Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3383 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg. So, the English Premier League is back for the 2026/27 season. Yesterday, I enjoyed watching Hull City getting off to a good start on their return to the top flight. No sign of Chelsea. Oh, I see that they are playing tomorrow evening. No doubt they will claim travel fatigue, after the long journey across SW6, if the result is not favourable for them 
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada quirky as usual but not quite so friendly as recently, with five anagrams (one partial), two lurkers, and one homophone, and, like last week, one that, at first look, you might think is a homophone but isn’t all in a not much value for the money symmetric 26 clues; with 13 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! You might even need your favourite e-search ‘assistant’!
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 – 7a, 11a, 14a, 3d, 5d, 13d, 17d, 18d, and an HM for the Pun.
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
7a Home impressing yours truly, the entrance to mine (7)
A three letter slang synonym of home (for a younger person?) containing (impressing) all of yours truly represented by the perpendicular pronoun and THE from the clue.
10a Nonetheless, nothing different? (3,3,4)
A double definition? Why use one word when three words will do, or should that be the other way round?
11a Run south away from incline (4)
The single letter for South removed (away) from a synonym of incline (that one might ski down).
19a Beethoven’s ninth sandwich, or a lot’s consumed! (6)
A descriptive term for Beethoven’s ninth (symphony) found lurking (consumed) in four words of the clue.
20a Maybe face decorator‘s insolence and verbal abuse (8)
A three letter slang synonym of insolence and an informal synonym of verbal abuse.
23a Person dropping off helped, easy to go astray (10)
An anagram (to go astray) of HELPED, EASY.
26a Youth I found originally residing in French city (7)
I from the clue, the first letter (originally) of Found contained by (residing in) a French city found in the Grand Est region and historical area of Lorraine.
Down
1d Suspect smiled having ensnared a fool (7)
A from the clue contained (ensnared) by an anagram (suspect) of SMILED.
3d Still Creator showed up before Egyptian god (6)
The uppercase C of Creator is there to confuse – a synonym of showed up (as in arrived?) placed before the Egyptian god of the sun, order, and kings.
6d Cut, gerbil or hamster for example bit (7)
A four letter synonym of cut (with scissors?) and a term for, for example, a gerbil or hamster ‘kept in captivity’ by a youngster.
13d Final game, picking up crashing wave in Phuket? (10)
At least one of our company knows where in the world Phuket is – the homophone (picking up) of the nationality of citizens of the country where Phuket is located and a term for a crashing wave.
17d Insincere broadcast entertaining chamber (7)
The not a homophone – a synonym of broadcast (seeds?) containing (entertaining) a type of chamber (or room).
24d Great deal covered in the appraisal (4)
A lurker (covered in) found in the last two words in the clue.
Quick Crossword Pun:
CELL + HATTER + PROPHET = SELL AT A PROFIT
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Drummer Keith Moon was born on this day in 1946. In 1964, he was a founder member of The Who and stayed with the group until his tragic and untimely death in 1978. This is one of the group’s best performing singles which reached number 2 in 1965. Be prepared for an ‘unusual’ ending; perhaps, not that unusual as I remember The Yardbirds doing something similar in the 1966 film Blow-Up:
3*/4*. I found this quite testing for a Sunday but I did enjoy the challenge.
My podium picks were 10a, 12a, 20a & 13d.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.
I agree that Dada is slightly tougher than usual but enjoyable, nevertheless. I had the answer to 1a but could not parse it so thank you, Senf for hinting that one and explaining it. I thought the final game in Phuket was very clever and no doubt ATIB will like it as well. I have two contenders for COTD. One is the aforementioned final game while the other is the dead sheep at 12a. After due consideration the award of COTD goes to 12a.
Thank you, Dada for a great challenge. Thank you, Colonel for the hints and The Who.
Dada wasnt quite as challenging as he has been of late. However, it was an enjoyable guzzle. There were some good anagrams, 14d being particularly clever. I liked the lego clues at 5d and 6d but my COTD is the cryptic definition at 9d. Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints
Hi CC
Forgive me I misunderstand you but there is parsing in 9d, i.e tricks plus killer.
