Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3385 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where Summer is desperately trying to hang on for a while longer although we have had at least one foggy morning typical of late October/early November.
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada very quirky although I have to admit that my spelling and writing skills left a little to be desired. Seven anagrams (three partials), one lurker, and one homophone, all in a slightly asymmetric 30 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! You might even need your favourite e-search ‘assistant’!
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Candidates for favourite – 1a, 11a, 18a, 26a, 2d, 4d, 6d, 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 Bouncer‘s nasty whiff caught by page in grand, formal dance (4-4,4)
An informal synonym of nasty whiff contained (caught) by the single letter for Page, IN from the clue, the single letter for Grand and a term for a formal dance – a differently clued ‘recent repeat.’
9a Make light of frost, in America? (9)
A double definition – the second applies to the application of a covering to cakes across the pond (in America).
11a Sweet, or where “weet” is in it? (6)
Written as (5,1) where ‘weet’ is in ‘it’ as the first word of the clue.
13a Savage raced past a gallery (6)
An anagram (savage – no comment) of RACED placed after (past) A from the clue.
15a Worried about companion under cover (8)
A synonym of worried containing (about) a four-legged companion(?).
26a What makes tennis match impossible for nine players (5)
Written as (2,3) what makes a tennis match impossible to play.
27a Pulse felt with old age, not having died, surprisingly! (9)
An anagram (surprisingly) of FELT and (with) OLD AGE without (not having) the single (genealogical) letter for Died.
28a Novel where honest scientist has released upright character? (12)
A synonym of honest and a famous 20th century scientist with an upright character deleted (has released).
Down
1d Idiot put in some butter with a sauce (7)
An informal three letter synonym of idiot inserted into (put in) a small (moulded) amount of (some) butter followed by (with) A from the clue.
3d Piece placed on upper edge for game (9)
A generic synonym of piece placed before (on) an upper edge in a landscape or on a roof.
5d Fish filling fishy table – a sell-out? (8)
A three letter fish, one variety of which I know from experience stings, inserted into (filling) an anagram (fishy) of TABLE.
6d Bones left after hauling up rope (5)
The reversal (after hauling up) of all of a Latin based synonym of bones and the single letter for Left.
14d Delightful, blacken name of dynasty (8)
A synonym of blacken (in cooking?) and a dynasty from approximately 700 to 400 years ago famous for its pottery.
17d Fuel smell arising underneath jumper! (8)
The reversal (arising) of a slang synonym of smell placed after (underneath – It’s a Down clue) the abbreviated form of a soldier who willingly jumps out of an aeroplane in flight – another differently clued ‘recent repeat.’.
20d Always hundred and eleven in blue? (7)
A synonym of always and an informal synonym of hundred.
25d Patient stuck in clinic, as expected (4)
The lurker (stuck in) found in three words in the clue.
Quick Crossword Pun:
BACH + KISSES + WILLING = BARKIS IS WILLIN’ – apparently a quote from Dickens’ ‘David Copperfield’ and later used as a song title by Norwegian musicians Sidsel Endresen and Stian Westerhus, I have never heard of them, from their album ‘Didymoi Dreams’ – if that is not the answer then I have no idea.
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Sir Rod Stewart, who I have heard of, is among the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 120 million records worldwide, and this is one of his best. Number one for four weeks starting on this day in 1975. This is from One Night Only! Rod Stewart Live at Royal Albert Hall in December 2004:
I found Dada to be on his quirky side with his personal thesaurus in evidence. Despite that, it was a steady and most enjoyable solve once I broke into it. Not knowing anything whatsoever about football one clue evaded me until I had the checkers. The pulse at 27a threw me for a while and I believe the answer is also a musical instrument. I thought the sweet at 11a was clever as was the impossible tennis match at 26a. The view from neither parent at 12a was nearly given the honours but COTD was awarded to the delightful dynasty at 14d.
I wonder what Tom will think of the AI at 13a.
Another great Quickie pun.
Thank you, Dada for the fun. Thank you, Colonel for the hints.
What a fabulous puzzle with some chewiness to make the brain work.
I couldn’t get the Quickie pun and even with Senf’s help it is lost on me.
Top picks for me were 1a, 9a, 12a, 11a, 26a, 27a, 1d and 20d.
Thanks to Senf and Dada.
If you e-search what I have suggested for the Pun you will find plenty of references to the Dickens quote and if you add song to the quote the Norwegian singers should ‘appear’ but I have now discovered that the song was written Canadian singer-songwriter Jane Siberry and only performed/recorded by the Norwegians.
