Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30554
Hints and tips by 2Kiwis
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Kia ora from Aotearoa
We just got the painting project completed before a couple of days of stormy weather arrived to remind us that summer won’t last forever. Strong winds, thunder and lightning, the works, and then today dawned clear and sunny once again but with a morning chill in the air now.
A bit of geography and a few head-scratching moments in what we found a good fun Wednesday puzzle.
Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.
Across
1a 1,000 in two lots of cash? I thought his assets were frozen! (5,6)
BRASS MONKEY : Start with two words for cash. The first is slang and then add one of the letters used to denote 1,000 into the second.
10a Organ I have held by both hands (5)
LIVER : The short way of writing ‘I have’ is enclosed by the letters for each hand.
11a International player fine after season with Bath, initially (9)
SPRINGBOK : Start with a season of the year, then the first letter of Bath and the two letters indicating fine or acceptable.
12a Where Banco Real goes bust? (9)
BARCELONA : An anagram (goes bust) of BANCO REAL.
13a Little ‘un I found in farm building (5)
BAIRN : A large farm building contains ‘I’ from the clue.
14a Bankers at Zurich admitting fake (6)
ERSATZ : A lurker, hiding in the clue.
16a City firm really concealing books (8)
COVENTRY : A firm or business, then really or ‘to a great extent’ contains biblical books.
18a Plucky performance in light-entertainment programme? (4,4)
GAME SHOW : Plucky or willing, then another word for a performance.
20a Notes Ms Moore has gold piercing (2-2-2)
DO-RE-MI : Heraldic gold is held by Ms Moore the actress.
23a Quiet massage that could be in bed (5)
SHRUB : An instruction to be quiet and then massage or knead.
24a I flirted giddily with Penny, getting day out of school? (5,4)
FIELD TRIP : An anagram (giddily) of I FLIRTED plus P(enny).
26a Record including pieces backed by remix of YMCA for the other side (5,4)
ENEMY CAMP : Chess pieces reversed and an anagram (remix) of YMCA are enclosed by a 45 rpm record.
27a Nut seen entering Cape Canaveral (5)
PECAN : A lurker, hiding in the clue.
28a Items strewn around part of the capital (11)
WESTMINSTER : An anagram (around) of ITEMS STREWN.
Down
2d Dog runs past (5)
ROVER : The cricket abbreviation for runs and then past or finished.
3d Exhausted, catching eastern river snake (7)
SERPENT : Exhausted or used-up contains E(astern) and R(iver).
4d Maiden race meeting — might it bring luck? (6)
MASCOT : The cricket abbreviation for maiden and a horse racing venue.
5d Storyteller climbing Scottish island hill (8)
NARRATOR : The reversal of a Scottish island known for its knitting patterns, then a hill or mound.
6d Elevate nurse, 50, hampered by broken bone (7)
ENNOBLE : The letters for an enrolled nurse, then an anagram (broken) of BONE contains Roman numeral 50.
7d Belfast barge foundering — daughter completely shocked (13)
FLABBERGASTED : An anagram (foundering) of BELFAST BARGE plus D(aughter).
8d Sailors in the drink (8)
ABSINTHE : The letters for able-bodied seamen and two words given to us in the clue.
9d Swimming for those who are unsuited? (6-7)
SKINNY-DIPPING : A cryptic definition.
15d Morse novel located in a rural county (8)
SOMERSET : An anagram (novel) of MORSE and then located or placed.
17d Fight involving female supporter with big hair (8)
BOUFFANT : A boxing match perhaps, contains F(emale) and a supporter or enthusiastic follower.
19d Lower classification of Nautilus, maybe? (7)
SUBTYPE : An all-in-one, with classification serving both parts of the clue. Nautilus here is a sea-going vessel.
21d One page in dictionary (American) is kind of complex (7)
OEDIPUS : The three letters for a well-known dictionary, then Roman numeral one and P(age), followed by the two letter American.
22d Food store, pub fitted in old Greek precinct (6)
DELPHI : A type of food shop contains the map designation for a pub.
25d Briefly survey sports ground supported by church (5)
RECCE : The short name for a recreation area and the Anglican Church.
Lots and lots of ticks again today but we couldn’t agree on one for favourite.
Quickie pun collie + flower = cauliflower
Yet another stunner of a puzzle today, pitched exactly right for a Wednesday and about as entertaining as you can get.
21d always reminds me of the rather disturbing play ‘Schmoedipus’ with Tim Curry in 1974, can’t see that being screened nowadays with too many people who just can’t wait to be offended.
Load of great clues, so not easy to pick just two, but if pushed will have to go for 11a and 8d. Well done to our setter today, brilliant.
