DT 29557 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29557

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29557

Hints and tips by pommers

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

Hola from the Vega Baja.  I hope you all had as good a Christmas as possible under the current circumstances.  Pommette and I had a quiet time at home having cancelled our usual trip to Benidorm, although we did have a rather enjoyable pizza party with a few friends on boxing day via Skype.

I thought today’s puzzle was fairly benign but still enjoyable.  There’s a couple of veiled allusions Peter Sellers films and one clue that’s spookily similar to one that was in yesterday’s puzzle.  All-in-all I thought it was pretty good.

As usual the ones I liked most are in blue.  The definitions are underlined in the clues and the answers are under the “click here” buttons so don’t click on them unless you really want to see the answer.  Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Strongly criticise a course of action taken by team’s leader (6)
ATTACK:  Start with the A from the clue and a T (Team’s leader).  After those (taken by) you need a word for a course of action or the course of a sailboat.

4a           Rogue‘s unlimited guarantee — be taken in (8)
ABERRANT:  Take another word for a guarantee and remove its first and last letters (unlimited).  Into what’s left insert (taken in) the BE from the clue.

10a         Clean  axe (5)
SCRUB:  Double definition.

11a         Sluggish? Teach girl exercises (9)
LETHARGIC:  Anagram (exercises) of TEACH GIRL.

12a         Bird‘s extremely sharp weapon (7)
SPARROW:  Start with SP (extremely SharP) and follow with a weapon fired from a bow.

13a         As one new service in heart of Greece (25)
EN MASSE:  Take an N(ew) and a church service and insert into (in) the middle two letters (heart of) of GrEEce.

14a         What may be said of chess film? (4,3,3,4)
ONLY TWO CAN PLAY:  This is a 1962 film which stars Peter Sellers.  It’s also something which can be said of the game of chess.  I don’t remember this film but according to Wiki it was the UK’s fourth best box office after The Guns of Navarone, Dr No and Summer Holiday.

17a         Fat: felt anxious, terribly uncertain as to what should be done (2,1,5,2,4)
IN A STATE OF FLUX:  Anagram (terribly) of FAT FELT ANXIOUS.

21a         Certainly relieved, ultimately, after home covered (7)
INSURED:  Start with the usual two letters for home or at home and after them put a word meaning certain and a D (relieveD ultimately).

23a         Once viewed old things in another way (2,5)
ON SIGHT:  Start with O(ld) and follow with an anagram (in another way) of THINGS.

24a         Aim to include Italian individual in act, without the help of others (2,2,5)
GO IT ALONE:  Take a word for an aim or target and insert the abbreviation of Italian vermouth.  After this you need a word for individual or sole.

25a         Keen on catching start of record, the first few bars (5)
INTRO:  Take a slang word meaning keen on something and insert an R (start of Record to get the first few bars of a piece of music.

26a         Lead’s initial approach, first time away in play (8)
LATITUDE:  This is play as in tolerance.  It’s an L (Lead’s initial) followed by a word meaning approach or stance but with the first T removed (first T(ime) away).

27a         Fuel supplied by dear character endlessly (6)
PETROL: A word for dear or favourite followed by a character or part in a play without its last letter (endlessly)

Down

1d           One who judges fools accordingly, right? (8)
ASSESSOR:  The common crosswordland fools followed by a word meaning accordingly or thus and an R(ight).

2d           Boy following sailor wearing waterproof stuff (9)
TARPAULIN:  Start with a sailor and after it (following) you need a boy’s name and a two letter word which might mean wearing.  Strange that we had a very similar clue in yesterday’s puzzle. Yesterday’s was a little easier as it gave a hint that the boy is one of the apostles.

3d           Floor show act dancing round naked (7)
CABARET:  Anagram (dancing) of ACT place around a word meaning naked.  Here’s a clip from the answer . . .

5d           Similarly, purchase an identical disc on the phone (2,3,4,5)
BY THE SAME TOKEN:  This phrase meaning similarly sounds like (on the phone) it might mean to purchase an identical disc.

6d           Do Parma when travelling? It’s a plan for the future (4,3)
ROAD MAP:  Anagram (when travelling) of DO PARMA.

7d           Protection regularly taken by American soldiers (5)
AEGIS:  Alternate letters (regularly) from TAKEN followed by some US soldiers.  This was the shield of Zeus in Greek mythology.

8d           Difficult problem? Student’s lost heart (6)
TICKER:  This slang term for your heart is a word for a difficult problem or poser with the L removed (student’s lost).

