DT 30676

100 comments on “DT 30676”

1. Thought we was in for a pangram today, but just didn’t materialise.

   Good luck to all non-Brits with 23d, a dreadful place, no wonder obesity and heart problems are spiralling ever upwards.

   Loved the long ones today, especially 22a, took me a while that one.
   My two of the day have to be 27a and 17a (my last one in)

   Off on the bike now to watch the planes at Farnborough, but I bet they’ve closed all the roads where you can get a decent view for free.

   1. Actually can’t here to learn about 23d. Think I’ve heard of them but when we left the UK 50+ years ago that Mr G was still up North! Though I gather he now has ‘fast-food’ stores in Paris. But haven’t seen any.

   2. No idea what 23d is about.

2. Great fun! I did need help with17a and 18d but the rest was a delight. Lots of amusing clues and difficult to pick a favourite. The honest cry for help by the Tories at 12a was very topical and the lurker at 22a was well hidden. My COTD is the aforementioned 12a.

   Thank you, setter for the fun solve. I have an idea who you might be but am not confident enough to put a name to my idea. Thank you, Mr. K. for the hints and pusskits.

   Lovely sunny day in The Marches today. Long may it continue.

3. A worthy Friday solve which I didn’t enjoy quite as much as Mr K at ***/*** but v pleasant.
   I thought 5d outstanding although 17&27a and the concise 1d also very good. Great to have the feline snaps back and thanks Mr K and of course yo P if it is indeed he.

   1. Sorry folks

      “Yo” – a common greeting in the SW – should have been “to”!

      1. Yo back atcha

         1. Clever clogs!

4. A sheep in wolf’s clothing. At first glance this threatened to be a toothy challenge, but that proved illusory as when working from SW clockwise it all fell into place very swiftly. Overall very gentle and benign for a Friday. Some lovely clueing throughout, and some great surface reads. Honours Board features 12a, 5d & 21d.

   Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K – good to see the felines return, and relieved there wasn’t one clamped into the device in 8d!

5. A nice finish to the week with a crossy that was very pleasant to solve.

   We do love a 13 letter lurker, yes, we do. (I assume ‘disintegrating’ can be a noun)

   Lots to choose from for the pody but I’ll go with 19a, 5d and 13d.

   Many thanks to the Xless Xword creator and Mr K.

   3*/4*

   1. 19a results in a rather disturbing mental picture, but if that’s what it takes for Proximal (or whomever else the setter may be) to generate such enjoyable crosswords, who am I to argue?

      1. A very good call, ‘Morris Garages’.

         Let’s leave that one to the imagination.

         1. I had a BGT.

            1. They are both great cars but, being follically-challenged, I haven’t bought one.

               A middle-aged slaphead in one of those bad boys just doesn’t work.

               Apologies if you are also a member of the ‘shiny-domed’ club, SC.

               1. I’m not. Full head of hair albeit grey. 😁

                  1. ….you silver fox, you.

                     1. 👨‍🦳

               2. Speechless

                  i have a wide parting. i’m middle aged. I own an MGB.

                  Thanks very much TDS

                  1. Apologies Banksie. I was really talking about myself.

                     Maybe you’re one of those dudes like Mr Brynner or Mr Connery who can carry it off.

                     A name like Banksie is certainly a good start…

                     1. TDS

                        as it happens I am indeed one of those dudes

6. Some head scratching required for a very enjoyable challenge from the 25 letter alphabet man – ***/****

   Candidates for favourite – 12a, 1d, 2d, and 16d – and the winner is 1d.

   Thanks to pro_imal and Mr K.

7. First class Friday entertainment. Many thanks to ProXimal and Mr K.
   Ticks all over the place, including 1a, 6a, 12a, 15a, 22a, 27a and 3d. Looks like I preferred the across clues looking at that list! LOI 17d.
   Two trade names in 18d and 23d, but both readily gettable.
   Love the Quickie Pun as well!

   1. I wondered whether 23d might have warranted a ? after the word bakery.
      Any thoughts from those more adept at setting than myself….

      1. Other bakers are available, so a question mark would probably have been appropriate.

         1. Surely the question mark is for the other way round?

            “Colour” can clue “red” without a question mark (because red is a colour).

