DT 29702 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29702

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29702

Hints and tips by Mr K

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BD Rating  -  Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***

Hello, everyone.  It's Tuesday and the puzzle is Tuesdayish, so all is right with the world. I thought the clueing in this crossword was a tad uneven, but overall it was an enjoyable solve. 

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    Masses of salt water around motorway -- lock sewer (10)
SEAMSTRESS:  Some masses of salt water are wrapped around the single letter for motorway, and that's all followed by a lock that you comb 

6a    Stare at internet search engine, losing energy (4)
OGLE:  The first internet search engine that comes to mind, minus energy or vim (losing energy) 

9a    Like a moneylender perhaps, before father almost gets caught with debts (10)
PREDACIOUS:  Concatenate a preposition meaning before, all but the last letter (almost) of an informal word for father, the cricket abbreviation for caught, and an abbreviation for debts that's traditionally scribbled on a scrap of paper

10a   Genuine ceasefire, though not constant (4)
TRUE:  A ceasefire loses the letter used to represent a mathematical constant (though not constant) 

12a   Smooth limb before tattoo oddly removed (6)
LEGATO:  A lower limb comes before the even letters (oddly removed) of TATTOO 

13a   Showering after little time exercising (8)
TRAINING:  Showering or pouring comes after the physics symbol for time 

15a   Sum up posture: worryingly cocky (12)
PRESUMPTUOUS:  An anagram (worryingly) of SUM UP POSTURE 

18a   Joined in with business deals, initially (12)
INCORPORATED:  Link together IN from the clue, an adjective synonym of business, and the first letter (… , initially) of DEALS 

21a   Petrified with editor wanting chapter to be brilliant (8)
TERRIFIC:  A synonym of petrified minus the abbreviation for editor (with editor wanting) is followed by the single letter for chapter 

22a   Blow that is by king's sword (6)
RAPIER:  Assemble a quick blow, the Latin abbreviation for "that is", and the Latin abbreviation for king 

24a   Just the first lady and Biden, finally (4)
EVEN:  The first lady in the Bible and the final letter of BIDEN 

25a   Standing way to the left of Conservative radical (6,4)
STREET CRED:  A way or road is placed before (to the left of, in an across clue) both the single letter for Conservative and radical in a socialist way 

26a   Place for pigs by river (4)
STYX:  A place where pigs pass the time is followed by the letter that looks like the symbol for multiplication (by)

27a   Corrupt European is after X-rated lick (10)
ADULTERATE:  The single letter for European comes after another word for X-rated, and that's all followed by a synonym of lick, as in the car was moving at a good lick

 

Down 

1d    Soft drink if you don't mind -- just a half (6)
SUPPLE:  A verb synonym of drink is followed by half (just a half) of an interjection meaning "if you don't mind" 

2d    Exact retribution for raven getting caught (6)
AVENGE:  The answer is hidden in ( … caught) the remainder of the clue

crows are almost the same as ravens

3d    Aren't car bits ordered? I forget (12)
SCATTERBRAIN:  An anagram (ordered) of AREN'T CAR BITS 

4d    Help to support Republican attack (4)
RAID:  Help or assistance comes after (to support, in a down clue) the single letter for Republican 

5d    Reconcile this writer with a large, satisfying feast (6,4)
SQUARE MEAL:  Chain together reconcile or settle, a pronoun used by the writer for themselves, A from the clue, and the clothing abbreviation for large 

7d    Group of men heading for George Harrison leaving hotel (8)
GARRISON:  The first letter of (heading for) GEORGE is followed by HARRISION minus the letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by hotel (leaving hotel) 

8d    Greene's novel keeping one's fire up (8)
ENERGISE:  An anagram (novel) of GREENE'S containing (keeping) the Roman one 

11d   Gossip as flier let out story about motorbike races (6-6)
TITTLE-TATTLE:  Put together a small songbird (flier), an anagram (out) of LET, and a story or yarn that's wrapped about the abbreviation for some well-known motorcycle races 

14d   Connected case to said criminal (10)
ASSOCIATED:  An anagram (criminal) of CASE TO SAID 

