Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31321
Hints and tips by Huntsman
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ****
Mercifully much cooler today in Harpenden & I suspect we may even have had a drop or two of wet stuff overnight.
The usual elegance from Anthony Plumb today. I found it a wee bit trickier than yesterday’s puzzle. Smylers awarded that one a ** difficulty rating so I’ll follow suit & wait to see what others make of it.
I see Dada is over in t’other place with what seems at first glance a reasonably approachable affair.
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 Was keeping Republican popular a dangerous thing in the main? (7)
WARSHIP: insert R[epublican] into the 1st word in the wordplay then append a synonym for popular/trendy.
5a Harry ultimately drives black and white diggers (7)
BADGERS: a verb meaning to harry or pester + the last letter (ultimately) of [drive]S. A nightmare on a golf course.
9a Confuse old boy with second course of treatment (7)
OBSCURE: the usual abbreviation for old boy + the single letter for S[econd] + a rather loose synonym to my mind for a course of treatment but related in terms of what it’s intended to effect.
10a Most excellent drink – remember? Not half! (7)
SUPREME: drink/quaff + 50% (not half) of reme[mber].
11a In favour of exam? Edward expressed opposition (9)
PROTESTED: the usual preposition for ‘in favour of’ + a synonym for exam followed by a diminutive for Edward.
12a Cook in oven or pan (5)
ROAST: a double definition – the latter context extreme criticism.
13a Tries displacing river birds (5)
RHEAS: a synonym for tries in a legal context with the single letter for R[iver] moved (displacing) to the front.
15a Parisian in bar fight (9)
ENCOUNTER: a French preposition for ‘in’ + a bar/worktop.
17a Pulled in cart at ground with Ted (9)
ATTRACTED: an anagram (ground) of CART AT then append TED from the clue.
19a Ecstasy as golfer oddly gets score of two under par (5)
EAGLE: the class A drug abbreviation + the alternate letters (oddly) of the 2nd & 3rd words of the clue.
22a A piece is cut off (5)
APART: A from the clue + a synonym for piece/segment.
23a Quietly muttered we’d perish at sea (9)
WHISPERED: an anagram (at sea) of WED PERISH.
25a Observing this writer, for example, pinching money (7)
MEETING: start with a personal pronoun that this writer may use to refer to himself then insert (pinching) a slang term for money in between the two letter abbreviation of ‘for example’.
26a Starts to cry loudly, improving friend’s mood (7)
CLIMATE: the 1st letters (starts to) of the 3rd, 4th & 5th words in the clue + friend/buddy.
27a Editor turns and notices plans (7)
DESIGNS: reverse (turns) the usual newspaper boss abbreviation + a synonym for notices/advisory notifications.
28a Secret agent, with no pressure, checks arrangements (7)
SYSTEMS: remove the single letter for P[ressure] from the term for a secret agent then append a verb meaning checks/restrains.
Down
1d Pork pie with insect underneath (7)
WHOPPER: the single letter for W[ith] + an insect from the order Hemiptera – there are grass, plant, tree, leaf & frog ones. The definition is Cockney rhyming slang & nowt to do with a Leicestershire town’s product.
2d Fix section of armrest – or else! (7)
RESTORE: hidden (section of).
3d Building hotel next to river (5)
HOUSE: H[otel] + (next to) a river – the one required popped up in Dada’s Sunday Prize puzzle & Senf pointed out in his hint that there are actually 5 of ‘em so named with the largest one flowing into The Wash.
4d Pert bust initially trembling under items of clothing – most fetching (9)
PRETTIEST: start with an anagram (bust) of PERT then link of an item of clothing plural & finish with the 1st letter (initially) of T[rembling] which goes under in a down clue. Neat surface.
5d Located a shilling in the sack (5)
BASED: sack here is an informal term for the place for overnight 💤. Insert A from the clue + the single letter for S[hilling].
6d Leaving reader put out (9)
DEPARTURE: an anagram (out) of READER PUT.
7d Stylish European on stage with a set of books (7)
ELEGANT: four bits to this charade – E[uropean] + a synonym for stage in the context of a match in a knockout competition maybe + A from the clue + a biblical set of books.
8d Use bad language about bounds of triple jumper (7)
SWEATER: a verb meaning to curse/utter profanity goes around (about) the outer letters (bounds) of T[ripl]E. The fella pictured isn’t one apparently.
