Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31273
Hints and tips by Huntsman
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
After some substantial overnight rain it’s warming up to an uncomfortable extent here in Harpenden so any notion of golf is out the window.
Today’s Anthony Plumb (I assume) is the usual gentle & enjoyable Tuesday affair that I suspect will not cause too many problems for commenters. Apologies in advance for any parsing errors – suffice to say my levels of concentration in this heat are not the best.
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 Hugs daughter twice, gripped by cryptic clues (7)
CUDDLES: insert (gripped by) the genealogical single letter for D[aughter] twice into an anagram (cryptic) of CLUES.
5a Birds out of one’s tree and beginning to sing (7)
CUCKOOS: a slang term/adjectival synonym for the meaning of the informal idiom ‘out of one’s tree’ then append the 1st letter (beginning to) of S[ing].
9a Orca once nearly digested black-striped mammal (7)
RACCOON: an anagram (nearly/digested) of ORCA ONC[e]. Can’t recall seeing digested as an indicator before.
10a Rubbish fossil fuels recommendation? (7)
USELESS: a nod to one of the two main pillars of net-zero. If he does cryptic crosswords I expect Ed Miliband does the one in the Graun rather than the Telegraph.
11a Blooming depressed, cutting finger badly (9)
FLOWERING: insert (cutting) an adjective for depressed into an anagram (badly) of FINGER.
12a Drinks with English guy (5)
TEASE: pluralise what historically was the UK’s most popular hot beverage though I’m not sure if that’s still the case. Append the single letter for E[nglish].
13a Someone who didn’t win partly deplores Olympics, on reflection (5)
LOSER: hidden in reverse (partly/on reflection).
15a International rock concert including Queen? Wrong (9)
INCORRECT: start with the single letter for I[nternational] then add an anagram (rock) of CONCERT into which you insert (including) the regnal single letter – in this case R[egina].
17a Plant shoot in good condition (9)
SPEEDWELL: a verb meaning to shoot/move fast + in good condition/healthy.
19a Dismisses trousers lacking length (5)
SACKS: remove (lacking) the single letter for L[ength] from a term for trousers.
22a Sign of nerves about work issue (5)
TOPIC: an involuntary repetitive movement that may be due to anxiety goes around (about) the usual two letter abbreviation for work/operation.
23a Bert returns holding minute fish, shaking (9)
TREMBLING: place the single letter for M[inute] between (holding) a reversal (returning) of Bert & a name for a variety of species of fish.
25a Learner driver panics avoiding wide vehicles (7)
LORRIES: swap out the initial letter in a synonym for panics – replacing the single letter for W[ide] with that for a learner driver.
26a Proclaim President Macron finally leaves hospital department (7)
TRUMPET: the surname of a president (not Emmanuel) then link with our favourite hospital department & remove the last letter of [Macro]N (finally leaves). Neat.
27a Unusual street name in fashion (7)
STRANGE: the two letter abbreviation for street + a noun (often preceded with ‘all the’) that can mean fashion/in vogue into which the single letter for N[ame] is inserted.
28a Fancied gentleman’s covered by legal document (7)
DESIRED: insert (covered by) a term for/address to a gentleman into a legal document
Down
1d Conservative clubs are almost packed (7)
CAREFUL: the card suit single letter for C[lubs] + ARE from the clue + a truncated (almost) synonym for packed/at capacity.
2d Quacks firstly from ducks observed crossing rocky hills (7)
DOCTORS: the initial letters (firstly) of the 4th, 5th & 6th words in the clue + a geographic/geological term for a rocky hills/prominent outcrops.
3d Ecstasy after John’s free (5)
LOOSE: append (after) the single letter for the recreational Class A drug onto an informal term (including the possessive ‘s) that is a synonym for John’s in the context of an informal colloquial for a toilet.
4d Rudely insist Eve is easily offended (9)
SENSITIVE: an anagram (rudely) of INSIST EVE.
5d Tightly held bottom of electric organ (5)
CLUNG: the last letter (bottom of/down clue) in [electri]C + a bodily organ.
6d Institutes protecting ancient city’s animals (9)
CREATURES: insert (protecting) our favourite major Sumerian city-state in ancient Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) into verb meaning institutes/establishes.
7d Aida perhaps with little energy after tense run (7)
OPERATE: the type of musical entertainment that Aida is an example of then append the single letter for E[nergy] preceded by that for T[ense].
