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DT 31014

by Falcon  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31014

Hints and tips by Falcon

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

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.

Across

1a   What soldiers might wear, whilst on the lookout for food? (6,3)
FORAGE CAP — a cryptic definition of the undress cap worn by infantry soldiers

6a   Selects digging tools (5)
PICKS — double definition

9a   The true measure of a leader? (5)
RULER — another double definition; I suppose the device referenced by the first definition is a “true measure” because it gives an exact measurement rather than an eyeballed guesstimate

10a   11 Across perhaps, who could take part in a game show? (9)
PANELLIST — the term for a participant in a game show might describe someone who performs one of the functions of an 11a

11a   Furniture supplier for the Prime Minister, one might say? (12)
CABINETMAKER — double definition

14a   Force into service? I’m a journalist! (7)
IMPRESS — a (1’1,5) declaration of profession by a journalist

16a   A very small person with not a great deal of spirit? (4,3)
TINY TOT — double definition with the spirit being one meant to be imbibed

17a   Constellation viewed in humble observatory (3)
LEO — a lurked hiding in (viewed in) the final two words of the clue

18a   Is able to get a celebrity run out in game (7)
CANASTA — string together a word meaning “is able to”, the A from the clue, and a celebrity from which the cricket abbreviation for run has been deleted (run out)

20a   A calculated increase in fishermen’s catches? (3,4)
NET GAIN — a cryptic definition of a business metric that an accountant might calculate which might whimsically apply to a fisherman’s catches

22a   Fashion model, one who misinterprets “equine dressage”? (7-5)
CLOTHES-HORSE — the wordplay whimsically suggests that a misinterpretation of the equestrian term “equine dressage” might lead to a four-legged model donning the latest fashions and prancing down the runway

26a   Amazing feat with rifle gets kind of immortality (9)
AFTERLIFE — an anagram (amazing) of FEAT + (with) RIFLE

27a   Trim a mushroom, holding back savoury flavour (5)
UMAMI — a “rekrul”, concealed (holding) and reversed (back) in the first three words of the clue

28a   Body in pit or soakaway (5)
TORSO — another lurker, this one hiding (in) the final three words of the clue

29a   They remind you to retain Japanese drink on top of sideboard (9)
KEEPSAKES — link together a word meaning to retain, a Japanese alcoholic drink, and the initial letter (top) of SIDEBOARD

Down

1d   Force subdivision to produce food (4)
FARM — the physics symbol for force and a subdivision of an organization

2d   After river, I’m going to small stream (4)
RILL — a more concise way of stating “I’m going to” following (after) the map abbreviation for river

3d   Person from Europe, European? That’s relevant (7)
GERMANE — a European national and the single letter for European

4d   Seen in Pacific, a pristine island (5)
CAPRI — a lurker found in (seen in) the three words preceding the definition

5d   Detective showing more colour put on weight (9)
PINKERTON — an adjective denoting showing a rosier colour preceding (put on in a down clue) a heavy weight

6d   Yank, male, seen in posh carriage (7)
PULLMAN — a charade of yank or haul and male or chap

7d   Insect by animal that eats them – it’s seen in sports field (7,3)
CRICKET BAT — just like it says on the tin; an insect and one of its predators

8d   Soaking, nameless planet Cockney’s loathing (10)
SATURATING — remove the single letter for name from one of the planets of our solar system and append a synonym for loathing rendered in the Cockney dialect

12d   Spell “broom” maybe? (10)
WITCHCRAFT — double definition, a spell cast and a broom ridden (the latter somewhat whimsical)

13d   Drop in cost excited political spokesperson (4,6)
SPIN DOCTOR — an anagram (excited) of the first three words in the clue

15d   Make-up with glue? Some might think it funny (9)
SLAPSTICK — theatrical slang for stage make-up and a verb meaning to glue

19d   Thus covering Sonny Bono’s partner, with unknown composition (7)
SCHERZO — another word for thus wrapped around (covering) all of Sonny Bono’s partner and one of the maths unknowns

