DT 28152 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 28152

DT Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28152

Hints and tips by ShropshireLad

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

Good Morning from an extremely muggy Shropshire. Today’s puzzle appears to me to be somewhat of a curate’s egg. I enjoyed the solve, but having completed the review I’m now not so sure. I’ll leave you guys to make up your own mind on that.

I hope my hints and tips help you solve the puzzle (that is if you need them), the definitions are underlined and if all else fails – the answers can be viewed by clicking on the grey ‘Click here!’ button.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a    Partner to dash round record storage site (5)
DEPOT: The partner to ‘dash’ in the Morse code containing (round) an old style vinyl record. This was my first in and is still my favourite.

4a    Obscure muscles displayed by acrobat’s last trick (8)
ABSTRUSE: One of the usual abbreviations for ‘muscles’ (not pecs) with the last letter of ‘acrobat’ and a 4 letter synonym for ‘trick’.

10a    A largely outspoken party of greenish hue (7)
AVOCADO: Tale the ‘A’ from the clue and add an adjective meaning outspoken and remove the last letter (largely outspoken) and add a 2 letter synonym for ‘party’. The first house I bought had this colour suite in the bathroom.

11a    Reportedly recognised gesture in avant-garde group (3,4)
NEW WAVE: A homophone (reportedly) of ‘recognised’ and a hand gesture.

12a    Official covering English bank (4)
REEF: The official here has been appearing in the ‘Euro 2016’ competition in various eye catching colours of dress and he contains (covering) the abbreviation for ‘English’.

13a    Retired peer with line that’s comical (5)
DROLL: A member of the Upper House reversed (retired peer) and the abbreviation for ‘line’.

14a    Helpful sort (4)
KIND: Double definition.

17a    Good to wear it on beach — must when swimming! (7,7)
BATHING COSTUME: Here, the whole clue is the definition and the wordplay – take the abbreviation for ‘good’ and insert it into (to wear) the anagram (swimming) of IT ON BEACH MUST.

19a    Set of steps to manoeuvre for crew member (6,8)
FLIGHT ENGINEER: A synonym for a ‘set of steps’ and add a term for ‘to arrange or contrive’ a situation (manoeuvre).

22a    Exotic sport backed in boom usually (4)
SUMO: A reverse ‘lurker’.

23a    Dress creating fuss before service (5)
ADORN: Take a synonym for a ‘fuss’ and add an abbreviation for the ‘Senior Service’. I struggled a bit trying to write the hint as I don’t think ‘creating fuss’ works without an ‘a’.

24a    Nut without a second piece of tobacco (4)
CHEW: Take a type of ‘nut’ that can be eaten and remove (without) the ‘a’ from the clue and the abbreviation of ‘second’. Not sure about this being a ‘piece of tobacco’.

27a    Customer that’s habitually appearing in periodical (7)
REGULAR: Double definition.

28a    Vessels entering river in huge area (7)
EXPANSE: The vessels required here can be found in the kitchen and they are inserted into (entering) a river in the South West.

29a    Old man in sham woolly shawl (8)
PASHMINA: Affectionate term for ‘old man’ is followed by an anagram (woolly) of IN SHAM.

30a    Affectedly pretty type’s first to use social medium (5)
TWEET: Take a synonym for ‘affectedly pretty’ and add the first letter of ‘type’ (type’s first).

Down

1d    Big tirade put out with no end of ranting? (8)
DIATRIBE: Another one where the whole clue is the definition with the wordplay of an anagram (put out) of BIG TIRADE with the last letter of ranting removed (with no end of ranting).

2d    Annoying person defending nonsense in demonstration (7)
PROTEST: A 4 letter word for an ‘annoying person’ surrounding’ (defending) a synonym for ‘nonsense;.

3d    Drink close to park in wood (4)
TEAK: The drink here is seen as Britain’s favourite brew with the last letter of ‘park’ (close to park).

5d    Unusually beloved nun fears rejecting a timid type (6,2,6)
BUNDLE OF NERVES: An anagram (unusually) of BELOVED NUN FEARS but without the ‘a’ from the clue (rejecting a).

6d    Pull shown by Northern community (4)
TOWN: A synonym for ‘pull’ e.g. ‘to drag behind’ with the abbreviation for ‘Northern’.

