Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31390
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 After a couple of bashes, I'm ready for this type of insurance (5-5)
THIRD-PARTY: What would come after two bashes or celebrations is a type of insurance
6a Rank feature - it revolves around a kiss (4)
TAXI: The reversal (revolves) of IT containing (around) both A from the clue and the letter representing a kiss
9a Mugs making a comeback in Waitrose cafés (5)
FACES: The answer is hidden reversed in (making a comeback in) WAITROSE CAFES
10a Ditch one half of TV presenting duo for biting (9)
TRENCHANT: A synonym of ditch with the first half of a (3,3,3) TV presenting duo
12a Sound of owls echoed in empty stable where bulls are sought? (8,5)
SHOOTING RANGE: The sound made by owls and echoed or reverberated are inserted together in the outer letters of (empty) STABLE
14a Bill enveloped by cool air outside lady's window (8)
SERENADE: A bill that might be selling something is contained by (enveloped by) cool or unflustered
15a Rod Stewart on vacation in Spain only occasionally (6)
PISTOL: The outer letters (on vacation) of STEWART are inserted in alternate letters (occasionally) of SPAIN ONLY. The answer is US slang
17a Sport excluding female quite wrong (6)
UNJUST: A generic synonym of sport minus (excluding) the single letter for female is followed by a word that can mean quite (as in “quite the opposite”)
19a Taunts Obama about Republican South? (8)
BARRACKS: The first name of former President Obama is containing (about) the single letter for Republican and that’s all followed by the single letter for south
22a Following century, Root isn't into relaxing - he'll bend over backwards to entertain (13)
CONTORTIONIST: Following the single letter for century comes an anagram (relaxing) of ROOT ISNT INTO
24a Former girlfriend left in huff: I have a word for such occasions (9)
EXPLETIVE: Link together a usual former girlfriend, the single letter for left inserted in another word for huff, and a contraction for “I have”. The definition here refers back to the rest of the clue
25a Times puzzle finally put out of one's mind (5)
ERASE: A synonym of times or ages with the last letter (finally) of PUZZLE
26a William the Conqueror perhaps wanting a new standard (4)
NORM: The people that William the Conqueror defines by example (perhaps) minus (wanting) both A and the single letter for new
27a Supported arresting criminal nark revealing everything (5-5)
STARK-NAKED: Supported by a pole in the ground containing (arresting) an anagram (criminal) of NARK
Down
1d Difference between 'perfect' and 'iffy'? (4)
TIFF: The answer is hidden in (between … and …) PERFECT IFFY
2d Popular finishing touch for eccentric is gold tooth (7)
INCISOR: Join together a short word meaning popular, the last letter of (finishing touch for) ECCENTRIC, and the heraldic word for gold or yellow
3d Taking in opening of such, treated to reductions? (8,5)
DISCOUNT STORE: The wordplay directs us to an anagram (treated) of TO REDUCTIONS containing (taking in) the first letter of (opening of) SUCH. The entire clue can serve as a definition
4d Small songbird in a dessert, third of twenty-four revealing talent (8)
APTITUDE: A small songbird is inserted in the fusion of A from the clue and an informal word for dessert, and that’s followed the third letter of TWENTY-FOUR
5d Links provided by Bangkok bars reported (3-3)
TIE-INS: A homophone (reported) of a (4,4) phrase describing Bangkok bars
7d Opposed to motoring organisation crushing Golf in street (7)
AGAINST: A usual abbreviated motoring organisation containing (crushing) the letter represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet by golf is followed by IN from the clue and the abbreviation for street
8d Actually felt hen is working hard (2,3,5)
IN THE FLESH: An anagram (working) of FELT HEN IS followed by the pencil abbreviation for hard
11d Shot Roger Caine (RIP) and winged messenger (7,6)
CARRIER PIGEON: An anagram (shot) of ROGER CAINE RIP
13d Shield wounded revolutionary, blocking conk on head (10)
ESCUTCHEON: Wounded with a blade and a usual South American revolutionary are inserted together in (blocking) the reversal (on head, in a down clue) of what conk is an informal word for
16d Sure boat's been tampered with? That's probably his doing (8)
SABOTEUR: An anagram (…’s been tampered with) of SURE BOAT. The definition refers back to the rest of the clue
18d Juliet, united with Romeo, collecting pine nuts in a small tree (7)
JUNIPER: The single letters for Juliet, United, and Romeo containing (collecting) an anagram (nuts) of PINE
20d Workforce reduction cryptically suggested by TUC? (7)
CUTBACK: The answer read as (3,4) cryptic wordplay leads to TUC
21d Severe dose of gastric trouble (6)
STRICT: The answer is hidden in (dose of) GASTRIC TROUBLE
23d Take care of 10 D? (4)
TEND: There is no 10d clue in this puzzle; here we’re being instructed to write in 10 as a word followed by D from the clue
Thanks to today’s setter. Which clues did you like best?
