Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30762
Hints and tips by Smylers
Monday’s cryptic crosswords are often more beginner-friendly than those later in the week. If you’re stuck on a clue, or have the answer but don’t know why, the hints below are intended to help, with the definition part of each underlined. Press on the like that! to see the answer.
Do leave a comment below saying how you found today’s puzzle. Comments are especially welcome from those new here or who haven’t commented before. See the etiquette guide if you’re unsure.
Across
1a Heads of business events arrive in suit (6)
BECOME Start with the first letters (‘heads’), of ‘business’ and ‘events’, and follow with another word for ‘arrive’. The answer is a verb.
4a Enchantress, in coat of suede and diamonds, getting changed (8)
SWITCHED The enchantress we want is one often associated with Halloween. Wrap her in the outside letters (‘coat’) of ‘suede’, and end with the abbreviation for diamonds in card games.
9a Wager ultimately losing? Proceed at a slow pace (6)
GAMBLE Start with the ultimate letter of ‘losing’, and follow with a word meaning to walk without hurrying.
10a Drains colour from sandy areas around lake (8)
BLEACHES Think where you’d go to find some sand, in the plural, and stick the abbreviation for lake inside.
11a Role madam plays in sensational story (9)
MELODRAMA Create an exaggerateed theatrical genre popular in Victorian times by playing with the letters of the first 2 words.
13a Filled with love, His Majesty King Edward is Mrs Simpson’s husband (5)
HOMER Take the abbreviation for His Majesty and insert the usual letter indicating love into it, then follow that with the letters used to indicate King Edward in his regnal cypher, to create the first name of a very different Mr Simpson.
14a Might you find old-fashioned drinkers here? (8,5)
COCKTAIL PARTY You need to know what an old fashioned is as a noun, a term which the two dictionaries I checked both label as North American (but I don’t think there is a separate British term for it; it’s just not often encountered in the UK). Then think of places you might encounter it, and choose the one that fits the enumeration.
17a Grilling gratin with roe on it, surprisingly (13)
INTERROGATION Suprise the words ‘gratin’ and ‘roe on it’ by rearranging them to spell the kind of grilling done to find out information.
21a Pattern of female and one male cat from the east (5)
MOTIF Starting in the easternmost square for writing this answer and proceeding westwards, write the abbreviation for female, the letter that indicates 1 in Roman numerals, and the term for a male cat.
23a Determined sibling enters where campers are (9)
INSISTENT Put a 3-letter abbreviation for a sibling into a 2,4 phrase describing where somebody is when they are camping.
24a Pass on motorway during journey (8)
TRANSMIT Insert the single-letter that indicates a motorway into a journey, for instance one describing the passage of goods to their destination. Note the ‘on’ is part of the definition.
25a Kind of rock, somewhat kitsch, is tacky (6)
SCHIST Lurking somewhere in the last 3 words are 6 consecutive letters which are pronouncable, plausibly could be a word, and indeed when looked up in Chambers does turn out to be a kind of rock. Kudos to anybody who already knew that.
26a Occasionally groovy celebrities favouring Charles? (8)
ROYALIST Start with alternating letters of ‘groovy’; you have two options, so go for the one that seems more promising for creating a word relating to people of whom Charles is the current instance. Follow that with a 1-4 term used to describe the most famous celebrities.
27a Wise person probing American customs (6)
USAGES Separate the 2 letters of an abbreviation indicating ‘American’, and into them insert a word meaning a wise person.
Down
1d Large adult gets possessive, having multiple partners (6)
BIGAMY Write in sequence a word meaning large, the letter that indicates adult (or, at least, that used to indicate a film suitable for an adult audience, in a classification system abolished over 40 years ago), and a word that grammatically is a possessive.
2d Company representative: legit or involved in crime? (9)
COMPLICIT Start with the abbreviation for ‘company’, then the abbreviation for a politician who represents the public, and end with another term for legit.
3d Tuneful Sporty Spice keeping marriage vow up (7)
MELODIC We need another name for the singer known as Sporty Spice, in the form of her first name and last initial, and also a 1,2 phrase stereotypically said by couples in a wedding service (though in the Church of England, at least, a different 1,4 phrase is used). Turn the phrase so it’s facing upwards, and insert it between the parts of the singer’s name.
