Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30912
Hints and tips by Falcon
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Ottawa, where spring has finally arrived heralded by the budding flowers and the arrival of hockey playoff season. On Saturday, I watched two thrilling matches. In the afternoon, our professional women’s team, the Ottawa Charge, who are fighting to make the PWHL playoffs, were assessed a penalty in the final moments of a tie game against Montreal. However, despite this obstacle, the team miraculously scored a short-handed goal with 13 seconds remaining to win the game. That evening, our professional men’s team, the Ottawa Senators, down three games to nil in their first round Stanley Cup Playoff series against Toronto, scored in the eighteenth minute of overtime to stave off elimination. The sport doesn’t get any better than that.
Although X-Type told us last week he would see us “soon-ish”, it seems that this week may be too soon as the puzzle would appear to be the work of the unknown double punner who has graced this spot several times. Might there be a new Monday rotation alternating between these two setters. If so, it would be a fine pairing.
In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.
Across
1a Tossing a coin, tails is unacceptable (10)
ANTISOCIAL — an anagram (tossing) of A COIN TAILS
6a Goods carried by hens on a regular basis? (4)
EGGS — this is a full all-in-one clue or, more formally, an &lit clue – the entire clue is not only a cryptic definition but is also wordplay; two instances of the abbreviation for good are contained in (carried by) one of the two possible alternating sequences of letters (on a regular basis) from HENS
9a About to drink up soft drink (5)
CUPPA — the abbreviation for a Latin word denoting about in a chronological sense takes in (to drink) UP from the clue and the abbreviated musical direction to play softly
10a In Italy, one big cheese (6,3)
NUMERO UNO — double definition
12a Criminal volunteering to adopt daughter is too soft (13)
OVERINDULGENT — an anagram (criminal) of VOLUNTEERING ingests (to adopt) the genealogical abbreviation for daughter
14a Object as transport café trashed somewhat in review (8)
ARTEFACT — a reverse lurker, hiding (somewhat in review) in the three words preceding the indicator
15a Arab, one trailing enemy all over the place (6)
YEMENI — the Roman numeral for one following (trailing) an anagram (all over the place) of ENEMY
17a Two blokes, both short, dance (3-3)
CHA-CHA — two instances of an another word for bloke, each missing its final letter (both short)
19a Answer message about church upset with deacon’s first story (8)
ANECDOTE — the single letter for answer and a brief written message wrapped around (about) the reversal (upset) of the abbreviated state church of England and the initial letter (‘s first) of DEACON
21a Oasis dates in Pasadena initially messy and unemotional (13)
DISPASSIONATE — an anagram (messy) of all of OASIS DATES IN and the first letter (initially) of PASADENA
24a English coach tours certainly leading to complaint (9)
EYESTRAIN — a combination of the single letter for English and a coach that runs on tracks goes around (tours) a positive response equivalent to certainly
25a Sample one in five? (5)
TASTE — in this case, we need one of our five senses
26a Stop and shoot (4)
STEM — double definition
27a Sweet talk costly in front of staff in hospital department (10)
ENDEARMENT — place another word for costly before (in front of) male staff and embed the result in the most visited department of the Crosswordland hospital
Down
1d Pointless search for Paris monument? (4)
ARCH — remove all the cardinal points (pointless) from SEARCH
2d Spooner’s shock – breakfast item first (7)
TOPMOST — given the Spooner treatment, the answer could denote a thick or tangled mass of hair and a common breakfast item
3d Modern part of the US where paintings might be found? (5-2-3-3)
STATE OF THE ART — the wordplay is a whimsical interpretation of the answer as denoting a political division of the US notable for paintings
4d Win over Charlie after imbibing French wine (8)
CONVINCE — start by linking the letter that Charlie represents in radio communication and a synonym for after or when; then wrap the result around (imbibing) the French word for wine
5d In EastEnders, injured with a gun? (5)
ARMED — how residents of the East End of London would pronounce another word for injured