7d    Metal found in heart of crust (7)
URANIUM: The ‘metal’ here is a radioactive metallic element (atomic no 92) which is shown by the middle letter of ‘crust’ (found in the heart of).

8d    Correct pieces penned by journalist (5)
EMEND: The ‘pieces’ here would be found on a chessboard and are contained in (penned by) our usual abbreviated ‘journalist’. Just to set the ball rolling – why are chess pieces always in the masculine when they have a Queen in their ranks?

9d    Decorator ruing working in very strong material (10,4)
CORRUGATED IRON: An anagram (working) of DECORATOR RUING.

15d    Wine container, say, overturned in indulgent bout (5)
BINGE: A case or stand that bottled wine is kept in (wine container) with the abbreviation for ‘say’ reversed (say, overturned).

16d    Uncover set of cartoons (5)
STRIP: A double definition.

18d    Bully tired after start of belligerent argument (8)
BROWBEAT: A 4 letter synonym for ‘tired’ follows (after) the first letter of ‘belligerent’ and a synonym for an ‘argument’.

20d    Go miles off course in French city (7)
LIMOGES: An anagram (off course) of GO MILES.

21d    Improve two bridge players with luck initially deficient (7)
ENHANCE: The two bridge players here are not partners and are followed by synonym for ‘luck’ minus its first letter (luck initially deficient).

22d    Something sweet in your short parting drink (5)
SYRUP: Take an abbreviation of ‘your’ (your short) and insert (parting) it in a verb ‘to drink’.

25d    Choice fruit (4)
PLUM: Another double definition.

26d    Row of listening devices turned up (4)
SPAT: Listening devices that are usually put on phones to overhear conversations – reversed (listening devices turned up).

Well, there you are. As I said in the review 1a is my favourite of the day – which one(s) tickled your fancy?


The Quick Crossword pun: simper+thighs=sympathise


80 comments on “DT 28152

  1. I pretty much agree with my slightly older fellow Salopian on this one. Nothing too taxing, but perhaps lacking some sparkle? 1 across certainly my favourite clue for its simplicity, humour and cleverness.

    2*/2.5* overall with thanks all round. At least we can now enjoy the football without worrying about England. We can all find some Welsh blood in us if we look deep enough.

  2. With you all the way on this one, SL. Thought we were in for some fun after solving 1a (my favourite) but somehow the rest of it didn’t quite live up to expectations.
    Wasn’t at all sure about 24a – is that actually a term that is/was used to describe a piece of tobacco?

    Thanks to Mr. Ron and to SL – loved the cartoon and, yes, I have also been the ‘proud’ owner of an avocado bathroom suite!

    1. I tried to make 24a using an ‘a’ rather than an ‘e’ as this is usually used to refer to tobacco, but I agree that this doesn’t fit the logic of the clue.

      BRB does confirm the tobacco connection, though for either word.

  3. I quite enjoyed this. I liked 1a, but I also liked 17a.

    Thanks to setter, and to SL for the review.

  4. SL. 10a: Further to your comment, when we bought our first house (1977) the first thing we did was to install a lovely 10a coloured bathroom suite (all the rage in the 70s) with beautiful polished brass taps and other metal fitments. We thought it was the bee’s knees! When we sold it in 2007, the young couple also loved it and today, 39 years later, it’s still going strong! Great days, those were – I’m getting all nostalgic now… The crossword? I haven’t it started yet…

    1. Yes, 10a was everywhere in the 1970s, bathrooms, kitchens, pots and pans; that and Harvest Gold!

  5. A very welcome distraction on the train from London to the borders where I shall borrow a Welsh football scarf ASAP.

    I also enjoyed 1a, but 4a was my favourite.

    Thanks to Mr Ron and SL.

  6. 1A is my favorite. In fact it’s the only one I ticked. Not much more to say. Thanks SL and setter.

  7. I really struggled to get on the setter’s wavelength today, and on my first pass had just two answers written in. Then suddenly everything fell into place.

    I had thought 17a was a very weak clue but I see from the review that I had missed that it was an anagram as well as an all-in-one. In common with several previous commenters, 1a was my favourite with 7d runner-up.

    Many thanks to Mr Ron and to SL.

