Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31125
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning, fellow puzzlers and a very Happy New Year to you all.
I have been blogging the Thursday back-pager since August 2023, but I now need to pass the baton on. I have been invited to join the Telegraph team of setters and there is an unwritten, but understandable, rule that setters should not comment on other setters’ work. My first DT puzzle will appear in the Toughie slot on 7th January.
Naturally I am thrilled to join the group of setters, but I will miss my blogging duties, particularly as I now leave the coast clear for Huntsman to win the race to 200 blogs! I will not, however, miss setting my alarm clock every Wednesday evening! My thanks go to the BD management team for inviting me to take on the role in the first place and particular thanks to Gazza for teaching this IT Luddite the joys of working with WordPress. I wish my successor well.
What about today’s puzzle, I hear you cry? Good point, well made. This is undoubtedly the work of RayT as all of his trademarks are there. He has even excelled himself by smashing through the 5 words/clue barrier. If my calculations are correct, he is averaging a miserly 4.9 words per clue. Remarkable.
I found it slightly trickier than usual, but then I solved it at silly o’clock when I was woken up by the local celebratory fireworks at midnight. I hope you enjoyed it – the puzzle, that is, not the fireworks.
Many thanks to RayT and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “DT 31125”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31119
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Good morning, fellow puzzlers and a very happy and peaceful Christmas to you all.
Silvanus claimed ownership of today’s puzzle in last Friday’s comments. I found it suitably seasonal, not too challenging and great fun to solve. Perhaps he is being gentle with us, knowing that many of us will not have much spare time to sneak in a quick solve without getting told off by senior management.
I have added plenty of images to enjoy, as it is Christmas, but I hope that these do not give the answers away too much. If they do, please accept my apologies.
My ticks are for Prokofiev’s piece at 5a, the neat anagram at 15a, the rings at 1d, the setter getting fired at 6d and the seat that Starmer lost at 20d. Which did you like?
Many thanks to Silvanus and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “DT 31119”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31113
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning, fellow puzzlers, and season’s greetings to you all.
I found this very straightforward, slowing only slightly in the SE corner. I even began to wonder whether it might not be RayT, but then the sweetheart appeared at 18d and a quick word count revealed a word/clue ratio of just a fraction over five, so all was well with the world.
Blogging is never a chore and when it is a choice between writing hints or watching the Test Match in Adelaide, it is a real joy!
Many thanks to RayT and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “DT 31113”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31107
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
Another lovely Thursday back-pager to keep us out of mischief today. Quite tricky in parts, but a most enjoyable solve. Smooth surfaces throughout and it’s definitely not RayT, so I will leave you, dear reader, to suggest a possible setter. So many lovely clues, from which I will pick 13a, 15a, 21a, 6d, 18d and 20d as my favourites. Which ones did you like?
Many thanks to our setter and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “DT 31107”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31101
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
As I write, this, I have one eye on the cricket on the iPad. Who says men can’t multi-task? Mind you, if Brook attempts another ramp shot like that, the laptop might go out of the window!
Back to the puzzle. Despite the notable absence of the Queen, this is definitely a RayT production. He has even signed it with his alter ego at 4a. Elegant and concise as ever and not too difficult. My podium comprises 6a, 24a and 23d.
Many thanks to RayT and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “DT 31101”
Toughie No 3594 by Prime
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning, fellow puzzlers. It’s me again on Wednesday Toughie duty, stepping in for ALP/CS.
Pleasant Prime puzzle, perfectly pitched, posing particularly proficient problems. 17a was a new word for me, but it is fairly clued. The Barking dialect at 24a and the famous mother-in-law at 5d are my joint favourites.
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.
Many thanks to Prime and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “Toughie 3594”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31095
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
Once again, I am unable to help you on Guess the Setter. I found this most enjoyable despite the spattering of politics and taxation! My ticks are for 12a, 2d, 4d and 17d, with CoD awarded to the lovely cryptic definition at 27a.
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.
Many thanks to our mystery setter and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “DT 31095”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31089
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
No prizes for “Guess the Setter” this morning, so Senf can keep his toonies safely concealed at the back his sock drawer. This has all of RayT’s hallmarks: single word answers, single word answers and clues in the Quickie, a queen, a sweetheart and brevity of clueing at a fraction over five words/clue. It also displays his usual elegance and was a joy to solve, although I suspect he is being gentler than usual with us this morning. My podium comprises 1a, 29a and 1d. Which clues did you like?
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.
Many thanks to RayT and to the DT Crossword Team. BTW, I loved the Quickie pun!
Continue reading “DT 31089”
Toughie No 3585 by Dada
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
Dada is being fairly gentle with us this morning, in an enjoyable and reasonably accessible Tuesday Toughie. My ticks were for the confused directors at 7a, the winter coat at 26a, the discarded drink at 3d and the primate at 5d.
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.
Many thanks to Dada and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “Toughie 3585”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31083
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
I really enjoyed this perfectly pitched Thursday back page puzzle. Some great surface reads and plenty of clues requiring us to drop or add letters to keep us on our toes. Loads of ticks on my page, including 9a, 22a, 27a, 4d, 6d, 15d and 17d, with my CoD going to 12a – a clever construction and a great word. I will leave you to play “Guess the Setter” as I have no idea. Perhaps he/she will drop in later to take a bow.
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle.
Many thanks to our mystery setter and to the DT Crossword Team.
Continue reading “DT 31083”