DT 30691

63 comments on “DT 30691”

1. I managed about half before hitting a brick wall. I found the rest quite difficult but I cannot really pinpoint why. I didn’t understand the parsing of a few such as 29a and 20d. Does the first part of 29a mean “really” and I don’t see where “on the contrary” comes into 20d unless it just means the first elements of the clue are reversed. On the whole, I can’t say I enjoyed it overmuch but I will put that down to the weather frazzling my brain. I did like 1a because I thought it had a great surface.

   Thank you, setter for the guzzle. Not your fault at all that I struggled with half of it. Thank you, Hintsman for the hunts.

   Rain forecast for The Marches this afternoon so I’d better get the mower out now.

   1. My golf in that heat yesterday was really/so bad – hope it’s better today. Yes for on the contrary

      1. Hmm. Ok! Thanks, Huntsman. 👍

      2. 1. Love it – thankfully much cooler today. My golf was hot though……

         2. Great! The Merrymen are becoming the Big Dave band, Merusa!
            Dance everyone!

   2. Hello. I think you are missing the point of 29 across.
      So? is a response to something that is of no consequence to you. H simply is the initial letter of hotel.
      O is simply the initial letter of old.
      Put them together and you get Soho.
      Cheers

      1. Welcome to the blog,Paul.

      2. Welcome to the blog, Paul and you are no doubt correct. I miss the point all the time and not just in crosswords! 🤣
         Please comment again.

2. Another fine puzzle from the prof with so many good surfaces.

   I’d call this one a ‘RayT lite’ as all the answers are single words and the average word count per clue is just under six.

   6a may be a struggle for non-film lovers but the synonym is fairly obvious. I didn’t know the meaning of sally in this context. So, that’s been logged.

   I’ll go with 22a, 18d and 21d for my pody.

   Many thanks to AP and Hoots Mon!

   2*/4*

   1. I forgot to include 1a in my top 3 as it’s a great anagram that started off proceedings very nicely.

      So, I’ll bump 18d for it.

3. I found this flowed quite nicely with very few hiccups, although I tend to agree that it perhaps lacked a little sparkle. I did appreciate the generally concise clues, and 22a was my favourite this morning.

   Thanks to, presumably AP, and The Hintsman.

4. Steady away until I got to 4d – I was thinking geriatrically rather than arboreally for a while but when the penny dropped it was my fave today, nice to hear The Pogues too
   Thanks to AP and Huntsman

   1. The other music clips are well worth listening too – a very nice lunchtime playlist
      Thanks H

      1. Oh, what a glorious thing to be
         A healthy, grown-up, busy-busy bee
         Whiling away the passing hours
         Pinching all the pollen from the cauliflowers
         I’d like to be a busy-busy bee
         Being just as busy as a bee can be
         Flying around the garden, sweetest ever seen
         Taking back the honey to the dear old queen
         Bzz-bzz-bzz-bzz, honey bee, honey bee
         Bzz if you like, but don’t sting me
         Bzz-bzz-bzz-bzz, honey bee, honey bee
         Buzz if you like, but don’t sting me
         Bzz-bzz

         1. What larks, eh Pip?

            1. Larking with Merusa
               Who wouldn’t want to choose her
               Swimming in her pool.
               I think she’s rather cool.

               1. Just come out, about to have lunch. It keeps me upright!

         2. Awww. TYVM

   2. Apparently we are not to use the word geriatric any more. It’s demeaning. We must say elderly or elderly care ward.
      As a geriatric I couldn’t care less.

      1. Did Geriatric Pacemakers sing “How do you do it?”?

5. 1*/4.5*. This was very light but a lot of fun: one out of the “it doesn’t have to be tough to be good” drawer.

   With smooth surfaces throughout, I loved the picture conjured up by 15a. I’ll put that one on the podium alongside 22a & 21d.

   Many thanks to Mr Plumb (?) and to Hintsman.

6. Thoroughly enjoyed this, although the French actor had me stumped until I had a brainwave driving home.
   One Gordon Bennett is I believe the reason we have British Racing Green, but maybe there are others.
   Many thanks to AP and Huntsman for your sterling efforts

   1. I had to look up Gordon Bennett, new one on me.

      1. Oh my Gawd! Or to give less offence, Gordon Bennet! Just like the French have Sacre Dieu! Replaced by Sacre Bleu!

         1. You’ve changed your alias for the third time – all three will work from now on

7. Very gentle but enjoyable, as noted by RD.
   I would have been very disappointed not to get 6a, given my nickname.
   Some nice surface reads.
   Thank you setter and Huntsman. A lovely day for golf at Totteridge.

