Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30902
Hints and tips by Senf
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty 2.5* – Enjoyment 4.5*
A very good Wednesday morning from Winnipeg where, after a pizza and ice cream cake, with seconds, lunch accompanied by two pints of mild I thought I might be too soporific to be able to solve and blog today’s puzzle on my Tuesday evening. Fortunately, it seems that the setter was psychically sympathetic to my situation and has provided a relatively straightforward puzzle.
Candidates for favourite – 4a, 10a, 27a, 16d, and 22d.
In the hints below, the definitions are underlined. The answers are hidden under the Click here! buttons, so don’t click if you don’t want to see them.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Imposing gold sports car American sits inside (6)
AUGUST: The two letter abbreviation for American inserted into (sits inside) the chemical symbol for gold and the two letter abbreviation that might indicate a sports car.
4a Fighter amazingly fit during peak (8)
SPITFIRE: Oh dear, an anagram (amazingly – move one letter) of FIT inserted into (during) a synonym of peak – yes, I know what the dictionary definition of anagram is but, one of my Quixotic windmills, there should be a minimum number of letters in the material, five or six perhaps.
10a Showing agility Emmanuel stripped off, pulling student from cold sea (9)
ACROBATIC: The surname of a well known Emmanuel with the outer letters removed (stripped off) followed by a ‘cold’ (European) sea with the usual letter indicating student removed (pulling).
11a Bring up the first lady to cherish approval (5)
EVOKE: The first lady according to the first book of the OT contains (to cherish) the two letters for approval.
12a Mikel Arteta’s giving Emirates talk for one (7)
ANAGRAM: Mikel Arteta’s can be rearranged to give Emirates talk, so it is an ******* – apparently Mikel Arteta is the manager of Arsenal, a forgettable piece of information, I hope!
13a Leave a group working (7)
ABANDON: A from the clue, a generic musical group, and the two letter word for working.
14a Daughter is after sweetly pretty fabric (5)
TWEED: The single letter for Daughter placed after a single word equivalent to sweetly pretty.
15a Toast welcoming queen in PM’s residence (8)
CHEQUERS: A drinking toast containing (welcoming) the two letter abbreviation for queen.
18a Where the divers hope to catch a Mexican wave? (8)
ACAPULCO: A place in Mexico where divers like to leap off a very high cliff.
20a Dance party – is Charlie invited? (5)
DISCO: IS from the clue and the letter represented by Charlie in the phonetic alphabet all inserted into (invited) our favourite two letter party.
23a Greens Brisbane Gabba curator maintains the wrong way (7)
CABBAGE: A reversed lurker (maintains the wrong way) found in three words in the clue.
25a Raids reported location of Colossus, originally (7)
INROADS: A homophone (reported) of the (2, 6) location of Colossus originally.
26a Announced fashion house for the well-off (5)
MANOR: A homophone (announced) of a synonym of fashion (as a way of doing something).
27a In London, those who nick gunpowder for example (3,6)
TEA LEAVES: More specifically, in East London, rhyming slang for those who nick (as in steal) – not quite sure what gunpowder has got to do with it.
28a On paper they iron easily (2,6)
IN THEORY: An anagram (easily) of THEY IRON.
29a Believe the King turned tide (6)
CREDIT: The regnal cypher of HM and the reversal (turned) of TIDE from the clue.
Down
1d Penny leaves palace having stolen paintings from the list (1,2,5)
A LA CARTE: The letter P deleted from (leaves) pALACE and the what remains is containing (having stolen) a generic term for paintings.
2d Relevant continental European (7)
GERMANE: A person from a continental country and the single letter for European.
3d Cry before party, having recovered from the last one? (7,2)
SOBERED UP: A three letter synonym of cry (noisily), a literary synonym of before, and the abbreviation for the name of a NI political party.
5d Does this break have strings attached? (7,7)
PACKAGE HOLIDAY: A type of break that is usually all inclusive which, based on the first word, might have strings attached.
6d Greek character tense, heated and beginning to argue (5)
THETA: The single letter for Tense, a dialectic synonym (on both sides of the pond) of heated, and the first letter of (beginning to) Argue.
