DT 30468

97 comments on “DT 30468”

1. Think there’s a middle Quickie pun at 15&17a.

   1. Hadn’t spotted that! I’ll put it in.

2. Pommers rating is bang on for me although my start was a little slow I finished it more efficiently thereafter. Less GK helped although fewer than usual anagrams and lurkers didn’t! I particularly enjoyed 26a my COTD. Thanks pommers and the setter. At least easier than last Monday’s.

3. Like Pommers, I found this puzzle to be rather different to Campbell’s usual style. If it is by Campbell, it’s certainly not his finest work. 1d didn’t seem like a cryptic clue at all and the parsing of 4d and 16d was a bit of a stretch, even with Pommers excellent explanation However, 26aa and 29a were good lego clues. Thanks to Pommers for the hints and to the setter.

   1. I agree with you CC re 1d which I reckon is hardly cryptic.

4. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: – not quite as tricky as he has been recently with a sprinkling of recent repeats – the American in his workshop with his musical instrument just about to open a bottle – 2*/3.5*

   Candidates for favourite – 15a, 2d, and 27d – and the winner is 27d.

   Thanks to Campbell and pommers.

   1. And we have had the thane of Cawdar recently!

      1. I’ve met the Thane of Cawdor, or maybe the previous one on a tour of Cawdor Castle the Thane himself was conducting it

         1. Wow!

5. My mind must be elsewhere as this took longer than it should have! Looking over it cannot see why? Not enjoyed today really.
   No special mentions.
   Thanks to compiler.

6. 2*/4*. Very nice indeed apart from having to guess a girl in 8a.

   I bet it didn’t take CS long to solve 12a. It didn’t take me long to solve 1d. As soon as I saw it, I wrote in “sledge”. :oops: I don’t suppose I was the only one to do that.

   My top picks are 5d, 12d & 27d.

   Many thanks to Campbell and to pommers.

7. I too didn’t think this had a particularly Mr Monday feel to it but having unusually done the Quickie first knew it had to be his. It wouldn’t be up there for me with his best but still perfectly enjoyable. 13d was my fav.
   Thanks to Campbell & to Pommers – particularly for Yes PM clip

   1. Yes PM had to be one of the nest BBC offerings!

8. Another fun Monday puzzle and not too tricky. Fave clue was 21a although it’s too early in the day for one of those. Also noticed that there are three musical instruments in one grid – is that a record?
   Thanks to the setter and to the drought stricken pommers.

9. Nice Monday fare, it took a while for some to cluck but a good start to the week, I will vote for the York clue too as this was the view from the Restaurant we took Mama Bee to for her birthday yesterday (actually today but don’t tell her)

   

   1. Lovely. Happy Boobydoo to Mama Bee. It is DD2’s birthday on Friday but what on earth can I send her? All the clothes seem to be washed. not ironed, and thrown into a communal wardrobe. I’m not blaming the staff – they are wonderful, I just think the inmates help themselves to anything they fancy. I see her photographs in other bedrooms!

      1. Daisy, I have a soon to be 94 year old friend in assisted living, and she tells me stuff goes missing all the time. She’s still as sharp as a button, so I know she is not imagining it.

10. I never would have thought that a three letter word would have been my LOI, but because I took a long time to work out the geographical 12a, the very clever 12d eluded me and becomes today’s favourite. The paucity of anagrams was right up my street. I didn’t really like the ‘ pick a random girl’s name’ clue at 8a though this time the answer was obvious..Joining 12d on the podium are 10a and 13d. Thanks to Campbell and pommers.

11. Either this is tuf for a monday, or im getting much more thikker.
    Funny old grid which put me off a bit, and thereafter never really recovered. Had to guess at quite a few and then figure out why afterwards. All finally slipped into place though, will have to see the hints to see how some are derived, roll on Tuesday……

12. Posting before doing the crossword to thank all of you who sent me good wishes to me yesterday. This is a great site with wonderful people.

    1. Just want to add my best wishes too, Corky.

    2. I did express dismay yesterday but it became detached from your post somehow. It is them gremlins. How did you manage to catch that? Is it treated with antibiotics?

    3. All the very best young Corky, I was so late on duty here yesterday that I thought you may not see it if I sent my best wishes. So, here they are today; late but not as late. Well, earlier than yesterday, but later than your post. But then I couldn’t post them before your post as how could I have known you were going to post your post?

