Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31095
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
Once again, I am unable to help you on Guess the Setter. I found this most enjoyable despite the spattering of politics and taxation! My ticks are for 12a, 2d, 4d and 17d, with CoD awarded to the lovely cryptic definition at 27a.
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.
Many thanks to our mystery setter and to the DT Crossword Team.
Across
1a Starr’s heart not being in Abbey Road rightly condemned as rip-off (8,7)
DAYLIGHT ROBBERY: anagram (condemned) of ABBEY RO(a)D RIGHTLY. Count the letters. We have one too many for the anagram, so we need to remove the heart of stArr, as instructed. The day after the budget, we are reminded of the awful window tax (1696-1851), which caused people to brick up some of the windows in their house – architectural scars which are still visible today.
9a Go after American company bottling large drink (7)
ALCOPOP: synonym of “go” (as in attempt) after abbreviations for American + COmpany outside (bottling) Large.
10a Disparaging comment mainly recalled artist being narrow-minded (7)
INSULAR: synonym of “disparaging comment” without the final letter (mainly) + abbreviation for artist (RA) backwards (recalled).
11a Places to worship Koran uncovered by Kemi’s lot (9)
ORATORIES: uncover (k)ORA(n) and put it next to the political party headed by Ms Badenoch.
12a Sinatra’s opening, smooth number (5)
SEVEN: initial letter (opening) of Sinatra + synonym of smooth.
13a One certain to lose clobber or phone (2-5)
NO-HOPER: anagram (clobber) of OR PHONE.
15a Aims to drink at home with good resolutions (7)
ENDINGS: synonym of aims outside (to drink) word meaning “at home” + abbreviation for Good.
17a Delays vacations to host party (4-3)
HOLD-UPS: abbreviation for holidays (what are vacations??) outside (to host) a political party in Northern Ireland.
19a Rob‘s occasionally pale “down below” (7)
PLUNDER: the odd letters (occasionally) of PaLe + synonym of “down below”. I don’t think I will include an image for this one.
21a Ecstasy shortly to make a comeback, creating loophole (5)
NOOSE: abbreviation for Ecstasy + synonym of shortly backwards (to make a comeback).
23a Work secretly? Idiot may, for Spooner (9)
MOONLIGHT: a Spoonerism which is bound to divide the room! Find synonyms of “idiot” and “may” and swap over their initial letters.
25a Taxing solitary Republican nothing just within limits (7)
ONEROUS: a Lego clue: synonym of solitary + abbreviation for Republican + letter signifying nothing + (j)US(t) (within limits).
26a Endeavour to place agency worker in dry area to begin with (7)
ATTEMPT: put synonym of “agency worker” inside two letters meaning “dry” (as in abstaining from alcohol) with abbreviation for Area at the start (to begin with).
27a Writer enters this for finer prose? (6,9)
PENCIL SHARPENER: a lovely cryptic definition.
Down
1d Coerce fiery character to take over (7)
DRAGOON: a mythical “fiery character” outside (to take) abbreviation for Over.
2d Plant in yard you texted Charlie about (5)
YUCCA: abbreviation for Yard + how “you” might be shown in a text message by people younger than me + NATO phonetic alphabet letter indicated by Charlie + abbreviation for about or CircA.
3d Unrehearsed, this person’s cue beginning to unravel (9)
IMPROMPTU: two letters meaning “this person’s” + synonym of cue (think theatre, not snooker) + initial letter of Unravel.
4d Hard to top YouTube? One regularly hears more content (7)
HAPPIER: abbreviation for Hard on top of (this is a Down clue) something that YouTube is an example of + letter signifying “one” + the even letters (regularly) of hEaRs.
5d On paper no time for second publication? (7)
REISSUE: abbreviation meaning “on” + a synonym of thin paper without the abbreviation for Time.
6d Starting point of book unchanged (5)
BASIS: abbreviation for Book + two words meaning “unchanged”.
7d Regularly being wicked up north, journalist’s invigorated (9)
ENLIVENED: the even letters (regularly – as in 4d) of bEiNg + synonym of wicked upside down (up) + abbreviation for North + our usual senior journalist.
8d Awfully frosty, biting November – wear these (1-6)
Y-FRONTS: anagram (awfully) of FROSTY outside (biting) abbreviation for November.
