Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2542 – Hints
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them.
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.
Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Friday, 2nd July.
Across
7a Not challenged to think, deceived about name (5-3)
To get this hyphenated word meaning to provide someone with so much help or information that they do not need to think for themselves is created by putting a word meaning deceived or hoaxed around N(ame).
10a Court document by King Edward or James, for example (6)
Put a court document in front of the abbreviation for King Edward to get Henry James, for example
19a Fish from either end of dinghy (4)
This golden-yellow sea fish is one end of dinghy or the other
28a Baffle gardener, initially, with passion flower (8)
A charade of to baffle and G (gardener, initially) with passion or devotion gives this plant which is named after the shape of its flowers
Down
1d Incentive for one player in London team? (4)
This incentive could be a description of either Jermain Defoe or Aaron Lennon, but not to both together!
4d Including extra note, be a better composer (6)
Put an extra N(ote) to place a bet to get this famous composer
6d End of car race in which wheels spin a lot (5,5)
The finish of a famous car rally is also famous for its casino
26d Refusal to include verse in a service (4)
Put a refusal or vote against around V(erse) to give the Senior Service in the armed forces
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!
Boy did I make hard work of this!.
I was left with practically nothing in the top half after breakfast and that remained until elevenses. My foot is sore from kicking myself repeatedly as the clues went in! Favourites were 25a, 6d was a fine CD, 27a and 11a.
Thanks for the hints – I nearly needed them!
This was at the level I wanted after the last three days of drunken debauchery,well high spirits anyway.
A funny sort of puzzle where every time I got the answer I thought “of course it is”.
12a was best clue
Thanks for the reminder! – You will have mail soon!
Apropos of things Gallic, my friend Karl is currently in Nice. He is just finishing the last split in his 180km bike ride having swam for 3.8 km. He is then running a full marathon.
Fair play to him!
Enjoyable puzzle. Managed all but one, 2d. I hoped to see an extra clue from Dave. I suppose you are all watching the match now, instead of enjoying the sunshine now.
megansgran
2d is a reversal clue (help up) consisting of two words, one for refer to, and the common crossword abbreviation for work. When put together you should end up with something “imaginative in style”.
2d – thanks Libellule – I’ve finished the lot now. All we need now is a couple more goals!
Hi sue – welcome to the blog.
Well you got your couple of goals – but probably for the wrong side!
Thanks for the hint Libellule, got it now after googling refer to!! Now for Clued up prize cryptic whilst sitting in the sun…bliss
I’ve just gone through that and got an error (for the second time) when trying to submit. Any ideas, megansgran?
stuck again on 3d, 11a and 5d, like gnomey , top half has taken a while and i’m still not there!
Its ok now got them thanks :) fav clues 27a, 19a,28a
Just working at this—v enjoyable.
Fav clue so far is 13d
My avatar was, strangely enough, last to go in. Big Dave – you must have used the same image source – it is the best picture of the genius, I’ve always thought.
Usual splendid Sunday offering…….generally my favourite of the week these days.
the_chairmen
“Usual splendid Sunday offering…….generally my favourite of the week these days”
I think I have to agree…
Looks like we both borrowed from Wikipedia!
Wow that took a while. My brain couldn’t get on the wave length for ages but once I got started I really enjoyed it.
My favourite was 12a.
At least we may not see ‘Capello’ in the answer bank again for a while. There is thunder in the air, I suspect tears before bedtime if Rooney does’t get his cocoa on time.
What an abysmal showing.
I had lots of favourites today, including 12a, 28a, 6d and 13d. I feel about 22d how The Chairman feels about 4d!
I managed this with a bit of help from Dave who for once gave hints for the clues I was stuck on – muchas gracias. Favourite clues are 12 and 28 across.