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DT 30509 (Hints)

by crypticsue  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30509 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

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A grey and cold Saturday morning brings a Prize Puzzle ideal for fans of anagrams

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    Fresh spider crab in dry biscuit (10)
An anagram (fresh) of the second and third words in the clue

6a    Waterfowl first away from Nile dam (4)
Take away the first letter of the name of a dam in the River Nile

12a    Endlessly evil book returned as contentious (7)
Remove the ‘end’ of EVIl, add a large book and then reverse (returned)

13a    American leaves queen heading to the West Country (5)
A reversal (heading to the west) of the Latin word for queen without the abbreviation for American

20a    Frame way to describe Princess Royal? (7)
Split this frame 4,3 to get a very informal way to describe the Princess Royal

25a    Upper hand at court? (9)
This favourable position (upper hand) is used to describe a tennis score (at court?)

28a    Forerunner‘s entente cad ruined (10)
An anagram (ruined) of the second and third words in the clue

Down

1d    Play group? (4)
A group of people in a play

3d    Drivel entered into standard form by rote (6-7)
Some drivel inserted (entered) into a standard, followed by a verb meaning to form

4d    Delight about 11’s author expressed (7)
The usual two-letter about, on the subject of, followed by a homophone (expressed) of the surname of the author of 11d

11d    A challenging read: fans weakening terribly! (9,4)
This literary work – an anagram (terribly) of FANS WEAKENING is said to be one of the most difficult works of fiction, thus a ‘challenging read’

14d    Land Rovers? (6,4)
Landed property of some size and vehicles such as Rovers

20d    Get wheels in middle for train (7)
A reversal (wheels) of GET inserted into a synonym for middle

24d    Legal instruction: run in Oscar Wilde? (4)
The cricket abbreviation for Run inserted into a person of intelligence and humour, just like Oscar Wilde

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. If in doubt, leave it out!

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.

If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then save yourself (and me) a lot of trouble and don’t leave a comment.


The Quick Crossword pun: SETTER + SIGHED = SET ASIDE

54 comments on “DT 30509 (Hints)”

  1. Most enjoyable Saturday puzzle with lots of clever clues.

    Favourites include 20a, 25a and 19d.

    Weather in NE Scotland clear and dry for once. Off to see Formartine United take on the mighty Keith in the Highland League.

    Thanks to setter and crypticsue.

  2. Slow out of the stalls but then cantered to a brisk finish albeit with Princess Anne unparsed. Never managed to finish 11d – challenging to be sure .An enjoyable guzzle.
    Thanks to the setter & to Sue

    1. I never attempted to read 11d, the one book of his that I tried, cured me of even trying any more.

  3. Got exactly none on the first read through, and was all for chucking in the towel right then. However the stubborn streak came out in spades, and I gradually got the hang of it and positively accelerated away to the finish.
    Brilliant puzzle with so many great clues to name just the customary two, but for me it has to be 10a and the very funny 20a. Take a bow Mr setter, great fun.

  4. Yes, a top-class puzzle. It’s another for me with many candidates for the podium, but I was particularly tickled by 19D.

    Thanks Ron and Sue.

  5. Very enjoyable.

    Pitched perfectly for a Saturday prize jobbie with lots of fun, to boot. I love setters who use lateral thinking as the solver is all over the shop, shooting in the dark until….bullseye! Great fun.

    The parsing of 20a is hilarious! I haven’t seen ‘wheels’ as a reverse indicator before. A goodie.

    I’ve heard of 11d but had no ideas that it was a tough read. Looking at Wiki, I’m clearly not the only one not to have read it.

    My hotly-contested podium is 10a, 23a and 25a.

    Many thanks to the setter and CS.

    2*/4*

  6. Brilliant. Favourite of the week. The PDM when I finally realised I’d parsed 20a all wrong was worth the admission alone. Many thanks to setter and Sue.

