Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31120
Hints and tips by Mr K
+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - +
BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ***
Hello, everyone, and welcome to the final Friday puzzle of 2025. I struggled to get on wavelength today, likely the result of trying to hint alter an indulgent Christmas Day.
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 pictures, which today are unrelated to clues, will enlarge them. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.
Across
7a Maybe collision investigator flips, constrained by stress (8)
ACCIDENT: The reversal (flips) of the abbreviation for a type of police investigator is contained by (constrained by) another word for stress. The maybe indicates that the definition is by example
8a Focus of Tommy Fury - to find place to feed (6)
MANGER: The central letter (focus of) of TOMMY with a synonym of fury
9a Square or fashionable to visit Geordieland? (4)
NINE: A usual word for fashionable inserted in (to visit) the compass direction for Geordieland. The definition is mathematical
10a Reversing hit back of truck after large drink and place car illegally (6-4)
DOUBLE-PARK: The reversal (reversing) of hit or knock is followed by the last letter of (back of) TRUCK, and that all comes after a generic large drink of spirits
11a Countenance going around Asda on a regular basis for show (6)
FACADE: Countenance or appearance containing (going around) alternate letters (on a regular basis) of ASDA
13a Innocent, I'm excused pinching piece of old French bread (7)
CENTIME: INNOCENT I’M EXCUSED is hiding (pinching) the answer. The definition is a bit cryptic
14a Entertainer in camp lefty film (7)
REDCOAT: The colour associated with the political left is followed by a film or layer
16a Nonplussed seeing flightless birds in the hay (7)
BEMUSED: Some flightless Australian birds inserted in what “the hay” can mean informally
19a Almost nervous after endless mickey-taking, in steep decline (3,4)
SKI JUMP: All but the last letter (almost) of a synonym of nervous comes after all but the last letter (endless) of a synonym of mickey-taking or sketch
20a Refer to work from the East that's lyrical (6)
POETIC: A word meaning “refer to” is followed by the usual musical abbreviation for work, and that’s all reversed (from the East, in an across clue)
21a In RAF, Ange Postecoglou's first exercises bringing sweet reward? (10)
FRANGIPANE: An anagram (exercises) of IN RAF ANGE and the first letter of POSTECOGLU
22a Figures Prada tailor-makes bags (4)
DATA: PRADA TAILOR-MADE hides (bags) the answer
23a Villain's request to hide publicity early sign of guilt (3,3)
BAD EGG: Request or plead containing (to hide) an informal contraction for publicity is followed by the first letter (early sign of) of GUILT
24a Release of energy by young lady, one working (8)
EMISSION: Concatenate the physics symbol for energy, another word for a young lady, the Roman one, and working or not off
Down
1d Function four had set in motion (8)
ACTIVATE: Link together a synonym of function, the Roman four, and had or consumed
2d Light sherry perhaps making wife loud (4)
FINE: In what sherry defines by example (perhaps) replace the single letter for wife with the musical abbreviation for loud (making wife loud)
3d Poke your nose in short march heading north, getting led astray (6)
MEDDLE: The reversal (heading north, in a down clue) of all but the last letter (short) of a protest march is followed by an anagram (astray) of LED
4d On top of church, university's consumed by, for one, Laurel and Hardy (7)
STAUNCH: The map abbreviation for church is preceded by the first name that Laurel defines by example (for one) containing (…’s consumed by …) the single letter for university. The false capitalisation of hardy is for misdirection
5d Clumsiness of Putin tied to corrupt base (10)
INEPTITUDE: An anagram (to corrupt) of PUTIN TIED is followed by the letter representing in mathematics the base of the natural logarithms
6d Order comic Jack to pack in career occasionally (6)
DECREE: The last name of Jack the deadpan comic containing (to pack in) alternate letters (occasionally) of CAREER
8d Mixture the French brought about to stop irritating condition for boxer? (7)
MELANGE: The reversal (brought about) of “the” in French is inserted in (to stop) an irritating condition for a boxer or a spaniel or a labrador
12d Person selling United in move over European on returning (10)
