DT 30432 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30432

by pommers  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30432

Hints and tips by pommers

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

Hola from Almoradí where summer still lingers on. I’ve heard it said that we’re having the warmest October on record and I can quite believe it!  32°C last Saturday which is silly hot for mid-October.

As to the crossword it wasn’t my favourite, but I can’t put my finger on exactly why.  I don’t know who the setter is but it’s X Type’s turn, but there are three puns in the quickie so it could be Campbell I suppose, although it didn’t feel like one of his.  I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on it.

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

9a           Foreign article describing invention (5)
ALIEN:  An indefinite article placed around (describing) an invention or something that isn’t true.

10a        Girl captured by race one associated with a fictional land (9)
RURITANIA:  A girl’s name is inserted into (captured by) a word meaning to race. After that you need the letter that looks like number one and finally the A from the clue.

11a        Old lady facing powerful dog (7)
MASTIFF:  Your old lady followed by a word meaning powerful, as in a powerful drink perhaps.

12a        Following a nasty bad dream (7)
FANTASY:  F(ollowing) followed by an anagram (bad) of A NASTY:

13a        Mean fellow hiding last of wine (5)
CHEAP:  Mean as in poor.  Another term for a fellow or man with an E (last of winE) inserted (hiding).

14a        Further down, duck may be freezing (5,4)
BELOW ZERO:  The first word of the answer means further down or underneath and the second is the number represented by a duck in cricket.

16a        Act in various roles in sport, having a number of caps? (4,7,4)
WEAR SEVERAL HATS:  A cryptic definition of a phrase meaning to function in more than one capacity.

19a        Finished among a group left behind (9)
ABANDONED:  Start with the A from the clue and a word for a group, of musicians perhaps. Into that insert (among) a word meaning finished or over.

21a        Bar in Berlin — go there (5)
INGOT:  A lurker (in) hiding in the last three words.

23a        Pebbles one’s found around hotel (7)
SHINGLE:  Pebbles on a beach is a word meaning one or solo around an H(otel).

25a        French police chief with judge in centre of appeal court (7)
PREFECT:  A term for a judge or umpire is inserted into (in) PE (centre of apPEal) and followed by the abbreviation of court.

27a        Come across knight tucking into energy bar (9)
ENCOUNTER:  A knight from chess notation is inserted into (tucking into) E(nergy) and another word for a bar, in a pub perhaps.

28a        Still short, runner’s odds maybe (5)
EVENS:  A phrase (4,2) meaning still or nevertheless without its last letter (short).

Down

1d           Sheep station, say, a long way? Miles (4)
FARM:  A word meaning a long way followed by M(iles) gives what a sheep station is an example of.

2d           Concern after conclusion of government paper (6)
TISSUE:  T (conclusion of governmenT) followed by a concern.

3d           Unwilling,  being poorly (10)
INDISPOSED:  Double definition.

4d           Page about super house, small in size (6)
PREFAB:  P(age) followed by two letters for about and then a slang term meaning super gives you small house.

5d           Police psychologist, perhaps in favour of lifer receiving treatment (8)
PROFILER:  Three letters meaning in favour of followed by an anagram (receiving treatment) of LIFER.

6d           Amaze as trick detailed (4)
STUN:  A trick or clever move without its last letter (detailed).

7d           American manoeuvring kept secret (2,6)
IN CAMERA: Anagram (manoeuvring) of AMERICAN.

8d           Be careful of loose female rabbit ahead of rest (4,4,2)
EASY DOES IT:  Take a word that can just about mean loose followed by a female rabbit and then a word for to rest or take a pew.  Split that lot (4,4,2) to get a phrase meaning be careful.

13d        Frighten head of section during discussion in plant (3-7)
COW PARSLEY:  The first word means to frighten or intimidate and the second is an S (head of Section)  inserted into (during) a word meaning discussion.

15d        Thoroughly at home, always? Blimey! (4,1,5)
WELL I NEVER:  A word for thoroughly followed by the usual two letters for at home and then a word meaning always all split (4,1,5).

17d        A gimme? Check if absolutely necessary (2,1,5)
AT A PINCH:  A from the clue followed by a phrase meaning a gimme in golf and finally an abbreviation of check.

