Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***/****
Very gentle, very Beam: smart synonyms, tight constructions and, as ever, no anagrams.… Continue reading
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30963
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Good morning, fellow puzzlers. Chris Lancaster has thrown a bit of a curve ball today, as it is definitely Thursday and this is definitely not RayT and nor does it feel like a Silvanus puzzle. I am going to have to check the small print of my blogging contract, as this has completely thrown me!
That is not to say that I didn’t enjoy it – I did. Two very impressive long hidden words, a very smooth anagram at 13d and a well-read footballer at 20d. My CoD however, goes to the lovely 21a with a nod to the Quickie Pun, which took me ages to see.
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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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty * – Enjoyment *****
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30962
Hints and Tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** Enjoyment ****
We’re getting some great puzzles on Wednesdays and I really liked this one. Many thanks to our setter.
Continue reading “DT 30962”
Sunday Toughie No 177 by Light
Review by Sloop John Bee
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This puzzle was published on the 15th June 2025 Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 177 (Review)”
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This puzzle was published on 15th June 2025
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, challenging puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a full review of his puzzle for your kind perusal and valuable feedback. Continue reading “ST 3321 (Full Review)”
Toughie No 3501 by Donnybrook
Hints and tips by Whybird
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning from a distinctly dreich Wirral. I suppose the garden will benefit, but it’s not what I want from late June! … Continue reading
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***/****
A bit of an overcast start to the day here in Harpenden after some much needed overnight rain but the sun has now come out & it’s brightening up nicely which suits me fine for golf this afternoon.
This one took me a bit longer to complete than is usual for me with an AP puzzle but I think that was probably the result of another poor night’s sleep due to this hot weather. As ever nicely clued throughout & with some excellent surface reads. I’m swapping shifts with Shabbo next week as he has once again agreed to accommodate my golfing commitments.
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.
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from my lakeside retreat outside Ottawa, where summer has made a dramatic entry, with high winds and tornado warnings and temperatures forecast to reach the mid-thirties today.
The puzzle did not appear to me to be the work of any of our recent setters so I will not venture a guess. However, it should appeal to fans of anagrams and word search.
In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.