Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31365
Hints and Tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty 2.5* – Enjoyment 4.5*
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where, on Tuesday, I carried out my civic duty of (advanced) voting in this month’s municipal elections. Interestingly, at the municipal council level in Manitoba there are no political parties. While the political ‘leanings’ of candidates may be known, every council is an essentially non-partisan ‘committee’ with the mayor, as chair of the committee, being elected ‘municipality wide.’
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), not a Dream Team Thursday, Silvanus was on Toughie duty yesterday and it is Kcit’s turn today. But, there is no doubt that this is the very entertaining work of the Master of Brevity. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen, no sign of Ray T’s swEetheart, but there is a plain sweetheart in the back pager. Nothing to excite the latent third formers among us. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
Candidates for favourite – 27a, 30a, 4d, 5d, 15d, 18d, and 23d.
In the hints below, the definitions are underlined. The answers are hidden under the Click here! buttons, so don’t click if you don’t want to see them.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Frequent bar, imbibing endless beer (9)
PREVALENT: A verbal synonym of bar containing (imbibing) a synonym of beer with the last letter removed (endless).
6a Force out from small seat (4)
SPEW: The single letter for Small and a type of seat (used for worship?).
10a Last of gins drunk showing emotionalism (5)
SLUSH: The last letter of ginS and a nounal synonym of drunk.
11a Trooper’s ever eager taking soldier on (9)
PERSEVERE: A lurker (taking) found in three words in the clue.
12a More vacuous politician in European Bank (7)
EMPTIER: A two letter abbreviated politician inserted into (in) the single letter for European and a synonym of bank (ignoring the misleading upper case ‘B’).
13a Bloke is upset getting needle (7)
OBELISK: An anagram (upset) of BLOKE IS.
14a Scurry with oddly sick tramp (8)
SCRAMBLE: The odd letters of SiCk and a verbal synonym of tramp.
16a Daughter put on pretty material (5)
TWEED: The single letter for Daughter and a synonym of pretty.
19a Rough start of deep sea vessel (5)
DRAFT: The first letter (start) of Deep and an unlikely sea vessel.
21a Panic is appropriate trapped in bog (8)
FRIGHTEN: A synonym of is appropriate inserted into (trapped in) a synonym of bog.
24a Twister pulled a con (7)
TORNADO: A synonym of pulled, A from the clue, and a verbal synonym of con.
25a Caught covering up, dressing down (7)
CHIDING: The single letter for crickety caught and a synonym of covering up.
27a Cheat romantic rival (9)
CONTENDER: A synonym of cheat and an adjectival synonym of romantic.
28a Aluminium sink reflected scientist (5)
TESLA: The reversal (reflected) of all of the chemical symbol for Aluminium (and Aluminum!) and a synonym of sink.
29a Sweetheart’s rejected being rung (4)
STEP: The reversal (recjected) of a synonym of (not Ray T’s) sweetheart including the ‘S.
30a Finish United career acquiring new tenacity (9)
ENDURANCE: A synonym of finish, the single letter for United, and a verbal synonym of career containing (acquiring) the single letter for New.
Down
1d Group’s on speed, periodically frenzied (9)
POSSESSED: A group (assisting a wild west sheriff?) including the ‘S placed before (on) alternate letters (periodically) of speed – I’ll let you decide whether it is odds or evens.
2d First of elite joining crack outfit (5)
EQUIP: the first letter of Elite followed by (joining) a synonym of crack (as in joke).
3d Shame, it turned into disbelief (7)
ATHEISM: An anagram (turned into) of SHAME, IT.
4d Former partner saucily like a pro? (8)
EXPERTLY: The usual two letters for former partner and a synonym of saucily (as in behaviour).
5d Shock blunder following Trump’s lead (6)
TERROR: A synonym of blunder placed after (following) the first letter (lead) of Trump.
7d Head of state occupant after power (9)
PRESIDENT: A synonym of occupant (of a house?) placed after the single letter for Power.
