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DT 30515 (Hints)

by crypticsue  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30515 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

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A beautiful sunrise to start another very frosty morning with a Saturday Prize Puzzle which I found a teensy bit trickier than many a Saturday cryptic

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    Best tempo not completely set in stone (7)
Almost all (not completely) of a synonym for tempo inserted into (set) a gemstone

5a    Shown this, player has to go — one from Hearts? (3,4)
A description of one of the items in the suit of Hearts

13a    Spirit shown in March and November (5)
An informal march and the letter represented by November in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet

15a    Former photographer the famous court? (3,6)
Former followed by the name of a fashion photographer who came to fame in the 1960s

19a    Bounder dying to tour Californian city (5)
Dying or finish goes round (to tour) Crosswordland’s favourite abbreviated Californian city

23a    Writer initially ignores Nottingham Forest (9)
The initial letter of Ignores and the royal forest in Nottinghamshire

28a    Marx Brother talking about whaler’s weapon (7)
One of the Marx Brothers and a simple way of saying talking about [a subject]

Down

1d    Casual employee seen after leaving (7)
An employee seen after a synonym for leaving

4d    Poor clues about protagonist with roving eye? (9)
An anagram (poor) of CLUES goes about the main figure in a story (protagonist)

6d    Reckless speed! Reckless speed! (9)
An anagram (reckless) of SPEED and some speed

7d    An ABBA album is coming (7)
ABBA’s fourth studio album or the act of reaching somewhere (coming)

20d    Dave peeled online supermarket’s fruit (7)
The inside (peeled) letters of dAVe and the name of an online supermarket

21d    Faulty info about love causes resentment (7)
An informal word meaning faulty and  a slang word for information go about the letter representing nothing

24d    I hear you, Mister Federer! (5)
An acknowledgment in radio communications meaning received and understood (I hear you) or the forename of Mr Federer

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As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out!

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The Quick Crossword pun: HISSED + ORACLE = HISTORICAL

110 comments on “DT 30515 (Hints)”

  1. A puzzle of two halves. The bottom half was clever and well clued. The top was very tricky and not well clued in my opinion.
    Not the best Saturday for me, needed help to finish that complex top.
    ****/**
    Thx for the hints

  2. A really enjoyable challenge today; thanks to setter. My last three in were ultimately my favourites as well. 13A, 14D but with COTD being 23A. ***/**** for me

  3. No real hold ups although the Abba album required confirmation from Mrs Jonners. I liked 19a.

    Thanks to CS and today’s setter.

  4. This was a challenging guzzle but I was much more on wavelength than with yesterday’s puzzle and, thus, the solving experience was very much more enjoyable. I particularly enjoy puzzles with a General Knowledge component, like this one and both the23a lego clue and the15a cryptic definition were good fun. Iove anagrams and the16d and 14d 3xampkes were cleverly constructed . So rhis was my sort of puzzle. Thanks to our Saturday compiler and to CS for the hints.

  5. I found the western side easier than the eastern half (can one divide a crossword in that way?).
    I had to drag 7d and 23a out of the back recesses of my memory with 21d being my last in. I liked 17a which brings to memory recent clue which crypticsue had to help me with. My favourite was 20d.

    1. I quite often refer to a crossword in that way, although I’d use right and left to describe the ‘sides’

      1. Did you see the delightful young man on BBC news this morning who learned his ballroom dancing with ‘blue sock, red sock’ instructions instead of left and right? What a star.

  6. 2*3*. This was pleasant Saturday fare with only a couple of clues needing a bit of teasing out.

    I had a soft spot, of course, for 20d, and that is joined on my podium by 23a & 27a.

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS.

  7. I had the last two letters of 1a incorrect which meant 4d impossible. Took an absolute age to spot my mistake. Several very clever clues and by and large very enjoyable. Knew the photographer but took a while to figure out the first word. Anyway thanks to the setter and CS. I have 12 – 14 long tails on my fat block every morning for about 20 minutes and will try and add a bad photo. Fat block does not refer to my anatomy!

