DT 31091 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31091

A full review by Rahmat Ali

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

This puzzle was published on 22^nd November 2025

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

Greetings from Kolkata. An excellent Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.

While solving the puzzle, I became interested in the etymology of Agincourt, the answer to the clue at 25a. After completing the puzzle, I explored the topic further online. I discovered that Azincourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is situated 12 miles northwest of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, on the D71 road between Hesdin and Fruges. The name is attested as ‘Aisincurt’ in 1175 and is derived from the Germanic masculine name ‘Aizo’ or ‘Aizino’ and the early Northern French word ‘curt’. In English, it is commonly known as Agincourt. Interestingly, there is another village named Agincourt located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in eastern France. This name has no etymological connection to Azincourt; it derives separately from another Germanic male name, ‘Ingin’. In 1415, during the Hundred Years’ War, King Henry V of England launched a major campaign in northern France, achieving two notable victories that year. Landing in Normandy in August with an army of around 12,000 men, Henry immediately began the siege of the strategic port of Harfleur. After a month-long effort, despite heavy losses from disease and attrition, the English successfully captured the port on September 22, securing a vital foothold for further operations in France. Following the siege, Henry’s army, weakened and reduced in number, marched toward Calais, encountering a far larger French force on October 25 at Agincourt. In one of the most famous battles of the medieval period, the English, employing longbows and advantageous terrain, decisively defeated the French army, demonstrating remarkable tactical skill against overwhelming odds. The victory at Agincourt not only cemented Henry V’s reputation as a military leader but also symbolized the effectiveness of disciplined English forces against traditional French heavy cavalry. While the siege of Harfleur was less celebrated, it was essential strategically, allowing the English to maintain a base in northern France. Together, these successes in 1415 marked a high point of English fortunes during the ongoing conflict of the Hundred Years’ War.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Ancient individual breaking leg (5-3)
STONE-AGE: The definition used adjectivally to mean primitive or extremely old-fashioned, as in examples like stone-age technology or stone-age attitudes and corresponding to ancient meaning belonging to a time long past is got from ONE (individual) as an indefinitely specified individual interrupting or getting inside (breaking) STAGE (leg) as a section of a journey or race, an example of which is leg i.e. a distinct part, section or stage of a process, course or journey

5a           Join learner in excitement (6)
SPLICE: The definition of a verb meaning to join or connect, especially by intertwining or fastening is reached from L (learner) as appearing in an L-plate each displayed at the front and back of a vehicle denoting a learner driver placed inside (in) SPICE (excitement) as an element providing interest and excitement

9a           Endless comfort in underwear for rustics (8)
PEASANTS: EAS[E] (comfort) as comfort, luxury or relaxation without the end letter (endless) placed inside (in) PANTS (underwear) as a piece of underwear which have two holes to put one’s legs through and elastic around the top to hold them up round their waist or hips guides to the definition of the plural of a rustic or a person who lives in a rural area

10a        Docks’ new deliveries reported (6)
BERTHS: The definition of the plural of a ship’s allotted place at a wharf, pier or dock is reached from a homophone heard by the audience (reported) of BIRTHS (new deliveries) as the delivery of new babies or, precisely, new deliveries

12a        This rogue reformed – just! (9)
RIGHTEOUS: An anagram (reformed) of THIS ROGUE takes to the definition of an adjective meaning just, justifiable or morally righteous

13a        Friend frequenting beach in Australia (5)
CHINA: The definition of an informal term for a friend or companion is part of or hiding inside (frequenting) [BEA]CH IN A[USTRALIA]

14a and 22 Down            Gay genius, ace film director taking in Piedmont city (4,6)
ALAN TURING: The definition of an English mathematician, computer scientist, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher and theoretical biologist who, though considered a genius, was convicted of ‘gross indecency’ in a gay relationship and forced to undergo chemical castration is arrived at from A (ace) as the abbreviation for ace as in a pack of cards followed by LANG (film director) as referring to Fritz Lang, the Austrian film director, screenwriter and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States having inside (taking in) TURIN (Piedmont city) as the capital city of Piedmont in northern Italy, known for its refined architecture and cuisine

