Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27594 (Hints)
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Don’t forget to enter the September 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.
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”. Where the hint describes a construct a “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.
Some hints follow.
Across
1a Exuberant actors recoiled in false show of emotion (9,5)
An anagram (exuberant) of ACTORS RECOILED
10a Criticise Mary who cooks on TV, receiving small sound of disapproval (9)
A three-letter verb meaning to criticise followed by the surname of the Mary who cooks on TV with the first word around (receiving) S(mall)
11a Policeman getting tip off on Her Majesty — a work for the Met? (5)
Start with a three-letter colloquial word for a policeman, drop (off) the initial letter (tip), add Her Majesty’s regnal cipher and the A from the clue – The Met is in New York, not London!
13a Advertising European TV with channel already selected? (6)
A two-letter abbreviation for the business of advertising followed by E(uropean) and another name for the TV
17a & 18a Toast in base tent, foolishly — take precautions! (6,4,3,7)
A drinking toast (4,3,5) inside an anagram (foolishly) of BASE TENT
26a ‘Railway Children’ author endlessly recalled playwright (5)
Start with the surname of the author of The Railway Children, drop the final letter (endlessly) and then reverse (recalled) what remains
27a It’s a grand sight in Venice and in France to this artist (9)
A grand site in Venice followed by the French for “and” and TO
28a Dirty tricks investing thousand in finance company (6,8)
Insert (investing) the metric symbol for a thousand into a general name for a finance company
Down
2d Sticky stuff keeps son in check (5)
Insert S(on) into a check or restraint
3d Picasso, for instance, succeeded in old measure (6)
S(ucceeded) inside an old measure which was the length of the arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, variously 18 to 22 inches
4d Bowler’s tally in local contest (5,5)
An American term for a bowler hat followed by a verb meaning to tally or correspond
8d Reporter at Olympics, perhaps, could make last sprint go with it (8,6)
This report of this device can be heard at any athletics event, including the Olympics – it’s an anagram (could make) of LAST SPRINT GO with IT
14d Soldiers taking German gentleman in old military vehicles (5,5)
These soldiers are more familiar in crosswords in their abbreviated form – insert the four-letter title afforded to a German gentleman into O(ld) and some military vehicles
19d Want expert to limit cattle disease heading north (7)
A three-letter word for an expert around (to limit) a cattle disease and the symbol for a heading of North
24d Place fortune on American sports car (5)
Place a fortune or large amount on the two-letter abbreviation for American
Especially for pommers!
25d Second taxi to refuse to come out (4)
S(econd) followed by a taxi gives a verb meaning to refuse to come out on strike
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The Quick crossword pun: goal+deny=GoldenEye
Very enjoyable, not too difficult but with some excellent clues such as 17a and 28a.
Thx to all
My friend had a 24d in the 70s and Clarksons remark of xxxx of trouble usually serious was very apt.
You’d put part of the solution in your comment so…..
Everyone should be careful what they say or BD will remember he’s forgotten to add the dratted irritating red box of instructions.
Shhhhhhhhh
Too late!
Enjoyable and straightforward crossword. Thanks to BD and setter 1.5*/3*
Ooh, feel a lawsuit coming on with your pic for 1a! Nice and quick crossie this morning, Leaves time for visiting open heritage sites today. */***. Thanks to all.
I wouldn’t disagree with any of the previous comments because, having seen the solution to 1a straight away, everything else seemed to fall into place very quickly and, as you can probably guess, 27a didn’t present any problems either…
2*/3*. This provided a very enjoyable but not too taxing return to crossword solving after my holiday. I just needed BD’s hint to understand what the answer to 11a had to do with the Met.
Many thanks to Mr Ron and to BD.
A very enjoyable and not too taxing offering today. Some very good clues. I particularly liked 27A my rating is 1.5/3 thanks to Big Dave for the review.
I thought this was fairly straightforward apart from a couple of clues.
I needed the hint to understand why my 17&18a was right – used up all my fingers, then used toes as well and nothing seemed to work to make it an anagram. Oh dear!
I had to google the Railway Children author – couldn’t remember who it was.
The first word of 4d was obvious but I’ve never heard of the answer and can’t find it anywhere. I didn’t know 6d either.
13a and 8d were my last two answers.
I liked 12 and 20a and 7 and 16d. My favourite was 28a.
With thanks to the setter and to BD.
Going to clear up some leaves now and then on to NTSPP – I like Hieroglyph crosswords.
Yup, straightforward for me too, I liked 17/18a. Good puzzle. Now if only the toughies were as friendly! Struggled with that yesterday and dealt my self confidence a big blow!
1*/4*
I agree, 1 and 4 for me too. All over far too quickly. I also was convinced to try the Toughie yesterday as I love Ray T’s. Managed about half a dozen before brain-boil set in – and the toughie regulars thought it was easy! Back-to-earth-with-a-bump moment.
So, with plenty of time left in the day, if Kath says the ntspp is worth a go, that’s good enough for me.
I love Ray T’s too but I certainly didn’t find yesterday’s Toughie easy.
About the NTSPP – have now looked at it and rather wish I hadn’t already used up all my fingers and toes . . .
Today’s NTSPP – a waste of ink!
My computer has been telling me for months that the ink level is very low … but it keeps on working.
Wot! No “Big Red Box” warning us that it’s a Prize Puzzle?
I knew I’d forgotten something!
There’s a bit of me wishing I’d never mentioned it …. but then Stan had to point it out too.
Oh dear!!
