Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31337 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
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A nice sunny start to Saturday morning, even if it does feel slightly autumnal, and a nice Prize Puzzle to start our day’s crossword solving
Please ask for help if you are stuck on clues I haven’t hinted, but before doing so, please read the comments that appear before yours, so that you are not duplicating questions, and make sure you obey both THE INSTRUCTIONS IN RED at the end of the Hints and the blog’s Comment Etiquette – Big Dave’s Crossword Blog)
Most of the terms used in these hints are explained in the Glossary and examples are available by clicking on the entry under “See also”. Where the hint describes a construct as “usual” this means that more help can be found in The Usual Suspects, which gives a number of the elements commonly used in the wordplay. Another useful page is Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, which features words with meanings that are not always immediately obvious.
A full review of this puzzle will be published after the closing date for submissions.
Across
1a Belch, perhaps, from bishop in play (4)
The forename of a character (Belch, perhaps) in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night: the chess abbreviation for Bishop inserted into a verb meaning to play
3a Poet Auden abridged Orwell G defends? (10)
Quite a complicated bit of wordplay for this French poet. Remove the final letter from AUDEn and insert it into (defends) George Orwell’s real name written in the same way as his pseudonym in the clue
14a City pro drawn in by supporter with double D? (8)
Crosswordland’s favourite supporter followed by pro or in favour of inserted between two (double) Ds
16d Lacking time quick agents dash (6)
Part of a motor vehicle (and the BRB doesn’t say anything about the definition being American!) A synonym for quick without the abbreviation for Time and some American government agents
20a Book about Romeo taken in later for monks (8)
The abbreviation for Book, the usual two-letter about or on the subject of; and the letter represented by Romeo in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet inserted into later or at another time
22a Projecting well out of the box? (9)
Having a presence, appearance and manner suitable for being ‘on the box’
27a Joke about bygone English era of prosperity (6,3)
A joke goes about bygone or past, the result followed by the abbreviation for English
29a Long throw sees opener dismissed (4)
Throw (a ball) without its ‘opener’
Down
1d Italian flower in wood losing mass (5)
Wood without the abbreviation for Mass
4d Pilots advanced through rocky heights (8)
The abbreviation for Advanced, a preposition meaning through and some rocky heights
6d Delay surfacing? Force in sound prepare to attack (3,2,4)
Delay surfacing from your bed perhaps and a homophone (in sound) of the force by which a body is attached to the earth
15d Typhoon perhaps engulfing sappers in ship (9)
Not a weather phenomenon but a plane, this typhoon is ‘engulfing’ the abbreviation for the army regiment known as the sappers
17d A piercing yell preceding award for actor (4,5)
A (from the clue) ‘piercing’ a yell followed by (preceding) a verb meaning to award or bestow
18d Spooner’s not wrapped cheese for martial artist? (5,3)
Spooner’s not wrapped up French cheese
21d Machine outsiders in Imitation Game deciphered? (6)
An anagram (deciphered) of the outsiders of ImitatioN and GAME
25d Effectiveness climate ethics embodies (5)
‘Embodied’ in words two and three of the clue
As this is a Prize crossword, please don’t put any ANSWERS, whether WHOLE, PARTIAL or INCORRECT, or any ALTERNATIVE CLUES in your comment. If in doubt, leave it out
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The Quick Crossword pun: SYLPH + ALIGNING = SILVER LINING
What a cracking start to the weekend. Clever wordplay and much wit in evidence. I thought 3a was genius, 14a witty and 18d a total hoot that had me chuckling all morning. They comprise my podium, but there were a plethora of contenders that just failed to make the cut, including the linked 24/19a. Thanks to compiler and CS
… your obviously a lot smarter than me … I gave up on this one! I’ve never read or seen the Bard’s play and as for the poet!
Maybe tomorrow’s offering will be kinder.
Nah. Pure fluke on the fall of the dice.
Hugely enjoyable and probably the most difficult SPP for quite some time.
Ticks all over the place, the only black mark being against the child appearing again at 13a. Nothing wrong with the clue, it’s just an awful word.
The poet at 3a was a fine construction and I liked the definition of dash at 16a.
The actor in 17d and Spooner’s unwrapped fromage at 18d were other highlights.
My thanks to our setter and CS.
This was an enjoyable solve that was a DNF jobbie as I wouldn’t have got 3a in a zillion years for two reasons: I didn’t know the Orwell connection and have never heard of the poet. I won’t be the only one who waved the white flag at this one.
The first part of 13a reminds me of Wordle this week which Mark Goodliffe on Instagram (CrackingTheCryptic) didn’t know even though he got the answer. His only weakness is not being ‘dan wiv der kidz’. I often call him a walking dictionary as his word knowledge is incredible.
Exudation is new to me even though it makes sense and I’ve never heard of 22a nor the synonym for dash.
