Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2562 (Hints)
Hints and tips from Big Dave
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As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them .
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, 19th November.
Across
7a Very hot in steaming April – and October, briefly (8)
A word meaning very hot and sultry is an anagram of APRIL and OCT(ober)
Here’s a hint – and it’s not Barbados!
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12a She, say, sticks in authoritative statements (14)
Combine the part of speech of which she is an example with a word meaning sticks or binds to get these authoritative statements
20a Primarily Essex kind of guy learns this? (7,7)
In this brilliant all-in-one clue the language as spoken in Essex and the surrounding areas is derived from E (primarily Essex) followed by an anagram (kind of) of GUY LEARNS THIS
28a Second missile making a lot of unpleasant noise (8)
Combine S(econd) with a controversial missile to get an adjective meaning making a lot of unpleasant noise
Down
1d Foreigner’s wife endlessly cheating (4)
The wife of a foreigner from Germany is a word meaning cheating without its final letter
13d American’s property, as opposed to Spanish castles? (4,6)
How an American describes property or housing is the opposite of Spanish castles – although there are thousands of castles in Spain, nowadays “castles in Spain” means something splendid but non-existent: “fashionable adventurers in France used to impose on the credulous and get money and social advantages out of them by telling tales of their “castles in Spain”, which, needless to say, they did not possess” is the explanation of Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
26d Finish line put in first, in advance (4)
Start with a word meaning a finish and put L(ine) in front of it to get a verb meaning to advance money
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!
Really enjoyed this puzzle, but needed B.D’s hints to finish. I liked a lot of the clues, clever but possible to work out. I’ve never been the first to comment before, where is everyone? I feel strangely lonely!! Thanks to setter and B.D.
Watching the Grand Prix?
Still hungover? I’m feeling the after effects of Pizza Tim’s Birthday Binge and I think that shows with the amount of time it took me to drag myself through this one today. 10a, 20a and 4d were my favourites.
Thanks to BD and the setter, enjoy what’s left of the weekend…
Great work out today. Favourites 5 6 7 11. Managed to do this without Mary’s tips!
Well done Upthecreek, I could probably have done with help from you today, have finished it at last, didn’t start til about 2 ish and have been trying to sort out washing machine again!! thought I had fixed it and saved getting new one but it has ‘trapped’ all my clothes again!! so I think I have done well to actually finish it!! never heard of 20a but eventually worked it out, and isn’t 28a an adjective?? Been watching the football in between everythig else, Chelsea game next, Liverpool lost yesterday again!! once again no fav clue today, where is everybody ……….Helloooooooo?
Thanks for hints Dave, see y’all tomorrow
I think the definition is ‘making a lot of noise’ in 28. Best of luck with w/machine.
Reminds me of the old joke. I had my teeth out today and a new washing machine in!!
Both of which are applicable to myself at mo, you have to laugh I suppose, thanks for that upthecreek
Precisely what I put in the hint!
“… an adjective meaning making a lot of unpleasant noise”
Sorry BD. Didn’t read the hint. Having done the puzzle, II was more interested in Mary’s washing machine.
Nice crossword to wake up to on Sunday. Many thanks to Virgilius and to BD for the notes. Quiet here today!
Oh dear, guests last night and I stayed too long at the well. People shouldn’t bring me brandy.
Thank goodness for todays puzzle, nothing contentious in there.
Now leave me alone……
Thanks to Virgilius and Big Dave. shhhhhhh…..
VERY busy day – only started to look at the crossword at about 4.30. I can’t do the Sunday ones so often that I rarely even try so I’m quite pleased to have got as far as I have today. Unfortunately I have a very large and gaping hole in the whole of the top right hand corner apart from 4d – this leaves me with 9, 11 and 19a and 3, 5 and 6d. Oh, just noticed another one at the bottom – 24d. Any little (or even big) hints from anyone would be very welcome. Sorry about problems that other people have been having today – washing machines, hangovers etc. It is VERY quiet here today – is it often like this on a Sunday? Thanks to Virgilius and Big Dave.
Kath, 24d . You can split the clue in two. What’s the point, connected by ‘in’ to serving Americans tea, say The say being an indicator.
Oh my head has started to hurt again
Sorry about your head – thanks for the hint – am being really dim today and still can’t do it – am beginning to wonder if my 23a is wrong (especially as I can’t explain why I’ve got what I’ve got, if you see what I mean)
Think of “serving Americans” as Americans serving in the forces.
Got 24d now – thanks Gazza and Nubian. That only leaves the rest of the top right hand corner. Oh dear!!
11a Labour’s excesses I’m showing up after public enquiry’s opening (8)
The definition is labour’s excesses or working on past your usual finishing point.
Thank you again Gazza – got that one too.
19a Group opposed to US finally shut border (4)
Remove the capitals from US to make it us – who are the opponents of us?
Oh damn it – I REALLY am worse than dim today – thanks Gazza but I still can’t do that one either. Perhaps I should retire hurt from the rest of the day – or at least the rest of the crossword!
Ah – have now at least got 19a. I had decided that 6d was an anagram but still can’t do it. Will have another try. Thank you.
6d Producers of classic pictures mistreated model stars (3,7)
These producers of classic pictures are an anagram (mistreated) of model stars.
Great sunday crossword. Did’nt notice that 20a was an anagram. Best clue for me was 24d
I hadn’t noticed that 20a was an anagram either.
Have answers to 3d and 23a but can only see why they meet half of the clue
Hi Adrian – welcome to the blog.
3d Part of instrumental solo that begins work by Strauss (4)
It’s a hidden word which is the first word of “**** Sprach Zarathustra” by Strauss (the theme music to the film “2001, a space odyssey”.)
23a Finishes off replacement for Best, Pete in leading role (8)
Who replaced Best (Pete) as drummer in a very well-known group?
My favourite clue in an excellent puzzle!
OK – my 23a WAS right and now I understand. I think for the rest of my replies I’m just going to hope that Gazza know that I say “thank you”!
the replacement for best,pete less 1 letter
Being pedantic, it says”finishes off” which means remove 1 letter from each name.
Thanks guys. Crosswoerd finished and put to bed.
Have just got rid of all the visitors and sat down to this lovely Sunday puzzle. Favourite clues 19a and best of all, 23a. Thanks Virgilius and BD.
Enjoyed this one – worked on it after Formula 1 was over.
Clues that I liked included 12a, 18a (a little red herring!), 20a, 8d, 16d & 18d.
23a puzzles me Gazza – I have been away from GB too long!
Derek,
Before the Beatles were famous their drummer was called Pete Best. He was replaced by the better (?) drummer ***** ***** – put his surname first and drop the final letter from both surname and forename.
Thank you Gazza – I did just Google “Pete Best” and now all is clear.
Good puzzle Virgilius – thanks to you also.
Very busy Sunday what with the Cenotaph Remembrance, F1 and now Antiques Roadshow!!!
Thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. Like others favourites were 23a &20a. Thanks for the enlightening background info on ‘castles in Spain’.
Husband finally home after VERY long day at work (went in at 7.45 am and home about an hour ago) – we are both starving, have had some wine and will have some more with supper which is about to come out of the oven. Good night all and sleep well.
Must admit that I put 23 in without much thought to the juxtaposition of the names. A brilliant clue by the master now promoted to favourite. PS Why has nobody mentioned Sunderland!!
really well done Sunderland and Spurs on Sat
Loved this puzzle – premiership quality. Talking of which I enjoyed watching Sunderland win in spite of being a Toon fan. Thanks to the setter and reviewer especially for explanation of 3d
Really like the new layout – you can fold the paper into a comfortable square with clues all visible.