Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3301
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 26th January 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A lovely and friendly puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and significant feedback.
I learnt from the net that ‘honours’, part of the wordplay to the clue of 1d, refers to the high-ranking cards in a standard deck of cards that has four honours viz. Ace, King, Queen and Jack in each of the four suits. Since there are four sets of four honours each, there are a total of sixteen honours in the suits taken together or sixteen honoured cards are present in a deck of 52 cards. And those are A, K, Q and J. I have never played a game of cards with anybody all throughout my life, though I did get addicted to playing ‘Solitaire’ on the computer for more than a year, spending some hours every evening. I was all along trying my best to increase my previous score. Then suddenly, one evening I realised that I had already wasted my precious time and decided that I should not waste my time any further and stopped playing ‘Solitaire’ once and for ever.
Turkey, the answer to the clue of 14a, took me down memory lane when I was in my teens. I learnt from history of the world that Turkey was once called the sick man of Europe, more particularly because it could modernise itself like the European nations. But now I learnt that that the sobriquet was actually coined by the Russian czar, Nicholas I for the Ottoman Empire which governed a huge territory of which the present day Turkey then existed as part of the Empire. When the Ottoman Empire got dismantled in 1922, the title of the Ottoman Sultan was abolished, followed by the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. That left Turkey with the so-detested sobriquet for a pretty long time. The country Turkey is now called Türkiye. Now there is another turkey, a bird. When I was in my twenties, I came across a quiz question: Where on earth do you find wild turkeys? The answer was ‘America’. So, I also became inquisitive to know more about both the domestic and wild turkeys and I learnt that wild turkeys are truly found in America. There are two extant turkey species: the wild turkey of eastern and central North America and the ocellated turkey of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Males of both the species have a distinctive fleshy wattle, called a snood, that hangs from the top of the beak. They are among the largest birds in their ranges and much more colourful than the female. The wild turkey species is the ancestor of the domestic turkey, which was domesticated between 200 BC and 500 AD in the southwestern United States and in central Mesoamerica approximately 2,000 years ago by indigenous people. What was subsequently imported into Europe by the Spaniards in the 16th century was only this domesticated turkey that was raised in central Mexico. Female domestic turkeys are known as hens and the chicks are called poults or turkeylings. Male turkeys are called toms in the United States and Canada and stags in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Latin species named gallopāvō means ‘chicken peacock’. The English name for their species results from an early misidentification of the bird with an unrelated species which was imported to Europe through this country, the name of which one can easily guess. Yes, it was Turkey, the answer to the clue of 14a as mentioned above.
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Across
1a Those awarded titles lean on kings and queens etc (7,4)
HONOURS LIST: The definition of a list of people who have received or are to receive a knighthood, order, etc from the monarch for service to their community or country is arrived at from LIST (lean) as of a ship, to lean over to one side, typically because of a leak or unbalanced cargo preceded by or coming after (on) HONOURS (kings and queens etc) as high-ranking cards in a deck of cards, referring to the fact that Aces, Kings, Queens and Jacks of the four suits are all such cards
10a Sovereign say in story (5)
LIEGE: The definition of a lord or sovereign to whom allegiance and service are due according to feudal law is arrived at from EG (say) as the abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning ‘for example’ or ‘say’ placed inside LIE (story) as a made-up or trumped-up story
11a Norm with Asian abroad in European country (3,6)
SAN MARINO: An anagram (abroad) of NORM and (with) ASIAN guides to the definition of the fifth-smallest country in the world and a European microstate in Southern Europe enclaved by Italy
12a Cheese cut by Wally and Elizabeth in restaurant (9)
