ST 3334 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 3334 (Hints)

by Senf  

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3334 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg and welcome to the Sunday Edition of Big Dave’s Book Crossword Club :wink:
(Check Comment 16 in yesterday’s blog if you think I have lost my marbles, which I probably have.)

I feel a little sorry for the Wallaroos only being allowed to score one try yesterday. I wonder if Scotland will be allowed to score more than that today.

For me, and I stress for me,© Dada quirky with some strange indicators and causing me a few problems in the NW – 7 anagrams (3 partials), no lurkers, and no homophones all in a slightly asymmetric 30 clues; with 15 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, you should/might 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 – 10a, 18a, 25a, 7d, 8d, 16d, and 19d, 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.

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 Bureau finally opening it, large shabby binder (8)
I said that there were some strange indicators – the last letter (finally) of bureaU inserted into (opening) an anagram (shabby) of IT, LARGE.

10a Queen and dad netting Auntie’s old home? (9,6)
Lego® time – the name of a Queen (consort), a two letter synonym of dad, and a synonym of netting.

11a Great numbers in mines overlooking the seams? (7)
The plural of a three letter number inserted into (in) mINEs with the outer letters removed (overlooking the seams).

18a Being mother, Attila sent outside! (5)
The two letter synonym for mother contained by (sent outside) the third word of the name by which Attila is frequently known.

23a University order not taken down (7)
The single letter for University and a synonym of order (as in to make tidy).

25a Storm, when copy after copy cleared out (7)
A synonym of copy (scientifically, or biologically?) placed after CopY with the interior letters deleted (cleared out).

28a An Athenian character comes in some style every year (3,5)
AN from the clue and the 13th character that an Athenian uses inserted into (comes in) the abbreviated form of a hairdressing process (some style).

Down

1d Foreword with falsified denial (4-2)
An anagram (falsified) of DENIAL.

2d Task originally forgotten visiting tidy visitors’ chamber (5-4)
A type of task (a specific search?) with the first letter deleted (originally forgotten) inserted into (visiting) a synonym of tidy (appearance?).

4d Highest point cooler, peak not reached (5)
A cooler (that is a kitchen appliance) with the first letter removed (peak not reached) – the answer may be part of a roof?.

8d The art of a bowler inspires a player (8)
THE from the clue and the art of a (slow?) bowler contains A from the clue.

16d European’s chained to US citizen (9)
TO from the clue contained (chained) by a European (from a country that was part of Yugoslavia).

17d Shoulders on sheikh muscular – lifted those? (8)
The outer letters of (shoulders on) SheikH and a synonym of muscular.

21d Coins scattered over island, a Mediterranean location (7)
An anagram (scattered) of COINS placed before (over) the single letter for Island and A from the clue.

25d American Indian sandwiches ending on tabletop filled dish (5)
A member of a Native American tribe (living in Montana and parts of Canada) contains (sandwiches) the last letter of tabletoP.

Quick Crossword Pun:

TACKS + DEAD DUCK + SHONE = TAX DEDUCTION

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Originally named the Blue Velvets, American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty; his brother, rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty; bassist Stu Cook; and drummer Doug Clifford, was formed in 1959.  There was also an ‘intermediate’ name change which is no longer PC, think of, or e-search, the long-time logo of Robertson’s jams, before settling on Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1967. The band’s only UK number one was Bad Moon Rising which held the spot for 3 weeks starting on this day in 1969; this live performance is from the RAH in 1970:

44 comments on “ST 3334 (Hints)”

  1. I thought this was a bit on the tricky side and I struggled with some of the parsing. I knew what was needed at 26a but, for the life of me, could not get it until I had all the checkers. I started to enter 2d in 3d so that messed up Cumbria. I liked the breakfast at 13a but my COTD is the copied storm at 25a.

    The pun was neat.

    Thank you, Dada for what was, for me, a challenge. Thank you, Colonel for the hints.

  2. Initially thought this was going to be a right B, but the NE fell into place and from that point it was a steady clockwise solve. Some cracking surfaces and crafty clueing. Honours to 10a, 26a (great anagram) and 22d.

    Many thanks presumably (given the anagram count) to Dada and Senf

  3. 3*/4.5*. I thought this was very enjoyable with quite a few intricate parsings to be unravelled.

    My top picks were 10a, 11a, 25a, 28a, 8d & 16d.

    Many thanks to Dada and to Senf.

