DT 29504 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29504

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29504

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

Greetings from Ottawa, where a one-day heat wave on Friday favoured us with temperatures in the mid-twenties (°C). However, we have now fallen back to a more normal state of affairs with temperatures well below 10 degrees. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

I got a rude shock this evening (Sunday) when I sat down at the computer at the usual hour to download the puzzle, only to find that the UK had reverted to standard time and I would have to wait another hour for the puzzle to be released. One would think that if I lose an hour at the autumn time change, there would be a corresponding gain of an hour in the spring. However, it appears not to work that way. I manage to lose an hour at each time change. It seems like a “Heads you win, tails I lose” proposition with me being on the short end of the deal. Consequently, I was glad to discover that the puzzle was not overly difficult.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

Across

1a   Today, after end of blizzards, phone for appropriate vehicle? (10)
SNOWMOBILE — another word for today or the present time follows the final letter of blizzardS and precedes a phone for pocket or purse; don’t try this at home

6a   Move through water so well in motorboat, initially (4)
SWIM — the initial letters of four consecutive words in the clue

10a   Clear, the Queen’s jockey (5)
RIDER — start with a word meaning to clear, disencumber or free from something undesirable or unwanted; then append Her Majesty’s regnal cipher

11a   During teaching, sixth sense acquired (9)
INTUITION — link together a preposition meaning during or while and a noun denoting teaching or instruction (or the fee levied or paid for such teaching or instruction)

12a   Book one vehicle in front of house by base (7)
IVANHOE — a long charade of a Roman one, a common delivery vehicle, the map abbreviation for house and the usual mathematical base

13a   Marked papers in the course of meeting (7)
EVIDENT — some short but important papers introduced into a meeting

14a   Mind  dope (12)
INTELLIGENCE — double definition; the first being a cerebral quality, the second being information

18a   Disgusting mum, pylons out in Greek national park (5,7)
MOUNT OLYMPUS — an anagram (disgusting) of the next three words in the clue

21a   Forays in south by Confederates (7)
SALLIES — the single letter for south followed by confederates or supporters

23a   Where one may find ‘The Borrowers’? (7)
LIBRARY — where Mary Norton’s children’s novel might be found as well as where those wishing to temporarily obtain a copy might also be found

24a   Charon cracked on, being part of relay (6,3)
ANCHOR LEG — an anagram (cracked) of CHARON and the other name for the on side of a cricket field

25a   Vessel from Altamira or Tampico (5)
AORTA — an anatomical vessel is hiding in the final three words of the clue

26a   Pull bovine animal, holding tail of bison (4)
YANK — a Tibetan bovine ingests the final letter of bisoN

27a   Consequently hut damaged on fells, a range of hills (5,5)
SOUTH DOWNS — string together a much shorter way of expressing ‘consequently’, an anagram (damaged) of HUT and a synonym for fells or topples

Down

1d   Separate  stock (6)
STRAIN — double definition; the first being a verb meaning to separate with a sieve or similar implement and the second being a noun denoting ancestry or line of descent

2d   Alternative arrangement for trial (6)
ORDEAL — a conjunction used to introduce an alternative followed by a bargain, agreement or arrangement

3d   Garment maker: working man, clothier, at start of Row (8,6)
MERCHANT TAILOR — begin by fashioning an anagram (working) of MAN CLOTHIER AT; then, at the back end, sew on the initial letter of Row

4d   Wife quite possibly in prison (9)
BRIDEWELL — start with what a wife is on the day she becomes one; then add an adverb denoting quite possibly or indeed as in “risky behaviour may (quite possibly/indeed/____) land one in hospital”

5d   Short modern drink (5)
LATTE — an adjective meaning more advanced in time or sequence loses its final letter

7d   Insect in that wine put out (5,3)
WHITE ANT — an anagram (put out) of the two words found at the centre of the clue

8d   Old musician, male in street on left (8)
MINSTREL — another multi-part charade; this time line up M(ale), IN (from the clue), ST(reet), a preposition meaning on or concerning and L(eft)

9d   Displaying trophy on table somewhere warm (6,8)
AIRING CUPBOARD — link together a word denoting making one’s thoughts or opinions known publicly, a synonym for trophy alluding to the typical shape of such an award and a table at which meals are eaten

