Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31241 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
I thought we were in for a lesson in British geography but soon realised that poetry was the theme of the day. About the right level of difficulty for a Saturday Prize Puzzle with some interesting, if complicated, anagrams
Please ask for help if you are stuck on clues I haven’t hinted, but before doing so, please read the comments that appear before yours, so that you are not duplicating questions, and make sure you obey both THE INSTRUCTIONS IN RED at the end of the Hints and the blog’s Comment Etiquette – Big Dave’s Crossword Blog)
Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.
Across
1a Returning star: Bristol runner? (4)
Reverse (returning) a type of star to get a geographical feature that runs through Bristol
10a Vessel carrying evil weapons (9)
A blood vessel ‘carrying’ a synonym for evil
14a Receptacle former PM brought in without delay (8)
The name of one of two former Prime Ministers inserted into an adverb meaning without delay
19a Score less than 100 (6)
A number that is a ‘score’ less than 100
20a Salesman and consumer in Winchester? (8)
An informal name for a salesman and someone who consumes
24a The Dandy’s flipping entertaining old satire (5)
A reversal (flipping) of an affected dandy’s ‘entertaining’ the abbreviation for Old
29a Devil or demon embracing God (4)
Hidden in (embraced by) the first two words of the clue
Down
1d First Lady’s partner’s an old president (5)
Belonging to the partner of the first lady in the Bible
4d Means to rise to the top in Washington? (8)
What the Americans would use to ‘rise to the top’ in Washington and other cities/states
5d/2d Move like filthy dogs circling knight in 21 29 18 26 (6,2,3,4)
An anagram (move) of LIKE FILTHY DOGS ‘circling’ the chess abbreviation for knight, mainly hinted so you can be sure I checked the anagram worked
8d Marrow right when screened by back doctor (9)
The main point or pith of the matter (marrow) and the abbreviation for Right ‘screened by’ or inserted into another word for back
Revolutionary film repeatedly inspires a discussion (4-1-4)
Reverse (revolutionary) four lots (repeatedly) of the title of one of Crosswordland’s favourite films and then insert (inspires) A (from the clue)
18d Curious new trap set up laureate once (8)
A reversal (set up) of curious or prying, the abbreviation for New and a trap
25d Offensively smelly G-man keeping it up (5)
An agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ‘keeping’ a reversal (up) of IT (from the clue)
As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out
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The Quick Crossword pun: MAURICE + MINER = MORRIS MINOR
Read & write today – once I parsed 8 and 16. Delightful puzzle.
Love to Mrs T – I’ll be home on Monday!
Mr T (Pangbourne)
Thoroughly enjoyed today’s PP, a real variety of clues, some trickier than others, and a 100% parse. A head scratch for 16a and two ventures into the BRB (8 and 25) were required for a completion.
On the first pass through I reached 2d/5d and wondered whether I had inadvertently crossed into the 1% club. The penny dropping moment came with 18d.
I was in good shape with 4d after my tussle with Trump earlier in the week!
The clue led me into 25d, which was a new word for me.
My COTD was 28a for the brilliant misdirection.
My thanks to the setter and crypticissue for the hints
I say! This was a grand guzzle – yet I do worry how you hoi polloi people will cope with it. Clearly, this guzzle was aimed at those of us with refined tastes and I fear it will leave you little people floundering. Such is life, I suppose.
Off to Wembley shortly, where The Mighty Chelsea will take on an Oasis Eleven. Nothing can go wrong, surely?
Thanks to The Big Apple Entryway Furniture and PC Security (anag)
My dearest Terence,
Please excuse the impertinence of interrupting your punishing schedule but may I advance a theory about how us hoi polloi might cope with today’s puzzle?
We google the name of the poem, that’s how.
Good luck with the game this afternoon, although I am not sure you will enjoy it. Are you being introduced to the teams?
Please do feel free to pop in for tea and cakes on your way home.
