DT 30076 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30076

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30076

Hints and tips by Deep Threat

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ***

Good morning from South Staffs. Thanks to Sloop John Bee for covering for me last week.

I’m going to repeat my thanks to Miffypops for organising cover for me during my recent absences, and express my dismay at his decision to quit the blog. It seems that employing his usual style in rely to [language inconsistent with BD’s etiquette guidelines redacted] has fallen foul of that person’s friends in high places on the blog. And I can’t help feeling that the idea of the Acting Moderators sitting in solemn conclave to agree how shocking it all was betrays a lack of understanding of human nature.

Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel? (Alexander Pope)

Meanwhile, there is still a crossword to review. Today’s took me just into *** time, and had some interesting constructions. Some clues, coincidentally, have a resonance with current events on the blog.

In the hints below, the definitions are underlined. The answers are hidden under the ANSWER buttons, so don’t click if you don’t want to see them.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Farewell that makes good past worker upset? (6,9)
GOLDEN HANDSHAKE – Put together an abbreviation for Good, a word for ‘past’ as in ‘in —– days a glimpse of stocking…’, another word for a factory worker, and another word for ‘upset’ or ‘rattle’.

9a           Hammer slowly or fast (7)
RAPIDLY – Split the answer (3,4) and you have a word for ‘hammer’ or ‘knock’, and a word for ‘slowly’ or ‘lazily’.

10a         They sketch, maybe, putting Queen in at first with son (7)
ARTISTS – Start with AT (from the clue) wrapped round the Latin abbreviation for s queen or king. Add three letters which look like the alphanumeric rendering of ‘first’. Finally add an abbreviation for Son.

11a         Dream of cooler siesta, frolicking (9)
FANTASISE – A device used for cooling, followed by an anagram (frolicking) of SIESTA.

12a         Second nag is a non-starter (5)
OTHER – Remove the first letter (is a non-starter) from a verb meaning ‘nag’.

13a         Peer with gong where personal decoration should hang (7)
EARLOBE – A member of the peerage followed by the three-letter acronym of a gong or decoration frequently awarded in the New Year’s Honours List. You might need to have it pierced if you want to hang a personal decoration on it.

15a         Cook tasted sampling whiskey and battered flies? (7)
SWATTED – Anagram (cooked) of TASTED wrapped round the letter represented by Whiskey in the NATO alphabet.

17a         Sinister group stifling publicity — one may be criminal (7)
CULPRIT – A sinister group, or religious or political sect, wrapped round a two-letter acronym for ‘publicity’ and the Roman numeral for one.

19a         Silly inflammatory stuff, admitting I’m turning Conservative (7)
COMICAL – The inflammatory stuff is the fuel which powered the Industrial Revolution. Wrap it around the reverse (turning) if I’M (from the clue) and an abbreviation for Conservative.

21a         Dance with weird graduate (5)
RUMBA – Another word for ‘weird’ or ‘odd’, followed by the letters after the name of an Arts graduate.

23a         Frock that gives little wear? (9)
MINIDRESS – Cryptic definition of a frock that doesn’t cover as much of the wearer as it might.

25a         Paid occasional visits to sierran region of Portugal (7)
MADEIRA – A synonym of ‘paid’ in the expression ‘paid a visit’, followed by alternate letters (occasional visits) of sIeRrAn.

26a         Dancing galore, taking in learner’s musical 9 Across (7)
ALLEGRO – Anagram (dancing) of GALORE, wrapped round the usual symbol for a learner driver.

27a         Uncompromising approach that leads to things piling up (9,6)
COLLISION COURSE – Cryptic definition of the path of two vehicles set to smash into each other.

Down

1d           One with US military service, fine East African native (7)
GIRAFFE – Put together the two-letter acronym for someone in the US military, A British armed service, an abbreviation for Fine, and East.

Giraffe Information | Giraffa - helping nature

2d           Left university with tot to raise — one’s usually found in bed (5)
LUPIN – Start with abbreviations for Left and University, then reverse (to raise, in a Down clue)another word for a tot of spirits. The bed in the definition is a flower bed.

Lupinus | HortWeek

3d           Labour opponents knock back housing article (9)
ENDEAVOUR – Two opponents at the bridge table, followed by another word for ‘knock back’ in the context of food and drink, wrapped round an indefinite article.

