DT 28216 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 28216 (Hints)

by Big Dave  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28216 (Hints)

Big Dave’s Saturday 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.

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    In which a stretch is more comfortable? (4,6)
A cryptic definition of a place in which serving a “stretch” is possibly more comfortable than it would be elsewhere

6a    Sturgeon, say, starts to seem costly over trout (4)
Yet another fishy-sounding person whose nationality is spelt out by the initial letters (starts) of four words in the clue

10a    Classic writer in front of regime (5)
A four-letter word meaning in followed by the initial letter (front) of R[egime]

13a    Promoting disorder not originally an issue (7)
A word meaning promoting disorder without (not) its initial letter (originally)

14a    Bad-tempered worker beset by ulcer, old American (12)
A worker insect inside (beset by) an ulcer and followed by O(ld) and the two-letter abbreviation for American

18a    Inappropriately teach dance intro? It needs revision (12)
An anagram (needs revision) of DANCE INTRO IT

21a    Groups in dramatic seating areas (7)
Two definitions – the second being a seating area in a theatre

27a    Brave about terrible dropping temperature (10)
The single-letter Latin abbreviation for about followed by an adjective meaning terrible from the inside of which the T(emperature) has been dropped

Down

1d    Delayed like a frustrated caller? (2,4)
Two definitions – the second being a situation in which we have all found ourselves at some time or other

2d    Catch music publication in English county lacking passion (6)
A well-known music publication is sandwiched between E(nglish) and a word for a county from which a three-letter word meaning passion has been dropped

4d    Policeman favoured parking within division (9)
A two-letter word meaning favoured or popular followed by P(arking) inside a division

Especially for Kath!

7d    Soldiers must support recognition one’s responsible for advance (8)
Some non-commissioned soldiers support (follow in a down clue) a word meaning recognition – the advance is a loan of money

15d    Party that won’t drag? (3-6)
A cryptic definition of a party or person who doesn’t “drag” on a cigarette

16d    Conclusions reached when Americans give address? (3,5)
A cryptic definition of the parts of addresses in the USA that go at the end

17d    Current lawyer wasted years supposedly (1,4,3)
The symbol for electric current followed by a (US) lawyer and an anagram (wasted) of YEARS

22d    Rogue has stunning hit showing military headwear (5)
An anagram (rogue) of HAS followed by a stunning hit in boxing

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: knew+ditty=nudity

56 comments on “DT 28216 (Hints)”

  2. I didn’t have much work/research on in the library this morning, so I did this one in “real time” instead of later. Not bad for a Saturday Prize effort, but for me a little unchallenging. I enjoyed it though, and thought 24a was a very good clue. 2*/3*.

  3. What a difference being able to do it in the morning, brain is actually functioning,
    Thanks BD and setter

  4. Tricky for me.
    Needed the electronic gizmo for 22d which I had never heard of.

    Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave.

  5. I liked 18a and 24a. Last one in was 15d…

    22d was new to me, but clear from wordplay

    many thanks BD and setter

  6. A successful, pleasant, and not too challenging end to an enjoyable week of cranial work-outs.

    No great problems, although I did resort to using an on-line anagram solver for the first time (24a). Since, presumably, part of the challenge is successfully identifying the ‘pool’ of words/letters making up the anagram, I do not feel too badly about that (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it).

    An observation that, in Chambers Crossword Dictionary and elsewhere, 11a is hyphenated

    Favourite would have to be 14a, with 27a as a close second.

    **/*** – thanks to the setter and BD.

    1. The BRB has 11a as hyphenated while the hyphen is optional in the associated adjective. Susie Dent once said on Countdown that, except in special situations like re-entry, hyphens can be dropped when a word enters common usage.

      1. BD – thanks. I was going to add a comment about ‘automatic’ lowering of grammatical standards, but I decided not to.

  7. I enjoyed this puzzle and in mid-July, after failing miserably to identify something which was actually in the ‘Usual Suspects’ section, I made the prediction: “And now I’ve found it! It’s highly likely that I won’t ever forget it again, Dave.” So, when I read the wording of 7d today, I was pleased that I had an instant recall of that which had evaded me on that previous Saturday – and, for the time being, short term memory loss is being held at bay!

