DT 29677 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29677

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29677

Hints and tips by pommers

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty *Enjoyment ***

Hola from the Vega Baja where the weather has been a bit crazy.  Unseasonably hot and yesterday the temperature rose to 36°C.  Ridiculous for mid-May.  Fortunately today’s forecast is for a more usual 24°C.  On the Covid front both pommette and I have had our first jabs of the Pfizer stuff and are due our second dose soon, me next week and pommette the week after.   The state of alarm in Spain ended last weekend so a lot of the restrictions have been lifted and we’ve been able to visit our apartment in Murcia. I just hope it isn’t too much too soon.  The week before last there were zero Covid related admissions to the Vega Baja hospital and Communitat Valenciana has the lowest infection rate is Spain. It would be a shame to ruin all that progress by being too precipitate. 

As to the crossword, well what can I say.  It was the usual Monday elegance but I did something I’ve not managed to do for quite some time – I simply solved every clue in order, starting at 1a and ending at 22d.  Having done that how can I give more than one star for difficulty?

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           Mutual respect shown in big town keeping order (6)
COMITY:  Two letters for the Order of Merit inserted into (in) another word for a big town such as London or Manchester.

4a           A bodybuilder’s heavenly body? (8)
ASTEROID:  A from the clue followed by a type of drug used to build muscle.  A bit of a chestnut but I like it!

10a         Auction last of them in state capital (5)
SALEM:  An auction followed by M (last of theM) will give you the state capital of Oregon-

11a         Leader of team assigned to study factory’s monotonous routine (9)
TREADMILL:  T (leader of Team) followed by (assigned to) a word meaning to study, at university perhaps, and then a dark, satanic factory.

12a         Manure one spread in pen? (7)
DUNGEON:  This pen is a penitentiary and it’s some manure or droppings followed by an anagram (spread) of ONE.

13a         Most magnanimous popular gestures at heart (7)
LARGEST: A lurker hiding in (at heart) the third and fourth words of the clue.  This clue is squeaky clean as the answer is the central seven letters of the two words.

14a         Cartoon crew was playing a piece for piano and orchestra (6,8)
WARSAW CONCERTO:  Anagram (playing) of CARTOON CREW WAS.

17a         Cocktail: liqueur in, as set out (7,7)
TEQUILA SUNRISE:  Anagram (out) of LIQUEUR IN AS SET.

21a         Indicate  fast train (7)
EXPRESS:  Double definition.

23a         Record losses exceeded that in this big enterprise, initially (3,2,2)
LET IT BE:  This record is by The Beatles and it’s the first letters (initially) of the other words of the clue.

24a         Quiet by area, so the Spanish bloke returned for a dance (4,5)
PASO DOBLE:  The first word is the letter meaning quiet in musical notation followed by A(rea) and the SO from the clue.  The second word is a reversal (returned) of the Spanish definite article and another word for a bloke.

25a         Beautiful girl in British lifestyle magazine (5)
BELLE:  B(ritish) followed by a lifestyle or fashion magazine.

26a         Model, celebrity, going around with daughter (8)
STANDARD:  Start with another word for with and going around it put a celebrity or lead player in a film and then put a D(aughter) on the end.

27a         Young swan and small seal heard (6)
CYGNET:  This young swan sounds like (heard) a type of ring you might use with some sealing wax.

Down

1d           All the players losing could get one depressed (4,4)
CAST DOWN:  All the actors in a play followed by a word meaning losing, in a football match perhaps.

2d           Hospital employee‘s unusual surname the Parisian adopted (4,5)
MALE NURSE:  Anagram (unusual) of SURNAME with the definite article used in Paris inserted (adopted).

3d           Humour shown over Arp’s first method of painting (7)
TEMPERA: Another word for humour or mood followed by (shown over in a down clue) an A (Arp’s first).

5d           This may tarnish top-notch household cutlery (8,6)
STERLING SILVER: Another word for top-notch or reliable and a term for cutlery.

6d           Advocate has foremost of degrees in English Language? (7)
ENDORSE:  Take a D (foremost of Degrees) and insert it into (in) an E(nglish) followed by an old Scandinavian language.

