Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31327
Hints and tips by Huntsman
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
It’s shaping up to be another pleasant sunny day here in Harpenden so I’ve no excuses, now that the temperature is mercifully more tolerable, for not getting a decent walk in this afternoon.
I thought today’s Anthony Plumb lacked a wee bit of sparkle compared to recent weeks so I’ll be interested to see what others make of it. It was certainly on the gentle side even by Tuesday standards & I’d reckon it easier than yesterday’s puzzle. As ever immaculately clued.
Hudson is over in t’other place with a light delight that is fun & pretty ‘floughie’. Ideal for anyone contemplating dipping their toes into toughie waters for the first time. Whybird will be delighted to hear from you.
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 Holds up drinks after drink (8)
SUPPORTS: drink/quaff followed by (after) drinks/fortified wines from the Douro region of Portugal.
5a Lost penny in a crack (6)
ADRIFT: insert the Latin single letter for penny (from denarius, a coin in ancient Rome) between A from the clue & a synonym for crack/rupture.
9a Rich sailor and German social worker (8)
ABUNDANT: three elements to this charade – link the usual two letter abbreviation for a sailor with the German for ‘and’ then add crosswordland’s usual social worker who grafts in a colony.
10a Hit second three-wheeler (6)
STRIKE: S[econd] + an informal abbreviation for a three-wheeler.
12a Constrained by fib about northern accent (9)
UNDERLINE: constrained by/subject to + a synonym for fib placed around N[orthern]. The definition is a verb masquerading as a noun in the surface.
13a Checks rules, by the sound of it (5)
REINS: a straightforward homophone (by the sound of it).
14a Some rowan we have flipping chopped (4)
HEWN: hidden in reverse (some/flipping).
16a Dog lead (7)
POINTER: a double definition.
19a Dopiest mongrel getting stick (7)
DEPOSIT: an anagram (mongrel – can I hear Tom tutting?) of DOPIEST.
21a Report penned in excitement (4)
ITEM: hidden (penned).
24a Once more adult pursues profit? On the contrary! (5)
AGAIN: on the contrary instructs that it’s the single letter for A[dult] that precedes the synonym for profit.
25a Get rid of dodgy email I sent, ignoring son (9)
ELIMINATE: an anagram (dodgy) of EMAIL I [s]ENT (ignoring S[on]).
27a Clergyman initially celebrated and left Morecambe? (6)
CLERIC: C[elebrated] (initially) + L[eft] followed by Ernie’s partner rather than owt to do with the coastal resort.
28a Found everyone following British sport (8)
BASEBALL: a verb for found/establish is linked with a synonym for everyone which is preceded by (following) the single letter for B[ritish].
29a Place in Washington no American is calm (6)
SETTLE: remove A[merican] from a major seaport in Washington state – home to the Space Needle & the city that brought us Nirvana & Pearl Jam who made such a mark on the nineties music scene.
30a Perceived old Spanish coin instead, oddly (8)
REALISED: the name for an old Spanish coin dating back to the 14th century (the piece of eight was the Spanish dollar) followed by the alternate (oddly) letters of the penultimate word in the clue.
Down
1d This could make pals very generous (4-2)
SLAP-UP: a reverse anagram of sorts – append an indicator to what you have to do to the 4th word in the clue to give you a definition synonym (think meal).
2d American poet’s pens (6)
POUNDS: the surname of a US linesman with the possessive S.
3d Command from king stuck in river (5)
ORDER: insert (stuck in) the regnal letter for king into a Central European river.
4d Allowance for the elderly beginning to be changed, creating anxiety (7)
TENSION: swap out the 1st letter (beginning to be changed) of an allowance currently still subject to the triple lock which will probably be scrapped by the time I receive it in 3 years time.
6d Discover men tried out exfoliating at first (9)
DETERMINE: an anagram (out) of MEN TRIED then append E[xfoliating] (at first).
7d Start in Italy with fourth of exhibits in art gallery (8)
INITIATE: IN from the clue + the IVR code for Italy then append the name of an art gallery into which you insert the 4th letter of [exh]I[bits].
8d Adore sugar ultimately in hot drink? Certainly! (8)
TREASURE: insert the last letter (ultimately) of [suga]R into a beverage then link with an adverb/interjection for certainly/of course.
11d Assist European husband lifting large piano (4)
HELP: reverse (lifting/down clue) the first two of the 4 single letter abbreviations that comprise the wordplay.