16d   Uninterested, having no catalogue? (8)
LISTLESS:  The answer split (4-4) could, whimsically, mean "having no catalogue" 

17d   Mark on church left by Yankee? Not at all (8)
SCARCELY:  Cement together a mark remaining after a wound, the abbreviation for the Church of England, the single letter for left, and the letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by yankee 

19d   Is climbing before slip up on a mountain range (6)
SIERRA:  Glue together the reversal (climbing, in a down clue) of IS from the clue, slip up or make a mistake, and A from the clue

A Ford 19d

20d   Marriage partner going round lake -- something of interest to a groom? (6)
BRIDLE:  A female marriage partner containing (going round) the map abbreviation for lake 

23d   Payment by learner makes sense (4)
FEEL:  A payment or charge for something is followed by the letter indicating a learner driver 

 

Thanks to today’s setter. I particularly liked 21a, 24a, 1d, and 16d. Which clues did you like best?


The Quick Crossword pun:  BAN + CAR + COUNT = BANK ACCOUNT


73 comments on “DT 29702

  1. I just managed this in ** time but did find it somewhat tricky. I enjoyed 1a which was my COTD and scratched my head a while over 26a which was my last one in. Straightforward of course once the penny dropped. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  2. I thought this was an excellent Tuesday puzzle, fresh and quirky, it felt like we’d moved on 50 years from yesterday.
    9a was a new word for me but sympathetically clued. Lots of podium contenders including 6&26a (because I like the band) plus 1,7&20d but top spot goes to 25a, a clue of the week contender.
    2/4.5*
    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the top notch entertainment

  3. Found this hard going, but fought my way through and managed it all in the end, with the exception of 1A, where the wordplay defeated me and I needed to look at the hint (and then kicked myself!) Two contenders I thought for COTD — 7D was very clever and then 21A made me smile, since I’ve just signed another book contract and know the fear of having an editor wanting chapters forthwith!

  4. Am I really the first to comment today? Obviously not!
    It has been just a few weeks since the Jerusalem Post stopped printing the DT quick and cryptic crosswords several months late, and I subscribed online to do the current ones.
    I found today’s to be relatively straightforward, but enjoyable.
    Cheers from Israel with our two day old new government. It is never boring here.

    1. Welcome to the blog. PaulS. I have fond memories of staying in Jerusalem back in the 80’s. I stayed for a weekend at the Ecce Homo convent on the Via Dolorosa and the nuns directed me to the car park at Notra Dame where my car would be safe. I got lost and was late getting back. I arrived back after curfew and a nun greeted me and told me that the Mother Superior wanted to see me immediately. I went, in trepidation, to her office. She greeted me warmly and just wanted to know I was safe. She then served me tea on the roof of the convent overlooking the Mount of Olives and we spent a very pleasant evening.

      1. That’s a great story, Steve. Back then, Notre Dame also had one of the best restaurants in Jerusalem (as well as a car park).

      2. I went to Israel in the 1960s, loved it, one of the friendliest countries to visit. A couple of BOAC chaps tried to sell us to some Arabs on a bus to Beersheba!

        1. I drove to Bethlehem and got lost. I ended up in the Sinai Dessert!. Eventually managed to get to Bethlehem but it was dump and I didn’t like the way I as being watched so I drove straight back out! I was working for Youth Aliyah who were smuggling Jewish children out of Russia and I had to provide their dental treatment. I was invited for dinner by a couple and had a wonderful evening. Halfway through a load of insects appeared on the ceiling. The wife attacked them with a spray and her husband jumped up and shouted “NO”!

          It was then I saw the number tattooed on his arm.

          1. You must have so many stories to tell! We stayed on the coast, Netanya, and hitchhiked all over, we were perfectly safe. I’m not sure I’d do it again today.

    2. Welcome to the blog, Paul. I have terrifically good memories of my fortnight in Israel (February 1982). I went with a nondenominational religious group from South Carolina, where I live (in Charleston), and we travelled all over the country. One of my most dramatic memories occurred on the Sea of Galilee, where a sudden tempest nearly wiped us out, but we made it to shore safely. If I were physically able (I’m nearly 83), I’d love to return. Good luck with your new government. And keep us apprised of some of the goings-on over there, please.

