Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26888 (Hints)
Big Dave’s Crossword Club
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There’s still time to enter our very own, brand new, Prize crossword.
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.
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 Applauded striking shot (7,3)
A charade of a verb meaning applauded and an adjective meaning striking as in withdrawing labour gives an adjective meaning shot or knackered
10a Weather forecasters satisfied not wanting frosty conditions (3,6)
The government department that issues weather forecasts is built up from a three-letter word meaning satisfied followed by a phrase (3,3) that could mean not wanting frosty conditions
25a Dwarf fish (5)
This evil-tempered ugly dwarf can also be a verb meaning to fish with a spinning bait
27a Comfort king being swallowed by exhausted marine monster (3,7)
Put a word meaning comfort or relaxation and the abbreviation of the Latin for king inside (being swallowed by) an adjective meaning exhausted to get this marine monster
Down
1d Mention computing etc in church (4)
This verb meaning to mention or quote is derived by putting a generic term for computing inside the Church of England
4d Clean vermin around the Italian home (8)
Start with a two-letter word meaning to clean or tidy up and then add some vermin around the Italian definite article to get a home
17d Highland lake’s not so much without exclamation by Scots Nationalist (4,4)
This large Scottish lake is created by putting an adverb meaning not so much around (without) an exclamation typically made by a Scotsman and N(ationalist)
23d Dull piece of scenery (4)
This adjective meaning dull can also be a piece of theatrical scenery
The Crossword Club is now open. 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: {Eddie} + {stone} + {light} + {house} = {Eddystone Lighthouse}
Morning Dave
Enjoyed this one. It may just be me having an ‘off’ week but I thought it a little trickier than recent Saturdays. 3*/3* for me. Do we know the setter? Didn’t feel like a Cephas to me.
Favourite was 1a :grin:
Off to clean the kitchen now while listening to the TMS cricket commentary. At least play has finally started :smile:
See y’all later.
Thanks to setter and BD.
TMS – It’s far more entertaining listening to Sir Geoffrey in the commentary box than watching him bat!
He didn’t seem to like being reminded that 45 years ago today he made 246 n.o. and was then dropped for the next test for slow scoring! Has he forgiven and forgotten?
My progress with today’s Crossword was Boycott-esque – very slow, but got there in the end.
Morning all, late start as Telgraph app was up the spout.
Enjoyed this, nice clues and only one obscure word.
Thanks BD for the review and to the setter for a good end to my puzzle week.
1a,4d, 7d favourites.
By my rating. 2* + difficulty.
If I hadn’t tried to fit a giraffe into 7d instead of an antelope, I would have finished much quicker; however, having put in the answers for 6a and 12a, you’ll perhaps understand why it was easy to fall into that trap.
I bet you won’t be the only one :grin: Fortunately I already had 10a before I read that clue or I might have done the same, never heard of the antelope!
I enjoyed this – found it difficult to get going but have finished now.
I don’t understand my answer for 20a – it is a computer company but can’t see what it’s got to do with the last bit of the clue. Not very sure about what I have for 3d either.
Favourites include 1, 24 and 25a and 11, 21 and 23d.
Thanks to the setter and BD.
I enjoyed this one too – about average time for the Saturday Mysteron although my last two 13d/26a did take longer than they should for the penny to fall. Thanks to BD for the hints too.
My message went in the wrong place so I will answer Kath re 20a – Split your answer 4, 9. The first bit is the yielding and the second is the place where raves are held.
Thanks CS and Colmce – I get it now! :smile:
If you split 4/9 it makes sense.
( hope this doesn’t transgress or I’ll get asterisked )
Pipped, must brush up my typing skills. :)
I don’t think we have transgressed. Incidentally both you and the Captain should find that you are able to solve the NTSPP today! I will explain more later.
Take away the 1st 4 letters and you get a venue where Raves are often held – usually a disused one.
Hi Kath,
20a – yielding is a four letter word beginning with s, then a place where raves are held.
Sorry, Capt..have just seen your explanatory post. :)
Should have read further down before thanking CS and Colmce – thanks to all the rest of you who sorted me out re 20a!
Hi Kath, regards 3d, think of a phrase for ***, 4,2 insert an i for one in the clue, then an abbreviation for following, then another word for under.
It might be a phrase meaning that but it isn’t in the clue! The phrase you want means ‘hand over’.
Thanks both – it was the first letter of the second word that was muddling me up.
Afternoon Dave et al, thanks for hints Dave of which I needed two, still cant quite ‘see’ how I get 14a! I thought this was quite hard today a three star at least for me! two favourites today 11d and 16d, also liked 12a for the reading of the clue, thought very clever, I liked 15a because it is the name of one of my dogs :-)
Hi Mary
Re14a It’s the usual letter for high-class and a 3 letter abbreviation for railway (that doesn’t come up very often) and then the chap is inserted. ‘having expedition’ is the definition.
