Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30797
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 14th December 2024
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A fairly straightforward and entertaining Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and valuable feedback.
Pied Piper, the answer to the clue of 1d, made me nostalgic as I reminisced one of those lovely childhood days of the late 1960s when I was at Joseph Day School that had classes upto Class IV only. ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ was one of the stories in ‘The Radiant Readers’, my literature book. It was in the prose form with verses in between paragraphs at some places. Although I never read that story ever again in any book after that, I could fully recall to memory once I got the answer to 1d. The town of Hamelin was once invaded by notorious rats. “They fought the dogs and killed the cats / And bit the babies the cradles.” The Mayor of the town promised a handsome reward to anybody who could rid the town of that dreaded menace. It was a Pied Piper who stepped in and guaranteed the Mayor of finishing that job. I vividly remembered that peculiar description of the Pied Piper – “His queer long coat from heel to head / Was half of yellow and half of red.” The Mayor offered to give him much more than his demand of thousand pieces of gold. Coming out, the Pied Piper set up a tune with his pipe that lured all the rats of the town out of their dwelling places into the street and they started madly to follow him, until they came to a river wherein all of them plunged and were drowned except one who could manage to swim to the other side. When the Pied Piper returned to claim his award, the Mayor went back by his promise by offering him only fifty pieces of gold. Enraged at him on hearing this, the Pied Piper came out but set a tune with his pipe once more. It was a different tune this time that attracted “All the rosy boys and girls / With rosy cheeks and flaxen curls.” The children of the town merrily followed him until they reached a mountain cave inside which the Pied Piper went along with all of them and disappeared. The lone survivor was a lame boy who could not walk as fast as the others and reach the mountain cave in time. Later, who would narrate to others his part of the event, “The music stopped and I stood still / And found myself outside a hill / Left alone against my will.” I noticed a striking dissimilarity between the two survivors. The rat survived by displaying its ability of demonstrating the feature of a true ‘sportsrat’ and managing to swim to the other side. The boy survived by displaying his inability to walk as fast as the other children actually due to his disability and not managing to enter the mountain cave. I found from the net that Pied Piper had been defined in various ways. Other than a leader who makes irresponsible promises, Merriam-Webster defined the ‘Pied Piper’ as a charismatic person who attracts followers or one that offers strong but delusive enticement. According to Wikipedia, the phrase had become a metaphor for a person who attracts a following through charisma or false promises. Collins Dictionary defined it as a person who induces others to follow or imitate him or her, especially by means of false or extravagant promises. A commentator of Reddit.com defined the ‘Pied Piper’ as a charismatic character who tempts children, or naive people in general, to follow him to their doom.
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Across
1a and 24 Across Attractive secretary and PA put it differently (6,2,1,7)
PRETTY AS A PICTURE: The definition of a phrase meaning very pretty or visually attractive is reached from an anagram (differently) of a combo of SECRETARY and PA PUT IT
6a Wife up with latest trends becomes party disciplinarian (4)
WHIP: W (wife) as the genealogical abbreviation for wife followed by (up) HIP (with latest trends) as an adjective meaning very fashionable, trendy or keenly aware of or with the latest trends guides to the definition of a party disciplinarian who enforces the attendance of the members or to make sure that no one fails to vote on important questions
10a Seeing bear regularly in Alpine landmark (5)
EIGER: The regular or evenly-placed letters (regularly) of sEeInG bEaR takes to the definition of a mountain in central Switzerland, in the Bernese Alps
11a Organ damage on vicar’s insides (9)
HARMONICA: The definition of a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genre and also known as a French harp or mouth organ is fetched from HARM (damage) as to physically injure, wound or damage, ON from the clue and the inner letters (insides) of [V]ICA[R] (vicar’s)
12a Painter struggling to be relevant (7)
PERTAIN: An anagram (struggling) of PAINTER guides to the definition of a verb meaning be relevant to or connected with a particular subject, event or situation
13a See 14 Across
