Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30859
Hints and tips by Huntsman
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
A dull start to the day but it’s brightening up nicely here in Harpenden. The golf courses are still closed so it’s a trip to the Odyssey to see the matinee performance of Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain, which I’m rather looking forward to.
Those bemoaning a trickier than usual start to the week yesterday ought to be happy with today’s offering. I found it very pleasant, nicely clued & none too demanding. I’m not 100% convinced it’s an Anthony Plumb production but Senf will no doubt advise. For any that breeze through this I’d encourage a visit to the other place to check out Hudson who is on Toughie duty. I haven’t looked at the puzzle yet but if it’s anywhere near as good as his last one it’ll be worth the effort plus there’s the added bonus of ALP’s usually eclectic music choices which Jane looks forward to so much.
In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual. Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle.
Across
1a Nearly most gravely in love (7)
WORSHIP: shorten (nearly) an adverb for most gravely/severely then append a synonym for in/trendy.
5a Tree’s flaming long (3,4)
RED PINE: link a synonym for flaming (in colour) with one for long or ache. The tree is native to Eastern North America. Not the right species but here’s a great tune from Van.
9a Renowned American golf course (7)
AUGUSTA: another word for renowned/illustrious + American. The course in Georgia is the permanent venue for The Masters tournament, the first Major in the calendar.
10a Suppresses infatuations (7)
CRUSHES: double definition.
11a Demonstrated pots deter criminal (9)
PROTESTED: an anagram (criminal) – POTS DETER.
12a Large bath disheartened boy (5)
TUBBY: a word on its own for the bath or one that’s appended to bath + boy (disheartened/middle letter removed).
13a King takes advantage of cunning stratagems (5)
RUSES: the regnal letter for king + a synonym for takes advantage of/exploits.
15a Considered creed and felt awful (9)
REFLECTED: an anagram (awful) – CREED FELT.
17a In favour of US president keeping Democrat banned (9)
FORBIDDEN: insert Democrat into the surname of Trump’s predecessor & place after a word meaning in favour of.
19a Causes horror removing husband’s items of clothing (5)
SOCKS: remove the single letter for husband from a synonym for causes horror/surprise.
22a Relative’s dirty article withdrawn (5)
UNCLE: delete the article from the end of another word for dirty/unwashed.
23a Guy in church, cheerful singer (9)
CHAFFINCH: a verbal synonym for guy/poke fun at + IN from the clue & the usual abbreviation for church.
25a Gives information about docks? (7)
DETAILS: hyphenate (2-5) a synonym for docks – what the farmer’s wife does to the optically challenged rodents.
26a Wind instrument finally playing a rondo (7)
TORNADO: the last letter of instrument + an anagram (playing) of A RONDO. Neat surface.
27a Prepare wise people quantities of medicine (7)
DOSAGES: not the first synonym to spring to mind maybe for prepare + wise men/gurus.
28a Forms ‘e put in large boxes (7)
CREATES: insert E from the clue into large boxes.
Down
1d Cover with waste paper and run! (7)
WRAPPER: with + an anagram (waste) of PAPER +the cricket abbreviation for run.
2d Places of military units changing direction at the front (7)
REGIONS: think of a word for military units (Roman for example) then change the single direction letter at the front.
3d Some relish a steamship’s excessive speed (5)
HASTE: hidden (some) in the words between indicator & definition.
4d Covered games, including final on 1st of December (9)
PLASTERED: insert a synonym for final/ultimate between the two letter abbreviation for games (at school for example) then append the usual preposition for on + the initial letter of (1st) December.
5d Crimson trousered a Conservative belted (5)
RACED: a synonym for crimson contains (trousered) A from the clue + Conservative.
6d Unquestionably tense in game of tennis with son? (9)
DOUBTLESS: insert Tense into a form of tennis for four players then append Son.
7d People wearing religious attire (7)
INHABIT: think of a 2,5 phrase that could describe persons wearing religious apparel.
8d European spades, perhaps, Edward tried (7)
ESSAYED: a wee bit of lego – European + Spades (card suit) + a synonym for perhaps/for example + a diminutive for Edward.
14d Sign one’s cold rat embraces winter in France (9)
SHIVERING: insert the French word for winter into a verbal synonym for rat/spill the beans.
16d Wild cats faint all over the place (9)
FANTASTIC: an anagram (all over the place) – CATS FAINT.
17d Determined editor started (7)
FOUNDED: a synonym for determined/ascertained + the usual abbreviation for editor.
