+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
| What? | The 10th “Sloggers and Betters” gathering for crossword setters and blog contributors and readers will take place in London, following on, as in previous years, from the annual lunch for Times setters. |
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, a total of 11 puzzles a week, then you have come to the right place.
If this is your first time, or for more information about this site, please click on Read More
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Even Petitjean puzzles are fairly straightforward when it’s my turn to blog!
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
A slightly tricky puzzle which I found to be a tad more difficult than today’s Toughie.
I’m off to London for the S&B meeting, and hope to see some of you there.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Morning All! – Another fine puzzle from Virgilius. I nearly gave this four stars for difficulty but when reviewing realised it was just me having a bad day!.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
There were quite a few answers today (especially in the across clues) which I didn’t know and which I needed to verify with Google or Wikipedia, but as always Giovanni’s wordplay is very precise and I didn’t find the whole thing too difficult (it was made easier by being able to work out the long anagram fairly early on from the enumeration).
Read More
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *+*/2 – Enjoyment ***
This was quite easy (1.5-2* difficulty), and a 3* for enjoyment (short as it was). Thanks to Jay.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good afternoon from South Staffs, although by the time this is published I expect to be well towards a stop-off in Kent, en route to France.
This being my first go at blogging a Toughie, I’m short of reference points for the difficulty – I don’t usually look at how long a Toughie takes me. But on the basis that this one took about twice the time I would take for a ** back pager, I think ** is reasonable.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment **
Many thanks to Deep Threat, who has offered to step in and review today’s Toughie. He hasn’t missed much here, though. For me this was one of those “read a clue and write in the answer” puzzles. Even being a pangram doesn’t rescue it from mediocrity.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Its a Bank Holiday today in France, but its raining, and has been raining for the last two days, and will probably rain for the rest of the week. However I did enjoy doing this crossword from the Maestro, which made the morning brighter than it really is.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Congratulations to Dave Howell, the winner of the May Prize Puzzle competition. This time we not only had to solve the crossword but also read the Nina in rows 3, 13 and 11. These instructed you to look at four down, reverse it and then split the solution 2, 4 thus leaving DE TROP to be submitted as the competition entry to win the choice of a Telegraph Puzzle Book from Hamlyn Books.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the more difficult clues and provide hints for them.
{ Seven left to do and I don't know where the... } – 23 May, 5:10 pm
{ I enjoyed solving this pu zzle but it was a... } – 23 May, 4:58 pm
{ Very difficult and didn't enjoy it at all. Even working... } – 23 May, 4:38 pm
{ I rarely say this but I did not enjoy this... } – 23 May, 4:22 pm
{ Did you notice the answer in 14D also references the... } – 23 May, 3:07 pm
{ I meant to say that, amongst so many delightful clues,... } – 23 May, 2:34 pm
{ Thank you, problem of being another expat but no excuse... } – 23 May, 5:03 pm
{ The Shard is a new, very tall glass and steel... } – 23 May, 3:57 pm
{ I liked this better than the cryptic today. It was... } – 23 May, 2:46 pm
{ Are both this and the back page really by the... } – 23 May, 2:17 pm { Perhaps the envelopes got mixed up today. Enjoyable but certainly... } – 23 May, 1:58 pm
{ Probably the easiest Petitjean puzzle I have ever solved, nevertheless... } – 23 May, 1:50 pm
Admin (135)
Antony and Cleopatra (3)
Batman and Robin (1)
Big Dave (1214)
bufo (142)
crypticsue (218)
Deep Threat (25)
Digby (14)
Falcon (32)
Fred and Ginger (3)
gazza (633)
gnomethang (150)
Jon88 (2)
Libellule (228)
Prolixic (146)
scchua (38)
tilsit (186)
Click here & select Favorites to Bookmark in your browser