7d Suitable batting line up (2,5)
IN ORDER: A double definition – reasonably straightforward.
8d They go out in Devon river punts unclothed (6)
EXEUNT: A three letter Devon river, that rises in Somerset, and pUNTs with the outer letters removed (unclothed) – <em>used as a stage direction</em>.
9d Company in mall protects failing specialist in post (5,9)
STAMP COLLECTOR: The two letter abbreviated form of company inserted into (in) an anagram (failing) of MALL PROTECTS.
16d With which to cover wobbly nude bottom when wife enters? (9)
UNDERWEAR: An anagram (wobbly – move one letter) of NUDE and a synonym of bottom (as in the part of the body one sits on) containing (when . . . enters) the single letter for Wife.
17d She’s out, unfortunately – I must enter to look after her home? (5-3)
HOUSE-SIT: An anagram (unfortunately) of SHE’S OUT containing (must enter) I from the clue.
19d Is it filled with wooden politicians? (7)
CABINET: An item of furniture or a collective noun for politicians appointed to ministerial positions.
21d Looked around Vietnam’s capital, keen to eat (7)
STARVED: A synonym of looked (with a fixed gaze) containing (around) the first letter (capital) of Vietnam.
22d Sulphur affected island shellfish (6)
SCAMPI: The chemical symbol for Sulphur, a synonym of affected (as in a manner of behaviour), and the single letter for Island.
24d Concur article on eco-politician must have name censored (5)
AGREE: One of the indefinite articles placed before (on) the common term for eco-politician with the single letter for Name deleted (have . . . censored).
Quick Crossword Pun:
CROC + MUSS + EWER = CROQUE MONSIEUR
Just checked and gunpowder is a type of green tea
So it is, thank you. One lives and learns, Every day is a school day, And any other similar sayings,
I very good challenge, got stuck on 12a only !! I believe the reference in 27a is to Gunpowder green tea.
This was a highly enjoyable solve with plenty to like. My FOI was the splendid 10a and it flowed from there.
Anagram indicators are, aptly, out of control. ‘Easily’? It’s all getting very silly. I did like the novel ‘Invited’ in 20a to mean ‘Enter/Come in’.
I am gutted that The Gabba is going to be demolished after the Brizzy games in 2032 as I love Aussie commentators saying it.
My pody picks are 10a, 12a (great spot!) and of course 16d.
Many thanks to the setter and the Manitoban mountie.
2*/5*
Ah, The Gabba. Best memory was 2010, when we watched every Ashes Test on our 4 yearly trip down under.
England 2nd innings:
Andrew Straus st †Haddin b North 110
Alastair Cook 235 not out
Jonathan Trott 135not out
Extras 37
Total 517/1d
Saddest memory was in 2002, when we were a few feet from Simon Jones as he fell with serious injury to his knee. Crass ‘rubberneckers’ were only interested in taking photos whilst he was in great pain.
You were there in 2010 for that stupendous test where we salvaged a draw, having been 220 runs behind after the first innings? To say I’m well jel is an understatement.
What a great reply by Captain Strauss, having not troubled the scorers in his first dig.
I’d love to go to an Ashes ‘Dan Under’.
We hope to be there again this winter.
Melbourne brother was here last year, so it’s our turn.
How marvellous.
Marvellous cricket .. oxymoron springs to mind .. but enjoy .. it’s just not that popular on my side of the Border!
I enjoyed today’s offering .. including knowing that gunpowder was tea (having visited Whittards). I missed the parsing of 12a through … I was convinced this was a reference to Arsenal (and let’s hope they do it tonight).
Hi BE
What I was really getting at was how marvellous to have a jolly ‘Down Under’, every four years with a family member, watching something that you love.
As a Brisbanite I’ve had many a marvellous day at the ‘Gabba’ (for those who may not know, a shortened version of Woolloongabba, the suburb where the ground is located in Brisbane’s inner South). I’ll be sorry to see it go but sadly it’s outlived its usefulness and we need something like the OPTUS stadium in Perth. I just hope the Queensland Cricketers’ Club will have facilities there to view the games. We will certainly make the most of its last seven years. Best, 🦇
Thanks for that, FF, and interesting to read your comments about needing an updated ground.
