Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31232
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 today’s puzzle to be quite tricky – a midweek mind-mangler – but it was a very satisfying solve. Amongst a plethora of excellent clues, my podium picks are 20a, 23a, 27d and my favourite, the weary threesome in 16a. I also enjoyed the Quickie pun. 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 Turning industrious, can’t play (5,10)
TITUS ANDRONICUS: This rather gory Shakespearian tragedy is an anagram (turning) of INDUSTRIOUS CANT.
9a Perhaps press agent‘s bar permitted to let son in (9)
PUBLICIST: Start with a synonym of bar or inn, add a word that means permitted or lawful, and insert (let in) the abbreviation for ‘son’.
10a Barracks picked up beer etc (5)
BOOZE: This informal term for alcoholic drinks is a homophone (picked up) of a synonym of ‘barracks’ in the sense of ‘rudely interrupts’ or ‘heckles’.
11a Scottish judge, that woman confronting half of rabble (7)
SHERIFF: Another word for ‘that woman’ is followed by the first half of a hyphenated word (4-4) for rabble or undesirable people.
12a Clip going round – is lead in Hamlet Sheen? (6)
POLISH: Another word for to clip or cut is reversed (going round) and followed by ‘is’ from the clue and the first letter (lead) of ‘Hamlet’.
15a Busy dealer grabbing a book that’s easy to skim through? (8)
READABLE: An anagram (busy) of DEALER is placed round (grabbing) ‘a’ from the clue and the abbreviation for ‘book’.
16a Three musicians possibly tire now and then when backed by Moon (4)
TRIO: The alternate letters (now and then) of ‘tire’ are followed by one of the Galilean moons of Jupiter.
19a Going back in the middle of tuskless beasts (4)
ELKS: A lurker, reversed (going back) in the middle four letters of ‘tuskless’.
20a Singer of Planet Earth split taxi cost last of all (5,3)
MARSH TIT: The name of the fourth planet from the Sun precedes the final letters (last of all) of ‘Earth split taxi cost’.
23a Relatives picked up after the match? (2-4)
IN-LAWS: A cryptic definition. ‘Match’ here refers to a wedding.
24a Gripped by excitement, check old coin (7)
DRACHMA: The two-letter abbreviation for ‘check’ in chess is surrounded (gripped) by a word that can mean a tense or exciting situation. ‘Coin’ here is used in the sense of ‘money’ or ‘currency’.
26a Nothing right for boyfriend? (5)
LOVER: The word for ‘zero’ in tennis is followed by the abbreviation for ‘right’.
28a Finagles fancy hotel for one swimming in the ocean (9)
ANGEL FISH: An anagram (fancy) of FINAGLES plus the abbreviation for ‘hotel’.
29a Be annoying and fetch nanny? (3,8,4)
GET SOMEONE’S GOAT: A cryptic definition. ‘Nanny’ here has nothing to do with nurses or grandmothers!
Down Clues
1d Ribbons over cracks in decorative drapes (10)
TAPESTRIES: A five-letter synonym of ‘ribbons’ goes before (over, in a down clue) another word for ‘cracks’ or ‘attempts’.
2d Suggest family should wrap pot up in cloth (5,6)
TABLE NAPKIN: Take a synonym for ‘suggest’ or ‘propose’ (a motion, for example) and a three-letter word for family or relatives, and wrap them round a reversed word (up, in a down clue) for a pot.
3d Is a trim abandoned when cut by cold blade? (8)
SCIMITAR: An anagram (abandoned) of IS A TRIM is split (cut by) the abbreviation for ‘cold’.
4d Tool for refining one’s digital protection? (4,4)
NAIL FILE: A cryptic definition. ‘Digital’ here refers to fingers or toes.
5d Using keyboard, write again about nature (2-4)
RE-TYPE: A two-letter term for ‘about’ is followed by a word that can mean ‘nature’ or ‘character’.
6d Corrupt bishop taken in by aristo (6)
NOBBLE: The abbreviation for ‘bishop’ in chess is surrounded (taken in) by a generic word for a member of the aristocracy.
7d Blimey! Supermarket’s closing early (3)
COO: Take the shortened name of a chain of supermarkets (split 2-2) and remove the final letter (closing early).
