Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2502 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
I was surprised that Peter Biddlecombe thought that last Sunday’s puzzle was quite easy, but then he is a former Times Crossword Champion. I found this one moderately difficult but very enjoyable. I have added a few hints, but I rather expect that some of you may be struggling with a number of these clues.
Don’t forget that you can give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them.
Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Friday, 25th September.
Across
7a Vessel going West in trip for so long (8)
A large jug is to be reversed (going West, as this is an across clue – had it been a down clue it would have been going North) inside to trip, as in stumble, to get a word meaning so long, as in goodbye
10a Communicates with monarch what Don was going to say? (6)
The monarch is the abbreviation for Rex, a King, and when Don is going he says goodbye in Spanish – together they give a word meaning communicates wirelessly
28a Citizen pronounced insane after jumping off bridge? (8)
My favourite clue today plays on an old joke – if this person jumps off a bridge over the river in his home city where does he finds himself (clue – it sounds like insane)
Down
1d Priest holding a mass in Hollywood location (4)
This priest is built up from A M(ass) inside the abbreviation for the city in which Hollywood is located
3d Exemplarily fit jumper (4)
Quite why you would describe someone as being as fit as one of these jumping insects is a mystery
13d Knock out supporter — that should clear the air (7,3)
This is a charade of to knock out and, say, a football supporter – together they create a device for clearing the air
26d His passengers were diverse, but never odd (4)
… because they came in twos to escape the flood
If you need further help then please ask and I will see what I can do.
Please don’t put whole or partial answers in your comment, else they may be censored!
Big Dave,
I thought 2d and 3d first words were superfluous to the clues which held me back a bit otherwise quite enjoyable. 28a was my favourite
I think the word undistinguished in 2 down was to indicate that the couple were twins.
3 down might have worked as “fit jumper?”, but the addition of exemplarily is there to indicate that the first part of this double definition is “as fit as a ….”.
It’s unfortunate that words added to clarify the definitions have had the opposite effect for you, and probably many others.
Thanks Big Dave, up north we normally say “fit as a lop” so the exemplarily was lost on me.
Enjoyed this simple crossword today, except for 10a. but 26d made me smile which is good as the weather is so gloomy here in Canterbury :(
absolutely loved this one. much better than last weeks. managed to finish without my thesaurus, so a milestone for me. unsure about some of the surface reading, but everything fitted in nicely. 21d my favourite, place in question just up the road from me. hope monday to friday is as enjoyable as todays.
I was tempted to post a youtube link, but decided against it!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81BjS3k_FZ8&rel=0&w=185&h=150]
… whoops
This was another enjjoyable puzzle.
A minor point is that 26d is not correct. Some came in sevens.
I think if you read the Bible passage again, you’ll see the possibility that rather than 2 or 7, the numbers were actually 4 and 14. See the full report on the puzzle for more.
Found this easier than last week and finished in a good time.
Thanks for the hints Dave – I had the answer to 7a (clued up tells you if you are wrong) but didn’t know why – now I do. The same re 28a.
I liked 13a this week.
Enjoyed puzzle today especially 28ac once I stopped and read it properly, 7ac and 10ac gave me major problems though. Thanks for the help with those two.
Not a bad puzzle and beat the in flight entertainment provided by Ryan Air! 28 degrees here in Tarragona, and its 7.30 in the evening. Thank goodness for mobile broadband!!
can anyone offer a hint to get 10a last one and its driving me mad!!!!!!!
R1kx
Think of a pair of pheasants, plus what happens if you rent out property. This should give you an item of jewellry worn on the wrist.
wasnt that saturdays puzzle ??? I have ?*?*?*
Damn, you are right, oh well two for the price of one :-)
R (king) plus what is Spanish (don) for goodbye for a form of communication.
Sorry, but I have censored that ! It’s probably not a problem but I can’t do one and not the rest.
There is a strong hint in the main blog – did you read it?