DT 30498 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30498

by Falcon  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30498

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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

Greetings from Ottawa and Happy New Year to commenters, lurkers, fellow bloggers and setters.

Chris Lancaster has very graciously provided me with advance copies of today’s puzzles so I am writing this review a couple of days before it will appear on the blog. In Ottawa, as in much of Canada, we have experienced a green Christmas with unseasonably warm weather. Even the flora and fauna are confused. There was a report this morning of trees in Toronto, a bit south of us, breaking into bud and a pair of geese having hatched a clutch of goslings. Unfortunately, this has also led to tragedy with skaters on a nearby river losing their lives after breaking through thin ice.

Campbell kicks off the New Year with a puzzle I found to be a very enjoyable solve in the middle of his difficulty range. It may have been less of a challenge for Brits as I did not know the school test, the bins or the term for sports injury recovery. At least the meaning of the latter term is self evident. On the other hand, the hairy creature came immediately to mind although I hesitated to write it in as I thought there is no way the Brits will have ever heard of it. As for the Quickie, it may well have been the most difficult I have ever encountered with a top line pun that was a real challenge for someone like myself with a barely rudimentary knowledge of small English towns.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

Across

1a   Exercise system I discovered in full-page book illustrations (7)
PILATES — the I from the clue inserted in a publishing term for full-page illustrations in books

5a   Spanish man welcoming a tense politician (7)
SENATOR — the Spanish word for man containing the A from the clue and the grammatical abbreviation for tense

9a   Hyperion, for one, it being cast in bronze (5)
TITAN — IT from the clue placed in bronze (from the rays of the sun)

10a   Like one on the wagon missing drinking can (9)
ABSTINENT — a can from the pantry shelf put in missing or not present

11a   Test team bonus (6-4)
ELEVEN-PLUS — informal terms for a cricket or football team and a bonus or extra feature

12a   Celebrity’s debut cut short (4)
STAR — another word for debut with its final letter removed (cut short)

14a   Don’t complain as much about convincing demonstration (6,6)
OBJECT LESSON — a (6,4) phrase for ‘don’t complain as much’ and one of the usual two-letter terms for about or relating to

18a   A cold fish admitting the woman’s vulnerability (8,4)
ACHILLES HEEL — the A from the clue, the water supply symbol another word for cold, and a slippery fish enclose a subjective pronoun for ‘the woman’; thanks to DaveP who was the first to notice and point out this glaring error

21a   Attach cutting (4)
CLIP — double definition

22a   Show son bins (10)
SPECTACLES — a public entertainment and the genealogical abbreviation for son

25a   Large gamble? That’s highly unlikely (3,6)
FAT CHANCE — put together other terms for large or obese and gamble to get a phrase equivalent to ‘when pigs fly’

26a   Brusque, in sister’s estimation (5)
TERSE — a lurker concealed in the final two words of the clue

27a   Rather quaint short word for one messaging online? (7)
TWEETER — a colloquial term for ‘rather quaint’ and another name for ‘word’ with the final letter removed (short); has the answer itself been made rather quaint by Elon’s penchant for conciseness?

28a   Play on words about educated girl, a strictly moral type (7)
PURITAN — a play on words that can be found at least once in every Quickie wrapped around Willy Russell’s educated girl who was brought to the screen by Julie Walters

Down

1d   Golf club’s president’s first to speak (6)
PUTTER — the first letter of PRESIDENT and a verb denoting to speak

2d   Refuse stretcher (6)
LITTER — double definition

3d   Fiddle with ring fairy’s produced (6,4)
TINKER BELL — fiddle or meddle and ring on the telephone

4d   Small instrument for piercing (5)
SHARP — the clothing symbol for small and a stringed instument

5d   Hairy creature, American, unlawfully occupied part of building in school (9)
SASQUATCH — the single letter for American and an unlawfully occupied part of a building contained in the abbreviation for school produce a mythical (?) creature that, according to Collins, is Canadian but judging by many reported sightings in the US appears to be part of the Canadian snowbird contingent (a snowbird is a Canadian who travels to the southern US at the first sign snow where they remain until spring)

6d   Catch slowcoach heading off (4)
NAIL — another term for slowcoach with its initial letter removed (heading off)

7d   Paper in stand is English (8)
TREATISE — string together stand or pick up the bar bill, the IS from the clue and the single letter for English

