DT 29295 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 29295

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29295

Hints and tips by Mr K

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

BD Rating  -  Difficulty *** Enjoyment ***

Hello, everyone.  Apologies for today’s bare-bones blog, but I need to spend my Monday evening with PowerPoint preparing for an important review in the morning.  In the hints below most indicators are italicized, and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions.  Clicking on the answer buttons will reveal the answers.  Please leave a comment telling us how you got on. 

 

Across

1a    Fish and wine bottles in for music player (4,8)
BASS CLARINET:  A fish is followed by a type of red wine that contains (bottles) IN from the clue

9a    Around river, retain new land (7)
TERRAIN:  Around the map abbreviation for river goes an anagram (new) of RETAIN 

10a   Design at each posh castle (7)
CHATEAU:  An anagram (design …) of AT EACH followed by the letter associated with posh or upper-class 

11a   Game  jumper (7)
CRICKET:  Double definition.  Jumper here clues something that jumps 

12a   Meaningless hearing, six implicated (7)
TRIVIAL:  A legal hearing with the Roman six inserted (implicated

13a   Aggressive animal -- say it turns on owner finally? (5)
TIGER:  Fuse together the abbreviation for say or for example and IT from the clue.  That lot gets reversed (turns) and is followed by the last letter (… finally) of owneR 

14a   Form risen a bit, top of the class? (9)
BRAINIEST:  An anagram (form …) of RISEN A BIT 

16a   Winger heading for goal, getting on top (9)
GOLDCREST:  Concatenate the first letter of (heading for) Goal, an adjective meaning “getting on”, and a synonym of top 

19a   Many times decimal? (5)
OFTEN:  The answer split (2,3) could mean decimal

21a   Solicitor welcoming knight back, visitor (7)
TOURIST:  A person trying to sell something containing (welcoming) the reversal (back) of the title used by a knight

23a   Contrived rot, same gifted performer! (7)
MAESTRO:  An anagram (contrived) of ROT SAME 

24a   English party make an impression (7)
ENGRAVE:  The three-letter abbreviation for English with a loud, energetic type of party

25a   Advertising vehicle? (7)
TRAILER:  A type of vehicle that’s towed is also a type of advertisement 

26a   Decorated too much, quite fairly (6-6)
PRETTY-PRETTY:  Synonyms of quite and of fairly 

 

Down

1d    Save monarch -- like George III? (7)
BARKING:  Save or except and a type of monarch or ruler 

2d    Kiss for a pound? (7)
SMACKER:  A double definition of a word that’s an informal term for both a kiss and for a pound 

3d    Artist rips off chart (9)
CONSTABLE:  Rips off or scams and a chart presenting text 

4d    Royal meeting a highlander (5)
ASCOT:  A from the clue and what a highlander would define by example

5d    I dashed in to embrace a native of Western Asia (7)
IRANIAN:  Link together I from the clue, dashed or sprinted, and IN from the clue containing (to embrace) A from the clue 

6d    Be mournful when member is in middle of speech (7)
ELEGISE:  A member or limb plus IS from the clue inserted in the middle letters of spEEch 

7d    Rod has to understand that woman to remain married? (5,8)
STICK TOGETHER:  Chain together a rod or a bit of wood, TO from the clue, a synonym of understand, and a pronoun for “that woman” 

8d    So the swine's been shot on end of road, where messages left (8,5)
BULLETIN BOARD:  A (6, 2, 4) phrase describing the state of a swine that has been shot is followed by the final letter of roaD (end of the road) 

15d   Change round hours and minutes perhaps in measuring instrument (9)
ALTIMETER:  A verb synonym of change is wrapped round what hours and minutes define by example (perhaps

17d   Couch accommodating more people? Upholsterer initially brought in (7)
LOUNGER:  A comparative adjective describing something that might accommodate more people with the first letter (… initially) of Upholsterer inserted (brought in

18d   Carry across border readily available illustrations (4,3)
CLIP ART:  A synonym of carry containing (across) a synonym of border 

19d   Ham to carve after cooking (7)
OVERACT:  An anagram (after cooking) of TO CARVE

20d   Friend supporting infant? Absolutely! (7)
TOTALLY:  A friend or supporter comes after (supporting, in a down clue) an infant 

22d   Little peg, nearly hollow (5)
TEENY:  A peg that supports a golf ball is followed by the outer letters (… hollow) of NearlY

 

Thanks to today’s setter.  I’m guessing that the quickie pun has three words, in which case it’s my favourite.  Which clues did you like best?

