DT 31349 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31349

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 19^th September 2026

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

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

Cone, the answer to the clue at 3 Down, referring to an ice-cream cone known as a 99, was very interesting. After solving the puzzle, I explored the internet and acquired a great deal of information about it. A 99 Flake, commonly called a 99 or ninety-nine, is a classic British ice-cream treat consisting of soft-serve, usually vanilla-flavoured, ice cream served in a wafer cone with a Cadbury Flake chocolate bar inserted into it. It is traditionally sold by ice-cream vans and parlours, particularly in seaside towns and other holiday resorts throughout the United Kingdom. Variations include a double 99, containing two Flakes, sometimes called ‘bunny’s ears’, and versions topped with strawberry or raspberry syrup, colloquially known in some places as ‘monkey’s blood’. The history of the name is uncertain, and several theories have been proposed. One once suggested that it derived from a price of 99 pence, but this is generally discounted because the treat cost considerably less when it first appeared. Another theory connects the name with the Italian cono, meaning ‘cone’, supposedly anglicised from the cry of Italian ice-cream vendors. A more widely cited explanation connects it with Cadbury’s Flake 99. The Flake chocolate bar itself was developed in Britain in 1920 after a Cadbury employee noticed that surplus chocolate draining from moulds formed thin, rippled strands which cooled into the distinctive crumbly chocolate. In 1930, Cadbury introduced a smaller Flake specifically designed for insertion into ice-cream cones; these were marketed as 99 Flake bars and sold loose in boxes. The association between the Flake 99 and the ice cream subsequently became firmly established, making the 99 a familiar feature of British ice-cream culture. Whatever the precise origin of the name, the combination of creamy soft-serve ice cream, a crisp wafer cone and the characteristic crumbly Flake has remained a much-loved British seaside and summer treat for generations.

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Across

1a           Inner ear of my horse without name (7)
CORNCOB: The definition of the hard, central, woody core of an ear of maize or corn where the kernels grow is obtained from a combination of COR (my) as an interjection used to express surprise, amazement or admiration, an example of which is ‘my’ i.e. another interjection used as an exclamation of surprise, pleasure or dismay e.g. ‘Oh, my! What a tiring day!’ and COB (horse) as a stocky short-legged harness horse placed outside (without) N (name) as the abbreviation for name

5a           Mister Bob Hope (7)
SPRAYER: The definition of a dispenser that turns a liquid, such as perfume, into a fine mist, an example of which is a mister i.e. a spray gun with a fine nozzle, used to apply moisture to the foliage of indoor plants is reached from a charade of S (Bob) as a historic pre-decimal abbreviation for shilling, an example of which is a bob i.e. an old-fashioned slang for a shilling and PRAYER (Hope) as the slightest chance or a negligible hope

9a           Profit from commercial vehicle say at back (9)
ADVANTAGE: The definition of a noun denoting benefit or profit, especially in the phrase ‘to one’s advantage’ is arrived at from AD (commercial) as an informal term for an advertisement, a type of which could be commercial, that is an advertisement included with another broadcast as on radio, television or a podcast and VAN (vehicle) as a covered motor vehicle for transporting goods etc by road followed by a combination of EG (say) as the abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning ‘for example’ or ‘say’ and AT from the clue returning from the other side (at back) as reversals in the across clue

10a        Delighted to receive new pancreas? (5)
GLAND: GLAD (delighted) as an adjective meaning delighted, happy, please or contented to take inside (receive) N (new) as the abbreviation for new guides to the definition of a large elongated exocrine gland, situated behind the stomach, that secretes insulin and pancreatic juice

11a        Staple feature of horror writer Vidal (4)
GORE: Double definition; the second referring to the forename of an American writer and public intellectual known for his cynical epigrammatic wit that guides to the first denoting shed blood or bloodshed, a recognised staple feature of the horror genre

12a        Sausages, cold, a hospital ordered (10)
CHIPOLATAS: The definition of the plural of a type of small, thin sausage that is typically made from minced pork or chicken and seasoned with herbs and spices like sage, thyme or black pepper is reached from C (cold) as the abbreviation for cold followed by an anagram (ordered) of A HOSPITAL

