DT 31103 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31103

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 6^th December 2025

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

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

After solving the crossword, I became interested to know more about the four horsemen of the Apocalypse as the definition to the second clue of the puzzle and explored the internet. I learnt that these horsemen, described in the Book of Revelation (6:1–8), form one of the most enduring and symbolically charged images in apocalyptic literature, representing the onset of divine judgment and the unravelling of human history as the end times begin. Introduced as riders summoned by the breaking of the first four seals of a prophetic scroll, they appear in sequence, each bearing a distinct colour, emblem and cosmic purpose that together embody the collapse of earthly stability and moral order. The first rider, mounted on a white horse, carries a bow and is crowned, traditionally interpreted either as a figure of conquest, an embodiment of imperial ambition or in some readings a parody of Christ’s righteousness; this ambiguity contributes to his unsettling power as a harbinger of deceptive triumph. The second rider, on a fiery red horse, wields a great sword and is permitted to take peace from the earth, symbolising war, civil strife, and the human propensity toward violence once order begins to falter. Following him, the third rider appears on a black horse, holding a pair of scales, evoking famine, scarcity, and the fragile economics of survival as basic sustenance becomes a luxury; his proclamation about inflated grain prices underscores a world where inequality deepens and desperation rules. The final rider, on a pale horse, the colour often translating as ashen or corpse-like, is explicitly named death, with Hades following close behind, representing the culmination of the prior catastrophes and the inevitable mortality that sweeps across a destabilised world. Together, the four horsemen create a layered portrait of societal disintegration: conquest unleashes war, war breeds famine, famine opens the door to mass death and death completes the cycle of divine judgment. Over centuries, these figures have transcended their biblical origins, appearing in art, literature and popular culture as archetypes of catastrophe and existential dread; their imagery resonates in depictions of pandemics, political collapse, environmental crisis and technological threat. Yet despite their foreboding symbolism, the horsemen also serve a theological purpose by foregrounding the moral stakes of human behaviour and the hope for restoration that follows the apocalyptic upheaval. Their ride signifies not only destruction but the dramatic prelude to renewal, reminding readers that apocalyptic visions are as much about transformation and ultimate justice as they are about doom.

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Across

1a           Tea garden’s end in violent storm (7)
TYPHOON: TYPHOO (tea) as a well-known tea brand in the United Kingdom followed by the ending or terminal letter (end) of [GARDE]N (garden’s) takes to the definition of a violent cyclonic storm of the China seas and West Pacific area

5a, 17 Down, 9 Across and 11 Across       Afflicted here, espy malefactors He put on hoof? (3,4,8,2,3,10)
THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE: The definition of the harbingers of doom from the biblical Book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Bible, personifying Conquest, War, Famine and Death as the divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence is arrived at from HERE, ESPY MALEFACTORS HE PUT ON HOOF from the clue subject to an anagram (afflicted) in this all-in-one clue

9a           See 5 Across

10a        Crossed unruly rocker entertaining party people (9)
TRAVERSED: The definition of an adjective meaning crossed or passed over is obtained from TED (unruly) as referring to Ted Nugent, the well-known rock guitarist who is also regarded unruly because his public image is often described in such terms by commentators commentators welcoming or taking inside (entertaining) RAVERS (party people) as people who regularly attend raves, which are large dance parties featuring EDM or electronic dance music like techno, house, trance, drum and bass or dubstep

11a        See 5 Across

12a        Almost obstruct United Nations? (4)
BLOC: Most of the letters (almost) of BLOC[K] (obstruct) as to block an opening, path, road etc guides to the definition of a group of countries or political parties with common interests who have formed an alliance, an example of which is the United Nations i.e. an association of states formed in 1945 to promote peace an international security and co-operation, taking over many of the functions of the dissolved League of Nations

14a        Choreographed Nilotic dance apparently random (12)
COINCIDENTAL: An anagram (choreographed) of NILOTIC DANCE leads to the definition of an adjective meaning happening by chance or not planned i.e. apparently random

