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DT 29329

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29329
The Saturday Crossword Club
Hosted by Tilsit

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Until the Telegraph resumes the award of prizes for the Saturday puzzles, this post, and tomorrow’s, will be just like the Monday to Friday posts, with hints for every clue and revealable answers.  BD


Good morning from a sunny Warrington.

Hope you are coping well with the lockdown wherever you are.

I’m running some online quizzes and playing plenty of online bridge, as well as studying for my OU German finals.  I was stood down from work about ten days ago, but have not been furloughed yet, and that has brought some additional worries.  I’ve been told I may be needed to work from home, but have yet to hear.

Anyway, back to today’s teaser, which I think is by our primary Saturday Mysteron.  It’s an elegant puzzle which has lovely clueing and for me, provides just the right challenge for a back pager.

We’d appreciate your comments.

Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.

Some hints follow.

Across

1a Doctor No’s at place to trade in 007’s vehicle? (5,6)
ASTON MARTIN: The marque of James Bond’s car is an anagram (Doctor) of NO’S AT, add to this a place to buy and sell things plus IN.

10a The ultimate feature of some games (5)
OMEGA: A word, the last letter of the Greek alphabet, meaning ultimate is hidden in SOME GAMES.

11a It’s more alarming admitting if one means to break up (9)
SCARIFIER: Something meaning more alarming takes (admits) IF and gives you something that can break up ground.

12a Every Russian in sporty car to gad about (9)
GALLIVANT: A word meaning every and a Terrible Russian name goes inside the initials asspsociated with a sporty and fast car to give something meaning gad about.

13a Little chap beginning to thrive before long (5)
TITCH: One way to spell the name given to someone who’s vertically challenged comprises the first letter of thrive plus one meaning to long for something.

14a Colourless football team switching pair at the back (6)
ALBINO: Someone who is colourless, lacking pigmentation can be found by taking the suffix of some soccer teams: West Brom or Burton in England, Stirling in Scotland and even one with this name in Uruguay! and then switching the last two letters round. A nice clue.

16a A kiss cut short to show affection for one that may be related (8)
ANECDOTE: A slang word for a kiss takes something meaning to show affection over someone or something. This leads to something related, in the sense of a verbal relation….

18a What’s brought from food shop before jolly (8)
DELIVERY: Something a great many people are having at the moment to their homes. The (short) name for a food shop and a word meaning jolly, as in the expression ‘a jolly good show’.

20a Hospital cutting top-class medication that’s on the rise (6)
UPHILL: The one letter abbreviation for upper-class goes before a sort of medication and the whole lot goes around the abbreviation for a hospital to give a description of something rising.

23a Bridge players perhaps unpleasant creatures when losing the lead (5)
EASTS: In bridge sessions, the players are named according to cardinal points and here you’re looking for a group of players sitting in one particular seat. Take a word for nasty creatures and remove the first letter.

24a & 26a Vehicle for 007 damaged slightly evading hit (3,6,9)
THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS: ‘Vehicle’ in this clue means a film title. An anagram of SLIGHTLY EVADING HIT.

26a See 24 Across

27a For Frenchman, extremely small lock (5)
TRESS: The name for a lock of hair is found by taking the word someone from France would use to say extremely and adding the abbreviation for small.

28a Characters showing relief from disturbed rest slept round about (11)
LETTERPRESS: The name for a printing style where the letters are raised from the paper is an anagram of REST SLEPT which goes around a word meaning ‘about’. Probably the most obscure word today.

Down

2d Use artillery for cover (5)
SHELL: Two definitions here. To use artillery against someone and an outer cover.

3d Group of stars gathering at address (7)
ORATION: The name for a famous constellation has AT insierted to give an address.

4d Fail to find motorway covering Scottish island (6)
MISLAY: If you can’t find something, this is what you may do. The abbreviation for a motorway goes before the name of a Scottish island, home to many distilleries.

5d Organist somehow dressing down (8)
ROASTING: The word for a dressing down now used in comedy circles for a tribute show is an anagram (somehow) of ORGANIST

6d Stupid African despot for the listener (7)
IDIOTIC: The first name of one of the nastier African dictators plus a word meaning ‘pertaining to the ear’ gives you a word meaning stupid.

7d Lout with money just about fit for purpose (5-3-5)
ROUGH AND READY: If something is almost fit for purpose, there’s an expression which is made up of the name for a lout or thug plus a slang name for money.

