Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31348
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 Long movie, Elizabeth R, upended formula (6)
RECIPE: Another word for a long movie and the Latin abbreviation for Elizabeth R are joined and reversed (upended)
4a Rum Cola - a cup that's found in Mexico (8)
ACAPULCO: An anagram (rum) of COLA A CUP
9a Central elements of gospel echo and echo, losing nothing in delivery (6)
SPEECH: Link together the central letter pair of GOSPEL, the letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by echo, and ECHO minus (losing) the letter representing nothing
10a Paper hat for a dunce? (8)
FOOLSCAP: The answer split (4’1,3) could be a hat for a dunce
12a Catches Conservative coming out for Republican, in ecstasies (8)
RAPTURES: In catches or nets, the single letter for Conservative is replaced by (coming out for) the single letter for Republican
13a Notes orders - could be something fishy (6)
SCALES: A triple definition
15a One holding valuable stock certainly bust after rate fluctuates (8,5)
TREASURE CHEST: Another word for certainly and a noun synonym of bust both come after an anagram (fluctuates) of RATE
18a Follow case in which collaborators oppose the government (6,7)
SHADOW CABINET: Synonyms of follow and of case
20a Enormity when extracting or creating bad blood (6)
ENMITY: ENORMITY minus (when extracting) OR from the clue
22a Inconvenient being unwell before I'm visiting Ted (3-5)
ILL-TIMED: Another word for unwell is followed by I’M inserted in (visiting) TED
24a Escaping from kennel, cat's boldly overturned barrier (8)
OBSTACLE: The answer is hidden in (escaping from) the reversal (overturned) of KENNEL CAT’S BOLDLY
25a Sinks Swedish group half-heartedly installed backwards (6)
ABATES: The most famous Swedish pop group minus one of their central letters (half-heartedly) is followed by the reversal (backwards) of a synonym of installed
26a Books written by, say, Fifties degenerate (8)
DECADENT: Some usual abbreviated religious books come after what the Fifties define by example (say)
27a Cloudy ale drunk, end in a bad way (6)
LEADEN: An anagram (drunk) of ALE with an anagram (in a bad way) of END
Down
1d You could take a break here, or in lounge (6)
RESORT: OR inserted in a verb synonym of lounge
2d Sixties film about star sign pop art - revolutionary (9)
CLEOPATRA: Concatenate the single letter for about or approximately, a constellation in the zodiac, another word for pop or father, and the reversal (revolutionary) of ART
3d 'Pier cut performing job with car' - daughter's message from seaside? (7,8)
PICTURE POSTCARD: An anagram (performing) of PIER CUT is followed by a synonym of job, CAR from the clue, and the genealogical abbreviation for daughter
5d Dope found in clubs - large amount (4)
CLOT: The playing card abbreviation for clubs with a short word for “ large amount”
6d Officer in charge getting in staff painter (6,9)
POLICE CONSTABLE: The abbreviation for “in charge” is inserted in (getting in) a staff or rod, and that’s all followed by a famous English painter of landscapes
7d Boozer is outspoken initially, times ten (5)
LOCAL: In another word for outspoken, the initial letter is also a Roman number. Replace it by the Roman numeral obtained when the initial letter is multiplied by ten
8d I landed in pet's poo running across the street? (8)
OPPOSITE: I inserted in (landed in) an anagram (running) of PET’S POO
11d Warmer at night with a partner? (7)
BEDSOCK: A cryptic definition of something that comes in pairs (with a partner) and keeps your feet warm
14d Occasionally dropped flipping jelly baby in red ooze (7)
DRIBBLE: Alternate letters (occasionally dropped) of the reversal (flipping) of JELLY BABY IN RED
16d Calculated coming from Budapest - I'm at Edinburgh (9)
ESTIMATED: The answer is hidden in (coming from) BUDAPEST I’M AT EDINBURGH
17d Chemical compound sustaining a heavenly body (8)
ASTEROID: A chemical compound that may be a muscle-building drug is following (sustaining, in a down clue) A from the clue
19d Likely Lads singularly funny at first (4-2)
ODDS-ON: Another word for the singular form of LADS is preceded (… at first) by funny or strange
21d Total over one hundred and 13? (5)
MUSIC: The reversal (over) of another word for total is followed by the Roman one and the Roman 100
23d Plot to get pot, student's admitted (4)
PLAN: A pot that might be found in the kitchen has the single letter for a student or learner driver inserted (admitted)
Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: POLLY + TITIAN = POLITICIAN
What a terrific puzzle to end the week on. The 13a and 21d combination was a neat touch although 21d eluded me for some time. The reverse lurker at 24a was very well hidden and I spent too long going through all the cats I could think of. I liked the single night warmer at 11d and the other one is, of course, still in the washing machine. My COTD is the paper hat at 10a.
Thank you, setter (I’m thinking silvanus but I’m no good at setter spotting) for a most enjoyable puzzle. Thank you, Mr. K. for the hints.
I had my first gym session yesterday and I’m suffering today. I have muscles aching where I didn’t think I had muscles.
The aching is usually worse two days later with longterm unused muscles, I used to suffer on Tuesdays after bowling in the first few games of the cricket season.
You mean it will be worse tomorrow, TC? Oh, deep joy! 😊
I found today’s puzzle to be a very satisfying solve and slightly more straight forward than yesterday’s offering.
The core of 3d, 6d, 15a (I hope Miss Abinger won’t be upset) and 18a got today off to a great start and provided enough checkers to get the rest of the puzzle flowing.