I knew we were in for a romp the second I clocked 1a. Cheekily marvellous. All very gentle but so well done. 11a is a cracker, that rare clue that doesn’t read like a clue. 15d too. And 26a. I do think 12a is a tad questionable (it works though) and 9d’s perhaps a little weak. But this is a setter on top of their game. Oodles of fun. Many thanks to them and the 2Ks.
Tipcat – if it’s disturbing, and it’s the 1970s or 1980s, then step forward Dennis Potter every time…
This was a rather jolly crossword. I became a little obsessed with fitting ‘coiffeur’ in but once I solved 28a it was case of hair today and also gone today, rather than tomorrow, for the aforementioned ‘coiffeur’.
A list of things I have never done in my life: been to 12a or 16a; appeared on a 18a; been on a 24a; been a football 4d; drank 6d; 9d (urgh – fish and weeds). However I am filled with complexes – just not 21d, thank heavens.
Hooray for the setter and The TwoKays.
Love ol’ Dennis, Pennies, and the scabby detective, spot on stuff….
Good fun.
Lots to like on a very friendly grid. I think 11a is okay as the setter has whacked a question mark at the end.
Does anyone know if Jay is still one of the setters as he did own the midweek slot? If not, his successors are doing a bang-up job.
My podium is 8d for its neatness, 9d and 15d.
Many thanks to the setter and the 2 Ks.
3*/4*
Annoyed that I stared at 1a for 15 minutes, with all the checkers, and still failed to get it. Probably due to me thinking that the ‘M’ was the 1,000! Grrr.
Other than that frustration – and to be clear 1a was an *excellent* clue – it was an absolute corker of a puzzle. ***/****
Thank you Anorak – I got the answer but couldn’t parse it, even with the hints, until I read your comment. You put me out of my misery!
Many thanks to the setter for a cracking puzzle, and to the 2Ks for the hints.
That didn’t take long whilst Mama Bee was at the dentist,
Loved 5d spent many a holiday there in my youth – minor point the Aran islands noted for knitwear are Irish, Arran as well as the fine “Tor” that is Goat Fell has some fine whisky, castles and beaches
Thanks to setter and the 2K’s
Dharma on the inside pages is just as much fun
A really enjoyable guzzle with some great anagrams and lwgo clues, all sprikledcwith an wnlivening helping of General Knowledge and wily misdiirection. I liked the lwgo clues at 1a, 21dand 16d, the cryptic definition at9d and the 7d anagram. Thanks to the compiler and to the DIY experts down under for the hints.
Simply loads of fun to be had from today’s guzzle, this for me was a real pleasure to solve. **/****
1a had me struggling for a bit as I tried to get two m’s into two words for cash but with the help of a few crossers all became clear and I chuckled as no doubt intended.
I had many ticks today in addition to that one, but my double ticks went to 1a, 8d, and 22d and my winner with three ticks was 9d which though ALP found week above, I found funny.
Thanks to the setter and of course to the 2Ks whose help I needed to explain the EN in 6D.
Another absolute belter of a midweek crossword with a terrific clue mix and the outstandingly funny 1a leading the way.
My thanks to our Wednesday setter for the fun and to Senf.
Apologies to the 2Ks and Senf for my mistake.
Super duper puzzle.
LOL at 1a.
Gems in, eg 16a and 6
And 21d.
Must be a wavelength
Thing, managed unaided
Completion in 2*.
Thanks to the setter
And to the 2Kiwis.
Great fun – thanks to our setter and 2Ks.
Ticks from me for 11a, 16a and 8d but favourite has to be the LOL 1a.
Great fun, a cracker of a mid-week back-pager. Not overly challenging, plenty of good surfaces, and with many fine clues, though 9d was very poor and ‘barely’ cryptic at all. Ticks all over the place, so will confine to the rather cheeky 1a & 10a, and 25d.
1.5 / 4
Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks
Hi MG
I think there’s a bit of cryptic action going on in 9d, i.e it doesn’t suit these people to go swimming. (we like the ‘barely’ comment)
Agreed – the clue made the lower reaches of my Top 10.
It’s cryptic in that they are not in their swimsuits. Thought it was a good clue!
1.5*/4*. This was light and great fun with 1a my favourite closely followed by 11a.
Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks.
Great starter that wasn’t beaten despite a good number of excellent clues that followed. A solve that was a joy from the word go to a quick finish. As YS says & terrific mix of clues. 11,16,24&26a along with 8,9,15&17d particular likes but I had ✅s against pretty well all of ‘em really.
Thanks to the setter (Robyn surely) & to the 2Ks – nice to see my home town illustrated with a pic of the ruins of the old rather than the splendour of the new cathedral.
Just right for a Wednesday and a very enjoyable solve. I parsed 1a slightly differently to the 2Ks, in that while monkey is, of course, a monetary term in itself, I think the second lot of cash referred to is simply ‘ money’ containing the K for 1000. Either way, it’s a great clue. The other peripheral clues were easily solved and gave a good foothold into the rest of the puzzle. Plenty of contenders for podium places today. I’ll choose 1a, 11a and 26a in no particular order. Thanks to our setter and the 2 Kiwis.
