DT 30574

86 comments on “DT 30574”

1. Back from a break to a very clever Friday puzzle that wasn’t too tricky but did need some sorting on occasion. Great fun though.
   My last in was 14a, got the answer but parsing it was tricky so thx for the hints for explanation.
   Thx to all
   ***/****

2. This grew on me. What initially felt pretty tough eased up when I finally cracked its left-field wavelength. I do think 2d’s slightly regrettable, albeit accurate and, sadly, probably true. And it’s only a crossword, after all. 14a’s “with one short” is rather a meanly convoluted deletion indicator, I reckon, and, though I see why it’s done, I don’t think the italics in 21a add much. 12a’s surface doesn’t quite work for me and 16d’s a tad simplistic. But lots to like. Ticks for 1a, 18a,13d and 19d. But I especially liked 17d: cunning but fair and a charming surface. Many thanks to setter and Mr K. I so want those 4d Crocs. Do they come in orange?

   1. Just bought a pair of these, very comfy but with 4d’s https://amzn.eu/d/67qXPbF but the Crocs look comfier

      1. I’ve had 3 pairs for years and live in them. I was a laughing stock outside Amiens cathedral as all the French were pointing at my feet and laughing at them. I bet they all wear they there now.

         1. I swear by them. My wife bought me a spot on a French canoe trip with Ray Mears once and I was universally mocked for turning up in green Crocs – everyone else was wearing £100 “canoe shoes”. Then Ray rocked up and guess what he was wearing? Green Crocs! Ah, what a lovely moment that was. Their faces!

            1. I hate them! I used to wear them until I crossed a plaza in Athens that was paved in marble. It was raining and the crocs had no grip on the very slippery stone. I haven’t worn them since.

               1. They are lethal in the wet – it’s true!

3. I think some Salopians might go for 6d, but I will pick the two Yanks on a bike. Although the River Runs Through It came close
   Thanks to Setter and Mr K

   1. I will go for 6d!

      1. No surprises there!

   2. I nearly went with 6d but went for 20d in the end.

4. Very tricky today – I mean 14a 😐

5. Superb puzzle with which to end the back page week. Great surfaces, tremendous variety of clues (ie anagrams were scarce!), witty and not a dud to be seen – what’s not to like? Top three to 13d and the amusing 12a (COTD) and 3d; close runners-up 11a, 25a, 8d.

   2.5* / 5*

   Many thanks to the setter (Zandio or Silvanus?) and to MrK

   1. Agreed!

6. Many thanks to the setter for a very enjoyable puzzle; it was one of those that grew on me, as ALP said above.
   My last one in was 3d. I had to go through the alphabet mentally to find a word that fitted with the checkers.
   2*/4.5*

7. A very enjoyable puzzle – thanks to our setter and Mr K.
   I liked 14a, 25a, 3d and 20d with my favourite being 17a.

8. Rushing to finish before setting off for a week’s break in Herefordshire & bunged in arraise (an obsolete term for bring back from the dead – turn blue/ kinda works with a lot of imagination) for last in 18a. The correct & blindingly obvious answer came to me on the endless 50mph limit stretch on the M1 past Luton. A pit stop at Watford Gap (£6.90 for a flat white & 2 ginger nuts) & onwards.
   A very enjoyable puzzle, not overly difficult & with ticks aplenty. Hope to manage a wee bit of 20d(ing) at Kington, England’s highest golf course, while away if the weather plays ball.
   Thanks to the setter (Zandio I suspect) & to Mr K whose review I’ll read later.

   1. Looks like a nice course, in 6d too
      The only thing between the course and Wales is Hergest Ridge!

      1. Well bordering 6d
         I suspect the northern extremities of the golf course border 6d and the eastern ones border Wales

9. Beaten by 3d, never heard of it, never used it, never will.
   Toughie standard as to be expected on a GF, can only wait to see what Sunday
   might bring.

   1. Emu is a flightless bird like a little ostrich, so it will never go skywards I guess.

      1. Ta NHF, yep, penny dropped just after my initial comment, I was reading it as pronounced as EMUSS, and must have thought this was a weird and wonderful word for number!
         Of course I know what an emu is, just had a (large) mental block.
         I’ll get Mrs TC to hide all sharp things from me today as common sense has obviously left the building 😉

10. I completed the crossword quite early shortly after the on-line version went out but was unhappy with 14a. Although I got it right, I couldn’t parse it. Very frustrating. So back to reliable Big Dave where I have been absent for years. I used to live in Hanley Swan, the birthplace of Big Dave’s blog and was a faithful follower once. Well thank you for explaining 14a, and it’s good to be back. By the way, the butcher’s shop has closed

    1. Welcome back, Neil.

    2. NaB, 14a. They also use “flower” for that type of geographical feature.

    3. Welcome back! Please don’t stay away! 👍

11. I found this a struggle and not very enjoyable at that, sorry. I finished OK but couldn’t parse several of them. What has the answer to 3d got to do with anything? Not these makes no sense to me. Thanks to all on a very chilly day.

