Welcome to Big Dave’s Crossword Blog
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You have reached the world’s biggest and best crossword blog. If you are looking for help with the Daily and Sunday Telegraph cryptic crosswords or the Enigmatic Variations advanced cryptic, a total of 13 puzzles a week, then you have come to the right place.
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Toughie No 3428 by Osmosis
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Thanks to Osmosis for a Friday-level Toughie which I enjoyed working through. I was slow to start but eventually gained a foothold in in the SW corner and proceeded slowly but steadily in a clockwise direction, finishing in the SE. Osmosis has given us a lot of clever wordplay and no anagrams.
Continue reading “Toughie 3428”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30845
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 8th February 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, straightforward Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and valuable comments.
Continue reading “DT 30845 (full review)”
Toughie No 3427 by Silvanus
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Silvanus appears once more in what has become a double act with Ray T (whose turn it is to be on the back page today). Thanks to him for a very enjoyable puzzle.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30849
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** Enjoyment ****
Shabbo has had the temerity to request a day off as he is off enjoying himself in the Cape so you’re stuck with me. Can’t promise his precise explanations but there are some good tunes to listen to.
No prizes for guessing the identity of today’s setter. With no more than six words in any clue & a crafty appearance for one of his trademarks (albeit in the form of an anagram) it’s Ray T, the first half of Jane’s Thursday dream team with Silvanus on Toughie duty. I’ll be interested to see how many, if any, hands go up for one consonant shy of a correct grid. A thoroughly enjoyable solve from start to finish.
In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual. Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle.
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Toughie No 3426 by Django
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***/****
Yes, I’m afraid you’ve got me again, pulling a double.… Continue reading
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30848
Hints and tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****
A very good Wednesday morning from Winnipeg where we are in the deep freeze producing ideal conditions for this year’s Festival du Voyageur which begins on Friday.… Continue reading
Sunday Toughie No 158 by proXimal
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 2nd of February 2025
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 158 (Review)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3302
A full review by crypticsue
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This puzzle was published on 2nd February 2025
BD Rating –Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Continue reading “ST 3302 (Full Review)”