21d   Papers, say: the things that matter to a Yorkshireman? (7)
TISSUES — another way of saying “the things that matter” pronounced with a Yorkshire accent

23d   Order small starter of Edam that’s very heavy (5)
OBESE — concatenate an order of chivalry, the clothing label symbol for small, and the initial letter (starter) of EDAM

24d   Tired old writer getting the chop? (4)
HACK — double definition

25d   Is a big fan of archaeological sites (4)
DIGS — and another double definition to close, the first being 60s-era slang (characterrized as old by the BRB and US by Collins)

There are two many great clues to pick a favourite so I will just go with the plethora of cryptic definitions collectively.

Quickie pun:: RUE + PERT + BARE = RUPERT BEAR

For a visual clue .

On This Day …

… in 1975, Bruce Springsteen released his third studio album, Born to Run. The now-classic title peaked at No.3 on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified 7x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Featuring iconic hits like “Born to Run” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” the record marked the New Jersey rocker’s breakthrough album, bringing him mainstream success and broad critical acclaim. Over the decades, the album has ranked on numerous best-of lists (including landing at No.18 on Rolling Stones’ 500 Greatest Albums of All Time), while in 2015, Born to Run was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.

Here’s a 2009 performance in London’s Hyde Park:

70 comments on “DT 31014”

  1. I found that to be as straightforward as can be. I do have a couple of bung-ins I’m not sure about so will need to see the hints but I have never solved two thirds of a puzzle on the first pass before. It just goes to show a guzzle does not need to be difficult to be enjoyable and this will certainly encourage newcomers. For once, I remembered the savoury flavour at 27a and 18a was no problem because I played it a lot as a student. Among a plethora of good clues I have chosen the Yorkshireman’s important things as COTD because I could hear my Yorkshire farming uncle saying it.

    Thank you, setter for great bank holiday fun. Thank you, Falcon for the hints, which I will now read.

    Knockin Cricket Club have a fun day today so I’ll be popping along to that later to watch the idiotic antics of fancy dressed teams.

  3. Light and bright, just like the weather in the SE. Had to remind myself it was a holiday as it’s not raining. The only real hold up was putting tiny tim in for 16a. 8d put paid to that idiotic answer. 11a and 18a raised a smile and 22a only just misses out on a podium place to 6d, 12d and 15d. Thanks to compiler and Falcon.

  4. A perfect Monday crossword with lots and lots to enjoy including the clever 22a

    Thanks to the setter and Falcon

  5. Very gentle start to the week and very enjoyable too. My clue of the day was the 22a fashion model. Lots of other ticks. Only hold up was 24d where I had 4 plausible answers and couldn’t settle for ages!

    Thanks to the setter and Falcon for settling 24d for me!

    Now to go back to the weekend puzzles that I had no time to look at yet!!

  6. 27a and 19d were new words for me, but easily gettable from the clues.

    My two of the day were 12d as Mrs TC’s nickname is Rawney, and 22a, great fun puzzle, off to the bright lights of Wokingham later for a few beers and summat to eat (if the trains are running)

        1. If you can imagine taking the salty, sharp unpleasant aspects out of a bite of Marmite, then what remains is umami.

            1. Absolutely agree tipcat. I used to be able to buy umami stock cubes made by Kallo but they seem to have disappeared.

  7. Great fun today but I certainly found it much harder than the above posters – mainly due to the many new words added to my rather limited vocabulary today, including 1a, 5d, 6d and 19d.
    3*/4*
    Thanks to setter and Falcon

    1. My sentiments exactly, SL8. But I liked how the less common words were quite gettable from the clear cluing and decent checkers.
      I was another one that had ‘fare’ at 1d. 21d for COTD.
      Thanks to X-Type and Falcon

  8. A varied and interesting guzzle , with a good reverse lurker at 27a, a clever cryptic definition at20a plus the kinked double definitions at 11a and 10a. After a slow start, I reLly enjoyed this Bank Holiday special, so thanks to the compiler and to Falcon for the hints.

