DT 26792 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 26792 (Hints)

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26792 (Hints)

Big Dave’s Crossword Club

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As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, an assortment of clues, including some of the more difficult ones, have been selected and hints provided 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           Deputy being investigated (10)
Split this deputy as (5,5) and it could mean being investigated

10a         Redhead with animal skin upset you and me (5)
The nickname given to William II because of his red hair (and of everybody’s favourite setter!) is created by reversing (upset) an animal skin and following it by the objective pronoun for you and me

12a         A gaffer’s last to fix bright light (3-4)
A charade of A from the clue, the final (last) letter of gaffeR and a verb meaning to fix gives a very bright light

21a         Eulogist for Caesar, J? The opposite (7)
Format the name of one of Julius Caesar’s supporters as surname followed by initial and the result is the name for a word that is opposite in meaning to another

23a         Football team succeeded in stadium with skill finally (7)
The third-best team in London are derived by putting S(ucceeded) inside a stadium and then adding the final letter of skilL

ARVE Error: need id and provider

27a         A tired peer resorted to second home (4-1-5)
An anagram (resorted) of A TIRED PEER gives a second home

Down

1d           University expert on Arabia makes great fuss (6)
A charade of U(niversity, an expert and AR(abia) gives a great fuss

4d           Watch Cable perhaps entertaining European politician that is Conservative (9)
This instrument, such as a watch, for measuring time is created by putting a three-letter word for a cable or cord around a European politician, the Latin abbreviation of that is and C(onservative)

15d         Withdrawn US leader once backing British one (9)
To get a word meaning withdrawn reverse the surname of the peanut-farming former US President and then add the first name of a former, nominally Conservative, British Prime Minister

17d         A lost animal’s outside hospital — dog ends in there (8)
Put A from the clue, a lost animal and the S from ‘S around H(ospital) to get places where dog ends are stubbed out

22d         Antipodean to wander around over island (5)
This native Antipodean is derived from a verb meaning to wander reversed (around) and followed by (over in a down clue) I(sland)

I will be out all day but don’t worry, there will still be plenty of help available.

The Crossword Club opens 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: {fiddle} + {Styx} = {fiddlesticks}

162 comments on “DT 26792 (Hints)”

  2. Really enjoyed this one. I became quite heated thinking the puzzle had been issued a month after it was compiled! Then the logic hit me!
    Didn’t need you BD, but thanks anyway.

  3. Found this quite a challenge today, thanks for hints Dave needed one and also one for explaination, a three star for me today only one fav clue and that was 6a good luck everyone :-) horrible dull day here but not cold so that’s ok :-)

  4. After a slow start I raced to the end and thought it a fair test for a Saturday with a few to make one pause. Thanks to the setter and to BD. I’ll be around (amongst others) if any elucidation is required in BD’s absence.

  5. Straightforward but very enjoyable. Some very nice clues in there and my dad’s favourite word too (18a). Thanks to the Mysteron and BD. I too will be around this afternoon to provide any further explanations.

    The NTSPP will be up at 12 noon and I would recommend that everyone gives it a try – for more reasons than one. If you get stuck, my review will be up later this afternoon.

    1. I didn’t find this at all straightforward but really enjoyed it – will have a go at the NTSPP – there seems to be a lot of mystery surrounding it – why? Or do I have to wait and see?!

      1. It’s on this site – if you look at Recent Posts in the right-hand panel it’s currently right at the top.

  6. I’ve finished now but have had quite a struggle and could hardly do any to begin with. Really enjoyed it – my favourite (and last to go in) was 14a. I sat and looked at that one for ages. The other one that took a long time to understand was 21a but I got there in the end without needing the hint. I STILL can’t make any sense of what I’ve got for 11a – any help would be appreciated. Lots of really good clues today – too many to mention all of them so thanks to the setter and to BD.