The Quick Crossword pun: WOOS + TERSE + HORSE = WORCESTER SAUCE
A solid, fair challenge with minimal anagrams and zero obscure knowledge.
I completed it unaided—once I sorted out my erroneous “bung-ins” for 24A and 16D! At first, I felt the grid lacked a bit of humour, but reviewing it to check my parsing revealed several subtle touches I’d initially missed that brought a smile to my face (14A being a prime example).
COTD goes to 20D for the absolute cheek of making me write my own clue just to solve theirs.
Many thanks to the setter and Mr K—especially for 5D, which felt like it was written specifically for me.
Thai Corner:
Speaking of 5D, having eaten at the very establishment mentioned there today, it reminded me of the Thai word for ice (nám-khæ̌ng). Asking for “no ice” in my drink always makes me smile, as it literally translates to “hard water.”
I started off this Friday puzzle with no words after the first run through and almost chucked it in. However I went back, and got a couple of possible answers and worked on through. Not an easy puzzle overall though and not my favourite.
3*/3*
Favourites pretty much ran together, 6a, 16d, 18d, 20d, 21d & 23d
Thanks to setter & Mr K.
A great way to end the week, I’ve got so many ticks on my page .
Lots of fun, with a shameless amount of namedropping, this is just how I like ’em.
The insurance at 1a got us off to a good start, Dec’s mate getting snappy at 10a and Rod Stewart on his hols at 15a were right up there too.
The shield at 13d was solidly made and is another one of those words which are pleasing to say.
Top of a very tall tree was Yorkshire’s finest getting flexible at 22a. I don’t usually go for wordy clues, but that one is superb.
Chapeau, setter, my thanks also to Mr K.
3*/2.5*. A curate’s egg for me to end the week with some excellent clues offset by a flagrant Americanism in 15a and a couple of strange surfaces.
I couldn’t parse 3d and wrote in what was the only answer I could think of which fitted. However, as this involved the wrong second word (I put “shops”), this held me up in the SW corner. Now I’ve read Mr K’s explanation, this is a very clever clue – too clever for me!
22a was my favourite.
Thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
Undone by 15a where my answer fit the checkers, but that was about it. Not an American slang term I’m familiar with. I thought 20d was clever and 13d raised a smile, but podium places go to 12a, 5d and 18d. Thanks to compiler and Mr K.
very entertaining
foxed by 14A and 16A
thank you for the fun
Well that was tough for a backpager, but no more than one has come to expect for a Friday. The first 5 went in immediately and then slowed to a crawl, but once I got onto the downs it began to flow quite nicely. The parsing of 13d took a while and I was slow to pick up the anagram for 3d having bunged in the correct answer based on the checkers alone. Ticks for 13d, 15a and 1a was my COTD.
Many thanks to the setter and Mr K
3*/3*
I couldn’t get the proverbial fag paper between 22a and 20d so they were my co-favourites this morning. Overall this was a fairly rapid and enjoyable solve for a Friday with nothing too odd or poorly clued, although 15a let the puzzle down by introducing an Americanism without a signpost.
My thanks to our setter and Mr K.
Didn’t reckon I’d see the end of this one, but kept on anyway.
Once a couple of long ones went in, the end was a real possibility, so ground on to the finish.
No real favourites today, but a fair well clued puzzle befitting a Friday.
My interpretation of supported in 27a was staked as in ‘put up the money’ for a venture etc, which seemed to fit better than the pole in the ground hint, oh well everyone thinks in different ways……
That was mine as well
Today’s offering was a bit beyond my pay grade so I’m grateful to Mr. K for the hints. I’d never heard of the Rod in 15a nor the shield in 13d,but I loved the air outside the lady’s window in 15a. Thanks to the setter and to Mr. K.
Enjoyable Friday puzzle
I still don’t see how the whole clue works as a definition in 3d. However, I did see the anagram to get the right answer.
Even with years of watching trashy US cop shows and movies, I have never heard ‘rod’ being used as a slang term for 15a. I did initially put in another word with a different last letter, but this clashed with the answer to 8d
Hi JS
Echoing Mr K, the whole clue is suggesting one of these, i.e when it opens, you see many things on offer at a reduced rate.
I thought it was a great clue.
3d. The entire clue is word-play (not word-play/separate definition). The entire clue also acts as a definition of the answer. So, an &lit/all-in-one clue.
A tough long haul for me which brought some groans when I twigged 14a and 13d. I tried to construct a Spanish word beginning with “c” and ending in “a” for a lady’s window. (Would you believe it?)
