Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31351
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
Another lovely day here in Harpenden but a whole lot of domestic chores to attend to so golf will have to wait until tomorrow.
Today’s dose of Plumbing is maybe a tad easier than yesterday’s puzzle. That said the grid fill took me a tad longer than usual but I suspect that was because I was more woolly headed than usual first thing this morning. I did enjoy the solve but maybe not as much as the last couple of weeks & there did seem to be a preponderance of first letter deletions. As ever it will be interesting to see what others make of it.
Hudson is on duty over in t’other place & if the form book is anything to go by his Tuesday Toughie is guaranteed to be an accessible delight. Whybird is on hand with hints & more tunes.
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 Agitated celebrity starts to take liberties each day (8)
STARTLED: another word for a celebrity + the 1st letters (starts to) of the last four words in the clue.
5a Sounds from clarinets, essentially – piercing things you blow? (6)
NOISES: the central letter of [clar]I[nets] (essentially) is placed inside of (piercing) bodily things that are blown when blocked up. Neat surface & a good excuse for some Acker Bilk.
9a Goes tense wrapped in horrible pet’s mat (8)
ATTEMPTS: insert (wrapped in) the single letter for T[ense] into an anagram (horrible) of PETS MAT.
10a Carrot’s regularly hidden in the man’s suit (6)
HEARTS: place the alternate letters (regularly hidden) of [c]A[r]R[o]T[‘s] within a possessive third-person pronoun for ‘the man’s’.
12a In favour of new unit of weight, say (9)
PRONOUNCE: the usual adjective or preposition for in favour of + N[ew] + an imperial unit of weight.
13a Admit a reduced urge (5)
AGREE: A from the clue + a shortened nounal synonym for urge/longing.
14a Requests unopened face coverings (4)
ASKS: remove the 1st letter (unopened) from face coverings used in formal balls or heists.
16a Ministers – annoying people embracing religious instruction (7)
PRIESTS: a term for annoying people goes around (embracing) the abbreviation for R[eligious] I[nstruction].
19a Something that might be under glass vessel (7)
COASTER: a double definition – the latter is a shallow-hulled merchant ship.
21a Long backbone but no head (4)
PINE: remove the 1st letter (no head) from the more popular name for the backbone.
24a Wants massages by the sound of it (5)
NEEDS: a homophone (by the sound of it) of a verb synonym for massages.
25a Sweep emergency room – patient may need this (9)
STRETCHER: a synonym for sweep/extent + the two letter abbreviation for E[mergency] R[oom].
27a Realise bikini attaches partly from the back (6)
ATTAIN: hidden in reverse (partly from the back).
28a This could make snake slither away (5,3)
SNEAK OFF: a reverse anagram (this could make). SNAKE is the fodder then append a basic indicator.
29a Tramp’s short trousers (6)
STRIDE: truncate (short) an informal term for trousers.
30a Someone completing sentence in prose modified by editor, finally (8)
PRISONER: an anagram (modified) of IN PROSE then append [edito]R (finally).
Down
1d Is turning up holding party food (6)
SCAMPI: a reversal (turning up/down clue) of the opening word of the clue contains (holding) a synonym for party or the truncated synonym in the wordplay of the next clue.
2d Conflict from clique with no leader (6)
ACTION: remove the 1st letter (no leader) from a synonym for clique.
3d Section of totem pole in grave, say (5)
TEMPO: hidden (section of).
4d Old nurse’s offers (7)
EXTENDS: the usual prefix for old + a verb meaning nurses/looks after.
6d Aida perhaps changed into outfit (9)
OPERATION: perhaps signifies definition by example. Link with an anagram (changed) of INTO.
7d Astonish sir with super bust (8)
SURPRISE: an anagram (bust) of SIR SUPER.
8d Dread hearing possibly about US power (8)
SUSPENSE: hearing possibly as in one of the traditional 5 for humans goes around (about) US & P[ower]. Nobody did it better than Hitchcock & how did he get away with that train entering the tunnel?
11d What turns up on a parking lot (4)
HEAP: reverse (turns up/down clue) an interjection/exclamation for ‘what’ then add A from the clue + the abbreviation/symbol for P[arking]. It was under rather than on in Leicester mind.
15d Happy if a diet’s altered after start of September (9)
SATISFIED: S[eptember] (start of) + an anagram (altered) of IF A DIETS.
17d Disgraceful things about wearing shoes (8)
SCANDALS: the single letter for about/C[irca] inserted into (wearing) a type of shoes.
