ST 3005 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 3005 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3005 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg, where the weather is being changeably seasonal or seasonally changeable, I am not sure which!

A return to benevolence from Dada today, who seems to have settled on 6 or 7 as his standard number of anagrams, one reverse lurker, and one (sort of) homophone.  I found the puzzle so enjoyable that I had solved it completely before I remembered that I only needed to solve half of the clues to be able to write the blog, oh well.

Candidates for favourite – the four 12 letter non-anagrams.

Don’t forget to follow BD’s instructions in red at the bottom of the hints!

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, a number of the more difficult clues have been selected and hints provided for them.

Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.

A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.

Some hints follow:

Across

1a I want you to have this, you’d better believe it! (4,2,4,2)
A double definition to start – for the second, an expression that might add emphasis to a statement.

8a In competition with range in street (7)
A type of range (as illustrated), IN from the clue, and the abbreviation of street.

12a Send back cold eggs, a cook producing salad ingredient (7)
The single letter for cold and a synonym of eggs all reversed (send back), A from the clue, and a synonym of cook (not necessarily related to preparing food).

14a Flat month in a pattern that’s unusual (9)
A single letter abbreviation for (any) month inserted into (In) an anagram (that’s unusual) of A PATTERN.

19a Endless beauty approaching English locale (5)
A Roman goddess synonymous with beauty with her last letter removed (endless) followed by (approaching) the single letter for English.

23a Poisonous element in medicines, rarely on the counter (7)
The reverse lurker (in . . . on the counter) found in the rest of the clue.

24a Use loaf touring free state (7)
An anagram (use) of LOAF containing (touring) a synonym of free.

 

26a Where marathon racers compete some time later (2,3,4,3)
An expression that can refer to an event in the future.

Down

1d Picture commercial vehicle drawn along (7)
A double definition – in the second, the vehicle is unpowered.

2d Race and colour related (7)
A synonym of race and a (primary) colour.

6d Fee for securing boat — what might make lower charge? (7)
The (sort of) homophone – a fee for securing a boat sounds like a (4,3) phrase that might result in lower user fees for other things – I am not sure if I have explained this sufficiently, any sensible suggestions are welcome. Split as (3,4) this could be what makes a lower (cow) charge (attack)!  [Added by BD after a prompt from RD]

7d Make a lot of noise, and work on loft extension? (5,3,4)
An expression that can relate to making a lot of noise may also indicate a form of loft extension?

10d Understand — as should a conductor? (4,3,5)
An expression that can relate to what a conductor (of an orchestra) should be expected to understand.

17d Bridge game (7)
A double definition the second is a card game.

20d Figure twelve required to catch horse (7)
One of the times of day ‘represented’ by twelve containing (to catch) a type of horse.

22d Hold up seat in church (5)
A double definition to finish – the second relates to a seat in church not usually used by the congregation.


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As Mary Poppins told us on Monday, Whatsisname, the Nobel Laureate, celebrated his 78th birthday on Friday the 24th. Here he is in a rehearsal session with George Harrison, which dates back to 1971, when he was a mere stripling of 30, singing one of his own compositions:


 

32 comments on “ST 3005 (Hints)

  1. What a difference a day makes! Yesterday was 4*/1*. Today is 1*/4* for a light puzzle which was great fun from start to finish.

    With many possibilities to choose from, my favourite is 6d. Senf, think again about what lower can mean in crosswordland and split your answer (3,4).

    Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.

    1. Thanks to RD and BD for straightening out 6d. As my memory is obviously not up to the job, I need to invest in some Post-it notes and surround my desk with reminders of what lower can mean!

  2. Thanks for my clip Senf. Bob and George in rehearsal for The Concert For Bangla Desh. As usual for Bob he didn’t play the song at either of his two performances.

    1. MP. on R4 yesterday there was a clip of Mr Zimmerman’s IOW interview with a Swedish journalist. Very amusing.

  3. Thoroughly enjoyed this one and very much appreciated the quick solve. Very many thanks to setter and Senf.

  4. Arelaxing and pleasingly enjoyable puzzle after the challenges of this week. My favourite clue was 6d and I was thinking of ananimate type lower, a angry one. ** for difficulty and **** for enjoyment. Thanks to Senf and Dada.

  5. This is just about the right amount of time I want to spend on a puzzle on a Sunday morning – which is not a lot of time.

    Many thanks to Dada, and to Senf.

  6. Over in the blink of an eye, but certainly enjoyable.
    Top two for me were 9a & 7d.

    Thanks to Dada and to Senf (plus RD!) for the hints. Quite enjoyed the clip – what a difference it makes having George on board to hold the tune!

  7. That was the other end of the scale from yesterday, can we have two somewhere down the middle instead please??
    Thanks all.

  8. A speedy and straightforward delight this morning. Dada certainly in a solver-friendly frame of mind with the four long clues around the perimeter providing a solid base for the puzzle’s completion. Several very good clues of which 6 and 20d were great examples.

