DT 29187 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29187

by Miffypops  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29187

Hints and tips by Denis The Menace

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Good Morning from the misty heart of Downtown L I. All seems to be well with the world after the weekend’s marathon Rugby Union experience during which I managed to watch seven games. All four quarter finals in The Rugby World Cup. Two Premiership Matches and of course my home team Coventry who beat Bedford narrowly with a last gasp try and conversion.

Today’s puzzle provided entertainment and smiles and a trip down memory lane with a Noel Coward song from the 1930s. A raconteur who first found fame in the 1950s. An early 1960s film and a shopkeeper not seen since the 1970s. All fairly clued so do as instructed and you should have a full grid.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a    In resort, both made to buy a popular song (3,5,3,3)
MAD ABOUT THE BOY: Anagram (In resort) of BOTH MADE TO BUY A The answer is a song written by Noel Coward made popular by Dinah Washington

9a    Cake produced by graduate following dance (3,4)
RUM BABA: A Cuban dance is followed by the letters a graduate may use after his name.

10a    See 26 Across

11a    Nobleman briefly getting attention (3)
EAR: A British nobleman needs his last letter removing

12a    We make a call about going on without a band (7,4)
WEDDING RING: Begin with the word WE from the clue (say thank you to your setter). Find a word which means to make a call using a telephone. Between these two words place a word which means going on but without the letter a. Going on with extra remarks in a conversation perhaps.

14a    Greek character, say, heading off to change (6)
MUTATE: A letter of the Greek alphabet is followed by a word meaning to say or utter something but without its initial letter

15a    Place in the schedule: male in draw lost out (4,4)
TIME SLOT: Place the abbreviation for Male inside a word meaning to draw in a sporting contest. Add an anagram (out) of LOST

17a    Remained steady at sea in operation (6,2)
STAYED ON: An anagram (at sea) of STEADY is followed by a word meaning in operation. If your television set is not in operation it is off.

19a    Virginia and I occupying tavern to no avail (2,4)
IN VAIN: The abbreviation for the state of Virginia and the letter I from the clue sit inside another word for a tavern or pub

22a    Infantryman pays for veteran heading for reunion (4,7)
FOOT SOLDIER: There are three parts to this clue. Pays for as in makes payment for a bill. A veteran by age (also the name of a magazine aimed at the older market. The initial letter of the word reunion

23a    Gardening tool to sharpen, not new (3)
HOE: A word meaning to sharpen has the abbreviation for new removed

24a    Actor and raconteur, Justin, overbearing in part (7)
USTINOV: This late raconteur is included within the words of the clue. The words in part suggest it is so

26a & 10a    Pile taken from cart our cleaner used (7,7)
NUCLEAR REACTOR: Anagram (used) of CART OUR CLEANER

27a    Laparoscopy essential — her role Guy’s set out (7,7)
KEYHOLE SURGERY: A three-letter word meaning essential is followed by an anagram (set out) of HER ROLE GUYS

Down

1d    Film famous racehorse keeling over — extremely unpleasant (6,4,4)
MURDER MOST FOUL: This film (also a quote from Hamlet) is found by reversing a three-time Grand National winner and adding a synonym for extremely unpleasant

2d    Fault of French and Italian blocking me on river (7)
DEMERIT: The French word for of and the abbreviation for Italian surround the word me and the abbreviation for river

3d    Give evidence from stand, then watch (4,7)
BEAR WITNESS: Begin with a word meaning to stand or to shoulder. Add a word meaning to watch an event such as an accident

4d    America supporting centre for refugees along with African country (6)
UGANDA: The central letters of the word refugees together with a word meaning along with are followed by the abbreviation for America. That is what the clue says 

5d    Wicked and frightening (8)
TERRIFIC: A double definition in which I suspect our setter has used a modern and an archaic meaning

6d    Age of English artist (3)
ERA: Two abbreviations. English and a member of The Royal Academy

7d    Cricket side, ahead of test, being judged (2,5)
ON TRIAL: One of the two cricketing sides is followed by a synonym for test

8d    In good time outlaw must receive justice, at great cost (6,3,5)
BRIGHT AND EARLY: A verb meaning to outlaw contains a synonym for justice. This is followed by an adverb meaning at great cost. Split what you should have to suit the enumeration of the clue

13d    New and reportedly coarser shopkeeper (11)
GREENGROCER: Begin with a word meaning new and inexperienced. Add a homophone (reportedly) of the word coarser

16d    First-rate attic here? (3-5)
TOP-LEVEL: Where one would find an attic also means the very best

18d    Porter collecting mail for messenger (7)
APOSTLE: A word describing the drink porter sits around the mail

20d    A permit received by the runner (7)
ATHLETE: The letter A from the clue starts us off. A word meaning to permit something sits inside the word THE, also from the clue

21d    One inside provides for addicts (6)
FIENDS: The letter I sits in a word which means provides or looks after oneself without any help from others

25d    Name old hospital drama (3)
NOH: The abbreviations of the first three words of the clue together provide traditional Japanese masked drama with dance and song, evolved from Shinto rites.