18d Reads out empty Rushdie quotes (7)
RECITES: the exterior letters (empty) of Rushdie + a verbal synonym of quotes.
20d Communicate with prisoner with sensitivity (7)
CONTACT: an informal abbreviation for a prisoner + another word for sensitivity/diplomacy. Cue a clip of Mr Mackay.
21d Loch’s so different for groups of fish (7)
SCHOOLS: an anagram (different) – LOCHS SO.
23d Companies of actors shy on stage, initially (5)
CASTS: a verbal synonym for shy/throw + (on) stage (initially).
24d Might female do crochet on a regular basis? (5)
FORCE: Female + do crochet (alternate letters/on a regular basis.
No particular favourite today but I’d award podium spots to 23&26a plus 6d. Please let us know which clues ticked your boxes.
Today’s Quick crossword pun: MAY + DAM + HONEY = MADE OF MONEY
This morning’s listening while preparing the blog has been from my newly put together playlist of Tom Waits covers. I’m rather taken with this fine version I came across from a band I was unfamiliar with.
I struggled with today’s offering and it went in a second mug of coffee. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable solve. The horror at 19a raised a smile but the alternative meaning of determined in 17d took a while to click. My COTD because of its fantastic surface is 9a.
Thank you, professor in the library for a good Tuesday workout. Thank you, Hintsman for the hunts.
I actually found this quite tricky in places. I’m still struggling to parse 23a as I understand the guy/tease synonym but haven’t heard of chaff meaning the same thing. Nice bird though.
I also had to look up the French word for Winter as I have very little French vocabulary knowledge (was forced to learn Italian at school).
Top picks for me were 13a, 25a, 4d and 6d.
Thanks to Huntsman and the setter.
A fairly approachable guzzle apart from a few less obvious clues in the NW corner. I liked the lego clue at 17a and, although I’d never heard of the tree at 5a, the wordplay mde it clear. Similarly, alrhough l don’t follow golf, the name of tthe golf course at 9a was clear from the wordplay. The lego clue at 14d. Thanks to Huntsman for the hints and to the conpiler
I usually start at the beginning and attempt to work my way logically through the puzzle but today I hopped about all over the grid taking what help the checkers offered.
The new system worked OK as I ended up finishing in * time.
Nothing really floated my boat so I’ll crowd the podium with all the answers/clues!
Thanks to the setter and Huntsman for the hints. I’ll go back to trying to get used to wearing my denture. Oh, the joys of old age!
I too didn’t find it as easy as our golfing hinter implies, and didn’t like it at first, but it gradually grew on me as I progressed (slowly) through it.
Last in was 25a, which I had a different answer to (doubt I’m the only one, as it fitted the clue and made sense) before other letters put paid to that idea!
Thanks to our setter today, I liked it in the end.
You’re not the only one, TC I did as well.
Was it ‘report’ by any chance?
“Retails” as “about docks”.
Well that was pretty straightforward and relatively easy to accommodate between applying T-Cut to the latest scrapes on the car my youngest has determined is his own and another trudge to the post office with a pile of ephemera that people on eBay seem happy to buy. For some reason the Telegraph puzzles website no longer works properly on my MacBook, which makes reviewing the completed puzzle trickier, but I did like the military units changing directions and the post-caudal murine types – at least once I’d read Huntsman’s excellent hints, for which many thanks, and understood the parsing. Thanks also to the setter for a most enjoyable puzzle.
It happens to me too. If you exit the puzzle then go back in, you should find the completed puzzle appears for you to admire.
Thanks, I’m glad it’s not just me. The problems seemed to start at the same time as the streamers began to appear on completion, although that may just be coincidence. Hopefully it will be fixed soon. All fine on the iPhone, but doing the cryptic on that never feels right somehow.
I found this a little stickier than our blogger but it was still a very approachable puzzle that was well clued throughout. 9 and 26a were my favourites.
Thanks to our setter and The Hintsman.
A pleasant puzzle – thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
The surface of 14d seems rather weird.
My favourite clue was 9a.
Very jolly today. 9a’s gently smart, 6d’s story tickled me and 14d was cleverly (albeit absurdly!) built. Like Steve, 17d’s “determined” took me a while to pluck out of the air. Most enjoyable. Many thanks to our setter and Huntsman. Lovely spot of Van and Tom and I’m sure it won’t surprise you to hear that I LOVE Parker Millsap! But Frankie Goes To Hollywood? Ha! Have you quite lost your mind?! That is a cracking Waits cover down below, mind. The best I’ve heard yet. Ta lots.
