DT 31043 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 31043 (Hints)

by crypticsue  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31043 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Autumn has really arrived – it was only seven degrees when I went out to get the paper just before eight this morning.

Another enjoyable Prize Puzzle.   I would draw people’s attention to two of my hints as there is one clue and one solution which will cause the sort of discussions that aren’t really allowed on a Saturday so if you don’t want to be redacted when I return from helping to deliver the parish magazine, please be careful what you say

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           Perhaps killing time with Frank, add flavouring (4,6)
Frank or free and to add flavouring to food

11a         Mycenaean king soon to host contest, leader of men (9)
An archaic or literary word meaning soon ‘hosts’ a contest and the ‘leader’ of Men

12a         Mum caught by Hebrew character in drama (7)
An informal name for mum, the cricket abbreviation for Caught and the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet

14a         One among two left dizzy in mad intellectual duel (6,2,4)
The Roman numeral for one inserted into an anagram (dizzy) of TWO LEFT, the result inserted into an informal word meaning crazy (mad)

21a         Intense old lover leaves home, maiden installed (7)
A former lover and a ‘home’ of leaves into which is inserted (installed) the cricket abbreviation for Maiden.   I know when the penny drops, many people like me will think the ‘leaves home’ is brilliant BUT as it is a Prize Puzzle, PLEASE don’t mention the actual word  in your comment

23a         Writer having fish on line (7)
A type of fish follows a line

27a         She who holds up the train? (10)
A cryptic definition – she has nothing to do with the railways!

Down

1d           Working spell without delay (2,4)
Working and a turn or shift (spell)

3d           Game in southern resort: change from before? (5-9)
The abbreviation for Southern and a resort on the south coast followed by an old coin (change from before?)  Yes we all know the name of the game isn’t usually written like this, but please come back on Friday and moan about it then

 

4d           American with miserable cold? (9)
The abbreviation for American and affecting or sadly inadequate

7d           Land in gaol drunk after not very long? (8)
An anagram (drunk) of IN GAOL goes after an informal short period of time (not very long)

9d           `Make out sylvan region (4,2,3,5)
An informal way of saying make out or kiss amorously and belonging to forests etc (sylvan)

17d         Having finished pack, I smoked joint (8)
Having finished, a verb meaning to pack and I (from the clue)

22d         Composer left in temper when sent up (5)
The abbreviation for Left inserted into a reversed (when sent up) temper

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: MITT + SEA + GAYE + GNAW = MITZI GAYNOR  (An American musical star of the 1950’s)

49 comments on “DT 31043 (Hints)”

  1. Well this puzzle’s parents aren’t married and that’s for certain.

    Couldn’t for the life of me see where ‘make out’ came into 9d (my last one in), but finally it all became clear.

    All in all a brilliant puzzle, there, I can say that now it’s over, but that wasn’t what I was saying after I’d only got a handful in the time it usually takes to get most of it done.

    My two of the day are 26a, 9d (eventually) and the brilliant 3d, best clue in yonks.

    Hope someone can say who the setter is today, because I’m rubbish at guessing them!

  3. My first Saturday puzzle for a while, and it was more straightforward than I remembering them being. Thank you to the setter, especially for 21a, which is fantastic. And thank you to CrypticSue for hosting today, and for explaining the quickie pun.

  4. Great puzzle though let down a bit in my view by 3d and its idiosyncratic spelling (which defeated me) Favourites among many were 1a, 21a and 27a. Thanks you setter and CS

  5. There were some very good clues today and oover all it swas an enjoyable SPP. My COTD was theego clue at 3d although the PDM toook a while to make a very loud clang. I also liked the two character clues at 11 and 12a together with the double definition at 18a. Thanks to CS for the hints, which I needed,as I couldn’t parse the answer completely. Thanks to our coompiler for an absorbing guzzle.

  6. A very entertaining puzzle with a lot of pennies dropping. 21a was my favourite.

    Many thanks the setter and to CS for the hints.

  7. That was fun despite a few obscurities. 17d took me a while to decipher but it did remind me I haven’t had any for a while. I didn’t know the Hebrew character at 12a but the first three letters led to the answer. My COTD is the woman delaying the train at 27a.

