DT 26382 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 26382

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26382

Hints and tips by Big Dave

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

Jay entertains us once again with a typical Telegraph-quality puzzle. I found this slightly easier than some recent Wednesday offerings.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought. You can also add your assessment by selecting from one to five stars at the bottom of the post.

Across

1a    Looking pale, pocketed the last of father’s dough (6)
{PASTRY} – take a word meaning looking pale and insert (pocketed) R (the last of fatheR) to get some dough (of the edible variety!)

4a    Student turfed out of Boston, for example, being a foreigner (8)
{STRANGER} – remove L (learner / student) from this murderer, the one from Boston is famous, to get a foreigner

9a    A doctor backing Lincoln’s simple form of life (6)
{AMOEBA} – A and a Medical Officer are followed by President Lincoln’s nickname reversed gives a very simple form of life

10a    Former stage career that’s very demanding (8)
{EXACTING} – a former partner is followed by a stage career to get a word meaning very demanding

11a    Expect to finish early and ruin children’s game (9)
{HOPSCOTCH} – a word meaning to expect has its last letter dropped (finish early) followed by a verb meaning to ruin or put an end to gives a children’s game

13a    Perfect voice (5)
{UTTER} – a double definition, the second part meaning to speak

14a    Industrial action affecting officer’s early transport (7,6)
{GENERAL STRIKE} – this Industrial action is a charade of a senior military officer, the S from ‘S and a form of transport used by children

17a         Arrangement for residents’ diet objective (13)
{DISINTERESTED} – an anagram (arrangement for) of RESIDENTS’ DIET gives an adjective meaning objective, in the sense of impartial

21a         Is flogging reported in prison accommodation? (5)
{CELLS} – a homophone of “is flogging”, in the sense of retails not beats, gives accommodation for a number of prisoners

23a         International scheme covering one person involved in aircraft development (4,5)
{TEST PILOT} – an international cricket or rugby match is followed by a scheme around I (one) to give a person involved in aircraft development by being the first to fly the aircraft

24a         Press subject with help from the East (3,5)
{THE MEDIA} – a name for the press collectively is a charade of a subject followed by a synonym for help reversed (from the East – an across-clue construct)

25a         My profit means a bit of brass (6)
{CORNET} – an interjection similar to My! Is followed by the profit after expenses to get a brass instrument

26a         Rent cut by 50% — agree to move house (8)
{RESETTLE} – half of RE(nt) is followed by a word meaning to agree or resolve to get a word meaning to move house and home

27a         Soaks, very much inclined to start snoozing (6)
{STEEPS} – a verb meaning soaks is a charade of very much inclined and S (to start Snoozing)

Down

1d           Feeling pain following exercises? Very good! (6)
{PEACHY} – a word meaning feeling pain follows physical exercise to get an adjective meaning very good or excellent

2d           Block calls for money deducted from wages (9)
{STOPPAGES} – A charade of to block and summons by repeatedly calling aloud using a public address system gives a collective term for all deductions from wages

3d           Erase symbol denoting point of no return (7)
{RUBICON} – another charade – this time of synonyms for to erase, using an eraser, and a symbol to give the river the crossing of which by Julius Caesar in 49 BC was considered an act of war – these days crossing this river is used to mean passing the point of no return

5d           Make heavy demands on accommodation for homeless, and find means of reducing duties (3,8)
{TAX SHELTERS} – the charades keep on coming! – to make heavy demands on is followed by accommodation for the homeless to get a means of reducing duties

6d           The bill — reckon under a hundred! (7)
{ACCOUNT} – our run of charades ends with a bill that is constructed from a word meaning to rckon preceded by A and the Roman numeral for a hundred

7d           Meaning to cross river for grain (5)
{GRIST} – the meaning or main point of a matter is placed around R(iver) to get corn for grinding – as in the saying “***** to the mill”

8d           Looked at area covered by novel dredger (8)
{REGARDED} – a word meaning looked at is created by inserting A(rea) inside an anagram (novel) of DREDGER

12d         Unusually terse about right, hearing of the land (11)
{TERRESTRIAL} – an anagram (unusually) of TERSE is placed around R(ight) and followed by a hearing in court to get an adjective meaning of the land

15d         Popular hand-out leads to new contract and exceptional inactivity (9)
{INDOLENCE} – a charade of popular, a hand-out, and the initial letters (leads) of N(ew) C(ontract) and  E(xceptional) gives a word meaning inactivity

16d         Teacher’s car due to be restored (8)
{EDUCATOR} – this teacher is an anagram (be restored) of CAR DUE TO

18d         Beginning climb after hearty lunch (7)
{NASCENT} – a word meaning beginning to develop comes from a climb preceded by (after) N (hearty luNch)

19d         Ulster’s best firm volunteers returns (7)
{TOPCOAT} – this item of clothing is built up from the best, an abbreviated firm and the volunteer soldiers, the last part being reversed

20d         Grounds for execution in America (6)
{STATES} – take a word meaning grounds or landholdings, remove the first letter (for execution) to get the fifty divisions of America

22d         City goes ahead, reportedly (5)
{LEEDS} – this northern city sounds like (reportedly) goes ahead – I was pleased to see the homophone indicator clearly unambiguously placed


See you all tomorrow to see if we can work out between us who is the mystery setter.

55 comments on “DT 26382”

  1. I discovered something interesting about solving a Jay puzzle – it wasn’t blogger’s nerves when I did the review, it was just that you must always start with the down clues. After the initial struggle, I finished in fairly quick time. I hope everyone was paying attention when we discussed ‘my’ yesterday as it reappears again in 25a today. I liked 4a, 1d, 5d and 19d – I can already hear the complaints from people who have never heard of it. Thanks Jay for the crossword and BD for the review (I am sure the rest of the hints will be as good as the first few!)

    Toughie – if you can get your head round Excalibur’s wordplay, it won’t take you long to solve apart from two clues for which I needed the help of Prolixic.

    1. Good job I was paying attention or I wouldn’t have seen how the answer fitted the clue!! Quite liked 9a , again I had to think quite hard to see how it was arrived at. I think have done the toughie, not sure have got 6d correct, have got a word in for 18d but can’t work out how the last letter relates to the clue, all will be revealed later ….thanks to setters and reviewers

          1. Yes – the whole thing is an anagram of the second word and the fourth word with the fifth word taken out of it. Is that a cryptic enough hint?? !

            1. laughs, yes, easy when you know how!!! thanks. I’m too much of a 26a to think i’ll complete fridays without resorting to the blog!!!!!

    2. At this time of the year my dear old Gran would always remind us to take off our 19d when indoors or we wouldn’t feel the benefit when we went outside!

  2. The usual enjoyable and difficutly standard that we expect from Jay. 25a, 11a and 7d were among the favourites.
    Thanks to BD for the hints and Jay for the puzzle

  3. I am stuck on a couple – can’t seem to get my brain around them.

    24a Press subject with help from the East (3,5) and am not sure I understand
    21a Is flogging reported in prison accommodation? (5)

    I am sure it will be kick myself time when I get the hint but can’t see them at the moment.

    2. Lea – 24a the two words you are looking for are another term for “press’, as in newspapers etc.

    3. Told you I would kick myself – got them – just asking helps doesn’t it!!!

      Very enjoyable puzzle – lots of lovely clues but I liked 15d and 25a best

      Thanks to Jay and to BD for the review.

    4. Lea,
      24a, Definition is press, another word for subject/topic (5), followed by a three letter word for help reversed (from the East).

      1. Thanks Libellule – got it but wasn’t sure why and that was bugging me – this is a help and makes sense.

  4. I thought that this was going to be tricky but once I got going it all happened reasonably easily – hadn’t thought of starting with the down clues, as suggested by Sue – is this just with Jay’s puzzles? Might give it a go next Wednesday – although the chances of remembering to do so seem pretty remote!! Lots of clues that I enjoyed – probably too many to write all of them down but some of them are 11, 14 and 24a and 3, 12 and 20d.

    1. The last few weeks I have initially found the downs much easier than the acrosses – of course I haven’t yet been able to remember to start with the downs, that would be too much for my poor old brain to remember :)

      1. What about some bright spark reminding us on Tuesday to start Wednesdays with the down clues – cunning plan, or what? Wonder if anyone will remember!