            But “red?” with the question mark is needed to clue “colour” (because colour is the thing that red is an example of). Here the business known as ‘Greggs of Gosforth’ during my teenage years in Northumberland are undoubtedly a bakery, so I don’t think a question mark is needed.

            

            1. I was born in Gosforth (Balmoral Terrace) and fondly remember that place – we probably passed like ships in the night as we moved to Yorkshire just before the 66′ world cup

8. very simple solve today so not much sense of achievement but enjoyable nonetheless. 5d was my COTD. thanks to MrK despite my not requiring him today and, of course, to the setter.

   1. Oh Steve, I knew I could rely on you!

9. Excellent puzzle thank yous to ProXimal and Mr Kitty for concise, informative hints and puddycats 😊

10. 2*/5*. What a splendid finish to the week.

    6d was my last one in but the suspicion of an x-less pangram helped me over the finishing line.

    12a was my favourite.

    Many thanks to proXimal and to Mr K.

    1. I’m not surprised that 6d was your LOI, RD.

       I am so childish……and I love it!

       1. Oh Tom, you’re incorrigible!
          6d should, of course, be
          ? (8)
          I can’t remember which setter came up with that one but it was a belter.

          1. It is most certainly a belter.

    2. Confused of Winnipeg here – my grid does not have a 6d!

       1. That’s exactly Tom’s point! It was my typo

    3. My last one on too, RD, guessing the pangram solved it for me.

11. A real Friday treat, this. I clearly still can’t spell 3d and 13d mildly surprised me as this expression (one we all know, of course) isn’t in (my) Chambers. 5d was clever, 17a and 18d were both v pretty and 12a made me smile. Fabulous surface in 27a too. Etc. Many thanks to our setter and Mr K.

    1. I struggled with the spelling of 3d too despite one variety being named after my uncle. 🤔

       1. You can’t leave us hanging like that, DP….

          1. My uncle was Jimmy Simpson who judged at many shows in NE England as well as being an amateur grower himself.

             1. Go Jimmy!

                How cool.

                https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/282709/chrysanthemum-jimmy-simpson-(25b)/details

          2. Maybe it’s the Chrysanthenuncle?

             1. 😂

             2. Like it, MG. Like it.

    2. This may understandably get redacted but I remember its spelling by ‘Cries and the mum’.

       The first five letters can be pronounced ‘cries’ and the ‘d’ of ‘and’ gets dropped).

       It’s very random, like my good self. So, it probably won’t pass muster for most people but it works for me.

       1. I wonder what makes Thomas tick
          His ripostes really are quite slick.
          Please don’t think I take the mick
          Or try to get upon his wick,
          I really don’t intend to prick
          His bubble with a pointy stick.

          1. A splendid way to finsih the week!

             Who needs Cyril Fletcher or Pam Ayres when we have posh poet Pip to entertain us.

             Keep ’em coming!

12. An enjoyable Friday challenge completed in yet another warm and sunny day in NE Scotland.

    No question marks beside any of the clues today. Some took a bit of working out but nicely doable. 10a favourite.

    Just back from Lila’s (the new rescue lurcher) first visit to the beach. Much digging and attempting to bite the waves.

    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

    1. Pleased to hear that you have found another 4-legged friend – hope you both get much pleasure from the relationship.

       1. Thank you – she has made herself at home very quickly despite being a rescue stray from The Dog’ Trust.

    2. Oh Dave, you’ve me so happy too! Another waif being loved and loving back. Keep us UTD on how she does.

13. Fairly gentle for a Friday but highly enjoyable – thanks to proXimal and Mr K.
    Top clues for me were 6a, 12a and 11d (with a nod to the Quickie pun).

14. The Telegraph have surpassed themselves today by filling in the answers to PlusWord. I hope they don’t extend this largesse to their cryptic crosswords!

    1. At least we still had to work out the answer

    2. Thanks for the warning about PlusWord, RD. I usually do it in the evening on line but I will use the paper instead.

       1. That won’t help you, Steve. The answers are printed in the paper but not using the app.

          1. Oh right. Thanks for the tip, RD.

    3. Ooops — and it was a good one today: topical, and with 2 identical clues.

       Worth solving on the website for any paper-paper solvers who haven’t already had it spoilt by glancing at it. PlusWord is free, even if you don’t have a Telegraph Puzzles subscription.

