Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30922
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Apologies, but here I am again, standing in for Mr K who is under the weather. Get well soon.
I found this a bit of a head scratcher, but looking back, progress was actually quite steady, if a bit on the slow side. Of course this is nothing to do with an evening out last night with my brother and son around the wonderful pubs of historic St Albans.
I thought this was a lovely Friday puzzle, with ticks throughout. 1a was a great way to start and gets my CoD today, just beating 10a.
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle. Please also try to be positive – it’s only a bit of fun.
Many thanks to our setter and the DT Crossword Team.
Across
1a Accommodation from fourth and fifth of August (8)
QUARTERS: another word for a fourth + the fifth letter of AuguSt.
5a We hear brute served aboard vessel (6)
CREWED: homophone (we hear) of a synonym of brute or coarse (an adjective).
10a Console Reform MP with unreal intent about migrants ultimately (10,5)
INSTRUMENT PANEL: anagram (reform) of MP UNREAL INTENT outside the final letter of migrantS.
11a Weapon no US TV star will back (7)
HARPOON: no + Ms Winfrey are reversed (will back).
12a Nice tax breaks not definite (7)
INEXACT: anagram (breaks) of NICE TAX.
13a Australian creature having advantage over a tailless species (8)
PLATYPUS: synonym of advantage outside A + TYP(e)
15a Excellent police officer (5)
SUPER: double definition.
18a Cook rhubarb, to eat when? (5)
ROAST: synonym of rhubarb or nonsense outside (to eat) a two-letter word meaning when.
20a Cutting down gin cured shakes (8)
REDUCING: anagram (shakes) of GIN CURED.
23a Confused correct film at first given Oscar (7)
MISTOOK: two-letters meaning correct after synonym of film (think water vapour) outside abbreviation for Oscar.
25a Ring-shaped new medallion finally poor Laura purchases (7)
ANNULAR: abbreviation of New + medallioN finally (two Ns) inside anagram of LAURA.
26a Entering hospital in London area Russian’s ready, diagnosing problems (15)
TROUBLESHOOTING: put plural Russian currency (ready) + H(ospital) inside a district of South London.
27a Ministers in cases of critical error guilty (6)
CLERGY: cases (outside letters) of CriticaL , ErroR + GuiltY
28a Relative working to succeed supreme administrator essentially (8)
GRANDSON: ON (working) after synonym of supreme + middle letter (essentially) of adminiStrator.
Down
1d That chap weighed down by mostly fast food (6)
QUICHE: HE (that chap) underneath (this is a down clue) QUIC(k) (mostly fast).
2d Country where sledging originated? (9)
AUSTRALIA: I can only think that this is a cryptic definition. Our setter is hoping that our thoughts are directed towards winter sports, but I think it is cricket that we need to think about here. The gentleman’s game of cricket has been “tarnished” of late by bad language from close fielders directed at the batsman in the hope of putting him off. Our friends down under are past masters of the art.
3d Clear level of electoral engagement (7)
TURNOUT: double definition.
4d Eastern dish, cuisine Maria claims to serve up (5)
RAMEN: hidden word upside down (claims to serve up). Our answer is lurking upside down within words 3-4 of the clue.
6d Sources of royal exposé journalists hold back (7)
REPRESS: initial letters of Royal + Exposé + synonym of journalists.
7d Runs away from evil American making money (5)
WONGA: W(r)ONG (runs away) + abbreviation for American.
8d Slow answer impedes rising top right-winger (8)
DILATORY: abbreviation for Answer inside (impedes) a synonym of top upside down (rising) + a right-winger in the UK.
9d Objective of one occupying a sunbed at sea (8)
UNBIASED: the letter representing one inside an anagram (at sea) of A SUNBED.
14d Flier soldier minded receiving drug for pain initially (8)
PARAKEET: airborne soldier + synonym of minded (or looked after) with E replacing P (drug for Pain initially).
16d Exercise entails running, that brings disadvantages (9)
PENALTIES: abbreviation for an exercise class at school + anagram (running) of ENTAILS.
