Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31138
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** Enjoyment ***
Mr K is traveling at the moment and unable to blog so at very short notice I’ve set up the clues and answers and underlined the definitions. I’ve no time to write the hints so feel free to contribute hints for individual clues – I’ll incorporate good ones in the blog later.
Update: As Gazza is also blogging the Toughie, I have stepped in to provide some hurried hints for the backpager. I’m sure I’ve made lots of mistakes but if you point them out, please tell us what you thought of the crossword at the same time.
Difficult to tell at the speed at which I was solving, parsing and typing, but it did seem to be that there were a lot of repeated clue devices throughout
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and indicator words (e.g. anagram indicators) are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons.
Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought of the puzzle; do try to be positive and comply with the site etiquette which, if you’ve never read it, can be found under the ‘Comment’ tab on the site’s home page.
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Across
1a Turn meat over with some wood (8)
MAHOGANY: A reversal (over) of a turn and some meat, followed by a synonym for some
5a Curve on map is essentially ignored by local (6)
ISOBAR: IS (from the clue), the essential letter of ignOred and a local drinking establishment
10a Had food on back of empty steel pan (5)
SLATE: A simple way of saying had food goes after (on the back of) the outside letters (empty) of SteeL
11a Spare iPad somehow given a value (9)
APPRAISED: An anagram (somehow) of SPARE I PAD
12a Lying at home after Sunday school class? (9)
INSINCERE: The usual at home, a synonym for after and the abbreviation Religious Education (Sunday school class)
13a Charlie recalled hosting naked gala dance (5)
SALSA: A reversal of an idiot (Charlie) ‘hosting’ the inside letters (naked) of gALa
14a Victor interrupting frisky actor’s frolic (6)
CAVORT: The letter represented by Victor in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet ‘interrupting’ an anagram (frisky) of ACTOR
15a Card game oddly calmer after a lot of wine (7)
PINOCLE: The odd letters of CaLmEr follow almost all of a type of wine
18a Ring performer Mike visiting a party with Republican (7)
MATADOR: The letter represented by Mike as a code word, a simple way of saying visiting A party (2,1,2) and the abbreviation for Republican
20a Advises American screening seed supplier (6)
SESAME: Hidden in the first two words of the clue
22a Adult and child inspired by church store (5)
CACHE: The abbreviations for Adult and child ‘inspired’ by the abbreviation for the Church of England
24a Read Pinter after cycling on front of tandem (9)
INTERPRET: Cycle the first letter of PINTER to the end of the word, add the usual on the subject of and the ‘front’ of Tandem
25a Liberal blocking second delivery of total budget shortfall? (5,4)
BLACK HOLE: The abbreviation for Liberal ‘blocking’ a verb meaning to second followed by a homophone (delivery) of total
26a Father quietly covering chapter in trained group (5)
PADRE: Change the abbreviation for Chapter at the start of a trained group to the musical abbreviation for quietly
27a Politician welcomed by island conglomerate (6)
EMPIRE: An abbreviated politician ‘welcomed’ by an island to the left of the United Kingdom
28a Modern offices secured finally by river for media centre (4,4)
NEWS DESK: A synonym for modern, the final letters of officeS and secureD, followed by a river
Down
1d Large amount rolled inside of fine fabric (6)
MUSLIN: A reversal (rolled) of the abbreviation for Large and an amount, followed by the ‘inside’ of fINe
2d Early advantage of promotion above street in centre (4,5)
HEAD START: An abbreviated piece of promotion and the abbreviation for street inserted into the centre of something
3d Young wife precooked wild bird (5,10)
GREEN WOODPECKER: The colour associated with something young or new and an anagram (wild) of W (wife) and PRECOOKED
4d Attention held by shelter easiest to reach? (7)
NEAREST: A synonym for attention ‘held’ by a shelter (often used by birds)
6d Flag pests around beach rubbish on top of shingle (5,3,7)
STARS AND STRIPES: A reversal of some pests, something found on a beach and some rubbish go on (in a Down solution) the first letter (top) of Shingle
7d Loyal voters left European city (5)
BASEL: Loyal voters and the abbreviation for Left
