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DT 30685

by Huntsman  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30685
Hints and tips by Huntsman

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

A miserable start to the day here in Harpenden but I’m hoping that the rain will be gone by the time I’m due to tee off at the rather splendid Porters Park.

An enjoyable puzzle today (from AP I assume) with, as ever, some good surface reads. It took me a good bit longer to complete than yesterday’s puzzle  but again I’m not sure if that was just a case of being a bit slow on the uptake.

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 Artist’s picture ? Animal not a dicky-bird (7)

PICASSO: an abbreviation of picture + think of an animal (one in the horse family) + the letter that represents not a dicky-bird or nothing. A nice starter.

5a Expert upset swapping power with king (7)

SKILLED: a synonym for upset with the single letter for Power (physics) replaced with the chess letter for King.

9a Professional is enthralled by this compiler’s potential (7)

PROMISE: the usual abbreviation for professional followed by the pronoun for how the compiler might refer to himself into which you insert (enthralled by) IS from the wordplay.

10a Trendy teen’s dancing is impassioned (7)

INTENSE: a two letter synonym for trendy or fashionable + an anagram (dancing) of TEENS.

11a Getting smaller fish going round city in Germany (9)

LESSENING: insert (going round) the 2nd largest city in the Ruhr into a long-bodied edible marine fish.

12a Wind section’s leader dances (5)

REELS: a synonym for wind in the sense of twist or coil + the first letter (leader) of Section’s.

13a Understands frog’s last disappearing croaks (5)

RASPS: remove the final letter of froG (last disappearing) from another word for understands.

15a Former lover no oil painting Edward rationalised (9)

EXPLAINED: the usual for a former lover + an adjective that could mean no oil painting + a diminutive for Edward.

17a Shocks us with riper bananas aboard ship (9)

SURPRISES: place an anagram (bananas) of US & RIPER between (aboard) the two letter ship prefix.

19a Bare back in tremendous stimulating experience (5)

STRIP: the final letter (back in) of tremendouS + a term for a drug induced stimulating experience. A perfect excuse to play Mickey Newbury’s great song about an LSD experience that provided Kenny Rogers with his first top 10 hit & featured in a terrific sequence in the Coen brothers’ film The Big Lebowski.

22a Supply problem is flipping EU’s (5)

ISSUE: IS from the clue + a reversal (flipping) of EU’s. I’ve underlined the first two words separately as the definitions as I can’t see how supply problem is synonymous with the answer but that may well be wrong.

23a Cricketer going to main part of London (9)

BATTERSEA: a term (disliked by Rabbit Dave) for someone at the crease facing the bowler + a synonym for main or open stretch of water. Here’s a pic of Graham Thorpe whose death was announced on Monday

25a US writer and editor getting hammered (7)

POUNDED: an expat American who was a major figure in the early modernist poetry movement & a contemporary of Frost, Hemingway, Eliot & Joyce + the usual abbreviation for editor.

26a Clear five promissory notes with old boy first (7)

OBVIOUS: the Roman numeral for five is preceded by the initial letter (first) for Old & for Boy then followed by the phonetic acronym for promissory notes.

27a Justify diet, oddly, and give out food in restaurant? (7)

DESERVE: the alternate letters (oddly) of DiEt + what the waiter does in an eatery once the chef has cooked the grub.

28a I stress about relatives (7)

SISTERS: an anagram (about) of I STRESS.

 

Down

1d Liked trees outside university (7)

POPULAR: place a tree whose species include aspen & cottonwood (& which bore a strange fruit in song) around the single letter for University.

2d Opposes what bad pupils are given?

CROSSES: they certainly used to outnumber the ticks in my maths homework.

3d Capture spies, were told (5)

SEIZE: a homophone (we’re told) of a synonym for spies or notices.

4d Cracks on English ships (3-6)

ONE-LINERS: ON from the clue + English + a synonym for ships.

5d Pop star’s time engaged in what he might do? (5)

STING: the single letter for Time inserted (engaged in) what the vocalist does.

6d Breaks tin salver, unfortunately (9)

INTERVALS: an anagram (unfortunately) of TIN SALVER.

7d Large and tailless bird is light (7)

LANTERN: the single letter for Large + and (tailless) + a seabird.

8d Doctor sees wound daughter bandaged (7)

DRESSED: the usual abbreviation for doctor + an anagram (wound) of SEES + the genealogical letter for Daughter.

