DT 30483

103 comments on “DT 30483”

1. Quite brilliant from start to Finnish (27d). This was all a good crossword should be.
   I mentioned yesterday that our friends over the pond might struggle with ‘Waitrose’
   so god only knows what they’ll make of 5d, maybe it was aired over there, but I doubt it very much.
   Once again too many great clues to name them all, but my top two today are the clever 19a, and the best clue for ages in my view, 29a, world class!

   1. Quite right, never heard of 5d. I got it with ehelp and google had heard of it.

      1. Are you from overseas MerUSA?

         1. Sorta! I’ve lived in Miami for about 40 years, but the USA does not mean America. My name is the first two letters of my fave labradors! Megan, Rufus, Sadie.

            1. Aha, got it!

   2. 5d no problem here in South Florida, daughters used to watch this when they were 5 and 2, and I’ll be mentioning this to them later (in their 50s now!) But I confess it took me a while to drag up from memory.

   3. Waitrose was no problem as it (as well as a number of other British retailers) have been mentioned frequently in comments. The TV programme was a different story though. Never heard of it. I deduced it from the wordplay and confirmed with Wikipedia — but only after discovering that the town in 1a is not named Middleborough!

      1. Two obscure names crossing each other usually results in a disappointing end to a puzzle.

      2. Frequently misspelt by many & no wonder.

2. An enjoyable midweek crossword – my favourite has to be 5d, not least because I’ve seen the original character and met ‘Emily who loved him ‘

   I’ve placed my usual 50p bet on the setter. Thanks to them and Shabbo

3. Just what you want for a Thursday: beautiful constructions that needed lots of teasing out, finished off with many brilliant surfaces on a friendly grid.

   I smiled when the first two words of 11a finally hit me. Great fun though, I suspect, some may not have seen the programme in question. I think ‘three quarters of an hour’ is probably a bit friendlier than ’45 minutes’ as it’s slightly less cryptic though I loved it.

   Following on from TC’s comment about 5d, I think people overseas have probably made their peace with UK references, e.g landmarks that aren’t that well known outside Blighty, TV shows, actors and comedians like Eric Morecambe, Ant & Dec (or ‘Ant or Dec’ as Bill Nighy once said). We obviously like them as we love a trip down Nostalgia Lane. It’s a difficult situation but I think newspapers are making the right call.

   Not easy to choose a top 3 but I’ll go with 19a, 29a and 23d.

   Many thanks to the supersetter and Shabbo.

   4*/5*

4. Another couple of cracking guzzles today (Beam Toughie also excellent). Ticks all over the shop – 1,10,18,19,29& 31a + 8,9&20d particularly appealed but pretty much liked ‘em all. JC’s wildly overrated Oscar laden pic just pips the N Yorkshire town for top spot.
   Thanks to the setter & to Shabbo – went all in that you’d picture Andrew Sachs for 3d & jealous that you’ve got the Thurs slot.

5. Another gentle offering but with good surfaces and not too many anagrams. */** with an extra * for enjoyment for 29a. Thanks setter.

6. Two days running we have had slights against Yorkshire in 1a, yesterday Cleckhuddersfax and today the home of the Parmo
   Nevermind it was a fine puzzle and loved the kids TV programme and the cycling race was in my wheelhouse too, just coffee and cheese needed to hit my four c’s
   Tha ks to Shabbo and setter (no wager from me – too much month left at the end of the money)

   1. I once knew a woman from West Yorkshire. She was a bit too racy for me, though. She was so proud of all the towns and villages in her area – loved her ‘uddersfield and Upperthong too! :-)

      *Forgive me, I’ve probably told that one before …

   2. Hi John,

      It is a pure coincidence that the two Yorkshire places appeared on consecutive days, as the puzzles were compiled many months apart and submitted to the editor many months apart too. I have visited both places more than once, and certainly no slight was intended to either location! I don’t recall that anything in the clue for 1a yesterday in the Toughie contained anything negative, perhaps it was certain solvers’ comments that you meant?

