Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28100
Hints and tips by Kath
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating — Difficulty ***/**** — Enjoyment ****
Hello everyone and welcome. This is a Ray T crossword and unless it’s because I’m out of practice having not done the hints for one of his for some time it’s quite a tricky one.
In the hints below the definitions are underlined and the answers are hidden under the bits that say ANSWER so only do that if you need to see it.
Please leave a comment telling us how you got on today.
Across
1a Love being in cool pants? I’m turning urbane (12)
COSMOPOLITAN — An anagram (turning) of COOL PANTS I’M which contains (in) the letter that looks like a love score in a game of tennis.
8a Running alongside sweetheart? (7)
ELOPING — This is what two people do when they decide to leg it to go off and get married on the quiet.
9a Shut up inside more open cooler (7)
FRESHER — My first thought here was that the ‘cooler’ was the slang word meaning prison – it’s not. Begin with a word that means more open or less confined. Inside that (inside) you need two letters that you might say to someone if you wanted them to shut up or stop talking.
11a Account for former husband maybe left in drag (7)
EXPLAIN — The usual two letters for a former husband (or wife) are followed by a noun meaning someone who is a drag or nuisance which contain L(eft).
12a Riotous crew gripping paddle (7)
ROARING — A crew or gang, perhaps criminals, contain (gripping) a paddle or something used to propel a boat.
13a Light from church on hill (5)
TORCH — Start with a hill or rock-face and follow that with one of the many two letter abbreviations for church.
14a Occasionally thus answered the compiler’s vacuous enigmas (9)
SOMETIMES — String together two letters meaning thus or in this way, a word meaning answered or satisfied, another two letters for how the compiler might refer to himself and, finally, the first and last letters (vacuous, or empty) of E(nigma)S.
16a Short record frill by Queen, nearly perfect (9)
EPHEMERAL — An old kind of vinyl record, the sort that had a couple of tracks on each side, a frill or trimming, the two letters for our Queen, and the first two letters of a three letter word meaning perfect or total.
19a Fellow robed in Augustinian raiment initially (5)
FRIAR — The first letters (initially) of the remaining five words of the clue – a Ray T special, if ever I saw one.
21a Back nag, not first after finish (7)
ENDORSE — Start off with a word meaning finish or close and follow that (after) with a nag or steed without its first letter (not first).
23a Modest, taking small plunge (7)
DESCENT — A word meaning modest or proper contains (taking) S(mall).
24a Raunchier photo that is found in Sun, right? (7)
SPICIER — A short informal word for a photo or snapshot and the usual two letters for that is are contained in S(un) and R(ight).
25a Green Party, following article, almost outspoken (7)
AVOCADO — Begin with the indefinite article and follow that with the first four letters of a five letter word meaning outspoken or vociferous –finish off with an informal word for a party or get together.
26a Free support before shower in nude, unusually (12)
UNRESTRAINED — A support or prop (before) a shower or spell of wet weather – all contained in (in) an anagram (unusually) of IN NUDE.
Down
1d One cuts start of county cricket, say (7)
CHOPPER — The first letter (start of) C(ounty) is followed by a way of describing a cricket or small chirping insect – not the sport that always gets me in a complete dither, thankfully, although I did panic a bit when I first read the clue!
2d Sort of crop rotation, endlessly long (7)
SPINACH — A rotation or twist is followed by the first three of a four letter word (endlessly) meaning long or pine for.
3d Arranger of scores in a group making comeback (9)
ORGANISER — Our first lurker or hidden answer – not just hidden in the clue, it’s reversed (making a comeback) as well. I know I’m bad at these but really – oh dear! I only got the answer when there was nothing else that would fit with all the letters that I had and then I still didn’t see it for ages.
4d Old iron in fire oddly present (5)
OFFER — The one letter for O(ld) is followed by the first and third letters of FiRe (oddly) which contain (in) the chemical symbol for iron.
5d Muddled account accepted by one following (7)
INEXACT — Begin with the letter that looks like the Roman numeral for one and follow that with a word meaning following or coming immediately after which contains (accepted by) the two letter abbreviation for account.
