Monday – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

DT 31050

by Smylers

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31050

Hints and tips by Smylers

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BD Rating – Difficulty ★⯨ – Enjoyment ★★★

Hello from Ilkley, where this year’s Ilkley Literature Festival has started. This weekend all four of us saw Gyles Brandreth on AA Milne; Spouse and I saw Stuart Maconie on The Beatles; and Spouse has also seen Rachel Joyce and Emma Freud, and a talk on the material world of Austen and the Brontës. The festival runs for another fortnight, during which time we’ll see Simon Armitage (Poet Laureate), Lady Hale (former Supreme Court Judge), and Jo Hamilton (wrongly convicted subpostmaster), among others less famous. Some events are streamed online, so you don’t even have to live nearby if you’d like to see them.

The festival was founded in 1973, with WH Auden appearing that year, making it the second-longest-running book festival in the UK. Quiz question for you: which is the longest-running?

Today’s Telegraph crossword has a helpful grid and contains no obscure vocabulary, but it took me a while to decode some of the wordplay and cryptic definitions. Hints, explanations, and hidden answers are below.

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DT 31044

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31044

Hints and tips by Falcon

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from my lakeside retreat near Ottawa, where I am enjoying a few days of summer-like early autumn weather before I close up the trailer (caravan) for the winter.

In my last appearance two weeks ago, I neglected to mention that review marked my fifteenth anniversary – my first review having appeared on September 15, 2010.

Today’s puzzle did not strike me as being the work of either X-Type or Twmbarlwm, so I’m guessing it may be from a new setter – but my guesses at the identities of setters rarely prove to be correct.

A month ago, when Smylers was covering for me, Jenny M commented “Still waiting for a clue involving say a netball term??” Well, Jenny, since the inception of Big Dave’s Crossword Blog netball has featured on a number of occasions in both Toughies and the Backpager. In fact, I first learned of the existence of the sport from a puzzle in 2012. Netball is not commonly played in Canada as girls here generally play basketball like their male counterparts. Your question prompted me to do a little research which I had intended to include with my review two weeks ago but it had to be deferred for technical reasons.

Click here to open or close a list of clues in which netball has appeared in some respect.

On three occasions, netball appeared in the fodder:

ST 3227 (27 August 2023): 2d Sport taken up by thousands, in netball (6)

Toughie 1835 (23 June 2017): 14a Badly soiled netball, not current sporting prize (8,4)

Toughie 728 (29 February 2012): 29a Netball team training in court close to contest (6)

In two cases, the blogger who reviewed the puzzle associated the solution with netball:

DT 28164 (12 July 2016) 29a More intelligent animal restricts physical exercise (6)

where the reviewer stated “A horned animal that could be Red or Fallow includes (restricts) an abbreviation for a type of exercise we all did at school. For the girls it was usually hockey and netball. I have no idea what the boys did. Rugby I think. Possibly football?”

ST 2571 (21 January 2011) 18a Tries to win where some games are played (6)

where the reviewer stated “A nice double definition – wooing or winning the attention of someone/a place where games such as netball and tennis are played.”

In 22 instances, netball was the solution to the clue:

Toughie 3187 (21 December 2023): 4d Heard about any tea dance after game (7)

Toughie 2998 (25 January 2023): 8d Online dance is sporting activity (7)

DT 29900 (02 February 2022): 3d Before dance catch game (7)

DT 29855 (10 December 2021): 21a Geordie great inspiring British sport (7)

Toughie 2761 (07 December 2021): 2d Mistress Gwynne about to be announced for sport (7)

DT 29717 (02 July 2021): 3d Significant number held up party game … (7)

Toughie 2638 (05 May 2021): 17a Final dance in game (7)

Toughie 2411 (01 April 2020): 18d Before dance catch game (7)

Toughie 2112 (23 October 2018): 6d Two necessities for tennis, as a game (7)

Toughie 1968 (13 February 2018): 12a Bungle service perhaps for game (7)

DT 28547 (02 October 2017) 6d Every throw-in counts in this game (7)

Toughie 1774 (09 March 2017): 22a Figure recalled enjoyable time in sport (7)

ST 2836 (03 March 2016): 10a Clear bishop completely in court action (7)

DT 27674 (16 December 2014): 6d Two features of tennis in another game (7)

DT 27603 (24 September 2014): 18d Before the dance, catch the game (7)

DT 27338 (18 November 2013): 17a Game with two essential elements of tennis (7)

DT 27127 (22 March 2013): 7d Game to be announced when girl comes around (7)

DT 27027 (19 November 2012): 19a Game — and how to score in it (7)

DT 26994 (11 October 2012): 2d Practice session before dance and sport (7)

ST 2614 (18 November 2011): 27a A couple of things used in many sports, or one in particular (7)

ST 2501 (18 September 2009): 20d A couple of requirements for tennis or another sport (7)

DT 25957 (17 June 2009): 1d Girl collecting new bat for game (7)

Only one clue appeared twice (in both instances in puzzles set by Donnybrook/NY Doorknob), although there are several minor variations on some of the other clues. Should you wish to check the parsing of a clue, the puzzle numbers link to the review of the puzzle.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

Continue reading “DT 31044”

DT 31038

by Smylers

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31038

Hints and tips by Smylers

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BD Rating – Difficulty ★★ – Enjoyment ★★★

Welcome from Ilkley, where we now have the best butchers in the country. And happy World Rhino Day — here’s one we saw yesterday at the Art of the Brick exhibition in Leeds (also on in Montreal and Schenectady):

(You can click to enlarge this photo, and the other Lego pictures in the hints below.)

