Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30881 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)
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A Saturday Prize Puzzle which I found slightly trickier than usual (although that might be a reflection of the sort of morning I have had so far. I also can’t quite make up my mind as to who set it, so I’ll be interested to read others thoughts to see if anyone agrees with me
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
8a Satchmo played the organ! (7)
An anagram (played) of SATCHMO
10a Hospital in Herts town cut – why? (4,3)
The abbreviation for Hospital inserted into almost all (cut) of a Hertfordshire town
11a Slough river filled with a lot, if rubbish (9)
Slough here is a verb meaning to remove skin – a river ‘filled’ with an anagram (rubbish) of A LOT IF
14a Language passing between lips in stag party (7)
A language inserted into (passing between) the outside letters (lips) of StaG
21a Bird exploring where wings clipped (5)
Exploring or examining searchingly without its outside letters (wings clipped)
28a Old player we found in various teams (3,4)
WE (from the clue) inserted into an anagram (various) of TEAMS
Down
1d Unconscious, general crushed by snake (6)
The Confederate general from the American Civil War who often appears in crosswords ‘crushed by’ or inserted into a type of snake
3d Basic earnings, paper money (5,5)
A regularly appearing newspaper and a slang name for money
16d Stumbling firstly, or arranging practice? (9)
An anagram (stumbling) of FIRSTLY OR
18d Islands with men marrying grooms? (8)
The name of these Scottish islands might appear to suggest men marrying grooms
22d Record a lack of modern art? (6)
This verb meaning to record might, if split 2,4, infer the lack of a place to display modern art
25d Instrument needing no introduction – stringed one? (4)
A wind instrument without its first letter (needing no introduction)
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
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The Quick Crossword pun: WALL + TWIT + MAN = WALT WHITMAN
Quite a friendly prize puzzle I thought. I nearly blew my chance for a mythical by entering the wrong second word in 4D, but a final check through revealed my error – phew!
Lots to like but I’ll plump for 14A as my favourite.
Thanks to the setter and CS.
Gentle. I liked 16d.
Thanks to today’s setter and CS.
Morning all! I almost did the same as Eeyore and was trying to parse the wrong 2nd word in 4d before the penny dropped. Enjoyed the whole puzzle but particularly 16d & 22d.
Did anyone else attend the Word Puzzles conference in Oxford yesterday? It was brilliant and lovely to be surrounded by fellow word nerds all day.
A third change of alias sent you into moderation – your name, SunnyH and FurFluff will all work in future
Thanks cryptic Sue, but I’ve never used those aliases! Maybe that was another Heather?
Sorry, it was two other people with similar email addresses. I’m really not having a good morning at all.
Oh that must have been fun. I am deeply envious. But nothing could surpass my day at the Birthday Bash!
See you next year. Hope it is another sunny day
A really enjoyable SPP with not a linked word clue in sight. I liked the double definition clue at 17a the geographical double definition at 18d the combination at 3d and the pangram at 16d Thanks to CS for rhe hints and to the compiler
This took a bit more work than is usually required for a Saturday but was a pleasant enough stroll through Crossyland.
My podium is 1a (my father used to call me Satchmo because I could swell my cheeks to a ridiculous size), 14a (nice construction) and 18d.
Many thanks to the setter and she of the crypt.
3*/3*
Well that’s about up to the limit of my solving ability, any tougher and I would not have got through it.
Last one for me was 14a, couldn’t see it for ages, but wouldn’t let it beat me.
Can’t say I liked 18d, dreadful clue, but all the rest were out of the top drawer.
My two favourites of the day were 28a, which came up so I could see it easily, and the very clever 21a. Many thanks to our setter today.
It took a while to ‘crack’ this one open but when I had finished I was pleasantly surprised to find that it had not taken as long as I thought – 2.5*/3.5*
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 12a, 14a, 3d, and 18d – and the winner is 14a.
No idea who the setter might be setter might be, so thanks to whomsoever and to CS.
