picture of him but then decided I didn’t want to spoil your lunch.

26a        Rifle  fire (4)
SACK: Double definition.

27a        Wool producer’s skein getting a knot (10)
SHEEPSHANK:  An animal that produces wool followed by another word for a skein, of wool perhaps, gives a rather complicated knot.   I could never get the hang of it in my sailing days but it’s useful for temporarily shortening a rope..

Down

1d           Hospital insists initially on vaccinations and head coverings (6)
HIJABS:  HI (Hospital Insists initially) followed by a colloquial term for some vaccinations.

2d           Specifying North American pottery style (6)
NAMING:  N(orth) and A(merican) followed by some Chinese pottery.

3d           I’ve phrased some badly and stressed too much (14)
OVEREMPHASISED:  Anagram (badly) of IVE PHRASED SOME.

4d           Comatose pet needing a pick-me-up? (9)
CATATONIC:  A type of pet followed by the A from the clue and then a pick-me-up.

5d           Pompous type, British, with affected walk (5)
BLIMP:  B(ritish) followed by a walk affected by injury.   It’s also a type of airship . . .



7d           Fantastic rodeo, luv? Too noisy! (8)
OVERLOUD:  Anagram (fantastic) of RODEO LUV.

8d           Rebellious Dane locked up by ruler for preparing bread (8)
KNEADING:  An anagram (rebellious) of DANE placed inside (locked up by) a ruler, ours is called Charles.

9d           Desperate badger digs hole to find something to eat (4-6,4)
HARD BOILED EGGS:  Anagram (desperate) of BADGER DIGS HOLE.

15d        Producer of citrus fruit in Lima having one meter broken (5,4)
LEMON TREE:  The letter represented by the word Lima in the phonetic alphabet followed by an anagram (broken) of ONE METER.  We have millions of these around here and the pollen gives pommette hayfever!

16d        Arranged fair food containers for continental folk? (8)
AFRICANS:  Anagram (arranged) of FAIR followed by some food containers.

17d        Boil acid wildly — how devilish is that? (8)
DIABOLIC:  Anagram (wildly) of BOIL ACID.

19d        You’d drink from this old French article in such a structure? (6)
CUPOLA:  Something you might drink tea from followed by O(ld) and a French definite article.

20d        Vein, primarily red, in cut of meat (6)
STREAK:  R (primarily Red) inserted into (in) a cut of meat, rump or sirloin perhaps.

22d        Go to get fine design on metal? (5)
FETCH:  F(ine) followed by a word meaning to put a design on a metal plate.

Podium today is 12a, 14a and 9d with 9d on the top step for the mental image it produced!

Quick crossword pun:

Top line:            TOUR     +     NAY     +     DOE     =     TORNADO

Bottom line:       SOT     +     ILL     +     SUET     =   Haven’t a clue.

79 comments on “DT 30396”

  1. Typical Monday fare and all in place! Limited fun.
    I know there is always the Toughie!
    Thanks to the setter.

    1. Just to let you know I’m now doing alternate Mondays. If there’s more than one Quickie pun it’s likely to be me.

      3. It’s me again on a Monday, not Campbell. I won’t be doing bottom line puns: that would really confuse everyone! See you in two weeks – Ed permitting…

        1. I did wonder – but I’ve made too many embarrassing wrong-setter guesses recently! Thank you for popping in to claim ownership, X-Type.

        2. Thank you, thank you so much for such a lovely solve! You can come back every Monday if they’ll let you!

  2. Made up for the lack of anagrams yesterday. Straight forward except 19d which had me foxed so had to be my favorite.

  3. Neatly packaged, very
    Mondayish puzzle.
    Not a lurker in sight!
    Evenly paced progress to
    Last in,19d.
    Pondered until the misdirection
    Was defeated.
    Boy Scout’s memories of 27a.
    Loved this knot.
    14a made me chuckle.
    Many thanks Campbell and pommers.

  4. I can’t say this was my favourite puzzle with some of the (many) anagrams (and surface reads) having a bit of a manufactured feel. Thought the use of “over” in the solutions to 3&7d somewhat repetitive and the fodder too close to the solution in 18a.
    However I very much liked the lol 12a along with 23a.
    Thanks to the setter and Pommers.

  5. A nice straightforward guzzle and , like Pommers, I noted the number of anagrams and wondered if this was a Campbell production. As a fan of anagrams, I miSsed them in yesterday’s SPP but today’s crossword certainly made up for it. The three anagrams I liked best were 3d, 18a and the hilarious 9d. However my COTD was the Lego clue at 27a with its crafty wordplay thanks to Pommers for the hints (an orange sky reminds me of a science fiction novel but I can’t remember which one). Thanks to the compiler for an enjoyable Monday guzzle.

  6. Yesterday Dada gave us an enjoyable puzzle with no anagrams at all. Today’s setter has tried to overcompensate by including no less than eleven! If a puzzle in Rookie Corner contained six consecutive clues containing anagrams there would be a lot of merited tutting.
    Thanks to the setter and pommers.

  7. Pretty straightforward today, I don’t mind the proliferation of anagrams. 9D my favourite, especially having consumed such for breakfast!

