Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31160
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday blog. I found today’s puzzle to be quite tricky, but that may have been because I was still half asleep when I started solving it! A couple of the answers were new to me, and several clues took me a while to parse, pushing my solving time into 3* territory. There were plenty of concise and elegant clues and I found it difficult to pick a winner. I particularly liked the podgy husband in 27a, the binge session in 1d and the tipsy Democrat in 16d, but my favourite today is the naked Beatle in 13a. 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 On the way eating cold Beef Wellington served thus (2,6)
EN CROUTE: A two-word synonym for ‘on the way’ (**/*****) is placed around (eating) the single letter for ‘Cold’ on a tap.
5a Respect initially exploratory encounters on the rebound (6)
ESTEEM: The first letter of ‘exploratory’ (initially) is followed by a synonym for ‘encounters’, reversed (on the rebound).
10a Lonely accommodation for The King? (10,5)
HEARTBREAK HOTEL: A cryptic definition of a song by a legendary rock ‘n’ roller (“the King”).
11a Bloodsucker starts to lick and munch its victim (7)
LAMPREY: The initial letters (starts to) of the words ‘lick and munch’ are followed by a synonym of a predator’s victim.
12a Florida paper sacking American woman in the Twenties (7)
FLAPPER: A three-letter abbreviation for Florida is followed by the letters in the word ‘paper’ minus (sacking) the single letter for ‘American’.
13a Distinguished naked Beatle left in bed (8)
ENNOBLED: Take the surname of one of the Beatles with its outer letters removed (naked) and add BED from the clue after inserting the single letter for ‘Left’.
15a Move stealthily from small Python? (5)
SIDLE: The single letter representing ‘small’ is followed by the surname of a member of a famous comedy group.
18a Glaringly bright student university expelled (5)
LURID: The usual letters representing ‘student’ and ‘university’ are followed by a synonym of ‘expelled’.
20a Venerable monk touring Liguria regularly spent capital (8)
BELGRADE: The name of the medieval monk known as ‘the Venerable ****’ is placed around (touring) the alternate letters (regularly spent) of ‘Liguria’, giving a European capital city.
23a Garden forceps, gripping implement (7)
ENFORCE: A lurker (gripping), hidden in the first two words of the clue.
25a Replace bottles filled with harmless medicine (7)
PLACEBO: Another lurker (filled with), again hidden in the first two words.
26a Eight down hint: we shot a classic movie (4,4,3,4)
GONE WITH THE WIND: Nothing to do with 8d! The answer is an anagram (shot) of EIGHT DOWN HINT WE.
27a Beginning to clock husband is a bit overweight (6)
CHUBBY: The first letter (beginning to) of ‘clock’ is followed by an informal word for a husband.
28a Bill does a twirl, modelling daring garment (8)
CARDIGAN: An abbreviation for ‘bill’ or account is reversed (does a twirl) and followed by an anagram (modelling) of DARING.
Down Clues
1d What about ten beer blow out? (6)
EXHALE: A two-letter word meaning ‘what?’ or ‘pardon?’ is placed around (about) the Roman numeral for ‘ten’ and followed by another word for beer.
2d One working to get deliveries moving off the seam down under? (4,5)
COAL MINER: A cryptic definition. The answer has nothing to do with Australian cricket: here we are looking for someone who works underground.
3d Concerning: black substance emptied into Great Lake (7)
ONTARIO: A two-letter word for ‘concerning’ or ‘about’ is followed by a word for a viscous black liquid and the word I[nt]O with its internal letters removed (emptied).
4d Sailor drowsy, exhausted, sluggish (5)
TARDY: An informal word for a sailor is followed by the word ‘drowsy’ with its internal letters removed (exhausted).
6d Kips after school? Too much of this perhaps (7)
SCHNAPS: The three-letter abbreviation for ‘school’ is followed by a synonym of ‘kips’.
7d Bar opening in Exeter turning over loads of dosh (5)
ESTOP: The first letter of (opening in) ‘Exeter’ is followed by a word often used to mean ‘lots of money’, that has been reversed (turning over, in a down clue). The answer is an archaic word meaning to bar or prevent something from happening. I’d not come across this word before.
8d Playmaker Portugal left out, playing rubbish (8)
MALARKEY: An anagram (playing) of [p]LAYMAKER with the International Vehicle Registration code for Portugal left out.
