Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30766
Hints and tips by Mr K
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BD Rating - Difficulty **** - Enjoyment **
Hello, everyone. This puzzle has a fair bit of clever and intricate wordplay enabled by some interesting surfaces, and if that’s your thing I expect that you enjoyed it.
In the hints below most indicators are italicized, and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions. Clicking on the answer buttons will reveal the answers. In some hints hyperlinks provide additional explanation or background. Clicking on a picture will enlarge it or display a bonus illustration and a hover (computer) or long press (mobile) might explain more about the picture. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.
Across
1a Individual tango lesson's included (6)
MORTAL: A lesson, perhaps delivered by fable, has the letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by tango inserted (… has included)
4a A selection from delicatessens I blended to be practical (8)
SENSIBLE: The answer is hidden in (a selection from … to be) DELICATESSENS I BLENDED
9a One's sent flying by a competitor (6)
DISCUS: A cryptic definition of a flying object launched by an athlete
10a This inferior crew will lose face in the East End (4,4)
BOAT RACE: The answer is rhyming slang (in the East End) for “face”. The inferior crew competing in the answer will indeed lose
12a Prepared canapes with posh filling in this? (8)
SAUCEPAN: The wordplay directs us to an anagram (prepared) of CANAPES with the single letter meaning posh inserted (with posh filling). The whole clue can serve as a definition
13a Documents journalists' output (6)
PAPERS: A straightforward double definition
15a Where shepherds watched their flock by night, as far as one can see (5,2,6)
FIELD OF VISION: The straight definition at the end literally means as far (in the transverse dimension) as one can see. If the cryptic definition at the start isn’t clear, note that the relevant biblical verse is “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them …”
18a Dearest darling, say dinner's ending with love, love! (5,8)
SWEET NOTHINGS: The course served at the end of a dinner with the plural of a synonym of love as a tennis score. The definition is by example (say)
20a Complete depression, dreadful daughter won't open up repeatedly (6)
ENTIRE: Join a word for a depression in a sheet of metal and a synonym of dreadful, both minus the genealogical abbreviation for daughter that’s found at the start of each word (daughter won’t open up) [d]ENT + [d]IRE
22a Foul! Deflected volley - French one ahead (8)
UNLOVELY: An anagram (deflected) of VOLLEY comes after “one” in French
24a Quite salty ultimately, bottle offering Oriental taste (3,5)
SOY SAUCE: Link together another word for quite, the final letter (ultimately) of SALTY, and bottle or cheek
25a I'll net wriggling thing for soup (6)
LENTIL: An anagram (wriggling) of I’LL NET
26a I'm reflecting, suppressed, taking time with repeated hesitations (8)
DITHERER: The wordplay directs us to assemble the reversal (reflecting) of suppressed or made invisible containing (taking) the physics symbol for time, and two copies (repeated) of a short word used as hesitation in speech. The whole clue can serve as a definition The reversal of HTID (HID=suppressed, containing T[ime]) + ER + ER
27a Not fully roadworthy bridge crossing two things (6)
HYBRID: The answer is hidden inside (not fully … ) ROADWORTHY BRIDGE
Down
1d First sign of table manners, sitting higher, being demure (6)
MODEST: The initial letter of (first sign of) TABLE is preceded by (… sitting higher, in a down clue) of manners or methods
2d Running flush with free change of cards? (9)
RESHUFFLE: An anagram (running) of FLUSH FREE
3d A writer's inspiration: soldiers set upon sailor, rascal going to Spain for seaside fun (9,6)
AMUSEMENT ARCADE: Concatenate A from the clue, a writer’s or artist’s inspiration, another word for soldiers, one of the usual words for sailor, a dated synonym of rascal, and the IVR code for Spain A + MUSE + MEN + TAR + CAD + E
5d Love is painful when it's over (4)