It must be me because I thought everyone knew that quote but, I suppose, if you haven’t read the Dickens novel then it’s feasible it will not be known. As a marriage proposal it’s up there with the best. That includes mine – after Lesley and I had had a major row I said, “I suppose we better get married then!” It lasted fifty years. 😊
Thank you. It’s a phrase I’ve never come across before but if I do (no pun intended) now then I’ll know what it means 😀
A highly enjoyable, steady solve. Despite getting 1a straight off the bat (ha ha), 5d was almost last in, and I needed the extra crosser from that so LOI 9a fell. ****/***
[Senf, old 27a, I think the underline in 25d needs shifting. Thank you for the blog.]
Thank you. Underlining for 25d shifted to its correct location.
Unusual for me to find the Sunday PP gentler than its Saturday partner but that’s certainly been my experience this weekend.
A fish, a bone and a funny smell took me off for three visits to the BRB but apart from those brief pauses I crossed the line without too much head scratching.
The 1a bouncer made me smile but today’s favourite was the view at 12a
Many thanks to Dada and Senf
A dnf for me today on a puzzle that I just could not get my head around. How different to 24 hours ago when answers seemed to flow smoothly from the pen. But that’s the joy of crosswords. Thanks to Dada for the challenge and Senf for the oh so necessary hints.
The Toughie by Zandio is quite approachable today.
I second that!
I second that!!
Like it
With all the pulses here and there you are entitled to pig out on xxxxxxxxxxxx
I must admit that clue made me hungry, John. 😊
Apologies, it must have been a subliminal memory of one of the clues I managed to do before the Toughie appeared
Another very enjoyable prize puzzle. Completed and submitted before the blog so it’s a relief to find my answers match.
28a and 18a were eluding me however once I stopped thinking about them and concentrated on other parts of the grid they both popped into my head. I love that about crosswords when the best way to get the answer is to stop trying!!
I think COTD goes to 28a with 1a and 14d close contenders.
Thanks all for a delightful puzzle
For me, and I stress for me (© Senf), O to the M to the G.
You ordinary people have no idea what I go through. Late up today because last night we went, with The Youngster, to see a band playing Joni Mitchell choons, in Barnes, by the river*. They were very good; of course I had to watch Match Of The Day when we returned home. So a late start today and do you know what happened? Of course you don’t; you weren’t here. My gruel exploded in the microwave! Yes! I know what you’re thinking – where were his servants? Why does he make his own gruel? Anyway, that was a task and a half to clear that lot up.
Then this trickiest of tricky guzzles. My eyes were swivelling and my brain rocked back and forth in my skull. Yet, after much angst, there it is – completed. The crayon set shall be mine, without doubt.
Thanks to Da-doo-ron-ron and, lost in the Winnpeg fog, The Man From Manitoba
*’pon my soul, The Thames is very odorous in West London. The Youngster decided not to take up my challenge for her to go wild swimming before the gig.
Dada is very Dadaish today – I enjoyed it. Thanks to him and Senf.
Ticks from me for 1a, 28a, 20d and 24d.
Not my favourite Dada by a long way but I can admire some of the clues. Rather out of my league I’m afraid.
And mine!
I don’t know which was most enjoyable, Dada’s puzzle or Terence’s comment, although he may not be so chipper after today’s match; we’ll see which was worst, his exploding gruel or the result.
Anyway, the puzzle proved to be a steady solve for 90%, but then I resorted to my BRB app for the anagram at 16d and using the checkers for 5d and 28a although the parsing for both was clear once the solution was known. 15a was LOI. 1a, 10a, 18a and 27a are my picks.
Many thanks to Dada and Senf.
A little tricky in places with my last couple being 15a, then 5d.
Double tick to 1a.
Many thanks to Dada and Senf.
2*/4*. This was good fun.
I think “savage” (=wild) in 13a is OK as an anagram indicator.
My podium selection is 1a, 28a & 20d.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.
It didn’t immediately click with me as an anagram indicator, RD and it’s not in the list in the crossword dictionary. Mind you, not being in the list is not a bar to using a word. Because I didn’t twig the indicator, I took a long time over 13a.
Another stonking puzzle today – we are having a marvellous run of puzzles. LOI was the sweet which I just could not see at all. Lots of favourites and thoroughly enjoyable so thanks to setter and hinter. I don’t get the quickie pun either.
I thought this Dada puzzle was at the gentler end of his spectrum, but definitely some quirkiness and personal thesaurus use was evident within the grid.
