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DT 31041

by Huntsman  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31041
Hints and tips by Huntsman

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***

It’s shaping up to be another nice day here in Harpenden so an afternoon of golf in autumnal sunshine looks on the cards. I need the exercise as my backside won’t stray far from the sofa while the Ryder Cup is on over the next two days. I’m on the tee starting golfers off on Sunday but should be done in time to watch the singles action on the final day. Fingers crossed for Luke’s team.

I was very grateful for a gentle puzzle from Ray T this morning as it was nearly 1pm by the time I got home from a gig at the Brixton Academy. Suffice to say ‘twas a bit of struggle getting out of bed when the alarm went off & confess to feeling more than a bit mushy brained & bleary eyed this morning.

As ever an enjoyable puzzle today from Mr Brevity & one that ought not to present too many difficulties.

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 Taken in by desires, is tantalisingly defiant (9)

RESISTANT: hidden (taken in by).

6d Made water in return for drink (4)

DEEP: reverse (in return) an informal verb for a bodily function.

10a Home of a chap with sweetheart (5)

ABODE: A from the clue + a term for a chap + Ray T’s customary swEetheart (centre of).

11a Went quickly over part of the story (9)

NARRATION: reverse (over) a synonym for went quickly then append another for part of/allocation.

12a Stepped back catching bloke sleeping (7)

DORMANT: insert (catching) another word for a bloke inside of a reversal (back) of a synonym for stepped.

13a Sort that is wearing glasses (7)

SPECIES: insert (wearing) the two letter abbreviation for that is into an abbreviation of a synonym for glasses.

14a Draw out some caramel on gateau (8)

ELONGATE: hidden (some).

16a Occasionally tribal, real headdress (5)

TIARA: the answer is concealed in the alternate (occasionally) letters of the 2nd & 3rd words in the clue.

19a Inspects container on board ship (5)

SCANS: place a type of container between (on board) the usual two letter ship prefix.

21a Team facing Spanish team of stars (8)

SIDEREAL: link a synonym for team with Madrid’s premier footy outfit.

24a Show decline in gasp for breath (7)

PAGEANT: insert (in) a synonym for decline within a verb meaning to gasp for breath.

25a Free a French idiot eating seconds (7)

UNTWIST: start with the French indefinite article used with masculine singular nouns then append another term for an idiot into which you insert (eating) the single letter for Seconds.

27a Breathless prisoner embracing a new one (9)

INANIMATE: insert (embracing) A from the clue + the single letter for New + the Roman numeral letter for one all into a synonym for a prisoner.

28a Class assigning status to expect, initially (5)

CASTE: an acrostic (initially).

29a Get rid of outhouse (4)

SHED: double definition.

30a Cleaning is put off by man (9)

DETERGENT: a verb meaning put off followed by an abbreviated term for a man.

 

Down

1d Scrutinise clothing item that’s forward? (9)

READDRESS: link a synonym for scrutinise with a clothing item.

2d Start to slip on stony trail (5)

SPOOR: the initial letter (start to) of Slip + a synonym of stony (think broke).

3d Affair with woman on strike (7)

SHEBANG: a singular, third person feminine pronoun for woman + a synonym for strike. Nowt to do with a lass on the picket line.

4d Comment from queen accepting zero rubbish (8)

ANNOTATE: insert (accepting) the letter that can represent zero & a synonym for rubbish/cheap low-quality into the last Stuart monarch who reigned in the early 18th century.

5d Flail about in the endless silence (6)

THRESH: insert the usual two letter preposition for about/concerning between a truncation (endless) of TH(e) in the clue & the usual abbreviated instruction to put a sock in it. Hands up who (like me) immediately bunged in the wrong vowel then scratched their crumpet trying to parse it.

7d Kill time with a line out (9)

ELIMINATE: an anagram (out) of TIME A LINE.

8d Strokes absorbing new drawers (5)

PANTS: insert (absorbing) the single letter for New in a synonym for strokes/caresses.

9d Cheers fast time showing ability (6)

TALENT: an informal exclamation for cheers/thank you + the liturgical period of fasting in the Christian calendar.

15d Drunk agreed on a drink (9)

ORANGEADE: an anagram (drunk) of AGREED ON A.

17d Share everything outrageous about kings? (9)

ALLOTMENT: a synonym for everything + a term for kings in the context of chess pieces inserted between the 3 letter abbreviation for outrageous/wildly excessive.

18d Least significant flash on street (8)

MINUTEST: a synonym for flash/short period of time + the usual abbreviation for STreet.

20d Constant interference? (6)

STATIC: double definition.

22d Begin to hold almost frigid temptress? (7)

ENTICER: insert a truncated (almost) adjective for frigid/very cold into maybe not the first synonym to spring to mind for begin/start off.

23d Desert sands (6)

STRAND: double definition – think abandon & beach.

24d Quietly looks for couples (5)

PAIRS: the musical letter for quietly/soft & a synonym for looks/appearances.

26d Publish paper with no leader (5)

ISSUE: remove the 1st letter (no leader) from a type of paper. Nowt to do a daily.

