Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30678
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Hola from Almoradí on an overcast and muggy morning. I do believe we might be in for some rather overdue rain! In view of the various different levels of heat we get here in the summer pommette has come up with a new scale: 25-29°C = warm, 30-34 = hot, 35-39 = bl’ot and 40+ = f’ot. I’ll leave it to you to fill in the missing letters! Just now it’s at the top end of warm but it’s forecast to get bl’ot this afternoon!
Here we have another splendid Monday puzzle which I don’t think will frighten many horses. The hints are below just in case they’re needed but I suspect not.
As usual my podium three are in blue. The definitions are underlined in the clues and the answers are under the “click here” buttons so don’t click on them unless you really want to see the answer. Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Snack from North American dressed like Batman? (6)
CANAPE: If you were dressed like Batman you would be wearing or in a particular garment. Therefore, put an N(orth) and A(merican) into that garment to get a snack.
4a Tiny Dickensian character that is most fearful (8)
TIMIDEST: The tiny character from A Christmas Carol followed by the Latin phrase meaning “that is”. Nice to see the whole thing instead of the abbreviation!
9a Come up with popular air (6)
INVENT: The usual two letters for popular or fashionable followed by a word meaning to air, as in opening a window perhaps.
10a Father and sons concluded Jewish festival (8)
PASSOVER: A two letter word for your father followed by two S(on)’s and then a word meaning concluded or finished.
11a Love running team in Manchester’s speed (8)
VELOCITY: Anagram (running) of LOVE followed by a Manchester football team, not United.
13a Queen tucked into pasta sauce with alacrity (6)
PRESTO: R for queen inserted into (tucked into) a pasta sauce gives the musical term meaning to be played very fast.
15a Fortunately, actor playing F Gump catches one’s dog barking (5,8)
THANK GOODNESS: The actor who played Forrest Gump written in the same format as F Gump goes around (catches) an anagram (barking) of ONES DOG.
18a Criminal court blocks vote, which is a serious shock (13)
ELECTROCUTION: Anagram (criminal) of COURT inserted into (blocks) the sort of vote that the UK had a couple of weeks ago.
22a Gave a speech – alternatively, a kind of talk (6)
ORATED: A word meaning alternatively followed by the A from the clue and then a kind of educational video often referred to as a *** talk.
24a Keen to learn from journalist, you heard, with Telegraph (8)
EDUCABLE: The usual journalist followed by the letter that sounds like (heard) the word YOU and then another word for to telegraph without the capital T.
26a Inhabitant has beer, six litres to start with (8)
VILLAGER: Start with a type of beer and before it (to start with) put the Roman numeral for six and an L(itres).
27a Wind player loves catching intro of Beethoven’s First (6)
OBOIST: Two O’s (loves) placed around (catching) a B (intro of Beethoven) and then another way of writing first.
28a Occupant of chair quietly leaves (8)
RESIDENT: A word for the chair of a board without its P (quietly leaves).
29a Decline drug smuggled through American customs (6)
USAGES: A word meaning to decline or droop and the usual letter for a recreational drug inserted into (smuggled through) the usual two letters for American.
Down
1d Badger from Switzerland? Climber traps five (6)
CHIVVY: The IVR code for Switzerland followed by an evergreen climbing plant with a V inserted (catches five).
2d After half a month, character hasn’t finished story (9)
NOVELETTE: Take the first half of an autumn month and follow with another word for a character without its last letter (hasn’t finished).
3d Assistant swallowing a fabulous wonder drug, say (7)
PANACEA: The abbreviation of a personal assistant placed around (swallowing) another way of saying “a fabulous”.
5d This person’s a leader in mosque? (4)
IMAM: Another way of saying this person is followed by the A from the clue and an M (leader in Mosque).
6d Romeo in nude is improperly covered (7)
INSURED: The letter indicated by Romeo in the phonetic alphabet is inserted into (in) an anagram (improperly) of NUDE IS.
7d Welcomed by personnel, visitors for the King (5)
ELVIS: A lurker hiding in (welcomed by) the next two words of the clue. Here’s a bit from the King . . .
8d Unlikely winner of race tries too desperately (8)
TORTOISE: Anagram (desperately) of TRIES TOO. Hands up those who tried to parse OUTSIDER!
12d Employ Barbie’s words of gratitude, filled with love? (4,2)
TAKE ON: How Barbie might say thanks to her boyfriend with an O (love) inserted (filled with).
