ST 3032 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 3032 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3032 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where most of the week has been spent celebrating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers winning Earl Grey’s Cup last Sunday, after a 29 year ‘drought,’ thus becoming Canadian Football League Champions (not real football – a variation of the game played below the 49th parallel – 60 minutes playing time, but it takes 3 hours plus to complete a game).

In his 55th Sunday puzzle, Dada is back to quirky – I counted four anagrams, one (reverse) lurker, but no homophones – with a symmetric 28 clues and 16 hints you should be able to get the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues.

Candidates for favourite – 1a, 10a, 3d, and 9d.

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 Greek doctor‘s African native cases (11)
The abbreviated name of a four legged African native followed by a synonym of cases.

11a Suspect noticing nothing in disguise (9)
An anagram (suspect) of noticing followed by the single letter that can represent nothing.

13a Fitted into ladders, good steps (5)
The single letter for good inserted (fitted) into an alternative term for ladders in, for example, ladies hosiery.

18a Landing place one left after finals in British private school (8)
The single letter used to represent one and the nautical left all placed after the last letters (finals) of the last three words in the clue.

20a Eye cell about right, a part of the visual organ (6)
One of the light sensitive cells in the eye containing (about) the single letter for right, followed by A from the clue.

24a Pole grows tired before Welsh runner (9)
A single word for grows tired placed before a Welsh runner that flows into the Severn estuary near Cardiff.

26a Driven people, evidently in the pink? (9)
Written as (3,6) it suggests a country relying on a particular mode of transport.

28a Dish served up? That’s unrealistic (3,2,3,3)
A type of food served at high altitude?

Down

2d Bay I left, consumed by land (5)
I from the clue, followed by the single letter for left inserted into (consumed by) a synonym of land (as applied to fishing).

3d A meaty whopper? (4,3)
Cockney rhyming slang for a terminological inexactitude.

5d A priest claiming caught on the nose (8)
A from the clue and a junior (CofE at least) priest containing (claiming) the (crickety) abbreviation for caught.

7d Headache — suffering a little further down? (4,2,3,4)
An expression equivalent to a headache as a problem, but not as far down as some of you might think!

9d A mess, chow chow possibly? (4,9)
Two forms of what chow can be types of, and throw in a possessive S for good measure.

17d Admitted to unit if far gone after a turn, writing on the wall? (8)
The reverse lurker (admitted to . . . after a turn) found in the rest of the clue.

21d Person claiming stock exchange trader is prepared to act (2,5)
A three letter word for person containing (claiming) a stock exchange trader (who applies for shares in order to sell them immediately at a profit).

25d A shortfall, I’m afraid (5)
A from the clue followed by a synonym of shortfall.

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The Divine Miss M is 74 years young today, I saw her in a very enjoyable concert, with the soubriquet of Kiss My Brass, in San Antonio about 15 years ago, here she is with a song from the soundtrack of the 1988 film Beaches, in which she starred (the song was written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley and recorded by several others before it was chosen for the film):


 

41 comments on “ST 3032 (Hints)

  1. Agree with your list of favourites and comments . Also , congratulations to the Blue Bombers .

    Always enjoy the challenges set by Dada .

    Greeting to everyone .

  2. 3*/4*. Quite challenging but a lot of fun in spite of one or two iffy surfaces, such as 12a & 17d.

    1a was my favourite with 9d in second place.

    Many thanks to Dada and to Senf (I love your description of 3d as a “terminological inexactitude”)

    1. I am not sure when I first came across the term I used in the hint for 3d, but it was quite a while ago and I have used it many times – perfect for a situation such as this. Its ‘invention’ is attributed to Churchill when he used it in 1906.

      1. Or to quote the late Alan Clark possibly a case of being “economical with the actualité”!

  3. Very challenging, needed lots of help with this one. As Mrs B said ‘a horrible crossword’.
    Many of the clues one can only understand when you have the answer. One for the experts, def not one for me to enjoy. Finished eventually with help but absolutely no fun at all, just a tedious slog that feels you don’t want to be beaten.
    *****/*
    Thx for the hints.

