Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31253 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
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An early start on the crossword on a nice sunny day as I have quite a bit of non-crosswordy stuff to do this morning. The crossword was, I thought, quite tricky for a Saturday Prize Puzzle so anyone who wins the Mythical this week will have deserved their prize. It did seem like there were quite a few anagrams, but I think that is because some of them are in close proximity to each other. My favourite has to be the very clever 3a
I may not be in when the Hints are published as I have to visit a friend recuperating from knee surgery but I will return before lunch to answer any queries and deal with anyone who hasn’t read the Red Instructions!
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 Good time to restrain American Air Force (4)
Abbreviations for good and time ‘restrain’ an abbreviation for American
3a Marcel Marceau seemingly such a green activist? (4-6)
The green activist becomes obvious once you have the checking letters but why? Look very carefully between the first two words of the clue and the penny should drop
13a Check name in claim for dispute (9)
The abbreviation for check and assert or claim, the abbreviation for Name being inserted
14a 10 Across, no saint, deceptive Persian enemy? (8)
An anagram (deceptive) of the solution to 10a without the abbreviated saint
22a Okay writer one sees regularly (9)
A writer, the Roman numeral for one and the regular letters of SeEs
26a, 24a 27a Number pledging future constitutional support? (5,5,4,5)
Not confirming to the frame of government, but a different sort of constitutional and a song (ear worm!) pledging future constitutional support
29a Lewis for one is extremely louche (4)
IS (from the clue) and the extreme letters of louche
Down
1d See a little government file (5)
The (little) abbreviation for Government and a type of file
2d Very tired and broken (9)
Informally very tired or broken into fragments
7d Journey on goods vehicle in Glasgow district (5)
Journey and a goods vehicle
9d Spots an East End carriage reportedly? (4)
How someone from the East End would say (reportedly) a type of light carriage
17d Ignorant learner I marked externally (9)
The abbreviation for Learner and I from the clue inserted into (externally) into clearly or plainly evident (marked)
18d Where one goes after class tracked location? (8)
An informal name for the place one ‘goes’ after class or quality
25d Old official Chancellor finishing early (5)
A historical high official is almost all (finishing early) of the surname of the current Chancellor
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: TAMAR + OWES + WHIRLED = TOMORROW’S WORLD
What a joy to solve. From 1a everything brought a PDM with enough chewiness to keep the grey matter active. I loved the green activist at 3a, the 10a/14a combo and the fall from cliff at 20a. My only concern was 26a where I think an apostrophe in the enumeration (3’2) would not have gone amiss.
Many thanks to the setter and the cryptic one.
2*/4*
“Joy” is pushing it for me. I reserve that word for Chalicea offerings. OK, this was enjoyable, marred by two “extremelys” in adjacent clues. Just saying.
This was an ‘enjoyable solve/a joy to solve’ marred by the two consecutive extremelys.
There is a difference but, IMO, not enough to warrant a mention.
What did you like about the crossword? It’s not often that you comment. So, it would be nice to know.
This was a fairly quick solve and fun.
NW corner once again was the last to fall.
COTD was 8d
Thanks all
Lovely puzzle, and many to enjoy. Several where the parsing was trickier than the answer, and I thought that the abbreviation for saint was ST and not S, which caused a bit of head scratching. Two nice classical references with snake head and that anagram. Loved it, thank you both.
Exactly! I don’t get it at all.
Although not seen as much in crosswords as the two-letter abbreviation, the single letter is a fairly well known alternative
I’ve been doing the D Tel crossword for about 50 years on and off and never knew that!
That was a tough SPP and, as CS suggests whomsoever wins the mythical this week deserves it. The parsing of 3a beat me until I read the hints. The linked clues were pretty much last in and was helped by solving 23d. All in all a stern, but fair, challenge. My podium comprises 1a, 12a and 10a in top spot. Thanks to compiler and CS.
A fun and interesting puzzle to crack with several taking a while to see and a couple needing confirmation with CS. I really liked 1a.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints.
What a superb puzzle, but I’m sorry to say it was spoilt by the incorrect enumeration for 26a. There is no 5 letter word in English with those first and last checking letters.👎
The parsing for 3a took some time before the penny dropped but, when it did, it became my favourite.
Thanks to the setter and to CS
Hi RD
I’ve read on this blog over the years that not acknowledging an apostrophe for a contraction, when they enumerate it, is accepted etiquette. If that’s the case, then fair enough though I don’t know why as it makes no sense.
There are two not that uncommon words with those checking letters: one that has a Swiss connection and the other to do with country folk that may be called a 21d.
In my book ‘s is acceptable if not enumerated, but all other examples (particularly as part of foreign phrases, e.g. d’) should be shown.