I’m struggling, grammatically, to justify the synonym for ‘male’ which is ridiculous as there must be an example.
What is it with the setters with these recent Christmas answers? That’s three, possibly, four in the last week.
My picks are 11a (I love ‘very naughty boy’), 20a (nicely done) and the reverend which made me smile.
Many thanks to, I’m guessing, Rood Bonk as there’s plenty of humour and she of the crypt.
2*/4*
I bunged in the poet but had to check with MrG to understand the last letter, that and the Spooner ticking my boxes today
Off to watch the Tour of Britain today, from Kettlewell to Leyburn, see ya later
Enjoy!! we toyed with going but MrSC has woken up with a nasty cold.
Its very windy over here (near Haworth) so I cannot imagine what it will be like riding in a peloton over the tops in the dales.
Wasn’t too windy where we first stopped (Greenhow Hill) but rolling road closures held us up in Kettlewell, so a nicecupoftea and fruitcake with Wensleydale fuelled a dash up Park Rash to see the finish in Leyburn. No idea what really happened so waiting for the highlights…
I am struggling a bit with the grammar of ‘male’ and its synonym in the answer to 14d too. Does this work? “What sex is the neighbours new baby? It’s a male / a [synonym]” ie the synonym can be used as a noun in colloquial English. I thought this was a very nice and slightly more difficult than average Saturday puzzle. I liked 3a but there was a little too much requirement for general knowledge across the puzzle for my comfort. I didn’t know the fish in 5d, the reference in 9d or the ‘very naughty boy’ in 10a. I dragged up the answer to 1a once I had the checkers. Last one in was the flightless bird which I always forget despite its fairly regular appearances even in my relatively short puzzling lifetime. Notwithstanding the general knowledge there were some brilliant clues and lots of enjoyment so thank you setter and CS for parsing Orwell’s real name. I incorrectly thought the answer just required his surname (which I had misspelt in my mind).
Hi SC
I like ‘it’s a male’ though it’s never said, i.e people say ‘it’s a boy’. But, there must be another example like that.
Re 14d, I too was concerned about the synonym for male. Then I remembered that a male goat can be referred to as a “XX-goat”.
Tom et al, re 13a, the answer is a synonym for ********* and is in common usage.
Hi RD and CD
I’m glad that I wasn’t missing anything obvious with the synonym for ‘male’.
Re 13a, CD, I know the term. So, I’m not sure if I have mislead you with what I’ve said.
I think they could have come up with something better for that demographic as it lacks imagination.
I’ll have a ponder….
The first part of 13a is saying that this demographic is older than one but younger than another. That means you need to include both of these demographics in the word for it to make sense not just the older one.
So, knocking off the first letter to make it mean ‘small’ is definitely better and funnier.
Toddler, btw, is a brilliant term for that age group.
I knew 1a but put an extra ‘e’ in it!
Sorry, should be 2a!
Enjoyable Saturday fare with just enough chewiness to keep me thinking. Slow to start with the S filling first then coming back up with the NE last to fall delayed by the poet at 3a which is top of my podium. Other contenders were the monks at 20a, the dash at 15a and the spoonerism brought a smile.
My thanks to the setter and crypticsue.
1.5*/3*
Terrific puzzle done on my phone en route to lunch in Cambridge. D nearly drove off the road when I explained the workings to arrive at the city! Loads to enjoy so thanks to the setter and of course to Sue.
A typically tough prize crossword and, like TomDS65, I was stymied by 3a because I haven’t heard of the poet nor the Orwellian connection. As for 13a, well I never did. I don’t think I’ve ever come across the word. I got 11a the wrong way round because the word reversed is, I think, an island. Also like Tom, I have not come across 16a meaning “dash”. No COTD because I was just happy to get over the line even though it was a DNF and I needed a couple of the hints.
There are too many references to the C word of late.
Thank you, setter for a right prize puzzle brain mangling. Thanks you, CeeSoo for the hints, which were very helpful.
Thanks for the help. This one was in parts right at the limit of my solving abilities. All part of the learning process😀
4*/4*. This was a very challenging but very enjoyable SPP.
I had lots of ticks with 3a, 10a, 6d & 18d my top picks.
Many thanks to the setter and to CS.
Hmm, for me, etc©, the second curate’s egg in two days. My grumpy old man persona must be coming to the fore.
Smiles for 25a, 1d, and 7d.
Thanks to the setter and CS.
Grumpy? Never.
Occasionally, but never in your presence!
thought this was a great puzzle, the NE corner held me up for ages, knowing there was a poet with a name that ended in ***** helped me get there but if I didn’t have that little bit of GK bouncing around in my brain it would definitely have been a DNF.
16a was one of the last in and tied in with the actor at 17d which was one of two possibilities. Thanks to CS for explaining as I hadn’t been able to parse his first name but now I see it its obvious.
