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DT 30035 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30035 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club

Hosted by Senf

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Hello, it’s me again.  Apparently it’s not Mr Lynch’s fault this week but the railways do need Tilsit again.

Somewhat repetitively, for the last eight Saturdays we have had Cephas pangrams, so I was expecting a Floughie Lady production today but we have another pangram, detected very early on for me, so I must conclude that it is the ninth Cephas puzzle in a row.

Some of the usual features of the Saturday Crossword Club might be missing, but the important parts are here.

Candidates for favourite – 1a, 13a, 20a, 3d, and 11d.

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, a number of the more difficult clues have been selected and hints provided for them.  Thinking of weekend prize crosswords – CL tells us on the DT Puzzles Website that Sunday Toughie Number 24 will be another by Robyn.

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 Causing trouble by putting one’s oar in (8,1,3)
A double definition (I think) – the second indicates, with appropriate pronunciation, what one is doing when completing the described action for the first time.

10a Reportedly purchase commodity generating side effect (2-7)
A homophone of a synonym of purchase and a synonym of commodity.

13a Gill about to be included by swimmer (8)
One of the sets of two letters used for about inserted into (to be included by) a (human) swimmer.

15a Unwinding, family member welcomes kiss by American (10)
A single word for family member containing (welcomes) the letter used to indicate a kiss (on an item of correspondence) together with (by) the single letter for American.

20a Brother nowadays reluctant to stock initially coarse fabric (10)
Lego time – a contracted form of brother, the two letters that represent nowadays (before they were replaced by a different two letters), and a synonym of reluctant, containing (to stock) the first letter (initially) of Coarse.

26a Lead Neil at sea, giving indication of course to be followed (9)
A verbal synonym of lead (not the metal) and an anagram (at sea) of NEIL.

28a Ballet with 22 dancing for supporter of the board? (7,5)
An anagram (dancing) of BALLET and the answer to 22d (assuming that you have solved it correctly).

Down

2d Mate let extension, in part to get service for TV (8)
A lurker (in part to get) found in three words in the clue – without giving anything away, as this is the SPP, does this still exist?

4d Prison meal served up cold(10)
An anagram (served up) of PRISON MEAL.

5d All-embracing girl about to hit the ball high (6)
Not guess a girl – a three letter synonym for girl containing (about) a single word term meaning to hit the ball high in SW19?

7d Pool bar (8,4)
A double definition – the illustration serves for the first.

11d Fourth lamp in window (12)
A synonym for fourth (fractionally) and a synonym for lamp.

21d Baffle Tod in open-air first (6)
Well, I learned something from this clue – a three letter term equivalent to in open air placed before (first) the animal species that tod is a male of.

24d Lady giving some clever answers (4)
We had ‘not guess a girl’ earlier and this is ‘not guess a lady’ provided that you apply the mantra ‘if all else fails look for . . .’ (giving some) found in two words in the clue.


Time to reminisce, and maybe even generate an earworm, the theme music from the TV detective series Van der Valk, that first appeared in 1972, played by the Simon Park Orchestra that made it to number one for four weeks in 1973:

The Crossword Club is now Open, and I will ‘see’ you again tomorrow.


The Quick Crossword pun:

HEART + OFFICIAL = ARTIFICIAL


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42 comments on “DT 30035 (Hints)

  1. I found a lot of the clues in this SPP remarkably straightforward, some of them were barely cryptic, in fact but it was quite enjoyable. I wondered if 2d was a historical thing too. The best of the clues were 24d 20a and 11, my COTD thanks to the compiler and to Tilsit for the hints

  2. An ok puzzle which for me was ruined by using a ridiculous term in 12a and a very poor clue in 8d.
    A real shame as it could have been an excellent crossword.
    ***/**
    Thx for the hints

  3. This was comparatively painless but for me not one of the most enjoyable Saturday challenges. 23a stuff seems a bit odd. 7d was Fav. Wish I could 21d the family in my garden. Thank you Cephas and Senf.

  4. Just goes to show how different we are – both of the clues that Brian disliked (12a & 8d) made it to my podium along with 1a and 3d.

    Thanks to Cephas who seems to have cornered the market in pangrams and to Senf for the hints which appear to have become part of his regular Saturday routine – we’re very lucky to have you on permanent stand-by.
    The Eye Level earworm is welcome to stay with me for the day but couldn’t help thinking that some of the orchestra members must have been teased unmercifully by their friends and families for appearing on Top of the Pops!

  5. Fun whilst it lasted. 12a and 13a get my vote.

    Thanks to today’s setter and Senf.

  6. Enjoyable pangram today. Knowing it was likely to be so helped get my final letter in the NW. I too learned a thing or two about 24d. It gets on my podium along with 12a and 7d.
    This didn’t fill the time available as I wait for Mama Bee to have her first cataract op but I will write the review of Sunday Toughie 23 instead.
    Thanks to Senf and Cephas.

  7. Satisfying and enjoyable end to the crossword week.
    Last in 24d, guessed correctly despite not knowing the synonym of a part of the solution.
    Likewise 12a.
    We live and learn.
    So, 2*/****
    Many thanks to the setter and Senf.

