Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31328
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty **  Enjoyment ***
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the midweek back-pager blog. I found today’s puzzle to be a step up in difficulty from the previous two days, with one or two more obscure words and a reasonable amount of general knowledge required. Amongst my favourite clues were 1a, 10a, 12a and 2d, but the one I liked best was 14a, which made me laugh once the penny dropped. Many thanks to our setter.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and indicator words (e.g. anagram indicators) are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons.
Across Clues
1a Military jumpers for destocking, original shade (7)
PARASOL: Some airborne soldiers and the outer letters (for destocking) of ‘original’.
5a Dull periods periodically rotating US spies (7)
PROSAIC: The alternate letters (periodically) of ‘periods’, and the abbreviation for the Central Intelligence Agency spelt backwards (rotating US spies).
9a Study gazing at the stars? (3,2)
MUG UP: A cryptic definition. If you were stargazing, the solution could describe the position of your face.
10a One having a small bite here in Mexico? (9)
CHIHUAHUA: A cryptic definition. This Mexican toy dog breed is also the name of a Mexican state.
11a Firm undertaking involving mass trade-off (10)
COMPROMISE: The two-letter abbreviation for a firm, and a synonym of ‘undertaking’ or ‘commitment’, are placed round the symbol for ‘mass’ in physics.
12a Temporary setback as Mike bales out of small airship (4)
BLIP: The letter represented by Mike in the NATO phonetic alphabet is removed from a word for a non-rigid airship.
14a Painter & decorator getting nice Hello! mag spread (12)
MICHELANGELO: An anagram (spread) of NICE HELLO MAG.
18a His job is to sort out the classroom (12)
SCHOOLMASTER: A cryptic all-in-one definition. The answer is an anagram (to sort out) of THE CLASSROOM.
21a Crazy to write off British force (4)
ARMY: A synonym of ‘crazy’ without the single-letter abbreviation for British.
22a Something from the Savoy Hotel, a grip perhaps (5,5)
LIGHT OPERA: An anagram (perhaps) of HOTEL A GRIP. This musical genre was once synonymous with the Savoy Theatre.
25a Swiss city hosting today’s Facebook lead? (4,5)
BASE METAL: The name of a Swiss city on the Rhine is placed around (hosting) the name of the company that is the current owner of Facebook.
26a Boredom leads to extremely nasty nationalists urging insurrection (5)
ENNUI: The initial letters of (leads to) the last five words in the clue.
27a Where toy manufacturer is dependent on elf ‘n’ safety at work? (7)
LAPLAND: A cryptic definition of the location of Santa’s workshop.
28a Pardon means roughly twenty to be discharged (7)
AMNESTY: An anagram (roughly) of MEANS, and the outer letters (to be discharged) of ‘twenty’.
Down clues
1d Rodents beneath edges of plateau rock (6)
PUMICE: Some small rodents are after (beneath, in a down clue) the first and last letters (edges) of ‘plateau’.
2d Note Russian jet circling on eastern course (6)
REGIME: The second note in the solfège scale and a Russian jet spelt backwards (circling) are followed by (on, in a down clue) the abbreviation for ‘eastern’.
3d Delightful guest ignoring tech boss (10)
SUPERVISOR: Start with a synonym of ‘delightful’. Then add another word for a guest, from which the abbreviation for Information Technology has been removed (ignoring tech).
4d Temporary vicar Old Jock Hume entirely stripped off (5)
LOCUM: The internal letters (entirely stripped off) of the words ‘Old Jock Hume’. John “Jock” Hume was one of the musicians on the “Titanic”.
5d Maritime campaigner Samuel, originator of sea pumps (9)
PLIMSOLLS: The surname of a nineteenth-century politician and campaigner, and the initial letter (originator) of ‘sea’.
6d Work over – drink up! (4)
OPUS: The abbreviation for ‘over’, and a word meaning ‘to drink’ spelt backwards (up, in a down clue).
