DT 28162 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 28162 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28162 (Hints)

Big Dave’s Saturday Crossword Club

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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.

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 as “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

7a    Left home to be nursed by sibling (8)
Our usual two-letter word for home inside a sibling – the alternative meaning of this answer reflects how the Romans were suspicious of left-handed people!

9a    Short in bar groggily put away (6)
An anagram (groggily) of BAR followed by an anagram (away) of PUT

12a    Bureaucrat on line about round fruit (8,6)
A government bureaucrat, like Sir Humphrey Appleby, and a line or brand of products around the round letter

  ARVE Error: need id and provider

15a    Cost of polish, not good (4)
A word meaning polish or sheen without (not) its initial G(ood)

17a    Hot rock mass shown in colour supplement article (5)
Put M(ass) inside the three-letter abbreviated form of a newspaper colour supplement and the indefinite article

20a    Knowing someone else’s mind, even if plodding? (7-7)
Split as (6,8) this could be a word meaning even if followed by one meaning plodding

25a    Batting order for cricket? (6)
Split as (2,4) this could mean batting or at the crease in the game of cricket and an order or faction but actually cricket here is an example (indicated by the question mark) of a six-legged creature

28a    Do nicely for so long (8)
Split as (4,4) this could mean to do nicely – unsurprisingly as that is the very derivation of the word

Down

1d    Row it over English river (4)
The reversal (over in a down clue) of IT followed by E(nglish) and R(iver)

2d    Watched rival, United? (6)
A verb meaning to rival followed by one meaning united by marriage

4d    Run-down saloon, say, may cause bishop exasperation (6)
A saloon could be an example (say) of this run-down vehicle – B(ishop) is followed by a word meaning exasperation or annoyance

5d    Anagram remarkably cold drink (8)
I loved this anagram (remarkably) of ANAGRAM which is followed by C(old) to get an alcoholic drink

6d    In disarray, riding team losing (6,4)
Our usual two-letter word meaning riding or on horseback followed by a team and an word meaning losing

13d    You can see me in John o’ Groats, and in Land’s End, but not in between! (10)
A clever observation that both ends of Great Britain contain the same punctuation mark

16d / 27a    Reasonable opportunity of succeeding person catching criminal (8,6)
An anagram (criminal) of PERSON CATCHING

22d    Deny any connection with row involving broadcast (6)
A row or loud noise around (involving) a verb meaning to broadcast or scatter seeds

26d    Ring clubs, the lot (4)
C(lubs) followed by the lot or eveything

The Crossword Club is now open.


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The Quick Crossword pun: Suffolk+eight=suffocate


41 comments on “DT 28162 (Hints)

  1. An enjoyable but not too difficult Saturday puzzle. Liked 13 and 24d. Have a good weekend all.

  2. Struggled a bit with the NE corner but otherwise fairly straightforward. Favourite was 11a. Thanks to setter and BD.

  3. Maybe it’s me but I found this a lot stiffer than normal for a Saturday puzzle, but enjoyable all the same.Thanks to the setter & to BD for much needed guidance.

  4. 2.5*/3*. I found three quarters of this enjoyable puzzle straightforward, but got held up in the SE corner which pushed me over my 2* time. Most of the surface readings were pleasingly smooth.

    I particularly liked 11a, 25a, 28a & 13d.

    Many thanks to Mr Ron and to BD.

  5. For me, this was one of he best Saturday puzzles in a long time because I found so much humor in the clues. 9A, 11A, 6D and 8D were my top picks. Thanks to the setter and BD.

  6. It’s always a good start for those of us who complete the grid in the paper because it was on the back page. I thought that this was a most enjoyable puzzle – I was fortunate that I sidestepped the compiler’s misdirection and saw the answer to 1a straightaway – and I particularly liked 13d and 20a – the latter because the explanation of ‘even if plodding’ only became apparent when the answer was written in.

  7. Plenty of fun and lots to admire from the Mysteron this damp Saturday morning. Difficult to pick a top podium spot from such a collection of goodies, but I’ll go for 13 down. For me it was the NW corner that held me up, but only momentarily.

    2*/4* from me, with thanks to all concerned.

  8. Quite a struggle for me, I’m afraid…..and sorry, but I didn’t like the style.
    Probably because I am a beginner.
    Did like 5d though.
    Needed most of the hints, which normally I do not on a Saturday so many thanks to Big Dave.

  9. A most enjoyable puzzle, only slightly held up by 5d trying to justify *********.
    I really enjoyed Sir Humphrey at 12a above – apparently some things never change, it must be in our psyche.

  10. I’m with Graham and Ora Meringue on this (& I’ve been doing crosswords for years!) I was completely thrown by 13d because I was on the wrong track entirely….and could have kicked myself when I read the hint….I teach English after all! Many thanks BD. It’s true to say that I couldn’t have done it without you today🙂

  11. Very enjoyable particularly as I found this trickier than usual for a Saturday. Favourites were 20a and 13d. Thanks to the setter and BD for the hints.

