DailyTelegraph Cryptic No 31183
Hints and tips by Huntsman
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***/****
The sun is out here in Harpenden so guess I’d better make the most of it & get out for a good walk before Cheltenham kicks off.
I thought today’s puzzle very enjoyable & about par for the course for a Tuesday. Possibly a tad trickier than yesterday but I wouldn’t say there’s much in it. For any seeking a further crossword I can heartily recommend Hudson’s excellent puzzle over in t’other place which really isn’t any more difficult than some of his Wednesday back-pagers & is great fun. I’m sure Whybird would be delighted to hear your thoughts.
As usual there is a selection of music to enjoy or ignore.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
Across
1a Right answer initially confused member of the clergy (8)
ACCURATE: the single letter for A[nswer] + C[onfused] (initially) + a clergy member engaged as an assistant to a vicar, rector or parish priest.
5a Foxtrot with one group is exciting (6)
FIRING: F[oxtrot] (NATO alphabet) + the Roman numeral for one + group/syndicate.
9a Stunning carpet? (8)
FLOORING: double definition.
10a Retrieve short rest, something snooker player might use (6)
RESCUE: remove the last letter (short) from the 3rd word in the clue then add the name for the piece of wood with a tip on the end of it.
12a Humiliating sunlit shot in golf (9)
INSULTING: an anagram (shot) of SUNLIT + IN from the clue + G[olf] (NATO alphabet).
13a Pretty tense form of communication (5)
TWEET: pretty/cute + the single letter for T[ense].
14a Murderer I incarcerated in jail (4)
CAIN: insert (incarcerated) I from the clue into a primarily American slang term for prison.
16a Justifies getting third in race after old exercises (7)
EXCUSES: the usual prefix for old + [ra]C[e] (getting third/after) + exercises/utilises.
19a Jeans perhaps with no rear pocket (7)
TROUSER: remove the last letter (with no rear) from the type of clothing jeans could be an example of, as indicated by perhaps. Definition is a verb masquerading as a noun, as Shabbo used to say.
21a Completely healthy (4)
WELL: double definition.
24a Sign of nerves about work matter (5)
TOPIC: the term for an involuntary muscular contraction around (about) the usual two letter abbreviation for work.
25a Fantastic fish – I want head removed (9)
BRILLIANT: a tasty flatfish of the turbot family + I from the clue + [w]ANT (head removed).
27a My old husband? Adorable (2,4)
OH DEAR: O[ld] + H[usband] followed by a synonym for adorable/cherished.
28a Harder empty nut Roger’s cracked (8)
STRONGER: an anagram (cracked) of N[u]T (empty) & ROGERS.
29a Looked almost sordid embracing this writer (6)
SEEMED: a truncated synonym for sordid goes around (embracing) a personal pronoun this writer might use.
30a Licked feet? Dead kinky (8)
DEFEATED: an anagram (kinky) of FEET DEAD. Great surface which immediately reminded me of a Sun headline, From Toe Job to No Job, about David Mellor (later acknowledged to be made up) & Fergie of course.
Down
1d Just with a female on occasion (6)
AFFAIR: just/equitable preceded by (on/above in a down clue) A (from the clue) & F[emale].
2d Pick tobacco wads, were told (6)
CHOOSE: a homophone (we’re told) of a name for tobacco wads/chewing tobacco.
3d Country really oddly conceals ancient city (5)
RURAL: the alternate letters (oddly) of the 2nd word in the clue go around (conceals) our usual Sumerian city-state in ancient Mesopotamia.
4d From some mittens I only get tightness (7)
TENSION: hidden (from some).
6d The same suspect in citadel (9)
IDENTICAL: an anagram (suspect) of IN CITADEL.
7d Climb up to the minute ridge (8)
INCREASE: up to the minute in the context of trendy/fashionable + ridge/pleat.
8d Best large estate (8)
GREATEST: large/sizeable + a legal abbreviation for estate.
11d Uniform? European’s after a good fit (4)
AGUE: U[uniform] (NATO alphabet) + E[uropean] follow (after) A from the clue & G[ood].
15d Link toes with Isaac, naughtily (9)
ASSOCIATE: an anagram (naughtily) of TOES ISAAC.
17a Spades divert ant so it stops on the line (8)
STATIONS: S[pades] (card suit) + an anagram (divert) of ANT SO IT.
18d Commanding Officer married father’s friend (8)
COMPADRE: the usual abbreviation for Commanding Officer + M[arried] + a priest or army chaplain.
20d King is welcoming British guys (4)
RIBS: The regnal letter for king/R[ex] followed by IS from the clue with B[ritish] inserted (welcoming).
