Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3380 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where, from late on Wednesday to quite early on Thursday, we had a doozy (N American informal) of a thunderstorm or so I am told as I was safe in the arms of Morpheus throughout the whole thing! But, I do know that we ‘lost’ power, as a result of the storm, for approximately 7 hours from 11;30 pm on Wednesday to 6:30 am on Thursday – I thought that my first coffee of the day was at risk!
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada quirkily friendly with four long ‘uns (only one of them an anagram), only three anagrams (one partial), two lurkers, and one homophone, all in a symmetric 32 clues; with 16 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, all BRB verified where necessary, 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!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
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 – 14a, 29a, 31a, 1d, 3d, 11d, and 22d.
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 Villain, poor choice of poacher? (3,3)
A three letter synonym of poor and a choice of a food item that can be poached.
10a Lots adopting a pig, reddish-brown (8)
A synonym of lots containing (adopting) all of A from the clue and a (male) pig that has been ‘fixed.’
14a Accordingly, working tomorrow, perhaps? (4)
A synonym of accordingly and the usual two letter synonym of working.
17a Feature of planet gets predator trembling (5,3,4)
An anagram (trembling) of GETS PREDATOR (found on the ‘fifth rock’ from the Sun).
20a Commander’s rent for shop (7,5)
A senior Army Commander with the ‘S and a synonym of rent as a past tense.
28a Fruit posed problem, being that (8)
A synonym of posed (for an artist), a simple three letter arithmetic problem, and a two letter synonym of being that.
30a Cheek still turned, value in that (8)
A synonym of value inserted into (in that) the reversal (turned) of an adverbial synonym of still.
31a Vulgar belly pushed back into filthy hole (6)
The reversal (pushed back) of an abbreviated synonym of belly inserted into a three letter filthy hole.
Down
1d Symbol to include in a witty talk (8)
A synonym of symbol (as in emblem) containing (to include) IN A from the clue.
5d Currency is with cash brought home for artist (7,5)
A pre-Euro currency, IS from the clue, and informal term for cash (or money) that is ‘brought home.’
8d Irksome busting a gut? (6)
A double definition – the second may relate to making an effort.
11d Sweet pastry cook I suppose so snarky (8,4)
A synonym of cook (as in method of cooking), a single word equivalent to I suppose (as an interjection), and an adjectival synonym of so snarky.
18d A little woe, maths proving complex (8)
Hands up all those who thought lurker when you saw ‘A little’ – An anagram (proving complex) of WOE, MATHS.
19d Coin locked up in bank not long ago (8)
A coin which represents the lowest denomination in many currencies contained by (locked up in) a synonym of bank (as in depend on).
22d Embargo on domesticated, tailless chicken (6)
A three letter synonym of embargo placed before (on) a synonym of domesticated with the last letter deleted (tailless).
27d Hard wood, top of mantelpiece (4)
A type of wood (from a conifer) and the first letter (top) of Mantelpiece.
Quick Crossword Pun:
FEAR + KNEE + SWIRL = VIENNESE WHIRL
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Andy Fairweather-Low, founding member and lead singer of 1960s pop band Amen Corner, should be celebrating his 78th birthday today. The band had four successive top-ten hits on the UK Singles Chart, including the number-one single (If Paradise Is) Half as Nice in 1969. It was a translation of Il Paradiso by Italian singer-songwriter Lucio Battisti and was originally offered to The Tremeloes who passed on it. This is from a show in the Darwen Library Theatre, in Lancashire, in October 2007:
I found this quite chewy but immensely satisfying when I got each answer. LOI was 24a.
Ticks all over the page, in fact mostly triple and quadruple ticks.
Top picks for me were 29a, 31a, 4a, 30a,11d, 5d, 20a and 16d although I could have added many more.
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
Like Madflower I also found this tricky & more of a challenge than yesterday’s unexpected Chris Lancaster puzzle yesterday. I hadn’t heard of 17a but it couldn’t be owt else from the fodder & Mr G explained all. Completion edged into ** time once all satisfactorily parsed. Very enjoyable with lots to like – 20,24&30a plus 5,11,16&18d the ones that stood out for me.