  8. Relatively easy one. I put in ‘cork’ instead of ‘hock’, as I didn’t know ‘pop’ meant ‘to pawn’, and wine corks, popping champagne, etc. Oh well.

  9. Like our reviewer, I’d be surprised if this was penned by Campbell and pommers’ attempt at a bottom line pun made me laugh – I thought he’d actually found one until I opened all of the little boxes!
    Think my top two were the article in the chiropractors’ journal and the badger food.

    Thanks to our setter and to pommers for the review.

  10. Profusion of anagrams (although not my favourite thing) made for pain-free solve – hard copy page littered with rings of letters for rearrangement. I particularly liked 14a. Thank you Mysteron and pommers.

    1. My page is also covered in scratchings, except for 18a, I could do that one without writing it out!

  11. Just popping in early because as usual I’m behind with the puzzles but just read yesterday’s comments.
    I just wanted to add my best wishes to Steve C and to say my thoughts are with you, I hope for good news of Mrs C.
    Also congratulations to Merusa on her 66th PanAm anniversary. You must have been a mere child!

    And many thanks to all our setters, hinters and bloggers who I don’t get to thank on a daily basis. 💐

  12. Nice and straightforward, with a smile for 12A (my top pick) I also liked 6A and 14A. Thanks to Pommers and setter.

    Labor day here, a public holiday that also marks the unofficial end of summer, though it’s going to be in the mid-90s F today and for the rest of the week!

  13. 1.5*/2.5*. Nothing here to excite or frighten the horses. If you twist my arm, I’ll settle on 14a as my favourite.

    Thanks to the setter and to pommers.

  14. The Gordon Bennett balloon race has been running since 1906. So presumably the usual “gord” euphemism got attached to a name in the news.

  15. Not the most satisfying or enjoyable puzzle, posing little challange even for a Monday. Yesterday Dada demonstrated – as does Beam on a regular basis – that an excellent crossword can be produced without anagrams and without being overly tough. The number of anagrams today precluded the setter from offering a more imaginative variety of clue types, and detracted considerably from the overall grid. It did not feel like a Campbell but whoever the setter I’m surprised it passed the editor’s eyes unamended – as Gazza noted above, there would have been comments in the Rookie’s Corner.

    0.5* / 1*

    Thank you setter but sorry, this wasn’t for me. Thanks also to Pommers.

  16. It’s Monday :good: It’s a holiday (I forget why) :good: But, probably not a Campbell. Our esteemed editor seems to be developing a sequence of Campbell sharing Mondays with A N Other or A N Others. Not a lot to be said about this one; enough has been said about the proliferation of anagrams.

    Smiles for 6a, 25a, 4d, and 22d.

    Thanks to the setter and pommers.

    1. According to my calendar, it’s either Labour Day if you’re in Canada or Labor Day if you’re in the USA – whichever, it all sounds like hard work to me!

  17. A * puzzle if I’d been able to get 6a😡, other than that a nice start to the week. Pommers I think you have too many letters in 1a , not that it matters much. Thanks to all.

  18. I think the setter must have read my comments from Friday, as my method of doing the Across clues followed by Down in order didn’t work at all today (I only got 4 Across clues on the first pass) – but the Down clues were a doddle. Either that, or the setter is a fan of the London ULEZ ezpansion and was having a pop at me for criticising it.

    1. Likewise, the knot in the bottom line ( reminder of the girl guides) was my first one of the across clues which I completed. Then the downs went in relatively easily.

      1. I never thought my years in Girl Guides would ever produce dividends, but I have them to thank for 27a.

  19. Good to see it’s a holiday Monday … and maybe Campbell is back this week, but there are few that seem to have doubts.
    However, for me, it seems like a Campbellish offering; a very pleasant outing and a fun solve with some really great clues, I thought.

    1.5*/4* for me

    Favourites today include 1a, 14a, 25a, 1d, 4d & 9d with winner 14a
    Got good laughs from 23a, 27a, 1d & 4d … especially 1d!!
    That was very clever.

    Thanks to setter for a fun Monday & pommers for hints/blog

  20. 12a took me longer than the rest of the puzzle before the penny dropped. The knot reminded me of a narrowboat holiday. We had to stop at Banbury to get provisions but Nicholsons guide said ‘the undesirable section of the community tend to gather by the canal and navigators are advised not to linger’. David said he would tie the front up with his ‘quick release knot’ just in case. It rained while we were shopping and nothing on earth would undo the quick release knot as the rain had tightened the rope. I watched him jumping up and down on the rope and then asked mildly why he didn’t just undo the back first. His response is not repeatable on this blog but needless to say undoing the back worked! Thanks to the setter and Pommers

  21. Sitting in the sun in my lovely garden we fairly raced through this though there were several bungitin/workitoutafter ‘s. Who was Gordon Bennet by the way? Many thanks to the setter and Mr. Pommers. Favourite was 9d – we had one chopped up in our salad. My garden is only lovely because I think so, by the way, it is by no means a show garden. But all mine! Hope Mrs C is well and Steve not too stressed – and greetings to Robert also.