Oh well, back to the kitchen :sad:
thanks pommers it was the 3 letter abbreviation that I overlooked
Whoopee the sun is out, byeeee
According to the BRB you could also have RWY but I’ve never seen that come up in a crossword.
Pommers, where are these abbreviations held in BRB?
They are in the main part of the dictionary – they were in a separate section, but that was many years ago.
Yes, me too! I’m very used to the normal two letter abbreviation for railway but not this one, or the one suggested by Pommers. Enjoy the sun – I assume you’re not flooded. Over on the coast it sounds awful.
Hi Kath, no we are fine but it has been awful in some places, my nephew who is a relief fireman has been on duty most of the weekend, he says its amazing no one was killed, caravan parks have been totally destroyed homes wrecked terrible! We have actually had a relatively nice weekend
Mary – thanks – ‘dog’ of course!
I liked this one, though it was a bit easier than normal, hence 3 stars. Still reasonably enjoyable though. Only one I struggled with was 7d which I hadn’t heard of before.
Thanks to BD and the setter
Very slow start, got up to pace then hurtled down the final furlong! Most enjoyable for an October morning – sorry, June morning! Thanks to setter and to BD as per.
Stuck on 8d and 16d and 19a. Otherwise ok.
Welcome to the blog Barking
Think a *** *** *** for the first part of 8d or what we called veg at school then the term for a child in the care of the court. For 19a think of the chaps who ride motorbikes and cycles (usually through red lights) delivered documents etc in cities then add the usual abbreviation for Time.
For 16d think about what you do to a nail with a hammer to get it fully into a piece of wood.
Thanks, Brian – just what I needed, 2 to go!
Thanx Brian. I have them now. I often find that the ones that fox me others have and vice versa! My favourite was 20a because I used to work in one.
Hello Barking. I got 8d only with some electronic help – basically split it 6/4 and the first is another word for veg (in that your mother may have said “eat up your ……” when you were little) and the second is someone who needs/has protection – perhaps of a Court? And the whole is an outdated word for grassland, more often used in Elizabethan times possibly?
16d is what you do in a car (first word) and where you would normally go back to if you’ve been out for the day (second word) and the whole lot is a phrase used to make a point, quite forcibly.
19a is someone who delivers things (quite frequently but not exclusively by motorbike) around “t” for Time.
Hope I haven’t overstepped BD’s mark or I shall be asterisked out and sent to the naughty corner! Is there any cake there to-day?
I actually finished – apart from 25a (which I thought was an entirley different word) and 23d. But it did take me quite a while and I certainly didn’t find it easy going! Enjoyable though, so thanks to setter and BD for hints.
Took a little time to get going then found it very enjoyable. Best clues for me were 20a, 10a and 4d. Last in was 15a but thx to Mary I finally got it.
BD, I opened a gravitar acc and chose an avatar for my email address but my avatar on the site hasnt changed, have I done something wrong?
Cheers
Brian
It can take a little while for the gravatar to become active. When did you set it up?
It’s a bit strange Brian. If I hover over your current avatar I get the box come up which shows your new one but when I click the ‘view full profile’ button it’s not there! Obviously something’s not worked but I’ve no idea what it might be.
Brian
If you check here:
https://en.gravatar.com/site/check
you will find that you have rated your gravatar at PG or better. As this site is rated at G it is unable to display your gravatar.
Rated G – A G rated gravatar is suitable for display on all websites with any audience type.
Rated PG – PG rated gravatars may contain rude gestures, provocatively dressed individuals, the lesser swear words, or mild violence.
Rated R – R rated gravatars may contain such things as harsh profanity, intense violence, nudity, or hard drug use.
Rated X – X rated gravatars may contain hardcore sexual imagery or extremely disturbing violence.
Thx for that. Didn’t realise even Avotars have a rating these days. :-)
Changed now to a G so in time it should appear, yes?
Thanks to the setter & to Big Dave for the hints. Which I didn’t need for once. A very enjoyable puzzle, which was a bit tricky in places. Started with 1d, finished with 14a, favourite was 7d.Thankfully the wind has dropped in Central London, but the forecast doesn’t look good.
Nice puzzle today – I too was beaten by the 3 letter abbrev for ‘railway’. Incidentally, I tried to post on Thurs from a ‘smart’ phone (to say how much I liked the high innuendo count!) but couldn’t do so. Is the ‘normal’ email to be used from a different device?
Just had an almost deja-vu moment – 5a in today’s Times ‘Lady’s heart captivated by eg Cruft’s dog’ (6). Just a coincidence or ….??
….. a conspiracy?
Just off to cook my first ever CASSOULET!
Good luck with the cassoulet! I think we are going to have to have a very quick and easy supper tonight as we’re both busy in the garden and, given the forecast for tomorrow, should probably carry on as long as possible until what our elder daughter calls “wine o’clock”!
