Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26474 (Hints)
Big Dave’s Saturday Crossword Club
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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.
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Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.
Across
1a Street vagrant wanders in a bad mood, showing colours (2,7,5)
Start with ST(reet), add an anagram (vagrant) of WANDERS and finish with a word meaning in a bad mood to get this Scottish emblem
14a Carry on truncated article on unbroken sequences (8)
Drop the last letter from a word meaning to carry on and add the indefinite article to get these unbroken sequences
19a Geisha girl, some bird! (4)
This bird, another name or 24a, is hidden inside the first two words of the clue
24a Bulb and insect as alternatives for 19 (9)
A bulb (4) and a worker insect (3) are separated by an indication that they might be alternatives to get the same bird that is found in 19a
27a Fruit trifle beginning to cramp lovers’ style (4,10)
A small oval fruit is preceded by a word meaning to trifle to get a phrase meaning to cramp the style of two lovers
Down
1d Stray cat? If so, stray’s OK! (12)
An anagram (stray) of STRAY CAT IF SO gives a word meaning OK or acceptable
6d Banish again the ambassador (8)
Another lesson in “lift and separate”: the two parts of the clue are a) definition – banish b) wordplay – a charade of a word meaning again and an ambassador
16d Attention tailing off while adding to composition (8)
Drop the last letter (tailing off) from a word meaning attention or interest and then add TO for this musical composition for solo instrument(s) and orchestra
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ARVE Error: need id and provider |
22d It’s spun by company blogger initially over internet (6)
It’s spun by a spider! – CO(mpany) and B(logger) are placed over (in a down clue) the internet
The Crossword Club is now open. Feel free to leave comments.
Please don’t put whole or partial answers or alternative clues in your comment, else they may be censored!
The Quick crossword pun {mass} + {car} + {pony} + (cheese} = {mascarpone cheese}
Nothing to write home about – a good workmanlike puzzle with no real “stand out” moments. Cheers BD & setter. Off to play tennis match in Brighton.
For a prize crossword it’s a bit of a giveaway. The CC will loose a lot of members today. Off for a bike ride.
Thanks to B Dave and the Setter.
For me one of the toughest Saturday puzzles for a long time. Utterly stuck on the top rig1ht corner. Also could someone explain what the answer to 2d has to do with clubs?
“Steering clear of clubs ” means you need to remove the C (Clubs as a card suit) from the fodder.
The clubs reference means ‘without c’. I am also stuck on two in the top right corner!
Gnome’s Law — just got them. Couldn’t see 9a for a long time, then thought of the ‘Main’ as the ocean. Thanks to BD and setter.
Well done, I thought of the ocean from the start and still can’t get it!
Try reading it as ‘having no ups and downs in the sea’ …
Thats exactly how I am reading it but nothing! Must be having a blocked morning.
Highs and lows ..
I give up, I’ll have to wait for the answers nexy week. Quite my worst performance on a saturday. Just can’t see that damn top righy corner
|Come back to it this afternoon and you may be surprised to see that you may be able to solve more.
what ebbs in and out Barrie?
Just to reassure you that you are not alone – I to off to a great start and thought I was going to crack it in record time but then hit the top right corner. And was similarly stuck on 9a but Liz Whiz below has put me out of my misery!
A gentle but entertaining start to the day. Thanks Dave and the Setter. I’m off to to absolutely no physical exercise whatsoever!
Thx bd thats 1 mystery solved! Just leaves the impenetrable top right corner
Think of what the sea does .. going in and out or up and down, followed by the opposite of more
Great start to weekend .Finished CW ,Coffee & now off for Bus to Newcastle & leave hubby to the Rugby for the day !
Just finished – not too bad at all today. Now off to get fresh air around the golf course.
A typical Saturday puzzle – although I did say to Mr CS when solving that certain people wouldn’t like 11a and others probably wouldn’t like the whole thing – and how right I was there! 19 and 24 always remind me of that poem I had to work on in caligraphy lessons. Thanks to, I presume, Cephas for the crossword and BD for the hints. I will pick my favourite clue(s) when I have sorted out the review.
Just about to start it – first impressions are that it should be fairly painless. See you later.
just 2d , 8a and 14 a to get!
please help!
went away for 5 mins . came back and got all 3 straight away!
hooray
This seemed tricker than it actually was. I thought I was making heavy weather whilst solving and was pleasantly surprised to find that it had taken less time than usual!
Overall I thought it was enjoyable Saturday outing. Many thanks to Cephas for the crossword and to BD for the hints.
Glad it wasn;t just me that found it so – I think it was because the across clues were slightly trickier than the downs!
I thought this was tougher tha the last few Sats, 1a was last but one to go in! with 14a being the last, only one clue I liked today and that was 27a although the association between 19a and 24a was quite good too
A pleasant end to the crossword week for me. No particular problems and I liked 25a. Thanks to setter and BD for the hints.
