DT 29533 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29533 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29533 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Tilsit has had to dash off to his second home in the hospital.

A very average Prize Puzzle this 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

8a Star witnesses not entirely marvellous (4)
Most of (not entirely) a word meaning marvellous gives these three wise men

9a For audience bring in tea dispenser (3)
Sounds like a verb meaning to bring in a wage

10a Start on ploughman’s with low-fat pickle? (6)
The initial letter (start) of P[loughman’s] followed by a word meaning low-fat

12a Frank describing works of Luke and John? (8)
Not as in open but something placed on a stamp, mainly to prevent its reuse, when split (4,4) describes the works of Luke and John in the bible

15a Beloved son, small, placed by couple (7)
S(on) followed by a word meaning small and a verb meaning to couple or link

23a Doorbell broken — here one’s invited to knock! (8)
An anagram (broken) of DOORBELL gives a somewhat risqué definition of a posh word for a brothel

26a Hairstyle that might be red or grey? (6)
Two definitions – the first being one of the best definitions in the BRB (see definition 3), the second being a fish

28a Smoker sighted in Vietnam (4)
Hidden (sighted in) inside the clue

Down

1d Nation on Chile’s borders shows venom (6)
Place an African nation on top of (in a down clue) the outer letters (borders) of C[hil]E

3d Georges perhaps one involved with gun schemes? (9,6)
This George is found in many aircraft! A type of gun is followed by some schemes around (involved with) I (one)

5d Religious doctrine rewritten as Sicilian Pope leads mass (15)
An anagram (rewritten) of AS SICILIAN POPE followed by M(ass)

7d Become friendlier, we hear, finding God (4)
This Norse God sounds like (we hear) a verb meaning to become friendlier

16d Lived once in Bath — hard to leave! (3)
A verb meaning to bath without the H(ard)

18d Spooner becomes confused about international killer (8)
… an anagram not a Spoonerism this time

19d Replacement used for term: issue for children? (7)
What term is used for two words that essentially mean the same thing?

22d Knack revealed in story books (6)
A story followed by the second set of books of the bible

24d Burden setter and solver must carry? (4)
Split this burden as (2,2) and it could describe being carried by both setter and solver

The Crossword Club is now open.

This is a small sample of the music that was playing as I wrote this blog!

Could new readers please read the Welcome post and the FAQ before posting comments or asking questions about the site.

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.  BD


The Quick Crossword pun: mill+key+whey=Milky Way


149 comments on “DT 29533 (Hints)

  1. I imagine we will get a lot of differing views on this one. Personally, I enjoyed it, and found it pleasingly awkward in places to cheer up a dull Saturday morning. I particularly liked the long anagram at 5d, the non-Spoonerism and 12a. All in all an enjoyable trip through crosswordland.

    Many thanks to our setter and to BD for stepping in for Tilsit, to whom I wish a speedy recovery.

  2. Whilst liking 6a, 7d and 12a, my COTD is 23a, albeit the easiest of ‘solves’. Shades of the Viz crossword (🤔😱 – a friend does it and occasionally seeks my help) that had me wondering whether the new boy, Dave Gorman (aka Django and Bluth in the Independent), had been given the nod.

    1. The article in the paper yesterday (repeated for some reason again today in Features) said that Django’s first puzzle would appear on Wednesday. I thought this one might be the work of another setter, with even more aliases than Mr G

      1. I’ve finally found the Django article … page 20 in the “Saturday “ supplement.

        What a lot of dead trees to read through …

  3. Very very difficult, far more so than any of the Toughies I have recently attempted.
    Needed that cold towel and numerous cups of coffee. I can’t help feeling that essentially this level of puzzle effectively disenfranchises many readers.
    Still do not understand the issue of children in 19d.
    Far too many religious clues.
    *****/**
    Not much fun just a slog.
    Thx for the hints

    1. Am I allowed to say that the I is a 19d of C, Brian?

      I hope there’s a nice cup of tea in the naughty corner.

      1. I realise that it is me but I just do not see the connection to children. The first part is OK and that is how I derived the answer but it is the second part that has me foxed.

