Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30504
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Hola from Almoradí and a belated “Feliz Año” to you all. Weather here is a cloudless sky but a bit chilly and very windy. Forecast to be normal service resumed tomorrow!
I’m not sure about the setter today. It didn’t feel like a Campbell production but there are two puns in the Quickie so perhaps it is one of his. Whatever, it didn’t frighten the horses much but was a bit of fun while it lasted. My only slight trouble was the rather obscure film at 1a.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30492
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Hola from Almoradí and a big “Feliz Navidad” to one and all, and no, I’m not working on Christmas Day. The Telegraph puzzles editor very kindly sent me an advance copy of the cryptic and quick crosswords so I’m writing this blog last Saturday! Means I can have a lie-in on Monday before tackling the pommer’s traditional Christmas breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with a Buck’s Fizz to go with it!
The puzzle isn’t particularly “Chistmassy” or difficult but I did enjoy it while it lasted! The pun in the Quickie is relevant to Christmas though. I hope you all enjoyed it too.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30480
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Hola from Almoradí where summer has returned! Average high temperature here in December is 17°C but Saturday we had 25°C, yesterday 27°C and it’s forecast to be the same today and tomorrow! Cools down very quickly after sunset though and we do have a light duvet on the bed so it’s not really summer.
I’m going for Campbell as today’s setter as there are three puns in the Quickie and he’s back to his usual elegant style. It’s not very taxing, and there are a couple of long anagrams to give plenty of checkers, but there are a couple of head scratchers to keep us on our toes. Hope you all enjoyed it.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30468
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Hola from Almoradí where we are continuing with wall-to-wall sunshine but it’s noticeably cooler than last week. We haven’t had a drop of rain since May which is most unusual as Sept to Nov is usually the wettest part of the year.
I’m guessing that this puzzle is a Campbell production as there are two puns in the quickie but somehow I thought it was a bit different from his usual style. Oh well, perhaps that’s just me. Anyway, it certainly didn’t frighten the horses very much but was quite enjoyable while it lasted.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30462
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Hola from Almoradí where autumn has finally arrived. Temps in now in low twenties and it cools off very rapidly as soon as the sun goes down.
Thanks to Falcon for stepping in last week at short notice as I was otherwise engaged taking pommette to the hospital for a check-up on her arm and shoulder, which fortunately appear to be healing well. The down side is that you now have me this week and next!
As to the crossword I thought it was a tricky little rascal, as pommette might say, but a lot of fun to solve. I’ll be interested to see who agrees.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30444
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Hola from Almoradí where autumn is slowly arriving. I had to get my long trousers out last Saturday but yesterday was back to shorts. Today’s looking like shorts as well!
I think this puzzle must be a Campbell production, because of the two puns in the quickie, but I thought it was definitely at the tricky end of his spectrum. Perhaps that’s just me having an off day but I did enjoy the tussle. I’ll be interested to see who agrees and who doesn’t.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30432
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Hola from Almoradí where summer still lingers on. I’ve heard it said that we’re having the warmest October on record and I can quite believe it! 32°C last Saturday which is silly hot for mid-October.
As to the crossword it wasn’t my favourite, but I can’t put my finger on exactly why. I don’t know who the setter is but it’s X Type’s turn, but there are three puns in the quickie so it could be Campbell I suppose, although it didn’t feel like one of his. I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on it.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30426
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Hola from Almoradí where today we have a public holiday. … Continue reading
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30408
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Hola from Almoradí where the long, hot summer is finally drawing to a close.… Continue reading
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30396
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Hola from Almoradí where we have an orange sky! It happens occasionally when Saharan dust is blown northwards. Even though I know what it is it seems a bit spooky!
As for the crossword I’m not 100% this is the work of Campbell. It didn’t have the right feel and I can only see one pun in the Quickie. Also there are too many anagrams. I count it as six straight anagrams but there are another five clues that involve an anagram as some part of the answer. However, I’m the world’s worst at spotting setters and I suppose someone will point out the second pun so perhaps it will turn out to be Campbell after all!
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