ST 2806 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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ST 2806 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2806 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Big Dave

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As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, a number of the more difficult clues 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    A couple of hacks with expedition (4-4)
A hack or cut followed by the same word

10a    Benefit from Asian drink? Doesn’t sound like it (4)
Two definitions – a benefit or advantage and an Asian alcoholic drink which is spelt the same but pronounced differently (doesn’t sound like it), making it a homonym

11a    Without doctor, don’t arrest poorly protester (12)
An anagram (poorly) of DON’T ARREST around (without) one of the usual two-letter abbreviations for a doctor

13a    Where to serve meal and pill before surgery (5,3)
A six-letter word for a pill followed by an abbreviated word for some surgery

15a    Revolt about a negative parliamentary procedure (6)
A verb meaning to revolt around the A from the clue

20a    Indulged as child, getting upset about nothing (6)
A verb meaning upset a liquid around O (nothing)

21a    Came about a page by author being restricted by hard editor (8)
The A from the clue, P(age) and a verb meaning to author or write inside H(ard) and ED(itor)

27a    Place rook, say, in corner, maybe (3,5)
A verb meaning to place followed by what a rook is an example of (say) on the chessboard gives a pre-planned action on the football pitch, like (maybe) a corner

28a    Awful eyestrain, dispelling a feeling of calmness (8)
An anagram (awful) of EYESTR[A]IN without (dispelling) the A

Down

2d    Held a map out that shows way forward for driver (8)
An anagram (out) of HELD A MAP gives something that shows way forward for a car driver at night

3d    Liking horoscope about Leo, omitting nothing (12)
A horoscope or forecast around LE[O] without (omitting) the O (nothing)

7d    Measure of speed, in the main? Not from what we hear (4)
This measure of speed at sea (in the main) sounds like (from what we hear) not

8d    Justice in drama critic’s moderate review (4,4)
This could be a moderate review of a stage production given by a drama critic

12d    Fear, perhaps, in one that’s disturbed (12)
A brilliantly concealed anagram (that’s disturbed) of PERHAPS IN ONE

16d    Quality of piece of cake or pie found in some areas, in essence (8)
The quality of something that is described as a piece of cake or part of a metaphor “as **** as pie” is, wait for it Kath, hidden (found in some) in the clue

22d    Caller of tune having inserted line for musician (6)
The person who gives money to the piper calls the tune – insert L(ine) to get this musician, quite possibly said piper!

25d    Oddly deficient strikers in no-win situations (4)
Unlike a few weeks ago, our setter has remembered to insert the word “deficient” to indicate that it is the even, not odd, letters of [s]T[r]I[k]E[r]S that give these no-win situations


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Today it’s Happy Birthday to Mick Jagger (72)
Image result for Mick Jagger Mick Jagger ARVE Error: need id and provider

 

25 comments on “ST 2806 (Hints)

  1. i liked this very much. The last few took a bit longer to parse, with the clever 22D the last one to fall. That’s also my favorite. Thanks to Virgilius and to Big Dave for the review.

  2. A very enjoyable solve with most answers coming fairly easily. Some very witty clues and cleverly hidden anagrams. Liked 13a, 15a and 20a.

    Finished a puzzle for once!, 2*/4*, thanks to setter and BG.

  3. A pleasant way to spend the time on a wet Sunday morning. A few doh moments and a couple of chuckles. 2/3 I think with thanks to our setter and BD for review. Watching the GP from Hungary as today is a write off weather wise.

  4. These Sunday puzzles seem to be getting easier. Very enjoyable with the usual well crafted clues. Thought 16d particularly good. Also liked 1 and 23. **/***
    Thanks to Virgilius and BD.

  5. Yes, not so challenging today as some days, I would say, but the usual high crosswording craft of Virgilius. Thoroughly enjoyed this one although a little on the easy side.

    1*/4* for me.

    Usual thanks to all.

  6. I thoroughly enjoyed today’s offering, it seemed slightly more accessible than some other Sundays.It is hard to pick out just one favourite, so I am opting for 10a, 8d and 17d and 27a as clues which made me smile.http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_good.gif

  7. Usual high standard Sunday puzzle but i definitely found it easier than usual. Thanks to BD and virgilius */****

  8. Thank you BD for rescuing me from slough of despond. After NTSSP yesterday thought I would be heading for cupboard under stairs but your help with 16d allowed me to finish. Thanks also to Vigilius for some lovely clues, 3d made me smile just because I love the sound of the word and 17a is what the OH calls me sometimes.http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/smiley-phew.gif

  9. Nice to hear the positive comments today. Pleased that I could finish it without electronic help. I had two options for 1a, but then realised what it should be, and it was my last one in. For some, I guess it may have been their first.23a was first in for me, and probably favourite. I did have another option, having studied geography for a while Holland, but as its a Sunday, I will have to keep that to myself. All in all, an enjoyable solve, so thanks to Virgilus and to BD. 1*/4* for me.