        1. Oh Brian … if you have the correct solution then there is a connection in the clue! That’s all I’m going to say even though I do have cake in the tin

          1. Brian, just look up ‘issue’ in the dictionary and look at all the meanings. Perhaps if you do not know about religion, you don’t know about all that begatting that went on. Disgusting if you ask me!!!

            1. In fact, Manders there’s a whole book in the OT about begatting. Also the Song of Solomon is quite erotic!

              1. Love these threads. Brian’s comments can up the posts by some percentage. Anyway that’s quite enough begatting- along with 23a it’s getting too carnal for a sensitive soul like me

          2. Well I don’t get the second bit either even with everyone’s hints and clues. However I have enjoyed today’s puzzle. There’s been enough to tax the brain and enough r & w to make it interesting

            1. The trouble with giving an answer to yours and Brian’s query is that none of us can say anything without ending up on the naughty step. I will say that the second part does make sense.

          3. Ah the penny has finally dropped, the clang was audible for miles. I told you it was just me as I did know the crossword meaning of issue but the wording of the clue was so clever it totally foxed me.

      1. I correctly predicted that Brian would take issue with the number of “religious” clues. I don’t know why as whether it is religion or cricket or any other minority activity does not affect one’s ability to solve. I suspect that the answer to your question BD is no, in the same way that he does not read later comments even those which would be helpful to him. I find I learn a lot from the comments not always directly related to the clues. Thanks again and best wishes to Tilsit.

        1. I always where possible read any later comments but some of us have other things in our life even now than to be constantly checking the blog.

          1. You don’t have to look at the blog. If you tick the box it sends you emails of the comments. Easy to read and delete specially if the thread gets boring 😊

        2. I must disagree. My lack of cricket knowledge frequently impairs my ability to solve unaided. The little I know of sports has been learnt from this web site. I can honestly say I had never heard of the 5d term before we set sail across the pond. Americans frequently ask my religion, and when I answer Church of England they frown in puzzlement. I have learnt the answer they need is 5d.

        1. I agree with you, Ejl but it would be a totally different blog if we all commented like Brian! :grin:

      2. When Brian first started to comment I was startled by and disapproving of his grumpiness and general harrumphing but am sure I’m not alone in having come to thoroughly enjoy his posts! Love him or hate him he is delightfully provoking – the Tracy Emin of the Blog! Don’t ever change, Brian.

    2. I am not sure why you are so against religious clues. The majority of the ones we face are basic Sunday School stuff which, even if you convert to being an atheist, you would still remember. I am not a geographer, an historian or a chemist but still retain and glean sufficient GK to get through a crossword.

        1. Lucky you.

          Several years (it seemed) of my life were lost to freezing cold church halls listening to terminally boring Elders.

        2. Our parents sent us every week, just so they could have some quiet Sunday time on their own.

          1. I am sure that we were sent for exactly the same reason.

            Church service from 11:00 am until 12:30pm then Sunday School from 1:30pm until 2:30pm.
            No such thing as refreshments then.

            1. My parents were happy to send me with whomever would take me, whilst they had a break at home. They were very ecumenical. I was baptised in the Church of England, then sent off to a Methodist Chapel Sunday School with a neighbour and finally to a Baptist Church with my uncle.

          2. Mine went one better and sent me to a CofE boarding school. I was chapelled and churched twice a day and sometimes thrice on Sunday.

            1. ⚠️⚠️ Verbing of nouns alert ⚠️⚠️
              💒 ⛪️

              I got stuck about halfway with this though Mrs J from S helped with some enlightenment. Some uncertain parsing remains e.g. 13a

                1. Thank you! I was misled by getting the second word of the answer from ‘pass’ and failed to spot the anagram

    3. Yes, I’m with some on this, frustrating and not enjoyable for me. Even with BD clues, I’m failing.

  4. This had me stumped after I had completed a dozen or so answers. I resorted to some electronics to solve a handful of anagrams, and that was it, I was off. The rest flew in for a total of *** time.

    I certainly couldn’t recognise the style, not that I often can, so maybe AtH is righ and Mr Gorman has made an appearance.

