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DT 29455 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29455 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club
Hosted by Tilsit

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Good morning everyone and welcome to another Saturday!

After a week of really unsettled and mainly damp weather, we actually have some sunshine over Warrington this morning.  Though how long we enjoy it remains to be seen.

We have a really enjoyable puzzle today from one of our Mysterons, much of it went in smoothly but there were a few traps.  No pangram or other gimmicks lurking round, just a solid puzzle with lovely clues.  Several favourites including 7 ac and the last one in was 15 down.

Other puzzles around today include a Bank Holiday Jumbo from Maskarade (once Busman around here) – there is a preamble, but it shouldn’t be too tough to tackle.  Our Sunday setter is on duty in the FT. There’s also a Hob puzzle in the Independent.  All these are free to download at the various sites.  Today’s music is pretty stunning too!

Remember to play nicely as naughty people will get a not inconsiderable dose of opening medicine if they misbehave.

See you next week!

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, an assortment of clues, including some of the more difficult ones, have been selected and hints provided for them.

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.

A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.

Some hints follow.

Across

7a           Paint Dean Court ground (9)
Nothing to do with AFC Bournemouth –  an anagram of the name of their stadium (or ground – geddit?) gives a type of paint.  By the way, did you hear about the man who drank varnish?  He had a sticky end, but a lovely finish  © Ken Dodd – probably.

10a         Way to load part-emptied revolver? (6)
Around the name for a way or thoroughfare goes the abbreviation for part.  This will give you something that revolves around something else.

 

11a         Drunk shortly drinking last of booze in pub (8)
An archaic name for a pub is an anagram of SHORTLY with E, the last letter of BOOZE.

14a         Again and again? (6)
If something happens again and (once) again, it’s happened this many times.

19a         Spend colder months in Kraków in terror (6)
A hidden answer to a word that is now a verb but was hardly used as such at the turn of the century.

21a         Have riches perhaps in American vault (6)
An abbreviation for American and a word meaning to vault as in gymnastics.

24a         Excited seeing leg — not small — in flimsy robe (8)
A garment is found by rearranging SEEING LEG, minus the abbreviation for small.

28a         Hardened companion comes to standstill (9)
Take a word meaning hardened (as in bread) and a word for a companion.  You get a chess term.

Down

1d           Ancient invader offers perspective (5)
Two definitions

2d           Beast runs right round a German river (8)
This took a bit of teasing.  Inside the abbreviations for right and run go the German word for A and the name of a Scottish (and Welsh) river.

5d           One-dimensional Shakespearean king stays home (6)
if something is one dimensional it’s this.  One of the most famous names of a king in drama goes round (stays) a short word meaning (at) home.

15d         Something done about meat supplied (9)
The name for a meaty offal goes inside something done.

17d         Sort of music book extracted from rubbish (6)
A type of music I probably won’t be featuring at the end of the blog is the name for rubbish across the pond, minus B (for book).

18d         Carriage said to be well-proportioned (8)
The name for a type of carriage sounds like a way of saying well-proportioned in terms of looks.  Hmm, not sure it does, there’s a little bit more to the answer, methinks.

22d         Delphic priestess in wicker boat seen topless (6)
The name of a boat associated with Wales needs to lose its first letter.

23d         EU collecting money raised forms alliance (5)
Inside EU goes a slang word for money all raised.

25d         Takes in tea brewed by son (4)
An anagram of tea (brewed) plus the abbreviation for son.

Today’s music is quite stunning.   One of my favourite pieces of music is Beethoven’s 7th (as was Araucaria’s) but try this version. 

The Crossword Club is now open.


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As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out!

Please read these instructions carefully – they are not subject to debate or discussion. Offending comments may be redacted or, in extreme cases, deleted. In all cases the administrator’s decision is final.

If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then save yourself (and me) a lot of trouble and don’t leave a comment.


The Quick Crossword pun: nigh+Trojan=nitrogen


122 comments on “DT 29455 (Hints)

  1. An interesting offering today with some straightforward clues, some clever clues (28a and 10a) and some devilish ones (10a).
    My fav was 9d as it is the type of clue which appeals most to me being well defined and elegant. On the whole very enjoyable.
    ***/****
    Thx to all

    1. Just checking – are you saying 10a is both clever and devilish or do you mean one of the descriptions to apply to another clue?

