Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27612 (Hints)
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The October Monthly Prize Puzzle is available today.
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 Male hanging around to enjoy carnival (5,4)
M(ale) followed by a hanging screen of tapestry around a three-letter verb meaning to enjoy
6a Redecorate reception at university (2,2)
A reception or function followed by then usual word meaning at university
15a Press tycoon employing any number, English without exception (3,4)
A general term for a press tycoon around the usual letter that represents any number and followed by E(nglish)
18a Plumper game, mostly (7)
Drop the final letter (mostly) from a game which is usually, but not always, played by girls
23a Make a song and dance about points, being old-fashioned (9)
A verb meaning to make a song and dance around the points of, say, a fork
25a Contrasting, random pairs in age (9)
An anagram (random) of PAIRS inside an age or time
26a Long period of time before end of season (5)
A period of time followed by the final letter (end) of [seaso]N
29a US city architect meeting trouble in heart of Provence (9)
The surname of the architect responsible for designing many parts of London followed by a three-letter word meaning trouble or misfortune inside the middle two letters (heart) of [Pro]VE[nce]
Down
1d Cracker’s content, having married German chap (5)
You will usually find this inside a Christmas cracker – M(arried) followed by a typical German man’s name
3d Up for a big band song (2,3,4)
Two definitions – the second being a song made famous by Glenn Miller
ARVE Error: need id and provider |
5d Charge for warehousing gold, in part (and silver in reserve?) (7)
Two lots of wordplay for the price of one! – put the heraldic term for gold inside a part, alternatively put the chemical symbol for silver inside a verb meaning to reserve
7d Unfolding US magazine when boozer kicks off? (7,4)
Miffipops should have no difficulty with this one! – a verb meaning unfolding followed by a US magazine
13d Flier saying something that’s sharp (8,3)
A flier or leaflet followed by a saying or adage
17d Broadcast of extremely theatrical variety? (7,1,1)
An anagram (broadcast) of the outer letters (extremely) of T[heatrica]L with VARIETY – the whole of this all-in-one clue provides the definition – I bet a few of you missed that one!
19d Give up French article during check (7)
This verb meaning to give up doing something, like smoking, is derived by putting FR(ench) and the indefinite article inside a word meaning a check or curb
27d What could be boring? Everything, it’s said (3)
This boring tool sounds like (it’s said) everything
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The Quick crossword pun: excels+eeyore=excelsior
Yes, all went well until that 17d! I could kick myself now I see your hint! I had the first word but seemed totally blocked by the two single letters. Didn’t clue into the wordplay either. Heavens, I am a twit!
2*/4*
5d – My favourite – never seen this type of clue before!
It’s wet & horrible today in the deep south so a crossy was just the ticket.No problems encountered & it was fairly easy to complete.Many thanks to the setter & B D for the review.
Yes, I struggled with 17d as well, and I got one letter wrong in 23a, so the hints clarified that for me – thanks BD. Love the Glen Miller. And thank you to the setter.
23a for me was interesting. Like you I had a choice of two letters (right or wrong?) but the word for ‘points’ I had never heard of ! I expected the usual compass points….believe or not 13d was one of my last !
I liked the two with single letter words-different!
Thanks to setter & BD
I’m grateful to know I wasn’t alone
I found this a nice gentle puzzle (mostly), which I savoured and solved fairly systematically corner-by-corner. So it was lucky for me that my problems were all in the final SE: it took me a while to get 19d, 23a, and 29a which was my last in. Couldn’t see it at all for ages, then I came back to it and saw it instantly. I did get 17d – helped rather than hindered by the single letters. Super clue, and today’s favourite. Thanks to the setter and to BD. Hope everyone’s having a lovely Saturday, whatever the weather may be.
Read & write today. It was light but fun. Loved 5d. Many thanks to Mr. Ron and to BD.
Why is “Read & Write” acceptable ,,, whereas “I did it in nn.nn minutes” not acceptable?
Because one person’s “Read & Write” might be 5 minutes and another’s might be 30 minutes. The reason for the “rule” is so that less able solvers are not intimidated by the solving times of the so-called experts.
Now I have a question.
This site is provided free to everyone. Why do you have to keep telling me how to run it? Second thoughts, don’t answer that, just take the site as it is or leave it altogether.
5 or 30 min? Jeez, it takes Mrs T and I at least 30 minutes to find our spectacles.
Oo!
An easier Saturday puzzle with a couple of answers containing two single letters which was an unusual feature I’d not seen before. No real problems anywhere but fun nonetheless. 1*/3*
Thanks to the setter and BD.
Still stuck with 23a. Even with your help BD. My brain has just stopped working. Never mind. I never sent the grid back anyway. Apart from that, I found today’s quite easy… 15a. Liked the triplette in 5d. Thanks to the setter and BD for the hints.
see my comments above with Poppy.
