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DT 30539 (Hints)

by crypticsue  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30539 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

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I found this a friendly Saturday Prize Puzzle which made me smile almost from start to finish. I wonder how many people will agree with me?

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    Luxurious establishment on Piccadilly — it’s a cracker! (4)
Exactly as the clue says – a luxurious establishment on Piccadilly or a type of cracker

3a    One making new life abroad — former postman? (5)
A prefix meaning former and a young child’s favourite postman

9a    Endlessly assist London force: copper’s top! (6)
A verb meaning to assist without its last letter (endlessly) and the abbreviated way we might refer to London’s police force

13a    Sun-worshipper in this atoll? (6)
Something worn by a sun-worshipper gives its name to an atoll in the Pacific Ocean

15a    Flock gathering at the edges in storm (6)
The edges of GatherinG inserted into a storm

19a    Good Beatles guitarist leaving hotel for camp (8)
The abbreviation for Good and the surname of a Beatles guitarist without (leaving) the abbreviation for Hotel

25a    Fine Greek character offers cheese (4)
The abbreviation for Fine and a letter in the Greek Alphabet


Down

1d    Wealthy creature around East German house (9)
A synonym for wealthy and a male animal go around the abbreviation for East

3d    Even-handed European who in Paris sits on board (9)
The abbreviation for European, the French (as used in Paris) word for who and a board

4d    Spotted photo’s source that is obvious (7)
The ‘source’ of Photo, the abbreviation for that is and an adjective meaning obvious

6d    Might such a vessel be well-filled? (3,6)
A cryptic definition of a vessel filled with a liquid obtained from wells

14d    Identical son in populous land where Jakarta lies (9)
The same or identical and the abbreviation for Son inserted into the most populous country

17d    Earn medal presented by king in castle (7)
A verb meaning to earn, an abbreviated medal awarded for exceptional gallantry and the Latin abbreviation for King

20d    Mammals in ocean clash regularly (5)
An ocean and the regular letters of cLaSh

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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: BELLE + WRINGER = BELL RINGER

77 comments on “DT 30539 (Hints)”

  1. Well I was met by a number of clues that caused me to grumble and then there were some that I thought cracking clues – so something of a curate’s breakfast selection for me.
Amongst those I liked I thought 3d particularly good and my favourite was the excellent 22a which even managed to include the apostrophe which tickled me.
    And from my grumbles – in 13a I am not sure about that the sun worshipper is really a fit and in 14d I thought there was something of a synonym stretch going on in the middle.
    It was however a doable puzzle with largely fair cluing and my thanks to the setter for it and to CrypticSue for the hints which I shall now peruse.

    1. morning all

      very enjoyable. One of my favourite jokes involves a 22a but maybe another time
      13a works if you look at the first 4 words of the clue

      Many thanks CS, as always

    2. 22ac got me stumped. I realised it was a word jumble but my usual unscrambler didn’t provide the answer [redacted] so despite all the other clues slotting in nicely and easily, I really don’t feel I finished today’s :-(

  2. This was 1.5*/3.5* for me with 22a, 6d, 17d & 18d my top picks.

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS.

  3. An enjoyable guzzle with rhe top half being slightly more tricky than the bottom. Starting with the bottom half, it was possible to get lots of checkers to finish this likeable SPP. I liked the lego clue at 1d, the cryptic definition at 6d, , the lurker at 18d and the 22a anagram, a nice variety of clues. Thanks to CS for the hints and to the compiler

  4. A nice, gentle stroll through Cruciville.

    Straightforward constructions that should please most punters.

    An anagram indicator has taken on a world of its own. There must be hundreds of them. ‘Fan’? Good clue though.

    My podium is the splendid 6d and 13d plus 17d.

    Many thanks to the setter and CS.

    1*/3*

    1. I agree about the fan. And I had an m at the end of 8 an until I checked with a crossword finisher online. Too much philosophy in my head 😨 A 1.5*/3* for me.

  5. Super Saturday puzzle with a nice mixture of clues to get you started and a few inc a very testing long anagram which requires more thought. A huge improvement over yesterday’s offering, I am really beginning to deeply dislike Friday puzzles which seem to be aimed purely at the Toughie solvers.
    ***/****
    Thx to all

    2. What! No complaints about the intrusion of religion into the sanctum of the Telegraph crossword. My word Brian you not living up to expectation.

