Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 308037 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)
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As this is my last on-the-day blog post before Christmas Day’s Toughie, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas
I know that one of my fellow bloggers will refer to today’s cryptic crossword as being worthy of Prize Puzzle status, as I thought the NY Doorknob had set us a trickier challenge than usual and I am sure there will be a fair few requests for assistance
Please ask for help if you are stuck on clues I haven’t hinted, but before doing so, please read the comments that appear before yours, so that you are not duplicating questions, and make sure you obey both the instructions in red at the end of the Hints and the blog’s 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 Try to please cool wife stuck inside (4)
The abbreviation for Wife ‘stuck inside’ a verb meaning to cool with a current of air
12a Dictator’s sinister observation post? (5)
If you are intending to submit an entry for the Mythical, you should read this clue carefully and make sure you use the required spelling. A homophone (dictator’s) of a synonym for sinister
13a Is it the right change? (9)
This amount of change is part of an expression meaning right as …
14a Celebrated barman, very French, about to bring in fish (8)
Reverse (about) the French word for very and insert (bring in) a type of fish
16a/10a Out to lunch, drunk met by tearful lieutenant’s woman (6,9)
Out to lunch is an informal (originally American) phrase meaning slightly crazy, a synonym for which precedes an anagram (drunk) of MET BY TEARFUL
24a Hamster’s nemesis? Rodents in retreat run! (5)
The surname of the comedian who featured on the front page of the Sun newspaper in 1986 where the headlines indicated that he was the nemesis of a hamster. Reverse (in retreat) some rodents and follow with the cricket abbreviation for Run
29a Strongly advise pumping gallons into Yorkshire river? (4)
The abbreviation for Gallons ‘pumped into’ a Yorkshire river
Down
1d Tale marvellous – extremely labyrinthine? (5)
A slang word meaning marvellous and the extreme letters of LabyrinthinE
6d Food transport vehicles? (9)
These vehicles transport food through the digestive system
8d A Republican, Dubya’s Dick, imprisoning male opponent (4-5)
A (from the clue), the abbreviation for Republican and the surname of the Vice-President of America under George W (Dubya) Bush, ‘imprisoning’ the abbreviation for Male
15d Mammoth, black, roaming Earth: weapon needed! (3,6)
The nickname of a German siege weapon in the First World War. A synonym for mammoth, the abbreviation for Black and an anagram (roaming) of EARTH
21d Better to enjoy an evening here? (6)
A cryptic definition of where a better might enjoy (if he was winning) an evening
23d Martians at last in American airspace (5)
The last letter of Martians, IN (from the clue) and the abbreviation for American
25d Poem Frost read out? (5)
A homophone (read out) of a hoar frost
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.
If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then please don’t leave a comment.
The Quick Crossword pun: TEASE + TRAINERS = TEA STRAINERS
What a pre-Christmas cracker! Best puzzle for ages.
Multi-word answers, mis-directions, obscure cities and weapons – lots for the unhappy commenters today.
Difficult to pick a favourite today with the 23d airspace and the 24d bargain vasectomy in the running but my prize goes to my LOI, the 9d Wilder element, for the penny drop moment.
Worth having a look at the life history of the 24a Hamster’s nemesis.
Many thanks to NY Doorknob and crypticsue.
Phew! That was a tussle and no mistake. I’ve never heard of 24a and 28a. I wonder if 6d will make Terence’s “List”. I had to drag 15d from the depths of my memory. For me and I stress for me (TM Senf) a bit of a slog with not much fun to be had. However, 24d raised a smile so that is my COTD.
Thank you, setter for the brain mangling. Thank you, CS for the hints.
Manners, Cowling!
Have a very Merry Christmas, CS. 🎅🏻
I couldn’t agree more with DaveP, a real cracker that exercised the brain.
It was definitely trickier than many SPP’s but a satisfactory solve when done
Thanks to NYDK and CSue
COTD the enormous weapon
3*/3.5*. Tougher than usual for an SPP but a lot of fun with the exception of 28a. Politeness prohibits me from saying what I really think about this clue.
23d was my favourite with a special mention for 13a.
Many thanks presumably to NYDK and to CS.
I had come across 28a when researching a branch of my family or else I would have been in the same boat.
This was hard work but good fun though the monster anagram haters will lose the plot.
I like the big anagrams as it’s a real challenge to answer them with as few as checkers as possible. More often than not, they contain two and three letter words which makes it a lot easier to solve.
My LOI was the tremendous 6d which won’t go on El Tel’s list as we’re all aware of its singular. I know a few cities but 28a is a new one on me. At least I now know the previous capital of this territory (trying my best to avoid the naughty step which probably has all sort of Christmas goodies to gorge on).
