Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31119
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Good morning, fellow puzzlers and a very happy and peaceful Christmas to you all.
Silvanus claimed ownership of today’s puzzle in last Friday’s comments. I found it suitably seasonal, not too challenging and great fun to solve. Perhaps he is being gentle with us, knowing that many of us will not have much spare time to sneak in a quick solve without getting told off by senior management.
I have added plenty of images to enjoy, as it is Christmas, but I hope that these do not give the answers away too much. If they do, please accept my apologies.
My ticks are for Prokofiev’s piece at 5a, the neat anagram at 15a, the rings at 1d, the setter getting fired at 6d and the seat that Starmer lost at 20d. Which did you like?
Many thanks to Silvanus and to the DT Crossword Team.
Across
1a Exceptional person that may reveal a cringeworthy joke? (7)
CRACKER: double definition.
5a Recalled piece from Prokofiev, it’s effectively celebratory (7)
FESTIVE: hidden word backwards (recalled piece from). Our seasonal solution is lurking backwards within words 4-6. No doubt Silvanus had Prokofiev’s sleigh ride in mind when he wrote this clue.
9a Type of band, perhaps O2 turn appearing shortly (7)
GASTRIC: O2 is an example of the first three letters of the clue. Add to this a synonym of turn without the final letter (appearing shortly).
10a Not just female previously arriving at amusement park (7)
FUNFAIR: synonym of “not just” after abbreviation for Female.
11a Wrong of firm claiming modern lorry occasionally overturned (9)
ERRONEOUS: four-letter synonym of firm (think certain) outside (claiming) every other letter backwards of mOdErN lOrRy.
12a See anger in French banker (5)
LOIRE: synonym of see + synonym of anger. The French banker is, of course, a river.
13a Label European placed on centre of Christmas present (5)
STAGE: synonym of label (think presents) + abbreviation for European after the central letter of chriStmas. The solution is a verb masquerading as a noun.
15a Gift women tend to order (9)
ENDOWMENT: anagram (to order) of WOMEN TEND.
17a Shores of lake that discontented sailor wanders around (9)
LITTORALS: abbreviation for Lake + remove the central letters of T(ha)T (discontented) and put it inside an anagram (wanders) of SAILOR
19a Genuine problem ultimately for monarchy (5)
REALM: synonym of genuine + last letter of probleM.
22a & 23a Unusual occurrence in London WH Smith’s I react about (5,9)
WHITE CHRISTMAS: anagram (about) of WHSMITHS I REACT.
23a See 22 Across.
25a More hazardous run facing one slalom competitor perhaps (7)
RISKIER: abbreviation for Run + I (one) + a slalom competitor going downhill fast.
26a Speaker’s indicated appropriate alternative to turkey possibly (3,4)
RED MEAT: homophones (speakers) of synonyms of “indicated” and “appropriate”.
27a Carouse with idiot, attracting trouble (7)
WASSAIL: abbreviation for With + synonym of idiot + synonym of trouble
28a Star’s Yuletide location? (7)
TREETOP: cryptic definition.
Down
1d Traditional gifts on Christmas’s seventh day? Rings, reportedly (7)
CYGNETS: provided that you can remember the verses of Twelve Days of Christmas, this should be fairly straightforward. The solution is the gift on the seventh day of Christmas, albeit young offspring thereof. They are also a homophone (reportedly) of a synonym of rings (think fingers).
2d American visiting entrances country (7)
AUSTRIA: abbreviation for American inside (visiting) a synonym of entrances.
3d Grumble raised about old sacred scripture (5)
KORAN: synonym of grumble reversed (raised) outside abbreviation for Old.
4d Tommy maybe playing poker with Cora (4,5)
ROCK OPERA: anagram (playing) of POKER CORA.
5d Duke briefly holds iron instruments (5)
FIFES: slang synonym of duke without the final letter (briefly) outside chemical symbol for iron.
6d Setter fired primarily over minor bloomer (9)
SUNFLOWER: something that sets in the evening + first letter of Fired + synonym of minor.
