DT 27752 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 27752

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27752

Hints and tips by 2Kiwis

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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****

Our news has been dominated this last week by tropical cyclone Pam. She was a very severe, force 5, storm that developed way north of us and caused huge devastation and some loss of life in Vanuatu a few days ago. She then headed south towards New Zealand, but following the usual pattern, lost some intensity as she moved out of the tropics and passed just to the east of NZ. On the way, she did take a back-handed swipe at some of the coastal areas in the NE but no major damage resulted. We, on the SW coast of the North Island hardly noticed a thing.
Today’s puzzle from Jay we found a little breezier than normal, and it brought us loads of fun.

Please leave a comment telling us what you think of today’s puzzle.

Across

1a     March will be heaven — one’s going away! (6)
PARADE : Take a synonym for heaven and remove from it the Roman one and S (One’s).
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4a     Supplied last of tableware, cracked (8)
EQUIPPED : The last letter of tableware is followed by a word meaning made a joke.

10a     Snappy technique from corrupt email pest (4-5)
TIME-LAPSE : The snappy refers to a camera lens and is an anagram (corrupt) of EMAIL PEST

11a     Picture young lad hides at home? (3-2)
PIN-UP : A word for young lad or young dog includes the usual two letter at home.

12a     Quick — a couple of lines, say, with rope cut in half (7)
ALLEGRO : A from the clue, two LLs for lines, the abbreviation for say or ‘for example’ and the first two letters of rope.

13a     Huge credit almost taking in Italian article (7)
TITANIC : Take a slang word for credit, remove its last letter and into this put the abbreviation for Italian and then English indefinite article.

14a     America, determined, arrests soldier in training (5)
CADET : The answer is in there, (perhaps hiding under a bed in the barracks).
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15a     Elementary variants to posies after arrangement (8)
ISOTOPES : An anagram (after arrangement) of TO POSIES.

18a     Fantasise mother is about ready with changes (8)
DAYDREAM : One of the possible three letter variations for a mother surrounds an anagram (with changes) of READY.

20a     They must lose regulars, and not drift (5)
TENOR : Start off with the first and third letters of they and add a word meaning ‘and not’.

23a     Plain laminate with a core of gum (7)
PLATEAU : This is a geographical feature. A description of a laminate is followed by A from the clue and the middle letter of gum.
imgres

25a     Drinking game’s beginning after son gets 11 tipsy (7)
SUPPING : Start with S(on), add an anagram (tipsy) of 11 across and finish with the first letter of game.

26a     Shocking — very nearly draw one day (5)
LURID : Take a word meaning draw or entice, remove the last letter and add the Roman one and D(ay).

27a     Analyse collapse (9)
BREAKDOWN : Double definition.

28a     Grave robber’s first love gets a hat (8)
SOMBRERO : A word meaning grave or serious has the first letter of R(obbers) and the tennis love added.
imgres

29a     Girl with a Latin temper (6)
ANNEAL : A girl’s name, then A from the clue and L(atin).

Down

1d     Inadequate payment for bread once with no end of aggro (8)
PITTANCE : A type of Italian  Middle Eastern bread is followed by once with the last letter of aggro removed.

2d     Discovered the truth and growled (7)
RUMBLED : Double definition. The second might be what distant thunder did.

3d     Pleased with action taken to include illumination (9)
DELIGHTED : A four letter synonym for an action includes a word for illumination.

5d      Times Square not for posing? He’s the king of posers! (8,6)
QUESTION MASTER : An anagram (posing) of TIMES SQUARE NOT.
images

6d     Data is not proven under trial, for starters (5)
INPUT : The answer is made from the initial letter of five words in the clue.

7d     Writer to risk ignoring church act of atonement (7)
PENANCE : A writing implement is followed by a verb meaning to risk with an abbreviation for church removed from its start.

8d     Show disheartened Dane and old Scot (6)
DEPICT : The first and last letters of Dane and an ancient Scottish tribesman.

9d     Counterpart to Pope is converted, supported by cardinal (8,6)
OPPOSITE NUMBER : An anagram (converted) of TO POPE IS is followed by what a cardinal or perhaps an ordinal might be.

