Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31337
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 5th September 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, lovely Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.
After finishing the puzzle, I searched the internet to learn more about Orwell, whose name forms part of the wordplay in 3a and learnt a lot of interesting facts about him. George Orwell, the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, was chosen partly to protect his family’s privacy and partly to express his deep affection for the English countryside. When his first book, Down and Out in Paris and London (1933), described his experiences of extreme poverty and his work as a penniless dishwasher, he feared that his middle-class family might find the subject embarrassing or scandalous. He therefore submitted four possible pseudonyms to his publisher, Victor Gollancz: Kenneth Miles, George Orwell, H. Lewis Allways and P.S. Burton, the last of which he had actually used while tramping. He eventually chose George Orwell, a name that evoked both English national identity and the countryside he loved: ‘George’ recalled Saint George, the patron saint of England, while ‘Orwell’ was taken from the River Orwell in Suffolk, a place he particularly enjoyed for fishing and walking. His experiences as a colonial policeman, a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War and a journalist profoundly influenced his writing. His major works combine personal experience with powerful political criticism: Down and Out in Paris and London (1933) exposed the harsh realities of poverty; Homage to Catalonia (1938) recorded his experiences in the Spanish Civil War and his growing disillusionment with Soviet-backed communism; Animal Farm (1945) used political allegory to satirise the Russian Revolution and Stalinism; and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) presented a terrifying vision of totalitarian surveillance, introducing enduring concepts such as ‘Big Brother’ and the ‘Thought Police’.
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Across
1a Belch, perhaps, from bishop in play (4)
TOBY: The definition of the forename of the primary comic character in William’s Shakespeare’s comedy, ‘Twelfth Night’ is arrived at from B (bishop) as the abbreviation for bishop in chess notation placed inside (in) TOY (play) as to play, fiddle, flirt or amuse oneself
3a Poet Auden abridged Orwell G defends? (10)
BAUDELAIRE: The definition of the famous French poet whose full name was Charles Baudelaire is got from AUDE[N] from the clue cut short with the deletion of the last letter (abridged) and protected by (defends) BLAIR E (Orwell G) as denoting Eric Blair, the real name of the English novelist and poet George Orwell, written in the same style as his pseudonym in the clue
10a Very naughty boy welcomes Elizabeth back from Rio? (9)
BRAZILIAN: BRIAN (very naughty boy) as an allusion to Monty Python’s ‘Life of Brian’, in which Brian’s mother Mandy famously says, “He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!” entertains or takes inside (welcome) LIZA (Elizabeth) as a diminutive or nickname of Elizabeth in a backward direction (back) as a reversal in the across clue takes to the definition of a native or inhabitant from Brazil, an example of which is someone from Rio that is in Brazil and hence a Brazilian
11a Writer George retired to French island (5)
ELIOT: The definition of the surname of the pen name George Eliot, the English novelist, poet, journalist, translator and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era, though known lesser by her real name, Mary Ann Evans is reached from a combination of TO from the clue and ÎLE (French island) as a French word denoting ‘island’, seriatim in a reversal direction
12a Sulphur found in check for tree exudation (5)
RESIN: S (sulphur) as the chemical symbol for sulphur placed inside REIN (check) as a verb denoting to check, restrain or hold back leads to the definition of ‘tree exudation’ i.e. a natural exudation or resin that oozes from the trees
13a Little Nell’s introduction in great novel as child (9)
TWEENAGER: A combo of WEE (little) as the Scottish term for an adjective denoting little or tiny and the introductory or first letter (introduction) of N[ELL] (Nell’s) placed inside an anagram (novel) of GREAT yields the definition of an informal term for a child who is beginning to show some teenage characteristics, interests or behaviour and between childhood and the teenage years, typically around 10-12 years old
14a City pro drawn in by supporter with double D? (8)
BRADFORD: The definition of a city in West Yorkshire, England is arrived at from FOR (pro) as a preposition meaning in favour or support of someone or the Latin ‘pro’, a Latin word denoting for or in favour of taken inside by (drawn in by) a combination of BRA (supporter) as a short for brassière and a woman’s undergarment worn to support the breasts and hence cryptically a supporter and (with) DD (double D) as the letter D repeated