18a        Annoyed assistant of actor that’s Portia, say (5-7)
CROSS-DRESSER: A charade of CROSS (annoyed) as annoyed, displeased or angry and DRESSER (assistant of actor) as a person employed to assist actors in putting on and taking off their costumes takes to the definition of a person who dresses or likes to dress in clothing typically worn by members of the opposite sex, an example of which is Portia, a character in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ of William Shakespeare, who famously disguises herself as a male lawyer

21a        Most appropriate wager brings in shilling (4)
BEST: The definition of an adjective in the superlative degree meaning surpassing all others in excellence, achievement or quality or the most satisfactory, suitable or appropriate is reached from BET (wager) as to bet money etc on the outcome of anything taking inside (brings in) S (shilling) as the abbreviation for shilling

22a        Deranged family that could cause downfall (6,4)
BANANA SKIN: A charade of BANANAS (deranged) as a slang adjective meaning deranged, out of one’s mind or lacking sense or sanity and KIN (family) as one’s relative or family takes to the definition of a figurative phrase meaning something which causes a slip-up or a downfall

25a        End to battling bad weather conditions on a river (9)
ARMISTICE: The definition of a truce denoting suspension of hostilities or end to battling is arrived at from a combo of MIST and ICE (bad weather conditions) as referring to bad weather conditions; mist being an atmospheric condition of thin fog, resulting from condensation of water in the air near the earth’s surface, which reduces horizontal visibility to 1–2 kilometres and ICE resulting from frozen water that forms on surfaces such as roads, rivers and walkways when temperatures fall below freezing, both of which can affect outdoor activities and travel preceded by or coming after in the across clue (on) a combo of A from the clue and R (river) as the abbreviation for River, used especially for maps in an atlas or a geography book

26a        Some mountain troops opening passage (5)
INTRO: Part of or hidden inside (some) of [MOUNTA]IN TRO[OPS] guides to the definition of a brief introductory passage to a piece of popular music

27a        Cooler underground? (7)
DUNGEON: A cryptic definition of a cooler i.e. a slang term for a jail that is literally located or might be found underground

28a        Pit worker against a goddess (7)
MINERVA: MINER (pit worker) as referring to someone who works in a place from which minerals, especially coal or precious metals, are dug, for example a pit or colliery i.e. a coal mine, followed by V (against) as the abbreviation for versus denoting against, in opposite to or in contrast with and A from the clue takes to the definition of the Roman goddess of wisdom, arts and strategic warfare

Down

1d           More perhaps from zero used in complex maths (6)
THOMAS: The definition of the first name of the English lawyer, judge, social philosopher, author, statesman, theologian and noted Renaissance humanist, better known as Sir Thomas More is arrived at from O (zero) as the letter that resembles a zero taken inside (used in) an anagram (complex) of MATHS

2d           Regular customer parking right inside a lot (6)
PATRON: The definition of a customer of a shop, hotel etc, especially a regular one is reached from P (parking) as the abbreviation for parking followed by R (right) as the abbreviation for right placed inside (inside) A TON (a lot) as a great quantity or a lot, for example, I have got a ton of work to do i.e. a lot of work to do

3d           Work over time and put up music venue (5,5)
OPERA HOUSE: OP (work) as the abbreviation for opus that refers to work, especially a musical composition in which one is numbered in order of publication placed above in the down clue (over) ERA (time) as a long and distinct period of history or a main division of geological time and followed by (and) HOUSE (put up) as to put up, lodge or accommodate takes to the definition of a building where musical dramas are performed

4d           Smart abstaining in vote against (5)
NATTY: The definition of an adjective meaning neatly or trimly smart is derived from TT (abstaining) as an abbreviation for teetotal, an adjective meaning abstaining from or not drinking alcohol placed inside (in) NAY (vote against) as referring to a negative vote or a person who vote against

5d           St Martins put out broadcasts (9)
TRANSMITS: An anagram (put out) of ST MARTINS takes to the definition of a verb in the third person singular present tense meaning broadcasts a radio or television programme

