DT 30495 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30495

by Shabbo  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30,495
Hints and tips by Shabbo

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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


Good morning. For those of you who get confused about which day it is over the festive season, I can confirm that it is definitely Thursday today. It must be, as it is my turn to write the blog!

I found our setter to be in a fairly benevolent mood for the most part, until I met dogged resistance in the Home Counties region of the puzzle, which slowed me down a bit. 25a and 20d were my last ones in. Most enjoyable though, as befits a Thursday puzzle. I also enjoyed the Quickie Pun, which is perhaps our setter’s indication of when everything will have returned to normal!

In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined and anagrams are CAPITALISED. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.

Across

1a Worries about one finding tooth decay (6)
CARIES: synonym of worries outside (about) one (or I). A gentle start.

4a City Stalin destroyed British university probes (8)
ISTANBUL: anagram of STALIN outside (probes) standard abbreviations for British and University.

9a Going by article following day, papers ignored brawl (6)
AFFRAY: a lego clue: indefinite article + abbreviation for following + the last day of the working week removing (ignored) abbreviation for identity papers.

10a Principal act, name I’m backing, American books (8)
DOMINANT: another lego clue – I don’t get paid enough for this!! Take a two-letter synonym for act + abbreviation for name and IM joined together and then reversed (backing) + abbreviation for American + abbreviation for a series of books from the bible. Phew.

11a Maybe cobbler ripped off legendary rat-catcher? (4,5)
PIED PIPER: I biffed this one from the definition and parsed it post solve. A cobbler can also mean something fruity with a  crunchy top.  Add to this an anagram (off) of RIPPED.

13a Behave theatrically, aloof right away (5)
EMOTE: take a synonym for aloof and remove the initial R (right away).

14a Cook scans food to welcome Italy’s top police officer (5,9)
CHIEF CONSTABLE: synonyms for cook + scans + food (or what food might sit on) outside (welcomes) abbreviation for Italy.

17a Dam lake, the one sisters look up to? (6,8)
MOTHER SUPERIOR: synonym for dam + the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area.

21a Discovered treasure-chests being put up for sale (5)
OFFER: take a synonym for treasure chests and “discover” it (i.e. remove the “cover” – the first and last letters). Clever.

23a Tsunami we validate mostly at sea (5,4)
TIDAL WAVE: anagram of WE VALIDATE

24a Courageous women in hospital attending older European revolutionary (8)
HEROINES: it took me a while to parse this. Take the abbreviation for hospital and then add a synonym for older and an abbreviation for European, combine the two and reverse (revolutionary) it.

25a Dog William’s regularly taken westwards across country (6)
SALUKI: my LOI as I did not know this breed of dog. Take the even letters (regularly) of wIlLiAmS, reverse them (taken westwards) and insert (across) the abbreviation for the countries where most DT solvers live (?). Am I treading on dangerous ground here?

26a Plant, the result of incredible largesse (8)
EELGRASS: anagram (incredible) of LARGESSE.

27a Scattered in all directions, hollow timber (6)
STREWN: take all four points of the compass (all directions) and insert (in) the first and last letters (hollow) of TimbeR.

Down

1d Stomach pain affected son around middle of afternoon (6)
CRAMPS: synonym for affected (think theatrical?) + abbreviation for son outside (around) the middle of afteRnoon.

2d Report of gunfire and body seen during disturbance (5,4)
RIFLE SHOT: synonym for body inside (seen during) synonym for civil disturbance.

3d Detailed petition after test case (7)
EXAMPLE: synonym of petition without the last letter (de-tailed) after a four letter abbreviation for a school “test”.

5d Searching home for washing-up utensil (8,3)
SCOURING PAD: synonym for searching + synonym for home

6d Food from Portugal I mentioned (7)
ALIMENT: hidden word inside the last three words of the clue.

7d Charlie’s predecessor is excellent (5)
BRAVO: Double definition. Charlie represents C in the phonetic alphabet, so we are looking for the word that represents B.

8d Educated character ready to ignore the odds (8)
LETTERED: synonym for character (think alphabet) + the even letters (ignore the odds) of rEaDy.