9d           Pipe to be attached to both taps? Can’t decide (4,3,3,4)
BLOW HOT AND COLD:  A word which can mean to pipe followed by (attached to) the two taps on your kitchen sink.

15d         Reptile having a breather after climbing a rocky peak (9)
ALLIGATOR: The first A from the clue followed by a fish’s breather reversed (after climbing) then the other A from the clue and finally a rocky peak

16d         Exploit unusually large survey of voters (4,4)
EXIT POLL:  Anagram (unusually) of EXPLOIT followed by L(arge).

18d         Cato, say, first to recognise advantage being in group (7)
SERVANT:  This Cato is nothing to do with ancient Rome but is Inspector Clouseau’s valet in the film The Pink Panther.   He’s an R (first to Recognise) and the abbreviation of advantage in tennis inserted into a group.

19d         Joyful number hugging remainder heading off (7)
FESTIVE:  Take a number between one and nine and insert (hugging) a word meaning remainder but without its first letter (heading off).

20d         Roman poet‘s verse, one girl translated (6)
VIRGIL:  This Roman poet is V(erse) followed by the letter which looks like one and then an anagram (translated) of GIRL.

22d         Sketch includes river border (5)
SKIRT: Take a word for a satirical comedy sketch and insert R(iver).

Not easy to pick a favourite but I’ll go for 18d with 3d and 1a on the podium.


Quick crossword pun:     INKHORN     +     CLUE     +     SIEVE     =     INCONCLUSIVE

If there’s one on the bottom line then I can’t see it.

97 comments on “DT 29557

  1. A pleasant start to the crosswording week. Not finished at a Senf gallop but quick for me, nevertheless. I liked all the long, multiword clues and the satisfaction they gave on solving. I seem to recall seeing 2d recently although clued differently. Favourite clues were 1a, 12a and 7d with 12a being my COTD.

    Many thanks to the setter (Campbell?) and to pommers for the hints, which I will now read.

    The top pun in the Quickie was rather good, I thought.

  2. For those that don’t get the Sunday Telegraph and don’t have access to the puzzles on-line this was 13a in yesterdays ST puzzle:

    13a Sailor and apostle wearing heavy cloth (9)

    1. Yes, yesterday’s clue was fine, and today’s would have been if it had been, “Apostle following sailor …” or perhaps “Beatle …”

          1. That was in response to RD’s comment not the crossword which I really enjoyed.

            It won’t mean anything to you but it will to him.

  3. A couple of head-scratching moments but otherwise this was pleasantly straightforward for a Monday. 3d was a particular favourite, along with 12a and 20d. Light snow here in Shropshire but barely settling.

    Not sure if this was Campbell’s work although it felt like it despite the absence of a second pun, but thank you to whoever compiled this, and of course to pommers.

  4. I’m afraid I didn’t get on with this puzzle at all. I eventually got 26a but spent ages trying to puzzle out the convolutions of the clue. Similarly, I spent ages trying to fathom how an ancient Roman politician could be called a servant in 18d. It was all a bit over-complicated, as if the compiler was trying too hard (5*/1*). Thanks to Pommers for the review and to the compiler, who obviously put a lot of effort into this puzzle.

    1. Hey Chriscross – your comment on a supposed Roman politician made me laugh. It reminded me of the old saying that the definition of an intellectual is someone who listens to the William Tell Overture and doesn’t think of The Lone Ranger.

      1. When I retired from teaching geography, I decided to cross off some of the items on my bucket list, which included picking up the threads of the Latin I did at school and learning Ancient Greek. I then branched out into doing a couple of Classical History courses and, ultimately a degree in Classical Studies with the Open University. So you can imagine that my mind always runs in that direction. It doesn’t help that I wasn’t a fan of Peter Sellers films, although I enjoyed his contributions to The Goons on radio.i could have kicked myself, when I read the hints

            1. What time is it, Eccles?

              Wait a minute, I’ve got it written on a piece of paper.

              What does it say?

              Ten past four!

        1. Chriscross, you are cloaked in the classics and I applaud you! I did Latin for 3 years, but never got massively beyond guys getting across fossas and then through fenestras.
          Time to watch I Claudius again (you see how relentlessly downmarket I am).

        2. Latin O-level failed for me, but I do remember ‘All of Gaul is divided into three parts . . . ‘ – that’s it, all I’ve got.

          1. I only remember “amo, amas, amat” and dropped Latin as soon as I could. Would you believe I now regret doing so? Latin is the base for the understanding of so many languages.

