DT 30583

117 comments on “DT 30583”

1. This was a joy to solve and had just the right balance of write-ins and head scratchers. I liked Paddy’s drink at 13a and the nasty gulls at 3d. I’m not sure I have the correct answer to 7d so will need to check the hints to see if I’ve gone for the right one. My COTD is the leaping spider at 15a.

   Many thanks to the compiler, whom I assume is Mr. P but I am useless at picking compilers. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints.

   The Marches continue to be swamped. It’s no fun wading through mud and sheep droppings. Roll on summer.

   1. I needed the hints to know why 7d was what it was!

2. This was excellent. The grey cells certainly weren’t stretched but that doesn’t take away from the enjoyment. So many great clues that were short and not a multi-worder in sight – a ‘Ray T Lite’.

   5a made me chuckle. I would put the word ‘guvnor’ on the end to underscore the Cockney angle. I also love the term paddy in 13a and the wandering ‘south’ in 3d.

   It’s not easy to pick three but I’ll go with 15a, 17a and 22a.

   Many thanks to the prof and Shabbo.

   1*/5*

   1. Lovely. Tuesdays are my favourite. Ripped through in decent time for me except for a couple in the NE that took me twice as long as all the rest combined.

      I do hope Brian comes back to the site as I actually like his polarising comments and subsequent posts they create.

      Many thanks to the setter and to shaboo for the parsing of 17d which I could not fully understand

      1. Hi Majichatuk

         Would you like to be the recipient of yesterday’s post if you were X-Type or Campbell? I certainly wouldn’t. Why can’t Brian just say that Campbell isn’t his favourite setter as opposed to ‘worst’? It’s like calling the weakest team in the Champions League the ‘worst’. They are still an elite team like these setters are.

         I have so much respect for someone who takes time out of their life to construct a crossword as it sure ain’t easy. And for their work to be called ‘drudge’ is simply not nice. Brian seems like a sweet man who I’m sure is great company. So, I can’t see him saying these brutal comments to them in person and I have always believed that, if you can’t say it to their face, then don’t say it at all.

         Liking these barbs is a fairly cheap form of entertainment….don’t you think?

         As highlighted by Mustafa yesterday, he is breaking the rules on this fabulous blog. So, surely, there has to be consequences?

         It really has to stop.

         1. Well said, TDS65. 👍

         2. From where I sit, everyone knows Brian, I can’t imagine any of the setters weeping in a corner because Brian said wild things about them. I say, let the hare sit.

            1. It is not a question of setters being upset by such comments, Merusa, it is that they simply shouldn’t appear on the Blog because BD sought to prevent such crude spleen-venting. Sadly, Brian has been indulged by too many for far too long, in my opinion.

               I applaud Tom, Mustafa and others for publicly taking a stand against the intemperate, rude and insulting comments that Brian invariably comes out with. The very least he should do is apologise for incorrectly directing his bile against my colleague Campbell yesterday, but there should be no place for such comments to any setter.

               As a setter, I believe that everyone has the right to say what they like provided that it falls within the guidelines that BD originally laid down, and as we all know Brian has decided that those rules (if indeed he has ever read them) do not apply to him. I would like to think that, were BD still with us, he would have put Brian on a final warning many months ago and that yesterday’s comment would have triggered a ban from the site.

               1. Thank you, Silvanus.

                  I think it’s time….

               2. In my personal opinion I agree with you Silvanus. There is absolutely no need to insult the setters. I am not always on the same wavelength but that does not mean the puzzle is ‘the worst’ or ‘awful’ … it is simply that I am not on wavelength and clicking. I try and learn from those puzzles that I struggle with. Enough is enough with Brian’s insults.

            2. I agree Merusa. My mother always told me “sticks and stones” etc. but that as clearly gone out of fashion.

               1. I’m firmly in the supporting free speech side of this spat. My wife and I get a small kick out of trying to work out if a particular crossword is one Brian will love or hate – as there’s not a lot in between. Let’s not get too serious chaps.

