ST 2585 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 2585 (Hints)

by Big Dave  

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2585 (Hints)

Hints and tips by 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.

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

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, which is Tuesday, 3rd May.

Across

1a    Apple computer’s first operating system — slow, incomplete (7)
This large variety of cooking apple is constructed from the first letter of Computer, the abbreviation of Operating System and a word meaning slow or sluggish, without its final letter (incomplete)

10a    In fairness, they’re just uncultivated areas (7)
My favourite clue in today’s puzzle – put these uncultivated areas after “just” to get a phrase meaning a deservedly unpleasant fate

17a    Brought together, simplified for calculation (7,2)
A phrasal verb meaning brought together also means simplified a calculation by reducing the number of decimal places

28a    Instructed group of workers against Communist (7)
A word meaning instructed or taught is a charade of a the abbreviation of a group of workers, a word meaning close against and one of Crosswordland’s Communists

Down

1d    It may forcefully open argument among Conservative lawyers (7)
A tool used to forcefully lever something open is created by sandwiching an argument between C(onservative) and lawyers collectively

6d    Repeatedly street artist breaks rule — that finally does it (4,5)
Put the abbreviation for ST(reet) twice (repeatedly) and Crosswordland’s artist (2) inside a rule to get what finally breaks the camel’s back

16d    One brought in to replace petitioner (9)
Put I (one) inside a word meaning to replace or oust to get a humble petitioner

24d    It may orbit regularly and arrive on time (5)
A celestial body that orbits regularly is a charade of to arrive and T(ime)

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!

Today it’s Happy Birthday to Shirley MacLaine (77) and Barbra Streisand (69)

Inspired by today’s puzzle!

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53 comments on “ST 2585 (Hints)”

  1. Plenty of excellent clues in what was a fairly gentle puzzle – In fact I think that your hints coincide quite well with my favourites – including the elegantly simple 24d. Thanks to BD and Virgilius.

  2. I thought this was a little easier for a Sunday, and I enjoyed this while sitting in the garden. No particular favourites – they were all good! Last one in was 28a.
    Thanks to Virgilius, and to BD.

  3. I liked 24d too. Shoud’ve seen 7d a mile off and there was a nice satisfying groan when that went in. Thoroughly enjoyed both the puzzle and the hints, happy Easter to all.

  4. I too solved this in the garden, watching some 7d wordplays flying around. Not too difficult but very enjoyable. I am torn between 10a and 18d as my favourites, probably the latter as it was D’oh moment of the day working out the wordplay! Thanks to Virgilius for the nice crossword and BD for the hints. Happy Easter to everyone.

  5. I agree with all of the above sentiments, very enjoyable & thanks to V & BD. Unfortunately the recent clement weather seems to have deserted this part of Middle England following the thunder showers we had last night. Hopefully it will pick up again in time for Billy & Cathy’s big day!

  7. A nice puzzle for Easter Sunday, no particular favourites, but liked 13a 11a and 17d. My Italian idyll comes to a stop next Saturday but it’s warmer in England than here presently, hope it continues for OUR [local] big wedding on May 7th. Happy Easter, everyone, and thanks to Virgilius and B.D.

  8. Thank you Virgilius and BD, I needed your assistance with this one Dave, liked 17d and am still awaiting the D’oh moment with 18d

  9. Very nice puzzle for Easter Sunday. Thanks to Brian once more.
    Favourites were : 1a, 5a, 11a, 15a, 19a, 1d, 6d, 14d, 17d & 21d.

  10. Guessed 2d but needed help to understand why. Similarly with 18d, got the answer but can’t work out why.
    Back out to the sunshine.
    Thanx to Compiler and BD.

  11. I thought that this was a bit easier than some Sunday puzzles. I still can’t see what my answer for 18d has got to do with a TV but it is a metal – maybe it’s wrong! Can anyone put me out of my misery and explain?! Sorry to be dim again. Liked 1, 5, 10, 23 and 25a and 1, 3, 6, 7 ….. oh dear – may as well write them all down!!
    Thanks to Virgilius and Big Dave. Hope that everyone is having a good weekend.

    1. Thank you – now I can enjoy the rest of this lovely sunny day without mithering any more! :smile:

    3. 18d – Thanks to Kath (for the question) & BD (for the explanation) . Very clever clue – too clever for me, alas!

      I also fail to fully understand the wordplay in:-

      19a – why “maximum speed”?

      2d – I presume the definition is “landscape” – but I do not understand the rest of it at all.

      1. 19a – according to Einstein’s relativity theory you can’t travel faster than the speed of light

        2d – these are known as flats in the theatre.

        1. 19a – Einstein’s relativity theory – E=MC2 (?). This is also too clever for me, alas!

