Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26852 (Hints)
Big Dave’s Crossword Club
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There are some pictures of last week’s S&B meeting in Todmorden on the blog’s Facebook page.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, an assortment of clues, including some of the more difficult ones, have been selected and hints provided 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 Priestly robe to get by (4)
We start with a double definition – a semicircular, sleeveless, hooded vestment worn over the alb or surplice by priests and a verb meaning to get by or survive
3a Joint supporter a poisonous creature (5)
… the supporter supports part of the female anatomy!
8a Fixers sort Blues out, poking nose in (15)
These fixers are derived from an anagram (out) of SORT BLUES with a slang word for the nose inserted (poking … in)
11a Helicopter going round North, moving stealthily (8)
Put a well-known Westland helicopter (3,4) around N(orth) to get a verb meaning moving stealthily
13a Dangerous situation for soldiers in large body (6)
… these soldiers are the uncommissioned ones
19a Appreciate where batsman is safe (8)
A verb meaning to appreciate or grow is, when split (2,6), where the batsman needs to be to avoid being run out
25a Supported by the church in former time (4)
A charade of a two-letter word meaning being supported by, as in supported by the shelf, and the Church of England gives an adverb meaning in former time
Down
1d Cleansing, hoovering up cat’s hairs (9)
This cleansing or purification comes from an anagram (hoovering up) of CAT’S HAIRS – Hoover® is a brand name and should be capitalised!
3d Flower in singer Dion’s make-up (9)
This flower of the buttercup family which produces yellow flowers in the early spring could give, if split (3,3,3), the make-up of the first name of the Canadian girl who sang My Heart Will Go On
6d Cover a SW river in container vessel (9)
Cover the A from the clue and a river in SW England which forms part of the boundary between Devon and Cornwall with a small container, formerly made of tin, to get this vessel with twin hulls in parallel
16d Amount carried puts poor horse in strain (7)
To get this amount carried as freight put a poor horse (3) inside a strain or manner
18d Having good time in Bedfordshire town, one’s keen for more (7)
Start with G(ood) and then insert T(ime) inside a Bedfordshire town famous for its airport to get someone who’s keen for more
20d Spy a toff (5)
This spy is built up from the A in the clue and a toff or man of good social position
The Crossword Club opens at 10:00am. Feel free to leave comments.
Please don’t put whole or partial answers or alternative clues in your comment, else they may be censored!
The Quick crossword pun: {Nicholas} + {Tsar} + {cossie} = {Nicolas Sarkozy}
I would say that “hoovering” was a verb … I hoover, you hoover, she hoovers …… Oh good, I don’t need to then (sorry!)
Hi Bob – welcome to the blog.
Help please Gazza, how can I get my Chicken back? Mary suggested putting in gravatar site & name of icon. I don’t know the icon name, but I pasted this from the gravatar site..
http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/861b73ff77bc72210d1b8253b73db75a?s=80
But the Website field isn’t long enough.
Hi Heno, when you first ‘got your chicken’ you would have put a name for the gravatar, this should be all you need not that long list of nos etc. cant you remember the name?
Hi Mary, I’m afraid I can’t even remember having to name it.
Perhaps it was called chicken :-)
On the other hand it should be long enough
Bonjour Mary, how can I change my avatar?
Dave explains it in his FAQs section. Click on the tab at the top of the page and then scroll down to the How to I change my avatar section.
Thanks CS
I don’t like my “little face” too much but, given the trouble that everyone else seems to be having at the moment, I think I’m going to stick with the one that I’ve got! It all sounds far too complicated for me anyhow! :smile:
Enjoyed this one, although as always 4 letter words caused more trouble than they should.
Thanks BD for hints and to compiler for a very pleasant puzzle.
Right back to yesterday’s puzzle.
Miserable weather in the Garden of England today :(
I agree, Colmce, because I’ve spent longer than I really should have looking at two four-letter answers. I echo the sentiments contained in your second sentence but, unlike you, we’ve no rain in Cheshire at the moment and the forecast is good for today – unlike tomorrow…
I liked today’s task …not mega difficult but comfortable. I particularly liked 3a, 4d, 6d and 13d.
I had to think about 8a for a while. Thanks and have a good day all.
Enjoyed this one, not that easy with some clever clues although the last in was 6a! Best clues for me were 11a and of course 19a, will even forgive the religeous clue for the cricketing one :-)
Enjoyable, liked 3d and 17a thanks BD for hints and the setter. 13d in the Quick Crossword is surely wrong the web site is accepting phony as the answer, the clue is Stand in, agent (5) answer proxy or am I losing it?
I did exactly the same! It looks like a mistake.
Ah, that’s more like it! Only 6A, 7 and 23 to go. Favourite clues 11 and 4. I really like clues that throw us off because the pronunciation of a group of letters in the answer is different to that which is expected.
