DT 29344 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29344

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29344

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ****

Kia ora from Aotearoa.

Last week on our regular walk we noticed a strange new waterbird in one of the ponds we go past. A bit of judicious Googling told us it is the relatively rare NZ dabchick or grebe (see picture at end of post). It has become a highlight of our daily circuit and we now interrupt our walk for a few minutes to watch it preening and diving.

Jacinda announced on Monday that we can relax many of the severest lockdown restrictions from next Monday. Not that it will make a lot of difference to older people like us but it is at least heading in the right direction.

Jay up to standard again of course with this week’s puzzle.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Fair trade agreement that’s negotiated by Times, perhaps (6,4)
SQUARE DEAL : What Times as a New York location is an example of, is followed by a synonym for an agreement that’s negotiated.

6a     Check pace, needing oxygen to replace energy (4)
STOP : Replace E(nergy) with O(xygen) in another word for a pace.

10a     Practitioner employed by extreme dictators (5)
MEDIC : A lurker, hiding in the clue.

11a     My doctor managed, with time for flier (9)
CORMORANT : String together ‘my’ as an expression of surprise, a doctor or medical officer, a synonym for managed, plus T(ime).

12a     Black may be so, pocketing a brown (7)
SATANIC : A three letter Latin word meaning ‘so’ or ‘thus’ encloses ‘A’ from the clue and light brown.

13a     Gas clouds, unable to be dispersed, rose at last (7)
NEBULAE : An anagram (to be dispersed) of UNABLE and then the final letter of rose.

14a     Fare provided by a blind date arranged outside church (8,4)
BALANCED DIET : The two letters signifying the Anglican Church are inside an anagram (arranged) of A BLIND DATE.

18a     Lad beginning to grow emphasises such performers (12)
SONGSTRESSES : A lad or male offspring, then the first letter of grow and another word for emphasises.

21a     Shows up when hosting member of the Lords on the radio (7)
APPEARS : The two letter synonym for when brackets a homophone (on the radio) for a member of the House of Lords.

23a     Bids by Conservative for supply of funds (7)
COFFERS : The single letter abbreviation for Conservative and then bids or tenders.

24a     Take a rich criminal for such a punishment (1,5,3)
A THICK EAR : an anagram (criminal) of TAKE A RICH.

25a     Inappropriate aspects of Freud nudes rejected (5)
UNDUE : A reverse lurker hiding in the clue.

26a     Breaks fast seeing tenant is oddly missing (4)
EATS : Alternate letters found in two words of the clue.

27a     Black dog moods ultimately creating such high-flyers (3-7)
JET-SETTERS : A synonym for black, then a type of gun-dog and the last last letter of moods.

Down

1d     Turnover produced by prophet in South America (6)
SAMOSA : An Old Testament prophet is inside the abbreviation for South America.

2d     Appearing in court appointment for latest news (6)
UPDATE : A two letter word meaning appearing in court and then an appointment possibly with a boyfriend.

3d     Survey fraud found in the revival of culture (14)
RECONNAISSANCE : The revival of culture that took place between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries includes a three letter fraud.

4d     Garnish daily covering one folding recliner (9)
DECKCHAIR : Garnish or ornament, and then a daily cleaner includes Roman numeral one.

5d     Measure of interest concerned with part of stage (5)
APRON : The abbreviation for annual percentage rate and then a short word meaning concerned with.

7d     Spooner’s macho schemes for sustenance when walking (5,3)
TRAIL MIX : A Spoonerism of a words meaning relating to men, and then schemes or dupes.

8d     Source of infection in obvious singular cases (8)
PATIENTS : The first letter of infection is inside a word meaning obvious, and finally S(ingular).

9d     Adam’s apple? (9,5)
FORBIDDEN FRUIT : A cryptic definition of what the serpent proffered in the Garden of Eden.

