DT 30454

141 comments on “DT 30454”

1. After two passes not a lot to show! But then bit by bit this fell into place.
   Loved 1a and got it early. Spent longest on 27a.
   Terrific crossword!
   Thanks to compiler.

2. I found that many of today’s answers I solved by figuring out the answer and not through the clues as much. 1a being an example. Not having the paper I had no idea why it fit. I finished it in quick time but I need to review the hints now.

3. I looked at this for 40 minutes in bed this morning and managed not one single one! Back from shopping will have another go before throwing in the towel.

   1. Manders I am with you there. I began to think this was too much for me!

      1. Definitely too much for me!

4. Suitable challenging for a Friday. Stared at an almost empty grid for a while before gaining a foothold.

   1a was one of the last answers in as it is quite a time since I attempted a genuine back-pager. I had the answer to 5d but could not parse it and my aged BRB was no help. Google was required for the explanation.

   The hinter was needed for the full parsing of 16d and 24d.

   Favourite include the amusing 10a, the clever 23a and 7d despite not normally being a fan of “reportedly” clues.

   Another cold and sunny autumn day here.

   Thanks to the setter for the challenge and Mr K for the hints. More cats here than I have performing in the garden.

5. No enjoyment to be had today, way above my skill level. There’s always tomorrow.

6. Whew, I’m suffering from a bad case of brain burn after finally finishing this guzzle. I couldn’t really say it was wnjoyable because it was like pulling teeth but I got some satisfaction out of finishing, although I really didn’t understand the parsingcof a few clues, until I read Mr K’s detailed explanations. The COTD for me was the double definition at 1a followed by the 27a anagram, the 17d reverse lurker and the 10a cryptic definition. Thanks to the compiler, it was certainly a challenge and thanks to Mr K for the cat pictures, which were enjoyable and the great explanations of some tricky parsing.

7. Nothing on the first pass. One on the second then nothing. I went for a haircut and picked it up on returning. Still nothing so I have given up.

   Thanks for the guzzle, setter but there was no way I could do it justice. Thank you Mr. K. for the hints and pusskits because they lightened my mood considerably.

   1. I’ve given up too, Steve.

      1. Me too – resorted to MrG so as to finish.

8. :phew: I found this considerably harder than all this week’s Toughies (so far!) – LHS was 3* for difficulty, RHS 5*. So overall 4* time with 3* for enjoyment.

   17a was my favourite. 19d was a new word for me.

   Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

9. Mr K calls it right with his rating. My first DNF for a long time as 19d was beyond my GK and I couldn’t parse it and guessed it slightly wrong. Some good clues in the struggle though and the 20d 1a took the COTD slot for me. Thanks Mr K and the setter.

10. Quite tricky but really enjoyable with some good laughs – thanks to our setter and Mr K.
    I liked 1a, 17a, 7d and 17d with my favourite being the LOL 10a.

11. Quite a challenge even for a Friday back pager, I am not even sure that it is from one of the Friday triumvirate. Not having seen a paper copy of the DT for quite some time, 1a was a bung in. 3.5*/4.5*

    Candidates for favourite – the aforementioned 1a, 15a, 19a, and 7d – and the winner is 15a.

    Thanks to whomsoever and to Mr K.

    1. I agree re the hard copy. Have not read the print version for 20 years and had to guess.

12. Perhaps enjoyable is not the right word today but I agree with Chriscross that the satisfaction on finishing was well worth the effort. It took me a very long time to get started and then I solved 26a, which was not at all helpful, and 3d, which was. Even so it was the NE corner that held out the longest and I would not have got 7d or 10a without the hints. No overall favourite but honourable mentions for 1a, 9a, 2d and 24d. Thanks to the setter for the challenge and MrK for the detailed explanations.

13. A joy

    So many excellently crafted clues on a friendly grid, using all sort of techniques, old and new, e.g the drawn game in 16d.

    The framework in 5d was a new one for me as was the duck in 19d.

    One thing I really enjoy is guessing a multi-word answer, before reading the clue, when you have a starting letter. In this case, when I got 1d, I had a stab at 1a and got it correct! Such fun.

