Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31199
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 28th March 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A slightly tough Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and subsequently writing a review for your kind perusal and valuable feedback.
On the day this review is published, it will be a blessed Good Friday. May the Almighty’s grace fill our hearts with peace, reflection and hope on this solemn day.
Inamorata, the answer to the clue at 24a, comes from the Italian word innamorata and means a woman in love or a beloved woman. Likewise, inamorato is the word for a man in love or a beloved man. The feminine plural and masculine plural forms in English are inamoratas and inamoratos respectively. The Italian forms for masculine singular, feminine plural and masculine plural are innamorato, innamorate and innamorati respectively.
Protégée, the answer to the clue at 7d, comes from the French word with the same spelling i.e. protégée and means a female protected person. Likewise, the corresponding forms, adapted from French with their usual spellings, for the masculine singular, the feminine plural and masculine plural words, are protégé, protégées and protégés respectively.
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Across
1a Concerned with current vote for two American states (10)
ELECTRICAL: The definition of an adjective denoting concerned with electricity or the supply of electric current for heating, lighting or powering appliances is reached from a charade of ELECT (vote for) as to vote for, choose or pick and RI and CAL (two American states) as the abbreviations of Rhodes Island and California, two of the fifty states of the United States of America
6a Cross country from which one must be excluded (4)
SPAN: The definition of a verb meaning to cross, cover or extend over an area or time period is obtained from SPA[I]N (country) as a country in south-western Europe from which I (one) as the Roman numeral for one is removed (must be excluded)
10a Scavenger has endless hunger within (5)
HYENA: The definition of a large strong nocturnal carnivorous mammal that usually feeds as a scavenger is arrived at from HA[S] from the clue devoid of the end or terminal letter (endless) having inside (within) YEN (hunger) as a hunger, urge or craving for something
11a Very nasty soup, so no one ordered (9)
POISONOUS: The definition of an adjective meaning very nasty or extremely unpleasant or malicious is got when a combo of SOUP, SO NO and I (one) as the Roman numeral for one is subject to an anagram (ordered)
12a See 8 Down
13a Such power from uranium, protected by new patent? (7)
NUCLEAR: The definition referring to a type of power that is produced from atomic or nuclear reactions is arrived at from U (uranium) as the symbol of uranium, surrounded or covered by (protected by) a combo of N (new) as the abbreviation for new and CLEAR (patent) as an adjective denoting readily seen, obvious, plain or clear
14a Civvies are on manoeuvres in defective vessel (8,4)
VARICOSE VEIN: An anagram (manoeuvres) of CIVVIES ARE ON takes to the definition of a medical term for a vein or blood vessel carrying blood from the capillaries toward the heart that has become permanently dilated
18a Aspiring VPs working with couples (7,5)
RUNNING MATES: The definition of the aspiring vice-presidential candidates paired with presidential candidates as in elections is arrived at from a charade of RUNNING (working) as working, functioning or operating and MATES (couples) as a verb in the third person singular present tense denoting couples, joins or associates suitably
21a Company shown way switched men on board (7)
CASTLED: A charade of CAST (company) as the company of actors playing roles in a given play, film etc and LED (shown way) as shown the way to an individual or a group by going with or ahead leads to the definition of a verb in the past tense denoting switched positions of king and rook or men on a chess board
23a Good brood display brilliance (7)
GLITTER: A charade of G (good) as the abbreviation for good and LITTER (brood) as a number of young animals born to an animal at one time, an example of which is a brood i.e. a family of birds or other young animals produced at one hatching or birth takes to the definition of a verb meaning to shine by reflection with many small flashes of brilliant light i.e. to display brilliance
24a Sailor from Muscat perhaps returned with a lover (9)
INAMORATA: A combo of TAR (sailor) and OMANI (from Muscat perhaps) a native or inhabitant of Muscat that is the capital of Oman and hence an Omani coming from the other end (returned) as reversals in the across clue followed by A from the clue leads to the definition of a female sweetheart or lover
25a and 17 Down Yellow with embarrassment? (3,2,4,4)
EGG ON ONE’S FACE: A cryptic definition of an idiom meaning looking foolish, humiliated or embarrassed caused by one’s own indiscretion or faux pas is arrived at from the situation of a person having eaten a soft-boiled egg poorly turning suddenly embarrassed when pointed out by some that the residue of the viscous yolk or the yellow part of an egg is left on their face
26a Ultimately consuming goulash made me fat (4)
GHEE: The ultimate or final of each of the letters (ultimately) of [CONSUMIN]G [GOULAS]H [MAD]E [M]E guides to the definition of a hard fat that is obtained by heating butter made from the milk of a cow or a buffalo, especially used in Indian cooking