15d     How to get money from cold grey vehicles across Germany? (4,5)
CASH CARDS : The tap sign signifying cold, the grey associated with a fire residue, then road vehicles include the IVR code for Germany.

16d     Key article delayed getting rocket (8)
ESCALATE : One of the keys on a computer keyboard, an indefinite article, and then delayed or after the expected time.

17d     Crack marksman gets the picture (8)
SNAPSHOT : A double definition.   Another word for crack or break and one for a proficient marksman.

19d     Held department up showing offer for sale (6)
PEDDLE : A reverse lurker , hiding in the clue.

20d     Drug addicts surrounding hotel guides (6)
USHERS : Another word for drug addicts contains H(otel).

22d     European dessert mostly filled with last of bread (5)
SWEDE : Remove the last letter from a dessert course and then insert the last letter of bread in what you have left.

11a and 1d are our choices this week.

Quickie pun    baguette    +    ricks    =    bag of tricks

123 comments on “DT 29344

  1. 2*/4*. I’ve run out of superlatives for Jay’s puzzles which he keeps producing to the same high standard week after week.

    I’ve never heard of 7d and had to look up the first word in my BRB in order to discover the second word. It’s a great Spoonerism if you like that sort of thing, which I do when it’s as good as that!

    11a was my favourite with 1d in second place.

    Many thanks to the three birds.

    1. We usually take 7d with us when we go for a long walk. We were hoping to finish off the last part of our Kent coast walk now that my friend has recovered from her hip replacement, but the lockdown has put paid to that for a while. We realised that over several years we’d done various coastal walks and been from all the way round the coast from Faversham to Dungeness, apart from the bit from Folkestone to Dover. Hopefully once they let us out again, we can tick that bit off too

    2. I think 7d is one of your dreaded Americanisms. I’d never heard of it before I came to live here.

        1. Judging by CS’s reply it has crossed the pond and arrived in East Kent but it hasn’t reached me in North West Kent yet. It must have come up the English Channel by boat and landed in Dover.
          :unsure:

          1. It was my last in and also had to Google it as I’d never heard of it either probably along with 90% of the country, although I’m sure that percentage won’t be represented by our esteemed contributors.

            1. 7d was my last one in too. Did rest when lying awake in the night. Felt I had the first word right and resolved like RD to check the BRB this morning. Hey Presto! Came to me unprompted. I have vague memories of being introduced to it on one of my trips taking Girl Guides to North America and don’t know why we do not see it/make it here. Delicious like this puzzle

  2. Even after starting with the Downs, I did find this one trickier than I’d expect for Jay or a Wednesday. As enjoyable as ever. Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks

    First cuckoo of 2020 this morning which has, in turn, made the reed warblers stop singing as they’ll need to keep their nests very hidden now. Two herons and the usual exultation of skylarks enjoying the sunny weather

    1. I know it’s nature in the raw, but I think that trick by the cuckoos is very dirty pool!

    2. I too started withe downs. I always do since you mentioned it about seven years ago. I too found it no help today but finished it eventually. I hate spoonerisms and managed to get the first word but not the second for ages.

  3. Realised today was Wednesday half way through Jay’s crossword.

    Agree fully with Rabbit Dave’s comments, terrific!

  4. Quite a testing puzzle, which I only just finished in 2* time with most of my problems on the eastern half. It was, as usual, very enjoyable and I particularly liked 11a, 27a and 7d. Thank you to the Kiwis and to Jay. I am enjoying watching the goldfinches, blue tits, great tits, long tailed tits, greenfinches and wren in my garden in our 12 week isolation. Keep safe and well.

  5. One constant during these difficult times is the Jay crossword, as excellent as ever this week. Thanks to the setter and 2Kiwis.
    Top clues for me were 11a, 9d and 16d.
    I read 17d as a charade combining a verb to crack and a term for a marksman.