Some intricate and convoluted clues made for a head scratching puzzle.
Thanks to setter and hinter.
I see you have been banned from playing cricket for two years!
I think I’m missing something in my innocence.
PS I don’t speak Spanish.
This summer, an amateur cricketer called Brian Devine was discovered to be clicking his fingers as the ball passed the bat fooling umpires into giving the batsman out caught by the wicket-keeper. He became known as the clicker and has just been banned from playing cricket for two years.
I think I’m missing something regarding speaking Spanish!
I beg your parsnips. I thought you were referring to my comment in some way and that I inadvertently referred to something inappropriate in Spanish.
I remember the video of the clicker in cricket. I dismissed it as being unlikely and artificially generated.
What a non sequiturial palaver.
It was a longshot from Rabbat.
Take a look….
Clicky Ponting sounds like a very famous Aussie cricketer Ricky Ponting.
Gangsters usually packed a rod in the old days of the hard boiled American private eye books
Welcome to the blog, C M.
What did you think of the puzzle?
I really enjoyed this puzzle but it wasn’t a walk in the park. 14a/13d were my last ones to fall. I’ve got ticks all over my page though.
Top picks for me were 20d, 26a, 10a, 1a, 14a, 17a and 22a.
I liked the Quickie pun too.
Thanks to Mr K and the setter.
Likewise re last to solve – see just above.
Another word was gat.Possibly a short form of Gatling gun from the Tommy guns used by monsters in the 20’s?
Mobsters
Any fan of film noir ought to be well familiar with the term (along with gat, as you say, heater was another). Jacques Tourneur’s magnificent film, Out of the Past, which launched Robert Mitchum’s career had a famous line & quite unexpectedly I’ve found a clip of it.
I overlooked the unintended Americanism because I liked the surface – let’s face it if you got gaffs in Beverly Hills, Palm Beach & the French Riviera why slum it with the masses on the Costa Blanca….
Extremely enjoyable – many thanks to our setter and Mr K.
I have too many ticks on my printout to list them all – I’ll just list the first few: 1a, 10a, 14a and 24a.
This was perfect for a Friday and could have been created by any one of Zandio, Mr T or Rood Bonk. It could well be Mr Bonk as we’ve been treated to another splurker so soon after the other in the shape of 1d (it was him who splurked it recently….wasn’t it?). However, 23d is the sort of thing that Mr T does. So, I’m going with him.
I love that 2d has four words to parse one letter (finishing touch for eccentric). Great fun. ‘Third of twenty four’ was Mr T’s style though Silvanus loves a letter in a long word or expression.
I had to look up Roger and see that, appropriately, he was an adult film actor. He’s still with us. So, maybe RIP stands for Roger in P**n.
Extremely difficult to pick a podium but I’ll go with 15a, 24a (lovely construction) and the absolutely superb 22a which is a candidate for clue of the year. What a surface! And what an image!
MTTTA and Mr K.
3*/5*
A top-notch Friday puzzle; not sure who but I’ll guess Z. Fine clues, a goodish challenge and a very enjoyable solve. Plenty of ticks and I’ll choose 22a for my favourite – 12 words long but every one justified, a great clue. 3*/4.5*.
Friendly for a Friday and, as Gazza said, with lots to enjoy
Thanks to the setter and Mr K
I thought this was quite difficult today, until I solved the toughie afterwards (which I am hoping Gazza does not rate as 1*)…
Top three for me were 1a, 22a, and 18d
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K.
I found this tough but it is Friday so was expected. The rank feature at 6a gave an early smile closely followed by the Waitrose cafes because said supermarket knocked on the door with my delivery just as I solved 9a. Taunting Obama at 19a held out for ages. It was one of those clues that remains surrounded by fog until the answer appears out of the gloom and you can’t help exclaiming “Of course it flipping well is, you idiot!” My COTD is the insurance needed after some bashing last 1a.
Thank you, setter for a great end to the week. Thank you, Mr. K of the hints.
Late on parade because I had to go and pick up a friend. He is overjoyed to be back. 😊
What’s his name Steve?
His name is Hudson, TC. It was chosen by my wife.
Lovely photo
Nice photo Steve! – print and put in a picture frame.
Not sure about that, Jezza. I don’t mind Hudson being on the wall but do I want to look at myself? 🤔
Nice one, Steve, welcome back, Hudson!
Lovely picture. Our yellow lab, Toby, was always overjoyed to see us when we picked him up after being away. But then it was suddenly as if he remembered “oh wait, I am mad at you” and would then sulk for 2 days 😊.
SC what a wonderful picture of you and your dear boy Hudson. No doubt he is delighted to be back !
This is a test posting from my phone to see if it works. I get error messages when I try posting with my laptop.