27a Fewer than twenty in foreground (10)
UNDERSCORE: A charade of UNDER (fewer than) as denoting fewer than or below in amount and SCORE (twenty) as twenty or a group or set of twenty takes to the definition of a verb meaning to emphasise, highlight or bring into prominence, an example of which is foreground i.e. to emphasise an issue, idea or word
Down
1d Itches to become involved in moral science (6)
ETHICS: ITCHES from the clue subject to an anagram (to become involved) takes to the definition of branch of philosophy that systematically studies moral principles and is therefore often described as a moral science
2d Shutter protecting lens etc (6)
EYELID: A cryptic definition of the lid or cover of the eye i.e. the portion of movable skin by means of which the eye is opened or closed and literally the shutter of the eye protecting the lens of the eye that is inside the eyeball as also the other parts of the eye
3d I’m grateful actor Tom wears maillot in dancing (6,1,7)
THANKS A MILLION: The definition of an idiomatic expression of gratitude or an informal phrase meaning ‘thank you very much’, an example of which is ‘I’m grateful’ i.e. the speaker is showing or expressing thanks to another person is arrived at from HANKS (actor Tom) as the surname of the American actor and film-maker known for both his comedic and dramatic roles and ranked as the fourth-highest-grossing American film actor surrounded by (wears) an anagram (dancing) of MAILLOT IN
4d Threatened little devil with termination (9)
IMPENDING: The definition of an adjective denoting threatening or threatened is reached from a charade of IMP (little devil) as a little devil or wicked spirit and (with) ENDING (termination) as a conclusion or termination
5d Like birds initially imported in a commercial vehicle (5)
AVIAN: The definition of an adjective meaning pertaining to, characteristic of or like birds is arrived at from the initial or first letter (initially) of I[MPORTED] placed inside (in) a combo of A from the clue and VAN (commercial vehicle) as a light vehicle used in transporting goods
7d Go to collect rubbish for example in female ward (8)
PROTÉGÉE: PEE (go) as to urinate, an example of which is to go i.e. to urinate or defecate taking inside (to collect) a combo of ROT (rubbish) as a noun denoting rubbish, nonsense or gibberish and EG (for example) as the abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning ‘for example’ guides to the definition of a female ward or a woman or girl under the patronage, protection or care of someone interested in her career or welfare
8d and 12 Across Bad hip concerns king – being this? (2,6,7)
NO SPRING CHICKEN: An anagram (bad) of HIP CONCERNS KING guides to the definition of an idiom used to describe someone who is no longer young or who has past their youthful prime, usually in a light-hearted or euphemistic way rather than as a direct insult
9d Real party animals, great stirrers (8,6)
CONCRETE MIXERS: A charade of CONCRETE (real) as real, actual or specific and MIXERS (party animals) as referring to people who mix socially at parties or who are easily sociable in all sorts of company takes to the definition of machines each with a large revolving drum for stirring or mixing concrete
15d Drink brewed in Ogden area (9)
ORANGEADE: The definition of a drink made with orange juice is obtained when OGDEN AREA is subject to an anagram (brewed in)
16d First-rate working out? (8)
CRACKING: Double definition; the second denoting a verb in the continuous form meaning finding a solution to or working out that takes to the first a colloquial term for an adjective denoting excellent, expert or first-rate
17d See 25 Across
19d Party organised without MDMA, alas! (4,2)
STAG DO: The definition of a party for men only, especially one held for a man about to be married is reached from STAG[E]D (organised) as a verb in the past tense denoting organised and carried out an activity devoid of (without) E (MDMA) as the short for Ecstasy, that is a drug taken for its stimulant and hallucinogenic properties, methylene-dioxymethamphetamine i.e. MDMA followed by O (alas) as an interjection used to express wonder, admiration, disapprobation, surprise, protest, pain or other emotion, an example of which is alas, an interjection expressing grief or misfortune
20d Suspicion surrounds Beethoven’s Ninth as dance music (6)
TRANCE: TRACE (suspicion) as a suspicion or a slight amount or indication covering or going around (surrounds) the ninth letter of [BEETHOVE]N (Beethoven’s) leads to the definition of a type of electronic dance music with repetitive rhythms, aiming at a hypnotic effect
22d Last of liquid – tip it down sink (5)
DRAIN: The last or terminal letter (last) of [LIQUI]D followed by RAIN (tip it down) as to tip it down i.e. a common idiom used to describe very heavy rain e.g. “It’s tipping it down out there” to mean “It’s raining out there” takes to the definition of a verb meaning to drink the entire contents of a glass or other container, an example of which is to sink i.e. to rapidly consume an alcoholic drink
There were too many clues that I liked in this puzzle, such as 1a, 14a, 18a, 21a, 25a/17d, 27a, 2d, 7d, 8d/12a, 9d, 16d, and 22d; 25a/17d being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to the setter for the entertainment. Wishing you a solemn day of prayers and remembrance and looking forward to being with you again.
3*/4* …
liked 9D “Real party animals, great stirrers (8,6)”