DT 29983 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29983

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29983

Hints and tips by Mr K

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BD Rating  -  Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Tuesday. Today’s offering felt to me like a standard Tuesday puzzle.  Apologies for the sparse illustrations. I’ll try to add more later in the day.

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    I perhaps learn ammo's run out withdrawing south (5,7)
ROMAN NUMERAL:  An anagram (out) of LEARN AMMO’S RUN minus the single letter for south (withdrawing south). The perhaps indicates that the definition is by example 

9a    Rue a girl's frolicking with resistance fighter (9)
IRREGULAR:  An anagram (frolicking) of RUE A GIRL with the physics symbol for electrical resistance 

10a   Date after work for Aida? (5)
OPERA:  A date or period comes after the abbreviation for a musical work. The ? indicates that the definition is by example 

11a   Hoped I lost weight at the beginning (6)
WISHED:  Link together the single letter for weight, I from the clue, and a synonym of lost 

12a   Abuse from maiden is source of great satisfaction (8)
MISTREAT:  Assemble the cricket abbreviation for maiden, IS from the clue, and a source of great satisfaction 

13a   Vessels continue going west, cold and hot onboard (6)
YACHTS:  The reversal (going west, in an across clue) of continue or persist with the single letters for cold a nd for hot inserted (onboard

15a   Building a dining room, returning with tips from bricklayers last year (8)
ASSEMBLY:  Concatenate A from the clue, the reversal (returning) of a place where people eat together, and the initial letters of (tips from) the last three word in the clue 

18a   Put up with a road's quality (8)
STANDARD:  Put together put up with or tolerate, A from the clue, and the abbreviation for road 

19a   Cheerful conductor indicates this (6)
UPBEAT:  The answer split (2-4) is something that a conductor  might indicate 

21a   Sends on  rugby players? (8)
FORWARDS:  Double definition. The rugby players line up nearest to the opposing team 

23a   What I'm paid once I'm working (6)
INCOME:  An anagram (working) of ONCE I’M 

26a   Walk miles intercepting ambush (5)
TRAMP:  The single letter for miles inserted in (interrupting) a synonym of ambush 

27a   A Brit regularly fibs about information technology skills (9)
ABILITIES:  Cement together A from the clue, alternate letters (regularly) of BRIT, and some fibs containing (about) the abbreviation for information technology 

28a   Cuckoo nest he reveals with no adult yet (12)
NEVERTHELESS:  An anagram (cuckoo, as in crazy) of NEST HE REVEALS minus the single letter for adult (with no adult) 

 

Down

1d    This gets passengers to complain very much (7)
RAILWAY:  Follow “to complain” with another word for very much 

2d    Records from socialist on the radio (5)
MARKS:  A homophone (on the radio) of a well-known socialist 

3d    Ignored decent leg breaks (9)
NEGLECTED:  An anagram (breaks) of DECENT LEG 

4d    Fruit held up by frail guy (4)
UGLI:  The answer is hidden reversed (held up by in a down clue) of the remainder of the clue 

5d    First peer, this writer estimated (8)
EARLIEST:  Glue together a type of peer, a pronoun the writer could use for themselves, and the abbreviation for estimated 

6d    A fight's concerning (5)
ABOUT:  A from the clue with a synonym of fight 

7d    Be like rebels? Me, rebellious? (8)
RESEMBLE:  An anagram (rebellious) of REBELS ME 

8d    Dad and son go for cake (6)
PASTRY:  Fuse together another word for dad, the genealogical abbreviation for son, and go or attempt 

14d   One might lead a meeting about the oddly abandoned pilot (8)
CHAIRMAN:  Amalgamate the single letter for about or approximately, the even letters (oddly abandoned) of THE, and a male pilot 

16d   Thoughtful to support former lover, dear (9)
EXPENSIVE:  A synonym of thoughtful following (to support, in a down clue) a usual former lover 

17d   Receive a degree from what could become rated a good university, initially (8)
GRADUATE:  An anagram (from what could become …) of RATED A and the initial letters of GOOD and UNIVERSITY 

18d   Welfare state protecting female poet? Not half! (6)
SAFETY:  State or utter containing (protecting) both the single letter for female and one half (not half) of POET 

20d   Hair worries, scratching head (7)
TRESSES:  Worries or anxieties minus its first letter (scratching head

22d   Liberal politician swallowing beer? On the contrary (5)
AMPLE:  Inverting the wordplay (on the contrary), we find the answer as some beer containing (swallowing) a usual abbreviated politician 

24d   Be underneath old tree (5)
OLIVE:  Be or exist following (underneath, in a down clue) the abbreviation for old 

25d   Sweet  packet (4)
MINT:  Double definition, the second being informal

 

Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?


The Quick Crossword pun:  EGG + SIT + POLES = EXIT POLLS


67 comments on “DT 29983

  1. I thought this was as comfortable as it gets for a backpager with no obscurities or peculiarities to slow up what was a very rapid solve. 3d was my favourite, although to be truthful I did not have too many ticks to chose from.

