Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31204
Hints and tips by Mr K
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ***
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. Today we have a fun puzzle with tight cryptic grammar, solid definitions and nothing too esoteric.
In the hints below most indicators are italicized, and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions. Clicking on the answer buttons will reveal the answers. In some hints hyperlinks provide additional explanation or background. Clicking on a picture will enlarge it. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.
Across
1a Top steeplechaser (6)
JUMPER: A double definition. The top is something you wear
5a Keen to cross area getting extremely rocky (6)
CRAGGY: Keen or weep containing (to cross) both the single letter for area and the outer letters (extremely) of GETTING
10a Direct judge to release last two Europeans (5)
REFER: Another word for judge minus (to release) the two copies of the single letter for European at the end of the word (last)
11a Experienced politician, say, backing one almost oddly ignored (9)
STATESMAN: Say or utter with the reversal (backing) of the even letters (oddly ignored) of ONE ALMOST
12a Best theatrical work published previously (7)
OUTPLAY: A theatrical work preceded by (… previously) a synonym of published
13a Most act afraid about arresting wealthy individuals (3,4)
FAT CATS: The reversal (about) of MOST ACT AFRAID is hiding (arresting) the answer
14a Bribe small number probing smear at intervals (9)
SWEETENER: A Scottish word for small and a number between nine and eleven are inserted together in (probing) alternate letters (at intervals) of SMEAR
17a Sound having uniform replaced by essentially repairable gear (5)
THIRD: In a dull sound made on impact the single letter for uniform is replaced by the central letter pair (essentially) of REPAIRABLE
18a Subject matter, repeatedly discovered it's not spicy (5)
TOPIC: IT’S NOT SPICY with the outer letters deleted from each word (repeatedly dis-covered)
19a Beginning to regret no medals sadly for swimmer (3,6)
RED SALMON: The first letter of (beginning to) REGRET with an anagram (sadly) of NO MEDALS
21a Children's author needs vast amount of money reportedly (7)
RANSOME: A homophone (reportedly) of a vast amount of money paid for the return of something valuable that’s been taken
23a Force good-for-nothing to return carpentry tool (7)
FRETSAW: The physics symbol for force with the reversal (to return) of an informal word for a good-for-nothing
25a Floral painting perhaps Dicky breaks is left damaged (5,4)
STILL LIFE: Dicky or not well is inserted in (breaks) an anagram (damaged) of IS LEFT. The perhaps indicates that the definition is by example
26a White House facilities outwardly imposing to start with (5)
IGLOO: An informal word for facilities is preceded by (to start with) the outer letters (outwardly) of IMPOSING. The definition is cryptic with the false capitalisation being misdirection
27a Some cannot remember flipping London borough! (6)
MERTON: The answer is hidden inside (some) the reversal (flipping) of CANNOT REMEMBER
28a Careers of characters appearing in Morse (6)
DASHES: One of the characters making up Morse code
Down
2d One claiming female is out of shape (5)
UNFIT: A synonym of one containing (claiming) the single letter for female
3d Rising crime clubs across Italy somehow smashed (9)
PARALYTIC: The reversal (rising, in a down clue) of an informal synonym of crime and the playing card abbreviation for clubs are sandwiching (across) an anagram (somehow) of ITALY
4d Firm gets head ousted, no longer in practice (5)
RUSTY: Firm or well-baked (bread) minus its first letter (gets head ousted)
5d Type of power plant potentially for Iceland, cutting nitrogen (4-5)
COAL-FIRED: An anagram (potentially) of FOR ICELAND minus (cutting) the chemical symbol for nitrogen
6d Sharp wake-up call (5)
ALERT: A straightforward double definition
7d Male during May using fancy fitness club (9)
GYMNASIUM: The single letter for male inserted in (during) an anagram (fancy) of MAY USING
8d Bishops might be seen with these criminal types (6)
CROOKS: The sticks that bishops carry is also an informal word for criminals
9d Remaining peacekeepers considered taking month off (6)
