DT 27235 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 27235 (Hints)

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27235 (Hints)

Big Dave’s Crossword Club

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Today is your last chance to have a go at our Monthly Prize Puzzle.

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 and the FAQ 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           Possible murder weapon is hot clue at first (4,6)
One of the weapons that can be used to commit murder in the original version of Cluedo is derived by putting an adjective meaning very hot after (at first) a clue or hint

6a           Gamble pawn in short time (4)
P(awn) inside an abbreviated version of a short period of time

13a         Fanatic keeping slim having space for healthy food (9)
A three-letter fanatic around (keeping) an adjective meaning slim and a space used in printing, named after the letter that takes the same amount of space on the line

18a         Mischievous creature in the style of an antelope (6)
A mischievous creature followed by a preposition meaning “in the style of”

20a         Prosperous time round New Hampshire that is creating good will (8)
A prosperous time around the abbreviation for New Hampshire and followed by the abbreviation of the Latin for that is

26a         Could be evens? Yes and no (4)
Two definitions – a term used in betting and numbers that are not evens

27a         Mother or father restricting Irish boy’s diet (10)
A word that describes a mother or father around (restricting) an Irish boy’s name gives a diet or legislative assembly – brings back memories of that schoolboy favourite, the Diet of Worms

29a         China to top local competition (5,5)
A verb meaning to top or complete followed by a competition between two local teams

Down

1d           Member in political party branch (4)
M(ember) inside the three-letter abbreviation for a particular political party

2d           Gold mace perhaps an omen (7)
The chemical symbol for gold followed by the type of commodity of which mace is an example

4d           Cremation facility observed when climbing mountains (8)
A method of cremation used in countries like India followed by the reversal (when climbing) of a verb meaning observed

8d           Withdrawal symptoms make lord cut out what’s essential (4,6)
The symptoms encountered by someone who is withdrawing from a drug like heroin are derived from an anagram (out) of LORD CUT followed by a word meaning essential

11d         She’s author drawn to follow horseman (5,7)
The name of the author of the classic novel She comes from an adjective meaning drawn or gaunt preceded by (to follow) a horseman

17d         Ashley or Cheryl’s regulation salad (8)
Easy for those of us that are fed a diet of the ups and downs of this particularly boring couple – their surname is followed by the S from ‘S and a regulation

One occasion when the spoof version is far better than the original!

ARVE Error: need id and provider

19d         Orchestra’s place is to receive praise, praise for performance (7)
The place where the orchestra is to be found around a verb meaning to praise

22d         Unknown group of problem drinkers in pub will provide a market (6)
A mathematical unknown and a group of problem drinkers inside a pub

25d         Guy is last (4)
Two definitions – a guy or rope and a verb meaning to last or endure

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: (fought} + {knocks} = {Fort Knox}

85 comments on “DT 27235 (Hints)”

    1. The Here and now and also to show something. Hope that doesn’t infringe!

    2. Think of a word for The Now which also means show, this is one of my favourite clues as The Now Show is a TV programme, I thought it was clever

      1. Don’t know about the TV, but The Now Show is a Radio 4 comedy show with Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis.

    3. 6a is as Daves clue says, personally I had never heard of this term for gamble unless it’s the shortened version?

        1. I associate with Building houses on ****, where the Contractor was ****ulating.

    4. When you *********************. [There’s nothing in the clue giving that interpretation. Please don’t post alternative clues. BD]

        1. Being censored is often the highest praise **** *****. I also break the unwritten commandment “thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s hints”.

    5. Thx chaps, I do get it now but never understand the reason for italics.
      Personally I think it’s a dreadful clue but then I would as i didn’t understand!
      Apart from these quite straightforward but can’t say I enjoyed it much. Too many convoluted clues for my my taste and very few anagrams.

  2. Good morning BD and thank you so much for the hints in such good time. Was delighted to finish this, bar one, on which I am completely stuck – 15a. I have all the checking letters, I think but just can’t ‘see’ it… Probably being really slow, but if anyone can push me in the right direction without being sent to the naughty step, I’d really appreciate it.

    1. 15a Clergymen with afterthought about group helping couples (8)
      The afterthought is what you might put in a letter.

      2. D’oh! I’d even got the correct word but couldn’t see how it fitted the clue. Thanks for the help :-)

  3. Nice crossword for Saturday. Starts the weekend nicely. Couple of dohs, but that’s what we want! Thanks to BD & Setter.