13a        Matchless leg cut breaking duck (9)
NONPAREIL: The definition of an adjective meaning matchless, peerless or having no equal is arrived at from a combination of ON (leg) as a term in cricket referring to the leg side of the pitch and PARE (cut) as to cut or peel the outer layer from something or to cut the edges from the nails getting inside (breaking) NIL (duck) as a duck i.e. a batsman’s score of nought or zero in cricket

16a, 1 Down and 22 Across          What causes daughter to appear in military ceremony? (3,8,2,3,5)
THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD: THE CHANGING OF (what causes) or the re-arrangement of ‘daughter’ to appear as THE GUARD cryptically leads to the definition of a phrase meaning a formal military ceremony where soldiers on duty are replaced by a new shift

19a        Earwax regularly removed in long period (3)
ERA: Not taking into account the regular or evenly-placed letters (regularly removed) of E[A]R[W]A[X] yields the definition of a long period of history defined by a specific theme or quality

20a        Honoured in Germany, EC spoke at length (9)
DECORATED: The definition of a verb in the past tense meaning honoured or awarded a medal or badge is reached from D (Germany) as the abbreviation abbreviation and IVR code for Deutschland, the German word for Germany followed by EC from the clue and ORATED (spoke at length) as a verb in the past tense denoting spoke at length or spoke pompously and lengthily

22a        See 16 Across

25a        American weakling with American SEALS at first (4)
WUSS: The definition of an American slang term for a weakling, doormat or a person who is physically weak and ineffectual is arrived at from W (with) as the abbreviation for ‘with’, followed by US (American) as the adjectival abbreviation for the United States or belonging to the United States and the initial or starting letter (at first) of S[EALS]

27a        Film director in Frognal once retired (5)
NOLAN: The definition of the British and American filmmaker whose films have earned over $7.7 billion worldwide, making him the third-highest grossing film director of all time and whose full name is Sir Christopher Edward Nolan is part of or hidden inside (in) [FROG]NAL ON[CE] coming from the other side (retired) as a reversal in the across clue

28a        Abstemious, but consumed with rage (9)
TEMPERATE: The definition of an adjective meaning abstemious, moderate or showing self-restraint in actions or habits is arrived at from ATE (consumed) as a verb in the past tense meaning consumed food or took a meal preceded by or being beside in the across clue (with) TEMPER (rage) as a noun denoting rage, fury or anger

29a        Outgoing submarine docks in Devon river (7)
EXPENSE: The definition of a noun denoting an outgoing, cost or financial expenditure to describe money paid out or regular living cost is reached from PENS (submarine docks) as the plural of a sheltered or protected dock or basin for submarines placed inside (in) EXE (Devon river) as referring to River Exe that rises in Somerset and flows through Devon to reach the sea at Exmouth

30a        Insoles designed for Leah Williamson? (7)
LIONESS: An anagram (designed) of INSOLES guides to the definition denoting a fully grown female of the cat species Panthera leo, an example of which is Leah Williamson, the captain of the England women’s national football team, whose players are collectively known as ‘The Lionesses’

Down

1d           See 16 Across

2d           Respect from cleric shortly before church (9)
REVERENCE: The definition of a noun meaning great respect or a feeling or attitude of profound respect, usually reserved for the sacred or divine is reached from REVEREN[D] (cleric) as an informal term for a cleric or minister that is made short with the removal of the last letter (shortly) followed by CE (church) as the abbreviation for Church of England

3d           1 under 100 for 99? (4)
CONE: The definition of a 99, also called 99 Flake or ninety-nine, a type of ice cream with a Flake inserted into it and commonly sold by ice cream vans in the United Kingdom and Ireland is cryptically arrived at from ONE (1) as the number or figure 1 represented as a word under i.e. taken as one less than C (100) as the Roman numeral for one hundred in the down clue

4d           Welsh friend with brains capturing English coastal position (9)
BEACHHEAD: A combination off BACH (Welsh friend) as a Welsh term of affection or address like dear, mate or friend and (with) HEAD (brains) as an informal noun for brains, intellect or mental capacity surrounding or taking inside (capturing) E (English) as the abbreviation for English brings the definition of a position on an enemy shoreline or coastal area captured by troops in advance of an invading force