  6. I wished I hadn’t read 1d as “turnover produced by profit”, but I did. I had the wrong turnover and the wrong “prophet” in mind. I spent far too long on it before giving up and moving on. I went back to it later on and realised what I’d done. I loved 7d, though I realise that not everyone likes spoonerisms. I take 7d with me too on long walks, but I make it with whatever I’ve got in the pantry. Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks. I heard my two ducks George and Mildred this morning, which I’m happy about. They’ve not been around since they were attacked by a red kite a week or so ago. I wonder if it’s the same red kite that swooped down last summer and tried to take my husband’s hat off his head. It had already swooped down and taken leftover meat off the bbq. I think that was the start of the problems. If so, it’s a vicious creature. The last thing we need as a family in lockdown is the thought of not being able to go out into our own garden.

      1. Thanks Jimbob. It might be worth a try at the weekend when we hope to be outside for a bbq. Sadly, it’ll keep the pheasants at bay, and I like the pheasants.

        1. Lines with streamers attached that flap in the wind and scare away birds. I tried to upload a picture but the link went off the page!

            1. Glad of your explanation. My initial google gave an entirely different definition that they had to hide! Not suited to an upper class newspaper.

              1. Hmm. Not good to google sewelling! It’s a perfectly normal word for rural folk but others seem to have given it sinister connotations.

              2. Yep, not good to google sewelling. It’s a perfectly normal word in rural communities but others seem to have given it spurious meaning.

                1. Sorry, no idea why I posted two replies. Not even on the second glass of Grouse yet!

                  1. Sewelling will not frighten your pheasants. I use it all the time to deter buzzards, sparrowhawks and tawny owls from killing my pheasant poults. It works.

  7. Definitely a step up in difficulty from this week’s previous puzzles, I found this quite tricky but very very good. 7d was my last in (not really a fan of Spoonerisms) but this was one of the better ones. To single out any clues in particular is very difficult but I did like 1 and 24a plus 2 and 16d.
    3.5/4.5*
    Many thanks to Jay and the 2Ks for their excellent works.
    Ps…I did briefly flirt with “snapchat” (gets the picture) for 17d but given the age demographic on here quickly dismissed it!

  8. A very nice Jay puzzle as usual. I’ve never come across 7d before. I could only think of ‘pie’ for the second word. Not surprisingly, I could not then make out the Spoonerism. Apart from that, all went in petty steadily. 1d just edged into first place for me.

    1. And me with 7d. I guess what appears to be gerbil food better fits a healthy lifestyle than a meat & potato pie.

  9. Plenty of food today to see us through this excellent offering from Jay. Re 8d I always have a jar of home assembled nuts, seeds and raisins which I graze from regularly. It’s even better when the hazelnuts and walnuts are from our own trees. This answer was my last one solved which is always the case with Spoonerism clues. I wait until I have enough checkers and bung in what fits without further recourse to the clue. Lots of great clues throughout the solve. Thanks to Jay and Thanks to the 2Ks.

  10. Could not parse 1a until I saw the review.

    I saw 17d as snap=crack shot=marksman. I couldn’t find snapshot as a crack marksman in the BRB.

    Thanks to the setter and to the 2 Kiwis

    1. Ditto – I could not parse 1a either. I could only think of The Times, Time magazine and T for time. Good misdirection therefore

  11. Like CS, no help to get going from the Downs in either direction. Definitely trickier than usual for a Jay puzzle but that did not detract from the enjoyment for completion at a fast canter – 2.5*/4*.
    Candidates for favourite – 11a, 18a, 9d, and 16d (and I could have added a few more) – and the winner is 11a.
    I concur with Gazza et al on 17d.
    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  12. At first glance I thought this was going to be difficult, the first answer I got was 22 d but since then I’ve been solving it from the bottom and I’m having great success. Nearly there.

  13. With the exception of 7d where my problems with Spoonerisms weren’t helped by my pie fixation this was, as always, a pleasant Jay test.
    Thanks to J and the 2Ks
    Off to do the weekly click & collect: hopefully they haven’t substituted sand for toilet paper (that would be scraping the bottom).