5d Harry and William’s undomesticated beasts (4,7)
WILD ANIMALS There are no princes in this clue! ‘Harry’ here is a verb, meaning to damage the following 2 words (including the possessive S), leaving their letters in a different order.
6d Peculiar haste over work in cafe (3,4)
TEA SHOP Put the letters of ‘haste’ in a peculiar order, and follow with the usual musical work.
7d Boring house husband? I’m not sure (2-3)
HO-HUM Write in turn the abbreviation for ‘house’, the abbreviation for ‘husband’, and a sound of hesitation somebody might make when they aren’t sure about something.
8d Ruins of French ship around city of Paris (8)
DESTROYS Start with a French word for ‘of’, then put the usual ship around a city. Paris here refers to the Greek mythological figure, so it’s a city associated with him we need. Together that gives ‘ruins’ as a verb.
12d Writer is entertaining match officials (11)
AUTHORITIES Start with a writer of, say, a book. We then want a 3-letter word that’s sometimes used to mean a match (for instance, in the FA cup — a meaning that always seems needlessly confusing to me, sounding like the match has already happened with a specific result) inserted into the letters of ‘is’.
15d Providing cooked dinner consumed by Reginald (9)
RENDERING Put a short version of ‘Reginald’ around the letters of ‘dinner’ after they’ve been cooked into a different order.
16d The Circle Line? Dear me, it needs renovating! (8)
DIAMETER Renovate the letters of the preceeding 3 words to make one of the lines found on a circle in geometry. Ignore the capitalization.
18d Rejection of a lot of rubbish by a student (7)
REFUSAL Think of a word meaning ‘rubbish’ and take a lot of it — all of it except its last letter, in fact. Follow with the ‘a’ from the clue and the single-letter used to indicate a student of driving.
19d Maybe flies home with the Amish and the Quakers? (7)
INSECTS Start with the usual word meaning (at) home, followed by a term which could describe religious groups such as those mentioned. The answer is something that flies are an example of.
20d European leaves e.g. Donatello’s works standing (6)
STATUS Donatello here isn’t an example of a turtle. We need the actual Donatello, and what his works are examples of. The letter indicating European then leaves those works to give the answer.
22d Yes-man‘s publicity plugging plaything (5)
TOADY Get something that children play with and plug a type of publicity into it.
Quick Crossword Pun
The first 3 clues in today’s Quick Crossword are italicized, indicating that their answers when read aloud together can be made to sound like another word or phrase. If you can’t get it, here are the answers and the pun:
PIECE + MAY + CUR = peacemaker
Hello. I’m as surprised as anybody to find it’s me here today — but here I am. Let’s have some walk-on music:
Thank you to Falcon for covering last week, when we were on a family holiday in Northumberland. Yes, I somehow required a supply blogger before I’d even hinted a single crossword; do try not to read too much into that …
To mark my first hints, I’d like to pay tribute to Falcon (who will be back next week; we’ll alternate), the recently-retired Pommers, and all my predecessors in this Monday slot: it’s where I learnt so much about cryptic crosswords, and without you I wouldn’t be able to solve them, let alone hint them for others. Thank you so much.
Apologies to fans of pictures and accurate ratings. I will get to those in future weeks — once I’ve got the hang of writing hints without making myself late for work! I’ve no idea how long the puzzle took me to solve compared to usual, because writing hints as I went made it way longer (but obviously that really shouldn’t apply to the rest of you). And also because I’m saving time by writing this paragraph the evening before, so as I type this I haven’t even seen the crossword yet. My favourite clue is whichever one has the fewest characters in its hint above!
Do comment below if anything is either wrong or unclear, and if you’ve said 3d’s phrase in a marriage service. Cheers.
Another great start to the week with just the right amount of brain exercise needed. A steady solve with ticks all over the paper. With 1a I went through each card suit until the penny finally dropped. Do the events at 14a no longer happen? We seemed to have them on a regular basis when I was in the RAF. I have not heard of 25a but it was quite gettable. I suspect it might end up on The List after Terence’s committee have had a discussion. My COTD is 19d with its Amish and Quakers.
