DT 30863 (Hints)

72 comments on “DT 30863 (Hints)”

1. A welcome return of the Saturday pangram, I am ashamed to say the coffee was LOI as I always drink mine in accordance with my surname. 🐝 By name 🐝 by nature.
   Thanks to Cephas (although X-type also came to mind) and Cryptic Sue

2. I suspected that this puzzle was not set by one of the usual setters due to some less common word play.

   25a was my favourite but not my last one (2d) which was delayed by inability to indicate an apostrophe in the answer as has been discussed in the past.

   Thanks to the setter and cryptcsue.

3. Great puzzle. Missed that it’s a pangram. Once 4d fell out was plain a sailing.

4. In all my puff, I have never heard the answer to 15D used with that meaning!
   The well-constructed clue led me to the correct answer, but I just didn’t understand why it was correct, until in desperation I resorted to the BRB.

   1. Ditto!

5. Excellent puzzle, love a pangram. Lots of anagrams to get you started and a real groaner in 25a (I love it!).
   Got a real sense of achievement in solving 4d, long clues usually scare me.
   Thx to all
   ***/*****

6. Welcome back Cephas. Today’s pangram was a welcome change of style and very approachable. I liked the 18d lego clue, the 24a lurker and the geographical anagram at 2d. Thanks to Cephas for avaried SPP , with some of my favourite anagrams and some good GK clues.

7. 2*/4*. A pleasant pangram for a pleasant day (for once) here in London. 2d is incorrectly enumerated; it should of course be (4,1’4).

   Many thanks to Cephas (?) and to CS.

   1. If you can find an enumeration in a DT crossword with an apostrophe, where there should be one, in it I will buy you a pint next time I see you!

8. An enjoyable weekend challenge that went in smoothly with Merseyside being the last to fall.

   There were a few new terms that I’ve put on the crib sheet: 11a, 7d and 15d. 24a has to be the easiest lurker I’ve come across.

   My podium is 13a, 26a and 18d.

   Many thanks to the setter and she of the crypt.

   2*/4*

   1. Merseyside?? being an Evertonian that interests me.

      1. I wouldn’t look into it too much, WWC. It was the first place in the North West that came to mind.

         What interests me is the story behind your alias…

         1. Cumbrians or those in Cape Wrath may be disappointed Tom

         2. could I tell you privately?

            1. Now you’re teasing me, WWC….

               And I love you for it!

               (apols for late response)

      2. Your new stadium in Bramley Moore Dock is in the West of Liverpool

         1. And please leave our director of football at Leeds Utd…

9. Nice one, it needed a little e-mail as never heard of 15d other than paint!
   Agree with RD re 2d!
   Many thanks to whomsoever (Cephas?) and to Saturday CS!

10. Enjoyed that, after an initial struggle!

11. Change of style from what has become our usual Saturday fare over recent weeks and a few clues took a bit of cogitation. Like Steve B, I didn’t know the required definition of 15d, Monty Don would be ashamed of me!
    Biggest ticks here went to 8a & 1d, Kath would love the latter.

    Thanks to Cephas (?) and to CS for the hints.

12. Variety is the spice of life! Nothing against NYDK, but a pleasant change to enjoy a puzzle from a longtime SPP regular – **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 4a, 8a, 1d, and 22d – and the winner is 1d.

    Thanks Cephas and CS.

13. Completed on my phone in the car en route to Duxford for lunch. Amazingly Mr M immediately solved 25a LOI when I read it out. I suppose because I don’t drink coffee. Didn’t realize it was a pangram, but never do. Gorgeous sunny day the whole way here. Thanks to setter and CS

    1. Duxford for lunch Manders? Why didn’t you tell me , I was half a mile down the road having lunch at Provenance in Whittlesford!

14. Groovy guzzle, but a slightly odd experience for me in that I had several answers that I was almost sure were right, but not certain. Thus, I had six answers ghosted, or lightly pencilled, in place, which then became more obviously correct as I went along.

    Related to ‘false impression of Frenchman’, this reminded me of the bloke who used to cycle around our town in the 1960s, up and down each road, dressed in a striped top, with strings of onions round his neck, with the intent to sell his wares to (mainly) housewives. Although clearly marketing himself as if he had just arrived off the ferry from Boulogne, upon speaking to him one quickly realised he was as French as the Chiswick Flyover. “Cheers, darlin’. ‘Ere’s yer change!”

