Daily Telegraph
No 31165
Hints and tips by ALP
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Huntsman’s away on his jollies so I’m afraid you’re stuck with me. We have the usual Tuesday fare – typically fair and suitably gentle with credible surfaces. Over to you.
Across
1a Storyteller‘s model answer rejected (5)
AESOP: (to) model/sit + abbreviated “answer”, rejected/reversed.
4a Understanding group of people (9
GATHERING: double definition.
9a So concerning after the golfer’s shout (9)
THEREFORE: the usual “concerning” after “the” from the clue, plus “golfer’s (warning) shout”.
10a In Puerto Rico, copy set of examination questions (5)
PAPER: copy/imitate in(side) abbreviated “Puerto Rico”.
11a X is turned on, creating anxiety (7)
TENSION: X (Roman numeral) + “is” reversed/turned + “on” from the clue.
12a King annoys football team (7)
RANGERS: abbreviated “king” + annoys/vexes.
13a The woman breaks Detective Inspector’s plates (6)
DISHES: “the woman” (pronoun) breaks/goes inside abbreviated “Detective Inspector’s”.
15a Embarrassed about rental agreement getting published (8)
RELEASED: “embarrassed” (noticeably), about/containing “rental agreement”.
18a Chauffeurs possibly rest – van’s broken (8)
SERVANTS: RESTVANS, broken.
20a Shame about missing shoe (6)
SANDAL: shame/disgrace missing the usual one-letter “about”.
23a Salesman coming in trim and ready (7)
PREPARE: (travelling) “salesman” in(side) trim (as per vegetables).
24a Bird by middle of night is breathing heavily (7)
PUFFING: bird (auk) + [ni]G[ht].
26a Boy almost allowed large spoon (5)
LADLE: “boy” + “allowed”, minus the last letter (almost).
27a Trump perhaps in attendance, restricting international diplomacy at first (9)
PRESIDENT: “in attendance”, restricting/containing the first letters of “international diplomacy”.
28a Papa gets out of bed after certain, short rude awakenings (9)
SURPRISES: NATO’s “Papa” + “gets out of bed”, after certain/convinced, minus the last letter (short).
29a Sensible son with old hat (5)
SOLID: abbreviated “son” and “old” + synonym for “hat”.
Down
1d Suitable duties wasted talents (9)
APTITUDES: suitable/fit + DUTIES, wasted.
2d Bit of toothpaste inside mug (5)
STEIN: Lurker, hidden in the third and fourth words.
3d Recipe’s roughly accurate (7)
PRECISE: RECIPES, roughly.
4d Crushed golf ball’s shape? (6)
GROUND: NATO’s “golf” plus the shape of a ball.
5d Right-wingers embracing the man’s ideas (8)
THEORIES: right-wingers/Conservatives, embracing/containing “the man” (pronoun).
6d Old writers finally take charge (7)
EXPENSE: two-letter “old” + usual “writers” + [tak]E.
7d Overwhelmed? I’m crushed (9)
IMPRESSED: “IM” from the clue + crushed/squashed.
8d Females and American soldiers holding hands (5)
GIRLS: “American soldiers” holding/containing (both) “hands”.
14d Give up resistance in the grip of nurse with red pants (9)
SURRENDER: abbreviated “resistance” in the grip of/inside NURSERED, pants.
16d Possibly dim editor is tickled pink (9)
DELIGHTED: How one might whimsically say “to dim” + the usual diminutive “editor”.
17d Tries steaming pet’s mat? About time! (8)
ATTEMPTS: PETSMAT, steaming, about/containing abbreviated “time”.
19d Incompetent friend found in a former city (7)
AMATEUR: friend/pal, inside ‘A’ from the clue and setters’ favourite former/old city.
21d Concerns a female shows (7)
AFFAIRS: ‘A’ from the clue + abbreviated “female” + (trade) “shows”.
22d Darts players who are ranked admitting pressure (6)
SPEEDS: “players who are ranked” (tennis, etc) admitting/containing abbreviated “pressure”.
23d What you might get from pharmacy, initially, ahead of ailments (5)
PILLS: P[harmacy] + “ailments”.
25d Perfect view with lake below (5)
IDEAL: View/thought + abbreviated “lake”.
We’ve got five anagrams, one double definition, a lurker and an all-in-one. I rather liked the surfaces in 27a, 2d and 22d. 23d’s clue as definition works well too. How did you get on?
Quickie pun: EWE + NIT + COST = UNIT COST
I found the Professor a little on the tougher side this week. Either that or my brain is not firing on all cylinders. Still, It all came together gradually resulting in a satisfying solve. For some reason I spent too long try to work out a non-existent anagram at 7d. I liked the American soldiers holding hands at 8d and the dim editor at 16d. There was a lot to like and it’s difficult to choose a favourite but I will go for the anxiety at 11a as my COTD.
