DT 29642 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29642

by Mr K  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29642

Hints and tips by Mr K

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BD Rating  -  Difficulty ** -  Enjoyment ***

Hello, everyone. I had my second dose of Moderna earlier today, and I was happy to get the hints done before any side-effects appeared. Given that they are proof that the vaccine is doing its thing, I'm not sure if I want them or not. Anyway, we're here to talk about the crossword, so let's move on to that. The long anagrams in today's puzzle provided an early foothold from which I was able to make steady progress. I found a few of the surface readings rather odd. I'd grade it as a solid Tuesday puzzle with nothing super taxing. 

In the hints below most indicators are italicized, and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions. Clicking on the answer buttons will reveal the answers. In some hints hyperlinks provide additional explanation or background. Clicking on a picture will enlarge it or display a bonus illustration and a hover (computer) or long press (mobile) might explain more about the picture. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

 

Across

1a    Reserve brochure editor took away (10)
SUBTRACTED:  Link together an informal name for a reserve player in a football team, a synonym of brochure or pamphlet, and the abbreviation for editor

6a    Mark spoils carpet to an extent (4)
SCAR:  The answer is hiding as part of ( … to an extent) of the remainder of the clue 

9a    What detective may find profits no criminal possessing boot, ultimately (10)
FOOTPRINTS:  An anagram (criminal) of PROFITS NO containing (possessing) the ultimate letter in BOOT 

Curiousity killed the cat(s)

10a   Cricketer does this shot backwards (4)
BATS:  The reversal (backwards) of a shot or attempt 

Dennis Lillee bowling in Australia vs New Zealand

12a   Flower bringing maiden inside wood (6)
TIMBER:  Recalling that in crosswordland a flower can be something that flows, we find the answer as the river upon which Rome stands containing (bringing … inside) the cricket scoring abbreviation for maiden

13a   Regret over work ethic initially by an Englishman? (8)
EUROPEAN:  Concatenate the reversal (over) of a synonym of regret, the usual abbreviation for a musical work, the initial letter of ETHIC, and AN from the clue. The ? indicates that the definition is by example

15a   I predict son's falsified accounts (12)
DESCRIPTIONS:  An anagram (falsified) of I PREDICT SON'S 

18a   Delight after Twitter's back -- send link (12)
RELATIONSHIP:  Serious delight comes after the last letter ( … 's back) of TWITTER, and that's all followed by send or dispatch 

21a   Spotted crossing river by Cambridgeshire city in a peaceful manner (8)
SERENELY:  Spotted or sighted containing (crossing) the map abbreviation for river is followed by a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire 

22a   Goat's  dairy product (6)
BUTTER:  A double definition. The first is a cryptic reference to an aggressive goat action (that interpretation of the answer is found in the BRB, but absent a definition by example indicator I think it has to be parsed as a cryptic definition)

24a   Short jumper? Daughter's cross (4)
ROOD:  An informal contraction (short) of an animal known for jumping and bounding is followed by the genealogical abbreviation for daughter 

25a   Vessels for instance at sea withdrawing loudly (10)
CONTAINERS:  An anagram (at sea) of FOR INSTANCE minus (withdrawing) the musical abbreviation for loudly 

26a   Let no student relax (4)
EASE:  Let or rent minus the single letter for a learner or student driver (no student) 

27a   One ogling heavenly bodies? (10)
ASTRONOMER:  A mildly cryptic definition. These bodies are heavenly because of their location 

 

Down

1d    Female and Parisian in utter security (6)
SAFETY:  The abbreviation for female and the French word for "and" are together inserted in utter or state 

2d    Opens out black weaving machines (6)
BLOOMS:  The pencil abbreviation for black is followed by some weaving machines 

3d    Standing for the Queen, rising and objecting to being under pressure (12)
REPRESENTING:  Link together the reversal (rising, in a down clue) of the Latin abbreviation for Queen Elizabeth, the physics symbol for pressure, and a verb meaning "objecting to" 

4d    Hit Charlie on cheek (4)
CLIP:  The letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by Charlie with some cheek or backchat 

Prince Charles struck with a rose on a visit to Latvia

5d    US anthem is fermenting feeling of excitement (10)
ENTHUSIASM:  An anagram (fermenting) of US ANTHEM IS 

7d    Tea with, perhaps, Eva's companion (8)
CHAPERON:  An informal word for tea with what Eva (or Evita) defines by example (perhaps) 

8d    Spots on head -- lack of care (8)
RASHNESS:  Some skin spots followed by head in the sense of a bit of land that sticks out into the sea 

