65 comments on “DT 31044”

1. A Monday puzzle as they used to be, fairly straightforward but with just the right number of puzzlers to keep the brain ticking. A couple of old friends visited at 13a and 2d. I’m not sure about 7a because I have never associated the answer with fooling. It could be something to do with football I suppose. Lots to like today and a great start to the week with my COTD being Beyoncé and her son at 24a.

   Thank you, setter for the fun. Thank you, Falcon for the hints.

   1. … “he took a dive” .. to hoodwink the ref into awarding a free kick… aka .. cheating!
      Nice gentle grid today a good start to the week.
      Normal service resumed too .. back to the “dead tree” version which I much much prefer after using the App whilst away on holiday.

2. Good morning. Nice and easy to start the week; just what I needed after struggling with both of yesterday‘s offerings. Nothing in particular stands out today so no podium. Liked the pun in the Quick X Word. Many thanks for the review and to the setter.

3. A friendly grid, no obscure words, and wordplay I could get — that felt as simple as they come.

   Thank you to the setter, especially for 23a (Beyoncé) and 19d (sister taking over), and to Falcon — especially for all that netball research! While netball is more commonly played by girls, both boys and girls did play it at my school.

4. A nice start to the week with nothing to trouble the nags.

   The four 11 letter clues kicked things off nicely with three of them being straightforward anagrams.

   The American way of saying 7a is seeping its way into the British vernacular which, to quote the legend that is Droopy, makes me mad.

   My podium is 23a, 17d and 18d.

   MT to the setter and Falcs.

   Congrats on your crystal anniversary, BTW. Your work over the years is hugely appreciated.

   1*/3*

5. A pleasant stroll through crossword land today with lots of grins and wry smiles. A return to how Monday’s used to be.

   No particular favourites today, I just enjoyed it all.

   Thanks to the setter and Falcon.

6. I enjoyed this a lot but took a while to get on the setter’s wavelength. 2d seems to have become the new Serengeti cropping up a few times recently. My heart sank when I turned on the computer to be told my ethernet was unplugged so no internet connection. Its only me that uses the computer and I hadn’t changed anything. There are wires and bits and pieces everywhere as its very old so went into panic mode. There is a God because suddenly it burst into life, I had plugged something in somewhere that worked Didn’t do my blood pressure much good. Anyway thanks to setter and Falcon. Thanks Falcon for reinstating my deleted comment last week – I have now worked out why that happened, so apologies.

7. Completed and for me in a record time and with no requirement for either hints or other references. Compared to Falcon I would class that as a 1* or was I just in the grove today? It is interesting how our individual perceptions of difficulty are very different.
   No particular standouts today but I suppose the Beyoncé clue at 24a and 18d would be tops for me today.
   Thank you to the setter and to Falcon for the hints.

8. This was a straightforward but enjoyable guzzle. I ‘m familiar with the the term at 7a, which alternates with, “‘Hes looking for an Oscar”, when my husband and son watch football. Apart from 7a, I liked the clever wording of 13a and the Lego clue with a geographical twist at 9d. Thanks to tthe compiler and to Falcon for the hints.

9. Thanks to the setter who is absolutely on my wavelength and to Falcon for many years Parsing clues that I didn’t understand.

10. This was, for me, a very straightforward solve with absolutely no delays in completing it. I hesitate to use the word ‘doddle’ but it was something of a cakewalk. As is my way after a swift solve, I reread the clues to appreciate fully the setter’s art. I picked 18d as a particular favourite.

    Many thanks to our Monday setter, and thanks and congratulations to Falcon for all his hard work.

11. As gentle a start to the week as they come, with my COTD most definitely being the sister taking over at 18d.
    I’m with Conor regarding the quickie pun, The Cat would be tickled pink, so too his Dawnie.
    Thanks to our setter and Falcon: fifteen years at the blogging coalface is more than impressive.

12. A gentle puzzle today.

    Top picks for me were 9d, 13a and 18d.

    Thanks to Falcon and congratulations on your anniversary and to the setter.

