DT 29151 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29151

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29151

Hints and tips by Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ***

Good morning from a dreich Southlochaweside where Saint Sharon and I are on holiday. Other than providing a crossword blog I we have nothing to do and all week to do it. Today’s puzzle is rather anagram heavy but otherwise quite satisfying. Rebel Rebel is playing on the sound system which given today’s alias is rather appropriate.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a    Model I love in play (7)
DIORAMA: Place the letter that looks like the number one and the letter that looks like the love score in a tennis match inside an example of a theatrical play

5a    Miss opportunity to wrap up, heading off (4,3)
LOSE OUT: A phrasal verb term meaning to complete a task by doing the last part needs its first letter removing for the wordplay in the clue to suit the definition

9a    Stand-in starts to learn off Cambridge University master (5)
LOCUM: The initial (starts to) letters of the last five words of the clue

10a    Dressing, group before getting on (9)
BANDAGING: A synonym for a group of musicians is followed by a word meaning getting on or advancing in years. Something we all do.

11a    Current leader of group associated with masterful playing (4,6)
GULF STREAM: The leading letter of the word Golf is followed by an anagram (playing) of MASTERFUL

12a    Leave out some heirloom I treasure (4)
OMIT: The answer here lies hidden amongst the words of the clue as indicated by the word some

14a    Rural types look outside hotel for a herb (9-3)
PHEASANT’S EYE: Where to begin? Well, the clue is asking for a herb so that should be obvious general knowledge but it isn’t so. After a few checkers the answer becomes clear. A synonym for rural types (Really Mr Setter?) Sits around the phonetic alphabet letter represented by the word hotel. The second word of the clue is a synonym of the word look. The plant in question is also known as Adonis Vernalis and the results of a google search are confusing

18a    Supporters of Queen captured by revolutionary chiefs (12)
CHEERLEADER: Our regular revolutionary who needs to be confined to crossword history sits next to her majesty’s regnal cipher and is followed by those who head up groups or organisations

21a    Section without lights learner driver avoided (4)
UNIT: Find a word that means without lights and remove the letter that signifies a learner driver

22a    To be good enough at sums, reps will need to be trained (4,6)
PASS MUSTER: Anagram (will need to be trained) of AT SUMS REPS

25a    Character, kind one to emulate (4,5)
ROLE MODEL: A character in a play or film is followed by a synonym of the word kind. Ford make kinds of cars. Mondeo Escort Fiesta Cortina Popular T

26a    Member of the clergy in chapter, unidentified (5)
CANON: The abbreviation for chapter is followed by a word used signify an unknown or unidentified author.

27a    Hopelessness of the French couple (7)
DESPAIR: The French for “of” is followed by a word meaning a couple

28a    Best lines written about one with a horticultural skill (7)
TOPIARY: A word meaning best and the lines of the permanent way sit around the letter that looks like the number one and the letter A from the clue

Down

1d    Tug overwhelmed by river in flood (6)
DELUGE: A word meaning to carry or drag a heavy object is surrounded by a Scottish river

2d    Magic Circle: sect must include foremost of conjurors (6)
OCCULT: The roundest of letters and a set or group which doesn’t conform to the norm surround the initial letter of the word conjurors

3d    General mood in a newly-built rest home about parking (10)
ATMOSPHERE: The A from the clue followed by an anagram (newly built) of REST HOME which includes the abbreviation for parking

4d    Colour of bream at sea (5)
AMBER: Anagram (at sea) of BREAM

5d    Help from worker after stop in LA (4,1,4)
LEND A HAND: We need a worker. A west coast American city’s initials. A word meaning stop. Place these in the order suggested by the clue

6d    Damage statuette, knocking its top off (4)
SCAR: The nickname of the Academy Award of Merit needs its first letter removing

7d    Somehow impound E in place frequented by drug addicts (5,3)
OPIUM DEN: Anagram (somehow) of IMPOUND E

8d    Continuously move up bound by rope? (8)
TOGETHER: A word meaning to move is reversed and placed inside a word usually referring to animals tied by a rope