                  It’s to be hoped Brian doesn’t live in Scotland or he might be adding to the Scottish Police’s problems.

                  1. Hi Fuseman

                     He’s clearly upsetting the setters and that can’t be right.

                     1. I’d rather have Brian than some of the participants on this Site, mostly fairly recent joiners I believe, who either seek to tell their life stories or are just fanciful, some childish and odd?

                        Why should any reader be interested in anything other than the crossword rather than ramblings?

                        1. I don’t know why anybody should — but I do come here for the ramblings even on days when I don’t do the crossword!

         3. If Brian can do the puzzle it is good, if Brian cannot do the puzzle it is bad.
            Seems to be Brian’s rationale and basis for posting.
            In my humble opinion.

         4. Firstly, you make a strong case and I see what you mean

            Secondly, I didn’t mean to post my comment as I reply to you specifically – I was just trying to make a general comment. I must have hit reply under your post by mistake. Apologies for that!

            1. Absolutely no problem and welcome to the blog, if you are indeed a newbie or someone who has lurked for a while.

      2. I feel a bit guilty for always looking forward to Brian’s comments.

         I always looked on him as a figure of fun who was not to be taken seriously. Evidently that was not the case.

         If he has been banned, part of me will still miss his comments and the ensuing mirthful retorts. Part of me will not with the new perspective from this thread.

3. A MESSAGE FOR BRIAN *

   Hi Brian

   May I ask if you have seen my response to your post from yesterday plus other people’s comments?

   * Apologies for shouting, one and all, but I want to make sure he hears me when he scrolls past this post.

   1. Here’s my advice, well Thumper’s actually, to Brian:

      1. Tremendous, Senf!

         If this doesn’t catch his eye then nowt will.

4. I thought this was seriously good fun with so much to enjoy. In order to pick a favourite I have to resort to the trusty pin, and 15a was its selection.

   Many thanks to Mr P and Shabbo.

5. I struggled with 2d.
   Can’t find it in Chambers (13th edition) or Chambers Crosswird dictionary.
   Where did he drag that one up from?

   1. It was a new one for me as well, but it is in my on-line Chambers.

   2. I think it is the name Americans give to a Yorkshire pudding

      1. We went out to Sunday lunch at a well recommended place, I had sea bass but the two men had roast beef. Everything was delicious except the Yorkshires which were flat and soggy. When the waiter cleared the plates he asked if we had enjoyed the meal and George said yes, but the Yorkshire puddings were disappointing. Oh said the waiter, but they were very big! Grandma Daisy would have had a fit.

      2. I’ve lived here for nearly 50 years and I never knew that! Talk about living under a rock!

      3. It is, but I will never call them that.

   3. It’s in Chambers under the entry for the first three letters.

      1. Found it, thanks.
         Talk about well hidden!

6. I too liked Paddy’s drink, and a very nice puzzle I think.

   Whenever I see a reference to the actress pictured here I cannot help but fall about laughing, remembering the Spoonerised version of her name allegedly visited upon the world by Sean Connery (indeed a man of his time).

   Thanks setter and Shabbo.

7. Struggled to remember the sorceress and I thought the English City would be Italian rather than Korean, but the rest was “Typically Tuesdayish” Thanks to Shabbo and Setter

8. Trickier than a usual Tuesday. Most went in after a bit of thought but I was stuck with NE corner. They all fell after reading the hints, thankfully. All-in-all a nicely balanced puzzle.
   Minor pearl-clutching over the bird not being a gull, and the dodgy description of Yorkshire pud as a cake! **/****

   1. Love the pearl clutching comment! I wear them all the time but am not aware of clutching them – I must ask.

9. A solid & straightforward Tuesday puzzle. I’m not certain it was from Mr Plumb – though I’m often incorrect anyway when playing guess the setter! Some nice trickery in the clues and as Shabbo rightly noted, it paid to read them carefully. The cake in 2d was clear but unknown to me and surely required further identification as being American, the dad having used up the first qualification? LOI was the rather twee 6d. In several cases strained or odd surfaces rather took the gloss off what were otherwise good clues. Podium places to COTD 20d with 17a and 1d the runners-up.

