Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31208
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 found this crossword to be just about the right level of difficulty for a midweek puzzle. It took me a while to parse two or three of the clues, pushing me into ** time. Amongst my favourites today are 10a, 11a, 28a and 24d, but top spot goes to the brilliant 7d. 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
1a Runs into Australian actor time after time escaping authority (5,7)
CARTE BLANCHE: Start with the name of an Australian female actor (4, 9) famous for her appearances in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Insert R (runs) into her first name and remove the letter T twice from her surname (time after time escaping).
9a Convinces Santa to go round without stopping (9)
INCESSANT: The first two words in the clue ‘go round’ or hide this lurker.
10a Rhyl Lodge, retired home for much-loved octogenarian (5)
DOLLY: Another lurker, this time reversed. The first two words are ‘home’ to the first name of a legendary country singer-songwriter, which has been ‘retired’ or written backwards. She celebrated her 80th birthday in January this year.
11a After losing rear end, ricksha crashed; that’ll be the drink (6)
KIRSCH: An anagram (crashed) of RICKSH[a] without its last letter (losing rear end).
12a My husband parked in Riviera resort road by the sea (8)
CORNICHE: Here we need another word for ‘My!’, i.e. an informal interjection expressing surprise. Follow this with the name of a city on the French Riviera, into which the abbreviation for ‘husband’ has been inserted (parked).
13a Noisily swallowed a delicious drink (6)
NECTAR: A homophone (noisily) of an informal way of saying ‘swallowed a’ or ‘drank a’.
15a Chap holding a fag back to front and beginning to imitate Tommy Cooper? (8)
MAGICIAN: Take ‘A’ from the clue, and follow this with a reversed (back to front) abbreviation of a word for which ‘fag’ is a (British) synonym, then add the initial letter (beginning to) of ‘imitate’. Finally put all this inside a synonym for an adult male (chap holding).
18a Lord moves into grand American hotel where everyone wants digs (4,4)
GOLD RUSH: The abbreviation for ‘grand’ is followed by an anagram (moves) of LORD, a two-letter abbreviation for ‘American’, and the letter represented by ‘hotel’ in the NATO phonetic alphabet.
19a Rip off coat (6)
FLEECE: A double definition. ‘Rip off’ here is used in the sense of to swindle or cheat, and the coat belongs to an animal such as a sheep.
21a Classic game, playing par golf going round Carnoustie finally (8)
LEAPFROG: An anagram (playing) of PAR GOLF is placed around the last letter (finally) of ‘Carnoustie’. It took me a while to spot this children’s game, even with all the checkers.
23a Singular little guy, bit of a pain (6)
STITCH: The abbreviation for ‘singular’ is followed by an informal word for a short person, giving us a word that can mean a sharp pain when running.
26a Old, grim smell (5)
ODOUR: The abbreviation for ‘old’ is followed by a synonym of ‘grim’.
27a One very dead language stopped by ordinary segregation (9)
ISOLATION: The Roman numeral for ‘one’ is followed by a synonym of ‘very’ and the language of ancient Rome, which has been ‘stopped’ or interrupted by the abbreviation of ‘ordinary’.
28a PM Heath irate after conducting in the arena (12)
AMPHITHEATRE: An anagram (after conducting) of PM HEATH IRATE.
Down Clues
1d Yellow bird (7)
CHICKEN: A double definition. ‘Yellow’ here is a synonym of ‘cowardly’.
2d Such as F1 driver, one in expensive car? (5)
RACER: A card that can be worth one point in a game of cards is inserted into the abbreviation for a prestigious car marque. (This manufacturer also produced the 12a). Thanks to Arthur Dent for putting me right on the parsing.
3d Comfy spot for the unchallenged prof? (4,5)
EASY CHAIR: The answer could be a cryptic way of describing a university professorship that was obtained without much difficulty.
4d Tragic king‘s left lughole (4)
LEAR: The abbreviation for ‘left’ is followed by the organ for which ‘lughole’ is an informal synonym.
5d Countrywide newspaper subject (8)
NATIONAL: A triple definition.
