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DT 28321

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28321

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

 

Kia ora from Aotearoa.
Jay had us scratching our heads for a little longer than is often the case and, as usual, we found plenty to enjoy in the puzzle.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Acquisition of property that’s buy-to-let experiencing a turnaround? (4-8)
HIRE-PURCHASE : Take a word that means buy and another that means ‘to let’ or lease and give the answer a turnaround by putting the ‘let’ word first. We get a deferred payment means of acquisition.

9a     Feeling fine at heart — before instruction (9)
INTUITION : Take the two central letters (at heart) of fine, and then instruction or teaching.

10a     Tree line in front of bridge (5)
LARCH : The abbreviation for line and then a type of curved bridge.

11a     Shy ostler’s regularly absent animal (6)
COYOTE : A synonym for shy or reticent and then the first, third and fifth letters of ostler.

12a     Distinction of artist thus initially ignored (8)
EMINENCE : Tracey is the first name of this artist, and then a word meaning thus or therefore loses its first letter. We’ve put in a picture relating to the wordplay rather than the answer for this one.

13a     Queen must be put on second heart (6)
TICKER : A second or short period of time and Her Majesty’s royal cipher.

15a     Dares to change round suitable plugs like these (8)
ADAPTERS : An anagram (to change) of DARES surrounds a three letter word for suitable.

18a     Single person‘s back shortly after outing in car (8)
SPINSTER : A pleasure trip in a car, and then the back of a ship loses its last letter.|

19a     Electrician from recreation area on board ship (6)
SPARKS : The abbreviation for a steam ship surrounds a recreation area.

21a     Something left out from old assignment (8)
OMISSION : The abbreviation for old and an assignment that James Bond might have undertaken.

23a     Characteristic of group born in court action (6)
TRIBAL : A hearing held in a court contains the one letter abbreviation for born.

26a     Crustacean that’s yet to be cooked in case of poison (5)
PRAWN : A word meaning yet to be cooked is inside the first and last letters (case) of poison.

27a     Sloth, for example, of dreary son at home (6,3)
DEADLY SIN : A word that can mean dreary or very boring, then the abbreviation for son and the two letter ‘at home’ word.

28a     Illustration in book of head one’s cut (12)
FRONTISPIECE : The head or foremost part, then the Roman numeral one with its ‘S’ and a word for a cut or portion.

Down

1d     Bob, perhaps, is dry (and cold) in shed (7)
HAIRCUT : Inside a word for a shed or simple building we have a word to dry out and the abbreviation for cold.

2d     Bad-tempered teetotaller covered in fish (5)
RATTY : The two letters signifying teetotal are inside a flat fish.

3d     What blunt instrument is serving no purpose? (9)
POINTLESS : An instrument lacking a sharp end could be so described.

4d     Manage to cross island devastation (4)
RUIN : The one letter abbreviation for island is inside a word meaning to manage.

5d     Personally developed hotel with bonkers European (8)
HANDMADE : The letter that is hotel in the phonetic alphabet, then a synonym for ‘with’, next a word meaning bonkers or crazy and finish with the abbreviation for European.

6d     Hairdresser’s a student cutting boy (5)
SALON : A boy or male offspring contains ‘A’ from the clue and the abbreviation for learner.

7d     Possible delusion that’s big in France and half of Europe (8)
GRANDEUR : A French word for big and then the first three letters of Europe.

8d     Tears from quiet Liverpool fans (6)
SHREDS : An exhortation to be quiet and then a name for Liverpool fans based on the colour of their team’s strip.

14d     Detached building for visiting doctors, by a lake (8)
CLINICAL : The place where you might go for medical attention, ‘A’ from the clue and the abbreviation for lake.

16d     Stationery article found in FT magazine? (5,4)
PAPER CLIP : What the Financial Times is an example of, and then a magazine that can be attached to a firearm.

17d     Indebted blonde foolishly keeping the man up (8)
BEHOLDEN : A third person masculine pronoun is reversed inside an anagram (foolishly) of BLONDE.

18d     Vessels of kitchen waste full of oxygen (6)
SLOOPS : The chemical symbol for oxygen is inside kitchen waste.

