DT 29965 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29965

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29965

Hints and tips by Mr K

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BD Rating  -  Difficulty *** Enjoyment ****

Hello, everyone, and welcome to another Tuesday.  I found today's offering enjoyable and refreshing, with a few clues requiring some out of the box thinking that easily warranted an extra enjoyment star. I hope that our compiler puts in an appearance later today to claim ownership of a very fine crossword. 

In the hints below most indicators are italicized, and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions. Clicking on the answer buttons will reveal the answers. In some hints hyperlinks provide additional explanation or background. Clicking on a picture will enlarge it or display a bonus illustration and a hover (computer) or long press (mobile) might explain more about the picture. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

 

Across

1a    Joined then used lob playing this? (5,7)
MIXED DOUBLES:  The wordplay is joined or mingled followed by an anagram (playing) of USED LOB. The entire clue can serve as a definition 

9a    Burst -- an apt term for flat (9)
APARTMENT:  An anagram (burst) of AN APT TERM 

10a   Lovely tea, soft leaves (5)
SUPER:  Another word for the meal called tea minus the musical abbreviation for soft or quiet (soft leaves

11a   Lechery by Romeo -- and, ultimately, Charlie Sheen (6)
LUSTRE:  Lechery or desire is followed by the letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by Romeo and the last letter (ultimately) of Charlie 

12a   Loved getting hold of chapter 50, editor revealed (8)
DECLARED:  A synonym of loved containing (getting hold of) both the single letter for chapter and the Roman 50 is  followed by the abbreviation for editor 

13a   More appropriate to get new lead for dog (6)
SETTER:  An adjective meaning "more appropriate" has its first letter changed (… to get new lead

15a   Some invited a US Republican over for influence (8)
PERSUADE:  The answer is hidden inside the reversal (some … over) of words two through five in the clue 

18a   Forming response, Conservative shifts to the left (8)
CREATION:  In a word meaning response or consequence, shift the single letter for Conservative all the way to the left 

19a   Robin Hood perhaps playful with the Queen (6)
ARCHER:  Playful or cunning with the Latin abbreviation for Queen Elizabeth 

21a   Lecturers teach these  citizens (8)
SUBJECTS:  A word meaning citizens can also be classes taught at school

23a   Pinches lass's rear then ducks (6)
STEALS:  The final letter of LASS (lass's rear) is followed by some colourful ducks 

26a   Helps initially adjust things that are placed on horses? (5)
ABETS:  The initial letter of ADJUST with some things that are placed on horses (or greyhounds) 

27a   Different hue, I grant, is more blue (9)
NAUGHTIER:  An anagram (different) of HUE I GRANT 

28a   Novel Enid penned about English sovereignty (12)
INDEPENDENCE:  An anagram (novel) of ENID PENNED followed by the single letter for about or approximately and an abbreviation for English

 

Down

1d    Son with beers outside after this writer's complaint (7)
MEASLES:  The genealogical abbreviation for son is inserted in some beers (with beers outside) and that's all placed after a pronoun that the setter might use for themselves

2d    Artist caught by axes? Second doctor may take these (1-4)
X-RAYS:  Axes here is the plural of axis. A usual artist is inserted between the horizontal one and the vertical one (… caught by axes) and that's followed by the single letter for second 

3d    Cleaner put off bloke (9)
DETERGENT:  Put off or discourage is followed by another word for bloke

4d    Completed  six deliveries (4)
OVER:  Six deliveries of a cricket ball by one bowler is also a word that means completed 

5d    In bed, more annoyed (8)
BOTHERED:  In BED from the clue, insert more or spare 

6d    Take a selfie gathering support for a picture (5)
EASEL:  The first three words of the clue are hiding (gathering) the answer 

7d    Adult very quiet with fish near (8)
APPROACH:  Assemble the single letter for adult, the musical abbreviation for very quiet, and a freshwater fish 

8d    Groom's partner grabbing large equestrian apparatus (6)
BRIDLE:  A groom's partner in marriage containing (grabbing) the clothing abbreviation for large 

14d   Shakes tree, limb's broken and one's abandoned (8)
TREMBLES:  An anagram (broken) of TREE LIMB'S minus the Roman one (… and one's abandoned

