DT 27032 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 27032 (Hints)

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27032 (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           Lid for a kipper, hot after cooking (4-3,3)
A lid in Crosswordland can often, as here, mean something to wear on the head – this item is an anagram (after cooking) of A KIPPER, HOT

9a           Having regular parts in opera, one singer’s a temperamental type (5,5)
Start with the even letters of oPeRa and add I (one) and a so-called female vocalist who thinks she owns footpaths in the British countryside – I wonder who the setter had in mind: could it be the same so-called vocalist

12a         Put name to the twins perhaps (4)
… or possibly a bull or a goat!

13a         Retreat over rising water is setback for leader (9)
A retreat for an animal, O(ver) and rising water are all reversed (setback) to get this leading article in a newspaper

15a         Follow matters primarily with a habitual response — being this? (8)
Start with a verb meaning to follow then add the initial letter (primarily) of Matters, the A from the clue and a habitual response

16a         Exemplar of drunkenness regarding famous physicist (6)
The amphibian used in a comparison to indicate the level of drunkenness followed by a preposition meaning regarding or concerning

23a         Tie up hospital department with attention to detail (9)
A verb meaning to tie up is followed by Crosswordland’s favourite hospital department

24a         Cattle  without water (4)
One of those you either know or you don’t – an archaic term for cattle or a description of an alcoholic spirit to which no water has been added

29a         A German artist holding opening, one who loves to take risks (10)
The A from the clue is followed not by the IVR code for Germany but by a German engraver and painter who is placed around an opening or outlet

Down

1d           Poet‘s page to begin poetically (4)
To get this 18th century English poet, famous for his caustic wit and metrical skill, start with P(age) and add a poetic word, which is a shortened form of word meaning to begin

5d           A free broadcaster (6)
The A from the clue followed by a verb meaning to free gives an affectionate term for our favourite broadcasting company

8d           Greek character, police officer, last person to abuse (3-7)
Start with a Greek character add an abbreviation for a plain-clothes police officer and a verb meaning to last – the definition is the person hurling the abuse , not the hurlee

14d         Immature adult hands out foreign coin (10)
A(dult) followed by a verb meaning hands out and a foreign coin

17d         Take up imposing position on theme-park’s top attraction (8)
Split as (4,4) this could be the top attraction in a theme-park

25d         Rouse gentleman — about time (4)
Put the title afforded to a gentleman around T(ime)

The Crossword Club is now open. Feel free to leave comments. It’s time for me to pop down to the Hanley Swan Village Café and Market for a cup of tea and a slice of Gwen’s delicious chocolate cake (a bargain at £1.50).  Back in a couple of hours.

Please don’t put whole or partial answers or alternative clues in your comment, else they may be censored!

The Quick crossword pun: {Tooting} + {Carmen} = {Tutankhamen}

100 comments on “DT 27032 (Hints)”

  1. This was a mixed bag for me. Sailed through most of it, then got bogged down in the SE corner. Finally got there without any help apart from 24A. Guessed at one of two answers I knew it must be and guessed wrong. Needed a **** whiskey to calm me down afterwards! Before I am labelled an alcoholic for drinking with my cornflakes, I live in Melbourne. Rather lovely 34C today :-)

      1. Yucky here too – only 6C here and chucking it down. Definitely a day to stay in with fire and crosswords but have dog not goldfish so will have to go out again. Maybe could persuade husband to take her out this afternoon – now there’s a cunning plan!

        1. Other half always takes the dogs out here but he has been in France for over a week now and as both dogs have a bad paw each, they have had a nice rest this week :-) , Angel has to have her blind eye removed next Wednesday as the pressure remains too high!

        2. Oh dear – poor Angel. Will think of you and her on Wednesday. They have definitely picked the right week to have a bad paws and a nice rest! :smile:
          My cunning plan didn’t work so have had another 3/4 hour out in the wet. :sad: I’ll have to let other half off as he’s making fish curry for supper.

  2. Spent more time on 8d and 24a in particular than the rest put together .When the penny finally dropped on 24 a and Chambers confirmed I confess to have never heard of this usage .(bovine)
    Therefore 3.5*\3* for me
    Hard frost and mist here unlike Oz !

      1. How true, Sue! I can remember my father, years ago, suggesting that I looked at the definition of the word in Chambers and that I’d be surprised. He was right – and the word has always stuck in my mind. I was late starting today, as I had to go into town earlier, but I didn’t experience any problems with the puzzle and found it to be most enjoyable.

      2. ..as will ‘Charolais’ the French breed.
        It’s due to appear soon, as last time was some time ago.