EROS: The reversal (when it’s over) of painful or hurting
6d My inside-out coat would be funny in this (9,6)
SITUATION COMEDY: The wordplay directs us to an anagram (would be funny) of MY INSIDE-OUT COAT. The whole clue can serve as a definition
7d Roar subdued by black bear (5)
BRAVE: Roar or rant comes after (subdued by, in a down clue) the pencil abbreviation for black
8d Service all the same, banged down the middle (8)
EVENSONG: A (4,2) phrase meaning “all the same” is followed by the central letters (down the middle) of BANGED EVEN SO + [ba]NG[ed]
11d Tired of circle that's taken over squat (4,3)
LAID LOW: The reversal (that’s taken over) of a circle that might be the face of a clock is followed by squat or not high
14d Cavalier turned to get round of applause (7)
OFFHAND: Turned or rotten with a round of applause
16d Maybe cricket nets beginning to produce gold for test specialist (9)
INSPECTOR: What cricket defines by example (maybe) contains (nets) the beginning letter to PRODUCE, and that’s all followed by the heraldic word for gold
17d Fools rushed to leave Portugal and checked out (8)
ASSESSED: Another word for fools is followed by a word meaning rushed or went fast minus (to leave) the IVR code for Portugal ASSES (fools) + SPED (rushed) – P (Portugal)
19d One can't see a thing when it's fully visible (6)
EYELID: A cryptic definition of a feature on your face
21d Go to crush street meeting (5)
TRYST: A go or attempt is followed by (to crush, in a down clue) the map abbreviation for street
23d One's full of hot desire (4)
ACHE: The playing card that’s a one containing (…’s full of) the single letter for hot
Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: WILDE + FLOUR + CEDES = WILDFLOWER SEEDS
Despite solving a few without really understanding why, I found today’s offering very enjoyable. It took ages for me to get 8d because whenever I see the word “service” I always think of waiters, valets and housemaids and not the other kind of service. The lurker at 27a was well hidden and 3d was a delight. However, my COTD is 15a with its flock watching shepherds.
Thank you, setter for the challenge. Thank you, Mr. K for the hints..
When I see ‘service’ I automatically think of tennis.
Ah yes, that as well but rarely the ecclesiastical sort.
Ah, but I played doubles with a vicar once, so it reminds me of that as well.
(We lost, he was absolutely rubbish!)
In this case you can immediately discount tennis, I think, given the 99.99% likelihood that the setter used ‘banged down the middle’ to mislead you!
And when it’s in a crossword I think of tree! Mainly because I’ve been caught out by it many times!
What a brilliant end to the week, this had a bit of everything, especially wit and entertainment, which I think we all look for, and frankly has been a bit absent in a couple of puzzles earlier on.
Will have to see the hints to see how 7d works (if indeed I’ve got the right answer!)
but the rest was pure genius.
So many super clues to choose from, but my two of the day will have to be all the 13 and 15 letter ones (I’m sure there’s a clever equation somewhere to make that work)
Many thanks to our setter today, a real beaut.
Nope, got 7d wrong.
Me too. I had brace with race being roar. They roared along, they raced along.
I had ‘blaze’ as in fire, a pure guess.
Wot, no pusskits?
Brilliant pic, Steve, quite made my day!
Ouch, that was tough! A 5-to-go, did-not-finish with the NE corner proving particularly troublesome even with all the checkers. Didn’t help that I was completely unaware of the rhyming slang. Let’s just say I’m looking forward to Monday :)
One of those puzzles where I parsed more answers after guessing the definition and solving, rather than before. Faves were 2d and 8d for the mirror-smooth surfaces. *****/***
Mr K’s intro tickled me. Superbly dry and impossible to disagree. This was certainly very Friday and it took a moment to get on message. Some clever-clever construction here – 20a’s whip-smart. I’m not quite sure whether to love or hate 15a with its biblical GK that took an age to dredge up. I enjoyed 3d’s Lego but what on earth is that surface all about? Still, this was highly entertaining. Many thanks to our setter and Mr K.