12d Superb compilers under pressure as leaders in their field (4-7)
PACE SETTERS: synonym for superb + synonym for compilers below (under – this is a down clue) the abbreviation for pressure.

15d Overload electrical circuit and become enraged (4,1,4)
BLOW A FUSE: a very accessible double definition. Thank you, superb compiler.

16d Small insect that is circling round drink (8)
SMOOTHIE: abbreviation for small + the insect you don’t want to find in your wardrobe + abbreviation for “that is” outside (circling) round (as in a round letter).

18d Peer with sidearm at intervals previously (7)
EARLIER: the peer who sits between a marquess and a viscount on the hierarchical ladder + every other letter (at intervals) of sIdEaRm.

19d Vehicle manufacturer, learn it is in trouble (7)
RELIANT: anagram of LEARN IT – no prizes for guessing which image I am going to choose to illustrate this one!

20d Great number in district demanding change of leader (6)
LEGION: take a word for a district and change its leader (initial letter)

22d Actor Will, said to be wild (5)
FERAL: homophone of a famous American actor that I have never heard of (apologies to Huntsman and all other film buffs. I still can’t bring myself to use the word movie! Very fairly clued.

 

Quickie Pun: NECKS + TWEAK = NEXT WEEK

69 comments on “DT 30495”

  1. Top puzzle. I especially liked 11a (maybe cobbler lol) plus 12&16d. Great pun too.
    Many thanks and HNY to the setter and Shabbo (you might want to look at the hint for 17a!)

  2. Our blogger’s final two entries were also my stumbling blocks coincidentally. Sorting them out extended a fairly quick solve into something a tad longer, but it was rewarding to finally crack the code. There were some notable clues, especially 11a and 3d.

    Many thanks to our setter and Shabbo.

    1. Had them all except 24 across for 28 December totally baffled me until I looked up the answer just now

  3. It was the dog that did it for me as well Shabbo. Even with the A and the U in place and knowing what the clue required, without 20d and with little knowledge of breeds of dog I was stumped, so many thanks for your hint. Also I’m not sure what the words ‘ Going by’ add to 9a unless I’m missing something.. Otherwise a very enjoyable puzzle with only a couple of head scratching moments lots of clever clueing. Favourite today was 17a – nicely misleading – along with 27a and 15d. Thanks to the setter and Shabbo.

      1. ‘Going by’ here means ‘Adjacent to’. So adjacent to the article and the abbreviation for ‘following’ we have the day without the papers.

  4. I too struggled with the dog and the great number, a bit tough for a back pager but I suppose it is a Thursday
    17a amused the most
    Thanks to Shabbo and setter

  5. Nowhere near the high standard of yesterday’s puzzle but quite entertaining.
    Too many tricksy complex clues. No favourites.
    ***/**
    Thx for the hints

  6. Not one for me this, found it a grim slog most of the way through, and gave up with six still undone. Oh well, they can’t all suit, hope others got on better than me.

  7. Very enjoyable – thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
    I knew the dog but didn’t know the 26a plant or the 22d actor. Both were fairly easy to work out once all the checkers were in place.
    Top clues for me were 14a, 17a, 12d and 16d.

    1. I worked out the anagram for the 26a plant and came up with Lee….., didn’t know the plant either!

  8. Our last day in the Trossachs & more grotty weather but at least driving conditions tomorrow for the trek back down south look pretty good. Not sure who today’s setter might be – T maybe. Like our reviewer I found it a largely straightforward affair & enjoyable but with one or two more head scratchers for me. The 26a plant was unfamiliar & needed post solve confirmation & I can’t in all honesty say that I’d have had 100% confidence in defining 13a without the benefit of the clue. 12d my fav.
    Thanks to the setter & to Shabbo.

  9. The dog didn’t bother me as I saw one yesterday but I had never heard of the actor. Struggled with the great number but finally got there in the end. I am sure these snowflakes dropping down the computer are very festive but they do make me feel cold! Thanks to the setter and to Shabbo – in fact thanks to all our hinters for the sterling work they all put in to make our crossword world so enjoyable.

