Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31248
Hints and tips by Falcon
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from Ottawa, where we are having a strange spring. Temperatures reach the low 20°C range in the daytime only to drop to near 0°C overnight. However, the coming week promises more seasonal conditions and I am looking forward to being able to spend time at my lakeside retreat.
On my last appearance, I promised a more complete look at our tulips which the following 15 minute video should certainly provide. In the previous blog, I was wrong on one point though: the Tulip Festival wrapped up a week ago and not yesterday as I stated then.
Today’s puzzle provides a welcome respite following the grueling mental challenges of the last few days. A chance to refresh the little grey cells in preparation for what surely lies in wait later in the week.
In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.
Across
1a Get beneath platform (10)
UNDERSTAND — join together synonyms of beneath and platform
9a That woman’s beginning to enjoy present (4)
HERE — a feminine possessive adjective and the beginning letter of ENJOY
10a Making urgent requests in rage, with intent to reform (10)
ENTREATING — an anagram (to reform) of RAGE with INTENT
11a Deer gambolling around the City go back (6)
RECEDE — an anagram (gambolling) of DEER containing (around) the postcode for the City of London
12a House by steps is unwelcoming (7)
HOSTILE — abbreviation for house and steps over a fence
15a Politician orchestrated treason (7)
SENATOR — an anagram (orchestrated) of TREASON
16a Tales of initially youthful aspirational Royal Navy sailor (5)
YARNS — the first letters (initially) of the final five words of the clue
17a Send back Euros – not universal tender (4)
SORE — reverse (send back) EUROS and remove the single letter for universal (film classification)
18a Lean over catalogue (4)
LIST — double definition, the first primarily nautical and the second we associate with Terence
19a Warning – beer rots from time to time (5)
ALERT — another name for beer and an alternating sequence of letters (from time to time) extracted from ROTS
21a Those people taking on blame for treatment (7)
THERAPY — a subjective pronoun denoting those people containing (taking on) an informal term for blame
22a Erudite poet essentially knew introduction to Dante (7)
LEARNED — string together a poet noted for his nonsense verse, the middle letters (essentially) of KNEW, and the initial letter of (introduction to) DANTE
24a Mix in Thai paste (6)
TAHINI — an anagram (mix) of IN THAI produces a Middle Eastern paste …
27a Party happy drinking mixed gin (10)
CONTINGENT — … and continue mixing by adding (containing) an anagram (mixed) of GIN to happy or satisfied
28a Has scattered seeds, front to back (4)
OWNS — start with a past participle denoting scattered seeds and move the initial letter to the end (front to back)
29a Attempts to include oil and French bath products (10)
TOILETRIES — a synonym of attempts containing (to include) OIL from the clue and the French word denoting ‘and’
Down
2d Return two articles for grandmother (4)
NANA — link two grammatical articles and reverse (return) the result
3d Adventurous traveller ran to fences (6)
ERRANT — a lurker contained within (fences) the three words between the definition and indicator
4d Figure cathedral city is impressive (7)
STATELY — a figure or bit of data and a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire
5d A number reflected in line of symmetry (4)
AXIS — the A from the clue and the reversal (reflected) of a cardinal number
6d Units in qualifications (7)
DEGREES — double definition, units of angular measurement or temperature and academic qualifications
7d Confusing a president is commonplace (10)
PEDESTRIAN — an anagram (confusing) of A PRESIDENT
Perhaps not really relevant to the clue but confusing whether you’re walking or driving.
8d Famous doctor cleared bet (10)
CELEBRATED — an anagram (doctor) of CLEARED BET
12d Pause building in a hot site (10)
HESITATION — an anagram (building) of the final four words of the clue
13d Piercing loose rock feature close to bog (10)
SCREECHING — a charade of loose rock on a mountainside, a facial feature, and the final letter of (close to) BOG
14d On time, like a nobleman? (5)
EARLY — whimsically the answer might be interpreted to mean ‘like a nobleman (of middle rank)’
15d Entrap vandal ransacking upturned boxes (5)
SNARL — a lurker contained by (boxes) and reversed (upturned) the two words following the definition
19d Fruit supply to Capri (7)
APRICOT — an anagram (supply) of TO CAPRI; supply is used in the sense of in a supple manner
20d Texas hat fabric (7)
TEXTILE — the answer split (3,4) could be an informal term for a formal Texan hat
Judging by the number of examples I found, top hats must have been a thing in the Old West and highly prized by native warriors.
23d Park-keeper at first regrets rage (6)
RANGER — the initial letter (at first) of REGRETS and another word for rage
25d Opposed to books probing the likes of ChatGPT (4)
ANTI — an old collection of Bibical books is contained in (probing) the abbreviated term for ChatGPT and similar products
26d Kane losing a bit of elasticity in joint (4)
KNEE — remove (losing) A from KANE and append the initial letter (a bit) of ELASTICITY
Thank you to the setter. Leave a comment to tell us which clues appealed to you?
