DT 30549 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30549

by Shabbo  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30,549
Hints and tips by Shabbo

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

We get an extra day free of charge this year, so make the most of it! I have a good friend who I have known for 40 odd years who turns 20 today. Happy birthday, Peter. On the subject of birthdays, my dear mother turns 90 tomorrow, so happy birthday mum and see you on Saturday.

Ray T (for it is he – he has left his sweetheart calling card in 12a) has excelled himself again this week with the brevity of his clues with an average of just 5.2 words per clue. Quite remarkable and all scrupulously fair, of course. 6d was my last one in, as I was thinking of the wrong Trigger for too long. It is, of course, the Lone Ranger’s horse, not Del Boy’s road sweeping mate. Ray – you are showing your age!

In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. 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 Usual partner turning abnormal (12)
SUPERNATURAL: a nice juicy anagram to get us off to a good start today. Jumble up the letters (turning) of USUAL PARTNER.

9a Regret gripping Left facing Republican leader (5)
RULER: three-letter synonym of regret outside (gripping) L and then add the first letter (leader) of Republican.

10a Drink describing exploit with English yeoman (9)
BEEFEATER: a type of drink normally drunk in pints outside (describing) both a synonym of exploit and a single letter abbreviation for English.

11a Grand adult events including Queen conventions (10)
GATHERINGS: abbreviations for grand and adult + a synonym of events outside (including) the regnal cipher of our late Queen. I was a bit unsure about the synonym, but it is listed as definition 4 in my online Chambers.

12a Naughty sweetheart proposed (4)
BADE: three-letter synonym of naughty + the heart of swEet. Good morning, Ray T.

13a Campaigns admitting Labour’s leader talks nonsense (7)
DRIVELS: synonym of campaigns outside (admitting) the first letter (leader) of Labour.

15a Lives concerned with borders (7)
RESIDES: abbreviation for “concerned with” + synonym of borders.

17a Pines, perhaps, losing one’s presents (7)
CONFERS: a generic term for pines without (losing) a letter that looks like the number one.

19a Coerce ends of pregnancies with these? (7)
FORCEPS: synonym of coerce + the ends of PregnancieS. The definition here is the whole clue.

21a Noah’s first vessel getting wind up (4)
NARK: first letter of Noah + his animal-bearing boat.

22a Tories lure out undecided (10)
IRRESOLUTE: anagram (out) of TORIES LURE. Good luck with that one, Rishi!

25a Consider old American is graceless (9)
PONDEROUS: synonym of consider + abbreviation of old + US. Think “lumbering” for the definition.

26a Awfully degenerate, usually lewdly titillating, initially (5)
ADULT: first letters (initially) of the first five words of the clue.

27a Altered lie by misbehaving on purpose (12)
DELIBERATELY: anagram (misbehaving) of ALTERED LIE BY.

 

Down

1d Crack opening round top of pitcher (5)
SPLIT: synonym of opening outside the first letter (top of) Pitcher.

2d Trooper’s ever eager taking soldier on (9)
PERSEVERE: a hidden word clue indicated by “taking”. Our answer is concealed within the first three words of the clue. Neat.

3d Religious leader talks vacantly and waffles (7)
RABBITS: synonym of a Jewish religious leader + the first and last letters (vacantly) of TalkS.

4d Punisher with fury about empty violence (7)
AVENGER: synonym of fury outside (about) the first and last letters (empty) of ViolencE.

5d Old and unsteady, occasionally (4)
USED: the odd letters (occasionally) of unsteady. Very neat.

6d On a seat grasping Trigger’s flanks? (9)
ASTRADDLE: A + seat on a horse outside the first and last letters (flanks) of TriggeR.

7d Tip of finger stiff and frozen (6)
FRIGID: first letter (tip of) Finger + synonym of stiff.

8d Some underwear revealing outlines (6)
BRIEFS: a double definition.


14d Stupidity is one caring stupidly (9)
IGNORANCE: anagram (stupidly) of ONE CARING. Bliss.

