ST 3323 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 3323 (Hints)

by Senf  

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3323 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where, on Friday, the clock was turned back almost fifty years when the historic and iconic intersection of Portage and Main (Portage Avenue and Main Street) was reopened to pedestrians.  During the years of closure, pedestrians have had to rely on a circular underground concourse which has become more and more dilapidated and some believe more unsafe.

For me, and I stress for me©, and, once again, I hope I don’t upset or annoy anyone, perhaps some will agree with me, Dada almost as friendly as he was last week and creatively adding to the list of anagram indicators – eight anagrams (three partials), one lurker, and one homophone all in a symmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, you should be able to get the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues.  And, remember, my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!

Candidates for favourite – 21a, 24a, 25a, 2d, 11d, and 16d.

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.

Don’t forget to follow the instructions in RED at the bottom of the hints!

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 Old newspaper worker, sort with The Sun, perhaps? (10)
A nounal synonym of sort and (with) a possible term (perhaps) for the sun (at the end of the day).

12a Shock describing intense headache, finding fault easily (4-9)
What shock is a synonym of (on one’s head) and a single word term that can be used to describe the sensation of an intense headache.

14a Amusing person, willing cheat, for example (4,4)
A single word term for an amusing person and a synonym of willing (to try something for the first time?) – and, indeed, the definition is an example of the answer – straight out of The Crimson Tome.

15a Holiday home offering tea leased out (6)
A synonym of tea (the drink) and a single word synonym for leased out.

21a Greeting neologism, teen discombobulated (4,4,2,3)
An anagram with a magnificent indicator (discombobulated) of NEOLIGISM, TEEN.

24a Childminder, best ever mother of kids (5,4)
A childminder (usually employed by well-off professionals) and an acronym that equates to best ever.

27a Heartless trite idiocy excited journalist (4,6)
An anagram (excited) of TRiTE, with the centre letter removed (heartless), and IDIOCY.

Down

1d Cheers, cheers, cheers! (2-2) or Cheers, cheers, cheers! (2-2)
The two letter synonym of cheers repeated.

3d Doing nicely in session, quite! (7,6)
A synonym of session (as one of several required for one purpose?) and an adverbial synonym of quite.

8d Rude drunk ready to go, last of lager guzzled (10)
An anagram (drunk) of READY TO GO containing (guzzled) the last letter of lageR.

11d Measure up and take scissors to salad leaves? (3,3,7)
A double definition(?) – the second is using scissors on a type of salad leaf.

18d European country without the right to gather in funds (7)
Guess a European country, one which has the single letter for Right which can be deleted (without) and then contains (gather) IN from the clue.

20d Beyond river is exciting drive, say (3,4)
A single word synonym of exciting is placed after (beyond) a river in the North-East.

23d Mark seems confident about result, initially (4)
One of Dada’s favourites – the initial letters of four words in the clue.

Quick Crossword Pun:

GLUE + TEA + ERRS + MAXIMS = GLUTEUS MAXIMUS

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French singer and songwriter Charles Aznavour recorded more than 1,200 songs interpreted in 9 languages. This one, in English, reached number one for four weeks on this day in 1974 (not 1975 as suggested in the video title):

41 comments on “ST 3323 (Hints)”

  1. I found Dada being a bit quirky today but quite enjoyable, nevertheless. The willing cheat at 14a brought a grin to my face when the answer dawned. A very neat deception, I thought. I also like the salad preparation at 11d and the childminder at 24a. My COTD is 1d with its three cheers.

    Thank you, Dada for the fun challenge. Thank you, Mr. Mustard for the hints. (For those of you who wonder why I call our Sunday and Wednesday that, here is a picture).

    I thought the Quickie pun needed an extra bit on the end but what do I know?

    1. Good fun again. Needed a little nudging in SW, otherwise read and write. I liked the misdirection in the homophone. Dada’s trademark heavy use of anagrams, with that airborne indicator.
      I think our hunter is extra-hot, not that in your picture!

  2. Enjoyable, but quite testing in places. Not so friendly or straightforward as Senf found it for me. That said the anagrams certainly helped in opening up the remainder. I liked 13d, but it misses out on a podium place to 12a, 15a and 11d. Thanks to Dada and Senf

  3. I thought this was Dada at the top of his game.
    Many thanks to him for a most enjoyable puzzle. Not particularly difficult, but it gets 5* for pleasure from me.

  4. A pleasant Sunday morning puzzle – thanks to Dada and Senf.
    I liked 1a, 24a and 20d with my favourite being 14a.

  5. Mostly straightforward but can find only one answer I am reasonably happy with for 26 across. A pointer for confirm my thoughts are correct would be appreciated.

    1. Your comment went into moderation because the alias you used did not include the space between ‘Hippy’ and ‘ajs’ which you have used previously. I have taken the liberty of editing it accordingly.

