DT 31151 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31151

A full review by Rahmat Ali

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

This puzzle was published on 31^st January 2026

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

Greetings from Kolkata. A lovely straightforward Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.

Ali Baba, the answer to the clue at 5a, took me down memory lane. I took great interest in reading the tales of ‘Arabian Nights’ in my childhood, which came to me as a prize for coming first in class. There were a few stories in it that I liked very much. Later, I learnt that there are actually many more stories in ‘Arabian Nights’, and in the course of time I read some of those too. I am aware that the story of Ali Baba has spread across the world, and so this time, after solving the crossword, I explored the internet to learn more about the Ali Baba of history. Richard F. Burton included it in the supplemental volumes of his translation from Arabic, published as ‘The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night’. From the internet, I learnt that it was also added in the eighteenth century by the French translator, Antoine Galland, who heard it from the Syrian storyteller, Hanna Diyab and titled his volumes ‘Les Mille et Une Nuits’ in French. A West African version titled ‘The Password: Outwitting Thieves’ has been identified. ‘Die Schatzhöhle der Wuarssen’, a Kabyle, was published by the German ethnologist, Leo Frobenius.  Percy Amaury Talbot located a Nigerian variant, called ‘The Treasure House in the Bush’, from Ojong Akpan of Mfamosing. An American variant was collected by Elsie Clews Parsons from Cape Verde and another American version was found by Emelyn Elizabeth Gardner in New York. Several music and audio recordings based on Ali Baba have been produced in English, Chinese, Urdu, Hindi and Bengali. Live-action films about Ali Baba have been made in English, French, Arabic, Turkish, Singaporean Malay, Taiwanese Mandarin, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Live-action television series, animated works and video games related to Ali Baba have also been produced around the world. And now follows the story of Ali Baba that has been widely retold and performed in many media across the world, especially for children. Ali Baba and his older brother Cassim are the sons of a merchant, but after their father’s death their lives take very different paths. Cassim, greedy and proud, marries a wealthy woman and lives comfortably, while Ali Baba marries a poor woman and earns his living as a humble woodcutter, resented and ignored by his richer brother. One day in the forest, Ali Baba accidentally witnesses forty thieves opening a hidden cave of treasure with the magic words ‘Open Sesame’ and after they leave he bravely enters, taking only a modest bag of gold. When Ali Baba’s wife borrows Cassim’s wife’s scales to weigh the coins, a trick with wax reveals the gold, and Cassim forces Ali Baba to share the secret. Driven by greed, Cassim goes to the cave, forgets the words to escape, and is killed by the returning thieves. Ali Baba later finds his brother’s mutilated body and with the help of Morgiana, a clever slave-girl, secretly restores it so Cassim can be buried without suspicion. Realising that someone else knows their secret, the thieves repeatedly try to identify Ali Baba’s house, but each time Morgiana outwits them by disguising the markings they leave. Their leader finally disguises himself as a merchant and hides his men in oil jars, but Morgiana discovers the plot and kills the thieves with boiling oil. Even when the leader, who manages to escape, later returns in another disguise and is entertained by Ali Baba in his house, Morgiana recognises and kills him in the midst of a dance. In gratitude, Ali Baba frees Morgiana and later marries her to his son, remaining the sole keeper of the cave’s secret.Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           European smuggling one large, exploding cigar for James Bond (6,5)
DANIEL CRAIG: DANE (European) as a native or inhabitant of Denmark that is in Europe and hence an European bringing in (smuggling) I (one) as the Roman numeral for one followed by L (large) as the abbreviation for large that is usually referred to large size of shirt or other clothing and an anagram (exploding) of CIGAR takes to the definition of the English actor who gained international fame by playing the fictional secret agent James Bond in the films Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre and No Time to Die

7a           Husband avoids surprises, getting unimaginative Christmas present? (5)
SOCKS: H (husband) as the genealogical abbreviation for husband evades or escapes (avoids) S[H]OCKS (surprises) as unpleasant or disappointing surprises that guides to the definition of a boring or unimaginative gift

8a           Frank and Anthea regularly ignored job-seeker (9)
CANDIDATE: CANDID (frank) as frank, ingenuous and outspoken followed by (and) the oddly-placed letters (regularly ignored) of A[N]T[H]E[A] leads to the definition of a person who applies for or seeks something, such as a job or position

