Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3282 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg – the last week of Summer has begun, not long before this little lady, and others, fly South for the Winter!
For me, and I stress for me, as he was last Sunday, Dada reasonably friendly – two long ‘uns, two shorter long ‘uns, five anagrams (four partials), two lurkers, and no homophones all in an asymmetric 28 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 – 12a, 20a, 4d, 5d, and 14d.
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
7a The odd man out in Italy, cap askew (8)
An anagram (askew) of ITALY, CAP.
11a Wraparound garment other baby cut off (8)
(orig US) – An anagram (off) of OTHER BABy with the last letter of baby deleted (cut).
12a Even on a Tuesday in February? (4,2,1,7)
An expression that describes an edible item on a Tuesday in February, and sometimes on a Tuesday in March!
19a Grey swan drifts back (4)
The reversal (drifts back) of a (poetic?) synonym of swan which I did manage to find in an on-line thesaurus.
20a Chicanery is king in financial operation (6,8)
The chess notation for King inserted into (in) a synonymic phrase for financial operation.
27a Mistake made, one yelping (6)
A double definition – the second can be a term for someone or something yelping.
28a Time line? (8)
Another double definition – the second can be a logical collection of words.
Down
1d A little balalaika to play on (4)
The first lurker (a little) found in three words in the clue.
4d Lack of lids flipped up? Exactly! (4,2)
A (2,4) phrase for lack of lids reversed (flipped up).
6d Two fishes, one of those in quartet? (6,4)
Guess a fish, then what do you have when you have two of them?
13d Wacky proposition for movement (10)
A synonym of wacky (used to describe a person’s behaviour?) and a synonym of proposition (to be voted on?).
14d Something with a stone on top of bolt, bolt upright (5)
Something edible that contains a stone placed before (on) the first letter (top of) Bolt.
21d Alien residing in semi, green! (6)
Nothing to do with a Spielberg film, the other lurker (residing in) two words in the clue.
24d Cut oxygen, say, and hydrogen (4)
What oxygen is an example of (say) and the chemical symbol for Hydrogen.
26d Music from one of the Stones? (4)
If you have one of the stones (the upper case letter is deliberately misleading) you might have a ****, which can be a music genre.
Quick Crossword Pun:
WALL + LIMA + MIRTH = WOOLLY MAMMOTH – Hmm!
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When one is bereft of ideas for a music video and Google is not being much help, there is always the fall back to Kraus & Plant or Atkins & Knopfler. I have gone for the latter pairing:
Enjoyable and reasonably benign, some lateral thinking required and clever cryptics. Highlights 20a, 25a & 14d.
Many thanks to Dada and Senf
As ever with Dada it took a while to get into the guzzle but it was enjoyable once it got going. Plenty to like such as the two fishes in a quartet at 6d and the wacky proposition at 13d. However, 20a eluded me until I had the checkers and I’m still not sure about it. My COTD is the Tuesday in February at 12a, which I thought was very clever.
Thank you, Dada for the fun challenge. Thank you, Senf for the hints and explaining 20a.
Had to Google 19a – very obscure. Otherwise a relaxed and gentle solve with the morning cuppa; ideal for Sunday. 9d, 20a and 21d all amused, but personal COTD goes to 12a as I think it will for many.
Thanks to Dada and Senf
A slow start that fell into place once 12ac solved, then solved fairly quickly
2*/3*
12/20 ac my favourites. I found the synonym at 2d a little stretched but otherwise good fun.
I got there but it was painful, I clearly did not have my brain switched on when I started. I appreciated the long clues and anagrams as I don’t think I would have stood a chance. As is often the case a couple of the 4 letter clues held out the longest. I think 13a was my favourite.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints.
I thought that this was going to be one of Dada’s Sunday stinkers as on first pass I had just one clue solved. However the two long clues provided the necessary foothold for an enjoyable solve. Cotd for me is 12a. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Have never heard of Will S referred to as the Swan of Avon so 19a a can’t be anything else bung in. Otherwise pretty straightforward & enjoyable. Liked the two long ‘uns at 12&20a & the two fishes at 6d can have the last podium spot. Hmmm indeed for the Quickie pun.
Thanks to D&S
Ps gorgeous sunshine here on the first tee at Centurion
My research on the 19a words last night, and a little more this morning, indicates that the relationship between them is generic rather than referring to one individual.
The person concerned is known as both the Swan and the reversal of the solution to 19a. Well I knew it anyway
I would expect nothing less😀
Metoosoo. We are obviously the readers!
FYI, one of the theatres at Stratford-upon-Avon is called The Swan.
Oh of course – that never even registered,
Will S was referred to as ‘The Swan of Avon” by the playwright Ben Johnson – (redacted – please read the instructions in red at the end of the hints) Rather amusing really.
For me a very friendly and straightforward Dada this week , totally on my wavelength . Very enjoyable. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Sluggish start but once thinking headgear had been properly deployed all began to fall into place but with one or two hitches along the way e.g. 19a and 8d (bad penny abbreviation). Fav 12a plus a smile for 3d. Thank you Dada and Senf.
Not too sure about Quickie pun which I certainly didn’t fathom!
I thought this was a Toughie in disguise but with a bit of work it turned out to be much more accessible. Not easy however. Still a little puzzled by 19a, presumably something written by the person usually referred to in the answer but does Stratford on Avon figure as well (hope doesn’t overstep the bounds)?
Best clue for me was 9a.
Thx to all
****/***
Have a look at my reply to Huntsman at Comment 7.
Ah so I was right. Spent many a happy evening at S upon A theatre followed by a repast at the Swan.
Dada’s being quite quirky today but entertaining – thanks to him and Senf.
