Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3277 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where we had a very autumnal day on Thursday – long trousers and a pullover were required; meanwhile, from Ottawa eastwards the remnants of Hurricane Debby have been unloading copious amounts of rain.
For me, and I stress for me, Dada and I didn’t get on very well today, I am not sure why – eight anagrams (four partials), two lurkers, and one homophone all in a symmetric 32 clues; with 16 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 –6a, 10a, 24a, 28a, 5d, and 7d.
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
1a Dessert wine gets a little shake (10)
An informal synonym of dessert and a type of (white) wine.
10a Animal dropped in lake (5)
A synonym of dropped in (as in visiting) and the single letter for Lake.
11a Hate on tap, unfortunately, now (2,7)
A synonym of hate placed after (on) oh dear, or should I say unfortunately, an anagram (unfortunately) of TAP.
13a Get right into wheeze (5)
The single letter for Right inserted into a synonym of wheeze (as in breathing difficulty).
19a F1 area, awful (3,4)
A double definition – the illustration should help with the first.
22a Country kept in mind I adore (5)
One of the lurkers (kept in) found in three words in the clue.
28a First of pictures isn’t in colour (5)
The first letter of Pictures and an informal term equivalent to isn’t.
30a Grandpa and son cultivated plant (10)
An anagram (cultivated) of GRANDPA and SON – easier to spell than the scientific name of the plant.
Down
1d Curved structure in circular chamber (4)
The other lurker (in) found in two words in the clue.
4d Try number in lift (7)
A synonym of try (in court) and a number (the first composed of two digits).
7d Last of prey gobbled by female animal, a carrion feeder (5)
The last letter of preY inserted into (gobbled by) a female animal (an egg producer) and A from the clue.
9d Colour in suit packed by scribe (3-5)
A synonym of suit contained (packed) by a verbal(?) synonym of scribe.
14d Abandoned bird, red (4-6)
A synonym of abandoned and a descriptive term for a bird often used in clues.
18d Deceptive pretence, marrying (9)
A Dada synonym of pretence and a synonym of marrying (in general terms rather than matrimony).
21d Exercise on ship embraced by youngster (5-2)
The two letters, obtained from Latin, equivalent to on and our favourite two letters for ship contained (embraced) by a three letter youngster.
26d Rock cuckoo turned over (4)
A synonym of cuckoo (when discussing soundness of mind) reversed (turned over).
Quick Crossword Pun:
ANNIE + MATED + CARTOON = ANIMATED CARTOON
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Golden Oldie time – Austrian composer, pianist, and conductor Wilhelm Grosz (sometimes credited as Hugh Williams) was born on this day in 1894. From 1934 he worked in the UK before moving to the USA in 1938. Grosz composed both classical concert works and internationally successful popular songs of which one of his most successful was Red Sails in the Sunset with lyrics by prolific songwriter Jimmy Kennedy. Here is a version by The Platters:
No problems. But not my favourite crossword this weekend. Thank you Senf and setter.
Still don’t understand 18d, even after reading the hint (or maybe I’ve just got the wrong answer), but apart from that and maybe 11a (does hate really mean the latter part of the word?) a really pleasant Sunday crossword, great fun.
My two favourites today were 1a, and the cunning 19a, many thanks to our setter today.
I’m in agreement with you regarding 18d and 11a.
Yep, I had the wrong word alright!
Now I’ve had to refer to the little franklin puzzle solver, all has been revealed.
Can’t say the word I originally had as it’s a prize puzzle day, but I’m pretty sure some other solvers may have had it as well…..
I think I probably had it too as the penny has just dropped for me for the right word!
Dada being a bit quirky today with a few parsings requiring some thought. Nevertheless, it was very enjoyable littered as it was with PDMs. I have ticks all over the paper so choosing a favourite is a challenge. Once I had worked out 19a, I thought it very clever and 24a raised a smile. Neither Hudson nor I would agree that we do 27a. After much deliberation, I award the abandoned bird at 14d the accolade of COTD.
