Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31256
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. For me, today’s crossword was the hardest of the week so far, with the SE corner the last to fall – for some reason it took me a while to parse 21d and 26a. Amongst my favourite clues today are 10a, 14a, and the aforementioned 21d and 26a once the penny had dropped, but I’m going for 1a as my clue of the day. Many thanks to our setter.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and indicator words (e.g. anagram indicators) are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons.
Across Clues
1a Corrupt bets incriminate top politician (7,8)
CABINET MINISTER: An anagram (corrupt) of BETS INCRIMINATE.
9a Wine buff knocked back one round – I help out! (9)
OENOPHILE: The word ‘one’ and the round letter are written backwards (knocked back) and followed by an anagram (out) of I HELP.
10a Spin a new Golf? Car crash (5)
PRANG: The abbreviation for ‘spin’ or Public Relations, ‘a’ from the clue, the abbreviation for ‘new’, and the letter represented by Golf in the NATO phonetic alphabet.
11a Third part of Robinson Crusoe novel covers in hide (7)
OBSCURE: An anagram (novel) of CRUSOE ‘covers’ or surrounds the third letter of ‘Robinson’.
12a Bishop: I ate something laced with drugs (7)
OPIATES: A lurker, hidden in the first four words of the clue.
13a Netherlands taking on Italy, no score (3)
NIL: The International Vehicle Registration code for the Netherlands is surrounding (taking on) the IVR code for Italy.
14a Disorder, first-class subaltern punched by soldiers (7)
AILMENT: The two letters that look like an adjective meaning ‘first-class’, and the abbreviation for lieutenant (subaltern), into which a synonym for uncommissioned soldiers has been inserted.
17a First pair of detectives present warrant (7)
DESERVE: The first two letters of ‘detectives’, and a synonym of ‘present’ (as in to present food, for example).
19a Tempted Vernita regularly with diamonds and more diamonds (7)
ENTICED: The alternate letters (regularly) of ‘Vernita’, an informal synonym for diamonds, and the abbreviation for Diamonds in cards.
22a Dispatch returned from Tuareg as semaphore (7)
MESSAGE: A reverse lurker, hidden in the last three words of the clue.
24a Yellow eastern mineral (3)
ORE: The colour yellow in heraldry, and the abbreviation for eastern.
25a Finished aluminium large protective cover (7)
OVERALL: An adjective meaning ‘finished’, the chemical symbol for aluminium, and the abbreviation for large.
26a US spies leaving monk in reservoir (7)
CISTERN: Take a word for a member of a French order of monks, and remove the abbreviation for the US Central Intelligence Agency.
28a Restrained, very British introductions to etiquette and refinement (5)
SOBER: A synonym of ‘very’, the single-letter abbreviation for ‘British’, and the first letters (introductions to) of ‘etiquette’ and ‘refinement’.
29a Atomic laboratory teacher sends Mike away for gypsum (9)
ALABASTER: The abbreviations for ‘atomic’ and ‘laboratory’, and a word for a (male) teacher after removing the letter that Mike represents in the NATO phonetic alphabet.
30a For example, Gilbert & Sullivan opera once almost ruined school event (3-3-5,4)
EGG AND SPOON RACE: The abbreviation for ‘exempli gratia’ (for example), an informal, abbreviated phrase for ‘Gilbert and Sullivan’, and an anagram (ruined) of OPERA ONC[e] without the last letter (almost).
Down Clues
1d Dark brown animal with antlers sounded sweet! (9,6)
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE: An adjective meaning dark brown, and a homophone (sounded) of a North American elk.
2d Coach bags no flipping extra cash (5)
BONUS: A synonym for ‘coach’ (as in vehicle, not trainer) goes round (bags) ‘no’ from the clue, reversed (flipping).
3d Write revolutionary melody for Holst work (7)
NEPTUNE: An informal synonym for ‘write’ is reversed (revolutionary) and followed by a word for a melody.
4d Missile I’d seen in Midlands river (7)
TRIDENT: ID from the clue is inserted into the name of Britain’s third-longest river, giving us the name of a missile which is also the weapon wielded by the answer to the previous clue.
5d Frigid shrew’s confession on record? (3-4)
ICE-COLD: A homophone (on record) of how an angry or vexatious person might say ‘I find fault vehemently’.