8d Fans out of area D sit all over the place (8)
RADIATES: An anagram (all over the place) of AREA D SIT
9d Running ahead before spy returned (6)
UPKEEP: A synonym for ahead and a reversal (returned) of a verb meaning spy on
16d Doctors caught scaling bank in city (9)
CAMBRIDGE: A reversal of the abbreviation for the organisation of doctors goes between the abbreviation for Caught and a bank
17d Friendly novelist abridged message (8)
AMICABLE: Truncate the surname of a novelist (there are two with this surname) and add a type of message
19d Queen greeting Poles housing old animals (6)
RHINOS: The Latin abbreviation for Queen, an informal greeting and the two abbreviated poles ‘housing’ the abbreviation for Old
20d Triumphal expression of drunk with present (2,5)
SO THERE: A drunk and a synonym for present
21d Romeo takes off for cheeky run across pitch? (6)
STREAK: An anagram (off) of the letter represented by Romeo in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet and TAKES
23d Colonel eviscerated reptile in hold (5)
CLASP: Remove the inside letters (eviscerated) of ColoneL and add a snake (reptile)
The Quick Crossword pun: BOAR + EAT + TOES = BURRITOS
I didn’t get on with today’s puzzle but I think that is down to the fact the house is full of workmen sorting out a leaking water tank in the loft. Such things tend to play havoc with the concentration. I have never heard of the card game at 15a but I see it is derived from bezique. So, a bit of a struggle but I managed to get over the line amid the hammering and sawing. My COTD is the ring performer at 18a.
Thank you, setter for the guzzle but I’m afraid I couldn’t do it justice. Thank you, Gazza for the hints and for stepping in at short notice.
Oh dear, that is not good. Thankfully our water comes in straight off the mains, and the only tank is for hot water, which is always located in the garage. So you never have to worry about it being overhead, and potentially bringing down a ceiling.
Good morning. And so it continues, Friday`s crosswords are becoming gentler and gentler. I found this very straightforward save for the NW corner which required a bit of thought. Too many to like so no podium. 5, 10, 13, 14, 18 across and 9 and 17d are my top picks. LOI was 14a. Many thanks for the review and hints which were not needed and setter for the puzzle.
Can’t say I enjoyed this one, and lot of guessing then checking to see why.
Only knew the card game as it is mentioned in the film ‘Dirty Dancing’ (maybe it’s an American game? hopefully someone can explain)
Still no clue how some of the answers work, so hope we get some hints a bit later, roll on tomorrow…..
Got there eventually, with the NW last to fall. Quite a bit of reverse parsing required and I’m still not sure I get a few, such as 1d. 17d was my favourite and I’m just starting (thirty years too late) to read The Information. Now I should head to B&Q to obtain the items needed to fix the curtain pole that a hungover son managed to pull down this morning. Thanks very much to the setter and to Gazza for subbing in at short notice.
Some tricky praing was the main difficulty in this puzzle, although it was possible to work out some clues using just the definition, like a non-cryptic crossword . I liked the 1a lego clue and the cryyptic mapwork clue at 6a. The two long anagrams at 3d and 5d were good fun too. Thanks to thecompiler and to Gazza for producing the hints at short notice. Gòd luck with thewater tank, Steve!
Thankfully, CC just a new wooden support and new connectors needed. No massive holes in the ceiling, thank goodness.
I’ll give a hint for 5a, Which nearly became my COTD.
Curve on map is essentially ignored by local.
“Curve on map” is the definition. Take “is” from the clue, add the middle letter (essential) of “ignored” and add another word for a pub (local).
Careful Steve, Gazza will be inviting you to join the blogging team
Even for a Friday, quite a challenge and not a lot of fun; the solve seemed to take a lot longer than it actually did – 3.5*/1.5*
Smiles for 1d, 7d, 20d, and 21d.
Thanks to whomsoever and Gazza.
And thanks to CS.
Oooo, I’m torn. I’m torn. Zandio or Silvanus? Hmm, I’m going for……….the former!
My LOI was 15a as it’s a variant spelling of a card game that I haven’t heard of. Throw in a curtailed five letter wine and you’ve got yourself a brute of a clue, my friends. That’s one of the reasons for picking Z not Sade.
The city in 7d is always good fun. Not only can it be spelt two ways, it can be pronounced two ways as well!
