ST 3286 (full review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3286

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 13^th October 2024

BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. A very straightforward, friendly puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and worthwhile feedback.

Years ago, I got to learn through solving crosswords what a hen party was, I also found out that the party was known by other phrases like hen do and hen night, the latter being the answer to the clue of 17d here. From the net, I now gathered that out of the phrases, hen party, hen night and hen do that are used especially in the United Kingdom and Ireland, only the first two phrases are commonly used in Australia and New Zealand. In the United States and Canada, the people are more familiar with the phrase bachelorette party or simply bachelorette. Simply put, the party may also be referred to as a girl’s night out or kitchen tea, as in South Africa. A hen night or hen party is a celebration held for a woman who is about to get married. It may be organised by the would-be bride’s family or friend; serving as a way to celebrate her last days of singlehood. I further learnt from the net that hen parties can vary widely in format and activities, ranging from a night out on the town, spa days or weekend getaways, to more adventurous activities like skydiving or cooking classes. The focus is generally on having fun, bonding, and creating lasting memories before the wedding. In the same way, a stag party is historically a dinner given by the bridegroom to his friends shortly before his wedding. The bachelorette party is also modelled after the centuries-old stag night in the United States. In simple terms, it could also be called as a bachelor party in the United States and in Canada. It is a stag weekend, stag do or stag party for the people of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth countries and Ireland or a buck’s night in Australia. The party is held for or arranged by a man who is shortly to enter marriage. It is usually planned by the groom’s friends or family. The term stagette is occasionally used in Canada. Its British counterpart evolved from a number of earlier pre-wedding traditions for women whose origins are obscure but which have been around for at least a century in factories and offices across the United Kingdom. A party on the similar lines in the name of aibudo bhat meaning bachelor rice is given here in Bengal to a would-be bride or bridegroom in their respective places before the marriage. This party is regarded as the last party given to a bachelor, spinster or an unmarried young woman few days or a week or two before their subsequent marriage, especially by close relatives or friends of the concerned person getting married.

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Across

1a          Don’t abandon religious faction, pet! (5,6)
STICK INSECT: A charade of STICK IN (don’t abandon) as to persevere assiduously or, in other words, to not abandon and SECT (religious faction) as a religious body, especially one that has separated from a larger denomination takes to the definition of an insect with a long, thin body that looks like a stick that is also an easy pet as they need a glass sided enclosure with a removable tight meshed lid and some twigs and small branches for them to climb onto and a supply of whatever fresh leaves they eat

10a        Lifting machine, this designed to carry overhead, primarily (5)
HOIST: The definition of a mechanical apparatus for lifting heavy or cumbersome objects is arrived at from an anagram (designed) of THIS to have inside (carry) the primary or first letter (primarily) of O[VERHEAD]

11a        Journalist and I reflected in little car window (9)
SIDELIGHT: A combo of ED (journalist) as the abbreviation for editor being in charge of the final content of a journal or a newspaper or magazine and I from the clue bounced back (reflected) as a reversal in the across clue placed inside (in) SLIGHT (little) as an adjective meaning little or small in degree leads to the definition of a side window light fixed to the side or at the side of the front or back of a car

12a        A world leader unable to play the game? (9)
MATCHLESS: The definition of someone who is the best, perfect or superior to all, for example, a world leader is reached from MATCH-LESS (unable to play the game) as a cryptic way to state an adjective meaning having no match or is weak and so unable to play the match or game

13a        Girl making one sigh, looking back (5)
NAOMI: The definition of the name of girl is arrived at from a combo of I (one) as the Roman numeral for one and MOAN (sigh) as a verb meaning to groan, lament or sigh that is seen returning from the other end (looking back) as reversals in the across clue

14a        Run, jogging over nearby fields (6)
GOVERN: Part of or hidden inside (fields) [JOGGIN]G OVER N[EARBY] guides to the definition of a verb meaning to rule, run, reign or administer by right of authority

16a        Game with trout and eel in a stew (8)
ROULETTE: An anagram (in a stew) of a combo of TROUT and (with) EEL takes to the definition of a gambling game in which players bet on which compartment of a revolving wheel a small ball will come to rest in

18a        Name is buried in trench, sadly (8)
CHRISTEN: The definition of a verb meaning to name and dedicate ceremonially is arrived at from IS from the clue put inside (buried in) an anagram (sadly) of TRENCH

20a        Device marking gaps where outlines reversed (6)
SPACER: The definition of a device or piece used to create or maintain a desired amount of space or gap, as between two parts is reached from RECAPS (outlines) as a summary or recapitulation, as of a news report, sports contest or television show coming from the opposite direction (reversed) as a reversal in the across clue

23a        Jersey, perhaps, nearer knees? (5)
LOWER: Double definition; the second being an adjective in the comparative degree meaning to lower one’s body when one is very close to one’s knees that takes to the first a noun referring to the cryptic formation of an animal that lows or makes the sound of cattle, an example of which is Jersey or a cow developed on the island of Jersey and producing milk that is rich in butterfat

24a        New can I filled with a sauce somewhere in Central America (9)
NICARAGUA: An anagram (new) of CAN I having inside (filled with) a combo of A from the clue and RAGU (sauce) as a thick, slowly cooked, meat-based sauce, to which vegetables, milk and wine may be added and typically served over pasta leads to the definition of the largest country in the Central American isthmus