13d    Drink before riding about on a horse after bad trips tackling short run (7,3)
STIRRUP CUP: This drink taken before riding with hounds is formed from a four part charade 1. The single-letter Latin abbreviation for about. 2. A word meaning riding or being on a horse. 3. An anagram (bad) of TRIPS 4. The truncated (short) word run, i.e minus its last letter. The clue provides an instruction manual for assembly

15d    See 20 Down

16d    Account accompanying amount of paper daughter got (8)
ACQUIRED: The abbreviation for account is followed by an amount of paper, one twentieth of a ream. The abbreviation for the word daughter completes the answer

17d    ‘Prince of Tyre‘, almost priceless bust (8)
PERICLES: Anagram (bust) of PRICELES(S)

19d    Verse, extremely short, by Australian soldier, perhaps unfinished (6)
STANZA: The outer letters of the word short are followed by a member of the Australian And New Zealand Army Corps as initials but minus the last letter

20d & 15d    A cocktail relaxed Bryan, and bubbly (6,9)
BRANDY ALEXANDER: This sickly cocktail is an anagram (bubbly) of RELAXED BRYAN AND

23d    Separate in Croatian resort (5)
SPLIT: A double definition

24d    Girl found over in Hammersmith (4)
EMMA: The answer is included (in) and reversed (over) within the words of the clue.

Quickie Puns:

Top line: dire+armour=diorama

Bottom Line: No go daddio, but do look at 1ac in the cryptic


 

50 comments on “DT 29151

  1. Although not as straightforward as some Monday back-pagers, this puzzle generated gentle mental gymnastics (** for difficulty/*** for enjoyment). My main hold up was on 8d, which ended up being my favourite clue, where I became wrongly convinced that
    the word ‘tied’ or ‘tight’ was involved in some way. Nice misdirection so thanks to the setter. Thanks also to the shade of Ziggy Stardust

  2. It is pretty dreich in East Kent too

    The crossword was nicely pitched for a Monday morning – no particular favourites but I did notice the link between 1a and the Quick Pun

    Thanks to the Monday Mysteron and to the ever changing holidaymaker

  3. After the tussle with the weekend puzzles I found this one pretty easy going, probably because of the weighty number of anagrams. 14a last in, had to be what it is but never heard of it and must admit to a sharp intake of breath at the definition of ‘rural types’. Thanks to Ziggy and the setter.

  4. I had this cracked in **/*** except for 14a which I have never heard of. 17d was a bung in, not knowing the Prince bit. 18a took far longer than it should have, and I did spend some time wondering if we were looking for a pangram when Q, Z & X popped up in the bottom half.

    Many thanks to all.

  5. I too had never heard of 14a but it was still an enjoyable puzzle. Last one in and favourite was 11a as i misread the wordplay entirely.

  6. In spite of a plethora of anagrams I enjoyed this diversion on a dull, rainy Monday morning. Hadn’t come across 20/15 but on reading the recipe am not longing to try it. Fav was 11a for its surface with 6d running up for same reason. Was unaware of 14a herb although of course familiar with the narcissus of same name. (14a reminded me of an occasion sometime ago when discussing game-shooting with a foreigner with limited English in an Eastern Bloc country when he said “In our country we do not shoot the peasants”)! Thank you Mysteron and MP.

    1. 14a is also one name for Adonis Vernalis, a wild flowering plant/ medicinal herb with similar properties to foxglove.

    2. The botanical term herb simply means herbaceous plant. We are more used to the word describing something we use as a flavouring. Two meanings of the same word. I had not heard of it but easy to get with the checkers. The second word had to be what it is

      1. I didn’t have any real problem in solving 14a but can now parse it as a medicinal herb (as per Chriscross above).

  7. Apart from the awful (in every way) 14a and 13a (both of which I needed the hints for) I thoroughly enjoyed this. Podium places go to 22a ( what a lovely phrase, reminds me of “cut the mustard”) the clever 2d and 10a with special mention to 8d…very nice bit of misdirection by the setter
    3*/3*
    Many thanks to Ziggy (enjoy the rest of your holiday) for his excellent and witty review and to the mystery setter for brightening a dull and wet Monday morning.