Or, we’re just good as anagrams!
If nothing can go wrong does that mean something will go wrong?
I was left with the final showdown anagram, did not know the body of work but was grinning from ear to ear with my guess.
Interesting Saturday poser, very good mix of entry level to higher testing.
This was a step up in difficulty for a Saturday I felt but a very worthy challenge for a SPP. I always like linked clues, so the big combination worked a treat for me, but my COTD was my final entry, 28a.
Many thanks to our setter and Sue.
A nice poetry themed prize puzzle. Knew of the collection, but have to admit to never having read it. The only crumpet scratch was the sw corner but other than that it was an enjoyable and straightforward solve. I have a plethora if ticks on my print out including 1a, 10a, 13a, 7d and 15d but cotd has to be 5 and 2d with its associated themed clues. Thanks to NYDK (?) and CS.
I thought this was rather tricky. The 7 ! linked clues took ages not least because I had the wrong ending for 28 a so couldn’t get the laureate. I’d never heard of the 5d 2d combo (embarrassingly). Some lovely clues and 14a made me smile. I also liked 8d which took a long time to parse even once I had the answer. Thank you as always setter and CS.
For got to mention the lovely 15d which was very clever and my favourite.
It is undoubtedly my stupidity but I don’t understand the significance of the numbers in 5/2 down? The anagram I solved but those numbers????
The numbers relate to the solutions which are connected to 5/2d
A most enjoyable puzzle for a slow Saturday morning. The maths at 19a and the film-based discussion at 15d were my favourite clues. The theme reminded me of the Brooke Bond tea card set from 1969, which remains the cornerstone of my understanding of British history and culture over the preceding century. Thanks very much to the setter and to Cryptic Sue.
A great puzzle with some pondering needed in places and I liked the poetical theme. I liked the evil weapons at 10a and the pair seeing what’s said at 28a. That one took some time to see. I thought the salesman at 20a was a neat clue but my COTD is the repeated film at 15d.
Thank you, Big Apple Door Fitting, for a lovely puzzle. Thank you, CeeSoo for the hints.
I’ve found the tapes of a series I wrote for Radio Shropshire back in the 70s. With their being fifty years old, I’m reluctant to try playing them so I have sent them off to a professional to have them transferred to digital format. I hope it works. 🤞
I thought this was an absolute belter of a puzzle. Whilst not massively tricky, the humour, quality of the surfaces and the ingenuity on display resulted in a very enjoyable challenge. So many candidates for COTD but my vote is going to 28A which held out for a long time until the Thai Baht eventually dropped with a clang. Thanks to CS for the hints and to the setter.
A quick Thai corner. How to greet in Thai.
Westerners visiting Thailand generally want to create a positive impression and to integrate, so one of the first phrases they learn to say in Thai is, ‘how are you’, or it’s equivalent’, as for most western countries; this is a traditional greeting. The Thais not wanting to offend teach the Thai phrase but fail to point out that it really doesn’t work as a form of greeting here. Thais not familiar with western idioms will see it as intrusive and suggesting that the speaker believes the recipient has recently been ill and that it is a genuine health enquiry. The Thais, with their obsession with food, will generally greet you on the street by saying, ‘have you eaten yet?’. Alternatives are, ‘where are you going’, or, ‘where have you been?’, neither of which require a detailed itinerary but serve as an informal greeting. A response of, ‘out’, will suffice.
Love it!
‘How are you?’ is hilarious.
You’re putting me off going to Thailand. As you know, I talk a lot but I’ll be too scared to say anything!
Slow to start but everything perfectly clued so answers fell like ninepins once I got into it. I’ve never heard of the 5/2d series of poems, more often described as a 26a, but worked it out from the anagram. At a loss to explain 19a other than the blatantly obvious?
I’ll go with the doctor at 8d as my COTD with 24a and 28a in supporting roles.
Thanks to doorknob and CS
Presumably there is nothing more to 19a than it’s a score less than a century? (naughty corner?)
That’s the only explanation I could think of. From my point of view it could 90, 99 or any other number <100?
Maybe someone can elucidate.
I shed a tear for Terence as I thought the Blues were the better team overall.
A score represents a particular number e.g Lend me a score, son.
And there was me thinking my hint was helpful
I thought the speech marks would do the trick.
Alas.
1*/3*. I enjoyed this but it was all over too quickly. My pair in front immediately spotted 5d/2d so I by solving 21, 29, 18 & 26. As soon as the first two of these were in place, the rest followed swiftly meaning that about a quarter of the puzzle was done and dusted early doors.
There were some quirky clues on show and 19a & 28a were my top two picks.
I think that the “the” in 24a is surface padding.
Many thanks presumably to NYDK and to CS.
I took the ”the” in 24a to be a misdirection towards a popular comic, which even in Thailand I received the annual version as a Christmas present, continuing an unbroken decades long tradition. Thank you son.
Ditto (on the misdirection).
I agree about the misdirection, but it’s still padding in my book!
For the misdirection to work, it needs ‘The’ as the comic is called The Dandy not Dandy.
The misdirection element is a red herring. The relevant point is that the word required in the answer is a synonym of “Dandy” not “The Dandy”. Therefore “the” is padding.
Who knew that ‘the’ can be padding?
I’ll look out for any padded ones in the future.
Thank you for that.
This felt very different and delightfully artful. Once 18 down put in a showing things started moving. Did not see the Winchester connection straight away so that was another hold up.
Top spot to 10 across for misdirection.
Last year I was able to donate an ancient 14 across to the Gordon museum at Guy’s hospital.
Great to be back on this forum . Thanks to CS and our setter.
Will submit even though I gather the prize is not a Mont Blanc fountain pen.
The Gordon Museum was a fascinating place, wasn’t it? I spent a lot of time in there.
A somewhat challenging but very satisfying solve that has helped pass the time waiting for appointments.
I don’t see a clue like 5D&2D every day! Is this kind of setter trickery and solver’s toil something I would get more used to in Toughie-land? Anyway, solving that lot enabled me to sweep up the remaining few, LOI was 4D – needed the hint to parse the Washington reference, feels so familiar to this Englishman.
Pody picks – 1D’s simplicity with a running nod 🏃🏻♂️, 21D’s King Crimson reference (been playing especially in recent times), and the mighty 5D+ ensemble.
Thanks to setter and to CS ⭐️
P.S. for those interested in ⚽️, calling out a 2-1 City win today, while being very neutral.
A very entertaining puzzle which required me to do some e.checking after completion to fully understand some of the clues. 28a was my favourite out of a rather large number of possibilities.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints.
A head scratcher for me the highlight of which turned out to be the Quickie Pun, an excellent design by Sir Alec Issigonis!
Other candidates for favourite – 19a, 9d, 18d – and the best of these is 19a.
Thanks to NYDK and CS.
I made heavy work of this with the last two, 8d and 13a taking as long between them as the rest of the puzzle altogether. Didn’t know the poem but fairly clued.
Lots to like with my top picks being 19a, 14a, 24a, 18d and 9d.
Thanks to CrypticSue and NYDK.
All finished except 13a. Any clues for me? Thank you.
Welcome to the blog
13a is an anagram (disturbed) of CARLOS EL and the initial letter of Muerto to get a synonym of everyone
Thank you. I couldn’t get it to work as I had the wrong answer in for 8d. All sorted now.
Another great SPP, once again, for me, having so many splendid clues in the frame.
5 2 shades it I think, a special mention for Carlos El Muerto, and just about everything else a very close third!
Thanks NYDK (as I’m sure it must be he) and Sue.
It was a very cleverly clued puzzle but the plethora of multi linked words rather spoiled my enjoynent of today’s SPP. I did like the cleverly concealed anagram at 13a and the lego clues at 14a and 28a Thanks to the compiler and to CS for the hints.
