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DT 30450

by Falcon  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30450

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from Ottawa, where Senf’s weather system has yet to reach us and will have warmed considerably by the time it does, giving us a fair amount of rain rather than the mix of rain, freezing rain, ice pellets, and snow that he experienced. However, toward the latter part of the week, the forecast calls for us to receive about an inch of snow.

I seemed to tune to the right wavelength today for this Campbell offering and found it to be a fairly quick solve. There are only four anagrams but a healthy serving of charades and lots of cases where one must either add or subtract initial or final letters.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

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

Across

1a   Direct film depicting traitor (8)
TURNCOAT — join together synonyms for direct (as in “direct your attention to …”) and film or thin layer

5a   Style, class to a T (6)
FORMAT — a school class followed by the A and T from the clue; the charade indicator “to” is used in the sense of ‘beside’ as in the expression ‘shoulder to shoulder’

9a   Prevent papers and the like breaking news (4,5)
STOP PRESS — a word meaning prevent and a term for newspapers and other printed media

11a   Wagon in Ayr rolled over (5)
LORRY — a reverse (over) lurker (in) concealed in the clue

12a   Hear end of symphony that’s memorable (6)
CATCHY — an informal term for hear with the ear and the final letter (end) of SYMPHONY

13a   Leaving boy may be conduct open to criticism (6-2)
GOINGS ON — link together synonyms for leaving and boy and split as directed

15a   Two streets surrounding forest, one providing a means of progress (8-5)
STEPPING STONE — place an abbreviated street either side of a London area forest and append the ONE from the clue

18a   Scout in story, small boy at Hogwarts after set of books (6,7)
TALENT SPOTTER — after arranging as instructed, you should have a story, one of the usual set of Biblical books, the genealogical abbreviation for son, and the protagonist of a series of books by J. K. Rowling

22a   Whole “Triangle” at sea (8)
INTEGRAL — an anagram (at sea) of TRIANGLE

23a   Importance of data around university (6)
STATUS — an informal term for quantitative data wrapped around U(niversity)

26a   Famous clown having a beverage (5)
COCOA — string together a famous British clown and the A from the clue

27a   Watch key? Quite something (3-6)
EYE OPENER — watch or observe and what a key serves as in relation to a lock

28a   Run steamship across North American lake (6)
SERIES — the letters designating a steam ship bookend the second smallest of the Great Lakes

29a   Dwarfed house, not surprisingly (8)
OUTSHONE — an anagram (surprisingly) of the two words in the middle of the clue; “dwarfed” is used in the sense of ‘surpassed in excellence’

Down

1d   International action, such as may set a precedent? (4,4)
TEST CASE — an international cricket or rugby match and an action in a court of law

2d   Rubbish written about very large place where birds rest (5)
ROOST — rubbish or nonsense encompass the clothing symbol for very large

3d   Arrest grass in nick (7)
COPSHOP — combine slang terms for arrest or take into custody and grass or inform (on) to get a slang term for a police station

4d   Top ten supporting primate (4)
APEX — a Roman ten following (supporting in a down clue) a non-ecclesiastical primate

6d   Shakespeare character from part of Westmorland, originally (7)
ORLANDO — a lurker hiding in (part of) the final two words of the clue

7d   Confused steersman in a muddle (5-4)
MARE’S NEST — an anagram (confused) of STEERSMAN; although the BRB does not do so, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary characterizes this sense of the answer as ‘chiefly US’

8d   Hearing difficult (6)
TRYING — double definition, the first a verb (“They are hearing the case today”) and the second an adjective

10d   Director crosses ground close to stage (8)
SCORSESE — an anagram (ground) of CROSSES and the final letter (close) to STAGE

14d   Flood in a Parisian court (8)
INUNDATE — IN from the clue, a French indefinite article, and court or woo

16d   Vehicle‘s condition during race raised (6,3)
ESTATE CAR — a synonym for condition contained in (during) a reversal (raised in a down clue) of RACE

17d   Keep quiet over substitute (8)
PRESERVE — the symbol used in music notation for quiet precedes (over in a down clue) a substitute player on a sports team

19d   Toboggan full of crack in bags (7)
LUGGAGE — what passes for a toboggan in the UK enveloping a crack or funny remark; such a vehicle is considered anything but a toboggan in North America