       1. I’ve had to read that thrice to get my head around it T.

       2. Not quite sure why, but that reminds me of the lyrics of an Elvis song whose title I can’t remember, which runs as follows:

          I love you more today / More today than yesterday / But I love you less today / Less than I will tomorrow.

13. As pommers said, this didn’t ‘feel’ like a Campbell puzzle but I guess the three puns tell us that it is.
    Only two rosettes handed out today – 26a & 5d getting the awards.

    Thanks to our setter and to pommers for the review and the two very enjoyable video clips.

14. A pleasant Monday puzzle – thanks to Campbell and pommers.
    My rosettes were pinned on 5d, 6d and 12d.

15. Enjoyed this crossword today despite needing help to parse a couple.

    Thanks to the setter and to Pommers.

    Still perishing cold here…but sunny!

    Off to Dobbies for our last free coffees of the month. (And probably for some garden stuff for Mr Meringue.)

    1. Define ‘perishing cold’ – colder or warmer than our minus 15, feels like minus 21? :wink:

    2. We have a Dobbies in the village too! Never think to get my free coffee!

    3. I uused to visit my elderly uncle in a care home and the clothrs sirltuation was just the same there. I oncefound a ladies vest in his chest of drawers and he was a crusty old bachelor, Strict Baptist too. He was so embarrassed! When I finaally found his thermal vest, it had been put in the boil wash and would just about fit a teddy bear

    4. Ora, take comfort that in the “perishing cold” you can keep piling on the jumpers etc; when it gets unbearably hot here there is only so many clothes you can take off…☺️.

       1. Stop complaining BL. As hot as it gets here, it’s still waaaaay better than the “perishing” cold. I love the heat, it’s in my blood.

16. I have to go for 12d for my favourite as a quadruple definition is so rare. Overall this was spot on for a Monday: a good steady solve with few if any real delays and a pleasing clue mix.

    My thanks to the triple punner and pommers.

17. My brain has survived to complete a Monday crossword for which I am very grateful. It has forced me to consider how fortunate I have been throughout my life. Enough of that now to the puzzle.

    Certainly not a read and write one but it came together with the LRB, my version is the old one which is the same height as the BRB but half as thick.

    21 and 29a, and 6d are my favourites today. With thanks to Pommers and the setter.

    1. Welcome back Corky😀

       1. Thank you for that Manders.

    2. I hope you hope you’ve fully recovered Corky.

    3. Pleased to hear you got through the Ecoli infection without long lasting effects. It must have been quite a scare.

18. I didn’t see that on either. i normally just look in a straight line!

19. I found this puzzle difficult for a Monday but most enjoyable,took a while to parse 12a and remembered Macbeth!
    Favourite was 13d followed by 26a, 12d made me smile,
    Thanks to our setter and Pommers

20. Made light work of this but nevertheless did enjoy the puzzling. Thought 7d a bit unsubtle. Trio of Favs viz 10a, 26a and 5d. Thank you Campbell for an easy ride and pommers particularly for fully parsing 24d for me.

    1. My apologies to Campbell – I bunged in 7d without fully considering it and now realise it is in fact quite subtle/cryptic 🤭.

21. Super puzzle, a nice gentle start to the week. 10a was a particular favourite.

    Thanks to today’s setter and Pommers.

22. A great start to the week: definitely harder than the usual fare but that works for me. A few needed teasing out with some tough constructions but, again, that is right up my strasse. My LOI was 1d which took an age.

    21a, 26a and 2d make up my podium.

    Many thanks to the setter and Pommers.

    3*/4*

23. I set a poser last Monday about adding a letter to a one syllable word to make a three syllable one.

    It seemed to go down well. So, here’s this Monday’s:

    Name the five Tube stations, on or inside the Circle line, that have an English city in their name (not London or Westminster). You can only submit all five, not one or two at as time. So, it may take a while.

    (Warwick Avenue is outside the Circle Line)

    The answers are straightforward and there’s no catch.

    Apologies for anyone who hasn’t been to London or is overseas.

    Let’s see ’em…

    1. Oxford Circus
       Liverpool Street
       Gloucester Road
       Lancaster Gate
       Leicester Square

       (all from memory, I’m the saddo who can get 100% on the tube memory game)

       1. That was all part of your secret agent training. I bet you know all the stops on the Moscow Metro as well!

       2. Oi oi! He’s back.

          To say I’ve missed you is an understatement.

