Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30843
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Table View, a suburb of Cape Town, where we are staying with friends. Sunny and windy today – typical weather for the Cape. 32 degrees forecast for tomorrow.
Two rugby references for me to enjoy at 7a and 16a and a South African antelope in 6d. No safari for us this time, unfortunately, but we will be watching the Stormers v Bulls rugby match at the “new” stadium at Green Point in Cape Town on Saturday, followed by a braai, of course!
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle. Please also try to be positive – it’s only a bit of fun.
Thank you setter.
Across
7a Avoid sleep regularly? That is to stop! (8)
SIDESTEP: the odd letters (regularly) of SlEeP outside (to stop) the Latin term (in full) meaning “that is”.
8a Reportedly something groom may hold arriving at wedding (6)
BRIDAL: homophone (reportedly) of part of a horse’s tack (something a groom may hold) reveals a synonym of wedding (an adjective).
9a German child, helpful type (4)
KIND: triple definition.
10a Sinister reason to attend an auction? (10)
FORBIDDING: two words (joined together) indicating the purpose of attending an auction.
11a French port controversial actor knocked back somewhat (6)
CALAIS: hidden word backwards (knocked back somewhat) within words 3 & 4.
13a Grace last month heading for obscure Scottish island (7)
DECORUM: abbreviation for the last month of the year + first letter (heading for) of Obscure + a Scottish island in the Inner Hebrides.
14a Spell in the past having essentially slender figure (7)
HEXAGON: synonym of “spell” + synonym of “in the past”+ middle letter (essentially) of sleNder.
16a Plant, one in second row at rear of border (7)
HEMLOCK: a rugby forward after (at rear of) a synonym of border.
19a Not large, West African peninsula (7)
IBERIAN: a native of a West African country without the L (not large) reveals a European peninsula.
20a Rejected urge to ring supporter not far away (6)
NEARBY: synonym of urge outside (to ring) synonym of supporter (an abbreviation of a part of female underwear) all reversed (rejected).
21a Charge to hold criminal isn’t vague (10)
INDISTINCT: synonym of charge (a verb – think law) outside (to hold) anagram (criminal) of ISNT.
22a Shine in golf of inferior standard (4)
GLOW: NATO alphabet letter represented by Golf + synonym of “of inferior standard”.
23a Ways to reach National Park? (6)
BROADS: the designation for secondary routes in the UK joined together to reveal a National Park situated largely in Norfolk. It is the largest protected wetland in Britain.
24a Surprising financial gain damaged Apple, perhaps (8)
WINDFALL: double definition.
Down
1d Appease China, covering up one thing oddly (8)
MITIGATE: what china represents in cockney rhyming slang outside (covering up) I (one) + odd letters (oddly) of ThInG.
2d Dispute expected fine being raised (4)
FEUD: synonym of expected + abbreviation for Fine. Join them together and turn them upside down (being raised).
3d Closure of branches over Welsh banker’s county (6)
STAFFS: final letter (closure) of brancheS on top of the Welsh river (banker) that runs through Cardiff + S.
4d Promote at college holder of degree, first in English (7)
UPGRADE: synonym of “at college” (or university) + abbreviation for the holder of a degree + the first letter of English.
5d Recalled performing popular parts for pantomime (10)
CINDERELLA: anagram (performing) of RECALLED outside (parts) a synonym of popular.
6d A lot of bubbly males protecting a wildebeest (6)
MAGNUM: MM (males) outside A + another name for wildebeest.
8d Spirit cook mostly added to make sweet bread (7)
BRIOCHE: synonym of spirit (or vigour) + term for cook without the final letter (mostly). Join them together (added to make) to reveal our solution.
12d Scholarly American appearing on acclaimed broadcast (10)
ACADEMICAL: abbreviation for American + anagram (broadcast) of ACCLAIMED.
15d Is a poet mixed up in drugs? (7)
OPIATES: anagram (mixed up) of IS A POET.