    My podium is 1a, 10a (love the lateral thinking) and 16d

    Many thanks to missed her, Kay and setter.

    3*/5*

14. I was pleased to come onto the site and find that I was not alone in finding this fiendishly difficult, hard enough to grace a Toughie. It is over 10 years since I solved a puzzle on the back page of the paper as I am an iPad user; so 1a took some digging into my fading memory bank. It was with some relief and no little feeling of reward when the last clue went in, and I can honestly say that I loved the challenge. 1, 15a and 19d were my favourites.

    My thanks to our setter for the brain mangling, and to Mr K.

15. Couldn’t finish this one as was caught out in the NE corner, not helped by the pretty unfair clue for 1a.
    As I always print the grid from one online page and haven’t bought a newspaper in decades, I fail to see how I saw supposed to get this one, the nearest I got was ‘***** *** heading’, not helpful at all, spoilt the whole puzzle for me today.

    1. Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that.

       It’s a very fair comment as a long-answered 1a is such a crucial clue to get.

       I feel your pain,

    2. I would hope that non-paper solvers would get the answer from the first definition, i.e. “rough”. I’m sorry that it spoilt the puzzle for you, although I’m gratified that many chose it as a favourite clue.

       1. It was worth it as it’s an outstanding clue as is your crossword.

          Same old, same old.

          Change the record, will yer, Silvanus.

          Zzzzzzzz…..

          1. ?

             1. It would be good if Silvy, once in a while, gave us a dud to show that he’s human.

                It’s the same old superb crossword week in, week out. It’s such a drag.

                1. 🤣🤣🤣

       2. With respect, the definition could have been “rough location”. As I haven’t seen a print version of the paper for many years, I had no chance of answering this.

          1. Hi Vince, I read it as ‘rough location’ too, hence my ‘***** *** heading’ nearest possible answer.

          2. Same here

    3. rare for me not to finish, found it hard work apart from bottom left but gave up on top right. even seeing the answers thought couple of clues were stretching it.

       1. Good to hear from you here again mate, glad to see that someone else couldn’t finish it today.

16. **/**** It flowed well and was very enjoyable . Some great surfaces and structures – e.g. the annual decline in paddys. Thanks.

17. Excellent! Great clues, a tricky/tough puzzle and an enjoyable tussle with real feeling of achievemant/victory at the finish. Favourite of a top-notch bunch: 17d. 4*/4.5*.

18. Interesting to see that nobody, not even our Winnipeg correspondent, has suggested me as the setter this time! Perhaps being given successive Friday slots may have confused some of you as well the fact that this puzzle was quite a bit trickier than last Friday’s.

    I had hoped that the four or five double definition clues would go a long way to countering the trickier clues, but it seems that may not have been the case with a few of you for reasons that I can’t quite fathom.

    When Mr K conducted a survey on here in 2018 to discover solving preferences, around 60% of respondents said that they wrote in the answers in the printed newspaper. Whilst I appreciate that this figure may well be lower in 2023 and many now solve online and from print-outs, I was careful to include “some” in my clue.

    May I wish everyone a good weekend.

    1. Thank you for the puzzle, silvanus and for popping in. I’m afraid I could not do it justice but that is down to me. However, as I take the newspaper, I thought 1a a great clue.

    2. Very remiss of me not to thank Mr K for his comprehensive explanations and to everyone for commenting.

    3. I was just about to 😭😭😭 I got halfway though on the DT app then thought I’d finish on printout like I do every evening. I knew it felt highly Silvanussy. Only chance at a free half-crown or two is BLOWN!

       1a very good, very very good. Didn’t twig it straight away as haven’t bought an actual paper for years. For some reason I remember that bit being on the right!
       Thanks and have a great weekend.

    4. My goodness, you had me over the ropes there. (I hope that is a sporting expression, it sounds rather risqué written down). I managed about a third but then had to consult Mr K – my MO is to underline the definition and go back to the paper. That helped enormously. Fiendishly clever – how does your family live with your sideways brain ? 🥰 7d was my favourite, I got the rhyming slang straight away being a good cockney girl.