  22. Not as easy for me as the earlier commentators. Started off with a bang, and hoped it would get more difficult. Faltered on 6a and 9d then a few more. Needed the hints to fully parse 23a. A satisfactory finish followed
    Not a complete waste of time then, as some might be indicating. Strangely I completed yesterday’s in about the same time and the enjoyability quotient was similar. Horses for courses. Or opinions may vary as it were.

  23. So other people have heard the phrase ” Gordon Bennett” Before.
    I , not being a New York fireman , had not.
    Thanks to all concerned.

    1. We used it a lot before we set sail across the pond. Usually used in frustration, “Oh Gordon Bennett!”, at least it was where I come from. Never hear it here in South Florida of course.

  24. I’ve learnt not to complain if a puzzle is too obtuse to be fun, I wish others would learn that a puzzle like this is a pleasure to tiny brains and not whinge about it. I’ll let that hare sit now.
    I learnt something new at 12a, but the rest of it was very straightforward. Lots to like, 1d was smile worthy, so was 4d and 13a.
    Thank you setter, i loved this offering, and thanks to pommers for his hints and pics.

    1. Quite right! It’s all fabulous fun. Wonder what the reaction would be to a crossword with eleven Spoonerisms though… :wacko: :mail:

    2. I am guilty of venting my frustration on days when we clearly have two Toughies on offer, but will admit to finding it belittling when I read complaints that a puzzle is too easy.

  25. Good afternoon
    No work now for 3 weeks, so no excuse for not finishing the crozzie this afty! All done with one or two stumbles. 9d is COTD.
    Many thanks to our compiler and to Pommers

    1. I suspect hat the majority of folk who do theTelegraph backpager regularly are more like me, Corky, Merusa and Busy Lizzie than the belittlers. I wonder if anyone has ever bothered to ask a sample of ordinary people to see what they find appealing in a cryptic crossword??

      2. Best just to keep doing them, enjoying them, and shouting out what one likes in each puzzle 😊 Except in Rookie Corner obviously 😁 I tried reading the EV hints at the weekend and may as well have been reading Sanskrit for all the sense it made, but plenty of people love that so fair play to them. The DT Ed pops by in the comments here sometimes so I imagine if things are popular it gets taken on board.

  28. Thank goodness for this puzzle. I had no luck in finishing most of last weeks offerings and was despairing I’d ever complete another cryptic. So despite the plethora of anagrams I enjoyed this puzzle. Thanks to the setter and Pommers.

    2. Indeed let us belittled solvers celebrate loudly with a chorus of ‘we know you know we’re not as good as you at solving but we don’t care.’

  29. Loads of fun from start to finish, and I for one would be happy to see far more like this. The only one I was not familiar with was the stadium in 24a, but able to solve from the checkers. Big thank you to Campbell (?) and to Pommers. We too are affected by the Sahara dust, which blows across the Atlantic to cloud our skies here in South Florida.

  30. Ok it was overly anagram heavy & pretty straightforward but I’m with those who rather enjoyed this. Solved it in under *time on the phone between teeing groups off but like Manders just couldn’t see 12a in the same time again & gave up. Back home, opened up the puzzle & bizarrely saw it instantly. Have also learnt a new word in skein. 9d my clear fav (great fodder spot by the setter) with 14a & 1d on the podium.
    Thanks to the setter & to Pommers & very best wishes to Mrs SC

  31. Well I liked it 👍🏻 I like anagrams and any puzzle I can complete without any help is good by me 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 thanks to setter and to Pommers, hola Pommers, que tal?
    Long time no speak 👍🏻

  32. Couldn’t decide between two answers for 6a. Neither seemed to fit properly.

    I may be being thick, but what is the relationship between skein and shank? I cannot find a link in the BRB.

    Thanks to all.

    1. It’s the relationship between skein and hank you need. The middle S in the answer comes from the ‘S in the clue.

      1. The V shape of geese in flight is also known as a skein. As to a skein of wool, we have a 16C wool winder that measures a skein of wool exactly.

  33. I too enjoyed this very much, and 14a was my favourite. The rest has been said.

    Many thanks to X Type and to Pommers for the hints

  34. I liked this and a proper Monday puzzle on a Monday, certainly not always the case. I did need the hint to parse 6a as I’d never heard of the second synonym. Favourite was 12a, I use it frequently and know who he was. Thanks to X-Type and Pommers.

  35. Indeed let us belittled solvers celebrate loudly with a chorus of ‘we know you know we’re not as good as you at solving but we don’t care.’

  36. First of all, my thanks to all of you who sent good wishes for Mrs. C. I have read everyone of them and I am so grateful for your concern.

    The guzzle taxed me and I didn’t think I was going to get anywhere to begin with. Then it began to unravel slowly. I loved 12a! A university pal said it all the time. So much so that I researched its origin. It seems there are many from a general who abandoned his men to the Japanese during the fall of Singapore while he escaped to a Scot who made loads of money in America. A case of take your pick. My COTD is 9d because it reminded me to get lunch!

    Thank you to the setter – whom I see is X-Type – and to pommers for the hints.

    Mrs. C is due an endoscopy to locate the ulcer. After that, we will have to wait and see.

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