DT 30674

145 comments on “DT 30674”

1. I’m afraid I could not make head nor tail of today’s offering. It has to be me because I’m sure others will love it but it is a total mystery to me.

   Sorry, setter, it’s not your fault my brain is asleep today. Thak you 2Ks for making some kind of sense of it for me.

   1. Got to agree. Even after solving many of today’s clues there was a sad shake of the head and an acceptance this was way too vague/obscure.
      Thanks all the same though!

      1. Me too, the worst puzzle for a very long time. How in earth are you expected to know a Hawaiian veranda!😠
         *****/0

         1. The construction was fairly clear, but the word was not in my 1998 BRB, so I would class that as obscure. It was in Bradford’s though.

         2. Funnily enough, it was one of the few I did know!

            1. Me too, as some of my neighbours incorrectly refer to their patio as such.

      2. Thank God I’m not the only one !!

         1. Welcome to the blog

            1. Agreed. This was beyond me too.

   2. It’s not you, SC. This was a hard puzzle which I somehow managed to finish.

      1a took me an age as I haven’t heard of the expression which I’m embarrassed to admit.

      It’s always a tussle with Tumble, where I, more often than not, win. But, this was a 15 round slugfest where he had me on the ropes for a good while.

      My podium is 21a (a belter), 27a (I love something that’s in something that’s in something else – great fun) and 18d.

      Many thanks to Mr T and Le Touquet.

      I need to lie down.

      5*/4*

      1. 27a is indeed a great clue, but I would suggest to the 2Ks that it is the River Avon in the clue, not the Welsh for river, which is more usually spelled afon even if some pronounce it closer to avon.

         1. Ignore what I’ve said, I’ve now re-read the hint, put down my stick, and grasped t’other end of it, the right one this time.

            1. I’ve just seen the 2 Ks term for this sort of clue – ‘Russian Doll’.

               Brilliant!

            2. Ha! Me too. They’ve posted a picture and all! You led me astray there. I blame you entirely!!

         2. You are, of course, entirely right. But they deserve a lot of credit, not to mention sympathy, for the UK onslaught they routinely handle. And, this being (surely) T~, they could easily have been right. Imagine out befuddlement if we had to find Awakino, or summat?!

   3. I have to agree with you. A DNF and, as you see, I’ve struggled most of the day with it.

   4. It’s not you Steve, this is full of poor clues and quite weird.

   5. Well I must have a more twisted mind than the rest of you. I’m still stuck on the prize crosswords from this weekend, but I whizzed through this one no problem (albeit I had to Google the veranda, and the Spoonerism logic eluded me).

      All rather enjoyable, 12a, 16a and 28a particularly made me smile.

      1. You’ve dropped Kenilworth from your alias so this needed moderation. Both versions will work henceforth.

   6. Very reassuring to know I am not alone and in fact I found this horror beyond the pale and soon decided not to bother with it any more 👎🏻. I will now be interested to read the Hints and more Comments. Anyway a reserved thank you to the setter and appreciation of 2Ks being there for us.

2. The Spooner clue just doesn’t work properly though thanks for the ‘Don’t tell him Pike’ advice! We had put it in but as with several others we didn’t know why! We had never heard of the lurker in the verandah clue but put it in and then checked that the word exists.

3. Also found today’s a very tricky offering, so much so that at first pass I got 0 clues at all and had to come back an hour later once I had woken up somewhat. I didn’t get the spoonerism at 13d at all (the Lavender reference was lost on me) but with the hint above I guess that they are aiming for “Pike Poor”. Bunged it anyway as had the other letters and couldn’t see what else fit. Well over triple the usual time for me this morning though.
   Thanks for the clues! made sense of several that I hadn’t quite worked out how we were making.

   1. Welcome to the blog

   2. That was almost my thought for 13d too, James, though I had it as “Poor Pike” – and even then it didn’t really work for me either since one is changing the ends of the two words, not the sounds of the beginnings . Welcome to the blog and do keep posting!

