September 2014 – Page 4 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

DT 27598

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27598

Hints and tips by Falcon

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

Greetings from Ottawa, where the weather has taken a decidedly autumn-like turn. I expect to awake to find that we have received our first frost of the season tonight. On more important matters, I am sure that eyes everywhere today will be focused on the results from north of the border.

I found today’s puzzle from RayT to be quite a challenge. After solving about a quarter of the clues, I began to hear the clock ticking louder and louder. I decided at that point to call my electronic assistants into action to ensure that I would have a review to post today. Even with their help, some of the clues proved quite tricky. In hindsight, I can see that it should have been a very enjoyable puzzle — and have rated it accordingly. Unfortunately, my actual enjoyment level was somewhat dampened by the blogging deadline looming over me.

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Toughie 1259

Toughie No 1259 by Sparks

Please, Ladies – No Hertrionics!

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

Thanks to Sparks for a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle. I’ve bumped the difficulty rating up from three to four stars purely on account of the time I spent trying to come up with a better explanation for 16a.
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DT 27597

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27597

Hints and tips by Big Dave

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

Although this was very much a write-in for me it was still very enjoyable, albeit 1 across is a very old chestnut!

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DT 27596

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27596

Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment **

It’s another glorious day in North Devon and once more on Tuesday we have a perfectly adequate puzzle but not much in the way of smiles or penny-drop moments. Do let us know what you thought of it and how you got on.
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DT 27595

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27595

Hints and tips by Miffypops

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BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ***

Nudging slightly into 3 star difficulty due to being successfully misdirected at 2d and 16d and having to use pen and paper for the anagram at 14d (cheating in my opinion and very rarely done). We have made it into The Camra Good Beer Guide yet again and Saint Sharon is taking me away to Shropshire for a three day break starting tomorrow. Life gets better as the years roll by.

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ST 2761 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2761 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Big Dave

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Only one week to go to be able to enter the September Prize Puzzle

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a number of the more difficult clues and provide hints for them.

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DT 27594 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 27594 (Hints)

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Don’t forget to enter the September Monthly Prize Puzzle.

As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, an assortment of clues, including some of the more difficult ones, have been selected and hints provided for them.

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