Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31346
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the midweek back-pager blog. Today was a definite step up in difficulty from the previous two days, with some excellent misdirection and one or two clues requiring some general knowledge. My favourite is the cat-sitting Reverend in 1a. I also enjoyed the Quickie pun. 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
6a Takes care of moggy – for Spooner, it’s a privilege (4,2,3,4)
KEYS TO THE CITY: When given the Spooner treatment, this honour or privilege, bestowed on eminent or worthy individuals, sounds like a way of saying “looks after the cat”.
8a Academic establishments working in complete agreement (6)
UNISON: An informal abbreviation for tertiary education institutions, and a word meaning ‘working’, i.e. in operation.
9a Where to keep suits with broader pants (8)
WARDROBE: The abbreviation of ‘with’, and an anagram (pants) of BROADER.
10a Starts to dance intensely passionate salsa? (3)
DIP: The initial letters (starts to) of ‘dance intensely passionate’.
11a Island greeting welcomed by Jacques? (6)
TAHITI: An informal greeting inside (welcomed by) the surname of a twentieth-century French filmmaker.
12a Three articles about northern island Greek (8)
ATHENIAN: Three articles – indefinite, definite and indefinite – are placed around (about) the abbreviations for ‘northern’ and ‘island’.
14a Warning to golfers mixing gin from abroad (7)
FOREIGN: The golfers’ warning cry, and an anagram (mixing) of GIN.
16a Both a bit attached, embracing usual home (7)
HABITAT: Hidden (embracing) in the first four words.
20a Blimey! Detective probing boy’s dangerous pet (8)
SCORPION: An interjection expressing surprise and an abbreviation for a detective or private investigator are inserted into (probing) a word that can be a familiar term for a boy or young man.
23a Round-looking copper, about 50 (6)
BLOBBY: An informal word for a policeman, especially one on the beat, is placed around (about) the Roman numeral representing fifty.
24a Difficulty regularly cleaning out tandoor (3)
ADO: The alternate letters (regularly cleaning out) of ‘tandoor’.
25a Mass making changes to reunite Christian? (8)
MUTINEER: The symbol for mass in physics, and an anagram (making changes to) of REUNITE. ‘Christian’ here is the surname of a famous example of the answer.
26a Country wife visiting St Andrews club (6)
RWANDA: The abbreviation of ‘wife’ inserted into (visiting) the colloquial abbreviation for the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
27a He loathed Hove after dislocating the elbow (3,3,5-2)
THE OLD HEAVE-HO: An anagram (after dislocating) of HE LOATHED HOVE.
Down clues
1d One tucked into a sherry tipsily here in Scotland (8)
AYRSHIRE: The Roman numeral representing one, inside (tucked into) an anagram (tipsily) of A SHERRY.
2d Substitute beginning to garner reputation (8)
STANDING: A term (split 5-2) for a substitute, and the initial letter (beginning to) of ‘garner’.
3d Flat-bottomed vessel injured pet swan (7)
STEWPAN: An anagram (injured) of PET SWAN. Not the sort of vessel you’d find in the sea.
4d Lack of food, ultimately, on the planet (6)
DEARTH: The last letter (ultimately) of ‘food’, and our home planet.
5d Bern or Ticino home to climbing fruit tree (6)
CITRON: Hidden (home to) and reversed (climbing, in a down clue) in the first three words.
Credit: Johann Werfring. Used under the terms of CC BY-SA 3.0.
6d Rigged tribunal where Joey might get confined? (8,5)
KANGAROO COURT: The answer could describe an enclosed space for a marsupial.
7d Cry from Fred, a boy upset about rubbish pop group party (5,5,3)
YABBA DABBA DOO: An anagram (upset) of A BOY is put around (about) an adjective meaning ‘rubbish’, a Swedish pop group, and the usual abbreviation for a party or social occasion.
13d English bishops retreat (3)
EBB: The abbreviation for ‘English’, and two of the symbols for a bishop in chess.