  10. 16d made for a quick solve which also provided some entertainment. 23a seems to crop up regularly these days. Liked 22a. Can’t believe I didn’t parse 13a. Thanks Virgilius and BD. **/**. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/icon_neutral.gif

  11. A nice way to spend a wet morning – I thought it was fairly gentle for a Sunday.
    10a took me forever and was my last answer.
    I spent quite a while trying to make 13a an anagram but getting 4d scuppered that idea.
    Didn’t understand the corner bit of 27a – should have realised that it was ‘footbally’ – and if it wasn’t ‘footbally’ then it would probably have been cricket or rugby.
    I did, eventually, find the 16d hidden answer but not very quickly – was about to use a different word there . . .
    I liked 1 and 20a and 8d. I think my favourite was 14d – simple but brilliant.
    With thanks to Virgilius and to BD.
    Please could someone remind me what month we’re in? It’s pouring with rain – I’m not moaning about that as the gardens really need it but it’s 12C in Oxford. Very silly.

  12. I just love clues like 1a. Always bring a smile and put you in the mood for the rest of the crossword.
    Guessed the answer to 27a from the parsing as I wasn’t aware of the term.
    15a favourite for its surface.
    Could do with a bit of fresh air from Oxford. It’s been over 30C day and night for the last month.
    Mind you, King Salman Ben Abdelaziz Al Saoud just arrived in Golfe Juan with over 500 followers for a month stay. They probably think it’s freezing here.
    Wanted also to congratulate Spindrift for winning the Tour de France à la Voile. Our own spindrift should be very proud to share his name with these excellent sportsmen.
    Thanks to Virgilius and to BD for the hints.

  13. Great puzzle, as per the norm from Virgilius, but I agree it was easier than we expect for Sunday.
    Loved 1a, and it always feels good to get the first clue straight off, and 17a was a smiler. Fave was 4d, but many other good clues.
    Thanks to Virgilius and to BD for the review and explaining 27a.

  14. 2*/4* for yet another wonderful Sunday puzzle, which brightened up a miserable morning here in London.

    10a was my last one in because I couldn’t spell the Asian drink correctly until I checked it on Google. 14d is my sort of clue – short and sweet, but the typically Virgilian 16d was my favourite today.

    Many thanks to Virgilius and to BD.

  15. Not difficult, but – as always with this setter – a real pleasure to solve: 1*/4.5*. 23a was my longtime favourite, but was pipped at the post by 17d. Many thanks to Virgilius, and to BD for the hints.

  16. A Brilliant piece of Sunday joy that we have come to expect from Virgilius. !a was probably my favourite, though I had also ticked 9a, 13a, 16a, 2d, 3d, 5d, 17d, 19d, 22d and 25d.

    23a wasn’t quite the answer I was hoping for…

    Many thanks Virgilius and BD for review.

  17. Thanks to Virgilius and to Big Dave for the hints. A very enjoyable puzzle as usual from Virgilius. I found this very difficult. Needed the hints for 20&27a&16d. I’m still stuck on 17d, any help would be much appreciated, but don’t end up in Naughty Corner on my account. Favourite was 4d. Was 3*/3* for me.

    1. 17d Like toast, typically, bachelor pronounced (8)
      The abbreviation for bachelor followed by a verb meaning pronounced.

  18. Another great puzzle from Virgilius which was possibly on the gentle side but just what the doctor ordered on this damp Sunday.

    So thanks to him and to BD for the hints.

  19. Not hugely difficult or perhaps I was just on the setters wavelength today but whatever I thoroughly enjoyed it.
    Thx to all.

  20. Virgilius in a benign mood obviously! Still a pleasure to complete I have to say.
    6d floated my boat and 2/3* over-all.
    Thanks to Virgilius and to BD for the hints.

  21. I never do the Sunday puzzles as I can never find them in the papers scattered around the office, and I wouldn’t buy the Sunday Telegraph without a gun to my throat or a knife to my head. Or both. However, just popped in to say that, in place of anything else, I’ve just completed a Kcit Toughie from January 29 which I found under a pile of old Waterways World magazines. I’d give that 3*/3*. But main reason for this is just to say hello. Hello, or Hallo, as Enid Blyton inexplicably used to say.

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