DT 30869 – hints – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30869 – hints

by Shabbo  

Daily Telegraph Prize Cryptic No 30869
Hints and tips by Shabbo

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

 

I am a very late stand-in for Cryptic Sue who has no Wi-Fi today.  Apologies for the late posting and please bear with me.  All done in a bit of a rush.  Sorry about the lack of images.

Please ask for help if you are stuck on clues I haven’t hinted, but before doing so, please read the comments that appear before yours, so that you are not duplicating questions,  and make sure you obey both THE INSTRUCTIONS IN BOLD BELOW and the blog’s  Comment Etiquette – Big Dave’s Crossword Blog)

Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.

A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.

In my blog, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets.  Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.

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Across

1a Grand piano fully entertains at one toccata’s conclusion (8)
Abbreviation for Piano  + synonym of “fully” outside (entertains) AT + I + the final letter of toccata.

5a and 25a Summons to have company appearing at court? (6,3,6)
Don’t go looking for something over-complicated when parsing this one.  It is a cryptic definition. Nothing to do with the law courts – think a popular racket sport instead.

14a Carbon-free goods carried in mythical ship (4)
Take a synonym of “goods carried” and remove the initial C (carbon-free).

24a Card sharp hiding nothing (5)
Synonym of sharp (as in taste) outside (hiding) letter representing nothing.

27a Tincture team in anger knocked back (6)
The roman numerals indicating the number of players in a football team inside a synonym of anger backwards (knocked back).

30a Southern woman’s club: Notts Forest (8)
Nothing to do with football.  Take an abbreviation for Southern + synonym of “woman’s” + a type of golf club.

Down

1d On time, supply lines to erring actor? (6)
Double definition.

4d and 17d Prepared for battle in theatre, MoD ordered choppers (5,2,3,5)
Anagram (ordered) of THEATRE MOD + slang synonym of choppers (not helicopters!).

8d Highly valued English horse touring Middle East (8)
Abbreviation for English + synonym of horse outside (touring) abbreviation for Middle East.

18d Disturbed Lear isn’t showing what’s inside (8)
Anagram (disturbed) of LEAR ISNT.

22d I love to absorb holy book and its predecessor entirely (2,4)
I + the letter indicating love (think tennis) outside the abbreviations for both the new and old testaments.

26d The French in their way sent up Swiss polymath (5)

Put “the” in French inside way (or street) in French upside down (sent up) to reveal a very clever Swiss bloke from the eighteenth century.

 

The Quick Crossword pun: FLAY  +  VERSE  +  SOMME  =  FLAVOURSOME

45 comments on “DT 30869 – hints”

  1. Back I suspect with NYDK for this week’s multi-light special, and a very good one too.

    I particularly liked today’s working of that certain clue type at 10A, the Forest, and the MoD choppers was a good chuckle/ PDM combo.

    Thanks Shabbo, and setter.

  2. A very enjoyable puzzle and not even the linked clues bothered me. I haven’t heard of 21a, though and I doubt I’ll remember it. I did like the hard lined penny at 12a but my COTD is the pong from the pit at 21d.

    Thank you, setter for the fun. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints and for stepping in.

  3. I wasn’t able to comment yesterday on Silvanus’ excellent puzzle, but I’m back in action now after only a one-day hiatus.

    Many thanks to everyone for their kind wishes yesterday. I’m pleased to report that my cataract operation was very efficient and painless. It was, as far as I can tell, successful too, although I have been advised to wait until tomorrow to check my eyesight for driving without glasses.

    My rating for this prize puzzle is 2*/3.5* with 5a/25a, 9a & 6d my top picks.

    Many thanks presumably to NYDK and to Shabbo.

    1. Such a relief when it is over, isn’t it! Having worn glasses since I was 13 I now only wear them for driving, reading and TV. Incredible.

  4. Bit two sided for me, the left half was fine but the right caused some head scratching. Never heard of the Swiss chap before but the best for was 5a/25a as it made me smile.
    Enjoyable puzzle for me.
    Thx to all
    ****/****

  5. Found this a right good challenge. I still can’t parse 13a. I’m sure my answer is correct but can’t for the life of me see the word play. Don’t suppose anyone can find a way to avoid the naughty step but still give me a little hint? Or is asking for a hint punishable too?

    Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints.

    1. The wordplay involves 2 parts. I assume your confusion lies with the second part.
      See if you can find a synonym of that part and a word from the clue.

  6. This looked a lot more complicated at first glance than it turned out to be, and very enjoyable.
    Many thanks to NYDK and to Shabbo for stepping in for CS.
    I think the last two words of 30a should be underlined as the location is relevant.

  7. For me and I stress…. no let me start again…

    Enjoyable guzzle at which I had to whittle away. No great rush of answers came flooding into what remains of my brain. I had to chip away at this one, and it was fun to do so.

    I rather suspect 26d has already been inducted to THE LIST many years ago, and there he shall remain.

    After H emerges from the hairdresser we are to undertake a lovely walk, as it appears to be a delicious spring day. This is a cue for any supreme power to send heavy showers to the Surrey Hills.

