Daily Telegraph Cryptic 3372
Stuck on a clue in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 3372? Every clue is solved below with the definition, wordplay, and answer explained — plus hints for the tricks that catch most solvers out.
Across
8A — Slump, a myth (4) — SAGA
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Definition
Definition found: 'myth'
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Slump,' → SAG
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Assembly
SAG + A = SAGA
9A — I doubled energy? (3) — EGO
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Definition
The whole clue is one cryptic definition — read it laterally.The whole clue is a cryptic definition — Freud's 'I' that drives a person's psychic energy; an inflated 'I doubled' captures the idea perfectly.
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Indicator
Indicator found: ''No indicator words — a cryptic definition has no wordplay split, just a playful read of the whole clue.
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Wordplay
Wordplay: Cryptic definitionThe whole clue acts as one playful definition, no wordplay parts to break out.
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Assembly
EGO = EGO
10A — Fiddle reversing 0-0-4? (6) — VIOLIN
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Definition
Definition found: 'Fiddle' — The straight definition sits at the start — a stringed instrument played with a bow.The straight definition sits at the start — a stringed instrument played with a bow.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'reversing''Reversing' is a stock reversal pointer — read the assembled letters right-to-left.
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Operation
'reversing' signals a reversal operation
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Fodder
Fodder: '0-0-4?'
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: '0-0-4?' → NILOIVRead the score as its long form — nil (0), letter O (0), IV (Roman 4) — giving six letters.
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Assembly
NILOIV = VIOLIN
11A — Scandinavian entry in lexicon, or dictionary (6) — NORDIC
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Definition
Definition found: 'Scandinavian' — The straight definition sits at the start — a single word meaning 'of the North' / Scandinavian.The straight definition sits at the start — a single word meaning 'of the North' / Scandinavian.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'entry in'
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Operation
'entry in' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'lexicon, or dictionary'
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Assembly
NORDIC = NORDIC
12A — Transformed individual, for many, used to be philanderer (8) — WEREWOLF
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Definition
Definition found: 'Transformed individual,' — The straight definition sits at the start — a shape-shifting creature of folklore.The straight definition sits at the start — a shape-shifting creature of folklore.
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'for many, used to be' → WERE'For many, used to be' is the past of 'are' — what you'd say of a plural subject in the past.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'philanderer' → WOLF'Philanderer' is captured by a stock four-letter slang for a womaniser — an animal that prowls.
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Assembly
WERE + WOLF = WEREWOLF
13A — Snack served with cut of beef, a lip-smacking hit? (7,8) — KNUCKLE SANDWICH
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Definition
Definition found: 'lip-smacking hit?'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'served with'
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Operation
'served with' signals a ordering operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Snack cut of beef,'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Snack' → SANDWICH
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'cut of beef,' → KNUCKLE
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Assembly
SANDWICH + KNUCKLE = KNUCKLESANDWICH
15A — Strait-laced chief occupies filthy home (7) — STARCHY
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Definition
Definition found: 'Strait-laced' — The straight definition sits at the start — a word meaning stiff or prim.The straight definition sits at the start — a word meaning stiff or prim.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'occupies''Occupies' tells you one word goes inside another — a standard container marker.
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Operation
'occupies' signals a container operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'chief filthy home'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'chief' → ARCH'Chief' often clues a four-letter word used as a prefix meaning principal — think arch-rival.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'filthy home' → STYA pigsty is the classic filthy home — three letters where swine wallow.
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Assembly
ARCH + STY = STARCHY
17A — Defender, one crying after Salah's header (7) — SWEEPER
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Definition
Definition found: 'Defender,' — The straight definition sits at the start — a defensive position in football.The straight definition sits at the start — a defensive position in football.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'header''Header' tells you to take the first letter — the 'head' of the word that comes before it.
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Operation
'header' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Salah's'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'after''After' is a positional pointer — what follows goes second in the charade.
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Operation
'after' signals a ordering operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'one crying header'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'one crying' → WEEPER'One crying' points to a six-letter word for a person who weeps.
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Assembly
WEEPER + S = SWEEPER
20A — Song given smashing analysis (6-9) — NUMBER-CRUNCHING
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Definition
Definition found: 'analysis' — The straight definition sits at the end — a single word for heavy-duty data work.The straight definition sits at the end — a single word for heavy-duty data work.
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Song' → NUMBER'Song' here points at a six-letter musical term — a tune in a show or set.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'smashing' → CRUNCHING'Smashing' here points at a nine-letter word for crushing or grinding things up.
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Assembly
NUMBER + CRUNCHING = NUMBER-CRUNCHING
23A — Rogues, wild animals reportedly? (8) — CHEATERS
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Definition
Definition found: 'Rogues,' — The straight definition sits at the start — a word for those who play unfairly.The straight definition sits at the start — a word for those who play unfairly.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'reportedly?''Reportedly' is one of the standard homophone indicators — what follows should sound like the answer.