  9. Jolly good fun, perfect for a bank holiday frame of mind. **/****

    And while that one was good, I have to say the (not so) vintage cryptic is even better. Trickier, but not a lot trickier, and several brilliances therein. Highly recommended, though I’d guess a number of you will have already done it – it’s from 2020!

  10. As straightforward and amusing as they come, perfect for a bank holiday.
    The things that matter to a Yorkie in 21d was my pick.
    Thanks to the setter and Falcon.
    Great clip of The Boss. Hard to believe Born To Run is 50 years old. In my opinion it is the best rock album ever made.

    1. Delightful guzzle. Straightforward, did what it said on the bottle and ideal Bank Holiday Monday fare. Loved 1a!

    2. Hi X-Type

      Thank you very much for a most enjoyable puzzle.
      I was hoping you might answer a question that has been bothering me for years.
      Re 29a, I always thought that in an across clue, A on B means BA, and likewise in a down clue, AB.
      If you apply that rule to 29a, you get keepssake, (or skeepsake perhaps) which is obviously not the correct answer.
      Perhaps it’s not a strict rule, and depends on the surface?
      Just a curiosity on my part, that’s all.
      Many thanks

        1. Thanks Mark. Funnily enough I was the first to comment on that particular puzzle.
          I still think it’s different strokes for different folks (setters) in this case, but maybe after almost 40 years since I looked at my first cryptic, I should start to solve a puzzle without picking up on any such intricacies.

  12. A lovely gentle puzzle with lots of smiles.
    1a was new to me but easily gettable from the clues.
    Top picks for me were 12d, 8d and 7d.

    Thanks to Falcon and the setter.

  13. Tackled this early doors (as they say, goodness knows why) with a cup of coffee. Late lunch today with DD2 so my only chance to have a go at it. I liked Sonny’s partner – who, of that vintage, can forget the impact of their “I’ve got you Babe”? Many thanks to Mr X and to Falcon for helping me with 1d. I thought of that but couldn’t justify it, fare was far as I could get. Enjoy the rest of the day, next Bank Holiday is at Christmas!

    1. Not a holiday over here today but we do have one next Monday and then another in mid-October before the unnecessarily ‘extended’ Christmas Season starts.

  14. A fun puzzle ideal for a Bank Holiday – thanks to X-Type and Falcon.
    Difficult to choose a podium but I’ve gone for 16a, 27a and 12d.

  16. A rather mixed bag for me but certainly plenty of humour as befits a Bank Holiday Monday. Top three for me were 11&18a plus 8d.

    Thanks to our setter and to Falcon for the review.

  17. As others have said, fun but not too taxing.
    The computer said no though and I need VAR or a jury of my peers to rule on my answer to 1d: a unit of area, by definition a subdivision of a hectare, following the usual force, produces ‘food’. Am I on my own ?
    1a was new to me but fully gettable.
    Many thanks to Falcon and the setter for the fun today.

    1. Granimal, I too toyed with “fare” for 1a but was reluctant to write it in because it didn’t feel quite right to use subdivision to define “are”. Fortunately when I went back to this one with the rest of the grid filled, the required answer dawned on me.

    3. You are not alone. I did consider farm but preferred fare because not all farmers produce food. It was only on reading your comment that I realised that I had chosen incorrectly.

    4. I had fare as well until I used the online checker. I’m still not sure what arm is a subdivision of. Is it that any body part is a subdivision of the whole?
      I enjoyed the puzzle though, as light as it was.
      Thanks for the hints and to the setter.

      1. The BRB includes this as one of the definitions of arm: “A subdivision of a large company, organization, etc, esp one specializing in a certain area, service or resource”.

  18. An entertaining challenge typical of the ‘new’ Monday – 2.5*/4.5*

    Candidates for favourite – 11a, 18a, 8d, and 24d – and the winner is 24d.