16d   Removed the cards shuffled, including clubs (9)
SCRATCHED:  An anagram (shuffled) of THE CARDS containing (including) the playing card abbreviation for clubs 

17d   Last prisoner can use no shilling (8)
CONTINUE:  Link together a usual prisoner, a can for food, and USE minus the single letter for shilling (… no shilling) 

18d   First two characters on campus upset us? A student's unconcerned (6)
CASUAL:  Concatenate the first two characters on CAMPUS, the reversal (upset, in a down clue) of US from the clue, A from the clue, and the single letter indicating a student or learner driver 

20d   Book about what Serena Williams might do (7)
RESERVE:  About or concerning is followed by what Serena Williams does to get things started 

22d   Jewish fraternity leaving Eastern European city (5)
ESSEN:  A Jewish fraternity minus the single letter for eastern (leaving Eastern) 

24d   Foreign lake that is covered by article (5)
ALIEN:  The map abbreviation for lake and the Latin abbreviation for "that is" are together contained by (covered by) a grammatical article 

25d   Angler might use this line on river (4)
LURE:  The single letter for line is followed by a river in North Yorkshire 

 

Thanks to today’s setter. Top clue for me was 2d. Which clues did you like best?


The Quick Crossword pun:  LEA + DAB + HOARD = LEADERBOARD


105 comments on “DT 29965

  1. I totally agree with our reviewer that this was a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle that was pleasingly testing in places, with the excellent 2d easily at the top of my list of potential favourites.

    My thanks and congratulations to our Tuesday setter for a great crossword , and to Mr K for his comprehensive review.

  2. I do believe that the last time I commented was in 2017, not long after we (Mick and I) started doing the DT crossword, and discovered this blog. We’ve spent the last five years somewhere between 2 weeks to 2 months behind, so have never had the opportunity to comment on a crossword on the day of publication. Today, for the first time, we’ve done the crossword on the right day! I wonder for how long we’ll keep this up?

    A nice gentle one for us today (*/***). Mick’s vote for COTD goes to 11a.

      1. Wow Senf, that’s a bit spooky! Do we all have our own little file in case we misbehave and end up on the naughty step?

          1. Manders,

            they may say that but i finished watching the Ipcress file last night.

            there’s definitely something going on .

      2. The opposite of time flying – it was more recently than I thought. I remember sitting on a bench in a town centre, using the town wifi, but I thought that town was in Scandinavia (2017) rather than Spain (2018).

  3. I agree with YS and our blogger on 2d as the highlight of today’s enjoyable puzzle. 18a and 1a round out my podium selection. Thanks to Mr K and today’s setter. ** / ***

    I found the Tuesday Toughie quite challenging as I worked at it until the wee hours and still needed the blessing of electronica.

  4. Yes 2d does it for me as well. The clue structure was also my preference today so mostly I just worked through it in a steady solve.
    **/****

  5. Continuing the very welcome trend of Typically Tuesday – **/****.

    Candidates for favourite – 12a, 23a, 3d, and 7d – and the winner is 23a.

    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

    P.S. I note with interest that last Tuesday’s 1a, which caused a certain amount of consternation with some members of our company, was awarded the honour of Clue of the Week in yesterday’s Puzzles Newsletter.

    1. Yes I saw that too, and as I was one of those who went on the record as thinking it was a poor clue, I guess I must stand corrected, (although I still disliked it).

        1. Couldn’t agree more. I wonder what the selection process is? Certainly not feedback from this blog.

      1. It does make me wonder who actually provides the ‘feedback’ used to determine the winner. I’d have nominated that clue for the ‘marmite’ award – and I don’t like Marmite!

          1. Wow Manders. That is serious Marmite addiction. I built up a similar pile of gin.

              1. Now then, either you did not start off with as many raisins as I did or you have been sneakily eating more than 9 a day. I’ve still got some left 😇

          2. I buy it by the tub, Manders. No Marmite for my breakfast toast? Perish the thought!

            1. Personally, I prefer Patum Peperium. Preferably from Fortnum & Masons from which you may gather I don’t have it often. 🙁

              So, I put up with Marmite, which is a reasonable substitute.