      1. Thanks both!

      2. I agree that 13d could be a ‘reverse’ Spoonerism, using the back end of the word, not the front. In that case ‘Poor Pike’ works for me.
         Good thinking James and Mustafa G.
         If that is a current picture of you, James, you bring down the average age of our contributors immensely. And am I right in thinking you have commented before?

         1. Long time reader, but first time commenter! The picture is a few years old, but 3 or 4 rather than 30-40, so I suspect I might be at the younger end of things!

            1. Good : new & young(er) blood always welcomed here!

   3. 13d a complete mystery. This was in Tiughie territory

4. Always enjoy reading the comments but first time for me. Did anyone else think Yobbo for 25 across and Bruni for 26 down?

   1. Welcome to the blog

   2. No, but I do see and like your idea for 26d! Welcome to the blog, and do keep posting.

   3. Yes I started with YOBBO for26d

5. Quite enjoyed the puzzle in a strange sort of way. Needed a bit of lateral thinking in some places and a bit of googling.

   Unable to make sense of 13d but, like the hinters, presume the Dad’s Army character may be involved in the second word.

   Is this a new setter? Thanks to the 2Ks for a few parsings

6. Apologies to the setter but I found this a dreadful puzzle (and not just because I’ve still got 4 to go in the SW corner).

   I guessed about as many as I worked out, and will have to see the hints to see how they are derived, hope this is just a case of me being WAY off the wavelength, and hope that others enjoyed it.
   Ah well, horses for courses and all that, I was on a mule today.

   1. Just read all the other comments, seems for once I was in a majority.

7. Well, I did finish this unaided except I had to look up a few new words. But, and it is a big but, several made no sense at all including the dreaded Spoonerism which I see the 2Ks found awkward. Not particularly satisfying but I’ll give 28a my COTD. I absolutely loathe cruelty to any animals and do not for one moment condone the actions of the dressage competitor but feel the ‘unearthing’ of a 4 year old video 3 days before the Olympics is very malicious and scheming. Well, what do I know. Anyway thanks to the setter and the 2Ks

   1. Having just seen the footage, I am appalled and take back my comment.

8. I agree this was hard and some of the clues were somewhat marginal. I didn’t understand 13d and still don’t. I managed to finish without help save for checking that the word for 22d exists. However, the definition in the BRB does not suggest a veranda.

   1. You’ve changed your alias from ‘Mike the Bike’ both will work frmo now on

      1. Thanks for that. I’d forgotten about the other alias as I hadn’t used it for some time. It must be an age problem!

9. 16a can I suggest “perhaps bypass” is road
   & “character” is sign, leading us to the actual clue.

   1. Welcome to the blog

      1. You deserve a mid-morning break from all this welcoming, CS!

         It’s great to see new solvers posting.

   2. That was how I parsed it too, Albert – bypass as an example (perhaps) of a road. Welcome to the blog, and do keep posting!

      1. Me too

         1. Me too

            1. Me rhree

   3. Me four!

   4. that’s how I read it too!

10. Well originating from SE London I said 21a to this guzzle. I got there in the end but couldn’t parse 13d which isn’t unusual for me and a Spoonerism. I think my brain goes into flight mode as soon as Spooner is spotted. Had to check 22d was a real thing and that 27a was in the right location.

    I had shackles for the quickie pun as I’ve never learnt French.

    Top picks for me were 12a, 19a and 20d.

    Thanks to the 2Kiwis and to the setter for the brain mangling. Off to lie down in a darkened room now!

11. A super puzzle which has to be by T & a marked increase in difficulty from Robyn & the Prof over the last 2 days. By no means a quick solve but I’ll take a completed grid even if a failure to parse a couple took a bit of the shine off. No wonder I couldn’t figure the why in 18a (suckered by the surface & thinking tup for ram – d’oh) & Ian didn’t even register at 13d though I can’t get it to work satisfactorily either. The lurker at 22d needed a check with Mr G too. The batty claret enthusiast was my runaway fav from a good number of ticks.
    Thanks to T & to the 2Ks
    Ps feeling a bit washed out after a venesection & bone density scan so it’ll be a lazy afternoon on the couch with yesterday’s & today’s Toughie.

