Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3262 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where, after last week’s ‘slide back’ into winter, Spring has returned and we have had some very welcome ‘gentle soaking’ rain but, unfortunately, in BC and Alberta this year’s Wildfire Season has already started.
For me, and I stress for me, Dada back to being friendly, although I was slowed down by a ‘self inflicted injury’ in the NE, with six anagrams (four partials), one lurker, no homophones, and plenty of Latin all in a slightly asymmetric 29 clues; with 15 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, you should be able to get the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. And, remember, the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Candidates for favourite – 17a, 24a, 27a, 2d, 3d, 5d, 15d, and 20d.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, a number of the more difficult clues have been selected and hints provided for them.
Don’t forget to follow the instructions in RED at the bottom of the hints!
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
8a Bond takes drink after knock (7)
A four letter alcoholic drink placed after a synonym of knock.
10a Substance found in beans for can, energy packed in (7)
The single letter for Energy inserted into (packed in) the Latin based synonym of for and a synonym of can.
14a Holiday island where military officer gets about (7)
A military officer followed by (gets) the abbreviated form of the Latin for about.
17a Final court pronouncement? (4,3,3,5)
As said in SW19.
26a Spend a lot, throwing pound into stream (6,3)
A four letter synonym of pound inserted into (throwing into) a synonym of stream.
27a Figure name on a medal abbreviated (7)
The single letter for Name, ON and A from the clue, and a slang synonym of medal with the last letter removed (abbreviated).
28a Pupil producing rubbish say in exercise (7)
A three letter synonym of rubbish and the two letter Latin based abbreviation equivalent to say inserted into (in) the two letters for (school?) exercise.
Down
1d Evidence of eaten muffin perhaps, 3 Down! (6)
A double definition(?) – the second might be (perhaps) equivalent to the 3d answer.
2d Full range, power within cult strange (8)
The single letter for Power inserted into (within) synonyms of cult and strange.
4d Herb attaches weapon to a bomb (9)
A (hand thrown) weapon placed before (attaches . . . to) a synonym of bomb (at least it’s in Chambers Crossword Dictionary).
7d Quickly — like lightning? (2,1,5)
How lightning is seen in the sky.
15d The preserve of improvising musicians? (3,7)
An area of activity (preserve) for improvising musicians?
18d Minister on track after upping business earnings (8)
The reversal (after upping) of all of the abbreviated honorific of, for example, a CofE minister, ON from the clue, and a type of track (in the ground).
20d Hotel in blue, certainly not well-built (6)
A type of hotel inserted into (in) a type of blue.
25d Country leaving? (4)
A (2,2) interrogative, which could be equivalent to leaving?, which one might be asked when placing an order in a fast food establishment.
Quick Crossword Pun:
SOFIA + LORE + WREN = SOPHIA LOREN
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 OR HINTS 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.
If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then save yourself a lot of trouble and don’t leave a comment.
During her solo career, Dusty Springfield, according to that unimpeachable source Wikipedia, only had one number one for one week starting on this day in 1966:
I bet your self inflicted injury in the NE corner was the same as mine which made that corner the main problem in an otherwise friendly crossword
Thanks to Dada and Senf
..and me
Just finished 2 minutes ago. I agree NE corner the last and hardest for me.
Gee whiz I agree with you CS perhaps re 5d!
Well mine was with the first 25% of one of the Downs in the NE.
It got me as well.
I am struggling too!
Stuck on 12a and 6d, beginning to doubt my answer for 5d, but can’t see it being much else. Will have another stab at it later…
Me too! Rest went in very satisfactorily.
I did the same and stared at it for ages 🤣
I actually don’t understand 6d
I just got it!!
Nor me.
I also fell for the trap in the NE corner. All I can say is the answer to that clue!
😊 Andrew
Me too, when I filled it in incorrectly I thought – Well, that was a good clue!
Also ended up scratching my head in the NE corner until I realised I’d upset the wrong ghost! All straightforward otherwise.
