Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30686
Hints and tips by 2Kiwis
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Kia ora from Aotearoa.
Guess we’re not the only ones still being lured in by the games in Paris. It will almost be a relief when life can get back to normal again.
We, for the first time we can recall, have been stumped by the Quick Crossword pun. Have called on family for assistance but at time of putting this together nobody has been able to help. We’ll leave it blank in the meantime and await elucidation.
Several hours after writing the above the penny finally dropped for Carol so the Quickie pun answer is there as usual.
Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.
Across
1a Bread a hit, offers different sitcom (5,2,1,7)
BIRDS OF A FEATHER : An anagram (different) of BREAD A HIT OFFERS).
9a Poem in French, Water on Leaf, missing folio (7)
RONDEAU : French word for water follows a fern leaf that has its F(olio) missing.
10a Concerning types in Blackpool and Newquay, say (7)
RESORTS : The two letter concerning or about and then a synonym for types.
11a Snow leopard‘s sudden leap lacking power (5)
OUNCE : Remove the P(ower) from a sudden leap.
12a Bird and amphibian by estuary (9)
FROGMOUTH : A common amphibian and the part of a river that makes an estuary.
14a Train seats at the back reserved, hard to squeeze in (6)
SCHOOL : The last letter of seats and reserved or distant in demeanour contains H(ard).
16a Finished, did the dishes (6-2)
WASHED-UP : A double definition.
18a Composure of woman with volatile niece (8)
PATIENCE : A women’s name and an anagram (volatile) of NIECE.
19a E.g. brandy bottle (6)
SPIRIT : A double definition. Bottle here is courage.
21a Little weight given to single dump that’s damaging the earth (5,4)
OZONE HOLE : The abbreviation for an imperial weight, then single or solitary and a dump or squalid place.
25a Stop turning over in hammock (5)
COMMA : A reverse lurker, hiding in the clue.
27a Fancy international supplement in Spain (7)
IMAGINE : The abbreviation for international, a supplement or periodic publication, ‘in’ from the clue, and the IVR code for Spain.
28a Pronounced a big fan of Flanders? (7)
INTONED : A big fan of, or enthusiastic about and then the first name of a character in ‘The Simpsons’.
29a Acting haughtily, feeling great hack possibly beneath you? (2,4,4,5)
ON ONE’S HIGH HORSE : Not sure exactly how the word play works here. Any suggestions?
Down
1d Digs US novelist when he’s outspoken (7)
BURROWS : A homophone of the author of ‘Naked Lunch’ and other works.
2d Fight arrest (3-2)
RUN-IN : A double definition.
3d Jobs perhaps idiot rues occasionally: one unloading ships? (9)
STEVEDORE : The first name of Apple’s Mr Jobs and alternate letters from two words in the clue.
4d What could be fine lint under fitted furniture first of all (5)
FLUFF : An all-in-one clue. The wordplay is first letters from five words in the clue.
5d Give up supporting Pep (5)
FORGO : Supporting or in favour of and then pep or vigour.
6d Tea in mug before noon (5)
ASSAM : A mug or stupid person and the two letters for before noon.
7d Present two European articles later (9)
HEREUNDER : Present, or in this place, is followed by a French indefinite and German definite article.
8d Fruit of flower, and part of watering can with it (7)
ROSEHIP : The part of a watering can that causes the spray and then ‘with it’ in a jazzy way.
13d Green wood’s harsh treatment (3,4)
RAW DEAL : Green or untried and then pine wood.
15d A top tooth loose, problem you’d prefer to ignore? (3,6)
HOT POTATO : An anagram (loose) of A TOP TOOTH.
17d Mostly wish to put an end to children’s game (9)
HOPSCOTCH : A wish or desire loses its last letter, then put an end to or cancel.
18d Rider paid six dollars ultimately — next to nothing (7)
PROVISO : Paid as distinct from amateur, then Roman numeral six, the last letter of dollars and the letter looking like zero.
20d Rubbish guitarist’s latest duckwalk (7)
TWADDLE : The final letter from guitarist and then walk like a duck.