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Operation
'reportedly?' signals a homophone operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'wild animals'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'wild animals' → CHEETAHS'Wild animals' here points to a fast-running spotted big cat — eight letters.
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Assembly
CHEETAHS = CHEATERS
25A — Excavate ditch the wrong way, boring (6) — TURGID
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Definition
Definition found: 'boring' — The straight definition sits at the end — a word for swollen, pompous prose that drags.The straight definition sits at the end — a word for swollen, pompous prose that drags.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'the wrong way,''The wrong way' is a stock reversal pointer — read the letters built up so far back to front.
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Operation
'the wrong way,' signals a reversal operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Excavate ditch'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Excavate' → DIG'Excavate' here points at the everyday three-letter verb for breaking ground.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'ditch' → RUT'Ditch' points at a short three-letter word for a groove or furrow worn into the ground.
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Assembly
DIG + RUT > DIGRUT = TURGID
26A — French cheese's picked up for a picnic (6) — BREEZE
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Definition
Definition found: 'a picnic' — The straight definition sits at the end — informal for something dead easy ('it'll be a picnic').The straight definition sits at the end — informal for something dead easy ('it'll be a picnic').
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'picked up''Picked up' is a standard homophone indicator — heard rather than seen.
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Operation
'picked up' signals a homophone operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'French cheese's'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'French cheese's' → BRIES'French cheese' is a famous Norman soft cheese — and the possessive ''s' adds the final letter.
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Assembly
BRIES = BREEZE
27A — Born in due course, last of all (3) — NEE
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Definition
Definition found: 'Born' — The straight definition sits at the start — a French-derived word marking a maiden name.The straight definition sits at the start — a French-derived word marking a maiden name.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'last of all''Last of all' tells you to take the final letter of every word — a stock 'last of each' selection.
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Operation
'last of all' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'in due course,'
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Assembly
NEE = NEE
28A — Noodles, but no starter? So be it! (4) — AMEN
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Definition
Definition found: 'So be it!' — The straight definition sits at the end — a single word a congregation says in agreement.The straight definition sits at the end — a single word a congregation says in agreement.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'no starter?''No starter' is a standard deletion instruction — remove the first letter of the word it points at.
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Operation
'no starter?' signals a deletion operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Noodles,'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Noodles,' → RAMEN'Noodles' here points at a popular Japanese noodle dish — five letters.
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Assembly
RAMEN - R = AMEN
Down
1D — Desert, half of area consumed by cratered rock (6) — MAROON
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Definition
Definition found: 'Desert,' — The straight definition sits at the start — a verb meaning to abandon someone, often on an island.The straight definition sits at the start — a verb meaning to abandon someone, often on an island.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'half of''Half of' takes one half of the word that follows — the first half by default.
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Operation
'half of' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'area'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'consumed by''Consumed by' is a stock container marker — what comes before is swallowed inside what comes after.
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Operation
'consumed by' signals a container operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'cratered rock'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'cratered rock' → MOON'Cratered rock' points at the famously pock-marked body in our night sky.
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Assembly
AR + MOON = MAROON
2D — Police vehicle with standard outside as well as air-conditioning (5,3) — PANDA CAR
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Definition
Definition found: 'Police vehicle' — The straight definition sits at the start — a black-and-white patrol motor in informal British use.The straight definition sits at the start — a black-and-white patrol motor in informal British use.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'outside''Outside' tells you the named piece wraps around what comes next.
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Operation
'outside' signals a container operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'standard'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'standard' → PAR'Standard' here points at a stock three-letter word for the expected level — straight from the golf course.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'as well as' → AND'As well as' is a plain joining word — three letters, the everyday connector.
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'air-conditioning' → AC'Air-conditioning' has a stock two-letter abbreviation — what you'd see on a car-spec sheet.
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Assembly
PAR + AND + AC = PANDACAR
3D — A tool allowing writer to get to the point? (6-9) — PENCIL-SHARPENER
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Definition
The whole clue is one cryptic definition — read it laterally.The whole clue is a cryptic definition — a tool quite literally letting a writer (the writing implement) come to a point.
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Indicator
Indicator found: ''No indicator words — a cryptic definition has no wordplay split, just a playful read of the whole clue.
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Wordplay
Wordplay: Cryptic definitionThe whole clue acts as one playful definition, no wordplay parts to break out.
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Assembly
PENCILSHARPENER = PENCIL-SHARPENER
4D — Swine cleaner? Poppycock! (7) — HOGWASH
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Definition
Definition found: 'Poppycock!' — The straight definition sits at the end — a single-word exclamation meaning rubbish or nonsense.The straight definition sits at the end — a single-word exclamation meaning rubbish or nonsense.
