DT 30845 (full review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30845

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 8^th February 2025

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, straightforward Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and valuable comments.

I learnt from the net that Charleston, the answer to the clue of 30a, is a social jazz dance that is named after the harbour city of Charleston, South Carolina in the United States that was highly popular in the 1920s and frequently revived.

The ‘scandal’ in the 9d clue leading to ‘Tailgate’ as the answer instantly took me down memory lane and I reminisced about the infamous Watergate scandal of the United States that involved President Richard Nixon. I was also aware that other scandals after that included the word ‘gate’ since the suffix had become very popular. I explored the net to find out the name of some scandals with the suffix ‘gate’. I found out that as early as September 1974, a proposed pardon of the Watergate criminals and Vietnam War draft dodgers was tagged as ‘Vietgate’. In due course, more ‘gate’ terms were coined, such as Billygate, Contragate, Deavergate, Debategate, Doublebillingsgate, Frankiegate, Franklingate, Genschergate, Housegate, Iraqgate, Koreagate, Lancegate, Maggiegate, Nannygate, Raidergate, Scalpgate, Travelgate, Troopergate and Whitewatergate.

In my childhood, I was well aware of the nursery rhyme ‘Three blind mice’, the answer to the clue of 25d/2d. What I knew then was the modern version that goes “Three blind mice. / See how they run. / They all ran after the farmer’s wife, / Who cut off their tails with a carving knife. / Did you ever see such a sight in your life / As three blind mice?” Great imagination of the poet. He ran after those three blind mice and was able to narrate the episode. This time, I took to the net to know more about those unfortunate mice. I learnt that other than the rhyme, it is also a musical round. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 3753. I also came across the original lyrics that was published in 1609 – “Three Blinde Mice, / Three Blinde Mice, / Dame Iulian, / Dame Iulian, the Miller and his merry olde Wife, / shee scrapte her tripe licke thou the knife.” An illustrated children’s book entitled ‘The Complete Version of Ye Three Blind Mice’ was published in 1904 in London. The mice in that book are depicted as mischievous characters who seek adventure, eventually being taken in by a farmer whose wife chases them from the house and into a bramble bush, which blinds them. Soon after, their tails are removed by a butcher’s wife when the complete version incorporates the original verse, although the earliest version from 1609 does not mention tails being cut off. The story ends with them using a tonic to grow new tails and recover their eyesight, learning a trade of making wood chips and buying a house. And the end of the story? Fortunately, they lived happily ever after.

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Across

1a           Reserve suite, but injured crossing street (10)
SUBSTITUTE: The definition of a noun meaning reserve or a person or thing acting or serving in place of another is fetched from an anagram (injured) of SUITE, BUT travelling through or covering ST (street) as the abbreviation for street that is a type of paved way in a city, town or village

6a          Type of game needing short leg? (4)
STAG: The definition of a male deer, especially a red deer over four years old is arrived at from STAG[E] (leg) as a leg or a section of a journey or race that was required to be curtailed (needing short)

10a        He was Clay before a second name assumed (5)
ALIAS: ALI (He was Clay) as the surname of the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali whose birth name was Cassius Clay placed in front of (before) a combo of A from the clue and S (second) as the abbreviation for second takes to the definition of an assumed name or a false or assumed identity

11a        Send back from business when the other fills in? (9)
EXTRADITE: The definition of a verb meaning to deport, expel or send back is obtained from EX (from) as a preposition meaning from or direct from followed by TRADE (business) as business at a particular time or for a particular period considering that (when) IT (the other) as a euphemism for sexual intercourse, especially when used in a context where directly saying ‘sex’ might be considered inappropriate or too explicit comes inside (fills in)

12a        Seeking perfection, I’m embracing dancing ladies (8)
IDEALISM: The definition of a noun meaning a tendency towards the highest conceivable perfection is arrived at from I’M from the clue covering (embracing) an anagram (dancing) of LADIES

13a        Record includes unknown composer (5)
LISZT: LIST (record) as an item-by-item record of names or things, usually written or printed one under the other taking inside (includes) Z (unknown) as a variable, unknown or yet to be ascertained quantity or factor as used in mathematics, especially in algebra leads to the definition of a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic period whose full name was Franz Liszt

