Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3359 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where at zero dark thirty we undertook the nonsensical annual ritual of ‘springing forward’. British Columbia has the right idea; while it did ‘spring forward’ today it will not be ‘falling back’ in 8 months time. Manitoba has said that it will wait to see what the USA does but will that wait be a year, a century, or a millennium?
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada reasonably friendly with a soupçon of quirkiness – an economical four anagrams (two partials), no lurkers, and one homophone in an asymmetric 29 clues; with 15 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
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If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
Candidates for favourite – 8a, 19a, 27a, 5d, 22d, and 25d.
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.
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
8a Poor grade’s bagged in English university (7)
IN from the clue contained (bagged) by an anagram (poor) GRADE (without the ‘s).
11a Question about composition and application for writer (9)
A question using an interrogative pronoun containing (about) a type of (poetic) composition followed by a three letter synonym of application.
17a Team conversed with tsar or revolutionary (9,6)
An anagram (revolutionary) of CONVERSED and (with) TSAR OR.
19a French author increasingly defending story (7)
A synonym of increasingly containing (defending) a type of story.
26a Percussion instrument used to stop, when sounded? (9)
The homophone (when sounded) of a (5,5) phrase equivalent to used to stop.
27a Infinit? (7)
A synonym of the definition which can be considered to be one letter short.
28a Billion dollar contract? Pah! (3,4)
A double definition – the second is a scornful response.
Down
1d Spiked wheel below widget ultimately for hand-held tool (6)
A type of spiked wheel placed after (below – it’s a Down clue) the last letter (ultimately) of widgeT – as the saying goes, every day is a school day, and this is what made it one for me.
5d Little sound that may similarly rise and fall? (4)
A palindromic term (that may similarly rise and fall) for a little sound.
7d Big gun in business, defeat Uncle Sam (8)
The two letter abbreviated form of a synonym of business, a synonym of defeat, and the abbreviated form of what Uncle Sam represents.
9d Little wriggler eats (4)
A double definition – the second is a slang synonym of the dreadful term at the end of the clue.
15d Error in more than one drawing 23 Downs (10)
A three letter error (especially in IT) inserted into (in) the plural (more than one) of a term for a (random) drawing or sketch.
20d Offer to put in fuel when up for drive (6)
An offer to purchase (at an auction?) inserted into (to put in) the reversal (when up) of a type of fuel.
23d Incendiary device in packet? (4)
A double definition – the second may have financial connotations.
25d Stop pouring wine honey, enough now – for starters? (4)
A word that you might be asked to say to someone else to stop pouring formed from the first letters (for starters) of four words in the clue.
Quick Crossword Pun:
SILLY + CORN + SHIP = SILICON CHIP – based on the contributing words – Hmm.
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American musician and actor Micky Dolenz is, presumably, celebrating his 81st birthday today. His show-business career began in 1956 when he starred in a children’s TV show called Circus Boy playing an orphan named Corky. In 1965, he became a member of The Monkees, as drummer/vocalist, an American pop rock band initially formed to feature in a TV comedy series of the same name. Probably the group’s most successful recording is I’m A Believer written by Neil Diamond, and here it is:
Quirky? I thought it was tough. It didn’t help matters by making a couple of dodgy parsings and schoolboy errors in the NE. Like Senf, 1d was a learning point. I had the answer but couldn’t parse it. Cotd is 11a. A peach, or should it be a different stone fruit? Thanks to Dada and Senf.
2*/2.5*. Although I knew the spiked wheel in 1d, the percussion instrument in 26a was new to me (and it’s not in the BRB!)
11a was my favourite.
Thanks to Dada and to Senf.
I am embarrassed that the one I failed to solve was not considered difficult enough to warrant a hint. Otherwise a taxing but enjoyable puzzle, with thanks to setter and all. (2. Down)
Changing your alias for the fifth time sent you into moderation again
Just not for me today. But thanks to Dada and Senf.
3*/2*
I found it quite hard to get going but got there eventually
The clues I really liked were 24a 27a and 25d
Thanks to Dada and Senf
A trickier Dada than usual, although uite ebjoyed puzzling it out, after taking a break then coming back to it. There were some goodd lego clues, notably 1d,2d, 7d and my COTD , 11aand I was very proud of working out the soccer related anagram despite knowing little about it Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints.
I’m nursing a lame Hudson at the moment so the puzzle has had to take second place. I found it very tough and see that others struggled with it as well. I’ve never heard of the percussion instrument or I’ve forgotten about it.
My COTD is 24a.
Thank you, Dada for a brain mangler. Thank you, Colonel for the hints, which were needed.
Now back to nursing my dog.
Get well soon Hudson, and keep a close eye on that Kong
Oh, he does look sorry for himself. I am sure he is in good hands. 👨🏭
He’s very shiney! Boot polish?
Clean living! 😊
At the moment, he’s lying motionless on his side and staring into space.
Oh dear, poor Hudson. Steve is it his shoulder or leg causing the problem? How old is he now?
It’s his leg, Hilary. He can’t put any weight on it and there is a nasty looking sore on it.
Get well soon, Hudson…..
Have to say he looks in good nick if a little sad ….Great coat.
