Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31172
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. I found this slightly easier than last week’s Wednesday cryptic, with much to enjoy and appreciate, including a fair smattering of musical references. I especially liked the risqué surfaces in 10a and 29a, but my favourite today was 23d. 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 Curse gazebo lost in a storm (2,2,6)
GO TO BLAZES: An anagram (in a storm) of LOST GAZEBO.
6a Support welcomed by Dire Straits (4)
REST: A lurker, hidden in (welcomed by) the last two words of the clue.
10a Vigilant, finding naughty books behind piano (7)
PRUDENT: A word that can mean ‘naughty’ and the abbreviation for a collection of books in the Bible follow the musical abbreviation for ‘piano’ or quiet.
11a Abrupt practical joke interrupting very old singer (7)
SOPRANO: A word for a practical joke without its last letter (abrupt) is inside a two-letter word for ‘very’ and the abbreviation for ‘old’.
12a Maybe actress Sophia oddly appearing in two articles (8)
THESPIAN: The alternate letters (oddly) of ‘Sophia’ are placed in between the definite and indefinite articles.
13a Magistrate and Chancellor finishing early (5)
REEVE: Remove the last letter (finishing early) of the surname of the current Chancellor, leaving an archaic word for a magistrate.
15a Remix is boost for musicians (7)
OBOISTS: An anagram (remix) of IS BOOST.
17a Self-seeker is tense after drug seized (7)
EGOTIST: The abbreviation of the drug Ecstasy is followed by a another word for ‘seized’, ‘is’ from the clue, and the abbreviation of ‘tense’.
19a Agrees copper must pursue fraud with robbers on vacation (7)
CONCURS: The chemical symbol for copper comes after a word for a fraud or scam and before the outer letters (on vacation) of ‘robbers’.
21a Country song about America, ultimately daft (7)
AUSTRIA: An operatic song is placed around the abbreviation for the United States and the last letter (ultimately) of ‘daft’.
22a Drinks and canoodles (5)
NECKS: A double definition.
24a I might tell you to stop playing organ with Sid (4,4)
ROAD SIGN: An anagram (playing) of ORGAN SID.
27a Always testy with no coverage for summit (7)
EVEREST: A synonym of ‘always’ is followed by what’s left of ‘testy’ when the outer letters are removed (with no coverage).
28a Chubby Checker or Detroit Spinner? (7)
TWISTER: The answer could be a way of describing the singer Chubby Checker when performing his famous dance, and is also a North American term for a whirling storm or tornado. (The question mark indicates that this clue is a definition by example, ‘Detroit’ being an example of a place in North America).
29a Blue anecdote when son’s not present (4)
TORY: The initial ‘S’ is removed (son’s not present) from another word for an anecdote, giving an informal word for a supporter of a right-wing party.
30a Catching bouquet easily? (5-5)
SHARP-NOSED: A cryptic definition.
Down Clues
1d Stare, close to squawking parrot (4)
GAPE: The last letter (close to) of ‘squawking’ is followed by a verb meaning to imitate.
2d Land in Irish county, south of border (5,4)
TOUCH DOWN: One of the counties of [Northern] Ireland is placed after (south of, in a down clue) a verb meaning to border or be adjacent to.
3d Reportedly hurt by unkind words, prepares tea? (5)
BREWS: A homonym (reportedly) of a word that can mean to abuse verbally.
4d Thanks for turning up with new satin bags (7)
ATTAINS: An informal word for ‘thank you’ is reversed (turning up, in a down clue) and followed by an anagram (new) of SATIN.
5d Rock sequences with Queen lacking spirit (7)
ESSENCE: An anagram (rock) of SE[qu]ENCES with an abbreviation of Queen removed (Queen lacking).
7d Occasionally feel sad, then fill with optimism (5)
ELATE: Alternate letters (occasionally) of ‘feel sad then’.
8d Time Doctor Wood’s cut of meat (1-4,5)
T-BONE STEAK: The abbreviation for ‘time’ is followed by an informal word for a doctor or surgeon and a tropical hardwood.
