Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31250
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. Huge thanks to Gazza for standing in for me last week whilst I was away. Maybe I’m still in holiday mode, or perhaps it was due to lack of sleep after last night’s tropical heat here in Hampshire, but I found today’s puzzle to be the hardest of the week so far. Once again we have an excellent crossword with plenty to enjoy and admire. Amongst my favourites are 11a, 12a, 26a and 14d, but my pick of the clues today is the clumsy cleric in 13a. I also liked the groan-worthy Quickie pun. Many thanks to our setter.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31238
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. I must have tuned into the setter’s wavelength fairly quickly this morning, because I found today’s puzzle to be quite gentle for a Wednesday. (I even had time to complete today’s Toughie, which is well worth having a go at.) At one point I thought this was going to be a pangram, but I think it’s three letters short. Amongst some excellent concise and witty clues, my favourites were the angry Americans in 13a, the suspect material in 17a, and the plus-sized old flame in 4d. I also liked the Quickie pun. Many thanks to our setter.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31232
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***/**** Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. I found today’s puzzle to be quite tricky – a midweek mind-mangler – but it was a very satisfying solve. Amongst a plethora of excellent clues, my podium picks are 20a, 23a, 27d and my favourite, the weary threesome in 16a. I also enjoyed the Quickie pun. Many thanks to our setter.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31226
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the midweek back-pager blog. I found today’s puzzle to be about the same level of difficulty as yesterday’s, with some general knowledge required, but everything fairly clued throughout. As usual there were many excellent clues today. Amongst my favourites were 1a, 10a, 3d and 5d, but I especially liked the hapless president in 15d and the brilliant 9d. Many thanks to our setter.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31220
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** Enjoyment ***
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the midweek back-pager blog. For me, this was the hardest solve of the week so far. It took me a while to get the three long anagrams 1a, 1d and 8d, but once I’d cracked these everything else fell into place. I liked the cricketing misdirection in 17a and the dull French group in 3a, but my favourite today was the pachydermal pothead in 28a. There is also an excellent Quickie pun. Many thanks to our setter.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31214
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the midweek back-pager blog. I found today’s puzzle to have just the right level of difficulty for a Wednesday workout, and the perfect antidote to a miserable morning here on the South Coast of England. There were a couple of words that were new to me, and a reasonable amount of general knowledge is required, but but everything is fairly clued. I had ticks all over the page, but amongst my favourites are 1a, 24a, 1d, 8d, 16d and 18d, with first prize going to the stranded passenger in 17a. Many thanks to our setter.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31208
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. I found this crossword to be just about the right level of difficulty for a midweek puzzle. It took me a while to parse two or three of the clues, pushing me into ** time. Amongst my favourites today are 10a, 11a, 28a and 24d, but top spot goes to the brilliant 7d. Many thanks to our setter.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31202
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. I approached today’s crossword with some trepidation, as the first puzzle that I blogged – Vintage puzzle 20 – was originally published on 1st April 1978, and had a surprise twist that caught me unawares. Thankfully there were no such pitfalls today, and everything was fairly clued throughout. The standout clues for me were 20a, 18a, 28a, 14d, 24d, and my favourite, the painful riding experience in 16a. Many thanks to our setter.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31196
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***/****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Wednesday back-pager blog. I started fairly quickly with this one but was held up in the NW corner by the cryptic definitions and the Spoonerism, pushing me into 2* time. There are some excellent clues in today’s puzzle, with plenty of smooth surface readings. I had ticks all over the page, but my favourite clue today, and the one that gave me the biggest laugh, was the superb 26d. Many thanks to today’s setter.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31190
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***/****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the midweek back-pager blog. I found today’s puzzle relatively gentle for a Wednesday: I was heading for my quickest solve of the week, until the app inexplicably threw all my answers away and I had to start again. There are several culinary references today, which left me feeling quite peckish. There is also an excellent Quickie pun. Amongst my favourite clues were 4a, 16a, 24a and 14d, but my top spot goes to the topical 4d. Many thanks to today’s setter.
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