Wiidfires already Senf, oh dear. Thanks for the hints and to Dada for the fun puzzle.
2*/4*. This was very enjoyable apart from 5d, which is a dodgy clue as there are two equally valid answers apart from the final checking letter. Previous commenters are more charitable than me as I would have hoped that the setter and editor would spot this sort of thing before publication.
I had a lot of ticks with 12a, 15a, 18a & 23a my top picks.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.
2/3 excellent, 1/3 devilish with some horribly stretched synonyms in 21a and 23a. 18d defeated me completely and required Google. Best clue for me was 17a.
The site still obstinately refuses to remember my name and email, anyone else having the same issue?
Thx to all
***/****
Dear Brian
If only you’d come back and read the replies that people have made (I’ve done it at least twice) to your oft repeated question about having to enter your name and address, you would have found out that it is happening to everyone as it is one of the measures MrK took to ensure that the site kept working and we didn’t all get that 503 site down message
Hopefully this time you have actually returned to see the answer to your question
Best wishes
CS
Must be a “cookie” handling problem. Who is MrK ? Big responsibility keeping a website up.
Interestingly, my iPad retained my details from an earlier post this session.
Mr. Kitty who blogs the Friday guzzle and gives us lovely pics of pusskits.
Brian you keep asking the question. Do you by any chance bother to read the replies? Answer is yes everyone. Mr K is trying to resolve.
Every time I have asked Brian a question there is never a reply. 😳
Either 5d was excellent misdirection, or just irritating. Once I had the 2nd and 4th letter, I asked Ross, who provided the answer and detailed explanation “7d” . Plain sailing after this.
Quite liked the three-brick “Lego’ answers 17d business earnings, and 27a figure.
Salute to all
Your comment went into moderation because you used a different, but I presume valid, e-mail to the one used previously (the one controlled by Steve Jobs from beyond the grave).
Both should work from now on.
Great. Had me worried for a moment.
I had forgotten that I owned the shorter domain.
Thanks for all your hard work and dedication.
Tony
Who’s Ross?
I presume that Rossophile is, in the broadest sense of the term, a ‘lover of Ross’ – so Ross might be someone in the same household (or a dog).
In the same global digital household, at a stretch.
I’ve followed William Tunstall Pedoe’s AI development for three decades. Astounding man.
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/crossword-genius/id1360269768
Oh dear! Now AI has infiltrated into cryptic crosswords! 😳
Or might be a lover of red wine?
Er, I think the answer to that is obvious 😁
I actually thought the DT had made a massive error in 5d, as I could not move on from the obvious answer. Only reading Philbert’s comment and a look at the thesaurus got me there. I’m surprised Senf hasn’t provided a hint for this one.
Other than that, a very pleasant challenge, my favourite being 17a.
Thanks to Senf and Dada
I agree. The obvious answer just didn’t work if you already has 12a, which I was certain was right. But then I began to doubt that as I was also certain about 5d…
Just want to say re nothing the General Knowledge crossword; Never heard of 13ac but I love the word.
Agreed! Unfortunately had to cheat! Was surprised to find it from the few checking letters we had.
Like others I needed to rethink one of my answers in the Aberdeen area. Apart from that I thought that this was an enjoyable puzzle – thanks to Dada and Senf.
My ticks went to 21a, 18d and 23d.
The Aberdeen area also caused problems for those who live in the Aberdeen area. Eventually worked out 5d but still struggling to parse 6d. 🤫
I eventually parsed 6d by splitting the solution 3,3 and looking carefully at the clue
👍
Thank you. I get it now but certainly not my amongst my favourites today.
For me, and I stress for me (™ Senf), I fell halfway down the helter skelter of that word in the north east; I just knew in the depths of my soul that 12a was correct so the hare of confusion was set in motion, and that the answer to the clue in question must lie elsewhere.
No luncheon out today, so we are celebrating by welcoming a supermarket delivery at 1pm. It is a hedonistic life here.