            1. Neuter nouns in al,ar,a
              Behave in an adjectival way
              So in the ablative, you see
              A letter i and not an e.
              Six years of Latin boils down to this.

              1. Well, we all know this, DG.

                Latin is a language,
                Dead as Dead Can Be,
                First it Killed the Romans,
                Now It’s Killing Me.

                I think this doggerel was instrumental in turning me away from Latin.

          2. I’m with you Senf having sweated over Caesar’s Gallic Wars and Virgil’s Aeneid for GCE ‘O’ Level 😰.

        3. Chriscross, I have followed a similar path to you, sans geography teaching. I did eight years of Latin at school then pursued a degree in Finance and a career in accountancy. Then I heard that the OU were starting a Masters in Classical Studies and thoroughly enjoyed that, completing the course just before my first child was born. Two more children later, they are teenagers now and I am studying Ancient Greek with New York University. It’s a very pleasant way to spend a Thursday evening, remote on Zoom these days of course. We are looking for more students for the 2021 class.

          1. After my Open University degree, I did several years of Greek and Latin Literature classes at Oxford University Department of Continuing Eduacation (a 45 minute bus ride with my free bus pass). It’s a real pleasure to me to read things in the original language. The last few years I’ve been unable to go as my husband needs my care, due to his ailments.

            1. You’re putting an “i” in front of your email address which means your comments require moderation.

              1. Thankyou Gazza. I deleted it when I noticed that a comment had gone into moderation but it reappeared. I’ve deleted it again. Fingers crossed.

        4. Oddly enough, we had to choose between Latin and Geography … to me there was no hesitation, I loved Geography.

      2. I thought an intellectual was someone who, when left alone in a room with a teacosy, didn’t try it on.

  5. I thought this was quite tricky with some nice misdirection here and there. I struggled a little in the SWwhere 18d was a bung in from the checkers and not the best clue in my opinion. 4a appeared in last Thursday’s Ray T so remembering that helped in the NE.
    I particularly liked the DD at 10a, the clever 26a but podium places go to 5,8& 9d
    2.5/3.5*
    Many thanks to Pommers and Campbell for the entertainment.

  6. I also thought that 18d was quite oddly phrased, and only the checking letters clued me in to the recurring Pink Panther role, but still, rather poorly done, I thought. I did like the other Sellers clue, 14a, and the other long ones added a bit of pizzazz in an otherwise rather bland outing. Thanks to pommers for the review–and Happy New Year to you and pommette in Spain. Thanks also to the setter. ** / ***

    1. I also thought the wordplay in 18d strange. Clocked Burt Kwouk immediately but surely AD is the abbreviation for advantage in tennis or maybe I’m missing something. Spent ages trying to remember who directed 14a but conceded & looked it up. Loved his Whistle Down The Wind, made the previous year.

      1. If you’re playing and saying the scores to each other, ‘my van’ is fairly commonplace.

        Of course, if tennis ain’t your thang, then it’s a difficult one.

  7. I have to agree with Chriscross, this puzzle wasnt for me, All the multiword clues stumped me. Not a great fan of Peter Sellers, 17a and 18d never heard of either. But a lot of people enjoyed this puzzle, you cant please everyone. Many thanks to the compiler and especially Pommers for his hints.

  8. I didn’t find this the easiest of puzzles. I agree with Chris Cross. It seems overworked in parts. ***/** I remember the Peter Sellars film with the servant Cato. Needed the hints to understand the rest of it. I initially thought 16d was deed poll – the deed being an exploit – but all became clear with 17a entered. No particular favourite. Thanks to all.

  9. Not keen on all the wordy clues and a bit trickier than many a Monday puzzle

    Thanks to the setter and Pommers

  10. Another puzzle, another solve with a ***/*** rating from me. Liked 7d but especially 14a. Saw it in a cinema which I had entered through an exit as the first house came out and thought it terribly sexy. Oh the thrills of being 15. Saw A Bout de Souffle in the same cinema going in by the same exit.

    Thanks to Pommers and the setter who presumably gave us the superb quickie pun. What a pity that the Sellers character missed out on some quickie fun.

    1. Oh, the appeal of those naughty boys!
      Corky, your comments sent me off into a reverie which included Richard Gere in the “slightly over the top but a lot of fun” remake of Breathless and then Dennis Quaid in the The Big Easy….
      Steamy!

