Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31199 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
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There is nothing quite like an early text telling you that you won’t have much trouble with the cryptic crossword to ensure that you will spend longer than you should on the crossword. My favourites were the linked clues at 8d/12a and 25a/17d. I will be interested to learn what others thought.
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 Concerned with current vote for two American states (10)
Vote for and the abbreviations for two American states, the first on the East Coast, the other on the West
6a Cross country from which one must be excluded (4)
A European country without the Roman numeral for one
11a Very nasty soup, so no one ordered (9)
If you are more awake than your blogger was early this morning when she solved the crossword, you will have counted the anagram fodder and ‘ordered’ SOUP SO NO and I (one) rather than wondering why you couldn’t see the obvious
13a Such power from uranium, protected by new patent? (7)
The chemical symbol for Uranium ‘protected’ by the abbreviation for new and patent in the sense of obvious
18a Aspiring VPs working with couples (7,5)
A synonym for working and couples as a verb
25a/17d Yellow with embarrassment? (3,2,4,4)
This informal expression meaning to be left looking foolish does sound like you might not have taken enough care when eating a particular food item with a yellow centre
27a Fewer than twenty in foreground (10)
Less than a total of twenty, the definition being an originally US verb meaning to spotlight or emphasise
Down
1d Itches to become involved in moral science (6)
An anagram (to become involved) of ITCHES
2d Shutter protecting lens etc (6)
Nothing to do with cameras but relating to a part of the body
7d Go to collect rubbish for example in female ward (8)
Go or pass water informally ‘collects’ some rubbish and the abbreviation meaning for example
9d Real party animals, great stirrers (8,6)
Real or specific and people easily sociable in all sorts of company
19d Party organised without MDMA, alas! (4,2)
Organised or put on without the abbreviated alternative name for MDMA, and a poetical way of spelling an interjection meaning alas
20d Suspicion surrounds Beethoven’s Ninth as dance music (6)
A suspicion or small amount of something ‘surrounds’ the ninth letter of BeethoveN
22d Last of liquid – tip it down sink (5)
The last letter of liquiD and the type of weather that may tip it down
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
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The Quick Crossword pun: KNIGHT + THYME = NIGHT-TIME
I enjoyed this, a couple of clues required pause for thought. 1a very clever.
Thanks to today’s settter and CS.
I found today’s a little on the tough side but it is a prize puzzle so no complaints. Anyway, I’m a little jaded after helping out with the race night in the village hall last night. Strangely, the linked clues caused no problems but that may be because I ignored them until checkers showed me the way. There are a couple I don’t understand so will hope they are hinted. My COTD is the last of the liquid at 22d.
Thank you, NYDK for a great, if brain mangling, puzzle. Thank you, CeeSoo for the hints. Thank you for the explanation of 11a, which was one that I just could not see. 👍
Whoever texted you that you wouldn’t be troubled by this must be a trickster. I found it hard, but several unparsed bung-ins didn’t help.
16d, 9d helped me see the errors of my ways and a grid was soon filled, but the whys followed on a later bus.
Thanks to Setter and Sue
This was pleasingly tricky for a SPP but all very fairly clued. The linked clues were fun, but my favourite was 18a.
My thanks to Donny and Sue.
A nice little tester for a beautiful spring day with Rood Bonk in fine form.
The bookends 1a and 22d sit atop my podium along with the 25a/17d comby.
Talking of the first and last clues…one day, I’m going to try to do a crossword by solving each clue in order. What a great challenge! Has anybody ever done that, I wonder?
I can’t tell you how many times I hear people mispronounce 13a.
‘Go’ in 7d obviously scores highly on the chuckleometer.
I assume NYPD Blue is referring to Hilda (legend) in 15d not the Utah city that I’ve never heard of?
MTTTA and she of the crypt.
3*/4*
I thought that was quite challenging but after 2+ hours of solving, thinking and walking round the garden I think I’ve got there. Had to have a chat with Mrs P before I got an answer to my LOI 26a, which I have still not managed to parse. My top clues were 24a, simply because it’s a new word for me which I worked out entirely from the clue…just as it should be….and 1a
Thank you to the setter and crypticissue
When parsing 26a, the word ‘ultimately’ is very relevant
A pleasantly challenging if rather slow solve for me. I was defeated by 7 down despite having most of the crossers. Favourites were the 25a / 17d combination and 14a for the amusing definition. I’d never heard of the dance music but the clueing was fair. Thank you to setter and CS as ever particularly for parsing 7d.