6d Shame, it turned into disbelief (7)
ATHEISM — An anagram (turned) of SHAME IT
7d Criminal even shelters still (12)
NEVERTHELESS — . . . immediately followed by another anagram (criminal) of EVEN SHELTERS.
10d Recording about soldier on base stifling resistance (12)
REGISTRATION — Two letters meaning about or concerning and another two letters for a soldier, an American one, are followed by a base or headquarters which contain (stifling) the one letter for R(esistance).
15d Theatrics from Dame with moral performing (9)
MELODRAMA — An anagram (performing) of DAME and MORAL
17d Emperor deceived over new look, sent up (7)
HADRIAN — Start with an informal way of saying ‘deceived’, as in “You’ve been ***”, and follow that with a reversal of N(ew) and a look or general manner.
18d Spread tiny amount holding knife perhaps (7)
MARMITE — A tiny amount or a smidgeon contains (holding) something of which a knife is an example (perhaps) – it could just as easily be a gun or another weapon.
19d Safe’s too noticeable to hold swag (7)
FESTOON — Our second lurker or hidden answer (to hold) – he’s in the middle of the first three words of the clue.
20d Erin lad possibly from here (7)
IRELAND — An anagram (possibly) of ERIN LAD.
22d Better get over embracing bird (5)
EGRET — And as if two weren’t enough here’s our third and final lurker (embracing) – it’s also reversed (over).
I liked 8 and 14a and 18d. My favourite was 24a. What did you think?
The Quickie pun:- (PRIOR) + (FUR) + (TIE) = (PRIVATE EYE) Thanks to BD, Gazza and CS – I would never have got this one.
I thought this quite tricky while I was solving it but in the end didn’t take much longer than usual for a Ray T. Lots to enjoy so thank you to him and Kath.
The “toughie” took me a lot less time to solve and is ideal for people who want to have a go at them. Fans of our Sunday setter will also be interested to know his alter ego Brendan has a very nice puzzle in today’s Guardian too.
3*/4* for a typically splendid Ray T puzzle. The NE proved to be the toughest quadrant today, but everything fell gradually into place with a bit of persistence. 19d was a new meaning of “swag” for me. 1a was my favourite.
Many thanks to Ray T and to Kath.
P.S. Nice to see Kitty putting in an appearance on p9 of today’s paper.
I can be found in all sorts of places when I escape through the catflap, RD. Last spotted by the DT in January:
“Once upon a time there was a serious, well-behaved young black cat…”
Definitely a cat with attitude! I can’t wait for the book …
Sorry Kath, I will have to disagree – not tricky at all, but very enjoyable, and finished very comfortably before lights out last night – so **/****. I did think that 17d and 18d were a little on the contrived side, and then I start to think if there was any editorial ‘impact.’ Two favourites 21a and 26a. Thanks to Ray T and to Kath.
Thanks to Ray T and Kath. I certainly thought that this was Ray T in pretty tricky mode. I agree with CS that a) this one is harder than the Toughie, and b) the Brendan in the Guardian is great.
I think that there’s a bit more to 8a than a cryptic definition. The ‘heart’ of sweet is followed by a synonym for running. So that makes it an all-in-one (and my favourite).
I concur on 8a, that is also the way I parsed it. Almost one of my favourites.
Damn – how did I miss that? Thanks Gazza – I ought to know by now that when Ray T uses sweetheart he almost always means the middle letter of sweet. :oops:
Liked it lots. 8ac brilliant. Lurkers well hidden as usual ( poor Kath ). Ref 19ac. I refuse to but flowers in a monastery. I am doing my bit to eradicate florist Friars. Thanks as ever to Kath and to Ray T
Put me in the “trickier than usual and harder than the Toughie” camp. Enjoyable, though not as cheeky as usual either. Favorite is 8A. Thanks Ray T. and Kath. Off to try the Brendan now, since it’s barely daylight here.