Hi, I found this very enjoyable and it had some of the humour that has been missing during the early part of the week. COTD for me is 15a closely followed by 19d. It may just be me but I think a fairer version of 1a would be,”Individual lessons tango included”, I do understand the significance of the apostrophe. Also 17d for me would have worked better for me as,” Fools rushed Portugal left and checked out”.
On a separate note it appears that it is possible to join this conversation before the hints appear. As I live in Bangkok and I am 6 hours ahead of most of you on a good day I would like to leave my comments before the blog is open is this possible?
Hi, Tyke. I don’t think it is possible to leave comments on a blogpost that doesn’t yet exist. Maybe type your thoughts in something else and have them ready to paste once the hints have appeared?
Your suggested rewording of 1a would be good for a plural answer, to allow for the ‘s’ in lessons, but I don’t think would work for the word in today’s grid. And for 17d, your word order makes the cryptic instructions clearer, but the surface reading then sounds unnatural.
Point taken. I obviously didn’t fully think through my suggested ammendment, however the point I was trying to make was that the indication of an insertion was weak. I will refrain in future from suggesting alternatives.
With regards to my ability to comment on the blog; I assumed from several comments from participants who refer to their experience of the puzzle and then say they will look at the hints, that the hints were not available when they posted their comments. I obviously assumed incorrectly. The issue I have is that as I start my day at 4.00 a.m. Bangkok time, I retire early and I am often in the land of nod when the blog appears.
There was, as Mr K said, a lot of intricate wordplay and aimecunusual surface reads in today’s guzzle. It was alk a bit fiddly for my taste. However I did enjoy the superb lurkers at 27a and 4a, the cryptic definition at 9a and the misdirection at 8d. Thanks to the compiler for an interesting, if rarher long-winded amsolve abnd to Mr K for the hints, which I shall now read to solve my parsingcissues
I thought I was going to struggle with this one, but it all came together nicely, despite a couple of iffy surfaces. These were more than offset by some excellent clues, including my favourite, 15a. Great fun.
Many thanks to our setter and Mr K.
I raced through a lot of this but took forever to get the last three, being 1a, 7d and 11d.
I liked the rowers but thought the surface read at 3d was very strange indeed.
Thank you setter and Mr K.
A real grind today and parsing followed solving for quite a few. Some very clever clues but others were too clever by half for my tired Friday brain. Belongs in the Toughies.
‘Interesting surfaces’ – how polite Mr K, I must try to remember that one!
Favourite by a mile was 15a, a lot of ‘hmms’ elsewhere.
Thanks to Zandio, I presume, and to Mr K for the review. Off now to construct posh canapes in a 12a…………..
Quite a challenge, even for a Friday. I am not sure that the setter is a member of the Friday Triumvirate but if he is then Zandio is the most likely candidate. 3.5*/3.5*
Candidates for favourite – 13a, 24a, 3d, and 16d – and the winner is one of the best Lego clues ever 3d.
Thanks to whomsoever and Mr K.
A lot to like here, and many good surfaces. Solved largely from the outsides in, but ending with a couple in the middle/NE. Quite a challenge, certainly. Was not entirely convinced by 11a (a good surface & instructions in search of a better answer, IMV) while the convoluted 3d needed a ? or ‘say’ or something to suggest the location of the ‘fun’ is just an example… there appear to be as many of these dreary, ruinous, addictive wastes of high street space in cities and countryside towns as there are at the seaside. OTOH COTD 20a was great, followed by 19a, 15a and 19d (even if it’s a hoary old chestnut of a clue/answer).
Many thanks to the setter and Mr K
I presumed there wasn’t a ‘say’ or question mark in 3d so that Tom doesn’t have to comment complaining about its presence?
Ha! He just needs to accept that he’s wrong on this issue… ;)
Like it, MG. Like it.
There is a place for ‘say’ and the like but, to me, they are massively overused.
A nice puzzle to end the non-work week for this Friday.
Enjoyed this one and only a couple of clues held me up, along with my own misspelling in one answer that was quickly rectified.
Definitely found this puzzle and yesterdays much more entertaining than the rest of the weeks puzzles have been, at least for me.
