DT 26984 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 26984 (Hints)

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26984 (Hints)

Big Dave’s Crossword Club

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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           Yearning after net returns may be seductive (10)
A yearning follows  the reversal of a type of net

14a         ’Elpful suggestion stopped fiancé (8)
Remove the initial H (Cockney style) from a helpful suggestion like this one and follow it with a verb meaning stopped

17a         See bistro house red primarily and a container for it (6)
A bistro goes around (house) the initial letter (primarily) of Red and the A from the clue giving a container that could be used in said bistro

26a         Maybe use O2 arena (4)
A double definition – the first one is to maybe use O2 (or Vodaphone)

27a         Western character to cringe in fear receiving blow (10)
A verb meaning to cringe in fear around (receiving) a blow

Down

1d           Money’s not right for singer (4)
Drop the R(ight) from a slang word for money

2d           Something or other employing old serving women in religious festival (7)
Women, our Queen among them, serving in a wartime military organisation go inside a religious festival that comes seven weeks after Easter

3d           In circuit, that man has to finish broadcasting detective story (3,4,2,4)
… written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

4d           Dashing to look at unfinished area of North London (8)
A verb meaning dashing or racing followed by two of the three letters (unfinished) in a verb meaning to look at

16d         Mining hazard got rid of a politician (8)
A verb meaning got rid of as an employee followed by the A from the clue and a politician

23d         Create agitation in prison (4)
A double definition

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: {wreck} + {tangle} = {rectangle}

108 comments on “DT 26984 (Hints)”

  1. Anagrams are very useful to get one into a crossword but I feel that too many anagrams spoil, in this case, what could have been a very good puzzle
    Now, more recognisable anagrams would improve RayTs’ crosswords

      1. And me too! Nevertheless, I did find this puzzle enjoyable although there weren’t any ‘Eureka!’ moments.

    2. Have you finished already collywobs, well done, I am finding this a bit tricky and wouldn’t have got into it at all without the anagrams, as for 3d well there are only two of his books I know and it’s neither of those!

      1. No, I’m on with it Mary but far from finished and stuck on 3d like you. But I was able to go through it and pick out all the anagrams and there were too many. I may find more before I finish. I normally do complete the Saturday puzzle without help. It,s some of the mid week ones where I still need some assistance but I’m getting there

  2. Maybe the brain has been washed out by the rain on the Costa but I found this one harder than a usual Saturday with more long anagrams than I like. Thanks Dave for your help to get started with 1a. I was stuck on “Ten….

    1. Peter,
      Your comment required moderation because you’ve changed your alias (you’re no longer a Don). Both should now work.

  3. Many thanks BD. Electronic version of 14a (quite literally, with question marks) reads as :

    ?Elpful suggestion stopped fianc?

    ….which explains why I had absolutely no idea.

  4. Finished but bit of a struggle. Have four that I can’t quite fathom, 14a, why the apostrophe, 3d can see the detective story (one of my favourite by the Great Detective) but can’t unpick the rest of the clue at all, 20d what has it to do with a teacher and finally 25a why the him? Can anyone put a poor bewildered pensioner out of his bewilderment.

    1. It has nothing to do with teacher as a definition, different type of clue.

      Can I go in the naughty corner, really fancy some cake.

      1. I have both to ring the bells for a wedding/christening and blog the NTSPP so definitely no cake baking today.

        1. Every day on this blog we provide these “suggestions” – just look at the title of this page – take one of them and then drop the initial H.

    4. Brian I will do my best to explain 3d, you need a four letter word for circuit, inside this put the two letter word for that man, followed by a two word phrase for finish broadcasting, I think that’s right

      1. Thx Mary but I think I must have the wrong answer, I have a book about a chap in Baker Street but I can’t see any type of ring or a man or broadcasting so it must’ve wrong.

  5. Dave, The pictures seem to have disappeared from mine, do you know why, or better still, how I can get them back?

    They have come back. Thanks if that was you Dave

  6. Trickier than a usual Saturday, well I thought so, but still general Saturday level of difficulty.

    Thanks to Mr Ron and BD.

  7. There were certainly a few here that made me stop and think but I agree that the quantity of anagrams was quite high. Thanks to the setter and BD.

    1. Finished at last, whew I found some of this really tough today, I have figured out the book, but never heard of it, last in 6a and 7d, two fav clues today 26a and 25a, keep perservating folks, hard work but good feeling when you get there :-)

  9. Quite hard going this morning but nevertheless very entertaining.. last in 2d. Thanks setter and BD

  10. Bit of cheating today – looked at the hints at an early stage to accelerate progress ! Taking grandson to his first football match today, so what with the Ryder Cup as well, available time now used up. Managed to finish – thank you setter and BD for your hints, invaluable today. Some new words for me – was looking for Hopalong Cassidy etc !

