DT 30974 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30974

by Gazza  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30974
Hints and Tips by Gazza

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ***  Enjoyment ****

The run of very enjoyable Wednesday puzzles continues (and the Quickie pun is pretty good too). Many thanks to our setter.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and indicator words (e.g. anagram indicators) are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons.

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Across

1a Prosperous food shop has 100 credit notes for fruit (6,9)
GOLDEN DELICIOUS: assemble an adjective meaning prosperous or fortunate, a speciality food shop, the Roman numeral for 100 and credit notes.

9a Stand up for working waste collector (7)
DUSTPAN: an anagram (for working) of STAND UP.

10a Animal from middle of Africa falling over in slip (7)
GIRAFFE: reverse the middle letters of Africa and insert them into a slip or blunder.

11a Temperature within river not relaxing for shy person (9)
INTROVERT: insert the abbreviation for temperature into an anagram (relaxing) of RIVER NOT.
12a Rush and ZZ Top, or occasionally Miles (4)
ZOOM: the even letters of ‘ZZ Top, or’ and the abbreviation for the falsely-capitalised miles.

13a Very focused at first, draw snowflake (6)
SOFTIE: string together an adverb meaning very, the first letter of focused and a synonym of a draw in a sporting event. Snowflake here is being used in its modern slang sense of someone lacking backbone.
15a Report to banks in Wisconsin’s thriving area (4,4)
BOOM TOWN: a synonym of report or loud sound is followed by TO (from the clue) and the outer letters (banks) of Wisconsin.

18a Possibly flags errors (8)
BLOOMERS: double definition. Flags here are plants of the iris family.

19a Prince with king and English wife (6)
ANDREW: a conjunction meaning ‘with’ and abbreviations for king, English and wife.
22a Wine overturned: it’s the last drop of Cava (4)
ASTI: join IT’S and the last letter of Cava then reverse it all (overturned).

23a Steps up where batter is opening for Surrey (9)
INCREASES: where a batter (cue spluttering from those who don’t like the term) stands (2,6) followed by the opening letter of Surrey.

26a See some revolutionary types, eco-idealists (7)
DIOCESE: hidden in reverse (revolutionary).

27a Very big piece on board needing kind of weak glue (3-4)
MAN-SIZE: a piece on a chessboard and a sort of weak glue used when doing wallpapering.

28a Unpleasant imp splutters milk in churns (15)
RUMPELSTILTSKIN: an anagram (churns) of SPLUTTERS MILK IN. If you don’t know the unpleasant imp from the Grimm fairytale see here.

Down

1d Birds leave before buzzard’s tail wags (7)
GODWITS: a verb to leave precedes the tail letter of buzzard and a synonym of wags or humorists.

2d In conversation, lean over composer (5)
LISZT: a homophone (in conversation) of a verb meaning to lean over or tilt.

3d Dish out short, hip menu for music producer (9)
EUPHONIUM: an anagram (dish, in the sense of ruin) of OU[t] HIP MENU.

4d Daughter with half of beer eating pub meal (6)
DINNER: the genealogical abbreviation for daughter and half of the word ‘beer’ contain (eating) a type of pub.

5d American tense visiting host’s embassy (8)
LEGATION: abbreviations for American and tense go inside a word meaning a host or large number.

6d Centre put the ball over the line with seconds to go (4)
CORE: remove the abbreviation for seconds from a verb to put the ball over the goal line.
7d Under the weather, turned green perhaps (3-6)
OFF-COLOUR: an adjective meaning turned (like milk left out of the fridge in hot weather) and what green is an example of.

8d Lecture we hear from drunk tank (7)
SHERMAN: how a drunk person might pronounce a lecture from the pulpit gives us a military tank named after an American Civil War general.

14d Face fell when going round part of house (5,4)
FRONT ROOM: a synonym of face or façade and the reversal of a fell or uncultivated upland area.

16d Not a fan of chimpanzee snack? (6,3)
MONKEY NUT: I presume that someone not a fan of a chimpanzee could be a fan of a different primate but that seems a bit weak – unless you have a better explanation.

17d Water getting into a lot of snappy running shoes (8)
TRAINERS: insert water from above into an adjective meaning snappy or curt without its last letter.

18d Less interesting, Brenda Lee’s first hit (7)
BLANDER: an anagram (hit) of BRENDA and the first letter of L[ee].
20d Wayne exhausted and unsmiling in this? (7)
WESTERN: the outer letters of W[ayn]E (exhausted, i.e. empty) and an adjective meaning unsmiling.