2*/4* for me today
Favourites include 10a, 15a, 27a, 5d & 19d — with winner 19d. This one made me smile too!
Thanks to setter & Mr K.
Even with Mr Ks explantion, 11d has left me quite confused – to me the expression has always meant ‘to be knocked out by an illness’, not just simply tired – otherwised I’d be laid low every night by about 10pm, lol. Otherwise a super puzzle with much to like and completed over breakfast. A real delight to solve. I had to chuckle at today’s Wordle – the answer is a word that nine times out of ten is my first entry, so what happened today? I entered it second. Okay, so Wordle in two is very nice, but in one would have given me something to crow about, for sure :-) :-) Thanks to today’s setter and to Mr K.
Wordle took me four, today.
Merusa, Peter and I were all Wordle in 3, so a hat trick….
Three for me too – starting as usual with adieu so ‘y’ had to be somewhere!
A Friday offering of class
But solve the answers, then you parse.
(To be pronounced by Southerners
Though Tykes may think they govern us).
So thanks to Mr Kitty
(This is an awful ditty).
And thanks to unknown setter
They seldom come much better.
Quite tricky with some intricate wordplay (which I always enjoy). Thanks to our setter and Mr K.
I ticked 20a, 27a and 16d with my favourite being 10a.
This took three bites of the cherry and then two of Mr K’s hints to get me over the finish line. This was a true Friday challenge where perseverance paid off in the end. Much to admire, but my podium comprises the anagram at 2d, 15a with 18a in top spot. Thanks to compiler and Mr K for the hints.
Another one too tough for me to get very far, but still enjoyable.
4*/2.5*. A tough mixed bag for me today.
While 3d is a clever construction, the resultant surface is gobbledegook, and there are several other “interesting” surfaces too. Also I am not convinced by the definition for 11d.
18a was fun and 15a was my runaway favourite.
Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
I liked 3d! I think the surface can be justified by a writer taking inspiration from pretty much anything.
You’re right, Mr K: as a fan of clever and intricate wordplay, I did enjoy this! 20a (“Complete depression”) and 26a (“repeated hesitations”) were particularly impressive. My favourite was the sublime watching shepherds in 15a. Thank you to Zandio for the challenge and entertainment.
Another DNF, because I needed Mr K’s hint to work out 11d. Thank you for that, and for explaining 8d where I’d parsed “all the same” as just the first 4 letters, leaving the next couple unaccounted for.
This evening I’m off to an unknown† part of Bradford for the service installing our former curate as a vicar in their new parish. I’m going to miss them, and their spouse and kids, so much — but that’s the nature of befriending curates, I suppose. Their legacy includes founding our local board game group, for which I now have partial responsibility to keep running (Wednesday evenings in a pub, Sunday afternoons in church).
† Unknown to me, I mean; I don’t think Bradford is so wild that there are parts of it still undiscovered by anybody …
A DNF for me as I had 7d wrong. Some clues which brought a smile once parsed and some which didn’t.
Top picks for me were 18a, 20a and 22a.
Thanks to Mr K and the setter.
This was a good tussle, as is to be expected on a Vendredi, with the NW holding out the longest as I couldn’t get the synonym for lesson.
I immediately got the two 15 letters jobbies which kicked things off nicely and it was a steady solve from thereon in.
3d was an excellent Lego clue but the surface didn’t quite make it over the finish line which was a shame as 14 words was a determined effort.
My podium is 20a, 27a (great lurker) and 6d which was fun.
Many thanks to the setter and Mr K
4*/4*
I rarely suggest tweaks to a clue as I don’t think it’s to be encouraged but could ‘around an upset editor’ replace ‘rascal going to Spain’?
Maybe it’s not quite right but I thought I’d give it a go
Hello, compiler here. Thanks very much for taking the time to solve, analyse and discuss. Always appreciated.
Thanks for the workout, Z. Lots of effort needed but a very satisfying solve.