4d           Telegraph supports farm food being wild (7)
HAYWIRE – Some cattle fodder grown on a farm followed by an old word for a telegraph.

5d           Puts in order that’s consumed in empty Nando’s (7)
NEATENS – Take the first and last letters (empty) of Nando’S, and put them either side of a word for ‘consumed’.

6d           Row northwards, river dwellers — but river goes west (3-2)
SET-TO – Reverse (northwards, in a Down clue) some furry river dwellersand remove the abbreviation for River.

7d           Hesitate to get agitated about fine (9)
AESTHETIC – Anagram (agitated) of HESITATE, followed by a Latin abbreviation for ‘about’ or ‘approximately’.

8d           Guaranteed right to enter petition in extremity (7)
ENSURED – This is a Russian doll clue. Put Right inside a verb meaning ‘to petition (a court, perhaps)’, then put the result inside another word for ‘extremity’.

14d         Perfect example of rock Sixties youth’ll broadcast (4,5)
ROLE MODEL – It’s homophone time! A homophone (broadcast) of another word for ‘rock’ (as a ship might), followed by a homophone of one of the warring youth gangs of the 1960s and the ‘ll from the clue.

16d         Creature making a little bear mad — I’ll observe (9)
ARMADILLO – Hidden in the clue.

17d         Church with member of flock in charge of pottery (7)
CERAMIC – Put together an abbreviation for the Church of England, a member of a flock of sheep, and an abbreviation for ‘in charge’.

18d         Some elements of orchestra may be nervous, almost taking pot (7)
TIMPANI – Another word for ‘nervous’ or ‘frightened’, minus its last letter (almost), wrapped round another word for a pot.

19d         Curb criminal element that’s gripping area (7)
CONTAIN – One of the usual crossword criminals, followed by a metallic element wrapped round an abbreviation for Area.

20d         Willowy Kate Moss illustration partly printed upside-down (7)
LISSOME – Hidden in reverse (partly printed upside-down) in the clue.

22d         Defence revealed in tabloid — bail oddly rejected (5)
ALIBI – Alternate letters (oddly rejected) of two words in the clue.

24d         Enthusiastic in punt, but starting in the opposite direction (5)
EAGER – Start with a word for ‘punt’ as in ‘bet’, then replace the initial letter with one that signifies the opposite direction.

Back next week if I haven’t been carted off to the crossword gulag.


The Quick Crossword pun THYME + STABLES = TIMES TABLES

75 comments on “DT 30076

  1. 4.5*/4*. I thought this was pretty tough even by normal Friday standards, but I did enjoy it after a slow but steady solve.

    Many thanks to the setter (Zandio?) and to DT.

  2. This is the best puzzle I’ve done for months. I got 1ac straight away, though parsing it afterwards. I then smugly thought that would lead quickly to 8 down answers, but hey, not so fast! So many of the clues were really well disguised, it was a joy as they yielded gradually. With no obscurities nor convoluted constructions this was a masterful creation. Many thanks to the setter.

  3. It’s no secret that I’m a massive admirer of this setter. Back pager of the week for me, top-notch throughout.
    I particularly liked 9,12,13&15a plus 6d as they all made me smile broadly.
    Many thanks to Zandio and DT.

  4. A fun exercise with numerous crafty clues from which I would pick 27a as Fav. NW presented biggest challenge. Have to admit 6d was unparsed (apologies to those who disapprove). 13a amused me when considering where personal decorations are “hung” these days! Thank you Mysteron and DT.

  5. Great crossword but a little beyond my reach so very grateful for a few hints that got me going again.

    I didn’t know what the ‘GREAT HULLABALOO’ was about so I tracked back through the posts and I see it all began over the capitalisation (or not) of the letter ‘L’.
    It really does feel to me that this is a most peculiar schism. I fully understand that I am not someone with power here, but in a world where we are seeing war in Ukraine, political upheaval around the world, the inability of people to pay heating bills or for food to survive, the Health Service in the UK on its knees, and a hundred more issues – those in charge are taking a stance over a much admired contributor’s reaction to a chain of posts about the letter ‘L’.

    Thanks to the setter and Threat Of The Deep (I may be joining you in the gulag).

