DT 30970 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30970

by Mr K  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30970

Hints and tips by Mr K

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BD Rating  -  Difficulty *** -  Enjoyment ****

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. Today we have a very enjoyable puzzle featuring ultrasmooth surface readings, faultless cryptic grammar, and a shoutout to a Scottish football team. Thanks to our setter for a great puzzle to solve and to hint.

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. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

 

Across

1a    The people about to flee China perhaps (6)
PUBLIC:  What China (or the USA) define by example (perhaps) minus a short word meaning “about” or “concerning” (about to flee)

4a    Cheek and criticise one simmering in the kitchen? (8)
SAUCEPAN:  Synonyms of cheek and of criticise

9a    Film captures doctor in action (6)
COMBAT:  A film or thin layer contains (captures) one of the usual abbreviations for doctor 

10a   Where reporters work men row so freely (8)
NEWSROOM:  An anagram (freely) of MEN ROW SO 

12a   Letter Greek writes, one issued about waste (8)
EMACIATE:  The fusion of a character in the Greek alphabet, the Roman one, and a verb synonym of issued is all reversed (about) 

13a   Stress from tragedy papers ignored (6)
ACCENT:  A tragedy or mishap minus the abbreviation for identity papers (papers ignored)

15a   Strikes not uncommon by players in this sport? (6,7)
TENPIN BOWLING:  A cryptic definition of a sporting or leisure activity where getting a strike is a good thing 

18a   Maybe Humphrey once inspected river briefly when polluted (4-9)
VICE-PRESIDENT:  An anagram (when polluted) of INSPECTED and RIVER minus its last letter (briefly). The definition is by example (maybe) 

22a   Formula ready, English child's beginning to feed (6)
RECIPE:  Ready or not raw with the single letter for English and the beginning letter of CHILD inserted together (… to feed) 

24a   Ex-con Sandy I'd urge to return regularly for counselling (8)
GUIDANCE:  The reversal of alternate letters (to return regularly) of EX-CON SANDY I’D URGE 

26a   Exotic primulas discovered beside large unknown plant (4,4)
ARUM LILY:  An anagram (exotic) of PRIMULAS minus its outer letters (dis-covered) is followed by the single letter for large and a usual letter that can stand for a mathematical unknown

27a   Spirit in Scottish football team, we hear (6)
WRAITH:  A homophone (we hear) of the short name for a Scottish football club 

28a   Old malt liquor, one that sells overseas (8)
EXPORTER:  Old or former is followed by a dark brown malt liquor 

29a   Names visiting part of Hull, arriving at setter's house? (6)
KENNEL:  Two copies of the single letter for name inserted in (visiting) the bit at the bottom of a hull (capitalized here for misdirection). The definition is cryptic 

 

Down

1d    Stake best placed on cert, ignoring the odds (6)
PICKET:  Another word for best or finest is followed by CERT minus its odd letters (ignoring the odds) 

2d    Pompous abbot is wrong about inspiring monk originally (9)
BOMBASTIC:  An anagram (wrong) of ABBOT IS comes before the single letter for about or approximately, and that lot is containing (inspiring) the first letter (originally) of MONK

3d    European capital I, a newcomer, must embrace (7)
ITALIAN:  CAPITAL I A NEWCOMER hides (must embrace) the answer 

5d    Almost alter end of prayer (4)
AMEN:  A synonym of alter with its last letter deleted (almost) 

6d    Reliable income stream of Wimbledon champion, neat! (4,3)
CASH COW:  An Australian Wimbledon champion with an archaic synonym of neat 

7d    Investigate pair given award (5)
PROBE:  The abbreviation for pair is followed by one of the usual abbreviated awards recognizing valuable service 

8d    Second bouncer perhaps goes round obtaining IDs (4,4)
NAME TAGS:  The single letter for second with a (4,3) phrase that could describe a male club bouncer, all reversed (goes round) 

11d   Persist developing features of Brentford's home shirts, say (7)
STRIPES:  An anagram (developing) of PERSIST 

