DT 31063 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog
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DT 31063

by Huntsman  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31063
Hints and tips by Huntsman

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty *  Enjoyment ***/****.

The sun is at least struggling to put in an appearance & it’s not currently raining here in Harpenden but it looks like that’s but a temporary respite with more wet stuff on the way over the next couple of days. A few days golf in Portugal is starting to look more alluring by the day.

As our esteemed Sat or Sun even & alternate Wed blogger would say a typically Tuesdayish  bit of Plumbing from the Prof that ought not to present too many difficulties for most solvers. As ever concisely clued with some neat wordplay & dashes of humour. For any that waltzed through this one Dada is over in t’other place with a Toughie that’s very manageable & I’m sure Whybird would appreciate your comments.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

Across

1a Investigation about car she wrecked (8)

RESEARCH: the usual preposition for about + an anagram (wrecked) of CAR SHE.

5a Church always seems empty at first, daughter concluded (6)

CEASED: link the abbreviation for the Anglican church, Always Seems Empty (at first) & the single letter for Daughter.

9a Type playing lyre in times gone by (8)

FORMERLY: a synonym for type/variety + an anagram (playing) of LYRE.

10a Greek airman is hugging Italian opera singer? Not so (6)

ICARUS: IS from the wordplay goes around (hugging) the surname (less the final two letters/not so) of the legendary Italian tenor of the late 19th & early 20th century.

12a Vessel bearing material (9)

SUBSTANCE: the abbreviation for an underwater vessel + a synonym of bearing/posture.

13a Film director’s lists (5)

LEANS: the surname of one of our greatest filmmakers + the possessive ‘s – Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge Over The River Kwai, Doctor Zhivago & Brief Encounter etc.

14a The wingless bird’s screech (4)

HOWL: gut (wingless) tHe then add a bird. Neat.

16a Part of the hospital that embodies the first bit of emergency care? Not half! (7)

THEATRE: THAT from the clues goes around (embodies) the initial letter (first bit) of Emergency then append 50% (not half) of caRE.

19a Joy editor recalled, given answer to the clue (7)

DELIGHT: reverse (recalled) the usual abbreviation for EDitor then append a term for an answer to a crossword clue – see Big Dave’s stated aim in the blue banner headline on the site.

21a Newspaper covering a European’s ill-fortune (4)

FATE: A from the clue goes between the abbreviation for the pink paper then append the single letter for European.

24a Opposed to shedding stone once more (5)

AGAIN: remove (shedding) the abbreviation for STone from a synonym for opposed to. It’s a tough choice for the musical clip between The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled etc but the terrific opening track on Steely Dan’s debut album wins out.

25a Neighbours perhaps put lather on Aida?

SOAP OPERA: put lather on/apply cleanser + the musical genre Aida is an example of. Proud to say I’ve never watched any of the definition example.

27a Broadcast vulgar programme (6)

COURSE: homophone (broadcast) of a synonym for vulgar.

28a Unrelenting prisoners spank adult’s rear (8)

CONSTANT: one of the usual informal abbreviations for prisoners + another word for spank + the last letter (rear) of adulT.

29a Mysterious reversing in ship’s races (6)

SPEEDS: place the reversal of a fairly loose synonym for mysterious/difficult to understand between the usual two letter ship prefix.

30a See prince struggling leaving one carriage (8)

PRESENCE: an anagram (struggling) of SEE PR[i]NCE omitting (leaving) the Roman numeral letter for one.

Down

1d Rubbish match official guesses regularly (6)

REFUSE: abbreviation for a match official + the even letters (regularly) of gUeSsEs.

2d Quiet massages – you might have these in bed (6)

SHRUBS: an onomatopoeic interjection to be quiet + rubs/kneads.

3d Spy cheers up gathering information (5)

AGENT: insert (gathering) an informal word for info between the reversal (up in a down clue) of an another informal word for thanks.

4d Military officer’s heart murmured (7)

COLONEL: a homophone (murmered) of another word for heart/core. The rank of one of 13a’s greatest characters.

6d Smashing former lover on phone with topless gent (9)

EXCELLENT: the usual former + a chiefly North American term for a mobile phone (I can almost hear RD tutting) + gENT (topless).

7d Small tavern’s sozzled maids? (8)

SERVANTS: Small + an anagram (sozzled) of TAVERNS.

