Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27468 (Hints)
Big Dave’s Crossword Club
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Today is your last chance to enter the April Prize Puzzle – can you solve the mystery?
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.
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.
Some hints follow:
Across
1a Desperate GP caught guzzling wine (7)
The title accorded to a General Practitioner and C(aught) around an Italian sparling wine
10a A seaman reported sudden violent attack (7)
… an attack with a battery perhaps!
11a Position from where Reds go for goals? (4,4)
This area on the football pitch is also describes reds or socialists
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ARVE Error: need id and provider
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12a Instrument finally played in fancy grooves (6)
Mary should find this one easy as she plays one of these! – a musical instrument followed by the final letter of playeD
13a Handful pointed out it’s justified (10)
The Roman numeral for the number in a handful followed by a verb meaning pointed out
16a Frolicked in games that must have died out (9)
A term that describes games in general inside (must have … out) DIED
22a At ball about two hours before midnight — in this? (10)
AT and a ball or formal social gathering around the time that is two hours before midnight
25a One’s to be given run round in case (8)
I (one) and the S from ‘S inside a verb meaning to run at an easy gallop
29a Head makes gentle retreat (7)
This verb meaning to head or go before is derived from the musical notation for gentle followed by a verb meaning to retreat or go back
Down
2d Very determined, so worked out again (8)
Split as (2-6) this could mean worked out, a crossword clue for example, again
3d Shocked the beginning came first! (8)
The beginning followed by a three-letter verb meaning came first
4d One will notice twisting dives becoming imprudent (3-7)
I (one), the abbreviated form of will that follows an apostrophe, a two-letter notice and an anagram (twisting) of DIVES
7d Contemplate not having time to be a go-between (7)
Drop one of the T(imes)s from a verb meaning to contemplate
11d Laird left a knight with state of depression (9)
L(eft) followed by the A from the clue, the chess notation for a knight and a depressed state
17d Marked / in a playful way? (8)
Two nuances of this adjective – marked or impressive and in the style of a play
19d Sneering mars tours round half of castle (7)
An anagram (tours) of MARS around the first half of CAS(tle)
26d Sound return from City house (4)
The usual postcode for the City of London followed by HO(use)
The Crossword Club is now open. Feel free to leave comments.
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As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out!
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The Quick crossword pun: {sail} + {law} + {vee} = {c’est la vie}
Thank you setter, enjoyable puzzle and just right for allowing time to do other things ! Thanks BD for your hints, have a good weekend everyone !
Fairly straight forward romp with no problems, which seemed a tad easy for a prize puzzle. Many thanks to the setter and our leader for the review.Just off to look at a traction engine being shown at my local watering hole.
Pretty much read and write.
Look forward to the Book Tokens.
Thanks DT.
Thanks to the setter.
Thanks BD
I havn’t had my book tokens yet either. It must be at least 4 months since they were promised. Is anyone else waiting?
I was joking – are you as well, collywobbles?
I think cw may be talking about the Amazon voucher that ‘complainers’ about the puzzles site were offered in compensation for the site being down for so long.
I am well Hrothgar, thanks, and CS is right, the tokens were offered months ago and twice since they have promised delivery. They are not even tokens, they are a code to use with Amazon. The DT do employ some useless people. I wonder if the Barclay brothers know about
Thanks, I meant being this Saturday’s prize winner
I too complained but wasn’t offered tokens, instead got two months refund.
Seemed incredible the site was down for so long.
Perhaps, in hindsight, I should have written to the Barclay Twins directly on their little Channel Island.
I thought this was straightforward – the exact opposite of last Saturday’s beastie.
17 and 18d would have been much easier if I hadn’t tried to fit the answer for each into the other’s place. No-one but myself to blame for that.
Very enjoyable puzzle and, as Sweet William has already said, leaves time to do other things – like the NTSPP perhaps but visitors arriving soon.
I liked 13a and 4 and 6d. My favourite by a long way was 1a – made me laugh.
With thanks to the setter and BD.
Yes , OK today . Had to look up 16a in dictionary though .
I know the taking part is more important than the winning but I have never won any crossword prize despite many years of submissing .
2*/3* for a very enjoyable puzzle which was a steady but not tough solve for me today. I found the SE corner slightly harder than the rest.
21a was my favourite. I was going to comment that it was short and sweet, but I’d better just say it was short as sweet is not really appropriate.
Many thanks to Mr Ron and to BD.
Welcome back Mary. It’s nice to hear from you again.
I’m wondering if you will be sent to the naughty corner on account of one of the words in your final sentence?
Thanks RD…Oops I didn’t think but it is totally innocent and not appertaining to any clue reference, so perhaps I will escape???? Awful to be sent to naughty corner on my first day back for a while!!!
Welcome back Mary, we missed you. Hope that you are well
Hi Mary – glad you’re back and hope that you’ve had fun wherever you’ve been to – you certainly picked a good time to be away – lots of lovely sun.
Can’t see that you’ll be sent to the naughty corner for that, especially as you only had one favourite.
Hi Kath, we stayed on a site on the Kennet and Avon canal in Devizes, beautiful, did some cycling and walking, fell off bike three times, luckily not into canal, turns out Chris had ridden my bike and not readjusted the seat for me…men!! I have some beautiful bruises all over but luckily that’s it!!!
Welcome back! You were missed.
