Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31202
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. I approached today’s crossword with some trepidation, as the first puzzle that I blogged – Vintage puzzle 20 – was originally published on 1st April 1978, and had a surprise twist that caught me unawares. Thankfully there were no such pitfalls today, and everything was fairly clued throughout. The standout clues for me were 20a, 18a, 28a, 14d, 24d, and my favourite, the painful riding experience in 16a. Many thanks to our setter.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and indicator words (e.g. anagram indicators) are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons.
Across Clues
1 and 5 Across Union suggesting a double-barrelled name? (7,7)
SHOTGUN WEDDING: A cryptic definition of a hastily-arranged marriage.
5a See 1 Across
9a Soothing little Mary admitted to hospital department (9)
EMOLLIENT: A diminutive form of Mary is inserted into (admitted to) the abbreviation for the Ear, Nose and Throat department of a hospital.
10a Leader in vintage amps, top sound (5)
VALID: The first letter of (leader in) ‘vintage’ is followed by the symbol for amperes and another word for ‘top’ (of a jar, for example), giving us an adjective meaning ‘sound’ or ‘correct’.
11a Immature creature runs into steaming rock (5)
LARVA: The abbreviation for ‘runs’ in cricket is inserted into a word for the molten rock ejected from a volcano.
12a Gofer upset Darren – crikey! (6,3)
ERRAND BOY: An anagram (upset) of DARREN, followed by an interjection indicating surprise.
13a California garden party – fresh air, somewhere to eat (9)
CAFETERIA: The two-letter abbreviation of California is followed by a term for a garden party or outdoor function and an anagram (fresh) of AIR.
16a Thong catches when cycling (5)
STRAP: A word that can mean ‘catches’ or ‘ensnares’ has its last letter moved to the front (when cycling).
17a Finally binned greasy little napkin (5)
DOILY: The last letter (finally) of ‘binned’ is followed by a synonym of ‘greasy’.
18a Where members of society try to mate? (5,4)
CHESS CLUB: A cryptic definition of an organisation for players of an ancient board game.
20a Spooner’s nosy supporter, one getting well oiled in the kitchen? (6,3)
FRYING PAN: Take a word meaning ‘nosy’ and a word for a supporter, such as a follower of a football team, and swap their initial letters to reveal a cryptically-defined kitchen implement.
23a Lost cat – search houses (2,3)
AT SEA: A lurker. ‘Houses’ indicates that the answer is hidden, in the second and third words of the clue.
25a Area shortage, sadly (5)
ALACK: The abbreviation for ‘area’ is followed by a synonym of ‘shortage’, resulting in an archaic term expressing regret.
26a Force probing dodgy e-mails on tax haven (4,2,3)
ISLE OF MAN: The abbreviation for ‘force’ is inserted into (probing) an anagram (dodgy) of EMAILS ON.
27a Doctor’s study to take in East German city (7)
DRESDEN: The abbreviation for ‘Doctor’, the suffix S from the clue and a synonym for a study ‘take in’ or surround the abbreviation for East.
28a Competitor misses start in New York where they’re under orders (7)
NUNNERY: A word for a competitor in an athletics track event loses its initial letter (misses start) and is inserted into the abbreviation for New York.
Down Clues
1d Rings up about regular samples of shoe varnish (7)
SHELLAC: A word meaning ‘rings’ or ‘telephones’ is reversed (up, in a down clue) and placed around (about) alternate letters of ‘shoe’.
2d Smell caused by oxygen surfacing from bed of Porto’s river (5)
ODOUR: The chemical symbol for oxygen moves from the end (bed, or bottom, in a down clue) of the name of Porto’s river to the surface, or beginning.
3d Bravery of everyone involved in support for rocket (9)
GALLANTRY: A synonym for ‘everyone’ is inserted into (involved in) a structure that supports a rocket on a launch pad. (This gives me a good excuse to post a picture of Artemis II, which is scheduled to launch later today from the Kennedy Space Centre.)
4d Pleasant, engaging English girl in the family (5)
NIECE: A synonym of ‘pleasant’ is surrounding (engaging) the abbreviation for English, to reveal a female relative.