Re 27a….The reverse of the first four letters of N.Ireland are appropriately Erin.
I know RD isn’t a fan of first names being used but a four letter novelist is a big category and then some.
My podium is 1a (nice construction), 24a and 19d.
MT to Z and Gazza for standing in at the eleventh hour, literally.
4*/4*
Sone very nice things today. I missed the hints – as well as being helpful they are witty in their own way.
I found this a struggle and it took me a while to get anything. The card game was new to me.
Thank goodness for CrypticSue and her hints which were much appreciated to understand 9d, 16d and 1a.
Top picks for me were 5a, 20a, 2d, 3d and 20d.
Thanks to Gazza and CrypticSue and to the setter.
I had to check that this was a Friday puzzle as after a hesitant start I sailed through unaided, only stalling back in the NW with the parsing of 1a and 1d which I sussed eventually. Many years ago I had a book of card games, so 15a is familiar to me and sits on my podium with 16d and 26a.
Thanks to the setter and cs.
1*/4*
Now to see what Sparks has to offer.
12 Surely, IN SINCE RE is the solution?
Welcome to the blog, Mary.
What did you think of the puzzle?
I’m with you on 12a, since = after, couldn’t make it out from the hint at all, sorry Sue.
I knew it was wrong but have now amended the hint
For me, this was another ‘no fun’ Friday but others will doubtless have a very different opinion. Top clues here were 12a & 3d.
Thanks to our setter – Zandio would be my guess – and to the combined talents of Gazza and CS for the review.
I struggled with today’s offering. On the first pass, I had just two entries and given that I couldn’t parse one of them, I wasn’t confident of that either. I put it down and returned to it a couple of times before resorting to the hints to get me over the completion line. Of those I managed unaided, 5a is my cotd. Thanks to compiler for the challenge that was too good for me and CS for the outstanding hints at short notice.
This was a lengthy struggle for me. Having said which, no complaints, all fairly clued and nothing obscure, so well done and thanks to setter and hinter.
Such a morning! I’ve never seen the like of it.
Awoken by a persistent knocking on the front door. Clutching a lace handkerchief to her brow, Miss Abinger trembled behind an enraged Colonel Bagshot. Despite my protests that it was 6:30 in the morning he demanded that we rouse the committee as, in his words, there had been a bounder, a devil, of an intrusion in today’s crossword.
“What is this 15 across?” he snorted. “I have played at the Hotel Magnifique in Cannes and I can tell you, as I beat the house at baccarat, I have never come across this monstrous absurdity masquerading as a diversion for the lower orders!”
The committee met at 6:45 (Miss Gomshall apologised for appearing in her nightgown and peignoir), and by a majority vote 15 across was voted on to The List.
As always, I shall inform Mr Lancaster, Sir Keir, Mrs Badenoch, and Chaka Khan.
Thanks to the setter and PC Security (anag)
Poor Terence. What a trial. I just hope you didn’t find any bits on you OJ – it would have been the last straw!
Thanks to Gazza and Sue for stepping in when the complications of travelling in a foreign country deprived me of computer access at hint-writing time.
*** / ***
Quite a challenge for sure. I’ll have to go and calm the equines! I cannot find the game in 15a without an “H” in the name. It’s not in my Chambers app and google doesn’t find it although the google AI summary gives the answer as an alternative spelling. Furthermore, everything stresses that the game with the “H” is an American game. Doubtless the full Chambers includes this spelling but the internet does not – at least not for me © etc. Happy for you to submit this evidence to The List, Terrence!
In 26a, I’ve not come across “covering” as device for changing a character before. In 20a, do we really need “supplier” at all, I suppose it’s literally correct but I thought prior to checking that the answer was the seed itself.
Haven said all that, still a hugely enjoyable tussle with ticks going to the 20d Triumphal expression and the 27a conglomerate.
Many thanks to the setter (not sure today) and Crypticsue for stepping in.
An enjoyable enough puzzle which wasn’t all that difficult to solve, but 15a annoyed me a little, because despite checking Google I can find no reference at all to that particular spelling of the card game, other than in this puzzle. All references that I could find have it spelled with an ‘h’ in it. Is it me being dim, or is it a genuine spelling mistake? Gripe over and done with now – so just to add that I did like the two long down clues and 1 across, which set me nicely on my solving way. Thank you setter and CS.