15d Independent politician is a mischievous character (3)
IMP: The abbreviations for ‘independent’ and Member of Parliament.
17d Tree-dwelling rare boa swimming over lake (8)
ARBOREAL: An anagram (swimming) of RARE BOA is followed by (over, in a down clue) the abbreviation for ‘lake’.
18d Besotted admirer I put off? (8)
IDOLATER: ‘I’ from the clue, and a two-word phrase split (2,5) that means ‘put off’ or ‘delay performing’ [a task].
19d Mischievous in whichever state of chaos (7)
ANARCHY: A synonym of ‘mischievous’ or ‘roguish’ inside a synonym of ‘whichever’.
21d Bankrupt regretted acquiring home (6)
RUINED: A synonym of ‘regretted’ around (acquiring) the usual word for ‘[at] home’.
22d Highest standards ace student held by March 15? (6)
IDEALS: The symbol for the ace in a pack of cards and the usual abbreviation for a student or learner are inside (held by) the name for March 15 in the Roman Calendar, famous for being the date of the assassination of Julius Caesar.
Which clues did you like best? Let us know in the comments below.
The Quick Crossword pun: TIRANA + SAUCE + WRECKS = TYRANNOSAURUS REX
What a fabulous midweek puzzle. It took a while to get the long ones but, once solved, they allowed entry to the rest of the grid. All clues were well constructed and required just the right amount of thought to solve them. I have ticks all over the paper again with the dangerous pet at 20a and the cry from Fred at 7d standing out above the rest. Apart, that is, for the wife visiting St. Andrews at 26a that is my COTD.
Thank you, setter for the entertainment. Please pop in to claim it. Thank you, Genial Shed for the hints.
The Quickie pun didn’t quite work for me.
Judging by the completion time very early doors I didn’t find this much of a step up in difficulty but I guess it helps if the 4 peripheral long ‘uns go straight in. Thought the puzzle a peach & very enjoyable indeed.
Ticks aplenty but top spot has to be the cat sitting reverend, with Fred Flintstone & Fletcher Christian on the podium. I’m with Steve regarding the pun.
Thanks to the setter (Hudson my punt) & to Deansleigh.
To say that Hudson compiled the puzzle is incorrect. He has been sitting at my feet all morning. 🐶😊
and I thought his paws were all over it…..
Not sure why my earlier comment came in as a reply to your good self
You’re always welcome to nest in my comments, Hintsman. 😊
Welcome back Steve, Hope you had a great visit with your daughter. And I suspect your Hudson probably could have solved this one today quicker than I did 😊.
Thank you, BL. As for Hudson solving a cryptic he stares at me with his head cocked to one side as I fill in the grid wondering what on earth I’m doing and where’s his breakfast. 😊
An enjoyable puzzle which I found fairly gentle but with several parsings which needed teasing out.
Top picks for me were 6a, 25a, 27a, 18d, 19d and 20a.
The Quickie pun didn’t really work for me.
Thanks to Deansleigh and the setter.
1.5*/4*. I found this light for a midweek back-pager but it was a lot of fun.
I’m not entirely convinced that 6d works even with the question mark doing some heavy lifting.
The spoonerism made an excellent start and it all carried on nicely after that.
I’m off now to celebrate my aunt’s 100th birthday.
Many thanks to the setter (NYDK perhaps?) and to Deansleigh.
A cracker of a crossword, a step up from yesterday, with a selection of first-rate clues.
I was a besotted admirer of 18d and the 26a visitor to St Andrews – both perfect surfaces.
I confess that 11a was a bung in – the checkers, a guess at the welcome followed by a chat with Mr G. Not a man I’m familiar with.
Only one of the four long ‘uns revealed themselves on the first read through, the second one was an anagram that I did not immediately spot and the other two made it onto my podium.
I enjoyed 6a, Dr. S’s contribution, which I had to recite a couple of time before the coin dropped but my COTD is 7d…I was aware of Fred’s expression but the parsing to fit in every letter was brilliant.
My thanks to today’s setter and Deansleigh for the hints.
