Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3308 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where the eponymous geese are returning from their winter trip to our Southern neighbours. I wonder if they are returning voluntarily or if they have been deported?
For me, and I stress for me, Dada reasonably friendly. Five anagrams (two partials), one lurker, and one homophone, all in a very 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 – 11a, 13a, 14a, 25a, 2d, 7d, 15d, 20d, and 22d.
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 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.
Some hints follow:
Across
9a Staff guarding old boat (5)
A four letter type of (inanimate) staff containing (guarding) the single letter for Old.
10a A risk throwing English dessert for a joke (5,4)
A from the clue, a five letter synonym of risk with the single letter for English deleted (throwing) and a type of dessert (using puréed fruit?).
14a A biscuit in general? (9)
Something we haven’t, at least I haven’t, seen for a while – a double definition, the general was Italian.
16a Tsar I haven’t suggested? (4,3,8)
I am not sure how to describe this, so apologies – the three word name of a (Russian) Tsar where the third word can be an anagram indicator applied to the first two words resulting in I HAVEN’T.
19a Mark in music: number fifty in force after adjustment (5,4)
A three letter cardinal number, followed by the Roman numeral for fifty inserted into (in) an anagram (after adjustment) of FORCE – such is my (lack of) musical knowledge that I had never heard of this mark until today so I did have to e-confirm it.
27a Move efficiently to secure a place for flight (9)
A (4,4) phrase for move efficiently (when preparing a cake mix?) contains (to secure) A from the clue.
28a Corinthian character embraced by handsome Gaul (5)
A lurker (embraced by) found in the last two words of the clue – and Corinthian refers to coming from a city in a Mediterranean country.
Down
1d A musical, not a book (4)
A from the clue and a (feline) musical without (not) its a.
2d Clothing comes back to life, might you say? (6)
A ‘different’ pronunciation of an informal term for clothing that is (ideally) usually ‘hidden’ by other layers could suggest coming back to life.
5d Keep sub beneath surface of Pacific (8)
Not a sub(marine) that would be under the surface of the Pacific – a synonym of sub (in a sports team?) placed after (beneath) the first letter (surface) of Pacific.
8d Change of age policy before end of session that may be targeted (4,6)
An anagram (change of) of AGE POLICY placed before the last letter (end) of sessioN.
13d Constable might have used this, finding page isn’t clean (10)
The single letter for Page, an informal variant of isn’t, and a verbal synonym of clean (that can also refer to the device being used).
15d US composer’s dance music (10)
A 20th Century US composer, famous for his Adagio for Strings, and the possessive S followed by a three letter informal dance.
20d Toy instrument (6)
A double definition – the first is a verb.
26d Tie, attractive thing? (4)
A double definition to finish – the first is a sports result.
Quick Crossword Pun:
PRONTO + SORE + HUSS = BRONTOSAURUS
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A group from Nottingham, a bit of a ‘one (or two) hit wonder’, but, when I was at the RAF College (many many years ago), Paper Lace appeared regularly at mess functions (before they were famous). This is the group’s only number one which achieved that honour on this day in 1974 and stayed there for 3 weeks:
(OK – I have used this one before, but it was a personal choice on my second Sunday Blog and I expect that some of you won’t remember it and I imagine there are some who were not ‘here’ then.)
I pop in to check we don’t use the same song, but no chance of that today and now I have an earworm. There is a (probably apocryphal) tale of a worker at Rowntrees Chocolate factory who fell into a vat of chocolate for one their brands. Thereafter whenever he came into the staff canteen “Billy Don’t be an Aero” was given a rendition
I probably told the same joke back on your second Sunday blog…
We love it, Sloops 👏👏
Yes you did!
Still groaning from reading SJB’s post…
A gentle and very enjoyable start to the day, thank you Dada and Senf. Amusing if unintentional culinary suggestion in 13a/14a! Honous to 16a, 2d & 15d.
All plain sailing except for 15d, which I’d never have got in a month of Sundays without the hint (even then had to look up the composer)
All in all a fair offering for a Sunday, with my two favourites being 1d and the wonderful 13d.
Trying to avoid all media this morning as we want to watch the F1 race at 3 o’clock and then the live MotoGP just after, so no radio in the car today.
Many thanks to Senf and our setter, great work both of you.
The composer I know with the name is English, so that didn’t help.
2*/3*. Nothing here to excite or to frighten the horses.
16a was my favourite with mentions for 11a, 27a & 15d.