  8. I didn’t get 1a at all and put it in after getting the crossing letters so thanks for the explanation. I thought it **/*** and my favourite clues were 15d (last in) and 27. Thanks all.

  9. Took me a while to get going with this one but once the long anagrams were sorted it all fell in to place reasonably quickly. Slightly trickier than some recent Tuesday crosswords in my view. In fact, it took longer to solve than today’s Toughie.

    Thanks to the setter and ShropshireLad for the entertaining review/hints

  10. Not saying this just to be different but I rather enjoyed today’s crossword.
    Just the right level of difficulty unlike the so called toughie.
    Ticked 4a (obscure muscles), 19a (set of steps) and 23a (dress creating fuss) and 18d (bully tired) which gets the top prize.
    Would have liked to have England against France in the quarter finals. Honestly.
    Thanks to the setter and to SL for the review.

  11. Nice puzzle which took me a little longer than today’s toughie.

    I liked 1a (partner to dash round…), 7d (metal found in heart of crust), 24d (nut without a second piece of tobacco). I thought some clues might have been at home in a toughie. I also liked the long clues, especially the anagrams – these helped a lot with checkers for the remaining clues.

    Many thanks SL and setter

  12. Well it was different today and agree with S.L. that it was ‘good in parts’ a **/*** for me as there were some well thought out clues-liked 7d- when the penny dropped.
    Regarding 24a, wondered if it had anything remotely to do with the Starwars Wookiee-Chewbacca !, would have made a most aposit blog pic !

  13. No real hold ups with today’s offering. As has been said, a bit of a curate’s egg.
    1a was fave and overall 2/3*.
    Thanks to Mr Ron and to SL for his review.

  14. I enjoyed this in two parts before and after mowing the field and the lawns. I got the some answers incorrect banner for corriging my corrug. If any of you see Saint Sharon please tell her to hurry home. I need the channel changing on the TV so I can watch some proper tennis instead of the ladies patting the ball to each other.

    1. I’ve asked her to dash home! BTW, when can we expect some updated pics of grandson!

      1. I would love to post some Merusa but my phone won’t talk to my computer so it does not upload them. The tennis is ok now the men have come on.

  15. I found this a pretty gentle puzzle with some nice touches. I liked the partner to dash in 1a and the clever 17a. Also 1d which, with 2d, seems rather appropriate.

    Many thanks to Mr Ron and Shropshirelad. Re your comment on 8d: I agree, notwithstanding the fact that you can have male queens!

    P.S. The “Toughie” today has been renamed a “Comfy” by Sue. Do come over and join our Tuesday Toughie club. We have cake. :yes:

  16. After an easy two or three crossword days over the weekend, I found this a bit trickier. Although I got 17a, had to go to the blog for an explanation. Enjoyed the clue anyway. Also enjoyed 10a and 29a. Thanks to Shropshire Lad. Will now attempt the Toughie.

  17. Somewhat surprised at the lukewarm reception for this one, I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it had some first-rate constructions, and a particularly interesting set of the less common insertion and containment indicators.

    I thought 1a was a clever touch, and I loved the surface in 8d, but for me the two long anagrams in 17a and 5d were superb and win joint top place on the podium.

    Many thanks to today’s setter and to SL.

    1. I was in a hurry this morning and commented quickly before going out. Reading your comment has made me realise that I didn’t say how much I had enjoyed this puzzle too!

      I’m off to The Oval tomorrow. The match starts at 13:00, and, according to the latest weather forecast, the rain will start at 14:00!

      1. Yes, I did think of you when I saw the latest weather forecast, and the limited covered areas of The Oval can get extremely congested when a capacity crowd is trying to seek refuge from the rain. I know from personal experience.

        I sincerely hope you will see some play, but just looking on the BBC website suggests the rain may have already begun by 13.00, and it looks very doubtful that there will be much, if any action sadly.

        If you’ve already solved tomorrow’s Jay puzzle and the Toughie by the time the rain arrives, and you are looking for something to fill the time, I can recommend a relatively short walk up the road to the Imperial War Museum, which I always find fascinating.

  18. Thanks to Mr Ron and to Shropshire Lad for the review and hints. A very straightforward puzzle, with some good clues. Favourite was 1a, once I’d read the hint, I got the answer but couldn’t see why. Very clever clue. 20d made me laugh. Last in was 26d. Was 2*/3* for me.