8d   Shy going to bed (8)
RETIRING — double definition

13d   Patron has been upset over agent (10)
BENEFACTOR — an anagram (upset) of BEEN preceding (over in a down clue) an agent; as an example, in early Canadian history, the agents in the wordplay staffed the trading posts run by fur trading companies

15d   Watch first stage, quite something (3-6)
EYE-OPENER — synonyms for watch or observe and the first stage in a competition

16d   Correspond with female, Italian, recovered from injury (5-3)
MATCH-FIT — link together correspond or suit, the genealogical abbreviation for female, and short form for Italian (as a language or a drink)

17d   Crime writer, richest I suspect (8)
CHRISTIE — an anagram (suspect) of the two words preceding the indicator

19d   Left in charge, teenager’s opening wine (6)
CLARET — the single letter for left inside charge or control, all followed by the initial letter (opening) of TEENAGER

20d   Daisy with knight behind (6)
ASTERN — a daisy-like flower and the chess notation for knight

23d & 24d   So the chap unfortunately makes an unkind remark (5,4)
CHEAP SHOT — an anagram (unfortunately) of the first three words in the clue

My favourite clue today is the hairy American unlawfully occupying the vacant building.

Quickie Pun (Top Row): WHIZZ + BEECH = WISBECH

Quickie Pun (Bottom Row) : TESTY + MONEY = TESTIMONY

114 comments on “DT 30498”

  1. Very hard for a Monday, but probably just because it’s New Year’s Day.
    Though I would have to give up more than once, but stuck at it.
    Last one in was 7d which I had to guess at, and then look up, happily it turned out to be right. No real standout favourites today, but I did like 14a.
    Happy new year again to all here, roll on spring so that the bike can come out of the garage again.

  2. Nicely challenging puzzle which kept me occupied on this sunny, frosty morning in NE Scotland.

    No real favourite but still not clear about one or two parsings even with the hints. Perhaps the hinter might have another look at 18a?

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

    1. I agree with DaveP on 18a. The synonym for ‘tor’ hasn’t been explained.

      Sorry to start the New Year with a negative. But Happy Arbitrary Change in Calendar Day!

        1. Thanks CS. Fear of being first of the year on the dreaded naughty step prevented me from saying too much 🤐

          1. There’s only a naughty step at the weekends as we mustn’t give too much information on prize puzzle vlues

    2. Agreed about 18. It’s not the abbr. for cold and it would have been better to clue ‘a’ woman not ‘the’ woman.

    3. Dave, thanks for the heads up on 18a. It didn’t take long for the first blogging faux pas of the year to appear. Ah, there’s nothing like getting the year off on the wrong foot!

      2. I hope that I was not being too pedantic and picky. I really appreciate the effort that you and your fellow hinters make. The daily hints over time certainly help to increase your solving abilities.

        1. Don’t feel you’re being pedantic or picky. I truly appreciate having errors pointed out. Although I saw the correct parsing when I solved the puzzle, when I later wrote the review I saw “cold” in the clue, “C” in the answer and just carelessly ‘bunged in’ the erroneous hint.

          Having now made my first error of the year, I am reminded of the man whose first act upon purchasing a new automobile was to take his key and make a scratch in an inconspicuous spot on the vehicle. When the astonished salesman asked why he had done it, the customer replied “Now I no longer have to worry about the first scratch.”

  3. Happy New Year to everyone involved with this blog – setters, reviewers, commenters, lurkers, and the gang of four who oversee everything for our enjoyment. And a moment too to remember Big Dave and his wonderful legacy.

    For me, this was a 2*/4* puzzle. Very enjoyable to kick off the year, with 11a, 14a, 28a & 1d my top picks.

    I’m not entirely convinced by the definition for 16d as you can be in that state without having been injured.

    Many thanks to Campbell for the fun (and particularly for the educated girl!) Thanks too to Falcon.

  4. Far too hard for me on a Monday or any other day. I hope this doesn’t bode for the weeks puzzles.
    Even with the clues many are hard to follow.
    Def not one for me.
    ****/*

  5. A nice friendly start to 2024 from Campbell which is just what the doctor ordered (throb throb).

    I didn’t know 9a but easy enough to get from the parsing. I enjoyed 5d as it’s what my father called me as I have fairly sizeable plates of meat.

    My podium is 10a. 11a and 18a.

    Many thanks to the aforementioned and Falcon.

    Have a great year, fellow solvers and setters.

    1*/3*

    1. I too have fairly sizeable plates of meat during festive seasons (sometimes with veg and gravy). Is that what you meant? :-)

      *Let the poor humour continue! (in moderation).

