Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3007 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg, where we have had some very welcome rain, probably not enough to reduce the risk of wild fires which can be caused by lightning strikes in the accompanying thunder storms (or by negligent idiots).
A day for saying very quietly that Dada has been very benevolent, down to 5 anagrams (one partial), two lurkers (one reversed), and two homophones (one partial).
Candidates for favourite – 16a, 21a, and 11d.
Don’t forget to follow BD’s instructions in red at the bottom of the hints!
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, a number of the more difficult clues 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 Congestion in throat after large measure of vodka, say? (10)
The part of the body synonymous with throat after an exceedingly large measure of vodka or any other spirits (say).
6a On holiday, a king of Mercia (4)
A short single word for on holiday and A from the clue (for a king who is reputed to have built a wall – oh dear!).
12a Very quick, huge car sped round corner, finally (12)
An anagram (round – which appears to be doing double duty) of HUGE CAR SPED containing (round) the last letter (finally) of corneR.
18a Shipment remarkably found next to shop (8)
A synonym of remarkably placed after (found next to) a type of (grocery?) shop.
19a Small flier then, or cuckoo (6)
An anagram (cuckoo) of THEN, OR – how many started by looking for at least a double definition?
21a A breeze travelling behind flier, did you say? (5,7)
A term for traveling (on water) placed after a homophone (did you say?) of a (mechanical) flier.
25a Initials of Giotto on drawings seen in gallery (4)
The initial letters of four words in the clue (which, when written down, can be an informal term for part of a theatre).
26a Only pearls flawed, as far as one is concerned (10)
An anagram (flawed) of ONLY PEARLS.
Down
1d Academic award alongside personal project (4)
One of the first levels of academic award followed by a synonym of alongside.
4d Aristocrats gathered up by damsel, bonded (6)
The reverse lurker (gathered up by) found in the rest of the clue.
7d Entertainment centre just reduced to tiny pieces (10)
A synonym of just, followed by a single word that can mean reduced to tiny pieces.
11d Party issue shut up writer (9,3)
A three part charade in a five word clue – a type of (formal) party, followed by synonyms of issue and shut up.
13d Worker bound to produce gymnastic feat (10)
Not the six-legged type of worker and a synonym of bound.
14d Thoroughly deserved we understood, first in literature bagged (4-6)
WE from the clue and a synonym of understood containing (bagged) the first letter of Literature.
20d Aboard ship, want casual attire (6)
A synonym of want contained by (aboard) the usual two letters used for a ship.
23d Shame it is entertained by outsiders in party (4)
IT from the clue contained (is entertained) by the ‘outside’ letters of PartY.
Could new readers please read the Welcome post and the FAQ before posting comments or asking questions about the site.
As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment.
Please read these instructions carefully – they are not subject to debate or discussion. Offending comments may be redacted or, in extreme cases, deleted. In all cases the administrator’s decision is final.
Julie Driscoll (remember her?) was 72 years young yesterday. Probably best known for her collaboration with Brian Auger and The Trinity including This Wheel’s On Fire, written by Canadian musician Rick Danko with assistance from the Nobel Laureate, which reached number 5 in 1968:
No real problems with this one, although I am unsure where the anagram indicator is in 12a, unless as Senf suggests, ’round’ is doing double duty.
Thanks to Dada, and to Senf
This was remarkably straightforward for a Sunday creation and was duly completed in record time. My favourite clues were 1a, 21a, 5d and 11d. The latter held me up a bit until I realised that the second word was 3 letters not 4. All in all quite enjoyable (***) so thanks to Dada. Thanks to Senf too, with the weather it’s often feast or famine. Having had a dry spring, we are now getting the deluge.
Ditto, no problems for me with this enjoyable puzzle today. Last one in was 10a, really can’t see why now.
I didn’t see a problem with ‘round’ as the anagram indicator with the words ‘corner finally’ being added to the clue in 12a. Sorry don’t think I’ve explained that very well but it’s difficult on a Sunday.
Many thanks to Senf for the early blog and the setter for an enjoyable workout.
Sorry, Margaret – I was writing as your post came up!
No problem Jane, glad I’m not the only one who read it that way
Hi Margaret. Got 2 zeros for last weekend’s submissions – completed in Portugal and transmitted from there. Baffling.
12a seems fine to me – an anagram with ’round’ as the indicator followed by the letter indicated by the instruction in the last two words. Perhaps the placing of the second comma is causing problems?
Another gentle puzzle from Dada but I’m not complaining! No particular favourite but it was all 10a.
Thanks to him and also to Senf for the blog. I can remember wondering what on earth Miss Driscoll was singing about on that track – doesn’t surprise me in the least to discover that you-know-who had a hand in writing it.
Hi Jane
Re 12a, I would have no problem with the instruction in the last two words of the clue, so long as it gave the last letter of the answer, but it does not.
I take your point, Jezza, my apologies.
That’s how I saw it. If ’round’ is only used once, as the anagram indicator, there is no instruction to insert the final letter of corner into the result of the anagram rather than leave it at the end which does not work for the answer.
I wonder what the writer was smoking when he wrote the BA & the Trinity track. :-)
Excellent puzzle with some well thought out clues such as 12a and 9a although my favourite was 16a as it made me smile. For me it rather made up for the horror that was yesterdays crossword.
Thx to all
**/****
Steady solve today with no hiccups , lots of good clues so 16A to Dada .
