Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31357
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** Enjoyment ****
It is just starting to brighten up here in Harpenden after a dull & slightly drizzly start to the day. Hopefully it will stay dry this afternoon for what will be one of my last rounds at South Herts as a member having made the decision to join my local course at Harpenden Common.
For me today’s puzzle was certainly not Typically Tuesdayish & I found it a good deal trickier than yesterday. I usually tune straight into Anthony Plumb’s wavelength but not so today & as I laboured through a bottom ⬆️ grid fill I began to doubt it was one of his productions. Reading back through it post completion I’m still not sure so it will be interesting to see what others think. Either way I thought that there were some great clues & thoroughly enjoyed the solve despite the crumpet requiring a fair bit of early morning scratching.
I had ticks against 20,23,27&28a plus 4,8,14,16&17d. 20a gets my vote as pick of ‘em.
Chalicea is over in t’other place with one of her delightful trademark ‘floughie’ Toughies
As usual there is a selection of music to enjoy or ignore.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.