6d Spoils this compiler’s Paris trips (7)
IMPAIRS: The first person form of “he’s” or “she’s” (this compiler’s) and an anagram (trips) of PARIS.
7d Restaurant atmosphere over-the-top, art totally revolting (9)
TRATTORIA: Take a synonym of atmosphere or ambiance, the abbreviation for ‘over the top’ and ART from the clue, then reverse the whole thing (totally revolting).
8d Tender surgeries after surgery tender? (10,5)
REGISTERED NURSE: An anagram (after surgery) of TENDER SURGERIES produces a ‘tender’, i.e. someone who tends.
15d What Luis Suárez notoriously did, according to Spooner? Antisocial type (9)
LITTER BUG: Here we need a phrase (3,1,3) that describes what the “Cannibal of Ajax” has done on a number of occasions: the third word is an informal term for the affected body part. Then say it as the Reverend Spooner might have pronounced it. I can find several examples online of Suárez doing something similar, but no specific incidents involving this exact part of the body.
16d Niece oddly named as she was born? (3)
NEE: The alternate letters (oddly) of ‘Niece’.
18d Mobile network covering variable stream in Somerset (3)
EXE: The mobile network operator formerly known as Everything Everywhere surrounds a letter often used as an algebraic variable.
20d Annoyance shown by a Dr Seuss character cycling? (7)
CHAGRIN: ‘A’ from the clue, and Dr Seuss’ Yuletide thief, with two letters moved to the front of the answer (cycling).
21d Green Party upset everybody, runs last in locals (7)
DOLLARS: The usual term for a party or social event, a reversed synonym for ‘everybody’, the cricketing abbreviation for ‘runs’, and the last letter in ‘locals’. (The answer appears in Chambers, but as a definition of ‘greens’ rather than ‘green’.)
22d Pilgrimage site starts to notice our building project (7)
MECCANO: An Islamic holy city and Hajj destination is followed by the initial letters (starts to) of ‘notice’ and ‘our’.
23d Support black mark involving the States (7)
SUSTAIN: A mark of shame (on one’s character, for example) surrounds a two-letter abbreviation for America.
27d Additional time for absorbing Times time! (5)
EXTRA: A three-letter word for a period of time goes round the letter representing ‘multiplied by’ (times) and the abbreviation for ‘time’.
Which clues did you like best? Let us know in the comments below.
The Quick Crossword pun: MOOR + TIFF + EYED = MORTIFIED
An enjoyable puzzle for a Wednesday with lots to like. The long ones around the perimeter helped get into the main body. The one that gave the most trouble was the reverend at 15d because I have not heard of Luis. I got it eventually but it took a while. The building project at 22d took me back to my childhood – all those little nuts and bolts! I did like the frigid shrew at 5d but my COTD is the car crash at 10a.
Thank you, setter for an entertaining guzzle. Thank you, Hal Seeding for the hints.
A couple of years ago I looked for an ‘old fashioned’ (metal parts) Meccano kit (I said it was for our grandson but it may have been for myself) and was shocked to find that large ones from the 1950s sell for well over £1,000. I smiled to see that you struggled with Luis given his sins and yesterday’s postings about the finer points of dentistry.
Before I had meccano, I had a wooden version called ‘Bilofix’ which may have been German, it was really well made, and was probably what led me to eventually becoming an engineer.
Before I had Meccano I had Bayko sets. Plastic bricks were slotted between metal rods.
I had completely forgotten about Bayko, great fun building houses. I suspect the metal rods would be a no no these days.
I enjoyed this. Got the Spoonerism but then had to look up who Luis Suarez is and whether he had done what the Spoonerism implied.
Top picks for me were 10a, 5d, 20d and 22d. I also liked the Quickie pun.
Thanks to Deansleigh (loved the cartoons), and to the setter.
He never bit an ear though – just shoulders and arms. Think the setter is confusing him with Tyson.
An unusual but very enjoyable puzzle. I never really got on the setter’s wavelength. Each clue stood on its own, but all were fair and well-constructed. I solved in a reasonably linear fashion but never felt I was building up any momentum. The solution to 5D was obvious from the checkers but the parsing held out for a long time. COTD must be 30A for its great surface hiding such a complex solution. Thanks for the hints and to the setter.
