Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30725
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 21st September 2024
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
A welcome return by X-Type with a friendly and enjoyable Saturday Prize Puzzle
Across
1a German girl caught by part of fork sticking out (10)
PROTRUDING – TRUDI (German girl) ‘caught’ by PRONG (part of fork)
6a Spot something unknown, following unusual mental ability (4)
ESPY – Y (a mathematical unknown) goes after (following) ESP (extra sensory perception – unusual mental ability
10a Really depressed, seeing American central bank on the rise (3,2)
FED UP – The abbreviation for the Federal Reserve System (American central bank) and an adverb meaning on the rise
11a Ordinary people arrive shortly before explosive sermon (9)
COMMONERS – COMe (arrive ‘shortly’ or truncated) and an anagram (explosive) of SERMON
12a Where one might find steps to make a type of movie? (2-6)
IN-FLIGHT – without the hyphen, this is where steps or stairs can be found
13a Very short part of winter season (5)
TERSE – Hidden in the last two words of the clue
15a Bridge is a card game (7)
PONTOON – A type of bridge has the same name as a card game
17a Gathered head of group had a certain inclination (7)
GLEANED – The ‘head’ of Group and LEANED (had a certain inclination)
19a City exhibits box found by outskirts of Exeter (7)
CHESTER – CHEST (box) and the ‘outskirts’ of ExeteR
21a Wheels not working in plant? (7)
CARWAY – CAR (wheels) AWAY (not working in)
22a Nothing in close call (5)
SHOUT – O (nothing) in SHUT (close)
24a Part of airport that could be deadly (8)
TERMINAL – Double definition
27a One girl drinking a short? Unreal! (9)
IMAGINARY – I (Roman numeral for one) MARY (girl) ‘drinking’ GIN (short)
28a Remove 100 sitting in European plane (5)
EJECT – C (the Roman numeral for 100) inserted in E (European) JET (plane)
29a Really, really indifferent (2-2)
SO-SO – SO (really) SO (really)
30a First of edifices started in rebuilding: put back as before (10)
REINSTATED – An anagram (rebuilding) of E (first of Edifices) STARTED IN
Down
1d Flier not in? That’s a blow! (4)
PUFF – PUFFin (flier) without (not) the IN
2d Bizarrely, drain ocean without a regulation (9)
ORDINANCE – An anagram (bizarrely) of DRAIN OCEan) without one of the As
3d Ward off some more pelicans (5)
REPEL – Hidden in the last two words of the clue
4d Figure one month to have suffering reduced (7)
DECAGON – DEC (one month) AGONy (suffering ‘reduced’)
5d Label to identify Spooner’s domesticated horse (4,3)
NAME TAG – The dreaded Reverend’s TAME NAG
7d Cut is sharp, we’re told (5)
SHEAR – A homophone (we’re told) of SHEER (sharp)
8d The old strayed dreadfully before start of Sabbath in past times (10)
YESTERDAYS – YE (archaic (old) word for the) and an anagram (dreadfully) of STRAYED go before the ‘start’ of Sabbath
9d Maybe clogs opening to outlet of water supply (8)
FOOTWEAR – An anagram (supply) of the ‘opening’ of Outlet and OF WATER
14d Room with it on board long-distance transport? (10)
SPACESHIPS – SPACE (room) and HIP (with it) inserted into SS (on board a steam ship_
16d Beat to stir up dancing (8)
OUTSTRIP – An anagram (dancing) of TO STIR UP
18d Daily supplier of novel stuffing ingredient before middle of winter (9)
NEWSAGENT – NEW (novel) SAGE (stuffing) and NT (the middle of wiNTer)
20d Artist with not very much has a real struggle to work? (3,4)
RAT RACE – RA (artist) TRACE (not very much)
21d Keep going, like Cleo or Jack in certain films? (5,2)
CARRY ON – Cleo and Jack being two of the titles of this series of films
23d Examinations showing elements of reef with crab’s head cut off (5)
ORALS – cORALS (elements of reef) without the ‘head’ of Crab
25d Pinter not finished working? That’s awkward (5)
INEPT – An anagram (working) of the first five letters (not finished) of PINTEr
26d Briefly train boss (4)
STUD – Truncate STUDy (train)
Good morning, can someone please explain what the quickie pun is for the uninitiated? Many thanks.
It was alluded to in the comments to the hints for this crossword and I’ve seen it mentioned several times before. I have searched the website for an explanation, but remain intrigued and mystified.
Many thanks the CS for the hints etc and to X-Type for a very enjoyable puzzle.
On the back page of the Telegraph, you will find both the cryptic crossword and the Quick Crossword. The first two (or three or more) solutions (usually shown in italics) in the latter will, if read out correctly, form an often groanworthy pun. For example last Saturday’s solutions were nearly and thick, which if you say them out loud, should sound like neolithic
Thank you!
2*/4* ….
liked 5D “Label to identify Spooner’s domesticated horse (4,3)”