  4. Good morning. I got stuck into this at 0645 this morning whilst on the train from Zurich to Nürnberg. The anagrams were fun, once spotted. Having a problem with the SW corner and for the moment the last 6 remain unsolved. Thank you for the review and to the setter

  5. I got stuck into this at about 3.45 am and found it quite ddifficult to get a start. Things got better as the checkers went in, apart fromt he NE, where I found a few clues were difficult to parse. I liked the 1a anagram and the 10a and 8d Lego clues but the very cunning geographical anagram at 26 a was my COTD. Thanks to Dada for this tricky but absorbing puzzle and to Senf for the hints.

  6. Lots of lovely clues but definitely tricky and I needed help with the Indian tribe and in 3d where I had a similar word with different 4th and 5th clues. So can’t submit today. Despite all that it was a very satisfying puzzle indeed and thank you setter and blogger.

  7. V tough but very clever too. My only problem is parsing my answer to 22a. Will wait for the explanation in due time with bated breath.

    1. ‘inspiring’ is an insertion indicator. Look carefully at your solution and you should spot the lad and the IS. What surrounds it is the craft

      1. Sorry Sue for not acknowledging your reply, I got an urgent call from a friends wife to say my friend and golf partner had collapsed and was undergoing major heart surgery. He is still in ICU but steady. Puts everything into perspective I find. Thx for trying to help. Brian.

  8. Tricky. Certainly more devious than Sunday’s past. Can’t claim an unaided finish today as I needed a couple of hints to get me going when I ground to a halt. I still have a couple of parsings where I’m not wholly sure, so will resort to the review later in the week and won’t be submitting for the mythical thus week. My podium is 8d, 17d and 27a. Thanks to Dada and Senf.

  9. For me, and I stress for me (© Senf), this was, on first glance a Waaahhh! guzzle. These always turn out to be fun as I slowly but surely inch my way through, glue by glue.
    Yesterday, we thought we would try a different locale for a lovely walk and headed northwards (a little) into the Chilterns. Our original destination was Turville but there was a wedding taking place in this tiny village and so the whole place was overwhelmed by cars, vintage buses, and what looked like about a thousand guests. So we headed up the road to Hambleden and into the village car park, where we joined about a dozen other people trying to pay for parking, via an app, in an area with no phone signal. With an earlier rain ‘shower’ having turned the car park into a quagmire, I was reminded of the opening sequence to Saving Private Ryan.
    Our lovely walk was curtailed by a further downpour so we sought solace, and lunched, in the Stag and Huntsman.

    Thanks to Da-doo-ron-ron, and newly elected chairman of the book club, The Man From Manitoba

    1. Sounds wonderful!
      While you were having a lovely time, my son and I were screaming at the television watching a very unsatisfactory football match of the mighty against Brentford.
      The only consolation was that I numbed the disappointment with a very nice bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc!

    2. T, now here’s a thing! I was tackling a cryptic crossword in a DT book the other day and came across this clue: Premier League team after victory in Sussex town (10). And when I got the answer I thought of you for some reason. I eventually had the checkers: ?I?C?E?S?A. Then I thought there can’t be a town called that! But after a bit of research I found it to be in East Sussex. Heard of it?

      1. I don’t know about Terence but I visited that place as a child. Can’t remember much about it but loved it’s name.

        1. By George, you’re right! From Wiki: not one of the “head” ports but along with Rye a subsidiary granted similar priveliges and resposibilities.

  10. Many thanks to Dada for a gentle but most enjoyable puzzle.
    Funnily enough I printed off this and the Beam toughie on one sheet of paper and assumed that I’d solved this one first, which I hadn’t.
    If i were to rate this, it would be 2* for difficulty and 1* for the Beam toughie.
    If anyone finds this tricky, I’d recommend having a look at the Beam puzzle.

    1. Thanks for the plug, I have just finished this whilst responding in t’other place and I tend to agree Beam was at the gentler end and Dada at the trickier end. I enjoyed them both and thank Dada and Senf for the entertainment.
      I will go for 10a too. I knew which auntie I was looking for but took a couple of guesses before I found the one that fitted

  11. It took me a while to get into this but it slowly fell. Still unsure about one of my answers but I’ll keep looking at it in the hope it will become clear.
    Lots of clever cluing and I liked the Quickie pun.
    Top picks for me were 10a, 7d, 23a, 17d and 8d.
    Thanks to Senf and Dada.

  12. Dada certainly being ‘quirky’ today but, nevertheless, conjuring up some great clues. Top three for me were the excellent anagram at 26a plus the art of the bowler at 8d and the muscular sheikh at 17d.

    Thanks to our Sunday setter and to Senf for the hints and music – good song from CCR but couldn’t name anything else they recorded!

    1. Huntsman included another one on Thursday – Proud Mary – although you may be more familiar with cover versions by Ike and Tina Turner and Tina Turner solo.

