DT 31028

80 comments on “DT 31028”

1. Excellent entertainment. I think about 5 anagrams and two lurker type clues helped to a relatively solve.27a was amusing 14a nicely cryptic and my favourite was10d. Thanks to our hunter and setter.

2. Good morning. The first seven across clues went in, in a flash. 27a made me laugh. After that it was a case of filing in the blanks except for the SE corner which required some effort. Nevertheless , it was a very fast and rewarding solve. 20d is my COTD. Thank you for the review and to the setter.

3. Pun= “We Are The World”?

   1. Changing from your full name to first name only sent you into moderation.

      I think you are correct, but what did you think of the crossword?

      1. Really enjoyed the workout! Struggled with 14a so had to wait to read the hint – so easy when you have the answer in front of you 😄

         1. That was my last one in and possibly my favourite. Very clever, wearing jackets indeed!

4. Really good fun today. The quickie is we are the world (methinks)

5. A step up in difficulty compared with the last two days I thought, as I got slightly held up by one or two subtleties in NE. 
   This, for me, added to the enjoyment.
   My top three therefore are 14a, 7d and 10d.
   Thanks to our setter and Senf.

6. A most enjoyable puzzle I thought, with the four excellent long clues around the edges providing a firm basis for completion. 14a was my favourite today. I’ve never spelt 20d like that, despite using the phrase many times in my working life when yet another thing had not gone entirely according to plan, but I see both versions are fine. Thanks very much to the setter and to Senf.

7. I don’t know if it’s because I’m feeling under the weather today with a cold or maybe I’m just dense but I found this very far from easy. It felt more like Friday than Wednesday. My COTD was 27a as, while most of tge clues were clever, the misdirection in this one was outstanding. 1a was a clever cryptic definition, the missing letter ue at 20d was craftily constructed aand the replacement letter clue at 25a had a cracking surface read. I could go on And I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. Thanks to Mr compiler and to Senf for the hints

   1. Here here so glad we ve found someone else who thought this was tricky we had to resort to Big Dave very early on !!

8. All went in in no time at all but fun while it’s lasted. 1a was my favourite. Thanks Tom the setter and Senf for the hints which I shall now read

9. 2*/3.5*. This was good fun, and I need look no further than 10d for my choice of favourite.

   Many thanks to the setter and to Senf.

10. For me, and I stress for me (© Senf), this was great fun. Because I’m an eejit, 21d was my last one in. Retrospectively, probably the easiest glue on the grid.
    As I am constantly trying to lose weight, 6d are familiar companions to me. Generally, they taste like congealed sawdust. Since returing from California, I have been ‘enjoying’ vegan protein shakes for luncheon, following gruel and orange juice with no bits for breakfast. My life is like that of an anchorite. I am but a short step from wearing sackcloth and ashes.

    Thanks to the setter and The Man From Manitoba sans The Red Scarf

11. I found this to be a straightforward puzzle with little humour. I think the hint to 4D is incorrect, it should point to a synonym of lid, ”top”, is the synonym which is required to solve the clue.

12. A straightforward solve and rattled through in, for me, a very respectable time. Got a little stuck in the SE corner. I enjoyed the ear hole at 9a and the reference to the two musicians at 27a but for me the COTD was the reference to those ‘cads’ at 10d.
    As always, thank you to the setter and to Senf for the hints.

13. Many thanks to the setter for a very enjoyable puzzle. My last one in 9a took a fair while to spot!

14. Great fun and relatively straightforward. Cotd for me is 25a. Thanks to compiler and Senf

15. A quick hello and goodbye from me as we are driving up to the Cairngorns for a weekend wedding. This was thoroughly enjoyable and very pleasant to solve, with 10d my top pick.

    Many thanks to our midweek setter and Senf.

16. Top-class entertainment – thanks to our setter and Senf.
    Ticks from me for 9a, 14a, 10d and 20d.

17. I think I agree with Chriscross , this was not easy although I rattled through the bottom half .4,9,and 14 still not to my liking even with the hints .9a was a really stretch for me and I only put it in at the end . 25 and 27 favourites although could make a case for 10 . Thanks to all .

