April 29th: Another update from Jane herself a few days ago. There is some progress but it is slow and she hopes that the considerable number of daily tablets are being effective. Mobility has been affected by two and half months in a hospital bed and she will be having physio to address this. She is being looked after by one of her daughters and regular visits from the district nurses.
Welcome
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.
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DT 31234
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31234
Hints and tips by Mr K
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ****
Hello, everyone, and welcome to a fun Friday puzzle. Continue reading "DT 31234"
DT 31229 (Full Review)
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31229
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 2nd May 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A brilliant 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 31229 (Full Review)”
Toughie 3683
Toughie No 3683 by Bandit
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty ** – Enjoyment *****
Crackerjack. Bandit’s taken some big swings here with brio and invention. They didn’t all (quite) land for me, but most did. And one has to applaud such welcome novelty: smart, fair wordplay and some sparky definitions. SO refreshing.
I didn’t find this too tricky as 1a’s slight quirk set the tone from the off – it’s always a glorious sign when the first clue does that. Get on the setter’s wavelength early on, lap up a couple of gimmes and you’re away.
Added to which, he’s enabled me to self-indulgently clip G. Love, Rocky, Dury, Withnail, Loudon, Ivor, the Tour de France AND a spot of boss reggae … that’s a full house! So it could only be a fiver from me. With – I trust – 3ds at hand, the floor is yours.
DT 31233
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31233
Hints and Tips by Senf
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment *****
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where it is still cool, in fact cool enough for occasional fluffy white precipitation but it is melting on contact with the ground.
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), once again not half of a Dream Team Thursday, Bandit on duty for their third(?) Toughie, but no doubt that this is the work of a very benevolent Master of Brevity and there is not an error in my Difficulty rating. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and appearances from the Queen and his swEetheart appearing in the back pager with an average of exactly 5 words per clue. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
EV 1744 (Solution)
Toughie 3682
Toughie No 3682 by Django
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
DT 31232
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31232
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***/**** Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. I found today’s puzzle to be quite tricky – a midweek mind-mangler – but it was a very satisfying solve. Amongst a plethora of excellent clues, my podium picks are 20a, 23a, 27d and my favourite, the weary threesome in 16a. I also enjoyed the Quickie pun. Many thanks to our setter.
Sunday Toughie 222 (Review)
Sunday Toughie No 222 by Light
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on 26th April 2026 Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 222 (Review)”
ST 3366 (Full Review)
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3366
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 26th April 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. I quite friendly puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and now I present to you a full review of his puzzle. Hope to have your valuable feedback and comments. Continue reading “ST 3366 (Full Review)”
Toughie 3681
Toughie No 3681 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by Whybird
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
A welcome return to the Setter’s Chair for Chalicea today, and whilst this is generally at the gentle end of the spectrum (and a very much needed emollient for the bruises left after the battering from Elgar’s Friday Beast) there are a few that required a bit of thought, and a new word for me necessitating a dive into the BRB. Whilst 1a, 16a, 17d and 18d get honourable mentions, I can’t look beyond 7d for my gold medal place today. Thank you, Chalicea, for a very enjoyable start to the Toughie Week.
Please let us know how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle.