Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30918
Hints and tips by Smylers
Hello, and happy Bank Holiday to those who have one. It’s Ilkley Carnival today, with the parade starting right as these hints go live. Both our children are among the 1000+ participating, one with their school and t’other with their dance school, each group with costumes and props in their interpretation of the theme, hoping to impress the judges.
And our church hall has re-opened after its building work, now with its floor all the same level and the distinctive ‘show home’ smell. Thank you to those who donated last year when the eldest and I climbed 2 of the 3 Peaks as part of the fundraising — with special thanks to the recently returned Steve C, who encountered some kind of blip on the payment page and inadvertently donated twice!
Anyway, to today’s crossword, which I’m presuming is by X-Type — though given I’m typing this introduction on Sunday evening before having seen the puzzle, I wouldn’t give that much credence.
Hints and explanations for each clue are below, with definitions underlined and the answers hidden behind the Also, Happy Cartoonists Day, especially to The Telegraph’s Matt. 
blobs. Do leave a comment sharing how you found the crossword, which clues you particularly liked, if any of my explanations aren’t helpful enough, or if it isn’t clear what a picture or video has to do with the clue it’s supposedly illustrating. Please see the etiquette guide for how things are done round here.
Across
1a Stage qualification (6)
DEGREE: A double definition to start. Or to leave till much later, if you’re me. This stage is an indication of progress, not something found at a theatre.
Pic credit: Gwen King
4a Cryptically, what indicates pots could be a barrier? (8)
BACKSTOP: If the answer to this clue were instead a clue itself, then it could cryptically indicate an answer of ‘pots’. To do that, it’d need to be interpreted as two 4-letter words.
9a Fruity dessert journalist took in (6)
FOOLED: Here we need a dessert made from fruit then the usual journalist. The definition isn’t in the sense of giving a home to, or even bringing an animal into your house:
Accompanying Julia Donaldson on guitar there is her husband Malcolm, who died last year. We were fortunate to see them at The Hay Festival. Afterwards the queue for meeting Julia and getting her to sign books was, as you’d expect, very long. Long queues and small children are usually not a good combination, but Malcolm appeared with his guitar and moved along the queue performing his wife’s songs to keep everybody entertained. It was such a lovely gesture, especially given that he was an expert in quite a different field (as a paediatrician and a specialist in endorcrinology) and there was no expectation for ‘plus ones’ to be doing anything at all. RIP, Malcom; it was an honour to meet you.
10a Fellow I help to get better cosmetic treatment (8)
MANICURE: Enter in turn: a synonym for ‘fellow’; the I from the clue; a verb meaning ‘help to get better’ (from an illness, say, rather than better at cricket or French or similar).
11a Yank with ordinary coffee (9)
AMERICANO: Follow another word for a Yank (with a capital letter, obscured by being at the beginning of the clue) with the single-letter abbreviation for ‘ordinary’, as in the former school qualifications.
13a “I will” said in part of church (5)
AISLE: Hurray! I previously grumbled about a clue using ‘marriage vow’ to indicate “I do” (which I didn’t say at our wedding, and there weren’t any commenters claiming to have said it at theirs) — so I’m pleased to see the correct “I will” in this one. If the phrase were said in its contracted form, it would sound like the answer.
14a Muppet coins? Or, surprisingly, a genuine pay-out (6,7)
INCOME SUPPORT: Re-arrange the letters of the first 3 words in a surprising order to get a pay-out. I’ve underlined ‘genuine’ because it doesn’t seem to be part of the wordplay and the answer is indeed genuine. But so are all the answers — the previous answer is genuinely a part of a church, for instance.
17a Unfortunately, pen pals parted? They’re often together in the dining room (4,3,6)
SALT AND PEPPER: Put the letters of the subsequent 3 words in an unfortunate order.
