DT 30485 (Hints)

110 comments on “DT 30485 (Hints)”

1. Another Saturday Toughie. A lot of challenging clues needing some diverse General Knowledge. Spoiled slightly by a surfeit (7) of multi-word answers.

   Favourites 24a, 26a and the amusing 3d.

   Thanks to the setter and crypticsue.

   1. I like the multi-word ones, the more the merrier.

      1. Me too!

         1. Me three!

2. Enjoyable with a few tricky spots. 17a my favorite

   1. we got it but don’t understand why it is what it is!

      1. That describes life in a nutshell! 😊

      2. Hopefully, I’m not breaking the rules. 17a might be an anagram of “meatso” around, as, a way of saying a man had, and a kitty.

3. Got there in the end, after going for a walk to cogitate on the last two answers. Favorite was 13a, with 14a a close second.

4. Quite an enjoyable Saturday morning solve. No firm favourites. I liked the clueing for 1 down and 27 across. 😄

5. 2*/3.5*. Nothing too tricky here and I was delighted to see the woman in 13a was neatly defined, and that one got my vote as favourite.

   The surface of 17a is extremely bizarre.

   Many thanks to the setter and to CS.

6. Quite a lot to say on this one, including an entry for THE LIST.
   But…
   a) I dare not incur the terrifying wrath of Siouxie Sioux on a prize crossword day.
   b) We are hoofing off to Stamford Bridge to see if the Mighty Chelsea can overcome bottom of the table Sheffield United. The game has all the hallmarks of a breakaway winner for The Bladeingtons in the 89th minute.

   Thanks to the setter and PC Security (anag)

   1. Totally agree, a true opinion of this offering (for want of a better word) would undoubtedly lead to the naughty step.
      Suffice to describe it as dreadful.
      Obviously the DT want to cut down the number of successful entries.
      *****/0

      1. Brian – can I just ask, do you give up immediately after one go through the crossword or do you ever walk away from it for an hour or so and think/do other things. There’s a part of your brain that keeps on thinking about the crossword even if you aren’t, and when you come back, it can be surprising how many clues you can solve.

         1. That happens to me a lot, your brain definitely continues to try to solve. It’s the same as when you wake in the middle of the night with the answer to a problem you have been struggling with all day.

         2. Yup, that definitely happens for me, I always think it is in the nature of lateral thinking that it helps to come at things from a different place.

            1. Me too.

         3. Well my first look provided one answer and lots of despair as I seem to have struggled to complete Saturdays puzzle for a few weeks now. I persevered and finally finished this morning without any help which gave me a little lift. Found this tough but with lots of very enjoyable, penny drop moments. Thank you very much to the setter .

            1. “Penny drop moments” describes my solving too. This one has kept me going till Tuesday – good value for money I’d say.

      2. Agreed

   2. I see that next week’s home game for the better SW6 team will be the first ever Premier League match to be ‘managed’ by a female referee. I am predicting a record number of Red Cards!

      1. Or a hissy-fit, followed by the word FINE!

         1. I doubt it!

      2. I’ll be there, so let’s see. My observation of women refereeing men’s matches is that the men are better behaved and less “in the face” of the ref. Hoping she has a non-eventful game for the sake of progress.

      3. Girls didn’t play soccer when I was at school, and certainly no lady refs, so I find all this rather strange. Same as I prefer see tennis and cricket played in white clothes. Just an old stuck in the mud, that’s me.

         1. I’m with you on the white clobber, anything else looks crass.

         2. You are not alone!

      4. I’m very much a girl power gal! Up the girl referee, good luck and wield the big stick!

7. We like.

   Lots of good surfaces with some nice constructions: 17a is Lego on steroids! (I’m happy with its surface). 11a is v obscure but an excellent surface makes it a great clue.

   I love the origin of the South African settlement: the first two letters of three words.

   My podium is 12a, 13a and 3d which featured high on the rib-tickler scale.

   Many thanks to the setter and CS.

   2*/4*

8. Another helping of good Saturday SPP fun – **/****

   I found a stash of half-crowns, that I had forgotten about, at the back of my sock drawer so two of them have been wagered on the candidate for today’s setter.

