DT 29835 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29835

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29835

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ****

Kia ora from Aotearoa.

Suspect that we have Jay back as setter today.
A couple of tricky words in the mix, well put together as usual and good fun of course.

Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

Across

1a     Resident worker following popular custom (10)
INHABITANT : The two letter ‘popular’ is followed by a custom or regular activity and finally, a worker insect.

6a     Time lost from lead, perhaps for something to eat (4)
MEAL : Start with what lead, when pronounced to rhyme with bed is an example of and remove T(ime) from this.

10a     Moderate losing head on more than one occasion! (5)
OFTEN : Remove the first letter from a word meaning moderate or make less severe.

11a     Go on bended knee as fuel can get tricky out of area (9)
GENUFLECT : An anagram (tricky) of FUEL C(a)N GET after A(rea) has been removed.

12a     Slowly get shut of heaps, apparently? (5,3)
PHASE OUT : A reverse anagram. The second word indicates what to do with HEAPS.

13a     Hen party’s ending in reverse of true (5)
LAYER : The last letter of party is inside the reversal of true or actual.

15a     Sickness has student going back for food (7)
ALIMENT : Start with a synonym for sickness and move the student driver letter one space to the left.

17a     Nationalist group will be in touch (7)
PATRIOT : Touch gently encloses a group of three.

19a     City people originally rely on (7)
PRESTON : The first letter of people and then another 4,2 phrase meaning rely on.

21a     Caller putting Italian in shade (7)
VISITOR : A shade that might protect your eyes from the sun contains IT(alian).

22a     Jelly may be a special interest choice initially (5)
ASPIC : ‘A’ from the clue, then the abbreviation for special and the initial letters of interest and choice.

24a     Husked rice in fertiliser may provide such treatment (8)
MANICURE : The two central letters (husked) of ‘rice’ are inside fertiliser, often animal dung.

27a     Second English lesson is potentially distinct (9)
SEPARABLE : S(econd) then E(nglish) and a lesson such as that of the Prodigal Son.

28a     List in which one may be left troubled? (5)
LURCH : If one is left with troubles unsolved one can be said to be left in this.

29a     Expert holding right for so much land (4)
ACRE : An expert or adept contains R(ight).

30a     Dwelling on a time set for renewal (10)
MAISONETTE : An anagram (for renewal) of ON A TIME SET.

Down

1d     Sarcasm should be limited and smooth (4)
IRON : Remove the last letter (should be limited) of sarcasm or cynicism.

2d     Get a free ride seeing problem with increase (5-4)
HITCH-HIKE : A problem or snag and then an increase, often used in relation to prices.

3d     Flower borders? (5)
BANKS : A cryptic definition. The trick is picking which ‘flower’ is used here.

4d     A tout planned to go round Britain — in this vessel? (7)
TUGBOAT : Two of the possible letters used to describe Britain as a whole are included in an anagram (planned) of A TOUT.

5d     Unremitting rise of marijuana suppressed by French denials (3-4)
NON-STOP : The plural of a French negation then the reversal of a slang name for marijuana.

7d     Clergymen expect to keep up opposition (5)
ENEMY : A reverse lurker, hiding in the clue.

8d     Sadly true — Lear pinches technology writer’s output (10)
LITERATURE : The two letters used for computer technology are inside an anagram (sadly) of TRUE LEAR.

9d     A loud, boring guest occasionally gives inspiration (8)
AFFLATUS : ‘A’ from the clue, then the music letter for loud, boring or uninteresting, and the second and fourth letters of ‘guest’.

14d     Free space, as in a large body of water (7,3)
CASPIAN SEA : An anagram (free) of SPACE AS IN A.

16d     Goes in capturing heart of rich individuals offering incentives (8)
ENTICERS : The two central letters of rich are enclosed by a word meaning ‘goes in’.

18d     Understand printer corrected text regularly (9)
INTERPRET : An anagram (corrected) of PRINTER plus the second and fourth letters of ‘text’.

20d     Country chap set up on Spanish island with no end of pizazz (7)
NAMIBIA : Reverse another word for a chap and then a Balearic island with the last letter of pizazz removed.

21d     Changes direction to incorporate most of new appearances (7)
VENEERS : Changes direction or deviates off course contains the first two letters of ‘new’.

23d     Exercises found in standard composition (5)
PAPER : Physical exercises are in ‘standard’ such as an expected golf score.

25d     Officer with popular name (5)
COLIN : The short form of an officer just below a brigadier and then the two letter ‘popular’.

26d     Small tool needed for footwear (4)
SHOE : A garden weeding tool is preceded by S(mall).

One of our team would not consider any other candidate for favourite, so 25d it is.

Quickie pun    fore    +    malign    =    form a line

85 comments on “DT 29835

  1. Very enjoyable. A couple of new words which were easily obtainable from the checkers and wordplay, and I was a bit surprised to see popular used for “in” twice.
    Lots to like, I’ve given my ticks to 10&24a with top spot going to the cracking reverse anagram at 12a.
    2/4*
    Many thanks to the setter (Jay I presume) and the 2Ks for a top puzzle and review.

  2. First puzzle in a while and I agree with the 2Kiwis with their rating. Thought 3d a little weak – almost a literal clue – but the rest were great clues. Hadn’t heard of 9d but easily parsed. Great Weds fodder.

    1. Done that journey many times Nas, must be one of the most scenic lines in England. I’m guessing your illustration is around Teignmouth?

      1. During my many sojourns in the UK, I made that memorable journey four times, visiting friends in Buckfastleigh. Would love to do it one more time. Beautiful views, spectacular ride.

    2. Teignmouth–Dawlish is my favourite stretch of railway too. Our family had the pleasure of it a few times over summer, including our journey home from Devon, which started with a single train from Newton Abbott to Leeds — and even I could complete a crossword in a journey of that length!

  3. An enjoyable Jay puzzle (2*/4*. 9d was a new one in me but could be worked out from the word play. I needed the hints to confirm that I was on the right track with 12a, a really sneaky clue ! Elsewhere, I liked the geographical clues 14d and 20d, 7a and 11a. Many thanks to Jay and to the Kiwis for the hints.

  4. My rating for a typically fun Wednesday puzzle is 2*/4*.

    I learnt a new word in 9d, and I was initially perplexed by 12a. When I first read the clue, I struggled to make any sense at all of the surface. Then, with the aid of the checkers, I was able to work out the answer and concluded that “shut” was a typo as “slowly get shot of” was the obvious the definition. Sensibly I checked online and found that both “shut” and “shot” can be used in that phrase. I’ve never come across “shut” before. Is it a regional thing?

    As usual there are a lot of very good clues to pick from, and I’ve chosen 5d as my favourite.

    Many thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

    1. I’ve definitely heard of “get shut of something” RD, to me it sounds more natural than “shot of”

      1. Perhaps “slowly got rid of” would have worked right across the country (and even in America!)? :yes:

        1. *I can’t see any problem with “get shut/shot of”. They both mean to get rid off/remove. So “slowly get shut/shot of” is a perfectly valid synonym for “phase out”.

          The offs above are typos.

        2. Now I’m conflicted – I live in North Derbyshire but say ‘get shot of’ – maybe I spent too long living in the south in the past. 😆

    2. Definitely ‘get shut of’ for me although I guess there’s an argument that neither way makes much sense!

      1. Definitely get shot of here in Scotland. Never heard of shut of.

        Presumed it was to do with shooting something out of a weapon of some sort.

    3. An investigoogle revealed that ‘shut’ is either a regional dialect word or ‘obscure’

      1. I grew up with ‘get shot of ‘ but several northerners among my university pals used shut instead of shot, so I’m familiar with both terms.

  5. Diverse cluing today from Jay according to the 2K’s , agree with the **/**** ratings’
    Held up by the parsing of 28a until the penny dropped and the clever 12a.
    Favourite was 15d for the wordplay with 20d a close second.
    Thanks to the 2K’S for the pics and Jay for the fun.

  6. A terrific puzzle but I was totally defeated by 9d. Despite having all checkers I simply could not work it out. Once I checked the hints I realised I would never have solved it having never heard of the word. I doubt I will ever use it in daily conversation. Plenty of good clues to choose from but my COTD goes to 27a. It was another that eluded me until I remembered the particular lesson.