My podium is 24a, 6d and 17d.
Many thanks to NYDK and CS.
3*/4*
That was simply awful! Quite the most fiendish and complex ever. Requires knowledge of the arts of which I simply have none. And as for 10/16a, words fail me.
This is the sort of crossword that makes me want to give up on them. I hope the more experienced enjoy it. As for the rest of us mere mortals, a Happy Christmas and hope for something better in the New Year.
Totally unrateable.
Don’t hold back, Brian! Say what you really think.
My thoughts exactly, Brian
I bet Christmas is a real hoot in your house!
I’m not sure why you said that
A strange and unkind comment?
No Brian, it was not simply awful, it was a very entertaining solve. I can speak quite honestly as one who left a Sec Mod school a mere two weeks after his fifteenth birthday with no qualifications whatsoever and who hated school with a passion, that this was eminently solvable. Since those darker days I have gleaned sufficient knowledge, interest and education to cope quite happily with the majority of crossword puzzles such as this one. No bragging or gloating intended, but since 1958 I have soaked up ‘stuff’ like a sponge and I am still (at 82 almost) happy to learn. With a little thought and patience, this was an absolute belter to solve – and that was after spending most of this morning preparing the weekend food for us. The last set of clues to finally fall into place for me were the 27/19 combination. I admit to using electronic aid for 28a, a new city to me, but the remainder contributed to a nice steady solve. A super puzzle with no stand out favourites – just a joy to solve. Thank you setter and CS. Keep ’em coming, please :-) :-)
Phew, I am definitely a mere mortal. This was way beyond my abilities, and without any picture clues today (not a criticism, I am sure CS has more than enough to do today) I am throwing in the towel.
Disappointed at the drift towards American culture that means I struggle to answer even a few clues.
I used to complete the Saturday puzzle perhaps once a month, which kept bringing me back for more.
I think I’ll try other newspapers. 🙁
I spent pretty much the whole (lengthy) solve time convinced I wasn’t going to finish. Nearly gave up at at one-third done. Peerless setting to allow a solver to eke out the answers step by step, letter by letter, and what a trek it was. 28a was last one in; I’ve no idea which benthic region of my brain that came from! Favourite was 14a for the penny-drop moment. ****/*****
Addendum: The hamster clue is, I think, rather unfair on anyone under 50.
Luckily, AK, that’s about 5% of the solvers on this blog.
These setters know their audience.
I am well over 50 and 24a was a ‘bung in’ of, with the checkers, it has to be and trying to explain it with the activities of another individual with that surname.
Me too, Senf.
There’s no question that some over-50s won’t have heard of him and the hamster story, very much like obscure knowledge, e.g 28a.
I was highlighting that there are hardly any under-50s on the blog.
I’m under 50 and the hamster clue was one of my first in — one of the few answers I got on the first pass.
That headline is so famous and has been referenced so many times over the years that it is indeed the only thing I know about the answer to 24a; presumably they were already famous before that headline (in order for it to make sense as front-page news), but I have no idea what for!
We love whippersnappers like you who bring down the average age which must be in the 70s.
Isn’t this blog just great for a place where the older generation can share their thoughts and experiences.
I love it.
Solving digitally and only being able to see one clue at a time, means the linked clues are dreadfully difficult. Anyway I got there in the end but had a hard time with 28a. Horrible day here in Aldeburgh but very cosy accommodation complete with beautiful Christmas tree. Thanks to the setter for the guzzle and CS for the hints. Thanks also for all the birthday wishes yesterday.
Sorry, I was out all day yesterday and did not spot your birthday. How many times have you had a combined birthday and Christmas present? Poor you. June is the ideal month for a birthday? (Smug emoji) Hope you had a nice day!
Believe it or not DG I’ve never had a combined present! I opened prezzies yesterday (about 8) and to my horror there was one strange one – patches to put on my very cold hands. But who was it from, no idea so who to thank, no idea!
A proper Prize Puzzle easily the best for ages with a deal of wit (pity that all three of the long answers are anagrams).
I loved hamster’s nemesis and Dubya’s Dick.
Thanks to our setter and CS and Christmas greetings to both.
I am very much in the camp that thoroughly enjoyed this challenge. Yes, it was hard work in places, but I felt all the wordplay was fair, and the misdirection clever. I certainly don’t think that writing it off as awful is particularly fair or accurate. If solvers have never heard of some of the arts-related clues one wonders where they have been all their lives. My particular favourite was one such clue, 14a.
Many thanks to Donny and to Sue, thank you for this and all your hard work over the year. Merry Christmas.