Thank you, Dada for the fun and another shot at The Mythical although, after 50 years of trying, I’m considering throwing in the towel. Thank you, Senf for the hints.
It’s due to get hot this afternoon in The Marches so I better get on with cutting the grass.
I threw in that towel ages ago!
Has anyone ever won the mythical “Pen” .. I’m sure that 50 years ago a fountain pen would have been a useful and wonderous thing to own and behold but is there much call for them now?
Btw has anyone else realised that there is another “photographic” anagram at 2d which really led me up the garden path today?
Yes – i have won the mythical pen twice ….. in the space of 25 years
False information! It does not exist! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ask Daisygirl how many she has won!
Don’t you remember Barbara Whatsername who gave dog training classes on the BBC? If it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for Sadie and me!
Woodhouse!
Got it in one!
The word that could never be uttered in our Toby’s hearing without following through, a lovely yellow lab who was always a puppy at heart.
Maybe I was on wavelength from the start as I found this decidedly friendly from Dada. Many ticks on the page, but I’ll plump for the squeeze under the hollow cherry tree as my cotd. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
I’m in the Dada being friendly camp today.
My only delay was with 11a, where I was at one point trying to make an anagram of the first three words.
Many thanks to Dada for a most enjoyable puzzle.
Mostly plain-sailing but I was left without parsing for 9d but which had to be. Not keen on dessert for 1a. Surely 22d is a misspelling if responding to the clue. Thank you Dada and Senf particularly with 9d parse.
But there is no 22d.
Senf, I of course meant to say 23d
It’s in the BRB as definition 2, and see more usual spelling! I’ve never seen it spelt like that though.
That was always the word in our house for dessert when I was growing up!
1.5*/3.5*. Unlike our esteemed blogger, I found this very much at the easier end of our Sunday compiler’s spectrum. I enjoyed it a lot with no need to look further than 1a for today’s favourite.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.
Dada being very generous with his anagrams in this enjoyable and fairly gentle puzzle. Thanks to him and Senf.
The clues which appealed most to me were 1a, 10a and 4d.
Great fun, and Sunday friendly IMHO, though I doubt many dog owners would agree with the definition of 27a. I personally have never heard it used in that context. Possibly a corruption of a famous Roeg film? Lots of great clues but 1a gets my COTD vote.
Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Super puzzle, just up my street. I agree it was a lot less stressful than yesterdays but I preferred it as the clues were more elegant. Best clues for me were 10a and a real smiler in 27a.
Thx to Dada to taking pity on us lesser solvers.
***/*****
Thx to all
I found Dada to be in a very friendly mood today but perhaps it’s just a wavelength thing.
Lots of clever clues but my favourite is 14D.
**/**** here. Thanks to Dada and Senf for the (unused) hints.
A lovely guzzle today but I still don’t understand 18d if I’ve got it right.
Top picks for me were 19a, 1a and 26d.
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
18d: a three-letter word for pretence, or a trick, followed by a word for marrying, as in joining.
Thanks Phil. I’m pretty sure that’s what I’ve got! I’ll just have to wait until the full review comes out.
I did have the wrong word – penny has dropped very loudly now!
I’m in the friendly camp too though the south had a couple where the why gave some pause for thought. A but anagram heavy for my tastes but enjoyable nonetheless. Podium spots for 1a plus 9&18d.
Thanks as ever to D&S
Managed to drop onto our setter’s wavelength quite easily today, so a fairly rapid solve for me. 1a raised a smile but it’s almost in 24a territory these days so my podium places went to 21a plus 4&14d.
Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the review – enjoyed listening to the golden oldie from The Platters, thank you.
Good afternoon
Tea, the paper, and the crozzie in the sunshine. Job’s a good un!
Today’s was on the gentler side, I felt, with just the right level of head-scratchiness. No issues with any of the parsing, although one or two of the synonyms today might have caused an eyebrow to lift!
14d for COTD this afty. Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.
Not too taxing for a pleasant sunny Sunday helped by the plethora of anagrams.
