DT 29049 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29049

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29049

Hints and tips by Lennie the Lion

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

We start the puzzling week with this cheerful offering. It is an interesting puzzle with one anagram too many and no food of any substance to keep us going. Thou shall not wilt though. Keep at it and a full grid shall be your just reward

These hints and tips have been created lovingly to help those of you who may need help to solve a couple of clues or to understand why an answer is what it is. Usually a clue consists of two parts. 1. A definition, which is usually at the beginning or end of a clue. 2. Wordplay which tells to what to do to solve the clue. The hints and tips help with the wordplay of the clues. Definitions are underlined. Some hints are illustrated. These illustrations may or may not have a bearing on understanding the clue.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

7a    Get on well against Antonio at the end? I did (8)
PROSPERO: A word meaning to succeed in material terms is followed by the final letter of the name Antonio. The result is the main character from the play The Tempest, and brother of Antonio.

9a    The old lady and I study horse that’s never won (6)
MAIDEN: A two-lettered term for your Mother together with the letter I is followed by a word synonymous with a study. This study is a room.

10a    Chuffed? Not true (4,2)
MADE UP: A double definition. The first is hyphenated and the second being most easily thought of for me

11a    In place of strongholds, indefinitely (3,5)
FOR KEEPS: Begin with a word meaning in place of. Add the plural of the strongest part of a castle

12a    Head after those who have flogged cheeky young lad (14)
WHIPPERSNAPPER: Find a word meaning those who bear the means to flog others as a punishment. Add a noun meaning a person’s head

15a    Before end of decider, draw level (4)
TIER: Place a word meaning to draw as a result of a contest such as a football match before the final letter of the word decider.

17a    Oscar wearing loose garment in boat (5)
SLOOP: An archaic term for a workman’s loose outer garment surrounds the letter suggested by the word Oscar in the NATO phonetic alphabet

19a    Arrest some in revolutionary alliance (4)
NAIL: The answer is hidden within the words of the clue as suggested by the word some. It is reversed as suggested by the word revolutionary

20a    Doubts, however, beginning in third, harboured by those in boxer’s corner (6,8)
SECOND THOUGHTS: A word meaning however together with the first letter of the word third sit within the names for those who attend a boxer during a bout

23a    Spook just seen in bog (8)
FRIGHTEN: A synonym of the word just sits within a three-lettered marsh or wetland

25a    Relaxed American guy (2,4)
AT EASE: Split 1,5 we have the abbreviation for American followed by a word meaning to make fun of or ridicule

27a    Attendant conserving energy for job (6)
CAREER: The attendant of a sick person needs to gain the abbreviation for energy

28a    Not saying much, showing discretion about one vase (8)
TACITURN: A word meaning showing discretion or diplomacy surrounds the letter that looks like the number one. This is followed by a large vase

Down

1d    Operatic song from Callas perhaps musicologist initially overlooked (4)
ARIA: Remove the initial letter of the word musicologist from the first name of Miss Callas

2d    Dormant snake has shelter inside (6)
ASLEEP: Place a three-lettered shelter inside a snake. The one that killed Cleopatra will do nicely

3d    Sell up in game (4)
GOLF: Find a word which means sell and when reversed gives the name of a game or pastime

A golfer sliced a ball into a field of chickens, striking one of the hens and killing it instantly. He was understandably upset, and sought out the farmer. “I’m sorry,” he said, “my terrible tee-shot hit one of your hens and killed it. Can I replace the hen?”

“I don’t know about that,” replied the farmer, mulling it over. “How many eggs a day do you lay?”