7d           Kept in readiness in old Mediterranean resort (2,3)
ON ICE:  O(ld) followed by a resort city on the south coast of France.

8d           The Italian employed in time to prepare pupils for examination? (6)
DILATE:  These pupils are the ones in you eyes.  Insert to Italian definite article into a word for time.

9d           Pip, unfriendly and staid, fully alert? (5-4,5)
STONE COLD SOBER:  A pip out of a piece of fruit, a word meaning unfriendly and finally a word meaning staid or not drunk.

15d         Worry about half of them covering athletics event (9)
TRIATHLON:  A worry or ordeal around (about) TH (half of THem) and finally a word which could mean covering or over.  I don’t think I’d have spotted this one without all the checkers in place but with them it was fairly obvious.

16d         Strong former US soldier taking on tough guys (8)
VEHEMENT:  An American term for an ex-soldier is placed around (takin on) some tough guys or macho types.  I nearly gave up on this one but having got this far I was determined to get the clean sweep!

18d         Young dog with no lead, stopped, then flipped over (7)
UPENDED:  A word for a young dog without its first letter (with no lead) followed by a word meaning stopped or finished.

19d         Without competence, in particular (7)
NOTABLY:  If you split the answer (3,4) you have a phrase meaning without competence.

20d         Attracts short-term office workers? About time! (6)
TEMPTS:  Some short term office staff placed around (about) a T(ime).

22d         Italian dish in Dad’s Army? (5)
PASTA:  A short word for your dad, the S from the clue and the volunteer reserve army.

I think 16d rates as favourite today with 4a and 12a on the podium.


Quick crossword puns:

Top line:     DELI     +     GAY     +     SHUN     =     DELEGATION

Bottom line:     CREW     +     SIR     +     WAIT     =     CRUISERWEIGHT

115 comments on “DT 29677

  1. It’s an unsettling start to the week when the answer to 1a is a word that you don’t really know the meaning of. The rest fell slowly into place, despite not having heard of 14a either.

    My real stumbling block was 16d, not thinking of that particular former US soldier. Overall, I’ll rate it at ***.

    Thanks to the compiler and Pommers, who seems to be enjoying far better weather than us here in the UK.

    1. 1a is something that is stuck in my mind from my schooldays (a long, long time ago!) when I spelt committee “comity” in a second form essay. My English teacher scrawled by it in red, “Oh, dear! There is such a word but it’s not what you are trying to spell and you won’t know what it means.” I looked it up and have never forgotten it since. Little did I know that knowledge would come in useful more than 60 years later.

      1. I had heard of the word, albeit very vaguely, but had no idea what it meant.

      2. Ha — well done for remembering it all that time!

        Have you ever used it yourself?

  2. An enjoyable Monday puzzle, with somewell constructed clues (2*/4*) and alot of straightforward ones. 9d was quite amusing and 1a a new word forme but gettable from the wordplay. Clue of the day were the well misdirected 8d and 16d, which baffled me for a while until the penny dropped. Many thanks to Pommers for the hints and to Campbell for an entertaining puzzle.

  3. 2.5*/4*. This made a very enjoyable start to the week. Although it was a fairly straightforward puzzle on the whole, my last few answers took me over my 2* time, especially 16d which was my last one in.

    Podium places today go to 12a, 23a, 8d & 16d.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to pommers.

  4. Though it had a slightly dated feel about it, I thought this was much better than last Monday and very enjoyable, giving a smooth rather than “Pommers style” solve.
    I really liked 8&16d but top spot goes to 15d.
    2/3.5*
    Many thanks to Campbell and to Pommers for the fun.

  5. I enjoyed this. Not quite the read and write of our blogger but no real delays. Thanks to today’s setter and Pommers.

  6. Sorry, pommers: the state capital of Massachusetts is Boston, not 10a. You need to travel about 3,000 miles to find 10a.