5d We target a criminal conspiracy in Washington (9)
WATERGATE: An anagram (criminal) of WE TARGET A.
6d Chap from Russia carrying day bed (5)
DIVAN: A common Russian first name is following (carrying, in a down clue) the abbreviation for ‘day’.
7d One upcoming Energy Bill right and left initially seen as intolerant (9)
ILLIBERAL: The Roman numeral for ‘one’ is followed by the abbreviation for Energy and the word BILL from the clue, all reversed (upcoming, in a down clue) and the initial letters of ‘right and left’.
8d Instruction to get on with it from one horsing around? (5-2)
GIDDY-UP: A cryptic definition of an interjection used to urge or encourage a horse.
14d Grim-sounding work that’s aimed at children? (5,4)
FAIRY TALE: This genre of children’s literature was made popular by two German brothers whose surname is a homophone (sounding) of the first word in the clue.
15d Welcome party (9)
RECEPTION: A double definition.
16d Moving to Kansas, acquiring old place in North America (9)
SASKATOON: This Canadian city is an anagram (moving) of TO KANSAS put round (acquiring) the abbreviation of ‘old’.
17d Swindle environment department fund periodically (7)
DEFRAUD: The acronym for the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is followed by alternate letters (periodically) of ‘fund’.
19d Angry row interrupted by Liberal flattery (7)
BLARNEY: An informal word for a heated argument is placed around (interrupted by) the abbreviation for Liberal.
21d Moved from side to side when leaving sierra undressed (5)
NAKED: A synonym of the first five words of the clue loses the letter represented by Sierra in the NATO phonetic alphabet.
22d Material penned by funny Londoners (5)
NYLON: A lurker, hidden in (penned by) the last two words in the clue.
24d Battlefield wartime spies accepting Military Medal (5)
SOMME: The abbreviation of the Second World War espionage organisation, the Special Operations Executive, is placed round (accepting) the abbreviation for the Military Medal.
Which clues did you like best? Please let us know in the comments section below.
The Quick Crossword pun: TAILORS + WHIFFED = TAYLOR SWIFT
A most satisfying Goldilocks puzzle for a Wednesday – not too hard, not too easy but just right. I loved the 1 & 2a combination but the song by Ray C has a rifle as the sound effect. I was held up in the southeast because of a spate of putting answers into the wrong spaces. I put that down to the migraine I am currently suffering. I no longer get the headache, just visual flickering, but it is most disconcerting. The mating members at 18a raised a smile but my COTD is, surprisingly, the good reverend at 20a.
Thank you, setter for a suitable Wednesday puzzle. Thank you, Lashing Dee for the hints.
Oh poor you. I used to suffer from migraines and they can be hell. Thank goodness I seem to have left all that behind. Perhaps you will grow out of them !!!
Thank you, DG. I used to get horrendous headaches. My first one, when I was a student, started with my going totally blind in the middle of Oxford Street. When my sight returned the headache hit with a vengeance! I couldn’t even put my head on a soft pillow. Thank goodness I get only disturbance of my sight these days. I sympathise with anyone who suffer full blown attacks.
I get these. I think they are called ocular migraines. Mine are pain free but as you say disconcerting. I think mine are worse from bright sunlight unfortunately
I also have that type of migraine which as you say is most disconcerting. Thankfully it only lasts about 15 minutes so it is manageable.I don’t get the headaches so that’s good. I once had one whilst driving on a motorway, not to be recccommended.
I enjoyed the puzzle today. I thought 28a and 5d were the top of my list. Thanks to the compiler and Deansleigh.
Very gentle but enjoyable with some clever clues to give the grey cells their daily exercise. My favourites were 14d, 20a and 28a. Struggled with 16d until the checkers were in, then had to look it up. grateful to Deansleigh for confirming the it’s north of North America.
Thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh for his hints
Very entertaining. 1/5a went in straight off the bat and there were smiles for 16a, 17a and 8d. My podium comprises 28a, 2d with the spoonerism at 20a in top spot. Thanks to compiler and Deansleigh.
Although, as a rule, I don’t like multi-word clues, today’s 1 and 5 qwas auperb and is my COTD and the Spoonerism at20a waas a worthy runner-up. I alsso enjoyed the geographical clues at 26a, 27a and 16. Thanks to the compiler for an entertaining April Fool’s Day guzzle and thanks to Deansleigh for the hints.