  8. Happy Caturday everybody. :bye:

    I’m mainly dropping in to say hello since I don’t have a huge amount to say about this puzzle, which I found pleasant and of a normal Saturday difficulty level. I managed to forget 22d again, but am hoping it’s now lodged in my little brain.

    With thanks to the setter and to BD.

  9. Straightforward puzzle and enjoyable as far as it went
    22d I hadn’t heard of either.
    Weather now improved here in S Wales after another overnight soaking.
    Hope all have an enjoyable weekend, even Man City fans after 2.30 this afternoon
    Thanks to setter & BD for hints.

    2. Strike City insert United. However as a football fan rather than fanatic I enjoyed a good game of football even if the “wrong ” team played most of it!

  10. I concur pretty much with those comments already posted. One new word for me in 22 down although doable by the wordplay, and 2 down my last entry. I’ll go with 27 across as my favourite and rate this one 2*/3* overall.

    Thanks to the Saturday setter and of course BD.

  11. I found this considerably more taxing than the usual Saturday offerings but all the more enjoyable for that. Thank you Mr. Ron and BD. I needed help to parse 2d as I had never heard of the publication and nor could I parse 17d as I didn’t know about the current bit but I am in fact not so sure about the relevance of supposedly. Stupidly missed parsing 27a although answer is obvious. 22d a new one on me. ***/****.

  12. I found this a bit of a mixed bag although got there in the end. Maybe the jet lag is to blame. I liked 13, 14&24a. 22d had to be right but new to me. Thanks to all and enjoy your weekend.

  13. Took a while to parse the ‘passion’ bit of 2d and had forgotten the military headwear, but no major problems to report once I’d stopped trying to fit ‘ends’ into 16d!

    Podium places go to 14,24&27a plus 19d.
    Thanks to Mr. Ron and to BD for being on hand to encourage.

  14. I enjoyed this one.
    I had a few minor problems with my last couple of answers.
    Missed the relevance of ‘conclusions’ in 16d and I couldn’t get 21a for ages which was very silly as it’s probably one of the more straightforward clues.
    I got hopelessly ‘caught’ by 2d and just couldn’t make any sense of it at all – I’d forgotten about the music publication and, although I could see the ‘passion’ that I needed to take away from a ‘county’, thought I was hunting for a specific county. Oh dear! Dim!
    I know that I’ve met 22d before but had forgotten about it.
    I liked 6 and 24a and 15 and 19d. At the risk of being too predictable my favourite has to be 4d, if only for the pic opportunity – thanks BD! :cry:
    Thanks to Mr Ron and, again, to BD.
    Feeling a bit 14a – pouring with rain – maybe I’ll make some bread and have a go at the NTSPP – that should keep me out of mischief for a while.

  15. I thought this was a real mix. I found some clues quite tricky. I’ve never heard of 22d either. I only realised some clues were quite good after I’d worked out the answer! Not my favourite crossword ever but neither was last week’s. Perhaps I’m losing my touch. Thanks BD for the help and the setter for giving my brain a stretch

  16. Finished but with almost no enjoyment at all, clunky clues that were really tricky. I found this one unpleasent.
    For me ***/*

  17. Enjoyed this and finished in three sittings around weekend chores. Last one in 15d – a definite doh! moment. My iPad tells me it’s all correct, but could someone tell me where the last letter of the first word in 19d comes in (don’t get sent to the naughty corner please) . Many thanks BD and setter

    1. I think that the complete parsing is a three letter word for a weapon, a two letter word for activity which is around the single letter which indicates a hotel, and then it is split 4-2.

  18. Still do not understand 2 down. I get the popular magazine but do not see the County or the word for passion dropped from it. Help me to understand the answer please?
    Thx

    1. Welcome Ian
      Start with the abbreviation for English, add your magazine and then remove the synonym for passion from a county or administrative district of England.

