Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30649
Hints and tips by Huntsman
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***/****
Another lovely day here in Harpenden. How long I wonder before the golfers among us start whinging that it’s too hot to venture out onto the course 🥵
I assume today’s guzzle is one by our usual Tuesday compiler. I enjoyed it
In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual. Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle.
Across
1a Lack of enthusiasm about clue can upset around third of setters (10)
RELUCTANCE: the usual two letters for about or on the subject of + an anagram (upset) of CLUE CAN with the 3rd letter of se(T)ters inserted (around). Brain fog with that last bit so it was Shabbo to the rescue.
6a So tense, husband avoids gang (4)
THUS: the single letter for Tense + husband (avoids the synonym for gang).
9a Mad family’s potential hazard? (6,4)
BANANA SKIN: a slang term for mad + a synonym for family.
10a One enthralled by relative’s vivacity (4)
BRIO: insert the usual Roman numeral letter for one into an abbreviation for the male sibling.
12a Monster concealed bloomer (6)
ORCHID: a humanoid monster or goblin in Tolkien’s fantasy fiction + another word for concealed.
13a Visionary concept by bank (8)
IDEALIST: link synonyms for concept & for bank or lean.
15a Making out big dog, perhaps with metal lead in garden (5,7)
HEAVY PETTING: a synonym for big or weighty + a companion animal (dog perhaps) + a metal (symbol Sn) + the first letter (lead in) of Garden.
18a Friend dancing quite a cancan (12)
ACQUAINTANCE: an anagram (dancing) of QUITE A CANCAN.
21a Wise man swallowing tablet dropped liquid? (8)
SPILLAGE: insert (swallowing) a word for a tablet into a synonym for a wise man.
22a River rose? (6)
FLOWER: not sure whether this is a cryptic or a double definition. My coin toss says the former. The usual misleading term in crosswords for a river gives you what rose 🌹 is an example of.
24a Lady’s fingers look raw, to an extent (4)
OKRA: hidden (to an extent) in the two words between definition & indicator.
25a Is groaning about compiling (10)
ORGANISING: an anagram (about) of IS GROANING.
26a On the radio, follow story (4)
TALE: a homophone (on the radio) of a synonym for follow or track.
27a Somewhere in Yorkshire, intended leaving a payment (10)
SETTLEMENT: the somewhere is a delightful market town in the Dales. Link with a synonym for intended minus (leaving) the letter A.
Down
1d Outlaw drink (3,3)
ROB ROY: a double definition – a Scottish outlaw by the name of MacGregor (played by Liam Neeson in a pretty decent Michael Caton-Jones film) who became a folk hero & an alternative to a Manhattan cocktail with whisky instead of bourbon.
2d Character in A Room with a View admits an upsetting folly (6)
LUNACY: reverse (upsetting) AN from the clue & place inside (admits) the christian name of Miss Honeychurch who is the lead character in the novel. Played by Helena Bonham Carter in the first of Merchant Ivory’s trio of Forster adaptations that deservedly won an Oscar for Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s excellent screenplay.
3d Handsome judge on piece of furniture, topless (12)
CONSIDERABLE: a synonym for judge or deem + an item of furniture less its first letter (topless).
4d Partly hopes pastor turns up somewhere in church (4)
APSE: hidden in reverse (partly/turns up) between the indicators.
5d Drama after youngster initially stole a piece of cake (5’1,4)
CHILD’S PLAY: a word for a youngster + the first letter (initially) of Stole followed by (after) a type of drama. I’ve enumerated the clue as per the digital edition but note the puzzles app has it as (6,4). Don’t know how the paper clues it.
7d Dreadful if rich or poor (8)
HORRIFIC: an anagram (poor) of IF RICH OR.
8d Want drink of spirits on time (8)
SHORTAGE: what a drink of spirits is commonly called + a synonym for time or era.
11d Flustered I call ma and untie knot loosely (8,4)
NAUTICAL MILE: an anagram (flustered) of I CALL MA & UNTIE. Neat surface.
14d New wave gave tar an introduction to danger at sea (5-5)
AVANT-GARDE: an anagram (at sea) of GAVE TAR AN + the first letter of (introduction to) Danger. Great surface.
16d Dads wear what’s taken on holiday? (8)
PASSPORT: an informal term for dads + a synonym for wear. Now required for Europe post Brexit & in 1949 for Pimlico in a great Ealing comedy.
