Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3362 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where on Friday morning, I was thinking, a dangerous activity at any time, that a fortified coffee after my weekly expedition to the supermarket might not be required on the day or for a number of months. That was until I found out that it was minus 11 degrees, feels like minus 20! Perhaps the fortified coffee won’t be required this week!
Question of the day for UK residents, were you awake at 1:00am GMT this morning to advance your various timepieces, except for the ‘clever’ ones that are programmed to do it automatically, to 2:00am BST?
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada quirkily friendly – two long ‘uns (one an anagram and one not), nine anagrams (five partials, three of them only three letters!), two lurkers, and no homophones in an almost symmetric 30 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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Candidates for favourite – 10a (not often that I choose an anagram), 12a, 13a, 2d, 3d, 8d, and 17d.
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
1a Comrade after revolution has little time for US politician (8)
An anagram (after revolution) of COMRADE followed by (has) the single (little) letter for Time.
11a Organism that is equipped with eyewear? (7)
The Latin based abbreviation for that is contained by (equipped with) an informal term for eyewear.
12a Wimpy, but wy? (7)
Perhaps(?) a way of describing WimpY after the interior letters have been removed (but wy) – the next hint may, or may not, help.
13a Divine woodland inhabited by heartless cobra (8)
A type of woodland containing (inhabited by) CobrA with the interior letters removed (heartless).
25a Instant recovery in decent manner (7)
An informal abbreviation for an instant (of time) and a synonym of recovery (from an illness?).
26a I’m offering my counsel anyway, at a fair price? (3,4,3,5)
A double definition(?) – the first is something one might say when offering counsel to someone whether they want it or not!
28a Again travelling around capital in Harare, an African (8)
An anagram (travelling) of AGAIN containing (around) the first letter (capital) of Harare followed by AN from the clue.
Down
1d Process till has cryptic set (6)
A synonym of till (earth) followed by (has) an anagram (cryptic) of SET.
2d Immature but sweet little thing? Pack your bags, hubby! (9)
Written (3,3,3) a phrase equivalent to pack your bags, hubby!
8d Religious nursing home for the love of God! (8)
A four letter synonym of religious containing (nursing) a synonym of home.
9d Weak dons knowing a little (8)
A synonym of weak inserted into (dons) a three letter synonym of knowing.
17d Given dessert, perhaps, spoilt (5-3)
A term for being given dessert, or some other food (perhaps), by another person.
22d Somewhat praiseworthy, phenomenal joiner? (6)
If all else fails look for . . . (somewhat) found in two words in the clue.
24d Cut right through grotto (5)
The single letter for Right inserted into (through) a synonym of grotto.
25d Hundred in American numbers game (5)
The letter for a Roman hundred inserted into (in) ‘numbers’ as taught in American schools.
Quick Crossword Pun:
TWENTY + FORK + CARROTS = TWENTY-FOUR CARATS
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Nothing obvious for a video for today until YouTube randomly ‘presented’ me with 1963 Catchy (US) Songs That Still Make Us Happy. One of the songs was Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul, and Mary. There was conjecture that the song was making veiled references to smoking marijuana but this was denied by one of the song’s writers, Peter Yarrow (of the group), who claimed that the song was about the hardships of growing older and the loss of innocence in children. Here it is from a performance not in 1963, does it make you happy?:
One or two crumpet scratches needed this morning although, as Senf says, quirkily friendly overall. 12a was one of those that took a little extra thought, but was clever once twigged. 20a and 21d also got ticks, but cotd is the smart squirrels. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
2*/3*. A couple of dubious surfaces aside, this was pleasant Sunday fare.
Thanks to Dada and to Senf.
Very enjoyable after yesterday’s sub optimal (to me) offering.
Made even better for the absolute belter at 2d it was the last to go in and a real aha moment!!
My favourite clue today.
You’ve changed your alias from Killabunco so this needed moderation. Both aliases will work from now on.