    1. You can get quite tied up in both the literary and geographical duplications. E,g, Portland Maine and Portland Oregon also being about as far away from each as they can get in the US. Then there’s Salem’s Lot, which is set in Maine, not Mass and not Oregon and hasn’t got a lot to do with witches, as such, although it does involve vampires …
      I think under 50k population is a bit small for a State capital anyway, although who knows? Robert will presumably know which “City” or State Capital has the smallest population.

      1. This came up a few weeks ago about another State capital as I recall – I had to look it up again & it is Montpellier Vermont, population under 7.5K. In fact Salem isn’t even in the ten least populous capitals!

      2. LROK beat me to Montpelier, which may be the most charming of the small capital cities, though Pierre, on the Missouri River, does have its allure. The next two smallest ones, Helena and Juneau, are the two (of the 50) I have missed, when my scheduled trip to see both on the same journey (many flights but one trip) had to be aborted because of my illness. Deep regret still.

        1. At least you made it to Montpelier, Robert. Such a beautiful little ‘city’ – I remember it so well.

  7. Just to point out that 10ac is the capital of Oregon – not that of Massachusetts which is Boston.
    Nice warm-up crossword for the week.

  8. I managed this one, which is unusual for me on a Monday puzzle, Thank you Campbell and Pommers. Like Malcolm, I didn’t know the 1a word or the 14a piece of music (on first reading the clue I was hoping it would turn out to be a cartoon, which I probably would’ve known). I slowed myself down by seeing “top-notch household cutlery (8,6)” beginning with S and bunging in ‘Sheffield steel’.

    And I had E as the final letter of 19d, which seems to work just as well for both the “without competence and “particular” meanings.

    I’m going to claim my favourite is 8d’s pupils, just to avoid picking a food clue (22d) yet again.

    1. The definition for 19d is IN particular Smylers so your solution doesn’t work in afraid.

      1. Well, yes, if you do that. But if you just take the final word as the definition and ignore the 2-letter preposition as one of those pesky linking words …

        I said that’s what I did by way of slowing myself down — I didn’t claim to be right!

      2. This is a good example for any punctuation deniers out there. Without the comma, “in” could be either a link word (leading to the E ending) or part of the definition leading (to the Y ending). With the comma, the ambiguity is removed and only the latter applies.

        1. Interesting. But don’t other cryptic crossword clues require punctuation to be ignored? How is the solver to realize this is actually a load-bearing comma?

          1. Denier is the amount of transparency a certain pair of tights will have, which is directly related to its thickness. Denier ranges from 5 to 100. Transparent sheer tights can be found at the lower end of the spectrum, 5 – 50, while anything over 50 are considered opaque tights.

            1. In that case, isn’t denier the amount of transparency a pair of tights doesn’t have?

              1. Far be it from me to correct a couple of blokes discussing tights, but in my view, nothing over 30denier could really be regarded as transparent, unless you have very wide legs and have stretched them beyond acceptability.

                1. I’ve been asked to buy tights twice in my married life, while doing the food shop in one of those large Sainsbury’ses* with extensive non-grocery sections. I spent ages looking all around the clothes aisles unable to find them. Eventually I had to ask; despite clearly being clothes, tights are not in the clothes section, but instead in with groceries, in the aisle that has things like hair dye and razors.

                  A few years later, more tights were required. But I remembered, and headed straight for the toiletries aisle. Couldn’t find tights anywhere. Had to ask again. The assistant looked at me as though I were stupid‡ and very slowly explained that they would be in the clothes section — giving the impression that it was madness to be hunting for them among the mascara.

                  I have no idea how on earth Spouse managed to engineer this, but am impressed at her powers.

                  * Is that the correct plural of “Sainsbury’s”?

                  ‡ Maybe I am, but she should still be polite enough not to show it.

                  1. S. The company is called J. Sainsbury (the singular surname of the founder). They trade as Sainsbury’s, which is a (implicit) possessive form = Sainsbury’s stores/supermarkets. I would suggest the plural is simply Sainsburys.

