DT 31121 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31121

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 27^th December 2025

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

Wishing you all a Very Very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2026 from Kolkata. 2025 was an insignis annus for me. I passed my Master’s in Public Administration from the Indira Gandhi National Open University with the results declared in March 2025 and I will be getting the degree at the University’s forthcoming Convocation, expected in March 2026. I also passed the second semester examination of M.Sc. (Environmental Science) held in June 2025 and will have appeared in all the papers of the third semester before the publication of my next review. I also appeared at the first year examination of M.A. (Education) held in December 2025. Alongside my studies, I continued teaching the Portuguese language at the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture here in the city and at the other end of the globe here at Big Dave’s Crossword Blog, sixty full reviews penned by me were published in addition to nine more of my puzzles (one in 2023 and seven in 2024) in Rookie Corner from where I earned a promotion to Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle with my first puzzle appearing on 6 December. All said and done, I owe a great deal of gratitude in this regard to my mentors at this world’s biggest and undoubtedly the best crossword blog.

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

In the clue at 14a, I felt ‘such’ as a stylistic padding without which the clue would still have run fine.

I found the Pink Floyd song as in the clue at 19a/24a truly very funny. Arnold Layne, had a strange hobby / Collecting clothes, moonshine washing line / They suit him fine // On the wall hung a tall mirror / Distorted view, see through baby blue / He done it / Oh, Arnold Layne, it’s not the same / Takes two to know, two to know / Two to know, two to know / Why can’t you see? // Arnold Layne, Arnold Layne / Arnold Layne // Now he’s caught a nasty sort of person / They gave him time, doors bang, chain gang / He hates it // Oh, Arnold Layne, it’s not the same / Takes two to know, two to know / Two to know, two to know / Why can’t you see? // Arnold Layne, Arnold Layne / Arnold Layne // Arnold Layne / Don’t do it again.

Nuremberg, the answer to the clue at 6d, reminded me of the infamous Nuremberg Trials that were held in Nuremberg, a city in Germany during 1945-46. That were also a landmark moment in international law. Now after solving the crossword, I explored the internet to refresh my memory and to assess to what extent I have forgotten about the pages of history. I updated myself with at least some information that was unknown to me decades ago. Following the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, the Allied powers, that is the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union and France, established a tribunal to prosecute major Nazi leaders for war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes against peace. The trials were unprecedented. For the first time, individuals, not just states, were held legally accountable for acts of aggression, mass murder and systematic persecution. Twenty-four high-ranking Nazis, including Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess and Joachim von Ribbentrop, were indicted. Charges ranged from planning and waging aggressive war to committing atrocities against civilians, prisoners of war and minority populations, most notably the Jewish population during the Holocaust. The proceedings emphasised due process and legal principles. Defendants were allowed counsel, given the opportunity to defend themselves and presented evidence and witnesses. The tribunal relied on extensive documentation, survivor testimony and captured Nazi records. The trials had profound implications. Twelve defendants were sentenced to death, three were acquitted, and the rest received prison terms. Beyond punishment, the trials set important legal precedents, establishing that ‘following orders’ was not an excuse for committing crimes, and that genocide and systematic crimes against humanity were punishable under international law. The Nuremberg Trials remain a cornerstone of modern international justice. They inspired later institutions, including the International Criminal Court and reinforced the principle that individuals, regardless of rank, can be held accountable for the most egregious violations of human rights.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Chestnut horse bearing black foal? (4)
BABY: BAY (chestnut horse) as a chestnut horse i.e. a horse with a reddish-brown coat and usually a black mane and tail keeping inside (bearing) B (black) as the abbreviation of black on lead pencils to indicate softness leads to the definition of an extremely young child or an extremely young animal, an example of which is a foal i.e. a young animal of the horse family

3a           Pooch, pooch excited around noon, gets cut from rib (6,4)
MUTTON CHOP:  MUTT (pooch) as referring to a dog, especially a mongrel, followed by an anagram (excited) of POOCH placed about (around) N (noon) as the abbreviation for noon gets to the definition of a piece of mutton cut from the rib

10a        Daughter deranged in market town (9)
DUNSTABLE: A charade of D (daughter) as the genealogical abbreviation for daughter followed by UNSTABLE (deranged) as an adjective denoting afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement leads to the definition of a market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, east of the Chiltern Hills, 30 miles north of London