15d   Story about motorway illumination becomes focus of attention (9)
LIMELIGHT — wrap an untruth around the symbol for a motorway; then annex a synonym for illumination

16d   Student leaving ahead of time to catch young lady’s agent (8)
EMISSARY — remove the usual student driver from a word meaning ahead of time; then situate a young lady in the result

17d   Article supporting well-known landlord (8)
PUBLICAN — a grammatical article follows (supporting in a down clue) an adjective denoting well known through exposure in the media; a certain well-known landlord who once supplied the Monday hints might appreciate this clue

19d   Local controversy, a burial mound (6)
BARROW — an establishment presided over by the afore-mentioned landlord and a controversy or squabble

20d   Detour near narrow defile (6)
BYPASS — near or next to followed by a route through a gap in a mountain range

22d   Outburst from Surrey’s opener staggered Oval (5)
SALVO — the initial letter of Surrey and an anagram (staggered) of OVAL

The more I see of Campbell’s work, the more impressed I am with the smooth surfaces he is able to achieve. In that respect, a trio that stood out for me today are 1a, 27a and16d (but I could easily have added several more to the list). I will award the honours to 16d.


Quickie Pun (Top Row): CONNED + OWNED = CONDONED

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : KNOWS + BANNED = NOSEBAND


134 comments on “DT 29504

  1. I failed to complete a Monday cryptic, oh dear. 1a & 1d were my stumbling blocks, I had convinced myself that the ‘phone’ with a ‘B’ had to be ‘BELL’. It always was in my day.

    I blame it on an early rising because of the clock change, too. I couldn’t quite parse 20d, and 3d was my COTD.

    Thanks to the setter and Falcon.

    1. Shouldn’t you be getting up one hour later than before if you are in the UK and rise at your normal time?

  2. I thought this lacked a bit of the sparkle of recent Mondays but was still enjoyable enough. I’d not heard of the trader or the prison but both were obtainable from the wordplay and checkers. I liked 11,13 &21a plus the drink at 5d
    2/2.5*
    Many thanks to the setter and to DT for the entertainment.
    Ps I do wish we’d stop messing around with the clocks.

    1. If we hadn’t had Covid apparently it would have stopped across Europe in 2021, but now on the back burner

  3. Finished at a canter in record time (for me) . Very straightforward clues, but no less enjoyable for that and no help/“cheating” required. */***; However, I can’t parse 13a ( my last in) and have spent 50 minutes scratching my head. Anticipate groaning when our hinter reveals all.- it’s always obvious with hindsight.
    Off to the dentist today – a case of “ physician heal they self”

    1. Re 13a. Some “papers” (ID) int the course of “meeting” (EVENT). Sorry, capitals are not meant to be swear words. I just fill my crossword in in capitals. Hope this helps.

  4. I didn’t find it all that straightforward either Malcolm (2.5/2*). So it’s not just you. There were a few clues, which were quite clumsily written e.g.3d and I wondered if 23a was actually a cryptic clue. The extended synonyms like 1d bothered me too so it was thank goodness for the anagrams, some of which were quite good. Thanks to Falcon for the hints and to the compiler.

  5. Really enjoyed this one. As comfortable a solve as is typical for a Monday and with the usual quality and fun. 1 and 27a are my co-favourites this morning.

    Thanks very much Campbell and Falcon.

  6. Surely your timing is wrong? Talked to my daughter in Toronto yesterday and the difference is only 4 hours. Your clocks go back next Saturday/Sunday. Am I right?

    Not sure about the GK in this puzzle. I bet someone complains!

    Relieved to finish it as last week I had a few holdups. Pleased to start the week on a high,

    1. If by “timing is wrong” you mean that North America is out of step with Europe and the UK, you would be correct. You reset your clocks a week earlier than we do.

      Normally, the puzzle is released at 7:00 pm Ottawa time (we are normally 5 hours behind UK time). However, this week, it did not appear until 8:00 pm (as you say, 4 hours behind UK time). By next week, we will have reset our clocks and the 5 hour difference will have been restored.

      1. In the spring, I believe we reset our clocks first and because the spring setting is in the opposite direction, that again results in a 4 hour difference until you reset your clocks.