21a Tree produced deal and resin, intially (5)
ALDER: From the letters in the answer you could produce ‘deal’ and the first letter of ‘resin’. I don’t think the missing I in ‘intially’ is significant; I doubt I would’ve noticed it if this text editor hadn’t put a red squiggle under it. But do please leave a comment below if you can explain what ‘deal’ means in the surface reading of this clue, because I’m struggling to imagine a tree producing a deal.
23a Dinosaurs, perhaps, in ancient mist? Yes, in a way (3,6)
OLD FOGEYS: Enter in turn: another word for ‘ancient’; a weather condition that’s similar to mist; the letters of ‘yes’ written in another way. That last bit is important because the answer has two permitted spellings, and if you use the wrong one then that’ll mess up 15d.
We first encountered the Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs books by Ian Whybrow and Adrian Reynolds when staying in a well-stocked holiday cottage in Wells-Next-the-Sea. The TV adaptation isn’t quite as good, but its theme tune is very catching and now in our household if anybody says “triceratops” it’s pretty much compulsory to immediately add “is next”. We’ll be back at the cottage for our 8th visit later this year.
24a Italian in past times exhibiting close male friendship (8)
BROMANCE: Personally I’d prefer that this word didn’t exist, but it does, so it’s completely reasonable of the setter to use it. The Italian here is specifically one from a particular city. Place them inside an abbreviation that can be used on old dates to indicate quite how old they are. Probably not the actual abbreviation that you would personally use to indicate such years, but an alternative with another letter on the end that can be used by those who want to avoid referring to the religion that they are basing the dates on.
25a Opposing positions taken with foul insect (6)
WEEVIL: The answer starts with the abbreviations for a pair of opposite positions on a compass (or when playing bridge). That gives 4 possibilities, though I don’t think any words begin with ‘ns-’, so in practice that’s only 3 pairs to try out. Follow with an adjective that could mean ‘foul’.
26a Having no enthusiasm, needing to remember what shopping to get? (8)
LISTLESS: Normally when I go to the supermarket I don’t need to remember what I want to buy because I’ve got something that tells me. But on occasions when I forget it (and so do need to remember), I could whimsically be described as this answer.
27a Catastrophe of monarch who was executed by sibling (6)
CRISIS: We need the cipher of a monarch who was executed, including their regnal number. Follow that with a colloquial shortening of a term for a sibling.
Down
1d Fed up? Beam getting pay (6)
DEFRAY: The first part of this is easier than it looks: we just enter ‘fed’ up the grid. After that put another word for a beam, as in a beam of light (or indeed, as in the first name of the Telegraph Toughie setter who uses the alias of ‘Beam’).
2d Farm worker playing Grieg solo (5-4)
GOOSE-GIRL: Play with the letters of ‘Grieg solo’ until they spell out a term for somebody who could plausibly work on a farm. It isn’t an expression I’d heard of, but each word is common and together they mean what they sound like. It’s also used in the title of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, though having now read its summary on Wikipedia, not one I’d want to read anybody as a bedtime story.
This video starts off slowly; watch to the end to see some incredible playing, with hands a-blur.
3d Sad, as developing Ice Age consumes loch (7)
ELEGIAC: To get this literary term for ‘sad’ we need to develop the letters of ‘Ice Age’ into different positions and make them consume the map abbreviation for ‘loch’. Though I’ve only seen it used in the names of particular bodies of water, in which case it would stand for ‘Loch’ with a capital L. If you can think of a situation when it could mean lower-case ‘loch’, please share with the class below.
5d Having nothing to do – certainly not tied up! (2,1,5,3)
AT A LOOSE END: The answer is used to metaphorically mean having nothing to do; if interpreted literally it couldn’t apply to somebody who was tied up (also literally).
