Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30941
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 31st May 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, fantastic Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.
After solving the puzzle, I became interested in knowing more about lory, the answer to the clue of 5d and took to the net to do a bit of research. A defining characteristic of a lory is their brush tongues with papillae at the tips to help them feed on pollen and nectar. I found out that lories are of different colours. The red lory, Eos bornea, is a species of parrot in the family Psittachulidae. It is the second most commonly-kept lory in captivity, after the rainbow lorikeet. The red lory is about 31 cm long and weighs 30-300 grams. It is mostly red and all the plumage of the upper body is red. There are red, blue and black marks on the back and wings and the tail is reddish-brown with blue under-tail coverts. The beak is orange and the legs are grey. The black lorry, Chalcopsitta atra, is a medium-sized, blackish parrot with black bill, dark grey feet and long rounded tail. It has yellow and red under-tail. The sexes are similar. It is native to West Papua in Indonesia. The black lory is 32 cm long and has a black bill. Its plumage is mostly black with a blue rump. Red markings on face, thighs, and tail vary between the three subspecies, viz., Chalcopsitta atra atra, Chalcopsitta atra bernsteini and Chalcopsitta atra insignis. The red-and-blue lorry, Eos histrio, is a small, strikingly-coloured parrot endemic to Indonesia. It is roughly 30 cm in length, including the tail. The species is sexually monomorphic, i.e. sexes are visually alike. The beak is short, sharply curved and bright orange. The feathers nearest the cere, i.e., the area nearest the nostrils are bright red. The crown of the head is intense purple. The back of the head is red, and the nape of the neck is intense violet. An indigo-violet stripe runs diagonally from the cere corner to the nape of the neck. The bird’s plumage is mostly bright red. The rump and lower belly are a slightly deeper red. The breast has a broad band of deep blue. Extending the colour from the nape, the bird’s back is a deep violet purple. The yellow-bibbed lory (Lorius chlorocercus) is a species of parrot in the family Psittachlidae. It is endemic to the southern Solomon Islands. The yellow-bibbed lory is 28 cm long. It is mostly red with black on top of head and green wings. It has a yellow transverse band on upper chest and a crescent-shaped black patch on each side of neck. It has blue or green thighs and dark-grey legs. It has an orange-red beak, dark-grey eye rings and orange irises. Under its wings the bird has blue feathers. The blue-streaked lorry, Eos reticulata, is also known as the blue-necked lory. It is a medium-sized parrot, around 31 cm in length, including the tail and weighing between 145 and 155 grams. Most of the bird’s general plumage is bright red. Against this intense red background, there are scattered electric blue feathers near the ears and on the nape of the neck, which is where the bird gets its name. From the area to the base of the neck, there is an indigo-violet stripe. The lower part of the nape of the neck, to the top of the back, is a bluish black. The main part of the back, as well as the rump, is red. Wing coverts and flights are red with black tips. The black-capped lory, Lorius lory, also known as western black-capped lory or the tricoloured lory, is a parrot found in New Guinea and adjacent smaller islands. It is a colourful and relatively robust lory of 31 cm in length. There are seven subspecies, all with green wings, red heads and body around the wing, a black cap, grey-black cere, yellow underwings, and blue legs and belly.
