Toughie No 3779 by Dharma
Hints and tips by ALP
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Toughie difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****
Another entertaining romp from Dharma that thrives on typically smart wordplay and fair definitions. Such generosity proved especially welcome as I’m currently dosed to the eyeballs – laid up with mild concussion and a knee the size of a beachball. Joining the wife for a spin to mansplain the gearing on her new Brompton, I idiotically cycled full pelt into a bollard as I barked faintly patronising instructions over my shoulder and somersaulted into traffic. That’ll learn me … possibly! Still, there is one vague upside – I’ve had to borrow the telescopic walking stick I gave my mother-in-law last Christmas and this daft reversal of fortune has cheered her up enormously. The floor, as ever, is yours.
Continue reading “Toughie 3779”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31377
Hints and Tips by Senf
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty 1.5* – Enjoyment 4.5*
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where we are enjoying high temperatures of up to 20 degrees! But, it is not going to last.
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), another not a Dream Team Thursday with Dharma on Toughie duty. But, there is no doubt that this is the very entertaining and friendly work of the Master of Brevity. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen and Ray T’s swEetheart in the back pager. Nothing to excite the latent third formers among us. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
Continue reading “DT 31377”
Toughie No 3778 by Prime
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
A chilly, wet and gloomy morning makes this a perfect day to stay indoors and do battle with what I thought was a proper, almost 5* Toughie. Continue reading “Toughie 3778”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31376
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the midweek back-pager blog. I found today’s puzzle similar to yesterday’s in terms of difficulty. Some general knowledge of Greek mythology and literature is needed, and there are one or two more obscure words, but everything is fairly clued. There is also a very groanworthy Quickie pun. My favourite clue, and the one that gave me the biggest laugh, was 17a. Many thanks to our setter.
Continue reading “DT 31376”
Sunday Toughie No 246 by Hudson
Full Review by Gazza
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 11/10/26
Hudson has provided a very entertaining Toughie this week.
Across Clues
1a Hit extremely elegant golf shot (6)
SOCKET: an informal verb to hit (sock) and the outer letters of elegant. The answer is a rather obscure word for a golf stroke using the shaft of an iron club (thanks to the BRB). Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 246 (full review)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3390
A full review by Rahmat Ali
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 11th October 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. Dada has given us an enjoyable solve this Sunday and now I present to you a full review of his puzzle. Hope to have your valuable feedback and comments. Continue reading “ST 3390 (Full Review)”
Toughie No 3777 by Dada
Hints and tips by Whybird
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ****
Welcome to a grey and damp Wirral. Dead calm, but that just means the drizzle isn’t going anywhere fast.… Continue reading
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31375
Hints and tips by Huntsman
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***/****
A miserable, damp & somewhat chilly morning here in Harpenden so no excuses for not attending to neglected domestic chores.
Not sure if it was just me being slower on the uptake than normal but I found this one maybe a tad trickier than usual for a Tuesday & a slower grid fill than Heron’s puzzle yesterday. Unmistakably an Anthony Plumb production with all the usual characteristics of his setting style & a very enjoyable solve it was too. I’m far from confident that I’ve pegged the Quickie pun correctly – Jonathan Ross issuing advice to the remedial English Lit class is the best I can come up with. As ever I’ll be interested to hear what others make of the puzzle.
Dada is on duty over in t’other place & though I’ve only glanced at it briefly it looks reasonably accessible (late correction – first appearances can be deceptive 🤔). Tuesday Toughies are usually the day to dip your toes into deeper waters if looking for a further challenge but today’s is challenging. Whybird will be delighted to hear your thoughts.
As usual there is a selection of music to enjoy or ignore. Apologies if I’ve gone overboard a bit.
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 31375”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31374
Hints and tips by Smylers
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ★ – Enjoyment ★★★
Hello again. Falcon will be back blogging next week.
I’m looking forward to meeting our regular Monday setters Heron and Weatherman at the Sloggers & Betters event (it’s a Spoonerism) in York next weekend. Is today’s Telegraph Crossword by one of them? It’s hard to say, not least because I’m writing this introduction on Sunday evening, before having seen the puzzle.
Continue reading “DT 31374”
A Puzzle by Ark
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Continue reading “Rookie Corner 646”