Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment **/*** – Vocab ***
Lumme, Chalicea has been quintessentially Chalicea today, working her magic dictionary – and my app-scrolling thumb – hard.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
I truly didn’t/don’t know quite how to rate this for difficulty as I raced through the solve, thanks largely to very fair definitions, but the full parse took longer.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
I think most of us would clock this as a Donnybrook number – even without the byline – at a hundred paces.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***/****
Well, this was a * breeze until I hit 16d’s “plan to avoid bankruptcy” and 20d’s “Joe”.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
I fear you’ve got another double from me as Sue is still off on her jollies.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
Dada’s in an avuncular mood today, gifting us a gentle-ish romp that felt airy and upbeat.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***/****
Yes, I’m afraid you’ve got me again, pulling a double.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ****
I’d have known this was Dharma even without his Toughie byline: garlicky wordplay, clever definitions and sneaky misdirects.… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment **/***
Chalicea’s back with her magic (South African, Scandi and Scots today) dictionary, a couple of semicolons and even a bonus Quickie clue (19d).… Continue reading
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ***
A tad quirky, I thought, but crammed with Dada’s usual trademarks – a bombardment of double definitions and anagrams, plus a wee smidgeon of cheek and GK, hence the extra half-star.… Continue reading