Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30711
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
A very good morning to you, dear readers. The club rugby season starts on Saturday, so the recent rain will have been welcomed by the players as my club, Welwyn RFC takes on Fullerians RFC. Before then, we have the Rose Ladies Open at nearby Brocket Hall Golf Club and a distant relation is playing and will be staying with us for the duration of the event. She also stayed last year when she played as an invited amateur, but she has now turned professional. Look out for Esme Hamilton, if you can find coverage of the event somewhere on-line.
Anyway, back to the crossword. I really enjoyed its elegant surfaces and clever wordplay. There are a few long anagrams which may help you get a foothold into the puzzle, but I would urge you to take your time, enjoy the clues and admire the art of the setter at the top of his/her game.
15a and 17a seem to go very well together somehow and our setter has kindly clued 22a as an anagram, which gives us all a sporting chance of spelling it correctly! There is no reference to Bow Bells in 3d – I don’t think I would have been able to resist the temptation to go down that route, but this is a more elegant way of clueing it.
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 Speculation perhaps one has new ceremonial robe (10)
INVESTMENT: one = I + abbreviation for new + another word for a ceremonial religious robe.
6a Reportedly disable dangerous reptile (4)
CROC: homophone (reportedly) of disable.
9a Charm from leader lacking in taste (7)
ENCHANT: synonym of taste or fondness without the first letter (leader lacking).
10a Little old lady reaches lowest point (7)
MINIMUM: synonyms of “little” and “old lady” joined together.
12a Rare tour Steve arranged to see valuables unearthed (8-5)
TREASURE TROVE: anagram (arranged) of RARE TOUR STEVE.
14a Indian PM needs year to inspire female convert (6)
MODIFY: the name of the current prime minister of India (since 2014) + abbreviation for year outside (to inspire) abbreviation for female.
15a Drink in fancy, welcoming pub (8)
GUINNESS: synonym of fancy or suppose outside (welcoming) synonym of pub.
17a EU national slightly misled at first entering country (8)
IRISHMAN: three letters often added to the end of a word to indicate “slightly” + first letter of Misled inside (entering) a country in the Middle East.
19a Trendy nightclub denied son something to eat (6)
HOTPOT: synonym of trendy + synonym of nightclub without the initial S (denied son).
22a Circumvented overdue amount somehow (13)
OUTMANOEUVRED: anagram (somehow) of OVERDUE AMOUNT.
24a Fractions of seconds behind rowers, close to finish (7)
EIGHTHS: abbreviation for seconds after (behind) both the number of rowers often seen in a boat + final letter (close to) of finisH.
25a Naval vessel in fine Baltic port twelve unloaded (7)
FRIGATE: abbreviation for Fine + the capital city of Latvia (Baltic port) + the outside letters (unloaded) of T(welv)E.
26a Go off performer (4)
TURN: double definition.
27a Pilot traps criminal in impeccable manner (10)
FLAWLESSLY: synonym of pilot (a verb) outside (traps) synonym of criminal.
Down
1d Plan Hebridean houses (4)
IDEA: hidden word (houses) within Hebridean.
2d Left unoccupied, empty villa Tom maybe tends occasionally (7)
VACATED: the outside bits (empty) of V(ill)A + the domestic pet beloved of Mr K (of which Tom is the male) + the even letters (occasionally) of tEnDs.
3d Advanced study for cardiologists he ignored (5-2-3-3)
STATE-OF-THE-ART: a cryptic clue with a bit of wordplay. What cardiologists might study, but remove HE (he ignored). Not a great hint, but it is difficult to see how I can help further without revealing the answer.
4d Parent defends brood over unwillingness to speak (6)
MUTISM: abbreviation of female parent outside (defends) a synonym of brood (a verb – think birds) upside down (over – this is a down clue).
5d Many miners wound up catching flu finally (8)
NUMEROUS: abbreviation for the trade union representing mineworkers + synonym of wound (a noun) upside down (up) outside (catching) final letter of flu.
7d Ensure it’s understood sheep is no longer missing? (3,4)
RAM HOME: double definition with the second part being slightly cryptic(?).
8d Reimburse politician in Barking seat once (10)
COMPENSATE: usual two-letter abbreviation for politician inside an anagram (Barking) of SEAT ONCE.