This was at the limit of my ability. It took ages to get going but I got there in the end which is the most satisfying type of solve for me. Lots of really clever clues and particular favourites among many were 10a 17a and 26a for the misdirection. The synonyms in the clue and the answer for 7d felt like a bit of a stretch to me. Thank you to setter and to Cryptic Sue
Great fun, pretty gentle but most enjoyable to solve, with some nice misdirection and humour. 14a and 22d were my co-favourites this morning.
Many thanks to our Saturday Setter and Sue.
14a 16d and 18d all floated my boat today but I will plump for 16d today
No idea as to the setter but he/she will please many. Is 13a a signature of our Tuesday regular (but not his grid – so maybe not)
Thanks to Setter and Sue.
I am expecting a report on the puzzles conference too – it sounds like it was fun but sold out when I tried.
It was a great day! Here’s the list of talks, which was varied in theme and delivery, but all fascinating. Susie Dent was fabulous, but my highlight was ‘Fan-Girling’ Alan Connor as I do his Everyman crossword every Sunday and embarrassingly I made him stop for a photo with me. Lovely to experience the beautiful grounds and see inside Magdalen College too. Would really recommend going next time if they make it an annual thing.
‘Everyman’ graciously letting me take an excited photo with him
Did you match your dress with Alan’s suitcase?
I hope it does become a regular thing, I would have loved to catch up with Eccles just before lunch
Simon Anthony’s ‘Cracking the Cryptic’ has become required Friday viewing for me. Puts my sorry efforts to shame. Even more so on the odd Friday when Mark Goodlife takes centre stage.
I believe they were both part of yesterday’s event, would have loved to have heard them speak.
As for today’s puzzle, another completion but did require a glance at the hints. So thank you to Cryptic Sue and trust your day has improved.
With an international break, no disappointments come this evening.
2*/3.5*. I enjoyed this not too taxing SPP with 14a, 17a & 16d my top three.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS.
Slightly thrown at first by the lack of connected clues, just goes to show how quickly we fall into a setter’s regular pattern. So, was this from a different stable or is it just NYDK playing games with us? Either way, I found this a little trickier than the usual Saturday puzzle but quite enjoyable.
Top clues for me were 13a & 16d.
Thanks to our setter and to CS for the hints – hope the remainder of your day is less fraught.
I hope you are getting to grips with your new laptop, I know it can be trying as I have recently got a new laptop and phone at the same time and it was trying my patience to say the least
It’s a nightmare – so many of my favourite ‘bits’ no longer made available by the gods of Microsoft. Haven’t quite reached the ‘chuck it out of the window’ stage yet but I’ve come perilously close to it……….
It took me a while to find everything again too, and I still haven’t eliminated Bing and Edge but I will get there eventually
For me this was really hard to get going on but eventually I got there. There were some fantastic clues and the anagram indicators were well disguised especially the partial ones. A very enjoyable challenge.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints, I hope your day improves.
At first I thought this was going to be tough, but once a foothold had been gained, it became more accessible. In the end it was a great Saturday puzzle. I have many ticks on my page so choosing a podium is tough, but I’ll plump for 14a, 18d and 22d. They can fight it out for the medals. Thanks to compiler and CS.
That was fun. It took me a little while to get on the right wavelength, but it was fairly straightforward when I did. Favourites for me were 10a, 14a and 4d.
Thanks to CS and the setter.
Right on the limits of my meagre ability and therefore great fun to solve. Some brilliantly constructed glues I thought.
On Thursday, we went to see Graham Gouldman on his Heart Full Of Songs tour. A lovely man, with such a huge catalogue of hits from which to choose his set. Each song enhanced by his stories of how they came into being. I had never been to Cadogan Hall in Chelsea before. What a delightful building, and, unusually for London, very friendly and helpful staff.
Thanks to the setter. I have spoken to the Lords Of The Universe and ordered that they improve Super Sue’s day as the afternoon unfolds.
