Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
Messinae is Richard Palmer. He is also known as Merlin.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
An enjoyable puzzle with a number of good clues of which 1a stood out for me. The Toughies are supposed to get harder as the week progresses but for me this was less tricky than yesterday’s puzzle so the system may have broken down this week – do you agree?… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****/*****
|
This was a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle with a number of chuckle-inducing clues (including one at 10a which I would have expected to find in Private Eye but probably not in the straitlaced Telegraph). |
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
I’ve given this puzzle four stars for difficulty because although I didn’t have any great difficulty in coming up with the right answers I did struggle to understand the full ramifications of a few clues (notably 19a and 27a).… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
This took me exactly the same time to solve as the inside back-pager and so, for me anyway, that crossword’s 4.5* rating equates to a Toughie rating of 1* for this one.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **/***
Although there were a number of clues that I liked there were also a number of niggles for me here so I’ve removed half a star from the enjoyment score.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
There are a number of gimmes in this puzzle which make it one of the less ‘tough’ Toughies. I wasn’t greatly enamoured with it during the solving process but my enjoyment grew as I wrote the hints.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ***
Thanks to Messinae for a pleasant and fairly gentle puzzle. I would have given it two stars for difficulty but my struggle with 5d (see below) earned it an extra half star.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Either Messinae has cranked up his difficulty level or my little grey cells are disappearing faster than I thought. This was a proper Toughie and I enjoyed my joust with it – thanks to Messinae.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **
This didn’t put up much of a fight and it doesn’t have a great deal in the way of sparkle.
Thanks Messinae – I hope others got more entertainment from the puzzle.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
This is a relatively gentle Toughie with a few literary allusions. I enjoyed it. Thanks to Messinae.
Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle.… Continue reading