I’m pretty sure that is the way the 2Ks parsed & have hinted it too. You weren’t alone with monkey for £500 & I initially thought (like Anorak) the M was the 1000 & the wordplay somewhat bizarre.
A wonderful puzzle today with ticks all over the place. It’s hard to pick just a few but they would be 7d, 9d and 17d.
Thanks to the setter and the 2Ks.
Completed after a slow start. Cotd 9d which made me smile when the penny eventually dropped. 21d word play gave the answer but who knew eh? To note re 27a answer pronounced “peckan” as meticulously pointed out to me by an Alabama farmer some years ago. The other pronunciation is for something you keep under your bed at night apparently!
Thanks to setter and the two kiwis.
Ha-ha — the alternative name for a chamber pot made me smile!
That was a joy to work smoothly through. Lots of logical but crafty clues with 1a, 11a and 23a top of my list. Second lot of cash in 1a brought back memories of John McCririck and his amusing racing commentaries – RIP. Needed prompt for end of 19d. Thank you Mysteryone and the 2Kiwis.
My flabber has never been so gasted as I found this the easiest of the week so far, but really great fun. Ticks all over the place but I’ll choose 7 and 9d for the biggest smiles. Thanks to all.
Me too with my flabber! How is Emmy? I hope she’s not finding the winter too uncomfortable with her arthritis.
Wrong Dave I’m afraid. Emmy is fine thanks and is just back from a stroll round the fields near the village.
At first reading, the seeming complexity of the clue for 26a took me aback – had to take a deep breath and look again. No other problems to report and plenty of humour to be found.
My rosettes went to 1a plus 7&8d with several others coming into contention.
Thanks to our setter (Robyn?) and to our freshly decorated 2Ks.
Good Wednesday fun which ‘felt’ a little different to recent mid-week puzzles – a different setter? **/****
Candidates for favourite – 11a, 23a, 3d, and 21d – and the winner is 21d.
Thanks to whomsoever and the 2Ks.
Loved it! Great fun and cleverly constructed. Took a while for the proverbial to drop for 1a, but that was the only minor hurdle. So **/**** for me today. Thanks to the setter and the 2Ks.
I hadn’t realised 9d had crossed the pond
COTD 1a
I too stared at 1a for ages. The “clang” when the penny dropped must have startled the entire neighbourhood. Many great clues including the lurker at14a and the musical Demi Moore to name but two. However cotd must go to the international rugby player at 11a. Thanks to the compiler and 2K’s.
Brilliant puzzle, enjoyed every clue.
I wish we knew who these fun Wednesday puzzles come from, I do hope they rad the blog and know how well received they are.
I enjoyed so many but 1a was my favourite of a great bunch.
Many thanks to the setter and to the 2 Kiwis for the hints (glad your painting is finished)
Well, this week I thought this puzzle was step or two up in difficulty from the past several we have had. Required some grey matter usage as well as having the odd PDM … as well as a little luck.
2.5*/3.5* for me
Favourite include 10a, 20a, 23a, 26a, 5d & 21d — with winner 20a.
PDM’s with huge clunks as the coin hit the ground were 10a, 23a & 21d
Got a smile and chuckle from all of the favourites.
Thanks to setter & 2K’s
This was such a treat, smiles and guffaws all the way, and surprisingly easier than the ones so far this week. I loved it all. I took a while to remember the international player at 11a and kept looking for an animal in the clue, then a huge light came on. I went to 16a one April, soon after the new cathedral opened, and it snowed. I think that’s when I decided my days living in England were numbered. I liked so many, but I think I’ll choose 1a for the giggles.
Thank you setter, come back any time, and the 2Kiwis for the hints and pics.
Morning all.
It looks like the way we wrote the hint for 1a was causing some confusion so have now adjusted the wording slightly to avoid that. Apologies.
We’re still chuckling when we look back at the clues here.
Thanks setter.
So I was not alone in puzzling over 1a. Everything else had slipped smoothly into place, but, like others, I was trying to fit cash synonyms around ‘M’. I should have used ‘K’.
Like 8d the back pager makes the heart grow fonder.
Good shout, posh poet Pip.
Whenever I hear 8d, I always say the same expression…..hic!
I too was looking for 2 Ms in one across. But twigged after getting 2d and 4d. in the notes clue I nearly put in La Di Da. No idea why. All a bit straightforward today.
Thanks to the 2 Ks. And setter.
Another lovely spring like day here. Yesterday was even better. It warms the cockles. I’m just glad we’re not moving into winter. Hopefully March winds won’t prove the old adage and April showers will be light warm rain and not cold wet sleet.
