Toughie No 3738 by Donnybrook
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Toughie Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment ****
I thought this was a properly tough Toughie, for both a Wednesday and a Donnybrook
Category: DT Cryptic Crosswords
Hints and tips for completing the regular Daily Telegraph Cryptic crosswords
DT 31316
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31316
Hints and Tips by Deansleigh
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ****
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the midweek back-pager blog. I got off to a flying start with today’s crossword, aided by the linked solutions in the first and last rows, but paused over the grass in 6d and Tracey’s coupling in 12d, although both answers are fairly gettable from the wordplay alone. My favourite clues today are 8a, the aforementioned 12d, and 16d. Many thanks to our setter.
Toughie 3737
Toughie No 3737 by Shabbo
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty * – Enjoyment *****
It’s always a joy to see Shabbo’s name pop up. He’s clearly got the expected Tuesday non-difficulty level down pat, generously going out of his way to give us a toehold or ten (6d, etc). Ever so gentle, sure, but smoothly entertaining. If you like anagrams, you’re going to love it! The floor, as ever, is yours. PS … dinna fret – