Falcon – Page 3 – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

DT 31062

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31062

Hints and tips by Falcon

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from Ottawa, where we enjoyed a glorious Sunday under clear skies with the temperature in the mid-twenties. Today is more seasonable with temperatures falling to the mid-teens.

I sped through half the clues at a one-star pace but then bogged down. This may be due, in part, to some British geography and idiomatic expressions with which I was unfamiliar. I expect some solvers across the pond may find my rating to be too high.

I would like to thank Smylers for sitting in for me last week so I could enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving turkey dinner.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

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DT 31044

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31044

Hints and tips by Falcon

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from my lakeside retreat near Ottawa, where I am enjoying a few days of summer-like early autumn weather before I close up the trailer (caravan) for the winter.

In my last appearance two weeks ago, I neglected to mention that review marked my fifteenth anniversary – my first review having appeared on September 15, 2010.

Today’s puzzle did not strike me as being the work of either X-Type or Twmbarlwm, so I’m guessing it may be from a new setter – but my guesses at the identities of setters rarely prove to be correct.

A month ago, when Smylers was covering for me, Jenny M commented “Still waiting for a clue involving say a netball term??” Well, Jenny, since the inception of Big Dave’s Crossword Blog netball has featured on a number of occasions in both Toughies and the Backpager. In fact, I first learned of the existence of the sport from a puzzle in 2012. Netball is not commonly played in Canada as girls here generally play basketball like their male counterparts. Your question prompted me to do a little research which I had intended to include with my review two weeks ago but it had to be deferred for technical reasons.

Click here to open or close a list of clues in which netball has appeared in some respect.

On three occasions, netball appeared in the fodder:

ST 3227 (27 August 2023): 2d Sport taken up by thousands, in netball (6)

Toughie 1835 (23 June 2017): 14a Badly soiled netball, not current sporting prize (8,4)

Toughie 728 (29 February 2012): 29a Netball team training in court close to contest (6)

In two cases, the blogger who reviewed the puzzle associated the solution with netball:

DT 28164 (12 July 2016) 29a More intelligent animal restricts physical exercise (6)

where the reviewer stated “A horned animal that could be Red or Fallow includes (restricts) an abbreviation for a type of exercise we all did at school. For the girls it was usually hockey and netball. I have no idea what the boys did. Rugby I think. Possibly football?”

ST 2571 (21 January 2011) 18a Tries to win where some games are played (6)

where the reviewer stated “A nice double definition – wooing or winning the attention of someone/a place where games such as netball and tennis are played.”

In 22 instances, netball was the solution to the clue:

Toughie 3187 (21 December 2023): 4d Heard about any tea dance after game (7)

Toughie 2998 (25 January 2023): 8d Online dance is sporting activity (7)

DT 29900 (02 February 2022): 3d Before dance catch game (7)

DT 29855 (10 December 2021): 21a Geordie great inspiring British sport (7)

Toughie 2761 (07 December 2021): 2d Mistress Gwynne about to be announced for sport (7)

DT 29717 (02 July 2021): 3d Significant number held up party game … (7)

Toughie 2638 (05 May 2021): 17a Final dance in game (7)

Toughie 2411 (01 April 2020): 18d Before dance catch game (7)

Toughie 2112 (23 October 2018): 6d Two necessities for tennis, as a game (7)

Toughie 1968 (13 February 2018): 12a Bungle service perhaps for game (7)

DT 28547 (02 October 2017) 6d Every throw-in counts in this game (7)

Toughie 1774 (09 March 2017): 22a Figure recalled enjoyable time in sport (7)

ST 2836 (03 March 2016): 10a Clear bishop completely in court action (7)

DT 27674 (16 December 2014): 6d Two features of tennis in another game (7)

DT 27603 (24 September 2014): 18d Before the dance, catch the game (7)

DT 27338 (18 November 2013): 17a Game with two essential elements of tennis (7)

DT 27127 (22 March 2013): 7d Game to be announced when girl comes around (7)

DT 27027 (19 November 2012): 19a Game — and how to score in it (7)

DT 26994 (11 October 2012): 2d Practice session before dance and sport (7)

ST 2614 (18 November 2011): 27a A couple of things used in many sports, or one in particular (7)

ST 2501 (18 September 2009): 20d A couple of requirements for tennis or another sport (7)

DT 25957 (17 June 2009): 1d Girl collecting new bat for game (7)

Only one clue appeared twice (in both instances in puzzles set by Donnybrook/NY Doorknob), although there are several minor variations on some of the other clues. Should you wish to check the parsing of a clue, the puzzle numbers link to the review of the puzzle.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

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DT 31032

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31032

Hints and tips by Falcon

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

Greetings from my lakeside retreat near Ottawa which I am visiting for one of the final times this year as I will soon have to close up for the winter.