Quickie Puns:

Top line: see+were+thee=seaworthy

Bottom line: wart+Erse+key=water-ski

69 comments on “DT 29187”

  1. A full grid, no more than expected on a Monday, but two or three needed some serious brain work to parse. 8d, 21d and 12a being the main culprits.

    Completed in ** time, fully parsed in *** time.

    Many thanks to the setter, and the Menace.

  2. I had to go into The Mine to check 14a, so thanks BD. 25d Was a bung in from the clue and the fact that I had checking letters from 24a and 27a. I still googled it, although I know I’ve seen it before. Just didn’t commit it to memory. Many thanks setter and Miffypops. We still have a 13d in our village. Next door to a very good butcher.

  4. I carelessly chucked in Rwanda for 4d which slowed me up a bit.
    I am wondering if Exit is our compiler today, following his comment on the NTSPP on Saturday. Is 18d the clue he was referring to??
    Last one in 21d.
    A very enjoyable puzzle. Thanks mystery compiler and DTM.
    .

  5. I found this on the tricky side for a Monday but that’s probably to do with the fact that it is the work of the setter with the Double Quick Pun who always takes me a smidge longer to solve

    Thanks to him and the Menace

  6. Took some thought, but brain still not clear from the red wine (at a wedding do) last night. Needed some help to start so went to BD and straight to 1A and 1D then closed Big Dave for the next 45 minutes to completion. With 1A, 1D giving me the starting letters of 13 clues – was able to complete.
    Best hint (well, answer actually) 1D, thanks Miffypops.
    BTW are there any short bios of our illustrious ‘Hinters’ – I have an image of Miffypops (a cross between Olive Oil and Lauren Bacall – but maybe I even have the sex wrong 😊)

    1. Click on the About tab and then on Meet the Bloggers

      Photos can be found in the Gallery under Features

      Oh and MP definitely isn’t as you describe in your comment :smile:

    3. CR. You’re not the only one, when I first commented on here a few years ago I got MP’s sex wrong too – based purely on his pseudonym. But then, I’ve been getting sex wrong all my adult life… :-)

  7. A well-clued puzzle, slightly more thought-provoking than Monday’s usual offerings and very enjoyable (**/****). I loved the long anagrams 1a and 1d but they might have been a stretch for those born after the mid 20th century. 12a and 27a were also good clues. Thank you to Denis the Menace and regards to Gnasher. Many thanks to the setter too.

  8. Tricky but doable with 1d taking my top position this morning. This was one of those puzzles that was reasonably straightforward to solve but a devil to parse in places.

    Thanks to our Monday setter for the challenge and to MP.

  9. We have an excellent 13d in our town. The sign in the picture has omitted the apostrophe in vegetables.

        1. Surely those apostrophes are grammatically just wrong and unnecessary? There used to be a ‘chuck wagon’ parked in a lay-by near Bromsgrove, who amongst other stuff advertised “hot potato’s” or “hot potatoe’s”, I forget which, but it used to wind me up every time I passed there.

          1. Drives me mad as well. If you don’t know how to use an apostrophe don’t use it at all. Years ago a sign in a shop window in Bond Street stated ‘sale to celebrate Queens’ Jubilee’. When I asked how many Queens were celebrating, the young assistants looked at me as if I was bonkers!

          2. I think SL is either a wind-up merchant or a genuine greengrocer with a market stall who doesn’t know any better!

          1. I rather like that one as it makes the items seem quite spectacular.
            My mother in law used to spell that “gatuex”, so we started pronouncing it that way. She also pronounced a well known 80s frozen dessert as Charisma, which we preferred to the original.

      2. Slow start but eventually got underway and completed minus a couple of parsings – 12a and 8d. South was more straightforward than the North. Rather a lot of multi-word solutions on which I am not too keen. Thank you Mysteron and Olive Oyl or is it Lauren Bacall?