Don”t get led astray!
Confusing picture to have with 29a, that definitely is not from the US city of the answer! Wrong music style!
That’s because some idiot asked for pictures of one location and Google images gave him one of a different location! I’ll try again.
Still, a nice reminder of a visit last year, and I prefer the music there! Thanks!
I can’t find a picture of the new headquarters of Sun Records, so I’ve added the Grand Ole Opry instead.
Or the poster of Robert Altman’s movie
Definitely a super treat took me back to my misspent youth (no I don’t mean the one I married).
I thought that this was a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle, which brightened a damp and dismal morning in South Cheshire; fortunately, the sun has just made an appearance and the conditions at Bradwall Road will be perfect as Sandbach RUFC entertain Nuneaton this afternoon.
Sandbach 16 Nuneaton 15
Nice Saturday puzzle with not too many problems apart from 17d which I thought the 1 & 1 was actually a two letter word and I have learned a new word in 1a. Must admit I too missed the anagram in 17d but the wordplay worked anyway.
BD seems very touchy today, bloggers beware!
Thx to the setter and for the hints though not needed today.
Brian, where have you been all your life if you’ve never heard of 1a?
Perhaps Brian means the word for hanging?
You’re probably right.
New one for us too.
That particular word for hanging generated a quite well know schoolboy joke.
In my book, someone who gives up a whole chunk of their time – especially at a weekend – for free and simply to serve a global group of us who need help to improve their crossword skills, is worth their weight in pure gold, and deserving of all the bouquets we can send…
I quite agree, all the efforts are greatly appreciated.
Hear, hear!! Well said …
Hear hear. We are all most grateful for his dedication, efforts and facetious simulation of our grey cells.
Thank you from Boston. Mr & Mrs T
Well said and thank you from the Languedoc
Hear hear, BD you are allowed to be grumpy but please please please don’t give up on this site…you are brilliant with your clues and I can only thank you for your considerable efforts
Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave for the hints. A very enjoyable puzzle, with a couple of tricky clues. All went well until the SE Corner. Needed the hint for 23a, then all fell into place. Favourite was 5d, originally I missed the double wordplay, so thanks to Big Dave for the explanation. Was 2*/3* for me.
I didn’t find this particularly straightforward. I’ve got three possible excuses – visitors arriving later so I’ve been cooking; I’ve had a very long phone call with a cousin; I’m being dim, which is probably the most likely.
I knew the 1a hanging but had forgotten about it so needed the hint to explain my answer.
I missed the word for press tycoon in 15a so needed the hint to understand that one too.
Failure number three was 23a – was expecting the points to be points of the compass – oh dear!
Although I got 17d (eventually) I completely missed the anagram bit of it.
I enjoyed this one very much.
I liked 1 and 16a and 5d. My favourite was 17d.
With thanks to Mr Ron and to BD.
More cooking to do – NTSPP and the new MPP may just have to wait for a couple of days. Raining here.
Enjoyable puzzle today which we finished without the need for hints. ( a fairly unusual occurrence). Thank you setter and BD. I think 3d might prove more difficult for younger people than it did for me. That one was a write in.
Thank you setter. An enjoyable puzzle. We have finished this having lunch in the car. It is pouring with rain here in N Norfolk. Next stop tea, cake and the papers ! Many thanks BD for your hints – especially 5d, which confirmed the answer.
For once had time to do the Crossword on date of publication. Liked it very much thank you. Got 1 a without understanding the wordplay. Knew the answer was right. Do know the “hanging” thanks to Shakespeare but just did not see it. Did not know the word for points and having found some compass points was completely misled, although got the answer.Favourite across 29 and down 7. Worked out 17d which was intriguing. We are all so different – but cannot understand anyone believing the last two letters were a word. Thanks setter – is it Cephas and BD. The rain has stopped so Sainsburys here I come.
Really enjoyed today’s puzzle. Think my brain works differently from everyone else’s cos I got 17d straightaway, but had to really exercise the little grey cells elsewhere. Nice to have a puzzle where I can do enough straight away to really help with the more tricky ones. Big Dave, I cannot believe that anyone can complain! This is such a good site and very helpful to those of us who are not walking dictionaries. You are much appreciated
Seems like a lot of cross words today. This was a tricky one for me and 17d took me longer than it should given I regard it as a 7, 2 answer. ***/***.
Well, I enjoyed today’s puzzle; it did not come easy for me but I got through it sans hints. Some nice clues to.make you think but I liked 15a most of all. No particular reason, it just appealed to me.
Thanks to the setter and BD.
