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DT 29874

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29874

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

Happy New Year everyone and greetings from Ottawa, where we have experienced a spell of unseasonably warm weather hovering around the freezing point (about 30° C warmer than my colleague Senf has been “enjoying” in Winnipeg). However, this week the temperature is forecast to drop to a more accustomed range.

Today’s puzzle from Campbell is a very gentle affair but not lacking the usual fun element.

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   A note describing scoundrel in gallery (6)
ARCADE — the A from the clue and a musical note wrapped around (describing) a scoundrel or rogue

4a   Film celebrities fighting inside (4,4)
STAR WARS — celebrities (who, coincidentally, do appear in films) with a state of armed conflict inside

10a   One’s financial dealings may generate a lot of interest (4,5)
LOAN SHARK — cryptic definition of a usurious, unregulated source of funds

11a   Pounds get paid to master (5)
LEARN — the symbol for pounds sterling and a synonym for ‘get paid’

12a   Italian quietly breaking in to steal carp (3-4)
NIT-PICK — the abbreviation for Italian (the language or the vermouth) and the musical notation to play quietly inside a slang term for steal or illegally take, especially secretly

13a   Shorten a connection (7)
ABRIDGE — the A from clue and a connection traversing a river, perhaps

14a   Miss mostly seen round copper’s place (5)
LOCUS — a word meaning to miss or be unable to find something with its final letter missing (mostly) surrounding the chemical symbol for copper

15a   Challenging former deputy (8)
EXACTING — the usual prefix meaning former and an adjective that denotes representing someone in their absence

18a   At home, after round, gets news update (8)
BULLETIN — the usual short word for ‘at home’ follows a round one would find at a firing range (not at a golf course or pub)

20a   Black and yellow cape initially missing (5)
RAVEN — a synonym for yellow or cowardly with the initial letter of Cape missing

23a   Tourist centre in Dover — is riot developing? (7)
VISITOR — the middle letter (centre) of DoVer and an anagram (developing) of IS RIOT

25a   Leave leader of force (4,3)
HEAD OFF — string together a leader or person in charge, the OF from the clue and the physics symbol for force

26a   Cash immediately available (5)
READY — a slang term for money also means ‘immediately available’ (which, as I understand, is where the slang term originated)

27a   Waver, and depart carrying infirm (9)
VACILLATE — to depart or remove oneself form the premises containing another word for infirm or not well

28a   Open University about to make a proposal (8)
OVERTURE — a charade of open or public, the abbreviation for university and a short word denoting about or in the matter of

29a   Discontent shown by a Parisian ahead of all others (6)
UNREST — a French indefinite article preceding ‘all others’ or remainder

Down

1d   Exhausted — everybody, on the whole (3,2,3)
ALL IN ALL — a (3,2) phrase meaning exhausted and another word for everybody

2d   Confused talk about duck I caught (7)
CHAOTIC — an informal talk wrapped around a duck in cricket and followed by the I from the clue and the cricket abbreviation for caught

3d   Notice small young lady wearing ring (9)
DISMISSAL — the symbol designating small items of clothing and a young lady contained in (wearing) another term meaning to ring someone on the telephone

5d   Defer to appropriate article on wet weather study (4,1,9)
TAKE A RAINCHECK — form a word sum of another word for appropriate or assume possession of, an indefinite article, wet weather and a verb meaning to stady or examine

6d   Measure head (5)
RULER — double definition; both nouns

7d   A gang working in desert (7)
ABANDON — a charade of the A from the clue, a gang and working or operating

8d   Boy, ten, turned up poem (6)
SONNET — a male offspring and a reversal (turned up, in a down clue) of TEN

9d   One giving tips cabbies perhaps don’t want? (4-4,6)
BACK-SEAT DRIVER — cryptic definition of a mouthy passenger offering unsolicited driving lessons

16d   Jack, boy in waterproof stuff (9)
TARPAULIN — link together another term for jack or sailor, a boy’s name and the IN form the clue

