DT No 30237 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT No 30237

by StephenL  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30237

Hints and tips by StephenL

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

Good morning everyone from a bright and breezy South Devon coast. No need for any “five bobs” to be wagered or wasted on guessing the setter today, the day of the week and the brevity of the clueing gives the game away

Our esteemed setter has given us a clever and witty puzzle which I thought about average difficulty but high on entertainment.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a Stone getting on and performing (7)
STAGING: The abbreviation for STone and getting on in the sense of growing old.

5a In supermarket ran checkout section (7)
TRANCHE: Hidden in the clue as indicated by “in”. I always think this is a lovely word.

9a Bitter seeing account emptied (5)
ACRID: The abbreviation for ACcount and a synonym of emptied or cleared.

10a Lethargic prisoner conceals naked panic (9)
INANIMATE: A prisoner contains or conceals the inner letters (naked) of pANIc.

11a Executed save oddly blocking short cross (10)
TRANSVERSE: Place a synonym of executed or managed plus the odd letters of SaVe inside an adjective meaning short or brusque. My clue of the day.

12a Reportedly spear seabird (4)
SKUA: For this we need a homophone (reportedly) of a synonym of spear or pierce.

14a Strange accents on air in America? (12)
TRANSOCEANIC: Anagram (strange) of the following three words.

18a Show with endless pop entertains somehow (12)
PRESENTATION: Anagram (somehow) of PO(p) plus ENTERTAINS.

21a Precious time? Minute, perhaps (4)
TWEE: The abbreviation for Time and a synonym of minute or tiny. Although I clocked it immediately I rather liked the gentle misdirection here.

22a Crush food consumed around dinner’s end (10)

DISHEARTEN: Start with a synonym of a meal and add a synonym of consumed (in the sense of the meal!) into which is inserted the final letter of dinneR.

25a Painter mentally capturing burial (9)
INTERMENT: Hidden in the clue, the indicator being capturing.

26a Cross namely involving Judas (5)
IRATE: The 2-letter Latin for that is or namely goes around (involving) a crosswordland favourite Judas.

27a Dad sets out to be bluest (7)
SADDEST: Anagram (out) of the preceding two words.

28a Clothes designer gutted with curvy characters (7)
DRESSES: The outside letters (gutted) of DesigneR plus some “curvey” characters, they sit between R and T in the alphabet.

Down

1d Skimpy teddy empty after quick look (6)
SCANTY: Place the outside (empty) letters of TeddY after a quick look or perusal.

2d Sailor on route to foreign parts (6)
ABROAD: A 2-letter abbreviation for a sailor and a route or highway.

3d Rash? It’s nice and red, unfortunately (10) INDISCREET: Anagram (unfortunately) of IT’S NICE and RED.

4d Grouse is grand in season (5)
GRIPE: The abbreviation for Grand and “in season” in the sense of ready to eat. Of course grouse here has nothing to do with the bird.

5d Vehicle entrance (9)
TRANSPORT: A clever double definition, one a noun the other a verb. For the verb to work we need to stress the second syllable of enTRANCE.

6d Lifeless backup covering Republican (4)
ARID: Place some help or backup around the abbreviation for Republican.

7d Striking very fast (8)
CRACKING: Another double definition. This striking song by the equally striking Miley Cyrus is currently atop the singles chart and deservedly so.

8d English cut about, say, class (8)
ELEGANCE: Start with the abbreviation for English and a add a synonym of cut (as one might a boil) into which is inserted the abbreviated for example (say)

13d Said in passing to be corrupt (10)

DEMORALISE: Insert an adjective meaning spoken rather than written into a synonym of passing in the sense of come to an end.

15d Supporter torn accepting this compiler’s fare (9)
NUTRIMENT: Start with an informal word for an avid supporter. Add a synonym of torn or slashed into which is inserted a contracted form of the first person singular of the verb “to be” (this complier’s).

16d A purist’s changed mentally (8)
UPSTAIRS: Anagram (changed) of the preceding two words giving an informal word meaning of the mind. Lol.

17d Constant fuel source covered by grass (8)
REPEATED: A source of fuel used in the garden perhaps is inserted into some tall slender grass

19d Crew on board goes quickly (6)
STEAMS: Insert a crew or side into the usual two letters indicating “on board”.

20d Buries Italian team on penalties, finally (6)
INTERS: An informal name for an Italian football team (from Milan but equally popular in crosswordland) and the final letter of penaltieS. The solution seems uncomfortably close to that of 25a.