8d Visit our amazingly talented musicians (8)
VIRTUOSI: The name for wonderfully talented musicians is an anagram (amazingly) of VISIT OUR.

9d Indiana Jones perhaps loathes a corgi barking (13)
ARCHAEOLOGIST: What Indiana Jones did as a day job is an anagram of LOATHES A CORGI.

15d Sweet shot? (5-3)
BULLS-EYE: The name for a sticky sweet popular with schoolboys is also the name for a darts shot.

17d Note time absorbed in handicraft (8)
CROTCHET: A word for a musical note, is the name of a handicraft, enjoying a renaissance at the moment, with the abbrevaiation for time inside.

19d Trace viewer regularly introducing Top Gear driver (7)
VESTIGE: A name for a small amount, or a trace comprises the alternate letters of the word VIEWER, plus the name of a character from the TV series Top Gear.

21d Love potion makes Duke of Edinburgh tango with the queen (7)
PHILTER: A word for a love potion (and an alternative spelling of this word) is found by taking the nickname for the D of E and adding the NATO letter represented by Tango, and the abbreviation for his wife! Love the image.

22d Removing vice from China perhaps is a hard problem (6)
TEASER: The name for a collection of China loses the word VICE and when joined it gives a word for a puzzle.

25d Plans advanced in certain days in Rome (5)
IDEAS: The abbreviation for advanced goes inside that name for the middle days of a Roman month.

I rather enjoyed this nice challenging puzzle. Tell me what you think! I’m off to do the monthly Grand Prix quiz, run a social quiz using Zoom and then probably some bridge this evening!

I leave you with a lovely piece of music – enjoy this!

It’s the Icelandic band Sigur Ros, just listen and wallow. Go on, you might be surprised!

The Crossword Club is now open.


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The Quick Crossword pun: ceiling+whacks=sealing wax


76 comments on “DT 29329

  1. I found this quite difficult and struggled with a number of clues especially 28a -I have never heard of the object. There were some good clues, however such as 12a and I did manage to finish eventually without help.
    Grateful thanks to the setter and Tilsit.
    Please stay safe and well, everyone.

  2. I ,too, found this difficult but unlike yesterday’s puzzle it was an enjoyable challenge (***/****). Surprisingly, although I know next to nothing about James Bond, Top Gear, soccer teams or the game of Bridge, I did manage to finish without assistance. My favourie clu was the well misdirected 24a and 21d a close second. Thank you Tilsit for the hints and my sympathies that the lockdown is causing you difficulties. Thanks to the setter for brightening our day. Keep well everyone.

  3. A bit of a stinker which impacted on the enjoyment, but I did finish at a fast canter – 2.5*/2.5*.
    Candidates for favourite – 14a, 16a, and 7d – and the winner is 16a.
    Thanks to the setter and Tilsit.

  4. 2*/4*. Nothing too tough here and I enjoyed this a lot. I wondered if this might have been set by CL himself, but Tilsit seems to think otherwise.

    4d was my last one in as I convinced myself it must be a two character motorway followed by a four letter Scottish Island. D’oh. Got there in the end though.

    With lots of good clues to pick from, 12a gets the nod as my favourite.

    Many thanks to Mr Ron and to Tilsit.

    1. Same with me re 4d – Lagavulin & Caol Ila my pick of a wonderful selection of malts & the island has a fabulous links at Machrie.

  5. Found this quite enjoyable. Despite the usual stretched synonyms. Had to think twice for at least half the clues. Was foxed by the 4 letter Scottish Island beginning with S after casually putting in M1 for motorway. Did not like the first word 7d for lout and was looking to remove Sin from a word for Chinese in 22d. Got there in the end though **/**** Thanks to all.

  6. A cracking puzzle for a Saturday morning. Some excellent clueing with 21d getting the biggest laugh, the 007 linked clues providing some pleasant memories and 22d joining 12a as co-favourite. The whole thing flowed nicely until my iPad showed an error message and I could not continue for half an hour. Then the Quickie froze. Come on Telegraph. This new app is a real mess. Sort out it out.

    Many thanks to Mr Ron and Tilsit.