 


The Quick Crossword pun:  NOSE + FAIRER + TWO = NOSFERATU


79 comments on “DT 29295

  1. I found the left hand side of this puzzle more difficult than the right, although I did finish it in my usual ** time. There were 3 or 4 clues that I couldn’t completely parse but bunged in anyway, so thanks to Mr K for enlightenment on those. Some of the clues were a bit muddly so I’ll give it ** for enjoyment. However, 9d was a great clue so thanks to the setter.

  2. Ticks all over the place for this one. I found it quite tricky and cryptic but enjoyed the challenge a lot. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it were the work of Donnybrook.
    I’ve marked 19 and 24a plus 1 and 4d for special mention.
    3*/4*
    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the review.

  3. Have not started the cryptic one yet but had to look up the Quickie pun. Ashamed to say I had not heard of it. You learn something new every day! Thank you Big Dave and Mr K.

    1. I headed to the dictionary for that one – learn something new every day and your day has not been wasted!

  4. 3.5*/4*. I struggled to get going today and It took me quite a while to get onto the right wavelength. Even then the SW corner held me up at the finish. However, I very much warmed to this puzzle as I went along and enjoyed it very much.

    It must exist in the world of slang, but would anyone ever refer to a single 2d in the monetary sense?

    I have two minor qualms. If I am parsing 17d correctly, “accommodating more people” is cluing “longer”, but I don’t think the addition of the question mark is enough to justify this. Also, is “so” required in 8d?

    Jostling for podium places are 13a, 16a, 26a, 15d & 19d.

    Many thanks to Messrs R & K.

    PS. Hope your review goes well, Mr K. It must be important if it is higher priority than this review. :wink:

    1. I’ve just read Stephen L’s comment at 2. above, and I think he may well be right about this being Donnybrook’s handiwork.

      1. I can only remember it as a plural involving the answer given here with the addition of ‘oonies’.

  5. I thought that this was an excellent example of what the back-pager should be like – well-constructed clues, smooth surfaces and a dash of humour.
    I liked 16a, 1d, 4d and 19d but my favourite (because it made me laugh) was 8d.
    Thanks to the unknown setter and Mr K.

  6. That required a bit of application but I won through in the end. My Fav was 8d with 6d running up. Thank you to whomever the setter may be and to MrK for squeezing us into his busy schedule.

  7. Top draw back pager today all seem in unison.
    Agree with Gazza that the stand out clue was 8d for its inventive surface ! Liked 1a and 26a also
    Going for a ***/****.
    The quickie pun brought a smile too!

  8. Thanks, Mr K — I hope your prep was successful and your review goes well.

    And thank you especially for enlightenment on the quickie pun, which was also new to me.

  9. Hi all. Just to say that this isn’t Donnybrook’s handiwork today. Neither is it mine, in case that’s the next guess!

    1. You’re a terrible tease, Mr Ed. Perhaps you could at least persuade the culprit to pop in to take a bow?

        1. Doesn’t quite feel like one of Navy’s. And Lucy usually comments on her puzzles and mentions them on her Twitter, but neither has happened. It would be great to see another puzzle from her.

          I’m wondering if it might be X-Type. He’s come up with original clues like 8d before.

          1. Thanks MrK. I now realise Stone Waller’s question wasn’t specifically for me. I had overlooked navy clues and hadn’t considered Lucy Evans but like you I don’t really think it feels like one of hers. May be we shall see. 🤨

  10. An enjoyable tussle with this one. I did not need any of the white space on my printed sheet but completion at a gallop was almost under threat – 2.5*/4*.
    Candidates for favourite – 19a, 6d, and 8d – and the winner is 8d.
    Thanks to the setter and Mr K, especially for the Quickie Pun which I don’t think I would have got in a month of Sundays.

  11. Super duper puzzle today even though
    I had not the first idea about 17d, 18d or 24a despite the checkers being in place. I enjoyed the cheekiness overall, 1d especially, and, in harmony with other commenters, the quickie pun raised a laugh. Thanks very much to the setter and to Mr K for abandoning his important PowerPoint for however long it took.

  12. Surprising comments today about the level of difficulty. When that usually happens I find myself needing the hints and very often have to uncover the answer. No such problem today. Liked 8d and 19a best. Thanks to the mystery setter and Mr K. Hope the prep paid off.

      1. I wouldn’t have thought so, but then I can’t see a setter plagiarising either, so who knows

        1. The fodder has been used before. Years ago we had:
          Butcher to carve ham (7)
          and
          Ham awkward to carve (7)
          in two separate Saturday Prize Puzzles, both (I think) by Cephas.

        2. I found eight previous clues based on that fodder/definition combination. If 19d has appeared elsewhere recently, my guess would be that it’s a coincidence.