Strangely, unlike others, found this SPP very challenging but that’s probably due to the errooneous alternative answers I wrote in. I did however appreciate thee heographical clues at 4d 16d and 28a. The COTD, however, was the cryptic definition at 26defnitiion at 15a, followed closeky bytheem well-disguised anagram at 10a. Thanks to Dada for ab absorbing and to Senf for the hints(don’t put the thermals away yet, Senf)
An entertaining puzzle marred to a certain extent for me by a surfeit of anagrams (I counted eleven). Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Top clues for me were 26a, 27a and 2d.
My anagram counter tends to go a little haywire after seven so I did miss a couple. After a recount, pertinent to 10a(?), I now have 11 with 6 partials.
I wasn’t immediately on wavelength this morning and it took me a while to tune in before I could make any real progress. I was probably overthinking it, looking for the less obvious answer. Anyway, all done and dusted, mostly enjoyable, with 2d my favourite.
My thanks to Dada and Senf.
I’m with Chriscross in that I found Dada to be a difficult solve today but, for the life of me, I can’t see why. I am feeling slightly under the weather so maybe that has affected my capacity to solve. Once I staggered over the line, I could see it was cracker of a puzzle. I thought Wimpy at 12a was clever but there is only one clue that is worthy of the top spot. My COTD goes to the bag packing hubby at 2d. What a fantastic clue.
Thank you, Dada for what I found to be a bit of a brain mangler. Thank you, Colonel for the hints.
I found this quite tricky but there were some great clues.
Top picks for me were 2d, 1d, 17d and 12a.
Thanks to Senf and Dada. Puff the Magic Dragon brought back happy memories so did make me smile but also brought a tear to my eye.
All being well I’m off to Cyprus in the morning so no crosswords for me for a week (my phone screen is too small to attempt them online).
To answer Senf’s question, I was indeed awake at 01:00, dealing with some Beam parsing. A couple of clocks changed themselves, but as usual I had to go round this morning to find those that aren’t smart enough. It will probably be Easter before I get them all.
Now to tackle the Dada with Senf’s help
1.5* /4* Brilliant puzzle I enjoyed this from start to finish, loads of humour and quirkiness.
Favourites the 20a mummy, sweet thing at 2d and the ball launch at 21d
Thanks to Senf and compiler
Ps The dragon song didn’t make me smile, it’s dire
I found this more approachable than yesterday’s offering and was happy to both clear and parse it without needing the hints for once. I despise the Americanism in 25d, which I foolishly allowed to annoy me. I use the app so a typo at 13a held me up.
Lots of candidates for favourite, including 12a, 20a, 26a, and 8d, but topping the lot was my LOI 2d.
For me I found this Dada offering today quite friendly with little to no personal thesaurus use and not really very quirky either.
2*/4* for me
Favourites 10a, 11a, 13a, 26a, 27a & 8d — with winner 11a
Smiles from 18a, 26a, 27 & 3d
Thanks to Dada & Senf
A decent workout for a slow Sunday. I thought 2d was excellent when it finally clicked. Thanks very much to Dada and to Senf.
This took a bit of work but was pleasant solve. I do struggle with some of Dada’s surfaces but not enough for them to irk.
12a is bonkers but good fun and ‘till’ took a while to work out.
I’m amazed I’ve never heard of the Belgian city as it’s one of the five biggies. I do like its etymology.
My podium is 1a, 18a and the superb 2d.
MTTTA and the Manitoban mountie.
3*/3*
I found this hard going but I am a bit under par. Damned arthritis. I went right up the wrong street at 13a, must have been the Palm Sunday service this morning with Noah the donkey parading round the church. So much to like, 10,11,20a and those pesky squirrels of which we have far too many in our garden, the clever lurker and the wonderful 2d – clue of the day, if not the week. I am slightly miffed at not having the puzzles inset in today’s paper so cannot do the Toughie. Many, many thanks to our clever Dada and to Senf, don’t pack away the scarf just yet.
I thought this was going to be on a par with yesterday for difficulty. Managed about a quarter with no real issues, but then stumped. A couple of hours in the garden laying out a boundary wire for my latest big boy’s toy, a robot mower should you ask, and I came in and saw everything in a new light. So overall very approachable.