8d Incline to think American quietly is taken in by religious group (7)
SUSPECT: insert (is taken in by) the two letter abbreviation for American + the musical letter for quietly into a term for a religious group or cult maybe.
14d Resistance before training heartlessly is cut (9)
REDUCTION: remove the central letter (heartlessly) from a synonym for training/schooling & precede it with the physics single letter for R[esistance].
16d Called for calm (9)
COLLECTED: a double definition – the former in the sense of showed up to pick up (I assume) & the latter in command of one’s emotions & the last of the 3 Cs.
17d Somewhere in Yorkshire, son takes up residence (7)
SETTLES: a market town in the North Yorkshire Dales + the genealogical letter for S[on].
18d Ruler, politician and monarch tucked into flipping caviar! (7)
EMPEROR: the usual abbreviation for a Westminster politician + the royal cypher for our late queen are inserted in (tucked into) a reversal (flipping/down clue) of the term for the salt-cured unfertilised eggs of the sturgeon from which caviar is made.
20d Piece of fried food salesman picked up, full of beans (7)
CHIPPER: a popular item of fried food + a reversal (picked up/down clue) of the usual abbreviation for a salesman. The comical but very grisly iconic conclusion to Fargo sprang to mind.
21d Moaned about tip on two-man saw (7)
SIGHTED: a loose(ish) synonym for moaned in the sense of expressing negative feelings goes around the 1st letter (tip on) T[wo-man].
23d Augusta’s tee boxes preference? (5)
TASTE: hidden (boxes).
24d Bishop exposes fights (5)
BOUTS: the chess letter abbreviation + exposes/reveals.
Nothing really stood out for me as a clue of the day though if pressed I’d plump for Emmanuel getting out of hospital. Please let us know which clues you liked best.
Today’s Quick Crossword pun: PAD + ALL + BORED = PADDLE BOARD
This morning’s listening has been Joe Bonamassa’s newly released, The Spirit of Rory Live From Cork recorded over 3 gigs last year in the city where Rory Gallagher grew up. It’s a cracking listen (albeit not a patch on Rory) & it’s great that Joe, along with others, are doing their bit to bring the great man’s music to a younger generation.
A gentle. pleasurable solve. I liked 21D.
A nice gentle puzzle for a hot day. The thunderstorms yesterday evening were welcome for the rain they brought but it’s another scorcher now.
Top picks for me were 18d, 6d, 26a and 10a.
Thanks to Huntsman and Mr Plumb.
A workmanlike offering from AP today. NW was last in – couldn’t think of the striped critter until I had the checkers. No real stand out clues for me. Otherwise relatively plain sailing.
Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
1*/3*
The sky over the Wrekin became cloudy yesterday afternoon and I thought we might have a thunderstorm, which would have saved me from watering veg and baskets, but unlike southern England nothing came of it. Despite living in Singapore in the late 90’s we are not enjoying the high temperatures in the UK.
From my perspective today’s puzzle was a slight step up from yesterday, primarily because I had two parsing queries. The guy in 12a and the synonym for fashion in 27a (the latter was resolved after consulting the BTB).
I smiled at 3d because it may well create another transatlantic discussion; I looked everywhere for the anagram in 10a and was cleverly misdirected by 26a’s President.
My COTD though is that flipping caviar in 18d
Many thanks to the setter and Huntsman for the hints
A very gentle puzzle for a warm Tuesday morning. 5a is my cotd. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
This was a straightforward and enjoyable guzzle. I particularly liked the double definition at 16d, the geographical reference at 17d and the lego clue plant at 17a. Thanks to Mr Plumb and to Huntsmam for the hints. Another awfully hot day today. I did a little bit of housework this morning and put the dostbins away. Now its coffee and a break and I have got all the windows and the patio doors wide open with the electric fan ready to go and a big jug ofwater at the ready.
As others have said, the warm weather and very loud overnight storms mean that a gentle crossword is indubitably a good thing. I thought 14d was clever, while the plant at 17a took me a while to crack. Thanks very much to the setter and to Huntsman. I watched The Last Waltz again with my youngest son at the weekend and he was forced to reappraise Van after watching his (quite possibly highly refreshed) performance of Caravan. I still can’t warm to Robbie Robertson mind you, but there’s something rather touching about Danko enjoying what was presumably one of the better nights of his life.
Quite Typically Tuesdayish complemented by a very enjoyable Toughie offering from the Floughie Lady – */****
Candidates for favourite – 5a, 10a, 26a, 3d, and 18d – and the winner is 26a.
Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.