14d Celebration in foyer, one we plastered (9)
HALLOWEEN: synonym of foyer + anagram (plastered) of ONE WE. We never “celebrated” this when I was a kid. I blame the Americans!
16d Twin, fabulous and forty? (6,3)
DOUBLE TOP: synonyms of twin + fabulous. Those who like the odd game of darts will know that the solution equates to 40 on the scoreboard.
17d Woman getting married above supermarket, place with regular deliveries? (3-4)
HEN-COOP: a word describing a woman who is about to get married + a high street supermarket without its hyphen.
18d Assam’s drunk to absorb old pastries (7)
SAMOSAS: anagram (drunk) of ASSAMS + abbreviation for Old.
19d Quietly cheers, keeping excited roar in proportion (3,4)
PRO RATA: musical abbreviation for quietly + informal abbreviation for cheers (or thank you) outside (keeping) anagram (excited) of ROAR.
20d One that turns in either direction (7)
ROTATOR: a palindrome (in either direction) of something that turns. A write-in for regular solvers.
22d “Old King” cycling with international gets bug (1,4)
E COLI: cycle the letters of the merry old soul and add abbreviation for International. The “cycling” technique is similar to an anagram. It invites the solver to put the letters in a circle and then start the word in a different place, if that makes any sense at all!
24d Harry lying about checking big road for street urchin (5)
GAMIN: synonym of harry or harass reversed (lying about) outside (checking) the abbreviation for a British motorway.
Quickie Pun: LAY + BURP + ARTY = LABOUR PARTY
I did have to use electronic help for a couple but, on the whole, this was a delight and very enjoyable. Rather a strange anagram indicator at 16d, I thought and it may provoke observations from the commentariat. I didn’t know the word at 24d but I do now. So many good clues that I have stars all over the paper. Sinatra at 12a, drinking at home in 15a, Reverend Spooner and the starting point at 6d were all ticked. My COTD, though, is the wedding above the supermarket at 17d.
A very topical Quickie pun.
Thank you, setter for a fun Thursday puzzle. I do hope you pop in to say hello. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints.
I won’t be doing the puzzle tomorrow so I’ll see you all on Saturday. I’m travelling to the Christmas market at Edinburgh on the Midland Pullman train.
There is no anagram in 16d, Steve.
Enjoy Edinburgh and the train ride.
Sorry, mea culpa! I meant 14d. I agree with you about the so called celebration.
I’ll raise a glass of champagne to the blog! 😊
First time comment… well except for a brief introduction this morning on yesterday’s cryptic.
Today’s was enjoyable especially as struggled on my first run through. Took a while but working through clue methodically helped.
Enjoyed 16d, 17d and 27a.
Hard to find the time to do the crosswords and to think about the clues enough to comment intelligently 😂
Welcome, TW and I hope you can find time to comment again. 👍
Welcome, TreacleWell.
I hope you get lot of enjoyment from this platform.
Welcome to the blog and hope we see you again soon 😀
It looked quite tricky on first pass, but then, with one or 2 clues in a corner it came together fairly smoothly. Good fun puzzle. thank you.
Not overly testing, but full of clever wordplay and humour, though the urchin in 24a is a new word for me.
Let’s hope that for an awfully frosty biting November, that the 8ds are fur lined.
Very possibly an urban myth, but I remember reading about a Yorkshireman called Percy Shaw who in the 1930s invented Cat’s Eyes after noticing his headlights were reflected by a mog who was startled by them.
It has been suggested that if the cat was facing the other way, he’d have invented the 27a.
The quickie pun is another belter.
My thanks to our setter and Shabbo.
Love the cat’s eyes story, Frankie baby.
The cat facing the other way reminds me of this classic TV moment that launched his career…
Top stuff, mate.
Sad to see The Big Yin is having a tough time of it these days.
Tragic.
I watched an excellent BBC documentary about him in the ‘In My Own Words’ series.
One of the best of all time.
That really tickled me!!
Haven’t commented for a while but I enjoyed this puzzle so much that I feel compelled to say thank you to the setter who I cant identify!
Lots of chuckles as the various pennies clanged and I agree with Shabbo’s choice for CotD.
Welcome back!