21d Pipe cleaner finally removed from US artist (7)
WHISTLE: delete the last letter (finally removed) of cleane[R] from the surname of James Abbot McNeill, a 19th century American painter.
22d Perceived jazz fan adopting expression of disgust (6)
CAUGHT: insert (adopting) an onomatopoeic exclamation of disgust into a term for a jazz fan.
23d Kept getting embarrassed after son took bottom half off (6)
STORED: the usual colour of embarrassment follows (after) S[on] & to[ok] (bottom half off).
26d John regularly is fed for free (5)
LOOSE: John here is a slang term for bathroom amenity. Think of an alternative one then append the alternate letters (regularly) of the 3rd & 4th words in the clue.
I’ve played many a 12a on some great courses so was tempted to pick that one as my favourite but 30a had to be my pick of the clues. Please let us know which ones you liked best.
Today’s Quick Crossword pun: SAD + ALL + SOAR = SADDLE SORE
I enjoyed this but wasn’t sure of my answer to 22d meaning perceived but it looks like my answer is correct so another learning day for me.
Top picks for me were 19a, 30a, 17d and 26d.
Thanks to Huntsman and the setter.
Not quite Typically Tuesdayish for me but I am not sure why other than the last lingering effects of some dental treatment earlier in the day (which seemed to have gone away by the time I got to look at the Hudson Toughie) – **/****
Candidates for favourite – 16a, 24a, 18d, and 20d – and the winner is 20d.
Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.
I am at the dentist on Thursday and have to report a very touchy tooth 🤔. Still, I guess I am lucky to have any at my age.
Enjoyed that, a gentle and satisfying solve even if because of the grid it felt more like a four-puzzles-in-one type of crossword. Some cracking surfaces and quite a few ticked. Unusually for me an anagram takes COTD, 30a, joined on or near the podium by 29a (great surface), 15d (ditto), 18d & 23d.
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman
Gosh, I hope Steve Cowling and Hudson, in particular, are ok. Unusual for Steve not to be a very early commenter.
18d last one in as I just couldn’t see it for ages, even with all the checking letters.
Always worth a scroll up to check out The Hintsman’s musical choices. Almost always something new to me or a reminder of a long forgotten track.
Thanks to the setter and Andy On The First Tee. Love to Jane.
here’s another for you 😀
Excellent. New to me rather than long forgotten!
Also thinking of poor Hudson at the vet, hope Steve comes on with some good news.
1*/4*. TT. My podium selection is 9a, 17d, 18d & 20d.
Many thanks to AP? and to Hintsman.
Tougher than 1* by my way of thinking, I got slowed down in the SE corner for a while, but got there in the end.
Last one in was the Mummy’s boy at 21d.
Very fair, good fun!
Al little trickier than the normal AP productions with the 21a/21d duo adding an extra star to the difficulty.
2*/4*
21d and 30a favourites
Thanks to AP and Huntsman
2* / 3.5* I would say trickier than a usual Tuesday, certainly not a romp.
Plenty of to enjoy with some nice misdirection. Favourites today include 1a right, 9a carpet and the excellent 18d friend
Thanks to compiler and Huntsman
I got stuck in the north east, otherwise fairly straightforward and most enjoyable. Thanks to setter and Huntsman.
Our puzzles subscription is due for renewal, and the price quoted was more than double what we paid last year. A call to Telegraph Towers got a complete overhaul of our paper/puzzles subscription, effectively getting the puzzles for free and a price reduction on the paper (on line version). It clearly pays to query their prices!
I query my subscription every year, Sheila, and always get a big reduction.
Welcome to the blog
Any thoughts on today’s crossword?
This was pleasingly gentle but, as always, an absolute delight to solve. So much choice for a favourite, with 25a my pick of the bunch.
Many thanks to AP and The Hintsman.
An enjoyable puzzle slightly trickier than yesterday’s (as it should be) – thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
Ticks from me for 19a and 18d.
A straightforward solve from il professore with plenty of nicely constructed clues on a grid that can cause trouble. Not this time.
19a reminds me of this which is very funny and, indeed, not easy to say….
The silverware goes to 1a, 19a and 30a.
MTTTA and Hoots!
2*/4*
Mr. Plumb gave us a great puzzle and it was solace to a painful back ( all my own fault). No question marks and lots of ticks. My dear 80 year old husband brought me coffee as I was reading 27 across and I certainly did not respond with the answer . That has to be favourite of the day. That lower left hand corner held other treasures with 19 across and 18 down.Last in was 13 across because I do not do that and only respond if birds do it and Merlin identifies.
