DT 30530 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30530

by 2Kiwis  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30530

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

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

Kia ora from Aotearoa
Yesterday was Waitangi Day in New Zealand. A national holiday for everyone and the weather co-operated with fine, warm settled conditions over the whole country. Not that it makes much difference for retired people like us.
A few tricky clues for us in today’s mix and, once again, good fun to solve.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Lovely crowd, and God-fearing — about time (11)
SCRUMPTIOUS : A crowd, possibly of rugby forwards, then God-fearing or saintly contains T(ime).

10a     Second difficult piece (5)
SHARD : S(econd) plus difficult or tough.

11a     Fish lovers do upset me, ultimately (5,4)
DOVER SOLE : An anagram (upset) of LOVERS DO and the last letter of me.

12a     Chalet is planned to accommodate leader of team sport (9)
ATHLETICS : An anagram (planned) of CHALET IS contains the first letter of team.

13a     Zest left of oranges after sudden blow (5)
GUSTO : A sudden blow of wind and then the first letter (left) of oranges.

14a     Backing crazy demand for material (6)
DAMASK : The reversal of crazy or insane and then demand or request.

16a     Quiet about unfashionable demise for resort (8)
SOUTHEND : The two letter request for silence surrounds unfashionable, then demise or conclusion.

18a     Bargains rejected must include cancelled by-products (4-4)
SPIN-OFFS : The reversal of bargains or lucky purchases includes cancelled or not on.

20a     Burn church following endless derision (6)
SCORCH : Remove the last letter from a synonym for derision and then CH(urch).

23a     A second place is a plus (5)
ASSET : ‘A’ from the clue, then the abbreviation for second and place as a verb.

24a     Refuse to be seen here in refurbished C&A perhaps (9)
SCRAPHEAP : An anagram (refurbished) of CA PERHAPS.

26a     Relax grip on Liberal form of tenure (9)
LEASEHOLD : L(iberal) then synonyms for relax and grip.

27a     Typical American university: all on vacation! (5)
USUAL : The two letter American, then U(niversity) and ‘all’ with its centre missing.

28a     Shifting to centre, politicians clash (11)
CONTRETEMPS : An anagram (shifting) of TO CENTRE, then Members of Parliament.

Down
2d     Lycra’s hope to contain collapse (5)
CRASH : A lurker, hiding in the clue.

3d     City abandoning cleaner strip (7)
UNDRESS : Remove a California city from the start of a female cleaner.

4d     Sort of English message bearer broadcast (6)
PIDGIN : A homophone of an avian message bearer.

5d     Popular view has answer for first of international’s attack (8)
INVASION : The two letter popular, then a view or outlook has its ‘I’ replaced with ‘A’.

6d     Just by winning post (7)
UPRIGHT : Winning or ahead and then just or correct.

7d     A 10 when eating escargot that’s tough (2,4,2,5)
AS HARD AS NAILS : ‘A’ from the clue precedes the answer to 10a, then a synonym for ‘when’ contains what an escargot is in English.

8d     Promise to support father, keeping nothing and do without (8)
FORSWEAR : Promise or make an oath comes after a religious father split by the letter that looks like zero.

9d     Intolerable and badly done by, help team lacking millions (6,3,4)
BEYOND THE PALE : An anagram (badly) of DONE BY HELP TEA(m) with M(illions) removed.

15d     Support from mother during visit? (8)
MAINSTAY : A short familiar term for mother, then a two letter ‘during’ and a visit or time spent.

17d     New branch of force facing initially serious riot (8)
OFFSHOOT : ‘OF’ from the clue, the physics symbol for force, the first letter of serious and a very comical riot.

19d     Busy working even if drinking for example (2,3,2)
ON THE GO : The two letter ‘working’ then the shortened form of a word meaning ‘even if’ contains (is drinking) the usual abbreviation for for example.

21d     Container clue designed to cover a note (7)
CAPSULE : An anagram (designed) of CLUE contains ‘A’ from the clue and a note added to a letter.

22d     Game of cards may see skipper here! (6)
BRIDGE : The skipper here is on a ship.

25d     Supply drug (crack) (5)
EQUIP : The drug ecstasy and a crack or jest.

Quickie pun    forty    +    chewed    =    fortitude

90 comments on “DT 30530”

  1. Brilliant crossword, great fun and pitched exactly right for a midweeker.
    Just one thing (and it may be just me) is 6d a bit A about F, it seems so to me, but it didn’t detract one iota from the fun.
    Will have to see the hints in a bit as I haven’t the foggiest how 3d is arrived at. Yes, it’s easy enough to get, but can’t for the life of me see why.
    As to my favourites today, it just has to be the two long ‘uns, very clever.
    Many thanks to our compiler today, top drawer!