7d Guess name of Lennon song (7)
IMAGINE: double definition.
8d Serious point drinker regularly interrupts (7)
EARNEST: even letters (regularly) of dRiNkEr inside (interrupts) one of the points of the compass.
14d Touring India, see actor excited finding mysterious objects (9)
ESOTERICA: anagram (excited) of SEE ACTOR outside (touring) abbreviation for India.
16d Leave upset Jack for North African soldier (6,3)
DESERT RAT: synonym of leave (as in abandon) + slang term for sailor reversed (upset).
17d Uncultured lump wife stops having argument (7)
LOWBROW: synonym of lump outside abbreviation for Wife + synonym of argument.
18d Putting down small upper garment son desires (7)
THIRSTS: an informal “upper garment” with the S (small) moved down towards the end of the word + abbreviation for Son.
20d Support for member in seat Starmer lost (7)
ARMREST: anagram (lost) of STARMER.
21d Error made by pessimist surprisingly is ignored (7)
MISSTEP: anagram (surprisingly) of PESSIM(is)T.
23d Song about character missing Spain (5)
CAROL: abbreviation meaning “about” + synonym of character (think theatre) without the IVR for Spain (or Espana).
24d Pleased generally to purchase plant (5)
SEDGE: hidden word (to purchase). Our answer is lurking within words 1-2.
Quickie Pun: MULL + TWINE = MULLED WINE
Have a lovely day!
A most festive offering for Christmas Day and an enjoyable solve. Mind you, having to solve it online was a strange experience for me – nowhere to write notes and clues disappear once solved. 22 and 23 across threw me for a while because there was little indication they were linked apart from 23a stating “see 22a”. My COTD is 20d with the PM losing is seat.
Thank you, setter for a great start to the day. Thank you, Shabbo for the hints.
I said it before but it does no harm to say it again. Merry Christmas to everyone and a festive plea to lurkers to come and join the fun. 🎅🏻🎅🏻
Hudson ate all the crisps while I was having a bath. 🐶
Hi Steve Happy Christmas. You can bring back the clues online if you go to the circle in the top left corner
Thanks, Shirley. I never do the puzzle online so it is a bit of a mystery to me.
I agree Steve I can’t do the crossword on line so thankyou Shirley for the hint, although the circle is on the right on my iPhone. I’ll have a go later.
Thank you to all our setters and hinters your hard work is much appreciated.
Happy Christmas everyone.
Wishing Shabbo and all others a Merry Christmas!
A very Merry Christmas to you, Rahmat and a peaceful New Year.
Thank you for all your work on the blog. I love reading your comments.
Thank you so much, Steve Cowling, for wishing me a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year as also for your other kind comments. It has always been my pleasure to work on this blog. Wishing you also a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year 2026.
A very Merry Christmas to you, Rahmat and a Happy and Peaceful New Year.
Thank you for all your work during the year. I love reading your reviews.
The first comment didn’t save now its appears out of nowhere!🤔
The first post disappeared so I sent another only to find the first one has appeared mysteriously. 🤔
3*/5*. The sun is shining in a clear blue sky here in London and this puzzle proved to be a Christmas delight. Three quarters of it were very friendly although I did find the NW corner much tougher. However, it was all good festive fun with excellent clueing and ultra-smooth surfaces.
I didn’t know the synonym of “lump” needed in 17d, but it couldn’t have been anything else and I confirmed it by checking my BRB.
From a page littered with ticks, my crowded podium comprises 5a, 9a, 15a, 6d & 20d.
Many thanks to Silvanus and to Shabbo.
I hope everyone has a very happy day.
A lovely pre-6am solve – many thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo, and a merry Christmas to all.
The Toughie is very approachable and well worth a shot if you have the time!
Only half way through at the moment, so will have to comeback to it later if my brain is still willing after a glass or two of bubbles, but wanted to pop in to wish you all a Merry Christmas and huge thanks to all setters, and bloggers.
