DT 30232

128 comments on “DT 30232”

1. Having studied ‘the form,’ to use horse racing parlance, for the last six weeks, maybe longer, the members of the Friday triumvirate have been ‘appearing’ in sequence. So, with proXimal two weeks ago and Zandio last week, my five bob is saying that today we must undeniably have a most enjoyable Silvanus production – 2.5*/4.5*

   Candidates for favourite – 18a, 25a, 3d, and 22d – and the winner is 25a.

   Thanks to Silvanus and Mr K.

   1. An enjoyable, well-balancedpuzzle with some great anagrams (which I always delight in), a good mix of clues and a sprinkling of General Knowledge. I liked 9d, 7a, 10a and my COTD 1d. Many thanks to Mr K for the hints and the cat pictures and to the compiler. I felt it could well be by Silvanus, as the anagrams and lurker were well concealed by smooth surface reads.

2. I agree with MrK that for a Friday this was easier than usual with lots of anagrams giving useful cross checkers. 25a was my favourite and thanks for the hints which enabled me to understand why 24a was what it was. Thanks to the setter for a pleasant end to the week.

3. Super puzzle from first to last. I thought 12a&14d were great examples of their clue types, 25a&26d both made me laugh, the whole puzzle just hit the (excellent) 23a.
   No doubt in my mind as to the setter, I’m sure (unlike, unfortunately the previous two days) he’ll pop in to claim it. Great stuff.
   Many thanks to the setter and Mr K.

   1. I agree wholeheartedly.

4. A sensible level of difficulty with the se corner going in very easily. Never heard of 7A but easily solved with the checking letters, 20D brought a smile. **/****

5. Have done the right hand side of today’s crossword which seems straightforward. Had to stop as we are off to the
   Benevolent Confraternity of Dissectologist’s weekend house party in Coventry. Hubby comes under sufferance as he is only a Dissectologist in the medical sense.

   1. You had me at ‘confraternity’, Dislex. So, I had to find out more. What a tremendous name for jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts!

      For those whose interest is similarly piqued, read on (I’ve grabbed it from one of their newsletters)…

      ”The BCD, or Benevolent Confraternity of Dissectologists to give it its full title, is a subscription-based club for followers of jigsaw puzzles. Based in the United Kingdom but with a worldwide membership, the club was founded in 1985 when a small group of jig-saw puzzle enthusiasts met for a most enjoyable evening, assembling puzzles together and sharing information about them. As a result, they decided to create a club for like-minded enthusiasts, calling themselves “Dissectologists” after John Spilsbury, who invented the first puzzles in England in the 1760’s and called them “Dissected Maps”

      1. Love ‘dissected map’
      2. What a brilliant surname John has
      3. If using both jigsaw and jig-saw in the article was intentional then I applaud the writer. Very clever. If it was a typo then how fortunate!

      1. Well,well. We live and learn!

         1. Fascinating! I love dissected maps.

6. A real puzzle of two halves. The left was excellent, well crafted and elegant. Most the right was the exact opposite. Never heard of the china or the radio station. 7a was clever.
   Must rate it separately- Right **/*****, left ****/*
   A real oddball for me.
   Thx to the setter of the right and for the hints.

7. Silvanus (presumably) in what to me was his most gentle and friendly mode for a Friday, concluding a week of enjoyable if brief backpagers, with the only delay being in 17d where initially I took the anagrind to be ‘cured’ rather than ‘spread’ – d’oh! Cracking surfaces throughout, of course. Hon Mentions to 4d, 22d & 21a, with COTD to 1d

   1.5 / 4

   Many thanks to Silvanus and to Mr K

8. The gentlest Friday cryptic I can remember but none the less entertaining for that. I agree with Mr K’s selection of 1d as my favourite clue, and add 25a, 23a (aw, what a darling picture), 4d, 20d, & 7d as my other top choices. We’ve not heard personally from any of our setters this week, have we? But this one has all of the charm and elegance of Silvanus, it seems to me. Thanks to Mr K for the great photos and to today’s setter. **/****

9. Another vote for 25a as favourite with 7a and 20a as runners up.

   I am ashamed to admit that I resorted to electronic assistance for a couple. I know the puzzles towards the end of the week are going to be harder and perhaps admit defeat too early. Will hold out until at least lunchtime from now on.

