Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
If weekend reviews had subtitles, the review of the puzzle for Sunday 20 May would be ‘the one where we had to go out and buy a paper’ as the online system was not working for most of the morning. Well worth a trip to the paper shop or we would have missed another splendid crossword from Virgilius.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment **
I took what seemed like an age….but wasn’t really… to solve this one, mainly because of the SW corner, hence the 4* difficulty rating (which I wouldn’t normally expect for a Saturday prize puzzle). I didn’t enjoy myself particularly at the time of solving, but revisiting for the review has altered my view a 10a, and that clue and the other clues that grew on me are marked in blue.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment *****
Matron has insisted that young Tilsit remain for another week in Convalescent Corner, which means that I have crept out of the Weekend Retreat for the second time this week, in order to blog my first whole Toughie. Having sorted out the wordplay (I hope!), I do wonder if perhaps Matron knew what Tilsit was in for with this particular crossword!!
At the bottom of the puzzle in the paper it says ‘All at sea? See the note under the back-page Cryptic Crossword solution’. Look there and, if you can read upside down, you learn that tomorrow is the 200th anniversary of the birth of the 6a whose best-known work is celebrated here.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Cephas put on his slightly trickier hat last Saturday and gave us an entertaining crossword with a nice mix of clues, including his usualbeautifully indicated anagrams. The difficulty rating just sneaked into the 3* category because of problems I had with two clues.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
Before I start getting comments from people who think I have reviewed the wrong crossword, can I just remind everyone that, because Telegraph Puzzles have extended the end date for Sunday puzzles from five days after publication to eleven days after publication, this, if you can remember that far back, is the crossword which appeared on Sunday 29 April.
Once again, Virgilius provided us with a splendid treat of a puzzle – it was almost a shame that it was so straightforward as it was over all too soon. Lots of entertainment as usual and I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **
Firstly thank you to Gazza who cleverly noticed that if I had chosen yesterday from one of two options for my lovely walk, then I must still have a day off today and therefore suggested that I might like to undergo the scary experience of an on-the-day blog once again.
Thank you to the Tuesday Mysteron for one of those crosswords where starting with the downs would have paid dividends, but in the end was completed in a straightforward time. I have awarded ** for difficulty because it took me a little longer to ‘see’ the wordplay of a couple of clues.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Starting from today, all puzzles will be available in interactive format right here on the blog
A review by Crypticsue is available below the puzzle Continue reading “NTSPP – 117”
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
A new name joins the ranks of the NTSPP setters. When you’ve been solving cryptics for as long as I have, it is good to try new setters’ puzzles and I thoroughly enjoyed Donk’s first NTSPP and hope we see more of him soon.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****
From this coming Sunday, April 29th, the closing date for the Sunday puzzles is being extended by six days. The Telegraph Puzzles editor has taken this decision, because of the huge increase in postal rates due to come in on the following day, in order to allow solvers to use second class post. As a result the reviews of the Sunday puzzles will now be published six days later than at present. The next review will be on Thursday 10th May, and there will be no review next week. BD
Many thanks to Virgilius once again for brightening up Sunday morning with a slightly more straightforward than usual crossword, but with the same high enjoyment factor as ever. My favourites are highlighted in blue.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
First of all, many happy returns of the day to Her Majesty the Queen, Big Dave, Libellule (a special one for the latter!) and anyone else whose birthday is today. Big Dave is celebrating his birthday at the Sloggers & Betters in Todmorden and so I am in the hot seat for the day – I would have loved to join the celebrations but West Yorkshire is just a bit too far for a day trip from Kent!
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, an assortment of clues, including some of the more difficult ones, have been selected and hints provided for them.