Kath, I also failed on the quickie pun! And if it’s not breaking any rules, could someone help me out on the Quickie 7D?
A bit of a wild guess on Q7d as I have only had a quick (sic) look at it and the checkers from the across clues – how about ‘not subject to a charge eg a tax.
Yes – that’s what I’ve got too.
7d – I’ll email you because I think it is breaking rules to discuss a different crossword in case others are saving it for later.
Thanks both, and apologies if my question was out of line.
I enjoyed the emperor’s new clothes surface in 17d.
First thought pants was the anagram indicator in 1a
It’s only been a short time since we’ve seen 16a.
Not everyone will like 18d.
Lovely hidden in 3d and very nice all-in-one at 8a.
Nice anagram in 7d but it had a lot of checking E’s
Great fun many thanks RayT and thanks Kath for the lovely review
You’re right…not everyone will like 18d, but your comment about it made me smile.
Loved this one and got most of the answers but without parsing some of them until the end. Was grateful for Kath’s hints which helped me parse the few I couldn’t see.
Feel I might be getting on the right wavelength for the setter now but still with lots of D’oh moments!
Liked 9a,12a,16a ……. too many to mention.
Last in was 24a
Thanks to setter and Kath.
3*/ 4*
Full of goodness, it felt harder than it proved to be when all came together.
I quite like 18d. 24a is runner-up and 8a is my favourite.
With thanks to RayT for another enjoyable ride, and thanks to Kath for another great blog.
good one
Well I actually thought this was fairly easy, seems I am in the minority. I could NOT however get the quickie pun at all, so I was definitely defeated there. 8a was brilliant. Thanks to Ray T and to Kath for a great review.
Great fun.
Liked the cool pants, the green party, the shower in 26a and the lovely 19a. Favourite is without a doubt 8a. How clever is that.
Spotted the hiddens, eventually and enjoyed the anagrams.
Many thanks to RayT and Kath for a great blog.
Agree about the Toughie.
Excellent Ray T puzzle. I thought at first it seemed quite tricky I got stuck along the top, but once I worked out 1a everything else was fairly straight forward. The last one in for me was 9a, cant understand why. Many thanks to Ray T and to Kath for the explanations.
Very enjoyable puzzle with many great clues. But didn’t care for 25a. Where is the definition of the fruit? I guess it is just the colour. Thanks to Kath for her usual great review and to RayT
If you are the same Patsyann who has commented before, you appear to have changed your email address which is why you went into moderation.
Don’t understand the quicky pun, have all the correct components, but can’t make it work.
I thought it was a particularly weak pun. In fact, I’m not even sure it qualifies as a pun.
I agree – no ‘pun’ to be had there :whistle:
I thought it was one of the better puns in fact!
I quite enjoyed it, but there were a couple of what I would call “distant” synonyms, which made me chew the inside of my cheeks……I don’t think decent is very near to modest (23), although I now see that it makes sense if you think of the opposite meanings and I don’t think “all” (shortened) is much like “perfect” (16). But that’s just whinging, which I do with stretchy synonyms.
Nevertheless, it was mostly clever and humorous, so thanks to setter and to Kath or others for giving me the quickie pun.
I thought the surface of 18 was great……..😝 Or 😍
2.5*/3*
I’m in the ‘not too tricky’ camp and would have gone for ** had it been my day in the blogger’s chair. I guess it depends how quick you spot the lurkers and the anagrams. Too many good clues to pick out a podium trio but 8a was head and shoulders above the rest. :yes:
Many thanks to RayT and Kath.
PS I also like the spread in 18d.
Glad to see Kath back in top form and with her usual deliberate mistakes.
Spotted one in 26a. Anagram of NUDE only.
The solving process went smoothly. No real hold ups.
Only took a while to untangle the anagram in 7d.
Favourite is 8a also shortly followed by 24a.
Thanks to RayT and to Kath for the review.
Neither of my mistakes – 8a and 26a – was deliberate! :sad:
Why deliberately put misleading hints – don’t get it?
