DT 29594

80 comments on “DT 29594”

1. The horses didn’t have to break out of a canter today. All done in a steady ** time.

   Although one of the first to be solved, 5a gets my vote for COTD.

   Many thanks to the setter and Mr K.

2. Fast and friendly today, with podium winners 8d (LOL!), 15d, and 5a. Quite enjoyable, with thanks to Mr K, whose review I’ll read now, and today’s setter. ** / ***

3. Solid, if a little too straightforward puzzle that came together very smoothly and quickly.
   Never heard of 12a but it couldn’t have been more sympathetically clued.
   Podium spots go to 5&10a plus 15d
   1/3*
   Many thanks to the setter and Mr K

4. A game of two halves: a host of accessible anagrams oiling about three quarters. The fauna and piscifauna in 4d and 12a were just in the boundaries of memory but I faltered in the SE. A good puzzle at **/*** with my COTD being 14a. Any clue involving the ex president tends to get my COTD for some reason. Thanks to Mr K and the setter.

   1. A gently challenging puzzle, with a few examples of previously unknown wildlife, which were gettable from the wordplay (1*/3*). I liked the welll constructed 3d and the 27a homonym. Thanks to MrK for the hints and I loved the cat with the vanishing balloon and the blissed out mother cat with kittens. Thank you also to the compiler.

5. All done and dusted in good time today so many thanks. Think the picture of the balloon in 17d is a bit rude – just shown Mr M and he said it was p***s envy! I’ve yet to meet a person of the female sex that hankers after one of their own, they look a tad ridiculous IMHO!

   1. And very untidy and vulnerable, I would imagine. Certainly no envy here.

6. Mr K, is that Sian under the kitten?

7. I thought this was a well constructed puzzle with even the odd fish and antelope being quite workable from the clues. **/*** I even remembered the name of Trump’s deputy. Good to know a few cells are still in working order. Favourite 15d. Thanks to all.

8. The NW corner went straight in. Not so the NE. I thought that “sauce” was the definition for 6d, and tried to fit an “A” into “TAN” somehow. ( Admits tucking into brown). 8d was obvious, so that helped with 5a, and being able to sort out the right definition for 6d. The rest of the crossword all slotted in nicely. I liked 14a, but I guess bringing up history is not what some want to hear. I believe that there will be a meeting this morning to decide whether DT can stay living where he is. Thank you setter and Mr Kitty

9. Nice and not too taxing today. I had a bit of difficulty with 27a as both Homophones fitted the checkers and I hope I picked the right one. Is there a convention as to which of the defined words is the definition and which is the Homophone? I see Mr K has chosen the first word as definition and I assume that is the norm, but I do confuse myself some times!
   Thanks to Mr K for the top-notch blog. I particularly like being reminded of the 4d chocolate – I think they were advertised as 4d – A Hazelnut in Every Bite – Schoolyard humour pointed out this was just the same as Squirrel Ess aitch one tee. Woe betide any child who bought one from the tuck shop!

   1. I don’t think there is a convention for whether the definition of a clue involving a homophone is at the beginning or the end of the wordplay John. I think it’s just a matter of deciding which word the indicator (in this case “we’re told”) refers to and choosing the other.

   2. Yes, there is plenty of convention regarding separating fodder from intended definition in homophones
      Swinger’s pronounced walk (4) does not tell you whether the answer is gate or gait
      In 27a, the position of ‘…protest, we’re told’ clearly indicates the intention as the definition can’t be in the middle
      The homophone doesn’t quite work for me, but in crosswordland near enough is good enough
      I remember the joke about the well fed squirrels :smile:

10. I thought this was about as straightforward as they come which allowed me to get through the clues rapidly and without any delays. That said, it was nicely constructed with 5a the standout COTD. The Toughie is equally user-friendly this morning and well worth a stab.

    Many thanks to our setter and Mr K.

11. I’d echo StephenL’s comment & agree with his podium picks. Perhaps a shade more demanding than yesterday’s Campbell but slightly lacking, for me anyway, that one’s charms. Need to brave a walk today as going stir crazy but it certainly looks Baltic out there. To the warmth of the American south for today’s albums: The Muscle Shoals Recordings (The Steeldrivers) & The Mulligan Brothers (eponymous)
    Thanks to the setter & to Mr K – loved the pics.
    Ps well done England. Feared Root may have been too conservative in not declaring which may have cost us victory but thankfully not the case & thoroughly deserved.

