Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31169
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 21st February 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A delighted, lovely Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.
Dar es Salaam, the answer to the clue at 9d, means ‘Abode of Peace’ in Arabic. After solving the puzzle, I searched the internet to update my knowledge about this largest city and principal commercial hub of Tanzania. Dar es Salaam is located along the eastern coast of the country on the shores of the Indian Ocean. It serves as a vital gateway for trade and transportation in East Africa. Although Dodoma is the official capital of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam remains the economic heart of the nation and the centre of government administration, industry and culture. Founded in the nineteenth century by Sultan Majid bin Said of Zanzibar, the city grew from a small fishing village into a major port and trading centre. Its strategic coastal location made it an important stop for maritime trade routes connecting Africa, the Middle East and Asia. During the German and later British colonial periods, Dar es Salaam developed further in infrastructure and urban planning, shaping much of its modern character. Today, the city is known for its vibrant mix of cultures, reflecting African, Arab, Indian and European influences. This diversity is evident in its architecture, cuisine, languages and religious practices. Swahili is widely spoken and the city plays a key role in promoting Tanzanian arts, music and literature. Economically, Dar es Salaam hosts Tanzania’s main port, which handles the majority of the country’s imports and exports. It also serves neighbouring landlocked countries such as Zambia, Rwanda and Burundi. Key sectors include trade, manufacturing, finance, telecommunications and tourism. With its bustling markets, modern high-rise buildings, universities and nearby beaches, Dar es Salaam represents both tradition and progress. It stands as a dynamic metropolis that continues to grow rapidly, shaping Tanzania’s future while preserving its rich cultural heritage.
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Across
1a You and I maybe shaking home with passion (4,7)
HOMO SAPIENS: The definition of the human race or the modern species of human that includes, by way of an example, the solvers and setter of this clue is arrived at from an anagram (shaking) of HOME and (with) PASSION
7a Individual lines by Shakespeare possibly showing malice (3-4)
ILL-WILL: I (individual) as the word used in mentioning oneself, an example of which is an individual i.e. a single person considered as a separate member of its species and LL (lines) as L and L (lines) as each L representing the abbreviation for line or as the cryptic formation for the plural ‘lines’, L being the abbreviation for line having alongside (by) WILL (Shakespeare possibly) as possibly referring to William Shakespeare, Will being the direct short version or diminutive of the name ‘William’, leading to the definition of a noun denoting animosity, resentment or malice
8a Cooked lamb, red, mottled and streaky (7)
MARBLED: An anagram (cooked) of LAMB, RED takes to the definition of an adjective meaning marked with irregular streaks or veins of colour or mottled and streaky
10a Charge for perhaps stopping support (8)
PROTÉGÉE: The definition of a female person under the protection or patronage of another person, an example of which is a charge i.e. a person in one’s care or custody is arrived at from PRO (for) as the Latin root word for the preposition ‘for’ followed by EG (perhaps) as the abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning ‘by way of example’, ‘for instance’ or ‘perhaps’ e.g. ‘You could try a different route — for example / perhaps, the highway’ intervening or getting inside (stopping) TEE (support) as a small plastic or wooden peg with a concave head that acts as a support for a ball on a golf course
11a Eating nothing tired out my boss (6)
EDITOR: An anagram (out) of TIRED taking inside (eating) O (nothing) as the letter representing naught, nothing or not a thing guides to the definition of the news boss who is in overall charge of editing and who determines the final content of a text of a newspaper or magazine, an example of which is the boss in whose newspaper or magazine the puzzle of the setter or compiler is published
13a Smooth playboy (4)
RAKE: Double definition; the second being a noun referring to a debauched or dissolute person in fashionable society, an example of which is a playboy i.e. a usually wealthy man who spends much of his time pursuing leisure and romance that takes to the first a verb meaning to smooth, scrape or loosen earth with an implement
14a Ways to reach the next level? (10)
STAIRCASES: A cryptic definition of the flight of stairs, from landing to landing, to reach the next level place at the foot of stairs each time
16a Old room for monk in Parisian church? Goodness! (10)
EXCELLENCE: A charade of EX (old) as a prefix indicating of a person no longer what they were but still living or now old, CELL (room for monk) as a small room in which a monk or nun sleeps, EN (in Parisian) as a preposition in French meaning ‘in’ used in specific cases and as they say in Paris, the French capital and CE (church) as the abbreviation for the Church of England leads to the definition of a noun denoting goodness, greatness or supremacy
18a It’s found in atlas, I assume … (4)
ASIA: The definition of the largest continent that borders Europe, the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea is part of or hidden inside (found in) [ATL]AS, I A[SSUME …]
21a … next to Belgium and Spain, right? (6)
BESIDE: The definition of an preposition denoting at the side of or next to is reached from B (Belgium) as the IVR code for Belgium followed by (and) E (Spain) as the IVR code for Spain and SIDE (right) as either of the two lateral parts or areas of a thing, one of which is right
22a Through prayer, god provides large amount (8)
PLETHORA: THOR (god) as the Norse god of thunder, the sky and agriculture getting in (through) PLEA (prayer) as an appeal, entreaty, supplication or prayer guides to the definition of a large or excessive amount of something
24a Issue title sent back with a note (7)
EMANATE: The definition of a verb meaning to issue or proceed from or as from a source is obtained from NAME (title) as the title or the word or words by which one is called and identified returned (sent back) as a reversal in the across clue followed by A from the clue and (with) TE (a note) as the flattened seventh note of the scale in tonic sol-fa notation
25a Something appreciated by tender kissers? (3,4)
