DT 26307 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 26307 (Hints)

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26307- Hints

Big Dave’s Saturday Crossword Club

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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.

A full review of this puzzle will be published on Thursday, 5th August.

Across

1a    Conservationists after ten years in decline (8)
In crosswords conservationists are usually the National Trust – put their abbreviation after a period of ten years to get a word meaning in decline

11a    Mournful linesman’s mood? (7)
A word meaning mournful could describe a poet’s mood

12a    Fully dressed American vocalist? (7)
Pause between the two syllables of the name of this American bass-baritone and it sounds like fully dressed, like a member of the House of Lords

23a    New editorial aid in bits, missing from lounge (6)
New indicates that an anagram of EDITORIAL, without the letters making up AID will give a word meaning to lounge

26a    Transfer revolutionary energy scheme (8)
A word meaning to transfer from one area to another is a charade of a Communist revolutionary, E(nergy) and a scheme, as in a cunning plan designed to turn a situation to one’s own advantage

Down

1d    Label — cut it, do you hear? (6)
A label listing the contents of a consignment sounds like to cut, or remove, it

2d    One living with intent, say (6)
Say “with intent” out aloud and then think about who might live there

ARVE Error: need id and provider

8d    Friend in few lines produced rare recantation (8)
A charade of a friend, IN and a few lines of poetry gives a rare or unusual word for a recantation

20d    Inferior not even in cast (6)
A word meaning inferior is built up by putting a synonym for not even inside to cast or throw

The Saturday Crossword Club will open at 10.00 am (after Sounds of the Sixties on BBC Radio 2). Membership is free and open to all. Feel free to leave comments or ask questions before that time.

Please don’t put whole or partial answers in your comment, else they may be censored!

118 comments on “DT 26307 (Hints)”

  1. Good morning. I enjoyed todays puzzle but am stumped with 19d. Caveman in the Hebrides? Usually I would leave and return later but a weekend jaunt in the lakes beckons. I presume I’m looking for a Hebridean Island. Can anyone help?
    ………. Wow what do you know it’s true. I’ve read before that as soon as one requests help the answer just slaps you across the face and it’s done just that to me. Have a good day y’all.

    1. Hi garfield – welcome to the blog.
      This is an example of what we now know as Gnomethang’s First Law.

  2. I’ll remember that. Thanks. ‘Seeking is not the only way to find’ as someone (probably gnomethang) once said.

  3. Morning Dave, Gazza, Gnomey, I am stuck on 19d, 20d annd 26a even with above hints!

      1. would I be right in thinking its part of a fish on another word for girl??? If so I really don’t understand the clue?

          1. The only one that really foxed me – surprisingly as had far too many 6d’s last night – not good for a Friday night! Lovely bit of poetry, Dave, thanks!

  4. OK think I’ve finished if 19d is correct, a few things today I didn’t like or understand, those I didn’t like were 1d, 23a,17d those I didn’t understand though got the answers, hopefully, were 20d, 14d, 11a, my favourite clue today was 12a , a year ago I would just have been so thrilled to have finished this (and I still am) but now I find myself actually criticising some of these clues! just who do I think I am!! :)

          1. ok, never heard that word before, but then there’s lots of words I haven’t heard, my brother has a mind like a dictionary and in several different languages, I struggle in one!

    2. though I don’t quite understand 11a, I think it’s a lovely word, some words just are

      1. Try Googling this:

        The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
        The lowing herd winds slowly o’er the lea,
        The ploughman homeward plods his weary way,
        And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

        Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight,
        And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
        Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,
        And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds:

        Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower
        The moping owl does to the moon complain
        Of such as, wandering near her secret bower,
        Molest her ancient solitary reign.

          1. Think I remember it as ‘An ***** in a country churchyard’ , from school,
            by Thomas Gray, I see where 11a comes from, it was the ‘linesman’ bit I stupidly could not see!

              1. Sorry Dave, you think I’d know better by now, Just shows I got the answer without the hint :)

  6. An enjoyable start to the morning with no real problems experienced other than 3d, because it took a long while for the penny to drop, but, in mitigation, I was watching the athletics from Barcelona at the same time.