    1. Well saiid T .

      What the “ L or l “ is going on ? Not looked at the blog for a few days and , after looking at yesterday’s comments as well , realise political correctness and woke is alive and kicking in certain quarters . Everyone is entitled to their opinions which should politely respected , at least , whether agreed or not .

      MP can be provocative but , like Allison Pearson , for example , usually good to read .

      I wonder what she makes of this !

    2. I want to give this a like (as in Facebook) and also the following one (particularly about Alison Pearson). What is the opposite of woke – it’s not asleep – more able to tolerate the occasional “prod” and even enjoy one’s convictions being ruffled and challenged.

  6. I feel so proud of myself. The very first Friday crossword completed without any online help. Able to parse every clue. A very happy bunny indeed.

    1. Rightly so. Zandio never a pushover & this puzzle was tricky to say the least so a great way to break your Friday duck.

    2. Well done Martin. I’m going to repeat what Miffy Pops wrote back to me when I first posted on this site (having just finished my first cryptic, unaided and fully-parsed).

      He said that the first unaided solve is very satisfying (very true) and that posts like yours were why the bloggers on this site did what they did.

  7. I have given up as I can only solve 12 of the clues. So for the second time this week it’s a DNF.there’s not much else to say except thank you to the setter but it was way beyond my solving abilities. I am beginning to feel that it is time I gave up the Telegraph cryptic crosswords as they are getting beyond me. Thanks to DT. I shall be grateful to look up the hints today. I agree with your description of the individual who sparked off the MP situation. His patronising and condescending comments have been directed at quite a few bloggers for a while now, including me.

    1. Isn’t 12.04 a little early to be giving up? I quite often go into the second day before I finish, sometimes putting several answers in after a night’s sleep. Don’t give up Chriscross!

      1. I have been doing cryptic crosswords on the back page of the Telegraph for nearly 60 years now Phil and have never been able to get to grips with Zandio’s style of clue writing. It’s neither his fault nor mine, it’s a wave-length thing i keep trying but know when I’m beaten fair and square. I have lots of other things to do today, so for me, no, it’s not too early to admit fefeat. I’ll leave perseverance to other folkwith more time on their hands today.

  8. A real head scratcher – didn’t someone tell us once that Friday back pagers were supposed to be ‘leaning’ towards the less challenging end of the spectrum – 4*/2.5*.

    But, some very good clues, candidates for favourite – 1a, 21a, 27a, 1d, and 18d – and the winner is 1d.

    Thanks to Zandio, for it must be he, and to DT.

    P.S. For all those who were ‘baffled’ by 6d in last week’s SPP, don’t forget to look at CS’s full review.

  9. I needed help to finish this. I do feel the puzzles are getting harder but then I am getting older!
    I, too, hope we will hear no more from the unpleasant individual who relentlessly needled MP and started the rot. Surely he has been consigned to outer darkness by those in charge?
    COTD.1d. Such a clever misdirection..

    1. I’ve thought for a while that the puzzles were getting harder, too, and consider giving up on the cryptic. I used to be able to finish, or nearly finish them most of the time, but lately it feels as if everything is a Toughie. It’s obviously me, as opposed to the crosswords, because there are so many enthusiastic comments about most of them, but it’s a bit disheartening.

      It’s also rather sad about the meltdown the other day. When whoever it was had a flounce and said they were leaving because it was supposed to be a serious crossword site, he should have been given a fond farewell, he had misunderstood the whole ethos of the blog. It does, absolutely, take crosswords seriously, but it also includes education, lifestyle, music and news about and from the participants. Everyone was entirely happy about it till then.

  10. Absolutely super Friday puzzle, appropriately challenging and taking a little longer than usual to tease apart the first few answers, after which it all fell into place increasingly swiftly. Nothing strange, no Japanese robes or obscure Biblical references, just well-constructed “LGC-testing” clues and smooth surfaces, with good lurkers and ‘occasionals’, and some clever anagrams. What’s not to like? Special Mentions to 1d, 6d and 24d with COTD to 9a.

    2.5* / 3*

    Many thanks to the setter and to DT

    In a previous life my wife was an award-winning chef. She always said that it didn’t matter how popular she had been in the past, how happy the clientele had previously been, she would always be judged by the latest meal she had served.

