Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31247 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
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A gloriously hot and sunny morning (it is already 25 degrees as I type this at 9.30 am) brings a Saturday Prize Puzzle where I thought that the setter was definitely trying to make us work harder to try and win the Mythical, especially in the NW corner where the pennies took a little longer to drop than they did in the rest of the grid
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
4a Sheep fold in front of church – it’s not worth much (8)
A male sheep and somewhere it might be kept (fold) go in front of the abbreviation for the Church of England
11a Tough guy keeping close to Wimbledon tennis player (6)
I’ve only really hinted this one because the definition of the tough guy in the BRB made me laugh – “a man of exaggerated or extreme virility; or what some women consider to be virility”. The ‘close’ to Wimbledon should be inserted into the tough guy
12a Potential answer in questionnaire beats me (4,4)
One of a choice of answers in a questionnaire or a more formal way of indicating an inability to answer a question than ‘beats me’
13a Dog show with Winton, possibly on fourth of June (8)
A verb meaning to show, the surname of Mr Winton, the late television presenter and the fourth letter of June
16a I think one mike in rock opera is missing – take heed (2,2,4)
Remove one of the instances of the letter represented by Mike in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet from the title of a rock opera and then add an instruction to take heed
23a Useless type hit Crouch after header for England (4,4)
Beat (hit) and a quick dip of the body (crouch), the latter going after the ‘header’ for England
26a Celebrities occasionally singing Aquarius? (4,4)
Some celebrities and the even (occasionally) letters of singing
Down
1d Constant drinker in the end, this writer’s nose mostly turning red (7)
The mathematical abbreviation for Constant, the letter at the end of drinkeR, how our setter might refer to himself (this writer’s) and a reversal (turning) of most of NOSe
2d Lie with nothing on for picture (4,5)
A fictitious tale (lie) goes after a score of nothing
3d Kindly 6 Down, maybe one with good name (6)
An example (maybe) of someone with the surname in the solution to 6d, followed by the Roman numeral for one and the abbreviations for Good and Name
4d Running wildly, no hero, cat character in film (3,8,4)
An anagram (running) of WILDLY NO HERO CAT
7d You may need a rest before you address me (3,4)
A nice sports-related cryptic definition
17d Working with Brown, as Marge might be (2,5)
The usual two-letter ‘working’ and a verb meaning to brown – two lots of ‘misleading capitals’ in this clue
22d Old king preceding old queen’s coach (5)
An old Egyptian king goes before (preceding) the abbreviation for Old and the Latin abbreviation for queen
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: CUR + TRUSS + ALL = KURT RUSSELL
A good workout for a SPP with plenty to think about. The first 4 across were R&W but then a steady pick and mix with smooth surfaces. Deciphering the anagram at 4d took a little while but in turn gave me access to the remainder.
4a is my COTD followed by 10a and 23a.
Many thanks to the setter (NYDK?) and crypticsue
1.5*/3*
A suitably challenging prize guzzle that took a mug and a half of Taylors. A few needed some thought and, for some inexplicable reason, I went through every percussion instrument I could at 20d except the right one. Once I had a few checkers the long 4d came to me and that opened things up a bit. Lots to like and difficult to pick a fave but I will settle for the rest at 7d as COTD.
I’m not sure it’s a NYDK production but, if so, thanks to him, or whomsoever, for the Saturday challenge. Thank you, Ceesoo for the hints.
Bit early for Port Steve, everything alright?
good puzzle that made me work.
thanks CS
Good shout, you street artist, you.
I went to Port Steve once. It was closed! 😊
2*/3.5*. This provided a pleasant diversion for a Saturday morning. I particularly liked 1a, 19a, 23a & 2d.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS.
My post vanished into the ether!
My post vanished!
Sorry about all the posts but the site keeps refusing to refresh. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact my laptop updated last night.