      Sorry, but it is one of those easier to solve than explain clues

      1. Thanks for the welcome.
        My problem remains, exactly which county, I have looked at lists of counties and still cannot work it out.
        Perhaps if you were to name a city or town located there?
        I have the answer to the clue, but not how to get at it.
        Driving me nuts

        2. Ah ha !!!! Got it.
          A little unsatisfactory though, the three letter word that requires removing is not a synonym for passion, that’s a bit of a stretch.

            1. I checked, and you are right. I am still fairly new to this, so perhaps not as fast as most of you guys. I enjoyed this puzzle, confess I had to look up the military head gear.
              But the parse of two down had me stumped.
              Thanks

  19. Reply to Margaret – it comes from the 3-lettered weapon and then the first of the 2-lettered activity which in turn goes around abbreviated hotel. Naughty corner here I come?

    1. Got it Angel, thanks. I thought the abbreviation for hotel was usually two letters. That would also explain my confusion re the word ‘around’

  21. At first I had trouble getting an entry into this, but once in, it worked well for me.
    I missed the anagram at 24a for ages, kept looking for birds, but once I got it, I thought “how clever”, then it gave me 15d.
    I didn’t understand 2d, and still don’t, but I certainly don’t know the music publication, and I’m sure I can guess the passion, but it still doesn’t make sense.
    I enjoyed this, made me think a bit, fave was 14a.
    Thanks to setter and to BD for the hints today.

  22. I enjoyed this crossword; it may not have been the most elegant but there were some good clues including 14a and 16d as well as 15d which was my favourite.
    2/3* overall.
    Thanks to the setter, and to BD for his hints.

    2. Yes it did thank you . Can’t fault the choice of dog (or colour) or the sentiment.
      The other week didn’t you say you were trying not to be predictable?

        1. Funny, isn’t it? Annie makes me do things all the time even though it’s almost two years since she died!

  25. I steamed through this first thing, which is very rare for me and shows that my brain is awake in the morning and turns to mush at about 1600.
    I knew 22d, but only because I remember it from previous crosswords!!!
    Needed BD’s hint to parse 13a, though broke the rules by filling the answer in first..
    I thought 16d was a bit weak???
    Fav was 14a as it’s a word often used to describe me!!!
    Thanks to BD for all your hard work and Mr.Ron for the puzzle.

    1. HIYD – whose rule did you break? (Wonder if it could be MP’s) In any case I’m with Salty Dog in tending to ignore it anyway.

  26. 2*/3*, I think. I liked 12a and 14a. HIYD – I’ve never heard of a rule that you have to fully parse an answer before you put it in! In fact, if I did hear of such a rule I would ignore it immediately. All’s fair in love, war and crosswords, after all. Thanks to setter and BD.

  27. I enjoyed it until the last clue ,2d , a word with which I am unfamiliar, and without the hint I would never have got it.
    Spelling is still my bete noire, with the second word of 3d and 27a needing correction.
    Thanks , BD , and setter.

  28. Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave for the hints. A very enjoyable puzzle, very tricky. I was completely stuck in the SW corner, and needed the hints for 16,17,22d&21a. Favourite was 14a. Was 3*/3* for me.

  29. I thought it was quite awful. Still don’t understand some of the clues in spite of finally finishing it.

    1. Welcome to the blog Gee

      I am always disappointed when someone expresses negative views in their first comment. Perhaps you could come back when you have something pleasant to say.

  30. Finally finished, thanks to a couple of very helpful hints – like Heno I was stuck in SW corner. St ill not sure I have 2d correct as cannot account for one letter, so I’m probably wrong. Is it me, or has the crossword become trickier in the last couple of weeks? A new compiler perhaps, or possibly just my having been away for a week so have got out of the rhythm?

    1. “A new compiler perhaps” – very unlikely; in the seven and a half years that this blog has been running the only new compiler, to my knowledge, was John Pidgeon, who sadly died in July.

  31. Started late on this puzzle; only two more ( 9d & 23a) remaining on which help is needed.

    1. 23a This person’s put by a certain amount of whisky, say, (7)
      The first person singular objective pronoun (this person) is followed by the A from the clue and a word meaning certain

      9d Criminal ring ends? Raid it for financial misconduct (7,7)
      An anagram (criminal) of RING ENDS RAID IT

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