Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27540 (Hints)
Big Dave’s Crossword Club
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Have a go at our July Prize Puzzle. This month’s prize has been donated by Tim Moorey.
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.
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”. Where the hint describes a construct a “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.
Some hints follow:
Across
1a Suit you’ll need when entering church (4)
To get this legal suit put a word meaning when inside the Church of England
3a Cool number, new song about the French female (10)
The abbreviation for number followed by N(ew) and a song around the French feminine definite article
11a Another court passage (7)
A verb meaning another or additional followed by C(our)T
13a Questioning of physicist cut short by old American (7)
This adjective meaning questioning or inquisitive is derived from the surname of a famous husband and wife, who were both physicists, without its final letter (cut short) followed by O(ld) and the two-letter abbreviation for American
14a Assembly of peers, triumvirate reforming economic policy? (11)
An anagram (ASSEMBLY) of PEERS followed by a triumvirate or team of three people acting equally as leaders
18a Pep pill taken by one before endless criticism makes one become violently angry (2,9)
A two-letter word meaning pep followed by a spherical pill, I (one) and a word meaning criticism without its final letter (endless)
25a Member of 15’s band, Ms Fitzgerald, back touring Canada, left for clubs (5-1-4)
Reverse the first name of Ms Fitzgerald around [C->L]ANADA after inserting L(eft) in place of the C(lubs)
26a Nimble agent catching leader in race (4)
A secret agent around (catching) the initial letter (leader) of R[ace]
Down
1d Disdain shown by prisoner over bait (8)
One of the usual prisoners followed by a verb meaning to bait or lure
2d Top of the bill set off on vessel (4,4)
A verb meaning to set off or initiate followed by a vessel, especially one used for storing the ashes of a cremated person
5d Statesman in place of worship, unwell (9)
A place of worship followed by an adjective meaning unwell
8d Insect set free by misguided set (6)
An anagram (free) of SET followed by an anagram (misguided) of SET
12d A small gesture by topless people in clandestine meeting (11)
The A from the clue followed by S(mall), a gesture and people or race without their initial letter (topless)
15d Much associated with this outlaw (5,4)
Much the Miller’s Son was one of his associates, as was 25 across
17d Inadequate supply from Detroit perhaps following onset of strike? (8)
A phrase, somewhat like Motor Town, that could describe Detroit (3,4) preceded by the initial letter (onset) of S[trike]
20d Drive mostly right, then left (6)
Most of an adjective meaning right or genuine followed by L(eft)
22d Blow up second fountain (5)
S(econd) followed by a fountain or spring
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The Quick crossword pun: {carry} + {booze} = {caribous}
An easy solve for a Saturday prize puzzle. No problems and not particularly enjoyable. Thanks to setter and to Big Dave for his hints.
All done with no particular stand-out clues although 17d was rather nice. Thanks to BD and for the review and setter. And good luck to England at Trent Bridge today.
What a remarkable morning’s cricket, Little Dave!
Amazing! Non cricket lovers will not understand the extraordinary fascination of five day Test cricket. Although this game will (almost certainly!) end in a draw tomorrow, it has been utterly spell binding, and if you had simply read about it you might assume it was a work of fiction.
Still, given England’s recent sufferings at the hands of last wicket partnerships, it’s nice to see us getting our own back for once!
Indeed! Glued in to TMS as I’m doing gardening jobs. Am off to Lord’s this week but only for the first 4 days! May do the fifth if it goes close.
Although I competed without hints, I definitely found this to be more of a challenge than the usual Saturday fare. I did like 17D. “Thanks to the setter and BD for the review.
Thank you setter. Not too hard. A bit of googling to get 25a. Lovely morning in Hexham with family. Kite flying this afternoon. Thanks BD for the hints and photos.
What about 19d in DT27540? I’ve got an answer, but can’t make it fit the clue.
Welcome Trev.
The answer is made up from the first word of the clue, an abbreviation for someone who does not drink (dry), the usual letter for “one” and the abbreviation for circa (the Latin for about).
I was highly amused by 10A, needed Dave’s hint for 13A, but struggling to understand clue for 6D.
6d The definition is argument. You want a ten letter word meaning change containing (involving) the one letter abbreviation for degrees Centigrade.
A doh moment! Thank you Kath for your help though.
Glad to have been of help even if it wasn’t needed.
Any help with 4d? I think I know the answer but can’t see how it relates to the clue!
If you have the right answer, you should have a school of art – try splitting the solution 1, 4 and the first part of the clue should make sense.
The answer is a form of abstract painting. It comes from the usual letter for love or zero followed by another word for a role in a play or drama.
Got it! Never heard the expression before – though partner (architect) tells me I really should have…..