22d Ban textile, deporting two tons (5)
EXILE : Remove both instances of the abbreviation for tons from the word textile.
23d Charm hidden in robe, a healer’s (5)
OBEAH : A lurker, hiding in the clue.
24d English royal stretching (5)
EKING : E(nglish) and Charles perhaps.
26d Ruined Roman house (5)
MANOR : An anagram (ruined) of ROMAN.
Quickie pun fitter + mini = Vitamin E
A delightful offering for a Wednesday. There were a couple of answers I had not heard of but all the information was in the clue. I have not heard of the bird at 12a and the word at 7d was new to me. The poem at 9a took me ages to sort out and I come across 11a only in crosswords. I have two contenders for the honours – the idiot regretting the unloading of ships at 3d and the rubbish guitarist at 20d. After due deliberation, COTD was award to 20d because it’s such a great word.
Thank you, setter for the fun challenge. It was an enjoyable solve. Thank you 2Ks for the hints.
I’m afraid the Quickie pun did not work for me. Must be a pronunciation thing. I have always called them “Vite Amines” because it is short for “vital amines”.
Quickie pun foxed me too ‘cos I overlooked the “E”.
How is the foot coming on? My stye burst during the night. Thought you’d like to know that 😇 No bodily fluids were involved.
Pleased your eye is better, DG. My foot? Still awaiting the “emergency” appointment. 😳
A straightforward solve that didn’t test the grey cells that much.
5d is always a classic misspell as people tend to confuse it with the homophone that means to precede. 20d is a great word.
My podium is 25a, 6d and 15d.
Many thanks to the setter and Le Touquet.
2*/3*
Knowing jack about birds, I looked up 12a on Wiki and saw this random fact…
”Researchers found the 12a to be the most “instagrammable” bird species. Using an algorithm to analyse the aesthetic appeal of more than 27,000 bird photographs on Instagram, they found that photos depicting the 12a received the highest number of likes relative to the posts’ exposure to users.”
Every day’s a…etc
Gentle and very enjoyable, all very accessible even if that author is swiftly ceasing (has already ceased?) to be a household name for most people under 60, I imagine. 21a felt rather odd as the problem is usually expressed as there being a hole in the ozone layer, rather than an ozone hole. Just me over-thinking things as usual. Not sure who the setter is, but Pep (5d) seems to recur very frequently these days – I rather think it could be a “tell” for a particular City-supporting setter, but can’t be bothered to do a clue search over the last few months to find out which. Maybe it’s time Pep was retired. Says a Gooner … Podium places for me went to 9a, 28a and 3d.
Many thanks to the setter for such a benign Wednesday, and to the 2Ks
Very gentle and rather lovely. 1a’s a super spot, 28a made me smile and 29a’s fun. Some great surfaces: 25a and 6d, etc. Many thanks to our setter and the 2Ks.
I’ve spent the last two hours muttering the elements of the pun to myself so many thanks to 2Ks for providing the answer.
I found the puzzle reasonably straightforward; I didn’t know the 12a bird or the 28a Flanders but both were easily gettable.
Thanks to our setter for the enjoyable puzzle and to 2Ks for the review.
A good midweek challenge.
The bird rang a vague bell but the charm was a new one and had to be Googled for confirmation.
Like Tom, 20d is another favourite word like flummoxed from Monday.
Very breezy here in NE Scotland so trying to think of somewhere sheltered for today’s walk.
No real standout favourite but thanks to the setter and the 2Ks.
While we wait for Pip to produce a gem, Would a poem from the Beach Boys begin;
Help me Rondeau! Help, help me, Rondeau!
Nicely teed up, Sloops. Over to you, Pipsqueak…
Saying that, SJB, do you fancy compiling one?
I couldn’t hope to match The Beach Boys, let alone Pip
“God Only Knows”
I may not always love you
But long as there are stars above you
You never need to doubt it
I’ll make you so sure about it
God only knows what I’d be without you
If you should ever leave me
Well, life would still go on, believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would living do me?