    1. I chortled over 21d, YS. It was the imagined scene that did it, I guess. Long May They Wave!

  7. I found this trickier than I might have expected but then I had just returned from a strangely quiet Sainsbury’s shopping trip – I think people have realised that although there is fresh food and meat if you want other household essentials you have to go elsewhere

    I was also held up a teeny bit at the bottom because, despite the clear wordplay, I always spell the solution to 21d with RE rather than ER at the end

    Thanks to the setter and Tilsit. Nice birdsong-filled walk this morning and I even saw a couple of the creatures featured in today’s NTSPP

      1. I agree it was a poor spelling. Although BRB gives is both way as its from the Latin philtrum and the Greek philtron it seems obvious that it should be a RE ending. Probably an Americanism.

    1. 21d was the last straw for me. Too many odd and obscure words. Not going to spend any more of my day on this one. Thanks for the hints Tilsit.

    2. Me too! Even though I felt it had to be as HM is always ER, I didn’t write it in until the very last.

  8. I’m Number 6 to comment? Where’s everybody? As a non-Bonder, I nonetheless found the 007 clues quite challenging but very doable and I especially enjoyed the unravelling process. Thought this was a bit tougher than our usual Saturday fare, and I was pushed into the *** category mainly because 26a held me up forever, it seemed. Winners today: 14a, 12a, 21d, with 26d my LOI and 13a altogether new to me. Thanks to Tilsit and today’s setter. Good stuff.
    *** / ****

    1. Until the DT reinstate the Prize Puzzles, all weekend puzzles are reviewed in the same way as weekday puzzles so solutions are provided under the click here buttons and hints provided for every single clue

    2. Just noticed the section on the address on the puzzle and thought you made a mistake in publishing the answers, only usually log in on a Saturday, but missed last Saturday.

  9. Sorry I only look in on a Saturday, and now noticed the “Prize Puzzle Update” on the address section of the puzzle.

  10. I agree it was a bit of a stinker, it took me two sittings to complete it. It was one of those very wordy puzzles where in order to understand most of the wordplay you had first to find the answer. Never heard of 28a before and I thought 22d was the worst of the day. However, I did like 1a and 24a being a JB fan.
    For me ***/**
    Thx for the hints esp for explaining 22d/

  11. I really enjoyed this but found it a puzzle of two halves with the bottom half being more difficult than the top. I also thought the same as CS about the spelling of 21d.

    My favourites were the two Bond ones.

    Many thanks to the setter and Tilsit.

  12. I seem to be in a different camp. I found that quite easy for a Saturday. I particularly liked the Scottish Island and was also fooled into using a 2 character motorway but a glance at my wallchart of whisky sorted it out. I liked the linked Bond clues but wasn’t the film one of the few where Bond didn’t drive a 1a? – A BMW from memory – correction IMDB says that this was the one where Bond got his favourite marque back after the previous incumbent R Moore drove a Lotus. Thanks to tilsit particularly for the parsing of 22d which I didn’t quite get but bunged in on the basis of it has to be.
    Thanks to setter too now an MPP and NTSPP to fill the rest of the day yippee.

  13. Gosh I found this one to be not too difficult except for 19d and 11a never heard of 19d still even at 70 I am still learning. I have Blue Tits nesting in the boxes in the garden and the Goldfinches are back. I have actually had someone try to walk through the garden. They thought it was the coast path, I politely explained his error. Still I hope everybody out there is not suffering to much Cabin Fever.
    Thanks to Tilsit and Mr Ron

    1. I bet they had a map. We get organised groups following a ‘leader’ on the pavement opposite. The path is clearly marked as being behind the houses they are walking in front of. They will have been wrong for a quarter of a mile having missed the path clearly marked opposite a clearly marked public house. It’s a shame because the proper path is a joy passing the old cemetery and going through the allotments.

  14. Unlike some l found this both enjoyable and challenging but completed without needing the clues.l would also comment that l had more difficulty with the quick puzzle but found that very satisfying.It must be about wavelength l suppose.Thankyou to all.

  15. Nice trot through this one, with a few challenges requiring electronic assistance. Favourites were 1a, 12a, 13a, 14a, 20a. Least favourite 16a.

  16. Really fantastically entertaining clues and answers.
    Thanks a lot to the usual mysteron, if it was them and to Tilsit for 4d….I put M1 and then toiled on a 4letter Scots island beginning with S.

    I imagine, like me, a lot of regular posters started earlier, were interrupted by Zoom coffee chats, walks (mine later), lunch, chores etc.and are now finishing.

