Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30287 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)
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Good morning from East Kent, where the sun and blue sky are gradually breaking through the mist and clouds so hopefully we will have a very nice afternoon.
I have written down my entry for ‘guess the setter’ so will wait to see who turns up to confirm whether my 50p has been invested wisely or not
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 Mature set of people including wife and children, ultimately (5-2)
A set of people into which is inserted (including) the abbreviation for wife and the ultimate letter of children
11a Saw something for one to use? (9)
A not particularly cryptic definition of a person who might use a saw
13a King’s cherished ambition? (5)
The King with this particular cherished ambition was an American civil rights activist
15a New-style cinemas do such entertainers (9)
An anagram (new-style) of CINEMAS DO – a strange surface reading, I assume a new-style cinema might do as a venue for the entertainers?
23a Wag drilled holes, we’re told, in this box material (9)
A wag or comical person followed by a homophone (we’re told) of part of a verb meaning drilled holes
26a Criminal‘s food sent back; mostly fat (7)
A reversal (sent back) of an informal term for good followed by most of a type of fat
28a Tree in a mess, in consequence put down (7)
An anagram (in a mess) of TREE inserted into a consequence
Down
1d Deflected weapon carried by discontented guard (7)
A cavalry weapon inserted between (carried by) the outside (discontented) letters of GuarD
2d Watch former pupil open rally (7)
An abbreviated former pupil and what a tennis player has to do to open a rally
4d Exploit cutting costs in dummy runs (9)
An exploit inserted into (cutting) some costs
6d Study hint about daughter before crossword finally completed (9)
A verb meaning to study and a hint, the latter going about the abbreviation for daughter; the final letter of crossword is added at the end
14d Soldier at sea consuming fish paste (9)
A soldier serving at sea ‘consuming’ a type of fish
21d Requested new rope ladders pals wrongly removed (7)
An anagram (new) of ROpE laDDERs, the PALS being ‘removed’, wrongly indicating that they aren’t in that order in the anagram letters
24d Shatter, right in the heart of sculpture (5)
The abbreviation for right inserted in the middle (heart) of a sculpture
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The Quick Crossword pun: MEW + TIN + EARS = MUTINEERS
No double unches so I’m putting my five bob on Calicea as the setter of this entertaining puzzle. It was one of my fastest solves but don’t read anything into that. My fastest solve is somebody else’s “It took me ages!”
Plenty to like and amuse and I have ticks all over the paper. I found 5a amusing with a great surface and 23a also raised a smile. Hands up those who went to work on the wrong word in 18d – great misdirection. My COTD for its production of a dropping penny is 11a and it also had great misdirection.
Many thanks to the setter (Chalicea?) and to CS for the hints, which I will now read.
Yes to 18d!
And me!
And me … it really messed me up!
Re 18d, I did have the wrong word initially, but only in the margin, and was lucky enough to see the error of my ways before I wrote in my answer,
I see that yesterday I completely misunderstood which Lillibet you meant, I thought it was the kid and couldn’t imagine someone lining up for her for 13 hours. Of course, her late Majesty was another story. My apologies! You know I’m a Royalist, I feel so badly that I made that awful mistake.
You have Mail! 👍
God be with the days when 5 bob was 2 half crowns.
1*/3.5*. This was light and good fun with 11a my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS.
Another puzzle which, whilst not the hardest, was certainly very enjoyable indeed. Thanks to setter. Favourite was the very clever 5A.
The usual Saturday romp! Fast, furious and fun.
The sun is shining here too.
Oh dearie me! I had the answer to13a but just could not work where the King fitted in. Thanks to crypticsue I now realise that I have stood on the very spot on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where he expressed this ambition.
An enjoyable Saturday puzzle with 2d as my favourite.
Thanks to the setter and crypticsue for the 13a hint.
Isn’t it a shame when you have stood in some very historic spot and not known it at the time. Years later we discovered we had stood where King Canute tried to stop the tide in Bosham, at least according to legend.
I am afraid my wording was ambiguous. There is a marker at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington indicating the spot from where the speech was made. What I did not recognise was the correct King until crypticsue enlightened me.