        1. I”ll put a note in my online diary – it will come up with a reminder and I will post a reminder for you.

  5. Enjoyable Jay puzzle though I would say a lot easier that the past few weeks’ crosswords from our Wednesday Wizard given the time it took to complete. Many thansk to setter and blogger.

  6. Another enjoyable offering from Jay, and as BD says, slightly easier than normal. Last 2 clues to go in were 22d, followed by 21a.
    Thanks to Jay, and to BD.

  7. Much more than 2* for me, but done with a couple of the (across) hints needed to get me going again. The construct in 24a was a new one for me, lets hope I can remember it!

    Thanks to Jay and BD.

  8. Thanks Jay for the usual thoroughly enjoyable and not too taxing crossword, I enjoyed 23a and 18d best. Thanks Dave for the partial review and I’m sure for the rest later.

  9. Nice one, Jay! Taxing enough but thoroughly enjoyable, only 25a caused any angst and didn’t understand 20d until I read the blog. Thanks to Jay and B.D.

  10. Today I got to the crossword a bit earlier than usual and when I went to check the last couple of words, I was too early for BD.
    So I had a go at the toughie and nearly cracked that too, for the first time.
    Thanks to all concerned!

  11. I enjoyed that very much. 4a was a clear favourite.
    This morning Mrs Tub presented me four volumes of The Daily Telegraph Big Book Of Cryptic Crosswords for our wedding anniversary! I think she enjoys the peace and quiet…

      1. Thank you gnomethang! Falmouth was fab as ever. I have hazy recollections of a dangerously drinkable vanilla stout… A good time was had by all, but mainly by me!

  12. Nice one today, a big thank you to the setter on behalf of the CC. It contained some straightforward clues, some that you had to think about and some tricky ones (all in the bottom right unfortunately!!). Best clue for me was 9a. Didn’t understand 17a having got the anagram until I read the explanation in the blog.

    1. Barrie,
      Did you understand the wordplay for 25a after yesterday’s exchanges? If so, you must have learned something from yesterday’s puzzle!

    2. Its a funny old world- i hated todays’s puzzle and found it very difficult. There’s definitely something about getting into the setters mind.

  15. Did not like the wordplay today so did not find this an enjoyable puzzle.
    Thanks to Big Dave for the blog.

  16. A damn fine puzzle to set me off on a thirty mile bike ride up the Tyne. I came back expecting Mary to have lots of issues but she is conspicuous by her absense.
    Lots of fav clues today. I feel refreshed in mind and body…where’s the brandy ?

    2. She made the comment that bvecuase it was half term her grandson(s) would hijack her computer so I guess that’s what’s happened.

      1. Hello Lea et al, yes my computer along with my whole body has been hijacked today, what with oragami and Krazee Kids and MacDonalds, among other things I am shattered much too tired to do the crossword! and I have a grandaughter who will be one on Friday and goodness know which of them will turn up tomorrow, I think I will take to some of Nubians brandy!! :)

        1. Hi Mary
          Did not even look at it today. Opening a beauty salon tomoorow (mainly my wife’s project) but I got sucked in for about 14 hours today. My oh my or is that gee oh gee.
          Tomorrow I will have two puzzles to do – my oh gee

          1. I like it and good luck for tomorrow :) you surely won’t have time for one puzzle tomorrow let alone two!

          3. Sorry for my bad manners – good luck with the opening tomorrow – hope it goes well and that the business is a real success.

  17. Hi folks. Top half a lot easier than the bottom half! Off on the train to Bournemouth tomorrow so will enjoy 2 hours with DT 26,383 and a nice coffee in first class. Lovely.

  18. Another nice puzzle from Jay.Clues I liked were : 4a, 9a, 23a, 3d, 5d & 15d.

    I had a good laugh at 22d – after all I am a Loiner by birth.

  19. A late posting. Thought I was on to a record time but got held up for ages with the SE corner (much like the toughie). Got the answers eventually but wasn’t quite sure why! Thanks for the blog. No favourite clues, A bit bland I thought.

  20. First puzzle after a 10 day holiday. Missed them so much but not enough to pay Euro prices for DT! Hate to fulfil a Scottish stereotype but there we go. Thanks to all as usual.

  21. Quite easy to me.Should graduate to the Toughie.Re 16d,I thought it should end in er.Aren’t or endings American?

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