Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30269 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)
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Happy Easter from a grey and chilly East Kent – I’m hoping that the sun will come out soon and this afternoon will be as warm and lovely as it was yesterday
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 Son seen in excited crowd (4)
The abbreviation for son inserted into (seen in) an adjective meaning excited
9a Top mark in German? (6)
A mark placed on top of certain vowels in Germanic languages
10a Last one to make third score (8)
The last item you’d need to make a total of three score
11a Pull back, having left a track when retreating — that’s harsh (8)
A reversal (back) of a verb meaning to pull, followed by a reversal (when retreating) of the abbreviation for Left, A (from the clue) and a furrow or course (track)
15a Country lady getting behind Romeo (6)
A lady well-known to regular readers of this blog (especially at the weekend 
)goes behind the letter represented by Romeo in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
22a Fellow in charge tending to weaken, often feeling down (5-10)
A fellow, the abbreviation for in charge and an adjective meaning tending to weaken
25a Show poor average (4)
A triple definition clue finishes off the Acrosses
Down
1d Meat and food sent up before queen — fast food (9)
A type of processed meat, a reversal (sent up) of an informal word for food followed by the regnal cipher of our late Queen
3d No waiting in this eatery? (9)
Because the customers of this eatery would serve themselves rather than being waited on
5d Take it easy — king will tour US city (5)
The Latin word for king ‘touring’ or going round an abbreviated US city
7d Favourite forecaster? (7)
A person making a living forecasting betting odds
13d Note house on British river tempted woman (9)
A type of house, the abbreviations for British and river and the first woman to be tempted
18d Bird I found in net damaged cable (7)
A type of bird and I (from the clue) inserted into (found) an anagram (damaged) of NET
20d Some royals finally abdicated in revolutionary defeat (5)
The final letter of abdicateD inserted into a reversal (revolutionary) utter defeat
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The Quick Crossword pun: ASTI + SPUME + ANTI = ASTI SPUMANTE
A very relaxed and relaxing puzzle (such a contrast to yesterday’s), which I much enjoyed. The SE corner was the most challenging part .11a was good fun, thoughit took a while for the penny to drop and I liked 14d, a popular description in my youth ised by a cousin who loved dressmaking. Howver, 8d, my COTD really made me laugh. Many thanks and Happy Easter to CS, whois auch a hard workking contributor to this sure and to the compiler.
Plain sailing this morning. Quite relaxing compared to yesterday’s offerings. Thanks to today’s setter and CS.
1*/3.5*. This was a light and fun puzzle for a Saturday despite a couple of slight eyebrow twitches.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS.
Not the most difficult Saturday prize puzzle but it left me with three answers that I cannot parse in 14d and 3d and why ‘favourite’ in 7d?
Apart from that a pleasant exercise.
Thx to all
***/***
14d does it help if I tell you ‘working’ is an anagram indicator?
I’ve hinted 3d
7d The solution is hopefully forecasting the favourite
Thx, sorry I missed your 3d hint. The rest now make sense.
Cheers
Just driven past a sign for Hanley Swan en route for Malvern!
Some uni friends and I had a reunion lunch there a couple a year or so ago.
If BD is reading this, I am sure I speak for everyone is sending him our very best wishes. We miss you, big man!
P.S. WW, posting today using your alias could you get you sent to the naughty corner …
With the way that CS has written a particular hint, I would say that WW is safe or she should have company.
At least this weekend we would surely get Easter Eggs on the naughty step?
Come now, Senf – we can’t have a blogger going to the Naughty Step – they are far too important to the rest of us.
There have been a few Sundays when it has been suggested that I should be sent to the naughty corner/step which, of course, I ignored completely.
Name names, Senf and I’ll send in the heavy mob to sort them out.
Go on guys! Things need sorting for Senf!
Er. They may be food?
Bickies?
Look at Perks! They’ve really taken to each other.
