DT 29619 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 29619

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29619

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

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

Kia ora from Aotearoa.

We raced through the top half of this Jay puzzle and then slowed considerably in the lower parts.

Plenty of food here for those who are feeling a little peckish as well as some rather scrumptious anagrams to get one’s teeth into.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Basic study covered by group banned at first, say (5-3-6)
BREAD-AND-BUTTER : Study at university is inside a possibly musical group, then the first letter of banned and say or state.

9a     Drop answer in superfluous material for university course (7)
PUDDING : Start with a word for surplus material that might be found in a crossword clue and replace its A(nswer) with U(niversity).

10a     City that might see Iran get jumpy? (7)
TANGIER : An anagram (jumpy) of IRAN GET.

11a     Particularly sensitive due to return of hostilities (3)
RAW : The reversal of generally widespread hostilities.

12a     Picks, for example, remedies for tension (11)
ICEBREAKERS :  The answer, when split 3,8 brought the demise of Trotsky to mind for us.

14a     Dye most of the subcontinent try (6)
INDIGO : Remove the last letter from the country most prominent in the subcontinent, plus a try or attempt.

15a     Hungry new entries will accept uniform (8)
ESURIENT : An anagram (new) of ENTRIES contains U(niform). (We vaguely knew this word but did need to check it in BRB).

17a     Order that might follow main course? (5,3)
APPLE PIE : The order is the figurative use of something that is described in 9a.

19a     Course offering right of admission (6)
ENTREE : A double definition. This course comes before the other ones mentioned in this puzzle.

22a     Unexpectedly convert cheat (5-6)
SHORT-CHANGE : A word meaning unexpectedly that is often associated with caught, and then convert or alter.

23a     Instrument of torture ultimately found by kingdom (3)
UKE : The kingdom best known to all of us and then the final letter of torture.

24a     Sloth at home has it back in time (7)
INERTIA : The two letter ‘at home’, then ‘it’ from the clue is reversed inside an age.

26a     Some excused from new income taxes? That’s not all right! (7)
INEXACT : An anagram (new) of INC(om)E TAX(es) after the letters of ‘some’ have been removed.

27a     Impossible horse inside able to be covered! (14)
INSURMOUNTABLE : A word for a horse indicating that it can be ridden is inside able to be covered by the payment of a ‘premium’.

Down

1d     Aspirin habits developed, quietly supporting two parties (14)
BIPARTISANSHIP : An anagram (developed) of ASPIRIN HABITS plus the musical notation letter for quietly.

2d     Finished taking old women for granted (7)
ENDOWED : the abbreviations for old and women are inside a word meaning finished.

3d     Intending to keep home counties, getting control (7,4)
DRIVING SEAT : The two letter geographical location of the home counties is inside a 7,2 phrase meaning intending,

4d     Understand after weapon turned up — valuable little piece (6)
NUGGET : A firearm is reversed before understand or twig.

5d     Raise barrel and lock for support (8)
BUTTRESS : A barrel or vat reversed (raised) and then a lock of hair.

6d     X may be the one regularly going missing (3)
TEN : Remove alternate letters from two words in the clue.

7d     Look from European disgusting you at one time? (4,3)
EVIL EYE : E(uropean), disgusting or obnoxious and an obsolete way of writing ‘you’.

8d     Take on challenge sent Telegraph mad — about time! (5,3,6)
GRASP THE NETTLE : An anagram (mad) of SENT TELEGRAPH contains T(ime).

13d     Reach workers absorbed by craft set-up (11)
ARRANGEMENT : Reach or spectrum and male workers are inside craft or skill.

16d     Commercial breeding ground for schools? (4,4)
FISH FARM : A cryptic definition. These schools are not for students.

18d     Planned reception, missing church source of energy (7)
PROTEIN : An anagram (planned) of RE(ce)PTION without the two letters signifying the Anglican Church.

20d     Regret broadcast and gibe? Nonsense! (7)
RHUBARB : A homophone of a synonym for regret and then a gibe or pointed taunt.

21d     Correctly placed amid no-win situation (2,4)
IN SITU : A lurker, hiding in the clue.

25d     Thanks — but discovered this letter (3)
TAU : The two letter thanks and the central letter (dis-covered) of ‘but’.

26a is our favourite today.