      1. I did get 3d, though possibly only because it reminded me of this joke from The Puffin Joke Book (1974), in which Miss Marshall has a shop with a message written across its two window blinds advertising her laundry business and clothes for sale. There’s a day on which she only puts the blind on the right down, and:

    2. A about F I do not recognise, although I have overheard A about T. Not that I would ever use such phrases you understand. 🤭 I do wish there could be an emoji with a halo – it is So me.

  2. This did feel (to me) rather by-the-numbers during the solve but looking back there’s nothing wrong here so I was probably just being uncharitably grumpy. It perhaps lacks a little zip, eliciting a lot of OKs and not many big ticks. And a couple of the surfaces (eg, 13a) jarred but most were quite good. I liked the Lego in 1a and the 3d removal, and 16a was nicely constructed. One too many “supports” though. But it was perfectly fine. Thanks to setter, and the two Ks.

  3. I enjoyed this, a good level of challenge, nothing obscure, with some head scratching required.
    I needed the hints to help me unpick the parsing of 3d and 17d (where I thought the initially was referring to the prior 3 words).
    My favourite was 4d as it made me smile when the penny dropped.
    Thanks to all.

  4. I enjoyed this one. Fairly straightforward but some sticky bits!
    Just right for midweek. Liked 11a and 8d .
    Cheers to NZ – I lived there once!
    Thanks to compiler.

  5. Well I’m firmly in the Tipcat camp & can’t see why ALP found it rather by the numbers. A pleasure from start to finish with ticks all over the shop – 1,16&28a along with 3,5&17d particular likes among many.
    Thanks to the setter (Robyn I’d reckon & if it is his Graun puzzle yesterday was also excellent) & to the 2Ks

    1. I feel like a right heel now! If that was Robyn, I’ve clearly completely lost the plot. Didn’t feel like him at all, to me.

  6. I’m just glad to finish as nearly always. A earlyish start for me as I was free to read the paper and do the crossie. I needed the hints for 3d. The city eluded me and 19d tho is not a word I use even in it’s shortened form. A lot to like tho.
    Thanks for the hints.
    **/****

  7. Solid.

    This had something for everyone. So, I think there’ll be a lot of happy punters, especially Brother Ian who I’m sure will have 20a as his clue of the year if not all-time!

    I was nowhere near parsing 3d, trying to convince myself that Char******* was a city that I’d never heard of.

    My podium is 1a, 28a (excellent clue) and 25d.

    Many thanks to the the setter and Le Touquet.

    2*/3*

  8. A pleasant puzzle – thanks to the setter (I’ll be surprised if it’s Robyn) and 2Ks.
    My favourite clue was 3d.

  9. I wish to complain, in the strongest possible manner. I have written to Chris Lancaster, Mr Sunak, The Archbishop Of Canterbury, and Taylor Swift.
    I have watched and waited for three days – but… nothing. Zero. Zilch. Not a mention.

    Three days now and no mention of the large national park in northern Tanzania. There is a tacit agreement between setters and solvers that every crossword should have an entry along the lines of ‘Tiger seen, surprisingly’ but for some reason this rule has been abandoned this week. It is little short of an outrage.
    Will nobody think of the wildebeest, the elands, and the gazelles? I am sure they are bereft at being suddenly ignored in such an insouciant fashion.

    Come on Telegraph! It is not too late to right this wrong! Instruct Ray T to make last minute changes for tomorrow. The savanna must prevail.

    Cheery guzzle. I enjoyed it.

    Thanks to the setter and The TwoKays. Happy Waitangi Day.

        1. Would you believe it? I wrote “pist” but autocorrect decided to work for once. You can’t win.

    3. Take H for a nice walk Terence, taking deep breaths of fresh air and it will steady your nerves.

      1. ….and you’ll be a gnu man.
        By the way, I saw Toto in Warsaw a few years ago – no sign of Dorothy or the wizard.

  10. Lots to like. Have marks all over the place: 13, 18, 28a and 4, 7, 9, 19, and 17d.
    Can’t separate 28a, 4d, and 17d, so triple faves!
    Many thanks to the setter and to both Ks.