Solved this while watching Maria and Sara battle it out at Roland Garros – very good match.
Faves are : 1a, 15a, 19a, 25a, 1d, 3d, 11d, 17d & 21d.
Looking forward to the men’s final at RG tomorrow.
Weather here sunny once more after a very blustery morning
Grilled salmon and a glass of Vouvray shortly!
Good afternoon one and all from a SUNNY Hertfordshire. This crossword did not have the usual “Cephas” feel and i would be interested to know who compiled it. I too found it rather hard initially not helped with me getting “snap” for 26a. Once I got going things fell into place although I too struggled to get 20a. 10a a pit poor? All now done and the cricket underway so a good day.
It is the turn of the Saturday Mysteron this week. He and Cephas do alternate weeks.
ditto re 26a little dave, a SUNNY cambridgeshire too. I’ve had to move the laptop as I refuse to close curtains when yesterday I was put the heating on. 6ft height bay windows facing west, got to make the most use when you can. Hope our west wales friends are all safe and Pommers coping in the heat. 22d my last in (d’oh of week). Thanks as ever to Setter and BD
Just been watching the news and reports of the crazy rain! Hope all you guys in Wales have survived OK – sounds really bad!
Just testing smartphone!
I am really knackered now! Why? – done a lot today, that’s why!
Watched a tennis match, listened to cricket, watched GP qualifying, did the DT, the Grauniad and about half of the NTSPP (I’ll have another go tomorrow although I think I’m probably on a loser as Kent is a place I don’t know much about), washed the car, cleaned the kitchen (including emptying every cupboard and cleaning the insides, which was above and beyond etc!), brushed and hosed out the courtyard and watered all the plants, then cooked and ate dinner, loaded the dishwasher and . . . went to pub to watch some football – think I deserved a coffee and a couple of brandies after all that!
See y’all tomorrow – ‘she who shall be disobeyed only with great circumspection’ is landing at San Javier airport tomorrow at 1855CEST so I’ve got all day to clean the lounge, dining room and 2 bedrooms – should be OK as they ain’t that dirty!
Wonder where my earlier post went to… Must be my iPad.. Been acting a bit odd lately.
Well I’ve only just finished this. A bit of a slog if I’m honest. I needed many of the hints and all of my electronic cheating tools.
My last in was 7d which I only got with a great deal of help from Wikipedia. I was so sure that it had to be that giraffe-like thing (which I had heard of) that I started to doubt 10a, until I found the antelope that fitted the checking letters (which I had most certainly NOT heard of). I then started the process of decrypting the wordplay for it. I was just about to post here in frustration when the penny dropped. My only laugh of the day!
I didn’t much like 8d. It is a word I had heard of, but I spent much of my time trying to put “prairie”, “savannah” , “steppe” and other O Level geography terms into the answer. I would never have got the answer without the hints here.
Wasn’t keen on 20a either despite the fact that,like Barking (above), I once worked for one.
A little disheartened that I was able to do so little on my own, but happy to have finished it. I enjoyed it in retrospect.
Thanks to setter and to BD for the invaluable hints.
Lovely Saturday, lovely weather, if a wee bit changeable, lovely crossword, if a wee bit easy, all in all a grand wee start to the weekend. Thanks to the setter for the crossword, BD for the hints and the Big Man for the weather.
Thanks to all – 26a last in (doh!). Must ask hubby how he knew where raves were held…
If the usual Saturday mysteron much easier for me than normal. Everything fitted into place very nicely. Did not like 3 d because of the number of words in the clue. Got it once I had some checking letters. Had not heard of 7d but obvious with the checking letters. How many pens end in O? Oddly enough last one in 13d. Answer seems too obvious and if I’m right what is the point of “has short blip”. Ha I’ve just answered my own question. I was reading the whole word as meaning advertising. Very enjoyable.
Greetings! Finished but cant understand why 15a is what it is!!!
15a Dog getting publicity in e.g. Crufts (6)
Dog is a verb meaning to follow or track.
I really enjoyed this. Slow start but once I starting thinking, the solutions fell into place.
liked 1a , 11d & 17d.
Still having trouble with 10a,14a 4d,5d and 13d……..any help please!
Hi crypticbeginner – welcome to the blog.
There are already hints in the blog for most of the ones you’re asking about.
13d Book trade has short blip in advertising (10)
The definition is book trade. Insert a shortened form of blip in a present participle meaning advertising or promoting vigorously.
5d Extreme remark (5)
It’s a double definition. Firstly an adjective meaning extreme, as in ***** rubbish. Secondly a verb meaning to remark.
Thanks Gazza, I had the answer for 5d but thought it too easy, I obviously shouldn’t try to over complicate things! Worked out 13d and as a result 14a so just 4d and the first three words of 10a left to tax my brain with.