ST 3151 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 3151 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3151 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg – where more Alberta Clippers have given us more snow and high winds to blow it all around!

Keep staying safe everyone. And, I hope that all those members of our company on this side of the pond remembered to Spring Forward in the middle of the night (except for those States and Provinces that don’t).

For me, assisted by a wee dram and some of Mr Tunnock’s finest tea cakes, this was more cheesy than chalky.  I counted 5 anagrams (0 partials), 1 lurker, and 1 homophone – all in a very asymmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should be able to get the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues.

Candidates for favourite – 12a, 17a, 3d, and 5d.

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 Feeder shortly scoffing last of soup (5)
A synonym of shortly (as in passage of time) containing (scoffing) the last letter of souP.

11a A lecturer is a lovely bloke (6)
A from the clue, the usual three letter lecturer, and IS from the clue.

12a Minister after revolution has little time for scum (6)
The short form of the honorific of a (church) minister reversed (after revolution) and the short form (little) of one of the units of time.

16a River passing through West Ham estate (6)
The lurker (passing through) found in three words in the clue.

19a A cot finally brought into play — bed (7)
A from the clue and the last letter (finally) of coT all inserted (brought into) into a method of playing (a type of stringed instrument).

21a Hungry baby, one on the ball? (8)
A double definition – the second applies to one in the round ball game – I would have to question Dada’s parenting skills if he considers that the answer only applies to a hungry baby.

24a Secure within college, most important people (8)
A three letter term for secure inserted into (within) the name of a (University) college (of which there at least two in England).

26a Coffee looked at the wrong way (5)
A single word for looked at reversed (the wrong way).

Down

2d Deal with media holding business up (7)
The fourth estate part of media containing (holding) the two letter abbreviation for a business reversed (up).

3d Where I’m mourned during burial, under no circumstances! (4,2,4,4)
A double definition (I think) – the second considers an event that is an individual does not want to happen.

6d Quality letter (9)
A double definition – the second does not refer to an item of correspondence.

18d Type of farm machinery originally set up — a great deal (6)
The specialisation of a type of farm and the first letter (originally) of Machinery all reversed (set up).

19d Footballer, one with a match? (7)
More round ball ‘stuff’ – the one who tends to ‘hang around’ the opposition’s goal.

22d Group not allowed on the phone? (4)
We finish with the homophone (on the phone) of a of a single word for not allowed.

Quick Crossword Pun:

GHOST + TRAIT = GO STRAIGHT


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American pop singer, pianist, composer, and record producer Neil Sedaka is 83 years young today. This is one of his hits, number 3 in the UK in 1959 – one I can ‘blame’ my sister for my awareness – she was a teenager, I was still in short trousers – Oh! Carol with an interesting anecdote at the beginning.
From Wikipedia – Carol was a reference to Carol Klein, Sedaka’s ex-girlfriend from high school and a fellow songwriter. She had since married Gerry Goffin, who took the tune, and wrote the playful response Oh! Neil, which she recorded and released as an unsuccessful single the same year under the more recognisable stage name of Carole King:

53 comments on “ST 3151 (Hints)

  1. My Dada woes have ended, at least for today’s delightful puzzle. I did like 3d very much but I found the SW corner the most taxing, and after taking a coffee break, pennies began dropping all over that little sector, with 18d my COTD closely followed by 21a and 25a. Thanks to Senf and Dada. ** / ****

    Yes, I sprang forward (actually, I wish I could!) a few hours ago and over here in Charleston it is now 0612 on a very frosty morning (29F= -1.7C). Finished the Sunday Toughie late last night, slept a few hours, and here I am again. Good morning, all.

    1. I agree with you concerning 18d Robert – it was my last one in and a wonderful clue when the penny dropped!

  2. Another very enjoyable if not overly difficult puzzle from our Sunday setter.
    Like Robert the SW held out the longest and it’s there my COTD comes from, the excellent 18d. Making up the numbers are 19&25a, the former because it’s a great clue and the latter because it’s a great word.
    Thanks to Dada and Senf for the top notch entertainment.