                    * But I have been wrong before – there was an occasion In 1978 when I was certainly wrong… :-)

                    1. I was wrong once. I thought I had made a mistake but when I checked everything was perfectly in order. Way back in the past those who worked for The Rootes Group in Coventry said they worked at Rooteses. Who knows where the apostrophes go in that one

    2. SHEFFIELD is 9 letters and STEEL is only 5 letters, so how dis you make that fit an 8,6 clue??

      1. Cos 9+5 = 8+6, obviously.

        Wouldn’t’ve worked if it’d been one of those clues with the words in two different slots, but in one long slot it fits perfectly!

        1. I’ve a vague recollection of a scene in a comedy (maybe Fletch in Porridge) completing a jigsaw puzzle with the aid of a pair of scissors….

          1. And also Julie Walters removing high heels from a pair of shoes as a way of meeting customer and writer’s (V Wood) desire for flat shoes ……..”Flatter now………”

            This is what happens when you have hens in the skirting board.

      2. If you don’t put the line in at the end of the first word, Sheffield Steel does fit.

    3. At one time simply everyone knew the piece of music by Richard Addinsell composed for
      the 1941 film Dangerous Moonlight, about the Polish resistance. It was hugely popular for
      many years – and I seem to think there was a lot of talk of it being a pastiche of Rachmaninov.

      1. Yes. The Warsaw Concerto. I used to think it was a lift from Rachmaninoff but I understand that it was intended to be an homage.

  9. Nothing too tricky, I thought 14a was a very clever anagram.
    I stupidly bunged the athletic event with 10 disciplines in 15d, before I realised what the cocktail had to be and reread the wordplay.
    Good fun though.
    Thanks both.

  10. A return to Monday simplicity though like Malcolm I can’t say I was familiar with 1a & checked the meaning out. No real problems other than carelessly bunging in an E rather than a Y at the foot of 19d which took an embarrassingly long time to twig despite the answer to 27a being blindingly obvious. 16d my pick of the clues in a pleasant enough, albeit a bit so so, crossword.
    Thanks to Campbell & Pommers

    1. Hi, Huntsman: we have the big PGA Champiionship this week at the Ocean Course, which I seem to remember you have played. Am I right?

      1. You are Robert. It was the highlight of an otherwise disappointingly inclement 8 days of weather in Charleston. We played it off sensible tees in perfect conditions (little wind) & had a great time. My abiding memory was hitting a decent tee shot on a par 5 on the back 9 then nailing the next up & over a rise but pushing it right. Arriving at the ball it was about 30 yds clear of the penalty area where an enormous alligator was laying on the bank enjoying the rare bit of sunshine that had appeared. The caddies assured me it was safe to play it as it lay but I can’t say my 3rd shot had my undivided attention. The only disappointment for me was not being able to recreate the famous missed Bernhard Langer putt on the 18th green that settled the infamous War on the Shore Ryder Cup because that green is relocated.
        Hope to get back there some day.

  11. Gently enjoyable way to kick off week. As is often case for me NW came on board last mainly due to 1a not coming to mind. Don’t think I have previously come across 17a or 3d. Couple of Favs 1d and 8d. Thank you to Mysteron for the fun and pommers for the hints (envy you the warmth – we’re still shivering!).

    1. Failed to read the Quickie pun as I had used snub for 6a (perfectly feasible!).

  12. Bottom half went in very quickly and I was thinking that it was the easiest Telegraph crossword that I have done.
    But then the top half slowed me right down.
    1a & 14a were new to me but well clued

  13. What a cracking puzzle, a really enjoyable start to the week. So well crafted, so many smiles and groans as the answers fell into place. Delayed by the NW, eventually dragging 1a from the long-forgotten depths and remembering 10a as being a capital as well as not being a capital, but not a single below-par clue, and almost half of them ended with ticks and exclamation marks. Among them I loved the humour of 4a and 24a, and the structure and surfaces of 1d, 6d and 9d, but my COTD is 16d.

    2*/4*

    Many thanks indeed to Campbell for this delight, and to Pommers for the review.

