DT 29105 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29105

by Miffypops  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29105

Hints and tips Jacinda Ardern

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

My day so far. Wake up just before 7.00am. Download The Daily Telegraph. Read the paper from end to end. Make a pot of tea. Discuss September’s holiday with Saint Sharon. Where should we stay for two nights on our way home from Scotland (suggestions welcome). Pour two cups of tea. Solve the Codeword puzzle. Solve the Quickie Crossword. Start on the Cryptic Crossword. Chatter away with the sainted one whilst lazily solving away. Then the lightbulb moment. I have to blog this today as the 2Ks are otherwise engaged. So stop dawdling and do so. Here is the result.

Today we have a lovely puzzle set by Jay, who I was delighted to meet at the tenth birthday bash in January. It is full of fun and devious misdirection yet solver friendly provided you have learnt the tricks involved in decoding cryptic clues. Your success rate in solving should be helped by regular reading of the hints and tips provided daily on this site.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a Bearing introduction (10)
APPEARANCE: We begin today with a double definition. The first being one’s bearing, one’s air, one’s demeanour. The second being one’s arrival or manifestation.

6a Food giving son a turn? (4)
SAGO: The abbreviation for son is followed by the letter A from the clue. This is followed by what ones turn is when playing cards or a board game. This answer often leads to tales of school dinners and the answer’s similarity in appearance to frogspawn. Personally I prefer…

…Rice Pudding

What is the matter with Mary Jane?
She’s crying with all her might and main,
And she won’t eat her dinner – rice pudding again –
What is the matter with Mary Jane?

What is the matter with Mary Jane?
I’ve promised her dolls and a daisy-chain,
And a book about animals – all in vain –
What is the matter with Mary Jane?

What is the matter with Mary Jane?
She’s perfectly well, and she hasn’t a pain;
But, look at her, now she’s beginning again! –
What is the matter with Mary Jane?

What is the matter with Mary Jane?
I’ve promised her sweets and a ride in the train,
And I’ve begged her to stop for a bit and explain –
What is the matter with Mary Jane?

What is the matter with Mary Jane?
She’s perfectly well and she hasn’t a pain,
And it’s lovely rice pudding for dinner again!
What is the matter with Mary Jane?

AA Milne

9a Calls about working for associates (7)
CRONIES: Calls or shouts surround our regular two-lettered word meaning something is working

10a Add one new hint about day (7)
INCLUDE: Begin with the letter that looks like the number one. Add the abbreviation for new. Now find a synonym of hint and wrap it around the abbreviation for day.

12a Insect making chap at devotions sit back? (7,6)
PRAYING MANTIS: One’s devotions are one’s words to God. Put what one is doing when saying one’s devotions. Add a chap and the reversal (back) of the word SIT.

14a Cat, say, welcoming a search for a bird (8)
PARAKEET: What a tame cat is to its owner needs to have the letter A from the clue and a word meaning to search inserted. (Dogs have owners. Cats have staff)

15a Remove blockage and a French swallow returns (6)
UNPLUG: Use the French word for A. Add the reverse (returns) of a verb meaning to swallow

17a Feel bitter about fees regularly being included in lease (6)
RESENT: Insert the second and fourth letters of the word fees into another word meaning to lease

19a Protection offered by stablemate? (5,3)
TABLE MAT: The answer here is hidden within the words of the clue as indicated cleverly by the words offered by.

21a Amazed, seeing small pick-up possibly after crash (13)
THUNDERSTRUCK: The abbreviation for small and an example of the type of vehicle a pick up is sit after a crash. The sort of crash that may be heard during a severe weather event. (Did I really write the words ‘severe weather event’? Dearie dearie me. All hope is lost.

24a Carried on and stupidly measured missing area (7)
RESUMED: Anagram (stupidly) of MEASURED without the letter A (missing area)

25a State of mind upsetting men in large part of the world (7)
AMNESIA: I’ve forgotten how I was going to hint at this answer. An anagram (upsetting) of MEN sits inside a large land mass. One of the continents.

26a Call for help about parking concessions (4)
SOPS: The Morse code emergency call for help surrounds the abbreviation for parking.