You should see how they play together, Merusa! It’s wonderful to see them teasing and chasing each other.
Here, Here! Hope you are doing well BD. RD is right, you are missed.
That goes for me too we are thinking of you BD.
Hear, hear, RD! Good wishes go your way every time we use your wonderful blog BD.
Interesting, Merusa. I said “here, here” and you said “hear, hear”. I have my own thoughts as to the origin of the phrase but I wonder if our other blog friends have any thoughts.
“Hear ye, hear ye” surely.
That’s the way I understand it!
Got it, thanks both.
Looking it up on Mr. G. it came from the British Parliament and is short for “Hear him, hear him”.
Not looked at the crossword yet. Weather really good and enjoyed Malvern and the Malvern Hills. Also called into Upton upon Seven which is in a time walk. Thought very much of BD each time I saw a sign for his village.
Time warp?
Yes time warp typing on phone!
It’s a little late but … Time warp indeed. Upton is where I spent the first 14 years of my life and my 96 yo mother still lives there and is still plodding through the odd crossword!
We both met BD at the pub pre-Covid. Hope he is doing well and maybe managing a pint from time to time.
The crossword? Well I’m not sure about this one and still struggling with 24ac. Wavelength maybe?
Still thanks to setter and CS for the blog.
I’m pleased that I am not the only one who found it a challenge, Stone Waller. How are the olives coming on and do you export? 🫒🫒🫒. 😎
Hi Steve, the olives are well but getting the oil to the UK was always a challenge and now with Brexit it seems a bigger challenge! But if I manage to bring some I will try to get it to you somehow.
That is very kind of you, SW. Having a Greek son-in-law has given us a taste for fine virgin olive oil. If you do manage to get it over here please let me know.
maybe an olive oil producer from the Gargano may dispute the fineness of Greek olive oil!
Oops just found it!
A soupçon of double unches, five bob on Cephas – **/****
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 13a, 19a, 13d, and 17d – and the winner by several lengths is 10a.
Thanks to Cephas, or whomsoever if my five bob goes down the drain, and thanks to CS.
A gentle but pleasant enough puzzle for a Saturday.
Thanks to the setter and to CS. I think the hint for 18d needs a minor tweak
Tweaked – thank you
Completed successfully with 24a being last in after taking a long time to decide my answer probably did fit the clue. I thought it was fun with some clever misdirections.
Many thanks to CS and the setter.
A speedy solve to all except 9a.
Defeated me, a new word, but, in mitigation thought it might be some kind of that.
Some inspired and brilliant clues eg 11 and 19a and 13d.
Thanks to the setter and to CS
Smooth sailing today and plenty of fun en route. Needed prompt for 11a – IMHO that synonym is quite far-fetched in spite of Chambers confirmation. Thanks Mysteron and CS. Happy Easter everyone.
Didn’t take too long to complete but I was grateful for the fact that 14d was an anagram – not a shade that’s on my radar!
The heavenly body made me smile as did the favourite forecaster.
Thanks to Cephas(?) and to CS for the hints and beautifully decorated Easter eggs.
They are very beautiful eggs – a friend brought them back from Prague many years ago – my main problem is remembering to get them out of the cupboard each Easter.
What a lovely gift – your friend was lucky to get them back here intact!
Just after The Wall had come down I found myself assisting the Ceska Narodni Banka (State bank) with some security issues. Just before Christmas, the head of the bank’s security department presented me with a “Special box of Christmas baubles”, with strict instructions to take the greatest care of them.
Now this was still a time when the shops were largely empty [an odd phrase] and Western goods were scarce (unless you were an apparatchik) but beautiful and delicate glassware was abundant … and cheap (for a Westerner’s spending power), so I was very excited to watch my wife gently unwrap the package.
Imagine our surprise – and hoots of laughter – when we discovered they were plastic, made in Birmingham! To the Czechs they were special, and probably costly.
Things were very different within months.
