Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31288
Hints and tips by Mr K
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ***
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday.
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. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on.
Across
1a Fellow learner in mood, unclosed satchel sent flying (10)
SCHOOLMATE: An anagram of MOOD minus its last letter (unclosed) and SATCHEL
6a Parrot Sophocles flipped over - nothing odd there (4)
ECHO: In the reversal (flipped over) of SOPHOCLES take only the even letters (nothing odd there)
9a Idling around in delta, looking under the water (4,6)
SKIN DIVING: An informal word for idling or dodging work containing (around) both IN from the clue and the single letter for delta
10a Natural growth of rook tucking into something on golf course (4)
TREE: The chess abbreviation for rook is inserted in (tucking into) a golf ball support
12a And so on squeezing hard, National Insurance's given folk (6)
ETHNIC: An abbreviation meaning “and so on” is containing (squeezing) both the pencil abbreviation for hard and the abbreviation for National Insurance
13a Present again, Romeo breaking up on stage (8)
REPHRASE: The single letter for Romeo is inserted in (breaking up) the fusion of on or concerning and stage or part
15a Pass back? Defensive tactics may make supporters do this! (6,6)
RETURN TICKET: The answer, which might cryptically be described by “pass back”, could also be what football supporters unhappy with their team’s style of play might do to show their displeasure
18a Headless horseman arranges bed clothes (12)
NIGHTDRESSES: An armoured horse rider minus his first letter (headless) with a synonym of arranges
21a What the old man may have left in their loo, malodorously (8)
HEIRLOOM: The answer is hidden in THEIR LOO MALODOROUSLY
22a Transformed wonder appearing in drag (6)
DOWNER: An anagram (transformed) of WONDER. The definition is informal
24a What's said to be government control (4)
REIN: A homophone (what’s said to be) of a word meaning government (by a monarch, perhaps)
25a Still going strong, Othello possibly coming back in place of family drama? (6,4)
LIVING ROOM: A word meaning “still going string” with the reversal (coming back) of what Shakespeare’s Othello defines by example (possibly)
26a The part of a bell's chime which takes one second? (4)
DING: In a (4-4) word for a bell’s chime, we want the part in which the second letter is the Roman one
27a Rapper that wears trunks? (10)
WOODPECKER: A cryptic definition of a bird that puts some wear and tear on tree trunks
Down
1d Head of security first to meet the Queen's nurse ... (6)
SISTER: Join together the first letter of (head of) SECURITY, a three letter abbreviation for first, and the Latin abbreviation for Queen Elizabeth
2d ... figure bearing the crown for Her Highness (6)
HEIGHT: A specific figure/number is coming after (bearing, in a down clue) the first letter (crown for) of HER. The capitalisation of Highness is just for misdirection
3d Deviant loves detail about women's outlandish story (3,5,4)
OLD WIVES TALE: An anagram (deviant) of LOVES DETAIL containing (about) the single letter for women
4d Relocate bird, doubling its initial value (4)
MOVE: The first letter (initial value) of a peaceful bird is a Roman numeral. Replace it by the Roman numeral that is twice as big to get the answer
5d Propose, standing on head - it shows affection (10)
TENDERNESS: Propose or offer is followed by (standing on, in a down clue) a head that’s a bit of land sticking out into water
7d Fish and animal transporter's vehicles may be charged here (3,5)
CAR PARKS: A freshwater fish with a biblical animal transporter with its S from the clue
8d Cockney's place with character, mostly used for breakfast? (8)
OMELETTE: How a Cockney might describe the place where they live is followed by a generic character in the alphabet minus its last letter (mostly). The ? indicates that the definition is by example
11d Not all hi-tech AIs, Elon guesses, will reveal where someone could be lying? (6-6)
CHAISE-LONGUE: The answer is hidden inside (not all) HI-TECH AIS ELON GUESSES
14d Coup rioter organised somewhere in the Caribbean (6,4)
PUERTO RICO: An anagram (organised) of COUP RIOTER
16d Tied up and getting to grips with job (8)
ANCHORED: AND from the clue containing (getting to grips with) a job that’s no fun
17d Flashpoint number one with element US soldier's upset (8)
IGNITION: The abbreviation for number one, the chemical symbol for a metallic element, and a usual abbreviated US soldier are joined together and then reversed (upset, in a down clue)
19d No luck, that's cracked open (6)
UNLOCK: An anagram (that’s cracked) of NO LUCK
20d Quake in central Istria linked with city to the north (6)
TREMOR: The central letter pair in ISTRIA is followed by the reversal (to the north, in a down clue) of a city not too far from Istria
23d Nice daughter in an inferior position to family (4)
KIND: The single letter for daughter comes after (in an inferior position to, in a down clue) another word for family
Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: BERTHED + TAKE + ACHES = BIRTHDAY CAKES
It’s hot and I’m starting the puzzle earlier and earlier which at least gives me the opportunity to stop, breakfast, and start again if the going has been tough. Today needed a second viewing after I’d got myself stuck trying to parse a rapper, Othello and Romeo’s break up.