14d   Inclined to be underhand (7)
OBLIQUE:  A straightforward double definition 

16d   Purpose in lying debatable essentially for Victor (9)
INTENTION:  In a word meaning lying or fabrication, the central letter (essentially) of DEBATABLE is substituted for the letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by Victor 

17d   Regard too highly past culinary utensil removing peel (8)
OVERRATE:  Past or done is followed by a sharp culinary utensil minus its outer letters (… removing peel) 

19d   Liked tree planted outside for all to see (7)
POPULAR:  A tall thin tree containing (planted outside) the letter indicating that a movie is approved for everyone to see 

20d   Approve not all shelves Rod neatly put up (7)
ENDORSE:  The answer is hidden in the reversal (not all … put up, in a down clue) of SHELVES ROD NEATLY 

21d   Vicious, endless health reforms Liberal introduces (6)
LETHAL:  An anagram (reforms) of HEALTH minus its last letter (endless) comes after the single letter for Liberal 

23d   Fool friend with prank primarily (5)
CHUMP:  An informal word for friend is followed by the first letter (primarily) of PRANK

25d   Gin maker is boring in conversation (4)
SLOE:  A homophone (in conversation) of boring or dragging 

 

Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?

The Quick Crossword pun:  PINE + EARRING = PIONEERING

66 comments on “DT 30970”

  1. Suitably tough for a Friday and I agree with Mr K’s rating. His hints helped me to understand 22a and 16d. 26a was an educated anagram guess as to the first word and luckily I was right. Similarly 27a because I haven’t heard of the team. 29a was magnificent and my LOI. The trickiest this week and thank you setter for the challenge.

    1. I am deeply disappointed that you have not heard of the Rovers……deeply…..

        1. Let alone overseas bloggers/solvers who need to know (or guess) what Brentford’s home shirts feature … For that matter, a significant proportion of domestic bloggers/solvers are likely to be similarly mystified!

        2. Hi AV

          It’s very common for setters to create clues for this country.

          My guess is that 90% of the solvers are UK-based. So, it’s catering for the masses, meaning that solvers overseas will not get the local references, e.g footy teams, places, events, famous people etc which us local Brits like. It often creates conversations around that place/event/person which we can participate in. e.g OM above.

          The same goes for references from days of yore, meaning that the under 30s get excluded, i.e 5% of the solvers.

      2. Saturday afternoons ‘wasted’ in front of the ‘goggle box’ watching Grandstand, when David Coleman was ‘in charge’ and when it was in B&W, and an apparently good memory!

        It probably has to be accepted that the DT, and presumably the others, are quite parochial when it comes to crosswords (except for an African nature reserve).

        1. I do agree – if I did a guzzle in an American paper I would not be at all surprised or upset to find local references I would not have a chance of knowing. I guess it is a compliment that they want to have a go. Like dear Robert, although he was so well read he could have done a guzzle in the Ganges Gazette.

      3. Apologies Ora

        Actually it does ring a vague bell now

        I think I can see David Coleman…..

        🤣

        1. You’ve changed your alias since your previous comment so this needed moderation. Both will work from now on.

  2. A fabulous puzzle to round off an excellent week of back page puzzles. Congratulations to all of the setters and to the DT Crossword Team.
    I would endorse Mr K’s comments above, which may give a us a clue as to who wrote this beauty.
    Too many ticked clues to fit on the podium but, if pushed, I would probably give top prize to the very clever 24a.
    Thank you setter and Mr K.
    Karla is on Toughie duty today. Well worth a look.

  3. I’ll echo Mr K’s opening paragraph. This was a joy to solve and my rating is 2*/5*.

    My only query is related to the definition for 12a. Isn’t the answer synonymous with “waste away” not simply “waste”?

    It’s impossible to pick a favourite from such a splendid collection.

    Many thanks to the setter (my guess is Silvanus) and to Mr K.

    1. RD – The Crimson Tome has 12a as a transitive verb for ‘to waste’ and an intransitive verb for ‘to waste away’ and I am sure that our setter will have done his homework.

