Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31360
Hints and tips by Mr K
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BD Rating - Difficulty ** - Enjoyment ****
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. If you’re familiar with the entries in Big Dave’s Usual Suspects and Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing pages, you likely found this entertaining puzzle a smooth solve. If that’s not you, then you might have learned a few new word meanings making sense of it all.
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. In some hints hyperlinks provide additional explanation or background. Clicking on a picture will enlarge it or display a bonus illustration and a hover (computer) or long press (mobile) might explain more about the picture. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.
Across
1a Cast off from small lake in Ireland (6)
SLOUGH: The single letter for small with the Irish word for lake or loch
5a Vicar perhaps Charlie caught hugging student recruit regularly (6)
CLERIC: The letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by Charlie and the cricket abbreviation for caught are sandwiching (hugging) both the single letter indicating a student or learner driver and alternate letters (regularly) of RECRUIT
10a Flipping sauce by American close to Taylor Swift (5)
RAPID: A type of sauce, the single letter for American, and the final letter of (close to) TAYLOR are all joined and then reversed (flipping)
11a George, foremost one breaking gold auction item (9)
AUTOPILOT: A synonym of foremost and the Roman one are inserted between (breaking) the chemical symbol for gold and another word for an auction item
12a Abandoning son, Italian gentleman departs unnoticed (7)
IGNORED: The Italian word for a gentleman minus (abandoning) the single letter for son is followed by the single letter for departs
13a Draw large aquatic mammal back to quay (7)
LOTTERY: Join together the single letter for large, a cute aquatic mammal that lives on rivers, and the last letter of (back to) QUAY
14a Cocktail that will get mixed during tomorrow endlessly (9)
MANHATTAN: An anagram (will get mixed) of THAT inserted in (during) all but the last letter (endlessly) of a Spanish word meaning tomorrow
17a Dish from Germany unfortunately sent back (5)
SALAD: The IVR code for Germany and another word for unfortunately are joined and reversed (sent back)
18a Come across claims European's given parking penalty notice? (5)
FINED: Another word for “come across” contains (claims) the single letter for European
19a Bold of a French journalist to host adult party (9)
UNABASHED: A in French and a usual abbreviated journalist sandwiching (to host) both the single letter for adult and an informal word for a party or celebration
21a Charming codicil Lydia pens that's overturned (7)
IDYLLIC: CODICIL LYDIA hides (pens) the reversal of (that’s overturned) the answer
23a Spice Girls' hit, one aspiring to emulate it? (7)
WANNABE: A double definition, where one is a Spice Girls’ hit song
25a Ruin, for instance, good picnic snack (6,3)
SCOTCH EGG: Cement together ruin or end, the abbreviation for “for instance” or “for example”, and the single letter for good
26a Strive to raise state of happiness briefly (5)
HEAVE: All but the last letter (briefly) of an informal word for a state of happiness
27a Rejected loveless individual many will find hot (6)
STOLEN: Another word for individual minus the letter representing a love score in tennis (love-less) and a synonym of many are joined and reversed (rejected)
28a Scraps King visiting 1 Across supermarket originally (6)
SHREDS: The Latin abbreviation for king is inserted in (visiting) a synonym of the answer to 1a, and that’s followed by the first letter (originally) of SUPERMARKET
Down
2d Plant from garden I pulled up (5)
LUPIN: The answer is hidden in the reversal (from … up, in a down clue) of GARDEN I PULLED
3d Deceitful subordinate, worker on farm (9)
UNDERHAND: An adjective synonym of subordinate is followed by a worker on a farm or in a factory
4d Listened to one-time neat group on the radio (5)
HEARD: A homophone (on the radio) of a group of neat, where one-time indicates that the usage here is archaic
5d Foreign national heading off previously around Spanish region (9)
CATALONIA: An anagram (foreign) of [n]ATIONAL (heading off) is preceded by (previously) an abbreviation meaning around or approximately
6d Revolting recording involves ten resident abroad (5)
EXPAT: The reversal (revolting) of an informal word for a recording contains (involves) the Roman ten
7d Discovered Lille hospital treated late husband's sickness (3,6)