  11. I am in the ‘not so keen’ camp – some clever clues but others a bit convoluted…..certainly *** for difficulty for me…

  12. I had to take two bites at the apple to get this finished. Most went in quite easily, but the SW then stymied me. At the second visit, the answers came quite easily. All completed in a total of ***/**** time, with no ‘Ummms’, although I don’t know the film in 14a.

    Certainly a strange coincidence (is that tautology?) that 2d should occur again so soon.

    We awoke to a quite decent blanket of snow today, about 4″, which is very rare for my neck of the woods.

    Many thanks to the setter and Pommers.

  13. Quite enjoyed this in spite of call for so many wordy solutions. 2d certainly has become a bad penny. 18a didn’t occur to me particularly as advantage in that context nowadays, if abbreviated, is usually two alternative letters. Thank you Mysteron (Campbell?) and pommers.

  14. This didn’t seem like a Campbell production to me as it had a wee bit more bite than usual for a Monday though I’d agree with Pommers than it was reasonably straightforward on the whole. Enjoyed the Peter Sellers references & liked all 4 of the long uns at 14&17a plus 5&9d. A pleasant start to the week.
    Thanks to the setter & to Pommers.

  15. Can I be the only ‘oldster’ who, apart from the title music, knew nothing about The Pink Panther? – thus making 18d my last one in and my spending far too long in making any sense of the clue. That apart this was a very pleasant solve on a cold snowy Shropshire morning – only a couple of inches, but at least it makes all our gardens look very similar. No out and out favourites today, but I did like 5d and 17a. Funny how a word I have seldom seen in a cryptic puzzle (2d) appears two days running – have our setters been conspiring, I wonder? Thanks to today’s setter and to Pommers.

    1. Both you and Young Salopian have mentioned snow in Shropshire, Shropshirebloke. I must be in the wrong part of the county because it is just cold and raining here.

      1. I have a large walk-in cloche to keep the pigeons off my green veg in the garden and I needed to knock some of the snow off the top before the weight of it damaged the netting – so the snow has indeed been that heavy here.

  16. I enjoyed this workout for a Monday with some good clues, 18d was the COTD for me
    with 1a and 4a on the podium, very straightforward **/****.
    Thanks to Pommers and to Campbell.

  17. Enjoyable, mild start to the week. I had 20d solved before I looked at 18d. Ah-ha – a classical theme, methought! Took a while for the Pink Panther to come to the fore. I’m sure the rotter did it on purpose to confuse me. I’ll mention 12a and 9d in dispatches.

  18. I enjoy multi-word answers and, with a few anagrams, this rolled off the pen nicely.
    I actually found the quickie took me nearly as long, so a bit stodgy, although the pun was great. The bottom near-pun feels tantalisingly close, but I couldn’t think of a likely first part…..
    Thanks a lot to Pommers and the setter.

  19. For me, a not a lot of fun bit of a head scratcher for a Monday puzzle although I did not need to use any of the white space on my printed sheet, completed at a gallop – **/**.
    No standout favourites, although I did like 17a.
    Thanks to the setter and pommers.

  20. Newbie here…. Have lurked for a while as I’ve recently moved from Sudoku to the back page crossword. Missed two – I didn’t get the Pink Panther clue although something in the back of my head thought it must be another Cato – ‘senator’ didn’t fit. Not up on tennis so the answer didn’t come. Other one I could not do and still can’t see the reason for is Latitude. I don’t see how this is a synonym of ‘play’. Maybe as in ‘play fair’? But that’s two words. Nope. I agree with those who think the clues were a bit contrived at times.

    1. Welcome to the blog Calleva

      Where can I start?

      Cato Fong, superbly played by the late Bert Kwouk, is Inspector Clouseau’s Chinese manservant, trained to attack him regularly to keep him alert and skilled in martial arts!

      Play and latitude can both mean the amount of slack or give in something

      1. Ah I get the latitude solution now, thanks!

        I do know of the Pink Panther films and enjoy them immensely. Somehow the allusion just didn’t come to me. I rarely solve a puzzle completely, so was happy enough with two that got away!

        1. If we are all honest, Calleva few of us solve the puzzle completely and have to resort to Big Dave. Having said that, I never solved a puzzle before I joined BD. I have now solved quite a few unaided. 😌

          Welcome to the blog and please don’t be a stranger. Your comments are most welcome.

          PS I have never bothered with Sodoku. After all, it only requires placing numbers in correct positions. Nothing cryptic with Sudokus 😎.

