Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3387
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 20th September 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A nice 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 comments.
Watergate, the answer to the clue at 16 Down, was known to me not as a sluice but as a scandal when I was in my early teens, although I knew very little about it at the time. So, after solving the puzzle, I turned to the internet to find out more about it and came across a great deal of information that was new to me. I learnt that the Watergate scandal was one of the most significant political scandals in the history of the United States. It began on 17 June 1972, when five men were arrested for breaking into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. The burglars were linked to President Richard Nixon’s campaign organisation, and subsequent investigations revealed that the break-in was part of a wider campaign of political espionage and that senior members of the Nixon administration had attempted to conceal their involvement. Two journalists, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of ‘The Washington Post’, played an important role in uncovering information about the scandal, with assistance from a confidential source later identified as FBI Associate Director Mark Felt. Congressional investigations and court proceedings eventually established that Nixon had participated in efforts to obstruct the investigation. Secret recordings made in the White House provided crucial evidence, particularly when Nixon refused to surrender the tapes and became involved in a legal dispute that reached the Supreme Court. In July 1974, the Supreme Court unanimously ordered Nixon to release the recordings. As it became clear that he was likely to be impeached and removed from office, Nixon resigned the presidency on 9 August 1974. He was succeeded by Vice-President Gerald Ford, who later granted Nixon a full pardon. The Watergate scandal severely damaged public confidence in the American government and led to greater scrutiny of presidential power, campaign practices and governmental accountability. It also contributed to reforms intended to strengthen ethical standards and oversight within the federal government.
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Across
1a Greek character, person easily led, certainly in Moscow (6)
LAMBDA: The definition of the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet is got from a charade of LAMB (person easily led) as a person who can be easily tricked, swindled, duped or cheated, especially in financial matters and DA (certainly) as the Russian word for ‘yes’ i.e. certainly, as can be heard in Moscow, the capital of Russia; examples of both ‘yes’ and ‘certainly’ as a response can be especially when granting permission when asked “May I sit here?” or offering help when asked, “Can you help me move this box?”
5a Faith filed novel, Ruth hasn’t started (8)
FIDELITY: The definition of a noun denoting fidelity to one’s promise, oath, allegiance etc is reached from an anagram (novel) of FILED followed by [P]ITY (Ruth) as a noun meaning ruth, compassion or a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortune of others that’s without its starting letter (hasn’t started)
9a Bad Manners playing for more than one label (5,5)
BRAND NAMES: BAD MANNERS from the clue subject to an anagram (playing) guides to the definition of the plural of a distinctive commercial label, name, word etc used by a company to identify its products or services distinctively
10a Slip in something sticky, heading for fall (4)
GOOF: The definition of a noun denoting a slip or a careless mistake is arrived at from GOO (something sticky) as a sticky, viscous or slimy substance followed by the head or leading letter (heading) for F[ALL]
11a Yes, soul rocked by blast initially – reaction to mild explosion? (5,3)
BLESS YOU: An anagram (rocked) of YES, SOUL preceded by in the across clue (by) the initial or starting letter (initially) of B[LAST] guides to the definition referring humorously to the expression or traditional response said to someone who has just sneezed that is taken as a reaction to a mild explosion
12a Oxygen tubes, remarkably thick (6)
OBTUSE: O (oxygen) as the chemical symbol for oxygen followed by an anagram (remarkably) of TUBES from the clue leads to the definition of an adjective meaning thick, dull or retarded
13a Novel problem managing banks (4)
EMMA: The definition of the novel written by Jane Austen is part of or hidden inside (banks) [PROBL]EM MA[NAGING]
15a Bright spark in brown electrical cord (4,4)
LIVE WIRE: Double definition; the second referring to an electrical cord or conductor that is brown, the standard UK colour coding for a live wire and carrying an electric current from the power source to an appliance, switch or light fixture that leads to the first as an informal phrase for a ‘bright spark’ referring to a vivacious, alert, energetic or quick-witted person
18a Kid dressed by good boys in best attire (4,4)
GLAD RAGS: RAG (kid) as an informal verb meaning to kid, rib, banter or tease having on its outside or covered by (dressed by) a combination of G (good) as the abbreviation for good and LADS (boys) as the plural of a boy or young man produces the definition of a phrase meaning best clothing, stylish or fancy clothing or best attire
19a Considerable contribution from literati, dysfunctional (4)
TIDY: The definition of an informal term for an adjective denoting considerable, substantial or fairly large is part of or hidden inside (contribution from) [LITERA]TI, DY[SFUNCTIONAL]
21a Promo, barely correct (6)
ADJUST: A charade of AD (promo) as a public promotion or advertisement of some product or service and JUST (barely) as an adverb denoting barely or by a narrow or small margin guides to the definition of a verb meaning to correct or alter the position or setting of something
23a New drawer filled with old black clothes (8)