21d Son affected by first taste of iffy seafood (6)
SCAMPI: concatenate the genealogical abbreviation for son, an adjective meaning affected or overly theatrical and the first letter of iffy.

24d Hum song and dance (5)
STINK: double definition, the second meaning a fuss or furore.

25d That lady unwrapped new present (4)
HERE: a pronoun used to identify ‘that lady’ and the central letter (unwrapped) of ‘new’.

There are some top-notch clues here including 13a, 26a, 1d, 14d and 20d. Which one(s) appealed to you?

The Quick Crossword pun:   THUG  +  HONDA    +  LEERS      =    THE GONDOLIERS

 

92 comments on “DT 30974”

  1. I must be having an off day because I had more question marks against clues than ticks. I don’t see the buzzard’s tail at 1d, Brenda’ s first hit at 18d or the song and dance at 24d. No doubt the hints will enlighten me. I got over the line in the end but needed help for a couple so a DNF for me.

    Sorry, setter but you foxed me today but thank you for your efforts. Thank you, Gazza for the hints and toons.

    I now understand this clues – it’s me!

  2. It took a while to get in the swing of this one and a lucky guess for the second syllable of 1d my LOI. I thought 7d very good as was the amusing 8d my COTD. All in all I did enjoy this and thought **/**** so thank you setter and Aldo Gazza for explaining the full import of 18a as I hadn’t seen that meaning before.

  3. Really enjoyed the humerous and cleverly worded clueing in this puzzle, the use of more unusual definitions being a feature.
    The snowflake in 13a and the slurring drunk in 8d, along with the hum in 24d, raised a smile.
    The two long clues flowed well and I liked the reference to The Duke in 20d, but 16d didn’t quite work for me either, though I think I see what the setter is trying to get across.
    Many thanks to him (I assume) and Gazza 

    1. Hi Lion

      I took it that 16d, in this case, is a snack as opposed to the primate lover i.e not a chimpanzee fan but the snack. Hence the question mark.

      1. Yes Tom,
        I see it refers to a snack, but the wording of ‘not a fan’ suggests the opposite of being a monkey nut, rather than describing one who is, to me.
        If the snack was called ‘monkey hater’, I’d be ok with it.

        1. But monkeys aren’t chimps! The QM’s just doing some heavy lifting. I thought it was rather fun.

          1. Yes I think that’s exactly it, ALP, you’re right.
            I hadn’t explored that chimps are apes and not monkeys. As you say, that is what the question mark must allude to.

          2. HI ALP. Long tome no speak.

            You’re right, as you nearly always are. Ignore my nonsense.

            It’s a great clue and has caught out a few of us.

            1. Hi Tom. Indeed. It’s been far too long – I don’t know what I’ve been doing with my time! Re your aversion to Chambers, I don’t entirely disagree. I was interested to read Sloop saying the other day that the Tel is considering adopting Collins as the tome of choice, largely because Chambers hasn’t been updated for so long. Hopefully, that potential schism will trigger a much-needed refresh – not least to correct the heinous wrong that is “Infer = imply”. No, just no!

              1. Now, you’re just winding me up.

                Surely not???

                Collins is the pupster.

                1. I’m really not, sadly. They basically conclude that, because “infer” is so often wrongly used in that sense, it’s an OK definition. Whatever next? Tow the line, no holes barred? Harrumph. If Collins is good enough for Scrabble, it’s more than good enough for me

                  1. Agreed.

                    Love ‘no holes barred’!

                    I’ve never seen that boo-boo before though I’m sure it’s out there.

                    I’m such a fan of Mrs Malaprop.

                    1. Indeed, Tom. I remember a cracker in Corrie decades ago. Annie Walker was berating Hilda Ogen for not cleaning the toilets properly. In her defence, Hilda retorted: “I do my best – nobody’s inflammable!”.

                    2. Brilliant, J!

                      Hilda’s one that I remember is…The world is your lobster.

                      The other thing that stuck is the three ceramic flying ducks on her wall, with the middle being askew.

                  1. Interesting.

                    So, they’re both rubbish.

                    I assume The OED sucks too?

                    If so, then we’ve got nowt.

        2. I think it’s saying that the answer is referring to the snack not a chimp fan.

          I admit that the other way round would have been clearer, i.e a snack, not a fan of chimpanzee but the setter is trying to get us to think of a snack for a chimp.

          I suppose getting rid of ‘Not’ would have been easier.

  4. Fizzy and fun. 12a pretty much identifies the setter (so very him), 6d reads beautifully and 8d’s hilarious. Best thanks to setter and Gazza – 13a’s cartoon is a corker.

