Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30906
Hints and tips by Smylers
Happy Easter. Last Monday X-Type commented: “See you again, quite soon”, so I’m presuming today’s crossword is another from the same mind.
Yesterday one of the children and I got up before dawn to walk up Ilkley Moor to the Cow & Calf rocks, for the Churches Together Easter ‘Son-Rise’ service. The sun just put in an appearance between the clouds.
We spent last week in a holiday home Sedbergh, the use of which we were surprised to win as top prize in the PTA raffle at the eldest’s school! I discovered that I can’t say ‘Sedbergh’ without people thinking I’ve said ‘zebra’, and that Cumbria no longer exists — at least not as a county council, having been split back into Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness a couple of years ago. So of the 4 English local government neologisms established by the mid-70s re-organization, none still exist. Can you name the other 3? (Most county boundaries changed but continued existing names. There were 4 counties with completely new names.)
Hints and explanations for each clue are below, with the definitions of each underlined and the answers hidden behind the He is risen indeed. Alleluia! blobs. Do leave a comment sharing how you found it, which clues you particularly liked, if any of my explanations aren’t helpful enough, or if it isn’t clear what a picture or video has to do with the clue it’s supposedly illustrating.
Across
1a Article in bowl: spicy, mouldy food (6,4)
DANISH BLUE: We need another word for a bowl and to place a grammatical article in it. Follow that with a word used to mean ‘spicy’ in the sense of ‘raunchy’. The answer is a food that’s supposed to be mouldy.
6a Eric possibly not very busy (4)
IDLE: This is a double definition, where the first is the surname of somebody famous called Eric.
10a Maybe wide section of Spandex tracksuit (5)
EXTRA: A section of consecutive letters from the last 2 words in the clue gives something that a wide is an example of in a specific context.
11a Exclusive place where insecticide is highly effective? (2-3,4)
NO-FLY ZONE: This place is literally exclusive because it’s defined as forbidding something specific from it. It could also be used whimsically to describe somewhere that insecticide has been highly effective, such that there aren’t any of a particular creature.
12a Bird, one getting drink (7)
MARTINI: This drink ends with the Roman numeral for ‘one’. Not many drinks do that. (Indeed not many English words do that, which gives a clue as to the provenance of this particular drink.) That leaves the rest of the letters for a type of bird.
13a Displaying disloyalty, one rats nastily (7)
TREASON: The letters of ‘one rats’ are arranged nastily to spell out the answer.
14a Scone tins unusually made with tin: not always the same! (12)
INCONSISTENT: Place the letters of ‘scone tins’ and ‘tin’ in an usual order.
18a Experimentally limit danger, inhaling new kind of drug (4-8)
MIND-ALTERING: Take the letters of ‘limit danger’, make them inhale the abbreviation for ‘new’, and experiment with them till they spell out the answer.
21a France united in future, backing such a denial (7)
REFUTAL: We need a word meaning ‘future’, as in when I’ll put the recycling out. That’s then backed so it faces t’other way. In that place the car-sticker abbreviation for France and one of the ways in which ‘United’ gets abbreviated in football terms. I think “such a” are just linking words here? The clue seems like it would work without them.
23a Ballet tights in post, large quantity (7)
MAILLOT: I’ve got a child who does ballet and for whom we frequently have to purchase assorted kit, but I still hadn’t heard of this word, and nor has Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (the one available free on their website). Fortunately it can be made up from two common words: we need a synonym for ‘post’ (either the noun describing what arrives through your letterbox or the verb meaning to send such things) followed by a word meaning a large quantity.
24a Reportedly look thoroughly where flights might go? (9)
STAIRWELL: If somebody reported the instruction ‘look thoroughly’, it would sound like this answer. These flights aren’t anything to do with aeroplanes or birds.
25a The setter is tall, not quite showing feet (5)
IAMBI: Start with how the setter would declare ‘The setter is’ from their point of view. End with not quite all of a word that means ‘tall’ or, more generally, ‘large’. These feet aren’t the ones at the end of your legs. I hadn’t realized it took this irregular plural (I think I’ve just been sticking an ‘s’ on the end), though given it comes from Latin, it makes sense.
