Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31085
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 15th November 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A slight tough but entertaining Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.
During my teenage years, I was very familiar with the character James Bond, the answer to the clue at 23a. I have watched more Bond films than I have read the novels and I am quite sure that the films are more famous than the books themselves. Now I am curious to know for certain and naturally the internet is my destination. Yes, I guessed correctly. In terms of global fame and cultural impact, the James Bond films are more famous than the books. The Bond films have been released continuously since 1962, spanning more than 25 official titles and reaching billions of viewers worldwide. The cinematic Bonds, viz. Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig and others, have all become instantly recognisable pop-culture icons. Iconic elements such as “shaken, not stirred,” the Bond theme, gadgets, villains and Bond girls derive mainly from the films. Many people know Bond primarily through the actors and memorable film moments rather than the novels. The film franchise is one of the highest-grossing in cinematic history. The books, though highly influential and important in literary spy fiction, never reached the same mass-market penetration. If people around the world are asked about ‘James Bond’, they will almost always picture the film character rather than Ian Fleming’s written version. Fleming’s originals are classics, hugely influential in the spy-thriller genre and beloved by readers, but compared side by side, the films dominate public awareness, revenue and cultural impact.
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Across
1a Making a comeback, Paul Weller perhaps denounces fame (7)
STARDOM: A charade of MOD (Paul Weller perhaps) as referring to the mod subculture that began in the late 1950s in London, spread throughout Great Britain and focussed on music and fashion, an example of which is Paul Weller, the English singer-songwriter and musician who was the principal figure in the Mod revival movement of the 1970s and 1980s and often referred to as the Modfather and RATS (denounces) as denounces, betrays or reveals incriminating or embarrassing information about someone, especially to a person in authority coming from the other end (making a comeback) as reversals in the across clue, taking to the definition of the fame and prestige of being a star in films, sport etc
5a Gold I’d returned to king’s accountant (7)
AUDITOR: AU (gold) as the chemical symbol for gold derived from aurum, the Latin word for gold followed by I’D from the clue coming from the other end (returned) as a reversal in the across clue, TO from the clue and R (king) as the abbreviation for rex, the Latin word for king guides to the definition of a qualified accountant who officially checks the figures and financial records of a company or a business or other organisation
9a Party hosted by Castro is terrific (7)
ROISTER: The definition of a verb meaning to party or to enjoy oneself or celebrate in a noisy or boisterous way is part of or hidden inside (hosted by) [CAST]RO IS TER[RIFIC]
10a Celebs whacking rugs (7)
BIGWIGS: The definition of a noun meaning celebs or important people is arrived at from a charade of BIG (whacking) as an adjective denoting large in size, height, width or amount, an example of which is whacking meaning very large, enormous or huge and WIGS (rugs) as the plural of a covering of artificial hair worn on the head to hide a loss of hair, an example of which is rugs i.e. the plural of the slang term for a wig
11a Music coming from a place where detectives live? (4,5)
ACID HOUSE: The definition of a subgenre of house music developed around the mid-1980s by DJs from Chicago and soon became popular in the United Kingdom and continental Europe and thereafter brought house music to a worldwide audience is derived from A CID HOUSE (place where detectives live) as cryptically referring to the headquarters or office building of a Criminal Investigation Department or CID
12a Creature that’s more fashionable in the East End? (5)
OTTER: The definition of an aquatic fish-eating carnivore of the weasel family with short smooth fur, a long slim body and webbed feet is reached from [H]OTTER (more fashionable) as currently more popular, fashionable or in demand implying H-dropping, a Cockney accent feature (in the East End) as London dialect, especially of the East End
13a Saw things visiting remote Ethiopia (5)
TEETH: The definition of the sharp points along one of the edges of a long blade that a saw, a tool for cutting wood, possesses is part of or hidden inside (visiting) [REMO]TE ETH[IOPIA]
15a Fast food shop feeding trendy British (and the French) (9)
INDELIBLE: The definition of an adjective meaning fast in an older or less common sense i.e. firmly fixed, secure or not able to be removed is reached from DELI (food shop) as the short form of delicatessen or a shop selling prepared foods, especially cooked meats, pâtés and unusual or foreign foods putting into (feeding) a combo of IN (trendy) as very fashionable, popular or trendy, B (British) as the abbreviation for British and LE (the French) as the definite article ‘the’ in French language used in front of a singular, masculine word
17a Game that’s of little importance (9)
BAGATELLE: Double definition; the second denoting a trifle, trinket or a thing of no great importance that takes to the first referring to a game played on a board with balls, usually nine, and a cue or spring, the object being to put the balls into numbered holes or sections
19a Initially rather angry, being incredibly displeased (5)
RABID: The definition of an adjective meaning extremely violent or furious is fetched from the initial or first letters (initially) of R[ATHER] A[NGRY,] B[EING] I[NCREDIBLY] D[ISPLEASED] in this all-in-one clue
22a Style spoken about in big house (5)
MANOR: A homophone heard by the audience (spoken about) of MANNER (style) as a style or a way in which a thing is done or happened leads to the definition of a big old house with a large area of land around it
23a Fix opponents then contract agent (5,4)
JAMES BOND: A charade of JAM (fix) as a noun meaning a fix, predicament or difficult, unpleasant or embarrassing situation, ES (opponents) as the abbreviations for East-South representing opponents at a game of bridge and (then) BOND (contract) as a contract or legal agreement takes to the definition of a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections
25a Not very well, in the main? (7)
