Big Dave's Crossword Blog

DT 26780 (Hints)

Big Dave — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:00:54 +0000

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26780 (Hints)

Big Dave's Crossword Club

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As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, an assortment of clues, including some of the more difficult ones, have been selected and hints provided for them.

Toughie 714

Jon88 — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:22 +0000

Toughie No 714 by Elgar

The Big Picture

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BD Rating - Difficulty ***** - Enjoyment *****

Greetings from New York City, where your reporter has now learned four new words, thanks to today's offering from Elgar.

ST 2624

crypticsue — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:57 +0000

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2624

A full review by Crypticsue

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BD Rating - Difficulty ** - Enjoyment ***

Approaching this prize puzzle the morning after my visit to London for the cruciverbalists’ convention/blog birthday party, I was very pleased to note that Virgilius had been kind this week (well I found him so anyway). Another very enjoyable Sunday cryptic, my favourites being highlighted in blue.

DT 26779

gazza — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:27 +0000

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26779

Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

After yesterday’s excitement we have a more traditional offering today. The main problem I had with this one was that the grid really makes it into four separate puzzles, so that having completed one corner you have to start again with another. Give us your views in a comment.

DT 26774

gnomethang — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:39 +0000

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26774

A full review by gnomethang

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***

Morning All!. I’m being short and sweet this week with the review as I have to prepare for my upcoming birthday (today!). A funny old puzzle today – there were about 5 clues that have been kicking around for years and a few more that really made people think. All in all I found it a good enough test for a Saturday puzzle.

Toughie 713

bufo — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:56:18 +0000

Toughie No 713 by Giovanni

Not Abaddon

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BD Rating - Difficulty **** - Enjoyment ****

This was trickier than your average Giovanni Toughie (but maybe not as tricky as the back page puzzle). It was an enjoyable puzzle and, as always with a Giovanni puzzle, the clues were perfectly fair. I did waste time trying to justify a couple of incorrect answers but eventually saw the light and inserted the correct answers.

DT 26778

Big Dave — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:06:07 +0000

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26778

Hints and tips by Big Dave

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BD Rating - Difficulty ***** - Enjoyment *****

I had heard a rumour that Elgar was returning to the back page after a long absence and if this isn't it I'll eat my 18 across. Although this is not as beastly as some of his Toughies, most of his usual tricks are to be found here. I know that some are going to find this difficult, but all of the clues can be solved with perseverance.

Toughie 712

gazza — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:21:42 +0000

Toughie No 712 by Micawber

Just what the doctor ordered

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

A puzzle by Micawber is the very thing to cheer me up on a freezing winter’s morning. This is not one of his more difficult ones but is excellent entertainment.

DT 26777

pommers — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:47:18 +0000

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26777

Hints and tips by pommers

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BD Rating - Difficulty ** - Enjoyment ****

Hola from the Vega Baja. Another treat from Jay which I found both tricky and amusing in places. A 2* solving time (but very close to 3*) but the variation in difficulty between the clues is quite large, similar to last week’s puzzle. There seem to be quite a lot of "take the first and/or last letter" type of clues this week but no substitution clue.

Toughie 711

Big Dave — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:55:25 +0000

Toughie No 711 by Busman

The wheels on the bus go round and round

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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ****

Busman returns to the Toughie fold after a nine-month absence with an excellent puzzle. I have complained in the past about some of his puzzles being too easy, but this one hits the right level for a Tuesday puzzle.

DT 26776

gazza — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:00:09 +0000

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26776

Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***

Last Tuesday’s puzzle inspired a volley of complaints about its difficulty but I’m pretty sure that we won’t have the same reaction today. This one is a bit of a pussycat but it’s ideal for those trying to get to grips with what cryptic crosswords are all about. Let us know how you got on.

DT 26775

Digby — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:45:56 +0000

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26775

Hints and tips by Digby

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BD Rating - Difficulty ** - Enjoyment ***

I get to review another Monday Rufus today, while Mme. Libellule’s recuperation continues. This one was typical of what we have come to expect – light and breezy, with nothing to get heated about. Enjoy it, and let us know what you think.

ST 2624 (Hints)

Big Dave — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:30:59 +0000

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2624 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Big Dave

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Many thanks for all the marvellous comments yesterday - I was able to read several of them during the festivities.

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the more difficult clues and provide hints for them.

NTSPP – 103 (Review)

Prolixic — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:00:25 +0000

Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 103

A Puzzle by Alchemi

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Bigging It Up

Welcome back to Alchemi with a fun filled feast of anagrams (15) and other clues. The review is a little brief as I am heading off for the Cruciverbalists’ Convention (aka drinking) at the Bridge House.

Happy Birthday

Prolixic — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:48:51 +0000

Filed under: Crosswords

NTSPP – 103

Admin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:00:37 +0000

Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle - 103

A Puzzle by Alchemi

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Welcome to the latest in our series of weekly puzzles.

This week we have another excellent puzzle by Alchemi.

DT 26774 (Hints)

Big Dave — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:00:21 +0000

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26774 (Hints)

Big Dave's Crossword Club

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Three years ago today I set up this blog, and the first post was published the following day - some hints for Toughie 86. Since then we have seen over 5,000,000 page views, with a record daily total of 10,504 a week ago today. There have been 2,375 posts published and a further 175 static pages. To say that this has far exceeded my wildest dreams is an understatement. I could not have done it without the the help of the fabulous team of bloggers, some of whom have been with me since early 2009.

I will be at the he Bridge House in Westbourne Terrace Road, London W2 all day, where I expect to be joined by Elgar, Jetdoc, Crypticsue, Prolixic and Gnomethang, so if you live nearby why not come along and join us. I am hoping that some hints might be added throughout the day, but you can always ask for help by leaving a comment.

Toughie 710

tilsit — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:07:16 +0000

Toughie No 710 by Osmosis

Gnisrever hcum ooT!

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BD Rating - Difficulty ***** - Enjoyment ****

Greetings from the Calder Valley. Today's Friday Fiend is Osmosis who produces some of the most challenging Toughies, and today's is no exception. This is quite a beast of a puzzle and I struggled for a while to get a foothold after entering a couple of answers wrongly (IN TUNE at 20 down and KINDLE at 21 ac). However perseverance paid off and things fell into place. Osmosis (and his other guise of Scorpion in the Indy) puzzles are notable for their detailed constructs which can be rather convoluted. This for me sometimes spoils things for me as it means the clue looks slightly forced and the pudding somewhat over-egged. There were a lot of reversals today as well. Having to rely on the unchecked letters to solve a clue, as happened with a couple of clues today because the definition and indications are very very obscure or vague, is not to me a fair way of puzzle-solving. I feel a heated debate coming on tomorrow!

ST 2623

gnomethang — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:36 +0000

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2623

A full review by Gnomethang

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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ****

Afternoon All! I have recently flown through these reviews due to work commitments and today was no exception. Having attempted to slow down and smell the roses I must urge anyone reading this to look at these clues in isolation and marvel at the superb surface readings that make perfect sense and mostly either perfectly define the answer or else completely mislead. Wonderful stuff!

DT 26773

gazza — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:00:13 +0000

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26773

Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Giovanni periodically provides a puzzle which is easier than normal and this one will probably come as a relief to those who have struggled this week. I breezed through most of it and then slowed down a bit in the SW corner. Let us know how you fared.