Plenty of humour, 2d, 12a & 26a really amused me.
My thanks to Dada and Senf.
2*/4*
Maybe it was the late finish last night and the lost hours sleep, but I struggled to get on Dada’s wavelength today. I needed Senf’s help to unpick some of it. LOI was 16d which I didn’t know of despite visiting Belgium a few times (preceded by the excellent 2d which I just couldn’t see until Senf came to the rescue, but what a great clue!)
Thanks to Dada and Senf for the hints.
Three quarters were doable but I needed a helping hand in the NE. 2d is grinworthy but where does sweet come into it? Yet more pesky anagrams – suppose that’s cryptic? 9d knowing a bit iffy. Failed to suss 8d but it is clever. Surprised myself by making it through. Thanks Dada and Senf.
Enjoyed this a lot especially 2d! Bouncing around like a cork in the Atlantic somewhere near Lanzarote. Awful for people who get seasick, not me thank goodness! Looking forward to a White Lady at 6pm! Thanks to setter and hinter for a great guzzle.
This was a very enjoyable solve with a lot to like and no “dubious” answers or homophones or spoonerisms … a spoon was mentioned though.
Cotd 2d but my least favourite green … tastes horrible and usually stringy .. why bother!
Mummy and smart squirrels (are there any other type?) also brought amusement.
Thanks to setter and Senf.
*** / ***
Tough to get going then the S fell but the North required a stop and re-visit. Surprised so many haven’t heard of the Belgian city. Clearly they don’t use Ryanair for whom it’s ‘in Brussels’ ☺!
Ticked quite a few but the standout was the hubby packing his bags.
Many thanks to Senf and Dada.
PS: Mr’s AP picked up yesterday’s DNF and immediately spotted not one but two spelling mistakes whereupon the offending clue became immediately obvious. I’d even considered double checking all the crossers but didn’t do it, shame on me!
An enjoyable enough solve althougb I found itbtrickier than most on here. Gotvthere in the end but well into 3* time. Im with Gaza on the overly high anagram count.
Thanks to the setter and senf for the review
A *** for me with the phenomenal joiner as favourite clue. Thank you Dada and Senf
I do love the weekend prize puzzles as they often tend to be quirky or chewy or both . I enjoyed today’s immensely and there were some cracking clues which caused a bit of head scratch at times. I loved 2d, and I have previously seen another clue for this same definition that is my all time favourite clue – which I won’t recount here in case I get into trouble. The Wimpy clue was my last in. I do enjoy these types of clues, which was made obvious by all the checkers. I am pleased to hear that I wasn’t the only one to find yesterday’s tricky. I ran out of time and had to go out , so will resume that one to hopefully finished later. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
There were a few very slow moments and I have only just finished, but it was very entertaining. 2d was my favourite.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints.
Didn’t have much time for yesterday’s Prize puzzle, and from what I could see, it’s going to take me some time 🤔 Today’s was more successful, and enjoyable, LOI in being the splendid 2D, though I need the hint to parse 27A?
Pody picks go to 2D’s hubby, 3D as I like the word and its colour, and 20A’s amusing surface even if it made the clue a little chunky. 16D’s city almost made it – I only know the place thanks to football ⚽️
Many thanks to setter and to Senf ⭐️
Needed help with 2d , can’t see why now because I had all the checkers ! Still will nominate it for a podium position along with 12 and 25 . Like some I found this tricky in parts , on a par with yesterday’s puzzle but an enjoyable solve . Thanks to all
So many high quality clues here, I thought, including 12a, 20a, and 22d. I feel the prize has to go to 2d though, which I still didn’t get until the answer was written down. As Spangledcat put it, a belter.
One thing I love about crosswords is how it makes you see familiar words in new ways.
A bit anagram heavy for my tastes but enjoyable nevertheless. Fav was 26a for no other reason than it prompted a blast of Buffalo Springfield
Thanks to D&S