  3. Thanks Dada and Senf, an entertaining puzzle, mostly straightforward but a few nice head-scratchers too. Good fun throughout, 25a, 2d & 18d my top three.

  4. An absorbing and entertaining puzzle, which I thoroughly enjoyed (3*/5*). I liked 11a, 18d 21a but wasn’t so keen on 26a.. many thanks to Senf for the hints and to Dada for another fine puzzle.

  5. Delightful, entertaining puzzle; thanks to setter. Outright favourite has to be the very clever 18D!

  6. I will gladly join the cohort of those who nominated 18d as the COTD: quite brilliant, and my final entry. This was Dada at his best, I thought, full of guile and trickery, but far from impossible to solve. Great fun.

    My thanks to the aforementioned and to Senf.

  7. Typical Dada, tricky but in the whole solvable with thought. The exception to that in my opinion is 7d as the definition is woeful and the synonym weird. My favs were 22a and my last in17a.
    Very enjoyable apart from 7d.
    ***/***(* if you ignore 7d)
    Thx to all

      1. My last one in, took forever but I don’t know why, it’s obvious when you know it!

      1. Not sure about brilliant but certainly not worthy of Brian’s disdain. It was my last in & the wordplay has only just dawned on me.

    1. I didn’t care for 7d. It’s like “boy’s name” as a clue, leaves so many options open.

      1. I don’t think it left any options if you had the two checkers and you knew to turn the word over.

  8. I enjoyed this. Despite a thick head from Twockenham yesterday it came together quite nicely. Thanks to Dada and Senf.

    1. Wonder if thick head was from celebration or drowning sorrows at calamitous incident?

  9. A DNF, I’m afraid mainly because I had struggled far too long with the few I could not get. It’s most frustrating when 98% of the puzzle is solved relatively easily but then a few clues refuse to succumb. At first, I had a totally inappropriate word for 19a then I could not get 25a, 7d and 18d. A bit of a slog for me with not a huge amount of enjoyment. Still. tomorrow is another day as the saying goes.

    Many thanks to Dada for the beating and also to Sense for making senf of some of it.

    Still got the chilly wind in The Marches but at least I can do my favourite bit of gardening – ordering seeds. :grin:

    Wordle in 4.

    1. Oh I too had the inappropriate word for 29a! I was just about to think is must be the unthinkable when the bed fell on me.

      1. I am afraid I could not get the other thing out of my head. I even looked up the word to see if there was another meaning. What I had in my head was not at all attractive.

  10. Like our blogger, I did have to question Dada’s parenting skills where 21a was concerned and it’s been pointed out to me that he got somewhat obsessed with sending things ‘up’ in the ‘down’ clues!
    I’ll join the chorus in nominating 18d for best clue – my last one in by quite a margin.

    Thanks to Dada for the puzzle and to Senf for the hints and the musical blast from his sister’s past.

  11. Very gentle today though I’m far from convinced I have 7d correct & note Brian has given the clue his dreaded 2 Ws. Another vote for 18d as COTD ahead of 3d & 25a.
    Thanks to D&S
    Wordle in 4

    1. Wordle in 3. If you have the right answer for 7d, and you turn it round you will understand the parsing.

  12. Am not usually on Dada’s wavelength but this was unusually enjoyably challenging with just NE slowing completion down a little. My Fav was 25a when appropriate penny had dropped. TVM Dada and Senf.

  13. 2*/3.5*. Good fun apart from the 18d occurrences of “up” in the downs. Nevertheless 18d gets my vote as favourite.

    I don’t think the definition for 21a is accurate.

    Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.

    1. I think all ages [redacted – it’s a Prize Puzzle!] and delicious cooking smells assail our nostrils. So perhaps a [redacted – it’s a Prize Puzzle!] is not a step too far as a clue?
      Thanks to all involved for a pleasurable solving experience.

  14. Finally got 7d and 25a but this was a struggle. Also 18d my COTD. Thanks to all – Wordle in 4

  15. Dada is at about his most 22a today. I don’t see a problem with 7d, it came to mind quite easily but then again 25a was my LOI and taxed the brain cells as well. I go along with the plaudits for the very clever 18d. Thanks to Dada and Senf particularly for doing double duty and losing an hour in bed as well.