  21. I too found this on the tricky side, steamed through most of it but had difficulty with 4a and 18d 😳 ***/*** my favourites were 12 & 16 across. Thanks to Pommers and to Campbell

  22. Not much fun for me either today – also found it awkward, and not very smoothly clued.
    ****/**
    Thanks to all

  23. Spent a bit of time on the last word in 5d. Not helped by writing In for the first word of 23a. Had to check my list of Idioms.
    Favourite 16d.
    Thanks to the setter and to Pommers for the review.

  24. I’m another who didn’t think this had the ‘feel’ of a Campbell puzzle, it will be interesting to see whether the setter pops in to claim ownership.
    18d threw me completely until I asked Mr Google and I needed several of the checkers before arriving at the 14a film.
    Top three here were 1a plus 3&19d.

    Thanks to our setter and to pommers for the review – hope you manage something a little more inspiring than a Skype pizza party for New Year’s Eve!

  25. Perhaps this was set as half a Backpage half a Toughie. Finished but without much fun or satisfaction as don’t like bung-ins (eg 18d), obvious as they may be.
    Nice sunny cold beach walk this morning. Passed young man on beach just in bathers who looked decidedly unwilling to take the next step to hypothermia and go in the sea. Biggles went straight in but was not followed. Even with extra social distancing we could hear his teeth chattering
    Thanks to Setter and pommers for hints, needed to parse a couple today

  26. Trickier than the usual Monday Puzzle ,some difficult Parsing eg 18d, was there a tale called the Cato street conspiracy, maybe Mr Holmes?.
    I took ages to solve 4a and last in 8d with an iffy problem-I suppose the ? helped – overall a***/***
    Favourite was 15d for its surface.
    Thanks Pommers for the 3d pic, Lisa and Blondie-my cup runneth over!

  27. Somewhat labor durus in places, and not a little peculiar. 18d in particular took quite some while to fathom out.
    However, an enjoyable time spent unravelling it all – but I do wish I had Senf’s horse to help me leap over some of the trickier fences in this puzzle.

    No snow in this part of Surrey, but jolly chilly outside. A good day to remain indoors and watch Chelsea (from behind the sofa), as they try and recover from their recent travails.

    Today’s soundtrack – The Essential Laura Nyro.

    Thanks to the setter and pommers.

  28. Struggled wIth this one, too many phrases for my liking. Nothing wrong with it but little to recommend it for me.
    ***/*
    Thx for the hints

  29. Golly, am I late today – there seem a lot of folk finished already. Crossword time is an over lunch affair here. Well I enjoyed it but maybe I am easily pleased when I have a puzzle delivered to my plate and just got stuck in. 5 down was last one in, I just couldn’t get lateral enough. And for 27 across having written the wrong pole/poll all I could see was George. And he is a dear creature but I did spot my spelling error. Thanks to Pommers and the setter – now do I get myself wrapped up and go for some exercise?
    I really should.

  30. Well it’s still quite early here in Manhattan but this puzzle put me in a good mood despite back to work blues. No Boxing Day holiday here unfortunately. Favourites are 10a, 12a, 26a and 5d. Off to feed a friend’s cat now. Thanks to setter and Pommers.

    1. I just logged in to double check and it’s working ok for me. Just the usual ridiculous “have you ever visited DT Puzzles before?” shenanigans.

    2. I have just checked and the puzzles open ok. Mind you, I am using a MacBook so I cannot comment on how iPads are faring.

  31. 1.5*/2.5*. A pleasant enough puzzle which I finished hours ago but haven’t had time since to post a comment. 27a was my last one in, held up by my own stupidity having thoughtlessly written in “pole” for the second word of 16d. :oops:

    My joint favourites were 1a & 3d.

    Many thanks to the setter and to pommers.

  32. My relief that we were finally able to open the puzzles page dissipated as I struggled my way through this one today. I am clearly miles away from the setter’s wavelength as I often filled in the phrases, but one or two words off each time. Even the hint for 18d didn’t help me. Never mind, I will have a stab at the bonus cryptic 636 later. Thanks to setter and Pommers, just not my cup of tea.

  33. ***/***. A slightly more difficult puzzle for a Monday. And as others have said a little bit contrived in parts. Thanks to our setter and Pommers.

  34. 4a and 7d did for me. Could not see 7d at all until Mr Meringue came to my assistance. Could see the answer for 4a but could not parse it at all….thanks, Pommers

    No snow here in Dundee, but it is very cold and frosty.

    Thanks to Pommers and to the setter.