WARDROBE: An anagram (new) of DRAWER taking inside (filled with) a combination of O (old) as the abbreviation for old as OT in Old Testament and B (black) as the pencil classification abbreviation for black leads to the definition of a collection or stock of clothes
25a After work (4)
POST: Double definition; the second denoting a work, occupation or job in an organisation that leads to the first a prefix, occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, meaning after, subsequent to, behind or at the rear or end of something e.g. postgraduate, postscript, postpone, postmeridian etc
26a Device taking payment, one fearful of motor? (4,6)
CARD READER: The definition of an electronic device taking payment by scanning or reading plastic bank cards is cryptically arrived from one who is a CAR-‘DREADER’ or one who is fearful or full of dread of a motor car
27a Naked, those looking to cover up king (8)
STARKERS: The definition of an adjective denoting naked or not wearing any clothes is arrived at from STARERS (those looking) as the plural of a viewer who gazes fixedly, often with hostility taking inside (to cover up) K (king) as the abbreviation for a king in chess notation
28a Posh leader of Tories, weak (6)
TWEEDY: The definition of an adjective meaning posh, upper-class, clannish or outdoor type, especially of country gentry is reached from the leading or first letter (leader) of T[ORIES] followed by WEEDY (weak) as an adjective denoting thin, frail or physically weak
Down
2d Start of tax year, interest paid on loan, one pound (5)
APRIL: The definition of the month that is the start of tax year in the United Kingdom because the individual tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April of the following year is arrived at from a charade of APR (interest paid on loan) as the abbreviation for Annual Percentage Rate that represents the rate of interest paid on a loan followed by I (one) as the Roman numeral for one and L (pound) as the historical abbreviation for pound
3d Stage prop under belt (9)
BANDSTAND: The definition of an outdoor stage or a platform where a brass band can play in the open air is reached from STAND (prop) as a prop, support or pedestal placed below in the down clue (under) BAND (belt) as a belt, fillet or strap
4d A sound, by the sound of it, is irritating! (6)
ANNOYS: A from the clue followed by a homophone heard by the audience (by the sound of it) of NOISE (sound) as a sound, especially one that is loud or disturbing leads to the definition of a verb meaning irritates or is irritating
5d Line that’s noted at end of journey? (6,4,5)
FAMOUS LAST WORDS: The definition of a phrase ironically noted at the end of a journey or life, typically expressing overconfidence before an impending disaster, is cryptically arrived at from WORDS (line) as in the form of a line or sentence that’s FAMOUS (noted) when spoken LAST (at end of journey) or precisely, FAMOUS LAST WORDS
6d End with crack under plate, shortly (8)
DISSOLVE: The definition of a verb meaning to terminate or come or bring to an end is reached from SOLVE (crack) as to work out, decipher or crack a problem placed below in the down clue (under) DIS[H] (plate) as a plate or bowl in which food is brought to the table made short with the removal of its last letter (shortly)
7d Proper run! (5)
LEGIT: The definition of a colloquial abbreviation for legitimate, an adjective denoting proper, lawful or legal is derived from LEG IT (run) as an informal phrase meaning to flee or run away fast, usually to escape trouble or danger or from someone pursuing
8d Sure to foul, snooker ball pocketed (9)
TROUSERED: SURE TO from the clue subject to an anagram (to foul) followed by RED (snooker ball) as referring to a red ball in snooker or billiards leads to the definition of a verb in the past tense denoting pocketed i.e. took or appropriated something, especially money, for oneself, sometimes surreptitiously, undeservedly or unlawfully
14d Blundering, foolish matador, I gathered, gored by bull in the end (9)
MALADROIT: The definition of an adjective meaning clumsy, awkward or lacking in skill, tact or competence, an example of which is blundering i.e. moving clumsily or haltingly that is got from an anagram (gathered) of MATADOR, I from the clue penetrated or gone inside by (gored by) the ending or terminal letter (end) of [BUL]L
16d Sluice that dropped Tricky Dicky in the soup? (9)
WATERGATE: Double definition; the second referring to the political scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon, nicknamed ‘Tricky Dicky’ in the soup i.e. in serious political trouble that guides to the first denoting a sluice, floodgate or a gate used to control the flow of water or to control access to a river or other body of water
17d Scrap story upon which page is written (8)
PARTICLE: The definition of a noun denoting a scrap, fragment or a small piece or bit is obtained from ARTICLE (story) as a journalistic piece or news story having P (page) as the abbreviation for page written on its top in the down clue (upon which … is written)
20d Tedious tosh, building problem (3,3)
DRY ROT: A charade of DRY (tedious) as an adjective meaning tedious, boring or dull and ROT (tosh) as an informal noun for a nonsense, rubbish, twaddle or tosh guides to the definition of a very serious structural building problem caused by fungi that destroy or decay timber in poorly ventilated conditions
22d Say drain hasn’t opened (5)
UTTER: The definition of a verb meaning to say, state or tell is obtained from [G]UTTER (drain) as a noun denoting a drain, pipe, channel or duct devoid of the opening or starting or opening letter (hasn’t opened)
24d Maybe rolls of cash (5)
BREAD: Double definition; the second referring to a slang term denoting cash, money or financial wealth that leads to the first referring to bread rolls i.e. the plural of small rounded bread either plain or sweet serving as an example
There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 9a, 11a, 15a, 21a, 26a, 27a, 5d, 6d, 7d, 8d, 16d and 17d; 16d 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. Have a nice day.