Thanks everyone
Straightfoward until the SE corner, and I was slow to solve these last few clues. Embarassed to admit that I just couldn’t see 27A for ages.No favorites today. Thanks to the setter and to BD.
You were not the only one … that was my last one in as well.
It’s nearly my last one in. Can anyone help?
Lovely crossword today, definitely on my wavelength. SE corner was the hardest bit, but we managed to finish with the minimum of assistance. Thank you setter and BD.
It’s good to see you back, Mary. I agree with Sweet Wiliam’s comments and I reciprocate your good wishes for the weekend, Sir. This was a pleasantly straightforward puzzle and I managed to get my jobs out of the way before watching Spurs v Fulham on BT Sport. For Dave’s benefit, Spurs took the lead through Paulinho and then allowed Sidwell to grab an equaliser within two minutes of the re-start.
Thanks Cara, the big football question is…Will we do it?????
If we beat Norwich tomorrow…
…Equally if Chelsea lose all their remaining games!!
I don’t understand all the footy stuff but I like the pig.
That pig didn’t fly so well yesterday Dave!!!! lol
What a difference a week makes! This isn’t a whinge… no, honestly… but I’d sort of got the impression that the Saturday Prize Puzzle was meant to be of a certain consistency and standard… that is with a selection of the straightforward and a few tricky ones. This was a **/**** for me, so different from last week’s. ** because a few went in without me really knowing why (thanks BD) and 16a was a new word for me (thanks BRB). 11a made me chuckle even though I’m sure I’ve seen it before. Thoroughly enjoyable though, thanks to the setter and for BD’s review.
As an aside, I visited West Malvern on Thursday to see the grave, tomb, final resting place, shrine (sorry!) of Peter Mark Roget of Thesaurus fame. As many of you will know, he adored West Malvern and was on holiday there when he died during a heatwave on 12th September 1869 aged 90. I always knew it was there but almost thought that it might turn out to be a myth or would be very disappointing. It’s neither. It’s a lovely setting and clearly a well visited grave. Oddly, the tombstone is set on a north/south alignment at right angles to the other graves.
Have a good Easter everyone.
Well … Thoroughly enjoyed the initial whizz through, but found the rest quite hard and more obtuse than needed to be!! On the whole Saturdays crossword is much more enjoyable than the week day ones because the easier clues help with the harder ones!! I find the range of clues more interesting. Vote today as **** for enjoyment and **** for difficulty.
Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave for the hints. A nice puzzle, but quite straightforward, no major problems. Was 2*/3* for me. Favourite was 1a. Enjoying the sun in Central London this afternoon.
This was no piece of cake for me but very enjoyable and a huge change from last week. I think it’s me being slow today as there were no really obscure clues. Fave 22a. Thanks to setter and BD for review. Buckets of rain last night, hopefully our rainy season is starting.
This has been a nightmare for me can,t get 27&29 ac or 7& 18 d
Welcome to the blog A G Brown.
BD has given hints for 29a and 7d.
18d Woolly ran if colour’s outside the visible spectrum (8)
An anagram (woolly) of RAN IF followed by a primary colour.
27a Newspaper article‘s distinctive characteristic (7)
Double definition – a) a type of newspaper article on a specific topic and b) a distinctive characteristic of a person or thing.
I’m out of practice and only about 75% through. SE corner is the most empty. I shall persevere. I also like the pig and don’t get football references.
Try not to use B D and don,t usually have to but thanks for your help Gazza
A reasonably gentle but nonetheless satisfying puzzle, for which my thanks to the setter. 11d was my pick of the clues, and 27a my last in. Thank you BD for the hints as well.
Not all of the hints were gentle (such as 25a) , in my opinion, but got there in the end without hints .My favourite was 11a.Thanks setter and BD.
newbie here – compared to last week I found this fair, challenging but above all enjoyable. Thought 17 very clever, worked out 11 down but have only now realised significance of chess notation, and similarly with 29 and musical notation. Perhaps setters could declare their conventions elsewhere on the page to help tyros like me!
Welcome to the blog Rob
I’m afraid it’s all part of the learning process, but at least by coming here you should learn more quickly.
I am a newbie, and find BD’s clues very helpful. This week i am stuck on 9a, can anyone give me a clue?
Welcome to the blog elizabeth.
9a I knew art in a way that could pull the wool over you (8)
It’s an anagram, indicated by ‘in a way’, of I KNEW ART.
Thank you Gazza, got it now! Only one left now, so rather pleased with myself. I’m learning a lot from Big Dave’s hints..he’s become a household name here!
Can anybody help with 18d?
See my reply at #15 above.
Many thanks Gazza
Can anybody help with 27a?
Gazza has given a hint for 27a a bit further up the page – it was one of my last ones too – isn’t it funny how so many of us have had trouble with what isn’t really a very difficult clue.
Could I have some help with eight down please I have the second,fourth, and sixth letters.The print is a bit smudged but looks like Essay many thanks Terry
8d Essay about old play (7)
A verb to essay or attempt goes round another word for old.
Thank you gazza, I had the second half of eleven across wrong Terry
Finally finished. Thank you setter and BD. Tough (for me) yet enjoyable. Many clues/answers made me smile. It’s good to finish my first Saturday Telegraph crossword in over a year. Hoping to keep it up now.
Carrie
Glad to say that after a few months of trying this is my first completed! So from a very biased viewpoint would have to say 5* for enjoyment. Not sure whether all the practice is finally paying off or this is an easy one so will omit the difficulty rating.