17d Crowd around black dog that’s slipped its lead (8)
CABOODLE: abbreviation for around (or circa) + abbreviation for Black (as in chess) + a breed of dog without the first letter (slipped its lead).
18d Secret, why possibly it’s overheard (7)
UNKNOWN: homophone (it’s overheard) of “why” reveals a type of variable in algebra which is a synonym of secret.
19d Disregard piece from reporter on Gibraltar coming up (6)
IGNORE: another hidden word upside down clue (piece from…coming up). Our solution is lurking backwards in words 4 to 6 of the clue.
20d Becoming aware of love, ditching husband! (6)
NOTING: a word meaning love without the abbreviation for Husband. Never go out with tennis players, because love means nothing to them.
22d Innate quality that’s present (4)
GIFT: double definition.
Quickie Pun: PHIAL + OAF + AXE = FILOFAX®
I’m afraid I didn’t get on with today’s offering at all. There were far too many clues I simply did not understand and will need to see the hints for explanations. I finished it but nor without electronic help so not very satisfying for me.
Thank you, setter but you were too good for me today. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints, which I will now look at.
I did like the Quickie pun. I wonder if they are still used today. At one time, they were everywhere.
But going back to one of your comments yesterday, the item identified in the Pun would need a pen (won from the DT?).
I think there’s more chance of an alien from outer space knocking on the door and asking to borrow a cup of sugar than The Mythical coming my way, Senf. 😊
About the same as the chance of me being able to do this crossword today 😢.
Winning run came to an abrupt halt today. Before school runs, and then this evening, I simply couldn’t get going. Back to the drawing board.
Nonagenarian mother-in-law added minimal assistance also; given that she is living with us whilst she recovers from a fall, I was hoping that her rent-free convalescence may be a useful addition. Alas…
Just finished (12th Feb) after looking on and off for a week.
Gave myself a pat on the back but just didn’t get on with this one.
Definitely enjoyed the Quickie more.
Not on the same wavelength? I couldn’t even find the switch to turn the radio on.
I took five minutes reading all the clues and came up with one answer, yep just one,
I was sincerely considering chucking it all in as a bad job, but the innate stubborn streak took a hold and I battled on, gradually gaining a foothold as more answers came.
Finally crossed the finish line (quite a bit later) with 18d being the last one to go.
Still can’t see how a couple of them work, 7a for one, so will read the hints afterwards.
Good luck over the pond with the second word at 16a, I played loosehead prop at school, so let’s just say the chap at that position got to know me pretty intimately!
My two favourites of the day were 16a, 6d, and the wonderful 14a (the word for spell always makes me think of Catweazle), cast your minds back…….
I’m at the same point as you after first pass, not sure I have the will to plod on.
This was very difficult today and had to reverse engineer several. I still dont understand the parsing of 18d even with the hint!
I enjoyed the challenge and several great clues – 10a, 14a, 23a, 24a and 20d favourites today
4*/4*
Thanks to setter and shabbo
The letter that sounds like why, in algebra, represents an unknown number, a synonym of secret.
Rather enjoyed this, marginally held up by 18d, which is my LOI and cotd. 14 and 16a stood out too.
Thanks setter and Shabbo
I agree with Shabbo’s rating. Found it quite tough and took a while to get my LOI 17d. 20d was my favourite but 14a and 20d both very good as well. Passed the time well on my train journey down for lunch in Truro. Thank you Shabbo and our setter.
