Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31243
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ****
A damp start to the day here in Harpenden but at least it’s much needed wet stuff for the golf courses though the sun has just made a welcome appearance so hopefully not confined to barracks.
I’m pretty confident that today’s puzzle is unmistakably an Anthony Plumb production & very enjoyable it was too. By no means difficult but impeccably clued throughout with a nice mixture of clue types & the usual high quota of single letter additions or subtractions.
Plenty of ticks on my page including 6,15,19&22a + 16&23d but my favourite has to be the pun in the Quick crossword which may well prompt seeking out an old episode of Minder to watch later today. Please let us know which clues you liked best.
We also have the added treat of our old Thursday blogger over in t’other place & as ever with Shabbo the puzzle is very accessible, a light delight & highly recommended.
As usual there is a selection of music to enjoy or ignore.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
Across
1a Started to grin, with idea developing (10)
ORIGINATED: we kick off with an anagram (developing) of TO GRIN IDEA.
6a Feeling low with onset of depression (4)
MOOD: a synonym for low in the context of the noise made by cattle + D[epression] (onset of).
10a Plenty of beer swallowed by politician? On the contrary (5)
AMPLE: on the contrary tells us it’s the parliamentary politician that’s inserted (swallowed by) into a mainly British word for beer. I did have to smile at Tim Stanley’s observation in his piece yesterday that unlike Burnham & Streeting, snapped out in their dodgy shorts on the obligatory jog, that there was no chance of Farage doing the same as he’d spill his pint.
11a Removes copies returned by judges (9)
SEPARATES: reverse a verb synonym of copies then append judges/assesses.
12a Squeeze sandwiches hospital department gives out (8)
PRESENTS: insert (sandwiches) the usual hospital department into a synonym for squeeze/crush.
13a Smack rear in flamenco dance (5)
TANGO: a synonym for smack/piquant zesty flavour + [flamenc]O (rear in). Can it only be me who initially had smack as tan then wondered where the G came from?
15a See each lake during hike (7)
REALISE: insert (during) the abbreviation for EA[ch] & for L[ake] into a synonym for hike/uplift.
17a State education rejected by Bordeaux, nearly (7)
DECLARE: reverse a common two letter abbreviation for ED[ucation] then append a truncated (nearly) term for a Bordeaux red or indeed a red wine made elsewhere with similar characteristics.
19a Residents name a town in Cornwall? Not at first (7)
NATIVES: the single letter for N[ame] + A from the clue then add a two word Cornish town omitting the initial letter (not at first).
21a Let off religious education student? No problem (7)
RELEASE: link the usual abbreviation for R[eligious] E[ducation] with the single letter for student/L[earner] + a nounal synonym for no problem/difficulty.
22a Meat – try half of it (5)
HEART: try in the context of legal proceedings + 50% (half of) the last word in the clue.
24a Deletes broadcast covering Conservative getting appointed (8)
SELECTED: an anagram (broadcast) of DELETES goes around (covering) C[onservative].
27a Loathsome, rotten, broody leader is dismissed (9)
OFFENSIVE: link a synonym for rotten/mouldy with one for broody/thoughtful omitting the 1st letter (leader dismissed) from the latter.
28a Open six deliveries, not just the last (5)
OVERT: six deliveries in cricket + [no]T (just the last).
29a Cornish river levels initially drop (4)
FALL: the SW river that separates the Roseland peninsula from the rest of Cornwall + L[evels] (initially).
30a Fascinated teens tried dancing (10)
INTERESTED: an anagram (dancing) of TEENS TRIED.
Down
1d Caesar perhaps heading off for monarchy in the Middle East (4)
OMAN: remove the 1st letter (heading off) from Caesar’s nationality – perhaps indicates by example. The Sultanate borders Yemen, Saudi Arabia & the UAE and is an absolute monarchy.
2d Vital ship in an entrepôt, finally (9)
IMPORTANT: a synonym for ship in/bring in + AN from the clue + [entrepo]T (finally).