    I’m desperate for an 11a, which after this winter I’ve been needing for the last 3-4 weeks and would have bought if I didn’t regard it as frivolous.

  17. My wife is livid! I am grinning somewhat! 21d causing the issue! We work together, me learning at 75 how to solve crosswords! I put in 28 across, from my days in stationery sales! It was “wrong” when she went to insert 21d. I expressed surprise at ‘RE for our Majesty? Still “wrong” until Big Dave time, now she is searching every dictionary in the house! Means I can read the rest of the DT in peace! ! I was a bit surprised she was not backed by more bloggers! She is furious!! But not at me!!! Happy Day!!!

  18. Like Chriscross, I thought I’d get into a mess with some of seemingly specialised GK but luck was on my side.
    Enjoyable to solve and I put 12a & 22d at the top of the pile.

    Thanks to our setter and to Tilsit for the review – very much enjoyed listening to Sigur Ros.

  19. Not too difficult for a weekend puzzle although I needed Tilsit to parse a couple for me. The Bond clues were fun and 16a brought back memories of watching Dr No in an Odeon with a lovely girl who I doted on for a time.

  20. Found this quite difficult as struggled to get the outside clues in. 21d is new word for me. Quite satisfying to eventually finish before reading the blog. Rating ***/***

  21. I found the top half plain sailing but stalled a bit with the bottom eventually finishing in just over 2.5*. Thought this was very enjoyable with my only criticism the iffy alternative spelling of 21d that caused a delay with 28a which was my last in. 6d was my favourite of the clues. The lovely weather makes it very frustrating to be stuck indoors & am looking forward to this afternoon’s walk. In the meantime I’m toiling badly with yesterday’s Toughie (only 9 answered thus far) while compiling an Elton John playlist – I’d quite forgotten what an excellent body of work his prolific output in the 70s was.
    Thanks as ever to the setter & to Tilsit for his review.
    Ps was it just me or was the Quickie harder than usual ?

    1. I am finding the Quickie harder lately. Once I have the pun, which is not always immediate, I tend not to solve the rest of the puzzle.

        1. There is a live version where Funeral for a Friend segues into Love Lies Bleeding, that would have to be on my playlist.

  22. If ever one day I learn how to drive, I would certainly buy an Aston Martin.
    I love their cars.
    A bit too late now I fear.
    Waited to have all the checkers in 28a as I didn’t know whether the About was On, Re or even Ca for circa.
    Thanks to the setter and to Tilsit for the new style Saturday Club.

  23. I was rather slow here today…but again super clues, comments and tips. Thank you as always for the contributions, insight, pictures , remarks and explanations ……so appreciated in these puzzling times.

  24. Really enjoyable and finished without needing the hints although a bit of digital help with some of the anagrams was necessary (especially 9d)

    Fortunately, living in Scotland and enjoying a wee dram occasionally, the Island came to me easily.

    Really enjoyed the James Bond themed clues, have been binge watching some of the 007 films with all the time being spent at home.

    Thanks to the setter for a lovely puzzle and Tilsit for the exceptionally good range of picture clues which made amusing reading after completion.

  25. A cracking Saturday puzzle that gave not only a pleasant challenge but provided a Quantum of Solace… ooh!
    Took me longer than I thought, not helped by the fact I was able to get outside & sit in the Hampshire sunshine.
    3*/4.5*. A really entertaining puzzle
    Many thanks to setter & Tilsit for review
    Wishing everyone a peaceful & safe week ahead.

  26. Thanks to the setter and to Tilsit for the review and hints. I enjoyed this, but found it very tricky indeed. Needed 5 hints to finish. Managed to get 21d from the wordplay, but had never heard of it. Likewise 24&26a. Favourite was 9d. Was 4*/2* for me.

  27. Having done a solid two hours in the garden, I enjoyed this. A good challenge and a few smiles at the answers. For me, a **/****. Thanks to both.

  28. I’d never heard of philtre or philtre so had to check the dictionary for this. It couldn’t really be anything else given the clue but there was the element of doubt that perhaps I’d made it up. No real difficulty although some of the clues took a fair bit of working out.

  29. Well, we all sound a happy bunch, despite the worrying times. Wish I could say I breezed through this puzzle, but at the end, I was telling myself it was a brain work out, a challenge. I don’t know about the discussions over the ending of 21D, to me it was a new word (still learning), so had to resort to my trusty Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus to verify. In keeping with comments last Saturday, may I say that dictionary was bought through the prize I won for the Telegraph Scrabble competition in June ’06. A time before mobiles took over peoples’ real lives.