8d Heavy blow from side almost knocked over plant (8)

DISASTER: SIDe (almost/knocked over or reversed/up in a down clue) + a perennial flowering plant.

11d Some of the athletes warm up (4)

HEAT: hidden (some of).

15d Prepared grandiose spread (9)

ORGANISED: an anagram (spread) of GRANDIOSE.

17d Plug US vice-president’s proposals (8)

ADVANCES: an abbreviation for plug/commercial + the surname (incl the ‘s) of Trump’s number two.

18d Dad’s crossing the French river for fun (8)

PLEASURE: insert (crossing) the French masculine definition article for THE inside of an informal term for dad (again with the ‘s) then append the North Yorkshire river that flows into the Ouse.

20d Labour’s tense as Keir’s leader (4)

TASK: the single letter for Tense + AS from the clue + the 1st letter (leader) of Keir.

21d Prefer embracing student’s spirit (7)

FLAVOUR: a synonym for prefer goes around (embracing) the single letter for student/Learner.

22d Keep unclothed star in check (6)

RETAIN: insert sTAr (unclothed) into a synonym for check/restrain.

23d Disturb snake, pulling tail (6)

RATTLE: a highly venomous North American snake less its final letter (pulling tail).

26d Watering hole for Aussies oddly abandoned (5)

OASIS: the even letters (oddly abandoned) of the two words between definition & indicator.

 

My pick of the clues today was the screech at 14a & 10a along with 2d can have the other two podium spots. Please tell us which clues ticked your boxes.

Today’s Quick Crossword pun: WAR + CON + HEIR = WALK ON AIR

Having managed to grab a couple of tickets to see Dylan LeBlanc playing at the rather marvellous Elizabethan Old Church in Stoke Newington next Feb this morning’s listening whilst preparing the blog has been my playlist of his catalogue. Here’s a taste of their stuff.

58 comments on “DT 31063”

  1. Good morning. I found this difficult to get into on the first pass, with only the down clues in the SW corner giving themselves up. After that, it was off to the races! Plenty to enjoy with the following worthy of mention, for me; 1a, 5a, 13a, 25a, 17d and 23d. Thanks to Huntsman and the setter.

  2. A good mix of clues, some straightforward and a few requiring a bit more unravelling.
    I liked the sparsely worded birdage clue at 14a but best of all is the hilarious sado-masochistic jailhouse scenario depicted in 28a. What kind of rehabilitation is that?
    My thanks to our setter and Huntsman.

  3. Completed in the early hours – sleep again proving elusive.
    I really enjoyed it. Comments much as our esteemed blogger above. Some fun surface reads and several smiles along the way.
    Loads of ticks. If pushed, I would go for the Greek airman at 10a as my CoD.
    Thank you setter and Huntsman.

  4. As Huntsman said, a typically Tuesdayish backpager today. I liked the Greek airman Lego clue at 10a, the homophobe officer at 4d and the material made up of synonyms at 12a. Thanks to the xompiler and to Huntsman for the gints. It rained for about 24 hours up to this morning here. Perhaps I should dig out my designs for an Ark.

    1. Super typo, CC – I know what you intended, of course, but I’ve certainly known a few “homophobe” officers in various services!

      2. Brilliant 😂. I’m having a blank at the moment trying to think what the right word is. It will come to me ..

        1. It’s amazing the trouble you can get into with a small gap in your peripheral field of vision. It’ll be no surprise to anyone on this blog if I am arrested for libel or discriminatory remarks. Yes, it was meant to read homophone m’lud. I’d like to enter a mitigating plea of advanced age and defective vision.

          1. But sometimes it is that arch enemy – predictive text or whatever it is called – that decides what you meant to write and changes it. Usually incorrectly.

  5. Gentle but enjoyable.
    My last in, (and only pause for thought) was 5a.
    Thanks to the setter and to Huntsman.

  6. An enjoyable Tuesday diversion, as ever, with honours to 10a, 19a and 18d. Broad smile at the serendipitous timing of 30a’s surface.

    Huntsman – I parsed for 5a differently so as not to employ “empty” twice: CE + ASE (Always Seems Empty at first) + D

    Many thanks to the Prof and of course to Huntsman, especially for the excellent music choices!

    1. I concur on your parsing, it is the first letters of three words that follows the church and then the daughter, my only pause too.

    3. Ooops – I didn’t read all of the comments before I posted my own – hence my exact duplication (below) of yours Mustafa – Apologies!

