Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26924 (Hints)
Big Dave’s Crossword Club
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Don’t forget that today is the last day that you can enter our July 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 Beauty getting a little behind covering — hurry up! (4,6)
A noun meaning beauty, often preceded by good, is followed by the covering for a little behind (lovely definition!) to get an interjection meaning hurry up!
9a One seeking information about brand new singer ? — hardly (10)
This person seeking information, perhaps a pretty girl employed by an MP, comes from a charade of a two-letter word meaning about, a verb meaning to brand and not-so-new singer – it seems that new has been inserted purely for the surface reading and then taken out
12a Second try to come between two old prime ministers is cruel (5-7)
Start with S(econd) and then put a verb meaning to try in a court between the familiar forms of the first names of two former (post-war) prime ministers to get an adjective meaning cruel
25a Bishop has row about instruction that’s dubious (10)
Start with B(ishop) and a row or queue then insert (about) an instruction or command to get an adjective meaning dubious or marginal
27a Great excitement — it’s loud always where sport is played (5,5)
This great excitement comes from a charade of the musical notation for loud, a word meaning always and the ground where a sport like football is played
Down
1d Master offering choice of old money (4)
To get this master you need a way of expressing a choice of pre-decimal money (1,2,1) – there are only 6 combinations to work through in order to get the answer
3d Daft person to feed chickens perhaps with bit of barley not good (12)
To get this daft person start with a phrase (7,5) that could mean to feed corn to chickens then insert the initial letter (bit) of Barley and remove the G (not good)
5d Bid to restrain Norse god’s excess (8)
Put a bid or entreaty (4) around a Norse god to get an excess or large amount
11d Place at end of flight and take off (7,5)
A charade of the place at the end of a flight of stairs and a verb meaning to take off one’s clothes gives a place where an aircraft might end its flight
14d Fortuitous throw of dice sent back minister (10)
An adjective meaning fortuitous is followed by a throw of the dice reversed (sent back) to get this Government minister
23d Get entangled in crime shamelessly (4)
A verb meaning to get entangled is hidden inside the clue
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: {hen} + {Lyon} + {tens} = {Henley-on-Thames}
Bit of a curates egg today for me, straightforward bottom half but more challenging on the top. Last in was 1a, took me ages to see the behind connection, it’s been many a long year since I thought of those dreadful things! Best clue for me was 27a but disliked 1d probably because I just didn’t get the clue, kept trying to get MA in there.
Off now to finish relaying the front patio, backbreaking!
Thx to all concerned.
!d was one of my favourites.
And mine, even if it took me a long time to get it.
I found this hard going in places, but not particularly enjoyable. Glad to have finished .. a fair bit to do today. Have a good weekend all.
I agree with the others top left hardest part and didn’t really enjoy it very much. 3*/2* for me.
Very enjoyable – still chuckling at the “little behind covering” bit
Quite liked 1d as well – I too got stuck for a while thinking there had to be either MA or at least M in the answer! The penny suddenly dropped with an almighty clang when I twigged 1a.
Many thanks to the setter and BD
My sentiments entirely, Pommers, although I made life difficult for myself by trying to force ‘lively’ into 1a… Colmce has made an apposite comment further down and I’d have saved myself some time if I’d seen it earlier.
Ouch. Found this quite tough going today but nearly there. Any help on 8d and 17d would be greatly appreciated.
8d Something you drink – a word meaning cautious or way into which is inserted the Italian word for a noble lady
17d An English island followed by a word for a group of trees gives the name of a type of tree which might be found on a more tropical island.
I think British rather than English Sue.
True. Don’t forget I am still suffering from post Elgar blogging syndrome. I should really be in a darkened room somewhere not tryin to help people (badly).
I know just how you feel, but at least you managed it, I needed your assistance (badly).
And I didn’t even dare look – not sure that I ever will!!
Kath, he’s not always as bad as this week, believe me. ( By the way, by bad I mean extremely difficult not a poor crossword) People like Crypticsue, Tilsit, Gazza, Libellule and our glorious leader BD, etc etc, just leave me flabberghasted but, as Mary says, perservate, the feeling you get when you crack an Elgar for the first time is fabulous.
Just knowing that it’s a Friday, let alone an Elgar Friday, is enough to make me go pale, cold and shivery …. don’t even look, not even with one eye shut and the other only half open!! Maybe, one day!
Thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. Lots of feel good moments.Fav. clue 1a. Last in 19a. Thanks setter and BD
Whipped through this one with very few problems, seemed to be quite a lot of familiar clues/answers.
Thanks to BD for hints, and to the setter for an interesting puzzle, 1a definite favourite.(crocodile sandwich anyone?).
