Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30978
Hints and tips by Smylers
We’ve almost made it to the end of the school year — and indeed the end of primary school for this household, with just one week to go. We’ve seen the Year 6 musical, and last week the 10-year-old had a three-day residential trip with activities including caving and gorge-scrambling. This week there’s an assembly, a church service, a party, presents for teachers, and probably something else I’ve forgotten. I’m lucky to be in a position to attend most of those.
However fitting that in means starting work earlier today, so I’m unlikely to have time to add illustrations to this review before it goes live, for which apologies — but I’m hoping to pop back at lunchtime and retrospectively sneak a few in then.
The previous 4 Mondays’ puzzles have been set by X-Type. It might be 5 in a row, but I’m wondering if today’s crossword is by Twmbarlwm. Hints and explanations for each clue are below, with definitions underlined and the answers hidden inside the Why did you click this one? What are you doing with your life? boxes. Do leave a comment sharing how you found the crossword, which clues you particularly liked, or if any of my explanations aren’t helpful enough. Please see the etiquette guide for how things are done round here.
Across
7a Darn piece used in chess game (7)
HANGMAN: The name of this parlour game is created from an exclamation which could be used in place of ‘darn’ and a general term for a chess piece.
8a Fruit or nuts (7)
BANANAS: This is a fruit whose name can also be used as an adjective in the same way as ‘nuts’ can.
10a Play around with mud, roughly (4,5)
MUCK ABOUT: Another word for ‘mud’ is followed by a word meaning ‘roughly’ or ‘approximately’.
11a Star sent back in leg irons (5)
Rigel: The name of a particular star can be found backwards in ‘leg irons’.
12a A gown tailored for money (5)
WONGA: Tailor ‘a gown’ by re-arranging it.
13a Heavily defeated mother is revered (9)
MASSACRED: We need variant of ‘mother is’, where both words get replaced by shorter forms. Follow that with another word for ‘revered’.
15a Upgrade concerning one who displays clothes (7)
REMODEL: After the usual word for ‘concerning’ we need person whose job involves wearing clothes. I mean, all of us with jobs probably wear clothes while doing them (feel free to comment if you don’t), but this is somebody where the wearing of clothes is specifically the point of their job.
17a Skilful, holding a large chopper (7)
CLEAVER: Make a word for ‘skilful’ hold a letter A. Note that ‘large’ is part of the definition, not an indication that you need to bung an L into the answer. (It does have an L in it, as it happens, but not for that reason.)
Pic credit: Fabio
18a O2H: this has never been developed! (9)
BACKWATER: The 2 in this clue should really be subscript, but it doesn’t appear to be in either the website or the paper paper. The wordplay is a rebus: look at what it reminds you of, in what way it’s different from what you expect, and then say what you see.
Pic credit: Davie Bicker
20a 1,000 beers for guys (5)
MALES: One of the letters that indicates 1000 is followed by some beers.
21a Remove fastenings from fun PE game clothes (5)
UNPEG: The answer can be found clothed among consecutive letters in the preceding words.
23a Type of western Birmingham motorway junction (9)
SPAGHETTI: This is a double definition. Or possibly a double general-knowledge, a word that can precede ‘western’ or ‘junction’.
Pic credit: mwmbwls
24a Different papers about poetry (7)
DIVERSE: Solvers in the USA, please take care that you don’t get arrested for solving this clue. It’s the usual papers which we need to turn about, then some poetry.
25a Queen with wish to conserve energy soon in poetry (7)
ERELONG: The definition here is a word meaning ‘soon’ that’s archaic in general use but encountered in poetry. Form it from our usual late queen and a verb meaning to wish for something, then together make those conserve the physics abbreviation for energy.
Down
1d Mike leaving “coin commune” in dire straits, not making money (10)
UNECONOMIC: I don’t know what a coin commune is either, but if the letter represented by Mike in the Nato alphabet leaves it and what’s left suffers dire straits, it can spell out the answer.
2d The setter’s friend, a beast (6)
IMPALA: The apostrophe-S here is a shortening of ‘is’, not possessive. Enter in order: “the setter’s” from the setter’s point of view; a word meaning ‘friend’; and the A from the clue.
Pic credit: matrishva vyas
3d Currently playing well, Albert is relaxed (8)
INFORMAL: This starts with a phrase used to describe somebody (a cricketer, perhaps) who’s been playing well recently. End with a short version of ‘Albert’.
4d Declines to be seen in cab, a Tesla (6)
ABATES: The answer can be seen lurking in the final 3 words of the clue.
5d Where you might see a cricketer grow (8)
INCREASE: This is a preposition and a part of a cricket pitch, which together could describe where at Lord’s Rishabh Pant will be as these hints are published, facing Ben Stokes’s bowling. (Though if you were actually describing it, you’d probably use a different preposition and put ‘the’ between it and the location).
6d Weapons raised in this room (4)
SNUG: A room in a pub can be made by raising a word for some weapons and writing it up the grid.
7d Harry catches me with minor personal problem, heading back to where we live (8-5)
HOMEWARD BOUND: There are 4 components to this one: a verb meaning ‘harry’ goes around the outside, catching all the other parts. In order those are: ‘me’ from the clue; a word for a minor, as in a young person that somebody has responsibility for; and the abbreviation for a personal problem which might put others off being near the sufferer.
9d Grassland dies, unfortunately, to make this food accompaniment (5,8)
SALAD DRESSING: An unfortunately arrangement of ‘Grassland dies’ will spell out the answer.
14d Unexpected announcement from auntie, say, embracing electric transport? (10)
REVELATION: Make what ‘auntie’ is an example of (an actual auntie, not the BBC) embrace the abbreviation used for electric vehicles.
16d Widows make bets (8)
DOWAGERS: A generic 2-letter verb which can mean ‘make’ (among other things) is followed by a synonym of ‘bets’.
17d Member tucked into gateau right for Henry Ford? (8)
CARMAKER: The member here is a limb. Tuck it inside what a gateau is an example of (though we don’t seem to have an example indicator) and end with the letter that indicates ‘right’. The answer is something you might feel should be enumerated (3,5); I’ve found dictionaries with it each way round (including two from the same publisher), so everybody’s right. Please don’t blame the setter or crossword editor for this inconsistency in our language: all they can do is choose a dictionary and go with the form it says.
19d Someone who samples food – potato cut by son (6)
TASTER: Make the abbreviation for ‘son’ cut an informal word for a potato.
20d Composer from Harlem, dancing (6)
MAHLER: Make ‘Harlem’ dance to get the name of a classical composer famous for flogging engine oil.
22d Put flagstones on broad road after parking (4)
PAVE: After the letter that indicates parking we need a broad road, using the abbreviation it often has in addresses.
Quickie Pun
In today’s Quick Crossword the first 3 clues are italicized, indicating that their answers when read aloud together can be made to sound like another word or phrase; if you want to check, here are the answers and pun:
ACTON + THUG + OAT = ACTING THE GOAT
Recent Reading
This was another chance find in Barter Books. Having read Alexander McCall Smith’s The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, I was intrigued by the premise of 44 Scotland Street. Not the premise of its plot, but of the book itself, mainly because it wasn’t originally a book, but a story published in short daily instalments in The Scotsman — and I hadn’t read something like this before.
It’s got a slight soap opera feel, with a cast of characters living in different flats in the building and leading their everyday lives, and each of the 100 short chapters needing to have enough happen to work in its episodic form. It’s well written, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters, including Pat on her second gap year venturing into work for the first time, and Bertie who’s proficient in both the saxophone and Italian aged 5. I’m glad I read it, and I’m now sufficiently invested in the characters that I looked to see whether there’s a sequel. It turns out there is. To be precise, there are now 17 books in the series, with the 18th published next month. I’m not sure I’m that invested — that’d be quite some commitment.
A wonderful start to the week with plenty of smiles and forehead slapping. I have used to term for money at 12a but I recall it from an earlier puzzle. Anyway, it was an obvious anagram. I did like Harry with the personal problem at 7d because it took a while to sort out all the elements of the clue. Henry Ford raised a smile and it took a while to sort out the papers in 24a. My COTD is the chemical symbol at 18a.
Thank you, setter for a great start to the cruciverbal week. Thank you, Smylers for your ever helpful and detailed hints.
Cooler in The Marches today so I might get some housework done.
I wanted to edit to change “I have used” to “I have never used” but the edit feature did not work. In fact, this is my third attempt at posting.
You are not alone, I have had trouble with the editing feature in recent weeks.
For months now I am able to edit, but the site never confirms “Save”. However, if I close and then go back in I can see it has saved. But you seem nit able to edit at all, so a different problem.
The edit panel came up but with no text in it. After the third try the panel appeared with text but would post. 🤔
Tuned-in from the off, with a very swift N to S solve of this enjoyable and gentle entrée to the cruciverbal week. Honours to COTD 18a, and to 16d & 17a for the smiles.
Many thanks to the setter and to Smylers.
Great puzzle. Very enjoyable.