  8. Most enjoyable and full of fun. I’m not sure why Brian thought 8d was a poor clue because it was awarded a tick by me. I also thought 12a a very clever clue and is my COTD. Another that tickled my fancy was 11d because of the terrific surface. I’m not sure about 27a but will wait the review to see if my thoughts are correct.

    Many thanks to Cephas for the fun challenge and to Senf for standing in again for the overworked Tilsit.

    Beautiful day in the Marches so out in the garden mulching the dahlias. :grin:

  9. Mrs 2P and I both appreciated 8d along with what was a respectable Saturday offering.

    Thanks to the setter and Senf

    1. Your comment went into moderation because you used a different e-mail address – ‘gmail.com’ instead of ‘aol.com’ both should work from now on.

      If you are referring to Hrothgar’s comment mentioning 24d, you are correct there is no 24d, I suspect that he was referring to 21d.

      And, what did you think of the puzzle?

      1. Thanks, I had to use the hints, but thought the clues were fair, managed to finish given the available assistance!

    1. Welcome to the blog.

      Please see my reply to John Hotten above. Nobody is perfect and comments will have typographical errors in them from time to time. It is not the end of the world, there is more than enough going on around us to precipitate that event!

      And, what did you think of the puzzle?

  10. I suppose the Duke of Burgundy is another of MP’s pseudonyms. I struggled a bit with this one but perhaps I am just tired and out of sorts. Guessing it was a pangram helped. DD2 was to have held a big BBQ party this evening but she has just tested positive. She has a house full of food and I’m now wondering what to cook for supper! Such a shame after all her preparations. That’s life at the moment. Many thanks to Cephas and to Senf – 20a was my favourite and 12a made me think of Margaret Mitchell.

    1. Based on the e-mail address, I can assure you that The D of B is most definitely not another one of MP’s pseudonyms!

    2. Not me Daisygirl, I make too many typos and errors myself to call somebody else out for them. I’ve bypassed Dukes today to talk to The King of this island over a pint today

  11. Not a puzzle for the skilled in crossword mechanics and lore mainly because even I finished it without needing the hints and without any moments of wonder. Agree with Brian that 8d is an awful clue on many levels but I would need to be more authoritative to question it.

    Thanks to Senf and Cephas.

  12. 2*/3*. I can’t see anything remotely cryptic about 19d, and I think the definition for 22a is stretched to breaking point. Apart from those two, this was a pleasant pangram as we have come to expect on a Saturday.

    My top three were 1a, 12a & 8d.

    Many thanks to Cephas and to the ever ready Senf.

    1. Hi RD

      I have just checked to see if ‘turnover of the ocean’ is a thing and it is, though it’s a very specific, technical geographical one which is new to me.

      I can only assume that Cephas was referring to this.

      If not, then I’m with you all the way.

      A v enjoyable crossword, btw. 👏👏

      1. But, the 19d clue, from the DT Puzzles web site at least, is ‘Turnover on the ocean?’ and I am reasonably certain, based on the (correct) answer, that Cephas was referring to something else. I agree with RD, probably the least cryptic clue in the puzzle.

  13. Another enjoyable pangram, with 8d and 12a leading the list of winners, especially 1a, 3d, and 15a. Thanks to Senf and Cephas. ** / ***

  14. 2/3. Another pangram but not my favourite SPP. My favourite was 1a and my least favourite was 19d which I guessed but thought couldn’t be correct until I got the checkers. Thanks to Cephas and Senf.

  15. Thanks to Senf and Cephas – a fine gentle balance to a fairly difficult but imaginative Listener. Yes I’m still hoping my Floughie Lady turn will come soon (and promise it won’t be a pangram). I do have a few in the queue – and there will be a Chalicea Toughie (relatively Floughie) in the coming week.

    1. Thanks for popping in and I, for one, will be looking forward to your Tuesday Toughie.

  16. Found this a tricky puzzle today. 3*/4*
    This one went in with right side completed first and the last area in was the NW

    Favourites include 1a, 12a, 26a, 19d & 21d with winner 1a

    Thanks to Cephas & Senf

  17. Every day a school day. Like Senf I’ve now learnt a term for a male urban scavenger which may come in handy one day in the pub quiz. A gentle pangram that didn’t really present any problems. Perfectly enjoyable although I’m inclined to agree with RD on 19d.
    Thanks to Cephas & Senf

  18. Enjoyed this Saturday Pangram more than I expected, happily completing it while getting on the right side (the external one) of a couple of stiff ‘artisanal’ Gs&T. Would have been rather quicker had I not gone for [redacted – it’s a prize puzzle – read the instructions in RED below the hints] in 28a.

    COTD 7d, with Hon Mention to 12a (first one in, loved it).

    Many thanks to Cephas and to Senf

    1. Thank you for another entertaining and enjoyable puzzle which I enjoyed blogging.

  19. Looks like I’m the only one who didn’t finish it. Learned a new meaning for Ruth, it was one I’d bunged in. Still trying to get my head round 8d, and 21d still makes no sense to me even after mr G gave me the answer. Thanks to all.

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