One of the most fun SatPP for ages. 16a is my COTD – obvious when done but impossible to start.
Thanks all
Got there in the end but took an age to finish, luckily I knew the Orwell thing, but this must be one of the toughest puzzles ever.
Off for a lie down and an aspirin now…….
An early start was halted when I reached the NE. Coffee and a couple of hours in the garden didn’t help and had to wait for CS to help me out.
I seem to be in the same state as Steve C.
The first culprit was 3a, which was a real blocker, I can only admire anyone who cracked it without help (Thank you CS).
The second hold up was 3a an obvious solution but no island (in any direction) as far as I can see. Then we come to 13a which was a bung in, never heard her, or anyone else, so described.
At least I had no problem with 16a having lived in the US where “the dash” was the common term for that part.
Overall I found those parts of the puzzle too tricky for my grey cell. We’ll start again next week!
I’m going to award my COTD to 14a for making me smile.
My thanks to today’s setter and gratitude to CS for getting me restarted.
GP
11a – I don’t know if anyone else has mentioned it, in reverse the word “to” and the French word for island without the circumflex.
As you say, xxxxxxxxx can be referred to as 16a.
Thanks 🙄
A very enjoyable puzzle abd suitably Mchallenging for a SPP. 3a was my COTD, which I guessed from the checkers and confimed by reverse engineering the parsin in the light of O-level lessons about Orwell A very clever xlue, as was the delightfully sneaky. I also liked the homophone at 24d and the meld at 15d. Thanks to the compiler for an entertaining puzzle and to CS for the hints
Would have gotten nowhere with this without AI. Thank you setter and CS.
Challenging stuff! Like others I begrudgingly threw in the towel on 3A after a good go – thanks for covering in the hints and putting me out of misery.
I found a third of this 8Ding puzzle pretty hard but enjoyable work to crack even before 3A.
Pody picks – will award 3A for its bar-raising difficulty (is that what an Elgar puzzle is like?!) , 14D took me a while and I only belatedly realised ‘city’ was the target, and as usual I’ll pick the 18D Spooner, it raised a LOL too 😸
Thanks to setter for the Saturday brain poke, and to CS ⭐️
A tricky little blighter for me. 9d had to be checked and also 3a the Orwell part. I knew the 13a term but don’t particularly like it.
Top picks for me were 18d, 17d, 6d and 20a.
Thanks to CrypticSue and the setter.
I think the 14D male and its synonym are adjectives, related to which we have the combining form, as deployed in xx-cat, xxx-devil et cetera (but perhaps not xx-Man). Seems to function well enough to me.
For me there are a host of contenders for COTD in a fabulous SPP. Best of an outstanding bunch? 3A for the Orwell G synonymy, 13A for its misleading effect, 14A for a magnificent boob joke, with the outright winner at 21D a virtual &lit.
More of the same please.
Thanks Sue and setter.
Hi JV
A ‘**-devil’ and a ‘**-cat’ are a male devil and male cat but the latter don’t have hyphens.
So, they doesn’t pass muster for me.
What a belter.Lots of thinking outside the box. Off to a good start as I studied 1 a. for O level. Ticks all over the place but top must be 14 across. When I first encountered the answer I was told that it was like Rome. The answer to that was that it was built on 7 hills.That was my husband trying to make it sound wonderful. Did not know 22 across was a real word.
Many thanks all round and can now submit.
I found this was a hard puzzle for a Saturday. As I was also wrong about the setter for Friday’s puzzle, I’m not setting my foot into that trap again … but then again … maybe it is??
4*/3* today
Favourites were hard to find in this one. I pick 26a, 2d, 4d, 6d, 21d & 24d — with winner 4d
Thanks to ?? & CS
Most enjoyable end to the week, although I misspelled 2a and had difficulty in that corner. The last one in was the George clue but once I had sussed it out I really liked it. Managed to work out the Americanism, thought that 13a was odd word. I’m off to pick up my 17 iPhone this afternoon (they were out of stock and it had to be ordered,) so it’s a pity I don’t know where you are going, Manders! I had another letter published in the DT this week, I am always surprised as I am sure they have me down as a batty old woman. Anyway, huge thanks to our Setter and to CeeSue – I’ll try and get a slice of cake in JL as I think I have avoided the naughty step.
Must have missed your letter DG, I do read all the letters but not necessarily who wrote them. Will have to reread.
Struggled through this enjoyable puzzle with the aid of the hints, for which Thanks …
liked the aggressive fantasist in 28A.
Some lovely clues today with the double D city raising a laugh. Thank you CS for explaining the poet I would never have got that one. Finally completed this at Schipol airport – if you are a UK passport holder and transferring flights be prepared for some very long queues
A pencil chewing puzzle for me, struggling with a few of the clues.