17d Shot captain oddly dropped then caught – sensational! (8)
DRAMATIC: term for a shot of spirits + cApTaIn (oddly dropped) + cricket abbreviation for Caught.
19d Stolen gear going around, claim it belongs to workman? (7)
TOOLBAG: synonym for stolen property backwards (going around) + synonym of claim.
21d Do become a member of Unite (7)
CONJOIN: synonyms of do (think swindle) + synonym of “become a member of”.
22d In Wales, standard feature of newspaper fellow accepts (6)
DRAGON: slang word for newspaper inside synonym of an academic fellow.
24d Building material not quite wasted (5)
STONE: synonym of wasted without the final letter (mostly).
25d Loathe opera venue bar, briefly upset (5)
ABHOR: initial letters of Royal Opera House + BA(r) backwards (upset).
Quickie Pun: TAPPED + ANSWER = TAP DANCER
I wanted to become one of these, but I kept falling in the sink.
Can’t for the life of me see how that was only three star difficultly. Perhaps I was just on the wrong wavelength, but I thought that was the toughest puzzles for weeks and weeks. Managed – eventually – to get the SE done and most of the SW, but after that I had to rely on e-help. Will have to look at the parsings as several have left me baffled. Hey-ho, hopefully tomorrow’s will be more approachable!
****/***
Phew, I thought it was just me.
And me!
A good testing Friday that was satisfying to solve with 5a being my LOI.
One thing that I can’t work out is the parsing of 26a: Does ‘Entering Hospital’ alone mean ‘put h inside’ and does ‘in’ mean ‘inside the London area is the ‘Russian’s ready’? I’m probably getting a bit picky. So, it isn’t that important.
13a literally means ‘flat-footed’ which is a bit of a let down. Of all the names they could have called this bizarre looking animal and they come up with that. Tom is disappointed…….which makes a change.
My podium is 10a, 20a and 17d.
MT to the setter and Shabbs.
4*/4*
Re 26a – I pondered that too, Tom, but realised there are two insertion indicators, so whether or not I’m correct I decided that (hospital in London area) is entered by Russian’s ready (plural). And as I thought about it, the higher up my leader-board it rose!
Ah, yes. I see it now. Ta muchly.
I actually liked 2d as I’m sick to the back teeth (great expression) of a setter telling us to put ‘al’ inside a European country. Saying that, is there a potential clue using these two countries? Sledging could well have originated in this country though it looks like its neighbour Switzerland is claiming it.
Thought at first that this was going to be quite sticky, but a few came into focus and from then progress accelerated, resulting it what turned out overall to have been a straightforward and entertaining solve, appropriate for a Thursday/Friday back page. The generous dollop of anagrams and a few gimmes helped, though I probably spent more time arguing myself out of the answer to (the very weak) 2d than on the rest of the top half combined.
Ticks all over the place for this excellent puzzle, but will limit honours to COTD 1a, with 22d, 26a & 27a following close behind.
Many thanks to the setter (Zandio?) and to Shabbo for the excellent blog and groan on reading your solution to the pun …
Well I did it! 2d clue meant nothing to me but the country fitted, 25ac was a new word to me but with help of the thesaurus I got it. I think it was a **** star myself.
A very entertaining challenge for a Friday back pager – 3.5*/4.5*
Who might the setter be? Two more half crowns from the back of my sock drawer are suggesting that it is the work of the smooth member of the Friday Triumvirate.
Candidates for favourite – 1a, 18a, 27a, 1d, 3d, and 19d – and the winner is 27a.
Thanks to Silvanus, or whomsoever if my two half crowns go down the drain, and thanks to Shabbo (who seems to be making a good attempt to catch up with me).
I quite enjoyed this mostly straightforward puzzle, with a couple of question marks at the side of my paper.
I am not convinced about the order of the wordplay instructions in 26a, and I have never seen the abbreviations for the “opera venue” before.