13. Breezed through this one, perhaps helped by sitting in the calm and quiet part of the public library. More like this, please, from whomever set this great guzzle, allowing me to start my week with a big self-satisfied smile on my face 😀

14. That would have been a nice straightforward start to the week, were it not for me being stupid with regards to 8a resulting in a complete horlics temporarily for the NE. All sorted out when sanity restored. 9d raised a smile but cotd has to be 224a. Thanks to compiler and Falcon.

15. Thanks to the setter for today’s puzzle and to Falcon for the review (and well done on reaching his 15 year milestone).
    My favourite clue is 18d.

    If you’re looking for something a bit more stimulating Osmanthus has provided a very entertaining puzzle in the Rookie Corner slot.

16. A swift solve today with several old favourites to light the way. No standout favourite but I did rather like 22a&18d.
    Thanks to our setter and to Falcon for the review and the clip of The Police when Sting had rather more hair! Many thanks for your years of service to the blog, it’s much appreciated.

17. Finished this with my personal best time in over 30 years of doing the DT cryptic, must just have hit the setter’s wavelength! Thanks…..

    1. Welcome to the blog, Robert.
       Now that you’ve introduced yourself I hope that you’ll become a regular commenter.

       1. Thanks Gazza, nice to be back. A few years ago I used to comment regularly for a while but I got sent to the naughty step quite a few times so thought it best to have a rest. Hopefully I will have learned my lesson!

    2. Welcome, RH and I echo Gazza’s comments – please do keep on commenting. As for the naughty step most of us have been there so don’t let it worry you. 😊

18. 0.5*/3*. A very light Monday treat with 18d my favourite.

    I don’t understand the definition for 13a. Surely a traveller is a person not a thing. The BRB seems to agree with me.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Falcon, with many congratulations on your long service award.

    1. They talk about comets being travellers through space (and voyager )

19. An enjoyable, albeit pretty gentle, offering to kick off the new week. Top two for me were 9&18d.
    Many thanks to the setter & to Falcon.
    Ps Hearty congratulations to our Ryder Cup boys on their magnificent triumph. My confident prediction of continued dominance in the singles proved hopelessly ill-founded & I even feared at one stage last night that we may get beaten. Here’s hoping that the crowds at Adare Manor show the Americans how to conduct themselves properly as their appalling behaviour marred what is otherwise in my view the greatest sporting event.

    1. sorry forgot to congratulate & thank Falcon on his 15yr stint on the blog – hugely appreciated

    2. The boys did us proud, particularly given the reception they received from some of the American ‘supporters’. It’s very sad when law enforcement officers have to be brought in to control the behaviour of supposed followers of the game and does nothing for the reputation of their nation as a whole.

    3. Let me apologize for the crowd’s behavior. Most Americans are appalled at that kind of thing!

20. Nice gentle start to the week, thank you

21. 1* / 3* an enjoyable and gentle start to the week, a throwback to the old days.
    Favourites include 25a children, little frog at 2d and the simple but effective scarf at 21d. Also nice to see the spinner in the quickie pun.

    Thanks to Falcon and setter

22. Started late morning and to my astonishment I completed very quickly even with a lunch break. Unfortunately, I then discovered I had missed the anagram in 23a: I thought the answer was “eductions”, even though I appreciated it didn’t quite parse. Also, needed the hints afterwards to properly parse 3d. COTD 18d for its subtlety. Thanks to setter and special thanks to Falcon for his efforts and commitment. */***

23. Congratulations, Senf – do you get a long service medal? I think we guzzlers should get together and have some made. Nice Monday fare, I didn’t mark out a favourite but rather liked Ant & Dec’s children. Many thanks to the Gentle Setter and the Venerable Hinter. When my neighbours moved in they had a child of about 8 and a nanny. The builders spent a long time digging out a huge rectangle in the front garden. Are they going to have a pond I asked? No, it is a built in trampoline. It was used sporadically over the years when children visited or the parents had a party and all the adults were falling around on it. Or should I say fooling around.The daughter is at university and it has not been used for ages. If ever I begin to sleepwalk I am sure you will find me jumping on it! “Old lady goes bouncing!” in the local paper.

