DT 29029 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 29029

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29029

Hints and tips by Deep Threat

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

Good Friday morning from South Staffs on a bright, sunny day.

As with many Giovanni puzzles, if the General Knowledge aspect falls into your comfort zone today’s puzzle is straightforward. If not, you’ll need to tease the answers out of the wordplay.

In the hints below, the definitions are underlined. The answers are hidden under the ANSWER buttons, so don’t click if you don’t want to see them.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

5a           Thames travellers in straw hats? (7)
BOATERS – The sort of straw hat that might have been worn by the Three Men in a Boat.

Image result for boater hat straw

7a           Some surreal fiend in film (5)
ALFIE – Hidden in the clue.

ARVE Error: need id and provider

9a           After heavy blow the fellow gets bandage (6)
SWATHE – The sort of heavy blow which might be used to kill a fly, followed by the pronoun for ‘the fellow’.

10a         Remaining series of deliveries deposited at the front (4,4)
LEFT OVER – A series of deliveries on the cricket field, with ‘deposited’ placed before it.

11a         Police officer crossing river to get round mysterious country area (4,6)
CROP CIRCLE – A familiar word for a police officer , wrapped around an abbreviation for River, followed by something round.

Image result for crop circle

13a         Tap supplies daughter with drink (4)
DRUM Daughter followed by some strong drink.

14a         Girl’s neat bed’s moved — and something else in same room? (8,5)
DRESSING TABLE – Anagram (moved) of GIRL’S NEAT BED, producing something else found in a girl’s bedroom.

16a         Pirate has me enthralled to some extent (4)
SMEE – This member of Captain Hook’s crew is hidden in the clue.

Image result for smee hook

17a         What could be easily done with saw (4,4,2)
LAID EYES ON – Anagram (what could be) of EASILY DONE.

19a         Easter working — about to be introduced, one’s suspected? (8)
ARRESTEE – Anagram (working) of EASTER, wrapped around the Latin word for about or concerning.

20a         Most of the cheats making pounds (6)
THROBS – TH(e) (from the clue) minus its final letter, followed by another word for ‘cheats’. The pounds are the sound your heart makes.

22a         Regret about church offering frilly stuff (5)
RUCHE – Another word for ‘regret’ wrapped around an abbreviation for CHurch.

23a         Insect described as ‘short’ — it gets trapped (7)
TERMITE – Remove the final letter (short) from a word meaning ‘described as’, then insert IT (from the clue).

Image result for termite mounds

Down

1d           Load being reported — hang about (4)
WAIT – This sounds like (being reported) a heavy load.

2d           Torments produced by wickedness in small county (8)
BEDEVILS – The definition is a verb. The short form of the name of one of the Home Counties is wrapped around another word for wickedness.

3d           Talk that you may have at breakfast, say (6)
WAFFLE – Idle and pointless talk is also a variety of breakfast food, often served with syrup.

Image result for waffles

4d           A myth about maker of black cars costing reasonable amount (10)
AFFORDABLE – A (from the clue) and a myth that might have been written by Aesop, wrapped around the maker of cars which you could have in any colour so long as it was black.

5d           Show respect meeting top lady in sanctuary (5)
BOWER – A gesture of respect followed by the regnal cipher of our top lady.

6d           Son has sadly felt confined, needing to become assured (4-9)
SELF-CONFIDENT Son followed by an anagram (sadly) of FELT CONFINED.

8d           Perform in Devon river, darling (7)
EXECUTE – A river in Devon which flows into the Channel, followed by ‘darling’ or ‘attractive’.

12d         Liking to have page introducing information book? (10)
PREFERENCE Page followed by the generic term for books like dictionaries or encyclopaedias.

14d         Lodge a protest with hesitation, being more modest (7)
DEMURER – A word meaning ‘lodge a protest’ or ‘decline to follow a suggestion’ followed by an expression of hesitation.

15d         Speakers being sentimental, then almost brusque? (8)
TWEETERS – These are part of your hi-fi system, complementing the woofers. Another word for ‘sentimental’ or ‘cloying’ followed by another word for ‘brusque’ with its final letter removed.

17d         Rubbish that you may see in pigsty? (6)
LITTER – Double definition, the second being what a sow produces.

18d         Card game is serious with trumps finally spent (5)
OMBRE – Remove the final letter of trumpS from a word for serious or solemn, producing a card game popular in the 17th century.

21d         Bird‘s mode of transport (4)
RAIL – Double definition.

Image result for rail bird Image result for rail train


The Quick Crossword pun WHOLLY + DAZE = HOLIDAYS (or HOLY DAYS)

51 comments on “DT 29029

  1. Lovely puzzle from the Friday master. Two great clues in 16a and 17a and a new word in the card game in 18d.
    So i shall make Shropshireblokes day by finding no fault whatsoever with this super crossword.
    Thx to all
    **/****

  2. I couldn’t believe we had all the hints today, until I realised that it’s Friday not Saturday. That’s what having all the family around you does to your brain. We were treated to another pirate today, at least that went straight in. Many thanks to Giovanni and to Deep Threat.