    1. Oh dear. Take care of yourself.

       1. Ta – was out like a light for 4hrs this afternoon so hope I sleep ok tonight

12. A game of two halves, Guv. Top half a write-in and I thought I was on for a speedy completion … and then I started on the S and found the treacle and tar pits. Even so the clueing was entirely fair, just a bit left-field, and the clangs of pennies dropping must have echoed across the valley. Ended up pretty average for a Wednesday.

    13a just doesn’t work for me, though I suspect some will love it. Horses & courses. While there were a few rum surfaces, 21a is an outstanding surface read for such a gods-awful person (presuming Frankie, not Susan or Danny!). Kudos to the setter for the 29a anagram. Thankfully 24d was entirely gettable from the wordplay if one does not know who the person is/was (cf the Trump clue yesterday).

    Honours board for me featured 12a, 28a, 7d & 26d.

    Many thanks to the Setter for a most enjoyable coffee-break challenge (I’ll put a tenner of Twmbarlwm because of the Dodgy Spoonerism, the creative clueing, and the very mixed reception) and to the 2Ks.

    1. By the way MFG – are you a rowing man? You referred to Coxless Pairs the other day and that’s not exactly common parlance!

       1. Yes, DG, at Oxford and for a couple of years afterwards. However my only visits to Henley were to enjoy watching from the banks and tents, never on the water, unlike George, from what I have read of your wonderful anecdotes. Sadly the closest I get today is spending an hour on the rowing machine a few days a week.

13. Felt like a toughie at times but actually went in at about my average solve time.
    9a Would Spanish accent be more accurate? (thought French ended in E).

    Came here for an explanation of 13d but see I’m not alone in my bamboozlement!
    Going back to stare at it a little longer!

    1. I’ve always known the accent as the a ending – even in French.
       Not used that often Spanish atvall

14. Some fine misdirection – 1a’s “produce”, 16a’s “perhaps bypass” and 25a’s “Sloane’s definitely”. Sweetly done. 21a’s a witty surface, 27a’s smartly built and 28a is very jolly. I think Black woman could have been more fun than just “woman” in a rejigged 9a but perhaps that’s a no-no in the Tel? I don’t really see why, myself. I do love the fact that T~ always takes a big swing and excels in being a little different. But I must agree with others – 13d’s Spoonerism doesn’t work, at least not in a satisfying (and certainly not conventional) way. Many thanks to T and the 2Ks.

    1. I do like your suggestion of ‘Black woman’for 9a which would have circumvented RD’s expected complaint about the clue.

       1. That’s v good to hear as, unlike me, you actually know what you’re talking about! I was surprised he didn’t go for that. Perhaps there’s some absurd Tel rule I’m not aware of that means setters can’t refer to a person’s “colour”. But that would seem daft. And, bearing in mind that it’s not just a French accent, couldn’t “strange” have worked? Miliband certainly speaks in a very strange way!

          1. I thought singer would have been an improvement but Black woman is much better. Does the Black have to be capitalised?

             1. It would have to be capped up, yes, so the clue would need to start with it, and a rejig, “bored by” or summat.

15. A curate’s egg for me with the good parts in short supply – ****/**

    Smiles for 10a, 27a, and 23d and favourite 5d.

    Thanks Twmbarlwm but not for me and thanks to the 2Kiwis for persevatiing!

16. I agree with 2Ks that this was challenging – thanks to them and our setter.
    I presume that ‘Lavender part inferior’ is ‘Pike poor’ but the Spoonerism doesn’t really work for me.
    For my podium I’ve selected 12a, 19a and 7d.

17. I got there in the end but not without a bit of help from the check answer function, e help to confirm the veranda and the hints to explain a couple of parsings. The top half went in rather well and I thought I was doing well but the bottom half was tricker. I still don’t understand 13d but, if as we suspect, this is Twmbarlwm he usually comes on to look at the comments and often explains ones we have commented about. Just one of the many things that make this blog so good. I thought all the anagrams were particularly good.

    Many thanks to Twmbarlwm (apologies if it is not you) and to the 2 kiwis for the hints.

    1. Oh it’s him all right. He’s claimed it on X. I have no doubt he’ll be on at some point to explain/justify 13d. Can’t wait!

18. Like most others I could not parse 13d..and still cannot despite the Ian Lavender references.
    But I am no good with Spoonerisms.

    Lots of good clues (like 29a) but some not so good (like the obscure at least to me 22d).

    Thanks to the setter and to the 2Kiwis.

19. Spoonerisms surely only work with first letters.
    A clue with both first letters the same cannot possibly make any sense!
    Other than that a challenging puzzle that needed a few look ups but solveable.
    Thanks to all

20. Laborious, much of which was solving clues to get checkers for others. I.e. not straightforward at all. E.g. 14a and 20d. Very difficult, dare I say cryptic.

21. 5*/1*. Oh, dear. This was very tough and really wasn’t much fun at all. I ended up with an unusually large number of scribbles for a back-pager – too many hmms to mention! Some of the surfaces left a bit to be desired too.

    Thanks anyway to the setter, and thanks too to the 2Ks for their ever positive spin.

22. Some really wiky clues in a very reicky little guzzle today. However, I did enjoy riddling out the clues,, apart frome the Spoinerism, which didnt seem to work. I liked the cryptic definition at 1d, very cunning use of tge driver wearing the solution down. The lego/ anagram at 1a was also good fun as was the combination of the Tom Hanks fiilm and the synonyn of report at 18d. Many thnks to the conpiler for a good challenge and to the Kiwis for the hints

23. I found this very enjoyable and completed it relatively quickly although I did have to return to a couple of clues to check the parsing. I agree with the masses on 13d and would love to see an explanation. Some very good clues, 19a made me chuckle as did 12a when I realised which part of the clue was the definition.

24. I am now reaching for the wet towel. My, that was tough. Needed the 2K’s hints to parse/ confirm a fair few today. The Spoonerism passed me by completely but it couldn’t be anything else by that stage in the solve. Some great clues with 21a, 25a and 28a to name the three on my podium. It was a slog mind. I’m off for a lie down. Thanks to compiler and 2K’s for the perseverance to finish and compile the hints.

25. I’d thought, from his last outing, that Twmbarlwm was reverting to the type of enjoyable puzzles that he used to produce in his pre-DT days. Sadly, it would seem that I was wrong. A friend told me that in these circumstances it’s best to take Thumper’s advice so I’ll just thank him for his efforts and applaud our 2Ks for a very credit-worthy review.

    1. 

26. I loved Twmbarlwm’s puzzle last Wednesday, but only got round to it yesterday, so probably hardly anybody has been my comment praising it.

    Today’s puzzle wasn’t for me. At least, the bottom half wasn’t, for which I needed many of the Kiwi’s hints (thank you so much), yet still stuggled, with a combination of the vocabulary, references, and wordplay being beyond me. I even looked up all the 1715 laws, following the hint for 20d, only for it not to be listed there.

    The answer to 26d is something that I considered on the first pass from the wordplay, but I dismissed it as not being a word. Foolish me — I should’ve looked it up to check. I shall try to take this as a learning experience to not be so dismissive in future. And it probably means I’ll remember the answer as well. Possibly also the actor from the sitcom. Less likely I’ll retain the veranda, but maybe.

    We went to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the weekend, and there were several things in it I only knew from previous crosswords — so thank you to setters and bloggers passim for introducing me to ‘con’ meaning study, ‘ounce’ as a wild animal, Nick Bottom’s first name, and that Puck is the same person as Robin Goodfellow.

    19a is my favourite clue for making me laugh, though again it’s one that the Kiwi’s have to take the credit for solving. Thank you, Twmbarlwm.