17d Country gentleman crossing river on large animal (5)
SQUIRREL: a word for a country gentleman surrounds (crossing) the single letter for River then append Large. In Hertfordshire around Hitchin & Letchworth the black ones outnumber the greys.
19d American guile takes in leader of Hungary for a bit (6)
AWHILE: the single letter for American + a synonym for guile with the first letter of Hungary inserted (takes in leader).
20d Fear female with authority (6)
FRIGHT: the single letter for Female + a synonym for authority or jurisdiction.
23d Food Italian restaurant served up (4)
TART: reverse (served up) an abbreviation for a small Italian restaurant giving you a tasty food item that may be sweet or savoury. Yes please.
The excellent surface at 14d was my clear pick of the bunch today & I rather liked 1&23d so they can have podium places. Please tell us which ones ticked your boxes.
Today’s blogging music has been Joe Bonamassa’s latest in a long line of live albums, Live at the Hollywood Bowl With Orchestra. My favourite track is this Warren Haynes song featuring a terrific contribution by backing singer Jade McRae
Today’s Quickie crossword pun: OVA + THE + WURST = OVER THE WORST
Thought 15a was a bit risque for the good old DT!
Good solid Tuesday fare, slightly more chewy than has been the norm. I took 1d on trust, having never heard of the drink, and fortunately 2d was a gimme as I could not recall the detail of the book for toffee; completion would have been somewhat faster had I not over-looked the enumeration of 11d and spent too long looking for a 12-letter anagram at the end – on finally seeing the (8,4) it fell swiftly. Six anagrams in only 28 clues is too many for me (especially 3 in 4 downs) when there are so many other ways of clueing answers. Podium places to the excellent 14d (COTD), 15a & 17d.
2* / 3*
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman.
A lorra, lorra fun. Ticks all over the shop – 1a, 6a, 9a and 15a (big dog’s brilliant). But I particularly liked the nicely disguised fodder in 11d and 14d. Very good indeed. Ta lots to setter and Huntsman. I can’t see any of these hummable tunes upsetting anyone. I fear (though I really don’t know why!) it will be a rather different story in the other place…
the other place ALP?
The Toughie! It’s well worth a look – Zenas/Prolixic is in the chair today.
aha, many thanks. thought BD had finally made it to the house of lords
I agree about the Toughie. It’s well worth a look at.
“Worth a look at”, Cowling! See me after class!
Only two comments so far. It looks like everyone must be out enjoying the weather!
Tricky in parts but most enjoyable. I too was a bit taken aback by 15a and was concerned about the image that Huntsman might conjure up for the clue! Fortunately, The Drifters came to the rescue.
I also did not know the cocktail at 1d, being more of a “pint of bitter” man myself, but it couldn’t be anything else.
Thanks to our setter and my near neighbour, Huntsman.
Much like last Tuesday, not quite Typically Tuesdayish but still an entertaining slightly tougher challenge from Anthony Plumb – 2.5*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 1a, 9a, 16d, and 17d – and the winner is 17d for the image conjured up of said gentleman riding on a large ‘version’ of the answer.
Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.
I agree with all of that. I thought it was going on ***
Our Tuesday setter keeps up his tradition of slotting in Americanisms – ‘making out’ has always sounded a bit odd to me, not that I didn’t enjoy sitting in the back row of a cinema with a ‘likely lad’ in my youth!
Rather liked the monster concealing a bloomer and the image conjured up by 17d.
Thanks to Mr Plumb and to Huntsman for the review – smiles for the couple of golden oldies you included.
Enjoyable stuff – thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
I didn’t know the 1d drink or the 2d female but both could be nothing else.
Top clues for me were 15a, 5d and 17d.
Totally off-wavelength today and had to throw the towel in well short of the finish line. Clearly a ‘me’ problem given the previous comments. I’m blaming the heat and corresponding lack of sleep! Some lovely surfaces though.
For me, and I stress only for me, a ****/*** puzzle.
Not sure why but I’m getting a ‘duplicate comment’ alert, despite my comment not appearing the first time!
And now it’s appears!!
Lovely puzzle, 3 clues standing out by an 11d: 1 & 15a and, of course, 11d itself.
My late brother in law was a geologist who travelled the world for a living, leaving his wife behind. One of their plans, which never came to fruition, was to acquire a large 15a dog named 1a, so that when he left, he could truthfully say he was leaving his wife with great 1a.
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman.
Love the story, LnL. My daughter did a similar thing with one of her cats by calling it Pardon.
