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

Month: September 2025

DT 31026

by Smylers  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31026

Hints and tips by Smylers

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BD Rating – Difficulty ★⯨ – Enjoyment ★★★★

Hello. Here are hints and explanations for today’s Telegraph crossword, which has an unusual grid arrangement that I rather liked. I solved it more quickly than usual, but it does include some knowledge I didn’t have, so I didn’t think I could award it a single star.

Please do leave a comment — it’s lovely getting to know you all. See Big Dave’s etiquette guide for the house rules, and I’ve had a special request from somebody who solves the quick crossword after the cryptic and sometimes finds coming here spoils answers in the quick. It’s fine to mention the quick crossword; and if you had thoughts of admiration or otherwise on the quickie pun, then do of course mention those — but if you can do so in a way which doesn’t give away any of the answers, that’d be appreciated.

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Sunday Toughie 189 (Hints)

by Sloop John Bee  

Sunday Toughie No 189

by Light

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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Although I had a full grid in relatively quick time, parsing some took a bit of kip to allow them to dawn on me. A couple of football references and to one who wrote about that particular football club. A couple of references to orthodontics too. 25a was probably my favourite but much sniggering was had when revising the poet in 12a.

Now, which ones do I hint, “Ay, there’s the rub”? I have probably been a bit overgenerous in hints so I hope there are enough to give you the checkers to finish today.

 

Here we go, Folks…

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ST 3333 (Hints)

by Senf  

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3333 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg with a perfectly palindromic puzzle number (very Mary Poppins) – I wonder if we have any Numerologists in our company who can offer any wisdom that may exist on such a number/string of numbers.

I hope that Daisygirl is sitting down when she reads this – on Thursday, it was so cold (high temperature of 8.9 degrees), wet, and miserable that I had to give the Red Scarf an early outing!

For me, and I stress for me,© Dada very friendly, but with a couple of clues along with the number of anagrams that might raise some ire,  8 anagrams (5 partials), 2 lurkers, and no homophones all in symmetric 28; with 14 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, you should be able to get the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues.  And, remember, my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!

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