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DT 29790 (Hints)

by tilsit  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29790 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club

Hosted by Tilsit

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Greetings from Warrington! Another overcast day to deal with. It’s nice to have a day off, but it is filled with a number of things to do, including quiz writing, making a start on my next Open University course, and then planning a trip away in November.

As some of you know, I started my OU course in Languages some years ago and have plodded along. I’m studying French and German but over the past couple of years have been derailed several times due to illness and other problems. Rather than go back and try again, I decided to park the third-year German course for another year as I seemed to have problems around the halfway point and struggled to catch up. So, this year, I decided to go back to the French half of the course and study Year Two French. This course is somewhat different than previous ones, as all course materials are online, other than the grammar book. I am finding this a little strange, as I am used to wandering round carrying textbooks.

As this is the second year, there should also have been a residential school in Aix-en-Provence, but due to you-know-what, it has been replaced by an ‘Online Learning Experience’ for an intensive week of study next February. Watch this space!

Back to today’s puzzle. Very enjoyable, but a little odd. I had the top half done and dusted and then stared at the bottom half for a while, with no idea what was going on. A quick trip to the coffee pot and toaster and I’m sure all the clues had changed, as I finished it just as quickly as the top half!

Definitely a Mysteron (or Mister Ron) puzzle. I don’t think it was Cephas or Chalicea, not their style. Maybe the Boss is on duty, today.

Anyway, let’s look at a few of the clues:

Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.

A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.  Thank you to our setter for an enjoyable solve this morning!

Some hints follow:

Across

1a Send watch to be wound back (5)
Another word for a watch is reversed.

4a Marine species lookin’ to catch you, ultimately (3,6)
Something meaning lookin’ for (i.e. remove the last letter ‘g’) has a letter used to refer to you inside.

11a Stretch where angler repositioned line, finally (7)
Something you do when you stretch an item is found by rearranging (repositioned) ANGLER, and add the last letter of LINE.

13a Inexplicable thing being in game as every other character sent off (6)
Remove the alternate letters from BEING IN GAME AS to get something that’s hard to explain.

15a Terms in list are endless in magazine (8)
A way of describing magazines, such as the ones pictured, has ARE inside, minus its last letter.

18a Journalist on carrier (8)
A short word meaning on or about goes before the name for someone who carries things for a living.

20a A burden describing some clues (6)
You could have added ‘like this’ to the definition! The indefinite article, plus something that was a burden to someone in the New Testament.

23a Top police force take a nosedive (7)
A word meaning top, or the best, takes the abbreviated name of a police force.

27a Right in the main? (9)
As with the previous (unhinted) clue, you’re looking for a nautical term. This time it’s the one for right.

29a Fruity edges of raspberry? (5)
Write down your literal answer to ‘What are the edges (end letters) of raspberry?

Down

1d Fraudster, one playing tennis you might say? (9)
The name for a criminal is a cryptic description of how you might describe a tennis player, using the name for something used in their duties.

4d Crossword writer in sun at the end of the day? (6)
A curate’s egg of a clue. The answer is fairly obvious. Add the answer to the word ‘sun’ and you may describe cryptically someone at the end of the day. Not sure this works for me, or am I missing something?

5d Dog on telly, bitter (8)
A word for to have transmitted on TV, plus a type of bitter you drink.

7d Awkward problem, sexy King Edward? (3,6)
A slang word meaning sexy and what a King Edward is.

16d Number in the sixties, a short way back (9)
One of the biggest songs of that decade is a word meaning a short time ago. More later.

17d Plane is not dismantled for scrap (8)
A type of aircraft is added to an anagram of IS NOT.

21d Outfit a huge hit (7)
Two definitions – one a slang term for your outfit and the other a violent hit.

25d Something elasticated in mind (5)
An elasticated item of clothing (are they? Never had one!) plus IN.

Were you bowled over with today’s puzzle? Or completely stumped? Let us know.

Remember as usual, to play nicely and avoid being put on the naughty step. I’ll see you next Saturday.

The Crossword Club is now open.

Our music to finish today is one of the finest versions of a certain song, other than the original, performed by someone who could rival Sinatra as a performer.

Could new readers please read the Welcome post and the FAQ before posting comments or asking questions about the site.

As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out!

Please read these instructions carefully – they are not subject to debate or discussion. Offending comments may be redacted or, in extreme cases, deleted. In all cases the administrator’s decision is final.

If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then save yourself (and me) a lot of trouble and don’t leave a comment.  BD

The Quick Crossword pun: kink+urn+newt=King Canute

53 comments on “DT 29790 (Hints)”

  1. Exactly the opposite, bottom half in record time, then a struggle for the top half.
    Still an enjoyable puzzle.
    thanks to the setter.
    Thanks to Tilsit for hints, i share your reservations re 4d.