What happened to the hot weather we were promised, only 16° here at the moment, locks open shortly, Boulogne by teatime?
Phew got there in the end!
I liked this one for a Saturday puzzle. Thanks to setter, and to BD.
Very enjoyable if shortlived experience from I presume the Saturday Mysteron as there don’t seem to be enough anagrams for a Cephas.
BD – Surely the new and hardly in 9a refer to the old group of the same name as the last 8 letters of the solution plus an s – so hardly a new singer?
I’m sticking with my analysis – the group to which you are referring would have been referred to as singers (plural) and where does “brand” fit in?
You are as ever right.
Have to agree. Although it was actually the band that gave me the answer in the first place, on closer inspection I came up with the same parsing as you
Glad I am not alone in both thinking of the band and realising that one should never disagree with BD
Blimey, dave’s right as usual. I thought about the same group as you, but crosswords always seem to go for *****’s partner !
Careful!
I’m just starting the review and I agree with BD until the point of the ‘new’. Read it as ‘New singer – Hardly!” to get the last four letters – she has bee around for a while!
That was exactly how I read it – I just phrased it differently.
I didn’t understand the ‘new’ being padding in that case (nor added or taken out!) – Hang fore I have just got what you mean!
If you ttoo are stuck indoors watching circling black clouds, why not stay in and do the NTSPP.
The Araucaria in the Graunidad is worth a look too.
Araucaria? You must be joking! I can never work his out…Our brains are wired differently, I think.
Still need 4, 8d 10 16 and 19. any clues welcome. I saw the clue to 8d above but still clueless.
I don’t think that my brain has any wiring at all today! If someone hasn’t come up with hints for your problems in a minute I’ll have a go!
Hi Roger – it’s Araucaria with very benign hat on! I usually have a hard time with his but breezed this one!
4d – A (from the clue) followed by another word for nose gives an advance
8d – Can’t really add to CS’s hint above without going to the naughty corner
10a – It’s a famous place. Insert R (Ruppees initially) into an Eastern ruler
16a – definition is ‘for American football’ and it’s what it’s played on. You need another word for press and before it (first) put a network.
19a – a middle eastern city. take the outskirts off Thank Arabs.
Oh good – I’m glad you got there before me – my hints would have taken me ages to work out and would not have been as good as yours anyway. It’s only when I try that I realise just how difficult it is.
“Benign, Pommers, benign ?” he shrieked. Nary a clue. It’s Tramp for me this evening in the glorious sun over a large G&T. Bliss
If you mean yesterday’s Tramp, it’s a hell of a lot trickier than today’s Araucaria! Good luck with it – took me ages (and more than 2 glasses of the vino collapso)!
Thanks for that. Embarrassed I didn’t get 19. I’d even gone as far as taking A and S off Arabs…
Glad to have been of service. Happens to us all so don’t feel embarrassed.
If BD was in sterner mood I might have been in the naughty corner for 16a, as I added extra information, but I got away with it, must have been at lunch
I’ve had a real battle today – have finished now – got brain ache! My last few answers – probably about six of the little ******* – took me AGES!
Like others I spent ages trying to fit MA into 1d. Then, finally, got 1a so spent ages again trying to justify the old Italian currency – eventually got there. 3d was my last one in – even with alternate letters I couldn’t see it. 9a took some time to work out even though I had the answer.
I really enjoyed this – must be a masochist!
Lots of the clues that I liked – 1a being the favourite, but also 12 and 18a and 1, 5, 7 and 8d.
With thanks to the setter and BD.
Another good Saturday puzzle.
Faves : 9a, 12a, 16a, 26a, 1d, 5d, 6d & 22d.
Thx for help, been in US too long so didn’t get “******” reference until Mrs T reminded (hit) me. but still stuck on 12a. Sunny and cool here in Boston (69F).
BD’s hint for 12a does explain it. Not sure what I can add without going ito the naughty corner. That is the trouble with you being in Boston, you might not know the familiar way we refer to two past Prime Ministers, one more recent than the other.
That is one of the nicest insults I have ever had!
T’wasn’t meant to be insulting – I just thought it must be quite difficult to solve some parts of British cryptic crosswords without setters throwing in familiar ways of referring to past prime ministers.
Surely it shouldn’t be too much of a problem? We’re all familiar with Ronald ‘Ronnie’ Reagan, Bill Clinton, Ike etc.
Thank you all, no offense taken. We are just glad that we don’t need a TV license (sic) to participate.
12a – Diminutive forenames of Messrs ***** and *****! I suppose that’s what happens in a democracy! You never get what you voted for!
Now you see, I wondered if that was giving too much away, and there isn’t any cake in the tin!
Pushing my luck, but the rule is “Please don’t put whole or partial answers or alternative clues in your comment, else they may be censored!”