It took a while to get started and needed the hint for 1a to really get going. Not even 11a fazed me once I realised t was ‘one of those’ clues and checked one of useful wiki terminology sites.
Good stuff, thanks for Cephas and BD.
good going Geoff, nearly made it today then?? How’s Jacob doing?
Still needed a lot of help. Jacob’s doing pretty well, one week already!, but his mum has struggled a bit, not a lot of sleep.
The quick crossword pun covers four words and is Mascarpone cheese
I’ll adjust that!
Why don’t the Telegraph give the number of clues involved anymore? I took 8 across as the theme!
Thanks for confirming that it is your puzzle.
In the paper we have the linked clue words in italics.
I thought they had stopped doing that. Perhaps it’s only left out when two clues are involved.
You are probably right – its the first time for ages that there have been italics.
Yes, the quick one always has the clues in italics if the phrase exceeds two answers as it does today.
All done with DT 26,474 – 6d is one of my favourite words.
Off to watch “Yogi Bear” in 3D tonight!
Great I am really looking forward to the grandchildren taking me to see that
I enjoyed that – did it in good time and only got stuck on 14a for a while – liked it though as it is a nice neat clue. Also likedf 9a when I got it. Nice Saturday – going to look at the NTSPP and see who did that.
Have a good weekend – weather here is acceptable – sun is trryng to come out and it isn’t too cold.
Can’t be that difficult folks, I finished it without to many hitches or need to resort to Hints. Would love it if it were deemed to be a 4* that would really make my day, but I doubt it. Took me longer to work out the pun in the Quickie.
Beautiful weather down this end of the country, long may it last.
Thanx to all as usual.
nice here too Wayne where is your end of country?
Portsmouth, South Coast. Beautiful day.
Found this harder than recent Saturdays, lots of clues I didn’t get and when I found the answer had problems working out why. Found the word play hard to understand. However it’s done now so back to the decorating and chores ! Thanks to the setter and BD
Yes I find it tough to get started but with help from BD it all fell into place, so all done now. Gorgeous day here in Barcelona – it feels like Spring is on its way. Obivously, given its proximity, my favourite clue has to be 17a! Thanks BD and to Cephas.
I enjoyed today’s crossword. I thought 14a was a bit obscure.
24a was a nice bit of wordplay and dependant upon solving 19 (the hidden word)
How did Cryptic Sue decide the setter(My thanks to him) was Cephas?
Because (a) there is a sort of cycle to these things,- one week Cephas, one week Mystery Setter and it ought to be Cephas this week and (b) he confirms this above when he talks about the Quickie pun being four words.
I should add that with only a handful of exceptions both Cryptic and Quick puzzles are by the same setter.
I was left with 3 trickier clues after an otherwise quick solve following a pleasant round of golf )even though I lost a tenner!)
Now in the pub setting up fir the Rugby
Thanks to Cephas and BD
Hard life you lead then gnomethang.
Trust me, it ain’t easy at the moment but on the weekend I try to make time for some golf and watching the rugby!
Like most I found this very doable. Some took a while to kick in and not heard of 14a. Glad to be back in the groove after giving up yesterday.
“What time do you call this?” I hear you cry. Yes, I’m late! I’ve been busy pruning back forsythia bushes and I have to watch the rugby [31-6 to England at half-time] as well. However, like Mary, Scotland-Wales has greater significance… I’ve enjoyed this puzzle and it’s made me wonder if the compiler is an ornithologist [19a & 24a] and cricket aficionado [11a].
hello from spain any clues on 5d please
Hi martinh – welcome to the blog.
5d Special issue’s promoting anarchy (8)
The definition is anarchy. The abbreviation for special is followed by an issue (of a newspaper, say).
thanks gazza , thats it finished
So, are there not many people needing help today, or am I the only person not watching the rugby!
It worries me when I read on here that it’s easy when I’m finding it really hard. Makes me feel downright thick! But I got there in the end, with a little help from the hints. And looking back over it I can’t really see what made it such a struggle. Thanks for the hints and others’ comments as always.
I think today’s crossword was a particularly hard one to get started with, it wasn’t until I got on to the down clues that I really started to progress, and looking back, like you I can’t really see why I found the acrosses such a struggle. Never worry about finding your solving of a crossword different from others – we three bloggers in the Advanced Clueless Club – Prolixic, Gnomethang and me – email each other most mornings and very often have completely different reactions to, opinions on and solving times for the daily puzzles.
Quite agree Rach, 1100 on Sunday morning and I’m still struggling – mind you a lot of yesterday was taken up with domestics and England v Italy !!
Like some others, stuck on top righthand corner, especially 14a. Help !!
Not surprised I couldn’t get 14a – never heard the word! But having got that, with a little electronic help it’s finished. Favourite was 24a as I’m beside the sea but I don’t understand the old bird in 21d, can someone please explain ?
Off to the shed to attack a piece of wood on a grey and grisly day – back later ………….
