DT 29839 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29839

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29839

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Ottawa, where weatherwise we are enjoying a rather mild and uneventful autumn—unlike our unfortunate fellow citizens on the West Coast.

I thought Campbell delivered a stellar piece of entertainment today. It was very typical—a fast start with some mental effort required to finish, but lots of fun along the way.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

Across

1a   Relish having romp with dish right away (5-5)
CAPER SAUCE — romp or dance about playfully followed by a dish typically found under a cup removing the R(ight)

6a   Eager, opera star to return (4)
AVID — reverse a notoriously tempermental opera singer

9a   Traveller in Russian plane heading towards storm (7)
MIGRANT — a Russian fighter aircraft precedes an emotional outburst

10a   Leonard redesigned Montreal landmark (2,5)
LA RONDE — anagram of (redesigned) LEONARD

12a   Hymn may make one feel it as deeds unfolded (6,7)
ADESTE FIDELES — anagram of (unfolded) the four preceding words

14a   Performer‘s skill is apparent at the end (6)
ARTIST — string together a skill or knack, the IS from the clue and the end or final letter of apparenT

15a   Spike attached to brass choker, say (8)
NECKLACE — spike or adulterate a drink attached to the back of brass or effrontery

17a   Tense tailor nervously eating large pancake (8)
TORTILLA — the grammar abbreviation for tense and an anagram of (nervously) TAILOR enveloping L(arge)

19a   Tooth decay — constant sign (6)
CARIES — a mathematical constant (the speed of light perhaps) and a sign of the zodiac

22a   Endless tipples shaken, not initially stirred — a possible result! (4,9)
PINK ELEPHANTS — an anagram (stirred) where the fodder is a charade of TIPPLE(s) removing the end letter, SHAKEN from the clue, and the initial letter of Not; the entire clue provides a sort of cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded

24a   Pigeons initially disconcert rabbit (7)
PRATTLE — the initial letter of Pigeons and another term for disconcert (or as one might say on this side of the pond, discombobulate)

25a   Maigret playing Joplin’s sort of music (7)
RAGTIME — anagram of (playing) MAIGRET

Maple leaf Rag, recorded on Pianola Roll actually played by Scott Joplin, this piano roll was found in the wrong box on Ebay apparently, and turned out to be a long lost Joplin recording. The sound quality is so good because this is a MIDI re-creation from that piano roll rather than a wax recording. for information about the video.

26a   Extremely thin person in bar, a Kenyan (4)
RAKE —a lurker concealed in the final three words of the clue

27a   Simple way responsible for comfortable circumstances? (4,6)
EASY STREET — line up synonyms for simple and way

Down

1d   Conservative politician describing a holiday complex (4)
CAMP — the single-letter for Conservative and a member of the lower house at Westminster bookend the A from the clue

2d   Show maturity wearing short trousers? (7)
PAGEANT — maturity measured by the time since one’s birth inside trousers that are short not because they reach only to the knees but because they are missing their final letter

3d   Family magazine disagreed, unusually, with others around (7,6)
READER’S DIGEST — anagram of (unusally) DISAGREED ensconced in a synonym for others or remainder

4d   Shrewd like famous pharaoh, leader of Egyptians (6)
ASTUTE — a synonym of like, the nickname of Eqyptian boy king, and the leading letter of Egyptians

5d   Loss of confidence arising out of previous charge in court (4,4)
COLD FEET — a synonym for previous or former and a monetary charge inserted in the abbreviation for court found in street addresses

7d   Article in large house, something that adds taste (7)
VANILLA — an indefinite article in a large country house

8d   What may be used to select the right gear? (5,5)
DRESS SENSE — cryptic definition of skill in choosing a becoming outfit

11d   A delight for some? Thirty kegs, and free! (3,3,2,5)
RED SKY AT NIGHT — anagram of (free) the three preceding words gives a sight that pleases nautical types