16d Representative from US got rare upset (9)
SURROGATE: anagram (upset) of US GOT RARE.

17d Counterfeit purchasing a new cover (6)
CANOPY: synonym of counterfeit outside (purchasing) A + abbreviation for new.

18d Declared salary, say, upset miser (7)
SCROOGE: homophone (declared) of a slang word for salary + abbreviation for say (as in for example) upside down (upset – this is a down clue).

19d Unties best raised plant (7)
FREESIA: synonym of unties + alphanumeric abbreviation for best upside down (raised – this is a down clue).

20d Perspires as posterior’s carrying weight (6)
SWEATS: synonym for posteriors or backsides outside (carrying) abbreviation for weight.

23d Taking uncommon interest? (5)
USURY: a cryptic definition for the practice of charging excessive interest on a loan.

24d Fabulous creature still found on island (4)
YETI: synonym of still + abbreviation for island.


Quickie Pun: WARRANT + PIECE = WAR AND PEACE

98 comments on “DT 30549”

  1. It’s been a mild week for back-pagers so far, but I suspect that will change tomorrow.

    Today’s offering from the master of brevity was light and very enjoyable. My rating is 2*/4.5*.

    I’m not quite sure about the role of “uncommon” in 23d, but I suppose it is a rare enough practice nowadays.

    Many thanks to RayT and to Shabbo.

    1. I suspect there’s a helluva lot of illegal loan sharking going on in the more economically deprived areas but at least those appalling payday loans rip off merchants have been subjected to regulatory reform.

      1. I also wondered about this, but the online Chambers definition 4 for uncommon is “remarkably great”.

    2. I am puzzled as a sentence I know I typed has gone AWOL.

      The missing bit is: “my top picks are 13a, 19a & 6d”. However, given Shabbo’s response about 23d, I am going to add this to the list too.

  2. A silky smooth offering from what can only be Ray T today. I rattled through the north but slowed considerably in the south, in retrospect however I am not sure why.
    I felt there were more anagrams than usual as I was going through but I now count only 5 which seems fair to me.
    Lots to like and from my many ticks I noted 19a (the coercer), 6d (the sitter) and 18d (the miser) as particularly fine, however my favourite today was 23d (the uncommon interest).
    My thanks to Ray T for yet another cracking puzzle and to Shabbo for the hints.

  3. I found RayT in benign mood this morning, with only one remaining unsolved in this gentle puzzle after the first read through – though unlike yesterday’s I did have to start scribbling a couple of anagrams before they then swiftly resolved themselves. Great surfaces, trademark brevity, most of the usual “tells”, plenty of humour: what’s not to like? Highlights for me were COTD 6d (my LOI) with 17a, 26a and 2d close on its heels.

    1* / 3.5*

    Thank you to RayT, and of course also to Shabbo

  4. Brevity is King
    Usual Queen and
    Sweetheart leave no
    doubt who the setter is.
    Big smile at 18d.
    Last in 23d, excellent
    surface amongst many.
    Thanks RayT and Shabbo.

  5. I’m with phanciful – rattled through the top and slowed, slightly, down below. A gentle puzzle that was increasingly enjoyable. 17a’s nice, 26a is very RayT and 6d was sweetly disguised. Loved the pith of 23d. Many thanks to RayT and Shabbo. And a very happy 90th to your mum.

  6. Brain cells back in working order – or was this easier than most Thursdays?
    Or should that be Thursdays’? Take your pick.
    Time in Birmingham is drawing to a close, and my daughter has sent me a video of a passing ship wallowing in the Bay of Biscay as they rock and roll their way home.
    Many thanks to Ray T and Shabbo. I enjoyed the workout.

    1. I failed to get to Birmingham last night for a concert at Symphony Hall as the M6, M54 and all roads into the city centre were gridlocked due to an accident on the 6.

      1. Most roads within Birmingham have been blocked during my stay here. I sympathise with you, having to use the M6. When I travel north I use the toll road then take A5 and ease my way up A41, with a break at Mere Park Garden Centre.
        Don’t tell anyone, I don’t want too much traffic there.
        Ah well, back to the peaceful Cotswolds tomorrow. We locals can avoid the tourists on the main roads, thank goodness.

