Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3343
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 16th November 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from Kolkata. A fairly gentle puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and valuable comments.
I wanted to know more about condominium, part of the wordplay to the clue at 19d and so, after solving the puzzle, I explored the net to find out the similarities and dissimilarities between a condominium and a flat and was immensely enlightened. A flat and a condominium, also called condo, are both types of residential units within multi-unit buildings, but they differ significantly in ownership structure, management, legal status, and amenities. Understanding these distinctions is essential for prospective buyers or tenants evaluating long-term living arrangements. The most fundamental difference lies in ownership. A flat is a term that is commonly used in the United Kingdom, India and other Commonwealth regions; often referring simply to an apartment unit within a building. Flats are typically part of a property owned entirely by a single landlord or development company. When people lives in flat, they usually do so as tenants paying rent. Even if flats are sold, the ownership model is usually ‘leasehold’, where people own the right to occupy the unit for a fixed number of years but the land and building remain under a freeholder’s ownership. A condominium, on the other hand, is usually associated with ‘individual ownership’. Each unit is owned outright by its resident, who holds the title to the interior of the unit. The land and common areas i.e. hallways, lobbies, gyms, pools, gardens etc are jointly owned by all condo owners. This form of ‘freehold’ or ‘strata title’ ownership makes condos closer to private property rather than leased units. Flats in rental buildings are generally managed by the landlord or a property management company hired by them. Tenants have limited involvement in building governance and decisions about maintenance, renovations and policies lie almost entirely with the owner. Condominiums are governed by a homeowners’ association (HOA) or a similar body composed of unit owners. This elected board oversees maintenance of common spaces, enforces community rules, collects monthly fees and makes decisions on repairs or upgrades. Owners can vote on major issues, giving them more influence than flat tenants. Flats usually involve paying predictable rent and possibly utility charges. The landlord handles major repairs and building upkeep, which are funded through rental income. Tenants rarely pay separate maintenance fees unless specified in the lease. Condo owners must pay monthly association fees that cover shared facilities, repairs, security, landscaping and amenities. These costs can vary widely depending on the building’s features. Owners are also responsible for the maintenance of their individual units. While condos may require a higher initial investment and recurring fees, they also offer the potential for property appreciation. Flats often offer basic amenities such as lifts, security, and parking, depending on the building. High-end apartment complexes may provide more, but traditionally flats are simpler in design and services. Condos, especially in North America and parts of Southeast Asia, are often marketed as lifestyle properties. They may feature swimming pools, gyms, clubhouses, co-working spaces, landscaped gardens, concierge services and more. These shared facilities contribute to higher maintenance fees but also to a more community-oriented, amenity-rich living environment. The term ‘flat’ is more generic and linguistic, used simply to describe a type of dwelling. ‘Condominium’ is a legal term specifying a property ownership model. All condos are technically apartments, but not all apartments or flats are condos.
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Across
1a A fight in the vicinity? (5)
ABOUT: A from the clue and BOUT (fight) as contest or fight, especially a boxing or wrestling match guides to the definition of an adverb denoting not far off or in the area or vicinity
4a Lightweight wood a piece of cake to drag back (5)
BALSA: The definition of lightweight wood of a tropical American tree Ochroma lagopus of the silk-cotton family is reached from a combo of A from the clue and SLAB (piece of cake) as a thick slice of piece of cake coming from the other end (to drag back) as reversals in the across clue
10a Bug, tick thus circling desert (8)
MOSQUITO: The definition of a small biting or stinging insect, known for feeding on blood and often transmitting diseases, bearing similarity to a certain insect commonly called bug, which also pierces and sucks and feeds on human blood is reached from MO (tick) as a slang abbreviation for moment that refers to a tick or very short time following by SO (thus) as an adverb meaning thus or in a way described or demonstrated surrounding or taking within its fold (circling) QUIT (desert) as to abandon, desert or forsake
11a One million years for pictures (6)
IMAGES: A charade of I (one) as the Roman numeral for one, M (million) as the abbreviation for million or millions and AGES (years) as a very long or extended period of time, for example, years takes to the definition of the plural of mental picture or representation resulting from thought or memory rather than sensory perception
12a Documents in case, most inactive (6)
IDLEST: A charade of ID (document) as identification document or documents and LEST (in case) as a conjunction denoting for fear that or in case leads to the definition of an adjective in the superlative degree meaning laziest or most inactive
13a Fundamental flaw in triangle (8)
INTEGRAL: The definition of an adjective meaning essential, fundamental, basic or necessary is reached from an anagram (flaw) of (in) TRIANGLE
14a Naughty on night for love (7)
NOTHING: An anagram (naughty) of ON NIGHT leads to the definition of nil or zero, that is the score in tennis dubbed as love
16a Piglets, say, dropped waste (6)
LITTER: Double nounal definition; the second referring to small refuse or waste materials carelessly dropped, especially in public places that takes to the first denoting a brood of young animals born at the same time from the same mother, an example of which are piglets that are born to a sow
17a A fund set aside for sailing, say? (6)