11d   Out Briton in broadcast after Conservative donation (12)
CONTRIBUTION:  An anagram (broadcast) of OUT BRITON IN comes after the single letter for Conservative 

14d   Lads in top form? (10)
SCHOOLBOYS:  A cryptic definition. These lads could also be found in the bottom form

16d   Keep book under piano (8)
PRESERVE:  Book or engage follows (under, in a down clue) the single letter for piano 

17d   Noble starts to get loans organised, regretting debts (8)
GLORIOUS:  The starting letters to the next four words in the clue are followed by some debts traditionally written on a scrap of paper 

19d   Master flying jet (6)
STREAM:  An anagram (flying) of MASTER 

Jet pilot posing for photo

20d   Rubber tyres aren't partly rotating (6)
ERASER:  The answer is hidden as part of the reversal (… partly rotating) of the remainder of the clue 

23d   Move around  prison (4)
STIR:  A double definition. One of the many informal words for prison also means move around. While waking up, perhaps

 

Thanks to today’s setter. No standout favourite for me this week. Which clues did you like best?

The Quick Crossword pun:  PAR + SIN + FAZES = PASSING PHASES

91 comments on “DT 29642”

  1. I was beaten today by two four letter clues even though I had two checkers in each. These were 24a and 4d and for the life of me I could not solve them despite running through the alphabet. The rest of the puzzle was most enjoyable and I particularly like 18a and 7d. My COTD is 20d because of the great surface.

    Many thanks to the setter and Mr. K. for the hints, which I will now read and try to suss out the elusive four letter pair. (Actually, 24a has just arrived! )

    No wonder I couldn’t get 4d – I had “sobersided” for 1a.

    1. I did the savoury B and B pudding yesterday and it was delicious! Many thanks for the recipe – I did add lardons of bacon. Yum

      2. I’m pleased you liked it DG. The beauty is anything can be added. I will send the recipe to you, Manders via Big Dave.

        I’m making Bubble and Squeak tonight.

        1. Thanks so much Steve, I love new recipes – my slow cooked mutton last night was yummy

          1. Just a minute, S.C and I have a little thing going here…….
            Can’t have all you other ladies muscling in!

  2. Finished at the speed of a Monday, this was all over in */** time. My wavelength pills must have kicked in again.

    I can’t say that I fully understand 14d, but I am probably missing something. My last in was 18a; the word ‘back’ in the clue certainly threw me for a while. The Quickie pun eluded me too.

    Many thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  3. A pleasant plod at */** although I am afraid I don’t think of myself as a 13a any more although I suppose technically I am and wasn’t sure what the word “top” added to 14d. 18a was COTD for me for it’s nice construction so thanks to the setter for a good Monday start and to MrK for his hints.

        1. Sadly I think it’s a combination of lockdown, retirement and age! At least the pubs are open next week so some human contact and reality will hopefully return……

  4. 1.5*/4*. This was light and good fun. The cluing was commendably brief as evidenced by the amount of white space in the lists of clues, but even so I think “top” in 14d is surplus to requirements.

    On my podium today are 13a, 18a & 7d.

    I love the Mr K’s photo for 10a. Obviously social distancing was not required when Dennis Lillie was in his pomp.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

    1. I guess the “top” is there in an attempt to mislead you into thinking along the lines of “at the top of their game/in great shape” etc

        1. Yes it is and I did think that myself RD but I just think the addition of “top” makes the misdirection a little stronger. However, as I said in my main comment I don’t think it’s the best clue, so I’m slightly playing devil’s advocate.

  5. Enjoyable puzzle, slightly let down by the barely cryptic 27&14d. The rest I thought was fine in particular the clever 13&18a, along with 19d. I’ve awarded top spot to 10a however. Good stuff setter.
    2/3.5*
    Many thanks to whoever composed this and to Mr K.

  6. I found this quite challenging but very enjoyable, with a number of clues needing some thought.
    Lots to like with my favourites being 18a, 17d and 19d. Wasn’t sure about 14d though, seems a bit weak.
    LOI was 12a having spent some time trying to think of 6-letter rivers and flowers that begin with T (d’oh)
    Thanks to the setter and Mr K

  8. A nice light, straightforward puzzle with a quartet of head-scratchers (1*/3.5*). Like others, I didn’t find 14d particularly cryptic. Some of the short clues took me a while to fathom and 10a ended up being joint COTD with 7d. I’m late today, having had to go and tell one of my neighbours that their cat had been hit by a car, which had driven off and left it to die in the road outside our house. This is the third one they have lost to the traffic, poor souls. Thanks to Mr K and the compiler

  9. I was held up by Eva’s companion in 7d. There was more of a thud of head hitting wall rather than the clang of a penny dropping when realisation finally dawned. Needed the hint to understand the withdrawing loudly part of 25a although it’s perfectly obvious! **/***Favourite 21a. Thanks to all.