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Swine' → HOG'Swine' here points at a short three-letter word for a pig.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'cleaner?' → WASH'Cleaner' points at a four-letter word for something used to clean — a soapy soak.
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Assembly
HOG + WASH = HOGWASH
5D — Off and on, all that has come and gone? (5,3,3,4) — EVERY NOW AND THEN
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Definition
The whole clue is one cryptic definition — read it laterally.The whole clue is a cryptic definition — a phrase meaning intermittently ('off and on'), playfully read as every NOW that has come and every THEN that has gone.
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Indicator
Indicator found: ''No indicator words — a cryptic definition has no wordplay split, just a playful read of the whole clue.
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Wordplay
Wordplay: Cryptic definitionThe whole clue acts as one playful definition, no wordplay parts to break out.
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Assembly
EVERYNOWANDTHEN = EVERY NOW AND THEN
6D — Make a respectful gesture and amaze dog (3-3) — BOW-WOW
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Definition
Definition found: 'dog' — The straight definition sits at the end — a child's word for a four-legged friend, also the sound it makes.The straight definition sits at the end — a child's word for a four-legged friend, also the sound it makes.
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Make a respectful gesture' → BOW'Make a respectful gesture' is what you do at the end of a performance — three letters.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'amaze' → WOW'Amaze' is a three-letter exclamation you might shout in awe.
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Assembly
BOW + WOW = BOW-WOW
7D — Young female horse hasn't finished charge (4) — FILL
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Definition
Definition found: 'charge'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'hasn't finished'
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Operation
'hasn't finished' signals a deletion operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Young female horse'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Young female horse' → FILLY
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Assembly
FILLY - Y = FILL
14D — Hint character heard (3) — CUE
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Definition
Definition found: 'Hint' — The straight definition sits at the start — one word meaning a prompt or signal.The straight definition sits at the start — one word meaning a prompt or signal.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'heard''Heard' is one of the standard homophone indicators — what follows is something that sounds like the answer.
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Operation
'heard' signals a homophone operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'character'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'character' → QIn cryptics, 'character' often points to a single letter — a member of the alphabet.
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Assembly
Q = CUE
16D — Greek character taking odd bits from teacup (3) — TAU
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Definition
Definition found: 'Greek character' — The straight definition sits at the start — a letter of the Greek alphabet.The straight definition sits at the start — a letter of the Greek alphabet.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'odd bits''Odd bits' tells you to take the letters in odd positions — first, third, fifth, and so on.
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Operation
'odd bits' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'teacup'
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Assembly
TAU = TAU
18D — Fine and delicate English article, true (8) — ETHEREAL
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Definition
Definition found: 'Fine and delicate' — The straight definition sits at the start — three words pointing at something gauzy and airy.The straight definition sits at the start — three words pointing at something gauzy and airy.
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'English' → E'English' is a stock single-letter abbreviation in cryptics — E.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'article,' → THE'Article' in cryptics points at a tiny word — the definite article.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'true' → REAL'True' here points at a plain four-letter synonym — what's genuine.
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Assembly
E + THE + REAL = ETHEREAL
19D — Gift posted earlier (7) — PRESENT
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Definition
Definition found: 'Gift' — The straight definition sits at the start — a word for something handed over as a gift.The straight definition sits at the start — a word for something handed over as a gift.
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'posted' → SENT'Posted' is a plain synonym — what you did to a letter once it left your hands.
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'earlier' → PRE'Earlier' here points at a short prefix meaning 'before' — a stock crossword three-letter piece.
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Assembly
SENT + PRE = PRESENT
21D — Fire jacket (6) — BLAZER
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Wordplay
Wordplay: Double definitionTwo side-by-side definitions of the answer. No wordplay split — just spot that both halves define the same word.
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Assembly
BLAZER = BLAZER
22D — Arrested one getting hammered and extremely excited (6) — NAILED
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Definition
Definition found: 'Arrested' — The straight definition sits at the start — slang for caught or pinned down.The straight definition sits at the start — slang for caught or pinned down.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'extremely''Extremely' is a stock crossword pointer — take the outermost letters of the word that follows, first and last.
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Operation
'extremely' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'excited'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'one getting hammered' → NAIL'One getting hammered' is literally a NAIL — a single thing made to be struck.
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Assembly
NAIL + ED = NAILED
24D — Loser to tortoise – in race? (4) — HARE
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Definition
The whole clue is one cryptic definition — read it laterally.The whole clue is a cryptic definition — think of the famous fable where this animal lost a race to a tortoise.
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Indicator
Indicator found: ''No indicator words — a cryptic definition has no wordplay split, just a playful read of the whole clue.
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Wordplay
Wordplay: Cryptic definitionThe whole clue acts as one playful definition, no wordplay parts to break out.
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Assembly
HARE = HARE