AUCTIONEER: The single letter for united is inserted in a synonym of move, and that’s all followed by the single letter for European and the reversal (returning) of a word meaning on or regarding
15d Entertaining before lunch - exhausting (7)
AMUSING: The abbreviation indicating the period before lunch/noon is followed by a word meaning exhausting or consuming
17d Clearance of electronic vehicle lacking force fake news (8)
EVICTION: The abbreviation for electronic/electric vehicle is followed by a word for fake news or something untrue minus (lacking) the physics symbol for force
18d Reform ask peer to be impartial politician (7)
SPEAKER: An anagram (reform) of ASK PEER
19d Minor runner's right to plug possible source of energy (6)
STREAM: The single letter for right inserted in (to plug) the source of energy exploited by Stephenson. The definition is cryptic
20d Introduce Spooner's complimentary photos (6)
PREFIX: Apply the Spooner treatment to a more informal phrase meaning “complimentary photos”
22d Day bolstered by a quiet scotch (4)
DASH: Join together the single letter for day, A from the clue, and an interjection meaning quiet or hush
Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: DOER + LEA + PURR = DUA LIPA
Well, that was a wake up call and no mistake but then I remembered it is Friday. I found it difficult but that could well be the result of a tad too much Chablis last night. I managed to get over the line but it was a struggle. Some of the parsing eluded me so I will need the hints for explanations. I did like the camp entertainer at 14a and that is my COTD.
I’ve no idea about the Quickie pun. Who or what is Dua Lipa?
Thank you, setter for what was, for me, a brain mangler. Thank you, Mr. K. for the hints and pusskits. I like the Boxing Day theme. 😊
As it’s Boxing Day and freezing outside, I’m going to light the fire, sit in front of it, toast my toes and read Storm Warning by Robin Brooke-Smith. It’s by a former teacher at Shrewsbury School who went out to Peshawar in North East Pakistan to become headmaster of Edwardes College near the border with Afghanistan at a time when the Taliban were on the rise.
I expect our setter might post a video relevant to the pun later today. I’m not familiar with her music so I didn’t try.
I not really a fan of her brand of music but she can sure hold a tune as this duet with Chris proves
2 down and 9 across did for me. Needed the hints to solve them. But a very enjoyable puzzle for lovely sunny day!
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
2d was the winner for me.
Well done Steve. The household is having a timeout on mobiles etc so posting will be haphazard until the festivities come to a close. Like yesterday’s puzzle, I found this harder than normal. There were a good half dozen that I wouldn’t have solved without checkers. Nevertheless, I was happy to complete it albeit in a longer time than I like. Being abstemious, I can’t blame life’s liquid pleasures…….Thank you Mr K for the hints and Setter for the puzzle.
Brilliant idea to have timeout on mobiles etc. I wish they would do it in pubs and restaurants. I find it bizarre to see people sitting at tables looking at their phones and not talking to each other.
Maybe we should call a truce until January 2nd? 😊
I agree completely. I am happy to be able to do the X Word. Will try to post….as this blog is part of my daily schedule now!
4*/2*. I can’t say I enjoyed this much but that could be at least partly due to over-indulgence yesterday coupled with some less than convincing surfaces.
Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
I finished and, as Chablis et al are now forbidden, didn’t overindulge yesterday, for the most part it was a slightly less scary Friday than usual, thus enabling me to have a run of seven days completions.
Although I only contribute occasionally, I read and enjoy the hints and comments (after the event) every day and paticularly like Senf’s halfcrown references, Steve Cowling’s burning desire to make first comment, Terence and many of the threads that go on month upon month, and even year upon year. I must confess to getting rather irritated by those who brag about Fridays’ being write-ins, completed before they have had time to put milk in their coffees, and feel their talents might be better employed elsewhere! Anyway, I would like to thank all involved, compilers, hinters especially, and commenters. Happy Christmas, Happy holidays, Happy New Year, Season’s Greetings, and Felices fiestas a todos.