  10. Solved, along with the Toughie, in the early hours of the night since maintenance work on the nearby rail track rendered getting to sleep impossible. With the possible exception of 14d & 27a, which were barely if at all cryptic, it was nicely clued & pleasant enough but all over a bit too quickly really. 13,18&25a were the picks of the bunch for me.
    Thanks to the setter & to Mr K

    1. Do you get fore-warned of such work by Railtrack? We used to, but now they just turn up unannounced. Beggars.

      1. I think we did to be fair Malcolm but they send so many notifications & then sod all happens that it went straight into the recycling. Last night was what I imagine sleep deprivation torture to feel like….

        1. We’re in the same boat, being very close to a railway line and level crossing – some of the equipment they use makes our poor little cottage shake as if in an earthquake, but it’s the train horns that really annoy, unless of course it’s the occasional romantic whistle from a steam train!

  11. As a cricket nut I am ashamed to say that 10a was my final entry from this otherwise pretty straightforward but highly enjoyable grid. I particularly appreciated the conciseness of the clues and the overall quality of the surfaces. Great stuff.

    My thanks to both Misters involved.

  12. I wonder if I was the only person that looked up a list of flowers for 12a, and tried to see if “m” could be put in the in the middle of one. I bunged in the answer eventually, then thought “ well that’s a flower I’ve never heard of.” I am very familiar with the river, but it took ages for the penny to drop. Nice misdirection. Thank you setter and Mr Kitty. The quick pun doesn’t work for me, but I know that it will work for many others.

  13. Now that’s what I call a crossword. Cryptic and clever clues that needed thought but everything you needed was there.
    Loved the cats cartoon and the cricketing picture reminded me of Dickie Birds description of playing against Charlie’s Griffiths and Wes Hall when he said before receiving the first ball he realised every fielder was behind the wicket! Fearsome!
    And thx for the musical clip, I just love delta blues!
    Thx to all
    **/*****

      1. One of my great regrets in life concerns a show I attended in the 90s where Townes van Zandt was the opening act. Sadly, because at the time I knew nothing about him and his music, I paid scant attention to the performance (along with pretty much everyone else in the club), when I could have taken it all in standing a couple of metres from him. And not too long after that he was gone. Such a wasted opportunity.

  14. Let the bells ring out for I agree with Brian! A lovely crossword.

    We did have plans for yesterday that all involved being outside but it was so bitterly cold that we lolled on the sofa instead, and watched TV shows about people wishing to move, or buy holiday homes, overseas (I’m a sucker for Escape To the Country, A Place In The Sun, etc) before supper and the two football matches. How lucky I am that H loves football. She gave a better analysis of Jesse Lingard’s goal than the blokes on TV.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: Todd Rundgren – Faithful (Todd on Tuesday)

    Thanks to the setter and The Celebrated Mr K.

    1. I like Escape to the Chateau. Escape to the Country hasn’t made it across the pond yet, I’ll look out for it.

      1. I luuuvvv escape to the chateau!
        A friend introduced me to it a couple of months ago and it really helped to pass the dark times.

        1. My 11 year old granddaughter loves it too. She is currently making a tea tray with one of Angel’s designs papered on the bottom! It’s great isn’t it.

  15. This puzzle appears to have ‘broken’ the trend of ‘Tricky Tuesdays’ – enjoyably completed at a little over ‘Monday’ time – **/****.
    I agree with Florence on the Quickie Pun – definitely a Hmm from me.
    Candidates for favourite – 12a, 24a, and 16d – and the winner is 16d.
    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  16. No hassle today but short-lived amusement. I too had reservations about 14a – too general.. 17a clue reads well. Thank you Mysteron and MrK.

  18. Thought I was going to be in trouble today when I’d got a long way through the across clues before filling in any answers. Fortunately a couple of the ‘downs’ came to my rescue and it all flowed smoothly from there.
    No stand out favourite but a lot of appreciation for a well constructed puzzle.

    Thanks to our setter and to Mr K for his always enjoyable and well illustrated review. I particularly liked the little ‘bat cat’!

    1. Without the “E” it means a companion, with an “E” it means to supervise younger people. Or that’s what I have always been led to believe. :grin:

        1. It certainly does, Senf and I didn’t mean to imply I was correct, I was merely stating what I have always believed. Not sure where I got it from. Perhaps from the English teacher at school, who was hot on such things as the correct use of the subjunctive case.