    I’ve been a site moderator elsewhere, and am well aware how incredibly difficult it is to please all contributors all the time, especially when the founder/host is unavailable for an extended period. BD’s site is very fortunate indeed to have such a committed company of voluntary, unpaid, and unrewarded moderators willing to undertake this unenviable task, to tread this uncomfortable road and treat equally posters old and new, those who post frequently and infrequently.

    So my sincere thanks to them for ensuring that notwithstanding Big Dave’s absence, the blog has continued to function so near-seemlessly.

    1. Well said, Mustafa, it’s about time someone pointed out how indebted we are to those who have stepped in to keep the blog running.

    2. Quite right Mustafa, the moderators have done a fine job keeping the blog running in Big Dave’s absence and we should be grateful for all they do. It must have been very disheartening for them having to deal with everything that has happened in the past week.

  11. Yet another tricky puzzle and a ****/**** for me., like Friday crosswords used to be!
    Got held up by the NW corner until I parsed 1d-definately my favourite when the ‘native ‘ revealed itself., 8d was a close second.
    Thanks to DT for the pics and our setter for the enjoyment

  12. Fantastic puzzle today, just the right level to be very taxing, but not so hard as to be undoable.
    Took me ages to even get the first clue, but once I was off it just fell into place nicely, last in was 3d which took a while. Great fun!

  13. Sheer brilliance from this setter.
    Absolute gems, 1,19 and 25a and 3 and 24d. for example.
    Very satisfying to complete unaided but some parsing took time to figure out.
    Many thanks, Zandio and DT.

  14. I completed a Zandio puzzle…a lot of it was pure guesswork and then reverse engineering to make sure I had the correct answer. Even now, I’m not sure of the parsing of some of the answers, so will have a look at DT’s hints. My wife has a teddy bear called little bear, so 16d will be my clue of the day!
    Thanks to Zandio and DT.

  15. I found this one at the toughie end of the spectrum. I had to go hunting for the definition and work backwards to see if the parsing worked. I liked 1a as I hope to get one one day. Thanks to DT and the setter🦇

  16. First look at this was nearly my last! What a tough nut to crack. I eventually completed it but understood less than half the clues fully. Far too complex and difficult to be enjoyable other than the satisfaction of completing it.
    No favourites at all.
    *****/**
    Thx for the hints

  17. Found this a tough one to get going but eventually got it going and completed left side first and last area completed was the SE.
    For me 3.5*/3.5* today

    Favourites include 1a, 11a, 27a, 4d & 18d with winner 27a

    Thanks to Zandio and DT

  18. Most enjoyable crossword of the last few weeks for me. Having now reached 2 years as a subscriber to the Puzzles, that hard work put into solving during this time has paid off and this was the perfect puzzle. Spot-on in terms of clueing and enough challenge to get the grey matter working.

    Thanks to setter and DT… COTD was a really tough choice but going for 27a.

  19. Hello, compiler here. Thanks very much for taking the time to solve, analyse and discuss. Have a good weekend.

    1. I certainly enjoyed the challenge Zandio. Some inventive clueing as always, with 27a my favourite. My thanks to you and DT.

    2. By the way, I saw 23a as wordplay (the last two words being synonyms put together to make the answer) rather than an overall cryptic definition. But I appreciate that the two synonyms are not very different from their role in the answer!

    3. Thank you for popping in and confirming. I haven’t started the crossword yet (and may not do until before breakfast tomorrow, with the rest of the family still sleeping), but I loaded this page and did a Ctrl+F to see if it happened to be yours I have to look forward to …

  20. A cracking Friday puzzle. Great clues and a toughish but very enjoyable tussle. I’ve ticked several and any one is wothy of being a favourite. 4*/4.5*.

  21. Thanks for the workout, Zio. Your surfaces are threatening Mr Smooth, himself.

    A splendid way to finish the week 👏👏

  22. Finished. But……
    Half of the clues I guessed the answer to. In the end there were about 4 I couldn’t fully parse. So thanks for the hints.
    Thanks also for continuing with the blog. Best wishes to all
    Ps. I too think the DT crosswords are getting a bit harder. I had a go at the I yesterday but could only solve 4 clues.

  23. Best puzzle of the week, including all the Toughies, for me (I did not attempt Elgar’s, however). 1a and 1d got me off to a great start, 4d and 6d kept up the pace, 9a nearly sealed the deal, but then there were 13 and 15a to add further lustre to the mix…and the puzzle was barely half done! Was the rest merely gravy? After mixing all the metaphors I could just now, I’ll just stop and thank Zandio for the feast!