UNUSED: The abbreviation for an international organisation that provides peacekeepers is followed by considered or pondered minus the single letter for month (taking month off)
15d Dear sweetheart, formerly deep in thought (9)
EXPENSIVE: A short word for a former sweetheart with an adjective meaning deep in thought
16d Munch, say, orange and win bananas (9)
NORWEGIAN: An anagram (bananas, as in crazy) of ORANGE WIN. The say indicates that the definition is by example
17d Attempts to describe old disastrous events (9)
TRAGEDIES: Attempts or goes containing (to describe) a synonym of old
18d Party in hotel, surrounded by rubbish (6)
THRASH: The letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by hotel is contained by (surrounded by) an American word for rubbish
20d Going topless understood not to upset mathematician (6)
NEWTON: Understood or comprehended minus its first letter (going topless, in a down clue) with the reversal (to upset) of NOT
22d Immature flier that hurt Grant (5)
OWLET: An interjection meaning “that hurt” with grant or allow
23d Addict given monetary penalty after promoting drug (5)
FIEND: In a word meaning “given monetary penalty” the single letter for the drug ecstasy is moved up one place (after promoting drug)
24d Wipe bottom of plate for cream (5)
SALVE: Drop the last letter (wipe bottom of …) a (silver) plate or tray on which food, for example, is presented
Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: NONE + EATEN = NUNEATON
3*/5*+. Perfection!
1a provided a brilliant start and the puzzle continued in that vein, slowly but surely with many PDMs along the way. The surface readings were exemplary too. When I had finished, my page was overflowing with ticks. If you were to twist my arm to select a single favourite, I’d settle on 18a.
Many thanks to the setter (Silvanus, methinks) and to Mr K.
I have never heard of 5ac keen meaning weep.
It’s being used in the sense of a lamentation or wailing, Lynne.
This was an absolutely wonderful bank holiday treat, a corker of a puzzle even with so many anagrams. It took me an embarrassingly long time to get my LOI, 8d, and it was only on reviewing the puzzle afterwards with the aid of the BRB that the parsing of 24d dawned : I had been looking for a 4-letter synonym of wipe+E … doh! Cracking clues throughout. Podium to 18a, 23a & 16d.
Many thanks to setter (another fiver on Silvanus despite my loss yesterday) and to Mr K
Today’s Elgar is eminently approachable – it’s absolutely no back pager, but I found it very much at the gentler end of the Elgar Spectrum. A very enjoyable puzzle and worth a go if you have the time today.
Sheer excellence!
One of the most enjoyable puzzles for a long time.
I ticked pretty much all of them, but 16d made me chuckle at the surface read, so that wins my vote!
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
3*/5*
I enjoyed this a lot. Not easy for me but a good stretch.
I particularly like the picture at 16d Mr K. It made me laugh out loud unlike the better known version.
I think glueing the cat’s paws to the bar in 7d to get a good snap is a bit much though.
thanks all
Definitely on the easier side of yesterday’s offering, but still some mind wrangling required. I loved 16d which took a bit of redirection from the masticating process; the children’s author 21a and the Icelandic power plant 5d, but my COTD goes to the floral painting at 25a. Everything was solved from the clues and for a change there were no new words for me .
Many thanks to the setter for a most enjoyable puzzle and Mr K for the confirmatory hints.
2.5*/4.5*
Middle ground for me.
Black Crowes today 🎸
Day off today as Port Vale are in the FA Cup.
A cracking puzzle – thanks to our setter and Mr K.
My ticks were awarded to 1a, 12a, 23a, 26a and 16d.
An outstanding crossword from the pen of Silvanus with all his trademarks on display.
Did I know that m is the abbreviation for month? Maybe I didn’t. But, it makes sense.
The White House is having a good run at the moment and quite right too as it’s a goodie.
Nice to see the London borough Day Zee and I grew up in.
My podium is 26a, 2d and 8d.
MTTTA and Mr K.
3*/5*
I only went to school in Wimbledon – we lived in Cheam Village! My brother went to Rutlish – what a journey.
That is most certainly a schlep to Mr Major’s alma mater.
