Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31152
Hints and tips by Falcon
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from Ottawa, where we are about to get a respite from a spell of bitterly cold weather (overnight lows below -20C and daytime highs below -12C). This week daytime temperatures will reach a more comfortable -5C. Our annual three week long Winterlude Festival has begun and the conditions are the best they have been in years. You can catch a glimpse of the preparations for the festivities in this video.
I found this to be a puzzle where the answers needed to be slowly teased out as the grid filled. In the end, I felt I had made harder work of it than it should have required. Nevertheless, it was certainly far from an unpleasant experience (and would have been even more enjoyable had I not been working under blogging pressure).
As the only way to halt my losing streak of setter predictions seems to be to stop predicting, I will not venture a guess this time.
In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.
Across
1a Supports small section of orchestra (5)
BRASS — link feminine garments providing anatomical support and the clothing label symbol for small
4a Prevent Nottingham team getting everything (9)
FORESTALL — string together a Nottinghamshire football club and another word for everything
9a Peacemaking process I dominate corruptly (9)
MEDIATION — an anagram (corruptly) of I DOMINATE; LOL at the political commentary here
10a Tears heads of dainty rare orchids planted somewhere (5)
DROPS — the initial letters of (heads of) the final five words of the clue
11a Tell sir about framework (7)
TRELLIS — an anagram (about) of the first two words of the clue
12a See comedian by headland (7)
WITNESS — a generic term for comedian placed beside (by) a synonym for headland
13a Resist work model (6)
OPPOSE — an abbreviated musical work and model or sit
15a Eels lash around hermit crab’s shelter (8)
SEASHELL — an anagram (around) of the first two words of the clue
18a Showed indifference as second husband gets rough (8)
SHRUGGED — concatenate the symbol for second, the genealogical abbreviation for husband, and an adjective meaning rough (as terrain might be)
20a Garment made of tin covering behind (6)
CAFTAN — a tin from the grocer’s shelf containing (covering) nautically behind
23a Person is very individual around setter (7)
SOMEONE — another word for very and a nounal synonym for individual bookend (around) a personal pronoun the setter would use in reference to themself
24a Covers lump with sheets regularly (7)
CLOTHES — a lump found in a blood vessel and a regular sequence of letters drawn from SHEETS
26a Admit adult without good reason initially (3,2)
OWN UP — remove (without) the symbol for good (as a grade on an academic assignment perhaps) and the first letter (initially) of REASON from a (5-2) term for an adult
27a Explosive I can still spark (9)
SCINTILLA — an anagram (explosive) of I CAN STILL; spark is used in the sense of the least possible amount (as in “nary a spark“)
28a Mark allowed to swallow insides of neon bean (9)
FLAGEOLET — synonyms of mark for attention and allowed surround (swallow) the centre letters of (insides of) NEON
29a Show much passion as endlessly downgraded (5)
EMOTE — remove the initial and final letters (endlessly) from a word meaning downgraded or reduced in rank
Down
1d Jerk over time promises to be overbearing (9)
BUMPTIOUS — jerk or jolt precede (over in a down clue) the symbol for time and all of this is followed by financial promises
2d Wade quietly lost in daze (5)
ADDLE — remove (lost) the abbreviated musical direction to play quietly from wade or play barefoot in shallow water
3d Upcoming quarrels about the French leading commodities (7)
STAPLES — start with a reversal (upcoming in a down clue) of minor quarrels and place this around a French definite article (the French)
4d Insubstantial zip holding this person’s stomach at first (6)
FLIMSY — zip or pass quickly containing (holding) all of another way of saying “this person’s” (meaning “this person is” where person refers to the speaker) and the initial letter (at first) of STOMACH
5d Famous name possessed by engineers (8)
RENOWNED — the single letter for name and another word for posessed follow (by) abbreviated military engineers; the logic for “by” meaning follow is that in order to write A by B, B must have been written first and a down answer is presumed to be written top to bottom (and an across answer, as in 12a, is presumed to be written left to right)