8d Rushed second page that editor’s carrying (4)
SPED: The abbreviation for ‘editor’ is placed after (carrying, in a down clue) the abbreviations for ‘second’ and ‘page’.
13d Luxury car left for me after some time (7,4)
STRETCH LIMO: The abbreviation for ‘left’ and the online acronym for ‘in my opinion’ (for me) follow a word for a period of time, perhaps in prison.
14d Wine from the cart wrongly bearing French name upside down (10)
MONTRACHET: An anagram (wrongly) of THE CART follows (bearing, in a down clue) the French word for ‘name’, reversed (upside down). I hadn’t come across this white wine from Burgundy before, and now that I’ve seen the price I know why!
17d Town in Wales that’s warmer in winter (8)
CARDIGAN: This Welsh town is also a word for a knitted woollen buttoned top.
18d Storms and gusts no good alas at sea (8)
ASSAULTS: An anagram (at sea) of [g]USTS without its initial letter (no good) and ALAS.
21d Hot look before party shows style (6)
HAIRDO: The abbreviation for ‘hot’ and a word for ‘look’ or ‘appearance’ precede a short word for a party or social occasion.
22d Property tests gates to prohibit outsiders (6)
ESTATE: The second and third words of the clue lose their first and last letters (prohibit outsiders).
25d Loud record’s beat (4)
FLOG: The musical abbreviation for loud[ly] precedes a word for a written record or journal.
27d Screen first part of Visconti film (3)
VET: The initial letter (first part) of ‘Visconti’ and a film featuring a lovable extraterrestrial.
Which clues did you like best? Let us know in the comments below.
The Quick Crossword pun: MEAN + MIKE + HURL = ME AND MY GIRL
I enjoyed this x word immensely with lots of wonderful clues, beginning with the anagram at 1a. It took less time than average but it felt testing in parts.
My top picks are 11a, 20a and that fabulous Burgundian treasure at 14d. 1d, 2d and 29a are also worthy of mention. Many thanks to the setter and Deansleigh
A puzzle of 2 halves for me with the South going in relatively easily, but the North needing careful thought. However, once I realised that I was looking for a ‘play’ in 1a and not a ‘turning’ all became clear and the rest flowed smoothly enough.
Plenty of ticks with the singer at 20a and the irritating nanny, 29a, being my favourites.
Many thanks to the setter and Deansleigh.
2*/4*
Quite a challenge although I thought top end ** with **** for enjoyment. 20a was my COTD with 24a and 10a. Not sure who the ingenious setter is but many thanks to him and Deansleigh. Great fun.
An extra a in your alias sent you into moderation
Oops
Sorry crypticsue
I was on a wobbly bus in Tavistock!
Thank you to Twmbarlwm for a fun workout. Highlights included 11a with the half-rabble, 23a’s match, the 1d ribbons over cracks, 5d’s nature, and 22d prohibiting outsiders.
This took me longer than Twm’s crosswords typically do (though not as long as yesterday’s backpager, which despite its much quicker start than this one has got a couple that are still defeating me). I didn’t know the 14d wine, nor the 20a singer that crosses with it. I guessed the singer’s second word and tried to search the web for a list of birds in that family, only to find I was prevent by the family web filter …
Thank you to Deansleigh for blogging, and especially for explaining the “for me” in 13d.
A step up from yesterday but very enjoyable. Two or three prize winning clues and one that I found a little obscure.
I have never heard 29a expressed in that way. The first and third words come from the clue but I don’t see them used with the middle word in a sentence.
I thought that 2d and 14d were very well constructed with the answers emerging as the parts were connected. My COTD though was 23a because it raised a real smile when the penny dropped.
My thanks to the setter and Deansleigh
This was great fun. I whizzed through three of the quadrants leaving me to ponder the SE for a while before pennies started to drop like rainfall. It was from this final set of clues that I selected 14d as my favourite.
My thanks to our midweek setter and Deansleigh.
With you on the SE thing.
Stuck by three in the SE corner, know nowt about wine and was totally fooled by ‘planet earth’, but don’ t reckon I’ll be alone in that.
Will see loads of 28a soon, as off scuba diving in Bonaire on Friday, they’re huge out there, bigger than a large dinner plate.
