Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31180
Hints and tips by Mr K
+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - +
BD Rating - Difficulty **** - Enjoyment ***
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday.
In the hints below most indicators are italicized, and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions. Clicking on the answer buttons will reveal the answers. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.
Across
8a Maybe Tate and Lyle regularly used by Queen to keep cheerful - quite the opposite (7)
GALLERY: Inverting the wordplay (quite the opposite), a synonym of cheerful containing (to keep) both alternate letters (regularly used) of LYLE and the Latin abbreviation for Queen Elizabeth
9a Lasting without salary? Wife has to go (7)
AGELESS: “Without salary” minus the single letter for wife (wife has to go)
11a Potential clue for 'send', details yet to be settled (5,4)
LOOSE ENDS: The answer read as cryptic wordplay could give “send”
12a This person, 'spotty thing' firing European physician (5)
MEDIC: A pronoun for “this person” from the setter’s perspective with a “spotty thing” rolled in some board games minus (firing) the single letter for European
13a Struggle to convert foxtrot into tango that's fast (5)
TIGHT: In a synonym of struggle convert the single letter for foxtrot into the single letter for tango
14a Reform enrich USA, one observed in the main (3,6)
SEA URCHIN: An anagram (reform) of ENRICH USA
16a Figure reserve, Mo Salah, finally right to make a comeback (7)
RHOMBUS: The fusion of a reserve player, MO from the clue, the final letter of SALAH, and the single letter for right is all reversed (to make a comeback)
18a Live with half-concealed coke dependency (7)
COHABIT: One half of COKE with another word for dependency
19a Vilification when individual gets to grips with another? (9)
ASPERSION: A synonym of when is followed for another word for an individual that contains (gets to grips with) a pronoun for an individual
21a Keeps quiet getting seal of approval? (3-2)
SAY-SO: Best I can do here is that the answer split (4,1) could mean “keeps quiet” if the “1” is a letter meaning nothing or zero
22a People admired bride's words, terms of eternal fondness (5)
IDOLS: What a bride (or groom) says at their wedding, with the last letters of (terms of) ETERNAL FONDNESS
24a Appear with G-string for Spooner, a mood-inducing number? (5,4)
THEME SONG: Apply the Spooner treatment to the fusion of other words for appear and G-string
25a Hillary Clinton's election papers in maiden name (7)
MIDTERM: The abbreviation for identification papers inserted in the single letter for maiden and a synonym of name. “Hillary Clinton’s” here is indicating that the definition is an Americanism
26a Arsenal entertaining is held back for security (7)
DEPOSIT: A synonym of arsenal containing (entertaining) the reversal (held back) of IS from the clue
Down
1d Ignoring one small ministerial saga confounded fair play (14)
EGALITARIANISM: An anagram (confounded) of MINISTERIAL SAGA minus (ignoring) one copy of the single letter for small
2d Heart perhaps added to family's medical data (5,5)
BLOOD GROUP: What Anne and Nancy Wilson’s Heart define by example (perhaps) comes after a synonym of family
3d 'Come again' included in most fitting request (6)
BEHEST: An interjection meaning “come again” inserted in (included in) another word for “most fitting”
4d Alternative therapy to stop one smoking joint, we hear, son is converted (8)
HYPNOSIS: A homophone (we hear) of a skeletal joint with an anagram (converted) of SON IS
5d First hint of Nescafé Gold cut bum's sickness (6)
NAUSEA: Link together the initial letter (first hint) of NESCAFE, the chemical symbol for gold, and all but the last letter (cut) of bum or rear
6d Stain most of top lip, upset over case of catarrh (8)
BESMIRCH: Join together all but the last letter (most of) a synonym of top, the reversal (upset, in a down clue) of a synonym of lip, and the outer letters (case of) CATARRAH
7d Wind in November cutting through retirement place (4)
BEND: The single letter for November inserted in (cutting though) the place one retires to every night
10d Toughest NHS doc developed misgivings (6,8)
SECOND THOUGHTS: An anagram (developed) of TOUGHEST NHS DOC
15d Obsession of Scottish cyclist, drinking heads from beer and brandy chaser? (5-5)
HOBBY-HORSE: Sir Chris the Scottish cyclist containing (drinking) the first letters of (heads from) BEER and BRANDY, followed by what chaser defines by example (?)
