Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31187 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
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Another enjoyable Saturday Prize Puzzle – was it NYDK without any linked clues or the work of another setter?
Please ask for help if you are stuck on clues I haven’t hinted, but before doing so, please read the comments that appear before yours, so that you are not duplicating questions, and make sure you obey both THE INSTRUCTIONS IN RED at the end of the Hints and the blog’s Comment Etiquette – Big Dave’s Crossword Blog)
Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.
Across
1a Beatles song, or one from The Tourists? (3,7)
We start with an ear worm from 1965 or one person in a group of tourists
6a Groom horse, taking minutes (4)
A short-legged strong horse ‘taking’ the abbreviation for Minutes
10a Goes to court entrance, finding drunk is outside (9)
A slang word meaning drunk and IS (from the clue), the latter going outside an entrance
14a Son off to visit Mike and Iris regularly in US state (8)
The abbreviation for Son and a synonym for rancid or off ‘visits’ or goes between the letter represented by Mike in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet and the regular letters of IrIs
19a Unlocked shed is mine (4-4)
Unlocked and a verb meaning to shed
22a Close-run things requiring snap decisions (5,8)
A very nice cryptic definition
27a Squeal before the force arrests one shoplifter? (5,5)
Squeal here is a slang word meaning to inform on, a synonym for which goes before THE (from the clue) and the symbol for Force, between which is inserted (arrests) the Roman numeral for one
Down
1d Sugar at an exorbitant price (4)
A term of affection (sugar) or costly (at an exorbitant price)
3d VAT troubles for movie (9,4)
A receptacle for fluids (vat) and part of a verb meaning plagues or troubles
8d Overbearing type, my chemist stocks empty shelves (10)
An interjection of enthusiasm (my) and a well-known chemist into which is inserted (stocks) the outside (empty) letters of ShelveS
11d Take advantage of rewarding set-up and heckle? (3,2,2,3,3)
This expression meaning to start participating in something already taking place and apparently profitable, could also describe the actions of a heckler
16d Leave with most of fruit and veg (5,3)
A slang verb meaning to make oneself scarce (leave) and almost all of a type of fruit
21d Sink India before noon, or capitulate? (4,2)
Yield to pressure or melt (sink), the letter represented by India in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet and the abbreviation for Noon
23d Drone perhaps beginning to film grouse (4)
An insect (drone perhaps) and the ‘beginning’ to Film
As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out
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The Quick Crossword pun: MARK UP + HOLE + LOW = MARCO POLO It took me a long time to see this – I had actually scheduled the post without the pun, but it suddenly came to me while I was hanging out the washing!
A fairly straightforward prize puzzle that lasted long enough for one mug of Taylors. I had a good spread of answers across the grid after the first pass and these allowed entry to the rest. For once, I remembered the right kind of key for 17a because I usually go through many different ones. I did like the chemist at 8d but my COTD is the unlocked shed at 19a because of a great surface.
The Quickie pun was suitably groan worthy!
Thank you, setter – not sure it is NYDK – for giving me another shot at The Mythical. I’ll use the enchanted golden bow and arrow this time so it’s sure to be mine. Thank you, CeeSoo for the hints.
A lovely, sunny and chilly day here in The Marches. Ideal for a long walk but, because Hudson is still laid up, we can’t go. 🙁
Can you tell me what the key was for 17a please
welcome to the blog
Steve can’t tell you what the key is as this is a Saturday Prize Puzzle and solutions mustn’t be included in any comments.
17a is a double definition – the first a key on your keyboard and the second a phrase meaning put back
What did you think of the crossword?
Welcome, Ann. Sue has described the clue well so I’ll not say anything for fear of theNaughty Step. 😊
Please do comment again and let us know what you think of the puzzles. 👍
I found today’s SPP quite testing with the SE causing a hold up, despite having the checkers. 22a and 23d are my top picks. Hopefully the rugby this evening will provide much entertainment. Many thanks to the setter and hinter
I enjoyed this, it had just the right amount of chewiness for a Ssturday. I liked the Quickie pun too.
Top picks for me were 8d, 15a and 19a.
Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.
I thought this was a very enjoyable puzzle though quite tough for me. It took a lot more than my target time but I got there in the end. I’d never heard the term in 27a or 20d. Favourites were 12a (though not normally my favourite type of clue), 8d and 22a. Thank you as always CS and setter.
Fairly straightforward for a SPP with the Beatles song, the film and the bringer of snow going in quickly to provide a solid framework. LOI was the unlocked shed, which like SC is my COTD.