Chambers has both spellings.
The lack of H didn’t bother me, because I simply hadn’t heard of the game, with any spelling! One of those situations where it seems there’s an advantage in knowing less …
No, I neither had I Smylers, so a memo to self – must get a Chambers dictionary
I wouldn’t bother, FF, as it’s rubbish.
A reference book that doesn’t have smidge but has irregardless can take a hike.
The problem is, TDS65 is that the BRB is the reference of choice for the Daily Telegraph.
Hi SC
Solvers need to know that, even though all the answers are in a dictionary, it doesn’t mean they are words. In this case, 15a. The online search results that come up have the h. Variant spellings can take a long walk off a short plank, sorry, planc.
Don’t bother buying a dictionary if it’s just to confirm words in crosswords, FF. Just assume it’s in there.
Irregardless. I ask you.
Fair points.
Thanks Tom, on that basis I’ll hang on to my dosh
Even my Seiko battery driven dictionary has SMIDGE, lol. I rarely use a dictionary in book form, but I’ll usually resort to Google when I’m totally stuck.
It’s the right call.
We love the word ‘dosh’. The origin is unknown but one theory is that it’s a portmanteau word (a most excellent word) using dollar and cash which I’ll go along with.
I assume you haven’t recovered from 2016? You never will.
Truly remarkable.
No Tom, we’ll not reach those heady heights again, at least not in my lifetime I’d think – as today’s game would testify 🙁 Still, once was most enjoyable.
Or just use the free website I linked to. That doesn’t have all the words in The Big Red Book (I think it might be based on The Little Red Book?), but it’s often sufficient for backpagers.
Got the card game after a long think, and a vague recollection of reading about it many moons ago. I just assumed it was spelt with or without. As you say, sometimes ignorance is bliss!
Found this Friday puzzle like most Friday puzzles and it took quite some time to make some headway. For some clues parsing was gettable, but about half caused me issues requiring some E-help.
Overall 3*/3* for me
Favourite candidates include 5a, 11a, 22a, 27a, 3d & 16d — with winner 16d
Thanks to setter for a bit of a brain mangle & CS
I liked this. Quite a few answers on the first pass, but a while to fill in the rest of it. Everything parsed nicely — when I finally got an answer, there was no doubt it was right.
Thank you to today’s supply bloggers, and to the setter. My favourite was Pinter on a tandem in 24a.
A typical Friday backpage offering, clever and enjoyable, though like many others the 15a card game was new to me.
I liked the covering going on in 26a, and the way the animals were put together in 19d.
Also ticked is 3d. We used to get a family of them in our garden a few years back, but sadly haven’t seen them recently.
My thanks to our setter and bloggers. I can imagine the panic to get the notes online in time. Great effort, well done.
Late to the party as we had a disturbed morning and we had to eat properly at lunchtime as there is an early start preparing for Cinema Club tonight. All fell into place nicely except for 9 d and 15a. Most grateful to you CeeSue for stepping in enabling me to get a hint. I thought we were very experienced card players but this one eluded me although I do dimly remember it now. Many thanks to the Setter and Lady Hintsperson – my favourite was the drunk with a present.
4*/2*. As some have commented already, this was quite tricky and not much fun. I’ve never heard of 15a in spite of a misspent youth playing all sorts of card games, and not all the members of the BMA are doctors.
Thanks to the setter and to the Gazza/CS combo.
My first time leaving a comment after Sue’s invitation to do so. I first discovered the blog about 10 years ago when my chances of completing the cryptic crossword were pretty slim.
Thanks to everything I’ve learned from all the bloggers, it is now a rare day when I can’t complete it unaided.
I don’t check the site regularly but did so today as I was struggling with 15a. Got stuck interpreting “a lot of” as a large quantity. Doh!
Welcome to the blog, Dom B.
Now that you’ve de-lurked I hope you’ll become a regular commenter.
…and welcome from me, ‘and Son’.
‘a lot of’ got me for a while too. I don’t think I’ve seen it before but liked it.
Welcome from me, as well, Dom. Do please keep commenting. 👍
15a: answer pinocle. The only time I’ve seen a reference to this card game was in Damon Runyon’s stories about gangsters on Broadway
Welcome to the blog, James.
