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DT 30234

by pommers  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30234

Hints and tips by pommers

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****

Hola from Almoradí, heart of the Vega Baja on a beautiful sunny, but chilly, morning.  The move went off well and in a few hours I’ll have been in the new place for a whole week.

Today’s puzzle is the usual Monday fare but I thought it a tad trickier than some Mondays have been. However, that could just be me having an off morning having had a very busy week sorting out the new home.  It will be interesting to see what you all make of it.

As usual my podium three are in blue.  The definitions are underlined in the clues and the answers are under the “click here” buttons so don’t click on them unless you really want to see the answer.  Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Leading Greek character in final phase (5)
ALPHA:  We start with a lurker. The first (leading) character of the Greek alphabet is hiding in (in) the last two words of the clue.  Took a surprisingly long time for the penny to drop on this one!

4a           Sailor with fish for man in nursery rhyme (45)
JACK SPRAT:  One of the words for a sailor, not AB or TAR but one of the less common ones,  followed by a small fish to get the guy who could eat no fat.  This is the sailor I usually forget!

9a           Restaurant may make money situated by lake (9)
BRASSERIE:  A Yorkshire term for money followed by one of the Great Lakes.

10a         Notice red-backed snake? (5)
ADDER:  A notice or advert followed by the RED from the clue, but it’s backwards (backed).

11a         Regret seizing film in train (7)
RETINUE:  Take a word meaning regret and insert (seizing) The two letter film about an alien and the IN from the clue.

12a         After start of race, hold-up involved reindeer (7)
RUDOLPH: Start with an R (start of Race) and follow with an anagram (involved) of HOLD UP.

13a         Some vindictive charge (6)
INDICT:  The answer is hiding in (some) the middle word.

15a         Joke aboard ship about head of entertainment (3-5)
ONE LINER:  Take a phrase (2,5) meaning aboard a passenger ship and place it around (about) an E (head of Entertainment) to get a quick-fire joke.

18a         Come again for a dance (6,2)
EXCUSE ME:  Come again as in “I didn’t hear you”.  Something else you might say is also a dance.

20a         Second look at carpet sample? (6)
SWATCH:  S(econd) followed by a word meaning to look at.

23a         Fool circling bear, briefly, and wild horse (7)
MUSTANG:  Take another word meaning bear, as in put up with, without its last letter (briefly) and around it (circling) you need a fool or someone easily taken in.

24a         Inn having area for small restaurant (7)
TAVERNA:  Another word for an inn with an A(rea).  I spent too long trying to find a way to replace an S with an A in something, d’oh!

26a         Pal beginning to play the fool? (5)
CHUMP:  A word for a friend followed by a P (beginning to Play).

27a         Vegetable in a special sauce after a starter of soup (9)
ASPARAGUS:  Listen very carefully . . .  For this vegetable you need the first A from the clue followed by an abbreviation of special.  After that you need an Italian tomato sauce placed after the second A from the clue and to finish you need an S (starter of Soup).

28a         Group of stars with capital American attorney (9)
ANDROMEDA:  This constellation is a word meaning with followed by a European capital city and finally the usual American attorney.

29a         Live conveniently next to daughter (5)
DWELL:  Take a D(aughter) and next to it put a word for conveniently.  Not 100% certain about this one.

Down

1d           Vegetable that’s popular stocked by hotel (9)
AUBERGINE:  Take the usual two letters for popular and insert into (stocked by) a French inn or hotel.

2d           Something growing in factory (5)
PLANT:  Double definition.  Here’s a bit from Robert of that ilk . . .

3d           As I must be among mobile cranes (7)
ARSENIC:  As is a chemical symbol. The element it represents is the I from the clue inserted into (must be among) an anagram (mobile) of CRANES.  Sometimes it helps to have been a chemist!

4d           Top  milk producer? (6)
JERSEY:  Double definition.  It’s something you wear on the top half of your body and a breed of cow.

5d           Exonerating Cordelia initially, then her father in middle of tragedy (8)
CLEARING:  C (Cordelia initially) followed by the name of her father then the IN from the clue and finally a G (middle of traGedy).