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Across
1a Two adults run ahead and catch country composer (5,7)
AARON COPLAND: A and A (two adults) as each A standing for abbreviation for adult, R (run) as the abbreviation for run or runs scored in cricket, ON (ahead) as an adverb denoting ahead, forward or in continuance and COP (catch) as a slang verb meaning to catch or capture followed by LAND (country) as a country or district all in a charade leads to the definition of the name of an American composer, critic, writer, teacher, pianist and conductor of his own and other American music who was referred to by his peers and critics as the ‘Dean of American Composers’
9a Love major character from Greece (5)
OMEGA: A charade of O (love) as love or the score of zero in a game of tennis and MEGA (major) as a slang adverb denoting major, extremely or to a great extent, for example, he is a mega star i.e. he is a major celebrity takes to the definition of the 24th and the final letter of the Greek alphabet
10a Rook tolerated in a corporation’s botanic garden (9)
ARBORETUM: A combo of R (rook) as the abbreviation for rook in chess notation and BORE (tolerated) as the past tense of the verb ‘bear’ meaning to endure or tolerate placed inside (in) a combination of A from the clue and TUM (corporation) as the childish or colloquial term for a stomach, an example of which is a corporation i.e. an informal humorous term for a paunch or stomach guides to the definition of a botanic garden of trees
11a and 25 Across Chat here and there with NUS refreshed air (10,3,6)
UNDERNEATH THE ARCHES: An anagram (refreshed) of a combination of CHAT HERE AND THERE and (with) NUS takes to the definition of the 1932 popular song with words and music by Bud Flanagan, additional lyrics by Reg Connelly and one of the most famous songs of the duo Flanagan and Allen
12a Heard, not seen, in fog (4)
MIST: A homophone as coming to the ears of the audience (heard) of MISSED (not seen) as not seen or failed to notice takes to the definition of a thin fog resulting from condensation in the air near the earth’s surface
13a Ball on head turned cup tie (7)
TOPKNOT: The definition of a tuft of hair fashioned into a knob or ball on top of the head is arrived at from POT (cup) as a colloquial term for a trophy, especially a cup coming from the opposite direction (turned) as a reversal in the across clue and KNOT (tie) as to tie in or with a securely fastened loop of string, rope of fabric
15a Chopin is so remiss holding back composer (7)
ROSSINI: Part of or hidden inside (holding) [CHOP]IN IS SO R[EMISS] that is seen arranged in a backward direction (back) as a reversal in the across clue takes to the definition of an Italian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras whose full name was Gioachino Antonio Rossini
17a Line with curve in bronze by refined man (7)
TANGENT: The definition of a line that touches a curve but does not cut it is obtained from TAN (bronze) as to make brown, suntanned or tawny having alongside (by) GENT (refined man) as an informal and old-fashioned word for gentleman who is a refined, polite and well-mannered man
19a Doctor trepans mum and dad (7)
PARENTS: An anagram (doctor) of TREPANS guides to the definition of a person’s mother and father
21a Top wizard rakes in million (4)
ACME: The definition of a noun denoting the top or the highest point is reached from ACE (wizard) as a person of distinguished achievement or someone who is dazzlingly skilled in their field, for example, a wizard as someone who works wonders, an expert or a genius taking inside (rakes in) M (million) as the abbreviation for million or millions
22a Litres in French and Spanish wines for grouch (10)
MALCONTENT: L (litres) as the abbreviation for litre or litres placed inside a combo of MACON and TENT (French and Spanish wines) denoting respectively a red or white wine, heavier than other burgundies, from the Mâcon district of central France and a deep-red wine from Spain that leads to the definition of a noun denoting a chronically dissatisfied person, an example of which is a grouch i.e. a habitually complaining, grumbling or irritable person
25a See 11 Across
26a Eastern end of the lake spooky (5)
EERIE: E (eastern end of the) as referring to the letter at the eastern end of [TH]E followed by ERIE (lake) as one of the five interconnected freshwater lakes of North America known as the Great Lakes that together represent as the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world takes to the definition of an adjective meaning mysteriously or uncannily frightening, weird or ghostly, especially of places or an atmosphere, an example of which is spooky i.e. ghostly or eerie
27a See 8 Down
Down
1d Description of noon correct? (5)
AMEND: AM END (description of noon) as describing the end of AM i.e. the abbreviation for ante meridiem that in Latin means ‘before noon’ or, in other words, telling that the period of ‘before noon’ has ended and it is exactly noon at the moment that guides to the definition of a verb meaning to correct, rectify or put right
2d Adjust bottom line (9)
REARRANGE: The definition of a verb meaning to adjust, alter or move something in order to achieve the desired fit, appearance or result is fetched from a charade of REAR (bottom) as referring to a person’s bottom i.e. buttocks and RANGE (line) as a line or series of mountains or hills
3d Most intimate war god seen in lace (7)