    Many thanks to Jay for the fun. Many thanks to the 2 Kiwis for the hints.

  7. An enjoyable puzzle today with some interesting clues not least of which was 9d, a new word to me that required the interrogation of the BRB, sounded to me like something to do with internal gas or perhaps it should be the absence of same!
    No real favourites today just lots of well constructed clues.
    Thx to all
    **/***

  8. A most enJAYable puzzle! Like others so far, I initially puzzled over–and then gasped at–the solution to 12a (I’ve heard both ‘shut’ and ‘shot’ in the UK, but over here? Neither one); it was my last one in, but I think that 20d and 27a are equally remarkable. Lots to like elsewhere too, especially 9d (Ciceronian to be sure but also often less than ‘divine’ in origin, often just a big old gasbag of hot air) and 28a. Thanks to the Kiwis and to Jay. 2.5* / 4.5*

    Finished the Toughie all by my lonesome last night. Great joy.

  9. Enjoyed this exercise which was a bit more challenging in North than in the South. As RD I too thought there was a typo in 12a clue. I see I have company in meeting 9d for the first time. Joint Favs 28a and 4d. Thank you Jay (?) and Quickie 11ds.

  10. 15a and (especially) 9d were a bit off the beaten track but, magnanimously, I will draw a veil over them as they were relatively easy to figure out from the checking letters…
    Other than my regular whine about such matters, a terrific crossword.

    I shall cease giving boiler news as it has failed again and these updates are becoming tedious to say the least. I’ll ask for a more ‘senior’ engineer.
    After a couple of days of normal cat life, Lola has returned to manipulating the duvet into a sort of tent. With her little face peeping out, she looks like a feline Mother Teresa.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: Jackson Browne – Lawyers in Love

    Thanks to the setter and the 2Ks.

      1. Of dear, Terence.
        I would consider getting a local plumber/gas fitter to come and have a look at your boiler…..I know that you are paying British Gas a small fortune to fix it, but they are demonstrably not fixing it. We too had a ‘senior engineer ‘ come and look at our boiler last December and he was no better than the others. In fact he arrived with an ‘ordinary’ engineer and then spent his time on his phone talking to I do not know whom…they never managed to fix it .
        It might be worth it for heat and less harm to your blood pressure

      1. We were put off the British Gas servicing by a friend, when they refused to mend his older boiler, as the parts were not available. Needless to say, he was advised to buy a new boiler, but managed to source the defective part himself and used a local repair man, whim we so employ for an annual service.

        1. I’ve worked for British Gas twice, at both ends of my career some 40 years apart. The first time as a contractor – brilliant, the second time as staff – awful. Personally I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.

  11. All good although electrons required to check 9d. I never realised 19a was a city. 12a was my favourite.

    Thanks to today’s setter and the 2Ks.

  12. Terrific puzzle & tricky in places. Just finished inside *** time with 9d (fortunately remembered from a recent puzzle somewhere) my last in. 6a was a bit of a bung in & don’t know whether it’s just me being thick but I’m none the wiser after reading the hint. 11,12&15a plus 2d are my big ticks.
    Thanks to Jay I assume & the 2Ks
    Ps The Toughie setters no longer appear to be listed below recent comments. Am making heavy weather of today’s puzzle & am blaming it on feeling pretty rough after yesterday’s booster jab.

    1. 6a… remove the T(time list) from something of which lead is an example. Another example may be aluminium.
      I’ve got my booster to “look forward to” next week.
      Toughie setter is Serpent.

  13. I found the south a bit trickier than the north today for some reason. ***/**** I had to check that 9d was indeed a word – it’s not one I’ve ever come across. Favourite 20d. Very ingenious. It took it me a while to work out why it was the answer needed. Large penny drop moment. Thanks to all.

  14. A very enjoyable mid-week puzzle but Jay seems to be becoming ‘influenced’ by his Logman alter ego – 3.5*/4*.

    With clues like 9d, I have to wonder if setters maintain a list of ‘words I must find a way of getting into a crossword.’

    Candidates for favourite – 1a, 21a, 20d – and the winner is 1a, another example of the first Across clue setting the tone for a fine puzzle.