          2d – I’ve never heard of this definition of “Flats” before. Thought it might be a reference to e.g. Wanstead Flats – an open area of land?

          Thanks, BD, for the enlightenment!

          1. At the speed of light you have zero dimension in the direction of travel, so it’s not advisable to try otherwise you might finish up like the flats in 2 down.

    1. I would have thought as an organist you might have got 12a – what clubs, spades etc are in a pack of cards, followed by E for energy. The last two words of 8d are its definition – N(ew) plus a word meaning a climb (up Everest for example).

  14. Thanks CS. Not a d’oh moment, more a hang one’s head in shame moment… :oops:

    I’ve been caught by the first part of 1a before. I can never really work out what the ‘perhaps’ and ‘say’ references are indicating. 8d: thanks for pointing out the definition, I wasn’t sure whether it that or ‘new’ and upwardly made me think there a reversal in their somewhere. Can’t always work out what sort of clues they are yet.

  15. Started off with a flourish then ground to a halt – getting a couple wrong didn’t help! Thought 26a was something to do with Rusticana and, being a golfer, put “swing” for 12a (which I actually think is quite a good answer!! as having a little energy certainly helps with the clubs. NO? oh, OK then.) Got 11a but have only just understood it – clever. Still don’t understand 5a apart from the sagacious bit – can someone explain, please? Overall I thought it a little easier than some Sundays and thoroughly enjoyed it though have to admit would never have got 1a without BD – have only ever heard of the big green ones beginning with B.

    1. Addicted – 5a – “one’s performance” = a piece of music, unaccompanied – followed by (“Day after”) the three-letter abbreviation of the first day of the week?

  16. Struggling with they “why” for 11a and 18d – have the answer but only from the letter pattern not the full clue.

    Otherwise, enjoyable Sunday morning puzzle.

    1. Rupert

      See comment #12 for 18 down.

      11a Spirit not entirely captured in B flat for composer (9)
      Put most of (not entirely) a word meaning spirit inside B and a word meaning flat or level to get the composer.

    2. Rupert:

      11a Spirit not entirely captured in B flat for composer (9)

      Most of the spirit (or tenet, esprit, mores) is captured in B (as given) and a synonym for flat.

    3. Rupert – 18d – see comment #12 above from BD – Glad I’m not the only one who failed to understand!

            1. Let’s hope the sun shines on Putney next Saturday afternoon and we can drink beer outside … no I mean work on our explanations!! :D

              1. Wish I could come to Putney, but going to a lunch in Univ College,which will probably be very dull although the food will be excellent, no beer though …

    5. Ha – now I see – really missed the definition of “spirit” and as a Chemical Engineer should have seen the 18d clue too.

      Thanks all !

  17. 11a is quite hard to explain but I will have a go – I have to work it out for the review anyway! Start with the B and insert the first 4 letters of a five letter word meaning the spirit or distinctive character and disposition (spirit not entirely) then follow that with a word meaning flat or level – to get the name of a German composer.

    18d is easy to explain – just look at BD’s explanation and others comments at comment 12 above :)

  18. Nice puzzle, nice day, nice bike ride, nice G&T ice and a slice, I could be in nice, I mean Nice.
    Thanks to B Dave and Virgilius.
    Nice

  19. Akkkk! Stuck on just 16a – clues anyone?? Various websites have informed me that no words even fit!

  20. 2d – I still do not understand the use of “etc” in this clue. Any ideas?

    (I asked Arsene Wenger – but he didn’t see it either.)

  21. Thank you Franco – now I am educated as I had it spelt wrong!! Last 3 letters I put in a male human – no wonder it didn’t make sense! Many thanks.

  22. Finished this really late as engaged in the garden all day yesterday (Oh my aching back!!). All done except 15a. Please can someone help, I just can’t think of anything to fit :-( Thanks BD for the tips needed a couple &, although I got it from the clue have not come across that apple before. Looks like another sunny day here, hopefully I’ll get to sit in the aforementioned garden!

  24. You are looking for an anagram(in irregular way) of R(un) TV SERIES, and the definition is ‘not regular’, as in the military.

    1. Very belated thanks Jezza – yesterday got away with me in the end!! I had 16d wrong – which didn’t help :-(

  25. Very much behind the chase in commenting on another peach of a crossword. I solved this early in the day before the celebrations of Easter Day and then entertaining kids, in-laws, cooking and a few glasses of red wine consipired to remove any time to comment!!

    Like others, I thought that this was a gentler Virgilius crossword. Lots of nice clues but no particular favourites.

    Many thanks to Virgilius for entertaining us and to BD for the notes.

    Enjoy the Bank Holiday (and the sunshine if you still have it)!

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