I put a mistake into mine most weeks. Usually an incorrect illustration like The River and Kings College Chapel for an answer to do with Oxford University. I don’t put mistakes into the hinty part of the hint but may play a little after the hint there from time to time.
Thanks Miffypops. I’m all for a bit of fun but Kath missed the correct parse for 8a completely. Why do that deliberately? Turns out it was one of the most popular clues.
She didn’t do it deliberately though. Bloggers are allowed the odd mistake.
Thanks very much, Hanni – much appreciated – a little :rose: to you.
My sincerest apologies Kath – I can’t read! I read your post as ‘neither of clues were mistakes but deliberate’. :oops:
Not a problem – should have gone to “specsavers”! It happens to all of us from time to time.
Tell me you didn’t really, really think Kath made a deliberate mistake?
Thanks to you too, Merusa – a little :rose: to you.
See above. :oops:
Absolutely no need for you to do a :oops:
I was just beginning to feel mildly ‘got at’ but not now. None of us would make a deliberate mistake but some of us, not many but the odd one or two – time for me to hold my hand up – do go just a little bit wrong from time to time.
Kath, you have done a great job, thanks for all the hints.
Adopt the attitude that most goalkeepers do when someone moans if they let a soft goal in, hold up the shirt and say : “There, you have a go”
Excellent puzzle as usual from Mr T, excellent blog Kath – as always from you, and just to clarify – I am not my namesake! (I’ll need to find out how to change my name now.)
And I confess I’d got 8a wrong. But I did do the Toughie. And had no idea what the Quickie pun was getting at until I looked below.
Reading the blog it seems that opinion is polarised between two camps ( a bit like 18d !) difficult and straight forward, well I always decide on a rating before reading the blog and had it down for a **/***.liked the cluing and thought 8a was very neat. Oh and the surface of 1d,especially as the season has just started .
Have to admit that the last one in was 3d,knew it was right but could not see why, then espied the ‘lurker- D’oh ! Thanks to Kath for the pics and our setter.
Good to be back after a break due to various important family and work commitments and what a lovely Ray T puzzle to come back to! We thoroughly enjoyed this one and give it a ***/****. Looking forward to tackling the Toughie later. Thanks to Ray T and to Kath for the usual entertaining review.
Great to see you back, Paso Doble. :)
Oh good – I’d been beginning to think that we’d ‘lost’ you two. :yes:
Nice to ‘see’ you two commenting again. I did wonder where you’d gone, especially as our shepherdess hadn’t received any of the proper paperwork.
Nice to have you back.
Thanks you all. It’s good to be back and putting pen to paper again after a two week break.
Great fun this, about half way through and have already needed Kath’s help to parse three of the answers!! Pleased to say that in each case I got the answer right. I would never have worked out the use of ‘vacuous’ in 14a, even though the answer was obvious once I had a few checkers. Thanks Kath!!
Really enjoying this, a few months back I would never have left base, but now making some steady progress, so thanks also to BD as without this site…
I am in the not too difficult camp for this Ray T puzzle. It took me a short while to get started, but then it all went in very smoothly. I thought 18 down was very neat and was my favourite. Special mention to the excellent reversed lurker that was 3 down.
Thanks to Kath for an excellent review and to Mr T for a thoroughly enjoyable workout which I rate 2*/3*
With that grid, starting with the anagram at 7d gave entry to six across clues that went in straightaway making things easier. Just into ** time last night and *** for enjoyment. Agree with others about 8a and I think 5d is worthy of a mention. Thank to Ray T and to Kath
Sorry if I am being dense, but I cannot understand the parsing of 14a.
I can see the two letter word for ‘thus’, the two letter word for how the compiler represents himself and the vacuous enigmas…..it’s the middle bit, especially the ‘i’ that has me foxed.
I’d be grateful for any help.
Ah – yes – I see what you mean and no, you’re not being dense at all. Right – start again. The first two letters are ‘thus’, the next three are ‘answered’ or ‘satisfied’ then the next two are how the setter may refer to himself and then you’ve got the rest.
