DT 26462 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 26462 (Hints)

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26462 (Hints)

Big Dave’s Saturday Crossword Club

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

I will be at the Sloggers and Betters meeting in Derby all day, but I’m sure you will be looked after by the rest of the team.

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.

Could new readers please read the Welcome post before asking questions about the site.

A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.

Across

1a    Arab chief, he left one from the subcontinent (4)
Start with an Arab chief, remove HE (he left) and you get someone from the Indian subcontinent

10a    Tools, five pairs found amongst litter (6)
Combine a collection of tools with five times two to get something you might find in a litter

21a    Rissole lamentably cooked away from New York (8)
This rissole is an anagram (cooked) of LAME(N)TABL(Y) after NY has been removed

26a    Divert from southern route (4)
A word meaning to divert is a charade of S(outhern) and a route

Down

1d    Soup kitchen? (9)
A cryptic definition of a place where goods, not soup, are stored

7d    River Wear? (5)
A double definition – a river which forms part of the border between England and Scotland and a cloth produced in the Hebrides

18d    Fellow on French water — boater, maybe? (7)
A charade of a fellow and the French for water gives an item of clothing of which a boater is an example

21d    Greek character thus produced pleasing sounds (5)
A charade of a Greek character and the Latin for thus gives these pleasing sounds

The Crossword Club will be open soon after breakfast! Feel free to leave comments.

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

146 comments on “DT 26462 (Hints)”

  2. Quickest finish for me for some time (aids and some hints used though!). Last one in was 14a, because I couldn’t see the relevance of ‘judge’. Also made it harder for myself by initially putting ‘release’ for 4d.
    Looks a little brighter today – enjoy the weekend all.

        1. Thanks Mary. So clearly ***** eye was not correct but I don’t see how ‘free’ fits in

  3. I too fell into the ‘release’ trap but 11a made it clear. Still stuck on the bottom right which is a bit tricky today. It’s 19d thats got me foxed even with 3 letters completed Grrr! Didn’t we have 24a fairly recently in another crossword, seems familiar? Just don’t understand 22a either, can’t seem to fathom the clue at all.

    1. With the help of my electronic aid, I have solved all but that pesky 22a (don’t see what conflict has to do with 19d though?)

      1. 19d – three letter word meaning ‘conflict’ is in the answer – with your military past, you’ll kick yourself Barry!

    2. 22a – first part of answer is a 3 letter alternative for ‘club’, second part is in the clue ..

      1. Got it, again obvious when you see the answer but I wasn’t helped by my poor handwriting making the first letter look like an R – DOH!

    3. Barrie,

      19d. Put a word meaning a conflict inside a word meaning the greater part of something to give a word for a fortification.

      22a. A word for a club followed by a three letter word set out in the clue gives a word meaning had a swim.

  4. Even with the hint I still can’t see why 1d is what it is & I hate entering an answer if I don’t understand how I got there – it almost feels like failure.

    1. You need an abbreviation for father followed by an a, two abbreviations for a penny and the first letter of espresso to give a word meaning chilled.

    2. Think of a common abbreviation for father for followed by the abbreviation for 2 pennies giving one of those fancy coffees you get in Starbucks etc

      1. Collywobbles, Prolixic’s charade is the way forward. The definition of chilled relates to a chilled drink, in particular a chilled coffee based drink that is iced or artificially cooled.

        1. Thanks Gnomey. I had ‘penny = d’. I must be getting old. In fact so old that I’ve never had a ******

  6. The on-line site is still lamentably lacking in quality control. Opening the Quick GK this week produces last week’s (completed) puzzle.

  8. Sailed through todays in record time for me. Nothing particularly mind stretching , would only give it a * for difficulty. Recognise 24a from a recent Telegraph crossword.
    Thanx to Compiler and to BD who must have got up at the crack of dawn to post his review, note it was at 0700hrs.

  9. A very nice puzzle with no real problems (apart from the typso that I made myself!). Thanks to the Setter. I will also be around most of the day if anybody requires further help.