11d Fly to Réunion, possibly to embrace love? Never! (3,2,4,4)
NOT ON YOUR LIFE: anagram (possibly) of FLY TO REUNION outside (to embrace) single letter implying love (think tennis).
13d All-powerful Mormons I’d note regularly accepting two different drugs (10)
OMNIPOTENT: even letters of mOrMoNs Id NoTe outside one three-letter and one single-letter illicit drug.
16d Musical song filled with American English (8)
CAROUSEL: synonym of song (think Xmas) outside (filled with) abbreviations for American and English.
18d Number from Cheshire get nicked heading north (7)
INTEGER: hidden word (from) upside down (heading north – this is a down clue) within words 3, 4 & 5.
20d Those selling door-to-door, they cycle we hear (7)
PEDLARS: homophone (we hear) of people who cycle.
21d Not many supporting mostly correct restrictive order (6)
CURFEW: synonym of “not many” after (supporting) synonym of correct (or heal) without the final letter (mostly).
23d Attractive former partner breaks southern mayor’s heart (4)
SEXY: two-letter abbreviation for former partner inside (breaks) abbreviation for Southern and the heart of maYor.
Quickie Pun: FOIL + SWORE = FOYLE’S WAR
I liked this one. A little on the tough side maybe but it is Thursday. Some great misdirection such as the criminal traps at 27a. I spent far too long thinking it was an anagram. I have ticks all over the paper again especially the little old lady at 10a, the drink in the fancy pub at 15a and the musical song at 16d. Far too many to place one on the podium but perhaps the found sheep at 7d has an edge.
Thank you, setter for the fun and the name check at 12a. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints. BTW, the answers in the hints are not covered.
Oops, sorry. The answers are now covered.
Hallo Shabbo – rather late I’m afraid but I see you go to Welwyn Rugby club – do you ever venture to Hertford? George goes there when there is a home match, ie this Saturday.
What a contrast to yesterday, I really enjoyed this one, it even took my mind of the ghastly weather here in Sandhurst for a while.
The only one that I can’t see how it works is 9a, got the answer fairly easily, so will have to see the hint for the why of it.
Many great clues today (actually not a bad one in it), but my two of the day will be the very clever 6a, and the lovely 27a.
Many thanks to our setter for brightening a very dull morning, looking forward to tomorrow’s offering.
With 9a, add a P to the start of the answer for a synonym of taste or fondness.
Ta, got that from Shabbo’s hint.
2*/5*. What a joy to brighten a thoroughly miserable morning with ticks all over my page.
Many thanks presumably to Silvanus and to Shabbo.
This was a joy to solve and smacks of Mr Smooth.
Lots of fun to be had on a very friendly grid.
I immediately looked for an anagram of ‘pilot traps’ in 27a but getting 23d soon put a stop to that.
The spelling of 22a is indeed tricky. In the middle is ‘no EU’ and ‘no EU’ member is going to *****noEU*** us, let me tell you!
The toughest part is to choose three for the podium but I’ll go with 22a, 7d as it made me chuckle and 27a.
Many thanks to Mr S and S.
3*/5*
HI Just to let you all the answers are visible on DT 30711 the cover up tabs haven’t been applied.
They should be covered now.
Being a Thursday I found this one to be not as tough as I thought it would be. Even managed to get my fastest time.
I did need BD’s help with 4 clues and my favourite was 7a. Like Tom I struggled with the spelling of 22a, having to resort to checking the dictionary to get it right.
Enjoyed this one.
Considering my overall love/hate relationship with anagrams I spent a long time this morning trying to make both 27a and 5d (while wondering why I had an extra ‘u’ and no ‘i’!) into one. Both the little old lady and the missing sheep raised a chuckle and had I spelt 22a correctly at first attempt I would have saved myself a whole 5 minutes. I thought the whole puzzle was brilliant. Too many ticks on my paper today to award podium places but I’ll mention 17a, 27a, 2d, 13d and 21d. Thanks to our setter (Silvanus?) and Shabbo, who confirmed a couple of parsings for me.
A lovely puzzle. 4d required dragging from the depths, so I appreciated the precise clueing giving me confidence my answer was correct. Disappointed in myself for having to write down the anagram of 22a in order to solve it, even with a few checkers in place – it’s a point of pride to get to the end of a puzzle with no scribbles, notes, and especially anagrams, in the margins. The musical also required some mental archaeology, being decades before my time.
