Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30785 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)
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I think this must be the first time I’ve ever thought of retreating to a darkened room after preparing the Hints for the Saturday Prize Puzzle – probably due to the time I spent making sure I could explain 1/11/24a! To me it is obvious who set this enjoyable brain teaser and also obvious what some of the usual commenters will think of it (while, of course, observing both the instructions in red at the end of the Hints and the blog’s Comment Etiquette Comment Etiquette – Big Dave’s Crossword Blog)
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.
Across
1a, 11a & 24a Keeping well in San Sebastian, Dawn (with hairdo) looks refreshed? Say no more (1,4,2,4,2,1,4,2,1,5,5)
Are you sitting comfortably because I shall explain this only once! Never in the field of crossword blogging have so many words been written out so many times to find the anagram fodder for this solution (which, like me, you confidently entered into the grid once you had a few checking letters An anagram (refreshed) of DAWN HAIRDO LOOKS SAN SEBASTIAN into which is inserted (keeping) a synonym for well.
10a Sailor leaving shellfish for sole (5)
An abbreviated sailor leaving a type of shellfish
14a Area where gibbon lives: no place for 24? (7)
A 24a probably wouldn’t do well here – the abbreviation for Area and where a gibbon lives (2,4)
18a Absolve Gaunt beginning to suffer in church (7)
An adjective meaning gaunt (without the capital G) and the ‘beginning’ to Suffer inserted into the abbreviation for the Church of England
20a & 21a Queen’s classic visit to 14? (1,3,2,3,5)
One of the rock band’s classic albums or a visit to 14a
23a Superman reportedly getting cramp? (7)
A homophone (reportedly) of a member of a family of giants (superman) in Greek mythology, a name also given to anything gigantic
Down
1d Song by leaderless congregation in bubble (7)
A song and a church congregation without its first letter (leaderless)
3d Appearing in tabloid: it’s a knitted bear! (7)
Insert an anagram (knitted) of IT’S A into a tabloid newspaper
5d When guards live and perish showing duty (9)
At one time (when) ‘guards’ synonyms for live and perish
7d Keep up check on page in article by expert (4,3,4)
A check or restraint, the abbreviation for Page inserted into a definite article and finished with an informal name for an expert
18d Fast runner no sporting sort did you say? (7)
This fast-running animal sounds like (did you say?) an unsporting person
19d Dicky in US having drink with Bond? (7)
An American word for a band of material sometimes known as a dicky – a slang word meaning to drink and a verb (ignore the misleading capital) mean bond
21d Man I have heard on the radio? (5)
This man’s name is used in radio communications to mean ‘received and understood’
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.
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The Quick Crossword pun: COTE + HANGAR = COAT HANGER
An excellent challenge for a Saturday morning but my sympathies go to those who solve online and can only see one clue at a time.
I needed most of the checkers before the 1,11 and 24a combination fell into place along with the other linked clues. (I know that he who says too much faces the naughty step but there is another un-clued classic among the answers).
My favourite today has to be the 20, 21a combination.
Thanks to the setter for brightening up this dull Saturday morning and to crypticsue as always.
Excellent */*****. Loved the humour, the connected clues and the “long ones”. Often with multiple word answers, they just go straight in, if you know what I mean (a bit like the four in Elgar yesterday).
Thanks setter and CS.
Gosh I found this challenging. I could only get second half of the 1a combo as the anagram defeated me and I’d never heard the expression. That grumble aside lots of very nice and satisfying clues. Favourite for its simplicity and the homophone misdirection was 21d also 5d which took ages to parse and was very clever. Thank you to setter and Crypticsue PS Is there some kind of animal sporting theme going on here or am I imagining that ?
1*/2.5*. Although this was reasonably enjoyable, I am afraid it wasn’t much of a challenge today. As soon as I saw the definition and enumeration for 1/11/24, I was able to write in the answer (except that my final word for 24a was too short to fit, although a couple of checking letters soon sorted that out.) Normally I check anagram fodder but, in this case, I decided to trust the setter.
Thanks to the setter (NYDK surely?) and to CS.
I had a similar problem re the last word of 24a.
A funny day where some felt it was simple and others hard. I’m not a big fan of joined clues and today for me both were bung ins. But others were clearly not aware of that form of the saying or the recording. Not my favourite today so */** for me. Sorry but thanks to all.
This puzzle was very much like a naughty child in this ridiculously PC era, it can’t be beaten.
Best entertainment since I’ve been doing the DT, and a 31 letter answer, does anyone remember a longer one?
Last one in for me was 5d, not helped by the fact that however many times I read the clue, I always saw ‘WHERE guards live’ got there in the end though.
Fascinated to see who the compiler is, very well done whoever you may be, pure brilliance.
