DT 29793 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29793

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29793

Hints and tips by Big Dave

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

I’m sitting in while the Kiwis are unavailable. It’s always a pleasure to review one of Jay’s puzzles.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a    Swimmer caught the flu — it’s bad (10)
CUTTLEFISH: C(aught) followed by an anagram (bad) of THE FLU IT’S

6a    Boast of credit that hurt (4)
CROW: CR(edit) followed by an exclamation similar to “that hurt”

10a    Subject offering latitude without resistance (5)
TOPIC: a line of latitude without R(esistance)

11a    Event for a cyclist suffering after prison? (4,5)
TIME TRIAL: some suffering follows a period of prison

12a    Minister and bishop aim to protect first lady (8)
REVEREND: the two-letter title afforded to a bishop and an aim go around (to protect) the bible’s first lady

13a    This girl may see Independent complaint rejected (5)
NAOMI: the reversal (rejected) of I(ndependent) and a complaint or whinge

15a    Copies may be run off initially in sections (7)
PARROTS: the initial letters of R(un) and O(ff) inside some sections

17a    Ready to move, covering a good distance (7)
YARDAGE: after seven clues which have the definition at the front, this one has it at the end! An anagram (to move) of READY around (covering) the A from the clue and G(ood)

19a    Firm backed to pressure US ink producer (7)
OCTOPUS: the reversal (backed) of a two-letter firm followed by TO from the clue, P(ressure) and US from the clue

21a    Leading lady cheated, stifling urge (7)
DOYENNE: a verb meaning cheated around (stifling) an urge

22a    Design criteria can be a help for viewers? (5)
SPECS: the abbreviated form of some design criteria results in the same as the abbreviated form of some help for viewers

24a    No girls attracted to end of ancient furniture items? (8)
TALLBOYS: if there are no girls then it must be *** **** – then put the final letter of [ancient]T at the front

27a    Strange case — youth is one who’s persuaded without effort (4,5)
EASY TOUCH: an anagram (strange) of CASE YOUTH

28a    Bar in American city supplying dope (5)
NINNY: a bar or pub inside the abbreviated form of an in American city gives a stupid person

29a    Dish that’s cooked for brood (4)
STEW: two definitions – a noun and a verb

30a    Data seen in most unusual ecosystem (10)
RAINFOREST: some data (4) inside an adjective meaning most unusual

Down

1d    Ignores prunes! (4)
CUTS: two definitions

2d    Classified as revolutionary church in organised protest (3,6)
TOP SECRET: the reversal (revolutionary) of the Church of England inside an anagram (organised) of PROTEST

3d    Temptation — eating last of garlic bread (5)
LUCRE: a temptation around the final letter (last) of [garli]C

4d    Dogs needing change of lead and restraints (7)
FETTERS: start with some dogs and change the initial letter (lead)

5d    Rising protest must be admitted by state, sooner or later (7)
SOMEDAY: the reversal of a four-letter protest inside a verb meaning to state

7d    Creature in love depressed by case of rash (5)
RHINO: IN from the clue and O (love) preceded by the outer letters (case) of R[as]H

8d    Really fine at home — always (4,1,5)
WELL I NEVER: a word meaning fine followed by at home (2) and always (4)

9d    Fish bite on river Tay with no trouble at first (8)
STINGRAY: the “bite” of a bee followed by R(iver) and [T]AY without the initial letter (at first) of T[rouble]

14d    Provides cover for tours and helps out (10)
UPHOLSTERS: an anagram (out) of TOURS and HELPS

16d    Facing work, advance with energy (8)
OPPOSITE: a two-letter musical work followed by a verb meaning to advance a theory and E(nergy)

18d    Anyone upset about party in Africa is a pest (9)
ANNOYANCE: an anagram (upset) of ANYONE around a South African political party

20d    Fruit may be an obligation when up (7)
SATSUMA: the reversal (when up in a down clue) of an obligation and a word meaning when

21d    Don keeps Phil off this creature (7)
DOLPHIN: nothing to do with the Everly Brothers! Put DON from the clue around (keeps) an anagram (off) of PHIL

23d    Make certain, rejecting right result (5)
ENSUE: start with a verb meaning to make certain and drop (rejecting) the R(ight)

25d    Throw away travel game (5)
BINGO: concatenate verbs meaning to throw away (3) and to travel (2)

26d    Calmly suggest removing contents to get sac (4)
CYST: drop the inner letters (contents) from the first two words in the clue

Whoever would have thought that Mungo Jerry could do Rockabilly!

