Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2782 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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Have a go at this month’s Prize Puzzle – it’s a lot of fun!
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a number of the more difficult clues and provide hints 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 Gripping quality of story as unusual western is shown (14)
An anagram (unusual) of WESTERN IS SHOWN
10a Radius sorted out — and altered circular construction (7)
R(adius) followed by an anagram (sorted) of OUT and an anagram (altered) of AND
11a For Chelsea or Villa, it’s a goal (3)
… where is the A in ChelseA or VillA?
12a Badly handled account of salesman in minutes I classified (11)
This verb meaning badly handled an account or story is derived by putting a three-letter salesman inside M(inutes), I and a verb meaning classified or arranged
19a Scoundrel in no difficulty, shielded by fellow criminal, ultimately (6)
A word meaning no difficulty or effortlessness inside the final letters (ultimately) of two words in the clue
22a Provide food and support for future monarch, perhaps (11)
A charade of a verb meaning to provide food and a support gives a future monarch butterfly!
24a Excel in speed, not in power? Excellent (7)
A word meaning not in followed by P(ower) and an adjective meaning excellent
27a The hopeless MP I upset is diabolical character (14)
An anagram (upset) of THE HOPELESS MP I
Down
1d New university explicit about player making a pile (7,7)
A charade of N(ew), U(niversity) an adjective meaning explicit, a two-letter word meaning about and a theatrical player
6d What separates court opponents is clear (3)
Two definitions – what separates opponents on the tennis court and clear of all deductions
8d VIP in Rome is rude, in a way, giving major directions (8,6)
A VIP in the Vatican followed by a verb meaning makes a gesture that is often interpreted as being rude
13d Old and active bishop organised church that stands for peace (5,6)
A charade of O)ld), an adjective meaning active, B(ishop), a three-letter verb meaning organised and CH(urch)
18d Name being incomplete on article from France (7)
This verb meaning to name comes from a being or existence without its final letter (incomplete) followed by the French definite article
20d Understood poorly about male workplace that can produce deal (7)
A three-letter verb meaning understood or got and an adjective meaning poorly around M(ale)
25d It’s used for flooring, since hard (3)
A two-letter word meaning since followed by H(ard)
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Super Sunday Solve, thank you VIrgilius. My top favourite (of many) is 11a.
Thanks to BD too.
Ditto!
2*/4*
And me (but then you knew that already RD!)
I have to own up to a certain amount of electronic help to get me started i.e. 1a and also 27a – I knew the answer but could not spell it. From then on I soldiered on. Have no idea how long it took but I felt seriously happy when I had put the last one in. Thank you to BD and Virgilius for making my Sunday morning a treat. Off to deal with lunch now. I hate to mention it but I printed the Prize Crossword off and am going down hill rapidly.
Thanks Virgilius for a pleasant Sunday assignment and BD to whom I just managed not to have to turn. 6d misled nicely with the court. ***/***.
Thanks to Virgilius and to Big Dave for the hints. A terrific puzzle, quite on the gentle side. Favourite was 11a. Last in was 19a. Had a penny drop moment with 22a, great fun. Was 2 */4* for me.
Thanks BD, CrypticSue and Hilary.
Here early today because my wife and i are in Prague for a conference that just ended.
Wonderful city.
Wonderful city! Nice beer! Nice crossword! Děkuji – Thank you!
A reasonable easy ride today with some long anagrams. Thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle – 1*/4* for me.
Very enjoyable today, finished without resort to hints (but with a bit of electronic help). Lovely day here in Scarborough with a hint of spring in the air. Thank you to the Sunday setter and to BD.
Virgilius scores again. Lovely puzzle. Not that taxing but great fun. 22A, 8D and18D were my favorites, today. Many thanks to V. and to Big Dave.
Thoroughly enjoyable, well constructed clues, a few anagrams and no obscurities (Giovanni please note!).
My favourite was certainly 22a, a real smile clue.
Thx to the setter and for the hints (not needed today for a change)
Agreed re 22a Brian, lovely clue
I wish to thank, once again Big dave for supplying me with todays puzzle , having been driven half mad by World Pay. What is wrong with them that they can’t put in use a user friendly system ?
Great puzzle as we have come to expect from Virgilius,favoutite 6d.
Hi Una, your comment yesterday prompted me to update my details too. The Worldpay website didn’t tecognise me but I found the right link via my DT log in. I don’t know if that helps.
What a great crossword that was.
Lots of lovely clues and didn’t need any electronic help whatsoever. Even the anagrams were smoothly solved without wasting any ink.
Favourite is definitely 22a although 1d and 8d are not trailing far behind.
Could do with a Not The Sunday Prize Crossword. There are so many closet setters lurking.
Thanks to Virgilius and to BD for the hints.
could do with a pointer your puzzle from Bridge House Jean-Luc. . 3d I have l?e ?n just cannot see it..
This may be appearing in Rookie Corner! Is it OK to send your email address to J-L?
of course BD.
You weren’t to know!
straightforward and pleasant ego-booster. i liked 11a, though this was definitely one of those clues where the wordplay clicked after the definition
D’oh I too have only just parsed obvious solution to 11a!
Splendid puzzle. Not difficult but well constructed. Thanks to the setter and BD for the unneeded review.
The usual Virgilius superb offering. I found it pretty easy until I got to the SE corner, just could not see 19a or 20d, then was nearly blinded by the flash of light when I saw it!
The anagrams nearly wrote themselves.
Fave I think is 8d, but so many good ones, 11a was masterful, I really could have named any.
Thanks to Virgilius and to BD for the review, not least for explaining 11a, was that clever or what?
Thank you Virgilius for another enjoyable puzzle. Thanks BD for the hints. Another lovely day in Bamburgh – but not a good day sea watching !
A very enjoyable, but relatively untaxing puzzle – just the job. 1*/4* by my reckoning. Some very nice clues, of which my favourite was 8d. Many thanks to Virgilius, and to BD.
A very enjoyable puzzle as per the above comments. Thanks to Virgilius and BD **/****
Great puzzle from Virgilius from beginning to end. Many nice clues but 22a takes the biscuit – befitting for this hungry creature. Many thanks to the setter and toBD for the hints. 2*/4*.
Very enjoyable puzzle today even if it took us quite some time to finish it. How on earth we struggled over 1a, when the anagram was obvious, I just don’t know! We finished late because it was such a beautiful winter day in London that we spent the best part of it on Hampstead Heath with our dog, Badger. Thanks to Virgilius and Big Dave of course. We won’t be submitting the puzzle as it looks as though the dog has been chewing the newspaper…..
Virgilius does his usual great job yet again – thank you for another excellent puzzle. Afraid I found it quite hard so 4*/ 4* for me and I’m afraid the ‘me’ includes my electronic helper. My favourite was 22a but there were lots to choose from today. Thanks also to BD.
Really enjoyed this with the two three letter answers being my favourite clues. ***/*** where did the weekend go?
Puff puff, nearly caught up at last! Thanks Virgilius for yet another smashing crossword. 22a was my favourite.
And thanks BD for your hints.
Now onto Monday……