A lovely puzzle today with no hold ups. But what is going on? I can download all the paper except the last page, the crossie page! This has happened for three days, can anyone help? I have to go to another site completely. Do help if you can, thanks and thanks to setter and hinter
For me once I’ve downloaded the paper I have to click on Editions top left corner on iPad to reveal menu bar at bottom where Puzzles is located
Welcome to the blog
You’ve changed your alias so this needed moderation. Both will work from now on.
What did you think of today’s puzzle?
That doesn’t work for me, I get details of my account. If I download the paper prior to 3 days ago, there are the puzzles immediately after the weather page but not now, so infuriating. Any other suggestions, anyone?
Manders, does your subscription allow you to access the puzzles section? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/puzzles/
If it works, just be aware that some puzzles will print to 2 pages (both today’s back pager and Toughie, for example) which can be a nuisance.
Good luck!
Thanks Mustafa, that works ok. I don’t print it out but solve the puzzles on my Kindle. I like to read the paper first so it’s a bit annoying that the last page is missing, but thanks again.
Another straightforward sequential solve with nothing to tax the brain cells, although 13a was first in then everything fell into place. Smooth surfaces throughout with the NY competitor at 28a being my favourite and the spoonerism runner up.
Thanks to the setter and Neal Sighed
1*/3*
My fastest completion of the week so far but a lot to enjoy along the way, including the opening salvo from the double-barrelled clue. I also liked 18a and the Spoonerism at 20a, which was my COTD. Thanks very much to the setter and to Deansleigh.
Another friendly cryptic, with lots to enjoy from the very start
Thanks to the setter and Deansleigh
This puzzle was ELGANT. Beautiful constructions , funny and teasing. So much to love.
1 across set the scene and it was going to be a treat. Amusing Spoonerism and words that roll around the tongue like 9 a. I will have to come back to find out who our setter is today but obviously many thanks. Deansleigh was there to to shine a light ~ ditto many thanks.
Really good fun, difficulty pitched just right for a mid weeker.
2*/5*
1/5a, 20a and the rather rude 18a favourites today.
Thanks to Deansleigh and Setter
Surprisingly quick to solve — possibly the fastest I’ve finished a cryptic crossword since Robyn left Mondays. I had to confirm Porto’s river (despite having been there) and the wartime spies, but those were both after getting the answer.
Thank you to Hudson for the entertainment, especially the 10a sound, 23a lost cat, 19d flattery, 22d funny Londoners, and my favourite today, being under orders in 28a. And thank you to Deansleigh for blogging.
Great fun today. Plenty of smiles. Not normally a fan of spoonerisms but 20a was just the ticket.
What a belter! */*****
No problems with 16d, one of our near(-ish) neighbours, a 785km drive away, and also an edible berry from the shrub Amelanchier Alnifolia, see below, a member of the Rose family, and used in the usual culinary items that berries are found in.
Candidates for favourite – 13a (good to see the two letter abbreviation), 18a, 25a, 14d, and 16d – and the winner is the aforementioned 16d.
Thanks to whomsoever and Deansleigh.
For me the smoothest ride of the week so far – good fun with the NW getting the guzzle off to a friendly start. Not sure whether the 28a headless component is necessarily a competitor. Stupidly failed to parse side-to-side for 21d bung-in. My Fav was 24d as my late husband was a member of the “wartime spies”. TVM setter and Deansleigh.
Superb!
It’s not easy to decide who of the comedy act ‘Mr Thud’ it is but I’ll go with the latter. It was very Jayesque which is praise indeed as he’s my numero uno.
The first two acrosses got things off to a flyer and it flowed from there.
I’ve never heard of the Portuguese flower and I guessed 16d as I thought it had to be linked to the province that has the same first six letters. I love how this one was clued because, on reading it, I thought ‘Why not say the country name as opposed to North America?’ Clever.
I didn’t know either abbreviation in 24d but it was easy enough to get and ‘Grim-sounding’ is just brilliant.
An invidious task to pick a pody but I’ll go with 1a/5a, 18a and 14d.
