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DT 30731 (Hints)

by crypticsue  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30731 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

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A beautiful sunny morning here in East Kent but boy is it chilly,  so a good time to stay indoors solving this enjoyable Saturday Prize Puzzle.  I had made my decision as to who had set this one when I solved the Quick Pun and then was even more certain once I’d finished the crossword and submitted my entry for The Mythical – I just hope I’m right!

Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.

A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.

Across

1a           South American greeting Asian dish (5)
Abbreviations for South and American and an informal greeting

9a           Friend friendly in 27 20 as locally known? (4,5)
A friend and an informal way of saying friendly

10a         Push hard to stop Stateside lawyer in crisis (5)
A verb meaning to push hard goes inside (to stop) an abbreviated American lawyer

15a         Bank where Shapps invests cash in chips? (8)
The forename of the former Secretary of State for Defence into which is invested a more formal way of saying ‘cash in chips’

24a         Tom penning article is showing discomfort (7)
Tom isn’t a name here but a reference to a particular gender, into which should be inserted (penning) an indefinite article and IS (from the clue)

26a         Foolish sort in Djibouti periodically (5)
The odd (periodically) letters in words three and four in the clue

29a         Dog where dogs chase hare? (5)
Follow or watch closely or somewhere dogs go to chase a hare

Down

1d           Will this take us to Mars? Small steps with it! (9)
The abbreviation for Small, some steps and an informal adjective meaning with it

4d           We’re told anguish makes Yankee ready (6)
A homophone (we’re told) of a poetic word for anguish

7d           Bar work? Could this involve the Rovers Return? (4,5)
A bar-shaped cleansing agent and a musical work

17d         Old station broadcast repeated musical phrase (8)
The abbreviation for Old and an anagram (broadcast) of STATION

22d         Obstruct little devil – paradise finally lost (6)
A little devil and a Biblical paradise without (finally lost) its last letter

23d         One in wheeled carriage brings dad to Paris (5)
The King of Troy who fathered over 50 children, one of whom was called Paris.  The Roman numeral for one inserted into a wheeled carriage

25d         Home help sent up country (5)
An old friend to finish – the usual ‘home’ and a reversal (sent up) of some help

As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out!

Please read these instructions carefully – they are not subject to debate or discussion. Offending comments may be redacted or, in extreme cases, deleted. In all cases the administrator’s decision is final.

If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then save yourself (and me) a lot of trouble and don’t leave a comment.

The Quick Crossword pun: SENDERS + BREAD = CENTRE SPREAD

84 comments on “DT 30731 (Hints)”

  1. A steady solve and an enjoyable one. There were three new words to add to my vocabulary although I doubt I will remember them. 1d seems to be the favourite word of setters now as I’m sure it has appeared at least three times over the past week or so. There are so many good clues it’s difficult to pick one for the podium. I liked the hard push at 10a, the legendary female at 11a and the vessel rescuing the politician at 16d. I’m award COTD to Shapps investing cash at 15a.

    Anyway, it has been sent to DT Towers to search for The Mythical.

    Thank you for the fun, setter. Thank you, CS for the hints (leave The Mythical alone!) 😁

    Sunshine in The Marches today but with a coolish breeze. Still, a bit of gardening should keep me warm.

  2. Well, IMHO that felt much more like a SPP to get your teeth into today. Fairly plain sailing until I attempted the NE corner, promptly hit a brick wall and had to start chewing the end of my pencil – which does not go well with the morning brew! For COTD I just could not decide between 4a and 5d, both cracking clues; I also liked 4d and 7d. Great stuff – more of the same, please!
    Many thanks to the setter for the early morning wake up call, and Sue for the blog.

  3. 1.5*/4*. I thought this was light and good fun with a nice reminder of Rufus in one of the clues.

    My top picks were 11a, 14d & 23d.

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS.

  4. I did like 27 20 and 9a and wonder which way round solvers did them – for me 9a came first, but I don’t want to incur the naughty step
    Thanks to Sue and Setter
    Dada is asking for participants in his next Zoom to try and sneak Welsh towns into the conversation – I imagine 12a would be easier than Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch
    I better get out and enjoy the sunny weather before it starts raining again

      3. 9a first for me too, on the basis that I still don’t really understand 27 (although I can see 26 and the checkers point towards 27, while 9a confirms the answer). Google reveals some outside possibilities but 27 has gone over my head.