I still can’t get over Nasser asking the Aussies to bat,
We were mightily impressed by the bussing arrangements to and from The Gabba. There are dedicated roads for buses only.
On the other hand they are very strict about searching bags and confiscating clothing/kit with any logo apart from those of the match sponsor.
Boat trips in Brisbane River are memorable – particularly on Melbourne Cup day. All over Australia people dress in their finery and drink the country almost dry. Much jollity on board.
Good to hear.
On that note, Pipsqueak….sweet dreams. 😴
Very hard for a Wednesday, and perhaps a little stretched in places, with quite a few I had to guess the to answer and work backwards.
Last in was 12a, and only got that because nearly all the letters were there already.
My two favourites today were 10a and 27a, many thanks to our setter today.
A super puzzle with a high number of ticks – 10,12&15a along with 3,7&9d can organise themselves into an A&B podium. Liked the other long ‘un too. Can’t say I knew gunpowder had anything to do with tea & couldn’t be bothered to investigate – I’ll stick to good old assam.
Thanks to the setter & as ever to Senf.
A terrific puzzle – it felt very fresh to me. Really clever clueing and some lovely surfaces. I thought 12a was an absolute peach – well played setter 👏👏👏 thanks also to senf for the hints which I shall now read (after I’ve just googled ice cream cake?!)
I concur on 12a. Very clever. Too much so for me as I only got it because I had enough of the letters – but didn’t know why!
I enjoyed today’s challenge. Needed Senf’s help parsing the first part of 10a as I always forget that Emmanuel.
Top picks for me were 25a, 12a, 3d and 1d.
Thanks to Senf and the compiler.
3*/4.5*. I found this to be a middling challenge for the mid-week challenge, which was a lot of fun although I am not entirely convinced by the definition for 9d nor the tense of the answer for 21d.
12a was my favourite – an excellent clue with a superb surface to match.
Many thanks to the setter and to Senf.
I see your point that 9d isn’t an expert in post in general, but they have knowledge about a part of it, so I think it’s close enough for a cryptic definition.
“I’m 21d” and “I’m keen to eat” could mean the same thing (using the metaphorical sense of 21d), so the tenses are fine. 21d looks like a past participle, but using it as an adjective makes it work in the present as well. Talking of which, I need to go and sort out lunch …
I did consider your explanation for 21d but rejected it as “starved” (had nothing to eat) and “starving” (hungry) are not at all the same thing in my book. Saying “I’m starved” to mean “I’m keen to eat” seems like sloppy English to me.
I’ve definitely heard people say that! It may be slangy, but it’s fair for the setter to include it.
We will have to agree to disagree on that, Smylers.
I happen to be Ireland at the moment. “I’m 21d” is a very common expression here. Used far more than “I’m famished”. I have to say I’ve often heard it used in England too – so it worked for me…
You’d better get your lunch, you seem starving. We don’t want to hear reports that you starved to death! :-)
My kind of crossword: so many fun clues, and not overly taxing — I completed this a little faster than Monday’s and Tuesday’s crosswords.
My favourite was one of 10a, 11a, 15a, 25a, 26a, 1d, 3d, or 7d. Probably. Let’s go for 26a, because I spent so long trying to think of the names of fashion houses (rather out of my comfort zone!) that could possibly be a homophone of ‘well-off’.
Thank you to the super setter for the entertainment, and to Senf for explaining who Mikel Arteta is. I parsed 27a as a double definition: ‘In London, those who nick’ and ‘gunpowder, for example’.
A cracking midweek puzzle – thanks to our setter and Senf.
I have a host of ticks on my printout including those for 10a, 20a, 1d, 3d and 8d.
Proper classy. Ticks galore, including 10a, 12a, 25a, 27a, 5d and 16d. And I loved 9d’s definition! Best thanks to our setter and Senf.
We can certainly agree this was classy, ALP, but it just goes to show how different we are all are in that I found 9d’s definition decidedly dodgy!
That’s the joy of it all though, isn’t it? Difference is everything. And you’re certainly not wrong – I just veer towards the loose! Twas ever thus!!
