ST 3057

85 comments on “ST 3057”

1. 2*/4*. Light and good fun. Although I had heard of 20a, I did have to look up the relevance of Allen Ginsberg. His photo looks as if he has been in lockdown for some while and unable to find a barber.

   26d gave me the biggest laugh and gets my vote as favourite.

   Many thanks to Dada and to Senf. So that’s how Für Elise is supposed to sound. I’ll have to stick to Nut Rocker.

   1. Fur Elise gives me nightmares. I never progressed beyond it after years of piano lessons

      1. Me too…absolutely hate it. Have to turn it off or leave the room whenever I hear it.

   2. Hmm – does that make you a ‘pedantic philistine’ RD?

      1. Not really. I just know my limitations. (PS: I do much prefer listening to Für Elise).

         1. Thank goodness for that – I was getting slightly worried

2. I found this quite tricky but it is Dada and I often struggle with his puzzles. Still, I got there in the end and with the minimum amount of electronic help. I was held up by the four letter answers, which is often the case for me. Even with two of the letters in place, it can still take me ages to get the answer. 19a was one of these. I got the first and third letters early on but it ended up being my last one in. A forehead slapping moment came when it finally dawned.

   A most enjoyable puzzle. The aforementioned 19a is my COTD but also worthy of mention are 12a and 22d.

   Grateful thanks to Dada for the challenge and to Senf for the hints.

3. An enjoyable puzzle with a few teasing clues to provide a bit of a challenge (2*/3.5*). I particularly liked 11a and 6d. Thanks to Senf for the hints and to Dada. Keep safe and well everyone.

4. Favourites 7 12 and 25a and 6 and 8d. I was down to 25a on first glance through before I got one in. 6d straight in and that and 12a helped with quite a few others. Bottom half all in first. NW last to fall. Like others I struggle with four letter clues and 3d was last in. I failed to parse it stupidly so not sure if I was right. 1d I was going to work on the wrong egg till it cracked. I was hung up on 23a for a while as initially thought of backhander which was too long and with the k in the middle I was looking for a different ending rather than beginning. No complaints and well within a 2** time. Enjoyment 3*** . Thanks Dada and Senf too.

5. Most enjoyable Sunday morning puzzle, sitting in the sun.

   I particularly liked 4d once I could make it fit the clue !

   With thanks to Senf

6. He was a bit of a softie today but plenty challenging enough for me thank you. Completed in ***time with the usual hold ups on the 4 letter ones. 1d was my last in & as per the lurker stayed hidden for a while. Wonder if I was the only one to consider biro as the second word to 4d, the answer to which I only twigged after getting 19a.
   All in all very enjoyable & comfortably doable – unlike for me the slog of his prize crossword in yesterday’s Graun where I’ve ground to a halt well short & will gratefully accept a hint for 8d.
   Thanks to Dada & to Senf

   1. It’s what no hen would want to be – an anagram of the last three words.

      1. Biro crossed my mind too until a synonym for squeeze crossed my mind and it all fell into place.

      2. Thanks Gazza – obvious really but still didn’t twig.
         Gives me a kick start elsewhere hopefully

   2. No my first thought was hero just because of the last letter which I had in first

   3. I thought Biro as well. Winter Biro made no sense obviously. Another bottle of Spitfire and A level French literature miraculously helped out.
      If anyone’s interested the shepherd and neame spitfire ads on Google are quite amusing

7. I worked steadily through this until I came to my last one in, 5d, which took me far too long to figure out, so I’ll go for that as my favourite.

   I didn’t know the author in 20a but the anagram was fairly obvious with the checkers and I needed Senf to explain fully 4d.

   Very enjoyable so many thanks to Dada and Senf.

8. Bright and breezy for the most part although clues like 19a throw me into a panic in case they’re going to turn out to be one of those dreadful ‘cycling’ things where I’m always in a dither about how many letters to cycle and in which direction!
   20a was a complete unknown and left until the checkers were in place. Having now read a little about it, I don’t think I’ve missed much by being ignorant of it.
   Plenty of good clues from which I picked the neatly composed 25a as my favourite.

   Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the review – what a wonderful performance from your home-grown talent.

   1. Re 20a Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road was a book of that era that was worth reading.

      1. OK – I’ll give it a whirl, don’t want to be accused of having a closed mind. The review I’ve just read informs me that the journey was fuelled by pea soup and Benzedrine, hope I can digest it!