Thank you, setter (Robyn?) for the fun. Thank you, Smylers for the hints and welcome to the blogging chair. I wish you all the best – a great start. 👍
No gossip at the village shop this morning because it had been burgled. They took all the cigarettes, threw all the eggs on the floor and trampled over them.
Hi Steve. 14a ‘Old fashioned’ is the name of something apparently . I too had assumed the same as you.
Well, one lives and learns! Thank you, JM. 👍
A delicious something, too. Rye whisky, sugar, and bitters served with a curl of orange peel. Mmmm.
.. rye whisky best used for cleaning paint brushes in my humble Scottish option🤣
Apart from that a good start to the week. Didn’t need any hints but I liked Smylers style .. sometimes .. I still can’t make head or tail of a clue even with the hints. I’m with Steve today .. cotd 19d… which was my last in.
That’s why you need to add the sugar and the bitters. Why contaminate a perfectly good scotch?
Dare I suggest that, since the BRB ‘classifies’ the 14a libation as ‘N American’ (where’s RD when you need him?) your use of whisky should be whiskey. :-)
It makes sense that people north of Hadrian’s Wall spell whisky without an E (for England).
If we’re going to be pedantic I’ll refresh my earlier comment .. whiskey (to note spelling) is only good for cleaning paint brushes. Although to be be fair there is one notable exception Bushmills from County Antrim .. but I’ve yet to encounter one from across the pond that didn’t deserve dillution in Coca Cola 🤮
Sorry your village shop has been burgled. A fabulous house here (called Barn Drift) which sleeps 16 and has an amazing aircraft hanger – google it. Some lunatic broke into it last week and didn’t take anything but just smashed everything in sight. It really is a wonderful place and this was so tragic – mindless.
I’ve just looked it up, Manders. What a fabulous place. Why on earth would anyone want to trash it?
Not the easiest Monday by any stretch – took me a while with a couple of helpful hints. I thought 5d very clever.
A hearty welcome to our new blogger, Smylers, who’s started with a top-notch review. Thanks to him and also to today’s setter who has given us a friendly and enjoyable puzzle.
I particularly liked 13a, 14a and 8d.
Welcome to the blogging team
By recent standards for a Monday puzzle, it took me longer than usual to ‘get going’ but once I did it was ‘off to the races’ – 2*/3.5*
Candidates for favourite – 14a, 23a, and 16d – and the winner is 14a.
Thanks to Robyn and thanks to Smylers – welcome to the blogging side of the blog.
Solid fare from our Monday master.
Lots of great surfaces with nicely constructed clues. Any setter who uses the word groovy gets my vote. I love 7d as an expression meaning ‘Oh well’.
My podium is 5d, 12d and 16d.
Many thanks to Robyn and bravo to the tyro Smylers! An excellent opening knock.
1*/4*
For me, for once, I was completely on the setter’s wavelength and breezed through this in near-record time. Lots of fun while it lasted, but alas it was over too soon. */****. Thanks to the setter and welcome aboard Smylers!
Another sweet little Monday number. I (like many, I imagine) had never heard of 25a, but it couldn’t have been clearer. Big ticks for 13a, 3d and 8d. A lovely spot at 5d too. Many thanks to our setter and Smylers. Welcome to the party. “Accurate ratings”? What on earth are they?!
Nice one Smylers. I see the Monday blogging chair is in good hands!
Thanks, Pommers. Kind of you to say so; I hope your increased pleasure in not doing this any more is greater than my increased nervousness in doing it!
When I mentioned to Spouse over breakfast that I’d written today’s hints, their concerned response was: “But what are you going to do when you need a hint if you’re the one writing them?” A fair question, but not exactly a confidence boost!
I never had to do it, as far as I remember, for a back page puzzle but if you get really stuck just email the other bloggers. I did once on a Toughie and Gazza came up trumps in about 2 minutes!
Anyway, that was a great debut and the nerves do go away eventually!
I didn’t realise you had stepped down Pommers. Just wanted to say thank you , always enjoyed your blogs. you are a stalwart of BD
And good luck to Smylers, though i don’t think you need it
Gazza has been my saviour on a few occasions too, but as you now have our email addresses I am sure any of your fellow bloggers will help if needed
Yes, support is provided to bloggers. Sorry, I should’ve been clearer: I meant it was a reasonable question from Spouse’s point of view (I already knew the answer). It just amused me that of all the things Spouse could have said, their immediate reaction was to ask that.