        1. It’s almost worth moving to Arizona where they don’t do this whole changing the clocks thing …

          1. Try travelling round Page BL, the Navajo have MST with DST, the rest of Arizona MST without. There are no boundary indications as to which zone you are in. We literally didn’t what time of day it was!

            1. I once spent the summer with my city cousins at their summer home in the country. Although they observed DST, none of the local farmers did. It seems that while they could reset their clocks, the farmers hadn’t yet figured out how to adjust their cows.

  7. Steady progress through this. LOI 13a – always forget the “papers” – excuse is they are more bits of plastic these days (except for our passports – will I ever use mine again?).
    Agree with Falcon 16d my COTD closely followed by 1a. Always fancied driving one – not quite as adventurously as the picture though.
    Perhaps second pun is barn dancer?
    Thanks to Campbell & Falcon. Think you might have got confused with losses & gains.

      1. There is a second Quickie pun – only two words though, I think the third click here thingy isn’t supposed to be there

        1. Well it’s not italicised in the newspaper CS so it may just be a coincidence that it’s “punnable”

          1. The bottom quick pun is never, as far as I know, italicised like the top one. Mind you, I so rarely buy a paper these days, anything is possible

            1. I print mine out too these days so no italics of any description. Just give it a go is my advice to …….mind you, I rather like an 8d followed by the lower pun. That would cheer up a day at the races…..

        2. Hadn’t done the Quickie & just went off Falcon’ s solution. The third click is redundant. Bottom line certainly punnable & with no italics in the electronic version. Perhaps an omission in the dead tree version?

    1. I am considering losses and gains from the perspective of the amount of time I have to solve the puzzle and write the review before my “normal” bedtime. So being 4 hours behind provides one less hour than being 5 hours behind.

      I do like your excellent effort to turn my faux pas in the second Quickie pun into a third pun.

      For the benefit of late arrivals, I had neglected to delete a third “Click Here” box that is present in my blog template. Clicking on that box would reveal a “phantom” third word in the bottom line Quickie pun — the generic term “ANSWER”. I believe LabradorsruleOK has combined the actual second word in the pun with this word ANSWER to get his suggested solution to the second pun.

  8. Normal Monday gentle start to the working week. I had to backtrack on a couple. I put “STREAM” into 1d, and “ANCHOR MAN” into 24a, but they were soon sorted. Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  9. Even though 3d, 4d, 9d, & 27a are not American in origin, nature, or usage, I had no problem with them because the clues were quite accommodating. This was a pleasant Monday puzzle, with several standout clues: 12a, 16d, 1a. Thanks to our Canadian friend in Ottawa for the hints and to Campbell for the enjoyment. ** / ***

  10. As Falcon says there were some really enjoyable clues to solve in this nice intro to the week. I managed to make fairly steady progress and once the checkers were in a couple of stumbling blocks such as 4d and 14a became more obvious although I had to google the prison to be sure.
    Thanks to Falcon and the setter **/****

    1. It was interesting today. Took me a bit longer than usual and I got to several answers through wrong parsing and then realised once I put them in or on reading the hints. I must concentrate harder! Thank you very much for the blog.

  11. A gentle, enjoyable start to the week with a touch of general knowledge of which I personally approve. I think I will plump for 4d as my COTD.

  12. This was a Monday puzzle unlike yesterday’s which was a proper Sunday puzzle. 14a and 9d were my favourites today. Thanks to Falcon and the setter.

  13. A very enjoyable start to the (non-) work week completed at a fast gallop – **/****.
    Having never heard of The Borrowers before they appeared in a puzzle a few months ago, I immediately tried to follow what I presume was Campbell’s intended misdirection before the penny dropped.
    Candidates for favourite – 13a, 23a, and 9d – and the winner is 9d.
    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  14. I really enjoyed this one, plenty of gentle humour which always goes down well here.
    1d was the last to fall, just couldn’t ‘see’ it for quite a while.
    Podium places went to 23a plus 2,9&19d but there were several others in contention.

    Thanks to Campbell for the fun and to Falcon for the review – think I’ve finally got all my clocks changed over although there always seem to be two that require looking in the instruction manuals to fathom out and one that I invariably forget.