17d Perk for frequent fliers? (8)
BIRDSEED: A cryptic definition of what hungry fliers might eat frequently
18d Maintains company margins checking books (8)
CONTENDS: An abbreviation for company and a synonym of margins sandwiching (checking) a usual abbreviated set of religious books
20d Early pint free from restrictions - pour out on the counter (2,4)
IN TIME: PINT minus its outer letters (free from restrictions) with the reversal (on the counter) of another word for “pour out”
21d Well-wisher paints the setting for guide (6)
SHERPA: WELL-WISHER PAINTS hides (… the setting for) the answer
23d Likelihood of daughters wearing Boss only evens (4)
ODDS: Two copies of the single letter for daughter inserted in (wearing) the even letters of BOSS
Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: POLL + LEAST + EIGHT = POLICE STATE
I’m afraid I struggled mightily with this. I got there in the end but, for me, it was a tortuous journey. Still, as I have said before, it is Friday so brain mangling is to be expected. I could not parse about four so will need the hints for enlightenment. The Scottish cyclist at 15d was one. I missed the lurker at 21d completely solving it from checkers. For once, I liked the spoonerism at 21a and that becomes my COTD.
Thank you, setter for what was, for me, a tough but fair call. Thank you, Mr. K. for the hints.
I found today`s puzzle to be reasonably fair. It was by no means a swift solve but it didn`t take too long either. Top picks are the unfinished business at 11a, the avian foodstuff at 17d and 23d. 16a, 18a and 7d are also worthy contenders for a place on the podium. However COTD is 17d which was also my LOI. Many thanks to the setter and hinter
4*/2*. This was pretty tough, particularly on the left hand side. Although there were some good clues, I didn’t really warm to this puzzle as there were too many unconvincing surfaces.
Thanks anyway to the setter and thanks too to Mr K.
Absolute belter of a puzzle, quite brilliant and the best of the week so far, whether Toughie or Back Page.
It threatened to be more challenging than turned out to be the case – I could not “see” 1d or 8a at first, so instead started in the SW and worked broadly and at good pace N & NW from there, finishing at 3d with a loud clang as the penny dropped. Great wit and humour throughout, and lots of very clever clueing. I’ve ended up with ticks against fully half the clues, but will limit podium places to 8a, 24a & 15d, and restrict runners-up to 16a, 21a (another grin on parsing the answer), 1d (great spot for that anagram) & 3d.
Superb, setter, and thank you. Many thanks also to Mr K.
Golly this was tough. My favourites were 13A, 2D and 17D. Having read the hints I still don’t understand the parsing of 11A and the surface of 21A doesn’t really seem to lead to the answer. But thanks to setter and hinter for stretching my brain today.
Re 21a, split your answer 4,1 and then speak it aloud.
Hi SL
The last letter looks like a zero (nothing). So, if someone ‘keeps quiet’ he or she ‘****’ nothing (4,1).
I’m basically confirming what Mr K and J have said.
Re 11a, the first word of your answer is pointing to an anagram of the second word. The definition is “details yet to be settled “
Oh, I see now! Thanks
I found this one of the toughest Friday puzzles for a while. I didn’t like 2d (“Heart perhaps” did not immediately point me to the synonym!)
and 17d was my last in.
The two I ticked were 13a and 19a.
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
4*/3* for me.
In the easier camp for a Friday , but like others 11 and 21a still only half satisfied with the parsing.? The left hand side although more difficult than the right , fell into place after 1d dropped in .A really enjoyable solve today favourites 4, 15 and 25 . Thanks to all
Even by Friday standards, a real brain mangler – 4.5*/1.5*
Smiles for 11a, 16a, 26a, and 5d.
Thanks to whomsoever and Mr K.
An enjoyable puzzle well worthy of the Friday slot – thanks to our setter and Mr K.
I’ve never heard of the Heart in 2d but assumed that it must be the name of a band – thanks to Mr K for confirming that.
Top clues for me were 8a, 11a, 21a and 7d.
As did others, found this very tough going – was foxed by 3 down though it is perfectly well clued once you see it….anyway, we expect a challenge on Friday, great puzzle, thanks to all
Hard going. Took me ages to get started, but persevered to the end. Almost enjoyable!
Can’t say I enjoyed this Friday puzzle today, in part because it was almost an hour late in release and then the fact that I just didn’t like it. Just me. Not my cuppa at all.