26a Assistant spotted in Maidenhead (4)
AIDE: The answer can be spotted among consecutive letters of ‘Maidenhead’, a place whose name it turns out comes not from a maiden who lived there and was famous for her head, but (as I’ve just looked up) from the Saxon ‘Maiden Hythe’, meaning ‘new wharf’.
27a Sing about instrument in French, going up a semitone (10)
SHARPENING: This definition is based on the musical term for a semitone higher, turned into a verb. Create from the name of a musical instrument followed by one of the French words for ‘in’ and putting ‘sing’ from the clue about the outside of the lot.
Down
1d What sleepers experience with diamonds on lots of sheets (6)
DREAMS: This starts with the symbol for the playing-card suite ‘diamonds’. If you’ve now got a ♦ in your grid, that’s going to make 1a a bit tricky, so rub it out and use the single-letter abbreviation instead. After that we need to think of something that comes in sheets; enter the plural of a term for a standard quantity of it.
2d Legal official excluding a case of robbery (6)
NOTARY: Enter in turn: a word which can mean ‘excluding’; the ‘a’ from the clue; the first and last letters of ‘robbery’ — that is the word’s ‘case’.
3d Assign male teachers? They’ll supervise the likes of Victoria (14)
STATIONMASTERS: For the definition, think through the various things ‘Victoria’ could be an example of (a plum, a Spice Girl, a waterfall, …). The answer comprises a verb meaning to assign somebody to a particular location and an obsolete term for a male teacher.
4d Marsupial, bald creature with bowed legs, we hear! (9)
BANDICOOT: I didn’t know this animal was a marsupial. Its name sounds like what we’d hear if somebody said an adjective meaning ‘having bowed legs’ followed by the name of a creature renowned for its baldness — as though they were describing the creature of having such legs.
Pic credit: Jean and Fred Hort
5d Leaders of underdeveloped nations find investment totally useless (5)
UNFIT: Take the leading letters of the following 5 words in the clue.
7d Entry point of pod store reconstructed (8)
DOORSTEP: Reconstruct the letters of ‘pod store’ to spell out this object which is found near an entrance and also used metonymicly to refer to an entry point itself.
8d Tyne rite performed in perpetuity (8)
ETERNITY: Make the letters in the first 2 words perform to spell out the answer, for which the definition here is just the final word as a noun (not the adverb ‘in perpetuity’).
9d Unhappy, I step in, ever shy and extremely touchy (14)
HYPERSENSITIVE: Make an unhappy arrangement of the subsequent 14 letters. Or wait till you have a bunch of crossing letters and bung in what fits.
15d One who spends time in the mountains with an encryption device (9)
SCRAMBLER: Two definitions: the first is an agent noun describing somebody using their hands and feet to get through difficult terrain such as loose stones. The second is a device which encrypts phone calls to make them unintelligible to somebody who has intercepted them.
16d Married brother in Eastern region making heavenly food (8)
AMBROSIA: Insert the abbreviation for ‘married’ and a short form of ‘brother’ into a region of the world which is east of Europe. Apologies to solvers elsewhere in the world for which it isn’t eastern.
17d Fund aria that’s dreadful? Not particularly concerned! (8)
UNAFRAID: A dreadful spelling of ‘fund aria’ gives this answer.
19d Soldier leaving Luigi and man fighting former students (6)
ALUMNI: Make the letters representing a usual soldier leave ‘Luigi’. The remaining letters and ‘man’ then fight until they spell out the answer.
20d Son by Hertfordshire town in train (6)
STRING: Follow the abbreviation for ‘son’ with the name of the 26th-biggest place in Hertfordshire (population about 12 000). The definition is a sequence of things joined together, not specifically the mode of transport.
22d Shelter about to get hard for scrounger (5)
LEECH: Enter in turn: a word for a shelter, more often encountered as an adjective indicating the sheltered side of something nautical; one of the abbreviations mean ‘about’; the pencil abbreviation for ‘hard’.
Quickie Pun
In today’s Quick Crossword the first 2 clues are italicized, indicating that their answers when read aloud together can be made to sound like another word or phrase. 1a was unknown to me. If you want to check, here are the answers and pun:
THAI + TROPE = TIGHT ROPE
A steady solve for me but still enjoyable. 23a was a new word for me but fairly clued.
Top picks for me were 3d, 11a, 4d and 25a.
Thanks to Smylers and the setter.
Smylers, you have a type of word rather than type of bird in the 12a hint.