6d           Following examination, boy’s shown up in disgrace (7)
SCANDAL:  After a word for an examination or a quick look you need a boy, but he’s reversed (shown up in a down clue).

7d           Perhaps one of our neighbours led parent astray (3,6)
RED PLANET:  A neighbour of the Earth is an anagram (astray) of LED PARENT.

8d           Deliberately set fire to roof of temple or church (5)
TORCH:  Start with a T (roof of Temple) then the OR from the clue and finally an abbreviation of church.

14d         Dad’s hunch cured dog (9)
DACHSHUND:  Anagram (cured) of DADS HUNCH.

16d         Tries during proper practice session (9)
REHEARSAL:  A word for tries, as in a court case, inserted into (during) a word for proper or genuine.

17d         Good in Dubai? Go and live there, maybe (8)
EMIGRATE:  G(ood) inserted into (in) what Dubai is an example of.

19d         Cleaner has mop mended before round (7)
SHAMPOO:  Anagram (mended) of HAS MOP followed by the round letter.

21d         Hesitated, looking embarrassed after hand gesture (7)
WAVERED:  The usual word for looking embarrassed placed after a gesture made with the hand.

22d         Ideal place? Best one’s in outskirts of Uppsala (6)
UTOPIA:  Outskirts of UppsalA are, of course, UA.  Into them (in) you need a word meaning best and the letter that looks like one.

23d         Second tea or coffee (5)
MOCHA:  A second or short period of time followed by a slang term for tea.

25d         Villain‘s accent, not British (5)
ROGUE:  A strong regional accent, perhaps Irish, but without the B (not British).

My podium three today are 27a, 3d and 5d with 3d on the top step for its cleverly concealed definition.

Quick crossword puns:

Top line:      SIGH     +     DEFECTS     =     SIDE EFFECTS

Middle line:     HAAR     +     TAKE     =     HEARTACHE

Bottom line:     STAIDER     +     WHEY     =     STAYED AWAY

100 comments on “DT 30234”

  1. Maybe it’s just me, but I found this very tricky for a Monday puzzle.
    Took me quite a while to finish, but glad I stuck with it.
    Especially liked 28a and 7d as I’m a bit of a backyard astronomer, many thanks to our setter today.

  2. 1*/4*. Light and great fun as we have come to expect on a Monday. My biggest difficulty was parsing 27a satisfactorily. Even though all the elements were clearly there, getting them in the right order was quite a challenge. As a result, that one gets my vote as favourite.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to pommers.

  3. Very enjoyable if a little quaint in places
    Most of it very straightforward indeed (my biggest problem was spelling the dog) but the three that really stood out for me were 3,5 (well constructed) and 17d
    Many thanks to Campbell and Pommers.

    1. Just reading the review Pommers and I see you share the same reservations as I did over the well/conveniently synonym at 29a. However I think it can (just about) be justified as in “the apartment is well/conveniently located for the local shops”.

    2. Hi SL

      Someone told me this a few years ago for the spelling of our four short-legged friend (I’ll replace the German composer’s surname with his forenames so as not to give it away too much)….

      It’s Johann Sebastian’s (****’s) hound with the b flipped and the o of hound taken out.

      It may well not work for you or others but I’ve never forgotten it, especially as the o is poop-shaped!

      A great start to the week with 27a getting the nod (excellent surface) and an honourable mention to12a as I like the effort for the anagram.

      1*/4*

        1. Glad you liked it.

          As you say, it takes a bit of work but once it’s in, it’s in.

          Now, Weimaraner.

          Hmm….

    3. Me too! Had to look it up!
      Found this quite straightforward which is most unusual for me. How strange better solvers had some problems!!

  4. For me another straightforward delight to start the solving week.

    1*/4*

    Fav 18a LOI 5d

    Thanks to setter and Pommers

  5. I was bang on wavelength this morning and fairly sped through this week-commencing offering. Like RD, my only slight delay was sorting out the parsing of 27a, which was runner up to my overall favourite, 5d. Great fun.

    Thanks to our triple punner and pommers.

  6. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: and at his very best with a very enjoyable and very straightforward start to the week – */*****

    Candidates for favourite – 13a, 20a, 3d, 5d, and 6d – and the winner is 20a.

