Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31148
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** Enjoyment ****
Good morning from Hampshire, where the sun is shining again after yesterday’s deluge. I found today’s puzzle to be quite a challenge, and it took me a while to get going, but in the end it was well worth the effort. I especially liked 4d, and the Beatle-themed 27a and 5d, but the pick of today’s clues for me is the magnificent 19a. Many thanks to today’s setter.
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.
Across Clues
1a Heartlessly plunder, bored by ghastly journey to shrine (10)
PILGRIMAGE: A word meaning ‘plunder’ without its middle letter (heartlessly) into which a synonym of ‘ghastly’ has been inserted (bored by).
6a Sharp ace detectives (4)
ACID: The letter representing ‘ace’ in a card game is followed by the initialism of the plainclothes department of the police.
9a Work from Savoy Theatre Company “primo, ace, funny” (5,5)
COMIC OPERA: An anagram (funny) of the two-character abbreviation of ‘COmpany’ and PRIMO ACE.
10a Vital organ, the ear, getting new implant? (4)
LUNG: Insert (implant) the letter representing ‘new’ into an informal word for an ear.
12a Artist and philosopher mad for cannabis after taking Charlie (7,5)
FRANCIS BACON: An anagram (mad) of FOR CANNABIS into which the letter represented by Charlie in the Nato phonetic alphabet has been inserted (after taking). The artist and philosopher are two different people: one was a twentieth-century artist and the other an English philosopher born in 1561.
15a Free populist PM, ex-Etonian, from behind bars (6)
EXEMPT: A lurker, reversed (from behind) that the phrase ‘populist PM, ex-Etonian’, secures or ‘bars’.
16a Fulham fan, one with modest housing (8)
COTTAGER: A double definition. The nickname of a supporter of Fulham FC could also describe the inhabitant of a small house.
18a Substituted corded cloth boy put outside church (8)
REPLACED: A three-letter word for a corded cloth is followed by another word for a boy, wrapped around (put outside) the abbreviation for the Church of England. I’d not come across the corded cloth before.
19a One put on French letter (in a manner of speaking) (6)
ACCENT: A double definition. A diacritical mark found in languages such as French can also mean a characteristic way of pronouncing speech.
21a Bloke in tights called, barnet all over the place (6,6)
BALLET DANCER: An anagram (all over the place) of CALLED BARNET.
24a Viands, say pork and beef, but no starter (4)
EATS: The plural form of the substance of which pork and beef are examples, without its initial letter (no starter).
25a Utter liar produced English books (10)
LITERATURE: An anagram (produced) of UTTER LIAR, followed by the abbreviation for English.
26a Benevolent family members finally adopted (4)
KIND: A synonym of ‘family members’ is followed by the last letter (finally) of ‘adopted’.
27a Top venue like The Cavern Club broadcast Paperback Writer hit (10)
BESTSELLER: A four-letter synonym for ‘top’ is followed by a homophone (broadcast) of a word for a subterranean space such as the Beatles’ former home.
Down Clues
1d Press Association covering court agreement (4)
PACT: The abbreviation of Press Association is on top of (covering) the abbreviation of ‘court’.
2d One million pound sandwiches? An arm or a leg! (4)
LIMB: The abbreviation for the avoirdupois pound is placed around (sandwiches) the letter that looks like the number 1 and the abbreviation for ‘million’.
3d Quiet song covered by wind instrument heard thanks to this? (6,6)
RECORD PLAYER: The musical symbol for ‘quiet’ and a three-letter word for a lyrical poem or song are placed inside (covered by) a woodwind instrument.
4d Englishman from down under at home beginning to get miserable (6)
MOPING: The Australian slang word for someone from England is reversed (from down under) and followed by the usual synonym for ‘at home’ and the initial letter (beginning to) of ‘get’.
5d Barracks debut of George, Beatles guitarist leaving hotel (8)
GARRISON: The initial letter (debut) of ‘George’ is followed by this Beatles guitarist’s surname without the letter represented by ‘hotel’ in the Nato phonetic alphabet.