  10. After making enthusiastic comments about last Saturday’s puzzle, I found this to be a disappointing anticlimax and, whilst I haven’t experienced any difficulties in completing the puzzle, there weren’t any ‘Eureka!’ moments…

  12. Ooh I found this a bit tricky today might be something to do with my mind being on the work needed in the garden on this nice sunny day! no real favourites or Ah moments today, just one quibble 20d the forst three letters this is not a joint as far as I am concerned or is it??

    1. Hi Sarah, you are looking for a word for long and thin, the first three letters – a joint supposedly? the last four a word for skeletal, four letters

            2. Hi Tizzi, you are looking for someone who supports a union, in this one ,let the wordplay lead you through: you need a three letter word for given nourishment, bfore a three letter word for a period of time, the one letter abbreviation for Left, and followed lastly by the 3 letter abbreviation for first – hope that helps :)

      1. Yes thanks I see now Gnomey, why couldn’t I before? What about 20d, how can one of these be a joint, unless it’s a joint in carpentry or something I don’t know about?

                1. It is right for a *** of beef or *** roast. The problem with meat clues is like bread there are many regional words meaning the same thing! Another different crossword this week. Completed quickly without clues or aids. Checked 24a in Chambers to make sure. 24d answer could only be one thing (I think) and I think I now get why if the last three letters mean “thus”. Would have come a cropper on 1 a if I had not looked at the clues retrospectively as I was in Persia!!!! Who set this one. Does not have the style of last week’s.

  15. I managed to finish the crossword today with only a couple of hints needed from BD’s blog – quite an achievement for me! I am so glad though that I came across your website recently – it has made my crossword solving so much easier and great to be able to read other people’s ideas and hints.

  16. A good puzzle to end the crossword week; fairly straightforward with good word play to help solve the clues.
    Thanks to setter and BD for the review

  17. Just spent half an hour in garden clearing the dead stuff out of a border, really don’t recommend it! The sunshine is beautiful but the ground is frozen solid and so are my hands now, never mind ,now I don’t feel so guilty about sitting here at the computer :)

    1. Wow – good for you Mary – I’ve been avoiding the mess that is my garden on the basis that my hands are rough and cracked enough already!!
      A good crossword for me today – pleasing to finish in a reasonable time with only 7d causing a problem (shouldn’t have but there you go!) Now to prepare for Mr C’s 60th celebrations :-)

    1. 14a Rex rings judge backing up one working overhead (6)

      Backing up is a reversal indicator. You need one of the abb. for King, two rings and an abb. for a judge. The definition is ‘one working overhead’
      Hope that helps – I am trying not to give too much away!

        1. tizzi:
          A reversal indicator tells you that you must reverse the wordplay once you have worked it out. In my hint above I have given the elements of the wordplay (one abbreviation, two rings – I will let you work that uot, and then another abb. for referee) wwhich you must then reverse in order to get the definition.

  21. I thought this was a bit easier than the last few Saturdays have been – maybe my brain is not quite as frozen as it feels. Absolutely ARCTIC in Oxford today – 1C, grey and generally not nice! :sad:
    I spent quite a long time trying to make sense of 20d – having finally worked it out I think it’s a really clever clue.
    8a also took a while as I was sure that the second word HAD to be ‘gas’ – wrong!
    Love the picture hint for 10a – aren’t they sweet – think that they have to be rather more than one litter!
    Doesn’t a 3d write comments sometimes?
    Best clues today, for me anyway – 9 and 25a and 6, 18, 19 and 20d.
    Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave for the hints.
    Hope that everyone has a good weekend.

  23. I’m far too shy to say what I originally had for15d, but I deserve to be mocked loudly for it. I do enjoy clues like 3a which convince me I’m much more intelligent than I really am. Thanks for the hints and tips, and thanks to the setter for my Saturday fun.

  24. Slightly quicker than normal for me today – fuelled by M&S Chinese for lunch and probably because I wasn’t trying to work out the wordplay as its Gnomey’s turn for the review. Very enjoyable all round, 18d made me smile.

      1. No Mary, Derby is far too far away for me! Had an early morning walk in the woods with my friend and her dog and then went off to do some shopping.

  25. Sort of enjoyed this one but used lots of hints and aids. Not fully into the logic of the word play of some clues such as 14a….13a….19a…17d oh well liked 24a anyway

  26. Enjoyed this one but I’d only give it 1* for difficulty! Solved whilst eating lunchtime sandwich in the courtyard – the weather here is back to normal service, 17C and sunny!
    Thanks to the setter and BD.

