DT 30544

110 comments on “DT 30544”

1. Two questions, did we ever find out who set yesterday’s stinker, and if so, was this the same bloke today?
   Yet another proper toughie as far as I’m concerned, but doable (albeit after quite some time).
   Only one slight query, does the answer to 22d really fit the clue, or have I missed something?
   Had to check the author in 29a as never heard of him. On the upside though, thought 13a was very funny, and 1a an absolute scream.
   Like to see who set this one, great fun (eventually)

   1. It’s unlikely to be the same setter 2 days in a row. Today’s could be Zandio, who usually pops in at some point to claim it, so we’ll find out then.

      1. Ta for that, I’ll wait and see…..

   2. I agree with you about yesterday’s puzzle and 22d but I thought today’s was slightly easier.

      1. Hi Lynne, yep, ‘slightly’ seems the operative word here, just a tad easier, but not much..

   3. I know what you mean lol. Another day where I became totally frustrated, pleased it isnt just me.

   4. I agree both are very tricky esp yesterday’s stinker. This is marginally better but not a lot.
      Finished but only by letter bunging and I failed to understand at least 6 answers even when they were right.
      I think someone at the DT has a vendetta against non-Toughie puzzles!
      *****/* no fun anywhere for me.
      Thx for the hints

      1. Agree. All a bit tiresome .

         1. You’ve used a different alias so this needed moderation. All the aliases you’ve used will work from now on.

   5. Absolute “Scream” , haha!

      1. Well done DG, glad someone got it, was beginning to worry……..

         1. 😀 it went over my head but then I’m not as smart as Daisy.

2. I found this tricky in places, but compared to yesterday, this was a walk in the park.
   My last couple in were 16d and 4d. 13a was my favourite.

   Many thanks to the setter for a most enjoyable puzzle: 3*/5*

3. Quite a challenge indeed. Although I filled in 16d and 22d correctly Mr K kindly explained the reasoning. Tennis and football are not sports I follow, but I should have worked out the logic. I am a cricket and rugby follower – at last Root has come good on this tour, but will it be enough?

   1. Great to see Root back to form I agree, but we will have to wait and see if it match winner…

4. I thought not as tough as yesterday, but not by much. 13a amused.
   I got 1d at a glance, so a bunch of checkers right away. Steady progress thereafter.
   Thanks to compiler.

5. I am slightly at odds with the other commentators so far today as I found this significantly more challenging than yesterday and for me (and I stress…) this was a thorough work out. That said I expect Friday’s to be tougher and I like the challenge, it takes more time and effort but is all the more rewarding when I get there.
   There were a number in here that I liked, of the best 13a( the amusing business), 5d (very clever once I finally unravelled it), 15d (for its smooth surface) and 17d as I don’t recall previously seeing representation as an anagram indicator.
   There were some I struggled with however, 24a and 23d which I did not know in this context, 3d where I am not comfortable with the “at this time” substitute as I am struggling to think where I might use it without the addition of “and now”. In 16d, not being a football fan, I got well and truly stuck on the airline. 22d – is this really disclose? And then my General Ignorance meant that in 29a I had to look up both the spice and the author!
   That seems like a lot grumbling, but I did get properly engaged with this guzzle and I did enjoy it.
   Thanks to the fiendish setter and to Mr K for the clarity he brought.

6. A very enjoyable Friday challenge, which I suspect may be the work of yesterday’s Toughie setter, that was most welcome after missing yesterday’s puzzles because of, by my standards, ‘a night on the tiles’ on Wednesday – 2.5*/4.5*

   Candidates for favourite – 11a, 23a, 29a, 2d, 4d, and 22d – and the winner is 22d.

   Thanks to whomsoever, a Loonie on Silvanus, and thanks to Mr K.

7. A reasonably light and very enjoyable puzzle for a Friday, requiring just a little extra lateral thinking in places. A generous dollop of very helpful anagrams, no obscure ‘G’K (though 16d & 24a may test our non-UK resident solvers), and plenty of humour throughout – 20a in particular giving rise to a chuckle. I thought 24a was a bit ‘niche’ and I find that comedian’s output not really to my tastes, but he has been somewhat ubiquitous for a good few years now. Many great surface reads, but a few that felt rather strained. Podium places for me to 29a, 5d & 21d.

