DT 30985 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30985

by Shabbo  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30985
Hints and tips by Shabbo

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Good morning, fellow puzzlers. No good asking me who the setter is on this puzzle, as I am well outside my Thursday comfort zone, having swopped days with Huntsman this week.

There is a European feel to today’s puzzle, with references to Finland, Germany, France, Portugal and Scotland, with Europe itself making an appearance in 2d.  A pleasant enough solve and fairly gentle as befits a Tuesday. If pushed, I would propose 3d as my CoD.

In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons.  Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.  Please also try to be positive – it’s only a bit of fun.

Many thanks to our setter and to the DT Crossword Team.


Across

1a King in trouble with son’s relatives (8)
BROTHERS: regnal abbreviation for King (or Rex) inside a synonym of trouble + abbreviation for Son.

5a Cease heartless language (6)
FINISH: a Scandinavian language without the middle letter (heartless).

9a Loudly, everyone teases scapegoats (4,4)
FALL GUYS: musical abbreviation for loudly (or Forte)+ synonym of everyone + synonym of teases.

10a Vexed after a type of crossword clue? (6)
ACROSS: synonym of vexed after A.

12a Clueless, hopeless thinker carrying plug around (2,3,4)
IN THE DARK: anagram (hopeless) of THINKER outside abbreviation for plug (or ADvert) reversed (around).

13a Slate roof half scratched by a stone (5)
ROAST: ROof (half scratched) + A + abbreviation for STone.

14a In the US, shoot rodents (4)
RATS: a synonym of shoot (an American interjection expressing disgust or disappointment).

16a Porter oddly opening hamper (7)
PREVENT: the odd letters of PoRtEr + synonym of opening (or outlet).

19a Took no notice of developed region west of Germany (7)
IGNORED: anagram (developed) of REGION + before (west of) country code abbreviation for Germany (or Deutschland).

21a Cheese from France flipping scoffed (4)
FETA: country code abbreviation for France + synonym of scoffed backwards (flipping).

24a Name bird with large tail in tree (5)
TITLE: small garden bird + abbreviation for Large + final letter (tail) of treE.

25a Responses from Republican before last of the lawsuits (9)
REACTIONS: abbreviation for Republican + last letter of thE + synonym of lawsuits.

27a Forest worker runs by nettle (6)
RANGER: abbreviation for Runs + synonym of nettle (or annoy).

28a Her boiler, unfortunately losing energy, is awful (8)
HORRIBLE: anagram (unfortunately) of HER BOILER without one of the Es (losing Energy).

29a Newspapers the man found in stations (6)
SHEETS: HE (the man) inside a synonym of stations (think positions or situates). Definition 6 in my on-line Chambers describes the answer as “a pamphlet, broadsheet or newspaper”.

30a Search for religious faction around Portugal (8)
PROSPECT: three-letter synonym of “for” + synonym of religious faction outside (around) the country code abbreviation for Portugal.

Down

1d Research scientist‘s book no longer available, I note (6)
BOFFIN: abbreviation for Book + synonym of no longer available + I + abbreviation for Note.

2d Nothing dispirited European recently (2,4)
OF LATE: letter signifying nOthing + synonym of dispirited (or gloomy) + abbreviation for European.

3d Former Conservative leader initially healthy and fit (5)
HAGUE: initial letter of Healthy + synonym of fit (think fever). The definition gives us plenty to choose from in recent years!

4d Man possibly prohibits sunglasses (3-4)
RAY-BANS: a random man’s name (specifically included to rile RD) + synonym of prohibits. A trade name of sunglasses that I am sure most people will be familiar with.  Bullied by my kids, I bought a pair once and they lasted no longer than a non-branded pair which were a fraction of the price.  Am I beginning to sound like a grumpy old git?

6d Wrong criminal or nicer court? (9)
INCORRECT: anagram (criminal) of OR NICER + abbreviation for CourT.

7d Wobbly old seat I detached (8)
ISOLATED: anagram (wobbly) of OLD SEAT I.

8d His Excellency is upset with art gallery’s delay (8)
HESITATE: abbreviation for His Excellence + IS upside down (upset) + the name of a London art gallery beloved by crossword compilers.