      1. Thanks, Senf. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of the transitive use and I didn’t have my BRB to hand this morning when I was solving this.

  4. I look forward to the Friday cryptics and this one certainly didn’t disappoint, with a nice balance of clue types and some very smooth surfaces.
    The alternate letter reverse lurker in 24a is so cleverly constructed and is my COTD: how long must it have taken to come up with that?
    The mass exodus in 1a, the 12a waste reversal and the lying substitution in 16d also stood out for me.
    Excellent puzzle, many thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  5. Started feeling smug because the end was in sight, and then came face to face with 12a.

    Try as I might, I’ve still not the foggiest of what it can be, all I can think of is that ETA may be involved, so will see the hint for enlightenment.

    Apart from that bitter taste, I loved the rest of this one, especially 29a and the clever 5d which are my two of the day.

    Off to see if we can salvage something at the cricket after the abysmal display yesterday, some hope….

  6. 3*/4.5*
    A great friday puzzle with 12a last in – almost threw in the towel on this one as I agree with Rabbit Dave on the missing “away”.
    Will pick 24a as favourite although many great clues
    Thanks to Silvanus and Mr K

  7. An excellent crossy from Sade that took some work with my LOI being 12a that too me forever.

    I have, of course, never heard of 16a and had to biff 16d because the parsing was out of my reach.

    As I had the checkers for the first word of 15a, I confidently put ‘tennis rallies’ as the answer, convincing myself that a strike is a rally which isn’t quite right though it’s close.

    I’ll bet my house on this being the work of the ‘smooth operator’ as he loves an ALR (alternate letter rekrul).

    My podium is 1a, 24a and 1d.

    MT to the Big S & Mr K

    3*/5*

  8. Sorry to rain on the parade but I found this puzzle to be a real slog, with much guesswork invollved. Usually, onxe I have written in the clue, I can work out the parsing but there were a good few that wluded me today and,like others I couldnt fathom the logic behind 12a, although the word ‘waste’ gave the game away. However 14a was a good cryptic definition, 24a was a great reverse lurker and 26a was a well- camouflaged anagram. Thanks to the compiler and to Mr K for the hints, which I shall now read.

  9. Five in a row! And, 27a gives the setter away – **/*****

    Candidates for favourite – 27a, 28a, 29a, 6d (I did have to research the year of the SW19 success), and 25d – and the winner is the ghostly 27a Scottish football team.

    Thanks to Mr K and to Silvanus, for it must be he – isn’t it three in a row (Fridays that is)?

    A kitty in the 29a ‘dog house’:

  10. A bit difficult for me today. Completely failed on 12a…needed the hint.
    Otherwise battled through.

    Favourite has got to be 27a as it is the football team of my town of birth…..and no, there is no Raith for there to be dancing in the streets . If you know, you know.

    Thanks to the setter and to Mr K

  11. Mr K
    Every Friday
    Has grateful solvers making beelines
    For his crossword assistance with pictures of felines

    I’m going to keep this up until everybody knows what a clerihew is!

  12. A worthy Friday puzzle which threw me a few curved balls. I was slow on the uptake with the wasted Greek letter and the gin maker and became fixated on the self-serving civil servant in ‘Yes, Minister’ where Humphrey was concerned so this wasn’t a swift solve for me but the smooth surfaces and clever clueing made for a very enjoyable ride. Top marks here went to 9&24a plus 6d – whom I rather lusted after in his bandana-wearing Wimbledon days!

    Many thanks to our setter – my money’s on Silvanus, and to Mr K for the review.

  13. A properly challenging Friday solve but personally I did not feel quite the enjoyment others here have expressed. 12a’s ‘came’ for ‘issued’ still furrows my brow, likewise a ‘Hummm’ moment at the football team; I make a lot of steeped-fruit gins, and have something of an issue with sloe being an ingredient in making gin as opposed to changing the flavour of gin once its been made. Ah well, maybe I just slept poorly and arose from the wrong side of bed, because usually I find Silvanus’s puzzles come consistently from the top of the topmost drawer.