    PS, is this a Cephas?

  27. A major step forward here, all done with hints and books, but no toys, just a glance or two at google to confirm a couple of answers. Don’t quite understand 13a; I’m assuming ‘we’ has to be removed from something to do with coats and jackets,but I can’t see what it is. If someone could enlighten me please … ?

    1. Well done Geoff.
      It is only the ‘W’ (we initially) that needs to be removed from a word for the clothes that we put on last (of which coats and jackets are examples)

      1. Thanks Gnomey, should have realised the significance of initially – darn sneaky things these cryptics at times!

        Ones I liked included 16/25a, 1d and 11a because I’ve learned that one now. Thanks to setter, DB and other hinters, especially for the comment about 24a coming up last weekend.

    2. Yes, well done Geoff, almost made it out today then :) What a treat to be able to attend a Giovanni workshop :)

      1. I’m really looking forward to it, just hope it doesn’t go over my head! Wonder if he’s planning to attend the welsh choir St David’s Day concert in the same church on Feb 26 … ? (Hint, hint, Giovanni!)

    1. Welcome to the blog Jo.

      For 24a you need a game played on horseback (or the water based version) followed by the usual abbreviation for a US soldier and a final a to give a word meaning justification for his belief.

  29. After a couple of not very successful attempts during the week, it’s good to be back with the prize one – why does it often seem easier than weekday ones ?

    Anyway, with a little electronic help plus a few of your clues I’ve finished !! Have to say I thought one or two were a bit dubious but generally very enjoyable. Thanks to the setter and for all your hints

  30. Its been a good day on the blog, thanks all for your ‘company’ have to go practice flute now got a harmony to do tonight which I haven’t learnt yet! By the way Gnomey still can’t find it only the mandolin and banjo which were also inherited

  31. Our paper doesn’t get delivered until about 1.30pm so we start later than the rest of you! Feeling pleased with ourselves today as we did it in two hours without the hints and just using the dictionary. We must be improving! However needed to look at the blog to understand 4d – thank you! Very cold and grey here in Worcestershire today so nothing to tempt us away from the crossword.

  32. Finished today with little assistance! Still not sure how 16a is associated with Jewish Law! Explanation please.

  33. Enjoyable today. 24a only vaguely heard of this before but solved it with the word play. Not sure why a number had release for 4d – can’t see the link with speech. Thanks to the setter and all posters – always an interesting read. Looking forwad to Murray tomorrow morning.

      1. A speech may be a release, especially if by made by a politician.

        Deliberately misleading clue, perhaps.

  34. Libellule. If you make a speech that is a release? Like releasing information perhaps? Still don’t see the link. I got the double definition my point was I couldn’t see why many seemed to think it was release initially before they got the right answer

    2. I have never heard of anyone releasing a speech, and if someone had release as an answer, then 3a, 11a and 13a are also wrong :-). As Gnomey points out – getting a wrong answer is easy – justifying it in a cryptic crossword is slightly more problematic :-)

  36. Took a while to get going but then all started falling into place. Thought i’d finished. Put Shah for 1a but didn’t know why so looked at the clue. Doh

    1. I did the same! Can get caught out on these ones which look obvious when not. I did the same last week – I think it was a “y” I put on the end of monarch and not an “s”.

  37. seems I was the only one who had a problem with the first three letters of 20d being a joint!
    Time for some telly I think :)

  38. Mrs T insists 23a is an ischemia but can’t explain why the clue seems to be from the Evening Standard. Help please – before we divorce

    1. Mrs T is right that the answer can be a type of ischemia. I cannot help with the Evening Standard aspect!

    2. Anyone suffering a ‘tia or transient ischemic attack’ recovers from it very quickly and completely – a ****** on the other hand has permanent debilitating effects ( if it doesn’t kill you first) such has paralysis and blindness.

  39. Up and down to Birmingham today so started the puzzle at 7AM at Newport Pagnell service station with a cup of coffee. Initially thought it was going to be an unusual tough Saturday one but then I managed to rattle into it. I liked 10a otherwise mundane.

    Come on Murrary!