Quickie pun    beau    +    narrow    =    bow and arrow

114 comments on “DT 29619

  1. Another miss by one, I’m afraid. In a grid that seemed to be somewhat food-orientated, I had to guess at 15a, not knowing the word, but little else could be made from the word-play.

    My downfall today was 12a, a word I could neither see nor deduce from the clue. Otherwise completed in *** time.

    9a gets my foodie COTD.

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2 Ks.

  2. This was more difficult and time-consuming than the usual Wednesday backpager (3.5* ). The clues were clever and absorbing and I got great satisfaction from actually completing it. The long anagrams were the best part of the puzzle with 2d, 8d and COTD 1a being my favourites. Thanks to the
    Kiwis for the hints and to Jay for a challenging puzzle.

  3. Funny, but like MalcolmR I couldn’t see 12a for far too long and thought the grid was tricky – relatively few 5/6/7 letter answers which somehow made it a tad more difficult
    Many thanks to Jay and 2Ks

  4. I agree with our NZ friends that the top half was easier than the lower one. As always, Jay provided us with a terrific puzzle full of humour and penny drop moments. I, too, thought 26a was the pick of a very good crop.

    My thanks to all three birds.

  5. Another splendid Wednesday crossword, with lots to make me hungry.

    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks

  6. Took a while to ‘log in’ today to this very entertaining puzzle, I had no idea who the setter was until I read the blog as the cluing was a one off for me, certainly more difficult than usual but nothing too obscure -there was a new word in 15a and an unusual synonym for short in 22a, confirmed by Chambers, going for a ***/****.
    Some difficult parsing along the way, difficult to pick a favourite but 27a worked very well and 13d was a nifty charade.

  7. Not many problems today although 15a was new to me but had to be what it was from the checkers. Miserable day here in Bray.

    Thanks to today’s setter and the 2Ks.

  8. Found this tough & needed e help for 12a. Like Malcolm & LbR I just couldn’t see it. A thoroughly enjoyable DNF though.
    Entertaining with the usual Jay clever, but fair, clues. Not heard of 15a & had to check BRB.
    8d my COTD.
    Thanks to Jay, & the 2Ks for the full-of-calories illustrations.

    1. Caught the Lola update yesterday.
      Such a difficult time for you Terence but hopefully the medication perks her up. Best wishes to her and the human “care team”.

  9. Hard enough for me to feel that I achieved something – but within reach by making me stretch. I am esurient for more. Thankfully it was not 27a or 17a.

  10. Delicious — thank you Jay and 2Kiwis. Your picture for 1a makes me want to go and make one, and with the children back at school meaning I’m now able to work again during ‘normal’ hours, I should have time to.

    Last night’s Puzzled Pint included this (non-cryptic) double-definition clue which stumped us:

    Old-school slang for drunk, new-school slang for excellent(3)

    Apparently our group of solvers in our 40s are too young to’ve encountered the first meaning, and too old for the second.

    Eventually we reverse-engineered it, having deduced it had to overlay 3 letters of SOFA/NUDE to create a word that’s relevant to how people have been feeling in lockdown this past year. I’d be interested if those here in other age groups are familiar with either meaning of the term to solve it forwards — and most impressed with anybody who knows them both.

    1. I twigged both meanings instantly, Smylers. The first one is a regular in cryptic crosswords and I was lucky enough to hear my granddaughter use the second meaning on a Skype call with her a couple of days ago and I needed to ask her what she meant!

      1. Well done, Rabbit Dave.

        I shall endeavour to remember both of them.

        How long do you reckon till the younger meaning turns up in a Telegraph crossword … and which setter will use it first?

    2. I have a single word, first letter L, that has nothing to do with sofa or nude as far as I can make out.

      1. The puzzle involved overlaying some short answers over pairs of others, to transform them into another word. SOFA/NUDE was one such original pair, and we realized it could turn into SOLITUDE to meet the theme.

        That involved covering up FA/N with LIT (physically — this is a puzzle which involves scissors and glue!). So LIT had to meet the two definitions I posted above. Presumably that was your word beginning with L, so well done for getting it just from the clue.

          1. It isn’t important: the double definition I asked about above works without needing to know anything else about the mechanics of the rest of the puzzle — those just happens to be how our team worked it out without any of us knowing either of the definitions.

            There were 3 separate clues which yielded the answers SOFA, NUDE, and LIT.

            SOFA and NUDE were next to each other, in crossword-style boxes, letters evenly spaced, just a thick line between them (not a black square), so they read SOFA|NUDE (which isn’t a phrase, just 2 answers next to each other).