      1. Let’s start off as we mean to go along, Jose.

        This year is the Chinese New Year of the Dragon but let’s change that to the Year of the Pun – a specimen oft seen on these shores but not that much overseas.

        This is why Agent B works for the MI5 not MI6.

        HNY, btw, me old cocker spaniel.

  6. Happy New Year to contributors and watchers of this blog.
    Everything went in smoothly until I reached the NE (I always start at the bottom 🤷🏻‍♂️). That took a bit longer and, although I had heard of the answer to 5d, I didn’t know how to spell it. I managed to justify another letter in second place but received a fail from my iPad (add your own sound effect).
    My favourites were 14a and 3d. 11a brings back bad memories for me.
    Thanks to the setter and for the hints.

  7. A typically pleasant guzzle from our double punster to kick off the new week & year. The only hard stuff that passed my lips last night was Covonia expectorant so no sore head to inhibit the solve & all over in a shade over 1* time. I’m thinking of giving 1a a bash this year in the vague hope that it might help with general aches & pains – it may even improve my golf though probably 25a of that. I wonder if our setter had the 4 day singles scratch play competition at the wonderful links at Rye, played every January since 1920 by members of the Oxford & Cambridge Golfing Society in the surface at 1d. Top 3 in no particular order – 11,18&28a.
    Thanks to Campbell & to Falcon & HNY to all.

  8. A very happy and prosperous New Year to all.
    An absolute romp to start the year – can only go downhill from now on.
    Agree 18a is a bit more in the middle than just a cold tap!
    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  9. It’s Monday :good: It’s Campbell :good: Very enjoyable but perhaps a little more challenging than usual; perhaps the 15 year old Dalwhinnie dulled my brain a little – 2.5*/4.5*

    Candidates for favourite – 9a, 18a, 28a, 15d, 16d, and 20d – and the winner is 18a.

    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  10. An enjoyable start to the year’s puzzling – thanks to Campbell and Falcon.
    My ticks went to 11a,14a and 7d.
    A Happy New Year to all.

    1. Didn’t find this at all easy, but what a great puzzle! Really enjoyable throughout. Many thanks.

  11. It must be a combination of “wavelength” and New Years Day, but I couldn’t get anywhere with this. Even some of the hints left me none the wiser. Oh well. Very many thanks to all connected with this wonderful site.

  12. Thought I wasn’t going to get very far with this one and then managed to tune into the setter’s wavelength.
    LOI was 1a and loved 3d once I stopped trying to turn it into an anagram.
    Happy New Year to all involved in the blog. Your help and guidance is much appreciated.

  13. Very enjoyable start to the year. A couple of clues to stretch the grey matter and perhaps a notch harder than the standard Monday fare. Not sure how widespread 11a is these days being one who failed it more years ago than I care to recall. Particularly liked 18a. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon. HNY to all

  14. A lovely start to the New Year. It was 22a that caused me the most trouble. From the very back of my mind I thought I had heard of spectacles referred to as bins but could find no mention in either the BRB or SRB, so spent a time doubting myself until checkers emerged which confirmed the answer. Lots of my type of clue today so ticks all over the place on my paper. No overall favourite but I liked 10a, 11a, 14a, 18a 28a and 7d. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  15. I solved this terrific puzzle whilst watching the New Year’s Day concert from Vienna, which is the usual delightful mix of the familiar and the new. I thought our regular Monday setter was on top form this morning, with 11a, 18a and 7d my favourites.

    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon, and HNY to all who contribute to this wonderful blog.

          3. Did you click the like button to like a dislike button to dislike the like button? That’s awesome 🤣

  17. A happy New Year to everyone associated with this blog as well as those behind the scenes. A good start to the new year with this crossword from Campbell and the blog from Falcon.

    Don’t know where the memory of 5d came from but it was only the word and I had to look it up and find what it referred to. Other than that I have honourable mentions for 11 and 14a, 3 and 16d and liked 9a among many others. Now for an hour of wood chopping with my seven year old grandson bound to ask if he can do some axing. Only if mum is in charge is my reply.

    I hope everyone has made improving new year’s resolutions. I haven’t made any and will continue as the grumpy old git or GOG through the year. A Calvinist aunt told me as a child that one should never stop doing or being someone/something until it is really finished. I certainly have not plumbed the depths of grumpiness so will continue as so worthily advised ; that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

  18. As straightforward and gentle as ever a Campbell puzzle has been, with only 4 clues needing revisiting after the first read through. Great fun, an admirable shortage of anagrams, good surfaces and no obscure GK. Podium places to 11a, 14a & 28a.