  16. 18d was my last one in and gets the gold medal today.

    7d gets the silver medal … nothing weird or woeful that I can see?

    Thanks to Dada & Senf.

  17. I began to think this was just too easy and then I came unstuck in the bottom LH corner. However, it was all there if you searched long and hard enough so no hard feelings. Many thanks to Dada and Senf. 18d favourite with 5d a close runner up.

  18. I can’t believe this is Dada! His puzzles are either like swimming in molasses or floating on a cloud! Loved this, lots of fun, though I DNF, needing Senf’s help with 12a, why? I don’t know, it’s not at all obscure. Lots to like, hard to choose a fave, 3d amused but 18d was so clever.
    Thank you Dada, I love it when you’re 22a, and much appreciation to Senf for helping me over the finish line. Wordle in 3.

  19. It’s Sunday and another Dada cracker! Some great clues as ever, my LOL moment was 21A, and the ‘head-scratchers’ included 7D, 25A & 26A…all quirky but v clever!
    Thanks Dada and, of course, to Senf for the blog ‘n hints! 👍
    Cheers!

  20. A relatively harmless Dada puzzle with a couple of quirky clues to my way of thinking. Late start due to the time change for us on the west side of the pond last night. 2*/4* today.
    Favourites today include 12a, 22a, 3d & 7d

    Thanks to Dada and Senf for double duty this weekend.
    A real mixed bag with Six Nation games this past weekend. Enjoyed them all, but some more than others!

  21. Can’t believe I am saying this, but I found this Dada easier than yesterday’s Chalicea. I’m not saying easy mind you, just that I was strangely on wavelength today, with just a few exceptions. This has happened on the odd occasion before so I am not going to assume I have cracked the secret to solving his puzzles. Favourites were 17a and 21a. But I agree with Senf, not necessarily a hungry baby. Thank you to Dada for restoring my cryptic confidence, and to Senf for helping to finish. We had a rush of rain, high winds and a drop of temperature come through late yesterday. 89F yesterday and a refreshing 69F today, but just for today, then it’s back into the 80Fs.

    1. Watching the golf from Ponte Vedra Beach this morning. Players looked like they were dressed for the Winter League at Dornoch yet it was Florida in mid March.

      1. Yes we are freezing cold at 69F here 😊😊. On some summer trips home to England, friends have felt sorry for us and turned their central heating back on…

  22. Perhaps too conventional and straightforward to be a Dada but a pleasant enough start to Sunday morning.
    19a my COTD just ahead of 18d.
    Thanks to Dada (?) & Senf for doing the “doubler”.
    Never heard of the Alberta Clipper so Googled – the Manitoba Mauler sounds scarier!

  23. 3/4. Took a little teasing out but a very pleasant solve. 18d was my favourite once the penny dropped. Thanks to Dada and Senf. Despite the clocks springing forward I was woken early by a root canal from 25 years ago which needs to be reworked. My morbid fear of dentistry will have to be overcome to get rid of this pain. Roll on Wednesday.

  24. We have an advert over here for a mobile phone network where someone gets a wet shave on top of Mount Snowdon via a barber on the other end of the phone.

    Maybe Steve can fix you from this side of the pond.

  25. Every clue a gem.
    So inventive.
    Perhaps 18d pips the rest.
    Very satisfying to complete in ** time.
    Many thanks Dada and Senf.

  26. I know it’s all been said but I thought this was a
    Cracking Sunday puzzle, took a while but it all fell into place with SE surrendering last. Not liked by some but my COTD was 7d, took me a while but so obvious when the penny finally dropped – definitely a prowler. Thanks to all.

  27. Tricky but fulfilling. I found most satisfaction in building up the answer to 18d, so my clue of the day. ***/***

  28. Thanks Dada and Senf. Favourites 26a and 3d. Got stuck on a few in the SE. Certainly could not get into the bed in 19a until I realised another word fitted the checkers. I got really stuck on my LOI 18d and I do not share the enthusiasm of some of you.

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