   2* / 4*

   Many thanks to the setter (Zandio?) and MrK

   1. Ah yes, the comedian in 24a. I forgot to mention that he is unknown to me, but the answer was clear enough for me to guess.

      1. I suggest you let him remain unknown – awful

         1. He was good co-hosting ‘Pointless’, and a Hendrix fan, so gets my vote for those.

   2. Yes, 24a is totally unknown to me, but I solved it as I had the checkers and Japan gave it away.

8. Very Friday, I thought, with the solve proving rather more straightforward than the parsing (‘twas ever thus) necessitating a few trips to Chambers for confirmation. I had no idea that 10a’s tincture could be a verb but, as with 3d’s “at this time”, the definition is lifted straight from the BRB. This could be either Silvanus or Zandio, I reckon. But some quirky spikiness points to the latter. And I know it’s not a strict rotation but isn’t it his “turn”? Am I right in thinking that “downing” can be used as an insertion as well as – in this case – a deletion? Much to like – 13a was delightful. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

   1. “Down” as a verb can mean to fell or knock down (as in boxing, e.g.) as well as to swallow.

      1. Many thanks for this confirmation, and for yet another belter. I was pretty convinced it could be both but very good to know for sure. Sorry to misidentify you again – I really should have known from the precision that it was you. Oops. If you’re up for just one more question, may I ask you this, please? Can “the last of…” indicate (fairly) a series of last letters, or does it have to be just one?

         1. Thank you, ALP.

            If referring to more than one word, I’d strongly prefer/suggest using a different option to “last (of)” that appears in the plural, like “tails” or “ends” or “backs” etc., so that there is no ambiguity, but I’m sure I have seen “last of” used for multiple words in other puzzles (I suspect non-Telegraph ones!).

            1. Huge thanks for this Silvanus, much appreciated, even though you’ve (slightly) broken my heart!

9. An enjoyable Friday-level puzzle – thanks to the setter and Mr K.
   There is a typo in 10a in the online puzzles sites.
   Top clues for me were 1a, 13a and 5d.

10. And I thought Thursday was a little tricky …
    I really hate to be negative, but this puzzle did nothing for me at all except frustrate me. The parsing made no sense even when I had the answer, 50% of the clues were, (IMHO), terrible to allow one to work out the solutions … just did not gel at all. For me, that is a damn shame, but I will not blame the setter. Absolutely have no idea what wavelength he/she is using, but I ain’t clicking. Some other world.

    5*/1* for me …

    Favourites,(so few to find), include 20a, 28a, 6d & 25d — with best being 28a as it actually made sense.

    Thanks(??) to setter & condolences to Mr K for having to sort out the hints/blog.

11. I thought this was a really good Friday challenge, testing but fairly clued throughout, with some definite bonce-scratching required to get across the line. 13a was my top clue, closely followed by 4d.

    Thanks to our setter for the fun and to Mr K.

12. Thought this was just the ticket for a Friday back-pager, tough but all scrupulously fair. Biggest laughs came from the Ohio chip and Mum’s encounter with the footballers and I also had appreciative ticks alongside 9,12& 13a plus 19d. I wonder how many of us would have become familiar with the 1a artist had it not been for that one painting that was used in so many different scenarios? Last to fall here was the detestable group – I was so hooked up on cricket related phrases!

    Many thanks to our setter – think Senf’s loonie is fairly safe – and to Mr K for the review albeit without his feline friends.

    1. me too with the detestable shower.

       1. Wasn’t shower used by Terry Thomas?

          1. It was certainly used by our superb history master with significant derogatory intent (hence often prefaced by something like “appalling”) when expressing his irritation with us during our ‘O’ Level history classes, a good many decades ago!

