DT 30326

65 comments on “DT 30326”

1. This one was like doing a 100m sprint with the middle third of the track made of sand mixed with molasses, off like a longdog, then slowed almost to a hobble, then a sprint finish, very weird.
   Pet hate of mine at 12a, a bit like Christmas rapidly becoming ‘the winter holiday’
   Favourites for me today were the clever 24a, at first I suspected an obscure Indian tribe, but the penny finally dropped, and the brilliant 16a. Many thanks to our setter today.

   1. Yes, I refuse to know terms like that – even if it means omitting a clue. It’s a matter of principle.

2. Very straightforward but I’m still going to have a second coffee!
   Pleasant rather than challenging .
   Thanks to the setter.

3. 1*/4*. Third day in a row for the “it doesn’t have to be tough to be good” club. My only hold up was in parsing 28a until the penny finally dropped, so that gets my vote as favourite.

   Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks.

4. I have to say this one didn’t float my boat as much as previous Wednesdays but maybe that’s because such a high standard has been set.
   The single letter abbreviation required in 11a is for student or learner not novice according to The Telegraph (though it’s doubtless in Chambers), I thought the cryptic definitions in 16&20a a bit loose/weak and 5d didn’t particularly appeal either. However all was redeemed to a large extent by the very clever 28a, worth the admission fee alone. Like our bloggers it took a fair bit of mental “tossing around” before I twigged the wordplay.
   Many thanks to the setter (I’m sure I’ve loved your work in the past and will in the future) and The Ks.

5. My digital clue for 9d read
   Family member’s euphoria after run (6,2,5)

   This was not helpful!

   Many thanks for the hints

   1. same!

   2. Why not?

      1. Possibly because that is the clue for 8d – but with the enumeration (8)?

         1. Ah that explains it

   3. Same. Guessed answer from available letters.

      1. You’ve expanded your alias so this needed moderation. Both versions will work from now on.

6. Another enjoyable solve with only a little head scratching. I couldn’t parse 28a even though the answer was staring me in the face – very clever and very simple really so many thanks to the 2Kiwis for the hint. I think 3d is fast becoming word of the month. It seems to have featured a lot lately. It’s unusual for me to choose an anagram for favourite but 9d gets my votes today. There were many others worthy of mention but I’ll go for 11a, 23a and 24a. Thanks to our setter for the enjoyment.

7. 28a very clever – I had the answer but no idea why!

8. I enjoyed this one all except for 28a which I thought just plain daft. My fav was 26a.
   Thx to all
   **/****

   1. I think 28a is brilliant, Brian. Why do you think it daft?

      1. Too much leap of faith is needed to solve it. Can’t abide clues that are still a mystery once they have been solved.

         1. Ok but I understood you to have no faith. 😏🤣🤣🤣🤣

9. A “Solve first, parse later” kind of puzzle for me. The “solve” part was fast, the “parse” part not so much. Not at all in the case of 28A. Still, enjoyable all in all. My picks are 16A and 24A. Thanks to the 2Ks and the setter.

10. A friendly grid.
    Its frame provided useful
    Starts and endings.
    Evenly resolved with last in, 4d, taking a nanosecond longer.
    Gems, the cryptic 16 and 17a.
    Perhaps, 3d is an overworked swimmer.
    Usually a weekly appearance.
    Big smile at 24a.
    Thanks to the setter and the 2Kiwis.happily not required
    But certainly a marvellously illustrated review.

    1. PS
       Forgot to say
       28a sheer brilliance.
       It either hits you
       Or it doesn’t.

11. Can someone explain 28a please – just cannot see it?

    1. The 2Ks hint explains 28a very nicely

    2. I couldn’t make head nor tail of the clue either John, but I had enough checkers to bung in the answer. Having now read the hint, I can see I would never have reasoned it out like out.

12. Another lovely day, but quite a strong easterly breeze keeping things a tad cooler. Wednesdays puzzle continues this week’s entertaining run of challenges, with lots to enjoy.

    1*/3.5*

    Fav 9d LOI 11a.

    Thanks to the setter and the 2Kiwis.

13. A mixture of old friends and some entertaining clues – thanks to our setter and 2Ks.
    My laurels go to 12a, 16a and 28a.

14. The strange surface read of 28a should have given me the nod that something odd was afoot but that particular penny was stuck for a long time before it finally dropped.
    Like Tipcat, I hate the use of 12a – whose good idea was that?
    28a gets a place on my podium where it’s joined by 24a & 9d.

    Thanks to Robyn, presumably, and to our 2Ks for the review.