 

Please let us know which clues ticked your boxes. I’ll go for 1,5&17d as my podium picks.

 

Today’s Quick Crossword pun: OVA + RUN + DOUBT = OVER AND OUT

Last night’s splendid gig at The Brixton Academy was by a band called Lord Huron, who I was unaware of until a few weeks ago. They kicked the show off with this one

59 comments on “DT 31041”

  1. I enjoyed this. Was a bit doubtful that my 6a was correct but it turned out to be. 21a was new to me and 2d my LOI.

    Top picks for me were 18d, 1d and 12a.

    Thanks to Huntsman and Ray T.

  2. This was a nicely balanced puzzle, which turned out to be more easily approached from South to North. There were some good Lego clues, including the affair at 3d, 21a and 25a plus a great lurker, my COTD at14a. Many thnks to Huntsman for tthe hints and to the compiler.

    1. Hi CC

      I see a Lego clue as something that has many pieces, i.e at least 3, more so 4. Many clues have a minimum of two parts like the two you have mentioned above (3d and 21a). So, a high percentage clues, for you, would be Lego clues

      In fact, maybe the question ‘What is a Lego clue?’ should be in the FAQ.

      I would be surprised if the definition is ‘a minimum of two pieces’. But, I, of course, could be wrong.

      1. And what would you call a clue with two parts? I have seen a good few 2-part constructions in my grandson’s Lego sets, particulrly in the Harry Potter sets and the chessboard and pieces that he constructed before playing with it.

        1. Fairy nuff.

          I suppose it’s down to the solver how they define these things.

          It’s like the chat I had with RD yesterday about how a synonym gets used. Senf, quite rightly, said that there are no rules which is no bad thing.

  3. For me, etc© – yesterday’s pun! Mr T very benign for a Thursday – 1.5*/4.5*

    Candidates for favourite – 12a, 24a, 27a, 7d, and 20d – and the winner is 20d.

    Thanks to Ray T and Huntsman.

    P.S. If you haven’t seen it, late yesterday evening, Hudson claimed ownership of yesterday’s back pager.

  4. Good morning. This was very straight forward. 6a made me laugh: not to often we see locker room humour in the DT! 21a is my COTD but variations of 30a should be banned as it’s as old as the hills! Thank you for the review and and to the setter.

  5. Fairly straightforward although I did learn a new word at 21a, which I shall nominate as my favourite clue. Thanks very much to Ray T and to Huntsman for providing some good tunes in trying circumstances, including one from Watford’s finest. I’m seeing Nash at the Palladium in a few weeks, for reasons that now escape me, but it’s always a pleasing place to spend an evening. Stanley Dee at the Half Moon will undoubtedly be livelier.

  6. 2*/5*. A real treat from Mr T, with my crowded podium comprising 21a, 3d, 5d &17d.

    Many thanks to RayT and to Hintsman.

  7. Mostly straightforward apart form a new word to me in 21a and I could not parse 5d especially with the wrong vowel in it. There were some great Lego clues and an excellent lurker, my favourite was 14a.

    Many thanks tot RayT and to Huntsman for the hints.

  8. Not first to post again today because I had to go to the doctor’s. They don’t know what’s wrong so I’m having to go through a number of hospital tests. Ho hum!

    Anyway, today’s puzzle was a treat from Raytee with a lovely Quickie pun as a bonus. I thought 21a was neat and I solved it because it’s the only Spanish team I know. I imagine 8d will bring about the usual comments regarding the word. The French idiot raised a smile but my COTD is the show gasping for breath at 24a.

    Thank you, Ray T for a fun guzzle. Thank you, Hintsman for the hunts

      2. The first two or three answers in the quick crossword, when said quickly together give another word or phrase. So, if the answers are “car’, “bow”‘, “hide”, “rates” read them together and they give “carbohydrates”.

        That pun was last Tuesday, I think.

  9. Very jolly. 6a couldn’t have been from anyone else! 2d and 5d for me. Best thanks to RayT and Huntsman. Home by 1pm, eh? That would have been quite the gig!

  10. Once again I made heavy weather of what turned out to be a straightforward and very fairly clued puzzle. 6a made me chuckle, even if it is schoolboy humour, but plaudits go to 13a, 24a and 21a. Thanks to Ray T and Huntsman.

  11. This was a typical RayT puzzle which flowed from the off.

    My last quadrant to drop was Devon & Cornwall. The construction of 5d was sublime. A perfect clue to show a rookie.

    My podium is 21a, 7d and 23d.

    MT to the aforementioned and Hoots!

    2*/5*

    * I wonder why we don’t say ‘Cornwall & Devon’ as it’s alphabetical? Maybe Devon & Cornwall just flows more. It’s a bit like the order of cream and jam on a scone: it depends where you’re from. Interesting to see that The Royal Family eats theirs the Devon way,

    1. At the risk of opening up this particular can of worms, as far as I am concerned jam is a spread and cream is a topping. 😊

    2. I’d say it’s Devon and Cornwall because you have to go through the former to get to the latter (unless you are already there! :wink: )

      1. Like it, RD, Like it.

        My guess is that, even though they are two-syllable words, Devon is quicker to say.

