December 2023 – Page 5 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

EV 1621 (Hints)

Enigmatic Variations 1621 (Hints)

Playing the Game by Kcit

Hints and tips by Phibs

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We have a novelty here – the first EV puzzle I have ever seen where the title doesn’t feature as a single phrase in the preamble. Anyway, I asked Bard “What might be the theme of a crossword called ‘Playing the Game’ which involves two-digit numbers?” His response was swift, extensive and…no help at all.  I sensed that Bard’s sort of game was the electronic kind (tennis is probably a little beyond him at the moment), since he came up with stuff like:

♦ Power-ups: Temporary enhancements or advantages gained in a game, often represented by two-digit numbers indicating the duration or effectiveness of the power-up.

♦ Lifelines: Additional chances or opportunities provided to players to avoid losing or improve their chances of winning, often represented by two-digit numbers indicating the number of available lifelines.

I just hope this puzzle is more fun than Bard’s version.

Continue reading “EV 1621 (Hints)”

DT 30484

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30484

Hints and tips by Mr K

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

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. I had another very late start to solving and blogging today, so I’m afraid that there wasn’t time to look for pics. I will try to do better next week.  Continue reading "DT 30484"

Toughie 3183

Toughie No 3183 by Beam
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

With no clue containing more than six words our setter has given us another masterclass in how to write succinct and amusing clues.Continue reading