7d Tease before eating last of caviar – it’s originally from Switzerland (7)
GRUYERE — link a synonym for tease and a poetic term meaning before and then place the result around (eating) the final letter (last) of CAVIAR
8d Passing hovel, dirt’s terrible (5-5)
SHORT-LIVED — an anagram of HOVEL DIRTS
11d Wave with one not trying ride (13)
ROLLERCOASTER — a charade of a long heavy sea wave and someone not making a decent effort
13d Like threat to leave posh sort of party (5,5)
FANCY DRESS — another word for like or be attracted to and a synonym for threat with the linguist’s letter for upper class deleted (to leave posh)
16d Disclose girl’s put on weight (8)
ANNOUNCE — guess a girl and append a small imperial unit of weight
18d Author Jane mostly right – ultimately, life is bleak (7)
AUSTERE — remove the final letter (mostly) from the surname of author Jane and attach the single letter for right and the final letter (ultimately) of LIFE
20d Run and do this to get 24 Across? (7)
OVERSEE — a whimsical way of expressing what might cause the complaint that is the answer to 24 Across
22d I will stop bird lover (5)
SWAIN — I from the clue inserted in (will stop or plug) a graceful bird
23d Opening coming with no publicity (4)
VENT — a synonym for coming or first appearance from which a short commercial message is removed (no publicity)
Another puzzle filled with so many worthy contenders that choosing a favourite is difficult. However, I will award the honours to 13d as the parsing nearly eluded me – I twigged to it only at the eleventh hour just before I was about to post the blog containing an admission of defeat in this regard.
Top row: FILLER + STEINS = PHILISTINES
Bottom row: BANKER + COUNTS = BANK ACCOUNTS
On this day …
… in 2023, Canadian guitarist and vocalist Tim Bachman died age 71 after battling cancer. He was best known as a member of Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO). Bachman was one of the four founding members of BTO, a group formed in Winnipeg in 1973 that have sold nearly 30 million albums worldwide and also featured his brothers Randy (lead guitar, lead vocals) and Robbie (drums, percussion, backing vocals) together with Fred Turner (bass guitar, lead vocals).
The group scored a 1974 US No.1 hit with ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’ which was also the band’s only major hit single in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. A remixed version of the song was later used as the theme tune to the ITV network’s coverage of Formula One grand prix motor racing between 2003 and 2005. The song, with its stuttering chorus, was written by Randy Bachman merely as a joke for his brother, Gary, who had a stutter and was never intended for public play. It was released, first on the group’s album Fragile and later as a single, only after repeated urging by a producer at their record company, Mercury Records.
Oh dear. This one didn’t click with me at all so ***/* was my assessment. The 5 anagrams were tricky but helped. I needed Falcon to understand 1&23d. I did like 3d but al in all – phew! The toughest I have seen in a while. Thanks Falcon and the setter.
I found this tricky and eventually completed with a couple of aids – took me a while though but since I am on the train from Edinburgh to London I did have plenty time 😊
You are indeed right about this fine pairing for the Monday slot, Falcon. This was another excellent puzzle to keep up the streak from Saturday of 5 stars for enjoyment: a prial of pearlers *.
An invidious task to pick a pody but I’ll go with 1a, 27a and 4d.
MT to the supersetter and Falcs.
2*/5*
* Prial is short for a ‘Pair Royal’
Well it would have been an 8d solve but for brain fog with the last 2 in at 22d&27a which extended things well into ** time. Can I be the only idiot who briefly wondered if a roo was a bird & the fact that our favourite hospital department featured in the last 3 letters of the answer caused me not to read the clue properly. A pleasant Monday guzzle with top spot awarded to 13d.
Thanks to the setter & to Falcon
This was right up my street, give or take (preferably take) the Spoonerism. Normally I’m OK with them but today’s seemed somewhat contrived. I needed Falcon’s explanation for the obvious answer to 6a, which, now I’ve got it, is very clever. I also liked the brilliant anagram at 12a which shares the podium with 7d and 13d. Thanks to our setter and Falcon.
Lovely Monday crossword for a warm morning which started with the first cuckoo of the year. 6a was brilliant
Thanks to the setter and Falcon
I forgot about 6a which goes atop my podium as it is indeed sublime, CS.
Very jealous about the cuckoo. I haven’t heard one for several years.
Would you also be jealous of a couple of young buzzards noisily flying around? Just waiting for the house martins to arrive. They are also later than normal but if they have seen the weather forecast, I’m sure they’ll be here soon
I have a chorus of song birds that have decided to welcome the day every morning at 6:30am, loudly and right outside our bedroom window…
We have cuckoo, hoopoe and bee-eaters on there way north to nest. They’ll return in late summer.😎
Good Monday challenge and 26ac stumped me … I’m sure we’ve had it before!
Thanks to setter and Falcon for the blog.
We have cuckoo, hoopoe and bee-eaters. The bee-eaters pass through our valley every year on their way to nest in middle Italy and pass through again in late Summer. Unfortunately I cannot hear birdsong.
A tough Monday challenge where 26ac stumped me. I’m sure we’ve had it before. I agree with the 1dn comments.
Thanks to the setter and Falcon for the blog.
First post disappeared!
We also have Sparrowhawks nesting in a hole in the house. They have been coming for maybe 20 years.
Oh and we photographed this pair yesterday. Last aitumn I saw one of the catapillars take a drink in the pool and then went to hibernate in rocks.
It is the Giant Peacock Moth and they are mating.
The GPM
Stunning pictures and wonderful stories of your local bird life – thank you, and I do feel quite envious!
Thankyou. It is a paradise here🥂🍷🍷🍷🥃😎
6a was so easy I didn’t think it could be correct .I thought this was tough for a Monday and used electronic help on one or two clues
Excellent start to the week . Thanks to all .
A grind this morning, probably because I’m dog tired and that’s certainly not the setter’s fault (nor the fault of Watford’s no.1 Steely Dan tribute Stanley Dee, who played a storming set at the Half Moon last night). 6a and 20d are both very clever indeed. Thanks very much to the setter and to Falcon, for helping me see through a few patches of fog on this otherwise very sunny morning.
Are they better than Nearly Dan?
I prefer them, although ND are very good too. SD have an excellent guitarist and horn section and while the singer possibly divides opinion, I think he does a good job of bringing out the meaning of the songs while getting the crowd up and dancing. They also delve into some of the less obvious corners of the Dan’s back catalogue (e.g. Chain Lightning and Everything You Did last night), which keeps the setlist fresh.
Thanks I’ll look out for them – I’m booked for ND at The Stables later this year & for The Jazz Cafe early next.
Based on the comments so far, I seem to have made much harder work of today’s puzzle than I needed to and as a result it wasn’t very enjoyable. I was not very impressed by 1d; in my book, on its own it does not ‘make’ a monument, a qualifying or descriptive term is required such as Marble Arch and The Wellington Arch in London and, anyway, un monument à Paris est un Arc ou une Arche, L’Arc de Triomphe, illustré par Falcon, par exemple.
Favourite – a toss-up between 6a and 7d – and the winner is 6a.
Thanks to whomsoever and Falcon.
After I read the review and started scrolling down through the comments, I was beginning to think I might be in a minority of one. Hence, I was pleased to come across Senf’s comment before posting as I too found this quite a struggle and not much fun. 1d for me is a poor clue and, of course, there is a vague girl to contend with too.
6a was my favourite too.
Thanks to the setter and to Falcon.
Tough for a Monday. Some very straightforward clues combined with some real head scratchers.
My podium comprises 1a, 6a, 10a and 24a.
A challenging but very enjoyable solve.
Thanks to our setter and to Falcon.