    3. Thank you to everybody who replied to my comment.
      Talking of feeling safe, all mask wearing regulations in Israel are cancelled as of yesterday. The only exceptions are for non-vaccinated going into old age homes, hospitals etc. We are really almost back to normal – unless we want to go overseas of course.

  5. Another fairly untaxing yet enjoyable puzzle from the Tuesday production line. Like Stephen L, my favourite clue this morning was 25a. The Toughie today is probably easier than this back pager, so worth a go for those who don’t usually attempt it.

    Thanks to our setter and Mr K.

  6. 1.5*/4*. The second light and enjoyable puzzle this week. My last to parse was 27a before the penny dropped as to how the last four letters can be synonymous with “lick”.

    Podium places go to 1a (great surface), 18a, 24a (very topical!), 25a & 11d.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

  7. All completed in *** time, but I did need to take a breakfast break. I just ground to a halt with around 10 to go, but a quick burst of fructose did the trick, and the rest rolled in. My only stumbling block is that I can’t parse the back end of 27a. . . . but as I look at it again, I see that meaning for ‘lick’, sigh.

    It’s always a help when there’s a few longer anagrams to seed the grid. My last in was 9a, not a word I use very often, although the way I was treated by my bank (of 40 years) recently, it should have come to mind.

    Many thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  8. Lots to like with today’s offering. Slow at first but then came together nicely. Like Stephen L 9a was new but eminently gettable.
    Liked 11d and 25a but 26a’s simplicity gets my COTD.
    Thank you setter come back whenever you like, and Mr K, as always clear, concise & fun illustrations.

  9. A Tuesday puzzle that was somewhat Monday-ish – 1.5*/4.5*.

    Candidates for favourite – 9a, 12a, 22a, 26a, and 17d – and the winner is 9a, not a common word in my vocabulary but easy enough to ‘assemble’ from its constituent parts.

    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

    P.S. The Moeraki Toughie might have escaped from the ‘Back Page’ envelope.

  10. A little on rhe tricky side with lots if clues made up of tiny pieces of ‘lego’ , which were a bit fiddly. There were some nice long anagrams that helped a lot. I liked 7d, 6a ,, which were sort of unexpected but my COTD is 11d . Thanks to Mr K for the hints and to the compiler.

  11. Sound and enjoyable Tuesday fare, sufficient challenges to exercise the LGCs but not to allow the coffee to get cold.

    Great range of clues and I for one appreciate the relative 17d of anagrams. Plenty of smiles, a hummmm for my LOI, 9a (a cruciverbalists-only word, in my view, not in common – or even uncommon – use) with COTD 25a and hon. mentions to 18a, 22a, 7d and 19d.

    2*/3*

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the review.

  12. Never mind the crossword, where’s the photo’s of your new feline friends, Mr K? I was really looking forward to seeing them today.
    Sorry – back to business and a Tuesday puzzle that didn’t cause too many problems although I did need the help of the checkers for 1d. 6a made me smile as did 11d but top billing went to 21&24a.

    Thanks to our setter and to Mr K for the review – loved the 2d ferocious feline!

    1. Hi, Jane. Here’s one pic of the new arrivals. I’ll try to get some better ones processed for next week.

      1. Thank you, thank you, thank you! They’re ador-ibble, you’re making me quite broody.

  13. I have one to get for an unaided finish – 18a – so I won’t look at the hints until I’ve given it more thought. A great puzzle and much fun to be had. I know 1a may be an old chestnut but I do like it and I thought 11d quite clever. 26a brought a smile but my COTD so far is 6d.

    Many thanks to the setter, whom I am assuming is Jay. Thanks also to Mr. K. for the hints but I will look at them later after contemplating 18a for a while longer.

    1. Finally twigged 18a so two unaided finishes in a row. No doubt Jay will be my downfall tomorrow – if tomorrow is Wednesday! :smile:

      1. And if it is Jay – his little absence seems to have made the experts somewhat non-commital.

  14. Pleasantly entertaining. **/*** Like Malcolm I completely missed the meaning of the last part of 27a. A doh moment when I saw the hints. I like anagrams – they often help to put some checkers on the grid which either bring to mind or confirm other answers. Favourite 25a. Thanks to all.

