Comment – Jan-Feb 2010 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Comment – Jan-Feb 2010

by Big Dave  

Archived Comments – Jan-Feb 2010

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59 comments on “Comment – Jan-Feb 2010”

  1. Thank you so much –I have just started doing crosswords–cryptic ones and it’s great to have the answers EXPLAINED! I have started buying the DT again so i can do them, with your help!

    1. Welcome to the blog Mike

      The answer to your first question is no, so obviously I can’t answer the second. Anyone else?

      BTW I deleted your duplicate comment

  3. I discovered this Blog the other week, and am finding the enthusiasm, and all the help to be so encouraging. As I like to finish a crossword, I don’t have time to do the daily cryptic, but enjoy both the Saturday and Sunday ones, as well as (slowly) working through a book of either DT or Times cryptics.

    I haven’t tried the Toughies yet!

    Keep up the good work!

  4. Hi Big Dave

    I have almost finished the DT regular cryptic crossword number 26,148.

    It was an enjoyable puzzle from Jay – challenging but good to solve.

    I finished 30 of the clues quite rapidly but have hit a brick wall with the last two:

    6a Drug bill said to be cut by half (4)
    8d Sporting knowledge? (5,5)

    I would appreciate any help that can be given.

    Many thanks.

    1. Hi Nathan
      I expect that BD is having a lie-in, so I’ll see what I can do.
      6a. The definition is drug. You want an abbreviation for bill or account followed by half of the word “said”.
      8d. Think of sporting as meaning “wearing” – so you want a phrase meaning knowing what clothes to wear.

      1. Gazza

        Thanks for that. I have now finished it thanks to your help. It is very good of you to respond so quickly as I know it is still quite early in the UK. Many thanks.

        What did you think of this puzzle? I quite liked it.

        1. I quite liked it too. 27a was my favourite. I’m currently writing a review of the Toughie, which today is no more difficult than this one, so you may like to have a go at that!

      3. thanks Gazza I have them right so it seems, wouldn’t have thought of 8d as ‘wearing’ but got the answer through checking letters but couldn’t understand it, a clever clue, thank you once again :)

  5. Hi all

    Just about finished the DT Regular Cryptic Crossword Puzzle Number 26,150 by Giovanni.

    It was a good puzzle – challenging but fair.

    The only two I couldn’t solve were:

    3d Undercooked sole to be cooked again? (6)
    24d Confusion about energy supplier (4)

    Any advice that can be given will be gratefully received.

    Many thanks.

    1. Nathan
      I think that those are the two which will give solvers most trouble.
      3d. The definition is cooked again, and you need to put together the colour of undercooked (rare) meat and sole in the sense of a single.
      24d. The definition is confusion and it’s an archaic word which Shakespeare qualified with “mortal”. About is C (circa) and then you want the sort of energy that is extracted from wells.

  6. Hi Gazza and Big Dave

    Thanks very much for the help. Finished now. I think those two clues are the hardest Giovanni has set for a while.

    I still liked the puzzle though. I think Giovanni is great.

    Thanks again for your help.

  7. Hi Dave

    I have just recieved an email asking me to suscribe to your site, what is this about? should I just disregard it?

  8. Hi all

    Almost finished Ray T cryptic puzzle (DT 26,153):

    1 unsolved.

    12a Old are going to diminish (4)

    Any help appreciated.

    Overall I thought this was a gem. I have always been a fan of Ray T but he has gone above and beyond the call of duty with this one – it was a beauty and I loved it. Keep up the great work Ray T!

    1. Hi Nathan,
      12a – the definition is diminish, and you want an archaic (old) verb form meaning “are going to” (usually preceded by Thou).

  10. What an excellent site. I love my daily crossword as I commute from sleepy Sussex into London. The best thing is two bites at the cherry – always looking forward to having a go at the remaining stinkers in the evening. But when I’m really at a loss by the time I get home, I know there is a straightforward explanation to the remaining few answers on your site. It’s like a the best laxative after a serious blockage. Thanks again, great site.

  11. Hi Dave – now u will think i am really clueless, as i cannot work out how to post a comment on the clueless club site, i can see lots there from Shrike but dumbo here cant work it out – sorry?

  12. Thank you for this site Big Dave. I try and do the dt crossword most days but am quite new at them so tend to get stuck quite often and that’s when i find your hints invaluable. My Dad and brother have always done the cryptic crossword and i thought you had to have a particular sort of ‘brain’ to do them but i watched the BBC4 programme with Val Gilbert and i was inspired. A mere mortal without a degree in astro physics CAN do the dt cryptic crossword! I’m starting to get quite good at recognising what the clue is asking you to do and that seems half the battle. Having said that, i’ve still not finished one completely! Thanks again.

  13. Hi Dave. I am sure there are many, many people out there who would just love to sit at a compiler’s shoulder and see how it’s done! Since you know a lot of the major players I’m sure (with help of course) you could organise groups of addicts to see the great men at work. Anyone out there of similar mind?

    Tom Kearney

  14. Thanks Dave re the blog from Anax on how a Cryptic is compiled – a mist of many moons has been lifted from mine eyes. Incidentally, I see that Hanley Swan is not a million miles from Colwall. A mate of mine (Iain Nesbitt) owns the Colwall Park Hotel there, so any time you’re passing pop in and tell him I owe you a pint for services rendered!

    Tom Kearney

  15. Dear Dave

    First post. Love the blog. Joined CluedUp about year ago.
    Pick at Cryptic everyday and generally finish but do not use dictionaries. Last few usually done by sudden dawning when thinking about something completely different.
    Found yesterdays, no. 26165 the most difficult so far.

    Best wishes

    Sylvia Horley ( CLEMATIS )

  16. Hi Dave, have you got a section anywhere on Indirect anagrams, I have apparently commited a ‘no no’ on COW and would like to read about them somewhere :)

      1. Yes, thanks Dave, I did read that when I found out but I just wanted a little more understanding of the problem :) I must come across as really clueless :)

      1. Thanks Dave that’s the only thing I could think it was, but although i know the rhyme, i have never heard of it as a game played with that, live and learn, thanks so much it was driving me mad :)

      2. We used to play the game with any fruit stones coming out of a pudding. When I twigged the requirement for the clue it was just a matter of selecting the fruit from the checking letters!

          1. I was looking for a Portugese city as the answer, not a car…. Still got half a dozen left in the top half!

  20. really stuck on 1d and 1a Dave any prompts, sorry are u watching final, not a Man U supporter are you :)

      1. Mary

        I was listening to Spurs scrape home against Everton!

        I will include these in the hints. Most of 22d is an abbreviation of circumstances that was new to me.

        1. 22d was last in for me too. Had to resort to Chambers to confirm the abbreviation.
          Not convinced on the definition either but it us in the big red book.

      2. 22d Another way of saying ‘in this situation’ is ‘ in these *************’. If you shorten that word and insert the abbreviation for university, you end up with entertainment in a tent!

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