Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30,555
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
A busy week here in Shabbo Towers. As advised last week, we were up in Suffolk for Ma Shabbo’s 90th birthday on Saturday and Sunday. Mrs Shabbo’s Scottish uncle sadly passed away last month, so four of us from the family made the journey up to Edinburgh by train on Monday. An enjoyable night out in Edinburgh with two more family members, then off to Perth early on Tuesday morning for the funeral. Back to Edinburgh for the 17.00 train south and home at about 21.30. Last night I was MC’ing the Hertfordshire RFU Annual Dinner, blogging duties today and then I’m off to Twickenham, with more than a degree of trepidation, on Saturday. This retirement lark is definitely not for cissies!
Another enjoyable puzzle today. I raced through the top half but the bottom half took a little longer. With K pop and hip-hop in the clues, I was worried that my lack of knowledge of popular music might be cruelly exposed, but fortunately both clues were readily solvable even by this old duffer.
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.
Across
1a Runs bagged by e.g. Surrey team in rustic area (11)
COUNTRYSIDE: abbreviation for runs inside (bagged by) what Surrey is an example of + synonym of team.
10a Extremely notorious drinking trouble for some getting hammered (5)
NAILS: first and last letters (extremely) of notorious outside (drinking) a three letter verb or noun meaning trouble.
11a K pop, mostly, is a must when dancing (9)
POTASSIUM: the very brief definition is a chemical element which is reached via an anagram (when dancing) of PO(p) IS A MUST
12a Generals struggling to secure right devices to blow things up (9)
ENLARGERS: anagram (struggling) of GENERALS + R. The definition is a term from photography.
13a Source of milk shake Juliet put away (5)
UDDER: a synonym of shake without (put away) the letter represented by Juliet in the phonetic alphabet.
14a Make unintelligible boast about the French (6)
GARBLE: four-letter synonym of boast reversed (about) + the in French.
16a Old couple of Democrats, Party’s eccentrics (8)
ODDBALLS: abbreviation for old + two abbreviations for Democrat + synonym of party + s.
18a What King Edward did – or Jack, Diana and Catherine (8)
ABDICATE: I went to put a D at the end of the answer here, but I had run out of squares! Jack is the usual abbreviation for an able-bodied seaman and Diana and Catherine become shorter versions of their names. The abbreviation for Catherine looks a bit odd to me, but apparently it’s fine. King Edward is Edward VIII.
20a Sent back roast with fancy oil and Italian port (6)
NAPOLI: a synonym of roast reversed (sent back) + anagram (fancy) of OIL
23a Prior to haunt illuminated cloisters (5)
UNTIL: hidden word (cloisters – it can also be a verb) inside words 3&4.
24a Viewers about to follow attractive people (7-2)
LOOKERS-ON: a word meaning “about” after (to follow) a slang word meaning attractive people.
26a Object about overhasty corporal punishment (9)
THRASHING: a synonym of object (a noun) outside (about) a synonym of overhasty.
27a Long Times article recounts getting regularly dismissed (5)
AEONS: single-letter indefinite article + every other letter (getting regularly dismissed) of “recounts”. We can ignore the italics in Times.
28a Yellow flower survived around banks of Rhone (4-7)
LILY-LIVERED: a herbaceous flowering plant + a synonym of survived outside (around) first and last letters (banks of) Rhone.
Down
2d Kind of window that is bordered by gold line (5)
ORIEL: abbreviation for “that is” inside (bordered by) abbreviations for gold + line.
3d Part of breathing apparatus is torn foolishly by learner (7)
NOSTRIL: anagram (foolishly) of IS TORN + abbreviation for learner.
4d Knocked what hip-hop artist did (6)
RAPPED: double definition.
5d Save time in holiday area? (3,5)
SET ASIDE: abbreviation of time inside (in) where you might go on holiday.
