DT 30983 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 30983 (Hints)

by crypticsue  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30983 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

A very muggy morning brings a Saturday Prize Puzzle which, despite all the anagrams, I found on the difficult side, so I will be interested to see who agrees with me.

Please ask for help if you are stuck on clues I haven’t hinted, but before doing so, please read the comments that appear before yours, so that you are not duplicating questions,  and make sure you obey both THE INSTRUCTIONS IN RED at the end of the Hints and the blog’s  Comment Etiquette – Big Dave’s Crossword Blog)

Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.

A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.

Across

1a           `Manage funds badly? Trouble! (3,3,5)
A facetious expression meaning trouble is an anagram (badly) of MANAG£ FUNDS

10a         Hard to get into bird book? (8)
The abbreviation for Hard inserted into something making a tremulous sound similar to bird song

13a         Type of force mentioned in lecture (4)
A homophone (mentioned) of a type of force tending to cause rotation

18a         Capital of Czechoslovakia? (4)
A lurker designed to deceive as the capital isn’t the first option one might look at!

22a         Cultivate area on hill, producing food (8)
Cultivate the land and the abbreviation for Area go on or after a hill

24a         Game that might be a bit of a blow? (7)
This game would, if you were in North America, be an informal name for a violent whirling storm

26a         Beach terror unsettled prominent figure (11)
An anagram (unsettled) of BEACH TERROR

Down

1d           Type of government journalist gets wild about (7)
Wild or untamed goes about an abbreviated journalist

3d           Men up dancing with model and John le Carré? (3,2,5)
An anagram (dancing) of MEN UP with MODEL

5d           King tucked into fruit, very last from apple tree (8)
The Latin abbreviation for king tucked into a fruit, the result followed by the abbreviation for Very and the last letter of applE

12d         Seafood platter? (4,6)
This part of a meal could be a cryptic description of a seafood platter

17d         Gossip, drinking port in carriage (7)
A verb meaning to gossip ‘drinking’ the South American port so useful when setting crosswords

19d         Tommy maybe flogged fine art occasionally (7)
A more formal way of saying flogged (goods) and the occasional letters of fInE aRt

23d         Leading walk, miles away (4)
Chief, principal or leading – remove the abbreviation for Miles from a walk

 

As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out

Please read these instructions carefully – they are not subject to debate or discussion. Offending comments may be redacted or, in extreme cases, deleted. In all cases the administrator’s decision is final.

If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then please don’t leave a comment.

The Quick Crossword pun: BOO + MERINGUE = BOOMERANG

 

66 comments on “DT 30983 (Hints)”

  1. That was a tough one for me but it is a prize puzzle. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable if somewhat slow to yield up its secrets. The capital of Czechoslovakia at 18a sent me down the wrong path looking for something that wasn’t there. Personally. I would not describe 8a as a garment. It’s more of a medical bandage. My COTD is the seafood platter at 12d.

    Thank you, setter for the Saturday challenge. Thank you, Cee Sue for the hints.

        1. Not got to the NTSPP yet but I’ll give it a go before it kicks off in the TDF

  2. Solid Saturday fare from a non-resident of The Big Apple with a few geographical clues that are always well-received. Who doesn’t looking an atlas.

    My pody picks are 11a, 16a and 1d.

    MT to the setter and she of the crypt.

    2*/4*

  3. Enjoyable (despite absence of linked clues!) with the platter as my last one in. Thank you CS and compiler

  4. It took an age for the seafood platter to drop along with it’s intersecting foodstuff.
    I agree with SeeSue that some of the anagrams were quite tricky but on the whole much 1a was had.

    Thanks to Sue and Setter?

  5. One of the most enjoyable Saturday puzzles for a long time.
    Ticks to 10a, 16a, 1d, 12d, 17d and my favourite 11a.

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS

    Now to watch the Lions vs Australia

  6. Persistence paid off in this puzzle which was quite tricky in places. Disappeared down a worm hole in 18a, but it made me smile once the penny dropped. The spoonerism was, perhaps, not one of the best, but straightforward to solve. Podium places go to 7d, 21a and 11a in top spot. All in all very 1a. Thanks to compiler NYDK? and CS.

  7. I’d never heard of an 8a so I looked it up. Wish I hadn’t. Put me off my breakfast!

  8. After 20 minutes or so I had managed just one answer. But very very slowly it all came together and I found it a delightful guzzle. A few weeks ago I suggested that THE LIST should be explained in the FAQ as newbies to this site would be extremely baffled by Terence’s comments. I was absolutely delighted to see that THE LIST is now included in FAQ and whoever posted the explanation has done a fantastic job and I am sure Terence will be well pleased. It has all been summed up perfectly, even down to the naming of the various committee members. I would love to know who the author is. I do hope that I was partly responsible for the inclusion on the FAQ. Anyway, thanks to the setter of today’s offering and to CS whose hints I did not need today.