    And to Deep Threat: many thanks for your opening comments, which I fully agree with. I am shocked by and extremely disappointed in that conclave of Village Elders for their holier-than-thou, draconian mandate. There surely must have been other managerial decisions that would have been much less heartbreaking for us all. I feel that my appearance here today is a matter of protest, and if I am carted off with you, DT, along with Terence and others who have registered their dismay, then so be it. Bring on the tumbrels!

      1. Having been in a similar position as a moderator I rather doubt it, Merusa, and there will have been (and possibly continues to be) much comment and deliberation behind the scenes.

        BD Etiqutte 2: “Don’t leave comments which are rude, insulting or give offence, including, but not limited to, personal insults […]” – a similar ‘house rule’ appears on many fora and blogs, and the requiring of an apology for driving away a fault-free contributor posting entirely within the ethos of a site, is pretty standard practice on very civilised sites such as this.

        The moderators here are in an unenviable position and deserve support, not censure.

        1. I was not intending to comment, but I agree with Mustafa that the small group who are running this great blog are in an invidious position and need our support. There are only a very small number of people who know exactly what has been happening behind the scenes, and I suspect there may be more to it than is immediately obvious. The rest of us can only speculate and Tilsit, a couple of days ago, has probably gone as far as he reasonably can in explaining the situation from the moderators’ point of view.

          I understand that many are disappointed at the loss of a larger than life character from the blog, but please let’s try to move on and concentrate on the crosswords.

    1. Thank you Robert, and Deep Threat for being voices of reason. And to Merusa. Sadly this is no longer a happy and friendly space. So I think I’ll go off and join Miffypops in the wilderness.

      1. I note no comment today thus far from either Steve or John & now read that you also intend to cease contributing. I think it would a great shame if regulars quit the blog & feel sure that would be the last thing Miff would want.

      2. I thought I had done that, but just I got suckered in again against my better judgement! Male chauvinism is alive and well.

  24. 3.0*/4.0* for me today. I thought it was a great puzzle with no unfair clues, although it took a while. Thanks to DT and to the setter.

  25. I did not see yesterday’s blog until today. Very sad news indeed. Miffypops has always entertained us, and – in my opinion – wrote the funniest review I have ever read here (Kim Kardashian as KK). His blogs have also introduced me to various interesting things which I would otherwise not have come across. I do not always agree with everything he says, but I thought that the exchange concerning the letter ‘L’ was tedious in the extreme. Best wishes for the future Mark.

  26. Well that’s odd. I thought I’d put my twopennoth in round about 1.45 but in my anxiety to get out to join some friend for tea I must have forgotten to press post! Hey ho. I’m not going to write it all again – I finished it, I enjoyed it – and I thanked both settee and hinter and wished you all a good bank holiday weekend. ‘nuff said.

  27. I’ve not been on this site for a few days and have been disappointed to hear of the troubles setters have had. I have always found this a really useful and very friendly forum and appreciate the help this community offers. Now to try to finish this crossword…

  28. Just finished this between baking a focaccia,Victoria sponge (with apricot jam instead) two lots of dairy free muffins, chocolate and fruit. Grandkids visiting. Solving went in quadrants, SW,SE,NE and NW what a very clever setter we have, quite brilliant! Only one to elude me was the parsing of 3d, the Inspector would have got it, I’m sure….

  29. I finished today, although a few guesses/use of reveal mistakes. Still it’s early days. So I’m happy with that. I could parse most clues in the end.

    13a a standout for me.

  30. As Mark is no longer allowed to comment on the blog, I have offered, and he has agreed, that I may be permitted to thank everyone for their overwhelming support yesterday. The kindness shown to him at a distressing time has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.
    Please do not infer a hidden meaning or message here, this is a note of thanks and nothing more.

    1. Well done Merusa, Mark said the same to me – he will reply to everyone in due course.

  31. Quite a workout today. Rather pleased to have completed unaided when, at first look, I thought a tragic level dnf was on the cards.

    I hope the setters still come to see comments this late in the day as this was a fab crossword. Bravo 👏

    Thanks to all.

