crypticsue – Page 192 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

ST 2627

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2627

A full review by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

I usually type out my weekend puzzle review  when I have spare time on a Wednesday evening and schedule it for the right time slot on the Friday, as I don’t always know what I might be doing on Thursday evening.   It is a good job that I do as yesterday teatime brought a texted plea for help  from Gnomethang who was on a work call-out that might take all night.   Luckily I had saved my solved Sunday puzzle for such an emergency (there have been a few lately!) and was delighted to enjoy this superb Virgilius puzzle second time around.    I have marked my favourite clues in blue

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DT 26792

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26792

A full review by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty *Enjoyment ***

I did enjoy this Mysteron Prize Puzzle – it didn’t take me long, hence the 1* difficulty – yes, I know lots of you found it harder but I have to rate as I solve!   A great mix of clues, including the wonderful 21a which could well be a contender for my  clue of the year so far. Continue reading “DT 26792”

NTSPP – 106 (Review)

Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 106

A Puzzle by Omnia

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This week’s NTSPP was a special one –  some of our favourite setters,  and  a couple new to the NTSPP series, collaborated as  ‘Omnia’ to mark the 80th birthday of Rufus (Roger Squires).    I found it a reasonably  straightforward solve, with a couple of headscratchers just to make you think,  and had fun trying to work out who set which clue  (see the end of the post for the answer).  

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DT 26786

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26786

A full review by crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty *Enjoyment ***

Before I started to solve this Prize Puzzle, I couldn’t remember if it was the turn of Cephas or the Mysteron – a count of the anagrams soon convinced me that it was definitely a Cephas puzzle, as usual an enjoyable Saturday morning interlude.

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ST 2625

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2625

A full review by Crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

An unusual mix of clues this week from Virgilius – not one single anagram, and,  unless you count 1a (which is sort of hidden) none of the trademark hidden clues either.    This time more straightforward than tricky but as usual excellent  fun.   Favourite clues highlighted in blue.

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ST 2624

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2624

A full review by Crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ***

Approaching this prize puzzle the morning  after my visit to London for the cruciverbalists’ convention/blog birthday party, I was very pleased to note that Virgilius had been kind this week (well I found him so anyway).   Another very enjoyable Sunday cryptic, my favourites being highlighted in blue.

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DT 26768

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26768

A full review by Crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty ***Enjoyment ***

A sneaky one from our Mysteron this week. There I was solving clues in a satisfactorily straightforward manner only to come to a grinding halt on my last one which took me several minutes before the penny dropped. A very enjoyable mix of clues and a nice one to revisit for this review too.

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DT 26762

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26762

A full review by Crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty **/***Enjoyment ***

A slightly trickier offering from Cephas this week but as enjoyable as usual, with a nice mix of clues including his trademark anagrams and a couple of new words to learn.

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ST 2621

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2621

A full review by Crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

If all Virgilius’s 2012  Sunday Cryptics are going to be as good as the first two, Big Dave is going to have to add another page to the Mine: “Superlatives, Bloggers for the Use Of” as I think otherwise Gnomethang and I are going to become very repetitive.  Thank you to Virgilius once again for a crossword that was easy to solve, very entertaining and a pleasure to review.   My top favourites are highlighted in blue.

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ST 2620

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2620

A full review by Crypticsue

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BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment *****

It seems a long time ago now,  but this treat of a themed puzzle was a splendid start to the New Year.    This is the first time I have awarded the coveted 5* enjoyment rating to any crossword that I have reviewed but I had so much fun both solving and now reviewing it, that I couldn’t possibly rate it any differently.

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