I find this difficult to explain without gettting sent t o thenaughty step. I see your pour point about the parsing, which teveals a, in a very very clever way, the answer to the clue , that answer being, in in itself, a somewhat cryptic definition of a particularly effective method of dealing with a problem. I hope that explains withou running afoul of the censors pencil
A tremendous effort!
Phew. Glad I didn’t have ro tey again😏
A very enjoyable puzzle.
Top two were the face decorator and my last in, the ‘still creator’.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf
This took some work with my LOI being 3d (Still Creator was beyond me).
The NW quadrant was a brute. The grid also didn’t help with lots of second letter checkers.
I liked ‘All kicking off’ and ‘face decorator’.
My picks are the excellent 20a, 26a and 21d.
Many thanks to Radio and Senf.
3*/3*
I’m opposite to you Tom, I found the NW easy, but the SW hard, in fact I’m still stuck on 25a, so if anyone can help without a cat and bag moment I’d be greatful.
25a – definition is (the answer to) 10 Across and you need what I considered was a dubious synonym of ‘float’ with a pronoun insertion (boarded by).
Thanks senf, got it now, for some reason I had a mental block about what is a really obvious word for float!
You & me both T – my last in too & by an embarrassing distance
Hi TC
Well done with the top left.
25a is a synonym for float on the outside of a synonym for ‘the two of us’ resulting in a synonym of 10a.
I’m not surprised you’re struggling with it as I also had problems. A difficult clue not helped by the unrevealing checkers.
I almost gave this puzzle 4 stars for difficulty as this one plus Lancashire slowed me right down.
Tom – You really want to get an e-mail from Gazza, don’t you! If I had not already replied in the same vein to tipcat my electronic blue pencil would have had it’s first usage for quite a while.
Sorry, I’m not with you, S.
What is the electronic blue pencil? It sounds like I should be hiding behind a cushion as it doesn’t sound good…
What he uses to redact statements that could give answers away. 😊
In the good old days, when the most sophisticated device available to a writer was a ‘manual’ typewriter, an editor would go over a piece of writing with a blue pencil to remove or change some of the words to improve it or make it acceptable (Cambridge Dictionary).
Ah, got you.
Is my tip for it any different to yours to merit some redaction action?
I must be missing something.
A lovely puzzle and as noted quite tricky. I was defeated by 26a and the answer is rather a stretch as a synonym of youth in my view. (No complaints about the other appearance of youth). My favourites are 12a and 13d. Thank you Dada and Senf.
I always find Sunday’s PP tricky but to my mind today was not quite as difficult as yesterday.
I spent far too long trying to unveil 9a’s trick before the coin dropped while 17d had me looking for something was not there.
COTD – it has to be 13d
Many thanks to Dada and Senf for the hints.
An enjoyable puzzle with some real groan moments when the parsing appeared.
Top picks for me were 12a, 20a, 21d, 23a, 2d and my favourite 3d.
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
I thought you were away, what happened, hope all ok?
I’m fine thanks Manders. It was only a very short break! Long enough to experience the rain in Berkshire and to miss the little we had back home.
A very entertaining puzzle from Dada – thanks to him and Senf.
Top clues for me were 12a, 3d, 9d and 13d.
A leisurely cup of tea looking out at the green shoots of recovery, a leisurely breakfast and then Dada. Initially, I thought this was going to be as equally leisurely, but with half completed I ground to a halt. Another cup of tea and then the checkers gave me the remedy at 9d, followed by the face decorator. 3d and 7a were last in. My picks are 26a, 1a, 13d and 20a. Challenging but enjoyable.
Many thanks to Dada and Senf
3*/3*
I’m finding the Toughie by proXimal quite approachable so have a go if you usually steer clear. 😊👍
Thanks for mentioning the Toughie, I agree that was probably my fastest proXimal solve, helped by getting the puzzle at about 23:20
Blog in about an hour
For me, I thought Dada’s puzzle this week was quite friendly, some quirkiness and it looks like his personal thesaurus remained on the shelf for the most part.
2*/4* for me this week.
Favourites include 10a, 23a, 25a, 3d & 4d — with winner 23a
Thanks to Dada & Senf
Much like yesterday another pedestrian grid fill – 3d&25a the main culprits but there were one or two head scratches elsewhere.