    Thanks to the setter and the lovely Cryptic ‘Quadrophenia’ Sue

    1. Yes, we had a “French onion man “ as well, he must have cycled to N-u-T !

15. A pleasant outing today, but with a couple of hold-ups. I had to use e-help to crack 15D and I wasn’t aware of that meaning. I went for the wrong type of pelt before realising my error. Favourite was 4D.

    Lovely day here in the Cotswolds. Mrs E and I walked up to Sudeley Castle with a flask of coffee to share and a mini Hot Cross Bun each, to make an impromptu picnic. We are so lucky to live in easy walking distance of so much beauty.

    Thanks to the setter and CS for the hints.

16. A couple in the top left held me up in an otherwise straightforward puzzle. Last one in was 8a. 16a is not a word I’ve ever used; I assume the first half of the answer is a synonym of about.
    Thanks to Cephas for the enjoyment and to CS.

    1. Does this work, J?

       I’m going to have a think about/**** your proposal.

       1. If it doesn’t, how do you explain the wordplay for the first half of the answer, and what is the word about doing in the clue?

          1. ‘Excessive amount’ is the definition with the parsing being a synonym for ‘about’ (see my effort above at justifying it) plus an anagram of ‘chum’.

             1. I agree. That was my first comment

                I thought you were being a doubting Thomas

                1. Like it.

                   When you said ‘I assume the first half of the answer is a synonym of about’, I assumed that you were doubting it.

                   So, I gave you an example of how it could be a synonym.

                   Have I misunderstood you? Apologies if so.

                   1. Not at all dear boy…

                      I used the word assume, as I did not have the audacity to question the explanation offered in the hints

                      1. Gotcha

17. What is a lego clue, please? ( I was a meccano man myself, much more challenging!)

    1. Like Lego™ it is a clue assembled from several parts, if you follow the clues instructions the answer should form before your eyes

18. 2 down does not work.

    1. It works for me, AL. 😊

       1. So circumflexes and apostrophes have no validity. The former can be forgiven in English, but the latter surely has no excuse.

          1. In the Telegraph, ’twas ever thus, and ever will be.

          2. Discussions in the Comments about ‘missing’ apostrophes have been going on for almost as long as the Blog has been in existence. A search revealed that the earliest was in 2010 and there is one comment from around that time from our dear departed leader that:

             ‘Apostrophes are not indicated in most puzzles, for some obscure reason about making it too easy for the solver.’

             1. Thank you Senf .

19. Took me a while to get going with this one but in the end it all came together nicely and was very enjoyable.The anagram helped. I did not know the term in 15d but confirmed it after as it was well clued and so had to be the answer. No particular favourite today.

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

20. A pangram .. first for a while by my reckoning .. loved it. I’m going to sent it in!
    Dydd dewi sant hapus 🐦‍🔥🌼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

    1. And to you.

    2. A 🤌 and a 👊 for the first of the month

21. One day I shall spot a pangram before being prompted after the grid is completed. I didn’t need to know it was one in order to finish this very pleasant and approachable puzzle, but it would have been good to realise nonetheless. 1d was my favourite once the penny dropped.

    Thanks to Cephas, if it was indeed he, and to Sue.

22. A great SPP, which was a joy to solve. I will not, however, be sending it in for The Mythical because I entered the wrong answer at 12a and messed up the grid. I really should use pencil so errors can be erased. Unlike others, I see nothing wrong with 2d because I agree with Senf at #7. My COTD is 1d. I did not spot the pangram but there is nothing new there.

    Thank you, Cephas (or whomsoever) for a great prize guzzle. Thank you, CeeSoo for the hints.

23. Enjoyed that.

    As a coffee lover and Spanish- and French- speaker, 25a was my fave.

    Thanks to the setter and to “Naughty, spicy, cuter helper (7,3)”.

24. A slightly different Saturday offering this week from the past few. Nice to have a pangram too.
    2*/3.5*

    Favourites 8a, 10a, 19a, 1d, 14d, 17d & 20d — with top two being 19a & 1d
    Smiles for 10a, 14d & 17d

    Thanks to Cephas(?) & CS

25. A very enjoyable diversion whilst enjoying the sunshine. Somehow I feel it may turn 21a before spring truly comes so Mrs P has locked up the secateurs before I do any damage to her garden. 25a was my loi and truly groanworthy once twigged. Like many others, 15d was new to me. My podium is 8a, 22d with 20d in top spot. Thanks to compiler and CS.