  7. A top drawer puzzle from the maestro, whose ability to create great clueing with a minimum of words continues to amaze me. This was definitely from the easier end of his setting spectrum but still with a high level of wit, quality and fun. As ever it is hard to select a single clue to highlight, but I thought 23d was excellent.

    My thanks to Ray T and Shabbo.

  8. Another gentle guzzle that should be of comfort to those still in counselling after last Thursday’s beast. I was a bit slow out of the traps but once away they pretty much all yielded without any head scratching. I did wonder what odds you’d have got on a 5 word clue requiring a homophone that featured say & where it wasn’t the indicator. I also wondered if Ray T is a golfer as the 27a fodder & indicator is very sadly a real problem & something I’ve witnessed many times. I’ll plump for 23d as pick of clues marginally ahead of 6d & with 27a on the podium.
    Thanks to Ray T & to Shabbo.
    Ps not sure who the setter is but theToughie seemed a good deal less demanding than the previous two days.

    1. Kcit on Toughie duty today, Osmosis tomorrow.

      On your golfing comment – what’s wrong with using a ‘foot wedge’ if there are only 13 other clubs in the bag? :wink:

    2. “I did wonder what odds you’d have got on a 5 word clue requiring a homophone that featured say & where it wasn’t the indicator.” What an astute observation! Long odds indeed, I’d say.

      Your comment reminds me that I’m currently reading Don Giovanni’s Chambers Crossword Manual (ok, Don Manley’s CCM) and have just read the chapter about homophones. The book is a truly wonderful resource that I would recommend to anyone from novice cryptic solver to hugely-experienced addict – there’s always something else to learn … or remember.

      1. Thanks I’ll check that out. I think my fav homophone of the year so far is Halpern’s one in his Graun puzzle last week – I listed it in my thoughts on his Dada Sunday prize puzzle but nobody passed comment.

        1. I missed that at the time but you piqued my interest, even though I had to work hard to find it and even harder to solve it blind. Brilliant! Why did it divide opinion? The back-to-front word order perhaps?

        2. That homophone just doesn’t work for me, Huntsman, but I can see how it would in some accents. The usual problem with homophones!

          1. Ha! Very true about accents. But, if you’re talking about Halpern’s one, I can’t see how one could pronounce it differently! What am I missing?

            1. I don’t pronounce the third O with an entirely ‘uh’ sound, so the ‘uhpea’ doesn’t quite rhyme with appear – and that’s just when appear is pronounced uhppear! Don’t get me wrong, I fully appreciate the wit of the clue’s construction though.

  9. Another solid crossy from ‘Fortnightly Fred’.

    Lots to like with nowt to dislike. His political clues are always a hoot.

    My podium is 1a, 22a and 20d.

    Many thanks to RayT and Shabbo.

    2*/4*

      1. Not sure if it’s the one to which Mosca is referring, Shabbo – and welcome Mosca! – but in 27a you’ve omitted ‘by’ from what constitutes the anagram in your hint. Hopefully there’s no other reason for misery.

            1. I seem to recall that there was a regular commenter who would use persevate for persevere but perhaps I’ve got that all wrong.

                1. Yes, Mary from West Wales – aka as Mrs Malapropism! If she could get it wrong she did!! She had two beagles called Angel and Shadow.

  11. Very little to say about this gem; the master of brevity at his very best – **/*****

    Candidates for favourite – 8d, 18d, 19d, and 23d – and the winner is 23d.

    Thanks to Mr T and Shabbo.

  12. Ray T maintains his reputation for brevity and wit. Thanks to him and to Shabbo.
    Pick of the bunch for me were 21a, 2d and 6d.

  13. Love Mr T Thursdays which will come as no surprise to anyone. I did wince a little at the thought of 19a but the nice bunch of flowers in 19d soon cheered me up. Favourite clues concerned the graceless American, the weighty posterior and the old miser.