Just the job. Santa has dropped two excellent puzzles down the chimney: a Smooth production replete with festive clues for Jane & there’s a typically fun Toughie from Django over in t’other place. Solved both before a bracing constitutional around East & West Common in what is beautiful sunny weather here in Harpenden & in advance of this afternoon’s eating & drinking. No probs in the east with this one but found the west a fair bit trickier so not the fastest of solves. As ever you can stick a ✅ next to pretty well all of ‘em so won’t bother to pick a podium. Found myself singing the 12Days to remember what came on the 7th day which prompted a You Tube search.
Thanks to Silvanus & Shabbo & wishing all a great day.
Thanks Huntsmsn for the 12 days. Just had a good giggle.
Merry Christmas, everybody. Thank you Silvanus for the puzzle — my favourite was the gender-neutral amusement park. A few early clues gave me misplaced confidence, then it took me an above-average time to get an almost-full grid, and I gave up with one to go — 17a is literally a word I’ve never heard of.
Thank you to Shabbo for explaining the 23d character, and confirming the parsing of 26a, though I still can’t get ‘appropriate’ to work; should I be saying it as the adjective or the verb?
Adjective.
Merry Christmas, Smylers.
It’s now 4 hours since I did the crossword online in bed and I can’t really remember too much about it now apart from the fact that Cumbria held me up for some time.
Merry Christmas to all the setters, hinters, and of course the other bloggers.
A Very Happy Christmas to all from Winnipeg where we have a White Christmas thanks to last week’s blizzard!
Today’s excellent offering from Silvanus took a little longer to solve than it probably should have done but I will put that down to my brain being somewhat numbed because of possible OD-ing on a quite pleasant vino collapso through the day yesterday.
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 13a, 5d, and 6d – and the winner is 6d.
Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.
Merry Christmas one and all from pommers and me in a dark, dank and rainy Vega Baja.
Not what we normally get here at Christmas.
Fairly easy solve for us but got stuck in the NW corner – 1d causing a lot of head scratching. We couldn’t for the life of us see what day 7s present had to do with rings! Still not keen on having to swap it for the young of the species!
But thanks Sylvanus for the crossword and Shabbo for the hints.
Thank you Sylvanus and Shabbo for this 5 across work-out. NE went in first, followed by SE and NW. Like SC my digital edition did not show the combination of 22a and 23a, so 22a had me floundering and was last in as it couldn’t be anything else.
Favourite is the troubled idiot at 27a.
Happy Christmas to you all.
This was a very suitable and entertaining puzzle completed in a gap between preparations.
Many thanks to Silvanus and to Shabbo for the hints.
After getting the first couple of clues I struggled with this today but got there in the end. 17a was a new word for me.
Top picks for me were 6d, 1d, 11a and 28a.
Thanks to Shabbo and Silvanus.
Happy Christmas everyone!
Thanks to Shabbo and Silvanus
4*/5*
Very difficult for me and a plethora of new words made it very difficult!
Or perhaps it the champagne
Merry Xmas everyone
Finally, the spirit of Christmas appears courtesy of Silvanus!
Tried to solve this whilst involved with that mysterious electronic wizardry known as ‘Teams’ which allowed me to see and talk to my little family on IOW and No.1 daughter on holiday in Mexico at the same time – amazing! Overall impression is that the grandchildren are likely to be bad-tempered and overtired by about 5pm and the wind in Mexico is going to continue to blow strongly for at least another week…. Think I’m glad that I’m at home!
Back to the puzzle – one of those ‘straightforward until it wasn’t’ compilations that both entertained and stretched me. Can’t say that 17a crops up in my everyday vocabulary and the nearest thing I’ve got to a 5d is one of the girls’ old recorders that’s still knocking about in a cupboard somewhere. Earworm courtesy of The Twelve Days of Christmas will be with me for quite some time….
Double podium for Christmas which is populated by 5,15,27&28a plus 1&20d.
Many thanks to the smooth Silvanus for the puzzle and also to Shabbo for the review – festive wishes to both.
