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DT 28363

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28363

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty *Enjoyment ****

 

Kia ora from Aotearoa.
We were not going to mention our weather again this week but it is so spectacularly wonderful at present that we could not ignore it. When we woke this morning there was almost zero visibility because of a thick fog from the river. Once the sun came up it soon burned this off and we have a calm, warm, sunny day once again. Summer has certainly been late coming this year but is making up for it now.
We fairly romped through this one without much to hold us up at all but, particularly when we were putting the hints together, we appreciated how clever so many of the clues are so have given Jay a big enjoyment score.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Expensive car dumped in dock is object of pursuit (6)
QUARRY : Dock is where a ship might be tied up and this surrounds the abbreviation for a luxury car.

4a     Stand and train to use this pull-up? (8)
PLATFORM : This could be where a railway train stops for passengers.

9a     Sets in wood perhaps, popular with amateur bowlers, ultimately (6)
INLAYS : A short word meaning popular, then a word meaning amateur or non-professional and the last letter of bowlers. (Knowing that the balls used by lawn bowlers are called woods adds to the cleverness of this clue.)

10a     Group chased by big cat becoming a bundle of nerves (8)
GANGLION : The group could well be a group of criminals and the big cat is a top predator.

12a     Reckless potholer grabbing hold of boxer (8)
CAVALIER : A potholer or speleologist includes the boxer who started life as Mr Clay.

13a     One short story plus one about type of script (6)
ITALIC : The Roman numeral One and a story or narrative loses its last letter, then the Roman numeral One again and an abbreviation for ‘about’.

15a     Diner’s demand for pudding in perfect condition? (5-3,5)
APPLE-PIE ORDER : This could be what a diner requests the waiter to bring for dessert if she fancies something pomaceous.

18a     People who go for the best cranes (6,7)
CHERRY PICKERS : A second helping of fruit here. These cranes lift people so that they can perform tasks.

20a     Brexit starts with Conservatives getting optimistic (6)
BRIGHT : The first letter of Brexit and the political wing that the Conservative Party represents.

22a     Falls back, seeing mistakes by engineers (8)
RELAPSES : Army engineers, and then mistakes or oversights.

24a     A meeting covering European question is enough (8)
ADEQUATE : The one letter abbreviation for European and the two letter one for question are inside ‘A’ from the clue and a meeting that may have romantic connotations.

25a     Stretch middle of weekend away (3,3)
EKE OUT : The central three letters from the word ‘weekend’ and then a synonym for away or not at home.

26a     Swells up, being first after daughter finishes (8)
DISTENDS : The abbreviation for daughter and then the three letters that represent a way of writing first and a word for finishes.

27a     My spirit is invested in American broadcaster (6)
CRUMBS : A spirit made from sugar cane is inside an American television network to give this expression of surprise.

Down

1d     Fruit, one of five iced at the core (6)
QUINCE : A word for one of a set of five children and then the central two letters (core) of iced.

2d     Leave it out — supporting a student’s ease? (9)
ALLEVIATE : An anagram (out) of LEAVE IT follows (supporting in a down clue) ‘A’ from the clue and the abbreviation for a learner.

3d     Imperial Europe has changed, protecting old theatre in London (5,5,5)
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE : A word meaning imperial or relating to a ruler and then an anagram (change) of EUROPE HAS which includes the abbreviation for old.

5d     Heavy metal‘s starring role (4)
LEAD : A double definition. These two definitions use different vowel sounds.

6d     Performer offering a balanced performance, although high (9,6)
TIGHTROPE WALKER : A cryptic definition for a funambulist.

7d     Independent in role developed for an Oxford college (5)
ORIEL : The abbreviation for independent is part of the fodder for an anagram (developed) of ROLE.

8d     Sort of treatment provided by wild flower in Yorkshire (8)
MANICURE : A word for wild or demented and then a three letter Yorkshire river.

11d     Evidence of having paid wrong price, including energy, on time (7)
RECEIPT : An anagram (wrong) of PRICE includes the abbreviation for energy, and then finish with the abbreviation for time.

14d     Gaunt quietly moved by small degrees, (7)
PINCHED : The letter that in music means quietly and then a word that means moved by small lengths in the Imperial system.

16d     Clean and most upset about source of recent weather phenomenon (4,5)
DUST STORM : Clean, or remove small particles, and then an anagram (upset) of MOST contains the first letter of recent.