Today’s crossword soundtrack. Joni – Court And Spark
If I see the clue at 12 ac again, I shall not be responsible for my actions. That said, I enjoyed the puzzle more than most of this week’s backpagers. Not sure of the anagram indicator at 26 ac, either.
I found this more difficult than most and rather irritating, lacking the usual NYDK humour. The anagram indicators in particular were a stretch too far.
3*/2*
Thanks to setter and Sue.
Not sure this Saturday is a NYDK puzzle as it is lacking the multi-word clues this week. However, it does seem to be in his clueing manner and could be in many ways one of his.
Some clever clueing twisting one’s mind about in this puzzle.
2*/4* for me.
Favourites 10a, 17a, 19a, 27a, 6d & 18d — with winners 10a & 6d.
I thought these two clues, in particular, were very clever and well assembled and thought out
Smile and chuckles for 8a, 13a, 17a & 20a
Thanks to setter & CS
Really enjoyed this and now can’t make up my mind whether to be relieved at the lack of linked clues or disappointed at their absence! Liked 10a and 3d, thought 14a very clever and 17a and 4d very humorous and even a touch risqué. Big favourite was 18d despite earlier comments made me chuckle. Thanks crypticsue and setter whomever you may be.
An enjoyable puzzle today. LOI was 14a as I needed help to parse it.
Top picks for me were 10a, 11a, 13a and 18d.
Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.
Quite difficult for me today, but I got it in the end.
Thanks to crypticsue (hope your day improves) and to the setter.
Overcast and distinctly cool here…..I suspect winter may not be done with us yet…..
Enjoyable puzzle to accompany a mid-afternoon snap. Good to have a full complement of clues for the grid and for once none making a peripatetic trek around the grid. Many thanks indeed to setter and CS alike.
I must have my contrary head on today, as I found it easier end of the spectrum, and certainly easier than yesterday – so definitely a lot of fun. Big relief to see no linked clues today. 8a jumped off the page at me, and LOL at 18d, clever clue. Not sure if 5d really means beautiful but it just had to be. Thanks to the setter for an enjoyable start to my Saturday and to CS. Hope your day has improved since this morning.
I am sure that Rabbie Burns thought the Haggis was beautiful;
**** fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftain o’ the Puddin-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang ‘s my arm.
A bit of a mixed bag for us in terms of difficulty from the very straightforward to some real head scratchers but enjoyable nonetheless. Favourite was 17a others ran it close. Thanks to the setter and CS
Reasonably straightforward & certainly enjoyable. Like Tilsit I thought the indicator at 26a bizarre to say the least. Liked 4d & if I ever locate it with the big stick off the tee it’ll likely spoil the club’s re-sale value. Ticks at 10&17a plus 15,16&22d.
Thanks to the setter & to Sue
George watching Hertford this afternoon with mega lunch beforehand so I nipped into Waitrose to stock up and in a moment of reckless abandon I bought a can of Daiquiri cocktail which I have been sipping whilst solving. Not my usual tipple but then I am a rebel. It seems to have worked as all has fallen into place – I laughed at the islands and Satchmo’s organ, I’ll go for 11a as favourite as I do it on a regular basis. Nothing else to report, it is cold and raining but I have another 2” to swig so I’ll just say thankyou to Mr Setter and Poor Sue. It can only get better. 😊
1*/ 3.5 Unusually for me this was almost read and write, nonetheless I thought there were numerous excellent clues.
Favourites the party opener, Satchmo and the totally exposed 17a
Many thanks to Sue and setter
Ps Good quickie pun as well
This one went in very easily and I feel it is OK to say that as it happens so rarely. I spell phonetically so tried to put a “C “ or an “K” into 12 across. Delighted by 17 across but there was a lot of enjoyment to be had in so many of the clues. Thank you to Sue and our setter.
The islands as my favourite and one day I hope to see them! Thank you CS and mystery setter
V straightforward and no linked clues!