            1. So did I. I’m not sure of the word’s origin. In French, it means a hood as I recall.

          2. Learned a new word from the “pictures of the day” in this morning’s paper – the collective noun for a group of flamingoes is a flamboyance. If ever it comes up don’t say you have never heard of it!
            (That said I will have forgotten it before Saturday)

          3. If asked to spell it, yes I know IT is spelt I T, I would always go with the -rone version.

            1. When I was a kid the trick question was: Constantinople is a very long word – how do you spell it?

              1. I used to do similar with “floccinaucinihilipilification”, the longest non technical word in the English language. Mind you, others may differ. :grin:

  20. An interesting puzzle but as others have said not always that cryptic eg 27a and 14d … the question marks at the end justify these clues but somehow they do not seem that convincing. And 13a whilst a smooth clue is now political history even though the geography holds true!? Thanks to the setter and mr k

  21. Nice crossword, very straightforward 😃 Favourites 12a, 1 & 7d Thanks to Mr K and to the Compiler 👍

  22. */****
    Again, for me, completed this back to front ie answer in first, then parsing, one hundred percent correct.
    Satisfying
    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr. K

  23. I found most of the clues read really well, though 9a was a bit convoluted and agree with others above about the use of top in 12d. Otherwise a joy, with some great ‘aha’ moments. **/****, Favourite 10a. Thanks to Mr Ron and Mr K.

  24. Straightforward Tuesday fare. Concise clues. What was there not to like? (OK 14d perhaps but if everything in life was over 95% good I’d be ecstatic).
    No real outstanding favourite for COTD.
    Had time to spare so tackled the Toughie. Well worth a visit if you have time – about Thursday back pager level I would say.
    Thanks to setter and Mr K for the entertaining review.
    Glorious sunshine with bitterly cold wind here. Every hour or so a brief snow flurry. We woke up to 2 ins of snow which the sun has melted already thank goodness.

  25. Well we have not had snow today LrOK but with nothing between us and the Urals it is bitingly cold. Definitely a light the fire day. I agree with everyone that this was a delightful solve with 7d my absolute favourite. I accepted the ‘on’ ending as I always thought that ‘on’ was masc (as was Eva’s companion).. Reading all the comments on the subject I looked it up in my Collins Robert and it is even less helpful, citing Le Petit Chaperon Rouge as Little Red Riding Hood? Are we non gender specific? Anyway, a minor point. Many thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  26. Looks like I’m alone in finding this, as well as yesterday’s, difficult. I normally manage both of these days fairly easily, so perhaps cutting down on my alcohol intake might help. Thanks to all.

    1. ‘Alcohol. The cause of and the answer to all of life’s problems’ Homer Simpson

  27. A relatively harmless puzzle today but found it did take a while to get some of the long answers initially to get going. Once on the track all went well and just needed hint for last couple in. 2.5*/**** Clues of note 1a, 19a, 22a, 4d & 14d with winner 14d and 1a runner up. Found several of the 4 letter clues were a tussle. 4d made me smile and 10a was a struggle.

    Thanks to setter and Mr K

  28. Not to bad today although a little frustrating, I am not sure which is worse really struggling or just having a couple left without looking at the hints. I was left with a couple so again thanks to Mr K.
    Thanks also to setter.

  29. A brisk jog through this one leaves me time to get more logs cut. Had enough of the cold wind now.
    Thanks all

  30. I enjoyed this but also didn’t think 14d too clever but having a couple of long anagrams helped. Have made a terrible mistake – I have had a go at cutting my hair with disastrous results – I kept thinking ‘just a bit more’! I shall have to wear a hat when eventually I am allowed out again. Thanks to the setter and Mr K

  31. Arrived home from Castle Hill in a snow squall and the printout of the almost completed puzzle blew over the fence then a hedge so I have looked at the hints and discovered for one who Eva was. I could only think of Braun which wouldn’t fit and the few remaining were doh moments. No particular favourite or honourable mentions today but thanks to the setter for helping time pass on the car and to Mr K for unravelling those clues I didn’t solve.

    Thanks for your message yesterday LROK. It was a check up for my CRT pacemaker and was passed with flying colours. Plenty of life left in the battery and I hope in me.

    1. I’m sure there is plenty of life left in you, Corky. Glad the news was good even if it was just checking the battery.

      1. Thanks for your kind message Steve.

        More than the battery. By placing a mouse like computer peripheral over the pacemaker they take sheets of information about how it has performed over the last six months and any irregularities. Very clever stuff I think and am very pleased to be looked after by Hull and East Yorkshire rather than the York Trust hospitals.