3d Pyramid easily restricts views (5)
IDEAS: hidden (restricts).
4d Want stomach muscles, Lawrence? Not half! (7)
ABSENCE: the usual abbreviation for stomach muscles + 50% (not half) of [Lawr]ENCE.
5d Former model with diamonds unmasked (7)
EXPOSED: the usual prefix for old/former + model/sit + D[iamonds].
7d Old female goes on X frequently (5)
OFTEN: O[ld] + F[emale] + the number X represents in Roman numerals.
8d Found out Detective Inspector’s hidden (10)
DISCOVERED: the abbreviation for the police rank with the possessive S + hidden/concealed.
9d Nit-picking of great consequence (8)
CRITICAL: a double definition – pedantry & importance.
14d Nice bread or flan? Chef’s confused (6,4)
FRENCH LOAF: an anagram (confused) of OR FLAN CHEF.
16d Arousing Victor instead of Charlie is tempting (8)
INVITING: think of a synonym for arousing & contained within it swap out a NATO phonetic alphabet letter with V[ictor] replacing C[harlie].
18d See Batman’s awful humiliation (9)
ABASEMENT: an anagram (awful) of SEE BATMAN.
20d Sounds picked up around end of business meeting (7)
SESSION: reverse (picked up/down clue) a synonym for sounds then insert (around) [busines]S (end of).
21d Always upset about priest’s excuse (7)
RELIEVE: reverse (upset/down clue) an adverb synonym for always & place around (about) an Old Testament priest & spiritual leader of Israel.
23d Just removing large pants (5)
AWFUL: a synonym for just/legal omitting L[arge]. Hands up anyone who tried to make an anagram out of large.
25d Wardrobe almost shut (5)
CLOSE: a truncated (almost) alternative name for a wardrobe.
26d Physically attractive male boss (4)
STUD: a double definition.
Today’s Quick Crossword pun: ERR + INN + DORS = HER INDOORS or ‘ER INDOORS
This morning’s listening while preparing the blog has been music by Jay Howie, an Aussie guitarist & blues musician who I stumbled across quite by chance the other day. He has done 3 albums of covers – You’ve Never Heard It Like This Vol 1-3 – some of which are really very good. Here’s a track off his High Time album which I don’t think is a cover
What a lovely puzzle with some great clues. Loved the Quickie pun too.
Top picks for me were 19a, 15a, 2d and 4d. I thought 20d was very clever.
Thanks to Huntsman and Mr Plumb.
Congrats on your clue writing triumph & very clever the clue was too
I agree with Huntsman at */**** and this was super fun. Having said that although straightforward I was keen to see the hints to fully understand 1&2d and 20d! My favourite was 23d closely followed by 14d and 17a. Thank you setter and hinter.
The usual excellence for a Tuesday, with a very accessible and enjoyable puzzle that was stacked full of very tidy clues. Top of the list for me was 23d and the great Quickie pun.
Thanks to AP for the challenge and to The Hintsman.
On a par with yesterday’s offering, no real hold ups once I twigged the Bordeaux reference in17a.
27a, 4d and 16d favourites today.
Thanks to PP and the Hintsman.
Another vote for the toughie today – a very accessible Shabbo offering.
I am often reminded how useful this blog is, and today’s example is 6a which a few months ago would have made no sense at all to me. I thoroughly recommend newbie puzzlers to read and consider all of the hints every day; it’s a great way to improve.
28d reminded me of the 1978 film of that name and I was surprised to discover that the young English actress (is that word allowed?) who starred in it will turn a young 93 years of age this coming weekend.
I thought that today’s offering was an enjoyable small step up from yesterday, nothing too tricky but some of the clues required a little more consideration.
My fertile brain made me believe that 21d could be parsed by starting from ‘Let Off’ (reprieve) and replacing the problem (PR) with the learner (L), which just shows that I still have much to learn.
COTD is 27a with 2d and 20d as runners up.