Very enjoyable
A fantastic puzzle with oodles of humour and charm. Some great surfaces too. 18a was probably my favourite if I was pressed. Thank you to the setter.
Special thank you to smylers for the hints. Those nostalgic TV ads were an absolute treat. Thank you!
A very gentle and entertaining start to the week. It was nice to see a few oldies but goodies being given a run out. Not being an astronomer I had to confirm 11a, although it couldn’t be anything else. Podium places go to 7d, 10a and 18a in top spot. Thanks to compiler and Smylers.
I really thought this puzzle would be a **. I still don’t understand 24ac, why is di papers? I liked 1ac the best.
papers *about* – it’s a reversal of I.D.
Light bulb moment, thanks
Thank you for posting, Lynne, and apologies for the incomplete hint. Now fixed.
Thought this was going to be trickier than it turned out. Highly enjoyable and pretty straightforward start to the week. Joint favourites were 17a and 18a, with LOI being 25a (looking at it now, I have no idea why I took so long for it to drop.
7d was one of those clues where the answer was obvious from the checkers, but the wordplay needed an awful lot of teasing out to be understood. */****
18a had me foxed almost to the end. It wasn’t until I had all the checking letters that I saw it. If you look closely you can still see the palm print on my forehead.
Like Steve C, this immediately became my COTD.
A great puzzle!
With thanks to the setter and to Smylers whose hints I didn’t need today, but always enjoy reading.
Really enjoyed this gentle start to the week. Held up, not for the first time, by misreading the first word of 7a, and therefore looking for some sort of barrier! Once I got magnifying glass out and sorted that one it was fairly plain sailing. Favourite clue has to be 18a for it’s ingenuity, with podium places for 7d and 14d. Thanks to our setter and Smylers.
I had to take a picture of it, Mhids and blow it up. I was reading “dam” for ages.
Me too
A very enjoyable start to the week.
Had to use the hints to parse 7d, but other than that an unaided solve.
Favourite 18a.
Thanks to the setter and to Smylers.
Good luck with your week, Smylers..talk about action-packed.
I enjoyed Scotland Street too…but have not continued with the series….poor Bertie…..or maybe not….
A very enjoyable puzzle to start the week, many clues that brought smiles but 18a was my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Smylers for the hints.
A pleasant puzzle – thanks to our setter and Smylers.
I’m rather surprised that the hidden answer in 11a ends on a word boundary which I think would get an adverse comment in Rookie Corner.
The clues I liked best were 18a and 7d.
Re 11a why frowned upon – because it makes it too easy to spot?
Yeah, it’s less hidden if it’s at the end of a word — and that also makes it more likely to be etymologically related to the word that’s hiding it as well.
I think that’s less of an issue when the lurker is backwards, though, as it is here. And actually, if we’re expecting a lurker never to end on a word boundary, then occasionally doing so actually makes it a little harder to find. Combine that with the answer being an uncommon word, and I think 11a is absolutely fine — but I agree with Gazza that if a Rookie tried it, they’d get comments!
The normal convention is that the hidden bit is inside the fodder not at one end or the other of it.
A great puzzle to start the week. I had to confirm the star but orher than that it was all very smooth. For some unknown reason I did the right hand side before the left.
Top picks for me were 18a, 7d, 16d and 17d.
Thanks to Smylers and the setter.
Something of a mixed bag for me but I did particularly like 18a which takes today’s honours.
Thanks to our setter and to Smylers for the review.
Somewhat more Mondayish than recent Mondays but quite a large Hmm for the ‘semi’ reversed lurker in 11a – **/****
A missed opportunity for ‘cue music’ in the hint for 7d?
Candidates for favourite – 13a, 18a, 14d, and 16d – and the winner is a tie between 18a and 16d.
Thanks to X-Type, or whomsoever if it is not he, and thanks to Smylers.
Yeah, I wanted to add music for 7d, but it’s one of those where just seeing the title of the song (which videos inevitably show) would immediately give away the answer. It’s such an intricate clue, I didn’t want to risk spoiling it for solvers who came here looking for hints.
I have found a way to hide videos under click here thingies, In fact I hid the same fruit and nut advert as you just yesterday. Once inserted into the blog just highlight them and click on the spoiler button and it should be hidden.
Cracking blog btw and welcome to the secondary years
Ah, I hadn’t looked at yesterday’s Toughie yet — that’s hilarious that we picked the same advert in consecutive posts! I wasn’t even aware of that advert before today: I remembered the slogan from an 80s advert and was searching for that to include when I found the one with Frank Muir as well and decided to go with that instead.