27a Revolting acts of rugby team after changing beer line (10)
REBELLIONS: The Rugby Union team which tours every four years and is made up of players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales follows an anagram (changing) of beer and the abbreviation for line. If you spent an inordinate amount of time trying to make an anagram of BEERLINE and XV for the Rugby team join the club

Down

1d Bowmen must ignore her curves (4)
ARCS: What bowmen are but without the letters of the word HER. A lovely clue.

2d Do well, being head of sales in right environment (7)
PROSPER: The initial (head of) letter of the word sales sits inside an adjective meaning of the required or correct type or form; suitable or appropriate.

3d Millions will support goal mankind set protecting island fauna (6,7)
ANIMAL KINGDOM: An anagram (set) of GOAL MANKIND sits around the abbreviation for island and is followed by the abbreviation of millions.

4d Patronage given by Australia holding mace, perhaps (8)
AUSPICES: A three-lettered abbreviation for Australia sits around an example of what mace is when used in cookery (warming things up)

5d Hold onto cold fish (5)
CLING: The abbreviation for cold is followed by Crosswordland’s most popular fish.

7d Taking tea, but talking about arch supporter (7)
ABUTTAL: The answer here is hiding amongst the words of the clue peeping out defiantly at you taunting you to find it. The word about suggests there is a hidden word

8d Superfluous views will be mistakes (10)
OVERSIGHTS: A word meaning superfluous or too many is followed by a synonym of the word views.

11d Output of broadcaster with some boring link from Europe (7,6)
CHANNEL TUNNEL: What the output of a broadcaster or TV company is called gives us the first word. The result of underground boring supplies the second. The definition ‘link from Europe’ gave it away immediately

13d Rolls of fat making spry eaters upset? (5,5)
SPARE TYRES: Anagram (upset) of SPRY EATERS

16d Industry needing tabloid deal? (3,5)
RAG TRADE: A derogatory name for a tabloid newspaper precedes what a deal is also known as

18d Keeps mum close, and slumps, oddly (5,2)
SHUTS UP: Begin with an easy synonym of the word close as a verb. Not as an adjective (nearby) as suggested by the clue. Add the odd numbered letters of the word slumps. That little comma after the word close completely throws the clue askew.

20d Manages and gets to party (5,2)
MAKES DO: The word manages here means to use what is available to achieve an end. It would also be an apt way of saying you have arrived at our regular Crosswordland party.

22d Peak may be cooler with no lid (5)
RIDGE: Your domestic cooler in your kitchen needs to have its first letter removed (needs no lid)

23d Puts a limit on most of room on the way up (4)
CAPS: The room in this clue refers to a continuous area or expanse which is free, available, or unoccupied. Reverse (on the way up) the first four letters of this word (most of)

All done. That wasn’t too bad was it?

Quickie Pun: iced+reign=eyestrain

 

58 comments on “DT 29105”

  1. Particularly friendly for a Jay but as enjoyable as ever

    Thanks to him and to the ever changing blogger

  2. Another enjoyable (***) puzzle from Jay, which was finished too quickly (**). I shall have to try today’s Toughie, which is a bit harder than yesterday’s. Favourites today were 19a, 27a and 4d. Many thanks to Jay and to MP for the hints

  3. Slightly tricky in places I thought but then I may just be having a foggy day, since I couldn’t work out the 3d anagram for far too long and spent even longer trying to work out what on earth the illustration for 19a was about.
    Top puzzle as usual so thanks to Jay and JA

      1. I already have a set – gloriously tacky coasters from Brighton emblazoned with pithy witticisms such as ‘Wine improves with age. I improve with wine’

  4. All over far too quickly, with the grid completed in */** time. Only hold up was 7d, a term I hadn’t heard before, but the rule of “When all else fails, look for a lurker” came to my rescue.

    Many thanks to Jay and JA.

  5. No real pain today but plenty of fun. Yuck to memories of school meals with 6a! 7d obvious but replacing ‘….ttal’ with ‘….ment’ would seem to me more appropriate in arch support if not fitting as lurker. I’m with MP on 27a in having spent time working on anagram of beer line and XV. Probably a chestnut but liked clue surface of 25a. No stand-out Fav. Thank you Jay and MP.