    Thanks to Campbell and to pommers – pleased to hear that the move went well.

  7. A pretty straightforward puzzle and enjoyable as usual . Any problems I had were in the SW and of my own making. That will me not to assume I know how to spell words of German origin. I liked 2d, 17d, 18a and 5d. Thanks to Campbell for another well-balanced crossword with a splendid variety of clue types and aseasoning of General Knowledge to hold the solver’s interest. Thanks too to Pommers for the hints and I wish you well in your new home.

  8. Cleverly tricky in parts.
    The NW last to go in with the cunningly concealed lurker being the very last.
    Pondering this segment added .5 to my * time.
    Smiles, 5 and 23d
    COTD 3d in a field of strong contenders.
    Many thanks, Campbell and pommers.

  9. I am proud to have completed this and see that you thought it was a bit tougher than a usual Monday as I thought it was just me!
    I needed the hints to explain how I got 27a and I am still not sure why 29a is what it is. Fun and very well put together.
    I think 18a was my favourite, so simple but took an age to hit me but 3 and 5 d and 27a were great clues.

    Many thanks to Pommers and Campbell

  10. Yes, Monday and Campbell make an excellent start to the week. As someone has mention the dog created problems until 23a became obvious. A lot to like here with honourable mentions for 27a and 5d and with a special mention for 9a for its simplicity a rare attribute later in the week.

    Thanks to Pommers for his hints and pictures and to Campbell for maintaining the excellence of his honest crosswords even after what I take was a successful move.

  11. Great start to the week, and with the exception of missing both lurkers until late on, I found this pretty straightforward. I liked 3d, 5d, 7d, 15a with 17d getting my COTD */****

    Thanks to Campbell and Pommers

  12. No need for electronic assistance today.

    A similar elementary clue to 3d has delayed me in the past until the penny dropped. I always forget about the film in 11a despite eventually getting round to watching it for the first time last month.

    Favourites were 15a, 3d and 7a.

    Thanks to the setter and hinter.

  13. On wavelength from the off, no head scratching required & over the finish line in just over * time so a nice confidence booster to kick start the week. Top 2 for me 5d (nothing will come of nothing: speak again) & 27a where like RD the wordplay took a bit of sorting out. Entertaining guzzle
    Thanks to Campbell & Pommers

    1. Ps whenever I hear Stairway To Heaven I always think of Peter Kay’s misunderstood lyrics routine – a mate sang it at a karaoke having for years thought the line was – if there’s a bustle in your hedgerow don’t be a lawman (instead of alarmed now)

  14. I think it must be the move, I fair rattled through this, 27a was a bung in and the parsing had to wait. As RD that became my favourite too.
    Thanks to Campbell and Pommers,
    That restaurant is cropping up a lot, it’s actually French for a brewery

  15. Enjoyable and straightforward (I found gaining a foothold in the QC a little more awkward), with much to smile about as I made my way from the doorway in the SW along the ground floor and thence to the top floor. Highlights for me were 3d, 7d and 28a, with COTD 5d.

    1 / 3

    Many thanks to Cambell and to Pommers – hope the house move has been smooth even if the week has been busy!

  16. I found this a very gentle start to the week. No hold-ups today unless you count the fact that without the hint I would still be attempting to parse 27a. I’d not heard of the sauce, except as a brand name for a jar of said sauce ( which has recently become difficult to obtain!). I didn’t much care for 29a and thought it a poor clue. Otherwise, lots to like in including 4a, 23a, 5d and my favourite 3d. Thanks to Campbell for the pleasure and pommers for helping me out with 27a.

  17. Unusually slow start for a Monday but once underway it all came smoothly together. With today’s style of dancing I wonder how often 18a takes place?! Pommers is right 27a took some sorting. Is 20a necessarily carpet? 28a last to go in as failed to think of that galaxy. 3d had to be but I had no idea why as the clue to me didn’t refer to anything in particular apart from the method of solving. My Fav 5d was nicely challenging and 23d amused. Thank you Campbell for the fun and Pommers for being there in case of need (good luck in your new home).