6d Calms boyfriend wearing specs occasionally (7)
SEDATES — a person with whom one is participating in a romantic appointment is contained in (wearing) an alternating sequence of letters (occasionally) selected from SPECS
7d Exactly an hour after noon people start to try for redemption (9)
ATONEMENT — join together a (2,3) phrase signifying “exactly an hour after noon”, a generic term for people (feminists may differ), and the initial letter of (start to) TRY
8d Catalogues inclines (5)
LISTS — double definition
14d Chippy Roman I annoyed conceals fiery passion (9)
PYROMANIA — the first four words of the clue hide (conceals) a psychological passion for fire
16d Obtains cloak showing rural picture (9)
LANDSCAPE — another word for obtains (a plum job maybe) and a nounal synonym of cloak
17d Show about core of overseas U-turn (8)
REVERSAL — show or expose containing (about) the central letters (core) of OVERSEAS
19d Criminal rogue taking in constant and ardent fan (7)
GROUPIE — an anagram of ROGUE containing a geometric constant
21d Job in beer for crusader (7)
APOSTLE — a job or position contained in (in) a top fermenting beer
22d Lines beginning to crack and split in street (6)
SCRIPT — the initial letter of (beginning to) CRACK and and split or tear contained in (in) the abbreviation for street produce lines for an actor
23d Mock food (5)
SCOFF — double definition, mock or deride and food or rations
25d That man will love greeting (5)
HELLO — a contracted way of saying”that man will” and the letter that looks like a score of love in tennis
Epilogue …
Quickie pun:: HEIR + ROAD + ROAMS = AERODROMES
On This Day …
… in 1974, the Carpenters started a four week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘The Singles 1969-73’, featuring 12 hits and the US No.1 ‘Top Of The World’ it went back to the top of the charts on three other occasions.
Another great start to the cruciverbal week with some fabulous words as answers. 27a, 28a and especially 1d are all words I can imagine Rowan Atkinson saying with slow, deliberate pronunciation. I thought the lurker14d was well hidden and the garment covering behind raised a smile. It’s difficult to pick a favourite but I did like the calm boyfriend at 6d so I will nominate it as COTD.
Thank you, setter for the fun. Thank you, Falcon for the hints.
An entertaining start to a new week of back pagers – 1.5*/4*
Candidates for favourite – 1a, 20a, and 23d – and the winner is 1a.
Thanks to whomsoever and Falcon
Here’s an interesting nugget from BB17. I had an interesting conversation with Toughie setter Weatherman. We discussed the ‘difficulty spectrum’ of puzzles since the days of Rufus on Monday, Jay on Wednesday, and Giovanni on Friday. He also told me that he is one of two setters alternating on Monday back pagers! But it is unlikely that he will ever claim ownership.
Well we know it wasn’t Weatherman a fortnight ago, because that was Heron’s debut. And 20d last Monday was ‘amoeba’, the alias Weatherman used when on this site’s Rookie Corner. In the explanation of that clue I did put “Is the answer a hint to today’s setter?”, but seemingly nobody else picked up on that. Anyway, those suggest it was Weatherman last week, and so not today.
I’m surprised at the claim of just one other Monday setter, unless that’s very new news and it’s now Heron on all the non-Weatherman weeks? Twmbarlwm has appeared on some recent Mondays, but not as often as fortnightly. I can’t remember how long ago we had a confirmed X-Type appearance, but it feels like more recently than Weatherman started.
PS: For December 29th’s puzzle I illustrated 1a (the much-praised “The Met Office? (8,4)”) with the video for the song John Ketley (Is a Weatherman), and nobody picked up on that, either. Least of all me — I was unaware at the time that Weatherman was setting on Mondays, so ended up using that video by co-incidence!
Aha! Someone has sneaked ahead of Con to claim a silver medal. Enjoy the moment, S.
Scores on the doors for the ”11:01” Cup are 10 4 to Steve C. Keep at it, Conor. This month could be yours.
I don’t think Weatherman will mind me telling you that next Monday’s is his and that he’s very excited about a particular clue for a seven letter word. He’s the setter who dreamt up the genius Met office clue a few weeks ago, which, looking at his alias, is apt.
Today’s is not one of mine – and the clue Tom and I were discussing will be in a Toughie, not the back-pager.
I generally appear fortnightly, but not without the occasional gap, and I have no insight into how many Monday colleagues I have!