Quickie pun:: OST + RAIL + LEAR = AUSTRALIA
On This Day …
… in 1967, Procol Harum’s ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ entered the UK chart for the first time, where it went on to become a No.1 hit. ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ became the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK (as of 2009). The first video for the song was shot in the ruins of Witley Court in Worcestershire, England. Directed by Peter Clifton whose insertion of Vietnam War newsreel footage caused it to be banned from airplay on the Top Of The Pops TV show. The band subsequently made another video.
A lovely start to the week with a puzzle that was fairly straightforward but enjoyable, nevertheless. There was plenty to like including the unwelcoming steps at 12a and the line of symmetry at 5d. I also liked the people taking the blamed at 21a but my COTD, unusually, is a four letter one – ChatGPT reading a book at 25d.
Thank you, setter for a most entertaining puzzle. Thank you, Falcon for the hints. I love the video of the tulips.
A shame about Rookie Corner.
This was much needed after yesterday’s DNF. Very gentle from start to finish with no hurdles nor head scratching.
Many thanks to the setter and Falcon
Nearly a read and write bar 10a and 6d which came on 2bd pass. Otherwise a gentle introduction to the week. No real standout clues for me but I did like the Texan fabric 20d.
My thanks to the setter and Falcon.
0.5*/3*
A nice gentle, for me, puzzle to start the week and a welcome respite from yesterday’s brain mangling.
Top picks for me were 5d, 20d, 13d and 14d.
Thanks to Falcon and the setter.
1*/3*. This made a light and pleasant start to the week, a welcome relief after yesterday’s back-pager.
Many thanks to the setter and to Falcon.
P.S. I agree with Steve @1. What a shame not to have a Rookie Corner puzzle today.
I found this just between 1 and 2 star. I normally think the bloggers stars are too low. Maybe I had a particularly good day.
Your alias when you made your first [and only] comment just over six years ago was slightly different which is why you went into moderation
Looking at the comments so far, I think most of us would agree with your difficulty rating rather than the one given by Falcon
No, Falcon is not so out of step with the world. He just neglected to adjust the rating in his template. It has now been corrected. Strangely, I realized this as I opened my eyes this morning before even looking at the blog.
Very enjoyable and much light relief after yesterday’s back pager mauling. Stand out clue must be the Texan hat fabric at 20d. Thanks to compiler and Falcon
Lots to enjoy in this how Mondays used to be cryptic crossword
Many thanks to the setter and Falcon
Arrived early at the cricket yesterday and spent 30 minutes looking at the Sunday PP…play starts and I’ve managed to solve and parse 6 clues…end of crossword! Dada and I are not in sync I’m sorry to say.
Today was a different story, a lovely start to the new week although perhaps slightly anagram heavy. Nothing too startling but I did like two tiddlers – 28a which took me a moment to understand and ChatGPT and the books in 25d. My COTD was the well constructed 13a
My thanks to the setter and Falcon for the hints.
Like others, I found this ebjoyabke guzzle a pleasant rwlief, aftter the btrainburnerprize puzzles over the weekend. I liked the double definition clue at 6d, the lego fabric at 20d and the lego party at 27a. Thanks to the compiler fodr a straightforward crossword that was, neverthelwess very entertaining and thanks to Falcon for the hints.
Arrived at the cricket early yesterday and spent 30 minutes with the Sunday PP – 30 minutes, 6 clues solved and parsed. End of crossword, I’m afraid Dada and I are not in sync.
Today’ was a different story, a lovely well clued puzzle, although [erhaps a little heavy on anagrams.
I liked two tiddlers – 28a which took me a moment to understand and 25d ChatGPT and the books but with nothing really standing out my COTD was 29a
My thanks to the setter and Falcon for the hints
I must have sunstroke – my first response disappeared…rewrote and posted again and apparently I have selected a different COTD!
This was very light even for a Monday or was I sharpened up by the brain mangling Silvanus toughie yesterday?
No stand out favourites and personally I think 14d would work better as Ahead of time but that is a tough pedantic.
Thanks to Falcon and Setter.
Very good fun, and perfect for a Monday. Just enough grit to need a little thinking, but nothing strenuous. I have the same quibble as SL8 about 14d, but that’s a very minor nit. Lots of clever, well put together clues. I was particularly taken with 1a, 7d, 25d and 26d, but I’m giving my Gold Star to 17a.
Thanks to our Setter for a lot of fun, and to Falcon for the blog. The 21a illustration raised a smile!
A gentle start to the week with plenty of anagrams – thanks to our setter and Falcon.
My podium selections are 17a, 5d and 20d.
Just about right for an overheated body and brain. Already 30 C this morning. I enjoyed the puzzle with favourite being 21 across. What I enjoyed more was the original video recording of A Whiter Shade of Pale. Admit to crying as it brought back so many strong memories.
Many thanks Falcon and our setter today.