2d I thought a little too obvious for anyone who watches cricket, although I appreciate the attempt at misdirection.
Thanks to the setter and to Shabbo.
2*/4*
The “opera venue” is in the BRB.
For Friday, this puzzle seemed to be a little on the easier side than the last several have been. I did have a few head scratches along the way, though. One word I did not know in the NW, but with a little e-searching worked it out.
2*/3.5*
Favourites 5a, 10a, 26a, 16d & 22d — with winner 26a
Thanks to setter & Shabbo
An enjoyable puzzle ideally pitched for Friday.
I thought that 2d was rather weak.
For my podium I’ve selected 1a, 27a and 1d.
Thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
I found today’s offering a bit too tough for my remaining grey cells. I had solved six only on the first pass and stared at them not able to get further. A couple more fell but then I gave up as I just wasn’t enjoying it. I’m not complaining because it is Friday and toughness is to be expected.
Ah well, tomorrow is another day.
Thank you, setter but you beat me. Thank you, Shabbo for making sense of it for me.
At least I planted the dahlias and mulched them!
A slow but steady solve today. Became more enjoyable as I realised I could finish it! Thanks to the setter and hinter.
I really enjoyed this and, for me, it was very definitely Fridayish. I don’t time myself but this must be up there with lengthy solves. Perseverance paid off in the end and the only help required was Mr Mhids’s explanation for the answer to 2d. I must learn – if in doubt, having ruled out a lurker, think cricket! Favourite today was 14d with podium places for 26a and 3d. Thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
I ground to a halt with three to go, one in NE and two in SW. A dnf as I resorted to Shabbo’s hints to finish as, by then, I had a severe case of brain fade. I really liked the 1a/1d combo and the construction of 11a. These with 17d make my podium. Thanks compiler you were too good today for an unaided finish. Thanks to Shabbo for the hints.
This surely has to be a Mr Smooth production and he certainly made me work hard to nail some of the parsing. I also needed to refer to the BRB for a couple of definitions and check on the sledging country – knew the term but not how it originated. Had to put 20a on the podium for the smile factor where it is joined by 2,14&19d.
Many thanks to Silvanus for another splendid Friday puzzle and to Shabbo for taking on blogging duties after a night on the town!
The art of sledging is not a new thing, I had a book with lots of examples which go back years – my favourite was a wicket keeper saying to the incoming batsman “Why are you so fat?” His reply, “Because every time I make love to your wife, she gives me a biscuit!”
As for the puzzle? ***/***
Thanks to setter and Shabbo
Hi Sim
It was Zimbabwean, Eddo Brandos’, splendid riposte to Glenn McGrath.
These are my top three:
Viv played and missed to Greg Thomas who said ”It’s round and red”. Viv smote Greg’s next delivery to the boundary and said ”You know what it looks like. Now go and get it.”
Larrikin Rod Marsh said to Beefy, when he strode to the wicket…’How’s your wife and my kids?’
English bowler, Jimmy Ormond, was batting against the Old Enemy and playing and missing like it was going out of fashion. Mark Waugh, Steve’s younger brother, said ‘Why is your batting so bad?’ to which he replied….’At least I’m the best batsman in my family.’
We love it!
Brilliant stuff Tom – wish I still had that book.
There are stacks of books about sledging that you can buy online.
A great stocking-filler for your good self.
My favourite is Ian Botham and Rodney Marsh
Marsh – “How’s your wife and my kids..?”
Botham – “The wife’s fine, but the kids are retarded…”
One of my favourite stories is of the great Fred Trueman. His teammate Subba Row let a ball nicked off Fred go through his legs at slip and said to Fred “Sorry, I should have kept my legs closed”.
Fred replied “So should your mother,”
Love it, G!
Hi J
I’m not sure Beefy said that as I’ve only heard his comment in the last few years. For 30 years, it was just Rod’s.
Also, Beefy has an amazing brain for cricket but I ain’t convinced he would have been quick enough to come back with that one.
You’re probably right.