Also no contact lenses to worry about now as had my sight corrected when the cataracts were done, bloody pricey, but worth every penny!
Scuba diving in Bonaire, TC? I’m well jel.
I’ve heard that these three islands (known as the ABC Islands because of their initials) are called the ‘Friendly islands’. I know that Bonaire and Curaçao are fairly chummy with each other as they’re Dutch. But, I was wondering if there’s a bit of rivalry with these two and Aruba as it’s more Americanised?
Either way, have a fab trip!
Hi Tom, only ever been to Aruba airport as we land there briefly before the final hop to Bonaire.
From the air all you see are highrise hotels all along the seafront, looks like Blackpool on steroids!
Much quieter on Bonaire, as no real touristy things to do, and no really sandy beaches. Basically if you’re not there to wind surf (east side) or dive (west side), there ain’t much point going.
In recent years vast cruise boats have started visiting, though thankfully not too often, they disgorge thousands of bored looking people who clog up the island, and do nowt for the enonomy, as they all rush back to the boat at six o’clock for their all inclusive junk food supper and watered down drinks.
Love it!
Thanks for the info.
I made a mistake of going to Cancun a few years ago. The 15 mile strip of land, separating The Caribbean from the Nichupté lagoon, had no hotels on it in the 60s. But, in the 70s, the Mexican government built a load of high-rise ones to attract Americans which they more than succeeded in doing but at a price. There are now almost 200 and it’s known as The Hotel Zone.
Definitely not a place to visit. The first pic will give you a clue
https://whattodoincancun.com/blog/what-to-do-in-cancun-hotel-zone
Looks like a ‘ disco music all day long and eat your own bodyweight daily’ type of place, grim 😉
Got it, in one.
I see there are no ticks even though 4 down raised a smile. It’s a personal thing but I just felt out of line with the setter’s mind today. Sometimes I overthink a clue and ended up perusing James Joyce for 28 across which is a straightforward clue. It is in fact a very well constructed crossword and I am an ungrateful wretch. Many thanks to Deansleigh and to our setter.
Nice puzzle which was pleasantly chewy. My clue of day is the clever cryptic definition at 23a. I spent ages musing about homophones related to sporting events. The wide range of preferences for best clues above indicate the quality of the puzzle I think. Thank you blogger for parsing the musical threesome and to the setter for an excellent work out
Started in the extreme NW and moved steadily anti-CW from there, with everything familiar and the only delay being the middle word of my LOI, 29a, where it took a few seconds of staring at the checkers for the light to dawn – not a phrasing of the expression with which I am familiar, as Graham Powell too has noted above.
1a was a great spot for an anagram, and 4d a lovely whimsical cryptic, but honours to 23a, 24a & 27d (a great surface once I remembered who Visconti was).
Many thanks to Twm (presumably Smylers has seen confirmation somewhere on social media) and to Deansleigh
3*/3.5*. A bit of a mixed bag for me, although mostly enjoyable. I struggled for a while in the SE corner which took me up to my 3* time.
I’ve never heard of the expression in 29a, having only ever used an alternative enumerated (3,4,4) incorporating only the second half of the middle word.
12a, 20a & 23a were my podium selection.
Many thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh.
Dare I suggest that 29a is straight out of The Crimson Tome?
Senf – I have seen earlier references to ‘The Crimson Tome’ and wonder whether you could enlighten me – is it a mythical volume of obscurities, or a crucial volume for an aspiring cruciverbalist? ?
Another term for The Big Red Book (Chambers Dictionary) which is the ‘official’ dictionary for DT crosswords and is big and red (on the outside).
Thank you….I have a well thumbed copy and did wonder whether they were one and the same.
Red on the outside and read on the inside.
Now Tom, Sir, are you almost being nice about a dictionary??????????
Don’t be so ridic.
I just couldn’t resist the red/read play on words.
Terrific puzzle. Wasn’t sure if it was a Hudson or a Twm production but I see Smylers has the inside track. By no means a speedy solve. For whatever reason I struggled, even with 4 checkers in, to fill in the 2nd word at 29a & had more ‘tit’ trouble with the very clever 20a which was my pick from an assortment of excellent clues – 1,9,16,23&24a + 4,6,13,14&18d other particular likes.