    1. It is beyond Arctic out there, make sure your ears are covered

       1. Oddly enough someone kindly turned the central heating on about halfway through my fairly lengthy walk. A little bit of sunshine does wonders for the spirits……

12. Splendid – right at my level (so I would say it is ‘splendid’!). Last one in was 12a as I did not know that Molly was one of those.

    How lovely to wake up (I could stop this sentence right there, as it is always lovely to wake up) and loll in bed and listen to England winning the first Test Match in India. Well done Joe Root and his team.

    Maddeningly, the vet was away yesterday – so we are promised an update today. Little Lola is no better, no worse, and still living in a wardrobe drawer.

    Today’s soundtrack: Chris Smither – Live As I’ll Ever Be <- suggested by Huntsman, and what a fine suggestion it was.

    Thanks to the setter and The Celebrated Mr K.

    1. I’m glad that Lola is content to be in her ‘safe place’ but how dare the vet not be available 24/7 – does she not realise that the wellbeing of so many of us depends upon Lola’s return to fighting form!

       1. Quite right, Jane! Well said.

13. Another fairly gentle stroll and slightly easier than yesterday’s for me., though equally enjoyable. Lots of well constructed clues with good surface readings. 8d last in as had put ‘big cheer’. LOL’d when realised the proper answer, so that’s my favourite today. Thanks to all.

14. No marathon today but rather a friendly fun run. Top came out first. Certainly have never come across Molly in a piscatorial sense as per 12a and don’t really think of the 14a desire “synonym” but then why not. Favs 5a and 15d. Thanks Messrs. Ron and K.

15. There must be almost as many words to describe the sound of a bell as there are types of antelope – what blessings for our setters!
    As Mr K said, this was a well-constructed puzzle but I felt it lacked something of the ‘wow’ factor. 8d did raise a smile so that goes to the top of my pile.

    Thanks to our setter and to Mr K and his fabulous felines. Poor Ralph, he looks so dejected!

16. A very enjoyable if not too taxing exercise today. My inner chemist made 5a my COD.
    Thank you to Mr K for the excellent review and the setter for the entertainment.

    P.S. I never thought I’d say this but I agree with YS – the Toughie is very doable today (horrible word but in the BRB 😩)

17. No great problems today except for 5d which even with hint I can’t parse. What has ‘by’ to do with the first 3 letters? Nothing in the BRB to explain it.
    No favs today.
    **/**
    Thx to all

    1. per
       ETYMOLOGY: 14c: Latin, meaning ‘for’, ‘each’ or ‘by’.

       1. Ok thanks, I get the first two but never come across the third before. Still not in the BRB which is supposed to be the setters bible.

          1. 

18. Solved alone and unaided but could not parse 23d.
    I usually find Tuesday’s puzzles take less time than Monday’s. I expect, as it has often been said that it is a wavelength thing.

    Thanks to the setter and to Mr K. Loved the pics.

    About 4 inches of snow here today and still falling. The pavement snowplough got stuck and had to give up, so no walking for us today.

19. Re 10a “mother knows best” picture I seem to remember hearing that the Scandinavians for instance do give their children warm beer to promote sleep.

    1. In the ’60’s was hospitalised for an operation on my foot. Every night about 7.00pm we were given a bottle of Mackeson’s stout “to help us sleep better”. I was just over 20 & I don’t suppose they extended it down to the children’s ward.

       1. My parents put a small drop of whisky in sweetened milk to get us off when we were poorl. I wish Saint Sharon would do that now

          1. My parents believed in hot toddies: lime, honey, rum and hot water.

          2. It’s a little late for a reply but I have only just tackled this one. My first drink was whisky … apparently I was looking a bit feeble so my grandmother suggested some Scottish water!

             I’ve nevr looked back🥃

             1. PS they say i cried for the next 18 months … perhaps they missed a trick?

20. An enjoyable Tuesday back pager, with a companion Toughie that was almost a second back pager, completed at a gallop – 2.5*/3.5*.
    Candidates for favourite 10a, 18a, and 16d – and the winner is 18a.
    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

21. Another enjoyable puzzle today and solved in a nice ** time. As noted by Mr K lots of the “usual suspects” which, as I am still fairly new to the daily cryptic, helps the confidence and satisfaction levels.
    Hard to select a COTD, I enjoyed 5a, 10a, 22a, 3d and 15d.
    Thanks to setter and Mr K.

