DT 31071

92 comments on “DT 31071”

1. I’m afraid this was way beyond my pay grade and I had to throw in the towel after solving four only on the first pass.

   Thank you, setter but I am afraid I could not do it justice. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints, which I will now read to find answers. I am sure it will all make sense and I am just being thick this morning.

   1. I struggled with it too but to be honest I thought it was too clever for its own good. I finished it by asking for the first letter of the ones which I was stuck on which is a bit tedious. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. I quite like Friday’s, I seem to be on their wavelength. Probably be a nightmare tomorrow now! No table tennis for me today, I’ve hurt my back so I wish the puzzle had been more interesting. Don’t usually bother if I can’t do Thursday’s as I’m out all afternoon.
      Thanks to Shabbo and setter.

2. Top end *** for me. V tricky. Needed Shabbo to understand the answers to 14a, 16d,1d and 20d. I found 11a and 19d amusing. My favourite was 10a. Thank you setter.

3. A cracking puzzle which I really enjoyed – many thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
   11a gave me the best laugh I’ve had from a Telegraph clue for ages and I also liked 9a, 27a, 2d, 3d and 13d.

4. Beyond me as well, 6 clues left in the SW corner, just too cryptic for a Thusday, oh well, off to the shops to get the aged parent some groceries, will the fun never end……..

5. This was tough.

   I was in fine form but ground to a halt in Devon and Cornwall. I had to wave the white flag at 16d which was way beyond me and I’ve never heard of 15d. I didn’t understand ‘heads’ in 20d. So, thank you for that, Shabbingtons.

   There were some excellent constructions but I had to keep my wits about me.

   My podium is 11a (‘Rishi Sunak perhaps’ is hilarious, one of the funniest of the year), 28a and 24d.

   MT to the setter (Zandio?) and Shabbs.

   4*/4*

   1. Nice one – had a giggle at Devon & Cornwall. We floundered there too

6. A step up in difficulty for sure, this was a super puzzle, full of clever wordplay and no little humour.
   The nonchalant naturalists in 14a and the principal protagonist in 25a caught the eye, as did the prancing participants parading in 17d along with the residents of Nelson Mandela House from 24d.
   Standing tallest though was our diminutive former PM in 11a.
   Great fun, my thanks to our setter and
   blogger.

   BTW, Shabbo, we were up in that neck of the woods last month.
   Holkham Hall and its hotel and pub The Victoria are well worth a visit.

   1. Thanks for the tip.
      We know Holkham Hall, The Victoria and Lady Anne’s Drive well.
      We have slipped up by booking half term week – it is very busy up here!

   2. Good afternoon, you Lion, you.

      You’re not alone in mixing up naturist and naturalist.

      The Huffington Post made the same mistake, calling David Attenborough a naturist. Take a look…

      https://pagesix.com/2018/12/03/david-attenborough-mistakenly-called-a-naturist

      Just remember that he is an A List celebrity and ‘A List’ is in the word naturALIST.

      1. Ah, thanks Tom.
         I am aware of the difference between the two words and would like to blame my error on predictive text, though it is entirely possible it was due to my own sloppiness.
         In the link above, the look on our national treasure’s face at being called a naturist entirely reflects that on my own whilst imagining him saving the planet in his birthday suit!

         1. Not such an appealing image, now that he’s in his hundredth year.

            1. I’m not sure the image would have been appealing whatever his age…

               1. An extremely fair comment.

            2. Rather unkind. We think we would thank our lucky stars to get to be his age and still mentally sharp.

7. Lots to enjoy from today’s setter … but the “Anecdote” @11a definitely takes top spot on the podium. Brilliant !!!

   1. I think I preferred the recent Chris Lancaster/ Zandio collaboration which gave us Anecdot? (5,5) For the same answer. I may be a bit biased as it was in a Sunday Toughie and as I am not as tall as Rishi, I don’t really think of him as (5)

8. This would not have been out of place as an early-in-the-week Toughie IMHO. A pretty stiff challenge, with 16d my final answer and a bung in, so thanks to our blogger for the parsing of that one. I will join what I suspect will be a long list of commenters liking 11a as their favourite this morning.