      1. Oh I am not at all offended I was just noting the coincidence really. My own little corner of Yorkshire is suffering from the neglect of a feudal brewery owner.
         I see from comments that the suffering of the High Street is pretty widespread and although they are a bit like the curates egg that doesn’t apply to your crosswords which are a treat throughout 🥰
         Resubmitted as I removed the link to an article in the Times that is triggering a spam filter

         1. The beer baron recluse and the trouble brewing for Sam Smith pubs

            Should find the Times article as my link won’t work

7. Hi Shabbo, your link to read more …. Still does not work.

   1. Hi Mike
      Apologies – which link?

      1. Does he mean the “continue reading” link on the home page that gets you to the actual daily blog? That must have worked otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to ask the question …

         1. Now I understand. Thank you.
            You are right – the link does not seem to work but the comments section is still accessible. I have no idea how to fix this so have sought advice from way above my meagre pay grade.

            1. It seems to be working now?

            2. It worked for me on my laptop in the first place – I was just guessing it hadn’t worked for Mike.

      2. I think it starts in the email- the Read more of this post bit is usually clickable from the email but several blogs lately have lost it

8. Not a Ray T Thursday – a Beam Toughie day. So, guess the setter. Ray T’s ‘regular’ substitute was on Toughie duty yesterday; would he get a back pager today or is it someone else? Based on my enjoyable solve, I am inclined to say that this is indeed Ray T’s ‘regular’ substitute making a quick re-appearance – 2.5*/4.5*

   Candidates for favourite – 1a, 14a, 29a, 22d, and 28d – and the winner is 29a.

   Thanks to Silvanus, or whomsoever if it is not he, and thanks to Shabbo.

9. Well I too thoroughly enjoyed this, lots of lovely clues, great surface reads and some suitable head scratchers.
   Runners up for me today were 18A, 31A and 8D, but the standout favourite has to be 29A.
   Strangely it took me for ever to spot the forward lurker so held me up somewhat in the SW.
   In 12A I remain uncomfortable with what looks to me a questionable use of the first definition, even if Chambers does prove me wrong…
   Thanks to Shabbo and to the setter

   1. Thank you for your kind comments.

      I must admit that I had some doubts originally about 12A until I saw the example quoted in Collins:

      “He was working away on his computer until the early hours”. “Continuously” seems a perfectly valid synonym in that context.

      1. I was a bit surprised to see that meaning so high up in the list in the BRB, but I still wanted to justify it; so I settled on “his heart was beating away when he heard the noise in the night”.

         1. I was surprised too (as my BRB doesn’t give an example), so I looked in the Oxford Dictionary of English, which gives the example “there was Morrisey crooning away”.

      2. I was struggling with that one too until I thought of 🦫 ing away.

      3. That was a fine puzzle which I completed but needed Shabbo’s clever hints to understand some of the answers! Great stuff all round.

10. Light and enjoyable, a good balanced mixture of clue types, some very decent &/or witty surface reads. Podium to 1a, 29a & 2d.

    1.5* / 3*

    Thank you to the setter and to Shabbo.

11. Excellent. What a week. 18a my cotd

12. We’re being spoilt this week with another cleverly clued puzzle that was also lots of fun. Like Shabbo I too was surprised to find the word ‘continuously’ given as the second definition of away in the BRB. The synonym for pet in 22d was strange for me as well and I’d never heard of the cycling lurker at 20a but all were easily gettable. It’s difficult to choose a podium today as there are so many good clues. Favourite has to be 29a for the ingenuity, supported by 19a for the penny drop moment and 5d for the nostalgic element. Thanks to our setter for the absolute pleasure and Shabbo for his blog, especially the sad looking doggy pic.

13. This was pretty much crossword perfection, with a fine clue mix, wit and misdirection. I would not be surprised if this proves to be by Silvanus, but I have been wrong before. From a fine selection I have gone for 29a as my favourite this morning. Great stuff.

    Thanks and congratulations to our setter for an enjoyable and entertaining challenge, and to Shabbo.

14. Really enjoyed this one. However, being a bear of very little brain I still can’t fathom the synonym for “heart” in 6d. Can anyone enlighten me?

    1. morale.

       1. Tch. Of course. Thank you. I had “heart” meaning “centre” in my mind.

       2. Aha … I thought of everything but that!

15. Very enjoyable indeed!
    Loved 20d, definitely my kind of clue, very smart indeed. Also liked 29a (HOUr very smart) plus15d (very smart too, and a Scottish football club being a clue to the setter?). Plenty more I could have mentioned in a top-notch offering.
    Many thanks to the setter and Shabbo.

16. A top-notch puzzle with smooth surfaces throughout – thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
    My rosettes are pinned on 1a, 19a and 29a.