15d New lease isn’t necessary (9)
ESSENTIAL: an anagram (new) of LEASE ISNT.
17d District Attorney picked up on US vice-president’s sexual overtones (8)
ADVANCES: reverse (picked up/down clue) the abbreviation for the US legal person then append the surname of Trump’s veep with the possessive.
18d Supposed dad upset mum? (8)
APPARENT: reverse (upset/down clue) an informal diminutive for dad then append with what mum is.
20d X enthrals English adolescent (4)
TEEN: insert (enthrals) E[nglish] into the number X represents in Roman numerals.
21d Ape – one with oomph in China (7)
IMITATE: the Roman numeral letter for one followed by the cockney rhyming slang context of china with a rather loose to my mind synonym for oomph inserted into it – that said Mr G did provide me with an example of a sentence where they could be interchangeable.
22d Badger – tough, short animal (6)
HARASS: like the previous clue the definition has nowt to do with the animal kingdom – truncate (short) a synonym for tough then link with a donkey-like animal.
23d Successfully treated the Parisian’s cut bonce (6)
HEALED: French for ‘the’ when preceding a masculine noun is inserted (cut) into what bonce is an informal term for.
26d This writer would relish taking top off model (5)
IDEAL: a contraction for ‘this writer had’ + a synonym for relish lacking the 1st letter (taking top off).
Please let us know which clues you liked best.
Today’s Quick crossword pun: MUSK + HIT + BAWL = MUSKET BALL
Did anyone else get the wrong four letter word for report in 21a? it certainly seemed to contain two, which held me up for a bit but was soon remedied when the down clues proved the error.
Great puzzle that started like a rocket and finished like a snail, last one in was the poet who I’d never heard of, but it couldn’t be much else with the letters already in it.
Off to change the oil in the car now, will the fun never end……
Yes, I did. It actually seemed to me a better answer.
Me too.
I agree
Me too!
Didn’t even notice it. Agree with Jezza re a better synonym
I had written down three words that would fit the squares and stared at them for ages, until I saw the answer right in front of my eyes.
I had the other one to begin with too.
Me too with 21a – IMO ambiguity like that should be avoided.
I did!
Yes, I fell for it as well!
Add me to the list.
Another gentle workout to start the week. My only hold ups were caused by pencilling in the wrong lurker for 21a affecting 6d and 21d which, after spotting the error, were my LOI. Otherwise can someone please give me an example of 29a being synonymous with “stick”.
Thanks to AP and Huntsman
1*/3*
As Huntsman has pointed out, lHudson has a very accessible Toughie today. Well worth the effort.
I wonder about stick! No idea why the answer is the answer.
Me too
stick/deposit the mower back in the shed once you’ve cut the lawn
I was thinking similar…stick it in your savings account.
A city in Washington without the initial letter of America. The answer is to calm down.
“Hang on a minute, I’m just going to stick the beer in the fridge.”
OK, OK, stick it up your jumper.
However, in each case ‘stick’ needs to be followed by a noun or pronoun.
It’s been too hot for a jumper.
If you can lift out ‘stick’ and put in ‘deposit’ with no other changes, then it’s synonymous and therefore hunky-dory. Copacetic, even.
What an outstanding word that is, Karona!
I have never come across copacetic in my life so prompted to look up the etymology and found this
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/106915/how-did-the-word-copacetic-come-into-use
Now I have a fair idea of its meaning and usage, but am I likely to use it, probably not.
Gentle indeed. Satisfying though. My favourite was 18d which I thought neat. Thanks to Huntsman and our setter.
A most enjoyable puzzle from the professor. Like CD above, I did wonder how 29a can mean “stick” other than to
29a means you intend to stick in the same place. Bit tenuous. I’ve no real favourites today although I did like the badger at 22d.
Thank you, AP for the fun. Thank you, Hintsman for the hunts.
Finally, Happy Birthday to TDS65 🎂🍺😊
I don’t understand all these references to ‘stick’ in 29A. The crossword I did online had no mention of ‘stick’ in that clue. 🤔
they’re on about the dopey mongrel at 19a
Yes – a miskey that has led to confusion. 😳
Ah, that makes sense now. Yes, it is a bit of a stretched synonym, but I suppose you could use it as in “I’ve won a bit on the lottery, I’ll stick it in a savings account.”