I see Duran Duran are still going strong – playing Hyde Park in July & on stage in Vegas tonight. They were never really my cup of tea but Simon Le Bon can still belt out the song some 45years after it hit the charts. Keith at 16a remains my fav drummer.
Thanks to Twm & to Deansleigh
Ps Django over in t’other place is a ‘tit free’ zone & well worth a look at.
Alas not for me .I think the expression should be “Get someone’s goat up ” or get one’s goat with or without the up .This was my last in but I struggled all the way today.I found the north troublesome because I couldn’t see the play for a while.Coo ? yes ok but! Had the solution for 23 almost immediately but it didn’t connect with my frontal lobe , or any other lobe for that matter . Nevertheless its my cotd followed by 10 and 20 . Thanks to all .
Conor at 1 has posted my thoughts entirely. Nuf said. Thanks to Twm and Deansleigh
A very enjoyable mid-week challenge although, like others it seems, a couple in the SE giving pause for thought – ***/****
However a large Hmm and a big groan for the Pun!
Favourite, from a large field of candidates, 6d.
Thanks to Twmbarlwm, based on Smylers’ comment at 4, and Deansleigh.
Thank you for drawing attention to the pun, which I’d neglected to look at. That really is quite something!
Agree with the blogger that this was a step up in difficuly from the last two days. As quite a number have already mentioned the SE held out for the longest – lack of wine knowedge and not being ablemto separate planet from the word earth didn’t help! Finally got there unaided and very satisfying it was. Thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh – esp for clearing up the last part of 13d – I totally missed the acronym
A top-notch puzzle pitched exactly right for a Wednesday – thanks to our setter and Deansleigh.
Highlights for me were 12a, 23a, 13d and the Quickie pun.
Goats are peculiar fellows aren’t they? Split from sheep in yer Bible. The lucky rams and ewes get handed the keys to paradise, but the goats are sent to the eternal flames.
I’ve always found goats to be a little unappealing since being terrified by the Three Billy Goats Gruff story when I was a child. Most fairy tales led to me suffering sleepless nights.
Goats have a disturbing look in their eyes. Don’t look in their eyes. Even if you’re another goat.
Great guzzle. Thanks to The Twmp and, of course, to Single Head
As others have said, 29a seems to be a rather clumsy expression to me too, when written as is.
Slightly more to think about than an average midweek backpager, my pick is the planet earth deception in 20a.
My thanks to our setter and Deansleigh.
*** / ****
Slow to start on this one but the 11a Scottish judge went straight in and that led to the entire NW (half the grid as it only really splits once diagonally NW/SE) falling rapidly. The SE took more time with holdups around the wine and the singer as others have mentioned. I too have never heard of 29a being expressed that way so the middle word needed checkers before it fell. Ticks went to the 6d Corrupt bishop – lovely word, the Three musicians gigging around Jupiter and the Barracks.
Many thanks to Twmbarlwm and She Aligned
A nice little midweek tester from Mr Tumble that was satisfying to solve with my LOI being 29a.
I’ve heard of neither the wine nor the bird but both were gettable from the clues.
I wouldn’t have got ‘for me’ in a million years but I like it. So, it’s one for the future.
Finagles is such a great word, btw.
Rosettes go to 23a and the two smallies, 25d and 27d.
MTTTA and Nigel Hades.
3*/4*
You’re more likely to come across IMHO, rather than IMO – ‘in my humble opinion.
For sure but I see if from time to time.
I thought this was a superb challenge with great clues and lots of grins. I knew the wine in 14D but not how to spell it which meant 24A needed to end in E which confusingly is an alternative spelling. COTD for me is 23A as there is so much much meaning in so few words.
I spent the day replacing my debit card at the local branch of my bank, after forgetting to collect it after the ATM had dispensed my cash, so no time for Thai corner, apart from to highlight a Thai rule of the road, that I experienced numerous times on my journey to the bank the absence of which in the UK makes no sense. In Thailand if you are stopped in the left lane at a red light you are allowed to filter left. If you are a UK driver the madness of sitting there wanting to turn left at the lights whilst all the traffic sails past on your right is not a thing here.
Thanks for the hints, which I needed in spades, and to the setter for a very enjoyable puzzle.
