Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30899 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)
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After a chilly and misty start, the morning is warming up fast and it will probably be nice enough to have lunch in the garden
Yes, we know, there are multi-light solutions and we know lots of you hate them – I actually think NYDK is very ingenious to both fit them into the grid without using obscure words in the adjoining solutions and use clever wordplay to fit the phrases and definitions. HOWEVER, why not do what I did and ignore them until you have solved enough of the other clues to get a reasonable number of checking letters so that you can then return to the linked clues and fit the rest of the anagram letters to the ones you already have.
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 Very good compass and ruler (8)
Range or the total spread of something and a male ruler
5a Limousines perhaps for Hollywood event? (6)
Limousines are outsize vehicles
10a Do we hear one moaning? Ahab maybe? (6)
Ahab was a fictional hunter whose job title sounds like a moaning person
12a/13a Vie with Oberon: title in dispute surprisingly (7,2,2,3)
An anagram (in dispute) of VIE with OBERON TITLE
16a/24a/25a Mistaken when sloshed, throw ginger beer at punk (7,2,3,5,4)
An anagram (when sloshed) of THROW GINGER BEER AT PUNK One of those surface readings that immediately conjures up an image, although why you’d waste ginger beer, I have no idea
19a Official right blocking drug question (7)
The abbreviation for right ‘blocking’ or going between crosswordland’s favourite abbreviated drug and a question
28a Kay in south-east revealed bone structure (8)
There’ll be muttering about the use of the word kay to indicate the letter that should be put in the abbreviation for South East, a two-word phrase meaning revealed should then be added
30a Homeric hero you almost sussed out (8)
An anagram (out) of the first two letters (almost) of YOu and SUSSED
Down
1d Good person with item that covers flasher? (6)
An abbreviated good person and a garment that covers
4d Second stone cask hoisted in trees (7)
A reversal (hoisted) of the abbreviation for second, a precious stone and a large cask
6d Train travel: that should bring kids to book (6,3)
A verb meaning to train and run or travel
18d Barbarian lock one chasing game (8)
A Barbarian and a lock of hair
20d New style sent up something dull (4)
The abbreviation for New and a style reversed (sent up)
21d Sick Aussie news boss warped (7)
The informal way an Australian would say they were sick and a newspaper boss
22d Summons male: move sinuously (6)
A legal document and the male third person pronoun
26d Fools seaside scavengers (5)
Easily fooled people or scavengers at the seaside
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: THYME + CAPS + YULE = TIME CAPSULE
A very enjoyable crossy on a most splendid vernal day.
1a kicked things off nicely as it’s such a great word and was followed by the clever 5a.
I got the 12a/13a comby in a heartbeat without any checkers as there aren’t many 2/2/3 sequences out there.
The rest of it fell very quickly with my podium being the aforementioned 5a, 30a and the amusing 11d/15d.
I had never really thought about the word in 26d but it makes complete sense due to its adjectival extension. *
Many thanks to Rood Bonk and she of the crypt.
1*/4*
* I like that adjectival is an adjective.
Hey Wordsmith, did you see a smasher on BBC Breakfast this morning? Certainly one for Brian’s List? Petrichor.
Just like you, Day Zee, it’s a beaut as is its etymology…
‘’Petrichor is the smell of rain. The word comes from the Greek words ‘petra’, meaning stone, and ‘ichor’, which in Greek mythology refers to the golden fluid that flows in the veins of the immortals.’’
You have to be very happy with that.
Whoever coined it is a genius.
It’s in Susie Dent’s top five with halcyon being her fave as she loves its pronunciation, meaning and etymology which is the following…
The word “halcyon” originates from Greek and Latin, ultimately referring to a mythical bird, the kingfisher, and the period of calm weather around the winter solstice when they were believed to breed. The Greek word was “alkyṓn,” which was adopted into Latin as “alcyōn” and later into English as “halcyon”. This mythical bird was believed to have the power to calm the waves and winds, leading to the association of “halcyon” with peace, calm, and prosperity.
Ah Court Line – peace and calm yes but prosperity…..?
Our lovely little local brewery made a fresh-tasting pale called Petrichor a while back.
Fairly straightforward solve today though I was 7, 2, 3, 5, 4 with my first attempt at an answer for the linked clue.
A lovely puzzle on a beautiful day. Initially I was slow off the mark but once I got a foot in it all came together nicely and I liked the multiword clues. 26d was new to me but it had to be the answer. 5a made me smile.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints.
Quite brilliant, more fun than being accidently locked in a beer and pie shop overnight.
Loved the long ones, but I always do, had to look up the monk to check the answer, never heard of him, but I expect he’s never heard or me either, so fair’s fair.
My two of the day are 14a and the wonderful 5a, very clever.
Many thanks to or setter today, you deserve the Empire Medal for this one.
That makes me think you have been. Locked up etc.
Exactly what our beloved blogger said about the ‘multis’ – get some checkers in then look at them; and today’s weren’t that complicated anyway (for me). A very enjoyable NYDK SPP – **/****.
Candidates for favourite – 5a, 14a, 11d, and 21d – and the winner is 14a.
Thanks to NYDK, no need to think it might be someone else, and thanks to CS.
1.5*/4*. No doubt at all as to the author of this fun puzzle. With lots to like, 5a was my favourite.
Many thanks to NYDK and to CS.
As CS says, the best thing to do with the pesky linked clues is to leave them until last. I did, however, like the geographical anagram at 15d, the 28a Lego clue and the 30a anagram. Thanks to CS for the hints and to NYDK for his efforts in compiling the SPP.
Straightforward. Clever. Witty. Perfect Saturday fare (obscure monk notwithstanding). 1.5*/3.5*
He isn’t obscure if you live where I do
I wish to complain in the stro….