  11. There was some clwver misdirection in rhe ckues for thisfairly enjoyable mid week guzzle. I particularly liked the lego clues at 1a and 15a and the 28a anagram. Thanks to the Kiwis for the hints and to the compiler

  12. A spot on puzzle today, like others failed to parse 3d, I was looking for a city removing CHA- never mind!
    Excellent cluing throughout, liked the SW corner in toto.
    Favourite was 28a followed by 1a.
    Last in was 16a ,could not find the definition until the penny dropped and voila the parsing followed.
    Going for a ***/****

  13. I did this in the early hours, finding it a pleasant exercise. I just bunged 3d in and intended to try and parse it later, forgot and read the hints. Probably just as well I didn’t parse it in the early hours, as I might have been disappointed about the city not being referenced as an American city without investing the time to think about it. But in the light of day, I think Ur is always referenced as ‘ancient city’ but all of the other handy-for-cryptic-crossword cities I have seen used like EC, NY, LA, Aden, Ely, and Rio are just referred to as ‘city’. I suppose that’s because setters seem to stick to a fairly small set, although there may well be others. Off the top of my head, there are quite a few words with Rome in them for example (although not many that clue nicely perhaps).

  14. 1.5*/4* with lots to like here. My top picks were 27a, 28a, 3d, 6d & 25d.

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks.

  16. This was disconcertingly straightforward — I kept expecting to get stuck at some point, but somehow never did. Handy, though, cos I’ve got a busy day and didn’t have much time for the crossword. Thank you to the setter, and to the 2Kiwis for providing backup which I knew I could call on if needed.

    My favourite is either the escargot-eating 7d or 3d, because of it reminding me of the joke I posted above.

  17. This Wednesday puzzle felt far more like a Toughie than a backpager to me this week. Parsing was difficult if not impossible for many clues. Far too “out there” for me today.

    2.5*/2* for me today

    Favourites include 1a, 10a, 11a, 4d & 22d — with winner 11a

    Thanks to setter & 2K’s for the hints/blog

  18. We dived into this with great 13a until we were slowed down in the south. I got hooked up in the wrong connotation of drinking in 19d and was looking for gin. (Isn’t that always the case I hear you say). 18a was LOI but I have daisies by 1&28a and 4,7,9,15 & 17d. Excellent entertainment. Regarding Terence’s pathetic plea for the precious plain, I have been trying to conjure up a scenario involving it as a lurker or a rekrul even. I think it is nigh impossible but I throw it out as a challenge. Many thanks to Messrs Setter & Kays.

    1. I imagine there’ll probably be a better surface, but for a starter how about:

      Wildlife park found retrograde in it, e.g. NE reservoirs (9)?

    2. Challenge accepted!
      A lurker of sorts, but with two letters to be removed:
      Was the Kaiser energetic when the late queen dropped out of hiding in Africa? (9)

      2. Best you compile your first crossy, Pips, and submit it to Cookies Rorner as you are a natural.

        1. One day. Busy busy at present, finishing refurbishing and furnishing new home. Crossword already too much of a distraction.
          Thanks for the support.

  19. I enjoyed this one, whoever compiled it. I’d assumed it was a Robyn creation but see that Gazza is somewhat doubtful.
    Particular mention for 1&28a – lovely words – and I was also rather partial to 17d. 20a put me in mind of Ronn Lucas and his dragon – anyone else remember them?
    Currently doing battle with our new Toughie setter – thus far he’s winning!

    Thanks to our setter and to our 2Ks for the review.

  20. Thoroughly enjoyed today’s enigma which was nicely challenging. 3d rather broad. All very fair clues but my parsing not complete for 3d, 6d, 17d and 19d. Fav 24a. Thank you Mr/Mrs Setter and Mr/Mrs Kiwi.

  21. I had mixed fortunes with today’s puzzle. I failed with 3d which was clever really. Thankyou 2 Kiwis! 7d was my favourite. I recently received a letter from the Telegraph informing me of an increase in my subscription. I took the recent advice from Terence and called them. After a laboured conversation I was told that the subscription would stay the same! So many thanks Mr T.
    Also thanks to setter and hinters.

  22. Brain cells needed a reset to get on the setter’s wavelength today, but all fell into place eventually.
    I wonder if the resort in 16a and the anagram indicator allude to its popularity (or lack of?). Aaaah, memories of all night ten pin bowling on the pier in the 60s.
    Note for Kiwis – a daughter and her family have recently returned to Masterton after a long UK stay. Missing them already. Perhaps I will follow for a visit next year.

  23. I found this tougher than most today and needed the 2K’S help on three to finish as I stared into the great abyss of incomprehension. It was a Homer Simpson moment when the 2K’s aided pennies finally dropped. That said much to like including 1a, 16a and 7d. Thanks to compiler and 2K’s.

  24. Only finished with help from the hints, had no idea about 4d ,and 28a I bunged in as I remembered it from a while back, still no idea what it means ,must look it up one day . A bit of a summer/ seaside feel to it with 11,16 and 20, or is that wishful thinking. Thanks to all.