I should have said no sensible words in the context of the clue with those letters. Thank you for your pedantry – I approve!
I am here to serve, Rabbi Dee.
I think all apostrophes should be enumerated, including ‘s. But, maybe that’s just me.
I haven’t received this puzzle yet but have solved 26a and I presume we are talking about the first, 5-letter, word of the answer. You are correct, the usual convention/etiquette is not to include apostrophes in clue enumerations. Occasionally, a setter will include one but that is pretty rare. This has been discussed and explained on here before by others more knowledgable than me. The usual reason given is that including apostrophes in the enumeration often makes the parsing too easy/obvious. You are also correct about the other two 5-letter words, both of which are well known in the English Language. I can’t think of any others, though.
Hi J
I think that a setter shouldn’t need to exclude an ‘s in the enumeration to make the clue tougher. It smacks of desperation. Make the parsing harder. That’s what I say.
If it’s an easy clue then so be it.
That’s fair enough. This isn’t a hot topic for me so I won’t instigate a debate about it. My view is that (as RD says) apostrophes in foreign phrases should be shown in the enumeration because they are often unfamiliar to UK solvers but all other apostrophes in everyday English needn’t be included because their usage is familiar to all.
Understood.
Onwards!
In the days before the current puzzles app the previous app would frequently apostrophise clues yet the same clue in the digital paper would not. I’m with RD
😂
I think the compiler can be excused on this one because the contraction is faithful to the original, and enumeration of the apostrophe would have been a ‘give-away’ for (once the penny dropped) a corker of an answer.
I agree with the comments above. This was a joy to solve. 12A held out until the end despite it being obvious what was required. I seem to remember that a clue similar to 9D was the subject of some controversy recently but I may be wrong. Despite the hint, (thanks CS), I still don’t get 3A although I bunged in correctly. 24A I solved due to a relatively recent similar clue. COTD 7A for its charm.
Thanks to CS and the setter.
Thai corner. There are no limes in Thailand.
In a country where nearly every food dish contains limes or the juice of one if you ask a Thai what the English word for the green spherical citrus fruit is they will tell you it’s a lemon. When you point out that lemons are yellow and ovoid they will look at you as if you have two heads. You then disappear down a wormhole where they insist their word for them is lemons, which are very hard to get in Thailand. It does no good to insist that lemon is an English word and we have a perfectly good word for the green citrus fruit which is lime.
Thais also insist that the English word for the ubiquitous furry tree climbing mammals that are present in every park is squirrel when in fact they are shrews.
Squirrels and shrews are very different. Squirrels are rodents and tree shrews amazingly have an early link with primate evolution. Just saying a because it is something that interests me.
Here’s my Thai shrew exercise buddy in action. It might look different to Dyslex but to the Thais it’s very squirrelish.
A great puzzle but I’m waiting on 18d. I have two options, for the first five letters, neither of which I can reconcile with being class or quality. I’ll return to it later after I’ve shaken my head.
I had to have another cup of tea for 18 down as I was left with the 2 options.
The first part of 18d is a word meaning “the degree of clarity and lustre of a precious stone” (class) and the second is literally where one goes. It appeared about 6 months ago, but it was new to me then. Hope that doesn’t find me on the naughty step.
… am I going to be naughty boy stepped by CS … here goes … we also refers to a WC .. that’s my justification and the other option isn’t a “location” per se.
As others have posted great puzzle. Solution now-winging to Telegraph Towers in the never ending quest for the Holy Grail.
Cotd for me and second last in the Dwarves at 11a. I did like the spots at 9d too.
Thanks to setter and CS. I got 3a because of the checks and had assumed the solution was with reference to a mime act. I know know differently .. very clever.
I have read many Georgette Heyer novels in my time and in regency England (where her novels are set) many times quality is referred to as being of the first *****
I agree, DickyR. This was my last clue too, due to not making the ‘class’ connection.
I came to this blog in search of inspiration/explanation and found it!
My dear old Dad introduced me to the SPP forty years ago and I think fondly every week of how in later years we’d text each other about recalcitrant clues. Now my own daughter has caught the bug and we do the same. ♥️ It’s harder for her though, as a lot of the references are way before her time.
As a first-timer commenting here, I’ll finish by saying that 3A was hands-down my favourite.
Welcome to the blog
Welcome from me too, MS.
I love ‘recalcitrant clues’ as it’s such a great word.
Your alias intrigues me, btw.
Felt more of a challenge but in a good way. For a while I toyed with “ xxxxxxxxx “ for 14 across. The crossword is one place where it is a delight to be led up the garden path. 18 down was on the same line as with the checkers I had two destinations that fitted. With 2 across xxxxxxxxxxxxxx all produced nothing but the checkers got me there. As usual my favourite was the last one in being our cockney friend’s pronunciation.