Well, it turns out that there are still some half-crowns at the back of my sock drawer and, after yesterday’s failure with Loonies, two of them want to say that this is a Silvanus production 2.5*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 1a, 5a, 2d, 4d, and 6d – and the winner is 6d.
Thanks to Silvanus, or whomsoever if my half-crowns go down the drain, and to Mr K.
Top stuff, really enjoyed that.
Some exceptionally smooth surfaces and plenty of amusing misdirections.
14a is a great synonym for bribe and I’ll pay my respects to the White House facilities in 26a.
The Munch misdirection in 16d was a scream as was the immature flier that hurt Grant in 22d.
My thanks to our setter for the fun and to Mr K for the cleverly themed illustrations and blog.
We like the crowbarred ‘scream’ shout, Franks.
This was a brilliant puzzle, the clues were outstanding and certainly stretched my thinking. 11a, 14a and 18a…were excellent simply because of the way in which the clues gently steered me to the solutions. My COTD however was 16d…I, very cleverly?, started with “NOR” as a homophone of munch (as a verb)…had a good laugh when I realise my mistake.
Big thanks to Mr K, in particular for pointing out how to parse 24d, and the setter.
I quite enjoyed this despite what I considered difficult clues that I needed help explaining.
I trust that yesterdays unnecessary comments haven’t stopped Steve C – I usually go straight to him as I tend to find his comments on difficulty are more in line with me than the hinters.
Many thanks to setter and Mr K
I have only just read the reams of correspondence on Steve’s post yesterday as I was at Addenbrookes.
How sad. We all do these Xwords for enjoyment surely? I have to say I never look at the hints until I have tried my hardest to solve the clues by myself and only then do I turn to the Hinter. Surely that is his/her role – to help us out when we are stuck – and how brilliantly you all do it, too. I seldom have time to look at the paper until lunchtime and yesterday I missed out altogether. Please don’t stop commenting Steve, I should miss you so much! 😢🥰
I second all of that, Daisy. Well said 👌
I third it! Come back Steve, unless you are on later on and I haven’t read that far yet.
I found that tough but then I was half-focused on other things which never helps. As is often the case, when I came back to the puzzle after the final interruption it all fell into place relatively easily and I couldn’t quite see what the problem had been. Like MG, the bishop’s accessory at 8d was my last in and I couldn’t see the cream parsing at 24d for ages. The children’s author at 21a was my COTD. Thanks very much to the setter and to Mr K.
Last one in was 17a because I failed to count the number of letters in ‘repairable’ and was consequently missing a letter, and then couldn’t get a Richard out of of my thinking.
Great screaming cat picture in the hints, I trod on the tails of my two, but they still looked nothing like it!
Great puzzle, great fun, thanks to our setter today.
This was an excellent challenge and took me beyond my normal time to complete, but I enjoyed every second and each clue was beautifully put together. Like others, I struggled to find a single winner from such a terrific grid, but I went for 16d.
Thanks to our setter (my money is on Silvanus) and Mr K.
Avery wnjoyable Friday guzzled, with no sensation of wasing through treacle. My COTD, with it’s cunning misdirection was 13d. The runner up was the reverse lueker at 27a and I alsovliked the Lego clue at23a. Thanks to the compiler and to Mr K for the hints and the concentration of cats.
Tricky and elegant in equal measure. There were smiles for many when the penny dropped, especially 21a, 20d and 8d. Cotd however goes to 16d. A great piece of deception. Thanks to compiler and Mr K.
Today’s Good Friday offering was back on my wavelength (as compared to yesterday’s). Thanks to the setter and Mr K for the extras. Happy Easter 🐣 Best, Flyingfox🦇
An alternative for 4d might be that the initial letter removed was a T rather than a C.
Welcome to the blog, Keith.
An alternative for 4d might be that the initial letter removed was a T rather than a C.
Love the anagram, Keith, assuming that is indeed your name.
It would be brilliant if you were in IT but that would be asking too much.
I had t for 4d too.
Hoo nose.
You’re possibly the first person to ever get the anagram without prompting (I guess my previous post under my real name that has yet to be deleted was a clue!).
And yes, I do work in IT.
I’ve posted a few times in the past but have been frequenting these pages for many many years.
