Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31310
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the midweek back-pager blog. I found today’s crossword fairly challenging for a Wednesday. A reasonable amount of general knowledge is needed: there are several artistic and literary references, and some familiarity with Indian nobility is useful. My favourite clues today are the Spoonerism in 1d and the hapless prince in 26a. Many thanks to our setter.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and indicator words (e.g. anagram indicators) are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons.
Across Clues
1a Church worker wanting a bob or two? (13)
CAMPANOLOGIST: A cryptic definition. ‘Bob‘ here refers to a method of performing a kind of music often associated with church towers.
9a Share veg grown here? (9)
ALLOTMENT: A double definition.
10a A smallish dog, my Joe (5)
CORGI: An interjection similar to “My!”, i.e. expressing surprise, and the two letters that can precede ‘Joe’ in a nickname for a US soldier.
11a American shopping centre withdraws wool supplier (5)
LLAMA: The single-letter abbreviation for ‘American’ and a term for a shopping centre are reversed (withdraws).
12a Open return trip taken by Indian VIP (4)
AJAR: A term for an Indian ruler or noble is reversed (return trip taken).
13a Where to find Scottish believers in Starfleet commander? (4)
KIRK: A double definition. This Scottish name for a place of worship is also the surname of an iconic starship captain.
15a Taps into new technology disciple (7)
SCHOLAR: The symbols on the cold and hot taps in a bathroom are inserted into a source of renewable energy.
17a RAF fume terribly, getting warmer (7)
EARMUFF: An anagram (terribly) of RAF FUME.
18a Swim Mersey, bracing dip! (7)
IMMERSE: Hidden in the first two words of the clue.
20a Thin fabric put around oily cheese (7)
TAFFETA: A word that can mean ‘oily’ is reversed (put around) and followed by a type of soft Greek cheese.
21a Agreeable family settled at last (4)
KIND: A word for ‘family’ or ‘relatives’, and the final letter (at last) of ‘settled’.
22a Regularly glimpsed long green monster (4)
OGRE: Alternate letters (regularly glimpsed) of ‘long green’.
23a Songwriter starts to sing in my own nightclub (5)
SIMON: The initial letters (starts to) of the last five words in the clue.
26a Prince Andrew gutted when thrown in nick (5)
NAWAB: The outer letters (gutted) of ‘Andrew’ are inserted into (thrown in) an informal word for ‘arrest’. Perhaps the most famous holder of this title, for cricket fans anyway, was the Indian cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan, better known as the ***** of Pataudi.
27a Through which to view popular satirical magazine articles? (9)
EYEPIECES: The shortened form of the name of a popular satirical magazine, and another word for articles in a newspaper or periodical.
28a Fish swimming around fountain well behind yard (9,4)
YELLOWFIN TUNA: An anagram (swimming around) of FOUNTAIN WELL, after (behind) the single-letter abbreviation for ‘yard’.
Down clues
1d Novelist Roald’s layers discussed by Spooner (7,7)
CHARLES DICKENS: Apply the Spooner treatment to a homophone of the writer Roald’s surname, the possessive ‘s’ from the clue, and domestic fowls (layers).
2d Mum next to lake by Taormina on vacation – a lovely island (5)
MALTA: An informal word for a mother, the abbreviation for ‘lake’, and the outer letters (on vacation) of ‘Taormina’.
3d Where one might find a Constable just hanging around? (3,7)
ART GALLERY: A cryptic definition.
4d Old swan song in an alfresco setting (4-3)
OPEN AIR: The abbreviation for ‘old’, a female swan, and a word for a song or tune.
5d Fresh taco baker unwrapped – popular snack item (7)
OATCAKE: An anagram (fresh) of TACO, and the word ‘baker’ without its first and last letters (unwrapped).
6d Slowly move part of foot (4)
INCH: A double definition – nothing to do with the body part.
7d Highwayman fails to finish on time, exercising due depravity (9)
TURPITUDE: The surname of a famous eighteenth-century highwayman without its final letter (fails to finish), the abbreviation for ‘time’, and an anagram (exercising) of DUE.
8d Failing MO makes dodgy laxative (4,2,8)
MILK OF MAGNESIA: An anagram (dodgy) of FAILING MO MAKES.
14d Calling declaration (10)
PROFESSION: A double definition. (‘Calling’ here is a noun.)