7d One who accepts the invitation to take a pew? (10)
CHURCHGOER: A cryptic definition of a person who might ‘take a pew’ literally.
8d Greek character went back on his word, flipping reprobate! (10)
DEGENERATE: The seventh letter of the Greek alphabet and a word meaning ‘broke a promise’ are reversed (flipping).
11d Tossing a caber, Scot crushes the French competition (8,4)
OBSTACLE RACE: An anagram (tossing) of A CABER SCOT is placed around (crushes) the French masculine definite article.
13d Runs in hot conditions on holiday, devastating pain (10)
HEARTBREAK: Insert the cricketing abbreviation for ‘runs’ into a word meaning ‘hot conditions’ and place on top of a word for a (quite often short) holiday.
14d Etonian pal upset Italian citizen (10)
NEAPOLITAN: An anagram (upset) of ETONIAN PAL.
17d Cut-off point of trade importing diamonds miner uncovered (8)
DEADLINE: A synonym of ‘trade’ containing (importing) the abbreviation for ‘diamonds’ in a game of cards is followed by the word ‘miner’ with its outer letters removed (uncovered).
20d Take in popular joke as it’s told (6)
INGEST: The usual two-letter synonym of ‘popular’ is followed by a homophone (as it’s told) of ‘joke’.
22d Fight to the death expected, ending in turmoil (4)
DUEL: A synonym of ‘expected’ is followed by the last letter of (ending in) ‘turmoil’.
23d Clothing that can be changed (4)
GEAR: An informal word for clothing is also something that you might change whilst riding a bicycle or driving a vehicle.
Which clues did you like best? Please let us know in the comments section below.
The Quick Crossword pun: PUNK + CHEW + ASIAN = PUNCTUATION
We are being spoilt this week – so far, anyway. Today’s guzzle was a delight with lots to love about it. There appeared to be something of a Beatles theme running through it. I did like The Cavern Club at 27a and the guitarist at 5d. My COTD, though, is the Greek character at 8d.
Thank you, setter (Tumbledown Mountain?) for a very enjoyable diversion. Thank you, Deansleigh for the hints.
Happy Birthday to Big Dave! 🎂🍾
Good morning. This was very gentle for a Wednesday resulting in a quick solve with no hold ups, and a snigger at 19a! Pretty sure the Mary Whitehouse brigade will be getting their knickers in a twist over this one! 5d, 7d and 13d make up my podium but there are several others including 1a, 10a and 20d which are also medal contenders. Many thanks to the setter and the reviewer for their efforts.
Thank you for the hints Deansleigh as I needed them to understand 15a 19a and 3d. My favourite was 27a with 23d second. The six anagrams were very useful in what I thought was a **/****. Thanks to the setter.
I thought today’s was pretty straightforward, and, for some reason, I didn’t greatly enjoy it. Must be me.
A perfect puzzle to mark the 17th birthday of the blog completed at zero dark thirty after a customary visit to the smallest room in the house – 2.5*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 19a, 8d, 20d, and 23d – and the winner is 20d.
Thanks to whomsoever and Deansleigh.
Like Deansleigh, I found this guzzle hard to get into and quite challenging. However, persistence got me there in the end, to gether with a fair bit of gusswork and revwrse engiineering on the parsing. I loved theartist anagram at 12a, the cryptic definition at 13d and the reverse lurker at 15a.b. There were also some fine lego clues, 8d, with the clever reversl being my COTD. Thanks to the compiler and to Deansleighcforcthe hints
I really enjoyed this and got on wavelength quickly. I needed to check out 16a after as I know nothing about football. I had 27a as my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and Deansleigh for the hints
Another excellent addition to this years collection although not very challenging. COTD for me was 27A. It may just be my way of thinking but is the, ”down under”, in 4D serving two purposes? It seems to be the indication of a reversal of the letters as well as the hint as to where the term for Englishman comes from.