   Many thanks to our setter for the workout, and to Shabbo.

9. I found this very difficult for a back-pager, but I enjoyed it.
   16d was my last in (I was thinking of focus as C and U). Nice to see Chelsea get a mention.
   Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo.

   1. And a ditto from us

10. This was a real mixed bag for me but the ones I liked I really liked. Topping the list was the hilarious 11a with 18a&3d slotting in behind it.

    Thanks to our setter and to Shabbo for the review – pleased to hear that the Norfolk weather has been kind to you thus far.

11. 4*/2.5*. Curate’s egg day for me both in terms of difficulty (the SW corner was a real stinker) and enjoyment.

    Fair in 5d seems a bit of stretch to me as a synonym for right.

    My top picks were 11a, 25a & 28a.

    Thanks to the setter and to Shabbo.

12. I found this very tricky in parts and had to check 15d was an actual word rather than one I’d made up. Needed Shabbo’s help to parse 16d as didn’t get the focus part.
    Lots of smiles though and ticks aplenty.

    Top picks for me were 11a, 27a, 6d, 7d and 26a.

    Thanks to Shabbo and the setter.

13. Very tough for me, particularly in the south with a couple needing hints (eg 16d) and several needing help with parsing. I did have 11a as favourite like others. Feel pleased I stuck at it.

    Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints

14. That qas a humdinger of a crossword, with a very tricky SW that held me up for some time. Having nearly given up several times, I was glad that I cfinished it, although there are still several clues I can’t parse. I thought the Lego clue at14a was very clever, rhe anagrram at 15d was well-misdirected and thenlurker at 5a well-hidden but my COTD was the geographical quibble at 3d. Thanks to Shabbo for the hints, which I shall now read to elucidate the parsing and tO the unknown compiler. Hope this gets through, it’s my second attempt.

    1. Are your spelling mistakes accidental or deliberate?

15. I enjoyed it, but confess that I needed help for a few. 11a did give me a chuckle

16. Beaten hands down with only half solved. Those that I did complete I greatly admired and 11a was a laugh out loud moment. Thanks to compiler for the mangling and Shabbo for the hints that I will now look at for the remaining answers.

17. Good afternoon. I didn’t race through this getting only 2 of the across clues and 8 of the down clues on the car initial pass. After that, it was a gradual read and fill but it took more time than I like. Parsing was not an issue today. My podium consists of 10a, 3d and 6d. 17d is worthy as well. Thanks to the setter and reviewer.

18. Must be Thursday. Chucked in the towel after three clues, including one which I got right but still don’t understand! Roll on Friday.

19. Thanks to the Setter and Shabbo for the hints. Like most we found this a difficult puzzle for a Thursday. Had to resort to a few hints to complete. 15d not in our vocabulary. COTD 11a which made us chuckle. LOI 16d.

20. An off Thursday for RayT this week.
    I must say I did not do well with this puzzle at all. Guessing maybe it’s a Zandio or Twm as they are the two I have the most trouble with.
    Ended up abandoning ship.

    Not my cuppa today at all. Gonna go try a toughie instead.

    Thanks to setter & Shabbo

    1. Great puzzle today, but it’s not one of mine!
       You gave my last one 1* for difficulty and 5* for enjoyment, by the way. 😁

       1. It is nice when I can solve one of yours and score it as I did. But for the most part I tend to have difficulty with your offerings and Zandio’s. Wavelength thing.

          Thanks for commenting though.

21. A toughie in disguise as far as I’m concerned. I had to throw in the towel and reveal a couple of letters on the app to get over the line. Not much fun to be honest.

    I fail to see 5′ 7″ as short and I fail to appreciate any humour in the clue. Got my grumpy head on today.

    Thanks for the hints Shabbo.

22. A top-notch Thursday puzzle. Great clues provided a tough challenge and a satisfying skirmish. I’ll guess it’s from Z. Several ticks and my favourite today: 3d. 4*/4*.

23. Was this a Toughie in disguise? It was way above my pay grade. I staggered through about 1/3 of the clues and finally gave up. Read the hints and didn’t even understand some of those. So I am off to do some chores instead and hope that tomorrow’s offering is a little more benign (although it’s Friday, so it may well not be!). Thanks (I think) to the setter and Shabbo.

