Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
I was excited to hear on Capital Radio this morning that Beyoncé is to work with Big Dave. Then I was disappointed to find out that it’s not our Big Dave. Maybe that’s why I made somewhat heavy weather of this puzzle. I’m not sure that I fully understood all the clues but it was an enjoyable puzzle and fair enough.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
This looks like a second consecutive Thursday puzzle by Ray T. Single word clues in the Quick crossword and single word answers in both puzzles are usually a good indication. What is missing is the occasional risqué clue!
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment *****
The ability to find out on-line the identity of the Toughie setter the evening before publication is excellent, particularly when it allows one to look forward to a puzzle by the wonderful Micawber. I enjoyed this immensely when I solved it and just as much again when I wrote the review. Let us know what you thought of it in a comment and please remember to grade it for enjoyment by clicking on one of the stars below.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Apologies for being a little late this morning but there has been something of a panic in the pommers household! I got the clues for this last night but not the grid. Telegraph puzzles wouldn’t let me in this morning so I started trying to solve it ‘cold’! Managed about half before Gnomethang came to the rescue so many thanks to him! I’d never have got some of these without the checking letters. Then to cap it all I lost my internet connection for about half an hour!
The usual excellent Wednesday puzzle (presumably from Jay) which I can’t say I’ve done justice to because of the problems.
I’m sure you will enjoy it more than I did – think I’ll go for a lie down now!
Update 10:40 – the problem appears to have been resolved.
There are problems logging on to the Telegraph Puzzles site. This is under investigation, so there is no need to join the hundreds who have already phoned in this morning!
This will result in a delay in publishing today’s review – please be patient.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
I noticed while solving this puzzle that the answers included a number of alcoholic drinks, but failed, until it was pointed out, to notice that they were all around the periphery of the puzzle, hence the clue for 4 down.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Libellule is once more enmeshed in work problems so you’ve got me again today. I suspect (though as usual on Tuesdays I’m not sure) that this is a Shamus puzzle [ Shamus has let us know that it is not one of his – see comment #1 – so it’s down to the Mysteron ] which looked as though it was going to be a pangram (specially after I’d got 13a and 20a) but just missed out. It does have a large number of anagrams (I always think that there are too many if I have to take my socks off to count them!) and the grid is very “cornery”. Let us know what you thought in a comment.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Libellule is up to his eyes in work this morning, sorting out a problem for one of his customers, so I’m sitting in for him (as all the best radio jocks say!) and he’ll reciprocate tomorrow.
I thought that this puzzle was towards the harder end of Rufus’s range. There are loads of cryptic clues and it’s very entertaining. A comment with your views would be welcome.
The answers are concealed between the curly brackets under the clues. Drag your cursor through the space to reveal one.
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As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them.
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A warm welcome to our latest Saturday Setter. A blogger blogging a blogger turned setter needs to be careful in what he says. Fortunately Retiarius has made an excellent debut with this nicely themed crossword so there is no need to sharpen the pencil.
Continue reading “NTSPP – 059 (Review)”