Great puzzle. Last night I couldn’t complete a clue. Today I found it much more achievable. Got hung up on 13a trying to fit Jan in. Thanks
It was not so much getting the answer but the parsing of same that flummoxed me in places today. Both 16a and 18d required knowledge that was outside my sphere. I would never have got the rugby in a month of Sundays but perhaps I should have twigged the secret, though it does seem a little obscure. I didn’t manage 7a either but after reading the hint think that was quite brilliant. Lots of ticks on my paper so 13a, 21a, 1d, 8d and 17d ( lovely word) can vie for podium places. Thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
I found today’s offering tough going, resulting in a mixture of epiphanic smiles when pennies dropped over clever wordplay and the sort of grind where one can find oneself thinking about what letters might work in individual cells and then still having no idea why the hard-won answer has anything to do with the clue. I really liked 10a, 24a and 3d. 17d is pretty smart too, although it took me a very long time to solve. Huge thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for some much needed elucidation.
I like the phrase epiphanic smiles….
Quite tricky in places, but managed to solve it. I also had to reverse engineer a few, and struggled to parse some answers, such as 18d and 8d. Satifying to get there, my choice of clues are 24a, 23a and 17d. Thanks to the setter and for hints.
Really enjoyed this one. Needed a hint for a couple (16a – aaarg I hate the plant ones – and 23a which I frankly should have got). Top three were 6d, 7a, and 14a but there were many more gems throughout. ***/****
[PS thanks to Mustapha et al for the toughie recommendation yesterday – absolute corker, and the first time I’ve finished one!]
You should give today’s toughie a go. Very friendly!
Congratulations on the completion, Anorak, and may there be many more! Do have a go at today’s Beam Toughie – another very accessible puzzle and well worth the effort, with most of Mr T’s / Beam’s usual “tells”.
2.5*/4.5*. The smoothness of this excellent puzzle suggests that today is heavenly Thursday in crosswordland with a Beam Toughie to follow.
19a doesn’t quite work for me, but I suspect it may be just me. The definition is a noun and the answer is an adjective.
Picking a favourite is an impossibility and the Quickie pun is worthy of mention too.
Many thanks surely to Silvanus, and to Shabbo too.
I also wondered about 19a, but I read it as a “definition by example”, the solution being an example of a peninsula. If this is the case though, a question mark would have been required?
Hi
I read it as a west African man minus L and the name of the peninsula as we usually hear it referred to as the (…)peninsula.
But I have to agree that I found this an excellent crossword with lovely witty surfaces. 3/5
Thanks to all.
It’d be nice to know if Mr S has got the clue correct.
Having done a bit of googly woogly action, it’s the 9th biggest peninsula out of many. So, it’s not small, and it’s not in West Africa. Therefore, it can’t really be a definition by example.
Oh, I don’t really know what I’m talking about. Maybe the Shabster is right, i.e bung a question mark on and all is well.
Silvanus…..help!
As I’m sure you have now worked out, the peninsula doesn’t have to be in West Africa.
…and it doesn’t have to be small. That’s why I don’t think it can be a definition by example.
But, maybe I’m misunderstanding what ‘definition by example’ is.
Onwards!
I’ve now got my head around it.
I think I need to lie down…..
I don’t see it as a definition by example, myself. Just as Ford to clue Fiesta, say, wouldn’t be a DBE either, ie umbrella word > subsection.
However … the IP is never, to my knowledge, called (the) IberiaN – it’s actually known as (the) Iberia. Therein lay the rub for me. But I think it’s probably just slightly cheeky crosswordy poetic licence. Moreover, I have no doubt that Silvanus can convincingly explain and I certainly don’t fancy chopping cryptic grammar logic with him!
A very fair point. These demigods do their homework.
I think subsections are treated differently by setters. As you say, it’s all a bit murky. So, let’s give them a bit of latitude and enjoy the ride.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeee………
Very enjoyable and a good cranial workout and, now that I am back in Winnipeg, I have two shiny King Charles Loonies ready to say that this a Mr Smooth production – 3*/4.5*
A little disappointing that the opportunity was not taken to clue 12d as the second part of a Scottish football club.
Candidates for favourite – 7a, 8a, 10a, 19a, 24a, and 8d – and the winner is 8a.
Thanks to Silvanus, or to whomsoever if my Loonies go down the drain, and thanks to Shabbo.