ILL HEALTH: Assemble LILLE minus its outer letters (dis-covered), the single letter for hospital, an anagram (treated) of LATE, and the single letter for husband
8d US president releasing article containing extremely insidious cliché (6)
TRUISM: A 20th century US president with a grammatical article deleted from his name (releasing article) is containing the outer letters (extremely) of INSIDIOUS
9d Remained sober, we hear (6)
STAYED: A homophone of a word meaning sober or restrained
15d Butter providing nourishment for kids? (5,4)
NANNY GOAT: A cryptic definition, where butter whimsically means something that butts
16d Criminal once hurt seizing northern police officer's weapon (9)
TRUNCHEON: An anagram (criminal) of ONCE HURT containing (seizing) the single letter for northern
17d Believe singer supporting troubled aunt's more loyal (9)
STAUNCHER: The singer of Believe comes after (supporting, in a down clue) an anagram (troubled) of AUNT’S
18d Weak movies promoting filth essentially unknown (6)
FLIMSY: Another word for movies lifting (promoting) the central letter (essentially) of FILTH is followed by a usual letter that can represent a mathematical unknown
20d This German left, getting train typically (6)
DIESEL: “This” in German with the single letter for left
22d Anaesthetic within easy reach (5)
LOCAL: A type of anaesthetic can also mean “within easy reach”
23d Pay wife over a long time (5)
WAGES: The single letter for wife with an informal word meaning “a long time”
24d Bill receives campaign medal (5)
AWARD: A bill that might be posted to sell something contains (receives) a military synonym of campaign
Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: CREW + SIR + WAIT = CRUISERWEIGHT
It’s been a great puzzling week, and today’s back-pager is the icing on the cake. I found it relatively light for a Friday, but it was absolutely superb from start to finish with ticks all over my page. My rating is 2*/5*.
I kept changing my mind about my favourite as each new answer was written in the grid but, on balance, 17d takes the honours.
This must surely be the handiwork of Silvanus. So many thanks to him and to Mr K.
A terrific end to the week although I have to declare a DNF because I just could not fathom out the German getting the train at 20d. Thank you, Mr. K. for the explanation and, as ever, I wondered why it had eluded me. George at 11a makes another welcome appearance along with the cocktail at 14a. The group at 4d took me back to Frampton Comes Alive although the meaning in the clue was different. My COTD is the adult party at 19a.
Thank you, setter for the puzzle. Thank you, Mr. K. for the hints.
I thought Mr K bang on with his rating. A very well compiled guzzle with 11a being my favourite although 10a and 17d also very enjoyable. Not sure who our setter is but thanks to him and Mr K. Great Friday fare.
Brilliant puzzle, take a bow Mr Setter!
I thought this was excellent, and very gentle for a Friday. If I were to select a scale of difficulty this week, my order would be Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Wednesday, Thursday.
Top clue for me was 5d, followed by 14a (I’ll overlook the tilde which obviously is impossible to show), 19a, and 27a.
Interestingly, the first clue that my eyes fell upon in the Elgar toughie has the same answer as one from here.
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
1*/5*
What a great puzzle. I did have to look up the German word for this but otherwise no oddities for me.
Top picks for me were 4d, 13a, 27a and 15d.
Thanks to Mr K and the setter.
Terrific puzzle today with lots of great clues. 20d my last one in by a country mile. In fact all week we have had some great guzzling! Thanks to our setter and to Mr. K.
Super puzzle, if overly gentle for a Friday. I did wonder whether “one-time” in 4d was an editorial change, as it isn’t really necessary and the clue would read better (and be a little more challenging) without it; and just seeing “George” is now enough on its own for the answer to write itself in.
Huge smile at 14a – down here in Cornwall I guess the equivalent of the endless tomorrow would be (the much less urgent) ‘dreckl(y)’… Joined on the podium by 25a & 8d but, as ever, there could be many others receiving laurels.
Many thanks indeed to the setter and to Mr K – great to hear the wonderful Talking Heads!
Brilliant puzzle and a new overall PB. Many thanks to our setter and Mr K for the hints.
What a belter of a crossword from Sade to finish off what has been a very enjoyable week in Crissycrossyland. it was gentle but that absolutely works for me.