    1. I am going to have to be careful how I explain 11a as I haven’t made the lemon drizzle cake yet! If you have the right word, you should have some small cars into which are inserted A (from the clue), a two-letter abbreviation for a ‘high honour’ given by the Queen followed by T for time (on Time)

      1. Yes took me a while to see the middle bit and must admit had to look the honour up :-) think I may have some lemon drizzle today :-)

      2. Thanks to all three for sorting me out on that one – complete blind spot. I used to have the traveller version of that car – the one with lots of wooden bits – it grew moss all along the insides of the windows! I used to feel as if I was driving around in a greenhouse but I really loved the car! :grin:

    2. Kath – it had me going for a while. You need A (from the clue) and an abbreviation of a high honour in the commonwealth inside some small cars all followed by the usual appreviation of Time.

    3. I’m not sure I have the correct answer for 14a, especially the first part – any hints please.

      1. Rai, the first part is a synonym of “sound” as an adjective meaning “undamaged, unscathed, uninjured, out of danger, unhurt, intact, secure”.

        Now? Where did I put my Thesaurus?

      2. I’m not sure how to help without being in deep trouble here but I’ll have a go. The definition is a criminal – the first part is “sound” ie something that is not going to let you down. The second part is a word that means “mad”. Put the two words together and you have someone who breaks into a stronghold.

        1. Oh dear – naughty corner here I come – have I supplied an alternative clue – honest guv, i didn’t mean to!! :sad:

  7. Done all but 26a – having a “senior moment” with that. Any prompts appreciated. LOVED 21a, not too impressed with 10a. Pretty enjoyable overall.

      1. Thanks Mary. Can’t believe I could be so slow! Maybe it’s spending all week learning to run Linux on my my home PC?

        1. Oh dear!! Off with your head and straight in to the naughty corner!! Wait until someone notices what you’ve done!!

              1. I’m really sorry. I got carried away with myself and the ingenuity of the clue. My doctor tells me that I can’t have cake but I’m off to the naughty step anyway. I’m really, really sorry

                1. There is some acorn cake there apparently – I thought only pigs could eat acorns which probably explains why it is lingering the corner.

                    1. I think it means there are no pigs on this blog collywobs! that’s why the acorn cake is still there :-)

                    2. I never have and never would make acorn cake – someone left it there the other day following acorn being in a crossword.

      1. At first I thought this was a treble definition and there was a fault in the clue! Initially I put in ‘splits’ which I thought was a good answer to a good clue, allowing for incorrect use of apostrophe and lack of plural in fault. However, having got some of the across clues, I realised my fault – and think I now have the right answer..

  10. An enjoyable puzzle, without being overtaxing, and I particularly liked 24a, which I thought was very clever. The weather here in Cheshire has been appalling this morning so I haven’t felt guilty in completing the crossword when I know that I’ve got some outdoor jobs to attend to…

  12. 26d I’ve got the answer I think is right from the 2nd half of the clue but don’t see what this has to do with the first half

          1. yes , so I believe, I hate these cricketing ones, getting the answer was easy but understanding it another thing :roll:

            1. I’m with you there — couldn’t understand why I had that answer either, but it was the only one that fitted.
              How did you do that emoticon? There was a list somewhere but I can’t find it.

              1. Hi Franny its at the top of the page under frequently asked questions or you just put colon roll colon

                  1. 20d – Chambers definition – “to seek to upset the batsman’s concentration by making offensive remarks”

                    I tried to find a suitable example…but they’re all far too rude for this gentle gathering! (Of Australian origin, I think!)

                1. Thanks both. I played cricket at school and followed it for 50 years since and I’ve never heard of it although I have found it in the BRB and it seems to be unpleasant

              2. It’s the same word as another word for “toboggan” – I only know it because it was one that I didn’t understand in a crossword a while ago.

  14. Harder than many a Saturday, but enjoyable. Liked 24a, and thought 21a was a clever clue. By the way, I particularly enjoyed Thursday’s puzzle this week . Thanks to all involved.

  15. Late to this today as I’ve been strolling along the Esplanade with my Grandchildren in the lovely sunshine ( cool sea breeze however ). I thought this a very enjoyable crossword today though not too taxing, just right for the weekend, my thanks to the setter and to our leader for the hints.