20d   Sea creature, head in focus, heading off (7)
OCTOPUS — insert a word meaning head in the sense of highest or most important into FOCUS after having removed its initial letter (heading off); here’s a ‘sea creature’ heading off to nowhere in particular

21d   Endless talk about throwing event (6)
DISCUS — another term for ‘talk about’ with its final letter removed (endless)

24d   Dance beat, good one at first (5)
TANGO — beat or flog, the numismatic symbol for good, and the initial letter (at first) of ONE

25d   List of soldiers joining unit at the start (4)
MENU — soldiers from the lower ranks and the initial letter (at the start) of UNIT

For no reason other than it may have been my last one in, I will nominate 18a for top honours today.

Quickie Pun (Top Row): ROADS + COLLAR = RHODES SCHOLAR

Quickie Pun (Middle Row): VENICE + WHALER = VENEZUELA

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : PALACE + AIDES = PALISADES

88 comments on “DT 30450”

  1. A great start to the week with lots to like although I didn’t understand 3d at first. I know the answer is a nick but it took a long time for me to work out why. When it finally dropped I thought it very clever. However, that is not my COTD. I have three contenders for the top spot – the watch key at 27a, the forest in streets at 15a and the toboggan full of crack at 19d. Discussions were had, votes were cast and it was 19d that came out on top.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the fun guzzle and the three Quickie puns. Thank you, Falcon for the hints, which I will now read.

    Sunny in The Marches at the moment but not sure it will last. Our weather station is showing rain is due.

  2. After giving this one a quick read though, I checked at the top of the sheet to make sure I hadn’t printed the Toughie by mistake. Satisfied that I hadn’t, I went back upstairs to check if some of my brain had oozed out of my ear during the night. That too was a negative, so I decided to carry on regardless, like Mr Handy.
    Eventually finished it in about four times as long as the Monday one usually takes. Very satisfying in the end, even if it was more akin to a Friday offering. Thanks to our setter today for soaking up most of a usually dull Monday morning.

  3. Great start for the week and all fun, bar the slang answer above. Tut, tut!
    Thanks to the compiler.

  4. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: and a triple punner to boot – **/****

    26a stirred memories of going to see Bertram Mills Circus at Kensington Olympia at Christmas time.

    Candidates for favourite – 18a, 28a, and 20d – and the winner is 28a.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    1. Oh, my, memories! Bertram Mills Circus! Have been late 50s/early 60s, but can’t remember what I saw! Better memories of the Royal Tournament (Olympia?) with the teams racing to heft artillery pieces over a wall!

      1. My memories of Bertram Mills are also late 50s and perhaps early 60s. Probably three visits.

        Royal Tournament was at Earls Court.

        1. Yes indeed fond thoughts of both Bertram Mills Circus and more so the Royal Tournament which we visited annually as our close friend, Jumbo Preston, was the Arena Master – quite a showman.

        2. Memories of Bertram Mills in the 50s. What larks.
          But how our attitudes have changed for the better. I remember being scared when the lion tamer was on.
          Even later (and probably still happening) in Moscow at the State Circus in the early 90s we saw dancing bears. Two of the pupils on our school trip walked out and were severely admonished for leaving the party.

          1. Agreed. Animal welfare was pretty low on the agenda, and sacrificed for entertainment, in the 1950s. But, I can’t help wondering how whatever followed the circus in the Olympia calendar got on as part of the circus set-up included an indoor menagerie. There must have been some lingering odours!

        3. Memories of Bertram Mills in the 50s. What larks.
          But how our attitudes have changed for the better. I remember being scared when the lion tamer was on.
          Even later (and probably still happening) in Moscow at the State Circus in the early 90s we saw dancing bears. Two pupils on our school trip walked out and were severely admonished for leaving the party.

    2. When I was working for a film producer he used to get loads of invitations he did not wish to take up so he would pass them on to me. I had some wonderful evenings but one which always sticks in my mind was having a ringside seat when Winifred Attwell played the piano inside a tiger’s cage. Awesome.

        1. Oh yes I guess it would have been about 1954. I remember so well our hearts were in our mouths as she walked into the cage. The tiger just prowled about fairly unimpressed but of course he could have turned at any moment.

