Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2602 (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.
Could new readers please read the Welcome post before asking questions about the site.
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 French gesture that may be vulgar or improper (8)
A charade of FR(ench) and a gesture or signal gives a numerical quantity, of which vulgar and improper are examples (may be), that is not a whole number
9a Cut out holding gold, get rid of possessions (8)
Put to cut out or remove around the heraldic term for gold to get a word meaning to get rid of evil spirits that have possessed a person or place
15a Funds and money endlessly released (6)
Drop the outside letters (endlessly) of both funds and money to get a word meaning released
26a Rule or controlling device pronounced the epitome of what’s right (4)
A word that sounds like (pronounced) rule, and also sounds like a device used to control a child or a horse, is part of the expression “as right as …”
28a In the red, I typically needed something from my parents (8)
Hidden inside four words of the clue is something passed down from one’s parents
Down
2d Not long ago, little foreign money in bank (8)
A word meaning not long ago is created by putting a small unit of foreign currency inside a word meaning to bank or depend
3d Supplied everything lacking — praised in speech (12)
A verb meaning supplied everything lacking in order to make something complete sounds like (in speech) another verb, this one meaning praised
6d About to get going, after start of crossword puzzle (8)
Put a two-letter synonym for about (not RE this time!) and a word meaning to get going or establish after the initial letter (start) of Crossword to get a verb meaning to puzzle
8d Bridge pair that’s without king or queen — most odd (8)
Start with two partners in the game of bridge then add the full Latin expression for “that is” around (without) the abbreviation, from the Latin, for king or queen to get a word meaning most odd
25d Judges having finished, her story follows (4)
… in the Old Testament
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 Kim Cattrall (55) and Kenny Rogers (73)
Virgilius in a slightly trickier mode than last week, well I found him so. Didn’t help that I hadn’t read 3d carefully enough to see which alternative I required so it took me a little longer than it should to get 13a. I liked 9 and 10 a best. Thanks to Virgilius for the Sunday morning brain wake-up and to BD for the hints.
Another typically excellent Sunday puzzle.
Excellent stuff from Virgilius – 4 hidden clues. Thanks to BD for explaining 26a.
14d – Is there a technical term for this type of clue? Non-homophone?
The clue is a double definition, with the defs being heteronyms.
Heteronyms are words which share the same spelling but have different pronunciations. This is an example of a subset of heteronyms sometine called “capitonyms”, in which words sound different when capitalised (like polish and Polish).
Qix – thanks for that! “Heteronym” – I’ve never heard of it before.
Strange that I’ve never seen this word before after reading this blog for nearly a year!
(Are you in Bletchley Park?)
As the frontpage of the blog notes: “…the wordplay will be explained by fellow solvers in simple, easy to understand, terms.”
I mentioned the term because you asked about it, but overuse of jargon does tend to put newcomers off, so it’s probably not a term you’ll see too much around here.
….And this was my favourite! – The cheeky beggar! Thanks Virgilius and BD.
Won’t get around to this till later. ‘La Vuelta a Espana’ is passing close by our village this afternoon so I reckon it would be rude not to turn out and urge on the Brits! ‘La Vuelta’ is one of cycling’s 3 ‘grand tours’, (the other 2 being the ‘Tour de France’ and ‘Giro d’Italia’) so it should be quite a spectacle! Pommette’s from a cycling family so is quite keen to go and watch.
Why it’s held at this time of year with the stages run in the afternoon I have no idea – the temperature here is currently 34C and rising. Not ideal weather for riding a bike methinks!
Perhaps it’s just me, but I found this very tricky today. I finished it, but it took me longer than normal for a Sunday.
Very enjoyable – thanks to Virgilius, and to BD.
Found this tough today, needed three of your hints Dave but have finally finished so am quite pleased about that, I did it in two sittings often find it easier to come back to when I get stuck and then I wonder why I didn’t see it sooner!
Finished…… maybe. Because I don’t understand 3d (even with the hint) 4d or 16d.
Help in understanding appreciated.
Enjoyed it though, nevertheless.
Hi Lostboy
4d – first two letters are crossword speak for ‘at home’ covering i.e. ‘on top of’ a book full of word meanings that we solvers often use, with the end cut off ‘in short’
16d is another word for champion as in fine, great, spiffing! etc with an L inside for ‘line’ to give you a word for ‘falling over’
sorry 4d you are looking for ‘charge’
3d I don’t think I can explain any more than Dave already has above, if you have added something to a meal for example, you have steak and chips then it could be 4d by a side salad, this also meands to praise somebody verbally
Hope this helps??
correction means to have praised somebody verbally
Thanks Mary, I just couldn’t see “Champion” as “Spiffing”, or the book that needed truncating.
And for 3d, I had no idea the answer meant “made whole”…… I always though it meant “improved.”
Thanks again.
Needed BD to even get started to-day!! But did then finish, some falling in quite quickly – so many thanks for hints or would still be head scratching! Glad others found it trickier than normal – don’t feel quite so foolish!
Very good Sunday crossword. Some nice clues: 14d and 15a in particular. Felt like a good mix of clues today.
Finished much more quickly than my usual today… maybe it’s because the sun was shining.
Thank you to Virgilius and Big Dave.
15a didn’t come easily for some reason, meaning 6d was the last in. 11a made me chuckle … but it was with drink taken. :)
Can’t figure out 16a and 16d – not usually flummoxed with the Sunday puzzles!
16a is a hidden clue.
16d – see comment #7 above.
Correction – have solved the puzzle.
That’s Gnomes Law for you. You should always take a Gnoment before pressing post reply as you know that as soon as you do, the solution will come to you.
Finished this sat in the garden, quaffing cold beer & listening to Johnny Walker’s “Sounds of the Seventies” through my headphones. Life does not get much better…well it would if I was back in York I suppose!
I am stuck on my last clue 24d . Obviously I have the 2 checked letters but I am at a loss to spot the definition.
in gratefull anticipation,
D. D.
An old-fashioned way of saying no round a one letter abbreviation for Very. The service is the one related to the sea.
Thank you Crypticsue.
As always, why didn’t I think of that?
I have just seen the end of the Vuelta as I sloped off early from work. Didn’t see Pommers.
Really wanted to watch the Cricket but by the time I got home to the Holy village of Cheadle Hulme we had already won!
Regards to all, setter and B. D.
Fondest,
D. D.
Still struggling with a few clues – am new to the Sunday crypic – thx to all for hints.
If I can be of any assistance without risking the attention of BD’s blue pencil…
oops – meant cryptic! – no wonder I find crosswords difficult!