      1. Kirkcaldy in Fife, not really a beautiful town as it is quite industrial but the Esplanade is lovely as is the harbour, my younger sister and her husband live in a wee flat overlooking the front, we are a wee bit further in to the town but it is only a 3min. drive away.

        2. … the sunshine sounds lovely too! Chucking it down in Oxford – temperature has fallen several degrees in the last hour – collie and I are dripping and cold! :sad:

          1. Oh no, its lovely here today blue skies and sunshine, tho’ cloudy earlier on, I thought you were in the garden!

    1. You need another word for what a bird does when it tweets around ‘a’ for answer giving you a word meaning ‘put to test’

    2. Tweets refers to birds not that instant messaging thingy. Insert an A (answer) into one of the ways of describing how birds sang.

    3. Thanks girls!! Think I’m really wrong somewhere as can’t make anything fit!! Am going to go away and think about it at a 5 year olds party!!

        1. the kind that used to make budgies bounce with health or so the advert said!! I did say I wanted some lemon cake! :-)

  18. Good afternoon all – I have been crossword-deprived all week as was sunning myself in Florida – lovely! Despite the red eye flight and being a tad out of practice I found this very straight-forward. A nice way to relax listening to the ODI. Finn is doing well!

    1. Are you in the Languedoc region collywobs my sister in law lived there for a few ears until she moved to Brittany a few years ago

      1. Yes, Mary, that’s where I am and it’s lovely, especially in the summer. It’s becoming very popular for Northern Europeans. It’s also got good countryside and cuisine. While I am on, can you help with 3d, I’ve got most of the checking letters but I can’t get it

  20. For the second Saturday in a row I found this one quite easy.

    Today’s NTSPP is well worth a visit! A Tribute to 10a. A coincidence?

  21. This one wasn’t too bad, and I made steady progress – 11a and 26a required a bit of thought, and I did need the hint for 21a (d’oh!). 8d was my last in (another big d’oh moment), so I think that was my favourite clue, along with 24a (strange context, if I’m right with my answer). I’d also not heard of 20d used in that context before, but the answer couldn’t have been anything else…
    Fun puzzle, anyhow! :)

  23. First time through I only found four words, but then I managed to finish it all — more or less! I am now thoroughly stuck on 7d and 11a and will go back through your helpful hints above to try and sort myself out. There were a number of excellent clues, but I really liked 21a and 24a. Many thanks to the compiler and all who are trying to help.
    :-)

      1. Hi Mary. I’m ashamed to admit I’m still stuck — part of the problem being that I seem to have all the right alternate letters and nothing seems to fit. I think I’ll just give up. :-(

  24. Also late to this today, but thought it a nice puzzle. Like most I thought 21a a lovely clue. 7d last to go in as had a mental block over the spelling – even though I had all the letters and spaces! Getting old. Thaks to all, setter and bd and all you bloggists (sounds better than bloggers!).

  26. First read through – zero; second attempt, managed four or five; took a couple of hours out to go and see “The Woman in Black” (scary!!); third attempt over tea and cake (chocolate, not lemon or acorn) and finished without any need for hints! Weird – obviously one that one needed to “get into”, in my case anyway. Thoroughly enjoyed it – 18a took a while but was OK when I’d got some of the checking letters in. Hate cricket clues too but got 20d, though didn’t put it in until I’d done some research! Thanks to setter for an enjoyable Saturday and BD for the hints I didn’t need on this occasion.

  27. While the term *****ing is almost certainly Antipodean, the concept has been around for many years. Many are not fit for this site but here is one of my favourites:

    “Don’t bother shutting it, son, you won’t be there long enough.”

    Fred Truman to incoming Aussie batsman as he opened the gate on his way out to the middle at Lord’s

  28. Only just got to doing this one. Did the NTSPP over lunch and this over a pre prandial :smile:

    If you haven’t looked at the NTSPP I can seriously recommend it – a serious tribute to one of the masters!

    This one was excellent – favourites among a lot of good stuff were 21a,24a,25a (me?) and 17d. ( I actually liked ****** but pommette won’t agree!).

    Thanks to the setter and BD.

    1. P.S. When are we going to get the Spurs in a puzzle – I remember Chelsea and Man U recently but can’t recall a Spurs clue. :sad: (my favourite of the London clubs).