13d   Refuse to throw away rag (5,5)
WASTE PAPER — a verb meaning throw away or squander followed by a derogatory appellation for a periodical

16d   A partner touring eastern area plant (4,4)
ALOE VERA — link together the A from the clue, a romantic partner embracing Eastern, and the mathematical symbol for area

18d   Managed to get rid of rifle (7)
RANSACK — synonyms for managed or was in charge of and get rid of or dismiss

20d   Encourage popular father to keep first of promises (7)
INSPIRE — a usual word for popular and the father of a colt around the first letter of Promises

21d   Slip up during attempt to make fortified wine (6)
SHERRY — to slip up or make a mistake inside an archaic term for an attempt or shot (at hitting a coconut perhaps)

23d   Examine some in crate — stout (4)
TEST — our second lurker of the day indicated by “in“, hiding in the final two words of the clue

I might have singled out any of many clues today for special mention. However, I’ll limit myself to 11d and 22a with the latter edging out the former for top honours. (I just realized they both involve copious amounts of alcohol! What does that say about my choices?) And I must not neglect to give an honourable mention to the close-to-home amusement park at 10a.


Quickie Pun (Top Row): PEPYS + CHAUD = PEEP SHOW

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : SCREW + PULLS = SCRUPLES


118 comments on “DT 29839

  1. 2*/4*. Great Monday fun all the way except for a hmm for the American usage in 2d.

    22a was my favourite.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

    1. I don’t think that is an Americanism. The only place I have ever seen it is in these crosswords.

      1. BL, you may be thinking of the use of pants as an anagram indicator, which is certainly crossword specific. In this clue “pants” is used to clue “trousers”, which is definitely American.

        On my first visit to America in the 70s, a colleague and his wife met me at Chicago airport. She was wearing trousers and when she stepped into a puddle in the car park, she alarmed me somewhat by saying, “I’ve just wet my pants”!

  2. There were some very clever clues in this puzzle and some that werenot so appealing (2*/3.5*). I really liked 1a, 11d and 11a . U didn’t get the rationale behind 5d so thanks to Falcon for the hint and a tortilla (17a) isn’t a pancake (have we had this discussion before?). I’m still in twominds about the efficacy of 22a, although it did make me laugh. Unfortunately, i know little about Montreal s guessed it and got it wrong. So a mixed bag ir curate’s egg for me, but mildly enjoyable. Thanks to Falcon and Campbell.

    1. You are probably correct in intimating that there have been previous discussions on a tortilla being a pancake or not.

      Playing devil’s advocate, I would suggest that it could be. Paraphrasing the BRB, a tortilla is a cake of unleavened bread cooked on a griddle. Some pancakes are cooked on a griddle, so I suppose that a tortilla could be cooked in a pan.

    2. In Mexico, according to Lexico (Oxford), a tortilla is “a thin, flat pancake …” and, according to Collins, it is “a kind of thin pancake …”.

      In Spain, accord to both the BRB and Lexico, a tortilla is an omelette.

      1. The tortilla recipes that I have are more of the omelette type., although I have ysed the flat bread rype ones in packets in the supermarket..

    3. I found 22a eminently efficacious: The answer (or drunken hallucinations) is a possible result (the definition) of the clue surface/word-play.

      1. Jose,
        You are spot on. I should have marked the clue as an all-in-one in which the wordplay is embedded. I have modified the review now to show this.

    4. I agree. A pancake is not a tortilla. It can be a crepe, but not a tortilla whatever the BRB says.

  3. Mostly enjoyable and very skillfully clued throughout. I have to confess to using an anagram solver for 12a where I had all the checkers and the fodder but just couldn’t make two words. Not impressed. That apart a lot of fun, with 22a and 11d my favourites.
    1.5/3*
    Many thanks to Campbell and DT.

    Very good and eminently sensible article by Nick Timothy in today’s paper.