This puzzle was hard to fathom, though not as impeneteable as I first feared. I eventually got the long cinema related clue , once I had remembered ttthat this setter has a fondness for oldflicks and the whole 3d, 6d combination was cleverly done. However,, my COTD is the cryptic definition at 7d. Thanks to the compiler and to CS for the hints
A proper prize puzzle with a couple of mind manglers to keep the grey cells active. Took a few read thoughts to get a firm foot in the door but once underway it was very enjoyable.
Might I suggest that in the hint for 4d “CAT’ is included in the anagram.
COTD – 15a took me ages to parse and was quite brilliant. Runner up was 23a where I couldn’t get the footballer out of my mind.
A day out at Edgbaston tomorrow with grandson who prefers the 1% club teasers over the crossword….each to their own.
My thanks to the setter and cryptic issue
Of course it is. Good job you are more awake than I was first thing this morning
A nice little tester for an SPP with my LOI being 2d.
I can’t praise 4d enough. What a sublime surface that perfectly describes the character. Take a bow.
1d is a Lego clue and then some! Another fine effort.
Keeping 4d company on the podium are 19a and 7d.
MTT…hmm…I think, despite the absence of his trademark sprawlers, it’s Rood Bonk as he likes throwing in a bit of GK.
3*/4*
Getting 4d early certainly helped the solve. A nice mix of the straightforward and mildly chewy. Cotd for me is the rock opera short of amplification at 16a. Thanks to compiler and CS.
Stormed through but then the final two required putting it down, reading the paper and then they immediately came to me when I picked back up.
Favorites were 12a and 2d for being so pesky.
Thanks to today’s setter and CS.
Late to get started because London and excitement take a toll. Like a few of the puzzles this week the word “ impenetrable “ sprung to mind on first encounter. However the spine of the puzzle 4 down brought everything together. There are several great clues : 7 and 17 down gave a smile of appreciation.Saw a lot of 7 down the other week. 19 came in as top across clue.
Thankyou compiler and the hard working CS
I made a great start in the north, then made slower progress and got held up in the South East. A perfect puzzle, some lovely misdirection and lateral thinking needed.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints. I hope everyone has a lovely bank holiday weekend in the sunshine.
I found this tough going and it took a while to get into. 4d seemed to take forever and the SE corner took far too long to complete. 4a, 19a and 1d are my top picks.
Many thanks to the setter and hinter. And a good weekend to all of you
What a great puzzle but by no means a walkover. I got 2d early on from some checkers but didn’t write it in as I couldn’t parse it and then the penny clunked right at the end.
Top picks for me were 1d, 3d, 16a, 13a, 23a and 19a.
Off to see Madness later so hopefully it will stay dry but not be too hot.
Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.
For me, etc©, after having my brain mangled by Zandio yesterday I was hoping for some R&R from today’s setter. Nope, what remained of my brain went through the mangle again. I will need a good afternoon nap today for brain recovery before tackling Dada’s next offering perhaps Chalicea’s NTSPP will help.
Smiles for 4a, 12a, 23a, and 22d.
Thanks to whomsoever and CS.
I really enjoyed this puzzle. All the elements I like were there. I bunged in 19A but not sure I fully understand it. I’m not sure if it was intentional but the fact that for me 4A seemed to be missing a vital bit of information but when the Baht dropped I realised it wasn’t made it a really great clue. COTD 7A but it was a close run thing. Thanks to the setter and to CS for the Hints.
Thai corner.
I did intend to post a quick comment yesterday but as I was sat on the patio next to the fan in the 33 degree heat my wife arrived back from the market on her electric buggy, so I went to clear her parking space on the drive. I’ve never uploaded a file before so I don’t know if this will work but if it does the chaos evident in the video clip will explain why I got distracted. The point at which the clothes rack landed is occupied by two large earthenware containers with water lillies in them.
As the yoof of today would say….Epic fail, granddad!
No damage done, I hope 🤞
Just to be clear, it was grandma who was driving. No damage done all the water lilies survived after emergency first aid. A huge amount of extra laundering was required though.