    Thank you, setter for giving me another chance at The Mythical. Thank you, Ceesoo for the hints.

    What were the Ninas in yesterday’s Toughie? I’ve spent ages looking for them to no avail.

      1. Wow! You must be really chill!
        What would you call it?- a blunt? doobie? reefer? splif?
        Far out! :wink:

  8. Another SPP alive with entertaining ideas couched in neat clues.

    I’m with CS on the ‘leaves home’ as being perhaps the best synonym part of the day, but there were others. All in all, a wonderful work-out.

    If ever I get the chance to attend a Burns Night celebration, I’ll be sure to check exactly what I’m eating, after 24D.

    Many thanks.

  9. 2*/4*. This was a lot of fun with 21a my runaway favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter (NYDK?) and to CS.

  10. Probably one of the best SPPs for quite a while. 9d caused some head scratching but, slowly, memories of the expression, which I haven’t heard for some time, returned.

    Candidates for favourite – 11a, 18a, 4d, and the aforementioned 9d -and the winner is 18a.

    Thanks to whomsoever, it could be NYDK or perhaps Cephas, and thanks to CS.

  11. The humour on display leads me to believe that this is the work of our regular Saturday setter and it certainly left me smiling. I’m sure we’ve seen that description of ‘leaves home’ several times before but it’s still very good and I note that our current flavour of the month author is getting another run out although have to say that I preferred yesterday’s clue. Top two here were 18a and 9d.
    The Quickie pun took me back to my early days of cinema-going with mum and dad – wonderful nights out.

    Thanks to our setter and to CS for the hints.

  12. Well I certainly had to work hard to complete this cracker of a puzzle. There were plenty of “doh” moments when the lights came on. I ended up with ticks aplenty, so picking a podium is difficult. There are honorable mentions for 14a and 23a, but podium places go to 1a, 24a and 2d. A tip of the hat to our compiler (NYDK?) and CS.

  13. Absolutely top drawer and very worthy of a SPP slot. 21a and 3d were inspired and my top two this afternoon.

    Many thanks to our setter (Donny?) and Sue.

  14. What a fabulous puzzle. Took me far too long to complete but enjoyed every moment of it. Oodles of humour – just brilliant. Leaves home made me spit coffee on my print out. Lucky I wasn’t doing it on my Mac book pro!!!

    Thank you setter for a wonderful mornings solving. And of course to CS who’s words of wisdom I shall now enjoy

  15. What a great puzzle with lots of smiles.
    Top picks for me were 1a, 21a, 3d, 7d and 27a.

    Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.

  16. 1.5* / 4* an enjoyable and gentle Saturday prize puzzle with plenty of PDMs and one H/PDM!
    Favourites include include sylvan region at 9d, game at 3d and the annoying 13a

    Thanks to Sue and setter
    Ps never heard of the quickie pun star

  17. Thanks to the Setter and CS. Well constructed puzzle which we found relatively easy for a weekend. COTD 27a. LOI 3d.

  18. I think it has all been said! Brilliant guzzle, pdms greeted with glee. 3d was a must when visiting Grandad Angus, we all loved it. I don’t think that puts me on the naughty step, does it? Many thanks to the wily Setter and to CeeSue. Too many favourites to mention.

  19. A very pleasant Saturday puzzle today. Pouring rain here on the West Coast of BC … and much needed too I might add … puzzle and rain!
    Still too many forest fires here with another started Thursday afternoon near Peachland, BC. Up to 2 square kilometres with about 325 homes under evacuation order and 1100 other properties on evacuation alert as of Friday pm

    2*/4*

    Favourites 1a, 18a, 24a, 3d, 16d & 19d — with winner 18a
    Smiles for 24a, 27a & 19d

    Thanks to setter & CS

  20. It’s been a terrific week of back pagers & for me this one goes straight into the top spot – no mean feat when Hudson & Silvanus puzzles have featured. The Hebrew character was new to me & required post solve confirmation, can’t say I’d have known the Latin for (redacted )& I was a bit slow getting into the right 9d twigging the excellent leaves home context. A plethora of ticks – 1,14,15&21a along with 3&9d particular likes with the intellectual duel my pick of ‘em. The Quick pun was certainly a blast from the past.
    Thanks to the setter (Donny surely) & Sue