God only knows what I’d be without you
Fairy nuff
If Twmbarlwm set this one, I’ve been out doin’ in my head
But found it all right, when in the morning I solve in bed
Well Rhondda it looks so fine (looks so fine)
And I know it wouldn’t take much time
For him to get to Rhondda
Twmbarlwm why don’t you make a start?
Get to Rhondda
Get, get to Rhondda
Twmbarlwm why don’t you start?
Get to Rhondda
Get to Rhondda…….
Splendid
Love the Rhondda/Mr Tumble connection.
3*/3*. A curate’s egg for me today but mostly on the good side. My main concern was a few strange surface reads, and of course the unnecessary vague woman.
How are we supposed to know who Flanders is?
I’ve never heard of the 12a bird, but it was fairly clued.
9a was my favourite with special mentions for 1a and the Quickie pun.
Thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks.
A fun puzzle that provided a quicker solve for me than yesterday’s one did. No issues other than I’d never heard of the bird at 12a. Pick of the clues was the homophone at 1d.
Thanks to the setter & to the 2Ks.
Ps rather coincidentally I was playing my Van playlist on shuffle & the title track of one his most underrated albums hadn’t long finished when I arrived at 22d
One of my favourite Van the Man albums too.
You have a “shuffle”? I love mine, pinned to my cap when I do my gyrations in the pool. Everyone thinks I’m prehistoric, everything now is Spotify.
A gentle Wednesday workout. Was stumped by the lurker at 25a as I could only think of a snake and couldn’t get it out of my mind. This, unsurprisingly, held me up. Definitely a case of 20d. Many great clues, but I’ll go with a podium if 1a, 3d and a cup of 6d in top spot. Thanks to compiler and 2K’s.
25a is a punctuation mark, but I wouldn’t call it a stop?
Hi Vince
It’s defined as a pause which is a stop, albeit a short one, as opposed to a full one.
‘Pause’ reminds me of that classic joke where a bear walks into a pub and says to the barman….”I’d like a gin…..and…..tonic” to which he replied ”Why the long pause?”
The other one is a horse walking in and the barman says ”Why the long face?”
Deep joy.
Ghost wafts into pub late one night as landlord was clearing up, asks for a whisky. Sorry, says the Landlord, we don’t serve spirits after closing time.
We love it!
One from the master, Tommy Cooper…..Doctor, my arm hurts when I do this…..Well, don’t do it, then.
And one from Les Dawson:
My mother-in-law’s in a bad way – she has to talk down her nose now. She’s worn her mouth out!
We loved Les, especially his wonky piano playing which was very clever.
Him and Roy Barraclough as Cissie and Ada was very, very funny.
A Monday puzzle on a Wednesday! The bird and the charm did require BRB verification and, showing my age perhaps, my first thought on Flanders was Donald Swann’s partner.
Candidates for favourite – 28a, 8d, and 17d – and the winner is 8d.
Thanks to whomsoever and the 2Kiwis.
And, thinking of that musical duo – written in 1953 when the Prime Minister was Winston Churchill and the Chancellor was Rab Butler and updated in 1974 for Harold Wilson and Dennis Healey. Plus ça change, toujours la même chose!
My first thought was Moll Flanders – from way back in 1722.
Mine too!
If I am showing my age, what does that say about you?
I was Flandering up the Swanee, and had no idea about Simpsons (although I bought a coat there in 1963 – aah, my long lost days working in Piccadilly)
Moll did not occur to me (did she work in Piccadilly?) Somehow the answer I put in appeared to be correct.
Oh well, I am showing my age too Senf because Flanders & Swann was my first thought for 28a or something Flemish.
And mine.
Me too.
Marvellous
Off to a flyer today with the anagram at 1a! SE corner was last to go in. To me and to many others I’m sure especially residents of the Emerald Isle … Pat is a man’s name! Cotd fir me was 22d after I’d laboured removing two tons from cotton! … and 24d is what I do when I post a comment. Thanks to 2ks (by the way hack=horse) and setter.
.. SW corner!!!
