Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2497 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
I really look forward to Sunday’s puzzle every week. Excellent surface reading has become a characteristic.
At the bottom of the post you will see an array of five stars – use these to 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.
For the weekend prize crosswords I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. A full analysis of this puzzle will be available at 12.00 next Friday, 21st August.
Across
1a Out of debt, having a little money in store, initially (6)
Clever misdirection makes you want to look for initial letters – but this one is a word meaning out of debt that is also money put in the till at the start of day
11a Noble types opposed to screening one’s tally (9)
These noble types are built up from a two-letter abbreviation for versus (opposed to) around (screening) 1’S (one’s) and a tally
14a Ill-feeling people still do not suffer from (6,8)
Excellent surface reading for this cryptic definition of this illness felt by people who are moving
25a King leading state, such as George III (5)
King is often represented in crosswords by R (Rex) and to state is to say, so you need another synonym; combine these to get a word that could describe King George III, who went mad!
Down
1d A message about temperature I had, providing remedy (8)
Put a short message around T and I’D (the abbreviations for T(emperature) and I had) to get this remedy
2d Lights falling on part of costume and painted scenery (9)
Just as flight means stairs in crosswordland, lights means alights, or comes back down to earth
6d He, for example, is supporting no multinational organisation (7)
And just what is “he” an example of? – if you don’t know, then work it out from the charade of supporting + NO + a multinational peace organisation
9d Second time I’m into greedy behaviour, being highly mistaken (14)
My favourite in today’s puzzle – S(econd) T(ime) and I’M go inside this greedy behaviour of consuming too much food to get a word meaning highly mistaken
15d Edges up to sweetheart, as an unexpected consequence (9)
Often sweetheart represents the middle letter of swEet, but here you just need a synonym – precede it with a word meaning edges, but spelt backwards (up – don’t forget this is a down clue) to get this unexpected consequence
18d Mythical beast presenting no dilemma? (7)
Another one that I loved is an allusion to the idiom “on the horns of a dilemma” – think about it!
Feel free to ask for more help, but try not to give away actual answers – they could be censored!
Hi Dave….I have finished with a lot of help from my chambers crossword dictionary etc.
for 17a i got the answer early on but cannot work it out from the second part of the clue, i cant quite worl out 16d either though i have the answer, i quite enjoy these weekend crosswords, is it me or are they a little easier than the rest of the week
Mary,
I would argue that the Sat. crossword was a little harder than normal, and the Sun crossword was spot on (as it has been now for a while). In terms of what the Telegraphh crossword editor used to say about Prize Crosswords, I think you have a bit more chance now on a Sunday
In terms of harder than the rest or easier, I would say generally on a par, Although Sunday (today) I would argue is probably the hardest for the week.
also 23a is a word i do not know, if i have it correct!!
Mary,
17a is another word for one of the steps that must be taken before someone can become a saint. If I remember rightly.
16d the first part of the clue is masculine french for A (article) followed by another word for quite.
Finally 23a is a another word for a short novel.
You are a genius Libellule, I would have looked at 17a all day and not seen it, of course it is
23a, i still have never heard of,ignoramus or what
Hope the weather is nicer with you than it is here!!
thanks once again
Mary
35 degrees centigrade.
19 here
I mean
Actually 35 is way too hot, I would be a lot happier if it dropped 8 or 9 degrees. BTW have you had a look at the GK Crossword 874? Big Dave and I have managed to count 17 names of crossword setters in it so far….
I was so certain that the first word of 14a was ‘motion’ that I just couldn’t solve the top corner. That will teach me to question in future even the answers that I feel certain about. Really enjoyable today with many great clues.
Newtocryptic,
Re 14a, I considered it, then opted for the variant once I had some checking letters
Me too!! But apart from that the whole puzzle was very satisfying – no gimmees!!
Nana,
A good intellectual workout,would, I think be a good description. After a bit of a let down on Friday, the Saturday and Sunday crosswords this week have been very good. More!