11a        Catholic type (5)
ROMAN: Double nounal definition; the second denoting roman letter or type that takes to the first referring to a Roman Catholic

12a        London attraction that exerts pull? (5)
TOWER: Double nounal definition; the second denoting a person or thing that tows or exerts a pull that takes to the first referring to the Tower of London that is one of the major attractions of London

13a        At work, son may eye a fast buck (4,5)
EASY MONEY: An anagram (at work) of SON MAY EYE takes to the definition of a fast buck i.e. money made quickly or without much exertion or effort, often through dishonest, unscrupulous or ethically dubious means

14a        Who is going to consume such kitchen waste? (8)
PIGSWILL: The obvious answer that pigs are going to consume i.e. pigs will consume, or precisely PIGS WILL that cryptically leads to the definition of such kitchen waste that is also known as hogswash

16a        Painter captures alien in part one needs to see (6)
RETINA: RA (painter) as the abbreviation for Royal Academician, denoting a practising artist of the Royal Academy of Arts, one of whom may be a painter keeps inside (captures) a combo of ET (alien) as an abbreviated version for an extraterrestrial as referring to an extraterrestrial being i.e. a hypothetical or fictional being from outer space, for example an alien and IN from the clue leads to the definition of the sensitive layer of the eye or the part of the back of the eye that receives the image of what is seen

19a and 24 Across           Elderly inside learn any silly Pink Floyd song (6,5)
ARNOLD LAYNE: OLD (elderly) as having lived for a long time, an example of which is elderly, used as a polite word for ‘old’ placed inside (inside) an anagram (silly) of LEARN ANY takes to the definition of Pink Floyd’s 1967 debut single that funnily goes on thus: Arnold Layne, had a strange hobby / Collecting clothes, moonshine washing line / They suit him fine …

20a        Be left standing in Serbian city (8)
BELGRADE: BE from the clue, followed by L (left) as the abbreviation for left and GRADE (standing) as a rank, level or standing guides to the definition of a capital and largest city of Serbia

22a        Leaderless soldiers overtake worker by the way (2,7)
EN PASSANT: [M]EN (soldiers) as non-commissioned soldiers without the leading or initial letter M (leaderless) followed by PASS (overtake) as to overtake, surpass or go beyond and ANT (worker) as a social insect working together in groups leads to the definition of a phrase meaning in passing or by the way

24a        See 19 Across

26a        Below among mainframe components? (5)
INFRA: The definition of an adverb meaning below, especially used in referring to parts of a text is part of or hidden inside (among … components) [MA]INFRA[ME]

27a        Distress great with bishop involved in shooting game (9)
PAINTBALL: PAIN (distress) as distress, hurt or suffering followed by TALL (great) as impressively great or having considerable height bringing inside (with … involved in) B (bishop) as the abbreviation for bishop in chess notation guides to the definition of a type of war game where the players of one team try to eliminate players on the opposing team by shooting capsules of paint at them

28a        Arts festival: see it anew following round in 3D? (10)
EISTEDDFOD: The definition of any of a number of annual festivals in Wales, especially the Royal National Eisteddfod, in which competitions are held in music, poetry, drama and the fine arts is arrived at from an anagram (anew) of SEE IT followed by a combo of F (following) as the abbreviation for following and O (round) as anything round or nearly so placed inside (in) DDD (3D) as three D’s with two D’s positioned at the front and one D at the back

29a        Indefinite number aboard punt leaning (4)
BENT: N (indefinite number) as a determiner denoting an indefinite number getting inside (aboard) BET (punt) as a punt, stake, gamble or wager takes to the definition of a noun denoting leaning or inclination to something

Down

1d           Part secures device emptied behind washer (5)
BIDET: BIT (part) as a small part of something takes inside (secures) D[EVIC]E from the clue from which the inner letters have been removed (emptied), leading to the definition of a basin on a low pedestal, for washing the genital and particularly the anal area i.e. a washer for the behind or backside area

2d           Cool movement in transport for Beatles or Pink Floyd? (9)
BANDWAGON: The definition of a cool movement, a trend enjoying current success, reminiscent of the historical wagon used for carrying a musical band in a parade is got from WAGON (transport) as a light automotive transport or delivery vehicle for BAND (Beatles or Pink Floyd) as a group of musicians, an example of which could be Beatles or Pink Floyd, i.e. WAGON for BAND or precisely, BAND WAGON