8d Unleash stench, reportedly (5)
WREAK: A homophone (reportedly) of a synonym of stench.
9d Parted from France wearing French headgear (6)
BEREFT: The IVR code for France inserted into (wearing) a item of French headgear.
15d Move around with bottom spread (9)
REARRANGE: Synonyms of bottom and spread.
17d Run down gradient bursting with energy (9)
DENIGRATE: An anagram (bursting) of GRADIENT and the single letter for Energy.
18d Got jab containing remedy (8)
PROCURED: A verbal synonym of jab containing a synonym of remedy.
20d Light refreshments with Queen for poser (6)
TEASER: A type of light refreshments (at 4:00pm?) and with the regnal letters of dear late Queen.
22d Flash conclusion of Big Issue (7)
GLITTER: The last letter (conclusion) of biG and a synonym of issue (as in offspring).
23d Loving, the French lovingly caress (6)
FONDLE: A synonym of loving and a French translation of the.
24d Tortillas also containing other stuff, initially (5)
TACOS: The first letters (initially) of five words in the clue.
26d Writer of someone’s biography written up (5)
IBSEN: A reversed urker (of . . . written up) found in the words sandwiched by the indicator.
Quick Crossword Pun:
GULLY + FUSSED + RAFFLES = GULLIVER’S TRAVELS
A thought provoking poser from RayT which flowed in fits and starts, but proved to be easier than at first thought. Clever clueing throughout with 8d, my last in being the pick of the bunch.
Many thanks to RayT and
1.5*/3*
2*/5*. Brief (of course) and great fun (of course) with 8d my favourite.
Many thanks to RayT and to Senf.
A slow, but steady solve with much to enjoy on the journey. The visualisation of 6a was not great, but the clue is clever and makes one of my honorable mentions along with 25 and 27a, 4 and 22d. Cotd goes to 9d. Thanks to Ray T and Senf.
Slightly more challenging than yesterdays puzzle but hugely enjoyable. I returned to it several times due to post flood dramas interrupting matters and each time gave myself a severe beating for struggling with something that had become blindingly obvious on returning to it. COTD has to be 24D due to its ingenuity and its potential political commentary.
Thanks to SENF for the hints and to the setter.
Thai corner.
This moped was being loaded to deliver sacks of sugar from the store opposite the bus stop I was standing at waiting for the local pick up truck bus to take me to the shopping centre. Unfortunately the bus arrived before the driver had completed the loading so I didn’t manage to capture the full level of madness he acheived.
This was as superbly clued as ever with some lovely gentle humour and clever misdirection. I particularly enjoyed 21a and 8d.
Many thanks to both RT and Senf.
The Kcit Toughie is well worth a visit too.
Am in agreement with CD at comment #1. With perseverance I was able to complete at a leisurely pace.
I like the sound of the words which are the answers to 6a, 10a and 8d. They sound something like what they mean.
Thanks to setter and hinter.
A nice crossy from Arty that didn’t cause any issues.
I’m never a fan of clues where a word in the fodder has the same root as the answer which is the case with 23d.
My picks are 1a, 1d and 2d.
MTTTA and S.
2*/3*
The usual classy puzzle from Ray T & very enjoyable it was too. Another early vote for 8d as pick of the clues.
Thanks to Ray & to Senf – well done on twigging the pun. I wouldn’t have pegged it this side of Christmas no matter how many silly accents I tried.
Ps Kcit’s puzzle over in t’other spot is fun & much easier than Silvanus yesterday.
For me, and I stress for me (© Senf), this was the trickiest of the week so far, but hugely enjoyable to complete.
Today we are on tenterhooks in this house as The Youngster is due to receive the results of her Masters endeavours. Absurdly, no indication has been given regarding the time the results will be given, so we go about our daily obligations with The Youngster continually refreshing the portal.
“Any news?”
“Nothing yet!”
Thanks to RayTee and, putting his ‘X’ where it matters, The Man From Manitoba