DT 28745 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 28745

by Mr K  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28745

Hints and tips by Mr K

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BD Rating  -  Difficulty ** -  Enjoyment ***

 

Hello, everyone, and welcome to another solid Tuesday back-page puzzle.  In the hints below most indicators are italicized and definitions are underlined.  Clicking on the Answer buttons will reveal the answers.  In some hints hyperlinks provide additional explanation or background.  Clicking on a picture will enlarge it or display a bonus illustration.  Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

 

Across

7a    Crime fighters on triple abroad (8)
INTERPOL:  An anagram (abroad) of ON TRIPLE

9a    Fanatic keeping something from Fabergé back, something small but valuable? (6)
NUGGET:  A fanatic or person with an obsessive interest containing (keeping) the reversal (… back) of an object that Fabergé famously rendered in gold and enamel

10a   Confidence broken by Huddersfield's first forceful attack (6)
THRUST:  Confidence or belief containing (broken by) HUDDERSFIELD'S first letter

11a   Sea creature having little power or balance (8)
PORPOISE:  Put together the physics symbol for power (little power), OR from the clue, and a synonym of balance

12a   Providing insurance, landlord produces explanatory note (8,6)
COVERING LETTER:  Follow a word meaning providing insurance with crosswordland's usual landlord

15a   Celebrity set off, short of time at the end (4)
STAR:  From set off or begin delete the final T (short of T[ime] at the end)

17a   Follow male leaving the bar (5)
TRAIL:  Delete a male pronoun from THE (male leaving…), and then append a bar or strip

19a   Steal writer's heart (4)
CRIB:  Take the inner letters (… 's heart) from a (6) word for a writer or calligrapher

20a   Nuts stupidly left on floor? Yes (3,4,7)
OFF ONE'S TROLLEY:  An anagram (stupidly) of LEFT ON FLOOR YES

23a   Go across for a small pie (8)
TURNOVER:  Put together a go in a game and a synonym of across

25a   Dance with bad leg, so move jerkily (6)
JIGGLE:  Assemble a lively dance and an anagram (bad) of LEG.  Seemed like every animated GIF returned by an image search on the answer was NSFW

27a   Frightened? Son was concerned (6)
SCARED:  Stick together the genealogical abbreviation for son and "was concerned"

28a   Ventriloquist's doll put by ladder in rehearsal (5,3)
DUMMY RUN:  A ventriloquist's doll is put by a ladder in some tights, for example

 

Down

1d    Small island songbird female released (4)
INCH:  A songbird minus the abbreviation for female (… female released) is a Scottish word for a small island

2d    Grounds  to say no? (6)
REFUSE:  A double definition.  A word meaning "to say no" could also describe coffee grounds, for example 

3d    Fine friend flipped, in a panic (4)
FLAP:  Follow the pencil abbreviation for fine by the reversal (flipped) of an informal word for a friend

4d    Wrong turn unfortunately taken in outskirts of Uxbridge (6)
UNTRUE:  An anagram (unfortunately) of TURN is inserted between the outer letters of UXBRIDGE (taken in outskirts of …) 

5d    Sceptic acting so oddly (8)
AGNOSTIC:  An anagram (oddly) of ACTING SO

6d    Riddle over wrong set of china, perhaps (3,7)
TEA SERVICE:  A riddle or puzzle precedes (over, in a down clue) a wrong or an immoral habit

8d    Nationalist at uprising after start of parade (7)
PATRIOT:  After the first letter of (start of) PARADE, put AT from the clue and an uprising 

13d   Crazy eating at one in the city, maybe (3,2,5)
OUT TO LUNCH:  Taken literally, this informal phrase meaning crazy could (maybe) describe a city worker eating at 1pm

14d   Head of glamour girl in 'Mirror'? (5)
GLASS:  Join together the first letter of (head of) GLAMOUR and a girl or young woman

16d   Improve railway leading to factory (8)
REFINERY:  A synonym of improve is followed by an abbreviation for railway

18d   Reportedly speak highly of exercise book (4,3)
LORD JIM:  A book by Joseph Conrad sounds like (reportedly) speak highly of (LAUD) exercise (GYM)

21d   A study mounted involving Virginia, a US state (6)
NEVADA:  Fuse together A from the clue and another word for the part of the house that Chambers defines as "a room devoted to study, actually or ostensibly".  That letter combination is then reversed (mounted, in a down clue), and wrapped around (involving) the abbreviation for the US state of Virginia

22d   On, next to English extra (3,3)
LEG BYE:  Concatenate the alternative name for the on side of a cricket pitch, a preposition meaning next to, and an abbreviation for English.  The answer is one type of extra run in cricket

24d   Travel free heading for Eastbourne (4)
RIDE:  Cement together free or clear and the first letter of (heading for) EASTBOURNE

26d   Noisy couple on lake capsized (4)
LOUD:  A pair or couple are joined to the map abbreviation for lake, and then the whole lot is reversed (capsized, in a down clue)

 

Thanks to today’s setter for an enjoyable solve.