6d Nudist urbanely welcoming Harry (7)
DISTURB: a hidden word (welcoming) inside the first two words of the clue. We can ignore the capitalisation of Harry – a perfectly legitimate technique for the setter.
7d Maybe BA trainee urged dear aunt to travel around (13)
UNDERGRADUATE: anagram (to travel around) of URGED DEAR AUNT. The setter wants us to think that BA is the airline, but it is a degree.
8d US lawyer tucked into French wine and convenience food from India (8)
VINDALOO: abbreviation for a senior US lawyer inside (tucked into) the French word for wine + a slang word for toilet (convenience).
9d Artist, one who imitates others (13)
IMPRESSIONIST: double definition.
15d Team such as Liverpool cheers right winger (8)
REDSTART: nickname for Liverpool FC based on the colour of their shirts + a word meaning thanks + two-letter abbreviation for right. The winger is a bird, which will be a write-in for some, but might be trickier for others. Jane will have no problem with it!
17d Bore fit and lusty rogue (8)
STULTIFY: anagram (rogue) of FIT LUSTY.
19d Business deficit, one showing huge figures (7)
COLOSSI: abbreviation for company + synonym of deficit + I (one) reveals the definition using the Latin pluralisation. Either way of pluralising the word is accepted in Chambers.
21d Ordinary storm after hail in Rome (7)
AVERAGE: synonym of storm (as in temper) after Italian (in Rome) for hail (as in greet).
22d Wild child cut and topped citrus fruit (6)
MOWGLI: synonym of cut (think grass) + a four-letter citrus fruit without its initial letter (topped). I would like to claim that I knew the answer from having read Rudyard Kipling, but I must be honest and admit that my knowledge comes from the wonderful Disney animated cartoon.
25d Touring Thailand’s capital, part of shoe pinched (5)
STOLE: part of a shoe outside (touring) the initial letter (capital) of Thailand.
Quickie Pun: SANK + CHEW + AIRY = SANCTUARY
We like.
Lots of techniques on display with some nice humour thrown in. 6d conjures up a great image.
I’m amazed that 24a is a term. So clumsy.
My podium is 16a, 8d (very nice) and 22d (what a film, with Phil Harris as the best cartoon character of all time. Farrrrrrrrrrr out. Shrek ain’t a patch)
Many thanks to the setter and Shabbs.
2*/4*
I’ve never been a fan of the 8d – I find them excessively hot and they leave me unable to taste the meat, let alone the rest of the meal! I did smile on reading the clue as it is a Portuguese dish that was adapted in Goa before being imported to Britain, where it has become a staple offering in so many restaurants.
The curry is almost the traditional British dish, giving ‘fish & chippingtons’ a run for its money.
My ‘very nice’ comment was referring to the clue construction – a perfect example of a cryptic clue, albeit a long one.
I love how ‘although it be that’ has been contracted to ‘albeit’ which I love typing. Goodness knows why.
I did not know that derivation of albeit, thank you Tom.
I did however research the derivation of 28a, apparently in the 17th century the liver was considered the source of one’s courage. A bloodless liver, which would be pale or lily coloured was it seems the preserve of the cowardly – hence the expression.
I know you like a derivation Tom, so it is my pleasure to share!
Thanks, Fancy.
Another arrow I can add to my quiver of quirky kweations. (damn that pesky wabbit!)
Chile?
Doh!
Chile, Adrian: a singular TV sports presenter who on becoming ubiquitous was cloned, the simulacra then being known in the plural as Adrian Chiles.
Very good
The excessive heat that we think of as the defining characteristic of said curry is I believe a British addition. As served in India you will find it much milder with an abundance of flavours which we tend to drown out under a swelter of chile…
Jon Favreau’s live-action animation remake of the original is well worth a watch if you’ve not seen it – Bill Murray is great voicing Baloo & Chris Walken is wonderfully creepy as King Louie.
Duly noted, H.