2.5*/3.5*
Favourites include 1a, 12a, 26a, 28a, 17d, & 24d — with co-winners 12a & 26a
Thanks to Dada & Senf
An excellent puzzle which my brain was sadly not up to today. I needed help to finish, as I could not see 15a so was glad to have the hints to turn to. 1a was my favourite.
Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints.
For me that’s DNSs for two consecutive prize puzzles. Totally impenetrable. What a waste!
Entertaining puzzle, needed help from the hints for a few …
liked the breakfasting ruminants in 22D.
A very enjoyable puzzle at a comfortable difficulty level after yesterdays mind mangler.
Some really clever clues and misdirection.
Thanks to the setter and to Senf who’s hints were not needed but always appreciate the back up!
We were halfway through this lovely guzzle when DD2 arrived with Jeff & Baxter so two hours later I have retuned to it and what a joy, George guessed the footbally one even though he is a rugby man, there was so much to delight – the smelly dance, the fishy sellout, the dynasty with its name blackened – I don’t know which to choose. Huge thanks to the Wily Setter with a sense of humour and thanks to the Hintsman who will soon be digging out his scarf. Perfect temperature here, can’t wait to walk the Gin Path to the gate in the fence for drinks next door.
We were halfway through this lovely guzzle when DD2 arrived with Jeff & Baxter so two hours later I have retuned to it and what a joy, George guessed the footbally one even though he is a rugby man, there was so much to delight – the smelly dance, the fishy sellout, the dynasty with its name blackened – I don’t know which to choose. Huge thanks to the Wily Setter with a sense of humour and thanks to the Hintsman who will soon be digging out his scarf. Perfect temperature here, can’t wait to walk the Gin Path to the gate in the fence for drinks next door.
I always get a bit nerve with Radio’s offerings. But, I was on fire today and roared through this bad boy with my LOI being malodorous (great word) swimmer.
I ain’t a bad speller but 27a gave me some trouble. Obviously, I’ve now thought of a way to remember it. I’ve been mispronouncing it for yonks as I thought the second last letter was a different vowel.
I’m more than happy with savage as it only has one meaning that is a clear AI.
Are there any other letters that can be an upright character in a crossy or is today’s the only puppy?
My picks are 11a (good fun), 12a (nice construction) and with my fave being 1a (love ‘bouncer’)
MTTTA and the Manitoban mountie.
2*/4*
Tom. I don’t know it you spotted it the other day but ALP’s term has to be the phrase of the week, if not the month/year. A very amusing contrast of vernacular/posh language I’m still gigling now :
Nowt outre.
Superb!
And it looks like he made it up as I can’t find any references.
He is such a wordsmith.
I wonder if he’ll become a setter. If he did, his puzzles would be a joy to solve.
Some how I felt this puzzle, whilst cleverly constructed, lacked Dada’s usual sparkle, although it was quite quirky. I thought the surface read of 20d was clever, just as well as i know very little about the subject , fishy clue at 5d was good as was the double definition at 18d. Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints
Lots to like in this fishy puzzle. Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints
For whatever reason way off the pace with this one. Glanced at it off & on throughout the day & still had half a dozen unsolved until finally looking at the puzzle once back home – after correcting a couple of duff answers I completed in the longest time I can recall devoting to a back-pager.
Lots to like: 1,18&27a + 1,3&17d particular likes but last in 11a was my fav once the penny eventually dropped.
Thanks to D&S – rather you than me with the pun.
That was a struggle for me, not helped by 27a, a new word for me. Been doing these since I gave up work to start a family, I think it is time I gave in and got myself a copy of the big red book…. Thanks to Dada and Senf, I did enjoy the struggle with COTD going to 12a.
Happy day in our household as we learnt our granddaughter and her long standing boyfriend (since High School) got engaged yesterday. They flew on a seaplane for a weekend with friends in the Bahamas, on a seaplane, and then he surprised her by proposing on the beach. What a guy! She recently got her Masters in Speech Pathology and we kind of knew she was so focused on her studies that everything else was on hold. It’s been my longtime to goal to be able to dance with Peter at our granddaughter’s wedding one day, so looks as if I might make it 😊😊.
A late solve after doing my 100-and-something’th half marathon today, in Shoreham, close to home.
Tiredness may have contributed but this was yet another graft this week – enjoyable but had to toil for many answers. LOI was 11A.
Pody choices are 1A’s bouncer, 21A’s on-point surface, and 5D’s Lego fish, which was satisfying to crack and started a flurry to the finish.
Thanks to Dada and Senf ⭐️
Sorry for the late post as three clues held out until a good nights sleep came to the rescue. Just to say what a brilliant crossword with the blue eleven taking the podium; thank you Senf for explaining the sweet