A very enjoyable Saturday PP with the difficulty level raised in fully parsing a number of clues. At first glance I thought 11a was going to be a hat-trick of geordie singers -wonder what the collective noun would be?
Anyhow many thanks to the setter for much enjoyment and to CS for blogging duties.
Once again this week, a tricky and thought provoking puzzle from, I think, NYDK. He fooled many, (including me), last week.
Anyway, took a bit of e-help today to get there in the end.
I found the multi word clue tricky at the first run though, but when I got it and the four clues NYDK added at the end of the actual clue were very clever and well-done. I would have to say that particular clue is at the peak of my favourite list today.
2.5*/3.5* for me
Other clues I liked and that made me smile are 1a, 12a, 20a & 4d
Thanks to NYDK & CS
I found this quite testing and it was almost a DNF. I struggled with another crossword that I do as well, so I am telling myself that I am out of sorts or on another wavelength. 1, 10,14 and 28 across are my top picks. Many thanks to the setter and CS
This was great fun and perfect for an SPP with my LOI being 4d (nicely done)
The poem and what came with it was brilliant. I reckon about 90% of people mispronounce the adjective of the first word.
I’ve just looked up why the poet’s title isn’t before his first name: if it was, it would mean he was the younger son of a high-ranking nobleman which wasn’t the case. You learn something new every day and all that caper.
I’ve never heard of 13a but it didn’t matter. I’d question that it’s one word. Hyphenated is way more common or even two words (obviously don’t bother mentioning any dictionary nonsense as it means nowt to me)
My podium is the two CDs (19a and 4d) plus 27a.
MTT Rood Bonk and she of the crypt.
2*/5*
Brilliant Saturday fare, hugely satisfying to complete. The thought of a 14a is too horrendous to contemplate but the were a fact I believe. I liked the dubious plastic at 14d followed by the revolutionary film but I think the accolade goes to 28a. And a very special mention to the brilliant Quickie Pun. Many thanks to NYDJ which I am at present wearing and to the incomparable CeeSue. PS I have finally after another store visit yesterday and a 45 min call you a young lady in Taiwan, got my all singing all dancing watch and iPhone talking to each other and to me. Yee hi.
I enjoyed this puzzle very much and managed to complete it without too much resort to Google. I did have to look up 21 29 18 26, having solved the respective clues. I enjoyed 10a and 28a once the penny dropped with them, and my favourite was probably 19 – being mathematical.
Hats off to the setter for 5d 2d 21d 29a 18d 26a – I enjoyed the combo.
The reason I have come on to comment is because before setting about the crossword, I had decided that there was a King Crimson sized gap in my life which I should endeavour to fill, and was hence listening to King Crimson at the time I saw 21d. I enjoy such small coincidences.
2.5* / 4* Certainly not the breeze that some seem to have found it. Lots of clever clueing and plenty of humour.
Favourites 13a everyone (last one in !), the receptacle at 14a and the combination at 5d / 2d
Thanks to compiler and Sue
Sound Saturday fare, light and straightforward. By leaving the 5/2 anagram until the end the few remaining lights meant the answer became clear.
Many thanks to the setter and CS
I didn’t find this one too taxing , especially if it was a NYDK production, but nicely chewy though. I managed to parse 2/5d but was not familiar with the definition , so needed help which set me up nicely for the other linked clues. 14a was a word I ve never used, or was aware of , but was lurking somewhere in my grey matter. An enjoyable solve. Thanks to the setter and CS.
IMHO not a barrowload of fun but slowly, slowly caught the monkey. Receptacle for 14a is rather broad (and I couldn’t spelll it anyway). 5 and 2d brought up the rear. Is 24d the frame? Thanks to whomever is the setter and to CS for being on hand once more.
In which case shouldn’t it be [redacted]
What a brilliant SPP. completed this early this morning before a trip to Hebden Bridge for lunch.
