Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30910
Hints and tips by Mr K
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BD Rating - Difficulty **** - Enjoyment ***
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. Today we have a puzzle for lovers of clever wordplay.
In the hints below most indicators are italicized, and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions. Clicking on the answer buttons will reveal the answers. In some hints hyperlinks provide additional explanation or background. Clicking on a picture will enlarge it or display a bonus illustration and a hover (computer) or long press (mobile) might explain more about the picture. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.
Across
1a Took over in the guise of editor, penning entirety (7)
ASSUMED: “in the guise of” and the abbreviation for editor are sandwiching (penning) a synonym of entirety
5a Book substitute - keep cool! (7)
RESERVE: A triple quadruple definition
9a Clash perform with fashionable following (3-2)
RUN-IN: Perform or operate with fashionable or trendy
10a Conservative uniform required in tube home for extra security (4,5)
SAFE HOUSE: Conservative or not risky is followed by the letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by uniform inserted in (required in) a flexible tube
11a Female toilet meeting resistance by committee? It's a walkover! (10)
FLOORBOARD: Link together the single letter for female, and informal word for toilet, the physics symbol for resistance, and a committee that might run a company, for example
12a The red plot for overthrowing Taiwan's capital (4)
DEBT: The reversal (for overthrowing) of a garden plot is followed by the first letter of (…’s capital) TAIWAN
14a Get out sheriff's badge to arrest middle-of-night streaker (8,4)
SHOOTING STAR: A (4) word that means “get out” with a (3,4) sheriff’s badge containing (to arrest) the middle letter of NIGHT
18a Plate's passed round this wizard's circle? (7,5)
POTTERS WHEEL: Harry the wizard with his S from the clue is followed by a synonym of circle
21a It's ground-breaking in Italy and in France, and without Germany's backing (4)
ETNA: “and” in French with the reversal (backing) of AND without the IVR code for Germany
22a Take some crude term in editorial out (10)
DETERMINED: The answer is hidden inside (take some …) CRUDE TERM IN EDITORIAL
25a Company very loud, getting double shot of energy and cake here? (6,3)
COFFEE BAR: The wordplay leads us to join an abbreviation for company, the musical abbreviation for very loud, two copies of the physics symbol for energy, and a synonym of cake (of soap, perhaps). The entire clue can serve as the definition
26a No one's confronting European racket (5)
NOISE: Join together NO from the clue, the Roman one with its S from the clue, and the single letter for European
27a Cold cuts spiced up red hot and burnt (7)
TORCHED: The single letter for cold inserted in (cuts) an anagram (spiced up) of RED HOT
28a Attack what big spenders do (4,3)
LASH OUT: A double definition, the second informal
Down
1d 20 briefly row at sea (6)
ADRIFT: The contraction (briefly) for the answer to 20d with a synonym of row
2d In Spanish sir, 'numero uno' will be first (6)
SENIOR: The Roman one is inserted in the Spanish word for “sir”
3d Their focus is royal romance - his is in rebellion (10)
MONARCHIES: An anagram (is in rebellion) of ROMANCE HIS
4d Coach said do skipping regularly, spinning and dance (5)
DISCO: The reversal (spinning) of alternate letters (skipping regularly) of COACH SAID DO
5d Football official with hubris fixed do up (9)
REFURBISH: The informal name for a football official with an anagram (fixed) of HUBRIS
6d Capital community centres in Kosovo and Lahore (4)
SOHO: Join together the centres in KOSOVO and in LAHORE
7d Game in Monaco where note gets recycled? (8)
ROULETTE: A cryptic definition of a casino game The fusion of “where” in French (in Monaco) and a synonym of note has the last letter moved to the front of the letter combination (recycled)
8d They use X to try to change the government (8)
ELECTORS: A cryptic definition of people marking a ballot with an X
13d Area welcomes housing guys offering contracts (10)
AGREEMENTS: The single letter for area and a synonym of welcomes containing (housing) some guys or blokes
15d In a storm, do bees try making home underwater? (6-3)
OYSTER-BED: An anagram (in a storm) of DO BEES TRY
16d 2-bit boxer's ploy (8)
UPPERCUT: A synonym of the answer to 2d with a synonym of bit
17d Represent constituents from Belfast and Forfar (5,3)
STAND FOR: The answer is found hiding in (constituents from) BELFAST AND FORFAR
19d Kind of Blue - improvised at first, then doing changes (6)
INDIGO: The first letter of IMPROVISED with an anagram ( … changes) of DOING
20d One's screened nowadays on telly, carrying on in rotation (6)
ADVERT: A A Latin abbreviation that can mean nowadays with the reversal (in rotation) of the abbreviation for television that’s containing (carrying) on or concerning
23d Learning to climb holding new sign up (5)
ENROL: The reversal (to climb, in a down clue) of learning or knowledge containing (holding) the abbreviation for new
24d Network showing not a word in support of this writer (4)
MESH: An interjection meaning “not a word” comes after (in support of, in a down clue) a pronoun the writer might use for themselves
Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: SUITE + ANTS + OUR = SWEET AND SOUR
Well that was certainly worthy of a Friday puzzle, very slow to start but gradually picked up pace as it went along.