17d   Popular result, actually (2,6)
IN EFFECT — the usual short word for popular or trendy and a synonym for result or outcome

19d   Steal the show winning leg (7)
UPSTAGE — an adjective denoting winning or ahead (in a bicycle race, perhaps) and a leg of such a race

21d   Break old stringed instrument at end of performance (7)
VIOLATE — line up a Renaissance stringed instrument played with a bow, the AT from the clue and the final letter (end) of performancE

22d   Very much found among believers (orthodox) (4,2)
EVER SO — a lurker hiding in the final two words of the clue

24d   Rendezvous in street following experiment (5)
TRYST — abbreviation for street following experiment or test

Being somewhat partial to cryptic definitions, I will pick 10a as my clue of the day.


Quickie Pun (Top Row): WEAK + KNIGHT = WEEKNIGHT

Quickie Pun (Middle): MAIDEN + DAGGER + NUMB = MADE IN DAGENHAM

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : SUFFER + KATE = SUFFOCATE


165 comments on “DT 29874

  1. I found this slightly tougher than usual for a Monday but enjoyable, nevertheless. Quite a number of clues required some thought, which is what a cryptic is all about. This all made for a satisfying solve. I’m not too sure why, in 11a, the plural of “pound” was used because there is only one in the solution. Then again, what do I know? Again, I had ticks all over the paper – 1a, 10a and 5d but my COTD is 18a.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the fun challenge and grateful thanks to Falcon for the hints.

    1. It’s plural pounds because L in the answer is the symbol in in the old money L.s.d. – pounds, shillings and pence. I’m sure you remember them, you’re older than me! L = the Latin, Librae.

        1. I don’t know if you remember, but when we were learning how to do monetary “sums” at junior school we used the symbols: l.s.d., with a lower case l. I never saw, then, the later version: £ s d.

      1. Just to be sure, Miffypops – you are seeing the three clue pun? It gives the title of a film.

    1. Thanks, Steve et al

      I managed to identify the third pun — but to do so I needed every hint provided by you all together with some help from Mr. Google.

  2. I always find the Monday puzzle a challenge for some reason.
    Last one in was 9d as I couldn’t think beyond either the tic toc men at the races or, because of the cabbies, the Uber fraternity.

  3. Very enjoyable, I thought it was excellent throughout with some nice misdirection. Ticks aplenty including 10,20,27&28a plus 3&21d.
    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon for getting the week off to such a good start.

  4. Thank you, Campbell. My favourite was 28a’s “Open University”.

    With 5d I thought of what turned out to be the correct answer straight away, but then discarded it because all the dictionaries I could find (including Chambers online) have it as (4,5) instead of (9) at the end. Please can somebody with a BRB confirm the 9-letter single-word spelling is in there?

    This was a slow start for me, and it looked like I was going to get stuck, but the answers built up gradually. Then I thought I was going to need Falcon’s hints for a couple of parsings, but eventually got all of those too. Thank you for providing them — the knowledge they are there if I need them is what gives me the confidence to attempt these puzzles.

    1. Smylers, the BRB has raincheck (surprisingly to me) as one word. It is an expression of American origin and I’m pretty sure that they would enumerate it as two words.

      1. Thanks for checking, both. I should’ve just had the confidence to go with it in the first place — given how long 5d is, that would’ve helped with a bunch of across clues.

        1. Interesting – I just Googled Take a raincheck and guess what came up:
          “Did you mean: Take a rain check”. What is more, although this post did not autocorrect , I have a row of red dots under the word. When I click on it I am given two alternatives – two words and one hyphenated word.

            1. The two URL’s actually lead to entries from different dictionaries (although all are on the Collins website).

              The URL cited by Jose points to an entry from Collins English Dictionary which spells it as a single word (and, by the way, characterizes the word as US and Canadian).

              The URL cited by Rabbit Dave showing the term as two words leads to entries from Collins COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Webster’s New World College Dictionary, and an entry attributed to Penguin Random House (which, in my experience, would seem to be based on the Random House Webster’s College Dictionary).