    2. I told George to ponder on the crickety one – but in fact it jumped out at me and made me laugh.

    3. Dead right Jane, the clues are always fair with Silvanus. The detestable group was a DNF for me.

13. This was tough, and whilst a dnf, having had to consult Mr K’s hints for more than I care to admit, I got further than yesterday. I am putting down both to a learning experience. Looking at the hints, gave clarity to my unparsed answers and to those that left me mystified, so I am grateful to Mr K for those. Thanks also to the compiler.

14. For me, this was more difficult and less enjoyable than yesterday.I am reading all the plaudits for 13a, but a couple of words of American gangster slang were completely outside my knowledge base. The answer could have been nothing else but I needed the hint to parse. Favourite today was the cleverly misleading 24a supported by the artist at 1a and the footballing mum at 5d. Thanks to the setter and MrK who confirmed a couple of parsings for me.

    1. Totally agree re13a. It’s a bit much to expect readers of an English newspaper to be familiar with American gangster slang.

15. Love it when the back page crossword is tough. If Elgar is batting on the toughie then my long hops are no match for him. Glad to see Root has started playing a straight bat and ditched the ramp shot.
    Thanks to Mr K and the compiler

16. Did not enjoy this one. Too many tenuous or unrecognizable definitions, e.g. 3d, in what world does “at the time” translate as “here”, or “imbue” mean “tincture”?

    1. Both the “tenuous and unrecognizable definitions” you have cited appear in Chambers Dictionary (although it is “at this time” rather than “at the time”, as you have written it). Perhaps you might consider complaining to Chambers instead?

       1. I’m not sure why chambers is considered correct. In my own use here is a place not a time.

          1. Collins shows “at this time” as a definition for “here”, as well as Chambers. I can appreciate that you may not like it, but it’s in two of the most reputable sources around.

          2. BH. Here (adverb) in the sense of “now” means at this point/at this time/at this moment. If the copper said to you: “Here is your opportunity to come clean”, he would be referring to “now” or “at this time”. He wouldn’t be talking about a “place”.

    2. John, both meaning are in the BRB.

       I too didn’t realise that “tincture” could be used as a verb meaning “imbue”, but it is given in the BRB as such.

       A possible example for “here” meaning at this point in time is: “here comes summer”. (That song brings back some happy memories of long ago …!)

       1. That means at this geographical location summer is coming. It’s a place not a time.

17. Yes, another tough challenge today but this was an exquisite puzzle where each answer brought a great sense of satisfaction. The SE corner took my over my 4* time so my rating is 4.5*/5* .

    How many five letter artists are there that fit the pattern M – N – – ? I spent far too long trying to justify Monet or Manet as the answer!

    I wasn’t familiar with the synonym for infatuation in 24a, or that for credit in 19d, but both are in the BRB.

    The setter has managed to incorporate two cleverly indicated Americanisms in 13a, which has earned the accolade of my favourite. From a plethora of ticks, it is joined on my podium by 4d & 14d.

    Many thanks to the setter – surely SIlvanus? – and to Mr K.

    1. I’m with you on the artists RD, even checked the BRB for moet as a synonym of greatly

       1. Moi aussi, GJR!

          It took me forever to get that one.

          Another fiendish Friday hits the back of the net. It was hard work but I got there though the parsing of 13a was out of my reach. 24a scores nicely on the chuckleometer.

          Some fabulous clues to choose from but I’ll go with the clever 9a, 13a for originality and the splendid 14d.

          Many thanks to Mr Smooth and Mr K

          4*/4*

       2. Ditto GJR!

18. No, neither Zandio nor my colleague from yesterday appearing again, ’tis me.

    Many thanks to Mr K, especially for his detailed explanations which are very thoughtfully provided. Thank you to everyone commenting too. Certainly this one was harder than my last one, two Fridays ago. I hope that our much-missed good friend Robert C would have liked 13a, I wrote the clue when he was still with us, I’m sorry he never saw it. I also hope that Huntsman liked the golfing clue in 7d. My personal favourite however is undoubtedly 14d.

    May I wish everyone a good weekend.

    1. Thank you Sivanus – I agree with you that 14d was a winner, a brilliant clue. But apart from getting1a straight off, you gave me some grief – but I forgive you!