    1. In high school Latin classes (ca 1953-54), Stephen, we had to learn all four stanzas of 12a in Latin and walk the halls of our high school singing them. I can still remember most of the lines. Amazing what stuff sticks with you.

      1. Several years later than your Latin classes, but I still remember quite a few of the German lyrics to Silent Night

        1. Me too, CS, but from German classes at Clemson University this time. I don’t remember, however, walking the Halls of Ivy there and singing those verses.

          1. It’s Mozart’s Ave Verum thatsticks in my mind. My Latin teacher got together with our form teacher, also the music teacher. Our class had to sing it at the annual music festival and then for an audience at the evening conceert.

      2. A little earlier than you CS probably 1951 or 1952 I too had to learn the Latin version . Some of which I too remember & will try to sing in a few weeks time.

      3. Me too re 12a with memories from school Latin and choir classes and also, like CS, Stille Nacht from school days (otherwise still struggle with that language).

    2. Don’t you think Adeste Fideles is far more stirring than O Come All Ye Faithful? Talking of hymns, went to a funeral on Friday and sang Onward Christian Soldiers – I’m amazed the woke brigade haven’t ‘cancelled’ it for promoting warlike activity.

      1. Hymns Old & New got rid it of as long ago as mid-1990s: our church bought a set to replace Hymns Ancient & Modern, and it had been removed, for the reason you said. Instead, they’d commissioned Onward Christian Pilgrims to the same tune. (I don’t think we ever sang it.)

        The editors’ attempt to justify this in the introduction claimed they’d combined the new and the traditional: some new hymns, and continuing the tradition of changing and adapting the words of old hymns for contemporary audiences — which suspiciously sounds to me very much like the opposite of ‘traditional’ in the sense most churchgoers would expect.

        Some years (and a change of vicar) later, we chose O Come to My Heart, Lord Jesus for Dad’s funeral service, and I commented to the vicar that the version in Hymns Old & New doesn’t have the word ‘sod’ in it. “I hate those hymn books!” was the vicar’s immediate and visceral response. “Let’s have the proper version. There’s nothing like a church full of people loudly singing ‘sod’.”

        Anyway, I hope the funeral went well, Manders. It’s good that you were able to go. A New York friend from the tech community died last week, age 57. I was so pleased to discover the funeral was online, so I could still watch from the UK.

        (Original verse 3:
        “The foxes found rest, and the bird had its nest
        in the shade of the cedar tree;
        But thy couch was the sod, O thou Son of God,
        in the desert of Galilee:
        O come to my heart, Lord Jesus;
        There is room in my heart for thee.”

        Updated version replaces the middle 2 lines with:

        “But no place was known you could call your own
        in the hillsides of Galilee.”)

        1. I wish they wouldn’t mess with my world. Over here they say “don’t fix what ain’t broke”.

  4. What was 12a, a Latin Anagram, doing in a Monday back pager? Toughie material for me.
    10a was new to me and last in, assumed the french language.
    Apart from the above, good fun and going for a ***/****.
    Favourite was 22a for the surface.
    Thanks to setter and Falcon for the music.

  5. Required electronic assistance with the hymn. 22a was my favourite. Thanks to today’s setter and DT.

  6. Spot-on for a Monday. ** time and *** enjoyment. I found 12a straightforward but can understand some having reservations. More concerned about an obscure Montreal “landmark” (10a) but it was pretty obviously an anagram.
    No real outstanding clues but overall a very satisfying solve.
    Thank you Campbell, week after week you produce such a consistent standard. Similarly DT, thanks for the analysis.

  7. At the trickier end of Monday but enjoyable – no problem with the hymn – you probably all know it as O Come All Ye Faithful – I had trouble with the Montreal landmark

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

    1. I haven’t started the puzzle yet, but have just read your comment which is spooky as I have just commented above on that very hymn.