    1. Britain doing quite well in the track events Caravaggio have been watching on and off this week

    2. and you have made an appearance in today’s Weekend General Knowledge puzzle too!

  7. After making a silly mistake with 9a I had to go and sit on the naughty step and think about what I’d done, but it’s all finished now. 12d was probably my favourite today.

  8. Fairly plodding sort of puzzle today but as Giovanni said yesterday, the bread and butter puzzles still have to be written for those who are not of this parish (Big Dave Crossword Blog).
    I suppose we have to accept that and praise the fact we have in personal degrees progressed to the level of being able to criticise. Pity the poor cruciverbalists who have not yet discovered this bog and don’t have that option.
    Fav 11a, 23a

    1. Again I agree with you Nubian – except my only favourite was 11a. And Dave – thank you for the excerpt – that made the day.

      3. Mea Culpa mea culpa, I was too busy concentrating on ‘cruciverbalist’
        Mea maxima culpa
        Sorry Big Dave

  9. Pity me then – I have discovered the blog but have so far managed to do just the north-west corner and a couple of others. Ah well, I can always go and watch the marathon through Barcelona instead.

  11. Hi Peter, I’ve managed two more than you, so it’s pretty dismal really. I am consoling myself with the excuse that I haven’t got my crossword head on.

  12. Peter / Kate

    I try to do hints for he first and last across and down clues and any others that, in my opinion, may prove troublesome. Feel free to ask for any ones you think I may have missed.

    1. Thanks Dave. A hint for 12D would be good – it probably is very obvious but I can’t think where to start.

      1. Kate, Please allow me – Big D might have slipped away to put the kettle on. The answer is a synonym for deplorable, made up of a 6 letter word for grief, followed by the sort of board that you sit down at to eat.

        2. Thanks Digby, got it. I think I need to do one of those lateral thinking courses. I was equating “on board” with a nautical theme, obviously. Enjoy the GP pratice BD

      2. Hurrah -a quick (and cheaty) check on Crossword Solver gave me 3d and 8d. I must say I have never heard of either of them. That means that the others have fallen into place and I now have the top half done, so a few in the bottom to get now. Gnomethang’s Law does work!

          1. Without wishing to show off, it was me who named that law, as I email him quite a lot daily with questions such as Am I being thick not getting 24d or whatever, and as soon as you press send, bingo you know the answer. Enjoyed this puzzle today, I found it slightly trickier than bread and butter, possibly bread and butter with runny home made jam!

  13. Thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle, I thought it bread and butter with honey! I am continuing to be educated though, 11a another new word for me.

    1. 14d Trek short distance and strike (8)
      The definition is trek. It’s a short distance (more than an inch but less than a yard) in front of a verb to strike in the way a tailend batsman might.

    2. The defintion is trek. Its a measurement of 12 inches, followed by a cricket stroke usually played to cow corner.

  15. For 22a – am pretty sure I have the correct answer – can see the small lake element for the first four letters – but the last three letters/their relevance to somehow being “…in the mountains” has me stumped.
    Please put me out of my misery.
    Thanks – and congrats re the wedding of the year.
    KDINNY.

      1. Thanks. Got it now – although I agree with you about today’s puzzle being somewhat poor-ish.

    2. 22a Go dull like a small lake in the mountains (7)
      The definition is go dull. It’s an adjective which, if it existed, would mean like a small lake in the mountains. I think that this clue could do with a question mark.

  16. 23a I think is a word meaning hang to around on street corners – with intent (shades of 2d). If I’m right I don’t understand the clue!

    17d – I see a word meaning having had quite enough. But I really don’t understand the reference to consumer goods.

    1. 23a see BD’s hint.
      17d Having had quite enough of consumer goods? (7)
      In other words having consumed enough.

      1. sorry missed that on 23a.

        thanks for explaining consumption.

        I am stuck on:

        9a

        26a

        3d

        6d

        7d

        any help gratefully received

            2. 7d anagram of leg pains indicated by suffering to give you a word meaning slipping away as in time?