Another Tuesday treat. Lots of great clues and clever surfaces. This week featured my mother in law’s 91st birthday and my wife’s 71st which has kept me away from Thai corner. Although I thoroughly enjoyed today’s challenge I thought 13A and 27A seem to be becoming a setters favourite. My COTD has to be 7D. Thanks as always to Huntsman for the hints, (I think I’ve posted previously that I’m a Rory fan boy) and to the setter.
Thai corner. SCRAPS/BITS.
An experience this week demonstrated how connected the world is and how different it can be. I was dispatched by my wife on her birthday to buy banana fritters from the local street food stall. When I ordered the fried bananas in batter from the stallholder he asked me, in Thai, if I wanted bits as well. Of course I said yes and brought home a serving of battered banana with extra batter scraps. Before posting this I googled to find out whether the southern heathens on this blog would understand the concept of scraps and was shocked to find out that they may not. This was confirmed futher when I posted the anecdote on my FB page and a southern friend confirmed that although she knew what scraps were they were not available in Hertfordshire chippys.
As a child I always asked for scraps at the chip shop. I lived in Grimsby and the fish came straight from the trawlers.
We could ask for bits of fried batter in some chiippies inthe East End ofLondon, when I was a kid.They were often your treat forgoing to theshop and fetching the fish and chips for the rest of the family.
‘Batter bits’ at home in Northants but ‘scraps’ in Barnsley where I lived for three years whilst I did my teacher training. My younger brother (14 at the time) came to stay for a weekend and found it hilarious in the chip ‘ole when I asked for scraps. It really counteracted the grump he was in for mum putting him in a no-smoking carriage when she left him at the station!
Great crossword today with a relatively speedy completion. Would have been speedier had I not been looking for a ‘p’ instead of ‘d’ in 5a. Favourite clues 9a, 30a and 8d. Thanks to setter and Huntsman.
Unusually, I completed the Toughie before I tried this one – one answer leapt out and the rest followed.
Scraps / batter in parts of Northumberland = “scramptions”(great word)
Fantastic word!
Did anyone else think the D in 5A referred to old English not Roman money or is it a crossword convention I am not aware of?
I took it as referring to pounds, shillings and pence which would be written, for example, as £10 5s 6d
The d for pence in old British (£, s and d) money comes from the Latin word denarius – an old Roman coin.
Everything was tickety-boo until I found myself marooned in the SE corner.
The 21d Ape was a bung in from the checkers but it took me far too long parse. Likewise, the 21d writer took a second thought.
Having just read the comment re 21a I can claim to have got it correct…but only because I failed to spot the alternative which I agree would have been a better option.
Many thanks to today’s setter and Hunstman for the hints.
Good straightforward fun with the odd, short, crumpet scratch for good measure. I, too, found two possible answers for 21a, but a checker in place immediately ruled one out. Honorable mentions go to 9a, 16a and 7d, but cotd goes to 2d. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
Typically Tuesdayish – 1.5*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 14a, 29a, 20d, and 23d – and the winner is 29a.
Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman.
P.S. Ditto on the Hudson Toughie.
Hi S
I’m okay with mongrel as, like hybrid, it’s a mixture.
Don’t forget, though, that something being in that list or in the BRB carries no weight with me. I will assume that all crossword answers are. From time to time, I’ll question why they are in the list or in the BRB.
I still haven’t recovered from rudely.
(this post was replying to Senf’s comment about me potentially questioning mongrel which, I see, he’s taken off. I’ll leave it in anyway)
I’m not removing the comment in my hint 😊
Must have been hearing things again…..
Ah! I’ve just seen it.
I’m surprised both you and Senf thought I’d question this one. I thought it was fine.
I agree. I think Mongrel is actually a very clever anagram indicator I’ve never seen before. I would challenge a setter to use chimera in the future.
A very pleasant if brief sojourn through the delights of crosswordland this morning with a puzzle that was as breezy as the Shropshire air. No hold ups or dalays, with the neat 17d my favourite.
My thanks to both AP amd The Hintsman.
Another 5 star crossword hits the back of the proverbial. What a great start to the week.
7d is certainly this year’s orchestra and Serengeti. The setters can’t get enough of it!
My picks are the nicely-constructed 28a, 17d and 22d.
Many thanks to the prof and Hoots!
