Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3349
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 28th December 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A slightly tough puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and valuable feedback.
After solving the puzzle, I wanted to know more about the human ‘wren’ rather than the bird ‘wren’ as in the clue 16a and I learnt from the internet that the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) that was the women’s branch of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom played a vital, expanding role. It was first established in 1917 during the First World War to release men for sea service by employing women in shore-based roles. Members of the WRNS, commonly known as ‘Wrens’ undertook duties of cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians, air mechanics, ground transport vehicle drivers and motorcycle despatch riders. On 10 October 1918, nineteen-year-old Josephine Carr from Cork became the first Wren to die on active service, when her ship, the RMS Leinster was torpedoed. Although the service was disbanded after the war in 1919, it was re-formed in 1939 at the outbreak of the Second World War, when the need for skilled personnel again became urgent. During this period, the WRNS expanded rapidly, with tens of thousands of women serving in a wide range of increasingly technical roles, including radar operation, codebreaking and naval administration. Wrens were not usually assigned to combat at sea, but their work was essential to naval success, particularly in intelligence and logistics. The service also offered women new opportunities, independence and responsibility at a time when employment options for women were otherwise limited. After the Second World War, the WRNS remained active and gradually evolved alongside changing attitudes toward women in the armed forces. In 1993, the WRNS was formally integrated into the Royal Navy, allowing women to serve as full members rather than in a separate organisation and so freeing men for sea duty. The legacy of the WRNS is significant; it challenged traditional gender roles, demonstrated women’s capabilities in military service and paved the way for the modern, more inclusive Royal Navy of today.
After rethinking, I came up with 23d as: Crowd in room at the top entertained by band (6).
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Plant herb so spreads around us (8)
ROSEBUSH: The definition of a rose plant growing as a bush rather than as a climber is obtained from an anagram (spreads) of HERB SO placed about (around) US from the clue
5a Flower in university fed to reptiles (6)
CROCUS: The definition of a small yellow, white or purple spring flower of a bulbous iridaceous plant is fetched from U (university) as the abbreviation for university placed inside (fed to) CROCS (reptiles) as the plural of the short colloquial for crocodile that is a large long-tailed tropical reptile of the genus Crocodilus
9a Note alien on part of one’s trousers! (8)
CROTCHET: ET (alien) as an abbreviated version for an extraterrestrial as referring to an extraterrestrial being i.e. a hypothetical or fictional being from outer space, for example an alien preceded by or coming after (on) CROTCH (part of one’s trousers) as the part of trousers or underwear that covers the part of one’s body where the legs join at the top takes to the definition of a note in music having the time value of a quarter of a semibreve or half a minim
10a Plan to close off border in secret, oddly (6)
SCHEME: The definition of a plan or system for doing or organising something is reached from HEM (close off border) to enclose or restrict by border or to close off the edge with a border, as of a garment placed inside (in) the oddly-placed letters of S[E]C[R]E[T]
12a Pass back in game, then slip (6)
ELAPSE: The definition of a verb meaning to pass silently, especially of time is got from the back or terminal letter (back) in [GAM]E followed by (then) LAPSE (slip) as to slip or glide away
13a Cut meat ASAP (4-4)
CHOP-CHOP: A charade of CHOP (cut) as to axe or cut down something into small pieces and CHOP (meat) as a thick slice of meat, especially pork or lamb, adjacent to and often including a rib takes to the definition of an adverb meaning promptly, an example of which is the abbreviation ASAP denoting as soon as possible i.e. with utmost speed and urgency, indicating that a task should be completed or an action performed with maximum haste and in the shortest possible time
15a I take my time quaffing last of ale, if possible (7)
IDEALLY: I from the clue referring to the setter followed by DALLY (take my time) as to waste his time by idleness or trifling taking in or drinking (quaffing) the last or ultimate letter (last) of [AL]E guides to the definition of an adverb denoting preferably or if possible
16a In the Navy singer? (4)
WREN: Double nounal definition; the second referring to any of the member of a genus Troglodytes of small songbirds, having very short and rounded wings and a short tail carried erect that takes to the first denoting any member of the British ‘Women’s Royal Naval Service’ (WRNS) that was popularly, collectively and officially known as the Wrens and hence, one in the Navy
20a Study money, having lost billion (4)
READ: The definition of a verb meaning to study or make a study of a subject, as at a university is got from [B]READ (money) as a slang term for money devoid of (having lost) B (billion) as the abbreviation for billion
21a Figure incarcerated by brutal tsar if everything fails (2,5)
AT WORST: TWO (figure) as a figure or number between one and three taken inside by (incarcerated by) an anagram (brutal) of TSAR takes to the definition of a phrase denoting under the worst of conditions, in the worst possible circumstances or if everything fails
25a Choice other than plastic, simple material (8)
CASHMERE: A charade of CASH (choice other than plastic) as an alternative to making payment with if not paying with a plastic debit or credit card and MERE (simple) as an adjective meaning simple, bare or only leads to the definition of a knitted material made from a fine soft wool from goats of the Kashmir region
26a Bag in a church possessed by Egyptian god (6)
SACHET: The definition of a small soft bag containing perfumed powder, placed in drawers to scent clothing is reached from a combo of A from the clue and CH (church) as the abbreviation for church held inside (possessed) by SET (Egyptian god) as the god of chaos, violence, deserts, storms and foreigners in ancient Egyptian religion
28a Box in net smashed and hit (6)