    Many thanks to the setter and BD. And a Get Well Soon to Tilsit.

  5. Sending good wishes to Tilsit who has had a hard time of it lately.
    I didn’t find this too average. I enjoyed the spoonerism that wasn’t and 23a got a nice laugh at the PDM
    Is 8a the first Christmassy clue of the season?
    Thnks to BD for stepping in today and thanks for the music.

  6. It took me a long time to get into this one as I did not find the long clues easy apart from 4d and was grateful to have had this chap, and remembered him, lately. Last 2 in were 10a and 7d. The good thing was that when one was solved several others followed so it is worth persisting. Favourites 12 17 and 23a and 2 3 16 19 and 21d. Quite a different feel and no idea of the setter but thank Yohann thanks to BD for stepping in. I shall now read the hints and shall be interested to see which you have chosen.

  7. I bounced all over the place in this bumpy little joyride and hardly knew where I was going until — the long clues having been solved — I got there. If we hadn’t met up with some 3d’s quite recently, I might still be looking at that one with bemusement. 13a was new to me but the anagram worked quite well. As YS just said above, it was a rather awkward Prize puzzle, but I did very much enjoy it, with my podium comprising 12a (my COTD), 23a, and 19d. Thanks to BD for stepping in for Tilsit, who I hope is going to be all right, and to today’s setter. *** / ****

      1. Jane, Huntsman, et al: It’s even better than I said above; it’s +132 votes (by the latest count)! ROFL here, chez Robert.

        1. Please keep this website as a US Election-free zone. I’m sure I’m not the only one who finds the subject boring beyond words. Any subsequent comments on this subject will be deleted.

          1. Well said, BD. I find the whole US election the biggest bore of all.

            I guess you will now redact this post. :grin:

            1. Don’t make any assumptions – there are no lines to read between. What I don’t like is this continual talk of the US Presidential election on what is, at the bottom line, a UK crossword blog.

              1. But people talk about all sorts. Book recommendations, illnesses, pets, chats between people who know each other.
                None of that is deleted.
                Incidentally, it doesn’t bother me but it doesn’t seem to me it’s just a crossword blog.

                1. See paragraph 8 in the Comment Etiquette – “Don’t discuss sensitive subjects like Religion, Sex or Politics. This is a crossword site and there are other fora available if you do want to express your views on these subjects.”

  8. Difficult to get into but cracking one of the long answers let the rest fall into place quite quickly, amusing and enjoyed the misdirections.
    Thanks to BD and the setter.
    GWS Tilsit.

  9. The bark was worse than the bite and I thoroughly enjoyed this Saturday morning workout including the quartet of 15-letter answers. East came home first. My Joint Favs were 12a and 23a. Until the penny dropped I wondered why George was spelt the French way in 3d clue. So sorry to learn that Tilsit is hospitalised again but do hope all will soon be well for him 💐. Thank you Mysteron and BD.

  10. This one fought me every step of the way and to be honest I didn’t enjoy it very much. Obviously just a wavelength issue as there were certainly a few that we’ve come across many times in the past.
    Hope the NTSPP is rather more friendly!

    Thanks to our setter and to BD for manning the fort yet again.

  11. Took me ages to get on the setter’s wavelength but it slowly fell into place. Loved 12a as I had the wrong sort of frank. getting the long ones early helped.Although had the right answer for 19d couldnt see the children for ages. All in all an enjoyable puzzle today so thank you and best wishes to Tilsit Exciting a Tesco order due to arrive soon!

  12. Harder than I usually find Saturday puzzles, but very enjoyable nonetheless. I don’t have a problem with too many clues on whatever subject. It broadens the knowledge. Certainly not worth whingeing about.
    Thanks to all

  13. I think BD’s ‘very average’ assessment of this one somewhat harsh. I certainly enjoyed it’s unfamiliar style & found it tricky in places. MP would have approved that the long anagrams fell quickly & without use of pen & paper (not so 18d for whatever reason) which helped enormously. Last in was 8a, one of a number of good wee ones (9,27&28a), where I was trawling the depths of my limited knowledge of stars before the penny dropped. Like ATH in comment 2 COTD has to be 23a which made me laugh.
    With thanks to the setter & to BD for stepping in once again. Hoping that Tilsit, who’s had a rotten run of it lately, is quickly recovered & keeping his spirit up.

