Sunday Times Prize Crossword St 4527 Sunday March 3Rd 2013

[maxymax]

25a Mister Bob Hope ( 7 ) S-R-Y-R Looks like sprayer - can someone explain why please. Thanks

[quinie]

bob-shilling-s.hope-prayer?

[quinie]

or maybe hope-pray and er comes from mister (missed-er)

[maxymax]

Thanks quinie. I had got as far as s for bob and prayer for hope but I just can't see where mister comes in!

[Neveracrossword]

A mister - a thing that mists!

[maxymax]

Thanks neveracrossword I can't believe I didn't look at mister that way!!

[Neveracrossword]

You're welcome. I thought this was a terrific clue.

[anaxcrosswords]

Thank you Neveracrossword. For the first time I can remember, I am actually able to say "Yes, it's a terrific clue" and do so with humility. For a setter, the words 'terrific' or 'brilliant' tend to apply to cases where an intractable-looking answer has been very carefully and painstakingly pulled apart and assembled in an original, witty, smooth and (hopefully) concise clue.
This answer forced itself into the grid because of checking letters and, as I wrote it in, I didn't know what I was going to do with it. When it came to tackling it, the two wordplay components and the definition just jumped out. Really - can't have taken more than about 30 seconds.
That's how it goes sometimes. You can spend half an hour devising a clue that's 'OK', and no time at all in spotting something memorable. Luck of the draw!

[quinie]

Thank you for explaining mister,Neveracrossword.Clever clue