ENTRAP: The definition of a verb meaning to trick, catch or trap someone, often by deception or manipulation, so they cannot escape a situation or avoid consequences, an example of which is to box i.e. to confine or prevent someone from moving freely as in “The defenders boxed him in so he couldn’t escape” is got from an anagram (smashed) of NET followed by RAP (hit) as to hit or strike a hard surface with a series of rapid audible blows, especially in order to attract attention
29a Jade, say, gets on with me when dancing (8)
GEMSTONE: The definition of any precious stone, especially when cut, an example of which is jade i.e. a hard ornamental stone of varying shades of green and sometimes almost white is reached from an anagram (when dancing) of a combo of GETS ON and (with) ME
30a Feel the rage? Do that and stop driving! (3,3)
SEE RED: Double definition; the second referring to seeing a red traffic light while driving that signals that one must stop or halt until the light turns green that takes to the first an idiom denoting to become angry or furious, an example of which is the common phrase ‘feel the rage’ meaning to experience extreme anger
31a Dim thing blurred when it’s dark (8)
MIDNIGHT: An anagram (blurred) of DIM THING leads to the definition of the middle of the night, specifically 12 o’clock at night i.e. a time when it’s dark
Down
1d Rapidly increase salad ingredient (6)
ROCKET: Double definition; the second referring to an edible Mediterranean plant of the cabbage family, whose leaves are eaten in salads that takes to the first a verb meaning to soar, rise or increase very quickly
2d Work on article in distinctive phrase (6)
SLOGAN: SLOG (work) as to work hard over a period of time placed upon in the down clue (on) AN (article) as one of the indefinite articles forming a charade that leads to the definition of a distinctive phrase or motto used in politics, advertising etc expressing the aims or nature of an enterprise, organisation or candidate
3d Behind, cheer on from the terraces? (8)
BACKSIDE: The definition of a noun denoting the back or rear part or view of a person, object, scene etc is cryptically arrived from BACK SIDE as to back a side or team i.e. to support or cheer on the team or side one supports from the stands or terraces
4d Cook washes up (4)
STEW: The definition of a verb meaning to cook food by simmering or boiling slowly is obtained from WETS (washes) as a verb in the third person singular present tense denoting washes, moistens or dampens in an upward direction (up) as a reversal in the down clue
6d Great queen’s uplifting method (6)
RECIPE: A combo of EPIC (great) as heroic, majestic or impressively great and ER (queen) as the abbreviation for Elizabeth Regina, the name taken on by Queen Elizabeth upon ascending the throne, the word ‘regina’ being the Latin name for ‘queen’ is in an upward direction (uplifting) as following a reversal order in the down clue, taking to the definition of a method or procedure for achieving a desired objective
7d Riches he wasted in English county (8)
CHESHIRE: An anagram (wasted) of RICHES HE leads to the definition of a county in northwest England, known for its rural villages of half-timber and local red sandstone buildings
8d Comprehensive school’s head in torment, it seems? (8)
SWEEPING: The definition of an adjective denoting comprehensive and wide-ranging is arrived at from the head or topmost letter of S[CHOOL] (school’s) in the down clue followed by WEEPING (in torment, it seems) as shedding tears that appears to be an apparent sign of torment
11d Plant seeds around room in flat (7)
SHALLOW: SOW (plant seeds) as to plant seed by scattering it on or in the earth placed about (around) HALL (room) as the room or space just inside the front entrance of a house or flat takes to the definition of an adjective denoting flat, superficial or lacking depth
14d Powerful unit – of artillery? (7)
BATTERY: Double definition; the second referring to a set of guns or other heavy artillery, as on a warship or an army artillery unit, analogous to a company in the infantry that brings to the first denoting a container consisting of one or more cells, in which chemical energy is converted into electricity and used as a source of power or a powerful unit
17d Nuts – how to open them? (8)
CRACKERS: Double definition; the second denoting the tools that help in opening nuts that takes to the first a slang term for the eccentric or ‘nutty’ people
18d Tape in test case playing (8)
CASSETTE: The definition of a sealed plastic unit containing a length of audio tape, videotape, film etc wound on a pair of spools, for insertion into a recorder, playback device or other machine is reached from an anagram (playing) of TEST CASE
19d Criminal ring uncovered by a pair of fools (8)
ASSASSIN: The definition of a murderer who kills someone by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the crime, an example of which is a criminal i.e. a person who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime is reached from the inner letters (uncovered) of [R]IN[G] preceded by or coming after (by) ASSASS (a pair of fools) as cryptic construction of two fools or idiots
22d Put to death, the colour has drained from my skin (6)
IMPALE: The definition of a verb meaning to put to death or kill by piercing with a spear or sharp pole is reached from I’M PALE (the colour has drained from my skin) as describing the pale appearance of the setter after the colour has drained or faded from his skin
23d Crowd in front of room entertained by band (6)
THRONG: The definition of a large, densely packed crowd of people or animals is arrived at from the first or initial letter (in front of) R[OOM] taken inside (entertained) by THONG (band) as a garment consisting of a narrow band of material running between the legs and attached to a cord round the waist
24d Road in Stockport cleared out, blocked by large plant (6)
STREET: The definition of a road lined with houses, broader than a lane, including or excluding the houses and the footways is reached from S[TOCKPOR]T having all the inner letters removed (cleared out) and interrupted or got inside by (blocked by) TREE (large plant) as a large plant with a single branched woody trunk
27d Firstly, dried eggs located in food shop (4)
DELI: The first or initial letters (firstly) of D[RIED] E[GGS] L[OCATED] I[N] guides to the definition of the short form of delicatessen i.e. a shop selling prepared foods, especially cooked meats, pâtés and unusual or foreign foods
There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 9a, 13a, 15a, 16a, 25a, 3d, 6d, 17d and 19d; 16a 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.
3*/4* …
liked 20A “Study money, having lost billion (4)”