In passing, I did buy some glass items, that were so heavily leaded they showed as very dark grey on the baggage X-ray machine.
No five bob today?
No.1 daughter’s been shopping on my behalf this morning and given all the ‘extras’ she brought back I was feeling a bit low on funds!
You probably know it better by its French name, that’s far more common.
Good fun Saturday PP fare. Held up slightly in the SE but otherwise I seemed to be on the setter’s wavelength. COTD for me was the very neat 3d. Off to see a striker-less Fulham this afternoon take on relegation threatened West Ham in a match that will probably feature somewhere towards the end of MOTD. But even if the football isn’t exciting, I am hopeful of a good 16d afterwards. Thanks to the setter, thanks CS for the hints.
SE corner held out the longest mainly because I had the wrong ending of 22a. When that was sorted it finished off nicely. 13d my COTD with 18d close behind. I think my Covid symptoms are improving very slightly, at least I haven’t got razor blades in my throat any more. Keep having to go and have a lie down though. Anyway thanks to the setter and to CS. See you all tomorrow.
Ouch. You have been suffering. Chocolate slips easily down the throat…….
I found this a bit of a Tuzzle so am bucking the trend a bit. I only had a smattering after the first pass and I thought I would have a DNF but it gradually revealed itself. I can’t say I enjoyed it that much but that is down to me. Maybe I did too much gardening yesterday and my brain is more focussed on the aches that occupy me at present. I did like the lego clue at 19a and this is my COTD.
Thank you to the setter for the teaser. I’m going with Senf and his double unch theory and say you are Cephas. Thank you, CS for the hints.
In my never ending quest for The Mythical, I have submitted online today in the belief that the powers that be cannot read my writing.
I would happily send you one of mine!😊
It are wicked to mock the afflicted, DG! (As Blood Hound (Failed) stated in the cartoon strip The Perishers -the only decent thing to come out of The Daily Mirror).
As I made my way through the comments I was feeling very dumb as I only managed to fill about half the boxes at first pass. So relieved to read yours, made me feel ever so much better 😊. I try to remember that obviously those who find these puzzles easier will be the first to finish and comment. But at least most of it made sense today. Hopefully Dada will be kind to us tomorrow.
A smooth and fun solve with the SE last to fall for me, especially 18d and 24a which I needed checkers for. I liked 10a, 5d and 24a once I eventually got it.
Happy Easter to all and thanks to CS
Have an answer for 24a but no idea why. Any hints please.
a ‘flier’ with the ‘part’ missing
Face palm moment – very simple!
Still baffled by the ‘Band’ bit..
You’ve changed your alias -both old and new will work from now on
Interestingly Chambers Crossword Dictionary has ‘band’ as a synonym of the solution, but doesn’t have the solution as a synonym of band
Yes, 24a very simple, very clever. I thoroughly enjoyed this, 9a bringing back memories of Fraulein Hamer, could not spell 15a until I got 16d when I realised the error of my ways. 13d was my favourite. Spent part of the morning decorating the church so I really deserve a rest, but I have to wash the stained cloths from Coffee Stop, or the machine has to. At least they will blow nicely in the whirlygoround today. Thanks to Messrs Setter & Sue – Happy Easter 🌼🥚🐥
Am I the only one that read that as ‘desecrating the church’?
A nice puzzle for this Saturday that was quite approachable and fell into place nicely. No odd words, but a nice mix of clues to deal with. Seemed like a Cephas offering to me so I’ll throw in my 5/- and if I lose, oh well …
1.5*/4.5* for me today
Favourites included half the grid, but I will single out my top 5.
9a, 10a, 19a, 6d & 13d with winner 9a
Chuckles from 6a, 13a, 21a, 1d & 13d … the last being a laugh when it finally dropped in.
Thanks to Cephas and CS
We had to check the colour in 14d but that was the only one. Everything else was fairly straightforward. Favourite was 24a. Thanks to the setter and CS.