  5. Light and gentle, over too soon and a delight from beginning to end, albeit I thought the definition in 1a somewhat loose/weak (apple is the fruit, the answer a variety, surely) but that was the only ‘eyebrow raise’ in the whole grid. So many lovely clues, with honours to 26a, 1d, 8d 7& 20d.

    Many thanks to the setter (no confident guess from me today) and to Gazza for the super blog.

  6. A lovely puzzle. Had to check the hints to confirm I had 27a correct (didn’t know the weak glue)
    Thanks to both the setter and to Gazza for excellent jobs

  7. 2.5*/4*. This was a very enjoyable middle-of-the-week puzzle.

    I am not entirely convinced by “dish” as an anagram indicator in 3d, but we have been subjected to a lot worse recently. Also, I am another who doesn’t get 16d.

    Although “off” and “turned” in 7d are sort of synonymous, I can’t conjure up a sentence where they are precisely equivalent, e.g. the milk is off / has turned. Can anyone suggest something which works?

    With plenty of good clues to choose from, my podium choice is 13a, 26a & 1d.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Gazza.

  8. I thought this a terrific puzzle stocked full of excellent clues. After a slowish start a few penny drops saw me home not much into ** time & with not too much crumpet scratching. The weak glue was unfamiliar & needed a post solve check with Mr G but then I’ve never been daft enough to make a horlicks of trying to wallpaper a room. Both 1a & 1d were crackers & there were numerous ✅s elsewhere – 10,12,15&19a plus 3&8d other particular likes. 12a my fav for the eclectic music surface.
    Thanks to the setter (Twm my punt) & to Gazza – ❤️ the 19a cartoon.

  9. The Birders amongst us, particularly the 2Kiwis, will like 1d I am sure.
    Thanks to Gazza and setter, I guess the toughie calls as today at the TDF is Contre La Montre. The result and chatter is interesting but not a great watch until v late in the day.

  10. This one took me a while to complete and I definitely needed help with the parsings of a few….6d, 14d and18a in particular…..and whilst 16d had to be what it was, the “not a fan of” bit completely eludes me…..plus a chimpanzee is an ape not a monkey…..just being grumpy now….
    Not my best day.

    Thanks to the setter and to Gazza

    1. I think that a chimpanzee not being a monkey is key to the clue: a chimpanzee fan is not a monkey nut, as a chimp is not a monkey. It worked fine for me and I’ve been surprised to read the consternation in the above posts!

  11. A very enjoyable Wednesday challenge with two significant PDMs for the parsing of 6d and 24d – **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 23a (apologies to RD), 1d, 17d, and an HM for the Pun – and the winner is 1d (one for the 2 Kiwis).

    I can’t decide whether it is a Hudson or Twmbarlwm production so I dug my old threepenny bit out of the back of my sock drawer and three out of three it landed on its edge. So, thanks to whomsoever and Gazza.

  12. I quibbled a out the chimpanzee being an ape, liike Oora Meringue. Unlike, Gazza, I found some of the parsing didn’t come together in aome of the clues burmt guesswork and some checkers enabled me to finish the puzzle.However I did likethe two excellent Lego clues at 1a and 1d and 8d , the drunkenly slurred lecture and tank homophone. Thanks to the conpiler and to Gazza for the hints

  13. This was an enjoyable midweeker though it’s all booting off with 16d.

    I have never heard of a flag, the glue or dish meaning ruin. Hit also seems a bonkers AI but all bets are off these days for AIs. Is 8d saying that the people in the tank are drunk or is it short for think tank?

    The milk’s off and the milk’s turned works even though it’s a tad sneaky as the apostrophes are representing different letters.

    I love unpronounceable words like the plural of 26a. Subliminally is another tricky one to wrap your tongue around.

    My podium is 13a, 26a (nice rekrul) and 20d.

    MT to Mr Tumble and Gazzaroony.

    2*/4*

      1. My guess is that’s where Mr Tumble is coming from, RD. If it is then it works for me but not for you.

    2. TDS – you really need to buy a copy of the Chambers Crossword Dictionary in which you will find a four letter word that can mean ruin, informally according to The Crimson Tome, in the list of Anagram Indicators.

      1. Hi S

        Ruin is a perfectly acceptable AI, meaning dish is. I just haven’t heard of that meaning.

        ‘Hit’ is the AI that seems nuts.

        Hell will freeze over before I buy anything to do with Chambers or, as I now call it…..Chumpers.

        1. TDS-Re the people in the tank are drunk. A woozy sermon is slurred as xxxxxxx. If indeed that is what you were trying to decipher!

          1. Hi RB

            It was the noun that was a problem for me. But, Gazza (below – near the end) has cleared it up for me.

