September 10, 2023 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Sunday Toughie 85 (Hints)

Sunday Toughie No 85 by Robyn

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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Robyn gave me a bit of a hard time on the parsing front last night, but I think coffee and contemplation this morning have cleared the mist, much the same as the weather here, which was cleared by some spectacular lightning last night.
I learned about the firstborn son of Isaac who was red-headed and noticeably hirsute at birth, born with his twin Jacob clutching his heel

I don’t think I have noticed a 15a and 15d grid in the toughies before but I have hinted at half, and I offer to help with those clues that didn’t make the cut

Here we go…

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EV 1607 Hints

Enigmatic Variations 1607 (Hints)

Eightsomes by Gaston

Hints and tips by Phibs

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This is my first encounter with Gaston, whom I initially thought might be so named because of a resemblance to the character in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, one of the ’13 Reflections of Evil’. Slightly disturbed by that idea, I preferred to believe that the pseudonym might reflect a happy association with La Belle France, or a particular affection for Gigi (ah yes, I remember it well).

However, I learn from the Editor that Gaston has already revealed himself in the Setter’s Blog for EV 1458 – it turns out that he is not a setter, rather a cocker spaniel who (assisted by his ‘partner in crime’, Rémy) is apparently not averse to introducing a French theme to his puzzles. Let’s hope that il fait plus de bruit que de mal

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ST 3229 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3229 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg, where, while there has still been ‘heat’ to the East of us, it has been quite Autumnal here prompting the question of what jacket do I wear today? … Continue reading