18d        Sell Tate off causing family feud (8)
VENDETTA:  A word meaning to sell followed by an anagram (off) of TATE.

20d        Set off in race holding record (6)
DEPART:  To set off on one’s travels is a word meaning to race or go fast around two letters for an old type of record.

22d        Man‘s water heater, from what we hear (6)
GEEZER:  A slang term for a man sounds like (from what we hear) a type of water heater.

24d        Disease picked up round middle of January (4)
GOUT:  Picked up as in understood placed around a U (middle of JanUary).

26d        International  try (4)
TEST:  Double definition. An international match in rugby or cricket and to try out.

Podium today is 13a, 25a and 27a with 13a on the top step.

Quick crossword puns:

Top line:         FLEE     +     BIGHT     =     FLEABITE

Middle line:     BACKED     +     EERIER     =     BACTERIA

Bottom line:     WHACK     +     SING     =     WAXING

81 comments on “DT 30432”

  1. 3*/3.5*. Probably the hardest Monday back-pager that I can remember. This was largely as a result of the SW corner, where 17d was my last to parse and favourite.

    Many thanks presumably to 3-pun Campbell and to pommers.

  2. Like Pommers, I found this guzzle ok but lacking the usual Monday spàrkle somehow . However, there were some good lego clues, like 8d (my COTD), 13d and 20d to enjoy. Thanks to the compiler (not Campbell this week?) And to Pommers for rhe hints.

  4. Very enjoyable, though didn’t like 10a, with just Devon and Cornwall providing any real resistance. I’ll select my joint favourites from there, 19a &17d.
    Many thanks to the setter and Pommers.

  5. I wasn’t so down on this puzzle as pommers or others seem to be. I thought there were a number of fun clues (eg 14a and 8d) and a good level of Monday challenge. Like Rabbit Dave, my LOI and fave of the day was 17d. Thanks to the setter and to pommers for the hints.

  6. Didn’t strike me as being particularly untypical of a Campbell guzzle & while I wouldn’t put it up there with his best I enjoyed it more than our reviewer & early comments. Like RD 17d was my last in & clear fav once the parsing penny dropped. 8&13d can have the other podium spots
    Thanks to Campbell & to Pommers
    Ps embarrassingly had to reveal the 4a/5d checker to complete the Quickie as unfamiliar with both.

  7. Like pommers, I was expecting today’s puzzle to be by X-Type but the three puns in the Quickie suggest it is a Campbell but it did not really have the feel of either of them. I did find it very enjoyable and not too challenging – **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 13a, 14a, 8d, 15d, and 24d – and the winner is 8d.

    Thanks to whomsoever and pommers.

  8. I’m going against the consensus here. I enjoyed it – thanks to Campbell and pommers.
    For my podium I’ve selected 14a, 15d and 17d.

  9. Felt it was a different type of puzzle for a Monday as they are usually more straightforward at the beginning of the week. 8 and 13 d came up trumps but didn’t like 17d because I did not know the reference as a non – player. I never recognise the setters but thank him/ her for it and the explanation for that pesky 17d which was a bung in. Would only count it a 2 star as it was fair and there were enough checkers to get the slightly curved ball answers .

  10. Just enough challenge to kick off the cruciverbal week enjoyably. South was least testing. 8d rather contrived and 17d gimme surely wouldn’t suffice in golf game! Even with hint can’t really parse 27a – knight? Thank you Mysteron and pommers.

  11. Finished while waiting for Mrs C to have an endoscopy (routine) but can’t say I enjoyed it. Too much of a slog for a Monday IMHO. I look forward more to Wednesdays these days. No favourite clue – just happy to finish.

    Thank you, Campbell for your efforts. Thank you, pommers for making sense of it for me.

    1. Poor Mrs C – I haven’t found anything about an endoscopy or the preparation for same that I would describe as being ‘routine’ – I can think of several alternative descriptions, most of which are unprintable!

      2. I’ve had five, all routine. Compared with a colonoscopy they are much easier to undergo.

        1. I had one earkiwer this year to confirm a hiatus hernia it’s not a pleasant experience, though the ddoctors and nurses at the John Radcliffe in Oxford were superb and itcwas all over quickly

    6. Thank you all for your kind comments regarding Mrs. C. As she used to be a nursing sister in the endoscopy department of Royal Shrewsbury she knew what to expect. Rather foolishly she opted for no sedation and found the process somewhat uncomfortable. A hiatus hernia has been diagnosed along with Barrett’s oesophagus. Not too severe and it should be controllable with medication.
      Life really is cruel. Mrs. C has been as strong as an ox all her life but she gets hit with no end of miseries at a time when she should be relaxing in retirement.