I quite enjoyed this. The long clue was obvious with only 3 checkers in place, but I must confess to not bothering to look at the anagram. It’s been a long time since I watched that, so youtube is beckoning me!
Thanks to the setter and to CS. 1*/3.
She’s from Purley….
Don’t tempt me to carry on the thread or I’ll end up in the prize puzzle naughty room…
Brilliance indeed, and a lightness of touch, not really a difficult solve, just a lot of fun and frolics for me. Keep them coming. I was actually rather surprised NOT to see ellipses between 13 and 16D, but that’s just me.
Aside from the almost anagram, which I found surprisingly smooth despite the length of the solution, I think I will plump for 20/21, as laureate, which pretty well exemplifies the fun level. And of course, it is indeed a classic, along with its slightly earlier, um, stablemate.
Many thanks Sue, and — for a cert — NYDK.
A really tough but strangely enjoyable puzzle but with an absolutely dreadful clue in 14a which does not work on so many levels!
Thx for the much needed hints.
A great puzzle spoilt by an awful clue.
*****/* ( it have been ***** but for 14a)
Thx for the hints
Horses for courses I guess but I thought 14a was brilliant :)
Me too.
I’ve lost count of the number of times when Big Dave and quite a few of the rest of us have pointed out that just because you can’t solve/don’t like a clue doesn’t make it either absolutely dreadful or awful, it just means you couldn’t solve it and so didn’t like it.
I’m still working on today’s guzzle (not finding it as easy as others) but I have solved 14a and I think it’s a great clue. No idea where the “So many levels” come into it. Perhaps you could explain please, Brian?
I very much doubt that Brian will provide an explanation, he seldom comes back after posting his “absolutely dreadful” comments.
Me too Steve!
I’m not familiar with that particular ending to the 1/11/24 combo so that threw me for a while and I don’t know anything about the recording referred to in 20/21 so that was a ‘work it out another way’ moment. Despite those blind spots, this was a fairly rapid solve and I think my favourite was probably 5d.
Thanks to NYDK, I presume, and to CS for the hints.
Very funny and hugely enjoyable. 20/21 is just brilliant. Many thanks to our regular Saturday setter (there can only be one) and CS.
I really struggled with this as I’ve never heard of 1a and the album. Needed electronic assistance to find the album. With some checkers and the album I solved 1a and then 14a.
So, technically a DNF?
All great fun though
4*/4*
Thanks to NYDK and Sue for 1a.
This was more difficult on the phone app than it would have been on the back page, wsp3cilly with the multiple l8nked clues. However my vacation jobbat the bookies in my youth helped me out. a etc was very clever and quite entertaining . Thnks to the compiler and to CS for the hints
I had a vacation job at a bookies too!
Absolutely loved it…especially as I didn’t have to get there until about noon.
And it paid better than my pals who had jobs in shops…Littlewoods and BHS in those days….
Happy memories
An amusing theme, upon which I may not comment.
Even though I had all the checking letters, the first word of 7d was my last one in. In the end I had to do ‘the alphabet thing’ just to secure the two letters.
This afternoon, H and The Youngster are meeting up at a bathroom specialist store as two of the bathrooms here need (I’m told) updating. They are being given a 3D video presentation based on their previously discussed wishlist. All I know is that there will be a persuasive case put over the weekend along the lines of “But this will add value to the house!”, which is what I’m told each time I see vast sums disappearing to builders and garden renovation companies throughout the county.
Thanks to the setter and Super Sue
‘two of the bathrooms?’ you flaunt your wealth! 😆
Well, personally I found that rather slow going – in spite of the easy to pick ginormous anagram. Like everyone else I think I banged it in without checking – so well done to Sue for the hard work! I wasn’t convinced by the synonym in 9d, but otherwise a fun puzzle. (I can forgive the GK for the easy clue.) I took me a while to pick 5d (last in) so I’ll make that my CTOD. And for some classic entertainment, I think I’ll probably dig out my old DVDs as well.
Thanks to the setter for the challenge and CS for the hints.
Luckily I got 1a etc immediately without having to consider the anagram due to the clue’s pointer like quite a few of you, though I did think of a different last word thanks to too much Monty Python knowledge, luckily it wouldn’t have fitted.
A thoroughly enjoyable prize which proved a little trickier to finish than I though at the outset – 1 and 5d held me up.
**/****
Thanks to setter and Sue
I didn’t get it immediately, but like you I first thought of the Monty Python version.
You were just ‘John’ before so the suffix sent you into moderation. Both versions will work from now on.
I too had multiple renderings of the big anagram but realising that one of them was a synonym meant that parsing the clue took longer than the rest of the puzzle
13d was my favourite after I remembered it was 9 rather than 3,6
Thanks to NYDK and Sue I think a playlist of 20/21 across, 4d and 13d is going to be enjoyed with a 7a
No problems in solving this SPP, and I was certainly helped by getting the long linked clues very early in the piece. Just to be awkward I will select 14a as my favourite.
