DT 29838 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 29838 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29838 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

A very straightforward pangram for our Saturday Prize Puzzle this week so I’m not entirely sure which clues to hint. Let me know if you need hints for the ones I’ve omitted

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    Bureaucrat, one who numbers runners? (4,7)
An informal term for an official which sounds like they might number a particular vegetable, an example of which is a runner

16a    I name worker accepting poisonous inebriant (10)
I (from the clue, the abbreviation for name and one of crosswordland’s workers accepting a synonym for poisonous

22a    Greeting old country, it’s to do with mountains (8)
An informal greeting and an old country

26a    How overenthusiastic stretcher case was transported? (7,4)
A cryptic definition of how someone might be overenthusiastic or indeed how a stretcher case was transported

Down

1d    Male went first prepared for action (7)
A male animal and a simple way of saying ‘went first’

9d    Those over there accepting blame after main treatment of disease (4,7)
I’d not heard of this x-ray treatment but a plural pronoun meaning those over there into which is inserted (accepting) some blame goes after a synonym for the high seas (main)

17d    Practical skill of detective Nicholas shortly going round hospital (7)
An abbreviated detective, a shortened version of Nicholas ‘going round’ the abbreviation for hospital

23d    Specialised food shop, one third of it (4)
The abbreviated way of referring to this specialised food shop is one third of its full name

Could new readers please read the Welcome post and the FAQ before posting comments or asking questions about the site.

As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out!

Please read these instructions carefully – they are not subject to debate or discussion. Offending comments may be redacted or, in extreme cases, deleted. In all cases the administrator’s decision is final.

If you don’t understand, or don’t wish to comply with, the conventions for commenting on weekend prize puzzles then save yourself (and me) a lot of trouble and don’t leave a comment.


The Quick Crossword pun: ANTIC + WEIGHTED = ANTIQUATED

106 comments on “DT 29838 (Hints)

    1. You are not the first person to mention this today. It is on the Telegraph Puzzles site and, of course, in the paper. I presume you are looking at the i-Pad version?

          1. Nothing in my online paper on android.
            Bought dead tree version.
            As a subscriber for many years not really good enough DT.

      1. Wasn’t on mine either but I deleted the edition and downloaded it again and it appeared miraculously – though it wasn’t as miraculous as my being able to work out how to delete it and re-download it

    2. Unfortunately I’m having the same problem with the iPad version. I have emailed them but they are taking their time to deal with the problem.

      Strange how one’s whole routine can be unsettled by it.

    3. Me too – iPad. Also emailed. Standard “We’ll get back to you.”.
      (Maybe they’ve installed a new software ‘improvement’?!)

    4. Me too on my iPad. The first time that this has happened. I’d still take the online subscription offer over getting a hard copy from a newsagents though

    5. Perhaps they fixed before I got to this. I am five hours behind most of you, and sometimes that is an advantage. Fine on my iPad today,

  1. I must be one of the lucky ones as I solved this as usual on my iPad via the Telegraph Edition App. And good fun it was too, with very little to hold me up. It seemed unusual to have a pangram on a Saturday, but it certainly helped the solving process once I was put on pangram alert early on. 1a went in straight away and was my favourite.

    My thanks to our setter and CS.

    1. I deleted the app, then installed what I thought was the DT app and got something different from the usual. And this one has news but no puzzles of any sort.

  2. One of those pangrams where when you realise you may have a pangram you have very few if any missing letters.
    That was my experience anyway.
    17d I thought was a Brand Name but a trip to BRB sorted me out, and 19d was bunged in and parsed after the event.
    6d – One for Kath :)
    I thought 3d had a cricketty element but I was misnaming one of the Bedser twins.
    7d 16a tied on my podium.
    Nice sunny morning here and I expect similar Where Steve C is – I hope he doesn’t spend too long on this while Hudson wants to get out and explore the moors.
    thanks to CS and setter

  3. 1.5*/2*. I thought this pangram was a bit of a curate’s egg with hmms for 11a, 3d & 23d and a couple of what I think are Americanisms (Collins agrees but the BRB doesn’t).