  8. Entertaining throughout.**/*** I think, if we can have a Canadian theme park and some American trousers, we can certainly have a the Latin version of a very well known hymn. No problems with any of the aforementioned even though the theme park wasn’t there the last time I was in Montreal. 12a my favourite. Thanks to all.

      1. I know. I went with my (American) aunt in 1966. I lived in Canada for a couple of years after that but never went back to Montreal.

  9. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: but, dare I say, that it took me 50% more time to solve than yesterday’s PP – 2.5*/4*.

    I should probably and somewhat shamefully admit that, even though I lived in Montréal for three years, I was completely unaware of the existence of 10a.

    Candidates for favourite – 27a, 4d, and 13d – and the winner is 13d.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    1. I have visited Montreal several times but had not come across 10a – possibly that’s an age giveaway as anyway it probably wouldn’t be on my ‘must see’ list!

    2. I think that comes under the heading of “if you live in a city, you don’t do the tourist things”. I remember being asked if I wanted to visit it but declined.

      1. Agree, never visited the Tower of London when we lived just outside Reading. Then we did go with friends, on one of our trips home, after 28 years! And 15 years before we made it to Paris.

  10. I really enjoyed this thoughtful and entertaining puzzle. I suppose the hymn is GK that you either know or don’t, but just because a solver hasn’t heard of it doesn’t make it unfair, in my opinion. And as an anagram, there were plenty of checkers to get you started if it was new to you. How else do you learn? 11d was my favourite, ahead of 8d.

    Thanks to Campbell for the fun, and to Falcon.

  11. Odd that 10a is called a landmark; I think maybe ‘fairground’ or ‘park’ might have been more appropriate, but I’m not complaining because I really enjoyed this one, especially the longer clues. Got off to a bumpy start because I thought I was looking for a phrase meaning ‘right away’ in 1a (how clever is that, anyway?!), and it was m LOI. Falcon’s ‘stellar’ suits my description of my favourites: 1, 12, 22a, with lots of good stuff elsewhere too. Thanks to Falcon and Campbell. 2.5* / 4*

    Thanks again to all of you who wished me well on my 83rd yesterday. “O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

    1. Oh! We were away at the weekend and so missed news of your birthday, Robert. Many happy returns – even though I am a day late!

            1. Oh ditto ditto to all of you. Those Latin, German s as nd French songs and poems and nursery rhymes learned 70 years ago I remember quite clearly but couldn’t tell you what I did last week! Stille nachte, Die Lorelei, Papillon beau papillon, vole vite beau papillon and so on. Neuter nouns in al, r, a, behave in an adjectival way but in the ablative you see, a letter i and not an e.

  12. I thought elements of this trickier than yesterday & only mention it because in his review Senf’s observation re the Dada difficulty scale was that Campbell had come a day early. The 12a anagram was simply a case of where to place the chips on the roulette table & guessed right for a change – same principal for 10a really but obvious. The downs at 4,5&8 were my picks in a good solid puzzle to kick the week off with though I think I marginally preferred the bonus cryptic – a good bit easier other than a wee bit of GK required in the SW.
    Thanks Campbell & Falcon.

  13. An interesting and unusual crossword but very enjoyable to solve. The bunged in answers gave enough checking letters to help with the rest.

    We zipped up to Lincolnshire and back at the weekend. Driving back yesterday afternoon, we became particularly aware of how big the sky looks when all the land around you is so flat. I’ve experienced this in parts of America too, where the sky seems almost overwhelming.
    Back to reality now as (here we go again) British Gas are due between noon and six o’clock this evening for their fourth visit in two weeks. We are huddled in one room with electric heaters. We are considering wearing coats. Lola has wrapped herself in a duvet again.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: Rickie Lee Jones – Pirates

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

    1. Have been listening to Introducing Aaron Frazer (drummer with The Indications) – his first solo record. Took a couple of listens but rather like. Produced by Don Auerbach (Black Keys) who recently worked with Marcus King on his last album El Dorado. Well worth a listen if you don’t know it/them.