          1. Parsing the Capital letter was the key, I was more familiar with the male variant , as it is one of my middle names

          2. Ah, thanks SB. With a slightly different Google search, I see it now. It reminds me a touch of the TV quiz Pointless, but I can’t say why on a Saturday.

  5. Apart from having to look up a musical term, I found this puzzle more straightforward than recent SPPs. Very enjoyable.
    My COTD has to be 23d.
    Heading for the Keith v Camelon Juniors Scottish Cup Tie this afternoon and hope the sun keeps shining.
    Thanks to setter and crypticsue.

  6. This was an enjoyable solve that took a bit of work, pushing me into the 3* time zone.

    Some nice GK (17d has been noted, if you know what I mean) on a friendly grid with 4d being my LOI (I haven’t heard of the synonym).

    My podium is 4a, 7d with my COTD being the splendid 5d.

    Many thanks to setter and CS.

    3*/4*

  7. I’ve been in hospital for a few days and need a pacemaker fitted. This week’s backpagers have relieved the boredom, but not for long. Today, however, I found a bit juicier and thoroughly enjoyed this which, for me, was rather more challenging, though by no means difficult. There are some inspired surface reads and humerous clueing. 5d was a new word for me but very fairly clued, again with a great surface reads. I completely failed to see the obvious at 18a, my LOI. Lots to choose from but 15a is my favourite, supported by 4a and 16d. Thanks to our setter and crypticsue.

    2. Oh you lucky stick! I wish they would do that to me but they won’t! Get well soon and isn’t it wonderful how guzzles can distract us. 🤒

    3. Why didn’t they place the pacemaker while you were in there? Piece of cake, I’ve had mine for eight years and had no problems. I have a Whatsit that looks like a mobile phone that I plug in and sits beside my bed. Every night it broadcasts my heart rhythms to my doctor’s office, if something goes wrong they can call me. I’ve had no calls yet, fingers crossed.

  8. As previously mentioned, there seem to be a plethora of good ‘uns in this week’s SPP. Among a very fine bunch I’d probably have to go for 7D or 23D, but it is hard to choose with such an embarrassment of cruciverbal riches. I liked the 9/ 27 wheeze too.

    For 26A I suspect this is not an anagram, but a straight alternate letters clue, where the word ‘in’ needs to be included in the fodder. What say you, Sue?

    Many thanks to CS and the setter, who is probably that bloke.

      1. Also, I wondered if 26a has a phrasal 2-word definition so it matches the part of speech in the solution?

          1. Ah, you’ve altered it. Only the Foolish was underlined when I viewed it at 1.35 but the hint had been changed – that’s why I posed the question. Thank you.

  9. Great fun with just a check required on the musical term. Rosettes going to 4a plus 5&16d.

    Thanks to our Saturday setter – NYDK is my guess – and to CS for the hints.

    1. Ditto with the check on the musical term, they always fox me as I’m pretty well tone deaf and consequently did all sports instead of any music at school.

  10. I don’t think I will get very good odds but, based on 27a/20a and 9a, two of my shiny new King Charles Loonies on this being a NYDK production – **/****

    With some of the checkers, I solved 9a before 27a/20a but that did seem to be the ‘wrong way round.’ 5d, my LOI, received a Hmm approaching a groan.

    Candidates for favourite – 4a, 13a, 15a, 2d, and 23d – and the winner is 23d.

    Thanks to NYDK, or whomsoever if my Loonies go down the drain, and thanks to CS.

  11. Well if this one doesn’t get the 👍 from Brian then I despair. A terrific guzzle that was enjoyable from start to a brisk finish. 17d was unfamiliar & required a post solve check but otherwise straightforward. Ticks galore – 4,9+27/20,15&28a together with 4,5,7&23d particular likes.
    Thanks to Donny (I reckon) & to Sue – you’re not wrong about the cold – it was bitter on the 1st tee at 7.30am but nice & sunny now

  12. Being a Londoner by birth, I enjoyed the 27a, 20a, 9a combination. The two music related clues were good fun too too I made a slow start in the South and picked up speed as the checkeers went in but , like others, my stumbling block was the NE corner, which took ages. Thanks to the compiler and to CS for the hints. I too have started sending the SPP in ro chase the Mythical.

