Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31354
Hints and tips by Mr K
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ****
Hello, everyone, and welcome to a fresh and entertaining Friday puzzle.
In the hints below most indicators are italicized, and underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions. Clicking on the answer buttons will reveal the answers. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.
Across
1a First lick of paint on great building (6)
PREFAB: Link together the first letter of (first lick of) PAINT, a short word for on or concerning, and a dated informal synonym of great
4a Model biting lip, beginning to reach for flower (8)
PRIMROSE: A verb synonym of model is containing (biting) both another word for lip and the first letter (beginning to) of REACH
9a Splendid ladies perhaps accompanying one's husband (6)
LAVISH: An informal word for what ladies defines by example (perhaps) is followed by the Roman one with its ‘S from the clue and the single letter for husband
10a Edging away, aunt left nasty criminal (8)
UNLAWFUL: Assemble AUNT minus its outer letters (edging away), the single letter for left, and another word for nasty
12a Introducing Latitude, Pulp spring up (8)
MUSHROOM: Before (introducing) a synonym of latitude comes a synonym of pulp. The false capitalisation here is for misdirection
13a Out to lunch, reckless to dismiss hot, spicy food (6)
MADRAS: “Out to lunch” or crazy with another word for reckless minus (to dismiss) the single letter for hot
15a Who takes a bow on stage? Old US president backing Farage? (5,7)
NIGEL KENNEDY: A 1960s US president comes after (… backing) the first name of politician Farage. The definition is a bit cryptic
18a Censor King tales? There's interest in many of them (4,8)
BANK ACCOUNTS: Another word for censor is followed by the chess abbreviation for king and some tales or reports
21a Occasionally opposed to lines in verse (6)
POETRY: Alternate letters (occasionally) of OPPOSED TO with an abbreviation for railway lines
22a Fancy blue bra, initially one pound? (8)
BELABOUR: An anagram (fancy) of BLUE BRA O[ne] (initially ONE)
24a Grim meat dish no good (8)
CHILLING: A spicy meat dish with the single letters for no and for good
25a Jazz keyboardist Chick nailing new organ part (6)
CORNEA: Chick the jazz musician containing (nailing) the single letter for new
26a Sweet photo showing part of tennis match (4,4)
DROP SHOT: A type of sweet with an informal word for a photograph
27a Car in ultimately dire condition (6)
ESTATE: The last letter (ultimately) of DIRE with another word for condition
Down
1d Playing polo, I am close to Arabian horse (8)
PALOMINO: An anagram (playing) of POLO I AM [arabia]N (close to Arabian)
2d Given visa, German takes picture (8)
ENVISAGE: GIVEN VISA GERMAN hides (takes) the answer
3d For example, Schwarzenegger being fed a line is very good sport (10,5)
AUSTRALIAN RULES: The nationality Schwarzenegger defines by example (for example) containing (being fed) both A from the clue and the single letter for line is followed by verb meaning “is very good”
5d Ladder with small steps on it? (4)
RUNS: A ladder in stockings with the single letter for small
6d Basic aspects of American's metadata one opts to change (4,3,8)
MEAT AND POTATOES: An anagram (to change) of METADATA ONE OPTS
7d Duck by river crossing English city (6)
OXFORD: Join together the letter representing a duck score in cricket, the arithmetical symbol for “by”, and a river crossing
8d Register English student around November 1st (6)
ENLIST: The single letter for English and the letter indicating a student or learner driver are sandwiching (around) the letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by November, and that’s followed by the Roman one with its ST from the clue
11d Bolstered by kindness on the outside, manage with 100 Russian coins (7)
COPECKS: The outer letters (on the outside) of KINDNESS come after (bolstered by …) both a synonym of manage and the Roman 100
14d Critic of rap jeers regularly (7)
KNOCKER: Rap or hit with alternate letters (regularly) of JEERS
16d Difficulty dropping off head of institute in front of dilapidated mansion (8)
INSOMNIA: The first letter of (head of) INSTITUTE is followed by (in front of) an anagram (dilapidated) of MANSION
17d Taking note, measure broken handle while online (8)
USERNAME: An anagram (broken) of MEASURE containing (taking) the single letter for note
19d Soldiers originally walked separated by gaps (6)
SPACED: The first letter (originally) of SOLDIERS with another word meaning walked
20d Fine wool somewhat warmer in October (6)
MERINO: The answer is hidden in (somewhat …) WARMER IN OCTOBER
23d Very keen on elected Tory? Not half (4)
INTO: A short word meaning elected is followed by half (not half) of TORY
Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: CORK + CAT + TWO = COCKATOO
1a took me back, there were plenty of those in the area I grew up in. In fact there was hardly a scrap of bomb-damaged land that didn’t have a 1a sprout up on it. (Come on, give me that one, it is Friday!) For temporary housing, they were still in evidence decades after the war.