  5. An enjoyable, fairly straightforward guzzle, with a couple of great long lego clues at 15a and 16a. There was also a good lurker at 6d and a fun charade at 27a. My COTD, however, is the anagram at 7d. Ma y thanks to Falcon for the hints and to Campbell, at his sparkling best today.

  6. A very enjoyable puzzle for me today .
    Liked 18a and the clown one.

    Thanks to Falcon and Campbell.

    En route to Nice….all going well so far.

  7. Pleasantly straightforward and entertaining for a Monday morning, with a good clue mix and some neat misdirection. I particularly liked 28a and 19d, with 10d my favourite.

    My thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  8. Needed your hints for a few of these Falcon: 3d 15a and 18a which of course make complete sense now. Thank you Campbell for working the Monday grey matter more than usual.

  9. A very pleasant start to the week.

    Nice constructions and no obscure howdy doodies. 7d has been duly noted as I’ve never heard of it. I’ve looked up its origin which is hilarious.

    My podium is 19d, 28a and 15a which was excellent.

    Many thanks to Falcon and Campbell.

    1*/3*

  10. Straightforward solve today with the exception of 7d. I admit to putting it into an anagram solver, then having to Google the answer. I’d never heard of it. Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  12. Good quaint Monday fun.
    I liked several but my favourite was 13a (immediately thought of the ridiculous Genesis song, “The battle of ……).
    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    1. Ditto – I played it & it was just as unlistenable to as the last time I played it which was almost certainly when the forest last cropped up in a puzzle.

    2. Me too with the Genesis, otherwise a fine Monday offering, only the hint let me see the director as I wanted it to start Show….
      Thanks to Falcon and Campbell

    3. That album was Genesis’ finest moment.

      Every song was a winner, including the aforementioned.

  13. Plenty of fun to be found in this one although the penny did stick in the slot for a while over 1a.
    Top performers for me were 9,18&27a plus 3&19d.

    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon as he awaits a drop of the white stuff.

  14. Great guzzle.

    When I was little, there was this terrifying clown, called Charlie Cairoli who used to pop up on children’s television. He had a call and response catchphrase.
    “Right children?”
    “Right Charlie!”

    He gave me the heebie jeebies.

    Thanks to Campbell and The Bird Of Prey

    1. I can understand why you might have been scared of Charlie Cairoli. I have no idea why I was scared by Andy Pandy !

  15. Well this fell into my tricky bracket and how I dredged up 7d I can’t imagine. Still I finished unaided and will now read the hints. Its a gorgeous day here and I’ve just spent half an hour crouched in a very uncomfortable position trying to replace a couple of tiny lights that are downlighters under a kitchen cupboard. The man in the shop said not to touch the glass with bare hands although there was no instruction on the little box. Finally managed it. Face still looks a mess so have upped the antihistamine to 4 a day. Many thanks to Campbell for the workout and to Falcon for telling me how I got there.

    2. This is far too long to suffer, Manders. Have you been back to your GP?
      I hope you get better soon. 🌹

  16. I made heavy weather of this today but enjoyed every minute ( or was it hour) of it. Not too many anagrams and plenty of clever misdirections and charade clues. I was in my element but my brain was on a go slow. I’d never heard of 7d but it could be little else and a quick check in BRB confirmed the answer. Penny drop moments at 1a, 12a and 26a, among others. Favourite today was 15a, joined on the podium by 18a and 19d. Thanks to Campbell for the pleasurable challenge and Falcon for confirming a couple of parsings.

  17. Light, straightforward,enjoyable. Would have helped had I been able to read my own hand-writing, as I puzzled over 19d ‘beginning’ with an A. Equines remained fast asleep.

    Thank you to Campbell and Falcon

  18. Many things to like today. I was slow to realise 29a was an anagram! Top spots go to 13a 18a and 7d. Many thanks to setter and hinter.

