DT 30929 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 30929 (Hints)

by crypticsue  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30929 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

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NY Doorknob brings us what I thought was one of those Prize Puzzles where solvers will have to work a bit harder than usual to attempt to win The Mythical.   There is a bit of a theme, starting with 1a and continuing in the multi-light anagrammed clues that some people love to hate!

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           Cook burned a lot – no square meals for sir here? (5,5)
An anagram (cook) of BURNED A LOT produces somewhere a knight (sir) might eat a meal (square or otherwise!)

10a         Russian fighter helping diaspora (9)
A Russian fighter plane and a helping

16a         Puzzled out? (7)
Stuck for an answer or a way of being ‘out’ in a cricket match

18a         Cricketers in field annoy son holding party (3-4)
Put in a bad mood and the abbreviation for Son ‘holding’ a party

20a         Star formula not for backward graduate (7)
A reversal (backward) of the biggest star and the second word of the clue without (not) FOR

27a         Exterminator sparing a thousand in valley (4)
Exterminator?  Which exterminator?  Oh, that one!  An alien exterminator (as opposed to an exterminator of aliens)  without (sparing) the symbol for a thousand

28a         Posed on the go in shot like Kate Moss? (10)
An anagram (posed) of ON THE GO inserted into an abbreviated photograph (shot)

Down

1d           Hitch – or thriller he directed? (4)
Something that can be used as a tether (hitch) or the name of the 1948 psychological crime thriller directed by someone who was often referred to as “Hitch”

3d           Fine arts Donne misused for hellish rhyme? (6,7)
An anagram (misused) of FINE ARTS DONNE

4d           Million American recluse invests for old social worker (7)
The abbreviation for Million invested in the abbreviation for American and a recluse

5d           Really sloshed – on not as many? (7)
Another name for the on side of a cricket pitch followed by not as many

8d           Slug covering new open space in country (10)
Slug or hit hard ‘covering’ the abbreviation for New and an open space in a wood

20d         First man allowed to start with Bible books firm (7)
The first man in the Bible, the start of Allowed and some abbreviated books of the Bible

24d         Ear’s twitching after ring (4)
The apostrophe S is important here as the solution means relating to the ear.  A twitch goes after the ring-shaped letter

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: THYME + SAVOUR = TIME SAVER

41 comments on “DT 30929 (Hints)”

  1. Loved the embedded themes as well as the usual wit and humour of a NYDK offering. A very pleasant diversion from defrosting the freezer. A couple did need a tad more teasing out perhaps, but that just upped the enjoyment factor. Very tough to pick a podium, but using my trusty pin, I’ve picked 22a/11d combo, 4d and the amusing 27a in top spot. Thanks to NYDK and CS

  2. 2*/4*. The bizarre combination of Arthurian legend and cricket provides a clear indication of today’s setter. This was great fun!

    Many thanks to NYDK and to CS.

  3. I really enjoyed today’s guzzle. Not even the linked clues caused trouble. Getting the first four across clues followed by the long ones in the east and west got things off to a good start. There are far too many great clues to be able to pick a favourite. The exterminator at 27a raised a smile as did the lack of square meals at 1a. If pushed, I will go with “Spock” at 13a simply because it is so neat.

    Thank you, Big Apple Portal Opener for a fun puzzle. Thank you, CS for the hints.

    No chance of The Mythical for me as everyone will be entering!

    Colder today in The Marches with a covering of grey cloud.

  4. I enjoyed today’s guzzle. 12/11 was new to me so I had to Google to confirm it. Some great clues here with my top picks being 10a, 16a, 27a and 8d.

    Thanks to CrypticSue and NYDK.

  5. Good fun as usual from NYDK on my Friday evening but there were a couple of pauses for thought to drag at least part of an answer from deep in my memory – **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 15a, 18a, 23a, 4d, and 5d – and the winner is 5d.

    Thanks to NYDK and CS.

  6. Yep, a goodie though a tad harder than his usual fare.

    Some new GK in the shape of 12a/11d and 22d which always works for me as I got to Wiki to check them out.

    Now, I’m fairly sure that the synonym for ‘not so many’ is wrong as it should be the other one that begins with f. I’d be grateful if someone can put it into a sentence pour moi.

    Obviously don’t type the word unless you fancy being sent to the tut-tut step where you’ll meet Pat Coombs saying ‘’Sue’s cakes are naughty…..but nice.’’

    My podium is 1a, 6a (love state secrets) and 14d.

    MT to NYDK and she of the crypt.

    3*/4*

    1. But the clue says ‘not as many’ – CS has ‘converted’ it to ‘not so many’ in the hint.

      1. As or so isn’t my query.

        I think it needs to be ‘not as/so much’ not many.

        Hopefully, our resident Grammarian can put this one to bed.

        1. Tom, it turns out that the ‘rule’ you’re alluding to isn’t actually a rule at all, just something that gets taught as one! Somebody a couple of hundred years ago had it as a personal preference and wrote it down, somehow it went viral and it got added to the list of pointless prescriptions in English grammar (along with not splitting infinitives, not ending sentences with prepositions, and only using ‘they’ in the singular).

          However it turns out the ‘not as many’ word in 5d has been used like that forever (for hundreds of years both before and after one man stated his preference) and NYDK’s use here is completely fine. I first discovered it wasn’t actually a rule in, of all places, Alexander Armstrong in The 100 Most Pointless Things in the World, one of those TV tie-in books which exist to give as Christmas gifts but nobody would ever buy for themselves. But it’s probably easier to look it up on Wikipedia; since this is a prize puzzle, I won’t like to the article, but it should turn up if you search for the word from 5d and the word that the non-rule claims should be used instead.