17. A cracking crossword, Gromit. Lots of clever and amusing clues with a question mark only against 12a.

    Favourites 19a, 29a and 5d.

    Just back from walking Emmy the Dog along Aberdeen Esplanade. Another place where the town centre is now a grotty shadow of its former glory.

    Thanks to the setter and Shabbo.

    1. At least you have the Granite and Radon Gas to keep you “Radiant”

       1. It is a pity we cannot harness it for less expensive heating 😪

18. I’m confused as to 24 across? Why are 2 letters leaving? Also 8 down, I’m not sure what the relevance of ‘political’ is in the clue? A ‘straight fight’ isn’t necessarily restricted to the political lexicon? Perhaps I’m trying too hard to parse the minutiae but it rankles when the solution leaves a spare thread or two! Other than that I found it certainly the most challenging so far this week!

    1. Welcome to the blog, Nico.

    2. In 24a, we need to omit the two letters representing “one” and “about” from the synonym for ridiculing. One = I and about = c (circa).
       I hope that helps.

    3. Welcome to this fabby blog, Nico.

       I don’t think the setter is saying that it can only be used only in a political situation.

       Strictly speaking, the word ‘political’ doesn’t need to be there because Republican is a political term. I think an extra relevant word just adds a little colour to it.

19. A very pleasing Thursday puzzle. Fine clues, a decent challenge and much enjoyment. Fav: 29a. 3*/4*.

20. Super, smashing, great.

    Thanks to today’s setter and Shabbo.

21. So many town centres are grim now. Perhaps it is time to give up the fight as so few people (other than teenagers throwing chips at each other after school) frequent them these days. It seems pointless praying for a high street revival while shops are boarded up or left as skeletons.
    If only local planners had the foresight and will to adapt high streets into affordable housing for key workers (firemen/women, nurses, and carers for example). They would have to swerve the young people screeching at passers-by outside Costa Coffee though.

    Tricky guzzle; I was unaware of the alternative meaning of the last four letters of 22d. It had to be what it is, but I kept pondering “but how, Terencio, how?”

    Thanks to the setter and Shabba-dabba-doo.

    1. Re the last four letters of 22d. Our “etymologist extraordinaire”, TDS65, might know.

       1. Oh, the pressure, the pressure.

          I have looked it up as I don’t have a clue and it’s an ‘origin unknown’ jobbie.

          Phew!

    2. If you want a grim town street, try Friar Street in Reading, used to be lovely, now very depressing.

       1. I haven’t been to Reading for decades but I just looked up the development plans for Friar Street and my goodness I see what you mean!

          1. Betting shops, convenience stores, slot arcades, mobile phone unlockers, and cash converters, what joy!

    3. The local councils have only themselves to blame for declining town centres Terence. When I was a teenager, most shop owners lived above their shops, or were made into flats which people rented, so there were always people around and about. The advent of the outrageous parking fees, coupled with ruinous business rates created this death knell. When we moved to the US we were amazed that we could park for hours when shopping, for free. It is all very sad.

    4. Whilst I agree that many town centres are grim and to be avoided at a costs, there are some exceptions. Bracknell used to be beyond awful, but has had one of the most amazing transformations i have ever seen. I thoroughly recommend anyone in the area paying a visit.

       1. I lived in Bracknell for about a year, and went to college there in the early 80’s, sounds like you know it too, are you indeed local?

          1. I was local. Lived and went to school in Crowthorne. Then went to Bracknell College for many years. I also worked in Bracknell for 6 years. I now live in Surrey.

             1. I also lived in Crowthorne, went to Broadmoor primary, then Edgebarrow. How about you?

                1. I moved to Crowthorne when I was around 14, so was at Edgbarrow for 2 years. Small world!

22. What a puzzle, lots of headscratching in especially the SW corner! not seen ,Harry for a while.
    Favourites were 5d-lovely name, 19a for originality and 15d for the wordplay.
    Going for a ****/****.
    Thanks all.

23. A very enjoyable struggle! Needed some hints to realise quite how clever some of the clues were. Thanks to setter and Shabbo.

24. For this non RayT Thursday, I still found this puzzle a tough one to get going with ,(once again), a few clues where I couldn’t work out the parsing even in reverse engineering.

