Site Update
Update (August 2nd) We have asked for the site to be moved at 4pm today (Wednesday). It’s possible that the site may appear to be offline for some readers while the new location of the site propagates across the internet. If that happens rest assured that the interruption will be temporary, and https://bigdave44.com will soon be back online.
Original Post: Big Dave’s family, in particular his sister Carol, have very generously made it possible for caretakers crypticsue, Gazza, Mr K, and Prolixic to keep BD’s site operating so that the community he created will live on and so that current and future cryptic crossword solvers can benefit from the wonderful resource he created.
We need to set up a new hosting agreement for the site because the arrangements that BD had in place are expiring. The changeover should happen around 6pm BST today (Wednesday July 26th). The hosting service tell us that the move should be seamless, but it is possible that the site might go offline temporarily.
When the site is running smoothly again, we will try to restore the features, such as email notifications of new content, that were lost when subscriptions to the relevant services expired.
What sad news. I feel sure Big Dave’s name will live on into eternity judging by the popularity of the Comments section of the blog, particularly the “asides” which have given me as much enjoyment as the main purpose of the site. I thought the end of the world had come when I scanned through my emails on Sunday looking for the usual help (usually badly needed) and I realised there was a significant void in my inbox. Only perseverance has brought me to this spot!
Good luck with the restoration work going on now. The final objective will be gratefully received, and any hiccups will have all my sympathy and understanding. GOOD LUCK!!!
Sad news? It’s brilliant! Good luck to everyone
I stumbled across this site 6 months ago when I renewed my interest in cryptic crosswords after a break of 20 years. It’s been invaluable to me in helping break down the clues. An excellent source of reference. Keep up the good work everyone.
Welcome to the blog, Billy.
Thanks.
Good to hear the site will continue and huge thanks to crypticsue, Gazza, Mr K and Prolixic for taking the task on.
A fitting tribute to Big Dave.
Hear, hear!
And the tiger!
Could not agree more, I cannot imagine being without this wonderful community of cruciverbalists. Enormous thanks to the Fabulous Four. .
Untold gratitude to the great Quartet.
Keeping this site going is indeed a most fitting tribute to Big Dave. How very kind of Carol and the family to allow its continuation. To them my warmest thanks.
My most appreciative thanks too to crypticsue, Gazza, Mr K and Prolixic for their selfless devotion and expertise. Like so many others, I would be lost without this site.
Absolutely agree! My thanks to all as well.
Hear Hear and thank you
Thank you to Carol and Dave’s family for their generosity, and so much to the Fab Four for putting the work in to keeping this site running. Best wishes for the switchover.
A big thanks to all for keeping this must have site going.
We are so fortunate in having our four site caretakers who are working hard to ensure the continuation of the blog that BD set up to assist Telegraph solvers. Having met Carol, BD’s sister, at several of the ‘birthday bashes’ I know that she is fully aware of how much the site means to us and it doesn’t surprise me at all that she has done her best to facilitate access to BD’s records in order that the blog may live on.
A big thank you to Sue, Prolixic, Gaza and Mr K (the IT magician!) for all that you have and continue to do on our behalf.
You said it all, Jane!
Very many thanks to all of you workers and to Carol too. Long may BD’s memory lives on…
Thank you Carol and family for allowing this super site to continue, and thanks to the Board of Executives and bloggers for their hard work.
Here’s hoping tonight’s update goes smoothly.
Thanks to all involved … the dedication and enthusiasm of you all is a fine tribute to Big Dave.
Excellent news. Many thanks to BD’s family and to the hard-working four who have been doing a sterling job.
Excellent news. I have learnt so much through this site over the years and it has helped going from complete novice to if not an expert a regular solver. Keep up the great work!
Thank you to all who have generously made it possible for this wonderful site to continue and to all those who do so much behind the scenes to provide the hints on a daily basis.
How very kind of Carol and other family members of Big Dave to keep this site running. My warmest thanks to all of them. My special thanks and best wishes also to crypticsue, Gazza, Mr K and Prolixic for their utmost dedication and endeavours in this regard.
We’ve now completed all the paperwork, but the actual move may not happen until Thursday.
Thank you for your hard work, Mr. K ,
Thanks for that Steve. We all appreciate all the positive comments made on this post.
The move still hasn’t happened, which means there is still a possibility that the site may go offline temporarily at some point in the next few days.
Margaret and I will continue to take a lot of pleasure from Big Dave’s creation. Our great thanks to everyone involved with maintaining the pages!
A huge thank you to Carol and the family for making it possible to continue this wonderful site, this great legacy left by Big Dave.
Many thanks also to The Caretakers who over the last couple of months have done so much to keep it all together.
Thank you to everyone involved in maintaining Big Dave’s excellent crossword site.
Good news indeed !
There must be very many who, like me, rarely post but derive so much pleasure from this community. I’m sure we would all echo the gratitude expressed to all those involved in keeping this little light burning for the rest of us.
I had seen mention of it but for some reason only today have read this confirmation of the takeover of the site. What great news that the dear departed Big Dave’s legacy will continue uninterrupted – thank you to BD’s family for facilitating the change and to the “Fab Four” and good luck to them for the continuing success of Big Dave 44. 🌈 💐 🤞.
Thank the Gods that there are people who will give up their free time to ensure that we will continue to be able to access this excellent site. I can safely say that my cruciverbalistic skills have improved greatly since being pointed to Big Dave’s site from an article in the Daily Mail(?) about Rufus a few years ago. Mazel tov to all involved.
I just want to echo the previous comments and add my heartfelt thanks to BD, his family and all those who keep this fantastic blog going. I have learnt so much over the last few years – it’s the one web page that I never close down! Long live BD44 😊
My sincere thanks to all concerned. I may comment only infrequently but the site has been a godsend ever since I first happened upon it a few years ago.
Yay, all is up and running again! Congratulations to MrK and all those involved in the successful migration of the site, and thanks once again to Carol and the family.
Thanks to everyone, and particularly MrK for making the transition to new hosting as smooth as it was. I personally found it seamless
Thank you to everyone involved, a brilliant blog which we use every day. So grateful it is continuing 😊
Thankyou so much our fabulous four. You’re all brilliant!
Bit late but I am so pleased the site will continue. I rarely post but use the site frequently as discovered the DT crossword fairly late in life and enjoy ‘words’–Ive certainly learned a few new ones!
suze