DT 27576 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 27576 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27576 (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.

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

4a    React to scrap and join in? (4,4)
This could, at a pinch, mean to react to a scrap or give support and encouragement to someone in a dispute, but you are better off concentration on the definition – according to Chambers the first word means “To deal with or react to in a specified way”, but that is definition 24 of 62! – then add a scrap or piece [Thanks to Gazza for looking at the dictionary, which I obviously failed to do.]

9a    Drunk sees unknown staff in local, known for more money than sense? (5,3)
An anagram (drunk) of SEES followed by a mathematical unknown and a verb meaning to staff gives a person from a particular locality notorious for having more money than sense

12a    Being ready to accept pound found in old cape (8)
A pound or enclosure inside O(ld) and a cape or headland

13a    Hurry back with bandage for infant (8)
The reversal (back) of a verb meaning to hurry followed by a bandage of the kind used to support a broken arm

16a    Pamphlet by one getting paid is to keep going (8)
A pamphlet preceded by a sportsman who is paid for playing

19a    Waste of energy, getting loud and talking freely (8)
E(nergy) followed by the musical notation for loud and an adjective meaning talking freely

23a    Passenger made upset when collected by chance (4,4)
An anagram (upset) of MADE inside (collected by) chance or fortune

26a    Animal in stall with another animal (8)
A verb meaning to stall or equivocate followed by a three-letter animal

Down

1d    A short-term worker’s put in double time and endeavour (7)
The A from the clue followed by a short-term worker inside T(ime) T(ime) (double time)

4d    Nobody knows what happens on bank holidays! (6,2,7)
A cryptic definition of something that doesn’t happen on days when the banks are closed and the bank clerks are not working

5d    Eddy needs light touch to open lock at the front (4-4)
An eddy preceded by (needs … to open) a light touch

6d    Little person‘s pictures, in other words (5)
A colloquial word for pictures followed by the Latin abbreviation for “in other words” or “that is to say”

14d    £51 perhaps is extortionate initially for puree (9)
Split as (2,4) the first part of this answer is the Roman numerals for 51 and a slang word for a pound in money – then add IS and the initial letter of E[xtortionate]

17d    Take over from king attended by two Biblical characters (7)
The Latin abbreviation for king followed by two Biblical characters, the first being one of the usual prophets and the second the first lady in the bible

18d    Criticise cricket side’s clanger in Rugby (5-2)
A verb meaning to criticise followed by one of the sides of the cricket pitch

22d    Music from southern side of stage (5)
S(outhern) followed by the side of a theatre stage
The Crossword Club is now open.


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The Quick crossword pun: Anne+ewer+Tees=annuities


90 comments on “DT 27576 (Hints)

  1. I think the DT must have had too many entries recently so decided to put out this horror. Although now complete it is IMHO the worst Saturday crossword ever. No fun and def no favourites.
    Thx for the hints.

    1. Ps out of interest why is there a picture of Bill Hayley for 5d? The clue talks about Eddy not Bill. Is just because of the answer to the clue.

            1. Not at all.
              Not at all.
              The illustration could not be more apt.
              Could not, in no way, be improved upon.
              Part of a brilliant review.

    1. Could not have got this done without the hints. Thanks BD – even though I hate it when I have to use them.

        1. The complaint is a mainly tropical disease – daren’t go any further as I don’t have the time to be sent to the naughty corner today.

  2. I’m amazed by the preceding comments! Admittedly, I struggled with last Saturday’s puzzle but this wasn’t as bad as that one and I particularly liked 4d. Thank you for the hints, Dave, because your explanation for one in particular confirmed that I did have the correct answer.

    1. what’s that about you can please some of the people some of the time but……..I agree that this was not the easiest of puzzles compared to what we are used to on a Saturday but I don’t think it warrants the level of opprobrium that some of the commentators above have given it.

    2. I’m also surprised by the extremely negative comments here. It was only a little more difficult than the average prize puzzle IMO, and 4d is my favourite clue of the year (so far).

    3. Clearly a case of horses for courses, as I thought it was one of the most difficult puzzles I’ve seen for a long time and from my point of view not very enjoyable, but no doubt easy and great fun for others.

  3. Thank you setter. I found it hard work and not much fun, and certainly would never have been able to finish it without having benefited from this site over many months. Thanks BD for your hints, which I thought I might need, but just got to the end without help !

  4. Really can’t agree with the opening comments at all. We thought this fairly benign as we got 10 of the across clues on first pass and all but one of the downs.

    **/*** from us with 14d favourite.

    Thanks to setter and BD

  5. Definitely tougher than average for me. The NE corner took me ages. I think you have to date from the 50s or earlier to know 4d! 7d was obvious from the checkers but it took me a long time to spot the indicator.
    I don’t know who today’s Mr Ron is but I don’t recognise his ‘mind writing’ and I really struggled to read it on occasions. No complaints though, a stiff workout is ok once in a while.

    1. 7d Clearing ground, but not about to put in new order

      It’s an anagram (ground) of CLEARING but without the C (not about).