6d           Old PM in drug study (4)
EDEN: The definition of the surname of Robert Anthony Eden who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1955 until his resignation in 1957 is reached from E (drug) as the abbreviation for Ecstasy that is a drug taken for stimulant and hallucinogenic properties and DEN (study) as a room, often secluded, in a house or apartment, designed to provide a quiet and informal atmosphere for conversation, reading, writing, academic work etc

7d           Black fish in hotel, skinned, well past prime (8)
OBSOLETE: A combo of B (black) as the abbreviation of black on lead pencils to indicate softness and SOLE (fish) as an elliptical flatfish of the genus Solea placed inside (in) [H]OTE[L] that is devoid of its skin or outermost letters (skinned) guides to the definition of an adjective meaning out of date or no longer in use, an example of which is the descriptive phrase ‘well past prime’ indicating no longer at its best and hence out of date

8d           Understandable Irish uprising English mock (8)
RIDICULE: A combo of LUCID (understandable) as easily understandable or transparently clear, especially of a language and IR (Irish) as an abbreviation of Irish in an upward direction (uprising) as reversals in the down clue followed by E (English) as the abbreviation for English takes to the definition of a verb meaning to mock, deride or make fun of someone

13d        Voltaire, Candide , at last deciphered: new book with 5 17 9 11 (10)
REVELATION: A combo of VOLTAIRE from the clue and the last or terminal letter (at last) of [CANDID]E subject to an anagram (deciphered) followed by N (new) as the abbreviation for new leads to the definition of the name of the book that is also called the Book of the Apocalypse or the Apocalypse of John and canonically the last book of the New Testament that figures 5a 17 9 and 11

15d        Resistance soldiers in country telling tales (9)
NARRATION: A combo of R (resistance) as the symbol for resistance in physics and RA (soldiers) as the abbreviation for Royal Artillery which is one of the two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army placed inside (in) NATION (country) a country, together with its social and political structures yields the definition of the act of telling tales or stories

16d        Weapon holder: one who won’t strike Shakespeare? (8)
SCABBARD: The definition of a sheath for the blade of a sword or dagger, typically made of leather or metal is obtained from a charade of SCAB (one who won’t strike) as an employee who works while others are on strike and BARD (Shakespeare) as referring to the Bard of Avon, an epithet of William Shakespeare

17d        See 5 Across

19d        Curry was one of fish and rice originally (6)
SKATER: The definition of celebrated British figure skater who was the 1976 European, World and Olympic champion and whose full name was John Anthony Curry was formed from SKATE (one of fish) as any of various cartilaginous fishes chiefly of the family Rajidae, having a flattened body with greatly expanded pectoral fins that extend around the head, and laying eggs enclosed in hard cases and R[ICE] from the clue as the original or initial letter (originally)

20d        An African ape shunning hostile goat (6)
ANGORA: AN from the clue followed by GOR[ILL]A (an African ape) as a powerfully built great ape with a large head and short neck, found in the forests of central Africa removing from itself (shunning) ILL (hostile) as an adjective meaning hostile or unfriendly takes to the definition of a domestic breed of goat raised for its long silky hair which is the true mohair

23d        Sailor turned West to the side of a ship (5)
ABEAM: AB (sailor) as the abbreviation for able-bodied that refers to a seaman or sailor followed by MAE (West) as the first name of the celebrated Hollywood actress, Mae West turned upside down or overturned (turned) as a reversal in the down clue leads to the definition of an adverb meaning off to the side of a ship especially at a right angle to the middle of the ship

24d        Man for example lives on lake’s shores (4)
ISLE: The definition of a literary term for an island or peninsula, especially a small one, an example of which can be the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland is arrived at from IS (lives) as the third person singular of the verb ‘to be’ denoting lives, for example, ‘he lives’ can mean ‘he is’ and the outermost letters (on … shores) of L[AK]E (lake’s)

There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 18a, 22a, 25a, 27a, 28a, 1d, 7d, 8d, 13d, 16d and 19d; 22a 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 being with you here again. Have a nice day.