DT 31001 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31001

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 9^th August 2025

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

Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, wonderful Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant comment.

The day this review is published, we will be celebrating our Independence Day across the country. I also extend my heartfelt wishes for a ‘Happy Independence Day’ to our fellow Indians temporarily residing abroad, whether for higher education, employment or involvement in social initiatives aimed at uplifting the underprivileged in underdeveloped countries, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.

Although familiar with the word ‘pariah’, the answer to the clue of 16a, yet I became inquisitive to learn more about its existence in different parts of the globe and hence, after solving the crossword, explored the net to learn more about it. Simply put, a pariah is a social outcast or an individual who is rejected or excluded by a particular social group or society. This can stem from various reasons, such as differences in beliefs, behaviours, appearance or social status. Essentially, they are people who do not fit in and are not accepted by the mainstream. I learnt that in ancient Greece, the Athenians had a procedure known as ostracism in which all citizens could write a person’s name on a shard of broken pottery, called ‘ostraka’ and place it in a large container in a public place. If an individual’s name was written a sufficient number of times, he was ostracised in the society and banished from the city for ten years. In early modern German society, executioners and their families were addressed as ‘unehrliche Leute’ or dishonourable people. In France, executioners and their families were ostracised and lived in social isolation. In the caste system in India, particularly among the Hindu communities, outcasts are individuals or a group that for some reason were rejected by any other caste. It is contrary to caste system, where even pariahs have their own caste. Furthermore, foreigners not ruled by the Indian nobility in India and all foreigners were sometimes perceived as outcastes and untouchables. In the Old Testament, Ishmael, the son of Abraham, was cast out after the birth of Isaac, his half-brother, who is considered the forebear of the Israelites. Genesis 16:12 of the Bible prophesies Ishmael’s life as an outcast: “And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” In the Quran, Ishmael, or Ismail in Arabic, is recognised as a prophet and a righteous son of Abraham. He is mentioned alongside other prophets and is praised for his faithfulness, obedience, and commitment to prayer and charity. The Quran identifies Ishmael as a prophet and messenger of God, emphasizing his role in enjoining prayer and charity upon his people. Surah 19:54-55 highlights the truthfulness of Ishmael and his commitment to fulfilling promises. He is also described as righteous and one who was favoured by God. The Quran also mentions the construction of the Kaaba by Abraham and Ishmael. In Islamic tradition, Ishmael is considered a direct ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad. Ishmael is considered a prophet in Islam and is listed in the Quran with other prophets in many instances. In other verses, such as 21:85 and 38:48, Ishmael is praised for being patient, good, and righteous. A particular example which describes Ishmael individually is 19:54-55 that runs thus: “And call to mind, through this divine writ, Ishmael. Behold, he was always true to his promise, and was an apostle of God, a prophet, who used to enjoin upon his people prayer and charity, and found favour in his Sustainer’s sight.” Ishmael’s place as the “founder of the Arabs” was first stated by Josephus. As Islam became established, the figure Ishmael and those descended from him, the Ishmaelites became connected and often equated, with the term. Before Islam developed as a religion, Ishmael was depicted in many ways, but after its establishment, Ishmael was almost always seen in a negative light in Jewish and Christian texts, as he becomes the symbol for the “other” in these religions. As the Islamic community became more powerful, some Jewish ‘midrash’ about Ishmael was modified so that he was portrayed more negatively in order to challenge the Islamic view that Ishmael, and thus the Muslims, were the favoured descendants of Abraham. This became the genealogy according to Jewish sources and the Bible, in contrast with the genealogy of Arabs according to Muslims. The development of Islam created pressure for Islam to be somehow different from Judaism and Christianity, and accordingly, Ishmael’s lineage to Arabs was stressed. 

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Musical instrument neighbour brought round (4)
TUBA: The definition of a large musical instrument of the brass family which produces very low notes is arrived at from ABUT (neighbour) as to end or lean on, upon or against or to border, an example of which is to neighbour i.e. to live or be near or to lie adjacent to another or share a boundary coming from the other end (brought round) as a reversal in the across clue

3a           Lawyer has drink with secret society member (5,5)
PERRY MASON: The definition of a fictional character, an American criminal defence lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner is reached from a charade of PERRY (drink) as a fermented, often effervescent beverage made from pears and (with) MASON (secret society member) as a member of the world’s largest secret society, the Freemasons

9a           Owl old boy trained for film industry (9)
BOLLYWOOD: An anagram (trained) of OWL OLD BOY guides to the definition of the name of the film industry of India

11a        Large chests in small singers? (5)
LARKS: A charade of L (large) as the abbreviation for large that is usually referred to large size of shirt or other clothing and ARKS (chests) as denoting the plural of a chest or coffer takes to the definition of the plural of a usually small bird of the genus Alauda, well-known for flying high as it sings

