DT 29599 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 29599

by Falcon  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29599

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

Greetings from Ottawa, where the situation is beginning to look somewhat more positive. Weatherwise, we have been experiencing a run of extremely cold temperatures — but, thankfully, no where near the brutal conditions being faced by Senf further to the west. It is forecast to get a bit warmer (more like less cold) in the coming week. On the pandemic front, tomorrow the stay at home order is being lifted and shops, restaurants and other businesses will again be able to open on a limited scale. Vaccine shipments are also supposed to resume and ramp up after being severely reduced or cancelled for a couple of weeks due to production problems in Europe. There is still a long queue ahead of me and I expect it will be another two or three months before I get my jab.

I found today’s puzzle from Campbell to be a bit of a challenge. The bottom half went in readily enough but I had to work hard in the top half.

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

5a   Dealer, one in tears about publisher? (8)
CROUPIER — a person shedding tears round a famous university publisher

8a   Place containing small back room (6)
LEEWAY — a verb meaning to place or put containing the reversal (back) of a Scottish word denoting small

10a   Psychiatrist‘s contract (6)
SHRINK — double definition. the first an informal name for a head doctor and the second a verb

11a   Language used in press release ahead of summit? (8)
NEWSPEAK — the contents of a press release and a mountain summit give us an Orwellian language

12a   Very clever move made by original rower (12)
MASTERSTROKE — an original recording from which copies are produced and a key member of a rowing crew

15a   Up, mostly making wine (4)
ASTI — remove the final letter from a word meaning up or awake to get a setter’s favourite Italian wine

17a   Trimmed privet maybe after spending hour with daughter (5)
EDGED — start by removing (spending) the abbreviation for hour from what privet might be an example of; then append D(aughter) to the result

18a   Glimpse head of estate agent (4)
ESPY — the initial letter (head) of Estate and a secret agent

19a   Initial letters of Shakespeare sonnet, say, supply solution? (12)
ALLITERATION — exactly as it says on the tin; the initial letters of the last five words in the clue are an example of a literary device

22a   That glen drawn extensively (2,6)
AT LENGTH — an anagram (drawn) of the first two words in the clue

24a   Fuss about a US soldier’s slow movement (6)
ADAGIO — a fuss or bustle containing the A from the clue and the usual US soldier

25a   Painful injury resulting from run in country (6)
SPRAIN — the cricket abbreviation for run inserted into a European country

26a   Quietly contact extremely eager minister (8)
PREACHER — a charade of the musical direction for quietly, a verb meaning to establish contact with and the outer letter of EageR

Down

1d   Kind of painter, British, is in fashion (6)
CUBIST — the abbreviation for British and the IS from the clue inside a verb meaning to fashion or make (perhaps with the aid of scissors)

2d   Fairy‘s fiddle and ring (6,4)
TINKER BELL — link together verbs meaning to fiddle or meddle and call on the telephone to get a fairy created by J.M. Barrie and monetized by Walt Disney

3d   Crack in ground, reportedly (4)
FLAW — what the ground in a forest or cave sounds like (to some people)

4d   Standard manoeuvre of group with king, perhaps (3,5)
SET PIECE — a group (of dishes, perhaps) and a king (or queen, bishop, etc.) on a board

6d   Practise? Tries once more close to stage (8)
REHEARSE — brings someone before a judge again followed by the closing letter of stagE

7d   Maintain strict standards, as shown by this graph unit prepared (3,1,5,4)
RUN A TIGHT SHIP — an anagram (prepared) of THIS GRAPH UNIT

9d   Assumed name I overlooked, regrettably (4)
ALAS — an assumed name with the I from the clue removed

13d   Call for daily parliamentary list (5,5)
ORDER PAPER — to call or command and a daily such as The Telegraph

14d   Facing one’s mate on location (8)
OPPOSITE — an informal term for a mate or pal and an area set aside for a specific activity

16d   Quite possibly, papers are on express (1,4,3)
I DARE SAY — string together papers such as a passport, the ARE from the clue and a verb meaning to express or state

20d   Which church must get roofing material? (6)
THATCH — a synonym for which and an abbreviation for church

21d   Pace of favourite stewards initially raised (4)
STEP — start with a favourite and the initial letter of Stewards; then reverse (raised in a down clue) the lot

23d   Joke about northern band of delinquents (4)
GANG — a joke containing N(orthern)

I will give clue of the day honours to 8a which was my last one solved as I saw the answer only once all the checking letters were in place.