  4. Hmm. Ia in the iPad version is different to the, presumably, paper version. This happened yesterday as well.

    1. Differences in clues, depending on source, are not infrequent. I use the DT puzzle web site which is sometimes different from the paper version.
      It would help if you or someone else could provide the iPad version so that the hint can be updated (if appropriate).

      1. Old doctor’s cases featuring African natives?

        Also, 26a on the iPad appears as Driven people, you might say, in the pink?

        1. I do not consider that the variations are significant enough to warrant additions/changes to the hints. Sometimes, editing has been ‘major surgery’ which has resulted in two different clues.
          As you will see in Comment 9 below, I have made a suggestion that CL may, or may not, pick up on.

  5. Thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. Only had to seek dictionary help with part of 20a to make sure it was optical reference. Many thanks to a setter and Senf

  6. all but 26a completed. i have the checking letters, which i believe to be correct, but the words that I can come up with don’t match the clue. Can anyone help please?

      1. Ok, I have it, but not from the picture. These old eyes couldn’t make it out. Super xword so thanks to Dada and Senf for the blog. too many goodies to pick a favourite. ****/*****

        1. Oh my!? Having subsequently read the blog I see that I had the last word in 7d wrong giving me an S for the start of 26a so had that wrong too. It’s all clear now. Thank you.

  7. My ‘headache’ had slipped appreciably further down until 26a came to my aid!
    Not overly convinced by either 14 or 23a but enjoyed everything else.
    I’ll join those nominating 1a & 9d as the top two.

    Thanks to Dada and to Senf – love the song from Ms Midler and thought the illustrative clip was perfect. Didn’t see the film but I understand it was a ‘weepie’.

  8. Mild panic swept over me as I could not do any of the first six clues that I briefly looked at – then – as with yesterday, 7D was a giveaway and that gave me 6 starters. Some nice ones 2A 14A 9D 22D. A ***\**** for me. Thanks to Senf and Dada. Just left enough time to get to the opera later today, I think.

  9. In the iPad version, 23a is 3 and 2? Thanks to Senf for hints and lots of help but it felt as if my version and his were far apart. 1a had no ‘Greek’ in the clue at all. How do I let the Sunday Telegraph know about this please.

    1. I am sure that the ST is very aware that edits have taken place resulting in differences between the various platforms. However, I am not aware of the differences when they occur – as I said in Comment 4, because of my location, I use the DT puzzle web site and I don’t have an iPad because I refuse to allow Steve Jobs to control my life from beyond the grave.
      If CL reads the blog today, perhaps he could include an article on this subject in a future monthly newsletter.

  10. Rather difficult (***) today but mildly enjoyable in places (***) is how I’d describe this crossword. 1a,10a, 3d and 9d were great clues but 21d was a mystery to me in terms of parsing. Thanks to Senf for the excellent hints and to Dada.

  11. 9d has to be my favourite in this fairly tricky but enjoyable romp through crosswordland. An honourable mention, too, for the rekrul at 17d. The paper version of 1a is much tidier than the iPad version in my opinion. I don’t mind differences in the versions as long as they are clued fairly and solvable from the wordplay. How or why it happens is of only passing interest.

    Thanks to Dada for the challenge and to Senf.

  12. I liked this one – just the right amount of head scratching and light bulb moments. It did take me a long time to get into it, though and I found myself with a blank grid for quite a while. However, the brain finally got into gear.

    Favourites for me are 24a, 28a, 7d and 9d.

    Grateful thanks, as ever, t the setter and Senf.

  13. challenging but enjoyable. Favourites 1a and 9d. Bunged in 10a and 12a but don’t really understand them. Struggled with 24a because didn’t know the river.Thanks to Senf and setter.