            LIT had is own 3 boxes on a separate sheet. Cut that out.

            Stick LIT so it covers over the FA at the end of SOFA and the N at the start of NUDE. Now instead of SOFANUDE you have SOLITUDE, which is a word. (Then repeat for the rest of the clues…)

  11. The toughest Jay for me for sometime. Fortunately I got the long anagrams early on as otherwise I had slim pickings from the fare. 5d gave me 1a and then things started to click with favourites 15d and 20d. Just twigged the connection with 1 and 9a, very clever!! Like others, new words for me in 15a and 25d. Thanks to Jay and the 2Kiwis for filling in the gaps of my lazy parsing.

  12. Didn’t think this was a Jay puzzle as the clueing seemed novel to me but then I never guess the setter. 1a my favourite today with many more deserving of honourable mentions.

    My thanks to the 2 KS and to Jay for a fine and absorbing puzzle.

  13. Like the 2Kiwis I found this a puzzle of two halves. As is well known Jay is not my favourite setter and this puzzle reflects that.
    I find his puzzles somehow unsatisfying with leaps of faith and rather clumsy clueing. I thought 9a was a perfectly dreadful clue and although it has probably been used before I have no recollection of ever seeing the answer to 15a. Having said all that I did like 7d and 27a which made me smile so not all bad.
    Just a small point re 18d, the answer is not the source of biological energy, it is in fact sugar is its various forms.
    ***/**
    Thx for the hints

    1. I feel the same about 18d. Whilst it can be metabolised to generate energy when an animal is starving and has all but exhausted supplies of glycogen and fat, it would not normally be considered a source of energy.

    2. I am reliably informed by Mr Google that protein has 9 important functions and the 9th, and possibly least important, is the provision of energy. Protein contains 4 calories per gram, about the same as carbs and can be a valuable energy source but only in situations of fasting, exhaustive exercise or inadequate calorie intake.

  14. Entertaining puzzle today…Great anagrams….except of course for 15a. Is this word in anyone’s everyday vocabulary ?
    Ashamed to admit that I didn’t get 23a either.

    Lots of great clues.
    Thanks to the 2 Kiwis and to Jay.

    Not too bad weather wise here in Dundee. Was quite bright and sunny earlier, now a bit more overcast. Cold brisk wind so cobwebs have been blown away.

  15. I too spent a while over 12a before the right kind of pick came to mind. 15a was my last one in and I had to go through a couple of possible permutations on mr. G. before stumbling across the correct one. It’s not a word I have ever encountered. A thoughtfully clued puzzle. Favourite is 27a. ***/**** Thanks to all.

  16. Quite a bit of food for thought from Mr Wednesday and the last two to fall here were 12a & 13d, in both of which I’d mistakenly identified the definition. I did vaguely know 15a but had to check with the BRB to be certain that it was correct.
    16d made me smile so gets onto the podium along with 26a & 20d – the latter bringing Piers Morgan to mind!

    Thanks to Jay and to our 2Ks for the review.

    1. Jane: CNN just now flashed the headline “Piers Morgan quits TV show after Meghan Markle files a complaint” (7.35 am EST).

      1. I think he quit yesterday, Robert, because he refused to apologise for his views on the ill fated interview. The “wonderful actress”, to quote our Daisy seems to complain about everything so she may well have added Mr. Morgan to the list.

        1. He has announced, in a tweet, that he refused to apologise and decided it was best if he left. He quoted Winston Churchill, “Some people believe that freedom of speech means that they can say what they like but, if anyone answers back, that is an outrage”.

            1. Just imagine the furore that will erupt when Archie is not chosen to play Joseph in the school nativity play!
              😷

              1. She will sue the school on the grounds of racial prejudice!

                Actually, what I think they are trying to do is appeal to the “woke” generation.

            2. I’ve said mouthfuls over the last couple of days, she’s pretty awful. However, I feel strongest about the timing of this interview with Prince Philip so gravely ill, I can’t imagine how upset he must be, or perhaps he isn’t being informed.

              1. Knowing Prince Philip (not personally, of course) he will wish to be informed of everything, The only thing this sorry affair has done as far as I am concerned is to strengthen my admiration of The Queen.