14d Frightening bird protecting rear of nest (9)
STARTLING: a medium-sized passerine bird goes around (protecting) the last letter (rear) of [nes]T.
16d Things chaps once put on fish slices (9)
CODPIECES: the required fish has a mild flavour & dense flakey white flesh. Link with a synonym for slices or segments. Nowt to do with tartare sauce or heaven forbid tomato ketchup.
17d Almost everyone bearing weapons is agitated (7)
ALARMED: a truncated (almost) pronoun for everyone + how one may be described if bearing weapons.
18d Little time before French composer’s journeys (7)
TRAVELS: T[ime] (little) + the fella who composed the music Torvill & Dean skated to when winning gold in the 1984 Winter Olympics. Append the possessive.
20d Rubbish clothing wise man first ignored (7)
GARBAGE: a synonym for clothing & the term for a wise man less its initial letter (first ignored).
21d Non-stop lewdness aroused no wife (7)
ENDLESS: an anagram (aroused) of LE[w]DNESS (no W[ife]).
23d Stitch up involving a good salary (5)
WAGES: reverse (up in a down clue) a verb synonym for stitch & place within it (involving) A from the clue & the single letter for G[ood].
24d Pokes one’s nose in cup, by the sound of it (5)
PRIES: a homophone (by the sound of it) of a synonym for cup/trophy.
Difficult not to appreciate a trembling pert bust so that one get the nod as my pick of the clues with podium places for the black & white diggers & the fish slices. Please let us know which clues you liked best.
Today’s Quick crossword pun: BILL + DIN + CITE = BUILDING SITE
What a cracking puzzle from the professor this week. Some clues were answered then parsed while others were parsed and answered. My only stumbling block was the bird at 13a but, as I failed to read the clue properly, it is my own fault. It took a while to get the insect at 1d mainly because I have always known them by longer names but I suppose as a group the name fits. My COTD is the most excellent drink at 10a.
Thank you, AP for a great puzzle. Thank you, Hintsman for the hunts and the music especially Steely Dan.
Still no rain in The Marches but it is forecast for this evening so I hope it is more than sprinkling.
We had some overnight in our part of Shropshire so it must have been very localised.
As I commented yesterday, YS I see the rain arriving on the weather app then it either evaporates or splits into two streams with each arm going around Knockin. We have strange weather here in The Marches. I once organised a charity clay pigeon shoot and, while the rest of the country basked in sunshine, we had rain all day.
I have a freezer full of clay pigeons and no recipe.
Just add water.
… come to Scotland we’ve got plenty … and I’m fed up hearing about drought I’d love a bit of drought .. it might kill off midges🤣
Re the clay pigeons in the freezer … I’d imagine they may well be a suitable alternative ingredient for chuckie stane soup!
Oh the crossword … it was fine. I was a bit disappointed with the solution to 1a though … way wasn’t it pirates! I did try to make it work!
My last in was 13a and I needed to hunt this from hintsman!
Thanks to setter and the hunter.
Personally, I like my clay pigeons stuffed with shiitake mushrooms and lightly roasted for 35 minutes.
I’ll readily swap your rain for my drought, By Eck. According to the weather forecast it’s supposed to be raining at the moment but there’s no sign.
This was pitched perfectly for a Tuesday with the usual style and sharp clueing that we have come to expect. 16d was my last one in for no particular reason and became my favourite.
Many thanks to AP and The Hintsman.
Yesterday was gentle and today we have more of the same, I’m sure we’ll get our comeuppance later in the week.
The only 2 which required any thought were finding the items of clothing in 4d and the displaced river in 13a. I’ll give my COTD to 1a.
Many thanks to AP and Huntsman
1*/3*
PS – I’ve looked at the Dada Toughie and think I may have met my comeuppance earlier than I thought.
Me too – stuck on 5d &8a.
Cancel that – pennies dropped finally
I thought this was a small step up from yesterday and it took me a few minutes to tune in to the setter’s wavelength. Today’s offering created head scratches and delivered humour making it a winner in my eyes.
I don’t recall seeing 1d’s pie in that simple singular form delivering the solution, but it became apparent when 1a revealed itself.