Good idea on putting videos under ‘click here’ blobs. I know how to do it; it just hadn’t occurred to me to do so!
And thank you.
You certainly couldn’t make that advert today, the bit where his inflatable “pops up” when he came out of the changing rooms was particularly near the knuckle
A fine start to the week with lots to like.
R and N together are a pain as I often read them as an M, e.g 7a. I take a picture on my phone and Zoom in.
I do love oldie woldie words like 25a and 11a was a new one on me. I’m not too bad with moons but I need to learn some stars.
The setter has missed a trick with the splendid 7d: they should have used the first two letters of Meghan. I’m not the best at cluing but we have a couple of accomplished ones in the ranks who could come up with something, I’m sure.
My podium is 18a (love it), 7d and 16d.
MT to the setter and Smylers.
2*/4*
I’ve just seen Rnhids’ and SC’s comments about 7a.
‘Rnhids‘ made me laugh, once I finally realized it was intentionally and not a typo.
I see how adding Meghan to the clue for 7d could make the surface more entertaining, but there aren’t any simple indicators for ‘take the first 2 letters of‘, so it also might end up a bit clunky.
These Pantheon residents can do anything. Nothing is beyond them.
Glad you liked the non-typo.
A lovely start to the week.
I loved 18a when I finally solved it.
I also really enjoyed 14, 16, 17 and 3 down.
Thanks to the setter and Smylers.
A proper Monday crossword in that it was not a write in but could be mastered with a little thought. 10a and 18a my joint favourites at 3 to 1 on. As for the Quickie pun after suffering CBeebies when grandchildren visit it would have been improved by making it Octon the (mountain) goat. And yes the pun has not to be exactly word or sound perfect but it it has to be groanworthy.
Thanks to Smylers and the setter for a nostalgic Monday puzzle.
Is there any news yet as to whether ticking ‘Save my name …. ‘ is worth the physical exertion?
0.5*/3*. I dropped straight onto the right wavelength and it was all over in flash. Nevertheless I did enjoy it with 16d my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Smylers.
Frustrating, ever so close to a completion without reference to the hints or anything else but used the wrong terminology for a family member on 16d, which gave an answer which answered the clue, but totally messed up 25a. As they say, c’est la vie! On 7a familiar with the game but the first part, even though solveable, seems a bit of an Americanism to me.
COTD for me was 18a, whilst not difficult did make me smile, as Steve Harley said.
As always, thank you to the setter and Smylers for the hints.
The OED‘s definition for ‘hang’ used as an expression of anger has many citations, including Jerome K Jerome’s boatman from last Monday’s 13a saying “Well, hang it all, I’ve done more than old J., anyhow” in 1889.
I don’t think we can blame the Americans for this one.
Thank you for the correction.
Very gentle start to the week
1*/3*
Will go with 3d as favourite.
Thanks to smylers and setter.
Yes, it’s me once more…Many thanks for your good reviews – 18Ac was my own favourite (I like using cryptic wordplay to “define” the clue itself). See you again, very soon
Thank you, X-Type for a great start to the week and for popping in. It is always appreciated.
And thank you from me too, it’s great to start off the week with a puzzle that I can finish.
Thank you as ever for commenting, X-Type, and well done for 18a: I can’t remember the last time a single clue came in for so much praise!
Yes, 18a was brilliant! Many thanks for the brain workout.
1.5* / 4* An excellent start to the week, not straightforward by any means but loads of clever clues.
Particularly liked Simon and Garfunkel at 7d, unexpected 14d and the popular 18a (could the reversed chemical symbol have been the clue on its own)?
Thanks to setter and Smylers
There is a plaque on Widnes railway station where Paul Simon wrote 7d
Many thanks to x-type and to Smylers.
Very gentle and enjoyable. 1*/3* for me.
Re 12a, whenever i see such a clue, I always think that the word money has more peculiar synonyms than any other word…
lucre, sausage, spondulicks, nelsons (think nelson eddy), pretty green (the Jam) etc etc etc
I love spondulicks – my father used that – I think he learned it in the army! Dosh, lolly, ready – one could go on…….
Anybody else encountered P (just the single letter) used for that?
We read Steady for This by Nathanael Lessore with our then-11-year-old last year. It’s a fantastic book, but the main character is a London teenage rapper, so there’s a fair bit of slang I wasn’t familiar with, including many references to P.
A gentle start to the week. In fact a personal best for me despite feeling tired after my journey home from holidays, pepped up by some decent coffee. Thanks so much X-Type and Smylers.
PB for me too, according to the website. Nevertheless, a very enjoyable start to the crossword week with 18a and 7d my favourites. Many thanks to X-Type and to Smylers.