      2. I immediately thought it was an Americanism, but I’m guessing it’s probably accepted in Britspeak as well now.

  5. 1.5*/3* for a light and pleasant first Monday of the new year. Shame about the vague boy in 16d (I’m pleased to say we have had relatively few of these in recent months) and I thought the definition “waterproof stuff” for this clue was a bit odd although not really inaccurate.

    With plenty to enjoy, 10a was my favourite.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon.

    1. I do not complain about the vague boy as having got the three letter sailor the answer was obvious, even without checkers.

  6. Very enjoyable. Quick to solve but that did not detract from the pleasure. In fact it increased it. The long ones assisted with the speed of the solve. SW was last in and 28a last of all. I think that was more about my pattern of answering than the difficulty level. I could have found 24d tricky if I did not have the middle letter. The use of Vs, Fs, Ks helped too. My top one in was 12a. A DOH moment when I stopped looking for a fish. HNY and thanks Campbell. Thanks Falcon I’ll now look at hints to check parsing but think I got it all!

  7. A very gentle start to the week. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon. We subscribers to the newspaper app appear to have acquired a second Sodoffku. I’m sure there was talk of having the general knowledge puzzle. I wonder what happened to that?

    1. Just received an email from DT saying that my subscription had just been renewed for £35,88 and that the transaction was accepted.
      I was never asked.

  8. On a different subject, did anyone else have trouble with yesterday’s so called General Knowledge crossword? Unusually for me there were half a dozen words I’d never heard of. Just as well I’m not entering the competition as I would have to admit my shameful debt to the omnipresent Dan word!

      1. I never bother Greta as my knowledge could hardly be described as general but might have a peek if there’s some obscure films in it.

  9. At first I thought tis is impossible and the first one in was 23a.
    After that it sort of solved itself.
    Thanks to all concerned.

  10. Nice start to the week and the New Year. 1d Not too 15a.
    2d 20a and 28a pleased me equally.
    Thanks to Falcon and Campbell.
    I forgot to check the quick for puns so I will 25a and attend to that next.

  11. Hurrah!
    Another whoosh.
    Great start to the week.
    Some excellent Lego clues eg 5d
    All very satisfying.
    Many thanks, Campbell and to Falcon for the colourfully illustrated review.

  12. A typically enjoyable and relaxed start to the crosswording week, with the excellent 18a top of my podium followed by 10a.

    My thanks to the triple-punning Campbell and to Falcon.

  13. Practically read and write, certainly my fastest solve of the year. Thanks to Falcon and Campbell.

    1. I take my hat off to you. I was barely able to start it let alone finish! For me very very hard.

  14. Nice, gentle start to the week. Just the NW need a bit of thought.
    The foxes have demolished yet another bird feeder in the garden. Grrrr. Consequently the magpies have had another feast on sunflower seeds.
    Thanks both.

    1. “Our” sparrowhawk paid a visit this morning which meant our regulars were conspicuous by their absence.
      Interesting debate with Mrs LrOK as to whether we should shoo him off. After all he needs his food as well.

          1. Interesting thanks Steve.
            Mrs LrOK, ever the sceptic, wondered how they would know the sparrowhawk isn’t slowly wiping out the “poor little birds”.
            Some sort of compromise is on the cards.

    2. I didn’t check the bird feeders over Christmas and yesterday I went out to look at them, the raid had somehow got in and they had begun to sprout! All had to be dismantled and cleaned. (Here’s a thought, can you ‘mantle’?)

      1. mantle noun 1 a cloak or loose outer garment. 2 literary a covering • a mantle of snow. 3 geol the part of the Earth between the crust and the core. 4 a fireproof mesh around a gas or oil lamp, that glows when the lamp is lit. 5 literary a position of responsibility • The leader’s mantle passed to him. 6 a fold of the external skin of a mollusc, etc that secretes the substance which forms the shell. verb (mantled, mantling) literary to cover, conceal or obscure something or someone • mantled in darkness.

        yes you can!