I was confused by 5a until I came to my senses, I kept wondering how the boy wizard related to the digger.
I have never personally owned or worn a 16d but Axl Rose, Alice Cooper, and others, have given them an inelegant public airing in modern times.
My COTD is the 13a bird, which I found to be very clever once the coinage fell.
My thanks to AP for a wonderful puzzle and Huntsman for the hints.
Lovely puzzle. Held myself up a little with 13a (“read the question, Lorraine!”). Really liked 1d, 5d and 16d. Loved the Blackadder clip. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed it.
Rain arrived in the wee small hours in Northants – only knew as I woke with a wet face and had to close the window. Has made any difference to the ground though.
Thanks to setter and to Huntsman
*hasn’t made a difference!
I rated this crossword **/****. Top half all fell into place easily but then I hit a brick wall with the SW corner. Finally solved it with a bit more lateral thinking! LOI was 28a, mainly because I put the wrong homophone in 24d. Favourite clues included 5a, 17a and 18d. Many thanks to AP for a thought provoking puzzle and to Huntsman for the hints – like your choice of picture for 8d!
Another solid puzzle from Il professore with my LOI being the tricky 13a, an excellent clue.
14d is the longest word that can become another word every time you remove a letter.
1d is a great word as is 20d.
I love the choice of pic in 8d, Hoots. His claim that he wasn’t one in Woking (or should that be Woe king) was totes hilaire.
My picks are the nicely constructed 1a, 10a and 4d (oo, matron!).
MTTTA x 2
2*/4*
Tom. You famously dislike the mainstream dictionaries, so the Uxbridge English Dictionary might be just up your street. Here’s some examples from it:
That is excellent, So much brilliant wordplay.
Thank you.
Tough choice but Faculty was my fav.
A belter
Of course, we now have to invent some ourselves, so:
Tailor: A town-crier from Yorkshire.
Very good.
Specsavers: a hoover
It’s good fun pausing when you hear the word to see if you can work it out.
That’s brilliant (an ant with a fish).
This was good fun and a nicely balanced guzzle in termsofdiffiulty andvriety. LikeDaisy I liked the black and whire diggers at 5a together with the pork pie at 1d and the things chaps once put on at 16d. 13a with the displaced r ws alo rather good.Thanks to Mr Plumb and to Huntsman for the hints
Brilliant. Have now purchased a copy online – it will sit nicely next to my copies of ‘The Meaning of Liff’ and ‘Tingo’.
I enjoyed this and felt as I was completing it that there were a fair few avian and animal clues which I much prefer to the cricket (non insect) ones.
Top picks for me were 5a, 13a, 1d and 16d.
Thanks to Huntsman and Mr Plumb.
No rain yet in South Gloucestershire although the sky has looked promising at times.
Another enjoyable Tuesday outing – thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
I liked 13a, 1d and 16d with my favourite being the beautifully constructed 4d.
After a very unproductive initial run through, it all came together quite easily. I think I’m getting better at these early week puzzles as yesterday I beat my speed record and was a * for me! CoD today is definitely 16d.
Just the job. Gentle and yet absorbing and rewarding. Last in was 13 across and although it could only be the one answer I needed Huntsman to point out the reasoning. Loved the misdirection of the 2 top across clues with the pork pie for I down.
Lord Flash Heart certainly knew how to live up to his 16 down
Mr. Plumb is one of my favourite setters and thanks Huntsman.
As Typically Tuesdayish as ever although I did get inexplicably slowed down by 24d. **/****
I was building up a nice list of candidates for favourite until I solved 16d which instantly became my standout favourite (third form humour I suppose).
Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.
1.5*/5*. Exquisite!
Too many ticked clues to single any out.
Many thanks to AP and Hintsman,
My usual tussle with an AP production and on completion wondered why I made such heavy weather of it. Yes, one or two needed a bit of thought but all was fairly clued as ever. I liked 5a and 16d, but cotd is the excellent 13a. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
Very light as usual on a Tuesday, although I thought 16d was good. Thanks very much to the setter and to Huntsman for the fine selection of clips, ranging from one of Rik Mayall’s finest moments to the deep Dan cut from perhaps their least pleasing classic era album overall (OK, Kid Charlemagne is brilliant). Also the best Supremes song ever and a candidate for my all time top ten singles.