MMTTTA and Nigel from Hell.
2*/5*
Maybe a sign of age, but I spent far too long at 12a searching for a random golfer’s name, to fit in with my checkers, until I realised I was misreading the first word in the clue 😁
Yep – on first glance I thought “Ernie” is only 5 letters, so do I know another golfer with a 3-letter surname?
Me too!
Should have gone to Specsavers 😃
Yeah – I’ve just had a reminder from my optician to say I am due an eye test. I think I’d better get on and make the appointment!
Me too with “golfer”
Me too! I know nothing about golf so thought this was going to be a blocker. I went round everything else and left it to last when thankfully it suddenly made sense.
16d was also a problem for me today needed electronic help
I liked 17a my first one in today and a neat little clue. But clue of the day is the 1a/5a double
A swift and gentle puzzle to accompany the last coffee of the morning. The North American city was very vaguely familiar and the only way the letters worked, fortunately. Honours to 28a, 2d (source of so many excellent wines) and 20a.
On first glance saw the Spoonerism and thought Twm, but he tends not to be so benign (and usually fits his puzzles on to a single page), so I will go with Hudson as the setter, to whom many thanks – and if not he then thank you setter, no offence intended!) and to Deansleigh.
This is an amusing fill from start to finish. My top picks are the following; the old but seldom used expression in 1a, 5a, the place to eat at 13a and the mating society at 18a. 6d and 14d are also worthy of a mention. This was exceptionally gentle for a Wednesday and resulted in a very quick fill. Many thanks to the setter and hinte
A splendid puzzle – many thanks to our setter and Deansleigh,
Ticks from me for 1/5a, 16a, 20a, 28a and 14d.
Well done to the Telegraph for moving today’s crosswords near to the top of the Online Puzzle Site’s page rather than making you hunt for them further down. I hope that this is a permanent feature and not an April Fool’s joke.
Absolutey, Gazza! Now, if only they could reduce the size of the ridiculous 1% club banner … but I imagine they’ve paid quite a royalty and so we have to put up with it.
I agree that this was a great Wednesday guzzle. Something to smile about as the pennies dropped. I think the spoonerism was my favourite but the grim work for children was a close runner-up. Just time for a 30minute nap before the pocket rocket turns up for duty. Many thanks to the Setter and Deansleigh.
What a fun and entertaining puzzle. My favourite was the spooner…..because for a change I managed it without the checkers.
Many thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh for the hints
This was done in a quick stroll around the park with Mark Knobfler 🎸 in the background.
Thanks to the setter😃
Freudian slip. How apt! Superb!
This was a most enjoyable and very comfortable solve with some smashing surfaces and neat misdirection. Tough to find a favourite from a big selection, but I went for 14d.
My thanks to our midweek setter and Deansleigh.
I definitely found this a different sort of Wednesday puzzle … reminded me more of a NYDK offering, but no idea who it may be.
2.5*/3.5*
Favourites 1a, 18a, 20a, 26a, 14d & 19d — with winner 14d
Thanks to setter & Deansleigh
2*/4*. This was very enjoyable despite the odd slightly strained surface reading which was more than made up for by the fun to be had.
My podium selection is 16a, 18a & 14d.
Many thanks to the setter (Hudson?) and to Deansleigh.
Well I certainly didn’t find it quite as easy as Deansleigh and others although I enjoyed it immensely. Lots of great surfaces and humour throughout. Top work setter. Thanks also to D for the review.
* / ****
Pretty friendly for mid-week I thought. Thanks to She Aligned for the wartime spies and Porto’s river, which I only realised I hadn’t bothered to parse when I read the blog. Ticks went to the 5d criminal conspiracy in Washington, the 16a caught thong – painful and the dear Reverend in 20a was my COTD.
Thanks to She Aligned and the setter.
I loved 17 across, not a word that many people use these days. Thank you setter and Deansleigh for great enjoyment.
Enjoyable Wednesday puzzle, slowed down by putting a hunting call in 8d (t***y **), doh! Many thanks to Deansleigh and setter
This seemed more like a Monday offering, fairly straightforward and a steady solve, even the Spoonerism!
Cotd 18a … brought a smile.