Quickie Pun (Top Row): LAUDS + SIT + OVA = LORD’S IT OVER

Quickie Pun (Middle): PURSE + WEIGH + SIEVE = PERSUASIVE

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : RUE + LET + WEALS = ROULETTE WHEELS

102 comments on “DT 29599”

  1. Really lovely Monday puzzle with nothing whatsoever to frighten the horses but plenty to stimulate them.
    I’m guessing the homophone at 3d may elicit a few grumbles but I’m all for giving the setter some artistic licence in these matters.
    In a strong field I’ve highlighted 17a plus 16&20d with top spot going to the smooth and clever 8a.
    1.5/4*
    Many thanks to Campbell and DT for the entertainment.

      1. Those for whom the 3d homophone works won’t be able to differentiate between a pawn shop and a porn shop. :D

  2. I was beginning to think I had slept for over 24 hours because this didn’t seem like a Monday to me.

    The top half proved very difficult to crack, but as I gained momentum on the bottom half, the NW fell into place, then the NE finally.

    I always thought 2d was a single word, and I can’t decide if 19a is brilliant or awful. Finally completed in *** time.

    Many thanks to the setter and Falcon.

      1. It does say initial letters, not initial sounds. No problem there for me. A couple of clues were a bit dodgy but this wasn’t one of them.

    3. Like Falcon & most of the comments so far the challenge was certainly in the north where, in my view the pick of the clues were to be found. All over in 2.5* time chiefly due to some head scratching in the NW. Like MalcolmR I thought 2d when twigged one word not two which left 1d & lastly 5a neither of which came readily. Enjoyed it & at the trickier end of this setter’s output. Much milder so at least the walk will require less layers. Today’s albums: saw them live in 2019 in small venues & both excellent – Songs From The Road (Thorbjorn Risager & Black Tornado) & Shine On Rainy Day (Brent Cobb)
      Thanks to Campbell & Falcon.

  3. I found this puzzle to be a mixture of pretty straightforward clues with a few really tricky ones. In that way it was a bit like last Thursday’s puzzle. My enjoyment was a little marred by the use of slang in the answer to 10a, the clue for 14d and in the use of a made-up word from a novel in 11a. So I’ll give ir 2* for difficulty and 2 5* for enjoyment. 2d was the best of the clues for me. Thanks to Senf for the hints and to the compiler.

    1. I’m sure Senf will be happy to take the plaudits Chris but Falcon may be a tad miffed, it must be catching!

    2. There’s a lot of 11a about these days but it’s called fake news. I think most of Orwell’s readers would not complain about it being a made up word. A lot of words are made up; hence the need for the word neologism.

  4. Very enjoyable but still Mondayish. Lots to smile at including the homophone at 3 down which has been discussed before. Like puns, the more groan worthy the better. Like Falcon 8 across was one of my last ones in. I suspect that Falcon did exactly as I did and read the clue. That rarely works and this clue is a good case in point. Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

    1. Don’t know if you look at the Graun crossword Miffs but had to laugh. Was doing their Prize Saturday evening while watching the golf at Pebble Beach with the sound muted & listening to my Dylan playlist (about as close as I get to multitasking) & was pondering –
      Like Bob Dylan in blue and brown, heartlessly plugged out (7,2)
      The penny eventually dropped 3 songs before the Blood on the Tracks selection

  5. The south was easier than the north where 8a and 11a held me up. **/** When I finally saw the answer to 8a I’d have to nominate it as my favourite today. Very clever. I’m not a fan of slang in crosswords either, it’s use does nothing to improve my vocabulary. After a week of snow it’s back to rain again today. At least it’s a lot warmer here than in Falcon territory. Thanks to all.

    1. Slang is OK by me. It’s the same as any other word; either you know it or you don’t.
      In my book, it’s a bell shaped curve (with century as the x axis). I prefer the C20, as I imagine most people in my age group do. Today’s slang words belong there. I certainly can’t keep up with C21 vocabulary……..

  6. A relatively gentle start to the week I thought at **/*** although my last ones in 3d and 8a were somewhat illusive and just pushed me into my ** time. COTD today was 19a as nicely cryptic. Thanks to Falcon and the setter for a polished affair.