Thanks to the setter and CS.
Nice crozza today – just couldn’t fathom 18d until a 💡 moment when the doorbell rang. Not sure if it was the doorbell or not as its got nothing to do with the answer! My fave was the movie 🎥
2*/4*. Very nice SPP with 22a my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS.
A nice bit of brain twisting for a Saturday.
3d went in but couldn’t parse it so many thanks to CS for that.
And of course my thanks to the setter
A nice tester for a Saturday with the 19a/27a/16d comby taking an age to drop. I guessed 27a.
My 25 year old children, who are fairly up to speed, have never heard of 1d meaning ‘exorbitant’. So, I think it’s become an old-fashioned word.
My podium is 22a, 3d (‘film’ not ‘movie, please setter) and 5d.
MTT she of the crypt and…hmm…I’m still going with NYPD Blue as he occasionally doesn’t sprawl.
3*/4*
Nope.
Curses.
Keep compiling, baby!
(did I really just type that?)
I found that pretty straightforward too which was pleasing because one can’t resort to the safety net of the check function on a Saturday as one can in the week, thus hopefully demonstrating that I’m edging closer to becoming a decent solver. I’ll no doubt get my comeuppance tomorrow. The film at 3d was my favourite. The unlocked shed solution made me involuntarily shudder as life in North Warwickshire thirty odd years ago was blighted by the prospect of such activity. Thanks very much to the setter and to CS.
An entertaining puzzle although it did take quite a while to convince myself of the synonyms in 21d – **/****
Candidates for favourite – 14a, 22a, and 16d – and the winner is 22a.
Thanks to whomsoever, possibly NYDK trying to confuse, and to CS.
Fairly easy except where it wasn’t. Had more time today as I am crippled with gout and arthritis and my joke of a surgery cannot manage to address my needs with a planned programme of medication. Despite being told about my experience so far they seem to ignore it. It just means I will have to go back and ask for some semblance of a plan with thought behind it.
Thanks to CS and the setter.
You have my sympathy, Corky. I suffered with it for years and it is awful. “The disease of kings and the King of diseases”.
Thank you Steve. I hope you have had no further sessions of it.
No. I’m on daily allopurinol and that has got rid of it. Hope you get better soon, Corky.
You have my sympathy too, Corky. I suffered with gout at the tender age of 25, and absolutely agonising it was too. I have never known pain like it. Fortunately for me, a daily Allopurinol tablet has kept it at bay as evidenced by a consistently low uric acid figure in an annual blood test.
A friend of mine contracted gout a three years ago, and his GP failed to come up with a remedy. I suggested that he insisted on being prescribed Allopurinol, which he did. Within a couple of weeks, the symptoms were manageable, and after two months he was pain free.
Good luck in getting it resolved quickly!
Thank you RD. I have been prescribed Allopurinol but at the moment steroids are the wonder drugs and clear me in 36 hours but unfortunately 36 hours after stopping them the pain returns and is very debilitating. I hope the Allopurinol will begin working soon so there will be no need for the steroids.
Best wishes to you for a non return of the gout.
I can only sympathise Corky. For nearly 2 years I suffered with pseudogout in my right big toe – calcium crystals rather than uric acid & the byproduct of haemochromatosis. Things only got better when I got the damn thing fused & quite how I’d resisted the urge to take a cleaver to it I’ll never know. Hope things improve soon
🤞
Chins up Corky – tis, I know, blooming painful. I’m sure your doc has said this but … best not to start allopurinol (an amazing drug) until the inflammation has gone as it can aggravate. Have they started you on 100 or 200mg? Cos sometimes the dose needs tweaking – I was on 700mg at one point. But it really will work in the end – at least for the gout. Good luck.
True, Alp. Allopurinol starts off by causing gout! 👹
Indeed. A lesson painfully learned. Gout seems to be seen as a comedic condition by so many people. I once worked with someone who insisted I roll up my trouser leg whenever I had a flare-up to show her my red-hot balloon of a knee – she would charmlessly roar with laughter. Non-sufferers often assume we’re all guzzling port and scoffing partridge. Most of us really aren’t – it’s largely genetic. It’s also not remotely funny when you’ve got it!
I don’t think I have gout but the arthritis on my fingers is SO painful ( I had them X-rayed last week but have heard nothing since) and my shoulders and the back of my neck are sort of locked solid. Constant pain does drag you down so.
Quite approachable for a Prize Puzzle with not too much chewiness in evidence. I will gladly add my vote to those who preferred 22a as their favourite.