Found this tougher than anything last week and at the weekend – although after I’ve completed it I’m not sure why. Just didn’t float my boat. Not sure about 1d and the French bit as it has one too many letters in french. I know I’m being pedantic but there were minor irritations like this on numerous clues which really spoiled it. That’s definitely just me tho and am greatful to all the setters for their skill.
I’m with Senf. I found ut hard to get on the compiler’s wavelength in this tricky guzzle.
There were sone good anagrams to shine a light in the gloom, fortunately, 12 a and 21 a being the ni best. The 3d,cryptic definition was good too. Thanks to Falcon for the hints and to the compiler for his efforts.
A happily straightforward and enjoyable Monday morning curtain-raiser for the cruciverbal week ahead. Good to see some restraint being exercised in the number of anagrams, and consequently a good variety of clue types. Spent far too long debating cocoa and cacao for 9a before, once the Spoonerism became clear, the penny dropped. 1d rather weak, though, and I felt arc would have been better than arch as we were looking for a Paris monument. 6a, 26a and 20d take the plaudits.
Many thanks to our mystery setter and to Falcon
Blimey, is it Friday already? that was tough.
Great clueing apart from the dreadful offering at 2d, my last one in. All I could think of for ages was ‘taproot’ but as I’d never had that for breakfast I soldiered on ’til I got it.
Maybe just me, but not a lot of pleasure derived from this one, could be just the Monday blues……
I agree completely. No enjoyment here.
2D made no whense satsoever. Down with cloonerised spues!
A most excellent Roonerspism, TD 👏👏
Agreed. That Spoonerism made no sense at all!
Totally agree on 2d – I don’t get it even now
After I got stuck, I used electronic assistance for some of the long ones, and this still took me above-average time to complete. I didn’t know what 22d meant, at least when not prefixed by ‘cox-’ or ‘boat-’. I’m in admiration of the cleverness of 6a, but its surface meaning makes the answer jump out well before working out the wordplay, let alone appreciating it, so I’ll pick 3d’s part of the US as my favourite.
Thank you to Falcon and to today’s setter — especially for 14a and 20d, which have reminded me I need to contact our optician and book an appointment.
I found this tricky but very enjoyable once the pennies dropped.
Top picks for me were 7d, 6a, 10a, 24a, 13d and 25a.
Thanks to Falcon and the setter.
I’m also in the tough and somewhat unrewarding camp. Even with the hint, I just don’t find the spoonerism convincing. 6a was the high spot and my cotd. Sorry compiler, overall not one for me I’m afraid. Thanks to whomsoever and Falcon
A step up in trickiness for Monday but very enjoyable – thanks to our setter and Falcon.
Add me to those who didn’t think 1d quite worked.
I ticked 10a, 2d, 4d and 20d with my favourite being 6a.
A pleasingly tricky puzzle just right for a busy Monday. 6a was excellent but my favourite was 22d.
Thanks to our setter and Falcon.
not really crossword related, but can somebody explain the cartoon,please?
Hi SM
The chart’s a lot bigger than the usual one as people’s eyesight deteriorates. So, they struggle to see letters on the standard one.
Today’s crossy has definitely divided everyone.
Which camp are you in?
.. I’d just assumed that it was taking a rise out of us “olds” who need glasses or alternatively an eye chart with very large letters. It ain’t that funny.
Crossword related .. that was a tough shift for a Monday .. hope that’s not a harbinger for the week ahead
6a is clever now it’s been explained and I didn’t think much of 1d for the Paris monument.
I went to ice hockey once .. too bloody cold to enjoy it .. never again!
But once you’ve had the cataract operation, the chart is so much easier 😊.
I’m another of the ones who didn’t really click with today’s offering, I managed to finish it, but I didn’t really enjoy it and it’s hard to say why as in retrospect all the clues were fair – though I really didn’t like the Spoonerism and once Falcon explained how 6a worked I thought it very clever but overall we just didn’t hit it off.
Thanks to setter and Falcon
Election Day in Canada today!!
I thought this was a harder than normal puzzle for a Monday this week.
No real problems, just a bit more head scratching than usual.