  7. Monday fare with no real problems. For me Campbell is getting almost as consistent as Jay, only slightly more doable. Unlike Falcon held up by SE but finished in ** / *** time. Enjoyable but not enough head scratching to be a really satisfying workout so ***
    Northerners may not like the homophone in 3d but, as MP said, it has been used a few times now.
    8a gets my vote for COTD.
    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  8. Not Mondayish on first pass but that soon changed when I sat down and looked at it properly. Some good clues and nothing to complain about. I always like to find Orwell in crosswords and puzzles. I am just rereading the fourth of my five biographies of him and finding new angles on his life.

    Favourite clue today is 2d. Thanks to Falcon and Campbell for this morning’s enjoyment.

      1. There are some wonderful pictures of Orwell with the young Richard in the biographies and it seems he surprised everyone with his care in looking after him. Even to the extent of walking round London pushing him in a pram. Mind you, at six foot three there wasn’t likely to be any comments on the matter from others.

        2. I used to live round the corner from the Plough. My son used to play for their Sunday pub side.

  9. I thought that this one was a bit trickier than the normal Monday offering. It certainly took me outside of my solving time. The NE corner was last to fall. I put “tear” into 3d. ( tear for crack, and terre for ground, reportedly). Feasible I thought, but no doubt I was the only one who did that. 16d was my favourite clue. Thank you Campbell and Falcon.

  10. 2.5*/4*. A very nice start to the week with 8a my favourite.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon, particularly for explaining the first half of the answer to 12a.

  11. The NE corner too held me up, with the clever 8a my final entry. If ever there was an example of each word mattering in a clue this was it. I think 19a was excellent, so becomes my COTD. The grid seemed a tad harder to fill than an average Monday but was no less enjoyable.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the fun and to Falcon.

  12. Cracking puzzle but three in the NE held me up as long as all the others put together. Had to wait for the hints to see how I got 8a. Daisygirl, did you see yesterday I answered your puzzle village? I think the Cambridgeshire village is Shingay (cum Wendy). The snow has almost gone hurrah so thanks to the setter and Falcon.

    1. Manders you are a star! I didn’t get back yesterday as I had a flurry of facetime calls with my brother and grandsons and then it was time to watch the final episode of The Sepent. What a snake of a man. But that was brilliant, I was so hung up on knees (I wonder why) I didn’t think of putting the bone first. My friend Cyndy will be delighted – I shall tell her I got the answer from someone I have never met! You are right, much warmer and bright sunshine today thank goodness.

  13. Most enjoyable. 8a the last in – I got stuck on it for the same reasons outlined by others above.

    In theory, Lola’s latest results should be known today. Although she has no zest and is living entirely in a tiny world in one room, she is not distressed and is responsive, purring when stroked. An ongoing waiting game to find the ‘cure’.

    Today’s soundtrack: Handel – Complete Violin Sonatas (very uplifting!)

    Thanks to Campbell and BD, Senf, Miff Falcon

    1. I do like a bit of Handel Terence. Was playing a fair bit of Eilen Jewell yesterday (seen her live a couple of times – great old rocker of a guitarist who’s too cool for school) & reckon you’d like her stuff – give Live at the Narrows a listen. Glad Lola is happy enough.

  14. Same as most folks on here, I took a long time to get 3d and then had to look up 8a after faffing about with place +S as an anagram. Turned out to be only two words with those crossers, one of which I hadn’t heard of.
    I liked 7d.
    Thanks to Falcon and setter.
    Sorry that Canada lucked out on the vaccine supply, Falcon. Hopefully, things will move soon but easing lockdown that much sounds premature while you’re still in “indoor” winter season.

    1. Our vaccine supply could be described as a ‘mini-EU problem’. Centralised procurement by the federal government that would have trouble ordering a round of drinks exacerbated by no in-country production facilities (supposedly being fixed).

      1. 6d amused me as you mentioned practice/practise yesterday when someone queried your spelling.

  15. Definitely a game of two halves for me today. Loved the bottom half which was not difficult but the top half gave me all sorts of problems not helped by never having heard of the university publishers and the double use of the S in 16d.
    An OK puzzle but no more for me.
    Thx to all
    ***/**
    PS Sorry for not replying to all you good folks who replied to me yesterday, went to bed early with a headache probably induced by 1/2 a bottle of champagne, blame Mrs B and her Valentines supper (very good it was too, roast duck in blackcurrent sauce).

  16. The usual very enjoyably pleasant start to the (non-)work week, completed at a fast gallop, given the temperature it had to be, **/****.
    No problems with 3d for me, it is something of an oldie but goodie among the homophones.
    Candidates for favourite – 8a, 13d, and 20d – and the winner is 8a.
    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  17. Like Falcon, I found the top half took far more concentration than the lower reaches and I was also a little disconcerted by the enumeration of 2d – entirely my own fault it would seem.
    25a made me laugh and my favourite was 17a with special mention for 8a, the last to fall.

