Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3348
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 21st December 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 worthwhile comments.
Bengali, the answer to the clue at 21d, refers to a native or inhabitant of the region of Bengal. It is also the name of the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the majority of people in this region. Bengal has a long and rich cultural history, but its modern political identity was shaped by a series of major historical upheavals in the twentieth century. During the colonial era, Bengal was one of the largest and most populous provinces of British India. In 1905, Lord Curzon, then the Viceroy of India, implemented the Partition of Bengal, dividing the large province into a Muslim-majority East Bengal and Assam and a Hindu-majority West Bengal, ostensibly for administrative convenience. This move sparked widespread protest and was ultimately annulled in 1911 as nationalist agitation gained momentum. At the time of independence in August 1947, the Indian subcontinent was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Two geographically separate regions, one in the west and one in the east, were designated as West Pakistan and East Pakistan respectively. East Pakistan largely corresponded to the former East Bengal created by Lord Curzon in 1905, while the western portion that remained in India once again became West Bengal. East Pakistan was geographically and culturally distinct from West Pakistan, being more than a thousand miles apart and separated by Indian territory. The two wings of Pakistan shared a common religion but little else. Linguistically and culturally, East Pakistan was dominated by Bengali language and culture, whereas West Pakistan was dominated by Urdu-speaking elites and speakers of Punjabi, Sindhi and Pashto. Although the population of approximately 44 million Bengali-speaking people far outnumbered the roughly 33 million Urdu-speaking people, Bengalis were under-represented in the executive, the military and economic decision-making. The imposition of Urdu as the sole state language, without recognition of Bengali, provoked the Bengali Language Movement, which grew stronger with each passing day. The movement culminated on 21 February 1952, when student protests in Dhaka were met with lethal police force, resulting in the deaths of several demonstrators, who later came to be known as language martyrs. In the years that followed, thousands of freedom fighters waged a guerrilla campaign against Pakistan’s forces. India intervened militarily in support of Bengali independence and Bangladesh, the land of the Bengalis, emerged as an independent nation on 16 December 1971. The events of 21 February 1952 became a powerful symbol of resistance and are now commemorated annually as International Mother Language Day. This observance was proclaimed by UNESCO in 1999 and first observed worldwide in 2000. Its aim is to promote linguistic and cultural diversity, multilingual education and respect for all languages. Today, the natives or inhabitants of Bangladesh are known as Bangladeshis; however, ethnically and linguistically, most Bangladeshis are Bengali. The Bengali people live primarily in Bangladesh and, in India, in the states of West Bengal and Tripura, as well as in parts of Assam. As were my parents, I too am a Bengali from the state of West Bengal, residing in its capital, Kolkata.
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Across
1a All That Jazz passes for musical song (8,4)
ANYTHING GOES: ANYTHING GOES (All That Jazz) as a phrase meaning any sort of behaviour, dress, person etc is tolerated or accepted, or, in other words, all things are accepted or acceptable and nothing is off-limits, an example of which is the colloquial phrase ‘all that jazz’ meaning other things of a similar kind to the thing or things they have been talking about or anything goes that takes to the definition of a well-known song from the 1934 musical of the same name by Cole Porter.