    2. Terence, we moved to Cambridge from the Surrey hills and were initially overwhelmed by the vastness of the sky. I have to say I wouldn’t have it any other way now, we have grown to love it.

  14. I didn’t enjoy this as much as other Monday Campbells. Perhaps it was too many pints of Landlord ale last night but I found the going hard. I have never heard of 10a and neither have I looked upon a tortilla as a pancake. The clues I really liked were 22a, 4d and 5d with the latter being my COTD.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the puzzle and also to Falcon for the hints.

  15. I’d forgotten the Latin needed for 12a so had to start building it up from checkers and fodder until the grey matter eventually kicked into gear. Don’t think the Montreal ‘landmark’ was there when I visited but it was easy enough to guess and then check.
    3d brought back memories, my parents were regular subscribers and the latest edition was always given pride of place on the coffee table.
    Favourite was 4d with the short but sweet 18d taking reserve place.

    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the packed review.

  16. Drat, defeated by 12a, never had Latin in my secondary modern school ( are there any schools left or are they all colleges etc), most of us struggled with English. Definitely harder than the usual Monday offering. Remembered 19a from a previous crossword so the memory is still working a bit. 22a made me 😊 so that’s my favourite. Thanks to all.

  17. Slow to get this one going but once the gaps reduced the answers for the most part dropped in.
    Mrs 2P came to the rescue for the Latin incantation, where would I be without her, probably still on the offering from the current bun not that I would ever admit to buying one!
    Thanks to the setter and the blogger.

  18. Slow in the uptake but hung in there and all eventually came through mainly thanks to anagram assistance. 12a penny took while to drop – prior to that was working on something ‘fiddles’ – inappropriate! Liked 8d once motoring had been discounted. Not sure about abbreviating Egyptian pharaoh for 4d. Thank you Campbell and Falcon.

  19. I had a remarkably smooth ride (for me), done before work. Had to check the existence of the deductible 1a & 10a, whilst years of amo, amas, amat and chorister offspring eased 12a’s delivery. Held up attempting the wrong attempt for 21d though. Good luck with the boiler Terence.

  20. It was a slow start for me and a longer than usual solving time for a Campbell. Nevertheless enjoyable. I admit to looking up Trip Adviser’s 30 top landmarks for Montreal but the answer was not there. I waited till I had the checkers. Little choice as it is anagram and Montreal is in French Canada which is another clue. I have no argument with 12a although I can guess who will. It was an obvious anagram and with the checkers solvable with or without the Latin and Christianity. My Latin is sadly lapsed (sorry Miss Reddish) but I got there. 22a was my LOI even with the anagram fodder. Long list of favourites which I shall restrict to 1 and 27a and 2 8 and 11d. Thank you Campbell and to Falcon. Always like checking even when I have the answers.

  21. I didn’t find this puzzle as easy as a normal Monday offering. Dada was easier on Sunday!
    I rate this a ***/*** for this week.
    Clues for favourites include 12a, 17a, 22a, 24a & 11d with winner 11d … but only just over 12a

    Thanks to Setter (assuming Campbell) and Falcon

  22. Senility it definitely kicking in as my response to the Latin/French/German learning finished up in the wrong place. Mea culpa I hit the wrong button. A nice start to the week’s brain testing, the Montreal question made me think of going up the Toronto tower. I am scared of heights and declared I would not ascend but at the last minute I thought what the heck, I have come all this way. I remember being amazed at the length of the train we watched from above, it seemed to go on forever. Many thanks to the setter and to Falcon.

  23. A bit trickier than Mondays of late, The Latin Hymn and the Montreal landmark required a nudge in the right direction. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.
    Lovely crisp and clear here so I hope Hudson is having a whale of a time on the moors. and Lola is cuddled up until the gasman cometh. I recall that Lola would spurn indoor comforts at first have you been spoiling her Terence? :)😺🐕

      1. It never ceases to amaze me that our canine companions always head for a ‘stick’ they would find very difficult to manoeuvre over any distance.