9d Stolid Offa, dyke-builder, turned up carrying flower (8)
DAFFODIL: A reverse lurker (turned up, in a down clue) that the first three words of the clue are containing or ‘carrying’.
14d Say a few words for operatic composer? (8)
LIBRETTO: A cryptic definition of a word for an operatic text.
16d Democrat, increasingly eccentric, gin sozzled, infirm (9)
DODDERING: The letter representing Democrat is followed by a synonym of ‘increasingly eccentric’ and an anagram (sozzled) of GIN.
17d In Paris, to go rolling fag is likely to get a nasty reaction (8)
ALLERGIC: Take a short word for a cigarette, reverse it (rolling) and place it after the verb for ‘to go’ in French (in Paris).
19d Socialite goes round boat on wide, dodgy surfing area (4,3)
DARK WEB: An abbreviation for a socialite or society girl is placed round a biblical boat and the cricketing abbreviation for ‘wide’. The ‘surfing area’ is online.
21d Embarrassed to tour near Barking – have a car crash (4-3)
REAR END: The colour you turn when you’re embarrassed is put around (to tour) an anagram (barking) of NEAR.
22d Most valuable grand antique René uncovered (6)
GOLDEN: The letter representing ‘grand’ is followed by a synonym of ‘antique’ and the internal letters (uncovered) of ‘René’.
24d Ballet position which sounds like something cheesy from Switzerland? (5)
FONDU: A homophone (sounds like) of a Swiss melted cheese dish. This was another new word for me.
25d Flatbread? Mine, thanks (5)
PITTA: Another word for a mine is followed by an informal word for ‘thanks’.
Which clues did you like best? Please let us know in the comments section below.
The Quick Crossword pun: GILL + DENSE + TURN = GUILDENSTERN
Good morning. This was great fun from the outset and a crossword perfect for beginners in my opinion. The across clues went in, in no time, read and write. As such, 1, 5, 10, 11, 12 and 27 (across) receive ticks. Even the garment at 28a raised a smile. The checkers from the across clues allowed for the quickest of fills. 1, 6, 16 and 24 are my top picks from the down clues. However, I cannot pick a podium as there are too many to like. Truly, we have been spoilt this week! Many thanks Deansleigh to for the hints, which were not needed and have not been read as of yet (I will try to read them later) and many thanks to the setter for a cracker of a crossword.
A very enjoyable puzzle, many thanks to the setter. Nearly all plain sailing and then ….. had to get a little help with the NE corner, 7d was a new word for me.
What a great puzzle with just the right amount of chewiness for midweek.
7d and 24d were new words for me but well clued.
I couldn’t get the quickie pun and now I’ve seen the answer it doesn’t mean anything to me so I shall look it up.
Top picks for me were 9d, 6d, 10a, 13a and 15a.
Love the 8d word.
Thanks to Deansleigh and the setter.
Really enjoyed this puzzle – last in was 8d – some clever clues
What time does the lark get up? Whenever it is, I was up before him this morning in order to ferry The Youngster to Datchet. The village is said to have been much loved by the late Queen Mother. Were she still with us, I don’t believe she would think much of it now.
Challenging guzzle that needed a hefty effort, but great fun to solve.
Thanks to the setter, and Single Head (anag); love to Jane.
II really enjoyed this one, especially as the odd obscurity was very well clued via the wordplay leaving the solver in no doubt that they were correct. From a great selection, I went for 13a as my particular favourite this morning.
My thanks to our midweek setter and Deansleigh.
Top notch & great fun. A bit of cold beef wellington with ten beers to wash it down with at 1a&d put me nicely in the mood & the puzzle didn’t disappoint. ✅s aplenty – 1,10,12&13a + 2,6,8&21d particular likes – but after due deliberation it’s another vote for the naked Beatle still in his pit as pick of ‘em.
Thanks to the setter (Hudson my bet) & to Deansleigh – did we ever get to know who set last Wednesday?
I wish to enter two guilty pleas m’lud
Now where did I put my betting ticket from last week.
Thanks for confirming
2.5*/4.5*. This was an excellent midweek back-pager with 13a, with its apposite surface, my favourite.
Why does 14d need both “say” and a question mark?
Many thanks to the setter (Hudson?) and to Deansleigh.