  13. Took me a while to get into this one and I did need some of the hints. However, it was a very enjoyable puzzle with many cleverly constructed clues. I especially liked 19a – short and to the point (no pun intended).

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr. K – I also add my good wishes for the review.

  14. Laughed out loud over 1d and the quickie pun, which I immediately got (mercy me, where’s my mind been?). The SW held me up a bit, with 16a being my last one in (very clever and a winger I didn’t know at all; don’t think he’s ever visited Charleston!). Excellent puzzle, with 8d being my COTD, though I don’t know what ‘so’ is doing there. Thanks to the brilliant setter and Mr K (once again, my hero for getting me back online with the puzzles). ***/****

  15. Never heard of the quickie pun. I had to google it. It took me ages to get started with this one, but got there in the end. 8d was my favourite. Thank you mystery setter and Mr Kitty.

  16. I thought this was excellent – very good clues, a decent challenge and a very enjoyable tussle. Far too many fine clues to isolate a favourite. 3.5* / 4*

    * I had 25a as a double-definition rather than a cryptic one. But maybe the ? wouldn’t be required/appropriate for a d-d?

    1. I briefly pondered that interpretation of 25a, but the major dictionaries don’t list advertising as a synonym of advertisement.

  17. Had to start almost at the bottom and work my way up through this one but it was certainly worth the effort.
    So many worthy of places on the podium but I narrowed it down to 13,16&25a plus 1&4d.
    I’m with Maggie and Florence in being mystified by the Quickie pun – a quick visit to Mr G reassures me that I haven’t missed much!

    Thanks to Mr Ron for the challenge and to Mr K for the review. Your task of yesterday would have been my idea of hell but doubtless you carried it off with aplomb!

  18. Haven’t finished yet but enjoying kicking the old grey matter into gear.
    I sympathise with your time spent with PowerPoint, not a fun date.

    We are redorating still. My job is fireplace surround and skirting boards, because I am short and nearer to them. Getting down is fine. Getting back up again however…… I am half watching daytime TV as I wait for coats of paint to dry. Yesterday it was Call the Midwife. A wandered past me on his way to the basement with the kitchen cupboard doors to be stripped, looked at TV and said “Oooooh Jenny Agutter! Still beautiful!…….sigh…” I said “You’re thinking about her bottom in Walkabout aren’t you.” He blushed and said ‘Not at all!” A little later he passed me again and asked what happened at the end of the episode. I said “Baby born, father relieved, giggly flirting mid-wives and kind faced nuns watching little children sing carols.” …….. ‘Oh and right at the end Jenny Agutter flipped up her habit and flashed her still irritatingly pert bottom.’ A: “NO!!” Me: “Of course not, but you looked devastated for a minute there thinking that you might have missed it (cackle!)”
    Ah marriage, it’s the little things that make me happy 😋😈

    1. Thank you, Carolyn, for reminding me about Walkabout. It’s brought a smile to my face. 🙂

  19. I found this easier than yesterday’s,bizarrely,although that could be attributed to the fact that I missed a week over half term. The presence of grandchildren is not conducive to crosswords so hadn’t even bought a paper. The south west corner held me up. It’s a very long time since I’ve heard pound notes referred to as “smackers” but it rang a distant bell fairly quickly.

  20. I remembered to take the printout to work today. and fairly rattled through the top 2/3rds. 22d took a while for the penny to drop and I didn’t really like 26a. I too didn’t see how longer fitted the clue on 17d but on reflection if the couch was longer it would accommodate more people.
    Thanks to Mr K for enlightenment and good wished for the review.
    Navy?

  21. Firstly, some of this was right at the top of my solving abilities, I needed far too much e-help, and secondly, what a super-duper puzzle. I’m so glad I persevered, lots of laughs and fun, I loved it all. I laughed at 1d, thought 8d so clever … I could go on and on.
    Thank you setter, brilliant, and thanks to Mr. K for the enlightenment of some, e.g. 24a, I was looking at “E” for English, dim?

  22. I also thought this was a very good crossword and quite difficult.
    Never heard of the Quickie pun and, having looked it up, I don’t feel as if I’ve missed anything.
    24a held me up – I always forget that the abbreviation for English can be three letters – how long have I been doing crosswords?
    Lots of good clues – 26a and 1 and 7d. My favourite was 8d – it made me laugh.
    Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

  23. Excellent challenge today
    Also missed the three letter abbreviation for English which required a hint
    Thanks to blogger and setter

  24. Late to this today as spent most of the day driving to and from Conwy where we had a very pleasant lunch. As for the puzzle, a bit of a slow start, then whizzed through until I became stuck in the SW corner. Some really good clues, of which 1a and 8d came out top of the pile.