    My thanks to our Tuesday setter and to Mr K.

  2. A happily straightforward puzzle for a Tuesday morning, not overly demanding, and no oddities or requirements for detailed knowledge of, for example, C19th carriages. The generous dollop of anagrams assisted from the off. Nothing in particular stood out on its own, but ticks afterwards to 12a, 16d and 22d.

    1.5* / 2.5*

    Many thanks to the Setter (I have no idea whatever) and to Mr K

  3. Thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the review and hints. I managed to complete this, but found parts of it very tricky. Had never heard of mint being a packet in 25d, that was my last one in, that I guessed. Favourite was 7d, was very smooth. Was 3* / 3* for me.

  4. Enjoyable and pretty straightforward. My top two were 11a and 22d.
    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the fun.
    Ps…. terrific Robyn Toughie today, highly recommended.

  5. Must be me, I found this on the whole rather unsatisfactory with clumsy clues and odd synonyms. I agree it wasn’t difficult but not up to the usual high Tuesday standard.
    Hey ho!
    Thx to all
    **/**

  6. Pleasant and mild, good Tuesday fare. I’ll opt for 15a as the COTD. Thanks to Mr K and today’s setter. ** / ***

    I agree with SL: a superb Robyn Toughie today.

  7. I wouldn’t go as far as agreeing with Brian, but, for me, this was something of a curate’s egg, at least the anagrams were ‘real’ – 2.5*/2*.

    No standout favourite, but smiles for 18a and 5d.

    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  8. Nowt to write home about but certainly wouldn’t describe it as clumsily clued. Was a bit slow to see the obvious which just edged me into a ** time solve. Hands up who saw the frolicking fodder at 9a & immediately thought guerrilla before realising the letters didn’t fit?
    Thanks to the setter & to Mr K
    Wordle in 5.

    1. I did, but still don’t understand how fighter is a definition for the answer?

      1. Thank goodness – I thought it was just me! Very messy! Thanks to the setter, and Mr K!

  9. Hmm I’m going to buck the trend as I thought this was very enjoyable and quite challenging in parts – some great surfaces, favourite and LOI 25d. (But agree the Toughie is even better!) Many thanks to setter and Mr K.

  10. 1.5*/2.5*. This was a mildly enjoyable puzzle which will leave the equine community undisturbed.

    Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

  11. I’m with Senf with this one in that I too found it somewhat of a curate’s egg. I managed it but, all the way through, had a feeling of it not quite gelling. I can’t put my finger on why, it just felt “awkward” somehow. I also thought ‘guerilla” and actually put in the plural, which was daft because a single fighter was given. Held me up for far too long. No real favourites today.

    Many thanks to the setter and Mr. K.

    1. I fully committed to guerilla’s, being ‘with the resistance fighter’. Pretty much ruined my day.
      If that was a mis-direct, it’s genius.

  12. Completed whilst my granddaughter was making a Skype lunch for me consisting of a blue hot dog accompanied by pieces of green waffle – delicious!
    No problems with the puzzle once I’d realised that the fighter I wanted to slot into 9a didn’t match with the available anagram fodder but nothing really stood out for favouritism.

    Thanks to our setter and to Mr K for managing to juggle bringing us the review alongside work commitments.

  13. Caused a few more problems than it should have I just staggered through what was a “standard” Tuesday offering
    28a my COTD.
    Thanks to setter & Mr K.
    Two weeks of sheer purgatory ahead as one hearing aid has developed a serious fault necessitating return to manufacturer. Can’t use old ones as technology incompatable. Sod’s law is that it is the laid to ess pathetic side that has gone.

    1. Oh dear, I do feel your anguish! On the other hand, I am refusing even to get one and my friends are becoming a little brittle at having to shout! I can’t bear the thought of something stuck in my ear, it’s bad enough being nearly blind!

      1. It would change your life M. Just think if someone said there was a gizmo that would give you 75% of your sight back. You would buy it tomorrow.

  14. I am blessed to find anagrams relatively straightforward so this was a */*** for me. I thought a very balanced puzzle although I see others found it a bit patchy in terms of difficulty. For some reason I found 16d rather elegant and so that is my COTD. Thanks to Mr K and whoever our illustrious setter is.

  15. Not for the first time in my life, I became distracted by a frolicking girl. Once I overcame that diversion, I enjoyed this crossword; a good mixture of straightforward and bonce scratching.

    Today’s crossword soundtrack: The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

    Thanks to the setter and The Celebrated Mr K.

  16. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I didn’t enjoy this because really I enjoy all of them, but I really did enjoy yesterday’s offering which was done on my return from a day out in St Ives. I didn’t meet any cats MrK. I liked 15a and 22d made me smile and I was proud to get the Rugby clue. I am learning. Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

    1. Sorry about the lack of cats, DG. Work commitments had to take precedence today over searching for pics. I will try to make up for it next week.