Thanks to D&S
Ps The Beam/Ray T Toughie over in t’other place is also very enjoyable though I’m currently 3 shy of completion having breezed through the rest of it far quicker than this one.
2*/4*. This was good fun with only 24a taking a bit of extra teasing out.
12a is a ghastly word and 30a is a lovely word. My podium comprises 20a, 29a, 30a & 8d.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.
Did you see the DT full page advertisement last week for our wonderful puzzles? I was very surprised there was not an outburst at that – “Advert Break? Time for a mini. (Smaller games. Just as fun).” Not to my liking, I am afraid.
I am doing the mini and mini cryptic but they are hardly very challenging. It is a pity that the mini cryptic is only cryptic for the down clues, you would have thought they could have it all cryptic.
Puzzle completed with just a few minor hitches along the way, just about to send it off for my third mythical….
I don’t object to the puzzles, far from it I have been doing them each day. What I do not like is the word ADVERT and I feel that it should be “just as MUCH fun”. Yes I know I am shouting, I shouted at the page each time I saw it. I am old and entitled to be a bit eccentric ☺️
I quite enjoy the Mini puzzles, either as “fillers” when I am stuck on the cryptic etc., or just need an additional challenge. Really enjoy the 1% questions, but not the Panagram which includes far too many decidedly questionable words.
My thanks to Senf for the quickie pun translation – I could not see it.
Enjoyed the puzzle with a steady solve – also slight hold-up with 24a.
17a and 20a joint CsOTD
Thanks to the setter
After an initial ‘what the ****?’ on the pun I began to ‘stare it down’ and the second and third words sort of made some sense. So then It was working out the ‘contribution’ of the first word, particularly the ‘F’, which attracted a Hmm or two when the penny dropped.
I found this to be tough, which is often the case on a Dada Sunday. A couple of misspellings and a wrong answer on the first pass didn’t help but pressed on and got there in the end.
I commented late yesterday and, forgetting it was a PP, almost gave away too much. I was saved by CS and, learning a lesson, I’ll be brief today.
Parsing 4a and 11d took an age to figure out. COTD the brief but clever 29a.
Thanks to Dada and Senf
Might I suggest that there are two homophones – one in each direction but, I had better not say where!
There’s loads to like here – thanks to Dada and Senf (especially for being able to 2d the Quickie Pun which was beyond me).
I had ticks for 1a, 1d, 5d and 16d among others.
Dada giving a slightly tougher one than usual but enjoyable, nevertheless. Thank goodness the currency at 5d came along swiftly to give checkers. This was followed by the commander’s rent at 20a giving even more checkers to play with. Gradually, it all came together and welcome to an old favourite at 28a along with the wonderful word at 1d. MY COTD is the aforementioned commander at 20a.
I thought the Quickie pun was terrific. It took a while to arrive but what a great penny drop moment when it did.
Also, as Huntsman says at #2, the Toughie by Beam (RayT) is most accessible.
Thank you, Dada for letting me have another shot at The Mythical. Thank you, Colonel for the hints.
This was a tougher than usual workout but very enjoyable to solve with plenty of nice surfaces. My LOI was, like others, 24a.
It’s interesting that RD doesn’t like the answer for 12a as I loving saying it. I think it’s because I’m a huge fan of words that end with that consonant sound which has been added to this word for effect, i.e a categorical one. 31a is also a good word to say and I like its meaning.
My picks are 13a (neat), 5d (nice construction) and 16d (clever).
MTT Radio and S.
3*/4*
For me, and I stress for me, (© Senf)
Oh! Friendly, you think? Well let me tell you…Found this quite tricky, I became adrift about half-way in. I was rebooted by one of the hints provided by the pal of Morpheus, and managed to send in my entry for the crayon and colouring book. I am full of confidence that this is my week for victory.
Oh… we tootled along to the Hendrix/Handel exhibition in Brook Street (they were neighbours, albeit a few hundred years apart). Well worth a visit, with the bonus that you will lose twenty pounds in weight due to the sauna-like conditions within. The only aircon unit is in Hendrix’ former bedroom. I noticed several visitors (including me) lingered within that room as a sort of perspiration break.
In the photo see if you can guess which one of us is me and which one is Hendrix.