Whoosh!
All until hitting the bumpers at 11a.
Believe it or not.
Proverbial dropped, adding .25* to my 1* time.
Good, all round practice.
Thanks to the setter and CS.
Light and kingy, only 15d caused a pause. Fortunate really as now we have a functioning boiler again I am now in Bathroom renovation mode so will be spending most of the Bank Hol in Richard Block and David Quayle’s hardware emporia (aka B&Q)
Thanks to CS and setter (half a dollar on Chaliceal
Great fun and finished in good time. Failed to spot the King in 13a but it had to be that answer so thanks to CS for clarifying. Lovely day here and washing on the line and bathroom floor scrubbed. May go to Blakeney for shakshuka for lunch at recently totally refurbished Manor Hotel – really just want a good nose round. Thanks to the setter who hopefully will make an appearance.
The shakshuka was a real disappointment, no spice in it at all and no eggs! The Manager came out to the courtyard and asked how it was so I told him. It was mainly rather hard chickpeas in tinned tomatoes. He did offer to refund the money though but we decided to just leave. They (The Coaching Inn Group) have spent a small fortune on refurbishing it but we won’t be returning.
Oh dear. And I was thinking we might try it. Not now.
If you find the real deal DG its delicious. Artemis in Cley did the best ever but they closed the cafe side of their business during Covid. We used to pick up the Sunday papers and have a late breakfast there. Really yum!
Excellent puzzle but can’t quite parse 17a which seems very clumsy.
Enjoyable prize puzzle.
Thx to all
***/****
17a is an anagram, Brian.
Cheers
Indeed light and fun, bright and breezy.
Not a pangram, no double unches, light and floughie, so, like those before me, five bob on Chalicea – 1.5*/4*
Candidates for favourite – an oldie but goodie in one of its two forms 9a, 23a, 25a, 6d, and 17d – and the winner is 17d.
Thanks to Chalicea, says he confidently but he can afford five bob going down the drain if he is wrong, and thanks to CS.
Very enjoyable except for 11a which I found confusing. Thanks to CS for a complete understanding of 13a.
I’ll go all in Chalicea & be prepared for a spell in the poor house if X- Type is doing a sneaky impersonation. Very gentle but enjoyable nonetheless. Fav was 13a which I bunged in & forgot to go back & parse. 11&23a the other podium spots.
Thanks to Chalicea(?) & to CS
Ps Surprised Brian is struggling to parse 17a & heaven knows what he finds clumsy about the clue.
A kost 3njjoyable romp through Crosswordland, possibly with Chalicea?. I particularly enjoyed the misdirection and sone good anagrams. Favourites were 11a, 1d and17d . Many thanks to CS for the hints andcto the compiler.
Raised eyebrows for a few of the surface reads but a friendly enough Saturday puzzle.
Top three for me were 23&25a plus 17d.
Thanks to our setter and to CS for the hints.
Nothing screamed bumpy surface to me, out of interest, which ones caused your brows to ascend? 🙄
I’ve marked 15&28a plus 20d as offenders with 21d a little ‘iffy’ as well.
Great fun and completed with a few head scratches from the clever misdirections. 18d was joint favourite with 14d (spent ages trying to make it a partial anagram)
The sun is out, the sky is blue and it’s warm enough to open the doors and put washing out….surely not a bank holiday weekend?!
Many thanks to CS for the hints and to the setter.
A cheery crossword to go with late orange juice with no bits and toast (never with 14d, *shudders*). Not an alb or a succubi in sight so all is well.
We’re orf to the theatre tonight. Now I’m going to spend an hour searching for pre-theatre dining that will suit my desperately unhelpful faddy food requirements (fussy vegan).
Thanks to the setter and PC Security (anag).
That’s an outstanding anagram, Terence. Yours or has it done the rounds?
An excellent Saturday romp with my podium comprising 19a (simple but excellent) 13a (took me a while) and 7d because of its surface.
I too got caught out with 18d.
Curses!
Thanks to the compiler and Security Sue.
1/4
Another vote for 11a as a favourite clue. The whole grid proved to be a fairly rapid solve with no real delays. The SW corner held the last ones to fall, but I suppose they have to be somewhere. Great fun all round.
