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DT 29084 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29084 (Hints)

The 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

1a    Vegetables well displayed by village centres (6,6)
A well followed by what is found at the centre of many villages – as we live in the centre of our village, ours is just outside our front gate

9a    Takes out ads — first is one in French (7)
Some ads are preceded by (first) the French for one

12a    Gut feeling that’s displaced in teaching (7)
Start with a gut feeling and drop (that’s displaced) the IN

13a    Things one’s carrying came across from the East (5)
I (one) and the S from ‘S around the reversal (from the East in an across clue) of a verb meaning came across

19a    Was promoted, perhaps, by southern and northern counties, symbolically (5)
A four-letter verb meaning was promoted is followed by S(outhern)

21a    Darkly romantic start of book by this writer breaking into corny frolicking (7)
The initial letter (start) of B[ook] followed by the first person singular pronoun (this writer) inside an anagram (frolicking) of CORNY

24a    Frown, seeing the compiler’s clothed in elegance (7)
The abbreviated form of “the compiler’s / the compiler is” inside (clothed) a word meaning elegance

26a    Did deliberate swindle with blueprint to get diamonds (12)
A swindle is followed by an eight-letter blueprint and D(iamonds)

Down

1d    Second jingle breaks into the old jabber? (7)
S(econd) followed by a verb meaning to jingle or clang inside (breaks into) the two-letter old form of “the” gives something that jabs (I bet I’m not the only one who wasted time on jabber as a verb!)

3d    Uncommercial person that’s not forward-looking, we hear? (3-6)
Sounds like (we hear) this is not a person who is forward-looking / predicts the future

4d    Wasted visit, frequently — husband should be ditched for good (5)
The key to this clue is 1) to separate the definition from the wordplay and 2) to realise that you need to replace (should be ditched) the H(usband) at the start of a verb meaning to visit frequently with a G(ood)

6d    Support or scoff about man that bends spoons? (7)
A verb meaning to scoff or eat around the first name of a man who, believe it or not, became famous for his ability to bend spoons

7d    It’s held by the stopper that pulls out in the morning (9,3)
A cryptic definition of an item used by a guest who stops for one night and then leaves in the morning

15d    Drill tries to break through concrete (9)
A verb meaning tries in a court of law inside an adjective meaning concrete or tangible

17d    Arcade I entered south of Calais, maybe needing company (7)
The I from the clue under (south of) a town with a harbour, of which Calais is an example (maybe) and above CO(mpany)

22d    Press gives coverage to European elite (5)
A verb meaning to press or crush around (gives coverage to) E(uropean)

The Crossword Club is now open.


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The Quick Crossword pun: misses+hippie=Mississippi


32 comments on “DT 29084 (Hints)

  1. After 1a went in straightaway (don’t you love it when that happens) all proceeded fairly quickly clockwise. Delayed a little by a couple in NW and needed all the checkers for 7d.

    Loved 16a, 19a, 23a, 3d and 7d. The winner has to be 19a.

    Overall I’d say 2.5*/4*.

    Thanks to setter and BD.

  2. Apart from the fact that I didn’t notice for ages that I’d inadvertently hit a wrong key for a down clue which gave me a big problem with the corresponding across one, I sailed through this and really enjoyed it. Loved the penny drop moment in 7d. Many thanks to BD and the setter.

  3. 3*/3*. It took me a little while to get onto the right wavelength and even then parts of the LHS took a bit of teasing out. Some of the clues were a bit wordy for my taste and a few surfaces were a bit convoluted but overall this was an enjoyable experience.

    23a was my favourite.

    Thanks to the setter and to BD.

  4. Slow start but speeded up and got there in an OK time with 7D my choice of COTD .

    Lots to enjoy and appreciate .

    Thanks to everyone .

  5. Like some others, I had a very slow start, but suddenly hit a good streak and filled in everything but the NW corner quickly. The NW took a bit longer and edged it just into *** for difficulty. All in all it was a very enjoyable (****) puzzle so thank you to the setter. Favourites were 1a, 21a, 1d and 7d. Thanks for the blog, although I didn’t need any hints today.

  6. Quite tough that needed a modicum of electronic help to get started but satisfying to complete.
    Did like 1d and 10d but my fav was 7d which is both clever and requires some lateral thinking, not normally my strong suit!
    Thx to all
    ***/****

  7. Reading the previous comments has been reassuring because, as the years advance, one begins to wonder about the onset of senility… I had a very pedestrian start and was on the point of switching to the GK crossword when things started to fall into place – thankfully. I do wish the setter would refrain from using the 18d modus operandi because it irritates me like hell!

    1. Surely the rekrul is one of the naughtiest but most charming bits of a fun puzzle?
      Otherwise it’s like an egg without salt or chips without vinegar …

      1. While I have no objection to the concept in 18d, the surface reading is so dreadful that I don’t think even a Rookie Corner contributor would use it.