              “ish”

              1. Well, now you’re talking! I got some Gentleman’s Relish from amazon the other day and it wasn’t half bad.

    2. 11 liked the clue. 6 didn’t. 3 sat on the fence. It was a clue. It was cryptic. It was unusual. It was certainly different.

  6. What a relief after yesterdays struggles, a well-crafted puzzle that offered the solver encouragement.
    My only problem was with the Jewish community in 22d, not one I have come across (no reason really who I should have done I suppose). Although I got the answer to 15a, I missed the well hidden reverse lurker. Best clue for me was 3d obvious but elegant.
    Thx to all
    **/****

  7. Another great puzzle today but again I had to read the hints after I had finished to fully parse, eg 5d. That being said thoroughly enjoyable. I loved the clue of the week although did not spot it as an anagram at the time. Wordle in ‘Phew’ today despite having three correct letters in the correct place from the beginning. Thanks to the setter and Mr K

    1. Have you tried the Waffle word game yet? We quite enjoy it now that we have got used to it

        1. Have a go at CrossWordle, you get timed. First try today and it took me 18 mins!! Hoping to improve.

          1. Had a go at CrossWordle. Far too difficult to understand for this poorly schooled orphan boy. Good luck to those who can work out the instructions

  8. Thought this an enjoyable and gentle diversion when tackling it earlier this morning. Smiled at 11a and hummed at the the rather inadvisable action in 23a for doing which subsequently ducking would be the very least of the assailant’s next problems! Also furrowed the old brow at18a – having written an -ing ending to go with Forming, the prisoner in 17a was unidentified until I realised my error.

    1* / 2.5*

    Many thanks to the Setter and to Mr K

  9. 2D was so obvious that I didn’t bother to parse it. Had I done so, it would be my top pick also. Shame on me. I am now sitting in my own naughty corner typing this. My top picks today are 23A, 27A, and 22D. Thanks to Mr. K and the setter.

  10. 3*/4*. A couple of clues at the end stretched my time from 2* to 3*, but I agree that this was fine puzzle with 23a my favourite and 2d in second place.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

  11. As is often the case, my rusty grey matter took a while to get going but eventually it all came together with the SW lagging a bit. Oh dear, unlike some, I needed help fully parsing 2d. Afraid I don’t think of tea as used for basis of 10a nor 19a as meaning playful. No outstanding Favs but I did like the little 26a once I ceased trying to use (h)alter! Enjoyable brainteaser. Thank you Mysteron and MrK.

    1. I’m with you regarding 10a. I was completely mystified until I read the hints. We are all different!

  12. A bright and breezy Tuesday puzzle to accompany my morning tea. Thanks to both setter and blogger

  13. Some nice touches of humour in this one which always win me over, like the allusion to ‘a different’ hue in 27a. He certainly made a very different PM in Love Actually!
    Tops for me were 1&23a with a nod to ‘blue Hugh’.

    Thanks to our setter and to Mr K for another excellent review.

    1. I loved 27a as well. I spent at least 30 seconds trying to engineer the clue to work with a different hue in the auditorium. Guess I’m not a setter.

    2. Jane: Have you seen HG in Florence Foster Jenkins? He actually can act, and not just twitch.

      1. No, I haven’t seen the film, Robert, I found the premise somewhat off-putting so didn’t bother with it but perhaps I should take a look. To be honest, I’m rather partial to Mr Grant as a floppy-haired Englishman – he always makes me smile although I understand that he, sadly, no longer enjoys playing that sort of role.

      2. I totally missed the HG allusion in the clue. He certainly can act & not just in comedic roles – he’s a hoot in Paddington 2. In my view his finest performance was playing Jeremy Thorpe in the wonderful BBC mini-series, A Very English Scandal, directed by Stephen Frears. I watched it again recently & his performance is note perfect.

          1. Yes I agree he is a very good actor, brilliant in Florence FJ and delightful in Paddington. It is a pity some actors get better known for their private lives than for their stage performances. There’s a lesson there somewhere…..

  14. It never ceases to amaze me how different we all are when it comes to cryptics. I struggled today, which would appear to be the polar opposite to everyone else. I agree that it was a good puzzle but I simply could not get “into the groove” so to speak. Putting “creating” in at 18a messed things up for a while. After all, the definition was “forming”. Of the ones I could solve without help, I found 2d amusing and my COTD was 11a.