16d Irritated mega-whiny writer (9)
HEMINGWAY: An anagram (irritated) of MEGA WHINY.
19d Heading north, grocer gleefully embraces old master (2,5)
EL GRECO: Hidden and reversed (heading north, in a down clue) in ‘grocer gleefully’.
20d Free hot shakes from that (7)
THEREOF: An anagram (shakes) of FREE HOT.
24d Steam a cauldron containing Chinese food here (5)
MACAU: The first three words in the clue are hiding (containing) a Chinese administrative region.
25d Murder victim left south of Lincoln (4)
ABEL: The abbreviation for ‘left’ follows (south of, in a down clue) the abbreviation of the first name of President Lincoln to give us the name of the first murder victim in history, according to the book of Genesis.
Which clues did you like best? Let us know in the comments below.
The Quick Crossword pun: SOUP + HERB + LEE = SUPERBLY
There were a few headscratchers in today’s puzzle but, otherwise, a pleasant solve. I wonder how many folk know what “bob” means in 1a and 5d is not a popular snack with me but there you go. For once my COTD is the Spoonerism at 1d, which I thought very clever.
Thank you, setter for a great mid-weeker. Thank you, Daniel Gesh for the hints.
We’ve had rain in The Marches! 🌧️
PS – a “bob” is when two bells swap positions in the ringing order to prevent repetition of the order. Got that? 😊
I knew what a bob was and I am from the north so 5d was easy. They were my first entries!
IA rang a bell with me – and then the penny dropped…..
I didn’t know the technical side of 1a Steve, I just thought of the physical movements they make.
only an hour or so away from your goodself but yesterday’s promised shower did not materialise and there’s no sign of anything today. The BBC weather app informs us that we’ll be waiting until the 18th August. I’m seriously considering inviting 20 people to a BBQ this weekend…that should do the trick.
If I come and light it for you, GP that will guarantee rain. It’s The Cowling Curse. 😊
This is known as a blue line and there is one for every method in bellringing whether it be Plain Bob, Grandsire Triples or Stedman Triples (The one in The Nine Tailors). The rules for English Change Ringing are simple. As many bells as possible should change with each other and there should be no repetition. If the bob isn’t made the bells will come back into “Rounds” ie 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, where it started from. Where the bob is marked it can be seen that bells 5 and 2 swap positions. This prevents their coming back into rounds.
I hope that’s clear. Questions will be asked later. 😊
No comment .
My Apologies to Deansleigh, who I have just seen has given an explanation of a bob in his blog.
No need for an apology, Steve. You have explained it far better than I ever could!
Sorry Steve, I couldn’t resist this addition to the “bobs”. A watering hole of my past.
The Treble Bob – Restaurant in Barlborough, Chesterfield. Not far from the church and within the sound of its bells, no doubt.
A most enjoyable puzzle quickly solved, with 1d my chuckle of the afternoon.
Strictly three bells swapping places, but no matter. I thought you would like 1a!
Your original alias (when you commented back in 2022) was Stedman II so you went into moderation
As I said to Suffolklass, two bells swap places and the second placed bell stays in position. Is that what you mean by three bells changing places? The bell in second place is not really swapping places with another or am I missing something, which is more than likely! 😊
What you’ve described is a dodge. Whilst ‘dodging’ and ‘bobbing’ are synonymous, I think a ‘bob’ is a specific call to change the coursing order (this is getting technical!). In your example where you highlighted 2&5 dodging, a bob at this point would produce the row 123564, altering the work of bells 2 3 & 5.
All this fascinating chat from a clue.
Aren’t crosswords just the best!
I agree with you but does bell two actually swap with another bell? Suffolk Lass stated that three bells changed places and my argument is that bell two stays where it is, in other words, it’s “making a place”.
Oh, what the heck! Bell ringing is great fun so let’s leave it there. 🤣🤣🤣
A great discussion that probably had the rest of the blog scratching their heads. It is the only hobby where the very expensive equipment is available for free all over the country.
I knew this one would rattle your cage SC 😀! I have totally given up bell ringing , passing the captaincy on to ‘new broom’ who plans to bring on new ringers into our local tower. I just kept things going for a while after the old Captain who taught me (very badly, I discovered) died. I don’t miss it at all .
I miss it greatly, Jenny. I’ve had the privilege of ringing all over the country and I really enjoyed teaching it and helped at The Hereford Course for about five years.
