DT 30427 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30427

by Huntsman  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30,427
Hints and tips by Huntsman

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **  –  Enjoyment ***

Another gloriously sunny & unseasonably warm October day so it’s the usual dash off to golf in the hope that last week’s error free review wasn’t just a flash in the pan.

This one didn’t seem to have the feel of our usual Tuesday setter but I’m sure Senf will know whether or not the Quickie grid is one of his. I suspect most will find it pretty straightforward if a tad more difficult than yesterday. I found it an enjoyable guzzle with a nice mix of clue types.

I do hope someone will own up & keep me company by admitting to brain fog at 18d.

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.

Across

1a Flock angering coot up in the air (12)
CONGREGATION: an anagram (up in the air) of ANGERING COOT.

9a A male tramp cut with weapon – this might be needed (9)
AMBULANCE: an all-in-one (aka an &lit clue) I think as the entire clue is a definition of the answer. Link the A from the clue with the single letter for Male then add a shortened word (cut) for a tramp or vagrant & finish with a weapon used by a cavalry soldier. Gone are the days when they turned up promptly when required.

10a Drinks with English guy (5)
TEASE: one of the two most popular beverages + the single letter for English. The definition is in the sense of mock or poke fun at.

11a Sledge cut to pieces, we hear (6)
SLEIGH: a homophone (we hear) of a synonym of cut to pieces or kill.

 

12a Boldness that is preceding cricketer’s last boundary (8)
FRONTIER: another word for boldness or impertinence + the abbreviation for that is & the final letter (last) of cricketeR.

13a Jack so right to conceal distress (6)
SAILOR: SO from the clue & the single letter for Right contains (to conceal) a synonym for distress or afflict.

15a Look after European and cry, regularly showing bias (8)
TENDENCY: link a word for to look after with the single letter for European then append the alternate letters (regularly) of aNd CrY.

18a Angry at home before grand voyage (8)
CROSSING: a synonym for angry + the usual term for at home + the single letter for Grand as in a thousand.

19a Numb martial artist swallowed by snake (6)
ASLEEP: insert (swallowed by) the American born film actor who helped popularise the martial arts films of the 70s into the snake that did for Cleopatra reputedly.

 

21a Area over river by small farm vehicles (8)
TRACTORS: an area of land + the single letters for Over, River & Small.

23a Drop terribly crude joke finally (6)
REDUCE: an anagram (terribly) of CRUDE & the last letter (finally) of jokE.

26a Calm thoroughbred’s first horse-riding competition (5)
EVENT: a synonym for calm or flat + the initial (first) letter of Thoroughbred.

27a Drunk causes inn problems (9)
NUISANCES: an anagram (drunk) of CAUSES INN.

28a Still shaking, steel nerves outside hospital (12)
NEVERTHELESS: an anagram (shaking) of STEEL NERVES + the single letter for Hospital.

Down
1d Lessons about girls (7)
CLASSES: the single letter preposition for about + another word for girls.

2d Illustrious, upsetting Twitter owner penning book (5)
NOBLE: reverse (upsetting) the first name of the owner of the social media platform now renamed X & insert (penning) the single letter for Book.

3d I urge oil reforms and Sunak’s initially unswerving (9)
RELIGIOUS: an anagram (reforms) of I URGE OIL + the first letter (initially) of Sunak. Can’t say the answer would be the first definition synonym to spring to mind & some topical irony in the surface read methinks.

4d Sales rep not a man of refinement (4)
GENT: delete the A (not) from another word for sales rep.

5d Conservatives going round the man’s premises (8)
THEORIES: the usual name for the Conservatives into which you insert (going round) the male pronoun for a definition in the sense of propositions.

6d Monet fortunately picked up frames on a regular basis (5)
OFTEN: a reverse lurker (picked up/frames) hidden in the first two words of the clue

7d Game sick people mentioned (8)
PATIENCE: a homophone (mentioned) of what sick people may be.

8d Almost November and ahead of time (6)
NEARLY: the single letter for November (NATO alphabet) & a word for ahead of time.

14d One criticised about Oscar getting separated (8)
ISOLATED: the letter represented by the Roman numeral for one & a word for harshly criticised into which you insert (about) the letter Oscar signifies in the NATO alphabet.

16d Lousy nuts deter apes (9)
DESPERATE: an anagram (nuts) of DETER APES

17d Hold spellbound, mouth opening (8)
ENTRANCE: a triple definition.