  4. I managed tp complete despite getting held up on the very last clue which on my paper appears as guv (should have gone to spec savers). Last one in was 4D which I think is a nice clue.Many thanks To the setter & B D for the review.Time for cricket now

    1. Speaking as someone who has spent more time in the last year having her eyes examined than not and now has much improved vision , I can confirm that it does look like guv in the paper!!

      1. Definitely “guv” in my paper CS ! Did struggle a little with the wordplay ! but put the only obvious word in anyway – “guy” certainly helps !

        1. Its the top line of that ad for ‘friendly bridge’ that’s the problem. Always makes me smile wondering what ‘unfriendly bridge’ would be like :)

          1. And I had the same problem too – I was convinced the word was ‘Guv’. Like last Saturday, I’ve been sitting in the garden, with Test Match Special on the radio, completing the crossword and believing that all’s well with the world…

          3. I’ve played unfriendly bridge – a few years ago. Result – I don’t play any more !

  5. Morning Dave, thanks for the hints, finished without them today with the top left hand corner being last in, needed some electronic help from my ‘friends’ but thoroughly enjoyed this one, favourite clues 15a, 23a, 7d, 25d liked lots of others too
    Another glorious sunny day with a nice breeze

    2. Much cooler here too – no sun – and, like where CS lives, fairly strong breeze – no drizzle, yet!

  6. Enjoyed this puzzle – I thought 9a particularly amusing ! Thank you setter and thank you BD for your hints. Our noisy neighbour hasn’t fired up his stereo system yet, so it is very nice to sit and enjoy the sunshine in peace – for the moment !

  7. Great crossword, actually finished it before lunchtime on Saturday which for me is a record!

    1. We finished it by 9:05! Mnnnner! (But US Eastern time).

      BD may send us to the naughty corner for mentioning the unmentionable “how long it took to complete”. The only safe way is to say ” completed it by the time the 10:45 Pangbourne train arrived in Reading” or “by the time the meringue was sagging”.

  8. Like Mary, the top left went in last and still have 12a not finished (despite checking letters) :oops: and really not sure about 13a.

    Thanks as always to BD for hints and setter.

    As usual some of this feel into place easily and some didn’t, 27a went in relatively painlessly.

    Once again, it is quiet on the blog, it is here to as Himself is at an airshow without me…bliss!

    1. Hi Dawn 12a is a double definition, a word for a girl is also a word meaning to feel longing for something or someone when you are away from it/them

      1. Thanks Mary, the dumb corner beckons strongly, I’ll take my glass of merlot with me to drown my sorrows :-)

        1. That was my last one in, too, and was just about to ask for a hint when it came to me. Don’t you feel silly when you get it.

  10. A nice gentle but enjoyable workout for a Saturday morning, but where has the sun gone in London? My rating is */***.

    27a was my favourite.

    Many thanks to Mr Ron and BD

  11. Greetings from the commonwealth. Mrs T is stuck on 17d – who are these people?

    And thx to the crew for an enjoyable sunny Saturday crossword & toast morning (sunny and 85F).

      1. That is cheating! I would much rather get hints from you lot! And the aroma of delicious temptation of CS cake ******** ***** ever present.

    2. She was a singer with Girls Aloud and he is a football player,(Chelsea I think) not sure if they are still married!

      1. He’s often called Cashley – he complained that Arsenal only paid him £60,000 a week! God alone knows how much he gets a week at Chelsea.

        You can buy a lot of salad on that money!

        1. However much that particular overpaid prima donna gets a week it will be rather less than the talented Mr. Rooney!

        2. Blimey! Only £60,000 a WEEK? If he can’t make it on that, I’d be happy to make up a budget for him.

  12. I thought this one was really good so 4* enjoyment, at least, and probably only 1* for difficulty – quite a rarity for me, probably just on the right wave length today.
    A couple of clues took me a while to work out the why bit. 1a – I thought the ‘hot clue’ was the first word of the answer which meant I couldn’t see where the second word came from. Oh dear! 9a – thought the first two letters were the ‘old woman’ and second two letters were the ‘street’ which left me in a right pickle. Oh dear, again!
    I liked 1, 18, 23 and 24a and 4, 7 and 21d. One of that lot is my favourite but I’m not sure which one!
    With thanks to Mr Ron and BD.
    Going to try NTSPP later but it will have to be on husband’s iPad as our printer has gone on strike.