16d     Blunt stunned — small fine in prison! (9)
OUTSPOKEN : The conscious state of one who is stunned is followed by S(mall), then a two letter abbreviation for fine or satisfactory inside a synonym for prison.

17d     Novel railing violently against love (8)
ORIGINAL : Not a book this time. An anagram (violently) of RAILING follows the tennis love.

19d     Possibly posted to depots as an example (7)
ANAGRAM : The answer is how two of the words in the clue relate to each other.

21d     Offensive racket around the heart of home (7)
NOISOME : A word for an audible racket surrounds the two letters in the middle of home.

22d     Periods of magic? (6)
SPELLS : Double definition. Lengths of time and what a wizard may cast.
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24d     English looking shamefaced, turned over after one gets a duck (5)
EIDER : Abbreviation for English, the Roman one and the inversion of your facial colour when you are embarrassed.
images

We’ll make our favourite the one that took us longest to parse, 20a.

Quickie pun   talk  +  armada  =  Torquemada

78 comments on “DT 27752

  1. I found this to be a straightforward solve but I got caught out by 19d (I always get stumped by this clue when it pops up) and it pushed me into 2* time. Great puzzle from Jay, with thanks to him and the 2Kiwis **/****

  2. First in the queue for a change ,i was surprised at the 2K’S rating as I did not think it was much more difficult than yesterdays-although more enjoyable, so a **/*** for me. As a charade fan I liked 16d and 13a,thanks to 2K’S for the pics, liked the duck!

    1. You’ve changed your ‘name’ which is why you went into moderation. Both your full name and your alias should work now.

  3. Clever, clever Jay. So many light-bulb moments during the course of solving this scrumptious puzzle – ah! that sort of ‘poser’, oh! that ‘example’, damn! it’s a hidden one, blast! forgot about the apostrophe ‘s’…………….etc. etc.
    Did wonder whether 11a was an all-in-one (if that’s the correct term).
    I’ll go for a 2.5*/4.5* with many potential favourites to choose from – I could possibly narrow it down to 1a, 27a or 19d, but I’m not certain.

    Many thanks for the fun, Jay and also thanks to 2Ks for the excellent blog and the pic. of the resplendent Eider (lots of them around Penmon Point here at the moment). So glad that you managed to avoid the worst of the cyclone’s effects.

    1. Due to go to Beaumaris soon, so will take a trip to Penman to see the ducks-thought the 2k’s pic was a Mandarin, but apparently there are different Eiders ,I think the brightly coloured one is a royal eider, but could be wrong!

      1. 2Ks pic is of a King Eider – only Common Eider at Penmon, although I guess we could get lucky!

        1. Nice to have a twitcher an hand who can identify these things for us. What a pretty thing!

  4. Straightforward today. Favourite was the all-in-oneish 11a (Picture young lad hides at home), though arguably if it’s pinned up it isn’t hidden so maybe not quite an all-in-one. Cute surface though.

    I like the related 25a and 5d (king of posers – illustrated by Stephen Fry!)

    Many thanks Jay and 2Kiwis

    I’m struggling with my 4 last clues (SE) in the toughie..

      1. We will have to wait for Gazza’s review as we aren’t supposed to comment/hint about particular puzzles in the ‘wrong blog’

  5. Good to hear you are safe and sound 2Ks – I didn’t know exactly where you are so had been wondering. Reports of Pam’s devastation in Vanuatu, etc. have been heart-rending. Thanks for your hints which were in fact only needed to parse my bung- ins for 20a and 25a (d’oh!). In fact this really was more duck soup today but pleasant enough. Thanks Jay. **/***. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/icon_neutral.gif

  6. Slow start on this one today, rated 2 and 4.
    Not sure it was difficulty 4. Thoroughly enjoyable look forward to tomorrow

  7. Italian bread in 1D? I thought that was middle eastern. I liked this a lot, and had a few cues starred but 19D is my favorite. Thanks Jay and the 2Kiwis.