Thai corner. Recycling doesn’t need multi-coloured bins.
I keep up with the bulleting boards for places I’ve lived back in blighty, and a common grouse seems to be the increase in the complexity of bins used for waste collection, along with the decrease in frequency of visits. For £7 a year I have one bin, a visit every second day and operatives who separate out the recyclables before they are compacted and then sell them on for their own gain. I know it’s too good to be true but ask Mr.G. if you want to see the process.
The pic is my street. Bin lorry, with recyclables for sale on top with work in process on poles. Most teams have a female operative, as seen on left.
What a superb set-up! They’ve got it all worked out over there.
Very enjoyable, thought provoking in places but I thought that today’s offering contained a number of clues that showcased the outstanding skill of DT crossword setters.
The Spoonerism at 15a, a brilliant clue (if you’re a footy fan);
20a, the cycling of Dr Seuss’s character.
The homophone at 5d had me speaking out loud until the copper coin fell.
22a because it reminded me of the many hours I spent building large cranes and the like decades before Lego became the go to model kit.
I would never have parsed 26a without my new best friend Mr G providing me with a list of Christian monastic orders where fortunately it was third on the list.
Then I arrived at 30a which I guessed from the checkers but working through the parsing bought home just what a brilliant clue it was….my COTWSF (week so far)
Many thanks to the setter and Deansleigh for his hints.
An extra thank you to Senf for using 9a in his tips for last Sunday’s PP.
perhaps 15d, 20d, 22d make more sense.
Just thought you were doing the puzzle on its side, GP …
No, it’s ok, you just carry on, why don’t you? Yes, yes, it’s fine, but then it isn’t you who has discovered, this morning, that the ‘wrong’ washing machine has been installed in the brand new kitchen, and the builders have gorn. Yes, of course it’s a washing machine and it washes; but does it have the drying function we wished for?
No, reader, it does not. Same machine, different model. So our kitchen is not finished after all, and now the no doubt tiresome business of swapping one brand new washing machine for another must be arranged (I foresee, “We can come back in December…”).
While we’re about it, why does the new dishwasher assume we want to have all our dishes and glasses emerge with a thin film of mistiness? Hmm? Answer me that one.
You think you have issues? Eh?
What? Oh yeah, sorry – terrific guzzle – quite h-a-r-d in fact, but good fun.
Thanks to the setter and to Singlehead. I bet they both have functioning kitchens. Bah!
Although I lost interest in football years ago, I did remember the notorious incident featured in 15d, and that became my favourite this morning. Overall this was a very pleasant stroll through crosswordland with very few hold-ups.
Many thanks to our midweek setter and Deansleigh.
2*/4*. This was good fun although I don’t think the definition for 21d is correct. It needs to be “greens”, but that would completely mess up the surface.
I initially struggled with 14a, having entered “jitterbug” for 15d on the basis that you can refer to someone as having jug-ears. Then the required slang for ear came to mind and I got everything sorted out.
The brilliant 30a was my favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Deansleigh.
I took 21d as being just plural slang, as in “I’ve plenty of green in my wallet” … though more surprised that you objected to the s-free plural rather than the implicit Americanism, RD!
HI MG
I agree with the green slang. It was used all the time for 21d when I worked in the money markets.
However, it’s a term for something in America which is different to an Americanism in a crossword, i.e something that has a different word Stateside (zucchni/courgette) or is not in common parlance for the equivalent in Old Blighty (we don’t use the term for pounds).
Fairly straightforward but with a tad of chewiness to spice up the proceedings. 30a is a gem and I liked 14a but cotd must go to 1d for the smile factor. A real laugh out loud moment. Thanks to compiler and Deansleigh.
Very enjoyable. Like SC the 4 peripheral long ones went in early and the rest followed piecemeal. I had to look up Dr Seuss characters, although I read them to my children very many years ago. I remembered the Luis incident and tried to fit ‘ear’ in until I saw the answer and the penny dropped. Reverse parsed the reservoir at 26a, which is my COTD, otherwise relatively straightforward.
Many thanks to the compiler and Nigel Shade
2*/4*
Another very gentle but hugely enjoyable puzzle, a swift N-S completion held up only by 20a where I needed the checkers & definition to get the answer, which then enabled me to parse the clue and be suitably surprised to learn that the character was from Dr Seuss.