  11. Could somebody help me with 2d. I’ve got the clue from the checking letters and I’ve read Daves’ hint but I don’t really understand it. If you go too far I’ll make some cakes for you on the naughty step

  12. Afternoon all.
    Finally got home at just after 0200CEST this morning after a 7 hour drive from Cornwall and then the joys (not) of Ryanair.! Long day! Just woke up to a lovely day but pommette says that Almoradi had over 4 inches of rain in a 2 hour spell yesterday afternoon! Glad I wasn’t here!
    Off to bar soon to tackle this one over a bite of breakfast!
    See y’all later.

  13. This is what pommette posted on another blog yesterday evening:-

    Well it’s been weeing down constantly since 2am Thursday morning and today we had a really mega storm. It hammered down for about 2 hours and I had water running down the walls in our bedroom, dining room, kitchen and naya (covered patio area). The garage roof was just leaking like a sieve. I had to put 4 great big slashes into the awning as each concertina bit was full of water and the supports bars were sagging about 10 inches. There was a serious danger that the weight of the water would rip it out of the wall and make it all collapse. The patio itself – which is about 6″ lower than the house – was over 5″ deep in water and the house was in danger of being flooded. Plus there was a river of water running down the street about 6″ deep.

    So all in all a pretty scary time. It took me about 2 hours to mop up once the rain stopped and it all settled down – and then I went to the pub for a large brandy !!

      1. Doesn’t rain here very often but when it does it can do the job properly! Been a couple of years since we had anything like yesterday though.

        1. Just reading about it on the news website. Sounds like Pommette had a lucky escape compared to some poor people. Hope you dry up soon.

          1. It was a lot worse to the west of us on the Costa del Sol and the Almeria/Murcia areas. Also, it’s pretty flat around here so we don’t really have the potential for flash floods sweeping cars away etc. But because it’s flat we get a huge build-up of surface water which is slow to drain away. Thankful for small mercies though.

            1. It reached us in Valencia last night. Fortunately we live on a hill, but I feel really sorry for the poor people of Andalucia, Murcia and parts of the Comunidad Valenciana who have been so badly affected. And just last week we had another forest fire just across our valley. As if Spain wasn’t having a bad enough time with the ‘crisis’.

              I found the crossword challenging but enjoyed it. 7d was my last in. I hadn’t heard the word at 27a – I like to try to get new words into conversation, but not much scope for this one I fear!

    2. All this sounds awful but last time I thought that you and pommette were in danger (big fires, I think) I was SO far out with my geography I’m just not very sure now. I hope the rain stops and you both, and your house, dry out quickly. Also hope that all the elderlies are OK. You must both be so glad to be home, even if it is a bit wet.

    1. The defintion is ‘Overlooking’ as in to put aside, or defer, and is a synonym for curling, as in hairstyle, containing a shortened form of ‘one’ (one engaged).

      1. Many thanks Jez and Mark. I must have a checking letter wrong. Can you tell me if the second letter of 6a is a ‘W’ without being sent to the naughty step

        1. It is collywobs, if you put A mans name around the usual crossword abbreviation for ‘wife’ you get your answer :-)

            1. Got it. I don’t know why I struggled.Good puzzle with some hard clues and lots of interest.Many thanks to BD and Mysterion

  16. I found this to be more of a challenge for a Saturday puzzle, and I quite enjoyed it.
    Thanks to setter, and to BD.

        1. I think of it more as relinquishing or disclaiming rather than overlooking, now you have your first letter, think of an old fashioned way of doing a ladies hair with ‘i’ inside

  19. New York here!
    All but finished today’s puzzle (thanks to all here, BD & setter) and found it quite enjoyable.
    However – for 5d – I can’t for the life of me figure out the structure of the clue.
    Can somebodt please explain it to me?
    Thanks in anticipation,
    KDinny

    1. 5d May gets upset by endless hot Mexican food (5)
      Reverse (gets upset) a synonym for may and add hot without its final letter.

    2. Another word for may, as in “May I have another beer” is reversed (gets upset) and is followed by HOT without its last letter (endless) to give some Mexican food.

    3. Many thanks Pommers & Gazza,
      Now I see the bleeding-obvious and can sleep soundly later tonight!
      Thanks again,
      KDinny.

  20. A pleasant breakfast in the sun and a pleasant crossword as well. Quite liked 1a.

    Many thanks to setter and BD.

  23. Off to watch the Ryder Cup… it was so funny when the British fans started singing some edgy football songs (the Conga, Blowing bubbles…), the American commentators were completely lost.