  8. For some reason I always find mondays difficult to get a foothold in. Then comes a couple of clues usually anagrams which then make the rest slightly easier to complete.
    Favourites 14 & 22a.
    Thanks to Ziggy and setter

  9. I also find it difficult to get started with the Monday offerings but once a couple are in the rest seems to become quite solvable. Today’s was most enjoyable with some great wordplay. I loved the fact that 1a was also the pun in the Quick Crossword. My favourite was 18d.

    Grateful thanks to all concerned.

  10. A more interesting start to the week with this crossword! No real problems encountered with 22a being my top clue.
    Thanks to the setter, and to Alvin’s brother for the review. What? Another holiday?

    1. That is what Big Dave hinted at. We usually manage about thirty days away each year. Two of ten nights away and the rest based around shows and family duties. Oh and BDs blog birthday bash.

  11. 14a true for North Yorkshire where we are either peasants or peers. Except for Harrogate of course which is full of Hyacinth Buckets and the peasants to do their cleaning.

    Neither an easy nor enjoyable puzzle.

  12. Pretty straightforward start to the week generally **/*** 😬 but a basic spelling mistake at 1a made 2d difficult 😳 Favourites 27 & 28a Thanks to Setter and to Mac pops who I assume is in not so 🌞 Scotland

  13. A little trickier for a Monday but I did enjoy it. Hadn’t heard of 14a, so had to confirm with google, 18a eluded me until I had all the checkers, and I wrote the first word of 5a in the spot for 5d, otherwise it was most enjoyable.
    I rather liked 22a so that’s my fave.
    Thanks to our Monday setter and to Ziggy and his spiders – must google to find out who you are.

  14. It always horrifies me just how little time it takes to get out of practice with crosswords.
    I found this quite difficult to get into.
    For far too long I tried to make 1a an anagram and then failed to spot the anagram indicator in 11a so never did get that one. Dim!
    I can’t see anything wrong with 14a – one of the definitions in the BRB is precisely that – it’s just that that meaning has become less common and is now used as an insult meaning an ignorant or uncultured person (also in the BRB).
    My favourite clue was 19d.
    Thanks to the setter and to MP.

    1. Thanks for help on my last 3 in, but could someone please explain how “together” can possibly mean “continuously”?
      Thanks also to Chriscross for identifying Pheasant’s Eye as Adonis Vernalis. I know Pheasant’s Eye only as a type of narcissus – very beautiful, white with small flat orange trumpet, so I’m on the hunt now for an Adonis Vernalis!

      1. “I’ve sometimes worked on a puzzle for three days together…”

        That’s how I took it, though it is a bit tenuous.

      2. Hi Ros,
        I had the same thought but Chambers does list ‘continuously’ as a synonym of ‘together’ and the entry for the former refers to the Latin root word as being ‘continere’ meaning ‘to hold together’. I suppose it’s one of those instances where modern day usage has somewhat changed our perception of the word.

  15. Driech here too. I think I would rather be staring out over Loch Awe with a whisky instead of suburban Yorkshire with a pot of tea.
    8d and 17d needed a nudge from the hints Thanks Ziggy. Thought about a pangram for a while but long way short, we appear to be missing Ms Rowling’s VolksWagen.

  16. A pleasant way to spend a Monday morning on holiday in sunny Majorca
    Finished it without any hints but with the aid of my electronic helper on the checkers
    Tough in places, never heard of 14 across. Still don’t understand some of the wordplay but it’s a correct finish.
    Thanks to Miffypops and the setter.

  17. 1st posting.
    Learning to do DT Cryptic in retirement.
    Today is a first – no hints needed 😊 – must be all the anagrams.
    So that must make it a */**** for me!
    Thanks to bloggers & Big Dave for helping me in my quest.

    1. Welcome to the blog Jezza

      I would appreciate it if, in future, you used a (slightly) different alias in future as we already have a long-standing Jezza.