Thanks to Da-do-ron-ron, and sheltering from the storms, The Man From Manitoba
Definitely the guy with the axe. 😊
Nice pic T
You look very benign and cuddly – not at all like the crotchety Keeper of The List.
It’s not Terence who is grumpy about The List, DG – it’s the committee. 😊
I said yesterday that today’s puzzle would be a stinker, and was it ever, it’s parents certainly never got married.
Last one in for me was 24a, took nearly as long as the rest of it put together.
Rarely see, let alone use the word at 1d. My favourite today was 17a, I’ve seen it many times though the telescope, and it never ceases to impress.
I agree about 24a and am not even sure my answer is correct!
Me too re 24a…not at all sure it is correct…
I was in the same boat. Had an answer, with what felt like a quite tenuous justification, at least for the cryptic element.
But I submitted it on the app and it’s right. So if what I’ve written above feels familiar, we’ve probably got the same word and you’re right too.
Welcome to the blog. What did you think of the puzzle in general?
As a point of interest, and to maintain a ‘level playing field’ with those who solve using the printed puzzle in the newspaper, both the App and the Web Site are ‘programmed’ so that do not show where answers are incorrect for the weekend Prize Puzzles. So, you may be correct or not!
Ah. I’ve had it before where it said something like “better luck next time”, but it might have been for an older puzzle, so maybe they only give a correct/incorrect response when the competition is closed?
How do you know it’s right?
I presume you are referring to what I suggest is the answer below your question.
The short answer is I don’t know for certain that what I have suggested for the answer is correct but to some extent and varying degrees that can apply to any answer in a Prize Puzzle solved on paper or electronically. Different for a back pager or quickie solved electronically
However, my confidence in the answer is supported by reference to the Big Red Book, Chambers Thesaurus, and Chambers Crossword Dictionary; three volumes that are on my desk whenever I am solving a puzzle and composing a blog. I hope that helps.
I will be kind, don’t expect it too often, ‘. . . is thicker than water!’
You’re a softie at heart really..
Not always!
Yes, definitely tougher than Dada’s of late, but immensely satisfying when it all came together unaided. 1a went in straight away but then nothing until 31a. At one stage I thought it was going to a DNF, but another cup of English Breakfast and a mental reset proved beneficial. My favourites were the commander’s rent (20a) and the valued cheek (30a).
Many thanks to the setter and Senf
2*/4*
As Tipcat says above 24a took more time than the rest of the puzzle, not sure it is correct. Same with 26d. Otherwise a very enjoyable puzzle with lots of smiles. Thanks to all and will now have a stab at the Toughie.
I found this pretty tricky but immensely satisfying as I managed to squeeze the answer out of each excellently composed clue.
Thanks to Senf and Dada
A dnf for me. Resorted to the hints to complete. Not my finest hour. Thanks to Dada for the brain mangling and Senf for the very much needed hints.
For me this week I found this Dada puzzle at the harder end of his spectrum again and not terribly friendly IMHO. Definitely quirky as well as plenty of his personal thesaurus use.
2.5*/3.5* for me
Favourite candidates this week 1a, 9a, 17a, 25a, 5d & 8d — with winners 9a & 5d
Smiles for 1a, 9a & 3d!
Thanks to Dada for some brain mangling again this week & to Senf for hints/blog
When the heck are TT going to release the crossword on bloody time … surely it can’t be that difficult.
Good grief.
Nice and chewy for a Sunday prize puzzle. Had to tease out the answers slowly but enjoyed the challenge. Thanks to Dada* and to Senf for blogging duties
*when naming the setter I’m only going by others who know these things. I’m hopeless at spotting anyone except Ray T who leaves so many clues that even one as unobservant as me can see it!
I , like others found this really quite tricky.
Still struggling to believe my answer for 24a is correct….must wait for the review I guess.
Thanks to Dada and to Senf …definitely needed his help today.
The cruise liners are back at Dundee. It is lovely to see them as they sail up and down the Tay….more so at night when all their lights are on but pretty good by day too. Just seen one leaving for who knows where. Cruising does not appeal to me, but the ships are beautiful.
I’m going to be on board one of those ships on Saturday heading off to Greenland to observe the solar eclipse. I’m one of the resident astronomers on board, so was pleased with 17a! Like others, I’m still baffled about 24a, and am hoping that my guess proves to be correct
Just right for me today, chewy in parts, but got there. Not sure about 24a, my last one in. Thanks to Dada and Senf for the hints.