        1. It’s amazing isn’t it? I had a friend, sadly now dead, who became ill with heart trouble. He had moved to France so was taken to a hospital in Paris and fitted with a pacemaker. What he and I found amazing was that the hospital monitored the pacemaker remotely and would contact him if they thought he needed to do something. They were monitoring him when they came to visit us in Shropshire.

          1. I have a gizmo on my bedside table, about the size of a mobile phone, that plugs into the electricity. It connects to my electrician cardiologist and transmits its function overnight while I’m sleeping! Ain’t it wonderful?

        2. Pleased all OK Corky, and not just the battery obviously! Amazing what they can do with chips / miniature computers
          You must live somewhere between Hull & York, perhaps near Etton. I have a very unusual surname and one of my distant relations has traced the family back to someone baptised at Etton Church in the 15th century.

    2. I couldn’t get Eva Braun out of my head either which is why that one took me ages. Good to know you’ve got plenty of mileage left.

  32. Enjoyed this one, although I found it tougher than most of those who posted above. The south west corner held me up the longest. Thanks to setter and Mr K.

  33. I quite enjoyed this – nothing particularly stood out although while I was actually doing it I felt as if there were lots of anagrams – I was wrong.
    I thought that I was missing some subtlety in 14d but obviously not.
    Didn’t put in 27a for a while for the same reason as the one above.
    My favourite was 4d.
    Thanks to whoever set this one and to Mr K.
    Still very cold – we lit the woodburner yesterday and it looks as if we will be doing the same today.

  34. Well after last week I’m thrilled to have completed today’s puzzle. I had so many moments of despair last week sometimes I pondered over a few of the clues and other days I barely left the starting block. At least I got through Saturday’s prize crossword satisfactorily.

    Many thanks to Mr K and the setter. Though I didn’t comment last week it was so interesting to read the blog. So many different subjects up for discussion and such interesting people whom you would love to sit and have a drink with at any hour of the day or night. Please keep it up everyone.

  35. I, too, found this a bit tricky, BusyLizzie, have no idea why. I also missed 10a, but we’ve had that before … can do better!
    I took ages to get 27a, I was sure it started with “star”. I’m a little hors de combat today with my back, so I’m confined to my chair with the heating pad until the spasms decide they’ve had enough. I liked 22a, a smiler!
    Thanks to whomsoever set this, and Mr. K’s usual fun pics!

  36. I too liked 22a mainly because I remembered the past use of goat refs as a bit of misdirection. Like 12a also. Maybe I am getting somewhere. By the way once went to a Palm Sunday Service in the Cambridgeshire City in 21a, marvellous choir— started off in the Lady Chapel and processed singing into the cathedral. Wonderful.
    Thanks to setter for a fun if tricky puzzle. In awe of the 35 people finishing by 6.33.

  37. Got stuck on my fielding positions again. Had 10a as PILS and was upset that I would never regard this as a “shot” drink!

  38. I’m in the “disappointed that most found this straightforward” camp this evening as I thought I was on a roll. Held up for a while in the NW but no great problems. Best Tuesday crossword for a while. Plenty of humour and misdirection. Favourite was 22a. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K.

  39. My second jab yesterday has, unfortunately, rendered me mindless and wakeless today, and so I’ve just bestirred myself long enough to report that I’ll return once the antibodies have more fully settled in. Thanks to Mr K for his review and to the setter for the puzzle.

    1. At least that means the vaccine is working so I suppose a good thing if temporarily uncomfortable. Good luck!

    2. Hi, Robert. I can honestly say I know how you feel. I think the worst is now behind me, but I have been useless for most of the day.

  41. Thanks to the setter and Mr Kitty for the review and hints. A very nice puzzle, good fun. No major holdups. 12a was my favourite, as it gave me the most trouble to solve. Was 2* /3* for me.

  42. Having an early night. I have to take Mrs C to the hospital tomorrow for a cystoscopy and the appointment is first thing. We haven’t actually been told why she’s having it but she did have cancer of the bladder last year so I’m hoping it is just a routine check.

    Night all.

    1. Hope things go well Steve & very best wishes to Mrs C.
      Had an “…oscopy” last week so have an idea of how stressful they are., in spite of brilliant treatment by the hospital staff.

  43. Very enjoyable with nice, straightforward clues.
    Freezing cold here today, the wind seems to have been piped in especially from the Arctic Circle.
    Thanks both.

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