DT 29452 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29452

by 2Kiwis  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29452

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

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

Kia ora from Aotearoa.

Typical Spring weather this past week. Changeable with frequent showers but some fine spells in between.

Jay has supplied the goods as usual.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Leverage needed for acquisition (8)
PURCHASE : A double definition. The acquisition is achieved by buying.

5a     Old fool importing European wildcat (6)
OCELOT : O(ld), then the abbreviation for European is contained by a fool or dolt.

9a     Fine points supplied by French city with connections (8)
NICETIES : A city on the French Riviera and then connections or links.

10a     Move to employ international flyer (6)
BUDGIE : Move (usually something stubborn) contains I(nternational).

12a     One in my reserves is a very rich person (9)
MONEYBAGS : ‘My’ from the clue contains ‘one’ from the clue and then reserves or claims as a right.

13a     Perennial list must include fuel regularly (5)
TULIP : The second and fourth letters of fuel are inside list or lean to one side.

14a     Sweetener found in cake and sugar, essentially (4)
BUNG : A type of small cake and then the central letter of sugar.

16a     Stops son being adopted by believers (7)
DESISTS : Believers in a god contain S(on).

19a     Tension caused by troubled coward crossing line (4,3)
COLD WAR : An anagram (troubled) of COWARD contains L(ine).

21a     Supporters mostly go without food around November (4)
FANS : Remove the last letter (mostly) from ‘go without food’ and inside this the letter represented by November in radio communications.

24a     Geordie mate’s state? (5)
NEPAL : The area of England associated with Geordie and then a synonym for mate.

25a     Spinning fine yarn that’s beyond words (9)
INEFFABLE : An anagram (spinning) of FINE and then a yarn that might come from Aesop.

27a     Spoil broadcast by Independent politician (6)
IMPAIR : The abbreviation for independent, a member of parliament and then another word for broadcast.

28a     People in charge at sea must get butterflies (8)
ADMIRALS : A double definition.

29a     Refuse to drop British music such as this (6)
GARAGE : Remove B(ritish) from refuse or rubbish.

30a     Stress caused by cooking pies and mash (8)
EMPHASIS : An anagram (cooking) of PIES and MASH.

Down

1d     Both parents must cover North American state (6)
PANAMA : Two two-letter familiar words for parents surround the abbreviation for North American.

2d     Sport needing a hundred in syndicate (6)
RACING : ‘A’ from the clue and the Roman numeral for hundred are in a syndicate or band.

3d     Sacred time’s filled with passion (5)
HOTLY : The abbreviation for time is found within another word for sacred.

4d     Situation report supporting the girl (7)
SHEBANG : A personal pronoun for ‘the girl’ and then the report made by a discharging firearm.

6d     A woman who’s unusually sure — no act! (9)
COURTESAN : An anagram (unusually) of SURE NO ACT.

7d     License to lift fodder stored in empty locale (8)
LEGALISE : fodder made from compressed and fermented green matter is reversed inside the first and last letters of locale.

8d     Intrusion that sees new stars possessing sixth sense (8)
TRESPASS : An anagram (new) of STARS surrounds supernatural perception.

11d     Some famous editors took drugs (4)
USED : A lurker, hiding in the clue.

15d     Reluctant and regretting going topless, full of new resolve (9)
UNWILLING : A word meaning regretting loses its first letter and inside this we have N(ew) and resolve or determination.

17d     Becoming aware of exhibition centre turning up in swindle (8)
SCENTING : The initials for a Birmingham exhibition centre are reversed inside a swindle or targeted fraud.

18d     Leaflet written about baby food that’s sticky and attracts insects (8)
FLYPAPER : A leaflet or pamphlet contains mushed up baby food.

20d     Heartlessly quick strike (4)
RAID : Remove the central letter (in this case P) from a synonym for quick.

21d     Licence charge about right with party millions (7)
FREEDOM : A charge contains R(ight), then a two letter party or function and M(illions).

22d     Snake taken initially on board American vessels (1-5)
U-BOATS : A constricting snake and the first letter of ‘taken’ are enclosed by the two letters for American.

23d     Becomes relaxed under student charters (6)
LEASES : The letter displayed by a student driver and then a word meaning becomes relaxed.

26d     Footballers must have it on hospital trust (5)
FAITH : The controlling organisation for footballers, then ‘It’ from the clue and H(ospital).

We’re sure there are going to be lots of different choices for favourite but we will go for 17d as it took us a while to remember the previously encountered exhibition centre.