17d     Small taxi, shabby, turning up that’ll carry a weapon (8)
SCABBARD : A taxi or vehicle for hire and then a word meaning shabby or dowdy is reversed.

19d     A model lies regularly, the way things are (2,2,2)
AS IT IS : ‘A’ from the clue, and then a verb meaning model or pose and then the second and fourth letters of ‘lies’.

21d     Bride asked to reveal thoughts (5)
IDEAS : A lurker hiding in the first two words of the clue.

23d     Heads of section talk up department boss (4)
STUD : The first letters (heads) of four words of the clue.

We liked the nicely disguised definition in 27a so that is our favourite today.

Quickie pun   pass    +    suns    +    knows    =    parson’s nose

83 comments on “DT 28363

  1. Bore da, Dydd Gwyl Dewi Sant Hapus (or so Max Boyce told me to say), and thanks BD for the banner.
    As with yesterday thoroughly enjoyable, if too short a solve.

    Agree with 2Ks, 27a gets my COTD.

    Thanks to setter & original 2Ks for their explanations & illustrations.

  2. 1.5*/5*. After an initial nil return in the NW corner, once I had dropped onto the correct wavelength I found this at the easier end of Jay’s spectrum. Nevertheless overall I thought it was a supremely enjoyable puzzle.

    One reason for my slow start arose from my immediate but wrong conclusion that 3d must be an anagram of Imperial Europe surrounding an “o”. “Close but no cigar”, to quote a recent answer.

    A bigger struggle than the puzzle itself was trying to pick a favourite from so many good clues. 13a deserves a mention as a four part charade with a nice smooth surface to clue a word of only six letters. Top of the pile for me however, in a three way dead heat, were 15a, 18a & 27a.

    Many thanks to the three birds.

    1. I was intrigued by your reference to a recent answer to do with cigars, so I used the Google search to find the clue. No joy! It looks like the Google search can’t deal with the hidden answers. That’s a shame, since I seem to recall that the hidden (JavaScript?) answers have been in use for a couple of years now. What a shame – it would be useful to be able to search this site for crossword answers. (Update: yes you can search for answers, but no answers show up later than 2014 I think.)

      1. These clues with “cigar” appearing in the answer have all appeared on the back page since the end of 2013:

        DT 27477 Island group tabloid up in smoke (5) CIGAR
        DT 27505 Smoke coming from vehicle carrying retired soldier (5) CIGAR
        DT 27841 One fish caught by this Parisian — it’s likely to be smoked (9) CIGARETTE
        DT 27842 Not a patch on wanting one? (9) CIGARETTE
        DT 28082 Disastrous upset — no time for celebratory smoke (5) CIGAR
        DT 2879 Cuban products leaders of Irish government put in vehicles (6) CIGARS

        In the same period these clues appeared with it as a clue ingredient. There are three cases where cigar is the definition.

        DT 100005 Cigars, ale possibly, and port (9) ALGECIRAS
        DT 27416 Complete ring coming from cigar (8) PERFECTO
        DT 27505 Cigars, ale possibly and port (9) ALGECIRAS
        DT 27566 Silly person hiding her cigar (7) CHEROOT
        DT 28188 Picturesquely described exotic cigar must be taken outside public house initially (7) GRAPHIC
        DT 28346 Revolutionary radical’s cigar (7) CHEROOT

        1. Hi Mr. K – I think the wording RD alluded to – ‘close but no cigar’ appeared very recently but it might have been in a Toughie (or even one of the puzzles produced for the BD site).

          1. Hi, Jane. You’re absolutely right. It appeared in a Petitjean Toughie published on 28th January, 2016.

      2. I also looked at the Toughie. That series contains these cigar clues. The answer that RD mentioned appeared about a year ago:

        TOUGHIE 377 Blend of garlic oil used in smoking? (9) CIGARILLO
        TOUGHIE 1098 Poisonous gas enveloping one, cooker filled with a little smoke (9) CIGARILLO
        TOUGHIE 1542 Counterfeit tobacco ruling covering Home Counties almost successful (5,3,2,5) CLOSEBUTNOCIGAR

  3. I agree wholeheartedly with the 2Ks comments, not so much regarding the weather, but certainly as to today’s puzzle. Well clued and no obscurities. Thoroughly enjoyable from begining to end. Thank you Jay.

  4. For me, this was slightly better than yesterday’s and therefore the best of the week so far, but it’s only approaching average for a back-pager (in my own estimation of course). 27a was my favourite. 6d: I assume that photo is a still from the documentary Man on Wire – an incredible film about the French guy who walked on a high wire rigged between the tops of the twin towers in 1974? 2*/3*.