    1a was my favourite.

    Thanks to the setter and to stand-in Sue.

    P.S. Being an inveterate paper solver, it didn’t affect me, but I just received an alert saying this cryptic is now available online.

  4. Not on the iPad and the crossword site is dreadful. You have to enter every letter twice..
    However you can print it from the puzzle site and do it the old fashioned way which I did.
    The top is straightforward but the bottom half is quite challenging.
    I did like 1a which was my COTD nomination.
    Thx to the setter and to CS for the hints but minus lots to the DT.
    **/***

    1. There a “fix” to avoid entering each letter twice on iPad:

      Settings … General … Keyboard … Turn OFF Auto-Capitalisation.

    1. Now sorted. Having advised the reboot of the app to many on this site before I failed to advise myself to do the same. Ain’t life grand when yer daft?

    1. Thank you, I’ve printed it off and completed, it made a nice change to go back to pen and paper. Thanks also to setter.

  5. I use the dead tree version, so I can’t help. I enjoyed this puzzle (2*/4*). There were some original clues, which made me smile and it was a mixed bag, with some more effective than others. I liked 22a and 26a , which are joint COTD’s. Thanks to CS for stepping into the breach again with the hints and to the compiler. As is often the case, I missed the pangram completely!

    i

  6. I haven’t had an issue with the puzzle site on my ipad. Luckily. No particular difficulties with this one although 22a doesn’t look quite right without it’s final letter. Favourite 1a. Thanks to all.

  7. I did have a few ‘well I suppose so’ moments with this one but my answers all slot together so presumably they’re as intended.
    Top two here were 1a & 7d.

    Thanks to our setter and to CS for yet more overtime – lucky for us that you’ve retired from the day job!

  8. Fun whilst it lasted. Pangram helped with 14a and 12d which were my last ones in. I’m with Rabbit Dave when it comes to hmms. Thanks to CS and today’s setter.

  9. Body-wracked by a gastric disorder, my brain became energised and I just sailed through this very enjoyable pangram, which of once I actually identified early on. I especially liked 26a and 22a, which (as they did for Chriscross) finished in a dead heat for CsOTD, as well as 8a and 12d. 3d is rarely heard in these parts, but I did remember the term from my UK days. Thanks again to CS for taking charge and to today’s setter for the entertainment. ** / ****

    The Rittenhouse jury just gave far-right vigilantism another approving nod over here. A total mockery of justice.

    1. Make that ‘for once’…sorry about that. Yes, Trumpism is alive and well in, of all places, the once-liberal Wisconsin.

    2. I think that now makes it legal for 14-year-olds to run around wild with AK-47s, pot-shotting at whatever they like. I struggle with their reasoning.

  10. I did not find this as straightforward as some, but got there in the end. Got 7a and 9d from the checkers but had to confirm in the BRB. Missed the panoramic doh! 1d made me smile, so overall an enjoyable crossword.

    Thanks to crypticsue and to the setter.

  11. For once I spotted the pangram. Why I should spot this one and not others is a mystery. I’m sorry to hear of the problems folk have had with the app. I get the dead tree version so was able to tackle the puzzle over the wonderful full English supplied by the pub. The puzzle was very enjoyable and I had quite a number of ticks against clues but my COTD is 3D because I know a few. 😁

    Grateful thanks to the setter for the fun and also to CS for the hints.

    Beautiful sunshine here in Yorkshire.

  12. Telegraph puzzle app available on my android tablet and managed to solve it in record time during a break for coffee. Very enjoyable with no moans. Thanks to setter and Crypticsue.

  13. Like RD, I thought this was a curate’s egg (for the second day in a row) but I had Hmms for 1d and 17d; however, they are in the BRB so a Hmm for Chambers as well – ***/**.

    Naturally, I missed the pangram. Not even the first letter of 12d prompted a thought in that direction.

    Probable favourite – 25a.

    Thanks to the setter and CS, I presume that Tilsit was ‘sidelined’ by the DT’s c*ck-up.