  2. I liked the misdirection in 10a, but favourites were 9d and 20d. Thank you setter and Tilsit.

  3. A very enjoyable and pretty straight forward puzzle with, as Tilsit says, a few hitches (**/****). I liked 2d, 3d and 14a. It was a pleasant relief after yesterday’s tussle. Thanks to Tilsit for the hints and to the compiler. The monsoons of the last week are abating here in the Vale of White Horse and my oudoor tomatoes have remained upright for three whole days. It feels very Autumnal.

    1. Our river birch had keeled over in the wind and if it continues as it is now I fear for my runner beans. Rain again here in Ryedale as well. Surprised my cucumber plants have not died in the unheated greenhouse. To lose them in August would set a record for early loss.

  4. Enjoyable Saturday crossword with some excellent clues. 10a and 2d my favourites.

    Thank you mystery setter and many thanks to Tilsit for his usual excellent blog which helped me to parse a few clues.

    1. They went with the Jutes so are probably just before what I would term Mediaeval.

      I’ll sentence myself to 5 mins on the naughty step with no medicine.

  5. Very straightforward compared to some recent SPPs – completed at a gallop – **/***.
    However, I did have one Hmm (15d – a question mark over the ‘meat’ item) and a Groan when the penny dropped on 14a.
    Candidates for favourite – 10a, 2d, and 20d – and the winner is 2d, I fell into the obvious (to me) trap of ‘looking’ for a German river.
    Thanks to the setter and Tilsit.

    1. As a frequent eyebrow raiser and hmmmmer ( both deemed boring by the Big Man) I don’t think that a hmm is justified for 15d. It does exactly what it says on the tin, doesn’t it?

  6. I found this pretty straightforward and enjoyable (maybe that’s why). There seems to be a bit of déjà vu sprinkled about I thought. I liked 10 and 11a; my favourite is 8a. Thanks to the setter and Tilsit for his hints. I also enjoyed the music: easy on the ear and relaxing.

      1. Tilsit, I once heard the 2nd Movement, the Allegretto, described (by our Charleston Symphony Orchestra maestro David Stahl) as the most sublime movement ever written for strings…and I just read that the clarinets actually enter late in the passage. I also once heard that in this movement, it’s “all the strings all the time”. In either case–or both cases–there’s nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world of music. It is indeed sublime. And thank you for the memory this morning.

    1. Help! I got them all except 16a and it will drive me mad if I have to wait til Saturday. I’ve got all the letters going into it but can’t see how any answer fits the clue – especially the ‘flatmate’ part. I’m new to cryptic crosswords and can’t go insane this early in. Can anyone help??

      1. Welcome to the blog

        There has been lots of discussion in the comments about 16a – when you see the word ‘close’ it usually means you are looking for the final letter of the word, in this case, flatmate

        You don’t have to wait until Saturday, my review of this crossword will be published at 9am on Friday

        1. Thank you Tilsit for that explanation. I’ve been doing this crossword for over 50 years but could not work out 15a until I read your explanation.

          1. You’ve shortened your alias so your comment required moderation. Both of your aliases will work from now on.

  7. Slightly on the easier side of the Saturday offerings but an enjoyable solve & mainly straightforward. NW corner with both 10a & 2d needing to be teased out held me up at the death.. Nothing to cause concern but quite a lot to like I felt.
    Toss-up between 10a & 2d for COTD. 2d hardly fits the definition (but definitely is) to me but gets the nod.
    Thanks to setter & Tilsit for the hints.
    Town is heaving with visitors. Hopefully the weather up here will mean there will not be 60 or 70 tents on the beach over the weekend as there has been recently

  8. I rather enjoyed this after the rigours of two tough Toughies, a pleasant stroll for the most part, though 16a gave me some pause until I read it more ‘closely’. Favourites: 17a (because I never turn this one down), 10a, and 21a.
    Thanks to Tilsit and today’s Mysteron. 2* / 3.5*

    ’17a 21a-ing to the Chief of Sinners’–with apologies to JB, I couldn’t resist this.