Thanks to Dada and to Senf.
I have got 11a by a process of elimination from the checkers, but have no idea how the clue points to the answer at all. Any spoiler free ideas? It’s driving me up the wall!
A synonym for “scoundrel” surrounds (“involving”) the first and last letters (“outsiders”) of “deceitful”.
Ah, thanks! Obvious now…
Got totally hung up on 6d. Took away kin for a completely wrong answer that I thought fulfilled the clue perfectly.
Your comment went into moderation as you used a different name/alias compared to the one you used when you last commented some time ago. Both should work from now on.
I had kin too…and agree that the answer fits the clue…..trouble is 10a then doesn’t
A very enjoyable stroll through Crossyland with Radio in fine form.
The splendid 16a kicked things off nicely and it flowed from there with my LOI being 15d which went straight on to my podium.
As an aside, nothing touches his adagio for strings….’’Oi, Vaughan Williams! Your lark can ascend as much as it wants but it’ll never reach the heights of this bad boy.’’
My podium are the two above plus 1d.
Many thanks to Father Father and the Manitoban mountie.
2*/4*
Some great penny drop moments and definitely not a walk in the park. I still have one left to parse but I’ll keep at it for a bit longer.
Top picks for me were 2d, 1d, 7d, 10a and 14a.
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
Dada in a kind mood but 2d pays for all for me, a real smiler!
The bottom half was a little trickier than the top but as always (almost!), Dada comes up trumps.
Thx to all
***/*****
Just realised I printed off the Toughie by mistake! I finished it but did think it was a bit hard. I have the cryptic to do now, hurray
please pop into the other place and tell us how you got on, particularly if you made the same mess of the mud residences as I did
For me, and I stress for me (© Senf), this was an enjoyable guzzle.
Yesterday, we had luncheon in Chiddingfold. I knew the key fob battery (for the car) needed replacing but Googled and read that we would be alright as I could open the door manually, and then hold the fob next to the starter button and all would be ok.
Which it was… except there was no mention that it would also set the car alarm off in quite a deafening measure. I would like to apologise to all residents of Chiddingfold and surrounding villages who may have thought they were being given notice of a nuclear attack at 6pm yesterday.
Thanks to Da-doo-ron-ron and The Man From Manitoba
Ah, Chiddingfold, lovely area, haven’t been there for ages but spent quite a lot of time working with one member of a very famous band who all used to live there or thereabouts but I can’t remember the name of the pub we used to frequent in Dunsfold.
Names trigger memories… My wife’s late grandfather was a Wing Commander out of Dunsfold. Ernest Hemingway joined his crew for a raid on a V1 site in June 1944. I’m sure we have a picture somewhere of the two of them together.
Remembered, it was The Crown which of course is in Chiddingfold not Dunsfold – told you it was a long time ago!
I expect you mean Mr Rutherford’s place in Fisher Lane, where he lived and had a recording studio. My father taught some of them at Charterhouse back in the day. Very sorry to see PC is not at all well. He used to live at Loxwood. I was trying to remember the rock star owner of the Merry Harriers just up the road, who had a collection pi*s pots and platinum discs all over the shop. I think the pub in Dunsfold is the Sun Inn
It was indeed, and you’re right about the Sun Inn but I’m not sure about the Merry Harriers. Thanks
I remembered this morning, it was Rick Parfitt of Status Quo who had the Merry Harriers at Hambledon
Ah, much missed
A pleasantly challenging guzzle for today’s SPP as opposed to a brain fryer. I liked the well misdirected lego clues at 13d and 15d and the well-disguised anagram at 8d. Thanks to our compiler and to Senf for the hints. You conjured an image of immigrant flocks of geese carrying their passports in their beaks.
As anyone in this country knows, a Canada goose is not a bird to mess around with. Canadians recently were inspired by the account of a bald eagle (the avian emblem of our neighbours to the south) attacking an injured Canada goose. This is reportedly a rare occurrence but it seems the injured goose looked like easy prey to the eagle. The goose defended itself for 20 minutes at which point the eagle gave up and flew away.
Symbolic perhaps. I have been seen off by a flock (gaggle?) of geese whilst on a University field trip many years ago.nTrump beware is all I can say.
The geese by the rowing club steps in York are very vicious indeed
Geese are unpleasant at the best of times. Many people don’t realise that they can fly backwards without coming to any harm. Shouldn’t attack people!
All very straightforward apart from my last one in, 15d, which took a while to guess!
Many thanks to Dada for the enjoyment.
