Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31325
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 22nd August 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from Kolkata. A bit tough yet brilliant Saturday puzzle from Twmbarlwm that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and valuable feedback.
Pointillist, the answer to the clue at 7 Down, is an artist who applies small dots of pure colour directly onto a canvas, relying on the viewer’s eye to blend them optically into a unified image. After finishing the puzzle, I turned to the internet to learn more about pointillism and found a good deal of information about it. Pointillism is a revolutionary painting technique that developed in France during the late nineteenth century, particularly in the 1880s, through the work of Neo-Impressionist artists Georges Seurat and Paul Signac. Breaking away from traditional painting methods, pointillist artists applied numerous small, distinct dots or touches of pure, unblended colour directly to the canvas rather than mixing pigments extensively on a palette. When viewed from a suitable distance, these individual points of colour can blend optically in the viewer’s eye, producing luminous effects, subtle gradations and vibrant combinations. For example, dots of blue and yellow placed close together may be perceived as green. The technique was influenced by contemporary scientific theories of colour and vision, particularly ideas about optical mixing and complementary contrast. Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is one of the most celebrated examples of this meticulous style. Pointillism differed from the spontaneous, fluid brushstrokes of Impressionism, requiring considerable precision, discipline and patience. The movement had a lasting influence on modern art and experimental approaches to colour. The term pointillist is also sometimes used more broadly to describe works in music and literature that build a unified whole from separate, isolated elements.
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Across
1a Beard perhaps dad cut back for picture (4,7)
MARY POPPINS: MARY (beard perhaps) as probably referring to Mary Beard, the highly famous and recognisable British classicist specialising in ancient Rome, academic and television presenter followed by POP (dad) as an informal term for father or dad and SNIP (cut) as to cut, slip or separate something with short, quick strokes coming from the other end (back) as a reversal in the across clue guides to the definition of the 1964 American fantasy musical comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney
7a Strokes cat’s tail in places (5)
PUTTS: The definition of gentle golf strokes made on the green to get the ball into the hole is arrived at from the tail or terminal letter (tail) of [CA]T (cat’s) placed inside (in) PUTS (places) as a verb in the present tense third person singular form denoting places, sets or positions something
8a Soft old politician with a grim hairstyle (9)
POMPADOUR: A combo of P (soft) as an abbreviation for piano that is a musical term for an adjective meaning soft or quiet, O (old) as the abbreviation for old, MP (politician) as the abbreviation for Member of Parliament who is obviously a politician and (with) A from the clue and DOUR (grim) as an adjective meaning grim, dismal or dreary leads to the definition of a hairstyle in which the hair is turned back off the forehead in a roll
10a Chilling thing with six faces … (3,4)
ICE CUBE: The definition of a small block of ice used for cooling drinks etc is arrived at from ICE (chilling thing) as the solid form of water, produced by freezing and (with) CUBE (six faces) as a block in the form of a three-dimensional shape with six square sides or faces in this all-in-one clue
11a … creature‘s weird legs start to approach us (3,4)
SEA SLUG: The definition of a marine creature that is a type of shell-less mollusc, a nudibranch is arrived at from an anagram (weird) of a combo of LEGS, the starting or initial letter (start) of A[PPROACH] and US from the clue
12a Children grabbing second of teddy bears (5)
TOTES: TOTS (children) as toddlers or young children taking inside (grabbing) the second letter (second) of [T]E[DDY] guides to the definition of a verb in the present tense third person singular form denoting bears, carries or conveys
13a Befuddled once by mist when leaving motorway, curse? (9)
OBSCENITY: An anagram (befuddled) of ONCE BY [M]IST ignoring or not taking into account (leaving) M (motorway) as the abbreviation for Motorway leads to the definition of a noun denoting curse, oath or swear word
16a Possibly one left with the cumin for cooking (9)
LUNCHTIME: The definition of a noun denoting a specific ‘one o’clock’ hour or a possible time for a midday meal is arrived from L (left) as the abbreviation for left followed by (with) an anagram (for cooking) of THE CUMIN
18a Yellowish-brown ring about to be found outside church (5)
OCHRE: The definition of a pale brownish yellow colour is reached from a combo of O (ring) as representing the shape of a ring and RE (about) as a commercial jargon used to indicate ‘about’, ‘referring to’ or ‘regarding’ placed around (to be found outside) CH (church) as the abbreviation for church
19a Cons discontented Italian couple and son (7)
INMATES: The definition of persons, each of whom is serving a sentence in a prison, also known as cons, a shorter version of the plural term ‘convicts’ is got from the outermost letters (discontented) of I[TALIA]N followed by MATE (couple) as to couple, copulate or engage in sexual intercourse and S (son) as the genealogical abbreviation for son
22a People excessively fond of star, odd eccentric (7)
DOTARDS: The definition of people who dote someone showing the weakness of old age or are foolishly or excessively fond of someone or something is reached from an anagram (eccentric) of STAR, ODD
23a Group of workers drilling pavement ask for cement (4,5)
TASK FORCE: The definition of a group of people who are brought together to do a particular job or a large military group who have a military aim to achieve is part of or hidden inside (drilling) [PAVEMEN]T ASK FOR CE[MENT]
24a Muscular honey manufacturer cleared out factory (5)