9d Dispute over scraps for garden birds (8)
SPARROWS: A word that can mean a dispute goes in front of (over, in a down clue) a synonym of ‘scraps’ or quarrels.
14d Dad firm favourite to host November musical performance (3,7)
POP CONCERT: An informal word for ‘father’, the two-letter abbreviation for ‘company’ and a slang word for a favourite (often preceded by ‘dead’) are placed round (host) the letter represented by November in the Nato phonetic alphabet.
16d Fruit drink journalist put down (8)
SQUASHED: A word for a fruit drink is followed by the usual abbreviation for a senior journalist.
18d Waters great iris that’s struggling (9)
IRRIGATES: An anagram (struggling) of GREAT IRIS.
20d Spell “exaggerate” (7)
STRETCH: A double definition, the first referring to a period of time.
21d Prod at a faulty electrical accessory (7)
ADAPTOR: An anagram (faulty) of PROD AT A.
23d Plain Conservative man who wrote nonsense (5)
CLEAR: The abbreviation for Conservative is followed by the surname of a poet and illustrator known mostly for his nonsense verse.
25d Offshoot mollusc Iona protects (5)
SCION: A lurker that “mollusc Iona” hides or ‘protects’.
26d Some jazz and Rush coming up
TRAD: A word meaning to rush or move rapidly is reversed (coming up, in a down clue).
Which clues did you like best? Please let us know in the comments section below.
The Quick Crossword pun: ROAR + NICK + ORBIT = RONNIE CORBETT
A pleasant solve although I did have a couple of bung ins. Assuming I have the correct answer, I don’t get 5d but I am probably missing the obvious. It’s the same with Doctor Wood at 8d. When Z and Q appeared, I thought we were in for a pangram but it was not to be. My COTD is Chubby Checker at 28a.
I loved the Quickie pun.
Thank you, setter for a great challenge. Thank you, Deansleigh for the hints.
Because of a cock-up by the university, I will not be around for a while. They messed up the essay submissions and I now have a whole load of marking to do before the end of the month. This means I won’t have much time for the puzzle. However, I will be looking in occasionally so play nice children. 😀
That’s a shame Steve.
Maybe you can award them an extra half mark if they get Serengetti, orchestra or editor in their essay. 😃
Time to get in asupply of pens and pencils for one sideof the desk and, on rhe other side favourite tipples andsnacks. Good luckwith it all Steve🙂
Don’t work too hard Steve – just stick a ruddy big red line through the AI submissions 😄
The first pass allowed for a half filled grid, after which it was a case of filling in the blanks resulting in a very swift fill. 8 down took a moment to parse. 1a made me laugh because it`s an expression I don`t hear that much these days. Same for “Hump off”. Top picks are 10, 19 and 21 for the across clues, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 16 for the downs. All in all, very enjoyable. Many thanks to the setter and hinter
Everything was going so well until the very last of the SE where 30a held out for the hints. I thought there was something nasal about it, but it still eluded me. Everything else was readily accessible with 1a, 2d and the aforementioned 30a as favourites.
My thanks to the setter and Deansleigh
2*/3*
A nice easy solve this morning: */***. COTD for me is 28a. Looks very much like a pangram missing an X. So it might be Proximal.
A gentle puzzle for me today with 22a my LOI, a horrible expression.
Top picks for me were 10a, 24a and 30a.
Thanks to Deansleigh and the setter.
Much more approachable than yeterdays guzzle, so I finished it in hlf the time, althoughthere are few clues that I can’t parse. I the Lego clue at 224d and 21d, thelatter being a good geographical clue. Thanks to the compiler and to Deansleigh for the hints, which I shall now read.
Later than late today but I agree with you about today being easier than yesterday. Found 5 d hard to justify but Deansleigh explained it so I can go off to sleep easily!
Many thanks to Setter & Hinter.
FYI Deansleigh the fodder in your hint for 1A is incorrect.
An enjoyable puzzle that didn’t kill too many brain cells.
Thanks to setter and hinter.
Thanks Eeyore, now corrected.