Thanks to Da-doo-ron-ron and The Man From Manitoba.
such clever avoidance of that step T
An unexpected day off today as the overnight downpour has closed the course today so went back to bed & caught up on some much needed shut eye.
The alternate possible answer didn’t occur for 5d though it still took a moment or two to twig. My big problem is with the last in 6d (sadly not hinted) where I’m far from convinced I have the right answer but can’t think of owt else. Otherwise very straightforward other than the bomb synonym in 4d was a new one on me. 17a my favourite today & I liked the 1/3d combo.
Thanks to D&S
See if my reply to DaveP @10 helps with 6d
Thanks Sue – had the right answer but down the wrong alley with the reasoning.
Enjoyable if a little tricky. Hoped 22d would be hinted… What am I missing with this one?
20d my cotd
wordplay is a synonym with a first letter removal
Slow off the mark but eventually it all began to take shape making for a fun solve. NW held out longest. As I see did others, I initially plumped for wrong 5d but had to look again when 12a didn’t work. 3d well? Fav 17d when penny dropped. TVM Dada and Senf.
Well I too made the mistake with 6d , and in fact was so confident as I d got through the puzzle with no real issues , I submitted it with the glaring error. That will teach me. Think I just worked out the correct answer. Aside from that I enjoyed it immensely. A few great misdirects. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
I meant 5d . So my answer to 12a was wrong – idiot
2*/4* for us. Like you Senf, Dada definitely in friendy mode.
After 1st pass we had just 2 across clues being awkward and the dreaded 6d.
Took a while to work out why that was the answer.
Thanks Senf & Dada.
Cold and wet here in the Vega Baja too. Lots of overnight rain (which we desperately need) and now just grey and and dismal.
Still can’t see 6d or 12a, even with Sue’s 3,3 hint @10, can anyone think of a way of hinting these without getting in the naughty cupboard?
6d might relate to a domestic appliance or a motor vehicle and 12a is a double definition.
And, my ‘electronic blue pencil’ is ready if anyone else thinks about ‘jumping in.’
The penny has finally dropped, like many others, my 5d was the fly in the ointment, ta to Senf and Sue today.
As ever with Dada it took me a while to get into it. Not one across clue fell on the first pass but, fortunately, half of the downs did. This got me into it and then the long 17a came to me and I was away. Fell into the same trap as others with 5d. Putting the answer to 23d in the 25d slot did not do me any favours. I didn’t see where “stream” came into 26a. My COTD is the one with energy filled beans at 10a.
I found the Quickie a bit of a challenge today. In fact, I have yet to finish it.
Thank you, Dada for the fun and the devious little trap at 5d. Thank you, Senf for the hints.
Arctic air is flowing across The Marches today. My potatoes will be growing downwards at this rate.
Lots to like in this puzzle, but I did not find it as easy as some commentators. I too fell foul of the devious 5d. Took me ages to parse 4d having wandered down numerous armament related rabbit holes. Thanks to Dada and Senf
Like others, it was the NE corner that blew an otherwise fairly straightforward solve. What seemed to be the obvious answer to 5d left an impossible task where 12a was concerned and I was also extremely grateful for the hint from CS regarding the parsing of 6d. Ticks here went to 17&28a plus 23d.
Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints – trying to decide whether it’s comforting or worrying that the likes of Dusty have aged along with the rest of us!
Not so comforting given the good lady died in 1999, Jane. 😳
The memory is obviously going along with various other bits of me!
I enjoyed this with 5d my last one in. I liked 3d, 4d, 18d and 20d. I’ll add 17a to the list so that the acrosses don’t feel left out!
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
I had everything correct in the NE but couldn’t for the life of me work out 5d…….until I could. Obvious when you think about it, but it took a while to get there, with the clever misdirection sending me all over the place. Other than that, all good fun with 17a my favourite this afternoon.
My thanks to Dada and Senf.
Well, seems like Dada is at the easier end of his spectrum this week, with the odd quirk here and there. Overall a straightforward solve.