My thanks to whomsoever compiled this little gem, and to Sue.
A super accompaniment to my first morning porridge in a while. Thanks to CD following out the synonym for off that had escaped me in parsing 14a, but COTD is definitely 10a, just hoping that tonight’s apéro with my neighbours lets me find my way home!
V V many thanks to the setter, and of course to CS.
CS not CD, and showing me rather than flushing..
PS I do wish the comment editor worked properly…
Very enjoyable on this bright and sunny, if a bit chilly day. 29a my favourite, 20d was a new word and I did wrestle with 21d for a while as it didn’t sit quite right.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints.
Super friendly for a SPP which, for me, caused little trouble. I have ticks aplenty on my page and smiles for 15a, 8d and 16d with podium places going to 11d, 19a and 27a. Thanks to compiler and C S.
The setter had me with the Beatles and the close finish capped it off.
Thanks to Sue and Setter.
On another note, I am looking at another Blog Bash in the summer, various people have suggested The Old Joint Stock in Birmingham, and I am looking at Sat 25th July as the date. More details to follow, but when I have them, I will need to ask for confirmed numbers, as reserving an area requires a minimum spend.
I’ve pencilled 25/07 in, Sloops. 👍
Me too!
There is another pub just behind that one called the Wellington but I’ve no idea whether they could reserve and area. I only mention it as the beer is much cheaper and unlike in the recent bash in London they constantly have 20 real ales! Having said that, the Old Joint is a Fullers pub so no shortage of good beer and it’s a lovely building.
Fullers is fine by me having on passed their magnificent brewery on the way to the Birthday Bash
That’s a great brewery. I hope they survive being owned by Asahi!!!!!
They would be foolish to let the Fuller’s range go to the wall. I love London Pride and occasionally treat myself to Golden Pride. Then there is the vintage range.
My grandson lives in Droitwich Doa and my daughter in a home in Worcester so even more reasons for being there. But if it is a brewery I’ll never get away with leaving George behind!
Droitwich DOA? Spa, Spa, Spa !!!
It is part of Fullers but not an actual brewery. The name The Old Joint Stock refers to the fact that it is a former bank and Stock Exchange
https://www.oldjointstock.co.uk/about
The Mezzanine seems like the most suitable area they hire, and as long as we are willing to mingle (like we do in Little Venice) it shouldn’t be a problem – more details to follow
I note with interest that it is the UK’s largest seller of London Pride
Yay! Thanks, Sloop. July 25th was free on the kitchen calendar, so I shall be joining you in Birmingham.
Great, I will be doing a post with sign up details soon.
I found this really good fun today and loved 8d. Last one was the first half of 16d which eluded me for ages. Gorgeous day here too but v cold wind. Thanks to CS and our setter. Found the statistics the other day fascinating.
Everybody! Withdraw your entries! The pen is mine. Mine, I tell you!
I must confess it is becoming tiresome and a chore sitting by the letterbox waiting for Robert The Postman to deliver my prize. A pessimist would say it is never coming, but I have an unshakeable belief that it shall be mine.
It would increase my chances if nobody else entered. Thank you very much in advance.
Off to Stamford Bridge to watch The Mighty Chelsea take on some lads from somewhere just short of Scotland. What could possibly go wrong?
Thanks to the setter, PC Security (anag), and best wishes to Corky.
This Saturday puzzle does not feel like NYDK puzzle to me, but I am no expert.
Found some very confusing clueing and like the Friday puzzle, hard to figure out.
3*/3* for me
Favourites 1a, 12a, 17a, 22a, 7d & 11d — with winner 1a as it made me smile.
Thanks to setter & CS for blog/hints
Like Senf a pause over the synonym at 21d but otherwise plain sailing & good fun. Donny my punt too despite the absence of any linked clues. Tarantino’s wildly overrated Kubrick rip-off my fav – 1,14,19&22a along with 8&16d other particular likes.
Thanks to the setter & to Sue
** / *****
At the simpler end of SPP’s for me © etc. thanks to Cee Soo for confirming the parsings of 14a and 8d. My ticks went to the 2d underwear, the 16d veg and the 23a grouse – loved the surface of that one. Despite the lack of multi-lights this did feel like NYDK and therefore almost certainly isn’t as I’m no expert.
Many thanks to CS and NYDK of whomsoever
Lots of people will enter for the prize this Saturday because it is relatively straightforward. It proved most enjoyable with several smiles en route. Particular favourites were 8 down and 22 across.