            Sermon/Sherman is hilarious!

            I love setters pushing the envelope like this.

            Great fun.

  14. Re Size =glue
    Have you never done your own wallpaper hanging?
    You size the walls with weak wallpaper paste before hanging the wallpaper.

    1. .. hung loads of wallpaper in the past .. but never again .. and I always pasted the back of the paper never sized a wall.
      Mixed bag for me today .. off to a flier with 1a .. the food shop just leapt out. 1a is an old chestnut, anagram indicator at 3d 🤔, didn’t get 8d and I’m still on the fence as to the word play at 16d .. is it just a double definition? My cotd 10a.

      1. Size is a sealing solution used for preparing walls (especially newly plastered) prior to wallpapering, though you can use diluted wallpaper paste. It prevents the paste from being absorbed into the plaster too quickly and gives better adhesion. The size needs time to dry before applying the pasted wallpaper as normal.

  15. Biffing in Gorilla for 10a put the kibosh on the NE until greater sense prevailed. Much to like with many ticks on my page. 28a made me smile, but podium places go to 2d, 8d and 23a. Thanks to compiler and Gazza.

  16. A lovely puzzle with lots of smiles.

    Top picks for me were 13a, 1d, 8d, 17d and 24d.

    Thanks to Gazza (great cartoons) and the setter.

  17. Very enjoyable indeed and would have been a fast solve if not for a few hiccups (but then wouldn’t they all). I spent far too long unravelling 3d, which I’d thought was a Lego clue. I loved and laughed at the absurd 16d, while 12a was pretty good too. Thanks very much to the setter and to Gazza for the cartoons etc.

  18. I thought it was a shame that some of the clues were let down by poor surface reads but that element doesn’t seem to unduly bother our setter and it’s his call today. Top awards went to 4,8&14d with a mention for the very good Quickie pun.

    Thanks to our setter and to Gazza for the review and cartoons – another vote for the one pertaining to 13a.

          1. It’s all down to how you interpret the word ‘crackers’ – we were obviously viewing it rather differently today!

  19. It’s funny how it goes isn’t it?
    Last week we were treated to a wonderful selection of gems – every puzzle a joy. This week (so far), though fine, and fair, they have all been on the trickier end of the spectrum and, to me at least, by and large, on solving a particular clue my reaction was more “eh?” than “oooh!”
    That’s my summary. Fine, and fair, but more “eh?” than “oooh!”
    With thanks to the setter and of course to Gazza, whose cartoons always enliven his excellent hints…

  20. I really did not get on with this!
    Thanks to setter and Gazza but not my cup of Tea. 16d – that sums it up!

  21. Enjoyed this in short-ish time but needed the hint for 8d and many thanks to all you bloggers for confirming/elucidating the parsing on several others. Felt it was all a bit ‘different’ today so wouldn’t presume to guess the setter.

    Loved 12a for the musical reminder even though nothing to do with the answer!

    Thanks to the setter and Gazza.

    1. I see you have a second, slightly different and longer, comment in moderation. Did you want to keep this one or replace it with the one in moderation?

      1. Hi CS, the one in moderation can go. There was a lag on the site and my first refresh excluded my comment so I thought it had been lost so re-did it from memory. Either is fine but I don’t need to subject you all to both ☺!

  22. Well once again back to a Wednesday puzzle that really doesn’t float my boat. What I do know is that I really don’t like this setters clueing. Parsing is almost impossible in 33% of the clues for me.
    Just no fun for me, I am afraid.
    Others will likely love it.

    3*/1.5*

    Favourites 1a, 9a, 10a, 22a & 28a — with winner 28a

    Thanks to setter & Gazza

  23. Can’t believe I actually finished this after a very laboured beginning. 28a “unpleasant” is a far-fetched indicator although setters do seem to be continuously competing for new and broader/berker ways of indicating anagrams. IMHO 8d is rather silly as is describing 3d merely as a “music producer” . Thank you Mysteryone and Gazza.

    1. ‘Unpleasant’ in 28a is not an anagram indicator. As you can see I’ve underlined it as part of the definition.

      2. Ok thanks Gazza but surely he is rather more a villain than an imp but there again I suppose the “unpleasant” covers that. In any case I rest my case!

        1. I had the same problem today with a ‘disappearing’ comment that later reappeared! Website glitch I presume, someone reboot that web server!

        1. Oh yes, so it is, sorry😂. Spluttered would make a good anagram indicator tho’.

  24. I had a very slow start and then a long gap before returning when it all fell into place. It was certainly not straightforward and I needed some hints to explain the parsing of 2 or 3 but overall I thought this was an enjoyable challenge. I will have have 1d as my favourite as I was proud I remembered that they were even birds having only learnt about them on here a few weeks ago! At least some things stick in my brain.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Gazza for the hints.

  25. Not for me today, struggled to get a foothold and went to hints early, which I hate to do. Reading those and seeing the answers I realised this setter is on a different planet from me. More of a **** in my book, and congrats to those who finished unaided. Thanks to setter and Gazza.

  26. I think being on holiday and nothing else to think about helped today. Found it chewy in places but generally enjoyable. Thanks to setter and Gazza .

  27. Another excellent ride on the TWM roller coaster. I do think there is an element of the King’s new clothes when it comes to setters with some posters.
    An incomplete TWM crossie will often get a negative press as being inpenetrable whereas a Mr Smooth offering is often fawned over, even if unable to complete.
    In either case it is a personal preference but the answer mostly is just that the solver was just not up to the task. Which now and again is good to keep us on our toes.
    Thanks to all!

    1. An interesting point, Arby.

      We all have our faves. So, we tend to let their occasional whoopsie slide which is a bit too graphic as an expression.

      I try to be as neutral as I can but am probably guilty as charged, once in a while.

      1. I thought I had replied to your drunk tank at 8d but it seems to have disappeared into the ether. Basically I saw it as sermon being drunk (slurred) as sherman.Thats if I understood properly what you were grappling with!!

        1. I amended your alias which is why you were in moderation and thought I’d approved it. Apologies

        2. Thank you Todge.

          In the surface, is tank a nickname for a guy who’s carrying a bit too much timber, perhaps?

          1. A drunk tank is the US term for a police cell used to hold intoxicated people. As referenced at the start of Fairytale of New York:
            It was Christmas Eve babe
            In the drunk tank

  28. 1*/ 3.5* A good level for a midweeker, plenty of wit and clever misdirection
    Favourites include 24d hum, 8d drunk speech and birds at 1d
    Thanks to Gazza and setter

  29. Really enjoyed today’s puzzle. Brenda Lee’s first hit was great, but the drunk tank at 8D was an all time classic. VMT Setter and Gazza.

  30. Simply could not and still cannot make sense of 24d, taking me into **** time. Thanks compiler and Gazza

    2. Shrimp, the answer defines a hum (bad smell), as in ‘it don’t half hum’ and a song and dance, (making a fuss) as in kicking up a stink.

  31. Second crossword this week I didn’t bother with. Apparently on my own in finding it impenetrable.

  32. I found this difficult, could be me, or the tennis… probably me. I did like 20d

  33. Probably the hardest offering so far this week. Filling in clues all over the grid and got to about 65% before I needed help. That said, others then slipped into place. I am with the pedants concerning 16d although I solved it quite easily. No particular favourites today, nonetheless, than you to the setter and Gazza for the hints.

  34. I didn’t find this entirely straightforward but on completion I couldn’t see why and if this was a Twmbarlwm production it’s one of the few times I’ve been on wavelength with him. Enjoyable and about right for a Wednesday. Thanks to T and Gazza.

  35. Good evening

    So, so close to hoyin’ in the sponge until ten minutes ago, with four solutions left to get.

    I genuinely thought I’d get nowhere earlier, because it seemed impenetrable to begin with – and I’m out of practice, having failed completely to even pick up a pen yesterday and on Monday. When 1a revealed itself, I laughed out loud; similarly 28a. They are my joint COTD.

    Confession: I didn’t help myself by putting DUSTBIN at 9a. I almost wrote GUEST ROOM at 14d, but didn’t – thankfully!

    Many thanks to our setter for the undoubted challenge this afty, and also to Gazza for the help with some of the parsing.

  36. Bit of a curate’s egg for me. Some great and funny clues and some iffy ones. A few odd anagram indicators as well. ***/** for me.

  37. Hmm. I always do the DT crossword later in the day when maybe my neurons are firing on all cylinders. Thanks to all who enlighten us and the setter but this was such a frustrating solve. 5* difficulty and some very obtuse clues

  38. I absolutely loved this puzzle.
    Its most difficult to make a selection from so many super clues. I have, however, chosen the following: 8d, 24d (re the ‘ song and dance’, this was quite a common expression when I was a child), 10a, 13a, 18a, 23a and the 28a anagram. I grew up on Grimm’s fairytales. My old volume had beautiful illustrations.
    Speaking of illustrations, I have been having lovely chuckles at those in your excellent review, Gazza. Thank you very much.
    And big appreciative thanks to the setter, Twm I think… ***** for enjoyment.

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