What did you think of the puzzle?
Can’t say it was my favourite Friday puzzle of recent weeks but still enjoyed it far more than some others evidently did & found plenty to like. Add me to those who hadn’t heard of 15a but pegged the wordplay & rather liked the use of ‘a lot of’ as a truncation indicator for the grape. I immediately thought of Miles in Alexander Payne’s tremendous movie, Sideways. Particularly liked 18&26a + 1,3&21d.
Thanks to the setter & to Sue for stepping in at very short notice
I found this tricky, I did complete it but had 6 where the parsing eluded me so I was very grateful for the explanations. I had never heard of the card game. That said it is Friday and I thought there were some excellent clues and I nearly missed the lurker in 20a.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS and Gazza for stepping in to help out Mr K, we appreciate how lucky we are to have such a dedicated team.
I seemed to complete (almost) today’s puzzle in ‘fits and starts’. Some clues came easily and others took awhile. I enjoyed getting 3d & 6d but didn’t get 9d and 15a and at the end resorted to the hints. A mixed bag for me today but then it is a Friday puzzle! Many thanks to the setter, Gazza and CrypticSue. Have a nice weekend everyone.
My only comment is in the quick crossword surely 1across is BOAR not BEAR. Which means 2down is OVINE meaning SHEEPISH.
Welcome to the blog
Sorry about the typo – I did know that the correct word was boar not bear but in my rush this morning I typed it wrongly. Blog now updated.
What did you think of the cryptic puzzle?
Like Jane, for me this was a “no fun Friday”, but not unexpected. Happily I had saved Chalicea’s recent NTSPP with this in mind.
Quite a tough puzzle for me..but I got there in the end.
Favourite the drunk with the present.
Am I the only person here who has played pinocle?
I was taught it as a student about a hundred years ago in a freezing Edinburgh flat by an American chap, also a student , who insisted on wearing his kilt all the time. (I never enquired so never found out). I remember it as a good game but sadly have forgotten the rules now.
Thanks to the setter and to crypticsue/Gazza .
Blinking freezing here all day. And foggy.
Another beastie of a solve today. A dnf for me due to 15a and 9d. I have never heard of the card game so needed the hint. As for 9d my brain refused to see the answer even with the hint and had to reveal the answer.
Thanks to all.
Just finished and have to admit to finding it difficult so CS’s gallant efforts were much in need. Didn’t help myself at 23d by rushing in and entering ‘clamp’ into the grid! Hadn’t heard of the card game. Favourites for me were 1a and 5a, reminded of years of looking at meteorological charts.
Thank you to the setter and to CS for the hints.
4*/3* …
liked 14A “Victor interrupting frisky actor’s frolic (6)”
Fought with this Saturday evening and on and off today. Like Bananawarp I am a DNF due to 9d (although I knew the first part was “up” so got very close) and 15a (never heard of the card game). Enjoyed it but some of the parsing was a little tortured (and torturing). COTD 3d for the construction and surface. Thank you to the setter and to CS for the hints.
I didn’t have too much trouble with this other than 15a as it was the less common spelling, so needed help from Chambers.
I love this blog. I would have never persisted with the cryptic crossword without it but I still avoid the end of the week sometimes. Delighted that someone mentioned the improvements to the app as I had cancelled the printed paper and more or less given up on the app too. Thank you to all especially those who take the time to write up the results and interpretation and the setters commenters too.
Hi, can someone explain am in 1A to mean turn and also is stripe a word for rubbish in 6 d? I had never heard of the card game either but was kicking myself I didn’t get the Pino as an Oenophile 😀
Hi Ann,
As you can see, someone will read your comment no matter how long after the date of publication of the puzzle it is submitted.
I thought maybe I should add a point of clarification to Crypticsue’s explanation for 6d. One could very easily be confused by the role that the words “top of” play in this clue. They are not indicating that SANDS and TRIPE go “on top of” the letter S. That function is handled entirely by the word “on“. The words “top of” indicate that the solver is to take only the initial letter of the associated fodder (“top of shingle” denoting the initial letter of SHINGLE),
1a reverse HAM and GO then add ANY
6d reverse RATS then add SANDS and TRIPE which, in a Down solution, go on the ‘top’ of Shingle