I plead innocent!
(Wouldn’t mind going to the Naughty Corner for the afternoon – far too hot for me today!)
That was bordering on an alternate clue. You could see that I had deliberately avoided being too specific in the hint. If you’re not sure then don’t post.
In his defense/defence, he was purely attempting to educate the thirteen colonies.
Thanks for the advice. I will never post again.
Now, now, play nicely!
Hot! What is this ‘hot’?? We are promised some ‘hot’ later this week and I feel I should get myself ready.
I think actually naming the past PMs (if that’s what you did) counts as an alternative clue – too hot here as well
Back to ‘Le Tour’ now. – go for it Wiggo
Same problem with 1A from just West of Boston – didn’t get ****** reference and couldn’t make “sharp” fit! Didn’t have too much trouble with the past PM’s though. Struggled with the top half but got there in the end.
Maybe naughty corner exemptions should be allowed for helping us foreigners?
If they can only be viewed outside the UK perhaps!
Is that why I just received the message:
Fatal error: Out of memory (allocated 22020096) (tried to allocate 63509 bytes) in /home/bigdavec/public_html/wp-content/plugins/bbpress/bbpress.php on line 292
User citizenship invalid or memory failure
Mea culpa – when I posted, the ****** had been clearly spelled out previously, but now I see it’s gone! Can I claim a Mulligan?
I think we may have already been issued a gracious royal pardon from BD. (Mulligan – you mean a “do-over”?).
I’ll let you off. The previous one slipped in while I was at lunch. As with the names of the former PMs it was marginal, but I felt that it destroyed the “doh” moment when the actual clue was solved.
As I’ve said before, it’s difficult to draw a line in the sand, but I do everything I can to stop this site becoming like certain other unmentionable ones.
For which we are eternally grateful. Amen. And thanks to all for the banter.
I don’t know which other unmentionable sites you mean but this one is great, so long may it continue as it is!
Very enjoyable crossword and fairly straightforward, loved 1a, thanks to the setter and to BD.
Talking about hot earlier – I just stuck a thermometer in the water coming out of our COLD tap. It’s 31C !!!!!!
No wonder I don’t need the heater in the shower but I do need ice cubes to cool my hard-boiled quails eggs!
The sun is actually out here, people lining the streets photographing it for posterity….
Pommette said earlier that it was a nice day in Manchester, but she also mentioned she had to wear socks and a rugby shirt! I’m wearing a pair of swimming trunks. Oh, and a pair of flip-flops
Very enjoyable. Don’t usually like Saturday Mysterons. Favourites 1 12 27 a and 3 5 11 13 d. Put 22d in but penny only just dropped as to why. Many I seemed to get instinctively and then worked out. Not convinced about 2d. First in was 18a. NW corner definitely last but cracking the delightful 1a helped. Being a lawyer also helped with a couple of clues. Thanks setter BD and all for the interesting comments
KING WIGGO RULES !!!!!!!! But don’t forget Prince Chris – the face of the future?
BTW, don’t mention the cricket!
I reckon 3d is badly constructed. We got the right answer for the wrong reason. The answer already includes something you feed to chickens without messing about with its initial letter!
Good crossword though and both 1a and 12a caused a wee bit of bother!
Not a much toil doing this as England have faced at The Oval today! 9a was rather clunky and did not really work for me. 12a was clever and was my favourite of the day. Off to watch day 4 tomorrow so praying for some wickets. I predict a draw.
Thanks to the setter & to Big Dave for the hints. Found this a bit tricky in places, but most enjoyable. Started with 2d, finished with 8d. Favourites were 1d, 5d & b1a. Great day in Central London, spent a few hours in Twickenham & Richmond, weather superb, just like summer
REALLY struggled with this! Thank you for all the hints – 1a my last one!! – should have thought of my grand – daughter!
I know this is a very late post but often do crosswords a day or two late. Really struggled with the North West corner and have one query if anyone reads this. I agree the word “new” in clue 9a is superfluous, but what is the relevance of the word “hardly” at the end?
One across was tricky because it’s no longer a very common expression for “hurry up”. Very amusing clue though!
The hardly is there to reverse “new singer” into “old singer”
New is not superfluous insofar as it can be ignored – it has been inserted for the benefit of the surface reading and then effectively taken out by hardly. Certainly not one of my favourite clues.
Oh I see. “One seeking information about brand singer” only just about makes sense, so stick “new” in then take it out with a final “hardly”. Very cunning, if a little convoluted. But then again cryptic puzzles and convolution are comfortable bedfellows. Thanks.
8d isn’t a drink it is a ***** *******!
It can be used to refer to a drink, as in a glass of **********