  14. Beaten by 7d I’m afraid which is hardly surprising as I couldn’t even identify it from the pic in the hints – mixed nuts in my book.
    Never mind as another cracker from Jay. Loads of super clues of which my favourites were 11, 18 & 27a.
    Thanks to Jay for a good workout & to the 2Ks for the review.

  15. Excellent Jay puzzle as always – difficulty but solvable. ***/**** for me today. Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks

  16. Another Wednesday gem with just 7d holding out on me until the very end. Always sends me into something of a panic when I see ‘Spooner’ or ‘cycling’ included in a clue.
    I agree with Gazza on the parsing of 17d and my favourite today was 9d – a chestnut, maybe?

    Thanks to Jay and to our 2Ks – well done on finding the dabchick, I enjoyed reading up about it.

  17. 7d was unfortunately familiar to Rose (horrible stuff) after a misspent youth ascending Munros in the 1970s. We completely agree with the 2Kiwis ***/****. Too many favourites to mention! 🙂🙂 Thanks to all three birds.

  18. A really good puzzle today, not heard of 7d but I do like Spoonerisms, 24a made me smile and my favs were 11a 24a and 3d.
    ***/****
    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks😊

  19. I found today’s offering from Jay difficult but entertaining in equal measure. It took ages to break into it but once I cracked 9d, there were a number of checkers to help the wheels get going. I, too, did not know 7d and I’m afraid I can’t see the spoonerism at all. I would appreciate an explanation.

    Too many excellent clues to be able to pick a favourite although I liked 27a.

    Many thanks to Jay for the challenge and to the 2Ks for the excellent hints.

  20. Managed it all, in good time, enjoyed it, familiar with trail mix … but … although I got 21a I had a blonde moment fully parsing it. AS (when) hosting PEAR (peer on the radio) … but what about the extra ‘p’?! Someone put me out of my misery please!

    1. Welcome to the blog

      I must admit that I wondered about the extra P but, with a walk between solving and the blog publishing I forgot all about it. Pehaps someone else can explain it

      1. Just a stab in the dark but the second “P” is silent so the middle part is still a homophone even with two “Ps”?

        I wonder what others think?

        1. I agree. I thought the second p cannot be heard so it’s irrelevant in the context of the clue?

      2. Neither PEAR nor PPEAR are homophones of PEER. At least they aren’t the way I speak! They would be a homophone of PAIR.

        I think it’s best not to believe everything you hear on the radio :-)

        1. ‘ppear’, on its own, isn’t a word. So, it’s not a homophone.

          Jay is saying that the middle five letters sounds like ‘peer’ when pronouncing the seven letter word.

  21. Enjoyed this – many thanks for review, Jay and most of all to Big Dave and all involved with this site. I wonder if it was intentional to follow the solution to 11A with that of 12A.

  22. A bit tougher than usual for Jay but brilliant as always. Still the master of beguiling clues and sheer charm. I sailed through most of it (missed the 19d rekrul at first, though) and wondered a bit about 24a, an expression foreign to Yankee ears. Podium jam-full: 18a, 4d, 7d, 17d. Really, about as good as it gets. Thanks to the 2 Kiwis and to Jay. ** / *****

  23. The caption for the picture at 1d reads ‘mamosa”, which is, I think, the Spanish for sucking. :scratch:

  24. Many thanks to Jay for another excellent puzzle and to the 2Kiwis for the write-up.

    I failed to get 7d (never heard of the stuff), but the others went in without any problems.

  25. A Lovely puzzle today, thanks to everyone and like some of the previous contributors I was totally ignorant about
    Trail Mix although I we used to belong to a walking group and I always had some hazelnuts from the garden in my
    pocket. I had an aunt years ago who regularly produced spoonerisms, some of them too rude to repeat. – as a child I thought
    it very funny. Do I risk planting out my runner beans today, that is the burning question……….

