Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3314 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where Springtime temperatures are fluctuating quite considerably – 20 degrees yesterday and 9 degrees forecast for Wednesday.
For me, and I stress for me, Dada almost as friendly as Cephas was yesterday! Three longish ‘uns, seven anagrams (four partials – three of three letters and one of four letters!!), one lurker (reversed), and two homophones all in an almost symmetric 27 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, you should be able to get the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. And, remember, my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Candidates for favourite – 12a, 13a, 21a, 25a, 1d, 6d, 9d, and 14d.
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!
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
1a Rough path, by the sound of it? (6)
We start with one of the homophones (did you say) of a synonym of path.
4a Sent back, some tyres aren’t rubber (6)
The reversed lurker (sent back, some) found in two words in the clue.
12a Funny old character, lecturer with nothing on funny lad (6,4)
The usual (university) lecturer and (with) the term for a crickety score of nothing placed after (on) an anagram (funny) of LAD.
13a Particular car contract? (4,2,6)
A (4,3) type of (sports?) car and a synonym of contract reformed per the enumeration.
22a Criminal gang with allure (6)
A synonym of gang and one of the sets of two letters equivalent to allure (not the abbreviation of sex appeal).
23a Water dropping in river, in a new season abroad (8)
The single letter for River, an anagram (new) of IN A, and the four letter name of a season (of the year) used abroad – interesting to see the ‘foreign’ indicator.
25a Where “T” is for “treacle tart”, we hear? (6)
Not a homophone! A (5,1) phrase for where “T” is (in the alphabet) provides an informal single word term for where “treacle tart” may be shown on a menu.
Down
1d Tom, say, welcomes familiar film director, gossip (8)
What Tom may be (say) as the male of an animal species contains (welcomes) the familiar form of a film director’s name.
3d Blighter, boy having stolen a medal (2-3-2)
The term for boy as a family member containing (having stolen) A from the clue, followed by the abbreviation of a medal awarded for operational gallantry.
6d Progress quickly and efficiently in plant (9)
A single word equivalent to progress quickly (but at risk of getting a ‘ticket’ when driving) and a synonym of efficiently.
15d Mythological hero observing rise in wizards (8)
A synonym of rise (as a topographical feature) inserted into (in) a synonym of wizards.
17d Cat – or rat, did you say? (7)
The second homophone (did you say) of a synonym of a (two legged) rat.
19d Foil wrapping on roast: what gets cooked first (6)
The outer letters (wrapping) on RoasT placed after an anagram (gets cooked first) of WHAT.
21d Fumble from manager shortly (5)
A ‘loosely applied’ synonym of manager with the last letter deleted (shortly).
Quick Crossword Pun:
BEEHIVE + YOURS + ELVES = BEHAVE YOURSELVES
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Russian composer, pianist, and conductor Sergei Prokofiev was born on this day (depending on which calendar you look at – Julian or Gregorian) in 1891. His works include such widely heard pieces as The Love for Three Oranges, the Lieutenant Kijé Suite, and Peter and the Wolf. This is Troika, often called Sleigh Ride, from the Lieutenant Kijé Suite played by The Berlin Philharmonic, recorded at the Waldbühne, Berlin, June 29th, 2019:
What a belter! Super puzzle with just enough bite to make the LGCs stretch and find their rhythm for the day.
Honours to 13a, 25a, & 19d; runner-up 17d.
Many thanks to Dada and Senf
It took me as long to sort out the SW as the remainder of this corker of a puzzle, not helped by bring fixated by a reasonably plausible, but wrong, answer for 14d. My podium comprises 1d, 19d and 25a with an honorable mention for 9a. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Many thanks to Dada for a most entertaining puzzle. I started slowly then picked up speed once I had a few in place.
Plenty of ticks, but 9d made me laugh!
Terrific puzzle full of clever clues and PDM’s. For the 22a hint did you mean NOT the two letters often clued as sex appeal? Thank you Dada and Senf.
As the hint implies, there is more than one 2-letter abbreviation referring to the same thing.
Well, I have to say I can only think of one! 🤔
It perhaps would be more correct if I had said 2 letters, rather than use the word abbreviation. Does that help?
Thanks very much – I’ve re-read the hint more carefully. He is hinting the two letter synonym of ‘allure’ which is not the obvious abbreviation of sex appeal.
Perhaps I was a little too cryptic in my hint, there have been complaints about that in the past. What is required is a two letter synonym of allure not an abbreviation of a synonymic phrase of the same.
2*/4*. I was on course for my 1* time until I reached the SW as the final corner of this very entertaining puzzle.
I was of course delighted to see the indicator used in 23a, and my podium selection today is 20a, 25a & 19d.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.
Dada is very entertaining today – thanks to him and Senf.
Podium places for 13a, 25a and 9d.
Cracking puzzle which took me a wee while to crack!
Favourites for me were the clever 13a car contract, the 17a Leicester cop, the amusing 25a treacle tart and the 1d gossip.
Excellent mixture of types of clue and homophones which worked for me for once.
Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Ooh, I’m surprised you haven’t been sent to the naughty step for giving half the answer in 13a!