    1. I’ve only got a wristwatch and the car, but whether I change them or not, it’s still 1:30pm now in my head
      I never bother with changing the car, so it’s an hour fast now until March when it will be correct again

      1. A man should never have more than one clock. As the old adage goes “A man with a clock knows what time it is; a man with two clocks is not sure.”

        1. Ho hum – I’ve got 3 wristwatches (girlie thing), alarm clocks in all three bedrooms, central heating timer, car clock, kitchen wall clock, digital radio, two oven clocks and phone handset. Oh yes, there’s doubtless one on my mobile phone as well but as I rarely even have that switched on it’s probably still showing the time somewhere back in 2013 when I bought it!

    2. Have a longcase clock from about 1710 that only has an hour hand. In those days getting the minutes to within 5 was good enough. It still works fine & chimes on the hour.
      Note to Terence, it is, I believe out of guarantee.

  15. Lawdy… That was in the ‘very challenging’ category for me. I kept going over it but in the end I called on Falcon’s hints for several. It is an excellent puzzle; I think I am just a bit foggy today.

    This afternoon’s highlights will include walking a hundred yards to the post box, and putting the bin out. I lead such a life of debauchery.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    1. The contents of bins used to be a fruitful source of intelligence for tabloid journalists and private and public spies everywhere, Terence, didn’t it? Although, nowadays, there is more on your cloud than mixed up with your kitchen waste, so maybe they’ve all stopped doing that and only roam the ether…..

      1. A couple of years ago, I spent an interesting day chatting with Benjamin Pell, who, in the 90s, was known in journalistic circles as ‘Benji the Binman’. He told me how he got several (lucrative) stories into the daily papers by raiding the bins of celebrities, including Elton J.

  16. A great Monday puzzle that went together well with the one blip. I had the wrong answer for 14a for a while although some of the letters that were correct kept leading me wrong.
    Eventually when I cottoned on to the right answer, the rest dropped into place.
    Finished with no hints required and rate the puzzle */****
    Lots of clues to like including 1a, 27a, 9d, 15d & 19d with winner 9d and runner up 27a

    Thanks to setter and Falcon

  17. A typically Mondayish puzzle which I solved with a smile. The publican at 17 down was given a bar to run in the next clue at 19 down but only Latte to serve. Poor chap. At least he could swim, ride. run around a bit and join a Rugby team. I remember Old Merchant Tailors Rugby Club playing Coventry Rugby Club many years ago. Glad to see that they still exist. Thanks to Campbell for the puzzle and to Falcon for the review

    1. I know you don’t live there any more but if you keep leaving out the first g in long itchington in your email address, you will keep having to be rescued from moderation

    2. Merchant Taylors one of the old Lancashire Rugby Union strongholds in “the other code” territory.

  18. Pretty good Monday puzzle, not to much stress with this one. Lots of great clues. 11a my favourite.
    Thanks to Falcon and setter

  19. Got a bit held up in the NW corner today, especially 1a which is my favourite. An enjoyable start to the week. Thanks all.

  20. A jolly way to kick off the week with mixed levels of complication for the clues. Failed to fully parse 12a and 9d. Fav 1a. 27a no problem as I live within a stone’s throw of them. What a pain the varying hour changes are (I have recurring problem with resetting central heating clock!). Thank you Campbell and Falcon.

  21. For me, this was a Monday where I started at the bottom and worked upwards. A little bit of 11a helped with 1a and 12a and 11a
    and eventually, I had a full grid. 1d and 2d were last in today
    I did like 3d as we have a wedding/events venue of that ilk in York (albeit spelt with a Y) 8d was nice and concise too.
    12a one for the BD book club but personally I find Walter Scott a bit of a grind and I’ve never really enjoyed reading them.
    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

    1. Oh no, 12a one of my very fave books at school. I thought the name Lady Rowena so beautiful, always wanted to name a dog after her but never had a girl who I thought looked like a Rowena!

      1. I was introduced to WS with a children’s edition of Ivanhoe and loved it at the time but his oeuvre lost some of its charms for me when I “graduated” to the grown-up versions. I may have to have another go at (some of – there are loads) the Waverley Novels as I am sure they are candidates for great literature just that they passed me by in early adulthood.