18. For me this was highly entertaining with just the right amount of head scratching. My favourite was 10d with 14a a close second.

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

19. This was a lovely midweek treat that I’m guessing is the work of ‘The Hud’.

    Apologies if I’ve said this before but I spotted an apt anagram with the poet and his initial: W W One.

    I like the red herring of Louis in 27a which, I only found out about 10 years ago, is pronounced with the s.

    That goes on the podium along with, two of the other longies: 1a and 10d.

    MT to the aforementioned and Senfingtons.

    2*/4*

    1. Wow, top fact on Satchmo’s pronunciation — radio DJs (at least in the UK) have been saying it wrongly all these years! Thank you,

       I completely missed the misdirection in that clue: the first Armstrong I thought of was Neil, so I ended up parsing it as needed for the answer straight away; though it was then a few more laps round the grid before I had enough crossing letters to prod me into remembering a song with that name exists. (I only know the Ella Fitzgerald version and was unaware Sinatra had also sung it.) It only occurred to me to look for the cryptic meaning, and a different Armstrong, when I saw ChrisCross above praising it!

       1. Hi S

          I found out when the tennis commentators pronounced one of the showcourts at the US Open the Louisssss Armstrong stadium.

          Most of the DJs are up to speed with it but a few senior pros are sticking to their guns.

          Simon Mayo is virtually the last man standing with Dionne’s surname, i.e refusing to say Warwhick which he wouldn’t get away with at the Beeb if he was still there.

20. This was a very enjoyable solve and, for me at least, gentler than the previous two back-pagers this week.
    I do have a couple of minor gripes – not all of the items in 14a require protective jackets (hard to explain without going to the naughty step – but, paradoxically the softer ones don’t usually have protective jackets whereas the harder ones do!). Secondly I don’t think the order of the lego in 2d is clearly spelled out in the clue (although it was immediately obvious what the answer is).
    I was also going to complain in the strongest possible terms (possibly encourage Terence to compose one of his stiffly worded rebukes to all and sundry) about the use of “supply” as an anagram indicator in 15d, but I see that Senf has ruled on this issue so I shall resort to fuming silently.
    Many thanks to the setter for an entertaining brain exercise, and to Senf for his excellent hints.

    1. In 15d, don’t overlook the fact that as an anagram indicator, “supply” is used in the sense of “in a supple manner” — therefore able to assume a new configuration.

       1. Ahhhh!
          Thanks Falcon! I’ll stop fuming now – and go and stand in the corner instead….

21. Such fun! I was led somewhat astray by entering electory, it was used in the 1600s so Google told me. So I had to ask my Hero In The Red Scarf for a hint and immediately 14a became my absolute favourite. Second and third would be 10d and 25a. I cannot remember the last time I saw a 2d, possibly in a local parade of steam vehicles. And when did you last see a policeman on the street? Don’t answer. Thanks to both Setter and Hinter extraordinaire.

22. For a Wednesday puzzle, I found this to be a pleasant surprise. Went in pretty smoothly for the most part.

    2*/4*

    Favourites 1a, 11a, 14a, 27a, 7d & 16d — with winner 11a
    Smiles for 1a, 14a, 19a & 27

    Thanks to setter & Senf

23. Virtually a cakewalk in the South but more use of a thinking cap in the other half. Have never heard of 11a on its own to refer to a drink. 7d and 10d were unparsed by me but bunged in nevertheless. Fav 14a. Altogether a fun solve. Thank you Mysteryone and Senf.

24. Loved 27a and quite like the song as well. Had relatively few issues putting the letters in the boxes. But am not sure about the cluing of 2d: ‘with’ here must mean ‘following’ but I haven’t seen that before. Doesn’t it usually mean ‘beside’, keeping the same order as the word play? Thanks to Senf and setter

25. Solved from the bottom up in a marginally longer time than the first two puzzles of the week & very enjoyable it was too. ✅s all over the shop – 1,9,14,25&27a + 6,10&20d particular likes. Podium spots go to 3 of the 4 peripherals. 1a brought back boarding school memories of a cane on the palm of the hand such as was meted out to the smokers in Ken Loach’s wonderful film
    Thanks to the setter (Hudson my guess too & if not Twm) & to Senf.