Sorry to be an old grouch but I didn’t enjoy that crossword and found it quite hard. Entirely personal preference but that was three linked clues too many for me.
Thanks anway to NYDK and Cryptic Sue and Happy Winter Solstice everyone!
Quite a head scratcher from NYDK, but very enjoyable – ***/****
My mother absolutely detested the 27a/19a cliché!
Candidates for favourite – 3a, 14a, 8d, 23d, and 24d – and the winner is 14a.
I have just seen that the NTSPP is by Radler. I think I will pass on it and preserve my brain cells for working on Dada’s latest offering this evening!
Thanks to NYDK and CS.
Good decision re the NTSPP, Senf. After staring at a blank grid for 20 minutes, I threw in the towel. 🥺
I finished this without too much difficulty, but I cannot say I enjoyed it.
I will not submit an enjoyment rating as I do not wish to appear disrespectful.
Thank you to NYDK ( I enjoy your puzzles normally) and to CS.
I found this tough to get started, with some rather obscure GK references that IMHO slightly spoiled what was otherwise an excellent challenge. For me, the long anagrams helped crack it open, but I had never heard of 28a and had to Google it. Last in was 13a which took me far longer to parse than it should have done so I’ll make that my CTOD.
Thanks to the setter and to CS and a merry Christmas to one and all.
Great puzzle, but for the second day running I was beaten by 4 clues, but that’s the only way to learn, if it was a breeze everyday where would be the fun?
My two favourites today were the fishy 14a and the brilliant 8d, Dubya’s Dick, priceless!
Simply brilliant today. It took me a while but some superbly crafted clues. Getting to the end has a put a big pre-Christmas smile on my face. Thank you, setter!
Merry Christmas to all on this blog!
By some margin the longest time spent on an SPP for as long as I can remember. 6d&13a doubled the solve time & the pennies only dropped after a break for a lovely hot stone massage. Sorry Brian but for me this was a terrific guzzle with some real corkers – 6&8d + 24a would be my picks from a host of ticks.
Many thanks to Donny & to Sue.
Struggled from start to finish (And when I say finish I mean throwing in the towel). Too tricky for me and didn’t enjoy the time I spent on it. Not because I couldn’t solve it – just no smiles and no enjoyment – miles off my wavelength.
Great to see that so many did get great pleasure from it tho – love the fact that there are so many different tastes
Thanks to the setter and the hintster
Hello 28a! Welcome to THE LIST! You’re rather on the large side so a place has been reserved for you next to ‘subjoin’ and our old pal, ‘obi’ the Japanese apron.
6d was not nominated as its singular form is well known.
Tricky fellow, this guzzle. My gruel and orange juice with no bits were long finished before I added 22a as my last entry.
Thanks to the setter and dear Super Sue.
I am appealing the inclusion of 28a on THE LIST. Was sufficient research completed on its origins? I suspect not. 😉
With all obscure knowledge, there is always someone who knows it.
But, I’d wager that 24 out of 25 of the solvers haven’t which I’m guessing therefore qualifies for The List.
I thought you would have heard of it from the great Townes Van Zandt song, Waitin’ Around To Die
Doh!
Well done indeed to those who knew 28a and didn’t have to employ outside assistance to arrive there! I found this SPP quite a challenge but I’ll blame it on a concentrated dose of young grandchildren full of Christmas excitement. I love them dearly but I do wish one could remove the batteries occasionally………
Top three here were 13a plus 23&24d.
Thanks to NYDK and to CS for the hints – thank you for all that you do for the blog and best wishes for a very happy Christmas to you and yours.
A dose of night-nurse in the Ribena may help
Above my pay grade today. Just couldn’t get any real traction. In the end my corner took pity and threw in the towel. Of the clues I did complete, 24d made me wince but raised a smile too. Thanks NYDK for the mind mauling and CS for the hints.
A feast indeed as we approach the religious festival, served up presumably by chef NYDK.
I very much appreciated the modicum of extra difficulty, as it allows for a coffee top-up, brought to the table with the usual congregation of well-fashioned clues. I’m going for the three linked anagrams for the prizes, with the Dante one just pipping the other two.
I’m tempted, but I’ll stick with the turkey rather than rodent for this year’s slap-up.
Thanks NYDK and C Sue
Well, that was a struggle! It would have been a DNF without some help from my electronic friend. I had no idea about the city in 28A and as US was part of the fodder, it could have been anywhere in the world. 16A and 10A were solved from the checkers as I know nothing of that plot.
That’s enough moaning. Apart from the above, I enjoyed this puzzle immensely and when the mythical arrives, it will have been well earned. 14A is my choice for the top spot.
