ST 3352 (Full Review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3352

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 18^th January 2026

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. A straightforward and 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 feedback.

Baritone, the answer to the clue at 5d, made me curious to learn about all the other singing voices, both male and female, although I was already aware of some of them. So I explored the internet and found the information I needed. Singing voices are primarily classified by range, weight and timbre into three main female types, namely, soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto and three main male types, namely, tenor, baritone and bass, often using Italian operatic terminology to define their comfortable singing range or tessitura. The soprano is the highest female singing voice and often carries the melody. It has a bright, clear and ringing quality that can soar easily above other voices. Sopranos frequently sing leading roles in opera and musical theatre because their voices cut through an orchestra. There are subtypes like lyric, dramatic and coloratura soprano. The mezzo-soprano sits between soprano and contralto in range and tone. It has a warmer, richer sound than a soprano, with strong middle and lower notes. Mezzo-sopranos often sing supporting roles, villains or emotionally complex characters. Their versatility makes them common in opera, choir and contemporary music. Contralto is the lowest female voice type and is quite rare. It has a deep, dark and mellow tone that can sound almost androgynous. Contraltos excel in lower harmonies and expressive, grounded melodies. In modern music, many singers labelled as ‘altos’ fall somewhere between mezzo-soprano and true contralto. The tenor is the highest male singing voice and is often the male lead. It has a bright, powerful sound, especially in the upper range. Tenors frequently sing heroic, romantic or emotionally intense roles. Maintaining strength in high notes is a key technical challenge for this voice type. The baritone lies between tenor and bass and is the most common male voice type. Its tone is warm, full and flexible, making it ideal for both lyrical and dramatic singing. Baritones often portray authority figures, rivals or complex characters. They balance strong low notes with a comfortable middle range. Bass is the lowest male voice type and provides depth and foundation to vocal music. It has a rich, resonant and powerful low register. Basses often sing roles that convey wisdom, strength or menace. In choirs, they anchor the harmony and rhythm.

It will be a Happy Birthday to this world’s biggest crossword blog as also to me the day this review goes for publication.

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Across

1a           Drained of colour, suddenly (3,2,3,4)
OUT OF THE BLUE: OUT (drained) as an adverb denoting drained from within a container or source, OF from the clue and THE BLUE (colour) as the colour of the sky without clouds on a bright day take to the definition of an idiom meaning suddenly or entirely unexpectedly

9a           Halt in trade for landlord, say (9)
BARTENDER: END (halt) as to halt or come or bring to a final point or stop placed inside (in) BARTER (trade) as a trade by the direct exchange of goods or services for other goods or services, without using money leads to the definition of a person who mixes and serves alcoholic drinks at a bar, an example of which is a landlord i.e. the proprietor of a public house or hotel who could serve drinks

10a        Report about opening of leaf in flower (5)
BLOOM: BOOM (report) as the sound of an explosion or gunfire, an example of which is a report that refers to an explosive noise placed around (about) the opening or the first letter (opening) of L[EAF] guides to the definition of a flower, especially one cultivated for its beauty

11a        Little worse for wear (6)
TIDDLY: Double adjectival definition; the second meaning slightly drunk, an example of which is the phrase ‘worse for wear’ i.e. feeling rather unwell, especially as a result of drinking too much alcohol that takes to the first a colloquial term denoting small or tiny or a childish form of ‘little’

12a        Neanderthal figure breaks leg (5-3)
STONE-AGE: The definition of the earliest known period of human culture, characterised by the use of stone implements and usually divided into Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic stages, an example of which is Neanderthal that belongs to the Palaeolithic stage or referring to a human species of that stage is arrived from ONE (figure) as a figure or number less than two splitting or getting inside (breaks) STAGE (leg) as a leg, section or portion of a journey, course, race, tour or competition

13a        Regret seeing people from Los Angeles ending in Pontefract (6)
LAMENT: The definition of a verb meaning to regret deeply or to express sorrow is obtained from MEN (people) as male persons pursued or sought by police authorities, especially in connection with a crime from LA (Los Angeles) as the common abbreviation for the city of Los Angeles in California, United States, that is MEN from LA or precisely, LA MEN followed by the end or terminal letter (ending) in [PONTEFRAC]T