A very warm welcome to Smylers from the Beehive
Thanks to the setter (must be Robyn as he has set the Cross Atlantic today in his “real” name)
Working out where the old-fashioned was consumed took the longest but a fine start to the crossword week and a finer start to blogging from Smylers
Thank you. Same here with the old-fashioned: I wrote in the first word straight away, but left the second blank while trying to think of a word that wasn’t ‘bar’.
A nice start to the week with this puzzle. There was plenty to like, particularly 2d, 19d and 8d. I also looked up the word in 25a, which couldn’t be anything else, but a new one on me. Thank you to the new Blogger for the hints, and to the setter.
An enjoyable if brief Monday puzzle, with plenty of wit and cleverness throughout, taken form N to S with no hold-ups. Honours Board for me comprised 8d, 13a & 23a. Many thanks to the setter, presumably Robyn.
Welcome and many thanks to Smylers both for slipping so seamlessly into the Monday chair and at the same time filling Pommers’ boots so well, from that seated position! A blogger who puts some Kraftwerk into my morning is clearly of considerable class and taste. As instructed, I had better smile & I shall.
Gosh, I thought this was going to be a really tough Monday with nothing in the NW, but with a few checkers in place, the whole thing resolved itself in normal breakfast time!
2&5d are joint faves (Sorry purists)!
Many thanks to the setter and a hearty welcome to our new Monday blogger, well done!
Sorry Mustafa, no idea how this became a reply…finger trouble, I suppose🤔
No apology required, but in the circumstances ALP has a clue just for you in the Rookie’s Corner puzzle!
It’s well worth tackling. IMV quite a challenge, and really rather good, but please don’t tell ALP I’ve said so …. ;)
Nice one, Smylers, and a warm welcome to the Monday hot seat. All the best for an enjoyable future in the role.
This was certainly a very comfortable first puzzle to blog, I imagine, with not too many brain-manglers to slow up the solving process. Good fun though, with 16d my favourite.
Thanks again to Smylers and to our setter.
A gentle start to the week – always good to get confidence back. I worry one day I’ll get dementia ! 25a was a new word for me , and I wasn’t aware of the old fashioned thing in 14a . Always good to learn. Thanks to the setter and thanks and well done Smylers for your inaugural blog.
A lovely start to the week.
Top picks for me were 13a, 3d and 5d.
The rock was a new one for me, I doubt I’ll remember it.
Thanks and a very warm welcome to Smylers and thank you to the setter for starting me off for the week with a smile.
A fine debut in the blogging chair, Smylers, many thanks for agreeing to step into pommers’ shoes.
Found this to be a typical Monday puzzle from Robyn, some easy ones peppered with a few teasers that demanded rather more attention. Biggest ticks here went to 5&8d.
Thanks to Robyn and to Smylers for the review.
A very enjoyable puzzle; you’ve made Monday mornings both a pleasure and a warm-up for the harder cryptics in the following days. I needed Smylers’ parsing of 5d – very good – even though I’d guessed the answer. Favourite was 8d
You’ve expanded your alias since your previous comment (in 2021). Both versions will work from now on.
Sorry about that. I had forgotten my earlier comment, as I sit in too much awe of you giants of cruciverbalism to venture my own opinions, but today’s puzzle was so pleasant that I could no longer contain myself.
Please don’t contain yourself anymore, PP. All the more the merrier! 👍
Having tried to work Amiss into 12d , I was stumped and with “old fashioned ” throwing me I had to resort to looking at the hint for 12 . It’s a while since I’ve had to do this on a Monday so It took longer than normal. Apart from that it was a great solve and a relaxing start to the week. COTD 12d
Thanks to all.
I worried away with ‘Amiss’ too, before realising it only had one ‘s’ and didn’t fit the checkers! My last one in.
Cracking Monday fare from Robyn and welcome to Smylers to the blogging team. I needed your help to parse 5d, otherwise apart from the odd head scratch all went smoothly. My podium comprises 13a for the misdirection, 12d and 5d in top spot. Thanks to Robyn and Smylers.
Amongst the compilers
I like Robyn’s guile, as
It’s welcome to Smylers.