21d Copper’s grabbing old bird revealing bloomer (6)
The definition is bloomer. Put a 3-letter mythological bird inside (grabbing) the chemical symbol for copper (not forgetting the ‘s).
Thanks Gazza, you lives and you learns ! That’s another one I’d never heard of but happy I worked out the answer anyway.
Back next Saturday, have a good week all !
Most enjoyable today, but I can’t quite figure out the reasoning for 26a. I’m sure the answer I’ve got is right from the definition (one missing partner: a black spider), but I can’t see why.
Oh hang on, I’ve just got it.. Bay XXNXXX. North going west. Very good.
Think of something in a house (of which bay is an example), and then take away (going west) the letter N(orth) to give the answer (One missing partner)
I must remember to read all of the comment before replying!
Nothing to do with the crossword! I’m worried that Caravaggio is pruning his forsythia, the flowers are produced on last years growth so the plant shouldn’t be pruned until it’s flowered.
Hi newtothis – welcome to the blog.
I am very surprised not to see any complaints about the cricket reference in 11a. A batsman’s stroke that normally goes past “point” or Ricky Ponting, if he’s not fielding in the slips.
That’s what I just typed in the draft review – now someone will complain and I will have to redraft
Apologies! I think that non-cricket solvers ( both m & f ) must be clueing up on the “Great Game”!
Why is cricket so popular with Crossword Compilers?
A quick scroll through today’s posts leads me to believe that the usual cricket haters are doing other things today. With regard to the popularity of cricket, I suppose there are so many cricketing terms that lend themselves easily to cryptic clues.
Probably because common words like off, leg, on, long, square etc all have specific alternative meanings in the game. And it’s a british thing.
Clueless on 5d and 6d, I’m afraid. The rest popped in eventually, 14a is a weird word.
5d is covered by Gazza in post 26 and 6d is a word for ambassador preceded by the usual two letters denoting repetition.
I’ve always thought of the Telegraph as the best for cricket coverage so perhaps there is a natural bias by a certain proportion of the readership towards this sport. Presumably the Sun cryptic crossword would favour footballing terms???
Finished today. A rather gloomy affair following the result of the Manchester derby.
Fav clue was 12a
Not sure about the use of abbreviations in 1a.
Thanks for hints. Needed to get going today
Excellent puzzle and very enjoyable. 14a did cause me to stumble a bit.
We see lots of 19a and 24a where we are but the problem is telling them apart – not easy.
I didn’t get chance to look at this until late on, and found it a pretty steady offering this week. I quite liked 1a,26a, and 7d but nothing really clever to applaud.
Only just got round to this just now.
A nice, gentle, well-put-together puzzle. Perfectly pitched for the pen pursuers, and positively pleasant.
Only looked at this at 9.00pm – after supper and wine. Been gardening ALL day – pruned tayberries and tied up all new growth, cut back VERY overgrown berberis (very prickly) and had massive bonfire of resulting debris.
Found it quite hard to begin with (too much wine!) but then it seemed to go OK.
Couldn’t do 24a or first word of 27a but showed it to husband (a non crossword solver) who instantly did both!!
I enjoyed it – best clues 17, 25, 26 and 27a and 2, 10 and 21d.
Sleep well and have a good rest of weekend to all.
Another quickly-solved puzzle for me. The four long edge clues were pretty straightforward.
Best for me were 19a & 24a.
Incidentally, re 11a – the cricket stroke is not hyphenated and is not mentioned in Chambers but is on Google!
I also Googled atricles on Crossword History – there is a long one which starts off with Giuseppe Airoldi in 1890 as the inventor of the first crossword and then mentions Liverpudlian Arthur Wynne in 1913. It is a long article and does mention that diacritical marks are not used in modern English language puzzles ( you may remember my remarks on this subject some time ago).
Derek
You are right about 11a. The cricket stroke is hyphenated in Chambers, but as an adjective with a different meaning.
The ODE correctly defines it as (6,3).
Errors in enumeration do appear to be on the increase.
If I hadn’t discovered Big Dave’s blog, I would have given up this week. Learned loads of new words indicating the use of an anagram. I am also assuming that if I have 25a correct there is some hidden meaning in “performed outside” as I used an anagram of the middle letters of first choir. Can someone please explain it to me. Thanks
25a First choir performed outside, it was famous in the past (8)
Something famous in the past is made from a way of writing “first” with an anagram (performed) of CHOIR around it.
Thanks gazza. 5 new “anagram” words today – learning loads. Visiting Mum next weekend so can astound her with my new found cryptic crossword skills. My son will likely tell her I have been cheating, thats how he interprets the help I get off this blog!
All finished except 13a. It has to be so obvious as no one else seems to have a problem with it.
A small clue please.
Thanks in anticipation.
Bob, you need a synonym for ‘matey’ as in ‘friendly’ and remove the musical abbreviation for ‘quiet’ to give a word for colleague or friend.
Hope that helps!
Ta.
See it now.
Thanks.