Thanks to setter and DL.
Didn’t know the Canadian city but it was easily guessable from the fodder nor had I previously appreciated Mollie was an Irish variant for Mary. Not sure if I was aware of the IOM’s tax regime before either. A pretty straightforward puzzle & top notch entertainment throughout. Wouldn’t argue with any of our reviewer’s preamble clue picks & also rather liked 1/5&13a. Fav was the society members trying to mate.
Thanks to the setter (Hudson surely) & to Deansleigh
Likewise with the Canadian city and the Mollie / Mary link
I liked this one, it made me smile and not too difficult for me to manage without help! Favourite was 13a but many clever clues. Thank you to Deansleigh and Setter.
1.5*/ 4* Excellent midweeker, only hold ups the Mollie / Mary connection and the Canadian city.
Favourites include the 18a mating club, 28a under orders and the 17d swindle
Thanks to setter and Deansleigh
It seems we still haven’t settled on our setter. If it is Hudson it would be nice to know for future reference. Nothing like a good puzzle to start the day and although it was not rated high for difficulty it had plenty to give.
Hi, Dyslex. It was definitely Hudson — who claimed it on social media yesterday morning before this page appeared. My thanking Hudson above wasn’t speculation!
Well I think I solved this. With just the 28A sisters and 19d heated argument to enter I crashed the puzzles website on Vivaldi, then Edge and my mobile phone in quick succession, usual issue with a totally blank screen. A fun crossword but would have been nice to see the results of my effort. A bit tricky for a Wednesday I thought.
Finished but needed the hint for 27a because I had misspelt 19d. So an avoidable mistake. A new word at 25a, although it could only be that, and I was unaware that Mollie was a diminutive form of Mary, at 9a, bizarre when it has more letters. Otherwise, a steady but enjoyable solve.
Favourites today were the linked clue at 1a and 5a, the mating establishment at 18a and the Spoonerism at 20a. All brought a wry smile.
Thank you to the setter and to Deansleigh for the hints.
When I looked at this earlier before I had to go out I thought I was going to struggle , but having revisited later with time to engage properly as most have said it was a relatively gentle solve. I did think it’s was a notch up from the last two days though. An enjoyable solve. Thanks to the setter and Deansleigh.
I have been a lurker for years, never commented because I only do the crossword in the evening so everything has already been said! Very grateful to all the setters, hinters and comments. Thought today’s crossword was a fair challenge, no real problems. However the main reason for commenting today is to advise all those suffering from visual migraines to try giving up anything containing artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame. It made a huge difference to me.
Welcome to the blog, Carolin.
Now that you’ve de-lurked I hope that you’ll become a regular commenter.
Hi Carolin, I am often a late commenter too since I tend to do the crossword after work. I’m glad to see Steve’s encouragement to still post, today I didn’t manage it till next morning. This year I’m striving to be a regular commenter with this lovely bunch of enthusiasts and to do at least the backpager each day, so I’m keeping up with my goal 🙂
Didn’t know the Mary variant (my mother was Mary but never that), didn’t know the Porto river and certainly never heard of the Canadian city. The rest all passed muster. Favourite was 14d. Thanks to the setter and DL.
I’m trying to reply to a post but am getting a “site not available” message?
Well that worked! So my reply was to Carolin at #37.
“Welcome from me as well, Carolin. Please don’t let the fact that you do the guzzle later stop you from commenting. All posts are read and some are days after. Please continue to post? 👍”
I enjoyed a lot of the clue constructions and surfaces here. About 2/3 went straight in, then a minor roadblock mostly in the North, but I had to return to work anyway. Once I resumed the puzzle, it didn’t take long. Getting 1A helped.
LOI was 7A’s intolerable word, not one I’ll ever use much. Pody picks are 1D – anybody know who Steve Albini is? – 20A’s Spooner cooking utensil and 17a’s napkin.
Thanks to setter and Deansleigh ⭐️
Legendary music producer (Nirvana etc) here with his band 1d
A day late, but never mind. I finally got to this delightful puzzle and enjoyed it from start to finish. Big thank you to setter and Deansleigh.
2*/4* …
liked 17D “Swindle environment department fund periodically (7)”