June 5, 2022 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Sunday Toughie 19 (Hints)

Sunday Toughie No 19 by Robyn

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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This may be a bit brief today as I have to attend a speed awareness course this morning, when it is over (about 10:30) I will endeavour to come and garnish the blog. It all depends on how quickly I solved this last night (tonight as I write this) rather than how quickly I drove through Horton in Ribblesdale in April !.

Thanks to Robyn for a toughie that while still tricky didn’t delay me so long that I haven’t had time to attend my speed awareness course and even left time for me to add some pics to go along with the hints. Mustafa has pointed out that there is a nice little Nina in the four three letter answers.


I have hinted at exactly half of today’s clues and further nudges can be seen in the images. Dear reader you have always treated the hints with the respect BD asks for below, so once again I will be tolerant of some discussion about tricky parsings. I probably need the help.
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 19 (Hints)”

EV 1542 (Hints)

Enigmatic Variations 1542 (Hints)

Battle by Stick Insect

Hints and tips by The Numpties

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Stick Insect has been setting EV crosswords for some years. He sets in the Toughie series and also appears annually in the Listener series and has recently set for the Magpie too. With such an experienced setter you can be confident that his clues will be well set and fair.  Continue reading “EV 1542 (Hints)”

ST 3163 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3163 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg – where the ‘rain numbers’ are in for the three months of Meteorological Spring – 299mm compared to an average of 123mm, the second ‘wettest’ Spring in the last 150 years and most of that fell in April and May as a result of six back to back Colorado Lows.… Continue reading