DT 31187 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31187

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 14^th March 2026

BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. A tough Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.

Day Tripper, the answer to the clue at 1a sparked my curiosity and prompted me to explore the celebrated song ‘Day Tripper’ by The Beatles. After finishing the puzzle, I turned to the internet to learn more about the track and its meaning. What I discovered added an interesting layer of cultural and historical context to what at first seemed like a simple phrase. The lyrics, as I came to understand, suggest a person who chooses an easier, less demanding path, someone who samples experiences without committing fully. In that sense, a day tripper is not just a casual traveller, but a metaphor for half-hearted involvement or superficial engagement. Written primarily by John Lennon with contributions from Paul McCartney, the song reflects a subtle but knowing awareness of the social changes taking place during the mid-1960s. This was a period when counter-cultural movements were beginning to take shape, particularly those associated with experimentation, self-expression and notably recreational drug use. Day tripper became slang for someone who dabbled in this emerging lifestyle but never fully embraced it, someone who, in effect, stayed on the surface rather than immersing themselves in the deeper ideals of the hippie movement. What makes the song especially memorable, beyond its layered meaning, is its iconic guitar riff and infectious rhythm, which helped it become one of the stand-out hits of the band. Yet beneath its catchy exterior lies a gently critical observation of human behaviour, the tendency to engage only partially, to ‘dip a toe in the water’ without taking the plunge.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Beatles song, or one from The Tourists? (3,7)
DAY TRIPPER: Double definition; the second referring to a person who takes a short trip somewhere and returns home the same day without staying overnight, an example of which can be one particular tourist who takes a short trip or excursion for the day, typically for pleasure, to a nearby place of his stay or who visits a place without booking a hotel for a night stay that takes to the first denoting a famous song by The Beatles that was release in December 1965

6a           Groom horse, taking minutes (4)
COMB: The definition of a verb meaning to disentangle, arrange, neaten or groom is got from COB (horse) as a thickset short-legged type of riding and draught horse bringing inside (taking) M (minutes) as the abbreviation for minutes

9a           A lot of land trespasser calmly goes around to the west (5)
ACRES: The definition of a land, especially a large area is reached from part of or hidden inside (goes around) [TRESPAS]SER CA[LMLY] seen going westward (to the west) as a reversal in the across clue

10a        Goes to court entrance, finding drunk is outside (9)
LITIGATES: The definition of a verb in the third person singular present tense denoting goes to court or engages in legal proceedings is reached from GATE (entrance) as any means of access or entrance surrounded by (outside) a combo of LIT (drunk) as an informal term for an adjective meaning drunk or drugged and IS from the clue

12a        Learn the story about what may bring snow (5-8)
NORTH-EASTERLY:  An anagram (about) of LEARN THE STORY takes to the definition of a wind from the north-east associated with cold or snowy weather that is like to bring snow

14a        Son off to visit Mike and Iris regularly in US state (8)
MISSOURI: A combo of S (son) as the genealogical abbreviation for son and SOUR (off) as an adjective meaning off or turned or in an unpalatable state, especially of food and drink having gone back getting inside (to visit) another combo of M (Mike) as the letter represented by Mike in the NATO phonetic alphabet and the regular letters (regularly) of I[R]I[S] guides to the definition of a landlocked state in the Midwestern region of the United States

15a        Completely keen on Tokyo’s outskirts (2,4)
IN TOTO: The definition of an adverb meaning completely, entirely or entirely is arrived at from INTO (keen on) as enthusiastic involved in or keen on something followed by the outermost letters (outskirts) of T[OKY]O (Tokyo’s)

17a       Key put back (6)
RETURN: Double definition; the second being a verb denoting to send, carry or put back that takes to the first a noun referring to the return key on a typewriter or computer keyboard

19a        Unlocked shed is mine (4-4)
OPEN-CAST: A charade of OPEN (unlocked) as unlocked and not shut or closed and CAST (shed) as to shed, drop or throw off guides to the definition of a mine, specifically one worked from an open excavation or the surface rather than by underground tunnels

22a        Close-run things requiring snap decisions (5,8)
PHOTO FINISHES: A cryptic definition of the plural of the finish of a race in which contestants are so close that a photograph of the finish has to be examined to decide who has actually won

24a        Be out for too long? Resolve to break record (9)
OVERSLEEP: The definition of a verb meaning to sleep or be in a state of unconsciousness beyond one’s usual or intended time, especially because drunk is got from an anagram (to break) of RESOLVE followed by EP (record) as an extended-play record that lasts for about eight minutes on each side

25a        Fish hook (5)
ANGLE: Double definition; the second referring to a hook or any piece of fishing tackle, especially a hook that takes to the first a verb meaning to fish or to try to catch fish

26a        Contentment of student dropping off rent (4)
EASE: The definition of a noun denoting contentment or a state of comfort or freedom from worry  is reached from L (student) as appearing in an L-plate denoting a learner driver coming out of (dropping off) of [L]EASE (rent) as to rent or let for money

27a        Squeal before the force arrests one shoplifter? (5,5)
SNEAK THIEF: SNEAK (squeal) as to squeal or act as an informer or decoy for the police placed in front of (before) a combo of THE from the clue and F (force) as the symbol for force in physics between which is brought inside I (one) as the Roman numeral for one, taking to the definition of a thief who steals through open doors and windows without breaking in, an example of which is a shoplifter i.e. one who steals from a shop