I hope I don’t hear the words which are the answers to 13a and 22a. Where do they come from?
That’s enough reindeer, as well. Two in three days. I think there are 12 of these creatures. Put them out to grass.
Thanks to setter and hinter.
Very enjoyable despite a DNF due to my lack of the required knowledge for 3a. The north east was last to fall because I could not get 3a. The rest was great fun and I particularly liked the spooner today…..not something I say often!
Many thanks to the setter and to CS for the hints.
Fair bit of stretching general knowledge needed today. I can’t see that anyone else has mentioned it but are all the letters accounted for in 10a? Where does the crossing letter with 2d get covered in the clue? Thanks all!
Changing your alias sent you into moderation
As well as the three-letter diminutive of Elizabeth, there is also a four-letter one which is required here
just an aside, but you still have 31331 in the title of the blog
Thanks to the Setter and CS. Tough as we expect for a prize puzzle. Needed a couple of hints to get over the line. Sat in bright sunshine which compensates for our DNF.
COTD 18d. LOI 16a.
Very hard and only completed because my new (second hand) chambers crossword dictionary arrived and I found 3a under ‘poet’. I finally caved in after years of resistance and realising that if the setters are using it – then I better get on board and Im really rather glad I did! The anagram indicator list alone would cause a few on here to go into a flat spin (myself included) but now I am armed with crossword cryptonite anything is fair game!
Thanks to the setter for the brain mangling and to CS for blogging
Hello. Thanks for doing the puzzle, and thanks to Sue for blogging it.
Today, under the infleunce of some deep-seated urge, I purchased a chocolate swiss roll and some Devon custard. Now you know how I managed to get so fat as a child. I tried to compensate by going cycling, but at my age you only lose one calorie per thirty miles pedalled, or so it seems. Whatever happened to my metabolism?
In celebration of not really caring, tonight I shall consume Guinness.
See you in church.
NYDK
Thanks for another great crossword with pots of humour which can only be a good thing.
Keep ‘em coming!
Thank you, NYDK for a puzzle that bamboozled me but that being the very nature of puzzles, I’m not complaining.
A cracking puzzle! Many thanks to CS (for once, I didn’t need help parsing or solving) and NYDK. A slight hold-up trying to work out what to truncate in 3a, but got there in the end. And 3a also gets my award for COTD
I’m glad everyone else liked it. I thought it was a bear. Thank you Sue, you got me through. 13a. Yuk. And I’m bored with supporters . So there!
I don’t really get the very naughty boy in 10a – good puzzle – top half tool me a while / thanks as always Sue and setter
The only thing I can suggest in order not to have to put myself on the Naughty Step is to suggest you type ‘he’s a very naughty boy ‘ into a search engine
I see that our own very naughty boy has left a comment … is it him? He used to have a posh car as his avatar.
Wasn’t Brian’s avatar a camel climbing a sand dune under the moon?
Thank you – wow – that’s pretty obscure
Above my pay grade.
Gave in .
Thanks to the setter and to crypticsue.
Sadly even with the excellent hints, I could not finish. Sigh…..
All is forgiven. After needing multiple stabs over 2 days to complete his Wed Toughie I thought this one as good a SPP as we’ve had in some time & certainly 5* enjoyment in my book. Quite challenging but fortunately I was au fait with the required GK other than the Irish myth fella. Last in & by a distance was the new to me & (I’m with Frankie) dreadful term at 13a – it took me an embarrassingly long time to peg the Little Nell element of the wordplay having got lost down a Dickensian alley.
Ticks all over the pitch – 3,10,14,22 &24/19a plus 14,15,17 &18d. Tough call to pick a fav but Spooner just gets the nod over Graham Chapman 8d(ing) Minnelli
Thanks to Donny & to Sue.
After a busy Saturday pootling around N Norfolk and then church in W Suffolk today, finally finished, unaided (but with a couple of bung ins parsed by CS’s fab clueing). Generally suspicious of the Spooner, but this one was funny enough to be forgiven. Eng Lit background helped with 1a and 3a. Much enjoyed 14a – I grew up there! Grateful as ever to NY, CS, and the BD bunch.
I m a day behind so popped in here for some help on my last two. Glad it’s not just me finding this one challenging ! I spent ages on 3a, and AI helped me in the end. Some really clever clues and GK required too. Thanks to NYDK for a wickedly clever solve and CS.
Stil struggling along with 31337 but enjoyed 18d though Being picky I think there is missing e in the solution !!
Oops ! Missing o not e.
Spoonerisms rely on sound so there are no missing letters
Hi EG (I’m intrigued by your alias)
What o is missing from 18d? Apologies if I’m being slow out of the traps.
Spoonerisms rely on the two elements still rhyming before and after being Spoonerised. Spelling is immaterial.
An enjoyable slog which has given me a very satisfying evening.