I have no idea how long it took to solve this SPP because my brain shut down and/or time stood still. For me, definitely not one of NYDK’s friendliest challenges. I hope that normal service has been restored before I start on Dada’s latest in approximately 11 hours time.
Smiles for 21a, 26a, 2d, 16d, and 22d.
Thanks to NYDK and CS.
I too hope the Sunday Toughie isnt as tricky as this. Our clocks in the UK “spring forward” tonight so it may be sooner than you think.
It’s still ‘officially’ GMT when I start the solve at 7:00pm EDT today (5 hours behind GMT).
(It is so confusing, I was probably an hour off in my original comment.)
I thought this was fairly clued but a couple of spelling mistakes meant that I could not finish it in one sitting. 4d, 5d and 27a are my top picks. 8d/12a and 25a/17d combinations are noteworthy also. 9d was my LOI. Many thanks to the setter and CS for the hints.
I found this very tricky but got there in the end.
LOI was 9d.
Top picks for me were 1a, 9d, 14a and 26a.
Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.
Me too with 9d but that was because I misspelt the affliction!
A worthy and pleasant challenge for a prize crossword that took a little longer than normal . Liked 8,14, 19 and others but my favourite is 21a . Many thanks to cryptic sue and today’s setter . Perhaps the setter could do next Saturday as well .I really enjoyed this one .
I thought this great fun with several doh! moments.
Favourites 14a, 25a/17d and 9d.
3*/5*
Thanks to Sue and NYDK
Another fine offering from NYDK again this Saturday. Lots to like and smile about throughout the grid. Solved the second of the multi-word clues before the first one, but when I finally got it I’m not sure why I didn’t click onto it sooner.
2*/4.5* today
Favourites include 1a, 14a, 25a/17d, 2d & 5d — with co-winners 14a & 2d
Thanks to NYDK & CS
I found this puzzle quite hard. It was certainly a challenge but I didn’t find it that enjoyable. However, as ascwith every puzzle therw were some clever clues that I did appreciate, notably the double definition/ Lego clue at9d, the 3d anagram and the anagram with a cryptic definition at 14a. I hadnt heard of the answer to 20d but, thhankfully Mr Google had. Thanks to the compiler for the assault course for little grey cells and to CS for the hints.
I agree with you on 20d – I said to George it must be so and lo, Google brought me up to date. I shall be murder on the dance floor ……….
I found this to be a bit of a slog. Slow to start, then picked up a bit of speed, but ground to a standstill with the SW last to fall. I also hadn’t heard of the 20d dance music, but got it from the wordplay and confirmed with a web search. LOI was the aspiring VP’s and my COTD was 25/17 which was a lol moment.
Thanks to NTDK and CS who unfortunately didn’t hint the 16d/17a combo which delayed me for longer than they should have.
3.5*/3*
I’m glad I’m not alone in finding this on the tricky side. Enjoyable and rewarding on completion especially so without having to resort to the hints, although I came close to capitulating on a couple of occasions. 20d is a genre well outside my ken, and I thought 1a and the linked 25a/17d excellent. Cotd however goes to the other linker, 8d/12a. Thanks to NYDK and CS.
I thought this was spiffing – several clues just jumped out at me tho’ as I have said, totally perplexed by 20d. I liked the defective vessel, the aspiring VP’s, actor Tom and the bad hip. But I think 7d gets my vote as favourite. Oh, and the party animals were clever. In fact, thank you Mr Setter for a great guzzle and thanks as usual to CeeSue for explaining the whys and wherefores. Best wishes to Jane.
I enjoyed this a lot, but I have to say I found it one of the trickiest SPPs for a long time.
My podium selection comprises 25a/17d, 7d & 8d/12a.
Many thanks to NYDK and to CS.
I thought this was on the more difficult side for the Saturday prize (if it really exists!).
I got there eventually.
I like 1a and 11a. Not overly keen on 7d the … go bit … mmmm! … as hinted by CS.
Never heard of the 20d music .. but hardly surprising.
Thanks to setter and CS.
A fine puzzle much enjoyed.
I’m not averse to a little extra spice in the clueing for the SPPs, indeed I find it welcome, as something of a masochist. However I’m not quite sure the SPPs ever fully reach the level at which some of the weekday puzzles operate
Many a good clue here. The two that scrambled to the top of a high-quality pile for me today were 2 and 22D.
Thanks setter and CeeSoo.
A real good battle as it should for a prize puzzle. Not sure the the answer in 27a means the same thing as the deffinition in the clue. Not listed as a synonym in my thesaurus. No doubt someone will advise me its in the BRB and I am therefore wrong thanks to the setter for a great challenge. And to CS who I think was sold a pup from her early texter!