On a different note, I explored the possibility of adding the Times crossword to my routine, as I now have more free time and my cruciverbalist skills are improving, due in no small part to this blog. I’m sure that this has been covered in this blog before but I was impressed by the Times’ use of grey squares instead of black to reduce the demand on ink, especially as I’ve just spent a fortune on a new black cartridge. Also the marking of the grid where the solution is more than one word is a work of genius as I always manage to miscount the spaces and end up with biro marks all over the page. Could someone with the required influence nudge the Telegraph setters in this direction.
As always thanks to the setter and for the hints. As the weather seems to get a mention from most bloggers, I thought you might be interested to know that the 20 degree C start to the day resulted in most of my fellow Tai Chi participants donning hoodies and cardies at the 7.00 a.m. session this morning.
I wondered the same about ‘down under’, Tyke.
For ink-saving, I see that the latest Puzzles Newsletter included a plea from the puzzles editor to fill in this feedback survey, saying what we do and don’t like about the puzzles, so you could mention it there:
https://surveys.contributors.telegraph.co.uk/survey/selfserve/549/260118?list=101
The ed said:
Smylers, thanks for the reply, I will certainly fill in the survey although when I win the John Lewis vouchers the trip to redeem them will be a long one. It seems that the only thing in Thailand which matches U.K. prices is printer ink and there is always a long delay in the delivery process.
Ha-ha! I’m sure you could redeem the vouchers online to purchase something for delivery to the UK. If you’re getting me anything, just make it for collection from Booths in Ilkley and save the postage costs.
Having been digitally pilloried yesterday, I shall try to be careful in my comments..
Plenty to enjoy and relatively straightforward but not without some clues in south central needing a bit of head scratching. LOI was 20d
Ticks for 1a, 9a and 27a, but for me COTD goes to the cut off point at 17d.
1.5*/4*
Thanks to the setter and Deansleigh
So… Dave… how long did you take to complete the crossword today?
A fair bit longer, but I now live in fear of giving too much information! I leave it to you to quantify “a fair bit”.
Another highly enjoyable crossword which started to come together fairly quickly before I was held up for a while in the south. Lots of great clues and I particularly enjoyed the Beatles references, with 27a perhaps my COTD. It seems almost odd now that so little was made of George’s death at the time whereas when the principal writer of Paperback Writer goes, I’m sure there will be something close to national mourning. I thought 19a was good too, once the penny had dropped. Thanks very much to the setter and to Deansleigh.
A step up in difficulty from the last two days and an enjoyable puzzle – thanks to our setter and Deansleigh.
I may be missing something but I don’t see what ‘Paperback writer’ contributes to the 27a clue.
Top clues for me were 1a, 19a and 8d.
Surely, ”paperback writer hit”, is the definition.
To make it part of the Beatles theme?
I see that but since Paperback Writer is just an example of the answer I would have expected some sort of ‘definition by example’ indicator.
Perhaps the setter just wanted us to be stuck with an ear worm
The Cavern Club was a cellar so it was a top (best) seller (cellar) – homophone hence, “Broadcast” 😊
I used to go to the Cavern in my youth but somehow managed to miss the Beatles!
I enjoyed the challenge today, a bit tricky in places but enjoyable nonetheless.
21a made me smile. Thankyou setter and hinter and best wishes to Jane.
A fairly straight forward solve from Cape Wrath to Kent excluding 8d which was last one in.
As a 16a enjoyed that and Craven Cottage came to mind from somewhere.
My thanks to Setter and Deansleigh
A friendly and enjoyable Wednesday backpager.
Thanks to the setter and Deansleigh
A couple of crumpet scratch moments, but otherwise a steady solve south to north. Cotd for me today is 3d. Thanks to compiler and Deansleigh.
Having been out of step with most commenters in finding yesterday’s puzzle somewhat underwhelming pleased to really enjoy today’s offering. I wasn’t familiar with the term for the corded cloth, which needed a post solve check, but otherwise found it reasonably plain sailing to a brisk finish. I did wonder whether the proximity of the risqué surface at 19a directly underneath 16a was purely coincidental & I did check if 12a engaged in such activity but apparently not. Lots to like with ticks aplenty – 1,16,19&27a plus 3,7,8&11d particular likes. Finally a happy birthday to this wonderful site.