6d Fish or CIA pork supply (3,4)
KOI CARP: ‘Supply’ here is being used as an adverb. Treat the letters of ‘CIA pork’ in a supple manner to spell out the answer. Generally surface readings don’t bother me as much as they do some solvers, but even I’m wondering why the CIA would be supplying pork. Supplying pork just makes me think of this clip:
… which turns out to be handy, because:
7d Former PM in bind (5)
TRUSS: Many people are scathing of this Prime Minister’s period in office, but if it hadn’t happened today’s setter wouldn’t have been able to use them in this double definition. They’re also the offspring of somebody who’s in a walking club with a former of colleague of my spouse, but that wouldn’t really work in a clue in a national paper.
8d Excuses vacuous politicians keeping on message (8)
PRETEXTS: These politicians are vacuous because they don’t have any insides; use just the first and last letters of the words. We also need an abbreviation meaning ‘on’ (as in, ‘on the subject of’) and another word for ‘message’. Keep those inside the vacuous politicians.
12d The military, having weapons, uses coercion (5,6)
ARMED FORCES: The first word means ‘having weapons’; the second is also a verb meaning ‘uses coercion’. The whole seems a little same-sidey and uncryptic to me.
15d Unhappy lovers use us (9)
OURSELVES: Make the following two words unhappy by putting their letters in a different order.
16d Lab isn’t rebuilt around university in city (8)
ISTANBUL: Rebuild the first two words in the clue and place them round the single-letter abbreviation for ‘university’ to spell out the answer.
18d Maria upset with one line in overseas correspondence (7)
AIRMAIL: Our third anagram in a row (or column, I suppose, these being down clues). Upset the letters in ‘Maria’ follow them with the Roman numeral for one and the abbreviation for ‘line’.
19d Frontiersman with messy eating habits, might you say? (7)
PIONEER: If you say this answer out loud it sounds like a description of somebody who’s such a messy eater that they’ve managed to get a piece of a particular food in a place where it really shouldn’t be.
20d Afterthought, getting charitable donations for religious works (6)
PSALMS: This afterthought is one you might add to a letter. Follow that with a historical term for donations given charitably to the poor.
22d Some ships in shipyard? How spiffing! (5)
DHOWS: These Arabian ships were new to me, but the answer can easily be found lurking in the wordplay. In practice that needs to be across the final 3 words in the clue (otherwise one of them wouldn’t be doing anything). Given there are only 5 letters in the answer, there’s only one position it can span the required words. I’m very happy to have my vocabulary expanded like this, when it’s possible to be sure of the answer without having heard of it.
Pic credit: Erik ‘Hash’ Hersman
Quickie Pun
In today’s Quick Crossword the first 3 clues are italicized, indicating that their answers when read aloud together can be made to sound like another word or phrase. If you want to check, here are the answers and pun:
SOCK + RAT + EASE = SOCRATES
That’s the second person mentioned in Bruces’ Philosophers Song we’ve had in a quickie pun recently. Last time I misspelt René Descartes’s name, for which belated apologies, especially to those who hadn’t heard of him. Hopefully today’s philosopher is better known. That crossword was by Twmbarlwm, who could be working through philosophers, meaning I’d be wrong last night in suggesting X-Type as today’s setter. (But I look at the quickie pun first, so even though this paragraph is at the end, I’m also writing it before solving the cryptic crossword and writing the above hints, so you still shouldn’t give this any credence either!)
Well, that was a great start to the week and a lovely diversion from the miserable and cold Bank Holiday weather. I was convinced that the third word in 17a was “plates” until I solved 5d and found “E” where I had “L”. After a lifetime of “ER” it will take me some time to get used to “CR”, which was needed for one answer. I thought there were a lot of anagrams but I haven’t bothered to count them and I don’t understand 8d. I will need to check the hints.
My COTD is 23a with its dinosaurs in the mist.
Thank you, compiler for a most enjoyable tussle. Thank you, Smylers for the hints. I feel there should be a second Quickie pun but I can’t make it work – assuming I have the correct tool.
It’s so cold in The Marches I’ve relit the Aga and had to cover the African Lily with fleece to protect it from frost. As for the runner beans, they are now walking!
