Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29032
Hints and tips by Mr K
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ***
Hello, everyone. Another nice Tuesday puzzle is upon us. The grid fill was steady, except for a few holdouts west of centre that required some pondering. Some very nice clues here. If our setter is reading, please consider commenting below so we know who to thank.
In the hints below most indicators are italicized and definitions underlined. Clicking on the 
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
1a Soft as fur, okay? (8)
PASSABLE: Concatenate the musical abbreviation for soft, AS from the clue, and the fur of a type of marten
5a Absolutely correct fund banked by boy (4-2)
SPOT-ON: A fund or kitty contained by (banked by) a boy as seen by his parents
10a Rugby player, possibly fine man planning for later moves? (7,8)
FORWARD THINKING: Stick together a category of rugby player, fine or not thick, and the most important man on a chessboard
11a Passionate batting perfect, perhaps? (7)
INTENSE: A short word for batting or at the crease in a game of cricket is followed by the grammatical thing that perfect is an example of (… perhaps)
12a Where monks are neat (2,5)
IN ORDER: The answer could also describe a monk's membership of a religious fraternity
13a Catching minimum of information, wind damaged hearing? (8)
MISTRIAL: What the BRB describes as a violent cold dry north-east wind in Southern France containing (catching) the first letter of (minimum of) Information
15a Assassin from Japan somewhat forgotten in Jamaica (5)
NINJA: The assassin is, appropriately, hiding as part of (somewhat …) the remainder of the clue
18a True blue, politically (5)
RIGHT: A double definition. The second refers to the side of the political spectrum associated in the UK with the colour blue (it's the other way around over here)
20a Remarkable, going like the clappers? (8)
STRIKING: The answer could also describe the action of clappers in bells
23a Rejected stray taken in by young animal, certainly (3,4)
FOR REAL: The reversal (rejected) of stray or sin is contained by (taken in by) a young horse
25a First, also one's third part? (7)
SOONEST: The answer is hiding as part of the remainder of the clue
26a Cold stew in tremendous vat (15)
UNDEMONSTRATIVE: An anagram (stew …) of IN TREMENDOUS VAT
27a Casually draw state benefit, having secured overdraft (6)
DOODLE: An informal name for unemployment benefit containing (having secured) the abbreviation for overdraft. Here is a picture to 27a on. Click on it to see a few efforts. Go here to see more
28a America flexing a muscle around opening of negotiations (5,3)
UNCLE SAM: An anagram (flexing …) of A MUSCLE containing (around) the first letter of (opening of) Negotiations
Down
1d Bird almost out of breath? (6)
PUFFIN: All but the last letter (almost) of another word for out of breath
2d Eight runs adrift, no chance of losing (4,5)
SURE THING: An anagram (adrift) of EIGHT RUNS
3d On once more, second time (7)
AGAINST: Join together a word meaning once more, the abbreviation for second, and the physics symbol for time
4d Stick small house alongside park (5)
LODGE: A double definition. Stick as in embed or implant
6d Card game, variety of bridge (7)
PONTOON: Another double definition. The card game is also known as vingt-et-un. The bridge is temporary
7d In odd pieces, tart I held to be tasted (5)
TRIED: The answer is found as the odd letters (in odd pieces …) of TART I HELD
8d African fashion in range impressing Italians, at first (8)
NIGERIAN: An anagram (fashion …) of IN RANGE containing (impressing) the first letter of Italians (Italians, at first)
9d 'The Birds', say, where Hitchcock originally inspired by bird? (8)
THRILLER: The answer is defined here by example (…, say). It's found as the first letter of (… originally) Hitchcock contained by (inspired by) something, possibly a bird, that makes a shrill warbling sound or, as I learned when checking the hints, an actual bird
14d Fresh in southern English waters? (8)
INSOLENT: IN from the clue and the waters between the Isle of Wight and the English mainland
16d Nurse trained with nine sisters here? (9)
NUNNERIES: An anagram (trained) of NURSE NINE
17d Expert discovered to be deeply intellectual (8)
PROFOUND: An informal short word for an expert is followed by discovered or located
19d Warm the hearts of Norman and Walt (7)
THERMAL: Assemble THE from the clue and the central letters of (hearts of) Norman and of Walt
21d Clever clogs king has no defence (4-3)
KNOW-ALL: Amalgamate the chess abbreviation for king, NO from the clue, and a defensive structure
22d New term, as schoolchildren grouped together (6)
STREAM: An anagram (new) of TERM AS
24d Cowboy show went on, ultimate in bravado (5)
RODEO: Went on a horse, perhaps, followed by the last letter in (ultimate in) bravadO
25d Protest -- error to hold it (3-2)
SIT-IN: An error or moral offence containing (to hold) IT from the clue
Thanks to today’s setter for a fun solve. I particularly liked 20a, 2d, 21d and the quickie pun. How about you?
The Quick Crossword pun: CAIRO + PRAGUE + TOURS = CHIROPRACTORS
A steady solve today had me heading for *** time, but I came to a full stop with all four of the central clues unfilled. I noticed that all four had a question mark at the end, as sign to me that the setter is being a crafty beggar. I then noticed that in fact a number (9?) of today’s clues were so adorned.
After some headscratching, 14d and 20a fell in, but I really thought I was going to have to use electronic help for 9d and 13a. However, after a short break and some refreshment, another visit had those two completed as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed that, thanks to our setter and Mr.K.
Very nice puzzle and solved at a steady rate. 25a was a well-hidden lurker – well hidden from me, anyway. Joint favourites, 13a and 14d.
Possibly a little more challenging than today’s Toughie.
Fast start , slow finish thanks to , like others , clues 9 , 13 , 14 & 20 in the middle .
Liked the simple 1D best .