BRASSERIE: BRIE (cheese) as a soft, cow’s milk cheese with a whitish rind and light yellow centre named after Brie, the French region from where it originated getting inside (cut) by a combo of ASS (Wally) as an informal term for a foolish or stupid person, an example of which can be a Wally or wally, a slang term for stupid, inept or despised person and ER (Elizabeth) as the abbreviation for Elizabeth Regina, the name taken on by Queen Elizabeth upon ascending the throne, the word ‘regina’ being the Latin name for ‘queen’ takes to the definition of a simple restaurant or a bar serving food
13a Bug in gallery ending on painting to the left? (3,2)
GET AT: The definition of a slang phrasal verb meaning to irritate or annoy persistently, an example of which is the verb bug denoting to annoy, irritate or pester is fetched from a combo of TATE (gallery) as an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries in the United Kingdom’s national collection of British art and international modern and contemporary art and the terminal or last letter (ending) on [PAINTIN]G moving leftwards (to the left)
14a Country in awful picture? (6)
TURKEY: Double nounal definition; the second denoting a slang North American term for a play, film etc that is a complete failure that takes to the first referring to a country that is mainly located in West Asia and a smaller part in Southeast Europe, the present name of which is Türkiye
16a Try twice? I couldn’t agree more! (4,4)
HEAR HEAR: HEAR (try) as to listen to and judge a case or plaintiff or try a court case that is repeated (twice) as said once more leads to the definition of a phrase used to express one’s wholehearted agreement with something said, especially in a speech, an example of which is “I couldn’t agree more”, another phrase indicating a strong way to express agreement and emphasising “how much I agree”
18a Mounted sportsperson? (8)
OLYMPIAN: A cryptic definition of a sportsperson competing in the Olympic Games that originated in Greece and held in its town Olympia, that was named after Mount Olympus, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD and that which is held once in four years since 1896 in modern times
20a Quick nap in Post Office (6)
PRESTO: The definition of an adjective meaning quick or rapid is reached from REST (nap) as a verb meaning to cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep or recover strength, an example of which is nap, another verb that means to sleep lightly or briefly, especially during the day placed inside (in) PO (Post Office) as the abbreviation for Post Office
23a Roof worker in quarrel I tried to knock over (5)
TILER: The definition of a maker or layer of tiles on the roof of a house is got from part of or hidden inside (in) [QUAR]REL I T[RIED] that is coming from the opposite direction (to knock over) as a reversal in the across clue
24a Organ in action produced (9)
DELIVERED: LIVER (organ) as a large organ in the body that cleans the blood and produces bile put inside (in) DEED (action) as an act or action or something done, usually as opposed to something said leads to the definition of a verb in the past tense meaning made good or produced what was desired or expected
26a One’s epic new saddle, ultimately – something for a horse (9)
NOSEPIECE: An anagram (new) of ONE’S EPIC followed by the ultimate or terminal letter (ultimately) of [SADDL]E leads to the definition of a strap that is the part of a bridle that goes over the nose of a horse
27a Live in Barcelona irregularly (2,3)
ON AIR: The definition of an adjective denoting live i.e. being broadcast on radio or television is part of or hiding inside (in) [BARCEL]ONA IR[REGULARLY]
28a Emerge from long tunnel and suddenly understand? (3,3,5)
SEE THE LIGHT: Double verbal phrasal definition; the first relates to the situation when one comes out from a long tunnel which is obviously dark and sees the light of the world leading to another saying (there is always) ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ that refers to the almost end of a task of or nearing to the solution to a difficult problem or signs of improvement in a situation that has been bad for a long time and the second meaning to suddenly understand something previously unclear or gain insight into a situation
Down
2d Greek letter, nothing great (5)
OMEGA: The definition of the 24th and final letter of the Greek alphabet is deduced from a charade of O (nothing) as the letter representing naught or nothing and MEGA (great) as an informal term meaning extremely good, great or successful
3d Direct energy at conclusion of old poem (7)
OVERSEE: The definition of a verb meaning to supervise or to watch over and direct is reached from E (energy) as the symbol for energy as a quantitative property in physics placed after (at conclusion of) a combo of O (old) as the abbreviation for old as OT in Old Testament and VERSE (poem) as a poem or a piece of poetry
4d Blackpool, for example, put in order again? (6)