A couple of small observations which won’t affect my rating as there are far too many beans in the jar:
1. It would be good if a setter gave a subtle nod to today’s US president as there are 40+ to choose from. He isn’t one of the big five but famous enough. I just think it gives someone who doesn’t know many of them more of a chance of getting it. It would make the clue easier and may muck up the parsing. So, I understand if it’s a non-starter.
2. Words like ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘the’ and ‘and’ in German are fine as most people know them or have seen them in crosswords. But, today’s is, in my opinion, too difficult. I certainly didn’t know it and I see there are three other ways of spelling it.
I reckon 21a is one of the top three most mispronounced words going, along with zoology and mischievous.
My picks are 19a, 27a and 17d.
MTTTA and the oh so Special K.
2*/5*
The reference in 8d isn’t to today’s president but surely to the one around 80 years ago.
Hi SC
When I say ‘today, I mean today’s crossword.
It’s a shame it wasn’t the incumbent, or should that be ‘incomebent’, as ‘insidious cliché is more poignant.
Agree, and truth is a stranger to him ☺️.
Good shout
Unsurprisingly, Tom, I’m going to disagree with you – I know you are a worthy champion of the beginner’s cause, but there’s no need for dumbing down in the DT cryptic (which is already by no means one of the more challenging back-pagers), especially towards the end of the week. Over the course of a week the crossword needs to satisfy a very broad audience, from those who have just started on their cryptic journey to those who have spent as many as 7 decades “putting the words to lights”.
Some of the required GK is meant to be challenging, whether it’s remembering presidents & prime ministers or old films & film stars; knowing (or working out) the most basic basics of the four main European languages; recalling your arpeggios, a cappellas and andantes; the main rivers and mountain ranges of the world; the major authors, their works and characters.
I’m pretty bluddy lousy at recalling (or ever having heard of) many Dickens characters, but a good setter will make the clue solvable without such knowledge. Today’s setter has done the same with 20d – one might not know any German at all, but the answer was evident from the definition and checkers, and so a solver could now deduce that “diese” means “these” in German.
Today’s President may not be one of your “big five” but he’s a major post-war US president and served two terms – 10% of the post-war period. His name should come to mind for most people, surely?
It’s true (I had to). You can see that I said it would make it too easy and therefore a non-starter. It was more of a passing comment.
I do stand by the German comment though as I don’t want setters to go too far down this route of introducing more French and German words. Next we will see ‘sie’ (they) in a clue and it could go from there. I’m all for new approaches and setters going into uncharted waters (not unchartered). I welcome it. But, I think, in this case, we should stick this with the old classics. I just don’t think it’s necessary, especially as it’s a very parsable word.
I’m intrigued by your ‘unsurprisingly’ comment. The only thing that comes to mind is the cut-off with the number of anagrams even though I’ve got no problem with you not liking too many. I find it interesting more than anything else.
I thought we don’t disagree that often.
Isn’t that the case?
I love talking to Jose as he always answers my questions and observations, either countering, agreeing or adding to them. It’s great. I put you in the same category though you don’t reply to my stuff as often as he does which is absolutely fine.
Hi Tom – no, we don’t often disagree, but we have done so in the past on the subject of what is “fair” clueing for beginners, occasionally even clueing in general, and as I said you are a very worthy promoter of newbies to cruciverbalism.
My view is that the puzzles should be increasingly challenging during the week, and that by Friday very few punches should be pulled, even if beginners need to come to sites like this to see how the clues work and so, from those hints and tips, progress to greater mastery of the solver’s “art”.
Certainly in the Toughie today Elgar has pulled no punches, and after getting just 1 answer in my first quite prolonged run-through (more a stumble than a run) I can see it will take a full weekend to solve his challenge – but I shall hopefully learn from doing so, and thereby fractionally improve!
Gosh. His crosswords are clearly brutes. Fair play to you for regularly taking them on. You are one determined solver!
I allot a certain amount of time to my daily solve and wave the white flag if I hit that mark, saying to the setter….you’ve done me.
When I’m feeling like nails, I may, just may, take on the appalling regal lager concoction.
I understand your comment about German, French and Spanish words. I just don’t want them to get carried away. They are more than capable without having to revert to them.