Lots of ticks all over the place (unlike last week I evidently slept well and rose from the right side of my bed) with my podium comprising 22, 27a and 3d.
Many thanks (presumably) to Silvanus, and also to Shabbo.
A lovely puzzle today bringing lots of smiles.
I had to check the spelling of 22a and also 15a as it isn’t a tipple of mine and the double constanant in the middle threw me.
I also wanted the end of 11d to be Nelly as that’s how I use the phrase!
Top picks for me were 15a, 3d and 7d.
Thanks to Shabbo and the setter.
Four old friends last month sallied forth
To Scarborough, oop in t’North.
Four days of cricket we saw
With a few drinks – we’ll maybe one more.
And then my Pipette soon appeared
In her car, which she faultlessly steered
To Northumberland, and there we stayed
Seeking a few castles to raid.
The first one caused defenders to panic
As we conquered the castle at Alnwick.
Onward we marched up the coast
At Bamburgh the guards were soon toast.
Lindisfarne repelled the Scots
And tied up the Vikings in knots,
But we soon found our way through the door
Then the Priory finished that tour.
Then further we thrust – Vindolanda
Where Hadrian built something grander
To keep out the harrying Scots.
We loved the museum, yes, lots!
A final few days in the Lakes
To recover – that’s all it takes
For Pip and Pipette who did roam
And are now happily home.
PS. Loved today’s crossword!
Brilliant stuff!
You’ve outdone yourself Pip!! Wonderful stuff … and welcome home.
I wish I’d checked it through for spelling and scanning. Oh well (or as autocorrect would have it) Oh we’ll.
Grrr.
Weird.
What is this Site about?
42
No chance. DT (maybe or maybe not the one who left at the same time as MP) knew that was only for the mice.
I was only talking about the answer to life, the universe and everything. The Guide does not mention mice. 😊
🙂 It does. Deep Thought used white mice to produce the answer, which ain’t the meaning of this Site.
I’ve just realised what 42 means! Dinna fash yersel’, this is another one.
I don’t know what 42 means. 🙁
Daisygirl, in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, 42 is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. However, no one actually knows what the question is.
You’re a poet –
Did you know it?
Great puzzle with lots of chuckles – thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
Top clues for me were 14a, 15a, 3d and 7d.
Not a Ray T Thursday and a certain member of our community will be upset as he is not on Toughie duty either. However, my shiny new King Charles Loonies are doing well – so two of them on this being the work of Mr T’s regular stand-in. 2.5*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 15a, 7d, and 18d, and the most enjoyable Pun (an excellent series) – and the winner is 15a – food in a glass!.
Thanks to Silvanus, for it must be he, and thank to Shabbo.
I wasn’t sure if that (very underrated) series was shown overseas or not – I’m glad that you’ve answered that question, for Canada at least. It was the creation of Anthony Horowitz whose Susan Ryeland books (Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders, both adapted for TV) I would heartily recommend, as well as his Hawthorne detective stories, the most recent of which comes out in paperback in the UK next week. No, I’m not AH’s agent!
‘Foyle’ was shown on the US PBS Masterpiece series, usually available in Canada, but I watched it was while I was living, and working, South of the border. ‘Moonflower Murders’ begins on the 15th of this month for 6 weeks of one hour, probably minus 5 minutes or so, episodes and then, at long last, we get ‘The Marlow Murder Club’!
Thank you, Senf. I believe that the BBC will be showing Moonflower Murders before the end of this year. They broadcast Magpie Murders (good, but I preferred the book) in the middle of 2023. Mr Horowitz has penned a third story, Marble Hall Murders, but it is yet to be published.
Yes, aired here on PBS. I loved it all, can’t remember the name of the star but I can see his face! It’s known as “old age”.
If you are referring to ‘Foyle’ it was Michael Kitchen.
Yes, he also played the King in the House of Cards trilogy that cropped up last month.
All the mentioned shows are great viewing here in Canada between the US PBS station locally as well as the Knowledge network in BC.
Mahalo! I just couldn’t remember his name.
Thanks, I’ve added several of his to my “To read” list at the library.
Great fun today and a lesson in writing smooth surfaces. Trying to spell 22A caused a bit of a headache and I had to get some help from Mrs E to crack it.
Difficult to choose between the diminutive parent at 10A or the repatriated ovine at 7D but I think the latter will have to get the prize.