   Candidates for favourite – 4a, 24a, 27a, 8d, and 18d – and the winner is 4a.

   Thanks to whomsoever and CS.

9. Good fun, managed to get through this one before needing to print it out. Lots to like with 16d my fave.

   Have an issue with 14a as the clue works better with a different word for the first part of the answer, particularly a synonym of the first word in the clue. Maybe best I didn’t print it out so no scribbling out!

   Presume this must be a Cephas with the nice GK but the places and names and odd humour also felt a little bit ‘Knobby. Can’t decide!

10. This was more like a toughie in my book, took three separate goes to finish it.
    The last three, 9d, 17a and 24a took as long as rest of it put together, who on earth thought 17a up?
    Glad I managed it (eventually) surely tomorrow’s can’t be as hard.

    1. Just seen that Wedding ritual advert, what the hell is that all about?

       1. It’s either the famous nappy-changing or chastity belt fitting wedding ritual!

          1. I don’t get adverts on my laptop. Maybe because I’m using DuckDuck Go as my browser.

             1. Me too 😀

             2. I’ve got the special version that keeps Chinese spyware out, CrispyDuckDuckGo 😁😋

                1. 🤣🤣🤣

       2. I asked that question yesterday & didn’t get a single response. I was beginning to think it was just me that got it.

          1. I didn’t see it yesterday, wondered what you were on about, certainly saw it today, can’t help thinking they’re pitching ads to the wrong audience.

11. None too keen on the surface of 17a and thought 21a was somewhat far-fetched, but I did like 4a &1d.
    Thanks to our setter and to CS for the hints.

12. Anecdote. Switch off now if you are not interested! Not looked at the guzzle yet but prompted by the 6d Christmas tree sold for thousands I am showing you the Angel given to me by Grandma Daisy (not the strict Scottish one) on 1943. The youngest granddaughter was given the Angel from the top of the tree at the end of the festivities. It was my lot to get this beauty. She will never be sold. I particularly like the bows on her feet.

    

    1. Not as old as your Angel but these were purchased by my mother in 1957 and I still get them out every Christmas

       

    2. I’m very jealous. She’s absolutely lovely and must be very special to you.

    3. Lovely stuff 😊 We have a 1940/50s little dull grey bauble that survives every year because we feel too sad and sorry for it not to be on the tree, it’s survived three generations!

    4. I love your anecdote. Thank you.

    5. Lovely Daisy, glad you have kept her. We always had a fairy on our Christmas Tree when I was a child. When we got married 57 years ago I naturally bought a fairy for ours, and she is still with us, smiling down from the top. I did make her a new dress a few years ago. American visitors always ask why I don’t have a star on the top.

       1. When I was a gel, they were always fairies on top of the tree – hence the wand now somewhat the worse for wear. I think there was something in a popular song about the fairy on top of the tree. Nowadays they are angels!

    6. I love it Daisy. I have my Dad’s teddy bear, see my avatar, sitting in my child chair. My Dad was born in 1901, I don’t know how old teddy is, but well over 100 years!

       1. I have my own teddy bear, very sad and moth eaten – he is 77 years old after all, but not quite a veteran like yours 😊.

    7. Our (plastic) Christmas tree dates from 1960ish, I think, when the folks retired from a lifetime in India. Still giving merry service!

    8. I’ll be decorating our tree tomorrow. All the decorations have been gathered throughout our marriage and each one is special. We light it up and we have a tree of wonderful memories. 🎄🎄

       1. Any idea yet as to when Lesley will be home to share those memories?

       2. Exactly how a tree should be Steve. We have lots of memories on ours too, including some we have collected on overseas trips. It’s fun just opening the boxes and seeing all the old favourites isn’t it? Will Lesley be home in time for Christmas?

13. Bows

    

    1. And she’s got knickers on!

14. Quite tough for me, especially 24a.
    20d really not a homophone for me.
    Knew 11a, though. Schooldays not entirely wasted.
    Favourite 1a

    Thanks to the setter and to crypticsue.
    Utterly miserable weather here today. Grey cold and drizzly.
    However, we have finally got our Christmas tree so a pleasant afternoon in store decorating it.