15. Set off at a gallop but soon slowed to a steady walk. All doable, though and I managed an unaided finish after a lot of head scratching. I find it amazing that a clue can be stared at for ages while pondering possible answers only to have the answer suddenly appear as if by magic. Getting 1a straight away is always satisfying especially when it’s a fairly long one. It gives plenty of first letters for the down clues. I spent far too long searching for an Indian tribe in 24a and I haven’t got used to the phrase in 12a yet so that held me up for a while. In fact, I never use the expression in 12a. My COTD is 28a because, like the 2Ks, the penny gave a load clang when the wordplay was sussed.

    Many thanks to the setter for the fun challenge. Thank you, 2Ks for the hints.

    Slightly cooler in The Marches at the moment 24 degrees but it is set to get hotter later this afternoon. At least the heat is preventing the grass from growing.

    1. SC. Talking of Indian tribes, which is as good a topic as any, we quite often get the well-known ones such as Apache, Cree, etc., but if you click on the link below you’ll see there are no less than 574 recognised Indian tribes in the USA. A fascinating bit of trivia, I think! I’m surprised, but not particularly disappointed, that more of them don’t crop from time to time in cryptic clues.

       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federally_recognized_tribes_in_the_contiguous_United_States

       1. Thanks, Jose. What great names some of them have. The Kickapoo tribe, or example.

          1. Sounds rather a bit like some of the new dog “mixtures” – cockapoo and labradoodle etc etc – I’m never sure how any sensible dog could go for a decent walk . . .

16. A triumph for the it doesnt have to be tough to be enjoyable camp. It had a few challenges in the parsing (e.g. 28a) but that is as it should be.i likedc12d, 18a, 21d and 24a. Thanks to th Kiwis for the hints and to the compiler for well- judged back pager.

17. A quick start and then a few that took ages and one I needed the hints to parse – 28a. So simple once you know! Very enjoyable. My favourite was 16a because it took so long for the penny to drop and I had been so pleased to remember anaesthetics and try them backwards and forwards!

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2 kiwis for the hints and pics.

18. First crossword in over a week and an enjoyable romp with the 2K’s assessment being bang on for me. 16a caused me to pause a while and hence ** but that is my COTD. Not sure who this setter is – but I never am! Thanks to he or she and our Antipodean friends. Hot in Devon.

19. A trickier Wednesday puzzle this week with some obscure clueing I thought. Nothing that couldn’t be sussed with some thinking, but took some thought to get through it.

    2*/4* for me.

    Favourites for the ‘p+2d’ for me were 20a, 26a, 27a, 5d & 17d — with winner 17d

    Thanks to setter and the 2K’s for blog/hints

20. I fairly raced through this, dead on wavelength and hugely enjoyable. I’ve never heard of 12a but easy enough to work out. I needed to get a few checkers to solve the anagram at 1a. I had no clue why 28a was what it was, but what else could it be? I needed the 2Kiwis to explain it, now wasn’t that clever? My fave, liked 24a as well.
    Thank you setter, please take ownership of this gem, and the 2Kiwis for unravelling a few.

21. Light and enjoyable Wednesday fare, with smiles a-plenty, nothing esoteric, and generally smooth surface reads. COTD the wonderful laugh-out-loud 28a, by a nose from my LOI, 16a; runners-up 5d & 21d.

    1.5* / 3.5* Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks – would welcome some of your cool weather!

22. Still no escaped Toughie this week. I’ll go with the flow & pick 28a for top spot – the clever wordplay excusing the surface read. Very enjoyable though I’m inclined to agree with Stephen that it didn’t quite hit the highs of recent Wed guzzles.
    Thanks to the setter & as ever to the 2Kd

23. Three back-pagers in a row Wow! ***/*** 🤗 Favourites were 24a and 8d 😃 Thanks to the 2 x Ks and to the Compiler. I commend the obituary in today’s DT of Roger Squires to the House, such an interesting life and so multi talented😳

    1. I agree with you regarding the obituary, Jaylegs.

    2. RIP Rufus … but I still cannot parse the obituary headline?

       “Ogres are by the sound of it, risqué – befuddled, by record-breaking English setter (5,7)”

       1. Roger Squires

       2. I think I understand it now!

          An anagram (befuddled) of “ogres” and “risqué” with an “R” (are by the sound of it).

    3. Thanks for the prompt, Jaylegs, I rarely look at the obits but that was definitely worth reading.

    4. Thanks Jaylegs for pointing me to this. What an extraordinary array of talents Roger Squires possessed. Having gingerly dipped my toe in to the world of compiling and found how long it can take to produce one just about acceptable crossword, I am astounded by the report that he reached a rate of compiling of 40 crosswords a week. I wonder if anyone else has even come close to that!

24. In the film ‘Good Will Hunting’ my research this morning suggested that the janitor, Will Hunting, was specifically given the day off on New Years Day. Accordingly in my eyes he didn’t have to rise i.e. get up! Thought, if this is totally accurate, that this was a pretty good parse for 28a.

