DT 28914

57 comments on “DT 28914”

1. 2* / 4.5*. Apart from a couple of below par surfaces this was a lovely puzzle, not difficult with accurate and concise cluing and a lot of fun to be had along the way.

   25d was a new word for me.

   My podium comprised 1a, 28a and, my favourite, 2d.

   Many thanks to Jay and the 2Ks.

2. This felt a tad above average difficulty, with excellent clues and therefore a really enjoyable solve. I’ve ticked half a dozen clues but can’t isolate a favourite. 3* / 4*

3. Just the ticket for a damp grey miserable day, 1A gets my gold star with 20D getting the silver. Many thanks to Jay & the 2 Kws for the review.

4. 1A outstanding favourite of a very good crossword completed fairly quickly .

   Thanks to everyone .

5. Like RD, I thought there were a few slightly iffy surface reads but they didn’t detract from the enjoyment to be found elsewhere in the puzzle.
   I did check on the 25d hat although it sounded vaguely familiar and I’d be embarrassed to say how long it took me to see the wood from the trees in 19a!

   Plenty of ticks on the sheet but I think the reckless kid takes the honours.

   Thanks to Jay and to our 2Ks – nice to know that someone can sense Summer on the way!

   1. Genuine question – what constitutes an iffy surface?

      1. Well, my iffy surface today was 6d. I cannot think of a sentence where the answer can be substituted for “shred”.

         He was convicted without a shred of evidence.
         He was convicted without an atom of evidence?

         The BRB does not have atom as a synonym of shred.

         1. If you look up “atom” in the Chambers Thesaurus you will fond, inter alia, “shred”.

            1. Fair enough.

         2. But the Chambers thesaurus app does

            1. Welcome to the blog Simpo.

      2. Ray, the surface is how a clue reads. It does not have anything to do with solving the clue, but for me it adds greatly to the enjoyment when the surfaces are smooth.

         For example, I think that 2d in today’s puzzle has an excellent surface whereas I would describe 21d as iffy as it doesn’t make much sense as a sentence (even though the wordplay and definition accurately lead to the answer).

         1. I thought the surface of 21d was pretty good. That particular rugby player (because of where their head is placed in the scrum) very often ends up with a cauliflower ear.

            1. I don’t think Graham Rowntree, for example, would agree with you that a cauliflower ear is “as it should be”.

               1. … as it should be if they’re putting heart and soul into scrummaging.

                  1. They all tape up now to protect their ears

         2. I’m still not getting it. bear with me. The word ‘surface’ confuses me.

            1. Hi Ray,
               For me, an ‘iffy’ surface occurs when a clue, as one first reads it, doesn’t actually make much sense.
               16d would be a case in point for me today.

               1. In that case they are all iffy to me😂

            2. ‘Surface’ because it describes the appearance of the clue, ie:

               Slow moving birds (4) would appear to be a simple statement describing birds that move slowly.

               However, the cryptic reading (beneath the surface, if you will) is a anagram (moving) of SLOW to get the plural of a type of bird.

               21d at face value implies that a member of a rugby team ought rightly to have his ears gouged out, which is an absurd suggestion and hence ‘iffy’.

            3. Good surface reading is when a clue could (almost) stand on its own and make sense.

            4. Thanks everyone for trying to help me. I’m not 100% there yet, but next time anyone comments on whether a surface is good or not, I’ll try and see what they are getting at. I might be back!!!

               1. RS. Try this. Read the clue as if it was not a clue, but a normal sentence/statement – that’s the surface. If it makes grammatical sense then it’s smooth/good, if it doesn’t then it’s clunky or “iffy”.

            5. The surface read. One example of what makes a good surface is that it could be shouted out in a pub without sounding odd.

               1. Now, that makes sense.

               2. Time gentlemen please!

6. No problems with this, thanks for the explanation of the money in the second half of 16d.
   1a was an outstanding clue, Jay in top form today.
   Thanks all.

7. What fun to see 13a. Reminds me of my early married life in Cheltenham. Does anyone still use the expression?

8. This was rather too simplistic to offer much fun or challenge on this damp and grey day. Am surprised to discover it is a Jay offering. Fav was 1a with honourable mention for 18d. Thank you Jay and the 2Kiwis.

9. Very enjoyable some really good clues and a bit of misdirection for me anyway. 20d held me up for a while thus delaing SW corner.
   Thanks to the 2Ks and to Jay.

10. Excellent clueing, for me very near *** for difficulty.
    Many thanks Jay, and the 2KS for the review.

11. The first of two particularly friendly DT puzzles today – thanks to Jay for the enjoyable crossword and the 2Ks for the hints – I too noticed all the different ‘articles’ in 1a

12. Very pleasant consistent Jay puzzle. 1a brought smile, except being literally 1a at the minute means a soaking virtually every dog walk.
    Like JB long time since I came across 13a.
    Thanks to Jay & 2Ks for brightening up the day..

13. A very enjoyable Wednesday puzzle completed at a fast gallop – 1.5*/4.5*.

    Candidates for favourite – 1a, 23a, 20d, and 21d – and the winner is 21d.

    Thanks to Jay and the 2 Kiwis.

