DT 28030 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
View closed comments 

DT 28030 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28030 (Hints)

Big Dave’s Saturday Crossword Club

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Back to normal this Saturday after the hectic, but very enjoyable, Birthday Bash last week.  It was great to see all those that turned up, especially first-timers like Jane, Rabbit Dave and Riggles.

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 as “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    Timer almost jammed, causing alert (8)
A timer followed by most of a four-letter word meaning jammed or packed

10a    Woman formerly seen around hospital floor covering right leg (6)
A floor covering followed by R(ight) and another word for the leg side in cricket

12a    Criminal, evil one goes to city having forsaken east end (7)
A three-letter word meaning evil followed by I (one) and CIT[Y] without its rightmost (east end) letter

13a    Champion  who opens Olympics? (11)
Two definitions

16a    Take note of this: scores must embrace I say! (4,2,5)
some scores or points around (must embrace) an expression (2,4) meaning “I say!”

22a    Tax returns earn free accommodation in Greece (7)
The reversal of a sales tax is followed by an anagram (free) of EARN

25a    Attack unexpectedly and get going (4,2)
Two definitions – attack unexpectedly and to get going or arouse

26a    What a surprise — both sides fit (4,4)
Both sides of this expression are the same word meaning fit or healthy

Down

1d    Cautious about Catholic slogan (3,3)
An adjective meaning cautious around the two-letter abbreviation for a Catholic

4d    Low plants develop during thunder burst (11)
A verb meaning to develop inside (during( an anagram (burst) of THUNDER

8d    Kind of policy that’s unlikely to appeal to schoolchildren (4-4)
This type of policy would be unlikely to appeal to schoolchildren as it would mean more school and less holiday!

12d    One is late paying this tax (11)
Someone must be dead (late) before this tax is paid – by the heirs, not the deceased!

14d    Discover second donkey in the open air (5,3)
A charade of S(econd), a four-letter slang word for a donkey and a word meaning in the open air

17d    Various trams circuiting east — ring for conductor (7)
An anagram (various) of TRAMS around (circuiting) E(ast) and followed by the ring-shaped letter

19d    Group of trees, old inside and hollow (6)
A group of trees around (inside) O(ld)

20d    Young woman raised south of Virginia as servant (6)
The reversal (raised in a down clue) of a young woman is preceded by (south of in a down clue) the abbreviation for V(irgini)A

The Crossword Club is now open.


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. If in doubt, leave it out!

Please read these instructions carefully. Offending comments may be redacted or, in extreme cases, deleted.


The Quick Crossword pun: suck+cess+full=successful


61 comments on “DT 28030 (Hints)

  1. Not quite a five-minute wonder but over all too soon without much stimulation along the way. North beat the South to it. I believe 10 acrosses still exist but in a slightly different guise (Kath would know). Does 22a = “accommodation” I wonder. Imagine there will be a flood of Prize entries for the DT today. Thanks Mr. Ron and BD. */**. :neutral:

  2. Very enjoyable puzzle as usual on a Saturday and two good rugby matches to look forward to. Life doesn’t get much better than this. Well, some draught real ale would help and maybe the odd curry. Many thanks to BD for the hints and to Mr. Ron for the puzzle

    1. My sentiments entirely, Collywobbles, but I’m going to watch Manchester City v Leicester before the rugby so I was delighted to get the puzzle out of the way so early in the day.

  3. No problem – but very enjoyable anyway – it just didn’t last long enough!

    A big day of sport – I must sort out my Sky Planner so that I miss nothing – I think I’ll record the Rugby but watch the football – it’s all go!

    I had some Timothy Taylor’s after golf on Wednesday that’s a lovely pint!

    I’m as stiff as a board after my floorlaying yesterday – that really is a young man’s game – I’ll never learn!

    :wacko:

  4. 1*/2.5*. Thank goodness this was straightforward today after an overindulgence of wine at Mrs RD’s parents’ 70th wedding anniversary celebration yesterday evening.

    I agree with Angel about 22a. I don’t think it means accommodation.

    Many thanks to the setter and to BD.