  40. I always seem to be one of the last to post since I do the crossword after dinner rather than during the day. It was also an excellent day for gardening and we managed to clear a large part of an old overgrown hedge

    Anyway, now finished but, oddly enough, 26a gave me the most grief even with the hint. Silly boy!

  41. Knocked this off this evening after a warm bath – it is very cold here although still sunny.
    Clues that I like : 10a, 16a, 21a, 24a, 25a, 2d, 6d, 18d, 19d & 21d.

    The clue for 9a is a load of tripe – the answer as spelt (so that it fits in with 7d) has nothing to do with iced drinks but if you insert the accent it does but then kills 7d!

    Setters should not neglect diacritical marks – they are important in all languages.

    1. Blimey mate – you’re too clever for me! WHAT accent? You can’t use accents in crosswords – just have to ‘pretend’. Thought that it was a really good clue!! :smile: – although I suspect you might be like both my daughters and say that these emoticons should not be used!!

        1. Kath it is now Tuesday and I think that I should elaborate somewhat on your reply to my comment.
          1. It is absolutely possible with modern keyboards and computer technology to put any accent or diacritical mark on words in crosswords – e.g. use AltGr!
          2. Setters are being old-fashioned by ignoring this;
          3. Solving cryptics is a serious business – one has to think and not pretend!
          4. However I agree with you on one point – one must enjoy the task!
          Groetjes!!

          1. You don’t put accents when the word is written in block capitals so that is obviously what to do! Everyone is right then.

            1. You are quite wrong that capital letters in French are not accented!!!
              They seem to teach that in GB.

  42. What’s with the censorship? When I put the arrow on the picture clue up comes the answer.

  43. Finished except for 24a. Can anyone help. I accept that picture
    aids or clues are OK. I for one wouldn’t finish until Wednesday or next Monday week otherwise.

    1. Robert:
      A game with US soldier having a justification for his belief

      THe definition is a written justification for belief.
      You need a charade of A + a game (field sport with a water variant) + an abb. for a US soldier then A

  44. Sorry got 24a from Prolixic’s comment 28 above; a word not used in common parlance. Thanks a lot.

    *

  45. Recalling my school French ‘*******’, the infinitive, means to strike, hit, knock.

    1. Quite right Rob – I presume you refer to 9a – also means to type ( using a keyboard).
      The noun in 9a means stroke/hit/knock – the past participle with accent aigu is also used to mean iced or chilled.

      1. Derek
        Thanks but how do the past particples struck/hit/knocked or typed, become iced or chilled? Some peculiarity of French philology perhaps?

        1. Rob – it is Tuesday and I did a little research on the use of the past participle of our French verb to mean chilled.
          Look in “Petit Robert : Dictionnaire De La Langue Française” page 745 (my edition is dated 1972) and at point 3 you get it all!!

  46. An alternative answer for 7 down could be erode for example a river erodes and wear also equals erode. Pity its not right though.

  47. Thanks Big Dave for this blog, been dipping in over the past few months. My help used to come via a phone call to Mum on Sunday afternoon, however she is slowing down at 80+ and doesn’t get far enough in time to help me before the weekend is over. Love the explanations.

      1. Thanks also from me BD I’ve been around now for several weeks. I’m just getting into xwords and like to take my time – the hints and friendly discussions are ace. Just gives me enough help and my (low) ability is increasing rapidly!

  48. Late in the day I know … but I’ve carried one unfinished clue on train to work and back all week

    23a Handy way to demonstrate pet affection. I know what you do to pets esp cats and it fits, but I just don’t get 1st part of clue?? Explanation greatly appreciated!

    1. The hand is the part of the body that you would use to demonstrate your affection for a dog or a cat.
      Does that help?

  50. Hi, could someone please help?

    1 ac. I have first and last letters but can only come up with the guy from Persia.
    Also 1d. I have the answer (with help from you guys – thanks), but what is the def?

    I particularly enjoyed this one, mostly because I managed to get through the bulk of it without any help.

    1. Welcome to the blog pithlit

      1a – if you read the hint you will see that you need to remove HE from an Arab chief to get someone from India (the subcontinent), like a Hindu but of a different religion.

      1d – it’s a cryptic definition – soup is a synonym for the first part of the answer.

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