Can’t see how 7d works at all, and not really sure about 16d either so will have to see the hints.
Last in for me was 21a, funny how the short ones are sometimes the hardest of all.
Many thanks to or setter today, will need to see who it was.
Off to scarify the lawns now, backbreaking work but the result is usually good in the end.
Seen the hint for 7d, still don’t get it, does it mean recycling your money?
It has some wordplay – the word used in Monaco for ‘where’ and a type of written note with its final letter cycled right to the top.
Ta Gazza, got it now. Nearly asked again but suddenly saw the light with the French for ‘where’, so got my second question deleted as it would have made me look dimmer than I actually am (if that’s possible😉)
Oui .. re 7d! That was my take too.
I nearly gave up on this offering but after the second run through I was on my way.
20d .. clearly not an all in one. AD for nowadays then abbreviation for telly containing short synonym of on, written upwards (in rotation).
Cotd 11a but I also liked 25a.
Thanks to setter and Mr K.
That’s how I saw 20d, BE.
I don’t get it either, unless it means money.
In 20d, I assumed the definition was something screened and the nowadays was simply AD.
Agree with you about 7d and 16d even with the hints.
12a was the four letter word which delayed my completion.
Thanks to setter and hinter.
Agree, 7d and 16d very strange.
Phew that was certainly a step upmin difficulty. Got there in the end using a very circuitous route!
Thanks for the hints – especially to 16d – I missed the reference to 2d in the clue.
All in all an excellent challenge. Thank you setter and MrK
In 7d I see how a Monégasque says where in a couple of notes of the sol-fa scale but not sure there is anything in that other than the Cryptic definition -edit Gazza has just got the cycled note letter spot on
A few Hmms during the solving of this Friday not a lot of fun cranial exercise. As for last Friday, I half suspect that it may not be the work of any of the Friday triumvirate but if it is I would say that the most likely of the three is Zandio – 3.5*/2.5*
Smiles for 11a, 14a, 8d, and 23d.
Thanks to whomsoever and thanks to Mr K. Some 8d kitties:
What a mixture! I do find it difficult to solve puzzles where so many surface readings are intrusive. Overall it was pretty tough, particularly in the SW corner.
There were some gems to be found, notably 5a which I took to be a quadruple definition.
Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
Agree it was a quadruple definition. One of a few stunning clues today (14a and 21a being other belters) – the setters’ art at its very best.
I’m definitely a lover of clever wordplay, and I loved this! Thank you to the setter. My favourite was the cryptic definition of those using X in 8d, among many highlights.
Thank you to Mr K for explaining 10a and Gazza for 7d. For 20d I just had ‘nowadays’ = AD, as in the era we’re currently living it.
And the quickie pun is making me hungry …
A kitty for 7d
A most enjoyable puzzle.
My favourite was the quadruple definition at 5a.
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
2*/4* for me.
Stuck on the small ones 21& 12 although I nearly parsed the former . Very tricky but satisfying and some masterly clues 18a favourite. Thanks to all
I loved this. There’s some tricky wordplay which is appropriate for a Friday and some well-disguised definitions. Thanks to the setter (I’ll plump for Zandio) and Mr K.
My ticks included 12a, 14a, 22a, 25a and 16d.
Tough but fair, I thought. I needed a couple of hints to get me over the line but really enjoyed the challenge. My podium comprises 11a, 14a and 25a. Thanks to compiler and Mr K for the much needed hints.
Absolutely loved this – brilliant word play even if some surfaces suffered as a result. A glance at the far NW resulted in only 4d leaping from the page, so I started instead in the SW and made swift progress E & then N, finishing with the excellent 12a when inspiration struck. A proper Friday puzzle, and a good warm-up exercise for the LGCs before looking at the Karla Toughie later.
Honours could go to any number of clues but will limit the podium to 5a with its quadruple (not just triple I think, Mr K) definition, 14a, 20d & runner-up 25a.
Many thanks to Zandio, presumably, and of course to MrK
Pretty tricky, but appropriately so for a Friday. Initially I was flummoxed but then got going. I do enjoy cryptic definitions so this one had plenty of those, like others some of the short ones held me up. I needed to check the parsing of 16d, 20d and 7d with Mr K. I had 8d as my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the hints
Crackerjack. Zandio (?) had me at 14a. Simply brilliant. Best thanks to our setter and Mr K.
That was a bit of a workout but I really enjoyed it. Needed the hints to parse 20d. I’m still not convinced with 28a as I thought the big spenders would splash out rather than the solution.
Top picks for me were 18a, 12a, 11a and 8d.
Thanks to Mr K and the setter.
Hello, compiler here. Thanks very much for taking the time solve, analyse and discuss. Always greatly appreciated.
Trying to think of music to accompany this, the obvious thing would be The Clash. However, I’ll go for this song by beabadoobee as a kind of hint for 7d. Have a great weekend.
