DT 30675

66 comments on “DT 30675”

1. A surprisingly gentle and hugely enjoyable puzzle, over all too soon as I found myself tuned-in to the setter’s wavelength from the start. Witty and uncontroversial clueing, admirable self-control exercised by the setter in deploying what was for me the perfect number (4) and an ideal ratio (1:7) of anagrams among a broad range of diverse clue types.

   Ticks all over the shop, so shall limit the Honours Board to 5a & 22a, 19d & COTD 14d

   Many thanks indeed to the setter for the best and most satisfying puzzle of the week so far, inside or ‘out’, and thanks also to Shabbo for the review

2. What a contrast!

   This was the complete polar opposite to yesterday’s puzzle, entertaining, witty, and most of all doable, I didn’t have to just chuck in answers and then start to wonder why it works.

   I did stare for a while at 19d thinking what’s it all about? …… but soon got the answer after that.

   Not a bad clue in it, absolutely loved 5a, so clever, but my two favourites of the day have to be 22a and 9a.

   Well done Mr setter, take a bow.

3. Gentle fare for a Thursday and a marked contrast to yesterday. Highly enjoyable with just a few to challenge the gray matter. Many ticks on my sheet including 11 and 22a, 7d but cotd must go to 14d. Thanks to compiler and Shabbo.

   1. A good puzzle but 14d has a problem. The answer Crescendo does not mean climax. Crescendo is the process in music especially of rising to a climax by increasing noise level. You cannot rise to a crescendo. Apart from that a good grid

      1. Welcome to the blog, Andrew.

4. What a difference a day makes! This was a delight for a Thursday. I will admit to needed a bit of help with a couple of the long ones that I just could not fathom. I liked the street party at 14d and the weak monarch at 22a. For some reason 5a took me ages until it the proverbial dropped. My COTD is the drug at 13d.

   Thank you, setter for restoring my faith ion my solving abilities. Thank you Shabbo for the hints.

5. 2*/5*. This was a light delight in stark contrast to yesterday’s offering.

   Many thanks to Silvanus, as surely this must be the work of Mr Smooth, and thanks too to Shabbo.

6. This was a pleasant and surprisingly straightforward solve for a Thursday on a friendly grid.

   My podium is 23a, 14d and, what a lot of people won’t know, 19d.

   Shabbs, I applaud your comment about people being quick to criticise. I was hoping that everyone would move on from yesterday’s, not comparing it to today’s. Alas, looking at the hit ratio of the posts above, it won’t be the case.

   Many thanks to Silvywilvy and Shabbs.

   2*/4*

   1. The Caine film was one of my many ticked clues not to make it to the Honours Board. Great surface read, good film. I think Sylvanus could be a good call for your “toonie”.

7. Not a Ray T Thursday and, in this very enjoyable challenge, the indicators are that this polished production is by his regular stand-in – Toonie* polished and placed on Silvanus – 2*/4.5*

   Candidates for favourite – 9a, 22a, 24a, and 1d – and the winner is 9a.

   Thanks to Silvanus, or whomsoever if my Toonie does go down the drain, and thanks to Shabbo.

   * I am still waiting to find a Toonie, or any other of our coins, with the King on the obverse side; fortunately, those with the late Queen are still legal tender.

8. A lovely puzzle – thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
   Highlights for me included 5a, 14d, 19d and 20d.

9. Very light, very smooth. 5a tickled me, 13d was well-built and 19d’s fun. All very pleasant. Thanks to setter and Shabbo.

10. Yippee – looks as though I’ve got another Dream Team day. Interesting to note from 14a that our setter isn’t hampered by false modesty but I really do think that we need to see proof of his claim! So many ticks adorning my paper and I’m giving the honours to 5a plus 14d with the bronze going to 21a just because the image tickled me.
    Out of interest, the Quickie pun made me wonder about the origins of its 8a. Amongst the many suggestions from Mr Google, I rather liked the story about H.H. Stephenson and the presentation made to him. I hadn’t realised that the history of the term lies in cricket, think I’d vaguely assumed that it had something to do with magicians pulling rabbits etc out of hats!

    Many thanks to Silvanus for another superb puzzle and to Shabbo for the review.

11. spot on puzzle, most enjoyable, last in was 15a, took a while re the second A!
    Favourite was 11a, initially looked for the vampire.
    Remembered the Caine film of many years ago- whats it all about?
    Going for a ***/****

    ,

12. This was a real delight to solve and I think I was probably smiling throughout the process. Each clue seemed to flow into the next with an effortless ease, which is not meant to undermine the professionalism of the setter’s art, but to applaud it. 5a was wonderfully concise and clever, and an obvious choice for favourite.