The Quick Crossword pun: eyesore+quay=ice hockey

63 comments on “DT 29793”

  2. Seasoned lurker here, just dropping in to praise today’s puzzle. Easily completed in record time. Masterly clues with uncomplicated solutions.
    I must have been on the same wavelength as today’s setter because it all just fell out for me with absolutely no digital assistance, and I don’t feel stupid any more!

    2. I agree with you, it was the same for me. Actually it happens to me a lot. The ** crosswords I find reasonably hard and the ***/**** reasonably easy.

  3. Continuing the run of excellent back pagers, I thoroughly enjoyed this Jay compilation.
    Completed before my (rather bracing) morning sea swim, (there won’t be many more this year!) my picks have gone to 15,24&30a plus 8d, my COTD.
    Many thanks to Jay and to BD, nice to see you back in the blogging chair.

    1. Yes, it was a bit fresh, when I went for my daily walk at 6.30 am, but the sky was crystal clear, the birds were singing and the squirrels were bustling about collecting beech nuts. I came home to a great puzzle–pure pleasure.

  4. This was A thoroughly enjoyable Jay puzzle, with some lovely clues, the trickiest being in the NE and SW corners (2*/4*). I loved the misdirection in the charade, 2d and the cryptic definition at 8d. However, my COTD is the well misdirected anagram at 14d. Thanks to BD for the hints and to Jay for an absorbing crossword.

  6. Quickie pun today ice hockey.!
    A concisely clued puzzle with excellent surfaces and nothing obscure which I thoroughly enjoyed.
    Favourites were 19a and 30a, not seen the African party in 18d for a while.
    Going for a **/****.
    Thanks to Jay and BD for the pics- rainingcats and dogs in Cheshire.

  7. Another Jay Gem! Loved the variety of misdirection, as usual. My top choices are 8d (my runaway COTD), 30a, 24a, and 14d. What a feast. Thanks to BD (hope the Kiwis are all right) and to Jay. **/****
    I’ll go along with ‘ice hockey’ for the Quickie pun.

  8. Thanks for the hints BD – needed these today as I found this quite tricky and was stumped on a couple.

    Favourite clue was 8d, thanks to the setter.

  9. Very enjoyable, it all came together quite quickly. 30a was my favourite.

    Thanks to BD and today’s setter.

  10. 2*/5*. Brilliant! Jay at the top of his game. No chance of picking a favourite or even a podium selection – pick any one or three from 32.

    Many thanks to Jay and to BD.

  11. Excellent puzzle from Mr Wednesday in which 30a & 14d fooled me for quite a while. Never did get the Quickie pun sorted out despite having the two required words fixed in my mind – well done to everyone who sorted it out.
    Favourite was 8d, really made me laugh.

    Thanks to Jay and to BD for stepping up to the plate, nice to see you in the chair.

  12. Another ** today but really enjoyable ****. Lots of great clues as all above have commented. My COTD was 30a but there were about 10 other contenders. Thanks to Big Dave for standing in and Jay for a super puzzle.

  13. Jay has been lenient today making for a plain sail with no bung-ins or serious hold-ups. Joint Favs 11a and 12a. Having toyed with dock and pier as well as the correct solution for 5a in the Quickie didn’t fathom the pun. Thank you to Jay and to the boss for being on parade today.