  3. I thought this was going to be completed in record time with hardly any thought having to be given to it – that is until I reached the card game (my last one in) and it probably took me a third of the time solving that one clue that the whole of the rest had taken. I’d never heard of it and the word for serious wouldn’t come to me so had to resort to filling in letters until I had something that I could look up. Enjoyed that final little tussle. Many thanks to Giovanni and DT

  4. 2*/2*. Not much to say about this except that “darling” = “cute” in 8d seems a bit of stretch and I quite liked 17a & 15d.

    Thanks to Giovanni and DT.

    1. RD, I think it’s a bit like the language from a bad romantic novel, but something like “that’s a darling little hat she’s wearing”?

  5. Lovely lightish puzzle, just right for a sunny Good Friday. We had two or three of the usual Friday obscurities but no complaints as eminently guessable from the wordplay. I liked the misdirection in 8d but as RD says..cute/dear..umm. I also liked 17a, along with 14 and15d but my favourite was 20a for its simplicity and surface. 2.5*/3.5*

    Thanks to Giovanni and DT for their parts in the entertainment.

  6. Very pleasant end to the week. I was pleased to confirm my answer to 18d – never heard of that card game. That pirate has appeared here before, methinks. I liked 11a and 15d especially, but top spot to 17a. Unusual for me to like an anagram but was a very clever clue all round. I usually like a Giovanni very much: he done it again.

  7. An enjoyable puzzle ** for difficulty, therefore much less difficult than is usually the case on Friday so thanks to Giovanni. I have heard of the card game and I believe it has featured in a crossword before. I wasnt keen on cute either. Thanks to Deep Threat and a Happy Easter to everyone.

  8. Saint Sharon thinks that I am cute (I have just asked her). I am also dear to her. The anagram at 17ac is a joy. I didn’t spot the anagram indicator until the end. Thank to MrG for the puzzle. Thanks to MrD for the review. It’s Easter weekend so time for lots of fun. Play nicely children and I will see you on Monday

  9. An enjoyable puzzle that caused a little head scratching, especially on the 18d card game although I am reasonably certain that it has appeared before, completed at a gallop – **/***.

    Candidates for favourite – 5a, 11a, 8d, and 12d – and the winner is 5a.

    Thanks to Giovanni and DT.

  10. Light & good fun perhaps could have done with a tougher challenge. Means more decorating gets done I suppose.
    Although an anagram 17a I thought was clever so is my COTD..
    Thanks to Giovanni and DT for the succinct review.
    Suppose BD is still on cloud 9 after Wednesday’s result. Superb game between two teams committed to playng football (sadly too often my lot seem committed to mediocracy and the size of their pay deal). Pity one team had to lose really.

  11. Just one ‘unknown’ today in the shape of the card game – something of a relief after the Don’s last Toughie!
    Not very keen on either 19a or 14d.

    17a & 21d get my vote today.

    Thanks to DG and to DT for the blog – the aliens certainly worked hard on that 11a!

  12. By Giovanni’s standards I thought that today’s puzzle lacked a bit of sparkle.

    Unlike today’s Quick Crossword?

  13. Nice puzzle, not too hard. Found the card game in the end. First of all googled card games beginning with O but no luck. Then took a punt on the word and bingo so the google search a waste of time. Agree with Jane that 19a and 14d a bit iffy.

    Lovely day here in North Norfolk so out in the sun to continue gardening.

    Thanks to all

    1. Mr Google kindly gave me the card game. Perhaps you were using his less knowledgeable brother 😉

      1. Henry Ford famously said “you can have your car in any colour as long as it’s black”

  14. I had a cold feeling once the North half had gone in quickly that dear G may have a couple of wolves waiting at the bottom – and so he did! Both the card game and the bird had to be looked up, which helped direct me to that cheeky anagram at 17.

    Otherwise a lot of fun and the tiny grid was darling.

    Is there a reason why black cars evokes that particular manufacturer? Practically all family cars were that colour mid C20 weren’t they?

    1. Because Henry Ford once said “You can have any colour you want. As long as it’s black” allegedly

  15. Been struggling all morning, muttering about how difficult the puzzle is, completed about a third and thought I needed some help. I now see that I had printed off the toughie dohhh .
    dohh.

  16. I thought this very friendly Giovanni and any crossword with my grandson’s name in has to be good.

    I liked the reference to the original black cars and I’m surprised that people hadn’t heard of the card game as it does appear in cryptic crosswords quite often

    Thanks to Giovanni and DT.

  17. Well, the card card game was a new one on me. Liked the “pirate” and the “saw” – spent ages thinking of saw as a tool and then as a saying before the penny eventually dropped. A ***/*** for me.

  18. Failing to spell the second half of 6d correctly did not help at all! D’oh! Otherwise an enjoyable solve from DG with either 4d or 17a being worthy of top clue status.
    Thanks to the Don, and to DT for the review.