9a Where apples might grow, or Swiss vegetable? (7)
ORCHARD: The definition of a garden or other area in which fruit trees are grown, an example of which is the apple orchard where apples grow is arrived at from OR from the clue followed by CHARD (Swiss vegetable) as referring to Swiss chard that is a variety of beet, widely cultivated for its large succulent edible leaves
10a Storm ruined a fleece (7)
TORNADO: The definition of a violent storm with very strong winds in the shape of a funnel cloud that destroys anything in its path as it moves across the ground is reached from TORN (ruined) as a verb in the participle form denoting spoiled, damaged beyond use or no longer fit for purpose i.e. ruined followed by A from the clue and DO (fleece) as a slang term meaning to cheat or swindle, an example of which is to fleece i.e. to swindle or defraud of money or property
11a Tripe, or senseless hogwash, for starters? (4)
TOSH: The definition of a slang term for foolish, rubbish or nonsense is got from the starting or initial letters (for starters) of T[RIPE,] O[R] S[ENSELESS] H[OGWASH] in this all-in-one clue
12a Extremely merry (5)
JOLLY: Double definition; the second being an adjective meaning merry, cheerful or jovial that takes to the first an adverb denoting extremely or to a great degree or extent
13a Hint in crosswords ignored (4)
SIGN: The definition of an action or gesture intended to convey information, command, suggestion etc, an example of which is a hint i.e. a brief or indirect suggestion or something that indicates or points to a fact or event is part of or hidden inside (in) [CROSSWORD]S IGN[ORED]
16a What might ignite conflict in town near Coventry? (7)
WARWICK: WICK as the twisted threads of cotton or other substance in a candle or lamp which might draw up the inflammable liquid to the flame or ignite (what might ignite) WAR (conflict) as an open armed conflict between two or more parties, nations or states i.e. WICK might ignite WAR, or precisely WAR WICK that leads to the definition of the historic market town, civil parish and county town of Warwickshire, only nine miles south of Coventry in the West Midlands of England
17a Coach shower in winless season? (7)
TRAINER: The definition of a person who trains athletes, racehorses or show animals, an example of which is a coach i.e. an instructor or trainer in sport is reached from RAIN (shower) as water that falls from the clouds in small drops, an example of which is shower i.e. a brief and usually light fall of rain placed inside (in) [WIN]TER (season) as the coldest season of the year devoid of WIN (winless)
18a Rewrite is due to being prosaic (7)
TEDIOUS: An anagram (rewrite) of IS DUE TO leads to the definition of an adjective meaning commonplace, dull, prosaic or lacking imagination
21a Bread or perhaps … (7)
BLOOMER: Double nounal definition; the second referring to a plant that blooms in a specified way e.g. perennial bloomer that can well describe the answer to 23a that takes to the first denoting a longish crusty loaf of white bread with rounded ends and a number of slashes across the top
23a … flower got off the ground (4)
ROSE: Double definition; the second being a verb in the past tense meaning rose, got something into the air or literally, of an aircraft, rose or lifted up off the ground and remained in flight that leads to the first a noun and a definition by example i.e. a flower of any species of the genus Rosa, national emblem of England
24a State in Armenia misplaced to the west (5)
MAINE: The definition of the north-easternmost state in the United States is part of or hidden inside (in) [ARM]ENIA M[ISPLACED] coming from the other end (to the west) as a reversal in the across clue
25a Three-quarters of rump added to a quarter (4)
AREA: Three of the four letters (three-quarters) of REA[R] coming after or preceded by (added to) A from the clue takes to the definition of a region or part of a town, a country or the world, an example of which is a quarter i.e. a part of a town or city having a particular character or use
28a After working out, late run unremarkable (7)
NEUTRAL: An anagram (after working out) of LATE RUN guides to the definition of an adjective meaning unremarkable or having no strongly marked or positive characteristics or features
29a Brainless I figure, while having come first (7)
ASININE: The definition of an adjective meaning brainless, stupid or foolish is got from a combo of I from the clue and NINE (figure) as the number between eight and ten having earlier or preceded by (having come first) AS (while) as an adverb expressing while or when
30a One’s played money game with love, but no heart (5,7)
PENNY WHISTLE: The definition of a type of flageolet with six finger holes, especially a cheap one made of metal that one plays by blowing is reached from PENNY (money) as the lowest denomination of money equivalent to one-hundredth of a pound in the United Kingdom followed by WHIST (game) as a card game for four in which the two sides try to win the balance of the thirteen tricks and (with) L[OV]E from the clue without the inner letters (but no heart)
Down
1d Plaintiff seeing races fixed, copper brought in (7)
ACCUSER: The definition of a person who claims that someone has committed an offence or done something wrong, an example of which is a plaintiff i.e. a person who accuses another person of some wrongdoing and brings suit in a court is reached from an anagram (fixed) of RACES taking inside (brought in) CU (copper) as the chemical symbol for copper
