DT 30429

67 comments on “DT 30429”

1. Ut was annther Thursday skog for me, with lots of head-scratching and looking up,synonyms in the thesaurus. There was lots of misdirection and a few clever lego clues at 1a and 5d. My COTD was the gegraphical anagram at 9d. Thanks to Shabbo for the hints, although I put 19d in, I was puzzled about the parsing, as the synonym used for oroperty is one I associate with the USA Thanks to the compiler, it was certainly a challenging guzzle.

2. Getting the four long one perimeter ones on first pass was a big help in this tricky Ray T compilation.
   At 20a, I know it makes for a clever surface read but is the tide the sea? I suppose one could say the sea/tide comes in at four but they are not the same things in my book. I don’t mind American words in puzzles as long as they are in common usage here but I don’t think that’s the case with the property in 19d.
   Tops for me were 1&10a (so succinct and clever) plus 9d.
   Many thanks to RayT and Shabbo. I think “in” is part of the in 15d.

   1. Realty is an English common law expression for real estate or land as opposed to personalty or personal chattels

      1. Yup, no American snuck into that one …

         1. Even I thought that one was OK.

            1. The ultimate test!

   2. Under sea the BRB lists “the tide”, so just about OK for a cryptic clue in my book.

3. 5.1 words per clue average? That has to be a record. Unbelievable.

   A gentle offering from RayT but enjoyable, nevertheless (there’s that word again).

   It’s difficult to look past 28a for the COTD with 5d and 22d being worthy runners-up as I always enjoy the political ones, especially if they’re having a dig.

   Steamy is a great word. The letter y plays a fascinating role. If you add it to certain words, the meaning can alter in an interesting way, e.g steam(y) and fruit(y).

   Many thanks to Shabbo and the master of brevity weverty.

   2*/4*

4. What a struggle this was ( for me at least). But I got there in the end .
   Nothing really stand out but a lot of disguise.
   Thanks to the compiler.

5. For me, this and the Toughie could trade places. A real Ray T head scratcher and if I had a List, like Terence, 28a would be placed on it – what a dreadful word – ***/***

   Favourite – a toss-up between 12a and 2d – and the winner is 12a, the oldie but goodie 2d just missed out.

   Thanks to Ray T and Shabbo.

   1. Seconded re 28a! I can’t imagine using that word under any circumstances, heavy and cumbersome.

      1. It sounds like a Bushism or Reagan gaffe!

         1. Not Trump though, he doesn’t know any big words.

      2. Awful word.

   2. I add my tuppenceworth to comments re unwieldy nature of 28a.

6. I usually get on well with Ray T but today was a bit of a slog. I started with the anagram at 9d and proceeded somewhat haphazardly in an anticlockwise direction. What an ugly word 28a is. I don’t think it will be entering my vocabulary any time soon. I needéd the hints for 8d and 15d, my last ones in, so thank you Shabbo for them. I always like the old chestnut at 6d but favourite today was 11a for the ckever surface read and reminding me of many years of nursing. Podium places also for the succinct 10a and the cheeky 12a. Thanks to Ray T for the challenge.

7. Ray T on absolutely top form this morning with a pleasantly testing and most rewarding puzzle. 12a was my top clue from a long list of possibles, with 17d a close second. An honourable mention in dispatches, too, for the Quickie pun.

   My thanks to Mr T for the workout and to Shabbo.

8. I failed miserably in this, then tried the Toughie. I astonished myself and solved 25 out of 29 clues!

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

9. Most enjoyable, good to have an appropriately challenging backpage puzzle – or at least rather more so than the last three days – as we draw towards the end of the week. All scrupulously fair, and I echo Tom in applauding RayT’s mastery of brevity. Not something of which I have ever been accused …

   Spent far too long trying to make an anagram out of my LOI, 8d, and initially wanted 26a to be an anagram of the first three words. Ghastly word of the day: 28a (but no, not a List word). Great clues of the day: 13a, 3d, 22d.

   2* / 4*

   Many thanks to RayT and to Shabbo

10. Is Vaseline not a Trade Mark for petroleum jelly?

    1. Welcome to the blog, Henry.

    2. That thought crossed my mind, too – but then again as there are various other words which are trademarked but used generically (eg hoover, biro) and acceptable in a puzzle, there shouldn’t really be an issue with 16a. I wonder how many people would use 10a as shorthand for ‘petroleum jelly’, whatever brand they actually buy?

    3. Vaseline and any make of petroleum jelly are all “ointments”, so the clue is OK.

11. The easy anagrams helped smooth this RayT out although I did get bogged down a little in the SE pushing me to *** time. My legal background helped with 19d and I thought 20a and 15&17d all top notch. Another gem. Thanks Shabbo and himself.

12. Ray T entertains as usual – thanks to him and to Shabbo (enjoy the quarter-finals in Marseille!).
    I picked out 12a and 22d for special mention.