7d Lad who went for a dip feeling sick, beset by pains (8)
ACHILLES: A synonym of ‘feeling sick’ inside (beset by) another word for ‘pains’. The definition is a cryptic description of a mythical Trojan war hero.
8d Tory eating meat pie without base – excellent! (8)
CHAMPION: Start with a three-letter abbreviation for a Conservative. Then place this round a type of processed meat, and ‘pie’ from the clue without the letter representing the natural log base in mathematics.
13d Angry Lebanon regularly denying former queen (4,6)
ANNE BOLEYN: An anagram (angry) of LEBANON, and the alternate letters (regularly) of ‘denying’.
15d Clumsy, poor actor is deft when tipsy (3-6)
HAM-FISTED: A word for a poor actor, and an anagram (when tipsy) of IS DEFT.
16d City in Turkmenistan bulldozed (8)
ISTANBUL: Hidden in the last two words of the clue.
17d Little Tom’s out of bed, which is an encouraging sign (6-2)
THUMBS-UP: The surname of a diminutive fairy tale character, followed by ‘s’ from the clue, and a word that can mean ‘out of bed’.
19d Game served up in Moonrakers Inn, Eton (6)
TENNIS: Hidden and reversed (served up, in a down clue) in the last three words.
20d National Insurance collected in tax year is an extravagance (6)
VANITY: The abbreviation for National Insurance inside the abbreviation for Value Added Tax, and the single-letter abbreviation for ‘year’.
23d Turkish sweet hearts left entertained by Ms Gardner (5)
HALVA: The abbreviation for ‘hearts’ in cards, and the abbreviation for ‘left’ inside the first name of a twentieth-century Hollywood actress.
24d Daughter in law initially goes off puzzle book (4)
EMMA: Remove the initial letters of the words ‘daughter in law’ from a synonym of ‘puzzle’ or ‘problem’ to reveal a nineteenth-century novel.
Which clues did you like best? Let us know in the comments below.
The Quick Crossword pun: BODICE + LAMB = BODY SLAM
What a fabulous puzzle. Ticks all over my page and lots of smiles. My only holdup was trying to spell 10a.
Top picks for me were 22a, 25a, 9a, 24d, 1a, 5d, 7d and 17d .
Thanks to Deansleigh and Hudson (if I read yesterday’s comment correctly).
Hi crazy river.
Does it help that the last six letters are a repeated three letter grouping, i.e letters 4,5 and 6 are 7, 8 and 9?
No problem if not.
I did notice that Tom but I doubt I’d remember it for the very rare occasions that I would need it unless of course it becomes the new serengeti or orchestra.
I’m amazed at the number of ways you come up with to remember different words. Probably as many as there are official anagram indicators 🤣
I found today’s offering a step up but the most enjoyable of the week to date with an excellent mix of clues to keep the grey cell occupied.
I chuckled to think that Pope Julius commissioned14a because he’d heard he was a good painter and decorator. (During the interview for the job he was asked if he did landings – ‘no’ he replied “I’m a P&D not a pilot’)
A second chuckle came from 27a’s toy manufacturer.
The 23d Turkish sweet was clear from the clue but not a word I’m familiar with and fully parsing 9a and 10a took a moment or two of thought… but I got there in the end.
Three long un’s at 14a, 18a and 22a are brilliant examples of a setter’s skill that I greatly admire but my COTD is 7d – the lad who went for a dip
Many thanks to today’s setter and Deansleigh for the hints.
What a stunner. One of the most enjoyable crosswords I have completed for a long time. I was grinning from the start to the finish. I do not understand how I have never encountered 18A before in at least forty years of head scratching. I am sure I will now be bombarded with examples from those more experienced than me. The setter was inspired today. COTD goes to 18A with a gold stars to 5A, 7D and 9D, the latter resonates as it was my Lancastrian grandfather’s stock phrase for awarding praise to something. Thanks to Deansleigh for the hints and to our wonderful compiler.