   1.5* / 3*

   Thank you to the setter and to Shabbo

10. A pleasant puzzle – thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
    Like others I’d never heard of the 2d cake but the wordplay was clear.
    My ticks went to 13a, 17d and 18d.

    1. As you liked 17d, Gazza, could you explain “pretence”?

       1. Pretence is ‘act’ as in ‘putting on an act’.

          1. Oh! Yes! Couldn’t see the wood for the trees. Thank you.

             1. Same here … I was concentrating on “and” … from Andress. Couldn’t make the connection at all.
                I’m a bit strange with crosswords .. even though I might know the answer, I never fill it in until I fully understand why it’s correct – so thank you.

11. Thoroughly enjoyed this AP production. Can also recommend the book re-telling the story about the sorceress Circe by Madeline Miller. A different spin on the story from that in Homer’s Odyssey. In a scrum for podium places, my top spot has to go to 8d. Thanks to AP and Shabbo.

12. Not one of my preferred puzzles of recent times but I’ll refrain from making a ‘Brian’ comment about it. Add me to the list of those to whom 2d was an unknown and please will someone point out to our setter that the hawks in his Quickie are definitely not small!
    My feelings resemble Paddy’s reaction to his spilled drink……

    Apologies to our setter and many thanks to Shabbo for the review.

13. Enjoyed the puzzle , mainly straight forward but took a while to parse the nw quadrant- 2d was a new cake and last in was 3d,
    Rembered the actress in17d, Ursulla Undress in Dr No! very apt and a pleasure to behold.
    Favourites were 15a and11a.
    Going for a **/****.
    Raining hard in Tarporly and a large tree has just crashed into the road opposite just missing the cars.

    1. Hey, Beaver – did you chew that tree trunk?

       1. Golly, you never miss a trick. 😀

14. Tuesdays are usually my favourite solve of the week and today was another barrowload of fun with nicely testing, fair clues. Certainly nothing open to criticism for a change but just big thanks to MrP (?) for the entertainment and to Shabbo for faithfully being there in case of need 💐

15. Typically Tuesdayish with the usual indicators that this is an Anthony Plumb production – 2.5*/3.5*

    Candidates for favourite – 13a, 22a, 25a, 3d, 20d, and 21d – and the winner is 3d.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb and Shabbo.

16. Enjoyable crossword with no preening by the setter to show how clever he/she is. a lot of clues were a pleasure to read and solve, some requiring a some thought. Favourite12a followed home by 23a behind by a short head. Many thanks to the setter for such a good crossword and to Shabbo for providing justification for my parsing or just providing the parsing.

17. 2*/4*. I thought this was very enjoyable apart from just two clues.

    For me, the surface of 5a is very clumsy, and 2d, which I’ve never heard of, sounds to me suspiciously American.

    As I seem to do quite often, I will piggy-back on Gazza’s choice of top picks: 13a, 17d & 18d.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo.

18. I enjoyed this puzzle with 6d my last one in.
    Favourite was 5a.
    Thanks to Shabbo and the setter.

19. I thought 1d was excellent, 17d was jolly and 18d read beautifully. I wasn’t crazy about 3d. As Shabbo says, they’re not gulls and, in any case, I did rather think “hawk-like” could have worked better than “unfriendly. But what do I know? Light fun. Thanks to setter and Shabbo.

    1. Technically, both gulls and the 3d birds are members of the same family – Laridae – but it’s still a bit of a stretch to substitute one for the other.