          1. disgruntled adj annoyed and dissatisfied; in a bad mood.
            ETYMOLOGY: 17c: from dis- 4 + obsolete gruntle to complain.

            Only if you don’t mind being obsolete – but I feel a bit obsolete myself sometimes.

            1. I wonder why: if dissatisfied means not satisfied then why doesn’t disgruntled not mean not complaining?

              1. Or if inconspicuous means not conspicuous then why doesn’t inflammable mean not flammable?

                1. Evening, Cardinal Jo *

                  The flammable/inflammable story is a goodie.

                  In the industrial revolution, labels said ‘this item is inflammable’ ie liable to catch fire. But, people took the prefix in- to mean the opposite (active/inactive). This obviously caused a major problem.

                  So, they made up a word ‘flammable’, never using ‘inflammable’, again.

                  Ignorance wins the day.

                  A belter.

                  * That has two references: your ‘cardinal sin’ shout last week and your new surname though, strictly speaking, South East is an ordinal or intercardinal direction but you get my drift.

        1. I think DG was asking if “mantle” could mean the opposite of “dismantle”. As in mantle = assemble and dismantle = disassemble. And it can’t, can it?

          1. You are right Jose! I didn’t expect a flippant remark to be taken so seriously, although I might have guessed! Wot fun. I love the English language

  15. A very pleasant & straightforward start to the week which made for a brisk solve (marginally longer than Dada yesterday mind) with little head scratching needed. 10a is my pick of the bunch with mentions for 28a along with 5&9d.
    Thanks to Campbell & Falcon.
    Ps My aged iPad Air 2 seems to be saying enough is enough. I’ve known the battery needs replacing but now the screen has colour distortion & severe ghosting which is making trying to complete the crossword on it an interesting experience to say the least. You’d love to think that it would be reasonably straightforward to ring an Apple store & book an appointment – if only.

    1. Saint Sharon bought our last pair of iPads online from Apple. She traded in our old ones at the same time. We got a good return for the old iPads. The returns box and labels were delivered with the new iPads. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeasy. You might think Saint Sharon is perfect. “Where are the lateral flow tests?” I asked a couple of days ago. “In the box with the clothes pegs” was her answer. I really couldn’t make it up

      1. Proper wooden pegs – Mama Bee has some vile plastic things that have gone brittle in the sun. On a windy day it’s a toss-up as to whether they stay on the line.

    2. My daughter told me that she didn’t want anything for Xmas as in 2022 I will need to buy her a new iMac pro.

  16. Lovely crossword. 14a was the last one in as my brain ceased functioning.

    Quite the day yesterday – to Stamford Bridge for a thrilling 2-2 draw with Liverpool; then on to Harry’s Dolce Vita in Knightsbridge for a birthday celebration. H and I hadn’t been there before and we were thoroughly impressed.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: The Mamas And The Papas – Monday Monday

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon (*makes mental note to never visit Winnipeg or Ottawa in winter*)

      1. Grrrr!

        (Man City are an outstanding team and will deserve to win the Premier League this season)

        1. True but they’re also getting a fair bit of luck in running – certainly fortunate to come away with 3 points at the Arsenal.

    1. Wow, you saw some special goals yesterday. Don’t think we’re in for any such treats at Abbey stadium this afternoon.

  17. A very gentle puzzle. */*** Favourite 3d. After a very mild week for the time of year in south Kent, I fear we are edging towards more seasonal temperatures now. New Year’s Day was warmer than last May here. Thanks to all.

  18. A well clued start to the week, agree with Falcon’s **/***.a steady solve.
    Liked the wordplay of 18a, nicely misled with 28a favourite was 12a.
    Thought that I had done well with the two quickie puns until I read the blog and the 13/16/18 Ford Special !
    Thoudht a fourth was pushing it a bit.
    Thanks to Falcons pics especially 9a.