23d Had animosity towards, even detested, initially (5)
HATED: The first letters (initially) of each of the preceding five words. Unfortunately there is an error in the original edition of the clue with the word “and” being replaced by “even” in later editions.

24d Support sweetheart getting to bank (4)
BRAE: Append this setter’s swEetheart to this setter’s favourite “supporter”. For newer solvers think cups!

Good stuff, my winners are 11&21a plus 5d. Which ones took the points for you?

Quickie Pun SHAM + PAIN= CHAMPAGNE

 

 

 

101 comments on “DT No 30237”

  1. A DDNF for me. I couldn’t get a foothold in the NE corner at all. 28a was a good clue and 1a was cleverbut some clues were above my pay grade. In fact, I thought they would have suited a Toughie quite well. Thanks tothe compiler and to SL for tthe hints

  2. Cor, that was hard work.

    Two were just out of my reach:

    13d – I was convinced it was a double definition – an excellent clue.
    24d – Spent an age on this but couldn’t see it. It is a great synonym for support which I sometimes forget. I won’t anymore.

    Thanks to the compiler for a great challenge and to SL for his splendid blog.

    i need a stiff drink. It must be ”Drinks o’clock” somewhere.

    4*/4*

    1. One of RayT’s “tells” is usually the inclusion of underwear, somewhere, so it’s well worth remembering this particular support!

      1. Duly noted, MG.

        I think 17d is okay. The daily routine of getting up, eating and going to bed is a constant in our life, i.e it’s 17d.

    2. As I like to remind everyone, Jimmy Buffet says “itā€™s five oā€™clock somewhere”!

        1. Pedant time! It was Alan Jackson who said it. He asked what Jimmy Buffet would do. šŸ˜Ž

          Brilliant track!

  3. The toughest backpager for a good while IMV, with plenty to get ones teeth into and some lateral thinking required. Pondered whether 17d is indeed constant – the answer implies recurrence of something that starts and stops, while constant suggests always/never-ending. Ah well, life’s too short to worry and the answer couldn’t have been much else! Particularly liked 10a (good surface), 22a, 25a & 13d, with COTD 8d.

    3 / 3

    Many thanks to RayT & to StephenL (can’t say I’m in any way taken by the music clip, sorry: an instantly forgettable slurred dirge, I thought!)

    1. I agree, MG, about the (OMG) music clip. This is No. 1 in the UK? Sorry, Stephen.

      1. 264 million views on YouTube, 5.6 million likes….they can’t all be wrong! Listen to it a few times, it’s great.

        1. Respect for trying to sell Miley Cyrus to this audience, SL.

          You’re so ‘darn with the kidz’.

          Before we know it, you’ll be wearing a snapback, donning the latest trackies and saying ‘yo’, ‘innit’ and ‘sup’.

          1. Tom, I first heard that track on The Ken Bruce show whilst driving to Plymouth. That would be Ken Bruce who is er….72!

            1. Oh, gosh. Don’t get me started on what they’ve done on Radio 2.

              Your example is a case in point. They are taking on Radio 1 which is bonkers. Ken has been pushed out three weeks early which has really upset him – 31 years of loyalty etc.

              Wrighty getting replaced by the insipid Scott Mills saw me off.

              Helen Thomas has had a shocker and will go down in the annals as the person who royally screwed it all up.

                1. Try Boom Radio – it has all the old pirate radio DJs who know what they are talking about. Nicky Horne is especially good in the afternoon. Then there’s David Hamilton, Kid Jensen, Johnny Walker (occasionally) and Roger Day among others. They began two years ago to cater for the audience that Radio 2 abandoned and it is the fastest growing station in the UK. All the presenters broadcast from their homes. It is a commercial station but, unlike other commercial stations, they have a very wide range of records not about forty that are played over and over again. I can’t remember the last time I heard “Stairway to Heaven” right after Cliff Richard.

                  1. They should call it Boomer Radio.

                    I love Johnnie Walker’s Sounds of the 70s. He had a guy on recently called Tony King who was brilliant.

                    I am halfway through his book ‘The Tastemaker’.

                    The stories he has. Right at the coalface.

                    Marvellous stuff.

                    1. You got it TS65. It’s called Boom because it caters for boomers. The motto is ‘Keep on Booming” and does not subscribe to the view that anyone over the age of 60 is past it.