Very enjoyable while it lasted, very light and early week-ish, but an absolute cracker of a puzzle: great surfaces, plenty of creative variety in the clueing, and a lot of humour throughout – I ended up with ticks against more than a third of the clues. So, podium places to 11a, 6d & 7d, but COTD to the wonderful 22d.
1* / 4*
Many thanks indeed to the setter and to Shabbo – my word but you’ve had a busy week! Re Saturday: approaching with ‘trepidation’ would be a very mild description, I think!
Considering I usually struggle with Thursday’s offer (never mind Friday’s abomination), I found this one a walk in the park. Positively Tuesdayish.
Jolly good fun, mind, with my favourites being 11a and the sneaky 7d. */***
Third cracker of a puzzle in a row, not tough my any means, apart from three at the bottom that I got snagged on for a while, namely 17d, 22d, and 28a.
Never used the word at 17d in my life, but the breakthrough came with 22d, I spent over ten years in the cubs and scouts, so Kipling was never far away. Really thought that 28a was something to do with a Chinese river, but Kiang wasn’t going to fit anywhere.
Got there in the finish though, top two today were the wild kid and Eddie eight.
A very enjoyable guess the setter on not a Ray T Thursday – 2.5*/4*
Candidates for favourite -20a, 8d, 9d, and 15d – and the winner is 15d.
Thanks to whomsoever, my Loonie is staying in my pocket, and thanks to Shabbo – I don’t think I will be watching the event at Twickenham on Saturday as I think the result is somewhat predictable and will not be what I would like it to be.
We are certainly being spoilt over the last few days with some excellent puzzles, and this was right up there with the best. Clever constructions, lovely surfaces and a dash of humour. Picking a winner is tough, but I will go for 22d as it has all the attributes I just mentioned.
Many thanks to our setter and Shabbo. I shall be watching the match in the pub on Saturday, hoping for the best but expecting the worst.
Shabbo
I guess you used to play rugby as I did and played against several Herts clubs.
I have little hope for England on Saturday. They play for about 10 minutes and then it all goes wrong.
Have been trying to find a golf swing this morning and will look at the Xword later.
I played rugby for Welwyn from 1976 to 1991. My body reminds me that I played every time I get out of bed!
Thank you. I played for the OB of my school Harrow County strangely named Old Gaytonians, from 1969 to 1978. I think we played your club. My knees remind me of this period.
Many fond memories of playing against Gaytonians!
Sadly Gaytonians folded in 2016 long after the school became comprehensive and changed it’s name to Gayton High School.
A lovely */**** exercise with the magnificent 11a taking star spot. I hadn’t heard of K pop before but helpfully today’s DT had an article on one such. Thanks to the setter and Shabbo.
This continues a week of superb puzzles. A good variety of clue types with great surface reads and plenty of humour. I loved the misleading 7d which I think I would have struggled with had it not been an anagram. Likewise with 11a. Favourite today was the truly cryptic 8d with podium places for 18a and 22d. Special mention for the old chestnut at 13a, clued differently today. Thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
A star or two less than the usual Thursday puzzle but very enjoyable never the less.
11a was my favourite when the penny dropped- I was a chemist to boot !, last in was 22d ,the topped fruit came to mind but the cut took ages.
going for a **/****
I have never booted a chemist.
I have worn boots in a chemists.
It’s the ‘Day Zee & Posh Poet’ show.
We love it!
Oh, I can’t resist….
Thanks to Day Zee’s muddy boots, her local Boots is ‘far messy’ than every other ‘pharmacy’.
Come on AB. I know you’re in the wings, itching to get on……
This morning in Macclesfield, I saw a chemist wearing boots in Boots Chemist.
There once was a woman in boots
Who went into a shop for some flutes.
The man at the tills
Said we’ve all kinds of pills
But not toots for your flutes, this is Boots.
Not my best, I’m afraid.
Works for me
Very enjoyable – thanks to our setter and our reviewer with the hectic lifestyle.