    2. Ryder Cup…it’s not so funny now! The US are destroying us! And tomorrow, the “singles” when they always win!

      Let’s talk “cricket” – where are the 2Kiwis today?

  24. Found this hard going too and stumped on final three – 9a, 19a and 16d. I know there are hints but I’m obviously not in the groove. Thanks to BD as always for the hints.

    Any nudges most gratefully received.

    1. 9a Fish behind second rock (5)
      A verb meaning to rock comes from an edible fish after the abbreviation for second.

      2. Thanks, Gazza. I was stuck on 1d & 9a. Problem solved!
        Nice to be back on the blog after a week away in Le Touquet trying to play golf.

    2. 19a Is copper being entertained by Scottish football club making a bloomer?
      What you want is a flower (bloomer). Insert IS and the chemical symbol for copper inside an Edinburgh-based football club.

    4. 19a – Difficult if you don’t follow Scottish Football! Does anyone?

      The nickname of the “green” football team in Edinburgh surrounds (“being entertained by”) “is” from the clue and the chemical symbol for copper ===> bloomer!

      See You, Jummy!

        1. But you’re not 87 years old and only have one of those whirly things to dry on :smile: She can’t do it when I’m there as I have to shift the whirly thing to get the car in the parking space – and it always rains when I’m there, as it did this week :sad: At least mum won’t have too much ironing to do (don’t think she irons the bedding anyway) :grin:

          1. I only have a whirly thing but am very crafty and manage to squeeze everything on. I wondered why we had had record amounts of rain. When are you next due in the UK so that I can have the ark on standby? :D

            1. Late Nov or early Dec. Thinking of chartering a yacht and sailing back – it might come in useful while I’m there :lol:

  26. Can’t say I have sailed through any of the puzzles this week, and today’s was no exception but all finished now. Nontheless enjoyable for that. Thanks BD and setter.
    Sunshine in W. Cumbria this afternoon; now that’s a pleasant change. Off to recharge the 17a, ready my culinary masterpiece for this evening; no point in being modest.

  27. Enjoyed solving this one.
    Faves ; 1a, 10a, 19a, 21a, 27a, 2d, 3d, 7d, 11d & 16d.

    Re 5d : there is a world of difference in meaning between the verbs “may” and the one inverted at the top of said clue!!!

    Weather here in NL is still sunny.

  28. Friends coming for supper this evening (in about an hour, actually – so why am I sitting here doing this you could well ask – husband already has) – we have been cooking most of the day and every time that I’ve tried to spend a few minutes looking at the crossword either the timer has “pinged” or husband has needed me to do something else! :roll:
    I found this quite tricky – thought that it was me not concentrating very well but others seem to think the same. I am STILL completely stuck on the blasted detective story – just can’t do it. Very enjoyable – 26a was my last one (apart from the dreaded 3d) – I thought that was really clever.
    No time to write more although there is plenty that I could say.
    Favourites 6, 21 and 27a (hadn’t heard of that one) and 4 and 13d.
    With thanks to Mr Ron, BD and, in advance, to anyone who will put me out of my misery with 3d so that I can enjoy this evening!

    1. Mary explained it earlier. I tried to explain it but it is impossible. Luckily for me, I don’t have to worry about the Naughty Corner when typing the review.

      Have a nice supper. Ignore the husband, that’s what I do :D

    2. I can’t do much better for 3d than Mary’s hint at comment #4. Circuit is a round trip (as you might make round France on a bicycle) and to finish broadcasting (4,3) is how a broadcaster might say goodbye to his/her listeners.

    3. Thanks CS and Gazza – I read Mary’s hint and was STILL in the dark. One of the friends who came for supper last night (another crossword addict) got the answer – he had at least heard of the book, I hadn’t – and then he and I spent a while trying to work out why – got there in the end.

  29. Evening all…if anyone is left! I completed most of this one on the train between Taunton and Exeter this morning but I was left with 3d and 7d. I haven’t read or even heard of the 3d book but should have worked out 7d before reading the help above. I actually liked this despite the lack of “super great” clues and several anagrams.

  32. Thanks to the setter & to Big Dave for the hints. Enjoyed this one but found it very trick. I cannot get the y to stay on tricky above, Gremlins or what :-) I thought it was 3star for difficulty & 4 * for enjoyment. Had to Google 3d & needed the hints for 7d & 19a. Favourites were 2d & 27a. I’m getting behind on the crosswords, as I’ve been trying to do Toughie 848.!

  33. Thanks for the help this week – we usually finish Sat but I was left to it today – struggled with 7d so all the posts helped me get there in the end – other half now annoyed as I’ve completed this! Tee-hee!!

  34. Fairly gentle stroll today favs 10a & 19a. Just re-established my DVD rewriter drive without the help of PC World or Computer Cellar saving £40.

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