    As others have said the Silvanus Toughie is very gentle and very enjoyable. If you never venture into Toughieland because you think the puzzles are too difficult today would be a good day to dip your toe into the water.

    1. I dipped my toe in yesterday’s late last night and found it very approachable. I invariably have a go at it last thing at night.

13. I found this hard. Difficult at first and didn’t ease up. 5d was last in and the answer didn’t seem to really fit.

14. Very enjoyable. 8d held me up a bit in an otherwise speedy solve. 1a was my favourite.

    I concur with earlier comments on today’s Toughie.

    Thanks to today’s setter and Shabbo.

15. Definitely a case of ‘straightforward until it wasn’t’ this morning and the ‘straightforward’ didn’t fill in many of the white spaces! Our setter obviously felt the need to give us a sterner test today although I rather wish he hadn’t put 28a into the equation – quite ghastly word.
    Biggest smiles for 11&18a plus 7d.
    Devotions still going to Mr T and many thanks to Shabbo for the review – so sorry to hear about the holiday miseries.

16. Happily on wavelength & all set for a brisk completion in 1.5* time until last in 20a which extended the solve significantly before the penny dropped. Thought 1a the best of the peripheral long ‘uns & liked the political & slightly risqué ones too. Ticks for 11,12&14a + 5,8&17d.
    Thanks to Ray T & to Shabbo for a great review with an appropriately low word count.

17. Well the week had been good for me until this RayT puzzle showed up. I found this very difficult to get into. Managed only two of the four perimeter clues for the longest time.
    Also, some of the parsing didn’t work for me today … my issue and nothing to do with RayT. I simply just wasn’t clicking in on his wavelength today.

    3.5*/2.5* for me

    A couple of favourites for me included 16a, 20a, 2d , 5d, 6d & 9d — with winner 5d

    Thanks to RayT & Shabbo … too bad I struggled so hard with this one.

18. 2.5*/5*. Lovely jubbly. What an excellent puzzle this was with 11a, 12a, 7d & 22d fighting it out for podium positions.

    Many thanks to RayT and to Shabbo.

    P.S. For anyone who fancies another great puzzle, look no further than today’s Silvanus Toughie.

19. Bit of a slog but enjoyable nonetheless. Not too happy with sea v tide, COTD 5D. ***/***

20. Challenging. Very challenging. I was very seriously considering ordering the kitchen staff to bring me more orange juice without bits, and the toast had long been consumed before I reached the summit of this most Everesty of crosswords. This on a day when I can really not afford to either dilly or dally, not even shilly or shally, as I depart imminently for my latest booster jab. I doubt whether I can even tarry or dawdle.
    Most inconvenient of Ray T and I am taking it personally.

    Thanks to Raytee and Shabba-dabba-doo.

21. Well a real Toughie for me today, especially the NE corner., last in was 8a and only because I had made a note in my old Chambers for the synonym for Fancy-Vagary and vica versa for Vagary ie Fancy.
    Favourites were 11a and 20a.
    28a was somewhat obscure and an ugly word.
    Going for a ****/***

22. I am glad to read that Beaver, like me, makes notes in his dictionary! I also have lists of useful things like the names of Snow White’s dwarves (am I allowed to say that?) and Santa’s reindeer. I have a book by my bedside, Great-aunt Florence called it my Commonplace Book, in which I have written down all manner of things including outstanding guzzle clues and the children’s funny sayings. I noted today in Features that Michael Deacon also does that. I always give that advice to new mothers, you think you will never forget – but you do. However, as usual I am rambling. Loved the guzzle, 8d last one in, 11a favourite. I think arena can almost rival orchestra as most used. Many thanks to RayT and Shabbo. I am a great believer in Vaseline. G-A Flo told me when I was about 13 to put Vaseline on my eyes and I would have long lashes. Have done so every night since and at my vast age have virtually no wrinkles round my eyes. Result.

    1. Drops prescribed for glaucoma have made my lashes grow – at least that’s one advantage!

23. I reckon Vaseline could use me!

    

    1. 

24. For me a typical Ray T, finished but understood about half the clues.
    I will never get in his wavelength as his thought processes are weird.
    ****/**
    Thx for the hints

25. Blimey – Ray T is flexing his muscles today – it’s worn me out, completely.
    I found it really difficult and at one point I didn’t think I’d manage to finish it.
    I agree with everyone about the nasty word at 28a but I suppose if our setter has stuck himself into a corner he’s got to fill it with something!
    The long answers around the outside weren’t as helpful as they often are – in other words I couldn’t do them all immediately to get going.
    I liked 12 and 13a and 5 and 22d. My favourite was 6d – my Nan was a milliner and always used one.
    Thanks to Ray T for his tricky crossword and to Shabbo for the hints and getting me out of trouble.

    1. I’m with your Nan, Kath – I have to use a 6d!

26. Another excellent puzzle from Ray T; with the usual elegantly concise clues, a decent challenge and a pleasing solve. Favourite of a top-notch bunch: 22d. 3*/4.5*.

