Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3330 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where wild fires continue across the country and most provinces have ‘outside’ fire bans in place. In Newfoundland, fines for violating the ban have been increased significantly. For example, for a first offence the fine has been increased from $75 (seventy-five dollars) to $50,000 (fifty thousand dollars) and prison time if the offender cannot pay.
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada at his friendliest with 6 anagrams (3 partials), 1 lurker, and 1 homophone all in what is probably the most asymmetric grid with 28 clues I have ever seen; 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 – 6a, 11a, 22a, 27a, 4d, 7d, and 13d.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, a number of the what I very subjectively perceive to be 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
6a Get acquainted – take your pick to do it? (5,3,3)
A double definition(?) – the second might be associated with a winter activity.
11a Fly down with courage (10)
A colour used as a synonym of down (in mood) and (with) a synonym of courage (that is also a container).
15a Lowness with role unsettled great director (5,6)
An anagram (unsettled) of LOWNESS and (with – again) ROLE.
21a Case of holy man without a holy song (4)
The outer letters (case) of HolY and MaN with the A deleted (without).
25a Blooming plant in closing, unopened (8)
A type of vascular flowerless plant inserted into (in) a synonym of closing with the first letter deleted (unopened).
28a On strike, position excellent (11)
A three letter term for on strike, as in withdrawing labour, and a synonym of position.
Down
1d Second in colourful spectrum – is it? (6)
The second letter in cOlourful and a synonym of spectrum.
4d In the pink? I suppose so (4,4)
A double definition – the first might relate to health.
7d Chart large hollowed out tree (5)
A type of chart (used for navigation) and LargE with the interior letters deleted (hollowed out).
13d That is what to do with broken down car? (2,3)
How is your Old English? Written (3,2), what one might do with a broken down car.
18d Garland gathered by Madeleine (3)
The lurker (gathered by) found in the last word of the clue.
20d Beelzebub survived being sent up (5)
The reversal (being sent up) of a synonym of survived.
23d Temple in middle of Denpasar housing a deity (6)
The middle letters of DenPAsar containing (housing) all of A from the clue and a deity.
26d Chair, something heavy (4)
A double definition to finish – the first relates to a position in an organisation.
Quick Crossword Pun:
WEEVIL + ROCK + CUE = WE WILL ROCK YOU
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American female vocal group The Three Degrees, formed circa 1963, has always been a trio but there have been 12 different members over the years. The trio which was extant in 1974 reached number one, for two weeks, on this day in 1974 with this, from the 1974 Top of the Pops Christmas Special:
A most unusual grid, which I initially thought would prove problematic.
I needn’t have worried though as this was a fairly painless solve.
My top three are the blooming plant in 25a, the screwed up bulb in 27a and the cleverly worded 1d.
My thanks to the Dada and Senf.
Dada being a bit tricksy today, I thought. I thought there might be a Nina given the single squares around the rim but it was not to be. I’m not sure about the parsing of 1d so I hope that is hinted. Despite it taking longer than usual it was a fun puzzle with plenty of pennies dropping. My COTD is the courageous fly at 11a.
Thank you, Dada for a good challenge. Thank you, Colonel for the hints.
What is a nina, please
It’s when a message is hidden in the crossword. The recent GCHQ puzzle (30995) had ‘foul traitor reveals war secrets’ hidden in the single squares around the edge of the puzzle. I think it’s in the FAQs.
Hi, Lynne A Nina is a hidden word or phrase. They sometimes appear in a crenelated grid. This is a grid that has alternate spaces and blanks around the perimeter giving a suggestion of battlements. When the grid is filled the letters around the edge can form a phrase.
More information can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions section of the blog. The link is at the top of the page.
Thanks, I’ll look out for them.
1d Second refers to a second letter
Yes, I see it now – thanks Slowcoach.
As I wrote in the hint!
The instructions that our dear departed leader gave to me, at BB8, started with ‘first and last in each direction.’
1d is my clue of the day. (Redacted – read the instructions in RED under the hints!)
I concur with Frankiemillwall. All good fun.
Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Who doesn’t love a bonkers grid, once in a while!
This went in fairly smoothly with Devon and Cornwall being the last quadrant to fall. Being a Maths boy, I liked the mention of ‘speed of light’ in 27a. I don’t think I’ve heard ‘wicked’ mentioned in a good few years. Sadly, ‘sick’ has replaced it amongst the yoof of today.
Thanks to 23d, I’ve now learnt the capital of Bali.
My podium is the aforementioned 23d, 24d and the outstanding 2d getting the gold.
MT to Radio and Senfingtons.
2*/4*
A fun puzzle from Dada who’s cut down on the number of anagrams this week – thanks to him and Senf.
My rosettes were pinned on 25a, 1d and 2d.
Last in was 2d, just didn’t see it for ages, but finally the penny dropped, brilliant clue, Mrs TC is having another one next month.
Grid a bit costly on the old ink, more bucks into messers H and P’s coffers!
Really enjoyed this one though, my two of the day are 25a and 13d, great fun!