       1. 😂 (ropes/risqué)

          👏👏👏

       2. It’s actually ‘on the ropes’ but I much prefer your version.

    5. Well, Silvanus, having caused my poor old brain to go up in a cloud of smoke, I suddenly clicked on 1a with the picture in the hints. Brilliant clueing and a proper laugh out loud. Reading others’ comments I’m not so embarrassed by needing hints for 30% of the answers. For me *****/****

19. Can’t say I enjoyed this Friday puzzle this week. Extremely difficult for a back pager I thought. No wavelength connection, very slow going. Top was harder than bottom, but then again the last area finished was SE.
    Was a slog to get to the end … my issue and no fault of setter, just not my cuppa for this one.

    3.5*/2* for me

    Favourites were hard to find … 10a, 25a, 1d & 14d — with 10a being the winner by a country mile

    Thanks to setter and Mr K for hints/blog

20. Just about at the very limit of my abilities and even then many clues did not make complete sense. 5d was an unknown chair to me, and 19d was a mystery. And as for 1a, could we please have some setters who use and the understand online DT.
    It was only saved from binning by 10a and 7d which were the outstanding clues for me.
    This is far too difficult a puzzle for the back page, it just robs those with less time and experience of a daily puzzle. As I have said so many times in the past save these ones for the Toughie where those who enjoy the challenge may go.
    Doesn’t anybody at the DT listen or care anymore?
    *****/*(*)
    Thx for the hints

    1. Hi Brian

       Your request has, I’m sure, been noted.

       I’m guessing that you have worked out that they’re going to press on with these Friday fiends which, absolutely, works for me. One beast a week isn’t the end of the world……is it?

       I know that lots of people hugely enjoy them. I’m sure you are aware that the paper wants to try and keep all punters happy all the time but it’s impossible when the needs of thousands of solvers vary so much.

       Feel free to say it every week but don’t feel that you’re being ignored.

       1. Hi TDS, I see your point, but as Brian said there is always the toughie for those who want more of a challenge.

          1. Sorry, DG. I don’t buy that argument.

             Monday is easy. Friday is hard.

             That’s how it has been for years and quite right too.

             Why should a recent addition of a toughie mean that I am now forced to go into the middle of the paper for my weekly challenge of being put through the wringer?

             The Toughie wasn’t created to weaken the backpager. It’s there for those who want that level on a daily basis.

             1. I agree with you wholeheartedly, TDS. 👍

             2. Oy, DG is me – not him

                1. Hmm, good point.

                   As a football chant….

                   There’s only one DG.
                   One Deeeeee Geeeeeeeeee
                   There’s only one DG.
                   One DG
                   There’s only one DG
                   One DG
                   There’s only one Deeeeee Geeee

                   Going forward, Davie G it is though we also love Day Zee Gee.

                   1. Reminds me of the football chant when Man U signed Cristiano Ronaldo, whom no-one had ever heard of, ‘there’s only two Ronaldo’s’. Made me laugh.

                      1. Excellent! 😆

             3. Agree 100%, TDS. Couldn’t have put it better myself!

             4. Such hard work turning those pages. You must be exhausted.

                1. What a bizarre comment.

                   Still, you’re a Genesis fan which most certainly works for me.

                   Their best album, by a distance.

             5. I agree with you too TDS. Belatedly.

          2. Exactly. Where do we lesser mortals go when the backpager is OTT? Don’t see a “gentle” option on offer, where smarter people always have the Toughie option.

       2. Fridays are always tough but it does vary, I think this is why they use different setters each week. The way I picture it is like a big mountain with an even bigger mountain in the background. Each week, Monday’s puzzle is at the bottom of the smaller mountain and steadily goes up to the top by Friday. Next week same again but on the bigger mountain. Then back to the first one – kind of, anyway. Saturdays is your picnic at the pub afterwards, you might like the food, you might not.