    2. Jeez! Pommers! Surely you know the rules by now!

      I wish I could relate my favourite bit of offensive language from one cricketer to another…but, not suitable on this site!

    1. Split it 1, 3, 5 and if the 1 is the first letter of Tournament, then the rest is what the IOC did

        1. This year, of all years, you ought to recognise those initials – mind you I suppose you are in France and don’t get something on the TV daily about a certain event this summer.

  31. Finally the penny dropped!! Thanks all-and thanks to Hotlips who came home from a dire football match and solved it!

  32. On first read through I got one and thought this was going to be more hard work than it was worth but with the help of the hints (thanks Big Dave)! I have got four to go in ne corner. Have read the stuff on 11a but it’s still not coming :-( Any further ideas please?

    1. Hi Dawn

      I’m already in the naughty corner so what the hell! :grin:

      11a Definition is a type of factory worker. You need a type of small car (plural) followed by T(ime) and insert (collecting) A (from the clue) and an honour in the gift of the Queen.

        1. No 8a – do you mean 8d? In case you do I will try to explain – the definition is “provide with extra security”. You need a 3 letter word for “except” followed by a 5 letter word for lock. Forget the obvious and think about “hair”. Good luck. :smile:

          1. Thanks Kath, the pennies have finally made resounding clunks as they dropped into place :D. I will now take my place on the stupid step

  34. 23a – “Gooners” or “Goners”?

    Chambers Defintion: “goner”: something that is considered beyond hope of recovery.

    “Merde” – a dit M. Arsene Wenger!

    1. I’m sure that no further explanation is needed, but….

      AC Milan 4 – 0 Gooners

      Sunderland 2 – 0 – Gooners

      1. I’m afraid you are right Franco, the Gooners have sure dropped an “o”, even though they were in this crossword today :-)

    2. Don’t understand either of these comments, Franco. Am I being stupid, or just a “girl”?!! :smile: I imagine it’s “football stuff” again, in which case I really wouldn’t expect to understand!

  35. Nice CW today, got stuck on 7d as I thought it only had 1 “L” in it, it was Mary’s budgie seed that finally made me see it. :lol:

    1. Hi Martin & Louise,

      Think of something providing security to a wall of a cathedral, these things are usually “flying”. :roll:

  37. the definition of 8d is the provide with extra security, here in the form of a support or prop to a wall. The first part (3) means ‘except for’ and here ‘lock’ refers to hair so you need the usual crossword word for a long lock of hair.

  38. Sorry, that was a bit brusque for a first post but I didn’t think it would work as easily as that. Louise has done this puzzle for years …on and off while I am a recent convert so you can guess who is the real talent :)

    1. I know my reply to your original question somehow ended up in the wrong place, but if you click on REPLY at the top of the post to which you are replying it keeps the threads together. I didn’t notice the brusqueness, I know how it is when you are desperate to get the last word solved!

      1. Oh, Ok. Actually we didn’t have 6a either but that just fell in afterwards. I thought the AR part of the 1d charade was a bit obscure or is that just me?

        1. Once you have done thousands of these crosswords, most abbreviations are not obscure at all! I will agree that AR doesn’t turn up very often but I am sure it will again!

  40. Evening all, agree with many above that slightly harder today than usual and several required extra thinking. I liked 12a, 13a, 14a and quite a few others too.

  41. Just back from dinner with friends chez eux.
    Faves :14a, 21a, 24a, 27a, 3d, 8d, 9d & 22d.

    21a was very clever!

  42. Thanks to the Mysteron and to Big Dave, I found this very enjoyable, but had to resort to the hints for 10a, ironic that the answer is a well known setter.

      1. Agree with you, Heno, 21a – very clever!

        I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him;
        The evil that men do lives after them,
        The good is oft interred with their bones,
        So let it be with Caesar …

  44. Checked the blog after a slow solve due to difficulty (for me) and grandparental duties. 10 month old believes assisting means eating the puzzle. Always good to check the clues and comments. I found I had the wrong last letter for 7d. So easy to make a careless mistake.

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