      1. Oh dear, I have had five but all with sedation, can’t imagine it without. But it’s good she was diagnosed and can begin the treatment. I agree, life is cruel. You spend your younger, fitter years working and when you’ve time to enjoy yourself, the body has other ideas. All the best to both of you.

    7. I shouldn’t think Mrs C enjoyed the endoscopy either. Give me a cryptic any day rather than any sort of ectomy or oscopy.

  12. Like our reviewer, I was quite convinced this was an X-Type production until the three Quickie puns made me hesitate. I note that Senf is keeping his half-crowns in his pocket and I think I’ll follow suit.
    Clues that held the most appeal for me were 5,8&15d.

    Thanks to our setter and to pommers for the review.

  13. I enjoyed this a lot but no particular favourites. Thanks to the setter and to pommers. I envy your 32o – its 9o here but feels much colder. Sorry, don’t know how to do a degree sign!

    1. It was 2°C here in Oxfordshire this morning, the same as yesterday, up to 12° C by midday.

      1. I used to live in Oxfordshire but moved south. To southern France. Cooler today at 22° C, but we have had about two weeks of around 28 – 30° C which is high for the time of year.

  14. I found this rather hard and like others didn’t like it much, especially 3d.
    On the upside, I did like 17d though, not much else to say today.

    1. Oh thank goodness, I thought it was just me. I doubt it is an X-type as I could not get on wavelength with this today.

  15. Looking at the hints, seems like it should have been much easier than I found it.

    Not sure why 16a mentions sport. That threw me for a while trying to get play into the answer

    8d was my favorite. 7d was last in and showed I needed more caffeine

  16. Certainly a different Monday puzzle and more difficult to boot, as an example I have not seen 10a before as a definition.
    Some excellent clues ,7d was my favourite followed by 27a.
    Going for a ***/***-did we have a new setter?

  18. On first sight I thought this was going to be far more difficult than it actually was. It didn’t feel like Campbell but I did enjoy it, if a trifle half-heartedly. I would still be parsing 17d without Pommer’s explanation. Add golf to the list of sports about which I know little. Favourite today was 15d. I also liked 14a, 8d and 13d. The use of cow as a verb was new to me. Thanks to Campbell ( it must be he) and pommers.

  19. Well I enjoyed the challenge and had 17d as my favourite clue. I found it a tad harder than a traditional Monday puzzle, but not by much. The triple pun certainly made it a possible Campbell, but I am not completely convinced.

    Thanks to our setter, whoever he or she may be, and to pommers.

  20. Not the usual Monday fare I agree but quite pleasant at **/*** with rather fewer anagrams than usual. I enjoyed 12a the most with 25a my second favourite. Thanks to pommers and the setter.

  21. After success on Saturday and Sunday, this one brought me right back down with a very firm bump! Couldn’t get into it and found some clues difficult to parse. While I cannot yet recognise individual setters, this puzzle feels like it is a new one

    Resisting the “Click Here” button until I have another go this evening once work is done.

  22. I enjoyed solving this puzzle and was on the setter’s wavelength right from the start. Just needed help with parsing 25a as I didn’t know that this is what French police chiefs are called. I liked the four phrases (8d, 15d, 17d, 16a) best and 13a made me giggle. Thanks all.

  23. An enjoyable puzzle for me today. Only problem for me was parsing 17d.
    Thanks to the setter,whoever they are, and to Pommers.

    Beautiful sunny day here in Angus, but jolly cold.

    1. Hi X-Type, I think many of us had – seemingly erroneously – intuited that you would be alternating with Campbell on Mondays. Any clues you can give us or are you as much in the dark as everyone else?

  26. It is freezing in south Cambridgeshire, it has come as a nasty shock. I did wonder if I should be looking for a pangram when I had a z, v and w but it didn’t happen, 15d was clever and so was 9a & 13d. I bunged in 17d without understanding the golf connection- does that make me a bad person?! All good fun. Star of the show was the centre pun of the Quickie! Many thanks to Messrs Setter & Pommers.