1*/4*. TT as ever – light and great fun with 26a my favourite.
Many thanks presumably to AP and to Hintsman.
A very gentle solve, with the usual high quality clues. 26A was clever and topical with an amusing misdirection so gets my vote for COTD. Thanks to Huntsman for the hints and to the setter for the puzzle.
Thai corner.
Given all the comment about the heat being experienced back in blighty I thought the attached photo might be relevant. It is still very common in Thailand to use bamboo for scaffolding as it doesn’t burn the workers when they climb on it. It’s quite surprising how high the Thais will go with a bamboo support. The house in the picture is being built next to the exercise park where I do my Tai Chi, 6 days a week. There’s around four families of builders, with wives and children living in the corrugated iron shack. When complete the 4 bed house with three shower rooms will sell for just over £90,000
Thanks for this (again!). Apart from it being an excellent word, I had no ideas how useful bamboo was.
Six days a week? Very impressive!
A very enjoyable crossword from AP with nearly every clue being a winner. *
I’m struggling with ‘digested’ being an anagram indicator. So, maybe someone can give me an example.
‘Rock concert’ is brilliant, as is President Macron, and the plant has been added to the crib sheet.
My podium is 15a, 25a and 21d (I didn’t know that a two-man saw is called a ‘misery whip’ because of the gruelling, back-breaking physical labour required to use it)
MTTTA and Hoots!
1*/5*
* Talking of every one’s a winner: Along with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, Hot Chocolate had a hit in the UK charts every year in the 70s. I believe in miracles…..
What can I say Tom, Chambers’ list of 1400+ includes the present tense digest so I presume that can be extended to the past tense.
Thanks, S.
Could you give me an example of ‘digest’?
I’ve looked up its various synonyms and can’t quite see it. It’s clearly a synonym of a couple of anagram indicators but it doesn’t mean it’s an anagram indicator itself. I’m sure AP has got an example but he never jumps on which is absolutely fine. Why should he.
There must be one out there.
You probably won’t like this! Definition 3 of ‘digest’ in The Crimson Tome is ‘To distribute and arrange.’
Information gets digested, i.e broken down into smaller parts but in order (not ‘out of order’) and then gets distributed, possibly put into a different order. But, we need both ‘digested’ and ‘distributed’ to be in the clue to work.
It’s one step too far for me.
I appreciate you entertaining me with this, btw. You could have easily ignored it. Thank you.
At the risk of lowering the tone, I would consider the effects of digestion on a meal containing sweetcorn (initially sweetcorn was a stopgap for the plant until common sense prevailed)
Good shout.
Tom, 9a. Had to do some research on this, so not claiming I already knew it. One definition of digest (verb) in Collins Online is: to arrange in a methodical or systematic order; classify. So: The mail arrives randomly mixed so has to be digested by staff in the sorting office. Best I can do.
Good to hear from you, J (as expected), and thank you, too, for trying to throw some light on to this.
So, it means to put into order (or to order), which is not an anagram indicator whereas disorder or out of order is.
I need more.
Come on, J baby! You’ve got this one…..
Don’t get me wrong. I’m willing this to work.
Yes, I absolutely see your point. But everything in a cryptic clue doesn’t have to be 100% literal, grammatically perfect, factual or obvious. Here, we essentially have the word-play: Orca once nearly, digested. The implication in cryptic clue language being that the letters of “Orca onc(e)” need digesting or arranging/classifying. Isn’t that enough for most sovers to easily infer that an angram of Orca onc(e) is required? I mean, how obvious/precise does an anagram indicator need to be?
Hi J.
In this context it means to order which couldn’t be further from an anagram indicator.
Maybe, if you eat something it gets mixed up. But, it’s not doing it for me.
It does explain why there are a thousand plus anagram indicators. I just think that a few hundred nailed on ones are more than enough. These dubious ones have been created to make a better surface. But, the first rule is it must be a solid anagram indicator. If the setter can’t find one from the aforementioned few hundred then they need to think of another way of parsing it.
Explaining ‘digested’ to a rookie solver would put them off before they got started.
It’s simply unnecessary.
The Telegraph is the standard bearer, after all.
I’ll have one more go at this and then you can have the final say – it’s just a difference of opinion about style/purity in crytic clues. Not worth a lengthy debate. It’s all subjective:
*It’s not really digest in the sense of eating food and it getting mixed up in your stomach.