Well spotted. I’ve edited the comment to avoid him being sent to the Naughty Corner
Fab guzzle today – my LOI and COTD 13a! Thanks to all.
Great puzzle with plenty of candidates for COTD. Only problem I had was the parsing of 15d. I kept looking for words going North (rise). Thank you Senf for the hint. My podium is 13a, 9d and 15d. Thanks also to the setter.
Back-to-back belters that get full marks from me which is a first for the weekend puzzles. Great stuff.
Such an enjoyable puzzle to solve with lots of fun to be had.
My LOI was 21a as I couldn’t get ‘xxxx’ out of my head. Luckily, the splendid 15d put an end to that nonsense.
I still can’t believe that the groundbreaking film director in 1d didn’t win an Oscar for any of his films. I know he was a bit nuts and rubbed people up the wrong way but the results on screen were magnificent.
My podium is the most excellent 13a, 25a and 7d for its technical accuracy.
MT to Radio and Senfingtons.
2*/5*
Great fun today, with 13a my favourite.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints
1* / 5* Tremendous Sunday puzzle, best of the week for me. Not a bad clue to be seen, but favourites 13a car contract, 12a funny old character and 19d great word and nicely misleading clue,
Thanks to Senf and Dada
A great puzzle today with lots of smiles.
Top picks for me were 13a, 25a, 15d, 17d and 19d.
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
A veryy enjoyable guzzle with j ust the rihht amount of challenge. I loved the misdirection inthe 19d and 15d Lego clues a d rhe double definition garage worker at 9d but COTD was 13a with its ever word play. Thanks to Dada for another winner and to Senf for the hints.
What a delightfully stress-free cruciverbal weekend we have been presented with. North once again was least challenging half but the whole was a pleasant stroll in the park. 21d = fumble hmm?I started with a feasible alternative synonym prior to solving the crossers. Suppose embroidered in 5d is acceptable. Can’t believe it took me until the end to parse 25a. Anyway TVM Dada and Senf.
Not the first time that embroidered has been used in that way.
I wrote my bit and it disappeared into the ether. I hate it when that happens. Lovely guzzle, many thanks to Dada and Senf.
A relatively mid-line Dada puzzle this week. Definitely some quirks thrown in and some use of his own thesaurus too this week.
2*/4* for me
Favourites 12a, 13a, 20a, 17d & 18d — with co-winner 12a & 13a
Smiles for those two as well as 17d, 18d & 24 … that I just like as a word.
Thanks to Dada & Senf
Very enjoyable with laughs at several PDM’s of superior size. Ticks for the 3a blighter, 21a small stones and double ticks to 13a car contract for the clever switch in enumeration, the 9d worker and 19d foil. All excellent.
Thanks to dada and senf
For me, and I stress for me (© Senf), this was a gerrific guzzle. Most enjoyable to unravel. The committee may all enjoy their luncheon without the danger of being called in to the conference room.
Disappointed that forces of darkness have prevented me reading Daisy’s epistle. Secretly, I am in love with Daisy, and look forward to her updates.
Thanks to Da-doo-ron-ron and The Man From Manitoba as he copes with the inconsistent meteorological conditions.
Today’s crossword soundtrack: Super Furry Animals – Juxtapozed with U
Somewhat strange but very enjoyable – thanks Terence!👍 were they running the Marathon dressed like that?😜
Terence, did you post the attached picture some time ago?
IMG_0504
Looks familiar! You’re welcome to use it in any way you wish x
Jolly good!
Another thoroughly enjoyable Sunday offering from Mr D!
As ever, took me a while to get going, but our Leicester cop, car contract and funny old character got me up ‘n running!
Thanks to Senf for another great blog ‘n hints!
Cheers!
A lovely puzzle.
COTD 13a for me.
I put in a perfectly reasonable medical stone ( have I avoided the naughty step?) for 21a which ruined my chances with 15d. Failed!
It looks like you avoided ‘the step’ and I suspect I wrote the same as you until 15d taught me better!!!
Dada at his best, loved 25a, a fantastic clue. But as with last week’s quickly the pun does not work well for me. Thank you Senf for the blog
A mixture of difficult and straightforward clues that led to an ultimately satisfying solve. Favourite was 15d. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Almost done, but a few empty boxes are mocking me right now. No more time if we are to get to visit younger daughter this afternoon (it’s 11:45am here). Mostly enjoyed the challenge but didn’t find as easy as those above, but perhaps the rest will seem clear later. COTD definitely 9d, with 13a as runner up. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Great puzzle … especially loved 13A. VMT Dada and Senf.
So I raced through most of the N and then came back later and almost came to a complete stand still,. Managed to rally , and after a dog walk where I mused on a couple of clues , all became clear. Loved 13a – caused a laugh , and I did like 25a too. Thanks so much Dada and Senf.
Super puzzle. Ticks galore but 13a has to sit atop of the podium with 25a & 19d for company.
Thanks to D&S
Brilliant.
I couldn’t finish the NW corner yesterday. Coming back to it, I realised that I ‘d done the complete Spoonerism on 8a. Once reversed, it fell nicely into place.
Thanks all.