Sunday Cryptic No 3332
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This puzzle was published on 31st August 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Across
8a A time here – currently! (2,7)
AT PRESENT – A (from the clue) T (time) PRESENT (here)
10a Bit quiet, whispered? (5)
PIECE – A homophone (whispered) of PEACE (quiet)
11a How birthday candles should be blown out, simultaneously? (2,3,4,6)
IN ONE BREATH – double definition, the first so you can make a wish; the second meaning at the same time
12a One passing note about an Italian drink (7)
CHIANTI – CHIT (note) and the Roman numeral for one go about AN (From the clue)
13a Settled amount with a fruit (7)
SATSUMA – SAT (settled) SUM (amount) A (from the clue)
15a It’s a secret dividing us (7,3,3,2)
JUST BETWEEN YOU AND ME – something dividing us
19a Observant – as a cornfield? (3,4)
ALL EARS – Like a cornfield, although there would be stalks holding up the ears too!
22a Nice thing I observed in cubist going surreal? (7)
BISCUIT – Nice being a biscuit which no-one is ever quite sure whether it is named after the place in France or because it tastes nice! I (from the clue) observed in an anagram (going surreal) of CUBIST
24a Accept nasty hit – what to do with jaw-breaker? (4,2,2,3,4)
TAKE IT ON THE CHIN – Face misfortune courageously or where a jaw-breaker should be taken
26a Boat staff inflated with oxygen (5)
CANOE – CANE (staff) ‘inflated’ with O (chemical symbol for Oxygen)
27a Particular device, one with Pinter plays (3-6)
TIN-OPENER – An anagram (plays) of ONE (from the clue) and PINTER
Down
1d Vehicle, ten in back, last one thrown out (4)
TAXI – X (Roman numeral for ten) in TAIl (back with the last letter ‘thrown out’)
2d Snip off new flower (6)
SEVERN – SEVER (snip off) N (new)
3d Link account (8)
RELATION – Double definition
4d Tension in small hair (6)
STRESS – S (small) TRESS (hair)
5d Sovereign invested in mending of teapot – light work made of it? (8)
OPERETTA – ER (the regnal cipher of our late sovereign ‘invested’ in an anagram (mending) of TEAPOT
6d Sense something isn’t new in tarnished jade, very posh (4,2)
DÉJÀ VU – An anagram (tarnished) of JADE followed by the abbreviation for Very and the letter used to indicate that something is posh
7d Network in time shredded (4)
MESH – Hidden in the last two words of the clue
9d Touch upon chaos for nationalist (7)
PATRIOT – PAT (touch) RIOT (chaos)
12d One with a hood perhaps, top half of coat and underwear (5)
COBRA – CO (the top half of COat) and BRA (underwear)
14d Awake in theatre, laid up (5)
ALERT – Hidden in reverse (up) in theaTRE LAid
16d Remain nervous supporting old judge (8)
EXAMINER – An anagram (nervous) of REMAIN ‘supporting’ (in a Down solution) EX (old)
17d Circling planet, gold and cold! (8)
ORBITING – OR (heraldic word for gold) and BITING (cold)
18d Prince shaking hand I will hold up (7)
DAUPHIN – An anagram (shaking) of HAND I ‘holds’ UP (from the clue)
20d Leader under fifty I love (6)
LIKING – KING (leader) under L (Roman numeral for fifty) and I (from the clue)
21d Mottled receptacle confined to dump (6)
SPOTTY – POT (receptacle) ‘confined’ to STY (dump)
23d Shelter welcomed by mole off to the Land of Nod (6)
SLEEPY – LEE (shelter) ‘welcomed’ by SPY (mole)
24d Small biter? That’s correct! (4)
TICK – Double definition
25d Case of emperor, no clothes for Roman leader (4)
NERO – NO (from the clue) ‘clothes’ the outside letters (case) of EmperoR