2*/3*
Favourites 1a, 24a, 26a, 2d & 16d — with winner 16d
Thanks to setter & Falcon
Spooner again and as unintelligible as his sermons probably were. Puzzle tricky and needed help. The North Sea breeze is keeping the temperature down thank goodness so helping to make gardening much easier. In fact gardening is much more enjoyable than crosswording.
Thanks to Falcon and the setter.
For some reason I could not get onto the setter’s wavelength and really struggled with some of the clues whilst others seemed typically Monday. It does us good to be unsettled from time to time!
Very cross with not getting 13d, I had to refer to Falcon – I have lost track of the number of those we have hosted or attended. We had a whole wardrobe full of costumes. I liked 15a and the 20/24 combi, and I agree that 1d could have been clued differently. But hey ho, I’m grateful to the setter for enlivening my lunch and to Falcon for the explanations.
Now that’s what I call being prepared for a 13d party – what a wonderful costume!
And gradually, the story of the golden painted toenails (13d) is leaking out of its own accord ☺!!!!
I found today’s offering tough and had to use some electrons up to help me. Several answers came mostly from the checkers and I didn’t bother trying to parse them.
Like many, I wasn’t keen on 1D and thought ‘Marble structure’ would have made a far better hint. 6A was my vote for best clue.
Thanks to the setter and Falcon.
Thanks to Setter and Falcon. However, I was under the impression that a Spoonerism consists of a reversal of the start of the two words in a recognisble phrase, such as the infamous “Blessings for our Queer Dean”. I don’t see any association between the two originating words of today’s example.
Hi T
It can be the reversal of one or more letters at the start of one or two words that can be homophones.
So, mop (‘of hair’ like shock) and toast (breckie item) turn into the answer.
This took me a while to get into. I definitely need to change my expectations from Monday being the easy day which may help get me in the right frame of mind. I did complete it unaided and there were some excellent clues but it was definitely no walk in the park. I liked several of the clues but 6a was my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Falcon for the hints.
Yes, I too have the feeling that the DT Puzzles editor is tinkering with the format increasing difficulty from staraightforward Monday guzzles to Friday brainbenders. Time will tell. I liked it because it provided ease ofaccessibilty to cryptic crosswords for newcomers. Hope the new format doesn’t put some folk off trying the cryptic
Bachman Turner Overdrive currently touring Canada with April Wine (good band – check them out) who I saw recently in the UK at the London Paladium with Uriah Heep and Tyketto
Oh yes, April Wine, another iconic Canadian band. Sadly, the band’s founder Myles Goodwyn also passed away in 2023.
A very cleverly clued puzzle that for me was probably the hardest Monday ever. Just could not get on to the setters wavelength at all. One of those days, hey ho!
Thx to all
Brian,
Pleased to see you still join us occasionally. By the way, your profile picture has not been appearing on your posts since you changed your email provider in late February as you haven’t linked the new email address to your gravatar profile.
Very happy to see you back again.
We have missed you Brian !
Good to see you again, Brian.
I missed you.
Certainly more taxing than is usual for a Monday and none the worse for that.
I thought the Spoonerism to be fair game as the breakfast item leapt out but the mop connection with shock took a little longer to twig.
Thanks to the setter and Falcon.
Found the North to be typical Monday but the South was much tricker. Needed help confirming parsing of a couple and time to solve was pretty much all in the South.
Ticked 27a and loved the incredible 24a. I actually said (silently in my head luckily) the answer to 24a as three separate words (1, 3, 5) a couple off times before the penny dropped and I re-pronounced it to give the answer.
Many thanks to Falcon and the setter.
Have to admit that I struggled a bit with this one, especially the blasted Spooner one, I hate them! Can anyone help, I have to make a word from the following letters: G O M E R H T E A L . I’ve done my little circles but drawn a blank! Thanks in advance and thanks to the setter today and to Falcon.
geothermal
Spot on Sue, many thanks. I should have really got it myself as the prize is a book entitled ‘Living with Volcanoes’ but I was looking for a ‘financial’ word.