RESORT: Double definition; the second being a verb meaning to sort or put in order again or differently that leads to the first a noun referring to a place with facilities for vacationers or that which is frequented by people for relaxation or recreation, an example of which is Blackpool, considered to be the biggest seaside resort of the United Kingdom
5d Nigel, drunk on wine, stuck around (8)
LINGERED: An anagram (drunk) of NIGEL placed upon (on) RED (wine) as an alcoholic drink coloured by red grape skins during fermentation in the down clue guides to the definition of an informal verb in the past tense meaning stuck around or continued to be in a place
6d Lurch in shock? (8)
STAGGER: Double verbal definition; the first meaning to walk or move steadily, as if about to fall, an example of which is to lurch i.e. to make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement or series of movement and the second meaning to astonish or deeply shock
7d Goblet slightly damaged going off travelling round the world (13)
GLOBETROTTING: GOBLET subject to a small injury (slightly damaged) after its fourth letter shifted to its second place, pushing its second and third letters each one position forward is followed by ROTTING (going off) as decaying, decomposing or going off and no longer worthy of being eaten, taking to the definition of travelling all over the world for pleasure and sightseeing
8d Motorway hassle for lover (8)
MISTRESS: A charade of MI (motorway) as the motorway that connect London to Leeds and the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, stretching 193.6 miles in length and STRESS (hassle) as a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances, an example of which is an informal term meaning hassle that is a situation that causes difficulty or trouble or an argument guides to the definition of a lover to whom a man is not related by marriage
9d Health advice in this clue number? (7,6)
DOCTOR’S ORDERS: The definition referring to the instructions a physician has written for a patient’s treatment, an example of which is health advice that comes from a qualified doctor that can include a diagnosis or a prescription for a treatment is arrived from NUMBER NINE that is this clue number and in military slang a nickname for a purgative pill, the origin of which took place during World War II when army doctors would prescribe ‘Number Nine’ to the troops for stimulating loosening of their bowels and the derivation of ‘number nine’ leads to “doctor’s order” being used as the nickname for number nine in the game bingo
15d Solitary revolutionary, supporter of Charles I (8)
ROYALIST: An anagram (revolutionary) of SOLITARY leads to the definition of a supporter of a government by a monarch, an example of which is one of the Cavaliers who supported King Charles I during the English Civil War
17d Last to arrive perhaps goes in biting (8)
TARDIEST: The definition of an adjective in the superlative degree meaning the slowest in progress or movement that has led to perhaps being last to arrive is arrived at from DIES (goes) as stops living or becomes dead, an example of which is goes, meaning ceases living placed inside (in) TART (biting) as an adjective meaning sharp, caustic or biting
19d Meat dish that one shouldn’t trust? (4,3)
PORK PIE: A cryptic definition of a pie filled with minced seasoned pork is arrived at from the fact that the phrase ‘porky pie’ is a rhyming slang for a ‘lie’ that one shouldn’t trust
21d Pillows in middle of bedroom, five in dip (7)
RAVIOLI: The definition of a type of stuffed pasta that are often referred to as ‘pillow-shaped’ due to their appearance when filled and cooked, but can also be round and are considered the classic ‘pasta pillows’ or simply ‘pillows’ is reached from the innermost or centrally-placed letters (middle) of BED[R]OOM, followed by V (five) as the Roman numeral for five placed inside (in) AIOLI (dip) as a garlic-flavoured dip or mayonnaise
22d State where bitter having granted entry to member (6)
ALLEGE: The definition of a verb meaning to state a plea or excuse, for example in support or denial of a claim or accusation is reached from ALE (bitter) as any of various types of beer, usually one that is dark and bitter having entertained or taken inside (granted entry to) LEG (member) as one of the limbs or appendages that an animal uses for locomotion or support
25d Extent right over a head (5)
REACH: The definition of the extent of stretch or the extension of one’s perception, understanding, knowledge or vision is got from R (right) as the abbreviation for right placed upon (over) EACH (a head) as referring to per head of any particular item in the down clue
There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 12a, 13a, 18a, 27a, 28a, 2d, 8d, 9d, 15d and 21d; 21d being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to Dada for the entertainment and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again.
3*/3* …
liked 8D “Motorway hassle for lover (8)”