The ivory tinkler referred to in 25a was a true jazz legend, though may be unknown to anyone not interested in the genre.
Arnie at 3d and the online handle in 17d were my other highlights.
My thanks to our setter and Mr K.
I’ll happily give it to you, Mickey Mane.
Thanks Tom. I can’t resist an open goal.
I like that very much! I heard King of Rock n Roll on in our local little Tesco the other day, which was random in itself.
I enjoyed this puzzle. I didn’t know the jazz player so had to check that one.
I’m blaming it on my stinking cold but I actually started wondering if looish was a word for 9a before I came to my senses. I also tried pronouncing 22a 4-4 which made no sense so I took another look at it 🥴
Top picks for me were 1a, 13a, 15a, 3d and my favourite 16d.
Thanks to Mr K and the setter.
Me too with looish!
Thank you Manders, glad I wasn’t the only one!
You should worry, I was trying to squeeze ‘khazi’ into it!
I really didn’t think I was going to finish this. With only 3 or 4 clues solved I took a break for a walk and on my return 6D and 18A revealed themselves which gave lots of checkers and clues, which had previously been impenetrable, suddenly became easy. I made it difficult for myself by despite knowing Arnold’s nationality I insisted 1A must be palace and therefore he had to be Castillian. 9D, 16D and 17D all made me grin with 17D my COTD as the grin it provoked was the widest. Thanks to Mr K for the hints as although 11D had to be what it was I couldn’t fully parse it. Thanks also to the setter.
I eventually completed yesterday’s puzzle this morning after initially trying to do so during the lunch and tea intervals at Edgbaston. It seemed like a good idea but too much going on to focus.
I enjoyed today’s offering which, for me, was gentler than some of those I waded through earlier in the week.
I was born in Coventry in the mid 40s and there were hundreds of 1a built in the 50s, some of which were still inhabited when I returned in the late 70s.
Not a fan of ‘out to lunch’ which has been used before in crosswords, but I’ve never heard the term used in that context in conversation.
I had to check the jazz keyboardist with Mr G and although I knew the foreign coin I misspelt it, both held me up.
I’m nominating the two long ones at 3d and 6d for the podium despite not realising that the latter is an Americanism, with 12a being my COTD.
My thanks to today’s setter and Mr K for the hints.
A very enjoyable puzzle that I thought was not too tricky for a Friday.
I guessed the jazz man Chick from the checkers, but I’ve never heard of him.
Many thanks to the setter for the entertainment, and to Mr K for the write-up.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed the Jazzman in 25a would crop up in the DT crossword.
I bought ‘Where have I known you before’ in about 1977, and no-one else I knew had ever heard of him, brilliant musician, much overlooked.
A pretty tricky puzzle for Friday again this week. Lots of parsing I found difficult to suss out, but in the end, with a few bung ins and cross checking letters, I managed to complete the grid.
2.5*/3.5*
Favourites include 26a, 27a, 1d, 6d, 14d & 16d — with winners 27a & 1d
Thanks to setter & Mr K.
The setter completely misdirected me with the “flower” at 4a, which I eventually solved at last at last.
12a – surely Latitude and Pulp are the names of edible fungi.
A great crossword with ticks for 25a (I’ve heard of him from somewhere) and 5d (a tricky little clue).
Thanks to setter and hinter.
A top-notch puzzle today – thanks to our setter and Mr K.
Like others I’ve never heard of the 25a Chick.
My ticks went to 1a, 15a, 26a and 5d.
What a treat, a Friday puzzle that I managed to complete, I did need google for 25a but otherwise I completed it unaided. I had 3d as a favourite followed by 11d which although I did not know the answer was easily gettable by following the instructions.
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr k for the hints.