6d Wore Chinese clothing for party (3,2)
HAD ON: A three-letter Chinese dynasty, which is also the name of the largest ethnic group in China, is placed around (clothing) an informal term for a party or social event.
7d Dark force in America a danger to those on the street? (5,3)
BLACK ICE: A word that can mean dark or sombre is followed by the abbreviation for (United States) Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
8d Heraldic beast with very weird name (6)
WYVERN: The abbreviation for ‘with’ is followed by an anagram (weird) of VERY and the abbreviation for ‘name’.
14d Sold Cava, rum, brandy (8)
CALVADOS: An anagram (rum) of SOLD CAVA.
16d Uncomfortable, unwell, advanced torment (3,2,4)
ILL AT EASE: A synonym of ‘unwell’ is followed by the abbreviation for ‘advanced’ and a word that can mean to torment or pester.
17d Awkwardly sits on a hard floor (8)
ASTONISH: An anagram (awkwardly) of SITS ON A, followed by the abbreviation for ‘hard’. ‘Floor’ here is used in the sense of to startle or surprise.
18d Career girl cut (6)
GALLOP: A three-letter slang or dialect word for ‘girl’ is followed by a synonym of ‘cut’. ‘Career’ here is used in the sense of to rush or move rapidly.
20d Improve last opportunity when leaving DC (7)
ENHANCE: Take a word that can mean the last point or portion of something, and a synonym of ‘opportunity’, then remove D from the first word and C from the second (leaving DC).
22d Foreign Office – strange place for a meeting (5)
FORUM: The abbreviation for the Foreign Office is followed by a synonym of ‘strange’.
24d Fool to hold spades – ask for another card! (5)
TWIST: An informal word for a fool is placed around (to hold) the abbreviation for the suit of spades in cards, giving us a word that can mean to ask for another card in the game of pontoon.
25d Raise heartless army (4)
HOST: A synonym of ‘raise’ has its middle letter removed (heartless).
Which clues did you like best? Please let us know in the comments section below.
The Quick Crossword pun: MYANMAR + SHARD + DOUGH = ME AND MY SHADOW
Well that was a stinker and no mistake, didn’t think that I’d see the end of it, but gradually got on the right wavelength and things speeded up.
Was thrown by the word ‘actor’ in 1a, as it always makes me think of a man, hence that clue was one of the last to go in, and once it did, the rest came easily, all but for 25d which was my last one in.
Funny how the short ones hold you up the most as I convinced myself it was ‘loft’, and then spent ages trying to see why.
Great puzzle, great fun!
I enjoyed this and lot. Had to check the meaning of 12a was correct.
Top picks for me were 24d, 18a, 23a and 16d.
Thanks to Deansleigh and the setter.
1108 and no comments. Has the don struck?
Thanks to setter and deansleeigh
Quite straightforward, though where everyone wants digs in 18a and the Australian actor in 1a were excellent clues.
Although I dislike using the male term for a member of the acting profession when referring to a female, for reasons of obfuscation and crypticality, in this setting I’m comfortable with its use.
My thanks to Deansleigh and our setter.
What a wonderful puzzle today but spent ages looking for a prime minister!! Have completely lost my voice after several days with awful sore throat. Mr Manders thinks all his Christmases have come at once! Thanks to setter and hinter. LOI 1a as didn’t know the actress was an Aussie. Why do they call actresses actors? A bit like calling someone a Chair!
Why would we put a gender in somebody’s job title? If I’m being served in a restaurant or talking to the head of a school, why should they have a different job title depending on their sex, suggesting that they are in some way different jobs?
Especially since those are the exception: most other jobs don’t distinguish — bookseller, air-traffic controller, computer programmer, librarian, journalist, teacher, footballer, pilot, secretary, doctor, butcher, baker, candlestick-maker, tinker, tailor, solder, and spy† are all ungendered, so why is it relevant to just a few other jobs? Unless the meeting is about something specific to only one sex, do you even need to know the gender of the person who’s chairing the meeting?
I appreciate that if you’re casting for a particular part, it may require an actor of a specific sex to play it. But then the part may also make requirements of age or accent or size or skin colour, and we don’t embed all those in the job title, so it isn’t that it particularly helps for the job title to encompass just one aspect of who you’re looking for.