Thank you for a super guzzle. You stumped me with 12a, but I really liked 14a & 18a and 5a was my favourite. 🥰
I was rubbish at this.
Far too complicated fir my brain.
Thanks to Mr K and sorry to the setter.
Started from the bottom and worked up as it took me a while to get a foothold.
Clever wordplay worthy of the end of the week slot, though not entirely happy with 28a being a double definition, as for me big spenders do not lash out, they splash out.
LOI and COTD the excellent 12a.
Thanks Mr K and the compiler.
Great fun and reasonably accessible. Maybe I was just on the setter’s wavelength.
Parsed 7d post solve.
Lots of clever and original clueing.
I will go for the quadruple definition at 5a as my CoD.
Thanks to Zandio and Mr K.
This was a very enjoyable crossy that wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be.
Tyne & Wear slowed me down with my LOI being 12a. Those pesky four letter clues. Grrr…
I biffed 14a as I couldn’t parse it for the life of me (I’ve noted the term for a sheriff’s badge). *
My spelling trick for 7d is…LET the ROUTE of the ball decide your fate on this 7d wheel (‘let’ is inside ‘route’)
My podium is 11a, 14a and 22a (an excellent lurker)
MTT Zandio and Mr K.
3*/4*
* Sheriff derives from ‘shire reeve’, i.e the reeve (magistrate) of the shire.
Well once again this week, for a Friday, not too bad at all to work through.
Some clues with smiles attached as well that make for a good puzzle.
2*/3.5* for me
Favourites 11a, 14a, 18a, 6d, 8d & 15d — with winner 14a
Among others, 8d made me smile, especially as on this coming Monday in Canada, the 8d’s will decide the new party to lead the country.
Thanks to Zandio & CS
I have really already said it to Sir Setter but have to thank Mr K for helping me out with 12a. Have a good weekend everyone.
Really enjoyed the clever word play on show here. 12a held me up the longest but caused the best gotcha moment when the penny dropped! Thanks to Gazza for explaining 7d. Not come across recycling as a cycling indicator before. Thanks too to Mr K for parsing my 16d bung in. I’m not totally convinced the definition works for 11a but it’s a cracking clue. Podium places go to 8d and 5a with top place going to the delightful 14a.
Thanks and congratulations Zandio for creating such an enjoyable puzzle and thanks as ever to Mr K for the review.
Nearly put aside when I saw the **** rating (which it deserves), deciding this was yet another double Toughie Friday. Managed 6 answers on first pass, so plodded on, mainly filling in with help from checkers and ignoring the clues which led me nowhere. However I did better than usual with this setter who is way too clever for me. Thanks to Zandio and Mr K.
Still missing Kath and Brian. Did I miss any announcements?
No I don’t think so. I mentioned Kath the other day – I think I shall email her.
Please do, I would like to know that she is ok.
Thanks for the workout Zandio! Found this quite tough and needed Mr K’s hint for 12a, which stumped me. Liked 11a and 25a. For the latter, I think the definition is everything after the comma rather than the whole clue. Have to say, I found a few a bit clunky but maybe that’s just after yesterday’s superlative smoothness.
Thanks again Zandio and Mr K.
I am still reeling from the thought of you with gold painted toenails! Maybe you are Alfreda.
Maybe it’s a story to tell if I can make the next get together! I’ll leave it as a tease for now but it was certainly many years ago – of course I should know exactly how many as “Mrs Alfiepops’s anniversary” is next month!!!
Found this puzzle quite tricky in parts, but I suppose it is Friday 😳 ****/*** Thanks to the Compiler and to Mr K 😃
Whew what a tricky but fair challenge … so nearly got there but yet again it’s a little word that defeats me, this time “the red”. Thank you Zandio and Mr K
Last in 12a delayed the grid fill but even once that fairly obvious penny dropped completion time was still respectable & substantially quicker than Ray T yesterday. Biffed in 7d & couldn’t figure the why other than the recycling theory which I figured likely wide of the mark. 14a my clear fav with podium spots for 5a&8d.
Thanks to Zandio for a most enjoyable puzzle & to Mr K
COTD for me was 5A – can’t remember seeing a quadruple definition before.
I had to sling in 7D and 16D and hope for the best, but got them right.
3.5* / 3.5 I think everything’s been said already, but I enjoyed this tricky Friday challenge.
Favourites 11a, 14a and 17d lurker
Thanks to Mr K and Zandio
Too clever by half and there was no incentive to press on regardlesss. I somehow managed most of South but wrote off the rest. Altogether a charmless offering – let’s hope the weekend provides us with more fun. Thank you setter and well done MrK for fathoming on our behalf.
Unlike others, in spite of the difficulty rating, I found quite straightforward except for 3d where I totally failed to recognise the anagram and thinking of paparazzi or telephoto lenses. And the two short four letter clues at12a and 21a. Kicking myself after reading the hints.
Thank you to the setter and to Mr K.
Enjoyed working through this with the aid of the hints, for which Thanks !
Liked 14A “Get out sheriff’s badge to arrest middle-of-night streaker (8,4)”