Thanks to the setter (T seems a good punt) & to Deansleigh, whose review I’ll read later.
Ps Don’t think we’ve had a comment from Jane for a few days, which is unusual so hope all is well with her.
I’m very sorry to report that Jane is unwell and in hospital. I don’t have any other information at the moment, but will let you know when I hear more.
Very sorry to hear that. Do please send her all our very best if you’re able.
Please send her our best wishes for a quick recovery.
Oh dear. I feared something was amiss.
Hoping that she is home soon & fully better 🤞
Thanks for the update
That is sad news indeed. I hope she will soon be feeling better and I send my love.
My best regards to Jane. Hopefully the illness will be of short duration
My best wishes to Jane too please.
Best wishes to Jane. Do hope she will soon be well and back home again. 💐💐
Oh I am so sorry. All your guzzle friends send good wishes
I hope she reads all our heartfelt get well soons and they help in her recovery.
I was glad to have remembered Rep from past crosswords although it’s been a while.
Didn’t know the Fulham supporters’ nickname but got it from the other part of the clue.
Top picks for me were 10a, 27a, 11d and 21a.
Thanks to Deansleigh and the setter and Happy Birthday to the blog.
Another enjoyable puzzle which proved slightly more difficult than the previous two days, but nevertheless caused few problems. Loved the Beatles theme so my top clues were 27a and 5d, but also liked 1a, 12a,16a (which involved about the only football knowledge I possess) and 7d. Many thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh for the hints – loved the cartoon for 1a!
* / ****
Found this a bit easier than yesterday. ‘Irregardless‘ (just for TDS ☺), a very enjoyable solve. Only 27a and 23d held me up a bit. I agree that ‘Paperback Writer’ isn’t strictly necessary in 27a, the clue would work fine without it but it does add to the Beatles theme, so it works either way. I think ‘down under’ is doing double duty in 4d, giving the slang expression and indicating reversal. I also wondered whether there was an ‘oo er missus’ link between 19a, 16a and 12a but it wasn’t to be. Ticks went to the aforementioned 19a French letter and the 13d Hot running and double ticks to the 10a Vital organ and 2d One million pound sandwich.
Thanks to the setter and Deansleigh
Many thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh.
An amusing puzzle that made me smile on several occasions.
A super puzzle that was a fair bit trickier than yesterday. Really enjoyed solving and lots of pdm’s and smiles to be had throughout. Thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh
Nice and straightforward, lurking on this blog has certainly honed my skills to the point that I managed to complete both this and the toughie before lunch… maybe helped by the fact that Dorset has now sunk and we are urged to stay at home…
CsOTD were 9, 19 and 27a, and 13 &17d…
…is there any reason i can’t see the blog for the toughie?..
Hi, Rory – the Toughie blog is not published until around 2pm.
I am posting here today to complain in the strongest possible terms about 19a. Must we throw this filth and depravity at our fragile cruciverbalists? Is there no depth of vice or debauchery to which The Telegraph will not sink? I have spent the morning lying down, with my team of nurses applying smelling salts each time a new wave of nausea at this lewdness overwhelms me.
Oh this modern day liberalism! It all began between the end of the Chatterley ban, and the Beatles’ first LP.
Best guzzle of the month. Thanks to the setter, Singlehead (anag), and Philip Larkin.
Singlehead is a far better effort than my ‘G! Headlines.’ one,
Nice work, T.
Spooner’s favouring Welsh River (11)
Go Sloops!
I’m very impressed, Terence. ‘Singlehead’ is probably a better pseudonym than ‘Deansleigh’ – and accurate too; I am, indeed, monocephalous.
And much too late for you?
I’m missing that one, Corks, me old mucker…..
I have no idea of what you’re talking about … Help!