            3. A friend put Meghan in a nutsell for me. Got to be the victim, Got to be the centre of attention, Nothing is her fault, and if you give her the moon she will still want more. If there are any psychiatrists among us they could probably give a more exact diagnosis.

      2. I’ve never been a fan of Piers Morgan but he has risen considerably in my estimation since yesterday.

        1. I’m ambivalent. I hate his hectoring of interviewees (I’d like to hear their answers, not him shouting at them) but he does say what he really thinks and cuts through all the bull and the more risible extremes of ‘wokedness’, which other broadcasters slavishly adhere to.

      3. That headline reads like it should be a cryptic crossword clue! (But I can’t parse it if it is.)

        As it happens, the setter Hudson has been posting relevant anagrams on Twitter, and others have joined in. My favourite is this one from Colin Beveridge:

        Rattled, ‘e’s in program no more (5,6)

        Given the spelling of ‘program’, that presumably works even better in America.

    2. They were my last 2 also. Until I got 13d & with the checkers I was sure 12a would end in stress.
      Think on balance I’m with Alison Pearson re the Meg & Harry debacle but if there’s one good thing to come out of it at least it’s resulted in Piers Morgan no longer presenting breakfast tv – not that I’ve ever watched it. I find him a thoroughly unappealing individual & having once had the misfortune to be within earshot of him it’s all me me me.

  17. Slightly late post today after having the jab (one has to get one’s priorities right), I thought this was a solid 3 for difficulty Jay puzzle.
    Like others 12a was my biggest problem, the enumeration throwing me as I’d always assumed it was two words. I thought 17a a tad weak but there were plenty of others to admire including 8d, such a lovely phrase, the amusing 7&20d with top spot going to Brian’s “perfectly dreadful” 9a.
    3/4*
    Many thanks to the 3 birds for the entertainment.

  18. For me the toughest Jay I can remember, but quite wonderful. Loved the ‘subtractive anagram’ (the term that Chalicea mentioned the other day) in 26a, as well as those two tricky critturs in 22a and 12a. Took a break when the bottom half became resistant, then suddenly the pennies dropped quite fast. For some reason, I knew the ‘hungry’ term, but the idiomatic image in 12d was new to me (an interesting botanical source there, I later discovered). 27a was my LOI. Finished in very sluggish time but felt a great sense of satisfaction when I did. Thanks to the Kiwis and to Jay. **** / ****

  19. For me, Jay continuing his trend of an increased level of trickiness with no ‘kick start’ from starting with the Downs in either direction – 3.5*/3.5*.
    Candidates for favourite – 17a, 27a, and 2d – and the winner is 27a.
    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  20. I found Jay a bit tough today and I did need help for 15a but pleased to see I am not alone. It is not a word I knew and will probably never say it. Much prefer to say I’m hungry!. I made a 1a/9a recently but it was a savoury one. My COTD is 20d because it made me smile. On the whole, difficult but enjoyable and that is something I rarely say.

    Many thanks to Jay and the 2 Kiwis.

    1. I too made a BnBP the other day but a standard one. I suppose a savoury one (I have never actually looked up
      a recipe) is onion and bacon, leeks perhaps? You have whetted my appetite and I shall have a
      look in one of my many cookery books! My mother during the war used to make a fabulous steamed bacon and
      onion suet roll served with an onion sauce hot and the left overs fried for breakfast. Oh yummy.

      1. I can let you have the recipe, Daisygirl. Mind you, I would omit the Marmite. I love Marmite but not in a savoury bread n butter pudding! 🤢

  21. This crossword gave food for thought. I really enjoyed it and did not have any major problems.
    I could not work out 13d although I knew the answer.
    Learnt a new word in 15a. Thank you all for a most enjoyable puzzle.
    To wet for gardening today. Vinyl of the day is Donald Fagen The Nightfly

  22. 3*/4.5*. I found this more challenging than most of Jay’s recent puzzles with 12a my last one in, but inevitably it was still very enjoyable. I also got held up slightly in parsing 1a as I couldn’t initially get round my fixation that the group was “Bread”.

    It doesn’t particularly bother me, but don’t some purists think that 26a should have a secondary anagram indicator as the letters of “some” to be removed do not appear in that order?

    On my podium today are: 9a, 12a, 7d & 20d.

    Many thanks to the three birds.