Thanks to our setter and Sue.
Well I must say that this was quite the challenge for this Saturday puzzle. OMG it took forever to get so many of the answers. Needed lots of e-help today.
3.5*/3* for me
Favourite has to be the last in 1,11,24a
Also liked 7a, 14a, 20a, 13d & 18d
Never heard of 8a
Thanks to NYDK (I assume) & CS. Gonna throw a couple of half-crowns on it being his puzzle. I don’t think I’ll lose ‘em!
Completely missed 1a being an anagram. Never heard the expression before like that, (redacted)
Otherwise very enjoyable.
I struggled with this as the 1, 11, 24a combo was one of my last ones. I managed to get 20/21a before 14a which was almost my LOI.
Top picks for me were 5d, 18d and 19d with a special nod to the long combo for it’s lengthiness.
Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.
I am short on patience anyway and I am afraid I am not a fan of the recent trend towards multi-word, cross-referenced and linked solutions. I came near to throwing in the towel early on but pressed on regardless and did eventually clear the West but East was a different kettle of fish and I sought much assistance there. The 1a conglomeration was not helped by the use of presumed ‘s rather than is. I’m obviously being very thick today as even with CS help I can’t parse 5d. US expression for a 19d didn’t occur to me. I think I will draw a veil over today’s effort and hope for happier challenge tomorrow. Thank you NYDK and Sue.
It’s made up of three words – synonyms of live and perish surrounded ie guarded by a synonym of when. It took me ages to see…
D’oh TVM Slowcoach. I don’t really think of it as duty but can’t argue with dictionaries, etc.!
Now if only you’d read the hint ….
I thought I had but to no avail! It was obviously when wot got me.
You and me both on cross referenced clues, especially multi ones. I almost just want to skip over them. And do.
🤝 BL.
Most enjoyable again! And thanks NYDK – the Brian clue a few weekends back is still the best MP reference in a while, though loved this one too. Thanks to CS for a couple of needed hints.
Tripped gaily through this until I ground to a halt in the SE, which took far longer than the rest, but on finishing couldn’t see why it should have been so. All in all a very enjoyable diversion. Cotd has to be the tripple 1, 11 and 24a. Thanks to the compiler and CS.
Yup, CS, the darkened room calls! I thought I did quite well, some delightful clues, 14a (sorry Brian) was a gem, 20a also amused, so did 23a. I needed hints for far too many! And ehelp. I don’t get the 1/11/24 phrase, I don’t think I’ve heard it. I have all the checkers and I’m going doolally here, brain totally shut down. How frustrating.
Thank you setter, who on earth can this be? You saved my sanity CrypticSue with your hints, I’m in your debt!
Thank you Mr. Google. I’ve just googled it and it gave me that answer. I’ve never heard the saying but I love it! Such a relief.
As an old FACES fan 1a etc jumped out, what a great album that was and we all used the phrase for years without really understanding why. On the other hand the man on the radio took ages to solve! Thank you NYDK and CS
That’s why I had faces in Comment 1. The threat of the naughty step prevented me from putting Faces. 😄
Oh bloody hell – there are limits and I think I’ve pretty much got to it for today!
The two combinations of Jane’s comment and CS’s pic hint got me going again otherwise I’d be still stuck.
I did, eventually, remembered the Queen CD.
Need a rest now, or a lie down in a dark room.
Thanks to NYDK and particularly CS, not to mention her patience!!
Seemed to take me ages to get on the right wavelength, but was pretty straightforward once I did.
5d was the last one in, and I think my favourite. Thumbs up for 14a too.
Thanks to CS and NYDK.
Too much to do today to spend ages pondering over 1a, 11a and 24a. I do abhor multi linked clues like this. I’ve heard of the first part, or something very similar, but I’ve never heard it with the last four words. A shame, as I enjoyed much of the rest of the puzzle. Just not my cup of tea, but never mind, tomorrow is another day. Thanks to setter and CrypticSue.
Not sure if I’m a fan of 1/11/24a or not. The idiom only vaguely rang a bell once checkers were in at the bottom having entirely forgotten (if I ever knew) The Faces discography – I did clock that it involved a synonym but couldn’t be bothered to identify the fodder. 20/21a I did recall however & along with 14a was my picks of a very entertaining puzzle. Golf over in the Algarve so back home the morrow.
Thanks to Donny & the ever busy CS – don’t know how you’ve the energy to manage all of these blogs
An enjoyable puzzle, bar the desperate anagram at 1a etc. That clumsy, essentially meaningless clue contrasts markedly with the succinct, amusing misdirection of 3d, which I feel is the clue of the day for me.