  15. Jay on absolutely top form today, with a grid full of superb clues. This was our Wednesday setter at the peak of his powers, and I will join those who cannot pick a favourite. The Quickie pun was another of those that me wandering ground the house mumbling like an idiot, and I still could not get it.

    Thanks to Jay for the fun, and to BD, particularly for putting me out of my misery over the pun.

  16. Even with going up the Downs, a slower than usual start for a Wednesday but speed of solving increased when I got to going down the Acrosses. Another fine example from the Wednesday maestro, if only he could master the art of punning – 2.5*/4.5*.

    Candidates for favourite – 12a, 19a, 16d, and 25d – and the winner is 19a.

    Thanks to Jay and BD.

  17. As Robert says today’s was a real Jay gem & right up there with his best. Last in for me was 30a which took a third of my *** time because for some reason I tried to fit my data synonym into one for most (largest) & the correct pennies took an embarrassingly long time to drop. Podium contenders aplenty – 1,19,24,27&30a plus 8,16&25d my picks but they were all good ‘uns. If forced to choose I’ll plump for the lanky lads at 24a.
    Thanks to Jay & to BD for filling in for the 2Ks.

  18. Well, I’m going to buck the trend because I didn’t get on with today’s puzzle at all. It’s not the fault of the puzzle but the fact I had a million and one other things to do so concentrating on the puzzle took a back seat. A shame because I could see it was shaping up to be one of Jay’s good ones. I would try it later on but even more things are lined up for this afternoon.

    Tomorrow is another day! See you all then.

    Thank you Jay and thanks to BD for stepping in.

  19. A brilliant puzzle, thank you Jay. I did like 13a and 8d – last one in 14d. I have been really busy the last five days so it is nice to sit down at lunchtime as usual and do the crossword. A lovely sunny September day here in Cambridge but very windy, after all that rain last night I must make an effort to get out and do some weeding. Thanks, BD for your hints which I needed for LOI.

  20. I’m also going against the grain as I found this very challenging – but incredibly enjoyable to solve (eventually!). It is beautifully constructed by the Wizard of Wednesday.

    I tried saying the quickie pun every which way but still couldn’t see it until BD led me out of my confusion.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: Scritti Politti – Cupid And Psyche 85

    Thanks to Jay and BD.

  21. 3/4. I plodded through this puzzle but got there in the end. Enjoyable nevertheless and my favourites were 24a and 16d. Thanks to all.

  22. A vey nice puzzle! Excellent clues, a good challenge and an enjoyable solve. Impossible to isolate a favourite. 3*, 4*.

  23. Another DNF for me, defeated by 22,29 ,30 across and 26 d. Also needed the hint for 14d. So a bit of a failure for me today, but as always I enjoyed the challenge, why would we do them if we didn’t. Thanks to all.

  24. I’m having a really stupid day today. I think the doctor should have put the cortisone shot in my head, rather than in my hip yesterday… Just when I think I am getting the hang of Jay’s puzzles I get one that proves I really am not on his wavelength. Eventually finished with the help of the hints, and using the checkers, only got a few from the clues. Thanks to Jay, and to Big Dave.

  25. Very enjoyable and fairly fast solving until I hit a block in the SW because I tried to persuade myself that 15a was carbons. Quicky pun no problem for Canadians! Thanks to Jay and Big Dave.

  26. Definitely a crossword of two halves, or more like one quarter and 3 quarters. Managed to do the NE corner in bed this morning and could go no further. Went to the hairdresser and came out all light headed and the rest gradually fell into place. Last one in 30a. Beautiful funeral of one of my fellow newsletter printers yesterday. Her dog was present and when the curtains began to close in front of the coffin it started howling – it was extraordinarily eerie. Anyway thanks to Jay and to Big Dave for stepping in.

  27. I struggled with this one, unusual for a Wednesday 😟 ****/** Favourites 11a & 14d Thanks to Big Dave for his much needed help and of course to Jay ( if it was him 🤔)

  28. I struggled with this one and needed help from BD to finish. Have to say I enjoyed what I could do, though.

    Thanks to BD and to Jay.