Frankie won the coin toss with Huey Lewis
Ha, I feel your pain. That’s a Hobson’s choice and no mistake!
I’m in the ‘slightly trickier than usual for a Tuesday’ camp but perhaps I wasn’t paying sufficient attention during the professor’s last tutorial? Nevertheless, an enjoyable solve, more so once I’d given up trying to justify ‘scarper’ for 1d. Ticks awarded to 17,19&23a plus 4,6&14d.
Thanks to Mr Plumb and to Huntsman for the review – and the reminder that I need to turn the sound down on my laptop before looking at the review for the Hudson Toughie!
I also wanted to put scarper for 1d!
I was scarpering as well!
Another scarperer !
A good Tuesday workout of a usual standard for me.
I was looking at scarper too but couldn’t see why.
The “with” gave it away for me with adoration then appearing in 1a
Thanks
I scarpered too to start with!
For me, etc, Mr Plumb, for it is he based on both grids, has raised the bar on what is Typically Tuesdayish – **/****
Candidates for favourite – 13a, 17a, 28a, 1d, 2d, and 18d – and the winner is 13a.
Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.
I found this quite difficult to parse, but I must have been on the setters wavelength in regard to spotting definitions.
I think I bunged in about 5 or 6 answers aided by having a few good checkers and completed in just under my average time
Strangely, when reading Huntsmans tips, I am not sure why I found the parsing so difficult.
I suppose this is a sign of very clever clueing by our setter
The eastern part of the grid went in fairly quickly, the west was a bit trickier. It took me a while to get the idea of looking for the french word for winter in 14d. I liked the clues at 5a and 23a, with their relation to living things. Thanks to the setter, and for hints.
Similar standard to yesterday, very enjoyable throughout. Hadn’t heard the beginning of 23a meaning guy, so I’ve learnt something and also tried to justify scarper for 1d!
2* / 4*
Thanks to Huntsman + Setter
Top left hand corner gave me the most trouble. All I could think of for 9a was Carnoustie which I think is a golfy place and 4d caused a headache but apart from that; some nice anagrams to get me going. I was amused by the large bath upsetting the boy. All in all, a Tuesday-ish guzzle disturbed half way through by George upsetting a glass of wine all over everything. Fortunately white. I see we have trousers being used as an indicator again at 5d. Many thanks to Messrs Setter & Hintsman.
Hello again everyone. Been away for some years. Great to see so many still here and the blog is as warm and friendly as I remember. Enjoyed today’s solve very much and just loved 25a, really tickled me! Great to be back!
Welcome back! I hope that you become a frequent commenter this time around.
Welcome back, Alfiepops! 👍
Like the divine Daisy I found the top left quite troublesome. I became over invested in ‘scarper’ at 1d trying to justify ‘scrap’ and ‘r’ for run but the ‘e’ haunted me so I knew I was going haywire.
I look forward to the event at 9a each year. It’s my favourite of ‘the big four’ and it salutes the start of spring. They always seem to have the course in immaculate condition and “Get In The Hole!” eejits among the crowd are almost unknown.
Thanks to the setter, and Andy (not) On The First Tee
I thought this Tuesday puzzle was less typical than normal as it seemed, like Monday’s did, trickier than normal … but maybe it is just me.
2.5*/3*
Favourites 17a, 23a, 25a, 26a, 27a & 28a — with winner 25a
Thanks to AP (?) & Huntsman
I powered through this bad boy and loved it. Robyn in fine form with ticks next to stacks of clues.
I am so annoyed with the powers that be at the lexicographical institutions. 23a originally had a triple f as it’s a compound word. But, they binned one of the fs because they don’t like triple letters in words *. It’s why they inserted a hyphen in shell-like which, to me, is totes ridic. The English language is completely potty so they should roll with it.
Stop doing that you dull losers!
Not a happy solver.
My podium is 17a, 6d and 14d (excellent construction)
Many thanks to Robyn and Hoots!
1*/5*
* I appreciate that these words may get used: grrr, aaargh, soooooooo and wheeeee!
Tres amusant
Most disapppointing, Tom.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Is app-pointing the same as trolling?
1.5*/4*. This made for a pleasant solve although I did find 28a a little strange.
23a involved a BRB check to find a new meaning of a familiar word.
My top picks were 17a, 19a & 6d.
Many thanks to AP (?) and Hintsman.
With apologies to Horace Wimp:
Late again today
I’ll be in trouble, ‘though I say I am sorry
I had to hurry out
To the bus
Tuesday
I am not so sad
This was a crossword I did care for
‘Though I am late once more
I worked it out, uh-oh.