    3. I’m with you on Fridays Brian. Most weeks they are a waste of paper and ink for me. I agree today is super.

  6. A reasonable run through the acrosses, then a bumper session on the downs had me heading towards record time…but the 2 long’uns especially 22a held me up and 1d took way longer than it should have. But that just meant a decent sense of satisfaction when I finished. Thanks to setter and for the (not needed this time) hints.

  7. I enjoyed this one. I made a mess of the puzzle by writing in the answer to 22a and then realised that I was one letter short on the grid!

    Many thanks to Cephas (is my guess) and to CS.

  8. Really enjoyable and managed an even pace without needing the hints (for once).

    In the hint for 1d I think you mean synonym for wealthy ?

  9. Now look here, you’re going to have to forgive me and my bragging as this only happens once every ten years – but I flew through this one. Usual gripes about general knowledge swept aside as they are Beatles related (PC Security – not a spoiler; they are mentioned in the clue!)

    Busy day awaits; lunch; the tip; hairdresser for H; Man Citeh v Chelsea; then a slightly more glamorous evening.

    Hooray for me! And for the setter; and for the splendid Siouxie Sioux <- bit of toadying there; never does any harm.

  10. Last one in despite having all the checkers was the excellent 22a, which became my favourite by a distance. I thought the puzzle was hugely enjoyable, and complemented the pleasantly sunny morning here in Shropshire.

    Many thanks to our Saturday setter and Sue.

  11. Hmm, double unches – I wonder if that indicates the return of a favourite SPP setter.

    Anyway, just like CS said in her opening sentence, friendly and fun – **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 3a, 13a, and 5d – and the winner is 13a.

    Thanks to whomsoever and thanks to CS.

  12. Very light, hugely enjoyable. And that’s probably as it should be on a Saturday. 8a and 22a read beautifully – flawless. Thanks to setter and Sue.

  13. A lovely fun puzzle with a great variety of clues. North west was last in for me as it took a while to twig 8a and 1d. 11a my favourite and 13a definitely shows how reading clues in different ways can make the difference between seeing an answer and not seeing it….if you get my drift.
    Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints

  14. All good, clean Saturday fun with my biggest smile reserved for 11a. Could write a diatribe about 22a but best not to on a prize day!

    Thanks to our setter – Cephas? and to CS for the hints.

    1. Oh Jane, do tell! Or perhaps in a couple of weeks to avoid CS’s wrath. I thought it was a brilliant clue of its type ( not what I wrote first but frightened of the naughty step).

  15. A gentle if unremarkable puzzle, pleasant while it lasted. Two particularly clever anagrams.

    1* / 2*

    Thank you to the setter and to CS

  16. Enjoyable breakfast guzzle.
    Took forever to find an alternative atoll for 13a other than the obvious one as I’d got the wrong container for 6d! Feel into place when I got enough to confirm the atoll and rethink 6d.
    Faves were the gihuge anagrams at 8 and 13a.
    Many thanks to Setter and CS.

  17. What an enjoyable puzzle loved by all including Brian who had no objection to door knockers. 8 and 22a clear favourites because of the smooth clueing.

    Thanks to all for up to 16 for their cheerful responses and of course to CS and to the setter.

  18. Good honest tough offering as befits a Saturday prize puzzle.
    Yet again started in the SE corner and permeated up and left (quite a few seem to do this nowadays, especially the harder ones.)
    Liked the Beatles clues, can’t be many people who don’t know all about them even now.
    I’m just about to do the last one (22a), but there’s some people knocking at the door………

  19. Very enjoyable Saturday puzzle. The first two across clues set me up well, not unlike last week, as to a fit of the giggles, but I’ll have to award the laurels to 22. 9 also great for me.

    Nice to know that Brian enjoyed this one. Nothing to do with the fact that he gets a namecheck?

    Thx Mysteron or Mysterhona, and to CS, who is always such a gas :D

  20. As straightforward as they come but none the less enjoyable for that. I didn’t really notice the double unches as they didn’t slow us down. Favourite was 1d. Thanks to the setter and CS.

  21. This Saturday pangram puzzle was definitely a R&W for me except for one word, and that fell into place easily anyway.