          I’d tangibly trust the toughest of tough Fridays to be tougher than Tuesday Toughies (ooo alliteration 😁) With practise comes perfection and we’re definitely not all Edmund Hillary 😎

          1. I like the idea of Saturday guzzle as a picnic at the pub, the Saturday PP is definitely doable which is why I have won it three times! (Over a period of 40 years I should say, and before emails I must have spent a fortune on postage! But oh,
             the thrill – sorry to rub it in Stephen 🤭)

             1. It are wicked to mock the afflicted, DG! (B. H. Calcutta [Failed]) 😁

          2. ‘Picnic at the pub’ is indeed a great call.

             Nice one, ‘A gent Bee’

             Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz…..

             1. Wasp a matter with you today?!

                1. Wey hey!

    2. Clearly they do not care Brian.

21. As a committed paper solver, 1a went straight in, it was staring me in the face! That gave me plenty of checkers to work with but it was nevertheless quite a tough nut to crack. Needless to say, the birdy clues were much appreciated and helped enormously in the lower reaches.
    Finished up having four favourites in each direction – 1,9,10&27a plus 16,19,20&24d.

    Many thanks to Silvanus for the challenge and to Mr K and his feline tribe for the comprehensive review.

    1. I am seriously worried, Jane, about the lack of small birds in my garden. The blackbirds and Tobin used to come every morning to my whistle. Now the bird feeders have not been touched fo two months.

       1. There’s been plenty of food available for them in the fields and hedgerows, DG, plus the fact that some of your ‘regulars’ may well have been summer visitors from elsewhere. I’m sure your feeders will get used again during the colder months ahead. Now would be a good time to give the feeders a thorough clean if you haven’t already done so.

22. I havent picked up a dead tree copy for many years – but managed work out 1a without too much difficulty.
    Unfortunately those checkers and the last letter of 11a were my only inroads into the NE corner, so a DNF for me, but with the satisfaction of having completed the left hand side. Thanks for the hints, which were still needed even after pressing the button to reveal the answers.

23. Managed a lot more of this than I did yesterday’s, needed three hints and two reveals so a DNF again. Well done all who completed this including Mr kitty for his excellent hints. Thanks to all.

24. Sneaky but I loved 1a which took some time given that I always fold my paper. Thanks to Mr K and Silvanus.

25. About two thirds of this was beyond me, but I have to admire Silvanus for being able to compile such a puzzle and Mr K for unravelling it. Thank you to both.

26. Never understood why rough is counted as 1a. We always 1a whatever it is. So it could just as easily mean bright.

    1. A very fair observation, Corkers.

       I’ve just looked up its origin:

       ”In older times, when a sailor was feeling seasick, they would be sent below deck so they could get away from being under the harsh weather.”

       So, the word ‘harsh’ has been dropped.

       1. Thanks TDS. – at least I have increased my GK if puzzle disappointed.

          1. Always a pleasure, AV. Always a pleasure.

27. Yippee, just finished unaided but had to look at Mr K’s detailed hints to parse several of them, 7d for example. It was a terrific slog though and to be honest has wasted most of my day when there is so much to do. My eye still a mess but can’t get to see a doctor but saw the pharmacist who said ‘you ought to see a doctor’! Apparently they are all on the golf course. Anyway thanks to Silvanus for the brain mangling and Mr K for the pictures and much needed help with the parsing of this guzzle.

28. I’ve had my say already. I don’t know how people cope with a digital version. I just love the feel of the paper in my hands, turning the pages, all the blank spaces for scribbling notes and the next morning something to lay the fire with. Now ladies, sympathise with me please. I said to George this morning – I am going to a WI coffee morning and will go on to M&S for some shopping so may be a bit late back. Deep in the obituary page he nodded. I got back at 12.45 to find him eating fish and chips. Thought you were going out to lunch he mumbled, have a chip! And I’d bought steak for tonight but he’s not having it. Many thanks to Mr. Cleverclogs Setter and Mr K for helping me out and the kitty pictures.

    1. Sorry Daisy, it’s one of the great unspoken rules – an unattended man may legally sneak out to the pub or chippy with neither guilt nor admonishment 🍟😋

       1. When I had my first new hip I got as far as changing into theatre garb (J Cloths!) when I was told it had been cancelled and I would be sent home (30 miles) in a taxi as David was long gone. I got home an hour or so later to find the fridge groaning with pizzas, sausage rolls, scotch eggs etc. He had literally stocked up with junk food to gorge himself while I was away. The horrified face said it all.