        1. This should have been a new Comment rather than a follow on from Square Leg’s No. 9 Comment – apologies.

    2. There used to be someone, in Bristol I think, known as either the apostrophe or the grammar vigilante – he, or she, used to go round at night correcting the mistakes and had a fair bit of publicity at the time.
      He or she is probably in prison now leaving the real thugs to go round stabbing and beating up others.

      1. You are probably right Kath. I remember that. It was very amusing. We need more news like that.

  10. I thought this was going to be hard after reaching halfway down without completing any. From there on in it proved reasonably easy **/****. I can’t however fully parse 12a. I understand the first and last word which leaves me with 5 letter word (sans a) that is complete gobbledegook. The online puzzle tells me it’s all right.

  11. An interesting start to the week, not to tough but enough to get the old grey cells motivated. It will be knteresti g to see how the rest of the week pans out.
    Thanks to Dennis and Setter

  12. I did pretty well with this one and only needed a couple of hints. Very enjoyable. I miss the aforementioned shopkeeper. Me, pushing a pushchair (simple and long before they were super-sonic strollers) with a string bag, enjoying a couple of words as I bought said items, then on to other types of shop-keepers. Able to buy the amount I needed and not entire plastic wrapped preset quantities. Yes, I know, probably just nostalgic nonsense but good memories just the same.

  13. An enjoyable Monday romp and can’t quibble with ‘The Menace’ and a **/***.
    I liked the peripheral clues for a change and 1d especially.
    12a last in because I failed to parse ‘ the middle bit’ -thanks Denis.
    Once met Mr Ustinov at one of my sons graduation at Durham university when he was handing out the degrees-charming man.

    1. I am glad to hear that you met Mr. Ustinov and confirmed that he was charming. He always came across that way but sometimes it doesn’t follow through in real life.

    2. My daughter received her degree from Dickie Attenborough. She gave him a kiss and then all the other graduates after her did the same. Poor chap!

  14. Not too many problems apart from why 12a was what it was.
    I was also a bit slow with 4d although it couldn’t have been anything else.
    I agree with Chriscross about 1a and 1d being a bit unfair on younger people – I’m not young and I certainly don’t remember them although I have heard of them.
    I liked 3 and 8d and, as usual, forgot to hunt the second quickie pun.
    Thanks to the setter and to MP – some friends of us have a young and very uppity black Lab – he’s called Dennis for obvious reasons.

  15. Thank you setter and MP a good puzzle but for some reason I find it difficult to get the word order right for split clues eg 26 and 10 across

    1. The number that comes first is the one for the first word of the solution. If 10a had been the first word, the clue would have been written up there and said ’10 and 26 Across’

  16. Enjoyable solve at the ** level with much to enjoy ***. 14 a and 8d my favourites today. Thank you to the setter and Dennis the Menace. I hope this Dennis is the old fashioned one and not the neutered one of today. Just think; if Richmal Compton had been writing today William would not be the treasure he is still.

  17. This one fell firmly into the “not my cup of tea” category. I didn’t like either 1a (never seen “in resort” used as an anagram indicator) or one down where, although it was imaginatively clued, should films from well over 50 years ago have a place in contemporary crosswords…not in my opinion. Nothing particularly stood out for me so 2*/1.5*
    Many thanks to the setter and to MP/Olive Oil 😂 for his top level review

    1. 1a – I think you have to read ‘in resort’ as ‘in re-sort’ and I agree with you about old films and names etc.

  18. Late to the puzzle today and whilst I agree its not tricky i am struggling parsing a couple of clues:
    12 adding=going on? And 1d where does the der come from. Never heard of 25d but the answer was obvious.
    I feel I ought to like todays puzzle with all those phrases but don’t really.
    Thx to Margaret for her help with parsing those clues in yesterdays puzzle, shame you can’t submit it in the contest online.
    Thx to DtheM for explaining any number of other answers.
    **/**

    1. The famous race horse was Red Rum so just reverse it all and BINGO – you have the first word of 1d.

  19. Needed electronic help for 21d….could not see it at all even with all the checkers.
    Got the rest , though, so not bad for me for a Monday.

    Thanks to Dennis and to the setter. (Are Gnasher and Gnipper in attendance ?)

  20. Well, I enjoyed this, maybe ‘cos I’m of a certain age! I did find it hard to get a foothold, which I did when I got to 1d. That was such a famous horse I thought of him first, being an Agatha Christie fan I got the film, and that gave me so many starting letters.
    I don’t think I’ve ever used a thesaurus so often for a puzzle, but it got me there.
    It took me a long time to solve a couple in the NE corner, so I revisited it again and found that I had a wrong answer in 5d, I had “terrible”.
    Favourite by a long shot, 1d, what a beauty. I see he was buried at Aintree.
    Thanks to our Monday setter and to Dennis, loved you choices!.

