Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26558 (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.
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.
Across
1a It protects one against a fall (8)
… of rain
10a One under-employed in Cornwall (3,5)
Someone who used to be employed to work underground in Cornwall
12a What pitchers do in a field (6)
… when they pitch their tents
21a Lock of hair — the last one sees of vermin? (4-4)
This lock of hair is also a the last part of particular vermin that you see when it scuttles away
26a Vassals, fellows from Belgian city (8)
These vassals who owed feudal service to a nobleman could, if split (5,3) be fellows from a Belgian City
Down
2d Blustering martinet drops in for material (6)
An anagram (blustering) of MART(in)ET without (drops) the IN gives this material
6d Trip over the floor perhaps (5)
… trip as in to trip the light fantastic!
13d Duck near germs spreading (9)
This fish-eating diving duck with a long, thin serrated and hooked bill is an anagram (spreading) of NEAR GERMS
14d Being in Exodus, briefly, first in this French translation (9)
A word meaning being or actuality is a charade of EX (Exodus briefly, as in biblical references), I ST (first) and the French for “in this”
22d Story book to be imported by board (5)
Take a story and insert (to be imported) B(ook) to get a board
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: {orange} + {ma’am} + {allayed} = {orange marmalade}
Ooh…. first comment. How exciting!
Quite enjoyed this one today. All popped into place when I got 13a – as usual, couldn’t see the wood for the trees. Weather is nice, birds have been singing so a good way to start the day.
Favourite clue was 24a, with 24a the runner-up. Wasn’t so keen on 26a or 3d.
Thanks to the Setter and to BD.
Nick
Ho hum. In my excitement, I think I’ve over-favoured 24a … I meant to go for 21a as a favourite, followed by 24a.
Enjoyable puzzle although I wasn’t all that keen on ‘burning’ as an anagrind in 11a.
I stiil have bruises from the number of times I have kicked myself in not getting 1a straight away.
Nevermind. Thanks to B Dave and Cephas I assume
All solved pretty quickly with some fun along the way. I don’t expect this to cause too many problems for people today.
Thanks to the setter and to BD for the hints.
You’ve taken the words out of my mouth. May I have them back please? Without wanting to sound unkind, there didn’t seem to be any ”Eureka!” moments today, which I find regrettable.
The anagrams provided my way in today – the duck was new to me though! Liked 13a, 14d, and 24a made me smile. Can’t entirely justify 16a, though I know it must be right. Thanks to BD and setter.
16a Mill round copier, working in time for copy (12)
An anagram (mill) of ROUND COPIER with T(ime) inserted (working in) to give a copy
Thanks BD – knew the answer was another word for copy – just didn’t see ‘mill’ as the anagram indicator (or anagrind to quote Nubian above).
Goodness! Nor did I. Thanks, BD
Nor me!
Normally struggle all weekend with the crossword. This just seemed strangely easy today!
Welcome to the blog Nivag
Thanks BD, I’ve actually been around a while, usually two days behind so too late to say anything meaningful!
Morning Dave and everyone, at first I thought I’d really struggle with this but it came together quite nicely with the anagrams helping a lot, some of the clues I thought didn’t make a lot of sense in the reading, but then – if only I could write a crossword like this – never heard of 13d, liked the misdirection in 12a, there wa I thinking, Oh no not another cricket clue! took me a while to ‘see’ 1a , liked quite a few today but if I had to pick a fav it would be 21a I think, thanks for hints Dave, didn’t need them today but I still needed my books and electronic friends, good luck all, very ‘doable’ today with a bit of perservation, I think the kind of crossword where you let the clues ‘lead’ you in
back later have to go buy tiles for bathroom which has only been ongoing for 2 months now!
I started off with only 1a and 26a but did better with the down clues and the rest gradually fell into place. With the exception of 10a, which I was sure was some obscure Cornish place name — it just goes to show! So thanks for the hint, Dave, what a dope I am! I don’t quite understand how 12a works, or 8d for that matter, but never mind, I did finish. Hard to choose a favourite, but I liked 13a and 24a.
I hope everyone else has a sunny weekend, and that your bathroom looks splendid, Mary.
For pitchers, think ‘those who pitch tents’.
Isn’t that what”s in my hint?
So it is!! Only looked for a hint to fully explain 16a today, so hadn’t seen it.
Yes, sorry, I meant 16a, which you’ve now explained.
8d – The definition in this clue is ‘unendingly’, and is a construct of the first lady (as in the biblical sense), the first letter (starts) of reordering, followed by a synonym for extra.
‘reordering’, of course I was looking vainly for an anagram.
Terrible day here Franny, I’m sure the bathroom will look great when its finished Franny, well at least we have the tiles now albeit in the garage!