  5. Back in Winnipeg (on schedule) to complete this very enjoyable puzzle, without too many problems, and enjoy a 16 year old Dalwhinnie on completion – **/***.

    Favourite18a.

    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  6. I worked my way up from the bottom and virtually did the clues in order (except for 27a which caused a little hold-up until I read the clue more closely – a very nice clue).

    Very enjoyable!

  7. Nice puzzle from Jay in which 4a & 8d held me up for a little while.
    Top of the pile for me was 27a with 15&18a in hot pursuit.

    Thanks to Jay and to our 2Ks. So pleased that you’ve got the sunshine – I’ve got a broken central heating boiler and it’s b. cold here!

    1. Funnily enough, our boiler is broken too. We’re lucky that it does work if you poke it with a stick, so all we have to endure is the occasional cold morning (like today) and numerous visits by engineers who fail to fix the problem.

      Sending you warming thoughts.

  8. Loved all of this except 27a which eluded me until I saw the hint.
    Happy St David’s Day to our Welsh contingent.

    Thanks to the setter and to the 2Kiwis.

  9. Excellent wordplay with many clues needing several readings – I’d give top marks for the enjoyment factor; and although fairly rapid progress was possible, it wasn’t too easy to appreciate it all. Thanks you Jay and the 2Ks (whose kind help wasn’t needed today).

  10. Very enjoyable if a bit on the easier side for a Jay puzzle. My favourites were 8d & especially 18a. 2*/3.5* Many thanks to Jay and to 2Kiwis.

  11. Not too taxing. Favourite was 27a. Thank you 2Ks and Jay. Thanks also to CS for alerting me to the Riddle of the Sphinx last night and its associated crossword. Very clever, albeit rather grim.

    1. Yes, Riddle of the Sphinx was very macabre and clever but entertaining in a rather uncomfortable way.

      1. I think the plot would have better suited a 45 minute or hour-long programme, to cram everything into 30 minutes made everything seem rushed unfortunately. When the clues were explained to Nina, the Professor was rattling along as though he had a train to catch.

        If nothing else, I hope that the production may have alerted those watching who don’t normally do cryptic puzzles what fun can be derived from them, my fear is that it might have had the opposite effect!

        1. Thanks for the heads-up Silvanus, I printed yesterday’s Guardian today and fought with that (needing electronic help to finish), before watching ‘No. 9’. Great stuff, I thought.

      2. I really wanted to love it, but to be honest I think its far from the best they have done. The previous episode in the series, for example, had me chuckling out loud with some eerily familiar elements (towards the beginning, I’m happy to add, not after it had taken its gruesome turn).

        1. I will dig out the earlier ones. I’ve never seen it before, but as Kath says, like Tales of the Unexpected, but more off the wall and OTT. Probably made more interesting by having done the crossword.

    2. I do not usually watch television programs.. I watched this. I will not be watching many more television programs

  12. All seem to agree that todays puzzle is well put together, has a high enjoyment factor and */** difficulty- well done setter and 2k for the pics.
    Favourite 18a and liked the surface of last in 27a and 10a.

  13. I don’t quite agree with the difficulty level set by our two Kiwis , as I needed time to sort out some of clues and I’m not blaming the clues.
    I agree with the enjoyment level , however.
    15a and 18a are my two picks .
    I can see in my minds eye the fog being burned off by steady sunshine in NZ but I can’t feel it as it is blooming freezing here.
    Thanks to all concerned.

  14. Dear Kiwis, years ago we spent every summer in a house called Ao tea roa near Southampton that belonged to my Dad’s stepbrother. it had been built by a NZ architect. I did love that house.
    Anyway thanks again for all your help with the xword.
    I wasn’t going to get ‘crumbs’ and personally it was my least fave of the day.
    I liked 1a, 15 and 18 best. I got those all by my lilttle old self.

    1. It sounds like you have happy memories of your holidays in your own little ‘Land of the long white cloud’. A lovely story. Thanks for sharing it.

  15. Thanks kiwis for the help MINDCARE for 8d didn’t seem like a treatment to me anyway. Generally however a nice brain workout especially once I’d replaced LIFTER as the second word for 18a.
    I also agree with the marking of */****. Thanks guys.