Today’s Telegraph crossword has a helpful grid and accessible wordplay, but also several words unfamiliar to me — so it’s probably an ideal puzzle for somebody who’s a beginner at cryptic crosswords but has a good vocabulary.

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DT 31032

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31032

Hints and tips by Falcon

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from my lakeside retreat near Ottawa which I am visiting for one of the final times this year as I will soon have to close up for the winter.

I think today’s puzzle was well-pitched for a Monday. As X-Type seems to have been our most frequent setter recently, the puzzle may be one of his – but I have an abysmal track record when it comes to identifying setters.

While it has been a few weeks since I last reviewed a puzzle, I have been keeping an eye on what has been happening on the blog. I did note the discussion regarding lurkers and reverse lurkers and the observation that they deserved an entry in the FAQ. They now have one.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

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DT 31026

by Smylers

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31026

Hints and tips by Smylers

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BD Rating – Difficulty ★⯨ – Enjoyment ★★★★

Hello. Here are hints and explanations for today’s Telegraph crossword, which has an unusual grid arrangement that I rather liked. I solved it more quickly than usual, but it does include some knowledge I didn’t have, so I didn’t think I could award it a single star.

Please do leave a comment — it’s lovely getting to know you all. See Big Dave’s etiquette guide for the house rules, and I’ve had a special request from somebody who solves the quick crossword after the cryptic and sometimes finds coming here spoils answers in the quick. It’s fine to mention the quick crossword; and if you had thoughts of admiration or otherwise on the quickie pun, then do of course mention those — but if you can do so in a way which doesn’t give away any of the answers, that’d be appreciated.

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DT 31020

by Smylers

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31020

Hints and tips by Smylers

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Hello and welcome to autumn — or spring, depending on your hemisphere. Thank you to Falcon for covering for me last week when we were on holiday. And Happy Labour Day today to Falcon and everybody else in Canada — or indeed Bonne Fête du Travail, depending on where in Canada. And the same but without the ‘u’ for those in America.

We had a lovely week in Wells-next-the-Sea, on the north Norfolk coast. It’s the 8th time we’ve stayed there in 11 years, always in the same home. The familiarity makes it easy, I naïvely commented to a colleague. That was before we discovered our favourite animal park at Norfolk Lavender has closed; that our hosts no longer have a beach hut (which we’d enjoyed using on previous visits); and that on a day we’d turned up at the beach, the sea was closed — that’ll teach us not to be complacent and to plan and research properly next time!

Anyway on to today’s crossword. Hints and explanations for each clue are below, and you can use a Congratulations! You are today’s lucky clicker! blob to reveal the answer. Comments are welcome, especially from anybody new — don’t make me misidentify an antelope every time just to provoke newcomers to leave a message! Do read Big Dave’s etiquette guide.

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DT 31014

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31014

Hints and tips by Falcon

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Ottawa, where I find myself having returned from my lakeside retreat due to a medical appointment in the morning. You are getting a second dose of me in succession to allow Smylers to enjoy the bank holiday with his family. He will fill in for me next week which will be a holiday here in Canada.

I won’t venture to identify the setter of this puzzle which seems to be a departure from the style of those we are accustomed to seeing. In any event, it proved to be a very enjoyable solve; but then, I am very partial to cryptic definitions of which this puzzle contains many. Several of the cryptic definitions contain an embedded precise definition together with some cryptic elaboration. I have indicated this by marking the entire clue as a cryptic definition (dotted underline) as well as marking the precise definition (solid underline).

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

Continue reading “DT 31014”

DT 31008

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31008

Hints and tips by Falcon

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from my lakeside retreat near Ottawa where it seems to have gone from July to October overnight. Fortunately, the weather is forecast to return to a more seasonable state today.

I got off to a very slow start with the puzzle today. In fact, on my first read through, I solved only a single across clue, that being the final one (27a). However, the down clues came to the rescue and in the end I managed to complete the puzzle in a reasonable time. I have no idea who the setter may be.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

Continue reading “DT 31008”

DT 31002

by Smylers

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31002

Hints and tips by Smylers

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Some solvers might find today’s cryptic crossword is * for difficulty, the only obscure word being a lurker. I wasn’t one of those solvers, which is why I’ve rated it **.

If any clues are baffling you, hopefully you will find éclaircissement below.

Continue reading “DT 31002”

DT 30996

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30996

Hints and tips by Falcon

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from my lakeside retreat near Ottawa, where today is a provincial holiday in Ontario as well as several other provinces.

Today’s puzzle had a decidedly more modern feel to it than usual with many cultural references that certainly post-date my generation.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

Continue reading “DT 30996”