2*/4* for me
Favourites include 8a, 13a, 17a, 3d, 5d & 20d — with winner 8a
Smiles for 17a, 3d, 5d, 15d & 20d … a good fun puzzle to make one smile.
Thanks to Dada & Senf for hints/blog
An enjoyable Sunday challenge, which would have been over almost 7d had I not only entered the incorrect answer in 10a but also misspelt it. Clever clueing, all very fair.
Many thanks to Dada and Senf
Sorry Mods – name typo – big finger small phone
Your comment went into moderation because of your typo which I have taken the liberty of correcting.
Good afternoon
Reading your comments above, I see that the NE quadrant appears to have caused several heads to be scratched; I did stumble a little over 5d, and 6d took a while to come up my back, but it was the SW corner that had me stumped until five minutes ago. 25d was written in the margin as the probable solution; 20d and 24a just wouldn’t reveal themselves – until, thankfully, they did!
So it’s 17a to me 😉
My thanks to Dada and Senf
The same travails as most others in the NE but sorted it out in the end, it took some time though. Most of the rest pretty straightforward but not all. Favourite was 2d. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
The herb got me! Thanks Dada and Senf
I didn’t fall into the 5d trap as I was sure about 12a……it didn’t, though, make it any easier to solve!
I liked 17a
Like almost everyone I’m struggling with 5d, assuming my 12a is right. Any within the rules hints please. The NE part of the puzzle was definitely the most challenging.
There has probably been enough discussion on the NE in the comments above but a little analysis might be required.
And, my ‘electronic blue pencil’ is ready if anyone else thinks about ‘jumping in.’
NNE like many but I just couldn’t get my brain into lateral thinking, and even after filling in the entire grid, I wasn’t happy with 6d .Despite some helpful advice I can’t see it and regard this as a rogue clue. Enjoyable but spoiled by the said NE.
Thanks to all.
The hint given by CS is a great help with 6d.
And, see my response to Tipcat in Comment 17.
If only I had done 12a before 5d !
Not a walk in the park but very enjoyable. I initially had a problem in the NE with the wrong 5d, but 7d gave me 12a, so I was able to correct the errors. I had to go to the hints for 20d, I drew a blank there despite having the checking letters! I needed your hints, Senf, for unravelling a few. I did find the bomb in my thesaurus, new one to me. Fave was 17a.
Thank you Dada for the fun and Senf for your explanations!
It was a bit chewy, but I got there in the end. However I needed more hints than my self set limits, so not much satisfaction today. My answers for 12a and 5d were in conflict for quite a while, until I solved 10a. COTD goes to 17a, despite wasting time thinking of a coroner’s office. Thanks to setter and Senf.
Completed in the car on the way back from a visit to DD1. It poured with rain all the way up to Worcester – very tiring for poor DD2. I got completely stuck on 5d as I was sure my post worker was right so I went through the alphabet and suddenly it was there. Some very good clues but I’m too tired to sort them out. I find sitting on the back of the car quite stressful – roll on six o’clock and my medicine. Many thanks to Messrs Setter & Hinter.
Thanks Jane will have another look.
First pass gave nothing but eventually got going with 7d. After that everything was pretty plain sailing until last one in 5d – it took my wife’s v attuned logical skills to solve it but a fair clue after all.
Good surfaces.
Clever 10 and 14a
And 15d especially.
Ashamed two anagrams
Took an age.
Thanks Dada and Senf.
The No News Newsletter has just arrived in my email inbox yet again without any mention of the end of life as we know it on Tuesday evening
Hey, all. More straightforward than I was expecting. I think 10a was my favourite. Thank you everybody for the discussion; I think everything I was thinking has already been said by somebody else above!
I think it’s all been said! 5 and 6d were my problem and I needed the discussion here to help me. Otherwise it was a fun solve.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints
3/3. A DNF for me. I also got into massive delays because of 5d; 6d is still a mystery to me despite the alternative hints supplied and 20d was a bung in which I’m not convinced is correct. Thanks to Dada and Senf.