    My thanks and admiration to Silvanus for a terrific puzzle, and to Shabbo.

    I wasn’t around yesterday so missed the comments on Wednesday’s cryptic, but for the record, I enjoyed it.

13. Oh happy Thursday! What a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle which I whizzed through. Podium goes to 2D and 13D which were so satisfying to solve! Also loved 22A what a fab clue and answer!!
    Thank you to the setter ( I still have no idea who’s work is who’s yet) and Shabbo for the blog.

14. Terrific! Almost a read and write for me, although a couple of the clues required a disproportionate amount of contemplation and pushed me into ** time. But definitely ***** for enjoyment, albeit over too quickly! Many thanks to Silvanus and to Shabbo, whose hints I shall now read.

15. A delight.

    Thanks to the setter and to Shabbo.

16. Finished this one too quickly .. what a difference from yesterday .. but I’ve now been “jobs”!😤

17. I found this just as enjoyable as yesterday’s much maligned puzzle, but much less demanding, almost a read and write exercise until I got a bit stuck in the Home Counties. I spent ages trying to fashion an answer to 16A using the precious metal as the first word. Eventually, the coin hit the round.

    **/**** for me and my vote goes to 5A.

    Thanks to the setter and Shabbo for the hints.

18. Nice puzzle. Certainly helped by getting all the longuns quickly. Do bakers really make 24as in the real world? Only ever seen them in Xwordland, but haven’t visited a proper UK baker in over 50 years!I
    Just going to pick 5a as fave du jour, among many others.
    Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the blog and the ‘pic-fest’!

    1. They certainly do – I often buy them from our local bakery.

       1. Keep supporting local bakers – they knead the dough…

          1. 🤣

          2. 👏

    2. Plenty to be had in Shropshire.

    3. I must ask Delphine, our local supermarket ‘s baker if she knows how to make the French equivalent, if any. Though she does tend to bake from frozen.

    4. That was the loaf I always bought before we moved across the pond, usually from our local Parslows.

19. What fun that was, so many enjoyable clues I cannot pick a favourite. I really liked the long ones, the anagrams and the weak monarch.
    I have enjoyed both of the last two puzzles for different reasons, todays was a fun exercise equivalent to a pleasant stroll in sunshine, yesterdays was a sweaty tussle leading to great satisfaction when the end was finally reached, more of a marathon.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints

20. Good afternoon

    Surprisingly, this proved slightly less difficult than I had first thought; it took me ages to find a way in. Once I was in, the NE quadrant fell reasonably quickly, but it wasn’t all plain sailing. 9a had to be written in the margin, because I couldn’t make it fit. This was because I’d missed out an E, and could only count 14 letters! Numpty!!

    Plenty of excellent clueing; COTD has lots of contenders – I’m nominating my last to fall, 10a, because I almost missed it!

    Many thanks to our compiler and to Shabbo.

21. Great fun – though I did fear a Thursday workout after going through the across clues and only entering two answers but the downs just flew in leaving me with so many markers that finishing up became a lot easier!

    COTD for me 9a

    Thanks to Shabbo and setter

22. After yesterday this was a sheer delight. Too many delightful glues to mention but if pushed I’ll choose 13d.
    Many thanks setter and hinter.

23. A speedy solve — if this is Silvanus’s work, then I think it’s the fastest I’ve ever managed one of his.

    5a’s alimony demand and 14d’s street party both made me laugh (even though I’m not keen on 14d just being the climax rather than entire build-up including the climax; I appreciate that dictionaries all both) — thank you.

    And thank you to Shabbo for explaining 15a’s book, 3d’s express mounting, and 24a’s rose.

24. This being an off week for RayT, we have a regular puzzle, not the one with short clues. Fared well on this after first troll through, though.

    2*/3.5*

    Favourites 5a, 22a, 1d, 7d, 15d & 19d — with winner 19d
    Smiles from 5a, 22a, 1d & 7d

    Thanks to setter (Silvanus?) & Shabbo

25. GRRR! A crescendo is NOT a climax!

    1. Its interesting you should say that, RTT, as I felt the same.

       But, having looked at a few reference books/sites, it’s now an accepted synonym for ‘climax’.

       1. Including at least one of the three “bibles”, Chambers – most importantly for the DT.

          1. I have always taken it to mean a gradual increase in loudness so I agree it is not a climax as such.

       2. Not by me!

    2. As a musician, I agree!

26. Wednesday’s blog was full of woe
    Thursday’s blog does not seem so.
    Yesterday was fun for me
    Today was easier, as we see.
    Thank you Shabbo, thank you setter,
    For making some feel so much better.