                  2. Agree. We enjoy listening to Tony Blackburn, who not only plays songs we know but often has us falling about laughing at his jokes. Miley Cyrus? Not so much.

                    2. Lizzie, Iā€™m ashamed to say my music tastes are so square, Iā€™ve never even heard of any of these people. I know the name Miley Cyrus but never listened to anything sheā€™s done. My pop musical education stopped at the Beatles!

              2. Radio 2 should now be called radio 1.1/2. As for me I’ve moved to boom radio.
                Apart from that , I needed more than a couple of hints to finish today’s puzzle.

        2. I’m delighted they/you enjoy it, Stephen – it’s just not to my taste. Currently pondering listening to some Joe Bonnamassa / Beth Hart, or maybe one of Armin van Buuren’s extended sets, possibly Part’s Speigel or the Hilliard Ensemble (they were at St Paul’s a lifetime ago: quite brilliant). Might just stick with Def Leppard, to annoy the neighbours! ;)

          1. Saw Def Leppard whilst on holiday in Boston a couple of years ago, they were fantastic live and completely outdid Journey who were also good but could not match them. So great listening choice, perhaps the neighbours will like it!

            I understand from my daughter that Miley Cyrus Flowers is a reply to Bruno Mars When I was your Man, compare the choruses if you wish.

            Iā€™m commenting on this to avoid looking at my rather sorry attempt at todays crossword which I am significantly struggling to get a toe hold inā€¦. I have not yet abandoned hope or resorted to the hints.

            1. Rick Allen, legendary drummer. One of the greatest of all time. To come back after that car crash so early in the band’s career and be so integral to Def Leppard’s sound and subsequent success was phenomenal. I envy you having seen them in Boston!

          2. I’m partway with you there MG, but give me the like of The Vatersay Boys, Peat and Diesel and for that matter any other of today’s Scottish bands. You don’t need to be a Scot to appreciate them, I would hastily add — I’m certainly well south of the border, lol.

            1. I’ve always loved the pipes & drums and, having randomly selected the Vatersay Boys version of The Gael, I think I’ll be looking for more of their work – thank you so much, Shropshirebloke.

          3. I am with you as far as Joe Bonnamassa is concerned Mustafa G. Even the likes of Clapton and the tragic Peter Green would agree, Iā€™m sure. A virtuoso on the guitar.

    2. Have to agree about that music clip, MG. Even as a middle-of-the-road modern pop song, the best I could rate it is: dire!

  4. Ray T at his concise and brilliant best, with this pleasingly tricky and superbly clued little gem. Desperately difficult to pick a single favourite, but I will go for 10a.

    Thanks to Mr T and SL.

  5. 2*/4.5*. This was right up my street and I loved it – apart from the error in 23d by which I had scribbled “surely AND should be EVEN for this to work”.

    13d was my favourite of many excellent clues.

    Many thanks to RayT and SL.

        1. “A man sees what he wants to see and he disregards the rest” …..Paul Simon ‘The Boxer’

  6. Finished unaided but didn’t enjoy it much, sorry. Too much guesswork on my part – didn’t seem to flow. Thanks to all.

  7. Such grace under pressure (no more than six words a clue) always characterises the concise charm of this setter for me, and today’s cracking puzzle is no exception. I rather hit upon a very fluid and straightforward response throughout, until the SE region, where the true brilliance lies, which took me a bit longer to solve. 22a is my runaway COTD but I also enjoyed 13d, 28a, 12a (great homophone), and 16d, which made me laugh. Too bad about the, as Stephen put it, ‘uncomfortable’ similarity between 20d & 25a (but, they say, even Homer nodded). Thanks to Stephen and RayT. 2*/4.5*

  8. I didn’t get along with this at all though I can appreciate the cleverness of many of the clues. i did manage to finish unaided, but it definitely took me longer than usual. I needed a little parsing help with 13d and 15d. For me, Ray T’s synonyms are often on the elastic side! I enjoyed the misdirection at 5d and the anagram at 14a, which took me ages to sort out, along with 21a and 16d. Favourite today was 22a. Thanks to Ray T for the headache and StephenL for his parsing help.

  9. Not much to say, even the minor c*ck-up in 23d did not impact on the enjoyment – 2.5*/4.5*

    Candidates for favourite – 11a, 21a, and 24d – and the winner is 24d.

    Thanks to Ray T and Stephen L.