    MG

  14. Most enjoyable, among the best Campbells for me in some time. I can remember, as a child, hearing the 14a played on commercial radio (probably by the NBC Symphony Orchestra, probably 1946 or so)–hard to believe it these days, when commercial radio has become a vast wasteland over here. I was just beginning, in those days, my quasi-career as a pianist / organist, and 14a was a Big Deal to me. Re the capital of Oregon, 10a: it has one of the loveliest Art Deco capitol buildings, one of my favourites (I’ve seen 48 of them). Of the clues, my LOI was my big winner today, 16d. Thanks to Campbell for the entertainment, and to pommers, who needs to refresh his American geography. ** / ****

    1. I would imagine that 14a demands a great deal of dexterity on the part of the pianist?

      1. Well, yes indeed. But, alas, I never played with an orchestra backing me, never even attempted the Warsaw, never made the Big Stage, though I ‘coulda been a contenduh’ (as Brando laments to Steiger) if I had been more talented. I did, however, enjoy my limelight days playing for churches, weddings, the occasional nightclub, festive singalongs, and (briefly) with a little jazz combo. ‘Quasi’ is the operative word here. I am very proud of my ‘Fur Elise’ still; I bet I could do those runs by memory if my fingers were still working.

  15. Definitely more straightforward than last week.
    Didn’t know the musical piece in 14a but guess it is from Chopin as he is the only Polish pianist I know.
    Haven’t seen 22d for a long time. Always as nice.
    Miss 24a. For those who remember them. Such a lovely couple.
    Spat out my first cherry pips this weekend. Local ones of course. Delicious.
    Favourite 12a.
    Thanks to Campbell and to Pommers.

      1. He wrote it for the film “Dangerous Moonlight” I believe. A marvellous piece of music.

      2. It was the theme music for the wartime film Dangerous Moonlight…..about Polish resistance to the Nazis.

        1. I remember listening too it on the ‘wireless’ with my mum, who was a classical music fan. My first introduction to many pieces of music was made listening to the BBC with her.

          1. Same here, Chriscross. Stuck with me since childhood. That and the Dream of Olwen.

    1. Thanks for the enlightenment everybody. Never heard of this composer and didn’t know the movie either.

      1. Yes, I remember this piece from the radio. In its day, it had equivalent popularity to The Lark Ascending on Classic FM now.

      2. This piece of music has sharply divided our ages here on the blog. Those of us in our 80s and above remember it so well, and the movie, it’s an old friend. The youngsters have never heard of it!

        1. I am still in my 70s and I remember it. I have never come across the word comity though. Enjoyed the crossword. Thanks to all involved.

    2. Fantastic, and very moving piece of music. Probably my first introduction to something other than rock and roll.

    3. I remember 24a too from one of Big D’s birthday bashes. In fact I think they are on one of the photos of past events. Roll on the day when we can enjoy another birthday bash and macarons, although John Bee who followed your example by providing them seems to have disappeared too.

  16. Nice easy start to the week 😃 **/*** Did not know 1a but a straightforward workout 🤔 Favourites 4a, 12a & 7d 👍 Thanks to Pommers and to Campbell

  17. Like others 1a was new to me but well clued so the usual NW segment start and a steady enjoyable solve, a **/**** for me.
    Favourite has to be 14a for the surface followed by 15d which, as Pommers says, the checking letters gave it away.
    8a was nicely misleading too, excellent cluing throughout- thanks to setter and Pommers for the pics,

  18. I must thank Pommers for the Strictly clip. I reminded me why, every year, against my better judgement, I get hooked!
    I really didn’t like 27a. Until one got 19d it was a toss up between cygnet and signet. This sort of clue goes in with my hatred of Dr. Spooner.
    I really liked 4a and that’s my COTD

    1. Please don’t hate Doctor William Archibald Spooner. By all accounts he was a kindly gentleman devoted to his college and his students.

    2. I don’t think there was any ambiguity, it was the “small seal” that was heard.

  19. Great puzzle to start the week. I always forget the word for 3d no matter how many times it appears, and then it came back to me with the checking letters. Equally troublesome (as others have noted) was 16d which was driving me loopy until I went through the alphabet and hit upon the first letter, then the answer whispered into my ear.