† I was about to put steeplejack in that list, but then I realized I don’t actually know its etymology and couldn’t be entirely sure that a female steeplejack isn’t called a steeplejill.
I agree with your reasoning. The film awards of course do not.
I have a lady who sews articles for me – should In call her a seamster? No some jobs just naturally have a ress endings and IMHO should stay that way
I absolutely agree with you Jimbob. What is wrong with Waiter and Waitress – far better than the extremely demeaning ‘Server’ most establishments seem to use these days, a frankly awful term. Dame Maggie Smith was a simply fantastic actress and definitely not an actor. I believe we should celebrate difference not put everyone in the same pigeon hole.
The one that really annoys me is ‘batter’ in cricket, always makes me think of fried fish!
I was proud to be Chairman of the Parish Council and would have hated to be called a Chair. When I was President of Cambridge Inner Wheel there was no question of being Presidentess! It is quite an interesting subject for debate, isn’t it!
Oh I so agree. I didn’t even think of any females for the answer, who will always be actresses to me. I often wonder what my English school teachers would make of the language today?
Feel better soon.
“As the actor said to the bishop”. Oh dear, it doesn’t work does it? Leave things alone, for goodness sake. An actress is a female actor. Twas ever thus. Get over it.
The suffix ‘ess’ goes back to the Greek and Latin days. So, what should we do…bin it? Is it really that offensive? Really.
If people want to get rid of it, then, to be consistent, we need to change them all, e.g princess, lioness and duchess become prince, lion and duke. I’m all for updating things but I don’t get this one at all. No offence was meant at the time. They wanted to give different titles to the son and daughter of a king and queen. Would people want a queen to be called a king? Why not change the spelling of cough to coff?
It’s all very odd.
Obviously those caring for animals need to be able to distinguish between male and female creatures. But I’ve only seen signs at zoos to ‘Lions’, encompassing animals of both sexes. If somebody goes “Look, a lion!”, you aren’t going to say “Well, actually, that’s a lioness.”
If a man claimed to be the bestselling picture book author in the UK, he would be ridiculed if people pointed out that it’s actually Julia Donaldson and he claimed she didn’t count because she’s the bestselling authoress and he’s therefore the bestselling author. Just because the word ‘authoress’ exists doesn’t mean we have to keep using it.
And even cricket fans who object to ‘batter’ don’t say ‘fieldsman’.
It feels even odder to me to claim that the exact number of gendered terms to use is those which were in use when we were born — that it’s perfectly fine for previous generations to have dropped some gendered words which were clearly old-fashioned, but that any further change would be terrible and we must preserve exactly the words we have now.
No, sorry, Smylers. I don’t buy it.
Why isn’t the position ‘third man’ called ‘third person’? Many animals don’t have names for the female adult, e.g jaguar. We could go back and forth all day with examples.
What I find odd is people getting upset about it. By all means, someone can suggest a change but they shouldn’t lose the plot if it doesn’t happen.
Unfortunately, one increasingly hears certain broadcasters referring to just “Third” instead of “Third Man” these days. I suspect the “wokerati” at Sky Sports, TNT Sport, the BBC et al positively encourage that term.
Interesting.
When a captain says ‘Come in to third’, that usually means third slip. So, they can’t say that anymore unless people assume that ‘Come in to third’ means slip and ‘Go (or ‘Go out’) to third’ means third man.
Do you think it’s a matter of time until they say ‘Nightwatcher’?
I’m pretty sure I have heard ‘nightwatch’ (though they seem to have gone out of fashion as a tactic).
I agree people shouldn’t get upset about it, though. Language evolution is down to usage — market forces, basically. Use the terms you prefer and avoid words you don’t like, but accept that others may differ.
That’s the chappie.
I believe “nightwatcher” (ugh) has already been used occasionally, but as virtually all female cricket is of the one day variety, it is unlikely to gain much traction.
I’m personally waiting for the professionally-offended pearl clutchers to decide that the term “hooker” is inappropriate for women’s rugby and that an alternative should be found.
Great call!
It’s obvious isn’t it? *coughs*..”hookeress”. Problem solved.