  27. I took longest in Northumberland but on the whole a satisfactory start to the week, Every day is a school day re the fictional country, thanks to Pommers and Campbell

  28. I’m giving up. I just cannot get on this setters wavelength at all. It’s so bad I’m not even finding the hints helpful. Tomorrow is another day!

  29. Well for the start of the non work week, found this puzzle a tough slog today. Just wasn’t clicking on the clues today. Several parsings made no sense to me as well asa new word.
    Five clues not solved so a DNF today.
    I see X-Type popped in and it is not his, so maybe another setter in the mix

    3*/2*

    Favourites 15a, 8d, 15d & 17d

    Thanks to setter & pommers

    P.S. As Senf mentioned recently that he was reading the second of the first two books about the Marlow Murders … ‘The Marlow Murder Club’ and ‘Death Comes to Marlow’, I just finished the second one and it was every bit as good as the first one. It’s nice too that I know the area and the places mentioned so it really brings it to life. Can’t wait until the third one is released.

    1. I don’t know if you saw Silvanus’s comment a few(?) weeks ago but the books are, well the first one is, being turned into a TV series. Over here they will be shown under the PBS Masterpiece (assuming you can receive PBS) banner sometime next year.

      1. Excellent books and, like our commenter above, I am also waiting impatiently for the publication of the third.
        The TV series could well be enjoyable, just have to hope it’s not going to be one of those where all you can think is – no, she doesn’t really look a bit like that!

        1. Hi Jane,

          The three principal female roles are to be played by Samantha Bond, Jo Martin and Cara Horgan apparently. You’ll have to tell us whether you think they look anything like your mental images from the books!

          1. On the face of it, I’m more than happy with Samantha Bond and quite content with Cara Horgan but I’m struggling to get my head round the casting of Jo Martin. Is that an example of unconscious bias?

    2. Yes, I did see Silvanus comment and yes we have PBS channel we can get. Often, we get lots of great UK programming on the Knowledge Network too … Heartbeat being my favourite.

  30. Light & enjoyable, an admirable dearth of anagrams and in consequence a more interesting variety of other clue types. Appears to continue the recent trend of being a little more challenging than some puzzles which follow during the working week. COTD for me 13d, with podium places taken by 25a and 17d.

    1.5* / 3*

    Many thanks to the setter (it did feel Campbell-esque) and to Pommers.

  31. Unlike some we found this pretty straightforward to solve and parse. Favourite was 10a. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers.

  32. Well, I rather feel for (presumably) Campbell who’s taken a bit of a (very gentle) bashing here. I thought this was enjoyable and not noticeably tougher than usual. And I whipped through it at midnight when I’m generally at my dullest. It’s a wavelength thing, I guess. I was feeling rather smug after remembering 10a but then less so as I’d misremembered it as being from Gulliver’s Travels. So not so smart after all! Like MG, I appreciated the barely-there anagrams. As he says it does prompt some more interesting variety. Totally agree. Thanks to Campbell – always reassuring to see three quickie puns on a Monday. I feel quite lost without them! And Pommers, of course.

  34. Not my cup of tea as I struggled throughout. Had to go on a walk to clear my head in the middle of it so no idea of time, but it felt easily ****, and only *1/2 for enjoyment. !0a was my LOI, mostly because I missspeled 4d. I maintain that the online app loses track of where I am, because obviously it couldn’t be me not paying attention now could it? Thanks to pommers and the setter.

  35. 3/1. Not my cup of tea at all. Just couldn’t get on the right wavelength. Thanks to the setter and Pommers.

  36. An interesting divergent from the normal Monday offerings. Bunged one or two in without fully understanding the answer e.g. 17d my favorite.13 eluded me even though I had all the checkers.
    For me fairly enjoyable. Thanks to the Setter and pommers.

    2. Many thanks for popping in Campbell. I have to admit to really struggling with today’s puzzle and it didn’t feel like one of yours! I needed too many hints (thank you Pommers) but then knowledge is never wasted. I shall look forward to your contribution next Monday but with some trepidation! 😊

    3. Thank you, Campbell for the puzzle and for popping in to say hello. You certainly challenged me today!

  39. I was, as I often am, a bit confused by the ratings as I didn’t find this particularly difficult.

    I have been doing crosswords for sometime now but I’m far, far from an expert but I find I usually learn something everyday.