14d Cave in ancient city ruins initially captured in poster (9)

SURRENDER: insert a city-state in ancient Mesopotamia followed by the first letter (initially) of Ruins into a word for a poster (of a letter maybe).

16d Skin regularly covered by medicinal liquids gets spots (9)

POSITIONS: a word for medicinal liquids or tinctures goes around (covered by) the alternate letters (regularly) of SkIn. Nowt to do with acne.

17d Cut head on stone then slept (7)

SKIPPED: the first letter (head on) of Stone followed by an informal word for slept.

18d Releases key on computer in regret, abashed at heart (7)

RESCUES: place a keyboard key into a synonym for regret then append the central letter (at heart) of abaShed.

20d Food from Romeo is stuck on bottom of shoe (7)

RISSOLE: the letter Romeo represents (NATO phonetic alphabet) + IS in the wordplay + the bottom of a shoe.

21d Commends putting pressure on pay increases (7)

PRAISES: the single letter for Pressure + a synonym for pay increases – Rachel looks set to dole out a few.

23d Stir gallons in Cornish town (5)

BUDGE: insert the single letter for Gallons into a seaside town in north Cornwall & home to a fine links course.

24d Travel visa restricting the king (5)

ELVIS: hidden (restricting) in the two words preceding the indicator.

 

No outright favourite today but my contenders for a podium spot would be 1&19a together with 14&16d. Please tell us which clues ticked your boxes.

 

 

Today’s blogging music has been Tumbleweed Connection, possibly my favourite Elton John album. Here’s a great track off it

Today’s Quickie crossword pun: MOW + TAR + ROAMS = MOTOR HOMES

 

 

68 comments on “DT 30685”

  1. A bit chewy in places but doable with some furrowing of the brow. I spent far too long trying to form a word from an anagram of VISA with R in it at 24d until the answer tapped me on the shoulder. I think we had a similar clue recently. I couldn’t get “bin liners” out of my mind for 4d and you know what that’s like. Once the grey cells latch on to a word it is very difficult to shift it. My COTD is 17a with its shipload of bananas. Overall, very enjoyable.

    Thank you to the setter (Mr. P?) for the fun. Thank you Hintsman for the hunts. The guzzle number is wrong. 😁

  2. Sorry. I was going to point out the crossword number because I didn’t think my edit had worked. I see it has even though it took about five minutes.

  3. A few head scratchers today but generally a gentle solve. I would love to see 5 down’s reaction to being called a ‘pop star’ though!

      1. James Hacker: I’m still not happy with this report, Humphrey
        Sir Humphrey Appleby: Then, Minister, we shall be happy to redraft it for you.
        James Hacker: You’ve redrafted it three times already.
        Bernard Woolley: That’s not absolutely correct, Minister.
        James Hacker: Yes it is, Bernard. I *can* count. This is the third draft report.
        Bernard Woolley: Yes, quite so, Minister. Therefore, it’s been drafted once and subsequently redrafted twice.

        — Yes Minister, episode ‘The Writing on the Wall’

  4. An enjoyable solve though a tad tougher than the usual Tuesday challenge from the prof.

    I giggled when I saw the term for cricketer in 23a. Be strong, RD. Be strong.

    My podium is 17a, 22a and 4d.

    Many thanks to AP and Hoots mon!

    3*/4*

      1. I made my peace with it a couple of years ago though it will never pass my lips, along with ‘super-excited’, though I do now use ‘message’ as a verb.

        I am only so strong.

        I’m embarrassed to admit that ‘reach out’ slipped out recently which made me get a bit of self-flagellation on board.

        I’m hanging my head.

        1. If a male at the crease is a batter, the female equivalent should be a battress!

  5. About right for a Tuesday, I thought; not too taxing but nicely compiled with just enough head scratching to make it a little testing in places. I particularly enjoyed 1a and 16d.

    My thanks to, presumably, AP, and The Hintsman.

  6. 2*/2.5*. This was slightly disappointing for me for a Tuesday puzzle but my judgement may be slightly clouded by the presence of a non-cricketer in 23a and an Americanism in 27d.

    I agree with Hintsman that 22a only works as double definition plus wordplay. Is this considered an acceptable construction?

    Thanks to the setter and to Hintsman.

        1. I’m assuming you mean “raises”, I never knew that was an Americanism. I can’t remember what they were called in UK when I worked there.

  7. For me, etc, not so Typically Tuesdayish and I would like to borrow SC’s ‘chewy’ but the grids still support this being an Anthony Plumb production – ***/****

    Candidates for favourite – 5a, 23a, 4d, 14d, 16d, and 18d – and the winner is 4d.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.