My ticks went to 14a, 6d, 8d and 22d.
An enjoyable romp of a puzzle, only exceptions being the dreadful 24a and the milk source which has surely been done to death by now.
Biggest ticks here went to 28a plus 5&15d.
Thanks to our setter and to Shabbo for the review – hope your day at Twickenham is less disappointing than you fear!
A rare comment from me, but it has been raining for some time and I find myself free from catching up with 3 lost years in the olive groves.
Enjoyed the crossword but undone by 22dn – don’t like GK too much in crosswords, but the clue was fair enough.
Now I’m about to start the journey to Rome for the match on Saturday. Rain also forecast so the kilt might get a little damp, but the sporran will have a wee dram in it:-)
Thanks to the setter and Shabbo for unravelling 22dn. Have a good time at Twickers – I wonder how many Irish are already over for Cheltenham and St Patrick’s day?
Hope all is well with you Jane.
Lovely to hear from you, SW, surely you read The Jungle Book!
I’m afraid not!
I, too, winced at 24a!
Didn’t find this quite the walk in the park that others clearly did. Completion took me well into ** time & the Beam Toughie (bar 2 clues) was a much quicker solve. I am resolved to spell last in 27a as per the answer in future now that I’ve discovered excluding the A is the preferred spelling over the pond. Like our reviewer I thought the required diminutive for Catherine unusual & could only think of the Australian actress & double Academy Award winner as an example. Another vote for 22d as pick of an excellent selection of clues with ✅s for 1,11&18a along with 5,7,8&15d.
Thanks to the setter & to our busy bee reviewer.
A very enjoyable puzzle for me.
Had trouble parsing the wild child at 22d….couldn’t see the “topped” citrus fruit…..slow….
Out of a strong field, 11a is my favourite. (Married to a chemist.)
Thanks to the setter and to the busy Shabbo
1.5*/4*. This was rather light for a Thursday but very enjoyable.
According to Collins, K-pop should be hyphenated.
With ticks galore my podium comprises 14a, 6d & 8d.
Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo.
Good afternoon
Having been short of time over the last two days, today I had crozzie withdrawal symptoms and I had to get stuck in ASAFP!
While realising earlyish on that today probably wasn’t the work of the Mighty Mr T, I was nevertheless expecting a braincell-twister; today’s has not disappointed! Some superbly witty clueing and misdirection balanced by the comparatively straightforward solutions on the perimeter. Some help needed ref GK; I didn’t know 2d in the context used here, and I was unfamiliar with 15d, which was the last to fall.
COTD: 11a for sure, with an hon mensh for 28a and 21d.
Many thanks to our compiler and to Shabbo.
If you’re still suffering from crozzie withdrawal symptoms the mighty Mr T is on duty today as Beam in the Toughie and he’s in a fairly gentle mood.
Good to see Kipling featuring. As one of his other characters (Ravager) said “It were fun” after rolling in unmentionables in the road.
Not the toughest Thursday challenge, but a Cleverly planned Hunt full of Rishis.
Like others the wild child was LOI, I was cutting the child rather than the grass and wondered what a SOUGLI was
Thanks to the busy Shabbo and setter
Another dream of delight tralala! Very clever clues 11,18,28a and 8,29&22d. The bird gave me the headache as I confidently wrote in Tory which definitely didn’t help. Excellent stuff, thanks to the clever Mister Setter and the Busy Hinterman.
Tralala?
Totes hilaire.
Yet another cracking crossword I thought. 2*/4*.
I was pleasingly misdirected by the urbane nudist and I particularly liked 18a (despite the unusual spelling of Catherine’s derivative) 28a, 21d and 22d but the best for me today was 11a.
My thanks to our setter and to Shabbo for squeezing us into his hectic schedule…
Just the right level of difficulty for me, challenging but not impossible with a few easy starters. Best clues 28a and 3d and the most difficult 15d and 22d.