I really enjoyed this solve as it unfolded itself steadily without too much brain mangling.
Loved the linked poetic clues and although I originally had rhythm in as my 5d I soon realised that was nonsensical. Like others have said once I unraveled 18d everything else fell into place.
COTD could have been 18d for that reason, being the key to the puzzle for me. However it has to be 15d, took me an age to parse as just did not see it. I maintain it’s because I have never actually seen the film.
Great puzzle thanks all
NYDK
Thank you for another lovely SPP.
I expect the majority of the 4.8K people who have viewed this post so far were quite happy with the nostalgia-inducing misdirection in 24a
Thank you to NY Doorknob for this delightful puzzle. I enjoyed the linked clues, and was able to work out 5d,2d despite being ignorant of it. It turned out, in the end, to be ad just my level, though it started unusually: I saw the first 2 across clues straight away, then didn’t get another answer until the final across clue. Fortunately that was 29a, which unlocked the linked clues when I came to the downs.
I particularly enjoyed 15a — if we’re going to encounter crosswordland’s favourite film yet again, we may as well really go for it! — plus the 19a score, 7d kid, 17d dish, and 23d running.
The 8d meaning of ‘marrow’ was new to me. I still don’t understand the 20a definition (though I’m happy with my answer from the wordplay). Thank you to CrypticSue for hosting.
You are probably too young to have watched the type of film where a 20a was a regular feature. The BRB will explain all
Thanks. The free online Chambers didn’t have it, but Oxford did. I had to look up both the answer and the definition from the clue, because I didn’t know either term.
And thank you for suggesting it was my age rather than general ignorance!
A great way to pass time on a flight to Fez, with the score less than a hundred holding out until this morning – neat little clue! Thank you NYDK & CS
Late to comment
Another NYDK production that I found a bit of a slog to be honest.
Thanks to Sue and the aforementioned.
Enjoyed this slightly harder than usual challenge. I have answer in 16a which I assume is right given theme, but I cannot parse clue. What am I missing?
Welcome to the blog
16a a synonym for craft and almost all of a synonym for upset
That was a bit of a struggle. The connection 5d 2d was not part of my school syllabus so I just parsed it🤷♂️
Overall not my favourite but enjoyed it with some Mark Knobfler and Black Crowes 🎸
More Americanised xxxx. Unfamiliar words (xxxxxxxx) and incorrect spelling (xxxxx).
Why can’t we have a British setter occasionally?
Changing to your full name sent you into moderation. Looking at your comment history I note that you have commented once a year for the last three years on the Americanisation of the crossword.
I would have thought that 4d was a known word and the spelling of 25d is shown as an alternative spelling in Chambers.
The setter of this crossword is British although I can see how you might think otherwise. His pseudonym for Saturday Prize Puzzles, NY Doorknob, is just an anagram of one of his other setting names
This was well over my head today.
If poetry was a theme, it may as well have been about slugs for all I know about poetry.
Managed a few clues before heading off to do something I am actually capable of doing.
Glad to hear all the non heathens enjoyed this. 😂
I have never see 25d spelled like that in over 80 years, even if Chambers allows it. Even OED authors version says dont include Oscar. When did that change happen?
It doesnt apply botanically (Latin names). E.g a certain Iris.
I’m very confused by your comment re the spelling of 25d. I am very familiar with the spelling without Oscar. Who or what is Iris please?
Iris? My favourite garden plant. Or, a Greek godess associated with rainbows though I doubt 25d applied to her. A good garden dictionary will show the connection between Iris and 25d ( according to my preferred spelling)
I was brought up with dipthongs which may explain why I made the comment. I confess it would be hard to squeeze one into a square of a crossword grid.
OED (my goto reference) does allow it as an alternative spelling. I dont use dictionaries to solve crosswords.
Thanks. Now I’ve googled it I see where you’re coming from.