I found it fascinating and the fact that I could hold up a bell weighing 39cwt (St Chad’s tenor, Shrewsbury) using only my thumb and forefinger was mind blowing.
Thank you for the Hereford Course reference! Still going strong since 1963!
Yes I too was taken with the whole science and art of it and watching methods being rung expertly was awesome, just not for me. Well done for your ringing achievements, and I totally get why you miss it.
I enjoyed this puzzle with LOI 15a when I let out a loud groan when I parsed it.
Top picks for me were 15a,13a,20a, 4d, 7d and the great 6d.
I liked the Quickie pun too.
Thanks to Deansleigh and the setter.
I really enjoyed today’s offering there were all sorts of clever clues to tussle with.
Thanks to yesterday’s blog postings 1a came to mind quicker than it might have done.
Am I the only one who, looking for a quick start, bunged in a single word ‘splitpeas’ at 9a? The parsing of 15a needed a head scratch.
Then I went on a trip down memory lane…
Decades ago, my mother dispensed spoonfuls of 8d for anything vaguely stomach related, I didn’t realise it was still available.
Following the iconic Central Park concert in 1981 Carol and I went to Wembley in June 1982 to see and hear 23a and G perform. One that sticks in the mind.
26a made me smile, we lived in India for a year and were often amused by the local newspaper terminology. Nobody who committed a crime was arrested – they were ‘nabbed’ and any road traffic report almost inevitable ended with the words ‘and the driver fled’.
My COTD is 1d, which I thought was a fine example of Dr. S’s work
Many thanks to today’s setter and Deansleigh.
Hi Doc
Splitpeas is a fine effort but I’m sure you’ve since found out that it’s two words or possibly hyphenated. A good spot though.
Hi Tom,
Yes, I found out within seconds…just as soon as I read all four of the words in the clue.
Great reply!
This was an odd one, make no mistake. My answers went in scattered all over the place and only when I had several checkers in place could I work out what was going on and then it went in quite smoothly. Last one in was 8d which I didn’t realise was a laxative. Absolutely disgusting stuff. I remember when I was about 8 my mother trying to give me a spoonful and I said I would be sick. Dad was livid with me and told me to take it which I did and was promptly sick. I knew that would happen but they didn’t listen to me! Didn’t know 7d but easily gettable from the clueing. 1a is my COTD. Thanks to the setter and Deansleigh. My computer says we will get rain in 1 hour and 43 mins – we will see, nothing for about 6 weeks!
With a good selection of anagrams and lurkers this came together fairly quickly. Post solve I needed to confirm the relevance of a bob or two for 1a, the meaning of 7d and the parsing of 15a. Nice to see one of my favourite songwriters making an appearance. My pody picks are the laxative at 8d, 1a, i8 the church worker and my COTD is the spoonerism at 1d.
Thanks to the setter and Helga Denis
1*/3.5*
Helga Denis?
We love it!
A solid puzzle with no poor clues but nothing that made me chuckle. I solved 1D by parsing incorrectly and guessing that the first word would have to be related to he of the chocolate factory. I was held up by not checking the anagram fodder correctly for 5D and as per SC not thinking of the correct answer as a snack, I inserted an incorrect answer for the first word. I thought 10A and 17A were lovely clues but COTD goes to 1D as even though I failed to parse it, once I realised what the setter had intended it is a very clever clue. Thanks to Deansleigh for the hints which I needed and the setter for a classy offering.
Thai corner.
This might be a bit lazy on my behalf but I can think of no better way to illustrate the difficulties of learning the Thai language than this. If you can be bothered and have the technology type, ‘near far’, into google translate and play back the audio of the translation. Off to the final day of a 5 day funeral event tomorrow for one of my wife’s cousins. As a foreigner I was excused attendance at days 2 to 4.
Five days? Jeepers!
I’ve listened to ‘near far’ in Thai and they sound very similar which I assume is ironic for opposite meanings. Was that where you were coming from?
TD. Yes that was my point. To me they sound identical and the spelling of both is exactly the same apart from the tone marks.
Jeepers is very apt. On the morning of the first day the body was laid out on the floor in the funeral hall in his ceremonial army uniform, which is something I have not encountered before and was unexpected when I entered the room.
These guys go to town!