A nice start to the (non)-work week with this Monday puzzle. Some head scratching, but it flowed pretty well. One new word for me in the SE
1.5*/3.5*
Favourites 18a, 23a, 5d & 16d — with winner 18a
Smiles for many including 10a, 17a, 6d & 19d and they could easily be words in the favourites category too.
Thanks to X-Type & Smylers
Thanks X-Type, really enjoyed this crossword. It was **/**** for me today, with most answers going in relatively quickly. However although I didn’t have to resort Mr Google, I did need your hints, Smylers, to confirm a couple of the clues, as I had the answer but needed help with the parsing. Namely 9a, where I focused on finding a piece used in a chess game, and the great 7d where I was convinced Harry and Howard were interchangeable- despite there being no evidence for it. 18a was my outstanding clue. Fantastic!
By no means a walk in the park for me but there was fun to be had. 18a clever although I did in fact fail to suss it. 23a Brum obvious but not so western. Thanks XType and Smylers particularly for your late addition illustrations.
Thank you, Angelov. The photos ended up appearing later than I’d hoped, but I was particularly pleased to discover the existence of the picture for 2d.
Most enjoyable for my first puzzle in a few days having been in London for a day at the test match and a chance to catch up with family and friends. In honour of a fine game at Lord’s I will choose 5d as my favourite.
Thanks to X-Type and Smylers.
A nice start to the week, the star was new to me 🤔 ***/**** Favourites 17a, 2d & 16d. Thanks to Smylers and to the unknown Compiler, the Quicky was no walk in the park 😳
Yeah, I found today’s quick crossword harder than usual as well: I had to solve a large proportion of it just to be sure I’d got the words for the pun!
What a nice surprise, after the friendly Dada yesterday, to find a Monday puzzle that didn’t leave me scratching my head. I only stalled at 5d, being clueless about cricket, and therefore the hint made no sense to me either. The rest was a steady, enjoyable solve. More like this please. Thanks for X-type and Smylers.
Sorry, BusyLizzie. Literally, the crease is a line showing where the batters stand, but describing somebody somebody as being “at the crease” is a phrase also used figuratively to mean they are one of the two players currently batting for their team, regardless of where they are physically located on the pitch at the time.
Lovely puzzle. Here’s another vote for 18a. Cheers to all the Chelsea fans.
Thank you to the Setter and Smylers for the hints (which we didn’t need but our thinking was confirmed). Nice start to the week 2 xx and 4 xxxx. 18a COTD as so many others. Gary and Val
Thank you to Smylers and the setter. Just for once I take issue over the difficulty level. I often struggle to a DNF but today’s was mostly a write-in. Perhaps I’m good with my fruit intake! But I’d rate */**** today.
Had an enjoyable battle with this crozzie this afternoon and just failed: needed the hint for 25a, a word I had heard before but had almost forgotten. Also needed the hint for some of the parsing in 7d. Another vote for 18a as COTD. Thanks to X-type and Smylers. ***/***
Good evening
A good start to the crosswording week – with just the right amount of braincell-mangling and another boost to the stock of GK (I had to look up 11a – never heard of it)
In common with many others, I’m going with the excellent 18a as COTD, with 25a, my last to fall, as runner-up.
Many thanks to X-type and to Smylers.
Great offering today. I was definitely on the wavelength today and felt this was more of a **
Loi was 25a which is a new word for me but easily gettable from the clue, especially with all the checkers.
Penultimate one in was 5d. Nothing wrong with the clue, just me overcomplicating things.
Thanks to all.
Crossword of the week so far and likely to remain there for the rest of it. Not difficult but thoroughly enjoyable throughout with some top class cluing. Lots of candidates for favourite but I’ll go with the almost unanimous vote for 18a, brilliant. Thanks to X-Type and Smylers.
A gentle start to the week. I needed hints for 7d – I did a bung in but couldn’t parse it. Many thanks to Setter and Smyler – make the most of this wonderful time with your children – all too soon they are grown up. And do write down all the funny things they say!
Like Mondays as they used to be. Over a bit too quickly but fun while it lasted. ✅s & podium spots for 18a + 16&17d.
Thanks to X-Type for an enjoyable puzzle & to Smylers for his usual very thorough review.
A late post to say how much I enjoyed this super puzzle with 18a as a great clue. It reminded me of one from years back that simply said ‘ h…..o ‘ (5 letters). Thank you x type and smylers
I wonder if
ONMLKJIH (9) would have been acceptable
2*/4* ….
liked 16D “Widows make bets (8”