15. I found that somewhat more difficult than recent Saturday’s puzzles have been, due, I think, in part, to the GK content that I didn’t know! While I disliked the wordplay in 17a I did enjoy sorting it out and parsing it. Favourite today was the cryptic 9d with 24a and 26a sharing the podium. Thanks to today’s setter and Crypticsue whose help was required to parse 12a.

16. This kept me from my Christmas chores for too long but I did just make it “with a little help from my friends”. SW toughest corner. 26a cockney let me down. Bunged in wrong non-ethnic US solution to 24a. 19d new one on me and slow in the uptake with 20d craft. 21a not necessarily mechanic. Thank you Mysteryone and CS.

    1. I agree with you on 21a. A ‘definition by example’ indicator would have been appropriate.

17. This Saturday puzzle proved to be pretty plain sailing for the most part. Last area in for me was SW. As always a few head scratchers, but parsing today for me was good.

    1.5*/4* for me today.

    Favourites include 1a, 4a, 27a, 3d, 18d & 22d — with winner 4a as it made me chuckle.
    Others rating a smile were 1a, 27a, 20d & 22d

    Thanks to setter & CS for blog/hints

18. I’m always pleased when I finish. Not unaided as I had to look up the American. I think there are 537 of them, the parsing helped. 11a I knew from school. I had no idea about 17a but having got the 3 letters of the first word it had to be. 26a is almost a chestnut so it’s appropriate for the time of year.Lots to like
    **/****

19. A wonderful solve for me. The splendid ‘pirouettes’ clue was my podium choice for today, but as usual with DT puzzles there were many candidates.

    The 17A surface amused me, though the word-order was, well, what it was! Surely a man feeding a cat with some choice victuals?

    Great stuff from Ron, and from CS too. Many thanks both.

20. Golly, this was hard today, not on the same wavelength at all, on first pass this morning I got a couple in but not enough to get a foothold, a few more came after having done the shopping but must be honest some of the wordplay has gone over my head (not difficult at five foot 😀)

    I finished but not without help from the hints and other sources (excluding Dad who usually does the honours!)

    Thank to CS for the hints and setter too

    1. Hi Dawn

       If your pop helps you out, my guess is that you are in the exclusive TUF club on this blog….The Under 40s.

       I know a woman should never be asked their age but am I right?

       Great to see that your father’s skills have been handed down to the next gen (I’m so yoof).

       My 22 year old daughter does the concise crossy when we go to our weekly pub quiz. So, I’m hoping she’ll get the bug.

       We often play Scrabble, Cribbage and Rummikub. So, there’s a chance.

       Her two triplet brothers (blimin’ IVF) have zero interest as they’re too busy on their laptops (D&D for one and Fifa the other)

       1. My Mum helps me out on the Telegraph crossword from time to time and I’m 56! She turns 81 next birthday and I hope my brain is as sharp if I get to that age.

          Is there a “Those under 60” club? 😀

          1. If there is, I need to sign up….for the next 18 months.

             I wonder who our oldest regular solver is.

             Wotcha reck….93?

             1. I am 90 next year – and still doing the splits every morning.

                1. 90????

                   That’s bonkers! 👏👏

                   Do you do the splits intentionally?

                   1. Your splits deliberately comment made me laugh so hard my 8 year daughter demanded to know why I was laughing 😃

                      1. Glad it tickled.

                         Did you explain it to her?

                2. Here’s a coincidence:

                   You are 89 and Oscar-winning Driving Miss Daisy was in ‘89.

       2. You are wrong I’m afraid, I made it to 60 earlier this year and my dearly beloved Dad will be 91+ early January

          1. And he’s still crosswording.

             Outstanding. 👏👏

21. 17a not withstanding, this was an enjoyable romp through crosswordland that was not particularly difficult yet still rewarding and entertaining to solve. 4a and 12a were my favourites.

    My thanks to our Saturday setter and CS.