Quickie pun    grave    +    heat    +    rein    =    gravy train

 

122 comments on “DT 29452”

  1. 2*/4.5*. Are there any superlatives left to describe Wednesday’s back-pagers? Any of these clues and the Quickie pun could be considered as a candidate for the top spot.

    Many thanks to the three birds.

  2. I enjoyed this immensely. Jay always manages to surprise and delight, with a challenging twist or two in the mix (**/****). I particularly liked 7d, 15d and 17d but 15d especially clever. Many thanks to tha Kiwis. Our weather has been wild, wet and windy as if Autumn had arrived a month or so early. Thanks to Jay for another super crossword.

  3. Another classy offering from our Wednesday maestro that I had very few problems with.
    25a is a new word for me but was easily worked out from the checkers and wordplay.
    Podium places go to 12& 19a with top spot going to the topical 29a… a subtle reference to the BBC’s shameful and craven decision to drop the lyrics to certain songs at this year’s Proms?
    2/4.5*
    Many thanks to the three birds for the entertainment.

      1. I haven’t read it yet Jane, but will look forward to doing so, as she usually echoes my sentiments.

      2. I was interested in what Alison had to say about a knee surgeon at Addenbrookes- not MY surgeon by the way but echoing the same sentiments. I am afraid that one day my leg is just going to disintegrate!

      3. Absolutely! I wrote to my MP Fleur Anderson, a couple of weeks ago and have yet to receive a reply or acknowledgement. There is no logic or science behind this continuing NHS, economic and educational stagnation.

  4. Definitely at the easier end of Jay’s puzzles only because I was able to finish it. But most enjoyable and although I did not parse all the clues before getting the solutions I was able then to see how it worked and how small my range of thought about synonyms is. Must do better.

    Like Rabbit Dave I felt all the clues were good. I must mention 9a which was a moment of inspiration for me, and 12a which I solved with the checkers and on analysis went ‘wow!’.

    Thanks to the 2 Kiwis for their blog and the pictures especially, and to Jay for a great puzzle.

  5. Lovely Jay puzzle as we expect on a Wednesday. Lots to enjoy but I must ask whether anyone else started off with a different type of butterfly/person in charge at sea?

    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks

    3. By starting with going up the Downs, I had checkers to get the correct butterflies when I got to 28a.

      1. It never changes for me. Down the acrosses. Down the downs. Repeat until finished

        2. I used to always do them like that. Now I am like a butterfly – I get an across answer then I work on any downs fed by that clue, and so on. Flitting this way and that.

          2. Another butterfly here. And for some reason usually start my flitting with a down which are often the first to jump out. Lovely tidy and satisfying puzzle as usual on a Wednesday. Thank you very much to all.

      2. I started with acrosses and as a retired mariner Skippers made more sense. Then the tippex came out!

  6. I agree with RD this was a joy to work on with my only hmm being 10a abbreviation. Too many brill clues to pick out outstanding Fav(s). Quickie is rather heavy on chestnuts but I liked the pun. TVM Jay and the 2Kiwis.

  7. RD has said it all – another little gem from Jay.
    Difficult yet again to pick a favourite but I was rather taken with the old fool importing a wildcat and the report supporting a girl – just like the sound of the word.

    Many thanks to Jay and to our 2Ks for the review – ‘changeable’ just about covers the state of our weather here as well!

  8. Another corker from Jay – super surfaces throughout with any number worthy of a podium spot. Started slowly & worked from the bottom up with the NE last to yield & where 7&8d were among my favourites. RD sums it up perfectly.
    Currently stalled with 6 to go on the entertaining Toughie which is thankfully not impenetrable for us lesser mortals.
    Thanks as ever to Jay & the 2Ks

  9. What difference a Jay makes! This was a wonderful puzzle and it restored my faith in my solving abilities after my miserable effort yesterday. I agree with RD and my COTD out of many good clues is 7d.

    Thank you, Jay and thank you, 2Kiwis for the hints.

    Remember everyone – a full stop is aggressive.

    1. Only in texts where the send button acts as a full stop. The act of sending suggests the sentence has ended. Therefore no need to add a full stop. But to make a point or to emphasise a point add an aggressive full stop. As the language evolves so do the grammatical boundaries. It has been ever so and will be ever so just look what is done with sign language. As a lover of the English language in all of its forms I say bring these changes on. Keep me guessing and keep me on my toes

          1. How do I know that your fingers didn’t just slip to the send button before you had finished? Perhaps we should adopt over and out.

            1. I agree Daisy, because I have done that many times, and then had to send a follow up text to finish my sentence. Really don’t understand how using a full stop can be regarded as aggressive.