15a        Very wicked male one with common sense (7)
HEINOUS: The definition of an adjective meaning extremely wicked or utterly reprehensible or evil is deduced from a charade of HE (male) as a nominative, accusative and dative noun for a male, I (one) as the Roman numeral for one and NOUS (common sense) as a slang term denoting common sense or intelligence

17a        Bread and some butter dunked into tea? (7)
CHAPATI: The definition of a thin piece of unleavened bread from Indian cookery is obtained from PAT (some butter) as a small lump, especially of butter, that can be moulded by patting put inside (dunked into) CHAI (tea) as referring to tea, especially as made in India with added spices

19a        Sewers unnecessary for the most part (7)
NEEDLES: The definition of the plural of a pointed slender piece of metal, usually steel, with a hole or eye in it through which thread is passed for sewing, an example of which is sewers, referring to the plural of a person or thing that sews is reached from NEEDLES[S] (unnecessary) as an adjective denoting unnecessary or not needed or wished having most of the letters (for the most part)

21a        Perfumed Democrat after money in south-east (7)
SCENTED: The definition of a verb in the past tense meaning perfumed or filled with a pleasant odour is arrived at from D (democrat) as an abbreviation for Democrat or Democratic as in the United Stated preceded by or coming after (after) CENT (money) as an informal term for a small sum of money put inside SE (south-east) as an abbreviation for south-east

22a        American medic taking in the French battle scene (5)
ALAMO: A combo of A (American) as the abbreviation for American and MO (medic) as an abbreviation for Medical Officer welcoming inside (taking in) LA (the French) as the definite article ‘the’ in French language used with singular, feminine words guides to the definition of the battle scene that was a pivotal event and military engagement in the Texas Revolution

24a        Dry area in sea where Brest is located (8)
BRITTANY: A combo of TT (dry) as an abbreviation for teetotal, an adjective meaning dry or abstaining totally from alcoholic drink, A (area) as an abbreviation for area placed inside (in) BRINY (sea) as an informal term for the sea takes to the definition of a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France and the traditional homeland of the Breton people that has Brest as one of its cities

27a        Safe from flood, keeping daughter oblivious (2,3,4)
IN THE DARK: IN THE ARK (safe from flood) as referring to inside the Noah’s ark, where Noah and his family members and a pair of each animal and bird were kept safe from the flood as mentioned in the Bible taking inside (keeping) D (daughter) as the genealogical abbreviation for daughter leads to the definition of an adjectival phrase meaning oblivious to or in a state of ignorance

28a        Criticise Prospero as tiresome in part (5)
ROAST: The definition of an informal term for a verb meaning to criticise or reprimand severely is reached from part of or hidden inside (in part) [PROPE]RO AS T[IRESOME]

29a        Peer in organ loft but not many times? (4)
EARL: The definition of a member of the British peerage ranking below a marquess and above a viscount is reached from EAR (organ) as the organ of hearing and balance in humans and L[OFT] from the clue deprived of (but not) OFT (many times) as a poetic adverb for often meaning frequently or many times

30a        King not to be twirled in dance (10)
CHARLESTON: CHARLES (king) as referring to Charles III, King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms and NOT from the clue subject to a reversal (to be twirled) guides to the definition of a lively twentieth-century dance characterised by spasmodic kicking by the knees turned inwards

Down

1d          Close main line (4)
SEAL: The definition of a verb meaning to fasten or close securely is fetched from SEA (main) as a great body of salt water that covers much of the earth and also referred to as the main or ocean and L (line) as the abbreviation for line

2d          See 25 Down

3d          Adult learner with group turned up in EV (5)
TESLA: A charade of A (adult) as the abbreviation for adult signifying the rating of motion pictures meant for only the adult viewers in some countries, L (learner) as appearing in an L-plate each displayed at the front and back of a vehicle denoting a learner driver and (with) SET (group) as a group or collection of things that belong together or resemble one another or are usually found together in an upward direction (turned up) as in a reversal order in the down clue leads to the definition of an EV company or a company that produces electric vehicles

4d          Really bad drivers coming in here? (3,4)
THE PITS: Double definition; the first referring to the place where racing car drivers make an urgent stop for refuelling, changing tyres, repairs, mechanical adjustments or other maintenance services that takes to the first denoting to be extremely bad or the worst of its kind