24. Give this 1* for difficulty with many old favourites popping up. Best clue for me was 18 d. Last one in was 22 a. But that might be just the route round the grid. 9 down was fun . Thanks to Falcon and our setter who was perhaps told to tone it down a bit as it is a Monday.

25. A nice start to the non-work week with this Monday puzzle. Went in basically top to bottom almost clue by clue.

    1.5*/4.5* for me

    Favourites 1a, 8a, 11a, 19a, 23a, 9d & 18d — with winner 9d
    Smiles and laughs for 18a, 20d & 21d

    Thanks to setter & Falcon

26. Wow, completed in record time with no help and just one clarification ! I couldn’t possibly give it more than a * for difficulty and it was very enjoyable, with no groans. I liked 24a and also 20d. Thanks to all concerned.

27. I always promised that when I finished a puzzle unaided I would de-lurk. So here I am today after 7 years !! Thank you to the hinters and everyone who comments for teaching me so much.

    1. Welcome to the blog

    2. Welcome, MM and, now you have delurked, please comment again. Congratulations on finishing unaided.

    3. Well done!

    4. Well done and welcome, keep commenting.

    5. Congratulations, Mary.

28. Thanks to the Setter and Falcon (for the hints). Very easy puzzle which we finished very quickly with no hold ups. COTD 13a LOI 16a.

29. **/**** from me today, with clues falling into place relatively quickly. Favourites were 1a (got me off to a good start!), 23a, 3d and 15d. Thank you Falcon for your dedication in providing the very useful hints over the years – much appreciated. Thank you also to the setter.

30. I am glad that I piqued your interest Falcon. As Smylers mentioned netball is also played by mixed teams and it seems male only teams in some areas of the world. I went to an all girls school so no fraternising with the opposite sex on any level let alone on the netball court ! I am glad also to hear that there have been references in the puzzles. When I spot one myself I will be beside myself …. Lovely gentle and enjoyable start to the week. Thanks to the setter and Falcon – and well done for the 15 years. We all appreciate what you blog writers and setters do.

    1. Homework for tomorrow now – been busy today , to see if I can solve all the netball clues. I’m staggered there’s so many ! Thanks for the research Falcon.

    2. So cheated on both the toughies , googling the answers! Lots of fun thank you. Netball doesn’t really work in the same way as say golf and cricket does with their positions, famous grounds, players, and play nuances etc. I have learnt a lot from doing the puzzles , and now am savvy when I see words such as driver, opener, over, put etc.

       1. Glad you enjoyed the netball clues and references.

31. Perhaps my fastest ever solve. In fact it took longer to print this morning as the DT site was constantly refreshing and refusing to acknowledge clicks. It also kept trying to sell me puzzles access at £1 for 12-months as if I wasn’t logged in but then it showed that I was logged in. I had to switch from Safari to Chrome to get anything to work. Seems back to normal now though.

    Belated congratulations and thanks to Falcon on your anniversary.

    I’ve always wanted to do a controlled test where some readers solve in the traditional grid, whilst another group solve each clue individually and hence don’t get any checkers. I try to keep a mental note of how many I solve without checkers, which gets difficult as checkers go in and one can’t not see them. However, I think today’s ‘build out’ part of my solving approach only left 3 or 4 clues that needed returning to with (more) checkers.

    Still an enjoyable solve so thanks again to Falcon and to the setter, who’s identity I cannot guess.

32. Firstly congratulations to Senf on 15 years of helping us solve these puzzles. Even twice a week now, what a man!

    Took a bit of work to finish today, not so much on the solving side, but a harder time parsing in many instances. Bunged in 7a without understand the football background of course. Always hated 23a in school, but loved accounting classes. Thanks to setter and Senf. Now off to our appointments for our Covid shots, and lucky to get them. One benefit of being old.

33. A very enjoyable and gentle start to the week, lots to like and no stand out favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Falcon for the hints, many congratulations on your anniversary.

34. Old school Monday walk in the park. Thanks to Falcon and the setter. And also to Senf who seems to be receiving plaudits for not doing anything today 🤣

35. I haven’t commented for a long time although I read the blog every day. As they say, practice makes perfect. Today’s puzzle had a good mix of clue types and old favourites and was right up my street. I’m pleased to see a gentler puzzle to start the week.

36. Fun puzzle, with 18D my favourite. VMT to Setter, and many congratulations to Falcon – I trust a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is heading to Canada right now.

    1. Finished this in record time. I played cricket for far too many years but never heard of ‘o’ being generally short for over! I suppose under the analysis- but not a general term or abbreviation.

37. A brand new pb today timewise and I enjoyed it too! Happy days

38. I’m line with most, as straightforward as they come, not that I’m complaining a I’ve been bleating on about Mondays being the most difficult of the week so this was a pleasant change. Long may it continue. I didn’t see a problem with 13a, I was thinking anything, particularly in space could be described as a traveller. Planets, meteors or things passing through the solar system spring to mind. Favourite was 18d as I usually struggle with this type of clue but not this time. Thanks to the setter and Falcon.

39. Finished this in record time. I played cricket for far too many years but never heard of ‘o’ being generally short for over! I suppose under the analysis- but not a general term or abbreviation.

    1. Hi Peter

       Being a cricketer, I can’t believe this one past me by.

       I don’t recall ever seeing it in on a scoreboard or scorebook.

       If it does exist, it must be a modern jobbie.

       1. As Falcon says in the hints, it’s specific to cricket scorecards: a bowler’s figures are typical represented as O-M-R-W, for overs bowled, maiden overs bowled, runs conceded, and wickets taken.

          Admittedly that’s generally O for ‘overs’ plural. But sometimes a bowler bowls a single over, so I guess that’s allowed too? The OED defines it as “Cricket: (On scorecards) over(s).”, which covers singular and plural; presumably The BRB has something similar.

          1. Hmm, interesting.

             As you say, the O in that case, represents Overs not Over as it’s a column heading.

             That doesn’t work for me.

             Maybe you’ve got another example as I’m sure the setter has done their homework?

             1. To find where the setter likely did their homework, look no further than your favourite reference source, the BRB: O or O. abbrev over(s) (cricket)

                1. Thanks F.

                   I was glad to see Smylers referencing a proper dictionary (the other one can shove it).

                   I’m trying to think where I’ve seen O in a scorebook or on a scoreboard and I can’t recall it.

                   I’ve just had a look at a couple of scorebooks and scoreboards online, including the classic detailed one in Australia, and there’s no sign.

                   I think having O in a book or on a board would be confusing as people may think it means 0 (zero). I think they would sneak in a lower case v.

                   I’m sure The OED is correct but I’d love to see an example.

                   1. https://www.google.com/search?q=what+does+o+mean+in+cricket+scoring&sca_esv=6a46622504ef503e&rlz=1C1VDKB_en-GBGB938GB938&biw=1517&bih=665&sxsrf=AE3TifMLiNdkAUNlw9UaQjgFWidRuM2OOA%3A1759245102127&ei=LvPbaKTEB7yyhbIPupe8sQI&oq=what+does+o+mean+in+cricket+scoring&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiI3doYXQgZG9lcyBvIG1lYW4gaW4gY3JpY2tldCBzY29yaW5nKgIIADIEECMYJzIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAAGIAEGKIEMggQABiABBiiBDIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAAGIAEGKIESNAqUKgHWMAPcAF4AZABAJgBhwGgAeEBqgEDMS4xuAEByAEA-AEBmAIDoAL6AcICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAgYQABgHGB7CAgsQABiABBiGAxiKBZgDAIgGAZAGCJIHAzIuMaAHxw2yBwMxLjG4B_ABwgcDMi0zyAcT&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

                      1. Thanks J.

                         It exists but, as far as I can see, it’s never used and that is my point, really.

                         I think crosswords should use abbreviations that are seen in everyday life, giving us a chance of getting the answer.

                         When I see one example, just one, I will happily accept it and move on.

                         It can’t be a column heading though as that is short for overs not over.

40. Thank you for all the congratulatory comments today which I have just seen as I spent the day closing up my trailer (caravan) for the winter, packing and driving back to the city. Despite its name, the trailer is not mobile and is firmly and permanently installed on a lot beside a beautiful lake.

41. 1*/4* ….
    liked 9D “You might jump on these public transport routes around Italian river (11)”

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