1*/5*
An enjoyable Tuesday romp, which I thought to be very typical of The Prof: perfectly constructed, great surfaces, eminently fair.
Many thanks to AP and to Huntsman – I see your Nirvana and raise you “Weird Al” Yankovic:
I did consider posting that instead as it happens
Fantastic!
To my mind Weird Al is one of the best musical parodists of the last 50 years. It’s worth seeking out some of his other works, including “Eat It” and “Fat”, “Amish Paradise”, “Word Crimes” & “The Saga Begins”. Also look for “Polkas on 45” – fast-spoken genius and you’ll recognise almost every lyric.
Yeah. I bopped in the wrong four letter word, like everyone up there.
Most enjoyable guzzle though.
I just about have my equilibrium back after The Mighty Chelsea brought both joy, and the heebie-jeebies, as we edged past Fulham with a 3-2 victory last night. I have defended our goalkeeper over the last couple of season as he is a great shot stopper and tidy at collecting crosses, but even I am beginning to see his flaws may well cost us dearly this season. We can’t always rely on ‘if you score four, we’ll score five’ as a winning policy. I wonder if Emi Martinez fancies a move to Cobham.
Thanks to the setter and Andy On The First Tee – I really enjoyed the Richard Hawley track (new to me)
3d in today’s toughie another reference to a a certain Clash frontman
A gentle puzzle with fewer ticks on my page than usual with this setter.
Top picks for me were 22d, 23d, 16a and 10a.
Thanks to Huntsman (loved the Richard Hawley) and to Mr Plumb.
1*/4*. Bit pushed for time today so I’ll just say typically Tuesdayish and very enjoyable apart from the ambiguity in 21a.
Many thanks to AP and to Hintsman.
* / ****
Another very gentle offering from the Prof I thought. Saw the two lurkers at 21a but already had the 6d checker so no ambiguity for me; agree the other word is a nicer fit though. Hadn’t heard of the 2d poet but it couldn’t be anything else. Also agree that the ‘d’ in 5a is probably from our old money rather than all the way to the Romans but the use of the letter ‘d’ is the same derivation in both cases so no matter.
Ticks went to the rich 9a, the calm non-American place in Washington in 29a and my COTD, 15d where the surface defines the opposite of the answer. I always like that construction.
Many thanks to Huntsman and the Prof.
Actually, there are three lurkers in 21a but the third has no bearing to the clue.
I thought the lurker in 21a might get a mention here, but didn’t expect nearly every other comment to include it. I like most others pit the wrong answer in first, I wonder if our esteemed setter did it deliberately or maybe didn’t see it?
Still, an enjoyable puzzle and thanks to AP and the Hintsman
I really like that 21a has two synonyms for a word as it must be extremely rare. Maybe it’s unique?
The ones that irk me are when there are two legitimate answers with the same checkers as it’s down to pot luck which ain’t right.
I didn’t even notice the ‘wrong’ answer to the lurker at 21a…doh. I t was an enjoyable guzzle, not as testing as most Plumb productions but there were a few challenges. I liked the geographical clue at 29a, the lego clue at 27a, the reverse lurker at 14a and the missing letter clue at 22d. Thanks to Mr Plumb and to Huntsman for the hints
Gentle and enjoyable, ideal for a Tuesday – thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
My rosettes were awarded to 29a, 4d and 22d.
I found this Tuesday puzzle, like I did for Monday, a little harder than normal.
2.5*/3.5*
Favourites 1a, 16a, 25a, 27a & 15d — with winner 27a
Thanks to AP & Huntsman
I thought this very clever, slightly tricky in places.
17d, 27a and 29a favourites today.
Thanks to AP and Hintsman
Thanks to AP and Huntsman. Getting a bit earlier each day to sit down with the crossword. Not as quick solving as we were prior to our break. COTD 27a. LOI 30a.
Enjoyable puzzle completed in bed with my cuppa. Just as well as I’d earmarked today for a chore I absolutely loathe doing, defrosting the freezer. It took me a shade over 3 hours and I was too exhausted to put together some salad for lunch. Having said that, I relaxed with the Toughie which I found to be a delightful distraction and not too tricky. Lum was a new word for me. Thanks to both setters and hinters. No particular favourites in this puzzle.
Lang may your lum reek is a Scottish toast. May your chimney always be smoking , I believe. My grandfather would use it.
A very suitable Tuesday puzzle completed without hitch. I had no single stand out favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.