    0.5* / 4*

    Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon, and a Happy New Year to one and all.

  19. Campbell has given us a great start to the New Year with a nicely challenging guzzle. My LOI was 5d because I have never heard the animal in question called that. However, the answer was gettable once I twigged “unlawfully occupied” but I had to check the answer with Mr. G. 11a brought back memories of wooden desks , scratchy pens that dropped blots and ink wells filled by the monitor on a daily basis. My COTD is the educated girl in 28a.

    An unaided finish to get 2024 off to a good start

    Thank you, Campbell for a most entertaining puzzle and Many thanks, Falcon for the hints, which I will now read.

  20. I found this a good 1* more difficult than the average Monday puzzle, with fine clues providing an enjoyable solve. Fav: 11a, which I well remember and according to Google was generally abolished in 1976. 2.5*/3.5*.

    1. I was 11 in 1973 and it nearly passed me by – only the posh kids going to the last few proper Grammar Schools had to do them. I did one for Leeds GS and passed but Dad didn’t have the heart (or wallet) to send me away for six years

  21. Happy New (puzzling) Year everyone!
    A lot to like here.
    Across 11, 14, 18, 22 and 3 and 5d. Funnily enough got the hairy American from the checkers, then read the rest of the clue for the parsing. (My 18a parsing is more like CS’s)
    Two other challenges today, first I couldn’t remember if I’d taken the 11a, as I was at a private school and common entrance was the big hurdle. On checking, I found the test is the same age as me, so I probably did it for ‘fun’. The other educational piece was finding out why I wear bins. Turns out it’s an indirect rhyme via bins as containers.
    Many thanks to Campbell for the education and to Falcon for the blog.

  22. Did half of this last night when disturbed by local fireworks, resumed this morning and quickly finished
    11 and 14a amused when the penny dropped

    Thanks to Falcon and Campbell for easing us into the New Year back to work tomorrow 😞

  23. I keep popping up, don’t I? A nice start to the week and to the New Year. I treated myself to an extended breakfast this morning after a night wondering whether I should take George back in but the bleeding abated and so far so good this morning, though I have had to change the bed linen. I am such a martyr. 18&26a had daisies as did the wine at 19 – there has been a great deal of talk about alcohol over the past week, very revealing she said darkly. Many thanks to the setter and to Falcon and Healthy and Peaceful New Year to all

    3. I wondered how George was doing, glad to hear that all is well. Happy new year to you both.

  24. A bracing start to 2024! All good clean fun as always with this setter…..best New Year wishes to all involved in the blog and the puzzles…

  25. Late in today as the morning was spent on the phone exchanging good wishes for the new year with various friends.
    Enjoyed this exercise from Campbell, just the name of the hairy creature that proved a little stubborn.
    Top three for me were 11,14&28a with the top prize going to the educated girl.

    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the review – all good wishes for 2024 to both of you.

  27. Happy new year to all.
    Now that this lovely Campbell has been solved, I shall search the site for the Elgar special…if there’s one.
    Thanks to everybody involved with the blog.

  28. I enjoyed this, particularly as I got 5D without help. Sorry. Just showing off!

    Happy New Year to the setters, the wonderful hinters and everyone who comments and makes this such an interesting place to be.

  29. Happy New Year all,
    18a my favourite today.
    A pleasant solve and looking forward to the year ahead.

  30. Happy New Year! I found this fairly straightforward apart from the hairy animal which I had to use the solver.
    In the quickie I didn’t know the capital of Georgia so I had to look that up.
    5 minutes later the presenter on radio 3 named it as the home of the composer. He could have done it earlier!
    Thanks to Campbell and Falcon

  31. I agree whole heartedly with Falcon’s comments. Being an ex-Brit myself I had no issues with this puzzle for the most part. Found it a relatively easy puzzle for the first of 2024. I did get slowed down in the SE at the end as it was last in with a couple of puzzling clues for me.

