DT 29157 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29157

by Miffypops  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29157

Hints and tips by Blogden Nash

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Good morning from the sunny Yorkshire Dales where Saint Sharon and I have enjoyed the weekend (apart from the spider). I enjoyed today’s puzzle which contains just enough to stretch the grey matter over the last couple in. Home today after a drive over the Buttertubs.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a    Empty tank container to be loaded (6)
VACANT: A large tank used to hold liquid contains another container which may hold beer, pop, baked beans, or Heinz Cream Of Tomato Soup

5a    Curiosity at home about bisecting experiment (8)
INTEREST: Begin with a short term meaning at home. Add a trial or experiment which has our regular crosswordland word for about inserted

9a    Fine actor, he cracked up describing the old man in an old western (4,6)
FORT APACHE: The abbreviation for Fine is followed by an anagram (cracked up) of ACTOR HE which encircles a term of endearment for one’s father (old man) The result is a film released in 1948 starring Henry Fonda and John Wayne

10a    Perhaps an annual charge (4)
BOOK: A double definition, the first being most accessible

11a    Item handed down from extremely humble Irish weaver? (8)
HEIRLOOM: The outer letters (extremely) of humble are followed by an abbreviation of Irish and the machine used by a weaver

12a    Fame achieved by some in theatre, now nobodies (6)
RENOWN: The answer lies hidden within the words of the clue as indicated by the word some

13a    Drop a series of novels involving a family’s history (4)
SAGA: A word meaning drop is followed by the letter A from the clue

15a    Firm that’s manufactured our steel (8)
RESOLUTE: Anagram (manufactured) of OUR STEEL

18a    Always swallowed by swimmer with a temperature (8)
FEVERISH: A word synonymous with always sits within a swimmer or a creature that swims

19a    Expert nursing husband in pain (4)
ACHE: An expert contains the abbreviation for husband

21a    This being fit to eat, the Spanish stay over (6)
EDIBLE: The Spanish word for The is followed by a word meaning to stay or remain. The whole then needs to be reversed (over)

23a    Pest is lying in shade (8)
NUISANCE: The word IS lies within a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound

25a    That woman, old champion (4)
HERO: A pronoun meaning that women is followed by the abbreviation for old

26a    Easy thing to do in ‘Peter Pan’, say (6,4)
CHILD’S PLAY: The way we describe a simple task could also describe a drama based on a book by J M Barrie – and, coincidentally, an episode of the TV series based on said book

27a    Charge impressed English (8)
STAMPEDE: A word meaning to have impressed a pattern or mark on using an engraved or inked block or die is followed by the abbreviation for English

28a    Wading bird quietly settled across lake (6)
PLOVER: The musical term for quietly, the abbreviation for lake and a word meaning settled or completed provide your solution

Down

2d    Love a party with endless wine (5)
ADORE: Begin with the letter A from the clue. Add our usual party. Add a wine known by it’s colouring but without its last letter

3d    Take it in turns to change a net at sea (9)
ALTERNATE: A word meaning to change something is followed by an anagram (at sea) of A NET

4d    Excellent spinner following advice (6)
TIPTOP: an excellent term for excellent can be found by placing a child’s spinning toy after a hint of advice

5d    Trendy school, limited in scope (15)
INCOMPREHENSIVE: A word meaning hip or trendy is followed by a type of secondary school

6d    One developing ideas in article on various riots (8)
THEORIST: A determiner or article is followed by an anagram (various) of RIOTS

7d    Bird‘s bill, gold colour on reflection (5)
ROBIN: An archaic word for a beak (bill) is followed by an heraldic term for gold. Once again we need to reverse what we have (on reflection)

8d    Head wearing sample timing device (9)
STOPWATCH: A small sample of fabric intended to demonstrate the look of a larger piece surrounds a word meaning head

14d    Get better workers in a time leading to change (9)
AMENDMENT: mix these Ingredients in the order suggested by the clue . A word meaning get better or return to health. The letter A from the clue. The abbreviation for time. Workers or operatives.