20d     Quiet — the French must be in because … (7)
SILENCE : The French definite article is inside a word for because or ‘seeing that’.

22d     … noises on arrival will reveal sound equipment (5)
SONAR : A lurker hiding in the first second and third words of the clue.

24d     Add liquid while cooking low, maintaining temperature (5)
BASTE : A synonym for low or ignoble contains the abbreviation for temperature.

25d     This person’s turned up holding silver gift-carriers (4)
MAGI : ‘This person is’ can be expressed in a 1’1 form. Reverse this and put it outside the chemical symbol for silver.

We seem to have chosen 1a quite a lot as our favourite lately, so today we will go to the other end of the grid and choose 28a.

Quickie pun     array    +    need    +    hay    =    a rainy day

87 comments on “DT 28321

  1. 2*/4*. Another fine puzzle from our Wednesday setter. My only reservation today relates to 12a for which I question if the appellation artist is a true reflection of the person concerned.

    28a was my last one in and 1a was my favourite.

    Many thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

    1. RD. I suppose contemporary or installation artist would be a more suitable description. But I wouldn’t describe a lot of that stuff as “real” art – just junk.

    2. In my view, if it’s something I could produce, it’s not art! – and I certainly don’t have any problem leaving my bed unmade! Thanks to the 2Ks for much needed help.

      1. Well, whatever one thinks of her work, it is undeniable that she is someone who makes her living form what are commonly accepted (and paid for) as artworks, so I can’t wee that the clue is in any way unfair!

      2. Well, whatever one thinks of her work, it is undeniable that she is someone who makes her living form what are commonly accepted (and paid for) as artworks, so I can’t see that the clue is in any way unfair!

    3. By a strange coincidence, I am going to see “Art” at The Old Vic tonight. It’s a comedy built around the discussion between three friends after one of them purchases a pure white painting by a fashionable artist for a six figure sum. One of the men describes the picture as “s***”, with the third member of the trio sitting on the fence between the two extremes. According to the reviews the witty dialogue includes an exploration of the concept of value in relation to “fine art”.

      Mmm… I’m looking forward to it.

      1. Hope you enjoy the show. I see that one of the principal actors is the excellent Paul Ritter, so it ought to be good.

        I have to confess that the one and only time I’ve been to The Old Vic was to see Macbeth, and I fell asleep halfway through! I was only twelve at the time though.

      2. RD. But that picture you’re on about is a painting of an Arctic fox, with its back to you, stood in front of a 20 foot snowdrift – obviously! :-)

  2. An enjoyable puzzle not too taxing. The only one to present any problems was 28a, never heard the word before, but easily worked out from the clue. Favourites were 1a and 20d. Many thanks to Jay and to 2Kiwis.

  3. An enjoyable uninterrupted start to the day. I long for the day that I get Coyote as an answer so that I can use Joni Mitchell’s song as performed at The Last waltz. Thanks to Jay for the brain exercise and thanks to the 2ks for the review. What an excellent illustration for 16d.

    1. I’m a massive Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell fan – she is the greatest female singer, songwriter and musician of all time in my book. I reckon her lyrics are just as good, if not better, than BD’s. Would you agree?

      1. They each have their place in the world of literature. Only one of them has ever been considered for a Nobel prize in Literature. I leave it to others to decide

        1. The Nobel committee picked the wrong Dylan for the literature prize. “And death shall have no dominion.”

          Zimmerman was a fan of his.

    2. There’s also a half-way readable novel by John Dufresne called “No Regrets, Coyote” which I bought simply for the title, thinking it may have some link to Joni’s song. It doesn’t

    3. Jay on top form, and me loving it. All good, no bad, no favourites. Ta to the Ks and Mr Mutch. 1*/4*

  4. Similar standard to yesterday’s puzzle for me and a 2.5*/4****, good start to the week continues.
    Can’t remember seeing 28a in the printed word so the checking letters played their part, the 22d ‘lurker’ was the last in.
    Liked the surface of 7d with reference to’delusions of ‘ and14a.Don’t think I saw the bed,but I did see the ‘ bricks’- no further comment.
    Thought 8d would be difficult for non football fans-might watch the game tonight!