Oh wait… Sue’s and Chris’ advice is spot on. Dinna worry yerself about the multi-glues. Solve the rest and you have the checking letters to allow the answers to spring out at one like a turbo charged jack-in-the-box.
Tricky challenge nontheless, but satisfying to stick 20d in as my last one in.
After luncheon we shall go for a lovely walk in the Surrey Hills, but I did so much work in the garden yesterday that H will have to endure me groaning “ouch… ow… ouch…” with every step.
Thanks to NYDK and PC Security (anag)
There’s a small typo in your clue for 19A – you’ve said “rug” when you meant to say “drug”!! But I managed to solve this anyway.
welcome to the blog
Rather than a reply to Terence, this should have been a separate comment. I have added the d to the rug
What did you think of the rest of the crossword?
Plenty of our setter’s slightly off the wall sense of humour on display today with the excellent 5a leading the field for me. I also smiled at the clue for 14a and CS’s illustration for the long 16/24/25 combination.
Thanks to NYDK and to the afore-mentioned CS for the hints.
Distinctive, all the hallmarks, must be NYDK. Sue’s advice with puzzles that use multi-lights is of course spot-on, though I’ve always tended to go that way unless something spread over the grid is blindingly obvious.
I liked the long stuff as I usually do, and the 11 15 combination, but I’m plumping for little ol’ 1A for today’s podium. That’s a nice little clue for me.
Thanks Sue and NYDK.
I did what CrypticSue did with the multi clues and just ignored them for a while. An enjoyable puzzle with some chewy elements. LOI was 27a as a stupid misspelling of 15d held me up.
Top picks for me were 5a, 10a, 14a and 28a.
Thanks to CrypticSue and NYDK.
2* / 4* Another superb Saturday puzzle, enjoyed the multi worders and dragged the monk from the depths !
Favourites the flasher at 1d, trees at 4d and fantastic land 7d
I don’t mind the linked clues at all – don’t understand the fuss personally and in a different grid 12 & 13a could be one long clue, but each to their own.
Enjoyed today’s offering after a slow start everything fell nicely in place apart from the Monk and foolishly putting in a sporting official in for 19a which obviously made the SW corner impossible to solve until I saw the error of my ways.
Thanks to setter and Sue
Like Sim above, I always enjoy the challenge of multi-word answers, so this was a real treat. Loads of other terrific clues to work through, with 4d my final answer and today’s favourite.
Thanks to Donny for the fun, and to Sue.
This was a slightly more difficult Saturday puzzle this week, at least I found it so. Took a long time time to suss out the second of the multi-word clues, but had a good laugh when the penny dropped.
2.5*/4* for me
Favourites 12/13a, 16/24/25a, 28a, 1d & 15d — with winner 16,24,25a
Thanks to NYDK & CS
Absolutely smashing guzzle although despite CeeSue’s clue I hae me doots about 4d. There seems to be an ‘e’ unaccounted for. I liked 8d and the linked clues. I am ‘fair wore out’ by all that has gone on this week and am rewarding myself with a wee nap after this. At Coffee Stop this morning a protester came in with a huge flag and other paraphernalia. The friend who runs it with me is on holiday so it was up to me to placate her. It was a bit dodgy! We may be a sleepy Cambridgeshire village but we do see life. Many thanks for the sanity of NYDJ and Savvy CeeSue. Off to visit DD1 tomorrow so you won’t see me until late in the day.
That was very light but very entertaining. Favourites for me were 1a, 14a and 23d.
Thanks CS and NYDK.
Back to my usual world having been on a 5 day sewing retreat in Rye.This puzzle was enjoyable but for me also a challenge. 5 across was a delight. Many thanks to all.
Oh do tell me what you were making? I loved those retreats – did one with Kaffe Fassett and another with Richard Box. Happiest of times, plus when I retired, 20 or so years as an exhibiting textile artist. You need to come and raid my studio……..
Afternoon. It’s a nice one here with lots of mad things happening out by the river (the Great Ouse).
Thanks for all the comments, and thanks to the Great Sues for the hinties.
Cheers
NYDK
No, it is thank YOU for the pleasure (and sometimes headaches) you give us.
Note to self. Non-drowsy antihistamine are decidedly drowsy. No disrespect to NYDK, but I fell asleep over this puzzle and for a good couple of hours after surfacing, was muzzy headed and couldn’t get to grips with it. Having left it for a while, normal service was resumed and I very much enjoyed it. I gave ticks against many, but 5a, 10a and 21d take the prizes. Thanks to NYDK and CS.
Good fun although i found it harder going than most.
3*/4*
5a favourite.
Thanks to Sue and NYDK
27a doesn’t work for me and we have had the same clue many times now!
A busy day meant a late start on this one, which I solved whilst watching the Bahrain F1 qualifying.
Certainly a step up in difficulty from last Saturday, but at the same time much more enjoyable for me.
Favourite clue was 5a.
Many thanks to NKYD and to CS.
*NYKD
NYDK!
I should have left it as it was and hoped nobody noticed :-)
A brisk solve before Rory tees off at Augusta with 🤞 for a repeat of yesterday please. Typically enjoyable Donny production. Pretty straightforward other than I’d never heard of/long forgotten the monk.
Thanks to NYDK & to Sue
Well, after last week’s Saturday Prize Puzzle, which I managed to complete in fairly short order (apart from two rather sluggish clues: I mean, I was sluggish at solving them) , I had quite a tussle with this one, and was surprised to find that it was the work of the same compiler! I’ve still got several blanks in the SW corner, (14, 19, 27 & 29 a, and 15, 17d) most of which are not hinted :-( .
Any help welcomed, but don’t risk being sent to the naughty step…..