    4. Yep of course. Now amended. was still rubbing the sleep from my eyes when I wrote than one. Well that’s my excuse & I’m sticking to it.

  7. I tend to appreciate rather than enjoy Tuesday offerings but always complete them to see how our blogger will contrive to include a reference to Steely Dan in his hints. That said, this was a very neat puzzle with some elegant surface reads and 14a and 23d were my joint favourites. Thanks very much to the setter and to Huntsman.

  8. The north fairly trotted off the pen, but the south took a little longer. All good fun. I’m awarding podium places to 10a, 14a and 2d. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.

  9. *Loved the Dylan LeBlanc track.

    Splendid guzzle. An enjoyable romp.

    Two nights in a row at the London Palladium. Sunday – Graham Nash and Peter Asher; last night Rumer performing all of her debut ‘Seasons Of My Soul’ album and some extra ‘bits and pieces’ as she put it. Two lovely evenings where we managed to dodge the showers from the car to Argyll Street and back again. Before Rumer, we sat in a restaurant watching the rain scuttle down but we found a window of opportunity and seized the moment. London can look lovely in the summer months but last night all of the buildings looked bible black, the shops in mourning, Piccadilly in widows’ weeds.

    Thanks to the setter and Andy On The First Tee

    2. Bag yourself a couple of tickets T. The capacity is only about 120 I think & a mere £16 a ticket. It beggars belief that someone with his talent doesn’t get a wider audience. He’s also playing the Star Inn in Guildford if all places & I considered a trip there too.

      1. I actually just followed your advice to Terence myself having now listened to the clip. Definitely worth a trip on whatever the line that goes to Stokie is called these days and a bargain too.

      1. I never take public transport. I drive everywhere!
        Mostly due to a form of snobbery – not being able to abide ‘the public’; also it is much more convenient.

        1. I concur with your thinking on public transport Terence so it has hit hard now that I can’t drive post a stroke

  10. Yes, Typically Tuesdayish! Another gem from Mr Plumb.

    Candidates for favourite – 16a, 2d, 3d,and 22d – and the winner is 22d.

    Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.

    P.S. I shine on Sun rather than sit on Sat :wink:

  11. Enjoyable as always on Tuesdays – thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
    I liked 14a and 1d with my favourite being the Greek airman at 10a.

  12. 1*/4*. Just what we have come to expect on a Tuesday – light and fun.

    10a was my favourite with 14a & 2d joining in on my podium.

    Many thanks to AP (?) and to Hintsman.

  13. As has often been said, a puzzle doesn’t have to be brain-mangling hard to be enjoyable, and this one very much proves that point. Some lovely clues, great misdirection (kudos to 2D!) and all-round good fun!

    Many thanks to the Prof, and to Huntsman.
    BTW – I parsed 5A as:
    The abbreviation for the Anglican church, the first letters (at first) of Always Seems Empty & the single letter for Daughter.
    I don’t suppose it matters….

    1. Apologies to Mustafa at comment number 6 – I didn’t read all of the comments before posting my (identical) comment above. Apologies to all for the wasted bandwidth…

  14. Typically Tuesday, with a fine blog as per.
    I am thankful you spared us The Bee gees for 8d.
    Thanks to the Prof and the Hintsman

  15. Hugely enjoyable. I totally agree re 10a – a lovely, fresh way to clue an old favourite. Best thanks to setter and Huntsman. Can’t beat a bit of John!

  16. Another excellent performance from our regular Tuesday man. Like our reviewer and several others, I’ve awarded podium places to 10&14a plus 2d with, for me, 14a claiming the gold medal.

    Many thanks to Mr Plumb and to Huntsman for the review.

  17. First time ever that I have rattled straight through. Yes, a 1 star and enjoyable. Favourite was 14 across. Sometimes I can hear one at night. Liked the bird man as well. Nice misdirection in 25 across.
    Thanks to Hintsmsn and the Prof.

  18. A typical light and enjoyable Tuesday. I’m still laughing about the homophobic officer … CC typo. Thanks to setter and Huntsman.

  19. Lovely while it lasted and thanks to Big Dave’s banner and discussions on this site over the years as I was not aware before being here of the term for the answers to a puzzle! Ticks went to the (horrible) Neighbours at 25a, the editor’s joy at 19a and the excellent 2d quiet massages.