    3. Thanks Manders for pointing that out. Well worth checking out. I hope Terence and his Committee aprove!

  9. A bonus day off as the tee sheet is quiet given that few will be daft enough to venture out on the course now that the much needed rain has arrived & plenty of it. I fully intend to do as little as possible & watch The Open at Portrush. Thought today’s SPP enjoyable & didn’t find it anywhere as tricky as some of Donny’s recent ones but then it does help if you’re solving it on an iPad rather than a mobile in between teeing golfers off. The 4 peripheral anagrams were nice fodder spots but the seafood platter & the hard bird book my top two.
    Thanks to the setter & to CS

  10. Something of a mixed bag for me today with no points going to the Spoonerism! Nevertheless, I was rather taken by the wild journalist and Cliff’s bad temper raised a smile.

    Thanks to our setter and to CS for the hints – particularly the nudge over the 13a force.

  11. Some great surfaces made this fairly gentle crossword even more enjoyable. For that reason 11a gets top place. */****. Thanks to setter and CS.

    1. Tough to get a start on this guzzle butdelightfully enjoyable compared with the recent Saturday Prize Puzzles. I liiked the well-misdirected geographical lurker at 12a, the geographical anagram at 14a, the geographical nGram at 16a and the seafood platter at 12d. Thanks to our Saturday compiler and to CS for the hints.

  12. A slow start. After a quarter of my total solving time I had one answer in the grid, and it wasn’t one of the several anagrams! Then, it was steady progress to the finishing line. 2.5*/3.5*

    A one word comment on 13a – No!

    Candidates for favourite – 10a, 21a, 1d, 5d, 19d – and the winner is 1d.

    I have two shiny Loonies that want to say that this is a Chalicea production but I am not in total agreement with them so they are staying in my pocket. Thanks to whomsoever and thanks to CS.

    1. P.S. I have just noticed that CS is trying to confuse us with an incorrect puzzle number at the ‘top of the blog.’

  13. Half time in the Lions match so I have a few minutes to comment on this excellent SPP. My final entry was 18a, yet it perhaps shouldn’t have been, and my favourite the brilliant 12d.

    Thanks setter for the fun, and to Sue.

    1. I still had half to do come half time but watching the Lions filled me with inspiration and I’d finished it before the players came out again.

      1. i don’t think the second half would have inspired you unless you were an Aussie.

  14. It’s 1*/3.5* from me for a pleasant diversion on a wet and miserable Saturday morning. Needless to say, my club’s cricket match has been called off.

    As CS correctly points out, the second definition in 24a is an Americanism.

    My crowded podium comprises 11a, 13a, 16a & 12d.

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS.

    1. Thank you for your reminder about dents in tins RD – I was really being a bit facetious as I wouldn’t use a dented tin although I had not taken on board the implications of the acid in tomatoes. I’m so flattered you take an interest in an old lady’s welfare!! 🥰

  15. Sailed straight through this one, enjoyable whilst it lasted. Thanks to setter and CS.

  16. This was one of those puzzles where I made a start then struggled then got going again just to come to a halt. Got there in the end and I actually enjoyed it. Some very clever clueing.

    Top picks for me were 18a, 21a and 10a.

    Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.

  17. I too was slow to get going but then completed it unaided and found it very enjoyable. The anagrams were excellent and 12d was a lovely clue which took a while to see.

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

  18. What a great puzzle. I too took far to long to finally see the answer to seafood platter – relieved to hear it wasn’t just me. Absolutely loved this – apart from the mental image of Borat left from 8a!

    Many thanks to the setter – brilliant work. And thanks to CS for the hints which I shall now read.

  19. Not sure who did the puzzle but I wager it was not NYDK.

    2*/3.5*

    Favourites 1a, 18a, 24a, 2d & 12d — with winner 2d

    Thanks to setter & CS

  20. I’ve a funny feeling I’ve sent in a duff solution. Are 1a and 4d answers, erm, related? Trying to tread carefully here to avoid the Wrath Of Sue.

    1. Hi Anorak. On my grid they are indeed ‘related’ so to speak. I just checked it on danword and looks right !

      1. No comment on today’s puzzle, but don’t trust DodgyDan – he made a couple of howlers in my last toughie. He only exists to push advertising and is rather bad at solving crosswords.

  21. As a long time user/reader, I thought it was about time I contributed my 2p. I found this one easier than usual, so was surprised to see some of the comments above from hardened veterans, claiming difficulties. The only one I needed help on was the hat in 25A, with which I was unfamiliar, but obvious from the first part of the answer……it’s good to always learn something from a puzzle.
    Favourites were 8A and 11A.
    I did not care for the “homophone” in 13A, which caused a groan 🤨
    Thanks to the setter for the enjoyable puzzle & to CS, although hints not required today, most unusually.

