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DT 30197 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30197 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

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Some very wet and windy weather means that this is the ideal day to be indoors solving crosswords.

This for me is a good thing, as after I’ve published these hints, I have two crosswords to test solve, the Giant GK puzzle to share with Mr CS (I put in the stuff I know and he looks up the unknowns), and a Picaroon (Robyn) in the Graun and two crosswords from NYDK (Tees in the Independent and Neo in the FT), while not  forgetting to solve and review today’s NTSPP

Today’s Telegraph Prize Puzzle didn’t take particularly long to solve but there are a couple of clues where you have to think carefully before committing pen to newspaper grid. I wonder how many people, like me, didn’t think that the Quick Pun ‘worked’?

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, an assortment of clues, including some of the more difficult ones, 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    Remember what visiting baby-sitters do (4,2,4)
What a visiting baby-sitter could be said to do

6a    Nipper‘s apple? (4)
A sea creature that nips or a type of wild apple

15a    Please turn to next page to see it (8)
A cryptic definition of the page on the other side of the current one

16a    Essential flat part of calculator? (6)
A synonym for essential and a slang term for a flat

24a    Talent ineffectual for the most part (4)
Most of a two-word phrase meaning ineffectual

28a    Square meal ultimately ignored by returning Russian leader (4)
A reversal (returning) of the name of a former Russian leader without (ignored) the ultimate letter of meal

29a    Those present are in it (10)
The number of people present at something could also be said to be in [the solution]

Down

1d    Short alley crossing river (4)
A passage or alley ‘crossing’ the abbreviation for river

3d    Sneak giving indication that it is an obvious clue (8,4)
A sneak reporting the misdeeds of others and an indication

8d    Racket having fought over raw 4 (10)
A way of saying having fought goes over (in a Down solution) some raw 4d

11d    Played part of individual I married going round (12)
I (from the clue) and a synonym for married going round an individual human being

14d    After prayer, regularly disowns offertory (10)
The regular letters of dIsOwNs goes after a short prayer

21d    Former lover seen with Pope from a prosperous area (7)
The usual ‘two-letter’ former lover and the name of several Popes combine to give an (originally American) adjective meaning from a prosperous area outside a town

25d    Rod left chopper outside (4)
A type of chopper goes outside the abbreviation for left

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The Quick Crossword pun: REAPER + CUSHION = REPERCUSSION

69 comments on “DT 30197 (Hints)

  1. Woke early as the wind was rattling the bins and windows, but I struggled to get the brain in gear. A mistaken first word of 1a held up the west and a couple of “trips” to the BRB were required. I had to revise my first stab at 11d too.
    Nowhere near as busy as CS as all I have to do this evening is finalise the review of Sunday Toughie 50 and prepare for a midnight solve of Zandio 51.
    Thanks to setter and CS.
    Time to take Mama Bee shopping where with a bit of luck we will encounter a flat white and a bit o’ lemon drizzle cake.

    1. That first word of 1a was also my undoing. Drifted my way through the rest this evening. Quite fun.

  2. I found this a bit of a strange puzzle, mostly enjoyable and mostly straightforward with a sting in the tail. 24a & 21d were my last two in and they held me up for a considerable time. I can’t see anything cryptic about 15a, and 8d is described by the BRB as obsolete.

    1a was my favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS.

    1. Are words designated as obsolete (but still listed) in the BRB supposed to be verboten? I genuinely don’t know.

      1. If I remember correctly, I think Chris Lancaster has previously said they ought to be indicated as “old” or some other such qualifier.

  3. A bit loggy-headed earlier this morning as I approached this SPP, which turned out to be a lot of fun, even though I was torpidly slow in my solve. When 1a finally dawned on me, and I duly chuckled at the clever wordplay, I found some momentum. Enjoyed 3, 5, & 8d as a quick result and zeroed back to solve 4d–all of these my favourites today. Liked all the 4-letter clues too. Thanks to CS and (probably) Cephas. ***/***

  4. 24a was also my final entry, and was obvious once I had stared at it long enough. Hard to look beyond 1a for a COTD, although I did appreciate 21d. I suspect the number of religious references will upset one of our regulars.