18d Nice Bordeaux?
CITIES: the question mark indicates definitions by example. Nowt to do with a nice drop of Margaux or Pauillac. My last in & the penny took an embarrassingly long time to drop.

20d Irons robes softly for daughter (7)
PRESSES: a word for robes with the initial letter swapped (the musical letter for softly replacing the single letter for Daughter).

22d Songbird – the French book might have this on the cover (5)
TITLE: a small songbird + French definite article (masculine)

24d Relative’s dirty article removed (5)
UNCLE: an article removed from a synonym of dirty gives you a male relative.

25d Some truth in this clue (4)

HINT: a lurker to finish.

 

No particular favourite but ticks for 9,11&12a along with 3,17&18d. Which ones hit the spot for you?

Today’s Quick Crossword pun: PAR+ LAM+ AIDES  = PARLOUR MAIDS

 

63 comments on “DT 30427”

  2. Fairly straightforward but a bit of grey matter needed. No nasty obscure words or obscurities ! Sadly no favourites either.
    Thanks to compiler and others.

  3. I admit to being confused by 18d for ages too, I suspect I have been overindulging on the Claret, it also took an embarassingly long time to see the tramp in 9a Otherwise a fine Tuesday test Thanks to Setter and Huntsman enjoy golfing while you can

      1. I’d have posted that too but still can’t get it to work. Mind you however brilliantly Eva sings it it’ll always be Christine’s song

        1. I’ve got Eva’s version on my car’s player and I’d forgotten it was originally Christine’s. Just listened, and as you say, incomparable. Must relisten to my Fleetwood Macs.

      2. Spent the afternoon listening to both Eva and Christine and I still can’t choose. Eva has such a poignant backstory but the piano accompaniment on Christine’s is just perfect too

    2. I enjoyed all the puzzle today except 18d – I actually just stared at it for a good 5 minutes as it was the last in

  4. Typically Tuesdayish and, based on the ‘intelligence’ Cephas gave us a while ago, both the Quickie and Back Pager grids indicate that this is an Anthony Plumb production – **/****

    A tea tray sized PDM for 18d having spent some time trying to find a C_T_E_ nice wine from the Bordeaux region!

    Candidates for favourite – 10a, 8d, and 17d – and the winner is 17d.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb, or whomsoever if it is not he, and thanks to Huntsman.

  5. I never cease to be impressed by the number of ways the answer to 28a can be clued. The letters must be very good anagram fodder – but you still need to get a reasonably sensible surface read. Hats off to all those who set ( compile??!) our daily slice of enjoyment.
    No problems today, a good Tuesdayish puzzle. I wasn’t sure about the synonym at 16d and it did take me an extra moment to get on track with 18d. Podium places today for 15a, 2d and 5d in no particular order. Thanks to our setter and Huntsman.

  6. Had to do it in a cafe in Woking today while waiting for a new fuel pump to be fitted on the bike, still under warranty by 4 days, thank God.
    Took a bit longer as is always the case if you do it in a public place, and got all but 18d, which after reading the hints has got to be the best piece of deception ever, very well done to our setter today.

    1. Sorry Tipcat but my mind’s working overtime – interesting to hear what you’ve been doing with your day but I’m surprised you had time for the crossword!

  7. What a splendid start to the day with husband bringing me a cup of tea. Liked 18d and 10 and 11 a. Do not usually like the “ we hear “ clues. Needed the hints for 9a although the answer was rather good. Like this setter and many thanks to Huntsman. Now I can do some weeding.

  8. Having taught Geography for 40 years, the answer to 18d came to mind as soon as the checkers showed me it wasn’t ‘claret. I still wwouldnt put it in until last but it was my COTD. . I too am always amazed at the variety of ckues for the word at 28a, one ofmy favourites. A great guzzle, with orher good clues in the lego clues at 18a and14d. Thanks to Huntsman for the hints and to Mr Plumb for a very enjoyable guzzle.

  9. An enjoyable puzzle – many thanks to the setter and Huntsman.
    As with our blogger and (apparently) many others 18d was my last answer accompanied by a hefty kick – so that one is on my podium together with 9a and 10a.

  10. Solid enjoyable Tuesday fare, enjoyable and with a little to chew over towards the end to slow down the completion. COTD for me by some margin – unusually given it is an anagram – to 27a for the superb surface read of clue and answer. Joined on the podium by 18a and 3d.