Double podium for Christmas which is populated by 5,15,27&28a plus 1&20d
Apologies for the repeat of my podium choices – must have pressed the wrong button somewhere – doesn’t surprise me!
Thanks ro Sylvanus and Shbbo and Merry Christmas to .all. it was a lovely Christmas crossword, completed in the small hours of Christmas Day i liked the two geographical clues at 10a and 17a and the amusemant park for girls obly at 0a. My COTD , however, was the well-misdirected 16d two of my uncles having been amongst them.
Probably not a great idea trying to solve this after a late lunch with the odd liquid refreshment. The NW took me as long as the rest of the grid but I got there in the end. Quite superb as always from this setter, and I can only admire the work that our blogger put in on this of all days.
Many thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo.
A great way to start the day, much appreciated that Telegraph Towers provide for withdrawal symptoms, and that they give bloggers an early look to facilitate things. Thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo, and A very merry Christmas to everyone else involved in this delightful blog. A nod of agreement to Mustafa and Huntsman, the Django is well worth a look.
“Sound, sound the clarion, fill the fife!
Throughout the sensual world proclaim,
One crowded hour of glorious life
Is worth an age without a name.” Thomas Osbert Mordaunt
Lovely puzzle for Christmas afternoon. I’ll vote for 9A – O2 turn shortly – superb!
Many thanks to Silvanus and Shabbo, and a Merry Christmas to all.
Another good day in crossword land, and pleased to see some seasonal clues today. Worked all day in my kitchen yesterday preparing ahead for tonight’s dinner, so enjoying free time to work on this puzzle. COTD for me, without a doubt, is 16d because my Dad was one of those brave soldiers. Always a man of a few words, when we asked him what North Africa was like he would say “hot”, and when asked about Italy he would smile and say “good cover”. Thanks for Silvanus for going easy on us today, and to Shabbo for doing this on Christmas Day. Enjoy the Christmas Pudding everyone.
Many thanks to Shabbo and to all those solving and commenting today. I hope you all are having an enjoyable Christmas Day.
As this is my last puzzle of 2025, I’d like to thank everyone for their contributions during the year and to wish a Happy New Year 2026 to all who use this wonderful blog, be they regular commenters or anonymous lurkers.
I shall see you all again early in January.
Thanks for the mental workout throughout the year, and the team of bloggers that provide the hints.
Thank you, silvanus for a today’s seasonal puzzle and for all your contributions throughout the year. I don’t solve all of your guzzles but I’m getting better at them.
A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family.
Your puzzles have brought us so much enjoyment, Silvanus, and I do hope there will be plenty more flowing from your pen in the years to come. Many thanks for all the pleasurable hours and a very Happy New Year to you.
2.5* / 4* Just right for a festive puzzle, I’ll go for 9a as favourite although couldn’t parse it til I read Shabbo’s hints.
Thanks to Shabbo and Silvanus
Great festive stuff – many thanks to Silvanus (for this and all his excellent puzzles throughout 2025) and to Shabbo (for this and all his excellent reviews throughout the year).
I had to check which of the gifts was delivered on the seventh day.
Top clues for me were 1a, 9a and 27a.
I hope that everyone has had an enjoyable Christmas Day (so far).
Hi, I’m Val and I am a lurker. Thank you for all your help with the crossword, everyone, you help me a lot and I no longer have to leave it half finished. Season’ s greetings to all.
Welcome to the blog, Valerie.
Now that you’ve de-lurked I hope that you’ll become one of our merry band of regular commenters.
Thank you , I’ll try!
Welcome from me, as well, Valerie and please do keep commenting. 👍😊
Thank you , it feels strange to be out of the shadows finally and part of the discussion.
Rest assured, you will be very welcome.
This took a little longer than normal; but got there in the end. Difficult to find time to post to the blog as we are trying to limit time spent on phones, tablets etc.
3*/4* …
liked 27A “Carouse with idiot, attracting trouble (7)”
It certainly conjured up all manner of images!
😊