Toughie No 3653 by Shabbo
Hints and tips by Whybird
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment *****
We have another excellent puzzle from Shabbo today. Absolutely perfect for a Tuesday, plenty to get stuck into, but nothing outrageously difficult or obscure. I thought it was going to be a struggle when I looked at 1a and that pesky question mark, and indeed it took quite a while before I managed to get a proper foothold in the North, the South going in much more easily. So definitely a Crossword of Two Halves for me, but still done in just a smidge over one-star time. The main difficulty factor came from Shabbo’s very clever surfaces and deceptions which I really enjoyed unpicking. Thanks, Shabbo, please keep spoiling us!
I have a host of favourites today -1a, 3d, 5d, 9a, 14d, 17d and 26a are all excellent. I’m going to need a bigger podium!
Please let us know how you fared and what you thought of the puzzle.
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hDailyTelegraph Cryptic No 31189
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***/****
I thought today’s puzzle, which I assume is an Anthony Plumb production, very enjoyable & a fair bit easier than yesterday’s. As ever nicely clued throughout & with a lovely clue to finish. For any seeking another challenge the puzzle over in t’other place is pretty ‘floughie’ & also very entertaining. For some reason the puzzles app has omitted to say who the setter is but my money is on Chalicea.
As usual there is a selection of music to enjoy or ignore.
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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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31188
Hints and tips by Falcon
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Greetings from Ottawa where the roller coaster weather continues. One day the temperature dips to minus 20 C at night and a day or two later hits a daytime high of plus 12 C. Fortunately, this week, we were not at the bottom of this cycle when the furnace maintenance man showed up for his annual inspection and promptly shut off the gas and slapped a red tag on the furnace (signifying it was unfit for use). There followed a scramble to install a new furnace. In that situation, one certainly is not in a strong position to shop around and bargain.
Today’s puzzle provides a gentle warmup for the undoubtedly more challenging solving exercises ahead.
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.
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A Puzzle by Maitresse
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Sunday Toughie No 216
by Light
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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It is Light’s turn to have two Prize Puzzles this weekend. If yesterday was his 100th puzzle for The Telegraph is this his 101st? I don’t know for sure, as they may count the anonymous back pagers differently from Toughies. This is definitely his 14th Sunday Toughie as Light and with 8 so far in the other toughie, that leaves at least 79 anonymous backpage puzzles that have entertained us since he graduated from these shores. An impressive output in such a short time.
Anagrams and double definitions have hit the cutting room floor today, and don’t forget the maxim: When in doubt…
14a and 14d clues today and I have hinted at half. I will try and provide a nudge or two if you ask, but as it is Mother’s Day, my normal Coffee and Cake outing with Mama Bee will probably be Betty’s rather than the local Caffè Nero, I may take a little longer to reply
Here we go, Folks…
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Enigmatic Variations 1738 (Hints)
Cross Words by Robyn
Hints and tips by Phibs
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Telegraph regulars will recognize today’s setter as the deputy puzzles editor, using a pseudonym normally associated with his Toughies; he has set themed puzzles for several publications in years gone by under a different nom de guerre, including ten Listeners (three more than me), but as far as I can ascertain this is his first EV – if so, we extend a warm welcome to him.
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Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3360 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg with greetings of the day for all Mothers. Borrowing from Old Bill Shakes, ‘Beware the Ides of March’ (Julius Caesar (Act 1, Scene 2)), especially when they fall on a Sunday (today that is) and there is a Dada crossword to be solved!
So, Terence, what did go wrong on the Fulham Road yesterday afternoon/evening?
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada still reasonably friendly with more than a soupçon of quirkiness – nine, unless I lost count, anagrams (four partials), one lurker (reversed), and no homophones in an asymmetric 28 clues; with 15 hints, including a bonus one for illustration purposes, ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
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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A Puzzle by duncanjwitham
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31187 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
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Toughie No 3652 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Karla has upped the difficulty level a bit since his last Toughie but this is still pretty accessible and it’s very enjoyable. Many thanks to him.
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