    Thank you to all concerned

  40. Disappointingly, a waste of paper and ink for me and not worth the eye strain. Gentle Mondays are just a distant fond memory. This one would have been more at home in the Toughie slot. Most of my answers I got despite the clues. So glad I have printed and saved Chalicea’s NTSPP to do instead. Hats off to Pommers for solving this one.

  41. Finished but can’t say I either understood them or indeed enjoyed it. Hope we are not in for a week of escaped Toughies!
    Thx for the hints
    ****/**

  42. I nearly always find Monday crosswords tricky so no change there – probably a bit more difficult, mainly due to scarcity of anagrams.
    I had trouble with 21a – I saw a lurker which was clearly not the answer (lingo) and couldn’t it get out of my head – dim!!
    I liked 14 and 25a and 5 and 13d. My favourite was 15 or possibly 18d.
    Thanks to Campbell for the crossword and to pommers for the hints.

  43. I struggled with this today, not the setters fault, but my lack of GK. I did finish but had to use check answers several times. I could not parse 17d (did not get the golf link) and did not know 25a. I even took ages on the multi word answers which I usually like. Perhaps my brain will reset overnight!
    Chilly here in the Chilterns so the heating has now gone on!
    Many thanks to the setter for the challenge and to Pommers for the needed explanations

  44. Found this hard going, a bit of a shock for a Monday. Some strange clueing in my opinion. But it’s only a crossword and nobody’s forcing me to do it so thanks to all😊.

  45. Agree with Pommers a bit of a Curates egg 😳 ***/*** unlike the recent Monday offerings !! Favourites: 23a, 18 & 25d. Thanks to Pommers and to the Compiler

  46. Good evening
    A few of my esteemed companions on today’s blog seem a little down regarding today’s crozzie: not so here; I thought it was pitched at the right level for a Monday; nifty mix of fairly straightforward and chewy clues, with just one or two parsing issues in 17d and 27a; and I was slightly wrong-footed in the case of 10a, because I was fixated on TANIA as the girl’s name!
    My thanks to Campbell and Pommers

  47. I enjoyed this, just made a hash of two parsing which led to a pair of face-palm moments. In 14a for example, I got the ‘o’ at the end but where did the other 3 letters come from? And as golfer I totally failed to spot the obvious. Dimness, thy name is Lurker!
    Many thanks to Campbell and Pommers.

  48. I found this took a long time to get to grips with. 15d was the first clue I wrote down in full, ie not just the checkers.

    I pretty much had the whole grid with checkers only before realising I had solved everything.

    I need the hints to parse 10a.

    Enjoyed this tougher than usual Monday offering.

    Thanks to all.

  49. Well I’m surprised nobody has commented on 22d – found myself reliving the horrors of Sunday night bath night! Always thinking my mum was going to be blown up! Thank goodness water heaters have moved on. As for the crossword I was pleased to get a few on my own and much appreciation to Pommers for the extra help and of course to Campbell for a good work out on the cryptic and good fun on the quick crossword. Weather here feels very cold- will have to give in tomorrow and get my winter togs out.

    1. As for 22d, G+H I seem to remember metal cylinders on the wall above the washbasin. They would burst into flames when the tap was turned on. Scared me to death!

  50. I enjoyed this. One seemed to flow on from the last. I started in Cumbria and worked my way round the country. I was a bit dodgy on one or two parsings so checked these with Pommers’ hints afterwards. Favourites 5 8 15 18 and 20d. Definitely a wavelength thing and I was on it. Thank you Campbell – more of the same for me please.

  51. I didn’t realise that Campbell did Toughies, but I do now! Managed to do one third of the puzzle, which wasn’t helped by entering the wrong water heater in 22d, after which I had to resort to the hints for a few, which got me on my way again.

    Thanks to Campbell for the puzzle and Pommers for the helpful hints.

  52. 3*/3* …
    liked 5D “Police psychologist, perhaps in favour of lifer receiving treatment (8)”

  53. Got there in the end. Kept coming back to this one and finally got into the head of whoever compiled it. Worth spending the time as all made sense in the end

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