    1. Oops 🤦‍♂️.
      Sorry Sue – wrist duly slapped. Blame it on the distraction of the Ryder Cup whist posting

  21. Good afternoon. This SPP tested me. After a week of light back pagers and even lighter Toughies, this SPP brought me back down to earth. Some brilliant clues with 18a being my COTD; 11a and 27a taking second and third place. Thank to the setter and CS for the review. Bon weekend

  23. We didn’t find this as straightforward as some but not impossibly difficult and hugely enjoyable to boot. Lots of candidates for favourite but we’ll go with 11a. Thanks to the setter and CS.

  24. Struggled with this one over three glasses of wine in Valencia. I thought quite unusual and hope the setter is revealed. I don’t usually do a Saturday so maybe that was it. Mid range enjoyment for me. Thanks hunter and setter. Looking forward to being back on Dartmoor on Monday.

  25. This was a wonderful puzzle. I started it earlier thinking – ‘gosh this is hard’. Then my friend came over and after lunch we ve been sat in front of the fire and I had my brain in gear and steadily worked it through. Some really excellent clues many making me smile. Well done to the setter – is it Zandio ? and to CS.

  26. Despite having a bad attack of dry eyes today I persevered to finish, albeit with the aid of too many hints. Second sighting this week for 23a, never developed a taste for 17d, and LOL at 27a. COTD to 3d for nostalgic reasons. I think we were 17 and 19 the last time we played that. My grandmother even had her own set at home. Thanks to setter and the ever busy CS.

  27. What a belter! NYPD Blue is on fire at the moment.

    There were lots of excellent, neat constructions with plenty of smiles along the way. I hope ‘Leaves home’ is the work of the aforementioned. If so then take a bow.

    6a took a while to drop as did 3d.

    My pody picks are 21a (obvs), 7d and 9d.

    MT to Rood Bonk and she of the crypt.

    2*/5*

  28. Brilliant puzzle
    3*/5*
    My picks were 21a, 7d, 9d and 17d
    I agree with Sue on the red lettering. I vaguely remember playing 3d – my grandmother had a board.
    Thanks to Sue and NYDK

  30. Au contraire certainly did some work in 6a, and it was a 14a between me and Setter for some time. Good fun though.
    Thanks to setter and Sue, I was hoping someone would have claimed it by now as my coins are staying on the table for a bit.

  31. NYDK claiming it. Don’t know who actually wrote it … 😊

    Thanks Sue and all who commented.

    Cheers, and congrats to the Red Roses!

  32. Brilliant from NYDK, and absolutely nothing to complain about on 3Din my view. 9D and 24A win it for hilarity. VMT NYDK and Sue.

  33. Like Tipcat I found this a bit of a teaser until I had solved it when it all seemed quite clear.
    I love 21A.

  34. Very tough and satisfying challenge.

    3d beat me and the spelling had nothing to do with it.

    Thanks to all.

  35. Eldest daughter’s birthday today so she had to come first. Presents and lunch out before she went off with husband to Brighton and I could get back to this excellent puzzle. So much enjoyment in the clever and deceptive clues.Favourite was 21 across and many others liked it as well. 14, 18 and 27 across were a delight. It took a while to convince myself that 9 down was what first sprung to mind.Thank you Sue and NYDK. Since I got there unaided it means it can be posted .

  36. Very late due to aforementioned pressures on time. Wonderful, simply brilliant. Thanks to CS for the hint for 9d, I just couldn’t get the first word. Loved the 3d game, the spelling didn’t worry me. Have to join the chorus at the simply fantastic ‘leaves home’ in 21a. This was well worth all the gabbed moments during the day and raised a smile every time.

    There were plenty of other ticks, too many to mention.

    Thanks NYDK and CS!

  38. I have the 6a answer since nothing else fits but I don’t know why.

    The 3d won’t drop!! Help me put someone please!!

    1. Changing you alias again sent you into moderation

      Split your solution to 6a 2,2 and then read the clue again, especially the ‘French bit’

Comments are closed.