  29. For once I have managed to get to the crossword while the sun is still in the sky and what a joy of a puzzle it was. It all filled itself in without too much trouble until I got to 30a. I convinced myself that there were 10 letters in ecosystem so spent as much time trying to work out an anagram from that meaning data as I did on the rest of the solving. Hey ho! Many thanks to BD for the review and our Wednesday setter for the fun.

  30. All was going well but got stuck on 29a. Some great clues e.g. 8d and 22a. Thank you Jay and Big Dave

  31. I found this a tricky Jay Day, I needed some e-help, which I shouldn’t have to with Jay, but what fun once I’d got the answers. My last in was the SE corner where I made a silly mistake, I spelt 24a with only one “l”, couldn’t figure out what sort of game was o-n-o! I revisited that corner and found my mistake, then all fell into place.
    There was so much to like, I thought 30a was clever but 8d was very smile worthy, but so many more could qualify.
    Thank you bunches Jay for the fun, and thanks to our leader for stepping in, so nice to see you back again.

  32. Many thanks to Big Dave for the review and to all for your comments. I do try to produce entertaining puns for the quickie, but opinions vary on what constitutes a good pun! I try to use ones where pronunciation is similar, but the stress lies elsewhere

    2. Thanks for calling in to see us, Jay, and for another excellent puzzle. Must admit, I really struggled with the Quickie pun!

  33. Interesting how 13a came up in similar form a couple of days ago. I seem to remember that last week too we had the same answer from slightly different clues on successive days.

  34. Apologies for the silly question, but what is the ‘quickie pun’ that is mentioned most days here? Is it something that reveals itself if one solves the quickie crossword?

    1. You are right – the first two or (sometimes) more answers form a pun – sometimes it’s a bit of a stretch. If you have the newspaper then the appropriate clues are italicised.

      1. Thanks, I see it now. Not an easy one to spot that. A fun incentive to start doing the quickies though.

  35. Hi everyone.
    Colin here. Just popping in to thank BD for filling in for us with this one.
    The first word of the Quickie pun was most appropriate for us yesterday. The reason we could not do the blog was because I had an eye procedure which meant I had only limited blurred vision and a very sore eye. It has improved a lot overnight so can at least read again and it is much less painful.
    We’ll be back again next Wednesday.
    Cheers.

    1. Hope now all goes well from here on in for you Colin. I begin to understand as I have glaucoma problems.

    3. Hope the progress is maintained Colin. The time is coming for my dimming eyes to get serviced I think, unless they decide I am too near my use-by date of course.

  36. The usual sting in the tail from Jay and I wasn’t to keen on the double abbreviation in 22a but managed to stumble over the line. Favourite was 24a, there were other contenders. Thanks Jay and BD.

  37. All already said. Brilliant solve ave an enjoyable start to what otherwise has been another frustrating day.
    Thank you to Jay & BD.
    Solved before breakfast then spent day trying to contact my old electricity supplier that has gone bust. I was pleased that I had started a switch which according to my new supplier was complete before Green Energy ceased trading. Unfortunately Green had not completed the swap – result they switched me to Shell energy who welcomed me as my “new supplier” 7 days after I had joined Octopus. Spent two days now in telephone queues to Green listening to “Electric Avenue” & being thanked for my patience for 50 minutes then getting cut off from their end & repeating the process several times. To add insult to injury Green took a payment from me after the switch date to Octopus & after they told me they had ceased trading!

  38. Started this in the morning and finished mid afternoon with lots of disruptions and distractions, but finished in 2.5* time with 4* enjoyment.
    Favourites include 19a, 24a, 28a, 30a & 26d with winner 19a

    Thanks to Jay and BD for hints

  39. DNF because I needed help with 14d and 30a. Lots of very clever clues but very enjoyable.
    14d and 24a share the podiunm – difficult to choose from so many excellent clues. The pun is a bit of a Hmm. Thanks to Jay for another masterpiece and to BD for stepping in.

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