        1. In one of my Victorian Novel seminars in graduate school, in the early 60s, we began the term with Scott’s Quentin Durward, of which there was a sad paucity of texts available (four hardbacks on reserve in the library only). The 20 of us aspiring scholars in the class were thus forced to “share the reading” (at designated times) in the library. Try to imagine what a nightmarish ordeal that was for us–especially for me since I read in a very private, self-absorbed kind of way, in the privacy of my own special sanctum. I have not read another Scott novel since then, nor did I assign any of his novels in the courses I later taught myself. Is it too late for me to atone for my Waverley sins? Shall I now do a binge-read of his novels?!

          1. I suspect that the text is free to download now they are out of copyright. I don’t think I will be trying too hard to atone for sins of the past though. I will settle for Gormenghast over LOTR and Hardy and Dickens over Scott.
            I do have slight regrets about trading in Grandma Bee’s complete Dickens but can always get hold of them again.

  22. Fun and steady solve today so thanks to all. Am I the only person to find Sarah Pascoe totally unfunny and incredibly annoying?

      1. Not sure what Sarah Pascoe has to do with crosswords, but I do not think she is at all funny.

        1. Nothing at all to do with crosswords but its nice to bounce things off other people and I’m glad I am not alone in my view of her. By the way, somehow our car somehow managed to change the time itself, good thing as I wouldn’t know how to do it!

        1. Maybe if she’s not funny and is annoying we’re better off not knowing who she is – doesn’t sound to me as if she’s worth it.

          1. Are any of them Kath? The BBC is a sinking ship and they know it
            Charging pensioners so they can keep paying Sara Cox, Jeremy Vine, Graham Norton, Claudia Winkleman (famous for, er, being famous?) et al £1,750,000 each per year for talking a bit is a downright insult; I don’t understand why anyone would want to pay to watch the drivel they put out
            I have never owned a TV in over 50 years and as far as I can tell, I haven’t missed much
            Apologies to any TV fans amongst us :smile:

            1. You are not missing anything LetterboxRoy. Very little to watch especially since Covid which resulted in lots of repeats. There was an excellent programme though on rescuing two Beluga whales from a ‘pleasure’ park in Shanghai and taking them to a safe harbour in Iceland. Apart from that the TVs license is a waste of money.

            2. I wonder how you can know they are putting out drivel when you haven’t owned a TV for 50 years.

              1. Whether it’s parents, girlfriend’s, flatmates, the local pub, it has nigh impossible these days to escape screens everywhere just babbling away to themselves
                I generally listen to the radio instead so that’s how I know about the names I mentioned in particular – hence the ‘drivel’ tag
                No real inclination to sample Eastenders, Strictly Make a Tit of Yourself or The Rap Game UK (just looked that up) ‘cos it’ll be the usual ‘celebrity’ crap
                TV programmes need viewers; viewers don’t need the programmes in the logically wibbly-wobbly world of Roy

                1. I think you’re doing a Brian here, LBR, and throwing the baby out with the bathwater. It’s like panning for gold: amongst the rubbish there are plenty of little nuggets to be picked out. We have recently enjoyed two drama series on the BBC – ‘Us’ and ‘Life’ – and Channel 5 has had some good documentaries, too, as well as the new version of All Creatures Great and Small. And then there’s Quizzy Mondays. Because of Covid there have been lots of repeats, but Michael Palin’s travels are well worth another viewing. You just have to be selective.

      1. Thank you for that – I do know perfectly well of the existence of both – I just have better things to do with my time.

        1. As I think I more or less implied to Bluebird I can’t really be bothered to find out so would probably agree.

      1. I Agee re Sarah Pascoe but if you want a really really unfunny comedienne on TV, try Jo Caulfield. She is in a league of her own. ( not the Sky programme of that name. I’ve only seen her on BBC. )

        While I’m here LBR, if you haven’t had a TV licence for 50 years how do you know the output is drivel

  23. **/***. Enjoyable while it lasted with only two hold ups – I got 3d but spelled the second word with a Y just from my memories of the school down the road. Once fixed all went well. The second was 13a when I became fixated on “eminent” and it took ages to see my error. Thanks to the setter and Falcon.