Thanks to NYDK and CS. Happy Christmas to you all.
You leave The Mythical alone, Eeyore – I’m in with a chance this week! 😊
I’m right behind you ……..
I’m putting up barricades!! I will repel all boarders!
No point in me winning it. I’d only lose it. 😊
Like others I found this one a real challenge and needed help to finish as I would not have got 28a without e help. That said I still enjoyed the challenge and there were plenty of excellent clues, particularly the anagrams, to enjoy. I had to consult the hints after finishing to see why 24a was what it was, it was a case of having to believe the word play. I thought 8d was brilliant once I understood it and 14a.
Many thanks to NYDK for providing us with so many excellent prize puzzles and to CS for all your hard work in providing the regular hints and maintaining the blog (with the others of course). Merry Christmas to you both.
That was tricky, had trouble with all the linked clues which slowed me down. There were, however, plenty of clever clues though unless someone can tell me why I should have heard of 28a I just don’t see the point of taking an obscure place and making an anagram out of it.
Thanks to setter and Sue
It turns out to be the only word that fits the checking letters
I needed electronic help with both 6d and 28a, neither of them words I knew….i am afraid these obscurities marred (for me) what was otherwise a challenging but highly entertaining puzzle.
Wow that was tough, almost gave up and then crawled over the finishing line.
5*/3*
Favourites today 14a and 23d.
Not a fan of 6d or 28a.
Thanks to Sue and NYDK
That was very tricky but I persevered. 28a was my last in and I agree a bit obscure and worthy of a place in the “list”. I received one of the Mythical in the post this week and would like to thank all the bloggers, as I have gone from nearly finishing to usually finishing in the years I have been reading the blog. Thanks today to Sue and the setter.
Merry Christmas everyone 🎄
Congratulations on your Mythical.
It’s a lovely moment, is it it! 😌
Sulk!! 😊
Congratulations, JD. As a matter of interest how do you submit the puzzle?
Hi Steve, I subscribe to the digital newspaper rather than the Puzzles app, so I just hit the submit button when it is complete. I think I would prefer a voucher!!
Maybe that’s why The Mythical avoids me. I email a photo of the completed puzzle.
I enjoyed the tussle today apart from 28a for which I needed help.
Top picks for me were 9a, 24a, 8d and 13a.
Thanks and Merry Christmas to CrypticSue and the setter.
Well with the signatory clues it would appear to be another NYDK production. Tough in some areas but overall a pleasant solve.
2.5*/4* for me
Favourites 3a, 6d, 18d, 21d, 23d & 24 — with winner 23d
Smiles from 18d, 21d & 24d
Thanks to NYDK & CS for blog/hints
Happy Christmas to you both
I must cofess that my heart sank, when I saw the three linked clues but then I found all the delightful General Knowledge clues a s anagrams. A nice challenge in the end especially when I dredged the answer to 28a from the fluff that had collected at the back of my retired geography teacher’s brain. Well misdirected 14a was another Christmas cracker and 6d a good cryptic definition. Thanks to CS for the hints and NYDK for an absorbing challenge. Merry Christmas everyone🎄☃️
Well. I don’t think I have ever struggled so much on one clue! I am endorsing Terence’s recommendation for inclusion on The List – the table is covered in reference books! 15d has to be my favourite as we have one for our umbrellas (hope that does not put me on The Step but I bet Seesue’s mince pies are worth eating). A great guzzle. Huge thanks, as we morph into the Crazy Christmas period followed by New Year, to all the wonderful Setters and Hinters (specifically today NYDJ & Seesue) and the super Global friends who put up with the ramblings of an old lady (or not, if you just pass over me – I still enjoy you). Have a great festive period wherever you are, even if your idea of fun is sitting with a good book and a box of chocolates.
Good afternoon
By the cringe! I enjoyed the challenge, but it certainly was a challenge. Several instances of going away, making a brew, and returning to the crozzie only to stare at it again….and again!
Some tremendous clues, from which it’s difficult to pick out COTD contenders; so I’m going for 2d, 24a, (🤣) and 8d as runners-up, with 6d as the winner.
Thank you to Dr Google for 28a, my last to fall; thank you NYDK, and thank you CS.
Yes, this was indeed a challenge with lots of obscure knowledge required, but hey, as said earlier, if they are all easy we will not learn. While 24a was a bit obscure, it could only be that answer with the checkers, and yes I do remember it. Thanks to the setter and Crypticsue for the hints. COTD for me was my LOI: 21d.