27. Well – mixed bag for us. Only 5 across clues solved on 1st pass but then got all but a couple of the downs.
    Another in the don’t understand 13d down camp.
    I knew 22d from my connection on FB with American holiday home owners but pommers hadn’t heard of it.
    Don’t really see why 21a is vulgar though.
    Thanks to setter & 2Ks though
    Also don’t understand why 21a is classed as vulgar.
    CoD for me was the lovely 29a anagram.
    Thanks to setter and 2Ks.

28. PS does anyone know why my details are not saving on my phone? I have to type them in every time – even if I do 2 comments in the same session.

29. I very rarely give up on a puzzle but I did today; the enjoyment didn’t match the effort I was putting in. Sorry setter, but not my cup of tea.

30. As is usual for me, Wednesday puzzles are not my forte. A bit of a struggle to get through this one.

    2.5*/3*

    Favourites 9a, 16a, 21a, 8d & 20d — with winner 20d
    Two new words for me in 11a & 26d … had to be what they were with the cross check letters.

    Thanks to setter & 2K’s

31. Phew! … that was a tough one. I got there in the end but needed the hints to solve the parsing of 18a (I had tup = ram in my head) and 27a. The spoonerism still doesn’t work for me .. but I hate them at the best of times. On the bright side I’m now an expert of Frank Ifield style of singing, Hawaiian architecture and muslin nymphs. I’m off now to lie in the dark. Cotd 25a. Thanks to setter and the 2kiwis.

32. Not commented for a while so just popped in to say “Oof…”
    Got there in the end but wish I hadn’t timed it.
    I too couldn’t fathom the spoonerism tho the answer was obvious, I was similarly stymied by using a 6 letter word for ram in 18a leaving very little left to resolve the clean bit – fortunately the answer was again obvious once the crossers were in.
    I did however enjoy a number of the clues including 9a, 11a and 1d
    Thanks to all

33. A nice enough puzzle, possibly the most challenging Wednesday offering ever – but no complaints from me on that front. Mostly good clues provided a tough but satisfying solve. Favourite clue: 7d. 4*/4*.

    *13d. I simply can’t make this work as a Spoonerism. Pike poor/Pork pie?? Could the setter, or anyone else, please explain (in basic terms).

    1. Hi J. I hope you’re well.

       I think Mr T fancied pushing it a bit which I’m totally cool with. He knows it doesn’t work with the traditional definition.

       From this day forward, it will be known as a tumbleism!

34. Contrary to a lot of the early posts, I enjoyed this puzzle immensely. Having said that, it was no walkover. I didn’t no 21A or 22D were words until I looked them up but every day is a school day.

    I fear that if Terence was around, 22D would have shot into THE LIST ™

    ***/**** here and 28A my favourite by a mile.

    Thanks to Mr Tumble and the 2Kiwis.

35. IT being used to set clues????

    1. You’ve changed your alias for at least the fourth time – all versions should work from now on

       An interesting idea but I’m sure the crosswords are all being set by humans

36. 13d is just Cockney rhyming slang. Is is most emphatically not a Spoonerism

    1. You’ve added a P to your previous alias so this needed moderation. Both versions will work from now on.

       1. Perhaps the extra P was subconscious representing Poor, Pike, Pork and/or Pie?

37. Thought I’d downloaded the ‘Toughie’ by mistake! Got there in the end but was glad to see it marked as difficult:)

38. Fantastic puzzle. Took me a while and needed a bit of help, but really enjoyed the brain work out. So many clever clues, loved 28a
    Thanks to all

39. Good afternoon

    By the cringe! That was TOUGH!

    The first thing to note is the parsing of 13d. I’d deduced the answer from the second part of the clue, but the Spoonerism? Nope! Then I read the 2Ks’ explanation: Poor Pike! I’d never have got that in a million years, and ye knaa why? Because I’m from Northumberland, where “poor” is pronounced as it looks – poo-r, rather than the Southern English ‘por’! Pike Por works!!🤣🤣

    Other than that, I had to look up 22d and 3d. COTD goes jointly to 21a and 29a.