LIP BALM: The definition of a preparation applied to soothe sore or cracked lips is cryptically formed from BALM (something) as anything that heals, soothes or mitigates pain that is appreciated by LIPS (tender kissers) as referring to the soft lips that help in kissing i.e. BALM appreciated by LIPS, or precisely, LIP BALM in this all-in-one clue
26a Broadcast inside team’s ground (11)
DISSEMINATE: INSIDE TEAM’S from the clue subject to an anagram (ground) guides to the definition of a verb meaning to broadcast, propagate or make information generally known
Down
1d Drinking bad wine? One’s quite high (7)
HILLOCK: HOCK (wine) as any of several white wines from the Rhine River valley in Germany taking in (drinking) ILL (bad) as bad or poor in quality that leads to the definition of a small hill that’s quite high
2d Sort of over girl (6)
MAIDEN: Double nounal definition; the second referring to an unmarried girl or young woman that takes to the first referring to a type of over in cricket commonly known as maiden over that is the over in which the bowler concedes no runs
3d Confidence sees me left unhappy (4-6)
SELF-ESTEEM: The definition of a noun denoting confidence in one’s own worth or abilities is reached from an anagram (unhappy) of SEES ME LEFT
4d A male excited about cat (4)
PUMA: A combo of A from the clue, M (male) as the genealogical abbreviation for male and UP (excited) as a slang term for an adjective meaning euphoric or happily excited going up in the opposite direction (about) as a reversal in the down clue takes to the definition of the cougar or a large reddish-brown American wild cat, also called mountain lion
5d Brussels tracks detectives turning up with English woman trapped in hell (8)
EURYDICE: EU (Brussels) as the abbreviation for European Union that is informally and frequently referred to as ‘Brussels’ because Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is the de facto capital and administrative centre of the EU, followed by RY (tracks) as the abbreviation for Railway and hence referring to the railway tracks, CID (detectives) as referring to the Criminal Investigation Department i.e. the detective division of the police force in an upward direction (turning up) as a reversal in the down clue and (with) and E (English) as the abbreviation for English leads to the definition of the wife of Orpheus in Greek mythology, who died after being bitten by a snake and whose soul was confined in the realm of Hades, god of the underworld
6d Recognises regiment commandeering large truck (7)
SALUTES: The definition of a verb in the third person singular present tense denoting recognises a superior with a gesture prescribed by military regulations, as by raising the hand to the cap is fetched from SAS (regiment) as the abbreviation for the Special Air Service, a regiment of the British Army having within its fold or keeping inside (commandeering) a combo of L (large) as the abbreviation for large that is usually referred to large size of shirt or other clothing and UTE (truck) as the short version for utility or a utility truck that is a small truck
7d The compiler’s reworked preamble, with puzzle ultimately hard to get through (11)
IMPERMEABLE: I’M (the compiler) as the compiler of this puzzle referring to themselves has PREAMBLE from the clue subject to an anagram (reworked), where compiler’s has been treated as ‘compiler has’, followed by (with) the ultimate or terminal letter (ultimately) of [PUZZL]E leads to the definition of an adjective denoting not permeable, impossible or difficult to penetrate or hard to get through, especially of fluid, light etc
9d Ventures sadly to back and arm deserted city (3,2,6)
DAR ES SALAAM: DARES (ventures) as a verb in the third person singular present tense denoting ventures or has the courage to do something followed by ALAS (sadly) as an interjection used to express sorrow, sadness or grief or as a sentence connector denoting sadly, unfortunately or regrettably in an overturn mode (to back) as a reversal in the down clue and A[R]M emptied out with the removal of the inner letter (deserted) leads to the definition of the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania and the capital of the Dar es Salaam Region
12d Choose a white plant, we hear, to make chutney (10)
PICCALILLI: A homophone heard by the audience (we hear) of PICK A LILY (choose a white plant) as to select or choose a lily that is a plant bearing white flowers that takes to the definition of a type of mustard pickle or chutney made with chopped vegetables
15d Jokes about boy beginning to race in Top Gear? (4,4)
GLAD RAGS: GAGS (jokes) as practical jokes or comic bits placed around (about) a combo of LAD (boy) as an informal term for a boy or young man and the beginning or initial letter (beginning) to R[ACE] guides to the definition of an informal idiomatic phrase meaning best clothes, an example of which is top gear, as referring to the top or best fashion clothes of young people
17d Portion of food rat sucks up – it’s normally yellow (7)
CUSTARD: Part of or hidden inside (portion of) [FOO]D RAT SUC[KS] in an upward direction (up) as a reversal in the down clue leads to the definition of a dessert made with eggs, milk and sugar and baked or boiled until thickened that is normally yellow in colour primarily due to the egg yolks that contain yellow-orange pigments
19d Men in field getting somewhere to keep stuff (7)
STORAGE: OR (men) as the abbreviation for other ranks that describe the military personnel who are not commissioned officers placed inside (in) STAGE (field) as any field, area or sector guides to the definition of a place or space for storing goods or belongings
20d More work, you said, on cracked patio (6)
UTOPIA: The definition of a work of fiction and socio-political satire by Thomas More, written in Latin and published in 1516 is arrived at from U (you) as the homophone of ‘you’ heard by the audience (said) placed upon in the down clue (on) an anagram (cracked) of PATIO
23d Ambassador leading decentralised rule in this place (4)
HERE: HE (ambassador) as the abbreviation for His Excellency, an honorific style or formal title of respect used when addressing or referring to certain high-ranking officials, one of whom is an ambassador i.e. an accredited diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country placed in front of (leading) the outer letters (decentralised) of R[UL]E takes to the definition of an adverb meaning in, at or to this place or position
There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 7a, 18a, 22a, 25a, 2d, 5d, 9d, 12d, 17d and 22d; 22a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to the setter for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.