DT 31097 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31097

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 29^th November 2025

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

Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, lovely Saturday puzzle from a special team that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.

I was deeply saddened to read about the pains and sufferings of Chris Lancaster and pray to the Almighty for his speedy recovery and the restoration of his sound physique.

After solving the puzzle, I wanted to know more about Yule log, the definition to the clue at 18d, more particularly to find out why the dessert was called a log and so explored the internet. I learnt that the dessert is known by the name ‘bûche de Noël’ in French. This traditional Christmas dessert or pudding is shaped to actually resemble a wooden log. It is traditionally eaten in France and Belgium, where they are known as ‘kerststronk’ in Flemish. Typically made from a light sponge cake rolled with buttercream or mousse, it is covered in chocolate frosting textured to mimic bark. The cake is often decorated with meringue mushrooms, sugared berries or powdered sugar to suggest snow. Originating in France, the Yule log dessert also symbolises the historic practice of burning a real log for warmth and good fortune during the winter season. The Yule log dessert or bûche de Noël is typically served at Christmas, especially on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and sometimes throughout the holiday period. The burning of the Yule log historically occurs on Christmas Eve or throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas from December 25 to January 5. It is a winter solstice and Christmas tradition long before medieval times symbolising warmth, protection and renewal. Although the burning of a ‘Christmas Log’ was first recorded in 1648 and the term ‘Yule Log’ in 1686, the custom likely originated in Scandinavia and northern Europe. Early Yule logs could be entire trees ceremoniously brought indoors, with the thick end placed in the hearth and the rest extending into the room. Lit with embers from the previous year’s log kept for luck, they burned slowly through the Twelve Days of Christmas, sometimes with a smaller log added each night. The ashes were valued for their potash-rich benefit to plants, though discarding them on Christmas Day was considered unlucky. Across Europe, variations of the custom developed. In Provence, families cut the log together and burn a portion each night, keeping leftovers after Twelfth Night for protection against lightning; in parts of the Netherlands, remnants are stored under a bed; and in eastern Europe, logs are cut on Christmas Eve and lit the same evening. Regional names and practices have emerged as well, such as ‘The Mock’ in Cornwall or bunches of ash twigs in Devon and Somerset, linked to a legend about the Holy Family. Different woods have become traditional; the oak in England, birch in Scotland and cherry in France, particularly where logs are also sprinkled with wine for fragrance. In Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro, a large log called Banjak were burnt, sometimes in bonfires outside churches, while in parts of Ireland, a large candle has come to replace the log and is lit only on New Year’s Eve and Twelfth Night.

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Across

1a           Fellow thus about to engage personnel (5)
CHRIS: The definition of the first name of Lancaster is arrived at from SIC (thus) as the Latin term for thus, so or in this manner coming from the other end (about) as a reversal in the across clue taking inside (to engage) HR (personnel) as the abbreviation for human resources denoting the department responsible for an organisation’s staff and personnel matters

4a           Regal house in a street crossed by a soldier (9)
LANCASTER: The definition referring to the House of Lancaster that was an English royal house that ruled England from 1399 to 1461, with its three kings being Henry IV, Henry V and Henry VI is got from a combo of A from the clue and ST (street) as the abbreviation for street that is a type of paved way in a city, town or village extending across by LANCER (a soldier) as a cavalry soldier armed with a lance i.e. a thrusting weapon with a long wooden shaft and a sharp metal head

9a           Sting occasionally put out some music? (5)
SMART: The definition of a verb meaning to sting, bite or burn is deduced from removing the evenly-placed letters (occasionally put out) of S[O]M[E] followed by ART (music?) as a diverse range of an artist’s imagination, creativity and skills, an example of which is music

10a        Scotsman, say, drinking two litres with Scotsman is lit up (9)
BRILLIANT: BRIT (Scotsman, say) as anyone from Great Britain, which includes England, Scotland and Wales and, hence, an example of which is a Scotsman taking inside (drinking) a combo of LL (two litres) as the cryptic composition for a plural of litre viz. litres or two litres; l being the abbreviation for litre and (with) IAN (Scotsman) as a male given name of Scottish Gaelic origin and coming from the Hebrew name that means ‘the Lord is gracious’ takes to the definition of an adjective meaning sparkling, glittering, shining brightly or lit up

11a        Venerable Parisian is thought to lose face (8)
ESTEEMED: The definition of an adjective meaning revered, respected, honoured or venerable is reached from EST (Parisian is) as the French word for ‘is’ that could be heard also in Paris, its capital followed by [D]EEMED (thought) as a verb in the past tense meaning regarded, considered or thought ignoring the use of D, its first or initial letter (to lose face)