    1. According to the late great Geoffrey Smith should be from mid May until late June. Living in the north I always leave it until the end of May with a further planting at the end of June.

      In the end it’s what works for you.

    2. I also think it’s too early – I don’t do runner beans as my whole family prefer French ones so I grow climbing French ones but certainly wouldn’t put them out until mid-May.

    3. We started ours In lots yesterday. They will go into the ground around the
      Middle of May.

  26. Wow I found this one tough going.Initially I thought I might not get a single answer without help but set it down, did some housework (!) and slowly I began to get a few. But could never have completed it without your lovely help here.

    I did enjoy 24a.

    Had another dusting of snow here yesterday, our son and daughter-in-law live in a place called Wendover, the other side of Ottawa and they had quite a bit more than a dusting. Roll on spring, much as I love him I really need my better half to get outside to the garden and stop trying to reorganise my kitchen. He is only a few inches taller than me but has no concept of what a difference that makes when he is putting things on the highest shelves. Sorry, stop grumbling Carolyn.

    Thanks to all as ever. Stay safe and well.

  27. More difficult than the earlier ones this week. The spoonerism as usual defeated me – why do I find them harder? Thanks to the setter for the challenge and the 2 Kiwis for the enlightenment. Changing subject a little, has anybody cracked the killer sudoku in today’s paper. I usually complete but today could only write one number with certainty!

    1. My other half completed the killer sudoku. He says that it wasn’t the ‘moderate’ that it was labelled. It was difficult and kong winded.

        1. Banana fingers more like it. How I wish that my little grand-daughter hadn’t bitten the rubber tip off the stylus I used to use for my phone keyboard. Bless her.

          1. Get them from amazon.co.uk, they come in tens, they’re pennies each, jeweled colours, and when the end breaks, you can just toss it.

            1. Hi Merusa – I hope your’re keeping safe and well over there
              I have to disagree. Much as I dislike the idea of adding to Mr Bezos’ tax-free billions, what really irks me is the idea that you can buy some plastic tat shipped from China then just chuck it away. There is no such place as ‘away’, just landfill, the oceans or an incinerator
              The recycling myth doesn’t work either – chances are it’ll be shipped back off to Indonesia or somewhere and simply dumped or burnt
              Using your finger and accepting the odd typo is preferable in my book
              No offence intended and I’m certainly not having a go; I’m just saying

              1. In defense of Mr Bezos, this whole lockdown thing has made me realize just what a godsend Amazon and its counterparts are to people who can’t get out and about to make their purchases in person. Yes, we have to think about where stuff ends up, but it’s difficult to concentrate on that right now. For example, I always bring my own bags to the supermarket, but not since Covid, as they currently naturally discourage that for obvious reasons. At least we can take comfort from the fact that the planet seems to be in much better shape since we all stayed home.

                1. Thanks Liz. I’m another one who is a huge amazon fan, being confined to quarters for other reasons than COVID, they are a godsend. Bless you Mr. Bezos, that was a super idea. Don’t worry, LBR, the likes of me will soon be gone, then it’ll be your turn to manage the vagaries of mould age!

  28. Terrific puzzle. Thanks to Jay and 2Ks.
    I’m my own worst enemy – I figured out the seven letter word for 27a and then distracted by the dog reference became convinced that the three letter word was ‘red’. Then spent ages trying to understand how that linked to high-fliers. After far too long, the penny dropped. I will now lie down to recuperate…

    1. After conversations earlier this week, I was fixated on LAb as the black dog but common sense prevailed eventually

  29. Good puzzle which was completed except for 7d which as someone commented was mixed nuts which could be unfortunate for most males. Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  30. The usual brilliant Wednesday crossword – as Gazza says it’s so lovely to have something that can be relied on at the moment.
    I thought it was on the tricky side for Jay – or am I just suffering from scrambled brain?
    I love Spoomerisms but I never did get the second bit of 7d – never heard of it.
    1a I got but for the wrong reason – I thought ‘Times’ = ‘multiply’ = ‘square’ – oh dear. :roll:
    Missed the 10a lurker – something else that doesn’t change.
    Tried to make 3d an anagram (revival) of culture including a fraud.
    All in all a bit of a pig’s ear really but, on the plus side, I did remember the 16d key.
    Thanks to Jay and the 2K’s.
    I liked 6 and 27a and 9d.