Thanks, Madflower. I allocated some time for proofreading … but then accidentally spent it ‘researching’ old cricket clips instead! Now fixed.
Perfect for a damp Easter Monday. I am wondering whether THE LIST committee might be convening for a couple of today’s answers. I particularly liked the witty 11a which makes the podium alongside 4d and 27a in top spot. Thanks to compiler and Smylers.
In answer to the question posed in your intro Smylers, Mr Mhids thinks 2 of the 3 counties are Avon and Humberside but he’s stuck for the other one. I’d be grateful if you could give me the answer at some point of the day as it will natter him ( and therefore me!) and pride will not let him look it up. He’ll probably have it by the time I’ve written this! As for the crossword 4 clues share the podium today – 11a, 24a, 27a and 16d. Thanks to our setter and Smylers
Yep, well done, Mr Mhids — those are 2 of the short-lived counties! (And, yes, I’ll post the other one later, in the unlikely event that nobody else gets it.)
Thanks for the confirmation. He’s thinking Teeside at the moment. At very least it’s giving him something to mull over on this dull bank holiday morning.
Cleveland?
Bingo! So the 4 counties created in the 70s with new names were Avon, Cleveland, Cumbria, and Humberside. Cumbria existed until 2023, with the other 3 having been abolished in the (less-extensive) mid-90s changes.
Teesside is the other way round: it was a council until the mid-70s re-org.
I understand that Teesside became part of Cleveland in the mid-70s re-org.
The committee were very grumpy this morning, after each of them was called in to discuss 25a. Following a very fair debate lasting two seconds, it was decided, unanimously, to place 25a on THE LIST.
The number of entries is growing so alarmingly, that the trustees are meeting next week to consider opening a new gallery in the Cotswolds. Planning permission has been granted on a provisional basis.
Today is the day The Youngster is decorating one of the bathrooms. We spent nearly a hundred quid on paint on Saturday. I hope the majority of it ends up on the ceiling and the walls.
Enjoyable guzzle. Not a breeze, but as Senf would say, the checking letters allowed one to figure out the trickier glues (actually, Senf wouldn’t say that).
Thanks to the setter and the splendid Smylers From Ilkley.
It was 23a I was expecting to end up on The List! Did the committee consider it as well as 25a?
And does The List incorporate Big Dave’s original list? Could Terence be given the keys to add further entries there for us all to see them, or should it be preserved as it is as part of Big Dave’s legacy?
Looking at the original list I note there were only 7 entries, the current custodian usually adds that number each week! – it is now surely a mighty tome indeed, no wonder it needs such a vast gallery to house it 😂
‘pon my soul! I had no idea that BD had started down the same path, long before I brought the committee together!
As soon as I saw 23a I just knew that the Committee would have an emergency meeting even thought it is a Bank Holiday. Then along came 25a and I knew there would be trouble. No one understands the strain unless they are similarly responsible for National safety/sanity. May we book tickets to view the collection? We’ll take the option which includes a packed lunch please.
The thing about the List is that if you have been interested in words all your life, there’s nothing special about the contents, they are just words you have known for years
Good job The Youngster is doing the painting. Have you noticed how heavy a gallon of paint is these days 😉?
😂
Another rather tricky crossword for a Monday, with a word i had never heard of at 23a. I liked the 1a cryptic definition/ Lego clue and also the 4d homiphone/ Lego clue. I dont know how to describe 3d, perhaps a crptic definition/Lego clue, but it was very clever anyway. Thanks to the compiler and to Smylers for rhe hints.
A nice Monday crossword, although I seem to remember 23a was a swimsuit, but then it is a long time since A-Level French!
Thanks to the setter and Smylers
Wikipedia has 23a as a swimsuit; The OED has the first definition as: “A pair of tights, esp. as worn by ballet dancers” (and I don’t own a BRB to check).
maillot /mä’yō/
noun
Tights worn by a ballet-dancer, gymnast, etc
A one-piece close-fitting swimsuit
A jersey
ORIGIN: Fr, literally, swaddling-clothes
That is what the BRB app says; so we are “Orl Korrect”
Thanks. Though having seen that pronunciation, I’m now concerned it’s going to make another appearance with a setter cluing it as a homophone of the egg-based salad dressing!