    1. Stupidly initially tried to say Quickie pun as acid rain rather than the much cleverer alternative.

  6. Once again a thing of beauty from Jay . Liked 12A & 19A best .

    Dangerous to poke fun at NZ , rugby World Cup looming .

    Thanks to everyone .

  7. Very straightforward with no need to use any of the white space on my sheet of paper for very enjoyable completion at a fast gallop – **/****.

    Favourite – a toss-up between 12a and 8d – and the winner is . . . the coin is still in the air.

    Thanks to Jay and the honorary Kiwi.

  8. I’ve stopped lurking for the day to say I thought this was a very cleverly clued crossword.

    I had a favourite which I really liked but the number has slipped my mind

  9. Most enjoyable and managed to finish without help. Thought 27a was to do with rebellion beer, I’m not good at rugby. Favourite 4d liked the mace and tried to put stick in the answer until the penny dropped. I find the site really helpful. Thanks to setter and blogger and to BD.

  10. Bit tricky in places but overall an OK puzzle. Not a huge fan of Jay puzzles.
    Not at all comfortable with the lurker indicator in 7D?
    Thx for the hints
    **/**

  11. As Banksie says a very cleverly clued crossword , and I also concur with J A’s **/***.
    The most novel clue had to be 19 and my favourite, the other lurker was also well hidden.
    Anyway good fun, thanks to J-had one on the nuts this morning !

  13. Really enjoyable, accessible puzzle. Smashing lurker at 19a. Thank you very much to Jay and JA for the hints – not needed but nice to read afterwards.

  14. 7d – if the word “about” suggests there is a hidden word … what is “Taking” doing in the clue?

  15. Another excellent and this time solver-friendly puzzle from Jay. Great fun to complete and a joy from first to last. I will select the lurker at 19a as my favourite but it could have been any one of several fine clues.

    Many thanks to the aforementioned and the man of many personae.

  16. 1.5/3. Agree with MP about 27a. This was however an otherwise straightforward solve and enjoyable to boot. Thanks to Jay and MP/JA.

  17. Another excellent puzzle both from Jay and this week’s setters. Again too many brilliant clues to pick a favourite. Once more didn’t need the hints but thanks to mp for the entertaining blog.

  18. A gentle challenge with many smiles along the way. Favourite clue is a toss up between 15a and 1d.
    Thanks to Jay, and to the man with no hope for the review.

  19. Super Jay puzzle again. My only problem was self-inflicted. This house was like Waterloo Station this morning, people coming and going, lawn mowerer, dog shampooer, etc., and having solved 1a, stupidly wrote in “acceptance”, where on earth that came from, I have no idea. Anyway, it discombobbled me no end. That meant that the NW corner held out for ages.
    I loved the whole thing, so thank you Jay, and thanks to Ms. Ardern for taking time out from her governmental duties to provide such an entertaining review.

      1. I’m glad you said that Merusa. I was about to leap gallantly to your defence. It was a lovely post. I liked the lawn mowerer.

        1. Thanks! I, too, prefer rice pudding, the moist Ambrosia kind, not the dried-out heavy pudding.

          1. Ooh I forgot about the pudding. It is 50 years since I last encountered 6a and it still gives me nightmares. Sago, tapioca, rice pudding and the evilness that is bread and butter pudding will never pass these lips again. The only acceptable hot milk product that my school dinners provided was pink or chocolate custard.

            1. My Mum was head cook at the school I attended so sago, tapioca, rice pudding, bread and butter pudding plus lemon meringue, butterscotch tart, rhubarb crumble, apple and blackberry from the garden – all good, wholesome fabulous stuff! Chocolate custard? Pink custard?? Nah, not for me. Ugh!

