Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30681
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Welcome to my 52nd Thursday blog, which, if I am not mistaken, makes it a whole year of providing hints and tips for you, dear reader. I fully appreciate that many of you do not need any assistance with solving or parsing the clues, but for those who do, I hope that my scribblings have been of some use over the last year.
I enjoyed this puzzle, which I found challenging in parts, but if you follow the wording carefully, it is all there in front of you. Only four anagrams (and each of them partial anagrams) so some may find it tricky to get a foothold into the puzzle. Lots of adding, omitting and changing letters, a variety of clues and a decent challenge throughout. Thank you, clever setter.
I’m off to York for a gathering of crossword folk as soon as I have finished this blog, so any corrections might have to wait a couple of hours, whilst I speed northwards on the train. If there isn’t already a collective noun for crossword aficionados, there should be. I would propose “a parsing” of crossworders, but I’m sure you can come up with something much better than that. Later in proceedings today, “a confusion” of crossworders might be more appropriate?
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 Impeach criminal, European smuggling New Zealand animal (10)
CHIMPANZEE: anagram (criminal) of IMPEACH + single-letter abbreviation for European outside (smuggling) abbreviation for New Zealand.
6a Guzzling whiskey, flipping drunk couples (4)
TWOS: three-letter noun meaning drunk backwards (flipping) outside (guzzling) the NATO phonetic alphabet letter represented by whiskey. Our setter has been very diligent by including an E in whiskey, as this is the correct spelling in the phonetic alphabet according to Mr Google.
9a Fritter wife consumed, welcoming seconds (5)
WASTE: abbreviation for wife + synonym of consumed (think food), outside (welcoming) abbreviation for seconds.
10a Home loan ahead of time (2,7)
IN ADVANCE: synonym for home (as in at home) + synonym of loan.
12a Tommy’s relaxed reportedly finding place to study (7,6)
PRIVATE SCHOOL: the rank in the British army commonly referred to as Tommy + the S + homophone (reportedly) of relaxed or calm.
14a Purchase from fishmonger perhaps in fellow’s pouch (8)
CODPIECE: a double definition. A bit of a fish and a pouch worn by men in tight breeches. Sorry girls, no images for this one….oh, alright then.
15a Furore involving bottleneck essentially in Spanish city (6)
TOLEDO: hyphenated two-word synonym of furore outside (involving) the middle (essentially) of bottLEneck reveals the former capital of Spain.
17a Remove cover fielder finally, man you told must keep back (6)
UNWRAP: a minor chess piece (man) + U (you told) reversed (back) outside (must keep) the final letter of fieldeR. A lot going on for a meagre six-letter solution. I’m going for a lie-down.
19a Some of those tweeting about Cambridge college (8)
ROBINSON: some birds + synonym of about reveals a Cambridge college inaugurated in 1981. Elon Musk showed no consideration whatsoever for crossword compilers when he decided to rename Twitter as X.
21a Extent of maybe cabby’s manoeuvres around becoming cleric? (7,6)
TURNING CIRCLE: having used a black cab in London last night, I can vouch that they can turn around in the tightest of spaces. I think the first six words are the definition, the product of which might make CLERIC (a reverse anagram). I am open to other suggestions.
24a Rebels resume working to receive money (9)
MUTINEERS: anagram (working) of RESUME outside (to receive) a three-letter slang word for money.
25a Best garden party? (5)
OUTDO: another double definition, I think. We are looking for an alfresco gathering for the second definition.
26a Princess has treat for queen (4)
DIDO: former princess + synonym of treat (definition 19. in my on-line Chambers) forms the one-time queen of Carthage.
27a Meets groups east of Bury (10)
INTERSECTS: our usual synonym of bury (we can ignore the capitalisation) followed by (east of) a synonym of groups.
Down
1d Intimidates Conservative Members of Parliament, not Labour initially (4)
COWS: single-letter abbreviation for Conservative + four-lettered wise birds (parliament is their collective noun) without the L (not Labour initially).