         1. It’s definitely thought-provoking.

9. Whether it was super gentle Dada or my ability to “tune in” is improving I don’t know but this was a straightforward solve with no real hiccups.
   COTD & R/U both 4 letter words: winner had to be 26d for the smile it produced, then 1d for the misdirection.
   Thought 20a would have been better with “teenagers” as opposed to the singular.
   Thanks to Dada for the too short but welcome pleasure and Senf for the review.

10. Very enjoyable today which was ** for all but the top left which was a bit trickier for me esp 5d. Not familiar with the term in 20a and to my shame I totally missed the lurker in 1d which was my last in!
    Thx to all
    ***/****

11. 7a, 6d and 26d occupy my podium positions today. Dada on cracking form this morning, with a fairly straightforward and thoroughly enjoyable puzzle. I was pleased that the answer for 20a managed to extricate itself from the depths of my memory, and equally glad that I remembered that I never really liked their output.

    Thanks to Dada for a delightful challenge and to Senf.

12. Morning all. Good to be here once again. 13D was my last one in. I could see the answer but parsing it took a little time. 26D is my top pick today. Thanks to Dada for a very doable puzzle and to Senf for the blog.

    1. Nice to see you again, Chris. Hope all is going well in the lockdown.

13. I’m trying to use my time usefully in lockdown in getting to grips with cryptic crosswords, so you’ll guess that I’m new to this mystic art. My main obstacle at present is determining which is the definition of the clue. I know it’s likely to be the first or last word or words, but for me it’s not yet obvious. Any hints or help, please?

    1. Welcome to the blog Irate Mo.
       From my perspective, the answer to your question is practice and following this blog where the definitions are identified.
       After many years of solving, I still get stumped frequently by some clues (and setters). So, I am very grateful for what Big Dave provides us with.

       1. Thanks to Senf and everyone else for your comments. Much appreciated

    2. Welcome from me also, Irate Mo. That’s a tricky question and I am sure many will have different explanations. For myself, it’s about looking at the clue and almost “sensing” the indicator. Take 7a in today’s puzzle. I looked at it and, to me, it is obvious the first two words are the essential words. I think it comes with practice rather that anyone explaining it. Stick with this blog and you will learn. It’s how most of us improved. I was doing the DT back pager for nearly 40 years before I joined this blog. When I joined about two years ago, my solving came on in leaps and bounds.

       I am sure others will add their thoughts on your question and it will be interesting to see what they have to say.

       1. PS – You will see in the hints that the definitions are underlined, which helps.

          Just realised Senf has already pointed this out!

    3. Hello Mo – another way to look at it is to see which end of the clue contains an instruction
       10a has ‘in novel’ which could be ‘contained by an anagram of…’ and ‘particular’ doesn’t suggest doing anything so it’s probably the definition
       Sometimes it’s a case of ‘look for the trick’ or ‘what could be misleading about the clue?’
       Stick with BD and the bloggers and you’ll be fine in no time

    4. I am not likely to be of much help, but what you are already doing is how I started. I look at the first word or words and consider what the rest brings to mind and the same for the last word or words if that fails. Thankfully the sneaky setters who hide the definition in the middle are relatively rare.

       1. I don’t think I’ve come across a clue where the definition is central. Are there any?

          1. I think Mr K would know a few. I can’t recall one off the top of my head but those and all in ones are my Bete Noire.
             Not forgetting spoonerisms which I fail at 99 times out of 100.

             1. Talking of bête noire, all time favourite clue, Guardian in the early 1980s (and probably many times since): Ahab’s was white! (4, 5)

                1. blue whale?

                   1. bête noire! 😂

                      1. OMG you can take my BRB away I am clearly not cut out for cruciverbalism.

                   2. Blooming eck and I’ll go to the foot of our stairs!

                      I thought “blue whale” but it didn’t parse, Wow! I’m gobsmacked! Would never have solved it in years. The misdirection was too subltle.

                      1. Rose, as a young French teacher in the staff room, listening to the conversation of the crossword solvers in the corner, timidly offered this answer. The only time they noticed her! 🙂

          2. Found one!

             Kelly becomes well-informed by following one who wrote nonsense (7)

             Thank goodness they are rare!

             Agree with you about spoonerisms.

             1. How “learned” you are. 😉

                1. 