    1*/5* for me as it was a pleasure without any hair pulling. A treat!

    Favourites abound in this one but I pick 1a, 3a, 9a, 13a, 2d & 17d — and all were winners in my book, but to choose just one I pick 3a as my kids loved that when they were younger.

    Thanks to setter & CS for hints/blog

    BREAKING NEWS
    A few months ago, Senf mentioned the Marlow Murder books and what a good read they were … and I concur as I read them both after his kudos of them.
    Now, Robert Thorogood’s novel, The Marlow Murder Club is coming to UKTV channel, Drama. It is to be broadcast in two parts on March 6th & 7th at 8pm. Should be good!

    1. For those of us on this side of ‘the pond,’ PBS is indicating that it will be shown as part of the ‘Masterpiece’ series but no indication of when yet.

      And the third book in the series – ‘The Queen of Poisons’ – has been published in the UK (at least).

      1. I am lucky enough to visit Marlow regularly as it is where I do my volunteering. One of my fellow volunteers was roped in as an extra when they were filming the Henley regatta scene. I can confirm that the descriptions of the landmarks and general area are very accurate. I haven’t run into Judith Potts yet!

      2. I’ve just read The Queen of Poisons. It doesn’t disappoint.
        Thank you to whoever it was on here who recommended the author in the first place as I probably wouldn’t have come across him otherwise.

    2. Oooh, thank you for the news about The Marlow Murder Club on TV, portcoquitlambc. Spouse and I both enjoyed the book. The Drama channel doesn’t broadcast to here in Ilkley, but hopefully it will be online on UKTV’s website.

  22. I am also in the easy peasy lemon squeeze camp. Well, that’s not to say I still had to ponder on some of the clues but it was, I thought, very user friendly. I did it sitting sadly on my own in a smart restaurant in Cambridge – George having gone off to watch Hertford play at home. I’m now going off to spend some money! I never thought to see 22a in a crossword – well done Mr Setterman, did someone set you a challenge I wonder to fit it in? Anyway, first class guzzle for a Saturday and thanks to CS for keeping us informed and in line.

  23. Agree that this is a friendly and fun challenge – (even too easy peasy eg does 7d really need ‘Brian’ and 1a does not need ‘ Piccadilly’) thank you compiler and CS

  24. A quick enjoyable grid fill but yet again I’m unable to parse one (13d – nobody else has mentioned it so
    it must be brain fog) & I did read up on the atoll post solve. 11a was my favourite.
    Thanks to the setter (Cephas I assume) & to CS

    2. I wondered about that too but I’m assuming that it’s the sort of shoes they wear – hope there isn’t anything more complicated.

  25. V straightforward for a SPP – fairly rattled in. Funnily enough, we had the door knockers round this morning. We pretended we weren’t in.

  26. Oh – just me then? :sad: I found it quite difficult – may I’ll blame it on the wavelength!
    I’m not saying that I didn’t enjoy it because I did – just it was tricky -I’ll carry on thinking for a while in the hope that my last couple of answers will jump into the gaps.
    Now looking at it again I can see there are a few unches but I never notice that kind of thing.
    1d took ages, not helped by my total lack of German, I don’t think I’d call 4d ‘spotted’ and I’m hopeless at very long anagrams.
    Having picked holes in everything I’ll apologise to the setter and move on to what I really DID like.
    Start off with 3 and 13a and 6 and 17d. My favourite was 3d.
    Thanks very much to the setter for the crossword and to CS for the hints today.

  27. 1/5. Splendid puzzle which was finished in record time for me. Lots of ticks but my favourite from a long list was 9a as it is just so amusing. Thanks to the setter and CS.

  28. Whizzed through this entertaining puzzle APART FROM 22a, which held me up for a while even with all the checkers….

  29. Absolutely loved this one, and would be in seventh heaven if they were all like this. Didn’t need the hints today, except for 23a which was LI. Wasn’t sure about 15a but with my checkers it just had to be. Was side tracked for a bit thinking of the lovely island in 22a where we spent a few days right before Christmas several years ago. And 12d was a giveaway for me, being married to a plane buff and knowing more about them than I should. Enjoyed today’s challenge from start to finish. I’m not complaining, but still wonder why the prize puzzle is plainly more doable than Friday offerings nowadays? Makes no sense to me. Big thank you to the setter and CS.