  35. 18d threw me completely. Serves me right for putting in “senator” and not bothering to try to justify it. 9d was my favourite. Thanks to the setter and to Pommers. Time to marinate the last of the Turkey with curry spices.

  36. A typical Monday puzzle for me 2.5*/**** SW last area in and had to Google the Peter Sellers film.
    Clues for favourites include 17a, 27a, 5d & 16d with winner 27a

    Thanks to setter and Pommers

  37. Not bad for a Monday **/***. These wordy clues sometimes just come to me on first glance and these seemed to. Enjoyed the Peter Sellers/ Bert Kwok clues. Fav goes to 8d.
    Thx to the setter and Pommers.

  38. I thought this was more difficult than a usual Monday and only one quickie pun – maybe not Campbell?
    Everything else has already been said, I think – well, what else can I expect turning up this late in the day?
    No particular favourite so thanks to whoever did set this one and to pommers.
    Very cold in Oxford but no snow, yet!

  39. Having read the comments today, I am going to swim against the tide and say we enjoyed it and didn’t find it too difficult. Horses for courses!

    1. I have to say, I am with you, Lumen. I found it excellent and eminently solvable. It came as quite a surprise to find that the majority found it difficult. I usually find myself the other way round when most find a puzzle straightforward and I find it hard. As you say, “Horses for courses!”

  40. I’m another Campbell doubter, somehow it feels different … what do I know?
    I found it straightforward until the SW. I like multi word answers so this was enjoyable. I’m another “senator” in 18d but I did put “servant” because of the checkers, had no idea why, completely forgot the Peter Sellers movies.
    Fave was 9d, followed by 5d. There was a lot to like.
    Thanks to our setter, and to pommers for unravelling quite a few, I found some very obtuse.

  41. I can’t say I really enjoyed this one and found it quite difficult too. Not my cup of Lapsang Souchong! Thanks to Pommers and the setter.

  42. Printed this off to take to work and left it on the printer. When I got home I started on the wrong puzzle! (cryptic 636)
    so when I finally got round to this I am afraid I am in the harder than normal for a Monday camp.
    I too noticed the coincidence in 2d and 4a but never noticed the Peter Sellars connection until I came here.
    24a and 9d pleased most today. Thanks to Pommers and setter ( who doesn’t seem like Campbell – but I am a notoriously bad judge)
    A largish consignment of books arrived today and I now have 3 volumes of Stephen Fry’s re-telling of Greek Myths and legends along with Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, together with The World Atlas of Coffee. I now have a significant pile of bedside reading to take me well into the new year.
    Biggest puzzle remaining is why a resident of the Vega Baja chose a map of Hazel Grove and Marple for the illustration?

  43. A bit of a straightforward until the moment it wasn’t crossword for me but, hey ho, I got there. Never heard of the film, too young. A few contenders for favourite but I’m going with 7d. Thanks to the setter and Pommers.

    1. You’re right, Hoofs. TV is dreadful at the moment. There was a time when Mrs. C and I looked forward to good programmes at Christmas. Unfortunately, today it is nothing but repeats, cookery and idiotic quiz shows.

      It seems that the only way to get good television is to pay for such as Netflix. Even then, I see nothing that fires the imagination.

      Where has good drama and comedy gone? Strangled by the “woke generation” I suppose.

      1. Totally agree. I was watching episodes of only fools and horses earlier that had grandad in them, they must be about 30 years old.
        As you say the only decent stuff is on Netflix. The series on the Yorkshire Ripper is superb.

        1. A series on The Yorkshire Ripper is superb? Good heavens! Whatever happened to entertainment? 😏😏

          1. Probably the wrong adjective, thought provoking and a great demonstration on what good TV can teach us.

            1. True but I don’t want television to teach me. I want it to entertain me. If I want to know something, I find out for myself. I wanted to explore the disaster at Chernobyl so I am reading the account of it by Serhii Plokhy. I have no wish for a broadcaster such as the BBC, or any other media group, to tell me what I need to know.

              I’m afraid I am not married to the media-apart from this blog! 👍🤣

  44. I thought Cato in the Peter Sellers films and books was spelt ‘Kato’ and only changed when they introduced a character called K in he later sixties???. On the basis were were taken back to 1962 for 14 Across this served to make little sense of the clue and probably summed up this less than dainty offering for me. Thanks to all.

  45. Not much fun at all for me I’m afraid. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Peter Sellers film and I’m well into middle age. I ground to a halt with five to go and even the hints didn’t help much. ***/*

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