15. This was grand fun, but I can’t claim an unaided finish as I needed Mr K to confirm a few of my guesses and in one case correct it. That said, great Friday fare. Liked the Kiplingesque 12a, exceedingly good, and the lurker at 22a. But cotd must be 20d for the sheer silliness of the answer. Thanks to ProXimal and Mr K.

16. A couple of marmite clues in this one from my point of view but overall a pleasant solve. Whilst it obviously exists, I’ve never heard anyone refer to an 11d, just a straightforward one or a long one! Ticks here went to 6,12,15&19a with a special mention for the Quickie pun.

    Thanks to proXimal, presumably, and to Mr K and his felines for the review.

    1. I did ask my mathematical wife what that was and she just said it’s perfectly normal, you do this and that and that and there’s your answer. Being none the wiser, we eventually agreed it’s just plain not-long-division.

17. What a real cracker for a Friday, nicely testing in places with some genuine PDMs to keep this solver interested throughout. The clueing was commendably tight, with the topical 12a coming out on top.

    Thanks to proXimal and Mr K.

18. Impressed by finishing a prize puzzle and then I realised it isn’t Saturday! What do they say about losing a day? I hope they are wrong.
    Just one niggle, the online Chambers gives 17a a hyphen.
    I think 12a must be my COTD
    No point in looking at the Toughie as it’s Elgar

    1. That 17a point crossed my mind too JB but I was too lazy to look it up and check 😳

    2. Hi JB

       Having just looked up a few online, there seems to be no rule about a hyphen following the prefix anti.

       For example, antidepressant is an accepted variant of anti-depressant.

       Hoo nose.

    3. I suppose that, as their counterpart isn’t hyphenated, it was inevitable the hyphen will eventually get dropped, making it an accepted variant.

    4. Weird — to me it looks like the online Chambers doesn’t have a hyphen.

       The OED however still does. As does Taylor Swift — and it’s hard to say these days which of those has the greatest authority:

19. I’m with Jane on 11D, never heard of that type.
    Overall, nothing to frighten the horses, but I was surprised to see the ‘bakery’ at 23D. It always amazes me that people choose to eat 15As as I find them bland in the extreme.

    **/*** Thanks to the setter and Mr K for the hints and felines.

    1. I’m with you on 15As, Eeyore. I was most disappointed when I first tried them.

20. Hope the cat on the railing was OK. Anyone know its owner??

    1. Welcome to the blog, Roama Embleton.
       What did you think of the crossword?

21. A nice Friday puzzle from proXimal, methinks, due to a pangram except for the key letter missing.

    2*/4* for me

    Favourites 10a, 12a, 5d, 11d & 21d — with winner 11d
    Smiles from 12a, 3d, 18d & 21d

    Thanks to proXimal & Mr K

22. I too found this on the gentle side for a Friday but unlike Steve @ comment 8 it didn’t detract from my sense of achievement in finishing what was a very enjoyable guzzle. The solve would have been quicker but for some head scratching with 18d until I realised I’d not read 26a properly & therefore had the wrong final letter checker in. 12a my clear fav.
    Thanks to proXimal & to Mr K

23. enjoyable guzzle today. 17a a bung in and then read the hints to see why. Agree with all the comment about 15a, horrible but then again I always put chopped up celery in salads and today I wondered why – no taste at all. Picked my entire crop of runner beans yesterday – 3! Was picking bunches every day last year – what is happening. Only male courgette flowers and very few flowers on the tomatoes. Enough. Thanks for the pusscat pics and showing me how I arrived at some of my answers, and of course thanks to the setter.

24. What a lovely Friday guzzle! Let down by not knowing enough about the 23d bakery cum fast-food outlet. Spent forever trying to tease an anagram out of 22a before the Lurker jumped out at me! Not fair!
    Also liked 5, 16, 20, 21d and 26a, bu t fave is 12a – ah memories!I
    Many thanks to he who shall be X-less and to Mr K.

25. I enjoyed today’s guzzle. I also questioned 11d for the reasons given above.
    Top picks for me were 12a, 22a and 23d.
    Thanks to Mr K for the blog and photos and to the setter.