  2. Manders – thank you so much for the recommendation, I had a wonderful crab salad at The Crown. I kept looking out for you, expecting someone to say are you Daisy! Just to prove we were there here’s a photo. Thank you everyone else for your indulgence but I wanted to catch Manders attention early in the lists!

    3. I am so glad you had a good time – I rather dread recommending somewhere in case it doesn’t come up to scratch! I didn’t know which day you were going as we would have certainly come over to Wells. Funnily enough yesterday I said I was sick of salad for lunch and we popped over to the quay at Blakeney and had wonderful BLTs for lunch from the caravan. Lovely picture of you both but to be honest you could be anywhere!

      1. Google Joe Lycett’s Parking Fine in 8 out of 10 cats do Countdown re photos that could be taken anywhere. Its very very funny.

  3. Most enjoyable SPP. Re 4d, I took it to read ‘as in sun….’, thus clearly giving me the solution. Does that make sense? My only hesitation was with my LOI, 29a. The answer seemed clear enough, though I’m not aware of its meaning the first word of the clue, and my Googling didn’t turn up a synonym for it. Podium stars go to 16d, 15a, and 17d. Thanks to Tilsit and today’s setter. **/***

    1. The meaning of 29a is shown in the BRB but as it is Saturday, I’d better not say anything more than that

      1. Aha, my Scottish friend has just emailed me that the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, as I suspected, might be an equivalent usage. Am I now in the naughty corner?

        1. There’s only enough chocolate cake in the tin for Mr CS and me so I’ll just redact your comment but leave you free to enjoy your Saturday ;)

  5. West came first followed by Southwest but Southeast stalled a bit not helped by my failing to suss “something elasticated” in 25d as it’s usually described as supportive and 29a passed me by but is it really fruity I wonder? Altogether a satisfying solve as was the Quickie which was a bit more challenging than some. Thank you Mysteron and Tilsit (unusual musical choice from you but pleasant enough!)

  6. Had the same 3xperience as Tilsit, all went smoothly until a cluster of head scratchers at the bottom held me up for a short while (2*/4*). It was an entertaining puzzle, with a great geographical clue at 19d, alaugh out loud moment at 29a and COTD 5d a super lego type clue. Thanks to the compiler and to Tilsit for the hints.

  7. 1*/2.5*. I found this to be an undemanding, reasonably pleasant diversion for a Saturday morning although there was a sprinkling of strange surfaces.

    No particular favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Tilsit.

  8. Too many anagrams and old chestnuts, IMHO, and very gentle, for a prize puzzle. 0.5*/0.5* plus an extra 1 just for 1d, 6d and 29a.

    Tx to all.

  9. I enjoyed this a lot. The queues at the petrol station are getting worse with a lot of jostling amongst drivers trying to get to a pump. Lucky for me it’s a pleasant walk through a nature reserve with a quick check on the allotment. 29a was my favourite although 23a also very good. Thanks to Tilsit and today’s setter.

  10. A bit of a head scratcher for me partly self inflicted by miss-spelling a couple of answers, especially the checkers, on entering them in the grid – ***/***.

    I took 4d to be a not very good double definition.

    Candidates for favourite – 9a, 20a,and 7d – and the winner is 20a.

    Thanks to the setter and Tilsit.

  11. Apart from the two I simply could not unravel this was a most enjoyable solve. For me, it was the lower half that took some time with the top half having fallen quite swiftly. Quite a number of ticks by clues – 29a and 8d – but my COTD is 23a.

    Thanks to whomsoever set today’s puzzle and many thanks to Tilsit for the hints.

    Apparently, Morrisons supermarket in Oswestry have run out of fuel. Maybe there wouldn’t be a shortage if people did not panic buy. :???:

    1. The shortage is actually a government inspired initiative to get drivers used to queuing as will happen at charge points when we go electric Steve.

        1. As am I Steve, just need the sunshine every day to charge up my solar panels to be self sufficient

  12. Done and dusted in relatively short order with a slight pause to justify 25d – I suppose it’s fair enough.
    Sexy King Edward and the nosediving police force raised a giggle.

    Thanks to our setter and to Tilsit for the hints.

  13. Found this quite tough, & SE corner last to fall.
    Thought 29a was COTD with 23a R/U.
    Thanks to setter & Tilsit for the hints.

  14. I thought this a reasonably entertaining puzzle but it did have a dated feel to it, I always think crosswords benefit from a few contemporary references. 4a was my favourite.
    2/2.5*
    Many thanks to the setter and to Tilsit.

  16. A very enjoyable Saturday romp. West in first quickly. The rest fell in bit by bit.
    2.5*/4*
    No real stand out clues today but I still like 16d.
    Thanks to Tilsit/BD for review & to the setter.