11d Miss start of school and sleep (4)
SKIP: initial letter of School + slang term meaning sleep.

15d American soldiers in welcome consensus (9)
AGREEMENT: nothing to do with G-men, Shabbo. Abbreviation for American + synonym of soldiers inside synonym of welcome.

17d Imagines ancient Scots crossing river (8)
PICTURES: synonym of ancient Scots outside (crossing) a river in North Yorkshire. A fun fact – the river is unique amongst the main Yorkshire Dales rivers in that it does not share its name with the dale that it runs through.  You can be the judge of whether that is “fun” or not!

18d Allude to present attitude (8)
INSTANCE: synonyms of present + attitude. The solution is a verb, although it looks like a noun.

20d Some clod or knucklehead (4)
DORK: the definition is a slang word hidden (some) within words 2-4 of the clue.

21d Prefer swallowing middle of Gentleman’s Relish (7)
FLAVOUR: synonym of prefer outside (swallowing) the middle letter of gentLemen.

22d Currency problem leader’s dismissed (6)
ROUBLE: a word meaning problem without the first letter (leader’s dismissed).

23d Rising, adult put on perfume (6)
ASCENT: abbreviation for Adult + synonym of perfume.

26d Rotates barrels in river? On the contrary (5)
TURNS: a synonym of barrels inside an abbreviation for River? On the contrary, it is an abbreviation for River inside a synonym of barrels.

Quickie Pun:  END  +  INN  +  SITE  =  END IN SIGHT

53 comments on “DT 30985”

  1. A lovely offering from the professor and fairly straightforward although it took a while to suss the newspapers at 29a. Likewise, the US rodents at 14a eluded me for a while. I was surprised to see the name of a commercial product at 4d. Anyway, a most satisfying solve with my COTD being the Portuguese religious faction at 30a.

    Thank you, Professor for a most enjoyable guzzle. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints.

  2. The north fell easily and the south was a bit trickier but still a */*** pour moi. Only 2 anagrams I think but nicely constructed with 30a being good but my favourite was 3d. Thank you Shabbo and whoever our setter is for pleasant fare.

  3. Another excellent crossword for all-comers from Il Professore that was a joy to solve.

    14a doesn’t need an American indicator as I have used this brilliant expression for, what, 40 years.

    If people aren’t happy with the random name in 4d then they should feel the same about the random bird in 24a. It’s like US state abbreviations that people, for some reason, haven’t got a problem with even though there are way more of them than short names for people.

    My podium is 1a, 1d and 15d (très neat)

    MT to the aforementioned and Shabbs.

    1*/5*

  4. Unfortunately this wasn’t for me. I had snap for 11d which nearly parses but buggered up the rest of the NW. I couldn’t get myself to put rats in 14a as I couldn’t see any cryptic element. Although I was sure I had the solution to 29a across it seemed too convoluted. Looking forward to tomorrow. Thanks to the setter and for the hints.

  6. I know I’m going to regret posting this comment but to me it doesn’t feel like the work of Il Professore. There are some very verbose clues. Just saying.

    1. Very verbose?

      I couldn’t disagree more, ATIB.

      Averaging under 5.7 words per clue is close to Mr Brevity himself whose average is around 5.25.

    2. Does anyone know where Brian is – I know he wound some people up but my wife and I miss him. I hope he’s OK and didn’t get cancelled while I wasn’t looking – any info welcome.

      1. I have a feeling , and anyone else may correct me , that he announced he was leaving the blog ? I think some were pleading with him to stay.

  7. More Typically Tuesdayish enjoyment from Anthony Plumb – 1.5*/4.5*

    Favourite – a toss-up between 24a and 11d – and the winner is 24a.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb and Shabbo.

  8. Another little gem off the production line of our regular Tuesday setter. Like yesterday, this was elegantly clued yet pretty straightforward to solve, thanks to the accurate wordplay. From a long list of contenders, I chose 15d as my COTD.

    Thanks to AP and Shabbo.