16d    A shop, alas, mistreated dog (5,4)
LHASA APSO: Anagram (mistreated) of A SHOP ALAS

17d    Telegram about case confused smart alec (8)
WISEACRE: A telegram or cable sits around an anagram (confused) of CASE

20d    Busy, even at university! (4,2)
TIED UP: How a sporting contest might be described if both scores tally followed by a term meaning at university

22d    Flowering shrub shown in British volume (5)
BROOM: The abbreviation for British is followed by a stretched synonym of volume. This plant also known as gorse flowers all year round. It will stop doing so when kissing goes out of fashion

24d    Constant speed in decrepit car (5)
CRATE: The abbreviation for constant is followed by a synonym for speed

Quickie Puns:

Top line: plague+ooze+bury=play gooseberry

Bottom Line: The setter is not playing today. However the two words at 1ac and 5ac in the cryptic might describe the feelings of the third party in the Quickie Pun

 

35 comments on “DT 29157”

  1. I was a bit stretched with today’s puzzle. The first few answers flew in, but then the waters got a lot muddier. I will admit that I had to use a little outside help in the NE, with both 10a and 7d eluding me.

    Many thanks to the setter and Mr. Nash.

  2. This was a puzzle of four quarters for me. SE,NW,NE then finally SW, although looking at it, the SW was quite an easy corner. I hadn’t heard of a decrepit car called that in 24d. No overall favourite today. I always thought that Cliff Richard was known as the Peter Pan of pop, but I think he has competition from Barry Mannilow having seen him at the Proms in Hyde Park on Saturday. An enjoyable solve today. Many thanks to the setter and to Miffypops.

    1. Mrs BD and I watched the Manilow concert because we had been led to believe that my sister, as part of the Rock Choir, was due to perform a number with him. We both agreed that such voice as he ever had has gone and he was terrible. We later watched the Welsh and Scottish “Proms in the Park” and they were so much better.

      1. So sad you didn’t enjoy him. I’m in Rock Choir too which was why I was there. On the contrary, I’ve never been a BM fan, but enjoyed Saturday night. Perhaps I just got caught up in the atmosphere of the whole thing.It was who I was with as much as who was performing. I could never say that it was as good as watching Last night of the Proms from The Royal Albert Hall. Nothing beats that.

          1. Mmmm…….the whole concert sounds terrible on the iPlayer, not just BM. Not like the real thing at all. What a shame if that is what everybody at home heard.

  3. I finished this puzzle pretty quickly (*/** for difficulty but this did not detract from my enjoyment (***/*) in doing so. There were some pretty good clues. I particularly liked 9a, 23a, 26a, 28a and 17d. So thanks to the setter and to Blogden for the hints.

  5. IMHO a somewhat humdrum puzzle but I managed to steadily work my way through it with East holding out longer than the West. 16d dog a new one on me. 10a had to be but wasn’t sure why and I also failed to completely parse 8d. Quickie pun is amusing. Thank you Mysteron and MP.

  6. I enjoyed this and my appreciation of it grew as the solve progressed. My only slight complaint was 9a which I felt was a touch obscure and clumsily clued. I’m sure 24d came up in some form in Saturday’s NTSPP too. Positives far outweighed any niggles, I particularly liked 1a, 4d and 18a but my top spot goes to the clever 23a for its super smooth surface. 2.3/3.5*

    Many thanks to the setter and to MP for his usual witty but crystal clear review (I needed help parsing 8d and 20d…at university “up”?)

    Quicke pun was worth a mention too.

  8. Finished in an ok time this morning before combined library visit , posting birthday card and shopping expedition with darling wife . Steady solve today with 26A my COTD and the 7D & 10A combo last in .
    Loved the pun .
    Thanks to the Setter , MP and yet another alter ego .

  9. Typical Monday start and around a **/*** for me,
    A good mix of clues, liked 26a,needed the checking letters to parse 9a and finally remembered the ‘sample ‘ in 8d.
    Enjoyable all round, late Saturday night party watching the proms -3.30pm ! and an England victory the next day-I’ll settle for that.
    Thanks MP and setter-top class pun thrown in for good measure..

  10. A very enjoyable start to the week. I had to look up the correct spelling of 16d and 8d was a bung in until I checked the BRB to confirm the answer. My COTD was 26a because it was a “light bulb moment” solve.

    A great quickie pun today.

    Grateful thanks to all concerned.

    1. It doesn’t matter how many times 16d appears, I never remember where the “h” goes and I have to look it up!

  11. Like a few others of you I got off to a great start and then ground to a halt for a while.
    I’ve never heard of the 9a film but got the first word and then G and G – guessed and googled.
    I was very slow to get 26a and had heard of the 16d dog but had to check the spelling.
    I liked 11 and 23a and 8 and 20d (and the Quickie Pun).
    Thanks to today’s setter and to MP.
    Off to London this afternoon – needed for Nan duties!