    2.5*/3* for me

    Favourites include 1a, 11a, 29a, 16d & 27d — with winner being 29a followed very closely by 1a

    Thanks to setter and Shabbo

25. Thoroughly enjoyable, some head scratching and new synonyms in 12a and 22d but I got there in the end with a great sense of achievement. 5d and 11a took me back to some happy TV memories, they don’t make them like that anymore.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints and explanations

26. Yes, ’tis me again! Many thanks to Shabbo for his Hints and Tips and to everyone taking the trouble to comment.

    The HOU part of 29a was actually the work of the Puzzles Editor, not me, so credit where credit’s due. I think it is very clever, and it seems many of you agree!

    1. Thanks for another cracking crossword, SV.

       Keep ’em coming!

    2. Yes thank you indeed Silvanus, what a joy after a busy, busy day – now I have completed it I can go to sleep. Still worrying about the problems posed in today’s DT though, I’ve only done three! Thanks to Shabbo as well.

27. There are at least three American sitcoms that were very very good. Cheers, Friends and Frasier. Clever scripts and good actors. Most So called comedies today are dire. Too predictable, crude and sometimes cruel. This from me, an aging male who has had a humour bypass.
    As for the crossword **/***

28. I started off hesitantly, but managed to tune in to an entertaining puzzle. I should have consciously said what 45 minutes is, as it becomes more obvious then, and I would think easier to spot than the recent “focal point V”. As it was, I started thinking about what 45 minutes represents e.g. half a football match. So running out of time, I consulted the hints. Perhaps I should have left it and had a rethink later as it is a good clue that I might have understood unaided. Perhaps I will dedicate the time saved to watching an episode of Cheers for old times sake! Thanks Shabbo and Silvanus (and as it turns out the Puzzles Editor!). I like a good lurker and thought the explosive was well hidden.

29. Yes, tricky but hugely entertaining. I was DNF at 15d but I have no idea why, it seems to be one of the more straightforward clues! My only ? was 13a, to me that is unpleasant but bouquet is very pleasant; I know, the BRB and all that, but I still stand. I laughed at 23d, does anyone else remember Alice in the Vicar of Dibley reading from an old Bible? I needed ehelp for a couple, not sure I’ve heard of 1a. Please, may we have a commitment never to see 10a again, maybe he will disappear for good. There was much to like, I go with 23a as fave, but 18a and 22d were high on the list.
    Thank you Silvanus for the fun, and Shabbo for the hints and tips. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

30. 2.5*/5*. What an superb puzzle – not too difficult but very clever and great fun from start to finish. I spent most time working out how 12a could be synonymous with continuously – see comment 9 above for what I came up with.

    I had loads of ticks, and my podium selection was 1a, 24a & 20d with a special mention for the Quickie pun.

    Many thanks to Silvanus and to Shabbo.

    1. Hi RD

       What was the original adjective you chose to describe the puzzle?

       My guess is ‘excellent’, as it has to begin with a vowel, but you felt that choice didn’t do it justice.

       1. Well spotted, TDS65. It was about half-an-hour ago and I’ve already forgotten. Looking at half-an-hour, suggests the original adjective could have started with an H but “honourable” wouldn’t have cut the mustard.

          1. Quite right.

             You have chosen wisely as it was indeed superb.

             Love the ‘forgotten’ comment, btw.

          2. My grandmother inexplicably always said an ‘otel.
             (She was not an ‘h’ dropper!). Was that some sort of dated Edwardian fad?

             1. Could be. Homage being pronounced omage is a always a goodie.

                Apron was originally naperon (nappe is French for cloth) but the n got shifted to the indefinite article ‘a’, i.e ‘a naperon’ became ‘an apron’. This is called a ‘faulty separation’.

                Umpire is another one. It derives from ‘not even’ as an umpire was an arbiter, i.e a third person (not even). ‘A noumpere’ sounded like ‘an oumpere’.

                Gotta luv it, Day Zee.

31. 29a was sublime

32. Tough today and not a patch on yesterday’s puzzle. Very wordy and often weird. Only enjoyment was in completing it.
    Not one for me I’m afraid.
    ****/**
    Thx for the hints

33. This was difficult, for me anyway, but I always find Silvanus tough – quite a few that I needed a hint!
    I don’t ‘get’ 11a but I never can cope with TV/films etc anyway.
    I particularly liked 19 and 30a and 15 and 23d. Can’t pick a favourite today.
    Thank you to Silvanus for the crossword and to Shabbo.