A very benign mid-weeker, as others have said, solved broadly clockwise and finishing in the NW with 10a. I’ll go with a podium comprising 19a, 28a and 20d. Many thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh.
Not that any excuse is needed, but 26a justifies a little burst from one of Canada’s best exports of the mid-20th century …
Not having a drain to unblock gave me plenty of time for the puzzle this morning.
A few in Kent and Chatham slowed me down. Despite my status as eldest male child I missed the lurker at 25d!
Thanks to setter and Deansleigh
Devotees of Robyn will want to try the Toughie today
My problem with 25d was that when reading letter by letter the I in Iona looks like a lower case ‘l’, so it took a while to get it! Otherwise lovely puzzle pretty quickly finished.
Thanks to setter and Deansleigh.
Very enjoyable. Two in the SE held me up for ages, otherwise I thought it fairly straightforward. My podium comprises 12a, 8d and 23a. Thanks to compiler and Deansleigh.
I appreciate that the powers that be Chez Telegraph Towers plan the order of the crosswords way in advance but I’m sure The Hud will be pleased that his difficult one last week, that he felt bad about (though he shouldn’t), is followed by an easier one.
It feels like his with a couple of fnarr fnarr clues and lovely constructions.
My pody picks are `10a, 21a and 14d.
MTTTA and Single head.
1*/4* (I don’t think I’ve ever given a 1 star for a midweeker before but I fairly flew through it)
That was fun! Very enjoyable mid-week entertainment – the work of Hudson(?). **/****
Candidates for favourite – 13a, 22a, 28a, 3d, and 20d – and the winner is 28a.
Thanks to whomsoever and Deansleigh.
Did the first half (RHS) in bed with my cuppa and then got stuck! However, after brekkie had another look and wondered what had been the problem. 10a my COTD. Thanks to setter and hinter for an enjoyable solve. We did manage to make it home yesterday so thanks for the concern, I was actually really worried. Oh yes, the snowdrops were fantastic at Anglesey Abbey as was the Winter Walk which I remember being planted before we moved from Cambridge.
Fairly gentle and enjoyable – thanks to our setter and Deansleigh.
My ticks went to 10a, 28a and 14d.
That really was a barrowload of untaxing fun after a tougher than usual kick-off to the cruciverbal week. Failed to parse 17a bung-in. I suppose 1a is a curse and 4d bags. Fav 8d. Thank you setter and Deansleigh.
Fun crossword that look longer to complete in the E than the W for no particularly good reason. I shall nominate 26d as COTD, not least because I bought tickets to see the rock band referenced before embarking on the puzzle. The gig is in March 2027, by which time we may we all live on the moon, but it’s good to have these things in the diary. Thanks very much to the setter and to Deansleigh. Now to embark on a project to get my camper van running so I can enjoy what feels almost like spring in even more attractive places than Watford.
Don’t count your chickens just yet CrisM – there is apparently cooler weather in the offing.
A very enjoyable solve indeed. A wee bit trickier than yesterday but not by much. That said a couple of the whys travelled on a later bus. Lots to like – 11,17,28&29a + 5,8&14d stood out for me & I’ll give those 3 downs the podium spots.
Thanks to the setter & to Deansleigh for the review & cartoons.
Ps the 24a surface prompted a bit of Georgie Fame on the Hammond with his rendition of Jumping With Symphony Sid
Pleasantly light for a midweeker and good fun to solve too. 8d raised the biggest laugh and remained my COTD.
My thanks to our Wednesday setter and Deansleigh.
20d (“Spell ‘exaggerate’) is my clear favourite today — thank you to the setter for the ingenuity, and Deansleigh for being here.
I found this Wednesday puzzle to be pretty gentle for mid-week. Went in more-or-less top to bottom with SE last in.
2*/4* for me
Favourites 1a, 21a, 24a, 2d, 9d & 25d — with winner 24a
Smiles for 1a, 2d & 9d
Thanks to setter (Hudson?) & Deansleigh
1*/4*. This was very light for a Wednesday but a lot of fun.