It took me a while to get going today and 1a and a few other solutions had to be excavated from the further recesses of my memory. An excellent puzzle though and I particularly liked the Spoonerism at 1d, which unlocked the W. The songwriter at 23a and the writer at 16d have both been important to me at various points in my life. Thanks very much to the setter and to Deansleigh.
Super puzzle, a hugely enjoyable accompaniment to the mid-morning coffee. 1a my POI – I needed the checkers and then wondered whether bob was the name of a bell (see “Nine Tailors”) but of course it was not a capital B. LOI 12a with a groan when that one dawned.
Honours to the Spoonerism in 1d, Prince Andrew surface at 26a, and satirical rag at 27a.
Many thanks indeed to the setter – I’m torn between Hudson & Twm, just about inclining to the former – and to Deansleigh.
A postscript – on finishing yesterday’s Beam Toughie last evening I cast my over the blog and again missed seeing our erstwhile correspondent from Anglesey commenting on one of her favourite setters. Hopefully Jane’s recovery is progressing well & we may see her again soon.
12a brought back a favourite childhood joke: When is a door not a door?
When it’s 12a.
A real thigh slapper.
It’s a goodie, DD.
1.5*/4.5*. I found this very light for a Wednesday but very enjoyable.
Selected from a sea of ticks, my podium picks are 26a, 1d & 6d.
Many thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh.
26a was my top pick for the excellent surface read, the giggle factor and the cricketing connotation highlighted by our blogger. Overall this was, for me, a very comfortable solve with very few delays. I thought the balance of GK was about right and shouldn’t prove to be a problem for most solvers. Highly enjoyable.
My thanks to both our midweek setter and Deansleigh.
This was a very pleasant midweek solve with plenty to enjoy. Getting 1d straight off the bat helped to kick things off and it fairly flowed from there.
Old Swan song was very nicely done and I love the gratuitous ‘lovely’ in 2d.
My picks are the excellent 26a, 1d and 8d.
Many thanks to……hmm…The Hud and Nigel Hades (still my fave, just).
2*/4*
I enjoyed this despite it revealing my limited general knowledge (isn’t Mr G clever!). I always groan inwardly at Spooner clues, but this one made me chuckle. Thanks to setter and Deansleigh.
For me, etc,© another Monday on a Wednesday but, nevertheless, very enjoyable – 1*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 1a, 10a, 6d, 7d, and 25d – and the winner has to be 1a.
Thanks to the setter and Deansleigh.
P.S. I have no idea why, but Deansleigh’s music selection for 23a reminded me that decades ago (in fact, during the last century and last millennium) the Peterborough column in the DT occasionally included humorous content, mostly from the USA, of flight attendants’ safety briefings to passengers. One of these, to encourage the passengers to pay attention, was “There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only four ways out of this airplane.”
This was an absolute joy. The ticks are so many hardly know where to start. The icing on the cake was the singer. I was at the Romford County High School for girls and one of my 6th. Form pals was Kathy. We used to attend the Romford folk club above a pub where the songwriter regularly came because on his early travels he had fallen in love with Kathy. He would have us cut his hair out on the landing sometimes and as a performer we all knew he was brilliant but we never knew just how brilliant.
He wrote Kathy’s Song and she later went to America with him. Our head mistress would have had a blue fit had she known what our evening homework entailed.Happy and privileged days.
Finished unaided today but am always so glad to have the backstop of hints so many thanks to Deansleigh and to a right good setter as hubby would say.
What a fantastic anecdote!
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. The story of the year….by miles.
Lovely story, how special! One of my favourite S&G songs.
Fantastic! What a memory to have.
What a wonderful memory, I assume she was also the Kath mentioned in the song America?
Kathy is mentioned in his Wikipedia entry under personal life, interesting reading.
Yes – and she’s on the cover of the LP that Kathy’s Song comes from https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/819PAaxqDcL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
Great story Dyslex, thank you.
What a coincidence, I’m doing Kathy’s Song at our local open mic this evening.
Well I thought I was early but how you all get the guzzle done so soon beats me! I did it whist knocking off the ironing before going to an 80th birthday party. She said no presents but I made her a lavender bag from an old embroidered handkerchief and lavender from my garden. I am sure you all needed to know that. Great guzzle, I am quite familiar with bobs and I thought the Spoonerism was a good one, long ones round the edge are a great help. 14d was the last in, I liked the rekrul and I would never have got the fish without the Y and the L, altogether a very satisfying solve, many thanks to the Setter and Deansleigh. I Wordled in 3 this morning so I am on a roll.