18d Married a smarter femme fatale (3-5)
MAN-EATER: the single letter for M[arried] & A from the clue & a synonym for smarter/tidier.
20d Regret concealing a second stratagem (4)
RUSE: a verb meaning to regret goes round (concealing) the single letter for S[econd].
21a Mate’s quiet with a little resistance before opening up (7)
PARTNER: 4 elements to this charade. A musical quiet/P[iano) + A from the clue + R[esistance] (physics) then a reversal (up/down clue) of a somewhat old-fashioned or poetic nounal synonym for opening.
22d Chucked king’s chair over the phone (6)
THROWN: a homophone (over the phone though I’d have thought something like reportedly a better choice of indicator for the surface) of the term for the monarch’s seat.
23a Match official enters for a favour (6)
PREFER: insert (enters) the usual abbreviation for a match official into a preposition meaning for a or each.
26a Bit upset with small gins? (5)
TRAPS: reverse (upset/down clue) a synonym for bit/section of + S[mall]. The question mark indicates definition by example & nowt to do with a tipple.
Today’s Quick crossword pun: TRY + SIC + HULL = TRICYCLE
The clues I liked best in this one were 5,28&30a plus 3,11&18d. Please let us know which ones ticked your boxes.
This morning’s listening whilst compiling the blog has been an album by Naomi Shelton & the Gypsy Queens. It was prompted by the title track playing over the shockingly violent concluding scene in series 2 of The Gentleman.
An enjoyable puzzle which felt a bit trickier than usual Tuesdays.
Top picks for me were 17d, 18d, 26d and 5a.
I liked the Quickie pun too.
Thanks to Huntsman and Mr Plumb.
Not quite such a walkthrough as yesterday, I thought, but good fun. I agree rather a lot of first letters out. 5A amused.
1* / 3.5* A slightly easier puzzle than yesterday for me with some nice wordplay.
Favourites today include the disgraceful shoes at 17d, the suit at 10a and slither away at 28a
Thanks to the Huntsman and compiler
I agree that the professor was slightly more awkward than usual but it was an enjoyable solve nevertheless. My COTD is the thing that goes under a glass vessel at 19a.
Thank you, AP for the fun. Thank you, Hintsman for the hunts.
Further to our exchanges yesterday, here’s one especially for you:
Regular here sounds sullen (8)
I’ll need to think about this one, J. In the meantime, this is a favourite of mine, which you may know because it won the DT clue contest about two year’s ago.
Party piece? (1,3,2,1,2)
Very good, with Ray T concision. Hint re mine – it’s personal to you! It would only work on this blog.
Got it! That was a good one but it took a while for the proverbial to drop. I have always been rather tickled that my name means sullen. 😊
I found this a bit trickier than yesterday – I seemed to sped a lot of time looking for concealed letters or adding and dropping letters off the front to back of words. I never quite got into the flow.
To add to my woes I didn’t really understand the parsing of 3d.
My COTD is 28a which I only cracked once I had the checkers for the second, then obvious, word.
My thanks to today’s setter and Huntsman for the hints.
For me this was similar to yesterday’s challenge, a step ahead in the difficulty stakes for this stage of the week. Also like yesterday’s puzzle I found it very enjoyable with some quite obtuse clues. In my experience it’s not often a reverse anagram, (26D), makes an appearance this early in the week. I thought 28A was a bit weak but outnumbered by excellent clues, 5A, 11D, 6D, with COTD being awarded to 19A for the very clever disguise of the double definition.
Thanks to the setter for an enjoyable puzzle and to Huntsman for the hints which I needed to tidy up some of my parsing.
Thai Corner.
Following yesterday’s revelation that Thais have hand digits and foot digits instead of fingers and toes, I thought the naming of the digits might be of interest. The Thais give fingers and toes exactly the same descriptor just adding the foot or hand location. The name for the thumb or big toe is quite cute as it’s refered to as the head mother digit. After that inspiration ran out and we have pointing finger, middle finger, lady’s finger and strangely, reverse finger, as in the opposite side of a coin.
https://x.com/TerribleMaps/status/2098470145455001656
The comment text tells me that should have been embedded. Oh, well, let’s try again.
Absolutely fascinating. I got an A in GCSE Spanish back in the dark ages (1977) we obviously didn’t get as far as the toes in our anatomy vocabulary as I remember dedos as the the word for fingers but not dedos del pie as the word for toes. An abiding frustration of mine is that my GCSE Spanish acquired through two double lessons a week at Dinnington comprehensive is still more advanced than my Thai despite being immersed here for 3 years.Thanks for the response I found it fascinating.