    1. I also equated ‘times’ with multiply = ‘square’ and just let it go at that, but now I think Times Square works better.

  31. More welcome fun today. 7d unheard of by me although Spooner solved it for me. Lots of appealing clues with 11a, 13a and 3d top of my list. The Quickie had a bit of a challenge so more entertaining than sometimes is the case. Thank you Jay and 2Kiwis.

  32. Excellent. Put 19d in but had to come here to see why. Always a “doh” moment when done by a simple l.. Nice clue.
    Fun to see a spooner, which I also filled in but couldn’t solve.
    Highly amusing to me that many haven’t heard of trail mix, given the wealth of general knowledge out there.

      1. I can attest that a sudden downpour and an excess of oatmeal in your trail mix can result in the concrete you describe. If you leave it at the bottom of your rucksack next to a half-eaten packet of jelly cubes. the resultant mess needs dynamite to shift.

  33. Please tolerate an ignoramus who hopes one day she might just finish the DT cryptic on her own, even if it takes all day! I have just discovered your web page, Big Dave, and I think I love you! Have started doing the crossword since lockdown started 6 weeks ago in the UK. My dear father would always finish it in about 30 minutes but I am lucky if I can get 25% without having to resort to looking up the answers. But your wonderful page gives me a pointer rather than just the answer (just like my father would), which is so helpful. I still have to cheat a lot of the time but I am definitely getting better. Thank you so much! From Ascot, UK

    1. Hi Carri, it’s always good to hear from people who are new to the blog. Welcome from me too.if there is anything you don’t understand please ask. You will be surprised how quickly someone will come along to help. Stick around and you should see your solving skills improve.

    2. Welcome, Carrie. I also discovered this wonderful blog about two years ago and my solving abilities have come on in leaps and bounds. Before I joined, I was like you and could only get about a quarter of the crossword. Also as far as I am concerned, there is no such thing as cheating with cryptic. It doesn’t matter how you get the answer so long as you understand why it’s the answer. Cheating is for tests and exams not crosswords, which are for fun.

      You will find the guys and gals on here very helpful so ask any questions you like.

      Which reminds me, everyone – what is a rekru?

        1. Thank you, CS. I really should have sussed it out for myself, shouldn’t I? 😖

  34. Definitely the hardest this week, and, to my mind, less enjoyable as a result. Needed electronic help with several. Bunged in 1a but needed the hints to understand the parsing. Should have got the Times reference. Last time we were in NY traffic was banned from the area as an experiment, and we could sit and have a quiet breakfast in the middle of it!
    Spent ages trying to make an anagram out of 11a (my doctor and t).

  35. What a cracking puzzle from Jay quality all the way through. It was nice to sit down relax and puzzle away. How do the stters keep up the quality? Organising the garden jobs a little everyday, so crosswords done in the afternoon.
    Thanks to the 2Ks and ofcourse Jay.

  36. Another fab Jay Day! So much to like, I think 9d is fave. I knew 7d but not a fan of Spoonerisms. I’m not even going to try remembering my=cor, we’ve had it so many times now and I still miss it, there’s not much hope for the future.
    Thanks to Jay for the fun, and, of course, the 2Kiwis for the review and the usual 17d of their walks.