*We’ve been presented with a sequence of letters (almost two words, in fact) which we need to digest or arrange/classify (digest being the anagram indicator) into a word which is the answer to the clue and also fits the definition. Since none of us arranged the sequence in the first place, we are personally arranging/ordering the letters for the first time – it could be argued.
*I’m not at all keen on “nailed on” indicators or (as you also advocate) synonyms. To me, “nailed on” in this context means very familiar, obvious, hackneyed. Not all all what I want in a cryptic clue.
Forward! I’ll let you use the ultimate winding-up slogan – Onwards!
No problem, J.
You can have the last word this time.
Until we meet again….
I already held Huntsman in very high esteem for his solving assistance but I hadn’t fully appreciated the quality of his musical taste, (pun intended, that only Rory fans will get), until I saw the Rory references above. Rory’s gig at Sheffield City Hall on April 12th 1978 was the first ever live rock concert I attended and I was blown away and became a lifelong fan. Prior to my Tai Chi sessions I pop into the local exercise park and build up a sweat listening to mostly blues rock on my earphones. This morning the album of choice was Irish Tour. I’m sure Huntsman has come across Dom Martin but for anyone who appreciates the Gallager style of blues he is definitely worth a listen.
1st saw him opening for Elles Bailey & had a long chat with him in the bar about his love for Rory & also John Martyn. He’s a really nice unassuming chap & a helluva a player. Will next see him at The Stables in Wavenden in October
What a very small world this is. In the late 80’s I managed the Safeway store at the Westcroft Centre in M.K., ( now Morrison’s) and attended quite a few events at the Stables. I’m assuming the Stables are local to you so I may have been your local shopkeeper. I was the handsome one in the blue blazer.
I’m afraid I’m going to buck the trend today because I found this hard. I needed far too many hints for it to be enjoyable. I put it down to the heat frazzling my brain. It’s already 31 degrees here in The Marches and I simply do not do heat. I did like the rock concert at 15a and that is my COTD.
Thank you, Professor for the puzzle. I will try harder next time. Thank you, Hintsman for the hunts.
I will see if I fare any better with Chalicea on t’other side.
I can confirm that the Toughie is Fluffy and worth a look.
I agree Steve, the Toughie is good fun.
This wasn’t too bad, but the heat here in Spain (nearly 38 again here already) has frazzled the brain. Golf out the window sounds fun! Great choice of music again, the Joe Bonnamassa plays Rory live in Cork especially so. My guitar teacher and I have regular arguments about Mr Bonnamassa.
Gentle and enjoyable which is the norm for Tuesdays – thanks to our setter and Huntsman,
I liked 25a and 16d,
Enjoyed this solve – that’s two days running, won’t last. Favourite 15A. Thanks to our Setter and Huntsman especially the Rory Gallagher clip. What memories it brought back. WEM speakers, Orange Amp and of course the “remarkably battered Strat”. Was in a pub about 10 years ago when “What’s going on” came on the jukebox and I said “Rory Gallagher – absolutely brilliant” and my friend remarked, quite angrily “I can’t stand those Gallagher brothers”. I put her right but there’s no accounting for Taste (sorry)
Nostalgia, indeed. Been a fan of Rory Galagher since the mid 60s. Here he is blasting out What’s Going On at the IOW in 1970:
Ah! Just noticed you’ve already posted this in the review above. Never mind – you can’t have too much of a good thing.
Very little sleep last night due to torrential rain, then fireworks from the Trinity May Ball, and later on a real thunderstorm. The garden is just glowing with energy. Some idiot left the loungers and the padded cushions out all night……. So by way of relief this took my mind off the heat with 26,18 & 20d giving the most pleasure. At my first cabinet meeting I shall, in my post of Minister of Culture, Media and Sport, immediately propose the BBC has a dedicated Sports channel so that those of us who have only just learned that a slip is not necessarily a petticoat, a Bye is not cheerio, and who really don’t want our regular favourite programmes to be shuffled off to 11pm, can forget that sport exists. Apart from watching the Boat Race, the Derby and Wimbledon that is. I reckon that would go down well with everyone. In the meantime, many thanks to the benign Setter and to the Hintsman for parsing 21d.
No rain at all here DG and what are we? About 60 miles apart! The Toughie is worth a punt too. I think I should be your bag carrier when you are the Minister and we can fill it with lemon drizzle!