A lovely puzzle, one which was almost tuesdayish in character. No real hold ups, though I was delighted to finish on 15a – most appropriate! Favourite of the day was 27a which was beautifully crafted. 1.5*/4*
Absolutely no doubt about my favourite this morning; 27a. I found the whole grid a real delight to unravel, with a terrific clue mix to sustain the interest throughout.
Many thanks to our Thursday setter and Shabbo.
2*/4*. All good fun with no specific favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Shabbo.
Another very enjoyable puzzle. I’ve been spoilt this week. Parsing 4d threw me until I read the hint, but the answer couldn’t be anything else. Can’t argue with Shabbo’s choice of top clues, so I’ll go with them as well. Thanks to compiler and Shabbo.
No particular favourite but very enjoyable & pretty gentle for a Thursday. Can’t say I was familiar with 24d, which needed post solve confirmation, having only known the now closed but soon to re-open Mayfair restaurant, Le Gavroche, as a street urchin. The hot air in the quickie pun made me smile.
Thanks to the setter & Shabbo.
I got the Quickie Pun hot air clue wrong initially!
Delightful. 27a and 16d are outstanding. 1a’s fun too. Best thanks to setter and Shabbo.
Great fun – many thanks to our witty setter and Shabbo.
I liked 17a, 23a, 16d and 17d with my standout favourite being 27a.
Gentle and great fun. Had to remember that the difference between the “urchin” and the appearance of a “pert, boyish girl” is that the latter has energy. Honours to 17a, 27a & 22d.
I’m going to risk my fiver on Twm being the setter, but whoever it is, many thanks to the setter and of course also to Shabbo.
Right! Now Googlegate is over (or is it?), let’s get back to the job in hand.
This was an absolute joy to solve on a very friendly grid and, surprisingly, for a Thursday, not too tricksy.
8d reminds me of my school days. I used to wear these when I was a nipper and didn’t know better. What’s even worse is I, like a loser, would tuck my shirt into them like Rick in The Young Ones. When playing football in the playground, I was called Jockey and couldn’t work out why. Then it hit me: the word jockey was displayed all around the top of them. Highly embarrassing.
I’ve never heard of 24d and I’m okay with plastered as an AI, i.e all over the place/drunk.
Forty is the only number that has the letters in alphabetical order because of the quirks of the English language as it should be fourty. I can’t find any good reason the u got dropped. Try explaining that to someone learning our language.
I have ticked so many ticked clues that picking a pody is futile but I’ll go with 27a, 8d and 16d.
MT to the setter (Dharma or Karla, maybe?)
2*/5*
I thought Dharma a possibility because of the pun
Dharma, Dharma, Dharma, Dharma, Dharma chameleon.
You pun, we groan. You pun, we groan….
Excellent …you pun , I groan o o oan 🎵
Glad you like it, JM.
I can’t stop singing my version.
And you were right with the setter too – well done !
Good mornimg. I enjoyed this immensely but I only got my teeth into it at the halfway mark, after which it was primarily a read and fill. My first thought for 9a was alcohol, but the letters I already had, stated otherwise. The spoonerism at 23 is excellent and not one that I can recall seeing and is definitely on the podium if not CoTD. Other notable clues are 10, 11 17, 19, 27 across 1, 3, 7, 17 and Old king XXXX at 22! Thanks to Shabbo and setter. 4 excellent X words in a row, all exceptionally easy, which makes me anxious for Friday and Saturday……….
Thanks to the Setter and Shabbo for the hints. Even later start than usual. Couldn’t get on the setters wavelength at all. Resorted to hints so we could get on with the rest of our day. COTD 27a. LOI 15a.
I literally only had two answers on first read through. But then a couple of long ones fell into place which opened up the guzzle and I finished in good time. The urchin was new to me as well. A lovely solve in the end and I do hope the setter makes themselves known. Thanks to all and I do hope CS’s knee is making a good recovery.
Well this flew in to probably become my fastest solve of the week. Only pause was to check the urchin as I’ve not heard the term but it was fairly clued.
All in all an extremely enjoyable puzzle with lots of humour. Thank you to the setter and of course to Shabbo
Not your usual Thursday back pager; no sign of our Ynys Mon correspondent’s Dream Team anywhere. Nevertheless (we haven’t seen that for a while) an enjoyable challenge – ***/****
I am not sure that 8d on their own will protect against a frosty biting November.