12a        One might make changes to dire novel (6)
EDITOR: The definition of a person who makes changes or edits written material for publication like book, newspaper or periodical is got from an anagram (novel) of TO DIRE

14a        Creative sort at home, otherwise taking air (8)
INVENTOR: The definition of a person who creates, founds or originates or who is the first to think of or make something is reached from a combo of IN (at home) as at or inside one’s home and OR (otherwise) as a conjunction denoting ‘or else’ or ‘otherwise’ bringing inside (taking) VENT (air) as to air, come out with or utter publicly

15a        Someone like Messi heading for soccer pitch (4)
STAR: The definition of a very famous or successful person, especially a musician, actor, sports player etc; someone like Lionel Messi the celebrated Argentine-born football player who received a record-setting eight Ballon d’Or awards as the world’s top male player being an example of it is arrived at from the head or topmost letter in the down clue (heading) for S[OCCER] followed by TAR (pitch) as referring to a coal-tar pitch

17a        Jolly cover of Verve track (4)
VERY: The definition of an adverb meaning jolly or jolly good is got from the outermost letters (cover) of V[ERV]E and RY (track) as the abbreviation for railway that is also represented by the word ‘track’ or a continuous line of rails on a railway

19a        Splash the cash I had, around fifty grand (8)
SPLENDID: A combo of SPEND (splash the cash) as to pay out or otherwise dispose of money, resources etc, an example of which is to splash out or splash the cash i.e. to spend money freely or extravagantly on something and I’D (I had) as a contraction for ‘I had’ placed about (around) L (fifty) as the Roman numeral for fifty takes to the definition of an adjective meaning magnificent, majestic, august or grand

23a        Fox – it goes after monkey in a tree (6)
PUZZLE: The definition of a verb meaning to confuse, baffle, fox or mystify is cryptically derived from its position that is after monkey in a certain tree, that is to say, fox or puzzle after monkey in a tree and we have such a tree where puzzle is coming after monkey in a tree called the monkey puzzle tree, the common name of which is araucaria

25a        Ace video’s beginning with riotous shot (8)
VIRTUOSO: The definition of an ace, champion or someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field is got from the beginning or initial letter (beginning) of V[IDEO] (video’s] followed by (with) an anagram (shot) of RIOTOUS

27a        Refined type, king perhaps, following information let out (9)
GENTLEMAN: The definition of a man of refined manners or having the qualities of refinement associated with a good family is arrived at from MAN (king perhaps) as a piece used in playing game of chess; king being the most important of all men in the game, preceded by or coming after (following) a combo of GEN (information) as a slang term for general information and an anagram (out) of LET

28a        Cook carrying Italian’s starter and main (5)
CHIEF: CHEF (cook) as a usually male cook, especially a head cook in a hotel or restaurant taking in (carrying) the starting or initial letter (starter) of I[TALIAN] (Italian’s) gives rise to the definition of an adjective denoting main, foremost, principal or highest in rank, authority or office

29a        Delicate leg Raphaella bandages daily (9)
TELEGRAPH: Part of or hidden inside (bandages) of [DELICA]TE LEG RAPH[AELLA] guides to the definition of a well-known daily of the United Kingdom

30a        Academic entertaining you once is a respected figure (5)
DOYEN: DON (academic) as an academic or a member of the teaching staff at a university or college, especially at Oxford or Cambridge taking inside (entertaining) YE (you once) as an old word for you, occurring at the subject of the sentence or an archaic or dialect pronoun referring to more than one person including the person addressed leads to the definition of the most senior or esteemed member of a group

Down

1d           Chomp wraps like a nut (6)
CASHEW: CHEW (chomp) as to use one’s teeth to grind up food before swallowing it, an example of which is to chomp i.e. to chew noisily or vigorously covers or takes in (wraps) AS (like) as a conjunction denoting ‘like’ that is used to indicate by comparison the way that something happens or is done, leading to the definition of a kidney-shaped edible nut borne on the cashew tree, Anacardium occidentale, valued for its mild, buttery taste

2d           Physicist’s opposition can create changes (9)
REACTANCE: The definition of the opposition exhibited by an inductor or a capacitor to the flow of AC or alternating current due to the storage and release of energy in electric or magnetic fields in physics that is well known to a physicist i.e. a scientist who specialises in the field of physics is arrived at from an anagram (changes) of CAN CREATE

3d           Defiant comment from drunkard in this location (2,5)
SO THERE: The definition of a defiant comment, expressing triumph, stubbornness, derision, finality etc is obtained from a charade of SOT (drunkard) as a habitual or chronic drunkard and HERE (in this location) as at or in this place or location