An absolute cracker of a puzzle completed without the backdrop of a tropical storm as was yesterdays. There seems to be a theme developing of clues involving 1960’s and 70’s cartoon characters from both sides of the Atlantic. Is there a standard spelling for the phrase in 7D. It may just be the way my brain works but I thought some of the misdirection was very clever. Having got the first checker for 9A I couldn’t move on to any solution that didn’t involve wide. I also tied myself in knots with 11A as a wai is a greeting where I live and fits in nicely into the middle of the name of a famous island which wasn’t the solution. 25A also worthy of mention COTD awarded to 7D. Thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh for the hints.
Thai corner.
The daily contrasts I experience in Thailand still bring me up short on a regular basis. In the village I live in there are still occassions when I feel I am in a Hovis Ad. The baker, the butcher and the candlestick maker still operate on the High Street and what are known as Mom and Pop grocery stores are every to be found every few hundred yards. It’s quite common to enter these shops to find no one in attendance and it is perfectly acceptable to select your purchase and leave the money on the counter to pay for it. As writing Thai is beyond me I leave a note in English detailing my purchase which never seems to cause a problem.
Not too difficult but brilliant entertainment, with some sneaky misdirection and a little bit of head-scratching to keep things interesting. I think 7d has to be my COTD for the sheer inventiveness.
Many thanks to our midweek setter and Deansleigh.
What a fantastic puzzle, all the right ingredients. I had to have help parsing 11a and 26a as both contained GK that was not in my brain. I liked the spooner but 7d has to be today’s favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh for the hints.
What a great mid-weeker, with just enough chewiness to keep me on my toes. LOI was the besotted admirer which, with 3 of the 4 checkers, I was convinced was an anagram of “I admirer” until the round copper showed up at 23a. The 4 long ones were all well constructed and much appreciated, but my COTD is the wife at St Andrews.
Many thanks to the setter and Deansleigh
2*/4*
For me, etc© today’s puzzle continuing the trend of being quite gentle for a Wednesday – 1.5*/4*
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 26a, and 4d – and the winner is 26a.
Thanks to whomsoever and Deansleigh.
Steve C at 1 above summed up the puzzle perfectly for me. No more to be said. Thanks to compiler and Deansleigh.
There was feeling early on that I was not going to be able to do this puzzle. Once 6 across came to mind and had to be applauded there was no escape. This puzzle deserved perseverance.
There are double ticks for 18 down. No question marks which for me meant it was well constructed. Got there unaided so now off to aquarobics. I would be interested to know our setter. Thanks all round.
Definitely Hudson today, who claimed it on Bluesky.
An enjoyable midweeker, penned by…..hmm…….The Hud.
To get 7d and 27a into a crossword is a great effort.
As a Londoner, who now lives in Sussex, I was hoping to see ‘actually’ after the word Hove, even though it would muck up the parsing.
I was surprised to see ‘mischievous’ twice but it’s not the end of the world.
My picks are 25a, 1d and the splendid 7d.
MTTTA and Nigel Hades.
2*/4*
Agree with MissTFide above on 7d – fantastic clue!
Ticks all over the place for the third day in a row. Favourites were 7d, followed by 6d and 26a. I was misled by 18d and had my letters written in a circle ready to solve when the answer hit me. I really admire how the setters can work in this sort of misdirection.
Thank you for the workout, setter, and thanks to Deansleigh for the hints.
This was a really fun puzzle with some great clues, definitely a notch up from the last two. The grid made it all easier , as having solved a couple of the long ones it helped enormously. Plenty to make me smile , 7d was excellent and 27a which was my favourite clue. I was head scratching thinking what on earth can mean ‘the elbow’ , but then having solved the anagram it was a big doh moment and I laughed out loud . I did wonder if there was a B thing going on as the E contained a lot of them . I had to check for the golf reference and the abbreviation for St Andrews. Thanks so much to the setter and to Deansleigh.
A very entertaining midweek outing – thanks to our setter and Deansleigh.