26a        Lecture theatre’s principal man in singer (7-2)
TALKING-TO: The definition of a noun denoting a reproof, reprehension or lecture is reached from the leading or first letter (principal) of T[HEATRE] (theatre’s) followed by KING (man) as the principal chess piece that can move one square in any direction put inside (in) ALTO (singer) as a male singer with the highest voice

27a        Soft leather charged with energy (5)
SUEDE: The definition of a leather with a soft napped surface is got from a charade of SUED (charged) as a verb in the past tense meaning charged or instituted legal proceedings against someone and (with) E (energy) as the symbol for energy as a quantitative property in physics

28a        Cleaner tells of sand all over the place (6,5)
DENTAL FLOSS: An anagram (all over the place) of TELLS OF SAND takes to the definition of a tooth-cleaner in the form of a soft, strong, waxed or unwaxed thread, usually made of nylon, for drawing between the teeth to remove food particles and prevent the build-up of plaque

Down

2d          Dye around a stain (5)
TAINT: TINT (dye) as an artificial dye for colouring the hair placed about (around) A from the clue guides to the definition of a noun meaning stain or blemish or a trace of a bad or undesirably substance or quality

3d          Fielder, one getting cold, perhaps? (7)
CATCHER: Double definition; the second denoting a person that catches something, for example, one getting or catching cold that takes to the first referring to a fielder in baseball who stands behind home plate and catches pitched balls not hit by the batter

4d          Hammered pin set for arch (6)
INSTEP: An anagram (hammered) of PIN SET leads to the definition of the middle section of the human foot, forming the arch between the ankle and toes

5d          Teams question a fair set-up? (8)
SIDESHOW: A charade of SIDES (teams) as the plural form of a sports team and HOW (question) as an interrogative adjective or denoting a question concerning the way or manner in which something is done, achieved etc yields the definition of a small show or entertainment offered in conjunction with a larger attraction, as at a circus or fair

6d          Mark felt inwardly rank (7)
COLONEL: COLON (mark) as a punctuation mark ( : ) used after a word introducing a quotation, explanation, example or series and often after the salutation of a business letter followed by the inner letters (inwardly) of [F]EL[T] takes to the definition of a commissioned rank in the US army, air force or marine corps that is above lieutenant colonel and below brigadier general

7d          Composition, I felt, caught me off balance (3,5,5)
THE MAGIC FLUTE: An anagram (off balance) of I FELT, CAUGHT ME guides to the definition of a composition as the name of an opera in two acts by Mozart that is in the form of a singspiel that includes both singing and spoken dialogue

8d          Piece of music arising in a short movement, not religious (8)
AGNOSTIC: SONG (piece of music) as a piece of music, usually employing a verbal text, composed for the voice, especially one intended for performance seen going upwards (arising) as a reversal in the down clue placed between (in) A from the clue and TIC (short movement) as a nervous, involuntary movement or twitch of a muscle, especially of the face produces the definition of an adjective meaning relating to or being sceptical about or not claiming to have true knowledge about the existence of God

9d          Hit riding wave, one going in while others out? (13)
STRIKEBREAKER: A charade of STRIKE (hit) as to hit sharply, as with a hand, fist, weapon or implement placed above (riding) BREAKER (wave) as a wave broken on rocks or shore in the down clue fetches the definition of a person who works during a strike or who does the work of a striker, especially if brought in with a view to defeating the strike

15d        Fit as a fiddle? I suppose so (4,4)
VERY WELL: Double definition of an adjectival phrase; the second being used as an expression of agreement or used in compliance or assent that takes to the first meaning in quite good condition or good health, an example of which is the expression ‘fit as a fiddle’

17d        Party wife leaves when thing degenerates (3,5)
HEN NIGHT: The definition of an informal term for a party for women only, especially held for a woman shortly before she is married is reached from [W]HEN from the clue from which W (wife) as the genealogical abbreviation for wife goes away (leaves) followed by an anagram (degenerates) of THING

19d        Fish swimming in sea across road (7)
SARDINE: The definition of a young pilchard or other young or small herring-like fish is got from an anagram (swimming) of IN SEA placed around (across) RD (road) as the abbreviation for road used especially in addresses and on maps or signs

21d        Soldier with single cut in shade (7)
PARASOL: PARA (soldier) as an informal noun for a paratrooper who is a trained to be dropped by parachute into battle or into enemy territory and (with) almost all the letters excluding the last one (cut) of SOL[E] (single) as an adjective meaning only, single or alone takes to the definition of a handheld collapsible source of shade or a device that is held over one’s head as protection from the heat of the sun

22d        Degree certificate for example, odd parts of such on register (6)
SCROLL: The definition of a roll, as of parchment or papyrus or other material, especially one with writing on it, an example of which is a degree certificate is arrived at from the regular or oddly-placed letters (odd parts) of SuCh placed upon (on) ROLL (register) as a register, catalogue or list, especially of names in the down clue

25d        Fancy gateau’s topping uses nuts (5)
GUESS: The definition of a verb meaning imagine, fancy or conjecture is obtained from the topmost letter (topping) of G[ATEAU] (gateau’s) followed by an anagram (nuts) of USES

There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 1a, 14a, 23a, 24a, 26a, 28a, 5d, 7d and 9d; 1a 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 and to Gazza for the assistance. Looking forward to being here again. Have a nice day.