Hi W
It was lovely to meet you again and to get in the mind of a setter. Congrats, again, for being one at 35. A fine effort.
Apologies for the wrong info regarding the clue.
I am travelling a lot at the moment. Noon is an awkward time for me to post , but I will try.
Good man
With no disrespect to Weatherman because a lot of clue ideas will repeat, but I’ve seen Met Office for Scotland Yard a few times. Not just DT25919 and DT26386 (I checked!!!) but away from the Telegraph too. Today’s clues feel like X-Type to me but I’m not great at guessing compilers.
It’s funny you should say that, Mr Mr.
I was talking to Weatherman about this very thing at the hooly (great scoff, btw). He said that, if it’s an old chestnut, it will get rejected by the powers that be at T Towers. Maybe they only check the last two or three thousand or the two you referenced simply got missed. Who knows.
I asked him if setters plagiarise which he understandably could only answer personally. He doesn’t.
I doubt that any compiler plagiarises and I’m not complaining! I was just saying some ideas are commoner than others in response to Weatherman being described as a genius for coming up with the idea. I don’t think it’s a stretch to go from Met = police to the clue. Here’s a more recent version from the Telegraph’s very own Robyn! https://www.fifteensquared.net/2021/09/30/guardian-cryptic-28564-picaroon/
It is most certainly out there.
He was saying how pleased he was that he thought of it. I occasionally think of these gems and get a real buzz when I do. I love short clues that try to hook you in like the aforementioned. The connection between the words is rarely a stretch. The genius bit is thinking of it.
Do you have any goodies?
I know you’re not complaining, btw.
If by goodies you just mean favourite clues then ‘In which three couples get together for sex (5)’ is pretty memorable, and not the sort of clue that more than one compiler would come up with independently. Times not Telegraph, but I think it’s probably been mentioned here before.
Love it (obvs)
I was wondering if you had thought of any.
I think I’ve seen it here before … Groundhog Day?
Like it, J, Like it.
Good morning.
I did this on the train from Zurich to Nürnberg and found this reasonably straightforward but by no means as easy as a typical Monday puzzle. Perhaps I was distracted looking for roe deer and wild boar as the train made its way through the countryside. Difficult to pick a podium but 4a and 28a share the honours as COTD with 28a being LOI. Many thanks to Falcon for the review and the hints which were not needed and to the setter for the review
I did it on the bus from Kentish Town to St Pancras – not quite so exotic, but a much shorter journey!
That’s made me laugh out loud. I do miss London, but not the public transport! Hope you enjoyed your journey.
Me too,
Totally “tongue in cheek” I would suggest that your comment is bordering on comparison of solving times 😃
Not bought the paper yet but just wanted to thank John B for organising another Birthday Bash on Saturday in London at the Bridge Inn. Great to see some old friends and some new from far and wide. Remembering Big Dave with affection.
I missed meeting you again!!
I am Homeward Bound (Kings X – York not Widnes New York)
This was a light start to the week, despite te foundation garments other clues had too many letters for RayT, so I expect Senf’s nugget of info applies today. If so, Thanks Jamie and Thanks to Falcon.
Very jolly, very Monday. Safe travels, Sloop. HUGE thanks again for Saturday. Your macaroons were delicious and your crossword was ace. Mobile phone cameras should, of course, be banned!
Thanks for explaining 20a, I bunged it in after trying Sn, T-N and K but couldn’t find the rear until I saw the hint. Doh!
2*/3*. I enjoyed this on the whole although I found it slightly tougher than usual for a Monday, especially in the SW corner.
My last one in, 23d caused me some grief. Only two words fitted the checkers. Each can mean “mock” but surely neither can mean food? I wondered, could “food” be a misprint for “fool”? But then, horror of horrors, a trip to the BRB showed me that there is yet another ghastly vulgar noun meaning food. 👎
The surface of 10a seemed strange and that of 28a was utterly bizarre.
My podium selection is 1a, 1d (lovely word!) & 14d.
Thanks to the setter (X-Type?) and to Falcon.
Oh RD. I knew immediately that you wouldn’t like it. I’ve never heard it as a noun either and in terms of ghastliness by far trumps ‘eats’ .