  15. I found this a tad more difficult than today’s enjoyable Toughie.
    I’ll admit to “precarious” for 9a not knowing “predacious”.
    I did like 25s, and the simple, my COTD 27a, which we will all be crossing one day!

  16. Another enjoyable solve with no real hold ups. Stuck on 2d (LOI) until I remembered someone saying ‘if all else fails, look for the lurker!’ Muppet. So enjoyed Chris Lancaster’s puzzle newsletter yesterday especially the bit about the couple who do the GK puzzle on Saturday and remove a piece of clothing for each correct answer. As he said they either wear a hell of a lot of clothes for roughly 70 answers, or they are not very good at GK! Great story. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  17. Now I am not one to complain. But really. When George retired he offered to make lunch every day. Brilliant. Admittedly it is always salad (unless very cold, when it is soup) that is fine by me – I love salad. But today, whilst I was changing the bed (it is Tuesday) dealing with carpet moth found under the bed, sorting out
    an Almshouse problem, putting in a grocery order all prior to going off to a Reading Group meeting – George has managed to upset the bowl of salad liberally coated with his special George Dressing (Paul Newman made a fortune out of HIS) all over the crossword sitting ready on the garden table. Friends, it is very difficult to read oil soaked clues, they do not dry off in the sun, and impossible to write on oiled paper with either biro or pencil. So I give up. Pass. I did manage to decipher 1a which is a hobby of mine but the rest is illegible. I hope Huntsman did not spend too much money shopping in King’s Road – and hope that Hilary’s Bill’s operation goes well. I’m off.

    1. He was just trying to give you a 5d. Oh sorry you don’t know what that is.
      Anyway fish & chips come in newspaper so why not salad? He was just trying to save washing up.

      Issued on behalf of the George Appreciation Society

      1. In case anyone is feeling sorry for George- you don’t know him! I think insouciant is the word for him, He is the most irritating man because you cannot have a row with him, I shout – he shrugs. Well, 64 years speaks for itself. It was an accident and actually we had a good laugh over it – but it had better not happen again…….. I shall look tomorrow to see what a 5d was!

        1. Look above in the hints DG.
          Sounds like he was well named – he lives his life on autopilot!

        2. I really do think he and Peter would get in like a house on fire (he also makes lunch every day). He also refuses to have an argument. Will just leave the room. In fact he won’t watch any movie where they start “bickering”. It’s so difficult to pick a fight on your own 😊.

    2. Couldn’t even find a Mary Quant dress in my size (isn’t that where they were sold?) & must say there wasn’t much worth looking at. Driving in London is hellish – thank the lord I don’t have to do it anymore.

  18. Enjoyably taxing. SE last corner to give in. 25a = standing? 27a lick didn’t occur to me so not fully parsed. Unfamiliar with 9a but it worked itself out. Fav was 1d. Thank you Mysteron and MrK.

  19. I thought this a cut above the usual Tuesday level of trickery and cleverness but more enjoyable because of that. I fairly breezed through most of the grid but slowed down a bit with the bottom right. I particularly liked 7d, 21a, 1d, 25a, and 26a. A special award goes to 11d for its amusing bravado! Some especially nice surfaces, and because of that 12a, I nominate 21 and 26a as my co-CsOTD. Thanks to Mr K for his enjoyable review and pictorials, and to today’s setter. 1.5* / 4.5*

    Finished today’s Toughie in record time–yay!

    1. Robert
      Noted last week’s US golf was from your neck of the woods again – Congaree.
      Ian Poulter said the food there was “The best golf club food I’ve had. Have you sampled it?

      1. Well, this state has been Golfing Centre USA this year, hasn’t it? Since the Masters (which is just across the Savannah River from S Carolina), we’ve had the Heritage (at Hilton Head), the PGA (at Ocean Course), and the Congaree (down in Ridgeland, very close to Hilton Head). Glad to hear that Mr Poulter enjoyed the food there. Wish I had some of it right now.