    2. The use of the non-word “rekrul” irritates me like hell.

      However, I have no problem with setters using this device.

      1. Point taken. I don’t like it much, but I’ve seen quite a few people on here using it so I thought it the convention ….

          1. Well it is only on reading the comments that I realised 18d was one such clue. I had worked out a very convoluted parsing for my answer. Will I never learn! Overall I found this a tricky one but struggled through in fits and starts and got there in the end.
            Thanks to all.

  8. A bit of a head scratcher that was not a lot of fun completed at a fast canter – ***/**.

    However, I did like 9a, 16a, and 23a, and I think 23a comes out on top.

    Thanks to the setter and BD.

  9. Almost the opposite experience to Wahoo – the first part of 1a eluded me for some time resulting in 1d and 2d being the last to go in. A good challenge over two cups of coffee and most enjoyable. With thanks to setter and BD.

  10. I’m with RD. It took a surface read-through before the first clue went in and once I was on the compiler’s wavelength I found it a pleasant challenge. Favourite clue: 16a. Thanks to all the usual suspects. Enjoy the lovely weather

  11. A bit uninspiring but I got there thanks to a couple of nudges in the NE and also to parse 1d. 25a really is becoming a chestnut. Not sure about “was promoted” in 19a. When the penny dropped 7d became Fav. Thank you Mysteron and BD.

  12. Despite getting 1a immediately, 1d and 2d were my last in, like Zofbak.
    I loved the juxtaposition of little angels in 10d and little devils in 19d! From experience, one does not preclude the other.
    Lots of very clever clues, especially 7d and 23a, and I agree with Bluebird, you can’t beat a good rekrul.
    Thanks to setter and BD.

  13. Argh! 1d took me far too long to solve. And I could kick myself when I finally did. The rest, although not immediate, fell into place with a little perseverance. 1d has to be favourite because… well, because.
    Thanks to the setter, and to BD for the hints.

  14. Workmanlike steady solve with bursts of enjoyment but not too much! Many of the clues requiring unwinding with the odd change of wavelength needed to fill the grid.
    3*/3*
    Liked the long clues & 14ac.
    Thanks to setter & BD for review
    As a note I really liked the Quick puzzle

  15. Pootled through the bottom half without too much difficulty, but needed a hint or two in the NW to help me across the line. Nothing leaps out as COTD but a pleasant diversion nonetheless.
    Thanks to BD and setter.

  16. South presented no problems for me, then the NE slowly went in, but the NW thoroughly addled my poor brain. Finally I needed the hint to solve 1d.
    I liked 19a, but 21a was fave, followed by 7d. I should give 14a special mention as I love them.
    Thanks to our Saturday setter and to BD for his hints.

  17. ***/***. Took me a while to get on the setters wavelength but once in gear made reasonable progress but stalled in the NW corner for far too long despite 1a going in at first read through. 7d was my favourite when the lights went on. Thanks to all.

  18. A solid *** for difficulty for me.
    Some excellent constructions eg 1d.
    Many thanks to the setter and to BD for the review.

  19. What a lot of irritation about today! It is just a crossword! And let’s be so thankful that someone produces them for us every day. I cannot grow 14a even though everyone says it is easy and I’m wondering if Zafbak is a reklur and his name is really Kabfaz. Just a thought.

    1. Oh come on, that’s like saying football is only a game! See the great Bill Shankly.

  20. First day back from vacation, where I clearly must have killed off some more brain cells with French wine, as I found it tough going in places. Lots of Brits on the boat this time, so much fun in catching up with news and views from home. Favourite clue today was 11a, and agree don’t care for 18d at all.

  21. Ah, feels good. I needed this one after yesterday’s punishing vocabulary builder. Similar to what others have mentioned, 1d was my last one in, and it might also be my favorite. I also appreciated the hilarious surface readings throughout the whole puzzle, particularly 16a, 23a, 25a, 26a, and 4d. Thanks to the setter!

  22. A very satisfying solve. Lots of clever clues and far too many circled to mention. If I have to pick one I’ll go for 7d. Last one in was 13a and I’m glad I went through the alphabet as I nearly put another word in. Pleased with myself when I got 1d and 21a. Because of a particular letter they are not words that readily spring to mind even with the checking letters. I think I’ll award 2nd place to 21d. Thanks setter and BD. Hints not needed but good to check

  23. I first had a look at the blog yesterday morning, having worked out only 3 of the answers and making no progress. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, l left it till now when using BD’s hints I managed to complete…thank you sir.
    I noticed that very few had contributed so does this tell the story that it was very clumsily put together – very difficult indeed.How do you do it BD? Keep it up!

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