Sunday Toughie No 101
by Zandio
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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I hope this isn’t as hard as Zandio’s Friday backpager but I didn’t have time on Friday, this is definitely a toughie with some tricky parsings that needed a lot of thinking about. I went to sleep on a couple and hopefully, they resolved themselves in my dreams. We have Lego™ and lurkers both forwards and backwards and what appears to be a reverse homophone and a reverse anagram, if you have any queries just ask and I will try to help with the hints that hit the cutting room floor.
We have 14a and 14d clues today and I will hint half
I was refreshed by a high phenol Speyside Benromach and a morsel (massive slab) of Cheese with my Christmas Cake so my dreams were intense
Here we go…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 101 (Hints)”
Enigmatic Variations 1623 (Hints)
Bus Stop by Chalicea
Hints and tips by Phibs
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Introducing Bus Stop by Chalicea: A Cryptic Cruise Through Commuter Chaos
Ah, the humble bus stop. A haven for weary travellers, a canvas for graffiti masterpieces (of dubious artistic merit), and, today, the unlikely setting for a cryptic conundrum courtesy of the redoubtable Chalicea. Buckle up, crossword comrades, because “Bus Stop” promises a journey like no other – a winding route through double deckers and daydreams, timetables and ticket stubs, all sprinkled with Chalicea’s signature brand of witty wordplay and devious cluing.
Forget your preconceptions of pastoral landscapes and leisurely strolls through the countryside. This is urban orienteering, where missed connections mingle with cryptic crosswords, and every discarded gum wrapper might harbour a hidden anagram. So, whether you’re a seasoned commuter with a well-thumbed bus pass or a wide-eyed newbie navigating the concrete jungle for the first time, prepare to have your preconceptions challenged and your vocabulary stretched to its limits.
Continue reading “EV 1623 (Hints)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3245 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good New Year’s Eve morning from Winnipeg where the non-winter continues, probably related to 25a.
For me, and I stress for me, with the assistance of a wee dram of Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve Single Malt, of indeterminate age, Dada quirkily friendly – six anagrams (two partials), two lurkers (one reversed), and no homophones, all in a symmetric 28 clues; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, you should be able to get the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues.… Continue reading
A Puzzle by Shabbo
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Continue reading "NTSPP 725"
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30497 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)
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Continue reading “DT 30497 (Hints)”
Toughie No 3192 by Elgar
Hints and tips by Dutch
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment *****
A no-frills blog today. I haven’t slept all night (no, no that). Great puzzle Continue reading “Toughie 3192”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30491
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 23rd Dec 2023
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata.… Continue reading
Special Puzzle – 011
Christmas Double Toughie: “Y in 27 52: XY” by Elgar
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Continue reading “SP – 011”
Toughie 3191 by Silvanus
Hints and tips by StephenL
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Hello everyone from a sunny (at the time of writing but liable to change) South Devon coast.
Continue reading “Toughie No 3191”