DT 30800

56 comments on “DT 30800”

1. Really enjoyable do this morning. First pass left me head scratching and then it just clicked. Clue of the day was 22 a closely followed by 18 a.

2. At first glance it looked quite tricky but not at all, the answers were fed in at a very brisk rate, despite having a mild hangover acquired at our hospitable neighbours last night. Although I got 28 , last one in, I didn’t get it grrr. Some super clues and difficult to pick a favourite but 5 ,22 and 25 podium placed.
   Thanks to all

3. Very satifying crossword to solve with a good mixture of difficulty, some easy and some head scratchers. For 5a I can only make it fit if u is used twice? COTD was 25a for me. Thanks to the setter and to Senf for hints.

   1. For 5d I mean, of course

4. Parsing 5d was pretty much the only head scratch as I happily tuned into the correct wavelength for a brisk finish. Agree that we’re lacking a U which is a shame as I thought it an otherwise excellent guzzle. Particular likes for me at 5,22&25a plus 7,13&17d but my standout fav was 3d for the memory of John Nott walking out on Robin Day.
   Thanks to the setter & to Senf.

   1. ”Thank you, Mr Nott.”

      Ever the gentleman, was our Robin.

      Thanks for the memory, Hoots.

5. 2*/3*. I enjoyed this more than usual compared with recent Wednesday puzzles, apart from 5d, which appears to missing a letter from the anagram fodder, and also the repetition of American = US (in crossing answers!)

   Thanks to the setter and to Senf.

6. Some smart surfaces and an enjoyable solve. I rather liked 22a and 25a is fun. 3d reads well too. As others have said, 5d’s a slight shame. But heck, it happens! Many thanks to our setter and Senf.

7. Tried to squeeze Sooty’s pal Sweep in for 6d but he wouldn’t fit. Douglas wouldn’t stretch to fit in 17d either. 🤔

   Had to use a bit of lateral thinking and Mr Google to cross the finishing line. A most enjoyable puzzle nevertheless with the previously mentioned 22a and 25a as joint favourites.

   Thanks to the setter for keeping me occupied while waiting for my Covid / flu inoculations and to Senf for explaining one of the parsings.

8. I didn’t find this as difficult as the rating suggests but each to their own.

   Like Senf and Leif, I think the clue for 5D is incorrect as their are 2 U’s in the fodder but only one in the answer.

   My favourite was the old flyers at 14D.

   Thanks to the setter and Senf.

9. An enjoyable puzzle with just 5d parsing a bit odd with the “u”. 4d made me think of Reginald Perrin.
   Top picks for me were 22a, 14a and 5a.

   Thanks to Senf and the setter.

10. Nothing too problematic this morning as this went in fairly swiftly. I enjoyed the mix of clues, with 17d coming out on top of the pile. Shame about the editorial hiccup at 5d.

    Thanks setter for the fun, and to Senf.

11. This was a surprisingly gentle midweeker that made for an enjoyable solve.

    Why oh why did we change the pronunciation of 16d as it has a Greek origin where the second letter is pronounced? I’ll tell you why. It’s Billy the Conk and his Gallic chums, softening any letter they get a chance to.

    My podium is 28a, 3d and 17d.

    Many thanks to the setter and Senf.

    2*/4*

12. This was a satisfying solve with ticks all over the paper. Once again, 1a went straight in and that puts me in a positive frame of mind. I liked the London cabbie at 22a but my COTD is the wrong bible at 28a.

    Thank, you setter for the fun challenge. Thank you Mr. Mustard for the hints.

13. Took a while to get going, but in the end finished in longish breakfast time. Held up mostly by 5d. Funnily enough there was an article in the DT yesterday that said puzzles were non-U, I think. Funny that, because my first contact with DT puzzles was in the late 60s/early 70s when my father switched the DT because the Times had become too left wing!
    I’ve got 16d marked as fave, though there were lots to like.
    Many thanks to the setter and the man from the frozen North!

14. Shame about 5d although in fairness I only spotted it in hindsight so it didn’t detract from the solve. For some reason, I never have a problem with the spelling of 14a, pity the same is not true of all those prehistoric beasties!
    Tops for me today were 22&25a plus the Quickie pun which made me smile.

    Thanks to our setter and to Senf for his Wednesday stint in the big red chair.

    1. I have at least a dozen pieces of copralite or dinosaur dung found in my garden. I gave some to Royston museum after telling the curator that – they didn’t have any. Little boys tend to be fascinated by it!

