Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31193
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 21st March 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, entertaining Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.
After solving the puzzle, I wanted to learn more about Bayeux, the answer to the clue at 1d, so I searched the internet and discovered some interesting facts. The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth nearly 230 feet long and 20 inches tall. It depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, led by William, Duke of Normandy, France, challenging Harold II, King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. Harold II was killed, reportedly by an arrow to the eye, leading to a decisive Norman victory. This marked the start of Norman rule in England, drastically changing the English language, law and aristocracy. William, who became King of England, took the title ‘William the Conqueror’. Although Bayeux is a place in Normandy, France, the name Bayeux Tapestry or in French, La Tapisserie de Bayeux, is somewhat misleading. It is called the Bayeux Tapestry only because it has long been kept and displayed in the Bayeux Cathedral, Normandy. Anglo-Saxon embroidery was highly skilled at the time. The tapestry was commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William the Conqueror’s half-brother, to celebrate William’s conquest of England and the cloth is believed to have been stitched by skilled Anglo-Saxon embroiderers. The name stuck because the tapestry was sent to Bayeux and displayed there for centuries. Historians and the public naturally began calling it after the town where it could be seen. Thus, the name reflects its location, not its origin. So, while the tapestry commemorates Norman victories, the craftsmanship itself was Anglo-Saxon.
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Across
1a Situation resolved by changing one’s locks? (3,4,3) BAD HAIR DAY: A cryptic definition of a day with a situation in which everything seems to go wrong, more specifically one on which one’s hair is untidy or unmanageable is another way of saying it could be resolved by changing only one’s locks i.e. hair
6a Length taken from wood for bow (4)
ARCH: L (length) as the abbreviation for length coming out of (taken from) [L]ARCH (wood) as the wood of any of several deciduous, coniferous trees of the genus Larix of North America and Eurasia yields the definition of a bow, curve or bend or a shape resembling a curved symmetrical structure
10a Arabs here, missing start, watch team (5)
YEMEN: The definition of the country that is situated at the south-western corner of the Arabian Peninsula and inhabited by the Arabs is reached from [E]YE (watch) as to watch closely or carefully, devoid of the initial or starting letter (missing start) followed by MEN (team) as a body of people forming a working group or side
11a Gladiator to practise fighting distributed scuta (9)
SPARTACUS: The definition of a Thracian gladiator who led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic during 73 to 71 BC, known as the Third Servile War is fetched from SPAR (to practise fighting) as to practise fighting, especially boxing or threaten punches followed by an anagram (distributed) of SCUTA
12a Number one college extremely trendy (5)
UNITY: The definition of the number or numeral one in mathematics is reached from UNI (college) as an abbreviation for university or an informal term for college followed by the extreme or outermost letters (extremely) of T[REND]Y
13a Ace new wine with list introduced for starters (9)
ANTIPASTI: A (ace) as the abbreviation for ace followed by a combo of N (new) as the abbreviation for new and ASTI (wine) as a type of Italian sparkling wine having (with) placed inside (introduced) TIP (list) as to list, lean or tilt to one side from a vertical position, taking to the definition of the plural of a starter or an appetiser usually consisting of an assortment of foods, such as smoked meats, cheese, fish and vegetables
14a Character restricting badger’s weight (7)
TONNAGE: TONE (character) as the quality or character of sound blocking or confining within bounds (restricting) NAG (badger) as to harass, pester or badger someone about something takes to the definition of weight measured in tonnes
16a Informal talk succeeded with Metropolis director (5)
SLANG: The definition of an informal talk that is characteristically more metaphorical, playful, elliptical, vivid and ephemeral than ordinary language is arrived at from a charade of S (succeeded) as an abbreviation for succeeded and (with) LANG (Metropolis director) as referring to Fritz Lang, the Austrian film director who directed the 1927 German expressionist science-fiction silent film ‘Metropolis’
19a Two daughters into the beer become confused (5)
ADDLE: D and D (two daughters) as representing two daughters, where each D serves as the genealogical abbreviation for daughter put inside (into) ALE (the beer) as a usually full-bodied beer that has been fermented at a relatively warm temperature guides to the definition of an intransitive verb meaning to become confused or muddled
20a What might be flat – as a pancake? (7)
BATTERY: The definition of a device consisting of one or more electrochemical cells that stores chemical energy and converts it into electrical energy might be flat when run down is arrived at from the cryptic composition of ‘batter-y’ (as a pancake) as an adjective denoting ‘made of batter’, especially referring to the characteristic of a pancake
22a Okay to take to Dart eel that wriggles (9)
TOLERATED: The definition of an adjective denoting permitted, acceptable or okay, even if not preferred, especially of a behaviour is reached from TO from the clue followed by an anagram (that wriggles) of DART EEL
26a Inventive sort decorates Lancastrian houses (5)
TESLA: The definition referring to Nikola Tesla, the brilliant inventor and electrical engineer of the twentieth century, best known for his contributions to modern electricity systems is part of or hidden inside (houses) [DECORA]TES LA[NCASTRIAN]
27a Deal with China involved food from elsewhere (9)
ENCHILADA: An anagram (involved) of DEAL and (with) CHINA takes to the definition of a Mexican dish consisting of a rolled stuffed tortilla cooked with a chilli-flavoured sauce that’s a hot snack
28a Worker in firm’s poetry (5)
CANTO: ANT (worker) as a social insect working together in groups placed inside (in) CO (firm) as the abbreviation for Company that is a business enterprise, an example of which is a firm i.e. a business concern, especially one involving a partnership of two or more people leads to the definition of a principal form of division in medieval and modern long poetry
