Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31305
Hints and Tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty 2* – Enjoyment 5*
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where, like most of Southern England (I believe), it ain’t half hot mum – 34 degrees, feels like 43! Although, I was watching TV coverage of the Commonwealth Games from Glasgow on Wednesday and there seemed to more water in the Athletics Stadium than there was in the Swimming Pool!
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), for the first time in quite a while we have a Dream Team Thursday! Silvanus on Toughie duty and there is no doubt that this is the work of the Master of Brevity; but, he has dialled it back a bit compared to last week. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen, Ray T’s swEetheart, but not the plain sweetheart, in the back pager. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
Candidates for favourite – 1a, 11a, 17a, 26a, 6d, 21d, and 24d.
In the hints below, the definitions are underlined. The answers are hidden under the Click here! buttons, so don’t click if you don’t want to see them.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Small airline for part of Russia (7)
SIBERIA: The single letter for Small and guess an airline – to help you out a little, it is one of the 15 airlines that make up the OneWorld™ alliance, and it is also a peninsula.
5a Stick with recording equipment for debate (7)
POLEMIC: A four letter synonym of stick (Hmm), and the abbreviated form of the device that ‘collects’ the sounds that are being recorded.
9a Form of jailbird facing spell (7)
CONTOUR: The usual three letter abbreviated term for a jailbird followed by (facing) a synonym of spell (of duty?).
10a Fill bare menu with Cheddar, say (7)
ENGORGE: Nothing to do with cheese! mENu with the outer letters removed (bare) and the geographical feature that Cheddar is an example of (say).
11a Saucier sweetheart showing some underwear (9)
BRASSIERE: A synonym of saucier (as in showy or loud) and ray T’s sweetheart.
12a Little time to pursue study (5)
SCANT: The single letter for Time placed after (to pursue) a synonym of study (briefly?).
13a Dog in the Yorkshire bar (5)
TRAIL: The Yorkshire way of ‘attaching’ an abbreviated form of the to a synonym of (horizontal?) bar.
15a Improved taking health resort shower (9)
BESPATTER: An adjectival synonym of improved containing (taking) a three letter term for health resort.
17a Subject of French writer with depression (9)
DEPENDENT: Of in French, the mythical writer, and (with) a synonym of depression (not the state of mind for not winning the mythical).
19a Live with former partner first (5)
EXIST: The usual two letters for former partner and first written as an ordinal number.
22a Crows perhaps in efforts surrounding rook (5)
BIRDS: A definition by example (perhaps) of a synonym of efforts containing (surrounding) the chess notation for Rook.
23a Plain site with green bananas (9)
SERENGETI: It’s getting to appear more and more frequently again! An anagram (bananas) of SITE and (with) GREEN.
25a Marine worker holding line for caulk? (7)
SEALANT: An adjectival(?) synonym of marine and one of our favourite six legged workers containing (holding) the single letter for Line.
26a Returning, say, adult makes water leak (7)
SEEPAGE: The reversal (returning) of all of the abbreviated form of the Latin term equivalent to say, the single letter for Adult, and an informal term equivalent to makes water (Hmm).
(You can find this little chap in Brussels!)
27a Record name includes Queen spot (7)
DISCERN: A record used for reproducing music and the single letter for Name contains the regnal letters of our late Queen.
28a Abbess is tersely constraining nuns (7)
SISTERS: A lurker (constraining) found in three words in the clue.
Down
1d Instrument using bag only (7)
SACKBUT: Synonyms of bag and only.
2d Possibly scarf fruit eating rind’s end (7)
BANDANA: Guess a fruit, the one that, in the plural, is sometimes used as an anagram indicator, containing (eating) the last letter (‘s end) of rinD.
3d Rises in opposition to something, initially (5)
RIOTS: One of Ray T’s favourite clue constructions – the initial letters of five words in the clue.
4d Nice beer, a lager, almost drunk (9)
AGREEABLE: An anagram (drunk) of BEER, A LAGEr with the last letter deleted (almost).