  10. I really enjoyed this puzzle. Like others, the 20d /25a combo delayed me but otherwise fairly straightforward. If it’s a Ray T, then he is being very benevolent. Thanks to the compiler and Shabbo.

  11. I couldn’t figure out the dog in 25a as I had put in our friends across the pond as the country. My wife, whose mother bred whippets for a while, put me right. That is her first contribution to a guzzle so well done to her.
    This was good enjoyable Thursday solve. I struggled with the parsing of some of my entries so thanks to Shabbo for the hints.
    I struggled with 6d as I wasn’t sure it was a noun but, apparently it is.
    My favourites were 24a and 25a. I am starting to like Lego clues.
    Thanks to the setter and for the hints.

  12. The last few including dogs, plants, and numbers slowed me down, not that it mattered as I’m in the passenger seat, stuck on the M25.

    Thanks to Shabbo and today’s setter.

  13. A very enjoyable Thursday back page cranial workout – 2.5*/4.5*

    I have to think that this might be one of our esteemed editor’s examples of the Toughie setter doing double duty and being the back page setter on the same day.

    Candidates for favourite – 9a, 17a, 27a, 8d, and 15d – and the winner is 27a.

    Thanks to Silvanus or whomsoever if it is not he and thanks to Shabbo – not paid enough, I haven’t had a pay rise since I started blogging :wink:

  14. Hi Shabbo, thanks for the hints and your hard work, think you have left too much exposed in 10a or at least in my system.
    Thanks also to the compiler for a pleasing solve.

  15. Well I certainly found this one a tough nut to crack today.
    I was hindered by ignorance, a new dog, a new plant and even a new word for tooth decay!
    I also needed the hints to parse 24a (a good clue once you see it…)
    But in amongst my difficulties I also found fun and particularly liked the new use of discovered in 21a which made it my favourite.

        1. I made a New Year resolution about ten years ago that I have kept.
          I made a resolution never to make a resolution. 😊

  16. A puzzle of two halves. Was going well until i realized i had a number of clues left that weren’t clear, 9a, 13a, 25a and 8d. Needed some hints for these.

    14a my fav

  17. Well it was a proper Thursday puzzle, a scatter gun approach today to fill in the checking letters
    Failed to parse 11a ,the definition was obvious-thanks Shabbo.
    Much to enjoy today, 25a was the only dog in my Chambers list-managed half a parse!
    The rest was fine.
    Favourites were 10a 17a 10a, going for a ***/****

  18. Very much enjoyed solving this one and am quite happy to admit to reverse-parsing 11a and also that I needed the first-letter checker to find the 22d actor – vaguely knew his name but don’t think I’ve seen any of his work.
    No problems here with the dog, plant or large number, makes a change for my IQ to be up to requirements………
    Podium places awarded to 27a plus 1,8&12d – superb compiling indeed!

    Many thanks to our smooth setter and to Shabbo for the review.

  19. Greetings all.
    An enjoyable tussle to attempt to take my mind off this interminable man-‘flu’ that I am cursed with at the moment.
    Lots of excellent clues, I particularly liked 24a, and I managed to work out the dog from the wordplay.
    Thanks both.

  20. For a non-RayT puzzle, I thought this setter was on the easier end of the spectrum. No idea who, though.
    Some good clueing and plenty of smiles and a couple of groans.

    2*/3.5* today

    Favourites include 14a, 17a, 25a, 5d, 7d & 15d — with winner 17a & 7d the runner-up
    Smiles elicited from 11a, 5d, 7d & 15d

    Thanks to setter & Shabbo for hints/blog

  21. I enjoyed this immensely and didn’t find it too difficult, although I was held up by carelessly bunging in the wrong policeman in 14a (think Clouseau), and by being convinced that 16d started with an I! But the checkers sorted it out nicely so I ended up at 2.5*/****. Thanks to the setter, and to Shabbo for the hints which I read after finishing to check my parsing.