Thank you…I think I’m getting it now…not me but I’m ? or have I got it all wrong?
No – you haven’t got it all wrong – I got into a terrible muddle and mixed up the ‘me’ and the ‘I’m’ for ages although it was pretty clear what the answer was.
I agree that the answer had to be the answer, just couldn’t see it.
Thank you very much for all the hints and your help with this.
☺
I also got a bit confused about the ‘m’, I can see how it could fit but I’m not completely happy about it really. I love your reviews Kath and always enjoy a Ray T, so thank you to you both.
After one read through I had one answer in the grid which was 7d – I thought, mmm, this might be a bit tricky. Then, the sun shone through the window and – I still thought, mmm, this might be tricky. Had a coffee and then everything started to slot into place – thank you ‘Taylors, the Coffee Bean Gods of Harrogate’. :)
Having focussed my attention, and getting 1a at the next look, the rest fell into place quite readily. There are a couple of ‘ish’ synonyms but the rest of the trademark clues were there. Not quite as saucy as crosswords of old, but a few good laughs along the way (1d springs to mind). My gold medal of the day goes to 8a – short, sweet and superb – just what a clue should be. Now Silvanus, I think you’ll agree with that?
Thanks to Mr Terrell for a lovely puzzle and to Kath for, what I’m sure will be, a splendid review. Now, how do you turn off the coffee high, anyone….?
Btw – as I think has been mentioned already, today’s Toughie is well worth a go if you want to cut your teeth on something no too difficult.
Kath, one thing I forgot to mention – your written hint for 8a seems to be ‘at odds’ with your pictorial hint. Surely the young ‘groom to be’ is riding a loud motorcycle (looks to me like a 90cc Yahama) so how can they be ‘going off to be get married on the quiet’?
I don’t know, you go off for a few months gallivanting round the world and let standards slip on your return. :whistle:
I agree with you about 8a, so I am sure my soul mate Silvanus will too. I can’t explain why I wrote 1a as my favourite because when I had solved 8a I thought that it was, exactly as you say, short, sweet and superb. I’m not saying that 1a is not brilliant as well, it’s just not as good as 8d!
I’m pretty sure he will RD :good:
He’s just composing his thoughts….
This was an excellent puzzle and I was right on the correct wave length so not too much of a struggle. Too many good clues to choose from but liked 8&14a the most. Thanks to the setter and Kath for the review.
Absolutely brilliant! My language when 3d finally clicked was unrepeatable. Loved every moment of this!
It’s a jolly good thing that nobody heard my language when I had the answer because it had to be what it was but I couldn’t see why.
Exactly – such a straightforward answer so cleverly hidden it took me a long time to see it!
Good afternoon everybody.
A joint effort today but still finished with four unsolved so a resounding thrashing here. Bizarrely couldn’t see 7d at all. 1d, 8a, 24a were the others that eluded us. Clever clues all over the place though so a decent puzzle.
****/****
Very tricky indeed.
Thanks to Kath and Ray T.
I wish January would end, it is sort of snowing /sleeting/hailstones .
First pass yielded only a handful and I thought, ‘It’s RayT. Here we go again.’ But no, it all fell beautifully into place on the second pass, aided by the superb long anagrams, and I finished in tidy time. Only one contender for the throne, though, the unsurpassable 8a. 2*/5* (Yes, 5* – the most enjoyable back-pager for ages). Many thanks to Ray and the indomitable Kath.
PS I’m feeling much better now.
I’m glad that you’re feeling better – not at work though judging by the time of your comment.
Really good to hear that you are on the mend a bit.
Glad to hear that ST. Perhaps a nice, generous glass of something from North of the border to see off any lingering germs :smile:
Ts. When I’m feeling ill or low I always bung the headphones on an listen to the track below. It’s Too Much For Me from the brilliant JJ Cale’s 1979 album 5. Just let the sublime jazz/blues fusion on electric guitar wash over you and soothe your troubles away:
As is usual with RayT, I had to use my electronic gizmo for help with a couple.