***/***** for me. Thanks to the setter and Shabbo.
Luckily I didn’t have a problem with the spelling of 22a as I know it contains a word “oeuvre”, meaning a work of art.
Very enjoyable puzzle; many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo. 3*/4.5*
That was lots of fun with a great collection of cunning clues – too many to single out a Fav. SE most challenging corner. Maybe our transatlantic friends will have had to think twice about 22a spelling even more so than we limeys. Both 5d and 13d had to be but I failed to fully parse them. Thank you Mysterone and Shabbo.
So sorry Jezza, that should have been a stand-alone comment rather than a reply to you.
No need to apologise Angelov – feel free to reply at any time. At least i won’t be left floating around in cyberspace all on my own:-)
It may not be a full-blown Dream Team day but this has to be the work of Mr Smooth – and thoroughly enjoyable it was, even though I did fall into the ‘must be an anagram’ trap at 27a and always struggle to spell 22a. Why I should do that is beyond me when I can spell the French egg perfectly well! The other one that caused problems on the parsing front was 17a – doubtless that one will appeal to Kath!
Ticks galore and it was hard to narrow it down for the rosettes, but I eventually settled on 15a plus 3&11d with a nod to the clever Quickie pun which I stared at for quite a while before the light dawned.
Many thanks to Silvanus for an excellent Thursday puzzle and to Shabbo for a first rate review.
I’ve just realised what you mean about 17a appealing to me. Dim – of course it would!
Great fun today
2*/4*
3d and 11d my favourites.
A fine Thursday puzzle which decidedly feels like a Silvanus production. Great clues and an enjoyable challenge. I have ticked a few and will go for 15a as my favourite today. 3*/4*.
Top notch puzzle for a wet and windy day. Needed the dictionary to confirm 4d, but otherwise fairly straightforward albeit the S took longer to complete than the N. Choosing a podium is tough from so many great clues, but I’ll plump for 1a, 18d and 21d in top spot. Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.
Only completed once I checked the spelling of 22a, which I’d spelt wrong as usual, that made 21 my last one in doable. A delightful puzzle with a 12a of clues. Thanks to all.
I enjoyed this non RayT puzzle this week. Went in smoothly and with only one new word for me in the NW.
2*/3.5*
Favourites include 6a, 15a, 2d, 3d & 11d — with winner 3d
Had a good laugh with 10a, 7d & 20d
Thanks to setter & Shabbo
Glad to see I’m not the only soul to fall into the anagram trap at 27a. I have to hand it to the setter: top-level misdirection. Enjoyment ****. Not finished yet so difficulty ?
This was a wonderful puzzle that I finished in one sitting , partly due to the awful weather others have alluded to. Usually I have jobs to go and do, but they can wait until later. Found it to be relatively straightforward for a Thursday, and also compared to yesterday’s that I spent a while over in multiple sittings. Thanks to setter and Shabbo
Many thanks to Shabbo and to all commenters. Much appreciated.
I’m sure that Merusa won’t be “swimming in molasses” with this one!
See you all again soon.
Thank you for a great guzzle, silvanus.
Nope! No swimming today, right up my straße. Your clueing is always so fair, I never feel you’re on “the other side”, warring with us.
Lovely puzzle, Silvanus. Please keep ‘em coming!
Oh – I’ve lost my comment . . .
As I was saying, I thought this was difficult – I always have trouble with Silvanus.
I started out well but things went wrong quickly and never recovered.
However much I like anagrams I’m definitely less keen on long ones which I’ve just discovered, specially ones that turned out to be not anagrams that pretend to be!
I particularly liked 9 and 10a and 20 and 21d. My favourite was 16d.
With thanks to Silvanus for his crossword and to Shabbo for his much needed hints.
First pass before Knitter Natter followed by Paracise left me with 6 answers to find. Intermittent fasting meant breakfast at 2.30 p.m.and then back to our crossword. What a joy ! Ticks for 1, 10 and 27 across plus 7 and 20 down. I have always been a bad speller ( that is why I use the crossword to improve ) . Consequently I had to check the spelling of 22 across. Thanks to Silvanus – nice one and Shabbo for being there .