Thanks to our Saturday setter, presumably Chalicea, and to CS.
Not without struggles, but very enjoyable.
Thanks to setter and CS.
Completed with no real 22d, although I needed CS’ hints to pass 4d. Kicked myself as I should have worked it out. Fave was 13a which I only solved when I stopped thinking Charles and remembered Martin. Thanks to the setter and to CS. Hope the sun is shining for everybody as it here in SW land.
Needed the hint to parse 13a but apart from that we had no hold-ups. Some smiles along the way with 23a being the best. Thanks to the setter and CS
Another fine Saturday puzzle but not convinced it is a Cephas for several reasons, but perhaps a Chalicea today?
1.5*/4* for me today
Favourites include 1a, 11a, 13a, 14d, 17d & 20d with winner 11a
Thanks to Chalicea(?) and CS
Bit of a breeze made for enjoyable smooth sailing today. I will plump for Chalicea as somehow 8d would appear to indicate a female setter. King for 13a didn’t occur to me as I was concentrating on Charles & co. Would take issue with 2d as no rally exists until ball has been returned – probably back and forth. Thank you Chalicea (I think) and Cryptic Sue.
I don’t much mind who composed it, I enjoyed it and I even got the really misleading ones so smiles all round – except that I tested positive this morning. I felt perfect alright except for a drippy nose but we were planning to drive up to Worcester to visit DD1 so both did the test. George is now clear, I am the fly in the ointment and it is exactly a week to the hour that we had our Spring booster jab. A Miserable Bank Holiday looms apart from enjoying the weather. I only marked 1a so I guess that is Clue of the Day.
Enjoy your weekend everyone, said she magnanimously, and thanks to Messrs Setter and Hintersue.
So sorry, Daisygirl.
Oh dear, sorry to hear you have the dreaded Covid, DG. Hopefully, your latest booster will ensure your symptoms are mild. I’m having my sixth booster next week.
Sorry to hear you are both afflicted DG. Ihope it’s a short-lived bout and you are not suffering badly. Have a lie-in and spoil yourself.
So, Covid is alive and well! So many say they won’t get boosters as Covid is now over. Get well, Daisy, hope you’re negative soon.
It’s definitely still alive and kicking, and I suspect it will always be with us, just like the flu.
So sorry, Daisygirl. I hope the attack is mild and over soon.
Thanks for all the good wishes everyone. The weather is wonderful today and I have been out in the garden most of the time fiddling around and clipping and tying up. The fresh air has done me good and so far I do not have the awful cough George had. I am being very brave…………
So sorry to hear your news Daisygirl and appreciate that you must be feeling gutted at not being able to visit DD1. I’m reliably informed that our area in the North West is currently rife with Covid. We attended a wedding immediately before the Easter weekend and all the bridal party went down with it. Sadly, it was the older generation that suffered the most. Bill had his booster last week but my slot coincided with a dental appointment and so I’m having to wait for the next wave of appointments. Make sure you get plenty of rest and I’m sure an occasional G&T will speed your full recovery!
Just a lot of good solving fun, with 11a my LOI and my COTD. My dime and a nickel are also on our Lovely Lady Setter. Thanks to CS, whose hints I didn’t need, happily, and to Chalicea. 1.5*/3.5*
I’ve just finished the latest one of Shaun Bythell’s books about his bookshop in Wigtown, Scotland and, as you are, like me, a bibliophile, I thought you’d enjoy them if you haven’t encountered them already. The first one is called “The Diary of a Bookseller”
Oh, I’ll have a look at that. I like your recommendations.
Thanks, Sue, for the tip. Will certainly put Bythell on my list, with ‘The Diary of a Bookseller’ heading that series. I am currently reading the final Peter Robinson (#28 in the Banks Series) as we say farewell to a master of that genre. ‘Standing in the Shadows’ arrived yesterday, and I’m in a valedictory mood.
Do you remember 84 Charing Cross Road and Q’s legacy, Helen Hanff I think. I was wondering if I’d enjoy them as much as I did aeons ago.