    1. Welcome to the blog – I hope now you have de-lurked you will come back and comment on a regular basis.

      We do however have a regular commenter and blogger called Stephen L, so it might be a good idea to come up with a new alias to avoid confusion

      1. Thank you Sue……yes, to avoid confusion I have (hopefully) changed my name to my alter ego Joey 😊

    3. Welcome Steve L and I do agree with you re 13a which of course depends on pronunciation of it.

  22. I was on wavelength today as I didn’t find this one too bad. It had some brilliant clues , so I am interested who the setter is. I did chuckle at the garment of 8a, and I did like the bird book at 10a my last one in. Thanks to the setter and CS.

  23. Enjoyable and weighted just about right for a SPP.
    My picks were the fruit eating king in 5d and the seafood platter in 12d.
    I just wish I could wipe the image of Borat in his 8a from my mind…
    Thanks to the setter and CS

  24. Just had to pop in to make sure no-one had posted a picture of 8a – thankfully not, so I’ll nip off again in case somebody does!
    Enjoyable puzzle by the way
    Thanks to setter and Sue

  25. Happy start to the day. So tired after the house clearance and cleaning last week that sitting to a crossword is very heaven. I seemed to like some of the clues that were not on the most popular list but the Spoonerism was fun, the African National made me laugh and the type of force is one of my favourites. Three grandchildren getting their degrees this week.
    It seems that none of our contributors like to 11 in an 8.
    Grateful thanks for that and to our setter and Sue.

  26. Thank you to the Setter and Sue. We got there in the end! Difficult as you would expect for a Saturday, but all accessible. Gary and Val

  27. Wow. For once a crossword I’ve found more straightforward than CS! Maybe a day to buy a lottery ticket… great fun too, with some CB lovely surfaces (10a, 3d and 15d in particular). I liked the definition in 7a, but my favourite is is the straight cryptic 12d. My only (slight) grumble is that 2d has an equally viable alternative solution (at least in my neck of the woods) with the same initial letter, which gave me brief pause for thought with 7a and 19a).

    Thanks to our Setter, and as ever to CS for the blog.

    1. Think I know what you mean, Whybird. I had nutter in early doors as the solution to 2d and scrubbed it out when I sussed the Spoonerism in 7a.

  28. Although it took me a while to get going, this puzzle was a huge relief after yesterday’s. Needed a few of CS’s hints to finish, mostly my own fault due to identifying the wrong definition, a trap,I fall into a lot. Not a fan of 4d. But otherwise an enjoyable challenge over breakfast. Thanks to setter and CS. Now I really must venture out to do some gardening and it is already 88F. Madness I know.

  29. Mostly straightforward, the rest not so, but we got there in the end. About right for a SPP I’d say. LOI and favourite was 13a. Thanks to the setter and CS.

  30. I had several attempts today with success slowly but surely coming. I liked 1a and 14a. The thought of 8d was not a happy one and most people were of the same opinion. The sun came out a while ago after heavy rain but not for long.
    Thanks to setter and hinter.

  31. Great guzzle with a couple of Cockney rhyming slang answers, like others I looked up the ‘capital’ of Czechoslovakia before realising the subtlety of the clue. I love all the comments about 8a which is an abomination. I’m going to have to look up 1d unless my 13a is wrong – any help CeeSue? All I seem to have is (wrong answer redacted). Whilst my runner beans are soaking up the rain one has to feel for anyone running a Fete today or getting married! Many thanks to clever Setter and CeeSue.

    1. i suspect that your 13a is wrong – I am in fear of the naughty step as my dentist has warned me off cake, but 13a is a homophone

      1. So you did! I put in the source rather than the answer. The light has dawned, the penny has dropped. Silly me. Thank you!

      2. The hint for 13a is highly questionable… may I bold enough to say it is wrong? Depends where you learnt elocution.
        16a solved but I cant see the ‘point’ in the clue.
        All pardoned by 12d… COTD .

  32. Like BusyLizzie I’m not a fan of 4D, but otherwise most enjoyable. Cliff and the Seafood obviously great clues, but I rather enjoyed the cultivated hillside at 22A. VMT Setter and Sue.

  33. This was very enjoyable though quite tough and I needed CS hints to get 10a. The clued word joins lower, banker and flower in my increasing crossword lexicon. I loved 3d (John Le Carré), 8a (the garment I am never likely to wear), 18a (the misdirected capital) and COD was 12d (the sea food). Thank you setter and CA.

  34. We completed it today; unusually. Much nicer without all the linked clues.

  35. As per several bloggers above I made slow start to this but once underway thoroughly enjoyed completing without too much aggro. Least said about 8a the better. 5d stumped me although solving several crossers helped to suss it. Thanks setter and CS.

  37. Phew! But I did finish. I’d never come across a Nina before so that was a good one to get as the first! Why am I not surprised CS has a niece at Bletchley? Looking forward to the tour, as I do every month when Ernie is due to pop round with my million! Thanks to the esteemed Setter(s) and the ever helpful Cryptic Sue.

Comments are closed.