Fun while it lasted, as usual for a Tuesday back-pager. 21a and 26d took a bit of thinking about before I was happy. And channeling my inner schoolboy, I can’t look beyond 26d for top spot. Thanks to our setter and Huntsman: Nowhere near guessing the tunes today, although I should have done better with 23d.
1* / 3.5* On par with yesterday’s and just as enjoyable.
Some top clues including the cleric at 27a (last one in), 17d sexual overtures and the simple but effective pooch at 16a
Thanks to Huntsman and compiler
Oh dear. I seem to be alone in finding this puzzle rather hard for a Tuesday with some pretty nasty clues, e.g. 1d. I did finish but it took a toll on my remaining brain cells. I did like 20d though – my CoD.
No, you’re not alone!
A very satisfying and enjoyable puzzle.Some thought went into one or two as is usual for a Tuesday.Many thanks to all.Favourites are 23 27 and 29 .
Definitely more gentle than yesterday’s offering , and enjoyable. I got the right lurker for 21a but had the checkers in place and hadn’t noticed the other . I still need to finish Sunday’s prize puzzle . Thanks to Anthony Plumb and Huntsman.
Very enjoyable- I thought I had the measure of it until I came unstuck in the south. I did get the right lurker but the 28a sport I saw as ballgame and that threw me. Many thanks to the Setter and to the Hintsman for clarifying the bottom of the grid. I liked 17d and 21d and the Matt cartoon today really amused me.
Gentle again! That’ll do for me. Thanks to setter. Parsed a few, got the wrong lurker in 21a (cite) which held up the Ape clue but wrapped up before the end of a Black Keys album 🎸
I’m looking forward to seeing them again next Monday at the Apollo in Hammersmith
Gentle again! That’ll do for me. Thanks to setter. Parsed a few, got the wrong lurker in 21a (cite) which held up the Ape down clue and couldn’t work Peseta into 30a so guessed the answer but all wrapped up before the end of a Black Keys album 🎸
and City v the Canaries which kicks off shortly.
Good evening
If it’s Tuesday, it must be Prof Plumb – I tend to find that Tuesday’s crozzie tends to be a little gentler on what few braincells I have remaining than Monday’s; this was certainly the case today.
I even managed a rare stab at the Toughie this evening!
Many thanks to the Prof and to Huntsman.
Pleased I wasn’t the only one to get the wrong, but better, lurker. As is often the case with this setter some of the synonyms weren’t the first to spring to mind. That said this was about right for a Tuesday. Favourite was 8d. Thanks to AP and Huntsman. The way the world is going at the moment i wonder how long it will be before we get out first AI generated cryptic crossword, perish the thought.
Solved this reallllly early this morning, woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep for a while. It’s my second fastest cryptic solve since my records began (1st Jan).
Enjoyed the banter over ‘stick’! It gets a post place for that, along with 1D’s changeable pals and 6D’s male skincare surface.
Thanks to AP and to Huntsman – great songs as ever, and I always learn something new from your choices 👏🏻 ⭐️
Now that’s the sort of puzzle that keeps me paying for my subscription, truly enjoyable from start to finish. Thanks to AP and Huntsman.
Sadly, just read that Dolly Parton died today. She was just on our news last night, as everyone had been concerned about her health. RIP.
Two out of two. Must be the effects of the Greek sunshine. Actually thought it was slightly more difficult than yesterday, or maybe one too many Mythos. Favourites were 9a and 18d.
Thanks to the setter and to Huntsman for the hints.
Took me all day on and off but got there in the end without assistance. Agree with the comments on 2d, 19a and 21a. Also, thought that “found” in 28a was a stretch. COTD 29a for the construction and surface. Thanks to setter and Huntsman. **/****
Late solve for me.
I am also another choosing the wrong lurker for 21a. I also managed to get the wrong sport in 28a and the wrong word in 4d in my first pass. None of which helped!! Sorting out the answer to 6d unlocked it all.
Despite all the slip ups it was a fairly speedy solve with no stand out clues. And the slip ups were all down to me being slapdash and bunging in an answer without pausing for thought.
Thanks all
Bradford’s Crossword Solver’s Dictionary is always to hand for the Telegraph Crosswords. Regarding 21 across under REPORT it lists ITEM as an alternative definition
Welcome to the blog, Peter.
What did you think of the crossword?