May 2025 – Page 7 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Month: May 2025

DT 30922

by Shabbo  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30922
Hints and tips by Shabbo

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

Apologies, but here I am again, standing in for Mr K who is under the weather.  Get well soon.

I found this a bit of a head scratcher, but looking back, progress was actually quite steady, if a bit on the slow side.  Of course this is nothing to do with an evening out last night with my brother and son around the wonderful pubs of historic St Albans.

I thought this was a lovely Friday puzzle, with ticks throughout.  1a was a great way to start and gets my CoD today, just beating 10a.

In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons.  Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.  Please also try to be positive – it’s only a bit of fun.

Many thanks to our setter and the DT Crossword Team.

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DT 30917 (full review)

by Rahmat Ali  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30917

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 3rd May 2025

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

Greetings from Kolkata. A superb, lovely Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and further writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.
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DT 30921

by Huntsman  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30921
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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

Back home yesterday evening after 7 rounds of golf on successive days in the Algarve so my aching body certainly appreciated a night back in my own bed & it was a bit of a struggle getting up early this morning to do the blog.

I haven’t bothered to do the sums but it is the usual impressively low word count & an appearance of the trademark sweetheart that tells us it’s a Ray T production. I was grateful that it wasn’t taxing as I’m a little woolly headed this morning so hopefully the hints, if required, are correct.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

Continue reading “DT 30921”

DT 30920

by Senf  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30920

Hints and tips by Senf

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

A very good Wednesday morning from Winnipeg where, with fluctuating temperatures, Spring sunshine continues.  More importantly there has been very little precipitation and wildfires are already occurring!

For me, etc (I have to say that for Terence), a slightly more challenging but still very entertaining midweek puzzle but, even with the absence of the Reverend W A Spooner, I am not making any guesses as to whom the setter might be.  Whomsoever it is, thank you.  However, I do expect at least one magnificent answer to be condemned to purgatory on The List.

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Toughie 3473

by ALP  

Toughie No 3473 by Dharma
Hints and tips by ALP

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

Typically clever stuff from Dharma. He’s shown us a lot of love here to put a real shift in: honed surfaces, imaginative wordplay and fun pay-offs.… Continue reading