5d Bit of silence for the audience (5)
PIECE: A homophone (for the audience) of a synonym of silence.
6d Pass law and member falls behind? (9)
LEGISLATE: A member (as in one of two parts of one’s body) and written (2,4) a phrase equivalent to falls behind.
7d Waspish matron bustling about ward, finally (7)
MORDANT: An anagram (bustling about) of MATRON and the last letter (finally) of warD – the answer could be considered a homophone of this lady’s surname.
8d One fiddles with cold radiator (7)
CHEATER: The single letter for Cold and what a radiator is a type of.
14d Prospect of free lap dances! (9)
LANDSCAPE: An anagram (free) of LAP DANCES.
16d Guys maybe planted flowers (9)
SATIRISES: A three letter synonym of (maybe) planted and flowers that are sometimes known as flags.
17d Bachelors in action getting sordid (7)
DEBASED: The indication of two or more students completing a first degree inserted into a synonym of (heroic?) action.
18d Maybe shot phaser containing power (7)
PERHAPS: An anagram (shot) of PHASER containing the single letter for power.
20d Run over, steaming round empty thoroughfare (7)
ITERATE: A synonym of steaming (as in somewhat annoyed?) containing (round) what remains after the interior letters of ThoroughfarE have been deleted (empty).
21d Muscle runs enclosing ends of clavicle (7)
TRICEPS: A synonym of runs (as in journeys?) containing (enclosing) the outer letters (ends) of ClaviclE.
23d Some schnapps, a tangy spirit (5)
SATAN: A lurker (some) found in three words in the clue.
24d Yearns for massages received (5)
NEEDS: A homophone (received) of a synonym of massages.
Quick Crossword Pun:
BUTT + HUFF + LIE = BUTTERFLY
What a glorious production from RayT with all the usual trademarks evident. My last to fall was the run over at 20d, which refused to reveal itself despite all checkers being present. I have ticks all over the paper, as is often the case with Mr. Brevity, such as the cheeky water leak at 26a. I loved the saucier sweetheart at 11a and the member falling behind at 6d. It was difficult to pick a favourite out of all the great clues but I have to go with the Yorkshire dog at 13a.
A warm welcome for a returning chestnut at 23a.
Thank you, RayT for a smasher of a puzzle. Thank you, :el for the hints.
Another great Quickie pun today.
A lovely puzzle which made me think which is no bad thing despite the heat. I so wanted the last part of 16d to be roses. Lots of ticks all over the page and I was pleased to see our 23a friend clued so well.
Top picks for me were 26a, 16d, 1d, 15a and 25a. The Quickie pun made me smile in a “that’s nice” way rather than a comical way.
Thanks to Senf and Ray T.
It was hardly enough to call rain but there was the merest trace of something falling from the sky over Horsehay earlier this morning.
All the hallmarks of a Ray T Thursday puzzle…they never disappoint and today was no exception…very enjoyable.
A few worthy of a mention – I have never come across a 1d, my LOI, and had to resort to a search. I might argue that in our increasingly intolerant world 5a is replacing debate, and a moment of ponder over 16d, until I recalled that ‘guy’ was used in this form a couple of days ago.
I loved the 13a dog but today’s COTD was the cheeky, laughter provoking 26a
Many thanks to Ray T and Senf for the hints
We had some too in Rodington but I doubt they will call off the drought.
a feast of general knowledge:
Airlines, literary words, synonyms, geography of England (e.g. Cheddar), t’Yorkshire dialect, a smidgeon of French…anagrams galore (though not gaoler), human anatomy. All with the prospect of free lap-dancers.
Taking turns, we finished it easily over breakfast. Congrats to the setter for some good fun.
Another wonderful puzzle from the RT production line with so many terrific clues. It was nice to welcome back 23a after a short absence. Picking a favourite was almost impossible, but I went for 26a for the giggle factor. Great stuff.
In truth I found his ‘Quick’ grid far tougher to complete, though I did appreciate the pun.
My thanks to Mr T and Senf.