   Thanks to the setter and Mr K for explanations of 24a and 18a where I was convinced that PPS was Public Prosecution Service and did not look for alternatives.

   1. And I thought PPS was Personal Private Secretary. Once you get an idea in your mind………!

      1. Me too Mhids!

   2. Only two valid meanings for PPS are listed in Chambers – the surface reading of the clue is intended to make you think of Parliamentary Private Secretary, but it is in fact “post postscriptum” that’s needed here.

      1. Parliamentary Private Secretary was my first thought, so your Machiavellian scheming worked, Silvanus!

         1. Didn’t fool me … advantage of being across the pond, never heard of the parliamentary bloke!

10. Galloped through East but a slower pace in West however all in all much fun was had. Rather over-anagrammed. 21a somewhat homespun. Fav was 23a. Like Quickie pun.

11. Very enjoyable – thanks to Silvanus and Mr K.
    From a long shortlist of excellent clues I’ll pick out 7a, 23a, 25a and 20d.

12. I also raced through the RHS and then slowed up dramatically. However, all done and dusted in the end. Don’t think I can face the Toughie today as it took me all day yesterday. Anyway thanks to the setter today and Mr K for the pics.

13. Well, that took about as long as the last three put together, two stars Mr K, who are you kidding?
    I’m off for a lie down in a darkened room now.

14. 1.5*/5*. I thought this was very light but outstandingly enjoyable with smooth surfaces and great clues throughout. Best short clue was 1a and best long clue 25a, although, as someone from the other place, 20d certainly made me smile.

    I lost my money yesterday, but I’m going for double or quits on Silvanus today. Many thanks to him and also to Mr K – great review and delightful pictures.

    1. I really enjoyed todays puzzle, so many delightful clues. I somehow thought 7d had something to do with the weather until I got 10a! Liked the 19d lurker too. A certain team won last night, so my cup runneth over.
       Thankyou setter and Mr K for the hints and cats.

    2. 7a – there is no 1a!

       1. Don’t think I mentioned 1a !

          1. You didn’t! I was correcting myself.

15. Great puzzle – China is 10a was new to me

    1. It’s some of the oldest and priciest, I wouldn’t take a liking to it if I were you!

16. Fairly straightforward it may have been but it was certainly an absolute delight to solve, with lovely smooth surface readings and elegant phrasing. 1d was the stand out favourite for me, ahead of 25a.

    Thanks to Silvanus for a most enjoyable puzzle, and to Mr K.

17. I was puzzled by 17d because I thought I’d heard of it, but no mention at in Chambers. 17a not to my liking but the rest was enjoyable

    1. It’s definitely in my BRB (‘Revised 13th Edition’), Paul, but not in my old and dog-chewed ‘New 1983 Edition’.

18. Only need to look at the number of ticks on my paper to know which of our Friday compilers penned this one!
    Thought 10a was particularly amusing given that nation’s prowess in the game and 25a put me in mind of old films and the judges donning their black head-coverings before delivering that ultimate of sentences. Other ticks went to 11,21&25a plus 2,14,16&20d but I could happily include almost all of the others.

    Many thanks to Silvanus for a smooth end to the week and to Mr K for the review and for bringing along so many of his feline companions – that tiny scrap in 17a really has the ‘aah’ factor.

    1. Aha Lovely Jane – my favourite kitty was 23a. Sheer bliss.

    2. 17a made me quite broody! I’m down to one cat, was never happier than when I had a whole colony.

19. Fantastic Friday offering, less testing than some but very enjoyable to solve. Even with the hint I don’t understand the bread reference in 7a. Now if it had been spelt ‘bred’….. Hopefully someone will enlighten me. That aside, there were, once again, lots of choice for podium places, but 1d was my absolute favourite. Honourable mention also to 15a, 24a, 9d and 20d. Thanks to Silvanus (if it be he) for the pleasure and Mr K for the always wonderful cat pics.

    1. Mhids, in 8a (presumably) “bread” is a slang term for money.

       1. Thank you, Rabbit Dave. I did know the slang but not that the Afghani is the monetary unit of Afghanistan.

          1. Me neither. You live and learn!

    2. I mean 8a of course

20. For a Friday puzzle found this to be a bit of a struggle, again with figuring out the parsing, (or not,) on some of the answers.