  19. Well I must admit that my only criterion for liking a puzzle is whether I can do it or not! I quite liked this one but was a 5d for quite a while trying to work out 19a. The hint provided the necessary squirt of WD40 and got me going again.
    I bunged in 17a and was suitable impressed by the explanation…no idea!
    For some reason I knew 24a, the tobacco stuff…probably through watching far too many westerns on TV in my youth.
    Yes, I too was the proud owner of a sludgy green bathroom in the 80s…So stylish!
    Thank you SL and thanks to the setter.

  20. I enjoyed this, perfect level of difficulty for me.
    Last in was 7d, had no idea why, so thanks to SL for explaining.
    I liked the long anagrams, 17a and 5d in particular.
    Fave was 1a, but 29a running hard on its heels.
    Thanks to setter and to ShropshireLad for the hints.

  21. Like Merusa, we enjoyed this as well. Not too difficult and some satisfying clues. Thanks to Mr Ron and to SL. **/*** from us.

  22. I enjoyed this one over a beer and a baguette on the seafront at Guadamar del Segura. Very pleasant all round.

    1a was favourite but 17a was a very close second. Lots of other good stuff though.

    Thanks to Mr Ron and SL.

    P.S. If anyone wants to break their Toughie duck then today is the day. A very benign but entertaining puzzle from Warbler.

  23. Good afternoon everybody.

    Contrary to others I found this the most difficult back page puzzle for quite some time and more like a Saturday Times puzzle than a Tuesday Telegraph one.

    For sure I was held up by failing to see 5d, 9d and 19a but even standards like 14a were passing me by. Perhaps I was just off form today.

    Ultimately failed only on 15d but that was way into four star time (facilitated by a heavy shower encouraging me to stay longer than usual at the caff) so

    ****/****

  24. I found this very difficult today and needed electronic help and the hints.
    Just not on the setter’s wavelength I think.

    Thanks to ShropshireLad for the hints.

  25. Unlike most others I found this difficult and not helped by misspelling 10a. Some clues were very satisfying but there were others I was totally on the wrong wavelength. Thanks to the setter and SL for the review which was needed today.

  26. It sounds as if I enjoyed this one more than most of the rest of you – I also thought it was a bit trickier than a few recent Tuesday crosswords.
    1a had to be what it was but it took me for ever to work out the ‘partner to dash’ – oh dear – not a good start.
    The second bit of 19a also took a while as did the 24a baccy but it is in BRB as others have said.
    I needed the hint to understand why my answer for 7d was right – that really was just plain dim.
    I liked 4 and 17a and 20d. My favourite was 29a – I should think the old man needs his sham woolly shawl today – it’s cold and wet in Oxford.
    With thanks to Mr Ron and to SL.
    Going to have a go at the Toughie now when I’ve paddled my way up the garden to pick veg for supper.

    1. Don’t worry Kath, ‘partner to dash’ had me scratching the head for a while too. Had to have a second beer!

      7d doesn’t work for me (I’m a chemist). The answer has the symbol U not u.

      1. agreed – and there might have been an indication like ‘represented in the heart of”

  27. A bit middle of the road however pleasant enough. No problem in the West but East did present one or two hitches. Thanks Mr. Ron and SL. **/**. Now back to Wimbledon – thank goodness for the Centre Court roof as it seems rain there is set to last for a while.

    1. Cheers for Centre Court! Last week they warned us that W might be a washout, sad, isn’t it.

      1. Does anyone know what they do if it rains and rains and rains etc etc and they can’t get all the matches played?
        PS I liked the Matt cartoon today.

        1. I like the Matt cartoon every day. Even better today was his second one on p2.

          1. Totally agree RD. After the crosswords and the excellent sports coverage, Matt has to be the best thing in the Telegraph.

        2. I think they simply extend the tournament into a third week, Kath. It has happened very rarely in the past that they have finished on the third Monday.

          If desperate, they could also reluctantly consider playing on the blank middle Sunday, although the forecast doesn’t suggest that the weather will get so bad over the next few days as to contemplate that (tomorrow excepted).

          In London, we must be approaching record rainfall totals for June I reckon.