    COTD 29a, with the wonderfully clever 24a and 15a both joining it on the podium.

    Many thanks to Silvanus (for tis surely he, with so many ‘tells’ in the grid) and to Mr K

  14. A Friday puzzle this week that is a little easier than Friday’s offering can quite often be. Filled grid top to bottom for the most part.

    2.5*/3.5*

    Favourites 9a, 10a, 26a, 29a, 2d & 20 d — with winner 29a
    Smiles for 15a, 28a, 5d & 10d

    Thanks to Silvanus & Mr K.

  15. Like Chriscross this was accomplished thanks only to numerous educated (?) bung-in guesses. Took while to uncover/parse 26a. I was unaware of Brentford shirt features as in 11d – what about overseas bloggers?! Thank you Silvanus (?) and MrK

  16. An excellent Friday puzzle – thanks to Silvanus and Mr K.
    From many contenders I’ve selected 27a, 29a and 19d for my podium.

  17. I ground to a halt with six to go and, lacking inspiration, resorted to Mr K’s hints so a dnf unaided for me today. That said those that I did complete I very much enjoyed. As a lifelong inhabitant of the UK, I am equally likely to be bemused by any football related clue as any overseas solver. Cotd for me is the excellent 24a. Thanks to setter, too good for me today, and MrK for the hints.

  18. Late on parade because of a doctor’s appointment followed by shopping. A tough one today but only to be expected for this time of week. I needed the hints for a couple so a DNF basically. I did like the boring gin maker at 25d and it will soon be that time of year to go harvesting. My COTD is 15a.

    Thank you, setter for the Friday challenge. Thank you, Mr. K. for the hints.

  19. Late on parade here too, lovely guzzle today. Once I corrected a bunged in Footy team (Hearts) the rest went smoothly.
    I understand the obscurities of British football teams may be a stretch for some, but it is the end of the week after all.
    Thanks to Setter and Mr K
    I found a bag of 25d in the freezer and bunged them in what was left of a bottle of gin but I don’t think they are ready yet

      1. About 1/3rd sugar and 1/3rd 25d’s, there was a bit of space left so I topped up the gin with a dash of vodka, it’s been in since March so I am thinking not before Halloween.

        2. I’ve found that after 3-4 months there ceases to be any measurable improvement in the fruit spirit (indeed with a blackberry spirit about 2 months is enough) and at that point I strain it through a sieve, then through muslin, and finally through a crystalbrite wine filter, which helps the end result keep for longer.

          About 15 years ago we found a bottle of sloe gin made by my wife’s late grandfather. Very, very cloudy, and brown in colour. Even though it was “off the fruit” the fact he had died in the early 1970s gave us a good idea of how old it was … it was absolutely vile! Who knew that sloe gin could go off?

          This is a great time of year to make cherry brandy – the fruit is available now, the result will be ready to drink in December, and it can be stronger and not so sweet as commercial cherry brandy. Perfect.

          1. I used to have a black mulberry tree and I made mulberry brandy. It was always the first to go at dinner parties.

  20. I thought this was a great guzzle, lots of satisfying penny drop moments – especially 29a ! And the reverse lurker at 24a. I did a bung in for 27a and 11d and was gratified to find Mr K explained why. Favourite clue is definitely 29a and favourite word is 2d and I would not like to hazard a guess at how many bottles of 25d gin I have made over the years. Many thanks to Messrs Setter and Kay. Have a good weekend everyone. I have to go to London next week and having read the article in today’s DT about crime on the underground I am beginning to dread the trip!

  21. Gave up on today’s offering, the Sutherland corner getting the better of me, so I won’t be dancing in the streets of Raith tonight. A lot to like though and I did get off to a flyer in Caithness, but neat cow eh … who knew? My cotd was 25d … I got the homophone and we make it whenever our blackthorn bush deems to bear fruit. Thanks to Mr K for the hints I needed them today.

  22. I found this tricky and needed the hints for my LOI 12a.
    I asked my partner if there was a Scottish team 27a Rovers. He said he’d never heard of them. It rang a distant bell for me and Google came up trumps. I also knew the Brentford shirts. Knowing two lots of football stuff in one go for me is unheard of. I shall have to go and lie down.