  12. I was completely stuck for absolutely ages on 23a and 22d. Really don’t know why. Perhaps lack of concentration at the start of the ladies tennis final. I really liked 12a and 5 and 13d. Thank you setter and BD

  13. Phew, I’m with Graham, Ora Merinque and Sarah on this one, found very tough going. Only got one clue on first pass and just a struggle for all the rest. Think I’d rather get on with the ironing…🙁

  14. It must just be a wavelength thing, but I found this rather gentle. That said, I enjoyed it a lot, so on balance 1*/4*. I had little ticks against quite a few contenders for favourite clue honours, with the accolade going to 11a. Thanks to the setter and Big Dave.

  15. I found this tricky but, oh, so entertaining, loved it and sorry it’s over.
    I missed the anagram at 16d and struggled to parse it; I must have the attention span of a gnat, how could I forget that meaning of “criminal”?
    Soooo many excellent clues, how clever was 13d? And 24d, and 8d, and 5d – you get what I’m saying! Fave was 17a, just because I love saying it.
    Thanks to setter and to BD for the hints.

  16. We really enjoyed today’s Mysteron before the tennis. There were a great variety of clues and lots to ponder over. 2.5*/4* from us.

  17. Very enjoyable and nothing really to frighten the horses.

    I hate Tennis so I’ve been relegated to the garden whilst the female section of my family have been glued to the ‘plinky plonk’ game – thank god for the Euro Final tonight and some proper sport.

    More gardening tomorrow I’m afraid!

    :phew:

      1. Oh hell, how could I get that wrong, I’ve been looking forward to it all day!

        Ah well, I’ll just have to go and try to drink my own weight in Green King IPA – that’ll help to ease my aching back!

        :good:

    1. Tennis can hardly be described as a “plinky plonk” game these days with the speed of shots achieved particularly by the professionals.

  18. I thought this was a very good crossword with some great clues. Especially for a Saturday! 4 and 6d, 11 and 20a were all good… but BoK (because of Kath) I’ll go with 6d as favourite. 3/4* overall.
    Thanks to Mr Ron and to BD for the hints.

  19. Opinions on this seem quite mixed but I thought it was fairly gentle. I got a little stuck in the NE corner but one answer led to another to another without too much hassle.
    Thanks to setter and BD.

  20. About par for a Saturday in terms of difficulty, but always enjoyable. Came badly unstuck at the end on 13d, which I’ve seen done before, but which trips me up every time, and 23ac which was evidently something ****, but until the bitter end I couldn’t work out what.

  21. I found the SW corner quite tricky and was misled by criminal in 16/23 not suspecting the anagram -thanks BD for the hint…also found 15a a drag -ditto.
    I liked 1a -clever – wrote that straight in. 5d entertaining as BD -anagram anagram!
    Thx to setter not opinionated either! Nice one!

  22. I thoroughly enjoyed this even though I did need considerable assistance which is perhaps hardly surprising as concentration was somewhat hampered by all that tennis (and more to come tomorrow – yippee!). Too many super clues making it impossible to select Favs. Big thanks to Mysteron and BD. ****/****.

    1. Sorry I realise I made mistake in email address. Pity I have to fill it in every time these days.

  23. I found this tricky and needed several hints, mainly due to a busy day looking after an 18 month old!!
    Thanks BD for the hints and Mr Ron.
    13d was very clever and my favourite.

  24. Stiffest for Saturday I thought. 13d seemed to wake me up. Nice mixture of clues. I liked 8 & 13d. Thanks BD though managed today.

  25. Thanks BD for the first time I needed some hints for a Saturday puzzle 😩 With your help it all quickly fell into place 😊 ***/*** I agree with hoofit 13d was really clever and so was 20a

  26. Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave for the hints. I found this very tricky, had 25a wrong, so that stopped me getting 22d. Also needed the hints for 9,28a & 6d. Last in was 19a. Favourite was 17a. Was 3*/2* for me.

  27. Heigh ho. Thwarted again by ignorance of one of your ‘usual two-letter words’ . (6d). Can’t be that usual as it’s not in ‘The Usual Suspects!’

  28. 10a – no one seems to have mentioned this one. I think I have the answer but can’t see why it fits !! Somebody please help. Thanks

    1. When you have rerad this then perhaps you will see why I didn’t think it needed a hint.

      10a Shortened Darren’s odds ahead of victory (4,2)
      The odd letters of D[a]R[r]E[n] are followed by (ahead of) a victory

  29. Good puzzle. Thanks setter. Thanks Dave for the explanation of 22d. Got it but did not know why. Only other help needed was a synonym for choke after which I completed the NE corner which had been my stumbling block. 6d and 9a were my last in. Think I have 23a right but there could be more games that fit. The topical one does not fit the clue so I have put in the only other one I know. Not a lot of bloggers – could mean an overindulge in Tennis, or general lethargy.

  30. Enjoyed the crossword as it’s considerably more challenging than another paper based on a fast train. 13 dn was one I latched onto immediately. I was quite amused trying to explain it as like a riddle to my brother, especially when the penny didn’t drop for ages. Thanks to BD pointing my brain in the right direction enabling me to complete it.

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