    1. I love your G & G guessed and googled phrase Kath. I can see it being used and becoming part of this blogs glossary.

  12. A bit of a curate’s egg for me – clue constructions all very fair but just lacking a bit of sparkle. My favourite clue was 20d – clear and concise with every word needed to get the answer and no ‘fluff’ to pad it out.

    Thanks to our Monday Setter for the puzzle and the nomadic downtown LI landlord for his blog.

  13. Another gentle start to the week, grey matter was stretched in many cases but again perseverence and several “doh” moments it surrendered.
    Thanks to Blogden Nash and Setter.

  14. Just about right for a Monday morning with a bit of lateral thinking needed to complete it. I particularly enjoyed 9a as a terrific example of the form, so that gets my vote for COTD.

    Thanks to our setter and MP.

  15. All enjoyable aside from 16d. I’ve never heard of that dog. I don’t mind that, but there was no way to deduce it from the clue being just an obvious anagram where I could have all the right letters, but not necessarily in the right order No obvious gold medal clue for me today.

  16. Big thank you to the setter, and Miffypops for hints, which helped me solve 9a. Wasn’t looking for a film, and even I was not going to the cinema in 1948… Otherwise, right up my street and very enjoyable. COTD was 26a, loved it. Will have a go at the bonus Cryptic 569 over lunch later.

  17. Thanks for the hints. I got most myself but for some inexplicable reason 13a was dismissed as too much for this bear of little brain. Two vowel checkers put me off and a glance at the hint put me straight. Two birds and a dog today but little to eat.
    Nice day for driving over the Buttertubs. I was cycling over there in a heatwave with a friend who complained she was sweating like crazy. I said only horses and pigs sweat, men perspire and women glow. She said well I am glowing like a pig!. Cracking bit of cheese Gromit to be had in Hawes too.

      1. That sounds like fun on a sunny day but on a rainy day I imagine the Caterham would be just as wet as a bike.

  18. The top lulled me into false complacency, the further south I went, the harder it was to solve.
    I needed e-help for 9a, hadn’t heard of it and didn’t think of a film. I also got 10a wrong, could only think of “boom” for charge.
    Fave was 26a with 4d close behind, what oh!
    Thanks to our Monday setter and Mr. Nash for his fun review. I googled the Buttertubs, had not heard of it but it’s really spectacular. I would love to see that part of Yorks.

    1. The world cycling champs cycle over it on the 29th Sept. You should be able to watch it on the telly. I will be there cheering them on.

  19. No great problems until the SW corner which was a bit tricksy. Must admit to using the hints to reveal 13a which just would not come to me. Never thought of one of these as a family history, just one of those long Viking poems. Should have though Forsyte!
    Thx to all
    **/***

  20. That was a steady start to the week & got the grey matter ticking over.
    I seemed to solve this puzzle like driving on the M25 on a good day… start, stop, start, stop,,, you get the idea… but it came together nicely in the end.
    2.5*/4*
    Thanks to setter & MP but remember
    “Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker “ thanks to O.N.-

  21. Recommend the bonus Cryptic 569, just finished over lunch, very pleasant and enjoyable. Thanks very much to the setter.

  22. Not the customary Monday stroll today! I was slow to get going but once underway everything sorted itself out. I liked 11a so that is my top clue.
    Thanks to the setter, and to the Man with Many Names for the review.

  23. Not sure about the ** rating, but on the plus side easier than last Mondays. I’m sure I’d find it easier if I did it in the morning, but I don’t get my paper until the afternoon when I’m heading off to the fields then I don’t get time to read it let alone do the crossword until I get back home in the evening. Then I feed the dogs and then myself, maybe a change in lifestyle is required. Favourite 27a. many thanks to the setter and BN.

  24. Hi TG, I find it so much easier to do in the morning (morning after) having read through in bed the previous evening. I really enjoyed this crossword and the quick crossword pun – probably because at last I was on the right wavelength. I couldn’t do 10 across and 7 down so needed help from Blogden Nash. Such an entertaining assortment of clues, that I needed to check as I couldn’t believe I was doing the crossword on my own! Many thanks to the setter and man of many names.

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