    Yesterday, in driving rain but wearing waterproof clothing (which turned out to be not entirely waterproof) we went for a wonderful walk through another part of Abinger Roughs. We more or less had the area to ourselves and we both declared how lucky we are to be alive and to be able-bodied enough to undertake such adventures. Rather gloomily, I said, “We must savour every day like this as one day it will be beyond us.” Yet I meant it with a sense of joy in the moment.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: John Tavener – Choral Ikons

    Thanks to Campbell and pommers

    https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/abinger-roughs-and-netley-park/trails/abinger-roughs-rhododendron-and-bluebell-walk-#How%20to%20get%20here

  20. Our setter definitely giving us a gentle route into the crosswording week although goodness knows where I managed to drag 1a up from – murky depths no doubt!
    24a put me in mind of our erstwhile contributors, such a shame that we don’t hear from them these days.
    From a considerable choice I picked out 8,16&22d for the podium.

    Thanks to Campbell and to pommers for the review – we’re also keeping our fingers firmly crossed as restrictions ease, worrying times yet again.

  21. A very comfortable and reasonably straightforward solve this morning, with only a couple of hold-ups to slow me down. Like others, 16d was my last to fall and 14a was my favourite. Anxiously scanning as many forecasts as I can find online to obtain some favourable weather for Yorkshire over the next week as we emerge for a post-lockdown trip away, but to no avail.

    Many thanks to Campbell and pommers.

  22. Not as difficult as last week but I didn’t find it as straightforward as Pommers.
    Very enjoyable with a few headscratchers taking me just short of *** time.
    16d my last one in – tried to get word with “GI” in it – just as Campbell wanted me to no doubt.
    8d gets my COTD, just, from 16d.
    Thanks to Campbell and Pommers for the review.

  23. A great start to the week boosted by the fact I finished unaided. 16d held me up the longest because I was trying to use “GI” somehow. Also I did not know 1a but it could be nothing else given the great clue. Favourites are 11a 12a, 23a 9d but my COTD is the aforementioned 16d.

    Grateful thanks to Campbell for a most enjoyable solve. Thanks also to pommers for the hints.

    So, everywhere is open and we can all hug each other and go out to cafes and pubs. I think I will wait to see what happens in a couple of week’s time.

  24. Well, I did know 1a!

    After the last couple of Mondays, this was a very enjoyable experience of Campbell being Campbell – 1.5*/4.5*.

    Candidates for favourite – 12a, 8d, and 22d – and the winner is 8d.

    Thanks to Campbell and pommers.

  25. Another Monday, another Campbell. I’m afraid I still don’t not find them as enjoyable or straightforward as most folks. But I got through it today except for 1a which I had to look up….never a good start to a crossword.
    Needed help with parsing one or two.

    Thanks to Campbell and to Pommers.

    The Warsaw Concerto was the theme music to the wartime film Dangerous Moonlight about the Polish resistance to the Nazis.

  26. A fine Monday Mondayish puzzle with music drinks and dancing. Food provided by 1 across in The Quickie. Lots to like here as usual for a Monday. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers. Now about 15 down

  27. A fine Monday Mondayish puzzle with music drinks and dancing. Food provided by 1 across in The Quickie. Lots to like here as usual for a Monday. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers. Now about 15 down

    1. I like this. My (adult) son has a phobia of fish, but claims he is not scared of sharks as apparently a quick punch on the nose will see them off….

  28. Found most of bottom half fairly easy. Really struggled in the NW corner . Who or what is an Arp? -that was my least favourite clue. 3d and 1a new words for me, which didnt help. Looks like the former comes up a lot so will have to remember that. Couldn’t get 16d, despite working out two of the main components I didn’t get one of them in the right place- but very clever and my CoTD. Rookie mistakes and hopefully I will get better! **/****

    1. No idea but Arp’s first is A, so Arp’s meaning if it has one is irrelevant.

  29. A delightful start to the week, better than the weather which is grey and overcast here. I too liked 16d
    and knew that whilst GI’s are soldiers, Vets are ex-soldiers – nice clue. Do you know, I cannot remember ever having had a 17a – being somewhat conservative in my drinking habits. I must rectify that a.s.a.p now that the bars are open again. My outside tomatoes are now planted up and the greenhouse ones have had their first dose of Tomarite, as they now have flowers. I am worried still about my runner beans and the camomile seedlings I think I am going to have to give up on. But we had a lovely serving of Swiss Chard last night. I am sure you are all elated to hear my gardening news, I shall just say many thanks to the setter and to Pommers basking in the heat and wish you all good day.