16a        United within limits thrashing Spurs? (7)
STIMULI: U (united) as the abbreviation for united placed inside (within) an anagram (thrashing) of LIMITS guides to the definition of the plural of something that acts as a goad or spur to a languid bodily organ

19a        Deeply respectful gesture an advantage at 25 Across (7)
LONGBOW: LONG BOW (deeply respectful gesture) as a long, slow bending motion of respect or acknowledgement takes to the definition of a long, hand-drawn bow that sometimes exceeded 1.8 metres in length and used in medieval England that was an advantage at and won 25 Across against the French

21a        Evil consuming good character (4)
SIGN: SIN (evil) as evil, immoral or transgression taking inside (consuming) G (good) as the abbreviation for good guides to the definition of a character indicating a relation between quantities

24a        Fleece brand husband wears (5)
SHEAR: The definition of a verb meaning to remove the hair or fleece from, especially, sheep by cutting or clipping is reached from SEAR (brand) as to brand with a hot iron that H (husband) as the genealogical abbreviation for husband takes as cover (wears)

25a        Scot’s anti-royalist battle (9)
AGINCOURT: A charade of AGIN (Scot’s anti) as the Scottish or Northern term for ‘against’ i.e. anti and COURT (royalist) as the body of persons forming the sovereign’s suite or council or supporting monarchy i.e. a royal faction or establishment, hence by extension, Scot’s agin court is cryptically ‘against court’ i.e. anti-royalist that leads to the definition of a battle, named as the Battle of Agincourt, that took place on 25 October 1415 between the English and the French near Azincourt, in northern France that was an English victory in the Hundred Years’ War

27a        Old woman can start to say prayer (6)
MATINS: MA (old woman) as a childish contraction for mamma i.e. mother who is an old woman followed by TIN (can) as a can or container for preserved foodstuffs and the starting or initial letter (start) to S[AY] takes to the definition of the daily morning service of prayer of the Church of England

28a        Very good cryptanalyst doing this (8)
CRACKING: Double definition; the second being a noun referring to someone who is an expert in cracking or deciphering codes i.e. cryptanalyst doing this that leads to the first a colloquial adjective denoting very fast or very good

29a        New growth had changed spiritual leader (6)
BUDDHA: BUD (new growth) as any new growth of a plant such as a new branch or a source of further growth or development followed by an anagram (changed) of HAD guides to the definition of the spiritual or religious leader whose name was Gautama and whose followers over a period of time transformed his philosophy and practice into a religion called Buddhism or also referring to any person who has achieved a state of perfect spiritual enlightenment

30a        OAP with Grieg playing broken chord (8)
ARPEGGIO: An anagram (playing) of a combination of OAP and (with) GRIEG guides to the definition of a regular, ordered broken chord of which the notes are performed, not simultaneously, but in rapid succession

Down

1d           Smashing up some Balkan fences? (6)
SUPERB: The definition of an adjective meaning smashing, excellent or of unusually high quality is arrived at from SERB (some Balkan) as one of the major groups inhabiting the Balkan peninsular region of the south-eastern Europe covers or surrounds (fences) UP from the clue

2d           Round kitchen fireplace in Dutch royal house (6)
ORANGE: A charade of O (round) as anything round or nearly so and RANGE (kitchen fireplace) as referring to a large kitchen stove with a flat top or a kitchen appliance used for cooking food takes to the definition of the Dutch royal house i.e. the House of Orange

3d           Consummate done deed? (5)
EXACT: The definition of an adjective meaning faultless, perfect or exact is arrived at from a charade of EX (done) as used to signify that the action of a base verb has been carried to a conclusive point or as indicating done or completed and ACT (deed) as a noun denoting a deed, action or performance

4d           Duck or swallow (3,4)
GET DOWN: Double verbal definition; the second meaning to swallow food or drink, especially with difficulty that takes to the first denoting to lower one’s head or body suddenly to avoid being hit by something