I am having a similar experience with the toughie, but I did like the Royal dog and his link to today’s article on Black Labs, warm beer and their right-wing views
Here it is…
http://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/2573/reader/reader.html?social#!preferred/0/package/2573/pub/2573/page/66/article/NaN
I think TDS, we are seeing the crossword world, like everything else, evolving. Most of us now have access to Google etc so if we can parse a clue, we can work it out. I certainly didn’t know the German word, and often there are GK references that I don’t know but I use Google or AI to look things up and I learn something new .I speak as a relative newbie as you know of 7 years.
You rookie, you!
As they say, JM…..each to their own.
Exactly Herr Vet !
The world and the blog would be a boring place if we all thought the same .
U betcha
Hi Tom
I agree with you about the German vocabulary. I know perhaps 5 words in German, which I have acquired from crosswords. That was only because it was an optional subject in my school (KCS), and most people didn’t choose it. French was compulsory.
In this puzzle, I knew what the answer was, and went to Google to confirm the German bit…
Hi J
A lot of people don’t like change. e.g today’s German even though I’m up for it. You’ll see in my post to MG that I’d prefer setters not to pursue this one though I have no right to tell these superstars what to do.
The German bit didn’t bother me because the wordplay gave it to me.
Some know French, some know German, and some know Spanish etc
I could write a book in Spanish, but obviously not in German.
Do you live in Spain?
Forgive me if you’ve mentioned that a zillion times.
Yes, Valencia. Moved here 11 years ago. It’s now my second language
I wish I could speak another language though some people on this blog say that I already do! It’s called ‘Tom speak’.
I’m always in awe of people who can pick up another language just like that. It’s a real gift.
When we were in High School, the girls learnt French and the boys German. It comes in handy when we are solving, and able to help each other. Not sure that is what are teachers intended though.
I forgot to put the butter on the podium.
An excellent clue.
This was at the easier end of the setting spectrum for a Friday but what a brilliant crossword to end the week. Each clue was a little masterpiece, with my trusty pin selecting 13a as my favourite.
Thanks to our setter and Mr K.
A puzzle from the top drawer – many thanks to our setter and Mr K.
Top clues for me were 13a, 19a, 27a and 8d.
Well when the Friday puzzle **FINALLY** showed up due to a new month delaying the delivery … again, it was on two pages and a tough puzzle too IMHO
3*/3* for me
Favourites 1a, 11a, 13a, 15d & 22d — with winners 1a & 15d
Thanks to setter & Mr K.
Tthursday is looking like the new Friday and today’s puzzle, as Mr K indicated , was pretty straightforward .I liked 1a, reminded me of Betjeman’ s poem, ” Come friendly bombs and fall on 1a”, obviously no fan of suburbanisation, Mr Betjeman. The anagram at 16d, the geogrphical at 5d and 20d are also worth a mention, ny knowledge of the latter stemming from testing my son’s vocabulary, when he kernt Gernan and a Geography Field Trip to Marburg in 1968. Thanks to the compiler and to Mr K for the hints.
Undone by the 20d/26a pair for which I needed the hints. So a DNF from me, but other than being beat, I thought it an excellent Friday challenge. I liked the cocktail at 14a, but my cotd is 15d. Thanks to compiler and Mr K.
For a change got through a Friday puzzle over (a longish breakfast) but needed Mr K’s help parsing 5d and 20d. Haven’t been to 5d for a long while now, but used to know it well, though that doesn’t help with parsing! And 20d foxed me, despite my two months learning German at uni, some 60+ years ago: “Und Gott sah dass es gut war” is all I really remember!
Anyway v many thanks to the setter, and to Mr K for his enlightenment!
It’s interesting what you say about not remembering anything since studying German 60 years ago at university.
I studied French at school from around 8 years old until I passed it at A-Level, when I could hold a fluent conversation. Since moving to Spain and intensely studying its language and grammar, French has been squeezed out, to the point where, apart from the basics, I can’t remember any of it.
My 2 months of German was just a requirement for studying something else at uni, I think I had to study meteorology too, or maybe I switched from German, because I can remember a lot of that. In any case I always have to check the German spelling . The bible was out study text!
I’ve been in France now for 50+ years and am getting pretty good at holding my own, even though most of my friends are English, I do keep up with weekly aperitif evenings with my French neighbours and getting around the place of course.