              2. 26a see BD hint above don’t know that i can think of anything to add to that
                Revolutionary as in colour for communist
                Next E for energy
                Next a four letter word for shceme
                You are looking for a word for transfer not as in paper patterns etc. to transfer from one place to another
                Hope those have helped ? :)

                1. yes, thanks. I did not understand BD’s hint above.

                  Was also trying to work CHE into it until I did 12d.

                  Well I’ve finished. With a lot of help. Thanks all.

                  Is the normal Saturday compiler on holiday?

  17. Well, I’ve finished now except for 3d, for which I have alternate letters and no idea. The last two I managed to find with your help, but never heard of 14d (where is the cow corner?) and don’t understand what’s unscrupulous about 25a.

    Apart from that, I quite liked the puzzle, appreciated the hints and enjoyed reading everyone’s contributions. Now, ‘bon dimanche’ as they say here. :-)

    1. Franny see just above for 3d, its not a word i’d heard of but it is included in those words

      1. Don’t mind me — I never could spell 11a, let alone notice when a word is contained in the clue. That’s why I’m Clueless, I suppose. But thanks, Mary. :-)

            2. Yes, but around here they start saying ‘Bon Dimanche’ almost first thing on Saturday. A funny lot, the Swiss! :-)

    2. cow corner is part of the cricket field, where the ball goes if a cow shot connects.

      2. Mary,
        This may help.
        Cow corner
        the area of the field (roughly) between deep mid-wicket and wide long-on. So called because few ‘legitimate’ shots are aimed to this part of the field, so fielders are rarely placed there – leading to the concept that cows could happily graze in that area.
        Cow shot
        a hard shot, usually in the air, across the line of a full-pitched ball, aiming to hit the ball over the boundary at cow corner, with very little regard to proper technique. Very powerful and a good way of hitting boundary sixes, but must be timed perfectly to avoid being bowled, or either skying the ball or getting a leading edge and so being caught.

  18. 22a never heard of this word for lake but google explained why….Scottish hillwalkers like me call it a corrie loch or lochan! Could also be why 19d jumped out right away.

  20. Had to work today so was a bit late. I certainly found this one trickier than usual but thought it a good and fair challenge.
    Thanks to the setter and also to BD for the hints

  21. I did all the easy ones (for me) this morning, including 19d – obvious, I’m a musician! Am finishing now and have big gaps in the SW corner. Libellule and CCWizard provided 14d, as can’t spell cricket. Thanks to several others for helpful comments.

    Help needed with 16a, please, then I might be able to fill in the rest, or will I see it as soon as I press ‘send’ ??

    1. 16a Commands inclusion of rows with regularity (11)
      The definition is regularity or method. It’s a verb meaning commands around (inclusion of) a synonym of rows.

        1. Took me a while to get away from ‘ties’ as well Geoff. Think of tows as in ranks.

  22. Yes, thought that would do it. All done now, perhaps a little trickier, but quite enjoyable. Different strokes and all that, with 3d one of my easy ones this morning, but 22a was far and away my favourite – still chuckling about it now!

    Thanks for a good puzzle, good hints from BD and helpful comments from various others, with just a little ‘research’ here and there!

  23. Couldn’t help recalling, re 17d, an All Creatures Great and Small episode fro years ago, where a travelling rep was being fed and refused second helpings, saying that he had ‘enjoyed an elegant sufficiency’. What a lovely phrase!

  24. Big Dave – thanks so much for a great blog. Have used it many times – but this is my first post. Being driven to distraction by 25a and am not convinced that I’ve got 15a correct – any hints?

    1. Hi Al – welcome to the blog.

      25a Spring uncrupulous person mentioned (6)
      The answer is a hot spring which gushes and emits a jet of hot water intermittently. It sounds like (mentioned) an unscrupulous person (but this word is normally used to describe an old guy).
      There’s no 15a – do you mean 15d?

      1. Thank you Gazza – that’s what I thought it might be. I must have 15d correct but not 17d. Strange because the clue fits – perhaps a different spelling.

  25. Ah yes! No sooner posted than realised my spelling mistake of 17d. Think I was too focussed on “consumer”! Thanks for your help. Happy Sunday all.

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