Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2599 (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.
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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”.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.
Across
1a Fruit grew with it (7)
This fruit is a charade of a verb meaning grew or got higher and a word meaning “with it”
11a English horse, mostly quiet type, like Black Beauty (9)
A charade of E(nglish), a small horse and most of a “wee, sleekit, couring, tim’rous beastie” results in a word meaning giving its name, like Black Beauty, to the title of a book
17a After my boss and I reorganised, is in a win-win situation (9)
After an anagram (reorganised) of MY BOSS and I put IS in to get a win-win situation or mutually beneficial partnership
28a Clobber bloke holding weapon (7)
This clobber or item of clothing is created by putting a bloke around a weapon
Down
1d Notices I swerve all over the place (7)
Notices in a newspaper about plays, films or books are an anagram (all over the place) of I SWERVE
14d Criminal acts, for instance, including a lot of vile murder (4-5)
These criminal acts are created by putting the Latin abbreviation of “for instance” around (including) a lot of VIL(E) and a phrasal verb (2,2) meaning to murder
21d Having played successfully, there’ll be a catch in it (7)
A cryptic definition of where an angler puts his catch after successfully playing it
24d Instrument — one embraced by George Harrison, for one (5)
This Indian musical instrument, popularised by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, is created by putting I (one) inside a celebrity, like George Harrison for example
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If you need further help then please ask and I will see what I can do.
As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put whole or partial answers or alternative clues in your comment, else they may be censored!
Today it’s Happy Birthday to JK Rowling (46) and Evonne Goolagong (60)
and congratulations to John “Paul” Halpern on his marriage later today to Taline
(you may have noticed a number of themed puzzles this weekend – Biggles in Saturday’s Guardian and Anax in The Independent on Sunday, to name but two)
Very nice if not overly taxing start to Sunday. Thank you Virgilius – some very interesting words in there today. Thanks to BD too for the hints – is it just me or is there not a lot of scope for illustrations today?
I do really like the Sunday puzzles because in general the clueing is so good that you can always get the solution if you “persevate” enough. They do make me feel a bit slow though, because once you have the answer you have to kick yourself several times for not having realised it sooner. But today I am stuck on a few and even BD’s hints aren’t enough. I think I must have an answer wrong somewhere which is making it difficult to find the other solutions. So BD, can you explain further 21d and also give me a clue with 10a, and 26a. Also, whilst I have all the checking letters for 13a I can’t seem to understand why the answer is what think it should be. Thanks from a cloudy and flooded (thanks to a tropical storm yesterday) Barcelona.
PS favourite clues today were 4d and 22a
10a – think about bad marks (on clothes) and say them out loud
26a – look up ‘rent’ in the dictionary – it doesn’t just relate to payments by tenants
13a – import doesn’t mean bringing goods into the country – another trip to the dictionary!
Many thanks CS, I’ve got them all without a trip to the dictionary and my leg is now black and blue from the kicking myself – especially over 10a. My goodness ….
Have a great Sunday,
It’s what I call Gnome’s Law – no sooner do you commit yourself to pressing send, then everything becomes extremely obvious. Hope you have a great day too – we actually have lovely hot sun today here in East Kent. I am already lining up the garden chair :)
I think everyone must be in their garden chairs today judging by the number of posts today!
Nice puzzle. Clever message.
Best wishes to John and Taline on their special day.
Most enjoyable post tennis / sit in garden with coffee solve. Just need reassurance with 19a – think I have it right, but not sure how “trace” fits into the wordplay. Thanks in advance and to BD, setter and everyone!
19a Precisely trace fishing-boat (5)
It’s a triple definition (precisely as in “***** on target”). The answer means a trace or flavour.
Thanks, good sir. I had it correct but missed the “triple” connection.
Thanks to Virgilius for another superb Sunday puzzle and to BD for the hints. I did (unusually for me) spot the hidden message.
Very good – lots of excellent clues. My favourite, probably 14d.
Thanks to Virgilius, and to BD.
Am I being slow – what hidden message? I enjoyed this – did it in the garden in the sun although the sun has now gone for the moment. I liked 5, 9, 11 ….. actually, as so often happens on Sundays, too many to enumerate. I still can’t do 6d – I have an idea (and alternate letters) but can’t really make any sense of it – any help would be very welcome. Off for short and probably very slow dog walk now – very hot! Thanks to Virgilius and Big Dave.
6d Captains and others showing effrontery to bowlers, maybe (5,4)
This is an informal term for senior military officers (captains and others) with “scrambled egg” on their caps. It’s a charade of a slang word for effrontery and what bowlers are examples of.
For the hidden message look at rows 4,6,10 and 12 in the grid.
Thanks Gazza – now I understand 6d. I’m afraid the hidden message is still hidden, to me anyway. I’m definitely dim today. :sad: Do rows go across or down? Seem to have looked everywhere and now it’s going to drive me mad!!
I still do not understand the hidden message either! I’ve followed Gazza’s instructions at comment #8 above but I’m still completely in the dark.
However, I’m certain that rows go across! Columns go down!
PS! Another very enjoyable Sunday Crossword (Apart from the very well hidden message!)
Message is in rows 4,6,10 and 12 in the grid. For example row 6 contains 6 letters only and they spell out a word.
Wot
I understand Row 6 – but nothing else! :oops: I presume that the message is really obvious!
See the “birthday” section in BD’s hints to see the name of the bride and groom which may explain more.
Thanks. All is now explained. In future I must read the hints in full!
Happy Birthday to Evonne Goolagong – one of my favourites!! JK Rowling – can you lend me a few quid?
I was hoist by mine own petard!
I wanted to give the info without giving specific letters away.
I’ve got the word in row 6 but am now admitting defeat on all the rest – think that perhaps I need to get a life!! Either that or go to bed which is probably, at this stage of the day, the better option. Good night all!
PS My comments are sitting in the box again, long after I’ve posted them – is someone trying to tell me something or am I being paranoid?!!
Lovely Sunday puzzle and a nicely worked theme. Thanks to Virgilius and BD and congrats to the happy couple.
Another nice puzzle from Virgilius.
Faves : 1a, 5a, 17a, 26a, 3d, 6d, 18d & 23d.
One more week in PACA then back to northern weather!
Got to this late due to cricket, Grand Prix and barby but thoroughly enjoyed it this evening so thanks to Virglius.
Completetly missed the hidden message (as usual) but best wishes to John and Taline.
She’s too modest to post about it but pommette solved all but 2 of these completely unaided – she’s getting better!
Thanks also to BD
Excellent stuff.
I had wondered a little about the somewhat forced feel of this one until I checked the completed grid.
Well done to Virgilius. congrats to the happy couple, and thanks, as ever, to BD.