    Many thanks to our setter and CS.

  5. The Quickie pun definitely worked for me: I read the words out once and heard myself say the pun.

    I’m now trying to say the words differently to try to work out how to make them not sound like the pun! Maybe if I elongate the first vowel in the first word …?

    1. It’s a possibility that some might pronounce the first two syllables as repper when saying the word out loud?

      A very entertaining and not too taxing prize cryptic today – lots of smiles to cheer a miserable Salopian morning, whilst upstairs there is much hammering and banging going on with our bathroom undergoing a bit of a facelift. No particular favourites, except to say that I did like 3d. Both 24a and 28a caused me to ponder awhile longer than they really ought to have done. Thanks to our setter and CS for her efforts. Now time to get the coffee on again for bathroom fitter’s lubrication. :-) :-)

      1. I feel your pain, Shropshirebloke . Thankfully we are spared the tappy-hammering and the constant demands on our sugar supplies today….but they will be back on Monday.
        Hope your bathroom refit goes well.

        1. All finished now, Ora and peace and quiet reigns once more. It does look really nice and fresh. Hope your alterations go as smoothly as ours has. :-)

  6. Reckon I initially had the same wrong first word as John in at 1a but soon corrected when I saw 2d. Vaguely remembered 8d but confirmed it anyway & certainly haven’t encountered 21d before but the wordplay thankfully obvious. A brisk solve manning the gatehouse at the golf club where only 6 hardy souls currently braving the weather out on the course. No real favourites today but a pleasant enough puzzle
    Thanks to the setter & to the solving sensation who will I’m certain make far swifter progress with Pickers in the Graun prize than I’m making.

  7. 3/4 excellent, 1/4 absolutely dire. The bottom right was just plain awful and for me spoilt an otherwise enjoyable and clever puzzle. Learnt new words in the prayer, the racket and 8d.
    Hard to assess but 3/4 ***/****: 1/4 ******/0
    Thx for the hints

    1. I seemed to remember you queried the prayer before which is one of the reasons I illustrated the hint!

  8. Interesting mix of clues in this one and I’m not willing to gamble on setter-spotting. Learnt a couple of new words in 8&20d, neither of which I expect to have much use for in the future!
    Favourite was 1a with a smile for 23a.

    Thanks to our setter and to CS for the hints – NTSPP up next.

  9. Fun crossword to complete with a couple of oddities. The panel (me) has decided that there is no alternative other than to place 8d on THE LIST.

    Last night we had a lovely supper by a log fire in The Old Hatchet near Ascot. As soon as we stood up to leave there was a mad scramble to take our table such was the appeal of the fireplace.

    Thanks to the setter and PC Security (anag).

    1. Wow, the Hatchet, one of our locals where we used to regularly go on Friday nights but haven’t been for years. Looks to have changed a bit. Trust you enjoyed it.

  10. I rolled along quite nicely with this puzzle until I was held up by my lack of vocabulary in the Clue to 14d (religious references often stump me) and in the answers to 8d and 21d. I did know the name of the Pope though so the answer was obvious. COTD for me was 16a because I smiled when the answer came to me. Thanks to the setter for the enjoyable romp and teaching me new words, and to Cryptic Sue for the hints. Now to submit my answer for my one in 50,000 chance of winning the prize.

      1. I’ve won three times too. Once over twenty five years ago and twice in December 2022 😂

  11. The second word of 3d, 18a and 3d were the last in but no real holdups. I was thrown by 3d as we used to call a sneak the first word but followed by another. Id came to mind straightaway but I thought (like John Bee) of another first word for 1a. There were a couple of others like that where there was another word which nearly parsed. Hope I’m right with 10a as I have the outfit but not sure about the endless train.thanks setter and CS

  12. As the saying goes, this was easy until it wasn’t. I still have two to go, both short ones and both hinted but I just cannot get them. It looks like I will not be submitting today so my 1in 50,000 chance (see Putney Boy at #10) is non existent this week. Not a barrel of laughs as far as I am concerned but I did like 7d and its reference to a classic film.

