Today’s hints and tips by Big Dave + – + BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **** + – + You can always rely on Shamus to set a challenging crossword, but one that is solvable with a little patience. One or two trickier answers and some even trickier wordplay made this another very enjoyable puzzle.
Monthly Archives: March 2009
DT Cryptic No 25890
March 31, 2009 – 12:01 am
Today’s hints and tips by Gazza + – + BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment *** + – + I had a sense of déjà vu when doing this puzzle since many of the answers seemed to have cropped up recently! It’s a typical Tuesday puzzle – nothing too complicated or tricky.
News about Tilsit
March 30, 2009 – 1:34 pm
News about Tilsit + – + I have had a message from Tilsit to say that at the moment he is feeling much better, but it looks like it is going to be a week or so before he is allowed home. Any comments left on this post will end up in his mailbox, so feel free to pass your message on to him. BD
DT Cryptic No 25889
March 30, 2009 – 12:01 am
Get your week off the ground with this typical DT cryptic + – + BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment *** + – + Monday’s puzzles are usually relatively easy, and satisfyingly lacking in obscure or tenuous clues. Today’s is no exception.
ST Cryptic No 2477 – Hints
March 29, 2009 – 12:01 am
Selected hints by Big Dave + – + BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **** + – + I now look forward to the Sunday puzzle, and this one didn’t disappoint.
DT Cryptic No 25888 – Hints
March 28, 2009 – 12:01 am
Selected hints by Big Dave + – + BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ** + – + Lesser known places make an unwelcome return, along with a woman’s name – another of my pet hates. The usual few hints to get you started.
We will get Peter Biddlecombe’s view on this puzzle, in his full review – to be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 2nd April
Toughie No 119
March 27, 2009 – 12:02 am
Today’s hints and tips by Big Dave + – + BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment *** + – + Tilsit was due to review today’s Toughie, but he was rushed into hospital on Monday. He had still hoped to be able to do this review as he didn’t want to disappoint his new fans. I am sure you will all be joining me in wishing him a speedy recovery. This means that I am a fair bit behind today, so I have posted the answers for viewing while I am writing the review.
DT Cryptic No 25887
March 27, 2009 – 12:01 am
Hints and tips by Big Dave + – + BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment *** + – + Libellule is on holiday this week – he did the Wednesday review instead. I can see why he likes these Friday puzzles. This one is on the easy side, but at the same time a pleasure to complete. A couple of the down clues may be a bit of a problem, but the rest is very straightforward.
ST Cryptic No 2476 – Review
March 26, 2009 – 12:02 pm
A full analysis by Big Dave + – + BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment **** + – + A hardish crossword, but the improvement in the Sunday puzzles continues.
DT Cryptic No 25882 – Review
March 26, 2009 – 12:00 pm
A full analysis by Peter Biddlecombe + – + BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ** + – + Another strange grid – if you don’t get the 15-letter answers, this is four separate crosswords, with uneven checking – the 9-letter answers are underchecked (4 of 9) and the 3s and 15s are overchecked – 3/3 and 9/15. And of course, the 4/5/7/8/10/…-letter words can’t come out to play.
Lots of the clues seem like gentle puns rather than really cryptic clues, and several of the more cryptic ones use words/definitions so close together that the clue is very easy or might lead to more than one answer
Toughie No 118
March 26, 2009 – 12:02 am
Relatively easy despite some long answers + – + BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment *** + – + I made steady progress through this puzzle, and the one long word was soon revealed by the checking letters (together with Chamber’s online); this could have been a little difficult look up if you were doing this on the 7.55 to 3 down!
DT Cryptic No 25886
March 26, 2009 – 12:01 am
Today’s hints and tips by Gazza + – + BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment *** + – + A typical Thursday puzzle with some interesting clues but not too taxing.
Toughie No 117
March 25, 2009 – 12:02 am
Hints and tips by Gazza + – + BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment *** + – + I thought that this Toughie was somewhat easier than usual. Of course these views are totally subjective, and if you think differently please let us know via a comment.
DT Cryptic No 25885
March 25, 2009 – 12:01 am
Hints and tips by Libellule + – + BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment *** + – + A very enjoyable crossword today with a good variety of clues. By that I found that both the variety of types of clues and the complexity of clues was very well balanced.
Toughie No 116
March 24, 2009 – 12:02 am
Another very enjoyable Toughie + – + BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment *** + – + A strong start, getting both 1a and 1d immediately, and I thought I was on a roll. I got a bit lost in the middle and then it all fell into place towards the end.
Click here & select Favorites to Bookmark in your browser
Admin
Big Dave
bufo
crypticsue
Digby
Falcon
gazza
gnomethang
Jon88
Libellule
pommers
Prolixic
tilsit