Quite a challenge, even for a Friday, fortunately I reduced the intake of vino collapso yesterday although the Dalwhinnie did accompany (a recording of) the KIng’s Speech. I suspect that this is the work of Zandio – ***/***
Candidates for favourite – 10a, 19a, 2d, 19d, and 20d – and the winner is 19d.
Thanks to Zandio, or whomsoever if it is not he, and to Mr K.
A dnf for me as I needed too many of Mr K’s hints to get me over the line. Just struggled to get to grips with it. Of the clues I did solve unaided, 21a gets the plaudits. Thanks to compiler and Mr K.
Some nice pics today, not entirely unrelated though. The first pusskit appears to be getting into a three-by-three square box.
Thanks to the setter and Mr K I hope any hangovers are mild or unrelated to liquid refreshments.
My day will be bolstered by a quiet scotch a little bit later in the day, but apt enough to go on the podium until then.
Challe ginf but not impossible and much easier to fill in the clues in the East than those in the West for me. I really liked the Spoonerism at 20d, the well-disguised Laurel and Hardy clue at 4d and tg3e complicated Lego reward at 21 a and the Lego bounder at 23a. Thanks to our Boxing Day Friday conpiler and to Mr K ffor the hints( a hair of the dog rhat bit you works for the post indulgence headache, they tell me, but that might be over optimistic.
I love Fridays! It’s Goldilocks day for me. I spend all week thinking too tedious, too easy etc. then along comes Friday, definitely not easy, definitely not tedious Hurrah!
I made a right Horlick of yesterdays and eventually pushed the nuclear button of check the grid because whatever happens I have to finish it. Why oh why does it show you all the mistakes only once. In the i, the mistakes stay there until you’ve deleted them all. It’s probably not rocket science.
Thanks to setter and Mr K although I haven’t read the hints yet.
Much like yesterday’s puzzle there was an East West divide for me with this one. The former went in without problem but a fair bit of crumpet scratching ensued in the west. Though I agree with RD’s observation about some of the surfaces it didn’t in the least detract from my enjoyment of the puzzle – I liked 4d for example. The entertainer at 14a was my fav too with podium spots for the Spoonerism at 20d & the mixture at 8d.
Thanks to the setter (Zandio my punt) & to Mr K
Took some effort to get moving and then realised with the East filled that it wasn’t so bad after all. However, several needed reverse parsing before I was left scratching my head over 2d and 9a, the former forgetting to make the wife loud and the latter lacking the correct synonym for “countenance”. Mr K came to the rescue, so thanks to him and the setter for an entertaining Friday work-out.
Favourite was the Spoonerism at 20d.
4*/4*
Back to earth with a bump – our setter has obviously decided that it’s time to call a halt to Christmas festivities. Some of the clues put up quite a fight and I eventually crawled over the finish line with an exhausted sigh of relief. No outright favourite but the publicity shy villain raised a smile. My setter guess, based on the difficulty level and the Quickie pun, would be Zandio.
Thanks to him and to Mr K for the review – nice to see that you’ve let the cats out to play.
Very difficult and not much fun to be had for me.
Sorry setter. Thanks to Mr K for the review. The spoonerism favourite today.
This was a slow starter for me, then it all went in without too much head-scratching. The Spoonerism was very good, but my favourite was 2d.
My thanks to our Friday setter and Mr K.
This was a nice steady solve though I had to have my thinking cap on.
Laurel and Hardy is genius and my LOI was 2d which went on my podium along with 14a and 18d.
MT to Zandio (?) and Mr K.
4*/4*
I forgot to say that, thanks to my daughter’s introduction to her, I’m a huge fan of Dua Lipa.
I put her ahead of T Swizzle (Taylor Swift) and Rhianna as the best female solo artist this century: a brilliant songwriter, smart and a great ambassador for both Albania and Kosovo (her roots).