Finally got 23a. Someone could have at least told me xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
But if they’d done that, they’d have been giving an alternative clue, and they’d have been sent to the naughty corner whereas now you’ll have to spend some time there thinking about the instructions in the big red box!
Oops I am sorry. Thank you crypticsue for putting me back in my place. Won’t do it again.
I had no problem with any of this puzzle today. I started rather late, no reason, just dilly dallying! Re 13a, I always thought that “flier” was a pilot or bird, etc., and a “flyer” was this. It seems they are interchangeable now, and the English language is rapidly losing its ability to differentiate by spelling. In America, endings for licence, practice, are all spelt the same for nouns and verbs; please say it isn’t so in England.
Like SheilaP, 3d was a write in and my favourite. I loved “String of Pearls” too. I found 23a the most difficult and the last in. Thanks to setter for a lovely puzzle, and to BD for the review.
It isn’t so in England! It’s still “c” for the noun for licence and practice, and (the easy way to remember the rule) advice! and “s” for the verb.
Sadly standards are slipping. Any football blog will throw up countless examples of ‘the defense’. It’s a slippery slope and no mistake.
Indeed. And some might say a “slippy” slope.
Next, you will be saying Aluminum and specialty… Have a nice day.
What exactly do you have against the letter i? It seems unfair to single it out.
We are slowly but surely taking over, Tantalus. Wisely, we sent in Mickey D’s first, to soften them up and kill the brain cells and the will to live. Then we introduced Bud Lite, guaranteed to destroy any vestige of taste. Now we are going after the very thing they hold most dear…correct English Language usage. Make no mistake about it, we will win this war with the help of imported American TV and those dreadful setters with the temerity to include Americanisms in their puzzles. In the words of the immortal Daleks, “We Will Exterminate You!” Party on, y’all!
Don’t forget the significant contribution of Starbuck’s to the destruction of taste.
And can we expect the aforementioned aliens to have their name changed to Dalex?

NOTHING is worse than what is passed off as coffee in the UK. Starbucks is a step up.
Exactly so – yet when I had occasion yesterday to type Practising Certificate the spell checker tried to correct me.
Thanks again. Read your hints every Saturday – either to help me get the answer or understand the rationale behind what I think! This week 1a foxed me – I had the right answer but couldn’t see why. 23a was the last one for me. Liked 13d.
Welcome to the blog Louise G
Good evening fellow solvers. Wet and drab few hours in east Herts so an ideal time to shelter from leaf-clearing to tackle it listening to the mighty West Brom lose at Anfield. Still, sounds like we played quite well. Fairly straightforward today I thought. Got 17d before I worked out why. 25a was my favourite. Thanks to BD again and for the review. Off for a family meal tonight to celebrate Mrs LD’s birthday.
I’m in East Herts too – and I used a miserable, wet afternoon to watch Gloucester play Leicester Tigers whilst multitasking by doing the DT Crossword. Thankfully, it wasn’t too taxing today because I kept on getting distracted by a very good match.
Now for Aston Villa v Man City – it’s a tough life!
Thanks to BD for all his good work!
Having looked at the MPP first, I was 3D for something less formidable and this fit the bill nicely. Thanks to the setter and to BD for once again sharing precious weekend time with us to review the puzzle.
Went very dark at lunchtime in East Suffolk then rained most of the afternoon which gave me the perfect excuse to switch on my super reading light and settle down. After debacle yesterday I found it much easier and even got 17d but cannot say anymore. Several giggles and all in all a throughly enjoyable Saturday crossword. Good thing I read it before posting as I spotted a split infinitive Ooops.
Split infinitive? Shock, HORROR! I just fainted dead away!
I wouldn’t worry about it, they are littered all over the place these days … books, newspapers, wherever.
17a held me up from an otherwise straightforward puzzle. Thanks BD and setter.
Fairly straightforward and enjoyable with a slight hiccup in the SW corner mainly caused by difficulty in solving 13d. ***/**. Thanks Mr. Ron for providing means of escape from the dreary weather and to Big Dave
for yet more of your helpful hints. I managed without but it’s always good to know they are there in case of need.
Quite fun – maybe 2*/3.5* or so – with some nice clues, of which l can’t choose between 17d and 29a. My thanks to the setter, and to Big Dave for the hints.
BD
Apologies for turning up late. Hope this doesn’t wake you up.
2 comments from me:
Brilliant video clue for 3d. Worth watching through. Esp Liked the violinists.
Brilliant reply at comment 6 above. Reminded me of the occasion someone asked you ( for the second time) about double unchers. Laugh?
I think you run the site very well. You won’t get any questions from me. No siree.
Can some kind soul help with 22d. I’ve even got the checking letters and can’t see it.
Definition is perfectly. Put an abbreviation for adult into a small child and split the result 2, 1, 1
Many thanks CS