       1. Yes but no but..
          https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/the-buzz/what-is-difference-gulls-vs-terns/

20. I’m not totally au fait with the rules but, regarding 2d, doesn’t the word ‘American’ cover the whole scene as well as the American term for ‘dad’ or is that not allowed?

    An American dad, who I assume is living in America, would have this cake as opposed to an English dad who would have a Yorkshire pudding.

    I think ‘American dad finished American cake (or ‘cake in America’) is something that one wouldn’t say.

    Apologies if I’m talking rubbish.

    1. The American can only really apply to the dad, Tom. It clearly doesn’t refer to the second word (finished) so it can’t apply to the third (cake). But I have to say this didn’t bother me. Also, Chambers (mine, anyway) doesn’t even mark it as an Americanism and Collins just says “mainly US”. Fewer indicators the better I say!

       1. Thank you, squire.

       2. Popover is the American name for Yorkshire Puddings.

          1. I’m currently reading an American cosy mystery and the chef is just making a batter for popovers

             1. Sounds like the perfect fare for your next naughty step..

    2. I thought I’d popover the airwaves to say that we are accustomed to your idiosyncratic, but not rubbishy, comments, Tom.
       No need to apologise.

       1. Cheers, Pips.

    3. Not rubbish at all, Tom, I know exactly what you’re getting at. The “American” is enough of an indicator, giving the whole clue an integral American theme. The American dad is likely to be finishing an American cake and that cake could well be one that’s intrinsically American. Only rather extreme purists would suggest two separate American indicators – which would make the clue somewhat ludicrous/silly and a bit of an insult to the solvers intelligence.

       1. Thanks, Jose.

          I think it works perfectly okay.

          Onwards!

       2. I agree. An American theme is certainly implicit, if not specific, to the cake. It’s absolutely fine as is. A second US indicator would have been utterly horrid!

21. An enjoyable crossword which provided a nice variety of clues. Managed to solve most of them in order but did stumble a bit over 2d & 8d. Although I had the answers I wasn’t sure how I had got there! Big error was not thinking of Circe for the Greek goddess, so thanks to Shabbo for the explanation! Like several you have mentioned above, I hadn’t heard of Popovers but when I found them online they didn’t seem to be cakes, rather Yorkshire puddings, albeit with maple syrup – yummy! Many thanks to the setter for providing a great puzzle and also to Shabbo for filling in the gaps for me.

22. It seems a long time since we sat down to the guzzle over lunch in our normal fashion. This did not disappoint, although I did not know the 3d ‘cake’ it was obvious and I think 25a is my favourite today because that is me at the moment. 12a was nicely misleading. Raining and blowing a gale and I have offered to drive someone in to Addenbrookes. 😟 many thanks to our wonderful Setter & Hinter.

    1. Oh Daisygirl, please don’t take on too much. But please don’t ever change.

23. Bless my 12a, that all fell into place quite neatly.
    Another fine crossword on yet another wet and windy day.

24. In my printed crossword, 16D had the word “solder” which must have been typo for “soldier” looking at the clues at the top.

    1. Ditto. See my comment above in the hints.

       1. I had “soldier” in my dead tree version

25. Seemed pretty straightforward for a Tuesday this week. Some tricky clueing for some of the answers, but all good.

    2*/3.5*

    Favourites include 5a, 12a, 25a, 18d & 21d — with winner 21d
    Smiles from 5a, 18d, 14d & 24d

    Thanks to AP & Shabbo for blog/hints

26. The NW corner was the last to fall. My COTD is 13a despite there being a few of them online recently . Do play nicely children!

27. Fun solve and learned a new cake word thank you AP and Shabbo

28. Very nice crossword with lots of humour and solvable 😃 ***/**** What more can one ask for on a Tuesday apart from the rain stopping for while 🌧 Favourites were 12a, 17d & 20d 👍 I still can’t believe 2d is a real word but there you go 😳

29. Very pleasant solve with nothing too scary along the way.

    Had some smiles along the way and the first 5 across answers seemed to embody the spirit of Mary Whitehouse 😀

    1. A wonderful observation!

    2. Very funny, Peter. Chapeau!
       Hopefully, one of our setters will put up a MW-themed crossword forthwith. Could be very entertaining..