    2.5*/3* for me.

    New word in 17d for me.

    Favourites include 15a, 23a, 25a, 1d & 16d with 1d the winner for me.

    Thanks to setter and Mr K

21. Brilliantly crafted puzzle.
    And gems like 24a.
    Took some time to parse.
    Where would we be without that card game!
    And cunning misdirections eg 18a
    In summary, 1.5*/*****
    Thanks to Silvanus and Mr K.

22. What a great way to finish a most enjoyable week. Bravo Chris and team!

    I got a bit twitchy when I saw 8a, thinking that my bread knowledge will be tested, until it hit me. Bread is such a great synonym for it.

    Many thanks to the poser and the poster.

    2*/5*

23. After going through the across clues and only entering 3 answers I prepared myself for another Friday head scratcher. 5 minutes later, I had entered all but one of the down clues which opened up all the remaining answers and I think I finished in record time for a Friday.

    Thoroughly enjoyable but I must admit that I was surprised about how many people hadn’t heard of 17d – maybe I eat too much pasta!

24. Thoroughly enjoyed this one – solved without help (though I needed some of the hints to find out why) and 2-seconds outside my fastest time since using the new site. If only I hadn’t put in ‘master’ for second part of 7d, I’d have broken my record. Oh, but grid told me I was wrong, so I did get help!
    Thanks to setter and Mr K – loved the photos and thought the cat in 23a looked like it was wearing glasses.

25. Brilliant. Thank you Silvanus.
    Ticks all over the place but 1d wins it comfortably. Great clue and superb surface read.
    Thanks also to Mr K.

26. Good fun to end the working week. My only problem was 10a where I thought I needed “mate”. I’m sure that others will see where I got that from. My 10a days are over until I mend from a dislocated kneecap and torn ligaments. Thank you Silvanus and Mr Kitty.

27. Re 1d….it’s not flipping freezing in Carnforth which is only 15 miles from Kendal!! A balmy 12degrees and sunny.

28. A nice Friday puzzle. Quite gentle for this day, but with great clues giving an enjoyable tussle. 10a includes a word that you’ll know if you watch the Antiques Roadshow or Flog It! often enough. As MG says, it’s been a week of brief but enjoyable back-pagers so, overall, a bit disappointing for me personally – I prefer them a little more challenging, certainly on a Thursday and Friday. I’m probably in the minority, so that’s fair enough. Fav: 1d. 2.5*/3.5*.

    1. Have you done the Toughie yet? I see a Dutch has given it *****/*****, should keep you busy for a little while.

       1. I did do that Toughie but to make it more of a challenge I used my left hand and kept one eye shut. It didn’t work …

          1. 

29. Many thanks to Mr K and to all those commenting, it is me this time!

    Today is a very proud day for your compiler as this is my fiftieth back-page puzzle, so to mark the occasion there is a very small Nina in the first three lights of the first row of the grid. A little personal indulgence, I admit! For those statistically-minded, the fifty puzzles have consisted of twenty-nine different grids, today’s one has now appeared on four occasions, the most of all. It’s a pleasant coincidence to reach this landmark just over three years to the day after my first appearance. I feel very privileged to be one of fewer than forty back-page setters in the almost ninety-eight years of Telegraph cryptics and to be part of a team of compilers that I believe to be unrivalled.

    May I wish everyone a good weekend.

    1. We’re the ones who are privileged, Silvanus, your puzzles are always a delight to solve. Congratulations on your landmark 50th and I hope there are plenty more to come in the future.

       1. Thank you very much, Jane!

    2. Congratulations, Silvanus. Long may you continue. Perhaps a century?

       1. Thank you, that’s the next landmark!

    3. Many congratulations, Silvanus, on a splendid achievement. Selfishly, I hope there are many, many more to come to add to the 50 gems you have treated us to so far.

       1. Many thanks, RD. It’s often thinking up the Quick Puns that challenges me the most!

    4. Congratulations! I shall now have to go and find the Nina. I particularly liked 15a with its Cambridge reference.

       1. Thank you, DG! I tried to be even-handed by including a “fraudulent Cambridge college” as well as an “Oxford University idiot”!

    5. Congratulations, Silvanus or, in this case, Goldanus. (don’t misread that)

       Your puzzles are a joy. I particularly like the way you mix the old with the new when it comes to references.