Thank you, AP for another great Tuesday offering. Thank you, ALP for the hints.
A sunny and frosty day here in The Marches, which is a welcome change from the grey, wet days we seem to have had since the start of the year.
Good morning.
This was literally a read and write from the outset with smiles a plenty; the fablist at 1a, the test at 10a, the delph at 13a. I could go on but there are too many to note. But 23a, 24a and 1d are my top likes. Many thanks to the setter for the entertainment, and the hinter for the hints, which were not needed.
I found this a lot gentler than yesterday’s but still very enjoyable.
Top picks for me were 20a, 8d, 18a and 29a.
Thanks to ALP and Mr Plumb.
I will agree with Conor on this one – read and write from start to finish with a slight pause for 22d my LOI and COTD.
1*/4*
The Chalicea toughie is great fun today and on par with a Thursday/Friday X Word in terms of difficulty IMHO.
Thanks to ALP and PP
Thank you for the heads up. The toughie is probably easier than the back pager.
Agree, the Toughie is very doable but cannot find the sheep in the number so will wait for the hints!
I also cannot find the sheep! Or the Left out in 12a so am also waiting for the hints
Please don’t discuss clues from other puzzles on a blog (see Comment Etiquette #7) as other solvers may be saving the other puzzle to do later.
A very enjoyable crossword for me today. Lots to like. Favourite the dim editor.
Was held up for a short time on 7d , but eventually convinced myself that crushed was an appropriate synonym.
Thanks to the setter and to Alp.
Sunny here at last! Hurrah! Jolly cold, though…..but sunny! Vitamin D tablets returned to the cabinet.
A typically Tuesdayish puzzle that was light, bright and nicely clued. 22d was my pick of the day.
Many thanks to AP and ALP.
For me, etc© back to the original Typically Tuesdayish and the once proscribed term, which seems to have crept back into usage, might apply – */*****
Candidates for favourite – 1a, 8a, 11a, 29a, and 11d – and the winner is 29a.
Thanks to Mr Plumb and ALP.
P.S. Perfectly complemented by a not quite Floughie offering from Chalicea.
Senf
I think we should proscribe it and other similar terms again
I huffed and puffed on some of this as is my usual experience with AP productions and then wondered why? I too took to much time trying to find the non-existent anagram in 7d. Cotd for me is 20a, delightful in its simplicity. Thanks to AP and ALP.
0.5*/4*. TT.
Thanks to the APs with and without the L.
A Mondayish Tuesday, */*** for me. I was encouraged/had time to move on to the Toughie and broke my record for minimum coffees required. COTD 11a or 19d.
Many thanks AP and alkaline phosphatase.
This was over in a flash; probably my fastest ever solve which makes it hard to rate as there was no challenge, at all. I appreciate that some solvers may say that they had to work at it but, for me, it was too easy.
It’s a beautifully constructed puzzle with plenty of good surfaces. So, what’s not to like? Maybe it’s because many of the answers were the first synonym off the rank.
Anyway, my podium is 11a,14d and 22d.
MTT Il Professore and ALP.
Hmm…..1*/3*
** / ****
Just crept into 2* as I had trouble with the SE. When each clue fell though, I couldn’t see why I paused. I’m thinking I’m in recovery from the terrible day yesterday and I know far more now than I ever wanted to about internet DNS settings relevant to email (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) etc. That solution did seem to leave me some concentration for this puzzle.
Liked X in 11a, the 16d dim editor, the 14d red pants and COTD 21d for the size of the penny drop and the realisation that it must be me because that clue should have gone straight in!
Agree with TDS above that the synonyms were quick to arrive today, easing the overall solve.
Many thanks to ALP and AP … from AP!!!!!
I empathize with your DNS struggles as I recently had to deal with those issues myself. And when I had finally come to grips with the mess of alphabet soup you mention, I discovered there was still MTA-STS, TLS-RPT and BIMI left to deal with. Best wishes in getting it all sorted out.
Good Tuesday fun with no sweat. SE last corner to come on board. Have personal antipathy to continuing use of “pants” as in 14d context.
My apologies for omitting to thank MrP and ALP for the fun-time which I belatedly do now.
Good stuff from our consistently smooth setter – thanks to him and ALP.
For my podium I’ve selected 20a, 8d and 16d.
A rare visit from me as I have a stinking cold and we are inundated with stormy/thundery conditions here in Puglia. Our wettest winter so far in 23 years. So I solved Chalicea in bed this morning and agree with others that is a very approachable puzzle.
And so is the offering from the Prof before lunch. i was tickled by the surface read of 14dn! I’m not sure that all 19dn’s (especially in by-gone sporting days) would be impressed by being described as incompetent.
20ac was my LOI so it gets my vote.
Thanks to the Prof and to Alp for the blog.
Is there any news about Jane?
RD included an update on Jane in Comment 6 of DT 31162 on Friday.
Good to hear from you Stoney.