        So, it gets said with ‘and’ as it scans better, like in a poem…

        Devon and
        Cornwall

        But, that could be complete tut.

  12. Another enjoyable puzzle from our own Ray of sunshine. As usual, there was the occasional synonym that threatened to disturb my equilibrium but it was only the one in 22d that had me checking with the BRB. My rosettes are pinned on 12&24a plus 9&20d.

    Devotions as ever to Mr T and thanks to Huntsman for the review.

  13. Thanks to RayT and Huntsman. Fairly stready solve. As already commented upon 6a is rather un Telegraph like! Scandalous! LOI 2d. COTD 27a.

  14. Usual Thurday fare i.e. more difficult. As an ol’ boy from Norfolk I had to think about 5d because I could have spelled it differently which would have really confused things

  15. Gentle and enjoyable providing a number of smiles – thanks to Mr T and Huntsman.
    Top clues for me were 24a, 2d and 5d.

  16. Another exacting puzzle this Thursday from the ever present concise and exacting clueing from RayT.
    Included again this week were his sweetheart and the queen showed up too.

    1.5*/4.5* for me

    Favourites 13a, 27a, 1d, 3d, 4d & 17d — with co-winners 13a & 3d
    Smiles for 29a, 30a & 15d
    A great puzzle with clues that just make good sense.

    Thanks to RayT & Huntsman

    1. That was also my initial reaction but after a bit of thought I realized that 30a can be an adjective as well as a noun (e.g., “… the 30a action of the substance …”).

  19. Well. How odd. We are away on our Spanish frolics where the DT does not exist but a kindly friend is able to send the DT and the Times as well. The local printing shop does the honours and voilá. Today I found RayT top end ** but no idea why. I did enjoy it though so must put it down to a fuzzy head. The Times? Harder and only just finished after trying to progress on and off since breakfast. Thank you to our hinter and himself.

  20. I found this a bit tougher than usual for a Ray T, and will use my early morning dermatologist visit as my excuse. 21a was new to me, even though that was the only Madrid team I know (like Steve Cowling), didn’t care for 3d, and have to question 30a. The answer is a noun, so it does not fit well with cleaning as the definition of cleaning. Enjoyed the rest. Thanks to RayT and Huntsman.

  22. Been away a few days and won’t be regular for a while. Enjoyed this but had to check 6 parsings. Didn’t know the 2d answer was a synonym of trail and even after the clarification a few posts above, I thought 30a must be a misprint that should have said cleaner or cleaning agent. For me, © etc. the SE was the biggest challenge.

    Thanks to RayT and Huntsman

    3. Great guzzle – many thanks, a perfect accompaniment to my GnT when I got back from town.
      I particularly liked the 14a lurker and 24a.

    5. Good evening, Mr T. Sorry to be so late, got lost in the book I was reading. Another bit of interference, perhaps!

  24. Many thanks to Ray for a most enjoyable puzzle – 21A my favourite, but good laugh from 6A. VMT also to Huntsman.

  25. 1.5* / 4* loved this one, plenty of wit and misdirection. Also learnt a couple of new words. Favourites of which there are many include 1a excellent lurker, specky sort at 13a and the 24a show
    Thanks to RayT and Huntsman

  26. Found this quite difficult. Quite a few bung ins and a dnf due to 2d and 23d. Neither of which I understand even after the hints.

    Thanks to all.

    1. Hi Bananawarp
      2d a spoor is trace left behind – trail, footprints etc
      wordplay S(mall) + stony (as in stony broke) = poor
      23d strand is a synonym for both if you check in the BRB.

      1. Many thanks for taking the time to explain. They make sense now. Your original hints were fine BTW, just forgot the stony broke term and should have persevered with the Thesaurus. 😎

  27. Late in the day, but many thanks to RayT and to Huntsman for sorting out
    5d in which I had the wrong vowel.

  28. Regarding the Quickie pun, any wireless operator will tell you that the one thing you never say is “Over and out”. At the end of a transmission you say “Over” if you want a reply or “Out” if you don’t. To say both is self-contradictory

  29. The whole was enjoyable with an encouraging start in the North. Somehow I imagined (probably wrong!) RayT with his Thesaurus and/or dictionary open/alongside him providing several of the synonyms. Cheers and the 9d component equivalent seem to make regular appearances but both grate for me (not being a child). Surely frigid is an adjective and the “synonym” in 22d a noun (I see Jane above probably had the same thought). Thanks RayT and Hintsman (hope Ryder cup crowd behaves better than up to date this year).

        1. that’s a bit harsh – one of the definitions of frigid is extremely cold as in the January weather was frigid/icy requiring 5 layers to keep out the cold.

  30. Fairly straightforward, except that I couldn’t fathom how stony is related to poor (I can now) and I’d never heard of a spoor (I have now). Oh, and because I couldn’t parse 5d I made a complete shambles of it and came up with a word that was almost the answer (and I think means the same thing as the answer) but with a different vowel. Anyway … it was a lot of fun. 1d my fave. Thanks to Huntsman and RayT

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