    Thanks to the setter for beating me. Thanks to the very busy CS for the hints. I don’t know haw you do it but it is greatly appreciated.

    As Shropshirebloke said it is a drear day here in The Marches so spending time preparing the Lamb Dhansak for tonight’s meal.

        1. You may be moving into ‘too much information for a Prize Puzzle’ territory, and I’m afraid the very nice cake in our cake tin isn’t going to be made available in the Naughty Corner

  13. Tbere were a few unusual words in today’s SPP and the compiler obviously enjoys the more archaic words as I discovered when Jim asked for help with the Quick crossword. It was not overly difficult apart from the head-scratchers and quite good fun. Favourites were 1a and 8d and I learnt a new word for talent. Thanks to the compuler and to CS

  14. Excellent puzzle, good surfaces.
    Last in, 16a and 8d.
    The latter was a lucky guess, as it is a new word for me.
    So, 1.5*/****.
    Many thanks to the setter and to CS for a colourfully illustrated review.

  15. Not a pangram, no double unches, a bit of a head scratcher – it could be Cephas trying to confuse us, or . . . I think my five bob will stay in my pocket – ***/****

    Candidates for favourite – 9a, 12a, 29a, 8d, and 14d – and the winner is 9a.

    No problems with the Pun, much better than some of Dada’s recent ones – if only I could have something like this one for tomorrow.

    Thanks to the setter and CS.

  16. I was slow in the uptake after sailing through
    The NW with 2a as one of my Favs then with 13a and 20a added. Unless I’m missing something(s) square for 28a is a bit broad as is 19d. Needed prompt with 8d. Not sure I fully parse 11d. Presumably Quickie pun doesn’t work for all of us (not me). TVM Mysteron and the hardworking CS.

    1. I got 28a from the Russian reference etc but I too couldn’t quite see the square connection – maybe it’s some sort of boardgame? We’ll have to wait a while to find out.

  17. Really enjoyed this one today, some very clever clues, the best of which was easily 28a for me.
    Just one question, I’ve been reading about the ‘Quickie Pun’ for some while, but have no idea what or where it is, can someone please explain this for me? thanks in advance, TC.

    1. No surprises – the Pun comes from the Quick Crossword. It is usually based on the first two or three, sometimes four, answers of said puzzle. On Monday’s, as well as a ‘top line pun’, Campbell includes a ‘bottom line pun’ and sometimes a ‘middle line pun’.

      The pun is always included at the end of the day’s hints above with the ‘contributing’ words and answer being hidden.

  18. Found this a tough puzzle for Saturday, done on my Friday night in the pouring rain. Didn’t feel like a Cephas puzzle to me, but what the heck do I know.

    2.5*/3.5* for me

    Favourites include 1a, 6a, 12a, 23a, 28a, 3d & 19d with winner — 1a and 6a a close follow-up.

    Thanks to setter and CS

  19. Had to look up 21d as neither of us had heard of the word before but was obvious from the clue. Also had the wrong first word for 1a but the real word was much better and so became cotd. Thanks to the setter and CS.

  20. I really struggled with this because for me the answers did not seem to flow very well despite getting there in the end. Different wavelengths etc and not enjoyable, sorry. Thanks anyway cryptic sue

  21. I found this a lot more tricky than others seem to have done – it was the little ones that held me up and I’m still not sure I have the right answer for 24a. Last Saturday the DT had a very interesting article on foods that were beneficial to ones health so I bought some of them. I have just taken a sip of something called Kombucha. OMG how utterly utterly disgusting – I feel like putting a comment to get me to the naughty step in the hope of finding some lemon drizzle! Thanks to the setter and especially to CS for finding time to give her usual excellent hints.