 

The Quick Crossword pun:  CURLY + QUEUE = CURLICUE

50 comments on “DT 28745”

  1. A mildish Tuesday puzzle, good clues and an enjoyable solve, but over too quickly. Didn’t know that 19a meant steal, didn’t know the 18d book but got it from the clever wordplay. Favs: 23a and 11a. 2* / 3.5*

      1. I didn’t know that! For some reason, I don’t know why, I always thought that **** sheets were something to do with the card game. Cheers!

        1. …which is a tremendous game.

          I am so pleased that one of my triplets (yes, I said, triplets) has got the boardgame/ cardgame bug.

          15 two, 15 four, two runs of 3 and a pair is 12…..oh, and one for his nob which my daughter still forgets..

          Fab game.

          1. I am working on getting our teenage granddaughter interested in the DT Cryptics. She is way bright enough, but so far she has just diplomatically said that she is so pleased I get so much pleasure out of them and reading…

            1. You should get her in to sales….she’d make a fortune. My daughter is on the DT concise at the mo but loves an anagram. Cruciverbalism will be on her before she knows it.

              Are you busy or is it just a rhyme? Is either dizzy, fizzy or frizzy more appropriate?

              1. It is just a rhyme, and a flower of course. They aren’t called that over here, where they are known as impatiens. Said granddaughter gets her tact and diplomacy from her Mum, our youngest, and definitely not from me. 😊

  2. Fairly smooth sailing today, though got a little hung up on 17a for some reason. [**/***]
    No noted favourite.
    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

    1. I did as well .. I think there are two ways of ‘looking’ at 17a, I can’t explain it any better than that. Ta to all as usual.

  3. Thanks Mr K I needed your hints to get the last 2 – 17a and 19a.
    Nice map of the Isle of Mull. The family Bee descend from an inlet on that map Lochbuie so that is my COTD.

      1. Buie Name Meaning
        Scottish: nickname from Gaelic buidhe ‘yellow’, ‘fair-haired’. See also Bowie.

        But no fair hair in my family.

        1. Thanks John Bée. I had come across the word as I have been to Achiltibuie.

          1. That’s nice I have been there to get a boat to the summer isles and bag a few munroes. I also went to Mull with the family bible which is in gaelic. I can’t read it or speak gaelic but have picked up a few words here and there from mountains and place names.

            1. If anyone pronounced one of the names on this map, I would just answer “bless you!”

              1. I feel the same about some french ski resorts. I am sure Alpe d’Huez is pronounced with its own sneeze!
                I will admit scottish gaelic is well nigh indecipherable check out the lyrics to this you tube vid by Runrig.

                They are a fave band of mine even if I barely understand a word and I have got tickets to their final concert of 40 + years in August.

                1. It’s very melodic when sang.
                  Never realised Scotland was called Alba.
                  Thanks.

  4. Just my cup of tea. Thoroughly enjoyed this walk in the park which included only a couple of slightly thorny moments. 17a was a bung-in after toying with track – d’oh! Fav was 9a when the parsing penny had dropped. Thank you Mysteron and MrK.

  5. Enjoyable puzzle once I’d got beyond the peculiar surface read of 7a.
    Like others, I dithered a little over 17a – not the ‘male’ I was expecting to be leaving!

    I wouldn’t refer to 23a as a pie although the BRB assures me that it is and must admit that, although I knew the title, I haven’t read the 18d book.
    TWO cricket terms in one answer – wow, that’s one for RD!

    Favourite was 11a despite the clue giving a totally inaccurate description of that delightful creature. Is there a story behind the picture, Mr K?

    Thanks to Mr Ron and to Mr K for the review.

  6. Thanks to mr k and setter for an enjoyable puzzle struggled with 19a and 18a was my favourite

  7. Yes definitely 18d as favourite ,but a gentle puzzle with humour .
    Triplets….really?
    How do you manage to get time for crossword solving?
    Off to make some meringues now Ora,for the book club ladies.

    1. I get out on the road, visiting schools, as much as possible.

      My poor wife….triplets and me.

      No one deserves that.