I also Wordled in three today, DG. 👍
So did I despite having zilch on first pass!
I had nowt on the first go as well, Manders so I suppose we got it in two. 😊
We both did Wordle in 3 today, but 2 is always my aim.
I would love to know your start word, DG.
A top drawer puzzle with every clue a winner – many thanks to our setter and Deansleigh.
I did chuckle at the mega-whiny writer but for my podium I chose 1a, 26a and 1d.
As expected from experience, it took me several sessions to complete. 12 across gave me the most trouble as I was flummoxed by the return trip. I am a bit dubious about 25 down, with no mention of a book, although there can only be one answer.
Thanks to setter and hinter. Excellent puzzle and hints.
* / ****
Loved this today. Difficulty was on a par with Mondays but no less fun for that. Didn’t know this meaning of bob – but I do now! Squeezing four onto the podium, the 13a Starlet Commander, the 15a disciple, the 1d Spoonerism and th old master at 19d, with my COTD being the good doctor!
Many thanks to the setter and She Aligned.
PS: I’ll bid you all a brief adieu as I’ll be off to Crete tomorrow for a couple of weeks and not sure how often I’ll get to solve and comment.
Bonnes vacances, Irry!
Have a great time, AP. I love Crete.
What a cracker. Much tripped off the pen. Unlike yesterday, I was on the wavelength from the off. Never realised that 8d had explosive tendencies as it never featured in our house as a child and certainly not in adult life. As to 1a, in our parish one either sang and thereby dressed up, or pulled a rope in the tower. I did the former and met my wife, but one of the ringers was a bit of a lothario, navigating his love life via towers of the county and local girls sixth forms. Happy days. Cotd though goes to 1d. Thanks to compiler and Deansleigh.
I oftenfind myself flitting from clue to clue until there are quite a few checkers in evidence with this compiler. The guzzle then comes together more quickly than I had anticipated. I loved the Spoonerism at 1d and also liked the geographical clues at 2d and 24d. My final choice is the cooling lurker at 18a.Thanks to both Steve Cowling vabd Deansleigh for the explanations about bell-ringing, also ro Deansleigh for the hints and to the compiler.
Just to add to the discussion re 1A. Those of us who ring bells never call ourselves as the answer given but either bellringers or change ringers. A c…ist is someone who studies what is also called “The Exercise”. A bob is when three ( not two) bells change places in the order. When two bells change places that is called a single. Are there any other bellringers out there on this blog?
I’m intrigued, Suffolklass – how do three bells swap places in a bob or are you referring to the second bell making places?
Well, Steve used to be one once – and may still is. And my alias is a clue to me being one too.
Well, for me, I found this a Wednesday puzzle that was along the ranks of both Monday & Tuesday offerings this week. Great puzzle with lots of smiles along the way.
1.5*/4* for me
Favourites include 1a, 11a, 13a, 18a, 1d & 6d — with winner 1a
Thanks to setter & Deansleigh
Today’s offering was a step up from the previous two days and I was tolling on first pass.
I got there in the end though, although I needed to hint to decipher the word play for 15a, and I wasn’t overly keen on the synonym for disciple!
My last in was 12a and I liked 4d and 6d although I must admit (whilst not being a fan of Spoonerism clues) Mr Dahl’s poultry made me smile. I am a fan of said children’s author, especially the Enormous Crocodile … another book recently reworded by the PC brigade!
Thanks to Steve for the Campanology lesson I’d originally assumed that the “bobs” referred to the movement of the ringers. Every day a learning day.
Thanks to setter and DL forvtge hints.
Bellringing, Big Eck, bellringing. See Suffolk lass’s post at #20. As she, rightly, states Campanology is the study of bells of all kinds not just those in churches. 😊
Thank you Deansleigh for all the help today, I really needed it especially as I can never work out the spoonerisms. Thank you setter for the challenge.
1* / 4* Found this an enjoyable Wednesday puzzle after making a meal of the last two days.
Favourites include the 1d Spooner, the 28a fish and 12a slightly open.
Learnt a new word at 7d and also a bit about bell ringing !