We had to learn French, German and Latin at my school in Wimbledon- we even had Greek for the first year but most of us dropped that. We learned vast amounts of poetry, songs and nursery rhymes much of which I can still recite all these years later. What did I have for lunch yesterday ? I cannot remember!
Hi Daisygirl (by the way my grandmother in Raynes Park was called Daisy), you posted a comment last week that not only had me singing to myself ‘we plough the fields and scatter…’ but sent me off to google to remember all of it; a Wimbledon education over 40 years ago!😄
Lunch yesterday? I just called my brother and his wife and while I remembered what I’d had for supper (avocado) I couldn’t / can’t remember what I had for lunch apart from the side salad!
Still feeling weak with this bug. Messed up the bottom right hand corner and threw in the towel. I only knew 11 across from crosswording. I ticked 19 across for favourite. Thank you Mr. K and our setter..
* / ****
Found this gentle for a Friday but did have lots of parsing to check so thanks to Mr K for the blog. Never heard (!) of the neat group at 4d and got hung up trying to parse 8d with the current President, which of course doesn’t work! COTD went to old favourite, George. One question though, why is the word “typically” at the end of 20d, it’s not really needed at all is it?
Thanks to Mr K and the setter.
A rather swift solve for a Friday although I confess that 8d was to use a football term in off the backside! I saw ‘US president’ and immediately assumed ‘Trump’ because of the ( as TDS also mentioned) ‘insidious cliché’ was fitting. Meant to go back and work out the rest later but forgot until reading the comments!
Found the debate about what is fair GK in a clue and what isn’t a very interesting topic. My pet peeve is churchy ones and old films (that aren’t absolute classics) and old money (shillings etc) as I wasn’t born until after decimalisation so have no understanding.
Then I thought about it some more – before doing crosswords I never knew ‘George’ meant autopilot so I am all for expanding my knowledge so in the end it comes down to anything is fair game as far as Im concerned!
Thanks to the setter to Mr K and to all posters on this blog for a very interesting read
Hi MHUK
I’m all for learning new stuff as long as it’s the answer because you’ll arrive at it from the parsing.
It’s when you need to know the info as it’s part of the fodder that niggles, a tad. You’re then relying on the definition or the checkers which is a lot less satisfying.
I do know what you mean and I do agree mostly – but we don’t all know the same things so the setter is gonna annoy someone! I thought 14a today was asking a lot – firstly name of a cocktail (which I am hopless at) arrived at by spotting an AI and knowing a Spanish word! That was quite a lot to know in one clue. But as you said made possible (for me) by the checkers and then reverse parsing it!
There are many ways to arrive at an answer. As long as one gets there then happy days.
14a was tricky but I had 8d which helped.
I do need to get into cocktails as my wife and daughter have one (or two) at every given opportunity.
They had an evening at a place called The Standard near Kings Cross Station. It has a swanky bar where they had a couple of cocktails listening to a cool pianist while eating some fancy nibbles.
Tres chic.
And probably Tres Cher!!!
Would you BELIEVE it isn’t that CHER.
Come on. Give it to me. Give it to me. Gimme, gimme, gimme….
A man after midnight…
Like it.
I loved Abba in the 70s but was obviously a closet fan.
Needed the hint to parse 14a but no real dramas elsewhere. Quite gentle for a Friday but no less enjoyable for that. Favourite was 19a. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K.
What a brilliant week we have had with such excellent puzzles, this one also did not disappoint. I will have 15d as a favourite but there were many wonderful clues.
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K for the hints.
This was a great solve which felt more like a Tuesday to me. I felt chuffed to have got 18d straight away and it made me realise how much I have improved over the 7 years since I started, and what a fantastic pastime this is. Really interested to see the debates about the German words etc and what is deemed acceptable. I think as a relative newbie I don’t have any preconceptions about what is allowed and what isn’t given we have Google to turn to , and most off I can parse the clues – I said similar about anagram indicators a few weeks back. Anyway thanks to the setter for a great Friday puzzle and Mr K
An absolute belter of a crossword, very high quality. Not particularly difficult for a Friday but extremely well constructed with some polished surfaces and a fair amount of humour.