    2. I am sure they will enjoy them very much…..Ora Meringue? Not this time I’m certain!

  8. 1d. I thought this was a reference to the island in County Donegal. I didn’t realise it was also a Scottish word for a small island. Every day’s a school day!

  9. Pleasant puzzle. Favourite and last in 18d, a definite doh moment when the answer came to me. Thanks to setter and Mr k.

  10. I’m afraid I did not get on with this one. Took me ages to finishand for some reason now unfathomable I had forgotten about ventriloquists’ dolls……doh!

    Really did not like 2d……I think ‘grounds’ is stretching things a bit as a definition …..but maybe I’m just being picky today.

    Thanks to Mr Kitty and to the setter.

  11. I thought this contained too many contrived clues (2d, 19a,18d and 24d). Nevertheless, thanks to the setter and Mr K who sensibly avoided the temptation to use GIFs for 25a.

    1. After an extensive search I found one with a U rating, but that was of jelly on a spoon and more of a WOBBLE than the answer.

      1. Definately NSFW search I think I found the jelly and I agree more if a wobble than a jiggle.
        As an aside mum gets the dead tree version to play with during the day and I use the android. Mum hasn’ t finished today but has pencilled in HIPHOP for 25a which considering she has a bad hip from going to the hop for many years wasn’t a bad guess.

  12. Comfortable solve today.
    Just needed Mr.K’s help to parse 17a. Thanks.
    I did not understand the need for ‘City’ in 13d.
    Favourite was 18d, nice misdirection until I had the checkers for the first word.
    Thanks Messrs K. and Ron.

    1. I assumed that ‘city’ was included to suggest the image of high-powered financial types going out to eat lunch in restaurants.

  13. Agree with others regarding a few dodgy clues but eventually it did all fall into place. A steady solve quite tricky in places, with top half easier for me than the bottom section. Enjoyed the challenge with 18d last in and thought initially it was a dodgy clue, but on reflection it could possibly be a very good clue?

    Clues of the day: 20a / 6d

    Rating 3* / 3.5*

    Thanks to Mr K and the setter.

  14. Over too quickly I’m afraid. Some funny clues of which perhaps 20a was an obvious candidate. I haven’t heard that expression for a long time. I’ll call it my favourite just for that reason.
    Thanks to the setter, and to MrK for the review and the pix which were amazing.

  15. 17a, 20a and 18d made my podium today in what was a straightforward solve generally.

    For the illustration accompanying 11a my first thought was “poor puss”, then I realised that was a homophone of the solution ;-)

    Many thanks to setter and Mr K.

    1. Perhaps we’ll see that homophone in your next puzzle? :)

      I did wonder at first what was up with the pic, but, as the bonus pic revealed by clicking on that one demonstrates, cats and marine mammals seem to have an affinity for each other.

  16. Definitely 18d is a very good clue.
    I’ve made a chocolate cake too..so I can say it, Ora!

  17. I enjoyed this, though did need the hint to get 17a, a bung in for me.
    My fave was 11a, wotta an aww pic, loved it Mr. K. I also liked 18d, read it at school, a loooong time ago.
    Thanks to the Tuesday setter and to Mr. K for his hints.

  18. Very much enjoyed, with just a couple of hints from Mr K needed. Perfect. Favourite was 20a, haven’t heard that expression in donkey’s years, but 13d is often used over here. As 23a is encased in pastry that makes it a pie I suppose.

  19. I really enjoyed this, not a religious reference or obscure word in sight, so for me a steady solve with some really good clues. COTD has to be 18d as my late uncle Jim got a mention!!
    Thanks to setter and the excellent reviewer.

  20. 2.5* /3* for this one. A couple of head scratchers but overall an enjoyable solve, with perhaps 20a taking the top spot.

    Thanks to both Misters.

  21. Agree with Mr K **/*** thanks for explaining 17a 😬 Favourites 1d & 10a thanks to Mr K and to the Setter 😃

  22. Enjoyable solve that all slotted together smoothly for us.
    Thanks Mr Ron and Mr K.

  23. A * for difficulty for an enjoyable solve. Didn’t realise 22d was a thing, but I’m guessing cricket? Especially liked 18d. LOI 16d.

    1. Yes, 22d is a crickety thing. I included some hyperlinks in the hint that should explain all.

  24. A crickety clue for a crickety answer. a double no-no in my book. so that makes it no-no-no-no.
    Had trouble in the SE but the rest was pretty straightforward.
    Seem to be surrounded by ventriloquists at the moment. Are they going to take over the world? Real puppets instead of the ones in place?
    I can’t wait.
    Thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the review.

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