22. Thanks Mr K for 24d ,worth the admission money alone- what a group including a very underrated base player.
    Anyway spot on puzzle for a Tuesday, lots of excellent charades like 16a and 15d, and nothing obscure or iffy, going for a **/****.
    Just watched the Cricket highlights and found a long lost cap in a box in the garage -maybe there is a god after all !

    1. Where did you find cricket highlights? I assume you mean Eng-Ind?

       1. Mr Cook on Channel 4 after the game was over

       2. The highlights are on the “All 4” site, I think it’s available all day.🏏

          1. Thanks!

    2. I used to play that song in various bands, on bass, it takes some doing that solo. You have to leap from the 5th fret on the A string right up to the 17th fret on the D string, and I think it was 20 times !

       1. I always found an easier way to play anything. The Muzos understood. The dancers danced and the drinkers drank. As long as we got paid that was all that mattered

    3. They are calling Jimmy Anderson a goat

       1. Greatest Of All Time ?
          Would be a contender !

          1. At the point of delivery he doesn’t even look where he’s bowling. I don’t know how he does it but he does.

23. Thought this extremely bland even for a Tuesday. A couple of self-made troubles in the SE were the issue. Even then it just made 2* time.
    For me, with the exception of 8a, not much to raise much fun so that gets my COTD.
    Fed up of five weeks of living in a cold store & need something to lift the spirits I guess. Not the setter’s fault that this didn’t “light my fire”.
    Thanks to setter & Mr K.
    At least I have time to have a bash at the Toughie.

    1. You sound like you need cheering up. Hope this helps.
       Police in London have launched a major investigation after 15 young and inexperienced men were subject to a terrifying ordeal whilst out for a gentle kick about in the park on Saturday afternoon. One shocked victim said ‘It started in the 1st minute when they took the ball from us and wouldn’t give us it back.”. Police said the culprits were all Scottish, dressed in blue and showed no regard to the emotional impact on their victims who were subjected to 80 minutes of physical and mental abuse. Witnesses are requested to phone Crimestoppers anonymously at the earliest opportunity.

       1. Thanks MP yes it brought a welcome smile (as did the Matt cartoon this morning). Therapist, comedian, clock repairer, coffin maker, Toughie reviewer, is there no end to the man’s talent?
          The only things to add would be that it was rumoured that the Scottish would not observe social distancing, even though inexperienced men tried to keep to it. Further they were actively encouraged by Royalty.
          I did think Monday’s picture of HRH watching looked so surprisingly “homely” not like I imagined at all.

          1. Thanks MP yes it brought a welcome smile (as did the Matt cartoon this morning). Therapist, comedian, clock repairer, coffin maker, Toughie reviewer, is there no end to the man’s talent?
             The only things to add would be that it was rumoured that the Scottish would not observe social distancing, even though inexperienced men tried to keep to it. Further they were actively encouraged by Royalty.
             I did think Monday’s picture of HRH watching looked so surprisingly “homely” not like I imagined at all.

24. Daisygirl, Oh my Daisygirl, It is freezing, Oh so freezing Out.
    Saw the sun and took a walk,
    Thought I’d take a little walk –
    Tell me what did I do wrong?
    Cos the wind was freezing, freezing, freezing, freezing.
    Whisky Mac,
    Poured a Whisky Mac,
    Just to warm the bones, a Whisky Mac.
    Then the puzzle simply flew
    And I answered every clue
    And the feeling was supreme, even though though the wind was keen.
    And freezing, freezing, freezing, freezing, freezing ……….etc.
    Well it doesn’t scan but you can almost make it fit the tune. Thanks to the setter and to Mr K especially for the cat with rabbit ears.
    I am going to curl up under a rug now by the fire. Love to Lola.

25. Nothing more to be said except that looking up Molly online suggests it is name for ‘e’ and its derivatives made in China. Couldn’t get any sense out of that no matter how hard I tried.

    1. I bet Steven Cowling would have no difficulty with Molly = an aquatic pet. Just about every dentist I have ever been to has had a tank full of tropical fish to calm the fretful patients. Although my current dentist has settled for a moving screen saver of same tropical fish on the ceiling of his surgery.