27. A DNF for me, but managed about 90% on my own before looking at the hints. For a RayT I did better than normal. Am I the only one who has difficulty spelling 9d, I always try to put an ai in it. Thanks to all.

    1. Yes – in general my spelling is pretty good but I can’t do 9d – I usually try to put a double ‘T’ and only one ‘R’!

       1. Just think of ‘terra firma’ for the middle bit, Kath.

          1. I like it, Jane. 👏👏

             I always remember it as Uncle TERRy on a ****TERR***** cruise.

             But, yours is better as it means ‘middle earth’.

             1. That’s a new one on me Tom, I thought it just meant solid ground🤷‍♂️, is there no end to your knowledge. Keep it up

                1. There are two theories:

                   1. It’s in the middle of lots of land

                   2. It’s the centre of the earth, i.e the hub, where it’s all happening, the place to be.

                   Either way, Deej….you love it!

                2. Just for clarity, DG:

                   The answer to the clue means middle (medi) earth not terra firma which is indeed solid earth.

             2. Once again I’ve got the wrong end of the stick,I’ve just taken my dogs out and realised my error on the way round. I always thought the area was named after the sea not the other way round, or is it🤔

             3. Aka Hobbitland!

28. I always find RayT difficult, so I’m pleased to say I was a DNF with only two, 20a and 8d, but with copious ehelp throughout. I was so encouraged when I got 1a straight off, alas, luck then ran out. At least it wasn’t a total washout and I enjoyed most of it. I’m choosing 1a as fave, only because it gave me an entré into so much. I also liked 9d.
    Thank you RayT for the challenge, and Shabbo for unravelling so much.

29. Having woken late, then did weekly shop, so didn’t start breakfast until 11am…. Morning almost over so didn’t have the time or patience to fight with Ray T. today. Managed a handful and perhaps I might get a few later. Not sure why 16a attracted such a debate, found 20a odd and would never have got that without the hint, and like others did have to check spelling of 9d. It’s Thursday so as expected.

30. A solvable Ray T and it’s a Thursday 😃 Favourites 23a, 2d and 8d 👍 Thanks to Shabbo and to Ray T. Agree Findhorn is a fine place for a bird watcher, I had 2x Tours of 3 years at RAF Kinloss

31. A tad tougher than usual, but still managed it by the end of breakfast. Luckily spotted 11 and 12a which started adding checkers. I’m going to vote for 13a as fave du jour as it’s one of my favourite foods. In fact that also reminded me of what the port in 2d could be, even though I last visited it in 1953 where the SS Chusan stopped after the Red Sea before crossing to my birthplace.
    Also spent an age trying to get Kaiser into 20a!!
    Re 28a, having spent a lifetime in IT, I’ve got inured to most of the horrors of language that it perpetrates.
    Many thanks to RayT and Shabbo.

32. Evening all. Thanks to Shabbo for the analysis and to all for your comments. Much appreciated.

    RayT

    1. Good evening, Mr T. That was quite a work-out you gave us today!

    2. Lovely puzzle, Ray.
       Many thanks.

33. A cloudy but not rainy day today here in Wales, so we went on a narrow boat trip up the canal from Brecon. Over a cup of tea my friend and I completed this fun but challenging offering. We struggled with a couple of synonyms but two brains were definitely better than one.

    Many thanks to Ray T, who as ever impresses with his skill at brevity and to Shabbo for helping us understand a couple of our answers.

34. Good evening
    I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who was desperately pondering an anagram for 8d, which was the last to fall. 28a was a bit of a head-scratcher; overall, though, an enjoyable solve, for which I thank Ray T. Thank you Shabbo for the hints.

35. I am rarely on RayT’s wavelength and today was no exception. West was friendliest territory and I did in fact eventually make it apart from 8d/13a combination and 15d with which I needed prompts. Not sure about ‘inspiring’ in 21a. Look forward to more fun tomorrow. Thank you RayT and Shabbo.

36. As I’m in the middle of marking dissertations I cannot give as much time as I would like to the cryptic. However, I was ahead of schedule this morning so I thought I would see what Ray T had to offer. Either my brain is too engaged with dissertations on Endodontology or this was a stinker! 😎
    I prefer to think the former.
    Many thanks, Mr. T but I could not get my head round your offering today. Thank you, Shabbo for making sense of it for my befuddled brain. 😊

    1. Thank you for your concern over my wellbeing yesterday Steve. Its mainly lacerations and bruising to my face, right shoulder and hand and left knee. He strayed off into the road so I pulled him back, perhaps a tad hard, and he shot back in front of me and tripped me up, I’d just about recovered my balance when he dodged back inbetween my legs and over I went, all this taking place in complete darkness. Hey ho life goes on.

37. A dnf unaided for me I’m afraid. Hey ho onwards and upwards. Favourite was 1a. Thanks to Rayt for the thrashing and Shabbo the hints.

38. 4*/3* …
    liked 25D “Swears, loath to drop last sweetheart (5)”

Comments are closed.