Anyone who’s familiar with Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kijé suite will know the name of a certain type of Russian horse-drawn transport, which forms part of the answer to 14a, but it wasn’t until I read Dave’s hints that I realised why it’s actually called that. Thank you, Dave, and Chambers too because I’ve learned something this morning – and that’s pleased me.
Love that music, First heard as a child, stayed with me.
I found some of these quite tricky – very hot in Oxford today – think I have a boiled brain – well, that’s my excuse anyway.
Will give it a go as it’s too hot to do anything useful.
I don’t know anything about 15d other than the most obvious stuff so was completely mystified by the first word of the clue and 25a threw me too – husband to the rescue!
6d caused a few problems too – thought change was a verb so the first five letters made sense but the rest didn’t – took ages to work it out. Stupid!
I liked 10a and, eventually, 14a and 16d. My favourite was 17d.
With thanks to today’s setter and to BD.
Slightly – well, OK quite a lot – put off by the title of the NTSPP!
Finished today without too many problems. I expect some will not find it much of a challenge, but we enjoyed it a lot so thank you to the setter and to BD for his explanations.
Fairly easy solve today!
Faves : 14a, 25a, 8d & 15d.
Cool, cloudy day here in the Var.
I was getting through this quickly today until I got held up for a while in the NE corner, but eventually finished in just over 2* time with 3* for enjoyment.
I think 25a should be enumerated (5, 1’4) not (5-1-4).
My favourite was 14a.
Many thanks to the setter and to BD.
I’m posting this while sat on the balcony at our apartment where we now have t’internet, and faster than at home
Enjoyed this puzzle which seemed to me a tad trickier than usual for a Saturday. ***/**** from us.
Thanks to the setter and to BD.
Off for a swim now
Enjoyed this, a bit harder than usual Saturday fare.
Thought 10a a clever anagram and chuckled over 3a and 25a.
Many thanks to the setter and to BD for the review.
A straightforward solve sat in 80 degrees of heat and a gentle breeze. A 2*/3* for me or in my classification a 1 beer solve. Thanks to the setter and BD.
a fun puzzle, I think I have an answer for 7d but struggle to fit the clue. Otherwise I really liked 10a, 14a and 16a.
7d is a straightforward double definition clue.
Thank you CrypticSue, my brain is clearly not in tune today as this is only one I missed so I even had all the checking letters; must be too much English sun!
The sun only came out here at 5 this afternoon
Your second comment also had to be ‘approved’ because you had changed your email address. Both should work from now on.
Our sun only went at about 5.00pm – really hot all day and still is.
I’ve got my jumper back on now !
I, too, found this a little tricky for a Saturday puzzle but loved it, lots of clever clues. I “got” 15d immediately but was completely fooled by the first word in the clue. When I got to 25a, I googled the famous band, then the meaning of the first word in 15d became clear. My favourite is 25a. Thanks to setter and BD for review. I’m so sorry it’s over, had so much fun with this solve today.
A nice Saturday puzzle with a couple of trickier-then-usual clues. My fave was 3a simply because I love the sound of the word. Thanks to setter and BD.
Just finished due to the intervention of The Tour and the Cricket. Please to see 2 Indian wicketw have just fallen. Thoroughly enjoyable puzzle by, I presume, Mysteron, and many thanks to BD for the hints
I found this far harder than usual for a Saturday. Needed lots of electronic aids plus BD’s help for the last 3 clues.
The quickie was hard, too
What a tough crossword, it’s taken me all day to finish this one. Must admit I had no idea what 14a was and how can the last four letters of 22d possibly be a fountain, they go up and this goes down! Don’t get 19d, what has it to do with dry?
Definitely NOT my favourite Saturday puzzle.
Thx for the much needed hints.
Re 19d, see prolix’s reply to trev’s posting #5
You are seeing them as nouns, but as verbs the last four letters of 4d and fountain mean the same thing.
Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave for the hints. I managed this ok in the end, but I was held up by 3,10,14a and 12d. All quite unusual words. Favourite was 10a. Last in was 3a. Was 3*/3* for me. Did most of it in the park at Minehead, but sadly back in the Smoke now
Mrs O went shopping so I was able to enjoy the cricket and the crossword whilst also keeping the washing machine busy. Who says men can’t multi-task eh?!
Puzzle was quite straightforward I thought but fun. 2*/3*
Thanks setter and BD for the review.
All done and dusted now but I did need BD’s hint for 20d, tricky enough, I thought.Thanks setter and BD.
At first sight looked tricky but once started filled in quite quickly. No help required but that said I really don’t understand the suit part of 1a. Also although 15dand 25 became pretty obvious I didn’t know much the pointer.
Brilliant crossword – but stuck on 19d – any clues?
Welcome to the blog Gill.
See the reply to TREV at comment #5.
I am glad I wasn’t the only one who found this rather unusually heavy going for a Saturday puzzle and I personally needed plenty of hints and electronic help to complete.
****/***