  22. Late on parade today after a very long, very enjoyable, alcohol-fuelled family day yesterday with Mrs RD’s and my sleeps interrupted by our intruder alarm going off at 4 am. I rushed downstairs with my cricket bat, checked the alarm display to locate in which room motion had been detected, and charged into an apparently lifeless room. Then I spotted a large spider crawling across the detector. Phew!

    I am guessing that we have a double dose of Silvanus smoothness today, which is absolutely fine by me. A superb back-pager (2.5*/5*) and an equally superb Toughie.

    Many thanks presumably to Silvanus and also to Shabbo.

    1. Ha ha My ring doorbell is always detecting a spider under the outside light, If I remember to check the camera when the dew is in the air I can usually detect the early web-building signs before she catches something big enough to set the detector off
      I don’t know why but no matter how often I sweep them away she tries again, I suppose the light attracts a wide range of insects for her to dine on

      1. Got in the car this morning. Strange dash warning light & message, something about ‘Collision Warning system needs attention’. Groan, sounds expensive! Switched off & studied handbook until I found the explanation. Removed wet leaf from sensor on front grill & light went out!!! Relief.

  23. As was also the case in March, I have been granted the rare privilege of having a back-page puzzle and a Toughie appearing on the same day, so many thanks to Chris Lancaster for that honour. As with most Thursdays, I’m also the setter for today’s online Cross Atlantic puzzle, which in my case always includes some sort of theme. Please try it out if you are not a regular Cross Atlantic solver. Today’s remaining Telegraph puzzles were not mine!

    This Blog’s excellent Search facility (top right corner for those not familiar with it) tells me that the last time that the 25a dog appeared in a back page cryptic was in August 2016, but it has featured in a couple of Toughies since then.

    Thank you to Shabbo for his Hints and Tips and to all those commenting. I hope you all had a good Christmas and may I wish everyone a happy and healthy 2024.

    4. Thank you for entertaining us throughout the year, silvanus and all best wishes for 2024.

  24. Enjoyable for the struggle which didn’t solve all the clues but Shabbo’s were very good and I finished without a reveal. I recognised the dog as soon as I saw the picture but the name not in my active vocabulary but the flower nowhere in my brain.

    Podium occupied by 11 and 17a, with 12d on the remaining step. Heartfelt thanks to Shabbo for getting me over the line and to the setter for the puzzle.

  25. Straightforward today. My favourite was the nuns chief. Had a bit if a problem with the dog but the parsing helped me out. The actor is unknown to me but the word “wild” was a giveaway. Had to reverse parse several after fitting in the obvious answers.
    Thanks all.
    Happy twixtmas. (Argh). Now ready for our annual NY bash. This time at a well known chain restaurant. 4 letters sounds like an overgarment.

  26. Good afternoon

    Pen down after a bit of a tussle! Not that there’s anything wrong with a tussle. Having been defeated at the hands of the Mighty Mr T for the past two Thursdays, I approached today’s crozzie with some trepidation (and some fortifying tea) and very nearly tripped myself up by putting CHIEF/INSPECTOR at 14a.
    10a, 17a, and 27a are joint COTD. I had to look up 25a and 26a; not heard of either of those!
    As I’m day off today, I might try my luck with today’s Silvanus Toughie….we’ll see!

    Many thanks to Silvanus and to Shabbo.

  27. Another dog to add to the list, just how many are there out there I wonder!? Thanks Silvanus and Shabbo

    1. Apparently there are 222 different breeds accepted by the Kennel Club so our setters have plenty more to bring into play!

      1. Not forgetting the common or garden Heinz (57 varieties) and the Bitsa…
        Bitsa this and Bitsa that

  28. The South West created a problem or two, I knew of an actor of similar name but different spelling so it caused a grrr moment. This coupled with courageous women 24a ( last in) held me up for quite a while, otherwise, plainish sailing for a Thursday.
    Thanks to all

  29. Good testing challenge for a miserable grey afternoon, great surfaces, good variety of clue types, admirable restraint shown in the number of anagrams. All GK pretty basic. Many thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.