Lovely puzzle, a swift solve that would have been even more so had I not written 12a’s answer into the 11a lights, which made for a deeply furrowed brow when I started on the early down clues…
A shame that yet again the DT proved themselves incapable of fitting a grid and clues to a single page when printing the puzzle.
Many thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh
Have you looked at your printer settings? There should be a “fit to page” option.
Thanks, CD, but sadly it doesn’t work with the way the DT have set it up for printing: emails have been exchanged with them on this subject for nearly two years.
Selecting the “print” option from the puzzles site opens a pdf and, while one can change the scale, if the DT template means it goes to 2 pages then there’s nothing one can do about it – ‘scale to fit’ and/or ‘fit to page’ do not bring it to a single page.
I’ve no idea why the DT find this such a challenge – fitting a puzzle on to a single page seems to work OK for The Times, Grauniad, FT etc, so it’s not exactly cutting-edge rocket science.
Yes, no printer setting will fix this as the PDF you get is simply split into two pages. I take a screen shot of page 1 and put it in a Word doc then a second screenshot of the little bit on page 2 and add that to page 1 of the Word doc and print from there. A real pain!
I just choose ‘print even numbered pages’ and just write the one missing clue in by hand, works for me!
Great puzzle. Favourite clue for an old buffer was ‘the King’ (only one capital letter!) who was down at the end of Lonely St. I had to listen to the song for old times sake
According to my Penguin Dictionary of Ballet a 24d step is a ‘melting step’ being the one-leg version of a ‘plie’ so it’s more of a cheese dish than a cheese.
Thanks to the setter (particularly for my trip down memory lane) and Deansleigh for the hints
Don Watson
You raise an interesting point, Don.
The Queen was referred to as The Queen (I think). So, to me, it makes sense to call him The King.
But, maybe you’re right.
Hmm….
I’ve just a bit of research and it looks like The King is okay is is that Okay? Funnily enough, Don Bradman was known as The Don.
Maybe you should change your alias to The Don or even ‘the Don’ with an exclamation mark?
I think taking Mr Bradman’s sobriquet would be rather presumptuous – my batting average was probably around .06, rather than 99.94. Nice thought though
Don
When he strode out to the wicket, knowing it was his last knock, he wasn’t aware that he needed a 4 to get a three figure average. I wonder if Mr Hollies felt guilt when he found out or loved it? A cricket writer described Eric as loquacious with a rich seam of Black Country humour.
The only time a batsman got a standing ovation for a duck.
My teenage mother was there at The Oval with her friend. She loved cricket.
To take the slight fuller The Donald would be nailing ones colours to a particularly divisive political figure
A very fair point, Sloops.
A lovely straightforward puzzle with excellent surfaces and many smiles. Mostly a R&W, LOI was 14d as I seem to have spent ages, (a few minutes), trying to remember the names of composers before the penny dropped. Podium places for the meal at 1a, the sleep maker at 6d and the King at 10a, but my COTD is the dodgy surfing area at 19d.
VMT to the setter and Deansleigh
2*/5*
Does anyone know why WordPress has stopped remembering my Name and Email for automatic insertion?
private browsing maybe?
Which browser? On my Mac Studio, the page never remembers my details (Safari) but on my phone it does (also Safari). I’ve mined the settings and cannot find why one works and the other doesn’t. When I get a chance, I really need to test Chrome on Mac and PC and Edge on my Windows laptop.
The remembering of names and emails was stopped a while back. It seems that re-instating it upsets other things on the site. That’s what I recall anyway.
A very entertaining puzzle – thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh.
The ballet position was new to me but the checkers and cheesy conection meant it couldn’t be anything else.
For my podium I plumped for 10a, 13a and 27a.
A fine example of a mid-week back page challenge – 2.5*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 15a, 3d, 19d, and 22d – and the winner is 15a.
Thanks to Hudson(?), or whomsoever if it is not he, and Deansleigh.
For me this was a most enjoyable puzzle.
I guessed and checked the ballet move but otherwise a pretty steady solve.
Favourite probably the film with the King’s residence running it a close second.
Thanks to Hudson and to Deansleigh
Still raining…….
Much pained by 2 down. How I fear sporting clues and it seemed that it had to be a special term for bowling in Australia. Apart from that it was all very enjoyable. Some French required today and although it was my worst subject at school I persevered because France is on our doorstep and we spend a lot of time there. 1 a and 17 d were very satisfying but 19 d came in as favourite.