          We’ll done to you and RD. Lancaster Gate tends to be the tricky one.

          AB, me old mucker, are you telling me that you can name them all? That is some party trick, albeit, at a spods and losers one which I would happily host.

          My party trick is naming all 50 US states in 25 secs and the 197 countries in two minutes. Taiwan and Kosovo aren’t recognised by The UN but I always include them.

          I appreciate that wasn’t a wordy one but the ones for the Mondays in December will be.

          Well done again, gents.

          1. Google “metro memory game”, it’s been a thing lately. Have to name all 581 stations. First go 80.7%, third attempt 100%

             1. Gosh, that’s impressive.

                But, can you name the ones that are now MI5’s sneaky labs? Being a spook, I’m sure you can.

                Casino Royale and Skyfall were Craig’s best with two very good baddies (I always love that one).

                I think I give the nod to Skyfall.

          2. Missed the bit about the States. That’s really impressive, never been able to do that. Always forget New Hampshire and mistakenly think New Brunswick is a state 🙄🤦

             1. There’s a nice pattern with the eight Ns: 4, 2, 4

                4 News, 2 Norths and Nevada and Nebraska which rhyme…ish.

                1. 4 2 2 not 4 2 4

    2. Being a Londoner who travels on the tube quite frequently, I managed to come up with four very quickly. I am struggling with a fifth so I’ll do something else then have another think.

       1. No I won’t. I’ve just seen AB’s answer. Lancaster Gate was the one I missed.

       2. I could never understand it in my youth when I did travel daily on the underground – but now I think what a good idea to buy a one stop ticket, get on the circle line with a good book and a sandwich and keep warm all day. Cheaper than heating this place.

          1. I used to do that in my teens with a girlfriend whose father had forbidden to see me. Alas, it has not been possible since 2009 when the Circle line ceased to be a circle. :sad:

             1. That is absolutely hilarious!

                I presume, when the lights occasionally failed, there was some clumsy canoodling going on where you had to time your lips to be in sync with the bobbing up and down of the train.

                1. “Darling, your body is a temple!”
                   “Actually dear, this is Mansion House”

                   1. He’s back!

                      I can get back on the drums so I can go ‘Ber dum berm’ after your one-liners.

                      1. Someone ought to say Mornington Crescent so I will

                         1. Good shout, Sloops.

                   2. Ha. Welcome back AgentB!
                      Are you now The Spy Who Came In From the Cold?

    3. Why. What is the context?

       1. Off the back of a poser I set last Monday, I proposed a bit of weekly wordy fun in the run-up to Christmas which no one objected to.

          In other words, it’s for no reason whatsoever.

          1. Ah.

    4. Used to translate the names of London tube stations in French with friends at the Garrick.
       “plus de porte” for Morgate or “rue du plein jambon” for Fulham road, my favourite was “le cul sur tout le monde” for Arsenal.

       1. Love it!

          What fun.

       2. I suppose Cockfosters would be bière du zizzi?

          1. 👍

          2. Great shout.

             This one could run and run.

             You have to love Officer Crabtree in ‘Allo ‘Allo….good moaning.

             Marvellous.

24. This didn’t seem like a Campbell puzzle to me to start this non-work week. Totally not like his clueing IMHO. I also thought it had some very strange words in the puzzle as answers for the clues provided. Maybe it is just me.

    3*/2.5* for me

    Favourites that made sense include 10a, 30a, 1d, 6d, 18d & 27d — with winner 27d

    Thanks to setter and pommers

25. Might of known it was a Campbell, tricky and often weird.
    Finished but with no real fun, just a slog as his usually are.
    ***/**
    Thx for the hints

    1. Oh deary, deary me, not you using ‘might of’ now Brian!

26. I thought this was quite gentle for a Monday although it was by no means a doddle. Like Hintsman I thought 13d was excellent, but I also put daisies by 5d ( very convoluted), 26a &21a. 2d was my last one in. It is freezing here and pouring with rain. Yuk. Alexa has just told me she will alert me to any severe weather – something to look forward to? Many thanks to the setter and Pommers.

27. I thought it OK. The usual gripe about girl’s names. Couldn’t remember Thane until I guessed the answer.
    I’m not sure that “better” means top. Better is relative so its the same as higher. Best would mean “top”
    Anyway thanks both and I concur with the rating

    1. Treat better and top as verbs.

       1. Ah OK thanks. Actual parsing was never taught at my primary school. I did get Eng lang and Eng lit at o level but things like subjunctive clauses were a complete mystery to me. My Daughter is head of English at her school and they now teach all that sort of stuff.