    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the review.

  18. Started at the bottom, finished at the top–with today’s honours going to 8, 5, and 11a–in another enjoyable Campbell showcase. I also liked 16d and 12a, but in my Americanspeak, 3d doesn’t ‘jibe’ with anything ending with an ‘r’, though it does up in Boston, MA, and other areas of New England. Thanks to Falcon and to Campbell. ** / ****

  19. Found this trickier than is normal for a Monday, needed help on 3,11 and 12, although the answers should have been perfectly obvious . Thanks to all and roll on end of lockdown.

    3. Had to go back to hunt out the third one – well done indeed, Campbell. I’m now waiting for the day when the whole Quickie grid will be populated by puns!

  21. Campbell,
    Missed that – will re- visit.
    Thank you for the puzzles. Monday morning wouldn’t be the same without them.

  22. Well I loved most of this. It all went in at double quick time. Seemed to write itself. But – I then came to the NE. I was left with 4d 3d and 8a. Second word of 4d was obvious so I then trawled through a list of chess terms. I used tge hint to confirm that. I don’t think I would have got 8a in a million years. I shall have to try and remember 3d. Problem was there are so many meanings of both crack and ground. Those clues seem to be out of kilter with the rest of the puzzle. Favourites 10 and 12a and 6 and 7d. Thanks Campbell and Falcon.

  23. Found this quite tricky for Monday but got there in the end with a hint from Falcon in the NE corner. Thanks to Campbell for the challenge and, of course, to Falcon for bringing me back to the path of solution! Cheers.

  24. I’m still struggling to get on Campbell’s wavelength. However, I did rather better today than I usually do, being stumped only by 3d and 8a. The homophone does not work for me, but I can see that it does for many people who say that it has come up many times before……poor memory here in too I suppose.
    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

    Rain last night has got rid of a lot of the snow. Temperature certainly much milder here now, but a grey day. Not quite as bad as dreich, but tending that way.

  25. Nice start to the week 😃 ***/*** and an overcoat warmer at last here in the East 😎 Favourites: 8 & 19a and 20d 🤗 Thanks to Falcon and to Campbell

  26. Thanks Falcon – ok crossword with 16d last in.
    Glad things are opening up in Ottawa a bit. Our Canadian son in law’s fairly recently widowed mother lives in Ottawa and tells us a vaccine jab won’t be available for her until September!
    There is a palpable change in our veterans cycling club’s WhatsApp group. Posts have returned to their normal good humour as more and more of our members have been vaccinated.

    1. The vaccine rollout is progressing according to a priority list. Those living and working in old age and long term care homes were first and are pretty well done. Next come groups such as health care workers, first responders, front line workers in essential businesses, those with vunerable medical conditions, etc. By next month, it will be the turn of the general public in five-year age bands starting with those over 80. If she is not due until September, she must be several decades below me on the age scale.

      1. This makes me realise how fortunate we are here in the East Midlands. They have got down the ranks very quickly. They started on the over 65s a week ago.They have same day and next day appointments at most of the centres. As they are now appealing for people to fill slots I expect they will start on the 60+ soon. As a result most of us who have had our jabs are feeling more confident about the future.

  27. Must agree with Falcon that this was a trickier than normal Campbell offering. Rate this ***/****. I too found the bottom went in easier than the top, but there were some very good and clever clues once they were cracked.
    Favourites for me include 5a, 8a(very clever), 10a (made me laugh), 19a, 2d & 7d with winner 10a with 8a a close second.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon for great hints

  28. Most enjoyable, many thanks Campbell – is this the first time that there has been a reversed centre pun? If so, ground breaking! I had a Zoom Reading Group at 2 o’clock so had to come back now to say thank you and also to Falcon for the hints, because I got stuck on 8a. The answer to 20a jumped out at us, as we are surrounded by thatched cottages here in our village, in fact in the 20’s there was a huge fire in the village when row of thatched cottages caught fire and the resulting conflagration was so fierce that it was actually reported in the New York papers! The weather today is balmy although there are still lumps of ice where I tipped out the water for the birds but the garden is full of snowdrops and daffodils pushing their way up – if winter comes, can spring be far behind?