  9. Had this been a 5 furlong sprint the Timeform review may well have read dwelt in the stalls (NW) but once underway a strong middle & a fast finish in about standard time for a Plumb production. With the starting checker in (& failing to initially twig the context of fit) I could only think of Ted & found myself mentally working backwards to William – there’s been rather a lot ‘em. No particular favourite but an enjoyable puzzle nevertheless & found myself thinking of music & clips for the answers. ALP would have expected Withnail doing Hamlet in the rain for 2d & one of my fav Robert Cray tunes would certainly have featured at 12a.
    Thanks to AP & to Shabbo.
    Ps Whybird has my sympathies as The Doorknob is very sticky for a Tuesday over in t’other place – or at least I thought so.

    1. Thank you for the recommendation yesterday of the new Joe B album – it is in the Big River’s shopping basket!

  10. Very gentle (unlike the Toughie!) and typically Tuesday, an enjoyable early morning stimulus for the LGCs with no cause for delays.

    Thank you to the setter and to Shabbo

  11. A pleasant gentle outing today – thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
    My podium selections are 1a, 3d and 15d.

  12. Gentle but enjoyable.
    Favourite clue, 3d.
    20d made me smile, as whenever I hear that word, it always reminds me of the Police Academy film.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo.

    1. Excellent specialist knowledge, Lymey.

      I’d be surprised if AP means this artist as he rarely asks for something so specific. But, you could be right.

      Either way, you have educated me!

    2. Yes, I think you’re right – I assumed that too. Works either way, of course, but the “possibly” wouldn’t really be necessary if it was just a(ny) man’s name, would it?

      1. The use of “possibly” in 4d got a 👍 from me when I was solving as it neatly avoided using a vague man’s name!

      2. Gosh. So, he is probably referring to the artist.

        It’s not often he asks the setter for obscure knowledge as it goes against the grain of his standard for a Tuesday crossy.

        It’s been duly noted.

  14. 1*/4*. As Senf says, typically Tuesdayish. This was very light and a lot of fun with 1d, 15d & 18d making up my podium selection.

    Full marks to the setter for indicating that the American meaning of “shoot” is needed in 14a.

    Many thanks presumably to Mr Plumb and to Shabbo.

  15. Yes, once again Tuesday’s wavelength was easy to access and a fun solve was provided devoid of smart–ass clues so it was possible to sail around without any aggro. Thank you AP and Shabbo.

  16. A typically enjoyable romp with our Tuesday setter, nice to know that he can always be relied upon. Like others, I’m always surprised when brand names pop up in crosswords although they’re fair enough – provided that you know them!
    Big smile today for the bird with the large tail.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb and to Shabbo for the review.

  17. A gentle Tuesday guzzle with no obscurities.
    Top picks for me were 17d, 12a and 2d.

    Thanks to Shabbo and the setter.

  18. Yes, once again Tuesday’s wavelength was simple to find and provided a fun solve devoid of smart-ass clues so it was possible to sail around without any agggro. Many thanks AP and Shabbo.

  19. Thanks to the Setter and Shabbo. Probably the quickest we have solved a puzzle, enjoyable though and threw up a few challenging clues. Difficulty 2* Enjoyment 4*. Gary and Val

  20. 21D – straight out of the ‘Craptic’ (and none the worse for that). Definitely CoD for me.

    4 – I didn’t read that as ‘random’ but referencing a well-known figure in the arts.

    Good fun as usual.

    1. You’ve changed your alias (you were various versions of Andy in the past) so this needed moderation. All the aliases you’ve used will work in future.

  21. Agree with most that this was a gentle stroll today. Looks like the Prof to me and I’m generally on his wavelength. Chewed on a few in the N but they soon fell once some crossers appeared. Last in for me were 21d and 25a, which shouldn’t have slowed me down but did. The gentleman’s relish and Republican lawsuits in these two became may favourites right at the end.

    Thanks to the Prof and Shabbo.

  22. Pleasant but pedestrian . The thing was that it was enjoyable and for that I’m grateful. Still very tired with the house clearing but lots of stuff being collected fort Rumania and Ukraine today.

  23. A bit of a crumpet scratch on a couple in the SW, but otherwise a steady solve. Cotd for me is 1d. Thanks to AP and Shabbo.