Nice to have you back in your rightful place as ‘first commenter’
It’s blooming cold here too
Thank you, Sue – It’s good to be back. 😊
Thank you all. I did appreciate the support from the commentariat. I’ve started work again and have renewed my membership with Theatre Severn and have a couple of plays lined up. I’m also helping out with Kinnerley Beer Festival – I am determined not to sit twiddling my thumbs! 😊
Dyslex, I qualified at Guy’s 70/71. I remember the shepherd’s pies at The George we used to have for lunch. We often frequented The Bunch of Grapes in St. Thomas Street as well. I bet they’re part of chains now.
I spelt the second word of 23a like bogie which I think is a railway thingy, so got myself in a bit of a mess. Welcome back 🥰
Me too! It messed up the SE corner somewhat.
Thought of you Steve on 30 th. April as we had our annual Guy’s reunion for those qualifying 68 /69. Presentation at the Gordon Museum and later dinner at the George. Glad to see you back on the Big Dave site.
Welcome back.
Welcome back from me too.
Nice to hear from you, Steve. It dounds like you’re keeping busy and picking up the threads of a few hobbies and pursuits. Good for you. It was a good croossword for your first day back.
Been too busy hacking around courses in the Algarve to comment but have found time to complete the puzzles & have had a quick gander at the site. As Sue says so good to have you back Steve – hope all is as well as it can be.
Weather hasn’t been brilliant here either but we’ve at least managed 6 rounds with 1 to go without getting wet – my golf balls have found a few water hazards though☹️
I thought this was just right for a Monday. The clues I liked the best were 4a and 19d
Thanks to the setter and Smylers
A ‘true’ Monday puzzle! */****
Candidates for favourite – 23a, 26a, 7d, and 19d – and the winner is 7d.
Thanks to whomsoever and Smylers.
Aha! He’s back as the first poster. There are no flies on Cowling.
This was an enjoyable anagram fest (like Anagran Daisy, I do love solving an anagram).
3d is always a toughie to spell. I just remember that to change the y of its root to an i like happy becoming happiness *.
It was good to learn some new terms in 1d and 2d and I’ve always loved the word 25a.
My podium is 27a, 8d and 15d.
MT to the setter and Smylers.
2*/4*
* I could never get into Ken Dodd. But, he found an audience. So, fair play to him
Perhaps you can answer George’s question to me this morning Sir Linkalot. Putting out food for the birds, he said why do we say ‘crumbs’ as an exclamation? I said I don’t know, but I know a man who will ?🙂
Good question, Day Zee.
I’ve always thought it was a euphemism like ‘Oh, sugar’ where it replaces ‘Christ’. Having done a quick search, it looks like the most popular theory.
Lots of fun. 19d tickled me enormously. Cracking illustration, Smylers. Like Steve, I was looking for a second Quickie pun (it just looks like it could be one with those letters) but couldn’t quite see it. Best thanks to setter and Smylers.
I do like that the Double-Punner has done this to us: not only do some weeks we now get a pun in the bottom row again, but on weeks when it’s another setter, we spend even longer saying the answers out loud in various ways trying to find one where there isn’t!
Very enjoyable although took some time to sort out the Cape Wrath corner.
Thanks to the Setter and Mr Smylers.
PS minor thing I think the tree in 21a is an Alder rather than Elder
I thought I’d step in at this point and clarify the matter of the tree and “deal”…It could be a Pine or a Spruce tree – but definitely not an alder or an elder , within the clue itself – since the word “deal” also means a softwood plank: and both Pines and Spruces produce resin, which alder and elder do not. So, as well as working cryptically, it works botanically too. (I studied Wood Science at college; so I do know about these things – trust me!)
CMIWSc. High Wycombe, Class of 1980 myself
I was at HW as well – 1975 for my CMIWSc and 1978 for AIWSc
We probably passed like ships in the night I did block release during holidays
Ah, thank you so much, X-Type! I should’ve guessed from your email address that it’d be something woody. Or indeed just looked up ‘deal’ in Chambers, which clearly explains it. Apologies for not doing that this morning.