29a Great to cover large rolls of flesh (4)
FLAB: FAB (great) as an informal adjective denoting fabulous, wonderful or something great to embrace or surround (cover) L (large) as the abbreviation for large that is usually referred to large size of shirt or other clothing, leading to the definition of a colloquial term excess body fat that exhibits rolls of flesh
30a Action at Wimbledon on live, or earlier (10)
BEFOREHAND: FOREHAND (action at Wimbledon) as a forehand stroke or shot, as in tennis, an example of which can be seen on a grass court at Wimbledon preceded by or coming after (on) BE (live) as to live or exist takes to the definition of an adverb meaning in advance, ahead of time, sooner or earlier
Down
1d Seen here: Normans having Saxons in stitches? (6)
BAYEUX: A cryptic definition describing the location, more specifically the Bayeux Cathedral in Bayeux, Normandy, France where is displayed the famous Bayeux Tapestry that was commissioned by the Normans and stitched by the skilled Anglo-Saxon embroiderers, likely in Canterbury
2d Stupid wife wearing glove stopped working outside (3-6)
DIM-WITTED: The definition of an informal term for an adjective meaning stupid or lacking mental capacity and subtlety is produced from W (wife) as the genealogical abbreviation for wife covered by (wearing) MITT (glove) as a type of glove that extends over the hand but only partially covers the fingers and surrounded by (outside) DIED (stopped working) as an intransitive verb in the past tense stopped working or operating
3d Article, canny one, excited anger (9)
ANNOYANCE: A (article) as one of the indefinite articles in the English language followed by an anagram (excited) of CANNY ONE takes to the definition of anger, especially that is produced by irritation
4d Recall a leading Russian religious adherent (5)
RASTA: A combo of A from the clue and TSAR (leading Russian) as the title that was used by a Russian monarch or anyone who led Russia from 1547 until the abdication of Nicolas II on March 15, 1917 to call up or order back (recall) as reversals in the down clue takes to the definition of a religious adherent, specifically a follower of Rastafarianism, a religion and social movement that originated in Jamaica in the 1930s
5d Approve including role: act ultimately flat (9)
APARTMENT: AMEN (approve) as to approve or ratify solemnly taking in (including) PART (role) as the function assumed or part played by a person or thing in a particular situation and followed by the ultimate or final letter (ultimately) of [AC]T guides to the definition of a set of rooms having housekeeping facilities and used as a dwelling in the United States, an example of which is a flat, a term commonly used in the United Kingdom and referring simply to an apartment unit within a building
7d Stuns in dresses, not feminine (5)
ROCKS: The definition of a verb in the third person singular present tense meaning stuns or affects deeply is deduced from [F]ROCKS (dresses) as the plural of a gown or dress worn by a girl or woman that is devoid of the letter F (feminine) as the abbreviation for feminine
8d See 18 Down
9d Finish second and first (4)
STOP: The definition of a verb meaning to finish or come to an end is reached from a charade of S (second) as the abbreviation for second and TOP (first) as an adjective denoting first, highest, best or leading
15d Judge computing speed following a run (9)
ARBITRATE: The definition of a verb meaning to officially judge how an argument or dispute between two opposing sides should be settled is obtained from a combo of BIT (computing) as a single, basic unit of computing and RATE (speed) as the speed with which something happens or is done preceded by or coming after (following) a combo of A from the clue and R (run) as the abbreviation for run or runs scored in cricket
16d Show place set out around clubs (9)
SPECTACLE: The definition of a public show or display, especially on a large scale is got from an anagram (out) of PLACE SET put about (around) C (clubs) as the abbreviation for clubs that represent the playing cards
17d Old country‘s bottomless pit in one area (9)
ABYSSINIA: The definition of the historical name for the modern-day country of Ethiopia that is located in the Horn of Africa is reached from ABYSS (bottomless pit), as a bottomless gut or pit, IN from the clue, I (one) as the Roman numeral for one and A (area) as the abbreviation for area
18d and 8 Down Fight notable as leaders of the Saxons scattered (6,2,8)
BATTLE OF HASTINGS: An anagram (scattered) of a combo of FIGHT NOTABLE AS and the leading letters (leaders) of T[HE] and S[AXONS] takes to the definition of the famous battle of 1066 that was the turning point that ended the Anglo-Saxon rule and started the Norman era in England in this all-in-one clue
21d King‘s a king in control (6)
HAROLD: The definition of the last crowned Anglo-Saxon king of England, who ruled from January 1066 until his death at the Battle of Hastings the same year on October 14 is arrived at from a combo of A from the clue and R (king) as the abbreviation for rex, the Latin word for king placed inside (in) HOLD (control) as a control or a power to direct or determine
23d Stars penning ultimately erotic material (5)
LYCRA: LYRA (stars) as a constellation in northern hemisphere, containing the bright star Vega bringing inside (penning) the ultimate or terminal letter (ultimately) of [EROTI]C guides to the definition of a fabric made from lightweight, synthetic, elastomeric fibre
24d Power lacking in very quick incursion (4)
RAID: P (power) as the symbol for power in physics missing or left out inside (in) RA[P]ID (very quick) as very quick or fast or occurring within a short time takes to the definition of an incursion or a surprise attack by a small armed force
25d Old wit sent up harsh lawmaker (5)
DRACO: A charade of O (old) as the abbreviation for old and CARD (wit) as a wit or eccentric person going up in an upward direction (sent up) as reversals in the down clue leads to the definition of a seventh-century BC Athenian lawmaker notorious for his harsh code, which gave us the adjectival term ‘Draconian’
There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 13a, 19a, 20a, 30a, 1d, 2d, 9d, 11d, 15d, 18d/8d and 21d; 1a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to NYDK for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.
3*/4* …
liked 20A “What might be flat – as a pancake ? (7)”