  3. Cracking crossword today. Enjoyably tricky but fun to solve. Needed a bit of electronic help on a couple. Favourites 6,9,20,11

    I can’t remember the last time I was anywhere it was 34C. In fact, i can’t remember being anywhere above about 22C such has been the miserable weather this year in the UK. LOML and I are seriously considering living elsewhere as we have no ties in the UK.

      1. The only time I’ve been to Languedoc(Pepieux)in the winter it snowed incessantly other than that my normal autumnal visits have been delightful .

          1. . . . and it’s SO long ago that I can’t even remember that bell ringing. Cold, grey and very wet here too.

            1. Isn’t it that golden thing in the sky that we are warned about sitting out in? Chance would be a fine thing :-( , cold, grey, very wet here too

  4. Zoomed away today for the bottom half (where I usually start) and the found the upper half more demanding. 5d and 11d were my favourites. Last in 1d. Dreary day here.

  5. A strange mix of the write it in and then a few that held me up more than perhaps they should have done. Thanks to the Mysteron and BD too – Gwen’s cake sounds nice and a bargain too.

    Very dreary here too – if it is like that where you are, why not have a go at the NTSPP when it appears in about 20 mins time. It is tricky in places but quite honestly what else were you going to do on a grotty day like this.

      1. Such a tough life you lead having to make decisions like that every Saturday. Do any of them come up to the standard of my marriage-proposal-inducing lemon cake, that’s the question? :)

            1. She’s the lovely lady who makes the cakes for the Hanley Swan Village Café and Market – I thought that was obvious from my postscript to the blog!

        2. I have asked before but I’ll ask again , is that the High Grove recipe ? or is your recipe a secret ?

          1. It was a recipe in a booklet free with a Saturday DT back in October. A Paul Hollywood British Bake Off How to Bake collection or something like that.

            1. I tried the High Grove recipe at my mothers 87 birthday tea party along with coffee cardmon cake, no proposals bit lots of otherwise disgruntled teenagers demanding the recipe.But that was in August from either the times or the telegraph.

  7. Anyone else confused by the advert next to the puzzle? Surely it should have appeared at the end of October if it was to be relevant.

    1. CS. The advert did appear at the end of October. Why again today? Maybe they’re trying to sell more beer?

      Very enjoyable crossword today! Just off for a pint (or two).

      1. Yes, I noticed that too and I’d suggest that the paper was sent the wrong bromide by the brewery’s advertising agency…

  8. First of all thank you Dave for all the hints, I just wouldn’t have finished it today even with my usual ‘help’ without them :-)
    I found it one of the toughest Saturday crosswords for a while, too may letters cut off 10a surely, I must learn my greek letters, I only know 4, I liked 17d, 26a, 28a, 2d this word isn’t given as a synonym for ‘making a mockery of’ if the last three letters were changed then it would be a synonym but then it wouldn’t be a barrier if you know what I mean! Good luck all, I wouldn’t have solved this even with perservation today without Daves hints

  9. I concur with most of the above comments, tricky but not insurmountable (with my electonic friend). 3 stars today.

    Still not entirely sure on 20A. It fits and looks about right, but I’m not convinced.

    1. 20a One in acting role’s former model (8)
      A person who is acting or deputising for another, particularly an office worker, is followed by an adjective meaning former or departed

      1. Thanks Big D. I see it now. The penny’s dropped with a heavy clunk. (It didn’t take 90 mins, I’ve been painting the kitchen ceiling! Again.

        My answer was embarrassingly wrong.

  10. Very slow start on this, but when tuned in it all fell into place reasonably easily.

    I’m also not sure of 20a wordplay, must be missing something.
    24a was a new meaning for me.

    Thanks to BD for review and to the setter

  11. I could do with some help on 18a. I think that I have the answer but I cannoy see the significance of ‘line to suggest’

    1. You need the one letter abbreviation for line collywobs, followed by a word meaning to suggest, to give you ‘without force’

  12. I must be getting worse. For me this was the hardest Saturday puzzle that I can remember ! Managed to get the RHS in but then ground to a complete halt, and needed your hints BD for which I am extremely grateful ! Thank you setter and well done everyone who finished without hints !. Can get on with my life now !

    2. I agree SW – I really, really struggled and only finished finally with help of hints. Don’t in anyway claim to be a brilliant solver but this was the hardest for a long time, in my opinion.

    3. I agree too. I didn’t help myself by almost immediately putting Over for the first four letters of 17d, and I wouldn’t have got 24a without the help of this blog. Many thanks to BD and setter.

  13. Last one. I cannot for the life of me see 19d and yes I agree with all those folk who said it was hard

  14. Think of a 6 letter bird add i (has single) to give you a cocktail, was it James Bond that like his shaken!!!

          1. Where’s your ‘hwyl’ gazza :-) , nice warm bowl of cowl, warm crusty rolls and cheese whilst watching what could be better, come on Wales!