Very gentle solve today but also very enjoyable. Too many clever and amusing clues to choose from but I did like the lego clues at 19a and 13d. Thanks to the compiler and Cripticsue. A very happy Easter to you all.
Pleasant diversion over afternoon cuppa & seasonal angry bun, toasted of course, with lashings of butter. My last two took me almost the same time to complete as the rest of the puzzle, until the penny dropped!
2*/3*
Fav 17a LOI 24a.
Thanks to setter And CS.
Just reading through the hints I think there is an error in the second part of the hint for 1d … where the word “good” is??
I’d like to pretend that I include errors to see if people actually read my words of wisdom, but sadly I’d be lying
Always read what you have to say … but I thought the word should have been ‘food’, not ‘good’
Happy Easter all!
What a difference a day makes! I loved this, no strange words or clues. I use 8a often enough, I’d be ashamed to miss that. I learned another meaning for 16d. I’m more used to the French 14d but it had to be with the anagram, anyway, why not? This one earned ***** from me for enjoyment. I’m not going to choose a fave, they all deserve it.
Thanks to Cephas (?) and thanks CS for the hints and tips. I remember from my days in England how the weather could be lovely one day, then dismal, wet and cold the next. I hope it warms up soon.
Nice & straightforward though didn’t satisfactorily parse 3d (in my experience there’s invariably a tedious queue to pay) & I’m afraid I think 7d decidedly iffy. No particular favourites but enjoyable nonetheless.
Thanks to the setter & CS
I completed this much earlier with just the clever 19a holding me up a tad. It also on reflection became my favourite. Nothing to dislike in this entertaining puzzle with plenty of smiles along the way. What with a long riverside walk then watching the rugby I forgot to add my comment.
So thanks to Cephas, if it was indeed he, or to whomsoever compiled this enjoyable romp through crosswordland, and to CS.
nice Sarurday puzzle, so much better than yesterday! but can’t spell 9 across.
Hello, all. I have finally bestirred myself to wish you all a Happy Easter and to thank CS (for her hints and beautiful eggs) and today’s setter–who reminds me of Cephas a great deal–for an enjoyable session last night. No particular favourite though 18d, which was my LOI, certainly wasn’t the bird I was looking for. Glad also that I remembered the 8a expression from earlier puzzles. **/***
I have started reading the Irish Country Doctor series, which is off to a good start once our hero managed to find his way into Ballybucklebo. Thanks to Jane and others for the gateway to enlightenment.
Wait till you get to the cat scratching post, Robert!
I’ve just started book 5, you’re way ahead of me!
All was good but nearly gave up on 24a. Silly of me. Penultimate one in was 13d as I had a different note and House in mind. Favourites 13a and 5d for simplicity and a special mention for 15a. Thanks CS and setter. Off to try the hostelries in Tewkesbury now.
Thanks for your kind comments
Thanks for popping in, I do love your offerings! Happy days!
Thank you, Cephas for your hard work. I’m afraid I could not do it justice today, which is unusual because I normally find your offerings most acceptable. Mrs. C. told me I was grumpy today so maybe that’s why? 😏
You grumpy? Never!
Guess where we had lunch today?
Excuse my manners I did the crossword earlier today and really enjoyed it. Thanks to Cephas and CS too
We are going there for ten days this coming Saturday, SJB. The couch by the fire (just under the sign) is reserved for Mrs C and I for the duration of the stay.
Did you enjoy lunch?
Only a day late in solving this – maybe my mindset, but although I found it most absorbing, for me it was the most difficult of the week’s puzzles – it certainly took me longer to complete. Thanks to all concerned and a Happy Easter to eveyone out there.
Came to this a day late to find I’m well out of step. Couldn’t make it to the end with the South especially sparse. Some good PDMs before quitting though!
All went swimmingly until we hit 20d and 24a, which took ages but got there eventually!