DT 26002 – Hints – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 26002 – Hints

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26002 – Hints

Selected hints by Big Dave

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment: ***

A better-than-usual prize puzzle that, for me at least, was a little spoilt by cluing a place as “in France” when the place concerned has historical significance that surely could have been worked into the clue.

Don’t forget that you can give  your assessment of the puzzle.  Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them.  Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 13th August.

Across

1a Behind health centre, place for allotment (10)
Just put a place, for example one where films and documentaries are made away from the studio, behind, i.e. after, the centre two letters of health and, Hey Presto! you have an allotment, but not the kind in which to grow vegetables

10a Pair always ask earnestly (4)
The short answers are often the hardest to get – here you have a charade consisting of the abbreviation for pair followed by a Northern word for always giving a word meaning to ask earnestly (in church maybe)

13a Heel Patty injured during thoughtful communication (9)
I don’t think the surface reading of this one will deflect you from realising that the first two words are anagram fodder!

18a Read cut-out article by excellent tabloid (3-3)
What colour is the banner, and where is it on a tabloid?

27a Abstract style of revolutionary patriot going round California (7,3)
An abstract style using geometrical forms precisely executed and so arranged that movement of the observer’s eye, or inability to focus, produces an illusion of movement in the painting – if you don’t understand that then join the club! – it’s an anagram of PATRIOT placed around CAL(ifornia)

28a Think well of Liberal president! (4)
The president is Dwight D Eisenhower – how are you going to fit that into a short wordplay?

Down

1d One accepted first neurotic complaint (4)
The one here is on a playing card – insert the first letter of neurotic to get a complaint that mainly affects teenagers

3d Complete transport from end to end (5,7)
Here a word meaning to complete is a charade of to transport or convey and a synonym for end to end

7d Heather almost trapped deserter, wandering (7)
Erica is another name for heather – that’s a hint, not the answer!

11d Just soft, not grand (but loud?) (7,5)
A charade, this time of words meaning just, as in law-abiding, and soft, as in music, leads you to an instrument which could be grand, but not here

19d Dingy church in France (7)
Combine synonyms for dingy and a Scottish church to get this place in France that thousand were desperate to leave in 1940

If that’s not enough to help you finish, just ask and I will see what I can do. 

Please don’t put whole or partial answers in your comment, else they may be censored!

40 comments on “DT 26002 – Hints”

  2. Hi BD – Any ideas about the wordplay on 23a? We got it right but have no idea why- just about to have one with lunch, just to test the truth of the clue! Cheers!

  3. Hi Dave
    completed about 3/4 without your help but got stuck on the bottom lefthand corner..didn’t like 19d or 28a but liked 8d, 11d and 20a, thanks once again for all the help

  4. Either this was really an easy one or I have learned more than I thought. Broke my own personal record on completing it.
    My favourite was 11d.

  5. BD – I agree – bit superfluous.
    BTW – thanks for the site and for all the good help (plus good comments from other people). It has raised my enjoyment and understanding.

  8. Pretty easy but quite enjoyable, liked 19d. I do these crosswords week in and week out but never submit them, am I daft or what, I just like doing them.

  9. High bigboab. I have been religiously entering the prize crossword for about 13 years – I even used to post them when overseas when I knew there was no chance of the entry arriving in time!! I have had two letters printed though!

  10. Enjoyed today’s but stuck on the *** *** tabloid! What is the second word, hot, dog, rod?

    1. Hi Peter and welcome to the blog.
      Whereabouts on the front page of a tabloid do you normally get a splash of red ?

  12. An enjoyable crossword that wasn’t to difficult. My favourite clues were 8d, 18a and 27a. I did not like 23a.

  15. Hi BD,
    Thanks for your hint(s). Got 1d & able to verify by your words.
    Seemed a bit easier, but maybe I am honing the technique?????

  16. Dumb or what?…can’t see 26 across at all.

    I like the fact that you give clues as to the answer without actually giving it…makes me feel less of a cheat!!

    1. Welcome to the blog alzima

      In 26 across, the definition is to leave, and it’s a charade of a short word for a former partner and “the very item”.

      BTW The hints-only posts are for prize puzzles.

  18. I love this site, thank you so much!

    I enjoyed 26002. Loved 9a and 29a.

    Still stuck on 25d, though. Can you help, please?

    Thanks again

    1. And I love new people coming to the site Geekgirl

      25 down is a double definition. To tarry is to wait, and a guy is a rope used to hold a tent in position. It’s probably better to think about the first definition.

      “To bed, to bed” said Sleepy Head,
      “No, tarry awhile” said Slow.
      “Put on the pot” said Greedy Guts,
      “Let’s sup before we go.”

  19. I can’t get 14d. No-one above seems to have struggled with it. Any help out there. I’m pretty sure what the second word is, but the first is beyond me.

  20. Don’t worry – two seconds after posting plea for help it came through to me. Spooky – could even be 13a!!!!

    1. Welcome to the blog john

      It’s always the short words that cause the most trouble.

      This one is a double definition. Might as in power, muscle and one interpretation of Ian Botham’s nickname. Complain as in moan, grumble.

      It’s difficult to say more, but I hope that helps.

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