12a        High place where Providence is in view (5)
EYRIE: The definition of any high or inaccessible place is arrived at from RI (where Providence is) as the abbreviation for Rhode Island which has Providence as its capital city placed inside (in) EYE (view) as to view or look at something

13a        Frenchman Napoleon crashed an aircraft (9)
MONOPLANE: A combo of M (Frenchman) as the abbreviation for ‘Monsieur’, the French word for a title or form of address used of or to a French-speaking man, corresponding to Mr or Sir in English and NAPOLEON from the clue subject to an anagram (crashed) leads to the definition of an airplane or glider with one set of planes or wings

14a        Snooker champ winning after century in competition (5,3)
DAVIS CUP: DAVIS (snooker champ) as referring to Joe Davis, the winner of the first 15 World Snooker Championships from 1927 to 1946 and the only undefeated player in World Snooker Championship history followed by UP (winning) as an adverb denoting winning or ahead in scoring in a game or match preceded by or coming after (after) C (century) as the Roman numeral for century or hundred that takes to the definition of the premier international team event in men’s tennis that is organised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and contested annually between teams from over 150 competing countries, making it the world’s largest annual team sporting competition

16a        Operatic song in pub for social outcast (6)
PARIAH: ARIA (operatic song) as a song that is sung by only one person in an opera or oratorio placed inside PH (pub) as a shorthand for ‘public house’ seen on old signs, maps of listings especially in the United Kingdom and is regarded as a more traditional or formal term for a pub, taking to the definition of a figurative term for a social outcast

19a        See 6 Down

20a        Primary timber source outside Missouri (8)
FOREMOST: The definition of an adjective denoting primary or first in place or rank and dignity is reached from FOREST (timber source) as a large uncultivated tract of land covered with trees and undergrowth that is also the source of timber wood placed about (outside) MO (Missouri) as the abbreviation for Missouri, one of the states of the United States of America

22a        Desperate fellow, drunk, sent back new wine variety (9)
DANDELION: DAN (Desperate fellow) as referring to the surname of Desperate Dan, a wild west character in the now-defunct Scottish comic magazine called ‘The Dandy’ and OILED (drunk) as a slang term denoting intoxicated or drunk coming from the other end (sent back) as a reversal in the across clue followed by N (new) as the abbreviation for new guides to the definition of a type of wine made from the flowers of the dandelion plant rather than grapes

24a        Ray quiet at the back (5)
SHAFT: The definition of a ray of light is deduced from SH (quiet) as an interjection used to tell someone to be quiet and AFT (at the back) as an adverb meaning behind or at the back of something

26a        Unwelcome invader‘s flying bomb surge endless (5)
VIRUS: The definition of a literal term for an unwelcome invader, either biological i.e. getting inside the body or digital i.e. getting inside a computer and harming files, data etc is reached from VI (flying bomb) as the flying bomb denoted as V-1, also known as the Vergeltungswaffe or ‘revenge weapon’ developed by the Nazis towards the end of the Second World War; I representing the Roman numeral for one followed by RUS[H] (surge) as to surge or spurt that is devoid of its end or final letter (endless)

27a        Turned on married men getting into bed? 6 Down 19 Across! (2,7)
NO COMMENT: ON from the clue in a returning order (turned) as a reversal in the across clue followed by a combo of M (married) as the genealogical abbreviation for ‘married’ and MEN from the clue going inside (getting into) COT (bed) as a small bed with high barred sides for a baby or very young child guides to the definition of a phrase used in refusing to answer a question, especially in a sensitive situation, or, in other words, can mean ‘My lips are sealed’, the definition to the clue of 6 Down 19 Across

28a        City‘s battered galleons are French (3,7)
LOS ANGELES: The definition of the most populous city of the state of California of the United States is reached from an anagram (battered) of GALLEONS followed by ES (are) as a verb denoting ‘are’ in the French language used only with informal singular personal pronoun ‘tu’ meaning ‘you’

29a        Addict taken in because relapsed (4)
USER: The definition of an addict or a person who takes illegal drugs is part of or hidden inside (taken in) [BECA]USE R[ELAPSED]

Down

1d           The Spanish club climbing league list? (5)
TABLE: A combination of EL (the Spanish) as the Spanish for masculine singular definite article ‘the’ and BAT (club) as a flattish club for striking the ball in cricket or a club for baseball seen in an upward direction (climbing) as reversals in the down clue, guiding to the definition of a league list of rivals or competitors showing their positions relative to one another

2d           Variable rent around good London area (9)
BELGRAVIA: An anagram (rent) of VARIABLE placed about (around) G (good) as the abbreviation for good takes to the definition of a prestigious and affluent district in the City of Westminster, London