          1. 🤭🤭🤣 We all do it! Not everyone gets caught though!

    2. Mine’s still a ‘paper’ version, as I print it on an A4 sheet and put it on a clipboard, loads of spare room for scribbling, and you can do it laying on your back on the settee, then the reverse can serve as five strips for shopping lists etc.

       1. Snap! It’s a brilliant way to crossword, the clipboard stops creases and doubles as a rest for the wine glass 😋 Although I’m more likely to make a paper aeroplane afterwards than anything as practical as your good self 😁

    3. ‘Have a chip?’

       How ballsy is that?

       Hilarious.

       ‘Day Zee and The Big Gee’.

       Sounds like a dreadful Gibb brothers tribute act.

       1. This blog is getting silly, the boys are getting out of hand and I think I might be slightly to blame. We
          should get back to the serious business of talking about guzzles.
          (emoji of saint with halo)
          Gibb Brothers – sniff- who are they?

          1. Barry, Robin & Maurice.

             Night Fever, baby!

             You encourage us with your joyous wit and turn of phrase, Day Zee. We can’t stop ourselves.

29. I loved all the kitty pictures, well worth a visit to the blog this morning, particularly 21a. When I had my seven cats, I had cat boxes all over the house, loved seeing cats lounging around wherever you looked.
    Thanks Mr. K, brightened my day.

30. Too hard for me.
    Thanks all

    1. Is everything going well in Nice?

       1. Very much so.
          We are having an excellent time.
          Beautiful weather, lovely hotel.
          Thank you

31. I gave up after 30 minutes and just one clue (22D) solved.

32. I solved this on my phone on an admission ward at Derriford Hospital and have had anaesthetic since then so don’t remember a lot about it other than enjoying it hugely.
    I liked lots, including (natch) 2d, and 7d always raises a smile in whatever form it’s clued. I think my favourites were 1& 10a though.
    Many thanks to Silvanus (a slight change in style perhaps) and Mr K for the top-notch entertainment.

    1. Hope you’re doing okay!

       1. Hear hear! 👍

          1. A bit delicate but fine, thanks both 🙏

    2. Hope all soon well Stephen.

       1. Get well soon SL.🤒

          1. Thanks, much appreciated H&C.

             1. Get well soon .

33. Tougher than the Toughie, but I enjoyed both puzzles today.

    I’ll agree with MrK about 17a. It had me about to drop a clanger regarding the ‘dish’ element until I realised it was all to be thought of as if in French, but a brain cell somewhere stopped that from happening.

    Many thanks both.

    1. When explaining wine to people I’d sometimes tell them that ‘chateau’ translated as ‘wet cat’, it’s amazing how gullible people can be sometimes 🤣😈

34. Finally got through it after returning a few times, challenging for sure but extremely satisfying to complete. Favourites were 20d (loved it), 10a (very nice cryptic), 14d, 25a, 27a (both splendid anagrams) and 1a of course. Last one in was 7d which I knew from the checkers but couldn’t parse – if I had one minor critical point it would be that surely this clue needed some form of CRS indicator? Not that it distracted from a fine head-scratcher as everything else was fairly clued and gettable, such as the crispy aromatic duck 😋 Thanks again Messrs K and S 🍻

35. Just popping in to thank the DT for two great puzzles today, and for Mr K’s elucidations as to those various esoteric devices mentioned in the preamble. I’ll just add that it was our solvers who came up with the much better NYDK, thereby connecting me with a certain internationally famous brand (in addition to that other internationally famous brand, The DT). I really should get the t-shirt made.

36. I do the cryptic thing together with my ex-girlfriend in Rome ( she dumped me in 1963 and married an Italian).
    Today was one of the hardest we have encountered but we got there eventually. Sincerest thanks to you Silvanus for a completely wasted day!