8. Definitely Typically Tuesdayish which indicates an Anthony Plumb production – 1.5*/4*

   Candidates for favourite – 13a, 21a, 29a, 1d, 4d, and 20d – and the winner is 13a.

   Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.

9. I did briefly join our reviewer on his hunt for a 3d creepy-crawly but otherwise a brisk solve with a few smiles encountered along the way. Top two here were the doctor’s exit from hospital and the festival that got ignored.

   Thanks to Mr Plumb for the puzzle and to Huntsman for the review.

   1. I also went down the creepy-crawly route, initially, but I’m still doubtful about the answer being the reversal of a synonym for beetle.

      1. Beetle’s a red herring, it’s just a reverse lurker.

         1. Of course! How did I miss that!?

10. For some reason I was slow off the mark but soon got into the Tuesday swing of things and the rest went in quite smoothly. 26d was a bung-in as was 7d plant which took a while to dawn so slow to parse and likewise 26d. Fav was 15a for the clue surface. Thank you RayT and Hintsman – keep your head down in th is heat!

    1. Google Gordon Bennett!

       1. I did – he certainly was a man of many parts.

11. 1* / 3* for us – we only missed 1 answer on 1st pass.
    Some nice clues – no favourites though.
    Minor quibble – and I mean minor – with 7d. The “ultimately” is sort of superfluous for the all-in-1 definition, but has to be there to get the “t”.
    Thanks AP and Huntsman.
    Bad weather forecast here for tomorrow – big hailstones predicted – and we’re driving to Alicante to go to see Cirque du Soleil for my birthday. Could be noisy in the big top.

12. Much of this enjoyable puzzle went in at speed and then slowed down as a few clues in the south needed some head scratching. My podium comprises 21a and 22a with the anagram at 1a in top spot. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.

13. I took 7d as a mistake where the definition was missing. The ‘A’ from the clue, with the ultimate letter of plant ‘T’ with the Information ‘GEN’ in the middle, but no word actually in the clue for the answer. Or maybe the clue number itself is a hint, 7, as in 007 Anyone else think the same?

    1. As Huntsman says in his blog, it is an “all-in-one” clue with the whole clue being the definition.

14. Gentle with some great clues – thanks to our Tuesday setter and Huntsman.
    Did anyone else fall into the trap at 15a and write in ‘chopped’ initially (CH being an abbreviation for surgeon)?
    I liked 24a, 3d and 23d but my favourite is a dead-heat between 13a and 7d.

    1. CH abbreviation for surgeon? I must remember that, it’ll pop up in a crossword sooner or later!

15. Oh, I rather enjoyed this super-light little number. A few chestnuts, for sure, but 1d reads well and 26d’s jolly. 13a’s nicely topical and 7d’s very tight. Thanks to our setter and Huntman. Fine tunes, as ever.

16. found this Tuesday puzzle much like last Tuesday in that it was quite approachable and had minimal head scratching.

    2*/3.5*

    Favourites 13a, 15a, 28a, 16d & 20d — with winner 15a that made me laugh!
    Smiles from 6a, 28a & 21d

    Thanks to AP & Huntsman

17. I found this to be a little easier than yesterday’s puzzle. I needed BD’s help with 6a (who?), 7d and 1d (Lisa just refused to leave my mind).

18. Thoroughly enjoyed this guzzle, especially the doctor jumping in one leg and the messy sandwiches were fun, also liked the appropriate anagram at 1a but favourite is 30a for its misdirection. First thought was sport of course. We took an elderly uncle, an Old Boy, to visit his Alma Mater and were each assigned a first former to show us round. This was many years ago I was about 40. The lad asked me something about my schooldays and I told him when I had left school – Gosh, he said, you must be historical! Cooler today but I have to go to Royston to the optician which is a nuisance. Many thanks to Messrs Setter & Hintsman. PS love the quickie!

