DT 30632

87 comments on “DT 30632”

1. Very mild for a Wednesday, started quick and just got quicker.
   New word for me at 19d, but couldn’t be much else from the letters.
   One slight niggle though, how the setter managed to get the answer to 2d from Wonder or Winwood is completely beyond me .…….

   1. Nicks. 😊

      1. Get away, really Steve?

         1. 🤣🤣

   2. Nicks – Fleetwood Mac

      1. It was a joke RE, see comment to Steve above

   3. I was stuck on Wonder as well Tipcat.

      1. Was it a schoolgirl crush?

         1. No 😊.

2. I struggled towards the end of this one with 9a eluding me for ages. I think it’s correct but I don’t see the parsing. The answer certainly means a lecture but what has zoom to do with it? I thought the lurker was well hidden but my COTD is 30a.

   Thank you to the setter for the challenge and the 2Ks for the hints.

   Sunny but blustery in The Marches today.

   1. I’m with you on 9a, I got it, but didn’t really think ‘zoom’ was a great clue to the first 6 letters of the answer.

   2. Second lolly this week

      img_2_1717589959632

   3. 9a was my downfall as well. I can only assume it is something to do when someone is “given a rocket” or telling off. A bit off the wall.

   4. We decided that zoom and rocket used as verbs could both mean ‘move quickly’.

3. A bit of an odd one this **/**** for me: I could get but not fully understand why at 1a, 11a, 30a, 6d and 22d so thank you the 2K’s for their explanations. 7d was good and 21a even better but my COTD was 29a. Thanks to our setter. Excellent entertainment.

4. Thank you to the setter for a fun puzzle — that was one which took me a worryingly long way through the grid to get an answer, then several came at once. My favourite was the arithmetic in 30a, which must have taken some effort in the grid fill to ensure the clues with the right properties were in places to make the maths work.

   I was also impressed by the use of ‘Des Moines’ in 22d, and I liked 29a’s “something to eat on the road”.

   Thank you to the Kiwis for explaining ‘ball games’ in 28a. I still don’t understand 6d (other than I can see it’s a list of birds).

   And I didn’t know the poem — which reminds, me we haven’t had ‘clerihew’ as an answer for ages!

   1. Re 6d, think slang: cheat, victim, etc. Also triple definition!

5. What does “=14” signify in 30a? I just can’t see it!!

   1. The solution to 14d are often described as 30a

   2. Check the answer to 14d. That’s your definition.

      1. … I see a light suddenly being turned on!😊.
         Good puzzle and every day’s a learning day, never heard of the poem and despite putting away several martinis (always shaken!) over the years never knew vermouth was “it”.
         Thanks to the setter and the Kiwis

         1. In days of yore – Gin and It?

            1. Thanks, I wondered where =14 came into it.

   3. I worked out the answers from the letters I had, but I still can’t understand the solution and would love someone to explain it.

      1. Welcome to the blog, Mary.

6. Three of the four long peripheral clues went in straight away, which formed a really good scaffolding for the rest of the grid. The bottom clue was close to being last in, and was a favourite along with 29a. Highly entertaining.

   Many thanks to our setter. My initial thoughts were it might be Jay after the name check in the Quickie (great pun) but I am probably wrong. Thanks, too, to the 2 Ks.

   1. I think it was announced that Jay had retired? And Robyn, who did Wednesdays for a stint after Jay, has now moved to Mondays.

7. Very enjoyable Wednesday puzzle – thanks to the setter and 2Ks.
   I liked 29a, 4d and 8d with my favourite being the Quickie Pun. I also thought the first word of the pun might be an indicator to the setter who told us recently that he would be making an odd apperance on Wednesdays).

8. Just like Wednesdays used to be – a fast start by going Up the Downs, could it be a production by Jay? – 1.5*/4.5*

   Candidates for favourite – 1a, 29a, 2d, 20d, and 22d – and the winner is 1a.

   Thanks to whomsoever and thanks to the 2Kiwis.