👍
Jenny, I totally agree with your assessment of the relative ghastliness quotients for the two nouns!
Nicely tempered for a Monday. I very much liked the 14d lurker and the 20a garment. Tough to pick a podium, but I’ll plump for 27a, 1d and 7d. Thanks to compiler and Falcon.
Like our reviewer I made harder work of this than I ought to have done – not helped by initially reading bean as beam at 28a. Last in & the biggest crumpet scratch was 20a where I floundered about down the blind alley of trying to fit a 4 letter synonym for behind between the chemical symbol for tin – the penny dropped eventually though can’t say that I’ve ever come across the garment of choice of Demis Roussos spelt without a K. Lots to like here & a good start to the new week. 14d gets my vote as pick of the clues.
Thanks to the setter & to Falcon.
Ps 11a prompted a listen to a Nick Mulvey album that I’ve not played in a long while.
Me too regarding the K version of 20a.
And me!
And me!’
S-AR$E-N was on my wish list too, until
I remembered it was part of Stonehenge rather than a dress
The first 4 went straight in giving the impression that this was going to be another benign Monday back-pager. How wrong I was, as I then had to skip most of the remaining across clues. Fared a bit better with coming up the downs, but like Falcon had to tease the answers. However after a strong coffee, it all came together rather unexpectedly.
Many lovely words and surfaces from the lurking arsonist at 14d to the miniscule explosive at 27a, but for me the COTD is the neon bean 28a.
My thanks to Falcon and the setter for a Monday teaser.
2*/4*
Difficult for a Monday. SW held out for a while as did 23d. Was sure 20a begins with a K and thought 23d a verb.
2.5*/4*
27a CTD
Thanks to Falcon and Setter
Thank you to the setter. I started off getting so many of the first few across answers straight away that I wondered if this was going to be a very quick solve, but then the rest involved more thinking and I ended up finishing in a typical sort of time.
I appreciated 28a for being able to follow its instructions to get the bean — one I wouldn’t think of if just listing beans, and I certainly couldn’t spell. My top few were 18a’s rough, 26a’s adult, and 14d’s fiery passion.
My last in was 29a, where after spotting that ‘revoked’ (which doesn’t quite mean ‘downgraded’) could lose its ends to make ‘evoke’ (which fits the checking letters but even less means ‘show passion’), I struggled to spot the actual answer.
And thank you to Falcon for blogging — enjoy the festival, and I hope you’re managing to stay warm somehow!
Good start to the week. Favourites include the Roman passion at 14 dn, the anagram at 15 ac and the clever surface and definition for 27 ac. Thank you compiler – X-Type I’m fairly sure – and blogger.
A solid start to the week that flowed from the off with some lovely words in the shape of 1d, 4d and 27a.
18a reminds me of those long one-syllable words with ‘scraunched’ being top of the pile though ‘squirrelled’, for some folk, pips it. Saying that, my reaction to ‘irregardless’ trumps all of them: grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr….
I love the irony that the constant in 19d is endless with a different digit every time which is anything but constant. I use the noun in 23d all the time as it’s a great word.
My podium is 1a, 1d and the neat 14d.
MT to the setter (Heron, maybe?) and Falcs.
2*/3*
.
P.S
28a is indeed a brute to spell. The best I have is…the o is a bean followed by ‘le’ as it’s ‘Le *********’ in French.
@TDS65 I concur, nothing wrong with scoff, maybe just related to one’s upbringing. Maybe those inclined to have supper are less likely to scoff! 🤪
Good to hear from you, Dodger.
Funnily enough, I am a ‘supper’ man or should that have one p?
I love the word as it’s so onomatopoeic. I’ve just looked up its origin: it’s a British Army term when they were in South Africa as skaf is Afrikaans for a shift or quarter (of a day) and they had four meals a day.
We love it!
Very enjoyable crossword with some great clues. 16d and 7d were top of my list. I was held up in the SW corner as I filled in 28a with Phaseolus, the latin name for bean. It took me ages to see the error. After that 23d and 22d fell into place. Thanks to the setter and for the hints.
I loved the answer of 14 down hiding in the clue.