        3. I remember one year, can’t remember who won, when it rained so much that they eventually had to play on the Monday. They opened the stands to St. Bernard’s and various other charities, and the fans went wild, having a wonderful time. The match went to five sets and lasted forever, it was so exciting. I think one of the finalists was a wild card? Can anyone remember?

          1. Found it, it was 2001 when Goran (unpronounceable name) played Patrick Rafter and won. He wasn’t exactly a wild card but he wasn’t a top seed.

            1. His ranking had dropped to 125, so he wouldn’t have gained automatic entry without being given a wild card.

              1. Aha, so my memory of wild card winning was correct! Not such an old bat after all.

          2. Could it have been 2001 when Ivanisevic (as a wild card) beat Rafter? I do remember that was played on the third Monday.

          3. Ack. Google: “In 2001 the men’s singles final was contested on a Monday for only the third time in Wimbledon’s long history. The other two ‘People’s Mondays’ occurred in 1919 and 1922”.

            Goran Ivanisevic, who was unseeded, beat Pat Rafter.

            Well remembered, Merusa!

              1. And again!

                Perhaps we should come to a more efficient arrangement that you comment on behalf of both of us on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and I comment on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. We can do alternate Sundays.

            1. Funny! Is it St. Bernardos? I’m a bit rusty with my English institutions. Don’t they use them as ballpeople? To be politically correct.

              1. Sorry Merusa – never even thought of Dr Barnados’s. :(

                Cheap shot at humour which has left me with egg on my face.

                1. Not al all. I should have remembered, and I note the spelling. Don’t they use them as ballpersons still?

  28. I didn’t enjoy this particularly today, I couldn’t seem to get on the right wavelength and I found some of the clues obscure. I got 7d from the checkers, understood ‘the heart of crust’ but really didn’t understand the rest of it. I liked 1a and thought 17a was clever but **/*** and ** for me.
    Thanks to setter and SL.

  29. Nice crossword **/*** favourite along with et al 1a. 😊 Also liked 4a & 19a Thanks to
    SL and the setter still 🌧 🐈 & 🐩 here 😥

    1. As CS commented, it’s a ‘comfy’ puzzle. Shouldn’t give you any more trouble than today’s back-pager.

    2. I thought it was quite a clever clue – my only reservation was that you have to ‘capitalise’ the ‘u’ to make it work as an abbreviation.

    3. I’ve done the Toughie and I can’t usually so if I were you I’d have a go – haven’t looked at the hints or comments yet but if Jane and CS call it a ‘comfy’ puzzle I’d go along with that – it’s one that boosts the Toughie morale.

  30. Respect to anyone who found this easy.
    If that’s a (*/**) I don’t want to be around for a (****)!!! Though, I of course understand that the ratings are purely a subjective view.
    Many thanks to SL for the hints, beautifully put together.
    Thanks to AN Other for the puzzle.

  31. We definitely are with those who enjoyed this puzzle. Some really clever clues in there we thought and the two best of the bunch were 1a and 17a. All the long anagrams took a bit of thinking about which we find satisfying.
    Thanks Mr Ron and SL.

    1. Excuse me – there I was thinking that I was the best of the ‘Bunch’ – sorry to those who don’t understand that bit.

      1. The pun never occurred to me when I was writing that, but it did come to mind that it might have been interpreted as having two ‘favourites’. :smile:

  32. A nice challenge that wasn’t too difficult, but didn’t fall too easily either. I would have finished quicker if I hadn’t convinced myself that the enumeration for 9d wasn’t the other way round…

  33. I struggled with this a bit today. I didn’t get 1a, but having looked at the review, admit it was a good clue. I think 22d was my favourite. Thank you Shropshirelad and setter.

  34. I did this one yesterday afternoon and thought it was very good. Not massively difficult but enjoyable to solve. 2.5*/3*

  35. SL. At a pinch, couldn’t 27a be read as another of those rare triple definitions – split up as customer/habitually appearing/periodical all = regular? That’s if customer in isolation is a definition of (a) regular, which might be pushing it a bit. Just a thought…

    1. I see where you’re coming from José, but it doesn’t really work with ‘customer’ standing alone as a definition for ‘regular’. A customer is just that – he/she could go into the shop only once so couldn’t be regarded as a regular. Hope that makes sense :)

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