Merci beaucoup to Deansleigh and our setter.
I found this quite chewy in places but an entertaining and rewarding solve. As I needed the hints to confirm a couple, I can’t claim an unaided finish. The beef Wellington at 1a gets my vote for cotd. Thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh.
Enjoyable crossword again today with the answers falling into place by the possibilities of what letter could follow another. Only a few solved by deduction but understood when the word or part of it was found.
Not bothering with the news as it always seems to be about wars and rumours of wars either physical or mental, which most politicians are.
Thanks to the setter and DL.
* / ****
Great puzzle. Went very quickly, I seemed to be ‘on wavelength’ today. 7d is a rare word to come across but it had to be what it was. Needed to double check the Swiss cheese as I wasn’t sure of the spelling and didn’t explicitly know the Ballet position. Really liked the Beef Wellington, the Great Lake and the Stealthy movement. COTD went to the 19d dodgy surfing area.
Many thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh.
Another ! (NYDK ©) from The Hud or is that the Hud? Oh, stop it.
14d is an interesting one. I’m guessing he’s included ‘say’ as it contains ‘a few’ spoken words as opposed to the music. But, I could be wrong.
A few newbies for me with 12a (love that term*), 7d and 24d. 15a was an enjoyable clue as I couldn’t get away from snake until it hit me.
8d is a brilliant word that I always precede with ‘all that’ and ‘rolling fag’ is genius. Hudson is an excellent setter.
My pody picks are 13a, 1d and 8d.
MTTTA and Single Head.
2*/5*
* It derives from British slang for a teenage girl whose hair wasn’t up.
An absolutely superb puzzle providing many smirks during a relatively rapid solve. I thought the bed-in at 23a was the pick of an excellent crop. Thanks very much to Hudson and to Deansleigh.
Lovely puzzle. Had the top half done in no time. COTD 24D – it’s a great feeling to have identified a new word from the surface. A great way to learn.
All went merry as a funeral bell until 8 Down which I’m ashamed to say defeated me.
I had exactly the same experience – mostly a R and W until 8d scuppered my time. And when the penny finally dropped with a resounding clang, it wasn’t obvious what the problem was in the first place!
Thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh
That makes me feel better !
I really liked this puzzle except for 18 across because the clue “glaringly bright” does not mean ‘Lurid’ – for this solver anyway
many thanks otherwise for a lot of fun doing this parcel
1* / 4* Some cracking clues with plenty of humour, didn’t know the operatic or ballet terms but had to be.
Favourites include last one in 8d, the seam worker at 2d and the lurker at 25a (it did nothing for me)!
Many thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh
Oh I do like “It did nothing for me”, Imp! 🤣👍
Great guzzle, executed in sunshine! Wonders will never cease – now I see how much needs to be gone in the garden. Most enjoyable Wednesday offering, LOI was 8d as I was hooked on Moliere as a base but the correct word is a good one and often used by my grandfather. 1a was very clever. Many thanks to the Setter and to Deansleigh.
A very entertaining puzzle with too many excellent clues to pick just one favourite, I smiled at 27a and 10a. 7d and 24d were new words to me but they were well clued.
Many thanks to Hudson and to Deansleigh for the hints
I apologise for the emoji!
I have no idea how it got there, it was not intentional.
2.5*/5*
Several new words but all fairly clued and some entertaining wordplay.
The lonely king, uncovered beatle and Python make up my podium today
Thanks to Dean and Setter.
Another slightly more difficult puzzle for Wednesday as expected. Hudson maybe? Several clues I had parsing issues with too.
2.5*/3.5*
Favourites 10a, 11a, 13a, 25a, 6d & 8d — with winners 10a & 13a
Thanks to Hudson(?) & Deansleigh
Like Deansleigh I was a little sleepy when I began this one – there were many holes on first read-through. Then it dropped nicely into place, with help from some of the lengthier answers.
LOI was 7D’s new word (to me), I appeciated the simple wordplay. 24D’s new word, however, I didn’t really follow the cryptic mechanism, just seemed very literal.
Pody picks are 10A as I’m sucker for a music reference (I forgot to mention the ‘Smooth Operator’ clue yesterday!), 27A’s husband for making me laugh – what a great surface – and I’ll go for 1D, I thought that was clever and I was selfishly satisfied when the penny dropped on that one.