4d           Writer‘s bitter running through catalogue (10)
LIBRETTIST: The definition of the writer or author of a libretto in classical music i.e. the text of an opera or similar work is got from anagram (running) of BITTER placed inside (through) LIST (catalogue) as a roster, inventory or catalogue

5d           Spike Milligan ultimately has trouble (4)
NAIL: The definition of a slim, pointed piece of metal hammered into material as a fastener, an example of which is a spike i.e. a large stout and heavy nail is obtained from the ultimate or last letter (ultimately) of [MILLIGA]N followed by (has) AIL (trouble) as to trouble, afflict or cause physical or mental pain to someone

6d           Briefly mentions entirely topless American guys (7)
ALLUDES: The definition of a verb in the third person singular present tense denoting mentions without discussing at length is obtained from ALL (entirely) as an adverb meaning entirely, wholly or altogether and [D]UDES (American guys) as a slang term for guys or men in the United States having the topmost letter in the down clue removed (topless)

7d           What’s said when drinking to a good person (5)
TOAST: The definition of the word added to drinking that denotes the spoken salute to the health or honour of someone, uttered when glasses are raised at a drinking occasion is arrived at from TO A from the clue and ST (good person) as the abbreviation for Saint who is a holy person, especially one recognised by a Christian church, or figuratively, someone who is exceptionally good, kind and patient

8d           Engineers go and come back (6)
RETURN: A charade of RE (engineers) as the abbreviation for Royal Engineers and TURN (go) as to go round or move in a circular direction wholly or partly round an axis or point takes to the definition of a verb meaning to come back to a former place or state

13d        Musical ornament jazzed up hit no tiny amount (10)
TRILLIONTH: TRILL (musical ornament) as a melodic ornament in music consisting of a rapid alternation between a principal note and the note a whole tone or semitone above it followed by an anagram (jazzed up) of HIT NO takes to the definition of a fraction equal to one part in a trillion or 10^-12 of a whole

16d        Fighting Tyson, I aim to show hostile attitude (9)
ANIMOSITY: An anagram (fighting) of TYSON I AIM guides to the definition of hostile attitude or deep-seated hatred, as between long-time opponents of rivals

18d        Reportedly, you’re going to record food eaten in winter (4,3)
YULE LOG: A homophone heard by the audience (reportedly) of the phrase YOU WILL LOG (you’re going to record) as you are going to log takes to the definition of a Christmas dessert or pudding  consisting of a sheet of sponge cake that is layered with a cream filling, rolled up, frosted and decorated to look like a log and therefore a winter food

20d        Saw how drinks are served at room temperature (7)
NOTICED: The definition of a verb in the past tense meaning saw, spotted, discerned or detected is arrived at from NOT ICED (how drinks are served at room temperature) as referring to drinks that can be served at room temperature or unrefrigerated and hence not iced or extremely chilled

21d        Plug small books about Napoleon, say (6)
SPIGOT: The definition of the stopper or plug of a faucet or cock is reached from a combo of S (small) as the abbreviation for small and OT (books) as the abbreviation for Old Testament that comprises the chief texts of the law, history, prophecy and wisdom literature of the ancient people of Israel and considered as the predecessor of the New Testament placed around (about) PIG (Napoleon, say) as the name of the Berkshire pig by the name Napoleon, a fictional character from George Orwell’s novella, ‘Animal Farm’ who uses his loyal dogs to seize control of the farm and become its dictator

22d        Reject ringing inaccurate scientist (6)
BOFFIN: BIN (reject) as to reject, discard or to throw into container or enclosed space for storage encircling or making a ring outside (ringing) OFF (inaccurate) as an adjective meaning inaccurate, false or erroneous takes to the definition of a British slang term for a scientist, engineer or other person engaged in technical or scientific research and development

24d        Revolutionary city (North Australia) divided into areas (5)
ZONAL: A combo of LA (city) as the abbreviation for Los Angeles that is a US city, followed by N (north) as the abbreviation for north and OZ (Australia) as a slang term for Australia returning from the other end (revolutionary) as reversals in the across clue leads to the definition of an adjective meaning associate with or divided into zones or areas

26d        This person upset old lady and literary heroine (4)
EMMA: ME (this person) as the setter of this puzzle referring to themselves turned upside down (upset) as a reversal in the down clue followed by MA (old lady) as a childish contraction for mamma i.e. mother who is an old lady brings the definition of the literary heroine that was created by Jane Austen in the form of a novel of the same name, first published in 1815

There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 10a, 15a, 19a, 23a, 30a, 5d, 6d, 18d and 21d; 21d being the topmost clue in the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to the special team for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.