DT 25559 Prize Cryptic 9ac

[Narbadingi]

Hated today's puzzle. Not on this setter's wavelength at all - seems absolutely dreadful to me, and wouldn't have finished without answerbank's help. Never heard of a shutterbug, a upas, a launce or a wen, and some of the other clues seem pretty dodgy, too..

Still don't understand why 9ac is 'Alexandria', though. "Single lady taken round port". I know it's a port, but how does the rest of the clue fit?

Probably being thick - can someone help a dimwit at bedtime by explaining, though, please? Ta.

[boleynground]

Alexandra = lady
i = single
take the lady round the single

[ladyalex]

Completely agree with you about this puzzle. Could not get same ones as you plus a few more. Very obscure knowledge needed which is not what cryptics should be about , in my humble opinion.
Here's hoping next week's will be a bit better.

[Narbadingi]

Sorry for the delay in getting back - bit of a manic Sunday, but the sprogs have gone home now and only minor bombsite clearance required. Thanks Boleynground. Obvious really. Told you I was dimwit.

Thanks, too, LadyAlex. Glad it wasn't just me. Fingers crossed indeed for better setting ahead.

Nighty night.

[Aquagility]

I can't say I found it particularly difficult The only clue that didn't quite add up for me was 24d, 'Almost certain to include pill perhaps that is bitter'. Sour. Where does the O come from? Does 'pill' mean O? New one on me.

On a totally different subject, if we think that the price of a stamp + envelope represents a worthwhile bet on the chance of winning this fantastic pen, why don't we send in lots and lots of entries? I don't think so!

[Cugetit]

Aquagility ... you realise, of course, that they will not accept photocopies so you would also have to purchase loads of their newspapers. I have won twice in many, many years but both were runners up .... book tokens. I wonder how many total entries they get!!

[Narbadingi]

I read somewhere it was about 5,000 a week in mid-winter, about 2,000 a week in mid-summer, and with a kind of sine-wave in between. Weather counts for a lot, apparently.

I shall persevere regardless, and perhaps get a runner's-up voucher before a death certificate if I'm lucky.

[tizzi2]

i'd never heard o shutterbug either I still havent got three!

[Narbadingi]

What was 3? Haven't got that puzzle any more.

I hated today's as well - 25,565. Never heard of a Griffon, or a reaver, or a blintz, or a Hopi, or knew what stannic meant, or heard of Highbridge, or heard of the term thready. Just what is going on with these pretentious setters lately, trying to use deeply obscure knowledge and words to kill off all the fun? I used to really enjoy the Saturday Cryptic, but it's just an exercise in bookwork lately. I think I'll complain - I'm getting sick of it.