Many thanks Huntsman and the setter.
An enjoyable and accessible pzzle today from Mr Plumb, the only difficulty was a few head-scratchers in the SW. I liked the geographical clue at 1d, the well- concealed anagram at 14d, the double definition at 26d and the substitute letter clue at 16d. Thanks to rhe compiler for the puzzle and to Huntsman for the hints .
1*/4* TT – light and great fun with a host of ticks. My top picks were 6a, 13a, 29a, 14d, 20d & 23d plus of course the great Quickie pun.
Many thanks to AP and to Hintsman.
After my super-senior moment last Tuesday, no doubts that this is an AP production – 1.5*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 6a, 15a, 29a, and 25d – and the winner is 29a.
Based on the ‘source’ clues, I would have written the first word of the pun as ‘ER.
Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.
P.S. Ditto to Huntsman and SL8 on Shabbo’s Toughie.
Yep you’re probably right – I did consider doing so.
Great puzzle – thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
I really liked 13a, 27a, 2d and 4d (and the Quickie Pun).
Slightly more intricate than I was expecting for this early in the week.
Several answers required careful dissection before parsing became apparent, which for me, increased the enjoyment factor.
Pruning down from a pretty decent crop, I’ve picked the broody leader being dismissed in 27a, the sounds picked up in 20d and best of all, the kosher suggestion to let it all hang out in 23d.
My thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
Outstanding. The Prof is a truly excellent setter and is perfect for this time of the week with almost every surface a winner.
I’ve never heard of an entrepôt that has a nice etymology (‘that which is placed between’).
Even though its new meaning is truly 23d, pants has become very useful for setters due to it being an anagram indicator. The last four down clues almost tell a story.
The honours go to 27a, 14d and 21d.
MTTTA and Hoots!
Great pun!
1*/5*
This was nice an gentle. 6a, 21a and 21d are my top picks but there were plenty of othersworthy of note. Many thanks to the setter and hinter
Bunged in ‘Dictate’ at 17a thinking I would parse it later – but on reading the hints realised I had completely forgotten ! – when will I ever learn?
Apart from that all thatbwas left was to admire this setters artistry – such great surfaces.
Thanks to them and Huntsman for the blog – I feel sufficiently emboldened to have a crack at the toughie.
A delightful puzzle today, thanks to setter.
Bob Dylan’s masterpiece Desire today 🎸
Well this wasn’t really a Typical Tuesday puzzle for me as it seemed easier than normal or maybe Monday’s was a little harder … not sure.
1*/4* for me
Favourite include 6a, 10a, 19a, 28a, 7d & 8d — with winner 19a … but it could have been any of them quite frankly.
I will say that 6a, 10a & 12a all made me chuckle.
Thanks to AP & Huntsman
Thought when I’d completed the puzzle that it was fairly tricky, but checking my time it was a comfortable 1.5* with a 4* for enjoyment.
Plenty of top clues including the meeting at 20d, nit picking at 9d and the Nice bread at 14d.
Thanks to compiler and Huntsman
* / *****
A very enjoyable and swift solve to masterful (as usual) surfaces. Particularly enjoyed feeling low at 6a, smacking the rear at 13a and seeing Batman’s humiliation at 18d. The 23d large pants and 26d physically attractive male made up a surfeit of super smooth and amusing surfaces.
Oh and I meant to give a shout out to the Nice bread and the Bordeaux too!
Many thanks to AP and Huntsman
Great fun, but over too quickly, both things that can also be said of today’s Toughie. My favourites today were 9d, 29a and, top of the pile, 23d. Thanks to our setter and to Huntsman for the Blog and yet more musical diversions.
For some reason I didn’t get on with the professor today. I found it difficult to get into and that is unusual for a professorial production. I must be having an off day because there was nothing really difficult about any of the clues. Ah well, these things happen. I did like the old female being on X and that is my COTD.
Thank you, AP for the puzzle – I must try harder. Thank you Hintsman for the hunts.