  17. Found the same thing as Tilsit in this puzzle, as the top went in really quickly and slowed down in the bottom half, with SE last area complete. **/**** for me today.
    So many really good clues and so many that made me chuckle and groan. Favourites were 12a, 23a, 1d, 5d, 7d & 16d with winner being 16d

    Thanks to setter and Tilsit

  18. Late in the day to solve and comment but a pretty straightforward puzzle, although, like Tilsit, the bottom half took longer than the top. Weird, because it really wasn’t that difficult. Probably just tired after a long walk along the Kennet and Avon canal incorporating the incredible Caen Hill flight of locks.

    My thanks to our Saturday setter and Tilsit.

    1. Oh, the Kennet & Avon Canal, that brings back some lovely memories, what a beautiful place and the sun always shines!

  19. My only problem with this was 29a, I thought I knew what it was but didn’t think the DT would allow it! I guess it’s not that bad, certainly good for a guffaw! I’m going to choose it for fave.
    I didn’t need any help here, good fun all through. Lots to like, 23a stood out, as did 5d … so much good stuff. I did need help unravelling some, e.g. 4a. Good start to the weekend.
    Thank you setter, that was fun, and appreciation to Tilsit for explaining some.

  20. My goodness, that was a nice surprise. Almost a R&W until I got to the south east corner, where it took some more thinking. I had no problems with 29a. I remember lads called Andy getting stuck with that as a prefix. I’m no good at identifying setters, but thank you lots to whomever this was, and to Tilsit of course.

  21. Hmm. Found this a bit tricky and needed hints ans a few electrons to complete. Not the most fun crossword ever. A bit “meh” as my teenage daughter would say. ***/**

  22. Definitely a wavelength thing. Busy yesterday so just did it and it was a delight. I had no trouble with SE save for wondering if 29a was what I thought it was. It was! Also parsing 25d. It was one of my favourites when the penny dropped. Only hesitation was in NE but once I got the second word of 4a, 8d and 6d slipped in nicely. Other favourites 4 9 15 and 27a and 1 and 14d. Thank you 4d. Interested in your language studies Tilsit. When next we meet at a birthday bash we can compare notes. My journey has been long but ultimately successful.

  23. Well this puzzle seems to have had a mixed reaction, some finding it easy others not so. I’m in the latter camp, only completed with the help of the hints. 13a is still a complete mystery to me. Enjoyable puzzle and hints, thanks to all.

    Ps. Saw a program on tv the other day with Matt Munro doing a gig in Australia, he was very good but the audience seemed to have little sense of humour.
    In my opinion better than Sinatra who just doesn’t float my boat.

  24. Well I found the left hand half very straight forward but struggled for a bit with the other side.. agree with the point about 4 down.

  25. Hi I’m very much a crossword solver novice, but am enjoying working my way through these puzzles and learning a new ‘language’. So, I wasn’t looking for anything very deep at 4d, but just assumed it was the sun itself which was the ****** at the end of the day.

    1. Welcome to the blog, Jane.
      We have a long-standing commenter called Jane so could you please modify your alias a little in future comments so that we can distinguish between you.

      1. Thank you for the welcome, Gazza. I shall indeed modify my alias – to JanSa – as I’m sure the original jane would not want to be mistaken as the author of my amateurish comments. And, indeed, I realise that I have already revealed too much in my remarks about 4d. Apologies.

  26. Too busy yesterday, so solved it this morning.
    I too had trouble with the bottom half, more specifically the SE corner, but I got there in the end.
    Didn’t like 25d much…..elasticated ? They’re a lot more than that.
    Thanks to the setter and to Tilsit….and good luck with your OU course.

    1. I share your ‘unease’ about 25d! Though it made a change from the usual ‘support’ reference in clues!

  27. Saved this one for tackling this morning, working it steadily from N to S.

    Enjoyable grid, nothing abstruse. Laughed out loud at 29a, my stand-out COTD.

    1.5* / 2.5*

    Many thanks to the Setter and to Tilsit for their review. Nice to see some fresh faces commenting on the blog – welcome!

  28. Solved this morning having tortured myself watching the golf yesterday 😭
    Marvellous cheery puzzle which has brightened a lovely Sunday morning here in Virginia Beach!
    Thanks to our ‘compiler’ and of course to Tilsit for another marvellous blog ‘n hints.
    Cheers!

  30. Still a bit of a slowcoach myself. Last one in was 29a . Having read the comments I am fairly certain my answer is correct but within the site rules could anyone clarify where the middle 2 letters fit in with the clue ?🤔
    Thanks to the compiler. I felt this was a good mix of head scratching and groans.

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