  24. 2*/4*. I really enjoyed this and, when I came to try to choose a favourite, I ended up with a longish short list of six contenders: 1a, 23a, 27a, 9d, 16d & 19d.

    As a lover of strong black proper coffee, I never regard 5d as a drink, so that clue caused my longest delay.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

    1. So true, I think the unaccountable fondness for 5d is responsible for the fact that Starbucks are actually a milk supplier with a coffee sideline

        1. It’s a six letter word that means modern without its last letter (short) and the definition is a drink.

      1. It’s not the milk, but the syrups, the whipped cream and the sprinkles, not to mention the GIANT muffins. My understanding is that Starbucks (other coffee shops are available…) have an unpublicised commercial partnership with the pharmaceutical companies manufacturing diabetic medication……talk about a “leg-up”.

  25. One of those that I found quite difficult while I was doing it but can’t see why now that I’ve finished it.
    I spent rather too long trying to fit ‘ESP’ into 11a but no-one else seems to have had that trouble.
    I’d never heard of 24a or 3d.
    I enjoyed this and really can’t see why I thought it was tricky – just a bit dozy today or maybe it’s the sign of a good setter.
    Generally good clues so maybe I won’t pick out any particular ones.
    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.
    One minute it’s sunny, then it’s raining, a bit windy and quite chilly in Oxford – very odd weather but then everything a bit odd at the moment.
    Just printed out the Rookie crossword and had a quick look – I’m not holding out much hope of being able to do it.

  26. Relieved that I wasn’t the only one that found this more on the difficult side today. Still don’t understand 13a. Never having been much of an athlete I had not heard the 24a term and didn’t know the 4d prison, or the 3d. So clearly my GK let me down again. But many of the clues were easier, just not enough of them. Had to chuckle at the picture at 19d. When we were house hunting, we went to see a house backing on to a golf course. Unfortunately there was a huge grass mound, as big as a barrow, backing up to the small patio, and that was all you could see. When I told the realtor (estate agent) that it gave me the creeps he really didn’t understand, never mind that it wasn’t what I would call a “golf course view”. Thanks to Falcon and setter.

    1. In 13a, the “short but important papers” (from my clue) denotes ID and the meeting (EVENT) is more of a sporting affair than one of a business nature.

  27. Don’t really know why but i found this a bit dislikable. Nothing particularly wrong with it but nothing good either.
    All a bit tricksy for my taste.
    ***/*
    Thx for the hints

  28. I agree with Brian…tricksy sums it up for me.
    Had to check that a couple of parsings, so no hurrah for me today.

    Thanks to the setter and to Falcon.

  29. 1a went in straight in. But it was a long time before I twigged that blower wasn’t the right phone…which made 3, 4 and 5d quite hard!! OK once that was sorted, enjoyable puzzle.

    1. I’m glad I wasn’t the only only one to come up with ‘blower’. So convinced was I that I was correct, that it completely threw me in the NW corner.

      1. I also had snowblower! Perhaps because I also live in Ottawa and a few flakes fell today. I thought only of clearing snow and not travelling on it!

      2. For ages, I had ‘plough’as it was the only snow vehicle I could think of! Guess that is why the north east quadrant was the last to get filled in.

  30. I made unnecessarily hard work of this & left for golf with 1d incomplete which I got instantly when I got back. Other than 4d, which required Mr G’s ok as new to me, there was nothing obscure so not sure why it was such a pedestrian solve. No real favourites today although I quite liked 3d & 14a together with 1a which made me think of Kubrick’s The Shining.
    Thanks to Campbell & Falcon.

  31. A combination of tricky and gimme, had to use far too much e-help. I didn’t know 24a but google told me, I only know one Greek park and this one is it, and 3d new to me.
    I can’t remember which book 4d featured in, sure Robert can tell me, suspect one of Dickens.
    I think fave is 12a for the book, but 23a and 16d earned honourable mention.
    Thank you Campbell and much appreciation to Falcon for unravelling a few.

    1. Hi Merusa. I did in fact double-check the Marshalsea Prison in Dickens’s Little Dorritt. I wondered if it might have been based on the Bridewell, but apparently not: they both existed, at the same time, and served different purposes, different kinds of inmates. But you might be thinking of a different author perhaps? I have done a bit of quick research and can’t locate the Bridewell in a particular literary work.