  30. Quite enjoyable (**/****) across 3 sittings today (breakie/gardening/walking dog). Bond themes a welcome esp a Timothy Dalton outing. 21d a newbie for me.
    Thx Setter & Tilsit

  31. We’ve been watching some of the Bond Movies during lockdown, so 1a was straight in. Many thanks to the setter and to Tilsit. We’ve opted for a Muppet movie tonight. Something to make us laugh.

  32. Seemed like a relatively smooth solve for a Saturday puzzle. Enjoyable solve whilst watching Covid updates for BC. Nothing too tricky except19d was my only cheat as I don’t watch the Top Gear show so was unknown to me. Parsing still not clear to me on that one.
    Liked the 007 clues, they were good.
    Challengers for favourite clues today are14a, 4d, 7d & 22d … winner 4d … love it when the penny finally drops and the answer hits you … and the inward groan!!
    Nice entertaining puzzle

    Thanks to setter and Tilsit

  33. I took ages to find a way in and struggled all the way. I think some of it was self-inflicted; I never did get 28a but we had one at home when I was growing up, it had our address on it and you punched it on top of the page when writing a letter. I wonder what happened to it?
    I would never have got 22d in a month of Sunday’s, nor have I heard of an 11a, a true bung in, I’m so amazed it’s right.
    There was lots to like, 4d was my first in, the Bond clues were fun remembering the movies. Who could forget the African despot? I think my fave has got to be 21d, though I wish he/she had found a way to spell it correctly.
    Thanks to whomsoever and to Tilsit for many unravellings. Keep safe all!

  34. Am I the only person who’s never watched a Bond film, an Indiana Jones film, Top Gear, football (or soccer or whatever it’s called), or played bridge (although I did get that one easily enough) so some of this crossword was a bit of a struggle. Just for the record I’ve never read nor seen any of the Harry Potter stuff but at least he didn’t come in to it today.
    Grump over now – sorry, but only a little bit – I actually quite enjoyed the crossword and spent the rest of the day in the garden with the Younger Lamb planting veggies in the sun which we both also enjoyed – haven’t got all the seeds we need but too bad . . .
    My favourite was 7d – at least I understood that one. :sad:
    Thanks to the setter and to Tilsit.

    1. No you are not alone Kath. I am with you on all the fronts you mention in your first paragraph. 🙋

  35. A bit of a struggle but got there in the end.

    I’m not sure that the image in 28a actually raises letters from the paper. It looks remarkably like the Adana machine my father used to have, where the roller runs over the inked turntable and across the surface of a type-set platern (very laborious) and the platern is pressed against the paper, leaving a printed image, all in one smooth action. Hours of fun. A fascinating feature was a type of ink he sometimes used which, when the paper had been printed it was put in the oven(!) and it rose, like a cake as it were, leaving the print in relief. High-tec 1960’s stuff, that was.

  36. What wasn’t there to like about this crossword? Challenging but fair. I hadn’t heard of the bond film (that one must have passed me by) but worked it out and Googled it, I also hadnt heard of 21d but worked it out and Googled it so the spelling argument was never a problem. 21d went straight in without a second thought, just how one sees things I suppose. I own an 11a even though I don’t have a lawn now. Favourite was 22d just because others struggled with it and I didn’t, so there! Many thanks to the setter and Tilsit.

  37. Watched the video, haunting. No idea what it was about though. There are some good Icelandic bands about check out Kaleo. Way Down We Go and I Can’t Go On Without You are outstanding.

  38. Interesting today…I was one of those who had never heard of 21d despite my years. Mine would end with tip. Like many I started at the top and worked down but found a few v difficult. I’m still not sure of 16a as it doesn’t define for me. Thanks to Tilsit for his hints – but where is BD as many answers were discussed openly and no naughty corners… Favourite was 1a but it took a while!

    Let’s hope that Covid 19 is over soon and all back to normal -good luck folks !!

