Gazza – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Author: Gazza

DT 31251

by Gazza  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31251
Hints and Tips by Gazza

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

Thanks to today’s setter for an enjoyable puzzle which I found slightly trickier than its predecessors this week but still pretty accessible.
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Toughie 3692

by Gazza  

Toughie No 3692 by Luxor
Hints and tips by Gazza

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

By Friday Toughie standards this is fairly straightforward. Thanks to Luxor for the enjoyable puzzle.

Please leave a comment telling us how you fared and what you liked about the puzzle.
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DT 31244

by Gazza  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31244
Hints and Tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty **  Enjoyment ****

Deansleigh is on holiday (and probably without Internet access) this week so I’m standing in for him.

Thanks to today’s setter for a very enjoyable challenge which is fairly gentle. All three of the long anagrams fell quickly based on the enumerations and a few checkers so that was a big help in completing the grid.
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Toughie 3684

by Gazza  

Toughie No 3684 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza

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

For a Friday Toughie Sparks is being quite gentle with us today. Thanks to him. He often gives a Nina in the grid and today we have a Dylan Thomas play as well as a phrase which is used backwards in 3d.

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DT 31227

by Gazza  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31227
Hints and Tips by Gazza

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

Today’s puzzle is just one letter short of a pangram which is a strong hint as to the setter. Thanks to him for a very enjoyable challenge.
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Toughie 3676

by Gazza  

Toughie No 3676 by Osmosis
Hints and tips by Gazza

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

This is not Osmosis at his most fiendish but it is still worthy of the Friday Toughie slot. Thanks to him for the very enjoyable challenge with well-disguised definitions and clever wordplay (and extra kudos for forswearing anagrams).
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DT 31215

by Gazza  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31215
Hints and Tips by Gazza

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

Thanks to today’s setter (I’ll leave you to guess his or her identity) for an enjoyable puzzle pitched at just the right level for a Thursday.
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Toughie 3668

by Gazza  

Toughie No 3668 by Luxor
Hints and tips by Gazza

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

Welcome to Luxor, a new Toughie setter whose name will be known to those who solve the Enigmatic Variations puzzles. I was a bit apprehensive on seeing the new name but I needn’t have worried; this puzzle is pretty gentle for a Friday Toughie.
Thanks to our new setter for the enjoyment.
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