    1. The rules that Tilsit set out in last Saturday’s hints, confirmed by Chalicea, would require a secondary indicator certainly

    2. How about ‘excused’ is the secondary anagram indicator and just ‘from’ is the instruction to remove those letters?

      1. How about changing the clue to “Some letters excused…” For the surface, “Some letters” = some landlords and for the wordplay “Some letters” = the letters of the word “some”.

    3. In this case taking the letters of some away make perfect sense, adding a second anagram indicator would complicate it horribly.

  23. Weird! I was reading 20a in the Toughie and at that very moment who should come on the radio singing “Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy”?

    I am finding todays’ Toughie by Django doable. However, for me, “doable” means I will get slightly more than half. :grin:

        1. I mostly have a go at the toughie late at night in the bath, seldom finish it but it does not overly bother me.
          I know I am getting better at this lark all the time thanks to this wonderful site and I think it is good to have
          goals ! I am very content with finishing the back page 99% of the time and am really chuffed if I get more
          than half of the toughie done (it quite often falls into the bath water).

  24. Just brilliant Jay.Thanks to the 2 Kiwis their pictures did much to cheer a dreary day.

  25. A somewhat trickier puzzle than normal from Jay today I thought. 2.5*/****
    Solved this with no hints as I did this puzzle on Tuesday evening here on the west coast of BC.
    No real issues, but did find the NW the last area to succumb and a bit of a struggle.
    Some nice clues I liked included 24a, 26a, 6d, 7d & 18d. Winners was 6d for its simplicity and runner up 24a
    15a was a new word for me too.
    The solving of 1d too …I was sure it was an anagram, but took a while to twig onto what it was. The words and the extra letter I thought were involved were correct but just had trouble getting there.

    Thanks to Jay and the 2K’s

  26. A tricky Jay, and I followed the path of many in completing the top half reasonably sharply, but then slowing right down for the remainder.

    As I posted so late yesterday, I am going to repeat the Lola update:
    The report from the specialist vet runs to two full pages of A4 (and we also now have the German results) so I will condense it:
    It is mainly reporting on what has been ruled out. She does not have cat herpes, or anything viral, or anything very sinister. The belief is an echo of the local vet – a strange immune system failure that they have never seen before. So… there were more biopsies and more tests. In the meantime, Lola is to have increased strength of steroids, and they may be increased further, with a continuation of antibiotics. This is all to keep her ticking over until the latest results emerge. She continues to be cheery and stoic, but unable to lead a normal feline life, at present.

    The donut collar is a godsend as although she can reach her back paws (no problem – not infected), she cannot ‘groom’ her front paws, nose, or ears – and those are the extremely sensitive areas.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: Simone Dinnerstein – Bach: A Strange Beauty.

    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

    1. Not too bad a report for the poor wee soul.
      Nothing about allergies? Or have they already been ruled out?
      All the best to her…..and you all.

    2. I don’t know where you live Terence, but the small animal hospital outside Newmarket is fantastic. They sorted out my little cat some years ago when the vets had given up. I’m following Lola’s situation with interest and concern for you both.

      1. I think Terence is somewhere in deepest darkest Surrey (my home county) so Newmarket is a fair step – but I agree –
        we have used it and they are brilliant.

    3. Pleased the donut worked, as I said we have passed it on to a number of people who all now use them whenever they can. I was amazed when your vet said they don’t recommend them.
      We have always found them much more comfortable for the pet than the lampshade. (being cynical could it be because the vet doesn’t sell them).

    4. Thanks for the update, Terence,
      I didn’t get round to yesterday’s crossword let alone the blog so was going to go back to read it in a minute, just to check on Lola!

  27. A tough one today so much to and fro to Roget and BRB. Didn’t get 15a just coukd not solve it.
    Thanks to Jay and 2Ks

  28. I agree with the general consensus: trickier than usual but no less enjoyable.
    15a was a new word for me.
    I’m now hungry for dessert!

  29. I liked all the long anagrams and the explanations for several bung ons. I did not particularly like 12a. An ice breaker to me is a ship with a reinforced bow. Ice pick perhaps, but that is for climbing purposes. Who today would have an ice bucket or get ice from an ice house that needed breaking up. Just saying. Love to all.
    Regarding the last two days events, all I can add is “least said soonest mended”.

  30. Thanks to Jay and to the 2 Kiwis for the review and hints. A very enjoyable puzzle from Jay, which l found very tricky. Needed the hints for 3d, even though I thought the first word was “driving”, and had 2 checkers for the second word, I could only think of “test”. I have no idea why I didn’t try and incorporate “SE”! Also would never have thought of 12a. I liked 1a, great surface, but my favourite was 9a. Was 3* / 4* for me.