For me that was one long slog with little light relief. I have to admit patience is not one of my attributes so I am frustrated by having to dodge to and fro with recent trend towards DT dispersed multi clues. Can’t believe I finally made it save of course the obscure 28a. 24a was a bung-in. Not a memorable assignment. Sort of thank you setter and a sincere one to CS.
That was hard! Some really clever clues which I should have got, but the lateral thinking side of my brain was missing today. I have a self-imposed rule that if I need help with too many clues I don’t deserve a Mythical so I don’t submit the puzzle. Thank you to crypticsue and the very clever setter.
Seems I’m in a minority about 28a, I’ve known about this place forever, but no idea why, maybe I just heard the word as a child and just liked the sound of it…..
Afternoon all.
Sorry about 28A. I’m another who kind of knows that word, possibly because it also has homophonic possibilities (esp in a Groucho Marx joke). Never mind. At least you’re not the TFTT mob. I did something similar over there and got a right roasting, as it extended their solving times. Ho ho ho, as we say at Xmas.
Thanks for all the comments, and to Cree-ptic Sioux for the bloggery. Congrats to Mythical Winners, and, as this is my last daily before it, a very Happy Xmas to you all. I might be able to squeeze a little Toughie in before then though, so watch out.
Buenos Ayres
NYDK
Thank you, NYDK of the guzzle and have a very Happy Christmas also. 🎅🏻
Many thanks for popping in NY. Isn’t 28a (redacted – please come back and ask the same question when the review is published on Friday)describing my fight with the extensive help from Mr G? (Actually did recognise the name after the event)
Merry Xmas or Happy Holidays as they tend to say left pond.
How frustrating, took me three times as long as usual to solve, and then after submitting I noticed a spelling mistake in one of my answers 😡 I won’t even be in for a prize after all that effort!
Some excellent clues, so long as you have the knowledge and culture to get the answer!
Quite the challenge today. Not sure how you would solve 28a without digital help if you had never heard of the answer.
I disagree with Brian about this. I had a very poor education, partly due to moving schools way too often. No classical education required today.
24a was my first clue solved.
6d was the cause of the dnf. Even with the hint, I wimped out and used other means to solve.
A rather enjoyable challenge.
Thanks and Merry Christmas to all…!
Bananawarp, if you’ve never heard of the answer, it is impossible to solve 28a without digital help. However, you can get close with a bit of logic and then Google a few different possibilities.
There are ten letters in the answer and ten letters in the anagram fodder. Assuming this is your last one in, you already have five checking letters in the right places, and five other letters, which give rise to a maximum of 120 different possibilities. Of the five letters left to be placed, there are realistically only three possible lights where the two consonants can fit. This cuts the permutations down to a manageable number before you start using Google.
Yes, of course! 😳
RD, belated thanks for the guidance!
I won’t be so quick to seek electronic help next time.
In case anyone is interested, which I suspect is not the case, I will be absent tomorrow because I have to drive to Manchester Airport. I’m picking up Faye, our daughter, who is flying in from Melbourne to spend Christmas with us.
I’m dreading the journey but it will be worth it to have her with us.
Have a safe journey and I hope that your daughter arrives safely.
Hope the journey goes OK, and enjoy having your daughter home for Christmas!
Had to put a “bung in” for 13a … just couldn’t see the clue. Can anyone help please?
A very British simile equivalent to a small quantity of change
And there’s me thinking my hint had been extra helpful
This was indeed as challenging as advertised by CrypticSue and other commenters, but I can’t resist an NY Doorknob puzzle, so gave this a go last night after returning from a day trip to Birmingham (3 hours each way on the train, worth it for a splendid Christmas dinner in The Old Joint Stock with my family who’d made a similar journey in the other direction; we were seated in the Manager’s Office and were looked after so well by our server). I made very little progress last night, but did get a full grid eventually this morning.
I also didn’t know the things that others didn’t. Thank you to Sue for the hints.
I particularly liked 7d (“sailors below deck”) and 14a (the French barman), which was my last in, but worth the wait — thank you NYDK.
Is it still Friday 27th when the answer will be published (I might have some follow-up questions, if I remember!), or do the Christmas bank holidays mean the deadline has been extended for postal entrants? (Is entering by post still even a thing?)
The closing date is Friday 27th at 9 am
Well, that was tough but with the hint on 6d I got there, thanks Sue. I think being a plural when we only really ever use the singular threw me. And it’s Greek. And it’s anatomy.
Still, it reminds me I’m just a bit thick.
Merry Xmas, CS, and very many thanks for all you work!
A tough plod but got there in the end.
Wow, that was a tough one! It has taken me several visits to finish, but perseverance paid off. Very enjoyable. Brilliant clueing. Hats off to the setter and hinter.. Happy new year to all.