    1. Yes you are right Chris. One of those things we just wrote in without a second thought as we were more concerned with the alternate spelling with one T.

  8. No problems here, just a super puzzle by Jay as usual. The book at 17 eluded me so much that I almost reached for a pencil and paper. Almost but not quite as the penny dropped just in time. As a young lad I had posters of Rory Gallagher, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles on my bedroom walls. No pinups or scantily clad young ladies much to my Dad’s despair. He wasn’t keen on my going to gigs all over the country and never attending a football match either. The posters are gone but I would still rather go to a gig than attend a football match.

    1. I did have one poster of Brigitte Bardot on my bedroom wall, astride a motor cycle. But opted to go and see Rory Gallagher play at Leicester University rather than see a Coventry v Leicester football match in the old First Division of course.

  9. I had a slow start today, but once I started to get on the right wavelength I managed without too much trouble – although quite a bit slower than yesterday. I thought quite a few of the clues were very inventive and thoroughly enjoyed the solve as a result. Thank you setter for a great puzzle.

    2*/4* I think.

  10. Not as tricky as usual for a Jay, well that’s how I found it, but I did enjoy myself. Thanks to him and the 2Ks.

  11. ***/****

    Super stuff as usual from Jay. The LH went in smoothly but the RH caused me to take a step back and have a cup of coffee. Milk with one sugar and a bourbon.

    20a was my last clue in and I needed the to 2k’s to explain it.

    Not going to select a favourite clue as there are too many, nor admit to who my 11a could have been, then and now.

    Many thanks to Jay and to the 2Kiwi’s for a fine blog.

  12. Very enjoyable puzzle for a lovely sunny day after a foggy start here in Shropshire. Lots of lovely clues, 4 & 18a, 8 & 16d, but my favourite has to be 19d.

    Thanks to Jay for the puzzle and the 2Kiwis for their usual excellent review. I’m glad to hear that you were untroubled by ‘Pam’ and my thoughts and prayers go to those who were less fortunate.

  13. I was really slow to get started this morning. Since most people here found today’s puzzle okay, I’ll blame that on a lack of sleep. With only a few in, I remember thinking if I was blogging this one I’d be crying by now. First in was 27a and it seemed rather appropriate. But finally the brain warmed up and it got better. The polarity of the solving flow was reversed somewhere between me and Hanni, for I conquered the RH before the LH, with the exception of 20a which was last to fall.

    A lovely challenge with clever misdirections and all nicely put together as we would expect from Jay. Many possible favourites, but 11a and 2d are jostling for the cup.

    I’m just back from patrolling my London territory. Still hazy here, but much brighter than yesterday’s grey murk. The Serpentine is scuzzy and contains dead things. No swimming today.

    Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks. Glad you are all safe and sound. I hope our missing commenters are okay too.

  14. Very enjoyable, with some clever clues. Actually found it easy, although needed to see explanation of 20ac. Thanks to all.

  15. Oh dear! A total fail from me. Just couldn’t get going at all. Retiring, disappointed.

  16. Very enjoyable today. Only 20a and 29a caused us any real difficulty. On shore breezes have kept my part of the East Coast misty and cold. Could do with some of Shropshires sunshine. Thank you to the Wednesday setter and to the 2Kiwis.

  17. A very enjoyable puzzle. I started well, finishing the right side quite quickly, but having returned to complete the rest I ran into more difficulty making it about 2-3* for me with 4* enjoyment. Favourite for me was 11a, which was not difficult but very well done I thought.
    Many thanks to Jay and the 2Ks. Our thoughts too are with the people of Vanuatu. I hope it will stay newsworthy for long enough to get them the help they so desperately need.

  18. I wanted to thank everybody for wishing me a Happy Birthday. I was very touched indeed.
    As per the toughie, the SE corner gave me the most trouble and 16d was also my last one in. Quite annoying as I like that kind of clue.
    Maybe it’s due to the vino collapso from last night. I managed to keep going on same poison all evening as mixing is never recommended.
    Thanks to the setter and to 2kiwis for the review.

    1. Jean-luc, a belated “Happy Birthday!”

      Hope you enjoyed “Le Poisson”.