    1. 👏

    2. As Punch would say…that’s the way to do it!

27. What a lovely crossword (after yesterday which for me was DNCO 😟) ***/**** Favourites were 21a, 1d & 4d 😃 Thanks to Shabbo and to Sylvanus 🤞

28. Like everyone else I really enjoyed today’s puzzle and completed it in a rather short time , for me.
    Impossible to pick a favourite.
    Thanks to Shabbo and the setter.

29. I’ve just finished today’s crossword – it’s taken me quite a long time – I think crosswords with long words take me much longer than with short ones.
    I liked 14 and 15a and 8 and 13d. My favourite was 22a.
    Thanks to Silvanus for the crossword and to Shabbo for the hints.

30. 8d as my favourite and always a problem for would-be solvers. Thank you compiler and also Shabbo for reminding us to be more positive!

31. Very enjoyable – notwithstanding the dispute about the meaning of the answer, I still make 14D my favourite

32. Completed in record time for me despite a few head scratching especially on 15a &16a. I laughed as the penny dropped on 5a and that has to be my favourite.
    I agree with the crescendo meaning comments but I am told it is the natural development of our language (grrr)

33. Thoroughly enjoyable puzzle. Some answers came easily and others gave just the right amount of head scratching to provide a challenge. Many thanks to the setter Sylvanus (?) and Shabbo.

34. I didn’t seem to enjoy this as much as everyone else, but that could be just my sciatica talking. Plus, I really don’t think we do tend to criticize more and praise less here, per Shabbo’s comment. I know many of us are ecstatic when we can solve unaided. I go out of my way to compliment service people etc. as I do know however that people are generally quick to complain, and slow to praise, so perhaps that was what Shabbo meant. COTD for me was 1a, and 7d was LI. Thanks to setter and Shabbo.

35. A new entry & straight in to the top of the charts knocking Robyn off the Number I spot. Nowt obscure so Mr G untroubled & an unbridled pleasure from start to a very brisk finish. Not a dud to be found & ✅s all over the shop – 9,12,16&22a + 7,13&14d my picks of ‘em with the enlarged print unable to separate 13d’s drug & 22a’s misplaced optimism in a photo finish.
    Many thanks to Silvanus & to Shabbo.

36. Did it with half an eye on The Hundred, and I know which one I preferred. 14d was a clear favourite.

37. A very enjoyable and gentle solve. I wonder if when people find it a hard one , they are more likely to come to the blog to see how others are finding things hence more comments for yesterday’s ? Anyway Thanks very much to the setter and to Shabbo.

38. More like this please!
    Thanks to Sylvanus and Shabbo

39. I won’t mention yesterday’s crossword oh! I just did. Spoilt today with this and the toughie out of the top drawer, so no Mr. Grumpy today, still there’s always tomorrow. Favourite out of many contenders was 22a. Thanks to the setter and Shabbo. I haven’t really missed the save my name feature, one letter for the name, return then return for the email address unlike my weekend comments where I have to type one letter in each, hardly taxing though.

40. Setter here, sorry for popping in later than usual but glad to see that lots of you seemed to like today’s puzzle.

    Many thanks to Shabbo for his usual excellence in assembling the Hints and Tips and thanks also to everyone taking the trouble to comment. All contributions are read diligently, I can assure you.

    When researching 19d, I was interested to read that some of the location filming took place in Chelsea, so using Fulham for the clue I wasn’t too far away geographically!

    1. That’s why Mr Mickelwhite’s clue sits atop my podium.

       Another splendid crossword hits the back of the net.

       Thank you.

       What’s it all about….

    2. Thank you for the enjoyment, silvanus and for popping in.

    3. Ta for popping on & for another corker as per.
       The Black woman’s film original was great but nobody sang it quite like Dionne. The Sonny Rollins score is brilliant too

41. Unlike MustafaG but in line with ShangaJi it took me sometime to tune in to the right wavelength for this but then the two long anagrams helped enormously starting in the North. It was altogether a fun exercise and a relief after yesterday’s less than funtime. I too wondered about 14d. Fav 5a. Thank you Silvanus for the great puzzle and indeed for coming into the open.

    1. My apologies Shabbo – I didn’t thank you (but I do now) for your back-up today although I did applaud your funny reply to Lurker No Longer in Comment 18.

42. Enjoyed this one, although had to use anagram solver for 2d….naughty. Need more patience.

43. Re 15a, how does the ‘a’ become a ‘u’?

    1. The A doesn’t become a U, you are asked to remove the second abbreviation for American from a book produced once a year

44. 2*/ 4* ….
    liked 5A “Declare alimony demand ? (7)”

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