  19. Gentle start to the week that provided a steady solve. Few problems though 9d took nearly all the checkers before I cottoned on.
    It gets my COTD with 10a R/U.
    Thas to Campbell and Falcon..

  20. Nice breezy start to the crossword week and loved our blogger’s illustration for 9d.
    Another vote here for 10a as today’s winner.

    Thanks to Campbell and also to Falcon – best wishes to you for 2022.

    By the way – if anyone hasn’t tried it yet, this week’s Rookie Corner is well worth a visit.

  21. Like Una I struggled to get started with this one. I work down the acrosses then up the downs…..and my first one in was 23a. A little downhearted by then I pressed on and dashed through the downs…..should reconsider my method of working I think.
    Anyway, solved alone and unaided but needed Falcon’s help to parse 21d…..had forgotten the medieval instrument…
    Thanks to the setter and to Falcon.

    Minus 1C here in Norway with ( more) snow predicted for this afternoon. Looks lovely, though and we have a wood burner.

    1. You have a wood burner!!!, you’ll be getting a visit from miss Thunberg 🤪

      PS spent some time in Voss, took me ages to realise Rodvin meant red wine, but I was very young at the time.

      1. Logs are ok if they’re well seasoned, I believe and why were you drinking red wine when you were very young? :smile: :smile:

        1. Young compared to now, still feel young at heart, I just avoid mirrors as I keep seeing my dad looking at me.

      2. I think Miss Thunberg will be doing a lot of visiting in Norway……everyone has a wood burner here as far as I can see. And I cannot see them parting with them any time soon.

    2. Do you live in Norway? I thought you were in Dundee. My parents used to go skiing in Finse. Apropos of nothing, but it jogged the old memory box.

      1. No, we don’t live in Norway. Our son and his wife do and we managed to organise ourselves to visit them for Christmas. Our daughter-in-law is American so they flew to the US after Christmas to visit her parents, leaving us to cat-sit…..not an onerous duty as Teddy is very well behaved and placid.

            1. My history master at school had 2 cats called Keith and Prowse as KP’s motto was ” You Want the Best Seats, we hav them”

  22. I’d like to say this was another one finished unaided, but no, I needed the hint for14a to correct my bung in. The rest caused more splinters under the nails, I must stop head scratching. Thanks to all.

    1. As someone recently replied to a similar comment by me, DaveG – “It helps to wear a hardhat when solving cryptics”. :smile:

  23. Plenty of comments today as we all start to wake up again. Began with 24d and proceeded in an anticlockwise direction. The NW proved a bit trickier with 10a slowing me down.
    **/****
    I haven’t looked up “raincheck” but have always ignored the phrase, “double down” is another one I don’t really understand. There are perfectly good short words that work much better. Bah.

    1. Exactly! Why do we have “upcoming “ when “ future “ is, if you’ll excuse the pun, perfect?

  24. Another nice puzzle to start the non-work week in this first week of 2022. 2*/3.5* today.
    A few tricky clues to parse, but overall quite manageable.
    Candidates for favourite include 20a, 1d, 5d & 22d with winner 5d.
    10a, 12a, 9d & 16d all made me smile

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  25. Another thoroughly enjoyable Monday charmer, finished in fast time for me, with lots of winners, especially 5d (which I’ve always thought was just an old American baseball term), 10a, and 21a. Thanks and a Happy 2022 to Falcon and Campbell.

    After 9 days of tropical heat and an exhausted A/C, winter (or a mild version of it) is arriving here on the Carolina coast. The temperature actually fell below 60 F (16 C) an hour or so ago.

    1. We’re dropping into the 70sF here right now and forecast into the 50sF tonight. I so hate the cold, I’ll be sure to turn the heat on before I go to bed tonight!

    2. I believe ‘raincheck’ is a comparatively new term on this side of the pond. It was nothing new to me after my several years spent living/working in NYC.