Re future homophone for 23a, I am fairly sure maillot is pronounced my-oh (not may-oh)
As per mayonnaise in French.
Despite having daughters who did years of ballet, followed by a granddaughter who attended from age 3 – 16, I never heard that term for ballet tights. Only for swimsuits.
My Robert French-English Dictionary translates un maillot as lots of things including vest, leotard, baby’s wrap, and swimsuit but not ballet tights but our setter has the defence of that is what is in the BRB.
Surely swimsuit has ‘de bain’ after 23a.
John Bee
Fooled by the Ballet tights too. I was able to work it out but I have only heard it as the “Yellow Jumper” that the leader of the Tour de France wears.
Many thanks to X-type and Smylers
Easy picking a winner this morning from this excellent Monday puzzle; 11a by a mile. Thoroughly enjoyable and quite user-friendly to cheer up a dull Bank Holiday.
Many thanks to both setter (X-Type?) and Smylers.
2*/4*. For some inexplicable reason today, instead of the NW, I started in the anagramfest that was NE corner with my first five answers all solved by juggling a lot of letters about. Fortunately I think there was only one other example in the whole of the rest of the puzzle.
This was good fun with 11a, 3d & 4d making up my podium.
Many thanks to the setter. I think X-Type is a good shout. Thanks too to Smylers.
Very enjoyable despite not being completely plain sailing. 23a is an excellent example of a clue where although I did not know the word the word play was clear and so I just needed to check the answer after. I was not sure about 25a either but similarly followed the word play once I had checkers in place. 1a was todays favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Smylers for the hints.
An enjoyable example of a New Monday puzzle – 2.5*/3.5*
Candidates for favourite – 1a, 11a, 24a, and 2d – and the winner is 2d.
Thanks to X-Type, or whomsoever if it is not he, and thanks to Smylers.
Possibly not on wavelength today as i found this very difficult with several new words for me.
4*/3*
All fairly clued so no complaints
Thanks to Smyler and X
Called in to check whether 25a was to be on the list. It isn’t. Le maillot jaune is the greatest award for the winner of the greatest race in the sporting calendar. No coloured slacks or niche coloured tops as in golf and only incredible strength and ability needed to win. And unlike F! and its little sideshows no harm to the environment in emissions or fossil fuel use.
I forgot to mention there are so few German riders because of their diet produced wind assistance.
A pleasant puzzle though not hitting the heights of past Mondays – thanks to our setter and Smylers,
The plentiful supply of anagrams seem to have clustered together in three groups.
I thought that the first definition in 15d was rather weak.
My favourite clue was 11a.
A puzzle of extremes today. Plain sailing and then thrown curved balls with 23 and 25 across. Suddenly that bottom right hand corner began acting up. Had to check with Smylers. Favourites today were 1 and 11across. I learnt a new word today and wonder if it is on the list. A friend at the Easter service experienced ASPERGES – the rite of sprinkling holy water. Certainly not one for Brian.
There seems to be a chorus of approval for 11a which I’ll happily join in. I also rather liked the 4d marsupial and the drinking bird.
Thanks to our setter and to Smylers for the review.
Oof, that felt quite tough for a Monday, although I’ve been out of the game for a few days, spent largely in various London watering holes, so am probably lacking both practice and brain cells. 23a was a new word for me too, although perfectly gettable, while 24a was my last in. 11a and 4d were my favourites and 20d reminded me that I’m looking forward to another trip to the brewery in Hertfordshire’s 26th largest town. Thanks very much to Smylers for the hints and that fact (I was too late to the fray to opine on effects of the Local Government Act 1972) and to the setter for a fun challenge.
Tough for me today, but eventually got through it.
I too thought Maillot was a jersey or possibly a leotard but, the wordplay could give nothing else, so I guess it must also mean tights.
Liked 3d best.
Thanks to the setter and to Smylers.
I miss Clackmannanshire.
I found this most enjoyable, starting in Suffolk, braving the rail replacement bus, and finishing in Berkshire. More chocolate in the house than one could possibly imagine, and children back to school (finally!) tomorrow, so a good day so far.
Particularly enjoyed 11a.
You’ve shortened your alias from your usual ‘BluePG’ so this required moderation. Both versions will work from now on.
Well this week, the Monday puzzle seems to be back to ‘normal’ as far as difficulty is concerned. Sailed through this one other than a couple of stumbles along the way.