  20. Super puzzle today. It asked a few questions but the clues were not fiendishly tricky as some have been of late.
    My favs were 1a and 10a. Pitched nicely at my level but probably not difficult enough for the experienced solvers but at least they have the Toughie to get to grips with. IMHO this is exactly how the two puzzles should work giving something for most people. Well done DT.
    Thx to all
    **/*****

    1. Having just completed the Toughie perhaps the experienced amongst us will not be challenged today😀

  21. As Mr K said, a tad uneven on the clueing, but a very interesting/challenging puzzle. Like some others I didn’t get the synonym for “lick” in 27a, and I missed the anagram on 14d because I was fixated on a criminal being an associate and kept trying to justify the extra “d” until I gave up. Oh, and I didn’t know the river in 26a, so had to check my bung-in.
    Lots to like with a whole list of favourites today – 1, 6 & 25 across plus 1 & 3 down.
    Thanks to the setter and Mr K

  22. Enjoyable coffee break when this puzzle was started and finished. Honourable mentions to 1, 12, and 26a, 3,7, and 11d, and the laurels go to 25a.

    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  23. Haven’t posted for a while, combination of work and other things but as this is the first time I completed by 2pm I think, I had to say hi. Liked 1a mainly because I finally twigged what the last word meant :). Good puzzle all the same. ‘Grand’ as we say over here

    1. Welcome back, Nick, and congratulations on the pre-2pm finish. Where is “over here”?

  24. Found this a relatively troublefree solve once I had a couple of the long answers in to provide a foothold. **/**** my rating today. A couple I had trouble parsing until checking the hints to see my way through the reasoning.
    Favourite clues today include 25a, 3d, 7d & 11d with my winner 11d with 3d runner up

    Thanks to setter and Mr K

  25. I have my contrary hat on today, as I didn’t enjoy this one very much. I started off great with 1a going straight in. I made pretty good progress but stalled at 9a, which I have never seen/heard before, thought 25a just awful. Not the clue, the actual words themselves. And couldn’t figure out 27a. As proof of my contrariness, I had already solved all the clues with picture hints before I looked at the blog. But at least I managed 15a and 18a. Unlike yesterday, I am clearly not in tune with today’s setter, but glad others did better than me. In my defense, I am a little preoccupied with Peter turning off the water in a minute. He’s going to fix the new toilet installation that three plumbers couldn’t get right. The first one walked out with just the bottom half installed! Two more came, but messed up the water feed, the flushing and the toilet seat slow close. I despair.

  26. Completed alone and unaided but needed some help with parsing. (I’m always inclined to bung in and try to sort out later…it has sometimes been my downfall.) Found it quite tricky and spent a long time staring at the anagrams before they fell into place.

    Thanks to the setter and to Mr K. Loved the pics as usual.

    Overcast and cool here now with more of the same forecast for tomorrow. Hope summer has not come and gone…….

  27. I’m in the fun camp! I’ve never heard of the 9a version of that word, but well clued and just needed to confirm in the dictionary. I found the SE corner tricky, I needed e-help with a couple; 27a lick??
    I liked 7d but I think 11d just edged it out. Of course the pics amused, Mr. K, particularly 26a, are those Bahamian pigs?
    Thank you setter, I enjoyed this, and Mr. K for the usual fun-filled hints and pics.

      1. Yes, never thought of that. Of course, “he was going at quite a lick”, not something I’d say though!

  28. All fairly gentle fun. I read lick the same way as Merusa and was probably my favourite. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K.

  29. Tackled this early morning & really enjoyed it. Not particularly difficult but very well clued throughout. Can’t say that I’ve ever heard of or seen 9a written down since predatory does the job quite nicely but it was more likely da than pa. 25a was the clear pick of the clues with 26a next best.
    Thanks to the setter & Mr K.

  30. It’s always nice when the first one across goes in straightaway, well this one didn’t go in at all , neither did 9a ,3d and 5d , so a poor performance from me today. Any way I enjoyed the challenge sat in glorious sunshine with my tea and toast 😁. Thanks to all

  31. 2*/5*….
    liked 6A “Stare at internet search engine, losing energy (4)”

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