ST 3064 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 3064 (Hints)

 

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3064 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg, where the temperatures have been closer to seasonal normals before considering the effects of humidity.

Keep staying safe everyone. 

For me, this took about as long to solve as the Thursday and Friday back pagers, so, with a sprinkling of oldies but goodies I consider that Dada was benevolent this week even if there were a few Hmms – I counted four anagrams (two partials), two lurkers, and no homophones – all in a symmetric 28 clues, with 16 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should be able to get the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues.

Candidates for favourite – 1a, 18a, 2d, 8d.

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

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

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 Look back inside light and push, connecting electrical device (5-3,4)
A synonym of look reversed (back) inserted into (inside) a synonym of light followed by a synonym of push (a product).

10a Coming from church, what might Rosemary say confidently to Herb? (9)
Think of a herb (ignoring the upper case H) that can be a male name and then think of what a female named Rosemary might say confidently to him (in terms of doing something).

13a Rubbish is around square (8)
An anagram (rubbish) of IS AROUND.

18a Unopened post bag (4)
A five letter type of post with its first letter removed (unopened).

20a Home builder: reliable chap joining broody female? (10)
A term of endearment for a reliable chap followed by (joining) a type of broody female.

24a Knight at home touring large European capital (6)
A verbal synonym of knight and the usual two letter term for at home containing (touring) the single letter for large.

26a Ocean waves increase a further time (4,5)
An anagram (waves) of OCEAN followed by a synonym of increase.

28a Initials on item used for entering a couple of flats, possibly? (3,9)
A double definition(?) – see the illustration for the second Initials following (on) an item used for entering (a building) – thanks to RD.

Down

2d Expression of discontent arrives in sulk before start of holidays (8)
The abbreviated form of arrives inserted into (in) a nounal synonym of sulk all placed before the first letter (start) of Holidays.

4d Plague in spleen etc, I suspect (10)
An anagram (suspect) of SPLEEN ETC, I.

5d Naval commander embraced by colonels only (6)
The first lurker (embraced by) found in two words in the clue.

8d Hammer: force nailing everything (6)
The three letter short form of a (police) force containing (nailing) a synonym of everything.

14d Spirit about to be put in mixture of ale and punch (10)
The two letter commercial jargon for about inserted into (to be put in) an anagram (mixture) of ALE and PUNCH.

19d Cheap clothes reserved, minimum of cash invested (7)
The first letter (minimum) of Cash inserted into (invested) a (military?) synonym of clothes and a synonym of reserved (as a personal trait).

21d Colour lacking in bottle (6)
The colour that is used to represent someone who is lacking in bottle (as a personal trait (again)).

26d Wading bird in flock, no tail (4)
The second lurker (in) found in the rest of the clue.


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Johnny Nash began one week at number one on this day in 1975 (I have to say that I can’t recall him or the song):


 

80 comments on “ST 3064 (Hints)

  1. I haven’t finished (yet?), but 10a made me laugh so much that I doubt it’s going to be topped as my favourite. Thanks to Dada and Senf.

  2. 3*/4*. An enjoyable Sunday puzzle with a big range of difficulty from easy to hard.

    Somehow I managed to parse 25d to my satisfaction without realising it was a lurker. :wacko:

    10a deserves a special mention but 28a was my favourite. Senf, I parsed this one as “initials” following (“on”) “an item used for entering” with “a couple of flats, possibly” as the definition.

    Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.

    1. Ditto re 28a. Maybe Senf can say “I can see clearly now” and remember the singer?

      Fun puzzle. Thanks Dada and Senf.