Don’t be afraid, just knock on the door
Well I just sat there mumbling, a-fumbling
Then a voice in my head
Said ‘Pip, old man, don’t be so dumb
This crossie’s set by good old Plum.’
Well done Pip 😀. An ELO fan then !
Aren’t we all? I believe if The Beatles has stayed together they would have produced music like ELO.
Jeff Lynne co-produced the Beatles’ Anthology reunion singles from John Lennon demos, “Free as a Bird” (1995), “Real Love” (1996), and “Now and Then” (2023).
Imagine what could have happened if ELO And The Beatles had got together.
Partial getting together:
Jeff Lynne and George Harrison were Travelling Wilburys.
I’m sorry to say they were Traveling Wilburys, Pip 🥺
I nearly complete this before we went out but was stuck with the north west. It has finally come together as is often the case and now I can’t see why I was so held up. I rather liked 12a and enjoyed the anagrams. I do not think this was as straightforward as some Tuesdays.
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.
1d threw me for a while as I assumed ‘scarper’ as the solution. Smooth clues as always on a Tuesday, thank you compiler and Huntsman
Enjoyable solve but a little trouble in the NW 😬 ***/**** Favourites 25a (of course) 10a, 17a & 6d 😃 Thanks to the unknown Compiler and to the Huntsman👍
Relieved to find many above found this more difficult than the * rating. Probably difficult to rate as a blogger, as you need to be smarter than the average bear to be that anyway. I also don’t get the chaff = guy thing. Thought it was something you sorted from the wheat 😊. Luckily I had enough checkers to keep going for a while, but not enough to finish without looking at more hints. Thanks to setter and Huntsman.
I had scamper as well as scarper for 1d and was so convinced that 1a started with an s that it took me longer for those two than the whole of the rest of the puzzle. And I thought I was doing so well..
A bit late on parade as I have been doing “stuff” at the rugby club today.
Very enjoyable – the puzzle that is, not the work at the club.
Ticks for 9a, 17a, 19a, 23a, 26a, 4d and 6d.
Thank you setter and Huntsman.
An enjoyable distraction from decorating that Mrs P has had me doing for a couple of days. I too, fell into the scarper trap at 1d and therefore had trouble in the NW. Glad I was in good company. Cotd is 23a. Thanks to compiler and Huntsman. Back to task tomorrow 😒
Didn’t like 21 down – whales are mammals, not fish. I didn’t get on as well with today’s puzzle as I did yesterday’s (even though yesterday’s was supposedly tricker) and needed a couple of hints. Many thanks to all.
Where do whales come into the clue?
Just googled & school can also be used for a group of fish (always thought it was a shoal). Apologies!
No need to apologise, JT. I just couldn’t see what you meant. I’ve always thought a group of whales was a pod. 😊
I think there’s a subtle difference between a school and a shoal but I can’t recall it.
Maybe it is the depth of the water, shoals seem shallower to me
I was slow to start this . I usually like to find a quick win in the top of the grid , but I had to go down a few to set off. Then it was straightforward , but the NW slowed me down at the end and I had to look at the hints for 9a and 2d , but then they were obvious, as always. Golf and Cricket clues often let me down. Thanks to the setter and Huntsman
Took me a little while to get in – in the NE corner – but then solved steadily and only needed the hints for 2d. Also, didn’t quite get all the parsing and never heard of “guy” being “chaff” but this didn’t stop me as the checkers were to hand. Most enjoyable puzzle for a week. COTD 14d for its construction and odd surface. Thanks to the setter, Huntsman and the comments. **/****.
In my case, was an all-out moan yesterday. No complaints today! This suited my Tuesday brain and most clues went in after my post-lunch nap. Despite my ‘bemoaning’, always grateful to the efforts of setter and Huntsman and co 😊
I found this very very hard. Solved some of the SE and a couple elsewhere. Worst dnf for me outside of a Friday.
If there was a setter wavelength, I didn’t come close to finding it. Incredulous that it was rated * for difficulty. Maybe it is straightforward for those that found the wavelength.
Add me to the ‘tricky but not as tricky as yesterday’ camp. NW last in. Had to check the tree and the French winter, I thought 9a could almost have been an &lit. Everything parsed so I’m a happy bunny. Favourite was 4d. Thanks to the setter and Huntsman.
Finished late last night but enjoyed the tussle
Thanks to the Prof and Andy, tackling today’s now and it seems tougher🥴
3*/4* …
liked 19A “Causes horror removing husband’s items of clothing (5)”