Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31093
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***
Distinctly nippy in these parts but bright & sunny so a walk around East & West Common in Harpenden looks on the menu for lunchtime.
Not sure what’s going on at Telegraph Towers but I’d suggest the person charged with pressing the button to load Tuesday’s puzzles onto the app undergoes further training. I think they eventually became available some time between 6.30am – 7am & just as I was about to set out to procure a dead tree version. Surely they can’t be that difficult to upload & that’s 2 weeks on the trot now.
Anyway I assume today’s offering is from Anthony Plumb. It certainly seemed like one of his to me but then so did last week’s puzzle which may well not have been. Either way it was certainly much gentler than last Tuesday though maybe a tad more challenging than yesterday.
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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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31087
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***/****
Distinctly nippy in these parts but it’s sunny & dry so looks like the last chance for a decent walk before the forecast rains tomorrow.
I’m sure most will make much lighter work of today’s AP puzzle than I made of it. I usually solve the puzzle shortly before midnight so that all I then have to do is get up & write the blog. Unfortunately for whatever reason the puzzles were not loaded onto the app until early this morning, which I could have done without after a lousy night’s kip. Added into the mix a fire alarm went off at about 8am in our small block of 6 apartments so 30 mins of mild panic & investigation ensued. Still none the wiser as to why but I’m fairly confident I’m not in danger of being burnt to a crisp 🤞.
I thought today’s dose of Plumbing as enjoyable as ever. Maybe a tad trickier than usual but we’ll see what others make of it.
Error free hints last week but I fear it’s odds against a repeat performance this.
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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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31081
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ****
It looks like there will be some prospect of a dry(ish) day in these parts after yesterday’s downpours & with more in the forecast for tomorrow. The Algarve is looking more enticing by the day.
I thought today’s Anthony Plumb production very enjoyable indeed. Not too tricky but with maybe one or two things to keep us on our toes. As ever elegantly & precisely clued with some neat witty surfaces.
It remains to be seen if the hints are error free & there are the usual selection of tunes to listen to or ignore.
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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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31077
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***/****.
After a couple of bright & unseasonably warm days it’s pretty dreary & miserable looking here in Harpenden so very much doubt I’ll be venturing far.
Shabbo is away to visit his mum but I do know it’s the opening night of a beer festival that is run by his brother so I expect a pint or two or three will be enjoyed. Anyway you’re stuck with me & I was more than happy to get a pretty gentle Ray T puzzle to blog. He has been a bit sneaky with his sweethearts but other than the music genre nothing really obscure. As you would expect impeccably clued & perfectly enjoyable.
As ever there are an assortment of tunes to accompany the (hopefully correct for a change) 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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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31069
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***/****.
A lovely bright & sunny autumnal day here in Harpenden. No golf unfortunately as my back is playing up once more & I’ve the flu & possibly Covid jab to look forward to this afternoon.
I thought today’s Anthony Plumb puzzle perhaps a tad trickier than of late but maybe that was just me. As ever there are an assortment of tunes to accompany the (hopefully correct for a change) 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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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31063
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***/****.
The sun is at least struggling to put in an appearance & it’s not currently raining here in Harpenden but it looks like that’s but a temporary respite with more wet stuff on the way over the next couple of days. A few days golf in Portugal is starting to look more alluring by the day.
As our esteemed Sat or Sun even & alternate Wed blogger would say a typically Tuesdayish bit of Plumbing from the Prof that ought not to present too many difficulties for most solvers. As ever concisely clued with some neat wordplay & dashes of humour. For any that waltzed through this one Dada is over in t’other place with a Toughie that’s very manageable & I’m sure Whybird would appreciate your comments.
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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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31057
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
A pretty miserable looking start to the day here in Harpenden so can’t muster up any enthusiasm for golf this afternoon.
Today’s offering from our regular Tuesday compiler is, in my view, pretty much on a par with yesterday’s puzzle in terms of difficulty. As ever concisely clued & entertaining with perhaps slightly more straightforward wordplay than can sometimes be the case with Anthony Plumb puzzles. I don’t anticipate many will require any help from the (hopefully correct) hints below but they’re there with the usual assortment of tunes.
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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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31045
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***
Another lovely sunny autumnal day perfect for an afternoon of golf at Centurion.
We have another offering of typically gentle Plumbing from the Prof complete with the usual plethora of single letter insertions. I’d rate it about on a par with yesterday in terms of difficulty with maybe a little more to it in terms of the parsing. For any yet to try a puzzle over in t’other place or to complete one unaided then today is the day as Chalicea’s ‘floughie’ is certainly no more difficult than this one so I hope Whybird’s review gets plenty of comments.
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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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31041
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
It’s shaping up to be another nice day here in Harpenden so an afternoon of golf in autumnal sunshine looks on the cards. I need the exercise as my backside won’t stray far from the sofa while the Ryder Cup is on over the next two days. I’m on the tee starting golfers off on Sunday but should be done in time to watch the singles action on the final day. Fingers crossed for Luke’s team.
I was very grateful for a gentle puzzle from Ray T this morning as it was nearly 1pm by the time I got home from a gig at the Brixton Academy. Suffice to say ‘twas a bit of struggle getting out of bed when the alarm went off & confess to feeling more than a bit mushy brained & bleary eyed this morning.
As ever an enjoyable puzzle today from Mr Brevity & one that ought not to present too many difficulties.
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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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31033
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***
Fairly straightforward Plumbing today which ought not to pose too many difficulties. That said under time pressure I couldn’t see the parsing at 8d so phoned the DT helpline (aka Shabbo). As ever succinctly clued & with the usual high quota of single letter abbreviations. I did enjoy the puzzle but also thought it somewhat lacking in the sort of witty surfaces that characterise AP’s best puzzles. It’ll be interesting to see what others think.
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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