Have you at least someone to put the tiles up?
Oh yes, when he gets round to it
Nice puzzle today, took a while to get in but then it fell into place well. However, never heard of that type of duck before. Best clue for me was def 10a, have my wife to thank for that answer.
Good afternoon from a sun-kissed Hertfordshire. Again the easiest challenge of the week by a margin in my book and nothing to inspire really. I quite liked 1a. First in was 20d (I start bottom right) last in was 12a – I was trying to link a vessel with a US field game before common sense kicked in.
Off to cut the lawn.
Big football weekend – I predict that Blackpool and Birmingham City will be relegated.
No sun here LD it is wet windy and totally dismal
I think so too- Wigan to get at least a point from Stoke
I hope you bothput a small wager on those outcomes!
I found this one unusually difficult for a Saturday. Even after I’d unleashed the combined forces of Chambers and Franklin it was still tough going. Felt quite satisfied when I finished! Thanks to BD for the tips and to the setter for the challenge.
A nice rather quickly solved puzzle this Saturday!
Faves were : 10a, 21a, 26a, 5d, 17d & 22d.
Weather here in NL is magnificent.
Am preparing to go down to the VAR next Thursday – shall see if the land has recovered from the torrential rain of last year.
Help!
Only 17d to go, and completely clueless.
Apart from the actual clue of course.
Please help me before I go mad.
17d Warm drink? Not usually (7)
An adjective meaning warm and friendly is also a soft drink (but not usually a warm one).
Good grief.
Even with that hint I coldn’t get it.
I’ve gone over the other answers over and over.
Still couldn’t get it.
To my rescue (again) came Princess Sharrona of Scandonorvania (for it was she) who is crossword averse.
Thanks Gazza, and thanks Sharrona.
Ran through this one quite quickly on the train this morning. 13d is a not a bird I knew but the anagram gave it very clearly.Not really any favourites from a complex construction perspective, 13a was probably the best. Thanks
Just finished, with the help of a few comments above (thanks for the letting me know 11a is an anagram Nubian) after getting most of this on the river this afternoon. I didn’t understand 17d either.
Thanks to Setter and BD, although didn’t need the hints today.
what were you doing on the river in the pouring rain Geoff
I got through this offering fairly quickly but have come to a halt with 13a and 20d. Even after a break to watch a stunning game of rugby at the millenium stadium (well done Leinster, commiserations Northampton) I am still perplexed.
Just as I posted this comment I had a eureka moment with 13a. Still stumped with 20d.
20d Bony nutcase (5)
It’s a cryptic definition. Think of nut as a head.
Putting in SHELL didn’t help much
No but I can see why you might!
Finished with a new found knowledge of duck names!
I enjoyed this puzzle. In the post as usual. Good luck to other entrants.
Thank you to setter and BD for duck hint.
The duck has appeared previously in DT 26478 by Ray T and Toughie 343 by Warbler
Just want to say, having returned earlier from White Hart Lane (tho fortunately a home supporter), how impressed I am by Little Dave’s predictions.Spurs fans were merciless, I’m afraid, cheering loudly as scores were displayed thru’out second half). I have finally cracked this crossword and have checked to see why some of answers were right. For ages I misled myself with rat’s nest (don’t know why) and shell, but finally realised the error of my ways! For 8D I was sure that ER for Queen was involved, so although I got answer I couldn’t see why! But all sorted now and BD just confirmed the answers that I had tortuously reached. I thought that 10A and 26A were more like general knowledge clues. Not a great crossword, I fear.
Welcome to the blog Irishgirl from a fellow Spurs supporter.
Thanks, Dave. In fact I previously submitted a posting from home computer but my son now hogs it constantly, allegedly to study for A S Levels (more likely to check Facebook), so am resorting to work email address!
So you did! – DT 26510 27-03-11
We forgot to welcome you at the time, so the greeting is long overdue.
PS Disappointing how Spurs’ early promise petered out, tho’ really I don’t think that we can be too disappointed with 5th place. But new strikers desperately needed!
Particularly as just 7 of those points frittered away would have relegated Arsenal to the Europa League.
I still can’t find the duck. Can someone please help?
Jane
I’ve added a picture of him – click the picture to link to his description.
Thank you! I can get on with my life now – except I haven’t got 25A or 19A. Sorry to be so dim.
25a Disbar relative clutching drum (6)
A drum is hidden (clutching) in the clue.
19a Gold in large quantity seen in marsh (6)
The answer is an area of boggy ground (marsh). Put the heraldic term (and the French word) for gold inside a large quantity or body.
Thank you. I was using AU instead of OR. I can look at today’s DT now. I am always the last.