26. Really enjoyable – 14a my COTD, though the penny took a long time to drop.
    Many thanks to setter and Senf

27. Found this puzzle most enjoyable and relatively straightforward, so it’s **/***** for me. Might have even been * if I had been able to solve 14a, which, as several of you have mentioned, proved elusive. However it went to the top of the podium once I read the hints – loved it! Many thanks to Senf for the very useful hints and to the setter for an excellent mental workout.

28. I found this quite easy, with only a couple of head-scratching moments (probably eczema).
    It felt strangely like it was filling in the grid by itself, and I was only there to supervise the pen strokes after minimal thinking. Odd sensation!
    I liked 14a.

29. A little step up in difficulty today but flowed smoothly.
    11a, 14a and 7d favourites today.
    Thanks to setter and Senf
    2*/4*

30. I think Hudson is a good shout for the setter of this fun puzzle. Top clues for me were 9,14&27a plus 20&22d – gold star probably going to 20d.

    Many thanks to our setter and to Senf for the review.
    PS Quickie pun is definitely ‘We Are the World’.

31. Thanks to the Setter and Senf for the hints. Relatively easy except for a couple of clues. Still can’t understand 14a. COTD 27a as that went straight in!

    1. Their pages have protective covers

32. This was one of those puzzles where I didn’t think I was doing very well, and then suddenly I found I only had a few empty squares to fill. Haven’t seen a 11a since we flew across the pond in 1982, and cannot fathom reasoning for 9a. Had to eat 6d on doctor’s orders last year and never touched them since. Favorites were 25a and 22d. Thanks to setter and Senf for the very helpful and necessary hints.

33. This was quite challenging, but definitely worth it! Thank you to the setter for the fun, especially the 9a ear-hold, the 25a game (nice for it not to be Rugby Union for a change!), and 3d’s lack of availability after lunchtime. My favourite, like that of so many others above, is the many bounding in to 10d.

    And thank you to Senf for explaining 24a.

34. Hi all. Just found this site today and saw that it gave ‘hints and tips’ but as I read through the hints and tips I found it actually gave the answers. Is this normal for the site? I ruined today’s puzzle for me – I need the odd hint, not the answer. These are the ones I mean.

    Milk float
    Wilfred Owen
    Ballerina
    Fly me to the moon
    Sundial
    Rabbit warren
    Albert

    1. First of all, not necessarily your first visit as I found two comments from a while ago using the same e-mail and the alias of ‘Oblo’ – was that you?

       Secondly, for the weekday ‘back pagers’ and Toughies, the answers are provided under the ‘Click Here’ feature. I cannot see any answer without ‘clicking here’. Were some answers visible to you without ‘clicking here’? No-one else has reported a problem in the Comments.

       As it says in the preamble – The answers are hidden under the ‘Click here’ buttons, so don’t click if you don’t want to see them.

35. It sounds like it could have been me, but it must have been a long long time ago – I don’t remember it. This is what I saw today, without clicking anything

    

36. It would only upload one photo, but what I see without clicking anything are the words ‘fly me to the moon’ on a YouTube link, and pictures of a milk float, ballerina, sundial, rabbit warren and Prince Albert. The pictures are the answers just as much as if the who were printed . Answer: ballerina, picture of a ballerina for example.

    1. Photographs/illustrations/YouTube videos are added to the hints at the discretion of the blogger of the day, even for Weekend Prize Puzzles. This has been a feature of the blog for many years and it will probably continue.

    2. Ah, you mean the illustrations. Sometimes those give away the answers, but also sometimes they don’t: the blogger may have chosen to illustrate the clue with an aspect of the wordplay or something related tangentially.

       So just because when scrolling past for a hint on one clue you happen to see a picture of some rhubarb, it doesn’t necessarily mean that ‘rhubarb’ is one of today’s answers. It may, but it also may not be — meaning that you can’t be sure either way and you still have to solve the clue (or reveal the answer) to find out.

       PS: Well done for knowing what Wilfred Owen looks like! I know some of his poetry, but even seeing that photo wouldn’t’ve helped me!