  18. As Keats says, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever,” and today’s Campbell is just that, quite possibly the best of his I’ve ever solved. Not only that, this delightful work of art features two of my favourite vegetables, the latter of which gives us the COTD at 27a, but I also loved 5d, naturally. Great puzzle. Thanks to pommers and Campbell. **/*****

    Interestingly, it took me longer to finish the Quickie than it did the Cryptic (never had heard of that Swiss toboggan place, e.g., and we refer to likely happenings as being IN the cards and not on them, nor did I know the Mexican sauce). Well, that’s neither here nor there, I know, but I felt I should confess my inadequacies this morning, and on the matter of inadequacies, I was also sent to the Naughty Corner last night when offering to help Merusa with a clue in yesterday’s prize puzzle even though I fail to see why what I wrote was bleeped out.

    1. Nothing to do with inadequacies, but, as I have responded on yesterday’s blog, everything to do with not following the instructions below the hints in a Prize Puzzle blog. Case closed.

          1. Robert, could it have been you whose recommendation I read in the NYT Book Review? It was certainly written in your inimitable style 🙂

            1. Hmm, I don’t know, Catherine. I must look…was it in yesterday’s NYTBR? (26 Feb issue?) I haven’t had a chance yet to read all of the Review. More anon.

                1. Ah, yes. I found it. I am indeed the very same person, Cath. Shelley Burchfield’s book, The Earth Remains, is the most memorable and most deeply stirring work of historical fiction I have read in years, and as I wrote in my little ‘review’, I wept copious tears in a number of places while reading it. It is a monument of passionate writing about the American South and the dark, ominous cloud of slavery that continues to hang over us.

  19. A nice 20 minute jaunt today with no real problems, and even though I solved 3d I needed the hint above to understand it :) 17d probably COD for me.

      1. Thanks! I’ve been lurking for a bit and have been doing the Telegraph cw’s for a few months. I’m probably an above average solver but I’ve only been doing lower tier puzzles, so I decided it was time to up my game. Surprisingly I took to the Tele pretty well and can usually complete it in around xxxxxx. It has it’s moments though lol

        1. Well done, but I thought we were not supposed to give solving times. Short ones can be very discouraging to the novice solvers or even the less able old hands.

          1. Ah yes, that is true, sorry. Tbh though I don’t think there’s anything fast about my completion times, I’m just happy to finish!

  20. Gentle and very enjoyable – thanks to Campbell and pommers.
    My medals were pinned on 18a, 26a and 4d.

  21. Spot on Monday puzzle ,a real pleasue, no obscure cluing.
    Last in was 27a ,obvious what the definition was, took a bit of ‘ unjumbling’ as per RD.
    Liked the 27a charade and the surface of 12a.
    Going for a **/****.

  22. Very unusually for me, I zipped through this one before the consumption of toast and orange juice with no bits was complete.

    Underwhelming day yesterday, as Chelsea tottered to another defeat. Later I checked the tyre pressures and pumped up the relevant tyres of my, H, and The Youngster’s cars. A thrilling afternoon as you can surmise. We had a takeaway, and I fell asleep during an overlong detective thing on ITV. Apparently it’s very popular.

    Thanks to Campbell and el pommers.

    2. Foot pump or one of those little electric compressors you plug into the cigarette lighter. Do modern cars still have cigarette lighters in?

  23. A super puzzle from Campbell to get the week off to a good start. Not that it was all that easy – 22a took some time to unravel as did 23a. The one that made me laugh was 18a and is my COTD.

    The Quickie puns were good as well.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the fun and pommers for the hints.

    Two members of the Cowling family have finally become friends. :good:

    Sorry, I have no idea why the picture doesn’t upload. It’s within the permitted size but all that posts is a link to my laptop!

    IMG_1243

    1. I’m reading a book now about the Uber rich American girls hunting titled husbands in Europe, when being single was a fate worse than death. Here’s an excerpt: “Few could have mustered the blistering retort of the novelist Marie Corelli when asked why she had remained single. ‘I never married because there was no need. I have three pets at home which answer the same purpose as a husband. I have a dog which growls every morning, a parrot which swears all afternoon, and a cat that comes home late every night.'”

