Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30723
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Praia da Luz in the Algarve where we are staying for five days. The weather so far has been lovely, but I think it is pretty much the same back home. The trip was planned by our two adult(?) children after a fairly boozy Easter lunch at our house and we are now here without any grandchildren to keep us in check. What could possible go wrong?
Anyway, I am sure you are all far more interested in today’s puzzle that details of the Shabbo family holiday. I found this tricky in parts but a real pleasure to solve. 19d was my last one in, as I was convinced that BA had to be involved somewhere. A neat piece of misdirection by our clever setter. The Quickie Pun took me ages to see and is truly cringeworthy, but then that is the whole idea!
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 One who foresees university blocking paper by doctor (12)
FUTUROLOGIST: abbreviation for university inside a pink newspaper + a specialist doctor.
8a Criminal ailing here in Paris given time (7)
ILLICIT: synonym of ailing + French word meaning here + abbreviation for time.
9a Shown soldier joining exploit half-heartedly (7)
PARADED: abbreviated name for an airborne soldier + synonym of exploit missing one of its central letters (half-heartedly).
11a Lies are bad, understand? (7)
REALISE: anagram (bad) of LIES ARE.
12a Pierces sides of sleek vessels (7)
SKEWERS: first and last letters (sides) of SleeK + large water jugs.
13a Guys we trust regularly ignored exploitative types (5)
USERS: even letters (regularly ignored) of gUyS wE tRuSt.
14a Small coffee with German fool wearing flower (9)
DEMITASSE: with in German + three-letter word meaning fool inside (wearing) a river (flower). Apparently there are five to chose from with the same name.
16a US resident fine with city bordering hot country (9)
OKLAHOMAN: two letters meaning fine + two-lettered abbreviation of a US city + country in the Middle East outside (bordering) abbreviation for hot.
19a Money son stuffed in underwear (5)
BRASS: abbreviation for son inside female underwear.
21a Nearly offend artist about being aloof (7)
INSULAR: word meaning offend without the final letter (nearly) + abbreviation for artist reversed (about).
23a Fish category initially excludes rays (7)
GROUPER: synonym of category + initial letters of Excludes Rays.
24a Composer ignoring a green painter (2,5)
EL GRECO: English composer without the A + three-letter word meaning green, as in environmental.
25a Hermit‘s concerning evidence finally brought forward (7)
RECLUSE: usual abbreviation for concerning or about + a plural word meaning evidence with the final letter moved forwards by one place.
26a Bracket from rear the man’s periodically issued (12)
PARENTHESISE: verb meaning rear (as in raise) + three letters indicating “the man has” + the odd letters (periodically) of IsSuEd.
Down
1d Leaves convict crossing island surrounded by enemy (7)
FOLIAGE: take a synonym of convict outside (crossing) abbreviation for island join them together and put the product inside (surrounded by) three-letter synonym of enemy.
2d Tense dude turned up in charge with southern battle plans? (7)
TACTICS: abbreviation of tense + synonym of dude (slang) upside down (turned up) + abbreviations for “in charge” and “southern”.
3d Port rubbish on road collected by squad (9)
ROTTERDAM: synonym of rubbish + abbreviation for road inside (collected by) synonym of squad or group.
4d Affirmative from Italian friend climbing stone (5)
LAPIS: “yes” in Italian + three-letter word meaning friend joined together and then turned upside down (climbing).
5d Covering chap cut with weapon (7)
GARMENT: synonym of chap or man outside (cut with) three-letter synonym of weapon.
6d The Blues guys send a sample that’s partly rejected (7)
SADNESS: hidden word backwards (partly rejected) inside words 3, 4, 5 & 6.
7d Six on tour cooked with cider naked; it might make one laugh! (7,5)
NITROUS OXIDE: anagram (cooked) of SIX ON TOUR + cider without its first or last letters (naked).
10d Officers write on small sign where drugs might be found (12)
DISPENSARIES: abbreviation for senior police detectives + synonym of write + abbreviation for small + sign of the zodiac.
15d Male equine amidst weird animal collection (9)
MENAGERIE: abbreviation for male + synonym of horse inside (amidst) synonym of weird.
17d Dish 7 perhaps carried by obsessive from below (7)
LASAGNA: put a generic term for 7d inside (carried by) a Freudian derived term (which I eventually got to the bottom of) meaning obsessive and turn the whole lot upside down (from below).
18d Greek place of Nick’s on east banks of Nile (7)
HELLENE: Nick here is the devil so “place of Nick” is where you will find him + abbreviation for east + first and last letters (banks) of NilE.