This turophile would dispute that 10a had nothing to do with Cheese, the caves in question being fundamental to the maturation process. Pointless nit-picking apart a fun puzzle easier in the north.
Thanks to Senf and RayT
I thought of cheese but right clicked and selected look up (on a Mac) ‘turophile’ and it gave me the definition of ‘europhile’. ☺
I’m not expecting it in a Telegraph crossie, as it isn’t in Chambers
I enjoyed the puzzle, getting stuck awhile on 26 across and 20 down until I became unstuck.
I’m working my way through some of the archives (I’m up to March, 2026) and some of the answers are repeated regularly and some of the clues as well, almost.
Skilful setter and hints person very adept.
I hope your not the unmasked cricket cheat?!!
Good one. Laughing emoji.
Another DNF as I needed the hints to parse 7D. 1D seems to be a compilers go to for some reason or it could be that every time it comes up I google it that makes it seem more prominent. I appreciate the reference to God’s own country/county in 13A (search online for impassioned rants as to which it should be). The setter is obviously a fan of, ”I’m sorry I haven’t a clue”. COTD award from me goes to 16D as it’s a classic example of this compilers art.
Thanks to Senf for the hints which I needed for the parsing and to the setter for the challenge.
Thai corner.
I have been MIA quite often recently but I think yesterday’s excuse is worth a mention. I rent a property in Thailand and the agreement between the landlord and I as to responsibility for repairs is very fluid. I rent out my flat in Sheffield and if a tap washer needs replacing I immediately get an invoice for a plumber and a washer whereas here, negotiations begin when a fault is found. Long story short. The toilet door was failing to lock properly, I attacked it with drill. hacksaw, putty, files etc. and reached a point at which I stood back in admiration of my work. At this point I was inside the shower room and I closed the door to check that things operated properly only to find out that the door wouldn’t open. As I hadn’t taken my phone into the room with me there was a considerable delay until my wife came into earshot of my shouted pleas for assistance. Amazingly there was a further delay when I explained to her through the locked door that she would have to apply her shoulder to the door in a mildly violent manner to release me. She seemed to be more concerned with bruising to her shoulder than in my freedom. In the end my freedom won out and the bruising was only minor.
😂
I am afraid that I did not enjoy this as much as I usually do Ray’s crosswords.
Just off wavelength today I guess.
I eventually struggled through with help from Senf’s excellent hints.
Not keen on the water leak….
Thanks to RayT and to Senf.
Lots of rain here last night. Grass is starting to green up again here on the East Coast, thank goodness. Sunny and clear today, pleasantly warm.
I hope Dunwich Heath, along the Suffolk Coast near Leiston, gets some & soon. The reports today of the wildfire are very worrying – have stayed & played many times at Thorpeness Golf Club & Hotel just down the road & love the area.
Simply dreadful and has now reached Minsmere.
I do hope you get some rain soon. These fires are awful.
The one in the Cairngorms is less dangerous than it was, but continues to burn underneath the ground…..all those peaty deposits I guess.
At least the folks in Nethy Bridge that were evacuated have been able to return.
I saw a photo of the smoke that I thought was taken from the lane leading to a cluster of houses just West of the northern half of the Thorpeness GC where my parents lived for 20 years or so prior to their demise some 30 years ago. Looking hard at Google I was mistaken. I think I’ve mentioned that that I played more at Aldeburgh, where I learnt to play some 75 years ago, and where my father was a member, and Captain for a while.
Hoping and praying that Sizewell, Thorpe and Leiston (and Minsmere – which I don’t know well) will be ok.
Aldeburgh – what a course
Many many moons ago I bought a 1 iron in order to play the par 3 13th against a gale blowing from the East, as it frequently did, I couldn’t reach it with a 3, and woods went too high. I still have it (to show off mainly), must be about 40 years old!
The little 9 hole is fun too. My father and/or a friend of his got it built.
For me, and I stress for me (© Senf), how wonderful to see our old pal back again at 23a. Like the prodigal son he once was lost and now is found. ‘Orchestra’ is the other son who stayed at home and tilled the fields. Welcome home 23a!