4d           Rodent leading with its tail, and not really big (8)
ENORMOUS: MOUS[E] (rodent) as any of several small rodents of the genus Mus, often found in houses and fields having at its front (leading with) a combo of E i.e. its end or last letter (tail) and NOR (and not) as a conjunction denoting ‘and not’ or ‘neither’ leads to the definition of an adjective meaning immense, huge or abounding i.e. really big

5d           Mounted equipment restricting noise (6)
RIDING: The definition of a gerund or present participle denoting mounted i.e. sitting on and controlling the movement of an animal, typically a horse is reached from RIG (equipment) as a device or piece of equipment designed for a particular purpose detaining or holding inside (restricting) DIN (noise) as a loud, unpleasant and prolonged noise

6d and 19 Across             I won’t give away a spy working with Emerald Isle (2,4,3,6)
MY LIPS ARE SEALED: The definition of a figurative expression denoting ‘I won’t give away or ‘I won’t reveal or disclose a secret’ is arrived at from a combo of A SPY and (with) EMERALD ISLE from the clue is subject to an anagram (working)

7d           Some hairy slob up country (5)
SYRIA: Part of or hidden inside (some) [H]AIRY S[LOB] in an upward direction (up) as a reversal in the down clue guides to the definition of a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant

8d           Iron structure in sunset horribly hot inside (6,3)
NISSEN HUT: The definition of a semi-cylindrical corrugated-iron hut originally designed by Colonel Peter Norman Nissen, a Canadian military engineer is reached from an anagram (horribly) of IN SUNSET having H (hot) as the abbreviation for hot, especially with reference to water on a faucet going inside (inside)

9d           Item subject to inflation in Lebanese port (4)
TYRE: Double nounal definition; the second referring to the name of the port city of Lebanon that takes to the first denoting a rubber cushion or tube round a wheel-rim that can be inflated with air

14d        Small storm: Luddites upset about verse (4,5)
DUST DEVIL: The definition of a small storm in which a whirling column of dust or sand travels across a dry country is arrived at from an anagram (upset) of LUDDITES placed (around about) V (verse) as the abbreviation for verse

15d        Chap who wrote Rocket Man did you say? (9)
STEVENSON: The definition of the Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer best known for his novels ‘Treasure Island’, ‘Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ and ‘Kidnapped’ is reached from a homophone heard by the audience (did you say?) of STEPHENSON (Rocket Man) as the designer and builder of Rocket, an early steam locomotive of 0-2-2 wheel arrangement

17d        Party not now held by island pagans? (9)
IDOLATERS: A combo of DO (party) as an informal term for a party or other social event and LATER (not now) as a comparative adverb denoting not now but after some time or at a time in the future taken inside (held by) IS (island) as abbreviation for Island(s) or Isle(s) takes to the definition of people who worship idols, an example of which are pagans i.e. persons following any pre-Christian, specially polytheistic religion

18d        My husband carried in pleasant Rolls Royce (8)
CORNICHE: COR (my) as an interjection used to express surprise, amazement or admiration followed by H (husband) as the genealogical abbreviation for husband placed inside (carried in) NICE (pleasant) as an adjective denoting pleasant or delightful that guides to the definition of a two-door, front-engine, rear wheel drive luxury car produced by Rolls-Royce Motors that is also known by the name Rolls-Royce Corniche

21d        Is he bound to miss? (6)
FIANCÉ: A cryptic definition of a man (he) who is engaged to be married (bound) to an unmarried woman (miss)

23d        Rules indoors most regularly ignored (5)
NORMS: The definition of the plural of a noun denoting rule, pattern or authoritative standard is got from taking every alternative letter (regularly ignored) of [I]N[D]O[O]R[S] M[O]S[T]

24d        Problem with pressure in oil receptacle (4)
SUMP: A charade of SUM (problem) as a problem in addition or in arithmetic generally and (with) P (pressure) as the symbol for pressure as in physics takes to the definition of a reservoir for liquid especially the lower part of a crankcase in an internal-combustion engine serving as a receptacle for oil

25d        Express disapproval with our heartless teacher (5)
TUTOR: TUT (express disapproval) as to make an exclamation expressing disapproval or annoyance followed by (with) O[U]R from the clue having removed the heart or inner letter (heartless) guides to the definition of a private teacher, typically one who teaches a single pupil or a very small group

There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 3a, 12a, 14a, 19a, 22a, 24a, 27a, 2d, 4d, 6d/19a, 15d, 18d, 21d and the best of the lot was 22a. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to NYDK for the entertainment and to Gazza for the encouragement. Looking forward to being with you here again. Have a nice day.