Apologies, I’ll get my coat.
I thought this was a great puzzle, COTD 8D which came drifting hazily back into memory having got the hang of the clue.
Love hookeress!
I see it the other way round. If women want to distinguish themselves from men then why use a masculine term, actor, when there’s already a perfectly good feminine term, actress. I despair….
Yep, I’m with you.
Both parties need to acknowledge the other’s view and go their separate ways.
For me, apart from tradition, feminine terms add clarification to the intended meaning.
What’s wrong with explaining exactly what is meant in plain English?
Oh dear, hope you feel better soon.
I do hope you haven’t got what I have, Manders. It’s laid me low quite badly.
Thanks both – actually I feel perfectly OK, its just I can’t speak. I put our wheelie bin out and some friends further up the lane stopped in their car to ask how our holiday was and a few squeaks came out!
You need to oil the wheels on that bin!
Good fun, and a middling level of challenge for me. Thank you to Hudson (who has claimed this one on Bluesky). 1a is incredible work. Other highlights included the 17d hard floor and, for topicality, the 7d American danger.
I learnt the 12a esplanade. At least, I hope I have. I also had to check the heraldic beast in 8d, but I doubt I’m going to remember that one.
It felt a bit unfortunate to have 14d where ‘rum’ indicates a strange order next to 22d where ‘strange’ indicates ‘rum’.
Watching Countdown this morning (last Friday’s episode) I got the conundrum at the end for the 4th time in my life. That’s twice this decade! Maybe there’s still some hope I’ll learn how to solve anagram clues …
An appropriate level for a mid-weeker having to diligently ponder each clue. The S and E went in relatively quickly, but delayed in the NW trying to think of the Aussie actor which was finally solved with some checkers in place.
I particularly liked Tommy Cooper 15a, the mythical beast 8d and the moving Lord 18a.
Many thanks to the setter and Deansleigh
1.5*/3.5*
A bit curate’s eggish for me, some really easy “gimme’s” and some real crumpet scratcher, some of which I have had to wait for Deaneigh’s hints in order to unravel…
On the subject of parsing however, the way I parsed 2d was:
“one”, as might be found in a pack of cards, inside the abbreviation for an expensive car marque…
Many thanks to Hudson and to Deansleigh for decoding some of my answers.
Me too on 2d. I thought it was a lovely clue.
Thanks AD. You’re right about 2D- I was thinking about boy *****s in their flash cars! I’ll update the hint.
Relatively gentle for a Wednesday – **/****
Candidates for favourite – 9a, 12a, 1d, 8d, 22d, and the Pun – and the winner is 12a.
Thanks to whomsoever and Deansleigh.
P.S. Thanks to Hudson now that I have read Smyler’s comment.
Thanks for the blog, dear Deansleigh, and thanks to those who’ve left a comment. The photos app on my phone just randomly popped up with the attached snap from January 2017 of dear Richard, known to this forum as Dutch, who visited Freiburg (where I live) to coach the next generation of pharma wizards at the Albert Ludwig University here to get them ready for the jobs market. A really lovely man, brilliant pharmaceutical engineer and a superb compiler whose English grammar put mine to shame.
Best wishes to all, Rob/Hudson
I assume you were drinking cocoa?
Of course they were, DG. Whoever heard of a cruciverbalist drinking? 😘😘😊
I consider myself a cruciverbalist but for health reasons have not touhed a drop of the hard stuff for a couple of years. It has been a struggle but I have to confess that I have finally come around to making Freixenet alcohol free sparkling “wine” my daily tipple!
I hadn’t got far into the crossword when I became convinced that this was the work of Hudson.
I also parsed 2d in the same way as Arthur Dent (who is just above me as I type this but may not be by the time I press Post Comment
Thanks very much to Hudson for the fun and Deansleigh for the Hints and Tips
Moi aussi on 2d.