14d Corpulent Poirot undoing clothes (6)
ROTUND: Another lurker hiding in (clothes) the middle two words.
16d Making a lord or lady disheartened even with no jewellery (9)
ENNOBLING: Take the middle letters out of E(ve)N (disheartened) and follow what’s left with the NO from the clue and then a slang term for flashy or expensive jewellery.
17d One spinning a record by the Beatles (8)
REVOLVER: Double definition.
19d Hydrate drunken group of police officers (3,4)
THE YARD: Anagram (drunken) of HYDRATE.
20d Fiend copper stops aboard public transport (7)
INCUBUS: Start with a phrase (2,3) which could mean aboard public transport and insert (stops) the chemical symbol for copper.
21d Parts of a whole hotel surrounded by holiday homes? (6)
TENTHS: H(otel) surrounded by some canvas holiday accommodation.
23d Where cobbler works endlessly, a strong giant (5)
ATLAS: Take the last letter off (endlessly) a phrase describing where a cobbler works.
25d Bill’s partner crossing river in European capital (4)
BERN: Bill’s partner in the children’s TV series placed around (crossing) an R(iver).
Podium today is 1a, 26a and 5d with 5d on the top step.
Quick crossword pun: MASSEUR + KISSED = MASOCHIST
Today’s offering was a real curate’s egg for me. I finished it but there were a number which I found the parsing difficult to see. Thank goodness I retained a smattering of Latin from my schooldays to help with 4a. I did not understand 22a. I got the “alternatively” part but how does “a kind of talk” fit in? I can’t see “ted” meaning talk. Nor do I understand 11a. I do see the last part but why Manchester and how does “team” fit in? I did like the inhabitant having six beers at 26a but I have no COTD.
Thank you, setter for the brain mangler. Thank you, pommers for the hints, which I will now read to find some explanations.
Well, I missed the anagram indicator in 11a! 😳
The videos are known as TED talks and the team in Manchester is Manchester City.
Thanks, pommers. Never heard of TED talks and I’m no fan of football but one lives and learns! 😊
“Ted” talks crop up fairly frequently in crosswordland, Steve, and every time I’ve never heard of them … :unsure:
👍🤣
I vaguely remember it coming up before but, like you, “I’ve never heard of it before”.
Thank the lord Steve. I thought I was the only one who had never heard of Ted Talks.
TED Talks† have had a fair few mentions in The Telegraph over the years, including an article about Bill Gates from 2009 and one about Princess Megan last year. Here’s a list of TED Talks they published in 2015 that will supposedly change the way we work and live.
I think it’s reasonable for a crossword setter to use terms that appear in the news and features sections of the publication the crossword is in. In many ways I think it’s more reasonable to expect a Telegraph reader to have come across TED Talks than it is for them to know that, for instance AB is a sailor.
† Capital letters because they originally stood for something.
The usual excellent Monday fare (from Robyn I assume) to kick off the new week. As ever a pleasure to solve from start to finish. 18a just shades 16d as my pick from a fine bunch.
Thanks to the setter & to pommers.
Ps 22a prompted me to waste 15mins laughing at You Tube clips of Seth MacFarlane’s talking teddy bear but they’re too profanity laden to post.
what a good singer he is too
Agreed – very talented fella
Another great start to the week though this required a bit more work than usual.
My podium is 18a, 29a and 19d.
Many thanks to Robyn and Pommers.
3*/4*
TDS
just seen your reply on Friday night, re MG’s and their drivers.
As it happens, I am one of those dudes. No offence taken.
b
Good boy.
Obviously, I am well jel (not gel)
Tricky in places and the NW corner held me up until the pdm’s of 1a and 1d landed. There are a few where the parsing eludes me so will review Pommers’ hints. The pdm’s above comprise the two supporting podium places, with the lurker of 7d in top spot. Thanks to Robyn and Pommers.
An enjoyable start to the (non-)work week – **/***
Candidates for favourite – 9a, 27a, 1d. and 23d – and the winner is 1d a delightful word not heard often enough these days.
Thanks to Robyn(?) and to pommers.
1*/4* for a light but great start to the week with 28a, 1d, 5d & 12d my top picks.
Does 3d really need “say”? I would said it could be considered a straight definition not a DBE.
Many thanks to Robyn (?) and to pommers.
