DT 29269 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 29269 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29269 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Mr K

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Hello, everyone.  I’m standing for BD while he’s busy running today’s Birthday Bash. 

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.  In the hints below indicators are italicized and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions.  Clicking on a picture will enlarge it or display a bonus illustration.

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.  Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.

 

Across

1a    Completely fill it at sea when stormy (7)
An anagram (when stormy) of IT AT SEA 

5a    Cool drink setter had in flat (7)
Link together cool or fashionable, a synonym of drink, and a contraction of “the setter had” seen from the perspective of the setter 

11a   Pancake containing a lot of fish sauce (7)
A type of Mexican pancake containing all but the last letter of (a lot of) a sea fish 

16a   Horse cooked in casserole wife chucked out (5)
A word meaning “cooked in casserole” has the genealogical abbreviation for wife deleted (chucked out

18a   Last on tap drunk following the birth (9)
An anagram (drunk) of LAST ON TAP 

21a   TV show about female with fine prospects (3,4)
A noun synonym of TV and a verb synonym of show sandwiching (about) the single letter for female 

27a   Stadium, large, accommodates second team (7)
A synonym of stadium contains (accommodates) the single letter for second and is followed by the clothing abbreviation for large 

28a   Foreign currency earners in old harbour towns? (7)
Stick together a short word meaning old or former and some harbour towns 

 

Down

1d    Mark caught rodent in school (7)
The cricket abbreviation for caught and a rodent are inserted together in an abbreviation for school 

2d    One opposed to other manual workers? (5)
A cryptic definition of a digit that stands out from the others 

6d    Be sensible before arriving in time (3,6)
A poetic word meaning “before” is inserted in (arriving in) a time of the year 

8d    Much disliked -- as lurgy! (7)
This adjective meaning much disliked often accompanies “lurgy” 

14d   Impressive winger’s successful long shot? (9)
A double definition.  The first is a bird with impressive wings, the second is a golf accomplishment that probably involved a successful long shot

18d   Soldiers look up for overhead protection (7)
Some usual soldiers are followed by the reversal (up, in a down clue) of an archaic interjection meaning look or behold 

20d   Stories about cat in French city (7)
Some untrue stories containing (about) a slang word for cat.  This French city is known for porcelain boxes, many of which appear to feature cats …

24d   Monarch has regret about Left and Right (5)
A synonym of regret is wrapped about the single letter for left and followed by the single letter for right 

 

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The Quick Crossword pun:  PLAGUE + ROUND = PLAYGROUND


47 comments on “DT 29269 (Hints)

  1. Very quick to complete (***) apart from a few in the NE corner on which I needed help. It was quite enjoyable (***). I liked 26a and 20d. Thank you to Mr K for the hints and to the setter.

  2. A bit uninspiring, I thought, but I can’t set crosswords, so any criticism of someone else who can set crosswords is unfair.
    Thanks Mr.K. and Mr.Ron.
    I hope everyone is having a good time at the do, the thought of having to go and referee the two most badly behaved football teams in the league makes me wish I was there!

  3. On my way to Little Venice.

    2*/3*. Light and pleasant with no particular favourite.

    Many thanks to the setter and Mr K for holding the fort.

  4. Swiftly done in ** time, with the NE holding out at the end just as Chriscross has mentioned. The many homonyms of 10a always catch me out.

    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  5. Wishing that I was with friends in Little Venice and sharing in the 9a’s to the bar – hope you all enjoy the day.
    Pleasant enough puzzle today but nothing outstanding. The successful long shot was probably my favourite.

    Thanks to our setter and to Mr K for manning the fort – someone had to keep the blog wheels turning and you, as always, brought us a selection of most enjoyable illustrations. I was rather taken with the French boxes and think we both know someone else who would be!

  6. 14d was top of my list of favourites this morning. Overall this was pleasantly diverting without being overly taxing.

    Thanks to our Saturday setter and to Mr K. Have an enjoyable time in Little Venice all those who can make it.

  7. A definite curate’s egg for me, completed at a gallop – 2.5*/2.5*.
    Candidates for favourite – 17a, 26a, 2d, and 4d – and the winner is 26a.
    Thanks to the setter and Mr K.
    For those at The Bridge House, have fun at BB11!

    1. Bit of Bishop’s bacon for us too, but barely at a rising trot. Thanks to Messers Ron & K for some wistful moments – and the opportunity to talk to Mrs T about golf!

      Gloomy day here in Boston, 42 F in old money.

      Mr T

  8. Enjoy the drink up – have one on me, I’ll be there next year. A straightforward puzzle 1.5/3.5. Thanks to Mr K and setter.
    Please post some pictures of the birthday bash.

  9. Most enjoyable challenge. Thank you, Setter and Mr K for your , as usual, excellent hints.

    I failed to get hold of Friday’s Telegraph and so did not manage to discover the pun in BOUND CHUNTER. Can someone please get me out of my misery? My best guess was Bounty Hunter but that requires some stretch of the imagination, never mind pronunciation.

    1. Stretch your imagination, Rod, you’ve got the right answer. Try saying the two words together – quickly!

  10. A very enjoyable prize today mainly because I finished without any hints or electronic help, which is rare for me. I often get close but rarely get the cigar. My favourites were 11a and 2d but there has to be an honourable mention for 8d which brought in Milligan, Sellers, Secombe et al. I also liked 14d for the simple reason I managed to get one in a game I used to play.