      1. Not sure where a book is needed for Bridewell. We have a Bridewell in Nottingham which is part of a modern Court building. For some reason this old word for prison has been used in a number of places as a proper noun for a custody suite or cell block.

        1. The original Bridewell Prison was located in Bridewell Palace (a former residence of King Henry VIII) in London. The name “Bridewell” subsequently became a common name for a jail, used not only in England but in other English-speaking cities, including Dublin, Chicago and New York. The generic term “bridewell” also became a synonym (now considered archaic) for jail or prison. The palace was named for St Bride’s Well near which it stood.

      2. Thanks! I remember learning about Bridewell in school, I just assumed it had to be in an Eng Lit class. Long time ago, I don’t suppose it’ll come to me again.

  32. Nice gentle start to the week **/***😃 (doesn’t it get dark early 😟) Favourites 11, 23a & 9d. Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon 🤗

  33. Am I the only person with a totally different quick crossword? The top pun in mine is ‘lettuce prey’ and there’s no bottom pun that I can see.

    1. Welcome to the blog, Richard.
      The crossword you’ve done is the weekly “Win a Prize” puzzle. The one you want is on the same on-line page (it’s number 29504).

  34. Found this a bit of a struggle, not helped in the least by assuming ‘phone’ in 1a was a blower. Resulting answer was used quite a bit in the Peak District when I lived there, especially after blizzards.

  35. Once I got the right answer in at 1a (I really couldn’t understand what plough had to do with phone! Silly me!) then with a bit of help from my thesaurus, dictionary and Google, I managed to finish the whole thing, which doesn’t happen too often. Thoroughly enjoyed it, so thank you to Campbell and Falcon.

      1. For what it’s worth, we tried both plough and blower In 1a, which did indeed make 3d, 4d and 5d a bit tricky.

  36. Just me but I always find Monday’s a bit tricky and never that enjoyable…a bit of a let down after Sunday’s Dada, I think! I have a friend who drinks 5d with just half a shot of coffee – yuck! Thanks to Falcon for the hints and the setter.

  37. I’m in the “perfectly straightforward and enjoyable” camp this evening. Hard to pick a favourite but I’ll go with 16d. Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  38. Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the review and hints. I enjoyed this one very much, but it took me ages to get on the right wavelength. I spelt the first word of 9d wrong, which was making 11&13a more difficult 😁. Finally noticed my mistake, then eventually got 11a, after failing to include “esp” and “psi” into it. Last in was 13a. Favourite was 1a. Was 3* / 3* for me.

  39. Late on parade (again) but I’m up early here in Queensland where (thankfully) we don’t have DST. My solving partner (Bangalore King) and I thought that this was fairly hard solve for a Monday. While completed, I’ve had to confirm some explanations; eg, I missed the second limb in 23a and 16d’s construction (aside from ‘miss’ —either that or lass). So thanks Falcon for the extra insight and of course to the setter. My COTD candidates, 23a and 9d. 🦇

  40. Very enjoyable and a great relief after the puzzles of the last few days. Very clever clues but I think you need to be on the wavelength. Any general knowledge clue was solvable as could be built up from the fodder. The general knowledge clues I don’t like are those where the answer is very obscure and the wordplay convoluted. 9d was my top favourite and 23a the runner up for sheer simplicity. For someone who posed the question above – yes it is cryptic. I had a slight difficulty in not knowing anchor leg and trying to put in archon leg. It was a good grid and the long answers provided the fodder to help in solving the short ones. Other favourites 11a and. 15 and 16d. ‘Thanks Campbell and Falcon although hints not needed today and thanks, too, for all the mainly positive comments.

  41. Hello everyone. Am I the only one who has lost access to the DT puzzle website? I’m so tired of their requiring me to create a new account or change my password, which can only be done by an overseas phone call to England. Ridiculous. Feels like circa 1998. Sorry to rant. I’m so fed up that I haven’t been able to do a crossword for over a week now.

  42. Not sure 5 makes sense.It would if it referred to latter day but to describe latte as short version of the latter is stretching it!

  43. Sailed through three quarters and then ran into trouble. Had to resort to help with last four clues. Thanks to Falcon and setter.

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