2d Upset, admit Phil’s on air regularly being tasteless (7)
INSIPID: every other letter (regularly) of aDmIt PhIlS oN aIr upside down (upset).
3d Rain spoilt trip to Nice, pair ultimately conceded (13)
PRECIPITATION: anagram (spoilt) of TRIP TO NICE PAI(r) – (pair ultimately conceded).
4d Bother Greek character with one’s naked dances (8)
NUISANCE: Greek letter + IS (one’s) + dANCEs (naked dances).
5d Escape from crazed avengeful revolutionary (5)
EVADE: hidden word (from) backwards (revolutionary). Our answer is lurking backwards within words 3 & 4.
7d Cheerful, with success certain (7)
WINSOME: join together synonyms of success + certain (as in a few).
8d Period before Spring in state of enchantment (10)
SPELLBOUND: synonym of period in front of (before) synonym of spring (as in leap) – again we can ignore the capitalisation here.
11d Rival occasionally angry after winner gets award (8,5)
VICTORIA CROSS: rIvAl (rival occasionally) + a synonym of angry after a synonym of winner.
13d Usual person charged admits switching vehicle certificate (10)
ACCUSTOMED: synonym of a person charged with an offence outside (admits) MOT backwards (switching vehicle certificate).
16d Unimportant matter in half-hearted midday publication (3-5)
NON-ISSUE: NO(o)N (half-hearted midday) + synonym of publication.
18d Extremely tedious argument over editor’s material (7)
WORSTED: TS (the extremes of TediouS) + three-letter argument turn them both upside down (over – this is a down clue) + abbreviation for editor reveals a woollen fabric.
20d One doubts it’s PC somehow going on about energy cuts (7)
SCEPTIC: pay attention….anagram (somehow) of ITS PC + single-letter abbreviation for about (or circa) outside single-letter abbreviation for energy (energy cuts = E goes inside).
22d Young environmentalist (5)
GREEN: double definition. A nice gentle penultimate clue.
23d Left stunned at first following huge defeat (4)
LOSS: abbreviation for left + initial letter (at first) of stunned after (following) abbreviation of “above normal size”. Again, a lot going on for a four-letter definition.
Quickie Pun: ROAD + DIAL + HAND + DREAD = RHODE ISLAND RED
After the first pass I had solved one only so I thought it was going to be a no go. Then pennies began to drop and it turned out to be a very satisfying solve with some clever surfaces. It took a while to recall the term for money in 24a and I had not heard of the college. I loved the relaxed Tommy at 12a and the period prior to Spring at 8d but my COTD is the very neat 25a.
Thank you, setter for the fun challenge. Thank you, shabbo for the hints.
I thought the Quickie pun was great.
Congratulations, shabbo on your anniversary.👍
I don’t like that term for money. I know, it’s a Brit puzzle, in a Brit paper, but I think it’s slang in few areas in UK, not in common parlance. Maybe I’m wrong, probably am, usually am!
What an absolute corker of a puzzle, reasonably gentle but with enough chewiness to be ideal for a Thursday. Lovely variety of clues and admirable self-restraint from the setter as to the number of anagrams employed, meaning there was tremendous variety in the clueing. Great surfaces, witty and amusing, all GK within my range: ideal to accompany the morning coffee. So many could have made the Honours Board, so shall limit to COTD 14a, 21a, 24a & runner-up 2d.
Many thanks to the Setter, and especially to Shabbo, thank you for the blog and for a year of successful blogging – you will have noticed you have a way to go to match Jackkt in TftT!
Congratulations Shabbo on giving us a year of help when needed. Long may it continue.
I’d suggest a Guzzle of crossworders.
Lovely guzzle this that made my grey cells work.
Couldn’t get the quickie pun so thanks for the answer.
Top picks for me were 12a, 21a and 1d.
Thanks again to Shabbo and the setter.
Needed Shabbo’s assistance in the parsing of several answers (especially 17a).
