March 15, 2011 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Toughie 527

Toughie No 527 by Messinae

Hints and tips by Big Dave

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

This pleasant puzzle is the first from Messinae since last November – welcome back. It took me around the same time to complete as the regular cryptic (and not much longer than today’s Quick crossword!).

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DT 26500

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26500

Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ***

If the Telegraph is following its usual pattern this puzzle should be by Shamus, but I’m not sure of that (Shamus is normally pretty good about leaving a comment to claim ownership of his work, so we may find out later today). It’s a pleasant solve which is not overly difficult, but there are a couple of clues (5d and 26d) where the allusions may cause a bit of head-scratching, so I’ve upped the stars for difficulty from two to three. Let us know your opinion in a comment.
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