Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27480 (Hints)
Big Dave’s Crossword Club
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It’s prize crossword time again – this month’s puzzle was set by Gazza.
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 Not easy to trace printout (4,4)
An adjective meaning not easy followed by a verb meaning to trace
5a A waterway in another country (6)
The A from the clue followed by a waterway in Norfolk
12a Regular visitor needs a short time in shade (7)
The A from the clue and a short period of time inside a three-letter shade or colour
20a One provides accompaniment for fish first (7)
This musician is a charade of a type of fish and three letters that look like the numeric representation of first
25a Woman grabbing doctor’s instrument (7)
A woman’s name around one of the usual two-letter abbreviations for a doctor
27a Bar need rolling pins for idle pleasure (4,3,8)
An anagram (rolling) of BAR NEED followed by a set of nine pins
28a Twisted journalist faded away (6)
The usual journalist followed by a verb meaning faded away (prior to being transported by 1 down, perhaps!)
29a Caution shown by girl (8)
The kind of caution that a former Chancellor of the Exchequer claimed to be exercising, while in reality doing the opposite, is also a girl’s name
Down
1d Transport running late to the end of the line (6)
A cryptic definition of a vehicle used to transport the late to their final destination
3d Bird’s put on new hat for ceremony (5)
A bird followed by N(ew)
6d Basic essentials for a stripped-down figure? (4,5)
A cryptic definition of, perhaps, a skeleton
8d What chemists and faith healers do with drugs (8)
Chemists do this with the drugs that you need while faith healers attempt to get you to do without the kind that you don’t need!
14d Orderly needs craft and influence (9)
A craft that sails on the sea followed by a verb meaning to influence
17d Expected expert with small child to get left inside (8)
An expert followed by a small child with L(eft) inside
18d Parliamentarian Liberal and manufacturer going round centre of Delaware (8)
L(iberal) and a manufacturer around the middle (centre) two letters of DelAWare
21d One who may have had a prior engagement (5)
… to the groom!
26d Estimated speed that’s dangerous initially (5)
A speed followed by the initial letter of Dangerous
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The Quick crossword pun: {miss} + {shun} + {Aries} = {missionaries}
Not very difficult today but enjoyable ****** no help needed ,1d, 25,ac ,27ac good clues on now to sudoku ,code words etc
A pleasant puzzle, where the enjoyment grew on me as I progressed.
Many thanks to setter, and to BD.
I enjoyed it while it lasted!
I’m still not getting my daily hints posted and I keep having to sign in. Does anybody know whether the DT is still struggling?
No problems recently on the iPad thankfully .
Thanks Kfb. Does anybody else have this problem
I’ve had problems with the DT puzzle site for the last six months!
Including being told my subscription had lapsed a week after it had been paid. Got lost in the shambles at the beginning of the year apparently!
I have to sign in every time I use the site. They have at last got round to activating the auto-complete facility but it auto-completes the wrong password! I’ve complained twice (most recently yesterday) and they are — of course — very busy trying to solve the problem. Which I don’t believe for a minute. I suspect that any 15-year-old nerd could have sorted the puzzle website in about one-tenth of the time it’s taking them.
Password auto-complete is a probably a function of your own browser, not the Telegraph Puzzles site.
Thanks BD
Well I didn’t find it that easy today I must say!!!! Thanks for the hints Dave I needed a few of them…I was up really early today and intended doing this straight away only to find my printer out of ink …again!!!
No real favourite once again I’m afraid…at least I’m not annoying Kath these days :-)
How are you Mary?
Hi collywobs don’t ‘see’ much of each other these days, that is because you are so much better at these now and don’t need so much help
I am ok thanks and off next week to Gran Canaria for two weeks followed by a few days in Barmouth in our campervan so I won’t be around v much…hope you are keeping well?
Have a good holiday Mary and talk when you get back
Glad you’re doing well. We’ll miss you, but enjoy your holidays.
Thank you
Yes , OK **/*** but 9 d caused me a problem as I thought it to be a hidden word . Such a word exists but does not fit the clue . Eventually the penny dropped so my favourite clue .
2*/3*. Good fun for a lovely Saturday morning here in London.
Lots of enjoyable clues with 1d and 8d particularly good.
28a was my last one in because, without giving enough thought to the fact that the answer needed to be an adjective rather than an adverb, I initially put the wrong last letter for 17d.
Many thanks to the setter and to BD.
Yes, it was good fun, Rabbit Dave, and I’m late joining the party because I’ve been obliged to change my schedule for today and so the puzzle had had to take a back seat. As you’re probably aware, there’s been a lot of conjecture about the lowest score ever recorded after Wirral CC’s miserable performance last Saturday! I have a photocopy of a scoresheet from 1923 when Whaley Bridge’s Second XI bowled out Bugsworth’s Second XI for 1 – their number eleven was 1*…
It takes me back to my school days when in an inter-house match we were dismissed for 4. I was the star batsman with 2 (not out!) and our other 2 were byes. It took the oppostion two balls to win the match!
The Telegraph will certainly get plenty of entries for their Prize Crossword with this straightforward contest but at least we don’t now have to go to expense of mailing – twelve shillings and sixpence first-class these days! Toss-up between 1d and 28a for my fav however overall an all too brief interlude. **/***. Thanks setter and BD.
I thought it was a good crossword – 2* difficulty and 4* for enjoyment.
I was pretty stupid about several in the top right corner and 21d took ages – could only think about the prior being a monk – oh dear!
I needed the hint to explain the faith healer bit of 8d – more stupidity – oh dear, again.