  16. Slow start but eventually got there with NW corner holding out the longest. IMHO 4a clue is a bit clunky. Overlooked the chestnut flower so stupidly failed to parse 8d. No particular Fav today. Thanks Jay and the 2 Ks.

  17. Very enjoyable puzzle, if a little too much on the easy side. 1*/4* for me. Like most of you my favourite was 27a with 18a in second place.

  18. Hard not to pick 27a as the COTD. It is everything a good clue should be – concise, witty and fun. For a relatively easy puzzle, I agree with earlier commenters that this was near the top of the spectrum when it comes to enjoyment. 1.5*/4* overall, with thanks to Jay for a sparkling crossword and to the 2Ks for their review.

  19. A quick scan through the acrosses yielded eight but then we got all of the downs, filling in the unsolved acrosses as we got the checkers. All over in probably record time. Very enjoyable and we agree with the 2Kiwis ratings */****. Fav also 27a for us too.

    Many thanks to Jay and the 2Kiwis

  20. The usual quality from Jay.
    Liked 1a and 1d the most.
    Thanks to him and to our kiwis for the review.

  21. Well I liked 18a bestest so there! Lovely crossword from Jay; I had to start at the bottom of the grid but all went well thereafter. 1/3.5* overall.
    Thanks to Jay, and the 2K’s who got there first.

  22. Very enjoyable crossword. Stand out clue for me today was 27a. I’ll give it 4, for enjoyment. Thanks Jay and the 2K’s.

  23. Thanks to Jay and 2Kiwis. Once I realised ‘careless’ was wrong re 12a the rest fell into place. Still new to the site! I filled in 27a correctly but can someone explain how the answer fits the clue! Thanks in anticipation.

    1. I can’t really do any better than the Kiwis with 27a but I’ll try to put it in different words. The definition is ‘My’ as an exclamation of surprise. The spirit is ‘rum’ and it’s inside (invested in) the letters that stand for C(anadian) B(roadcasting) S(ervice).

        1. Thanks. Got it now! 2Kiwis were spot on and it was my fault I did not read the hint properly. Apologies! As my school teacher often said ‘must try harder!’

      1. Kath,
        Think you may find the CBS refers to the Columbia Broadcasting System an American network now known as CBS.

          1. Kath,
            Did press the delete & it went into moderation so thought it would go. Sorry you didn’t deserve stereo corrections.
            How’s Ted – seen much of him recently?

            1. I don’t mind having stereo corrections – it just reminds me to connect brain before opening mouth or, in this case, putting sticky little paws anywhere near the keyboard.
              Ted’s fine – he spent a week with us the week before last – he’s just as lovely as ever and has a very good time when he’s with us.

              1. That’s great! You should have let us know so that we could enjoy his happiness as well.

  24. What a great setter Jay is and today’s crossword was another example of how they don’t have to be difficult to be brilliant and really good fun.
    It was also, for me anyway, another example of its being better to start with the down clues on Wednesdays.
    I didn’t know that there were specially designed cranes for 18a – now I know what we need.
    I liked most of these clues so a few of them are 4 and 10a and 8d. My favourite was 27a even though it was one of my last answers – I’m always fooled by that kind of ‘My’.
    With thanks to Jay for such a good crossword and to the 2K’s – I didn’t know that 6d’s were funambulists.
    Lots of little seedlings coming up in the garden – have a nasty feeling that lots of them are little weedlings. :unsure:
    Younger Lamb’s birthday in a couple of weeks – she loves Christmas pud and has suggested that I might make another one instead of a birthday cake so off to do that.

        1. Now if he were a somnambulist who funambulated at the same time that would be clever.

    1. Meadows and the countryside are full of ‘weeds’ and they’re lovely, so don’t fight them (unless it’s bindweed, in which case… move house).

  25. What an excellent puzzle. Lots of aha moments and too many good clues to pick one – well maybe 27a. Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks for the hints which were not needed today.

  26. Thank you Jay for giving me a puzzle I could do without any help, a rarity for me. 27a was last in as I didn’t understand the clue for quite a while. Favorite was 15a.

  27. Jay on top form once again, an excellent and enjoyable puzzle, if fairly straightforward.

    2d seemed somewhat clunky by comparison with the elegance everywhere else. I gave four ticks to 15a, 20a, 27a and 6d.

    Many thanks to Mr. Mutch and the 2Ks.