    2.5 / 3.5

  30. Well, Silvanus, what a surprise. I usually struggle to get on wavelength with his offerings, but I was off and running with this one. I shot myself in the foot with 14a and that threw me off for a bit, but soon corrected. I liked so much, how can you choose a fave from that lot? The sisters’ boss was a real smiler, and the dog was a treat, how about the cobbler! I’ll just say I loved it all, best puzzle for me in aeons.
    Thank you Silvanus for the fun, have I cracked your code at last? Thanks Shabbo for unravelling some, eg 9a.
    Drear, drab, cold and miserable here in Miami, and no pool. Where the heck is my sunshine?

  31. Mastery.

    Such great constructions, as always with Silvy Wilvy.

    I love solving clues like 25a: you work out the parsing and….boom! You’ve got yourself a breed that you’ve never heard of. Such fun.

    The plant is another…what the?

    I knew the canal that 6d is part of but had never thought about its root.

    My hotly contended podium is 11a, 14a and the splendid 12d.

    Many thanks to S&S

    3*/5*

  32. Well and truly beaten today – I should have realised who our setter was – never mind.
    I got going quite quickly and thought things looked pretty good – should have known better – nothing is ever that simple!
    I liked 11 and 25a and 7 and 16d. My favourite was 15d.
    Thank you to Silvanus for the crossword and to Shabbo for the hints – lots of them! I
    I agree about being unable to use the word movie – not any better about the word cookie! A pity we have a half American son-in-law!

  33. I got there in the end with a bit of help from my friends…. A tricksy in places with another new dog and plant to add to my memory banks. Still lots to enjoy particularly the multi word clues.

    Many thanks to Silvanus for the many challenges over the year and to Shabbo for the needed hints.

  34. What a surprise on a Thursday to find a puzzle I could actually do mostly unaided. Completed in two halves, with a run to the doctor in between. For me, this was more of a ** than *** difficulty. Different strokes for different folks. The SW corner held out the longest, having never heard of the plant, even though it was an anagram. COTD for me was 17a. Surprised that so many had not heard of the actor. He’s been in many films, very few have we seen, including Barbie, as we are not fans though. Thanks to setter (come back any time 😊), and to Shabbo.

  35. Well, I got there in the end with some much needed confirmation/help from Shabbo. I really thought I was doing quite well but got held up over 20d and 25a. No excuse for the latter as my nephew had one some years ago! I also didn’t know the plant at 26a. Many thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.

  36. No real hold-ups just a bit slow in the East. Not heard of the actor but knew the dog. Favourite was 10a. Thanks to Silvanus, again, and Shabbo.

  37. My goodness it took me an age to get off the ground (apart from immediately remembering 1a) but once underway it did all gradually fall into place with the exception of 25a and the 24a parsing. Fav 12d. Altogether a lot of fun. Thank you Silvanus and Shabbo.

  38. A kind of stop/start guzzle for me today. I set off at a rattling pace only to hit a brick wall about half way through. Suffice to say the rest of it resulted in rather a lot of dandruff on the paper.😳 I have never heard of the plant at 26a but it could be nothing else once checkers gave the last five letters to the solution. My COTD is the dam lake at 17a.

    Thank you, silvanus for an interesting challenge. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints.

    Where I come from the first word of the quickie pun was never used for such activity. It was known as “snogging”, which has a certain onomatopoeic feel to it. 🤣

  39. I know holidays confuse
    One’s days but is it
    Really Thursday today?
    Very light, I thought,
    Marred only by popping
    The wrong country in 25a.
    Vaguely recall this particular
    Canine, though.
    So, 1.5*/5*
    Many thanks Silvanus for
    The enjoyment and Shabbo for
    The excellent review esp.the illustrations
    ,

  40. Nothing too taxing and very enjoyable solve whilst watching first half of the football. The dog went in early on with just the checker from 15d and the country giving the game away. 5d least favourite – didn’t really want to be reminded of all the washing up needed over the last few days! Lots of other great clues though to compensate.
    Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.

  41. Gentle for a Thursday, needed help with 13a. I think the hint for 11a needs adjusting. Thanks to all.

  42. An easy one for me today. Sailed through it. Only one stumped me 20d. I should have got it . I wrote Benign.

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