DT 28348 (Hints) – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 28348 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28348 (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.  I’ll try to add some pictures later [now added  BD], but it’s a busy day at BD Towers as it is Mrs BD’s birthday.

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    Ruin atmosphere getting upset (4)
The reversal (getting upset, more usually a down-clue construct) of an atmosphere or tone

8a    Hear what slurring soprano did in Asian city (8)
Split as (5,3), this Asian city sounds like what a slurring soprano did

11a    Creature needing place to sleep over with utility (8)
A place to sleep, usually for a number of people, followed by O(ver) and utility or value

13a & 25a    Novel theory of retirement after working (4,4,2,8)
An anagram (after working) of THEORY OF RETIREMENT

14a    Garden tool used around yard by northern tomboy (6)
Put a garden tool around Y(ar)D and add N(orthern)

23a    Again charge football official with evil (6)
This verb meaning to put something in again is a charade of a three-letter football official and a word meaning evil

24a    Provoke trouble with vocal quartet in a comedy item (3,3,2)
What sounds like (vocal) the number in a quartet inside the A from the clue and a comedy item

25a    See 13 Across

26a    Antelope’s short dash (4)
Drop the final letter from an antelope

Down

1d    Sweet daughter is first to perplex (9)
A sugar-coated sweet preceded by D(aughter) IS

2d    Comfortingly met distressed star of 13, 25 (10,5)
I had forgotten that this star was in said film – he’s an anagram (distressed) of COMFORTINGLY MET – along with Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr and Frank Sinatra

4d    Rod‘s back, entertaining 550 (7)
The back of a book around the Roman numerals for 550

5d    Top person working in parade (7)
A two-letter word meaning working inside a parade or demo

6d    Internet nuisance trapped by honeypot — an undoing for novelist (7,8)
An internet nuisance inside (trapped by) an anagram (undoing) of HONEYPOT AN

15d    May is here — figure to catch up (6,3)
Where you will often find Prime Minister May is derived from a figure followed by the reversal (up in a down clue) of a verb meaning to catch

19d    Asian person and English briefly visiting island (7)
ENG(lish) briefly inside (visiting) an Indonesian island

21d    Swagger in bar (5)
Two definitions – a verb meaning to swagger and a bar or rod

The Crossword Club is now open.


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The Quick Crossword pun: knights+cool=night school


57 comments on “DT 28348 (Hints)

  1. ***/*** – the trickiest one of the week for me, but still very enjoyable and completed at a fast trot. Having unscrambled the 13a/25a combination, I did use electronic assistance for 2d. I hate to admit it, but I also had to use electronic assistance for 11a. Additionally, there was plenty of thumbing through the Small Red Book.

    Short favourite 1a. Long favourite a toss-up between 8a and 15d.

    Thanks to the setter and BD.

    1. Belated birthday wishes to Mrs BD (please try to pull my name out the electronic hat next time I am able to solve the MPP)

  2. More good fun – thanks Mr. Ron and BD. It was fine in the South but slightly more thorny in the North. Fav has to be 8a. Was my first meeting with the tomboy in 14a. Now on with the weekend RU feast. 🇬🇧

    1. Afraid I didn’t read your introduction BD so a little belatedly I now wish Mrs. BD Many Happies. 🎂

  3. I did not enjoy this one much, I’m afraid.
    Resorted to the anagram solver for the long anagrams then got on with the rest.

    Very many happy returns to Mrs Big Dave. I hope you both have a great day.

    Thanks to the setter and to Big Dave.

  4. Happy Birthday Mrs BD!

    great puzzle -15d is excellent and my favourite

    2d gave me the definition of 25a which I could bung in from the enumeration, but wheres I could see the first name from checkers, I had to look up the surname.

    Also liked 19a, 23a, 24a, 20d – and especially 8a, though I would have preferred ‘drunken soprano’

    many thanks setter and BD

  5. Yes, it was a most enjoyable puzzle but, after an amazing start, I blew up in the north east corner and limped home. I’ve been completing cryptic crosswords since I was a teenager but I’ve never seen the wonderfully-worded indicator for the homophone in 24a before and it’s made my morning. Now if only Wales can beat England in the Principality Stadium later… Happy Birthday, Mrs M.

    1. Think we are in a minority re this afternoon’s result. Could be 0.1mm of snow here in Cardiff so they should close the roof.

  6. I thought this was much trickier than the usual Saturday crossword – it took me ages to even get started.
    While I was doing it there didn’t seem to be many anagrams although I suppose five is probably about average – most of them were quite long.
    I’ve heard of the 13/25 book but haven’t read it and I certainly didn’t know the actor in the film but Mr Google did.
    I liked 18 and 20d. My favourite was either 8 or 24a.
    With thanks to Mr Ron, whoever he may be, and to BD.
    A very Happy Birthday to Mrs BD and a little :rose: too.