  14. This took a bit of work, but I enjoyed it. I worked out the answer for 3d from the letters I already had, and then had to Google how the answer connected to the Georges referred to in the clue. I hope I remember that next time I see it. The word plays were fun. I particularly liked 12a,16d and 24d.

  15. I enjoyed this as it seemed for some reason to go my way. As some others also found, the anagrams came to mind quickly which helped a lot. I still don’t quite understand 24d although the answer was obvious. Not sure what the BRB is in hints BD. Forgive my lack of knowledge there. ***/***** for me. Thanks to this excellent setter and BD.

          1. Apologies again. I seem to be spending my Saturday’s apologising these days!
            I have now read and absorbed the answers to all the FAQ’s and promise not to duplicate them in this blog. The last thing I want to do is ask already answered questions and waste everybody’s time…

          2. I have now read all of these and won’t duplicate again. Naughty step two Saturday’s running😢

            1. I don’t think you’re on the naughty step, NAS. You haven’t given any overt help to the answers.

          3. I must say that 3rd definition in tge BRB is priceless – up there with Johnson’s definition of “Oats”

  16. Tough but fair I thought, took me well into 3* time.
    LOI was 7d preceded by my COTD 12a, probably a chestnut, but, if not very clever.
    Couldn’t really parse 19d but the hint enlightened me, again quite clever.
    Thanks Mysteron, and BD for the hints.
    Best wishes to Tilsit foe a sustained recovery.
    Not much confidence in today’s rugby probably men against boys. It is on S4C. England fans can look forward to JD in Welsh. Wooden spoons are always useful for something!

    1. George was looking for rugby but says it is league rather than union? All double Dutch to me but it keeps him occupied for a couple of hours. He wants England Wales RU. Is it on?

      1. It is on S4C kick off 4pm DG. Whether George can get S4C in Cambridge I don’t know.
        It is also on Amazon Prime TV but even if, like me you have it, the TV might not be quick enough to stream it & you end up with the action frozen & the whirly wheel

  17. Chambers dictionary, the big red book. The bible of all cryptic crossword setters and solvers. I am sure BD explains this together with a lot of other useful information on the blog.

  18. An enjoyable Saturday tussle with a few head scratchers included. Getting a couple of the long ones got me on the solve trail. However, the NE corner held me up for quite a while until I solved the rather marvellous 12a. I could not work out why the answer to 6d was what it was. I liked the quite cheeky 23a but my COTD is the aforementioned 12a.

    Many thanks to the setter and to BD for stepping in. I wish Tilsit well and hope he gets better soon.

  19. It was certainly a different flavour puzzle today. ***/*** I couldn’t see the children in 19d until I read BD’s hints either! A senior moment there, I reckon, on reflection. 2d was my last one in for the same reason. Spent too long hung up on clan. Some very good clues – 14a is clever and 11a is nicely misleading. Favourite 12a. Thanks to all. Hope you’re back safe and well soon, Tilsit. Recount in Wisconsin really made me laugh!! Thanks, Robert.

  20. Reasonably straightforward, with assistance from the familiar 12a, although the four long ones caused a bit of head scratching, completed at a gallop – 2.5*/3.5*.
    Candidates for favourite – 8a, 2d, and 4d – and the winner is 4d.
    Thanks to the setter and BD.

    P.S. As well as Django being a new Toughie setter on Wednesday, it looks like we have a new setter on Tuesday, at least new to me – Moeraki.

  21. This was a battle for me, but as so often, once I found a handful, the checking letters became invaluable in helping with the rest (stating the obvious here!).

    I enjoy Brian’s contributions. In my view, the best way is not to take him too seriously. I suspect there is a jolly decent bloke behind the moans and groans of his crossword persona.

    Best wishes to Tilsit; thanks to the setter and Big D.

