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DT 30969

by Shabbo  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30969
Hints and tips by Shabbo

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****

Good morning, fellow puzzlers.

RayT is in benign form today, or maybe I was just tuned in to his wavelength from the start. A concise and enjoyable puzzle, as ever, from the master of brevity.  My gongs go to 10a, 11a, 18a, 8d, 18d and 20d.  Which clues did you like?

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 the DT Crossword Team.


Across

1a Mysterious partner with usual rubbish (12)
SUPERNATURAL: anagram (rubbish) of PARTNER USUAL.

9a Tackle alien tackling crack team (9)
EQUIPMENT: our usual alien (think films) outside (tackling) synonyms of crack (think joke) + team (male).

10a Drink and dribble after bar’s opening (5)
BOOZE: synonym of dribble (or seep) after the initial letter (opening) of Bar.

11a One’s put off consuming chips, essentially? (6)
DIETER: synonym of put off (or discourage) outside (consuming) the middle letter (essentially) of chIps.

12a Dance with passion joining new company (8)
FLAMENCO: synonym of passion + New + COmpany.

13a More embarrassed, even when rejected (6)
REDDER: a word meaning more embarrassed which is a palindrome (even when rejected).

15a Straddle top mount? (8)
BESTRIDE: synonyms of top + mount.

18a Attendant messenger taking time (8)
COURTIER: synonym of messenger outside (taking) abbreviation for Time.

19a Remote spinning object in space (6)
METEOR: anagram (spinning) of REMOTE.

21a Bond in part about heartless evil (8)
RELATION: synonym of part (or allocation) outside (about) EviL (heartless). The image has nothing to do with the answer, of course, but I know Jane will appreciate it.

23a Possibly playing part of lovers, usually (6)
VERSUS: hidden word (part of). Our answer is hiding in plain sight within words 5 & 6 of the clue.

26a Go into hospital department emergency room (5)
ENTER: abbreviations of a UK hospital department and a US Emergency Room.

27a Telegraph line? (9)
EDITORIAL: cryptic definition.

28a After all, even shelters criminal (12)
NEVERTHELESS: anagram (criminal) of EVEN SHELTERS.

Down

1d Shylock’s beginning his job being meagre (7)
SLENDER: initial letter (beginning) of Shylock + his job description.

2d Puritan could be quietly offensive (5)
PRUDE: musical abbreviation for quietly (Piano) + synonym of offensive.

3d Queen rising here for show (9)
REPRESENT: the regnal abbreviation of our late queen backwards (rising – this is a down clue) + synonym of here (or “in attendance”).

4d Primate with cross getting to crown (4)
APEX: synonym of primate + letter signifying a cross.

5d Not cultivated before some illumination (8)
UNTILLED: synonym of before + the three-letter abbreviation of a modern form of illumination.

6d A vagrant receives pound in collection (5)
ALBUM: A + US term for vagrant outside (receives) the former monetary abbreviation for pound (Librum, Solidus, Denarius).

7d Copper and detectives overseeing English match (8)
COINCIDE:  synonym of copper (or loose change) + three-letter abbreviation for detectives + English.

8d Got up holding record for sleep (6)
REPOSE: synonym of got up outside (holding) an Extended Play record.

14d Questions around the French being tops (8)
DOUBLETS: synonym of questions outside (around) “the” in French.

16d Accordingly free other rogue (9)
THEREFORE: anagram (rogue) of FREE OTHER.

17d One reeks spilling fuel (8)
KEROSENE: anagram (spilling) of ONE REEKS.

18d Worries about onset of incisor decay (6)
CARIES: synonym of worries outside (about) first letter (onset) of Incisor. Neat.

20d Takes stock of another person? (7)
RUSTLES: cryptic definition (stock here means cattle).

22d Barrister seriously covering brief (5)
TERSE: hidden word (covering).  Our solution is hiding within words 1 & 2 of the clue.

24d Criticise good purchase by sweetheart (5)
SNIPE: synonym of good purchase (or bargain) + RayT’s trademark heart of swEet.

25d Rising in outright tumult, initially (4)
RIOT: initial letters of the first four words of the clue.