Candidates for favourite – 11a, 23a, 2d, 16d, and 24d – and the winner is16d.
Thanks to whomsoever and Shabbo.
A little like Steve Cowling, you won’t hear from me for a couple of days (don’t all cheer at once) as I travel to a secret location with a Royal connection. I will be ‘on duty’ on Sunday as usual.
Are you helping Andrew move ?
Not on your nelly! The Royal connection goes back 200 years.
I think Susie Dent should give us the origin of ‘not on your nelly’ – weird phrase – perhaps someone on here knows where it comes from.
Good question, M.
I was hoping it was something to do with an elephant. Alas, it’s not to be.
This one is quite a journey:
It won’t surprise you to read that it comes from those who were born within earshot of Bow Bells…..
Not on your Nelly Duff = puff = breath = (by extension) life. Therefore ‘Not on your life’.
I can’t find out who Nelly Duff was.
Thanks Tom
As it Cockney rhyming slang of indeterminate ‘age’ – two half crowns from my sock drawer on Nelly Duff not being a real person.
I reckon you’re right, S.
It sounds like a made-up name for a bruiser à la Mammy in Tom & Terry or Flo Capp, Andy’s far better ‘alf.
Some of the surface reads set my teeth on edge but that seems to be the way of the crossword world these days, such a shame. Front runners for me were 27a & 6d.
Thanks to our setter and to Shabbo for the review.
Which ones are “such a shame” and why? You never say.
Another completion, four in a row, unheard of. Apart from my beloved Man City’s four in a row!
Steady solve and the NW corner was the area which slowed me down. My botanical knowledge was lacking for 2d but was doable, as was the street urchin at 24d, both new to me. Otherwise, very enjoyable. Favourites today were 1a, 9a, 23a with 27a as the COTD.
Thank you to the setter and to Shabbo for the hints.
I should have mentioned 16d as a favourite clue as well.
* / ****
Flew through this and found it one of the best for a while. No need for a read through and not that many needed more than a checker or two to reveal themselves. I stress though, that for me © etc. speed of solve is not proportional to enjoyment nor inversely proportional. This was a gem with so many ticks. 12a, 25a and 27a had enough checkers that the answer was apparent before even reading the clue. I guess I was on the wavelength today.
I’m another who hasn’t heard of 24d but it had to be what it was and Mr G confirmed it. Ticks went to the 21a loophole, 7d wickedness up north, 16d fabulous and forty, 17d marriage over the supermarket and the 22d bug. COTD went to Mr Spooner at 23a with what would be his reading bringing a big smile.
Thanks to Shabbo and the setter!
Well, Thursday not so bad after all! Finished in respectable time. 27 Across my favourite.
Somehow wavelengths are becoming more accessible these days and today’s was an example of that. As with
13a indicators seem to be increasingly far-fetched. Enters in 27a jars. TVM Mysteryone and Shabbo.
1.5* / 4.5* Tremendous Thursday puzzle, loads of wit and misdirection.
My favourites include coerce at 1d (just like the word), 16d darts forty and the finer prose implement at 27a
Thanks to the setter and Shabbo
Hi, setter here.
Many thanks to all who have commented thus far and to Shabbo for a top review, very much appreciated. Well done to Tom (and Huntsman) for correctly identifying me too!
A lovely puzzle. Thanks for dropping in.
Thank you for an outstanding crossword, D, and a timely pun. You are at the top of your game.
Talking of the pun….I’ve just realized that ‘Work do’ means ‘Labour Party’.
Check me out!
Thank you, Dharma for a great puzzle and for dropping in. It is always appreciated.
Lovely puzzle and a little on the easier side for a Thursday. First pass only produced a few across, but the downs from the bottom produced real results and once 1a was filled, the rest dropped into place. Shabbo pointed me to the correct supermarket for 17d, but otherwise sailed through. Like everyone else I thought 27a was really clever and amusing.
2*/4*
Thanks the setter and Shabbo
Thank you very enjoyable.
16d a bonus for me as I love watching darts.
It is RayT’s week off from this back pager, so this puzzle was a different animal. Had lots of parsing issues in this one.
