ST 2560 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 2560 (Hints)

by Big Dave  

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2560 (Hints)

Hints and tips from Big Dave

– + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them (a few more than usual this week!).

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.

A full review of this puzzle will be published on Friday, 5th November.

Across

1a           House redesigned in scale that’s not silly (14)
One of the Houses of Parliament followed by an anagram (redesigned) of IN SCALE gives a word that means not silly

12a         Prattling away in happy band (10)
This word meaning prattling away is a charade of happy, as was Noel Coward’s Spirit, and a band

15a         Make smaller number of spades, for example (8)
A word meaning to make smaller could also be a bid of six, or any other number from one to seven, spades

26a         After one, late listening broadcast for highbrows (14)
After I (one) put an anagram (broadcast) LATE LISTENING to get these highbrows

Down

1d           Intimidate cast in accommodation not fit for pigs? (7)
A charade of synonyms for to intimidate and to cast gives this accommodation for different farm animals (not pigs)

7d           One source of plastic originally in camera, say (8,7)
One source of plastic is the definition and you derive it from an anagram (originally) of IN CAMERA followed by a word meaning to say

16d         Crazy over a girl recollected in old song (8)
A synonym for crazy is followed by ( in a down clue) over an anagram (recollected) A GIRL to get part-song for several voices, especially one of the Renaissance period, typically unaccompanied and arranged in elaborate counterpoint

ARVE Error: need id and provider

23d         Flair coming from France, or from Ireland (4)
This, originally French, word meaning flair is hidden inside the last word of the clue

If you need further help then please ask and I will see what I can do.

As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put whole or partial answers or alternative clues in your comment, else they may be censored!

86 comments on “ST 2560 (Hints)”

  1. Hello Dave, sorry to rush you but I’ve been waiting to understand 15a, I still don’t quite understand it, though I have the answer, is it to do with bridge? also 4d, is that from cricket? if so it doesn’t seem very cryptic? I was a while getting 7d as I had put ‘turn’ in 22a, it works too doesn’t it, because Chambers C D gives it as a synonym for bias, apart from that I thought it was a really nice one today, especially liked 21a, 3d, 20d,13d, 18a
    Thanks Dave for hints, hope you all had good time yesterday :)

    1. 15a – yes, the game is actually called ******** Bridge

      4d – yes, you run in only one direction to score one of these

      22a says biased interpretation, not bias

      Yes – I had a great time yesterday.

      1. Thanks for that :), I know nothing about bridge but I did know that about cricket, is there something I’m missing in this one or is it really just not very cryptic?

          1. Mary, I suppose if you new nothing about cricket it could also be similar to buying a ticket on the bus when you are only going one way.

  2. That made my Sunday! What a contrast to yesterday! Full of life, spirit, energy and good clues like 16d, 20d and 22d (which was unexpected as I thought 11a was this week’s trademark clue). All thanks to the setter and I’m already looking forward to next Sunday.
    How’s the head Big Dave?

    1. OK now, thanks.

      I jinxed the train home again – last time over an hour late due to points failure, this time 45 minutes late due to crew arriving late from another service!

      1. I’ll try that one later: seeing as the pub’s only ’round the corner it’ll be interesting to see if I get away with it…

  3. I found today irritating and sat staring at 1a for what seemed like eternity. I had eventually to sneek a look at Dave’s hint and I was off and running.
    Thanks Dave and also to the Setter.
    Sunday mornings…..death where is thy sting ?

      1. I was wanting the hint for 1a, I had completed about three quarters.I have to admit I wasn’t thinking of cricket in 4d as run normally means r and it was not the first letter of the answer.

        1. Yes I was thinking r too, then I thought the only direction with r in it was North, but that didn’t fit, but I liked it better! :)

    2. I’m with you Nubian – I too found it quite an irritating puzzle. Although I got the first part of 1a quite easily the last part took me ages and I don’t like the word. There were a few others I thought weak – agree with Mary on 4d – not my cup of tea even though I go with the alternative hint as that’s how I thought of it – not a cricket clue. Bottom half wnet in very quickly but the top half was delayed with 7d and last half of 1a. Not my favourite of the week.

      Thanks to setter and to BD.

      Any photos going to come from yesterday BD? Sorry to hear about the trains – not nice when you are heading home and all you want to do is get there…..

  4. I found this puzzle neither difficult nor irritating – and it’s the morning after the night before, although fortunately my train ran perfectly to time :) The 15 letter words were my favourites, even though we only had 2d the other day (albeit with different wordplay). Thanks to Virgilius and BD, not only for the hints but also for his part in the nice time had by all yesterday afternoon.

  5. Found parts easy, and parts puzzling – even when I had the answer. Only one remaining is 18a – so I have all the checking letters – but still don’t see it. Helpful hints appreciated. Regarding 1a the ending is an anagram if in scale, but I agree it is a sttrange word. My favorite was 10a, and it was almost the last to go in.
    Not completely sure of logic of 26a I know the answer fits the definition but not sure where other parts of clue come in.
    Please some strong hints on 18a.
    Cheers.