The Cambridge college was a new one to me but they have probably been one of the many Oxbridge colleges to appear on UC.
Off to take Lila the Lurcher to one of the woodland walks at Pitmedden Gardens while the sun still shines.
Thanks to the setter and Shabbo.
Sounds like she’s settling in well!
This picture says it all
Didn’t take her long to decide that she’d found her happy place – what a lucky girl to have met you!
Oh wow! There’s one contented dog. She’s lovely, DP.
Hudson asks if he can have her peemail addresss. 😊
Her only slight minus point is that she asks out for a walk as daylight comes in which is just after 04:30 in this part of the country at the moment. Hudson would be welcome to join us if he was visiting this area.
She is a smashing dog and we are lucky to have her sharing our home.
Smashing dog she certainly is! Wotta corker. Though the 04:30am wouldn’t work for me! My dog walker comes around 05:15am, when it’s cooler and avoiding the heat. O
I found this fairly chewy in places, especially in the S. Shabbo’s hints helped me back on track for which I am grateful and happy blogging anniversary to him. My podium comprises 1 and 12a plus 11d in gold medal position. Thanks to compiler and Shabbo.
A most enjoyable not a Ray T Thursday and I suspect that our setter is doing double duty today also being responsible for the Toughie – 2.5*/4.5*
I agree that 21a is a reverse anagram.
Candidates for favourite – 14a, 15a, 19a, 27a, 7d, 16d, and the Pun – and the winner is the Pun.
A polished Toonie on and thanks to Silvanus, or whomsoever if it goes down the drain, and thanks to Shabbo on, borrowing from another list, his Paper Anniversary.
I also needed help from rhe hints to parse 17a. Is it possible that the definition of 21a is the first 5 words, so the solution is another word for around and then anagram (becoming) of cleric?
Welcome to the blog, Leif Sket.
Thanks.
Welcome from me as well, Lee Skøt. I hope we hear from you again. 👍
Leif – darned spellchecker!
Hmmm … unless I am way off, this should have been a RayT puzzle as it was a fortnight ago since he set the last one …(puzzle 30669 on July 18th). Hope all is OK with RayT …??
Anyway, this one was fine with no issues. Just always look forward to RayT puzzles as they are so precise and well thought out, and always logical.
2*/3.5*
Favourites include 1a, 27a, 2d, 11d & 13d — with winner 13d.
Smiles for 9a, 25a, 11d & 16d
Thanks to the “RayT stand-in” & Shabbo
Great stuff with some amusing clues – thanks to our setter and Shabbo (congrats on the anniversary).
Top-notch clues for me were 6a, 14a, 1d and 11d.
1A went straight in so I thought this was going to be a fairly quick finish. Not so! I got there in the end but I have to admit that some of the parsings parsed me by. :-)
I spent ages trying to convince myself that Bolero was a city as well as a dance before I cracked 15A. For the second time recently I tried to utilise sitting rather than flying parliamentarians. The college was new to me also. Too many favourites to mention.
***/**** Very enjoyable. Thanks to the setter and Shabbo (well done on your anniversary).
A belter. Silvanus in fine form.
I know a few colleges but that was a new one on me.
My hotly contested podium is 1a, 11d and 16d.
Many thanks to S&S and congrats to the latter.
3*/5*
I was also disturbed to see that Mr T was AWOL today but quickly placated when I realised that my other favoured setter was appearing in his stead. Busy day for Mr Smooth as he’s also on Toughie duty.
The purchase from the fishmonger made me smile and I did need to check on the Cambridge college – not one that I’ve previously encountered. After due consideration, the rosettes have been awarded to 12a plus 1&11d with a special mention for the outrageous Quickie pun.
Thanks to Silvanus for the fun and to Shabbo for another fine review – many thanks for your year of blogging on our behalf, hope you have a thoroughly enjoyable time at the York meet-up.
Thank you, Jane. Nearly there!