Except I would not consider 3d a drug, as far as I know it’s not, just the opposite.
Dave, the ODE gives a couple of examples of usage, one being ‘the 3d for all corporate ills’, which presumably wouldn’t be a drug.
Perfectly pitched for a gloriously sunny morning workout, where I barely had to break sweat to get over the line. If I have to pick a single favourite clue, it would be 12d.
Many thanks to our Monday setter and pommers.
Very enjoyable, pretty straightforward with a few chuckles – thanks to our setter and pommers.
For my podium I’ve selected 1a, 5d and 12d.
What an enjoyable start to the week. I was held up at the end in the NW corner where I struggled with 1a and needed the hint. The pedant in me feels that ‘dressed like Batman’ is in the past tense and should therefore be caped! Once I’d sorted that the rest was plain sailing and what a lovely word 1d is Favourite was the very clever 15a, supported by 26a and 12d. Thanks to our setter and pommers.
The penny s just dropped that ‘in cape ‘ fits perfectly well giving the answer. Overthinking as usual!
Saved from the potential ‘outsider’ trap at 8d only by virtue of checkers already in place – just as well because I’m very sure I couldn’t have parsed it! I also wondered briefly whether I required knowledge of the Barbie film to solve 12d – thankfully not!
18a sits on the top step with 1,6&17d vying for the lesser medals.
Thanks to Robyn, presumably, for an enjoyable Monday puzzle and to pommers for the review – hope you’re not frying by this afternoon!
I always taught (was taught) that the comparative and superlative of two and more syllable adjectives were formed with more, and most, as in more fearful. Is this answer modern (American?) usage?
I was taught that too and words like 4a still grate.
Same here – they go into my non-word category………
And me.
We were taught ‘i before e except after c’ as well, though. Chambers thinks it’s fine anyway.
A great start to this week with the sun also out in a clear blue sky. I enjoyed most of this particularly 1a and 1d and 22a was clever, if you knew about the talks.
Many thanks to the setter and.to Pommers for the hints
A light and pleasant puzzle to start the week.
Like SC, TED meant nothing to me but 22A could be nothing else. Favourites include 4A which brought back memories of one of my favourite school subjects and 12D which made me chuckle.
*/*** – Thanks to the setter and Pommers for the hints.
I found this stickier than most Mondays, but all fell into place before a second mug of tea was needed.
Have been dog and house sitting for a daughter and family in Moseley. This gave us the opportunity to watch the final day’s play at Edgbaston. What a grand day we had.
I found this puzzle a little trickier than a normal Monday, for whatever reason, however it all came together in the end. SW last area completed.
2*/3.5*
Favourites 15a, 18a, 7d, 17d & 19d — with winner 17d
Smiles from many including 26a, 14d, 21d & 23d … and of course 17d
Thanks to setter & pommers
Lively puzzle with a nice modern feel….
Ok please help. Where does a cobbler work? I’m not familiar with the word.
Otherwise, a nice Monday. I eventually finished (hurray) in between cheering the Olympics. 15a a favourite for me.
Hi Katherine, a last is a shoemaker’s model of the foot on which boots and shoes are made or repaired. If you find a pair of shoes that fit nicely you might be able to use a last guide (assuming the shoemaker provides one) to see what other shoes have been made on the same last.
……apart that is from the Flowerpot Men reference, likely to be lost on anyone under 65!
Indeed. I swiftly crossed several of Bill’s partners from the list of possibles, including Coo (even if probably a much older term), though the idea of a capital called Terd appealed to my inner schoolboy.
I was in the “coo” camp too … never heard of Ben.
Bill and Ben were flowerpot men and they had a friend little weed. Our girls absolutely loved them but my girls are now in their early forties and have families of their own!
I found this trickier than I would expect on a Monday but very satisfying to solve. Liked 15a best. Thank you to the setter and Pommers.
What a thoroughly [REDACTED} puzzle today’s offering was. Weird disconnected clues that made very little sense. A shame because I usually like Robyn’s puzzles but not today.
****/*
Thx for the hints
A pleasant solve which I managed to make hard work of in places.
Top picks for me were 1d, 19d and 7d.
Thanks to Pommers and the setter.
Very gentle fare, an enjoyable puzzle. No equines discombobulated, let alone frightened. Hon Mentions to 1a & 12d.
Many thanks to the setter and to Pommers.