4d           Blanket a requirement in poor weather? (8)
UMBRELLA: A cryptic definition of a dome-shaped canopy of light fabric mounted on a stick needed as a protection or cover (blanket a requirement) against a poor-weather situation like rain (in poor weather)

5d           Article by first believer (6)
THEIST: THE (article) as the definite article in the English language followed by IST (first) as representing the ordinal number ‘first’ in which I symbolises the Roman numeral for one guides to the definition of a person who believes in the existence of a god or gods

6d           Bird run over crossing motorway in German city (9)
NUREMBERG: A combo of GREBE (bird) as a short-winged almost tailless freshwater diving bird and RUN from the clue in an upward direction (over) as reversals in the down clue going across (crossing) M (motorway) as the abbreviation for motorway guides to the definition of a historic city in Bavaria, Germany, famous for its medieval castle, rich history and as the site of the post-WWII Nuremberg Trials

7d           Female embracing European male hunks (2-3)
HE-MEN: HEN (female) as referring to a female bird, especially of a domestic fowl taking in (embracing) a combo of E (European) as the abbreviation for European as EU in European Union and M (male) as the genealogical abbreviation for male takes to the definition of men of exaggerated virility, an example of which is hunks colloquially referring to strong or sexually attractive men

8d           Beatles song writer with new ending for My Way (5,4)
PENNY LANE: The definition of a famous song by the Beatles is reached from PEN (writer) as an instrument used for writing followed by (with) N (new) as the abbreviation for new, the ending or terminal letter (ending) for [M]Y and LANE (way) as a narrow way or road

9d           Cause trouble in prison (4)
STIR: Double definition; the second being a noun referring to a slang term for a prison that takes to the first a colloquial verb meaning to cause trouble or dissension

14d        Something held against war that’s dragged on? (5,4)
PEACE PIPE: The definition of a calumet i.e. a highly decorated ceremonial pipe of North American Indian, smoked on ceremonial occasions to serve as a token of peace-making, historically to symbolise agreement or truce is cryptically got from PEACE (something held against war) and PIPE (that’s dragged on) as that is dragged on i.e. drawn smoke into the lungs or taken in air through it in this all-in-one clue

15d        Plant safe blown to bits? (9)
WOLFSBANE: The definition of a poisonous Eurasian plant whose purple or yellow flowers are shaped like a hood is reached from an anagram (to bits) of SAFE BLOWN

17d        Where customs officers may search whatever happens? (2,3,4)
IN ANY CASE: Double definition; the second being an idiom meaning in any situation or no matter what happens or regardless of what has happened or will happen that takes to the first referring metaphorically to the inner contents of all the containers including cases, boxes, bags, trolleys etc where the custom officers may have interest in searching

18d        November routine changes – no big thing (8)
NEUTRINO: N (November) as the letter represented by November in the NATO phonetic alphabet followed by an anagram (changes) of ROUTINE guides to the definition of a particle that is smaller than an atom and has no electrical charge and hence not a big thing

21d        Perverse Pierre dropping guts among patients (6)
WARPED: The definition of an adjective meaning twisted, deformed or morally or perversely bent is arrived at from P[IERR]E from the clue emptying out the inner letters (dropping guts) placed inside (among) WARD (patients) as referring to patients in a hospital room or a section comprising several rooms, collectively

23d        Seabirds not featuring in advertisements (5)
PUFFS: PUFF[IN]S (seabirds) as sea-birds of the auk family, with brightly coloured parrot-like beaks devoid of (not featuring) IN from the clue that guides to the definition of the plural version of praise intended as, or serving as, advertisement

24d        Old instrument with which robber makes off, did you say? (4)
LUTE: The definition of an old instrument shaped like half a pear is deduced from a homophone heard by the audience (did you say?) of LOOT (with which robber makes off) as denoting the plunder or stolen goods with which a thief or robber makes off or engages in before escaping with the goods

25d        Chapter in story reversed brilliant success (5)
ÉCLAT: C (chapter) as the abbreviation for chapter placed inside (in) TALE (story) as a narrative or story in an upward direction (reversed) as a reversal in the down clue leads to the definition of a noun denoting brilliant or conspicuous success or striking effect

There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 3a, 10a, 14a, 24a, 28a, 29a, 1d, 3d, 6d, 8d, 14d and 17d; the top of the lot being 14a. 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.