Great fun this morning with plenty of contenders for a favourite clue, my choice being 11d. My thanks to, presumably, Silvanus and to Shabbo..
A top-notch Thursday puzzle. Great clues, a decent challenge and an enjoyable solve. Fav: 11d. 3*/4.5*.
Definitely one for ignoring the often rather daft clues and just finding the definition!
***/***
Thx to all
Please explain which of the clues you found to be “daft” and I will review my hints to see if I can be of more assistance in future.
Don’t waste your ink – you’ll not get a response even if it’s read.
How can clues be daft????
Way beyond me today – a pity as it’s about all I can do today – far too hot to do anything else.
I’m pretty sure it must be Silvanus – I always find him almost impossible to understand however hard I try – wavelength is a million miles off . . .
I did like (and understand!) 1 and 19a and 8 and 20d.
With thanks to whoever set todays crossword and to Shabbo for his hints today and for all them for the last years too.
What a relief Kath, I thought it was just me.
And me. Blame it on the heat but I just cannot get my brain into gear. Oh, where are those promises thunderstorms?
A good challenge today. Finally worked out the parsing of 17a and 18d, but they did baffle me for some time. It seems that many of us did not know the Cambridge college, but I expect Daisygirl has that local knowledge.
After my question yesterday I was on my guard with 8D. Only tripped up ( or should that be undone) by 17A which was my LOI. Thanks to Shabbo and our setter.
North went in without help, very enjoyable too, but South was a real struggle and I needed copious help from Shabbo. I think this must be Silvanus, I’m just not clever enough for his offerings. I’m choosing Tommy’s place to study and the giggle worthy (snicker, snicker) 14a.
Thank you Silvanus, you’ve beaten me again, and Shabbo for all your help. Congratulations for the 52nd anniversary! Well done and thanks for your always helpful hints.
Not my cup of tea, and clearly not one of RayT’s efforts. Got just three at first pass.. Found clues weird, convoluted and gave up after reading a few hints. Clearly I am never going to get on the Silvanus wavelength. Thanks to Shabbo, and good luck at the contests.
As a Cambridge resident for over 25 years I can confirm that Robinson College is the newest College and was built in the early 1980’s. It was funded and named after the philanthropist Sir David Robinson who also gave millions for the Rosie Maternity Wing at Addenbrookes which is named after his mother. As for the guzzle, very enjoyable and well done to Shabbo for reaching his milestone. Another year awaits.
Thank you Manders I was about to pitch in with that info. Well known in the/ area and as one of the newer colleges has great facilities. As does Churchill even though it is so ugly!
Many thanks to Shabbo and congratulations on your blogging anniversary. Enjoy your time in York. Thanks also to all commenters and a special thank you to Chris Lancaster for allowing me once more to have a back-page cryptic and Toughie appear on the same day.
A very good friend of mine is a 19a alumnus, so that particular clue is dedicated to him. See you all again soon!
Genuine thanks to you for the very fine challenge! 👍
And thanks also to Shabbo for the blog ‘n hints on your anniversary.
Cheers!
A triple appearance, in fact, with today’s Cross Atlantic also being one of yours! [This next bit addressed to everybody except Silvanus:] As with cryptic crosswords, Cross Atlantic puzzles do have different styles between setters, so if you aren’t somebody who normally does the Cross Atlantic but you are a Silvanus fan, maybe give today’s a try?
Congratulations to Shabbo on making it through a year of hard blogging. Hope the York meet-up went well.
Thank you for the plug, Smylers!
Completed on your recommendation Smylers having stalled on the Toughie – what a lot of clues there are.
Thank you, silvanus for a great guzzle and for popping in.
Thank you, Silvanus, for you enjoyable puzzle; in the north, south beat me soundly.
Another cracking puzzle that I enjoyed immensely – I’ve loved them all so far this week. A good amount of challenge without too much brain ache. Confess my last one in was the Cambridge college that I needed some electronic help with. Thanks to setter and Shabbo.