  25. Not the easiest of puzzles by a long chalk but quite fun nevertheless. Bit harder than the 3* imho.
    No particular favourites as most were too difficult to parse to qualify.
    Thx to all
    ***&1/2/**

  26. I did not find this as straightforward as some of you, perhaps I was put off by my inability to parse 3d, or just having an off day. All completed now and overall lots to like, particularly 1a and 28a as well as the long clues.

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2 kiwis for the hints

  27. No real problems for me with this one apart from the parsing of 3d.
    I particularly liked 7d and 25d and think 1a is a lovely word.
    Thanks to the setter and hinters.

  28. Solid mid-weeker. Like many others, the parsing of 3d eluding me, but I don’t mind that as long as the definition is straightforward.

    Horribly held up by 18a, as I was sure it was either sell-outs or sell-offs. Fave was 4d.

    ***/***

  29. Another good day in crossword land, and feeling quite spoilt that I was able to finish again. Helped by 7d jumping off the page at me, followed by 28a and 9d. LI was 8d as I doubt even my grandparents ever used that word 😊. More like the last few days please Mr Lancaster. Thanks very much to the setter and to the 2Kiwis.

  31. Morning all. A bit surprised to see that people struggled with 3d as it went straight in for us. We were expecting more problems with the spelling of 4d although it was well known to us from time spent in Solomon Islands.
    Looks like another fine day coming up for us but not quite daylight here yet.
    Cheers.

  32. Harder than a 3* is my view but very fair in that the 2K’s hints were very helpful on some I couldn’t get. I love 28a and use whenever I can or brouhaha which is equally delicious.

    A multiplicity of thanks to the 2Ks for their hints and to the setter for a very fair crossword.

  33. I found this crossword very enjoyable, the majority was finished very quickly but three or four answers took along time to find 🤔 ***/**** Favourites 1 & 13a and 19d 😃 Thanks to the Compiler and to the 2xKs

  34. What a great start to the day. John always prints the crossword off for me and presents it with a cup of tea. Today it would not print so he had to take a picture of it on the screen and then get the clues with a bit of magic. Presenting it in a new format with tiny writing was rather challenging. Liked so many of the clues and last in was 3 d . Went off to cookery class this morning with a smile. Thank you 2 Ks and our setter. We are so lucky.

  35. Late on clocking in today, don’t know what held me up, then I had to do my pool routine. I’m here now, a bit rushed. I found this a bit tricky, but the break in the pool did it for me and I polished it off nicely when I got back. A lot to like, fave was 4d, but 7d and 9d also amused. I need the hints to get the “why” for 24a and 3d, assuming they’re right of course!
    Thank you setter for the fun, and 2Kiwis for hints and pics, which I’ll now read.

  36. Was going along nicely with this puzzle until I got stuck on the last 5 or so clues for ages and had to resort to electronic help. Enjoyed it a lot have to say although I thought some of the surfaces were a bit iffy. Thanks to the setter and 2Ks

  37. Good evening

    On my way home from work, pen down, crozzie done. I note that it wasn’t only me who had a bit of a challenge parsing 3d; I kicked myself the moment I read the 2Ks hints!

    Other than that, the top half seemed to go in better than the bottom half; 1a and 28a take joint honours for COTD.

    Many thanks to our compiler and to 2Ks.

  40. I enjoyed today’s offering but needed a couple of hints to get me across the line.

    My thanks to the Wednesday setter – whoever you are you’re fast becoming my favourite. 😊

    Thank you, 2Ks for the hints.

    I might not be posting for a while. Mrs C is back in hospital and undergoing tests to find out just what is going on. My marking schedule has become very tight and I’m having to fit it in where I can.

    2. Very sorry to hear that, Steve. Let’s hope that the medics can help Mrs C on the way to a speedy recovery.

    5. Just when she was settling back into being at home – what a dreadful disappointment for both of you. I do hope these tests can answer your questions, poor lady has been through so much…….

    6. I’m so sorry Steve. It seems to me she’s more than due for a break, so hoping they find out what’s wrong and can fix it. Lots of love.

    7. So sorry to hear that, you have been on such a rollercoaster recently, I do hope things settle down soon.
      Best wishes to you both.

  41. Struggled in places but having got the answer couldn’t see why. Managed to parse everything. Wrong wavelength I suppose. Favourite was 18a. Thanks to the setter and 2K’s.

  42. 3*/5* ….
    liked 1A ” Lovely crowd, and God-fearing — about time (11)” … amongst several others.

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