November 9, 2025 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Sunday Toughie 198 (Hints)

Sunday Toughie No 198

by Beam

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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A generous (32 clues today) and not too tough for a Toughie, from Beam today. No multiple-word clues and no more than six words per clue, plenty of Beam trademarks, even though he has played a bit fast and loose with his sweetheart today.

I have hinted at half of an evenly balanced 16a and 16d clues today. I hope you find enough checkers to finish today, but I will possibly provide a nudge or two if asked.

Here we go, Folks…

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EV 1720 (Hints)

Enigmatic Variations 1720 (Hints)

Failure by Chalicea

Hints and tips by Phibs

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Hard on the heels of Curmudgeon’s Shambles, we have a Failure from her alter ego, Chalicea. I asked ChatGPT, “The theme of a crossword setter’s recent puzzle called ‘Shambles’ was the Charge of the Light Brigade. Their latest puzzle is called ‘Failure’, and apparently concerns the failure of a plan. What might that plan be?”

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ST 3342 (Hints)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3342 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg on this Remembrance Sunday where, courtesy of two Alberta Clippers in quick succession, we have had a couple of ‘dustings’ of fluffy white precipitation.  And, oh dear, Santa is already building his grotto in at least one of the shopping malls in the city!

Thankfully, whatever it was that caused the delay in publishing yesterday’s puzzles did not reoccur. In fact, as often happens, today’s puzzles were available shortly after 11:30pm UK time (6:30pm in Winnipeg).

For me, and I stress for me,© Dada reasonably friendly with two long ‘un, seven anagrams (two partial), two lurkers (one reversed), and no homophones in a symmetric 28 clues; with 15 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid, you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues.

If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!

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