    Many thanks to our compiler (Twmbarlwm?) and to the 2Ks

40. This has to be Toombarloom, no doubts there. It has to be the weirdest puzzle ever set. The big Kahuna at Telegraph Towers must be out to lunch. Of those I solved, fave was 5d with 15d runner up.
    Thank you Toombarloom, I’m going to try to salvage the rest of the day. Well done 2Kiwis to unravel that lot, thank you. Let’s see what others thought, maybe I’m a lone voice crying in the wilderness.

41. No definitely not. I managed 4 this morning before going out. I had another go later but still no joy. I was pleased to read the comments before looking at the hints. The 2Ks did a brilliant job unravelling it. Still tomorrow is another day!

42. Got to the South of this interesting puzzle when I suddenly realized that the only city on the Rhone with a g in it was 27a Hmmm. I didn’t give it a second look the bridgehead had been achieved. Our light hating bat friend was last in. Don’t like Spooner , knew the second word was pie and bingo the top was completed. Some clever stuff but too clever by half. Thanks to all.

43. “Quite challenging in places” – thanks K’s – for the useful expression – might use it again!
    I couldn’t do it at all!
    I did like 14 and 25a and 2 and 5d. My favourite was 21a – one of my Dad’s favourite’s too!
    Thanks to our today’s setter and the 2K’s too.

44. I have never posted anything regarding the DT crossword before as most of the puzzles do usually make sense at the end. However, this must have been the worst crossword I have ever encountered. Why it was given 3* for enjoyment is beyond me as I felt no pleasure in completing this particular mind teaser.

    1. Welcome to the blog

45. Quite the worst puzzle we’ve had for a while, full of poor or incorrect clues, such as 21a. That is an expression of indignation, it does not mean vulgar. I don’t like Spoonerisms but 13d doesn’t work either. At least we have been to 27a so that one did solve itself. When our guide broke into song “ Sur la pont, D’Avignon”, no one but ourselves knew the words. Seems it’s not taught in the US. The walled city itself is very interesting, particularly recent history when they were able to keep the “yellow jacket” protestors out by shutting the gates. Quite unenamoured with today’s puzzle, not helped by Nespresso machine appeared to have died during the night. Thanks to setter, and to 2Kiwis, but **** puzzles do not belong here.

    1. 21 across is literally defined in Chambers as ‘vulgar’, which you could have checked before letting off steam. Anyway it reminded me of Lonnie Donegan’s old man and his gorblimey trousers. 🎵

46. I loved this puzzle! First read through I was quite stumped but got into it and although it’s taken me way longer than usual I couldn’t walk away until I finished! Agree re Spoonerism as totally had no idea about the Dad’s Army reference (too young ha ha) but got it from the checking letters and definition. Last in was 15D !! Fave was 28A – a real hand on the forehead moment when I solved it! And two farming references!!
    Thank to setter for a great challenge and the 2K’s.

47. Quite a ridiculously obscure puzzle that really doesn’t work for me.

48. This may have been a ‘concrete egg’ sort of puzzle, by enjoyable nonetheless thanks to Mr Google, particularly for the Pike in 13d (I actually liked the Spoonerism), the Hawaiian veranda and the Tom Hanks film. Aren’t 2d and 21a both verging on the rude?
    Had totally forgotten Frank Ifield – I now remember liking him once!now
    Liked the two biggies, 1&29a, even though it took a while to remember Mark is a book! Penny drop!
    Also 15d and 28a, I think I’ll go for 15d, as this describes this puzzle!
    Many thanks to the puzzler and to the Kiwi Pair.

49. Morning all.
    Well we did say in the pre-amble that we wondered what others would make of this puzzle. Certainly looks like it wasn’t just us who struggled along the way. That said, we did manage to get a completion and had some chuckles along the way which is why we love cryptics so much.
    Thanks Twmbarlwm for all your efforts and we’re grateful for the quirkiness that you manage to put into your puzzles.
    Cheers.

50. Well, I liked it. One might say challenging, another might say inventive.
    Easy to criticise, better to acknowledge the challenge, the range of clueing and the weird and wonderful mind behind it.
    Today, with much bamboozling, a rage-inducing linguist worked miracles!