      1. I forgive you. For years I was a dog person then I had two long haired Abyssinians, two of a litter of four – – Mary Archer had the other two. My claim to fame! Totally won me over, just like Terence and his Lola.

    2. Love the picture DG. Donkeys years ago we moored our boat just there as St Ives lock was closed due to terrible flooding with an upturned boat in it so we couldn’t get back to base at Upware. The water rose all through the night till we were above the height of the wall – quite scary. Had to leave the boat at Jones Boatyard for a fortnight to go back to work – oh Happy Days!

  17. I agree with Brian on the clueing for this puzzle. Some clues so ungainly I couldn’t be bothered to use checkers to help an electronic search and came to see what Mr K had to offer. His hints seem to confirm that all was not sound in many clues.

    Thanks then to Mr K and to the setter for his efforts.

    1. Sorry, that belongs much further up. Thanks Mr K for the help on 25d and your illustrations.

  18. I didn’t find this easy. Yesterday’s was much easier, but I did put the hot before the cold for 13 across which meant I made no progress in that quarter until in desperation I looked at the hint. It flew in after that. I tend to agree with Brian on some of the cluing . Thanks to setter and hinter? Is it a word!?

    1. Welcome from me as well.

      Collins Dictionary includes hinter, so it’s definitely a word.

  19. I thought this a tad more challenging than the average Tuesday.
    As with many of you, I too opted initially for guerrilla. However I then compounded the error by replacing it with ‘struggler’, before my brain resumed normal service. Based on this I will have to nominate 9a as favourite, although I also liked 13a.

  20. Good fun puzzle today which I enjoyed a lot. Fairly sped through it. Have had a look at the Toughie and only managed a few. Painters still here but hopefully will finish this week. Thanks to all – I too miss the cat pictures.

  21. I’m with Steve Cowling and Senf – nothing really horrible, just flapping my hands around trying to find a synonym every now and then. The right hand side looks like some cheese that the mice have been at. Full disclosure: I’m feeling a bit today with quite a few sleepless nights, so can’t blame the setter.
    Thank you setter, I’ll be wider awake next time. Thanks also to Mr. K for unravelling that one. Wordle in 4

  22. Not a fan of this one. I found several clues awkward, but some were very satisfying to solve, so agree a bit of a curate’s egg today. Fell right into the 9a trap. Possibly a wavelength issue, but I don’t usually have to work so hard on a Tuesday puzzle. Thanks for the setter and Mr K.

  23. Thought we were going to be thwarted today, as the ‘you are now up and running’ message from our new internet provider this morning proved to be inaccurate and we couldn’t download today’s paper. Had to revert to our old ways and do a puzzle from the stack of printed ones (from 22 January, as I’m sure you were all wondering…). Once back online this afternoon, after another flurry of ‘you are now up and running’ messages from the new internet provider, today’s puzzle didn’t occupy us for long and was middling on the enjoyment spectrum.

  24. Didn’t find this terribly inspiring today and did this in a very piecemeal fashion. 3*/2* for me.
    No real favourites today but 15a, 21a & 16d made me smile.
    Took me a while to figure out the second meaning of 25d but Manders hint did it for me (no. 3 entry)
    5a seemed bit confusing to me too.

    Thanks to setter and Mr K

    Wordlle and Canuckle in 5 … not been a good day

  25. I have to confess to trying all permutations of guerrilla, one or two Rs one or two L’s for far too long. When the penny dropped It was Sherlock Holmes’ sidekicks that came to mind. Thanks to setter. And Mr K. Don’t worry about the piccies. I would love to know how you do all the multiple images and enlargement thingies. My blogs look dull by comparison.

  26. I’m in the ‘I fell into the guerrilla trap’ camp this evening which obviously I couldn’t parse and once I’d rubbed out all the wrong letters and solved the anagram properly the rest followed in a trice. I think I’m having a bad week, struggled yesterday and a dnf on the toughie. Having said that I really enjoyed this. Favourite was 14d. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K. In the interests of maintaining my low standards this week I’m now going to go and play darts badly.

  27. I really enjoyed this crossword- I managed every single clue on my own – except 28a. I even worked out the anagrams in my head! Maybe the little grey cells are beginning to work again. Thanks to the setter and Mr K. On the subject of cats…. I had a short haired Abyssinian for 17 years- he was wonderful and terribly missed, even now. My London family have a Ragdoll kitten and he is adorable- he’s even trained the granddaughters to play a retrieve game with him. Off now to check any damage from slugs and snails!

  28. Re: DT quickie – Could there be another pun in 24, 25 & 26 across or am I spreading the definition of a pun too thinly?

  29. Thanks for welcoming me to the blog Big Dave and Mr K but I have been doing the blog for several years now but like the North East wind I only appear occasionally .

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