6d           Delivering sermon before suffering? (9)
PREACHING: The definition of a verb in the continuous form denoting delivering a sermon or religious address to an assembled group of people, typically in church is reached from a charade of PRE (before) as a prefix denoting before in time or beforehand and ACHING (suffering) as another verb in the continuous form meaning suffering from a continuous or prolonged dull pain in a part of one’s body

7d           Private scheme to arouse curiosity (8)
INTRIGUE: Double definition; the second being a verb meaning to arouse the interest or curiosity of someone that leads to the first a noun denoting a secret or underhand scheme or a plot

8d           City still over the moon (8)
ECSTATIC: A charade EC (city) as referring to the city of London postcode area and STATIC (still) as an adjective denoting not moving or changing brings the definition of another adjective meaning euphoric, elated or feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement, an example of which is ‘over the moon’ meaning extremely happy or delighted about something

11d        Punters here in catastrophe, credit denied (4)
ISIS: The definition of an alternative name for the River Thames flowing through Oxford is a location where punters, i.e. people who use punts or flat-bottomed boats, are commonly found is arrived at from [CR]ISIS (catastrophe) as a time of intense difficulty or danger, a disaster or a catastrophe devoid of or subject to the removal of (denied) CR (credit) as the abbreviation for credit

15d        Strangely tiny bar in large hotel an enigma (9)
LABYRINTH: An anagram (strangely) of TINY BAR placed inside (in) a combo of L (large) as the abbreviation for large that is usually referred to large size of shirt or other clothing and H (hotel) as the letter represented by Hotel in the Nato phonetic alphabet takes to the definition of something that is intricately and often bewilderingly complex, for example, a puzzle or riddle or an enigma

17d        Crowd suddenly assembled in Belgium after two seconds? (5,3)
FLASH MOB: The definition of a large group of people who has suddenly assembled in a predetermined place to perform some brief action and then disperse is reached from B (Belgium) as the IVR Code for Belgium preceded by or coming after (after) a combo of FLASH and MO (two seconds) as two seconds or short periods of time; FLASH denoting a sudden or brief manifestation or occurrence of something. and MO as a contraction of ‘moment’ referring to a short period of time

18d        Owing recognition for sure but empty inside (8)
INDEBTED: The definition of an adjective meaning owing gratitude or recognition to another is got from INDEED (for sure) as an adverb denoting truly, without any question or for sure having inside (inside) B[U]T from the clue devoid of its inner letter (empty)

20d        Musical duo with terrible acting (4)
WHAM: The definition of an English pop duo formed in Bushey in 1981 consisting of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley is arrived at from a charade of W (with) as the abbreviation for with and HAM (terrible acting) as referring to overacting done by an actor

21d        Firebrand, senior cleric, English, imprisoned? (7)
STIRRER: The definition of a derogatory informal term for a person who deliberately causes trouble between others by spreading rumours or gossip, an example of which is firebrand i.e. a person who causes political or social trouble by opposing authority and encouraging others to do so is got from a combination of RR (senior cleric) as the abbreviation for Right Reverend who is a bishop, a senior clergyman and E (English) as the abbreviation for English taken inside (in) STIR (prison) as a slang term for a prison; imprisoned being annotated as ‘in prison’ e.g. ‘X is imprisoned’ meaning ‘X is in prison’

22d        See 14 Across

23d        Barking dogs at party (4,2)
STAG DO: An anagram (barking) of DOGS AT takes to the definition of a party held for a man who is about to get married, celebrated with his male friends

26d        Hoard money, did you say? (5)
CACHE: The definition of a collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place, an example of which is hoard i.e. a stock or store of money or valued objects, typically one that is secret or carefully guarded is arrived at from a homophone heard by the audience (did you say?) of CASH (money) as money in coins or notes, as distinct from cheques, money orders or credit

There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 16a, 25a, 28a, 29a, 1d, 6d, 8d, 11d, 17d and 21d; 25a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to NYDK for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.