  7. A backwards sort of puzzle for me. Got the anagram at 2d very early, about second clue in (no, I don’t know how I did it). Then was unaccountably stuck on 9a for ages.

  8. I’ve nearly finished this one, just 4 left to go in – but will have to go now and I’ll complete later at home. A cracking crossword – much better than the usual Saturday fare. Some really good clues and very entertaining. For me, the best of the week, pipping both Ray T and G – which is very rare for a Prize puzzle. Not heard 2d mentioned for many a year! 3.5*/4*.

  9. A very Happy Birthday to Mrs BD. :rose:

    3*/5*. I thought this was an absolutely top notch puzzle today. It had concise cluing with smooth surfaces throughout, some humour and plenty of surprises. The NE corner was the last to fall with 14a taking easily the most time for two main reasons: I’ve never heard of the answer and I habitually use a one letter abbreviation for yard so I was wracking my brain unsuccessfully for ages for a four letter tool.

    I’m not even going to try to pick a favourite – they were all great clues.

    Many thanks to Mr Ron and to BD.

    Now for Gazza’s NTSPP and then the rugby …

    1. Welcome Lurker – love the alias but what happens if you want to comment on more than one ‘jour’ ? ;)

      1. I shall have to change it to ‘Lurker no more’ as soon as I find out how to do it. (Also WordPress wants me to use a different address, but that’s something else..)
        And thanks to you and the other bloggers for brightening our days!
        Bon weekend!
        (Snowing here chez les froggies)

  10. Many happy returns to Mrs BD – I’ve a cherry and sultana cake in the oven as I type but I wouldn’t recommend a visit to chilly murky East Kent for a celebratory slice for tea

    have a couple of :rose: :rose:

  11. Gosh, that was good – wonder whether anyone knows who the setter is?
    Took 1d to fall before the penny dropped over the 13/25 combo and I was glad of that giving me a checker for the last letter of 2d – always get that wrong!
    Impossible to pick a favourite but 8,10&24a got the biggest ticks.

    Many thanks to Mr. Ron and to BD for making time to write up the hints. A very happy birthday to Mrs. BD – I’m sure she deserved a banner!

    1. A banner or BD’s company for the time it would take to sort out the creation and adding of the banner? If I were Mrs BD, I know what I’d go for!

  12. Happy Birthday Mrs BD🎶🍷🎉🎂. Loved today’s puzzle but too young to have seen the necessary film, although the name did ring a bell somewhere. I’d never heard of 14a either so there’s a word to add to my inner lexicon. I like a puzzle that makes me think…especially on such a grey Saturday. Thanks to the setter and BD

  13. Slow progress initially but unravelling 13a + 25a helped greatly to oil the wheels. Overall a very enjoyable, if challenging, exercise. 14a was a new word for me and 8a made me chuckle. Thanks to all involved.

  14. Enjoyed this, especially 8a, for which I half expected to see a Sean Connery clip. Have a good weekend all.

  15. Happy birthday to Mrs BD

    For once I did not need the hints, but always thankful they are available

    The west fell before the east and I finished this without resorting to dad 😀

  16. Great puzzle much to like. Nothing to ruffle feathers either. 15d my COTD.
    Thanks to setter & BD for hints ( I took “upset” in 1a as anagram fodder).
    Happy birthday to Mrs BD.

    1. upset can’t be anagram fodder as this would mean the use of the ‘indirect anagram’ as the word that would have to be rearranged isn’t in the clue.

      1. Thanks CS: often we get the right answer for the wrong reason. At least in crossword-land you don’t get marked down for it!

  17. Great puzzle and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We are old enough to remember the film anagrams but 9a was probably our fave
    Thanks to setter (Mr Ron?) and to BD.
    But above all, MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY TO MRS. BD!!!

  18. I found this puzzle quite tricky in places and put it down to judgement affected by many pints of beer as I decided to wait until midnight to have a go (what a great idea…)

    Anyway – looking at it in the cold, sobering light of day, there’s nothing too tricky really and it probably should be about a 2* difficulty level or thereabouts. I will not divulge how many stars it took me as I don’t know exactly but probably 4 or 5….

    Thanks to BD and setter and also happy birthday to Mrs BD.

    Early night tonight.

  19. Have the happiest of birthdays, Mrs. BD, lots of spoilation and goodies!

    Well, what a super treat today. Not easy, just loads of fun. I missed the anagram for 13a/25a, and was looking for something by 6d, but got there in the end. Like BD, I forgot about 2d being there.
    There was so much good stuff, stars all over the place, so I won’t even mention them all, but 8a and 15d were worth an honourable mention.
    Thanks to the setter and to BD. I hope the setter identifies himself.