    5. Hi Mo, I recommend buying a few ‘how to solve cryptic crosswords’ books. A good one is ‘How to Crack Cryptic Crosswords’ by Tim Moorey. Chris Lancaster, a former Telegraph crossword editor has a book out that I must get. It’s called ‘How to Solve a Cryptic Crossword. Happy solving! Regards🦇

       1. Chris Lancaster also recently provided a very good article in the DT about solving methods

    6. Welcome from me IM.
       By finding this site you have found the best place to learn how to get pleasure from solving cryptics.
       In addition to the “learned” advice above:
       Read the tips contained in the drop downs under cryptic crosswords at the top of the page
       Don’t despair when you struggle on a day – nearly everybody does & not always because the puzzle is hard
       Be sure to visit the daily & I look forward to your boast about your first unaided solve
       When you are convinced about crosswords buy yourself a Big Red Book (aka Chambers Dictionary) – or better still get one as a present!

    7. Don’t worry Irate Mo. I’ve been doing these since the dark ages and identifying the definition still evades me a lot of the time and then I spend ages try to fit the wrong choice. Like you, I know it is usually the first or last word, but I still manage to pick the wrong one. I’ve always enjoyed the cryptics, and agree they are a great help during the lockdown. And welcome!

    8. Hi. Irate Mo. I’ve said this many times before. Warm up with the Quickie puzzles. That way proficiency lies.

14. Particularly loved the entire SE corner, which held my last 5 in. Really nice clueing there, Dada at his finest. Enjoyed the rest of the puzzle too, but 25 and 28a, 18, 22, and 26d (the COTD) all squeeze onto the podium. Thanks to Senf and Dada. ** / **** (FWIW, not only did I master ‘Fur Elise’ and memorised the little gem, but I played it in a recital at age 16–jitters, frills, runs, missed notes and all! Dear little ‘Albumblatt’!)

15. Strangely I felt this was a bit utilitarian today. Needed the reason for the obvious answer in 4d. LOI 21d eventually got it, but only then was I able to parse. Unlike 6d where I managed to get the answer from the parsing. Ta both
    **/**

16. Found this pleasantly straightforward on the whole. Had to research Ginsberg but the answer then immediately apparent. Took a while to explain 4d but got there in the end. Thanks to the compiler and Senf. Beethoven is one of my favourite composers – always most enjoyable. Back to trying to resurrect my French language skills on the off chance a visit to France is possible in the not too distant.

    1. France is looking unlikely if the quarantine is enforced. Maybe Italy?

       1. Probably not. I’m interested to get on the Monet trail in Normandy if possible, Rouen and the coast particularly!

          1. Sounds nice. I am doing most of my “travelling” on Google Earth at the moment.

          2. I had planned to do Rouen, Giverny, Dieppe and Honfleur first week of September or there abouts but not looking too promising. Certainly at the first opportunity.

17. Another typical Sunday puzzle – my favourite was 9a Thanks to Dada and Senf

    Lots of ‘insertion’ clues again – I am reminded of what a very nice man who knows a thing or two about crosswords told me – apparently this type of clue is very easy for a setter to construct. I’m also reminded of a reply from one of my creche when I pointed out that they had three of the same type of clue in a row in their crossword – they hadn’t noticed because that’s not how they solve crosswords. Well I do (and if I’m testing/blogging I work through from top to bottom to parse etc) and I notice every time!

    1. I solve from top to bottom. Never linger on an unsolved clue as there will be checkers next time. Top to bottom again with no lingering as there will be even more checkers. Fill in the blanks. Fifty plus years of solving and six years of blogging helps enormously. And a memory.

18. The top half was a breeze but the bottom was a different kettle of poisson. 23a was the stickler and I assumed it was a backhand for too long. I did like the fact that 11a fitted the ordinal. 22d I tried to drop the e from the long grass (reed) rather than the definite article for a while. got it sorted eventually with help from Senf.
    Thanks to Senf and Dada. this was a bit easier than his Guardian offering yesterday but still tricky in parts and fun to do.

19. Very enjoyable. I remember the “Beat Generation”, sadly, so no difficulty with that one. Favourite 6d.

20. Although I found the puzzle a challenge (got there in the end), the biggest crisis was when a gust of wind took the sheet of paper containing the crossword on a careering path down the garden. This, despite a paperweight.
    I hadn’t judged that it is a three paperweight day in Surrey. After a hectic chase, I am able to report both the quick and the cryptic are completed. It has all been rather exhausting.

