DT 31331 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31331

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 29^th August 2026

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. A pretty, straightforward Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.

Monopoly, as in clue 20d, is one of the most famous and widely played board games in the world. As I wanted to learn more about the game, I searched the internet after solving the clue and found a great deal of information about it. Monopoly is enjoyed by people of different ages for its mixture of luck, strategy, negotiation and financial management. The game is played on a square board containing streets and properties, railway stations, utility companies, tax squares, Chance and Community Chest spaces, a jail and the famous GO square. Each player chooses a counter and moves around the board according to the number obtained by throwing two dice. The principal aim of the game is to acquire properties and gradually become wealthier than the other players. When a player lands on an unowned property, he or she may buy it from the bank; however, if the property already belongs to another player, rent must be paid to its owner. Players can increase their income by acquiring complete sets of properties and building houses and hotels on them, thereby charging considerably higher rents. One of the best-known rules of Monopoly concerns the GO square. Every time a player passes or lands on GO, the player receives £200 from the bank. This amount of money is particularly important because it helps players continue their journey around the board, purchase new properties, pay rents, settle taxes and meet other financial obligations. A player may also receive or lose money through Chance and Community Chest cards, which can bring either good fortune or unexpected difficulties. Sometimes a player may be sent directly to jail, from where he or she must fulfil certain conditions before being allowed to leave. As the game progresses, the weaker players may gradually lose their money and properties, while the more successful players build increasingly powerful property empires. Negotiation and trading between players can also play an important part in determining the outcome. The game continues until most of the players have become bankrupt and only one financially successful player remains. Although Monopoly can sometimes take several hours to finish, its combination of chance, competition and decision-making makes it an entertaining and memorable game for families and friends. It also introduces players, in an enjoyable way, to basic ideas of money, investment, ownership, rent and financial risk.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a           Tests were designed to keep one cool (10)
STREETWISE: An anagram (designed) of TESTS WERE taking inside (to keep) I (one) as the Roman numeral for one leads to the definition of adjective meaning cool, in the sense of being calm, composed or unflustered in difficult or potentially dangerous situations, especially in an urban environment

6a           Fools around in places for pampering (4)
SPAS: SAPS (fools) as a term for the plural of a gullible or foolish person coming from the other side (around) as a reversal in the across clue takes to the definition of places that offer a wide variety of therapeutic services like body massage, deep relaxation, skin rejuvenation and personal care and hence considered as places for pampering

9a           Fix components of motor I’ve tested (5)
RIVET: The definition of a verb meaning to call to attention, focus or rivet is part of or hidden inside (components of) [MOTO]R I’VE T[ESTED]

10a         Deficit the result of brief American season (9)
SHORTFALL: The definition of a noun denoting deficit, shortage or deficiency is arrived at from or the result of a charade of SHORT (brief) as brief, concise or compact, A (American) as the abbreviation for American) and FALL (season) as the American term for autumn i.e. the season of the year that comes after summer and before winter

12a         Smooth unusually bad tempers having been automatically approved (6-7)
RUBBER-STAMPED: RUB (smooth) as to smooth, polish or clean followed by an anagram (unusually) of BAD TEMPERS leads to the definition of a verb in the past tense meaning approved of something wihout careful consideration of it i.e. approved automatically

14a         Drunk pirate providing drink (8)
APERITIF: An anagram (drunk) of PIRATE followed by IF (providing) as a conjunction meaning providing, allowing or admitting guides to the definition of an alcoholic drink taken as an appetiser before a meal

15a         Engage troops for fellow from Rome? (6)
SIGNOR: A charade of SIGN (engage) as to engage or hire by written agreement and OR (troops) as other ranks in the military guides to the definition of a courtesy title for a man in Italy, equivalent to Mr, an example of which is a person from Rome, that is the capital of Italy

17a         Note circulating that hurt? You got me! (6)
TOUCHÉ: TE (note) as the seventh note of the scale in sol-fa notation going round (circulating) OUCH (that hurt) as an interjection used to express sudden sharp pain produces the definition of an exclamation used to admit that someone has made a good or clever point against the speaker in an argument or debate, an example of which is the phrase ‘you got me!’

19a        “Heap” and “lot” possibly about right – for this? (8)
PLETHORA: An anagram (possibly) of a combo of HEAP (“Heap”) and LOT (“lot”) placed around (about) R (right) as the abbreviation for right guides to the definition of an abundance or excess of something

21a         Journalist’s second report redrafted to include leader of Norway (13)
CORRESPONDENT: The definition of a journalist employed to provide news stories for newspapers or broadcast media is reached from an anagram (redrafted) of SECOND REPORT taking inside (to include) the leading or initial letter (leader) of N[ORWAY]

24a         Come into view carrying child last of all, he thought (9)
ARISTOTLE: ARISE (come into view) as to come into view or notice holding inside (carrying) a combo of TOT (child) and the last or terminal letter (last) of [AL]L takes to the definition of the famous classical thinker and philosopher

25a         Love large character (5)
OMEGA: A charade of O (love) as love or the score of zero in a game of tennis and MEGA (large) as an adjective denoting huge, great or large guides to the definition of the 24^th letter or character of the Greek alphabet