10a        Ex-PM of Germany invested in real gold (7)
TRUDEAU: The definition of the former Prime Minister of Canada is obtained from D (Germany) as the abbreviation and IVR code for Deutschland, the German word for Germany getting inside (invested) TRUE (real) as real, genuine and authentic and followed by AU (gold) as the chemical symbol for gold derived from aurum, the Latin word for gold

11a        Head cleaner in Post Office wearing fake ring (7)
SHAMPOO: The definition of a liquid preparation for washing the hair and removing dandruff, dirt and oil from the scalp and hence also a head cleaner is reached from PO (Post Office) as the abbreviation for Post Office covered with (wearing) a combo of SHAM (fake) as fake, fictitious, false or not genuine and O (ring) as representing the shape of a ring

12a        Current postman’s periodically mislaid letters from abroad (5)
IOTAS: I (current) as the symbol for electrical current as in physics followed by the periodical or regular letters (periodically mislaid) of [P]O[S]T[M]A[N’]S leads to the definition of the plural of the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet and hence from abroad

13a        Saccharine last ice-cream, somewhat hard (9)
INELASTIC: Part of or hidden inside (somewhat) SACCHARINE LAST ICE-CREAM guides to the definition of an adjective denoting inflexible, rigid, stiff or hard

16a        People tending to beds collect small covers from Parisian (9)
GARDENERS: The definition of people who grow and care for plants, shaping outdoor spaces by tending to beds like flower beds, vegetable beds etc is got from a combo of GARNER (collect) as to gather or collect something, especially information or approval and S (small) as the abbreviation for small surrounding (covers) DE (from Parisian) meaning ‘from’ or ‘of’ in the French language that could be heard in Paris, the capital of France

18a        Heartless Conservative left to admit regret (5)
CRUEL: The definition of an adjective meaning heartless, merciless, brutal or unrelentingly severe is obtained from a combination of C (Conservative) as the abbreviation for Conservative and L (left) as the abbreviation for left to take in (admit) RUE (regret) as regret, sorrow or repentance

19a        Speechifying from either a Labourite ____? (7)
ORATORY: The definition of the art or practice of public speaking, especially formal, eloquent or persuasive speech, an example of which is speechifying, i.e. making a long, formal or showy speech, often perceived as overblown or self-important is obtained from the obvious response TO A TORY that completes the fill up the blank, indicating either a Labourite or a Tory, referring respectively to members of the Labour and Conservative parties.

22a        Oval shape, different around rim (7)
ELLIPSE: The definition of a geometrical figure that is a regular oval is reached from ELSE (different) as an adjective meaning other or different placed across (around) LIP (rim) as a noun meaning rim, brim or edge or a rim, as of a vessel, bell or crater

23a        I’d augment bust size (9)
MAGNITUDE: An anagram (bust) of I’D AUGMENT guides to the definition of a noun meaning size, hugeness, extent or dimension

24a        Concern of PR department that is saving publication (5)
IMAGE: The definition of opinion, concept or perception held by the public and precisely the primary concern of a PR department i.e. Public Relations Department is arrived at from IE (that is) as the abbreviated form of the Latin phrase id est meaning ‘that is’ taking inside (saving) MAG (publication) as the short form for magazine, that is a periodical publication

25a        Myopic prophet given a title, according to Spooner (4-7)
NEAR-SIGHTED: The definition of an adjective denoting myopic or short-sightedness is obtained from a combo of SEER (prophet) as a prophet or one who can supposedly see into the future and KNIGHTED (given a title) a verb in the past tense denoting conferred or given a title by a sovereign to a person in recognition of personal merit or service to the country that is subject to an utterance involving spoonerism (according to Spooner) as to utter a verbal error in which a speaker transposes the initial sounds or letters of two or more words, often to humorous effect

Down

1d           Straighten out Geordie presenter, say, drinking litres (9)
DECLUTTER: The definition of a verb meaning to simplify or get rid of mess, disorder, complications etc from something, an example of which is to straighten out i.e. to make or become less complicated or confused or to extricate from entanglement is arrived at from a combo of DEC (Geordie presenter) as the nickname of Declan Donnelly, a television presenter in Geordie, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and UTTER (say) as to say, state or tell taking in (drinking) L (litres) as the abbreviation for litres

2d           High-fliers who have become home-makers? (7)
NESTERS: Double definition; the second referring to people, especially those who establish a home, such as settlers who lawfully occupy government land or a new colony with the intention of acquiring title to it that takes to the first denoting birds that are literally high-fliers and that build nests to lay eggs and raise their young