(I have always felt rather sorry for the bloke who stayed at home, but I suppose the element of forgiveness and joy at matey’s return overrides that)
Thus ends today’s reading.
Terrific guzzle. Top drawer.
Thanks to RayTee and The Sizzling Man From Manitoba.
The swiftest grid fill of the week but hugely enjoyable for brief time it lasted. Though nothing particularly stood out as a favourite all of ‘em, as you would expect, were impeccably clued. Not sure if it’s just my mucky mind who wondered if the surface reads at 14,17&24d were linked & intentionally risqué. No real problems on the parsing front other than a brief head scratch with the spell synonym at 9a until remembering a Jason Isbell tune.
Thanks to Ray & to Senf
1* / 4* Very enjoyable from start to finish, plenty of humour and misdirection.
Best of an excellent crop of clues include 26a leak, the fiddler at 8d and the 16d guys
Thanks to compiler and Senf
A nice solid, albeit, benign crossword from fortnightly Fred.
Good to see 23a appearing so soon after its recent showing. It’s giving the ‘chest roar’ (anag) a great run for its moolah.
‘Make water’ is a hilarious term. My mother loved all these expressions but this one didn’t cross her lips. My mother was from a different generation. She never drove, didn’t have a bank account but this is the one…she never wore trousers.
The silverware goes to 17a, 14d and 16d.
MTTTA and the Manitoban mountie.
2*/4*
Not even metaphorically?
Great call!
My mother definitely “wore the trousers” in her 2 single-socketed kitchen!
My mother, bless her, had some strange ways/ideas. I think most members of that generation did. In 1985, my parents bought a bungalow that need much renovation. My father and I re-wired it and my mother steadfastly insisted that she wanted only two single sockets in the kitchen – one in one corner for the f/f and another in the opposite corner, above the worktop, which was for the washer. She absolutely refused to have an electric kettle, toaster, microwave or any other small electrical appliances in there. And the reason: They always break down after 5 minutes and I can’t stand wires all over the place.
Gotta luv em, J.
My mother was a very ‘with it’ flapper and wore French knickers. She told the tale that walking down Regent Street the button came off and they silkily slid to the ground. She just stepped out of them and stuffed them in my father’s pocket.
Superb!!!
A similar thing happened to me, DG. We were all going to the hospital canteen for lunch and wearing our scrubs. I was carrying two plates of salad. Then the elastic holding my trousers up broke. There was nowhere to set the plates down so I had to walk with my legs getting further apart to try and stop disaster. Fortunately, a colleague saw my plight and took the plates from me so I could hold the offending garment up.
What a great scene!
I had an embarassing encounter when i was seventeen, just outside the Notre Dame. Walking down Rue de la Cité, I turned a corner to see the Cathedral for the first time. I caught sight of a zebra crossing, so without taking my eyes off the scene of Quasimodo’s belfry, I stepped into the road. What I hadn’t noticed was the French custom of having meat and two veg high bollards either side of Zebra Crossings, after encountering one at a brisk walking pace I couldn’t speak English let alone French. My own family disowned me as I writhed in the road, and left me to the attention of several concerned French madams who wanted to inspect the damage whilst I just wanted to curl up and die.
Ouchy!
Tears to the eyes, Sloops!
The scene hasn’t changed much on Google Maps, but I doubt any of my DNA remains
The view from the other side of the crossing, but my eyes were watering
Were the bollards black and blue?
For at least a month, then all colours of the rainbow
Oh sorry you said bollards…🤓
My mother did not wear trousers literally until very late in life but none of my friends would go near her, she was the discipline in our house!!!!
I had to go and check on the calendar that today is Thursday. I managed to finish in a reasonable time without hints. Of late Thursdays have been horrendous, to put it mildly.
I flew through this enjoyable guzzle albeit needing a couple of hints to explain the word play, including 13a which was my last in.