      Prolly off to naughty corner now http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_sad.gif

  6. A bit tricky this morning but I quite enjoyed it. Needed the hints just to confirm two of my answers. Thanks to setter and to Big Dave for the hints.

  7. It was tough but definitely doable!

    Quick question, if I may. Are we all still having to log on everyday or has it been fixed and I need to fiddle around with my settings ? Anyway to stop having to log on again for the Toughie later on? TIA

  8. 3*/2.5*. A bit tricky in parts particularly the NE corner with 6d my last one in. I had about a 50:50 split between the clues I liked and those I disliked.

    4d was my favourite but why, oh why, is it not enumerated (5’1,2,7)?! At the other end of the spectrum I thought 4a was awful.

    Poor Kath – 18d involves two different sports. :-(

    Many thanks to the setter and to BD.

    1. It just goes to show how much I’ve learnt – 18d took me ages but I did get it which is more than I would have managed in PB days!
      Thanks for thinking of me though. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_yes.gif

  9. Well, I found it tougher than usual – took twice as long. Of course, it didn’t help putting in ***** for 6d at first.
    But all the more satisfying to finish

  10. Completely stuck today and not really enjoying it either. I may come back to it later though. Thanks for the clues which I certainly need!

  11. I’m in the ‘stinker for a Saturday’ club today I’m afraid. We wouldn’t have been able to finish without help, and even then, although we’ve probably got the correct answers, for some of them, I’m not necessarily sure why.

  12. Well, I’ve just arrived home to discover that Mrs. F1lbertfox not only has completed the prize crossword, but has completed it without hints or other aids, so I’m left wondering what all the fuss is about – although she did admit to not particularly enjoying the solve. As she’s done the quick one as well I’m left with Kate Mepham’s offering which I can rarely finish without Google’s help. More chance with tomorrow’s Express GK puzzle, methinks ;-)

    1. It isn’t that obscure this week – I have only left 5 for Mr CS to do his job of looking up the ones I can’t get.

  13. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/smiley-phew.gifI’m definitely in the “Blimey that was difficult” club.
    4a couldn’t have been anything other than what it was but I kept thinking that I was missing something – maybe not.
    This one has taken me ages – I was about to say which clues in particular had held me up but it would probably be quicker to mention the ones that hadn’t.
    I liked 13 and 26a and 15d. My favourite was 4d.
    With thanks to the setter and to BD.
    NTSPP later but should probably cut grass first . . .

    1. According to the BRB the first word of 4a means ‘to deal with or react to in a specified way’. The second word is a scrap or fragment.

  14. Slow solve for me, too, but I got there in the end without hints. I even managed to work out 9A all by myself! I did like 4D and 23A. Thanks to the setter and to BD for the review. On to the NTSPP now.

  15. I agree with comments that this was tougher than usual, with the exception of 4d and 23a not many smiles either.

  16. It took me ages to even begin to get inside the setter’s mind and to make a start and then it really was heavy going – yuck! – but somehow I finally managed to complete without the hints. IMO 4d was best clue of a poor bunch and was in fact first to go in for me. Here’s to more amusing challenges ahead from Bank Holiday onwards. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_negative.gif

  17. I really don’t see what all the fuss is about. I really enjoyed this and kept me thinking for long enough to be a good challenge. Maybe its because i’m a 9A http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_yahoo.gif

  18. Well I enjoyed it! I did need a few hints but I managed a fair chunk of it on my own.
    Having a harder Saturday crossword from time to time has to be a good thing, doesn’t it?

  19. Thanks to Mr Ron and to Big Dave for the hints. It was harder than normal, but very enjoyable. Had to think about a lot of the clues. Favourite was 14d, with 4d a close second. To ages to get 2d, very clever clue. Great misdirection in 10a which was last in. Was 3*/4* for me. All chores done, getting ready to watch the Gooners.

  20. Solved this one this afternoon in sunny weather after morning thunder and downpour here in NL!

    Faves : 13a, 26a, 4d & 15d.

    Tomorrow my son, myself and my daughter and her family will all drive down to Breda to inspect my granddaughter’s new flat as she will shortly be starting a four-year course there. I haven’t been in Breda for years!

    Shall possibly miss tomorrow’s puzzle.

  21. Found this very difficult and had to use most of the hints. Afraid I haven’t enjoyed it very much, but thank to setter and reviewer, anyway

  22. Can a kind soul help with 3d, it’s my last one in (I may have a wrong letter)

    Don’t worry, I’ve just had a Gnomy moment

    1. The three-letter abbreviation for the ruling political party in South Africa is inside the area of jurisdiction of a cathedral

  23. I join the “hard work” club. It has taken me ages, and I even gave up at one point and looked at the hints. Once I got 9a from the hints, something I’ve never heard of and must be an inside joke, I started filling in others. Fortunately I got 4d early on which helped a lot, and is my favourite. Thanks to setter and to BD for hints, without you I would have given up long ago!

    http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/smiley-phew.gif

  24. I agree that this one is very very difficult. Still have three clues to complete, but will sleep on them and maybe tomorrow I will get them. A real stinker. Give up…..