The most difficult part is picking out a favourite: The draw in 13a, 14a’s cocktail and the Believe singer in 17d were just a few of many ticks, but I’ll have to go for the Spanish region in 5d as my winner.
A fine ending to the week, my thanks to our setter and Mr K.
Great clues … and so enjoyed the Heaven video Mr K – had the privilege of seeing David Byrne perform this one in Cardiff earlier this year and it was such a treat
Many thanks, as always, to Mr K for his Hints and Tips and to all those solving and commenting.
See you all again soon but in the meantime have an excellent weekend!
Are you our crafty setter? Thank you for such a lovely end of the week guzzle. Who’d be a setter? Just go on doing it your way, if people have reached adulthood without having heard of a Manhattan cocktail in literature, film or TV, oh – I’ll just shut up. Crosswords have always been a big part of our life, even more so now we are so old. It’s a great feeling when we complete it and if we are stuck we have the wonderful hinters on this site. I don’t care much for sporty clues and I am not very scientific but I take it all as it comes. I think you are all wonderful! 🥰
PS thank you to Mr K for explaining “getting train typically “
Thanks to Silvanus and Mr K.
A bit of a struggle solve. I was half aware of the German this in 20d, but not that trains are typically diesel. Also unaware of the anagrams in 5d and 14a.
5a – amusing and slightly cheeky.
Good afternoon
Thanks to staying power, tea (all right, I’ve moved on to beer now, but it is after 5:00…) and my Lucky Green Pen, I got there.
I was totally unfamiliar with George as a synonym for 11a, and the parsing eluded me a little. 4d needed a bit of explanation as well. COTD is the sublime 14a!
Many thanks to the Brain Of Silvanus and to Mr K.
A fairly quick solve this morning bar 3 at the bottom and then had to go out. Just picked it up again and 2 flew straight in just leaving the typical train for which I resorted to Mr K for the explanation, having found ‘diese’ for ‘this’ from Google, but the left didn’t register, duh!
Overall a superb example for a Friday with the cocktail 24a, the sickness at 7d and the scraps at 28a being my picks.
Many thanks to Silvanus and Mr K
2*/4*
A really enjoyable solve to end the week. I was unfamiliar with George as a synonym for 11a but my husband confirmed my thoughts. Bless him! I’m sure Daisygirl knew the answer straightaway! Many thanks to the setter and Mr K. Have a nice weekend everyone.
Great entertainment from Silvanus. 11A, 8D, 18D my faves. VMT also to Mr K.
1.5*/4* A nice gentle Friday after my travails yesterday.
Lots of excellent clues today, my favourites being the 13a draw, 4d listened and the 15d butter
Many thanks to Silvanus and Mr K
Oh joy of joys, a friendly Friday puzzle. Did need a bit of teasing in places, and I wouldn’t have got there without the abundance of helpful checkers, but fun it definitely was. Thanks to Silvanus and Mr K,
Just goes to show that it doesn’t have to tough to be a cracker. Can’t separate this Smooth production from Hudson’s treat on Wednesday so it’s a dead heat for top spot in what has been a high quality week of back-pagers. Like others my German (virtually non-existent) didn’t extend to ‘this’ so needed Mr G but otherwise nowt to trouble the crumpet. Ticks all over the shop too numerous to mention & the full 5*s for enjoyment here too.
Thanks to Silvanus & for popping in as per & also to Mr K for the review – enjoyed David B & Cerys M. How do you blur out those clips?
Pleased with the time, did need a couple of the hints to confirm my 14A and 20D parsing thoughts.
Pody picks – 11A’s Lego George, 19A’s surface and construction, and 25A as a favourite food, especially when it has black pudding around it.
Thanks to Silvanus and Mr K ⭐️
So nice to end the (non-working for me) week with a relatively painless solve. The East went in first but a bit more chew required in the other half however softly, softly catchee monkey and voilà. 10a held out until the end – suppose a sauce is appropriate. 18d was a bung-in but was parsed later. Thanks Silvanus and MrK.
3*/3* ….
liked 14A “Cocktail that will get mixed during tomorrow endlessly (9)” ….
must be missing something … “typical train” in 20D would be electrified, not ****** .