  28. Great puzzle! I agree with Kath, a puzzle doesn’t have to be mind boggling to be good.
    I always forget about the “my” in 27a, I got the answer but didn’t “get” it! Needed the hints for that.
    My last in was 4a, and I needed gizmo to get the answer, clever one that.
    So much to choose from, but I think 15a and 18a get the gold stars.
    Thanks to Jay and 2Kiwis for the fun, enjoy your summer!

  29. very enjoyable with some political twists – though i would have preferred ‘Brexit beginning’ (20a) since ‘Brexit starts’ implies a plural to me in the cryptic reading.

    Many thanks 2Kiwis and Jay – 8d was a favourite, but many more excellent clues.

  30. A query

    13a what indicates losing the last letter of ‘tale’?

    Happy St David’s Day from the capital city🍷

  31. Isn’t 10a the wrong way round? In an across clue, ‘chased’ should mean the big cat is behind (to the left of) the group, chasing.
    Group chasing big cat, maybe?

    Anyway, very good puzzle as always from Jay, so thanks to him and to 2Ks for the pics.

    1. If you’re chasing something you’re following it – so ‘chased by’ is equivalent to ‘followed by’.

    2. HI LBR,

      It’s “chased by” though, not “chased”. “Chased by” = followed by.

    3. Thank you to both of you, I see what was intended.
      Think I’m just muddling myself; easily done if I think about almost anything for too long. Never mind, it’s cork-o’clock… :smile:

  32. Just goes to show a puzzle doesn’t have to be head scratchingly difficult to be enjoyable. Elegant witty puzzle again from Jay.

  33. Great puzzle with many clever clues, and I liked the fruity theme.

    I hadn’t heard the 15a expression, but it was easy to get from the clue and then verify in the BRB. Where I also found a few other new and interesting pomaceous expressions. I’m with the majority today in choosing a favourite – it has to be 27a.

    Thanks to Jay for the crossword, and to the Kiwis for the fine review. The picture for 16d is impressive.

  34. Thanks to Jay and to the 2 Kiwis for the review and hints. A very enjoyable but quite gentle puzzle from Jay. I nearly stumbled on the last one in, 27a. In fact I stumbled on the answer, and needed the hint to parse it :-) I liked 10a, but my favourite was 8d, which made me laugh. Was 1*/4* for me.

  35. Morning all. Still too dark here to see what weather is in store for us today but all the signs and the radio forecaster tell us that our run of fine days continues. Not many dissenting voices this week about the difficulty or fun-factor with this one so looks like we must have got it about right.
    Cheers.

  36. This slipped down smoothly with breakfast. I have little to add to the above. The Kiwis picked a worthy favourite, but I have to admit to really liking an unsupported cryptic definition: 6d.

    Many thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  37. Nice and easy! 😊 */*** Thanks as always to the 2xKs and J 😜 Liked 1a and 18a Sorry Kath 🤓

  38. Gentle but interesting: 1*/3.5*. I did like 27a, but my favourite was 8d. VMTs to Jay and to the 2Kiwis. And – as the Cornish rain hammers on the conservatory roof, driven by a chill blast from the NW – I am not at all jealous of your glorious weather.

  39. Perhaps ** for difficulty here, mostly because none of the across clues went in until I was right in the SE corner. From there I gradually worked my way north, which is never the best way to solve these. 15ac was new to me, and I only vaguely knew 1d. 6d was a nice present from Jay, opening up much of the grid. :-)

  40. Considering my track record has been good recently, finishing most without hints, I could do very little of this. I find this with Jay puzzles, I can either rattle through them (like last week), or do very little of them. No idea why, I gave up and I found the Toughie much easier.
    Thanks 2xK’s and Jay.

  41. Very easy but 27A was ridiculous. How is “broadcaster” an expression of surprise??

    1. The expression of surprise is ‘my’ as in ‘my goodness’ – the broadcaster (CBS) surrounds the spirit (RUM) to arrive at the answer.

      1. Hi Jane. I will be away this Monday. Would you like to review the puzzle? I will be on hand to help as will every other hinty type person.

  42. Easier than many Jays, but effortlessly elegant clues made this one of my more enjoyable solves, completed while eating extra-mature cheddar on Doriano crackers with red onion jam. Finished the puzzle before the cheese. Must to bed now to mull over what to entertain the cobbers with at, for me, some ungodly hour. Gratitude to the Ks and, of course, Jay. 15a was tastiest COTD. 1*/4*

    1. Just about to switch off when your post came through. Good to have you back, TS.
      I guess you went to visit Paul? If so, I hope you found him well but – how did you manage to stick to the no alcohol regime!!!

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