2*/4* from me for a light and fun puzzle.
25a would have been a candidate for my favourite except for the surface which reads like gobbledegook to me. That allowed 24d to take first prize with 1d & 23d joining it on my podium.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.
It took me a while to see some of this, maybe I was put off by the grid. There are a couple I cannot parse and will need the full review for. Overall it was a good puzzle with a nice variety of clues.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints.
All going swimmingly until I was defeated by 2d, 25a, 28a. Enjoyable puzzle with some excellent clues – 4d, 11a and 22a were very good I thought. Thank you Dada and Senf.
It was an unusual grid but, after a slow start, the speed of solving increased as the checkers went in. I liked the cryptic double meaningvclue at 6a, the Lego clue at 11a, the anagram at 15a and thhe reverse synonym at 20d. Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints.
Unusual grid for our setter to use but one of his trademark mild expletives made an appearance to assure us that this was penned by him.
I’ll go with Steve C and give top ranking to the brave fly whilst 1,2&13d can fight it out for the lesser rosettes.
Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints and music – quite frightening to think how long it’s been since The Three Degrees graced our TV screens!
I started this two or three hours ago before we went for a nice breakfast in Arundel. At least I thought I had. When I completed it I had a look at Senf’s hints and the comments, but nothing made any sense. Turned out I’d done the Toughie which I always save for later!
I agree with this being an unusual grid, but everything fell into place. I’ll go with Gazza for 25a as favourite.
For obvious reasons I start with the toughie too, I think that today’s Zandio is at the floughier end of his spectrum,whilst Dada is at the trickier end of his.
I enjoyed solving todays crossword. The only “issue” I had was 13d where I thought it should have been indicated as (3,2) until I read the hints (thanks Senf). My old English was not up to scratch. My COTD is 25a with 11a as a 16d. Thank you to the setter.
I don’t always get along with Dada but enjoyed that more than any I can recall recently mostly due to the unusually smooth surfaces. Last to go in was 2d although it had to be but I felt “I should add” was a bit loose. TVM Dada and Senf (do hope the wildfires will soon abate).
thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. My parsing of 2d would be the second from richard of york etc hope I’m not sitting on the naughty step.
Many thanks to Dada and Senf.
PS hope my friends in Newfoundland and Labrador aren’t affected by wild fires – remember seeing the results of one years ago
That was the way I parsed 2d, Jimbob, having learned the same mnemonic as you clearly did.
I presume you are both actually referring to 1d rather than 2d here? So far I have spent the same amount of time on 2d as the rest of the grid. Absolutely no idea what the solution is! Pretty sure the surrounding answers are all correct.
(Redacted – read the instructions in RED under the hints)
This Sunday puzzle was for me at the easier end of Dada’s spectrum this week. Little if any personal thesaurus use and nothing quirky for me.
2*/4*
Favourites 6a, 21a, 22a, 13d & 18d — with winner 6a
Thanks to Dada & Senf
I thought at first that it was going to be a struggle as I read 5 or 6 clues before getting started. Then it all fell into place and it was a steady and solve. My last one in , the blooming plant at 25a was my favourite . Thanks to Dada and Senf.
No time to do a crossword yesterday but got into today’s early. No real hold ups but satisfying to finish. Favourite was 25a. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
A DNF for me as I needed the hints to get it.
Top picks for me were 11a, 27a, 1d and 2d.
Thanks to Senf (hope the wildfires abate soon) and Dada.
As with others the grid frightened at fist but all went well and I have learned a new word for garland. The quickie pun assumes some kind of European accent!
Good afternoon
I was just about to hoy the sponge in with four solutions to go, and then all of a sudden, 25a clicked. That meant I could deduce 26d and 19d; which left just my last to fall, 2d. I stared and stared at it for bloomin ages! Eventually it went in, and becomes my COTD, with 27a a good second.
Many thanks to Dada and Senf.
I didn’t find this terribly straight forward today, seemed more on the trickier Dada level, at least for some of the clues. But it may just be the result of lack of sound sleep. No reason for that, as we are sitting here counting our lucky stars that Hurricane Erin did not visit us. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
I’m glad you are both safe from Erin, It must be worrying knowing a hurricane is on its way.
Had trouble with 8d, 25a and 2d, aĺl of which were clever, I thought. Favourite, though was 2d, once the penny dropped.
I found it hard work today. As a few others mentioned, I spent far too long on 2d and eventually had to admit defeat. I’ll go with the old English at 13d as my favourite.
Thanks to setter and to Senf
3.5* /3.5* I found this the trickiest for some while, 1d and 25a had me flummoxed for some time although I did have the wrong answer in 18d which didn’t help.
Thanks to Dada and Senf
Favourite 6a get acquainted
Thank you Dada and Senf. We came to this puzzle at dusk, having spent the day enjoying being outside in the sunshine. Tough one for us but we did finish. COTD 11a. Gary and Val
I couldn’t get 2d last night for love nor money but it leapt out at me fairly quickly this morning. Nominate my favourite as 28a, thanks to Dada and Senf