THe usual slightly tougher challenge from the Saturday Mysteron – I did like 8a and `11a. Thanks to them for the puzzle and BD for the hints.
I’m glad you all found this fairly simple, I’m still struggling with the right hand side, not on the same wavelength (or missing the obvious) so far today. A hint for 17a might help
Ooh, suddenly things are looking better – a penny dropped somewhere!
Re 17a – The definition is an American novelist. Think of “The Catcher in the Rye” . The second two letters in the answer are the christian name of a gangster with “Capone” as a surname.
Thanks, I had just worked it out – I had not thought of him, with the letters I had I was thinking of Stephen (or is it Steven) King
I enjoyed this very much and found it quite difficult. First read through of all clues yielded only four answers. Then I got going and was held up only by my own stupid mistakes! I spent far too long trying to make 8a an anagram of the first three words of the clue. I missed the anagram indicator in 1d and tried to fit a “tom” into it somewhere. I’m not sure that I really understand the answer that I have for 21a. Favourites include 8, 11, 22 and 24a and 2, 3, 7 (very apt for today’s weather!) and 18d. With thanks to today’s setter and BD.
Do I dare to have a go at the NTSPP?
If it goes on raining for much longer I’m going to cry! :sad:
I have just done the NTSPP and do recommend it. Prolixic is otherwise engaged this weekend so I am going to work out the whys and wherefores over lunch and have a review ready later on.
Thanks for the above Kath, the author has been on my lips all day and I just couldn’t get it out
Glad to have been useful!
Didn’t do as well as Kath – first read through produced only one solution – and that is a cricketng clue which I normally hate! Then I got 22a and I was off, but still pretty slowly. Took me a while but I did finish without hints. Had same problem as Kath with 8a!! Particularly liked 3a, 4d and 6d. 6a last in and not 100% sure I have the right answer? Thanks to setter and BD.
Much the same for me .. think in terms of ‘law’ for 6a.
Same for me on 8a. Took way too long for a 15 letter answer. The problem with trying to de-anagram the first three words was that there did not seem to enough vowels in them. Then I got enough of the downs for the light to come on! A good puzzle especially after the preceding two. Did it without electronic help, just took a while – but that’s OK for a Saturday.
It was all going so well and then ………
A clue for 13d would be more than gratefully received !
Apart from that I started digging up a patch of lawn to turn over to vegs, got a lot of the turf off and the heavens opened. Got the makings of a nice little swimming pool now ! Drought ? Not here in Purbeck !
Hi DP
13d you need a 6 letter word for long list with the first letter of crashes inside this comes after a Motorway altogether giving you an agressive attitude
Thanks Mary, got it ………. and finished !
Pleased to say it’s still far too wet to ruin my back with any more horticural activities ! Back to carving my bits of wood for Purbeck Art Weeks Festival at the end of the month instead.
Mary, it’s the long list that’s foxing me
Take out the motorway and the first letter of crashes from your answer and then look the word that is left up in the dictionary.
Thanks for a second time CS
Afternoon Dave and everyone, I did most of this in the car on the way to Cardiff services to meet someone but got stuck in bottom right corner and had to wait until I got back home to get help from my ‘electronic friends’ to finish it, although I didn’t need the blog hints today, thanks to Dave anyway :-) a two to three star for me, as others say those four letter words caused some problems , no real favourite clue , but overall an enjoyable crossword, no rain today but still cold, tomorrows forecast is atrocious!
Mary I have this vision of you driving along looking at the crossword and not the road – say it isn’t so. DT Xword responsible for distracted driving:) I actually found this the easiest one this week. Perhaps my brain cells finally woke up. Our weather in Chicago is cold and rainy too. Thanks BD for the hints but I didn’t need them this week, but I always enjoy looking at them anyway.
Hee hee, tis not so, Silveroak, I was not the driver :-D
One of my brothers lives in New Mexico, the weather there is beautiful but they do get awful dust and sand storms
Re 3d – I thought the middle three letters was a reversal (up) of one’s genetic code (make), or am I way off track?
Thanks to setter, and to BD.
I did look at that possibility, but either there is no reversal indicator unless up performs double duty or you need to stretch, as you suggest, the meaning of the word make.
The more I look at it, the more I doubt my suggestion. I am sure your original analysis is correct.
what is the rule about ‘double duty’ Dave I’m never sure?
Me too, I looked at it both ways, I think it has to have ‘ones genetic code’ or else where do those three letters come from?
The make-up of her name – “***” *** “***”.
(Sorry Roger, I had to edit you because you are giving away the answer. You will find that there isn’t any cake in the naughty corner because I am saving it for a funding raising event at work on Monday – CS)
Also, this is a repeat of the hint given in the main post.
Whoops! Sorry.
That’s clever – it certainly didn’t occur to me!
Ah, now I get it.