      2. What a lovely looking dog Steve. Very envious of the Landlord. My hepatologist gave me a rollicking recently when I was daft enough to admit to a bottle of beer most nights & a pint (or two) after golf. Suitably chastened I’m experimenting with alcohol free alternatives. Yesterday it was Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% – absolutely awful…..

        1. I now only drink on high days and holidays, Huntsman so I am able to have a drink at the moment. The rest of the time I have Ribena!

  24. My first school was in S Wales. We had to learn and sing Gaudeamus Igitur for an open day. It was many years later, at a different school, that I realised the words were Latin. I thought we had been singing in Welsh.

      1. Goodness, that took me back – it was my old school anthem. Don’t think I ever knew what the words meant!

            1. ‘Nothing is heard but the song of a bird…: (Mario Lanza singing, Edmund Purdom lip-syncing).

  25. I’m still struggling but thanks to Falcon whose hints I will need later. Thank you Jane for a mention- I nearly fell off my chair but it has given me a boost of confidence to contribute again. I really love reading all the comments. A belated happy birthday to Robert Clark and so glad to see Kath commenting again.
    I agree with you Jane about The dinner guest although I enjoyed the suspense. I’ve since read Osman’s The man who died twice which was fun and I’d recommend it. Also Robert Goddard’s The fine art of invisible detection is a cracking read, although a bit stretched in places.
    So back to the crossword!

    1. Glad you agreed with me, Helen, thought perhaps it was ‘just me’. I’ve got the Osman book on order but I always wait for the paperback editions so it will be a while yet. I’ll look into the Goddard you mentioned. Have you read The Last Bookshop in London – definitely one that I’d recommend.

    2. Thank you, G Helen, for the birthday wish. I enjoyed the second Osman book too. Must find the Goddard.

      1. It’s a slow starter and you will need to hang on in there but he is a master storyteller

  26. Finished without help but many of the clues were just too clever for me. A case of find the definition and forget about the wordplay.
    Never heard of the sauce in 1a.
    Ok but not much fun.
    Thx to all
    **/**

  27. Just about to start this having been doing my printing session all morning. Then decided we definitely needed a pub lunch, the Dun Cow as good as ever despite an absolutely gigantic but very friendly husky wanting to eat my lunch. Kindle seems to have packed in so off to do the dead tree version. Thanks in advance to the setter and for the hints should I need them.

    1. Manders are you referring to the Dun Cow at Ollerton, Nr Knutsford, Cheshire? If so, that might be our friends dog!

  28. I knew the Latin version of the carol, but couldn’t remember whether the second word ended “lis” or “les”. The anagram resolved this conundrum nicely, but I then proceeded to put in the wrong answer! Nothing wrong with the long-term memory, but…..
    8d top of the podium for me today.
    Good fun.

  29. I cant say that i felt entirely at one with this offering. It’s more of a comment on my ability than the puzzle which im sure the more experienced solvers will have enjoyed. In fact, i enjoyed it with hindsight. My favourite is 12a as it gave me an opportunity to listen to Andrea Bocelli.

  30. I enjoyed this, except when does a Christmas carol become a hymn? A serious question from a confirmed atheist.
    Many thanks both…

  31. I didn’t know the Latin, but with all the checkers in place I concluded that it had to be what it is, and an electronic check led me to this which was a pleasant surprise so I thought I’d share it:

    1. What a delightful rendition, so much better than anything we ever achieved at school – particularly when those of us in the choir were trying to master the descant!

  32. I think I did a different puzzle, I found this so friendly it flowed like honey! There was nothing obtuse or out of the ordinary to confuse a girl. I knew 22a, I’ve even tried one, truly the shortest distance between sober and tipsy, very sweet, you hardly know you’re drinking alcohol. I loved it all. Fave was 22a but I liked 11d as well. I’m now on alert for drama later this week.
    Thanks Campbell, this was a winner, and thanks to Falcon for his review.