    1. Careful with the drink Daisygirl. Be careful not to mix your sunrise with a slammer

      1. 😂 This from a man who lives in a barrel!

        I’ve never had a Tequila Slammer either, that’s two drinks I have to try.
        Champagne cocktails – oh, yes.

        1. I’m not a mixed drink fan, they’re the shortest distance to me. I make an exception for mimosas!

      2. I’m not a tequila fan. No wonder you have to slaughter your tastebuds with salt, citrus wedges and extra hot chillies.
        What’s the deal?

  30. Will go with the flow for 16d, very clever, but 24a made me lol so I’ll pick that one. Definitely didn’t r&w this but enjoyed puzzling it very much. Thankyou, Messrs Pommers and Scott.

  31. I found this increasingly difficult. This may have something to do with the fact that we are holidaying in the Peak District this week and having climbed first thing are now experiencing bad weather and so retired to the pub! Indoors👍👍. Lovely. Extremely enjoyable at **/**** with last one in 27a proving rather obstinate. Thanks to Pommers and the setter.

  32. Good, after last Monday’s horror, I can start the week with a mondayish crossword again! Only slowed down by 19a where I tried to make (Paul) Revere work. Enjoyed 4a. 1.5* /****

  33. A very gentle Monday puzzle. */**** A couple of tricky ones but with surrounding letters, came clear easily.
    Favourites today include 14a, 27a, 2d, 9d & 22d with winner 9d and runner up 22d

    Thanks to Campbell and Pommers

  34. Campbell always makes me work hard, and this was definitely not a * for me. The bottom half went in first, and then it was a struggle for the top half, not helped by 1a, which I have never come across. And yes, 10a is the capital of Oregon not Massachusetts. Loved the 14a anagram, with COTD going to 8d. Thanks Tilsit and Campbell.

  35. I definitely didn’t complete this in order. Those long ones in the middle were the first to go down. Very cheery.
    Got 1a but never come across it and had to wait for Pommers to tell about 18d, which proved to be perfectly normal, if only you’d thought of the middle bit …
    In 3d I always want to spell it like the Japanese fish’n’chips.
    Thanks to Pommers and the setter.

    1. That is exactly what I did, use the Japanese fish n’ chips. Didn’t ‘arf cause problems with the “pen”.

  36. Thanks Campbell for a good ** challenge with 16d last in because I could not think of the Americanism. Congratulations to Pommers for solving every clue in order, something I look forward to doing one day!

  37. I was all gung ho with this, feeling so smug, loving it all, writing answers in all over the grid. Then I got stuck on a couple, never did get 16d, way beyond me. Another one that got me was 8d, I have such a problem with lateral thinking, I took the misdirection hook, line and sinker. How silly I felt when I had my epiphany.
    I liked the two long anagrams at 14a and 17a, lots to like, but fave is 9d, dunno why.
    Thank you Campbell for the fun and pommers for unravelling some. I, too, miss 24a, wonder how the pups are doing.

  38. I really enjoyed today’s puzzle and though having to break-off a few times completed it relatively quickly, for me. Long may it continue as I haven’t done too well recently. The anagrams certainly helped and my LCTD was 16 down. I really wanted to have an Ex for former and vet etc but got there in the end. Many thanks to the Pommers and setter.

    PS Did anybody else from the North West not receive the supplements within the Saturday paper? Apparently, due to a distribution issue in the NW of Englandi? My husband spent quite some time on the phone on Saturday and the DT web-site getting nowhere and becoming quite frustrated. Today he has received an e-mail apologising for the problem and telling us that as a priority they will aim to deliver the relevant sections within 10 working days!

  39. Stumped by ‘vehement’, which is obvious now I see it, I got ‘veteran T’ – not a word but then I didn’t know 1a either, although I figured it out. I wasn’t happy about ‘tempera’ being a ‘method’ of painting, because it isn’t. Tempera is a medium, not a technique. I solved it once I got other letters in place. Not a good clue.