I’ve never heard of 30a but I guessed the answer from the checking letters and confirmed it in the BRB.
20a was my favourite from a plethora of ticked clues.
Many thanks to the setter (Hudson?) and to Deansleigh.
Thanks to the Setter and Deansleigh for the hints (not needed). Straight forward solve for a midweek puzzle. COTD 8d. LOI 5d. Now to enjoy the sunshine!
Smooth ride today with the chubby checker clue as my favourite thank you compiler and Deansleigh
A nice gentle puzzle with lots of ticks. Was held up by 30a for far too long – can’t see why tho!
Question regarding 9d isn’t the ‘scrap’ over the ‘dispute’ not the other way around?
Thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh for the splendid cartoons
Hi MHUK
Re 9d, it could work that way. But, as it’s ‘scraps’, its synonym has to end with an s.
The ‘s’ is how I justified it but I don’t think it makes it correct (to my way of thinking).
M, 9d. It’s dispute (spar) over (above in a down clue) scraps (rows):
S
P
A
R
R
O
W
S
I get it but I would argue the synonyms are better the other way around ie – dispute (rows) scrap (spar) I know there is an s as previously mentioned but I don’t think the clue is very good – I guess that is my point!
I agree that the meanings for each could be interchanged in theory, but the synonyms in the clue are confirmed in Chambers thesaurus, and it’s clearly best for them to be in that order to get to the definition of ‘garden birds’ – and to maintain a surface reading about arguing over what to feed them!
** / ****
Put the wrong first word into 30a and I’m not really aware of the correct answer as a well known phrase, so that’s a fail for me. Needed Google to confirm the 23d writer although it had to be what it was. Needed the hints to confirm the parsing of 5d and the Detroit aspect of 28a. The time taken for 30a and 5d were the only things that pushed this to 2* difficulty. Ticks went to 10a naughty books, 24a Sid’s organ and 8d’s construction for the meat. Enjoyable fare!
Thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh
Almost completed as a read and write but the rest proved to be difficult. Never heard of the phrase in 30a and only got it from the checkers. 1a, 25 and 26d make a very select podium with no sharp noses needed. I don’t know what was needed to give the Quickie pun any substance. Had to look at the solution and had to watch my tongue as my wife was in the room.
Thanks to Deansleigh and the setter.
1* / 3.5* A really good midweeker with only the never heard of 30a and 5d causing any delays.
My favourites out of some fine clues include the 14d musical performance, 20a spell and the 8d cut of meat.
Also thought the pun was excellent
Thanks to compiler and Deansleigh
Setter here. Thanks all, especially Deansleigh for the blog.
What a surprise! You usually beat me but, as I have said, today you were eminently solvable and fun to do. Thanks again.
Thank you for a very enjoyable solve, Mr Tumble, which was surprisingly gentle for you.
Keep ‘em coming!
Wasn’t prepared to back my hunch with hard cash. Thanks for popping in – great puzzle.
Nice puzzle Mr T. Loved 20d. 8d is also very good but having got the first letter the answer was obvious before I had chance to solve it from the clueing. Thank you for the enjoyment.
A slightly more difficult offering than yesterday having got stuck in the SE corner, although I did get the Detroit Spinner, so had to resort to the hints. No real favourites today but that might be me.
Thank you to the setter and to Deansleigh for the hints.
Thanks for popping in Twm and thanks for a relatively straightforward and enjoyable puzzle. Favourite was 8d. Thanks again to Twm and DL.
A nice and steady solve – as Deansleigh says, less complex than last Wed (and then some).
Wasn’t fond of the 30A word – when would one say it?
Pody picks – the deceptively simple 20D, the unusual word of 1A and 6D for a band that appeals to my raw 80s heritage and music appreciation combined.
Thanks to Deansleigh and the setter ⭐️
A nice and very entertaining puzzle, which I only just got to as we were out in the sunshine with friends. I liked 1a which got me started on the right path
Many thanks to Twmbarlwm and to Deansleigh for the hints
3*/4* …
liked 28A “Chubby Checker or Detroit Spinner ? (7)”