1.5*/4* for me
Favourites 11a, 14a, 24a, 3d & 15d — with winner 3d
Smiles for 6a, 11a, 12a & 1d
An enjoyable solve on my Easter evening.
Thanks to setter & Smylers
I knew 23a as a jersey but the girls had a very strict ballet teacher who insisted on using masses of French terms so I had come across it. I am also on the 11a Fan Club but there was so much to admire today and I do like it when an anagram jumps out at you before you can write the letters down. Great news from No2 grandson yesterday (the physics teacher) , they are about to buy their first house and are so excited, I just wish it was nearer but it does offer an opportunity to unload a lot of ‘stuff’ onto them which we have had stored in the annexe! Many thanks to our clever setter and to Smyler – how I envy his energy.
I have little doubt, DG, that Smylers will hope to have your level of energy when he reaches your age!
Quite so!
This was a light, enjoyable solve with some nice surfaces.
Admittedly, I’ve never seen this form of 25a but I’m surprised it’s getting so much attention as I’m guessing most solvers have seen it with an added c.
My podium is 1a, 11a and 9d.
MTT the setter and Smylers.
2*/4*
Really enjoyed this today. Went onto pangram watch early on but it wasn’t to be. Loved 1a and enjoyed LOI 27a, which I did not know in that context. Rather ironically for a subject such as music, I didn’t listen at school!
Thanks to Smylers and the setter
We hadn’t heard of 23a and weren’t keen on 15d but had no problem with 25a. Apart from those we fairly rattled through this which hasn’t been the case for recent Mondays. Favourite was 11a. Thanks to the setter and Smylers.
Yes, it was indeed me today – as hinted last Monday. Mostly good vibes: thanks – but those bally tights got a bit of stick (that’s how we learn new words and meanings, as I’ve said before). See you again – soon-ish. 😊
I didn’t mind the tights, they were eminently solvable from the clue and today’s learning moment
See you soon
Very enjoyable today, with lots of smiley faces in the margin. Sadly, did need some hints with 23a, 25a, 27a and 20d – I just couldn’t parse the latter. 11a is a sore point in this household. Whenever the man in the White House spends a weekend in his Palm Beach mansion (just about every weekend actually), local flying is banned within 30 miles, including model RC planes. Not sure how planes, typically with a wing span of less than 6ft, present a danger, but several flying clubs grounded. Thanks to X-type for making me feel good about puzzles again, and to Smylers.
Thanks x type I’ve added two new words to my list! Great video clips Smylers
North was a smooth ride but I struggled a bit in the bottom half. Bunged in 2d as excluding failed to ring a bell. IMHO 24a too clever by half. 25a new to me. Thank you X-type however if it is you it seems ‘J’ as well as ‘X’ may be missing. Thanks also to Smylers for the chatty hints.
I believe you are confusing X-type with proXimal. It is the latter who gives us X-less pangrams.
How right you are Falcon – my apologies X-type. 🤭
11a my fav too. 23a rang a vague bell but confirmed it with Mr G post completion. Nice puzzle but agree with Gazza that it didn’t hit the heights of recent Monday.
Thanks to X-Type & to Smylers
I fairly rattled through today’s puzzle until I got to 25a. The word wasn’t new to me but it didn’t come to mind when I needed it! I liked 1a, 11a, and 12a to name but a few! After an exhausting few days it good to be getting back to normal. Many thanks to X-Type and Smylers.
Enjoyed this solve despite a dnf caused by 27a. I couldn’t get a horn as the instrument out of my head. The presence of the word French in the clue sent my feeble brain there.
I presume everyone here can read music. I don’t know what a semitone is, let alone that one can go up and presumably down. Every day is a school day!
Goodness knows how I knew 23a though.
Thanks to all.
A gentle and enjoyable solve for a bank holiday Monday. New words for me too at 23 and 25a but they both parsed nicely . Thanks to the setter and Smylers
2* / 3* A steady solve with some excellent clues .
Favourites 1a, 11a and 12a.
Thanks to setter and Smylers
Thank you for your straightforward approach to giving hints. I found them really helpful.
Welcome to the blog, Lindy. And thank you for your comments.
3*/3* …
liked 16D “Married brother in Eastern region making heavenly food (8)”