      1. I was in a hurry and only looked it up in Collins On-Line Dictionary. That’ll teach me!

        Thanks CS and Jose.

    1. RD and Angel. 22a answer does = a (trad.) place of accommodation. But nowadays many don’t have any accommodation for the public at all.

        1. Your follow-up comment seems to indicate that you too think of accommodation as meaning somewhere to overnight! Wikipedia says Greek term ******** comes from Latin ******** (********) although originally it meant hut, shed or rude dwelling. Thus I have to admit you may have a point! :bye:

          1. A. I was just pointing out that nowadays many of them don’t provide overnight accommodation (as guest-houses) – they are just restaurunts/bars(hope that’s not too much info). In the modern age, I think that ‘accommodation’ when related to the subject in question does generally mean overnight facilities.

              1. Angel. I was wondering how you replied so quickly – do you get alerts or something? I photocopy the crossword out of the DT and I use public computers in libraries or museums to read the blog. I never get alerts in those places. Do you use the app or DT website – do alerts work only on those? Do you know any info about this? Cheers! :-)

                1. José, I do the DT paper version. However I don’t get alerts or use the app or DT website but I do check the BD blog regularly particularly at times when I hear a warning ping indicating that a new email has come in. :smile:

                  1. Thanks Angel. I think it’s because I use public computers – they have pop-up blockers and all sorts of restrictions than don’t apply on a personal computer. :smile:

  5. I liked “earns free accommodation in Greece” it was my favourite bit of the puzzle – and yes, brb lists 2 meanings, guest-house and restaurant

    many thanks BD and setter

  6. R&W */**. No stand out clues for me I’m afraid. I think it has been said before, often, that Saturday puzzles sometimes seemed designed to encourage beginners and there is nothing wrong with that!

        1. Only 20!!!!
          I’ve got a fountain pen and don’t use it….my own that is ..had a notebook last year.
          Last one was 1a – had the wrong ending and was’nt happy with it so thx BD for the hint! Didn’t help having written 20d in 19d space and use the blogger to correct.
          Also awaiting rugby with trepidation

          Thanks to setter for not being too taxing.

        2. You’re lucky – not a sausage for me after more than 20 years! :cry: Never mind we won the Calcutta Cup.

          1. We need to play Southern Hemisphere rugby -off loads & running instead of kicking the ball away,despite leading the table after one game each!!

        3. Oh! I had a severe case of beginner’s luck then as my first ever entry got me the notebook. I thought perhaps it was designed to encourage me to keep entering in the hope of the fountain pen but maybe not :)

  7. Polished this one off fairly easily considering we were up at 4.30 with our new puppies. We had the help of our friend Philip who is staying with us at the moment and seems to have adopted the maxim “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” as far as crosswords are concerned. We are now looking forward to the football – come on you Foxes! Thanks to Mr Ron and to BD for the hints.

  8. All done rather too quickly whilst being envious of those sun-kissed fans in Port Elizabeth. England’s future captain facing. Roooooooooooot! And three points for West Brom at Newcastle today. Murky in east Herts. Dreaming of watching England in India later this year. Thanks BD etc.

  9. Same same.
    It was over so quickly this morning at the breakfast table that I went back to print the G’s prize from our own Dada/Paul.
    A real joy also.
    Found the surface of the clues very neat especially 21a and 24a.
    Nice to see Hatty Jacques.
    Thanks to the setter and to BD for the blog.

  10. That was over so quickly, I couldn’t believe I’d finished!
    Fave was 16a, runner up 21a.
    Thanks to setter and to BD for his hints.
    I am so heartily sick of the Super Bowl but have no idea how to avoid it, it’s everywhere.

  11. Went well today, no real problems. Good for a newby. 20d was favourite, could not parse 6d.
    Well done to The Lions today, resounding win at Walsall.

    1. Hi Maeve, 5a what Rugby is an example of. 6d think of the international convention of letters on the radio. Sorry to be a bit vague, but I don’t want to end up in Naughty Corner.