        2. 😀 lucky stick, we have so few small birds in our garden now that even the coconut filled with fat has hardly been touched even in this harsh weather. Crows, magpies and jackdaws predominate.

        1. They come every day for about 20 minutes. I don’t know what the collective noun for long tails is but we get a lot of Goldfinches too and they are ‘a charm’ and I rather think that suits the long tails as well.

          1. Talking about collective nouns for flying things, I thought your “fat block” was a Spoonerism of bat flock!

  8. The end of a busy week for me, so I was glad to be looking at lots of good clues, with the occasional brilliant one, such as 17A for the definition, or 16D for the clever meaning extracted from the anagrist. Thanks Ron and Sue. Relief at last.

  9. This 100-day cough in its death throws gave me a largely sleepless night, a couple of passes and I had answers all over the grid, when I woke up properly only a few gaps remained, 23a was my LOI and went to the summit of my podium
    I would be interested in film buffs opinion on the 16d films but the naughty step may prevent much discussion (unremittingly awful IMO)
    Thanks to CS and Setter

    1. Horrific film(s), I agree. I was once forced to watch the second one at school because the teacher who ran the film club was religious and deemed my choice of Life of Brian unsuitable, so picked this over that. The irony, eh? Never again. Fun crossword today, though.

    2. It’s a good thing that we aren’t allowed to talk about answers, Sloops, as 16d is a truly dreadful film.

      Moving swiftly on…

      This was very enjoyable: lots of great surfaces and constructions on a friendly grid. I think most solvers will enjoy it.

      12a and 4d made me laugh but they don’t quite make it onto the hotly-contested podium which is 14d, 21d with the gold going to the superb 6d 👏👏

      I love clues that solely comprise a repeated phrase. So clever.

      Many thanks to the super Saturday setter and super Sue. The amount of work you put in, week in week out, on this blog is highly commendable. I applaud you.

      You are a Trojan who is probably working harder now than you have done in your life!

      Respect.

      2*/4*

    3. The first was bad enough but in this interminable series each was exponentially worse than the one before

      2. Michael Winner was no Don Siegel. It tried to tap into the Dirty Harry appeal, which I suppose it did as it was very popular & made money, but it’s a dreadful film. Interestingly the great Sidney Lumet was pencilled in to direct it at one point & I’m sure that would have been a much different 🎥. Have never seen any of the sequels. Liam Neeson wasting his talent in the Taken trilogy of films the modern day Charles B.

  10. I found this quite a reasonable puzzle, however I can’t see why my answer to 5d is correct.

  11. I agree with CS that today’s offering was a little more tricky than the average SPP but it was just as enjoyable – **/****

    Favourite – a toss-up between 10a and 23a – and the winner is 10a.

    Thanks to whomsoever and CS.

    Now I wonder what theme the Floughie Lady has come up with for the NTSPP.

  12. Re post 10, I will risk The Step: a synonym for ‘to go bad’ is placed around a synonym for ‘when’.

  13. 23D can only be one answer, but I can’t determine why. “I may represent this country”? How did they arrive at the answer??
    Belay the last. Just got it!

    1. I still haven’t 😏 – damn – I just got it as well – maybe there is something about when you ask the question!!

        2. Got to the end of the comments and see you have got it anyway. On my first pass, I had put a different answer in 23d which was plausible on its own but made 25a and 27a very difficult!

          1. What country is represented by the letter I in something that crossword setters use a lot when looking for a word to represent a letter

  14. Enjoyable fare for an SPP and nice to see the photographer even though he is up in court!
    Rosettes handed out to 10&25a plus 1d.

    Thanks to our setter and to CS for the hints.

  15. Quite a challenging guzzle. Needed PC Security’s help to get me rebooted. There’s a couple I can’t parse and I look forward to the detailed explanation (Edit: Aha! A second look and of course I ‘get’ them now!).

    Although we both are still in the throes of the hundred day cough (much sympathy to Sloop John Bee), we feel sufficiently improved to attempt a lovely walk shortly, followed by late lunch/early supper at one of our favourite pubs in the Surrey Hills. I haven’t said anything to H but I hope we aren’t over-reaching ourselves and trying to to do too much, too soon.