Cod liver oil. 😊
Oh SC. I hope the dear boy gets better soon as it’s sad when they are unwell. Tilly my girl sends her best wishes .
👍🐶
Jolly tough even for Dada but 27a was brilliant, loved it.
This took a bit of work but was pleasant enough to solve.
The biggest challenge I found was trying to find the appropriate synonym as the constructions were fair.
I thought ‘spiked’ in 1d was a l_u_r_k_e_r for the last three letters of the answer. It wasn’t to be. A bonkers word which I’m highly unlikely to see again.
Well done, RD, for not mentioning the noun ‘eats’!
My podium is 14a (nicely done), 27a (love a CD, me) and 20d.
MTT Radio and The Big S.
3*/3*
I thought if anyone came back on my ‘I’ll go with the flow’ comment on yesterday’s puzzle it’d be your good self…
Apologies for missing it, Hoots. A goodie.
I was hoping that someone would pick up on my comment today about Ricardito’s name and my misspelling of coincidence.
But, it’s not to be.
Dada’s a bit trickier than usual on a Sunday but enjoyable – thanks to him and Senf.
The 26a percussion instrument was new to me.
For my podium I’ll choose 11a, 14a and 2d.
I too found this quite tricky this morning, a couple of answers I had do some online research to confirm the parsing, but there was much in here to enjoy. COTD for me was 27a, simple but amusing.
My thanks to Dada and Senf.
I can only think of one possible word that fits into 2d. For the life of me, I can’t get it to fit the clue though. Please can someone put me out of my misery?
Other than that, it was fun to solve.
Hi R
King (as an example) is the first four letters.
One is the next letter.
Horse is the next three but in reverse (up).
Top (the answer) is a noun.
You need to be careful Tom, Gazza will be asking you to join the blogging team!
Somehow, I don’t quite see that happening, S.
Ah. THANK YOU. It all makes sense now
There’s every chance this will get redacted but I can’t resist….
It’s an unbelievable coinsidence that you, of all solvers, have asked for help with this clue.
Oh for goodness sake!! I got it wrong, which makes 13a wrong – how I love you all. Now I see the light……..
Thank you TDS you have helped me too!
I also found this tricky but got there in the end.
1d spiked wheel also new to me. LOI was 14a.
Top picks for me were 15d, 2d and 27a.
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
I am feeling pleased with myself as I have struggled with several recent puzzles and at first glance thought I was not going to manage this one. However it suddenly all fell into place once I got going on an anagram or two and even the obscure ones seemed to work if I followed the instructions. I did have to confirm my answers to 1d and 19a afterwards but for me this was a much better effort. Of course a filled grid does not necessarily mean the answers are right, but I will continue to feel pleased.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints
Half a dozen in the East slowed me up considerably, but I think it was just me being a bit dim rather than the guile of the setter. Plenty of smiles during the solve, with 27a my favourite this afternoon.
Thanks to Dada and Senf.
I go along with everyone else inasmuch as it was a tougher solve than recent Dada SPPs. I knew the spiked wheel, so 1d was first in resulting in a quick fill in the NW. Then anticlockwise around the grid in not too bad time. I probably overthought some of them and kicked myself when the penny dropped. LOI 15d.
My podium is 17a, 12a and COTD is 15d.
Thanks to Dada and Senf
2.5*/3..5*
I have far too many memories of 15d’s. I don’t think I have ever seen it in Guzzle-land before.
Really enjoyed that. Slowish to start and more of a jumping around approach than corner by corner, but the solving accelerated once the first few were in. As with Croye Dave knowing the spiked wheel helped, likewise the surfeit of anagrams. Took the percussion instrument on trust from the wordplay.
Some absolute crackers, with COTD 27a, joined on the podium by 11a & 14a.
Many thanks to setter and Senf alike.
The clock wouldn’t agree, but I thought this was a tad trickier than the toughie today, but here I had the help from Senf. 10a,19a and 1d all gave pause for thought
Are 7d and 15d linked? Either way, they can join 17a on the podium today
Thanks to Dada and Senf
Sat down with this fun Dada puzzle after walking the dog on a foggy Dartmoor. I particularly enjoyed today’s cryptic definitions. For me it was the SE corner that slowed things up; I tried various combinations of letters for 26A until I stumbled upon what ‘sounded’ like it must be correct.
Thanks to Senf for the helpful photo confirmation and Dada for the entertainment.
I am sure there is a Spoonerism in foggy dartmoor that can be cured by those carbonated fart reducing biscuits, maybe Hudson has some spare ones
Love the noosperism, Sloops! Very funny.
He doesn’t have any of the biscuits but has plenty of foggy Dartmoor’s. 😊
OMG! My lab does silent but deadly ones…….!
A better man than I could come up with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles meeting the Reverend Spooner on a malodourous Foggy Dartmoor
OMG … this Dada puzzle IMHO is as quirky as they get and I am sure his personal thesaurus must be in tatters with all the use it must have had. Definitely NOT a friendly Dada puzzle to round out the weekend.