       1. Thanks Smylers. The examples I gave were pretty unambiguous those – pictured of a ballerina, a sundial etc people may not know what Wilfred Owen looks like ( he’s one of my favourite 20th century poets so I did) but everyone knows what a ballerina, sundial and rabbit warren look like. Any, I’ve made my point and you seem a happy little group having fun and I don’t want to stir anything up so I’ll exit stage left!

          1. I appreciate that those pictures you mention today are the answers, but the point is that as a reader even if you glance at a picture, you can’t be sure that it is giving you the answer, because sometimes it isn’t!

             For instance, on Monday I used a picture of a garden gnome to illustrate a clue which mentioned “something sold in garden centre”; the answer was indeed something that is sold in garden centres, but it wasn’t a gnome. There were other clues where the illustrated object was the answer — if you happened to recognize a particular shape of metal or an old ‘Beano’ character. But the fact that it might not be means that you can’t, on seeing a ballerina know that the answer will definitely be ‘ballerina’.

             You might have been a bit unlucky today; it varies in each hints how many illustrations are used and how helpful they are.

             1. Hi S

                I don’t think DG is a bit unlucky with yesterday’s blog.

                I’d say a vast majority of the pics are the answer. You are one of the exceptions.

    3. I notice you haven’t published my further post – apart from the photos I pointed out you’d actually given the words ‘fly me to the moon’ on the YouTube link. Why did you not publish my further post ? I didn’t mean criticise you, just to point out you’re giving out the answers – something I’m sure other members in your group find annoying.

       1. As far as I can tell, everything you have submitted today has been published and there is nothing in moderation awaiting approval so I do not understand this most recent comment. (Song titles on YouTube links are ‘created’ by YouTube.)

          As John Lydgate wrote, approximately 600 years ago:

          “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”

          1. That’s plain daft, sorry! You’re blaming YouTube for giving the answer. You didn’t have to post it did you? Anyway I don’t want to get into some lengthy debate, particularly one where common sense takes a back seat so I’ll get out of your hair!

             1. In case there’s any doubt, this is what I see above – the answer!

                

                1. Hi DG

                   You do make a fair point. What I think has irked people is that you haven’t contributed to the blog over the years and you pile in out of the blue.

                   If I were you, I would have submitted a few posts and slipped it in as opposed to the sledgehammer approach.

                   You seem like a witty guy who writes well. So, you could add a lot to the blog.

                   Shall we forget today has happened and start again?

                   To use a golfing term, let’s call it a Mulligan.

                   1. Hi Tom……

                      I have no recollection of visiting the site before so posts before today weren’t possible though I accept the point that I must have visited and commented in the past , it would have been many years ago. Two comments I believe senf said. I made the comments today purely in an attempt to establish whether it was purely hints given or answers. Today’s puzzle had 6 or 7 answers given, one actually in words and the others by pictures that would have given a young child the answer! The group isn’t for me I’m afraid because of that. Best wishes.

                      1. That’s a great shame.

                         I was basically agreeing with your point. It’s very clear that the pictures give it away.

                         I would have said…

                         ‘Would it be possible to make some of the pictures a bit less obvious?’

                         People are very proud of this blog as they should be.

                         The setters are gods and goddesses and the bloggers are demigods and demigoddesses as they put in countless hours to make all this happen.

                         They are understandably protective of it and their work.

                         Your posts didn’t take that into consideration.

                         As always in life, both parties should put up their respective hands which I have done on behalf of the blog (though I have no right to and could well be on my own here). You should have done the same, even if was it just a smidgen (to keep RD happy)

                         If you leave this blog, it’s your loss as it’s the absolute biz.

                         Swallow your pride, Deej, and come back.

                         1. Tom, if my first post had asked
                            for changes in the way h to e group works I quite rightly would have been guilty of wrongdoing, how arrogant that would be! I was just trying to establish the norm which seems OK to me. Like I said elsewhere, you seem a nice bunch of people having fun, but I don’t want to be given the answers, unless I click of course. I can’t be alone in that surely. As it happens today I’d already completed over half of the puzzle and was looking for a hint on one not affected my ‘gripe’ , in the course of looking for to d hint I saw the answers to clues I hadn’t got to yet.