19d Rich now mostly struggling to support British Airways (7)
BRONCHI: anagram (struggling) of RICH NO(w) below (to support) abbreviation for British. A clever clue and my LOI and COD.
20d Old uranium filling spacious phial (7)
AMPOULE: abbreviations for old and uranium inside (filling) synonym of spacious.
22d Perch from river hood skinned on street (5)
ROOST: abbreviation for river + hOOd without its first and last letters (skinned) + abbreviation for street.
Quickie Pun: BEACON + ANNEXE = BACON AND EGGS
Tricky but it is Thursday. I didn’t think 1a was a word but a quick look at the BRB confirmed that it was. Do folk ever ask for a 14a these days? I have never heard of the fish at 23a. I liked the piercing of the sleek vessels and the stuffed underwear at 19a raised a smile. The Lego clue at 16a is my COTD.
Thank you, setter for the fun challenge. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints.
The Quickie pun was a real groan!
I think 1a used to crop up regularly in The Telegraph in the late 90s: the weekly ‘Connected’ supplement on Tuesdays featured a column by Peter Cochrane, who was described as a 1a.
The fish is tropical, very common among our reefs.
I too thought 1a was a made up word, and no, no one asks for a 14a any more. The fish is very common over here.
Brilliant fun, absolutely loved it, not a bad clue anywhere.
Surprised to see 7d, thought it had been banned now, but here it is kids, large as life.
Last one in for me was 26a, but as soon as I got lots of letters in, it then became obvious.
Great misdirection in 1d with ‘leaves’ I thought.
My two of the day were 23a, as we see huge ones of these when diving in Bonaire, and 14a because I liked the German fool.
Getting away from the puzzle, here’s proof that my cat Poirot’s claim that he would be famous one day has come true, he now boasts to his brother that he’s finally on the radio.
So you are, Poirot! I’ll go and tune in right now.
It’s banned recreationally but still used frequently (mixed with O2) by the ambulance service and in hospitals, especially in A&E.
Very useful for quick analgesia and minor procedures, like reducing dislocations.
Great puzzle thoroughly enjoyed ticks everywhere. I have actually worked with people claiming to be 1a so that was no trouble though the parsing eluded me. My top spot goes to the brilliantly misdirecting 19d
2*/5*. Having been away for a few days, I was thinking of giving this one a miss as I’ve got lots of things I should be doing. I’m very glad that I decided to give it a try as it was absolutely superb – a super-smooth delight from start to finish.
Many thanks presumably to Silvanus and also to Shabbo.
Thanks, but it isn’t one of mine!
Well that’s saved me a few bob
This setter should be paraded through the streets whilst the good folk of this country throw rotten fruit and vegetables at him or her.
Even Nigella spells 17d with an ‘e’ at the end and if it’s good enough for Nigella it’s good enough for me.
Nigella, Nigella,
Won’t you let me
Be your fella?
What I now like to call E-Gate held me up forever. Oh I hear you – “Oh Terence – the obsessive bit doesn’t work if you put ‘e’ instead of ‘a'”, but some of us (me) would prefer to not to encounter buttock issues whilst consuming our gruel and orange juice with no bits first thing in the morning.
No punishment is too severe for this setter. I am writing to Mr Lancaster, Mr Starmer, The Archbishop Of Canterbury, and Taylor Swift. Oh we haven’t heard the last of this! Not by a long chalk, matey!
Oh yeah – thanks to the setter and Shabba-dabba-doo in the Algarve.
Whilst the BRB does list both spellings, I do sense your pain and feel compelled to empathise with you. Your punishment is too lenient and in addition he/she should be forced to eat nothing but olives and avocados smeared liberally with Marmite for a whole week. You should also report them in writing to President Zelenksy and Pep Guardiola.
I’m with you on spelling of 17d which I had in pretty on leaving me wondering about an obsessive lane and how to bracket 26a.
Apart from that a very good puzzle. Cotd 19d once the world’s favourite airline (sic! 🤣) .. was grounded.
Thanks to setter and Shabbo .. weather north of border sunny .. so I don’t need the Algarve today.
Like you, Terence, I had 17d with a final “e” and it held me up for a long time. I was also fixated a the Americanism for bracket, that eventually sorted me out.
🤣🤣🤣
Sheer class. A couple of outlandish surfaces (14a, etc) and the very smart 26a is an odd read but this was all beautifully put together and great fun to solve. 1d’s lovely, so too 19d. Super stuff. I have to admit I loved the Quickie pun too, but I may be on my tod there! Many thanks to our setter and Shabbo. Enjoy the rest of your hols.