At last, a Thursday puzzle I can (well, almost) do! I needed help in the SE. Natch, I couldn’t spell 22a, giving me a strange word at 21d, but as soon as I sussed that out, I looked up the correct spelling and then I was home. I suppose “mum” can be your “old lady” but not sure I like it. I’m imagining what my Uber-Brit Mum would have said if I called her that! I liked lots, maybe 7d is tops, but I also like the 13d word.
Thank you setter for the fun, guessing Silvanus, and Shabbo for his help understanding a few.
I am with you on Mum, Merusa. My girls have never, ever called me that thank goodness. It’s as bad as saying hubby – in my opinion that is. Others will think differently – oh dear, anyway it’s so late no one will read that!
I did! Thank goodness I have no husband, so the dreaded “hubby” isn’t in my vocabulary.
It’s all been said, a thoroughly enjoyable treat for a miserable Thursday. So many brilliant clues I can’t pick a favourite, I loved the anagrams, so much like others I tried to have another at 27a!
No hope of more hedge trimming at the moment so the privet currently has a Mohican and looks decidedly scruffy. We packed in lots of indoor jobs today hoping that tomorrow we can revisit the hedge!
Many thanks to Silvanus and to Shabbo for the hints.
Ps for those enjoying the Marlow Murder books and TV adaptations the film crew have been out and about in Marlow filming season 2.
A kinder puzzle than I first thought
10a is rather sweet
Very much enjoyed today’s offering especially 3 down, 7 down and 23 across. Please, could you tell me, to what are people referring when they speak of “ticks’? Thank you
Welcome to the blog.
Some solvers use ticks to mark the clues they really like so that they remember to mention them when they comment
Welcome to the blog, Shirley.
By ticks I think commenters mean signs of approval (like how a teacher would mark your homework correct).
Peter and I still use ticks on forms over here, but the normal is a X. I sometimes wonder what they think of our ✅ marks.d
Welcome, Shirley. I use my pen to tick clues on the paper that I like so I remember to mention on the blog.
I do a daisy!
Great puzzle – thoroughly enjoyed it! But, as an escaped “born and bred” Londoner, I can’t for the life of me understand Shabbo’s possible reference to ‘Bow Bells’ in 3 down?! Could anybody explain please or am I just being particularly thick today?!
Suzy, I think Shabbo is suggesting that an alternative (and much less elegant) way to clue the answer to 3d could involve how a cockney cardiologist might refer to his area of expertise.
Indeed. Thank you RD.
Late on parade after yet another visit to the dermatologist (I am the gift that keeps on giving), and very relieved to find a friendly Thursday puzzle. Not without some struggles such as 15a, despite being my favour dinner time tipple, misspelling 22a, and being unfamiliar with 6a as meaning disable. Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.
Beautiful work from Silvanus. Lots of lovely clues, but I’ll go for 7D as best laugh. Many thanks Silvanus and Shabbo.
Enjoyed the puzzle – and thank you to Shabbo. I’m going to Brocket Hall tomorrow – so I’ll look out for your house guest :-). I hope more of her putts go ‘down’ rather than ‘accross’. Wish her good luck.
Changing your email address sent you into moderation
We have just watched a couple of holes of the Pro-Am and then enjoyed a pint in The Waggoners at Ayot Green. Very civilised.
What was the weather like? I’m just back from a seniors open invitational at the wonderfully scenic Chiltern Forest Golf Club (it helps if you’re a mountain goat mind) & somehow we luckily dodged the heavy stuff
Fairly dry here all day today and not a drop of rain during our stroll on the course late afternoon.
Lovely puzzle, a joy to solve. LOI was 27a just because it was, one of them has to be last. Favourite was 15a, I drank a fair bit of it during my two spells working in Ireland. Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.
Tip top from Mr Smooth with ticks all over the shop. It’s the full complement of *s for enjoyment from me. The slightly synonym at 17a was a brief head scratch but otherwise it all went in briskly despite solving the puzzle at silly o’clock during yet another lousy night’s kip.
Thanks to S & S
I must be improving – I used to find Silvanus puzzles impenetrable, but solved this at a steady pace once I got going….15a last in – strange given that I imbibe it pretty much daily (in modest quantities, of course)…
Loved 10a.
Out all day today but just completed the guzzle with one eye on the programme about your body. Excellent workout only needed help on 14a. Many thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo. Lights out now.
A very late addition so no one will read this but just in case thank you Silvanus for such an excellent challenge and Shabbo for the hints not to forget Pip for the verse