It was hard to get a start and there was a lot of guesswork invokved. Once I had written the clues in it bcame easier to work out the parsing, rather than using the wordplay to workvout the clue. I got there ev3ntually but it wasn’t all that enjoyable. Howecer I liked the anagram at 28a, the cryptic definition at 3d, the lurker at 9a and the geographical lego clue at 12a vthanks to the compiler and to deansleighh for the hints
Although I had a slow start I thoroughly enjoyed cracking this puzzle. I did have to check 8d and 12a and I had 3d as my favourite.
Many thanks to Hudson and to Deansleigh for the hints.
Super puzzle which I was sure was a Hudson production. The terrific 1a comfortably sits atop the podium with 18&21a in the other medal spots & a host of ✅s elsewhere.
Thanks to H & to Deansleigh whose review I shall look forward to reading later.
Nobody seems to have mentioned the Quickie pun which I thought was very good. Reckon if ALP had stuck in a music clip he may well have gone for this mob rather than Frank & Sammy Davis Jnr
I concur re quickie pun excellent
2.5*/4*. I really enjoyed this with 7d my favourite and a special mention for the triple definition in 5d, although plenty of other clues came into contention.
I’m not convinced by “conducting” in 28a as an anagram indicator although no doubt it appears somewhere in a list.
Many thanks to the setter and to D.
I guess with that PM the indicator had to be conducting, sailing or sulking.
A really good puzzle with fantastic clues all over the grid and a decent level of challenge for a Wednesday. Difficult to choose a winner given the overall quality but 1a, 3d, 8d and 18a are all contenders. Thanks very much to Hudson and to Deansleigh.
An absolute corker with just enough chewiness for a Wednesday. From a plethora of choice clues I have randomly chosen a podium of 1a, 21a with the topical 7d in top spot. Thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh.
Excellent puzzle, well hidden lurkers and some outstanding clues.
I was reminded that in the ’70s when we lived in Herefordshire there was a short lived coming together of the council with Worcestershire. One proposal for the joint council’s name was formed by bringing together the two counties rivers to create 8d.
I was particularly pleased to solve and parse 20d but my COTD was the outstanding misdirection in 7d
Thanks to the setter and Deansleigh
** / ****
Really enjoyed this today. Most clues required some thought, very few give-aways. Had to check both the 11a and 14d drinks but both very well clued.
Ticks went to the 17d floor and 20d Improve.
Many thanks to She Aligned and Hudson
Extremely enjoyable (although I did grind my teeth at the 13a ‘homophone’). Thanks to our setter and Deansleigh.
I liked 1a, 19a and 23a with my favourite being the excellent 7d.
What a great puzzle. Loved every minute. Like many others 7d was also my favourite. 25d was my LOI because I was convinced it was a heartless army I was looking for…doh!
Thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh for pointing me in the right direction.
Another very enjoyable crossword from The Hud. He is in fine form at the moment. Long may it last!
I didn’t know the spelling of ricksha which I see originates from the Japanese jinricksha. So, it begs the question why was the w added?
I love the term for a little guy in 23a and ‘go round’ as a lurker indicator is a new one on me.
To conduct is to control. So, how can that be an anagram indicator? If it meant ‘uncontrolled’ or ‘out of control’ then fair enough. It’s a shame as the parsing is podium-worthy.
Talking of which…the spoils go to 6d, 8d and 17d.
MTTTA and Nigel Hades.
3*/4*
I interpreted “after conducting”, as in the answer will be spelt out “after you have conducted the letters of the anagram” or “after you have told each letter where to go”. Does that work for you?
Nowhere near.
It’s like saying ‘Ordered’ is one meaning ‘Ordered’ and ‘Out of order’ mean the same thing.
I love the idea of new anagram indicators but it’s got out of control (I had to)
Conduct can mean manage, organise, orchestrate, etc. So, OK isn’t it? Just saying ….
Do you think ‘order’ (meaning ‘conduct’) is okay?
If you two think ‘ordered’ is okay then I assume ‘told’ is an anagram indicator, e.g I ordered/told them to do it?
I’m all for ‘out there/wey hey!/oi oi saveloy!’ anagram indicators but the indicator has to be its first meaning and totally obvious.
I’ve said it before, there are hundreds to choose from. It just smacks of desperation and desperate is the last thing these demigods are…or is that demigoddesses?
Come on!
A great solve and , like others, 7d is my COTD.