    Thanks very much to Dada and Senf.

  9. Now that’s more like it! Great fun without requiring the wet towel around the head. What a relief after yesterdays tribulations.
    Some great clues but my fav was 6d, a real smile clue.
    Many thx to the setter for an enjoyable Sunday puzzle.
    And of course to Senf for the hints even if for once I didn’t consult them.
    ***/*****

  10. May I simply reiterate what Brian said above, particularly regarding the wet towel, the wonderful 6d, plus my own shout-out to 10d. Thanks to Dada and Senf.

  11. Like everyone else I thought this a very enjoyable but not too taxing puzzle
    . Only one query. How does ‘on the counter’ mean reverse? Thanks to compiler and hinter.

    1. If you have a copy of Chambers dictionary to hand, the first definition is the one you require

    2. Your comment went into moderation because of a minor error in your e-mail address – you had talkralk – now corrected.

      BRB first definition of counter – adverb – the opposite way. Like a counter attack.

  12. This was a positive pleasure compared to yesterday. After standing for 3hours running the Pop Up Cafe, it was lovely to sit and enjoy this with a nice cuppa. Thanks to all and look forward to more of the same next week.

  13. A really pleasant & straightforward puzzle that was a treat to complete.
    1.5*/4* too many favourites to name.
    Grateful thanks to Dada for a great puzzle & Senf for his review

  14. Thank you Dada for for finishing the weekend off with a really enjoyable puzzle after the horrors of Friday and Saturday.

    Agree with Senf that favourites were the four long non anagram clues, all made me think a bit, followed by the “Tada…..” moment.

    8a made me smile so deserves a mention.

    Thanks to all, let hope for a better week next week!

  15. Big thank you to Dada for a really enjoyable puzzle, such a relief after yesterday. Perfect to complete over Sunday breakfast. Thanks to Senf for the hints, needed for a couple of holes. A satisfying puzzle, just what I needed this morning.

  16. */****. What a good puzzle! Concise and cleverly misleading. I really liked 1,6&20d with 6d taking the gold medal. Thanks to Dada and Senf for the hints.

  17. All right, I’ll bet you never thought you’d ever see this! I loved it, every bit of it enjoyable. Like Senf, I liked the 12-letter answers around the edge the best. I like phrases and this had them in abundance!
    I knew the answer in 23a had to be but completely missed the reverse lurker. I never remember pommers saying, if you miss knowing why, look for a lurker.
    Thanks to Dada for a super friendly puzzle, I do love you, really, and to Senf for his hints and tips.

  18. Echo the chalk and cheese comments. Yesterday was the first weekend puzzle I gave up on before the hints. Today was a breeze in comparison. I will echo Senf by saying it is difficult to choose between the 4 12 letter non anagrams. Thanks to Dada and Senf. Time to go for a bracing walk by the sea at Mablethorpe.

    Edit forgot to hit send before the walk! It was bracing with wind rain and sun in equal parts.

  19. Like the rest of you I found this fairly straightforward and enjoyable too.
    My last answer was 1d which was dim – hardly the most difficult clue.
    As always my first answers in were the anagrams – what would I do without them – the answer to that is probably not crosswords.
    I liked the long ones round the outside, especially 7d.
    With thanks to Dada and to Senf.
    Having awarded myself a day off for good behaviour I’m going to do yesterday’s NTSPP.

  20. Oh thank heavens for an enjoyable solve. I’ve been told I looked like I was sucking a lemon yesterday!
    Thanks to all.

  21. I remember when Dada puzzles almost defied solving; this one wasn’t one of those. Nearly a walk in the park, but fun none the less. I liked 13a just cos of the sound of the word.
    Thanks to Dada, and to Senf for the hints.

  22. Oh thank you Dada for a splendid puzzle, especially after yesterday’s horror, which I gave up as a dead loss. Today lots of smiles and I especially liked the four round the outside.
    Thanks to Senf too but your services not required today!

  23. Was it really a Dada puzzle? There was no hanging around for me with this one . . . . I came down from re-papering the bedroom ceiling to chill whilst our evening meal finished its allotted time in the oven and this puzzle became what I think is/was my quickest ever Sunday solve. That’s certainly not a complaint – just perfect for my Sunday. No stand out favourites, but the four 12 letter clues were all good fun and 13d raised a chuckle too. No need for any help today, but thanks anyway to Senf for your efforts and thanks to Dada also for some timely good fun.

  24. An enjoyable breezy solve, nothing too tricky, the perfect antidote to yesterday’s offering. ;-)

  25. Thank goodness we have a crossword with a bit of fun in it again. Very enjoyable. Thank you Dada and Senf. I have several favourites.

  26. Straightforward and satisfyingly solvable – spot on for a Sunday.

    Thanks to Senf and Dada **/****

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