My favourite clue was 1d.
Dada at the easier end of his spectrum this week being quite friendly. No thesaurus in use and just a couple of quirks.
2*/4* for me
Favourites include 14a, 2d, 8d, 13d & 17d — with winner 13d
Smiles from 11a, 21a, 2d & 4d
Thanks to Dada & Senf
Not sure what got the biggest groan, SJB’s joke or the answer to 2d. Started the puzzle before we went for a stroll around RHS Wisley and took in the orchid exhibit. Kept my hands deep in my pocket as I could have spent a fortune. On return to the puzzle, the crisp air obviously had got the brain working and all completed reasonably smoothly. Enjoy a bit of 8d myself so has to be on my podium along with 16a and 2d in top spot.thanks to Dada and Senf
This was a straightforward and enjoyable puzzle for me today . Got stuck at the end on 15d as others did , and did resort to Google for the composer in the end. Thanks so much Dada and Senf.
The quick crossword was tough today so I started this with trepidation but all went well although like others the composer needed a bit of research. Thank you Dada and Senf
Excellent Sunday guzzle done whilst eating a perfect avocado and a glass of sherry. The black dog is on me today and I am right down in the doldrums so G trying to cheer me up and alcohol is his first thought! Is 24d really that simple? Or am I missing something? 26a went in pronto which gave me a good handle to work with, and I liked 8 & 15d. Many thanks to Mr Setter and my friend in Winnipeg. And yes, I have just clocked the ‘kicking off’ Doh. PS enjoyed yesterday’s offering as well, but did it very late in the day.
It really is as simple as kick-off rquals beginning Daisy. I pondered for a while and delayed typing it into the app until it hit me. Any cake on the naughty step?
Huge sigh of relief here for a friendly Dada composition today. Lots to love including 10a, 14a, 16a, 5d and 13d. Like Senf, and I am sure I have even less musical knowledge, I had no idea what 19a was, but checkers did help me bung it in. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
19a was new to us. Everything else was fairly straightforward with perhaps 15d being the exception. Favourite was a toss up between 11a and 16a but we’ll go with the latter. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Fairly gentle and enjoyable – thanks to Dada and Senf.
My selections for the medals were 11a, 16a and 27a.
Nice and friendly with some gentle humour to make the grid more enjoyable, with 27a my favourite.
Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Well after yesterday’s nightmare (for me) by which I mean hard, today was a pleasure. I don’t mind hard but I felt yesterday was beyond a toughie. I’m soul searching to ensure I’m not just equating hard with unreasonable.
Anyway love it today and 2d is perhaps my favourite clue of 2025 so far!!
I seem to be alone in not finding this guzzle friendly at all.
Only 3 on the first pass then took ages.
Thanks to Senf and to the setter.
Heard the Manitoba Premier on the radio this morning signing the order to stop American alcohol being sold in Manitoba…..if I knew how to send a link I would but if you want to hear him, “listen again” to Broadcasting House on Radio 4….about 30 minutes or so in.
Or this, if it plays OK, from NBC in the USA: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/l6WFdnipcH8
Thanks Senf….it does play.
Elbows up !
since they got rid of the silly waving women every time I leave the crossword and go back it resets to skip letters in clues.
Any body else had this problem.
Thanks to Dada and Senf
There’s an option on the puzzles site ‘Skip filled squares’ which you need to toggle off.
I have to do every time I come back to the crossword
Just completed after a lovely meal out with friends, some tricky ones but very enjoyable, with too many that I liked to pick out one.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints.
I got plenty of acrosses on the first pass but the downs needed a fair bit more thought. Thanks to Dada and Senf
Sorry about the groan-worthy joke but I blame Senf for triggering that earworm (again!) I too am having a problem with the skip letters toggle that keeps coming back unbidden
Truly great grid today. 16a may be the best clue I have seen in my 4 years as a cryptic fanatic.
A gentle but enjoyable stroll compared to Donny’s demands in yesterday’s prize puzzle.Ticks for 10&16a plus 13&15d.
Thanks to D&S – we got that song in a pub quiz once & none of us could remember who sang it.
I know it’s very late to comment but have been stunned by the going’s on at Wembley!
Excellent puzzle too many good clues to mention
2.5* / 4*
Thanks to Dada and Senf
Plain sailing for Dada. I wish the app wouldn’t stick in extraneous letters before submitting.
3*/3* …
liked 5D “Keep sub beneath surface of Pacific (8)”