Now that the Yorkshireness has been explained and the little Belgian statue displayed I think it only fair to regale another old chestnut …
The mayor of a Yorkshire town was invited to a posh corporate buffet lunch and has he popped an olive into his mouth was heard to remark “‘ee by gum who’s been pishing of t’ grapes! “… boom boom.
Thanks to setter and Senf.
Occasionally, the hints can be more confusing than the clues. Why is the writer in 17a “mythical”?
It is a reference used by some of our company who have submitted untold numbers of completed Saturday and/or Sunday prize puzzles but have never won the ‘writer’ offered as a prize. Hence they consider that the ‘writer’ is ‘mythical’ and it is frequently mentioned in comments in Saturday and Sunday blogs.
This is a ‘mythical’. I🥰
Go on Daisygirl, drive the point home to Terence et al – I know that is “a” mythical but how many do you have? ☺
Wait!!! Its a biro? I had always imagined it would be a fountain pen*. I feel slightly less miffed at being repeatedly shunned.
*given the DT’s tendency to baffle/exclude younger solvers – a quill was my alternative assumption!
Actually, MC, the first one WAS a pen and biro. set. For years I insisted on using the pen to sign cheques, but who uses cheques nowadays?
I think The Mythical for the Sunday Toughie is reckoned to be a fountain pen. Of course, these days with lies and false news created by AI …..?
Photoshopped!!
Wash your mouth out with soap young man. How can you suggest such a thing? Only three, but I have been doing the prize guzzle for 60 years and in the old days spent more than the cost of the pen on postage!
Gosh, this soap doesn’t taste nice. 😳
PS. Thanks for “Young man”, DG. 😊
Another good cryptic from my favouite setter. The usual concise clues provided and enjoyable solve but were mostly quite mild – puzzles from Ray T have no right being less than 3* for difficulty. 3d – one of my bugbears! Initial letter clues that contain the indicator “initially”. Way too obvious, always R & W for most solves, apart from beginners.novices. But they are just one clue type of only a handful so that’s fair enough (I suppose). Fav: 11a. 2*/3*.
Solved after three bites of the cherry having been distracted by bits and bobs and a test drive of a possible new car. Never driven an ev before, but liked it very much. Anyhow, a completed Ray T, so my day is complete. Liked the small airline and our old friend at 23a, but cotd goes to 2d. Thanks to Ray T and Senf.
A nice puzzle again this week from RayT on his fortnightly visit to the back pager. Thoroughly enjoyed this and the usual brevity and succinct clueing that he always provides. Nice to see his sweetheart as well as the Queen putting in appearances as well.
2.5*/4.5* for me
Favourites include so many choices … but I picked 5a, 19a, 23a, 27a, 8d & 18d — with winners 8d & 18d
Smiles for 5a, 13a, 19a & 4d as well as many more.
So much to like in this puzzle.
Thanks to RayT & Senf
when does a puzzle become less enjoyable for the reason it’s too benign? Such a fine line tob draw between impossibly difficult and so easy that there is no challenge. I found Ray T’s offering today to be in the latter category. Maybe because Inhave been banned from the litchen, where I normally do the crossword whilst breakfasting,to my study because the cleaning ladies are mopping the floor. No distractions meant everything fell into place easily and I am left feeling slightly cheated at not having had to engage too many brain cells . My COTD was 26a although i liked 12a for its succinctness as well
Crikey! You can afford multiple cleaning ladies?
Probably the speediest I have ever solved a RayT puzzle.
Thanks to him and Senf
I’m sitting here in W Hampshire listening to quite heavy rainfall; what a lovely sound. Oh dear it has stopped again, but nice while it lasted. As for the puzzle this was Ray T at his most docile. Rattled it off before golf this morning with nothing to bother the cerebral matter. 5a, 16a and 26a take the podium places.
Many thanks to RayT and Senf
1*/3*
John brought me tea followed later by coffee this morning and that is how today’s offering was done. Had to share 26 across with him because it was so brilliant and demonstrated Ray T’s sauciness. We were aged 13 when our headmistress took us to Brussels. She was rather annoyed at the coach driver taking us past the statue of the little lad peeing.