84 Charing Cross Road is a great book that became a very good film (a rare occurrence for me)
” I do hope you are not Kosher… I could rush over a Tongue? “
Regrettably impossible, it is now a Macdonald’s but plenty of great bookshops remain
Hatchards in Piccadilly is a great example. I went in to buy a book but could not remember the title. The assistant asked me to describe the cover and I said it was a picture of an old ship in the Arctic ice and had something to do with finding the Northwest Passage.
She went and got it for me, immediately!
I bought a copy of The Snow Goose there, my fave book, and when I got it home I found it was signed by Paul Gallico! I still have it. Loved his books.
I can’t say this was easy peasy for me, and I love Chalicea, but my biggest problem was the wrong 18d and inability to think of that King. The NE corner held me up for ages, resorting to ehelp and still not getting it. Eventually, with help, I got 14d and that cracked it, revisiting 18d and seeing the right answer. Fave was 23a, but 1a, 26a and 17d amused.
Thanks Chalicea (if that was you) for the fun, and to CS for unravelling so much, particularly 13a.
11a was my last one in. It took a while to get my head round the clue. 1a was my favourite clue. Thank you setter and CS. I’m all geared up for the first bbq of the year this evening. Shame the sun has disappeared. We will make the most of it anyway. Just returned from a local microbrewery with a selection of their new brews, including a stout with 10.4%Vol.
Have to think this was a gift from Chalicea, given that I was able to solve unaided, hooray. If not it must be X-type. Either way, lovely to have a crossword written to provide enjoyment and a lovely start to the weekend. So big thank you, and hoping Dada is feeling equally benevolent tomorrow.
So sorry, Daisygirl. I hope the attack is mild and over soon.
Indeed it was mine. 11a and 13a were editorial tweaks of my clues that he felt were too easy – sorry. Many thanks for all those appreciative comments. Seeing old friends on this site always adds pleasure to the whole setting process.
For the first time ever, I guessed the setter correctly! Thank you, Chalicea for the fun.
I hope guessing your identity is a good omen for my receiving the Mythical!
Didn’t you get it yet? Even after my plea?
No, Merusa – your kind plea to Mr. Lancaster fell on deaf ears!
I love your puzzles! Alas, today I shot myself in the foot with 18d, it really threw me off track, especially as I didn’t get the King until CS enlightened us! Let’s just say it prolonged the enjoyment!
I solved that one with nary a thought to MLK. I parsed it totally differently but the end result was the same. Can’t say more because I don’t think there is cake.
Come back on Friday when my full review is published. There probably won’t be any cake then either but. . .
👍
A pleasant solve with a friendly grid.
Thanks to Chalicea and CS.
I am a novice and appreciate this blog explaining cryptic crosswords’ instruction code and unusual language. I have got my head around the ‘wordplay’ (as I believe it is called) for 8d and am pretty sure I have the right answer, but I cannot, even after consulting the Oxford and Chambers dictionaries, fit the answer with the word to be defined! Thanks CrypticSue for taking the time out to post the hints today, and seemingly every weekend.
Welcome to the blog
Shifts are an example of the solution
Many thanks crypticsue. I can see it fits now.
Welcome, Mark! Like you, I was a novice but this blog has taught me so much. Stick with us and keep commenting. All thoughts on puzzles are welcome whether from the great and good (?) or novices such as yourself. 👍
Solved this with my other half, an opportunity to be close together on the sofa. For once, I was sorry it was a quickie.
What was a quickie?
(Cowling! Wash your mouth out with soap and water immediately!)
Careful there, Cowling!
Still to finish/parse two clues but found the rest of the puzzle a delight. Thanks to Chalicea and CS.
Thank you, as always, to crypticsue.
…and thank you to you for a very enjoyable puzzle.👍
Cheers!
Good evening
Just about to hoy the towel in, I’m sorry to say, with just 6d and 12a left to go; even with CS’s hints, I am forced to admit it’s a DNF.
Thanks Chalicea and CS. Better luck on Monday!
Crikey!
Just figured them out!
Finished!
Good thank you Chalicea. 5 and 26a and 2d appealed. Favourite 11a.