    1. I had the same problems for sometime with10a in that I was racking my brain for a specific cricketer and in 12a was thinking around spillage. Can’t say more for fear of the NC.

      1. I bunged in 10a ‘cos it fit, I thought it was a cricketer that I’d never heard of, never thought of it again. Still have no idea!

        1. I have only just parsed 10a. Thought like others that it was the name of a cricketer without a letter. However it is two letters that are missing from the cricketer, one of which I suspect is a cricketing abbreviation. For 12a you need a synonym of spill which is nothing to do with liquid. Not sure whether these two words are used for the same item in different regions/countries.

  14. A tricky Sunday romp that pushed me into 3* time, but so very enjoyable to do & right up my street!
    Loved the wording on some of the clues
    3*/4.5*
    Favs 1ac &24ac with many other challengers for that title.
    Grateful thanks to Dada for another Sunday stunner & to Senf for his review.

  15. Challenging, and sort of enjoyable. I’m with Brian, in that I am not so much a fan of solving the clue then working out why it is right.
    I failed miserably on 1a, inexperience making me look for a person of an African county.
    Thanks Dada and Senf.

  16. Quick romp through whilst listening to Advent carols on Radio 3. Very mild for Dada! Favorite 3D.

  17. I found this tough and am missing two answers. Senf hinted for 21d, but I know nothing about the stock exchange so still don’t have it and my financial minder is off on Sunday.
    I liked 1a, my first answer, the Greek came to mind immediately, but fave is 9d.
    Knew the Welsh river, used to pass it while driving to/from Drefach.
    I missed the lurker at 17d, it was a bung in, I should be able to remember pommels wise words.
    Thanks to Dada, still struggling but getting better, and to Senf for his hints and tips, and for the lovely Bette.

    1. Think I’ve finished, the stock exchange in 21d is a guess (Chump calls it the “sock rocket”) but I digress. Feel quite chuffed.

      BTW, should be “pommers” above – dratted autocorrect

      1. Visiting the Stock Exchange as part of A level Economics 57 years ago helped. There are several animal related words connected with trading in shares.

  18. **/****. Right up my street! I thought this was well constructed and clued. Very enjoyable solve. My favourite was 14a as I can’t remember how many times the answer from the numerous clue variations always makes me smile when the penny drops. Thanks to Dada and Senf.

  19. At first I found this tough and only got 3 clues on first pass so I did some household duties including putting the lights on the outside tree. By the time I was done my finger ends were frozen and so were my brain cells as a second pass was fruitless. Time is a great healer of fingerends and braincells as once thawed I managed to solve unaided. with the NE last to succumb. 5d LOI, 17d 19d faves from a long list of goodies.
    Thanks to Senf and Dada.

  20. Once again failed to get inside Dada’s thinking and so this proved to be somewhat of a graft. Made life difficult for myself in 1a by trying to think around humans native to Africa and, as per my reply to Bryngwyn in 14 above, went off on a wild goose chase with 10a and 12a – perhaps it could be said that was as a result of clever surfacing. Overall nothing worthy of Fav status today. Thank you Dada and Senf.

  21. Very enjoyable – one of those that felt more difficult while doing it than I think it was now with the benefit of hindsight.
    Very few went in on the first read through – that always fills me with horror!
    18a caused problems and so did 1a to begin with.
    7d made me laugh as I was already imagining what others would think the last word was.
    I particularly liked 7, 19 and 22d and my favourite was 1a.
    Thanks to Dada and to Senf.

  22. I am slowly catching up with crosswords. Have a quiet week so will try and solve on day of publication. Very good crossword. Four long ones round the sides is always a good start. 12a very good but took me some time to parse.1a another favourite and 9d and 28a giveaway favourites. Similarly 7d although I use the answer, as the expression with another part of the anatomy, to describe a person rather than a problem. You need a sense of humour to appreciate this puzzle. Thanks for the fun.

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