       1. I Googled it, Corky, and amongst a slew of stuff about it being slang for Ecstasy, it offered a fish species, Poecilia Sphenops (try saying that when anaesthesized for a filling)and a picture. It’s native to Mexico.

    2. If you had allowed your children tropical fish, mollies, guppies, angel fish and plecostomusses would be part of your GK Corky.

26. Enjoyable and mostly done before bedtime but stuck on 8 and 23 down. Brain fog lifted by morning and easily finished. Had never heard of 12a but well clued. COTD 5a with 18a close second. Temperature rocketing up to minus 3 today but no wind and sunny. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

27. I seem to get on very well with Tuesdays. All pretty quick to work out, just the occasional definition I find dodgy, and quite a few anagrams which I like. Whichever setter this was, thanks!

28. Nice and straightforward 😃 ***/*** Favourites 5a & 15d 👍 Thanks to the Setter and to Mr K

29. Pleasant solve that all slotted together smoothly for us.
    Thanks Mr Ron and Mr K.

30. I cannot understand why I had such a problem in the NW! I started in the south and worked my way up without a hitch, but when I got to 1a/d I got stuck, was sure the answer was something to make you feel better at 1d.
    The fish and antelope were new. Fave was 16d, but 5a was on my “like” list, took me long enough to get the dog.
    Thanks to our setter, and of course huge thanks to Mr. K for the hints and pics.

31. Two days running a very doable crossword. My favourite today was 5a because it is both misleading and so well constructed. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

    1. It’s probably me but 5a – how is proverb saw?

       1. Saw is another word for proverb.

32. Another relatively benign puzzle for today. **/**** with some clever clues again. Messed myself up with an inadvertent
    mis-spell in 18a that slowed me down from what would have been 1.5* time as the down clues involving 18a just weren’t working!
    Favourites include 5a, 10a, 25a, 3d & 24d with 5a the winner

    Thanks to setter and Mr K

33. A nice relaxing crossword for the afternoon, 12a easy if you had a fish tank in the 70’s there would usually be a Molly or 2 in it, they produced live young but also ate them! Probably would not be allowed these days!
    Thanks to all.

34. For some reason I started in the SW corner and moved steadily across and up. Last clue in was 12 Across I hadn’t come across a Molly before. Couldn’t get Molly Mallone out of my mind! Many thanks to the setter and Mr K.

    Was so hoping Terence was going to be giving us an update on Lola earlier. Fingers-crossed.

35. A rather nice and friendly puzzle. Just the south east corner held me up for a while. Even the unknown fish was easy to fill in. A. Rey enjoyable solve today. Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

36. I’m in the straightforward but enjoyable camp this evening with no hold-ups whatsoever. Hard to pick a favourite but I’ll go with 5a. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K.

37. Just watched the Free video, it was on our playlist as was Wishing Well.

    1. Wishing Well and My Brother Jake. Two fine pieces

       1. RIP Paul Kossoff, would have become one of the greats

38. All went quite smoothly until 20d which took me ages and I had to look up an alternative meaning of nettle which I had a vague idea probably meant something other than the stinging variety. 5a wins my clue of the day. **/****

39. Comfortable puzzle today.
    Not sure the homophone at 27a quite works.
    Great to see the cricket back on C4, wonderful win but England.
    Thanks all.

    1. The early starts are down to insomnia Hoofit – or to give it it’s technical term, lacking Scotch

40. Completely unable to do this without constantly looking at Mr K’s hints. Hopefully just a blip as I had my jab today! 😟 Many thanks

41. The antelope and the fish were also new to me but easily derived from the word play.
    Tried to bung in Echapment in 15d which isn’t even a real word but I remembered something about chapped lips being cracked so I was off.
    Thanks to the Tuesday setter and to Mr K for the review.

42. Thanks to the setter and Mr Kitty for the review and hints. Like Jean-Luc, I’d never heard of the antelope or the fish, but the wordplay was clear. I liked 22a, 5&15d, the latter was my LOI, but my favourite was 10a. Was 1* / 3* for me.

43. Many thanks to everyone who contributed today.

44. 3*/4*……..
    liked 5A”Saw dog commonly held by lead (7)”

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