    2. For a brief time (69 to 71) they were one of the biggest bands in the world producing a string of single length pop/rock songs. Fortunate Son was one the big anti Vietnam draft songs

      1. According to that unimpeachable source Wikipedia, there was an acrimonious disbandment with plenty of lawsuits in 1972.

        1. I saw Fogerty at Wembley Arena in 2007 when he was finally back playing Creedence songs & it was a great gig

  13. A very interesting puzzle today which definitely had me looking for alternative answers and meanings. I got there in the end but found the south west particularly sticky. 25a was my favourite and I was very grateful for the long anagram which helped get going.

    Many thanks to Dad and to Senf for the hints.

  15. The slow bowling actor at 8d and the complimentary dessert in 22d were my top clues in this not too taxing but fun puzzle.
    My thanks to Dada and Senf.

  16. A struggle for me today – kept wanting to put the place where actors relax in 2d (can’t be any more specific for fear of the naughty step) and was convinced the large numbers were MM – making a different type of great at 11a.

    Finally saw the light but took me an absolute age.
    Thanks to the setter and to Senf for the hints and helping me to make Senf of it all…I’ll get my coat!!

  17. Well from my point of view this puzzle was like a Dada toughie this week. Crikey!!!
    Plenty of quirkiness as well as personal thesaurus entries too.
    Definitely at the difficult end of his spectrum today.

    3.5*/3.5*

    Favourites include 5a, 10a, 26a, 7d, 14d & 19d — with winner 26a
    Smiles from 5a, 13a, 15a & 3d

    Thanks for the brain mangler Dada & Senf for hints/blog

  18. At times it looked to be a no go but gradually we unravelled it and the man in the red scarf (golly I could do with it round my legs I am frozen) helped to confirm 2d which I had entered but couldn’t justify. 22d was a teaser too, but favourite was possibly the storm. I shall soon be turning to 13a if this temperature continues. I did so enjoy the Proms last night, it had a lovely vibe and I felt the flags were waved in true multi- national spirit. I wouldn’t object if Bohemian Rhapsody became an annual affair! Many thanks to Messrs Setter & Senf / I think I shall have to go and put some thick tights on !

  19. Thanks to Dada and Senf. We found this comparatively easy. NW went in very quickly and then was on a roll. Our COTD toss up between 17d and 25a. LOI 22d.

  20. That was tough going. I managed some of it, and used a lot of e help for the rest. Big thank you to Senf for helping me understand the parsing of lots of clues, and to Dada for the puzzle. I have recorded last night’s prom, so am looking forward to hearing/watching it later.

  21. 3.5*/ 3.5* definitely a tricksy one for me, got there in the end though without any help from Senf or Google. Took an age to see 1a , 11a and 2d.
    Favourites include 27a shudders, 25a storm and 1a binder
    Also liked the quickie pun
    Thanks to setter and Senf

  22. Dada definitely had his tricky hat on today. I struggled with the across clues, but thankfully the downs made more sense, enabling me to fill in more from the checkers. Luckily I remembered the old BBC home in 10a, 13a raised a smile, and I had fun unraveling the 26a anagram. Thanks to Dada (who will hopefully be more benign next week) and to Senf for the much needed hints.

  23. Undone by the first two clues. Just couldn’t get 1a without ehelp, and stuck an alternative to 7up in 5a. It didn’t help that the second letter (a checker) of my answer and the right answer were the same. That took a long time to sort out.

    Other than that, a thoroughly enjoyable solve with 25a getting the gong. ***/****

  24. Definitely one of the trickiest Sundays for quite a while. Have the biggest tick to Auntie’s location but there were lots of other high points too. Did this in the middle of buying a steering lock to satisfy my new insurer and installing a new outside light and 7 bulbs in the bathroom fixture!!

    Thanks Senf for including those I needed to check parsing for (how did you know 😂) and to dada for a thorough workout.

  25. Really enjoyable solve , although I did get held up in the NW , and just checked the hint for my last one in 11a that I mulled over for a whole dog walk only to realise I have 2d wrong ! Doh. Thanks so much a quirky Dada and Senf.

  26. A somewhat laboured solve (largely on account of brain fog in the SW) but thought the puzzle one of Dada’s best in a while. 30a was the parsing crumpet scratch until I eventually twigged the importance of the 1st word in the clue. ✅s for 10,20&28a plus 8,16,17&22d.
    Many thanks to D&S

  27. So grateful to Dada for helping me pass some of the time so enjoyably on a long flight! Great quicky pun too. Thanks to Senf for explaining 1a

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