      (Back to the kitchen … Hic!)

  19. A very nice puzzle from Jay I thought. A slow start and then I slowly got into it. Some very good clues of which I liked 14a and 19d particularly. 3*/4* overall.
    Thanks to Jay and the 2K’s for their review.

  20. Really enjoyed this puzzle with many varieties of clues – a most enjoyable solve. We were highly delighted to see that the 2Ks gave it a 4**** but became less smug as we saw other people’s comments. Would rate it a 2.5/4. Many thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

  21. I enjoyed this, so much so that I’m not going to choose a fave, there are so many that qualify.
    Thanks to Jay and to 2Kiwis for your review, not to mention that beautiful picture of the eider.
    Glad you escaped Pam, but what a disaster for those poor Vanuatans.

  22. A slowish start and then steady acceleration to the finish, except very slow to see 19d (again). I think Jay is the most dependable of the weekday setters at the moment.
    Lovely day here in S. Wilts. Took the XK150 out this afternoon to blow away the winter cobwebs. Oh, poetry of motion! Ohh, the bliss! Ohhh… poop, poop!

    1. Dear Mr Toad – XK150 is among the long list of cars that I wish I had been driven in. Poop poop to you. Oh Bliss. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_yahoo.gif

    2. Oh joyous memory. I was driven in one from the Scottish coast right across to Alnwick (while Mr P drove my host’s other half more sedately). Doing 130 mph on the switchback road by Hadrian’s Wall was unforgettable & we did the whole journey in about two minutes! Mr P said what would I have done if stopped by the police, and I replied I’d have happily gone to jail for that experience. He then added that when we overtook him, my joyous grin seemed to stretch the whole length of the car as we flashed past him… They caught up with us about two weeks later! http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_yes.gif

      1. I would draw the line at 130 but it is still very quick for a 54 year old. It gave a man in a new Merc quite a surprise earlier…

    3. That’s verging on obscene in its beauty. Even the thought….mmmm.

      I was chatting to a man at the garage a couple of weeks ago who was driving an E Type S3. That was also sublimely pretty, eventually people started beeping at us in the queue.

      Glad you are letting them stretch their legs.

      NB..this was meant to be a reply to Rick but somehow moved itself?

      1. The E Type had got a bit overblown by the S3 but I wouldn’t say no! Not in preference to the XK though. It will be soft top weather soon with any luck. We have been putting the restored dash back in the 62 Morgan this week – looking great. I may actually have time to drive them all this year. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_yahoo.gif

        1. My beloved Dad had a Morgan three wheeler when he was first married in 1932 but sadly has to get rid of it some time later when he became a Dad.

        2. Do shout if you need any passengers… But I imagine you have quite a waiting list already http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_wink.gif

          1. Morgan 62 and originally three wheelers…XK’s out of their winter homes, shocking Merc drivers and memories of 130 mph in the borders. This blog is fantastic.

            Hilary I love that your wonderful dad that Morgan.

            Rick I do hope you get to enjoy all the car’s this year and if you ever need a competent mechanic, I’d be happy to help. Note the word competent, hardly inspiring, but a darn sight better than my other half. Bless him.

            Poppy I’m with you on the waiting list for the XK. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_yes.gif

            1. Competent works for me. A seat in any of the collection is yours if you are ever passing this way (ditto Hilary and Poppy). Poop poop!

  23. Dear 2Kiwis I have been watching the news on my tablet as we do not have televsion and I had my fingers crossed that all was well with you. Sad to read of devastation on Vanuatu and hope the world rallies to help them. Crossword certainly more challenging than yesterday but the trusty pencil and I got there with only a minimal amount of electronic help. Several goodies for nomination including 19d, 27a and all the anagrams. Thanks to 2kiwis and Jay. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_bye.gif

  24. Apart from losing the drift completely at one point (20a), I managed to finish this without too much hassle. My 11a always had a flowing mane and four hooves. Thank you to setter as well as to the 2Kiwis – altho so sorry to hear of the heavy weather your way, and do hope appropriate support is rapid and effective.