  19. 2*/4*. Typical Monday puzzle – light and great fun with 13a my favourite.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  20. Took me a shortish breakfast to do the first half, but the rest came easier at lunchtime. Only marked two likes, 15 & 18a, but actually a lot more.
    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  21. Very enjoyable indeed. No real head scratches though the parsing at 1a&3d required some thought. I looked up out of interest the origins of the 7d idiom & was surprised to see it dates back to the 16th century. Liked the 2 long ‘uns at 15&18a but 3d my fav & no issue with the slang.
    Thanks to Campbell & to Falcon.
    Ps Anyone braved the 210 odd mins in the cinema & watched 10d’s latest ? – heaven knows why the distributors haven’t scheduled in an intermission

    1. I understand that some cinemas are actually putting in an interval, but they don’t advertise it as they would have their knuckles rapped.

      1. Interesting – within reason I’d travel to one. Am sure I’m not imagining it but seem to remember an intermission scheduled in any number of films in days of yore

        1. When the ice cream girls walked down to the front with their trays of tubs and wooden spoons. 🙂

          1. I still do that once a month in our pop up cinema in the village. I sell popcorn and ice creams!

  22. Some head scratching was required, and the north west needed extra attention, but fell into place eventually.
    A thoroughly enjoyable way to start the week, with a large mug of tea in bed. With a super crossword in hand, what does it matter that the clock keeps moving on?
    Thank you Campbell and Falcon.

  23. Not a bad start to the week. Thanks to Falcon for the hints … but not needed today. Mare’s nest a new one on me though … but everyday is a learning day. Re hint to 19 down, in my part of the UK (northern and best part!) we have sledges. The luge as far as I’m concerned is some sport devised in the Alps or environs following someone in a gimp suit escaping downhill on a metal tray … no not one of my favourite winter olympic events.

  24. For the start of the (non)-work week I found this a pleasant outing. Nothing to trip one up in this puzzle and all logical and for me the parsing was understandable. Some great clues in this puzzle. Not sure if it is a Campbell offering this week, but it could well be as it seems like his style to me. I have just seen in the preamble Falcon refers to it as a Campbell puzzle, so that settles it.

    1.5*/3.5* for me

    Favourites today include 5a, 13a, 15a, 18a, 28a & 21d — with winner 15a
    Got smiles from many but 13a, 18a & 21d were top three.

    Thanks to Campbell & Falcon for hints/blog

  25. A good Monday offering, though I did have a couple of bungins. I got 3d courtesy of word search, I’d like to say I’ve never heard of it but I believe we’ve had it before. I guessed 10d but completely missed the anagram. I had no problem with 7d, it’s a phrase I use often, I’ve got two here in my house that are a dumping ground but I’m not strong enough to sort them out and they just keep getting worse. Learning to turn a blind eye is a talent that comes with old age. Fave was 15a but liked lots more.
    Thanks you Campbell for the fun and Falcon for the enlightenment of a few.

    1. P.S. I think for the first time ever I completed the Quickie, not only that, I understood all the puns. I feel quite clever.

  26. Like Pip, I was held up in the north west but eventually pennies dropped. My mother would often tell me that my bedroom was like a 7d do I knew that one and did manage without recourse to the hints, though I did check the parsing of one or two guesses. I am still tired after the Flipping Church Fayre on Saturday when we were stationed near the open door and I got frozen. George was selling his Devious Christmas Quiz sheets – he’s been doing this for years and people have until 31st January to complete it. Solutions come in from all over Britain because they get sent out to relatives in Christmas cards. Anyway, the reason for all this is that I met again a lovely young woman living in our road who came to our house last year to buy a quiz sheet and confessed that she thought she knew who I was – Daisygirl! She is a lurker, and might even be reading this now. She got George’s quiz sheet and then came to talk to me – I was quite excited, it is like a secret brotherhood! Maybe one day she will emerge like a butterfly from a chrysalis and officially be one of Big Dave’s People!
    Many thanks to Messrs Campbell & Falcon.

    1. “It’s a small world – but I wouldn’t want to paint it” was one of Papa Bee’s sayings and seems apt here

    2. I do hope your lovely lurker joins us, DG and is it possible for you to let us see George’s quiz sheet? 😁

  27. How I love the long arm of coincidence Daisygirl. One can never be sure when it will pop up next. Expect to put the Monday puzzle to bed before I get out of bed. I do not rise with the lark. Today’s puzzle was obdurate and had to wait for post Zumba class to get finished. Definitely tricky for a Monday and not helped by misspelling 26a. All done and dusted now and many thanks to all for the enjoyable ride.