AFLOAT: A from the clue followed by FLOAT (fund set aside) as money in hand for a purpose such as to give change to customers guides to the definition of an adjective and adverb denoting on a boat or ship away from the shore, an example of which is sailing or an activity done by a boat or ship i.e. floating on the water
19a Cleaner rubbish (7)
FLANNEL: Double definition; the second referring to bland fluent talk indulged in to avoid addressing a difficult subject or situation directly, an example of which is rubbish i.e. absurd, nonsensical or worthless talk or ideas that takes to the first denoting a piece of cloth used for washing, cleaning or rubbing
21a California city where a low ebb returns, unhappy visiting (8)
PASADENA: The definition of a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States is arrived at from a combo of A from the clue and NEAP (a low ebb) as referring to a neap tide that is the ebb or lowest point of a tide coming from the other end (returns) as reversals in the across clue and having inside (visiting) SAD (unhappy) as showing, expressing or feeling sorrow or unhappiness
22a Guillotine, drop stopped by what? (6)
BEHEAD: The definition of a verb meaning to decapitate, execute or guillotine is got from BEAD (drop) as a drop of moisture or dew intercepted or getting inside (stopped) by EH (what) as an interjection used to ask for confirmation or repetition or to express inquiry, especially after failure to hear
23a Dad and girl panned dish? (6)
PAELLA: A charade of PA (dad) as a childish or familiar word for father and ELLA (girl) as a common girl’s name guides to the definition of a saffron-flavoured Spanish rice dish made with varying combinations of chicken, rice, vegetables, seafood etc
24a Case shows verdict in conclusion (3,5)
TEA CHEST: The definition of a tall wooden case with a metal lining, in which tea is packed for transportation is obtained from TEACHES (shows) as a verb in the third person singular present tense denoting shows, trains or demonstrates as in a class followed by the concluding or last letter (in conclusion) of [VERDIC]T
25a Surface cut, finally broke (5)
SKINT: SKIN (surface) as the outer surface other than fabric of an aircraft followed by the final or terminal letter (finally) of [CU]T leads to the definition of a slang term for an adjective denoting without money, hard up or broke
26a Tool fixed, we hear? (5)
SPADE: The definition of a broad-bladed digging tool is arrived at from a homophone heard by the audience (we hear) of SPAYED (fixed) as a verb in the past tense meaning removed or destroyed the ovaries and uterus of a female animal, an example of which is fixed i.e. a North American term denoting castrated or spayed an animal
Down
2d Expand beard on appearing bohemian? (7)
BROADEN: The definition of a verb meaning to expand to encompass more people or things is reached when BEARD ON from the clue is subject to an anagram (appearing bohemian)
3d Buffet in banquet lousy, without doubt (14)
UNQUESTIONABLY: An anagram (buffet) of IN BANQUET LOUSY takes to the definition of an adverb denoting in a way that cannot be disputed or doubted
5d Gang after furore, attentive (7)
ADORING: RING (gang) as a group of people engaged in a shared enterprise, especially one involving illegal or unscrupulous activity placed after in the down clue (after) ADO (furore) as a state of agitation or fuss, especially about something unimportant, an example of which is furore, an outbreak of public anger or excitement leads to the definition of a feeling or expressing deep affection, love or admiration, an example of which is attentive
6d Such oddly in drawer, a tiny bit (9)
SCINTILLA: The oddly-placed letters (oddly) in (of) S[U]C[H] followed by IN from the clue and TILL (drawer) as a drawer or receptacle for money in or behind a counter and A from the clue takes to the definition of a tiny bit or a very small amount of something
7d Fine spray in steam is transparent (4)
MIST: The definition of a cloud of particles or a fine spray of liquid resembling this is part of or hidden inside (in) [STEA]M IS T[RANSPARENT]
8d Ambushed – as arrested bunny might have been? (6,2,3,3)
CAUGHT ON THE HOP: The definition of an idiom meaning taken by surprise is cryptically arrived at from the fact that a bunny hops, so if it were arrested (caught), it would be at a time when hopping or ‘on the hop’ i.e. caught on the hop
9d Soldiers above great risk (6)
MENACE: MEN (soldiers) as non-commissioned soldiers placed upon in the down clue (above) ACE (great) as an informal term for an adjective denoting great, brilliant or champion leads to the definition of a noun meaning danger, risk or hazard
15d Unaware around midnight? (2,3,4)
IN THE DARK: The definition of an idiom meaning unaware, clueless, ignorant or uninformed is fetched from a cryptic description of a situation at a time when it is physically dark or when one would literally be ‘in the dark’
18d Commotion that’s loud as car repaired (6)
FRACAS: The definition of a noun denoting uproar, commotion or a noisy quarrel is reached from F (loud) as the abbreviation of the adjective forte, a musical term meaning loud followed by an anagram (repaired) of AS CAR
19d Floor number below condominium (7)
FLATTEN: The definition of a verb meaning to strike someone so as to make them fall down, an example of which is to floor i.e. to knock someone to the ground, especially with a punch is arrived at from TEN (number) as a cardinal number one more than nine or equivalent to the product of five and two placed under in the down clue (below) FLAT (condominium) as a self-contained residential unit, typically in a building, especially in the UK, India and other Commonwealth countries, an example of which is a condominium or simply condo that refers to the legal ownership of such a unit, including shared rights to common areas as in the US, Canada and parts of Asia
20d Various dailies worked together (7)
LIAISED: An anagram (various) of DAILIES takes to the definition of a verb in the past tense meaning worked together and kept each other informed about what is happening
22d Smile in broadcast? (4)
BEAM: Double definition; the second being a verb meaning to broadcast over the airwaves, as in radio or television that takes to the first a noun denoting a grin or a smile
There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 14a, 17a, 22a, 24a, 26a, 6d, 8d, 9d and 22d; 8d 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. Looking forward to being here again.