    1.5 / 3

    Many thanks to the settter (grid does feel a bit AP) and Huntsman

  11. I am happy to add my name to those for whom 18d was the final entry in this most entertaining puzzle. 9a was very neat, but my favourite was 27a for the surface read. Great fun.

    Many thanks to our setter and Huntsman.

  12. I did feel the need to check on a couple of synonyms used in this one and am still wondering how to iron softly, but this was nevertheless an enjoyable solve.
    Top clues for me were 10a & 18d..

    Thanks to our setter (Mr Plumb?) and to our golf-mad reviewer!

    1. The mental image of your good self attacking the ironing like a Samurai is hard to shift 🤭

        2. Mama Bee had a disagreement with the Iron too…
          The Iron won😲 and the carpet lost

  13. Serious stuff today but a genial poser. North came in ahead of South. 18a without and contributed to it holding out until last. No standout Fav(s). Thank you Mysteron and Huntsman.

  14. Despite having been a resident of Froglandia for fifty plus years, couldn’t figure out 18d – one can’t spell “cotes” with an extra “e”. (Can’t do circumflexes either…) So a DNF today. Pity, because other than that, things went along nicely. Particularly liked the Flock in 1a, my first in and fave.
    Many thanks to Mr Plumb? and to Huntsman.

  15. Yes indeed, 18d last one in. Great guzzle – enough anagrams to get the grid going and reduce the uncertainties.
    Good point by Mhids about the number of ways 28a can be clued. I would add ‘orchestra’ as it seems to turn up in any number of ways.

    Thanks to the setter and Andy On The First Tee.

    An album I have been playing a lot recently is Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit, ‘Weathervanes’. Here’s a track from it.

    1. Saw them for the first time earlier this year at the Eventim Apollo & they were absolutely superb. They are the only band I’ve ever seen pull off a cover of Peter Green’s Oh Well. They’ve a splendid discography if you’re not familiar with them

      1. Weathervanes are spinning when Les has replaced most of the Womens Auxiliary Air Force, Oh well (12)
        Would seem like a workable but long clue for 28a maybe I should suggest it to Django!
        Thanks to Terence for the clip I have added them to My List

  16. You have all said it, really. It would be very interesting to know which one word has been used most often in just the DT guzzle. 28a is certainly in the running. So much to like here, I applaud the setter and did not need Huntsman’s excellent hints – I hope he is having fun following a little white ball around. He deserves the excitement. I thought 1a was my favourite but then I thought 28 or 18d but have plumped for 27a. Many thanks to all of you who have a hand in producing and hinting the guzzles – they help to keep me sane. And good wishes to Robert and everyone undergoing treatment.
    Anecdote – 24d my brother’s name is Ian and my girls always called him Unclean, which they thought was hilarious – and he loved it.

    1. My two girls tried that with my second husband – he didn’t find it at all funny. Needless to say, I’m no longer married to him!

    2. As do I. Uncle Ian…marvellous.

      A very enjoyable romp through Crosswordland, as nearly all these puzzles are. We are so spoilt.

      The synonym for tramp took me an age but a goodie when I got to that letter of the alphabet. If I have to resort to going through the alphabet, it means I have been defeated. I feel a right plum saying in my head…bub….no..bud…no..bug..no….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I would rather wave the white flag and look up the answer.

      I’ll go with the aforementioned for the podium, as it’s a great lego clue and a nice surface, along with 4d and 15a.

      Many thanks to Huntsman and compiler (whatever!)

      2*/4*

  17. I thought this was like something blessing our weather here on the SW coast…a bit of a breeze.
    Isn’t Twitter X these days? Ah well, standout favourite for me was 18d.
    Thanks to the setter and Huntsman.

  18. Another fun day! I just bunged in a word at 18d that fit but had nothing to do with the clue. Of course it was wrong, but I think the right answer is pretty clever, well done setter. The anagrams were helped along by getting a lot of checkers. I don’t know the Twitter man personally, but I find him so irritating, I cringe when’re I see him. It’s so unreasonable to dislike someone you don’t even know but I do. I liked lots, 9a, 13a, 20d among others, but top spot goes to 1a, it has me humming the Three Bells.
    Thank you setter, a fun start to my day, and to Huntsman for the hints and pics, particularly 18d.