“What’s the name of your cat?”
“Pardon”.
“What’s the name……..”
😄
Who won the Belgian Grand Prix?
Lauda…
WHO WON THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX?
🤣
Excellent entertainment for a sultry day. There was plenty to like and a few laughs along the way especially 15a – what were you thinking, Mr. Lancaster? 😊 It took me a while to realise 7d was an anagram and which word was the definition. Putting the letter “M” at the end of 13a held me up until the penny fell. My COTD is the mad family at 9a.
Thank you, setter for a great challenge. Thank you, Hintsman for the hunts and Bonamassa.
Another in a long line of mediocre Tuesdays awash with poor clues such as 6a and 15a. Never come across the cocktail in 1d or have any knowledge of the play/film in 2d. Unsure why the apostrophe in 5d, surely not needed.
All in all a very disappointing puzzle.
Thx for the hints
***/**
I think you’ll find it surely does Brian. Steve will correct me if I’m mistaken.
Yes – the possessive (‘s) as in belonging to. However, the clue in the paper is (6,4).
I can never say who it came from
Setter doesn’t matter now he’s gone
While the sun is bright
Or in the hottest night
No one knows, this crossword flows
Goodbye, Cryptic Tuesday
Who could solve 1 down or 2?
When you change with every new day
Still, I’m gonna solve you.
“There’s no time to lose” I heard her say
Start petting now before you fade away
Caring all the time
Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind
My life’s been kind.
Goodbye Cryptic Tuesday……..
Splendid, PPP!
Excellent!!!
Found this Tuesday puzzle a little tricker than Monday’s but on par with a normal Tuesday.
2*/3.5*
Favourites include 1a, 15a, 7d, 11d, 14d & 17d — with winner 17d
Smiles from 22a, 1d, 7d & 20d
Thanks to AP & Huntsman for hints/blog
Thought this was going to be unusually tough for a Tuesday but in fact all’s well that ends well and I made it with the exception of the bunged in 15a. South was smoothest ride. Had forgotten the name of 2d character but well recall the great film itself. Overall 23d is a bit iffy. Thank you MrP and Hintsman.
I had no problem remembering her and her George! Great movie!
Solid fare from, AP.
We like a bit of not-so GK thrown in, once in a while, i.e 2d (never read it) and it’s great to see him getting ‘darn wiv der kidz’ with the slang in 10a. Before you know it, ‘wassup?’ and ‘innit’ will be answers in his puzzles.
‘Props’ to the prof.
Lots of great clues to pick from but I’ll go with 1a, 5d and 14d.
Many thanks to the aforementioned and Hoots Mon!
2*/4*
2*/4* for me. There seemed to me to be a lot of Lego involved!
3D and 17D were my favourites and I thought 15A was a bit near the knuckle for the DT.
What a lovely day here in the Cotswolds, not before time, either. I walked with a friend from Cleeve Hill, the top of which is technically a mountain, back home to Winchcombe to refresh myself with a Doom Bar.
Lovely views on this walk.
Summer, at long last!
I’m with Anorak today. Just couldn’t get on wavelength. I’m going to blame it on the heat. 🏳 Thanks to AP and Huntsman for the hints, that I’m now going to look at and doubtless groan at my stupidity. Here’s to tomorrow.
I also found today’s offering difficult to get into and in the end had to admit defeat resorting to Huntsman’s handy hints. That said in retrospect the clues were all do-able. Just not on Mr. P’s wavelength today. 15a a case in point. Great clue – just couldn’t parse it!
Thanks to the setter and Huntsman for the hints.
Found parts of this quite difficult. Had never heard the abbreviated restaurant expression in 23d. Some of the LEGO was confusing to me.
3*/4*. I found this relatively tough for a Tuesday, perhaps having drunk too much yesterday evening while celebrating the birthday pf one of our many granddaughters. I was also not in the best frame of mind this morning after my daily dose of Wordle 👎.
Despite all that, I did enjoy the crossword with 9a my favourite.
Many thanks presumably to Mr P and to Hintsman.
Agreed, RD. Awful Americanism on Wordle today!
I got Wordle in 3 but only because I said to myself “Wordle is American so I wonder….?”
I’m afraid I have a thing about American spelling. Fine in the USA and I would probably use it there but not in UK, ta. 😊
It took me forever to get it … and I live here! I was so cross but, to be fair, it is an American puzzle.