NEAREST: The definition of an adjective in the superlative degree denoting most intimate or closely related by kinship or association is fetched from ARE (war god) as the god of war and courage in Greek mythology noticed inside (seen in) NET (lace) as an openwork fabric made of threads or cords that are woven or knotted together at regular intervals, an example of which is lace i.e. a netlike ornamental fabric made by threads by hand or machine
4d Something that circles gold tooth? (7)
ORBITER: The definition of something that orbits, circle or goes around another object, for example a spacecraft or satellite which orbits the earth or another planet without landing on it is reached from a charade of OR (gold) as the tincture gold in heraldry and BITER (tooth) as a person or thing that bites, for example, a tooth can be described as a biter because its primary function is to bite or cut into food
5d Parrot in transport leaving a river (4)
LORY: The definition of a small brightly coloured Australasian parrots having a brush-tipped tongue for feeding on nectar and soft fruits is reached from LO[R]RY (transport) as a large vehicle used for transporting goods by road taking away (leaving) a R (river) as the abbreviation for River, used especially for maps in an atlas or a geography book
6d Crackers I turn to in food processing? (9)
NUTRITION: An anagram (crackers) of I TURN TO IN guides to the definition of the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth
7d Steal our cash? Time to be strong (6)
ROBUST: A charade of ROB US (steal our cash) as to steal our valuables e.g. cash, especially by force or through threats of violence, being taken away by someone and T (time) as the symbol for time in physics takes to the definition of an adjective meaning strong and healthy or sturdy and strong in form, constitution or construction
8d and 27 Across Composer needs one to stop “Scottish Dvorak” working with him (6,12)
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH: The definition of the name of the Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known as the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 is arrived at from an anagram (working) of a combination of I (one) as the Roman numeral for one, SCOTTISH DVORAK – intervened or stepped inside (to stop) by I – and (with) HIM
14d Boozer with French name, writer hot in Asian city (5,4)
PHNOM PENH: PH (boozer) as the abbreviation for public house which is another term for a pub or boozer and (with) NOM (French name) as the French word for ‘name’ followed by PEN (writer) as an instrument used for writing and H (hot) as the abbreviation for hot, especially with reference to water on a faucet, all in a charade takes to the definition of the name of the capital and most populous city of Cambodia, a country in Asia and hence an Asian city
16d Plain ties with green buckles (9)
SERENGETI: The definition of a large plain in Northern Tanzania, part of which is set aside as a national wildlife sanctuary is arrived at from an anagram (buckles) of a combo of TIES and (with) GREEN
17d Warm to a place of debauchery? (6)
TOASTY: The definition of an adjective denoting pleasantly or cozily warm is obtained from a combo of TO and A from the clue followed by STY (place of debauchery) as any place of gross debauchery
18d Windpipe long in exotic rat (7)
TRACHEA: The definition of a windpipe or the membranous tube with cartilaginous rings that conveys inhaled air from the larynx to the bronchi is obtained from ACHE (long) as an informal term for a verb meaning to yearn or long placed inside (in) an anagram (exotic) of RAT
19d Artist in devout company round holy mount (7)
PICASSO: The definition of one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, celebrated for co-founding the Cubist movement and whose full name was Pablo Ruiz Picasso is arrived at from PI (devout) as a short for pious meaning reverent or devout followed by CO (company) as the abbreviation for company placed about (round) ASS (holy mount) as referring to the animal Jesus rode into Jerusalem, thus making it a ‘holy mount’
20d Soothsayer’s written about teetotaller in Sun? (6)
SETTER: Soothsayer’s being the contraction of ‘soothsayer is’, SEER (soothsayer) as a person who sees into the future, an example of which is a soothsayer i.e. one who claims to be able to foretell events or predict the future is placed around (written about) TT (teetotaller) as the abbreviation for teetotaller as someone who does not drink alcohol leads to the definition of someone who or something that sets, an example of which here is someone who writes crossword puzzles for the Sun newspaper
23d World Famine Day cancelled (5)
EARTH: The definition of the third planet in order from the sun, between Venus and Mars and the world on which we live is derived from [D]EARTH (famine) as shortage or scarcity of food or famine from which D (day) as the abbreviation for day has been removed or scrapped (cancelled)
24d Lover-boy among white roses (4)
EROS: The definition of the Greek god of love, lust, desire and sex, appearing in texts as mostly as a juvenile handsome boy full of mischief, winged and carrying his signature bows and arrows, using these to make both mortals and immortal gods to fall in love is part of or hidden inside (among) [WHIT]E ROS[ES]
There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 10a, 12a, 13a, 1d, 4d, 5d, 7d, 14d, 16d, 19d and 23d; 19d being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD, my thanks to NYDK for the entertainment and to Gazza for the encouragement. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.
Left huge gaping inkless voids in this one…. A bit too musically obscure for me 🤔