The clue with the crown
Is number five down.
Neat. 😊
Hey — thanks, Pip!
Welcome to the blogging team, Smylers. Looking forward to working with you on the Monday puzzles.
Thanks for your welcome. And as a bonus, I know have a way of remembering which bin to put out: recycling on Mondays that I’ve written the blog, and landfill on your Mondays!
Another excellent Monday offering if slightly tougher than usual, but just as enjoyable as Robyn’s (?) puzzles always are.
13a COTD for me.
Thanks to Robyn and congratulations to Smylers
Took a while to get off the mark but then it was a smooth ride to the finish with just 25a stumping me but was reassured to see I am not alone in that ignorance! Setters’ continuing search to outdo on the anagram front meant harry in 5d didn’t ring a bell but I did bung that in early on and likewise 13a as I know nothing of that Mrs. Simpson. 3 besties (16d, 19d and 20d) contributed to a gentle home run. Thank you Robyn and a warm welcome to you Smylers to whom congrats on a fine start in the hinting chair – look forward to your future input.
When I started this I thought it was going to be a tricky one, despite it being a Monday, but the answers gradually fell into place and I found it very enjoyable. Thanks to setter and hinter.
I think Jane said what I want to say – but I shall still add my two penn’orth. 5d was a wily one and I laughed when I fell into MrsSimpson’s husband. My mother used to enjoy an Old Fashioned so I knew that, but 12d was the one for which I needed Smyler’s help as I couldn’t stop thinking of wedding matches. I also thought the city of Paris was nicely misleading though we have had it before I think. Many thanks to our Setter and congratulations to Smyler on his promotion? Do you get a pay rise? 🤭 I am trying to work out a second pun in the quickie.
Looking forward to an old fashioned, with or without a 14a!
I thought this Monday offering was a little more tricky than a normal Monday puzzle today. One word in the SE I have never heard of either.
Lastly several clues I could not parse today and that is not normal for a Monday either.
2*/3.5* for me
Favourites 4a, 10a, 24a, 5d & 19d — with winner 19d
Smiles from 23a, 7d, & 16d
Thanks to setter & Smylers
A tale of two halves. The bottom a really good puzzle but the top was tricky esp my last in 12d which was beyond me with complex wordplay out of place in a Monday puzzle.
Rather spoilt an otherwise pleasant offering.
***/***
Thx for the hints
We are all different. 12d was a gimme. Writer = author
Match = tie
Is in The clue and surrounds tie.
Very enjoyable puzzle and an excellent blog from Smylers. Thanks and welcome to him and thanks to the setter.
19d a clear winner of the day bya furlong.
Thoroughly enjoyable guzzle today so thanks to all, especially Smylers for the terrific blog.
Late in the day comment and I haven’t read any above so if it has been said before forgive me. A pleasant */*** Monday exercise I thought with 3,8 and 20d being my favourites and the middle one my COTD. Fell running in Cumbria this week and this exercise was far less painful! Thanks Smylers and the setter.
Sorry to hear of your fall and hope the painful result will quickly resolve.
Did you fall or were you fell running, NAS? If the former, I hope you soon recover.
Good Monday fun
2*/4*
The 5d anagram indicator I thought a touch strange. Joint favs 1d and the old fashioned party.
With thanks to the new blogger and Monday setter.
An enjoyable and straightforward solve.
“Old-fashioned” as a noun was unknown to me, but as Chambers says it is an Americanism, I will forgive myself and no doubt forget it.
CoD to 5d – I loved it!
A hearty welcome to the blogging team to Smylers – it is great to have you on board.
Thanks and well done to Smylers on a great “batch” of first hints! I hope you enjoy being the ‘hinty’ person as much as I did – I still miss it but my blasted brain won’t cope reliably.
I really enjoyed today’s crossword.
Like others I’d never ‘met’ 28a and for no reason I was slow with 14a.
Everyone (or lots of people anyway) liked 13a but having never watched it I was lost with it.
I particularly liked 11 and 26a and 2 and 19d. My favourite was 5d.
Thanks to Robyn and to Smylers too.
Smooth puzzle today – looking forward to many more future Smylers blogs.