And thank you to Jimbob for spotting the typo. You are indeed correct; I had the right tree in my grid but put the wrong one in the hints. Now fixed.
Deal is a noun for 21a
deal2 /dēl/
noun
A fir or pine board of a standard size
Soft wood
And I think it is Alder too or the city doesn’t work.
Thanks to Smylers and setter
2*/3*. This seemed rather anagram heavy, but that apart it was good fun. 2d was a new term for me but readily derivable from the anagram fodder.
Smylers, for 21a, “deal” can mean “soft wood”, so I think that works for the surface.
19d was my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Smylers.
A steady offering. The tree in 21a history be ‘alder’ to fit 16d and the partial anagram. Deal is the timber from conifers (so not from either elder or alder) particularly in plank form, hence also a scaffold board.
Top spot to 2d
Thanks to the setter and Mr Smyler
Don Watson
A very pleasant and not-too-difficult introduction to the crosswording week, that certainly cheered up a cold and rather drab Bank Holiday morning. 27a and 15d share my top spot.
Thanks to our setter and Smylers, and a warm welcome back to my fellow Shropshire -dweller SC.
We had the same tree and a different philosopher in a recent puzzle by Light. So Twm would be a good guess
Straightforward Monday fare, a swift and enjoyable solve if rather heavy on one clue type in particular. Honours to 23a, 27a & 22d.
Thank you to setter and Smylers
Very enjoyable for a typically chilly May bank holiday Monday. I fell into the trap of the wrong option for the spelling of 23a which made 15d impenetrable until a reread of the clue and a trip to the dictionary gave the correct option. My podium comprises 4a, 23a and 24a. Thanks to compiler and Smylers.
Surely 21a is an anagram of deal +r
It is indeed. What did you think of the rest of the crossword?
21 Across is ALDER. An anagram of DEAL and the first letter of Resin. Otherwise 16 Down, INSTANBUL doesn’t fit!
Quite right. I’d’ve fixed it sooner if I hadn’t been out at the carnival (where one of the props in the parade was a magnificent stage, which would have made a fun illustration for 1a).
‘Instanbul’ sounds like a dehydrated beef product — “just add water for Instanbul!”. I like the chain of a typo in the clue for 21a, which I mention in its hint but make a second typo of the answer, then Bob Burt points out that one, but in explaining why makes a third typo of the answer to 16d. Hopefully I’ve introduced a fourth typo in this comment, to keep the chain going.
I hate the term BCE in 24a, was it brought in to prevent offending people who have different faiths? I’ve no idea.
Didn’t know the word at 3d, but it couldn’t be much else from the letters already in it.
Great video of Blondie doing ‘Maria’, we saw them live in Reading in 1999 when this had just come out, and Debbie’s voice was just as good as it was in the 70’s.
I have never understood BCE and CE. What happened to change BCE to CE? BC was before Christ and AD after Christ so there is a reason for the change.
I believe BCE and CE were introduced so it would include all faiths but I’m usually wrong on these things.
It’s because AD stands for Anno Domini, the Year of Our Lord and non-Christians say that he’s not their Lord.
I understand the change but it’s all a bit soppy.
Maybe change AD to CE and leave BC as the latter explains the rationale behind it.
Hi Tom you got it right with soppy, what’s next, ‘Merry Winter Holiday and a Happy New Year’, and try buying a card with any religious picture on the front, it’s all robins sitting on a pillar box in the snow now…….
This nation has ‘Trying to do the right thing’ to another level.
I never thought I’d say it but I am embarrassed to be a Brit.
It should be called Grate Britain.
I believe Birmingham city council changed Christmas to Winterval.
As you know, SC, I love a play on words but….doh!