I feared the worst after my first pass only resulted in a couple of answers. Persevered and after a couple of breaks to unscramble my brain returned to finish with a real sense of satisfaction. Pleased I didn’t give up even though I was severely tempted at times.
A tough but fair puzzle that revealed itself in stages and was all the more enjoyable battle for that.
Many thanks to the setter and I am greatful for the hints (and a comment) for helping confirm ‘why’ 18d was what it was
Very enjoyable – thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
Did anyone else think of Grace Darling on reading the 13a clue?
Ticks from me for 7a, 9a, 6d, 17d and 18d.
Beam (Ray T) is in the Toughie slot and he’s being pretty gentle with us.
The brilliant 7a immediately triggered my ‘Mr Smooth’ radar and, indeed, his stamp revealed itself loud and clear throughout the puzzle. My podium is fighting to hold onto all my favoured clues, those qualifying include 7,13,21&24a plus the ditched husband at 20d.
Many thanks to Silvanus for another excellent compilation and to our holidaying blogger for finding the time to bring us the review. Had to investigate a braai – wondered what dreadful tribal custom you were subjecting your long-suffering wife to!
I thought this was about right in terms of difficulty for a Thursday, and it certainly took me a little longer to complete than I might have considered usual, but it was a superb challenge with some lovely surfaces and a smattering of humour. Just to be different, I will pick 10a as my favourite.
My thanks to Silvanus for yet another masterclass in crossword setting, and to Shabbo.
A bit more chewy than the last three days, a very satisfying challenge. Caboodle as “crowd” in 17d was new to me – quite au fait with “the whole kit and caboodle” to mean “everything”, but had never given it any further thought, let alone looked it up. Wordplay was clear, fortunately.
Highlights 7a, 8a & 11a.
Many thanks indeed to setter and Shabbo – am somewhat envious of your temperatures, today!
Another puzzle that put a dent in my average solve time stats – for the second day running the Toughie completed in considerably the quicker time. Well worth the head scratches & furrowed brow though as very enjoyable. Ticks aplenty & delightfully clued throughout. If forced to pick a fav it’d have to be 18d.
Thanks to the setter (for a change I did immediately think Silvanus) & to our man in the Cape.
Ps another shout out for yesterday’s terrific puzzle of the year (thus far) contender from Hudson over in t’other place – very accessible & guaranteed to produce plenty of Chris M’s epiphanic smiles.
Our man in the Cape puts me in mind of Superman, in which case Shabbo won’t need the 🚠 for Table Mountain.
I didn’t like that conveyance going up which is why I tried to walk down Platteklip Gorge far too late in the day & a couple of weeks after recovering from pneumonia. Not the cleverest idea & had it not been for some kind soul who guided us down in virtual darkness I dread to think what might have happened.
A typo in your email address sent you into moderation
Very enjoyable 2* / 4*, rating for me, only really held up in the SW. Lots of clues to like but favourites 28d, 20a and 17d because the black dog I’m looking after slipped her collar today !
Also 17d a great word not often heard without Kit and.
Thanks as always to setter and Shabbo
I actually found this on the tricky side – I found I put in a number of answers and had to work out the reasoning later. I really envy you Shabbo, I lived in Cape Town for 9 years, a magical place. So thanks to the setter and to Shabbo and try and bring back some lovely weather when you return. Hope the braai is tasty!
I found this non RayT Thursday puzzle very hard to get going and very hard overall. Almost threw in the towel but left it for a while and then returned. Some clues I just did not like as I felt they did not show a way to get to the answer.
Oh well … there’s always next Thursday to look forward to for me.
3.5*/2* for me
Favourites 8a, 11a, 14a, 23a, 24a & 5d — with winner 23a
Smiles for 14a, 23a & 24a
Thanks to setter & Shabbo
I found this tricky. Needed the hints to understand 7a and the last part of 16a. Not having experience of learning Latin and having no interest in rugby I’m not feeling too bad about not understanding them.