    1. Glad you’ve mentioned 16a Robert. I sped through it but this one was last in & assume I’ve the right answer but would put my house on it.

    2. Agree, 16a was my last in, and it doesn’t agree with 3 crossword sites… oh dear.

  9. I am always a little smug when I complete a prize puzzle without any aids, but for some reason this gave me an extra-wide smile.

    The West took a little effort to finish, I just couldn’t find the right meat, but i got there in the end in *** time. COTD shared between 10a and 11a.

    Many thanks to the setter and Tilsit.

  10. I enjoyed this a lot. I too was looking for a German river but was pretty sure my answer was correct. I agree with the ‘questionable ‘ meat in 15d but all in all a nicely balanced puzzle. Thanks from a cold and dreadfully windy North Norfolk coast where huge branches are coming off our trees.

  11. Definitely my cup of tea today. Just hard enough to make me think but not so hard as to make me reach for the electronic help.
    Solved alone and unaided except for needing a nudge towards the parsing of 15d, so a well done day today.

    Thanks to the setter and to Tilsit.

    Can someone please tell me where to find the ‘various sites’ where I can download the free puzzles? Thanks OM

        1. I think I must be going wrong somewhere…..not at all unusual.
          When I go to the fifteensquared link that you gave me, I go directly to some of the solved puzzles.
          I was hoping to get a link to unsolved puzzles, in particular to the Maskarade Jumbo.
          Is this possible ?

            1. You did, CS. But I couldn’t find anything except the blog posts.

              As I said, I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

              1. Yes, you get the blog when you log on but at the top of the left hand column is a section entitled Today’s Cryptics. There are three papers beneath which are links to their crosswords.

                Hope that makes in clearer, OM.

          1. It will be different on a PC to a tablet. Apple will differ from Samsung. You have to plough your own farrow. Suck it and see. It will work if you make it do so

    1. Basically the newspaper sites, but here they are:

      Guardian: https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2020/08/28/prize28225.pdf

      Independent: https://puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/cryptic-crossword-independent/#!202008 (Bit fiddly but watch ad and then select PRINT)

      https://www.ft.com/content/f32b57b9-9ce1-405e-940d-bb08ad976656

      And if you still struggle with the level of today’s puzzle, the FT Weekend puzzle – a half and half may be your cup of tea:

      https://www.ft.com/content/e38790ff-e07e-4c3e-8a03-de69347983ab

        1. Thank you, Tilsit.
          All of those links worked perfectly.
          I have saved them so hopefully I will not have to trouble folks on here again for them……hopefully..

          Cheers,
          OM

  12. Perhaps the easiest of Prize Puzzles we’ve had in a while but nevertheless enjoyable. We seem to have had the 17d music more than once recently but doubt that I’ll become a devotee!
    Favourite was the short and sweet 26a.

    Thanks to our setter and also to Tilsit for the hints and music.

  13. A most enjoyable puzzle despite the fact I could not for the life of me get two – 8 and16a. The rest went in at a steady rate and my favourite was 9d.

    Many thanks to the setter and Tilsit for the hints.

    The way the weather is going here in Shropshire I will be lighting the fire tonight.

  14. I am just popping in early to have a little say, if I may. Had a bad day yesterday and only managed a few of the Toughie clues before going to bed but this morning George and I looked at it in bed and both said ‘bloomin ‘eck. So this morning I looked at yesterday’s Toughie Blog and I was upset to see how many people were ranting at the setter for giving us too hard a puzzle. If the man in the street were to throw the paper down and jump on it in rage and frustration I could fully understand it. But the people who were complaining are privileged to have access to Big Dave and his Band of Little Helpers who GIVE US HINTS. We can look first at the underlined words to see what answer we are aiming for. We can then look at the parsing of the clue as further aids to solving and then finally we can reveal the answer. What more could anyone want? And all this help is given freely and voluntarily and I can only wonder at and admire the tenacity with which BD & his BofLH continue to do this day after day. Anyway, it does us good occasionally to realise we cannot win ’em all. I have done the DT back pager for more decades than I care to remember and now complete it most days. Only perhaps in the last 10 years with more time have I turned to the toughie and I am thrilled to bits if I finish it without recourse to the hints, most days I need them! I am sorry if I have taken up Saturday space to have this rant – but come on, the crosswords are supposed to be for enjoyment and relaxation and stretch our brains – and if sometimes the setter stretches them a bit to far – so what, it is character building! I shall now go and have lunch and see what today’s Prize Crossword brings – I may yet be tearing my hair out!