14a and 13 Across It is what it is (8,7)
PERSONAL PRONOUN: A cryptic definition of the grammatical representation (what it is) of IT
16a Looked to journey back then went ahead (5)
OGLED: The definition of a verb in the past tense meaning looked or stared at someone in a lecherous manner is arrived at from GO (journey) as to journey, travel or move from one place to another going in the opposite direction (back) as a reversal in the across clue followed by (then) LED (went ahead) as a verb in the past tense meaning was or went ahead of someone
19a Old characters in works conserving energy (5)
RUNES: The definition of the characters in several alphabets used by ancient Germanic peoples from the 3rd to the 13th century is derived from RUNS (works) as a verb in the present tense third person singular form denoting operates or works keeping inside or retaining (conserving) E (energy) as the symbol for energy as a quantitative property in physics
21a See 28 Across
24a See 1 Across
25a Photos thus framing a Cubist pioneer (7)
PICASSO: PICS (photos) as the plural of an informal term for a photograph or cinema film and SO (thus) as an adverb meaning in a way described or demonstrated taking inside (framing) A from the clue guides to the definition of one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, celebrated for co-founding the Cubist movement and whose full name was Pablo Ruiz Picasso
27a Occasional butt from goat chasing girl (5,4)
APRIL FOOL: The definition of a person who is the victim of a trick or hoax on April Fool’s Day, an example of which is an occasional butt or occasional victim i.e. a person who is made a victim on a certain occasion is obtained from FOOL (goat) as a silly person or an idiot, an example of which is a goat i.e. a colloquial term for a fool, loser or object of ridicule going after (chasing) APRIL (girl) as a feminine given name
28a and 21 Across Plain refusal from the dedicated watercolourist? (2,3,8)
NO OIL PAINTING: The definition of an adjective meaning plain or physically unattractive is obtained from the obvious refusal coming from a dedicated watercolourist to paint with oils, saying “No oil painting” since oil painting and watercolour painting use different materials
29a Inspired Darwish pens literary collection (4)
EDDA: Part of or hidden inside (pens) [INSPIR]ED DA[RWISH] leads to the definition of a literary collection of ancient mythological and heroic songs called the Elder Edda and mythological stories, poetics and prosody called the Younger Edda
30a Scribbler’s book likely to be steamy? (9)
POTBOILER: A cryptic definition of a work in art or literature, especially by a person writing for their livelihood (scribbler’s book) is likely to be steamy in a more literal sense i.e. a pot boiling on a stove will produce steam
Down
1d Persuasive leader spotted parking in wharf (4,5)
PIED PIPER: The definition of a person who persuades a lot of other people to follow them or do something with them or a leader who makes irresponsible promises is reached from PIED (spotted) as variegated or spotted like a magpie or exhibiting various colours followed by P (parking) as the abbreviation for parking placed inside (in) PIER (wharf) as a strong post as on a wharf or quay or ship for attaching mooring lines
2d Enigmatic composer perhaps left in temper when rebuffed (5)
ELGAR: The definition of the English composer whose first great success was ‘The Enigma Variations’, and therefore cryptically referred to as an enigmatic composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire and whose full name was Sir Edward William Elgar is arrived at from L (left) as the abbreviation for left placed inside (in) RAGE (temper) as a noun meaning fit of fury, anger or temper coming from the other side (when rebuffed)
3d This would be very windy road not repaired (7)
TORNADO: The definition of a strong, dangerous wind that forms itself into an upside-down spinning cone and is able to destroy buildings as it moves across the ground is reached from an anagram (repaired) of ROAD NOT
4d Three articles about Northern Ireland – in Greek (8)
ATHENIAN: A combination of A, THE, AN (three articles) as denoting the three articles of the English language appearing seriatim – A and AN being the two indefinite articles and in between THE the solitary definite article – and placed around (about) NI (Northern Ireland) takes to the definition of a native or citizen of Athens that is in Greece and hence Greek
5d British sport fitting screens without warning (6)
ABRUPT: A combo of B (British) as an abbreviation for British and RU (sport) as commonly referring to Rugby Union, a popular team sport that originated in England and is played with an oval ball that separates (screens) APT (fitting) as an adjective meaning appropriate, suitable or fitting provides the definition of another adjective meaning sudden and unexpected or without preparation or warning