    Thanks to the setter and Siouxie Sioux (and Mr Siouxie Sioux with the marker pen bedecked leg)

  16. Really really enjoyable challenge today. 6d is one of the best clues I’ve ever seen, but also liked 26a (🤣) and 24d. I’m certain this is the work of NYDK 🍻

  18. This dragged at the beginning but went on to be a barrowload of fun. 7d had to be but I have to say I have never heard of the Abba album. Stupid me can’t parse 10a or 23d. Favs 17a (once I had recalled that kind of number) and 25a. Thank you setter and CS.

  19. Very tough but I absolutely loved it. Favourites today were 12a and 19a. Many thanks to our setter today.

  20. No real issues today and no help needed. Such a relief after yesterday’s debacle so **/**** Not a great fan of GK clues in a cryptic, but at least I knew today’s. Thanks to the setter and to CS whose hints I shall now read.

  21. A couple of gaps in my knowledge held me up and I had to check the answers once I thought I had them. I thought this was trickier than some Saturday puzzles but still enjoyed it, especially now it’s finished!

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints

  23. Quite the tricky puzzle for Saturday this week. Took some real head scratching and hair pulling with some of these clues. Ultimately all was good, but didn’t come easily today. I solved this on my Friday night and wrote my comments then too, but it looks like my thoughts are very much in the same vein as CS’s intro blog too.

    2.5*/4* for me

    Favourites include 5a, 17a, 19a, 25a & 14d — with winner 17a.
    Chuckles and smiles with many … including 9a, 17a, 23a, 28a & 14d

    Thanks to setter & CS for blog/hints

  24. How good to have a challenging SPP. Thus was a cracker – oh, Mr. Setter sir, you have such a sideways mind. All those crafty misdirections and spurious capital letters and false leads. I still have not seen the light with 23d though I do have an answer which must be right so I am fighting you for the pen Steve (of course, not to rub it in, but it will be my fourth. But I am older than you). 15,17,23,27a and 4,14,17&21d come to mind. Well, well 23d has just hit me like a ton of bricks. How could I have missed it. Huge thanks to the genius who set this one and of course to the indefatigable CS.

    2. Now that you’ve tumbled to 23d, can you share the secret without incurring the wrath of the village elders (oh, Robert, how we miss you).

      1. Just finished my 1,500 words of a Parish Profile for the next village magazine and thought I would look through the comments – and I see that you have seen the light! It is SO simple I do not know why I missed it. And yes, we do miss Robert.

    1. Look again tomorrow, it is surprising how sometimes
      an answer will hit you later! Glancing again at the bottom left
      I would say you have to look at 14d, 17d and 27a and look hard at
      the different meanings some of the words have. Hope CS does
      not put me on the naughty step.

  27. Hmm. I am a bit loath to say it but I will anyway. Straightforward for me today. Knew all the GK except the Abba album. Was never a great fan. At least two examples of the NATO alphabet. Always worth remembering and useful when trying to spell to some numpty on the phone. So pleased we had no god/esses Greek/Roman heros or obscure Japanese dresses.
    Thanks both.

    1. My problem when talking to a “numpty” on the ‘phone is that my phonetic alphabet (learnt eons ago) differs from that of NATO although 23d was/is the same.

  28. Gosh I made heavy weather of this one but got there in the end needing a few hints. Not sure I enjoyed it as much as this weeks run , but always like the challenge. Thanks to setter and CS.

  29. Solved over a pub lunch, which I treated myself to as it’s my birthday. 😊
    A very enjoyable solve although my spelling 20d incorrectly held me up for a while in the south east. I always spell it wrong but I now have an ‘aide memoir’ thanks to the clue. I’m not sure about 22d but I could think of nothing else. Anyway, I sent it off for The Mythical despite it. My COTD is the writer ignoring Nottingham Forest at 23a.

    My thanks to the setter for the fun. Thank you CS for the hints.