       1. Even better, Mary Whitehouse meets Mae West …

    3. ‘Bra’vo, Peter!

30. I enjoyed this, though I was DNF in the NW with two unsolved; hangs head in shame, 1a was one of them. I liked lots, hard to choose a fave, 13a might be it, or maybe 15a.
    Thank you setter for the fun, and Shabbo for your help in filling in my two blanks. I’ll read the comments later, I must do my daily gyrations or my back will start up again.

31. This blog is so interesting as it does so highlight our diversities and wavelengths. Yesterday’s was one of my favourites recently , and today too another joyful puzzle that I found very straightforward. Greatly misdirected by 13a as I could only think of the name for Paddy , so I bunged in the answer and just read the hint to parse it , when all became obvious – doh ! Never registered the American cake word before but think I’ve heard it spoken. Thanks so much to the setter and Shabbo.

32. Another crossword treat, and a relief to find something I could finish with minimal help, although sad to see that it does seem to be “pick on Brian” day. He’s been on this blog longer than me and I would definitely miss him. I’m surprised that there weren’t the usual “Americanism” complaints with popover and sweater bits appearing. I will always call the latter a jumper – which is something entirely different over here. 13a was nostalgic as I used to sit and watch my Dad use one most mornings when he was shaving. Thanks for the setter for not making me feel stupid, and to Shabbo for helping me finish.

    1. ‘Pick on Brian’ day?

       Goodness me.

       1. I think that your continued comments are prolonging the situation. In the past misunderstandings led to people leaving the site which is remembered sadly by some of us. I think that there is so much to be positive about and I for one appreciate the blog and am so thankful it was set up by BD.
          I had many favourites in today’s guzzle especially 6d. Thankyou all.

          1. Would you rather lose a contributor or a compiler?

             It’s easy for us to say live and let live but, looking at Silvanus’ comment in the no 2 post above, not so a compiler.

             It is that serious.

    2. I’m with you BL, all the way. I’d miss him too. I really do get Tom’s – and others’ – point(s) but live and let live, eh?

       1. Live and Let Bri, even.
          Sorry..

          1. Apart from a returning Tilsit, we’ve already have had a parting of the ways from contributors who took umbrage for one reason or another. I miss them so, please no more …..enough is enough!!

    3. Yes BL I too well remember my Father’s strop hanging in his bathroom.

33. Shwmae everyone,
    Lovely puzzle today which I completed unaided at quite a canter for me. However yesterday’s which was considered easier had me scratching my head for hours! Who can tell eh. Thanks to the setter and for the hints.

34. Two on the bounce completed but needed a leg up from t’interweb to check regarding 2d. Sounds like an invite to a coffee morning ? Much to enjoy in this puzzle elsewhere, my favourites 14d,20d, and the ingenious 13a.
    Keep ‘em coming – thanks to all involved in setting and hinting.

35. Enjoyed this a lot and finished unaided. BUT thought I’d have a go at the Toughie. Now moved to puzzles site and not in main digital site. Despite being a full subscriber to the paper, ‘tap here’ doesn’t work. I feel very p….d off and cheated. CL please sort this mess out

36. Got all of it and was left with 2d which just ended up being a guess based on the component parts of the clue. If there was one subject area that I thought I knew pretty well then it would be cakes but never heard of that one! I read further up the comments about it not being in all dictionaries but dictionary dot com does know about it

37. I beg to differ from those who have given 5a as their favourite clue. It certainly did not make me chuckle as it apparently did one other contributor. Given what happened to Titanic and those on board her, I thought that this clue was in poor taste.

