Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3323
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 29th June 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A lovely, straightforward puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and valuable comment.
After solving the puzzle, I wanted to know the etymology of ‘chalet’, the answer to the clue of 15a and so visited the net. I had guessed it to be a French word pronounced as ‘shalay’ and having a circumflex (ˆ) upon the letter ‘a’. I found out that indeed, it’s a French word, specifically from Swiss French, adopted directly into English and pronounced as ‘shalay’. It has the meaning ‘little house’ or ‘pastoral dwelling’. I learnt that it is a type of wooded house or hut, typically low with wide, overhanging eaves and often associated with Alpine regions. It originally referred to a herdsman’s hut or a simple cottage in summer. The term has since expanded to describe any house built in this style and is now commonly connected with Alpine holiday homes or ski lodges. To my dismay, the word is without the circumflex that I had guessed. Most probably, the idea came to my head from the French word château that refers to a castle or stately residence, often in the countryside.
Since my childhood, I have been hearing the expression coming out from the mouth of many people ‘long time no see’, the answer to the clue of 21a and always concluding the expression to be broken English and the people using this expression to be having very poor knowledge of the language, though much later in life did I come to know the expression to be colloquial and very much in use. A visit to the net this time, however, confirmed my apprehension. ‘Long time no see’ is not grammatically correct by traditional standards, but it is accepted, adopted into colloquial English for over a century and is widely used. It is believed to be a calque or a literal translation from either Chinese or Native American Pidgin English. While the early Native American-English contact speech is believed to have used the expression in English as it stands now, the possible source from Chinese language is from a phrase 好久不见 (hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn) in Chinese meaning ‘long time no see’.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Old newspaper worker, sort with The Sun, perhaps? (10)
TYPESETTER: The definition of a pressman, compositor or someone who physically sets the type for printing newspapers is reached from a charade of TYPE (sort) as something distinguishable as a variety and SETTER (The Sun, perhaps) as something that sets, an example of which is the sun that sets at the end of the day
6a Tweeter in prison? (4)
BIRD: Double definition; the second being a slang term for a prison that takes to the first referring to someone or something that tweets or produces short, high-pitched chirping sounds, an example of which is a bird that is commonly known for its chirping and tweeting sounds
9a Rule, last of three in camp? (5)
TENET: The definition of a noun meaning rule, principle or doctrine which a person holds or maintains as true is fetched from the ending or terminal letter (last) of [THRE]E placed inside (in) TENT (camp) as to camp temporarily
10a Dirtier Hurricane flying all over the place (9)
RAUNCHIER: The definition of an adjective in the comparative degree meaning dirtier, nastier or filthier is reached from HURRICANE that is subject to an anagram (flying all over the place)
12a Shock describing intense headache, finding fault easily (4-9)
HAIR-SPLITTING: A charade of HAIR (shock) as referring to a mass of thick, shaggy hair and SPLITTING (describing intense headache) as describing very severe, especially of a headache guides to the definition of a verb in the continuous form denoting making overly fine or pedantic distinctions or finding fault easily
14a Amusing person, willing cheat, for example (4,4)
CARD GAME: A charade of CARD (amusing person) as an informal term for an eccentrically amusing person and GAME (willing) as an adjective denoting ready and willing guides to the definition of any game played with playing-cards, an example of which is a cheat i.e. a card-game in which deception is allowed
15a Holiday home offering tea leased out (6)
CHALET: The definition of a small house, used of wood, built for use by holidaymakers etc is reached from a charade of CHA (tea) as an informal term for tea and LET (leased out) as a verb in the past tense meaning rented, hired or leased out
17a Agree a company should be led by leader in fact! (6)
AFFIRM: The definition of a verb meaning to express agreement with or commitment to is arrived at from A from the clue and FIRM (company) as a business house or a company preceded by or coming after (should be led by) the leading or first letter (leader) in F[ACT]
19a Measurer of fuel in gallons steamer used (3,5)
GAS METER: The definition of an instrument for measuring and recording the cumulative amount of gas used as a utility for heat, cooking or illumination is obtained from G (gallons) as an abbreviation for gallon or gallons followed by an anagram (used) of STEAMER
21a Greeting neologism, teen discombobulated (4,4,2,3)
LONG TIME NO SEE: The definition of an informal greeting by people who have not seen each other for an extended period of time is reached from an anagram (discombobulated) of NEOLOGISM, TEEN
24a Childminder, best ever mother of kids (5,4)
NANNY GOAT: A charade of NANNY (childminder) as a child’s nurse, especially specially trained and GOAT (best ever) as an acronym denoting ‘Greatest Of All Time’ that is commonly used to describe someone or something considered the best in a specific field or activity, particularly in sports and entertainment takes to the definition of a she-goat i.e. mother of kids or young goats
25a Bill needs endless wine for a particular purpose (2,3)
AD HOC: AD (bill) as an abbreviation for advertisement, an example of which is a bill i.e. an advertisement usually printed on a page or in a leaflet, intended for wide distribution takes alongside (needs) HOC[K] (wine) as any of several white wines from the Rhine River valley in Germany devoid of K, its ending letter (endless) to lead to the definition of a Latin phrase, used an adjective or adverb, meaning ‘for this special purpose’ or ‘for a particular purpose only’