       1. Very droll, TS65.

       2. Thank you very much, Tom.

    6. Felicitations on reaching your 50th Silvanus. Long May you continue setting.

       1. That’s very kind, thank you Florence!

    7. Many congratulations, Silvanus!

       A wonderful achievement after starting in Rookie Corner!

       1. Thank you, Franco. Big Dave rightly deserves enormous praise for his initiative in launching Rookie Corner. Apart from me, more than ten current Independent setters have had puzzles published there since 2014.

       2. An amazing achievement.
          Always enjoyable. Thankyou.

    8. Bravo, Silvanus, and may there be many, many more – always a pleasure to tackle your puzzles whatever day of the week they appear, and whatever the perceived or indeed intended level of difficulty.

       1. That’s very kind of you to say that, thank you Mustafa.

          1. I’ll add my congratulations as well. You deserve al the plaudits.

    9. Thanks for all the puzzles Silvanus. It took me a little while to ‘get into’ them but really enjoy them now. Look forward to the next fifty! Haven’t done today’s yet but later with a glass of beer hopefully.

       1. Thank you, Mikep!

    10. Many congratulations, Silvanus – looking forward to your ‘cup’.

        1. Thank you very much, Gazza.

    11. I’m one of those of limited brain who finds your offerings a tad tricky, but today I was able to solve with minimal help. I hope I’ve turned the corner now and can run through your puzzles like quicksilver.

    12. Many congratulations Silvanus, and thanks for your excellent puzzles.

        Would love to know what a ‘Nina’ is in the ‘first 3 lights’ – completely baffled!

        1. Thank you very much! The first three lights in the top row contain “L”, “U” and “P”, so “Fifty Up”

           1. Thanks Silvanus – very clever!

    13. Many Congratulations Silvanus on achieving your 50th back-page Telegraph cryptic puzzle. We look forward to many, many more!

        1. Many thanks, Hilary!

    14. Congratulations on reaching the fifty puzzle milestone, Silvanus, and thanks for a fine puzzle to solve and to blog.

        1. Thank you, Mr K. Excellent set of pics as always

    15. Thank you for your contributions to puzzleland Silvanus, and for always dropping in with your comments. Fridays are not my favourite day for the crossword and I often don’t get far enough to admit my failures, and on those days only trying to learn from the blogger’s hints. Today was an exception when I only needed hints to manage to finish. I will look forward to third Fridays from now with more hope than despair. Congratulations on your achievements.

        And I hope you have a good weekend too.

        1. Much appreciated, thank you very much, Corky!

    16. I’d second Jane’s comment. Many congratulations & looking forward to the next 50.
        Won one bet & lost another today. Had this pegged as very likely yours at 18a (not quite as good as Vince & Ed the other day but excellent) but reinvested returns on a thumbs up from Brian.

        1. Thanks a lot Huntsman, you have always been very supportive and I look forward to your contributions

    17. Heartiest congratulations, Silvanus! I love your puzzles. Thank you so very much for the joy and enlightenment you have brought into my cruciverbal life–and beyond that, even.

        1. That’s very kind of you, Robert. You’re very welcome!

           1. And a massive thank you from me as well. I love your puzzles. Please keep them coming.

    18. Many congratulations on your landmark puzzle, silvanus and one I found very enjoyable. As I say in my post below, I am finally getting to grips with your offerings and the more I do so the more I enjoy them.

        Thank you for all your hard work. I am in awe of compilers such as your good self.

        Here’s to the next fifty! 🥂🥂

    19. Congratulations and felicitations on your half century Silvanus and thanks for many hours of cruciverbal fun.

30. Though it was fairly easy for a Friday, it was a puzzle impeccably clued throughout (both the right-hand side and the left-hand side).

    Top prize goes to … PPS in 18a.

    Thanks to the setter and Mr K (the CATalogue of apposite feline photos seems to be unending!)

    1. ps. Congratulations to Silvanus … I’m not very good at identifying the setters.

       1. pps. Struggling to see the Nina.

31. Great enjoyment although I was also of the secretary persuasion at 18a and got stuck on Del as a diminutive of Derek which held me back a bit, although I never time the solve. We usually get it done in our self imposed ‘lunch hour’ but are equally happy to pick it up later. I just love the fact that every day there is a fresh challenge for my poor old brain. 13,14,24a and 9d collected daisies. Many thanks to Setter and Hinter. Have a good weekend everyone.