This had a lot of new words for me but they were gettable. I only knew of 3d due to past crosswords but at least it stuck!
I had to ask my birder partner if there was such a thing as a frogmouth bird. I nearly fell off my chair when he said yes!
Didn’t know who Flanders was so that was a bung in.
Managed to get the quickie pun after muttering it to myself a number of times.
Top picks for me were 1a, 8d and 3d.
Thanks to the 2Kiwis and the setter.
Either I am getting used to Wednesday puzzles or just getting damn lucky.
Again this week, I found little problem with completing this puzzle.
2.0*/3.5* for me
Favourites include 10a, 16a, 21a, 3d & 7d — with winner 3d
Smiles from 25a, 29a, 4d & 22d
Thanks to setter & 2K’s
That felt more like a Monday or Tuesday puzzle and I did enjoy the fun with just a hiccup or two in the SW. 12a, 28a and 23d were new to me. Not sure about abbreviations like the supplement in 27a. Fav surface 7a. Thank you Mysterone and 2Ks.
The two long ones went in straight away (I am the Anagram Queen) which was a great help. I did not know the bird but it was guessable, I thought it might be an inlet near Frogmore. Thoroughly enjoyable Wednesday fare, liked 9,28a and 24d but my favourite was 24d. I’ve got a flipping Almshouse meeting this afternoon and then I shall have the minutes to type up – I feel very sorry for myself. Many thanks to the setter and the Tookays.
Day Zee Gee, I dub you ‘Anagran’ (or Ana gran or Anna Gran)
Doubt that I’ll ever gel with this setter’s style but I am learning to ignore the surface reads and just view the clues as a series of words. I’ve never watched the Simpsons, so my Flanders was Moll with a possible alternative of Swann but I managed reasonably well elsewhere. Top three here were 1&12a plus 13d.
Thanks to Twmbarlwm and to our 2Ks – special mention to Carol for sorting out the Quickie pun!
For once I was able to solve one of his puzzles … still a bit weird, but at least I could get it done.
I’ve tried twice to add to the thread at #11 but both have failed to appear.
Maybe your one-liners didn’t pass muster, Cowling.
Not mine, TDS – Tim Vine’s. 😊
We love Timmy V
He once cracked a world record 499 one-liners in an hour.
He’s great. I loved his “I got rid of the vacuum cleaner – it was only gathering dust.”
A belter
A doable Wednesday solve, good fun. I did need to consult the 2Kiwis to understand my answers; 3d, never thought of Jobs, capped. I liked lots, 23d amused, I always say I’m going to consult the obeahman when the docs can’t cure my aches and pains … they just laugh at me. I didn’t know you could spell 5d without the “e”, now I know. I didn’t know the sitcom but I liked 1a.
Thank you setter for the fun and 2Kiwis for your invaluable help.
Quirky but fun, the poem got me though. Thanks compiler and 2ks
Fantastic puzzle really enjoyed it. Almost fell off my chair laughing at 12a. Reminded me of one of my all time favourite jokes. Too visual to repeat here, suffice it to say you don’t many of them round here !
Thanks as usual to all
Enjoyed this and managed it more easily than the usual Wednesday puzzles. Hadn’t heard of 22d, but spotted the reverse lurker as fitted with the other answers. Also, love a good 90s sitcom clue as did spend a lot of time in front of the telly in my teens 😁.
Graymattinha and I also struggled with the quickie pun as we were putting the stress on the wrong syllables.
A mixed bag for me, with some I was never going to get, such as 1a which I believe aired after we flew the nest, and I’ve never watched the Simpsons. In the end I didn’t have much 18a for this one (a woman’s name, that narrows the field), and didn’t know the charm. Otherwise not too bad for a Wednesday, but not as much fun as yesterday. Thanks to setter and 2Kiwis.
Is anyone else familiar with 23d? Had to consult the BRB who confirmed it was a real word but certainly not one I have ever come across before. Found 23d very odd as well.
All in all a bit too quirky for my taste although it wasn’t a difficult solve.
**/**
Thx for the hints
No not familiar but obviously a lurker.