    1. I’d agree that it’s hard to think of a similar accident with lives lost that’s been the subject of a crossword clue but, rightly or wrongly, it doesn’t seem to be generally regarded as an especially sensitive subject these days.

       For what it’s worth, the clue is a bit of an oldie. It turns up in Tim Moorey’s guide here – https://www.timmoorey.com/pdfs/clue_types.pdf
       and in the BBC documentary about cryptics here –

       — at around 53/54 minutes.

       1. Just watched the whole thing – thanks for bringing to my attention, I don’t recall seeing it when first broadcast

38. All finished and very much enjoyed. I had not heard of 2d so confirmed my answer with electronic help. The hints confirmed the parsing of a couple. It took a while to get 13a but once I did it was my favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints.

39. Brewed here in Malton. At least half a 2d goes into every bottle. Delicious 😋

    

    1. I’ve tried it too, I suppose the browning of the flour in the batter is very similar to the roasting/malting of barley

40. A fairly straightforward & enjoyable AP guzzle. A brief head scratch at 7d before twigging the letter swap which then provided the penny drop for the city but otherwise a brisk solve – mind you it’s easier if you’re not writing the hints.
    Thanks to AP & to Shabbo for an excellent review.
    Ps major disaster on the golf course today – the power caddy turned itself on & the clubs all went in the river Ver – half the set lost at sea

    1. Oh no, that’s terrible. Very sorry to hear that, chap.
       You should take up squash – you might lose an eye but at least you’ll never lose your racquet!

    2. Hmm, golf is hard enough with clubs. I am sorry to hear that though I love a river being called Ver…..River Ver. If it was really cold, it would be the River Ver ver ver.

41. Rather enjoyed solving this. I learnt a new word in 2d along with the fact that Americans actually even have a version of Yorkshire Pud. I don’t recall seeing them in the years I spent in Canada though.

    I needed the comments to explain 17d. I convinced myself the name of the pictured actress was somehow making up the answer.

    Thanks to all.

42. Please don’t ban Brian!! We have all been around long enough not to take his comments too seriously….I say this as someone who was v supportive of the last round of action against what I considered bullying/insulting behaviour on the blog

43. A very enjoyable puzzle with just three stubborn clues in the NE corner holding out on me. So thanks to Shabbo for the hints and to the setter for the fun.

    Popover was a new word for me. Having just read Helene Hanff’s 84 Charing Cross Road, Yorkshire puddings were quite a revelation to her back in the 1950s so I wonder if popovers are a more recent American invention.

44. Good evening

    Missed out on the crozzie over the last four days owing to family events, not least Abba Voyage on Friday as a birthday treat for my wife. Back in amongst it this afty/evening though! Nicely pitched for a Tuesday, with just the right amount of trickiness.

    Many thanks to Mr P and to Shabbo.

45. Over too quickly but
    Nevertheless enjoyable.
    Many thanks setter
    And Shabbo.

46. As me to the list of never heard of 2d. Apart from that pretty straightforward favourite was 1a. Thanks to the setter and Shabbo.

47. Very enjoyable, a real cut above yesterday’s nonsense.
    Thx to all
    **/****

    1. Nice comment Brian – I hope you keep posting

    2. Great to see you commenting, Brian.

48. As a long time lurker building up the courage to join in the fray on this site I felt very warmly welcomed by the response to my first two posts. Given all the vitriol in the comments today one post may have gone unnoticed but I wonder if Wahoo would like to reconsider his contribution. As an ex lurker I thought it would be appropriate to give a bit of a back story but apparently not. From my point of view, the odd comments about the contributor’s circumstances enhance my enjoyment of this site. I will restrict my personal Bio to my new and permanent nickname. Atykeinbangkok.

    1. Mine too.

49. We seem to be back but have lost the blogs from the 2K’s and CS’s toughie

    Well done Mr K

50. 3*/3* ….
    liked 18D “Fancy a drink after I’m finally done? (7)”

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