    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  15. Nice to have Jay back where he belongs and I wouldn’t mind betting he included 25d as a specific nod to one of our Kiwi reviewers.
    9d was new to me – will try to remember it although doubt that I’ll need it again until it pops up in another crossword!
    2d raised a smile and my top three mirror the choice of Stephen L – 10,12&24a.

    Thanks to Jay and to our 2Ks for the review.

  16. The usual Jay Wednesday entertainment – like Jane I was hoping to find other second Kiwi in the grid somewhere

    I’d normally be a ‘get shot of’ user but I can see how ‘shut’ would also work

    Thanks to Jay for the crossword and the 2Ks for the blog

  17. What a strange assortment of clues and answers. I was left.disappointed by several answers when I worked them out. Now feeling most deflatus!

  18. Hi,
    I am a ‘straightforward ‘ crossword addict but am totally new to cryptic crosswords and would love to learn how to tackle the clues. Can anyone recommend a good book or website to get me started please?
    Many thanks,
    Lynda

    1. This site will teach you such a lot if you read the hints and tips for the clues you have answered but need a bit of help understanding why your answer is correct. Also read the hints for the answers you failed to get. As for books. I believe this one is very good. The author even recommends this site

    2. Welcome from me also, Lynda. :good: As others have said, stick with this site and you will learn a lot. I joined two years ago having been a mediocre solver for years. I now manage to finish the back pager most days and am getting on reasonably well with the Toughies.

  19. I struggled a bit today, not helped by putting answers in the wrong places and misinterpreting 18d – I have written out various alternate letters of most of the clue, and made a right mess of the paper. I am still feeling a bit feverish after my Covid Booster but on the mend. NHS 111 told me to expect up to 3 days of feeling like this so If I am not firing on all cylinders tomorrow I will have to give them another call.
    24a was my favourite today as it reminded me of an unrepeatable joke.
    Many thanks to the clued and unclued Kiwis and of course to Jay.

  20. Not a fan of this puzzle at all. Found the clues stretched to get to the answer. 3.5*/1* for me today.
    Did this on Tuesday evening and had to google for many hints to solve.
    Did NOT feel like a Jay puzzle to to me.
    No joy in this one at all today. Sorry.
    Clues that made the the grade were 1a, 6a, 8d & 18d, but no winners today.
    But that is just me. Nothing against setter, but just did not connect.

    Thanks to setter and the NZ birds.

  21. Hurray for Jay day – a great puzzle with some excellent teases in the clues. The south-west corner held out the longest for no good reason. 9d was a new word for me but it had to be that based on the checkers. All great clues but my favourite was 28a. Many thanks to Jay and to the 2Ks.

  22. A nice solvable puzzle with plenty of good clues of which I picked 6 which I shall have to whittle down to 3 ***/****👍 9d was a new word for me 😃 Favourites were 17a, 1d & 2d. Thanks to the 2xKs and to Jay

  23. I’m afraid I did not enjoy this one much today. Not on the right wavelength I guess. Did not know 9d which didn’t help.

    Thanks to the 2Kiwis and to the setter.

    Much brighter day here today but jolly cold. Might get some more leaves raked thus afternoon…..anything to save me from further trips to the attic…..and the charity shops and the dump.

  24. Throwing in the towel half way through as it was eating up too much time. Just not on wavelength. Thanks to Jay and 2Kiwis.

  25. I thought my solution of 6a was just as good.
    Lead is start: remove S (second= time) Answer TART
    Pity it’s wrong!

  26. 2/4. Enjoyable puzzle with a new word for me at 9d although easily got from the clueing. My first pass yielded little probably due to one or two G&Ts too many. This morning was much more productive. Thanks to the setter and the 2Ks. Our Pineapple Express has created a nightmare – Vancouver is cut off from the rest of Canada except by air and I can imagine a slow recovery for the main highways. Unfortunately there are fatalities and I foresee shortages of produce for a while to come.

  27. Morning all.
    We thought that Jay showed tremendous restraint with 9d by not making any mention of internal gas release, loud or otherwise.
    Rather surprised to see all the discussion about 12a as we must have just assumed that ‘shot’ and ‘shut’ are acceptable alternatives in the expression.
    Cheers.

  28. Hello All. I’ve regularly been completing or trying to complete the cryptic crossword for a few years and have found this site to have greatly improved my performance. However I do get frustrated by obscure words and obscure clues. Two today. 12a seems to be an anagram but where are the letters for the second word? Am I miss understanding something? 9d yet another word hardly anybody uses – not a lot of enjoyment for me in trying to solve those sort of clues.

    1. Welcome from me too, Andrew.

      As mentioned by the 2 Kiwis in their review, 12a is a reverse anagram. In a normal anagram the anagram fodder and anagram indicator appear in the clue and the resulting word is the answer. In a reverse anagram, the anagrammed word appears in the clue (in this case “heaps”), and the anagram fodder (in this case “phase”) and indicator (“out”) form the answer.

      Hope this helps.

      1. Thanks for the explanation. I think I understand it now apart from knowing how to tell it is a reverse anagram in the first place. Is that the use of the word apparently? Thanks again.

        1. You’ve got it Andrew. The setter has used the word “apparently” (as well as the question mark) to hint that something unusual is going on.

  29. Another enjoyable puzzle today although I had not heard of 9d – I thought perhaps it was going to be rather rude! Anyway solved unaided which was nice so thanks to all. I know a few weeks ago I was bleating on about paying £12 each for 2 six inch pies (he’s still there with no prices on display). Today we bought two tarts from Walsingham Farm shop – one cheese, ham and tomato and the other goats’ cheese and red onion – absolutely top notch, delicious AND £2.50 each, bargain. Its a fantastic shop if you are in the area and sometimes has mutton on sale but sadly not today.

    1. Thanks for the recommendation, Manders. We’re booked into Wells again next summer, but rarely make it to Walsingham Farm Shop — probably because we usually start with a visit to the Creake Abbey food hall (especially if it’s a day when the farmer’s market is on (and double-especially if it’s the right time of year for Candi’s Chutney to have the asparagus one)). And also thank you because your comment prompted me to look up the farm shop at Norfolk Lavender (where we often visit the delightful animal farm) and discover it is no longer run by the Walsingham folk, which possibly explains why we were a little disappointed by it earlier this year.

  30. Enjoyable, reasonably straightforward – was heading for a 1* completion until grinding to a halt in the NW, being unable to see 3d, 10a or 12a (I wanted to write shape out …) and these taking me to 2* with 2.5* “fun factor”.

    Good Wednesday fodder, thank you to Jay and to the 2Ks.

  31. Jay Day so I’m happy! It wasn’t easy but very enjoyable. I used word search for 9d, pretty obscure, like the Kiwis, I admired Jay’s restraint! I made a mistake and put the sickness instead of the food in 15a, it held me up with 2d but I revisited and corrected it. I never did get 6a. There was lots to like, fave was 20d, isn’t that island the home of Nadal?
    Thanks Jay for the fun and the 2Kiwis for you help to cross the finish line.

    1. Merusa, Nadal ‘s island home is in Mallorca – not as referred o in 20d. I am currently hooked on ATP Finals in Turin where Nadal’s presence is much missed.

      1. I knew it was one of the Balearic Islands, maybe I’ll remember now! Can’t wait for the major tennis to start. Did you see the news about that poor Chinese ladies doubles championship player?

  32. I found this harder than the toughie. I had 5 question marks 11a and 12a for parsing, 15a and 9d for never heard of and 28a for obscure. So a typical Jay puzzle for me. If pressed favourite would be 1a. Thanks to Jay and 2 K’s

  33. Started while Spouse was out at a quiz last night, and finished before breakfast this morning. I did far better than I usually do on a Jay Wednesday, but I’m not quite good enough at anagrams to cope with this many in a puzzle.

    Thank you to 2Kiwis for confirming or explaining a few, and to Jay for the fun. My favourite was 19a’s city. I loved it anyway for the wordplay, then this morning on seeing it again it brought back Terry Wogan’s ‘country and western’ joke (and if John Bee isn’t prepared to repeat his joke above, I’m certainly not relaying this one; though obviously Wogan somehow managed it on breakfast radio); it’s always lovely to be reminded of Sir Terry, and particularly so in Children in Need week.

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