3*/3* for me
Favourites 1a, 12a, 23a, 27a & 20d
Thanks to setter & Shabbo
Ditto.
So I thought I was going to struggle, going down the first few clues didn’t yield any obvious answers, then I got one and then it all fell into place. A really enjoyable puzzle. Thanks to Dharma and Shabbo.
Thank you Dharma for a lovely puzzle and Shabbo for the blog – regular deliveries as my favourite but so many other contenders!
Got going on the puzzle late this afternoon. What a treat ! Great ending with 27 across. Took awhile to get the spoonerism but the joy of winkling it out. Never have come across 24 down but having put in the road and the checkers there were not many if any options. This week has been of a high standard but also doable. Fingers crossed for Thursday and Friday in terms of the level of challenge. Great work Dharma and Shabbo
I think my experience was similar to Jenny M as on my first read through I barely got any clues. Slowly I teased the answers out and then it was a quick sprint to finish. I even managed the Spoonerism which was a feat in itself. Much to like. Many thanks to Dharma and Shabbo.
A late start today because I was traipsing round with my future daughter-in-law sorting out her white goods for their new house. I thought this was a super puzzle. Something about the 1/x type clues appeals, not sure why? 24d was new to me but my favourite was the palindrome at 20d. Thanks to both Dharma and Shabbo.
After a very slow start I got going and thoroughly enjoyed this, and managed to finish before we left to meet friends at Wisley. I thought 27a brilliant and my favourite but there was lots to enjoy.
Many thanks to Dharma and to Shabbo for the hints
I thought this a gentle stroll for a Thursday, was only missing 3 after a coffee. Came back to finish. COTD, 16d
The fourth day of approachable back pagers plus toughies with a bit of head scratching required, well done Telegraph towers. Enjoyment level has been high all week. I may have heard of 24d before, if I had I’d forgotten it but there was something vaguely familiar when I checked it. Many contenders for favourite but I’ll go with 27a. Thanks to Dharma and Shabbo.
Lots of quality clues – 16D my COTD. VMT Dharma & Shabbo.
Seemingly on my own in finding this very hard. Managed to solve 9 clues before throwing the towel in.
Just a note to say I came back to this and managed to solve almost unaided. Had to Google to check 24d as it was a new word to me. Maybe my brain was having some sort of episode, because this was definitely not as hard as I initially thought. Managed to enjoy the solve too!
Thanks to all.
As regards 24d, I got it only because I had heard of the female form, but why I should never have heard of the male form I’ll never know. I can’t even think of the context I know it from. A lovely puzzle with just a couple of hints required, including the Spoonerism, which I always have problems with. Thanks to all concerned with today’s offering, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
An enjoyable puzzle today. Just the right amount of head scratching but every clue fair and solvable eventually. Even the unknown, for me, 24d, was gettable from the wordplay. Loved 1a for the Beatles references. Thanks to Dharma and Shabbo.
Very enjoyable even for a mediocre puzzler like me. With my pedant’s hat on I was not entirely convinced by noose for loop hole but on the whole an enjoyable and accessible experience. Thanks to the setter.
What a lovely puzzle, full of vitality and wit! **/****
Consequently, my printout is a covered in ticks. The ingenuity of 27a makes it my favourite. 17d follows close on its heals. I particularly like the use of ‘deliveries’. It makes a fresh alternative to cricket! 16d made me laugh. Super clue! I had the answer but needed BRB to explain and confirm it.
I also much enjoyed 12a, 2d, 3d, 4d, 7d and 22d. 18d reminded me of Mr Catnap as he was very partial to both ‘Assam’ and the ‘pastries’.
I am familiar with 24d. Clever misdirection!
I did ponder about 21a. When I pictured it in my mind it made sense. It is a loop made of rope, leather or other material. There is nothing in the middle (at this stage, anyway!). It is a loop and a hole. Mrs Bradford gives ‘Noose’ as a synonym of ‘loophole’.
Many appreciative thanks to Dharma for a super, entertaining crossword. Enjoyed the Quickie too. Had a good chuckle at the pun!
Many appreciative thanks to Shabbo for an excellent blog with lovely illustrations.
2*/4* …
liked 23A “Work secretly ? Idiot may, for Spooner (9)”