      Now 26a – it is the one homophone in the puzzle based on the answer to 6 Across.

      1. 26a is my only stumbling block – oh yes, as I write I have spotted it. Jolly clever – homage!

  7. An enjoyable crossy from Radio which all fell into place quite nicely on a very friendly grid.

    I failed to parse the second part of 1a which is a goodie.

    My podium is 10a (great anagram), 24a and 1d.

    MT to the aforementioned and the Manitoban mountie.

    2*/4*

  8. Very mild for a Sunday, with some great clueing, my only gripe is 6a, not entirely sure this works, but sadly can’t say why here for fear of the stick.

    My two favourites today were 24a and 26a, will now hope that 7d is in the hints, as I’ve no idea why it works.

  9. A joyful Sunday morning exercise with just short delay in SW. Not sure why “old” in 1a as they do still exist even if now using software. Missed significance of “shock” in 12a hence used wrong first word. Wonder how many people apart from Huntsman got 20d – I certainly needed a prompt. TVM Dada and Senf.

  10. A very enjoyable Sunday romp with plenty to smile about. Rosettes handed out to 1a – a member of the excellent team who often helped to prevent all the typos we see today, 21a which may well discombobulate a modern day teen & 24a along with 2&16d and a special award for 11d with its mention of one of our bloggers who certainly does measure up.

    Thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints and music – nice voice but he rather missed out in the looks department!

  11. Another fantastic Sunday puzzle to add to last weeks one, thoroughly enjoyable and completed on my own….it can’t last, I am in danger of thinking I have cracked Sundays which I am sure is a big mistake.. 21a was a brilliant anagram, many other clues raised a smile but I had 24a as my favourite.

    Many thanks to Dada and to Senf for the hints.

  12. A great puzzle for a Sunday. Lots to like for me.

    My top picks were 1a, 24a, 16d, 3d and 14a.
    The quickie pun didn’t quite work for me as the ending seemed wrong. If it were a down clue you could say the bottom was missing!

    Thanks to Senf and Dada.

      1. Hmm. Not convinced, cavedeli. No matter how I try to change the pronunciation it still comes out as “maxims”

  13. I’ll add my vote to the many above for 24a to be COTD, ahead of 16, 18 and 20d.
    A fine puzzle, pitched at just the right level for a Sunday competition.
    Thanks to Dada and Senf.

  14. I too thought this Dada puzzle was for the most part quite friendly and straightforward, but there was a little use of his personal thesaurus again this week as well as smattering of quirkiness. Not a lot of either, but it was there.

    2.5*/3.5*

    Favourites 12a, 24a, 13d, 16d & 20d — with winners 24a & 13d

    Thanks to Dada & Senf

  15. I shot through this only to come to a juddering halt with just three left, and they took as long as the rest of the grid to complete. My final answer was 17a, and my top clue this afternoon was the popular 24a.

    Many thanks to Dada and Senf.

  16. As straightforward as they come resulting in a very rapid solve and no time to really enjoy it. Favourite was 11d. Thanks to Dada and Senf.

  17. I was overconfident with 27a and assumed ‘copy’ as first word, causing later difficulties 😥 Thank you Dada and Senf … and quickie pun is tough!

  18. My prayers were answered and we are treated to a lovely Dada puzzle again. Three way tie for 1a, 12a and 24a. Not to say it wasn’t tricky in places, but all there for the working out thereof. Thanks very much to Dada and Senf.

  19. 1.5* / 4* Thought I’d get a start on this one and before I knew it I was nearly finished, so completed in quick time. Very enjoyable with plenty of smiles along the way.
    Favourites among many 1a newspaper worker, 10a nice anagram and 12a finding fault
    Thanks to Dada and Senf

  20. I sailed through this one except for the bottom left-hand corner. Then I realised I had made a mistake just as I clicked on yes to submit it 🥲 Definitely no prize for me.

  21. 24A wins it for me, though I did like Bill’s endless wine at 25. VMT Dada and Senf.

  22. Gentle but enjoyable nevertheless. 24a was neat & podium spots for 8&20d.
    Thanks to D&S

  23. It is so hot and airless that I do not know how I summoned the energy to do this, but do it I did and am now pleased I made the effort. I could order a fan but by the time it comes I shall probably be putting a vest on again. Many thanks to clever Dada and Hot Mustard – definitely nothing medium about Senf, I am his number one admirer. Did you know Mr Coleman used to say he didn’t make his money from the mustard which was consumed, but from that which was left on the plates!

  24. Hurray – I hardly ever finish a crossword on the day and for once I didn’t need the hints! Too hot and humid in Oxford today to do anything except sit in the shade with a drink and pen in hand. I too enjoyed 24a. Thanks to Senf and Dada

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