              1. But you are not down and dirty with the kids BusyLizzie. That is where the changes come from and where they are recognised, understood and lived with

                1. But we were texting our younger daughter long before our elder daughter gave in and joined the texting world…

                1. Sorry to be pedantic (not really) but the oft-quoted term ‘over and out’ is not correct in radio protocol. ‘Over’ means ‘I’ve finished what I’m saying and await your reply’ and ‘out’ means ‘I’ve finished the conversation – goodbye!’. Their juxtaposition is incompatible.

                  Most enjoyable puzzle today not without its fun challenges. Jolly good!

                  Out

      3. As I don’t know how to text, I save myself all the heartbreak of using a full stop and not knowing if I’ve offended someone!

  10. Another delightfully enjoyable puzzle from our Wednesday Maestro – completed at a gallop – **/*****.
    Candidates for favourite – 27a, 15d, and 18d – and the winner is 27a.
    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  11. The Midweek Maestro strikes again, and as always. it’s music to my ears. I especially liked the SW corner, with 15, 17, and 18d all making we work a bit to get there. But elsewhere, Jay hit top notes everywhere. Such a joy to solve one of his charmers. so thanks to him and to the Kiwis, whose review I’ll read now. 2.5* / 4*

  12. Classic Jay a few gimmies and some head scratchers for some reason last one in 10a I had to use hints to solve it. Some nice anagrams all in all excellent again.
    After a stormy night in NC all well I lost a bit of stonewall so thst is task for today.
    Thanks to the 2Ks and Jay

  13. Excellent, as ever. Many thanks to Jay and the Kiwis.
    3, 4 & 12 were the last ones in for me and probably my pick of the clues.

  14. Amazing how Jay manages puzzles with such a consistent standard week in week out. As always everyone’s 2* is my 3 but the pleasure factor is 4*.
    Struggled to see 22d, can’t understand why now. My LOI was 12a.
    COTD was 7d but it could have been any one of five or six
    Thanks to Jay & the 2Ks.
    Today, apparently, is National Dog’s Day. Haven’t told Biggles as he would expect double helpings or minced ribeye (preferably both).

    1. Hudson has been strutting about saying “It’s National Dog’s Day and you HAVE to take me for walks when I want!”

        1. It’s “Cat’s Day” every day Daisygirl. That’s because he/she is always in charge.

          1. You are SO right Florence. I have had both dogs and cats all my life, cats definitely think they are superior.

            1. Mr G tells me Cats Day was 8th August Daisy. Whether the DT considered it would be popular enough to run an article by a cat lover I don’t know.
              Incidentally, “Cats only THINK they are superior dogs KNOW they are ( dons flak jacket & retreats a safe distance).

              2. Believe me I would have a dog tomorrow if I could. It just wouldn’t be fair. So I enjoy my younger daughters schnauzers. I only have the cat now because grandson dumped her on me when he lost his home.

                1. I have an absolutely cracking joke about a schnauzer but it’s quite rude and I don’t want to upset anyone, although its only rude if you take it the wrong way, if you see what I mean! I suppose I could tell it over 3 days so you would literally have to look at each day’s input to get the joke. Perhaps not.

                  1. Can’t wait. I am sure my son in law would be amused but I, of course, being a lady , would not understand it!

                    1. Daisygirl, here is the first half. Lady takes her schnauzer to the vet as it is going deaf. No, it just has very hairy ears. Vet advises applying hair removal cream to the area once a month. Lady goes to get it from Boots He says ‘if its for your legs don’t shave them for a couple of days.’ ‘Its not for my legs’ she says. ‘If its for under your arms, don’t use deoderant for a couple of days’. … More tomorrow, so watch this space unless I’m sent to the naughty rude step.

                    2. Me too! I do adore smutty.
                      I have been winding up a scammer who is pretending to be from Service Canada over the past couple of days. I would post it but it is so off topic that I know I would end up on the naughty step but I have been having fun.

  16. Sorry to spoil the love fest but I thought this was awful. Slang words and complex clues.
    ****/*
    Not for me
    Thx for the hints

  17. Can only echo everything that has been said. I so look forward to Wednesdays and am never disappointed so grateful thanks to Jay for his consistency and for providing so much enjoyment. Thanks, too to the 2Ks for help with 17d where I couldn’t get another answer out of my head!
    All clues are worthy of a mention but my favourite is 12a as it took me back to my childhood!

  18. 24a had me thinking back to living in Newcastle….. first job was as a barmaid, and my
    first customer asked for a pint of scotch…I’m a londoner, ain’t I?