Brilliant fun for what has become a sunny Thursday here in Shropshire. I’m not going to attempt to pick a favourite as all the clues were top drawer and beautifully put together.
Many thanks to, presumably, Silvanus, and to Shabbo.
Off to Birmingham later with friends to hear Beethoven 9 at what looks like a sold out Symphony Hall.
Enjoy the concert. Sounds wonderful.
Indeed, enjoy! Beethoven is my favourite composer and I listen to the symphonies all the time. They never fail to stir the blood. The Ninth by CBSO? Absolute bliss!
Super puzzle, quite gentle for a Thursday. A number of lovely surface reads, and wonderful constructions / instructions. COTD 19d, with podium shared by 1a and 18d; runner-up 25a.
Many thanks to the setter and Shabbo
Glad to see I wasn’t the only one to think 17d has an e at the end. Maybe that is because it is the spelling I have seen in Spanish supermarkets.
A most enjoyable puzzle; many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo. 3*/4.5*
Not easy to get started but very good once I got going. 19d and 26a my cotds but really to many to choose from.
As his ‘regular’ substitute has confirmed it is not he (reply to RD at Comment 4), a true guess the setter on not a Ray T Thursday and I have no idea as to who it might be – 2.5*/3.5*
But I must thank him or her for 1a as it reminds me that I must call my doctor of that specialisation for the results of the blood test that I had my left arm ‘drained’ for two weeks ago!
Candidates for favourite – 11a, 16a, 15d, and 20d – and the winner is 11a.
Thanks to whomsoever and Shabbo.
The puzzle was probably great BUT the struggle with the Puzzles App took away all the enjoyment. Getting into the damn thing in the first place is a nightmare and then you can only see one clue at a time. AND there is the problem that I cannot delete backwards – in that I mistakenly put in a wrong letter and the app moves me onto the next letter to be filled in but I want to delete the letter I’ve just entered so I press delete and nothings happens. I have to physically go back to the letter to be deleted. It is so exhausting. Telegraph Towers, I’ve paid a full subscription for the paper version and I expect the whole of the paper version to be on my Kindle, not having to jump through hoops. PLEASE go back to the original method.
I had this problem until Idiscovered the settings on the puzzle
Click on the three dots beside the check button and it gives you options including ‘ skip filled squares’ and ‘ hide completed answers’. Just move the sliders to set your preference.
Every time you log out it will reset to its default so you need to change them again
Thanks, I’ll give it a go tomorrow.
It still jogs on to the next clue. Sequentially is not how I complete a crossword (and I suspect neither do many others). But there’s no way to change that behaviour.
I (and again I suspect others) need a way to enlarge the grid (without using any capability of the device) without losing all the clues. You know, the way it used to be!
And the issue with spuriously inserted letters (common to other Puzzles in the app, along with numbers in Sudoku) remains. This is particularly annoying when the puzzle is “wrong” owing to that rubbish. It even flags a puzzle as incorrect because it thinks a letter is wrong, even though it shows as correct. Frustrating is not the word for it … except with several expletives in front.
Then there is the problem with the ‘success’ page not including a ‘Back’ option, requiring the app to be closed and reopened.
All on iPad and all reported.
i don’t need to reset it every time
Yes, I have found the settings but like modern cars they revert when you log on again. The whole layout is rubbish compared to the previous mimic of the back page we had previously. There was no need to change it. The DT is going downhill
.
Agree 100%. Still cannot access any puzzles today.
Hi Manders. I must confess I at first had issues with the puzzles app – I was using it from safari , but now I find it really good once I downloaded the app. I don’t have any of the problems you allude to , neither do I have to reset settings every day as suggested by Joselecta and Bob. Maybe it is to do with iPad os version of something like that ? If I use it on my phone I can only see one clue at a time. Have a fiddle and hopefully you can make it work for you.
I agree, use the App not the website. It works absolutely fine for me on my phone and i pad.
It’s designed to show only one clue at a time on the phone because of the lack of space
The puzzles app gets a lot of bad press here that in undeserved.
I’m inclined to agree with you now that I’ve (under protest) got used to it. The puzzles app works fine on an iPad with no need to reset. My main gripe is that it remains difficult to see the numbering of the clues on the grid.
That said I still prefer the crosswords as displayed in the digital paper or the old puzzles site.
Superb. Absolutely superb. If this is Zandio’s work then he is now the finished article. Whoever it is can sit proudly next to Mr Smooth in The Pantheon of the Cruciverbal Gods and Goddesses.
My last ones in were the 23a/2d comby as I’ve never heard of the fish.