  37. The puzzles have been getting steadily harder but that is as it should be. For once I saw the spoonerism and I have heard of the term before but after many years of dining al fresco in the hills, I have only ever called it a bag of nuts and stuff. The lurkers were well disguised today and took some winkling out. Not a very balanced diet today Samosas and nuts and stuff with swede and Adam’s apple.
    Thanks to Jay and 2K’s
    The Red Kites here are a joy to see and I am surprised they have started attacking wildlife and hats I was under the impression they just ate carrion. They are getting bolder though as only yesterday I saw one swoop down really close to pick up some roadkill.
    Less traffic to scare them off I suppose.

    1. The only natural predator of the magpie I was told by someone much older and wiser in the the ways of the countryside than me. I don’t have any scientific evidence to back that up, but Bill Tallis is usually right on most things like that, he told me that years ago before they were reintroduced.

  38. Silly me. I thought it was proximal day when I got the J and X and desperately looked for a Z less pangram.
    It did help me get 1a though and hoped that the V was going to be in my last 19d.
    Sorry to Jay for the confusion and thanks for the fun crossword.
    Thanks to the 2kiwis for the review.

  39. 5d was my favourite (the “measure of interest”). Thank you to Jay and the 2Kiwis. I got quite a few answers in my first pass, so early on I had hopes of completing it unaided, but revealed a couple of letters and used a few hints to get finished.

    A synonym needed in the wordplay for 23a helpfully appears in the clue for 19d, (which it crosses with); and the verb that’s the answer to 21a in the clue for 2d.

  40. Morning all.
    Looks like the proofreader is due for another serious talking to. Think we’ve got everything sorted out now.
    Jay seem to have kept everyone happy once again.
    Cheers.

  41. I do agree with the “testing” assessment, a bit on the tougher end of the scale today. Didn’t help myself by putting tender in at 19d, making 27a a head scratcher. I too am not a fan of Spoonerisms, my brain just shuts down when it sees the word. Thanks to Jay and to 2Kiwis. Had my first telehealth, doctor visit via the iPad this morning, thought it was a brilliant idea. My doctor is working from home, as is his wife, and coping with homeschooling their young children too. And yet he is still smiling and friendly. Kudos to him and all those helping to keep us well.

  42. Those of you in UK/Europe should be tucked up in bed, unless like me, you’re not working ATM owing to the C-19 and can stay up late. I had to raise the white flag to RayT late last night BNE time. 7d jumped out at me just from the T in 6a (I know many British people are familiar with Trail mix so I would not describe it as an Americanism). However, I’m still in the dark despite the 2K’s explanation. Also, 16a, escalate and rocket; I see but my jury is still out. My COTDs 4 and 9d. Thanks to Ray and the 2Ks for the extras, and did you see the dabchick today? Cheers Not flying so much 🦊

    1. Hi Flyingfox,
      The Wednesday setter is Jay. RayT happens every second Thursday (but it is not him this week).
      The Spoonerism for TRAIL MIX is MALE TRICKS.
      Yes the dabchick was still there this morning so we stopped and watched him for a few minutes.
      Cheers.

  43. Testing workout for me today – lots of bung-ins (should that be bungs-in, like brothers-in-law?) which I had to check here! Many thanks to the 2Kiwis for enlightenment, and Jay for an entertaining time! Favourite has to be 24a. 🙃

  44. I’m in the U.K. and still awake and one of those who’ve never heard of 7d. I would have finished this and commented early if I hadn’t been answering a plethora of messages. Long may it continue. Often talking to a friend in America whose just messaged me now. I always struggle with Jay, today was no exception. Favourite was 9d for its brevity. Thanks to Jay and 2K’s.

  45. Much trickier but fun.
    At least I reignited my dislike of Spoonerism clues.
    I need to parse some answers, which is rare for the DT backpager.
    Thanks Mr.K and Jay.

  46. 17d: ‘Crack marksman gets the picture’. Before I realised my mistake, I came up with “Insights” – which seemed a fair fit for the clue?

  47. 3*/3*….
    liked 27A ” black dog moods ultimately creating such high-flyers (3-7) “

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