    1. And of course – thanks to the setter and Senf!

    2. Never run after a woman or a bus. There is always another behind. Not too sure about unfinished crossword puzzles though

21. Another enjoyable solve with some well crafted clues. My COTD shortlist; 20 and 23a and 5d. I’m giving it to 20a. Thanks Senf and to the setter🦇

22. I found Dada more user friendly today and managed this with no sweat. South was plainer sailing than the North. Fav 22d. Thank you Dada and Senf.

23. Started off fast slowed then managed to complete at a decent pace. 20ac held me up much longer than it should have.
    2.5*/4*
    Dada on benevolent but cracking form.
    Thanks to Dada & Senf for review.
    Best wishes & keep safe everyone, there is no such thing as being too cautious!

24. Really enjoyed today’s puzzle, not difficult but fun, last one in was 19a couldn’t believe it held me up, I just wrote -U-S and it fell straight in.
    Fav clue was 6d
    **/****
    Thanks to Senf and Dada

25. Terrific crossword, fun and satisfying to solve, ***/****. 6d favourite to solve, 4d favourite to parse: clever! 🙂 Many thanks to Dada and Senf.

26. **/****. Dada at his most benign. Really enjoyable solve with a couple of ah-ha moments. Like some others I took longer on the four letter answers than almost the rest of the puzzle. Thanks to Dada and Senf for the review.

27. Oh dear, I didn’t find this gentle today. Going to blame it on lack of quality sleep. Had a problem with 19a as I don’t put buns in the same class as cakes, but as a form of bread. And of course went to the wrong Ginsberg in 20a. But had an excellent day yesterday so can’t complain. Thanks to Dada and Senf.

28. Nice puzzle today, with only 20a causing a little online research for the Ginsberg reference. My clue favourites for today were 7a, 12a, 15a,16d & 26d.

    Thanks to Dada and Senf

29. Very pleasant and not too taxing. ** for difficulty but ***** for enjoyment, but only because it was completed over a very nice lunch at the local bar, which can now open its outside seating area. Haven’t been there for about 10 weeks!

    Thanks to Dada and Senf.

    1. A bar! Lunch out! Oh you lucky people, we’re still under complete lockdown here in Wales. Not many boats around, that’s for sure, they’re all still stowed away in the boatyards.

30. Very enjoyable. 26d favourite. Many thanks Dada and Senf.

31. Definitely a benign Dada, I don’t think I’ve ever completed one before. I did use e-help for some but mostly solved on my ownsome.
    I have a huge problem with unravelling the clues, e.g., on reading 4d, I knew what it had to be but left it to the end to pencil in, needing Senf’s excellent help to get the why.
    I had to google Ginsburg as didn’t know him, not sure I know what the answer is, I’ll have to google – what would we do without him.
    I really enjoyed this, 7a was my first in, but 26d was giggle worthy, and 12a worth a mention.
    Thanks to Dada for the fun and Senf for his help unravelling a few.

32. Really enjoyed this one…..like others I often struggle with Dada puzzles, but this flowed well while being enough of a challenge to make me feel I had accomplished something…..greetings to all from beautiful rural Oxfordshire – wonderful weather although we are at the point where a few rainy days would be welcome….

    1. We’ve got our long-wished for rain today and they promise it’ll be this way for at least two days. My pool is overflowing and the aquifer must be fully replenished by now. Rain, glorious rain.

33. For me, there’s always something satisfying about solving a Dada puzzle. A first glance through and they always look difficult but once I get going and solve a few clues, everything gradually falls into place. Thanks to Senf for the blog and Dada for the puzzle.

34. I’m in the “definitely on the easier side but had to Google 20a” camp. I hadn’t heard of 6d either but easily worked out from the clue, still Googled it to be sure. Hard to pick a favourite but 5d gets it by a short head. Many thanks to Dada and Senf.

35. I was listening to Round the Horn on 4Extra yesterday, so couldn’t get Chou En Ginsberg out of my mind till the checkers gave me the answer!

    1. Round the Horne! What a breath of fresh air that programme was! It wouldn’t be allowed today but it was good fun.

       1. It was, indeed!

36. Got stuck on the NE of this one where I needed Senf’s most excellent hints……but this is an improvement for me on most Sundays….

    Thanks to Dada and to Senf.

37. A day late, but quick romp home.

38. i found this quite straightforward again, i hope it is not just me but i have found the telegraph puzzles a little boring of late, lacking the eureka moments.
    somebody in the blog here described it well, “utilitarian”. i think that sums it up adequately.

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