    Devotions to Mr T and thanks to Shabbo for the review – I do hope your mum enjoys her birthday party.

  14. I thought that Ray T was in benevolent mood and I was on for a hint-less finish but not to be. I paid the price for a wrong bung in for 11a (note to self, parse before writing in) and failed to twig the synonym in 17a for presents. Doh. Other than that I thought it a gem. Doubtless 19a might make some wince but for inventiveness alone it gets my cotd. Thanks to Ray T and Shabbo

  15. What fun!
    Loved the reference to our Yeomen. Lost a lot of time trying to start 2d with a ‘para’ until it unlurked itself!
    Had to check that 12a could mean proposed. Other likes were 19a, and 6,14,18d. Wasn’t sure where the definition was in 6d, so assumed it was an all-in-one, so thanks Shabbo for the simple answer.
    Not sure I can pick a fave, so just many, many thanks to Ray T and Shabbo.
    (And happy b’day to Mama Shabbo. Wife and I still have 10.5 to go….)

    1. I read your comment and realised I too had the same erroneous parsing of 6d, a quick review of the hints and I can see Shabbo’s parsing is indeed more elegant…

  16. I think that the mistake might be in the answer to 2d, Shabbo. More than understandable when you must be under pressure to meet a deadline.
    Agree that this was a lovely crossword with just the right amount of exercise for the (diminishing) little grey cells! Favourites were 22a and 18d.
    I’ve enjoyed all the crosswords this week and am so thankful to those who set and solve.

  17. Lovely RayT guzzle today. Last one in was 23d which is one of my top picks along with 6d and 17a.
    Thanks to RayT and Shabbo.

  18. Loved it. Great fun although 19a made me wince. I particularly liked 17,19,27a and 27d. And the favourite is 17a. If I were a rich woman I would have fresh 19ds delivered every week, but I am not so just enjoy them occasionally. Best wishes to Shabbo’s mama – 1934 was an exceptional year. Dining in Queens tonight, something to look forward to! Many thanks to Messrs Raytee & Shabbo. Back to the WI minutes – an exceptionally good talk last night on Man Sheds.

    1. That seems an unlikely subject for a WI talk. I guess there was plenty of humour and maybe some gentle mockery involved? Last time a lady visited my shed, she wanted to tidy it up and “sort it out”. GERRATAVIT!!

  19. Another splendid puzzle from Ray T. The usual succinct clues provided a fairly gentle, but very enjoyable, solve. I have ticked quite a few and will pick the excellent 6d as my favourite – as far as I can see, a true/classic all-in-one clue. 2.5*/4.5*.

    1. i fear you and I never going to agree on all-in-ones! I would argue this is more of a semi &lit because the “on”, though crucial to the surface and definition, isn’t part of the wordplay. It could even be seen as the definition on its own. Lovely clue either way.

      2. I’ve always had a problem with all-in-one/&lit clues – for decades! I see Shabbo has parsed it as a standard cryptic clue with “On” as the definition and the rest as cryptic word-play that leads to the solution – I now think that is correct. The whole clue is a good definition/description of the answer and the clue (but not quite all of it) also contains cryptic word-play – so could be described as a semi &lit (we agree on that?). But wouldn’t the fact that the clue works fine as a standard cryptic clue override the possibility that it “could” be designated a semi &lit?

        1. It’s a moot point. Yes, “on” is the definition but it would be a rather mean one without the surface wordplay. I don’t think it’s an exact science, to be honest. I think it could happily be read either way, ie semi or standard. But Shabbo’s underlining of just the “on” was 100pc correct, no question.

  20. Not yet tried the puzzle but reading your introduction Shabbo I think Ray T must has greater seniority than you give him credit for! Silver was the Lone Ranger’s horse. I think you’ll find Trigger was Roy Roger’s horse.

  21. Always look forward to our fortnightly visit from RayT … and today another fine offering from the ‘master of brevity’
    A good solid puzzle with some tricky clues that require a little thought to work out the parsing. All good.