4d    Caught leaving English county for a mountainous region of Italy (6)
UMBRIA: Remove the abbreviation for caught from a North Western English county to find a mountainous region of Italy. Parsing this is just a repetition of the clue with just a little bit of help with the county

5d    Highly subtle play on words after penalties (8)
FINESPUN: These penalties are financial punishments. They are followed by the type of play on words used daily in the Quickie crossword puzzle

6d    Condiment and perfect herb (10)
PEPPERMINT: A regular table-top condiment is followed by an adjective meaning in perfect condition

8d    Explicit show (7)
EXPRESS: A double definition which will stand firm after a trawl through the dictionary but might cause some complaints nevertheless

13d    A king is after this rare frisky butterfly (10)
HAIRSTREAK: The letter A from the clue and the abbreviation for king follow an anagram (frisky) of THIS RARE

14d    Tobacco tin not in use (5)
SNOUT: Begin with the chemical symbol for tin. Add a word meaning not in. The result is a slang term for tobacco

16d    Runner going round course’s last turn, one at Aintree perhaps (8)
RACEGOER: A competition runner surrounds the final letter of the word course and a word meaning a turn or play in a game.

18d    Unimaginative experts spies upset (7)
PROSAIC: Begin with the plural of a term meaning experts. Add the reverse abbreviation of the American Central Intelligence Agency

21d    Being kind (6)
NATURE: Our third double definition of the morning

22d    Hotel within reach in poor area (6)
GHETTO: Find a term 3,2 meaning reach or arrive at. Insert the letter suggested by hotel in the NATO Phonetic alphabet

24d    Message American actor Nick left out (4)
NOTE: Apparently there is an American actor whose first name is Nick. His surname contains the letter L. The clue is asking us to remove this letter L (left out) if we do so we are left with the required answer. A quick google shows that this actor was born eighteen years after the unnamed singer at 1 down but unlike her is still alive

26d    Garment seen in Amritsar, India (4)
SARI: The answer lies within the words of the clue as suggested by the words seen in

All reasonably good fun.


The Quick Crossword pun: bide+agrees=by degrees


38 comments on “DT 29049

  1. Fast start via the downs but then slow progress to the finish with 7A last in . My COTD 12A .Some other good clues but found some a little awkward.
    Thanks to everyone .

    1. Completely agree with KFB. Completed all but 7a with cuppa in bed. Also thought 12a really good but there were a couple of ‘odd uns’. Never heard of the actor. Enjoyed the chicken joke though. Thanks to all.

  2. This was a relaxed puzzle and was quickly completed (**for difficulty ). It was, however, enjoyable (****) and had some interesting clues. My favourites were 11a, 20a and 13d. Thanks to the setter and Lennie for the hints.

  3. 1.5*/2.5*. This proved to be a mild but pleasant diversion for a Monday morning. I just paused twice check the loose garment in 17a and the answer to 13d.

    My favourite 12a has a lovely surface and is one of those delightful words that crop up in English from time to time.

    Many thanks to the setter and to MP.

  4. Fun but slightly challenging way to begin the week with just a couple of hiccups to slow down progress. Stupidly didn’t get 7a, was unaware of tin symbol in 14d, had not heard of the 13a butterfly or the 24a actor. Fav was 19a for its surface when it finally dawned on me. Thank you Mysteron and MP.

  5. Pleasant and mild indeed – the only hold up was the garment in 17a, as I knew which work 7a referred to and was aware of the frisky 13d

    Thanks to Lenny and the setter

  6. 13d was new to me. Apparently it comes in 5 different colours.
    COTD was probably 20a.
    Thanks to Lenny the Lion. A trip down Memory Lane.

  7. A fairly benign puzzle. I remembered what to do with “revolutionary” in 19a. Perhaps it’s sticking in the memory, at long last. Many thanks setter and Miffypops the Lion.

  8. An enjoyable start to the working week with just a check needed on the loose garment and a little cogitation to put a name to the American actor.
    Rather liked the surface read of 25a and the answer to 12a.

    Thanks to our setter and to MP for the blog.

  9. A very enjoyable start to the work week completed at a fast gallop, but not quite fast enough to consider the proscribed term – **/***.

    Ditto to those who had to check on 13d.

    Favourite – a toss-up between 20a and 28a.

    Thanks to the setter and GMoLI.