    Thanks to AP and Huntsman.

  20. What a great puzzle!

    I have to give it top marks, despite the UA in 6d, as it was THAT good. The prof was definitely donning his ‘Carry on….’ hat with some beauts.

    I had to biff 19a as I’d forgotten the term for ‘answer’ and, in 5a, ‘always’ and ’empty’ threw me off the scent very nicely.

    I like that there is a four letter vulgar word, albeit gentle, at the end of the vulgar word in 27a.

    It’s all booting of at the base of the podium but I’ll go with the ‘Oo matron!’ triple: 10a, 28a (brilliant!) and 2d.

    MT to the prof and Hoots!

    1*/5*

  21. 1* / 3.5* As others have said a light and enjoyable solve with no hold ups. Favourites today include 23d disturb, 10a Greek flyer and the unrelenting 28a
    Thanks to setter and Huntsman

  22. You took the car into central London !!!🤔. That was supposed to be for Terrence. Don’t know what happened to my two penn’orth but dashing off to Book Group now.

  23. Gentle stroll with only my last two taking time. Didnt spot the homophone in 4d so didnt get parse until Daving it.
    COTD, 10a, also liked 14a, 16a, 18d, nice misdirect for 2d, oh that sort of bed!

  24. This Tuesday puzzle was definitely more tricky than the Monday puzzle this week. Typically Tuesdayish. Filled mostly top to bottom for the most part.

    2*/3.5*

    Favourites 14a, 16a, 25a, 6d & 23d — all of which gave me a smile or chuckle, with the winner being 14a.
    Runner up would be 23d

    Thanks to AP & Huntsman

  25. I think it’s all been said – a swift but satisfying solve today. Loved the Greek airman and the rubbish ref.
    Thanks to Prof and huntsman.

  26. Thanks to the Setter and Huntsman. Swift and easy solve once we sat down and looked at. Weekend away in Somerset so now tackled our first crossword for a few days.

  27. I never understood the nuance of the Big Dave strap line before you explained 19a. Thank you, Huntsman! Still needed Chatgpt to fully explain …

    “Cruciverbalists say “light” for a solved clue because:

    It originally meant a “light-colored square” on the crossword grid — i.e., the spaces where letters go — and by extension, it came to mean the word that fills those spaces”

  28. A lovely puzzle. I didn’t know the director but a quick check confirmed my guess.

    Top picks for me were 10a, 14a and 2d.

    Thanks to Huntsman and Mr Plumb.

  29. I found this a bit more challenging than usual for a Tuesday but no less enjoyable. Got bogged down in North so went South where the going was easier and on my return North it then fell into place. Bunged in 12a – faute de mieux – so was pleased to have help parsing. Thanks as always to the AP/Hintsman combination.

  30. A very enjoyable Tuesday puzzle, especially as I struggled to finish yesterday’s. Lots of lovely clues today with SE corner filling up first. Even I could get the Greek airman. Grateful also that the checkers proved really helpful today. I would be even happier if certain US politicians didn’t make it into the clues – about whom we are inundated with depressing news every day across the pond. 13a was my last in as I do confess to never taking note of who directs what. Thanks to setter and Huntsman.

  31. It has really all been said, very enjoyable.

    Thanks to the setter and to huntsman for the hints.

  33. Pleasingly gentle stuff. 2d and 22d made me smile (and appealed to the inner schoolboy…). 6d gave a ping to the Americanism radar, but it’s fair enough; the term was part of a UK mobile operator back in the day. Not sure about the second part of 19a, but again, clear enough. And like the pic at 14a, as well as the clue.
    Thanks to AP and to Huntsman (and not just for the Toughie Plug!)

  34. A bit of a slow start but soon gathered pace and finished at a canter. AP is the most consistent of setters in terms of difficulty, I don’t know how he does it. Favourite was the Greek airman. Thanks to the aforementioned and Huntsman.

  35. As usual, elderly gentleman’s football this morning so started late. Slow to begin with but then speeded up. Lack of attention meant I made a mistake on 22d, a ‘d’ instead of an ‘r.’ Could have kicked myself.
    Favourite clue, the Greek airman, never a good place to be on the back of the drag curve! Interestingly, Ovid got it wrong, the higher you fly the colder it gets due to decreasing pressure. Perhaps icing on the wings was the cause of his downfall!
    Thank you to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.

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