      1. Which I have just read, Tilsit and agree with every word as I do with Daisygirl. I cannot do Elgar puzzles but I do not malign him for that. It is my fault that I cannot do them not his.

        1. There’s something to be said about how our brains are wired, a sort of DNA lottery. Some are wired for music or maths and science, others for literature and so on. I’ve been doing these DT crosswords for 65 years or so and I’m very mediocre, however, I enjoy them as much as the pros. Mr. Kitty, on the other hand, says he’s been doing them for only a couple of years and I call him a pro. I wouldn’t even dare try a toughie, I’m happy in my little corner.

    1. Absolutely agree! Three cheers for BD and his BofLH!! and three more cheers for all you setters. Don’t know how any of you do it but so glad you do.

      1. Me too. I have real trouble with anything set by Zandio but it’s clearly because my brain is not on his wavelength. Thats on me not him and if I persevere, with the help of BD and his Bof LH, I might improve. The ranters might do well to imagine what doing crosswords would be like without the latter.

    2. Hear Hear Daisygirl I always need help with Toughies but always attempt them, I always read the blog and love seeing have the answer was contrived, I get more grey hair that way(ha ha).

  15. No hassle with today’s gentle exercise which was facilitated by mainly concise clues and short single word solutions including a few chestnuts. NE took longer than the rest. 10a was a bung-in hence certainly not a Fav. In fact can’t really pick out a Fav. Thank you Mysteron and Tilsit.

  16. It’s been many years since I heard the expression “opening medicine”,something you never wanted Mum or the doctor to give you!!!!

    1. As a child we had a dose of Syrup of Figs every Friday night (I think one of the child rearing books advocated it) and it was many years before I dared to try a real fig – and loved them. I now have a tree full of them.

      1. Ah, Syrup of Figs! How I remember that. Also Lucozade to give energy after being ill. Then there was Cod Liver Oil and a daily spoonful of malt.

              1. The (I think) cough medicine that separated into a red/pink layer and a clear layer & you had to shake it so it got mixed before you took it was my favourite.
                Are there Ovaltineys out there?

                1. Oh yes I was a very proud Ovalteny, remember sitting by the wireless when the program came on and asked if there were any Ovaltenies listening.

                2. Yes! I’m an Ovaltiney – happy girls and boys. AND I have just remembered having an aspirin ground down to powder in a spoonful of jam – disgusting.

              2. Ah, but who remembers the wartime concentrated orange juice for babies – or Virol? My brother once got the lid off a jar of Virol and
                spread it all over the wonderful pram, in the ribbon round the hood, everywhere. I remember my mother crying!

          1. Oh yes, I remember Haliborange. Then there was gripe water for babies with colic. No wonder it worked it contained alcoholic. It doesn’t now.

            1. Our eldest had whooping cough, despite having the shot, and our doctor prescribed medicine that was very heavy in alcohol. Would never be allowed now,

  17. Really enjoyed today’s offering & breezed through 75% of it but found the NW a wee bit trickier until the penny dropped finally with the 7a anagram which, despite knowing what I was looking for, wouldn’t come to me for some reason. Plain sailing then other than 16a which I’m still not 100% happy with. The brevity of the clueing reminded me a little of a Ray T & I thought some of the surfaces very good indeed and those were among my favourites – 10,11,12 & 14a plus 20d. Also liked the wordplay at 2d.
    Thanks both to the setter & to Tilsit for the review.
    Ps – lovely NTSPP today.