14. Super puzzle, just the right amount of trickiness for me. Best clue IMHO is 21d just because I like rugby!
    **/****
    Thx to all

15. Entertaining puzzle, completed well within my personal target time. 1a, my favourite; honourable mentions to 15a, 28a and 20d.

16. Loved it. Came to this late but knowing it was a Jay meant I looked forward to completing it, and I wasn’t disappointed. I can’t see beyond the excellent 1a for my COTD. This was pretty straightforward but hugely enjoyable.

    Thanks to all three birds.

17. Nice Wednesday puzzle as always from Jay, on a first read through I thought that it was going to prove tricky as I only had one answer ☹️ But it soon fell into place 😃 ***/**** did get held up on 23a as I was convinced the answer was a game bird 😳 Favourites 21d and 1a Thanks to the 2x Ks getting ready for Summer 😎 While we are checking our stockpiles of grit and snow shovels ☃️ also thanks to Jay

    1. A typo in your email address sent you into moderation

18. Well I liked 28a bestest in this very nice crossword from Jay. Just a little trickier than normal but great fun as usual.
    Thanks to Jay, and to those people down there expecting summer at any minute for the review.

19. Usual high standard Weds fare. 1a and 13a my faves if only because we are definitely 1a with rain rain here and the penny dropped on 13a when I was eating a nice piece of same in my local Costa.
    Thanks to Jay and the Kiwis.
    Ttfn.

20. Lovely puzzle, just my cup of tea today, only needing hint for 23a. COTD definitely 28a. Thanks to Jay and 2Kiwis. Could do with more like this.

21. Smashing puzzle today, started late owing to prior commitments but completed at a gallop. Very many thanks to Jay and our antipodean cousins. Outstanding fave 21d for the mental picture of the rugby player’s ear being as it should be.

22. As is often the case on Wednesday it took me a while to get going but once I did I flew through it although there were a couple of new words.
    Runaway COTD for me was the very clever 1a, though 2d raised (or should I say produced) a smile (I’ve really no idea why!). 2.5/3.5*

    Many thanks to Jay and the two Kiwis.

23. Morning all.
    The wind has dropped overnight. Still a bit overcast but it looks like we will have mainly dry weather for our 5 hour drive to Tauranga to visit friends there for a few days. Pleased that everyone seems to have enjoyed Jay’s puzzle once again.
    Cheers.

    1. Good friends of mine in Springfield, Toe Ronga as I’m instructed to say it. The name is Broom if you come across them say “Hello & Keep Looking!”

       1. We are in Tauranga now. We think that Springfield is actually in Rotorua. We swept through there on our journey but did not notice any Brooms.

24. Solved over lunch in glorious sunshine and temperature above 20 degree Celsius.
    Very pleasant indeed.
    Loved 14 and 20d.
    Thanks to Jay and to 2ks for the review.

25. Wotta fun puzzle from Jay today. I messed up 3d, though I feel it takes real talent to mess up such a simple clue, this means I couldn’t solve 18a. Unforgiveable, really.
    My fave was 1a, but 13a was close behind. I always thought that was associated with Raffles Hotel in Singapore, hardly street food.
    Thanks to Jay and to the 2Kiwis for the hints and pics.

    1. Certainly not a meal we ever had in deepest Oldham.JB’s Cheltenham more likely. Curled pinkies & china cups spring to mind.

26. **/****. A very enjoyable solve. Had to google 25d once I’d got 26a as I’d been trying to justify kepi. My favourites were 1&10a and 20d for one of the best charades I’ve seen in a while. Thanks to Jay and the 2Ks. Lots of frost on the sidewalks today.

27. Had I not confidently written in completely the wrong bird at 23 across and spelling it incorrectly too, I would have solved this over breakfast, as it was it entertained me for a bit longer, until I realised my error. As ever a wonderfully clued puzzle from Jay – I presume? Great fun and so well clued. Many favourites, so won’t make a list. Thanks to both setter and 2Ks, whose hints I was happy to read later.

28. The usual good fun Wednesday crossword.
    I particularly liked 13a and 5 and 20d. My favourite was the 14d reckless kid, specially once I stopped trying to squeeze an anagram of ‘year’ into it.
    Thanks to Jay and to the 2K’s.

29. A fun, pretty straightforward offering, ** for difficulty sounds about right.

30. First solve for almost a week due to other commitments. Glad to see I have not forgotten how. Great Jay puzzle and equally succinct hints although solved unaided. NE last in for me largely due to the fact that I had confidently inserted “left” for the first word of 5d. Lots of favourites to include 15 and 18a and 7 16 21 and 24d. If forced to choose it would be a tie between 15a and 7d. For me it had a colonial feel especially with 15a and 29d

31. I have also been away for the last 10 days so this was a lovely & enjoyable puzzle to come back to. And I have another 9 puzzles to look at yet!
    Thanks for all the explanations about surface. I had often wondered if there was not some convention about clues making sense.
    So many smiles, so no particular favourite. One down 10 to go!!
    Thanks to all.

32. 2*/4*…
    liked 21D ( rugby player with ear gouged out, as it should be ).

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