    1. Well said, sir.

    2. Quite agree with you, Slur K. The puzzle was a real challenge and a half. It was one of those where, if you were lucky, you would guess the answer, just in order to understand the clue. I guess we got lucky today. ****/***

51. I can’t quite see how 13d is a Spoonerism either, which my version of the BRB describes as “a transposition of initial sounds of spoken words, eg ‘shoving leopard’ for ‘loving shepherd’”. We seem to be led to ‘Pike poor’, without an instruction to reverse the two words. Could that in itself be a hint that the spoonerism is backwards. But even then the k sound at the end of pike has moved to the end of poor, without the end of poor going the other way; although depending on dialect that is quite a soft sound (and as such not that easy to transpose). Perhaps Twmbarlwm might explain, if he calls in.

52. Started this one late anyway and it’s giving me brain ache. I’m about halfway through but just thought I’d dip in here to see how everyone else felt and glad to see I’m not alone with thinking it’s hard. I will continue and hope to finish but no doubt may need help . Thanks setter for the challenge and the 2Ks although I’ve resisted reading the hints at this stage !

    1. So feel pleased to have finished this. The second half so much quicker than the first obviously. I just checked a few parsings. Of course 13d alludes to Private Pike ! Thank goodness it’s over have to say but did kind of enjoy the challenge.

53. I went out to lunch today so didn’t sit down to look at the guzzle until mid afternoon. Struggled with the top half and then fell asleep – horribly hot and humid nothing to do with too much food! Just had another look with 6 o’clock ‘medicinal’ beverage and managed all but four. Have to say it was a slog. I guessed the spoonerism but it didn’t work for me and whilst I knew the cockney “God blind me” I didn’t think it meant vulgar. However, I couldn’t produce a guzzle so I shall just say thank you to Messrs Setter & Tookays and agree that it is as well Terence did not see 22d. When in doubt look for a lurker but I’m not aware of having seen it before.

54. Not really my cup of Darjeeling but thanks anyway Twmbarlwm. For me, it’s almost like it is a bit too cryptic. More like last Wednesday for me please!
    Thanks to the Two Kiwis, couldn’t have finished without you.

55. I found this reasonably straightforward and completed unaided. I rather enjoyed it too!

    13d had to be the answer but I have never seen a spoonerism used like this.

    Thanks to all.

56. I think I was helped along by some very lucky guesses.

57. Mrs Skeeter and I finished this puzzle and found it tough, clever and witty.

58. Found this rather tricky and my new cryptic assistant’s reaction was to loll on the table and let out some teenagery huffy sighs (which is often my own reaction when I find the puzzles too difficult). Having said that, loved 12a 😁

    1. I did mean to applaud your Tweet the other day and this certainly (oddly) reminded me of you. I liked this a lot but it would NOT have been a good starter. Could have (unlike Monday’s) have put her off for life! I hope she sticks with it. Good on you both.

       1. We’ve decided we’ll do the Monday puzzles together for now…….hint hint to the Monday setters….please be nice 🙏🙏. And I’ll keep going with Tues-Sat. She does do the quick crossword daily with me (although we messed up the quickie pun today, and we’re both French speakers!!). I’m assuming it was a nod to upcoming Olympics.

          1. I’m very envious actually – in a laudatory way. My daughter is exactly the same age and she’d rather push pins in her eyes than do the cryptic! Monday’s a great place to kick off with the brilliant Robyn. It’s horribly overlooked but the 50-50 (half cryptic, half quick) in the Sun Tel is well worth a look, too, for those starting out. It’s not on the app, mind.

             1. I wondered what had happened to the 50-50! I used to love doing it on a Saturday and they replaced it with Cross Atlantic 😡. I don’t get the Sunday Tel (too much of a stretch for my budget- I still buy the paper version, I know, rather old-fashioned, but I still read paper books too).

59. Re 21a, whatever any dictionary may say, I do not consider “Gorblimey” to be a proper English word. I tried Googling it and nothing came up.

