DT 28242

63 comments on “DT 28242”

1. Yes, a very easy puzzle today – a R&W really. Well, time for the toughie today then!

2. Just enough of a challenge today but no particular Fav. I would say that a 2d isn’t necessarily “small” and having lived in New York I can vouch for that! Thanks Mr.Ron and BD for being on hand in case of need. **/***.

   1. I’m the undefined one – I forget sometimes I have to fill in my identity. Sorry.

      1. Oh dear my request to delete my follow up Comment was obviously refused!

         1. Not refused – just missed!

3. A straight forward solve easily completed without having to resort to the hints.Many thanks to the setter & BD for the review */***

4. I enjoyed this, maybe it was a pleasant respite after the Giovanni today.

   Many thanks setter and BD

5. I agree that this was a straightforward solve today. Must say, I did like 12a so I mark that as my favourite. Thanks to all concerned.

6. Not much of a challenge and a bit disappointing. I did like 12a and 27a. 1.5*/1.5*. Many thanks to the setter and to Big Dave.

7. 1*/3*. I enjoyed this. Yes it was straightforward, but the cluing was clear and precise with good surfaces throughout. 12a was my favourite.

   Many thanks to Mr Ron and to BD.

8. Nice puzzle to come back to after a few days a sea. There is nothing like novice sailors in choppy waters.
   Found this pretty easy I got a bit hung up on 19a but the rest was pretty good.
   Many thanks to BigDave and setter. I bet tomorrow’s crossword Will be a real stinker.

9. I wasn’t disappointed.

   Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave.

10. Straightforward solve, but enjoyable nonetheless 😀 */*** Liked 27a & 10a Thanks to BD for blog and to unknown setter 🤔 Though I am sure someone will name him (or her) ere long! Although setting crosswords does appear to be a male pastime 😏

11. Don’t understand 21a. An article is a newspaper story. Nothing cryptic there. Where is the hint to a second meaning?

    1. Hi Patsyann. “Perhaps a” is the first definition, “a” being the grammatical indefinite article.

12. This lulled me nicely to sleep at silly o’clock after the trauma of the Giovanni. No disappointment from me. I liked 12a.

    Thanks to the setter and BD.

13. Straightforward with some niceties (12a & 27a). Analysis involves a bit more than inspection to me but answer was obvious so not a problem.
    Vintage Matt today I thought.
    Thanks to setter & BD for review.

14. I agree with BD’s comments, not very challenging and not that enjoyable – */** – with some not very well constructed clues, 8d for example.

    Favourite 27a.

    Thanks to Mr Ron and BD.

    1. Me too.

       1. Your comment went into moderation because you had an extra full-stop in your email address.

15. Sparkling crossword. No complaints, bright cluing. Not so much finishing but the process of getting there that was enjoyable. I’ve been through some tricky puzzles that have taken ages to complete and at the end left me with a hollow feeling. This was not one of those on either count. Can’t decide between 12a and 27a as to my favourite. Thanks to BD and the mysterious one.

16. BD’s opening remarks sum this puzzle up for me. Thanks to the setter and BD. I’ll have a lot more to say about today’s Toughie.

17. Well, BD, I am always delighted to finish the puzzle and, after yesterday when I was way off the mark, my confidence was restored a little today although I agree that this solve was not the most difficult. Favourite was 17a, real penny dropper. Thanks, BD (not only for today’s blog but the whole BD experience) and the setter for a gentle tussle.

18. Thanks to Mr Ron and to Big Dave for the hints. I finished it, but I certainly didn’t find it easy. Really enjoyed it. 1d made me laugh, but my favourite was 12a. Last in was 9d. Was 2*/3* for me.

19. No disappointment in this camp – another puzzle that fell nicely into the ‘doesn’t have to be difficult to be enjoyable’ category.
    How nice to see 17a spelled correctly!
    Plenty of clues ticked, with the laurels going to 12a closely followed by 10&27a.

    Thanks to Mr. Ron and to BD.

    1. Yes, re 17a. I meant to remark on the American spelling the other day as I always thought it had an “h” in it, but I am pretty used to it now and don’t recoil every time I see it sans the “h”.