                1. I know how you hate it when people ask a question before looking it up for themselves – just assumed that it was an unknown welsh word so didn’t even look – have just done so! Sorry! :oops:

                2. It means so much more than Chambers explains though, passion, spirit, a deep emotional uplifting feeling, fun, etc. etc. people also say ‘hwyl’ or hwyl nawr’ when saying good bye to somebody

            2. Game lost, as expected, but at least Wales played with a bit of passion and hwyl in the second half.

  16. I loved this one. I started off really quickly and thought it was going to be a doddle but soon changed my mind. For me this had exactly the right degree of difficulty – doable with ‘perservation’ but tricky enough to keep me happy, occupied and generally out of mischief on a really miserable day.
    Most of my problems were in the right hand side but eventually managed to finish without resorting to the hints – I always read them anyway. I’m not entirely happy with 10a although I’m fairly sure that it’s right – I agree with Mary – it really is a seriously cut flower.
    SO many that I liked today – 1, 12 and 15a and 3, 5, 7, 8 and 17d. My absolute favourite was 16a which made me laugh.
    With thanks to Mr Ron and BD.
    Going to have a go at NTSPP after second wet and cold dog walk. I have a serious attack of Novemberitis. :sad:

    1. Novemberitis is an awful complaint Kath. I am guaranteed to get it for about four weeks every year :-(

  17. Managed without help (but although 24a was right, I could not see why without this site – so thanks BD.)
    Thanks to setter, I enjoyed it – and I laughed at 16a!

  19. Is this the first time we’ve had an animated illustration? Can’t think of another one, no stopping them now!

      1. Reminds me of “Is Ringo the best drummer in the world”? “He’s not even the best drummer in the Beatles”!

    3. I used an animated GIF on my first blog:

      DT 26222

      No troubles here – solved on the way home from a call out to work (I am not the on call engineer either!)

      Thanks to the setter and to BD

      1. gnomethang, I’ve just re-read your first blog – it brought tears to my eyes! :wink:

        Some of the usual suspects left a comment, but what has happened to all the others?

        1. Just before my time here, Franco. Lots of usual suspects still around but I agree about wondering what has happened to all the rest. Have some of them returned with a different name?!

          1. Yorick moved from Russia to Cyprus, but hasn’t been around for a while now. Peter, sadly, passed away. And you final premise could well be correct.

  20. Hi Dave
    I found your blog by happy chance!
    Really like your helpful tips. Crossword complete, bar 2 down. Grrr!
    Thank you.
    The house is quiet and it’s been a relaxing way to spend the afternoon.
    Now for the big crossword in the Weekend(?) section…
    PS. I love Collywobbles thumbnail – I used to have an Airedale :-)

    1. Welcome Mark. 2d is a double definition – a type of barrier can also mean mocking or reviling banter.

      1. Thank you, Crypticsue…
        Got it!
        Either my brain isn’t working properly today – all that rain has dampened the grey matter -, or some of the clues today were a bit iffy/tenuous :-)

  21. 3 points and now third in the Premier League! Off to have a nose bleed! And Cook and KP going well which is great despite the need for a very early morning radio tune in. Still raining here.

  22. Thanks to the Mysteron & to Big Dave. Very difficult, needed some of Dave’s hints. Still not sure of 1d. Does it have a religious feel?

    2. 1d – Heno, Yes, especially if you are a Catholic. [Presumably, you’ve read BD’s hint above]

      I’ve never heard of this shortened form of “begin” before … but Chambers says… (poetic) adj – so it must be right.

        1. I’d never heard of the last three letters of 1d either but it is in BRB – I did, at least, check that one, if not Mary’s ‘hwyl’ :oops: again!!

    1. 8d Greek character, police officer, last person to abuse (3-7)

      String together a) a Greek letter (2), b) the abbreviation for a police officer and c) a verb meaning to last or hang around.

    2. 10a Pleased with cut flower (4)

      This adjective meaning pleased is also a short (cut) name for a flower.

    3. 8a Returned coats in swindle (4)
      Reverse (returned) some abbreviated coats to make a swindle or con.

  24. Hope someone is still there– only 2 p.m. In Boston, USA…can anyone help with 3 down? Thanks,

    1. 3d I may get in maps not fit for easy ride (5,7)
      Insert I in a word for maps then add a word (6) meaning not fit or sick.

  25. Tricky for a Saturday we thought but a lot of fun!
    Think favourite was 29a for it’s, sort of, doulble use of the D for German – nice misdirection. Spent some time considering what USER was meaning when I suddenly remembered the German guy :grin:.

    Thanks to the setter and BD.

  26. Just finishing this off now, due to listening to The Archive Hour 8pm last night, all about cryptic crosswords. Really interesting.

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