    1. Hi Chris for 18a you need a five letter word for shapens followed by the last letter of point (end of point) to give you a word of assurance, e.g. You might reassure someone you are telling the truth by putting this word at the end

        1. Excellent you are obviously _________ to a fault. Many thanks. How did Liverpool do this week. My team – Pittsburgh Steelers – plays tomorrow. Yes a Welshman living in Oz follows the NFL
          Bed time now.
          Thanks again.

          1. They won last week, we are playing again this afternoon, 4pm kick off away v Bolton, still third (from the bottom!) unfortunately, didn’t realise you are Welsh Chris, where are you from?

                2. Anax posted this on Facebook a week ago!

                  “At John Lennon Airport, Liverpool, the sign reads “Above us only sky”. Scrawled underneath: “Below us only Wolves and West Ham””

                  1. Luckily I have a sense of humour :D, see Spurs lost yesterday Dave?? I must admit I really wanted them to beat Man U and what about that second ‘goal’ then!

                    1. Left Wales 30 years ago. and moved to USA – hence Pittsburgh/NFL Used to support Swansea (All Whites – rugby) and Newcastle for soccer (mainly because that is where I went to Uni and my window looked out on St. James Park).

                    2. We don’t pay the bribe money to the ref. Twice he’s cheated us at Old Trafford.

                      I wouldn’t want to be in Nani’s boots when United play at White Hart Lane – he’ll be lucky to get home alive. But then what do you expect from the creepy little dago.

                      The United captain would have earned a lot more respect by saying that the goal shouldn’t’ stand – but then fairness and integrity went out of the window at United when Matt Busby retired.

                    1. who did/do you support Chris, Swansea and Cardiff are doing really well this season, have you ever been/seen Thwe Swans new stadium I think they share it with the Ospreys, pretty smart

                  3. Reminds me of a similar bit of Liverpudlian humour from the 60’s – I’m sure it’s well known to the oldies but well worth repeating:-

                    A notice board outside a church in Liverpool says – “JESUS SAVES.”

                    Someone writes underneath – “But St John nets the rebound!”

                    (A reference to Ian St John – the great Liverpool centre-forward from the 60’s)

    3. Chris:
      The first five letters are a word fir ‘sharpens’ as in a blade or a skill. Follow that with The end of poinT.
      Is that strong enough? ;)

        1. You do indeed, don’t know if you’re allowed that comment, I’m sure BD will delete you if not ! :D

  6. 7a was one favorite in many here. Slightly easier than last week with the NE hiding up the longest.
    Many thanks to Virgilius and to BD

  7. Chris, everybody always says Oh yes I know Carmarthen, we used to go through there to get to etc. etc. :) Did you ever stop?

          1. Liverpool, Liverpool, sorry folks but a win for us is so unusual these days :) off to eat my chinese now

  9. Off to watch ‘the game’ now – ‘Laters’ everyone. don’t you just love to hate that expression :D

    1. Remember Sue, anything goes, well nearly! :D who do you support Sue, you never know when one of these comments will come in handy for an answer!

      1. Sorry Mary not a football fan – No 2 son supports Man U.- I used to be more of a follower of cricket, mainly because my dad was and so that was what was mentioned at home when I was young.

            1. Can’t wait! I’ll be up all night anyway, with the new arrival due 4 weeks time today, so he or her can watch with me :)

  12. Thanks to Virgilius for another quality Sunday puzzle. The bottom half seemed to go in much quicker than the top, with a handful of clues taking the same amount of time as the rest of the puzzle. Not sure I like ‘wrapped around’ as a reversal in 10a.
    Favourite clue possibly 16d.

  13. was rather enjoying this xwrd. but am stuck on 6d and 10a.
    Jezza: i cant see how wrapped around fits in. help anyone please?

    1. just clicked. thought it was that cheese, was being a bit of the other thick. not a great weekend for me. but i do have tickets for the south wales derby on sunday. Bluebirds!

  14. Solved this early this afternoon but had the family here for dinner so was fully occupied ’til now.

    Very enjoyable puzzle with some good clues.

    Best for me were : 7d 21a.

  16. A lost day I fear, after morning church, midday drinkies and nibbles with a neighbour (always a killer!) and Evensong to boot, not to mention, or do I mean let alone, watching out for double yellow lines on Downton Thingy. I read the hints and (most of) the comments and reckon I might as well give up now. Still a confirmed CCer then … there’s always tomorrow.

  17. I think there can be only one possible answer for 3d. But I can’t see the reasoning behind it. Help, anyone?

    1. Hi Michael – welcome to the blog.
      3d Outstanding poetry recital (4)
      The definition is outstanding (as a bill) and it sounds like (recital) poetry.

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