BD’s XVIth Birthday
25th January 2025
The Bridge House
13 Westbourne Terrace Road, Maida Vale, London W2 6NG
Now that Elgars Double Toughie perimeter message has revealed the venue I can remind you of the Sixteenth Birthday Bash
The Blog will celebrate its sixteenth birthday next January 28th, 2025. With help from the Guardians of the Blog (Cryptic Sue, MrK, Gazza, and Prolixic) and John and Jane “Elgar,” I am reviving the Big Dave Birthday Bash and want to bring it to the attention of as many of you as possible.
Continue reading “Big Dave’s 16th Birthday Bash”
Welcome to Big Dave’s Crossword Blog
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You have reached the world’s biggest and best crossword blog. If you are looking for help with the Daily and Sunday Telegraph cryptic crosswords or the Enigmatic Variations advanced cryptic, a total of 13 puzzles a week, then you have come to the right place.
If this is your first time, or for more information about this site, please click on Continue reading “Welcome”
52.254523-2.266838
A Puzzle by Buddy
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Continue reading "NTSPP 780"
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30827 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)
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Continue reading “DT 30827 (Hints)”
Toughie No 3412 by Osmosis
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment ****
Many thanks to Osmosis for what I found to be a pretty tricky puzzle with his usual clever wordplay and no anagrams. I had some difficulty in deciding what to underline for a few clues.
Continue reading “Toughie 3412”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30821
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 11th January 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A fairly straightforward and entertaining Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and valuable response.
Continue reading “DT 30821 (full review)”
Toughie No 3411 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Karla has upped the difficulty level a bit from his last Toughie but this is still relatively straightforward, albeit with a couple of words that I didn’t know. I enjoyed solving the puzzle – thanks Karla.
Continue reading “Toughie 3411”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30825
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
There I was thinking that perhaps we had a different compiler today, when I came across our setter’s calling cards, confirming that it is indeed our regular alternate Thursday master of brevity (5.2 words/clue). A most enjoyable puzzle, with my joint CoD going to 24a and 9d. A couple of definitions that I needed to check, but otherwise nothing to frighten the runners at 23d. Three “men” appear in 30a, 2d and 7d (all clued differently, of course) and there are only three anagrams to get your teeth into.
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle. Please also try to be positive – it’s only a bit of fun.
Thank you setter.
Continue reading “DT 30825”
EV1676
Snack Time by The Ace of Hearts
Solution
Continue reading “EV1676 (Solution)”
Toughie No 3410 by Stick Insect
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty <* – Enjoyment ***
Continue reading “Toughie 3410”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30824
Hints and tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ****
A very good Wednesday morning from Winnipeg where the temperature roller coaster continues – yesterday it was minus 20-something all day and today we might get above zero for several hours.… Continue reading