February 2023 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

DT 30235

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30235
Hints and tips by Twmbarlwm

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

Good morning. An entertaining puzzle with a decent variety of devices and a nicely-judged mixture of difficulty, with some clever deceptions in some definitions. I found the bottom half of the puzzle trickier than the top, but there were no great hold-ups in the end. Continue reading “DT 30235”

DT 30234

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30234

Hints and tips by pommers

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

Hola from Almoradí, heart of the Vega Baja on a beautiful sunny, but chilly, morning.  The move went off well and in a few hours I’ll have been in the new place for a whole week.

Today’s puzzle is the usual Monday fare but I thought it a tad trickier than some Mondays have been. However, that could just be me having an off morning having had a very busy week sorting out the new home.  It will be interesting to see what you all make of it.
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Sunday Toughie 57 (Hints)

Sunday Toughie No 57 by Zandio

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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A Heinz 57 variety of a puzzle today, 14 acrosses and 16 downs with plenty of anagrams and lurkers in both directions.

France in particular gets a lot of mentions as well as a couple of other Europeans as well as South America and a nod to our New Zealanders.

I have hinted half but if you need any extra help ask away, I may be away entertaining Mama Bee but I am sure one of our happy band of solvers will help with a nudge.

Here we go…

 

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EV 1579 Hints

Enigmatic Variations 1579 (Hints)

Line of Duty by Eclogue

Hints and tips by Phibs

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I wonder if when two setters are contemplating a collaboration their decision is influenced by the name of the hybrid which will result. eXternal and Serpent combine very neatly to produce eXtent, and the marriage of Hellebore and Phi to produce Hellphire was surely irresistible. Eclipse plus Logogriph is less obvious, Ecriph or Loglipse having understandably been ignored in favour of Eclogue. But what about Ifor and Wickball getting together as Iball, or Harribobs and Piccadilly forming Harpic? Jacques and Sea-kale as Jacqusea, perhaps? Curmudgeon and Wan might need to think carefully about names before entering into an alliance, though…

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ST 3201 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3201 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where we have been back in the deep freeze for most of the week but the forecast is suggesting a few days of minus single digit highs which of course means that it will be warm enough (a relative term) for some more snow.… Continue reading

DT 30233 (Hints)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30233 (Hints)

The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)

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A bright and sunny Saturday morning, although you wouldn’t want to spend long outside as it would appear that the wind is coming direct from the North Pole.
Continue reading “DT 30233 (Hints)”