Fortunately, it’s an urban myth: it was the term Birmingham Council used for a few years to cover a series of winter events, which included Christmas but also Children-in-Need and New Year. It wasn’t supposed to be instead of Christmas — indeed several of the events in their Winterval programme had ‘Christmas’ in their names. So it wasn’t supposed to replace Christmas, but to include it.
Thank goodness.
But, it’s probably a matter of time.
Thank you for clarifying, Smylers. A case of the Fourth Estate being economical with the facts, perhaps?
I had a forth estate once, it was a Triumph Herald, after two Fords and a Vauxhall
Wey hey!
Tommy Cooper, a fellow TC, would have been proud, TC.
Tee-hee!
A lovely puzzle with some very enjoyable anagrams and multiword clues all which helped give enough help for the ones where I did not know the term eg 2d.
Many thanks to X-type and to Smylers for the hints.
Enjoyable Monday fare. Thank you setter and Smylers.
I liked the Grieg solo at 2d, struggled to spell 3d (thanks TDS for the hint), struggled a bit with 7d as there are so many to choose from and 23d was my LOI, even though I am one.
CoD for me is 8d, with 19d mentioned in despatches.
Enjoyable fare with a plentiful supply of anagrams – thanks to our setter and Smylers.
I particularly liked 4a, 27a and 19d (a great laugh).
I don’t always go along cruciverbally on Mondays but today was a fun challenge. I did however need to refer to MrG for a couple (19d and 22d where I couldn’t think past docks). Unfamiliar with 24a term. Thank you X-Type for the fun and Smylers for your comprehensive hints.
I spent too long aching over 2d. Could it be? But why? But then it was. Good for her.
Grieg is one of those classical geezers who is doomed to be remembered by yer general hoi polloi for one piece; similarly Pachabel and Albinoni. If there is a heaven they must spend all their time up there insisting to newcomers, “I wrote other stuff too, you know!”
Fun guzzle. I’ll even excuse the Grieg woman.
Thanks to the setter and the Splendid Smylers from Ilkley.
2d took me back to primary school days when one of our Christmas shows. ‘Playdays in Happy Holland’ had one of those as a leading character -,’what an admission, scared of a goose, she couldn’t say boo to a goose’. Happy, innocent days.
A few stops and starts for me in this one but finished up with ticks alongside 26a plus 8,12&20d.
Thanks to our setter and to Smylers for the review.
Thought we were back to easier Monday’s, but the last 6 or 7 took as long as the rest of the puzzle. Also, several new words for me in that lot too.
2*/3*
Favourites 10a, 13a, 17a, 23a, 5d & 7d — with winner 17a
Thanks to X-Type & Smylers
Well, I don’t mind telling you this old lady has put her vest back on. Too much information, I hear you say. Am finding this 80th anniversary stuff most moving, so many memories flooding back and some of them terrifying. When the doodlebug noise stops for instance, or when the sirens sounded, and the smell of the underground with all the people, my little brother in tin helmet and sword going to fight the Germans and Granddad Angus, who worked on The Times, demanding utter silence for the news bulletin on the wireless, being trapped in an Anderson shelter for four hours On My Own when a doodlebug fell on Banstead in August ‘44. So long ago but just like yesterday. So thank you Messrs Setter (for a great guzzle) & Smyler (for sorting out the tree) for the diversion from Memory Lane!
DG, I was born in Banstead but moved to Kingswood at a very young age where we were “bombed out” and our house badly damaged by a doodlebug which hit the house next door and killed one oocupant due to a fire from their gas lighting/heating.
Wow, thank you for sharing those memories, Daisygirl. It makes a difference to hear them from somebody who live through it.
A gentle start to the week. Personally I would have preferred fewer anagrams . Had to laugh at 19 down. I’m such a 23 across that new words like 24 across do not come easily. Husband John keeps telling me that language has always evolved so just try and keep up. Talking of husbands, mine was conceived on VE day /night . His father Norman had a 24 hour pass so this is accurate info. A lot to think about this week. Many thanks to Smylers and our setter.