7d Commoners vote amid hard calls for attention? (3,6)
HOI POLLOI: The definition of a derogatory term for the masses or the common people is arrived at from POLL (vote) as to vote or cast a vote in an election placed among (amid) a combo of H (hard) as the symbol for hard in lead pencils and OI and OI (calls for attention) as the cryptic composition of the plural of OI that is an interjection used to attract attention
8d Creature devours rook and crustacean (5)
PRAWN: PAWN (creature) as an easily manipulated person or creature or a person completely under one’s control takes inside (devours) R (rook) as the abbreviation for rook in chess notation leads to the definition of a small edible shrimp-like crustacean Palaemon serratus or any related species
9d Floor very very old in state (6)
KOSOVO : A charade of KO (floor) as an abbreviation for a colloquial verb meaning to knock out, an example of which is to floor, that is to knock someone to the ground, especially with a punch, SO (very) as an adverb meaning to such a great extent, V (very) as the abbreviation for very and O (old) as the abbreviation for old as OT in Old Testament takes to the definition of a country in Southeast Europe that unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia in 2008 and diplomatically recognised as a sovereign state by 104 member states of the United Nations
15d Minded going under ladders? Show extreme fear! (3,6)
RUN SCARED: CARED (minded) as a verb in the past tense meaning tended, minded or looked after and provided for the needs of someone placed below (going under) RUNS (ladders) as the plural for a ladder in knitting or knitted fabrics, especially stockings in the down clue guides to the definition of a phrase meaning to be thrown into a state of fear or uncertainty because of a perceived threat
17d One taking the lead in spiritual band? (3,6)
DOG COLLAR: Double nounal definition; the second denoting the name of a spiritual band worn by priests or other members of the clergy that takes to the first referring to a chain or a long band of leather placed around a dog’s neck or collar known known as a dog’s lead that helps one to control the animal
18d Page with Lima in the map redrawn for publication (8)
PAMPHLET: P (page) as the abbreviation for page followed by (with) L (Lima) as the letter represented by Lima in the NATO phonetic alphabet placed inside (in) an anagram (redrawn) of THE MAP guides to the definition of a brief publication on a subject of interest and generally having a paper cover
20d Team docked five hundred pounds? Sudden blow! (6)
SQUALL: SQUA[D] (team) as a small group of people having a particular task, say, a team i.e. a group of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport devoid of (docked) D (five hundred) as the Roman numeral for five hundred and followed by LL (pounds) as the cryptic formation of the plural of pound or pound sterling, represented by L takes to the definition of a sudden blow or a brief sudden violent windstorm, often accompanied by rain or snow
22d Presumably a bottle party? That’s impossible (2,3,2)
NO CAN DO: NO CAN (presumably a bottle) as seemingly not a container in the form of a can but some other thing, likely, say, a bottle followed by DO (party) as an informal term for a party or other social event takes to the definition of a phrase used in speech to say that one cannot do something that he or she has been asked or told to do or, practically, it is impossible to be done
23d Compensate rabble discontented with putsch (6)
RECOUP: The definition of a verb meaning to reimburse or compensate someone for money spent or lost is fetched from R[ABBL]E as the word without its content or inner letters (discontented) followed by (with) COUP (putsch) as a sudden, violent and unlawful seizure of power from a government, an example of which is a putsch or a violent attempt to overthrow a government
24d Silence from gym guru? (5)
PEACE: The definition of a noun denoting tranquillity, calm or silence is fetched from a charade of PE (gym) as the abbreviation for physical education that is sometimes informally referred to as a gym class, or simply gym and ACE (guru) as a person who excels at a particular sport or other activity.
26d Lower and lower going into small lake? (5)
SCOWL: The definition of a verb meaning to frown in an angry or bad-tempered way, an example is to lower i.e. to look angry, sullen or frown is arrived at from COW (lower) as cryptically referring to the animal that lows or makes a lowing sound placed between (going into) S (small) as the abbreviation for small and L (lake) as the abbreviation for lake
Some of the clues that I liked in this puzzle were 1a/24a, 11a, 14a/13a, 27a, 28a/21a, 1d, 7d, 17d, 20d and 22d; 14a/13a being the topper. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to NYDK for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have an enjoyable day.
3*/4* ….
liked 11A “Organ damage on vicar’s insides (9)”