    3. Thank you, Terence – how did you do it? I can upload pictures from my iPad but not the MacBook.

      1. Steve – you’re saving photos as HEIC files (‘High Efficiency Image File’) which is Apple’s new-ish format to save space. This is a fine thing until you want to share them. If you are happy saving them as HEIC just use a simple online conversion website (just google ‘convert heic to jpg’).

        If interested – here’s a decent guide to the whole HEIC thing: https://macpaw.com/how-to/what-is-heic-file

          1. Perhaps this is why the DT mythical pen has eluded me. I always send the picture of the puzzle in HEIC format. Well, that is my excuse. 😊

        2. Thanks Terence. I too have recently encountered problems loading pictures, which I didn’t run into before. Another Apple change, not warranted, and just annoying.

    4. It looks to me as though Perks is just about being tolerated, but Hudson will come round in the end, never fear.

  25. Very enjoyable and, unusually for me, I finished early. Like Steve C above I appreciated 18a. A good start to the week. Thanks Campbell and Pommers.

  26. A great start to the week for me but pride goes before… My only issue is 4d as I can almost hear the cries of anguish from my chums in Guernsey. 😊

  27. I loved this puzzle. My favourite clue was 3D, I had a real giggle when I saw that one. Thanks to Campbell for the fun and to Pommers for clarifying 5D for me. Happy Monday, everyone ☀️

  28. I found today’s crossword one of the most straightforward in ages. Hardly even had to check a spelling, the vegetable at 1down held me up for a while, as did 20a as the word escaped me for a while.

  29. Think it must be the house move that slightly discombobulated you, Pommers, I fairly flew through this a la 12a.
    Hard to play favourites but eventually finished up with a top three of 27a plus 5&21d.
    12a always makes me smile – when I was in my early teens I had a clear-out of the cupboards in my bedroom and consigned a lot of ‘juvenile’ stuff to the dustbin. In the early hours of the following morning I was to be found outside rooting through said bin to rescue the one thing I couldn’t bear to part with – my 12a pop-up book! I still have it this day and hope the grandchildren will love it as much as I did.

    Thanks to Campbell for the puzzle and to Pommers for the review – hope we’re all invited to the house-warming party?

  30. I fairly whizzed through this today, though I did have to look up the spelling of the sausage dog. No individual favorites…I liked all the foodie ones! Thanks Campbell and Pommers.

  31. It’s Monday, the snow is melting and it’s a Campbell puzzle so things are looking good.
    A little tricker puzzle for today, I thought, but a fun solve.

    2*/4* for me

    Favourites include 4a, 28a, 3d, 4d, 5d & 8d with winner 3d …but I liked 4d & 8d too as they made me laugh.

    Thanks to Campbell and pommers for hints

  32. I was on the right wavelength straight away and thought what a wonderful puzzle this would be to give a cryptic virgin, if you know what I mean. I agree that 3d was very clever but by the time I had done the acrosses it didn’t need much working out. So glad the move went well and I wish you happiness in the new abode. And thank you for explaining 27a, I entered it without much thought – it had to be. But that’s not good enough for we cryptic guzzlers is it, we have to parse it! Thanks to the soup maker for the pleasure. The clue which gave me the most angst was 26a in the quickie!

  33. I have sometimes seen fellow bloggers refer to our daily cryptic puzzle as “a walk in the park” and kept my thoughts to myself but today I inhaled the fresh-air! Great puzzle, no need to check my Bradford’s Dictionary but did check the hints afterwards. 12a brought a smile to my face. On Christmas Eve I used to kneel at the end of my bed looking through the window watching for Santa and his sleigh! Many thanks to Campbell and Pommers. Pleased to hear that your move went well, Pommers.

  34. Another good Monday puzzle, much to enjoy. Thankyou Campbell. 18 and 24a were two favourites. Thankyou also Pommers for the hints and I hope you soon settle in to your new home.
    I’m still feeling happy/amazed at yesterday’s Wembley result!

  35. I am in the */*** camp as this one flowed very easily for me. Very pleasant Monday fare. Thanks to pommers and the setter.