No – it isn’t – but it’s bloody difficult! Well, I thought so anyway – fine if you know the big long chappie . . . I didn’t.
As I think one of the bloggers remarked recently, it’s always nice to start with a long anagram across the top for lots of checking letters. Enjoyable Saturday puzzle, not too testing, although 17/18a and 8d both took a while for the pennies to drop so 1.5*/3* for me.
Thanks to the setter and to BD for the blog. I take it you don’t agree with the verdict in SA then?!
Well! What a gentle week of crosswords! This one was as people say fairly straight forward. No real stand out clues but most enjoyable. Thanks to setter and BD for the hints.
Goodness, gracious me! No comments on Americanisms yet?
I loved this, great puzzle and hard to choose a fave, but I think 17/18a is a real standout with 28a as close runner up.
Thanks to setter and BD for review.
What was American?
The hat, the Met …
Oh, so they were! 0/10 for observation for me today.
Agree, can’t stand the answer for 9d.
Done on the rugby touch-line and not a great deal of note although I did like 11a which was clever. Otherwise fairly tame and again the easiest challenge of the week for me. 1* and 2*. The mighty West Brom losing….I fear a long season again. Thanks are extended to The Setter and to
BD of course.
Tarnation – if only I’d got the right sort of reporter at the outset it would have made 11a and 20a far easier! Had to check on the author of The Railway Children to confirm answer for 26a and heartily agree with Kath’s comment re: running out of fingers and toes to justify 17/18a!
OK – on to yesterday’s Toughie now.
If you’ve run out of fingers and toes don’t even think about looking at the NTSPP!
Oh lord – now you KNOW that I’m just going to have to take a peek!
How did I guess? Precisely what I meant to happen – I love Hieroglyph crosswords, specially his alphabet ones which we don’t get very often.
Good evening Kath! What is NTSPP? Enjoyed today’s puzzle. **/**** for me. Many thanks to the setter and to Big Dave for the review.
Framboise, have you found the NTSPP yet?
It’s easy to find but difficult to solve!
The NTSPP – N(ot) T(he) S(aturday) P(rize) P(uzzle) is an extra crossword sorted out by BD et al. They vary in difficulty depending quite a bit on who has set them – you can find it in the column on the right hand side.
I found yesterday’s difficult (mainly because I couldn’t do a very long anagram which was a quotation I didn’t know.)
Any help on 23a and 21d would be appreciated. Not sure where to start with them.
Sorted 21d, makes 23a even harder as I now have most of the letters.
23a Definition is unnerves. Insert (restrained by) an abbreviated lieutenant into a verb meaning judges.
21d Hot is an informal expression for the solution. A scarf put on the ‘top’ of Neck.
Don’t forget that the lieutenant is “retired” as well as restrained…
*/***. Enjoyable solve and thanks to BD for the review. Another beautiful day and ideal for kayaking down the Nickomekl River. Bliss.
Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave for the hints. A very enjoyable puzzle, but a bit on the gentle side. Favourite was 14d. Last in was 12a. Some very nice clues. Was 2*/3* for me.
Thank you setter – great fun. Solved sitting in the sunshine in Grantown – where there is WiFi in the hotel capable of providing a connection ! We have never had weather like this in Scotland before. Perhaps a new initiative in the referendum campaign. Thanks BD for providing the hints as usual.
At least you refrained from mentioning the eagles today! Not a ‘birdy’ clue will go by without me thinking of you!
Hi Jane – no more eagles ! The purpose of this trip is to find crested tit. Our third attempt ! This time we have enlisted some help !
Good luck – just don’t brag about it too much if you find them!
Good crossword. Best were 10a and 14d.
Not difficult at all, despite DT rating of 3***. I admit I guessed many from the checkers.No hints needed, thank heavens.17a and 18a was a pure guess.Thanks to all concerned.
Still enjoying an Indian summer here.
A very jolly, but untesting, puzzle – 1*/4* is about right. I liked 17a and 14d. Thanks to the setter, whoever it was, and to Big Dave for the hints.
For some reason I got off to a slow start with this but then sailed through when I came back to it several hours later so can now go to bed with a feeling of achievement but probably wont sleep. I often make the mistake of crosswording immediately before retiring – not a good idea. Liked 7d . Can’t believe I needed BD to parse 17/18a for me. Thanks setter and BD. ***/***.
I finished late last night too with the last one (3d) going in just as MoTD finished. Unlike many others I found it a touch more difficult than usual. Enjoyed it though with 17/18a my fave. Struggled a bit at first pass but it gradually came together at the second attempt and I seemed to complete all the outside clues first and then gradually fill in the middle from the bottom up. Thanks to the setter and to BD for the hints which weren’t needed, but are always fun to check and to read the comments.
I have a question if someone can help: I have finally signed up to the online puzzles having been buying the paper version and scanning and emailing. As this is a prize puzzle, can I presume that by pressing the submit button it also gets entered for the prize (as there is no confirmation email, which there is when submitting manually)?
In the paper, it says that if you don’t want to post the crossword, you can enter by email by scanning your filled-in solution and coupon (the bit with the name address and email address) and emailing to prizepuzzles@telegraph.co.uk with DT27594 in the subject field.
I never enter and am not sure what you do if you solve online.
Thanks Sue,
Yes – that’s what I used to do when I bought the paper. Unfortunately if you choose to print the crossword from the online version it doesn’t include the name, address and email section so I can’t fill that in and scan and email. I’ll try the FAQs etc.