    1. BD’s explanation at the top of the post, not to mention my reply to comment 10 explains why this isn’t the usual weekend blog. It’s a good thing really as it means Mr CS and I can have all the lemon drizzle cake I made earlier without having to share it with the Naughty Corner

  39. 4d took longer than it should have considering Gray’s prediliction for Laphroaig. We shared the spelling confusion over 21d. Low-brow knowledge not a problem in this household, football and cars are Gray’s department while Bond/Indiana Jones etc. definitely Rose’s, especially when it concerns a young Timothy Dalton … sigh …

    1. We have at home a 28a which was in the house when we bought it about 30 years ago. It is red in colour and quite small. The address thereon pre-dates numbering on the road and postcodes, so just the name of the house. We also have a white telephone with a dial like the one shown on a recent photograph of the Queen. The number is stamped on the dial – which is 5 digits. Excluding the STD code there are now two extra digits. Back to the crossword. Never did get 16a as spent too long trying to fit in Uncle and thought the last five letters could be Close. Did not think about neck as a familiar word for kiss either. Apart from that this one stretched the brain. Favourite 22d followed by 17d and 12a. Thank you setter and Tilsit.

  40. Glad I don’t have to solve too many ‘**’ crosswords like that in the future.
    I thought 23a was horrible.
    Thanks all.

  41. Phew I struggled with this one. South fell first. IMHO 21d is a rather silly clue quite apart from the unfamiliar spelling of the solution. Uncomplicated but clever surfaces in 12a and 6d appealed. Thank you Mysteron and Tilsit.

  42. I needed Tilsit’s hint for 28a today, as I had used the English spelling, not the US, (according to my Collins) for 21d! Otherwise a slow but steady solve – thanks to all! 🙃

  43. I continued this one this morning and quite a few jumped out. Amazing what a fresh mind can see. Excellent crossword with the James Bond (and an other action hero) theme. Even a plug for James Bond’s watch. Lots of favourites but 14 and 23a, 6 and 19d are my shortlist for COTD. An apologies to the Stig, I forgot about him. At least I figured there were not enough letters in the clue for Clarkson or Hamster. Finally, Sean’s still the best Bond🦇

  44. So pleased to find your blog! Thank you for writing it! I’m a beginner and often struggle even to understand the answers.

  45. Struggled with this one and eventually had to resort to electronic aid for 14a, 15d and 23a.
    Sport is not my thing, but I do play Bridge so no excuses for not getting 23a other than not having though of it as a plural.
    Does 14a mean colourless? Lacking in pigment which is not the same.
    Thanks to the setter and to Tilsit.

  46. The down clues fell in easily with the exception of 21d which I hadn’t heard of, but not so those across which thanks to Tilsit I managed to get without actually looking up the answers. I didn’t read 1a properly but got the answer nonetheless from a famous TV Doc plus an anagram of No’s at, and of course being a lifelong 007 fan.
    All in all an enjoyable post Sunday breakfast mind exercise whilst sitting in the Cornish sunshine.
    Thanks to the setter and Tilsit.

    1. Hi Helen

      in 1 ac Doctor is an anagram indicator so the clue parses as Rearrange (Doctor) the letters of NO’S AT + place to trade (MART) + IN, rather than the Martin Clunes character.

      I can actually see how you arrived at your answer but it doesn’t quite indicate it that way.

  47. Thank you for your clues. We managed to complete all but one. Excellent help.

  48. 4*/3*…………
    liked 22D ” removing vice from China perhaps is a hard problem (6) “

  49. Hello
    This is my first time posting here but I have been a regular BD visitor for years.

    I’m a poor crossworder, rarely doing anything more than the (easier) Saturday DT and usually making it last until mid-week, going back to chew on it like an old bone just before I go to sleep.
    Nevertheless, I feel a sense of achievement whenever I manage to finish it.
    Big Dave is my go-to back up for hints when I get stuck. Not quite giving the answer – but usually enough hints on the nasty ones to get me going again.
    I was shocked last night when I went to BD for my Saturday DT hints and found that not only ALL the clues had hints but all the clues also had “click here” answers. Being lazy, I did click on a couple, finished the CW and went to sleep feeling miserable for having cheated.

    Could you not do your normal “hard” clue hints, then release all clue/answers about Wednesday?
    Thank
    Herbie

    1. For the duration of the crisis the Saturday and Sunday puzzles are no different from a weekday puzzle, which is why it was decided (by a poll taken a week ago on Saturday) to publish all answers and hints. You can please some of the people all of the time ……..

      1. Yes I did vote on the poll. I’ll just have to resist peeping. Love your blog btw

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