Very enjoyable and just right for Monday, I knew 14a but had not heard of 25a, just as well it was a lurker! 5 d was my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and well done to Smylers on your promotion and an excellent first blog.
2*/4*. This provided a light but very pleasant reintroduction to the world of cryptic crosswords after a relaxing holiday in the sun.
My one qualm was 14a. It is very un-Robyn-like to use an unindicated Americanism.
25a was a new word for me but very fairly clued.
With plenty of ticks to choose from, 13a gets my vote as favourite.
Many thanks to Robyn (?). Thanks too to Smylers for his excellent debut in the blogging chair.
Great little start to the week, one of my quicker solves (well it is Monday). Thanks for an enjoyable puzzle, setter and all the parsing work Smyler, I’m sure I shall need you another day!
Fine start to the week 😃 ***/**** Favourites 3d, 19d and 20d 👍 25a was a new word for me, thank goodness it was lurking😳 Thanks to Robyn for another nice start to the week and welcome and well played to Smylers
An enjoyable puzzle to start the week but after checking the hints when I had finished I discovered that I had 2 wrong answers! For 2d I had ‘compliant’ which gave me an A as the starter letter for 14a. After much head-scratching I put ‘aesthetic’! I really couldn’t think of anything else. Oh dear!
Many thanks to the setter and congratulations to Smylers upon your blogging debut. Excellent work!
Good evening.
First of all, welcome Smylers, and thanks for your hints and tips today.
Well pitched for a Monday; some nice pieces of misdirection, and one addition to the stock of GK with the last to fall, 25a, which I correctly intuited and had to look up.
13a and 5d tie for COTD.
Many thanks to today’s setter.
No hold ups for me today, I’m hoping that will continue for the rest of the week. The enjoyment level was as high as the difficulty level was low. Favourite was 8d. Thanks to the setter and Smylers, welcome.
The rock was my first one in but having spent many happy days climbing vertical lumps of rock, it was a bit of a gimme!
I’ve never watched Mrs Simpson or her husband but it did make me smile.
Thanks Smylers for a great first blog and also to the setter for the Monday fun.
For anyone who did not know the rock in 25a, watch this and you will never forget it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPnMCpaSKAw
Brilliant — thanks, Michael.
But setters, please don’t now start putting ‘micaceous’ in crosswords. Thank you.
I really enjoyed this one. Great fun. I didn’t like 7d at all though. Should have got 8d sooner and thought 13a was very odd but was one of those rolling eyes moments when I did get it. My favourite was 16d though. Many thanks to all concerned.
A dnf due to both 8d and 12d. I didn’t have a classical education, so had no idea who Paris was, let alone where she is from.
12d was way beyond my feeble brain.
Another who had not heard of the drink in 14a. I didn’t think cocktail parties were a thing any more, so the clue made sense to me without knowledge of the drink. The drink sounds disgusting too. The rare occasions I drink whiskey, it has to be neat.
Thanks to all.
Thanks for commenting, Bananawarp. I only know who Paris is from being mentioned in an episode of Poirot — does that count as a classical education?
Haha, maybe I need to watch more tele rather than worry about my education…
Great job today too Smylers!
Maybe I’ll do more Mondays. Straight run through for a change. Very encouraging
Terrific debut blog Smylers – like a duck to water…. Welcome aboard
The usual very enjoyable fare, from Robyn presumably following his excellent puzzle in yesterday’s Toughie slot. The old-fashioned rang a bell but wouldn’t have remembered how to mix one. Never heard of the rock on the other hand which required confirmation from Mr G. No probs elsewhere with 13a my fav.
Thanks both.
Ps unlike Pommers I’m regularly stumped as to how to hint a clue (or get it wrong) – as John says, help always available if required.
Yep, what Huntsman said. I would just add (and he may not thank me saying so!) but, if you’re ever blog-stuck at midnight, Mr K (with his time difference) is essentially the fourth emergency service. He certainly dug me out of an almighty hole at silly o’clock once!
Well done Smylers, an excellent first blog.
It’s nearly 16 hours since I did the crossword so I’m struggling to remember much about it. I do recall 5D tickling my fancy, so I’ll give that one top spot.
**/*** Thanks to Robyn? and Smylers.
2*/4* …..
liked 16D “The Circle Line ? Dear me, it needs renovating ! (8)”