  10. Good stuff from Mr T (even with the double burial down below) – thanks to him and StephenL.
    My top clues were 11a, 1d (LOL) and 16d.

  11. Cracking puzzle, assumed 23d was an error as the SE corner went in smoothly.
    Liked 22a and 13d, favourite was 24d when the penny dropped.
    A 2.5*/4*

  12. A challenging assignment. 13d the last one in because I knew it couldn’t be anything else but I couldn’t parse it.

    I will now listen to the Miley song as it will make a change from those of us (well.. me…) posting fifty year old clips of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, or Todd Rundgren.

    Thanks to Ray T, and Stephen L of the Dumnonii

    1. I enjoyed the Miley track – a good straightforward pop song. Los Angeles looks beautiful in the video – I’m sure that was shot in the Hollywood Hills; somewhere near Mulholland Drive or Laurel Canyon is my guess.

      I hope she makes enough money from this to enable her to buy some clothes (writes an elderly man).

      2. Terence, if you think she is underdressed in this video, take a look at Wrecking Ball – The Official Video.

  13. A Quickie pun toast to our setter for another most enjoyable puzzle.
    Definite favourite here was 13d with 5a & 24d hard on its heels.

    Devotions as you would expect to Mr T and thanks to Stephen for the review.

  14. I thought that this puzzle seemed more ‘Beam’ than it did ‘RayT’, or maybe it was just me finding it harder to concentrate today, having been smitten with a chest and throat lurgy this week. I did finish, but could not have done without the help of SL and my little pocket electronic dictionary.. Some extremely clever clues, but my dulled brain was incapable of untangling many of them. Thanks for the mental workout Ray Beam and thank you too StephenL :-) :-)

    1. P.S Doesn’t the picture at 27d tell a story – what a sad father and son. So many different takes or essays could be written with that picture as the subject.

  15. Another mistake in a RayT crossword. Didnā€™t we have another one about a month ago?

    Yes!

    1. Found it.

      18a in puzzle no 30213.

      Strange that I always seem to remember the bad bits!

  16. I don’t know why but I’ve found it difficult to brain today, (in other crosswords as well) so this took me longer than normal. For the first time ever I had to utilise the hints, which were all excellent. A complete failure of whatever anagram-solving ability /i have didn’t help much either.

    1. Ray T as his alter ego Beam sets anagram free puzzles in the Toughie spot, which I often find easier than his back-pagers for exactly that reason. I think I said as much on his last one.

  17. Thought this the toughest RayT in a while with some of his anagrams quite elusive which pushed me to ****/***. I agree with Gazza about the double burial but I expect that is sometimes inevitable. My favourite was the relatively easy 26a which I thought showed great 8d. Thanks to SL and the setter.

  18. Tough but enjoyable is my take on today’s Ray T. I thought there was an error in 23d (I see StephenL has confirmed it) but it could be nothing else. I did find some of the anagrams a bit difficult to sort out, 14a taking quite a time. I was annoyed that I had to look up the bird in 12a because it is a frequent visitor. I just don’t seem capable of retaining the name. My COTD is the wonderful 28a.

    My thanks to Ray T for the fun challenge. Thank you , StephenL for the hints and explaining those I could not fathom out.

  20. After lots of diligence was left with 24d. So the first incomplete puzzle for a satisfyingly long time. :-(
    Having looked here I am disappointed to have fallen at such an easy fence.
    Ah well, new puzzle tomorrow!

  21. A real slog. DNF with 9 clues to go. For me *****/* in contrast to yesterdays enjoyable solve whilst flying back to th uk. Maybe i should give Thursday backpagers a miss.

  22. Quirky as usual for a Ray T but I found this on his more benevolent side. Lots of ā€˜transā€™ (is he trying to tell us something?).
    But no religion and a number of lurkers.
    Enjoyable to be able to complete one of his.
    Thx to all
    ***/****

  23. A nice puzzle from Ray T, with (mostly) good clues providing a medium-ish challenge and an enjoyable solve. I rather liked 13d. 3*/4*.

  24. Found this to be a quite a difficult RayT puzzle this week.
    Two words I have never heard of in 5a & 12a didn’t help plus the (oops!) in the 23d clue made this a 3*/2.5* for me today.

    Favourites include 21a, 22a, 1d, 7d & 24d
    Still had a a couple of clues where I can’t figure out the parsing, so a little frustrating that way … out in left field I thought. Oh well.

