ST 3009 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 3009 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3009 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg, where we have had some very much needed rain, fortunately mostly overnight.

Dada not so benevolent this week!  6 anagrams (three partials), one lurker (not hinted), and one homophone.

Candidates for favourite – 13a and 15d.

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 Modest container in farm building (6)
A type of (metal) container contained by (in) a type of farm building.

8a Counter, to the left of which lies room key (5,3)
A type of (service) counter preceded by (to the left of which lies) a synonym of room.

11a Draught knocked back after a song (4)
A synonym of draught(?) reversed (knocked back) placed after A from the clue.

13a Fish in front of ship eaten by vermin, thrashing (7,5)
IN from the clue and the single word for front of ship all contained by (eaten by) a type of vermin and a synonym of thrashing.

16a Change involves a tense discussion (12)
A synonym of change containing (involves) A from the clue and the abbreviation for tense.

22a Broadcast possible breakfast show (6)
The homophone (broadcast) of a possible breakfast.

24a Very, very sore unfortunately after ending on backside (4,2)
The single letter for very and an anagram (unfortunately) of SORE all placed after the last letter of (ending on) backsidE.

24a Main course in middle of menu, something woody (6)
The middle letters of mENu and something that is ‘woody’.

Down

1d Rescuing male, warmer hugs for a mother (8)
Our stellar warmer contains (hugs) the single word for for a and an abbreviated term for mother.

2d Vertical line approximately showing African capital (5)
A (curved) line and the Latin based abbreviation for approximately reversed (vertical)?

3d Mexican crisp filled with first of beans, as in Mexican state (7)
What could be considered to be a Mexican crisp containing (filled with) the first letter of Beans and AS from the clue – I did have to verify the answer using a popular on-line service.

7d Old Japanese commander removing central part from weapon (6)
Remove the centre letter (central part) from a type of weapon.

9d Create trouble — as might a large wave? (4,3,4)
What a large wave might do to a sailing vessel.

15d Drinking beers, company and church come together (8)
The abbreviated form of company and a favourite church containing (drinking) the plural of a synonym of beer.

19d Walk in the park, breath of fresh air? (6)
A double definition – the first means that a task is easy.

21d Different relative doffs cap (5)
A (close) relative with the first letter removed (doffs cap).


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Thursday was the 95th anniversary of the birth of Mr Guitar – Chet Atkins, here he is with another fine example of his consummate versatility with said instrument:


44 comments on “ST 3009 (Hints)

  1. First read through was not very productive but getting some of the longer clues revealed all .
    A good mixture of clues with 13A my favourite .
    Thanks to everyone .

  2. This was quite tricky and I would give it *** for difficulty. As far as enjoyment went, whilst 13a, 16a and15d were good, there were a few rather clumsily worded clues and over-extended synonyms, which meant it was only ** from my point of view. Nevertheless, thank you to Dada and to Senf for clearing up a few doubts on how ro parse a few clues.

  3. 2.5*/3.5*. I enjoyed this. It was not over challenging although a couple of clues in the NW did take a bit of teasing out.

    I would have liked to nominate 13a as my favourite but the surface felt a bit contrived so 8a, my last one in, gets my vote.

    Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.

  4. Hells Bells, that was tough! I needed the excellent hints to solve and understand 24a my last in. Grateful for the anagrams without which I don’t think I could have started. Definitely a two sitting puzzle for me.
    Thx to all
    ****/***

  5. I thought this was at the easier end of Dada’s spectrum but a nice crossword nonetheless. But think I found yesterday’s back-pager more difficult than most – horses for courses and all that.

    Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints/blog.

    PS. For fans of Dada/Paul I can thoroughly recommend yesterday’s / Saturday’s prize puzzle in the Grauniad.

  6. This morning I needed some hints to finish yesterday’s puzzle, but then waltzed through this. An absolute 19d, for once.

    Thanks to Dada and to Senf and a good weekend to all.

  7. With today’s Stella interview with Sheridan Smith, 10a was particularly relevant. Good luck to her!

  8. Senf, I think the definition in 1a is fine. You may be thinking of 1a clothing, which may indeed be considered immodest – but that’s because it provides only modest coverage.

    1. Thanks phisheep. I had a similar comment ‘offline’ so I have removed my italicised comment. However, I am not totally convinced. Not the best clue of the day.

      1. I wasnt that keen on 1a either. Although it could be got from the wordplay, I delayed writing it in, because I felt that the answer could apply to either of two opposing meanings.

        1. After some more (on-line) research, I finally found the answer without its last letter in a thesaurus listing for the definition.

  9. RD has said virtually what I thought, so nothing to add. Thanks to all, and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

  10. I must be getting better at Dada puzzles, or perhaps this one is easier than usual, as I only needed help on a few. Last in was 1a, probably because it just didn’t work re clothing, but did if you thought along the lines of spartan. COTD for me was 15d. A good weekend of puzzles,

  11. Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints. A very enjoyable puzzle, but quite tough. I needed the hints for 1a&d, 25a. Electronic help for 12a, had never heard of it. I thought 2d a really tough clue, with vertical indicating the reversal. I was thinking about a vertical line for ages. Favourite was 13a. Was 4*/4* for me.