Many thanks to CS and our cunning setter.
A steady very enjoyable solve, if Dada is like this for tomorrow’s puzzle I will be reasonably happy.
PDMs required for 3a and 18a!
Candidates for favourite – 1a, 3a, 12a, 28a, 4d, and 8d – and the winner is 12a.
Thanks to NYDK(?), or whomsoever if it is not he, and CS.
This caught me off guard as I struggled with a fair bit of it, especially Geordieland as 3a and 5d took forever.
My LOI was 18d. I only worked out the synonym for ‘class’ once I biffed it.
Dwarves was first used by Tolkien in error. When he found out he had made a boo-boo, he said….”It was a piece of private bad grammar, rather shocking in a philologist.”
Thicko is such a great word. So, props to Rood Knob for using it.
25d is the root of the word ‘sheriff’ where the first bit means ‘shire’.
My podium is 13a (nice construction), 21d and the absolutely superb 23d. What a clue!
MTTTA and she of the Kent crypt.
4*/4*
** / *****
Fantastic stuff and easier than recent weeks. Great constructions and humour. Ticks went to the east end carriage and the constitutional support. Could parse 3a so thanks to Sue and with that it jumped to the top of the podium.
Many thanks to NYDK (it must be so won’t be) and CS
1.5* / 4* A very enjoyable Saturday challenge, with 18d the only real problem.
Favourites today out of a plethora of gooduns are the 3a green activist, Snow White’s pals at 11a and the snake haired nice anagram at 19a
Many thanks to Sue for explaining a few parsings and to compiler
1.5* / 4* A very enjoyable Saturday challenge, with only 18d causing any problems.
Favourites today from a plethora of gooduns are
Snow Whites mates at 11a, the 3a greens and the snake headed anagram at 19a.
Many thanks to Sue for a few parsings and compiler
I found this puzzle rather harder than many others who have commented, but very enjoyable and satisfying to solve. My favourite was the eco-entertainer in 3a. I didn’t know the synonym for ‘class’ in 28d. Many thanks to CS and the setter.
If anyone is looking for another entertaining puzzle to do today, then look no further than today’s NTSPP by duncanjwitham, graduate of Rookie Corner. It is a lot of fun.
I struggled with some of this. Not helped by my other half who doesn’t do cryptic crosswords trying to convince me of a wrong word for 14a which fitted but didn’t parse. Got there in the end but had to check it as it was new to me. Also needed CS’s help to parse 3a.
Top picks for me were 3a, 1a, 23d, 22a and 14d.
Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter. I also liked the Quickie pun.
Got to the finish line a little easier than Friday’s, though again with some I hadn’t managed to parse – 14A, 8D and 18D without consulting a dictionary and CS hints and the chat, so thank you all.🙂
I liked 3A though would never have parsed it without working backwards. Pody picks go to 23D’s blunt but appealing surface, 24A’s anthem and 6D as it evoked a nice image of our friend Lulu meeting us for some dinner.
Thanks to setter and to CS ⭐️
Oh yes, it’s all very well for you normal people with your cups of tea and whatnot. Oh yes.
No electrickery here all morning as the builders (nearly) finish* the kitchen. Thus, I couldn’t tackle the guzzle online.
So… not long back from my third trip to the tip with a mountain of cardboard (but we did have brunch in Weybridge and that’s a story in itself).
Now the electrickery is back and I have completed this splendid guzzle. Nobody else to enter please as I feel this is my week for the Bic biro.
Thanks to Big Apple Entryway Furniture and PC Security (anag), who I hope has returned safe and sound from her kind visit to her pal.
*No floor, but you can’t have everything, I suppose.
Good luck to the Gooners.
I’m pleased to say that today I was pleasantly surprised with what appears to be a NYDK puzzle. After the last few weekends of brutal prize puzzles, this was nice change. As I worked through it I enjoyed it more and more. I thought the multi-word clue was good and it ended up being my third entry into the grid.
2*/4.5* for me today.
Favourites include the multi-word clue as well as 1a, 11a, 16a, 9d, & 18d — with co-winners 9d & 18d
Lots of chuckles as well including 11a, 9d, 21d & 23d
Thanks to NYDK & CS
2 down brought me many a chuckle until I couldn’t solve the NW corner.
For me, a wonderful start with the first two across clues. From there, this SPP did not flinch, all the way through to the interactive cattle. I don’t really know where to look for a star of the show, perhaps portcoquitlambc above has come to all the right conclusions. Very good indeed, and much enjoyed.