SEASICK: A cryptic definition of an adjective denoting nauseous owing to the rolling movement of a vessel (not very well) at sea (in the main)
26a One who might draw applause at the end? (7)
ARTISTE: The definition of a public performer, entertainer or someone who adept in a manual art in this all-in-one clue is reached from ARTIST (one who might draw) as a person who practices or is skilled in an art, now especially a fine art and the end or terminal letter (at the end) of [APPLAUS]E
27a Person putting clothes on item of furniture (7)
DRESSER: Double nounal definition; the second referring to a cupboard or set of shelves for dishes or kitchen utensils that takes to the first denoting a person who assists an actor to dress
28a Refuse to be moved? Hopefully he’ll come! (7)
DUSTMAN: A cryptic definition of a person employed to remove household rubbish whom the local people have high hopes that he will come and clean the area by taking away their household refuse
Down
1d Taverns employed help (7)
SERVANT: An anagram (employed) of TAVERNS guides to the definition of a person who performs duties for others, especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties or as a personal attendant i.e. a help, especially a domestic help or domestic employee
2d Was I square to lose weight? That’s silly (7)
ASININE: A combo of [W]AS I from the clue and NINE (square) as the square of three having to remove (to lose) W (weight) as the abbreviation for weight in physics takes to the definition of an adjective denoting extremely or utterly foolish or silly
3d Channel desire to support Democrat (5)
DITCH: The definition of a narrow channel dug at the side of a road or field, to hold or carry away water is obtained from ITCH (desire) as an informal term for a restless or strong desire to do something preceded by or to have placed above in the downward clue (support) D (Democrat) as the abbreviation for Democrat who is a member of the Democrat Party
4d Animal destroyed puma’s lair (9)
MARSUPIAL: The definition of any of mammals of an order ‘Marsupialia’ comprising kangaroos, wombats, bandicoots, opossums and related animals that do not develop a true placenta is reached from an anagram (destroyed) of PUMA’S LAIR
5d Walk and walk, not run (5)
AMBLE: The definition of a verb meaning to move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn, never having both feet off the ground at once is obtained from [R]AMBLE (walk) as to walk for recreation or pleasure devoid of or not taking into account (not) R (run) as the abbreviation for run or runs scored in cricket
6d Track by Nick’s spiritual band (3,6)
DOG COLLAR: DOG (track) as to track or follow someone closely and persistently and having alongside (by) COLLAR (Nick) as to nick or arrest someone takes to the definition of a nickname for a clerical collar or Roman collar, an item of clothing work of a small white band at the neck worn by Christian clergy of priests, pastors, ministers, deacons and bishops as a symbolic part of their religious attire
7d Couple only returned washing machine (4-3)
TWIN-TUB: TWIN (couple) as a verb meaning to link, combine or couple together followed by BUT (only) as an adverb meaning only or no more than coming from the other end (returned) as a reversal in the down clue leads to the definition of a washing machine having two separate top-loading drums, one for washing and the other for spin-drying
8d Order extra (7)
RESERVE: Double definition; the second being a noun referring to an extra player who is a possible substitute in a team that takes to the first a verb meaning to order i.e. to arrange for a room, seat, ticket etc to be kept for the use of a particular person
14d Occasionally hail storm is wild and unpredictable (3-2-4)
HIT-OR-MISS: The oddly-placed letter (occasionally) of H[A]I[L] followed by an anagram (wild) of STORM IS takes to the definition of an adjective meaning having mixed or unpredictable results or sometimes good or successful, sometimes not
16d Somewhere nice to visit when out? (9)
DREAMLAND: A cryptic definition of a pleasant imaginary place or somewhere nice to visit when one is out cold i.e. asleep or unconscious
17d Confused, needing inspiration in bed (7)
BEMUSED: The definition of a verb in the past tense meaning puzzled, confused or bewildered is arrived at from MUSE (inspiration) as the inspiration that motivates a poet, artist or thinker placed inside (in) BED from the clue
18d Part of ship‘s weapon used on massive beast, we hear (7)
GUNWALE: The definition of the wale or upper edge of a ship’s side next to the bulwarks, so called because the upper guns were pointed from it is reached from GUN (weapon) as a tubular weapon from which projectiles are discharged, usually by explosion placed upon in the down clue (used on) a homophone heard by the audience (we hear) of WHALE (massive beast) as a very large sea mammal that breathes air through a hole at the top of its head
20d Prosper with two sons, or without? (7)
BLOSSOM: A cryptic definition of a verb meaning to prosper, mature or develop in a promising and healthy way having (with) SS (two sons) as representing two sons, where each S is the genealogical abbreviation for son would still mean the same if the said SS or the two sons are removed or excluded (without) i.e. if BLO[SS]OM became BLOOM
21d Bust gone wobbly, causing resentment (7)
DUDGEON: DUD (bust) as an adjective meaning faulty or bust or not working or meeting standards followed by an anagram (wobbly) of GONE guides to the definition of a feeling of an offence or deep resentment
23d First to join card game, first to discard card (5)
JOKER: The first or initial letter (first) to J[OIN], followed by [P]OKER (card game) as a card game played by two or more people who bet on the value of the hands dealt to them with P, the first or initial letter (first) being removed (to discard) yields the definition of a playing card, typically bearing the figure of a jester, used in certain games as the highest ranking card or as a wild card that does not belong to any of the four suits
24d Views reported in surfing destinations (5)
SITES: SIGHTS (views) as a plural noun denoting views, glimpses, glances or things seen serving as a homophone heard by the audience guides to the definition denoting the plural term for a website i.e. places or destinations people visit when surfing the internet
There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 10a, 11a, 13a, 15a, 23a, 28a, 2d, 6d, 16d, 20d, 21d and 23d; 11a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to the setter for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.
3*/4* ….
liked 23D “First to join card game, first to discard card (5)”