16a Lacking time quick agents dash (6)
FASCIA: FAS[T] (quick) as quick, rapid or swift devoid of (lacking) T (time) as the symbol for time followed by CIA (agents) as the abbreviation for Central Intelligence Agency that is a civilian foreign intelligence service of agents of the United States government guides to the definition of the dashboard that is sometimes shortened to dash and is the instrument panel in a car, boat or aircraft
19a See 24 Across
20a Book about Romeo taken in later for monks (8)
BRETHREN: B (book) as the abbreviation for book and RE (about) as a commercial jargon used to indicate ‘about’, ‘referring to’ or ‘regarding’ followed by R (Romeo) as the letter represented by Romeo in NATO phonetic alphabet placed inside (taken in) THEN (later) as an adverb denoting later, afterwards or subsequently yields the definition of the plural term for a monk, friar or cleric
22a Projecting well out of the box? (9)
TELEGENIC: A cryptic definition of an adjective denoting having a highly effective aura, appearance and manner suitable for being on the box, or rather the idiot box
24a and 19 Across Neoliberal real moaner evicts husband (5-6)
RIGHT-WINGER: The definition of a person whose political views favour tradition, social order and conservative economic policies, an example of which is a neoliberal i.e. one who supports or promotes a political and economic approach that favours free-market capitalism, lower taxes, privatisation and minimal government intervention in the economy is obtained from a charade of RIGHT (real) as an adjective meaning real, genuine, true or actual followed by W[H]INGER (moaner) as a moaner or one who complains in an annoying or persistent manner devoid of or removing (evicts) H (husband) as the genealogical abbreviation for husband
26a Hospital with rather loose garment (5)
HABIT: HABIT: A charade of H (hospital) as the abbreviation for hospital and (with) A BIT (rather) as an adverbial phrase meaning a little, somewhat, to a small degree or rather guides to the definition of a long, loose garment or tunic worn by members of a religious order
27a Joke about bygone English era of prosperity (6,3)
GOLDEN AGE: GAG (joke) as a practical joke or humorous story, especially one told by a professional comedian placed around (about) OLDEN (bygone) as ancient or pertaining to the distant past or bygone times and followed by E (English) as the abbreviation for English guides to the definition of a historic era of peak prosperity, peace and cultural achievement
28a Fantasist armed and ready to move (10)
DAY DREAMER: The definition of a fantasist who indulges in pleasant, imaginative thoughts while awake is reached from an anagram (to move) of a combination of ARMED and READY
29a Long throw sees opener dismissed (4)
ITCH: The definition of a verb meaning to long, ache pine or crave is arrived at from [P]ITCH (throw) as a verb meaning to throw, usually with careful aim e.g. a ball from the mound to the batter as in baseball devoid of the opening or first letter (sees opener dismissed)
Down
1d Italian flower in wood losing mass (5)
TIBER: The definition of a river of central Italy that flows through Rome to the Tyrrhenian Sea and hence cryptically a flower or anything that flows is arrived at from TI[M]BER (wood) as wood suitable for building or carpentry, whether growing or cut devoid of (losing) M (mass) as the symbol for mass, a fundamental quantity in physics
2d Petty officer: “lawless AB I was not” (9)
BOATSWAIN: The definition of a warrant officer or petty officer in charge of a ship’s rigging, anchors, cables and deck crew is reached through an anagram (lawless) of AB I WAS NOT
4d Pilots advanced through rocky heights (8)
AVIATORS: The definition of pilots or persons who fly or navigate aircraft is arrived at from a charade of A (advanced) as the abbreviation for advanced, VIA (through) as a preposition meaning through, by way of or by means of and TORS (rocky heights) as the plural form of a high, rocky hill or peak
5d Fish on river reserving name for reindeer (6)
DANCER: DACE (fish) as a small freshwater fish of the carp family placed upon in the down clue (on) R (river) as the abbreviation for River, used especially for maps in an atlas or a geography book holding or keeping inside (reserving) N (name) as the abbreviation for name leads to the definition of one of the legendary reindeer that pulls Santa Claus’s sleigh in Christmas folklore
6d Delay surfacing? Force in sound prepare to attack (3,2,4)
LIE IN WAIT: LIE IN (delay surfacing) as a verbal phrase meaning to remain lying in bed later than usual in the morning and delay getting up or appearing followed by a homophone heard by the audience (in sound) of WEIGHT (force) representing the gravitational force by which a physical body is attracted towards the earth produces the definition of a verbal phrase meaning to prepare to attack from a position of concealment or ambush