  22. Best wishes to Tilsit first of all and I hope he soon recovers. I found it difficult get into this puzzle and the grid layout together with the long anagrams made it trickier (3*/3.5*) Having said that, I really enjoyed the anagrams. 3d was an amusing clue but 8d, with great misdirection, was my COTD. Thank you to BD for the hints and to the compiler.

  23. Great mental workout, almost there, unaided, just 8a to go.
    ****/*****.
    Many thanks to the setter and to BD.

  24. 3*/4*. The style of this puzzle had the feel of a new setter to me. It was reasonably challenging and there were a lot of good clues. I was impressed with the inventiveness of the the four three-letter answers, and I loved the mention of Spooner without the clue being a Spoonerism.

    I didn’t much like 24d, and, although the amusing 23a is very clever, it is in very poor taste for a reputable newspaper. Hopefully we are not going to follow the Indy on the slippery slope downhill.

    I am not sure that I have parsed 13a correctly. All the elements are there but they don’t seem to be in the right order. I’ll try to remember to check the full review when it is published.

    My podium comprises 12a, 5d & 18d.

    Many thanks to the mystery setter and to BD. Get well soon, Tilsit.

    1. Unless I’ve gone completely wrong or can’t count or something really silly I think that 13a is an anagram (rocky) of the next three words in the clue.

    2. Re 13a, and running the risk of the accusation of “teaching grandmothers to suck eggs” (or words to that effect) isn’t it an anagram (rocky)?

        1. I was also a bit worried about teaching grannies to suck eggs so had to go back and count again, and write all the letters out just to check that I hadn’t been dim – but we’re not!

    1. The important words in the clue for 14d are ‘up’ and ‘ends’. Look at the clue again and your solution and hopefully you’ll see how it works

  25. I found this quite tricky (though having got the answers to several of them couldn’t see why) but thoroughly enjoyable. 23a was my COTD.
    Thanks to the setter and BD

  26. Found this one great fun today! First look a bit daunting but thanks to those helpful anagrams and very precise clueing managed in good time. Don’t always complete on the day so have not commented before. Love reading the comments in this blog and am so disappointed when finishing a crossword from the Telegraph Crossword book and there is no one to compare notes with! My clue of the day was 24d and MrJ’s was 23a (which was a tut from me). Thanks to the setter and BD, fingers crossed for Tilsit, 2.5*/4*

  27. Sometimes I get a fixation with a word, or in today’s puzzle two words that simply just seem to be so right to bung in for an answer. Often it pays off, but today my bung in at 13a caused me no end of problems – ‘cos it was wrong! Once aware of my error and corrected it, my answers began to flow. Not particularly difficult, but 1d & 8a held me up most. Personally, I felt that two of the better clues were 12a & 14d – rarely does a three letter word ‘hit the spot’ for me, but I appreciated that one. Goodness knows why Brian finds an issue with 19d (no pun intended) the answer surely is as plain as the nose on his face. Thanks to today’s setter and also to BD, plus my best wishes to Tilsit for a speedy recovery.

  28. I struggled badly with 5d . Flirted briefly with xxxxxxxxxx but that’s nothing to do with it. Apparently that’s a xxxxxxxxxxxxx

    Some spikey comments today.

  29. I was stumped too by 19d but then the penny dropped. Not sure second half was really needed though. Otherwise I’ve enjoyed this one

  30. I found this difficult. Took me a while to get started, then a steady solve until the last few which took me ages….but I got there in the end. Hurrah!

    Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave and I hope Tilsit feels better very soon.

  31. I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. Many favourites including 12ac, 23ac, 7dn, 18dn (👍 Spooner always strikes fear) and of course 19dn.

    Thanks setter and BD

  32. I like anagrams so once I’d got those long ones in it was a great help. A nice mixture of read and write clues and real head scratchers. I loved 12a it made me laugh. Plumber came this morning, I asked him to wear a mask but after half an hour I noticed it was off and George bending over watching points so all caution thrown out of the window! But I now have a nice hot ladder radiator in my bathroom and glory be after 3 years 17 rubber bands round the cold tap in the kitchen to stop it dripping removed and a proper man did a proper job. Sorry to hear Tilsit back in hospital, not a good place to be at any time. Thanks to the setter for an enjoyable lunchtime diversion and to Big Dave for the hints. Have a good weekend.