We saw her this year at The O2 and loved it. 60 year old dad grooving with her daughter in the mosh pit.
Marvy parvy.
Her daughter?
Nice spot, Sloops.
I hope you’re having a splendid Yuletide.
Well that was a crash back to earth and no mistake. My great week just went up in smoke. Perhaps it is because I reverted to trying to solve over breakfast instead of lunch. Hosting 10 this afternoon for tea so lunch time won’t be happening. Never mind, I’ve got the recommended friendly Christmas Eve Toughie waiting to be tackled instead. Thanks to setter and to Mr K for the cat pics.
Liked this and found it less of a struggle than yesterday with my favourite and LOI being 20d. Funny though – I convinced myself that 8a was a portmanteau and was anticipating some interesting comments! Then I read the proper explanation – ah well. I still think Man Anger (Manger) works for Tommy Fury. Thanks to Mr K and the setter and all on the Big Dave Team. The fact that I now complete these is down to you.
A DNF for me today. I started this this morning then went to a relatives for lunch and came back just as stuck as before I left.
No outstanding clues for me although I liked 3d and 15d.
Thanks to Mr K for the hints and cat pictures and to the setter for reminding my brain what it is for 😃
** / ***
Not too difficult especially for a Friday. All went in relatively comfortably apart from 19d and 20a but both of those fell quickly on return after a 4hr break to entertain the grand kids. Ticks went to the 12a person selling United and the 23d villain.
Thanks to the setter and Mr K
We made hard work of this but got there in the end. Favourite was 16a. Thanks to the setter and Mr. K.
Wow, that was so hard for me but completed with the help of the hints so a great thank you to Mr K, ( and to the setter of course for the mental challenge).
Found this quite hard but enjoyable.
Needed the hint for 8a because I thought the answer was a stable not a trough. My ignorance of the Christmas story is a bit embarrassing.
A dnf due to my brain deciding that 20d was precis. I knew it was wrong but couldn’t see past that word even with the hint.
Thanks to all.
Got nowhere in the North so went South with more success but dnf in the end. Bunged in 10a – too hard to unravel. 2d and 5d beat me. Unsure about exhausting in 15d. Not a barrowload of fun to be had today. Thank you setter and MrK.
4* / 4* Tough but fair, loads of clever clueing and wit. For favourites I’ll go for spooner at 20d, the French bread at 13a and the brilliant hardy at 10d.
Thanks to setter and Mr K
Ps good quickie pun
An enjoyable Bank Holiday puzzle – thanks to our setter and Mr K.
Top clues for me were 8a, 4d and 20d.
Enjoyed that, but on reading the comments had to check I’d been doing the same puzzle – completed on screen rather than the usual print-out, but it still all came together nicely.
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K
I gave up on this yesterday, but returned to it this morning (27th) with a coffee and managed to get it solved. Cotd was the Spoonerism .. clues which I usually moan about.
I agree with Steve et al re the mobile phones … best I’ve seen … Mum crossing a busy road at school time with toddler on her shoulders staring blankly into the ubiquitous “screen”😤
Not my cup of tea
4*/3* ….
liked 10A “Reversing hit back of truck after large drink and place car illegally (6-4”
I’m very pleased that I printed this off at the time and saved it for later. Solving this Boxing Day cryptic has been a delight, especially as I was on the right wavelength. ***/***** for me.
I really enjoy this setter’s adroit use of language and clever mis-directions. As tomdisappointingsturges65 @#17 said, ‘Laurel and Hardy is genius’. I couldn’t agree more.
My printout is covered in a plethora of ticks. Here is a selection: 9a, 10a, 14a, 16a, 20a, 23a as well as 13a and 22a; 2d, 4d, 6d, 8d, 19d and 20d.
Many appreciative thanks to the setter for an accomplished and superbly entertaining cryptic.
Many appreciative thanks to Mr K for the review. Love the Boxing Day kitties, including a fat tiger!
Last but not least, my belated Christmas and New Year wishes to you all.