  31. No problem with 15 across being a Python fan. Uttered by Mr Cleese in the famous cheese shop sketch.

  32. Quite a challenge today ***/*** 😳 Learnt a new (old) word at 15a Favourites 17a & 6d Thanks to the 2xKs and to Jay 😃

  33. Very late on parade today having finally sorted the Mother’s Day gift out. Phew! This was not a puzzle for the faint hearted in my view. Perseverance eventually paid off although I had to cross check my answer to 15a in the dictionary and was surprised to find it correct. Never heard of that one before. Basic classical training assisted with 25d which I just about remembered. Thanks to Jay and the 2K’s. A ***/** pour moi.

  34. 15a a new word for me too. I found this a very mixed bag, some of the clues just flew in and others quite head scratching! Unlike Brian I thought 9a a great clue. 26a was a similar sort of clue to one the other day but I got it in half the time because of that. Had my leg re-dressed yesterday – hardly dared to peek and was absolutely horrified when I saw it, what a mess. However she was quite upbeat and now have appointments every 3 days so big relief but still desperately painful. Advised to be very very cautions for the foreseeable future!

    1. Went through similar last year Manders had to sit with leg elevated for 8 weeks & minimal exercise. Took seemingly for ever to heal but got there in the end . You just have to grimace & bear it then hopefully all will be well.
      Good luck.

      1. I had a period of 8 weeks, when I was only allowed to move between bed, bathroom and chair,after the op to put a metal plate in my leg. I did seem to need extra sleep, so that passed the time, but it was pretty trying. Fortunately, I had a couple of knitting projects, my Kindle, the GCHQ puzzle book and, of course, the crossword. I
        even had time for the Toughie. Hopefully you’ll find things to keep your mind off the discomfort. Get well soon Manders.

  35. A *** challenge from a fine set of smooth clues with 15a as my favourite; now feeling hungry after all this solving! Thank you Jay & 2Ks

  36. Late to this today after a trip back to my old stamping ground of Hampstead for an ultrasound & venesection at the Royal Free. All pretty well organised other than I reckon at a conservative estimate 30% of people I saw were not covering their ‘two tunnels under a bridge’ with their face masks thereby rendering the exercise somewhat pointless. I was surprised nobody seemed inclined to point it out to people.
    Anyway another quality Wednesday production & as the 4 long uns round the perimeter fell straight off a very quick solve was on the cards until 13d & finally 12a. Haven’t heard 15a for a long time & would never have remembered it’s use in Python’s cheese shop sketch (just listened to it). 27a was my clear favourite today following on from yesterday’s deflowering in Donnybrook’s Toughie but there were plenty of worthy podium contenders.
    Today’s albums: Texas Flood (Stevie Ray Vaughan) & Trio (Ben Poole – live)
    Thanks to Jay & to the 2Ks

  37. Not my favourite for a while I’m afraid…even found myself getting a bit grumpy trying to complete as it became increasingly a ‘letter finding/filling’ task as opposed to an enjoyable ‘cryptic clue’ solving challenge. Oh well, must have been tired (…or hungry 🤤) and was definitely not on Jay’s wavelength.
    Thanks anyway to 2Kiwis for helping me understand some of the more obscure parsing (e.g. ‘home counties’ = SE, and anagrams with various bits removed…) we live & learn!
    Cheers!

  38. Morning all.
    So it wasn’t just us having a slow day that it took us longer than usual to get this one sorted.
    We always seem to be slow recognising and working out ‘subtractive anagrams’ so this might account for the extra time. They are very satisfyingly when the penny does drop though.
    Very welcome rain falling here at present but it is forecast to clear later in the morning.
    Cheers.

  39. Like everyone north straightforward then crept up on the SW corner and beat it onto submission. For everyone puzzling over 15a can I direct you to Monty Python’s Cheese Shop sketch. Something like ” I came across all peckish.. “peckish?” “Esurient”

  40. There now, I was the other way up – finished the bottom half but I just could NOT get 1a, possibly because
    whist I went to the kitchen to get the salt George put in ‘allowed’ for 2d. He tends to be a bit headstrong. I
    remembered 15a from Monty Python – I do like words that roll around the tongue. 22a was another that taxed the
    brain cells, in fact it was a jolly good challenge today. Thanks to the two Kiwis for unmasking 1a and to Jay (I loved
    the anagrams of course) for the puzzle on a cold and wet day in Cambridge. I was so busy willing the afternoon away
    thinking of the 6 o’clock G and T that I put the chicken in the oven at 4.30, an hour early. Now I have some Minutes to
    write up and the rest of the day is mine!

    1. I thought George was only allowed use of the pen under strict supervision Daisy. You’ll need to keep a much tighter grip on things or matters could get out of hand….

    2. I, too, remembered 15a but somehow I don’t think it sounds like “hungry” – what does “hungry” sound like? I don’t know, I just don’t think it sounds like what it is.

  41. Late tackling this crossword today, I actually liked it **/**** the long clues going in first. I’m going with 15a and 20d today as joint favs.
    Thx to the setter and the 2K’s

  42. I really enjoyed this. I found it quite tricky and hard to determine who the setter is. Managed all but one answer, like many others I couldnt get 12a. Many thanks to the setter and 2kiwis

  43. Late again but I agree this was a really tricky Jay – at one stage I doubted that it was a Jay but if everyone says it was then I suppose it was – I know Jay is every Wednesday but maybe they’ll fool us all one day.
    I had trouble almost everywhere with this one so I’m glad most others thought it was difficult.
    My favourite was either 16d (for the misdirection) or 20d.
    Thanks to Jay and the 2K’s

  44. Got three answers then gave up. Still reeling from the nightmare (for me only it would seem) on Monday.

    Either I have suddenly become thick or I was on a totally different wavelength to the setter today.

  45. Was this a Jay?? I am normally on the same wavelength and fly though the high quality setting. Today seemed very different and I confess it was taking too long so ditched it to get back to work. If it was a Jay it would be the first one I have ever ditched or indeed had to question some of the cluing and definitions??? Confused and a tad disappointed.

  46. Yes, definitely a trickier Jay Day but great fun. I thought I’d have to give up on 1d, even used a word search with no success. In the end I wrote it out horizontally and, eureka, finally solved it, my last one.
    I never noticed that 1a and 9a went together like batty and bench! Fave was 20d, just because …
    Thank you Jay for the fun, and 2Kiwis for the hints and pics.

  47. So relieved that I was not alone in finding this trickier than usual for a Jay puzzle. Not helped by penning in 1d in 1a. Realized my problem when nothing would feed off it. Never seen 15a before. I hate it when I need a hint to solve an anagram such as 8d. But all done now over breakfast and lunch. Thanks to Jay and 2Kiwis.
    I was up too late reading on line DT at 11:00pm last night (4:00am UK time). I usually have a quick look before going to sleep to check for any world shattering news. But last night, and the night before, I discovered that one could read all the comments on the Letters page. By morning the DT has removed them, as if they never existed.

  48. A bit of a relief to see a lot of folks saying this was a tricky Jay…..it’s always disheartening to struggle with a crossword (often Campbell for me) and read the comments saying “a pleasant gentle solve” or similar! Anyway,I found it quite a tussle but an enjoyable and satisfying one, so thanks to Jay. And the two Kiwis for the hints.

  49. I also found this a bit trickier than usual. I’m not a fan of words I’ve never heard of so 15a gets a black mark. I needed electrons for 12a. I don’t think it’s a great clue. An icebreaker is a type of ship. The thing that killed Stalin was an ice axe. I usually love Jay puzzles but I don’t think this was his best. ***/***

  50. I confess to a silly mistake at 9a. I got the stuffing but not the dessert. Spent ages on 15a even with the checkers and the remaining letters. 16d 23and 19a came last. Favourites 1 12 17 and 27a and 3 7 and 16d. Thanks Jay and 2Ks.

  51. I’m in the “tougher than necessary in places so not as enjoyable as it might have been” camp this evening, but ho! I did get there. I thought 17a was almost non-cryptic so didn’t put it in until I had all the checkers. Having said all that 1a, 1d and 8d all vying for cotd and it goes to 1a. Thanks to Jay and 2K’s.

  52. Got 10a first – City which is anagram of Iran get. Obvious – Aberdeen, the GRANITE city. Took a long time to realise it should be TANGIER !

  53. 2*/3* …..
    liked the topical 20D “Regret broadcast and gibe? Nonsense! (7)”

Comments are closed.