4*/1*
Favourites 8a, 14a, 24a, 10d & 21d — with winner 24a
Thanks to setter for the brain mangle & Mr K. for getting some hints out.
By a margin the most demanding of the back-pagers this week, which is how it should be on a Friday. A pedestrian completion but the puzzle wasn’t really getting my full attention as I’ve been manning the gate at the club & a steady stream of golfers kept interrupting by train of thought. Initially inclined to RD’s view but on reading back through it had 10d & appreciated its qualities much more without enthusing quite to the extent MG did. Ticks aplenty – 16,18,21&24a + 4,6,15&18d particular likes.
Thanks to the setter (Zandio my punt) & to Mr K
This was perfect for the Friday slot. Hard work which made it therefore an enjoyable solve.
My LOI was 3d as I couldn’t get out of my head ‘re’ being the first two letters and 1d took me waaaaaaay longer than it should have done. ‘Term’ meaning the final letter is almost embedded in my noggin but not quite.
I don’t understand how 17d can mean ‘perk’. I must be missing something. Can anyone help? It’s a shame that perquisite got shortened as it’s much more satisfying to say…’May I ask what the perquisites of the job are?’
”Hillary Clinton’s election” as a synonym for 25a seems nuts to me. If the presidential election was called 25a then fair enough. I suppose the setter (Zandio?) has chosen Hillary as she never ran to be the Potus. I would have gone down another route. Maybe using the middle (mid) of the second part of the word being the Queen (ER). Having said that, I applaud the setter going a bit left field with clues. So, more power to him!
20d reminds me of the classic crossword clue….Edit (3,4)
My pody picks are 8a, 16a and 24a.
MTTTA and Mr K.
4*/4*
2016 just a dream?
Hi Hoots
I don’t doubt that hers was a famous one but picking hers as opposed to many others just seems random. I suppose he had to pick one and the clue is excellently parsed.
Onwards!
I concur with Mr K’s assessment that ‘Hilary Clinton’s’ is an indication, somewhat convoluted perhaps, of an Americanism – general elections in the USA are held every two years with those that are held close to half-way through a president’s four-year term of office being referred to using 25a.
Hi Tom, I agree with your comment re the US indictator, but contrary to your post she did run for POTUS in 2016! How different the world would be now if she had won
You’re right and I don’t know why I said that.
Maybe I was still recovering from the shooing the setter gave me.
I’m not convinced that is how you spell ‘shooing’ but I can’t get it confirmed online which I’d like to as it’s a great expression. Can anyone help?
I think the word perk makes it a better surface. The word fuel would have been better.
Hi JM
Isn’t a perk more of a pick-me-up than simply ‘fuel’ or ‘a source of energy’ which 17d is?
Well yes I agree , so it is a tad tenuous. Been trying to think of a better clue along the lines of ‘fuel for ….a type of car ? (that being the name of a bird)’. My friend came up with a Humber Hawk ,but that doesn’t really work. I do admire the setters for their brilliance so will forgive in this instance 😀
Absolutely. I am always in awe of them.
We are not worthy.
I am in the tough camp and having spent a long time on the left hand side I needed hints to get going again. It is Friday and so no complaints from me, this was just a bit beyond my abilities. 15d was my favourite amongst some very fine clues. I would not have parsed 2d in a month of Sundays.
Many thanks to the setter for the challenge and to Mr K for the hints.
Started with the two long anagrams which gave a start- plodded doggedly around the grid and got it filled, albeit with a couple of bung-ins. (3d, 17d). Can’t say i enjoyed it much. I’m with Tom on 25a – didn’t get the americanism.
All of that said, i found it easier than yesterday’s back page offering.
Thanks to Mr K for lightening my darkness.
A real brain mangler indeed! Thank goodness for the long anagram – what a feat – at 1d and the other long one jumped out at me. I have another four to do but going out to lunch now. Hopefully I can call in later with a full house! Thanks to Setter & Mr K
What a struggle. Left it in the middle and did some gardening. Finished with 25 across unfinished and 3 down wrong. Found the right answer for 6 down but wrongly spelled. For 17 down I wanted to put in air miles but that didn’t last long. Most brilliant clue was 11 across.
Thank you Mr.K for confirmation as I had a lot of uncertainty and to our setter who more than lived up to providing a real challenge.