Getting warmer in The Marches but there’s more rain than sun.
A steady solve before I went off to golf this a.m. thanks to some well constructed surfaces. On reflection, 4 hours later, it is a pleasure to revisit and relish the Professor’s artistry.
Difficult to pick winners from so many, but I enjoyed the Cornish natives 19a, the Nice bread 14d and tempting 16d.
Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
1*/4*
Glad of a straightforward solve today because we had to get off for a garden tour at Gravetye. Always enjoy puzzles from Mr. Plumb and no exception today. Liked 9 down because it had me stumped before it flashed up . It was the last one in so checkers were available.
One thing about the crossword is that it isn’t weather dependant but even with rain the garden tour was so special plus lunch.
Many thanks as usual to Mr. Plumb and Huntsman .
Had to leave the guzzle with 5 yet to be done and dash off to Book Group. It was the birthday eve of the hostess and she had bought a huge snd very calorific cake which she had bought specially for us and it would have been rude to refuse. However, that is pretty much my calorie quota for the next three days. Just finished off the guzzle – I confess to seeing pants as an anagram indicator which held me up a little and I really don’t like to think of 22a as meat! If pressed I might say 4d was favourite with the Nice bread a close runner up. Many thanks to the Setter and to the Hintsman.
This was a gentle and enjoyable puzzle but with several clues that had me thinking so it wasn’t a total walk in the park . Nothing nefarious used for checking today at all though – Hoorah ! Thanks to the setter and Huntsman.
Nice to see you solved the crissy crossy unnefariously, JM.
Nice Crossword to cheer you up on a wet and windy day 😃 **/**** Favourites 12a, 28a and 8d 👍 Thanks to the Huntsman and to AP, if it were he 🤔
I would just like to echo Huntsman’s recommendation of the Toughie by Shabbo. Well worth a go if you don’t usually look at Toughies. It is very enjoyable.
I didn’t think I would have time for the Toughie today, but I made the time after having read your recommendation. That was really good fun and not very tough. I found it easier than the Backpager. Thank you for the recommendation
A very neatly clued puzzle. Top quality. **/****
The usual smooth Tuesday clueing … with a lovely quicky pun! Thank you Huntsman and compiler
Mr consistent does it again. It has to be an art to produce crosswords of an almost identical difficulty level week in and week out and still be enjoyable. Favourite was 17a. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
Well I do feel foolish – have completed what I thought was today’s cryptic and came on here to comment when I noticed the clues in the blog did not look familiar. Somehow I have done a puzzle from May 2025 (which I must have not completed for some reason) instead of today’s.
What a muppet I am
I’ve driven 25miles to the wrong golf course & on another occasion further forgetting to put the clubs in the boot. Hope you find the time to tackle today’s puzzle – I’m sure it
won’t detain you long
You’re not alone Spangled cat. Ionce completed a toughie by mistake and then discovered that the clues weren’t the right ones. I had wodered why that particular puzzle was such a struggle🤔
Love this Spangledcat 😸
Thanks you have all cheered me up no end. Will be a double solve tomorrow morning now
I completed this this morning and thoroughly enjoyed it, I cannot recall a stand out favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.
The cruciverbal week kicks off more demandingly than usual and today’s exercise was quite testing but entertaining. 22a meat is a bit far-fetched. Didn’t have enough tenacity to fathom 20d so bunged in. 23d pants jars as usual. Thanks AP and Hintsman.
A pleasant evening solve, a few held me up a bit at the end, LOI was 22A.
Pody picks 4A smooth surface and giving us Gary Moore clip, the muscly 4D and 27A’s loathsome but enjoyable sort.
Thanks to setter and to Huntsman ⭐️
Just checking. I’m trying to reply to a comment and getting the message “Page not found”.
Seeing if this posts.
My post at #33 did appear but why don’t my replies to others? This only happens on my iPad.
2*/4* ….
liked 6A “Feeling low with onset of depression (4)”