    Many thanks to the setter for the drubbing and humble apologies for not being able to do this fine puzzle justice. Many thanks to Mr. K. for the hints.

    I crashed Wordle but managed Canuckle in 4. I tried Waffle, Miffypops but am still trying to get the hang of it. 14 swaps left.

      1. Just had go at it, Manders. Got three of the words but with a bit of electronic help to help me understand how it works. I agree, it’s a good challenge.

        1. Just done Quordle today. Took all 9, the first word I only had 2 letters in the wrong place so a lucky last guess!

    1. Having tried Quordle after trying Wordle I rather hoping that Waffle will be followed by Quaffle

  15. Everyone seemed to enjoy todays puzzle and I have to agree-2d seemed to be in Marmite World you either liked it or not.
    This apart, spot on for a Tuesday and a **/**** for me.Favourite was 19a
    Thanks to Mr K for the pics.
    Enjoyed Moeraki ‘s Toughie fare, another spot on Tuesday.

  16. Brain fog took me beyond *** time with this one which I’m blaming on the disappointment of my first ever Wordle failure 1 shy of reaching 90. Took an embarrassingly long time to twig 1a, to spot the 6d lurker & also to cotton on to the right context of more at 5d. All very enjoyable nonetheless.
    Thanks to the setter & to Mr K

    1. I failed Wordle as well, Huntsman but my run was nowhere near yours. Hard luck not getting your century.

      1. I was quite looking forward to the nervous nineties – mind you there’s been quite a few phews so it’s about time I nicked one & got caught in the slips.

        1. I am up to 95 unbeaten but took 6 attempts today despite having the second, fourth and fifth letters in two attempts. Pride comes before a fall I think.

          1. I’m up to 101 and really thought I was a gonna today but scraped in on 6. I now get quite nervous as I don’t want my run to end, pathetic really.

            1. I had a spell of starting with words like quiff or llama which didn’t help but did make it more fun. Now I start with yesterday’s answer which sometimes helps but often doesn’t. It’s funny how Nurse Ninepence and I compete. The winner having a superior air for the rest of the day

  17. Lovely crossword; needed a bit of extra thinking but thoroughly enjoyable. There were a handful of bung-em-ins to enable a strong start.
    I didn’t know the derivation of 22d but it had to be what it is, once the checking letters were in place.

    Yesterday we went for a lovely walk in Abinger Roughs but the bluebells were a little reticent so we will have to return in a couple of weeks when they are in their full glory.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: The Beatles – Golden Slumbers

    Thanks to the setter and The Celebrated Mr K.

  18. Found this Tuesday puzzle a tad more trying than the Monday puzzle, but not overly so.
    2.5*/3* for me today.
    Favourites include 11a, 23a, 27a, 1d & 17d with 23a the winner.
    Clues than made me smile were 11a, 27a, 2d & 20d
    An enjoyable puzzle to work through.

    Thanks to setter and Mr K

  19. A zephyr of a puzzle. No need to reef the main, the keel was even. */**** for me.
    Thank you setter, you can come again. Thanks MrK for the graphical kitty and Terence for Golden Slumbers.

  20. Agree with others that 18a should strictly have an “Ing” ending. Not following the usual etiquette for answers should not be done. Otherwise a good puzzle but don’t get the adulation of 2d. Liked 1 and 11a.

    Thanks to the setter and Mr K

      1. Forming response is not a response or a reaction. When you are making a response usually there is a moment when one thinks about what the response should be. Should it be in kind, abusive, witty and stunning?

        Should one say “go forth and multiply” rather than the more basic two word phrase? When one’s partner is verbally abused about her behaviour should one administer a slap to the face, or say “says who?”, or perhaps “from personal knowledge and that of others I think it is your partner you are describing”.

        Those moments in thinking out the response are forming the reaction not the reaction itself ; therefore the answer should be reacting.

        1. Hi, Corky. “Forming” is a verb in the surface reading of the clue. However, in the cryptic reading it’s a noun (or gerund – thanks, Physicist) that defines creation, as in “BD’s forming of this blog was a boon to crossword solvers.” The noun sense is listed in the BRB.