I’ve never heard any of them first-hand, rather anecdotes from the lads in the boozer!
This hit my Goldilocks zone for difficulty: definitely not easy, but I could complete it — with all the answers being words I know, and all the clues parseable. Thank you to the setter, especially for: the 4th and 5th of August in 1a; 11a with no TV star; 26a’s things in the London area; 7d’s evil American making money; and 22d’s standard feature.
Oh and for 18a, which has reminded me I should check our rhubarb patch and see if there’s any more to be picked: we had loads about a month ago, which is most gratifying for a plant which has required almost no looking after.
Thank you to Shabbo for deputizing, and Get Well Soon to Mr K.
This is probably apocryphal, but it’s a great story:
According to the BBC’s Pat Murphy: “My understanding is that it came from the mid-sixties and a guy called Grahame Corling, who used to open the bowling for New South Wales and Australia … apparently the suggestion was that this guy’s wife was having an affair with another team-mate, and when he came into bat the fielding team started singing “When a Man Loves A Woman”, the old Percy Sledge number.”
I don’t that’s apocryphal, Shabbs. I think it was quite good.
Oh, that’ll do, Tom.
I hope it’s true as it’s a goodie. Put it this way, I’m going to use it.
3.5*/4*. This was an enjoyable challenge, but I am not sure to whom to attribute it. I’m confident it wasn’t proXimal or Zandio but it didn’t quite feel like a Silvanus production despite the smoothness of the surfaces.
I expect I will be shouted down, but I can’t imagine anyone pronouncing brute the same as 5a, which has no T. Also I too struggled to unravel the logic needed for the wordplay for 26a. One other small point was that the answer to 2d was rather exposed by the crossing clue for 13a.
Shabbo, I may well be wrong but I don’t think 3d quite counts as a DD as the synonym for clear is enumerated (4,3). It’s still an excellent clue though.
I had plenty of ticks with 20a, 3d & 19d making it onto the podium.
Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo.
Hi RD, it is one of mine :-)
I think if you look up “brute” (as an adjective”) in the BRB, that should resolve your doubt. The country of origin of the creature in 13a was added by the editor to make the clue easier, it’s just unfortunate that it crosses with 2d!
Thanks for popping in and for the explanations, Silvanus. Thanks too for keeping us all royally entertained.
I see now that I made a complete pig’s ear of 5a having decided that the answer must be “brewed”. I feel sure you can understand why I thought that would be a terrible homophone for “brute”! I must admit too that I thought that “served aboard vessel” was a very odd way to describe how tea might be made in an urn! I think I need to go and lie down in a darkened room …
I thought 13a was unlike you. Perhaps “Antipodean” might have been better?
Well I found that rather tricky. Having been away for a week to Madeira for the flower festival (flora rather than crosswordland’s waterways) perhaps I shouldn’t have tried a Friday puzzle for my first one. Having said that, I got there in the end and found myself smiling at some of the answers.
Top picks for me were 26a, 22d and 11a.
Thanks to Shabbo and Silvanus.
It’s also good to see that Steve C is back with us.
Hope you had a good time Madflower!
Thank you Manders I did. I also ate a lot of scabbard fish which I know you also like. 😄
Jealous or what, how yummy!
This crossword really tested me, but surprisingly most clues went in at first pass albeit slowly! As several others have mentioned parsing was a problem for a couple of clues so had to look to Shabbo for help. This was especially true for 13a and 14d – I realised the missing words were Platypus and Parakeet but couldn’t work out why, so thanks Shabbo. I had to resort to Mr Google to see if there is an alternative meaning for sledging, and there is! However it doesn’t sound very sportsmanlike. LOI was 7d ‘wonga’ – I’ve never heard of that word. Anyway, this puzzle was most entertaining and although it took slightly longer to work out I really enjoyed it so it’s a ***/****. /**** from me. Thanks again to Shabbo and Silvanus.
A wonderful puzzle. 1a and 11a are exquisite!
I’ve been away for a while so maybe I’m rusty but that was difficult.
