April 5, 2012 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Toughie 749

Toughie No 749 by Firefly

“Do you think that’s wise, sir?”

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BD Rating – Difficulty *****Enjoyment ****

The quiz team that I play for was in action yesterday. At one point we had to answer three questions on centenarians. One of these included the quote at 21,25,13,22 and the answer was 1 across. This newly-acquired knowledge enabled me to get off to a flying start on this puzzle and I made steady but somewhat slow progress until I was left with two to do. I eventually managed 19 across but I don’t think I would ever have come up with the answer to 9 down without using solver aids. These two clues meant that I had to assign 5* for difficulty.

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DT 26832

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26832

Hints and tips by Big Dave

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

Two puzzles from Ray T this week, and I get to review both of them (and I reviewed an Arachne Quiptic on fifteensquared)! A touch more innuendo than we have seen of late, but this is tame stuff by Ray’s normal standards. But we do get a visit from the Queen.

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