Glad it was relatively straightforward today but even so it was most enjoyable
Thanks all round
So others have said it , this was a gentle offering from Ray T , held up by a few at the end. My last one in was 1d, which was a new word for me . Nice to see 23a again . Enjoyable solve. Thanks to Ray T and Senf.
Nice straightforward guzzle on another blisteringly muggy day. All went swimmingly except that I was a Clever Clogs and bunged Plantains in at 23a without parsing it, which messed up the grid, however the ‘downs’ quickly made me reconsider and I realise we can never take any ‘plain’ for granted. I liked 15a, I’d love to be in a Spa right now. 1d and 5a are particularly satisfying words and will get my applause today. Many thanks to RayTee and Senf.
This was entertaining, witty and very enjoyable. No complaints from me and also no stand out favourite as there were too many to choose from.
Many thanks to RayT and to Senf for the hints
** / ****
Another fine second Thursday offering from RayT. 15a as a word felt new to me but probably isn’t; rather it’s just so seldom used. Different story for 7d. I’ve heard that word lots but realised only today that I didn’t know what it meant and so had to look it up to check its ‘waspishness’. On 16d, this form of “guys”, courtesy of crosswords, is always the one that springs to mind first! Ticks went to the 5a debate, which as has been said earlier, is pretty much the norm these days, the 6d Pass law and COTD is of course the water leak after making water returning in 26a, superb.
Many thanks to RayT and Senf.
As I am going to be ‘out’ for (my) afternoon, attending a RCAF Change of Command Ceremony, I will thank Ray T in advance of his customary ‘appearance’ for a very enjoyable, as usual, solve and blog.
Evening all. Many thanks to Senf for the analysis and to everybody else for your comments. Much appreciated.
RayT
Thank you, RayT for a most enjoyable puzzle and for popping in. 👍
Lovely puzzle from Ray T -some lovely words (5a, 7d, 12a) and elegant, smooth surfaces. Top stuff!
Thanks to Ray T and Senf
Held up in the SW by biffing in the wrong answer to 22a, other than that no hold ups. Plenty of schoolboy humour and innuendo on offer. Excellent stuff. Favourite was 16d. Thanks to Rayt and Senf.
I am sorry I did not much enjoy this as I often like Thursday – just me I expect, couldn’t get on the right wavelength and after yesterday’s breezy easy it took me back to my usual place at the bottom of the snake, so to speak. But appreciated all the same so thanks as always to RayT and to Send for an excellent and very helpful blog.
You and me both, Jenny…..Just not on the wavelength today.
Argh! Autocorrect Senf!
Good evening
Didn’t get anywhere near yesterday’s crozzie, and as for Tuesday, I accidentally (on purpose) forgot to check in. It was a DNF and an embarrassing one at that! Best forgotten about…
On to today, and an obvious Ray T production. One of those where you stare, and stare, and stare…never believing that you’re ever going to get off the ground – then slowly, teasingly, the solutions reveal themselves.
Top clue today is 26a. 16d needed a bit of explanation, though, for which I say many thanks to Senf as well as to the Mighty Mr T.
2*/5*. As Senf correctly points out, it is dream team Thursday. I solved both the back pager and the Toughie before heading off to play cricket and I’ve just arrived home. Two points of note: we lost a thrilling game, our opponents scored 232-6 off their 40 overs and we finished on 230-5; the other surprising thing is that we lost 30 minutes play due to rain. If it had continued to rain we would have won the match using Duckworth-Lewis! In case you’ve forgotten rain is that wet stuff that used to fall regularly from the sky and which is now as rare as hen’s teeth.
Both crosswords today were 5* quality and I just want to say many thanks to RayT and to Senf.
16d broke me, but whilst in understand the clues components I do not understand how the final answer represents GUYS… any explanation
Welcome to the blog
‘Guys’ can be defined as teasing or making fun of
So:
Guys>Pulls Out>Teases>the answer…
Thanks