Honours to 26a, 5d and 15d – big laugh at that one, a great and novel Spoonerism
Many thanks to the setter (my fiver is on Hudson) and Deansleigh
I found this puzzle somewhat tricky but that may be becase I fell downstairs on Saturday, knocked myself out and landed in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with 3 cracked ribs, 3 stitches in my head, slight concussion and a awollen ankle . Home now and glad to be so, as Id didn”t tealise how noisy A & E isuntil I had aconcussion headache. I hasn’t aclue what Luis Sanchez did or even who he was and got really confusedby the Gilbert and Sullivan clue. I liked the wine lover at 9a and the 1a political anagram and the 1d pudding. Thanks to Deansleigh and the compiler.
Oh no, Chris! What an awful thing. I’m glad you’re home and all the best for a very speedy recovery x.
Your house has a heck of a staircase, Chriscross, if it ends in the JR … Sounds like a very nasty fall and, bad though it was, thank heavens it was no worse! Hope you soon feel a lot better and more comfortable.
Oh dear. I hope you feel better soon
I’m so sorry to hear of your misadventure Chriscross. I’m pleased you are home and sending good wishes for a speedy recovery.
Very sorry to hear Chris – hope that you’re on the mend ere long & have good pain relief for the ribs.
If you liked the wine clue & are looking for something to watch while laid up – Drops of God on Apple TV is quite entertaining.
Do hope you are feeling better soon and your bones heal quickly.
Two cracking puzzles today both of which were completed in the wee small hours in between trying to get some decent shut-eye – despite rain & a distinct chill outside the room temperature in my apartment with the windows open has only fallen to 24.5.
I’m guessing this one is another doozie to roll off the Hudson production line. 5* enjoyment here with the only gripe being that I tuned & it was all over too quickly. Worth the price of admission for the Spoonerism (my clear fav) alone & with ✅s all over the pitch – 1,9,26&30a + 1,5&20d other particular likes though there isn’t a dud in the grid. I blame 22d & my sadistic woodwork/metalwork teacher at boarding school for my rank incompetence with even the most basic practical tasks. Re 21d I have heard singular & plural used across the pond for greenbacks – the clue prompted a blast of Ray.
Thanks to the setter & as ever to Deansleigh.
Ps Weatherman over in t’other place very friendly.
I found that trickier than most crosswords I’ve attempted recently, including some Toughies, not least because it took me a while to solve three of the long ones around the edges. That said, 30a was very good as were many of the other clues, including the Spoonerism at 15d. Thanks very much to the setter and to Deansleigh.
That was fun – **/****
Not familiar with Luis Suárez so 15d was just a ‘bung in’ with the checkers in place.
Candidates for favourite – 14a, 24a, 28a, 1d, and 27d – and the winner is 27d.
Thanks to the setter and Deansleigh.
Bags of fun – thanks to our setter and Deansleigh.
I particularly liked 26a, 5d, 15d, 20d and 22d.
A most excellent and reasonably straightforward crossword from The Hud with lots of fun to be had.
8d was a very neat anagram and Tuareg has been added to the crib sheet.
I must be missing something with Señor Suarez’s antics. I know he has bitten three players: two on the shoulder and one on the arm but none on the ear. If it’s a boo-boo from The Hud, which is unlikely, then Mr Tyson would have been a good choice.
My picks for the podium are1a (outstanding anagram), 7d (nicely constructed) and 21d.
MTTTA and Nigel Hades.
2*/5*
P.S
I’m convinced it’s Hudson as he likes to make up names for people and places. In this case, Vernita.
So are you saying that Oprah Winfrey’s mother has been made up?
Like it, S. Like it.
As in…there is no one famous with that name.
Gentle fun in a very friendly grid. My standout favourite was 30a, I well remember darling daughter coming in 3rd at prep school.
Thanks to today’s setter amd Deansleigh.
A fine midweek puzzle. Nice clues and an enjoyable though fairly straightforward solve. Couple of very minor gripes. Not sure why Suarez was used in 15d when Tyson actually did do that. I’d prefer 3* for difficulty on a Wednesday instead of 2*. Plenty of ticks and I’ll go for 22d as my favourite. 2*/3.5*.
*Joan Baez live in 1978 with Diamonds and Rust. Brilliant! :