Could anyone help with a clue for 23? I’m sure I’m being thick. I’ve got everything else including the two link letters and still can’t work it out…
It s a double definition I think Wozza
Thanks. I guessed that but still struggling. Oh well you can’t win them all.
base in the sense of vile, worthless; purpose as in aim or what the ntention is.
Ok, think I’ve got it now, starts with an *? Meaning of base which threw me. Many thanks.
W
I enjoyed this today and didn’t find it too hard. Last one in was 19a ,of course the cricket reference & the blinkers went on, and it really was a very straightforward clue. I liked 8a ,11a & 4d. Thanks to setter & BD. :smile:
Quiet here today everybody must be out in the hot sunshine!
We are all too busy building arks down here!!!
Here too, really sue, just wishful thinking on my part :-)
The ark is afloat!!!
I had two left at the end that took a while and found it a good challenge for a Saturday. Thanks to BD and to the setter. Just finished my Black Building test so will now have a pint and some grub – been a long day.
My last one in is 13ac and I just don’t see it… I know there is a hint I’m not getting it. Can someone explain it?
the dangerous situation can be a figurative one or a boggy area. Insert the usual crossword abbreviation for soliders that are not officers into a large body or expanse.
On first read through nothing clicked and have been working on this now for two hours plus and still only got top half in :-)
Thanks to Big Dave as ever for the hints and to the setter, please can you confirm if my answer to 17d is right – ‘Sooties mate and um’ ?
A nudge for 22a would be gratefully received and it might only leave me four to go!
your 17d is not correct. You are looking for a type of ship. Insert A (from the clue) and the abbreviation for Mine into a word meaning navigate or drive.
22a It is an anagram of the first two words, the last three being the definition.
Thanks Crypticsue, 17 d now resolved.
Another two gone in.
Busy week so have been unable to leave comments. By Saturday standards I thought today’s was better than usual and a tad more difficult. 11a was clever as was 24a. And a point for the mighty West Brom too. Thanks to the setter.
Typing error hence new post and usual picture!
Thanks to the setter & to Big Dave for the hints. Enjoyed this a lot but found it quite tricky in places. Favourites were 8 & 11 across. Still don’t understand 3d, had to use electronic help to get this. What has make-up got to do with it? Like winter in Central London.
Just had friends here for supper – all gone now and clearing up largely done – the rest can wait until tomorrow so came through to look before we go to bed. 3d – the definition is a yellow flower. The make-up bit is deliberately misleading – ie it’s not a cosmetic. I have to assume that you know the christian name of the singer whose surname is Dion – she was in the film “Titanic”. The first three letters of the answer are the first three letters of her first name, the last three letters are the last three letters of her first name so if you link them together with a three letter word meaning “with” you have a nine letter yellow flower. Blimey – how convoluted does that sound?
Not bad considering the hour Kath :-D
Testing Chicken
… still no chicken!!
I’ve found him!
Try using your @btinternet address instead of the @me one.
Welcome back chicken!
Oh dear now I’m pepsib1 again!!
Nearly done. Enjoyed this one. Help please with 21 a and 4d ? Not sure 13 a is correct. Thx for the clues.
Northants is very soggy today!!
21a Admitting husband to be caught by hoodlum (6)
The definition is admitting or conceding as in “admitting that I’m no good at cricket, I still scored 20 runs”. The abbreviation for husband is contained (caught) in a hoodlum.
4d Transport supremo playing for money (7)
The transport supremo is (3,4). The playing for money is done, for example, for people in a queue for the theatre.
of course!! Thank you Gazza!!
Thought much harder than Friday’s Giovanni. Not sure I agree with Big Dave’s hint for 16d. Surely this is the alternative spelling of the answer with the musical sense of strain? My last one in was 21a! I also justified 3G with genetic makeup as I see did some other bloggers. Before I post with one of my hoarded stamps what is the view re the spelling of 16d!
There’s no “U” in the answer to 16 down!
Does this help?
Yes it does. But if a U was present would not the four letters around the old horse be a good synonym fir strain (in the musical sense). Works for me but in this sort of situation I do not know how you distinguish. I cannot equate the other four letter word with ‘strain’. Thanks Dave. I find this fascinating but seem to be in a minority of one!
You’re not alone, Wanda. I think the answer could have been either, but the on-line site only accepts the non-U answer.
Thanks for that Gazza. I do feel cheated now though as I really thought I had the right answer!
testing again!
Thought it was quite easy today.
Could you please help me with 6a and 13a.
Thanks.
Outlaws for the weekend only just got round to Sat Xword stuck on 9a a not so gentle hint would be appreciated
Cancel that request got it almost as soon as I had given up and posted help request now happy I found the puzzle quite straight forward and the dows easier than the acrosses.
how do i get print larger
It depends on the broswer. I use Firefox and “Ctrl and +” makes it larger, “Ctrl and -” makes it smaller and “Ctrl and 0” resets the page.
I buy A3 paper…..