  24. For me again this week a Typical Tuesday puzzle a tad easier than a Monday
    puzzle. No strange words to deal with and all went smoothly.

    2*/4* for me

    Favourites 1a, 5a, 21a, 4d, 8d & 11d — with winner 11d
    Smiles for 10a, 21a, 20d & 23d

    Thanks to AP & Shabbo

  25. Welcome distraction on a day when one minute you are grabbing umbrellas and gum boots and the next donning a bikini. 🤭 No chance of getting the washing on the line. I knew the artist but like Jane was surprised to see a brand name – on the other hand it does not occur very often so no need to get twitchy. I liked the ancient Scots best at 27d. Many thanks to Messrs Setter & Shabbo

  26. I found this Tuesday puzzle tricky in parts🤔 ***/*** Favourites 1a & 21a Thanks to AP and to Shabbo 😃

  27. Solved most of this very quickly and enjoyably this afternoon but unfortunately, I thought “unstable” worked for 18d (it doesn’t really) and this prevented me from solving 27a. COTD 12a for its construction. Thanks to the setter and Shabbo. **/***

  28. A very nice puzzle for a rather dreary Tuesday. No one stand out favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints

  29. 1* / 3* Easier than yesterday’s but nonetheless an enjoyable solve. Favourites 3d excellent clue shame about the answer, 17d imagines and the delicious Greek cheese at 21a
    Thanks to setter and Shabbo

  30. Very enjoyable Tuesday puzzle. The research scientist at 1D, and the shades at 4D, get my vote. VMT Prof & Shabbo

  31. I found this easier than Tuesdays often are for me — as in, I didn’t struggle with it. I think it’s one of those that will be straightforward for many accomplished solvers yet still not necessarily suitable for beginners, with terms like the 9a teases and 3d fit, which I only know from previous crosswords. Thank you to the setter and the supply blogger.

    1. What Smylers said!
      I too often struggle with Tuesdays but today was reasonably straightforward and enjoyable.
      Thanks to the setter and Shabbo.

  32. Pretty straightforward although I did get held up in the SW for a while. I always enjoy the Tuesday offerings and today was no exception. I parsed 4d as it was set (random man’s name, prohibits) without the artist whoever he was. No outstanding favourite but I’ll go with 9a. Thanks to AP and Shabbo.

  33. Does anyone know where Brian is – I know he wound some people up but my wife and I miss him. I hope he’s OK and didn’t get cancelled while I wasn’t looking – any info welcome.

    1. Yes, ’tis a shame that Brian no longer provides his acid comments – much missed.

    2. I have a feeling , and anyone else may correct me , that he announced he was leaving the blog ? I think some were pleading with him to stay. I don’t like nastiness and sometimes he was just plain rude , but I have noted his absence , so kind of miss him to I guess.

  35. One of my apapro of nothing posts but it might help those who don’t get on with the good reverend. 😊

    https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t51.82787-15/521163186_18499011370064262_8667591613158868025_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=wqcnRkQM33QQ7kNvwH4k5eV&_nc_oc=Admotujp-T5xOQNFhcbTnDw0dnm7i3a69IiHvFzajatOMis-vAe0XQAi3M__ro3DezsJK2owYT97fNZUwLw7sb0U&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.xx&_nc_gid=jofhkyl8lGhgth_1lXIvmw&oh=00_AfS023wlDaTzkYj7-CJHmgSvK-cPJ7K0sxrcvF9u9l1j0g&oe=6885D8BF

  36. Good evening

    Failed even to start yesterday’s crozzie, so I was determined to get today’s done despite a busy shift at work this afty/evening (and it’s not over yet! Finishing at 23:10)

    Managed to complete all bar two, which for some reason stymied me. I had to go look at the Hintingtons for 24a, and yet how straightforward that turned out to be. This, fortunately, opened the door to filling in my last to fall, 18d.

    COTD is 13a. Misdirection ahoy!

    Many thanks to the Prof and to Shabbo.

  37. 2*/4* …
    liked 3D “Former Conservative leader initially healthy and fit (5)”

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