DT 27008 (Hints)

97 comments on “DT 27008 (Hints)”

1. The DT must be feeling sorry for us amateurs as this must be one of the most straightforward puzzles in a long time. Some of the clues such as 1d, 6a and 26d were barely cryptic. Having said that I enjoyed 7d and 30a.

   1. I know I am going to deeply regret asking this but who are you suggesting is paid by the DT to solve the puzzles?

      1. No the other way round, who is paying the DT to set the tough ones we have seen recently :-)

         1. I agree. I expect it’s RayT

2. A doddle, but an enjoyable doddle.
   Thanks setter and BD.

3. I agree with the previous comments but I too thought that it was an enjoyable puzzle and I particularly liked 1a – it was a good start and I saw the answer straight away – 7d, 8d and 27a.

4. Thanks to the Saturday Mysteron and to BD too. You’ll have to wait until Friday to see what I think about this puzzle.

5. There is a green hill is an Easter hymn

   1. As BD is out eating cake, I have corrected the hint for him.

      1. When I was young I wondered why a green hill would have a city wall in the first place and why it was worth mentioning it’s lack of one

         1. So did I! The other thing that used to completely mystify me was the bit in the National Anthem ” . . .send her victorious . . . “. Growing up in a fruit growing area I thought it was ‘Victorias’ (plums) and could never see why the Queen would want to have plums sent to her. :roll:

            1. Queens and Plums, RayT would have a field day…….

         2. The song doesn’t say how far outside the city wall the green hill was. It could be 10 miles

            1. But the one thing that is certain is that the wall doesn’t surround the city wall – hence by objection to the use of without to indicate inclusion.

               1. Quite right Dave. By the way, many thanks for the hints which I did need to use and thanks to the highly paid Mysterion for a good, but easy, puzzle

6. Done on a freezing cold football touch-line. 10a rather clunky. Favourite was 8d.

7. The first element of the double definition in 9d was a new word to me, but otherwise this was a leisurely Saturday morning stroll.
   A bit breezy & brass monkeys for tennis, but needs must.

8. I agree that most of this one was fairly straightforward but I did get stuck for quite a long time in the top right corner. I didn’t understand 7d (so glad that BD gave a hint for this one as I would have felt really stupid having to ask), I know nothing about tropical fish, spent some time trying to justify the wrong answer for 9d, didn’t see 11a for ages and was held up by 8d because I had the wrong ending for 21a. Yet again – oh dear!! How to make a pig’s ear out of a not very difficult puzzle.
   I enjoyed this. I liked 1, 11, 27 and 30a and 2, 4, 7 (now that I understand it!) 8 and 20d.
   With thanks to Mr Ron and BD.
   VERY cold here but at least it’s dry and sunny. Dare I try the NTSPP? The last one that I tried by Radler was well beyond me.

   1. It’s not an easy puzzle, but there are a lot of clues that make you smile when you get the answers.

      1. Thanks BD – just had a very quick go – it’s not looking good so far! Will carry on trying.

         1. Don’t forget you can reveal any letter in the interactive versions.

9. Hello everyone from a dry very sunny West Wales, I didn’t find this as easy as otherss today, I struggled with quite a few and can someone please tell me what ‘keep’ has to do with the answer for 9d??? Having said that I did on the whole enjoy this puzzle

   1. Sorry ref 9d I think I may have the wrong answer, if so I can see what ‘keep’ has to do with the answer but I can’t see what the answer has to do with Usain Bolt unless he lives in one???

      1. I think my first answer is right however I still don’t understand ‘keep’

         1. Lucky Mary, being in a dry. sunny spot! ‘Keep’ has to do with castles in this case, I think. :-)

            1. I don’t think it necessarily has. There are two similar words but only one of them is also the main quality of U Bolt

               1. Thanks WW

            2. Thanks Franny and Mr Bumble but I’ve never heard that before, however having looked it up in the BRB I see it is the same as a fortress :-)

            3. Hi Franny we were away in Slimbridge last week and although very mild and not raining it was decidedly damp and cloudy give me this sunny cold weather any day :-)

               1. We have some sun, lots of heavy showers and a wind coming direct from the North Pole. I have even persuaded Mr CS to put the heating on so it must be bad.

                  1. sue, we have had the heating on most of the summer :-( !!