20. Well some of you may not have found this enjoyable, but for me it was immensely pleasurable, as I was able to complete it without any help at all. I can very rarely do so without some electronic help, and/or (mostly and) a visit to this site (yes, I’m a lurker!). Thanks so much to you all for providing the hints – even if I do get the answer I sometimes don’t know why – and my OCD won’t let me relax until I’ve found out. My life changed when I discovered Big Dave!!

    1. Welcome. I think most of us would agree that our crosswording lives changed for the better when we found Big Dave

    2. Welcome to the club! As CS remarks you are most definitely not alone in benefitting from this wonderful site!

    3. Welcome from me too – I echo what crypticsue and Rabbit Dave have said.
       One word of warning – this blog is totally addictive!

21. Not one to frighten any horses but a pleasant enough solve..

    No real favourite but thanks to Mr Ron and BD

22. I liked the butterfly in this very straightforward puzzle. No obscurities, nothing too difficult and overall a little disappointing because it was so comfortable. That said, it was still pleasant to solve and was 1.5*/2.5* for me.

    Thanks to the Tuesday Mysteron and of course BD.

23. I agree that this one was straightforward but I enjoyed it – if all the back page crosswords were tricky it would put off any new solvers.
    Anyway talking about its being straightforward I made a pigs ear of 15a to begin with – I jumped to the wrong conclusion and then spelt it wrong.
    I also got into a minor pickle with 8d.
    I liked 10 and 12a. My favourite was 27a.
    With thanks to Mr Ron and to BD.

    1. Where is the Ted report Kath, is he not a 11d?

       1. Yes – he’s definitely an 11d. He’s SO sweet. Every evening now when we’ve had supper and are sitting watching something on TV he wakes up from lying in front of the fire and puts one foot up onto the sofa beside me, the first foot is followed pretty quickly by a second foot and then, before I know it (well, before he thinks I’ve noticed) he’s up on the sofa with me. This is something that Annie never did because I taught her not to but I just don’t have the heart to stop him – he really needs (and is getting) a bit of spoiling. We (Ted and I) are busy doing stuff in the garden – I’m not getting much done because I keep stopping to throw fall-down apples for him – oh well, too bad!

          1. Love the update! Sadie is allowed on the sitootery sofa but not the sitting room one, but as I so seldom use the sitting room, she doesn’t feel deprived!

             1. Your ‘sitootery’ always makes me laugh – what a brilliant word – just had to tell husband about it.

             2. I wonder if sitootery is a U.S. word because a late very dear friend (married to an American) used it to refer to her garden room.

                1. In my case, it came from Godson’s father who lives near Inverness – it’s where you “sit oot”. Mine is not a real sit oot as Florida is really too hot, but I have Windows all round and it feels like you are sitting oot!

          2. Thank you Kath. Can’t keep up if we are not told!
             Ted is making a strong case I think.

             1. Yes – I think that Ted is making a pretty strong case too, as I would, had I any say in the matter – unfortunately neither of us does. I’ve never even met his owner – it’s a very long and complicated story. It’s far too long and complicated to go into here – everyone would be but thank you so much for your interest and your comments.

24. Yep, the horses are docile. Pleasant enough; the only problem I had was with14d where I insisted on using ACE for expert. As Kath says occasionally, Oh dear.
    Favourite was 27a and 2/2* overall.
    Thanks to the setter and to BD for his review.

25. Yet another crossword to prove that Tuesday is always a very good day.
    Maybe it has to do with the fact that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are my weekend.
    15a and 16d took a little while to parse even though the answers were quite obvious from the definition.
    Good to great surface all round with lots of wit especially in 10a, 27a, 8d and 20d.
    Thanks to Mr Ron and to BD for the review.

26. Going for a **/** , didn’t think the grammar of 8d worked very well-if at all.
    Some amusing clues like 27a and 12a, agree with Kath that straight forward crosswords encourage beginners- imagine if all puzzles were of 5* toughie standard ! Might turn me to drink.