Sorry, but I didn’t get much enjoyment out of this one. Definitely not an X-type production. 6a seemed too obvious to be right, I cannot see a breakfast item in the dreaded Spooner clue and 7d is odd, cannot parse it even with the hint. Some of the clues were definitely toughie material. Thanks to setter and to Falcon. Fingers crossed it’s a friendly Tuesday tomorrow.
Hi BL
The breckie item is toast. So, mop (‘of hair’ like ‘shock of hair’) and toast = the answer when it gets spoonified.
7d is guy (tease) plus ere (ye oldy woldy Englishy Winglishy for ‘before’) with the r of caviar inserted between the g and u of guy gives you a Swiss cheese.
But where did the a from toast go? I thought Spooner just switched the leading letters around, but didn’t drop any? If spoonerisms also drop letters willy nilly, that just reinforces my dislike of them.
Spoonerisms have nothing to do with the spelling of words, they only depend on the sound of words. So most rhymes with toast even though they are spelled differently. I am sure the Reverend never made these errors in his written work — only when he spoke. In fact, he never actually uttered most of the examples of Spoonerisms that are wrongly attributed to him.
Difficult but fun with 6a my favourite clue – so deceptive but simple! Thank you compiler and Falcon, with the reminder of Bachman Turner Overdrive – what a legendary song
Glad to see you enjoyed the musical addition to the blog.
I didn’t find this that easy, nor that enjoyable.
No electricity for 6 hours in our part of Valencia, which did not ameliorate my temperament much (litotes intentional!).
Thanks to the setter and to Falcon.
Good evening
Quite a tricky little number; an object lesson in never taking the Monday crozzie for granted, just because it’s generally less arduous than on a Friday.
COTD is the excellent 14a, with my last to fall, 2d, coming in second. I have no problem with Spoonerisms; one of my favourites was the term used by my brother’s English teacher many years ago. He described my bro as a “shining wit”….
Many thanks to our setter and to Falcon.
That is a most excellent Spoonerism, SJI 👏👏
I found that more challenging than last Friday’s offering, which if I recall, was given a **** difficulty rating. A real battle of attrition and needed the hints to see how a couple of clues worked.
COTD for me, 10a, had me going in totally the wrong direction thinking was there an Italian equivalent of Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire until the penny dropped.
Thank you to the setter and to Falcon for the hints
I’m pleased to see I was in good company in not finding this very friendly even by recent Monday standards. Some clues would have not been out of place in a late week toughie. I agree with the comments about 1d. Too tricky to be really enjoyable. Favourite was 27a. Thanks to the setter anyway and Falcon.
Not for me today….especially not the Spoonerism…..all I could think of to fit the checkers was TOPCOAT…which made no sense….but then for me, neither did the correct answer.
Moptoast ????
Thanks to Falcon and sorry setter .
Yes, moptoast is a nonsensical word but it is what the Reverend might have uttered when he intended to say topmost.
2* / 4* Tricky to get into but this went quite smoothly until 13d and 2d. Once they dawned on me have to say they were fair and I’ll make them my favourites (yes a spoonerism!)
Thanks to Falcon and setter
Not a lot of jollity to kick off the cruciverbal week but there again I usually find Tuesdays bring more fun so let’s see. Anyway thank you Mysteryone and Falcon.
Is it me, or are some of the compilers just ridiculous lately. Look at 2 down in this one. The answer is “topmost”. The Spoonerism would be “mop tost”, but I’ve never heard of “tost” for breakfast!!! Quite often recently, I have managed to complete crosswords where even after solving the clue, I have no idea of how the particularly cryptic part works out. The DT cryptics are nowhere near as entertaining as they used to be and show a total lack of imagination!
Spoonerisms are based on sounds rather than spellings. See Falcon’s reply at comment #30 above.
2*/3* ….
liked 23D “Opening coming with no publicity (4)”