          1. Slow start but bunged up with a cold. We both are and many bugs are doing the rounds but it seems the crossword brigade are undaunted. Thought it a harder than usual puzzle for a Monday and had (to my shame )to go to the hints to get 5d. Campbell is most devious but that is why he can tease us. Most glad of the hints Pommers.

28. Good afternoon
    All done before leaving the house for work, which leaves me yesterday’s Toughie to attempt on my break.
    Thank you to our setter for an enjoyable crozzie today, and thanks to Pommers

29. We didn’t find this too hard but some clues took a bit of thinking about. Personally I’m not usually on the same wavelength as Campbell so today made a nice change. Favourite was 13d. Thanks to Campbell and Pommers.

30. Quite a nice puzzle pretty straightforward but did need assistance with 5d as I came transfixed with the only PM I knew with a six letter name beginning with “A” 😬 Favourites 12 & 26a and 22d. Thanks to Pommers and to the Compiler 😃

    1. I got hung up on the same PM but just couldn’t see it, thank goodness.

31. **/**. Not impressive surfaces.

    PS. Some comments on this site about personal matters get more weird by the day

32. Must be me as I’m really struggling. I think I’ll give up and enjoy a good book instead

33. I took one look at this and thought “no can do.” Went off to the dentist, came back and filled it all straight in. I didn’t think a drill and fill could have that effect on the brain. Favourite clues were 10a, 6d and 12d. Thank you setter and Pommers.

34. I’ve got my contrary hat on today, as I found this more doable and much more enjoyable than many recent Mondays. It’s either a very benevolent Campbell, or someone else methinks. I didn’t even have a problem with part of a girl’s name in 8a, once I could see it ended in net. Peter helped me with 12a, as he is a mine of geographic information. Apart from a few which I got right, but wasn’t sure why at first, all good fun to start off the week. Thanks to Campbell (?) and Pommers.

35. I’m with Brian, I found this weird and pretty tricky. I did finish, only just, with a couple of bungins, one of which was wrong. On the other hand, there were some very clever clues and answers, 13d for one, as was 5d once I’d purged the wrong PM from my brain. I love Acker Bilk, that’s going back some, and, of course, the Yes PM clip was a hoot.
    Thank you Campbell, well, that’s Monday over, and pommers for your most enjoyable hints and pics, I needed a lot of unravelling!

36. Dismayed this puzzle took
    Three*.time.
    More than usual number of
    Pesky three and four
    Letter teasers
    Added spice.
    Many thanks, Campbell
    And to pommers, especially
    For Acker.

37. Not too much trouble today – easier than usual for a Monday.
    I liked 10 and 29a and 6 and 20d. My favourite was 29a.
    Thanks to Campbell for the crossword and to pommers for the hints.

38. I got off on the wrong foot with this by trying to shoehorn (the ‘chiefly Brit’ ) ‘sledge’ into 1d, before entering the (‘esp N American’ ) answer. But then things improved and a string of answers came fairly readily. I have been doing the Codeword puzzle and have become ok at working out likely missing letters and what words might fit (although there is much less need for recondite GK in the Codeword puzzles). It may perhaps be the grid, but I found myself writing words in this puzzle in a Codeword sort of fashion with a casual check to see if the answer fitted a possible definition in the clue. I might have done that with a third of the puzzle. Fortunately, I managed to parse most afterwards. But thanks to Pommers for explaining what the Americans call a period.

39. Can’t tell if this was harder than usual as it has been so long since I solved a Campbell.
    Went rather well.
    Thanks to the setter and to pommers for the review.

40. Re 7d, Cathedral and Minster are not necessarily synonymous. Generally speaking a Minster is a church with a monastic origin. Not all Cathedrals are Minsters by origin and there are Minsters (e.g. Beverley) which are not Cathedrals.

    1. You don’t mess with Grammarian as the best don’t mess.

41. Tricky in places with some head scratching but I got there in the end. As often the case some of the short ones caused the most trouble. 12d ended up my favourite for its simplicity, but I did not get it until I had 12a.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Pommers for the hints

42. 2*/4* …
    liked 26A “Minor celeb in golf becomes scathing (10)”

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