    1. They don’t fly/elevate!

       1. DOH! Thanks

       2. You beat me to it! But I did have a rather comical “brain freeze” for a few minutes with this one. I briefly convinced myself that the setter had got mixed up with ostriches – famous for burying their heads in the sand and not elevating them skywards!? Then the much simpler (no offence Manders) parsing dawned. Funny how the ol’ brain works sometimes

12. I found this tough with a DNF for me with 14a.
    Lots to like though with ticks all over the place. 12a, 25a and 20d were my top picks.
    Thanks to Mr K and the setter.

13. Well for a Friday this seemed easier than norma to mel, (was likely supposed to Wednesday’s puzzle!), but there were a few clues that had their moments and caused some trouble for me. Eventually all came clear though.

    2.5*/3* today

    Favourites include 12a, 17a, 21a, 2d, 6d & 20d — with winner 6d.
    Smiles for 12a, 28a, 7d, 16d & 20d

    Thanks to setter & Mr K. for hints/blog

14. A cracking Friday puzzle; feels a bit like a Zandio but I’m not really sure. Great clues, a decent challenge and a nice/pleasing solve. I’ll pick 25a as my favourite. 3.5*/4.5*.

15. As Sloop John Bee correctly proposed at #3, this Salopian will certainly go for 6d as his favourite clue today. That apart, this was certainly pretty testing as befits a Friday, but it was eminently solvable given time and thought, and a fun challenge.

    Thanks to our setter and Mr K.

16. Hello, compiler here. Thanks very much for taking the time to solve, analyse and discuss. Always appreciated. Have a great weekend.

    1. Great guzzle Zandio. I really enjoyed it.

    2. V many thanks, Zandio. A real toughie, but great fun.

    3. Thank you, Zandio for a terrific puzzle and for dropping in. It is always appreciated when the setter pops up. 👍

17. I’m assuming that this was penned by Zandio, in which case I have to say that it’s probably the most enjoyable of his that I can recall – almost a 26a!

    Thanks to him and to Mr K for the review.
    PS Just seen that Zandio has popped in to confirm – more like this please!

18. A proper Friday puzzle with difficult parsing throughout, 2d took a fair bit of headscratching,favourites were 12a and 17a confirmed by my Chambers! special mention for last in 3d.
    Going for a ****/****

19. I’ve had a thouroughly enjoyable, prolonged coffee time. It’s a good job I didn’t have anything else needing my attention this morning! It wasn’t the solving that was the problem but the parsing. I couldn’t parse 14a, 25a and 3d. Thanks for your help Mr K. No overall favourite today. There were so many brilliant clues. Top spots go to 10a, 12a, 8d, 13d and 20d. Thanks to today’s setter.

20. Really enjoyed working through this crossword with too many ticks to mention.
    Just one thing- I guessed the county eventually but unless I’m being even more dim than usual, I can’t see how the anagram fodder works.
    Let’s all hope for some warm sunshine this holiday weekend.
    Many thanks, as ever to both setter and Mr K for their efforts.

    1. There’s no anagram in 6d. Mr K has given the parsing.

       1. Apologies – proof that I was being dim in failing to read the clue carefully enough.
          Thanks for taking the time to explain, Gazza. I appreciate it.

21. Perfect for a Friday with so many great constructions though a couple of surfaces didn’t quite do it for me.

    12a is almost a crossword in itself. Hilarious! It’s also a great expression.

    I have so much time for Zandio going in to uncharted territory with his new approaches. Your hit ratio gets better and better.

    Tommy Cooper was a 26a (that’s how I remember what a cooper does)

    Plenty to choose from but I’ll go with 14a (superb surface), 20d with the outstanding 13d getting the gold.

    Many thanks to the aforementioned and Mr K.

    3*/4*

22. This was a veritable curate’s egg for me with fun in the North but different story in lower section. What would setters do without golf and cricket terminology? 20d is clever but it didn’t occur to me whilst I worked on set. Can’t believe I was stumped by my surname in 21a. 5d Fav. Thank you Zandio and MrK.

23. When Brian starts the ball rolling with a compliment the setter’s chest must swell with pride! This was a smasher – though like Manders the significance of 3d not elevating was lost on me until I read Mr K (couldn’t see any cats – naughty boy). So many favourites to choose from Kath- how can I pick just one. Oh alright then, from 1,9,26a & 2,5,6,7&13d I shall choose 17a. Work that one out. Or perhaps 20d that was good as well. Many thanks to the Zandman and Misterkay. I must just say I was trying to order a new iron on line from JL to be picked up at Trumpington. They kept asking me for a verification which I just couldn’t find so eventually I rang the help line. Two ringtones and the phone was answered by a real live man!
    No press 1 for this, press 2 for that or being told my call was important but they were terribly busy. I was ecstatic, problem sorted, iron ordered and I told the somewhat bemused young man he had made an old lady very happy. I have discovered that when you are old you can become an outrageous flirt and it is rather fun.
    Happy Easter.