I would not have guessed it was your puzzle as I seem to, (nearly always), have a hard job getting onto your wavelength.
I enjoyed this one, so thank you for that.
Thank you, Zandio for a great puzzle. I found it tough but entertaining.
I got there in the end but found it tricky and needed to use my first step of help, which is to visit the blog comments section, in order to get going again. I often find a read of the comments gives me enough of a hint to get back on track. I enjoyed the puzzle and there was much to smile about, I had 4 that I needed the hints to parse including 20a and 8d. 3d took me an age and I needed the checkers. The lurkers were well hidden and 15a was my favourite.
Many thanks to Zandio and to Mr K for the hints
A splendid Friday puzzle from Z; like last week that’s 3 top-notch cryptics on the trot from Wed – Fri. Great clues, a toughish challenge and a satisfying tussle (how often have I written that?). Favourite: 10a. 4*/4*.
I should have gone with my first inclination and saved my paper and ink. I’m not afraid to confess way above my pay grade today, but then I rarely get on the right wavelength with Zandio. Too many clues where even when I got the right answer they didn’t seem to gel. Any puzzle that needs 5 detailed explanations of the hint (thanks Mr K) seems to have lost its way to the Toughie slot, IMHO. Perhaps I would do better if I felt better, but that seems like a poor excuse. Fingers crossed for something more reasonable tomorrow. Thanks to Zandio and Mr K.
The grid completion took long enough (largely due to last in 7d) but parsing some of the blighters even longer. Got there in the end & thoroughly enjoyed the solve. I’m inclined to agree with RD re the 3d surface but there was satisfaction in sorting out the why – very Django-esque wordplay I thought. The big ticks for me were – 10,15,20&26a plus 2,6,8,16&19d. A fun puzzle.
Thanks to Zandio & to Mr K
Think I must be becoming crotchety in my old age because this didn’t entertain at all. I agree with MrK’s reservation in his opening comment as I too failed to appreciate the convoluted wordplay and in fact I had to force myself to make my way through. IMHO there were at least half a dozen clues with dubious parsings. Thank you Zandio for faithfully contributing puzzles and my apologies for my grumpiness today and thanks to MrK for your reassuring and helpful hinting.
Good evening
Having proven equal to the challenge set by the Mind of Zandio on the last four occasions, today I’ve had to hoy the sponge in and declare a DNF. For the life of me, 11d just wouldn’t come, even with Mr K’s help, and nor would 7d. I can’t quite figure out the synonym in 7d.
Then there are the solutions that I did figure out with Mr K’s assistance: 1a and 20a. 17d took ages, as did 26a.
Three clues stand out from an excellent collection: 10a and 6d take joint runners-up honours, with 3d taking COTD.
Hard work but enjoyable! Next time, I hope to be equal to the challenge once again. My thanks to Zandio and to Mr K.
I think I’d take one star off Difficulty and add it to Enjoyment.
I sometimes forget to say how much I enjoy reading all the comments, and good, bad or indifferent the crossword is always a highlight of the day.
An escaped toughie for me. Three bung ins which, happily, proved to be correct. A number of contenders for favourite but I’ll go with 8d which was a palm on forehead when I got the parsing. Thanks to Zandio for the mental beating and Mr. K.
That was very hard indeed. Lucky the rugby’s on or I’d have had to throw in the towel. Thanks for the hints (7d got me and 11d). I will read the test of the hints and hope to improve
I may have got one clue before conceding defeat. Way beyond my abilities today.
Kudos to those who got anywhere with this. You all must find the rest of the week stupidly easy…
Thanks to all.
Not at all, BW. I found Wednesday’s offering impenetrable.
I found this really hard. For years I have done the DT crossword over coffee every day, but this one took me a couple of hours, with electronic help. Maybe I’m not well.
Welcome to the blog
Welcome, Xim! I hope we hear from you again. 👍
You’re quite well. Crosswords tend to mess with the brain. One day they are kind the next they are demons!
4*/3* ….
liked 5D “Love is painful when it’s over (4)”