    1. As I have said to Manders below, CC – Beware the wrath of Hudson if you get it before I do. 🐶😊

  13. Great puzzle, **/****, with many excellent clues. 4d was my fav. A couple of new words which I shan’t bother to remember. A day of cleanup after Helene ahead, no damage at least.

        1. Aha! You really got it. I’m glad you’ve had no damage. I haven’t been able to contact friends in Asheville.

  14. That was an enjoyable and reasonably friendly offering, though hadn’t heard of 9d before and guessed at 17d before looking it up. I liked the 9, 20 and 27a link. As mentioned earlier 1d has made quite a few appearances recently as has 19d.
    Favourites today were 4a and 16d
    Thanks to setter and Sue

  15. Well, contrary to popular opinion, I found this one rather tough, probably on a par with yesterday’s, though I finished that one unaided. I needed Sue to point me in the right direction here, with the SW corner in particular proving a struggle. I clearly need to read up on my classics. 3.5*/2*

  16. Bit of a struggle but enjoyably so except SW where inadequate GK let me down with 23d (how about you Brian?!) and hence I was slow with 28d (but “house”?). 1a was fun way to kick off. Thank you Mysteryone and CS.

  17. Light but great fun. Struggled most in SW until penny drop moment for the Trojan King – my COTD
    Thanks to all
    2*/4*

  18. A great puzzle which made me think but not despair. I wasn’t familiar with the meaning for 4d my LOI.
    Top picks for me were 15a, 5d and 29a.

    Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.

  19. This week I found this Saturday puzzle hard to crack open. I finally managed to get the west completed, then the NE and finally the SE. Several answers in these areas had to be what they are, but the parsing completely escapes me.

    3*/3.5* for me today

    I too, like so many others, solved 9a first then 27/20a
    Favourites include 9a & 27/20a, 28a & 16d — with winner 9a/27/20a, with kudos to 16d as a close second.
    Chuckled over 28a, 29a, 7d & 21d

    Thanks to setter & CS

  20. The NE held me up and took longer than the remainder of the puzzle but once 4a finally fell into place, I teased out the rest. Overall I thought this one of the chewier SPP’s of late, but very satisfying once completed. My podium comprises the two musical offerings at 23a and 17d with 5d in top spot. Thanks to compiler and CS

  21. Lovely entertainment for a sunny afternoon, with some nice humour and gentle misdirection along the way. 5 and 23d were my top clues. Despite my love of classical music, the term at 17d needed checking.

    My thanks to our Saturday setter and Sue.

  22. What a sparkling end to a Great Guzzle Week. George was on top form and actually concentrated so it was a dual effort though he did manage to put a salad dressing-y finger on the page which might upset the Mythical Panel. Very hard to choose a favourite but the crickety bye was great. Aren’t we fortunate to have these clever people to divert us! Many thanks to Mr Setter and MissSue.

  23. 17d too obscure for my liking and I can’t remember seeing ‘broadcast’ as an anagram indicator. Usually it’s a homophone indicator. To use otherwise is wrong rather than acceptable misdirection to me – more experienced people may disagree.

  24. Yes, this has been an NYDK production. I’m glad so many of you enjoyed it.

    Thanks to all (every comment is welcome), and thanks to Sue for the mistressly hints.

    BROADCAST: for anagrams I use it as a past participle of the verb meaning ‘to scatter, send out or disseminate freely’, while for homophones it’s the adjective (‘communicated generally’ etc.).

    Cheers
    NYDK

    1. Fair enough re ‘broadcast’. I should have said there was much to enjoy in the puzzle. I particularly liked 9a Friend friendly… Thank you very much.

  25. I didn’t find this easy but a lot of fun along the way, with some new words to try to remember, kindly supplied by ehelp once I got checkers; eg 18a and 17d. I nearly gave up when I got to the NE (no, 4d doesn’t “sound like” to me), then I had my epiphany with 5d and I was away. The Dickensian 4a was fave, but the legendary female and bringing dad to Paris were fast behind.
    Thank you NYDK, I see you’ve taken ownership just above, for the fun, and CS for the explanations.

  26. Not overly easy but not that difficult either in other words about right. 19d needed to be checked but as we came up with the same word at the same time it was in with a shout and so it proved. Favourite was 23d. Thanks to NYDK and CS.