15. A change of job means I have less time to comment that previously, but I do enjoy reading the blog each day, for both the review and others’ comments, always enlightening.
    Today I was bang on wavelength but I do have a question on 25a – Senf has it as a straightforward cryptic, but I wondered if it is a double definition? “Where an arch must be” is the first definition and “in the way” the second? If someone is in your way then they can be under your feet?
    Would be interested to hear the views of others.
    Love this blog, thanks to Senf today and all the bloggers for their tireless work.
    And thanks to today’s setter for a very pleasant solve.

    1. I am with you 100% on 25a – a double definition.

    2. I like your thinking with 25a, GJR. as I wasn’t happy with ‘in’.

       That most certainly works for me.

    3. Re 25 ac, I too read it as a DD

16. There is once more no place for a Toughie like this as a back pager. Full of religious content and obscurities.
    Having said that there were two decent clues in 17d and 23d.
    Generally a poor offering imho.
    *****/*
    Thx for the hints

17. For me, and I stress for me (™ Senf), this was a WAAAHH!
    I see a lot of people above me found it a breeze. I managed about a third and then relied on The Mustard Man to get me going again. Senf’s tips are like having jump leads for the brain.
    Today’s plans include luncheon, a little snooze, and orf to see Sir Paul McCartney. Each time I go, I think, rather emotionally, “Oh this may be the last time to see him live…”
    And then he sets up another world tour.
    Bless Sir Paul.

    Thanks to the setter for the challenge (™ Steve Cowling) and to, surrounded by snow, The Man From Manitoba

    

18. A pleasant puzzle (a pity about 5d) – thanks to our setter and Senf.
    The clues which I liked best were 28a, 3d (I too was reminded of the thin-skinned Mr Nott) and 13d.

19. Cracking puzzle today, but recorded my first DNF for a while.
    Only beaten by the London Cabbie which turns out to be my favourite clue today

20. Confused by 23d. What’s the connection between ‘ball’ and ‘extra’? If cricket, it doesn’t really work.

    1. A ball that yields a leg bye is an extra presumably

       1. I had a question mark by this clue which I forgot to mention. I think hipponym (great alias, by the way!) is right; this clue doesn’t work. Yes, an extra is scored off a ball but they are not synonymous.

          1. Agreed – just trying to gauge the setter’s intention hence the presumably

          2. Yes, I think I’m uncomfortable because it’s the run that’s the extra, not the ball. You can’t bowl a four, and you can’t bowl a leg bye for the same reason. Interestingly, you can bowl a wide, but I’d say that that wide (singular) is not an extra. It’s the runs scored from the wide, also known as wides (but possibly plural) that are the extras.

             But can’t quibble too much when I seem to have figured out the answer without too much trouble. Glad you like my alias. Animals seem to be a popular choice.

             1. A ‘no ball’ is an extra, and you get a ‘bonus’ ball

                1. Welcome to the blog, Due Care.
                   What did you think of the puzzle?

                   1. Tricky in places, but every day is a school day.

             2. Hmm, this is an interesting one. The following works for me…

                ‘Was the fourth ball of the last over a run off the bat or an extra?’ asks one of the scorers.

                ‘That ball was an extra’

                1. That’s too much of a stretch for me, T.

                   As an aside, wouldn’t that make “ball” synonymous with “no ball”? 🤔

                   1. Absolutely.

                      One scorer asks the other scorer…

                      ’How many balls were there in the last over?’ (an oft heard question)…

                      There were nine: 1, 4, No ball, 2, Wide, 3, ,4, No ball and 2.

                      If a wide and a no ball aren’t balls then the answer every time would be six. There’s no point in the scorer asking his fellow scorer.

                      So a no ball is a ball, an illegitimate one, admittedly, but it’s a ball, nevertheless.

                      It’s like that tea towel explaining the game of cricket with the words ‘in’ and ‘out’ playing various roles.

                      Great fun.

21. For me again this week a Wednesday puzzle that was pretty straightforward with a few twists. A couple of words not in my everyday use, but worked them out wth cross check letters.

    2.5*/3.5*

    Favourites 12a, 14a, 25a, 26a,17d & 19d — with winner 17d
    Smiles for 12a, 25a & 26a

    Thanks to setter & Senf for another week of double duty.

22. I thought this was tricky but fair and enjoyed it, a pity about 5d but otherwise excellent clues with a few needing the hints to check parsing eg 23d and 28a. 5d would have been my favourite so I will go with 18a.