5d          What stand-up comic may do is much-revered (7)
TOTEMIC: The obvious response to what stand-up comic may do is to carry or TOTE an open mike or MIC i.e. an informal term for a microphone which takes to the definition of an adjective meaning much respected or revered by a group of people, especially for religious reasons

7d          Catches on thin branches (5)
TWIGS: Double definition; the second being a noun denoting the plural of a small thin shoot or branch that guides to the first a verb in the present tense third person singular form meaning catches on to or understands or realises something

8d and 14 Down              Ground marked in Knight’s Tale covers one as intellectuals agree! (5,5,5,5)
GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE: An anagram (ground) of MARKED IN KNIGHT’S TALE takes in (covers) I (one) as the Roman numeral for one produces the definition of a phrase humorously used when one has the same thought or idea as someone else, especially at or around the time, or, in other words, very intelligent people tending to come up with the same ideas at the same time

9d          Closely follow the 25 2 scandal? (8)
TAILGATE: The definition of a slang term for a verb meaning to drive dangerously too close behind another vehicle is cryptically arrived at from a charade of TAIL (25 2) as referring to 25d & 2d i.e. three blind mice who ran after the farmer’s wife who in turn cut off their tails with a carving knife and -GATE (scandal) as a suffix and libfix for any political scandal after the Watergate scandal in the United States in early 1970s

14d        See 8 Down

16d        One observing leg attached to beauty (8)
ONLOOKER: The definition of a spectator or a non-participating observer is obtained from a charade of ON (leg) as a term in cricket referring to the leg side and (attached to) LOOKER (beauty) as referring to someone who has good looks, an example of which is beauty that is denoting a beautiful person

18d        Servant at Pratt’s Bottom abnormally tanned (9)
ATTENDANT: The definition of a person employed to provide a service to the public in a particular place is reached from the bottom letters or lowest part (bottom) of [PR]ATT (Pratt’s) in the down clue followed by an anagram (abnormally) of TANNED

20d        Time to rest southern sailor brought to city on Avon (7)
SABBATH: The definition of a day of rest on the seventh day, commanded by God to be kept as a holy day of rest, as God rested from creation is derived from S (southern) as the abbreviation for southern, AB (sailor) as the abbreviation for able-bodied that refers to a seaman or sailor coming in contact with (brought to) BATH (city on Avon) as a city situated on the River Avon in south-western England

21d        Son, with heart, persistent type (7)
STICKER: A charade of S (son) as the genealogical abbreviation for son and (with) TICKER (heart) as a slang term for the heart of a person takes to the definition of an informal term for a determined or persistent person

23d        Daisy’s teacher docking marks (5)
ASTER: The definition of a plant of a large genus that includes the Michaelmas daisy, typically having purple or pink rayed flowers is reached from [M]ASTER (teacher) as a male schoolteacher taking away (docking) M (marks) as abbreviation representing the erstwhile German currency mark or marks, when plural

25d and 2 Down              Proverbial crowd of ignorant wimps tailed by the Dutch? (5,5,4)
THREE BLIND MICE: The definition of the nursery rhyme entitled ‘Three Blind Mice’ is cryptically reached from THREE (proverbial crowd) as the number meant for a crowd, as goes the proverb “One is lonely, two is company, three’s a crowd” of BLIND (ignorant) as ignorant or lacking perception, awareness of judgment and MICE (wimps tailed by the Dutch) as wimps tailed by the Dutch, where wimps have been compared to the three mice who ran after the farmer’s wife or dutch who cut off their tails with a carving knife; wimps being ineffectual or pusillanimous persons, somewhat similar to mice that being timid, shy, colourless persons and dutch a cockney slang for a wife, i.e. THREE of BLIND MICE, or precisely, THREE BLIND MICE

26d        Bowl over, taking time in fine weather (4)
STUN: The definition of a verb meaning to shock or overwhelm, an example of which is to bowl over meaning to overwhelm, thoroughly impress or delight is arrived at from T (time) as the symbol for time in physics placed inside (in) SUN (fine weather) as referring to a day filled with sunshine deemed to be a sunny or fine weather

There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 11a, 15a, 24a, 27a, 30a, 4d, 5d, 8d/14d, 9d, 25d/2d; 9d 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 seeing you here again. Have a nice day.