    1. Not a football fan but, having been brought up in Wilmslow, I always associate ‘reds and blues’ with M/cr Utd and M/cr City. Confuses the heck out of me that Liverpool and Everton opted for the same colour choices!

    2. The bricks were on display in The Tate Modern the last time I visited. They still hold a fascination for most people and are the subject of a lot of debate. I am a fan if only for the outrage caused at the price paid. Tracey Emin’s bed was a stroke of genius for the same reasons. Both works drew in the public who were able to view lots of other stuff. Art for arts sake. Ars longa vita brevis.

  5. This one put up a bit of a struggle after the last two days write ins.
    Things might have gone quicker if I had got 5d correct. A nice brain teaser though.
    ***/**** for me though.
    Many thanks to the 2KS and to Jay for providing some real head scratching moments.

  6. Like some others I have never heard of 28A, had the last part but couldn’t parse the first bit. Liked 1A & 1D, many thanks to the setter & the 2 KS for an excellent review.

  7. I’m kicking myself for not getting 1d, as I was convinced that it referred to some particular Robert .Otherwise , plain sailing and enjoyable.
    Thanks to both Kiwis and Jay.
    Winter vomiting bug is rampant here and I am feeling quite unwell. I hope it doesn’t last long.

      1. Thank you Hoofy , and I am glad to say I have .I hope you make a speedier recovery than HM did. I had a terrible cough some years ago and was visited by a tiny Chinese doctor who prescribed Ventalin . along with antibiotics. It worked like a treat , the cough was gone in two days .Best doctor ever , she knelt at my feet !

  8. Another good puzzle from Jay, my only objection (as with other commenters) is the use of ‘artist’ for the lady in question at 12a. I would classify her offerings, along with several others I could name, as fine examples of the emperor’s new clothes.

    Took far longer than it should have done to get 1a and to remember the ‘magazine’ in 16d but the remainder was fairly plain sailing.
    Podium places go to 1&26a plus 24d.

    Thanks to Jay and to our 2Ks – missed your usual flora and fauna report!

  9. Enjoyable puzzle for my earlybird flight to snow bound Zurich…always appreciate the free bottle of water with the DT at airports.
    I guessed 1a, but couldn’t see the logic until reading BD. Opposite for 28a where I derived the answer, but have never seen the word before.
    I liked the mis-direction in 1d & 8d (less crying from Liverpool fans this season – though still 5 points behind Chelsea…).

    1. I find it somewhat amusing the price of the freebie is more than the newspaper and that the offer is not reversed – free newspaper with purchase of a bottle of water!

  10. **/**** for me. Completed comfortably before lights out last night; a very enjoyable puzzle. While my answer for 12a was correct, I did not ‘get’ the parsing, so thanks to the 2Ks for explaining that. Apparently, I am not ‘up to speed’ on modern artists.

    Long favourites 1a and 28a – of course, they are non-anagrams. Short favourites 22d and 24d.

    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  11. Not comfortable with 12a,but otherwise slightly easier than most of the recent Wednesday ‘s offerings .Thoroughly enjoyable **/**** Liked 1,14 and 24d .Thanks to the setter and the 2Ks

  12. It took a while but I got there in the end and managed without hints. Both 1a and 1d took a while as well as 12a. However I really enjoyed it and love Kiwis’ 3d photo.
    Thanks to setter and Kiwis.

  13. As always a good Wednesday crossword.
    As always, again, I got completely stuck for far too long with my last few answers.
    I had the right answer for 12a but couldn’t see why and I ended up in a pickle as to why my 28a was right – missed the ‘cut’ which was dim.
    I’ve been ‘had’ by the 1d ‘Bob’ and the 13a ‘heart’ SO many times but was still foxed by them both again today.
    I had to ask Mr Google what the Liverpool fans are called.
    I liked 1 and 27a and 5 and 16d. My favourite was 7d.
    Thanks to Jay and to the K’s.

    1. “I had to ask Mr Google what the Liverpool fans are called.” I hope you had your parental filters set!