  21. A few readers took me over average for Tuesday but a very satisfying and enjoyable solve.
    Go with 2d for COTD.
    Thanks to setter and Mr K for the strangely cat-restricted review.

  22. 2/4. Another good Tuesday puzzle. Steady progress held up by the SW quadrant but all well in the end. My favourite clue was 23a. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  23. I’m with Steve C. today, quite a struggle but it was enjoyable and doable with a couple of bungins, which I’m happy to say were correct. I missed the Hugh Grant reference, I’m in the “like him” camp. I rather liked the Robin Hood who was playful with the queen clue. At one point I thought I was going to have a DNF day, but things started to fall in place.
    Thank you setter, who are you? Inquiring minds want to know. Thank you Mr K for explaining a couple. Wot? Only one cat?
    Wordle a cliffhanger phew at 6.

  24. Assumed that 18a was a verb rather than a noun which then messed up 17d – a very good puzzle and thank you setter and MrK

  25. I really enjoyed today’s puzzle despite being unable to fathom 5d because I had put collared for 12a! Many thanks to the setter and Mr K.
    Wordle in 3, Quordle score good and now I have my other half looking at Waffle, thanks to Miffypops!

  26. Workmanlike and enjoyable progress to completion.
    Loved 2d and 17d, very clever.
    So, just ** time.
    Many thanks to the setter and Mr. K.

  27. Quite tricky in places, particularly the SW corner. I needed more hints than I care to use. Never even picked up on the Hugh Grant reference. 18a was a bit misleading. Thanks to the setter and Mr.K.

  28. The excellent 1a set the tone for this “Super Tuesday” puzzle with winners all over the grid.
    In a strong field with 11a was my favourite with 3d my last one in.
    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the top notch entertainment.

  29. You are right Stephen L – Super Tuesday it is. Thoroughly enjoyable and I thought the Hugh Grant reference was very clever. Also liked 11a and 14d. I’m late in as it was Book Group today when we have CAKE so I skipped lunch and went to the garden centre instead. It was worth it.

    1. Scotsdales? Don’t tell anyone but I did the hughest fart in one of those massive greenhouse places and I leapt away from poor David saying ‘OMG’! Everyone looked at him in horror! I’ve not been forgiven.

    1. Supper minus the musical notation for soft. Not that I know anyone in the world who calls tea supper

      1. In Yorkshire they have breakfast, dinner, tea and supper. I never heard of lunch as a child. I grew up in Grimsby but my dad was from Whitby and the Yorkshire traditions prevailed.

        1. In my American South, it was breakfast, dinner, and supper. Tea (which was always iced) was something we drank at dinner and supper, not a ‘meal in itself.

  30. Straightforward but with enough head scratchers to make more enjoyable. I feel onto the ‘ing’ trap in 18a but reassessed my smart when I couldn’t get anything to fit for 17d. I needed the hint to parse 22d and had to click on the link. Hey ho! 26a was favourite. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K.

  31. Super puzzle which continued the recent trend of Tuesday being the new Monday which feels particularly appropriate today.

    Thanks to today’s setter and Mr. K.

  32. I actually solved this in the morning and spent a few mins sorting gerunds as described above before I got the Orl Korrect from the app. Delayed coming here as I have been practising moving stuff from Word to WordPress. Gazza has been helping me and thanks to him from me.
    Apologies to anyone who noticed my slight booboo when I posted some of my early attempts direct to the blog rather than draft.
    You had to be quick though as only one answer was seen between 17:06 and 17:08
    Thanks to Mr K for the cracking blog and setter too.
    I have 3 Puddy Tats, a handful of birds and a marsupial in tomorrow’s review of Toughie 11

    1. Borsetshire. A small village on the river Am. Children are born there, live all of there lives there, are never seen nor heard until they become adults when they all speak with different accents. Bizarre doesn’t begin to describe the phenomenon. By tradition all virginity is lost on Lakey Hill

  33. 3*/4*….
    liked 10A ” Lovely tea, soft leaves (5) ” …. once the penny dropped.

    1. Welcome to the blog.

      My best guess is that this is simply a typo in production.

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