  26. We found this the most straightforward cryptic we’ve ever done unlike yesterday’s which we found harder than everyone else. What a difference a day makes. Favourite was 9d. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  27. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: **/****

    Late on parade as I have only just crept out from under the duvet!

    Favourite – a toss-up between 27a and 24d – and the winner is 27a.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    1. Thank you for popping in and providing a great start to the year, and thanks also for puzzles past and yet to come.

    2. Thanks for popping in and I’m looking forward to your regular supply of Monday puzzles – just the job to start each week. Happy New Year!

    3. How nice of you to call in – all the very best of wishes to you and yours for 2022 and thank you for all the enjoyable solves you provided for our entertainment during 2021.

    4. Campbell, Many thanks for all the Monday back-pagers and pun-filled Quicks (and, I have been told that you also supply us with the Monday on-line prize puzzles.) A very busy man!

    5. Thank you for a great puzzle, Campbell and a great middle pun in the Quickie. All the very best for 2022 and I look forward to more of your excellent puzzles.

    6. Happy New Year Campbell. Thank you for supplying such a fun stream of puzzles this past year and I look forward to another excellent crop in the coming year. I have really enjoyed reviewing them — even if I achieved a failing grade in pun detection.

    7. To you too. Your bonus cryptic contained a band I’d long forgotten & have been listening to a collection of their best this afternoon.

    8. Thank you and the same to you.
      Thank you for the many pleasurable hours you gave us through 2021.

    9. A very late Happy New Year to you, Campbell, from Across the Pond, and thanks for all the great puzzles this last year, especially the online bonus cryptics, which are almost always more challenging than the regular one and always good fun.

  28. Thank you Campbell, nice challenge. 3D was my last in, lovely deception with notice, I was convinced it would begin with ’ad’ until the penny dropped. I also liked 20a and 21d Thanks also to Falcon. I cannot get my head round which day of the week we are! Did you see in the paper the old church covered in ivy, not far from us? Amazing, it has long been a curiosity. What with that and the possible good news about the princes in the tower I have enjoyed reading the paper recently!

  29. Full of admiration for 20a, enabled 21d, my LOI. Thanks Campbell for sharing wavelengths. I can’t help feeling we’re being killed for some stories days ahead.

  30. I think I must be losing my ability to solve crosswords as most of these so called easy ones baffle me. As in 14a, even if you knew what a locus was, the wordplay is bizarre.
    I found this almost as tricky as yesterdays Dada which was way beyond me.
    ****/*

      1. Indeed! I think it’s perhaps it’s time to admit that the little grey cells have had their day and retire from crosswords gracefully.

            1. Steve and Brian,

              I am in the midst of preparing a review of DT 29795 from October 1, 2021 which will appear tomorrow in the National Post here in Canada. As I read through the comments from that puzzle, I came across the following from Steve:
              “Another crossword that totally defeated me. I think I have lost the ability to solve cryptics. Perhaps I will give them a rest for a while.”
              which seemed eerily reminiscent (or an eerie precursor) of Brian’s comment today.

              By the way, Brian’s assessment of that puzzle was “Not too tricky and very enjoyable.”

              So, glad you stuck with it, Steve. And, Brian, take heart.

              1. Oh, I remember that time! Nothing would go right and clues became meaningless to me. Like Brian, what others found easy totally baffled me. I think I did give up for a few days and found things gradually returned.

                Stick with it, Brian.

        1. Brian, please could we NOT think about the little grey cells – mine have had a spot of trouble this year . . .

          1. I think we all have bodies that are wearing out in one way or another. So nice to see you posting today!

      2. I think that remarks a bit below you Miffy. I look forward to Brian’s posts and yours I might add. We all have different solving ability.

    1. I admit that on first reading, the wording of 14a might seem a bit strange. However, on careful reflection, the wordplay is actually quite straightforward. The surface reading comes into focus a little more slowly, but really amounts to “Young lady hangs out at the police station”.

  31. Wow! 95 comments so far. At this rate I won’t be able to post anything about this crossword until dark.
    See you in a while.