    Top picks for me were 6d, 1a, 29a and 19d.

    Thanks to Mr K and the setter.

  23. Got about half done, but a lot of those were from checkers or my answers are right but were achieved despite the clues. Not unexpected in a Friday puzzle which is usually above my pay grade. But happy with having got half way without hints. Thanks to setter and Mr K.

    1. Came back and happily filled in almost all the rest, and loving 29a. Guess I woke up 😊. Probably one of the best Friday puzzles ever.

  24. I didn’t do very well with this either. Being a football fan didn’t help me at all. Never mind you can’t win them all! Thankyou Mr K I couldn’t have done it without you! Thanks also to the setter for the challenge.

  25. A very enjoyable challenge, very suitable for a Friday. I needed a hint to finish 12a and a couple of explanations to explain my parsing but that all helps me learn. I thought 24a was brilliantly constructed and my favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the hints.

  26. Well I thought this was excellent with some terrific surfaces and nicely subtle misdirection. I was convinced this was the work of Silvanus, but I see he has yet to pop in to claim ownership. I will nominate 24a as my favourite, very clever.

    My thanks to Silvanus and Mr K.

  27. Many thanks as ever to Mr K and to everyone solving and commenting. Much appreciated.

    May I wish everyone a good weekend.

    1. Great guzzle. Thank you so much! How the Dickens did you work out that rekrul ? Clever clogs.

    2. Wow, I didn’t know this was one of yours. Now I am even more chuffed that I finished.

    3. I did have an inkling but am never sure with your varied ingenuity! Excellent and thank you.

    4. Excellent Friday puzzle, tough but fair, loved 29a amongst others
      Many Thanks, also to MrK

  28. We struggled with this puzzle and have come back later in the day to look at the hints. Gave up sitting in the sunshine scratching our heads! Thanks to those that make it all happen. Gary and Val

  29. Hardest puzzle in a very long time. Somewhat distracted by so many things today but cut the excuses and admit DNF and was not likely to. 29 across was brilliant. For 18 across I was looking to. “Yes Minister “so barking up the wrong tree. Thank you Mr. K for the explanations and Silvanus for the clobbering.

  30. Glancing at the mobile & solving a few clues at a time here & there in between teeing golfers off rather compromised my enjoyment of this one. I really must stop doing it as my appreciation of the puzzle’s merits hugely increased when reading back through it once home & parsing the clues properly.
    As ever a tip top Smooth production with a host of contenders for COTD – 24a just nicks it on the line after an enlarged print in a massed bunch finish.
    Thanks to Silvanus & Mr K

  31. Oof! Struggled with this one after a good run for many weeks. More like 4/5 difficulty for me tonight. Thanks to all for keeping my brain cells exercised!

  32. Took me hours to finish. Thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. Wraith Wrovers are a football team in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

  33. Hard going, but I got there in the end, quite’ emaciate(d). I even got 1a, but do not understand the explanation. Help, please!

    1. Hi, Hugh. China is a re-public. “Re” meaning “about” is removed.😊

      1. Of course, OF COURSE. I was getting hung up on ‘c.’, rather than the now obvious ‘re.’ Many thanks

  34. 4*/3* …
    liked 29A “Names visiting part of Hull, arriving at setter’s house (6)”

  35. Great puzzle and a bit harder than some. I echo most of the comments above but the DT disagrees with something or things in the solutions. I do the cryptics and toughies online using the DT app where there’s instant feedback on completion IE yes/no (apart from competition puzzles of course) but despite multiple checks using the above hints/answers it keeps telling me there’s at least one letter wrong! Either we all made the same mistake or the DT website got it wrong. I do these daily and this is the first time this has happened. Anybody throw any light on this ?

    1. Welcome to the blog

      No idea why this happens. The online site didn’t like one of the solutions in today’s cryptic but when Telegraph Towers checked, there was no problem. Isn’t technology wonderful??

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