Thai corner.
One of my teeth fell out yesterday prompting me to ask my family if the tooth fairy was active in Thailand. I was told that the normal tradition was to throw a lower tooth onto the roof of the house so the replacement would grow upwards and an upper tooth under the house for the opposite effect. I was also advised that reciting a nursery rhyme asking a mouse to eat the tooth was advisable as they have strong teeth and would pass on that property. I also googled the current U.K. value of the 6d that the tooth fairy traditionally left and was suprised that it’s only 52p in new money. Google also informed me that modern tooth fairies in the U.K. are more generous nowadays and the standard rate per tooth is now a £2 coin.
2*/4.5*. This was a very enjoyable midweek back-pager.
My one and only concern is that I don’t think “angry” in 13a is a reasonable anagram indicator.
I wouldn’t normally pick an anagram as a favourite but 18a is an exquisite example takes the honours today.
Many thanks to the setter (Hudson perhaps?) and to Deansleigh.
A very enjoyable Wednesday offering with a few chewy morsels that added a bit of spice. I thought 14a was excellent and very tongue in cheek. It makes my podium alongside 5a and 1d. Thanks to compiler and Deansleigh.
A very enjoyable puzzle from The Hud which needed a bit of work but wasn’t too tasking.
‘Destocking’ is a new one that works for me but ‘Angry’ doesn’t. ‘Upset’ will more than suffice. A synonym of a nailed on anagram indicator needs to be able to stand up on its own which it doesn’t.
I loved Hud’s made-up Berkshire boozer due to the Bond bond to Eton and didn’t know a moonraker was a sail.
Elf ‘n’ safety is hilarious and the stargazer was clever.
My picks are 9a, 18a (a superb anagram) and 20d.
MTTTA and Adele Singh.
3*/4*
Oh, love the ‘Quickie pun’ pic.
I’m not the sharpest tack in the box so nothing is ever truly nailed on but I thought the setter’s intent was clear when ‘Angry’ was used as an anagram indicator. Is intent not good enough?
No, it’s not…..in my books.
There are more than enough anagram indicators out there for setters not to use ones like ‘angry.
There’s just no need. I understand that using the above improves the surface. Unfortunately, they need to avoid them and go back to the drawing board for a new surface.
Definitely a step up in difficulty following the past 2 days. Several head scratching moments, but managed to wheedle them out one by one. Ticks for 25a, the Swiss city lead, 10a the Mexican with the small bite and 12a for the sheer audacity of describing the answer as a ‘painter and decorator’. Very enjoyable.
Many thanks to the setter and
Helga Dines
2*/4*
Like yesterday’s toughie, another clever and entertaining puzzle from Hudson. He certainly ramps up the fun factor.
After a slowish start in the north, my tactic was to identify the clue’s definition and think laterally. Cue lots of smiles and admiration of his wacky misdirections.
Military jumpers at 1a, the Savoy Hotel at 22a, today’s Facebook lead at 25a and the lad who went for a dip in 7d were the cream of a very decent crop.
Great entertainment, my thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh.
Today’s toughie by Zenas is no more difficult than this and is well worth a look.
On a par with yesterday’s Toughie! 1.5*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 25a, 6d, 17d, and 24d – and the winner is 6d.
Thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh.
A bit trickier than his crossword yesterday but the usual brilliant entertainment from one of my favourite setters. My favourite clue was 10a
Thanks very much to Hudson and Deansleigh
This is a real hit of a puzzle. Inventive, amusing and one to keep us on our toes. 5 down was my downfall. I was fixated in Samuel Pepys. In fact I was 3 away from finishing but have had lots to do and must go to Paracise. It was an honourable defeat because of the quality of this puzzle. Ticks every where but podium to the lad who went for a dip.
Grateful thanks to Hudson and Deansleigh