Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2745 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Big Dave
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a number of the more difficult 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.
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”. Other useful pages are The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay, and Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.
Definitions are underlined in the clues.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submission.
Across
1a Doing nothing about French breach (10)
A word meaning doing nothing around FR(ench)
10a Minor playing against India (as heard on radio) in Test (7)
A single-letter meaning playing against another team and the letter in the NATO Phonetic alphabet (as heard on the radio) represented by India inside a test
12a Upset bears with disconcerting display of aggression (5-8)
An anagram (upset) of BEARS followed by a verb meaning disconcerting
15a Ride off in direction of sunset? That’s most odd (8)
An anagram (off) of RIDE inside the direction in which the sun sets
19a Express disapproval about a doctor providing grass (6)
A verb meaning to express disapproval around the A from the clue and a two-letter abbreviation for a doctor
22a Expert firing cheats, then laughing loudly (13)
People who cheat at cards followed by a verb meaning laughing loudly
26a Observes European agreement (4)
E(uropean) followed by a word expressing agreement
27a Complaint after traffic light’s turned around, producing accident (10)
A complaint or illness after the reversal (turned around) of a traffic light
Down
1d Separate part of England and a part of US (4)
The abbreviation for a separate part of England followed by the A from the clue
2d Said number was raised as anticipated (7)
What sounds like (said) a number followed by the reversal (raised) of WAS
3d Do-it-yourself work that’s bound to be covered (13)
A book about and by the author
5d Exposed, run over the hill in high dudgeon (8)
A three-letter adjective meaning exposed or public followed by R(un) and an adjective meaning over the hill or having seen better days
7d When repeated in second part of test, it’s stupid (7)
a two-letter word meaning when followed by IN twice (repeated) and the second letter (part) of [t]E[st]
13d Secures inside room — no rush (6,4)
A verb meaning secures or pins inside some room or expanse
18d About to break piece of crockery? Calm down (7)
The two-letter Latin abbreviation for about inside (to break) a piece of crockery
23d Material investigated in touching way (4)
Two definitions – a type of material or cloth and a verb meaning investigated by touching
Could new readers please read the Welcome post and the FAQ before posting comments or asking questions about the site.
As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment.
Please read these instructions carefully. Offending comments may be redacted or deleted.
| Today it’s Happy Birthday to Jonny Wilkinson (35) and Ian McKellen (75) | ||||
Same as ever on a Sunday! – a superbly enjoyable puzzle from a great setter. My rating is 3*/4*. I would have finished in 2* time but I had a bit of a tussle with a few clues in the SW corner.
Many thanks to Virgilius and to BD
Thank you Virgilius – another enjoyable puzzle. For some reason I got through this quite quickly – and therefore conclude that the puzzle will be rated as on the easy side. Always good fun and 22a certainly had me “laughing loudly”
I started to wonder where the hidden words were and then all of a sudden I bumped into them ! Thanks BD for your hints as always.
I could find no hidden words, but don’t suppose you can say where they are for fear of expulsion from the club!
There are two, one in the acrosses and one in the downs and that’s all I’m saying even though I do have some delicious mincemeat flapjack in the cake tin today
My mouth is watering at the thought of mincemeat flapjack.
I’ve got Hazelnut and Ginger Crunches
Not had one in years, mincemeat flapjack that is,my Grandma used to make them and nobody elses tasted up to the mark when she went to the aga in the sky.
I’ll try and replicate today’s batch (Mr CS says they are the best ones yet) when the next S&B comes along and bring some up for you to test.
Got it!
It’s not an “it” it’s a “them”! 25a was my last answer!
and 
As everyone always says, another lovely crossword – how does he do it?
I thought this was a bit more difficult than some but I’m putting that down to a late night yesterday.
3d took me a long time to see, as did 13d and the first word of 22a – my original idea for that one was wrong and would have played havoc with the rest of that corner.
I hardly dare admit it but my last answer was 25a – I get worse at these rather than better. Oh dear!
I liked 12 and 15a and 13 and 18d. My favourite was 19a.
With thanks to Virgilius and BD.
My computer has seen better days so “playing” with husband’s lap top – the keyboard feels very different so any mistakes are due to that not my general inability!
Took longer to write in the answers with my left hand than it did to solve the clues! For some reason, I felt that this puzzle was a bit flat. More me than Virgilius, I expect. Thanks to V and although I didn’t need any hints, thanks as always to BD for the review.
Hope you are doing better today and in no pain. Are you going to be able to take time off from work?
Unfortunately lots of pain, which has severely limited my crossword effort today….although cross words are not in short supply! I have the good pain medication, though. Not giving work much thought right now. I can type with my left hand, albeit slowly, so I can get some things done if needs be. Seeing the orthopedist very soon!
I broke my right arm some years ago, typing with just one hand does not cut it! Thank goodness for my Shortcut programme, I just loaded it up so that I could at least get some work done. Being owner/operator I can’t afford not to work. Good luck to you and hope all goes well.
I’m in the same position. It’s my own business. No paid sick leave. If it looks like I’m in for a long haul, I plan on getting the voice recognition thingy so I can talk rather than type.
Really enjoyed this. Thought that it was going to be one of those but gradually dropped into place with a bit of perseverance. No BRB this time round !
I enjoyed this one in spite of struggling with 5d where I was determined that the definition was exposed. Ah well. Too many good clues to choose a favourite. Thanks to Virgilious and BD for being there!
Very enjoyable although23a and 3d took a while to decifer. Thanks Virgilius and BD.
Enjoyable and at times difficult because I did not see what was hidden in front of me.
Thank you as ever BD for the help and Virgillus for setting a pleasurable puzzle.
On the gentle side, but fun to do – 2*/4* for me. I enjoyed 22a and 13d particularly. My thanks to Virgilius, and as always to BD.
As always, brilliant stuff from Virgilius. Had to work for it but all good clues so much enjoyment. Fave was 13d, particularly the illustration from BD. Honourable mention to 19a, 1a, 1d and 2d. Thanks Virgilius and BD for review.
Very enjoyable except for 23d which is one of the hated double definition clues, well hated by me.
Mrs B has just got it, not my favourite clue and for me rather spoilt an otherwise superb puzzle.
Thx to all
Thoroughly enjoyable stuff as per usual. Went through it fairly quickly so it probably wasn’t the sternest of Sunday puzzles but definitely a very slick and smooth offering. **/**** with thanks to Virgilius and BD for the hints that weren’t required today.
Great stuff as usual from Virgilius although I was rather slow with it. 22a took me ages to figure out but when the penny dropped made me laugh out loud .I also liked 26a..
Enjoyable puzzle today even though we didn’t find it easy, and had to look at one or two hints, so thank you BD, and Mr. Setter.
Thoroughly enjoyed this excellent Sunday offering. Last in for us was 1d, the abbreviation was not as familiar to us of course, but the checking letters did not leave many options to choose from.
Thanks Virgilius and BD.
Enjoyable fare from Virgilius as usual.
Unlike the 2Ks above, my first in was 1d – that is where my parents finished up in GB and during my working life I covered every state in the USA.
Cloudy but warm weather here in NL.
Thanks to Virgilius and to Big Dave for the hints. Yet another very good puzzle from Virgilius. No real problems, didn’t need the hints. Some super clues. Was 2*/4* for me.