    1. Re 11a Kath the actor Kelsey Grammer played a character called Dr Frasier Crane who frequented the bar in Cheers & then went on to star in his own hugely successful spin off (far superior in my view) Frasier. I’m inclined to agree with Shabbo’s views on American situation comedy but Frasier is really very good & Eddie the dog is great.

       1. Thanks – I think the answer is really that we don’t watch enough TV!!

       2. Although I was a great fan of Frasier (and Cheers before it) for some reason I thought the actor was called Kelsey Krammer so I immediately wrote in ‘crammer’ for the school, only to have to change it when I got 5d.

34. What a struggle!! Great challenge with nothing obscure and lots of clever clues….

35. Wow, a Silvanus that I could understand and mostly do on my own, that’s a surprise. Whatever the rationalization of 12a, and I did pen that in right away, I still don’t care for it as a cryptic clue. Also found 29a too convoluted, and struggled to come up with 31a. Otherwise quite enjoyed. Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.

36. Great puzzle and thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo. It was the Knitter Natter Christmas dinner so the puzzle was a thing of 2 halves. The easier half before and the rest after the dinner. Lots of great clues and a good variety. One spelling mistake held me up but it became obvious once the checkers were in. One of the reasons I do the daily crossword is to help my spelling.

37. Boy, that tested the grey cells! Mind you, it was in a positive way because with thought and much production of dandruff it became an enjoyable solve. I loved the film that New Yorkers never saw – very clever. I have never heard of the cycling event but it was gettable by following the clue. I didn’t have the courage of my convictions, though, and looked it up on Mr G. My COTD is the 45 minutes that upset Harry. I wondered at one point how long it took the court to decide a certain royal had to pay money to the Daily Wail.

    Thank you, silvanus for a cracking puzzle. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints.

    News on Mrs. C. She has been moved to the renal unit. She is comfortable but rather confused.

    1. Thanks for the update. I was worried when I didn’t see you at comment #1! Any news whether she’ll be home for Christmas? Give her our love and best wishes.

       1. Thanks, Merusa. Not sure if Lesley will be home in time for Christmas but, if not, I’ll just move Christmas back until she is. 👍

          1. So sorry to hear that your wife is in hospital, Steve. I haven’t read the blog for a day or so.
             Hope she feels much better soon.
             All the best to you both.

             1. Thank you, Ora.

                1. Best wishes from Daisy as well. 💐

                   1. 👍

38. Good evening
    Pen down after today’s tussle with the mighty Silvanus. Some definite braincell agitation going on, not least with 29a! Having deduced the HOU, I was still struggling to come up with a synonym for the verb “to harry”…
    29a takes COTD along with 5d.
    Many thanks to Silvanus and to Shabbo

39. A DNF for me (11a did for me despite often watching Cheers).
    Lots of lovely clues though, specially 29a.

    Thanks to the setter and to Shabbo

40. Two days in a row with fabulous crosswords!

    I thoroughly enjoyed this solve, particularly enjoying the very clever 28a.

    I was confuddled by 12a, but that has been given context In the comments above.

    Thanks to all.

41. Finally released from grandparent duties and just as well given that I had the Dream Team awaiting me crossword-wise!
    I see that only one other person has admitted to not knowing the cycling event – despite the answer being obvious from the clue, I did need to verify it with Mr G.
    Seemed a bit ‘wrong’ to nominate 19a for a podium spot so my final selection was 1,10&29a plus 9&15d.

    Thanks as always to Silvanus and also to Shabbo for the review.

    1. The cycling event was a bung in for me. I’ve never heard of it.

42. I found this harder than the toughie, not that I didn’t enjoy it. Needed the hint to parse 24a, never heard of the Cheers actor never seen it either so a bung in. Favourite was 29a. Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.

43. I have no complaints about British place names or TV Programmes. This is an English newspaper enjoyed by cruciverbalists the world over. I do not even complain about the US clue at 11a despite never having watched any US TV. With the checkers it was easily guessable, although I almost fell into a crammer trap. I went to a crammer once to enable me to pass Land Law. It worked thankfully. I put in one of the usual clubs without knowing why and am still unconvinced by 12a. However, a very skilful puzzle thanks to Silvanus and thanks to Shabbo for the hints.

44. 4*/3* …
    liked the fame of the mobbed singer in 18A
    and the quickie pun.

Comments are closed.