22. The North went in at pace and I thought we’re on for a speedy completion. But, er, no. The South paid me back in spades and slapped me down. It took a number of attempts between decorating the Christmas tree and other distractions before it finally yielded. Still can’t parse a couple of answers but so be it. Time for a lie down. Thanks to compiler and CS for the hints.

23. Least fun crossword for quite while. 17a the worst culprit. A clue with such a nonsensical surface I didn’t think deserved to have time wasted on it trying to parse it so bunged it in and moved on. Too much GK and some other weird surfaces made it a bit of a chore. Didn’t know the physicist but as the last one in managed to work it out from the checkers.
    Thanks to the tireless CS for the review
    **/*

24. Not too tricky but took about 3 hours on and off in between other chores. 2/4

    1. How lovely to ‘see’ you – how are you and, more importantly, how are those dogs of yours?!!

       1. Snap! I remember the dogs too!

    2. Well I never, it’s been a very long time since we last saw you. Welcome back! Do you still have your furry friends?

       1. Wow – how lovely to see you! Where have you been hiding all that time!!!
          Back tomorrow . . . . too worn out to do anything else now – been making marmalade all day – don’t ask, but need presents and everyone in the family run out months ago and I’ve always been the mug who does the sticky stuff for the whole family.
          I’ve barely looked at the crossword – hope tomorrow is “doable”.
          Thanks to whoever set this one and to CS for her hints when I need them.

    3. Completely coincidentally I thought about you this evening while watching the final of Strictly Come Dancing.

       Very nice to hear from you again. It’s been a long time.

25. I enjoyed some of this, but my general knowledge is obviously lacking. Thank you to CS and the setter. Off to make some biscuits.

26. Got my contrary hat on today. I actually found this perfect, and worked my way through it steadily. I just had to verify the spelling of 11a and 19d. LI was 1d and for which I did need to succumb to the hints. So much more fun than yesterday. Big thank you to the setter and CrypticSue for giving up some of her Saturday for us.

27. I thought it was going to be hard work to begin with. I started with 1a and have never spelled the King’s name as spelled there, so possibly a wavelength problem. But then about half fell in quickly, allowing others to be guessed and reverse engineered, e.g. the rather convoluted 17a. I am not sure where to place this in terms of objective difficulty, but I conducted a straw poll and there have been clues that are similar to 1a and 27a for example in the Toughie. Then again, if I can do most of it unaided, it must be fairly accessible. Thanks to CS for the hints.

    1. Correction: a clue similar to 19d was in the Toughie rather than 27a (which I imagine isn’t that tough if you’ve heard of the place).

28. No problems today, just opened it up and printed the crossword, and Bob’s your uncle! Who understands these things? Not me, a life of their own. I’m in the tricky camp, having to use too much ehelp. I had to google 11a, natch, I don’t even know what a physicist does I’m that dim. There were plenty of gimmes that gave me help getting answers, and lots of smiles along the way, and lots of bung ins. I had the wrong first word at 14a, that held me up for a bit. I knew the N. American, that’s what you get for watching cowboy movies as a kid. Hard to choose a fave, 1a, 27a and 22d amused, the latter I only got ‘cos we had it yesterday, but fave has to be 3d, who knew he spelt that upside down?
    Thanks to our setter for the fun, and CS for her unravelling of some for me. Ooo, I’ve gone on a bit, ‘aven’t I?

    1. Grey, drear, dismal, rainy and windy here today. I might as well be in England!

29. Average breakfast guzzle today. Felt v pleased to have passed 17a to my satisfaction!
    Last in was 24a because I biffed the wrong community – which fitted the checkers, but not ethnic enough! Got the right one I hope when parsing properly.
    Fave is 15d, just because it made me laugh!I
    Thanks to whomsoever and to tireless CS.

30. Very late to this today & thought it very enjoyable indeed – a distinct cut above the usual SPP fare. The 17a surface a bit odd & taking a mo to parse & thankful that the checkers left little doubt as to where the remainder of the fodder went at 11a (never heard of him) in a swift solve with only a couple in the SW requiring a head scratch. Plenty of ticks for me – 4,13,14,24,26&27a plus 1,7,9,18&20d. Fav the ethnic community which I may rewatch for the umpteenth time.
    Thanks to the setter & to Sue.