Thanks to compiler and Deansleigh
I found this to be quite gentle today , set on my way getting the spoonerism straight away and it also made me chuckle. I am also ex bell ringer … although never very good at it or that keen, taught the basics by a very old captain who deemed me to be a ‘natural’ 😳so I had heard of the term bob , but had never myself bobbed, so got 1a too . Thankfully now given up. My last one in was 12a , which actually is a simple clue once the penny dropped. Thanks to setter and Deansleigh.
Got there after quite a bit of parsing.
Led Zeppelin 🎸
Quickest grid fill of the week thus far but hadn’t a Scooby what a bob was & didn’t bother to look it up but I know now. The Spoonerism was my clear fav with 7d & 26a fighting it out for second place.
Thanks to the setter (I thought Hudson but guess it’s Twm as he has responded to Dyslex’s excellent anecdote) & to Deansleigh.
Ps returned home from a visit to the Royal Free for a venesection to find a pigeon had come through the velux window in the kitchen & caused predictable havoc/mess. My main room is a high ceiling & the damn thing was a devil to eventually catch in netting & return to the great outdoors
Those authors at 1D & 16D my favourites in an excellent puzzle. VMT to Setter & Deansleigh
Been a little while since I have attempted a crozzie or commented on here but attempted today’s and after a fair few battles completed without assistance (but had to check 26a afterwards). Liked 10a but COTD 1d, as other people have said, it is clever. Thanks to setter and Deansleigh.
Sorry, forgot: **/***
Thanks for your excellent blog, dear Deansleigh, and thanks to those who have taken the time to comment. Fascinating stuff today!
Best wishes to all, Rob/Hudson
Thank you, Hudson for a first rate and enjoyable guzzle and for popping in.
Thanks for looking in, and for an excellent crossword.
Good to see my fiver was not swallowed by the bookie! Seeing Twm contributing to the S&G / Kathy anecdote comment above made me think I was wrong, but he did not claim the puzzle, and now I see why.
Many thanks for a super puzzle.
Right on wavelength today, with a very satisfying solve, and just a couple of hints need to finish. 26a and the 1d Spoonerism were the only flies in the ointment. Big thanks to setter and Deansleigh.
Good grief! I’ve learnt more about 1a and bell ringing in the last few minutes than I have in my entire life. Mind you that was almost nothing apart from they went ding dang dong, but all knowledge is power. I was going to mention the cricketer re 26a but our esteemed blogger beat me to it, but, rightly, he gets first dibs on these things. I too didn’t realise 8d was a laxative even though our mother used to shovel it down us at every available opportunity as children. As is frequently the case the blog was a much fun as the crossword, I meant that in a positive way. Favourite was 7d. Thanks to the setter and DL.
There is only ding dong in bell ringing, Taylor. Dang only comes into it when the peal falls apart! 😊
Good evening
What a cracking set of clues – I finished but it took a fair old time doing so. I particularly enjoyed cracking the Spoonington at 1d; 15a is a corker; COTD is the sublime 19d; and the only one to give me trouble parsing-wise was my last to fall at 1a. At least I know now what “bob” is in that context.
Many thanks to our setter and to Deansleigh
An excellent puzzle and an entertaining and educational blog! I have had a busy day with lunch near Covent Garden and then visiting the MC Escher exhibition which was fascinating. That is my excuse for not remembering much about the crossword which I completed this morning. I know I loved the Spooner.
Many thanks to Hudson and to Deansleigh for the hints.
What a compelling grid today, and loving the comments and stories. Markedly harder for me than Mon and Tues, maybe a 1/3 went straight in, then it was a case of chipping away.
I needed the hint for parsing 20A, mainly as I forgot what the answer meant! 🤦🏼
Pody picks – several contenders down to three. Even without the stories I’d have chosen my ‘namesake’, the fabulous songwriter of 23A; 16D as it’s not everyday you see mega-whiny in a crossword! And 1D – I almost always enjoy a Spooner and this one made me laugh then tell my wife about it.
Thanks very much to Hudson and Deansleigh ⭐️
Busy yesterday, so did this today. Thank you, Hudson: it was so worth it, with highlights including the 1a church worker, the 15a disciple tapping into new tech; 26a with Prince Andrew; the novelist Roald in 1d; and south of Lincoln in 25d.
Thank you, Deansleigh, for hosting and hinting.
2*/4* …
liked 12A “Open return trip taken by Indian VIP (4)”