I don’t know why I can’t get on his wavelength, when I get an answer I always think “what on earth took me so long?”
I got the answer for 3D but missed the lurker completely, it was a bung in.
Without doubt my fave was 8a, but loved 18d too, I have it on toast with my egg every morning.
Thanks to RayT and to Kath for the entertaining blog.
Now to start the Brendan puzzle.
RayT has done it again! I normally find his hidden words to get a start but 3 eluded me and was the last solve. Favourites were 3 8 and 14 but I enjoyed most of the others as well. Unusually for Ray, there were 2 long anagrams which helped to get the outside sorted. Thanks to RayT for a fine puzzle.
Ray T in sparkling form today I thought, one of his best puzzles in recent memory. Not even a sniff of any repeat indicators thankfully :-)
I liked so many clues (including the very neat 8a), but I actually gave ticks to 1a, 11a, 21a and 22a. Like RD, 19d was a new meaning of “swag” to me as well.
Many thanks to Mr. Terrell and to Kath.
Convinced myself that 5down was ‘iterant’ – silly boy !
7d, just spent 30 minutes trying to solve the anagram = ‘Criminal’ – Grrrrrr
I seem to go straight to the answers when I log in , used to get ‘click here’ box has something changed
There have been numerous comments and a special post on this subject. The spoilers are there but not actioned by some environments. There has been no explanation as to why this is happening.
Evening all. Many thanks to Kath for the decryption and to all for your comments. I’m glad most of you enjoyed it. The Quick pun works better if you sing it like Daryl Hall!
RayT
Thank you for calling in – it is, as always, very much appreciated.
Just trotting off to ask Mr Google who Daryl Hall is – back in a minute.
I’m really so sorry to have completely messed up (that’s the polite version) the hint for your best clue – 8a – of the whole crossword.
Please don’t worry about the 8a mistake. I love your blogs. If it makes you feel any better I’ve just mistook Daryl Hall for Daryl Hannah (she was in the film Splash) and wondered why I had to sing the quickie pun as a mermaid or something! :oops:
Thanks for dropping in RayT. Loved the puzzle.
Brilliant – love it – singing like a mermaid indeed . . .
Ah – that’s who Daryl Hall is – know the song but we’re not allowed to play it in this country, apparently – copyright stuff. Sorry to have messed up your Quick pun as well as a couple of others – just not my day . . . :sad:
You’re doing a fantastic job, Kath. As someone who’s made loads of mistakes, especially in my early blogging days (which most people who are around now won’t remember), I know how difficult it is to get everything right 100% of the time. I favour the Captain Mainwaring response to someone pointing out an error “Ah, I was just waiting to see who’d be the first to spot that”.
Well said that man – I love your blogs Kath and I rather think that Mr Terrell thinks the same. Crosswords are sometimes easy to solve and complete, offering hints and reviewing them is quite a different ‘kettle of fish’. I know that feeling very well – Oh dear… :smile:
Btw – lovely to see you drop in RayT, as always.
Yes, quite. If we compilers never made mistakes, we wouldn’t need an editor!
RayT
Kath, I love your blogging style! It’s friendly and invites us in. And there are no confusing (for some of us) “technical” terms — just the ticket to make the less confident solver feel at home. Keep on keeping on, lovely lady!
Thanks so much Gazza, Expat Chris and SL,
This has not been my greatest day – your comments have really cheered things up a lot. A great big :rose: for each of you.
Gazza – I do remember the very early blogging days, if only for the pics that got you and BD into trouble – have to confess that they made me laugh . . . I don’t remember your making many mistakes but what I do remember is that on the rare occasion that there was one you were the first to admit to it – something that I always admired hugely.
Mrs Sheffieldsy is with her mother, who is 80 today, at the pictures watching The Jungle Book, so this was a solo effort. Normally that means it’s slower than a joint effort, but today was a breeze. The top half was virtually read and write and the rest wasn’t overly difficult. That puts me firmly in the ‘relatively easy’ faction. No idea why, though. I rate it 1.5*/3*.
