Big Dave's Crossword Blog – Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English

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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”

Sunday Toughie 231 (Hints)

Sunday Toughie No 231

by Beam

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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After Thursday I was hoping, but we haven’t seen a Robyn here in Sunday Toughie land since #175, 1st June 2025, over a year ago; however, Beam is a more than adequate replacement.  The daunting castellated grid (nice description, ALP) soon filled itself as I watched a slightly laboured performance of England last night. I was able to turn in before Keane and Neville had their say.

14a and 14d clues and I have hinted half. Beam trademarks are there, under six words per single word solutions, no anagrams, Queens, sweethearts, and initialisms, although we have been spared a trip to the lingerie department today.

I can’t hint them all, but will try and give a nudge if you ask

 

Here we go, Folks…

Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 231 (Hints)”

EV 1753 (Hints)

Enigmatic Variations 1753 (Hints)

Tomfoolery by Curmudgeon

Hints and tips by Gabriel

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Gemini wasn’t very helpful – basically, rewrote the preamble as a structured list (it loves organising information but isn’t it  supposed to make it useful as well?). Continue reading

ST 3375 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3375 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where today begins a ‘run’ of three ‘close together’ blogging milestones for me which will end in mid-September.  Today is my 600th blog overall – around 80% Sundays and the rest SPPs and weekday back pagers except for, as far as I can recall, and reworking a film title from 1960 starring Melina Mercouri, Never on Monday.

Another new, for me, meteorological term – Western Canada is under a Rex Block; don’t ask me to explain it as I have no idea other than we can expect thunderstorms today and tomorrow!  Life was so much easier when Michael Fish mistakenly denied the existence of a hurricane!

For me, and I stress for me,© after a number of symmetric weeks Dada asymmetrically quite friendly today with one long ‘un, eight anagrams with three partials, one lurker (with one of the usual indicators), and one homophone, all in an asymmetric 29 clues; with 15 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid 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!

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!

Continue reading “ST 3375 (Hints)”

DT 31271 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31271

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 20th June 2026

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. A nice and straightforward Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback. Continue reading “DT 31271 (Full Review)”