An impossible task to pick three but I’ll go with 1a for its construction (great spot with the doctor), 19a for its humour and 10d for its neatness.
Many, many thanks to the wordsmith wizard and Shabbs.
3*/5*
P.S Love the quickie pun. It sounds like a huge Scot ordering his lunch with his pint of heavy…”Hey, pal! Give me your best beacon and eggs”
Ha! Hi Tom, I had to chuckle at this. I’m sure Zandio (I have no idea if this was one of his but it easily could be as it was brilliant) will be delighted to learn that he is finally the finished article. The man was puzzles editor for about 10 years! Until 2018, I think. I reckon he earned his spurs quite a while back!!
For what it’s worth, this didn’t feel like a Zandio puzzle to me. And I don’t think we’ve had a Zandio on a Thursday before either.
I agree. I remain mildly unconvinced. It wasn’t *quite* bonkers enough for him! And that’s no criticism, either way. Hopefully, we’ll find out.
I’ve never been able to suss out Zandio, like you, I doubt this is his offering … I would be so surprised.
Put it this way, his surfaces has never been this smooth.
I love his quirkiness and willingness to push the envelope which can often affect the surfaces. But, not this one.
To me, a setter is the finished article if they can nail, say, 80% of the surfaces, to go along with neat constructions, lego, humour etc.
That’s certainly no bad formula. You might want to take another look at the surface in your first sentence, mind! Haha..
Like it or should that be ‘likes it’.
If I were you , Tom, I’d be careful about addressing a Scot as ‘pal’…..
The most terrifying question ever heard in Scotland is
“Are you calling me a liar, pal?”
It’s the “pal” on the end that adds the threat.
There is no way out other than running away as fast as you can.
Just saying……
Check with Big Eck , who I guess is also Scottish
Hi OM
The hungry Scot was calling the waiter ‘pal’.
I love the way a loud, deep-voiced Scot says ‘pal’.
Us Sassenachs saying it ain’t a patch.
Tricky puzzle for me, but some great clues with a well hidden lurker, and some great anagrams and Lego clues. I also tried to spell the Italian food with an e. I needed the hints to explain the parsing of 2d.
I am doing battle with the telegraph about the move to the puzzle site and the fact two people can no longer enjoy the crossword puzzles. Whilst the workaround of nearly completing a crossword (do not put last letter in) and then hit reset puzzle will work for the cryptic and quickie that is not an option for plusword. In addition the puzzle site has a feedback option which does not work and takes you back to the home page…. Cunning!!
I doubt much will come of it but I am blaming my rather slow effort today on the new site not my brain or the setter!
Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints….have a lovely time in Portugal.
An excellent Thursday puzzle, possibly a Z production but I’m not all sure. Fine, mostly concise, clues of average-ish difficulty for this day provided a very satisfying and entertaining solve. I have ticked several clues and I particularly liked 12a and 14a. 3*/4.5*.
This puzzle has left me completely cream crackered. Far from an unaided finish but once completed I can appreciate the cleverness of it. Tough to pick a cotd but I will plump for 18d. Thanks to compiler for the tussle and definitely Shabbo for the very much needed hints. I’m going for a lie down in a dark room to recover.
This was straightforward except for the bits that weren’t: I hadn’t heard of the 14a coffee, the 23a fish (though I worked that one out), nor the 4d stone — but except for those, the answers generally flowed in fairly quickly.
Thank you to the setter for the setting and Shabbo for the hinting. My favourite was the 15d collection of animals.
The 4d stone usually has “lazuli” after it, I’ve never seen it on its own.
I thought the same.
Me too.
Thanks — that’s useful to know.
Thought I might be in for a battle after wrestling 1a to the ground but in the event things got easier from there on.
Top marks went to 10&19d with a nod to the tooth-sucking Quickie pun.
Thanks to our setter and to Shabbo for taking time out of his holiday to bring us the blog. Admirable dedication to duty, sir!
Thank you, Jane. I couldn’t possibly let the team down!
Once again, much like Wednesday’s offering, I struggled to get this non-RayT puzzle off the ground.
However once I got going there were, in my mind, some really great clues that eventually came to light. Lots of lego type clues in this one as well.
2*/4.5* for me
Favourites include 25a, 3d, 5d, 7d, 10d & 19d — with the winner a tough pick. I really liked both perimeter down clues but the winning pick has to be 19d.
Excellent clue with the misdirection! I agree with Shabbos’ comment in the intro as it, too, was my last in.
Thanks to setter & Shabbo
What a great puzzle this turned out to be. I struggled to start and my brain went into hiding. I coaxed it out with the shorter 19a and then got going. Lots to like here with top picks for me being 24a, 14a, 10d and 19d.