    1. H G.

       You say that it’s a toughie in disguise….

       To me, it’s a toughie that isn’t disguised as we often get tough crosswords on Thursday as well as Friday.

    2. Totally agree. I constantly wonder why the DT sees fit to publish way too difficult Cryptics on days when there is also a Toughie for those who need something more challenging.

       1. Hi BL

          Toughies have been on the back page for years, way before the Toughie section in the middle.

          So, it’s not right that the middle section now hijacks the back page ones. I have always enjoyed the challenge at the end of the week (Thursday/Friday)

          The new section is for people who fancy a daily mangle as opposed to twice a week.

          The toughies on the back page are here to stay and quite right too.

       2. think you may have mentioned this before

          1. Hi Banksie

             I mentioned it recently and will most likely say it again.

             One of the setters said that they don’t like people saying ‘An escaped toughie’ or ‘A toughie in disguise’ and I get why.

             1. i was replying to BL

                1. Oops!

                   Apologies, B.

                   1. no problem old horse

24. Fantastic crossword! I’m usually struggle with Thursday puzzles a struggle, but I found this much more straightforward. So many fun clues that those which may be favourites on other days don’t even make the highlights —10a’s old doormen, 26a’s approximate temperature, and Rishi in 11a.

    Thank you to the setter (Dharma maybe?) for the laughs, and Shabbo for being a human safety net.

    1. Well spotted Smylers!

       1. Woo-hoo!

    2. Great spot Smylers.

25. Like others I found this really hard today and I think took the longest time in many a year. Would you believe it but the delivery service was one of my last in! I was thinking of the petal variety. Welcome back to North Norfolk Shabbo. We are booked into Wells Crab House next week. You should make your visit up here a week later and catch Norfolk Restaurant Week (although it lasts 2 weeks). Google it – loads of great restaurants take part and its excellent value. We are giving The Maltings at Weybourne a go as its normally ridiculously expensive but NRW gives people like us the opportunity to try them. Thanks to the setter for the brain mangling and to Shabbo for explaining 16d which I failed to parse

26. Yes this was tough going. The Trotters clue was particularly devious and 4d and 16d had me flummoxed, so thanks for the hints Shabbo. 7d was my favourite closely followed by 26a and 19d. I am quite distracted as I have lost a signet ring with a diamond set in flush which had been on my little finger for over fifty years! My finger feels so odd. I would not mind so much if I thought someone would find it and enjoy it but I’m pretty sure it came off in the garden. It was made out of an old broken ring of my grandmother’s. Oh well, I enjoyed if for a long time I hope the worms do too. Many thanks to the Wily Setter and to Shabbo.

    1. Ennjoy the memories, Daisy. It can be devastating to lose something with such emotional meaning but your memories of theperson and their gift will never die.ni had a beautiful brocade bedaspread, a wedding gift from a much- loved aunt, who had died of cancer. It was stolen from avdry cleaners and never recovered by the apolice. I can still seevit in my mind’s eye and often think ofit and my aunt. Hope you find the missing jewel.

    2. Try asking the local detectorists (if indeed there is a club nearby), they’ll take up the challenge of finding it as a matter of pride.

27. I found this very hard and only managed 7 to begin with. I then went to the gym in the hope that when I got back I’d have more success. It was not the case. So I’ve adopted the 14a answer and hope that tomorrow will be kinder!
    Many thanks to Shabbo and to the setter.

28. Hi setter here.

    Many thanks to Shabbo for a spot-on review and to those who have commented thus far, much appreciated. I’m particularly pleased 11a has raised a few laughs, I must admit to a quiet snigger when I saw the possibility.
    In a shameless plug I’m honoured to have today’s Toughie too (for which many thanks to Chris and the team at the Telegraph) so please have a go.

    1. Hi Dharma

       Firstly, congratulations on a double bubble. It must be such a thrill.

       Secondly, take a bow with 11a. It goes down in the annals as one of the funniest clues ever to be crafted.