In reverse order – 13a resolved itself when I realised that there are many forms of stage, if I’ve got 25a correct it was just a case of remembering who he was. That left 27a which came in stages…a word that fits the checkers and wears (out) trunks followed by a quiet word with Mr G (it might be my age, but this didn’t really work for me).
Today’s favourites 11d with Elon and 13a / 25a for taking me so long.
Might I question 24a – Monarchs rather than governments do it.
Many thanks to the setter and Mr K for the hints
I’m off to Edgbaston to find a shady spot and watch the last home Vitality T20 matches.
Hi Doc
I think 24a is okay. I’ve heard the term the ‘Tory *****’ of the 80s and 90s.
Thank you Tom….was this connected to the fact that from 1979 – 1990 we had a PM who thought she was the Queen?
Like it GP. Like it.
It reminds me of this brilliant sketch from the truly brilliant Spitting Image
I’m not sure what this is a sign of but I’ve started reading my own posts….27a….there’s a ‘rapper’ named woodpecker, I thought this was extremely vague but went with it. Of course, banging head on desk, the drumming sound of the solution might also be called a rap! This is now promoted to my COTD.
I did think for a minute or so that the setter has gone all ‘street’ throwing a rapper at us, e.g Eminem, Jay-Z, Drake. Then ‘trunks’ had me going down the Dumbo/swimming cozzy route which is exactly what any setter wants.
Then it dawned on me.
An outstanding clue.
This took some work so was therefore satisfying to finish with my LOI being the superb cryptic definition 27a. Very nicely done.
It doesn’t feel like Mr Smooth but my guesses truly suck at the moment.
Isn’t malodorously just the best word! A very funny choice of words beginning with m.
As the yoof of today would say, props to Mr K for working out the parsing of 4d as I was nowhere it.
Her Highness in 2d is brilliant.
My picks are 27a, 2d and the most excellent lurker in 11d.
Many thanks to the setter and Mr K.
3*/4*
I found that the left hand side of the puzzle went in more smoothly than the right, so a game of two halves ( this World Cup mania is even getting to me). I thought little 6a was clever and itt took me ages to realise that the answer was in the clue. The anagram at 3d and the lurker at 11d were well misdirected and I always like a geographical clue,o so 14d is 4th on the podium. Thank you, compiler, for an absorbing challenge and to Mr K for the hints
On this rare occasion I have done the puzzle in the morning as I am going out to lunch on a tranucco (a fishing platform over the sea, and I doubted I would solve it later.
Thanks to Mr K for explaining 26ac and 4dn and thanks to the setter.
As I rarely appear thanks to all bloggers and setters for your work .
Trabucco!
Good to ‘hear’ from you. Rarely is better than not at all!
Thankyou! Not the best pic
A most impressive construction for fishing off the rocks!
Good to hear from you, SW. I hope all is well.
A better pic
What a great, if rather chewy in places, puzzle.
I parsed 17d as being the actual metallic element rather than it’s symbol.
Top picks for me were 27a, 18a, 16d, 4d and 2d.
I liked the Quickie pun too.
Thanks to Mr K and the setter.
I did the same and it works.
You’re (both) right and it only works with the actual element. The required symbol would be Sn.
Like Tom, my LOI was also 27a, a top clue once the penny dropped.
Othello coming back in 25a and tied up at 16d were my other picks.
I go along with Mr K ‘s star ratings, my thanks to him and our setter.
.
An enjoyable end to the (non-)work week that was similar to yesterday in terms of difficulty – ***/****
Candidates for favourite – 6a, 9a, 27a, 4d, and 20d – and the winner is 9a.
Thanks to whomsoever and Mr K.
A cracking Friday-level puzzle – thanks to our setter (my guess would be Zandio who’s fond of a bit of Roman maths) and Mr K.
I have ticked lots of clues including 15a, 26a, 27a and 16d.
4d3*/4*. A fun, challenging puzzle to finish the week.
I’m not 100% sure about the definition for 25a and isn’t “given” in 12a surface padding?
My podium selection is 26a, 27a & 4d.