    Thanks to X-Type and Falcon.

    2. To annoy even more, I have just verified that the ‘annoying’ word is in the Crimson Tome!

  20. Until I saw that X-Type had claimed this, I was going to say that this felt like a new setter. To me, it seemed a little like the Rufus of old. But I have to say – I didn’t like Rufus puzzles. I’m not great on double definitions or cryptic definitions and so I find it a very frustrating solve. Having said that, once solved, I can see how clever the clue was – but only in retrospect.
    Many thanks to X-Type and to Falcon for his excellent hints.

  21. 2*/3.5*. A light and fun puzzle for a sunny bank holiday Monday with 22a my favourite.

    1a is a NHO for me, and I think that “true” in 9a is surplus to requirements.

    Many thanks to X-Type and to Falcon.

  22. I found this much trickier than everyone on here. Took me an absolute age to complete – but absolutely loved it! So many penny drops that I would have enough for 16a at the local. I see that it was an X-type production – so thank you very much for the enjoyable challenge. And thanks also to Falcon for the hints/review

  23. A very enjoyable offering indeed. Like Falcon, I love cryptic clues and 22a and 12d are superb. And in a similar manner to SC, I can hear my East Riding grandfather saying 21d in a dialect that owed as much to Old Norse as the Queen’s English. I suspect the accent has now been diluted somewhat, but I can hear for myself when I head up to Bridlington for a few days later in the week. Thanks very much to X-Type and to Falcon.

  24. Needed a straightforward puzzle today as son was stopping by. Never heard of 5 down so that was the only holdup. 10 and 11 working together was clever. My husband is from Bradford and never inserts a T sound in front of words so those clues always confuse me.
    Doing a cookery demo for the old folks on Wednesday. Taking Zucchini as my theme. Need some 27 across to jazz them up.
    Thanks to X- Type and Falcon

  26. I love a puzzle by X-Type and this one was no exception. Started in NW corner and worked my way through relatively easily with no hold ups, so it’s **/***** from me. Favourite clues included 1a, 22a, 19d and 21d. Many thanks to Falcon and X-Type. Enjoy the rest of the bank holiday!

  27. Thanks to the Setter and Falcon. As usual we made a late start. This time after a visit to the opticians. Sailed through the puzzle in near record time. COTD 17a as that is my grandson’s name. Gary and Val

  28. For the start of the last (non)-work week before we hit September and the approaching end of summer, I thought this puzzle was a good start. One word not in my vocabulary but that was no issue.

    1.5*/4* for me

    Favourites 20a, 3d, 5d, 6d, 12d & 19d — with winner 19d
    Smiles for so many … 6a, 9a, 16a, 6d & 25d … there were lots of them throughout the grid. Very light hearted and enjoyable.

    Thanks to X-Type & Falcon

  29. Great fun, especially enjoyed the cryptic definitions 20a and 21a. Found it a more straightforward solve than some of the recent puzzles so perfect for a bank holiday afternoon. Thanks to X Type and Falcon

  31. Most enjoyable. I didn’t consider “fare” for 1d, so avoided the potential bear trap there.
    Time to enjoy the afternoon sunshine.
    Thanks to X-Type and Falcon.

  32. A very nice Monday puzzle, amusing, solvable and mainly straightforward apart from 27a, which was a new word for me ???? Favourites 1a, 14a, 5d & 21d. Thanks to the clever Compiler and to the Falcon ????

  33. Refreshingly doable, and very enjoyable. 1a did hold me up for a while because of “soldiers” – I expected the clothing would also be plural. I couldn’t get Tiny Tim out of my head, silly me, as the answer was pretty obvious. I’m not at all musical so 19d was a challenge, and only know umami by its other name of monosodium glutamate. I have a small box of Oxo cubes, all flavors which I treasure as they are only available in specialty shops over here. My bolognese sauce would not be the same without the beef Oxo cubes. Thanks for a lovely start to the week X- type, and to Falcon.
    Now I need to keep an eye out for the FedEx truck so that I can refuse a duplicate 149lbs delivery. They would not cancel themselves and shipper said they couldn’t either.