How brilliant that you work in IT.
Two questions:
1. Who spotted it?
2. Was the discovery before or after you went into that industry? I pray it’s the former as it would then be an aptronym (aka nominative determinism)
Either way, I love it.
One more question:
Did you do two posts, thinking….’Come on, someone. Work it out!’
A friend worked it out many years ago and I’ve been using it as my online alias ever since. I was already working in IT at the time so no nominative determinism I’m afraid.
My first post was a mistake as the form pre-filled my name and email and I hit submit before noticing. I did request it be deleted before posting a second time but that doesn’t appear to have happened. Oh well, the cat is out of the bag now, my secret is exposed! 😂
The world needed to find out as it’s a truly superb anagram and your friend is a genius for spotting it.
Lovely to meet you, KT.
Great guzzle – except that like Tipcat I couldn’t count the letters in 27a. 21a was a name from the past, how we loved his books. I wonder how many children read books nowadays, or have someone read to them? 26d was my favourite although 1a was a good ‘un. Many thanks to the Setter and thanks also to Mr K for the hints and a plethora of cats. A positive Feline Fest. Have a Happy Easter everyone. .
My older grandchildren (12 and 7) read books every day. No 2 son started reading to the twins (now 15 months old) when they were just small babies as apparently it is good for language development.
21a is a favourite author of lots of people, including me, Chris Lancaster and most of all my youngest sister who loved his books so much that she is buried with a copy of her favourite: Winter Holiday
What a lovely story. Now I wonder which book I would choose to take into
the hereafter? I am a HUGE fan of the Scottish writer Dorothy Dunnett – High
Romance you might say, but incredible historical detail which was my ‘fix’. She did
two long series, The Lymond Saga and The House of Niccolo. The fifth Lymond book
where he goes to Russia is my favourite! But there are so many wonderful authors.
thank goodness.
Two back pagers this week that had clues on a second page if you print the puzzle … Good grief!
However, I have to say that I found this Friday puzzle much easier and more enjoyable than the Thursday offering. This one made sense to me.
2.5*/3.5*
Favourites 1a, 19a, 21a, 26a, 28a & 8d — with co-winners 28a & 8d
All the candidates made me smile, but 21a was a LOL.
Thanks to setter & Mr K.
Where are you Steve , ? Come back .I found this harder than yesterday but only because I got stuck in the north west .My first in was 8d , put rooks next to bishops on the board and stuck a c on the front .Voila , wrong way I know but straight in . Should have solved 1a early doors but didn’t because couldn’t solve 2, and 4 grrr . The rest straightforward apart from 17 and the London borough.Favourites many , but 14,22 and 20 on the rostrum . Thanks to Mr K . But overall not my cup of tea .
A very approachable and enjoyable puzzle, more like these please. Numerous candidates for favourite but I’ll go with 23a. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K.
I have got there in the end but found it a struggle. There was lots to like and my favourite was 16d once I twigged. I was grateful to have the hints to explain the parsing of several.
Many thanks to the setter for the workout and to Mr K for the hints
I had a worrying suspicion SC would go missing today. He’s my benchmark and jolly nice chap , and we miss him so I do hope he’s just out on an Easter jaunt and we’ll see him back soon.
Meanwhile , what a brilliant puzzle . It took me a good many seconds to twig the ‘gear’ in 17a having parsed the clue , so that is my favourite clue. I found it to be easier than yesterday’s which also had some great clues. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.
Good to see the cats pics again MrK! Chewy puzzle today and for some reason the relatively easy 6d was my last one in, thank you compiler
Excellent. Surely a Smooth Production – stick a ✅ next to any number of ‘em.
By no means a brisk solve but thankfully not as pedestrian as yesterday’s performance.
The Don’s outwardly imposing dunny made me smile so 26a my fav.
Thanks to Silvanus & to Mr K
My previous comment has disappeared.
I wonder what happened.
From time to time to time our comment filters make a mistake and send a legitimate comment to either the moderation queue or the spam folder. I’ve checked both places, and the trash, and found no sign of a comment from you, so in this case I don’t know what happened. It wasn’t anything at our end.