    1. 16a was my dodgy one – I think I am right but, hmm. No crickety golfie, footie clues today!😊

      1. Quite – learnt a new flower in the Toughie yesterday – that must be at least a dozen I know by now….

      2. Me too Daisy. I had to google that one, and 3 sites gave the same answer, just not mine.

        1. Curiosity got the better of me & I did likewise but was relieved to find I was right – thought it worthy of a hmm mind you

      3. I have arrived with two possible answers for 16a. Can somebody please nudge me in the right direction.

  18. My rating today is 1.5*/3* for a pleasant but undemanding puzzle.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Tilsit.

  19. A very pleasant puzzle today and quite friendly for a Prize offering. 10a was my last one in and clear favourite. The whole crossword was both entertaining and enjoyable. Thanks to our Saturday setter and Tilsit. I, too, love the Beethoven. Even those who profess not to like classical music heard it in the King’s Speech and liked it.

    I would just like to add my own thoughts on yesterday’s Toughie; I like to think I am reasonably accomplished at this solving lark, and although I found the Elgar difficult and often impenetrable, the excellent hints from Sue made it come alive and I understood where the compiler was coming from. It was a learning experience and as such a very worthwhile exercise so thanks to all involved.

  20. This was going swimmingly until my last three – 16a, 14a and 2d (which then became my favourites!). I had pencilled in the correct answer to 14a but still can’t quite make the parsing work, though I’m sure that the problem lies with me.
    Many thanks to the setter and to Tilsit. I’m now going to listen to Beethoven’s 7th which seems to me a much better option than venturing into the garden with a chilly wind blowing and threatening, grey clouds.

  21. For me this was a good level as I rattled through a good portion then had to think harder about the rest. I loved 9d and my last answer was 10a which I thought was very clever. Looking out at leaden skies – Autumn has arrived too soon.

  22. Very enjoyable lunchtime entertainment and 16a the last one in. 5d very neat, well in fact it was all good. It is now pouring with rain. For a number of years George was the Director of the longsince defunct Cambridge Symphony Orchestra – his ‘proper’ job left him time to fit in the organisation of four concerts a year. It was an absolutely fascinating insight into the workings of a contract orchestra and a rare opportunity to sit in on rehearsals if I could sneak in. Beethoven as you may imagine was always a crowd puller. Thanks to everyone. Enjoy your bank holiday weekend.

  23. I agree with anyone who said it was more straightforward than lots of the recent Saturday crosswords.
    I enjoyed it – plenty of easier clues to get going on and then some to make you think.
    14a was my last one and I dithered for ages with 16a until I landed on the right kind of ‘stick’.
    It also took me ages to remember the ‘wicker boat’ and I’m not sure I’d have got the 17a music if we hadn’t had it recently.
    I liked 8 and 21a and 9d. I think my favourite was probably 14a.
    Thanks to the setter and to Tilsit.
    Jolly cold here today – ought to go and do something useful in my grumpy looking greenhouse but I’ll probably do the NTSPP instead.

  24. I found this enjoyable with 6 down being my favourite as it brought back memories when I first started work in 19??, 27 across held me up and when I seen the answer bang my head on the table so to speak. Thank you to the setter and Tilsit for what they do.

  25. Another enjoyable puzzle, it’s been a good run this week. I just had to google 16a to finish, and still don’t understand the answer. I prefer mine, but clearly I must be wrong. All the rest were great, nothing obscure or sporty. Thanks to setter and Tilsit. Wonder what Dada has in store for tomorrow?

    1. BL,
      See Kath’s post #26 for the key to 16a, which a lot seem to be doubtful of. If you have the right checkers & do what it says on the tin then all becomes obvious I think.

  26. ***/****. A well constructed prize puzzle with a couple of oldies but very goodies – 10a & 9d. I noticed 17&18d made an early reappearance and 16a was a long way down the synonym list. Very enjoyable all round. Thanks to setter and Tilsit.

  27. Relatively straightforward Saturday puzzle for morning coffee time 2.5*/*** overall in my view. Some fun clues for COTD including 10a, 12a, 14a (groan!), 5d & 9d with winner(s) tied 14a and 9d
    Puzzle was solved in a weird way for me today in that the perimeter was filled in for the most part first, then the interior with the last two in being 16a and 27a.

    Thanks to setter and Tilsit for hints

  28. Not easy peasy for me but hugely enjoyable, I loved it! Luckily I, don’t know Dean Court so it was not a red herring for me.
    I love a puzzle where you don’t go stir crazy trying to unravel the clues.
    Fave was 2d, but I liked 10a as well. Having had 17d recently was a godsend.
    Thanks to our setter and Tilsit for his hints and pics, not least of all the music!

  29. We would read Tilsit’ s blogs just for the invariably wonderful music, thanks so much Tilsit! However this crossword also extremely enjoyable with several favourites, among which 17a, 7a, 3d. Thanks also to setter.

    1. I’m sure that this clue (or something very similar) and answer has appeared within the last week or so.

      After being censored and censured last week I’m saying nothing this week, other than – enjoyable puzzle, finished without assistance and some clever teasers. Thank you.

  30. Thanks to the setter and to Tilsit for the hints. A very enjoyable puzzle, that I couldn’t quite complete. Needed the hints for 10a,2&22d. Favourite was 5d. Was 3*/4* for me.

  31. I never thought I would complete this puzzle, and my last in was 16a like many others eg Bizzy Lizzie above, such a weird clue. Thanks to Tilsit for his hints and then with the odd letters words jump out eg 28a. I also found 24a an intriguing poser! 9a interesting with use of transmitter if you are a radio buff…! Thanks again to Tilsit for his presentation of Beethoven’s 7th which displays the composer!s relentless penultimate movement – like nothing ever performed in musical history at that time.
    Thanks also to the setter for his intriguing clues.

  32. A very enjoyable puzzle. Left with 16a. [redacted] Be grateful if someone could put me out of my misery!

    1. Welcome to the blog

      I have edited your comment as, when it is a Prize Puzzle, we mustn’t say anything that gives away too much about the solution. The answer to your [now hidden] question is that the e comes from the ‘close’ or end of flatmate

      1. I understood “end of flatmate” as soon as I saw the clue, but like many above, I can’t get letters 1 & 3. Are you allowed to tell me if I’m looking for a synonym for”stick” or “block” ? Thanks

  33. I enjoyed this but 10a took a long time and an in-depth research into revolvers. Similar problem with German rivers! I understand the concern about 16a as there are lots of meanings and synonyms for stick and block. As others have indicated the key to it is getting “close to flatmate”. I had lots of favourites including the 5d. Thanks setter and to Tilsit for unravelling 2d. I had the answer but lost the will to live after my foray into German rivers. Only did it this am after a very wet and windy, but enjoyable, day in North Norfolk

  34. We have enjoyed this puzzle over (a long) breakfast. Favourites 2d,14a and 28a. Many thanks to Tilsit, BD and the Bof LH who continually help us to improve. So much pleasure in all these puzzles. We are working our way through the Rookie corner and NTSPP crosswords. GREAT!

    1. Welcome to the blog Robin

      16a Stick close to flatmate in block (4)
      There’s already help in some of the other comments – put the final letter of (close to) flatmatE inside a three-letter verb meaning to block.

  35. 2.5*/3.5*. COTD 2d. Well said Daisy btw (earlier comments) – agree 100 percent. Finally, as a vegan, I’ve no problem with the parsing of 15d whatsoever – it’s black and white to me and hopefully to a restaurateur too!? Thanks setter – and to everyone here too!

  36. Catastrophe September 5 – no dead wood version of the Telegraph (or indeed most newspapers) – my weekend can’t start! 😢. Fingers crossed for a late delivery.

    1. Still not got one here either. I have been given a copy of the Times. :(
      but I do have a puzzles subscription so could send you a PDF of today’s if you like
      If you don’t want to publish your email addy on the web just contact me john.black1962@gmail dot com and I will reply with the PDF

      1. Thank you so much for your nice offer John but in fact Tilsit has kindly just done that for me.
        Angellov

    2. Me too, Angellov, and, while I’m not pessimistic by nature, I’m beginning to doubt that there’ll be a late delivery so I’ve bought a copy of The Guardian.

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