Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30977
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 12th July 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, lovely Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.
After solving the puzzle, I became inquisitive to know more about Bob Marley and his team and so explored the net. I learnt that ‘Bob Marley and The Wailers’ were previously known as simply ‘The Wailers’ and prior to that ‘The Wailing Wailers’, ‘The Wailing Rudeboys’ and ‘The Teenagers’. They were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. They developed a ska vocal group called ‘The Teenagers’. The group soon changed their name to ‘The Wailing Rudeboys’ and then to ‘The Wailing Wailers’ before settling on ‘The Wailers’. The band topped the Jamaican charts in 1964 with ‘Simmer Down’, which was recorded at Studio One with the rhythm section from the studio house band ‘The Skatalites’. The band’s first full-length album, ‘The Wailing Wailers’, was released in 1965, a compilation of tracks recorded at different times. During 1970 and 1971, they worked with celebrated reggae producers Leslie Kong and Lee Perry and produced their second and third albums, ‘Soul Rebels’ in 1970 and ‘Soul Revolution Part II’ in 1971 respectively. Their fourth album, ‘The Best of the Wailers’ were released later in the same year. Before signing to ‘Island Records’ in 1972, the band released four albums. Two additional albums were produced before Tosh and Wailer departed from the band in 1974, citing dissatisfaction with their treatment by the label and ideological disagreements. Marley continued with a new line-up, which included the I-Threes of female backing vocals, and went on to release seven more albums. The music of Marley, Tosh and Wailer enjoyed considerable success as reggae music continued to gain popularity during the 1980s. Marley died from cancer in 1981, at which point the group disbanded. In 1984 Island Records released a Bob Marley & the Wailers ‘greatest hits’ album, entitled ‘Legend’. As of 2024, it is officially the biggest-selling reggae album ever, with an estimated 28 million copies sold globally.
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Across
1a More than one sweet smell annoys (7)
HUMBUGS: The definition of the plural of a noun meaning a hard boiled sweet, usually flavoured with peppermint and often having a striped pattern is reached from a charade of HUM (smell) as a slang verb denoting to smell unpleasant and BUGS (annoys) as another verb in the present tense third person singular form meaning pesters or annoys
5a “Stop!” I called, taking only part that’s contemporary (7)
TOPICAL: [“S]TOP!” I CAL[LED] subject to a part of or hidden inside it (taking only part) guides to the definition of an adjective denoting current or contemporary
9a More studious king in Flanders? That is right (7)
NERDIER: The definition of an adjective in the comparative degree denoting more interested in academic or intellectual subjects is reached from R (king) as the abbreviation for rex, the Latin word for king placed inside (in) NED (Flanders) as the call name or the shortened version of Nedward, the forename of the fictional character Flanders in the animated series ‘The Simpsons’ and followed by IE (that is) as the abbreviated form of the Latin phrase id est meaning ‘that is’ and R (right) as the abbreviation for right
10a Husband and child maybe touring island residence (7)
MANSION: MAN (husband) as referring to a woman’s husband, boyfriend or male sexual partner followed by (and) SON (child maybe) as a child or offspring that is male going around (touring) I (island) as the abbreviation for island as we find in geographical map book leads to the definition of a large and imposing residence
11a Scottish town with small hill? You must be joking (9)
STORNOWAY: The definition of the main town and by far the largest of the Outer Hebrides and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland is arrived at from a charade of S (small) as the abbreviation for small, TOR (hill) as referring to a rocky peak or hill and NO WAY (you must be joking) as an informal term used to express emphatic negation, similar to certainly not or absolutely not or you must be joking
12a Article cheers Greek character (5)
THETA: A charade of THE (article) as the definite article in the English language and TA (cheers) as an informal interjection for ‘thank you’, often used in the same contexts as ‘cheers’ leads to the definition of the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet
13a What one of Bob Marley’s group does? Complains! (5)