As usual, I approached this tricky guzzle by our Friday compiler by trying to identify the definition inthe clue and using the checkers. It was difficult to get a start but once I’d got the excellent , well- hiddenanagrams at1d and 10d progress was more rapid. Fortunately I vaguely rwmembered hearing the expression synonymous with perk and was able to workout the double definition(? For 17d retrospectively and that is my COTD. Thanks to the compiler for the Friday brain-burner and to MrK for the hints, which I shall now use to elucidate some of the parsing, which I couldn’t reverse engineer
My brain feels well and truly mangled now. A DNF for me as couldn’t get 17d (although we spend a fortune on the stuff) and 25a and couldn’t parse 2d as I’d totally forgotten about the group.
Top picks for me were 21a, 6d, 5d and 16a.
Thanks to Mr K and the setter.
I’m glad to see I was not the only one to struggle with this one. There were probably a dozen or so clues that I couldn’t get my head around for a while, and I finished in pretty much late week Toughie time. Reverse engineering was used a little too much for my liking which certainly impacted on my enjoyment. There were some good clues in amongst the more difficult surfaces, from which I selected 10d as my favourite.
I thought I was set for a dnf, but persevered and I’m glad I did. A real Friday challenge and a corker to boot. Cracking the two long down clues helped immeasurably. I ended up with plenty of ticks on my page and 15d was a lol moment. Podium places go to 13a, 17a and the spoonerism at 24a. Thanks to compiler and Mr K.
I thought this one was going to be beyond me at first, but it wasn’t so bad in the end. The S held out for rather longer than the N and my LOI was 17d, which was also my COTD (I’ve worked with many a minister who would rightly object to my use of acronyms there). Like others, I was unconvinced by the parsing in a couple of places, but I fully accept that I am but a novice in these matters. A good Friday challenge anyway, and thanks very much to the setter and to Mr K.
Tough but fair.
So I’m still on holiday with plenty of time and a free brain, so whilst it was tricky it was a steady solve. I think I would have struggled if at home , and probably would have had to have left it and resumed later. I agree with the comments questioning Hillary Clinton although I did manage to parse the clue. I did spend an awful long time on the perk for frequent fliers 17d my last one in, which became clear once I had solved 19a . All in all enjoyable and wondering who the setter was. Thanks to whoever and to Mr K.
Needed the hint to parse 2d as I was erroneously ascribing the second word as family, i should have seen it really. 17d I parsed as frequent visitors to a feeding station in the garden. The rest were tough but fair. Favourite was 18d. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K.
I enjoyed this but found some surfaces strange and 17d is a poor clue that was a rather unsatisfying LOI.
3*/3*
Thanks to setter and Mr K.
With you on 17d. It demonstrates everything I dislike about cryptic definitions.
As far as I’m concerned the less said about today’s offering the better. Surely it’s not the product of one of our regular setters however thanks but really no thanks to him/her and particularly sincere thanks to MrK for helping to make some sense of this unamusing mind-bender.
Exactly my sentiments.
🙂
Totally agree. Totally beyond my pay grade and solved less than half the clues. A real wavelength problem.
The RHS wasn’t too bad but I really struggled with the LHS. I finished but I’m afraid I didn’t really enjoy it. 17d was particularly poor. Still, tomorrow is another day. Thanks to all. I think the Post Office must have a death wish – this shocking increase in the price of stamps will just mean that no-one writes letters any more which is such a shame. Maybe I’m just grumpy as I woke with a horrid cold and am feeling extremely chilly and don’t want to waste the oil in the tank.
Hope you feel better soon Manders.
I see that NWT is celebrating it’s centenary this year with free entry this weekend. Hope they get supported but that your lovely village doesn’t get inundated with visitors.
I know how you feel about oil in the tank – I said to George this evening we should check the oil but the price has doubled overnight. I hate being cold. What a mess. No petrol to be had around here. Stay in bed and justt keep guzzling!
Real diversity among the comments, which is good, I think, especially when it’s on the difficult end. On some occasions I can’t be bothered to finish a difficult one and then there are days like today when for some reason, I keep going until finished (indeed, unaided today). I assume this has more to do with the state of mind of the solver than the ‘quality’ of the puzzle.
Battled my way through this maze of gobbledegook and rocky surfaces today to complete this puzzle after repeated and desperate “finish laters”. A dreadful experience.