Hi Stan
We’re thinking of anagrams of Deansleigh who has just started doing Wednesday’s blogs and a fine job he is doing, too!
Hi Tom
My plea for Help! was because it was a Beatles LP.
D’oh!
And there was me just thinking of an acute angle on an ‘e’! I am so naive.
Tuesdays used to be my fav day but Wednesday is now en route to replacing that. Today was fun and not over-taxing. It was great to unravel although I do admit to a few bung-ins which raised d’ohs when consulting Deansleigh later. Thank you setter and Deansleigh.
A nice puzzle today for a Wednesday, maybe a Hudson offering, but I am no expert. Lots to like with a couple of head scratchers to boot.
2*/4* for me
Favourites include 21a, 27a, 3d, 5d, 11d & 23d — with co-winners 27a & 5d
Smiles for both of those as well as 10a, 26a & 20d
Thanks to setter & Deansleigh
An enjoyable solve that for me was a notch chewier than yesterdays. 19a made me smile too. Thanks to the setter and Deansleigh. Finally a bit of sun in Cornwall for hopefully a beach walk without a soaking today.
Slow start .. then it all fell into place and was an enjoyable solve. Last in was 16a and not being a Fulman fan .. I was a bit concerning thinking it might be something else!
Cotd was 19a and it went bang straight in.
Thanks to DL for the hints (none needed) and today’s setter.
2.5*/3*. I enjoyed most of this which was pitched at a perfect level for a Wednesday.
I agree with Gazza that 27a needs a DBE indicator and a couple of the surfaces however were unconvincing. It seems to me that “down under” in 4d is doing double duty, and I was sorry to see the awful use of 24a as a noun yet again.
I had plenty of ticks too with 19a, 21a & 8d making up my podium selection.
Thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh.
In 4d, the primary purpose of “from down under” is as a reversal indicator. In this particular clue, it does accurately describe the term for Englishman we are looking for. However, that might not always be the case. We cannot discount the possibility that a setter might use this construction as a red herring to direct our attention to Australia when the term we are looking for comes from another part of the world.
My first thought was that ‘Englishman from down under’ was a relatively straightforward clue to the first three letters of the answer, and I searched in vain for a synonym for ‘miserable’ that began with those three letters. So Hudson’s misdirection was successful in my case! But on a second reading, it struck me that ‘from’ isn’t really necessary if the intention is simply to indicate a word for an Englishman in Australia.
Enjoyable puzzle ; many thanks to DL and the setter.
Get well soon Jane.
Thanks to the Setter and Deansleigh for the hints (not needed). Found this very straightforward and one of our quickest solves. COTD 37a. LOI 15a. Lovely and sunny here in North Devon.
Thank you for the entertainment to Hudson (claimed on Bluesky). I found this a challenging start: only 3 answers on my first pass of the acrosses, and the first 5 answers I got were all 4-letter words — which was handy because they’re often the tricky ones left over at the end, but they didn’t contribute many crossing letters. Overall this felt more effort to finish than yesterday’s Toughie by the same setter, though the clock says otherwise (just!), and all the answers to this one were in my vocabulary,
The 18a cloth however wasn’t (and I spent some time distracted by the lace appearing later in the answer) and I’d forgotten the 3d song, though on seeing the answer I remembered we’ve had it before. May this is the time I’ll actually learn it? Thank you to Deansleigh for confirming those.
Lots of highlights, including the 15a lurker, the 19a French letters, 8d’s flipping reprobate, and the 13d runs on holiday.
Has anybody else done proXimal’s Cross Atlantic today? The definition in 57d doesn’t seem right to me — I thought that wasn’t used for a monarch. (I did enjoy the puzzle however!)
No wonder I was hopeless at roulette – last Wed I went Hudson & it was Twm & this week the reverse.
It’s so tough to call with those two. I was umming and ahhing (spelling?) all day and couldn’t make up my mind. Then I found out.
My spelling trick for roulette is….
The word ‘let’ is inside ‘route’. So….’Let’ the ‘route’ of the ball decide your fate when playing Roulette.