    7. Very best wishes for your birthday, Steve. Hope you took Hudson with you for the celebratory pub lunch?

      1. Thank you, Jane. I did take Hudson but he opted to stay in the warmth of the car. 🐶

    8. And a big Happy Birthday from me – if I had known it was your birthday
      I would have left the pen for you! 🥰

      1. Thank you, Daisygirl. Left The Mythical for me? You might as well because it would be quite safe. In nearly 50 years it has never graced my doormat with its presence. 🥲🤣

    10. Just completed this tricky devil and see it’s your birthday SC. Late in the day but many happy returns and a happy birthday to you 🎂🥂

  30. A lot trickier than the usual Saturday but, on the other hand, hugely enjoyable. I did need ehelp from time to time, eg didn’t know the photographer or the ABBA album, despite being a fan and having so many of theirs. I didn’t know 25a but could work it out, I liked it. Lots to like, I’m a 12a fan (but only some of his, “for the good times”) so I liked that, and so much more, but I think 23a takes top spot.
    Thank you setter for the fun, just right, and CS for her help understanding some answers.

  31. What a great puzzle. Challenging but fairly clued throughout, the time taken to crack the NE was solely down to my ineptitude. Once 12a finally dawned on me (having stared me in the face for ages), progress was made. Cotd, by a nose, goes to 15a. Thanks to compiler and CS.

  32. Happy birthday Steve! Thanks to C Sioux! Thanks to all who commented!

    Your culprit is NYDK.

    2. Thank you for popping in, great stuff, I loved it. I’m not one of the clever ones so it took some work, but so fairly clued, I could work it out without too much ehelp.

    3. As I was stitching the waistband on my new skirt I was trying to make up
      a ‘poem’/doggerel verse about you – and your stablemates – something about a
      sideways mind and being unkind. I’ll go on thinking! Gorgeous guzzle, thankyou.

      1. Will this do? 😁

        There was once a setter named Doorknob
        Who thinks solving puzzles is your job
        He hails from NY
        And lets out a sigh
        ‘Cos the paper only pays him four bob

        1. Oh very good. 👏👏
          I got no further as I’ve been mindlessly sitting watching Independence Day and lost the will to live.

          1. There was once a fine lady named Daisy
            Of whom our recollections are hazy
            But it’s never a sin
            To pour her a gin
            When a dull film is sending her crazy!

  33. An excellent SPP. I thought it the trickiest of this week’s back-pagers. Not au fait with Abba’s discography but just assumed it must be & have never come across last in 25a before so that needed post solve confirmation. 6d was my clear fav with the snapper & the scribbler earning podium spots.
    Thanks to Donny & to Sue.

  35. Loved this puzzle. I’m so glad I’ve seen the light about the weekend cryptics being accessible rather than thinking they would be beyond me.
    Too many good clues to pick a favourite.
    Thanks to NYDK and also to Cryptic Sue whose hints I didn’t need but I knew were there if I needed them.

  36. Unaided completion, marred
    Only by guessing correctly
    7d.
    Quickly solved lower half,
    Grappled with the clever
    Upper., especially 1 and
    12a.
    Many thanks to the setter and CS

  37. Took a while – top left corner last in, but managed to finish.
    Took a while to parse 5D but understand it now 🙄
    HB to Steve, and many thanks to PC Security for the blog ‘n hints & today’s setter 👍
    Cheers!

  38. I am always late to comment here, if at all. But would just like to say that this was one of my favourite puzzles with some incredibly clever clues, 6d 17a being amongst them. Thanks to the Setter and thank you to everyone that contributes here. I take great pleasure in reading all your comments most weekends. It has all been part of the great learning process.

  39. A most enjoyable puzzle with which to warm up the grey matter on an overcast Sunday morning. A little heavy on anagrams but good surfaces throughout, plenty of wit and amusement, and the GK all basic. Podium places to 16d, 21d and 13a.

    1* / 3*

    Many thanks to NYDK and Sue

  40. An unusually smartly-clued puzzle. It was quite rewarding, having got onto the setter’s wavelength. A question, CS, is the clueing of anagrams using, for example, the “wife going” technique (12a) a relatively new device? I don’t recall seeing this mechanism much in the few years that I have been doing the DT. Thank you to everyone. **/****

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