Another vote for 13d as the pick from a fine selection of clues with 3&9d joining it on the podium. Very enjoyable.
Thanks to D&S
Thanks to Dada and Senf. Lazy Sunday and didn’t look at puzzle until afternoon.
Couple of clues we took a stab at ( because they fitted)! LOI 3d. COTD 12a.
1* / 4* Strangely I found this a very enjoyable puzzle with no hold ups, unlike yesterday when I really struggled with 4* for difficulty.
Lots of top clues including the 7a mine entry, 12a meat and 25a [redacted –it’s a prize puzzle]
Many thanks to Senf and compiler
I think you might end up on the Naughty Step, Imposter. 😊
🤫 they might not notice
Oh they’ll notice! 😊
Yes I did!
Apologies, it won’t happen again (honest)
One of the florins from the back of my sock drawer on it not happening until the next time!
I had to read Imposter’s comment twice to twig your reply – no wonder my grid fill was on the slow side 🤔
Like Tipcat and Huntsman 25a would not reveal itself to me no matter how hard I stared at it. Gave up and popped to the supermarket, came back and stared at it some more, did some other chores and then finally just as I was about to give up and look at the hints I got the answer.
The relief was palpable!
Thank you setter and Senf
Not entirely straightforward with some real head scratchers but an enjoyable solve and we got there in the end. Favourite was 13d even if we had to look up Phuket. Thanks to Dada and Senf.
When I was in junior school the teacher gave us atlases to look through. My friend found Phuket and yelled at the top of his voice ” Look! There’s an island called Phuket!” Unfortunately, he used the wrong pronunciation and he ended up in the Headmaster’s office for using a profanity in class.
Good afternoon
I’m three answers shy of the full grid (my Dad would laugh at that – aye, you’re not wrong there, sonner! – he would have said…😉 and the ones I’m missing aren’t in the hintingtons. I think I know 3d, and it’s written in the margin, so doesn’t count. 9d: I think I know the second word. 12a: no chance! Probably something blindingly obvious.
Anyway, the sponge has been hoyed in. Thank you to Dada and to Senf. I might come back to the crozzie later, but I’m calling it this afty. Beer, dinner, and wine calling!
Thank you Dada and Senf, an excellent puzzle and hints, last one in was 21d but obvious when I had the checkers from the clever 20a which was my top clue and I did like Beethoven’s 9th 🙂
Quite tricky for me today..
But thankfully not as bad as yesterday.
Favourite and LOI 9d, closely followed by 20a
Thanks to Senf and to Dada.
Tricky, especially on the North West with 3d being last one in. I spent far too long looking for the ‘absent homophone’ . That said I really enjoyed it and completed it. My favourite was 12a.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints.
Everything was cushty – except for the 3D & 7A combo, which inexplicably took me a while; on another day they’d have gone in much sooner.
Pody picks – liked the 25A link-up to another clue, 13D even though it’s not always a game per se, and the foody 15A.
Thanks to Dada and to Senf ⭐️
Got nowhere with this prior to cheating and even then found it all too far-fetched eg 22a, 25a, 28a, 9d and 17d plus yet more forced anagram indicators. For me fings just ain’t wot they used to be with the DT Cryptic but thanks for your ongoing efforts Dada and Senf.
Had a busy day yesterday and did the guzzle in fits and starts. Sitting in bed with my cup of hot water with 3d and 9d still to do – the latter suddenly dawned on me but the Egyptian god made me turn to the hints. I really would not have got 3d without the photograph and hint and even now I’m struggling to understand! . I had that god in mind too! Ah well, it is all good stuff. I can get up now and go to yoga. Many thanks to Dada for the workout and to Senf for sorting me out.
Did this Monday Morning as had a busy day yesterday. Found this a very enjoyable fast solve I think I was on the setters wavelength!!
Thought 10a and 25a were quite brilliant, 10a was my first in. 1d was the last in as I failed to see the anagram, I had the right word and confirmation was given by the blog with explanation so thank you!!
COTD is the aforesaid 25a
Thanks all