    Thanks to RayT & StephenL for hints

  25. Far too difficult for me. I gave up the unequal struggle after 14 clues.

  26. Found this tough ****/*** for me
    Really liked 12a and 28a
    Thanks to RayT for the brain stretch and to SL for hints and for going the extra miley

  27. This really was a struggle.
    A lot of solution first then parsing.
    Was in ** time with 14 and 22a and 8, 13 and 15d to go.
    Took an age, two sittings.
    So, 5*/4*.
    Many thanks RayT for the considerable challenge and thanks to StephenL, although unused.

  28. Thursday, a Ray T, and *** (**** for me), so the perfect Trifecta – sent me hurrying off to Wordle. First I managed 10 answers and then checked the hint for 12a? Clearly one for those brighter than me, and with a lot of ornithology knowledge. Goodness knows what the Toughie is like today, if this is easier. Phewā€¦

  29. Good afternoon
    By the cringe! That was hard work today; had I been at work today, there’s no way I would have finished it. As it is, I had to have recourse to the crossword solver app (or “cheat box”) for 13d and 24d. I was hopelessly trying to form an anagram out of “nice and red” in 3d, when “it’s nice” and “red” were actually required. An exasperated cry of “Crikey!” for 14a, 16d, and 24d.
    Incidentally, as regards radio listening, may I recommend the legendary Mike Read, weekday mornings from 7:00 on Downforce Radio (via the Internet)

  30. I was pleased to find that I wasn’t the only one who made heavy weather of this. I assumed that 23d was a typo and should have read ‘end’. The usual excellence from Rayt. Cotd was 13d, my last in. Thanks to Rayt and SL.

  31. Whew a **** challenge for me but very enjoyable despite needing two hints, thank you Ray T and Stephen L. ā€¦ 28a and 16d as the stand out best clues

  32. I have finally completed this but only with the use of the hints for the final 5. It is incredible that such short clues can be so tricky to unravel. I can see that others found this tricky so feel I did pretty well as a relative newbie.
    The sun has been out in the Chilterns today and it feels a lot warmer than the last few days so I managed some weeding which made up for not completing the crossword.
    Many thanks to the setter and to StephenL for the essential hints.

  33. DNF, not surprisingly so not chuffed and now despairing after reading all the froth about Radio 2 and children’s nursery rhymes. Only station for music is R3 which plays a wide range from nearly all the main genres and its breakfast show with Petroc Trelawny is very good and even brilliant when Kate Molleson stands in.

    Other than that a very clever puzzle of which I managed about two thirds.

    Thanks to Ray T and for SL with his usual unwrapping of difficulties.

    1. You should listen to other forms of music, Corky except rap. It broadens the musical horizon and, after all, whatever the form of music it still only has the same eight notes to play with – OK, I know there are sharps and flats and octaves…

      Live a bit and break away from R3 occasionally!

      Don’t you hit me! I’m wearing glasses! :grin:

      1. I wear glasses too so don’t worry. Gave up R1 except for John Peel in the early 70s, R2 was always for people of my age now in the 1970s. R4 was good for comedy until Brian Redhead, Hump and Alan Coren died. I have sold or given to charity my pop music collection except for Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Richard Thompson, Fairport, and a few others of interest like Cale and Reed’s Songs for Della. Joni Mitchell,Lucinda Williams, Emmy Lou Harris, Laura Cantrell, Jo Anne Kelly also remain.

        But after visiting a pub in 1972 where a friend of wife’s husband played trumpet in a jazz band, pop music except for established favourites and having to watch Top of the Pops when my four children were at that stage faded into the background. I now have a good collection of jazz music from King Oliver to Brad Melhdau. Also the same in classical with a fair collection from Monteverdi to Oliver Messiaen and Philip Glass.

        Nothing I have heard, usually by accident, of the latest in pop or whatever it’s called today have been any improvement on what happened up to the end of the 80s. Mark Fisher wrote about this very lucidly and cogently.

        In my eight records in an imaginary Desert Island Discs appearance would include any pop music except perhaps for the John Wesley Harding LP.

        1. Brilliant response, Corky! Personally, I feel the same way in that I retain what I like from Beethoven to ZZ Top.
          Thank you for not hitting me! šŸ˜Ž

          PS. John Peel was a legend! I loved his programmes. I will never forget his championing Teenage Kicks by The Undertones.