  14. Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this one. Lots of witty clues and ‘penny drop’ moments. Needed the blog to fully understand ‘paper clip’. Thanks to all involved.

  15. Probably the most enjoyable puzzle of the year for me, bit of head scratching, misdirection and good fun.
    Held up at one point by trying to get an anagram of yet inside P…N for 26a
    1d a definite favourite as it brought back lovely memories from my youth of Purdey

    Thank Jay and thanks the 2Kiwis

  16. A somewhat daunting first impression but as is so often the case “patience gains the day” and a successful conclusion was enjoyably reached. Needed help parsing 16d which was unknown to me – I had merely tried to justify a newspaper cutting synonym. 22d bunged in without clocking the lurker. Thanks Jay and the 2Ks.

  17. After finishing but not feeling satisfied with the last two puzzles I was definitely happy with this offering from Jay. Sparkling stuff as usual from my favourite compiler. Too many good clues for a favourite.

  18. Phew! I found that quiet tricky 😏 ***/**** Favourite 14d & 29a, with a sneaking admiration for 25d my last one in 😜 Thanks as always to Jay and the 2 x Ks for brightening a Winter Wednesday as we await the cold snap! 😨 Interesting to see that you follow 3d in the land of the long white cloud! 😳

  19. Clever, entertaining, witty and satisfying. A cracking puzzle from Jay, with no real obscurities and lots to enjoy. Difficult to pick a favourite from so many winners but I will nominate 7 down.

    Many thanks to Jay for cheering up this gale-swept Wednesday afternoon, and to the 2Ks for a fine review.

  20. Poor Tracy; if she creates stuff, calls it art and people buy it thinking it’s art, then who are we to disagree? Personally I think there is a lot of dodgy stuff in the Tate.
    Anyway, thanks for explain 13a – my last in. I didn’t twig the tick bit.
    And thanks to Jay for the usual Wednesday fair.

  21. I liked 26a because like Werm, I tried to wriggle ‘yet’ in there first.

    Didn’t know the 28a word and was left feeling guilty believing that somehow I should have known.

    I first tried to work a Canadian rapper artist into 12a until I remembered Tracy. From the conversation, I realise I must have a fairly liberal definition of art. I’m happy there are people like her.

    I liked 8d – but then I’m not a Liverpool fan.

    Many thanks Jay and 2Kiwis

  22. I agree with Werm – best puzzle of the year to date. Needed some breakfast and a second sitting to finish it off 2.5/4 for me. 1 ac and 8d for me.

  23. Rushing through this before heading to Fort Lauderdale airport to pick up our friends, so thinking head not on right. Found this **** difficulty. After reading 2 KiWis hints for the across clues it all came together, phew. Thank you, would have given up today.

  24. All good and well until I fell over at 28a, putting ‘*****al’ for ‘head’. How long did I waste staring blankly at 25d… way too long.
    As for some ‘art’ – I love it when cleaners tidy it up and chuck it away.
    Thanks to setter and 2Ks for setting me right. ***/***

  25. It took me a long time to get back into Jay’s wavelength, but once I was there, things started to fall into place.
    I think the bottom half was easier, so once I had completed that, I could readdress the top.
    I rather liked 26a, but my fave was 7d.
    Thanks to Jay and to 2Kiwis for the hints.

    This is for all the dog people here:
    http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur

  26. ***/****. Very enjoyable if a bit trickier than the usual Wednesday fare. Favourite was 1a. Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  27. Not been on here for a while, due to an easy run since Christmas. I found today’s a tad more difficult but once I realised many of the clues involve letters within others ( yes, I know all answers do, don’t be pedantic!), it somehow fell into place. So it’s a 3*/4* from me.

  28. Tracey Emin has a Master of Arts degree from the Royal College of Painting. She was Professor of Drawing somewhere. She has had major exhibitions around the world. She is mostly known for two works. The Unmade Bed and Everybody I Have Ever Slept With. There is a much larger body of work which Tracey Emin has created. I do not understand the opprobrium

    1. Yes, whatever one thinks of her work, it is undeniable that she is someone who makes her living from what are commonly accepted (and paid for) as artworks, so I can’t see that the clue is in any way unfair!