I think you nearly put ‘la di da’ as it’s a fantastic expression, BH.
I nearly put la-di-da too
Love it, Sloops. What a guy!
Wonderful.
Many thanks to Sloop for playing my wedding song.
Sloop John Bee
Thank you for reminding me of a song I hadn’t heard for 50 years or more. It took me flying back to my late teens hearing my Mum enthusing about him.
Lovely stuff! Beginning with 1a; started in the M camp, but then realised that the ape was 500, so two of them would be the second bit of dosh. Iffy parsing, so I will now to the 2Ks on that! Also liked 11a and also 27a, mainly because I love them; annoyed when I discovered that they’re half the price of peanuts in the US, but twice the price over here in Fr.
Liked lots of the downs-5, 7, 8, 17.
Was convinced 17d was ‘coiffure’ for ages, but couldn’t parse it; checkers finally put me to rights, and that’s become my fave.
Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks.
I haven’t looked at any other comments yet as I did this one about 0800 and have then been otherwise engaged. It is interesting to be an unifluenced contributor. Thought this a fun */*** with 1a my COTD as quite funny. I’ll look at all my other chums on this website’s comments later.
A brilliant crossword even though I couldn’t quite finish it.
I particularly liked 14 and 20a and 17 and 21d. For once I can’t faff around with one favourite so I have joint favourites 7 and 9d.
Thanks to whoever set this crossword and thanks also to the 2K’s for the hints.
3/4. Very enjoyable but not particularly easy for me. Favourite was 21d for its elegant Lego structure. Thanks to the setter and the 2Ks.
What a fun puzzle . 1a has the popular vote and I go along with that plus 17 d. The references in 26 a looked like a no hoper as I’m way behind with modern music but worked it out towards the end. Thank you 2 K’s and setter . Give this one 2.5 / 4 .
I’ll have to look through the crosswords I compiled for the Kent Messenger because I once wrote what I hoped was an original clue: in fact I think I also used it in one of my Rookie puzzles here. Imagine my surprise when I saw it here, word for word, as 8d! I’m assuming now that it’s an obvious clue for the word that is an ‘old favourite’ and I’m not as clever as I hoped I was.
I haven’t finished the puzzle yet but thought I’d mention it now whilst it’s fresh in my thoughts.
Nonsense, Umber.
The fact that Edison was the first to get the patent of the filament in the light bulb doesn’t make Sir Joseph Swan, who was second (though this is disputed), any less intelligent.
I put it on my podium today as it’s a brilliant clue. You should be very proud of thinking of it.
5*/5*
Thanks, Tom, I was proud at the time, not least because it used no padding at all (unlike many DT clues lately) and was just about misleading enough without being unfair. In fact I used that clue, and one other, in an autobiographical novel I was writing where a police station cleaner was trying to explain cryptic crossword clues to a desk sergeant and a detective constable who’d inadvertently attempted to solve a DT puzzle left behind by a “smart arse” solicitor.
Thanks, Tom, I was proud at the time, not least because it used no padding at all (unlike many DT clues lately) and was just about misleading enough with being unfair. In fact I used that clue, and one other, in an autobiographical novel I was writing where a police station cleaner was trying to explain cryptic crossword clues to a desk sergeant and a detective constable who’d inadvertently attempted to solve a DT puzzle left behind by a “smart arse” solicitor.
Just searched the Rookie database and found the clue in #295
I am intrigued by your autobiographical novel.
Can you tell me more….
Very good. Lots of ticks so I’ll just stop with 1a. I went through quite a few shows before I got the right one which played havoc with the county. Thanks 2Ks although managed without hints. Thanks Setter this one is up there in the premier league.
Thank you to everybody who enthused about this wonderful puzzle, which meant sure I made time to squeeze it in yesterday, split between lunchtime and just before bed. So many fun clues in there: I particularly enjoyed 10a’s organ and 20a’s notes, with my favourite being 2d’s “Dog runs past” for it’s shear simplicity and sounding so natural. Thank you to the setter for this magnificent entertainment.
I’m grateful for 21d (“complex”) because that’s a word I can never spell, but now I can use the clue as a mnemonic. (Not that I expect to need to use it particularly often.)
There were pleasingly few anagrams, and all of them were ones that even I could manage, adding to my enjoyment.
And thank you for the Kiwis. Ridiculously, I needed your hint to parse 8d — which is particularly daft of me, since I had the answer and most of the letters come straight from the clue! I didn’t know the 26a expression, and failed to spot the first word even with all the crossing letters.
12a (bank going bust), 14a (bankers admitting fake), and 16a (City firm concealing books) felt like a mini-theme. Or at least a setter wanting to make a point about bankers and Alex Masterley types!
3*/5* ….
Liked 17D “Fight involving female supporter with big hair (8)”
amongst others.