  7. Got through this relatively quickly last night but really enjoyable. 19d was laugh out loud, other favourites 1a, 4d, 7d. Couldn’t parse 20a for a while than a big laugh and groan when the penny dropped.
    Not sure who the setter could be but more along these lines would be very welcome. Happy Saturday everyone 🍻

  8. Thanks to Setter for a nice prize puzzle, 11d became easier when the associated 4d went in
    6a was my favourite littl’un as I have a personal connection and spotted a related lurker too
    3d best long’un
    Thanks to CS for hints

  10. Best Saturday puzzle for a long time. Loved 20a and 6a but my fav was 15a.
    Needed a bit more thought in the top left and bottom R but everything was very logical.
    Thx to all
    ***/*****

    1. The search box allows you to search your name but it just brings up a loooong list of all the blogs you have posted in, MrK may be able to narrow them down a bit

  12. It looks as though I am going to be today’s curmudgeon – a curate’s egg for me. But I did get smiles for 12a, 15a, 3d, and 14d.

    Thanks to whomsoever and CS.

  13. Fun puzzle for a Saturday morning – top marks going to the Princess Royal and the search for the more attractive lover.
    Thanks to our setter and to CS for the illustrated hints.

  14. Excellent puzzle today except spent far to long trying to find some wheels! Thanks for parsing 20a which had to be but had no idea why – very clever. (Do wish she would change her hair style, so severe). This may appear twice as I sent it from my phone in the car – no I wasn’t driving – but it seemed to disappear. After a lovely bright morning clouding over and very cold. Thanks to our brilliant setter and CS – love the illustration for 3d.

  15. Enjoyable solve, nicely clued throughout ,favourites 6a and 15a.
    Last in was 11d, removed all the checking letters and the rest fell into place, remembered the read from long ago.
    Going for a ***/****

  16. Great fun!
    Spent an age trying to fit xxxxx into 9a, but it just wouldn’t! Also took a while to parse 20d. But then 14,17,and 19d cheered me up no end! 3 lols in a row! But they were beaten into first place by 20a! Genius!
    Many thanks to Setter for a lovely breakfast guzzle and to CS, working overtime for the great pics!

  17. Great! I managed to get it all done with just the right amount of head scratching and pondering. It would appear my MoJo has returned? 😊
    Plenty of good clues and a few laughs along the way but my absolute favourite is the description of the Princess Royal.

    Many thanks to the setter for the fun and an attempt at The Mythical. Thank you CS for the hints and great pics.

  18. 2*/4*. This was an excellent puzzle for a Saturday morning. For me, the definition in the clue for 9a doesn’t really define the answer.

    I had plenty of ticks with 20a, 3d, 8d & 24d battling it out for podium positions.

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS.

  19. All good fun. First in was 3d and the remainder followed very smoothly.
    Enjoyed the anagrams.
    Last in or rather last parsed and my favourite for today just had to be 20a :-) Most original.
    Thanks to setter and CS

  20. Started this just as the footie on the tv started – finished it and we weren’t even half way through the first half!
    Still, an enjoyable if straightforward solve (more enjoyable than the footie as well) Like everyone else, loved 20a and last in was 20d

    Thanks to setter and CS

  21. An absolute gem. The Darwinian nudist in 8d, the lover at19d and Princess Royal at 20a were all a delight, the latter being my cotd. Thanks to compiler and CS.

  22. Great fun and very accessible for a SPP. Yes, there were quite a few anagrams, but the quality of the other clues more than compensated. Like others, I particularly enjoyed 20a.

    Many thanks to our Saturday setter and Sue.

  23. Loved this one. I don’t usually comment as we are often a few days behind! I particularly liked 20a and 8d, could be the biologist in me and the fact we were watching an Attenborough documentary on the Galápagos Islands last night.
    Many thanks to setter and hinter and all those involved, the blog brings me great joy.

  24. Very enjoyable Saturday puzzle for me this week. Filled east to west with SW last in. No issues. Two well hidden lurkers as well.

    1.5*/4.5* for me

    Favourites included 15a, 20a, 25a, 3d & 19d — with winner by a mile 20a … that was excellent.

    Thanks to setter & CS for blog/hints

  25. I finished this one with just a little help from Crypticsue, liked 4D and 11D. 3D was where I needed the help!
    A nice puzzle, its not often I manage to complete them.

  26. A smashing puzzle which brought plenty of smiles. I particularly enjoyed 20a, 19d and 10a.
    Thanks as always to the setter and hinter.

  27. Once on wavelength that really was such a fun solve in spite of the anagramfest which is not my Fav pursuit. NW most demanding quadrant. Numerous great surfaces including my Fav clues – 20a, 1d and 19d. Thank you lots Mr/Mrs Ron and CS

  28. Needed the checkers to construct 11d, which having looked up, won’t have me rushing down to the library on Monday.

    Plenty of entertaining clues, 20a gets my vote.