  28. Initially, I had a rabbit in the headlight moment and thought all my marbles had left me, as only 2 clues were completed on first pass. After a gap, coffee, breakfast, dog walk and gardening it all finally fell into place and was a lot of fun. I still am amazed how it is possible to read clues and really have no idea how to do them and then return and see the answer immediately. I did not know the term in 7d and my favourite was 15a.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the hints.

  29. Having nearly fell off my chair when I solved Wordle in 2, I then hoped my brain was on a roll and I would more swiftly through today’s puzzle. But I only got half way before I realized I was not on wavelength, and solved most of rest from the checkers. I had 13a early on but couldn’t parse it and needed hint to verify. COTD definitely 15a. Never heard of 7d despite being here in the US, but Peter says he has. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    1. You sure beat me on Wordl BL – I took 3 but agree it is satisfying to be able to make it in 2 – what starter did you use? Mine was adieu.

      1. I got it in three this morning using Arise. Adieu was my Go To for ages and I still vaccinate between that, arise and raise.
        It’s great fun, I’m on 98% whatever that means!

        1. I know it’s autocorrect, but vaccinate was a real Chriscross! I used my Waffle word today and ended up 4/6.

            1. Oh wow. Cause is a good one. And yes, it was an unspotted auto correct – and I had to type this in three times!

  30. Quite a ‘Tuffie’ for me for a Monday but bit by bit, starting in the East, it all came together and giving fun along the way. 1a hung fire as I couldn’t parse it. 8d hearing seems to make regular appearances. Thank you Campbell and Falcon.

  31. 15 and 18a and 3 and
    20d especially worthy of an
    Honourable mention in a
    Reasonably Mondayish standard
    Compact puzzle.
    So, 1.5*/4*
    Many thanks Campbell and Falcon.

  32. I,too, found the NW tricky
    1a of the Quickie makes me sad to realise that the philanthropic Cecil now has a bad press

  33. Just seen that it’s by Campbell. Which explains why I found it really tricky. I find his tricky and cumbersome and little fun.
    Not one for me.
    ****/*
    Thx for the hints.

  34. Phew! Is it really Monday? After the first pass I only had three in, bottom half eventually succumbed and it was all completed in (for me) 4* time with Mr R’s help. LOI 1a, COTD for me was 19d – neat.

  35. Not on the wavelength for this at all today.

    About a quarter solved and am calling it a day as I have a busy evening ahead.

    Thanks to all.

  36. Great start to the week. Short of time so have to be brief. My only delay was 19d. Many thanks to Campbell and for the 3 excellent puns in the Quickie. Thanks also to Senf for the hints which I didn’t need today but stick around for next week!

    1. My apologies to Falcon I was rushing earlier and only just had chance to see my error!

  37. I struggled with this, but got there with a fair bit of help from Falcon – thank you. I haven’t heard of 7 down, and my favourite clue was 26 across, the clown.

    I found the hint to 1 across a bit confusing, as it seems to include part of the answer, or am I being my usual dense self?

    1. No, Sheila, not dense at all. I made the unfortunate error of using part of the answer in the hint instead of the word found in the clue. Now fixed.

  38. Took a while to get started and then made slow progress to the conclusion. I’m rarely on Campbell’s wavelength and today was no exception. Still a full grid is a full grid. Favourite was 15a. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  40. Good evening
    Very late on parade! Almost forgot to check in. This one took me ages to get started; I had to go away, let my subconscious do some work, and return to the crozzie much later, at which point the flow of solutions improved!
    Thank you Campbell and Falcon

  41. Quite tough for a Monday I thought, but looking back I’m not sure why. Some cracking clues, faves being the two biggies 15a and 18a. Great fun excavating those two. 11s and 28a top cluesmanship too. Thanks Mr Monday!

  42. I enjoyed this Monday offering from Campbell.
    I particularly liked a number of clues including 12a, 15a, 18a, 27a, 1d and 3d.
    Many thanks to Campbell.
    Much appreciation to Falcon for the review which I enjoyed reading but did not need this time. I find Campbell a little tricky and it is always encouraging to see that I have actually managed to parse correctly.

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