37. Relieved to know that I wasn’t the only one to throw in the towel on this horror. First read through yielded but one solution,12a, but then the West did gradually came on board beginning with 1a bung-in (thanks for explanation TDS) but the rest was a protracted nightmare of which I was glad to see the back. 7d rang no bells. Sort of thanks Silvanus and TVM MrK (talk about a feline fest!).

38. Totally beyond my capabilities. I don’t remember ever not solving a single clue.

39. For what it’s worth. I too found this too hard but agree that having a series of crosswords that become steadily harder over the course of a week is a good thing. 1a was beyond me as I am an iPad person.
    For those who favour the electronic version, but still like to scribble, I have found that doing the crossword on my iPad in split screen mode with the paper open in one half and notes in the other allows me to scribble to my heart’s content. See screenshot.

    

    1. I am a big fan of the paper version. It never runs out of battery, can be easily read in bright sunlight and you will never be mugged for it.

       I even used my Telegraph to keep an aggressive and drunk tramp away from me when I went to the aid of some ladies on the tube years ago. Wouldn’t fancy doing that with a gazillion pound ipad…

       Still didn’t get 1a though.

       1. Bananawarp
          I agree, I wouldn’t want to hit people with my iPad and the paper is a much cheaper offensive weapon. However, when I was working abroad, it did mean I could continue to try the guzzle every day. It also means it is delivered to my bedside every morning…I just wish it made tea.

    2. Excellent idea Gansosalvaje. Since switching to the digital version on my iPad I’ve missed the benefit of the paper where you could scramble the letters in a potential anagram. I shall go with your suggestion in future!

       1. Jon
          It took me a while to sort out the pens and eraser but it is fine now. I erase it at the end of every day and use the same note over and over again.

40. Well a bit surprised at the comments here. I don’t claim to be an ace solver but although it took a little longer than normal I completed it (digital version, new site) without the hints and just a bit of Chambers Words for the anagrams. And some damned clever clues as well. Maybe I should start doing the toughies.

41. Sorry, but the only good thing about this puzzle is Mr K’s pictures. I can’t remember the last time we had such convoluted clues that we need 4 detailed descriptions following the hint. I expect a tougher puzzle on a Friday, but not one that might as well be written in Russian. Having not had a hard copy of the DT in my hand for many years, except on holidays in England, I cannot say 1a made any sense to me whatsoever. The duck at 19d was the last straw for me. Hat’s off to Mr K for being able to solve this for us.

42. Had a quick look at this on the phone at work on the first tee but in addition to the difficulty it was a pain taking the mittens off (surprisingly nippy) to type in the few answers that yielded on the first read through so left it for now. Twigged 1a pretty quickly from memory (it’s after rather than under in the digital paper) then it was painfully slow progress to a not entirely unaided finish – 19a&d the last 2 in & brain fog descended with an inability to recall the 2 letter river despite it cropping up frequently so asked Mr G – the across one then obvious with the checker.
    Excellent as ever & every bit as demanding as his Toughie yesterday. Fav a toss up between 10a&20d but of course a host of ticks elsewhere.
    Thanks to Silvanus & to Mr K for a splendid review & puss pics

    1. Huntsman,

       is this first tee at Harpenden? Hammonds End?

43. Far too difficult for me today. After half an hour I’d only managed to solve two clues – and one of those I wasn’t 100% sure of. I switched to the Toughie and got further with that one (although still not very far). But I’m still in favour of the puzzles getting progressively harder throughout the week. Where would the challenge be if they were all easily solvable?

    Thanks to Mr K and Silvanus.

44. I am afraid this was beyond me, probably because I only got to it this evening as we are very busy at the moment. I managed half which I am pleased with but then ground to a halt and used the hints to get the remainder as a learning experience.

    Many thanks to Silvanus for the challenge and to Mr K for the needed hints and kitty pics

45. Notwithstanding the extreme difficulty and the number of unparsed bung ins, 1a was worth the entrance fee alone as it had me chuckling for several minutes after the penny dropped. Clue of the year for me. Thanks to Silvanus and Mr. K.