    1. Nicely done, moose, it would be great if Robyn popped in to explain whether that was his intention – sadly he never graces us with his presence.

25. Very smooth clueing thank you setter and 2Ks. Like others above I found the DT obituary for Roger Squires to be fascinating and what a loss his passing is to our community

26. On my own it would seem in not getting on the wavelength at all with this today.

    More of a did not start than dnf.

    Thanks to all.

    1. Having gone through the answers, 5d rather grates. Surprised it is a valid word. If anyone uses it in my presence, I shall poke them in the eye with a sharp stick. Awful word.

       A second sitting got me about three quarters solved.

       Again, thanks to all.

       1. I agree, BW! 5d is an awful word. It shouldn’t exist in any form. Even the slightly better “educationable” still grates.

27. Late in the day for me but never too late to appreciate the genius of 28a. Quite brilliant. Overall, I have to be in the group that thinks this is another puzzle that doesn’t have to be hard to be most enjoyable. Thanks to our setter and the 2Ks.

    Like others, I am sad to hear of Roger Squires’ death, but loved reading his obit.

28. Rats – my comment has disappeared – my fault but I can’t be bothered so will leave at it for today.
    I’ve never heard of 12a.
    Thanks to whoever set today’s crossword and to the 2K’s for the hints.

    1. 12a is supposed to replace Anno Domini, Kath.

29. The puzzle was great and 28a just brilliant. BUT my great excitement today ahs been my next door neighbours (who handle the secondhand books for the church) sometimes bring round books for me concerning crosswordland. Today its a copy of th BRB which I have never had and I am sure will help a lot. Its in pristine condition too. I cannot tell you how chuffed I am. Thanks to all. Gave up with the Toughie half way through

    1. You now have no excuse, Manders. If it is in the BRB it is correct.
       Will you keep it, as I do, by your side as you solve?

30. Morning all.
    Still too dark to see outside but it certainly feels like another frost will be there.
    We knew that 28a would get lots of comments. We’re still chuckling over the cleverness of it.
    Cheers.

31. An enjoyable steady solve, with just a few holdups. Never heard anyone say 12a, and never used Spotify (or even really know what it is) so I was mystified for ages with 16a, until I got enough checkers. And like quite a few others, I was going through as many American Indian tribes as I could remember. Again, it was the checkers that saved the day. When we built our first house here they were frequent garden visitors, and were encouraged to leave them alone as they devour thousands of termites a day. As our house was the first one built in our phase, surrounded by a large field full of natural habitat, it was their home too, at least until all remaining houses got built. Thanks to the mystery setter and to the 2Kiwis.

32. Off at a good clip but then slowed down in SE. 28a hung fire until the end when penny finally dropped – d’oh how clever! – has become Fav. Tried to use just male noble in 11a which necessitated a second thought. Haven’t previously come across 12a or 5d which had to be. Altogether a fun exercise. Thank you Mysteron and 2 Kiwis (could use a bit of your cool weather at the moment – temperature in sun in my garden 90 degrees F today). Failed to suss Quickie pun.
    Yes indeed, RIP Rufus/Roger Squires and huge thanks for your amazing and enjoyable cruciverbal output. Loved the special obituary headline.

33. I spent too long trying to think of a nine lettered American native for 24a, so was completely barking up the wrong tree. Wracking my brain for names brought back happy memories of visiting the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota many years ago.
    28a was my absolute favourite. I bunged in the answer from checking letters, but loved the penny drop moment when I tried to work the answer out. Thank you setter and the 2ks.

34. Lovely crossword: cleverly gentle for the most part with a couple of stingers to keep you honest.
    28a and 16a my two favouritest ones
    Ta to the silent, but perhaps lurking?, Robyn and of course to the 2K’s

35. I had to look up Perugia, needed the hint to parse 28a and 5d was a new word for me. 25d is an unusual, but rather nice, name. It reminds me of a time when I used to chat in depth to a girl of that name, the sister of one of my good friends, when my marriage was on the rocks. After some weeks she suggested we went out for a meal together. I told her I couldn’t do that even though I knew my wife was cheating on me I couldn’t do the same thing. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and it was years before she spoke to me again. Hey ho. Favourite was 16a. Thanks to the setter and 2K’s.

    1. That is such a touching story, Taylor. You are obviously a principled man. I do hope you are happy now.

36. Good evening
    Finally made it to the finish line, but at a crawl. I was bangin’ ’em in earlier on, but was almost defeated by 16a (so thank you 2Ks for the hint); I was annoyed with myself for struggling with 8d, for heaven’s sake; and I guessed 28a without figuring out why, so thank you again 2Ks. COTD (and a Crikey!) goes to 24a. And thanks to our compiler.

37. 3*/4* ….
    liked 28A “Official holiday may see janitor with no rise (3,5,3)” … along with several other commenters.

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