Thank you, Hudson for the workout. Thank you, Deansleigh for the hints.
I did wonder why the actor(ess) in the picture had white spots and half a white moustache. Then I enlarged it. 😏
1.37pm? This won’t do. 11.01 is your rightful slot.
1.37pm? This won’t do. 11.01am is your rightful slot.
me too re the moustache
and me!
Enjoyed that, perfect for a Wednesday. Didn’t know (or had forgotten) the actress was an Ozzie, and it took a moment after writing in the answer to connect the octogenarian with the singer
Honours to 7d & 12a. Many thanks to Hudson (particularly for the reminiscence of Dutch) and to Deensleigh.
A smashing puzzle. I also didn’t knownthe nationality of the actress until after solving the clue and reverse parsing (if that makes sense?). Not sure 6d really works as the ‘for’ mucks it up, which is me probably just being pedantic. Thank you to the setter and to Deansleigh for the hints
Hi MCUK
I initially thought the same with 6d then realized it means this ‘clothing’ is ‘for’ me. So, the clothing is for the party, i.e the word party clothes/wears it.
Hi TDS
You’re quite right – I consider myself firmly back in my box! Thank you for taking the time to explain.
Very enjoyable Wednesday fare. 21a gave me most food for thought as I was trying to be golfy. Do children still play that? Happy memories of my father driving us round the Corniche so that is my favourite and I thought the lurker nicely hidden. Many thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh.
A good challenge for a Wednesday with answers sometimes obvious but parsing difficult – 2d for example
2*/4.5*
1a, 18a and 24d favourites.
6d LOI – I still can’t see what the for does in the clue.
Thanks to Dean and Hud
Hi SL8
See my comment in Magic Hat’s post above.
… “just like that” … it was over.
Nice steady solve.
1a … shouldn’t that be actress or is this another so called woke gender term which goes against good English grammar.
6d … a bung in … needed DL’s hint for the parsing.
Cotd 14d … cos I like a glass after dinner and it’s cheaper than cognac!
Last in was 18a
Thanks to setter and DL.
Like yesterday’s puzzle, very gentle with the exception of 8d which is a new word for me. Unfortunately online help was needed so the solve wasn’t enjoyed. Many thanks to the setter and hinter
A really enjoyable puzzle ,my favourite is 20d closely followed by 18a but so many to choose from .Held up by the actress in 1a although she is excellent at her craft . Someone commented about going to third on sky cricket. I’ve never heard that and I watch copious amounts . Let’s hope the woke brigade don’t get a toe hold here . Many thanks to all .
1A is a superb example of the compiler’s art, but the brilliant 7A wins it for me.
Great stuff from Hudson, and VMT also to Deansleigh.
Would have been an enjoyable solve if my brain hadn’t led me down the wrong fork in the road too many times. Never knew that Corniche was a road by the sea, just knew as some type of Rolls Royce 😊. Did have a good chuckle at 7d, at what appears to be a subtext critique of the wayward government across the pond. Thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh, I really needed some hints after I stalled early on.
After a long-ish lunch I had great trouble solving this on the train from Exeter to Plymouth. It was however quite absorbing. So much so that I forgot to look outside at the lovely views! I thought ***/*** but may have been a tad off form..
Thank you to our setter and hinter. The latter was almost needed but I just scraped through.
I abandoned the toughie three quarters of the way through in favour of this then instantly regretted it as I struggled to get a start. I continued to struggle all the way through eventually stumbling over the line. I didn’t know 11a or 12a. I normally get on well with Hudson but not on this occasion. The toughie might have to wait until tomorrow now. Favourite was 3d. Thanks to Hudson for the mental drubbing and DL.
Enjoyable and found this smoother than others did, it seems. LOI inexplicably was 27A, I don’t understand my own mind sometimes, even at my age!
Pody picks – 1A even though I found the clue hard-going, great to see this actor in a clue, 18A’s Lego + anagram construction, and I’ll make a point of trying an 11A in this, my 50th year.
Thanks to Hudson and to Deansleigh ⭐️
2*/4* …
liked 23A “Singular little guy, bit of a pain (6)”