  35. Lovely puzzle completed before I went out, so I can’t remember anything specific except I enjoyed it and 22a was my favourite.

    Many thanks to x-type and to Falcon for the hints.

  36. Splendid fare (!) for a BH with lots of smiles along the way.

    Dare I say it but is Mr X beginning to own the Monday slot? If so then I am a happy camper.

    I had to drag up 19d from the depths of the vault as I knew it was in there somewhere. But, 1a was a new one.

    The Yorkshire technique in 21d is always good fun as was the 10a/11a comby (clever stuff).

    I’ve looked up the definition of 27a in five places and, to me, it’s close enough to call it savoury. Me thinks us Brits are trying to be poncey by calling it that.

    Card games were very much part of my upbringing but, although my parents loved 18a, it just passed me by.

    My pody picks are 11a, 20a and 15d.

    MT to The Big X and Falcs.

    2*/4*

  37. A great guzzle which I enjoyed. I was a fare failure but I’m in good company I think! 22a was my favourite. Sunshine all day here 27° but tomorrow looks like rain. I guess the gardeners out there will be pleased. Thankyou hinter and setter.

  38. I didn’t find this extremely enjoyable puzzle as straightforward as others clearly did & the solve took me into ** time. I wasn’t familiar with either the game or the military cap & both needed post solve research. I didn’t consider fare fortunately but the answer to 1d was last in & I didn’t parse it either. After not reading 2d properly I’m embarrassed to admit that I initially thought ill a bit of a stretch for I’m going (Spike Milligan’s headstone sprang to mind) before twigging the ‘to’. Clear fav was 12d with podium spots for 21d & the 10&11a combo.
    Thanks to X-Type & to Falcon

  39. Oh dear I don’t know what happened to my comment, I’ll try again.
    It took me a while to get going but once underway things progressed nicely. I had to check 1a and hesitated to put 22a in. There were enough gimmes to make the more cryptic ones accessible masking this an enjoyable solve. LOI and cotd was 12d beating a long list of contenders. Thanks to X-Type and Falcon. P.s. I don’t know what people have against Marmite.

  40. Lots of likable cryptics which surely is what the main DT crossword has traditionally been about. It beats a plethora of anagrams. Great Bank Holiday amusement. Penny has finally dropped re parsing of comical 12d – how thick can one be! TVM X-Type and Falcon.

  41. 1* / 3.5* Great start to the week, plenty of humour and misdirection.
    Favourite, I’ll go for 22a fashion model.
    Thanks to X Type and Falcon

  42. Late to the party today. All completed apart from the error at 24d, went for sack instead of…
    Favourite for me today were 22a, 7d, 12a and 21d.
    Thank you to the setter and to Falcon for the hints.

  43. Ideal Monday fare with just enough to keep my brain cells busy on a non-work day. Doing it in parallel to the vintage shows we have been AND ARE blessed with some wonderful setters. It looks like Mr Plumb will bring the vintage series to a finish alongside his latest Tuesday Teaser.
    Thanks to Falcon and X-type

  44. Could not solve first word in 1a as never heard of the headwear in question and could not solve it with the checkers as could not solve 3d. Also, went for “fare” in 1d and think it just about works (subdivision of hectare) – but prefer the answer in the hint. Always a little frustrating when I’ve not heard of something. COTD 5d for the parsing and surface. **/**

  45. Thank you to Falcon for filling in for me. I hope your appointment went well. I did this crossword before breakfast yesterday, but then was out all day so am only getting to comment now. I think I found this trickier than Mondays often are; either that or I left the online timer running while going off to do something else.

    I didn’t know the 1a headwear nor the 19d competition. Like Huntsman in comment 38, I missed the significance of the ‘to’ in 2d. My favourite was 22a with the equine dressage. Thank you to X-Type for the entertainment: I thought it was you!

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