WAILS: The definition of a verb in the third person present tense singular form meaning complains or expresses dissatisfaction plaintively is cryptically arrived at from the obvious response to the question based on the fact that Bob Marley’s Jamaican reggae and ska band group was called ‘The Wailers’
15a Stubborn botanist set out facing east (9)
OBSTINATE: The definition of an adjective meaning stubborn, obdurate, persistent or determined is determined from an anagram (set out) of BOTANIST having alongside (facing) E (east) as the abbreviation for east
17a Screw fitting around well worker initially removed (9)
PROPELLER: The definition of a shaft with spiral blades for driving a ship and also, in nautical contexts, colloquially referred to as a ‘screw’ or ‘ship’s crew’ because the helical shape of the blades resembles a screw is arrived at from PROPER (fitting) as an adjective denoting fitting, right or appropriate placed about (around) [W]ELL from the clue having taken away (removed) W; that being the initial or beginning letter (initially) of W[ORKER]
19a Follow largely unseen criminal (5)
ENSUE: The definition of a verb meaning to follow or come next or afterwards is reached from an anagram (criminal) of most of the letters (largely) of UNSEE[N]
22a Test provided theme (5)
MOTIF: A charade of MOT (test) as referring to a MOT test, that is, in particular, a compulsory annual test for all road vehicles over a certain age, that require a valid MOT certificate and IF (provided) as a conjunction denoting provided, assuming or in case leads to the definition of a recurring theme, subject or idea
23a Spooner’s collapse stretched such as the Premier League? (3,6)
TOP FLIGHT: A combination of FLOP (collapse) as to bend, fall or collapse loosely or carelessly and TIGHT (stretched) as stretched or drawn out fully is subject to an utterance involving spoonerism (Spooner’s) as to utter a verbal error in which a speaker transposes the initial sounds or letters of two or more words, often to humorous effect that takes to the definition of the highest level in a job or sport, an example of which is the Premier League of English football
25a Invite misery, revealing list (7)
ITEMISE: Part of or hidden inside (revealing) [INV]ITE MISE[RY] guides to the definition of a verb meaning to list or enumerate
26a Stand in front of a congregation? (7)
LECTERN: A cryptic definition of a tall stand with a sloping top to hold a book or notes, used in churches or other settings, from which someone, typically a preacher or lecturer, reads to a congregation
27a Northerner say running back at all costs? (7)
GEORDIE: The definition of an informal term for a person from Tyneside in the north-east of England, also referred to as a northerner is arrived at from EG (say) as the abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning ‘for example’ or ‘say’ coming from the other end (running back) as a reversal in the across clue and OR DIE (at all costs) as cryptically interpreted as ‘at all costs’ i.e. the extreme price one might pay, for example, in a ‘do or die’ situation, one is willing to risk everything, including death
28a Inspire remake of The Bear (7)
BREATHE: The definition of a verb meaning to take air into the lungs and then expel it, especially as a regular physiological process, an example of which is to inspire i.e. to breathe life into is arrived at from an anagram (remake) of THE BEAR
Down
1d Manual labourer is no longer spinning tool (7)
HANDSAW: HAND (manual labourer) as a manual worker or labourer, especially in a factory or in a ship followed by WAS (is no longer) as another way of saying something ‘used to be’ or ‘is no longer’ revolving or whirling round (spinning) as a reversal in the down clue takes to the definition of manual tool having a toothed blade for cutting
2d Hopelessly romantic, with no time for the original Telegraph man? (7)
MARCONI: An anagram (hopelessly) of ROMAN[T]IC not taking into consideration (with no) T (time) as the symbol for time in physics guides to the definition of the celebrated Italian electrical engineer who invented wireless telegraphy and in 1901 transmitted radio signals across the Atlantic Ocean and whose full name was Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi
3d Trouble afoot when bishop leaves wedding (5)
UNION: [B]UNION (trouble afoot) as a painful bony bump that develops on the inside of the foot at the big toe joint subject to the going away of (when … leaves) B (bishop) as the abbreviation for bishop in chess notation takes to the definition of the legal or formal joining of two people in marriage or wedding
4d Does one collect the views of suckers? (5,4)
