Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3362
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 29th March 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. Dada has offered us yet another enjoyable solve this Sunday and now I present to you a full review of his puzzle. Hope to have your valuable feedback and comments.
The expression ‘for what it’s worth’, the answer to the clue at 26a, is commonly used when someone wants to share an opinion, suggestion or piece of information while also signalling a degree of modesty or hesitation. By using this phrase, the speaker acknowledges that their contribution may not be especially important or decisive and leaves it up to the listener to judge its value. It often serves as a softening device, making the statement sound less forceful or assertive and more open to interpretation or even dismissal. I got from the internet that the popularity of this idiom is often linked to the 1966 song ‘For What It’s Worth’ by the band Buffalo Springfield beginning with the lines ‘There’s something happening here, but what it is ain’t exactly clear …’, which reflected the tense social and political climate of the time. Although the phrase itself existed earlier, the song helped bring it into wider public awareness and gave it a lasting cultural resonance. Over the years, the expression has become firmly embedded in everyday language, appearing in both casual conversation and more formal discussions. Today, people use it in a wide range of situations to introduce thoughts or advice in a careful, understated way, especially when they are unsure how their words will be received or how much weight they will carry.
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Across
1a Comrade after revolution has little time for US politician (8)
DEMOCRAT: An anagram (after revolution) of COMRADE followed by (has) T (little time) as time in short or denoted by a single letter leads to the definition of a member or supporter of the Democratic Party and obviously a politician in the United States
5a Starter of ravioli in set meal (6)
BRUNCH: The starting or initial letter (starter) of R[AVIOLI] placed inside (in) BUNCH (set) as a set of individuals making up or considered a unit takes to the definition of a late morning meal eaten instead of breakfast and lunch
10a All energetic, one dancing in event where seats available? (7,8)
GENERAL ELECTION: An anagram (dancing) of ALL ENERGETIC, ONE takes to the definition of an event where seats are seats are contested by candidates for political office
11a Organism that is equipped with eyewear? (7)
SPECIES: The definition of a group of organisms having many characteristics in common and ranking below a genus is fetched from IE (that is) as the abbreviated form of the Latin phrase id est meaning ‘that is’ armed or covered with (equipped with) SPECS (eyewear) as an informal term for spectacles that is an eyewear
12a Wimpy, but wy? (7)
GUTLESS: The definition of an adjective meaning lacking courage or determination, an example of which is wimpy i.e. weak and cowardly or feeble is reached from W[IMP]Y (wy) as the relative adjective displayed with its inside letters removed i.e. without its internal letters or precisely, without its guts
13a Divine woodland inhabited by heartless cobra (8)
FORECAST: The definition of a verb meaning to divine or to foretell or prophesy, especially by divination is reached from FOREST (woodland) as a woodland or large tract of land covered with trees and underbrush and residing in its territory (inhabited by) C[OBR]A without the heart or inner letters (heartless)
15a Boozer all squiffy, offensive customer initially arrested (5)
LOCAL: The definition of a pub convenient to a person’s home, an example of which is a boozer i.e. a pub or bar is obtained from an anagram (squiffy) of ALL having held inside (arrested) the initial or starting letters (initially) of O[FFENSIVE] C[USTOMER]
18a Assemble a palindrome? (3,2)
PUT UP: Double definition; the second reading the same forwards and backward if the space is ignored and serving as an example of a palindrome that takes to the first a verb meaning to assemble, construct, erect or build
20a As mummy, for example, smeared paint on back of daddy (8)
EGYPTIAN: The definition of an adjective meaning relating to Egypt or its people, an example of which is a mummy that is found particularly in Egypt and hence Egyptian is reached from EG (for example) as the abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning ‘for example’ followed by an anagram (smeared) of PAINT placed after in the across clue (on) the back or terminal letter (back) of [DADD]Y
23a Garden where rod designed to catch fish (7)
ORCHARD: The definition of a garden or other area in which fruit trees are grown is arrived at from an anagram (designed) of ROD trapping inside (to catch) CHAR (fish) as any small fish of the genus Salvelinus, of the salmon family, found in mountain lakes and rivers
25a Instant recovery in decent manner (7)
MORALLY: A charade of MO (instant) as an informal and abbreviated term for moment that is an instant or short period of time and RALLY (recovery) as a marked recovery of strength or spirits during an illness takes to the definition of an adverb meaning in a decent or virtuous manner
26a I’m offering my counsel anyway, at a fair price? (3,4,3,5)
FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH: Double definition; the second meaning at its true value or fair price or that it has a value equal to the cost that takes to the first denoting as an added counsel or opinion that the speaker wants to share it, even when the listener may not be sure of its value or significance or may want it or not
27a Smart squirrels marginally inside their home? (6)