    2*/4.5* for me.

    Favourites abound but my top one include 12a, 21a, 7d, 4d, 14d & 24d — with winner 14d

    Thanks to RayT & Shabbo for hints/blog

  22. Ray T in a benevolent mood today for which I say ‘Thank you so much’.
    The only one that completely foxed me was 18d, so thx for the hint although I must say using slang is bad enough without misspelling it!
    Thx to all
    ***/****

      1. He is difficult to interpret. I think he means scroo for screw. He must have missed it is a homophone.

  23. I managed this one unaided and thought it great fun, I usually struggle to get going with RayT. A lovely mix of clues with 17a my favourite.

    Many thanks to Ray T and to Shabbo for the hints

  25. Another not too testing gem from the supremo of brevity. Lots to enjoy with 19a 2d 5d and 23d my picks of the bunch. Many thanks to Ray T and Shabbo for the review.

    Just what I needed to restore my equanimity after a dreadful morning wrestling with British Gas Homecare on behalf of my daughter. There’s a blockage and leak in a pipe leading from her kitchen sink. A plumber arrived yesterday and promptly announced it was a drainage problem so abruptly departed, saying he would report it and that someone would be in touch within the hour. After no such contact, spoke to British Gas again this morning and explained that a drainage engineer was apparently required. They said one would arrive shortly. He did, announced that it needed a plumber, and promptly departed saying he would put this in his report! After three attempts at describing the problem to three different British Gas agents, a process that took an hour, I finally got the attention of one who promised to call back. She did and announced that tomorrow a plumber will attend. We live in hope!

    1. This problem is not confined to UK, I think it must be worldwide. At least they didn’t tell you to sort it out online, which seems to be the answer to everything now. They have no sympathy for ancient biddies who have tech problems.

      2. Dear Merusa, that is the second time recently that you have referred to yourself as Biddy. You may recall that Biddy was the kind and good soul who taught me reading and riting before she married Joe Gargery, my well meaning brother in law who, to my shame, I treated so badly.
        Long live the Biddies of this world.

  26. If you’d told me a while ago that I would be grateful for a RayT Thursday, I’d have told you to have a dementia evaluation. I still don’t find him easy, but you can usually work out the answers with ehelp. I initially had a problem with the synonym “presents” at 17a, then I remembered “the King 17a the DSO to …” makes perfect sense. I had to use word search in the NE, particularly 6d, clever that, and an anagram solver at 1a to get going again. Loved the flowers at 19d, but fave is 18d.
    Thank you RayT for the fun, and Shabbo for explaining so much. I hope your Mum has the best birthday ever, Shabbo, assure her that the BD family sends her love and best wishes.

  27. Good afternoon

    As soon as I smoothed down the folded back page, scanned the clues, and clocked 12a, I thought “Aye-aye! The Mighty Mr T strikes again!” Thanks to a combination of a) a day off; b) the brain on stretched synonym alert; and c) the lucky green pen, I got there!

    Last to fall this afty was 6d: one of those words that I was able to work out, with e-help confirmation to follow. As for COTD, well now. Lots in contention: 6d, 18d, 17a all runners up, and 19a my winner.

    Many thanks to Ray T for the challenge, and thanks also to Shabbo for the hints.

  28. I agree with most that this was a great and puzzle which I did in 2 sittings. I got through the north with no holdups and was worried that timeout would impact the flow ,but luckily not today as the south too went in without too much trouble. I d not heard of 23d , my last in but managed to guess the letters , and I just checked the parsing from Shabbo. Thanks Ray T and Shabbo.

  29. Add me to the list of those who enjoyed this Ray T puzzle, which was a surprise. I cannot honestly claim to do very well with his puzzles but today was the exception that proves the rule. Certainly not R&W, just the perfect amount of thinking and time needed. (Mind you, elder daughter dropped in unexpectedly recently and was speechless to find us still at the breakfast table working on our puzzles 😊). Have to give COTD to 19d, as I so miss them over here, along with sweet peas and wallflowers. Can’t claim to be familiar with 6d, as I did try to make astride fit at first. Thanks to Ray T for a lot of fun, and to Shabbo. You made me feel good solving a ***.