    1. Obviously not having that depth of knowledge probably made it simpler to solve! My initial mistake was inserting tempura!

  40. Was flying through this, wondering was it by Campbell as I normally struggle on a Monday. Then I got to the SE and slowed down, before grinding to a halt on 16d, just couldn’t see it. So my Monday struggles continue.
    I liked 8d and 22d made me laugh.
    Thanks to all

  41. Thanks to those who pointed out my silly error in 10a. There is, of course, a Salem in Massachusetts, where they did for a load of witches in the 1600’s. Hey ho. Note to self – pay more attention.

  42. Looking for a bit of help, guess this is as good a place as anywhere to ask. Remember when they upgraded the puzzle site to link it to the main Telegraph subscription site in 2018. I remember at the time I had to do very little and it just works and I seem to have been logged in via the cookie ever since on my Palemoon browser.
    I have been playing with Vivaldi as an alternative browser. But I can’t log in with my paid puzzles subscription. It allows me to log in with my main Telegraph sub but that doesn’t seem linked to my puzzles account and the only option seems to be to pay for puzzles afresh. Nowhere can I use my old puzzles login, that fails. It looks like the two were never linked in 2018 and by luck I haven’t needed to login since.
    I expect the only option is to email them and ask them to link manually. Anybody got round this conundrum?

    1. I don’t understand the gobledegook of most of your comment, but I constantly have problems with my subscription account. I’ve jettisoned my account in the past and opened a brand new account with a different name and email. I’ve had ITs here at great expense to sort me out and let me access my sub that I’ve already paid for. Name it, I’ve tried it. Now it’s gone again and I can only access a site that tells me I need to pay, I think I renewed in March. I’m not going to pay any more money, I’ve emailed them twice. I’ve made a step forward, they acknowledged my email, let’s see if I hear from them again.

      1. Thanks Merusa. My current puzzles subscription runs until September. I suspect the easiest way is to cancel my recurring Worldpay payment so it doesn’t renew and cross my fingers that puzzles continues to work in Palemoon until then. Then start a new puzzles payment. Getting any satisfaction through emails is probably not worth the effort.

  43. Not much comity in Israel and Gaza at the moment. Good start to the week and I agree with Pommers and the * for difficulty but had it a **** for enjoyment.

    Thanks to Pommers and Campbell.

  44. Very late today! I expected to see lots of people making the same mistake with 1d. I confidently put downcast instead of cast down.

  45. Had a bit of a struggle here & there (I’m in the 1A new word camp) but managed to complete in ok time with a couple of explanation from Pommers required.
    Even after the last answer was in, I got the dreaded “Sorry, not all answers correct.” 😫
    Turns out I tried to spell the Spanish dance with an ‘a’ instead of ‘o’ at the end of the first word….doh!!🤦🏼‍♂️
    Anyway, thanks to Campbell for another challenge, and to Pommers for keeping me right!
    Cheers!

  46. Despite never having heard of 1a this was my fastest solve of the year. Hard to pick a favourite but I’ll go for 19d thanks to Campbell and Pommers.

  47. Didn’t get round to this till the early hours. Amazed to see so man comments on a Monday and a lot of agreement between our members. Did not notice a comment from Brian, unless I missed it. I whizzed through this with no problems until the SE. I had put the wrong ending for 19d, having remembered it from previous similar clues. This held me up with 27a and I was trying to use Pen which was stupid. This of course left me with 16d and I eventually retired without getting it. Like others thought of Ex, Gi and could not think of strongmen. Not helped by the checkers being three Es and a T. Had another look when I woke and to my surprise got the old soldier straightaway and then finished! Pleased I did this without help which shows it pays to sleep on it. Favourites 4 11 and 12a and 8 9 and 16d, the last of which takes the Gold. Thanks Campbell and to you Pommers. I always read the hints after the event. What a day it was yesterday as first time inside a pub since September and a couple of pints of Harvest Pale which was as good as I remembered.

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