Just back from a lovely round of golf at the glorious West Herts Golf Club & thankfully we beat the expected storms but it was swelteringly humid so they’re coming. Pegged this one as a likely Silvanus production early doors & it was a corker. The north & all bar one in the SW flew in though the SW was a little chewier. All solved & parsed in a respectable time but 19a however wouldn’t yield despite being familiar with the college & only did so when I lost patience & revealed the 1st letter – surely I can’t be the only idiot wandering aimlessly round Cambridge, Massachusetts led astray by the i checker & the Institute of Technology – what a plonker. Had a tick against most of ‘em but if forced to single out just one it’d be 17a for the surface.
Thanks to Silvanus & to Shabbo – congrats on your first year (of many 🤞) & enjoy your do with the boffins
I thought this was a really good puzzle – coincided with a spectacular August storm over my town. Lots of great clues – 12A, 21A, 27A particularly enjoyable.
Many thanks to Setter, and Happy Blog Anniversary to Shabbo.
Way beyond my feeble brain today. Solved eight clues before conceding defeat.
Thanks to all.
I agree with Hintsman that the humidity in this part of the world ( we are not that far apart) is stifling and not conducive. Not conducive to anything. We went out to lunch with friends which was a Big Mistake (The Boot at Histon since you ask) Delicious meal but we were all sweltering. Guzzle tackled late afternoon and took considerable concentration to conquer it. Many thanks to Silvanus and congratulations to Shabbo – we are all so appreciative of your work even though the air might be somewhat blue. Too hot to have a favourite ❤️
Good evening
Crikey! I’ve read Eeyore’s comments above re getting 1a straight in, and about almost entering BOLERO for 15a, and I’m thinking yes, that’s me!
Definitely plenty to chew on today. I’m not surprised to learn that this is the work of the fiendish Brain Of Silvanus.
COTD is the marvellous 21a.
Many thanks to Silvanus, and also to Shabbo. Happy 1st Blogiversary, m’man!
Many thanks Silvanus for the challenge. My immediate post solve reaction was that it must be exhausting trying to find so many different reversal indicators! Lots to like with14a being my favourite.
Thanks and congratulations to Shabbo. Enjoy your trip to York.
I think winsome was a little tenuous.
Welcome to the blog, Dave.
Thank you. I’ve been a follower for years.
Welcome from me, DT also. Please comment again 👍
I found this a north south divide with the top completed fairly quickly and the bottom being very tricky. Loads of really great clues with 14a my favourite. I did not know the Cambridge college. I needed the hints to help parse a couple.
Many thanks to Silvanus for the fun and to Shabbo for the hints, congratulations on your anniversary!
2*/5*. I have been out since 10.30 this morning playing cricket – we won just before the heavens opened. I noticed that Silvanus was in the Toughie slot today so thought this one would have been set by Ray T. Alas it was immediately obvious this was not a RayT offering so I was disappointed that we were in for a Thursday back-pager not compiled either by the Master of Brevity nor by Mr Smooth.
Then my mood lifted when it became clear that thus was surprisingly a Silvanus puzzle, and one which met his normal supreme standard of excellence.
I did know 19a even though it didn’t exist when I was at Cambridge.
It is in the BRB but I can’t think how “treat” and “do” could be used synonymously. Anyone suggestions please?
Many thanks to Silvanus. Thanks too to Shabbo and congratulations on a significant milestone.
The SOED has this entry: “19 Provide food or lodgings for; treat or entertain well. colloq. L19. J. K. Jerome: He said they would do him for the whole week at two pounds five“.
Silvanus has again stretched my solving skills. I’ll have to admit to nodding off halfway through, not because I was bored just tired. Favourite was 27a. Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.
I always find the hints very helpful and learn a lot about cryptic solving from them. A lot of effort must be put in to putting them together, so thank you.
On behalf of all bloggers, thank you, Graymatta. Much appreciated.
3*/3* …
liked 11D “Rival occasionally angry after winner gets award (8,5)”