Thanks to Shabbo and the setter.
Fairly easy solve but the parsing was not always obvious made more difficult by the new Layout in puzzles which moves you on to the next clue when you want to cogitate on the answer you’ve just got. The final hurrah page is childish and unnecessary. Perhaps it was programmed by someone who doesn’t do crosswords. Not impressed.
Oh no. I do crosswords , am I not allowed to be childish ? 😜
Didn’t have much time before Knitter Natter but 75 % slid into place and was so good it whetted my appetite. Back from Paracise and a joy to finish this fine puzzle. In my dentistry days we did a lot of extractions using 7 d. And the clueing was excellent. 17d. Was easier for me because a dyslexic has little conviction about spelling and I felt it could go either way. How would I know ? 14 a. Was another great clue. After dentistry I became an antique dealer and sold many of these coffee related items. Right up my street and great thanks to a fine setter and Shabbo.
What a coincidence, Dyslex. After I finished dentistry I also became an antique dealer. Then I went back to dentistry.
Another coincidence? Dyslex, your comment was timed @ 2:30? An appropriate time to see a dentist.
Very good !
Add to that 19d . Last in but so worth the head scratching.
It appears I’m in the minority today – I found some of the surfaces bizarre – 14a and 26a being my least favourite clues.
I did like the lurker and animal collections
2*/2*
Thanks to all
Not one for me, way above my pay grade. Most clues make little or no sense at all.
Harder than most Toughies.
*****/0
No fun and from me no thanks at all.
I really enjoyed this solve today. Think I’ve seen the word leaves enough now to think along the right lines , the particular ones today were a bit elusive for a while.
Whoops pressed enter too soon. Thanks to Shabbo and to the setter whoever you are for the fun.
It’s Thursday, very tricky, but so fair. There were some words I didn’t know, but with my checkers and a helpful clue, I could work them out; eg, 1a, the usual “paper”, Uni, and the doctor, and Bob’s your uncle! Also 26a, I didn’t know it could be a verb by adding “e”, but it can! I bunged in 24a, thanks to Shabbo I now understand it. All in all, a fun solve. Finding a fave is hard, I liked so much, the sleek vessels, US resident, I even knew the thing that makes you laugh. Stick a pin in, that’s my fave.
Thank you setter, hard but fun, and Shabbo for unravelling so much. Enjoy your break!
Held up by the SE corner and the spelling of 17d
A bit under the weather today, and definitely not my best effort. Not helped by a few questionable clues, including the odd 1a word, the 4d gem without the second part of its name and the odd spelling of 17d. Was helped by the 23a fish as it is widely available here. But all expected for a Thursday so no surprises there. Thanks to setter and Shabbo.
Liked this crossword very much. Just the right balance for me.
Thanks to Shabbo and to the setter.
Quirky but fathomable with persistence. North softer touch than South. “US resident” is quite a broad description for 16a. Like others my ending 17d with an “e” delayed things and I also spent ages trying to work BA into 19d. That one however was eventually my Fav. Thank you Mysteryone and holidaying Shabbo.
I realise that I’m always the last to finish (I never start before 17:00 although I’m usually still struggling at 18:00 – this one was even longer a definite 3*). This allows me to read all the comments which have been excellent today. Thanks to Shabbo, setter and all the commenters. Or should that be commentators?
What a shame nobody has popped in to claim ownership. It’s 5*+ for enjoyment in my book – 4 great peripherals & you can stick a tick against pretty much the rest of ‘em in between. The whys of one or two were reverse engineered most notably for the non Nigella spelling of 17d. If forced to pick a winner it’d be another vote for the airways at 19d.
Thanks to the setter & to Shabbo for a top review while on his hols.
Ps 16a reminded me it’s not too long now to Jason Isbell & 400 Unit at the Hammersmith Apollo – can’t wait
Good to see I’m not the only one who thinks the new crossword format is far from an improved experience.I expect the online crossword to be as much like the hard copy as possible, which is how it used to be. Why change it? Enjoyed today’s contest and like many any others got hung up in the left hand corner, until as an old cruciverbalist mate used to tell me:”It had to be.”
Welcome to the blog, Parto.
Had time to have a go at this during the evening as it’s getting dark much earlier making the age proofing of our garden difficult. For the first time since I don’t know when I sailed through a Thursday crossword without saying one. Very pleased.
I found this very difficult with the SE last to fall. In fact it’s taken me so long to complete the Beam toughie will have to wait until tomorrow due to having to be up at silly o’clock. Favourite was 12a. Thanks to the setter and Shabbo.