I really do need to win the mystical because many decades ago I failed a state exam called “ Use of English” . The pen would validate my efforts to improve my spelling and I promise to Terence in particular that I would never submit again for a second win.
Now you are making my feel really bad for having won three times! But it has been over a period of 50 years and when I think of the postage in years gone by ……….. I could have bought a dozen Parker’s.
Fun puzzle with plenty of clever misdirection. Got there in the end. The parsing of a couple of clues eluded me and had to check in with CS for the explanation. Like MissT I have never heard of a 20d, but thats what it had to be and as for the movie – like jimbob the tax acronym was too ingrained as an acronym to see the “word” even though I had the correct solution! Doh…..
Thanks to CS and of course today’s setter.
1.5*/ 4* Just right for a Saturday prize puzzle, with loads of cracking clues.
Favourites among many include the blights on the landscape at 19a, close run things at 22a and the overbearing type at 8d
Thanks to the compiler and Sue
A cracking puzzle that required a break to get last half dozen or so. Thanks to the setter and to CS for the blog which i shall now read.
A really enjoyable puzzle. I completed it but needed the hints to confirm a couple of answers.
Thank you for the hints
Welcome to the blog and thank you for the thanks
Welcome, Frozenman. Good to have you on board the merry ship and please keep commenting. 👍
Lovely puzzle today. Plenty of candidates for COTD but 12A ticked a lot of boxes for a classic clue. 20D leapt out at me as I had the first and last letters.
Thank you for all the enjoyment.
Enjoyable with 1a as favourite simply because it is such a great song! Thank you compiler and CS
Mainly straightforward with head scratchers. A couple of dodgy synonyms in the SE slightly took the shine off it but not too much. Favourite was 22a. Thanks to the setter and CS.
Hard enough for a SPP and i needed electronic assistance for the mine.
22a favourite today.
Not sure about the second definition at 11d, it doesn’t quite work for me.
Thanks to Sue and our setter.
A return to top form at Exeter👍
Good fun puzzle today thanks to the setter although never heard of the 20d or part of 10a before.
Listening to the Black Crowes 🎸
An enjoyable puzzle that I found easier than the usual NYDK so I thought it wasn’t his as they usually get me in a brain mangle. I just got my last two – 15a , which I parsed correctly but for some reason thought it was 4,2 so it didn’t make a lot of sense , until I realised. Idiot 🙄. My last in was 19a which was a new phrase for me. Thanks to the setter and CS
Setter here. Thanks all, especially Sue for the write-up and hints.
Lovely stuff. Are you really not going to let on that this is actually your 100th?! Bravo.
It does seem unbelievable to see it written down!
Grateful thanks to the editorial staff – especially Puzzles Editor Chris Lancaster for asking me to submit a puzzle in the first place, and subsequently recruiting me to the team.
Excellent Saturday fare TWM – many thanks. I think we had 12a today in Cambridge, not nice. But I liked the clue and 22a and am really surprised at the number of folk who have said they had never heard of 20d! Many thanks to CeeSue as well. 21d was my last one in.
Thanks for popping in & many congrats on your ton up.
18 and 20d are becoming new Serengeti’s. Are setters trying as many ways as they can to clue them. With 20d I saw a different reversal first, but obvs unparsable.
Thanks for your 100th Telegraph crossword
I did like 16d, it brought back a memory of Grandma Emm’s Ham and Pease Pudding sandwiches
Took me quite a while to get into this solve. There are a couple I cannot parse.
Solved unaided, so pleased with that.
Thanks to all.
A nice straightforward puzzle with my cotd being 8d simply because I love the word. 14a was obvious but I couldn’t parse it without Sue’s hint so thanks for that.
I mostly solved this on paper late last night, on a train back from a day trip the AireCon board-game convention in Harrogate, having printed it out before setting off 16 hours previously. This morning I confirmed the 6a horse (which I thought was a different animal) and the 20d weapon — Sloop may be getting Serengeti vibes from it, but I’ve somehow still failed to retain it!
On 25a, I spent too long [well, I’d better not say that today]. I’m holding off pressing ‘Submit’ till I’m happy about the 21d sink.
Congratulations to Twmbarlwm on 100 entertaining puzzles — you bring such enjoyment into our lives. Today’s highlights for me include the 19a shed, 22a snap decisions, 11d heckle, and 23d drone.
Finally got there and found it a struggle with only about 60% completed before I had to call for help. COTD for me was 1a and the reference to the Fab Four, but also an indirect reference to Annie Lennox in her pre-Eurythmics days.
Thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints.