Huntsman – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

DT 30973

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30973
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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

It’s a gorgeous sunny day here in Harpenden & not too hot. Unfortunately I’m nursing a sore back so the golf course will have to do without me today. Attending to a multitude of neglected household chores seems like the order of the day though I expect I’ll find ways to put them off.

Today’s Typically Tuesdayish  production from the Prof (I assume) is a gentle puzzle that ought to please those who struggled with X-Type’s back-pager yesterday. As ever it very entertaining & full of 26d clueing throughout. As usual there are a selection of tunes for those interested to accompany the hopefully correct hints.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

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DT 30967

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30967
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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

It looks like another hot one today so I don’t intend to repeat the mistake of yesterday & walk round the golf course in the worst of heat. I had originally arranged to switch shifts with Shabbo having mistakenly thought I was playing in a senior open event at Aspley Guise but fortunately realised yesterday that it’s tomorrow so we’re back in our usual slots.

I thought today’s offering another typically gentle & elegant puzzle off the Plumb production line. I doubt many will require the hopefully correct hints but, along with the usual selection of tunes, they’re provided below.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

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DT 30961

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30961
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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

A bit of an overcast start to the day here in Harpenden after some much needed overnight rain  but the sun has now come out & it’s brightening up nicely which suits me fine for golf this afternoon.

This one took me a bit longer to complete than is usual for me with an AP puzzle but I think that was probably the result of another poor night’s sleep due to this hot weather. As ever nicely clued throughout & with some excellent surface reads. I’m swapping shifts with Shabbo next week as he has once again agreed to accommodate my golfing commitments.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

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DT 30949

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30949
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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

A bit of an overcast start to the day here in Harpenden but the sun has now come out & it’s brightening up nicely.

A typically enjoyable puzzle from the Prof (presumably) that ought not to present too many difficulties. Hints (hopefully correct) & the usual assortment of music clips are provided. I’m off golfing at Sheringham in Norfolk next week so Shabbo has very kindly agreed to fill in & establish an early lead in our race to a second ton. I’ve a busy afternoon ahead with the deep joys of doctor, optician & financial advisor but will try to keep an eye out if amendments required.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

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DT 30937

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30937
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***

More much needed overnight rain here in Harpenden & a distinctly chillier feel to the day than of late.

Today’s puzzle will certainly be welcome by those who didn’t get along with yesterday’s tougher than usual Monday offering. As with last week this was about as Typically Tuesdayish as it gets from a Plumb production & maybe even gentler. Decidedly quiptic & once again ideal for the less experienced cryptic solver. As usual hints plus the usual assortment of clips are provided should they be required.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

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DT 30931

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30931
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***

A slightly dullish start to the day here in Harpenden but it seems to be brightening up nicely.

Typically Tuesdayish puzzle from the Prof today that I’d rate on the gentle side even for a Plumb production. Enjoyable & the perfect guzzle for the less experienced cryptic solver to cut his or her teeth on. As usual hints plus the usual assortment of clips are provided should they be required.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

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DT 30927

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30927
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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

A distinctly chillier day here in Harpenden in stark contrast to a lovely warm sunny day out on the golf course yesterday. A perfect excuse to sit glued to the telly this afternoon watching Rory seeing if he can follow up his Masters 12a with a consecutive Major.

Shabbo is swanning about in the Highlands so you’re stuck with me again today. I was expecting a Smooth production but see that Silvanus is over in t’other place. I wouldn’t care to hazard a guess as to who set this enjoyable puzzle. Given the somewhat tricky wordplay in the opening clue the puzzle actually turned out to be gentler than I thought it was going to be.  As ever there are an assortment of clips with the hopefully correct hints.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

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DT 30925

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30925
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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

A beautifully sunny day here in Harpenden so a good afternoon walk beckons later this afternoon.

Today’s offering from the Prof is a typically enjoyable & reasonably gentle affair that ought not to pose too many issues. As ever the (hopefully correct) hints are provided along with the usual assortment of music clips. I’m not 100% confident about the Quickie pun (unless it’s enunciated by Jonathan Ross or Lucy Worsley) but can’t see owt else it could be.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

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DT 30921

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30921
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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

Back home yesterday evening after 7 rounds of golf on successive days in the Algarve so my aching body certainly appreciated a night back in my own bed & it was a bit of a struggle getting up early this morning to do the blog.

I haven’t bothered to do the sums but it is the usual impressively low word count & an appearance of the trademark sweetheart that tells us it’s a Ray T production. I was grateful that it wasn’t taxing as I’m a little woolly headed this morning so hopefully the hints, if required, are correct.

In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.

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DT 30907

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30907
Hints and tips by Huntsman

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

This is my last blog for a couple of weeks as I’m off to the Algarve to scatter a few balls around some fine golf courses. Shabbo has kindly agreed to step in so you’ll be in far more reliable blogging hands than mine.

I had a wee bit of brain fog in the SW this morning so completion took a good bit longer than is usually the case for an Anthony Plumb production. Suspect that was just me & it’s a Typically Tuesdayish puzzle which won’t present many, if any,  problems for most. I can’t say I thought it one of his top drawer puzzles but as ever a pleasant solve.

In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual. Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle.

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