                     1. Mr Mary is obviously not as mean as Mr CS. He just makes us put more layers of clothing on. :(

                        1. I absolutely refuse to be cold and layers don’t do it for me :-), Mr Mary, I like it

                           1. I hate being cold too but if I wear too many layers I end up feeling (and looking) like a stuffed earwig.

                           2. I cant function in layers

      2. Nobody appears to have answered your question. The answer is a property of the guy. Tall**** might be another.

         1. Cheers Wingnut, I did ‘get it’ eventually :-D

10. Mary,
    The whole answer is an old word for somewhere secure , if that isnt giving it away

    1. Thank you Mr B

11. Thought 27 a was good, struggled with 11 a .Got to wait until Monday for further amusement as not up to the Toughie level yet

    1. Welcome to the blog Mr Bumble

       You could always try the Sunday Telegraph crossword set by Virgilius. It is not of Toughie standard (usually) but is often one of the highlights of the week for solving.

    2. If you can’t wait until then, try the very good Paul in today’s Guardian (available free on line) Tricky in places but great fun.

12. I was too late to say how much I enjoyed yesterday’s puzzle. But I enjoyed this one too, and managed to finish it with no great trouble. As BD said, there are many clues that made me smile, expecially 2 and 27a and 14 and 23d. Thanks to BD and the setter. :-)

13. Last two in for me was 8d and penultimate was 9d. Favourites were I
    1a and 27a. Very enjoyable. Is there more than one Mr Ron as this not usual style I thought?

    1. There are a few I think Wanda

       1. There is one ‘usual’ Mr Ron who alternates with Cephas (who was last week, see pic on my review of last Sats puzzle) and occasionally we get a visit from a different Mr Ron. Not sure which one set today’s puzzle though.

14. At last ! The losing streak comes to an end. Didn’t need any hints to explain the wordplay – which has been necessary the last few days. Thank you setter and BD. Amateurs fight back !

    1. Well done SW I thought todays puzzle was a bit tricky

       1. Thanks Mary. I know you were away last week – not sure whether you tried the puzzles ( they might have spoilt your holiday ! ) they were all on the difficult side – one attracted a 4 * rating. So it was with some relief that I finished todays without explanations and hints !

15. Took me ages took get going but got there in the end. Very enjoyable. I wait with interest to see if I have 16D correct as the answer is a noun but the clue implies that it should end in -ic surely?

    1. The word in the answer, although usually a noun, can also be used, as here, as an adjective.

    2. Ah…I see now. Many thanks BD.

    3. I see what you mean but interpreted it differently. I thought the definition was ‘being foolish’ as in a ‘foolish being’ ie a foolish person. Who knows? :smile:

16. A very enjoyable crossword. Except 9d. I was unable to do this clue until I had read this blog. I’m still not sure that I have the correct answer. An online dictionary would indicate to me that is a word for a keep. But I thought that the word I had was the name of a race??? And what has the word ‘property’ got to do with the price of meat? I’m obviously on a different planet from everyone else.

    1. It is the name of a race but I think the word ‘property’ in the clue means ‘quality’ here rather than somewhere he lives!

       1. It isn’t quite the name of the race but the solution can mean either a castle or stronghold or a quality which someone who goes as quick as Usain could be said to have.

          1. Thanks Kath and Crypticsue. I obviously have the correct answer. However I do feel that this was not a good clue. That aside I found the puzzle very enjoyable

       2. Oh dear – close but not QUITE right! Nearly!!

          1. Closer than I manged Kath. Keep on keeping on…lol

    2. I think the race ends in ‘***’ Tim :-)

       1. I think that might count as giving too much away. Do you like ginger cake? I’ll put some in the corner. I would insert a photo of the latest one but I don’t know how you put pictures into comments.

          1. I did think about it before I put it sue, never mind I love ginger cake ;-)

17. I enjoyed it today, and even managed to paint the garage door between sittings.

18. Sorry but I am also still stuck on 9d despite the blog help. My final three clues are 9d, 11a and 21a which doesn’t help
    .

    1. There has been a lot written about 9 down in the comments above. The answer could be taken as meaning the property of running quickly.

    2. I could try to give hints or would you rather battle it out?

    3. Yes Brindley, 9d even had a seasoned old timer like me scratiching for quite some time. I’ve figured it out but I don’t like the clue very much. The only – rather tenuous – connection to keep, is property of a material to retain its colour after many washes, without staining accompanying clothes. I also thought 16d a bit “iffy”. Whilst I accept BD’s earlier comment, I would only ever use this word as a noun. This is not an invitation for any of you to use it on me!Just the same, very enjoyable and thanks to setter and, as always, BD.

    4. I’m glad that I am no the only one confused with 9d.
       11a is perhaps an old word for a singer. ‘a’ from the clue then another word for ‘buck’ (the animal). All that put after a word for a party. The military (amongst others) tend to use that word for party.