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

23. Tricky, but a long way from a Friday (or even Thursday) crossie. Perhaps the braintrust that are the writers-of-hints could vote on difficulty with the average number applied to the article. The inconsistency this week has been pretty wild, IMHO, even accounting for horses-for-courses variation.

    For what it’s worth, I’d put it as 3*/3.5*

24. Hi Senf, your reveal at 8d is missing a “T” I believe. I too had to ponder the “U” in 5dn. Apart from that I found this a pleasurable solve.

    Thanks go Senf and the settet.

    1. So it is, now fixed. As my eyes and brain were frequently disconnecting and heaven knows what my fingers were doing, I am surprised that is the only typo (found so far).

25. Late again because we had to go and get George’s passport renewed. At 91 11/12ths it might seem optimistic but you just never know when it might be needed. And I must say the Post Office in Sawston makes it easy peasy, photograph taken, sign here, done. About the only accolade I can grant at the moment having just bought postage stamps for Europe. However, the guzzle – good fun, I entered 5d without clocking the missing U – sometimes the brain reads what it wants to read. I really liked 5a for its simplicity with 12 and 28 close behind.
    Many thanks to Messrs Setter and Senf. Nice quickie pun!

26. Not my cup of tea today, several clues took it into Toughie territory, and one anagram was short a letter, so a bit on the frustrating side. I’m not really au fait with Norwegian gods strangely enough, but that’s my problem. I could see 14a was an anagram but I’m useless at spelling most of those prehistoric monsters, so needed the hint for that one too. Not heard of the plant in 5a, and found 26a awkward cluing. Probably just all down to me being rather slow on the uptake today. Wednesday is quickly becoming my least favourite day of the week. Congrats to Senf on being able to unravel all of this. Off to bake another batch of mince pies. Lesson to self, make them later next year, otherwise they get eaten up too soon, and I risk having none left for Christmas Day.

27. A bit of a mixed bag today. 9a and 24d were new to me but the font of all knowledge that is the internet came to my aid. Favourite clue was the cabby at 22a. Thanks Senf and setter.
    ***/***

28. 3*/4*
    I thought this was great apart from the error.
    17d my favourite today.
    SE corner was trickiest for me.
    Thanks to the mystery setter and Senf.

29. Very enjoyable, 17d is a great clue. Thank you compiler and Senf

30. I agree with Brian that this puzzle belongs on page 18. ****/** 😳 Favourites 12a, 22a (no flies on me) 27a and 20d 👍 Thanks to the compiler hyponym ?? 🤔 and to Senf for his much needed assistance, at least I managed to unravel the Quickie 😃

31. Today just shows how much being on the wave length of the setter makes such a difference. Could not believe it had 4 stars for difficulty. Some of the clues were so rewarding when the answer came that even if I had not finished the puzzle the journey would have been so worth while. Ticks for 14, 22 and 25 a. and 3 d. Family who would have been with daughter and son in law are deviating to us as Norovirus is on the rampage and we are O K for the present .Thanks to Senf and garlands to honour our fine setter.

32. I didn’t find this one too bad for a Wednesday although made heavy weather of the SE at the end. Last one in was 28a. I wasn’t familiar with the bible abbreviation – kind of obvious though in hindsight , nor the word meaning said , although clearly it was lurking in my brain somewhere as I got the answer in the end. A satisfying solve so thanks to the setter for the fun and to Senf.

33. Good evening.

    Another one of those crozzies where the temptation to hoy the sponge in kept recurring – right up to 5 minutes ago when I FINALLY twigged my last to fall, 17d.

    Plenty of contenders for COTD; I’ve had to pick three out of a generally superb bunch. 17d and 26a joint second; runaway winner with a classic piece of misdirection is 22a.

    Like Huntsman (above) I too recalled the famous flounce of John Nott on reading 3d!

    Many thanks to our compiler and to Senf.

34. Took me ages but I learned a lot. Thanks to setter and to Senf.

35. Not a great puzzle for me. 5d is simply wrong, 17d is very weak and 23d doesn’t work. The answer is not a ball, it’s a run. Thanks to Senf for the hints.

36. An escaped toughie for me which I found harder than the toughie. Having said that I always struggle with Wednesdays, toughie followed by a brain mangling quiz and then this. Tomorrow is another day, onwards and upwards. Didn’t notice the error in 5d. Favourite was 25a. Thanks to the setter and Senf.

37. 3*/4* ….
    liked 22A “Fly-like a London cabby perhaps (10)”

    1. Good choice, Robin, that was at the top of my podium as well.

       1. 😊

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