DT 26564 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 26564 (Hints)

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26564 (Hints)

Big Dave’s Saturday Crossword Club

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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           Form of study is a challenge to those driving in Kent (8,6)
This form of study could also describe the venue for this year’s Open Championship for golfers – and those who like watching paint dry!

12a         Drive into rough building left half falling down (10)
A charade of to drive into, perhaps as part of a raid, a rough building and the (left) half of LE(ft) gives a word meaning falling down

17a         Drink’d get consumed in great tribute (8)
Put a popular soft drink and the D from ‘d inside a word meaning great to get a tribute

26a         Investigator working on Crime Stoppers half-heartedly (9,5)
This fictional investigator is an anagram (working) of ON CRIME STOP(P)ERS without one of the Ps (half-heartedly)

Down

1d           Regular payments on fossil fuel — it’s found under ground (7)
Put regular payments to a club or society above a fossil fuel to get a layer below the ground normally used in cultivation

7d           What Keegan was to Toshack’s attractive girlfriend? (8,7)
… or what Crouch is to Defoe … could be a way of describing an attractive girlfriend – the setter is showing both his age and his allegiance here!

13d         Some bedding plant’s head knocked off by ball (10)
It’s all in how you lift and separate – some bedding is created by replacing the first letter of a species of primrose with fragrant yellow flowers, common in pastures, with a ball of medicine

19d         Others see turnover in fashion again (7)
… for see read diocese!

23d         Concert for millions (4)
This concert, like one of those held at the Albert Hall every year, is a charade of a synonym of “for” and M(illions)

The Crossword Club will open at 10.00am. 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: {stand-in} + {groom} = {standing room}

93 comments on “DT 26564 (Hints)”

  1. Very very enjoyable, a puzzle you don;t want to finish too quickly. Lots of giggles and smirks along the way.
    Favs were 2d,3d,4d.
    Thanks to B Dave and the Setter, wonderful.

  2. I think you have to be 2 to remember 7. I suppose 7 will be be no problem for Mary! Wonder what Mary and Kath will make of 15 though. My favourite was 2 but I enjoyed the whole puzzle, which was quite a change for a Saturday.

        1. Oh good – thanks! So glad that someone is impressed with something that I’ve done today. Life is a bit tough around here at the moment.

  3. Thoroughlly enjoyed this morning’s puzzle. :D Favourite clue is definitely 1a. Many other satisfying solving moments. Thanks setter and BD

      2. I think Mary said that she is going to be away for a few days but Happy Birthday to her anyway. :smile:

  5. Quite tough but very enjoyable ESP the footballing clues on this day of all days! But cannot for the life of me get the last two, 3d and 4d. Know nothing at all about tintin and can’t even get a word in 3d with a * and a * in it. Help!

    1. Brian.
      3d – Seduce daughter in club (4)
      You need a synonym for seduce and the abbreviation of Daughter to get a type of club associated with 1a.

      4d – Tintin’s knees-up (6)
      You’ll kick yourself, twice – I did too!. A synonym for tin, twice, is a knees-up

    2. 4d Tintin’s knees-up (6)
      Nothing to do with the cartoon character – placing tintin at the start of the clue suggests that it is a proper name!

      1. Yes, I enjoyed this one too as I became sidetracked with Herge’s characters until the penny dropped. Our compiler today must be a Liverpool supporter to use that pairing as an example, because I can think of others, and I’d just remind all Manchester United supporters that we’ve won the European Cup five times…

  7. Despite having all the checking letters it took ages before the penny dropped for 1a. Best clue for me was 6d.
    Thanx to setter and BD

  9. Nice crossword this morning. Thanks to BD and the Setter.

    Enjoyed 2d, 3d and others… 3d last in for a big grin and thought 2d was a wonderful anagram.

    Have a lovely long weekend everyone.

    Nick

  10. Wonderful crossword from the Mysteron. Many thanks to him and to BD for the notes.

  11. Superb from start to finish. Lots to make you smile and too many good clues to pick a favourite. Thanks to the Mysteron and BD.

    1. Thanks, thanks and thanks again to today’s setter! A lovely morning workout. Too many good clues to pick a favourite but 4d really made me laugh. Thank you also B.D. for the hints

  12. Well, I’m sorry to say I’m not enjoying this at all. Thanks to BD’s hints I’ve been able to add some words to the half dozen I’d found, but it’s like pulling teeth. Shouldn’t think I’ll finish, and I usually have no trouble on Saturdays. :-(

    1. Stick with it Franny, there is a point in the puzzle where the domino affect kicks in and it’s downhill all the way from then.

    2. I thought that this was difficult too but have now finished it after quite a struggle – almost gave up very early on. Keep going – good luck! :smile:

      1. Thanks, Kath and Nubian, for your encouraging messages. I have now struggled to the end, but it was a great effort and needed every bit of help I could gather.

  15. I managed to do it today! Thought it was tough in parts. The last part of 19d had me scratching! Got 16d wrong for a while until I realised I was in the wrong ocean!

  16. Am enjoying this but struggling with 2D and 7d. Any more hints?

    Re 25a, had forgotten what my old Bush TR130 radio, of which I was SO proud in 1969, was!

    Fav clues 26a, 9a, 1a, 12a and 6d

    1. 2d Rather old concern kingship engendered (2,6,7)
      You might describe someone who is rather old as not being something any more – it’s an anagram (engendered) of CONCERN KINGSHIP

      For 7d try hovering over the picture!

    2. Ive got what I think sthe answer to 25a but dont understand the radio bit?
      help on 11a please

      2. 11a Rows rise up, head to tail (4)
        You want a verb meaning rows (in a boat). Start with a verb meaning to rise up or take flight and move the first letter to the end (head to tail).

  17. Not my week for crosswords – I thought that this was difficult – have now finished, and enjoyed it but it’s taken ages and on the first read through of all the clues I had precisely ONE answer – almost gave up at that point. Got both “footbally” clues but only because of checking letters in 7d and 15a was a guess and then worked out why. Messed things up for a while by making the second word of 10a “slip” – that really didn’t help at all! Favourites 12, 24 and 26a and 2, 4 and 6d. Have a good weekend everyone. Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave.

      1. Steph.
        10a – inadvertently revealed what could be retold quietly (3,4)
        The definition is ‘inadvertently revealed’ and it is also an anagram (could be) of RETOLD and P(iano) – quietly.

        1. oh I see – its the P that threw me – thank you so much I still dont understand 11a is the def ‘rowing’ Im being really dim with this I find them so harfd, mind you 1 year ago I couldnt do any – so there is a slight improvement! slight mind you…

        2. Im now stuck on 16d I had the answer as a large Ocean off the N Sea but my- ******** throws it out completely1 help

          1. Steph,
            Please don’t put answers in your comments. For 16d see Gnomethang’s explanation at comment #20 below.

    2. 15 a still puzzling me, I have the answer ( I think) but for the life of me can’t work out why.
      I made a very slow start to this one and when I had finsihed I had 5 answers without understanding the construction (12a, 15a, 17a, 3d and 19d) reading the forum has given me the explanation for 4 of them but still struggling with 15a.
      A very enjoyable and satisfying puzzle, just the right level for me.

      1. 15a Mark a footballer endlessly, source of danger cut off (8)
        The definition is cut off. Start with the abbreviation for mark (the old German currency), then add A (given in the clue), the surname of probably the most famous current English footballer minus his final Y (endlessly) and the initial letter (source) of danger.

        1. Thanks Gazza, I would never have worked that one out.
          and there’s me thinking Bryan Briggs was the most famous footballer of the moment.

  18. Another good Saturday treat. No real favourites although 4d caused a wry smile once I’d stopped thinking about the Belgian Boy Detective.
    Thanks to the setter & to BD as usual.

  19. Thank goodness for this site – I’d never have got the sporting clues without you… Not a very ‘girlie’ crossword this week!

    1. I agree! I had to resort to asking my husband about 7D, which really went against the grain. I can’t do cricket or football clues. Loved 6D.

    2. Hi Crystal and Jane – agree – can’t do sporting clues at all and my husband isn’t much better so rely on this site heavily for help with them.

  20. I thought this was difficult for a Saturday. A few I wouldn’t have got but for the hints: our local diocese makes yet another appearance in 19d.

    Re 18d, the only answer I can get from my checking letters is another sea, thought definitely not a northern one.

    Thanks for the v welcome hints.

    1. Anncantab.
      16d Jerk following man leaving off North Sea (8):
      The sea is not a northern one. We need to remove N(orth) from a man’s name and add the usual involuntary movement (jerk)

      1. Yes, thanks, I think I am right, though the man’s name is not all that common !

        1. I don’t think the man’s name is that uncommon – think that names come and go – as an ex-nurse if someone showed me a list of patient’s names I could probably guess their ages to within five or ten years – eg someone called Ada or Doris would probably be in their eighties – the man in 16d is probably in his late fifties or early sixties.

