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DT 30935 (Hints)

by crypticsue  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30935 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

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After witnessing the miracle of some actual rain this morning, I settled down to solve the crossword which, given the number of anagrams and the time I took to solve, I think I know who was the setter

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           Work together with barrel-maker, brewing tea (2-7)
A barrel-maker and an anagram (brewing) of TEA

8a           Conflict on the football field or at a singing contest? (7,6)
This deliberate conflict sounds like it could take place on a football field or at a musical contest to assess the degree of sound of a particular note

20a         Rescuer is initially lacking taste (6)
A rescuer without (lacking) the initial letter of Is

21a         Pot from New Orleans, perhaps (5)
A military cooking pot or an early form of jazz in New Orleans

26a         Slashed one’s skin (5)
Slashed and an abbreviated way of writing one’s

28a         One at baptism got to welcome padre possibly before noon (9)
GOT (from the clue) ‘welcomes’ an anagram (possibly) of PADRE and the abbreviation for Noon

Down

2d           Award old vehicle claiming second (5)
The abbreviation for Old and a vehicle into which is inserted (claiming) the abbreviation for Second

4d           Barney maybe with bishops breaking law (6)
Two of the chess abbreviation for Bishop ‘breaking’ a law

6d           Time before tea for a score at Wimbledon? (7-6)
A time before afternoon tea or a tennis score

13d         British having departed, drink finally flowed and flowed (5)
The abbreviation for British is removed (having departed) from some drink, the final letter of floweD being added at the end

15d         Document one might take from a letter (5)
A document given to you by someone letting a property

26d         Hit on the head with old coin (5)
A slang way of saying hit on the head or an old coin

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: GRAY + SIN  + RODE + LONDON = GRAY’S INN ROAD, LONDON

44 comments on “DT 30935 (Hints)”

  1. Just right for a SPP, I thought with some pondering required. It didn’t seem like one of NYDK’s to me but I know nothing. Plenty to like and I have ticks all over the paper such as the singing contest at 8a and the rubbish match at 19a. Difficult to pick a favourite but, if pushed, I will settle for the rule bending at 27a.

    Thank you, setter for a fun challenge. Thank you, CS for the hints.

    It’s the Kinnerley Beer Festival this afternoon and I’m serving the cider. I hope the organisers know what they’re letting themselves in for.

  2. At first I thought that this puzzle was going to be a very stern challenge, but having obtained a foothold it gradually came together. Like Steve C, I did wonder whether it was a NYDK offering as it seemed to lack his trademark wit, but as I’m useless at identify the solver, I’m not going to hazard a guess on whom it might be. I did wonder whether 21a was a pot having heard of a different receptacle. My podium comprises 8a, 6d and 24a in top spot, although it might be a candidate for The List. Thanks to compiler and CS.

  3. A very nice Saturday prize crossy that will please most punters with the four 13 letter clues having a sporty theme.

    I’ve never heard of the pot in 21a and seeing 22d appear again after yesterday’s made me smile. I couldn’t get the usual term for ‘former’ out of my brain for 17a. Luckily, having the first checker for 27a, I quickly stopped trying to think of an anagram as the usual letter that precedes the checker wasn’t in the fodder.

    My podium is the splendid 1a, 4d and 13d.

    MT to the setter and CS.

    2*/4*

    1. You cant have been a Boy Scout if you had never painted your 21a with distemper so it was easier to clean after being used over a woodfire. A messy chore. What’s distemper do you ask????

  4. Nice puzzle pitched just right for me. Lots of satisfying clues. Couldn’t parse 4d even with the hint without the help of my other half as the cartoon reference passed me by. Thanks to setter and CS.

  6. I found the grid a bit trickier than some but the clues were excellent and entertaining, I too had not heard of the pot. Overall a fun way to start a Saturday whilst waiting for the rain to pass.

    Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints

  7. A very approachable guzzle, blessedly free of multi-word clues and one that I really enjoyed, with lots of anagrams. I particularly liked the two crypric double meaning clues at 6d and 8a and rhe lego referencing a wellremembered TV programme. The 22a southern pot was, however my COTD, very clever I rhought Thanks to the compiler for a SPP, which was a refreshing change

    1. Cleaning up some old crosswords. 6d, I got the answer but I am not sure the clue works properly. Old fashioned word for eating at that time of day, but and the Wimbledon score but does the question mark absolved the setter for another nudge? I have one left, 27ac, I have all the letters bar the last 3 in the last word. It’s not jumping out at me yet. This was a really nice put together crosswords.

  8. 2*/4* from me for a polished and enjoyable SPP. It’s always a good omen when 1a hooks you in, and that was certainly the case today. It gets joined on my podium by 21a & 9d.

    Many thanks to the setter (Cephas perhaps?) and to CS.

  9. Smooth clues using a tricky grid but all went well … although the quickie pun eluded me yet again. Thank you CS and compiler

  11. Thank you to the setter for a very enjoyable challenge and to Crypticsue for the hints, which were, as ever, reassuring to confirm I am not imitating a canine selecting the wrong arboreal entity. Can I just check that I am not mistaken with 28a and that one of the capitalised words in the hints currently ends in the wrong vowel? Thanks again setter and CS

    1. You’ve changed your alias again – any of the three will work from now on

      You are not mistaken – I seem to have lost the ability to type correctly

  12. As already suggested by RD and Ed, I thought this might be a puzzle penned by Cephas. It was certainly enjoyable but didn’t have that NYDK flavour.
    My favourite was 27a with 6d hard on its heels.