2d End of tale, incomplete story’s wrapped up – period! (4)
YEAR: The ending or terminal letter (end) of [TAL]E taken inside (is wrapped up) by YAR[N] (story) as a long or rambling story, especially one that is implausible having most of the letters (incomplete); where ‘story’s wrapped up’ is taken as ‘story is wrapped up’, leading to the definition of a period of twelve months or 365/366 days
3d Count tucked into white fish (7)
HADDOCK: ADD (count) as to count, reckon, compute or tot up put inside (tucked into) HOCK (white) as referring to any of several white wines from the Rhine River valley in Germany guides to the definition of a North Atlantic sea fish, Melanogrammus aeglefinus, of the cod family
4d With daddy initially forgotten, teen told to amend card (7)
NOTELET: An anagram (to amend) of TEEN TOL[D] and not using (with … forgotten) the initial or first letter (initially) of D[ADDY] takes to the definition of a folded card with a printed design on the front, for writing a short informal letter
5d Old actress’s short dress (4)
GARB: Most of the letters (short) of GARB[O] (old actress’s) as referring to Greta Garbo, the celebrated actress during Hollywood’s silent and early golden eras guides to the definition of dress or clothing, especially of a distinctive, uniform kind
6d Joy, aunt for example scratching head (7)
ELATION: The definition of a feeling or state of great joy or pride is reached from [R]ELATION (aunt for example) as a connection or link between two people or referring to a person who is a member of the same family as another person, an example of which is an aunt i.e. a female family member who is a relative by blood or marriage and is either any of the parent’s sister or the wife of any of the parent’s brother removing the topmost letter in the down clue (scratching head)
7d Tempting to eat without German stews (5-8)
MOUTH-WATERING: The definition of an adjective referring to causing the release of saliva in the mouth i.e. tempting to eat is got from an anagram (stews) of WITHOUT GERMAN
8d One fine day – but not now? (6,2,5)
SOONER OR LATER: A cryptic definition of an adverb denoting eventually, inevitably or at some point of time but not exactly right now is arrived at from two phrases; the first indicating the concept of something that will certainly happen one fine day and the second implying an indefinite future time of the event rather than the immediate present that together adds up to mean sometime surely in the future, either sooner or later
14d Bovine animal thus in dump (5)
BISON: The definition of a large bovine animal, similar to a cow but having a larger head and hairy shoulders, found especially in North America is reached from SO (thus) as an adverb meaning thus or in a way described or demonstrated placed inside BIN (dump) as dump i.e. a place for the discharge of loads or rubbish
15d Irish county leader in Roscommon, civic dignitary (5)
MAYOR: MAYO (Irish county) as a large county on Ireland’s wild west coast, famous for its dramatic Atlantic scenery followed by the leading letter (leader) in R[OSCOMMON] takes to the definition of a civic dignitary i.e. the elected head of a town or city
19d Argument is situated in extremes of debate (7)
DISPUTE: The definition of an argument or quarrel is reached from a combo of IS from the clue and PUT (situated) as situated, placed or positioned brought inside (in) the outermost letters (extremes) of D[EBAT]E
20d Take down flier (7)
SWALLOW: Double definition; the second being a noun referring to a migratory swift-flying songbird with a forked tail and long pointed wings, feeding on insects in flight that takes to the first a verb meaning to take or get down, ingest or cause food or drink to pass through the mouth and throat into the stomach
21d Boy meeting girl, one from Asian region (7)
BENGALI: BEN (boy) as a masculine given name and often short for Benjamin, Benedict, Bennett, Benson or Ebenezer coming into contact with (meeting) GAL (girl) as an informal term for a girl or young woman followed by I (one) as the Roman numeral for one leads to the definition of a native or inhabitant of West Bengal, a state in India and Bangladesh, both of which are in Asia and hence from Asian region
22d Stain on morsel in cooking pot (7)
MARMITE: MAR (stain) as to stain, spoil or blemish placed upon in the down clue (on) MITE (morsel) as a very small contribution or amount of money, an example of which is a morsel i.e. a piece or a small amount guides to the definition of a lidded metal or earthenware cooking pot, especially for soup
26d Country Khomeini ultimately reigned over (4)
IRAN: The definition of a country in West Asia between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf is arrived at from the ultimate or last letter (ultimately) of [KHOMEIN]I followed by RAN (reigned over) as a verb in the past tense meaning ran, ruled or had control, authority or dominance over something or someone
27d Hand is crushed by feet (4)
FIST: The definition of the hand closed tightly with the fingers bent against the palm is arrived at from IS from the clue embraced (crushed) by FT (feet) as the abbreviation for feet
There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 10a, 16a, 21a … 23a, 25a, 30a, 3d, 7d, 8d, 21d and 22d; 22d being the top 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.