More than a bit annoyed – 4 left to do and left the puzzle site to read an email and all my answers had vanished! Hey ho. Thanks all😂
SE corner took longer than the rest combined. The anagram at 22a took an age to unravel as I don’t really link the answer with a synoym of ‘pound’. Never heard of the Jazz musician and wondered if it was a typo and meant to read ‘Chuck’. A good challenge so thanks tonthe setter and Mr K for blogging
Another week gone. We’ve had the drain man here this morning, lovely fellow – as well as fixing our problem he lifted a bag of ericaceous compost out of the boot of my car for me, the whole while singing There’ll be blue skies over the White Cliffs of Dover. I asked him why a young fellow like him would be singing a 70 year old Vera Lynn number, to which he simply replied “it’s a beautiful song!” Any way, back to business. Great guzzle for the end of the week, I liked the difficulty dropping off at 16 d and the model at 4a. I didn’t know the jazzman but Mr Google helped me. I plonked in Napoleon for my horse, not reading the anagram properly but realised my mistake when I got 12 & 15a. Many thanks to our Setter and to Mr K for his help.
Love the Vera story.
I found this a tricky number and needed a couple of hints to get to the finish. Whilst I got 3d thanks to the Arnie reference the parsing of the second part was new to me. I lived in a 1a in my early childhood before we were moved into more modern housing. My memories were of internal temperatures that were freezing in winter and hot in summer. So 1a makes my podium alongside 15 and 24a.
Thanks to compiler and Mr K.
I too toyed with looish and didn’t know the jazz musician, the rest were fairly straightforward and enjoyable without having an outstanding favourite but if pushed I’d go with 14d thanks to the setter and Mr. K.
I remember a friend who was a jazz aficionado being amaazed that I hadn’t heard of the keyboardist but had to look up the spelling. It was a splendid puzzle, challenging, but not ascdifficult as it first appeared,conce I began to unravel the clever misdirection. I particularly liked 15a, the other musician formewd from two politicians and that3 my COTD . I also liked tge 3d lego clue and the 6d anagram which opened uP the puzzle, whean the penny dropped. The misdirection in2a was rather good too. Thanks to the compiler and to MrK for the hints
3*/4* …
liked 27A “Car in ultimately dire condition (6)”
What a great finish to what has been a very enjoyable week of crossies with my LOI being the biffed 25a. He has been duly noted.
I, like the above river that was out to lunch, kept pronouncing 22a as 4-4.
I’ve never pronounced the sport as its full name nor has an Aussie as they shorten everything….more than I do! Forget my bat/batsman stuff. They really are at another level.
I wasn’t sure about ‘first lick of’ for the initial letter but I know love it. It makes me think it’s a Zandio production as he loves all that.
My picks are 15a (very nicely done), 21a and the aforementioned 25a.
MTTTA and Special K.
3*/5*
Entertaining stuff, a nice level of ‘chewy’ as some here like to say. A quadruple in the NW took a while to land, the 3D biggie helped me get unstuck and then 1A took a bit longer (LOI).
Pody picks – will nominate 1A as it’s a lovely example where getting hung up on a two letter word – ON – can send you down the wrong path for a crosswording eternity. Then I’m standing on a platform at Haywards Heath and suddenly my brain goes “oh maybe it’s RE + a short word for great” and hey presto. Very satisfying.
Also 15A’s bow-taker, nice to see them in a clue, and I’m declaring a tie between 2D’s lurker and one of my favourite meals in 13A, though I tend to prefer hotter than that.
Many thanks to setter and Mr K ⭐️
Really enjoyed this with the English city being the last one in, clever little clue
*** / ***
Took a long while to get a foothold and was worried about finishing. Then slowly but with building pace, everything fell into place. 25a was biffed – never heard of the guy and had to check some other parsings. Wasn’t wholly convinced by the ‘is very good’ synonym as part of 3d but otherwise that’s a great clue.
I’m more used to starting 11d with a ‘K’ but a quick check in one of TDS65’s favourite books sorted that out. A tick went to 1a – remember lots of those and think my Mom (I’m from Birmingham, that’s not a typo) and Dad lived in one for a while. cOTD went to the 16d difficulty dropping off – superb!
Many thanks to the Setter and Mr K
Suspect I made slightly harder work of this than the level of difficulty merited which balanced a surprisingly swift finish in t’other place. Like others 22a proved embarrassingly tricky even with 4 checkers in & having correctly identified the fodder – d’oh.
Lots to like but 3d gets my vote as pick of the clues with podium spots for 15&18a.
Thanks to the setter (Zandio seems a good punt) & to Mr K
I needed help with this one – from my partner who is completely new to crosswords! I’ve never heard of the jazz musician, or the word at 22a so that was last in. The spelling of 11d was also new to me.