December 2019 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

DT 29247

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29247

Hints and tips by Mr K

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BD Rating  -  Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***

Hello, everyone.  Can't think of much to say about this solid puzzle, except to note that its filled grid contains only 18 of the 26 letters in the alphabet.  That's almost as far from a pangram as setters have managed to get (in the last twenty years there have been only four back-pagers using 17 letters, and none that use only 16).  Continue reading "DT 29247"

ST 3035

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3035

A full review by crypticsue

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This puzzle was published on 22nd December 2019

BD Rating – Difficulty *Enjoyment ***

An extremely straightforward Sunday puzzle, perfect for me to solve and draft the review before the taxi came to take us to the airport to travel to Northern Ireland for Christmas with the family.… Continue reading

DT-29246

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 29246

Hints and tips by Heathcliff

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

The Quickie and The Cryptic puzzles are both works of pure joy today. Teasingly tortuous but well worth the effort in pushing to completion. A bit like Exeter’s win over Saracens yesterday. I enjoyed the two long intersecting anagrams, both tantalising me with their refusal to reveal themselves versus my refusal to use pen and ink. Well tough tit fishface! I won in the end. Who needs pens? Continue reading “DT-29246”

ST 3036 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3036 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where the Boxing Day (or is it Week) Sales are in full swing – I am surprised that people still have funds available, or is it all on plastic?… Continue reading

Toughie 2357

Toughie No 2357 by Notabilis

Hints and tips by Mr K

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BD Rating  -  Difficulty ***** Enjoyment ****

Hello, everyone.  I've been asked to stand in for Dutch today.  The SW corner of this enjoyable and intricate Notabilis puzzle went in smoothly, but after that I needed some electronic and dictionary help to get it completely solved and hinted.  It's one of the toughest puzzles I've encountered in quite some time, so I'll be interested to see whether our experienced solvers consider it to be a "proper Toughie".  Continue reading "Toughie 2357"