I do hope that your veering towards the loose doesn’t apply to women! :-)
Ha! Absolutely not. Just crossword defs. And DIY.
Enjoyable and reasonably straightforward, with the two very good long down clues giving the solver a leg up. I thought 12a was excellent once I’d stared at it for longer than was perhaps necessary. And now it has stopped raining and I have no excuse for not going to plant some potatoes on my allotment. Thanks very much to the setter and to Senf for explaining 10a and a couple of others.
Definitions are a little stretched is an understatement. It is happening more and more where the fourth or fifth meanings are used which are not in common usage. I have reached the time of life when consulting the BRB has become so much of a painful time wasting activity that I can rarely be bothered to drag the hulking thing onto my knee with my arthritic hand and shoulders, so consult the blogger. Or perhaps my brain is weakening ; too much of that and it’s goodbye cruel world.
Great fun with lots of clever clues, particularly 12a my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Senf for the hints.
Some very clever wordplay sitting alongside some that seemed a bit of a stretch. Plenty of ticks on my sheet with extra stars being awarded to 4,10,15&27a plus 19&22d.
Thanks to our setter – Twmbarlwm? – and to Senf for the review and musical accompaniment.
Twm could be a good call, Jane
It took me a few minutes to find anything I could answer today, but once I got going, the answers flowed quite quickly and I finished in * time. Lots to enjoy but I’ll nominate the explosive tea as my favourite.
I couldn’t detect any trace of crypticness in 18A. 🤔
Thanks to the setter and Senf.
Hi Donks.
It is a little bit cryptic as it wants you to think of the crowd doing a Mexican Wave when the competitor nails a dive.
E. I believe 18a is a (phrasal) cryptic definition, which is a type of cryptic clue because it is an unusual, mysterious, oblique (so cryptic) way of describing the answer, but valid nonetheless. That’s my take on it …
A truly wonderful puzzle, pretty gentle and benign but witty and clever with plenty of smiles and laugh-out-loud moments, especially when pennies dropped. I too thought 18a rather weak, the only flat spot in the puzzle.
For this Gooner COTD has to be my LOI, 12a – genius. Fingers crossed for tonight but even a 3-goal advantage can evaporate at the Bernabeu. Honours also to 27a, 3d & 16d (big smile!), but another dozen clues could have reached the podium.
Thanks indeed to the setter for a lovely mid-week puzzle, and to Senf too, of course.
Thoroughly enjoyable with plenty of clever well thought out clues. My favourites was most definitely 12a – genius – but maybe went over the head if you didn’t know who Mikel Arteta was, or who he managed and where they play – but if you did then it was an excellent clue.
Thanks to setter and Senf
I’ve been away a while
But done the crossword daily,
And this one made me smile
Though my pace was rather snaily.
This was a corker. Took some time to establish a rhythm, but once done all fell into place for an elegant and witty puzzle. Difficult to pick a podium from so many contenders but my pin has picked out 10a, 16d and 19d. Thanks to compiler and Senf.
Another Wednesday puzzle with what I find are difficult clues to parse.
3*/2.5*
Favourites hard to find but I chose 4a, 11a, 14a,28a, 5d & 17d — with winner 4a
Thanks to setter & Senf
Excellent guzzle- dashing off to U3A talk on Putin. I’ll come back – but thanks all round.
An excellent midweek puzzle. Very accessible and very enjoyable.
I loved 12a. Very clever.
Thank you setter and Senf. Two pints of mild! That takes me back. Not often found on draught here any more.
Fort Garry brewery, local to Winnipeg, I am not sure if it can be called ‘micro’ any more:
Fort Garry Dark
Very nice. Don’t forget to bring a couple over next time you come!
Lovely crossword – I wonder if it is the work of Hudson?
Thanks to whoever and to Senf
It did seem to have the same ‘timbre’ as last Wednesday’s puzzle so I agree that Hudson is a definite candidate for the setter.
Indeed, Hudson claimed it on BlueSky (which is where most of the Twitter crosswording folk seem to’ve moved) at 11:51. I should’ve thought to check sooner!
I do hope so – I’d far rather attribute it to him………
I take it that you never worked in diplomacy. Jane.