27. This was the most R&W for a while. Nevertheless grateful for a quick finish today as the basement needs a lot of restorative work. Snow expected this week as well which is unusual for the west coast at this time of year. Thanks to all.

28. I’m afraid I’m in the ‘rather mundane’ camp. Not a complaint, mind; they can’t all suit everyone.
    Thanks to all as ever, all the same.

29. I agree with the * difficulty rating, except for 1d! It took me far too long to tumble to the fact that the Scottish party was political! I keep forgetting that Scotland has its own parliament.
    Loved 12a but fave was 27a, following the crowd.
    Thanks to the setter and BD for the hints.

30. I cannot do better than echo the customary wise words of Rabbit Dave, Jane and Jean-Luc, I thought this was as good a Tuesday puzzle as we’ve seen for ages. Like BD, I was prepared to overlook the fact that “alien” was doing double duty in 1a.

    Favourite clues were 12a, 27a, 1d and 8d. Tremendously entertaining and not in the least disappointing for this solver.

    Many thanks to today’s compiler and to BD.

31. Yea!! Only the second one ever fully solved without help.

32. Good afternoon everybody.

    More straightforward than yesterday’s tour de force but one or two clues to think about to finish. Favourite was 1d. I also liked 19a and last in 9a. Thought 2d was a poor clue.

    Thought one of those pangram malarkeys was in prospect but no.

    **/***

33. Hi. Big fan of your site. I guess I know where I am placed in the hierarchy of crossword solvers because I liked this one and very nearly finished it on my own this time. Thanks for 19a, by the way.

    So, on behalf of all the second-rate people out there, thanks and keep on doing what you’re doing.

    Best wishes

    John

    1. Welcome to the blog, John. Now that you’ve introduced yourself I hope that you’ll become a regular commenter.

    2. Welcome from me too and congratulations on nearly finishing it on your own – or, as my Younger Pet Lamb (our younger daughter) would say “all your own self”.
       You’re not second-rate at all – you just haven’t quite got a hold on cryptic crosswords yet – keep reading this brilliant blog and keep commenting, please. If you don’t understand something all you need to do is ask – someone will reply very quickly – usually within minutes, unless you’re in a different time zone in which case it could be a bit longer!

    3. We all had t start somewhere, and it is no way a competition. We may only get 60 or so regular contributors, but the site gets hundreds of thousands of hits each year from solvers of different abilities. I believe that we all improve our solving skills over time, and regular contributing to the blog reminds us all that we are only as good as our last crossword.

       Welcome, John, and keep coming back.

34. Struggled a bit but got there in the end. We didn’t find as easy as most of you. Thanks to Mr Ron & BD.

35. On the easy side, but there’s nothing wrong with that. A perfectly fine crossword that I should have finished in * time, but didn’t. Blame the children…

36. Mostly straightforward, but I have never heard or read 9a.

37. Very enjoyable puzzle which I really needed on a trying morning making me very grumpy. Need to finish packing for a trip, a task I loathe, which is odd given that I love traveling, even airports. Almost didn’t get 17a as I have become used to the American spelling but still use the English pronounciation.

38. I really miss doing the DT crossword now I’m working, I went through the hints and thought 21a was a very good clue. Looking forward to Saturday and Sunday, then holiday in Turkey next week.
    Thanks to BD and Mr.Ron..

    1. How is the job going? Most importantly, do you enjoy it? Fingers crossed for you.

       1. That’s very kind of you to ask, Merusa.
          Early days, Southern trains and the RMT are adding a certain ‘piquancy’ to the experience.
          Hopefully, I won’t have to work for too much longer, then I can retire and do the things I enjoy.

39. Completed amid much excitement at the arrival at 10.20pm of a new grandchild – and the first grandson. He will get a Tottenham babygrow from me (if his dad hasn’t got there first). I liked this puzzle and found half to be R&W but the other half evoked some pencil sucking. 27a is my pick of the pops. Thanks to BD and our setter, who is welcome back any time. 2*/3*

40. This one was very mild, but enjoyable to solve. 1.5*/2.5*.

Comments are closed.