  10. For me this was a tricky little devil but I did as our Monday sage suggested and kept at it and lo and behold a full grid materialised, all be it with a couple of bung ins (17 and 25a).
    I’d never heard of the butterfly but fortunately my smartphone had. I thought 9 and 19a were clever but sitting atop my podium is 12a.
    3*/3*
    Many thanks to the setter and to MP for his usual first rate review

    1. Similar thoughts to yours Stephen, except that my favourite was 1a, especially as I have no claim to any great Shakespearean knowledge. 25a threw me for a while, as did 21d. Thanks to today’s setter and to L t L.

  11. All pretty straightforward – except that butterfly. New word for me. Mild, but enjoyable. Top clue: 18d for me.

  12. Some tricky clues but a **/*** overall for me , enjoyable start to the week.
    I thought 7a was original and my favourite closely followed by 20a and 12a a close second.
    The actor escaped me too.
    Thanks to all.

  13. :phew: What a week – so busy that this is the first crossword I’ve had time to do since last Monday’s.
    Think I’m out of practice – I took quite a long time to get going and never did manage 7a.
    I dithered about 8d but never quite got as far as looking it up to check as it had to be what it was.
    I was also unsure about 10a – haven’t looked it up yet but chuffed, to me anyway, means pleased with yourself – BRB in a minute!
    The clues that I particularly appreciated were 12a and 4d. My favourite was probably 23a – nice mental picture!
    With thanks to the setter and to Miffypops the Lion.

    1. I looked up “chuffed” in the dictionary and was sorry I did, so many meanings, some not at all nice! I can no longer use it. Who knew?

      1. Couldn’t resist peeking myself after your comment, rather wish I handn’t!

        1. Ah. I see.
          I’m surprised that the other old codgers on this site had heard of it. (Your youthful self excluded.)

      1. Looking it up the other way my 2008 BRB has Made up – highly delighted, chuffed (inf). Maybe not youff after all?

  14. 1.5/3. Enjoyable start to the week. Had to look up 7a and 13d which I had never come across before. Thanks to the setter and MP for the review.

  15. Nice puzzle today only the horsey question troubled me today. I had all sorts of endings until the hint pointed me at the right one. Thanks to Lenny “Aw, don’t embawass me!” the Lion. Lovely selection of music too from Swarb, the King and the bit of hardened skin where my pencil sits.

  16. Very enjoyable and very friendly, but 5d completely foxed me. I even used electronic word search with “pun” at the end and it said no words existed.
    Fave was 12a, but others were stars too, e.g., 7a as a Shakespeare fan.
    I had to look up the butterfly, having all the checking letters it had to be.
    Thanks to whomsoever gave us this delightful offering, and Lennie for the fun review – love Elvis!

  17. Afew new words, loose garment,butterfly and subtle. ASL although I studied the tempest for A level, I didn’t know he had a brother.
    No help needed today but thanks to the setter and Lennypops

  18. Found this unbelievably difficult. Just could not get on the setters wavelength at all.
    *****/*
    Thx for the hints but gave this one up as a bad job long before i got to thinking about the hints!

  19. Nice crossword today.
    1a went straight in, though for some reason I thought the characters came from Twelfth Night!
    Thanks all.

  20. I have to agree with Brian 😬 I found this quite tricky 😟 ***/*** Favourites for me 2 & 3 down. Big thanks to MP for his hints and the music and of course to the Setter 😳

  21. Nice and straightforward for a sunny Monday afternoon. No particular favourite but good all round entertainment.

    Thanks setter and MP. Interesting that our blogger’s alter ego is Lennie the Lion. I always thought of him when I heard the late, great Brian Walden interviewing, whose voice was remarkably similar.

  22. It took me longer to get on song today & hit the setters wavelength,,, in fact half the puzzle, so
    2.5*/3*
    Enjoyment stilted a little by a few of the clues.
    Thanks to Setter & MP aka LtL

  23. Thank goodness for Brian. A voice I can agree with among all those writing enjoyable, an easy start to the week, and stuff like that.

  24. I forgot to comment on this puzzle too… now where are my tablets?
    I enjoyed this tussle; Monday’s have changed a bit recently – for the better I think. 7a held me up for ages before the lira dropped.
    Thanks to the setter, and to Len for the review.

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