Love the ‘VE night’ story, D!
A nice start to the week. Thank you. No trouble with lower case “loch”. It’s strange how many people cannot pronounce the final “ch”.
Very enjoyable with “I will” as my favourite clue; thank you compiler and the excellent Smylers for such good musical illustrations
Good afternoon
An unexpected cancellation of half of my day’s work means time spent with tea and the crozzie. Thankfully done without too many stumbles this afty.
Many thanks to our setter and to Smylers.
Didn’t know what BCE meant but I’ve now been enlightened ,personally I think I’ll stick to what I know and will probably get by ? I’m sure no one will be offended.?
I found this to be on the trickier side for a Monday but very enjoyable , my favourite clues were 27a and 1d , last one in . Thanks to all.
Nice start to the week, chilly here in the East, a northerly wind to blame 🥶 ***/*** Favourites 26a & 19d. Thanks to X-Type and to Smylers 😃 You know what they say “ Ne’er she’d a clout till the May is out” 😉
I can usually progress smoothly through an X-type Monday, but last night’s melatonin must be slowing me down still, as I struggled with a few today. I figured out the 2d anagram, but wasn’t happy with my answer, having never heard of such a farm worker, and 3d was also new to me so I guess I qualify as a 23a 😔. Thanks to X-type and Smylers. Wouldn’t mind a bit of cold weather here, where it is 83F, and getting a bit more uncomfortable for my morning walks.
Lovely Bank Holiday crossword. 27A just pipping 2D and 4A as my favourite.
Many thanks to X-type and Smylers.
BTW, Smylers, I have no idea how I came to donate twice but you’re welcome. 👍
At last a Monday puzzle on a Monday. I’ve been on and around farms all my life and I’ve never heard of a 2d, but it couldn’t be anything else. Favourite was 26a. Thanks to X-Type and Smylers.
I didn’t get to look at today’s puzzle until this evening but really enjoyed progressing through it until I got to 24a which I failed to get and 22d. I think of a Dhow as a boat not a ship? Grateful to Smylers for the hints to above enabling me to finish and to X-Type for the challenge!
A pleasant start to the week. Got through about 85% of the puzzle then got stuck on a couple of clues in the NE quadrant so had to rely on some assistance. That first solve without any external help still evades me but I feel it is getting closer.
Like everyone else have been freezing today here in the Midlands, the wind has been bitter.
Thank you to Smylers for the hints and to the setter.
1.5* / 4* Can’t fault this Monday challenge, learnt some new words but all were gettable.
Favourites 14a pay out, 27a catastrophe and 8d excuses
Thanks to X Type and Smylers
Wow..your good at explanations…also good at pulling the setter up on his errors…amazing…hope you help us again…many thanks..Doug…
That’s kind of you to say, Doug. Glad to be able to help.
Generally setters and editors know what they are doing, and if something seems amiss, usually it turns out they are right. There are matters of taste (like plausibility of surface readings, Spoonerisms, and the number of anagrams), but comments on those aren’t suggesting the setter made an error. And if I comment that I don’t understand something, that’s usually my ignorance, not a setter’s error — such as today, where I’m happy to have learnt about ‘deal’ meaning planks of pine.
Rest assured any comments I make are in appreciation of the Setters, Editors, Tipsters and Hinters for the efforts they put in to my daily bit of fun. I am sure this applies to most of the Big Dave family.
Thanks to x-type for the puzzle and to Smylers for explaining where the ‘e’ in 24a came from. NHO 1d but the clue made it obvious.
This puzzle brought back a lovely memory. Sitting on Grandpapa’s knee over breakfast and “helping” him complete his crossword before he finished his breakfast! So many subjects introduced to my brain while he explained in great detail how he arrived at the answers. For some reason this puzzle captivated me again. Thank you.
Aw, that’s lovely to hear, Caroline.
2*/3* …
liked 7D “Former PM in bind (5 )”
19d made me laugh… A very enjoyable puzzle