          1. Interesting stuff, S. Thank you for that.

            I just know that professional writers frown upon people saying the second half of 5d and ‘not as many’ when they mean the other as they won’t be aware of what you have just said.

  7. I didn’t know the book title which, annoyingly, had to be checked but I did know the required king so all was not lost. Podium places awarded to 16&27a plus 5d which made me laugh.

    Thanks to NYDK and to CS for the hints.

  8. I believe Sue should be paid appearance money only. Being on this long term contract means she is able to claim injury and …. No wait! I got confused. That’s Christopher Nkunku not Cryptic Sue. Apologies to all parties.

    This unusual combination of ancient legend and sporting endeavour was most welcome and great fun to unravel.

    Orf out for a lovely walk, followed perhaps by a nice sit down outside a pub to discuss Chelsea’s chances of Champions League football. We will need Cryptic Sue to score more goals, that’s for sure. No,no… I got confused again.

    Thanks to NYDK and PC Security (anag). (I miss Kath and Brian; my consolation is I still have Daisy)

  9. Super fun with 12 11 and 21 17 bidding for glory today. I liked HITCH a lot too, and also the (WW2 pilot-free) ‘not as many’ idea — nice!

    Many thanks CS and NYDK.

  10. Fine Saturday fare with a nice theme, I can imagine the young Arthur hitting a cover drive over Guinevere’s head at 18a
    Thanks to Sue and NYDK

  11. Another great knob of the door! Some hard work but so worth it. Out of many super clues, picked 27a and 20d as favourites.

  12. Having lurked here for some time, I promised myself I’d comment when I completed a guzzle with no help whatsoever. Today’s the day! Much appreciate your company on Saturdays. Thanks as always to CS and NYDK.

    1. Welcome to the blog, Notastrat, and congratulations.
      Now that you achieved your goal I hope that you’ll become a regular commenter.

    2. Congratulations Notastrat. Please continue to join us and comment in future.

    3. Welcome, NotaStrat! 👍
      Given your avatar, I take it that is a replica Strat?
      Looking forward to hearing from you again and congratulations on your first unaided finish.

    4. Welcome from me too, It is definitely NotaStrat but it could be a Telecaster like Bruce plays – I think Bruce’s is a bit of a hybrid with an Esquire neck. We could have duelling guitars if Taylor Gibson chips in

      images (1)

    5. Yay — congratulations on your first unaided solve! And you picked a hard one to do that on: I needed way more help than usual today! (Well, yesterday as well.) Hope to see more comments from you, NotaStrat.

  13. Great mix of immediate solves and brain teasing. I had to make wild guesses at the crickety ones of course, so the pen is not a certainty. Now do I take myself off into town for a browse or not? Big decisions. Anyway, in the meantime many thanks to NYDJ and CeeSue.
    Have a good weekend.

  14. That was fun. Rattled through half of it, then slowed down a bit. Favourites were 6a, 27a and 1d.

    Thanks to NYDK and CS.

  15. Found this a tougher than usual NYDK Saturday puzzle this week, especially the multi-word clues. Didn’t know the shorter one at all. Managed through though and enjoyed.

    2.5*/3.5*

    Favourites 1a, 6a, 15a, 16a & 5d — with winner 1a

    Thanks to NYDK & CS

  16. Oh dear, I do seem to be way off wavelength of late and today had to rely on a lot of googling and even then struggled to grasp several solutions. Roll on Monday and Tuesday for a bit of light relief. Thank you NYK and Sue,

  17. A most enjoyable solve lots to like with 21a/17d as favourite. Thanks to NYD and CS.

  18. Super prize xword with 16a as my favourite because of its neat brevity. Thank you NYDK and CS

  19. A very enjoyable enjoyable puzzle for me today.
    Favourite 28a.

    Thanks to the setter and crypticsue.

  20. I’d not heard of the collection of fantasy novels so needed plenty of checkers in to sort out the fodder. Even I couldn’t miss that theme. Enjoyed the puzzle – maybe a tad trickier than normal for a Saturday.
    Thanks to Donny & Sue.

  21. Finally completed but much trickier than some weeks. I needed some e help to check on the books as I had never come across them. Still very enjoyable.

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints

  23. Hello. Thanks to Sue and to all for commenting.

    The controversial ‘not as many?’ comes from Chambers Thesaurus’s …

    noun: fewer, smaller amount, not as/so much, not as/so many

    so I’m blaming them!

    Back to Eurevulsion.

    Cheers
    NYDK

    1. Thanks for an excellent but challenging prize crossword, loads of top clues and loved the multi linked ones.

      Thanks also to CS

    2. Hi NYDK

      Thanks for clarifying the many/much stewards.

      I do blame them as any English teacher would wince.

      My money on it being a variant is because of the classic ‘through constant misuse’ like people saying ‘in hindsight’ when they mean ‘in retrospect’.

      Anybody worth their salt knows it’s ‘with (the benefit of) hindsight’.

      Thanks for a v enjoyable crossword.

  24. After getting the first 3 across answers straight away, I was lulled into a false sense of straightforwardness — before I almost had to give up with only about a third completed. Eventually I got there with lots of fill-in-the-blank electronic assistance. There was no way I was solving 12a/11a without most of the checking letters, and 21a/17d had me 16a for a long time as well.

    Unfortunately that made it seem quite a slog, but I did particularly enjoy 6a (“state secrets”), 13a (“prosper”), and 27a (“exterminator”). Thank you to the setter, hinter, and other commenters.

  25. Half of this was easy and the other half was not.

    The sat crossword should not be as such; it should be neither easy or hard but consistently challenging.

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