  19. For once I only had one little tiny bit of my usual Friday trouble and that was missing the anagram at 17a for ages.
    19a took a while – wasn’t sure which of the numerous possible ‘abouts’ to bung into the anagram.
    No other problems although I’d never heard of the card game, or had forgotten it.
    No particular favourite so thanks to Giovanni and to DT.
    Didn’t have time to do yesterday’s crossword on the right day so keeping that as a reward for later when I’ve dug up still more brambles. :sad:

  20. **/****. An enjoyable solve although like some others I spent a lot of time getting 18d. I then needed to look it up and first got the gradation of colour particularly in hair styles. A more careful search yielded the card game. You live and learn. Thanks to Giovanni and DT.

  21. Of all things, I couldn’t solve 1d – definitely going senile.
    Anyone who read Georgette Heyer books as a teenager will have come across the card game! Had to dig deep to remember that.
    My fave was 15d, and the anagram at 17a was very slick.
    Thanks to Giovanni for the fun and to DT for the hints and pics.

  22. Very nice crossword 😃 I know you think that it is because I managed to solve it unaided 😉 **/**** I liked three 4d, 15d &21d 🤗 Thanks to DT and to Giovanni. Lovely 🌞 day here in Cambs 😎

  23. A fairly typical and enjoyable Giovanni to finish the working week. 17a was a very neat anagram and gets my nod for COTD. Many thanks to The Don and DT.

    Hard to believe this a spring bank holiday weekend with all the fine weather around for the four days. Apologies to anyone not enjoying the sunshine we are getting here in the Marches.

    1. We have sun in Oxford but I have to say that I’m not enjoying it because it’s all wrong. It’s too dry and too hot for the time of year (certainly for gardeners) and surely also for anyone with any sense it’s all really rather scary. :sad:
      You can all call me an old grumpy misery if you like – I can take it – I’m tough!!

      1. Grumpy old sod misery maybe, but you’re right .
        From one grumpy old sod to another :smile:

  24. After a bit of a grind three quarters were completed but then it was stormy in the SE mainly due to failure to solve 17a which I actually don’t really like. I didn’t know the 18d card game and I had reservation about 17a. I wonder how many people have 3d for breakfast – I haven’t since my time in NY. Thank you DG and DT. Happy Easter everyone.

  25. Once again this week, the ** difficulty had me struggling while the one *** we had, I found the easiest. Am I overthinking? Needed the hints for the SE corner. Ta to all for a great week.

  26. Just returned from trafficking and visiting .Not seen hints or comments yet .

    Enjoyable crossword , my COTD 17A , very clever . Just about recalled 16A but 18D new word for me with the parsing then seeable .

    Thanks to everyone .

  27. 2*/3* for a light Giovanni on Good Friday, galloped on until a couple held me up in the southern half,,, 18d a new one on me. Favourites 6d & 14ac
    Many thanks & a Restful happy Easter to all the setters & reviewers who enthral & entertain us….& BD for the blog!!

  28. An enjoyable offering that I found to be pretty straightforward until I came to a grinding halt in the SE corner. Didn’t know the card game, took too long to spot the anagram for the saw, and just couldn’t get the rubbish. That said I finished in about ** time, so perhaps the time taken over those 3 clues just seemed like longer.

  29. 17a gets our vote for favourite clue.
    All went together smoothly for us.
    Thanks Giovanni and DT.

  30. I did better than most Fridays so can’t really complain. Didn’t care for 8d, 19a, and the 17th century card game. Before my time 😏
    Rest of the puzzle was a pleasant challenge, thanks to Giovanni and Deep Threat.

  31. Another fun puzzle from Giovanni, much closer to my cryptic puzzle solving ability than his Toughie was earlier this week. I did get a couple of mental blockages which slowed me down for quite some while when attempting to finish off the bottom right segment. 17a also gets my vote for COTD simply because it totally beat me – couldn’t see the anagram at all. I echo the comments made by Jon S, although the card game did eventually come to mind as it has previously appeared in a past crossword puzzle.. Thanks to Giovanni and DT

  32. Great crosswords this week.
    Didn’t get a chance to comment much but thanks to all the setters and bloggers for bringing us such pleasure and help.
    Thought the Giovanni toughie was from Jay as two clues involving France were located in the same place as his Love and Hate from wednesday and today’s Notabilis toughie from Giovanni as his name appeared in the puzzle.

  33. Thanks to Giovanni and to Deep Threat for the review and hints. I enjoyed this one very much, but found it very tricky. Needed 5 hints to finish. Couldn’t think of the drink for 13a. Didn’t realise 17a was an anagram, and still couldn’t do it with the fodder, and all the checkers in! Knew that 20a started with th, but couldn’t get the synonym for cheats. Couldn’t get the synonym for darling in 8d. Had never heard of the card game in 18d, and once again couldn’t get the synonym for serious. Favourite was 16a. Was 4*/3* for me.

  34. Oh dear I was overconfident and came unstuck. I blame the sun. Firstly when I had the second letter of 6a I instantly thought of another pair who were popular in America. Completely missed the lurker. Only clicked when I eventually solved 7d. Other one wrong was 1d. I was completely on the wrong track and found a word I did not know but which fitted. Could not fully parse so looked at the hint which sorted me out. Thanks setter and Big D.

Comments are closed.