A wavelength thing perhaps, and seemingly in a minority, but I zoomed through this in about two-thirds of yesterday’s time. Felt somewhat ‘unfulfilled’ at the end, with only 17d raising a smile – I guess that’s CotD, then. LOI was 13a, which elicited a bit of a ‘hmmm’, assuming I’ve shortened the correct word (a deadly sin). 1*/2.5*
Tuesdays rarely disappoint and this was no exception. No real hold-ups, and all was fairly clued so solving was a straightforward delight. For a favourite I went for 18d.
Thanks to Mr P and The Hintsman.
A likeable puzzle for me, except for one clue that I unaccountably couldn’t solve i.e. 19a. I went through all the letters of the alphabet except trying O as the second letter. Perhaps I should have studied the clue more carefully.
I liked the musicality of 3d and 22d was quite amusing.
Thanks to setter and hinter
Got stuck on 17 and 19.I blame it on the fact that the dreaded lurgie is still with me, a week tomorrow .!! A good workout for a Tuesday.Favourites inc.28, 29 and 30 . Thanks to all . Think the toughie can wait until I’ve had some turmeric and ginger ..
I take both every day!
Hope it works for you soon.
Slightly trickier than our usual Tuesday fare – thanks to our setter and Huntsman.
I didn’t know the meaning of grave (5d) in a musical context but the wordplay was clear.
Top clues for me were 19a, 28a and 18d.
Not quite Typically Tuesdayish but just as enjoyable – **/****
Candidates for favourite – 5a, 12a, 21a, 18d, 23d, and 26d – and the winner is 5a.
Thanks to Mr Plumb and Huntsman who is spot-on with his prediction on the Hudson Toughie.
TT. 1*/4*. My favourite is a toss-up between 5a & 19d.
Many thanks to AP for the fun and to Hintsman.
Fairly straightforward, although I was held up for a short while in the SW. 19a and 28a were my favourites. Thanks very much to AP and to Huntsman. Having now seen the end of North by North West, I feel I should watch the rest.
Lovely Tuesday fare, a swift solve bar a few in the SW which put up a little temporary resistance.
Honours to 27a for the surface read, 28a, and 7d for the snigger – very RayT-esque.
Many thanks to AP and Huntsman
A nice puzzle, fairly mild and enjoyable enough. 3d, who knew that? A very slow music tempo – straight into my MRB. Several ticks and I’ll plump for 5a as my favourite. 1.5*/2.5*.
H. Doesn’t really matter but just pointing it out – some of the down clues in your excellent review are listed as across.
A very enjoyable challenge with the prof in fine form.
Plenty of nice surfaces make it tricky to decide who gets the silverware but I’ll go with 16a, 28a and 21d.
MTTTA and Hoots!
1*/4*
Here’s a clue especially for you:
Mort’s gusset undone by resident etymologist (3,8)
Superb!
Something tells me that there’s a setter inside you, itching to get out.
Saying that, ‘Tom Sturges’ only has two Ss.
Let’s have a ponder.
Hmm….
Enjoyable PP production, a little trickier than normal.
Is 18d synonymous with femme fatale? It doesnt seem quite right to me but im sure it’s in the BRB.
Thanks to AP and Huntsman
Delightful guzzle with no holdups except for LOI which was 12d. 5a had a daisy as did 19a 16a 25a – well, I liked them all really. I thought 28a was particularly clever. Many thanks to the Setter and the Hintsman. I do like Mort’s Gusset!
** for me.
Led Zeppelin 11 is blasting away today 🎸
Delightful guzzle with no holdups except for LOI which was 12d. 5a had a daisy as did 19a 16a 25a – well, I liked them all really. I thought 28a was particularly clever. Very smart quickie, too. Many thanks to the Setter and the Hintsman. I do like Mort’s Gusset!
I too thought that this Tuesday offering this week was easier than Monday.
2*/4*
Favourites include 5a, 21a, 24a, 6d & 22d — with winner 22d
Many to smile at including winer as well as 21a, 24a & 17d
Thanks to AP & Huntsman
A super puzzle as I have come to expect on a Tuesday. As I was solving I did think that there seemed to be rather a lot of initial letter deletions – so I agree with our esteemed blogger.
Still, an absolute joy to chuckle along at the super smooth and humorous surfaces.
Thanks to the setter and to Huntsman
A very enjoyable solve with 5a my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to huntsman for the hints.