    1. Feminist remark there DG there are some good female plumbers in these days of equality.

      1. You’re surely not suggesting DG should have said ‘a proper person did a proper job’ – the person concerned was a man after all!

        1. It was tongue-in-cheek but proper plumber would have been fine. I never sustitute “person”.
          One of my pet hates is “chairperson / chairwomen”. They are needless invented words as chairman is genderless. One of the best chairmen I know is a woman, who dislikes being called a chairwoman or chairperson

          1. I particularly dislike being called a chair as I am not wooden with four legs. Chairman is good enough for me.

  33. An acceptable way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Tricky in places with a few doh & head scratching moments. But as always perseverance came through. Took me a while to get the “rhythm “ of this puzzle…
    3*:4*
    Grateful thanks to setter & BD for last minute review.
    Best wishes to Tilsit for a speedy recovery & I do hope the food is acceptable!

  34. After a first sweep gathering only three answers I thought 21d was going to sum it all up and I would end up using the download to light the fire. But like many others as the 15 letter clues were solved others fell too. A very different and ultimately enjoyable crossword. 23a and 19d share the honours today. My thanks to Big Dave and the setter.

    If you are looking in Tilsit, or even if you’re not, my best wishes to you and I hope you are soon back home.

    1. Welcome to the blog

      There has been lots of discussion on 19d so I suggest that reading the comments will help you

  35. I didn’t get many answers in on first read through and thought it was going to be tricky.
    Then I had most of the bottom half done but still very little at the top – top right corner was my last bit to give in.
    I have alternate letters in the long 5d anagram – can see what I’m trying to do and still can’t get it.
    I also struggled with the 20a anagram for quite a long time – I can usually do anagrams quite quickly but obviously not today.
    I liked 25a and 7d. My favourite by a very long way was 23a – really made me laugh.
    Thanks to BD and all good wishes to Tilsit for a speedy escape from hospital.
    Off to have a go at the NTSPP – horrible day in Oxford – cold and not quite raining but might as well be.

  36. First and foremost, best wishes to Tilsit for a speedy recovery. He’s not having a good year, and deserves to have plain sailing henceforth.
    Found this puzzle much friendlier than yesterday. Was particularly thankful that 18d was not a spoonerism, as they always make my brain shut down. Thanks to setter and Big Dave.

  37. Struggled with this today – did not at all find the setter’s wavelength.
    And, while I’m in a complaining mood, this is my least favourite grid formation.
    Apart from that, all is well here in chilly Scandinavia!
    Thanks to all, and get well soon Tilsit.

      1. For me it’s a combination of too many 3 and 4 letter words, and the fact that none of the checkers give the first letter of any other clue. Sorry to moan!

  38. **/****. I enjoyed this puzzle and especially 12a, 3&5d. Thanks to the setter and BD. I hope Tilsit is on the mend.

  39. A nice smooth untroubled solve for this Saturday puzzle. Solved top to bottom at a steady pace. Rate this 1.5*/****
    Clues for favourites include 12a, 13a, 23a, 27a & 19d with winner 13a and 23a runner up. That caused me to chuckle
    Solving the four 15 letter clues early gives lots of footing to get one point too.

    Thanks to setter and BD for the hints.
    Hope Tilsit recovers and gets home soon.

  40. I thought is was a solid puzzle. Some very clever clues. Anagrams made it all much easier. I did not initially put in 23A in disbelief!
    12A my favourite.

  41. The film “Airplane!” is one of the funniest I have ever seen but rather an obscure clue.The Thirty year olds and younger have never seen it .
    It occurs to me that younger people will never get the hang of cryptics.
    On the other hand if clues reference electronic games etc , then I won’t have a clue.
    I hope cryptics don’t fade away before I do.
    Thanks to the setter for a splendid crossword.