  25. Blimey O’Reilly, that was really difficult.
    Great sense of satisfaction in eventually completing it, unaided.
    4d and 5d especially brilliant.
    Many thanks indeed to the setter, and to BD for the excellent review.

      1. Well I’ve finished but not sure of 2 ‘9 or 10
        Can’t remember last time I didn’t complete a crossword. Probably about 15 months ago and that would have been a Thursday.
        I’ll submit it anyway

  26. Well, I managed to get to the end of this one after several sessions! I found I entered a few, then became stuck, then came back a bit later and found some more. Took me most of the day but I finished it with the exception of 9a which being Canadian these days (my excuse!) I had never heard of even though my family were natives. Been away too long!

    The setter produced a good challenge – Thanks.
    3*/3* for me.

  27. NE corner quite hard, loved 5d and the hint for it was very apposite, also 4d was brilliant, I like one long answer down the middle gives lots of letters to help you on your way. Hope you all having super Bank Holiday weekend raining on and off all day in our bit of Suffolk.

  28. We don’t usually comment on the prize puzzles but feel that someone has to mention that we have a PANGRAM. Good fun puzzle.
    Thanks Mr Ron and BD.

  29. I was surprised by so many finding it so difficult today – I managed without the hints (but thanks BD) and in my average time after a slow start.
    Usually I find I’m struggling when the comments say how easy it is. (Either we are all different, or I have a reversed brain!)
    Thanks also to setter.

    1. We’re certainly all different – that’s just one of the many reasons that reading this blog is such fun. http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_yes.gif
      Maybe you have a reversed brain as well . . . I don’t know! http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_unsure.gif

  30. Well I join the ‘ooh this wasn’t half difficult’ club. It was much trickier than the usual Saturday puzzles. Even so I enjoyed the battle and although I have finished I still don’t understand 2d!
    Never mind thanks to Mr Ron and DT as ever.

    1. 2d Player and musician eating in (9)

      The player of one instrument is derived from the player of a slightly different instrument around (eating) IN.

      To check it, drop the IN from your answer and look up what’s left in Chambers

  31. I got about 14 clues and then found myself so frustrated that I decided to make full use of the hints which were remarkable clear and easy to follow.That hasn’t to me in a very long time ! It was very reassuring to find that I haven’t gone dolally after all.Thank you Big Dave for such clarity and helpfulness and to the setter for bringing me down a peg or three.

  32. Can anyone explain 2d. I have the musician. Is it just “in” inserted in a player I’ve never heard of?

  33. I thought it was fairly average for difficulty. I had a couple I struggled with but finishedw without help. Took me a while to understand the hint for 5d (not that I used it) as it appeared at first to suggest the picture was Eddy someone. That said I need to wait and see if I have the second word of 9a correct as I don’t get it from the clue or the hint.
    No more than a ** for me.

  34. Hmm, bit surprised by some of the comments as I didn’t find it that hard. No pushover certainly and not a lot of laughs in there but perfectly doable I thought. 3*/2*
    Also a personal milestone for me as it’s the first time I’ve spotted for myself before reading the blog that it was a pangram!

    Thanks to the setter and to BD for the blog.

    1. Welcome to the blog R Norman

      There is already a hint for 16 across.

      15d Tarzan, he is out of place in Middle East town (8)
      Easy when you know how – an anagram (out of place) of TARZAN HE gives a Middle East town which features in the bible.

  35. Hello Big Dave & fellow contributors

    Been following your hints page for quite a while now. Thank you. However, I must say that last Saturday’s & this Saturday’s were real bummers. With your help I have managed to complete most of the left hand side of 27576. Will persevere with the rest of it, but don’t hold out much hope. As for last Saturday – well, sorry to say, I ripped the thing up in a fit of pique and dumped it in the bin! Exasperating is not the word.

    Enjoy your comments, hints and banter every Saturday.

    Thanks again & hope that next Saturday’s is kinder to us mere mortals!

    Best to everyone.

    rabbit23http://bigdave44.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_wacko.gif

  36. Just come across this blog which I found very helpful for this particular puzzle. Was stuck on 2d and was going to ask for help, but then it popped into my brain. Thanks anyway – will call again next week (probably!)

  37. Only finished this morning but mainly due to a busy weekend which meant 3 or 4 widely dispersed sessions. No help required but just logged in to check the hints and read the comments, which I always enjoy, and thanks to BD & Gazza for their confirmation of 4a which I agree was a bit of a stinker. Like many others I thought it was tougher than usual for a Saturday, NE corner especially – although that wasn’t helped by getting the wrong answer in my head for 6d for a while. However, I enjoyed a few clues 4d, 9a, 19a & 23a and thought most others were cleverly constructed. Liked that it was a panagram too, which I thought it might be early on when solving 15d which was first in. Thanks also to the setter. Shocking weather in SE London this morning so maybe will get a chance to look at the ST puzzle too.

  38. This really did my head in. But even more due to the fact that my paper was double printed. The grid was so blurred I became cross eyed. Thanks for the hints and thanks to Kingsley for 3 down.

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