    5. Hi Brindley

       11a you want a word for a buck as in animal, after ‘a’ from the clue and a four letter word for a party (as in dance) to give you a word for ‘singer’ , I tend to think of these singers in the court of Henry Eighth maybe

       1. Not necessarily in that order though :) Its the party then the A then the buck.

          1. :-)

    6. worry not I still cant get this clue – complete blank

19. Sorry I have 11a and 13a but not 17a nor 21a – feeling a bit daft as this has taken ages

    1. 17a think of the usual abbreviation for English, follow this with a type of clergyman, the whole will give you someone who puts something up eg a tower or building

    2. 21a a person playing snooker retaking his shot does this, if you add the usual crossword abbreviation for second inside you get your answer i.e. ‘gets out of trouble’

    3. 17a. If you take the word “with” out of the clue and read the rest literally, you might see it. 21a is what a snooker player will do when the shot has to be taken a second time and include an s.

    4. 17a The definition is someone who puts something up – a builder maybe. You want the normal one letter abbreviation for English followed by another word for a vicar.
       21a The answer means gets out of trouble, or helps in some way. I think this is quite hard to give a hint for but am sure someone else will do better than me. If you think of the name of the stick that they use in snooker – I think this must also mean a snooker shot – and put two letters in front of it meaning again and put an S in the middle (second dropping in) – oh dear – hopeless!!

20. thanks everybody i have finished now – didn’t know the word for 9d but have learned it now :-)

    1. Same here

       1. Are you sure Mary? I seem to recall my mother using it quite often, but usually preceded by the word “colour”.

          1. Oh yes Buffer I know it in that respect (but had long forgotten it) but not in the respect it’s used in the crossword :-D

21. Enjoyed solving this one.

    Faves : 1a, 27a, 30a, 7d, 8d, 9d & 14d.

    Weather still sunny here in NL but now rather chilly – had to cover up when shopping today – the first time since the spring.

    After dinner will make a start on setting all the various timepieces back to winter time.
    One of them is a bird clock and I usually take the battery out for an hour to keep the calls in sync with the birds!

    1. Yes, all putting our clocks back tonight Derek, why don’t they just leave it alone!

22. Off now, see you all tomorrow and sue and Kath don’t forget keeeeeeeep dancing ;-)

    1. Will certainly remember the dancing. Just about to light fire and pour glass of wine. Not so good having dark evenings but light mornings will be nice AND the clock in my car will be right tomorrow morning for the first time since March when the clocks went forward!!

23. The niggle I have is that what I have to put in the answer for 17A is not a synonym for “vicar”. A vicar is vicarious and took the place of the recipient of the tithes when that recipient was a corporation.

    1. I always thought that a vicar was just that, a vicar.
       Didn’t know of the distinction.
       Thanks.

       1. I always thought that a vicar was a vicar too. I think that probably messes up lots of answers in crosswords – setters beware!!

    2. Historically you are correct but the setter is also right because these days both words mean parish priest

24. Thanks Prolixic for the advice, will give tomorrows a go seeing that my gardening is to be frozen out….its grim oop North

    1. In pre-blog days I could never do the Sunday crosswords – I gave up even looking. Now I know that I can – partly because I’ve learnt so much from all the clever and helpful people on this wonderful blog but also because there is a safety net – when I get completely stuck there is always someone around ready, willing and able to get me out of trouble. Give it a go – sorry about the frozen garden!

25. Unusually, I went out for the paper early and polished off the bottom half fairly raplidly. The top half took longer to come to me and I only resorted to this site to complete the final clue – the dreaded 9d.

    Thanks to BD for the hints (mostly not needed) and to the setter, deifinitely on their wavelength today.

26. Thanks to the setter & to Big Dave for the hints. Found this quite tricky, needed the hints for 27a, 7&8d. Needed the blog for 9d which was last in. Very enjoyable for all that. Weather a bit drear in Central London, was a bit chilly at the Emirates, but the win warmed us up a bit :-)

27. Foundit easier today. Thx to Big D – hints in the past are definitely having an impact. last clue in was 21d

28. Like everyone else, found this the easiest for a long time. Very enjoyable, thanks to BD and setter. I still can’t see why my answer to 22A, which I think must be right, fits with the first part of the clue.

    1. 22a A flavouring, free from Spain, for savoury jelly (5)
       The A from the clue is followed by a flavouring, like those used in curries, without the letter which is the IVR code for Spain giving a savoury jelly

29. Thanks Dave, just couldn’t see it for some reason – I was taken down the wrong track by the first two letters of Spain. Clear as day now!

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