  29. Very enjoyable, once I got started and having properly read some of the clues a couple of Duh! moments, but great puzzle none the less 3*/4* .

  30. I had lots to do today, tax return, passport renewal etc.

    Decided to do the crossword intstead so was mildly amused by 27a.

    On the upside, all completed….on the iPad…..thank you HIYD

        1. I use a common or garden laptop and the DT website.
          I think all I suggested was calling the DT to see if they recommend an alternative to Flashplayer, which like my phone, does not work on an iPad. Without it, it won’t work.

  31. I thought today’s offering from Jay was very good. An excellent selection of clues led to a bit more thought being necessary. 14d was my favourite and overall 3/4*. I must say
    I am a bit surprised at 28a being an unknown, but there you go.
    Thanks to Jay, and to the folks from down there for their review.
    PS. miffypops comment 29, spot on!

  32. When we were writing the hint for 12a the observation was made that we had a clue that would stir up the commenters. Nice to see that we got that right. However the first thing to look at this morning was whether any of the seafarers were going to take us to task about the pic for 18d. Looks like we got that one right too as we would have heard by now if it was the wrong class of vessel illustrated.
    Sounds like you have some dodgy weather coming your way so stay warm and dry everyone.
    Cheers.

  33. After a couple of slightly below par Wednesday offerings in my opinion, I thought that Jay was back on top form today, an excellent puzzle in virtually every respect, save for the repetition of “cut” and “cutting” as insertion indicators. Possibly the best example I’ve ever seen of an ellipsis linked pair of clues (in 20d and 22d).

    I ticked four clues, 13a, 1d, 6d and 8d. Superbly enjoyable overall.

    Surprised that Banksie didn’t leap to the defence of his fellow artist, Ms. Emin at Comment 31 (Okay, I know it’s Banksy really!).

    Many thanks to Mr. Mutch and to Colin and Carol.

        1. What…is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
          What do you mean, an African or a European swallow?

    1. Like your name.
      Genesis.
      “Was it summer when the river ran dry, or was it just another dam??”

  34. Crossword setting is definitely an art and generates mixed reactions too.
    I thought this Jay was just perfect.
    Very witty and smooth surface.
    A real joy from start to finish.
    Thanks to Jay and to 2kiwis for the review.

  35. Crossword solving is certainly unpredictable. Somehow I was right on wavelength today and fairly sprinted through this one, getting it filled and parsed in what is for me a record time. Great fun was had while doing that, so it has to be */****.

    I particularly enjoyed 11a, 12a (happy to see “artist” clueing something other than “RA”), 26a, 14d, and 16d. Biggest smile was actually for 3d because Kitty had, a few hours earlier and totally by chance, shared an amusing anagram of that word (as one might expect given the source it’s a bit risque). Favourite today is 26a for the penny drop upon realizing that an anagram of yet was not one of the answer ingredients.

    Thanks to Jay and 2Ks both for brightening up my Wednesday.

  36. Another cracking Wednesday offering, though I did need a few of the 2xK’s hints to parse some of the answers.
    Thanks to all concerned….

  37. A good, solid Wednesday offering, probably about a ** for difficulty. Last in 14d, though why it took me so long to think of the building used in the cryptic part I don’t know. 28ac, by some miracle, I could spell, even though I thought I couldn’t.

  38. I too was bang on wavelength, so 1*/3.5* for my money. I had little approving ticks against 9a, 5d and 24d. Thanks to Jay, and to the 2 Kiwis.

  39. Thanks to Jay and to the 2 Kiwis for the review and hints. A super puzzle as usual from Jay. I found the top half more difficult than the bottom half. 26a made me laugh. Last in was 14d. Favourite was 28a, haven’t heard of that word in years. Was 2*/4* for me.

  40. I was just so bad at this….not on the wavelength at all (or stupid, see yesterday).
    Only managed the bottom half really.
    Had another go at it this morning and no better.
    Sigh.

    Thanks to the setter and to the 2Kiwis .Needed the hints for 9 clues …certainly 2017’s current personal best(worst).

    PS I cannot see the art in the unmade bed or the tent with lovers names in it either. I expect that confirms my philistine status.

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