Thanks to everyone .
A very enjoyable crossword (****) with a sufficient nunber of tricky clues (yes they were west of centre) to make it challenging (**/*** for difficulty. Thanks to mr K, I liked the cat and the bird pictures. Thanks also to the setter.
I liked the picture that wasn’t of the cat or the birds (or the bridge!)
Congratulations to the setter for compiling a puzzle that was 5a. My paper is littered with metaphorical ticks, it would be easier to state the one I didn’t care for and that was 14d where I thought the synonym was stretched. I did need the hint for 13a but should have got it as I’ve heard of that wind, very clever clue though.
Virtually impossible to pick a favourite but as I’m partial to a well concealed lurker I’ll go for 25a. 3*/4*
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for his usual imaginatively illustrated review.
3*/3*. Nicely challenging with lots to like. 13a was my last one in and favourite. The quickie pun deserves a special mention too.
Many thanks to Messrs R & K.
No pain today and plenty of fun. Lots of good clues but no standout Fav although I did like surface of 21d. Thanks Mysteron for great puzzle and MrK for hints including usual crop of feline illustrations. Quickie pun rather relies on mispronunciation of 4a.
Very enjoyable solve with the widest smiles for 20a, 1d and the Quickie pun.
Thanks to our setter and to Mr K – I knew you’d manage to find some 15a cats, the 27a ones were a bonus!
Once I realised pantin wasn’t the snswer to 1d everything fell together apart for the middle. Ta to all.
Much tougher I thought than the usual Tuesday with some well hidden lurkers. Took me ages to see the young animal in 23a, can’t think why, old age probably!
Needed Mrs Bs inestimable help today.
Thx to all
***/***
A good thing we are not all the same which is why I love this site! I got the central clues quite quickly, 14d came easily BUT took ages to get 1a and 4d and last one in 23a. Really enjoyable solve today so thanks to all.
Oh dear, Iiked some clues and hated others. Perhaps that’s what makes a good crossword. I googled “pantin” for 1d. How ridiculous. I’ve seen plenty of 1d’s on the Farne Islands. It should have been an answer straight in. I tried to do something with “kamikaze” for 15a when it was a straightforward lurker! I didn’t like 14d. No indication as to which waters I was looking for. I’ve had better Tuesdays. Please can I start the day again? Many thanks setter for the challenge, and thank you too Mr Kitty.
Liked this one, a steady solve. Lurker in 25a took a while to spot. Last one in 9d, had to be but not a bird I knew.
Like others, I found the centre tough and needed help…..not keen on 13a in particular, so a curate’s egg….
Good stuff, toughish for Tuesday due to being held up as others above.
Spotted all lurkers reasonably quickly. 13a very clever misdirection and my COTD.
Thanks to setter & Mr K for review. Although I parsed 9d with the bird sound now I see there is a bird of that name it is surely what the clue referenced. Something else to forget before it comes up again.
Loved your comment about ‘something else to forget etc..’ happens to me all the time!
13a was my final entry and became my favourite once I’d worked it out. This was a nicely challenging puzzle that kept me interested throughout with lots to enjoy. Quickie pun particularly excellent too.
Thanks to both Misters involved in today’s production.
Thank you
Welcome to the blog, Simon, and you’re welcome.
Most certainly no walk over today, but a very enjoyable puzzle. 1d was first in, bringing back fond memories of visits to Staffa and Lunga. 14d was clever and I’d marked 25a & 27a and 19d as favourites. Thanks to setter and Mr K.
***/****. Such a well constructed puzzle with a number of ah-ha moments. My favourites were 1,13&25a with the latter winning by a nose. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.
Another super crossword. Like others I was sailing along happily until I got to the middle. 13a defeated me, mainly because of ignorance of the wind, but also excellent misdirection.
Disappointingly I also missed the lurker at 25a.
Thanks Mr.K and Mr.Ron.
Thanks to the setter and Mr Kitty for the review and hints. What a super puzzle to start this short week. Like most, I got to the end of what I could do, and was left with four longish clues in the centre. Managed to have a guess at 20a, needed the hints for 13a, then managed the other two from the checkers. I thought the wordplay was very good, and a lot of the clues were original. I liked 2d,but my favourite was 23a. Was 4*/4* for me. I also bunged in the answer to 25a without realising it was a lurker. Great stuff.
Another lovely Tuesday treat! A couple were bung ins and I needed the hints to know why, one was 25a, missed it completely, and another was 9d, couldn’t see that one at all.
There were so many good ones, I’m hard pressed to find a fave – 1d, 15a (you know why I liked that), 20a, 21d, I could go on.
Thanks to our setter and to Mr. K for his unravelling, particularly of 9d.
Oddly enough I found this easier than yesterday’s, just how you see it I suppose. A really good puzzle, but I would say that. Too many favourites to list. Many thanks to the setter and Mr K.
Very un- Tuesday like crossword today! Great fun though. I didn’t have a clear run at it which probably helped as I was able to solve it quite steadily.
I liked 9d.
Thanks to the setter, and to MrK for the review and pics.
Good wave length today. Reassuring that it was deemed a 3 star. So disheartening to come unstuck on a 2 star. Liked 1d.
Many thanks to all.
Several clues in the bottom half of the grid needed extra thought before the pennies dropped, 25a, our favourite being one of these.
Plenty to enjoy here.
Thanks Mr Ron and Mr K.
Another great day in crossword land, a very enjoyable puzzle. Thanks to setter and Mr K. 13a and 9d were the holdouts. Forgot all about the French wind as it is never mentioned over here, and totally befuddled by 9d. Also missed the lurker in 25a.
3*/4*…..
liked 27A (casually draw state benefit, having secured overdraft) and the picture to 24D in the hints.