Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
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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.
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from Ottawa, where we have been enjoying a warmer than normal autumn although the weather is taking us on a bit of a roller coaster ride with record-setting temperatures in the mid-twenties one day followed by single digit readings the next.
On Wednesday, we will mark Remembrance Day in Canada. In Ottawa, it is a custom to place one’s commemorative poppy on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier following the ceremony at the Cenotaph.
I found today’s puzzle a bit challenging to complete although I couldn’t understand why in retrospect while composing the hints. I think having had a restless sleep the night before combined with getting a late start on the puzzle combined to put me off my game.
To me, it doesn’t feel like a Her on Monday creation but I’ll check Bluesky in the morning to be sure.
In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.
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Sunday Toughie No 250
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Twm/Light has given me a lot of musical opportunities and I have taken quite a few. I have spoilered quite a lot of them so only click if you want to see the answer.
The acrosses in the NW corner slowed me last night. I am cowed by the recoil from thinking that the seaboard status of Liverpool and a reversal of Oliver Hardy led me to think Portillo was a socialist!
I hope you find the checkers to cross the line too, but as usual I will try and give a nudge if asked.
Here we go, Folks…
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The nicknames given to professional darts players encompass the trivial (‘Chizzy’ for Dave Chisnall and ‘Webby’ for Mark Webster), the distinctly unsubtle (‘Voltage’ for former electrician Rob Cross and ‘The Flying Scotsman’ for Musselburgh’s Gary Anderson, albeit something of an upgrade on his previous moniker, ‘Dreamboy’), and the plain weird (‘Darth Maple’ for Canadian John Part).
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg. Thanks to Huntsman for subbing on Thursday while I was away on an unexpected enjoyable travel event. Slightly shorter than planned otherwise you would be ‘seeing’ Cryptic Sue again today.
For me, and I stress for me,© – lateral thinking required! Three anagrams (one partial), two lurkers (not hinted, so don’t forget the ‘if all else fails look for . . .’), and no homophones, all in a symmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, all BRB verified where necessary, you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand! You might even need your favourite e-search ‘assistant’!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!
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Toughie No 3788 by Luxor
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment ***
Luxor has given us a proper Friday-level Toughie upping the difficulty since her last outing. I found it daunting on first reading through the clues but I gained a foothold at the bottom and worked my way upwards to complete the grid with several visits to the BRB en route.
Many thanks to Luxor for the enjoyable challenge.
Continue reading “Toughie 3788”
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ***
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. Continue reading "DT 31390"
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This puzzle was published on 31st October 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A truly fantastic Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback. Continue reading “31385 (Full Review)”