It fooled me, but a lovely puzzle thank you🙂
I try to solve the first across clue while waiting for the puzzle to print out. When I got it today I thought that we will be on for an enjoyable ride and I wasn’t wrong.
I don’t like the use of 23d meaning food but if it’s in the dictionaries then I’ll just try to forget it.
Top picks for me were 1a, 1d (such a lovely word), 18a (another lovely word), 4d and 12a.
Thanks to Falcon and the setter.
I solved this on two chairs, one in the kitchen and the other a short distance away (I am learning that the where of the solve is as important as the solve). Nothing in the crossword caused me to fall off the chair or even to make the earth move at 1 on the Richter Scale. So nothing to report except that 1 and 4a were my pick of the basket.
Thanks to Falcon and the setter.
A nice gentle start to my week.
I finished up with 1d (the second and fourth letters were the last to go in; not the first synonym for jerk that came to mind).
Many thanks to the setter and to Falcon.
Certainly a bit more of a challenge than some recent Mondays, with some lovely words eg 1d. I made life hard for myself when parsing 17d as I could not see show anywhere as I had used many more letters than just 3 from overseas, I now see my error. I also did the same as Smylers for 29a initially. I will have 28a as my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Falcon for the hints
Hi, MissTFide. It’s even shorter than that in 17d — just 2 letters from ‘overseas’! (When the centre of a word is indicated, it’s just the smallest bit from the middle: a single letter if the word has an odd-number of letters in it, and 2 if there’s an even number of letters.)
Thanks, I think I just had a senior moment!
* / ****
A great start to the week, over too quickly but irregardless (orig. TDS65) hugely enjoyable altogether (orig. TDS65 again) ☺! In these parts “scram” and “snap” are two other awful nouns used like 23d. Like others, have only ever seen the garment in 20a spelt with a “K” and was held up on that clue trying to use the chemical symbol for Tin. In answer to TDS65 at the Birthday bash, that’s my chemistry being used but slowing me down!!!
Enjoyed 4a as I said it in my head several times as the two foundation words before realising it was valid as the answer. Therefore, that clue got a tick and in a similar vein, so did 16d, they’re my favourite types of clues. I suppose that’s why I also ticked 12a.
Thanks for a great puzzle to the setter and to Falcon for the blog.
PS: I’m halfway through Sloop John Bee’s puzzle for the bash, “Three Days Late” and would recommend it, it’s great fun.
Love the references, Professor Pops.
Or, as you’re clearly as potty as me…Caractacus Pops.
A pleasant puzzle – thanks to our setter and Falcon.
My ticks went to 18a, 3d and 14d.
This was a lovely gentle puzzle for me to get back into the groove of crossword-solving having been away and effectively off-grid for the last two and a half weeks. My favourite was 27a, both for the surface and because it is such a great word. I hope everyone who attended the Birthday Bash had an enjoyable and entertaining day in London.
Many thanks to, perhaps, X-Type and most definitely to Falcon.
Well, back to the start of the non-work week for me, accompanied by a nice gentle Monday offering. Lots of smiles and some clever clueing too. Very enjoyable on my Sunday evening in the rain …still!
1.5*/4* for me
Favourites include 4a, 12a, 28a, 21d & 22d — with winner 4a
Smiles from many including 1a, 2d, 8d & 25d
Thanks to setter & Falcon
If anyone has been scratching their head attempting to figure out the significance of the illustration accompanying 26a, it was meant to be placed at 2d. It has now waded over to its correct position. It appears the answer to 2d well describes my state of mind at 2:00 am this morning as I was putting the review to bed (followed by myself shortly thereafter).
Falcon – the Quickie Pun is not showing.
Thanks, Gazza. I see I also neglected to add the Epilogue, not that there was really anything important left to say.
I found this a little more testing than usual for a Monday, and all the more enjoyable for it. Thanks to the setter and particularly to falcon for trying to explain the ‘by’ in 5d – I had to have a lie down after reading that hint as it scrambled my brain!!
What a wonderful start to the week , a little chewier than normal. I did wince at 23d , knowing it would cause some eye rolling. Certainly a new noun meaning food for me. I didn’t know that the garment at 20a could be spelt with a C either. 27a was an interesting new word for me , although of course am familiar with the adjective scintillating. Thanks to the setter and Falcon.