Unless I’ve forgotten them, which is always possible, I haven’t met 15a or the 16d fruit before.
I liked 10 and 25a and 6 and, now that I understand it, 8d. My favourite was 1d.
With thanks to Mr Ron and BD.
No problems with this at all, and very enjoyable. 1D and 8D were favorites, with 9D close behind. thanks to the setter and to BD for the review.
Finished comfortably before lights out last night, no real problems but 12a was a bit of a head scratcher and the last one in. Favourites would be the two full width clues.
No problems with the Cryptic but can anyone help me on 10a/8d in the Quick? There seems to be a bit of a conflict or I’ve lost my marbles!
Please don’t ask for help on other puzzles here, as it can spoil that puzzle for anyone who has yet to solve it. Your problem is more likely to be with 1d which is (majority}.
Thanks Dave, I had gone for another “m” word which confused 10a.
I made the same mistake, which is how I knew what had gone wrong. Mrs BD has just fallen into the same trap.
Me too.
We did the same.
Thank you for, it was driving me bonkers, indeed had the wrong 1d.
Good puzzle for us today so **/****. We managed it without help from the hints, hurrah. Lovely day here on the east coast, if a little bit chilly, though the sun is getting quite a bit of heat in it. Thank you to the setter and to DT. Have a lovely bank holiday weekend everyone.
I have the same problem signing in and phoned. A very abrupt lady said the memory function is not working at the moment, she didn’t know what I was talking about when I asked about the Amazon voucher that never happened and just asked if I wanted to cancel my subscription if I wasn’t satisfied. Wow.
I havn’t had my Amazon voucher yet either. How can it take so long. I won’t give up because Mrs CW has spent it
Thought 21d a little naughty because, until you get the second checker, either half of the couple could be the answer.
Otherwise very enjoyable so thanks to setter and BD.
I’m stuck on 21d Pommers, can you help me
Don’t you read BD’s hints? Or look at the pictures?
No
… and please don’t ask for help from specific bloggers.
Why not?
Because next time your comment will be deleted.
That reply made me laugh, I think it is a pity you are lost to the teaching profession.
Not too much to comment on today and fairly tame challenge but enjoyable whilst watching my son play cricket for his school. Stupidly put another fruit for 16d initially so clearly was being a tad thick! Last in was 28a a favourite I am struggling to nominate. Thanks to The Setter.
On reflection 18d was easily my favourite today.
Thanks to Messers Ron and Dave for a fun tea and toast start to the day. Lovely spring morning here in the colonies, tulips are out, wisteria buds growing, it may be safe to the hibiscus out! 8d was an all time favorite (favourite) – our kind of humor (humour), 7 d was not since Mrs T answered while I was dreaming of the Ryder cup.
Mrs T is still stuck on 9d (LOI) and I am pretending to know the answer. Help please
Damn, she got it before you could help me and has that smug “you with all your degrees and me with 2 CSEs and a swimming diploma” look in her eyes.
Where in the colonies are you T
Boston mass. You?
Thank you setter, a pleasant Saturday puzzle allowing time for other activities. Another lovely day in Suffolk – but apparently all that is to end soon. Thanks BD for your hints.
I really enjoyed that . Favourite 18d with 9d a close second. Thanks to setter.
Usual Saturday puzzle, really enjoyable. Thanks for the picture of 25a, totally different from what I thought it was. Favourite is 1d with honourable mention to 27a and 9d. Thanks to setter and to BD for review.
Not taxing but great fun especially after yesterday’s horror!
Last in was 12a, could see the answer but needed the hint to explain the wordplay.
Thx to all
Agree – not too stiff but a pleasant solve. About 2*/4*, and 12a probably the pick of the clues. My thanks to the setter, and to BD for the hints (albeit not needed).
Loved it – first one in ages I’ve completed without having to lurk in here!
There are other ways of getting your comments moderated, but changing your alias certainly works.
I’m afraid I don’t understand that comment. Have I missed something important?
In your earlier comments you used an alias somewhat similar to your email address.
Lol – you’ve got a VERY good memory.
It’s not the memory – it’s a good facility for searching previous comments, including by email address. You would be surprised to know how many people forget their earlier alias, so I usually check.
Aaah! It’s been so long since I posted I forgot how. I do look in every week though so if you track your viewing figures then there must be a few more lurkers like me.
Over 4,000 so far today! You’re in good company.
So what about declaring an “open day” for lurkers – could be along the lines of “why not come and introduce yourself, especially if you’ve sneaked in for a quick hint and then disappeared again?”
Really enjoyed today’s.
9d has me totally baffled. I am assuming that what is required is a “dish” but the only one that I know that fits my checking letters is ***** and not ************! (I hope none of the above contravenes any of the blog’s rules). Can anyone help?
You did give a bit too much away – you have the correct dish – split your answer 1, 2, 2 and then look at the clue again.
Thank you, Sue, sorry that I had to be edited! Got it now, thanks to your help, but I find the clue and the answer VERY obscure…yet I see others who commented on 9d just loved it! I fell into the compiler’s trap, I’m afraid, and treated “South American” as being a single concept, oh well, one lives and learns!
Fine puzzle, thanks to all.
Still stuck on 9D – help needed please.
Look at comment #1 and the responses to it above.
I love the Saturday crossword … Very good for beginners! Managed half before needing hints and still a couple that baffle me. Rate 5* For pleasure!! Thank you setter as I was starting to lose hope with cryptic puzzles xxx
9d still a baffle me too ronnie, despite the hints!! But not sure I got 12a right! 20a is a complete baffled?!