  8. A slow start for me but I gradually got there.

    I can’t honestly remember if anything floated my boat as I did the crossword on my tablet at 7am.

    **/*** Thanks to the setter and Huntsman for the hints.

  9. I found rhe West much more chewy than the East, which went in fairly easily.I liked the geographical lego clues at 23a and 23d but tge COTD for me was the 1a artist. Thanks to the conpiler and to Huntsman for the hints.

  10. Bit tricky for a Tuesday and quirky as always. Couple that I needed the hints to explain my answers to 19a and 1a. Thought the synonym for 23d was very iffy. Never heard of the writer in 25a.
    Enjoyed 23a. Very sad about Graham Thorpe but he always was a troubled man.
    Thx to all
    ***/**

    1. Ezra by name and he probably rewrote Eliot’s Waste Land to give it some shape and possible understanding for its readers.

  11. As expected on a Tuesday – thanks to the setter and Huntsman.
    The clues which appealed most to me were 3d, 4d and 14d.

  12. 1a. Don’t understand “not a dicky-bird” = O. Surely, dicky-bird is rhyming slang for word?

    2. Example: “Have you heard from Tarquin lately?” he asked. “No, not a dicky-bird”, I replied. It’s a bit of a stretch, but not a dicky-bird = not a word, as you say, = nothing =0

      I was defeated by it, and the whole NW corner as it happens.

  13. Hugely enjoyable and light-ish, but certainly no cakewalk. 1a’s fun (“picture” seems a shame, mind). 9a, 5d and 14d all tickled and 22a’s double definition grew on me. Spot on for a Tuesday. Ta lots to our setter and DJ Huntsman. Cracking tunes, as ever. The pic of the great Thorpey was v fitting. Very sad, that.

  14. Thought it was going nowhere and it’s only Tuesday. Needed a slap for being negative. It’s those short answers that can be tricky and 13 a was last one in.A lot of the answers were 26 a. and others required some teasing out but that is what setters do , they tease us. Happy now to go to paracise and thanks to Huntsman and setter.

  15. I really enjoyed this one. Nothing too challenging and 2d is my cotd as it has so many possibilities. Just started retirement, not totally my choice, but it is nice having more time to study the puzzle.

    1. Congratulations on your retirement, rp. I was forced to retire by Covid and it took me about nine months to get used to it. I now love it.

    2. Get stuck into your community – you will wonder where you found the time to go to work!

  16. A nice guzzle today.
    Top picks for me were 4d, 13a, 14d and 1a

    Thanks to Huntsman and the setter.

  17. NW corner last to complete but once the “Pablo” dropped it was easy enough going. Thanks to Huntsman for the tips but especially for the Big Lebowski clip love that movie!

  18. Well this Tuesday puzzle for me was even easier than Monday’s offering. Thoroughly enjoyed it especially with logical clues and great parsing. Almost a R&W for me. SW last area completed.

    1*/4* for me

    Favourites include 1a, 10a, 25a, 1d & 5d — with winner 23a
    Smiles from favourite winner as well as 4d, 17d, 20d & 24d

    Thanks to AP & Huntsman

  19. What a delicious guzzle! So much to like and I only needed help with 5a. I did do the guzzle yesterday but was so distracted by the stye in my eye (yes, I know a stye is in the eye but it sounds nice) I forgot to post, dashing off to Royston to seek advice from Boots. I did ask my Indian yoga teacher for a remedy in the morning and she examined my eye. What you need, my dear, (I am doing the accent in my head) is breast milk. Somewhat taken aback I said I did not readily have access to any. Oh but you only need a few drops, she said – as if that made any difference. I recounted this to the Boots (other chemists are available) pharmacist and to my amazement she said oh yes, I have heard of that – and also for skin complaints! Well, you could have knocked me down with a male parent with start of another word. Back to today, I liked 11,17 and 23a and 4,16 & 18d but 4d is way out favourite. Many thanks to Messrs Setter & Hintsman – pouring with rain here now so maybe not good for being on the golf course. Commiserations to all who are suffering as I am and if there are any nursing mothers in my vicinity……. 💧💧💧

    1. You can hardly go round to a young neighbour and ask to borrow a cup of milk. 😳

      I hope it gets better soon, DG.

    2. Daisy, I’ve only had one stye, and it was very painful. Doctor told me to wear sunglasses, even indoors, for relief. I did, and it did help, but when my new neighbour popped round she must have thought I was rather strange 😊. Hope you feel better soon.