Yet seems to enjoy diplomatic immunity from Rule 2 in the Comment Etiquette! More uncalled for rudeness.
A wonderful puzzle today with a nice amount of chew and some great clues. I spent a while staring at 12a thinking it must be a lurker or something like that. I did look up who Mikel Arteta was too although that wasn’t really relevant , but seems there was some cleverness about footie which was still over my head. In the end I had enough checkers for the penny to drop. TDS makes the point about anagram indicators. I’ve had conversations with friends starting out. ‘WHY’ they ask ‘is that an anagram indicator’ ? My answer wasn’t very good – think I said , ‘it just sounds like it’ ! Anyway thanks to the setter and Senf .
I love your answer, Spinning, and I hear where you’re coming from. When it comes to these indicators, it really is the Wild West which absolutely works for me.
Talking of Wild West, I stumbled across Calamity Jane at the weekend.
Once, I had a secret love…
Pure joy.
Very late for me today but this was well worth the wait, with the excellent 12a leading the way. Superb stuff.
Thanks to our midweek setter and Senf.
Really good and very clever today.
3*/4.5*
The only one I’m not sure about is 18a as this does not seem very cryptic to me.
Favs today 1d and 12a.
Thanks to setter and senf
Lots to like even the stretched definitions, the more elasticated the better for me!
2* / 4* Favourites 9d, 16d and 27a once I realised the gunpowder relevance.
Thanks to Senf and setter
Defeated by 12a! Many thanks to the setter and for the hints – the explanation of 12a was much appreciated.
Really enjoyed this today. Got held up severely in the SE by simply writing in the letters for 25a in the wrong order! Liked the risqué 16d and favourite was 1d. Lots of good wordplay today I thought. Also enjoyed the back to school moment with gunpowder tea!
Thanks to Hudson and Senf
I’m afraid this left me completely cold and I threw in the towel after battling in the North – just too many stretched synonyms. Thank you to whomever it may be and to Senf.
Quite a challenge today.
12a needed the hint to be able to parse. Vaguely aware of the person and the stadium.
18a was a bung in. Never heard of the diving cliff thing.
Not heard of the Gabba, but no surprises there. At least the clue makes sense to me now.
I suspect 27a tastes like drinking gunpowder juice. A new flavour on me, but tea is only for when there is no coffee available.
Glad I remembered 8d. A word probably not used in centuries. Are setters trying to get it back in common usage? 😀
Thanks to all.
Here’s an earworm to help remember 18a’s existence:
That’s from 1988. Until writing this comment, I’d presumed it was at least a decade older, given the act singing it. Apparently it was from the film The Buster.
A nice blast from the past! 😀
I set a new PB today. I completed both the Cryptic and the Toughie in record time. Solved in 00:00, according to the Puzzles app. 🥳
I still don’t understand 12a but got there in the end. Thank you Compiler and Senf
The penny has only just dropped with me, rearranging the letters of Mikel Arteta’s gives Emirates talk, which is an example of an…?
Very good clue and for any Arsenal fans reading you must be over the moon tonight.
Loved this. Wednesday’s are becoming more enjoyable, or maybe I’m getting better at this (was a late starter). Thank you setter and Senf.
There seems to be a Marmite response to today’s puzzle. I’m in the ‘sparkling and witty’ camp. On an otherwise trying day, this brought smiles and ahs. 12a takes gold. Thank you setter and Senf.
27a the gunpowder mentioned is a reference to gunpowder tea, which is a style of tea.
***/*** for me. Set off slowly but checkers gave me answers, albeit unparsed. Laughed out loud at 16d. Only parsed 12a once I’d found a word that fitted. Thanks to setter and Senf.
I seem to be in the minority as I didn’t find this remotely straightforward or enjoyable. Far too obscure and difficult, I’ve done easier toughies. Talking of toughies today’s will be a dnf as I can hardly get a foothold. Maybe I’m having a bad day, I think I’ll leave it there. Thanks to the setter anyway and Senf.
Brilliant fun, thanks to Hudson. The Arteta wordplay was a great find!
3*/5* ….
liked 5D “Does this break have strings attached ?(7,7)”