BEEFY: The definition of an adjective meaning muscular or robust is got from BEE (honey manufacturer) as a yellow and black flying insect that makes honey followed by the outermost letters remaining after removing the inner contents (cleared out) of F[ACTOR]Y
25a The Sun features very large American Republican with wide trousers (5,6)
SOLAR FLARES: The definition of a sudden, large eruptions of intense high-energy radiation from the sun’s surface is arrived at from a charade of SO (very) as an adverb meaning very or to such a great extent, L (large) as the abbreviation for large used in clothing sizes, A (American) as the abbreviation for American, R (Republican) as the abbreviation for Republican and (with) FLARES (wide trousers) as referring to trousers whose legs get progressively wider from the knees down
Down
1d Worn-out parent briefly advanced and lifted bag (4-5)
MOTH-EATEN: The definition of an adjective meaning decayed, shabby or worn-out is arrived at from MOTHE[R] (parent) as the female parent of a child shortened with the removal of its last letter (briefly) followed by A (advanced) as the abbreviation for advanced and NET (bag) as a bag or other contrivance of such fabric for catching fish or other animals in an upward direction (lifted) as a reversal in the down clue
2d Delivers secure buckles, having checked Sierra (7)
RESCUES: The definition of a verb in the present tense third person singular form meaning delivers, saves or liberates is reached from an anagram (buckles) of SECURE with S (Sierra) as the letter represented by Sierra in the NATO phonetic alphabet being taken inside (having checked)
3d Food from Beatles bandleader on island (9)
PEPPERONI: The definition of a highly seasoned dry sausage of pork and beef spiced with pepper, used especially on pizza is obtained from PEPPER (Beatles bandleader) as referring to Sergeant Pepper, the fictional bandleader from ‘The Beatles’ 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, followed by ON from the clue and I (island) as denoting the abbreviation for island
4d Questions some youngsters about end of term (5)
PUMPS: The definition of a verb in the present tense third person singular form meaning questions someone closely, artfully or persistently so as to elicit information is reached from PUPS (some youngsters) as inexperienced or conceited young persons placed around (about) the ending or final letter (end) of [TER]M
5d Stunned when “Middle Ages” is broadcast (2,1,4)
IN A DAZE: The definition of a prepositional phrase meaning stunned, bewildered, unable to think clearly or in a state of confusion or shock is arrived at from a homophone heard by the audience (is broadcast) of a phrase INNER DAYS (Middle Ages) as cryptically referring to the Middle Ages or the days or period in the middle of history
6d Seat in Orton play’s tipped over (5)
STOOL: The definition of a seat without a back or arms, typically resting on three or four legs or on a single pedestal is reached from LOOT’S (Orton play’s) as of or belonging to LOOT, a famous two-act play written by the English playwright Joe Orton in 1965 in an inverted fashion (tipped over) as a reversal in the down clue
7d Painter‘s subject, out of sorts, is tense (11)
POINTILLIST: The definition of a painter who uses a neo-impressionist technique of painting by placing tiny dots of various pure colours side by side instead of mixing them on a palette is arrived at from a combo of POINT (subject) as a subject, matter or theme to be taken into account, ILL (out of sorts) as sick, unwell or not in good health, an example of which is out of sorts i.e. slightly ill, IS from the clue and T (tense) as the abbreviation for tense
9d Bit of kit that lock’s put on? (5,6)
RUGBY JERSEY: A cryptic definition of a rugby uniform or clothing kit worn by a lock or typically the tall No. 4 or No. 5 player who provides power in the scrum and is a key target at line-outs
14d Flower from Spooner’s unwanted plant patch (9)
SPEEDWELL: The definition of a flowering plant of the genus Veronica, of the figwort family, having opposite leaves and spikes of small flowers is arrived at from a combo of WEED (unwanted plant) as any useless or unwanted plant of small growth or any plant grown where it is not wanted and SPELL (patch) as a period of time or a patch or stretch of something that is subject to an utterance involving spoonerism (Spooner’s) as to utter a verbal error in which a speaker transposes the initial sounds or letters of two or more words, often to humorous effect
15d Employed popular head to entertain half of Harrow (2,7)
IN HARNESS: The definition of a phrase denoting employed, active, at work or doing one’s usual job, especially after a rest or a vacation is obtained from a combo of IN (popular) as an informal term for popular, fashionable or trendy and NESS (head) as a cape, promontory or headland taking inside (to entertain) 50% of the letters (half) of HAR[ROW]
17d What bowler maybe can hold, stifling England’s opener, nasty (7)
HATEFUL: HATFUL (what bowler maybe can hold) as referring to the amount a bowler that is a type of hat can hold taking inside (stifling) the opening or first letter (opener) of E[NGLAND] (England’s) that leads to the definition of an adjective denoting nasty, awful or very unpleasant
18d Hallowe’en celebrations finish me off? (7)
OCTOBER: A cryptic definition of the tenth month of the year that is effectively ‘finished off’ by the Hallowe’en, being celebrated annually on the final day of the month
20d Prophet‘s way of working seems deficient occasionally (5)
MOSES: The definition of the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the Exodus from Egypt is reached from MO (way of working) as the abbreviation for ‘modus operandi’ i.e. a Latin phrase meaning mode of operation or way of working followed by the oddly-placed letters and devoid of the occasional or evenly-placed letters (deficient occasionally) of S[E]E[M]S
21d More certain to be found on board pleasure ride (5)
SURER: The definition of an adjective denoting more certain, convinced or positive is part of or hidden inside (found on board) [PLEA]SURE R[IDE]
There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 7a, 8a, 10a, 16a, 23a, 25a, 1d, 5d, 7d, 9d and 18d; 1a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to Twmbarlwm for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.