  32. One of the toughest Friday offerings in a long time. Got there in the end. CoTD …. 1D

  33. Super puzzle. Best of the week for me also. Chuffed to complete & fully parse though it took me to nearly **** time to do so with 3 in the NE the biggest head scratches. 6d my pick of many fine clues.
    Thanks to Zandio & DT (both for the review & his preamble thoughts on yesterday’s unfortunate events)
    Ps I’m shocked to read the opening 11 words of Merusa’s comment & sincerely hope that is not the case.

      1. Dear Robert, I think he jumped ship because he was put in an impossible position. You could say he fell on his sword.

  34. I haven’t commented until now, not because I didn’t want to but because I haven’t done the crossword. Good to see continuing support for MP. I’m behind the remaining bloggers as well.

  35. I think the comments about the Acting Moderators in the intro are way out of line and close to being (if not actually) offensive, They have my gratitude for doing a difficult job and my full support.

    1. I guess it’s difficult to know the full extent of what may or may not have gone on behind closed doors. Without being inflammatory, I think it’s rather a shame this whole sorry affair has been allowed to take shape based upon the empirical evidence, but hey ho, it’s only a crossword as someone once said.

    2. Whilst I have been an avid follower of this blog for several years but only plucked up the courage to comment for the first time a few days ago. I am sure it is a very tricky business being a moderator and finding the right balance pretty stressful. That said, there have been one or two occasions recently when someone has made unbelievably rude comments about the crossword, and by inference, the setter which shocked me and in my opinion should have been removed – but weren’t. The attitude being, “oh, it’s x just being x”
      With regard to the “GREAT HULLABALOO “ my take on it (and support for MP) is this:
      This blog is primarily a lovely, helpful place for vast majority of people like me who are still grappling with the intricacies of cryptic crosswords. If you have a complaint to make about how to setter chose to parse a clue then that discussion should be with the setter. OK, make a brief comment but to persist in petty pedantry just spoils the whole ethos of the blog, and to lose a great blogger because one person threw their teddy out of their pram, is a travesty. Incidentally, I’m a relative novice and I picked up on the l for liberal, so it wasn’t a huge issue really, was it?

  36. Regarding the puzzle – very challenging but all fairly clued with no obscure answers – chapeau to Zandio!

  37. Very late finish but very satisfied customer. Many thanks Zandio and DT – I needed a little help untangling a couple of parses.
    I don’t think I can add anything more eloquent than has already been written but we will miss you MP.

  38. Tough crossword. Did not enjoy. Only finished after looking at part of the hint for 1a. The only clue I have circled is 17d.

  39. I first came across this blog during the early days of the first Covid lockdown and during those times it was a real lifesaver to me. I can’t help feeling that it will never be the same again, but would suggest that leaving is not the answer, we need to stand together. I am sure that there are many others, probably many of them lurkers, who feel hurt and upset by what is happening to our much loved blog. I hesitate to say further as I may find myself on the naughty step.
    For the third time this week I found this puzzle way above my pay grade, but thanks to Zandio and the hard-working DT.

  40. Late to the party, as usual, but had to say how much we enjoyed this puzzle! Actually finished it in 3* time but had to check the parsing of a couple of the clues afterwards. A big thank you to Zandio for a challenging but rewarding puzzle, and to DT for the excellent blog.

    1. You’ve expanded your alias so this comment needed moderation. Both versions of your alias will work from now on.

  41. First Telegraph cryptic puzzle I have missed in many years – just could not find a paper to buy whilst away on holiday – the Independent was a very, very poor substitute,

  42. This took me longer than I expected, with very few answers on the first pass; I agree with other comments that this seemed tougher-than-average for a non-Toughie Zandio — but for me that just eked out the pleasure of solving it. Thank you to Zandio for the fun, and to Deep Threat for explaining 9a and 3d.

    I really didn’t help matters by spotting that if the start of the wordplay for 1a was ‘goodbye’, that could be ‘VALE’, the V of which fitted with ‘VET’ at the start of 1d for ‘one with US military service’. But I did really like 1a when I finally got it.

    Other potential favourites included 6d’s river dweller (so clever!), and 24d’s punt in the opposite direction (ditto!), but I’m going to pick 16d for being a fantastic lurker.

  43. 3*/4*….
    liked 1D “One with US military service, fine East African native (7)”…
    reading older comments, I had not realised that our bloggers are unpaid.

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