Another excellent midweeker hits the back of the net with The Hud in fine form.
I know a few words (I certainly say a few) but viands is a new one. What a great word!
Reneged in 8d is an excellent spot.
My pody picks are 19a, 8d and 11d (superb surface)
MTTTA and Singlehead (go Tel!)
2*/5*
I knew viand because it’s the French for meat. I used it a lot when holidaying in Brittany.
I am shocked Tom, that you don’t know that Viand is the French for meat!
I have my strengths C but I also have massive gaps like the one on the top of my shiny dome.
When it comes down to it, I’m a Maths man. I fell into words through the project I’m working on.
The pathetically lame case for the defence rests, m’lud.
Your contribution to this site would suggest otherwise! I enjoy reading your comments; keep ‘em coming!
Wilco, Co.
I thoroughly enjoyed today’s puzzle my only hold up was not knowing the word ‘viands’ but it didn’t prevents me from getting the clue. Spoilt for choice for clue of the day but I think 27a, followed closely by 5d and 16a As someone not interested in football I did look up the latter and it brought a smile to my face seeing ‘cottager’ from Craven Cottage. Many thanks to the Setter and Deansleigh
A dnf for me due to my brain failing to work. For 27a I had it starting with beat. Also, having been to the cavern club i couldn’t get the smell of urine out of my mind. Awful place.
Nevermind, enjoyed everything else.
Thanks to all.
I felt a glow at guessing cottager – I’m getting quite sporty! I enjoyed this, although it was done in fits and starts over a busy day. A great deal to enjoy here especially the clever 7d and Terence’s shocking 19a which I saw for what it was in all innocence. I seem to think viands appears in Shakespeare – but then most things do. Many thanks to both Setter and Hinter.
Hi Daisy. I was shocked by cottager. It had a rather different meaning in the legal world I used to inhabit. For me today’s was the best guzzle for a while. Quite a few answers wrote themselves in with no headscratching.
Are you going to make the birthday bash on Saturday? It was so nice to meet you last year but I don’t think I can get away this year. Of course it is rather late and you may not read this!
I found this a complicated but good workout with the cavern club and the Fulham fan as best clues. Thank you compiler and Deansleigh
1* / 3.5* Another gentle and enjoyable midweeker with humour galore.
My top three are 26a Paperback hit, 8d reprobate and the artist at 12a
Thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh
I wanted to post this on the Birthday Bash page but I can’t find it so sorry for asking on the main blog.
I just want to know the nearest tube station to the Bridge Inn.
Warwick Avenue, Steve. However, Paddington is not much further away if that’s easier to get to.
Thank you, RD. Mind you, if it’s a fine day I may walk. I’m staying in Piccadilly.
from the Marches?
Only if I’m sponsored, Hintsman only if I’m sponsored. 😊
Sorry, too late to set off now. Anyway, my walking boots need dubbin.
Definitely Paddington if you find the right exit. Takes you straight on to the Canal path and a straight walk to the hostelry. Last year was a sunny day and it was delightful.
I consider myself generally sharper in the later hours, but not so today! All puzzles have suffered. On this fine puzzle I took my jolly time with two anagrams, 11D and 14D, misspelling the former – would be avoided if I wrote them down, even if I now solve online. I also put in some typos elsewhere which threw me off the progress further🙈
16A’s Fulham fan was no problem but I didn’t know the modest housing definition till these hints. Pody selections are 12A’s indulgent artist, 8D’s lovely reversed reprobate, and 27A’s Beatle-drenched clue – I wonder how long it took to get that clue so refined, great stuff 👏🏽
Thank you to setter and Deansleigh, I look forward to meeting you on Saturday ⭐️
Oh dear! Nodded off again after over exerting myself again. Hopefully tomorrow will be the end of it. Favourite was 8d. Thanks to Hudson and DL. No time to do the toughie.
2*/4* …
liked 10A “Vital organ, the ear, getting new implant ? (4)” .
Best wishes to Jane.