Quickie Pun:  BANK  +  HOCK  =  BANGKOK

48 comments on “DT 30969”

  1. A wonderful offering from Ray T. We are being spoiled this week! All the usual trademarks and a satisfying solve. Loads to choose from so not easy to pick a favourite. I loved the top mount at 15a but my COTD goes to the English match at 7d.

    Thank you, Ray T. for a fun puzzle. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints.

  2. A solid puzzle, but not one of RayT’s best I thought. I’m probably averse to it because of 24d, to which I had “GRIPE” for criticise, which parses absolutely fine in my book, but makes 23a a tad awkward when the G intrudes and denies the possibility of a lurker, or indeed much else for that matter. COTD 27a.

    Many thanks anyway to the Maestro, and of course to Shabbo.

    4. Another with gripe. Came here to see if anyone else was struggling with 23a and found this post.

  3. A very enjoyable solve with 1d and 20d my favourites. 28a and 16d are two words that I was constantly trying to avoid using when writing reports and advice and reminded me that I’m glad to be away from all that (although I’d have been alternating 28a with “however” rather than “after all”). Thanks very much to the setter and to Shabbo.

  4. What an amazing cruciverbal week this is turning out to be! Tomorrow’s setter will need to be on top form to match what we have had so far. Today, the Master of Brevity at his very best and very friendly too. – 1.5*/5*

    Candidates for favourite – 9a, 23a, 3d, 7d, and14d – and the winner is HM being upside down in 3d.

    Thanks to Ray T and Shabbo.

  5. A very approachable and benign Ray T, but still loads of fun. My only hold up was biffing in an incorrect synonym in 5d, but once corrected, all done and dusted. My podium from a plethora of possibilities is 1d, 6d and 18a. Thanks to Ray T and Shabbo

  6. Clerihew of the day (following some solvers yesterday saying they hadn’t heard of this verse form):

    Shabbo
    At hinting is fabbo.
    He sheds the light on all of Ray T’s tricks —
    And even provides us with word-count statistics.

    3. Beautifully written.
      William McGonagall has competition!
      Thank you, Smylers.

    4. Excellent clerihew Smylers. I hadn’t heard of it until yesterday , and this is my first ever sentence using it (and probably the last ) .

  7. Ray T is as entertaining as ever – thanks to him and the equally entertaining Shabbo.
    Like MG I confidently wrote in ‘gripe’ for 24d before the arrival of 23a caused a rethink.
    Top clues for me were 11a, 27a and 1d.

  8. What a great puzzle. I’ve got ticks all over it. I fell into the gripe camp for 24d so struggled for a while over 23a.

    Top picks for me were 9a, 11a, 15a,27a and 7d.

    Thanks to Shabbo and Ray T.

  9. I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle despite getting stuck in the SW for a while. In common with some other posters I have a gripe about 24d, I wonder whether the potential for two seemingly correct solutions was intentional? COTD for me was 20d as it made me smile.

    1. My apologies for not thanking Shabbo and the setter in the original post.

  10. Our setter in fairly benign form yet still retaining his self-imposed rules and trademarks. Podium places awarded to the messy drinker, the offensive puritan and the stock-taker.

    Devotions as always to Mr T and many thanks to Shabbo for the review and the pic of the real 007!

  11. An excellent, albeit, gentle crossword from Arty that had all his trademarks.

    My last two in were the naturally linked 18a and 14d. 20d took longer than it should’ve.

    My pody picks are 10a, 6d and 7d.

    MT to the aforementioned and Shabbington.

    2*/5*

    Oh, you can add me to the Grrrrrrrrrripe group.

  12. It took me some time to realise that 11 across was not a German first name. A lot of griping about 24 down but not from me. It’s nice to have a Thursday puzzle which isn’t a Toughie.

  13. No gripes from me ! 2.5* / 4* Not as easy for me as some seem to have found it, but very enjoyable.
    Favourites 20d fools me every time, 14d tops and the 7d match took way to long to see the copper
    Thanks to Ray T and Shabbo

  14. Definitely on the gentle side for Thursday but still enjoyable.
    Luckily for me I saw the lurker in 23a before I read 24d so I can have no gripe.
    My top three are 27a, 20d and the winner 1d.
    Thanks to RayT and Shabbo.