    Many thanks to Cephas if it is indeed one of his and also to CS for the hints.

  13. Most enjoyable guzzle. A sturdy but winnable challenge.
    I have, however, received complaints from Serengeti and orchestra. They feel that 22d is encroaching on their ‘Must Appear At Least Once Each Week’ territory. I will pass on their feelings to Mr Lancaster, and copy in Sir Keir Starmer, His Holiness The Pope, and Charli XCX.

    I do hope Kath, and Brian, are well. Both, in very different ways, are marvellous contributors.

    Thanks to the setter and Super Sue

  14. Right up my alley, as they seem to have been all week. Very enjoyable, with just enough thought and only one cup of tea required (admittedly a big mug thereof!). So I will award this **/**** Thanks to the setter, and to CS for the mercifully unneeded hints which I will now read.

  15. Well this was an enjoyable and steady solve for the most part – but the right hand side eluded me. In fact not all of the right hand side – it was just the far-right that completely mystified me – just as in life…

    Many thanks to the setter, and to CS (even though the two clues I really needed help with were not included in her otherwise excellent hints).

  16. An enjoyable and appropriately gentle Saturday puzzle with which to greet this morning’s sunrise, which I am sure was there even if it was hidden behind solid cloud and misty rain! The pot definition was new to me, At a couple of points I thought we were on for a pangram but was not to be. Many thanks to the setter and to Sue.

  17. Very enjoyable and ‘medium’ difficulty puzzle today. Must admit to missing the usual Saturday NYDK style but this was still very neat! Strangely the longer ones towards the edges were last in.

    Thanks CS and setter.

  18. With the double unches the grid was a little unfriendly but that didn’t slow down the solve too much and I will go along with the thoughts that this is the work of Cephas rather than NYDK – **/****

    Candidates for favourite – 19a, 6d, 10d, and 13d – and the winner is 6d.

    Thanks to Cephas, or whomsoever if it is not he, and thanks to CS.

  19. Very enjoyable, just seemed to be on the right wavelength and went through the puzzle quite quickly, for me at any rate. Needed just a couple of hints, usual thing about forgetting that words that can mean very different meanings and references.
    COTD for me, the three sporting references of 8a, 27a and 6d.
    Thank you to CS for the hints and to the setter.

  20. Great puzzle, tricky in places but fair, though I do miss my Saturday linked clues! 😜
    ***/***
    Thanks to Setter n Sue

  21. I found this Saturday puzzle a little more difficult than usual. Tend to think this is a Cephas production today as do several others. I really struggled in the centre of the puzzle as I had two with wrong words in the area. Just me being a little dim.

    2.5*/3.5*

    Favourites 1a, 8a, 19a, 6d & 13d — with winner 6d
    Smiles for 1a, 13d & 26d

    Thanks to setter Cephas & CS

  22. Good fare today which I enjoyed .. but not as much as haggis (as long as it is served with sauce) … which I eventually realised didn’t fit in at 19a.
    My cotd was 14d which I’m glad not to have any more (at least from a work perspective).
    Thanks to setter and CS.

  23. Lovely crossie without any linked clues which I hate. No difficulties at all and IMHO far easier that the last couple of days. My steroid injection into my shoulder was agony with the doctor asking if I had felt the needle hit the bone – yes I had. But, 5 days later and I really do think it is improving so fingers crossed. Many thanks to the mystery setter and to CS.

    1. Pleased to hear that the ‘ouchy!’ op may have done the trick, M.

      1. In my experience with steroid injections into the hip and knees, Manders,it hurts like stink when its done and for a few days after, but it soon feels so much better that you’re glad you had it done and beg for a further jab when the first one wears off. Onwards and upwards.

        1. Well CC, I had one in September which didn’t work at all but this was put in a completely different area so I will hope, if it does work he told me to have another in 3 months.

  24. Difficult but doable from us too. Enjoyable though. Favourite was 27a. Thanks to the setter and CS.

  25. Good afternoon

    All done, though not without a few stumbles along the way. Getting my head around the central xxx proved crucial; once I’d cracked that, the rest fell without too much trouble.

    COTD is 4d 🤣

    Many thanks to our setter and to CS.

  26. Just got back to base after bad light stopped play at Worcester, so time to complete this excellent SPP that was spot on in my opinion. Loads to enjoy with the sporting theme, and my favourite was 1a.

    Thanks to our Saturday setter and Sue.

  27. 2* / 4* From the first in 1a (great start) to last one in the conflict at 8a thoroughly enjoyable.
    Didn’t know the pot but had to be and i might even retain a new word!
    Thanks to setter and Sue
    Ps usually like even the most tenuous quickie puns, but a random road in London mmm not sure!

  28. Super puzzle. The pot was a new one on me but otherwise straightforward apart from 17a which is a bit of a definition bung in – nobody else has mentioned it so assuming I have the correct answer I must just be missing the obvious. Ticks aplenty – 1&28a at top & bottom both crackers & also liked the four long ‘uns.
    Thanks to the setter & to CS

    1. Yep being thick – 17a parsing penny just dropped while putting the kettle on.

  29. Perhaps the grid is less multi-lit than a standard NYDK, so I’m opting as others have done for Cephas.

    An entertaining puzzle indeed, if on the slightly harder side for an SPP, and I’m with portcoquitlambc for the podium arrangements (very nice, that 6D).

    Many thanks setter and Sue.

  30. I was right on wavelength so this was a relatively straightforward and enjoyable solve for me. I quite liked the grid especially as the centre all fell into place. Thanks to setter and CS

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