       1. Thank you Tom.

    2. Thank you, Dharma. You beat me but I appreciate the elegance of the cluing and I too loved 11a.

    3. Thanks for dropping in Dharma. A lovely puzzle.

    4. Congratulations Dhama.
       Two truly superb puzzles and a contender for COTY.
       You are a master of your art.
       Chapeau, sir!

       1. Thank you!

    5. We had a giggle at 11a too – although pommers complained at you thinking 5’7″ was short. As that’s how tall he is now! Having shrunk in “old” age

    6. Thanks for two enjoyable puzzles today.

       With Hudson setting both puzzles yesterday, and your good self setting both puzzles today, I wonder if we’ll get two from Elgar tomorrow!…

    7. Hi Dharma. Great to see you here.
       Thank you very much for the super cruciverbal entertainment.
       You must be feeling very proud and happy to have all three puzzles appearing in The Telegraph at the same time. Best congratulations on ‘Dharma Day’!

29. Not my cup of tea today, too many tricky clues that would have been more at home in the Toughie slot. Did enjoy 10a. Setting aside after an abysmal first pass in case I summon up the wherewithal to have another shot later. Thanks to setter and Shabbo,

    1. Hi BL

       This is my reply to Gaspode’s post # 23…

       Hi G.

       You say that it’s a toughie in disguise….

       To me, it’s a toughie that isn’t disguised as we often get tough crosswords on Thursday as well as Friday.

       1. When it is a Ray T Thursday it is much more friendly and within the realms of finishing unaided. Fridays not so much. I started solving these in 1969 so I am familiar with the differences of certain days.

          1. My point is that these end-of-the-weekers (fortnightly on Thursdays) are toughies, which vary from tough to extremely tough, both of which belong on the back page.

          2. I don’t think I’ve ever finished a Ray T puzzle unaided. This crossword today was much more friendly!

             See … I can assert the opposite, but it doesn’t make either of us objectively correct! One of us finds one setter more friendly than another, and t’other of us finds exactly the opposite. That just means that each of us finds different things easier; it doesn’t follow that general statements can be made about either setter, nor that either should be labelled as Toughies.

             1. Well said.

30. Solved ten clues only, all in the top half, before shredding with a sigh.

31. ***/****
    Loved this even though I needed help for 2 in the SW (16d and 21a). The rest, whilst generally on the more difficult side (not unusual for a Thursday) were super enjoyable. Ticks went to the 26a Body and 20d proposal but of course as with everyone, the LOL contender of the year goes to the 11a anecdote.

    Many thanks to Dharma and Shabbo

32. Certainly one of the more difficult puzzles for some time, but glad I’m not the only person to say so. Managed about half before I went off to play golf and with Shabbo’s help on 13d, 15d, 17a and 25a completed the remainder on my return. 11a and 26a are my joint COTD.

33. A cracker. At the edge of my spectrum but all clues scrupulously fair and great satisfaction in completion. 15d not a favourite word but will join others in praising 11a. Entries now closed for clue of the year! Thanks to all.

    I concur with Tom on tricksiness! As everyone has a different ‘toughie’ threshold a crossword you find difficult is quite often just that. Or maybe you are just not on wavelength 🤭😉

34. I managed about half of the puzzle and then resorted to the hints for several to get me going again towards completion. I’m not sure where my wavelength was, somewhere other than here, but I enjoyed the challenge. I did like the Rishi and Trotters clues. Thanks to Dharma and Shabbo.

35. I am amazed this is only ***. I had to abandon it about six clues adrift.
    22a, 27a, 15d,16d,17d had me completely stumped. I think I am losing my touch.

36. That was a very slow and very challenging solve, my final two entries being 13d and 16d. However patience and persistence were rewarded with another solve completed without reference to the hints, which I will now peruse, or any other source. I personally thought the difficulty rating more worthy of a four star than the three, but that might be my inexperience. Didn’t help myself in trying to make an anagram out of 16d and trying to use either clan or class for 13d before inspiration intervened. Where does it come from?
    No doubt but 11a has to be the COTD, instant smile.
    Thank you to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints.

37. Beyond me today. Threw in the towel with 7 left – mostly in the SW. It was an enjoyable challenge none the less with 11a favourite today.
    Thanks to Dharma and Shabbo.