    Earlier commentators seem to have exhausted the supply of possible setters so I shall just say thanks to whoever compiled this little gem, and to Mr K of course.

    1. Hi YS,
      Where did you lunch in Conwy – always happy to hear of somewhere I may not yet have tried! I’m guessing at either Signatures or The Manor, don’t think either Watson’s or La Paysanne (my other guesses) are open for lunch on a Tuesday.
      Maybe one day I can tempt you both to cross the bridge and try one of our eateries over here on the island?

      1. At Amelies in the High Street. My first time in Conwy, and not my last. Hopefully warmer next time!

        1. Thank you, YS – that’s a new one on me. Will hopefully visit soon and hold you entirely responsible!

  25. I thought I was going to storm this as I clicked onto the setters wavelength, then the SE corner just stopped me in my tracks & pushed the solving time way above.
    3.5*/3.5*
    Thanks to setter & MrK for his invaluable review

  26. One of those weird coincidences. I had not heard of the Quickie pun today and it then comes up as a question on The Chase.

  27. Took me a long long time and l needed a couple of hints to finish.Well worth the effort and serves me right for thinking that Monday was really a bit too easy.Thankyou to the mystery setter and to Mr.K. who can obviously solve a quite difficult puzzle,write a brilliant blog and against time pressure.

  28. Everything went smoothly until I hit a brick wall in the SW.
    16, 17 and 18 needed the hints but not the reveal button. Proof that the hints are quite clear, thank you very much.
    Thanks also to the setter for a good challenge.

  29. We convinced ourselves that CL must be the setter as 11a was a word to be clued in the puzzles newsletter competition about the middle of last year (one of the few times we have been able to see the newsletter). However, we were wrong again.
    An enjoyable solve that went together smoothly for us.
    Thanks Mr Ron and Mr K.

  30. Not my cup of tea today, just couldn’t get on wavelength. 23a was the first one in. Did better with the down clues, but needed too many across hints. Never heard of 6d and having being married for almost 54 years, I wouldn’t describe us as 7d, doesn’t sound like something a happy couple would use to describe their togetherness. Thanks to setter and to Mr K for the hints, much appreciated. But I can’t complain as I’ve had a run of really good solves recently, can’t win them all.

  31. Nice puzzle today, ***/****. I got 18 down from the wordplay, but had to confirm on the net.
    The quickie pun I knew from seeing an old film of this title many years back.

    Fangs to all concerned.

    1. Yes, a good crossword. And, as you may have observed once again, with nothing to ‘frighten the horses’, so completion ‘at a fast canter’ – or even ‘at a gallop’ has been possible.

  32. I also found this a good bit trickier than usual though that may have been due to the beers after a super days golf in sunny Joburg. COTD for me was 8d amongst a number of contenders.
    Thanks to all

    1. Sounds great, Huntsman.
      Our courses are pretty much waterlogged here in the London area. 🏌

  33. Unlike most commentators I had blanks dotted all over the place but after a 45 minute power nap, and only halfway down my bottle of wine, I simply wrote all the answers in. How does that work? Only one slightly stretched synonym and all the answers obtainable from the clues so top marks from me. I think I’ll go with 19a for favourite. Many thanks to the setter and me Mr K.

  34. I would have suggested that the setter today was X-type had it not been for the fact that he (or she) usually pops in to claim responsibility when it’s one of his (or hers) but it’s getting a bit late now so maybe not – just an idea . . .

  35. Took ages for me to get on the right wavelength today, and even then, needed several of Mr K’s excellent hints to complete the puzzle. I don’t believe we have 16a here in the Antipodes. I liked 1 and 15d, and 23a! Many thanks to the setter, and Mr K!

  36. I’ve just started doing this crossword and I really struggled with today’s . I did really well yesterday and nearly finished it though

    1. Welcome from me too, Una, and thanks for sharing your experience with the puzzle.

      Today was tricky, especially for someone just starting out here. We hope that the site will help you to struggle less on ones like it in the future.

  37. Thanks for all the well wishes re the review I was preparing for. I’m happy with how it went, so that’s a load off my mind. And now I might even have time for a few crosswords.

  38. Having recently retired and having more time on my hands I m getting far better at these. Mainly due to Big Dave’s hints adding to my x word vocabulary. Found this tough and took three bath tub sessions to fall three short prior to seeking hints. I also have not heard of 6d.

    1. Welcome to the blog, Mel.
      I hope you’ll use some of your newly-found leisure time to become a regular commenter.

Comments are closed.