Tricky for me too and I needed Sue often I must admit, so thank you Sue and the setter for quite a challenge.
I thought today’s offering was pretty tough. The two in the extreme SE corner gave me the most trouble (20d is new to me).
My favourites were 11a, 14a, 25a and 19d.
Thanks to CS for the commentary and the setter for the bruising challenge.
19d and 20d were both bung ins the rest just plain difficult. Favourite was 25a and 17d. Thanks to the setter and CS.
Yes thanks to the setter but this was in part beyond me today.
Still down in the dumps after 🏴 penalty shootout disaster🤦♂️
Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti on the turntable today 🎸
I really enjoyed this, I didnt really get started till the downs and then it all came together. 20d was last in and a bit of hit and miss and then a check with google.
Many thanks to the setter and CS for the hints.
*****/***
Got me beat today! Despite the hint 9d just won’t come into my head. Needed mr G for 24a and 20d and remain unsure of a few parsings despite the hints. Held up a long time on 18a as I was looking for the definition at the other end of the clue so thanks to CS for that. Loved the civvies on manoeuvres and the shutter. Will have to go away and sulk now and maybe at some point 9d will magically appear like Mr Ben’s shopkeeper. Many thanks to CS and NYDK.
9d building sites
Relieved to see it wasn’t just me. Even allowing for the fact that the puzzle wasn’t getting my undivided attention (largely solved on the mobile between seeing off golfers on a sunny but decidedly windy & chilly 1st tee) I made particularly hard work of it. Now home & reading back through it’s right up there with Donny’s consistently high SPP standard. ✅s all over the shop – 1,18,24&27a + 7,9,19&20d. Liked the multi- worders too. Re top spot this judge couldn’t separate the real party animals at 9d enjoying the music at 20d.
Thanks as ever to Donny & to Sue.
Usually really enjoy the SPP however for some unknown reason we didn’t get on today.
It was easy enough but I didn’t actually enjoy it and no COTD. Only 15d caused some difficulty I got the first half of the answer but could not work out the second half at all. Needed a little prompt to get there.
Unlike others 20d was a breeze as I am a big fan of the answer
4* / 4* A terrific challenge, gradually chipped away and got there in the end.
Plenty of great misdirection and humour. Favourites include last one in the 14a dodgy vessels, 7d female ward and 8d / 12a old king
Many thanks to compiler and Sue
Yep – NYDK’s delivered an excellent challenge, with some 16D clues throughout the grid. I’ll vote for 1A and 9D. VMT to Setter & Sue.
Can anyone explain 27a – i really do t think it works
DO NOT THINK – it should have said
In chess, a move transferring the (redacted)
I know – but thats 21a! Im on about 27a
Not sure I can find time in my life for what was such a challenge of a puzzle. Nothing much jumped out at me so I went to the garden centre instead. Gave up with 6 unfinished clues. A spelling mistake made matters worse. There were some great clues .Big tick for the defective vessel. Holding up a white flag to our setter and thanks to Sue
Too clever by half. I threw in the towel early on after trying unsuccessfully to understand yet more colloquialisms (is that a word?!) and strained surfaces plus my bêtes noires, linked clues. I found little fun but thanks anyway for your effort NYDK and likewise CS.
Glad I am not trying for “The Mythical” as I found this very tricky🙃 Late on parade but just realised I need to advance my clocks so less sleep tonight, hopefully I will be ready for the challenge tomorrow. Douglas.
Tackled late and after a few drinks, but enjoyed this reasonably swift and straightforward puzzle, even with the trademark peripatetic clues! COTD 20d.
Many thanks to setter and CS
I had to put this down and come back to it, but found some of the answers were easier to see with a second look, and by fixing my initially incorrect third word in the 25a/17d combo. 9d and 21a my favourites.
Thanks to the setter and CS
Just finished. About 80% completed before I had to seek assistance from the hints. It was the SE corner which did for me, mainly due to my failure to solve 9d although I understand the answer from the clue. A new word at 24a but able to work it out from the clue. CsOTD for me were the democratic themed clues at 1a and 18a along with 14a.
Thank you to the setter and to CS for the hints.
Thank you to CrypticSue for the hints, as I found this much tougher than expected. At the point I got stuck, I only had 5 of the across answers — all of which were hinted, as luck would have it, but there were enough others that I eventually managed to get unstuck.
My favourite is 27a with “Fewer than twenty”. Thank you to NY Doorknob.