    2. Merusa,

      You are fast becoming my favourite contributor here. Do I take it you are originally from the uk? (Waterloo station etc). You’re clearly in the USA now because you have someone to shampoo your dog

      1. Well, blow me, I’m becoming a favourite! I’m flattered.
        My parents were from UK but I am from Jamaica, Dad was a sugar engineer so I grew up in the wilds of sugar fields. I did live in UK for five years in the early 1960s but, being a tropical hot-house flower, I couldn’t take the cold, so I fled home again. I now live in Miami and have done for 40+ years.
        Why is shampooiing a dog so American?

        1. I assumed do shampooing started in USA. Probably wrong but there’s not much dog shampooing around these parts

          1. We used to have shampoo our yellow lab weekly, as do most Florida dog owners. A lot of dogs down here get skin problems and allergies. He hated it, and had to be coaxed outside.

  20. I agree that abutment is the term for an arch supporter,not abuttal,which means something quite different.

  21. Only a couple of problems today. I realy must remember that when in doubt look for a lurker and the room in 23d eluded me as I couldn’t get my mind off the Lav. Thanks to Jay for the puzzle and delighted the NZ PM could help me over the line. The Kiwis are having a rough time lately. They weren’t beaten twice in the cricket and still seemed to lose and they also lost the steepest street in the world title to little more than a goat track in Wales!

  22. Very pleasant from Jay this evening, completed at a canter over coffee outside, before the rain? No real hold ups .
    2*/3.5*
    Thanks to Jay & MP for review

  23. Yet another nice crossword 😃 **/*** to be expected from Jay. 12 & 21a were my favourites 🤗 Thanks to MP and to Jay. Where are 2 Ks 🤔

  24. Sorry to say this but I always struggle with Jay crosswords and have to confess to not particularly enjoying them. But thanks for exercising the grey matter Jay and the tips MP.

  25. Found this ** harder than yesterday’s ***, with 7d and 27a giving the most grief. But thanks to Jay and Miffypops. Probably not concentrating as trying to finish packing for trip back to Berkshire tomorrow. Touch and go for the last couple of weeks, but one knee aspiration and a cortisone shot done, better half has been cleared to travel, phew. We love a nice hot rice pudding. The weather here is rarely cold enough, but when a cold snap hits, a steaming hot rice pudding is just the ticket 😊

    1. Have a wonderful trip and I hope the b/h’s knee holds up! Did you order a WC for the long walk to/from the terminal? It’s free, so why not?

  26. IMHO the new system of boxing Comments and follow-ups to them just doesn’t work. Each follow-up to a particular Comment is moved further across the page and single words become divided up into an ever-decreasing number of letters reading downwards (probably not very well explained). For me the status quo ante was much clearer. 😏.

    1. I know exactly what you mean as it describes what’s happening on my iPad. It was better before the boxes.
      I’m expecting to find myself indented now 😁

      1. I think it is worse than before. Depends how many replies to one comment. Busy Lizzie reply about shampooing the dog is the longest vertical line of single letters I’ve ever seen

        This comment relates to looking at the blog on a tablet – it is fine on a PC

        1. Hear hear. LetterboxRoy’s reply to Merusa re rice pudding took up 90 lines on my Ipad – silly!

          1. I hadn’t realised that my recent changes would increase the amount by which nested comments would be indented. I’ll see if I indent by a smaller amount.

              3. Yes, better thanks BD but I guess it can only be properly tested if there are a large number of replies to a comment and then many replies to replies. Let’s wait and see. Apart from having reservations about the “nesting” (which is certainly tidy) I liked the convenience of comments being numbered to facilitate referring back particularly when done elsewhere outside that particular nest.

  27. I think it depends on what device you are using. The current layout of moving across the page and getting thinner with each comment has always been the case and I have experienced this on my Android and I phone. On the computer screen it’s not a problem

  28. Very interesting. Thank you Jay. Looked at it and thought it was going to be a tussle but proved not to be the case. Last one in 7d. Got the word but did not know why till I looked for a lurker and found it! No real hold ups – 27 a penultimate one in. Don’t know why as I got the team. Favourites 12 19 and 26a (the last for simplicity and 2 4 and 13d.

  30. 2*/4*………………
    liked 11D “output of broadcaster with some boring link from Europe (7,6)”

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