Top picks for me were 23a, 10a, 6d, 20d and 18d.
Thanks to Shabbo and the setter. I’m going to attempt yesterday’s Toughie as it has had so many plaudits.
That was tough. So much so I’m totally cream crackered. However I’m glad I didn’t chuck in the towel half way in as, having resorted to a couple of hints, I had a second wind and crawled over the finish line. 19a was a hint I needed and then felt a right prawn for doing so. 10a took me an age to spot the obvious, but I like it, so it is my cotd. Thanks to compiler and Shabbo for the much needed hints.
More head scratching and fewer smiles today. Needed the hints for the plant and the National Park (managed to list virtually all the others in my head) and I don’t think I’d have got 18d in a month of Sundays. I did like the sinister auction and was astounded that I spotted the reverse lurkers – usually my nemesis. Thanks to the setter and Shabbo.
I had to work for this as one should this time of the week.
My last two to fall were the 21a/18d comby. I was trying to crowbar in ‘indictment’, justifying that the s of ”isn’t” wasn’t required. I got there in the end.
I like that 19a popped up again with the setter going with a dropped L as opposed to an S. 17d is a truly superb word that sits nicely alongside palaver and malarkey.
My podium is 20a (tres smoooooooth), 5d and 6d (for creating a funny scene).
Ta muchly to the formidable SAS team.
4*/4*
Big sigh. Definitely not a RayT and totally beyond me, and worthy of at least **** Just one answer at first pass, and 7 on second look. Peeking at the hints I see a reference to a rugby forward to clearly I am not in with a chance today, coupled with my ignorance of the Norfolk Broads now being a National Park. Thanks setter, but way too tough for this old brain, and well done Shabbo.
Contrarily, following the advice from several above, I will now print up today’s * Toughie 😉.
I found this tricky but did get there in the end. I needed help with parsing a few and it turned out they were rugby related which explains my deficiency! I will try and keep some of my new found knowledge in my brain. Despite it being quite a longwinded battle requiring several visits it was very rewarding to complete, 7a was my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints.
Many thanks to Shabbo (have a great time in South Africa!) and to all those solving and commenting. My thoughts regarding 19a match of those of Martyn at Comment 11.
I have a personal theory that grids like today’s one (with a lot of peripheral black squares and initial letters of many solutions not intersecting) may automatically put some solvers on the back foot before they have even started. I know many say “I never take any notice of grids”, but subconsciously I reckon they do. Having said all that, I think this grid is a perfectly fair one, and most compilers seem to use it at regular intervals!
See you all again soon.
Thank you for the puzzle, silvanus. This was one of yours I couldn’t do but I do finish others so all is in balance.
I agree with you regarding the grid. I noticed all the black peripheral squares when I started so maybe it did affect me at a subconscious level. Anyway, I’m making that my excuse and I’m sticking to it. 😊
I enjoyed that. It might not have been a nee clur but 23a made me smile. Thanks to Shabbo & today’s setter.
Perhaps I am tuning in to silvanus’ devious mind, but there again I might have just been lucky today. I don’t know why, but 21a caused delay, as it isn’t at all vague. Oh well.
After yesterday’s let off from Daisygirl I must emphasise that those who don’t know rugby will not have their knuckles rapped. But they don’t know what they are missing.
Thank you ‘Man in The Cape’ and silvanus.
I thought engine room could have been more interesting than second row….!
Had more dandruff on my collar than would accumulate if I had the same colllar for seven days and that after just reading the clues so gave up.
Thanks Silvanus and so right about back foot grids. Great challenge today with 24a as a brilliant clue. Thank you Shabbo
Well I really enjoyed this today, so thanks Silvanus. I needed an explanation for the second part of 16a so thanks Shabbo for the hints.
It really is a wavelength thing isn’t it? Yesterday’s puzzle was really impenetrable for me, I found it really very difficult yet most commentators on here thought it was wonderful.