24a – See my response to tipcat at 10 above.
Thankyou 😀
Tricky but not overly so, just enough difficulty to keep us on our toes. Favourite was 5d. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
I was jogging along with this at a steady pace until I hit a bit of a wall, which then held me up , but I resisted hints so feel pleased to have got there in the end. There was some clever misdirection like 11d which I tried to make an anagram of every which way, and which was my last in. 24a was a tricky blighter also . I too had not heard of 17a , so good to pick up a bit of GK . An enjoyable and satisfying solve . Thanks to Dada and Senf.
Late today and like others, 24a was a very lengthy final answer in terms of time taken to get it. The puzzle was top notch, with 29a my favourite.
Many thanks to both Dada and Senf.
The human family proved elusive but got there in the end thank you Dada and Senf
We started this at lunchtime and then DD2 arrived and when she had gone we both fell asleep. I seem to have miraculously awoken at the witching hour! A very fair and do-able guzzle we thought with some lovely penny-drop moments 23a, 30a and 11d for instance. As others have said, 24a was last one in after a trawl through the BRB. 5d was my favourite, a neat clue. Many thanks to our Setter and to Senf.
The witching hour at 6:00pm? More like the cocktail hour!
You are so right!
I typed a message but it got lost as Internet went. I found this a bit tricky but complete it with help, it was excellent and I liked 10a.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints
*** / ****
This was heading for a DNF but after a couple of breaks and returns most fell into place. LOI was 16d. After the final break to read the blog where thankfully no one went near that clue the answer just popped in. After 300years in IT, shame on me. My COTD was the Commander’s rent at 20a.
Thanks dada and Senf
I really enjoyed this, just the right balance of relatively easy and tough. Loved 17a, 5d and especially 31a because of my sense of humour.
Thanks to all and to CS for yesterday’s hints.
I thought I said yesterday how nice it was to see you back, it seems ages since we saw you.
I think I must have sprouted a few extra brain cells as this is yet another puzzle that has not proved beyond my limited capabilities. I guess I’ll crash and burn now for saying that. Thanks to Dada and Senf for help.
Grandson arrives in England next week with his band “Chained Saint”, appearing in the Derbyshire, Glasgow and Bristol areas, after a whirlwind tour of Europe, before heading to the Netherlands. Our younger daughter and her husband flying over on from the US to see the Derby show. She, our granddaughter and elder daughter also went to see them play in Venice.
I hope your grandson’s tour experience is great, BL, and I will give Chained Saint a listen during my working day 🎸
2* / 4* Tackled the north without any problems, the south seemed on another level, but suddenly it all fell into place.
Favourites the timid type at 16d, the delicious pastry at 11d and lastly cheek at 30a
Thanks to compiler and Senf
Ps also thought the quickie pun was a goodun, nice and tenuous
Have just finished this it was a strange puzzle. Most of it fell into place relatively quickly – however 24a was a brain mangle for me.
Thank you Senf as somewhere in the answers above you gave the hint that unlocked it for me.
Lots of good clues – I am opting for 31a as COTD
Thanks all
This took double the chewing of Saturday’s, I wasn’t on my best form and finished the last few just now. Enjoyable though, with some new words for me.
24A was last one in – so human = BOD?
Pody picks go to 26D’s edgy new word to me, I like it; 2D which was almost my LOI (can’t explain why) but timely as I’ve been reading and watching details on the Enigma code breakers this week; and finally 17A for being new knowledge and interesting stuff. I also see I typo’d it when confirming entry so I won’t be winning the enigmatic pen prize. Sums up my performance!
Thanks to setter and Senf ⭐️
Late to the table I’m afraid but I usually start the weekend puzzles and finish them on a day off.
Great fun, a bit tricky, strangely enough I was in the town of 11D.
There’s several shops selling the “original ”
Also some places are insistent that it is a pudding!
Worth a visit though
I have had to resort to looking at the Quick Crossword pun. I had no trouble getting the right answers, but it doesn’t half stretch the English language. For me it’s something of a hmm 🤔 moment.