  18. Not the easiest of Monday puzzles but it came together quite well. My only real problems were I had no idea who the Prince of Tyre was so needed to Google that one. 14a was tricky as nowhere that I can find lists it as a herb merely as a plant. According to the wildlife trust it is a weed of cornfields, no mention of a herb. Very sloppy of the the setter I feel.
    Not a great deal of fun I’m afraid.
    ***/**
    Thx for the hints

  19. Quite tough but interesting. I had to rely on the excellent hints rather heavily, 14a was in BRB under its proper name kindly supplied by Ziggy. Favourite clue was 11a – good hint given. Thanks t.o Ziggy and setter.

  20. I can’t see that 8d works properly – “bound” and “tether” are not synonyms.

    Either bind+tether, or else bound+tethered. Or am I missing something?

      1. Thanks!
        Sorry to be like the child who supposedly didn’t speak at all until the age of 6, then astonished his family by saying “this soup is too salty”.
        I’ve often consulted the blog but it took a grammatical solecism (I think) to get me posting :-)

        1. All are welcome to have their say, but I think your parsing of the clue is incorrect. Bound indicates that the reversal of “move” is included in “rope”, so the “tether” is a noun, not a verb. Chambers defines tether, as a noun, as follows: “a rope or chain for confining an animal within certain limits”.

          1. You’re right. It’s the “go” that is “bound”, when I was taking it as “bound-by-rope”, ie tethered. Thanks!

            I’ll fade with as much dignity as possible back into anonymity :-)

  21. Like most people I had not heard of the ‘herb’ in 14a.

    Where does the A in atmosphere come from in 3d? Presumably from the clue. Is it usual to split the anagram fodder this way?
    Or am I all at sea again?

    Didn’t particularly enjoy this one, but at least I managed it a bit better than the weekend ones.

    Thanks to Miffy and to the setter.

        1. I see now that as A is the first letter of atmosphere, the anagram fodder has not been split.
          Sorry for being a bit thick about that.

  22. Definitely doable today, apart from 14a, where I echo Miffypops’ thoughts, and 15d and 20d. Not being a drinker (half a shandy will make my head spin), I am at a total loss when it comes to names of cocktails, although I had heard of 13d. 11a was last in. Thanks to setter and to Miffypops (what a man, providing hints even on his holiday!)…

    1. I do drink but mainly wine. I’d only ever heard of the 20 & 15d because I remember it from ‘Brideshead Revisited’ – one of the chaps in it used to drink it but can’t quite remember who – ‘Boy Mulcaster’? but really not sure.

  23. Hola from the Vega Baja where it was sunny but now looking like rain.
    Fairly straightforward for us. Never heard of 14a but that’s what it had to be.
    Not keen on 2d, as the answer to me means magical. If you want magic surely it should be THE ******?
    I got well and truly legless in Crete about 40 years ago on 20d, 15d. Never drunk one since 😂

    1. My 20/15 experience was in New York, and can’t really say I enjoyed it. I now stick with my Famous Grouse with no mixes.

  24. An enjoyable puzzle.
    DNK 14a or 20/15d, but the cluing was generous.
    Thanks setter and a lad insane.

  25. I had never heard of 14a but it was very gettable from the clue. I enjoyed this but never did get 8d as I was totally obsessed with ‘tied’.
    Thanks to all.

  26. I breezed through this and enjoyed some of the clues although not slot of humour. 18a was therefore my favourite by a mile. NE corner last to go. Managed 8d but then struggled with 5a and 6d. The answer for the latter fitted “miss opportunity” but I could not quit fit it with the other meaning after head removed. So far as the latter was concerned I found the answer assuming 5a was correct but failed to spot the award. Thanks therefore for explaining MP and thank you setter.

  27. Thanks to the setter and Miffypops for the review and hints. I enjoyed this one very much, but found it very tricky. Got there in the end. Had never heard of 14a, but the wordplay was clear. The last two took me ages 8&6d. Favourite was 8d. Was 3*/3* for me. Looks like I’ve brought the rain back with me from the Lake District!

  28. Another great puzzle, where you have to find the answers in order to understand the clues. Interesting also to read the canter/gallop-free comments nowadays.

    1. Please avoid the use of capital letters in your surname. In internet protocol their use is the equivalent of shouting. I have globally changed all of your past comments.

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