26a 6 Across back, by the sound of it? (4)
RHEA: The definition of a large flightless bird of South American grasslands, resembling a small ostrich with greyish-brown plumage serving as an example of 6 Across is fetched from a homophone heard by the audience (by the sound of it) of REAR (back) as denoting the back or hind or something, as distinguished from the front
27a Heartless trite idiocy excited journalist (4,6)
CITY EDITOR : A combo of TR[I]TE without I, the central letter (heartless) and IDIOCY subject to an anagram (excited) guides to the definition of a senior journalist in charge of editing the local news coverage for a newspaper
Down
1d Cheers, cheers, cheers! (2-2) / Cheers, cheers, cheers! (2-2)
TA-TA: The definition of a colloquial and childish term for ‘good-bye’ exemplified by ‘cheers’ is arrived at from TA (cheers) as an informal interjection for ‘thank you’, often used in the same contexts as ‘cheers’ that is repeated once more / TA (cheers) as an informal interjection for ‘thank you’, often used in the same contexts as ‘cheers’ that is repeated once more, leading to the definition of a colloquial and childish term for ‘good-bye’ exemplified by ‘cheers’ [seriatim, on ‘as is where is’ basis of the definition]
2d Breathe heavily on that woman’s cat (7)
PANTHER: PANT (breathe heavily) as to breathe heavily or rapidly in short gasps, as after exertion placed upon in the down clue (on) HER (that woman’s) as an adjective denoting that woman’s or belonging to that woman that leads to the definition of a large wild cat such as a leopard or jaguar, especially in a colour form with black fur
3d Doing nicely in session, quite! (7,6)
SITTING PRETTY: The definition of a phrase meaning doing nicely or enjoying one’s advantageous position is reached from a charade of SITTING (session) as a noun denoting a session or term as of a court / SITTING (in session) as an adjective denoting active or in session as in the course of a parliamentary session and PRETTY (quite) as an adverb meaning fairly, quite or to a moderately high degree
4d Religious education brought in is to me terribly boring (8)
TIRESOME: RE (religious education) as the abbreviation for religious education placed inside (brought in) an anagram (terribly) of IS TO ME takes to the definition of an adjective meaning boring, dull or tedious
5d Plaque with top scratched, repaired so just the same (5)
EQUAL: [P]LAQUE from the clue having its uppermost letter removed (with top scratched) is subject to an anagram (repaired so) leads to the definition of an adjective meaning being the same or just the same
7d First contained by that, I and almost everyone (7)
INITIAL: The definition of an adjective meaning first or occurring at the beginning or preceding all others in time, space or degree is reached from IN IT (contained by that) as contained within something, I from the clue and most of the letters (almost) of AL[L] (everyone) as a pronoun referring to everyone or everything
8d Rude drunk ready to go, last of lager guzzled (10)
DEROGATORY: The definition of an adjective meaning showing a critical or disrespectful attitude, an example of which is rude i.e. discourteously unmannerly is got from an anagram (drunk) of READY TO GO having swallowed or taken inside (guzzled) the terminal or ending letter (last) of [LAGE]R
11d Measure up and take scissors to salad leaves? (3,3,7)
CUT THE MUSTARD: Double verbal definition; the second referring to use scissors on a type of salad leaves eaten as greens that takes to the first denoting to measure up to expectations or meet the required standard
13d Cable in one car adapted for ship (5,5)
OCEAN LINER: LINE (cable) as an electric-power transmission cable placed inside (in) an anagram (adapted) of ONE CAR guides to the definition of a large commercial ship, especially one that carries passengers on a regular schedule
16d Anchor in sea for example securing boat finally (8)
MAINSTAY: The definition of an anchor, chief support or a rope stretching forward and down from the top of the mainmast is deduced from MAIN (sea) as a great expanse or the high sea followed by SAY (for example) as the abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning ‘for example’ or ‘say’ holding inside (securing) the final or terminal letter (finally) of [BOA]T
18d European country without the right to gather in funds (7)
FINANCE: F[R]ANCE (European country) as the largest country in the European Union and the second largest in Europe devoid of (without) the R (right) as the abbreviation for right and to take inside (gather) IN from the clue guides to the definition of funds, provision of funds or money resources
20d Beyond river is exciting drive, say (3,4)
TEE SHOT: After (beyond) TEES (river) as a river in England that rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines and flows eastwards to reach the North Sea in the North East of England is HOT (exciting) as an informal for an adjective meaning extremely exciting or interesting that guides to the definition of a long-distance shot played from the tee box in golf stroke mechanics, intended to move the ball a great distance down the fairway towards the green, an example of which is a drive, i.e. a golf shot, especially with a driver or driving iron from the tee, that is intended to carry a great distance
22d Polynesian people residing in Panama or Indonesia (5)
MAORI: The definition of a member of the Polynesian people who are the aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand is part of or hiding inside (residing in) [PANA]MA OR I[NDONESIA]
23d Mark seems confident about result, initially (4)
SCAR: The definition of a mark or blemish left on the skin after a surface injury or wound has healed is got from the initial or first letters (initially) of S[EEMS] C[ONFIDENT] A[BOUT] R[ESULT]
There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 12a, 14a, 21a, 24a, 11d, 13d, 16d and 20d; 24a 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 encouragement. Looking forward to being here again.