24. Difficult but very enjoyable and satisfying puzzle for me today.

    Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

    The Tay is positively glittering today !

25. Top half easier than the bottom
    12a and 17a were amusing

26. 5*/3*. I struggled with this and I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as I should have, having got home at 1 am after spending five hours in A&E after Mrs RD tripped and fell. She not only jarred her 10 week-old new knee, but she has also cracked a rib. My mood was not improved by being woken this morning at 6.45 am by a delivery driver ringing our front door bell.

    There were a lot of good clues here despite a couple of dodgy surfaces, and I could have done without a reminder of the specific Livingstone on 8d.

    Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.

    1. Oh RD – what a disaster! As a recipient of a new knee my insides clenched at the thought of the pain Mrs. RD
       must have been in. Poor lady, I do sympathise with her. Ouch. Though I must say at only five hours in A&E I think you got off lightly – in Cambridge
       you can be five hours before you are seen on a Saturday night. A dear friend of mine was transferred there from another hospital and
       lay outside in the ambulance for three and a half hours before even going in. Oh dear.
       Hope the rest of your Easter is quieter and that Mrs. RD makes a swift recovery.

       1. Thanks very much, DG. It was remarkably quiet, so much so that the doctor we finally saw said that, if anyone needed to come to A&E, yesterday evening was a very good time to do so. He couldn’t remember when it was last so quiet and he is expecting all hell to break loose today and over the weekend. A crumb of comfort is that, since the last time we were there, they have replaced all the hard seating in the waiting area with very comfortable, well-upholstered, cushioned chairs (screwed to the floor for security reasons, of course!)

          1. Glad your derrière was comfortable if nothing else!

             1. 

    2. Best get well wishes to Mrs. RD for a good recovery from both her injuries and cheer to her personal carer.

    3. So sorry to hear about Mrs D’s fall and injury, and hope she feels better soon. That will not have been a lot of fun.

    4. I’m so sorry to hear of Mrs. RD’s fall. Cracked ribs are awful and I hope her new knee is ok. Sending her all good wishes for a speedy recovery.

       1. Thanks all. I’ll pass on your good wishes to her.

27. I was expecting the worst after Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s offerings but this was about right for a Friday. All done done and parsed with a deal of head scratching. Lots to like and hard to pick a favourite but I’ll go with 17d but I did rather like 25a too. Thanks to Zandio and Mr. K.

28. Well, well….solved a Zandio puzzle and enjoyed it too! I couldn’t fully parse some of the clues, so thanks for enlightenment Mr K. 26a my clue of the day.
    Thanks to Zandio for brightening up a rather damp afternoon in Lancashire.

29. Not feeling top hole . John and I have the dreaded cough. Resting meant giving more time to what looked like an impenetrable puzzle. Gave up and ran for help with 14, 18 across and 3down. Thank you Mr. K . Congratulations Zandio for what is a fine but very tricky puzzle. Being beaten today is OK against a tough and clever opponent.

30. It’s been a hard day’s fight
    ‘Cos I found this one a slog,
    But when I sort out a clue,
    Having got in a stew,
    Well then, I feel all right.

    1. Marvellous!

       One of your best. 👏👏

    2. I just imagined this read by Peter Sellers!

31. Well Zandio, this was a bit of a head scratch but got there in the end with some help from Mr K. I don’t think I’d ever have got 14a , so needed the hint and oh joy – clicked on link to Big Daves cricketing terms that I never knew existed 😳So I no longer have an excuse to have a silent bitch about yet another cricket related clue ! I hope you all have an enjoyable Easter , and let’s hope the UK sun puts in an appearance. Thanks Zandio and Mr K.

32. Usually can get done in around xxxxxxx and every other one or so we have to visit here for your much appreciated assistance on a final couple or so, but we needed quite a bit of nudging on this one. I am curious, though, when you submit your completed puzzle, you see that there is a fastest time logged of usually just over a minute (although today was 4+). Impossible, surely to complete in that time, they must complete it on paper from one account and then enter and submit as quick as they can type in the answers to a different account? …just to get the points?

    1. Someone at Telegraph Towers types in the correct solutions into the online version of the crossword to check that all works correctly which doesn’t take that long

       As a typist with over 50 years experience, I can do this in about a minute and a half, which I do when blogging a crossword, although I do wait until the timer shows my actual solving time before clicking on submit

    2. I often wonder about that. One of the reasons I print a copy and work from that is that on the tablet i use – only for the quickie – it takes about 2 seconds to type in each character, else it duplicates the last one..