STRAW POLL: The definition of an unofficial vote taken to get some idea of the general trend of opinion is cryptically arrived at from POLL (one collect the views) as a survey or sample of opinion to acquire information from members of public) of STRAWS (suckers) as referring to their using long plastic tubes or hollow stems of plants for sucking up beverages from a container i.e. POLL of STRAWS or, precisely, STRAW POLL
5d Model entertaining males in private (5)
TOMMY: TOY (model) as an object for a child to play with, typically a model or miniature replica of something welcoming in (entertaining) MM (males) as the pluralised abbreviation for males leads to the definition of a private in the British army
6d Cut up rubbish material used for suits (9)
PINSTRIPE: SNIP (cut) as to cut or clip with short, quick strokes in an upward direction (up) as a reversal in the down clue followed by TRIPE (rubbish) as an informal term for rubbish or something of no value takes to the definition of fine, narrow vertical stripes in fabric used especially for men’s business suits
7d Fancy cooking ham and rice (7)
CHIMERA: The definition of a noun meaning fancy or dream is arrived at from an anagram (cooking) of a combo of HAM and RICE
8d Row over time for descent (7)
LINEAGE: LINE (row) as a row of persons or things placed upon in the down clue (over) AGE (time) as the time of life reached or of being old guides to the definition of a noun denoting direct descent from a particular ancestor
14d In Germany, they finally sang hot opera (9)
SIEGFRIED: SIE (in Germany, they) as the word for ‘they’ in the German language or as heard in Germany, followed by the final or terminal letter (finally) of [SAN]G and FRIED (hot) as hot and crispy guides to the definition of the third of the four operas that constitute Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen cycle
16d Band on strike in seedy venue (5,4)
STRIP CLUB: STRIP (band) as a band or a long, narrow piece of material placed upon in the down clue (on) CLUB (strike) as to strike or beat with a heavy tapering stick leads to the definition of a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease and other erotic dances including lap dances, marketed in many places as ‘gentlemen’s clubs’, yet perceived or portrayed by many people, groups or countries as shady or seedy venue
17d What the heart’s doing when doing this to iron? (7)
PUMPING: The definition of a verb denoting ‘continuously circulating blood throughout the body’, as by the heart that acts as a pump is cryptically arrived at from one doing this to iron, that is, pumping iron, a gym slang for exercising with weights
18d Busy hotel with strange gent going round in circles (2,3,2)
ON THE GO: The definition of a phrase meaning constantly busy or active is arrived at from H (hotel) as the letter represented by Hotel in the Nato phonetic alphabet surrounded by (going round) an anagram (strange) of GENT placed inside (in) OO (circles) as denoting two number of circles; where each O (circle) represents the shape of a circle
20d Part of group infiltrated by FBI agents (7)
SEGMENT: The definition of one of several parts or sections into which an object is divided is obtained from SET (group) as a group or collection of things that belong together or resemble one another or are usually found together entered by or having inside (infiltrated by) G-MEN (FBI agents) as a slang term for agents of the FBI or Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States
21d Hospital department duplicated drug agreement (7)
ENTENTE: ENT (hospital department) as a hospital section or department catering to the treatment of ear, nose and throat of patients that is repeated or written once more (duplicated) and followed by E (drug) as the abbreviation for Ecstasy that is a drug taken for stimulant and hallucinogenic properties, taking to the definition of an agreement between two or more governments or powers for cooperative action or policy
23d Smothered to some extent in that place (5)
THERE: Part of or hidden inside (to some extent) [SMO]THERE[D] leads to the definition of an adverb denoting at or in that place
24d Caught in temptation to make money (5)
LUCRE: C (caught) as an abbreviation for caught by as in cricket placed inside (in) LURE (temptation) as a noun denoting enticement, allurement or temptation takes to the definition of an informal term for money, wealth or profit
There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 9a, 11a, 22a, 27a, 3d, 4d, 5d, 6d, 14d and 21d; 4d being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to the setter for the entertainment and to Gazza for the encouragement. Looking forward to being with you here again. Have a nice day.
3*/4* …
liked 5D “Model entertaining males in private (5)”