Wordle was British when it first appeared, Merusa, and I have done it every day since then. It was invented by an Englishman before he sold it to the NY Times. The only word that has beaten me in that time was SASSY.
A Welshman, actually! 👍 😃 🏴
:lol:
Yes, Josh Wardle – a very apt name.
Yes, I remember, but wasn’t he living in NYC at the time and created Wordle for his American girlfriend?
Yes, I’m surprised I completed the Wordle puzzle today. Once, I got all but one letter on the first go and managed to think of five eligible but wrong words to follow. The answer wasn’t even American!
One has to like 9a
I had to use way, waaay too much ehelp for this, and it’s only Tuesday! Gimme a break. There was some fun stuff, thank goodness I’d heard of 1d. Oooops, 15a! Really? Good guffaw there. Somewhere in Yorkshire appears again, long time no see. My fave was 9a.
Thank you Mr. Plumb, whew! Thanks Huntsman for explaining so much and the Elvis.
Deleted and re-entered as intended as a reply to Merusa.
A truly splendid puzzle. Bit slow to get started and I thought it would be tough going , but things slowly started to fit into place and it all came good in the end and completed without needing hints. Loved 15a , and I too didn’t think it could be what it turned out to be (way too risqué for the DT what ?) I spent a while thinking ‘out’ was an anagram indicator. 😀 Thanks to the setter and to Huntsman
I didn’t know the cocktail or the folly character but the answers couldn’t have been much else. Last one in was 15a which made me smile.
Top picks for me were 11d, 9a and 12a.
Thanks to Huntsman and the setter.
Most enjoyable, with 11D, 14D and 12A my favourites. Perversely I quite like the occasional US Spelling in Wordle, and am pleased the NYT isn’t yet charging us for the daily pleasure. I also enjoyed yesterday’s, which happens to be the name of a local Amazon locker.
Thanks to Setter, Huntsman, and all above – especially Pip for those superb lyrics.
My efforts today made me think on how hard it must be for anyone to judge a difficulty level for a puzzle as it is so subjective. I started the day a bit pressed for time and hoping for a quick finish, I struggled to get going and each clue was an effort and based on that I would have said it was really tricky. I returned home this afternoon and immediately got going and thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was very suitable for a Tuesday. 14d was my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.
I think the state of mind helps, MTF. I find if I’m pushed, because of work or something else, I find the guzzle hard. If I’m relaxed and have plenty of time, it’s easier. It’s not a hard and fast rule, of course. It just seems that way for me.
I completely agree with you, as ever.
Quite tricky for a Tuesday I thought.
Like others 15a felt risqué for DT but also rather dated.
I screwed up the whole of the bottom left corner – don’t ask and I can’t be bothered to explain!
I liked 13 and 18a and 5 and14d. My favourite was 7d.
Thanks to the setter and to Huntsman.
I didn’t know what 15a meant. I looked it up in my OED, and it is described as informal N American. So, If it’s dated informal N American, I’m definitely letting myself off!
A challenge. Hated 15a and 23d. Took all day, but sometimes? The best things do!
I would have commented early but a certain football match got in the way. I actually f found this harder than the toughie which I didn’t find easy. Didn’t know the drink the person in 2d and needed the hints to parse 6d and 11d. Favourite was 12a. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
Good evening
If, as we normally find on a Tuesday, that today’s crozzie was a Mr Plumb production, then this is the first Tuesday where our esteemed setter has got the better of me, and done so in spades! A DNF with 5 solutions left unfilled, viz. 15 & 27a, 11, 14 & 23d.
And, of course, the answers weren’t really all that hard – in retrospect! 20/20 hindsight and all that!
Ee, wey, ye cannat win them arl, mar!
Thanks to Mr P and to Huntsman.
Dreadfully late clocking in today having had to go into town. Greatly enjoyed the guzzle, but then I like anagrams. Last one in was 11d I completely missed the loose knot. Very clever. Many thanks to Setter & Hinter.
And so to bed……..
Not as late as me! If anyone reads next day comments just to say great puzzle and brilliant blogging from Pip plus wordle origins
I do!
3*/3* …
liked 17D “Country gentleman crossing river on large animal (5)”
Commenting v late but only because of Andy’s link to Live at the Hollywood Bowl. I hope he notices the comment in his email between announcing the tee offs
I have been listening to his live stuff a lot lately and compiling clues as I go and came up with this;
Coffee? Good according to Julian or Sandy master musician (3,9)