  15. Another fortnightly visit by RayT this week with his usual brevity, precise and succinct clueing, along with a visit from the queen and sweetheart too.
    What more could one want?!

    2*/5* for me

    Favourites 10a, 18a, 21a, 27a, 4d & 7d — with winner 21a
    Smiles for 13a, 27a & 6d

    Thanks to RayT for a fun and enjoyable puzzle & Shabbo

  16. And ditto for me also. This all fell into place so well I thought it might be Monday again. I liked the usual partner rubbish at 1a and like Steve gave a tick to the coppers at 7d but 14d is top of the pops. Golly, I remember my young daughters being glued to that. DD2, a tall girl like George, met Noel Edmunds when he was doing a gig on Parker’s Piece in Cambridge and she was called up on stage. She was very disappointed that he was so short! Many thanks to RayT for the guzzle, Shabbo for the hints and Smylers for the Clerihew!

  17. Harder than a 1 star and helped while away the time at the hairdressers. Last in was11 across and despite beating me I vote it the best .Thanks to Ray T and Shabbo.

  18. I would rate this more of a ** as I found this harder to unravel than most RayT puzzles. Not helped by the fact that I am waiting for a telephone call that will probably be unsatisfactory, and possibly contentious. But no strange words (I’ll go and put on my 14d top now 😊) and always fairly clued. Thanks to Ray T and Shabbo.

  19. A very enjoyable puzzle as always from RayT.
    I did get stuck for a wee while on the NE corner but eventually it all became clear…..a bit like our NE weather…it’s often foggy but usually clears….

    Thanks to Shabbo and to RayT.

  20. Wow, I found that quite challenging but enjoyably so. 14d tops is perhaps a rather unimaginatively broad description. 20d didn’t even occur to me so thanks to MrG for a prompt. 11a is clever parsing. Thanks RayT and Shabbo.

  22. An excellent and fairly gentle solve from Ray T today. My last 2 in took awhile . 9a – despite my own mantra of ‘if it’s a U could it be a Q’ which I failed to apply until penny dropped , and my last in was 20d which I think was my favourite for its neatness. Thanks so much Ray T and Shabbo.

  23. Evening all. My thanks to Shabbo for the illumination and to everybody else for your comments.

    RayT

    1. Great puzzle, Ray T. Thank you for the entertainment and for popping in.

  24. Good evening

    I didn’t actually get started on today’s crozzie until 6:45, and I think I’ve done very canny to get done by the back of 8 o’clock!

    I very nearly hoyed the sponge in with the NE quadrant still to go; twigging the sublime 8d saved me from a DNF, as the remaining clues eventually revealed themselves. Only my last to fall, 10a, proved the trickiest.

    COTD goes to 20d. Hilarious!

    Many thanks to the Mighty Mr T and to Shabbo.

  25. Enjoyed this solve despite the gripe trap! 😎

    Harder than a * for me. Kicked myself for not getting 18d as quickly as I should.

    Thanks to all.

  26. A brisk trouble free solve apart from also falling into the gripe pit & only clambering out once I pegged the last in 23a lurker. 1a put me in a good mood because it prompted a blast of Ben E King followed by a few tunes of Santana’s album of that name.
    Thanks to Ray T & to Shabbo

  27. Very enjoyable and completed early this morning too much has happened in between to remember specifics. This is my first chance to comment.

    Thank you to Ray T for giving me an enjoyable start to the day and to Shabbo for the hints.

  28. I’ll echo what MissTFide said @27.

    My only question is why does 23a need “possibly” as part of the definition?

    1. Hi RD, 23a is used in the case name of criminal trials, in which sense it doesn’t mean playing.

  31. A late comment from me to say how much I have enjoyed this wonderful puzzle.
    As is usual for me with this setter, I find I am hard pressed to select stand-out clues. I have chosen 10a, 12a. 13a, and 27a and 1d, 7d, 14d and 20d.
    Many appreciative thanks to RayT for a super cryptic.
    And much appreciation too to Shabbo for the excellent review which I enjoyed reading but didn’t need. I really liked the illustrations — 18d made me chuckle as I’ve recently had a tooth out! Talk about fellow feeling!

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