7d Sweet preparation here in Paris no good (5)
ICING: A charade of ICI (here in Paris) as the French word for ‘here’ denoting an adverb at or in this place and that can also be heard in Paris, the capital of France and NG (no good) as the abbreviation for the phrase ‘no good’ yields the definition of a sweet, creamy preparation of sugar with liquid or fat used as a topping or filling to coat and decorate cakes or pastries
8d Flirt with host (9)
ENTERTAIN: Double verbal definition; the second denoting to be the host to or for someone or to provide amusement for someone that takes to the first a verb meaning to flirt with or toy with someone
9d MacCool, for one, in loud hostelry (4)
FINN: The definition of the forename of a certain MacCool, who is the legendary Irish mythical hunter-warrior, celebrated in the stories of the Fenian Cycle is obtained from a charade of F (loud) as the musical abbreviation for ‘forte’ meaning loud and INN (hostelry) as a noun meaning a hostelry or a hotel providing overnight lodging for travellers
14d Spellbound male in renovated WC with bidet (9)
BEWITCHED: The definition of a verb in the past tense meaning spellbound, enchanted or under one’s power by magic or spell is reached from HE (male) as a pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal previously mentioned or easily identified, placed inside (in) an anagram (renovated) of a combo of WC with (and) BIDET
15d Typhoon perhaps engulfing sappers in ship (9)
FREIGHTER: FIGHTER (Typhoon perhaps) as a relatively small military aircraft equipped to attack targets which are both in the air and on the ground, an example of which is the Eurofighter Typhoon, a modern multirole fighter aircraft used by several air forces, including the Royal Air Force swallowing or taking inside (engulfing) RE (sappers) as the abbreviation for Royal Engineers, the plural of a member of the Corps of Royal Engineers or military combat engineers in the British Army, providing technical and engineering support to the Army and commonly known as Sappers yields the definition of a ship designed primarily to carry goods, cargo and bulk materials
17d A piercing yell preceding award for actor (4,5)
CARY GRANT: A from the clue getting inside (piercing) CRY (yell) as a yell, shout or loud utterance of emotion, often in protest or opposition and coming before (preceding) GRANT (award) as an award of compensation made by a law court guides to the definition of a British-born American actor known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting and sense of comic timing
18d Spooner’s not wrapped cheese for martial artist? (5,3)
BRUCE LEE: A combination of LOOSE (not wrapped) as denoting not wrapped, bundled, packaged or fastened and BRIE (cheese) as a soft creamy white cheese, similar to Camembert but milder, originally made in Brie, north-eastern France 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 leads to the definition of the Hong Kong and American martial artist, actor, philosopher and filmmaker who founded the Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy and who revolutionized the martial arts film genre in the twentieth century
21d Machine outsiders in Imitation Game deciphered? (6)
ENIGMA: The definition of a German electro-mechanical rotor cipher machine used for the encryption and decryption of secret messages is deduced from a combo of the outermost letters (outsiders) in I[MITATIO]N and GAME
23d Student and alumnus near waiting room (5)
LOBBY: L (student) as appearing in an L-plate denoting a learner driver i.e. a student learning how to drive a vehicle followed with (and) OB (alumnus) as the abbreviation for old boy representing an alumnus or former pupil of a particular school and BY (near) as a preposition denoting near, next to or beside guides to the definition of a small hall or waiting-room
24d Flightless bird‘s tail discussed (4)
RHEA: The definition of a large, fast-running South American flightless bird that resembles a small ostrich but has three-toed feet and completely unfeathered thighs is fetched from a homophone heard by the audience (discussed) of REAR (tail) as a noun denoting the hindmost part of an animal’s body
25d Effectiveness climate ethics embodies (5)
TEETH: the definition of an informal term for the genuine effectiveness, power, or force required to make something like a law or regulation meaningful and strictly enforceable is part of or hidden inside (embodies) of [CLIMA]TE ETH[ICS]
There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 3a, 10a, 14a, 16a, 20a, 24a/19a, 1d, 6d, 7d, 15d, 18d and 25d; 3a being the clear winner. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to NYDK for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.