    1. ? https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=gorblimey&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

       (It was worth it to have a go at Frankie Boyle anyway!)

60. Many thanks to 2Kiwis for the blog, and thanks for all the comments.

    Spoonerisms usually switch the leading consonants, but they can also be a switch of other corresponding sounds as well, e.g. vowels.
    So swapping the ‘or’ sound in (P)or(k) with the ‘ie’ in (P)ie gives (P)ie(k) (P)or.

    

    1. Mr T, both Chambers and Collins specify Spoonerisms as involving switching only the initial sounds. I would take these reference works to be rather more reliable than Wikipedia from the perspective of UK crosswords.

       1. PS. Gorblimey is in Chambers as an adjective meaning vulgar, so you are in the clear on that one!

       2. To be fair to him, RD, we’ve got two one-syllable words with the same first letter. So the initial sounds have been Spoonerised. And you know what he’s like, he does like to push it. Why the devil not?!

          1. There is pushing it and pushing it off a cliff. In my opinion this is the latter. This really doesn’t work at all. Not even close.

             1. Ha! I do see your point. It didn’t work for me either but I did admire the sheer audacity!

                1. Azed’s occasional (and brilliant) Spoonerism puzzles include both types, i.e. involving either a switch of consonant or vowel sounds. If it’s good for Azed, I think it’s fair game for the rest of us.

                   1. Well, quite. And this certainly grabbed people’s attention. Job done, I’d say. It’s always a joy to see summat slightly different. No one could ever accuse T~ of being dull or predictable. Long may it last!

    2. Thanks for explaining Twmbarlwm. I have a bit of a trust issue with Wikipedia and can’t easily verify what its entry says. Britannica.com says its editors have ‘fact checked’ their entry, which says “spoonerism, reversal of the initial letters or syllables of two or more words, such as “I have a half-warmed fish in my mind” (for “half-formed wish”) and “a blushing crow” (for “a crushing blow”)”. Still, I now understand where you are coming from and thanks for the puzzle.

    3. Thanks for dropping by. Liked the (challenging) puzzle and had no trouble with the Spooner – initial sound is not just a consonant.
       Thanks again, looking forward to the next.

61. I agree I’d be on safer ground with sticking to initial consonant swapping as described in the dictionaries, although it is the case that linguists say Spoonerisms are not simply only that. (One of the slips attributed to Spooner is “This pie is occupewed” for “This pew is occupied”.)

62. I’m afraid I’m going to be Mr. Grumpy and say a lot of this did not work for me. Not a Wednesday puzzle. I’ll leave it there. Thanks to T anyway and 2K’s. No-one will notice I’ve posted anyway.

    1. I’ve noticed!

       1. And me!

          1. And me!

63. Bit of a brain stretcher but finally made it to the end.Phew! Thanks to setter and 2Kiwis.

64. Started v late today, and Mr T made me work hard. It was good to pay respect to the recently departed Frank Ifield at 24D, and 11A was fun, but 18D and 25A were my favourites.

    VMT Mr T and 2Ks.

65. 13d would have been better clued with a reference to Cockney rhyming slang. I say that and I could not set a crossword to save my life. There were some clues I liked and I finished Lots of it without hints. I did not get 28a dreadful clue but may have been hindered by putting root out for 20d. For once Brian is in a majority and I agree with them. I hope never to see the like again. Fond memories of Dad’s Army and Ian Lavender. His Uncle George was a neighbour and in the Home Guard with my dad.

66. 13d would have been better clued with a reference to Cockney rhyming slang. I say that and I could not set a crossword to save my life. There were some clues I liked and I finished Llosa of it without hints. I did not get 28a dreadful clue but may have been hindered by putting root out for 20d. For once Brian is in a majority and I agree with them. I hope never to see the like again. Fond memories of Dad’s Army and Ian Lavender. His Uncle George was a neighbour and in the Home Guard with my dad.

67. Seven clues left until this morning, whittled down to three after a lovely big cup of coffee, and then conceded. A great challenge though, thank you Twmbarlwm and 2Ks

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