       1. What the “L”! Sorry SiLvanus.

    2. Hadn’t seen your comment when I posted mine guv. Scout’s honour 😃
       Thanks for dropping in.

    3. Aha! I wuz rite! I’m rubbish at guessing setters but I immediately thought of you when I was able to enjoy a tough ‘un.

19. Reckon this a good bit more straightforward than yesterday but can’t say I found it so. The brain simply wasn’t in gear this morning which I’m blaming on a foolish decision to start yesterday’s Paul (our Dada) guzzle in the Graun in bed at half past midnight exacerbated by an obstinate refusal to turn the light off until I’d cracked it. 4&22d were the two real head scratchers that greatly extended the solve time for me. Took an age to peg the answer for the former & parsing the latter was compromised for some time by going down the Swedish car model blind alley. All sorted eventually though I remain unclear as to how 10a is synonymous with tincture. Very much enjoyed it & appreciated the clueing even more after a post solve read through. 14d was my favourite but plenty of ✅s elsewhere – 9,13&23a + 2,4,5,7 (nearly had one once) & 16d particular likes.
    Thanks to the setter (Silvanus methinks) & to Mr K.
    I see nobody ‘fessed up to yesterday so can’t have been T as he’d have surely popped in.

20. I found this a bit of a struggle. Did not have a hope of getting the Kumar clue nor the Etihad as I have not come across either of them. Obviously a gap in my GK. Nor do I have any connection with US gangsters!
    But of course I liked the anagrams and I also thought 9a was brilliant. Sustain debts. Clever. So my thanks to Messrs Silvanus & Kay, no kitty pictures on my iPad – is that just me or were you pushed for time? Hope that Mrs C has settled now that she is back home, big adjustments to be made all round I dare say. Have a good weekend everyone. I’m off to Waitrose in Trumpington to see if the have any mussels for supper, have a good weekend everyone.

    1. Hope you got your mussels OK DG – a little gloat – we have probably half a dozen people selling mussels within a mile radius, plus local crabs and lobsters, all yum yum!

       1. Yes I did. We both love them, but I like them especially because George takes over true cooking of them 😆. Crab. Oh my. I’m determined to come up to Norfolk for a short break. No airports involved.

21. I thought this was about right for a Friday and certainly easier than yesterday. For me, there were some unknown synonyms (10a, 23a, 22d) and some unknown words (29a) but everything you needed was there in the wordplay with the checkers.
    For 3d I convinced myself that the last 3 letters came from the middle of criticism, so thanks to Mr K for putting me right on that one.
    Last one in was 4d and that became my favourite for the penny drop moment and smile it raised.
    Thanks to Silvanus and Mr K.

22. A tad easier than yesterday
    Having the m and the n, I felt the answer to 1a was Manet or Monet but of course it wouldn’t parse.
    My COTD was 7d with 20a a close second

23. Found this decidedly tricky and a real struggle. LOI 4d which I thought was very clever – hope Root continues tomorrow to be our saviour. I haven’t any kitty pictures either but I must now read the hints to finally parse them. Car wouldn’t start after my little printing session and despite being about 200 yards from Blakeney Garage it was monsoon conditions. Thank goodness for mobile phones. Apparently our solonoid (sp?) has gone kaput, sounds expensive. The kind knight riding to my rescue and getting soaked in the process thumped the car up and down for a couple of minutes which did the trick! Thanks to Silvanus for the brain mashing and Mr K for telling me how I got there.

    1. I dread breaking down. Coming out of Waitrose I saw a very small car the same colour as mine, fairly unusual. What a funny little car I thought _ then realised it was a Peugeot 108 like mine. I didn’t realise it was so tiny! Suits me fine though and I love it.

24. Both yesterday’s guzzle and today’s were on the tough side and ttook a long rime to solve but this one is marginally more difficult. I liked the 4a and 1d anagrams and the 7d cryptic definition. Thanks to Silvanus and to Mr K for the hints, which I’ll look at next, as there were 4 clues I couldn’t parse.