33. Found this very difficult but with quite a lot of managed a solution 😃 It was very amusing ****/**** favourites are 21a,22a, 8d, 17d & 20d 🤗 Thanks to Zandio and to Mr K

34. Good evening

    Pen down, but in the great scheme of things, it’s a win for the Mind of Zandio vs my poor little braincell. With 18a unfilled, I have to declare a DNF.

    I’ve been back and forward to the crozzie since 11 o’clock this morning! On three occasions I’ve had to deploy the time-honoured tactic of going away and doing something else and letting my subconscious get to work. It certainly helped in the case of 1a, 9a, 2d, and my last to fall, 14a. And I was feeling so confident at the start, when 1d went straight in!

    Several contenders for COTD: I’m going with 1a.

    Many thanks to the Mind of Zandio for the challenge; I was almost equal to it! And many thanks to Mr K.

35. As usual, being the dreaded Friday puzzle, I did not get far with this on my own, but glad to say 6d was one of those. A clever clue though but probably biased because I could figure it out. After filling in a total of 5 answers I decided I’ve got better things to do with my afternoon. Well done Mr K, and all who could finish this unaided.

36. A real lesson from the great Zandio for me and thank you MrK for various explanations … very tough but fair throughout

37. If we normal beings get more puzzles like this , I think we will be looking elsewhere for our evening enjoyment. This is the second this week!

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

38. That was a merry tussle and most enjoyable. Some great misdirections such as 24a, which had me searching for Italian wines. Then I recalled advice from a much missed former member – “If in doubt….”. 😊 I loved the cycling Yanks carrying on together at 12a. I needed help with 1a but I thought it brilliant when I discovered the answer. Of course, I had to like 6d! My COTD is the wonderful 20d, which is one of the best clues I have seen in ages – to me anyway.

    Many thanks to the setter for the fun. Huge thanks to the hard working Mr. K. for the hints.

    Still very wet in The Marches. The farmers are getting desperate because the fields are so waterlogged they can’t get on them to spread the crops with fertiliser.

    1. He gets a mention in 26a

       1. So he does! 👍

39. Interesting one. Not easy. Liked 6d, 12a, 7d particularly but plenty of clever clues.

40. A dnf for me mostly due to not getting 13d and 17d.

    Can anyone explain what “leave” is doing in 17d. I presume I’m being thick as no one else has mentioned it.

    I got 14a across but couldn’t parse as I was thinking of a different sort of amazon…

    Thanks to all.

    1. When the grub grows up it leaves the pupa or pupates

41. Gosh, what a revelation! I found today’s crossword very taxing and Brian appeared to find it not too difficult. This has made me think of the old adage that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. It just shows how difficult it is to rate the difficulty of any particular crossword and the often quoted word ‘wavelength’ really does apply.
    This is the real beauty of cryptic crosswords as they are so different and one has to admire the setters in the way they manage to present puzzles each day which can entertain us, even if sometimes they entertain more of us than others! I can only hope that I can broaden my ‘wavelength’ to solve more than I can manage at the moment.
    The Big Dave site has been a real boon to me and I want to thank all those involved in producing explanations to the clues each day, I am in awe of your abilities. I have not made many comments before but I feel as if I know some of you by reading all the exploits you get up to and your life experiences. So in conclusion a big thank you to you all.

    1. Hi, Douglas
       Good to hear from you and please comment again. We all feel the same about Big Dave because all of us have learned from it.

    2. Hi Douglas. It’s an interesting little community isn’t it and like you I have found it so helpful. I I’ve only been commenting a few months but was lurking for several years , getting myself up to speed. Agree with you about wavelength and also I find I have to have quite an empty mind or I can’t think laterally enough. Hope to see you more often here.

42. Surprisingly quick — I’m pretty sure that’s the fastest I’ve ever completed a Zandio puzzle, but also faster than I typically manage any cryptic crossword. I got 12 out of 26 answers on my first pass through the clues, which is way above average for me.

    I enjoyed it, but with fewer highlights than I expected on learning the setter — somehow it felt a bit less Zandoish than usual (presumably why Jane enjoyed it more!). 25a (“IT”) was my favourite. Or may it was 12a (“Two Yanks”). And nice to see some different motorists in 10a.

43. I did not have time to do this justice today. in the end I used the hints to complete it and can see if it had been a different day I would have done better. I am not sure I would have got 14a on my own. There were some excellent clues with 12 a my favourite.

    Many thanks to Zandio and to Mr K for the hints.

    Happy Easter to all setters, bloggers, commenters and lurkers.

44. 4*/4* …
    liked 22A “Lose rag, knocking pots over (4)”

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