3d           Unique cryptic clues, I’ve written over ten (9)
EXCLUSIVE: The definition of an adjective denoting unique, single or restricted is achieved from a combination of an anagram (cryptic) of CLUES and I’VE from the clue spread across (written over) X (ten) as the Roman numeral for ten

4d           Picked up perfumes for a little cash (5)
CENTS: A homophone heard by the audience (picked up) of SCENTS (perfumes) as the plural version of perfume, fragrance or aroma leads to the definition of the plural of a fractional monetary unit of several countries that still sum up to be a very little cash

5d           Fighter with degrees in Old Persian (3,4)
ALI BABA: A charade of ALI (fighter) as referring to Muhammad Ali, the American professional boxer often regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time and BABA (degrees) as the cryptic plural for BA i.e. ‘Bachelor of Arts’ degree or abbreviations of two arts degrees i.e. BA and BA takes to the definition of the fictional character described in the adventure tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and traditionally said to be from Persia i.e. modern-day Iran

6d           Clutch pot son knocked off piano (5)
GRASP: The definition of a verb meaning to clutch or take firmly with the hand and maintain a hold on something is arrived at from GRAS[S] (pot) as a slang term for pot or marijuana having S (son) as the genealogical abbreviation for son removed (knocked off) and followed by P (piano) as the abbreviation for piano in a piece of music, denoting an instruction to play quietly

7d           Model can do her hair etc in lounge (7,4)
SITTING ROOM: A charade of SIT (model) as to model, pose or assume a posture for an artist, TIN (can) as a can or a container of tin-plate in which meat, fruit etc are sealed up to preserve them and GROOM (do her hair etc) as to do, dress or give a neat appearance to hair or arrange attractively takes to the definition of a lounge or a room in a house in which people can sit down and relax

9d           Where young Boris was strangely genteel and cool (4,7)
ETON COLLEGE: The definition of a private school for boys aged 13 to 18 years in the town of Eton, Berkshire, England which Boris Johnson attended from 1977 to 1983 is arrived at from an anagram (strangely) of a combo of GENTEEL and COOL

14d        Daisy tucked into case of edible goods, a seasonal treat (6,3)
EASTER EGG: ASTER (daisy) as a parent of Michaelmas daisy that have small autumn-blooming purple, pink or white flowers placed inside (tucked into) the outermost letters (case) of E[DIBL]E and followed by GG (goods) as the cryptic plural of good leads to the definition of an egg given as gift to children at Easter, usually a chocolate egg or a hen’s egg with its shell painted

15d        US leader – rotter is about right! One in a powerful suit picking up tricks (5,4)
TRUMP CARD: TRUMP (US leader) as referring to Donald Trump, President of the United States followed by CAD (rotter) as a man who behaves dishonourably, especially towards a woman, an example of which is a rotter i.e. a thoroughly bad, worthless and unpleasant person who behaves badly towards other people placed around (about) R (right) as the abbreviation for right guides to the definition of a playing card of the suit chosen to rank above the others, which can win a trick where a card of a different suit has been led, especially in bridge, whist and similar card games

17d        Rio ate first of curried stews – spicy stuff! (7)
EROTICA: An anagram (stews) of a combo of RIO ATE and the first or initial letter (first) of C[URRIED] takes to the definition of works of art that show or describe sexual activity and which are intended to arouse sexual feelings, an example of which is spicy stuff i.e. matter, material or articles that are exciting and interesting, especially because of being shocking or dealing with sexual matters.

18d        Performer who will take a big bow? (7)
CELLIST: A cryptic definition of a person who plays a cello that is a bowed string instrument of the violin family

20d        King in a lot of pain – it’s gas (5)
ARGON: R (king) as the abbreviation for rex, the Latin word for king put inside (in) most of the letters (a lot) of AGON[Y] (pain) as acute physical or mental pain guides to the definition of a colourless and odourless inert gas that makes up about one per cent of the atmosphere

21d        The solver’s joy? Our setter welcomes it (5)
YOURS: The definition of the possessive pronoun used to represent something belonging to the solver being addressed by the setter is part of or hidden inside (welcomes it) [JO]Y? OUR S[ETTER]

There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 7a, 10a, 13a, 19a, 25a, 1d, 3d, 5d and 18d; 1a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to the setter for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.