Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
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.
If this is your first time, or for more information about this site, please click on Continue reading “Welcome”
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Toughie difficulty **+ – Enjoyment *****
Somewhat of a tour de force from Prime today: smartly studded with pith and wit. It took me a moment to find my stride but, from then on, this was a fair and fizzy romp. I loved it. Over to you.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***/****.
After a couple of bright & unseasonably warm days it’s pretty dreary & miserable looking here in Harpenden so very much doubt I’ll be venturing far.
Shabbo is away to visit his mum but I do know it’s the opening night of a beer festival that is run by his brother so I expect a pint or two or three will be enjoyed. Anyway you’re stuck with me & I was more than happy to get a pretty gentle Ray T puzzle to blog. He has been a bit sneaky with his sweethearts but other than the music genre nothing really obscure. As you would expect impeccably clued & perfectly enjoyable.
As ever there are an assortment of tunes to accompany the (hopefully correct for a change) hints.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
Toughie No 3578 by Silvanus
Hints and tips by Gazza
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
I’m sitting in (as all the best DJs used to say, and possibly still do) for CS today and I’ve drawn a very enjoyable midweek Toughie, not too tricky but with a couple of things to keep us on our toes. Many thanks to Silvanus.
Continue reading “Toughie 3578”
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
A very good Wednesday morning from Winnipeg.
For me, etc© (I have to say that for Terence), somewhat of a challenge. I am not very good at ‘guessing the setter’ on a Wednesday but I am inclined to consider that this is the work of Twmbarlwm.
Sunday Toughie No 196 by proXimal
Review by Sloop John Bee
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on the 26th of October 2025
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 26th October 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
Toughie No 3577 by Donnybrook
Hints and tips by Whybird
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ***/**** – Enjoyment *****
Welcome to the Toughie Week! Well, the hawfinches might not have been obliging, but RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands has delivered a very showy bittern and a closing time/dusk glossy ibis so not all of my feathered friends are avoiding me.
This is very much a Toughie from Donnybrook, to whom many thanks for the challenge. I did double-check the top right corner of the newspaper, and it assures me that it actually is a Tuesday today. There are a few “gimmes” to get things rolling, and whilst there is a chunk of general knowledge that I didn’t have to hand, the clues are all clear and precise; many are very clever indeed. My podium places today go to 2d, 3d and 8d, with 23a and 6d getting very honourable mentions.
Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
I am taking a short break from the blog – I’m being “sent” to Tokyo for work, and then taking the opportunity to go chasing cranes, owls and eagles. Shabbo has kindly volunteered to craft the blog for the next two Tuesdays, so thanks very much to him for that.
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31075
Hints and tips by Shabbo
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
Don’t worry, you haven’t lost a couple of days. I can confirm that it is definitely Tuesday today. Huntsman has kindly agreed to swap blogging days this week, as I am away on Thursday.
I really enjoyed this puzzle. I found it to be a straightforward solve, but it has some lovely smooth and humorous surfaces, proving once again that a puzzle does not have to be difficult to be enjoyable. My ticks are for 12a, 1d, 3d, 18d and 25d, but I could have listed many more. Which clues did you like?
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.
Many thanks to our setter and to the DT Crossword Team.
Hello and welcome to hints and explanations for today’s Telegraph Crossword. No obscure vocabulary in this one, so I think those who are good at anagrams will find it quite gentle.
It’s the end of the school half-term holidays here, which have featured a wedding anniversary weekend away in Alnwick (the 8-course tasting menu in Sonnet was wonderful), doing a tree-top ropes course with relatives, getting the children to so many children’s dance rehearsals I lost count (at least some of which were actually at the advertised times), running a tots-to-teens board games afternoon at our church, and seeing Matilda the Musical — which was one of the best things I’ve ever seen on stage, and well worth experiencing if it’s on near you. This morning we waved the 11-year-old off on a 3-day residential trip for their first year at secondary school, a mere 3 months after their previous residential trip to mark the end of primary school!