Manders- how on earth do you get a new shoulder? I’ve never heard of that before. i just cannot imagine the logistics of it. 🤞(Love lemon drizzle , good choice)
A reverse shoulder replacement is quite common now. I was somewhat horrified to find I’ll only be in hospital one night. There’s a 55 week waiting list but they will take from November when I was referred. No driving, lifting etc for 3 months and wearing a sling, a bit daunting
Nothing to do with the crossword but I did like the picture on p.10 of the DT of the jeunesse doree (can’t do an e acute!) on their way to the Trinity Ball. I do hope they didn’t get soaked in the thunderstorm, which somehow I slept through. Favourite clues today were 17a and 25a. Thanks to the setter and Huntsman.
Pretty gentle stuff, although i found it a notch harder to solve than today’s Chalicea (which for anyone in doubt is extremely accessible).
Thanks to our Setter, and to Huntsman. And I wonder what odds you’d get on the Allman Brothers independently landing on both of a day’s blogs?
Well another lovely puzzle today – two on the trot. I bet Friday’s will be a stinker. 10a my favourite. No rain here in East Anglia, more is the pity, in fact scorching. Why can’t the police shut up that stupid nerd who was playing the EU anthem in Downing Street and shouts all the time and blows his horns. Free speech is one thing but irritating little dimwits like that need shutting up. I’m not a fan of Starmer (or politicians in general) but thought that was very disrespectful. Rant over, bring on Wimbledon.
I agree, love Wimbledon. Yesterday’s and today’s crosswords have been just at my level ! I could almost do them unaided save for a few hints along the way. Thank you hinters and setters.
Top half went in quite smoothly, the lower half eventually but not aware of the flower. Flipping caviar 👏
Mark Knobfler strumming away today 🎸
I was also completely unaware of the flower until I started doing cryptics, three or four years ago. I’ve now seen it on a number of occasions. I’d guess it turns up often as it is made up of common letters (so ‘fits’ more often than other words) and is easy to clue by splitting in two, as was done today. ‘Oast’ is another word that turns up more often that it really should.
1*/ 4* Completed in a shady corner of my garden and I found it a very enjoyable solve.
Loads of good clues to choose from, I particularly liked the birds at 5a, stripey mammal at 9a (quite happy with anagram indicator) and also liked 26a proclaim (clever misdirection)
Thanks to compiler and Huntsman
Ps Good to see the Dr Feelgood clip
Completed before going to do my weekly volunteer shift in a community cafe, so my brain is now too hot and bothered to remember anything other than it was very enjoyable and I completed it.
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.
In order to get to Joe and Rory sooner, I rushed at this. I hope to take more care with the Chalicea.
I almost tried to justify Sweetcorn as the plant (Sweet = Good and a Corn is a painful condition) but a checker put me right. I couldn’t get our late Queen into 15a and eventually settled on a Latin Regina.
Thanks to Huntsman and the Plumber
Hint duly amended ta – surprised there wasn’t more. Managed 4 hours kip last night & almost nodded off writing the blog (but got a couple in this afternoon) & it’s going to be hotter tonight 🥵
Definitely a Typical Tuesday puzzle from AP today
2*/4*
Favourites 1a, 9a, 22a, 23a, 3d & 17d — with winners 1a, 17d
Thanks to AP & Huntsman
I found this a little trickier than the toughie today. did not know guy had another meaning so that held me up. which in turn slowed the solve of 6d as for some reason I needed the checkers. I blame the heat I did the Toughie this morning before it got too hot but my brain is frazzled now.
10a has to be my favourite clue it made me smile.
Those of you that didn’t know speedwell are lucky I am guessing you haven’t had lawns infested with the stuff!
Anyway now the puzzle is solved we can go to the pub MrSC is tapping his feet
Out early and not back ‘til late afternoon. Great time but with the heat felt mighty exhausted and did the crossword without reading glasses because it was too much effort to go and find them.
Always love Mr. Plumb so that was a help and did get there unaided. Truth be told our setter was being gentle. I would have sworn there were not two Cs in the black stripped animal. That has now been filed in the learning list. Favourite was 10 across because it was very clever and the mantra I live by.
Thanks all round
Not for the first time I think I made harder work of this than I should have. I started off well slowed down in the middle and finished with almost indecent haste. I would blame the heat but I’m in my kitchen and the sun never shines in there so it’s fairly cool. Favourite was 14d. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
A nice relaxing solve after work, outside at 8:30pm, very relaxing, before the football starts.
Pody occupants are the cheery 20D, 1A’s cryptic tenderness and 27A, my LOI which tricked me a bit into looking for an anagram.
Thanks to AP and Huntsman ⭐️