Started earlier this morning and felt that it was going to creep into Toughie country, as I only had 5 filled in on the first pass before going out. Came back and one by one, the rest slowly fell into place. I agree about the tenuousity of some of the clues, i.e. Hilary Clinton and frequent flyers. This was good Friday fodder requiring some serious mind bending, but very enjoyable.
My podium is 11a, 24a, 10d and 2d.
My thanks to the setter and MrK
3*/4*
Found this quite tricky and took a while to gain a foothold. I also had question marks next to 17d and 25a, but 21a and 24a made ammends for those dodgy clues.
Thanks to the setter and MrK
Thanks to the Setter and Mr K for the hints. We found this tough going even for a Friday. Just about completed as the sunset! (we didn’t start until mid afternoon). COTD 15d. LOI 21d
Definitely a full-on Friday back pager, and with Elgar on the inside, it’s going to be a tough weekend! Lots of misdirection and left-field thinking. I was very taken 11a and 21a. I’m not so keen on 25a (although a seemingly random US person is often used as an Americanism alert. And I’m even less keen on 17d, for which “Perk” is pretty iffy even given the presence of the ? to tell you there’s something odd intended.
Thanks to Mr K for the blog, and to our setter for an enjoyable challenge, and a fine Stiffener pre-Toughie.
3.5*/ 3.5* Difficult to rate as it was completed in three sessions, but definitely a proper Friday challenge.
I liked loads of clues and just to be awkward I did like the avian grub at 17d and Hillary’s election at 25a
Thanks to MrK and the devious compiler
15D an absolute classic in a proper Friday workout. VMT to Setter & Mr K.
Strange week for me. This was the most straightforward solve of the week, yet I struggled with some of the easier solves. Solved unaided although needed the hint to parse 25a.
Initially thought this was going to be a washout. Quite pleased with myself for solving.
Thanks to all.
I really take my hat off to those who found this a doddle. I am not complaining because it is Friday and I have done this in dribs and drabs. I could never have solved 2d on my own, 25 was a guess – I was glad to have two long anagrams to help me. Tomorrow is another day. Thanks to the Mangling Setter and salutations to MrK for the hints. George is watching rugby so I think I shall go and have a long bath and tackle the toughie.
I enjoyed this a lot 🙂 Like Manders (29), I had far greater early success on RHS – which made the LHS all the more satisfying when it came, especially the likes of 3D and 2A. LOI was 22A – haven’t yet memorised ‘terms of’ for last letters.
Pody picks = 11A’s send clue, 24A’s Spooner (pleased to get this quickly), and 3D as I listened to my cryptic solving instincts and repeatedly avoided sticking ‘repeat’ in there – plus I like the actual answer.
Thanks to setter and to Mr K ⭐️
I’ve just realised why the setter chose Hillary….maiden name is a female term.
Apologies to Z or whoever it may be.
Perhaps Hillary refers to the name of a term? I don’t believe midterm is particularly an Americanism!
Welcome to the blog
What did you think of the crossword?
The good kind of tricky crossword — enjoyable, but took a lot of getting there. Thank you to Mr K for the explanations, and indeed for being on duty for this crossword; I’m glad I wasn’t blogging it!
My top few include the 12a spotty thing, 16a with Mo Salah, the 18a coke dependency, and the 24a Spoonerism. Thank you to the setter.
Too tough for me. Could make no sense of 2d, 19a or 25a, and 26a very obscure. Not much fun, I’m afraid
Enjoyed working through with the aid of the hints, for which Thanks !
Liked 21A “Keeps quiet getting seal of approval ? (3,2)”
I agree with Mustafa G that this is ‘an absolute belter of a puzzle, quite brilliant’ and very entertaining.
My podium would overflow were I to list all my likes! I have edited my choice down to twelve clues, namely 8a, 9a, 11a, 21a, the fun Spoonerism 24a and Hillary Clinton at 25a; 3d (my last in and my favourite), 6d, 15d, 17d (my runner-up favourite), and 21d.
Re 2d, I didn’t know that ‘Heart’ was the name of a band, so many thanks to Mr K for that.
I thoroughly enjoyed this super puzzle. More of the same, please!
Many most appreciative thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
By way of a postscript I’d like to say that I enjoyed the Quickie as well. I’m in awe of our setters always being able to include a pun. Very clever.