Annoyingly I could have posted before 2 pm today but a telephone call sent me off down another track and I have just remembered I need to put in my two penn’orth. I got off to a great start and rattled down the grid and then found the going a bit more tough. As somebody has said, some nice chewy words. I liked the garment made of tin – I remember making several of those when they were all the rage. We are back down to earth after the excitement of the birthday weekend, it is amazing how many liquid presents George had. I am still miffed that I didn’t make Little Venice – maybe net year……… Very many thanks to the Benevolent Monday Setter and to Falcon for the hints.
.
I thought at first it was going to be an easy Monday ride and then it all slowed down ….. but very enjoyable, thank you compiler and Falcon
In the Falcon camp today. Left with six unlinked clues which all eventually gave way. Much prefer having to work for it, rather than them all falling without much effort. So much more satisfying.
Thanks to all.
Proper Monday fodder ***/** 🤗 Favourites 12a, 23d & 21d thanks to the compiler and to the Falcon .👍
An enjoyable start to the week. I romped though the top half quite quickly and thought I was on to an early finish but did not see the lurker at 14d and spent some time trying to make an anagram from Roman I 3 letter word for fiery passion! Having put scorn in at 23d I just couldn’t get a bean at 28a beginning with an ‘n’. Oh dear, so nearly there! COTD 1a. Many thanks to the Setter and Falcon whose hints I needed to finish!
I thought part of 4d referred to a gentleman’s trouser fastening rather than moving quickly. And another vote for K for the usual spelling on 20a although it didn’t fit the clue. Started well, went downhill, glad to see 2* as I would concur with that. Thanks to setter and Falcon as always.
V enjoyable. Lots of potent winners for COTD, but I’ll vote 27A. VMT Setter & Falcon.
1.5* / 3.5* An enjoyable and steady solve after my struggles with yesterday’s.
My favourites today are the bean at 28a, prevent at 4a and the orchestra section at 1a
Thanks to Falcon and setter
Apologies for the apparently non-working embedded video in the intro. The video is not available on Youtube and I was not able to upload it to this site, so it is hosted offsite.I spent hours last night attempting to embed it in the review (thus the late bedtime mentioned in a previous comment) and finally succeeded — or so I thought. However, it now seems not to be working (although comments from some readers might suggest they viewed it). I have spent several hours today trying to make it work — to no avail. So I have simply provided a link to the video in the intro. I realize it is pretty late in the day now in the UK so likely very few will see it.
Didn’t know the spark or the bean but fairly clued. Didn’t know how to spell 20a anyway so put it in and moved on. LOI was 29a but obvious when the penny dropped. Favourite was 14d,a brilliantly disguised lurker. Thanks to the setter and Falcon
Could not solve 20a as I did not know that word could begin with a C and also thought the answer to 29a was evoke, even though it left me feeling slightly uncomfortable: don’t think I’ve heard of the correct answer to 29a although we may have had it previously. Solved the rest but was much tougher than a usual Monday. Thanks to the setter and Falcon. COTD 14d for the construction and surface. ***/***
I have some friends that say “Let’s get some 23D”, so that one was familiar to me, like it or not 🙂. LOI was 28A’s bean which I hadn’t heard of, and I’ve since read that it is ‘the caviar of beans’? I need to try that in some future 23D.
The penultimate fill was my favourite, the fiery 14D – I’m usually much better at spotting the lurkers, it was worth the wait. Other pody picks are the surface of 4D which I found easy to stomach, and 1D being a new word to me – I’ll try to use this at work, I don’t think it will be hard to find an opportunity.
Thanks to setter (not Weatherman) and Falcon.
Nicely challenging in a fair, Mondayish sort of way. 20a had to be although using a ‘K” did call for a second thought. Senseless surfaces have been de rigueur recently so it was nice to have smoother reads today. I’m in the ‘C’ brigade for 20a but which had to be. Missed the significance of very in 23a. Took a long time for mark synonym in 28a to ring a bell. Many thanks setter and Hinter,
2*/4* …
liked 1D ” Jerk over time promises to be overbearing (9)”