    1. I started off with terrible too. Then I realised it didn’t fit with the first word in 15a.

  21. That did not do much for me, I’m afraid, still knackered from the weekend’s festivities.
    I though it was trickier than the usual monday. The film in 1d is hardly a classic, though for some reason I overlook the reversed racehorse every time, so no excuse.
    Thanks all

  22. Too many old films, songs and dramas today, and definitely not getting on the wavelength.

  23. Trickier than I first thought with a couple of clues leading me to put incorrect answers in that fitted really well… that’s my excuse anyway!
    But it was very enjoyable to wrangle it all out in the end.
    Favs … all the long border clues.
    3*/4* many thanks to setter & Gnashers owner for the review.

  24. Late on parade as I have been somewhat busy today. A bit tricky to begin with even though we had 2 ‘gimmes’ in 1a & 1d. Eventually got there with a bit of head scratching and a few smiles. No particular favourite but I did like the surfaces of 22a & 7d.

    Thanks to our Monday Mr Ron for the puzzle and to our Downtown LI Landlord for his blog. Also thanks for the clip at 1d of Margaret Rutherford – she is one of my all time favourites who lived such an interesting (if somewhat sad) life. Her autobiography is well worth a read.

    1. I loved her too. I saw her in, I think, 1961 as the nurse in Romeo & Juliet, with Judi Dench who was billed as an up-and-coming new star! There was I, fresh out of Jamaica, only ever been in a proper theatre once in my life. It was pure magic.

      1. I love your comments when you talk of your past. As a poorly schooled orphan boy I too was transfixed by the land of theatre. Still am.

  25. I ploughed through this crossword without too many glitches but it didn’t quite sparkle for me I’m afraid. No out and out favourite but 1a was quite amusing.
    Thanks to the setter, and to the kid for the review.

  26. Usually late time for me. Well I got to 19d before I got one and even when I got into it I found it a bit of a slog, but hey ho I got there in the end. My mood was brightened by some of the comments and thanks to LBR for explaining the resort/re sort anagram indicator, I’ll look out for that in the future. Favourite 3d. Thanks to the setter and Dennis the menace, I still have a catapult even at my age. I’m not saying what I use it for though.

  27. Good start of the week.
    Didn’t know the song in 1a but got it as it’s an anagram of bohemian rhapsody. One of my favourite.
    Liked 3d a lot.
    Thanks to the setter and to Dennis for the review.

      1. Oops. I always thought it was spelled with two N.
        Was busy doing the other online Monday crossword.
        Good fun.
        Thanks to the Telegraph for the bonus.
        Keep them coming.

        1. In the heading he spells it the French way, Denis, but you’ll note that lower down his comments are spelt the English way, so you’re right on all accounts!

          1. Ouch. It is Dennis. Dennis Dennis. English through and through. We don’t want any of them strange spellings over here. Bugger.

  28. I was on the same wave length as the setter today, and really enjoyed the clues – thanks to Denis/Dennis, and the setter. Lots of smiles!
    I heard Cleo Laine sing 1a in concert in the 70s here in Christchurch, New Zealand, and her version became my favourite.
    I, too, am rather cross when I see the apostrophe misused – good to be in the company of kindred spirits!

    1. Wow! You got to see Cleo Laine. Lucky you that is wonderful. Between us here in what is a fairly small band of rascals in the grand internet scheme of things we have met quite a few memorable people. I love it. After my months of being more than a bit absent it means so much to read all the comments.

      1. Carolyn, I was fortunate to meet her and John after the concert – a mutual friend took us backstage.
        I’ve just visited your website, and love the geodesic dome – just wonderful!
        I love the comments, too, although I don’t comment often enough. Must do better!
        Cheers from NZ, John.

        1. Ah how lovely John. They were quite the couple. Such talent.Only ever saw them on the television. Thank for the comment about the house, we do love it. Never imagined we would end up in such a place, I married a wanderer, he always had itchy feet, and I had a background of constantly moving because of my Dad’s job, but once we found this place, just knew we were home. 21 years now and hope to leave in a funny shaped box and only if we have to!

  29. 3*/4*….
    liked 1D “film famous racehorse keeling over — extremely unpleasant (6,4,4)”

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