I note that I have joined the “ nil points” club for my entries for last weekend .
Thanks to everyone .
Ah – welcome to the zero club. Margaret and I have formed a support group!
Lots of goodies to enjoy this morning from this benevolent offering from Dada. I will join the list of those who have 11d as a potential favourite as you rarely get a three part charade in a five word clue. Very neat. A special mention for the rekrul, too.
Thanks very much to the aforementioned and to Senf.
Easiest I’ve ever done. Bit of a problem with 6a – had to resort to google. Also 24a two islands were possibilities. Still great fun, thanks to setter and Senf
For 24a – that is the (unhinted) lurker with ‘some’ as the indicator and ‘island off Scotland’ as the definition so, even without the checkers, that should narrow it down to only one answer.
Nice steady solve this morning, no problems except I needed help to parse 11d. Now I see it, it’s very elegant. Yes, Senf, I was barking up the wrong tree with 19a and laughed aloud when I spotted the anagram.
Favourite was 7d – really clever.
Thanks to Dada and Senf.
thank you very much
Benevolent brilliance from Dada today,,, possibly even too easy for a worn out dad taxi late night collector!
All seemed to fall into place steadily , didn’t seem to get thrown off to much.
Favourites 21ac & 13d.
2*/4* grateful thanks to Dada & Senf for review.
A walk in the park compared to yesterday. Still haven’t got 6a from yesterday’s puzzle! This was thoroughly enjoyable so thanks to all.
Shouldn’t worry about yesterday’s 6a. Think most of us have finished up putting in the obvious first definition and feeling that the second was somewhat tenuous. Mind you, I wouldn’t object to receiving a diamond that large!
A nice relaxing challenge today! No problems encountered and almost but not quite over too quickly, which is not something one can say that often about a crossword from Dada….
4d was my last entry because I was slow to catch on.
Thanks to Dada, and to Senf for the hints.
Very enjoyable puzzle today, thanks to Dada and Senf. Only needed help with 25a, which I totally missed as being an anagram.
**/****. Very gentle challenge but also enjoyable. Lots of good clues with 21a my favourite. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Agreed Dada in benevolent mood. I too looked for a double def in 19a.
I had a bit of trouble spelling 25a where is Sir Linkalot when I need him. Loads of fine clues so I don’t have it narrowed down to even a podium.
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
Ooh. Julie Driscoll. What a beauty! I had a proper crush on her. Anyway,back to the crossword. Lots of good clues
esp. 21a.
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
I’m still having difficulties with Dada but not as much as before. I was held up in the NW, my fault as I actually wrote the correct answer in 1a but erased it as couldn’t unravel it. Remember BD’s admonishment? If you can’t justify your answer, it’s probably wrong. I never did get 1d and 2d, still don’t have 2d.
The rest was a fun solve, with fave being 11d.
Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the Sunday fun.
Think stolen cash
Thanks- thick or what!
For some reason 5d was my last in, I was trying to be too clever with hospitals in mind! Thanks for the blog – I always enjoy reading everyone’s comments.
Going quite well until I deleted the whole puzzle on my iPad – pity there is no ‘do you really mean it’ in the app! Fortunately, my wife had a copy on her iPad so all was not lost.
This wasn’t as tricky as Dada usually is although our Sundays have been busy recently and I can’t remember the last one I did.
No major problems really but I was a bit slow to get 1d and I’m not sure that I could have spelt 25a had it not been an anagram.
I didn’t care much for the pic at 19a – they’re not small at all – they’re huge and ugly and scary!
Apart from that I think it’s all been said which is the trouble with ‘arriving’ so late in the day.
Too many good clues to pick any particular ones – maybe 1a (that’s some large measure) and 21a.
With thanks to Dada and to Senf.
A fairly perfunctory solve after our evening meal with little to get excited about. 9 across raised a smile as did 7 down. Otherwise nothing to scare the horses as they say. Thanks to Dada and also to Senf. Btw, very quiet in these parts as regards the Cosford Air Show. I wonder if any of my Shropshire compatriots saw anything or much any aerial activity today?
Fairly straight forward 1d last in got the answer but thought is that really it. Missed the obvious meaning
Fairly straight forward 1d last in got the answer but thought is that really it. Missed the obvious meaning. Won’t let me post this.
Lots of fun, pretty straightforward, no complaints. Just right for a Sunday. :-)
Quite agree that this was a comparatively gentle offering although 1a held me up for almost as long as it took to complete the rest of it.
Welcome to the blog.
Just started this and what a pleasure to be back trying to think. Can’t even begin to comment on favourites but it is so good to see the hints and comments. Thank you to Big Dave et al.
I used to post, not sure of what signature I used on computer so this on phone, might not go through.
I have been a bit unwell, in hospital since 2nd May except for a couple of days when I just got worse, here ever since, will be for a while yet. Thank goodness for OHIP our national health.
Hubby faithfully printed and brought in the puzzles but i just couldn’t concentrate. Still not the brightest of course, but I realised I got a couple of clues! It’s like coming home.
Carolyn – sorry to hear that you have been laid up for such a long time, best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Your ‘last’ signature was ‘South of Marmora’ so your post went into moderation – both should work from now on.
Oh dear. Get well soon
Get well soon :rose:
My comment yesterday has disappeared. Perhaps I was out of line in some way? Anyway just to say I did enjoy ST 3007 and 16a was Fav prevailing from several close runners.