  12. Pretty straightforward today and managed whilst in transit (by car today but not driving!). No hold-ups and finished in one go although unsure of some of the parsing. Thank you Senf for enlightening me and to Dada for the fun. I did not think I would be using that word when the Sunday setter changed. Favourites were 5 9 15 and 17d and 25a which was last one in

  13. I enjoyed this puzzle a lot and didn’t have too much bother with it. Not on River Douro anymore but in Porto. Today is St John’s Day. It is extraordinary, everyone is going round with really enormous plastic hammers hitting each other on the head, hundreds of them and I am told tonight when the fireworks start there will be thousands of people behaving thus. What to do? Buy a whopping plastic hammer for a couple of Euros and join in I suppose.I don’t think it will help my crossword brain being hit by hundreds of hammers. What a bazaar tradition for our oldest ally to adopt. Anyone else been here for this? Apparently a bigger celebration than New Year. Anyway back to the puzzle, thanks to all for a good, steady and fun hour or so.

  14. One day soon summer will arrive and then my brain will warm up and I will once more be able to complete crosswords ‘at a canter’. But not yet. Slow to start and slow to complete.
    13a was favourite
    Thanks to Dada, and to Senf for the hints.

  15. Thanks to Dada and Senf for the review, and the Chet clip – as a player I can tell you, that’s really tricky to play properly, the guy’s a master.

  16. I did 3/4 of this over coffee with Mama Bee. The NW was looking like we might need a second cup and another slice of tiffin so I delayed the last few until I saw the hints.
    1a a new synonym of modest to me and 1d was not obvious to me. 8a also a bit of a stretch for my feeble brain but the rest was a 19d. Thanks to Senf for the hints and Dada too.
    Thanks for Chet as well. I can recommend Neck and Neck by Chet and Mark Knopfler as 2 of the greatest guitarists together. That album has been high on my playlist for some time.

  17. ***/***. Enjoyable in the main but a few stretched synonyms made this quite tricky. 15d was my favourite. Thanks to all.

  18. I didn’t have any trouble with this whereas yesterday way totally beyond me. Strange.
    Thanks all.

    1. 2d. Vertical – new reversal indicator to me. Also, how can a line be ‘curved? A line is the shortest distance between two points.

      1. Hi Hoofit – the shortest distance would be a straight line; how else could you describe an arc or the circumference of a circle if not a line?

        1. The BRB has been packed, I checked online and you are absolutely right. Thanks!

      2. Modern geometry textbooks (at least in American high schools) would not consider lines to be curved. And thus, “straight line” is a redundant descriptor. So I was thrown off by this, too.
        However, I know Euclid referred to all curves as lines, and he used the phrase “straight line” when he wanted the curve to be straight. And I guess, informally, people often refer to any squiggle drawn on a piece of paper as a line. I suppose I’ll take it.

        1. Yes, I have studied Euclid and I’m with him and Archimedes.
          I also have several pages of calculations that makes pi equal exactly four (or five, six, seven, or any other number) by raising the diameter, if you are interested.
          Unfortunately, neither the percentages nor the fractions resolve to a more simple number – haven’t got round to nine yet, but I’m working on it, I suspect it will be a prime. :smile:

  19. As someone who used to refuse even to look at a Dada puzzle, I found this very generous and enjoyable. I managed to complete this with no electronic help (can’t believe it ) but I did need Senf’s hints to unravel 1d and 2d, both were bung ins.
    I find it hard to choose a fave, I liked so many, but 13a and 15d were up there.
    Thanks to Dada for the fun and Senf for his enlightenment, particularly 1d and 2d.

  20. I thought that was quite hard today. So thanks for the hints. Although without the picture for 1d I would not have got the answer. I still don’t get it all of it. The solar warmer yes the instruction to insert but the rest is a mystery. Anyway it all helps to pass the time.

  21. After the school fete this was a delight to sit down & solve, the right level of difficulty & enjoyment.
    2.5*/3.5* , yes there was a degree of wavelength change required as you moved around the grid but that is to be expected from an established setter.
    Favourites 13ac, 9d.
    Grateful thanks to Dada & Senf for a thorough review.

  22. I do enjoy a good Dada puzzle and this was one. Sunday is back to being the best day of the week for me. Thanks to Dada and Senf.

  23. After a day of 6 year old grandson meeting 13 week old puppy for the first time (I’m sure you get the picture) I can’t say I particularly enjoyed this although finished with no help. I did need Senf to explain a couple of my answers.

    I don’t know whether my lack of enjoyment was due to my fatigue or the puzzle, but nevertheless, thanks to all involved.

      1. Apologies, Senf. I can only cite total fatigue as my excuse as I have no idea at all where the apostrophe and S came from

        1. Some bloggers might say “both should work from now on”.
          You might be allowed to make the same mistake again.

  24. Now, I found this to be the easiest Sunday offering for a few weeks, so it just goes to show. Perhaps I got lucky, as I spotted a fair few of the definitions and didn’t have to resort to wordplay in several places. Lots of fun throughout.

  25. Very enjoyable Dada as usual.
    Such a great setter.
    Thanks for the weekend crosswords.
    Thanks to Senf for the hints.

  26. Very long day at work followed by this crossword. The best crossword I’ve ever done. Must have been set by someone with as warped a mind as mine, particularly 1d.

  27. Perfect hints, Senf — thank you. It’s rare that I complete a crossword without any hints from here (it’s happened twice), and indeed that was the case with this puzzle. But you provided just enough hints to get me through.

    Thanks to Dada for an enjoyable puzzle. 8a and 5d made me smile, with 25a being my favourite.

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