Ok, I can post from my phone. Let’s see if I can reply to Tipcat and Jezza from my laptop
Lovely photo of both of you Steve.Keep smiling!
This Friday puzzle appeared to be really hard at first but it went in more easily than any this week and was easier than yesterday’s, which was a DNF for me. Some of the parsing wasmystifying but the checkers helped a lot. I liked the cryptic definition at 1a, the lego clue at 10a and the anagram at 11d . Thanks to the compiler and to Mr K for the hints.
Have questioned all week why the crosswords have felt such a struggle but today’s crossword fell pretty easily. It really has been the star of this week . Lots of ticks and some of them double ticks. 1 across going straight in is always so encouraging. The sound of owls was lovely and always is to a bird lover closely followed by workforce reduction.Last in was 13 down.
Delighted to see a picture of Steve with Hudson. We must have passed each other hundreds of times at Guys. I can no more recognise him than he would recognise me now. He does have such a kind face and his dog looks a darling.
P.S. did have to check the spelling of 16 down.
Thanks all round
** / ****
Very nice end to the week and perhaps the first puzzle I’ve been able to concentrate on this week due to external factors. Particularly liked the 13d conk on the head because I can never spell that word. The beauty of the cryptic is that the wordplay gives the spelling! Also liked the 14a air outside the lady’s window and the 20d TUC workforce reduction.
Many thanks to the setter and Mr K for parsing the last letter of 4d, where I was trying to get ‘eight’ into the answer!
Off to Londinium for the weekend so have a great one, all!
This would be my pick of the week’s back-pagers just edging Hudson’s Wednesday puzzle. Despite doing it on the mobile in between golfers teeing off I seemed to tune in from the off & the answers flowed. 🆗 there were a couple of odd surface reads & the UA but that didn’t detract in the least – 5* entertainment here.
Ticks all over the pitch – 1,10,12,19,22,24&27a + 3&20d my Top 10 with the reaction to the huffy ex storming out in at Number 1.
Thanks to the setter (Twm my punt with a small saver on Zandio) & to Mr K
Quite tricky – as it should be for a Friday. 1d took an absolute age to spot. Didn’t fully parse 3d, and thought 13d ‘on’ in the clue meant add it to the famous beret wearer (forgot about the es!) so thanks to Mr K for the explanations to both.
For that reason they are my podium.
Thank you setter for an excellent challenge
Good evening
I found today’s crozzie to be marginally less tricky than yesterday’s, but by crikey, there was still plenty of witty and sharp clueing to get through.
I thought I’d peaked a little bit early, though: 1a went straight in the moment I folded the paper over and picked up my pen. Then in went another, and another, and a few more…..and then nowt!
Got there in the end, though. I’m hard pushed to pick a COTD, so joint honours to 3d, 14a, and last to fall 13d.
Thank you to our setter (I’m hopeless at guessing, but I’m going to put my fiver on Twmbarlwm) and to Mr K.
Got there in the end with 13d as my last in. A bit of a punt having a very vague recollection of the word in the far recess of my mind. Had to check that with Mr K’s hints. That said, it was a challenge so pleased to complete it unaided. Favourites today were 12a and 14a.
Thank you to the setter and to Mr K for the hints.
This was my favourite of the week, I found it a satisfying puzzle to solve, couldn’t parse 13d so special thanks to Mr K for that. Thanks very much to setter.
What a contented puss! 😀
As Friday’s go that was a relative breeze. Needed some parsing but done in a decent time.
Bit of a mix on the tunes tonight, Radiohead inter alia. As usual many thanks to the setter🙂
Well it is a Friday after all , and this one didn’t disappoint. A bit sticky in places , but some nice clues and an enjoyable solve. I thought 14a was a great clue with an unexpected definition which always makes it really satisfying. I gave up on my last one 13d. I am sure I have heard it maybe in a crossie before but clearly it didn’t stick and I couldn’t parse it either so needed the hint. Thanks to the setter and Mr K.
I was too busy today and then too tired to do this justice so I completed it with Mr Ks help. I enjoyed it and had 12a as a favourite.
Many thanks to the setter and to Mr K
Completed this morning and found this one relatively straightforward- fastest solve of the week (haven’t done Tuesdays yet) I must just be on the setters wavelength.
LOI and trickiest for me was 25a – it was a bung in and then parse. Also bunged in conifer in 18d when I had the n and r as checkers. Realised my error quite quickly though.
Needed to check the spelling of 13d and probably will again if it reappears, spelling is not my strong suit.
Really liked the insurance in 1a clever wordplay in the three ‘bashes’ the split lurker in 1d but my COTD has to be 20d, my favourite sort of clue. Would the clue still work without the word ‘cryptically’ ?
Thanks to the setter and Mr K