I paused over the fifties and drooled over the jelly baby but my COTD is 7d…very clever.
Many thanks to today’s setter and Mr K for the hints.
Jeez, that was fard, toughest Friday one for yonks!
Damn near gave up after only 7 completed, but sheer bloody-mindedness saw me through to the finish.
Still no idea how 7d and 14d work, so will need to see the hints.
All in all a very clever and enjoyable puzzle, my two of the day are 6d and the wonderful 26a, great fun!
Fairly friendly for a Friday, without forsaking the fun factor.
The boozer at 7d was well constructed, I’ve also ticked the messy 8d and the nocturnal bed warmer at 11d.
My thanks to our setter and Mr K.
What a fabulous puzzle. Took me an age to get going and then steadily I made it through with ticks all over my page.
Top picks for me were 15a, 11d, 7d, 13a, 10a and 9a.
Thanks to Mr K and the setter.
With Frankie on this one, quite friendly for a Friday and a pretty swift but very satisfying solve, an absolute cracker: great surfaces, lots of humour, and with a few “tells” in evidence I’d go all-in on this being a Silvanus creation were I a betting man.
Ticks all over the place but for me the highlights were the very clever surface & clueing of 9a, red herring at 10a, broad grin at 15a, 26a’s degenerate, and another smile at the 11d night-time warmer.
Many thanks to Silvanus – or to whomever else if not he – and to Mr K
A very enjoyable puzzle – thanks to our setter (could the Roman maths be a clue to their identity?) and Mr K.
I have too many ticks to list them all – they include 10a, 2d, 7d, 11d and 19d.
I’m joining the ‘quite friendly’ group. Having ‘missed’ the 4-Xs yesterday and mistakenly selecting Silvanus as the setter, I will repeat my selection for today’s puzzle. 2*/4.5*
Candidates for favourite – 1a, 12a, 15a, 26a, 11d, 14d, and 23d – and the winner 23d.
Thanks to Silvanus and Mr K.
I thought this Friday puzzle was quite tricky this week, but managed to get it finished in better time than I started out with.
2.5/3.5*
Favourites 10a, 22a, 24a, 6d, 8d & 17d — with winners 24a & 6d
Thanks to setter & Mr K.
Almost resigned to a DNF after yesterday’s struggle but finally got there. Like Steve I really appreciated the 13 a / 21 d combination. I did have to read the explanation for 7 down and it was my last one in.
Thank-you Mr K and wait to find out who the cunning setter is.
Unlike some of the others, I struggled over the finishing line out of breath, but appreciated the skill of the setter.
9a is especially intricate, and earns my applause.
13a – I wondered about “orders”, but looked them up and the connection was confirmed.
Thanks to setter and hinter.
I found this relatively benign for a Friday. Most enjoyable.Thanks to the setter and Mr K.
** / ****
I’ll join the ‘benign’ camp for today’s offering, particularly after yesterday’s struggles. The second star is only because whilst 7d, 11d and 19d had to be what they were – and in they went – I couldn’t parse them, so thanks to Mr K for that.
Ticks went to the 14d ooze (fantastic surface), the 6d office in charge and the 10a dunce’s hat. The latter being my COTD.
Thanks to the setter and Mr K
A top-notch Friday puzzle! From Z? Great clues, a decent challenge and a very enjoyable tussle. Plenty of fine clues to pick from but I’ll go for 8d as my favourite. Although it conjures up a very unpleasant image, the surface is sublimely misdirectional. 3.5*/4.5*.
From my MRB:
Complacent: self-satisfied; smug.
Complaisant: affable; obliging.
A great, but rather sad, song from 1964. Its Over by Roy Orbison.
A reasonably straightforward solve from, I’m guessing, Sidlanus with no road bumps to slow me down.
1a wasn’t the best of starts as we say ‘film’ not ‘movie’ in Old Blighty.
I liked the use of ‘pop art’ in 2d and the Likely Lads made me smile. What a great programme! I’ve now got used to ‘times ten’ so I parsed that immediately, realising it was V to L not L to D.
I wonder if The Big S winced when he had to use a split infinitive in 24a. I’m not bothered about them at all but some people just won’t have it. To boldly go….
I had to look up the etymology of 10a and, sure enough, it’s linked to a court jester which I’m very happy with.
My picks are 10a,15a and 11d.
MTTTA and Special K.
2*/4*
A strenuous Friday workout, and satisfying to complete. 14d was my pick of the bunch.
Thank you Silvanus and to Mr K for the hints.
Not easy for me.DNF . but I enjoyed most of it. 9,10 and 14 my picks.Thanks to all .
Just to clarify, like yesterday, this isn’t one of my puzzles and, to be honest, I can’t really see why anyone would think it was! I have a completely different style to today’s setter.
Sorry, silvanus – I think I was the one to mention you first. I should really not try to identify setters!
A really satisfying and enjoyable solve , which for me was a steady progression around the grid, so didn’t find it too bad. There were some smart parsings – 7d I thought was clever , and 14d – almost my last one in as I was trying to use dropped for the every other letters . In the end I worked out the definition and reverse parsed it. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.
Loved it – for me the best puzzle of the week. No more difficult than the previous four days, but so entertainingly well clued. I kicked off with 1a & 2d and they set the tone for me. 21d is my choice for top spot, with 7d in hot pursuit. 9a takes the bronze medal. Thanks to our setter and Mr K. (feeling quite contented now, having managed to cut the lawn before the rain set in and then completing the crossword over lunch afterwards)