Funny it’s possibly my fav though it’s very mood dependent. I just love Larry Carlton’s playing – Don’t Take Me Alive & the title track 2 other belters for me.
I’ve just examined my vinyl copy and at least half of it is brilliant. As you say, very mood dependent and part of a magnificent run. Perhaps I’m unduly influenced by the terrible cover art.
Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
Still easing ourselves back into doing the crossword regularly. Took longer as we are very rusty!
LOI 13a
COTD 16d
An excellent puzzle.
My only query was whether at 9a, a course of treatment is necessarily the last 4 letters of the solution.
Top three for me – 5a, 1d, and 16d.
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman.
A fairly mild but certainly enjoyable Tuesday puzzle. Quite a few ticks and my favourite clue today is 16d. 2*/3*.
I thought I’d share some entries from my MRB (meduim red book) – my personal reference book which I started in 1970 when I was quite green and first became very interested in cryptic crosswords (and semantics). This one is very near the front so it must be from 1970:
GRISLY: gruesome, macabre.
GRISTLY: tough, chewy, full of gristle.
GRIZZLY: hoary, grey, grey-haired, brown bear.
*This one may be of particular interest to a regular on here.
Love it! (obviously)
I didn’t mean you Tom, though it is obvious you’d appreciate it. That particular entry should be of specific interest to another regular on here. I won’t say who or why.
‘Twas a shame there was no cricket. I was ready and waiting with a copy of Tom’s tea towel. Instead golf and athletics.
Rhyming slang with a slang answer was observed, also, a slightly risqué tone in places.
Well done to setter and hinter
Loved the context of the reference to (ex) Prince Andrew, my sense of humour exactly!
Had to use the hint for 13a….doh!
Favourite 16d.
Thanks to the setter and to Huntsman.
I have been away enjoying the Fringe in Edinburgh (actual Festival is far too highbrow for us) …..had a great time as always. The city just buzzes at this time . Only disappointment was very few fireworks at the Tattoo. We didn’t go but watched hopefully from the Grassmarket…..no joy.
It rained all night here in coastal Angus….overcast now, so I expect we will get some more soon.
Great guzzle, enjoyed the anagrams as always and particularly liked the black and white diggers.
Dashing off to Book Group. Many thanks to Setter and Huntsman I’ll be back to see what you have all had to say!
For me this seemed a Typical Tuesday puzzle this week.
Nothing to scare the horses in this one.
1.5*/3.5*
Favourites 10a, 23a, 1d, 3d, 16d & 20d — with winner 1d
Thanks to AP & Huntsman
1* / 4* Rattled through this Tuesday treat, shame it was over so quickly.
Top three from a crowded field of excellent clues are the black and white diggers at 5a, the fish slices at 16d and the birds at 13a
Thanks to compiler and Huntsman (liked Bruce, Blackadder, Garbage + The Supremes)
A nice lunchtime solve. LTI were 16D & 28A combo. Wasn’t convinced by the 25A ‘observing’ synonym initially, then looked it up and saw the ‘comply with’ entry.
Pody picks – wasn’t sure about 28A’s ‘arrangements’ definition at first and had the wrong agent, despite the ‘secret’ helper; so all in all, I respect the deception. Also 20D’s surface (and the musical reference, back to my grungier days), and 1D’s pork pie. Honourable mention for 13A by my ego as I was glad to catch the ‘displacing’ trick.
Thanks to AP and to Huntsman – I also liked your 8D pic 🤦♂️
Good fun while it lasted. 5a gets my top spot for its quirkiness. Thanks to our Setter and Huntsman for the blog. I managed two correct artists (10a and 20d) and a correct TV series (16d) although I went with Series 1 and the Black Russian.
Now to see what I make of the other tunes!
I thought this was going to be a personal best , but got held up with a few at the end . That damn bird again at 13a was my last one in. Never encountered it IRL , and never heard of it before I did crosswords and now seen it several times but it eluded me for a good while today! An enjoyable solve though and some great clues. I loved the black and white diggers at 5A. Thanks to Anthony Plumb and Huntsman.
I thought I’d drop in ‘IRL’ seeing as it’s all the rage on social media . I am so with it !