DRESSY: The definition of an adjective denoting elegant, stylish or smart is arrived at from the marginal or outermost letters (marginally) of S[QUIRREL]S inhabiting or dwelling inside (inside) DREY (their home) as referring to a squirrel’s nest serving as their home
28a Again travelling around capital in Harare, an African (8)
GHANAIAN: An anagram (travelling) of AGAIN placed about (around) the capital or leading letter (capital) in H[ARARE] followed by AN from the clue takes to the definition of a native or inhabitant of Ghana that is in Africa and hence an African
Down
1d Process till has cryptic set (6)
DIGEST: The definition of a verb meaning to process, treat or convert food into absorbable substances is reached from DIG (till) as to till the surface soil of the earth followed by (has) an anagram (cryptic) of SET
2d Immature but sweet little thing? Pack your bags, hubby! (9)
MANGETOUT: The definition of a type of pea cooked and eaten together with its pod that rightly has its etymology in the French phrase mange-tout literally meaning eat-all is arrived at from MAN GET OUT as specifically heard of a woman asking her husband to leave the house, an example of which can be ‘Pack your bags, hubby’ i.e. an idiomatic phrase often used in disagreements, arguments or high-tension situations, instructing a husband to pack his belongings and leave, usually permanently
3d Vehicle over pit in purplish-red (7)
CARMINE: CAR (vehicle) as a four-wheeled road vehicle that is powered by an engine and is able to carry a small number of people placed above in the down clue (over) MINE (pit) as a pit or excavation with a shaft, especially for coal forming a charade takes to the definition of a crimson or purplish-red colour
4d Northbound sailor after a book of charts (5)
ATLAS: SALT (sailor) as an informal term for a sailor, especially an experienced one going up or northward (northbound) as a reversal in the down clue preceded by or coming after (after) A from the clue leads to the definition of a book of charts, graphs etc, illustrating aspect of a subject
6d Questionable article for reading (7)
RECITAL: An anagram (questionable) of ARTICLE takes to the definition of an act of reading or reciting in a public performance
7d Commotion inside casino is excessive (5)
NOISE: Part of or hidden inside (inside) [CASI]NO IS E[XCESSIVE] guides to the definition of a loud outcry or commotion
8d Religious nursing home for the love of God! (8)
HONESTLY: HOLY (religious) as devout, pious or religious taking inside (nursing) NEST (home) as a home that a group of insects or other creatures make in order to live in and give birth to their young in takes to the definition of an exclamatory usage expressing exasperation e.g. for the love of God as in example, ‘Honestly, will you stop that?’ could mean ‘For the love of God, will you stop that?’
9d Weak dons knowing a little (8)
SLIGHTLY: LIGHT (weak) as an adjective denoting mild or faint or weak and likely to lose consciousness going inside (dons) SLY (knowing) as knowing, clever or shrewd takes to the definition of an adverb meaning a little, a bit, marginally or to some degree
14d Fishy cod eaten in story (8)
ANECDOTE: An anagram (fishy) of COD EATEN leads to the definition of a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person
16d Real choir performing in Belgian city (9)
CHARLEROIS: An anagram (performing) of REAL CHOIR takes to the definition of a major industrial city located on the Sambre River in Wallonia, Belgium
17d Given dessert, perhaps, spoilt (5-3)
SPOON-FED: FED (given) as given food to someone and SPOON (dessert, perhaps) as a piece of cutlery used for eating, stirring and serving food, an example of which is a dessert spoon that is used for eating desserts, smaller than a tablespoon and larger than a teaspoon, that is, fed with spoon or precisely SPOON-FED guides to the definition of a transitive verb in the past tense denoting taught by doled-out doses of cut-and-dried information, overindulged or spoilt
19d Space he created for fruit (7)
PEACHES: An anagram (created) of SPACE HE leads to the definition of round fruits each with sweet yellow flesh that has a lot of juice, a slightly furry red and yellow skin and a large seed in its centre
21d Lean around queue, observing launch of ball (5-2)
THROW-IN: THIN (lean) as an adjective denoting lean, slender or having little bodily flesh or fat placed about (around) ROW (queue) as a number of people or things in a more or less straight line, an example of which is a queue i.e. a line or sequence of people or vehicles awaiting their turn to be attended to or to proceed takes to the definition of an act of throwing the ball from the sideline to restart play after the ball has gone into touch
22d Somewhat praiseworthy, phenomenal joiner? (6)
HYPHEN: Part of or hidden inside (somewhat) [PRAISEWORT]HY, PHEN[OMENAL] guides to the definition of a punctuation mark that is mainly used to join two words to form compound words
24d Cut right through grotto (5)
CARVE: The definition of a verb meaning to cut cooked meat into slices for eating is reached from R (right) as the abbreviation for right going across (through) CAVE (grotto) as a natural underground chamber in a hillside or cliff, an example of which is a grotto i.e. a small picturesque cave, especially an artificial one in a park or garden
25d Hundred in American numbers game (5)
MATCH: C (hundred) as the Roman numeral for hundred placed inside (in) MATH (American numbers) as the short form for mathematics used in North America leads to the definition of a game or a contest in which people or teams compete against each other in a particular sport
There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 10a, 12a, 13a, 20a, 27a, 2d, 3d, 8d and 17d; 2d undoubtedly being the clear winner. 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 pleasant day.
3*/3* …
liked 2D “Immature but sweet little thing? Pack your bags, hubby! (9)”