    Overall 2*/3.5*

    Favourites include 10a, 11a, 18a, 1d, 3d & 23/24d — with winner 11a

    Thanks to Campbell & Falcon for hints/tips

  32. A really good puzzle for the start of the year. I have zero knowledge of Greek mythology but the names crop up in everyday language so I suppose its OK. I struggled to parse 5d as it was obvious to me what an illegal occupation was called and therefore I floundered about trying to think of a name for a part of a building. Hmph.
    Thanks to Falcon and the Lancastrian

  33. Lovely puzzle today but must admit just couldn’t see the woman in 18a because I had put the fish at the very end. Doh! If you would like to view our lovely Advent Windows, someone kindly put a little slide show of them – unfortunately I don’t think its particularly good as it goes too fast and sort of fades in and out but have a go at this link: https://www.cleyharbour.co.uk/events. Some of them were extraordinarly clever. Better still come and walk round the village until 6 Jan. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon and a very Happy New Year to everyone. Hope George is still doing OK DG

    2. Thank you for sharing. They are lovely. Despite being in the area for the Thursford Show we didn’t find out (from your earlier post) about the Cley advent windows until we were home. If we are in the area at the right time next year then we will take a look.

      1. We do the Advent windows every other year. The alternate years we do Open Gardens in June and maybe, from your Gravatar, you might enjoy it. In all these years we have never been to the Thursford Show. Doesn’t sound my cup of tea although people book years in advance and come from all over the country.

          1. Thanks JB – I feel OK, its just this awful pain behind my left knee but the Naproxen is helping. Still no result from the Xray though!

        2. Oh yes, I adore visiting gardens. Please let me know when the event is on and I’ll try to get to it.

          1. Usually over the solstice weekend but will keep you posted (autocorrect said pissed! Instead of posted)! How far away are you and would you recommend Thursford?

            1. Autocorrect can be quite amusing at times.
              I’m in the Bristol area so quite a trek to Cley. We come to North Norfolk at least once a year as my partner is a keen bird watcher and I love the area.
              We enjoyed Thursford. It was our first time but we would go again another year. It is almost an old-time variety show with very good singers and dancers in the main cast. We stayed at a B&B in Thornage which was very handy for it.

    3. That looks lovely Manders! And yes, everyone should go to Thursford once – especially as it is not so very far from you. It is amazing to see such a spectacle in the middle of nowhere. But it is some years since I went, it might not be the same now. George had another bleed this afternoon but we applied pressure for 10 mins as told
      and he’ll go to the surgery and see the nurse tomorrow. Here’s hoping for a healthy and peaceful new year for all of us.

      1. 💐Special New Year best wishes to George and indeed to you as his carer. I sympathise wholeheartedly as I take an anti-coagulant so face intermittent prolonged bleeds – they are such a worry.

  34. A great puzzle for a New Years Day. My favourite 18a and I also liked 3d. Thankyou setter and hinter and a Happy New Year to everyone on this great site.

  35. May I wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2024.
    A lovely start to the new year with this puzzle, just right for me. I don’t understand the “bins” in 22a but what else can it be? I did need a bit of ehelp with 5d, otherwise it was all my own work. I guessed at 16d but I think I’ve heard it before. Fave has got to be 28a for the educated girl but there was lots to like.
    Thank you Campbell for the fun, and Falcon for unravelling a few. Happy new year to all.
    I went to bed early last night but the racket kept me awake for ages, next door and right behind me had parties. The smell of cordite and what sounded like machine gun fire kept Sadie, Amalia cat and me cowering under the covers. Thank goodness that is over!

  36. Happy New Year to all! A very gentle start to the year for me, even with a brain still addled by being marinated in red wine last night. **/**** Thanks to Campbell and Falcon (although hints not needed today).

  38. I agree with Brian, in that I did not find this a gentle start to the week. I solved enough to provide adequate checkers, enabling me to fill in many boxes despite the clues. In my ignorance, I always thought the fairy was one word, and now know better. I am not a fan of shortened words, so “bins” meant nothing to me other than garbage bins. Peter did know thankfully. But my difficulties today may stem from developing a sore throat late yesterday afternoon which made sleep evasive. Haven’t had a cold since 2017 so I can’t complain. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  39. Just the right standard to kick off the cruciverbal year and combine solving it with Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Day Concert and United Cup tennis from Australia. North came through ahead of South. Took a while to parse stand in 7d and to settle on 21a. Otherwise no real hold-ups but ‘twas enjoyable food for thought. Thank you to Campbell and Falcon and warmest good wishes to all BD site members for a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous (?!) 2024. 🌈🤝🍾💐

  40. All completed although some caused some head scratching. Fortunately I knew 5d, but not the spelling as my husband has used it as a nick name to someone we know, he really does sometimes have his uses. I spent some time looking up why 22a was bins, I probably ought to have known it was Cockney rhyming slang bins = receptacles hence spectacles.