Last we heard Jane was feeling a bit better, but still undergoing tests.
I agree with you on this and Chalicea in t’other place, where I am also thinking about sheep
Thanks both-
Just noticed I didn’t tackle 31162 – i was in Rome for the match! Got drenched there too and probably picked up the cold at the same time.
Agreed. Amateur is indeed used to mean incompetent but it also refers to those who, as opposed to professionals, do what they do without payment. I know many highly competent amateur musicians.
And amateur crossword bloggers too
Thanks to AP and ALP
Great crossword today , thank you, I was on the right wavelength for once. Thanks for the hints ( not needed today! ) and to the setter.
A typical Tuesday puzzle for me this week it would seem. Nothing to scare the horses in this and there were some chuckles along the way as per normal.
1.5*/4*
Favourites include 11a, 12a, 13a, 24a & 5d — with winner 24a
Smiles for winner as well as 7d, 8d & 23d
Thanks to AP & ALP
1*/ 3.5* Pleasantly straightforward which suited me today with smiles throughout.
Enjoyed 24a the out of breath seabird, the storyteller at 1a and the shoe at 20a
Thanks to setter and ALP
A read and write for me today as it is every day but the write part coming in many cases some time after the reading. Agree with TDS that the synonyms were not from some obscure hoard but accessible to the lasses in the noisy hen parties.
Thanks to the holder of a chair and ALP.
As said several times above, this was at the easier end of the spectrum which I completed anticlockwise. LOI was 22d which took me a few seconds but that was thje only hold-up.
*/**** for me. Thanks to the setter, and to ALP for the mercifully unneeded hints which I shall now read!
A quick solve, I think this is a lovely puzzle, lots of surfaces to enjoy and the writer in me is impressed by the brevity of several of the clues.
Pody picks – 11A’s anxiety-invoking X (often so true), 14A’s nurse and 22D’s darts players.
I haven’t seen the Michael Keaton film ALP has mentioned – gets a 6.7 on iMDB I see. The Johh Martyn album though, more like an 8/9 in my book.
Thanks to ALP and the setter ⭐
A lovely puzzle. Don’t agree with the few who said it was too easy to be enjoyable – yes it was read and write – but those surfaces are sublime. I really don’t think anyone comes close to this setter in that regard. Thanks to them and to ALP
A very enjoyable puzzle, just right for the start of the week. I had 11a as my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to ALP for the h8nts.
Thanks to AP and ALP.
We too found this a quick solve even for a Tuesday. COTD 24A. LOI 22D. Another grey day but we have the wood burner smouldering in the corner to keep us warm.
Wade in red tar, pants! Language!
19d clueing!
Thanks to the snow covered mountain and the setter.
11a was my favourite today in this very enjoyable guzzle. Thanks to our reliable compiler and hinter.
Good to hear Jane is improving.
Ditto 1*/3*
Reeled this off before I went to play golf this morning; a little chilly, but clear and dry. What more can ask for a February day?
Difficult to pick a favourite, but if I must I’ll go with the dim editor @ 16d.
Thanks to AP and ALP for standing in.
Now to see what Chalicea has to offer.
I got stuck on 22d which I thought very clever when at last I twigged. Excellent puzzle. Thanks both setter and blogger
A very enjoyable and doable puzzle. My only hold-up was getting 19d and 26a for which I needed the hints. As an amateur actress in my much earlier years I wasn’t impressed with the answer for 19d! For some unfathomable reason, I put speedy for 22d so that didn’t help when trying to get 26a. Many thanks to the setter and ALP for the hints. A beautiful, sunny day in the NW so a few hours spent in the garden moving and cleaning, expensive plant pots before the tree surgeons, finally put in an appearance, at the weekend.
A very enjoyable romp.I agree with some,it doesn’t have to be hard to be enjoyable . The only reason not to enjoy, is that it’s over with too quickly,if that makes sense . Also agree the toughie today is very friendly . Thanks to all . Favourite 22d
A pleasant accompaniment for my train journey between Paddington and Bristol Parkway this evening. 19 down last to slot in. Onwards now to West Wales.
As mentioned by several others, I solved it without requiring hints, but very enjoyable nonetheless. The parsing of 20a escaped me for a while until the penny dropped. Anything involving nurses in red pants has to get my vote as favourite……shallow but honest 😊
Thanks to the setter and for the mercifully redundant hints.
Pretty standard Tuesday fare – much quicker solving with no thought about penning a hint. Ta muchly to ALP for subbing – big ticks for JM & The Jam but enjoyed all the music picks. Liked the golf clues.
Thanks to AP
A late start due to having a long overdue beer or three with an old friend and a late finish due to nodding off part way through. Message to self ‘do crossword before going on the lash’. Favourite was the bird breathing heavily. Thanks to AP and ALP.
3*/4* ….
liked 17D “Tries steaming pet’s mat? About time! (8)”