7.00 p.m. in Bangkok and 31 degrees with the air con working full time.
I found this very tricky but hugely enjoyable once I’d parsed my answers. LOI was 20a.
I didn’t know the wine but it was gettable from the cluing. I needed Deansleigh’s hint to parse 9a.
Top picks for me were 20a, 23a, 1d and 17d. I also liked the Quickie pun.
Thanks to Deansleigh and the setter.
Although this Wednesday puzzle was harder than the first two of the week, I really enjoyed it.
2.5*/3.5* for me today
Favourites so hard to call, but here are mine …1a, 23a, 29a, 14d & 27d — with co-winners 23a & 29a
Smiles for 29a, 4d, 7d & 17d
Thanks to Twm & Deansleigh
I really enjoyed this, there were several clues that held me up in the SE but I got there in the end. I did not know 20a or 14d but they were fairly clued and the middle word in 29a needed all the checkers to get but it was also my favourite.
Many thanks to Twmbarlwm and to Deansleigh for the hints
Mixed bag for me today, on the whole reasonably straight forward but (for me and I stress for me) there were a few googlies.
Never heard of Shakie Bill’s first play … I guess it must be that good that nobody bothers performing it (?) and the wine at 14d must be above my price range as I haven’t tried it!
I didn’t solve 20a, needed the hint .. where was Duran Duran when you needed them?
My cotd was 16a … although the cryptic part wasn’t really necessary.
Thanks to setter and DL for the hints.
Got there in the end with the Welsh town as my favourite in more ways than one, thank you Twmbarlwm and DL
Late to the puzzle because of voluntary driving duties and laundry to do after my trip to Yorkshire, which was great. I visited The World of James Herriot, which I found to be very interesting. Walking around the house I could picture the vets going about their daily round – that is Donald Sinclair (Siegfried) and Alf Wight (James Herriot) and not the actors.
Great puzzle but not a push over by any means. Like others, I struggled with the second word of 29a never having used that version of the saying. My COTD is 23a.
Thank you, Tumbledown for a great mid-week challenge. Thank you, Danish Glee for the hints.
Not for me today. Did not finish and, sorry Twm, didn’t find it very enjoyable either…
Liked 11a…but then I would and 29a.
Really did not like 20a and had not heard of the wine.
Thanks to Deansleigh and to Twmbarlwm
I didn’t find this too bad , although definitely a notch up from the last two. The anagrams all needed a lot of teasing out and once I got 1a it helped me on my way. I’d not heard of the wine at 14d as I don’t think it’s stocked in Sainsbury’s or even Waitrose 😀 but it I managed to work it out once I had all the checkers in place. I did need to understand the imo in 13d also so thanks to Deansleigh for that and all the hints and Twbarlwm for a really enjoyable solve.
Waitrose have it but it’s £75! 😳
Thanks to all solvers and to Deansleigh for the review.
29a is in Chambers, Collins and Oxford; I’ve never seen or heard it with “up”.
I haven’t claimed this one anywhere else yet, so perhaps Smylers needs watching lest he use his hidden powers for evil.
Evil hidden powers are practiced by myself in an attempt to conjure up The Mythical. 👹
Thank you for the puzzle, Twmbarlwm. To think I used to find your offerings impenetrable at first but now I enjoy them. It was the same for me with RayT.
🖋️ So mote it be ✒️
🪄
T’is my daily mantra!
Mwahahaha!
A lot of smiles today and it brought my average solve time down apparently. (I need to switch that function off). Slightly annoyed I only half-parsed 20a.
Always good when the 27 drops in.
Many thanks Twm and Deansleigh.
Thanks to Twbarlwm and Deansleigh. As usual we are late getting round to solving the puzzle. Found it relatively straightforward once we both put our minds to it.
COTD 20a. LOI 23a
Hmm, I have mixed feelings about goats. I thought ours was adorable until it ate a whole packet of Spangles , the sweet ration for three children in the early 1950s. On the other hand, I have great respect for elk, 19a, of which I encountered many during my life in Sweden. A bit of a tussle with a couple of clues ,but happy to have completed it.
Spangles! I had totally forgotten about them! Lovely childhood memories of sweet shops. 😊 Thanks for the reminder. LH.