  30. First real teaser of the week so had to 2d in order to complete but I enjoyed the test. Took a while to parse 20d mainly ‘cos posteriors didn’t ring a bell although it was well-used term in my childhood. Fav was 27d with golfing tongue in cheek. Thank you RayT and Shabbo.

  31. Oh here we go. Five million people above me here say how lemon-squeezy they find a crossword, while I sit alone in my study weeping and wailing as I attempt to wrench out each answer, in the manner of a Conservative canvasser attempting to solicit votes in Jarrow. Bah! And harrumph! And other words. Can you believe it – my last one in was 12a!

    I intend to undergo a brain transplant overnight in order to bounce back to form tomorrow.

    I was at Stamford Bridge last night to watch Mighty Chelsea overcome a spirited Leeds United. In hopspitality the hot chocolate machine failed after the game, and so my eveing ended in calamity. Nobody knows what I go through.

    Thanks to RayTee and Shabba-dabba-doo

    Today’s Crossword Soundtrack was Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic

    1. I have no interest in football whatsoever but I did think of you, Terence, when I saw on the news last night that Chelsea had won. Sorry to hear that your celebrations were ruined by that wretched hot chocolate machine. I haven’t looked at the crossword yet.

  32. I do enjoy Thursdays when Ray T is the compiler 😃 ***/**** Favourites: 17a, 3d and 6d👍 Thanks to Mr T and to Shabbo. 4 out of 4 again this week and🤞 for tomorrow 😳

  33. Terence you’re not the only one who was wrenching today. I found the North rather benign except for 6d , and the South much less friendly ( wait a minute, doesn’t that reflect real life). I had to use 19a to tease out 23d and 25a . Which is how this felt today. I’m hoping the toughie is more amenable.
    Thanks to Ray T and Shabbo.

  34. Unusually I am in the same boat as Brian, insofar as not grasping the parsing of 18d. Can someone please clarify.

    1. The slang word for salary is screw. Make a homophone of that and put in front of “e.g.” backwards.
      Does that help?

  35. Evening all. My thanks to Shabbo for the elucidation and to everybody else for your comments.

    RayT

  36. A perfect crossword – thank goodness to RayT.
    Well it would have been perfect if I hadn’t completely scuppered the whole top left corner – oh dear!
    Eventually managed to sort things out . . .
    I spent hours hunting for the lurker in 8d which wasn’t there!
    I particularly liked 13 and 21a and 5 and 14d. I think my favourite was 16d.
    Thank you to RayT for the crossword (and apologies for messing up a good crossword) and to Shabbo for the hints.

  37. Excellent crossword with the trademark slightly naughty humour from my favourite setter. LOI was 25a just because it was. Favourite was 6d. Thanks to Rayt and Shabbo.

  38. Cor dear but the NE corner had me stumped for ages, I had to resort to a thesaurus for ideas (hangs head in shame). No doubt a necessary learning curve for a rookie like me.

    10a and 23d did make me smile though. And does Ray T leave his sweetheart in every puzzle? How wonderful!

  39. I found this quite the challenge, but enjoyable all the same. I saw “Yeomen” at 10a and immediately thought of the brand of Gin.

    Then with that thought sitting there, I had to have a stiff G&T to help with the rest of the puzzle. I can report that it doesn’t really help. Maybe I should stick to Scotch ala Senf?

    Thanks for the hints which were most helpful and to the compiler for an easing into Friday.

  40. A very enjoyable crossword. Thanks to all.
    Point of information, from my clearly more misspent youth: Trigger was Roy Roger’s horse. Silver was The Lone Ranger’s horse. I think Midnight was for Hoppalong Cassidy.
    Glad to clear that up.

  42. On the 6D clue? I wondered if in the use of the word TRIGGER, there wasn’t perhaps a crafty reference to the name of my boyhood wild west hero’s horse, the series Sudden, by Oliver Strange

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