With the 1a combo being all over the oche it meant ignoring it and trying to solve the rest until we had enough checkers to get it, once we had things progressed smoothly. Favourite was 13d. Thanks to presumably NYD and CS.
That certainly kept me busy, and as it was a busy day too I could have done with it all not needing so much thought. It was brilliantly clever and I did enjoy the linked clues very much although had not heard the whole phrase for the long 1,11,24 combo but got there with the checkers. 5d was favourite with 3 in the south east holding out to the end.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints.
Agree with BusyLizzie – don’t like multiple linked clues but got there in the end.
Loved it.
Took me a while but enjoyed it.
Also managed to set up a new printer and make chili so I’m on a roll today…..
Thanks to the setter and to crypticsue
An enjoyable puzzle, bar the desperate anagram at 1a etc. That clumsy, essentially meaningless clue contrasts markedly with the succinct, amusing misdirection of 3d, which I feel is the clue of the day for me.
Just finished today’s enjoyable but challenging puzzle. LOI the 1,11,24 combo. It took me ages to work out the anagram! Many thanks to the setter and to CS. Sue you deserve a medal getting the combo at whatever hour of the morning you started and then doing the hints!
I have been a lurker for some time having been in stroke rehab. I did have access to the puzzle and the blog and obviously had plenty of time for working out the answers. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed the many beautiful pusskit pictures which certainly cheered my day. With regard to today’s puzzle all the clues are a complete mystery to me they might as well have been written in Chinese so I abandoned it and went to watch the snooker instead. No complaints – it’s just that my brain is 91 years old.
Another day tomorrow – let’s hope the puzzle is more within my pay grade. Thanks to the compiler and Cryptic Sue for all their hard work.
I should have headed my comment as ToniHaha- sorry!
I’ve edited your alias for you.
This puzzle was way beyond my pay grade and was definitely a dnf. Thanks to the compiler and Cryptic Sue for all their hard work.
So there I was, strumming away merrily on my ukulele when I suddenly announced A etc etc etc etc as the answer to the multi word clue popped in to my head! An interesting solving strategy. I can’t quite decide whether I like clues like that or not. I got a bit stuck in the South East, so thanks to Sue for the hints and thanks NYDK for an enjoyable puzzle.
Hello. Many thanks for all the comments. Martyn popped in: is he the same M that drops in at 225? I’m sure he will tell me.
Multi-light answers: as you may have guessed I am not shy of these. Are they awkward on the phone app, causing mobile rage, or is it just that they bug some of you per se? I cut my teeth on solving Guardian puzzles way back when, and I always found them (a) more of a challenge, and (b) useful, especially where they created fills in disparate areas of the grid. So that’s why, I guess, I’m not shy of them.
Thanks again, and thanks esp to Sue.
Cheers
NYDK
I’m not against multi-word answers but I’d never heard this one. I asked Mr. Google for his help and he obliged, now I love it!
You’ve gotta luv The Rood Bonk as he jazzes things up. More power to him.
1a was great fun; it really was. It didn’t drop until the end other than 21d, my LOI. It’s also a superb expression.
I always hesitate when writing the fifth and sixth letters of 8a.
Most of it dropped fairly quickly but the 31 letter howdy doody was staring at me throughout the whole contest, saying….
‘’Have yer got me yet? Well, have yer?’’ (I feel like Clint Eastwood)
‘’No, I haven’t, you big bulky. Now leave me alone!’’
My podium is 1a (obvs), 20a/21a and 3d for its randomness.
Many thanks to NYPD Blue for entertaining me so and Kryptonite Sue.
2*/4*
Bully not bulky though I do like bulky.
Well, I got there eventually and, despite finding it a bit gruelling, I did enjoy it. The longest clue in the history of cruciverbology held me up for ages. I will admit to using the hint for that one. The Mythical will be beyond me because I, rather stupidly, used the incorrect spelling for 18d. Whatever possessed me? My COTD is the clever 14a.
Thank you, New York door opener for the challenge. Thank you, CS for the hints.
I liked all the linked clues — gives a different sort of feel to the puzzle. Like several other commenters above, I wasn’t familiar with the last word of 1a, etc, so I worked the links backwards: getting the 20a Queen’s classic first, then 14a from that, and then that clued the final word of the long one.
21d is my favourite, for a definition that misleadingly looks like wordplay. Thank you to NY Doorknob for the challenge, and CrypticSue for hosting us all.
Did get this fine puzzle finished yesterday but as it was one of the few days without rain team Schofield knocked ourselves out removing slippery leaves from all walkways front and back. Loved 14 a.and this puzzle having a theme. Infuriated by 21 d until the answer came and that moment of recognition. I can submit as this weekend as I got there with only looking up synonyms once. Thank you to a fine setter and to CS for being there.