15a        Fixed indeed, so probably a foregone conclusion? (3-5)
ONE-SIDED: An anagram (fixed) of INDEED, SO takes to the definition of an adjective meaning partial, biased or favouring one side or group, an example of which is probably a foregone conclusion i.e. a result that is already known and therefore is taken for granted

18a        Rider Haggard’s first novel a sermon (8)
HORSEMAN: The definition of a person who is skilled in equitation or riding a horse is got from the first letter (first) of H[AGGARD] (Haggard’s) followed by an anagram (novel) of A SERMON

19a        Blight on rank vegetable (6)
MARROW: A charade of MAR (blight) as to spoil, damage or impair, an example of which is blight i.e. to shrivel or frustrate having alongside (on) ROW (rank) as a row or line of people or things leads to the definition of a variety of pumpkin cooked as a vegetable and also known as vegetable marrow

21a        Take time with two vehicles reversing (8)
SUBTRACT: The definition of a verb meaning to take, subtract or deduct is reached from a combo of T (time) as the symbol for time as in physics followed by (with) CART and BUS (two vehicles) as respectively a small vehicle for carrying goods or heavy loads and pushed or pulled by hand or drawn by a horse or pony and a long motor vehicle for carrying passengers, usually along a fixed route coming from the other end (reversing) as reversals in the across clue

23a        Dread playing hit, ostensibly Brothers in Arms, first of all (6)
PHOBIA: The definition of a noun denoting fear, aversion, hatred or dread is arrived at from the first or initial letters (first of all) of P[LAYING] H[IT,] O[STENSIBLY] B[ROTHERS,] I[N] A[RMS]

26a        Stripe on new pillowcases etc (5)
LINEN: LINE (stripe) as a long, narrow mark, streak or stripe, placed upon in the down clue (on) N (new) as the abbreviation for ‘new’ guides to the definition of tablecloths, sheets, pillowcases and similar things made of cloth that are used in the home

27a        Try and see in when blurry, nursing a pain from looking? (9)
EYESTRAIN: An anagram (when blurry) of a combo of TRY and SEE IN and having inside (nursing) A from the clue takes to the definition of a common eye condition characterised by a range of uncomfortable symptoms like fatigue, pain etc that can be experienced when looking at something, often for a long time

28a        Ice skates not designed for series of passes (6,6)
SEASON TICKET: An anagram (designed for) of ICE SKATES NOT guides to the definition of a ticket or pass valid for unlimited use over a specified period of time, as for a series of performances or athletic events or for transportation between designated points

Down

1d           Test going round part – of the M25? (7)
ORBITAL: ORAL (test) as a spoken examination or test containing (going round) BIT (part) as a small part of something guides to the definition of an adjective meaning of the M25, describing the orbital motorway that encircles London

2d           Evidently sore after hit on the bottom, one whacked (5)
TIRED: RED (evidently sore) as an adjective denoting evidently sore, as seen from the part of the body that becomes red due to soreness after being hit preceded by or coming after (after) a combo of  [HI]T that is the bottom most letter in the down clue and I (one) as the Roman numeral for one, taking to the definition of an adjective meaning weary or in need of sleep or rest, an example of which is whacked i.e. an informal term meaning completely exhausted

3d           Money about right, weapon for charger without contract (9)
FREELANCE: FEE (money) as money regularly paid to a school or similar institution for continuing services placed around (about) R (right) as the abbreviation for right and followed by LANCE (weapon) as a long weapon with a wooden shaft and a pointed steel head, formerly used by a horseman in charging guides to the definition of a worker who is self-employed and hired to work for different companies on particular assignments against a payment rather than working on regular basis for one employer and also known as freelance worker

4d           Cover carpet, surface unseen (4)
HIDE: The definition of a verb meaning to cover up or to cover as if with a shroud is got from [C]HIDE (carpet) as to scold, rebuke or reprove by word, an example of which is to carpet i.e. to have up for reprimand or to cover from which C, the topmost letter (surface) in the down clue is missing or not seen (unseen)