I do agree with the clue to 27a. My stepfather maintained that the dog was not enjoying itself while on the lead. This resulted in frequent searches for one or the other and sometimes both. More than once they were discovered in a local hostelry.
Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Another fine offering from Dada this week at the easier end of his spectrum. Nothing quirky in this one, just solid clueing.
1.5*/4*
Favourites 1a, 21a, 27a, 3d & 23d — with winner 27a
Smiles from winner as well as 6a, 24a, 1d & 21d.
Thanks to Dada & Senf
I found some of this straightforward and a few very tricky, I was stuck for ages on 18d, my last in, as I had the wrong word firmly stuck in my brain, if you can’t parse it, it’s probably wrong kept popping in my head. I desperately tried to make 11a an anagram which also slowed me down. I am pleased to have finished with a sense of satisfaction.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints which I needed to unravel 18d
Plain sailing for Dada
I’ve had to refer to your hints, Senf, to know why and if my answers were right. I’m not sure of 19a, even with the pic, but that’s my lack of knowledge I think. I’m totally confused by 18d, I opted for “deceptive” as my answer but no idea how that means marrying. I did need ehelp for more than I was happy with, but a lot of fun along the way. Fave was 1a, and 27a amused.
Thank you Dada, though you stretched me today, thanks Senf for your help.
I’ve just tumbled to 18d, I was wrong, no wonder I didn’t understand it.
Pretty straightforward and enjoyable though we weren’t overly keen on 27a. A number of candidates for favourite but we’ll go with 18d. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
A quick and pleasant Sunday solve today. no queries, no problem with synonyms, no disagreements. It must be the weather.
Thanks both
Quite a benign SPP done rocking about in the back of the car with DD2 driving us up to visit DD1at Worcester, so a welcome diversion on a horrid day. For the first time she didn’t know us. Walked away frowning and muttering and it was 1/2 hour of our precious time with her before she settled down. All three of us in tears! Heartbreaking. So it was good to have the distraction of the guzzle. Also, I hate travelling in the back! Despite the heat the roads are mega busy where are they all going ? I liked the anagrams of course and there were some easy peasy ones but enough tough ones to make you ponder. Many thanks to Dada and Senf / it’s a large G and T when we get back whatever the time is.
So sorry Daisy, I can only imagine how very sad for you, George and both daughters.
Oh Daisy,
Poor you and George and DD2 – so sorry for you all – how beastly. I’m thinking of you all. Double, if not triple, G&T’s, urgently and as fast as possible!
How awful for you all Daisy. I hope the G and T helps at least a bit.
An ice-cream van just came along the road playing “Daisy Daisy” and strangely I thought of you before ice-cream!
Oh, DG I am so sorry to hear of your travails. It must have been awful for you all. Enjoy your G and T then have another. 👍
🌹
My sympathies for you and your family Daisy. That must be so sad for all of you, love and hugs and kind thoughts.
An enjoyable solve with a nice level of challenge. I seemed to have had anagram blindness for a few today – why does that happen ? Interesting to discover the other meaning of 27a ! Thanks to Dada and Senf.
I know exactly what you mean about anagram blindness, Jenny. I’m suffering from it myself at present. 😳
Shockingly, I found this to be the best puzzle of the week and enjoyed from start to finish. Now I am not claiming it was gentle or that I finished at a trot, but it was nice and steady from start to to finish. One of those days when if I was stuck on an across clue, the down one helped me out. Yes, a lot of anagrams, but I always regard them as a gift. At least I know what letters I am working with, so that helps. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Not a very tricky crossword today but felt a bit wrong wavelength – maybe it’s all to do with the weather!
There were a few clues that I had trouble to make sense of – 11a and a couple two.
I did like 1 and 19a and 5 and 23d.
Thanks to Dada for his crossword and to Senf for the hints.
Really enjoyed today’s, with 1A and 5A my favourites. Many thanks Dada and Senf.
14D my fave today. similar clues for 30A appearing twice in the last couple of weeks. Enjoyable puzzle as always. Thanks
2*/3* ….
liked 14D “Abandoned bird, red (4-6)”