  30. The last few weeks have been great puzzles – plenty of accessible clues to get going for novices like me, some clever clues to make you feel like you’ve achieved something, and plenty to smile about throughout.

  31. For some reason I found this rather uninspiring overall with a requirement more for GK (admittedly basic) rather than cryptanalysis e.g. 7d and 14d amongst others. 1d is quite some “house”! Have never thought of 23a as roguish. Favs 3d and 17d. Thanks to Mysteryone and CS.

    1. Oh for heaven’s sake I have only just fully parsed 13d and now feel inclined to (without Kath’s permission!) to add it to my aforementioned duo of Favs.

  32. Hello. Non-Cephas checking in.

    Thanks for the comments (I read them all) and thanks to the Cryptic One for the hints.

    Have a nice rest of weekend.

    Cheers
    NYDK

  33. A delight from start to finish. My last in was the door knockers which made me smile. So many great clues. Thankyou setter and Sue.
    I’m about to watch Chelsea and City, fingers crossed for Chelsea as I’m a red on the other side of the city!

  34. Like Kath, I found this rather tricky, on the other hand, fun all the way. Nice to see my Beatles, twice! I misspelt 22a, unforgivable with an anagram when all you have to do is find a slot for all the letters. I had a blind spot for 1a, just about to give up when I had my epiphany. I don’t know why, but my word search app has dropped out, so I had to go in for a hint in the SW to get going again. In its place is an app to “locate forklifts in Miami”; forklifts? Me? Words fail me.
    Thank you NYDK for the fun and our CS for helping me along there when I was stuck.
    I’m without my aide today, I’m all alone and like a pig in mud! I dare not blot my copybook, I’m hoping my minders will agree to one day a week all on my lonesome. Meanwhile, I’m off to do anything, just to enjoy not being followed everywhere!

      1. No, I have 9 hours a day every day. I’m alone at 6:00pm when the news comes on, then I have my Famous Grouse and watch the news!

  35. A real R & W romp for me – a huge relief after yesterday’s stinker (no offence intended!) to realise that my brain had not entirely addled.

  36. Good fun and most of itself wrote itself in without no help from me or artificial aids. Even 22a caused me no problem or 1d. I was sadly left with two to do but came back after several hours to get 10d which then gave me 23a. I must remember that synonym for dilettante. My main problem with it is I always think it means something else! Taking time to get 23a is unforgivable and I note neither of them were clued. My husband’s just taken the paper so I can’t tell you my favourites but there were several. With regard to the posh place on Piccadilly, almost exactly a year ago I had a champagne afternoon tea at the place next door to it called the Wolseley. It is another posh building but the restaurant takes its name from the former motor showroom which was grand as it took its customers from next door. The price and quality was very reasonable compared to some of the tourist traps.

    1. I’ve also dined at the Wolsey – it was a favourite of the Queen Mother. I seem to remember that they always had a huge flower arrangement in the foyer. But perhaps I’m mixing it up with somewhere else!

  37. Finally got this done but with Cryptic Sue’s help. Loved 22a and 3a (memories of my boys when they were little’uns), I’ve had the tune in my head all day.
    I really loved 9a as did my family and friends because of something I asked a ****** once, as it came blurting out of my mouth I realised what I was asking but I couldn’t stop it. His boss and fellow ****** were creased with laughter, he and I just sat there, blushing. This was in a nightclub, I was working as a barmaid, (The Affair Club) across the street from a station and we got raided on a regular basis. The bar staff just sat around as they did their job.

    Hope I haven’t said anything to put me on the naughty step.
    P.S. I asked him if I could hold it as I had always wondered what they weighed.
    P.S.S Sorry for going on topic.

      1. LOL I think I was born with my foot in my mouth……………

        Autocorrect – I went off topic, sorry!

    2. Scrolling up from the bottom of the comments, your PS did make my mind boggle until I read the first parts of your comment :roll:

  38. No real trouble with this one, pleasant enough but not challenging: */***.

    I was held up for a couple of minutes by putting the wrong vessel at 6d, but soon realised my error.

    Being a bit of an aircraft enthusiast, I liked 12d, and the doorknockers were also fun 🤔

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