    I see the Goldfinches are out of nigella seeds so must go and see to that.

    Grateful thanks to the setter and to Mr. K for the hints. Enjoy the Birthday Bash!

    Shrewsbury Town are playing hosts to Liverpool tomorrow!

  11. Very enjoyable puzzle made even more delightful by 2d which raised a smile.
    Thx to all
    **/****

  12. Pleasant challenge today with 14d last in, may venture on a 9a to the local this afto!

    Thanks to the setter and fingers crossed for an Amazon voucher

  13. Needed Mr K’s hints for a few clues so many thanks for your help. 20d my favourite today with 21a a close second. Thank you to the setter for an enjoyable puzzle.

  14. Nice puzzle today but my paper is spoiled by a mistake in 18a which made a mess of the SE. It took my aged ex midwife mum to point out the error of my ways. 14d and 20d my faves today. Hope the birthday bash is going well. I will hopefully be there next time.

  15. Completed without too much head-scratching.
    Amused by the picture of the pasta-portion thingy for 16A. Neat!

  16. After yesterday’s uphill struggle I really enjoyed this puzzle, and required no help at all🎉
    2*/4* favs 14d &26ac
    Thanks to setter & MrK for review.

  17. This had an unfamiliar tone to it but I plodded through with the SW holding out the longest. Not keen on 8d. 9a and 4d raised a chuckle. Thank you Messrs. Ron and K.

  18. **/****. Very enjoyable with a couple of amusing/clever clues. My favourite was 14d closely followed by 26&27a. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.

  19. At last, a puzzle I can solve! Not only that, with no outside help at all, I didn’t open my iPad, not even the thesaurus! I even solved the quickie pun, a real red-letter day all round.
    My only question was 14d, but from Steve’s post at 10, I presume it was a golf clue.
    I liked 4d, clever that, 26a and 20d were also praiseworthy. A fun solve all round.
    Thanks to our Saturday setter and to Mr. K for the well-illustrated hints; translation: lots of cats.
    Watching “cute buns” in Australia, must be a match played last night – he’s just brilliant. Hope you’re enjoying the bash!

    1. I am saying no more for fear of the naughty step but the guy I was with talked about it for years!

      So did I for that matter.

  20. After two days of not especially enjoyable head-scratching, nice to have a crossword that was just challenging enough and an enjoyable solve. Thanks to Mr K and to the setter.

  21. Now back after the bash and completed fairly quickly. Had to scratch my head and needed the blog for 14d, but not into golf so didn’t see the connection. Fairly straightforward otherwise.

  22. Now that was a nice Saturday puzzle. Had to smile at 4d, so that gets my COTD. Thanks to the setter and Mr K, and hope everyone enjoyed the Birthday Bash. Wouldn’t you like to hold it one year in South Florida so that Merusa and I can attend? We have rather splendid weather at this time of year 😊

  23. Completed on train to the Birthday Bash this morning. Favourite was 2d. I enjoyed it. Also enjoyed the bash – meeting old friends and new

  24. A swift finish in a shade over ** time. 2d & 11a were the stand outs for me.
    Thanks to Mr K for standing in for the review & hoping all attendees at the birthday bash had a great time.

  25. Delightful romp today! Favourite 14d – thanks to Mr K and the setter for a very enjoyable (and sunny) morning!

  26. A different style today, which was pleasing, but it took a while to get into it. I started on the NW corner and worked my way anti-clockwise where I admit I had couple of hints,in the NE, thanks to Mr K. The answers seemed to jump out, call it inspiration! Once again never assume adjacent words are connected, eg 21a. Particular favourites 26 & 27a. Well done Mr Ron

  27. Delightful romp today! Favourite 14d – thanks to Mr K, and the setter for a very enjoyable (and sunny) morning’s solving!
    Glad the bash went well!

  28. Great puzzle today with loads of uncontrived and witty clues, e.g. 9a, 11a, 25a, 28a, 2d, 4d which I think are the best kind.

  29. I needed a bit of electronic help when I got stuck to get me going again but overall I found this was very enjoyable with lots of clever clues that made me smile.

  30. Tuesday! On Saturday I was returning home from Roger Scruton’s funeral, but even so…. How different we all are! I found this quite a struggle and not only used your invaluable hints but also electronic help and pure guesswork. But I had to get it finished. Maybe next Saturday will suit me better? Look forward to seeing some pix of the Birthday Bash.

  31. Just a quick note to say thanks to whoever puts these hints together. I only ever subject myself to the Telegraph on the last Saturday of each month for the bonus of the Brain Games pullout, and also have a crack at the Prize Crossword. Amazingly, and definitely with thanks to the hints and tips on this excellent site, I have won a fountain pen! Cheers!

  32. I managed to finish this without making the sorts of silly mistakes I was making yesterday. All good fun. Nothing too complicated. Many thanks to the setter and to Mr Kitty. The bluetits are furiously building their next, and George the duck has arrived back from wherever he goes for winter. His wife Mildred is yet to make an appearance.

    1. Oops. I have made a silly mistake. I’m in the wrong place. Still, nobody will have noticed, except possibly the select few.

  33. Finally finished this old one which had been lying around as unable to finish NE corner at time – not helped by putting 10a in 16a.

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