Thankyou for trying to find it Mr K. I didn’t mean to give you such trouble.
One of life’s mysteries!!
I didn’t get on with today’s offering at all but I put that down to the stress of the university messing around with the marking dates leaving me a few days to mark large cohorts. I think this is also the cause of my ocular migraines, which I mentioned earlier.
Thank you, setter for the puzzle. Thank you, Mr. K. for the hints and the welcome return of the pusskits.
Thank you to those of you who lent your support yesterday but it has to be noted that those on the other side of the fence also had valid points. Anyway, it has now been resolved so can we all put it behind us and get on with the mission of this blog, which is to explain puzzles in plain English and encourage those new to cryptics?
I am having great cruciverbal fun with a young person who sells me the DT every morning.
I am trying to get him into crosswords, he is so bright and so keen I want to
whip him out of the shop and send him to College! His delight yesterday over
the famous “two pretty girls on either knee” was a joy to behold.
Or as Rufus originally said: “Two girls, one on each knee (7)”
Sorry, Daisy!
Top man, Steve, like many I’m glad you’re back. Not that you went anywhere…
Looking forward to your usual lightning quick posts and the battle with Conor.
BTW Con, pull your finger out, mate. Living and travelling in Europe with a dodgy internet connection can only gain so much sympathy. There’s silverware on the line!
Thank you, FMW but I have decided not to post first any more.
Steve, that’s just not right.
There’s a natural order to life.
I’ll click on BD as close to 11 as I can, whether or not I’ve even looked at the crossword let alone solved it.
I seek the reassurance of your name in pole. (Though I must admit Conor has added an enjoyable edge to proceedings).
I urge you to reconsider.
Great win this afternoon (as predicted btw) 👍
Thanks H.
Watching your boys as I type.
Cracking game, your lads deserved to win. They showed plenty of character to bounce back so quickly after the dodgy pen decision.
😄😄😄😄
That’s a great shame.
Regardless, I’ll give you the trophy when I see you in January.
That’s a shame, harmless fun
Please do Steve. I like to read your comment.
Steve, stop it RIGHT NOW! We, all of us, want to see you and Hudson, and the dear departed Perks, back where you belong.
I feel well and truly chastised, Manders!
So sort yourself out, mate.
You’re Steve Cowling!!!!!!
I know that. I got it writted on a piece of paper.
Cor, what does it say, Eccles?
It tells me who I am, Bluebottle my good fellow.
What’s it called, Eccles?
My birth certificate!
Cor! I wish I had a piece of paper what told me who I was, Eccles.
😊
I wouldn’t know if Goon Show characters would have got their passports stamped.
Yours has the word LEGEND smacked across it.
I found this on the difficult side of challenging and enjoyable for all that. Thanks to setter, and to Mr Kespecially for all the pics 😽
Senf’s Loonies are safe today!
Many thanks to Mr K (great to see the return of the feline pics) and to all those solving and commenting. My intention for 4d was as Keith Talbot described (Comment 20) rather than removing the first letter for “well-baked (bread)”, but it matters not.
Happy Easter to everyone, see you again very soon.
Thanks for dropping in and for providing a fun puzzle to solve and to hint. On 4d, I started working through the alphabet seeking the dropped first letter and stopped when I found that Chamber’s Thesaurus includes firm as one of the entries under crusty.
3*/4.5* A tremendous Good Friday puzzle, best of the week for me.
Loads of excellent deception and humour.
Favourites include 23a carpentry tool, the woolly horse at 1a and ithe Scandinavian screamer at 16d
Many thanks to Silvanus and Mr K
Half done yesterday and another quarter this morning but as always find this setter a bit obscure at times and a bit of a slog. Much preferred the Thursday offering.
Thanks to all.
Cripes, that was a stinker. Got there in the end, it took only two days. ****/****
I admire your stamina, HS. Well done. 😊👍
Thank you. I admit to using a fair bit of electronic help, but managed to sidestep the ever helpful hints.
3*/4* …
liked 26A “While House facilities outwardly imposing to start with (5)”