  32. What a lovely start to the new week/month/year etc. 🤗 **/**** Favourites we’re 12a, 18a and 20a 👍 Many thanks to Falcon and to Campbell and a Happy New Year to all 🥂

  33. After solving 1a successfully, I managed to put 1d in 4a which slowed me down for a while.
    Remembered the origin of 5d when I wrote it in.
    Not fan of cryptic clues usually but really liked 10a.
    Thanks to Campbell for the fun and to Falcon for the review.
    A very happy new year to both.

  34. A lot of comments on here today. I agree with those who didn’t find this to be the usual user-friendly Monday puzzle. Was it even by Campbell? Started late due to an early dermatologist appointment before breakfast, but clearly grey cells were still not awake. Needed a handful of hints to finish. Overall enjoyed, with 14a being the only word I wouldn’t use on a regular basis. I had never heard of 5d until we crossed the pond (40 years ago this month!) but a lot of Americanisms have made it to England since then. 16d got a smiley face today. Thanks to Campbell or whomever is the setter, and to Falcon. My goodness, that is cold up in Ottawa.

    1. BL I hadn’t read your comment about 5d prior to responding to RC in 27 above but we obviously both had similar thoughts.

  35. It took me a while to get going with today’s offering and I was a bit deflated at first because Monday means Campbell which means I can usually navigate the clues relatively easily. I really should have got 9d immediately as I’m certainly guilty of that title. Suddenly got going, though I missed the lurker in 22d. All in all an enjoyable puzzle to start the week. Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon and a Happy New Year to you Both.

    I so enjoy reading the comments as always a lovely collection today. Happy New Year everyone.

  36. Smug!! :smile:
    Hurray! OK, I know this was an easy crossword but this was the first crossword that I did this one “all my own self” since everything went so horribly wrong on May 16th last Spring.
    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon

    1. Well done, Kath!

      What a wonderful way to start the new year!

      First Campbell and hopefully, before long, success with RayT.

    2. Well done, Kath! Tole ja that you’d get there. I’m so glad, you done right to feel smug.

    3. That’s just the best news, Kath, well done indeed!
      You’ll be back on top form before you know it.

    4. How terrific to know you are back on track Kath. Bestest wishes for health and happiness to you and your family in 2022.

    5. That’s brilliant news, Kath. Well done!
      Now that 2021 is behind us here’s to a much better 2022.

    6. Yay! That’s so good to hear, Kath — thank you for sharing.

      Enjoy the feeling, and may you have many more smug days ahead of you.

    7. Fabulous news Kath a great start to 2022, on ward & upward.
      May it be the first of many.

    8. That’s great news Kath. Only just been alerted by seeing comments on Tuesday’s blog. A great way to start the New Year and it fills me with a warm glow for you going forward and putting May 2020 behind you. Congratulations.

  37. A typical Campbell offering. I shot myself in the foot with 16d by spelling it “tapp…”, I know how to spell it, just a stupid error, so never got 20a. I should have revisited 16d but have had so many interruptions today. There were so many that I liked, maybe 10a is fave? But 27a also amused. Loved it all.
    Thank you Campbell for the fun today and all the Mondays of 2021, look forward to the ones to come. Thank you Falcon for your help along the way. My, you Canadians are a hardy lot! I couldn’t survive that cold.

  38. Have had two separate well-spaced sessions on today’s enjoyable challenge so am late commenting and see there are 142 comments ahead of me. I suppose “one’s” in 10a does work. My Fav from several close contenders was 9d. SW was last to go in. Thank you Campbell for today and all your 2021 contributions and TVM to Falcon. Happy New Year to you both.

  39. I thought this was a smasher and really satisfying to solve. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  40. 2*/5*…
    18A ” At home, after round, gets news update (8) ” brings to mind an obit in today’s (Wed) Times re a banking mogul who spent much time playing golf and bridge and was flummoxed to find that his bank had gone belly up in the financial crisis of 2008.

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