  14. Last one in 19d but liked it once I got it. Not quite a quickie for me but most went in smoothly. I did doubt myself on some eg singular 22a, 11a, 21a, 2d. I think they are right as all seem to fit the squares! Favourites 1, 22 and 26a and 7, 9 and 19d. Thanks setter and Sue.

  15. Slow start but fast finish and enjoyable. The pangram eventually revealed itself but I didn’t notice until the very end. 1a was my favourite. Thanks to the setter and CS for the hints.

  16. An enjoyable pangram that would & ought to have been a speedy solve but for my inability to think of the first word in 9d or see 11a. The pennies did drop but only after an embarrassingly long time. 1a my favourite with 12d&16a joining it on the podium.
    Thanks to the setter & CS

  17. Unusually I quickly spotted the pangram which helped me when trying to find a J and W and so on. I have never come across 17d before but it must be. Thanks to the setter and CS for stepping in again. Jolly cold here, George going off with the lads to someone’s house to watch rugby on Sky or something which leaves me a free afternoon to Sprout in peace then a quiz in the community hall tonight. Living the Life. Notice I have practically done a pangram comment! Have a good weekend everyone.

  18. We had an apology from the Telegraph before 9 this morning, with instructions to download the iPad edition again. Perhaps those who were not informed have not got notifications turned on in the app?

  19. Identical sort of experience to Huntsman – overall took far too long to see what should have been straightforward. Done in well into *** time, even dozed off once.
    1a my COTD.
    Thanks to setter and super-sub CS.

  20. 26a took me longer than it should because I’m not that sure about 20d. I must be right but it doesn’t seem to answer the clue.
    Of course it was a pangram but I always forget to look for them unless I really get stuck.
    Thank you CS. It’s beginning to look as if you now have a regular Saturday morning slot.p!

  21. I don’t know whether not having the puzzle at my usual morning solving time made me a bit grumpy or being a bit tired after work slowed me down but this didn’t do a huge amount for me. I had the same experience as Jane @10. In summary, good in parts, 1&26a plus 7d standing out for me.
    Thanks to setter and CS.
    2.5/2.5*

  22. Try again – perhaps I didn’t press Post Comment. North was hitchless but South required more application. Hmm to 1d without up, 22a without a final n, 2d and 17d. Liked 1a, 26a and 3d. Don’t think of 20ds as handles? Thank you Cephas and CS.

  23. Very much enjoyed. A quick start and a slow finish here. Several of the answers jumped of the page at me, i.e. 1a, 8a, 10a, 26a and 7d, but then a few held me up for a while. Last in was 12d, with COTD definitely 26a. Thanks to Cephas and CrypticSue. Was AWOL yesterday so I still have Friday’s puzzle to tackle.

  24. I do enjoy escaping the woes of the world in this politics-free (well, almost!) zone. Took me a while to get into gear with this puzzle but once the penny dropped for 1a everything else steadily fell into place. As usual it didn’t dawn on me that it was a pangram till I’d finished! Many thanks to Cephas for a lovely crossword and to CS.

  25. Youch. Took us forever, we nearly gave up. When finally finished we couldn’t see why we’d found it quite that difficult.

  26. Started this early but was interrupted, so finished it later in the morning. Started out as being ** but the SE held me up for a while so ended up as 3*/3*. 20a was not a word or fruit I knew.
    Favourites include 1a, 16a, 26a & 3d with my favourite being 3d
    Thought it may have been a pangram as soon as I solved 2d early on so was on the look out and that helped very much with 16a and 12d

    Thanks to Cephas and to CS for the hints.

  27. Thanks to Cephas for the crossword and thanks also to CS for the hints – not that easily for me anyway.

    1. Just popped in before bedtime – what a lovely surprise to see you, Kath. Good to see that you’re making headway however difficult it may seem at times.

    2. Kath
      Lovely that you popped in again.
      I should have said in my post that I thought of you with 6d. I am sure every contributor did too.
      Another milestone completing an SPP. Not that it means much but I struggled to a grip on this one too.
      Keep the good news coming.