Late on parade today. Like others I found rhis puzzle tough and time consuming. Having finished it, it seemed that many of the clues were found by usingthe definition and t3ge checkers, confirmed by reverse engineering the parsing. I liked the16a lego clue plant, the 19a peninsula in sisguise and the cryptic National Park at 23a. Thanks to Silvanus and to Shabbo for the hints
Add me to the list of those who found this difficult, but to be fair, quite doable if you followed the instructions. I needed the hint to parse 18d, very clever, but I’ll pick 7a as favourite amongst the many contenders. Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.
Good evening.
Rarely have I contemplated hoyin’ in the sponge so many times as I have today. I began today’s crozzie at 11:00; admittedly I’ve had other stuff to do today, but I resumed at half 5, paused to have my tea, and resumed again at 6:00. My pen (and yes, it was my lucky green one – I had a feeling I’d need it today) has only just gone down.
I am not in the least surprised to learn that today’s crozzie is the handiwork of the Brain Of Silvanus. I have been put through the wringer today! Not that I’m complaining, mind. My only quibble is the 3* rating from our esteemed blogger. Today was a fiveser!
COTD, from a good quality group of contenders, is 1a. Many thanks to Silvanus and to Shabbo.
More difficult than the last two toughies. Coffee break, lunch break and tea break weren’t enough. Luckily a glass of white wine this evening loosened the little grey cells and I finally finished it. However I still don’t get 18d. I learned more new words like hex meaning spell.
It’s a homophone of why – Y (algebra) is the unknown
So, I guess TT doesn’t stand for teetotal then, Droops?
And quite right too, when it comes to trying to solve Mr Smooth’s manglers!
Quite a challenge for me that was a dnf due to 16a. A clue that needed knowledge of plants and rugby was never going to be solved by this ignoramus.
I only got 17d when I had the provided answer to 16a.
Thanks to all.
Busy day so late to the puzzles. As others have commented there was little to choose in terms of difficulty level between this and the very accessible toughie.
As usual a highly polished offering from Silvanus which provided a steady solve until reaching the SE corner that took a fair while to unravel. All in all very enjoyable. Podium places to 5 and 17d with top place going to the elegantly clued reversal 20a.
Many thanks as ever to Silvanus and of course to Shabbo for the blog.
A tough one for which I needed electronic help to complete. Thanks to Shabbo for the explanations to 7a and 18d which I got but were beyond me. I actually liked the grid. All the parts seemed to join up in several places unlike some which are very “cornery”.
Very good crossword. Defeated by 21a but got the rest after persevering. Some amusing clues/solutions. Many thanks.
Very tough for me and slightly dispiriting initially but cheered up when I read everyone’s comments on the difficult ones as I have the same views. I completed the SW quadrant and most of the clues running off that quadrant but only one or two in the other quadrants. 7a impossible for me (Latin ignorance), as was 1d (cockney slang ignorance) but I live and learn.
Hi JF
I’m glad you aren’t feeling so down about your effort as Silvanus’ crosswords challenge the best of us. It’s your Everest to climb and when you get to the summit, boy, does it feel good!
I love how you have referenced Latin and Cockney rhyming slang as it shows the breadth of this beautiful, yet, bonkers language of ours that the compilers dip in to.
Keep on solving!
Thank you Tom, have to say, there are clearly some talented solvers (and setters) on this blog.
There most certainly are.
And all of them started as rookies.
Very tough and a little dispiriting initially but I cheered up after I read everyone’s comments on the difficult clues as I agreed with them. I completed the SW quadrant and most of the clues running off that quadrant but only a few in the other quadrants. 7a was impossible for me (Latin ignorance), as was 1d (Cockney rhyming slang ignorance) but I live and learn. Thank you to the setter for the challenge.
Apologies, repeated my comment as I thought it was rejected initially.
4*/4* …
liked 10A “Sinister reason to attend an auction ? (10)”