I liked the fact that someone else has a book for writing special things. Mine is a rather nice book covered in red Chinese silk and I have to call it my Commonplace Book ,cos that was what Great Aunt Florence called it. I have written down special things for years; children’s sayings, Poems wot I rote, song lyrics and favourite crossword clues. Also things like the names of the Seven Dwarfs, the Greek alphabet, the planets in order from the sun etc etc. strangely it never seems to get filled up! Favourite story (rude) is when Jeremy ( now a Physics Teacher) told me “Mummy makes me clean my teeth with soap”. Me – don’t be ridiculous Jeremy, get on and clean your teeth and get into bed. “Yes she did, when I called William a t**t she made me clean my teeth with soap”. I didn’t know what the word meant so had to ask George later on. Then I laughed and thought “well done girl!”
Sorry, unnecessary ramblings of an old lady. Lovely guzzle and comments.
That is fascinating, DG. My mother had a similar book in which she wrote poems and thoughts etc. Sadly, it was lost after she died. My daughter has given me a book called “Dad. Your Story”. When I opened it, each page is blank with a question at the top. The question on the first page is “What is your earliest memory”. It goes through childhood, teens, young adulthood, adulthood and later life. I have to fill each page in. To my shame, I’ve only filled in the first page so I better get a move on. She is coming over from Melbourne in a couple of weeks.
This is it.
What a great idea.
Get writing, Cowling!
I have promised myself to do so but how honest should I be? I believe, Faye has given it to me so she can read about her dad once he has slipped his mortal coil – not a thing I intend doing anytime soon, I hasten to add. Do I reveal all the sordid details? Mind you, Faye is not daft and I think she has her old man sussed. 😊
Absolutely go for it!
Bin that filter.
Good evening
Another little belter of a crozzie from the Prof.
I genuinely felt like hoyin’ in the sponge more than once, especially when I got to the SW quadrant.
COTD is the pert bust – ooh err missus! Titter ye not! – at 4d. 1a was a corker too.
Many thanks to the Prof and to Huntsman
Another enjoyable puzzle and would have been a good solving time except for delay with LOI 13a. I did go up one or two cul-de-sacs because of cunning misdirection. Many thanks to the Setter and Huntsman. Rain on and off here in the NW though no heavy downpour which I would prefer to the overcast skies and ‘on and off’ drizzle.
Yorkshire here and we have had decent amounts of rain. It’s almostput the heating on to take the chill off” over here
A very enjoyable Tuesday puzzle at just the right level. My favourite was 16d and the instant association with Blacksdder.
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.
Nice a speedy solve with no assistance required.
Sometimes I read the clue and derive the answer out loud – it can help along with word association (also out loud) however mr SC was getting quite cross with my random words this evening.
My COTD was also 16d did make me chuckle.
We have had a reasonable amount of rain over the last three days – enough to refill the water butts and also means I don’t have to water the pots and hanging baskets. We had the roof replaced on our annex two weeks ago as it was leaking so this recent weather is a good test.
Dickinson and Morris are the prime examples of pork pies in Melton Mowbray although my friend David Ball, a farmer from Frolesworth, wins prizes with his that he makes by hand in his kitchen and are even better. Another splendid Tuesday offering from AP with nothing 9a. Favourite was 13a. Thanks to the aforementioned and Huntsman. I may go back to the Dada toughie and give it another go, a contest in which I’m currently coming off second best.
Great solve today.
Quite a few “Why did I make such hard work of that clue?” moments.
Needed the hint to parse 13a.
Thanks to all.
Good to have more Tuesday fun which didn’t scare the horses. I do however have to admit to seeking support for 13a, 25a and 28a. Thanks Mr. Plumb and Hintsman.
All clues completed except 13a for which I had to use Huntsman’s explanation of the clue. Frustrating, so near yet so far. Other than that an enjoyable but reasonably challenging romp. Favourites today were 1a, 1d and 16d.
Thank you to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.
When I first glanced at this after a fabulous afternoon of ⛳️ I thought, have a 🍺 and come back to it. I did and bar a few hold outs, most flew in whilst listening to Genesis (the proper one with Gabriel and Hackett before they became a pop group) 🎸
ps A riveting game at the home of 🏴 football last night with a dramatic ending which took the roof off a packed stadium👏
3*/5* …
liked 10A “Most excellent drink – remember ? Not half ! (7)”