Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31333
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
The sun is shining here in Harpenden but a walk will have to wait as I’m off back to bed to catch up on some much needed kip. Yesterday was a full on day of golf followed by a very pleasant early evening meal at a Turkish restaurant near my course then the trek into Hammersmith to see The Black Keys. Suffice to say I was finally in bed much later than is ideal when you have to get up & write the blog.
As ever with one of AP’s Tuesday puzzles tightly clued & not overly taxing fortunately – on a par with yesterday in terms of difficulty.
I’ve not had a chance to look at it but I see Chalicea is over in t’other place. I’m sure that will be an accessible puzzle well worth having a stab at & Whybird will appreciate your thoughts on it.
As usual there is a selection of music to enjoy or ignore.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
Across
1a Start job on the radio (5)
BIRTH: a homophone (on the radio) of a synonym for job/position of employment.
4a Adult upset teen’s mum for fun (9)
AMUSEMENT: A[dult] + an anagram (upset) of TEENS MUM.
9a Over-zealous department – endless debts (9)
OFFICIOUS: remove the last letter (endless) from another term for department then append the usual phonetic abbreviation for debts.
10a Manage holding top of shaving brush (5)
COPSE: place a verb meaning to manage/get by around (holding) S[having] (top of).
11a Gown her husband’s taken off, revealing chest (7)
DRESSER: a synonym for gown/robe + [h]ER (H[usband’s] taken off).
12a Invite cheers returning parcel (7)
ATTRACT: reverse (returning) another casual term for cheers/thanks then append a synonym for parcel (of land maybe).
13a Admits pale and sickly son moves to the back (6)
ALLOWS: think of an adjective meaning pale & sickly & shift the 1st letter from front to back (S[on] moves).
15a Bosses welcoming hospital department’s trainees (8)
STUDENTS: a term for ornamental knobs/rounded decorative protuberances goes round (welcoming) the usual hospital department.
18a Unfortunately, ‘e can’t deny a shed’s leaning (8)
TENDENCY: an anagram (unfortunately) of E C[a]NT DENY (A omitted/shed).
20a Feel hot and sleep at intervals (6)
HANDLE: H[ot] + AND + sLeEp (alternate/at intervals).
23a Book about Spanish golfer securing fifth of majors (7)
RESERVE: the usual preposition for about/concerning is linked with the abbreviated first name of Spain’s finest ever golfer going around (securing) the 5th letter of majo[R]s. I had a tidy wager on him when he won his 5th & final Major at Royal Lytham & St Annes with a final round 65 to beat Nick Price.
24a Show consideration for detail (7)
RESPECT: a double definition.
26a Informed American base about military conflict (5)
AWARE: the term for a military conflict is place between A[merican] & the usual mathematical single letter for base (Euler’s number).
27a Boxers perhaps constrained by sport (9)
UNDERWEAR: link a synonym for constrained/limited with one for sport/dress in. Nowt to do with pugilists.
28a Delight chaps with conclusion of art therapy (9)
TREATMENT: a synonym for delight as in a joy/pleasure + chaps/guys + [ar]T (conclusion of).
29a Cadet? Badly behaved (5)
ACTED: an anagram (badly) of CADET.
Down
1d Bad actors spoilt television programme, possibly (9)
BROADCAST: an anagram (spoilt) of BAD ACTORS.
2d Learner found in extensive hunt (5)
RIFLE: insert (found in) the single letter for L[earner] into a synonym for extensive/widespread.
3d Mediocre writer saying something that’s cutting (7)
HACKSAW: a term for a mediocre writer or journalist + a noun for a saying/adage.
4d Bill hides black paddle on a boat? (6)
ABOARD: insert (hides) B[lack] + another word for a paddle between the two letter abbreviation for a bill/plug.
5d Parvenus at college? Jerks (8)
UPSTARTS: a rather old-fashioned term for attending uni/college + jerks/sudden involuntary movements.
6d Thrilled by mention in East Germany (7)
EXCITED: the letter that can represent by/multiplication + verb meaning mention are placed between (in) E[ast] & the IVR code for Germany.
7d Old Frank and Edward cleared up (9)
EXPLAINED: the usual prefix for old + a synonym for frank/candid + a diminutive for Edward.
8d Flower not finally opening (5)
TRENT: [no]T (finally) + a synonym for opening in the context of ripped/torn.
14d Constable could have made this criminal dance with pals (9)
LANDSCAPE: an anagram (criminal] of DANCE PALS.
16d Protected the elder’s crackers (9)
SHELTERED: another anagram (crackers) of THE ELDERS.
17d Need bullies regularly removed under school’s plan (8)
SCHEDULE: the alternate letters (regularly removed) of the first 2 words in the clue preceded by (under/down clue) the 3 letter school abbreviation.
19d Eagle circles a stone grave (7)
EARNEST: a name for a sea eagle goes round (circles) A from the clue + ST[one] /weight abbreviation.
21d Continent without a large country (7)
AUSTRIA: remove (without) A from the clue + L[arge] from the 7th continent.