  28. After the struggle over the last couple of days, this was hugely enjoyable for me, translation: I was able to solve it. I knew what 12d started with, natch it’s a pangram, but needed e-help to get it, my only help. There was lots to like, fave has to be 1a for the grin worthiness, and 6d thinking of Kath.
    Thanks Cephas for the fun, and to CS for stepping in again, you’re a star.
    My recliner chair has decided it no longer wants to push me up and out, so I’ve had to put cushions in the keep me upright. Still a bit tricky getting out but it can be done, and very uncomfortable!

  29. weekday comments are are much more helpful and cover more clues. Saturday clues have become minimal and not very helpful. We do not all have time to do the crossword daily, but Saturday is a special day, not that I wish to win another pen!

    1. Steve
      Surely with a Lab. its YOU that gets to sleep next to YOUR master. If you think it’s the other way round he’s got you well and truly sussed.
      Enjoy your break.

  30. After being frustrated that I couldn’t do this as my usual Friday evening amusement (I finally gave up removing and reloading around 8am GMT), I was amazed by how quickly it went this morning. Perhaps I’ve been helped by some practice as I’m slowly working my way through some old DT cryptic crossword books. I must say that, based on quite a lot of those crosswords, we shouldn’t complain about the standard of modern clueing! I still will, of course.

    Thank you to CS and today’s setter.

  31. Raced through it in record time only to grind to a halt with only 19d to go.
    Came back after half a day and bingo.
    Many thanks to the setter and to crypticsue.

  32. Tough for me, somehow not on this setter’s wavelength I suppose….anyway, took 2 sessions….9d last in, only because I don’t know the phrase…

  33. 3d made me laugh. Initially I got the first bit but was considering an idea more along the lines of wooden shoes except that would be too many letters and I said out loud “Surely not!’ for the correct answer. I think I might be too caught up in what is politically correct and things that you can or can’t say these days. Right now I am working on Sunday’s puzzle.

    This is a photo from a year ago, no sign of him/her last night or today though.

  34. A big hurrah today – the first time I have finished unaided for some time. However have I missed spmething because I can’t find the Z. And the Quickie defeated me completely. Thanks to setter and Crypticsue for standing in.

    1. You’ll find your missing letter in 2d.

      Agree with previous curate’s egg comments, with some neat clues and some hmms. I’ve never heard of 9d (is it massage related?) but it had to be that. Biggest hmm for me was 17d, a word that to all intents and purposes looks like either a misspelled noun or a truncated adjective. 1a and 7d were my COTDs.

  35. Loved this one. Just finished the last two clues left over from yesterday- 12d and 22a. I was born in the old country mentioned in 22a. Thanks to the setter and Cryptic Sue. What a lovely pleasant blog this is.

  36. I couldn’t find one letter – does a pangram have to have all 26 letter? Never mind, as it was one of Cephas’s, I liked it!

  37. Only just got around to looking at the crossword and for once I was on the same wavelength. Hesitated on 3d as I was thinking xxxxx, obviously too many letters, and last one in 19d. Thanks to all.

  38. Thoroughly enjoyed this one , it took a lot longer than usual and I can’t parse 12d.
    I’m probably a bit late for someone to nudge me in the right direction??
    COTD was a toss up between 1a and 26.
    Thanks to the setter .

    1. Thank you Surrey David for the missing letter. Think I need a visit to Specsavers! I’ve since managed to get through the Quickie – with the help of getting the answer to the pun, thanks Crypticsue.

    2. Hi Richard,
      You need some of the letters from a synonym of ‘amount’ (over half of) plus the usual two letter word for ‘provided’ followed by the odd letters (occasionally) of 7th & 8th words in the clue. Hope that helps!

      1. Hi Jane ,
        How very kind of you to come to the rescue, as usual as soon as I read your reply the penny dropped (very loudly) it was the synonym for amount that was missing for me.
        Thanks again .
        What a lovely place this is .
        Richard

  39. I spent an unreasonable amount of time trying to think of two brothers named Alec and Richard.

  40. Don’t follow 9 d.
    From your comment know the answer but as a Dr don’t know what that is and the only thing that comes up searching the net is to do with psychotherapy, not X rays? Can you help?
    Thanks

Comments are closed.