Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
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Toughie No 3769 by Beam
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
Whybird is abroad on work-related matters this week so I’m standing in for him.
Continue reading “Toughie 3769”
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
A slightly dreary start to the day here in Harpenden but the rain isn’t due to arrive until later this evening so may take advantage of the fact that my new golf course is on the doorstep & play a few holes this afternoon.
After last week’s considerably trickier than usual Tuesday offering this one is an unmistakably gentle Anthony Plumb production that I felt was on a par with Heron’s puzzle yesterday in terms of difficulty. Though I enjoyed the solve & there were some neat surfaces it perhaps wasn’t the Prof at his sparkling best in my view so it’ll be interesting to see what others make of it.
Gazza is subbing for Whybird over in t’other place where Ray T is on duty with a fairly gentle & very enjoyable Beamer that is well worth a look at.
As usual there is a selection of music to enjoy or ignore.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from Ottawa, where there is no doubt that fall has arrived and the autumn leaves can be seen in their full splendour. In Canada, we interchangeably use the terms fall (a term that apparently was once in use in the UK and brought to North America by early British settlers) and autumn (seemingly a word of French origin that appears to have totally supplanted the word fall in the UK to the point that Brits think fall is an Americanism).
Fortunately, today’s challenge was not too difficult as I was labouring to complete it while distracted by other matters. I suspect it may be the work of Heron; I should know in the morning (it’s still Sunday evening in Ottawa as I write this) as she usually claims ownership of her puzzles on Bluesky.
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.
Enigmatic Variations 1767 (Hints)
GREAT LEADERS by VISMUT
Hints and tips by Gabriel / Jpeg
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Gemini wasn’t much help this time – though it did cough up the homily that “Chambers (2016) is your Bible” (request to the editors: please work with the AI companies and make all your content available to them!).… Continue reading
Sunday Toughie No 245
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I found this from proXimal at the tougher end of my ability spectrum, not because of the Spooner that fell early doors, but one of the compound anagrams had a tricky to spot definition in the middle. I was on the verge of phoning a friend just before the penny dropped!
I hope you have an easier time than I did, but I will try and give a nudge if you ask.
The brass bands on Wetherby Ings are finished for the season, so even if we have a blue sky today, Mama Bee and I won’t be going far
Here we go, Folks…
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where the word FR*ST is beginning to appear in weather forecasts and reports!
For me, and I stress for me,© same as last week, Dada very friendly once I had cracked two or three clues. Four long ‘uns, six anagrams (two partials), one lurker, and two homophones, all in a symmetric 32 clues; with 16 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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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty ****** – Enjoyment *****
Anyone else solve the first two clues straight away and hope that we might have Elgar wearing his pink fluffy slippers this week? No such luck – this Friday Toughie was as diabolically tough as ever!