Thanks to setter – Hudson it seems from comments above? I don’t know the styles well enough yet to clock the setters, but I like this style very much indeed. And thanks to Deansleigh ⭐
A few clues were so tricky – playmaker for one – but very fair and enjoyable. Thank you Deansleigh and compiler
Top notch puzzle. Love the surfaces of 25 & 27a and 1d. My admiration of super surfaces makes these my joint faves – with an honourable mention to the rolling fag at 17d.
Brilliant stuff – thank you setter who it appears is Hudson (although I wouldn’t have known had they not admitted it!) and to D for the hints
I liked 25a on several levels. Thanks to all concerned.
Community driving duties all day so only just done the puzzle and what a fine one it is, too. I see from the comments ts above that Hudson has claimed it so more of the same please. The cold Beef Wellington got things off to a great start and it reminded me I haven’t cooked one for ages. I must remedy that. The lonely accommodation at 10a took me straight back to the first time I heard it as a child of nine. I wondered what on earth this sound was coming out of the radio. I didn’t know the bar at 7d but it was clued fairly. My COTD is Kips after school at 6d.
Thank you, Hudson for a great midweeker. Thank you, Deansleigh for the hints and The Primitives. I couldn’t stop watching just to see how many times her earrings changed.
We’ve had some sun here in The Marches but don’t tell anyone otherwise they’ll all want some.
Not forgetting “shake”+”spear” at 13 and 15 across in the Quick!
Good spot! 👍
Brilliant from Hudson. The eight down hint at 26A wins it for me. VMT also to Deansleigh.
Busy day today so a late finish. I wouldn’t usually bother blogging so late but totally amazed at having parsed my last one in 11a, to discover that lamprey is indeed a word ! Had to drop in to express my surprise. A nicely chewy puzzle. Thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh .
A successful complete and a 3 star too.
COTD, 6D, also liked, 10a, 19d. Thank you setter.
Thank you, Hudson. I saved this as a treat for the train to Edinburgh, and it didn’t let me down. My favourite was the 19d dodgy surfing area. Thanks also to Deansleigh for confirming some parsing. The ballet position was also new to me, despite being the parent of a child who’s been doing ballet for 8 years.
Two unknowns 12a and 7d and one unparsed 17d, my lack of French or any foreign language for that matter letting me down again. On the plus side four ticks for favourite and I’ll go with 2d. Thanks to Hudson and DL.
Isn’t 12a a two letter abbreviation for Florida and an anagram of paper. Defn. American women in the twenties.
Hi KJ
Sacking is a way of getting rid of a letter or letters. It’s not an anagram indicator.
A flapper was originally a British term in Victorian times that went over The Pond. So, it would need ‘say’ if the answer was ‘American woman in the 20s’.
I like your thinking though as Fl is a more accepted abbreviation for the Sunshine state.
Thanks
I parsed it the same way as you did KG & reckon sacking just about ok as an indicator- I’ve seen worse & Fl has replaced Fla as the state abbreviation. However I do think Deansleigh’s parse is Hudson’s intention. Julia Flyte in Brideshead Revisited is described in the book as a flapper.
Thanks. Great book
I put this comment in the wrong place..idiot …hence duplicating. Busy day today so a late finish. I wouldn’t usually bother blogging so late but totally amazed at having parsed my last one in 11a, to discover that lamprey is indeed a word ! Had to drop in to express my surprise. A nicely chewy puzzle. Thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh .
Really enjoyed today’s puzzle, and made it through with just the occasional check that I wasn’t making words up (5a) or bending definitions to the gaps (14d). Really enjoyed 8d, 13a and 1d in particular!
Hi OF
If you’re a footy fan, life must be a nightmare for you with both teams possibly going down this year or are you a fox, through and through?
Btw, you should call yourself Foxford as we all love a portmanteau word.
Couldn’t sleep so decided to do the unwise thing and exercise some grey matter. It’s obviously a case of à chacun son goût because I didn’t enjoy this challenge one little bit but somehow I made it through. I will however refrain from listing grating clues – too many for me. Sort of thanks to setter and thanks Deansleigh for your hints which I read after the event. Now to have another go at some shut-eye. Good night/morning.
2*/5* ….
liked 28A “Bill does a twirl, modelling dating garment (8)”