3.5*/3*
Favourites … ?? Well , how about 8a, 11a, 24a, 27a, 2d & 15d — with winner 15d as it actually made me smile
Thanks Dada for yet another brain mangler for this weekend & thanks to Senf
As Senf indicates in his pre-amble the clocks went forward last night in Canada and in BC and the provincial gov’t has mandated that there will be no further time changes in this province moving forward … which is good. I just think it should have been when we were on Standard time rather than leaving us on Daylight Savings.
Now on the 31st Dec, sunrise will not be until 9:07am … making it rather a safety thing for kids trekking to school in the dark.
I dare say I am the only one here who would never smile at a 15d or any mention of it. It sounds quite a cosy term doesn’t it? Believe me, choose another favourite please!! I’m joshing, not criticising, but I always hyperventilate when they crop up😢
Hard work but managed to finish once a few of the longer clues e.g. 17A, fell into place.
My COTD was 19A only coz I remember him from French class at school – good storyteller as far as I can recall! 👍
Clocks forward here in US too…but brings us an hour closer to Blighty so all good!😜
Cracking rugby yesterday 🏴…
Thanks to Dada for today’s tough & quirky challenge and, as ever, to Senf for the blog ‘n hints – enjoyed the Monkees!👍
Cheers!
What an excellent puzzle. As with yesterday’s, I thought it was going to be beyond me for a while but once I had a few checkers it fell into place reasonably quickly. Like Ricardito, I was held up by 2d, having failed to spot the definition, and 15d (a good clue I thought) was last in. My favourites today were the superb 27a and 28a, which reminded me of my uncle’s response to almost everything I said to him aged 4 or so. Thanks very much to Dada and to Senf.
Less said about my solving of a few clues in this crossword as there were more moments of magic in them than in all the England performance yesterday which must herald a new team at the top of the ERU and the England Rugby Union Team.
Thank to Senf and Dada for their singularly esoteric offerings.
The Toughie by Beam is worth a look. I’ve just completed it so it must be easier than normal. 😊
Thanks to Dada and Senf. Tough as expected for a prize puzzle. Perseverance paid off in the end. NE went in straight away rest we slowly chipped away at. COTD 27a. LOI 7d.
We are having a good cranial workout – or at least I am. A real challenge. I was so pleased to see the comments about 2d because I was way off course – oddly enough I did dredge up the spiked wheel and endlessly ‘did’ 19a at school with Mlle Bozman (small and fluffy) who lived with Miss Sutch (always wore collar and tie and tailored shorts) the sports mistress because they were cousins. George has decided we must hoard our oil so I am swathed in many layers of wool. 11a my favourite. Many thanks to clever Setter and to Senf, I may be needing your red scarf for reinforcements. Off to the toughie now.
George is right to save the oil. I ordered some on Friday and the supplier couldn’t tell me the price because it’s rising daily. It was £1 a litre on Friday. What it will be on the day of delivery is anyone’s guess.
I filled up a month ago at 55p. Yesterday my supplier sent the weekly email £1.35!! Probably more today.
Heck. If it reaches £2 that will be £1000 for 500 litres. I payed about £400 last time.
A circuitous solve with 2d and 11a holding out till the bitter end. Nice and difficult as I like em on a sunday – just not toughie difficulty, as those bad boys bring me out in hives!
Thanks to the setter and to senf who’s blog i shall now take a gander at.
A nice steady and relatively chewy and enjoyable solve that I thought at first I would struggle with. The spiked wheel was a new word for me so couldn’t parse the clue until I saw the hint , as was the percussion instrument also. I did wonder if the use of the word eats at 9d would cause some eye rolling as it has in the past. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Well I don’t feel nearly as much of a lame brain after reading through the comments & seeing others found this on the tricky side. Add me to those who had 2d as their last in & it wasn’t exactly plain sailing getting there but like yesterday’s prize puzzle very satisfying once the final penny drops. 11a clear fav from a fine selection.
Thanks to D&S
Very enjoyable puxxle. I especially liked the 2 football teams and the 2 authors, but 27A wins it for me. VMT Dada and Senf.
For me this was pretty smooth – from the comments, seems to be one of those grids that’s been an adventure for many.
LOI was 2D’s top – and by chance this evening I did 11th Dec (31,107) from the archives …17D in that one is a verrry similar clue 🤔
Pody picks go to the novel team of 17A, 1D’s ‘school day’ spiked wheel and 9D for using my long-running nickname, very nostalgic 🙂
Many thanks to Dada and Senf ⭐️
A strange one. As so often with Dada I get the answers but on seeing the hints I think “I suppose so?” rather than “oh yes! “
Mind you I’ve finished it late in a pub after driving for eight hours from north of Glasgow en route to Guernsey for a dear friend’s funeral so my brain might be a bit addled. Currently enjoying a nice glass of merlot in his honour. He was quite a wine/crossword buff and being Welsh an expert on rugby. He did however tell me before Christmas that he thought England would get the Grand Slam this year…..🥴
Thanks to Senf and Dada as always
Sorry for your loss, Faraday 💜
4* / 4* Very tricksy but fair, favourites are my last two in 18d used and the 2d top.
Thanks to compiler and Senf (reasonably friendly!!!)
Very difficult and so needed Senf’s help!