  22. A bit of a challenge today and I am still struggling with 17d, crickety one. Not that I am complaining. I AM complaining about the difficulty in opening a packet of smoked salmon without recourse to a sharp knife ( I had to use one) then I decided I would have a glass of wine and the cork broke in the bottle. As a final slap in the face I could not open a new jar of horseradish without using a tool. George is having lunch then watching the game at Shelford Rugby Club and has taken my car as his will not be fixed until the 19th. So I thought I deserved a little TLC. Instead it has all been a struggle. I have made a guess at 10a but cannot see how the train comes in, cannot work out 22d and feel a dismal failure all round. I match the weather. I am in awe of CS for all the work she is undertaking and fixing lunch, and bow to the setter for cutting me down to size. I think I shall just curl up under my heated throw until it is gin time.

    1. Oh dear DG, you are not having a good day to put it mildly. It’s not a chuff chuff train if that helps – maybe I’ll get the lemon drizzle after all!

    2. You are never a dismal failure DG. I don’t know where the train comes in either. Persist with the crickets one as it isn’t specifically the sort of crickety clue that bowls us out. With regard to your domestic trials I have to use scissors to open salmon as rarely manage to find the bit that pulls out. So far as wine is concerned there is always a screw top when feeling not up to tackling a corkscrew. Not all the wine in screw tops is rubbish. As for the horseradish I fear the gadget or a door is the only answer as making the stuff is beyond the call of duty.

    1. Well, I will certainly say that you seem to have a knack of making some of your puzzles not seem like they are yours … and judging by the comments today you have fooled a lot of us.
      Good on you!

  23. Made the same mistake in 1a at first until I spotted 2d.
    Never know the order of the word 3d, but as it doesn’t affect the checkers I probably have it the wrong way round.
    Only a couple of chestnuts to report in 20a and 29a.
    Thanks to Cephas and to CS.

  24. I enjoyed today’s crossword – it’s taken me a while but just about done now.
    The little pest at 10a was my last one and the last word at 3d was almost as much as a nuisance!
    I was quite pleased to have got 27a – not quite my style but did get it.
    I think we had 21d quite recently (otherwise I wouldn’t have got it.)
    I liked 6 and 28a and 7d was my favourite (specially once I corrected the first word).
    Thanks to Cephas for the crossword and to CS for the hints – it doesn’t sound to me as if you’re got enough to do – I’ve got a pile of ironing just waiting . . .

  25. I found the East side very tricky and needed ehelp to get 23a in order to get going again. My senility wasn’t helped by my aide’s agency who sent me a sub on her day off who speaks no English, nada, nada, nada, this is the third week in a row and I’m so flipping mad. Thank goodness my lovely, kindly neighbour is Spanish. The next time she’s going home. I need to move to an English speaking country. Crossword: some really clever stuff, I liked 8d, reminds me of Harry Potter, it’s the sort of word that you would find in his school.
    Thanks to Cephas, even though you made me work on a Saturday, and to CS for your hints and tips. Your schedule exhausts me.

  26. A mixed bag for me needing two sittings after things just weren’t clicking at all early doors. I also fell for the common 1a error on the first pass, before getting to the more obvious 2d and realising my mistake – I think of this version of an Americanism to be honest. Not a classic but plenty of clues I enjoyed once they slotted in, especially my COTD 13a which I thought was clever with a good surface. Also a good number of sports clues which always suits me! **/***

    TY Cephas and CS

  27. Thanks to Cephas and to crypticsue for the hints. A very enjoyable puzzle, with a few tricky clues. LOI was 24a. Favourite was 8d. Was 3*/3* for me.

  28. “Well done” Telegraph for putting 6 “toughies” on the back page. The worst week ever for convoluted clues. I threw 3 of them straight in the bin. Nearly every one a dreary slog until Saturday. Even that had a few iffy clues. Please return to putting back page crosswords on the back page and leave the toughie to the toughie solvers

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