38. I just thought I’d rattle this off and look to the toughie for a better challenge!! The North was a breeze, the south totally different , cyclonic! The west really tricky and I scrambled through it with some e help. I thought 13 down very clever.I could see the bath bit but not the gore .16d which was the key to the s w eluded me and was last in. Favourites 3d and 20d . Thanks to all .Tough e or not tough e ? Maybe later or tomorrow

39. Great puzzle from Dharma, with 11A absolutely hilarious – just pipping 20D for amusement value. Loved 1D as well. VMT also to Shabbo.

40. Late on parade as we were out for a “spanish” lunch which takes 4 hours.
    We got stuck in the SW corner like lots of others. We drifted into 5* time – partly because we did it sat outside the bar in the dark and maybe because too much vino consumed with lunch. We’ll settle on 4*/4*. Great when the pennies dropped but some took a while!
    Thanks Dharma for the brain workout and Shabbo for the clues ( which we didn’t resort to).

41. 3* / 4* A tough but fair challenge, needed Shabbo’s help to confirm a few, but pleased to say all correct. I’ll go for 2d simple but effective clue, 3d quibble and the carefree 14a as favourites
    Thanks to Dharma and Shabbo

42. Like a lot of others the SW was my nemesis and I threw the towel in and resorted to the hints as I was losing the will to live. After three days away from crosswords I was hoping for an easy ride, not to be. I’ll leave it there.

43. Another stuck in the southwest! Got there in the end but have to say I found it rather too hard to be enjoyable, sorry Dharma.
    Thanks to Shabbo for the hints and Dharma for the puzzle

44. I found this another very hard solve.

    A dnf due to 25a and 16d.

    Spent twice as long in the SW as I did in the rest of the grid.

    I assume the setter is tall to come up with the clue for 11a. 😀

    Thanks to all.

45. Certainly didn’t peg it as a Dharma puzzle. Found it marginally the trickier of his two offerings today with 16d last in & the chief head scratch. Very enjoyable indeed & ticks all over the shop. Add me to 11a fan club – a snorter of a clue. Great Quickie pun too.
    Thanks & congrats on joining the select band of setters to feature in both slots on the same day & to Shabbo

46. Did just over half before going to Knitter Natter and then
    Paracise. Came back to it at 11 pm . Yes, it was mighty devious but got there unaided with 16 down last in as a bung in. Go with the general vote for 11 and 14 across. Since it’s nearly Friday I will shut up. Thanks all round and well done Shabbo because there was a lot to explain.

47. Two thirds completed yesterday and after a good nights sleep a further two clues this morning – at which point this blog rescued me! Thanks Dharma and Shabbo

48. Good morning

    You know, I thought it might have just been me, and then I read the very first comment from Steve. Yup – me too. Hoyed the sponge in after four correct solutions and two tentative entries in the margin. Not even my Lucky Green Pen could save me. My worst attempt at a back-pager in a long time!

    Better luck this afty, eh?

    Thank you Dharma and Shabbo.

49. This felt more like a Friday or a Toughie to me. I called it a day with four still to fill in but when I came back this morning the solutions jumped right out at me, funny how the brain works. I agree with others, the Sunak clue is a cracker. Many thanks to Dharma and Shabbo.

50. 3*/4* …
    liked 19D “Avert getting confused by latest of tickets -go without fare (6)”

51. As Gazza says, this is ‘a cracking puzzle’.
    I found it tricky in parts, but the challenge was rewarded by great enjoyment and appreciation of the skilled construction of the clues.
    11a is brilliant and must be one of the most rib-tickling clues of the year. I chuckle every time I think of it.
    In addition to 11a, my printout is covered in ticks. Here is a selection: 9a, 18a, 25a, 26a and 27a; 2d, 3d, 13d, 16d (I like the use of ‘focus’), 17d, 19d, 20d and 23d.
    I certainly didn’t regard it as a Toughie, and was able to complete it without recourse to any help.
    Many appreciative thanks, Dharma, for the super entertainment.
    Many appreciative thanks to Shabbo for an excellent review with nice illustrations. I agree with you that 17d is a double definition.

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