  25. Enjoyably satisfying but with no particular stand-out clues for me.

    I thought that 19d was far too obvious as to what it was and therefore surprised to see it frequently cited as a favourite.

    Thanks to the Wednesday three birds.

  26. Managed to finish this very tough crossword apart from 20a which I needed the hint for. Never come across tenor meaning drift before and could not for the life of me parse the clue at all. Apart from that hard but fair. most of the rest fell into the 3* bracket and was very enjoyable. Shame that 20a so stumped me.
    Thx to all

  27. Well it looks like we got the difficulty star level a bit high with this one. It is based totally on how long it takes us to solve and parse the puzzle and it had just sneaked over our threshold from 3* for us after parsing the last couple. We knew that the birders would be looking closely at our duck so triple checked that we had the identification correct. We don’t get them in this corner of the world. Cheers everyone.

    1. We appreciate your care, thank you. Eider are just one of my favourites (!) and the sound of their “purring” in their drifts on still-ish water is unforgettable.

  28. The only one that caused any bother was 1d,which I solved after a letter clue.Good fun, I thought. I liked 5d and 18a. Thanks Kiwis and Jay.

  29. I am clearly odd. Was totally stumped by Monday’s 1* but completed todays 4* before I got to Waterloo. Maybe I just don’t like Mondays. Actually there’s no maybe. I don’t like Mondays.

        1. I don’t like Mondays. Sorry, was just trying to be funny. I’ll slink back to my corner now Mike. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_bye.gif

  30. Thank you Jay. I think I enjoyed that more than any of your other puzzles ! Thanks for your review and hints 2 Kiwis. Lovely day at Leighton Moss – only highlight a family of otters which we hadn’t seen at LM before.

  31. Splendid puzzle from Jay which I enjoyed very much solving. No real favourite as a lot of clues were so clever. 2.5*/4* for me. Many thanks to setter and to the 2Kiwis for their review – needed to check a few of my answers among which 20a and 25a…

    1. No, I’m a permanent resident, here all the time. In fact, since we moved here permanently 5 years ago I have not been back to Blighty once. It’s not the sun, although that is a bonus, it is the lifestyle and uncongested roads, not to mention the food and wine, although I won’t mention it

  32. Thanks to Jay and to the 2 Kiwis for the review and hints. Glad you are both safe. A super puzzle from Jay, but quite tricky. I had about half a dozen to go, and was stuck. I used the hints for 20a, and the rest fell into place. Favourite was 29a, great misdirection. I took an age to get the second word of 9d, last in was 23a. Was 4*/4* for me.

  33. Just on the 1*/2* boundary for difficulty, but well worth doing (4* for satisfaction). My favourite was the charmingly simple 11a, but of course l never had any to hide! Thanks to Jay, and of course to the 2 Kiwis. I liked the illustration to the hint for “plateau” – it reminded me of reading a Biggles book as a small boy, and being highly amused at Biggles’ insistence on calling the Mato Grosso the “Matey Grocer”. The things that stay in your mind…

  34. I was just rubbsh at this crossword.
    Managed to do very few without electronic help and needed the hint as well for 20a.

    Hope I can do a bit better tomorrow.
    http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_sad.gif

    1. Chin up Ora, that’s the joy of cryptic crosswords – sometimes you’re on the setter’s wavelength and sometimes you’re not. I’ve been doing cryptics for more years than I care to remember, but still get stumped every now and again. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_good.gif

  35. Thanks 2 “K”s **/*** for me. Special thanks for explaining 20a and the lovely picture of the King Eider which is a mega rarity in th UK! ;)

  36. Got to grips with this one quite well and finished earlier than usual. I liked 29a. Had the answer as Natali at first then realised that didn’t work. Also got held up with 4a as I had ‘serviced’ pencilled in ( tableware – dinner service??) my mind works in odd ways sometimes. Enjoyable puzzle. I think I’m getting better as I’ve finished all of them this week – probably won’t last though!

  37. I am probably too late for anyone to read this, but if not please can someone explain 19d to me. I just don’t get it.

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