Huntsman working hard as ever. Thanks to all.
Another Tuesday puzzle this week that seemed tricker than normal to me. A few parsing issues again too for me.
2.5*/3*
Favourites 1a, 9a, 24a, 27a, 30a & 6d — with winner 27a
Thanks to AP & Huntsman
2 star seems to be the general opinion although it seemed to be harder at first glance. Usual good selection of music. My guitar teacher, a Spanish lad of some 30 years old, is now into Free and especially Ten Years After, fortunately, despite the difficulty level.
More Tuesday fun with just a slight slowdown in the SW. 18d took a while to dawn on me as a word. Doubtless more application will be needed from tomorrow on. Thanks AP and Hintsman.
Another Tuesday puzzle that I made heavy weather of, but not sure why. Having “grandest” for 8d held me up completing the NE. Overall, sorry AP, not much fun albeit that 30a raised a wry smile. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
A 25a puzzle with there being no 16a for being 30a as I was 5a on all cylinders. I still can’t get my head around the word at 19a being a verb. I thought the short uniform at 11d was very clever. My COTD is regular John at 26d.
Thank you, Professor for another fun puzzle. Thank you, Hintsman for the hunts.
Thank you to those asking about Hudson. He has an inflamed leg joint and a deep, wide gash. No Idea how he did it but he is on antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. The vet said the wound will take a long time to heal because of the width and depth of it prevent suturing. Unfortunately, he has to wear a cone so he is crashing into everything. We have to go back on Friday so they can check his progress. The wound is visible on his leg in the pic.
Thank you everyone for your concerns and good wishes. I feel a lot happier now that things are being done.
Poor Hudson. Best wishes to him for a speedy as possible recovery. 🍖
Bella says get well soon
Poor old Hudson – at least he has his Kong for Kompany! Am sure he will recover very swiftly, what with the meds and the cone of shame. Whether your furniture survives is a different matter entirely!
One of my spaniels gashed a front leg in the autumn, putting him out of work for 6 weeks – I know he would extend his heartfelt sympathies & best wishes, even to a lab … Vets this evening for my three: boosters, wormer, ‘flick & tea’ treatment, and a new repeat prescription for other meds. Ah well, it’s only money!
I hope you don’t need a train ticket too…
Get well soon H
Doh. Give him a hug from me.
Oh dear, so sorry for Hudson. It is so hard to explain to our pets that we are just trying to make them better. Hope his leg gets better soon.
I am glad you have an explanation and treatment, I hope he soon feels more like his old self.
Oh dear! Hudson you have been in the wars. Relieved you have seen the vet, had a full diagnosis and your master is now equipped with all the necessary medication. Mr Tucker sends his condolences especially with the imposition of having to wear a lampshade. He has unhappy memories of having to wear one a few months ago after a gash on his paw. The indignity! Thinking of you as well Steve and your wallet!
Tucker says get well soon, Hudson
Thank you, everyone. Would you believe Hudson has managed to find a way around the cone so he can lick the wound! I’m watching him like a hawk.
Hudson would like the addresses of Bella and Tucker so he can send them a peemail of thanks. 😊
I’m not against them licking wounds, their saliva has healing properties. Only if they’ve had stitches would I resort to using a cone as they tend to unpick them. Mind you when the wound has healed simply take the cone off and let them take the stitches out themselves, it saves another trip to the vets.
I’ve heard that about dogs licking their wounds, Taylor but, in Hudson’s case, he was making the wound deeper, wider and much more inflamed. It was certainly starting to look very sore and nasty.
Tilly says get well soon in her new jumper that she loves.
🐶
I found this a lot easier than yesterday’s. The South went in easily enough followed by the NW. The NE proved trickier with 7d being LOI. Top picks are 1a, 19a and 3d. Surprised nobody has complained about the Americanism in 26d!
For me, C, it’s been around long enough to not require one.
I’ve used it for decades.
No problem with 26d but only thanks to having lived in US many moons ago!
* / ***
Enjoyed this a lot and although totally interrupted by other matters half-way through, it remained an enjoyable and swift solve. Wasn’t sure about the 7d ‘up to the minute’ but the blog confirmed my parsing. Awards went to the lovely surface for 25a Fantastic fish, the 20d guys as a verb and COTD has to be the 30a kinky dead feet!!!
Many thanks to AP and Huntsman.
Best wishes to Hudson, Steve, may he keep bashing out those puzzles ☺!