    Many thanks to Campbell and to Falcon for the explanations. All the best to everyone for 2024.

      1. Thanks for the link, I had not seen that site, I know little about rhyming slang, so it will help in the future.

        My explanation made sense to me even if it is wrong!

  41. Happy new year everyone – agree with the ** rating; 11a as my favourite because of neat clueing … even though it might mystify some younger solvers ( in which case it continues its tradition for creating division!!)

  42. Personally I’m not usually on the same wavelength as Campbell but today was the exception as we made fairly light work of this enjoyable puzzle. No problem with 5d but Mrs. TWLC hadn’t heard of it though. Favourite was 18a. Thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  44. So it’s NY day , and my first comment on a puzzle on this blog. I think I was suffering from a little alcohol induced brain fog , as at first I thought it was going to be a challenge , however having kicked myself into gear , and sought my brain cells I found it fairly gentle with only a couple needing some help. Happy New Year to all.

    1. Welcome to the blog, JM.

      Many of us like to abbreviate our aliases. Mine would take forever to type….and explain!

      Have a fab year and keep those posts coming.

    2. Welcome from me also, Jenny M! I echo Tom…….65’s comment. Please don’t be a stranger! 👍

      1. Why thank you both. I’ve been lurking for around 4 years since I early retired and started doing the crosswords every day. Now I’m reasonably competent and confident so no longer intimidated I’ll definitely pop up here from time to time. Not sure Steve if you saw my comment yesterday . You have been my benchmark blogger. So I often sought out your comments if say I found the grid really hard. It’s nice to come out of the lurker closet finally 😀

  45. I do not usually get on with Campbell, but today was fine by me. A very enjoyable puzzle which I solved alone and unaided. Had 2 goes at it as we walked down to the harbour to see the brave souls (or dafties) jumping into the Tay for their Ne’erday Dook. A beautiful afternoon here, but yet another flood alert for tonight/tomorrow. Sigh….
    Thanks to Campbell and to Falcon and Happy New Year to everyone!

  46. Encouraging start to 2024 . Unaided and done by the second cup of coffee. That could of course be any time in the day. Left then for Standen to view the house decorations. N.T. always make such a feature of the Christmas theme. Yesterday we did Scotney Castle. Both houses will now close for a couple of months. Many thanks to Campbell and Falcon. Big ticks by 14 and 28 across. A Happy New year to all the contributors, setters and hinters on this fabulous Big Dave page.

  47. A bit late after a busy day.
    I’m another one who doesn’t get on terribly well with Campbell but didn’t have quite as much as trouble as usual.
    The ‘bins’ caused some problems as did the hairy thingies at 5d.
    I liked 11 and 25a and 4 and 17d. Yet again I don’t have a particular favourite.
    Thank you to Campbell and Falcon.
    Happy New Year to everyone.

  48. Good evening

    I didn’t get started until quite late in the afternoon; I’m home and dry but not without a few pen-chewing moments (which is a stupid thing to do, because the pen is made of steel…)
    and a quick Google to confirm 5a.

    Couple of stand-out clues: 28a was a good one, and COTD goes to my last to fall, which was 22a. Classic misdirection – bins, for heaven’s sake!!

    My thanks to Campbell and Falcon.

  49. Last on parade methinks but done and dusted with only a couple of leg-ups from the hints.
    Apparently the infamous Bigfoot is a man in a monkey suit. 11a my favourite, can remember taking it. Thanks to all and hopefully can improve my solving in the year ahead.

  51. I’ve been interested in Yeti’s and Bigfoot for quite some time, don’t ask me why, so 5d was second one in. I found this a reasonable challenge and had to find somewhere quiet to concentrate. It all fell together very quickly after that. Last one in and favorite 14a closely followed by 11a . I did mine in 1957 .
    Thanks to all involved

  52. HNY all. Yes it must be a combination of hangover and uber-hangover that upped the ante today, but still a pleasant (afternoon) solve. Looking forward to tomorrow, which in UK I see it already is, and the hopefully cloud-free mind.

    Thanks setter and Falcon.

  53. And still no seasonal clues!
    Whizz, bang wallop
    Apart from 14a which came to me
    Immediately this morning.
    Loved 5d, constructed correctly
    But a new word for me.
    Thanks to the clever setter
    And to Falcon.

  54. 2*/4* ….
    liked 5D “Hairy creature, American, unlawfully occupied part of building in school (9)” … amongst others.

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