Down

1d           Sugar at an exorbitant price (4)
DEAR: Double definition; the second being an adjective denoting costly, expensive or at a high or exorbitant price that brings to the first a noun denoting sugar, a term of endearment pertaining to beloved or sweet one

2d           Underwear‘s ultimate in fancy bows (1-6)
Y-FRONTS: The definition of underpants for men and boys, with a front seamed opening in the shape of an inverted is reached from the ultimate or terminal letter (ultimate) in [FANC]Y followed by FRONTS (bows) as the plural of the front side of a vessel which is also known as bow

3d           VAT troubles for movie (9,4)
RESERVOIR DOGS: A charade of RESERVOIR (vat) as a large vessel or container for holding or storing liquids and DOGS (troubles) as a verb in the third person singular present tense denoting troubles, torments or plagues takes to the definition of a 1992 American independent heist film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino in his feature-length directorial debut

4d           Swimmer‘s rich pal posing with daughter (8)
PILCHARD: The definition of a small, edible, commercially valuable marine fish of the herring family and obviously a swimmer is got from an anagram (posting) followed by (with) D (daughter) as the genealogical abbreviation for daughter

5d           Catch spouse scratching bottom, rolling over (6)
ENTRAP: The definition of a verb meaning to catch or ensnare is arrived at from PARTNE[R] (spouse) as one who is united or associated with another, as in a venture or relationship, an example of which can be a spouse i.e. a husband or a wife the bottom or terminal letter in the down clue (bottom) subject to eliminating (scratching) and turned upside down (rolling over) as a reversal in the down clue

7d           Love new group of three musicians touring a part of Canada (7)
ONTARIO: O (love) as denoting love or the score of zero in a game of tennis and N (new) as the abbreviation for new followed by TRIO (group of three musicians) as a set of three performers in music taking inside (touring) A from the clue leads to the definition of the second-largest province of Canada that borders the United States and the Great Lakes

8d           Overbearing type, my chemist stocks empty shelves (10)
BOSSYBOOTS: The definition of an overbearing or domineering type i.e. a person who enjoys telling others what to do is reached from a combo of BOY (my) as an interjection used to express mild astonishment, elation or disgust, an example of which is ‘my’ i.e. another interjection that is used as an exclamation of surprise, pleasure or dismay and BOOTS (chemist) as often referring to Boots the Chemist i.e. a well-known UK high street pharmacy that sells medicines and prescriptions, as well as health, beauty and personal care products, with many stores having in-store pharmacies keeping inside (stocks) the outermost letters (empty) of S[HELVE]S

11d        Take advantage of rewarding set-up and heckle? (3,2,2,3,3)
GET IN ON THE ACT: Double definition; the second denoting interrupting or joining in from the audience with a view to plying someone with embarrassing questions or shouting or jeering abusively or disruptively as describing the actions of a heckler that takes to the first meaning to join something already happening, especially to benefit from it, that is to join a lucrative situation or take advantage of an opportunity

13d        Electronic device disturbed mother’s nap (10)
SMARTPHONE: The definition of a portable electronic device i.e. a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities is reached from an anagram (disturbed) of MOTHER’S NAP

16d        Leave with most of fruit and veg (5,3)
SPLIT PEA: SPLIT (leave) as a slang term meaning to leave or depart and (with) most of the letters (most) of PEA[R] (fruit) as a sweet, juicy fruit that is narrow near its stalk and wider and rounded at the bottom takes to the definition of a pea dried and split and used in soups, pease pudding or as a vegetable

18d        Get these gardening tools as temperature lowers unexpectedly (7)
TROWELS: The definition of gardening tools, specifically small hand tools used for digging or planting, is arrived at from T (temperature) as the symbol for temperature as in physics followed by an anagram (unexpectedly) of LOWERS

20d        Turned over some carriages, salvaging weapon (7)
ASSEGAI: Part of or hidden inside (some) [CARR]IAGES, SA[LVAGING] in an upside down mode or as read from bottom to top (turned over) as a reversal in the down clue takes to the definition of a slender spear of hard wood tipped with iron, either for hurling or for thrusting with, used in South Africa

21d        Sink India before noon, or capitulate? (4,2)
GIVE IN: GIVE (sink) as to break down, collapse, fall or sink heavily followed by I (India) as the letter represented by India in the NATO phonetic alphabet placed above in the down clue (before) N (noon) as the abbreviation for noon takes to the definition of a phrase meaning to yield, surrender or acknowledge defeat, an example of which is to capitulate i.e. yield or surrender, especially on certain stated conditions

23d        Drone perhaps beginning to film grouse (4)
BEEF: BEE (drone perhaps) as an insect with a yellow-and-black striped body that makes a buzzing noise as it flies, an example of which is a drone i.e. a male bee in a colony of social bees, which does no work but can fertilise a queen following by the beginning or initial letter (beginning) to F[ILM] guides to the definition of a verb meaning to complain, gripe or grouse

There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 12a, 14a, 17a, 19a, 22a, 3d, 8d, 11d, 16d and 23d; 22a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to the setter for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.