      1. That’s how I saw it too. Enjoyable challenge this morning. Many great clues 13a LOI and to me a bit of a stretch as a synonym. That’s my excuse at least. Thanks to Dada and Senf

        1. You should try and remember 13a – definitely an oldie but goodie which will no doubt appear again.

          1. Thanks Senf, I’ll try to file it away with the other classics…stoa, portico etc. and other words and connections that only exist in croiswordland

    2. Thanks to RD – 28a was the only clue that gave me any trouble in solving and hinting! Now revised.

  3. This was great fun with lots of wiky tricks to fool or distract the solver. It was enough of a challenge to keep me interested and made me laugh (2.5*/4*). I wasnt keen on 2d but among a host of good clues I’d pick 1a, 20a, 23a and 28a as the best ones. Thanks to Senf for the hints and to Dada, in fine form to cheer up those of us who are still shielding. I hate the strange looks and muttered criticism that comes my way when I step out tnto the road or onto a grass verge to keep my 2 metres distance,while out walking. Some folk seem to have forgotten that some of us are still social distancing. I’ve taken to going out at 6 am to avoid problems

    1. We are lucky to live in a neighborhood of people 55 + so we are all in the same boat, everyone being careful about social distancing. However on the two occasions we have ventured to our local shopping mall (duly masked) it is mostly, sadly, the younger people who act the way you have mentioned. Perhaps they feel we are making a fuss, but we will keep on doing it until this thing goes away, fingers crossed.

  4. Another delightful Dada to cheer up those of us who are shielding, housebound critters–like this one over here in S Carolina, where we set another record for virus cases yesterday. Thank goodness for these puzzles and this blog! I mostly enjoyed the puzzle, except for 10a, which I could make no sense of at all (and even the answer fails to click clearly for me)’; otherwise, some terrific wordplay and redirections. The big winners: three answers with U in them and Rosemary: 28a, 14d, 13a, and 10a. Thanks to Senf and to Dada. ** / **** (Am I destined for the Naughty Corner?)

        1. Thanks, Florence, for the assist; as it turns out, I’d mistyped 10 for 18a. 10a I got quickly and laughed out loud. Rosemary is a very game girl, isn’t she?

      1. You’re in good company Robert – did for me too. Senf’s hint ought to enlighten you – the surface has typically devious Dada misdirection.

    1. Our FL COVID count of new cases yesterday was 15,300! A record one-day count of new cases. Where will it ever end?

        1. And why are people going, with their kids. Oh the same kids that it would be too dangerous to send to school.

      1. I don’t think S. Carolina is in our category, we’re in the sterling company of Arizona and Texas. People will not wear masks. We creaky old folk are expendable, if they don’t have to pay us social security or Medicare, they can pay less taxes. I can’t see where this will end.

  5. 1a and 10a were favourites. 13a was a bung-in until I realised that it was an anagram. Thank you setter and Senf.

  6. My horse flew all the fences & was on course for completion in a record time for a Dada circuit until an unexpected refusal at the 3rd last. He was eventually encouraged to clamber over 13a (anagram finally twigged) but needed a hint for 18a enabling him to clear the last, 19d, in some style. Agree that there was quite a range here from fairly straightforward (for Dada) to real head scratchers & I’m not sure I’d have got 18a without Senf’s hint even if I’d exercised a bit more patience. Favourite 3 fences were 10a, 14d & the winner 28a.

  7. This is DADA at his more benign. Like Smylers I thought 10a hilarious but my fav must be 18a for the misdirection.
    Very enjoyable once you got started which took a little while.
    Thx to all
    ***(because of the time it took to get underway)/****

  8. Another enjoyable Sunday puzzle with a sprinkling of birds to keep me happy – although I’ve just been watching my new granddaughter on Skype and that made me even happier!
    I’m going to pick 2d as my favourite simply because it’s such a descriptive word.
    I would agree with RD’s parsing of 28a – took me a while even when I’d got the idea of a musical involvement.

    Thanks to Dada and also to Senf for the hints. I remembered the song in your clip but didn’t have a clue when it came to the physical appearance of the singer.

    1. Congratulations Jane!

      A slow steady solve while watching (and listening to, via TMS) the Test Match. 19dn held me up – not an everyday word for me – until the penny dropped for 18ac. But still I was misled for a while by the other 3 letter synonym for reserved!

      I enjoyed Dada as always and thanks to Senf for the blog.

      1. Thank you, Stone Waller, nice to ‘see’ you again. How are things shaping up for you now – Italy appears to be recovering from the initial onslaught of the wretched virus but obviously what we read is not necessarily the picture on the ground.

        1. Hi Jane

          Well Italy is slowly coming out of its major outbreak, but goodness knows what it has done to an already fragile economy. We in the Gargano are so remote that we were always in a good position as far as the virus is concerned. but there were times when the government allowed major exoduses from the North when we thought things might not go so well. But having said that, if the Gargano is remote then where we live is possibly as remote as you can get.

          So most things fine here. We are looking at a potentially very good olive crop, but the vines don’t look so good. When you have high pressure in the UK we usually get lots of disturbed humid weather and it brings lots of problems for vines, tomatoes etc. So like yourselves it has been a mixed summer here.

          Take care!

          1. SW
            We are the same up here in the Highlands re remoteness. Since last weekend it seems half the UK population of campervanners have arrived en masse.
            Their idea of social distancing seems to be based around millimetres rather than metres.
            Lets hope the current guess is more right than any they have come up with up to now.

            1. Fortunately LabOK the Italians have been sensible for a change. Unlike their driving they have showed common sense throughout especially here in the south.

            2. So, Ms Sturgeon wasn’t on the border stopping the Sassenachs from travelling further North?

  9. Typical Dada for me a few straightforward the rest a real struggle. I get about 1/3 OK then stare for ages seeking some inspiration. Each answer was then a struggle but finally made it. Always satisfying when I do, but I just know “really should do better.” applies.
    Like others 10a COTD ahead of 14d.
    Thanks to Dada & Senf.

    1. I agree, solving a Dada puzzle is a bit like wading through molasses. I’ve found them much more enjoyable just to bung in answers and hope they’re correct. So far it has worked out for me but it can lead to a real tangle.

  10. Comments above cover my minor quibbles and quid pro quo’s. 18a took up most of my staring blankly time too and 13a a bit of a weak synonym IMO.11d was going to be my fave today but I grudgingly nominate 2d as I volubly two downed as the parsing came to me, thus proving Dada’s brilliance. That damn bird at 25d stumped me for a while too and was a whole different species for a while before the Miffypop Maxim came to the rescue.
    Thanks to Senf for explaining a few (19d) and Dada for the puzzle.

  11. Another good Sunday offering from Dada. My two finalists for COTD out of many; 10a and 7d. I’m giving it to 7d. It gave me quite a chuckle. Thanks Senf and Dada🦇

  12. This had a definite Toughie feel about it so I struggled but eventually got there through thick and thin! I have yet to find Dada’s wavelength. Rubbish in 13a stupidly didn’t occur to me so I didn’t have the confidence to fill in the solution which was one of two words which I could fit in so it was my last. Thank you Dada and Mysteron.

      1. Oh dear, sorry Senf – I wasn’t sure so originally was going to put Mysteron as the setter but then on reading hints realised it must be Dada but changed the wrong name. I of course knew you were the hinter and renewed thanks for that. 🤭

  13. I find it SO frustrating when you are left with a 4 letter word with two checkers & you just can’t see what it can be!

  14. What a great puzzle from Dada. I found it a steady solve. The clue that made me stare for a long time was 13a but what a lightbulb moment when I managed to solve it. My favourites in a line up of many good clues are 10a and 20a with my COTD being awarded to 28a, which I thought excellent.

    Grateful thanks to Dada for the enjoyment. Also, thank you, Senf for the hints.

    Just been zooming our daughter and son-in-law in Melbourne. They are back in lockdown for six weeks. I wonder how long it will be before we are, although Mrs. C and I are still shielding. I don’t envy the government facing a choice between public health and the economy. Stay safe, everyone.

  15. My heart sank on the first read-through when I couldn’t immediately get any of the across answers. Fortunately, the downs came to the rescue and it became a fairly steady solve. 10a, 20a and 24d raised a smile but 2d was my favourite. 28a, 18a and 19d slowed me down but overall,I enjoyed this very much and, particularly, the satisfaction on completion.
    Huge thanks, as ever, Dada for the enjoyment and to Senf for providing the hints, especially for 13a where I, too missed the anagram.

  16. Good puzzle. I found it challenging but then, as a pompous grouch, I tend to find life challenging, generally.
    Of course, I missed two lurkers, and I needed Senf’s explanation regarding how I reached the answer to18a.
    Pleasingly, Lola has forsaken the flower beds and is purring away whilst lying prostrate, next to my elbow, on the garden table.
    As I write this A VERY 21d butterfly has drifted across the garden. I will have to look it up as I haven’t seen one that shade of 21d before.
    Thanks to Dada and Senf.

      1. Thanks for the tips, Jane. Checking Google images – almost certainly a Brimstone.

    1. Going purely on your comments I think that ‘pompous’ and/or ‘grouch’ are two of the least likely words that I would associate with you.

  17. I don’t envy the government full stop. Winning that election turned out to be a poisoned chalice and if ever there was a time for a coalition it is now. All working together. Rant over, so nice to lose oneself over the crossword with lunch and a glass of wine in the sunshine for a change. I got stuck up on 20a thinking it was a 3 letter female bird, well it was, but more specific. George is the musician and got 28a straight away. My poor darling daughter with early onset dementia stuck in a care home since March with no contact whatsoever was allowed to ring me this morning. So I am smiling. Thanks to everyone for the workout.

    1. Oh, Daisy, so glad you got a chance to speak with your daughter! That must have been a treat after such a long time.

      1. Thank you Kath and Merusa. It has been a diabolical couple of years, you’d not believe it if I told you. But even worse for her two sons one of whom is still at university. This b———- virus has been the icing on the cake. Thank goodness for crosswords!

    2. Like Merusa I’m so glad that you got a chance to speak to your daughter – it must be so difficult for both you and her. A little :rose: for both

  18. I thought this was quite hard in parts. 19d and 10a were last in. I still don’t get 10a let alone laugh and I can honestly say I have never used the word in 19d. However I liked quite a few. Hints were not required today except for 10a which I could not interpret any more than the clue but thanks anyway.

  19. After a v slow start, thought this was going to be a tricky one from Dada but everything then went ticketyboo. Even Brian liked it. Favorite 28a. 13a took us ages until we recognised the anagram.

  20. Struggled for ages and abandoned half completed. Came back a bit later and finished quite easily. 19d seriously misled me in spite of excellent hint. would never have got 28a without the hint. Didn’t know
    2d was a word. Still all good fun in the end. Thanks to Dada and Senf for wonderful hints.

  21. Started in bed this morning and thought it looked pretty tricky. An old housemate from Cape Town days came over from Leamington for a sandwich lunch, hadn’t seen him for about 5 years. Got back to the puzzle after he left and then flew through it until 19d. Once I had worked out the post I could workout 19d but didn’t know the word. Had to laugh in the mid 70’s in Cape Town we thought we were the beautiful people, all in our early 20’s. Now in our 70’s we all discuss our ailments and all the body parts heading south! .and his hair, wild, wild, wild. Thanks to all.

    1. Growing older is not for the faint hearted is it Manders? It’s nice to have an old friend in the same boat though.

  22. A nice and relatively non-quirky Dada offering this week. Nice for a pleasant morning solve on a promising West Coast sunny Sunday. 2*/4* rating for me. Lots of fun clues with candidates for favourites being 1a, 20a, 23a, 11d & 14d with winner being 11d.
    Last in 25d.

    Thanks to Dada and Senf for hints

  23. I find I enjoy Dada more when I don’t try to unravel them, but I feel I miss the nuances of the clues.
    We had so many candidates for fave today, some lovely words here, 2d is good fun, but fave for being giggle worthy is 10a.
    I needed e-help for 19d. We’ve had 23a and 25d fairly recently and I remembered them, miracle!
    Thanks to Dada for the fun and to Senf for unravelling a few.

  24. ***/***. Enjoyed most of this especially 10a. I needed two sittings as I’d filled most from the top left to bottom right but needed to revisit the rest later. Didn’t like 13a but as Senf says an oldie – but in my book not a goodie. Thanks to all.

  25. Delighted to say that I solved this alone and unaided….not at all a common occurrence on a Sunday…..
    Needed Senf’s help to parse 1a, but understood all the rest of the clues…so, as this is a Dada, I will award myself a Hurrah!

    Thanks to Dada and to Senf

  26. Still not finished. Any clues for 11d which might help me on my way? Don’t get the hints for 28a but keeping going.

    1. Re 11d, you a looking for a book. You need a combination of a word meaning brilliant, a short word meaning about, and a type of popular music.

  27. I recommend to anyone still struggling with 18a and 19d to persist. It is possible to solve them without hints. Once I had the across answer having flirted with a couple of other possibilities the down clue succumbed. I think I have seen 2d recently so it’s one to look out for. I almost fell for another capital city further away from England before coming to the right answer. I thought I may have had the ending of 28a wrong as I had not heard the musical term. Favourites 26a and 11 and 21d. The latter is probably an old chestnut but fun when the penny drops. Thank you Senf for confirming the tricky ones and to Dada for the brain work-out.

  28. Raced through this, then hit the wall.
    As a keen birder, I’m ashamed to say that one of those to hold me up was 23a.
    I stared at 19d for ages to no avail, then I tried the novel idea of thinking about the wordplay and the answer jumped out at me.
    11d my cotd, having read the book and loved the film with Dickie Attenborough.
    All in all a brilliant crossword, thanks all.

  29. Perfectly smack bang in the middle of the difficulty range that we get from Dada on Sundays.
    A brilliant crossword – I loved it – specially the ones that made me laugh and there were quite a few of those.
    1a took ages and I needed all the checking letters before I got it – thought it was going to be something I didn’t know, or understand.
    I can only find one lurker (25d which I missed anyway) so presumably I missed the other one too – nothing new.
    Also missed the anagram indicator in 13a which was dim.
    I didn’t care much for the sound of those toenails in 16a! Yuk! :sad:
    I particularly liked 1 and 15a and 2 and 14d. My favourite, inevitably, was 10a.
    Thanks to Dada and to Senf.

      1. Oh yes, so it is – I’d forgotten about him but I did catch him first time round!

  30. Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints. A super puzzle as usual from Dada. All done except for the second word of 7d, any hints would be most welcome, but don’t end up in Naughty Corner. 10a and 24a made me laugh, but my favourite was 2d. Was 3*/4* for me.

    1. An award as a student going to university used to get (not sure if they still do).

  31. What a delightful Sunday treat from Dada. I burst out laughing at 10a, what a super clue, definitely my favourite. Last in was 19d as I had the wrong bag in 18a, which held me up for ages. Don’t think we have ever seen 11d so will have to see if I can find it. I was a bit slow with 1a too, but as soon as I got 4d it was obvious what the middle word was, thankfully. Thanks to Senf and Dada for a lot of fun today. We needed this here in South Florida where our Covid numbers are going through the roof. And it’s supposedly 104F here today, with the heat index.

  32. I seem to be at odds with the majority of contributors as I found this difficult and quirky to the extreme. Maybe it’s only the clever people who have commented. I got there in the end but dear me it was a struggle. If I had to pick a favourite it would 28a which I didn’t struggle with obviously, not that I ever play in Bb. Thanks to Dada and Senf.

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