26a         Appear with spy and his boss? (4)
SEEM: The definition of a verb denoting to appear or look is arrived at from a charade of SEE (spy) as to spy or to watch or observe secretly and M (his boss) as the fictional character who serves as the head of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and the boss of James Bond who is a spy

27a         Rich American going after Miranda’s father (10)
PROSPEROUS: The definition of an adjective meaning rich, affluent or wealthy is reached from US (American) as the adjectival abbreviation for the United States or belonging to the United States placed after or preceded by (going after) PROSPERO (Miranda’s father) as the father of Miranda and main character and sorcerer in Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Tempest’

Down

1d           Father ultimately shows anger (4)
SIRE: The definition of a noun referring to the male parent i.e. father or a verb meaning to father or procreate children is obtained from a charade of the ultimate or terminal letter (ultimately) of [SHOW]S followed by IRE (anger) as a noun denoting intense anger or wrath

2d           Dream I will be held in respect (7)
REVERIE: The definition of a noun denoting a daydream or a fanciful or visionary notion is fetched from I from the clue being retained by (will be held in) REVERE (respect) as to respect, honour or venerate

3d           NHS timetables ruined business (13)
ESTABLISHMENT: An anagram (ruined) of NHS TIMETABLES takes to the definition of a noun denoting a business, organisation or commercial enterprise

4d           Climber regularly waits at sea, wind rising (8)
WISTERIA: The definition of a climbing plant of the pea family, with hanging clusters of fragrant flowers, typically pale bluish-lilac in colour and native to eastern Asia and North America is reached from the regular or oddly-placed letters (regularly) of W[A]I[T]S [A]T [S]E[A] followed by AIR (wind) as a breeze or wind going in an upward or northern direction (rising) as a reversal in the down clue

5d           Vocally scares away e.g. animals or trainers? (5)
SHOES: A homophone (vocally) of SHOOS (scares away e.g. animals) as a verb in the present tense third person singular form denoting drives or scares away animals or birds by crying ‘shoo’ yields the definition of the plural of a type of light, comfortable footwear that can be worn for sport

7d           Quietly put down writing instrument – small child here? (7)
PLAYPEN: A charade of P (quietly) as a written abbreviation for piano in music indicating that the piece should be played quietly, LAY (put down) as to put, place or set something down and PEN (writing instrument) as an instrument for writing or drawing leads to the definition of portable enclosure in which a young child can safely play

8d           Laugh about a young man dressing (5,5)
SALAD CREAM: SCREAM (laugh) as to laugh wildly, immoderately or uncontrollably placed around (about) a combo of A from the clue and LAD (young man) as an informal term for a boy or young man takes to the definition of a dressing i.e. a sauce for putting on salad, usually consisting of oil and vinegar and sometimes spices

11d         Dish, one hotel had it prepared (4-2-3-4)
TOAD-IN-THE-HOLE: The definition of a traditional British dish consisting of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter, usually served with onion gravy, mashed potatoes and vegetables is reached from an anagram (prepared) of ONE HOTEL HAD IT

13d         Man getting the sack, the present supremo? (5,5)
SANTA CLAUS: A cryptic definition of the legendary figure carrying a large sack full of gifts on Christmas Eve and considered the supreme distributor of presents

16d         Empty, set off – pigs in these? (8)
BLANKETS: BLANK (empty) as an adjective denoting empty, bare or void followed by an anagram (off) of SET leads to the definition referring to the streaky slices of bacon serving as wrappers for small sausages, usually chipolatas, making a dish called pigs in blankets

18d         Country with bad weather: finally, locate another (7)
UKRAINE: UK (country) the abbreviated form of the United Kingdom, an island country in northwestern Europe comprising England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Island and (with) RAIN (bad weather) as a noun denoting a form of precipitation or wet weather condition and the final or terminal letter (finally) of [LOCAT]E takes to the definition of the second-largest country in Europe after Russia

20d         Busy, about to get £200 in Monopoly? (2,3,2)
ON THE GO: The definition of a phrase meaning constantly busy or active is arrived at from ON (about) as a preposition denoting about, regarding or concerning and (to get) THE GO (£200 in Monopoly) as a reference to the action of a player passing or landing on the ‘Go’ square, the first square on the Monopoly board, at the beginning of the game to collect their £200 salary

22d         Great Russian ruler, favourite with our old Queen (5)
PETER: The definition of the great Russian ruler who was Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725 who is also known as Peter the Great is arrived at from a charade of PET (favourite) as something or someone particularly cherished or regarded as a favourite and (with) ER (our old queen) as the abbreviation for Elizabeth Regina, the name taken on by Queen Elizabeth upon ascending the throne, the word ‘regina’ being the Latin name for ‘queen’

23d         Girl showing style, not the first (4)
LASS: The definition of a noun referring to a girl or young woman is obtained from [C]LASS (style) as a noun denoting high quality, elegance or style, with its first or initial letter removed (not the first)

There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 14a, 17a, 19a, 24a, 27a, 11d, 13d, 16d, 20d and 22d; 13d being the clear winner. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to the setter for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.