I particularly liked 6a, 26a and 7d.
What a cracker. Really enjoyable and relatively straightforward. The reverend was the last one of the long’uns to go in even with all checkers in place I couldn’t see it and although I got Fred pretty quickly I had to work out the parsing afterwards.
*/****
Thanks to setter and the Dean
** / ****
I’ll join everyone in saying this was a great puzzle today. Particularly liked the 6d rigged tribunal, the 7d cry from Fred and the 26a country wife. COTD, however, went to the 25a Christian – superb misdirection. Had me thinking of all sorts of religious groups, sects, divisions and schisms before the penny dropped.
Many thanks to She Aligned and the setter.
A splendid puzzle if a little gentler than normal.
Loads of super smooth surfaces which I really admire. Fav amongst a plethora of ticks was the spanish archer at 27a.
Thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh
Super puzzle, pretty gentle and with plenty of smiles throughout.
As with others here my picks for the podium were 6a, 26a & 7d.
Many thanks indeed to the setter and to Deansleigh
I thought this was light and enjoyable puzzle for a Wednesday this week. Almost on par with Mon & Tues puzzles, but with a few twists and lots of smiles and chuckles throughout.
2*/4* for me
Favourites include 6a, 14a, 23a, 27a, 1d & 6d — with 1a the winner, but really they were all winners.
Smiles for 9a, 7d & 15d as well as the favourites.
Thanks to setter & Deansleigh
What a corker! Probably a PB for a midweeker for me but I don’t really track it that closely. Candidates for COTD: all of them!
Thanks to setter & Deansleigh
Could the setter be the son of Hud as the answer to 9a in the smallie is the New York flower?
I was really enjoying today’s puzzle until I wasn’t! Having thrown in the towel with 3 unsolved clues it was very frustrating. I could not get the Spoonerism despite having five of the checking letters. Having checked the hints at the end I had the wrong island in for 11a (never heard of the film-maker). Had all but the first of the checking letters for 7d and saw the part anagram plus ABBA must be the group but no amount of searching the little grey cells solved the clue. The pun did work for me! It’s a funny old world. Many thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh.
Good evening
Missed the last 4 days of crozzies, what with the post-holiday catch-up and work and all the rest of it, so delighted to be able to get stuck into today’s.
Some excellent clueing, with two tying for COTD: Fred at 7d alongside Christian at 25a.
Many thanks to our setter and to Deansleigh
Never heard of 7D, guess I am not into the Flintstones, so certainly not my COTD. Rest of puzzle slowly fell into place but quite a lift in difficulty mid week.
As everyone seems to have found this light and gentle, I guess I don’t have my thinking head on today. I did finish, but mainly thanks to checkers. Didn’t know the acronym for St. Andrew’s, and have never used 18d or 23a…. And stupidly, I didn’t twig 27a. Matters not one whit, had another test this week, and another clean bill of health, yay 😊. Thanks to setter and Deansleigh.
Congratulations on a clean bill of health, BL – worth more than a thousand crosswords. 👍
I agree with everyone else that this was top notch. LOI was 18d with a face palm for how obvious the parsing was and how I didn’t see it earlier. 🤦 Favourite from numerous contenders was 26a. Thanks to the setter and DL.
A top crossword, with so many fun clues. Answers mostly flew in until I slowed down towards the end and I needed Deanleigh’s hints for the final three — for which, thank you.
Highlights included Spooner’s moggy in 6a, the12a articles, the 26a golf club, elbow in 27a, the 2d substitution, and March 15 in 22d. My favourite, along with so many other commenters’ is the 7d pop group party. Thank you so much to Hudson.
An eye catching grid of lights with the square of biggies. Only the southern one came quickly, but it was a gentle Wed amble for sure.
Pody picks – 3D as I do like anagrams that reveal words or places etc I’ve never heard of. 17D as a word I really like, and 7D as it’s not every day we’re gonna see this Fred turn up here 👏🏻
Thanks to setter and to Deansleigh ⭐️