    1. I failed miserably trying to get our kids, and then our teenage grandkids interested. No luck sadly. I think my brain would grind to a halt without this daily workout.

    2. I don’t have the crossword to hand, but I don’t think it references the film. I believe the name is general parlance in the flying business for the answer.

  42. Definitely a lot to enjoy in today’s crossword.
    Was surprised by 23a too as it doesn’t feel like The Telegraph but what a great laugh.
    Unraveling 5d took a while.
    Thanks to the setter and to BD for the club.
    Best wishes to Tilsit.

  43. Not very exciting but seemed OK. Not sure I’ve got the Norse god but I never submit it anyway and the right answer may pop into my head soon.
    Thanks to setter and BD. Hope Tilset is OK

  44. Best wishes to Tilsit, hope he’s home soon. Not our favourite today, didn’t flow for us at all. Thanks for the clues and stepping in (-:

  45. Only got through this thanks to BD, grid was a desert beforehand. Now done, so thank you so much, but not sure I’d describe as enjoyable! More practice evidently needed…

    1. That was difficult, I really am terrible at crosswords.
      To think I once thought I could help BD out by blogging the back pager on a Saturday! I’m lucky if I can do half the crossword.
      Thanks all.

  46. Better late than never. Delay caused by Mr. Th having to go suddenly to A and E (all is well now). I found this puzzle quite difficult but very enjoyable with some very good clues. Until reading the comments was too thick to notice that 13a was an anagram! – and still haven’t worked out the parsing for 19d. Very best clue 12a closely followed by 8a and 7d.
    Thanks to setter and BD for standing in.

    1. 19d really isn’t difficult. The definition (underlined in my hint) is of a linguistic term and the rest of the clue is an example of that term. The concept behind the term (not necessarily the example given) is used in nearly every cryptic crossword.

  47. One has to give credit to the setter for managing to squeeze so much to dislike into a single grid!!

    1. If you have nothing positive to say … why say anything at all?

      Are you trying to usurp Brian as the Moaner-in-Chief?

  48. Sunday as a homework day (in a domestic sense) means a delay to the blog. I share the view that it was a tricky one, but the huge anagrams -this must be a record- was a challenge even with my 1980s pocket crossword decoder. I never got the reasoning for 6d, it had to be the answer and took me back to my schooldays…
    I agree that others didn’t fit, and the layout cutting out the first letters didn’t help!
    However thanks to BD for his hints (some missing, for me!) and best wishes to Tilsit for a speedy recovery!

    1. 6d Settled problem over paper used in chemistry test (6)
      A three-letter verb meaning settled followed by the reversal (over in a down clue) of a problem

  49. I think I must, in fear of my life, take issue with Big Dave! Of course this is a crossword site and I think it an absolutely marvellous invention but….it is the little windows we get into other peoples lives, especially those in different countries, that gives it its humanity.

  50. Steady pace throughout but think I’ve got 8a and 2d wrong. They fit and I can see a logical reason but think I may be extrapolating too far. Have to wait and see….. can’t stand this weather and Covid politics, think I’ll go back to Malawi, free of both!!

  51. Anybody still here? I only got round to this this evening, and was so glad I did: lots of fun clues and a wavelength that works for me, with answers flowing well; I found this far easier than I usually do the Saturday puzzle. Or any day’s puzzle, come to think of it.

    11a seemed familiar, possibly even from a guide to solving cryptic clues. I particularly liked 22d’s story books, and enjoyed the time spent trying to Spoonerize various synonyms for ‘international’ for 18d. My favourite was the Frank 12a, for making me laugh.

    Thank to you to the setter, to Big Dave for the hints and explanations, to all the commentators for the discussion, and best wishes to Tilsit.

  52. Hello BD, thank you for your hints without which I was floundering. But the main reason for this blog is that Concert by the Sea was the very first ever album I bought, aged about 12. The vinyl is long gone but it’s well and truly on my iPad. Wonderful musician. Have been lucky enough to visit Carmel. Maybe I should have played it on Saturday to get through the slog. All the best and thanks to you and the setter.

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