    Thanks to CS and today’s setter.

  29. Too many anagrams for me and really only one tick and that was for the glorious 20 a. I am probably being unfair but these things are so subjective. Always like a literary clue because 50 years of being in a book group pays off. Since 11d was not War and Peace it really did have to be a challenge and the answer is that and more. For me an unreadable book.Always glad of the Saturday cryptic although it can vary between being a pussy cat or a tiger. I’d say this one was a meow. Thanks to setter and CS.

  30. Good afternoon

    Crikey! 🤣

    I just took a look at the hints to figure out the one solution I couldn’t parse, (20a) and I have just kicked myself!

    All done, albeit having taken my time. Many thanks to our compiler and to CS

  31. I can’t remember when last I enjoyed a puzzle so much! I knew 20a had to be right but couldn’t see why, but now that I’ve read Sue’s explanation, I can’t stop laughing! That has to be my fave, but 19d is right behind. Any one of the clues could qualify for top place, such a plethora of clever and fun clues.
    Thank you setter for the fun and to CS for her lovely hints and pics, 3d is special!

  32. I’m going to join Senf as the other curmudgeon, to be fair Mrs. TWLC liked it more than I did. Favourite was 3d. Thanks to the setter and CS.

  33. Another enjoyable puzzle that was a relatively straightforward solve. I needed hints for 20d and a to finish. It’s been my best week ever this week – definitely on a roll that’s bound to come to an abrupt end sooner or later. Thanks to CS and the setter.

  34. 2.5/5. Delightful puzzle with a good sprinkling of anagrams to get into the puzzle. Podium places to 19d and 20a. Thanks to the setter and CS.

  35. I am joinIng Senf and TWLK in the curmudgeonly camp.
    Not my cup of tea today. But you can’t like them all.
    Needed CS’s excellent hints for 20a and 20d.

    Thanks to the setter and to crypticsue.

  37. A fun puzzle, not completed unaided as I did not know the book and I needed the hints to explain my answers to a couple, very enjoyable however.

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the needed hints (thanks for choosing the ones I needed!)

  38. Thank you Mr Setter for the only bright spot in an otherwise horrid day. So much to like – 10,20,25a and 11,17,20d. Thanks also to CS for the parsing. I shall be glad to get into bed now!

  39. Another curmudgeon here.

    Only starting solving late afternoon with a second bash later. Resorted to looking elsewhere for the answers. I didn’t need to for many, as most of the clues I struggled with had a hint. But, even with all the checkers, the hint would have left me none the wiser for 11d. Vaguely aware of the author and the book, but wouldn’t have realised they were connected. Sounds like there is a reason to steer clear of both.

    Enjoyed the three quarters I could solve unaided.

    Thanks to all.

  40. All done & thoroughly enjoyable today – thank you to our Saturday setter!👍
    My last one in was 20A…for the life of me I just couldn’t parse my (correct) answer until I read PC Security’s excellent explanation above…brilliant!! 🤣
    Cheers!

  41. A most enjoyable Saturday PP, some superbly witty clue constructions outweighing the excess of anagrams. All GK pretty basic and some lovely red herrings.

    Special mention to 20a and 20d, my last pair in, also the genius anagram of 11d, and the laugh out loud moment with 15a.

    2* / 4*

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS

  42. As with Mustafa a late post … in case the setter reads this I also want to say how enjoyable this was with so many good clues – thank you!

  43. Such a relief after the v challenging Saturday from the other week. Enjoyable all the way through.

    Particularly liked 20a. Nicely off beat.

    1. You’ve changed your alias – both this one and the old one (PatentMan) will work from now on

  44. Excellent puzzle which took much longer to solve than it should.
    Don’t think I’m breaking the naughty step rules by saying that I put “************” for 14d, which looks like a perfectly good answer to me.
    Thanks for the hints.

    [Please don’t provide alternative answers on a prize puzzle. Gazza]

  45. It took me some time to crack the anagram for 11d but after that I was able to complete this enjoyable puzzle at a reasonable canter.

    No favourite clue but I must congratulate Sue for the wonderful picture hint for 3d.

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