22d Acknowledgment about Marxist with sex appeal (6)
CREDIT: the single letter for about/C[irca] + the term for a Marxist & the usual for sex appeal.
23d Criticise a shoe initially boxed by cobblers (5)
ROAST: insert (boxed by) A from the clue + S[hoe] (initially) into cobblers/poppycock
25d Athlete Chris running away from Premier League team (5)
EVERT: remove the usual two letter synonym for running/in operation from the rear end of a Merseyside outfit.
19d just gets the nod over 18a as my pick of the clues today. Please let us know which ones you liked best.
Today’s Quick crossword pun: SUM + MUG + AIMS = SUMMER GAMES
This morning’s listening while struggling to stay awake writing the blog has been last night’s gig setlist. This was one of the highlights for me
A solid puzzle from il professore with lots of nicely constructed clues and no multi-word dooberries.
I’ve never heard of parcel in that context nor the synonym for job in 1a. We do like the word for an upstart, yes, we do.
My picks are 11a, 6d and 17d.
MTTTA and Hoots! (you were busy yesterday!)
1*/4*
How many films did you spot in the dance mash up to the Pointer Sisters tune?
In trying to find (without success) a definitive list of ‘em I came across some other pretty good versions too.
Generally a cruisey Tuesday offering, though I did need to come back to the earlier clues in NW to finish off once I had some more letters.
Pody picks are 9A’s OTT, leaning towards 18A, and the grave 19A – I didn’t know this eagle.
Thanks to AP and to Huntsman ⭐ I saw The Black Keys on Saturday at Victorious, only the first part of their set as I went with group vote to see a bit of Bastille too.
Am in agreement with TDS re the job in 1a.
25d – not for the less than sporty types especially as the individual retired nearly 40 years ago.
A doable puzzle, enjoyed with a little struggle.
Thanks to setter and hinter.
As Huntsman hinted the toughie is accessible. If I can do it, well……!!!!!
I found today’s offering a little trickier than yesterday mainly because I had to make three visits to the BRB (1a, 3d and 8d).
I liked the 18a leaning shed and 25d once I understood what the clue was telling me to do.
COTD is 7d.
Many thanks to the setter and Huntsman for the hints
8d? Familiar with the Notts cricket ground? Named after a bridge over that ‘flower’.
The usual delays in the puzzle ‘appearing’ on-line as the DT computer once again showed that it cannot cope with the calendar ‘rolling over’ to a new month! But, the usual Typically Tuesdayish fun was worth waiting for – 1.5*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 27a, 19d, 23d, and 25d – and the winner is 10a.
Thanks to AP and Huntsman who is correct on his thoughts on the Chalicea Toughie.
That took a bit longer than it probably should have done but then I’ve lost my touch after ten days off due to a Scottish holiday, a dance music festival(!) and other distractions. Nevertheless, it felt pretty familiar and 1a was my COTD because it was a bit out of the ordinary. Thanks very much to AP and to Huntsman. I knew nothing about the Black Keys, but I liked that song a lot. It’s odd that Bread have almost been written out of the history of popular music given how big they were in their day.
A very nice puzzle, which held me up for a while in the top left; 1a was my last in.
Favourite was 11a, but I also liked 25d (I seem to remember spending more time focusing on her pins than her forehand in those days!).
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman.
1*/5*. A superb offering from Mr Tuesday, whose puzzles are consistently light and fun with smooth surfaces. His definitions are precise and can never be classified as stretched.
6d was my favourite of many ticked clues.
Many thanks to AP and to Hintsman.
Have completed but not sure about the puzzle. I don’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. May be because I am in a rush as me and mr SC are witnesses to a civil partnership at 2pm today. First one I will have been to.
Don’t really have a clue if the day.
Cracking track from The Black Keys.
Yesterday, another early morning visit to IKEA – this time to Wembley instead of Reading. However, the staff were equally uninterested and unhelpful (Hello! Click And Collect!). I shall be writing a strongly worded email which, of course, will lead to extensive staff training* across all stores.
*it won’t
Hooray for this lovely but quite taxing guzzle.
Thanks to Mr Perfectly Vertical and Andy snoozing in Harpenden.
George would rather have teeth pulled than go to IKEA. I think it is great fun!
George would rather have teeth pulled than go to IKEA. I love it.
Good Tuesday entertainment – thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
My ticks went to 27a, 3d and 6d.
An excellent and not too taxing puzzle , a notch up from yesterday’s I thought. I went clockwise round the grid , finishing up in the NW, 1a being my last one in , and was surprised by the answer, and the synonym. I thought 3d was an excellent clue. Really enjoyed it. Thanks to Anthony Plumb and Huntsman.
A gentle puzzle but not many ticks on my page.
Top picks for me were 19d and 16d.
Thanks to Huntsman and Mr Plumb.
* / ****
Very enjoyable with the only hold up being to have to go back to the NW where 4 intersecting clues were holding out. However, when the penny dropped for the partial synonym needed for 9a, everything else fell with immediately with the extra checkers. COTD went to 11a revealed chest!
Many thanks to the Prof and Huntsman.