46. Wow, Silvanus really pushed the boat out with this one. I found it a fair bit tougher than his Toughie of yesterday. A dnf for me with 1a escaping me.
    Thanks for the challenge but perhaps a bit too challenging even for a Friday back pager?

47. A DNF, but was only left with 8 that I couldn’t get which is not bad for me on a Friday. Started it at 8:30pm so didn’t have the benefit of being able to leave it and come back, though looking at the hints not sure that would have helped. Fave 17a, but really enjoyed the variety of clue types today.

48. I had chassis for the chair instead of Windsor hence complete mess in the north east corner

49. Good evening
    Extremely late posting, but about half an hour ago, after several grapples with the grid this afty/evening, I hoyed the sponge in, called it quits and a DNF, then settled down to read the blog on my way home. Crikey! So many of you found it hard going…
    I managed about two-thirds. My favourite clue was 1a; when that particular penny dropped, I groaned out loud!
    My thanks to Mr K for the hints and explanations. And thanks to Silvanus also; I’ll do better next time!

50. 5/1. I spent yesterday evening, or a good part of it, getting absolutely nowhere. Then tried again for a couple of hours today . The printed copy is now in the shredder. Thank you to the setter (I hope you’ll understand it’s through gritted teeth) and Mr K for the much needed explanations.

51. Where are the puzzles in Saturday’s edition?!!

    1. I have also found that the puzzles are not in todays digital telegraph, I hope this is a glitch rather than a way of getting us to pay for /use the separate puzzle site which I detest. That is my relaxing Saturday morning spoilt.

       1. Most (all?) digital subs include the puzzle app but it needsto be downloaded separately. You can also have it on free trial. I’ve done this today as a work around but hope it’s just a glitch.

          1. Welcome to the blog

       2. I deleted my copy and then downloaded it again just now, and the puzzles are now there!

52. No puzzles in Saturday’s edition?!

    1. Sorry for posting twice!!

53. Thought I might crack this after a nights sleep … no chance but when looking at the hints realised how good these clues are. Thank you Silvanus this really put me in my place and thank you MrK could not have made any progress without you

54. This was way beyond me. When will our respected editor learn that there is a suitable place in the DT for toughie puzzles? As above, thanks to the setter through gritted teeth and thanks also to Mr. K for the hard work put in for the hints (and very many thanks for the pics, a joy to help cancel out the misery). I’ve said my piece, does anyone ever take any notice?

55. This was a crossword for one who regularly completes the toughie. I am not one of them. Far too difficult.

    1. Welcome to the blog

56. See #51 for comments about missing puzzles in todays digital edition

57. would this provide a workaround
    puzzles.telegraph.co.uk_print_crossword_id=49892

    puzzles.telegraph.co.uk_print_crossword_id=49892

58. Fantastic puzzle Silvanus, but took me most of yesterday! Get well soon Stephen and thank you Mr K for elucidation 1a and 17d, and the fabulous felines

59. Wow! That was hard. Did just over half yesterday (unaided), then resorted to some of the hints (many thanks for these) to get going again this afternoon and finally finished. Brilliant crossword, but hope today’s is a bit more straightforward!

60. 5*/4* …
    liked 1A “Rough location where some write in today’s answers? (5,3,7)”

61. A toughie in all but name.

    I have been tackling the back page cryptic on and off since the late 70s and this is the first time I have ever thrown in the towel!

    With almost a third of the puzzle still unsolved I just couldn’t take any more pain. I have no issue with the setter but feel that this puzzle definitely ended up in the wrong envelope.

    1. Welcome to the blog

       On checking to see if you were a first time commenter, I find that another commenter used your alias back in 2021. You may wish to change your alias, or as they only commented the once, you may be safe to carry on using it

       1. Thanks for the welcome. I think I’ll risk sticking with the current alias as I’ve been using it for years on other websites.

          I have been lurking here for over 7 years but have only now popped my head over the parapet. Being a cheapskate, I print out 4 puzzles using one sheet of A4 so I invariably complete the puzzle several days after it has been published, and therefore feel it is not appropriate to comment well after the dust has settled so to speak.

          1. Welcome from me too,
             Did you see the name check in the EV 1616

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