    1. From The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde

      Years went over, and the Giant grew very old and feeble. He could not play about any more, so he sat in a huge armchair, and watched the children at their games, and admired his garden. ‘I have many beautiful flowers,’ he said; ‘but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.’

      One winter morning he looked out of his window as he was dressing. He did not hate the Winter now, for he knew that it was merely the Spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting.

    2. Re: the the third Quickie pun

      No, this is not the first time. As a reviewer, I was the “victim” of the first one in DT 29575 on January 18. It would appear that this is the second occurrence of a triple pun.

      The pun is not exactly reversed. It consists of the middle three across clues which happen to be positioned in the grid from northeast to southwest.

  29. I also found the top right hand side corner the hardest to solve in this enjoyable crossword.
    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  30. Either Campbell is flexing his muscles or my marble count has gone right down – I had trouble with some of this one.
    Like lots of you my last two answers were 8a and 3d – can’t remember which came first but as soon as I got that I saw the other.
    I was thinking of a key for the first bit of 12a but don’t suppose it matters much.
    Always forget the 16d ‘papers’ and I’ve never heard of 11a but it had to be what it was.
    A friend of ours was an art teacher and one of his ‘A’ level students wrote that the 1d’s used lots of ‘angels’ – he said, “You mean ‘angles’, at least I hope you do”.
    10a reminded me of my favourite ever Ray T clue when he used to wear his ‘naughty hat’,
    “Kind of shrink underwear giving a revealing glimpse” (8, 4)
    I think my favourite was 19a and I quite liked the 3d homophone too.
    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

  31. Most enjoyable but I just could not get ‘thaw’ out of my mind for 3d and that wrecked 8a. Thank you Falcon and Campbell!

  32. I really enjoyed this and completed it in my own 1* time. What a great start to the week! Thank you!

  33. I couldn’t get started so switched in the south and worked my way up. I struggled in the NW, and then cried pax and went to the hints for the NE.
    I liked 5a but didn’t know the publisher, but fave has to be 2d, don’t you just love her?
    Thank you Campbell, and much appreciation to Falcon for the final stretch. Now for the pool and my exercise.

  34. Was I the only to solver to have 3d as ‘ blow ‘? ( Below said quickly and a slang word for cocaine)

  35. Enjoyed today’s offering. I thought that my last one in was 8a but then realised I hadn’t finished completing 16d. It eluded me and I could have hit myself when I checked the hint.

    I hadn’t realised that we should have been looking for a middle pun today. Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  38. Didn’t find this at all Mondayish, and found it quite strange in places. 11a and 19a in particular. But I did finish with Falcon’s help, so not too fed up. And was so relieved to call and get a morning appointment today with our GP. Over the weekend we both developed symptoms similar to post-vaccinations effects, but we both suspected they were something more sinister. Turns out I have a bacterial infection (at the site of the injection) and Peter has shingles, for the second time. Luckily we didn’t assume they were vaccine related, and are now being appropriately medicated. Getting old is such hard work… Thanks to setter for keeping my brain busy, and to Falcon for the hints.

  39. I’m afraid I just can’t get on with Campbell puzzles. Sailed through yesterday’s Dada but throwing in the towel today. Enjoyed the quickie, so thanks for that! Thanks for the hints Falcon, I’ll look at the answers later.

  40. Monday puzzles are the trickiest of the week for me and not just because of week end over-indulgence…..but all fairly clued and a v enjoyable challenge….

  41. 3*/4*…… quickie puns made a nice change…..
    liked 19A “Initial letters of Shakespeare sonnet, say, supply solution? (12)”

  42. I’m in the “perfectly straightforward until it wasn’t” camp this evening at which point it changed from benign to fiendish. Any road up I got there. Favourite was 8a, my last in closely followed by 7d. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    1. I expected my avatar to return to normal, I suppose it’s because I didn’t do something.

  43. Excellent, much trickier Monday.
    I’m sure everything has been said.
    3d, not sure a flaw in something has to be a crack?
    Thanks both.

  44. I found this so tricky I has to resort to the excellent hints which enabled me to whizz through the remainder. I’m not entirely sure why I struggled with this as the clues were all great and obvious in retrospect. Just a wavelength thing I guess. ****/***

  45. For some reason I find the Monday crossword more of a struggle than the remaining 6 days. Definitely a puzzle of two halves. Had to resort to hint for 12a of all things – I was overthinking it – looking for a Styx or Ark oarsman – or indeed some ancient given to altercations. I rowed at number one for the college boat yet overlooked the answer right under my nose! ****/***

Comments are closed.