9. This splendid puzzle smacks of Jay but I was wrong when I said that recently. So, hoo nose.

   It was a cracker with so many good constructions and surfaces on a fun window frame grid.

   I am very happy with 30a which sits atop the podium, flanked by 1a and 8d.

   Many thanks to the midweek master and the 2 Ks.

   2*/5*

10. This was 2*/4.5* for me – not too tricky but great fun.

    I’m not a great fan of cross-referenced clues, but I’ll make an exception for 30a which became my runaway favourite today when the penny dropped.

    6d is slightly strange in that the first two definitions are actually synonyms, so I wonder if perhaps “pigeon or rook” is the wordplay and “seabird” is the definition rather than it being a genuine triple definition.

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2Ks.

    1. Hear, hear re your 6d comment

11. 1a and 1d went in straight away giving a good foothold to the rest of the puzzle. I needed help to parse 21a as I’m sure that I won’t have been the only one who fixated on ‘chap’ as ‘man’ therefore missing the cloak.So many clever clues that it’s difficult to choose a favourite but 30a takes top spot for the ingenuity involved in formulating it. Podium places for 29a and 8d with special mention for the quickie pun. Thanks to our setter and the 2 Kiwis.

12. Gentle if unexceptional company for the coffee. Couldn’t be bothered to parse 1a, 1d or 30a since the answers were evident. No ticks afterwards from which I can only conclude that nothing really stood out. Next!

    1* / 2*

    Thanks anyway to the setter, evidently I rose from the wrong side of the bed; thanks also to the 2Ks

13. Light and enjoyable. Perfect for a Wednesday.
    Ticks for 9a, 10a, 23a, 29a and 8d with CoD to the letter counting at 30a.
    I have read 1a several times but still can’t make sense of the surface read. Perhaps it’s just me.
    Thank you setter and Kiwis.

    1. Hi Shabbo

       My guess is that ‘reads’ is short for ‘read-throughs’.

       So…the intense actress was given some pointers ahead of the ‘read throughs’ that relaxed her.

       1. I think (but am not sure) that reads are more general. A read-through would be a rehearsal.

          Whereas a read might be a promotional line or something that you need to record: the read is the actual thing required, not just a rehearsal.

          1. Thanks Smylers. That makes more sense.

       2. An anagram of reads (relaxed) is in the solution.

    2. An actor, a serious one, had some reads to do — as in some instances of things that needed to be read out (and, presumably, recorded). Before that happened somebody gave her some pointers on how to do it, and that made her feel more relaxed.

14. BRAVO in 2.5*time.
    Lower half whoosh.
    Upper not so.
    Certainly 29 and 30a
    And 6d deserve Podium
    Places.
    Plus the juicier anagrams.
    Many thanks for the
    Pleasure, setter and
    Thanks the 2Kiwis.

15. Super Wednesday puzzle with some lovely clues in 30a and 8d, v clever. One small gripe I thought 28a was a poor clue.
    Thx to all
    **/****

16. A smattering of old chestnuts and the occasional dodgy surface read but the roadside food and the phone made me smile.

    Thanks to our setter and to our 2Ks for the review – no frosty mornings for us here at the moment but I understand that parts of Scotland are still subject to some of the white stuff in all its forms.

17. A very enjoyable accompaniment to lunch. The four “longuns” certainly aided a swift completion. Cotd for me is 21d if for nothing else than the vision of a paddling fortune teller. Thanks to compiler and 2K’s.

18. very gentle fodder today . I~wonder if and when we are going to get a proper workout this week
    cotd 6d enjoyable enough . The ver first film i saw was Cockleshell Heroes who employed 21d craft in their daring raid on enemy shipping. I seem to remember the film having a very sad ending but i couldn’t tell you what transpired now.

    1. Cockleshell heroes used kayaks not 21d. Sad – yes very few of them survived

19. Not exactly plain-sailing for me but captivating to unravel. I suppose 21a equates to discounts and likewise spin for 22d component. Don’t think of 29a as fit for consumption (or am I missing something?). My simple Fav was 21d. Quickie pun does depend on pronunciation. Thank you Mysteryone and 2Ks.