5d           Singer, Scot for example, entertaining American individual (8)
BARITONE: The definition of a man with a singing voice that is lower than a tenor but not as low as a bass is obtained from BRIT (Scot for example) as an informal term for a British person, an example of which is a Scot, a native of Scotland and hence of Britain welcoming in (entertaining) A (American) as the abbreviation for American and followed by ONE (individual) as an indefinitely specified individual

6d           Your bank’s shut in town (5)
URBAN: Hidden inside (shut) as part of [YO]UR BAN[K] (your bank’s) leads to the definition of an adjective meaning in, of, belonging to or pertaining to a town

7d           Englishman abroad with queen, one’s scented (8)
POMANDER: POM (Englishman abroad) as a short version of pommy, an Australia and New Zealand slang, often derogatory term for a British, especially English person in general, followed by AND (with) as taking alongside 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’ leads to the definition of a mixture of an aromatic or scented substances, often in the form of a ball, formerly carried on the person as a supposed guard against infection but now placed for fragrance in closets, dressers etc

8d           Loom I fix that conserves power (6)
IMPEND: The definition of a verb denoting to loom or to be or seem imminent is reached from a combo of I from the clue and MEND (fix) as to fix or make repairs or restoration to something that takes inside (conserves) P (power) as the symbol for power in physics

14d        Bone thrown in heap on the way out (8)
MORIBUND: RIB (bone) as one of a series of long curved bones occurring in twelve pairs in humans and extending from the spine to or toward the sternum put inside (thrown in) MOUND (heap) as any heap, pile or raised mass guides to the definition of an adjective denoting approaching death or on the verge of becoming obsolete, an example of which is ‘on the way out’, an informal phrase meaning dying or becoming unfashionable or obsolete

16d        Bad taste, pig stuffed with hot Italian food (9)
SPAGHETTI: An anagram (bad) of TASTE, PIG putting inside (stuffed with) H (hot) as the abbreviation for hot, especially with reference to water on a faucet takes to the definition of an Italian food i.e. pasta in the form of long cordlike strings intermediate between macaroni and vermicelli

17d        Piper cares to play organ (8)
PANCREAS: PAN (piper) as referring to the Greek god of pastures, flocks and woods, worshipped in Arcadia and famous for his pipes the syrinx, a musical instrument made of reeds of different lengths, fastened in a row followed by an anagram (to play) of CARES leads to the definition of a large elongated glandular organ, situated behind the stomach, that secretes insulin and pancreatic juice

18d        Plague in shelter regularly, donkey quarantined (6)
HASSLE: The definition of a verb meaning to plague, torment, pester or annoy persistently or incessantly is reached from the regular letters (regularly) in [S]H[E]L[T]E[R] having inside (quarantined) ASS (donkey) as a donkey or a foolish, stupid or stubborn person

20d        Thingummy that now needs repairing (7)
WHATNOT: The definition of a small object or collection of miscellaneous things, especially the ones whose name one either doesn’t know or doesn’t want to specify, an example of which is a thingummy, a colloquial term used for an unspecified thing or when one cannot or will not recall the name is obtained from an anagram (needs repairing) of THAT NOW

22d        Roof blown off farmhouse, sweep (5)
RANGE: [G]RANGE (farmhouse) as a farmhouse or country house with its stable and other buildings having the topmost or the head letter in the down clue (roof) taken away or removed (blown off) that guides to the definition of a verb meaning to sweep across an area

24d        Brightness initially with shortage in dark (5)
BLACK: The initial or beginning letter (initially) of B[RIGHTNESS] and (with) LACK (shortage) as an insufficiency, absence or shortage of something required or desired produces the definition of an adjective denoting completely dark or without light

25d        Embroidered, fake news (4)
SEWN: The definition of a verb in the past participle form meaning joined, fastened or repaired something by making stitches with a needle and thread or a sewing machine, an example of which is embroidered i.e. decorated cloth by sewing patterns on it with thread is got from an anagram (fake) of NEWS

There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 11a, 12a, 18a, 21a, 27a, 1d, 7d, 14d and 17d; 7d 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.