There were several anagrams and, I think, three lurkers. Favourites were 1d (a nugget with a great surface) and 18d.
Thanks to Kath for the review and Ray T for the enjoyment.
Isn’t 19a almost an all-in-1 rather than being clued simply by ‘fellow robed’?
Yes, probably. I’m not doing too well today and I’m never very good at the technical stuff – double definitions I can spot – anagrams I can spot – charades I can spot – and as for hidden answers – well, don’t even start me! :roll: and :oops: – they’re the ones that always get me.
It’s clued by fellow, not fellow robed. And yes, its and all-in-one.
argh, posted before i’d finished and couldn’t edit:
to rephrase – yes it is an all in one. The whole clue is the definition, and the whole clue is the wordplay. Very nice clue. (neither fellow nor fellow unrobed are definitions, rather the whole clue is)
Well I am going to call that a no-score draw, as it’s the first time I have ever got anywhere near completing a Ray-T puzzle.
In the end the south needed a few hints and I was defeated by 16a, even Kath’s hint did not help.
This was one of the most enjoyable challenges for a while and I shall now embarrass myself on the Toughie…
Well, it never felt easy while I was solving it, but finish time was just into ***, so… Thanks for the blog, and another good puzzle. :-)
Well I’m in the found it difficult camp after a good start getting the anagrams it all went down hill, particularly the SW corner. Needed Kath’s help with four clues and managed to complete after a long battle. Got several answers in and again needed Kath’s H&T to fully explain them.
Liked 12a and 21a however 15d the favourite.
Overall 4.5* / 2.5*
Thanks to Kath and the setter.
We now have our regular team back together to share the enjoyment of this one. 7d took us longer to put the anagram together than it should have, even with most of the checkers in. The clue word count all checked as usual and found to be in order. Really good fun.
Thanks RayT and Kath.
Managed the bottom half but the top was a complete mystery. Just can’t get on his wavelength as usual and 8a makes no sense to me in any way shape or form.
As always with a Ray T very difficult and no fun whatsoever.
Thx for the hints.
I’m really sorry that you miss out on the alternative Thursday fun that is a RayT puzzle Brian. Never mind, it’s Mr Manley tomorrow and will definitely not contain any religious defences that you so dislike :whistle: How’s the Boxster btw – still OK?
I’d like to be the 100th comment on your blog Kath – am I? Hurrah :)
Completed this enjoyable puzzle over breakfast and was then out all day so now can’t really recall my exact thoughts on individual clues but I do know however that I graded it **/****. Thanks RayT and Kath whose comments were as usual fun to read.
Blimey Kath, over 100 comments
…but I suspect Kath might have been happier without the ones stemming from a couple of understandable minor slips and the silly subsequent misunderstanding.
Writing a hint is fine. Writing lots of them, maintaining accuracy and flow, finding pictures, formatting everything and putting it all together – all to a tight deadline – is not quite so easy. Well done to our favourite Kath for another super review. :rose:
Loved this. Can’t believe I’ve just said that about a RayT. Last one is was 17d which I got from the checkers, but needed the review to break it down (parse?). A brilliant job as always Kath, and thanks too RayT. Gone from dreading Thursday once a fortnight to looking forward to it.
I agree with comments re the Quickie pun which is a bit far-fetched and
somehow I think a clue giving “pry” for first word would have worked better.
Was not able to do this justice as have been away visiting and then not able to concentrate. But just wanted to thank Kath for the hints (I too always enjoy your explanations) of which I made copious use.
Found this tricky. I don’t get on well with the building brick clues but I am learning. Slow process, and being able to recognise the different setters’ styles is one sophistication too far at the moment.
But good fun as always and thanks to Ray T and Kath once again.
Catch up time once more! A slightly (ever so…) gentler Ray T special I thought. Yes I agree with 8a being an excellent clue. 3/3.5 overall.
Thanks to Ray T, and to Kath for her usual high quality review.