4*/1*
Unfortunately I did not enjoy this. I was convinced 2d could not be Australia as the answer was contained in 13a. Will back doesn’t work for me either.
Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo
Struggling to find something positive, but could not find much fun in this one today. Although the 2d answer was obvious from the checkers, my limited cricket knowledge certainly did not include sledging so I could not justify it, Those guilty clearly have no concept of the sport of cricket, sadly. Since the infamous interview I no longer regard 11a person as a star. Gave up at half way as it is clearly above my pay grade, but not unexpected for a Friday. Oh well. Thanks to Silvanus for the brain work out, and to Shabbo.
Like Steve I really struggled with this one today, mainly due to too many distractions and other things going on to do it justice. I managed most of it but then had to use the hints to finish the last few as I had no more time. I rather enjoyed the challenge of all that I managed on my own, the clues were all elegant and obvious once I read the hints. I had no clue about why 2d was the answer I got, I know nothing about cricket except what I learn on here.
Many thanks to Silvanus for the challenge and to Shabbo for stepping in to cover the hints, I wish Mr K a speedy recovery.
Many thanks to Shabbo for his Hints and Tips and for deputising for Mr K, to whom I wish a speedy recovery from whatever is ailing him. Thank you also to all solvers and commenters.
This one seems to be a little trickier than my last few. I had a feeling 2d would raise some comments but, as TDS rightly says, I wanted to clue it in a different way. It’s possibly too easy for cricket fans and maybe too unfamiliar to non-cricket fans, so perhaps it will be “AL inside Austria” again next time!
I’m very glad to see Steve C commenting again after his bereavement. He hasn’t mentioned how Hudson is (his faithful companion, not my fellow Telegraph compiler), so I hope that means he is no longer sick.
May I wish everyone a good weekend.
Thank you for the puzzle, silvanus. You beat me with it today. 😊
Thank you, also, for your kind words of welcome. I am pleased to say Hudson is fighting fit and we can wander the Shropshire countryside again.
Finally got there after two attempts interrupted by an afternoon snooze! 1a as my favourite, thank you Silvanus and Shabbo
Thanks to GWR trains being horrendous, again, I had plenty of time to get stuck in to this today.
Took some time to get going (me, not the train) however it turned into a treat. A wonderful trip in to London from the shires also!
2d an absolute beaut, being a cricketer.
Thank you, Silvanus for a great workout. I found this 2 crosswords in one. The North was almost read and write (apart from 5a/7d – it woz 7d wot did it – I just hate the word!) whereas the South took some serious thought. But big ticks to 23a which remained shrouded for ages, 22d for the misdirection from the word ‘feature’, which I could only read with ‘of newspaper’ and double tick for 26a just for not being an anagram!
Have a great weekend all!
A laboured but thoroughly enjoyable solve. A fair few of the whys took some teasing out. Ticks all over the shop – 1,10,13,23&26a + 1,6,8&14d particular likes.
Thanks to Silvanus for his usual classy puzzle, to Shabbo for a great review & wishing Mr K a speedy recovery from whatever ails him.
Ps – hope that your St Albans hostelry tour took in a pint of Harvey’s in The Robin Hood.
First pass left me with top left corner looking gappy and 22 d not in. Had lots of pressing problems and gardening to do and perhaps the brain was ticking over. Who knows ? Finally went back this evening and the rest fell into place. Never knew what the slang term sledging meant so did look that up. Really enjoyed this puzzle . Thankyou to Silvanus and Shabbo
4*/4* Took a while but got there in the end, had to check a couple of new words for me but all fairly clued.
Thanks to Shabbo and Silvanus
Definitely a 3* was my comment as I completed this on a lovely Sussex Saturday morning, having given up last night. 1a was the last, brilliant. I did enjoy it, thank you setter especially when I read the hints to parse the final few (US TV star left me floundering completely!) for which thank you Shabbo
3*/4* …
liked 27A “Ministers in cases of critical error guilty (6)”