25. Not for me today! First two read-throughs generated just two answers and it went downhill from there. Certainly would have been a DNF without Mr. K’s superb hints, and even then it took me way too long before I had the sense to give up and just read the answers. so X for time and <* for enjoyment. Roll on tomorrow!
    Thanks (I think) to Silvanus and Mr. K.

26. This was tricky but very enjoyable. I’m guessing Silvanus, I’ll read the comments later and see if he takes ownership. His offerings are always hard but, oh, so fair and workable. I was DNF, I just couldn’t get 4d, and I needed help understanding 16d, it had to be but couldn’t work it out. Not too sure I understand it even now. I googled Etihad and it told me it was an airline! Live and learn. Did anyone else try to put “Al” somewhere in 13a? I like that “of course” moment when you see the light and I had lots of those today. I liked the artist and over the moon, but many more could have qualified.
    Thank you setter (Silvanus?) for the fun, such a pleasure after yesterday, and Mr. K for unravelling so much.

27. An excellent Friday puzzle from S. Great clues, a decent challenge and an enjoyable solve. Favourite: 5d. 3.5*/4.5*.

28. Another head scratcher. But that’s why we enjoy crossword puzzles, puzzle being the operative word. Thanks to setter and Mr K.

29. For me trickier than yesterday, but it’s Friday, and I needed some e help to finish and then Mr K to help me unravel the why, particularly for 16d and 22d. A great sense of achievement having battled through and I have learn some new synonyms! I did not know 10a or 28a.

    Many thanks to Silvanus for my mental workout and education and to Mr K for the inordinately helpful hints and detailed explanations.

    1. I am constantly adding to my sporting knowledge – Etihad for goodness sake. I thought he must be a Welsh Saint!

       1. I had heard of it but did not know which sport or team to attach it to! Everyday is a school day, which is why I find the cryptic crosswords and this site such fun.

       2. Could also be the past tense of Etivegot and Etillhave 🤔

          1. 👏

          2. Brilliant!

30. Good afternoon

    After yesterday’s DNF, I reached for my lucky green pen this afty. I needed it! A proper challenge from the Brain Of Silvanus, which, thanks to a little electronic help, I have completed.

    Last to fall was 23a; I wouldn’t have thought of 22d as an obvious answer; and I’ve had recourse to the excellent work of Mr K to provide some explanations today.

    13a is COTD by a mile!

    Thank you Silvanus, thank you Mr K.

31. I seem to remember that Dinsdale Piranha was cruel but fair. I could have sworn yesterday’s was by him, but I stand corrected by Silvanus for that and also for today’s fine work-out.

    Thanks to him, no longer a Mister Ron, and Mister Kay (mind those aliens).

32. I don’t know if you’re in the wings, AgentB, waiting for an opportunity to crack a ‘wey hey!’ but I loved your crossword in Nookie Corner.

    The question mark is an excellent clue and who doesn’t love a plastic toucan and a poop!

    You are a natural………something.

    Many thanks to AgentB and AgentB.

    2*/5*

    1. Thanks Tom 😊

       Could be a screenplay for a new film… Natural Born Poopers

    2. Followings Tom’s comments I too had a crack at AgentB’s rookie corner crossword, it’s a cracker. Some nice invention, some sneaky clues and a true laugh out loud moment at your use of business. A first class showing.
       Thanks AgentB

       1. Thanks Phanciful, that’s very kind 😊

33. Henceforth I shall skip Fridays and go straight to the Prize Puzzles – just nine solved before throwing in the towel.

    1. But next Friday you might solve ten, Richard – where’s your Dunkirk spirit?!!

       1. Exactly. If at first you don’t succeed etc. never give up, never surrender……..I could go on, and on.

    2. Don’t give up on Fridays Richard. The more you do, the clearer it gets.
       Remember Robert the Bruce. Oh dear, those pesky Scots are after our blood at Murrayfield tomorrow.

