Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3324
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 6th July 2025
BD Rating –Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
An enjoyable Sunday Prize Puzzle
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Across
7a Spiced Italian cake on tap, teen excited (9)
PANETTONE – An anagram (excited) of ON TAP TEEN
8a Deck a geezer (5)
FELLA – FELL (deck, cause to fall) A (from the clue)
10a Game where king finally trapped in mate (6)
BRIDGE – The final letter of kinG ‘trapped’ in BRIDE (mate)
11a Carry around real wild bear! (8)
TOLERATE – TOTE (carry) goes around an anagram (wild) of REAL
12a Deception precedes great debate (6)
CONFAB – CON (deception) precedes FAB (great)
14a Clerk, one with story to relate (6)
TELLER – A bank clerk or one who tells a story
16a Scullery worker forced to speak? (4)
MAID – A homophone (to speak) of MADE (forced)
17a Feeling upper thigh area, article pulled out (5)
HUNCH – HaUNCH (upper thigh area) without the A (article pulled out)
18a Ultimately sharp cut – that was a close shave! (4)
PHEW – The ultimate letter of sharP and HEW (cut)
19a Set out to break stuff, items washed up (6)
JETSAM – An anagram (out) of SET inserted into (to break) JAM (stuff)
21a Powerful beast, old president in university (6)
OXFORD – OX (powerful beast) FORD (former US President)
24a Deposit issued, coin banked (8)
SEDIMENT – DIME (coin) ‘banked’ in SENT (issued)
26a Turn about right with a twist (6)
SPRAIN – SPIN (turn) goes about R (right) and A (from the clue)
27a Child with digger, reportedly? (5)
MINOR – A homophone (reportedly) of MINER (digger)
28a Blood, surprisingly versatile (9)
RELATIVES – An anagram (surprisingly) of VERSATILE
Down
1d Covered in bristles, frightening (5)
HAIRY – Covered in bristles or an informal word meaning frightening
2d Unwanted person, complete plank, say (4,4)
DEAD WOOD An adjective meaning complete and what a plank is usually made of
3d Felt is mistaken – for felt? (6)
ITSELF – An anagram (mistaken) of FELT IS
4d Bond never spoken? (4)
KNOT – A homophone (spoken) of NOT (never)
5d Favourite part shortly for engine driver? (6)
PETROL – PET (favourite) ROLe (shortly indicating the need to remove the final letter)
6d Gratified, taking coffee and wine after starter of fish (9)
FLATTERED – LATTE (coffee) and RED (wine) go after F (the starter of Fish)
9d Hang on to a number of eggs (6)
CLUTCH – Double definition
13d Cast aside, leave house (5)
BINGO – BIN (cast aside) GO (leave)
15d Daughter reviled, a shockingly reckless type (4-5)
DARE-DEVIL – D (daughter) and an anagram (shockingly) of REVILED A
17d Something one might put in sandwiches for each basket (6)
HAMPER – HAM (something put in sandwiches) PER (for each)
18d Painting, one stolen by scoundrel from Dover? (8)
PORTRAIT – A scoundrel from Dover might be a PORT RAT into which should be inserted (stolen) the Roman numeral for one
20d Hearts for example gold for lover (6)
SUITOR – SUIT (hearts for example) OR (heraldic term for gold)
22d Capital to be collected by bailiff is calculated (6)
FISCAL – Hidden in (to be collected by) balifF IS CALculated
23d Vital organ – one not dying? (5)
LIVER – Someone who continues to live
25d Plant, or the sycamore basically? (4)
TREE – The final letters (basically) of planT oR thE sycamorE