    2. Easy to end up on the naughty step…
      6d xxxxxxxxxxxxx [too much information/alternative clue]
      5a xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [ditto]
      Apologies, by all means delete if I have overstepped the mark

  12. Thanks to Mr Ron and to Big Dave for the hints. I enjoyed this, but found it a bit tricky in places. Favourite was 21a. Was 2*/3* for me. I l’ll bet BD’s happy, Spurs second in the table.

  13. Looking back I can’t see why I struggled with the SW corner. Very enjoyable particularly 12d. Thanks to BD for the review and the setter for an enjoyable puzzle.

  14. I think one can or at least could get accommodation in 22a though I doubt it was free ! Nice enough and very suitable for beginners.
    Thanks BD, I loved the illustrations at 10a and 4d. Thanks also to the setter.

  15. What a wonderful photograph of Hattie! The crossword wasn’t bad either.
    No real stand out clues/answers for me; I rather agree with Wahoo.
    Thanks to the setter and thanks to BD for the hints. 1.5/2.5 overall by the way.

  16. Lots of fun but over all too soon: 1*/4*. A couple of nice clues in the SW corner – 14d and 15d. Thanks to Mr Ron, and to Big Dave for the hints.

  17. Well rested and the brain not so sluggish as a result. Walked through this without feeling that any clue for more joyful than the rest. It was all just OK. Certainly more enjoyable than the RSC production of Faustus that I endured before the puzzle. Thanks to all 1*/2*

  18. I thought I’d sleep on it, but I’m still not seeing 21a, I think those around are all correct. Please can someone help, so that I can get on with my weekend chores. Whilst I’m asking, can you also confirm that 15d means borderline, the word play adds up, but I’m not getting the definition.
    Thank you

    1. 21 across:

      A 3 letter Scottish word meaning ‘know’ followed by the usual letter for name, then an anagram (corrupt) of ‘the’ gives you a man’s name.

      15 down:

      Think of the word you have used above as two words.

      1. Many thanks – that was the only word I could see fitting, but I just couldn’t see the word play.
        Now to get on with the day.

  19. I completed this fairly comfortable puzzle this morning, Sunday, as yesterday was spent driving to the Ricoh Arena and back in the most atrocious conditions to watch the Wasps narrowly defeat a spirited Newcastle team in the pouring rain. By the time Mrs YS and I got home to watch the end of the England game my brain was in no condition to attempt a cryptic puzzle, as relatively simple as it was.

    Thanks to Mr Ron and BD. 1.5*/2.5*

  20. Thanks setter and BD. SW a little slow. Mostly self inflicted as I erroneously was looking for 4,4 for 14d. Once I spotted my error it was easy easy and helped with 25a. Very last one in was 10a – am I the only one. I thought the clue was rather unwieldy and had no idea what I was looking for. Spent a lot of time thinking about women’s names, a synonym for formerly, H for hospital, hospital floors etc. Still not sure of the significance of “leg”. Favourite 13a.

  21. Maybe it’s because I’ve just come back from a hen weekend! But I found this tougher than last week’s. Still it wasn’t too taxing though and hasn’t taken me too long, but I did need you today BD to put me on the right track. 3*s for me I think. Thanks to the usual ?

    1. I am not sure if you are a ‘new’ Irene or the Irene who used to comment before with a new email address. If you are ‘new’ to the blog, then welcome and perhaps you could alter your name to avoid further confusion.

      11a The definition is American’s carriage – follow a type of bar with almost all of a synonym for bother.

  22. Did this on Saturday evening. As usual for this day it was quite easy but fairly enjoyable. I’m convinced that the Saturday setters are under instruction from the DT to keep it relatively mild – possibly for marketing reasons or something? 1*/2.5*

  23. Yep, very straightforward, no hints needed, managed to finish it off cruising around the coffee shops of Cardiff on Sat morning ready for the rugby in the afternoon, only England can win the The Grand Slam and The Triple Crown but one suspects that isn’t the end of the story… We have to be content with a draw but will hopefully have a say in the eventual outcome. Where does it say in the bible that rugby internationals should be played on a Sunday? Definitely not right, atmosphere (ie pubs) is not the same, looking forward to welcoming the clansmen next week.

Comments are closed.