  20. A nice steady solve, apart from 10a and 16d. I had the answers, but from the checkers as I would never equate the answers with the definitions. I’m another one for whom 18d was LI, and very annoyed with myself for not seeing it. Thanks to setter and Huntsman.

  21. Solved this while having the trees in my garden tidied up. Peace at last after 2 days of activity
    Like others took a while to realise my guess for 18d had to be right
    No real favourite though 28a was impressive

  22. Much the same as everyone else today. 18d the only bugbear for me and for which I needed the hint.

    Thanks to the setter and to Huntsman. Hope you are enjoying your golf.
    Blustery day here with threatening clouds. Temperature allegedly all the way up to 17C….but it doesn’t feel like it.

  23. Took me a while to get this one going. Once started went smoothly with a couple of clues that took while to come to light … with 18d being one … but that was a good ‘un!

    2*/4* for me

    Favourites include 1a, 11a, 1d, 17d & 18d — with 18d the winner

    Thanks to setter & Huntsman

  25. 1.5/3. Good puzzle with a handful of standouts. 18d was my favourite from a podium joined by 9&10a, and 6&20d. Thanks to the setter and Huntsman.

  26. Another enjoyable puzzle. So satisfying when 1a goes in straight-away. All went well until realised I was wrong with 18d and 21a. Couldn’t get small farms out of my mind. Many thanks to the setter and Huntsman. Attended an Age UK gentle dance session (60/70’s music) this afternoon. Thoroughly enjoyed myself but 4000 plus steps later at a pace I was glad to get home for a reviving coffee. Off to my ballet class in just over an hour. Can’t help but think of Daisygirl doing the splits but I won’t be joining her anytime soon!

  27. A bit late today consequently pretty much has been already said.
    For no particular reason I didn’t enjoy today’s crossword as much as usual – I really don’t know why – it’s certainly not the fault of the setter – must be mine!
    I liked 12 and 18a and 7 and 18d. My favourite was 27a.
    Thanks who did compile this crossword and to Huntsman for the hints.

  28. Great puzzle completed after our fourth sunny day in a row, we feel very lucky to have had such fantastic weather in Wales in October. We thoroughly enjoyed it although 18d caused a lot of head scratching.
    Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints

  29. 2*/4*. This was an enjoyable solve apart from stupidly putting in “claret” as the answer to 18d given C—E- as the checkers.

    10 was my favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman.

    1. Yup. Still do it every morning at the end of my little stretching and bending routine! It means a lot to me to still be able to do it, though getting up is not as graceful as it was!

    2. That, of course, is in reply to 26. It’s just too late, time to give in.
      I was going to say Claret was my first thought too.
      Enough.

  30. I like the Nice/nice ‘proper noun/common noun’ game where they are pronounced differently.

    Someone told me three others:

    August/august
    Job/job
    Polish/polish

    Anybody got any more?

      1. I suppose technically they’re not pronounced differently, so now I’ll have to call you “Tome” so as not to feel silly!

        1. I think you mean….sillier.

          Silly is a great word,

          I’ve missed you, AB.

          1. Away on a top secret mish so can’t print off any crosswords. Sacrifices, eh 😭 Hope you’re all keeping well!

  31. Good evening
    I have to hold up my hands; it’s a DNF, and the one solution that made it a DNF is, of course, 18d. I’ve spent ages staring at C – T – E – and imagining the missing letters, but in the end I had to cave in. Even after having read the hint!
    Never mind. As Brucie used to say, good game! Good game!
    My thanks to our compiler and to Huntsman

  32. Thanks to BD, Huntsman and of course Senf. Same as the Poster re 18d. What puzzles me is “what did I read in your post which dropped the coin?” I owe you that anyway.
    Last time I read posts BD was ill. Please someone take the time to update this dedicated xwordman and admirer of this page. Cheers

  33. Good fun, though not at all keen on 3d and 5d as synonyms, especially 5d, which really isn’t correct!
    Enjoyed 18d, though didn’t come at all quickly, but wouldn’t it have been a much better answer if written in French, which is what I initially thought it must be…!

  35. A very enjoyable puzzle. Even though I originally had an incorrect answer in 18a, but the correct starting letter, together with the other checkers, meant 18d just fell into place.
    Favourite was 12a closely followed by 15a.
    Thanks to the setter and Huntsman for the hints.

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