32. A quick solve after stumbling for a little while on the across clues. I’d not heard of 7a and needed the checkers to solve. In 18a, there are 174 answers in the acronym finder and even after checking the hints I was none the wiser. A google search finally gave it to me. I also needed to think about my correct answer for the second word in 7d.

    **/***

    1. 18a

    2. Yes. Not sure about PPS when PS would have sufficed…

33. I don’t know which crossword you lot above were doing but I thought this was tough. Got it finished but only after a LOT of headscratching, took twice as long as “ususal”. 7 (A&D) both sat unsolved for ages…never heard anyone using “stir” this way and I’m not sure it qualfies as a cocktai) and in 8A I don’t understand the use of “bread in” …what am I missing? Liked 25A though, that raised a smile.

    1. If you look at Rabbit Dave’s reply to me at #19 above the ‘bread’ mystery will be solved. At least I was not alone!

34. This was a tale of two halves – we sailed through the eastern half and then the southern half, but the north west looking like pushing us into 3* territory until we worked out what 1d meant and cracked the Swiss anagram. Then everything fell into place before we finished our second cup of tea and it squeaked into 2* time. Very enjoyable solve so thanks to the setter and, as always to Mr K for the blog.

35. First pass of the across clues yielded very little for me and I thought I was in for another Friday toughie, but the downs were friendlier (especially the two long clues 7d and 9d) and so unusually I found myself working across the grid rather than down. Once I had some checkers in the puzzle fell very quickly though with no holdups. Regarding 20a, I thought it just a brand – one of those modern examples of genericisation again! */****

    Many congratulations to our wonderful setter Silvanus on reaching his 50 puzzles, and great nina to boot 👍👌

    1. If 20a was initially a brand, then it has been around since the days of the ancient Greeks.

36. After a slow start as I was feeling 13a, things started to fall into place once I 24a and when I finally 25a’d 7d. A lovely enjoyable puzzle which I completed so maybe I can treat myself to a 7a later!

    Many thanks to Silvanus for the fun and many congratulations on your achievement and of course to Mr K for the explanations and kitty pics.

37. Straightforward but not too much so. Lots of super clues, great fun. Favourite was 16d. Thanks to Silvanus and Mr. K.

38. Alas I didn’t find this as easy as some of the above bloggers but MrK’s explanations revealed some brilliant clueing … just wish I had not assumed ‘arrogant’ as the answer to 5d. Hearty congratulations to Silvanus on your gold anniversary!

39. What did I do? My comment just disappeared! I was saying that I always find Silvanus tricky so quite chuffed that I finished this; true, with some help from word search. This week has been perfect, as the week progresses it has been a little bit harder, so no complaints here, it is as it should be. I was fixated on “Fiona” at 21a, but once I got the checkers I could figure it out and google the gent, I’d never heard of him – clever that. Lots to like, I knew 7a, quite liked that, but I think fave has to be 25a, with 23a as runner up, enhanced by the lovely pic.
    Thank you Silvanus for the ego boost today, and hints and gorgeous pics really my highlight Mr. K.

40. Oh that was a lovely end to the week. Everything just fell into place like dominoes cascading. Very satisfying for a Friday puzzle!

41. What a cracking puzzle to finish the week. Favourite was 1d but lots more to like. I was slow to realise the reverse lurker in 12a but with 3 checking letters it couldn’t be anything else. Grateful to the hints later for the explanation of purchase. Many thanks to Silvanus and Mr Kay. I think we have been positively spoilt today with a superb puzzle and lots of lovely kitty pictures. Have a lovely weekend everyone.

42. Thanks to everyone who has commented above on the hints and the pics. I’ve added hyperlinks to provide background for some of the clues mentioned in the comments.