  33. Late to the crossword today and needed the hint for 16d ***/**** 😃 I really enjoy the Monday Crossword 👍 Favourites 24a & 13d Thanks to Falcon and to Campbell. The pedant in me thinks of 12a across as a carol rather than a hymn 🤔

  34. Seemed to do this one in several spurts – didn’t help myself by managing to put the wrong word in for the 1st part on 1a, which threw me for a while. Overall v enjoyable though quite tricky (for me!)

  35. Completed before I visited here today but some of them had to be eeked out, far from straightforward.
    We sang 12a for our school Christmas end of term service, very familiar to me – and Latin was part of our curriculum. The Montreal landmark was off my list of visits when there years ago, you learn a bit every day.
    Hope BG gets the boiler fixed Terrence, you really need it now with the change in temp, good to see Lola has worked out how to get round it.

  36. I found this difficult never having heard of the caper sauce or La Ronde,
    The Latin hymn was easy
    However, the absolute pits for me was 3d, I couldn’t believe that that frightful publication was once more rearing is ugly head!

  37. I usually enjoy a Campbell puzzle, but this one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. COTD 5d, and last in was 17a. Probably I am just rather grumpy today. Pinched nerve is giving me grief, had to go back to the dentist as three month old crown cracked, and roofers are coming to repair leak, repaired less than a year ago. Must be because I was born on a Wednesday. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  38. Just finished our evening meal at the Moors Inn. Lamb shank for Mrs. C. and beef burger pour moi. Both superb. However, how many of the wonderful folk on this blog could tackle the Moors Inn mixed grill, I wonder?

    1. I’d give it a go as long as that Calamari hasn’t been anywhere near it – who wants to eat deep-fried elastic bands !
      Have you seen the latest Puzzle newsletter? we came up with nearly identical clues for UNSETTLE!

      1. Blimey! I forgot to look at the newsletter. Just shows how relaxed I am up here in Yorkshire. I’ll pop over to email now.

        Totally agree with you with regard to calamari.

      2. We couldn’t have got any closer if we had tried, John.

        Interesting about the online treasure hunts. I’ll look at it closer tomorrow.

      3. I’ve only just subscribed to the newsletter so didn’t get yesterday’s. What was the winner for UNSETTLE?

        1. http://m.email3.telegraph.co.uk/nl/jsp/m.jsp?c=%40sOpguD8RBaeXqMIT8sqJBRva%2FEu6gUVft4WZ%2BxrV4%2Fc%3D&WT.mc_id=e_DM1526527&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Edi_Puz_New&utmsource=email&utm_medium=Edi_Puz_New20211122&utm_campaign=DM1526527
          Should get you the whole newsletter but the winner was….
          Charlie Oakley of Hartland, Devon, who brilliantly spots that U followed by an anagram of NETTLES can give a very smooth surface reading:

          Onset of urticaria – wild nettles cause irritation (8)

          Congratulations to Charlie for coming out on top this week.

  39. Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the review and hints. A real mixed bag for me, lots of anagrams and quite a few gimmies. Had never heard of 1,10&12a. LOI was 15a, which I couldn’t parse. Favourite was 22a, my friend’s Dad used to have plastic Pink Elephants that were kept in the fridge (sealed with a liquid inside) then dropped into a drink to cool it 😁

    1. My mother in law invested in those pink elephants. We had to discard them as the water they contained could be contaminated. False news?

  40. 3*/4*……
    liked 18D ” Managed to get rid of rifle (7) ” …… amongst others…
    “sallow” below “callow” in the quickie…intentional ?

      1. The Times concise has this sort of wordplay, albeit normally more involved, and I wonder whether Campbell may be starting the same.

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