I managed to chew my way through this one without help. 9d, although only four letters was my last one in. I laughed out loud when the penny dropped. Thank you setter and CS.
A very late, after lunch, solve today – a grandson who wanted to earn some money (and be fed) kept me busy this morning.
A worthy Saturday PP with enough sticky patches to make it interesting.
3a very clever, “when nothing makes sense look for the lurker’ came to the parsing rescue. 14a was sticky, I removed “st” from 10a and didn’t have enough letters left, solved that problem, filled in the gaps, but had to check the only solution I could see with Mr.G. 18d and 24d required a consultation with the BRB, not synonyms I was familiar with. My final moment of ignorance came with 25d’s old official whom I have not met previously.
COTD 3a
Today confirmed what I have know for a long time…a background in maths and physics leaves much undiscovered. Despite that I enjoyed the solve, many thanks to the setter and crypticissue.
Found this a tad gentler than recent SPPs & very entertaining it was too. 3a was my fav but not really for the why, which I can’t decide if I think is clever or a bit naff. I just like the gently ribbing term for an old Green – not sure the current party activists give much thought to such matters. The only real crumpet scratch was reconciling the 1st 5 letters of 18d with class – a 🔔 was vaguely rung but Mr G needed to confirm.
Thanks to the setter (Knobby presumably) & to Sue.
Great puzzle but cannot parse the first part of 18d. The herd animal was new to me too. Otherwise very enjoyable so thanks to all.
The dictionary and/or the last comment on the thread @8 may help
👍. Thanks Sue, will put into the memory bank. M
I ve been lagging all week , due to having workmen in, and busying. I’ve sort of caught up although have a few in the SE from yesterday’s to revisit which I was finding tricky , but decided I would start today’s anyway. All was going good but I have 3 left that I have been mulling over so came here to get a hint. One being 18d ,that has been discussed anlready. Anyway I should have enough to get it finished. Thanks to the setter and to CS
I am late again – but you’ll never guess why!!! I can tell you because no one is going to read it now. We went to the wedding of two very dear artist friends who have lived together for 40 years and finally decided to tie the knot. I was a bridesmaid – at 91 and 11/12ths is this a record? The youngest bridesmaid was 9. Such fun, we were led in to the Tipi by a kilted piper. Of course, it goes without saying that I was made to do the splits. Came home and unwound by tackling the guzzle which was sheer joy. I liked 12a as it brought back such memories of long ago visits to the cinema, long before the days of television. Many thanks to our clever Setter and to the inimitable CeeSue.
How delightful, DG, a nonagenarian bridesmaid! Surely one for the Guinness Book of Records.
An 83 year age gap between bridesmaids is absolutely outrageous.
You really are the standard bearer.
No one can hold a torch to you
I found this very hard. Almost didn’t start as it was taking so long to get a foothold.
I was stumped by 18d until explanations above. As I refuse to watch period dramas, or read any novel set in that period, I was never going to get this. A bizarre use of the term to me.
Thanks to all.
Found this the hardest puzzle of the week. Still struggling with NW corner, so giving up now. Strange how sometimes we’re just not on the right wavelength.
I found this to be difficult for a Saturday puzzle. Like others here the first part of 18d was new to me. I liked the Number, also the 10/14 combo.
I’d be interested in what others think of 8d. I think I parse it but it seems a bit old fashioned.
Hi JN
The first word are narrow carpets that are often found on stairs and the second word is a synonym of lifted.
Hi Tom
I thought it referred to the wooden strips which held it down. I’ve not seen them for years. Thanks for clearing that up.
I thought the same until a few years ago.
Established an answer for 24D but had to check with an online dictionary in order to link to cattle. Every day is a school day.
Welcome to the blog
Remember the cattle, as it appears quite regularly
Very late post to thank CS for explaining 3a – what a terrific clue
I enjoyed this crossword. Some clever clues – I admire the compiler for using Marcel Marceau in 3a – I must say there was a little head scratching to begin with. I also particularly liked the 10a/14a connection and the multiword clue starting at 26a. Though 18d could only be one thing, I am still not 100% sure why!
Just finished and I found that a real challenge having to resort to the hints and the dictionary. That said it is a prize competition. I had a moment of inspiration to the answer for 3a but needed the hints to explain why. Very clever.
Thank you to the setter and to CS for the hints.
Penny dropping at last – xxxxxx (please don’t include solutions in comments on prize puzzles)
A DNF for me, the third day running of puzzles which I didnt find very inspiring , the last being spoilt by what I consider to be made-up words like 1a nd 9d and an Americanism at albeit declared ( I thought the term was line–backer. The best of the clues were 7d and26d.Thanks for the clues CS but even that wasn’t enough to get me across the line. Thanks to the compiler.