Agree with the rating, no stand out clues today. Thank you Huntsman for the John Martyn track
Entertaining two gentlemen friends to coffee this morning for the first time, one of them asked to use the loo. Having got George to tidy his bathroom this morning ready for just such a request, I directed him through the hall and to the heart hanging on the door. I thought he ‘d been gone a long time and after they had left I realised that he had gone on into our bedroom and to my bathroom beyond. Tuesday is changing the bed & doing my bathroom day. I had just stripped the bed onto the floor when they arrived. How he climbed over the sheets and over the extraneous piles I had ‘tidied’ from the sitting room I don’t know. I shall never be able to look him in the face again. Damnation. The guzzle was a distraction for which many thanks Mr Setter. And thank you to the Hintsman for the backup. I am just going off to drown myself. Will he remember the baklava and the stem ginger biscuits or the shambolic bathroom? Wanna guess?
Great story!
There’s a Noel Coward farce, right there or even a scene from an episode of Watery Fowls.
.. I am reminded on the line from The Quiet Man “Impetuous! Homeric!”
That’s an excellent expression, BE, from a film that I need to see as I’ve heard great things.
It was John Ford’s final and record-breaking fourth Oscar for best director.
Are there any other Scots out there who put in “hale” for 21a, which, incidentally I think fits better than the actual solution?
I thought this was a bit harder than a “normal” Tuesday (and in the above theme) was perhaps a “hangover” from yesterday’s dental treatment! Imagine it without the benefit of lignocaine😵💫.
Yes.
A lovely puzzle which I thoroughly enjoyed, especially 17d my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.
Thanks to AP and Huntsman. Get well soon Hudson. We made heavy weather of what most of you seemed to be relatively easy puzzle. Oh well our brains really not at there best today! COTD 9a. LOI 11d
About as straightforward as it gets for me, with just a little hold up in the NW. 30a made me smile and feel a bit icky at the same time, but my prize today goes to 19a.
Thanks to our setter, and to Huntsman’s seem in got limitless music library!
I’d put this on a par with yesterday for difficulty, but 0.5* more for enjoyment.
All fairly clued with ticks for 25a, 3d, 17d and 21d being COTD.
Thanks to AP and Huntsman
1.5*/4*
I’ll take a look at Hudson’s puzzle, but we’re out this evening for a birthday meal, so may not get it finished.
It’s only Tuesday and I had to resort to the hints to finish at 22d. After several, late, penny-drop moments I wondered what took me so long! Many thanks to the setter and Huntsman.
Oh dear! Hudson you have been in the wars. Relieved you have seen the vet, had a full diagnosis and your master is now equipped with all the necessary medication. Mr Tucker sends his condolences especially with the imposition of having to wear a lampshade. He has unhappy memories of having to wear one a few months ago after a gash on his paw. The indignity! Thinking of you as well Steve and your wallet!
Apologies everyone I thought my original message Steve hadn’t been sent. I will retire immediately to a darkened room!
It’s not you, Hilary but what appears to be a quirk of the site. It often happens to me as well. Anyway, Hudson is grateful for two good wish messages from you and asks me to remind you to send him Mr. Tucker’s peemail address. 😊
Another day another puzzle without the need to reference any external assistance. On a roll! If so, it will soon come to an abrupt halt. NE quadrant I found the most challenging but 29a was my final entry, trying everything apart from the literal and the obvious. CsOTD for me were 9a and 6d, where I totally failed to see the anagram and trying every sort of citadel I could think of
Thank you to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.
A great gentle puzzle that I found a bit more challenging than yesterday. I’m back to my usual routine of starting a puzzle and then having to do something else , and completing in sections hence a late finish – with feet up by the fire and a glass of wine. Thanks to the setter and Huntsman.
Should have mentioned earlier but thanks to Huntsman for including Wishing Well by Free. An absolute classic.
I found this quite hard work and was a dnf due to 21d. An unheard of artist to me. My brain had decided on bristle.
It took me some time to be convinced of 5a. It was only after finally getting 7d that I was able to write in the answer.
Thanks to all.
I’m at the more extreme end of the ‘a bit trickier than normal’ camp. I got there in the end but it was hard work. Favourite was 25a. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
A pleasant stroll, with a minor hold-up via a trio in NE, LOI was 10A – and I’m a snooker fan. Wasn’t convinced of the definitions for 1D and 22D?
Pody picks – enjoyed 9A’s carpet as much as the popular 30A, and 19A’s jeans gets bronze.
Many thanks to setter and Huntsman – loving the music refs as ever (and the hints of course). ⭐️
2*/4* …
liked 30A “Licked feet ? Dead kinky (8)”