26. Straightforward but enjoyable. No real head scratching required and no obscurities. I went on (Xless) pangram alert early on but when I counted them up I found I’d got them all so it didn’t help, not that I needed any. Favourite was 12a. Thanks to ProXimal and Mr. K.

27. What a jolly puzzle. I was stuck on 17a and 18d which were last in but I did get there unaided.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the hints and pics!

28. Good afternoon

    An enjoyable solve this afty – not as braincell-bashingly hard as Wednesday’s, but enough of a challenge nonetheless.

    The only clue I had trouble parsing was my last to fall, 17a.

    20 & 23d tie for COTD.

    Many thanks to our compiler (proXimal?) and to Mr K.

29. Surely it cannot be Friday ??? This was a gentle and enjoyable solve . I’d never heard of the word ‘swinish’ in 20d before my favourite. Also had to smile at my last one in 23d. As someone else has mentioned may be tricky one to parse for any non Brits. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

30. Another great guzzle. We’re being spoiled this week. My favourite was 22a and I was very impressed with the lurker in 22a. Thankyou for the hints and the pusscats and to the setter for the great guzzle.

31. My favourite was 12a. Tut.

32. I’d forgotten all about the alternative to long division! Thank you compiler and MrK

33. Having fought with sleeplessness for 4 hours last night I was never going to be up to fighting with a Friday puzzle. Perhaps all might become clearer after a nap 😴. My sub ends tomorrow when I will need to signup for the puzzles sub. So not sure if I will have access tomorrow or not. Thanks for the pictures Mr K.

34. Thanks to Mr K for the review and to commenters for comments.

    1. I commented before reading this, so let me say thank you for a lot of fun today. Why can’t they let you be a regular on Friday?

35. Thanks to Mr K for the review and to commenters for comments,

    1. Hiccups!
       Not quite so gentle on the Sunday Toughie I expect

    2. Thank you, proXimal for an entertaining guzzle. Have a wonderful weekend.

36. An enjoyable puzzle for the end of the cross-wording week. Some helpful anagrams and a few head-scratching / penny drop moments. Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the the hints and kittie pics. Have a lovely weekend everyone.

37. Thank you proXimal for a really good puzzle – very enjoyable. 12A and 23D are superb!

    Many thanks Mr K and all other commenters.

38. That’s more like it, very tricky but very doable and most enjoyable. And we have CATS! Thank you Mr. K, you made my day. I did need ehelp in the SE, but I had enough checkers for word search. Also my brain got totally knotted with 10a and I had the wrong country, but solving 5d and 11d soon put me right. Hard to choose a fave, maybe 12a. I had to google to bakery at 23d, that’s a bit parochial to say the least.
    Thank you setter for the fun, and to Mr. K for sorting a few out for me.

39. any one else not got access to todays online puzzles? i’ve checked and my subs are up to date?

40. Well, a Friday puzzle that I finished. Either I’m improving or it was gentle, I suspect the latter.
    Great fun, I have to take issue with those complaining about the bakers in 23d. A hot sausage roll from them is one of lifes guilty pleasures. Thanks to all, and I have to say thanks again to the whole team of bloggers who have really made my enjoyment of puzzleland possible

    1. A proper Stottie from the original Geordie bakers were a childhood delight, fresh from the oven they soaked up a load of butter that melted into the thickly cut York Ham and Pease Pudding. I yearn to taste the like one day but the modern version of that baker is a pale imitation

41. A dnf for me due to 17a being beyond me. That prevented me getting 18d.

    Thanks to all.

42. A cracking puzzle. ***/****. 23d didn’t deserve to be a bung-in, so it demanded thinking outside the box; “Eureka” came a few minutes later. Many thanks to all..

43. Having glanced at the review at lunchtime, I made time to solve this puzzle before bed last night. Possibly it was unfair of me to expect it to live up to the hype; I found it absolutely fine.

    I liked the same clues that everybody else has mentioned above. Prawn has persuaded me that 20d is my favourite for the silliness of the answer. Thank to the setter for that and other fun.

    Thank you also to Mr K for explaining 5d with its island and 23d’s bakery — and a final thank you to anybody still reading this a day later.

    1. Did you break the window? – see pic of Greggs above

44. 4*/3* ….
    liked 15A “Stormy petrels eating unknown snacks (8)”

Comments are closed.