  20. Couple of old work colleagues from Cheshire called in to see me so have spent this morning wandering down memory lane with them – great fun!
    Puzzle done in fits and starts either side of their visit and have to admit to a couple of hold-ups in the NW – 13a & 1d being the culprits. Top marks went to 9a plus 4&5d.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb and to Huntsman – how and more importantly, why, you avoided using clips of 5&24d plus Ms Bass is quite beyond me!

    2. Apologies Jane – inexcusable omission but you did get George last week. I actually prefer the cover to Fontella’s original.

  21. Really enjoyed this, even if a thoughtless typo in the NW made this for me one of the most challenging back pagers I’ve done in a couple of weeks: I before E … except when it aint. Doh! Podium occupied by 4d, 5d, with gold medal to 15a.

    Many thanks to setter and Huntsman

    1. I was wondering about that. I never used to misspell any of those and now I do, as I did today. Old age or something worse?

    2. Hi MG

      Many people quite rightly diss the ‘i before e’ rule as there are thousands of words that break it. This is because the second line of the mnemonic has been dropped. It should be: i before e except after c as long as the sound is a long e.

      The ‘Filthy Five’ high-frequency words that break this original rule are 3d along with weird (aptly), caffeine, protein and species.

      I don’t include ‘either’ as I pronounce it like Einstein.

          2. All of which goes to show that my version, as above, is far more accurate, chaps: “I before E … except when it aint” 😊

            1. Is my version not accurate?

              Having five not thousands that break the rule makes it a pretty good one…don’t you think?

              Admittedly, you may forget the five. But, it’s not that big an ask to lock them away in the memory bank.

  22. I, too, found this on the chewy side. I seem to be back on the wrong AP wavelength. Cotd for me is 16d. Needed the hints for a couple so thanks to Huntsman for those and AP.

  23. Finished earlier, before the blog, and therefore can’t remember too much except that I thought a few were a bit trickier than normal. Overall it was great fun and a typical Tuesday puzzle.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.

  24. Crikey😳 two easily solvable puzzles in a row **/**** Favourites (of which today are many): 11a, 15a, 25a and 4d 😃 Thanks to AP and to the Huntsman for the smorgasbord of music and hope you stay dry 🏌️

  25. I don’t know why I found this so tricky, I was way off wavelength in the west, but east was solved with just normal effort. I needed Huntsman’s help to get going again, I was dead in the water. I needed ehelp to get 14d, why? It was perfectly straightforward, especially as I had all the checkers. It’ll be interesting to see if anyone else had my problems.
    Thank you setter, I’ll try to get my brain in gear next time. Thanks for your help Huntsman, much needed.

  26. Did anyone else notice “gettering” in 25a? Well, it’s in the dead tree version. Not sure about online.

  27. I’ve clearly got my contrary hat on today. Yesterday I struggled with a * and yet this ** was right up my street, and I enjoyed it. Northeast corner was last to go in. Didn’t need to be a cricket fan to work out 23a. Everything nicely clued and no deep dive into GK. Thanks to setter for helping to restore my failing confidence, and to Huntsman.

  28. Once again I have been denied a Tuesday walk in the park but can’t complain as yesterday provided just that and I did eventually make good today. NW toughest corner. 19a was an unparsed bung-in. 23a synonym makes another jarring appearance and for some time I fell for bum steer synonym for 14d. Thank you MrP and Hintsman.

  29. 4D and 14D my favourites in another very enjoyable puzzle. Many thanks Setter & Huntsman.

    Like RD, I’ll never be happy with the cricketing term at 23A, but thanks to Huntsman for the photo of the great Graham Thorpe to mark his sad passing.

  30. I think I made harder work of this than I should have, some went straight in and others I couldn’t see the wood for the trees. Hey ho! Favourite was 14d when the penny dropped. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.

  31. Good evening

    Somewhat trickier than our esteemed Hintsman’s 2*! I even had the luxury of a long break at work this afty, and I thought that in that time I would put the crozzie to bed without any bother – wrong! I’ve been back at work for an hour and I’ve had to sneak in some crozzie time to a) finish off and b) report here.

    Almost defeated by the NW quadrant; once the peseta had dropped for 1a, then mercifully, the rest revealed themselves. Gradually! 17d was last to fall. Some excellent clueing; I find myself unable to single one out, though.

    Many thanks to Mr P and to Huntsman.

  32. 3*/4* …
    liked 9A “Professional is enthralled by this compiler’s potential (7)”

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