  36. I was not very hopeful when I saw the *** rating, but very happy to find I was able to proceed smoothly through this delightful puzzle. Purely a wavelength thing I am sure, not due to any brilliance on my part. It was just amazing when the right answers kept popping into my head. Perhaps the pink eye drop medicine is improving my abilities 😊. Big thank you to Campbell for starting the week off perfectly.

  37. Super puzzle but 3d had be stumped for an explanation. Was not impressed when I saw the hint!
    Shame because everything was excellent.
    Thx to all
    **/****

  38. Like BusyLizzie, I cringed when I saw the pommers rating but I was pleasantly surprised. This was very enjoyable, yes, some were a little trickier for a Monday. I needed the hint to know the why for 3d, not being a chemist. I also needed help with 27a, I knew it had to be, but my poor brain was in such a twist I gave up and decided to let pommers explain it. Lots of fun, hard to choose a fave, maybe 5d, honourable mention to 12a and 23a.
    Thanks Campbell and pommers, I needed you to explain a couple!

  39. Thanks to Campbell and to Pommers for the review and hints. I must’ve been on the right wavelength, as I thought it was quite straightforward. Very nice puzzle, full of humour. I have joint favourites today, 26a & 22d, just couldn’t split ’em. Was 1* / 4* for me.

  40. Perhaps it’s just the odd way my brain works sometimes but I found this crossword relatively easy. I assumed it would be rated either * or ** so was chuffed to find it rated ***.

    1. You’ve expanded your alias since your previous comments so this needed moderation. All versions of your alias will work from now on.

  41. I found this mercifully straightforward which is not always the case for me with this setter. Lots of good clues my favourite being 28a. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers.

  42. Pretty straightforward but definitely needed a bit of Big Dave help on the parsing of 27a. Thanks!

  44. Hi I’ve been a lurker here for some time while I get to grips with these cryptic puzzles. Very proud to say I completed my first one today without needing to look on here for any hints! Thank you to all of the hint givers-I couldn’t have done it without you until now.

    1. Welcome to the blog, Linsac and well done.
      Now that you’ve de-lurked I hope that you’ll become a regular commenter.

    3. Congratulations, Linsac! It’s a terrific feeling of satisfaction when the first puzzle solved unaided comes along. I had the same feeling when I completed my first Toughie unaided.

      Welcome to the blog and please don’t be a stranger. 👍

  45. Late to the group today as I like to do the puzzle after work. Brilliant, first time for ages completed without any help.
    Before I discovered BD and his team of bloggers, I would have failed miserably. Thanks very much to the setter and each and everyone who provides and not to forget those that have provided the hints.

  46. Post supper canter to the finish, first unaided finish for a while. Some clues needed inspired guesswork, e.g. 23a but on review all clicks together elegantly. Most satisfying, thanks to all.

  47. A gentle and pleasant start to the week, with the vegetable being the most tasty morsel for me. Very satisfying!

  48. This was a late evening walk in the park for me. I love a Campbell Monday. I did not find it more difficult than usual, and I love his clue constructions and wit. I would guess they are more difficult to write than some of those in the end of week puzzles. Last in but a favourite was 17d. Lots of others but I won’t bother putting them down as, at this time of night, I am talking to myself.

  49. Finished this only needing help for 1d. Not being a chemist I assumed I had the right parsing for 3d. Many thanks to Campbell for a very enjoyable puzzle with a lot of clever clues. COTD 18a. Thanks to Po,mmers for the hints which I will now read along with the comments. I am surprised I have managed to cope with cryptic puzzles following visits to hospital after scalding my hand with steam from a boiling kettle. No more cups of tea!

    1. Oh dear Tonihaha that must have been very painful. When I was in my teens (long time ago) I was on a caravan holiday. I remember boiling some milk for drinks or a meal but there wasn’t a milk pan (with a lip) so I poured the milk into a plastic jug which duly sort of buckled and I scalded my hand It was jolly painful but it was the shock element that upset me the most. I do hope your hand is now healing well.

  50. 2*/5* ….
    liked 21D “Hesitated, looking embarrassed after hand gesture (7)”

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