It’s Jamaican, so I’ve heard of it, but I think it’s pretty esoteric for a Brit. If you want to put a guzoo on someone, you leave a blue bottle and white feather on their doorstep, MofM bottles are in great demand. That’s about the sum of my knowledge about obeah.
Guzoo?
Exactly!
Did you never read the Swallows and Amazons books? I seem to remember Titty talking about the Obeah woman in one of them – Swallowdale?
I think I must be getting used to Wednesday crosswords – don’t seem to have quite as much trouble as I did.
I could see that 1a was an anagram and was going to be a sitcom but then couldn’t remember a single one – that’s the trouble when we don’t watch all that much TV – got there eventually.
Not very good either on birds, or most sports – can do plants . . . .
I liked 18 and 19a and 15 and 17d. I think my favourite was 20d because I like the word – my Dad used it often.
Thanks to the setter for the crossword and to the 2K’s for their hints.
I thought this was going to be a tricky one at first but then things started to slot into place. A few new words for me too. I love those moments when you parse the clue and come up with a ‘made up word’ that can’t possibly be a real word , but then it is , as was 3d. I suspect I’ve come across it before in a previous grid so will make sure to remember it proper next time. Good to see another appearance for 11a ! Thanks to setter and to the 2Ks.
I think I am getting the hang of Wednesdays as I managed this and really enjoyed it. I have learnt to have confidence to put in words I have not heard of like 7d and 23d if that is what the word play suggests which I don’t like doing. I needed to check the parsing of a couple after.
Many thanks to the setter and to the 2 kiwis for the hints.
Fairly straightforward mostly but it was a school day where 9A and 7D were concerned. I don’t remember coming across 12A before but it had to be what it was.
***/*** for me and 4D made me chuckle. Thanks to Tumbledown and the 2kiwis for the hints.
Morning all.
We have worked out why we had such trouble with the Quickie pun. On checking the word in BRB we see that the pronunciation we always use in listed as (mainly Nth Am). Learn something new every day.
Thanks for the puzzle Twmbarlwm.
Cheers.
I completed this puzzle early today before going to watch Worcestershire in a one day match against Kent. I cannot remember too much about the puzzle other than the dubious pun and wondering who the heck was Flanders. Those two gripes aside, mostly good fun with no real favourites.
Thanks to T and the 2Ks.
A bit late I am afraid but going for an”hat trick” enjoyable solve😃 **/*** Favourite 20d & 12a Thanks to the Compiler and to the 2xKs. 12a had to be a fantastic bird
A bit late I am afraid but going for an”hat trick” enjoyable solve😃 **/*** Favourite 20d & 12a Thanks to the Compiler and to the 2xKs.
Good fun all round. 3D and 18D my favourites. Many thanks Setter & 2Ks.
Greetings from Flanders, Belgium. Nice to hear that we have a fan
Welcome to the blog, Helena.
What did you think of the puzzle?
Good evening
All done, but a definite slow burner today; it took me a while to find a way in. The penny dropping for 1a helped immensely; that spurred me on to fill in the NE quadrant, then SE, SW, and finally NW, with 11a my last to fall, and I’m sure 11a is a recurrent answer from not very long ago.
COTD is 4d, for no other reason than it allows me to sign off by saying thank you to our setter and to the 2Ks – all right? Stay bright! Not arf!
About right for a Wednesday. Same never heard of’s, quibbles and didn’t gets as others. Favourite was 22d. Thanks to the setter and 2K’s.
I managed 28a by thinking Flanders is in the Netherlands, ergo NED.
You’ve changed your alias so this needed moderation. Both versions will work from now on.
Belated thanks (I was sure I’d already posted!?) for the comments, and especially to 2Kiwis for the blog.
ShangaJi @36, I did consider using him when I was writing the clue! Perhaps you already know, but there are a few long audio extracts from his 1970s Saturday Rock Show on youtube, as well as some even older bits from Pick of the Pops.
Cheers Twm!
3*/4* …
liked 15D “A top tooth loose, problem you’d prefer to ignore ?(3,6)”