19. I agree with the ** Huntsman, not the one*! I enjoyed it but needed help with the “why” of a couple. I was so sure that 24a was an anagram of “steel” plus another word, but what? I spent far too long on that until I solved 20d and then it was obvious. Fave was 15a but 21a wasn’t far behind.
    Thank you setter for the fun and Huntsman for his usual delightful hints and tips. I’m learning so much about rock bands, I’ve never heard of most of them … where have I been?

20. Found this crossword a little more difficult than a normal Tuesday 😳 but witty and enjoyable ***/**** 😃 Favourites: 6,28 & 30a and 2 & 18d 👍 I will put my chip on AP as the compiler so thanks Mr Plumb and also thanks to the Huntsman

21. Nope, not for me. A bit of a let down after yesterday, which all made sense to me. Didn’t know sally can also mean wisecrack, nor the US composer. At least three other clues left me in the dark, and having succumbed to the hints, realise I found them quite strange. I must be on another planet. Thanks to setter and Huntsman.

    Feeling very sorry for the people of Bermuda as Ernesto seems to be heading straight to them. Such a lovely island. The taxi driver who picked us up at the airport there in May said they don’t fear hurricanes, it’s more of a day off work thing. Their houses etc, seem to be built very robustly, with even the roofs appearing to be made out of concrete. Good, as the roof is usually the first to go. Really hoping this hurricane moves away from them instead.

22. I was a fan of today’s guzzle. It isn’t always the case when others seem to find it easy. So I can understand how you feel BusyLizzy about today being tricky. Good thing we’re all different I guess. Boring otherwise! Favourite today was 11a having taken a while to solve it. Thankyou setter and hunter.

23. Some very nice surfaces in a most enjoyable puzzle. Many thanks AP and Huntsman. ]

    I especially liked 22A, bringing back memories of the great man bowling in his cap.

24. Still too hot but I really enjoyed today’s crossword which is one good thing.
    A nice long answer across the top which is a good start.
    I liked 10 and 11a and 16 and 21d. My favourite was 15a – because of imagining the doctor hopping around on one leg – ridiculous!
    With thanks to today’s setter for the crossword and to Hintsman for the hints.

25. Didn’t know Sally, Tati or steel. apart from that no hold up at all.
    Passed the time
    So thanks both.

26. Well I got there with one grid check but I can’t say it was as enjoyable as many, quite a few I needed explaining (thanks) and no reading out of clever clues (which usually happens). Perhaps it was me.

27. Good evening

    All done, albeit not without a few hiccups along the way. I often find, on Tuesdays, that I steam in and get loads of solutions in, and then wallop! Brick wall time! Coffee and a breather helped.

    COTD: joint honours between 30a and my last to fall, which was 23d. Such an obvious answer, once you twig it, but it took me ages to get there! So I left it until last, with B – T – H entered, and I still had to think about it! Today’s contender for the Tenuous Zone is 26d!

    Many thanks to Mr P and to Huntsman.

28. Completed earlier but without time to comment. Thoroughly enjoyable and just right for a Tuesday, lots of excellent clues. 11a my favourite clue. I didn’t know the actor in 6a.

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

29. No hold-ups for me today, but no less enjoyable for that. Favourite was 15a but 7d ran it close. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.

30. A late one for me and for some unknown reason I started at the bottom and worked upwards. That is the opposite of my usual approach but it seemed to work.
    A DNF for me as I didn’t know the French actor.
    Top picks for me were 13a, 23d and 28a.
    Thanks to Huntsman and the setter.

    1. You’re obviously too young Madflower as the talented and funny actor, star of “Mon Oncle”, etc. (French), died in 1958. He is often regarded as the French Charlie Chaplin.

       1. He was one of a kind and very funny.

       2. Maybe that’s a typo but he actually died in 1982.
          I’ve always preferred his earlier work to the later more self-indulgent films, but there’s gold in those too if you can get through the longueurs.
          He was on Parkinson in 1971. The whole thing used to be on youtube, but there’s only this brief clip now:

       3. Thanks Angelov. Not just for the useful information but for saying I’m too young – it’s a long time since anyone said that

31. Flew through this until 7d and 13a caught me in my tracks. Love a French clue, so 6a brought a smile 😊.

32. 3*/4* …
    liked 15A “Dismissed doctor jumped on one leg out of hospital (7)”

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