  20. Just on my wavelength. Favourites 8a (mainly because it came to me with only one checker and made me smile) and 15d as the penny dropped. Thanks to the setter and BD.

  21. Happy Birthday Mrs BD. :rose:

    Lovely Saturday treat on a dingy cold day in Suffolk. Remembered book but did not see film, Google supplied 2d, too difficult to pick favourite because I loved them all. Off to do GK, cannot say I am warming to new layout for weekend editions particularly Sunday.

  22. A very Happy Birthday to Mrs BD from us too. :rose:

    Liked the puzzle a lot with I reckon 26a as fav even though it is a bit of a chestnut.

    Thanks to the setter and to BD

  23. It took a long time for any clues to fall – 21ac was my first in – but from then on this was completed in about ** time. I’ve not read the book or seen the film, but dredged the actor’s name up from somewhere, and didn’t need to really muck about too much with the anagrams for either, given a few letters and the word lengths. All in all an enjoyable solve.

  24. Happy Birthday Mrs BD and many happy returns !
    I loved this puzzle , comfortingly easy on this cold sleety night.
    15d takes my fancy as top clue.
    I can remember watching 13/25 on TV, most of us thought that a certain 3 letters should be replaced by “mat” as illustrated.
    Thanks to the setter and BD for his blog..

  25. Happy Birthday to Mrs BD and thanks to Mr BD for the blog.

    Thanks too to the setter for this great crossword. I don’t think I’ve ever seen 13a/25a, but I knew the answer because I’ve certainly seen the iconic image that illustrates that clue pair. I did exactly the same thing as RD on 14a, trying to find a four letter tool that would yield a plausible-looking answer. Favorite today probably 15d, but it’s so hard to pick a best out of so many excellent clues.

  26. Wow, that was difficult for a Saturday . . .
    Never heard of 2d and only got 13 & 25 once most of the checkers were in, so progress here was very slow. Crawled to the finish via Google but without using the hints – thanks to BD for being there anyway, and thank you to the setter.
    And a Happy Birthday to Mrs BD!

  27. Many happy returns to Mrs BD. Whenever I hear that expression, I always think of Eeyore’s birthday, when Pooh and Piglet visit him in the thistle patch with useless gifts. ‘Many happy returns,’ says Pooh. ‘Thank you. I’m having them,’ says Eeyore.
    On to business: I found this tricky for a Saturday, with possibly too many Lego clues for my liking, but the only real stumbling block was14a, a new word for me. favourite has to be 15d. Ta to BD for all his efforts and to our setter. 2*/3*

  28. Happy birthday Mrs BD. Thanks setter and Mr BD. Did not need hints. Checked 14a was a word on line not having BRB to hand. No trouble with the long ones. NE last to fall with 4d last to fall after I had got 12a and checked 550. Then it was just a case of working through the alphabet. Favourites 8 and 16a and 5d. Hoping for better weather tomorrow

  29. Many thanks to you all for all those lovely good wishes to a very old feeling lady. I think I would have loved a piece of the cherry cake but a little far to get it I am afraid. Right now I am feeling rather full of goodies so need to sleep them off. Always tomorrow to continue though.Once again many thanks.

  30. Clearly Mrs BD had a Good day yesterday-well done!
    Finished it yesterday despite the 3 rugby matches to watch and worn out by the England match although elated at the end. I’ve never come across 14a before, worked it out and then looked in the dic. I bet I wasn’t the only one to check the cast of the ‘novel’ in 13a to get 2d?…Missed the blog last week -but managed to fill in the necessary. How do some folk fill in the X word every day?? Thx BD & Mr. Ron

  31. The less said the better about this particular puzzle – though could be something to do with the distraction of becoming a first time grandmarge

    Hoping sunday’s puzzle will prove to be more doable

  32. A very belated happy birthday to Mrs BD.
    Did cheat a bit to get the novel/movie in 13 once I got the actor but that’s all, I swear.
    I knew where May lived and all the rest.
    Thanks to Virgilius and to BD for the Saturday club.

    1. Well done Jean-Luc! It did involve some general knowledge of the Film industry of th 1940s. I’m settling down in an hour to watch your friend Neil in the second episode of the Good Karma Hospital.

  33. Finished it reasonably quickly this week but even though I have what I assume is the correct answer for 22a, I cannot see where a high ranking churchman comes into the answer or to dismiss priest initially. Its obviously an easy one as no one has asked for a hint.
    Help me get the penny to drop please.

    1. Try working in reverse. Add a P ( priest ‘initially’ ) to the start of your solution, and then look up the result in the dictionary. If you have the right solution you should find your churchman. If not, you can read my review from 9 on Friday morning

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