    1. Fit for the crows, no?

       1. 🙂

20. Enjoyable guzzle. Solving the four long glues early doors certainly got the ball rolling.
    Speaking of which there is a lovely true story involving 21d. From the mid 1940s until he retired in 1987, Fred Davies was employed to use one whenever Shrewsbury Town Football Club had a home game. The River Severn ran right alongside their stadium and a poorly judged clearance or free kick would often end up in the river. Fred and his family would often retrieve several footballs during each game, using their 21 downs to manouevre into position.

    Thanks to the setter and The TwoKays

    *Love to Daisy*

    

    1. 🥰

21. Before I turn my attention to the guzzle I have a question for you – I am reading The Island Of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. Set in Cyprus it refers to the first High Commissioner Sir Garnet Wolseley just after WW1. I well remember my grandparents saying, when everything was done and neatly finished “well, that’s all Sir Garnet Wolseley”. It obviously is not rhyming slang for anything meaning ship shape and Bristol fashion (which was another of their favourite phrases) I haven’t just imagined this. Any clues, clever folk?

    1. I have just looked him up on Wikipedia. He was a very distinguished and decorated officer who gave rise to the phrase as his efficiency meant everything was in order.
       That is a quick precis – he seems to have done alot and had other things named after him.
       So, DG, you didn’t imagine it.

       1. Yeay !! I just knew someone could help me. I always thought it was such a funny phrase it
          really stuck in my mind. Do not ask what I had for lunch yesterday – it has gone – but Sir
          Garnet Wolseley lives on! It is rather like “all my eye and Betty Martin” which was another favourite
          saying. . Many thanks Madflower.

          1. What did you have for lunch yesterday Daisy?😀

          2. I can tell you what we had for lunch, as 6 days a week we have the same thing, very light, more of a snack 😊.

22. 30a my pick of the 4 excellent long ‘uns& also particularly liked 29a. All very enjoyable.
    Thanks to the setter (Jay maybe) & to the 2Ks

    1. Just done the Quickie while waiting for the play to start- my theatre companion cracked the pun which I doubt I’d have got.

23. A great guzzle today. LOI was the 16a lurker.
    Lots of ticks today with 30a, 10a and 12a topping the list (not to be confused with The List).
    Quickie pun also brought a smile.
    Thanks to the 2Kiwis and the setter.

24. For a Wednesday this was easier than normal for me as most went in without issue.

    2.5*/3*

    Favourites 16a, 17a, 30a, 1d, 2d & 8d — with winner 30a
    Smiles from 2d, 7d & 20d

    Thanks to setter & 2K’s

25. Tricky but doable with help for me. I was DNF with 9a and 3d, though I don’t know why I never got 3d, and I had the wrong answer for 28a. I liked the long ‘uns around the outside, with 30a as fave.
    Thank you setter, and also 2Kiwis for their help to the finish line.

26. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. A belter. Two clues-of-the-day were 28a and 30a, with the parsing of the latter taking as long as the previous 10 clues took to solve (despite the answer being a near-certainty). Terrific. ***/*****

    [Also learned about ‘Gin and It’, which was a new one, despite my love of Martinis and Negronis, and therefore vermouth in general!]

27. Well it’s done, but can’t say I enjoyed it today. Probably just me as most above seem to have enjoyed it. I found several clues weird or stretched such as 9a, 11a and 22d, and a few where I took the wrong fork in the road such as the wrong singer. Also had roadkill stuck in my head for 29a which obviously didn’t work. COTD definitely 8d. Thanks to setter and 2Kiwis. Oh how I’d love to see a touch of frost right now as we have headed into summer early this year, and even a walk before breakfast is uncomfortable.

28. Well I got there in the end, I attribute any difficulties to too much sun and alcohol! A lot to like and some explanations needed by the 2 kiwis as to why some of the answers were what they were eg 30a. My favourite because I so nearly missed it was 16a.