Spent far too long trying to crowbar an aviation related answer into 7d and looking for a Chinese river in 28a before some sense prevailed. In the end both get on my podium, but cotd and top spot is the wild child in 22d. Thanks to the compiler and Shabbo.
So, for a non RayT puzzle week, this one was entertaining and fun to solve. A couple of words not in my everyday vocabulary, but nonetheless easy enough to suss out. Some clever clues in this one too.
1.5*/4* for me
Favourites include 1a, 10a, 11a, 18a, 5d & 22d — with winner 18a
Smiles from 10a, 18a, 4d & 22d
Thanks to setter & Shabbo for hints/blog
Found this very tough at least a 4*. Not helped by an obscure bird in 15d and a very clumsy clue in 24a.
Best clue in a disappointing bunch is 11a.
A real slog to finish with very little to recommend it for me.
****/*
Thx for the hints
Thank you Brian. I thought it was just me.
What a joy of a puzzle.I needed to get off to Knitter Natter and then Paracise so very glad that although it was a challenge it yielded quickly because it was so logical. Lots of ticks. Thanks to all
I found this one quite light and very enjoyable for a Thursday. I’m away for a few days in Hope Cove , Devon – (amazing sunny weather – cannot believe been so lucky ) , so have been completing the puzzle in the evening but this one fell into place quite nicely. Last one in was 22d and I too could not parse it for the life of me so needed the hint to confirm that. Thanks Shabbo and the setter for the fun.
Like others, 22d was my LOI
This was such a surprise, right up my straße! I solved 11a from the “K”, never heard of K-pop. Alas, I had to use word search for 15d, I presume the team refers to soccer. There was much to like, 18a, 20a, 8d and 19d were all smilers, but the best and cleverest was 22d, loved it.
Thank you setter, I wonder who you are? Thanks Shabbo for the enlightenment.
K pop was double Dutch to me as well. What is the world coming to ? Kapok I have heard of, it went in cushions before washable polyester stuffing. Nasty stuff, as I suspect K pop might be.
I googled, Korean-pop? Where have I been? What on earth is it? The only thing that made sense to me in that clue was the K!
Another lovely puzzle. My top picks were 11a, 12a and 8d.
Like others above, I too wasn’t keen on 24a.
Thanks to the setter and Shabbo
A lovely puzzle, we are being spoilt, completed before leaving to go and meet friends for lunch. 11a my favourite and a couple I had to guess and check eg the bird which was new to me.
Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints.
What would we do without our lunches ?!
I found the top half went in very quickly. I was soon slowed down in the bottom half.
Very enjoyable solve with many great clues.
Thanks to all.
I think that was my fastest ever solve with barely a pause for breath. An enjoyable diversion with 8d as favourite in fact I’m having one as I write. Thanks to the setter and Shabbo.
18a is a great clue although 24a is not! Thank you setter and Shabbo
I’ve got into the daft habit of doing the crossword much later than I used to (started approx 1025pm) and it makes my brain work overtime as it wants to go to bed.
Some smashing clues – 11a, 13a and 17d in particular. The K in 11a is obvious when you think about it and I spent a while thinking that J was included in the answer to 13a.
I find late night cruciverballing a sure fire inducement to insomnia,
I’m with Huntsman in that this was no walk in the park for me and I found the going particularly tough in the East. Have had a few shots at completing during the day and have just given it one final bash calling on some assistance from MrG before now hitting the hay. The feral child in 22a didn’t ring a bell. Fav was 21d. Thank you Mysteryone and the busy Shabbo. Night night 😴.
Having very belatedly had time to read through the comments (which I do every day) it seems very obvious to me that pop mostly is part of the anagram fodder. I must use this opportunity to thank the setter and busy Mr. Shabbo.
3*/3* ….
Liked 16A “Old couple of Democrats, Party’s eccentrics(8)”