31. Solved this in fits and starts or slow, slow, quick, quick, slow but got there in the end. I can’t see what Brian’s beef is. Puzzle was fairly clued, as far as I can see.

    1. A different cut to the rest of us….

32. I too was late today having gone to Coffee Stop and then straight into Cambridge as George was at rugby. Home in time to do the guzzle and now about to get ready to go to DD 2’s Bug Christmas Party! She lives in a big converted barn so entertains loads of people. We’ll slip away early and watch strictly on catch up! Great guzzle – I shall have to google 11a as science is not my strong point. 15d my favourite, many thanks to the Setter and Cee Ess. Golly, was it really 7 days ago I wrote the same thing – where does the time go?

33. I thought this a good puzzle though the SW corner held out for a fair while.
    I did need to do a bit research for 11A and found out I have been missing a syllable on 19d all these years…
    Favourites today were 17a and 20d, but 22d barely seems a cryptic clue at all.
    Anyway my thanks to the setter and of course to CS.

34. Today’s setter made me work hard in order to have a stab at The Mythical. It was tough but enjoyable in my book. I got there in the end, took the photo and sent it to Telegraph Towers where it will vanish as its always does. I wasn’t sure about the spelling of the second word in 26a so can only hope I have it right. My COTD is the soggy duck – a great lego clue.

    Thank you to the setter for a great challenge. Thank you, CS for the hints.

    A mild 12 degrees here in The Marches but the wind is cold.

35. Late on parade today, although i did complete this veryvtricky guzzle over breakfast, before dashing off to the hospital to visit my husband. There was lots of guesswork and reverse engineering but I lloved the 19d Native American, the 4d poet and the Hockney’s friend at 26a. Ireally enjoyed the General Knowledge component of thhe clues but 17a didn’t float my boat. Thanks to CS for the hints and to the compiler

36. This offering had no place on a back page, let alone a Saturday.

    Without Danword I would never have got the answer to 17a. The same goes for 19d.

    Not much enjoyment for this mere mortal.

    Thanks to all.

37. Too tricky for me to complete unaided today but I enjoyed trying. 17a defeated me and ai had to check some of the general knowledge. I was pleased to manage as much as I did.

    Many thanks to the setter for the challenge and to CS for the much needed hints.

38. I felt there were too many multiple clues but once solved they certainly helped the answering process. I found this enjoyable if slightly harder, but more interesting than the usual Saturday offerings. Thanks to all.

39. A pleasant distraction from the Christmas decorations – I struggled to get traction with this puzzle and drew heavily on an eclectic knowledge of physicists , native Americans and Cockney rhyming slang. Got there in the end

40. Maybe I was on the right wavelength today as I found this genuinely approachable with no hold-ups and no need to resort to electrons. And it was a lot of fun to boot, so **/**** for me. Thanks to the setter and thanks in advance to CS for the hints which I will now read.

41. Enjoyable and light, one of the quickest solves in a while. Some brilliant surfaces and others that were quite poor. A little heavy on the anagram count. Podium places to 11a, 3d, 15d, all for the surfaces!

    1* / 2.5*

    Thank you to the setter and to CS for the blog.

42. Not sure I’m impressed with 9d. Perhaps the compiler used small l and the editor used capital L. I’m sick enough of Politics and don’t want it in my weekly crossword fix.

    1. It’s standard misdirection stuff, of course. Keeps us on our toes.

43. 3*/4* ….
    liked 3D “Poet initially stuck in loo turned up (1,1,5)” …
    puzzled by the parsing of 7D “”Tummy bug? Tablet reduced abdominal cramps !” … cannot find a full review for this puzzle.

    1. 7d Tummy bug? Tablet reduced abdominal cramps! (1,4)
       E COLI – E (Ecstasy tablet) COLIc (abdominal cramps ‘reduced’)
       Is what CS put in the review which is hard to find as it has been misnumbered as 30145

       1. Thanks !

    2. The reason you couldn’t find the full review is that there was a typo in the header which I’ve now corrected. You should now be able to find it – it was published on 22nd December.

       1. Thanks !

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