    Many thanks to the setter and to the 2 kiwis for the hints.

29. A very enjoyable puzzle for me today.
    I got stuck for a while on 2d as I could only think of Stevie Wonder but Mr Meringue came to my rescue with Nicks….

    Thanks to the setter and to the 2 Kiwis.

    We have now been treated to a hail shower up here….and jolly big hailstones they were.

30. I still don’t get 30a.

    The answers to 3 and 11 are 4-letter words, but what has 14 to do with it?

    1. Sometimes 14 downs are 30 acrosses.

       1. Thank you
          but I STILL don’t get it

          1. I’m rather with you!
             Really enjoyed the crossword, but in the tiny minority that was underwhelmed by 30a. Obvious what the answer was, but the cleverness was rather lost on me!
             Many thanks.

          2. Some four letter words can be rude/offensive.
             An oath (it’s not a prize puzzle and it’s late) can also be defined as a rude or coarse word or phrase.

          3. C. 11a and 3d are examples (Eg) of FOUR-LETTER WORDS, = (is a synonym of) 14d (OATHS). Any help?

             1. Thanks everyone!
                I was slow, but I finally get it

31. I found this puzzle tricky to say the least 😳 ****/*** but soo clever Favourites 3,4,5, & 6 down and of course 30 across 😃 It’s no “Wonder” that I didn’t know 2d, I do now! and thanks for the nice picture for 17a 👍 Thanks to the Compiler 🤔 and to the 2x Ks, at least your weather appears to be playing by the rules 🥶

32. Oh dear – this is not my week – certainly not for crosswords and probably not for anything else either
    I think I’ll keep quiet – I liked 10 and 18a and 3 (so simple) and 15d. My favourite was 20a.
    Thanks to the setter for the crossword and thanks to the K’s for the hints.

    1. I’m with you Kath. Not my cup of tea, not much fun and a hard slog. Got there without hints by leaving some in NW until this morning. I was not helped by putting the answer for 18a in the 16a slot. Hope you are well.

33. The wordy master breaks another record – longest without “making-known”

    He has done So on Twitter ( now X ) though

    Great puzzle 30a brilliant

    1. Twmbarlwm?

34. Morning all.
    Feels like another frost outside waiting to greet us when it becomes daylight. Our heater is working very hard to keep us cosy though.
    Looks like a mixed reception today. We found it exceptionally enjoyable.
    Cheers.

35. I found parts of this exceedingly tricky. Last one in 9a , poor indicators. “It” is a hairy monster that either lives in rocks on the beach, or is a member of the Addams family or se-.? Vermouth? Gin and it? 6d .I didn’t know a rook was a gull, is this a bird or a chess piece reference ? Hmmm not for me but having said that I did like the borders when I finally solved them
    Thanks to all.

36. Fairly straightforward but did need the hint to parse 7d and didn’t understand the first bird in 6d and still don’t. I did nod off halfway through but that is not because I wasn’t enjoying but a combination of the usual brain mangling quiz, food and three quarters of a bottle of wine. Favourite was 30a. Thanks to the setter and 2K’s.

37. Good evening

    Only just made it through, with one or two solutions eluding me until about five minutes ago! The parsing of 9a didn’t make sense until it finally did; 28a was only difficult in the sense that I could not get OVERSEE out of my mind, and therefore 26d wouldn’t work…

    COTD by a long way is the excellent 30a.

    Many thanks to our compiler and to 2Ks.

38. Setter here. Thank you to all commenters and solvers, and especially to 2Kiwis for the super blog.

    1. So glad you dropped in Twmbarlwm so we could thank you for what we thought was a particularly fine puzzle.

    2. Great crossy, Mr Tumble! 👏👏

    3. Didn’t unlurk much today, but did enjoy the puzzle, so thanks!

    4. Well, I never! I haven’t been able to understand any of your clues so far, but I did (almost) complete this. Thanks.

39. 3*/4* …..
    liked 30A “E.g.11 and 3 =14 (4-6,5)”

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