    Thanks to NYDK and Shabba-dabba-doo for his late appearance from the bench.

    1. Oh Terence, you should have seen yesterday’s Toughie. I thought of you and the List, oh dear. Enjoy your lovely walk.

    1. Isn’t it just – I’m not allowed it anymore other than a smell & a very wee taste so my only pleasure is in buying it for others to enjoy.
      Have you tried the Port Charlotte Islay Barley? Pricey but excellent

      1. I have tried several fron the Bruich… Distillery from the unpeated classic to the heavily peated PC and even a sip of the ludicrously priced Octomore. The Islay Barley sounds interesting and just about in my price bracket so I will take note and try it sometime

  9. Excellent fun guzzle with just enough head scratching to exercise the brain. Didn’t know 21a – not sure I’ll ever be able to use it in conversation. Loved the linked clues, and even remembered the polymath. What’s not to like? Thanks to Shabbo and the setter.

  10. A little late on parade today. It must be the effect of the anti-flu medication – more please!

    An enjoyable challenge from NYDK after his week off – 2.5*/4*

    Candidates for favourite – 5a/25a, 28a, 30a, and 26d – and the winner is 26d.

    Thanks to NYDK, or whomsoever if it is not he, and to Shabbo for subbing at short notice.

    Now I need to get the caffeine infusion ready for Madcap’s NTSPP as I am sure it will be needed.

  11. When you have the answer to 26d, call it “X”, go to Wikipedia and find the page for “X’s Identity”.

    If you have never understand that something mathematical can have great beauty, then this may change your mind!

  12. After a good start in the west, I made heavy weather of the east for reasons I can’t readily fathom as all was fairly clued. My cotd is 27a. Thanks to NYDK and super-sub, Shabbo

  13. It is just like summer, but my wise old grandmother said If March comes in like a lamb it will go out like a lion. So there. Many thanks to the clever setter and to Shabbo for stepping into the breach. Particularly liked 5a and 22d.

  14. I made heavy work of this so was glad to complete it. Some great clues, just my brain not wanting to engage.

    Top picks for me were 4/17, 5/25 and 21d.

    Thanks to Shabbo and the setter.

  15. 3*/4* some excellent clueing although the Swiss polymath was new to me and not entirely sure I have 13a correct.
    Favourites 21a, 21d and the devious 30a
    Thanks to Shabbo (although no hint for 13a grr)
    and setter

  17. 13a: I think a question mark at the end is, perhaps, required.

    Otherwise a joy to solve. **/****

  18. Nice to see NYDK back again with this Saturday puzzle. A slightly more difficult offering, but quite solvable with cross check letters.

    2*/4* for me

    Favourites include the two multi-clue answers as well as 30a, 6d, 8d & 21d — with winner 5/25a

    Thanks to NYDK & Shabbo

  19. Devilishly brilliant with a good dollop of misdirection as befits a Saturday.

    Last one in was 13a, because, like an idiot I fell for the trick with the last word in the clue.

    Loved the multi word ones, with my favourite of the day being 5/25a.

  20. Thought this a cracking puzzle with ticks aplenty & reckon our super sub uncharacteristically stingy with his *** enjoyment rating. Did have to check on the painter context post submission but otherwise pretty straightforward. Picks for me from a strong field are 4/25&30a plus 4/17,21&22d.
    Thanks to Donny & to Shabbo

  21. For us the most enjoyable puzzle this year. PDM’s and laughs aplenty, not easy though. LOI was 5/25a and COTD amongst many contenders. Thanks to NYD and Shabbo

  22. I am afraid I (and I stress the I) found this a hard slog and not enjoyable on the way. Re: 2la I can think of many words for lavatory but I doubt the one here comes into the vocabulary of the average Daily Telegraph reader.LOl 28s and no idea how to parse. Thanks NYDK and Shabbo. I’m not surprised CS’s internet went down.

    1. That made me laugh!
      It was so nice meeting you – seems such a long time ago now.

  23. I enjoyed the offering today and fairly rattled through. 6d was my favourite today.
    2*/4.5*
    I must not be the average Telegraph reader as I had no problems with 21a.
    Thanks to NYDK and the late late hinter.

  24. Like Wanda I really struggled with this one with 5 clues needing help, 13a,21a and 28a for example, my problem not the setters. I started off well and got the multiword clues relatively quickly but then just ran aground at the end. 12a was an excellent clue.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints, I hope CS gets her internet issues resolved.

  26. I definitely found that a notch harder than the usual Saturday backpager, although looking back afterwards, it’s not at all clear why. Favourites for me were 30a, 15d and 22d.

    Thanks to Shabbo and NYDK.

  27. Enjoyable guzzle which I only found time to look at properly today. Not heard of 21a or 26d before. Lots of entertaining red herrings to deal with. CotD goes to 7d – I always enjoy a good one of those! Thanks to NYDK and Shabbo.

  28. Finally got there in the end. Really stuck on 21a and 21d but fairly clued and should have been obvious. Doh!

  29. 3*/4* …
    liked 5 & 25 A “Summons to have company appearing at court ? (6,3,6)”

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