26. I found this hard with lots of answers pencilled in lightly before checkers confirmed them. 15d was a new meaning for me.

    Top picks for me were 8a, 5d and 25a.

    Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.

27. I found this a strange offering, with new words at 15d and 26a upping the difficulty.
    I thought 2d would cause a few issues. It doesn’t work for me. I also found a few surfaces rather odd such as 25a, 16a and 15d.
    Not sure about the lurker either but hard to explain why without facing the dreaded redacted.
    Thanks to setter and to Sue.
    3*/2*

28. Welcome back Cephas I assume. A very enjoyable puzzle & nicely clued throughout though I did think 24a lacked a wee bit of camouflage. Needless to say I wasn’t familiar with the horticultural definition at 15d & initially had the incorrect first 4 letters in at 9a but otherwise plain sailing & a brisk completion. Podium spots for 1,18&20d with narrow misses for 8&25a.
    Thanks to the setter & to Sue.

    1. Lacked camouflage! Perfect explanation

29. A welcome break from the Saturday linked clues. Thanks to the mention of a mission apostrophe in 2d I was able to ink that one in. Not sure I have ever said 16a. 14d was a piece of cake for anyone with fond memories of Angela Rippon and her precise enunciation of that word. Thanks to Cephas and CS.

    1. Was it really Angela Rippon or Pamela Stephenson (I think) impersonating her on Not the Nine O’Clock news?

30. Add us to the list of those who missed the pangram. Nothing held us up for too long long which didn’t detract from the enjoyment. Favourite was 18d. Thanks to the setter and CS.

31. As I said to Manders; we were out to lunch so I have only just completed the guzzle. 8a is favourite as it is a lovely word. I agree that the lurker was not very subtle but the rest made up for it, and who am I to criticise a super setter. Many thanks to him orher and to SeeSue.

32. 23A.. ain’t that 2 words? And as for 15 D, that’s a new word for me 😊

33. Saw the pangram very early and was amused at the number of times I thought about a letter “I needed”, it popped up in the next clue! 15d new to me in that context and 26a a synonym (not the word itself) entirely new to me unless the final word of the clue is cryptic in itself! Thanks to setter and crypticsue.

34. Enjoyably different to the usual Saturday prize puzzle, steady progress held up by 15d and 26a.
    Favourite the silly 1d and didn’t spot the pangram !
    3* / 4*
    Thanks to setter and CS

35. I enjoyed that – slightly trickier that usual for a Saturday, but a nice change of pace. Favourite was 25a by a long way.

    Thanks to the setter and CS.

36. An absolute delight, best crossword of the year, for me anyway. And a pangram to boot! Like others, 25a made me chuckle.
    Thanks to the setter and Cryptic Sue

37. Jolly good!
    Mrs H immediately got 25A…said with a flourish!😆
    Thanks to the setter for the challenge and to Cryptic Sue for the blog ‘n hints 👍
    Cheers!

38. New to The Cryptic, so bear with me! Thanks to this website and all the comments – very glad I found it.
    Can someone explain ‘the pangram’ to me as I still can’t spot it – it’s not every clue starting with a different letter, and it’s not one of the clues, or one of the answers ….. ??
    Thanks in advance.

    1. Welcome to the blog
       Now you’ve found us, I hope you’ll keep commenting on the crosswords

    2. A pangram is a crossword with all 26 letters of the alphabet present. Some setters like to use them a lot and today’s setter is one. We have another setter who likes to set partial pangrams (proXimal sometimes sets a crossword that uses all except the X)
       Don’t worry about the naughty step too much it only comes into play on prize puzzles and all questions are valid. We hope to hear more from you soon

39. Please ignore my post above! I’ve just read the rules, and then the FAQ’s !!!
    Promise I’ll do better!

40. Recent events had taken me out of the game for the weekend, I regret to say, but eventually I had enough time to enjoy this nice puzzle, presumably by Cephas. I agree with TDS65 for the podium places.

    Thanks setter and CS.

41. V straightforward. Favorite 4d

42. 2*/4* …
    liked 12A “Seafood that could make you collapse (8)”

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