I think today’s puzzle was well-pitched for a Monday. As X-Type seems to have been our most frequent setter recently, the puzzle may be one of his – but I have an abysmal track record when it comes to identifying setters.

While it has been a few weeks since I last reviewed a puzzle, I have been keeping an eye on what has been happening on the blog. I did note the discussion regarding lurkers and reverse lurkers and the observation that they deserved an entry in the FAQ. They now have one.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

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DT 31014

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31014

Hints and tips by Falcon

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

Greetings from Ottawa, where I find myself having returned from my lakeside retreat due to a medical appointment in the morning. You are getting a second dose of me in succession to allow Smylers to enjoy the bank holiday with his family. He will fill in for me next week which will be a holiday here in Canada.

I won’t venture to identify the setter of this puzzle which seems to be a departure from the style of those we are accustomed to seeing. In any event, it proved to be a very enjoyable solve; but then, I am very partial to cryptic definitions of which this puzzle contains many. Several of the cryptic definitions contain an embedded precise definition together with some cryptic elaboration. I have indicated this by marking the entire clue as a cryptic definition (dotted underline) as well as marking the precise definition (solid underline).

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

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DT 31008

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31008

Hints and tips by Falcon

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from my lakeside retreat near Ottawa where it seems to have gone from July to October overnight. Fortunately, the weather is forecast to return to a more seasonable state today.

I got off to a very slow start with the puzzle today. In fact, on my first read through, I solved only a single across clue, that being the final one (27a). However, the down clues came to the rescue and in the end I managed to complete the puzzle in a reasonable time. I have no idea who the setter may be.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

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DT 30996

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30996

Hints and tips by Falcon

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

Greetings from my lakeside retreat near Ottawa, where today is a provincial holiday in Ontario as well as several other provinces.

Today’s puzzle had a decidedly more modern feel to it than usual with many cultural references that certainly post-date my generation.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

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DT 30984

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30984

Hints and tips by Falcon

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

Greetings from my lakeside retreat near Ottawa where we have been experiencing mostly hot, sunny weather. I cope by following advice I have often received over the years to go jump in a lake.

I got off to a slow start with today’s puzzle but once I had established a foothold, the solve proceeded rapidly. This may be the work of X-Type who seems to have taken possession of the Monday slot.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

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DT 30972

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30972

Hints and tips by Falcon

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

Greetings from Ottawa, where we are (depending on one’s point of view) enjoying/suffering from a heat wave with temperatures in the thirties.

I found today’s puzzle to be rather difficult and it took far longer than my normal time to crack (thus no illustrations today). However, that may just be due to me being overtired and not on top of my game.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

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DT 30960

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30960

Hints and tips by Falcon

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***

Greetings from my lakeside retreat outside Ottawa, where summer has made a dramatic entry, with high winds and tornado warnings and temperatures forecast to reach the mid-thirties today.

The puzzle did not appear to me to be the work of any of our recent setters so I will not venture a guess. However, it should appeal to fans of anagrams and word search.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

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DT 30948

by Falcon

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30948

Hints and tips by Falcon

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

Greetings from my lakeside retreat outside Ottawa where the smoke from the western wildfires has abated considerably. Last week the smoke level was higher than the maximum reading on the scale and was simply cited as 10 plus.

Once again, the puzzle was posted late to the Telegraph Puzzles site. One might think the process would be automated but the task of releasing the puzzle seems to have been assigned to the night watchman who presses the button whenever he happens to wake up from his nap.

I got off to a quick start and thought this would easily be no more than a 2* effort but I was met with heavy resistance along the eastern seaboard which sent me into 3* territory.

I’m not making any calls on who the setter might be. To me, it doesn’t feel like any of the regular setters. Whoever did set it certainly went overboard on the pun – although 2 of the 6 words in the pun fodder transpose unchanged to the answer. The answer to the pun sums up my feelings on that very well.

In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.

Continue reading “DT 30948”