Ticks from me for 12a, 20a, 2d and 6d.
I thought this a bit quirky but enjoyable today. Had to Google 19a synonym as I hadn’t come across it before. I couldn’t work out the Quickie pun either.
Top picks for me were 12a, 6d and 13d.
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
The occasional glimpse of our setter’s quirky side such as 19a but some chuckles as well to help us on our way. Ticks here went to 12&20a plus 6,13&24d.
Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the review, lovely Humming Bird pic and music – Mr Knopfler looking very relaxed I thought.
First pass last night and I only put in a couple and thought it was hard. This morning upon returning to it I realized I’d started the toughie. However this one was equally challenging and not my wavelength at all.
The humming birds are feeding right now ready for their huge migration so I shall go and sit in the garden and watch them. We have 4 this year, arguing about who gets to feed.
Slow with the acrosses but the downs came to the rescue.
Never heard of 19a and personally I’m not keen on 6d. Having played in string quartets all my life – which is what I immediately think of when quartet is mentioned – there isn’t usually a 6d in these. Probably therefore referring to a jazz quartet! Hmmmm
Otherwise enjoyed by me and the pommers – so thanks Senf and Dada.
Well, Dada seems to have left his personal thesaurus closed for this puzzle and kept quirkiness to a minimum. One new word for me in the NW.
1.5*/4* for me
Favourites include 12a, 20a, 5d, 14d & 26d — with winner 12a.
Smiles for 28a, 4d & 6d
Thanks to Dada & Senf for blog/hints
19a was a bung in for me too, otherwise a pretty straightforward run so thanks to Dada and SC. Hurrah, my detatchable Kindle keyboard has decided to start working again, was just about to buy another one as its so useful Lets hope the washing machine repair man has the same luck tomorrow.
Manders, if you read books on your Kindle, have you tried the PaperWhite? I love it, I’ll never go back to books or the Kindle Fire.
I am surprised no one has mentioned 10a upon which I am completely stuck. Oops just had to dash out to look at some of the Duxford air show. I know the cruciverbal ancient city. I could use South Africa starters. Is a quarter NE, SW ?
My African geography is pathetic. I ‘m a bit under the weather having spent 12hours in A&E yesterday – saw a young man in a terrible state because he was out cycling (fortunately and sensibly wearing a helmet) when a stag dashed across the road and threw him. A motorist ran over his bike before stopping to find him unconscious. I got to know lots of stories and backgrounds in that time! Do I look like an agony aunt? Anyway, might have a look at yesterday’s guzzle later but Steve, at the moment, this pen is yours. Many thanks to the Setter and He-Who-Did- Not-Hint my one stumbling block.
I think you have the right city, look at it again and forget NE and SW.
Oh thanks Merusa – I was trying to insert a two letter city but now I am looking at another city having looked into quarter. Doh! (Unsolicited Americanism?) sorry Steve, I am claiming the pen after all.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one from Dada! 👍
Not easy, but obviously got on to the right wavelength and slowly, but steadily, solved one answer leading to another.
Like others, wasn’t sure about 19A and needed online confirmation of the relationship, but otherwise all good. Not sure why, but I really liked the 17A & 18D combo which opened the south of the grid for me.
Thanks to Mr D and, as ever, to Senf for the blog ‘n hints.
Cheers!
Not easy, by a long shot, but some real smilers along the way! I found the SE to be very tricky, making a DNF, needing ehelp; isn’t 25a funny? Surely Doppleganger needs more than just that in 2d? Don’t dare say more. Smilers include 5d and 6d, but fave is a coin flip between 12a and 20a.
Thank you Dada for the fun, and Senf for his help, particularly explaining 19a. I didn’t know you had hummingbirds in the frozen north? I thought they were purely tropical birds, like me!
The only one that ventures this far North is the Ruby Throated (describing the male, of course). One of the biggest parks in the city has what is named ‘The English Garden’ and, and as you can see in the photo I took last Thursday, many of the flowers are chosen to attract different bird species. The males don’t stay as long as the females. After ‘doing what come naturally’ they seem to decide that a lack of parenting skills means that they can head back South quite early.
Like Steve, I had trouble getting unto this guzzle but things proceeded mor rapisly once a few checkers went in . I liked the two long cross cryptic definition, clues, 13a and 20a.m and the classical city 10a. My favourite, however, was 19a as I did remember the Swan ofAvon. It wasn’t an easy solve but I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints.
A slow start then a rapid finish as everything fell into place, with 12a my pick of several entertaining clues.
Many thanks to Dada and Senf.
We seem to be in the minority as we found this extremely difficult and very quirky. We had to look up the relationship between the two words in 19a as we’d never heard of it. A couple of clues didn’t work for us. Most of the pressure was in actually completing it. All in all not our favourite crossword. Best clue was 20a. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Pleasure
Battling an upset stomach and a tricky crossword at the same time so I didn’t fare too well today. Some great clues and some that foxed me completely. Still don’t understand 25a. Had 19a but had no idea why for ages. COTD to 28a. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Split your solution to 25a 3,3 and then read the clue again
An enjoyable one. I liked the almost chess-like sequence of thinking for 19a. Being a railway buff I liked 13d ;) . 16d clever. Nothing too obscure.
Well I liked this one as well as yesterday. Friday but a distant (unpleasant) memory! Thanks all
Bottom half a bit trickier than the top half but got there eventually with a bit of help from Senf
Thanks to Dada and Senf _ Chet and Mark are going up the playlist when I have absorbed Andy H’s Spotify covers playlist
15a best littl’un 13d best longer one
love this one by them –
The complete ‘Neck and Neck’ CD is one of the best ever. ‘Poor Boy Blues’ was Track 1.
V benign for Dada!