                            1. I couldn’t have put it better, myself!

                               You never know, were you to revisit the block, there may be fewer piccies that give it away thanks to your point, well-made.

                               For me and hopefully for you, the last 24 hours is HIJKLMNO under the bridge,

          2. In case here’s any doubt, this is what I see above – the answer!

       2. I think most people are happy with the format that Smylers and others use, I certainly am

37. Nice to read some comments from afternoon solvers. I am often surprised at the early times logged and wonder if the crossword is some setters first daily tasks. For the record I have just finished at17.05

    1. Welcome to the blog. Yes, there are plenty of solvers for whom the puzzle is the first task of the day.

       What did you think of the puzzle?

    2. Good evening. I like to get my crosswords done early, with a coffee. DT Cryptic, Toughie and the Irish Times Crosaire! All going well, I can start my day proper at 0730 CET, greetings from Zurich!

    3. Welcome. Bill. Like Conor I prefer to solve in the morning over coffee. However, it doesn’t really matter what time you post – even the next day – it will always be read.

       Please do comment again. 👍

    4. Hi, Bill. I sometimes solve the cryptic at lunchtime, but if not then it’s quite often after the children are in bed before I have chance to do it. Or maybe early evening while hanging round a church hall while one of them is in a dance class. Comments are welcome at any time — even the following day!

       1. Dare I say that I think most of the early contributors are men? Not that I am inferring anything by that comment – just an idle observation. I think I’d better shut up now or there will be an explosion and I should hate to stir up another ants nest🤭Perhaps as it is so late I’ll get away with it!

38. Late on parade today because the papers didn’t arrive at the village shop. The van had broken down so I tackled this in the afternoon. For once, I stopped making a fool of myself by thinking things out rather than bunging in what I believed the answer to be. Hence, I did not put “Scrabble” in at 25a. Nice misdirection at 27a – how many others followed Louis for a while? Lots to like making for a very enjoyable solve with the cold ear-hole at 9a being my COTD.

    Thank you, setter for a satisfying solve. Thank you, Colonel for the hints and I’m pleased o hear the red scarf remains in the drawer.

39. 27A my favourite in a most enjoyable puzzle. VMT Setter & Senf

40. I liked this too. Am feeling sorry for Terence as I normally do the crossie with a glass of wine and bowl of crisps. I do eat chia seeds, yoghurt and prunes at brekkie though. I’m going to check a few for parsing (autocorrect reckons parsnips).
    I wish you could “like” comments and refer to other posters so they could see (as on social media) and have coders in the family who could probably do that. But I fear Terence would not approve. Ta as always

    Ta as above

41. I’m in the difficult in places camp and 9a was a minor hmm, still, about right for a Wednesday. I can’t believe how long it took me to get 27a. 🤦 I agree that 20d would not be the spelling I would use but what do I know? Favourite was 27a. Thanks to the setter and Senf.

42. Hi, setter here.
    For those querying 2d, ‘with’ is one of those equivocal terms like ‘and’ or ‘accompanying’ or ‘next to’ where the two components can appear in either order, as opposed to ‘on’, ‘before’, ‘under’ and so on.
    Thanks to all solvers and commenters, and to Senf for the blog.

    1. Thanks for popping in and thanks a fun puzzle.

    2. Thanks for clearing ‘with’ up, Twmbarlwm. And thanks for a great puzzle.

43. 2*/ 3.5* a definite step up from the last two days, as it should be be. Favourites include bounding to 10d, EV at 11a and the excellent ear hole at 9a.
    Thanks to setter and Senf

44. Good evening

    Far be it from me to disagree with the esteemed Senf, but today’s crozzie was definitely a threeser!

    I thought that the clueing today was excellent. Lots of wrong turnings and misdirection; some anagrams that defied immediate identification and no fewer than four contenders for COTD: 14a, 16d (my last to fall), 20d, and my winner, 24a.

    Many thanks to Twmbarlwm and to Senf.

45. 2*/5* …
    liked 14A “Group examining works wearing protective jackets (4,4)”

    1. Yes indeed, that was rather special!

       1. 🙂

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