  34. I was way off wavelength, but that is really no surprise considering itā€™s RayT. It was a DNF for me, natch, and many with ?? beside them. The only clues that didnā€™t twist my brain in knots were 5a and 12a, I remember seeing them while boating in Scotland and thinking, so thatā€™s what appears in the DT crossword all the time! I was amused by 16d but fave was 12a, we havenā€™t seen it for some time.
    Thank you RayT, watch out, one day Iā€™ll get on your wavelength, and to SL for unravelling so much.

  35. Evening all. My thanks to StephenL for the review and to everybody else who left a comment.

    RayT

    2. Thank you, Ray T for a most entertaining and challenging puzzle and for popping in.

    3. Good evening, Mr T, good to see that you remembered what day it is this time!
      Many thanks for another great puzzle, the Quickie pun is ready in your glass but you’ll need to hurry up before the bubbles disappear!

  36. Tricky for a RayT Thursday I thought today. It had all his usual tells but I just didn’t connect as I usually do – just too many bung-ins for my liking. ***/***

    My daughter is a massive Miley fan; I’ve unfortunately heard her songs far too often and thought Mustafa G @3 was being kind. I’m desperately trying to steer her towards quality music but she’s having none of it! šŸ˜Š

  37. Everyone is entitled to their opinions but personally I often find the work of this setter very difficult and obscure to the point of irritating. Alarm bells always ring when I find the Toughie far more accessible, and I always suspect the presence of an inferiority complex amongst some back page setters along the lines of ‘I can make my work just as challenging, if not more so, than the Toughie’. I struggled with this for 15 minutes, came across the really careless error in 23D and gave up. Surely it would be possible for the Telegraph or the setter to commission a crossword enthusiast to test every puzzle prior to publication. Not only would errors be eliminated but feedback as to the standard would be constructive, and a reminder to setters that the VAST MAJORITY are just looking for a bit of mental fun in their coffee break. Those seeking a much harder workout should surely turn to the Toughie.

    1. To be fair to the setter I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t suffer from this “complex” as he regularly sets Toughies and really has nothing to prove at all in that respect. I doubt whether any of the others would either to be honest.
      All puzzles are proof solved by the editors but mistakes happen from time to time, that’s just life.

  38. Late to this which Iā€™ll blame for an extremely laboured Toughie time completion where the pennies took a stubbornly long time to drop. I bunged in 11a without being entirely sure what it meant nor having parsed it correctly but sorted it out eventually unlike the parsing at 5d where I didnā€™t twig the context of entrance. 7d&12a the last 2 in & was thankful the bird was a homophone as I struggled to bring it to mind. Top 3 for me – 22a plus 5&13d.
    Thanks to Ray T & Stephen – not sure about the video but thought the MC song a decent enough pop number without it being my cup of tea. Currently listening to Shemekia Copeland & boy can she sing.

  39. Enjoyed this a lot – more of a challenge than the rest of the week, but enjoyable. Thanks to the setter and SL, and thanks for the pointer to the miley song – I agree with your assessment! Would never have found it if you hadn’t posted the link. Had the same problem as others with 23d – I print hard copy of the puzzles at 4pm our time (West coast US) then we do them over coffee the following morning so didn’t see the correction. Finally decided it had to be an error in the clue then checked the blog to confirm.

  40. Definitely not the easiest RayT ever but yet again, perseverance paid off.
    North east was the last to yield as the only seabirds that came to my mind were tern and gull. Thought the skua was a kind of exotic parrot. Learn something every day.
    Thanks to RayT and to StephenL for the review.

  42. Made heavy weather of this due in part to those to which Mhids refers as “elastic synonyms”. IMHO 12a pronunciation rather iffy as is in season in 4d and 15d also rankles a bit although I guess life support upholds it. 28a and 16d were my Favs. Altogether not my scene. Thank you RayT and StephenL.

  43. I know a lot of you like guitar music, you may enjoy this as something to chill out to (a very good acoustic cover of Sultans of Swing). In case I have not managed to add the link correctly she is Gabriella Quevedo on YouTube or Spotify. Her Pink Floyd Another Brick in the Wall is also very good.

  44. Way beyond my pay station and I am not the least bit interested in Radio 2, which seems to occupy a large part of the comments. Thanks to Ray T and StephenL.

  47. Came back to this one and wish I hadnā€™t! I thought some clues a tad tenuous. Think it should have been a toughie as I donā€™t attempt those. Maybe Iā€™ll improve with more practice. Thank you Ray anyway.

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