  27. Thank you for a lovely puzzle today – 5d my LOI. Very strange, I started this in bed with my Kindle and managed about half. On our way home from shopping I opened the puzzle on my iPhone and there it was, all my answers filled in. Would some techie person tell me how the phone knew what was on the Kindle. So I finished off on the phone over a soup lunch at the local bistro (celeriac in case your interested) and it automatically entered me for the mythical – sorry Steve. I’ve only ever entered a couple of times as it was such a laborious process. Be such a hoot if I won – how many mythicals are there for each puzzle? Cheers to NYD and Sue

    1. If The Mythical comes your way, Manders I will send Hudson down to Norfolk to give you a good talking to! 😁

    2. The apps on your Kindle and iPhone are merely acting as input (keyboard) and output (screen) devices. All the data you enter is stored in the cloud and is therefore available to all the apps that can use it.

      I could be talking rubbish, but it makes sense to me. :-)

  28. That was certainly a bit more tricky than some recent Saturday puzzles, although it may have been a wavelength thing rather than actual difficulty.

    Favourites 2d, 5d and 19d.

    Thanks to CS and NYDK.

  29. Long steady slog but got there in the end. Don’t know why we made such heavy weather of it since all the clues were fair. Oh well…

  30. Some new words to learn along the way, but at least I remembered 9a, but then failed to figure out 4d, despite living here. Was fixated on a different exciting talk for ages. So can’t claim to have found this as gentle as most above. Thanks to NYDK and CS. Here in SE Florida we have again escaped the horrendous effects of a major hurricane. Listening to the radio this morning, Dekle Beach, on the east coast of Florida was hit badly, the third time in a year. The town’s mill recently closed, so people there have lost their jobs and their homes. My heart goes out to them.

    1. Many people have won the prize so there are really no myths involved. However one of our number refuses to believe it exists, no matter how many times Daisygirl uploads a picture of one of the ones she has won

  32. This morning, my body woke but my brain apparently carried on sleeping as I had a lot of trouble deciphering some of the clues. I didn’t help myself by putting the wrong answer in 29A which made 16D hard work.

    I got there in the end though and shall await the arrival of the mythical. Sorry SC! 15A is my favourite and produced a wry smile.

    ****/*** Thanks to NYDK and CS.

  33. Thank you NYDK — lots of fun clues in here And thank you CrypticSue, for assistance in getting the last few, after I came to a standstill.

    18a’s spirit, 5d’s bye, and 17d’s musical phrase were all new to me. And I still don’t understand 4d, so will try to remember to ask on Friday.

    I particularly liked the 16d rescued politician and 4d for the drink not being any of the ones that setters usually serve us.

  34. I found this one trickier than a usual Saturday , and more difficult than yesterday’s, and in hindsight not sure why. A couple of new words to add to my vocabulary including 18a which I was very slow to parse 🙄 but the word does ring a faint bell. Never heard of 5d so that is a real new one for me. Thanks NYDK and CS.

  35. Rather enjoyed this challenge and was pleased to solve unaided.

    4d involved a new word for me and was my LOI. 17d and 23d where also new to me.

    Kicked myself when the penny dropped on 7d.

    Thanks to all.

  36. I had trouble with this as I was busy and this one needed more time than I had, this was a pity as it was very clever. There were some new words to me and I needed hints to get going on a couple but I am pleased that I almost got there.

    Many thanks to NYDK and to CS for the hints

  37. I wont be Banking on 15a as COD. but dont Bank on it. Thats the wrong sense. Not strictly the correct synonym in my professional experience.
    23d beautiful.
    And I confess ignorance.. didnt know 18a. But it fitted. Thats about the quickest Ive ever done a Saturday.. [** Redacted **] … chuffed.

  38. Late to comment as usual and just to say 4d and 10a gave away the identity of our compiler. A very good puzzle thank you!

  39. Very late I know but can anyone please put me out of my misery on 27/20a please? I feel very stupid.

  40. Don’t feel stupid, DT. We all have these moments.

    Sandy is a diminutive of both a nine letter male and nine letter female name.[redacted]

    Hopefully, that is what you were referring to. Apologies if not.

    I also apologise to CS if my comment merits the naughty step.

    1. Naughty or not that’s marvellous! I really had no idea. Never realised that Sandy was a diminutive of anything! I can sleep easily now. Thanks again

      1. A pleasure

        It’s [redacted] I know we are nearly at the closing date but the red instructions still apply until Friday morning

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