    3. Silvanus puzzles can be tricky but once you’ve got on the wavelength (easier by examining the hints each time) they are rather satisfying to complete. Think of it as chipping away at a piece of marble – one day you’ll be an accomplished sculptor

34. Thank you Silvanus for a typical Friday challenge and of course MrK – the detestable group as my favourite clue.

35. I thought today’s was damn hard! Didn’t get more than half of it.

    1. Welcome to the blog, Richard.

36. 22 Down – Does disclose mean evolve?

    1. The second definition in the BRB, Skeeter – “evolve – to unroll; to disclose; to develop; …” though I must admit I might struggle to use it in a sentence without my audience going “Uh?”!

    2. I certainly did not like it! I deduced evolve had to be the answer but was left with a very bad taste in the mouth. Unsatisfactory.

    3. Agreed. Hated this clue, though nothing else would fit so the answer was obvious. Whatever the dictionary may say, I’m struggling to fashion a sentence in which disclose and evolve can be substituted for one another!

37. Thought I was on to a winner today having got the screaming artist straight away, but it went downhill from there, a real mind stretcher. Managed to finish but needed Mr K’s hints to get the parsings for 21 & 22d. And a bit of cheating to get Kumar’s first name.
    Very many thanks to Silvanus for the workout and to Mr K for the help.

38. So most of the North went in with no real holdups. Then I went out food shopping and maybe had a brain switch or something as I made real heavy weather of the south. Had to look up hints for the last few , not helped by the fact I had the first letter of 24a wrong . It was a bung in – Japan is ‘Far’ away right ? 🙄 . Anyway I learnt some new words – 23a, 23d and the right answer for 24a I’d not heard of! It was sort of fun , but I need a drink or a rest now it’s finished. Thanks to setter and Mr K .

    1. JM, 24a. Japan, maybe is the clue definition. Maybe is there because japan is a type of varnish. Also known as japan black or black japan. The Japan in the clue has false capitalisation.

       1. Yep. Japanning is to coat with a glossy black varnish. The (poor) Western imitation of proper Japanese lacquer, those lovely elegant red and black bowls and trays you see.

          1. I know it from when I was a kid in the 50s and I used to go rummaging in my uncle’s ironmongers shop. There used to be boxes of black domed-head wood screws called black japanned screws. I suspect they were just painted black rather than proper japanned. No captital required for this japan!

39. Hard but not too hard for a Friday, and gentler than yesterday’s abrupt smack in the face two-thirds through.

    Liked 18a, and 1d which made me laugh. Did anybody know that the town in question is the only place in Britain which is an anagram of “I am stoned”? Rather apt if you’ve ever visited! Don’t get me started on Newark which is an anagram of Wa…*ahem*

    1. What about Ad Mestino! The Spanish enclave in the Derbyshire hills where I was born and raised. :-)

       1. Hahaha! You almost had me with that tale 😅

40. My worst crossword week in nearly 30 years and that is without the horrors that await tomorrow no doubt.

    Probably got 5 clues today before conceding I should start looking for another hobby. Maybe something that requires no brain power. Like watching funny cat videos.

    1. Come on. Stick with us.

41. Late start for me today, and eventually managed to get to the finish line 👍

    I managed ok with the GK today, being aware of Mr Kumar and US crime films, although I’m not a fan of either. I was also on the Monet/Manet path until I almost screamed with delight when the penny dropped.

    Last one in, in common with a few others, was 4d, which I thought was clever, but my favourite was the footballing mum at 5d.

42. 4d was eluding me until a vision of Terry Thomas uttering his famous phrase popped from the deep recesses. I don’t think he was referring to cricketers, but it was a happy memory!

    1. Agree.
       A brilliant actor, sadly missed.

43. Can’t believe I
    Finished this near Toughie
    Without recourse to
    The hints.
    Thanks Sylvanus for
    The considerable challenge
    and to MrK.

44. Sadly more of a 4*/1* for me. With only 5 answers I resorted to Big Dave for the rest. Completed all the across clues with help then without help still couldn’t make my down answers fit the clues. For the first time in years I left it incomplete. It must be a wavelength thing as only recently I completed a 4* without help. Or as Mr Wogan would say, “is it me?”

45. 4*/ 4* …
    Liked 4D “Detestable group that may interrupt cricket match ? (6)”

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