    1. A very useful set of hints thank you Mr K.

43. Great puzzle –
    I always enjoy a Silvanus- and no 50 was no exception. So many favourites today, but I will single out 12a (as slur Kermit of the day) and the 21a tribute to the fine radio wit of Mr Bruce
    Already looking forward to the C U P Nina
    Thanks also to Mr K

44. I got within a length of finishing what everyone agrees was an easy five furlong sprint and enjoyed reading and learning from Mr K’s hints. 15 and 25a get my nod today. Watching an early Endeavour on ITV3 last night a comment from a don to Morse was that he wouldn’t have survived Oxford because he was too honest so I enjoyed 20d because certainly one of the Oxford University idioms was the person who threw my grandchild’s application in the waste paper basket. Forecast all A*s she didn’t even get an interview or acknowledgement. But yes she is too honest for the alma mater of Boris Johnson, David Cameron, Matt Hancock, Therese Coffey, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Michael Gove,Liz Truss and Dominic Raab. What a group of chancers and disloyal scheming idioms as an advertisement for a so called gold standard university. Thank goodness my eldest grandchild will not go there.

    Thanks to Mr K for his usual helpful hints and to Silvanus with congratulations for his achievements and long may they continue.

45. Just what I needed to unwind after a very Mondayish Friday at work.

    I spied a triad of prison references (7a, 16d, 19d) and a few other clues which could also be tied into a crime and punishment theme.

    10a stood out for me as very nice.

    Thanks to Silvanus (and congratulations on the half century!) and to Mr K.

46. Had a bit of a mare myself today, topped off by next doors cat leaping over the kitchen door and nicking the chicken I was expecting for tea
    An excuse to go for a fish supper after the cat was evicted on the metaphorical toe of Mama Bees slipper
    I found the right hand side of this puzzle a bit easier than the left but got there in the end.
    I too had several stabs at the prison in 16d before I 25a the right one but will pick the middle eastern bread today
    Thanks to Mr K for a great blog even though cats are Petsona non Grata at the moment
    Congrats to Silvanus on your 50 superb puzzles

    1. As we say sometimes over here, John, “Catnabit!” Perhaps on days when the cat runs away with the chicken. And the dish with the spoon.

       1. Not the cat’s fault and the toe he was evicted on was only metaphorical. I can’t really blame Mama Bee either as her Alzheimer’s is robbing her of the common sense to keep food in the fridge.Fish chips and mushy peas was a fine meal to contemplate the final few today

47. I used to dread Fridays but I now find I solve far more than I used to. All thanks to this blog, of course. This was a gem of a puzzle and extremely satisfying to solve. As usual with a puzzle I enjoy there were ticks all over the paper. So much so that it was very difficult to pick a favourite. So, pushed into picking my COTD, I will go with 1d – I thought it a gem of a clue.

    A huge thank you to Silvanus. I seem to getting on your wavelength more these days. As ever, grateful thanks to Mr. K and his puss kits.

    Talking of cats, Perks has been shown the open door into the garden. So far he has given it a sniff, looked about nervously, then shot back indoors. 🙀🙀

    Much to the amusement of Hudson! 😎

48. Just popped in to add my congratulations to Silvanus. Yet another brilliant, enjoyable and very accessible crossword to mark the occasion. Long may you continue to entertain us. Rookie Corner’s finest contribution to the cruciverbalist community! We are all very appreciative of the way you come in here to comment.

49. Quite a late start tonight, but despite the hour the right-hand gave in very quickly – then I stared for what seemed an age at the remainder, until first the penny dropped for 1d and then for7a. The remainder followed in good time, until I was left with 22d. Having listened to some of the NZ v England test match on DAB radio last night, I remembered scrolling past the radio station required before finding Talk Sport 2. 10a, 16d & 7d were among my favourites, but 1 & 20d were my joint COTDs. Thank yous to both setter and Mr K. A super puzzle.

50. I found this one quite tricky, especially the lhs, but also entertaining. Favourite today was 18a for the clever misdirection. Thanks to Silvanus and Mr K

51. Good evening. Having read through the above, I will begin by saying thank you and congratulations Silvanus; I’m fairly new here, so I’ll have to go to the FAQs here because I have no idea what a Nina is…
    I got through today’s puzzle eventually; thank you Mr K for the explanations of 18a – yes I thought PPS = Parliamentary Private Secretary as well – and of 24a – E & S are bridge opponents, I now know. Dr Google supplied Afghani as the currency (“bread”) in Kabul.

52. How did you all (or some of you) know it was silvanus’s 50th?

    1. Because Silvanus told us himself. Comment #29

53. 3*/5*….
    liked 25A “Understood how judge may appear after lawsuit’s conclusion (7)” … amongst others.

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