    1. Ha ha. A customer once aged for a Gin and Tonic without lime. My barmaid said that we didn’t have any lime so would he like it without lemon.

  20. 7d gets my vote. I agree with the majority sentiment that this was well clued and very enjoyable. Thanks to today’s setter and the 2Ks.

  21. Yes, all been said, luvverly jubbly. If a full stop is taboo, what is the future of the comma, let alone the Oxford comma – come to that, you very seldom see colons these days semi or otherwise. I worry about my colon with all the drugs I am taking. Just a point of interest, is a bulb officially a perennial or is it just a bulb? I suppose they do come up year after year but I must admit I have never thought of them thus. Many thanks to the three birds.

    1. I’ve always thought of perennials as plants in the herbaceous border that come up every year from their roots rather than from bulbs (eg Michaelmas Daisies or Delphiniums).

    2. I still use colons and semicolons, and I shall continue using full stops and commas. I didn’t learn English 70+ years ago to abandon it in my final stretch.

      1. I do too, all the time: see? And I seem to be out of the loop on this “full stop” matter. What’s the issue?

        1. As I understand it, it appears to be something to do with texting and using periods. I don’t text so I’m not concerned!

        2. Robert,
          Apparently Generation Z are intimidated by full stops here in the UK according to some psycho-babbler.
          FYI Mr G confirmed that Gen Z succeeded the millenials & superceeded Generation alpha.
          Now I have cleared all that up for you perhaps you could explain it to me.
          I blame it on Molly Bloom’s soliloquy myself (not that I have read Ulysses).

        3. The latest ‘Woke’ thing, Robert is that the full stop is intimidating. Please don’t ask me why. It appears to be something the young object to in texts. Apparently, to finish a text with a full stop is insulting.

      2. I’m with you, Merusa. I use commas, full stops, colons, semicolons as I was taught. I do not use the Oxford comma unless it is correct to do so – as in a list. I mark post graduate essays and am horrified at some of the writing. I suppose ZF is correct about the evolving of language but not on my watch, thank you.

        1. Thank you, all. Sounds like more cockamamie foolishness to me. We don’t even call it “full stop” anyway, so those Gen Zers must find a different way to antagonise me.

  22. I didn’t find this quite as straightforward as others. I was stuck on 4d for ages. 7d was my favourite clue. Thank you Jay and the 2Ks. I wonder if there’ll be a hat-trick tomorrow on the wildcat front.

  23. Don’t understand 14a. What has bung to do with sweetener? And what’s the word for regretting in 15d. Nearest I can get is rueing! Where does this compiler get his words from? Yet another very disappointing crossword!

    1. A bung and a sweetener are both bribes

      15d is ruing – topless tells you to remove the R and then insert N (new) and WILL (resolve)

  24. 2/5. Yet another delightful puzzle with plenty to like. I have no particular favourite from so many good clues. Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

    1. Gerry
      Valid point, I had to consult the BRB to find lungie is Scots for guillemot. Lots of them in Loch Fleet just up the road. Some venture down to Dornoch beach. Much to Biggles’ frustration they fly away when he runs into the sea to get a closer look.
      Lunge is a forward movement so lungie fits the clue.
      Good spot.

  26. Extremely enjoyable 😃***/**** Favourites there were many but for me 10a, 24a & 17d 🤗 Thanks to the 2x Ks and to Jay

  27. To prevent anyone becoming triggered I shall use no punctutation
    Wednesday is the highlight of my crosswording week and this was no exception with the bonus of a very timely 29a Jay’s crosswords provide a wonderful challenge in that they test the mind but are always ‘doable’ and that is a splendid gift Already we begin to see the problems the written word can create without punctuation and imagine if I wasn’t using capital letters to signify the start of a new sentence it would become an ordeal to read unlike my normal entries here which of course are akin to the great romantic poets with nuances of shakespeare and wodehouse oh this is terrible i must stop thanks to jay and the two ks

    1. Love it, Terence, but have to wonder what Lola made of your foray into what I believe is known as the word of Snowflakes. Shame to christen them thus, I’ve always marvelled at the construction of same.

  28. I really thought I was going to finish unaided, but three clues sent me to the hints, 14a, 4d and 17d none of which would have occurred to me had I sat here all day. But the rest of it was very enjoyable, particularly the picture at 10a. We had budgies years ago, and my Gran had a pretty blue boy who she taught to chat up a storm. Also remember the awful 18d traps, such a terrible sight. Thanks to Jay and 2Kiwis.

    1. My Dad bought a talking budgie in a cage from the pet shop. First day home it never said a word. Dad complained at the pet shop and they sold him a ladder for the budgie to run up and down. With its boredom relieved it would be bound to start talking. It didn’t so Dad went back to the shop where they sold him a little bell to hang by the ladder. It would run up the ladder, ding the bell and come out with a torrent of words. It didn’t. Dad went back to the pet shop where they sold him a mirror to put by the bell. The budgie could run up the ladder, ding the bell, see its reflection in the mirror and start rabbiting away like Billy-Ho. It did run up and down the ladder and it did ding the bell and look in the mirror but it never spoke. Next morning it was dead at the bottom of its cage. Dad took it back to the pet shop. Did it run up and down the ladder the pet shop man asked. Did it ding the little bell he asked. Did he look in the mirror? Dad answered yes to all three questions. Did he speak asked the pet shop man? Yes replied my father. What did he say asked Mr Pet Shop Man. Well said my father. Just before he died he asked if this pet shop sold any bird seed.

        1. I have a pun I rather like, Carolyn.

          To the guy who invented zero – thanks for nothing! 🥴

  29. A nice Wednesday solve and for me it was ***/**** podium placers for me were 11a, 19a, and 25a which went in straight away, it was only after I had entered 14a and I had finished the crossword that I realized the meaning of it so it was a delayed PDM. Thank you to Jay and the 2 Kiwis.

    To Toughie Land I go

  30. Solved alone and unaided and understood the clues, so a hurrah day for me .

    Very enjoyable crossword, but I think I found it harder than most people on here…..but that is nothing new.

    Thanks to Jay and the 2 Kiwis.

    1. Welcome to the blog Andre.
      G is the letter that is the essence, heart, or core of the word SUGAR. Worth remembering as setters use it relatively frequently.

  33. Cannot praise that enough, just wonderful.
    7d was my fav today, probably an oldie, but new to me.
    Thanks all. Looking forward to reading the blog.

  34. Another Jay day and I loved it. I missed 17d and 29a, as a solver who believes Jay can do no wrong, I’ll not remark on the slang at 29a nor the obscure exhibition centre at 17d.
    Lots and lots to like, 5a, 9a, and 12a were all warm, but fave was 4d, love the sound of it, like Jane!
    Thanks to Jay for the fun and to the 2Kiwis for the pics and hints!

    1. The obscure exhibition centre is The National Exhibition Centre Merusa. Not obscure to us on the right side of the pond. I’ve not attended many exhibitions but have seen a good few concerts there in my time.

  35. Managed this unaided in quarters NW and SE first, SW next, and the NE last one in as well
    I did consider skippers but checkers made the right choice for me. 7d as others have said is a real gem but plenty others to admire too. 10a was my last to fall. Grandma Bee had a 10a who was such a talker you could barely get a word in edgewise.
    My-name-is-Monty-I-come-from-Leeds-and-I-go-out-on-Ilkl’a Moor-Ba’h Tat

    Thanks to Jay and 2K’s

  36. Morning all.
    Looks like happiness all round again for most solvers.
    Today we finally join the modern world by being connected to the fibre network. It was installed in our street a couple of months ago. Don’t think it will make much difference for us as the copper line was quite fast enough for our internet usage but they will eventually stop servicing these. Its been put off a couple of times already so hope it all happens as planned today.
    Cheers.

  37. I’m in the “straightforward and thoroughly enjoyable” camp this evening. Hard to pick a favourite from so many good clues but I’m going for 12a. Many many thanks to Jay and 2K’s.

  38. Would have really enjoyed this excellent crossword but for 6d, on which nobody has commented. Just me, then (Rose). So if I suggested the clue Mysoginist initially misses a nuance ( 3) , nobody will be offended? 😡

  39. Ended up doing this puzzle early morning then not finishing it until mid afternoon … due to grandchild interruption! Overall though 2.5*/*** over a 9 hour span!
    Never heard of 14a as to what the clue indicated it to be but certainly have done this to some answers that seemed to fit some clues at times.
    Candidates for favourites today 9a, 27a, 4d, 21d & 26d with winner 4d

    Thanks to Jay and 2K’s

  40. Thank you to Jay and the 2K’s. I struggled a bit but helped by the 2K’s I was able to fill in the crossword before pressing any reveal buttons. I have certainly learnt a lot from this site. A very big thank you to all of the above solvers today and everyday as reading the comments is such fun and today I was laughing out loud. Such a wonderful start to my day. I don’t contribute much myself and I’m sure many people are the same but I just wanted to thank you all.

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