  21. Thanks to the setter & Big Dave, and everyone else. I struggled with this one, so all the hints and comments were a great help. My favourites were 19 and 25

  22. Quite pleased with myself for picking up the football references as it’s a game I don’t have much time for. Would never have got 1a without BD’s hint, but after that the last few in that corner fell into place, including 4d which is my favourite today. Thanks to BD and the setter.

  23. Message from Mary via Facebook:

    “Hi gnomey have just finished today’s crossword whilst ‘watching’ Man u lose Yes! Although I can get onto website I don’t seem to be able to comment so was wondering if u could pass on my thanks for birthday wishes. Thought this was quite tough today
    Cheers
    Mary”

  24. Hi All

    This is my first visit to BD. Have been solving DT crossword for many years, nearly finished this one. 6D very clever.

    Peter

  25. Really good puzzle.
    Enjoyed it and some really fun clues.

    And actually finished it!

  26. Struggling with – 9a – “Instrument producing introduction to ballad equally well”(7)

    OK! The solution is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family. But, I do not understand the wordplay!

    1. It’s the first letter (introduction) of ballad followed by a phrase meaning equally well (as in “I’d ** **** have tea as coffee”).

    2. Thanks for the link Franco.

      The light-blue half of Manchester weren’t the only ones who enjoyed the clips of the objectionable Scot clenching his fists and chewing gum at 100mph.

      1. The fist clenching Scot has surely had his day – his team were just not on the same planet!
        Perhaps he ought to take up xwords!!

  28. I like the extra puns in the Quick Crossword, 12 and 14 across, 22 and 23 across.

  29. I liked 17d the best and still remain a tad bemused by 9a and 13d although I am confident I have got the correct answers. Perhaps I am still in shock from watching that superb performance by Barcelona? They were playing a different game.

    Explanations for the above would be appreciated.

  30. Good crossword this weekend but I’m stuck on three 17 ac & down, 21 ac help please

    1. Nutty.
      For 17a please see Big Dave’s hint above.

      17d Go down ill catching cattle disease (6)
      An abreviation for a cattle disease widely reported on (and prevalent) a few years ago, when placed in a common crosswordland synonym for ‘Ill’ ot ‘trouble,’ gives a verb meaning ‘go down’ (on a rope)

      21a Craftsman cracking whip’s not mistaken (10)
      A nautical craftsman is an anagram (cracking) of WHIPS in front of a word for ‘not mistaken’

  31. Enjoyed most of this waiting for the cricket to begin at Cardiff yesterday. Struggled with 11a and 17d which are given above. Thought 2d, 6d & 16d were the best. Still not sure why 19d sorts itself out but reasonably happy with my answer.

    1. 19d Others see turnover in fashion again (7)
      Others (4) + a see/diocese (3) reversed gives a word meaning to fashion again

  32. Thought this was a challenging one but well worth sticking at. Favourites were ia, 17a, 26a and 15a. Many thanks to setter and BD

  33. Started crossword late – cutting elderly neighbour’s hedge yesterday. Almost finished but can neither get 5d nor 8d. Also 11a looks a bit odd even with 2 out of 4 letters. Forgot to mention 4d which looks lke something to do with a crustaceon.

    1. Got 4d, put letters into 5d and 8d which made words. Only require 11a.

  34. Hi Dave,

    Could you please give me some help with 9a, 11a, 3d and 4d.

    Thanks,

    Seanyboy.

    1. 4d another word for tin twice. 3d think golf. 11a see post 16 above by Gazza. 9a is also above (B)allad followed by ‘equally well’ or I’d just ** **** drink tea as coffee’

  35. Hello all, Telegraph Puzzles Editor here.
    Funnily enough, our setter did use a Manchester United duo when he compiled this puzzle a few weeks earlier in the season. But as Rooney and Berbatov haven’t been playing together of late, they were ousted by an older (and safer!) pair whose names go together like Morecambe and Wise…
    Best wishes
    Phil

  36. Thanks for all the help but still stuck on 19d despite all the hints. I assume diocese is the one near Cambridge?

    1. A verb meaning ‘fashion again’ is constructed by a 4 letter synonym for ‘others’, followed by a reversal (indicated by turnover) of the diocese in Cambridgeshire.

        1. One definitiion of ‘see’ is “the seat, centre of authority, office, or jurisdiction of a bishop”

Comments are closed.