Really enjoyed this, clever and entertaining throughout with some teasing misdirection. Thanks to the compiler, Pommers and bloggers who explain ted talks … a new one for me
Good afternoon
All done, and I particularly enjoyed the clueing this afty; so much so that I’ve struggled to award COTD. I have, at last, plumped (as long as plumping is allowed, as Frank Muir used to say) for 15a, with 7, 16, and 23d as 2nd equal.
Many thanks to our compiler (Robyn?) and to Pommers.
Anyone who wants to know a bit more about TED Talks should have a look here: https://www.ted.com/talks
For what it’s worth TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design.
I certainly wasn’t expecting this one on a Monday morning – it’s completely finished me off for a little while. In fact you could call me a horse that’s well and truly scared stiff!
Like others I’ve never heard of the kind of talk in 22a however long I’ve been doing crosswords.
I’m not complaining at all but it was pretty tricky for a Monday.
I missed 11a anagram and something else but can’t remember now!
I liked 13 and 18a and 1 and 8d. My favourite was 16d
Thanks to the setter for the crossword and to pommers for the hints for a couple needed.
Off for a little lie down . . .
21d did for me . Could not see it at all.
Couldn’t parse 1d, 3d, 12d.
So not my finest hour today.
Had heard if the TED talks, though.
Thanks to Pommers and to the setter.
I really enjoyed this one and I was amused by the fact that the letter V turned up five times in the grid — so the “traps five” in 1D could also apply to the grid as a whole. Not sure if this was just coincidence or design, but I smiled.
I started off well and was happily thinking, thank goodness. But it got trickier as I made my way through the maze, with several answers provided by checkers, but unverified with clues. If someone asked me what a Ted talk was I’d probably think it was something my Dad (being Ted) did, but he was a man of few words so rather unlikely. Don’t care for 4a as a word, and 24a always slips uncomfortable off the tongue. Thanks to setter and Pommers.
My Dad was also called Ted and I had the same reaction to “Ted talk” of which there were many. 😊
At first sight I had to do a double check that this was Monday. However it all came together and there was plenty to enjoy. 4, 18 and 27 a. plus 16 and 20 d. My laptop is misbehaving and until my grandson puts in an appearance there is no chance that I can get this THING to work. I finished the puzzle at 9.30 a.m. but this device had to be shut down for ages before it would let me on to the BD site. Many thanks to our fine setter and Pommers.
I agree with Kath that this was tough fare for a Monday but I did just manage to pull through. Needed prompts to justify 20d and to parse 15a. Some cowboy gardeners have managed to cut
through a cable with a hedge-cutter so no ‘phone or internet – struggling to cope with iPhone whilst I await Openreach’s pleasure!
So sorry I omitted to say TVM to Robyn (?) and pommers who sorted a couple of my wronguns
This has taken me forever and was a DNF with several, I was so far off wavelength. I was lulled into feeling I had this in the bag when the NE went in quickly, then I struggled mightily. There were some gimmes, 19d and 23d, that helped. I’m sure pommers will explain who “ben” is at 25d. Fave 7d, though I hasten to say pommers’ video choice is not a fave, “for the good times” is mine. I also liked 19d.
Thank you setter, and pommers for finishing the puzzle for me.
Great puzzle for a sunny Monday. 11A and 26A for chuckles, 17D for happy listening memories, but F Gump at 15A wins it for me.
Many thanks to Setter and Pommers.
Despite booking a camping trip with my daughter yesterday, 21d still eluded me.
23d also defeated me. Spent ages trying to think of the building rather than the object.
I need the hint to parse 29a.seems obvious now…
Must say I’m surprised at the clever people who had not heard of TED Talks. I even know once of the speakers on a TED talk. As mentioned above, they are well worth looking a look.
Despite the dnf, still rather enjoyed this.
Thanks to all.
A late start and finish for me and found this to be a great Monday puzzle. Not as easy as some Monday’s but the right amount of challenge to be enjoyable and some excellent clues and parsings. Many thanks to the setter and Pommers.
I’ve watched a number of TED talks/lectures and very interesting they are too. Having said that I found this more like a Friday puzzle than a Monday, I can see that the cluing was fair so it must have been a wavelength thing. Favourite was 6d as I had unsired as my answer until the penny dropped. Thanks to the setter and Pommers.
3*/4* …..
liked 8D “Unlikely winner of race tries too desperately (8)”