  13. Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave for the hints. Has taken me ages, still stuck on 9a, any help would be much appreciated. Lovely puzzle, favourites were 2,11,19,22d. Was 3*/3* for me. A bit cooler today in Central London. Come on England.

    1. 9a – the definition is ‘group bent on domnating’ the first three letters are an informal way of saying old woman’s and the last 7 are a type of street.

    2. 9a Group bent on dominating the old woman’s street

      Split the old woman’s (3) street (7)

      2. I tried to underline “Group bent on dominating” but using the suggestion in the FAQs (which works for me for bold and italic) the underline formatting has disappeared :-(

  14. Obviously on wavelength again, only real problem was 12a. 17d also was above my head, not having a clue who they were, but the answer was obvious from checking letters. Thanks to all for good start to the day. I’ve decided the baby is going to arrive on my Dad’s birthday, the 22nd. Have a good weekend.

    1. Did you see the brilliant Matt cartoon on the subject of that baby on Thursday? Brilliant as usual.

  15. A probable ** or *** star for difficulty but a good *** for enjoyment. Some good clues, several Doh moments and thank you for the explanation of 9a. Cannot at the moment see the connection of my answer to 27a and the final word of the clue.
    Busy day preparing for large family contingent arriving tomorrow but enjoyed doing this in the sunshine that has at last appeared with the cloud dispersal and no I do not live in the East side of the country!

        1. So sorry BD. You have obviously caught me out that I didn’t read the hint. I should do so as you go to all that trouble, but skipped as I didn’t need it. I promise to do better in the future.

          1. Of course. Thank you Merusa. Also guilty as charged
            Thank you to setter and to BD whose hints are always much appreciated

  16. Evening folks. I found this quite tough going to be frank but probably not as tough as the Australians are currently finding Lord’s. 27a was really nice. Much more challenging than the usual Saturday test. Thanks to the setter and for the review. Lord’s tomorrow to see us bowl them out.

  17. Enjoyed this puzzle.

    Faves : 9a, 20a, 27a, 29a, 2d, 4d, 8d & 11d.

    Mixed weather today – AM sky was overcast so temperature was bearable – PM gradually cleared up so back to hot conditions.

    Dinner tonight : lamb chops & frites ( finish of Chinon) then frambozen & slagroom (rasps & whipped cream).

    Lunch was Scottish – Nairn’s rough oatcakes coated with MacKay’s blueberry & blackberry preserve washed down with Mango Dream!

  18. I too found this really hard work for a Saturday offering and not particularly amusing. Needed lots of hints so thanks Dave for those. ****/** for me.

  19. Also finished early this morning in one sitting. Had the same problem as others with the Guv/Guy dilemma. Thought it may have been my eyes or a fault on my paper but clearly not. Got the answer any way as it fitted well with guy. 9 20 29a favourites and 3 and 17d. Last ones in were 1a and 4d. Then mucked up the grid by putting one answer in wrong place. Once I have written in the squares I seem to lose track of the numbers. Used the BRB to check a couple of things but did not need the hints. Glad of explanation for 11d. as did not know that the author wrote that book – but the answer was obvious. Should also mention 15a as I am a trustee of the organization contained within the answer. Thanks setter, BD, and as ever you all for your contributions

  20. Does anyone else think it’s odd that so many of us were slow with 12a? It was one of my last answers too and yet it’s probably one of the simplest clues. If in doubt blame the weather conditions . . . whatever they are – too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too windy or whatever!

    2. Perhaps because you were looking for a girl’s name. it was not one of my first in, but no real problem as I had the last letter which made it a “gimme”

  21. Something has gone awry with my on line version of the puzzle and it refuses to let me type in solutions !Now I am reasonably sure my 15a is correct but that means that what I though was a perfectly good ans to 3d must be incorrect.Is 3d (1) iron for 5, and (2) a ******************* ? [censored!]

      1. Thanks for replying, sorry about alternative clue, my rather slow typing made our comments overlap.

  22. Can someone please explain why the answer to 9a is what it is please. Many thanks

    1. 9a Group bent on dominating the old woman’s street (6,4)
      Split the answer you have as (2’1,7) and the reason will be apparent.

Comments are closed.