5d           Excessive energy used in action (5)
STEEP: The definition of an adjective meaning excessive, exorbitant or unreasonably high is got from E (energy) as the symbol of energy in physics getting inside or occupying (used in) STEP (action) as an action calculated to achieve an end

6d           Governor degenerate with a gun sent heavenwards (9)
REGULATOR: The definition of a governor or controlling device that maintains a uniform or steady speed in a machine is got from a combination of ROT (degenerate) as to degenerate, deteriorate or decay and (with) A from the clue and LUGER (gun) as a German semi-automatic pistol introduced before World War I and widely used by German troops in World War II all going upwards (sent heavenwards) as reversals in the down clue

7d           Bridge player with yen for brewing agent (5)
YEAST: A combination of EAST (bridge player) as one of the four directional card-playing positions at a bridge table supporting or shouldering in the down clue (with) Y (yen) as the abbreviation for yen, the Japanese currency leads the definition of a fungus or fermenting organism used as a brewing agent

8d           Is cutting horribly hard salad ingredient (6)
RADISH: IS from the clue getting inside (cutting) an anagram (horribly) of HARD leads to the definition of a pungent, crisp and edible root vegetable that is typically eaten raw in salads

14d        Greek commander soon brought about plucky Ilium’s end (9)
AGAMEMNON: The definition of the king of Mycenae who commanded the Achaeans during the Trojan War in Greek mythology is reached from ANON (soon) as an adverb meaning soon, in a short time or in the near future placed around (brought about) a combination of GAME (plucky) as an adjective meaning plucky, brave or full of fighting spirit and the ending or last letter (end) of [ILIU]M (Ilium’s)

15d        Weeping willow in centre covers ornate May arch (9)
LACHRYMAL: The definition of an adjective denoting weeping or relating to tears is obtained from the central or middle letters (in centre) of [WI]LL[OW] enclosing or surrounding (covers) an anagram (ornate) of MAY ARCH

17d        Train trip on time after Euston evacuated (9)
ENTOURAGE: The definition of a train, retinue or a staff of people following in attendance is reached from TOUR (trip) as a trip, journey or excursion, especially for pleasure placed upon in the down clue (on) AGE (time) as the time of life reached or of being old as a combination that is preceded by (after) E[USTO]N subject to its inner letters being removed (evacuated)

18d        Old god shelters unknown ship for latest 27 Across 26 Down (8)
ODYSSEUS: O (old) as the abbreviation for old as OT in Old Testament followed by DEUS (god) as meaning ‘god’ in Classical Latin welcoming or bringing inside (shelters) a combination of Y (unknown) as variable, unknown or yet to be ascertained quantity or factor as used in mathematics, especially in algebra and SS (ship) as the abbreviation for steamship guides to the definition of the legendary Greek of Ithaca and the hero or protagonist of Nolan’s latest 2026 film The Odyssey

21d        Singer Tyler so pretty? (6)
BONNIE: Double definition; the second being an adjective denoting physically attractive and appealing or so pretty that guides to the first referring to Gaynor Sullivan, a Welsh pop singer who was known for her distinctive husky voice and professionally celebrated as Bonnie Tyler

23d        This emerging from bulb lit up explosively (5)
TULIP: The definition of a spring-flowering plant or flower that emerges or grows from a rounded bulb and belongs to the family Liliaceae is obtained from an anagram (explosively) of LIT UP

24d        Relative going topless, free from bonds (5)
UNTIE: [A]UNTIE (relative) as a familiar or diminutive word for aunt, a female relative who is the sister of one’s either father or mother devoid of the uppermost letter in the down clue (topless) that guides to the definition of a verb meaning to free from something that binds or restrains

26d        An Achilles in the room? (4)
HERO: The definition of a man of great strength and courage celebrated for bold exploits, an example of which is an Achilles meaning one similar to Achilles, the legendary Greek warrior, son of Peleus and Thetis, slayer of Hector and central character in Homer’s Iliad is part of or hidden inside (in) [T]HE RO[OM]

There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 5a, 13a, 16a/1d/22a, 27a, 3d, 4d, 6d, 18d and 24d; 16a/1d/22a being the clear winner. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to NYDK for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.