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
RD, 12a. I’m guessing the given is a legitimate (?) link word to state that the the word-play provided (given) the definition, though gives would be better – present tense, not past. Or, there is a Scottish phrase “given folk”: a specific group of people under discussion. I can’t really reconcile either 100%
Thanks for the almost plausible explanations, Jose, but I am not fully convinced.
Indeed. “Almost plausible” is where I’m at too.
Unless you expand the ‘s it to read “… Insurance has given folk” in which case – for me at least – the use of the past tense justifies the use of given?
It’s Friday and as per most weekdays the toughest puzzle of the ‘work’ week … very similar to yesterday’s puzzle in difficulty. Again, like yesterday, a few clues yielded me a potential candidate as the answer, (so I bunged them in), and like yesterday they led the way to the finish line for me.
2.5/3* with 3.5* for enjoyment.
Favourites include 1a, 15a, 27a, 7d & 16d — with winners 27a & 7d
Thanks to setter (Zandio?) & Mr K.
That was a tussle and no mistake but it is Friday so is to be expected. I wasn’t sure which part of the bell’s chime was needed at 26a because both would fit. “Malodorously” – what a fabulous word to use in 21a and it fitted so well. Do all family dramas take place in 25a? Like others, my COTD, once the penny dropped, is the fantastic rapper wearing trunks at 27a.
Thank you, setter for a great Friday challenge. Thank you, Mr. K. for the hints.
It’s Kinnerley Church Fete tomorrow and I’m entering a painting. I was supposed to be entering my runner beans but they stopped running. The temperature is set to be in the thirties so it will be exhausting.
I would say the drama in Othello culminated in the bedroom, the term “living room” didn’t exist in the Elizabethan era. I believe Othello was used in the clue because he was a Moor (“coming back” = room). I presume that Othello is nothing to do with the definition, but this from Wiki might be:
“Living room drama” usually refers to a drawing room play, a theatrical subgenre originating in the Victorian era. These plays are set entirely in a single domestic space where upper-class characters confront societal problems, taboos, or personal scandals.
Alternatively, you may be thinking of The Living Room, a famous 1953 play by renowned author Graham Greene. It tells the tragic story of a young, orphaned girl torn between her devout Catholic faith and her affair with a married, middle-aged psychologist, often taking place directly in the confines of her aunts’ strict, guilt-inducing parlor.
I started with some difficulty to find a lead in, resulting in only half a dozen or so filled before I had to take my better half to hospital for a routine CT scan. Consequently I thought we’d be looking at a Friday stinker. However home again and sitting down with a cup of coffee, the rest came to me in a flash. I only needed MrK to parse 13a as I was trying to use the first 3 letters to account for ‘stage’ and wondering where the rest came from. My top picks were 2d, 15a and 4d.
Many thanks to the setter and MrK
2.5*/5*
That was a great challenge. Using the word great as superb. Thoroughly enjoyed so many of the answers when they were teased out. Must admit DNF because 24 across would not spring to mind.Once Mr. K helped I was then enabled to get 16 down. Getting to the tape on a Friday albeit with a little aid is totally satisfactory in my book. Big tick for 27 across despite the answer relating to damage on my blue tit nesting box. Had to have 4 down explained. A convolution to far for me even though the answer was obvious.
Many thanks all round .
A chewy and testing puzzle, but it’s Friday so to be expected. Whilst it took three bites to get it done, it was highly enjoyable and well worth the effort. 21a is a cracker and brilliantly constructed. Whilst I had 8d, I needed the hint to confirm the parsing. I liked 6a and 11d but cotd goes to 12a. Thanks to compiler and Mr K.
A good Friday challenge that unsurprisingly occupied more of my day than the crosswords earlier in the week. I liked the Roman maths at 4d but the rapper at 27a was my favourite. Having spent yesterday moaning about the lack of breeze, objects are now flying around my flat as if it’s been possessed. I may even have to close some windows. Anyway, thanks very much to the setter and to Mr K.
I missed both lurkers – I never learn! – and needed some help today. Loved the rapper. Many thanks to Mr K and setter
Nice puzzle, just right for a Friday. Plenty of humour but some odd surfaces too. COTD the superb 27a.
Many thanks to the setter and Mr K
A tough solve befitting the end of the week, but a most enjoyable one. Like others, I thought 27A was excellent.
For those that use the puzzles app, have you tried the mini cryptic? The across clues are straight and the down clues are cryptic. I think it’s a new puzzle – at least I hadn’t spotted it before. It’s a nice little hors d’œuvre before the main course.
Thanks to Mr K and the setter.
I see now it’s puzzle no.19 so I’ve obviously been unobservant.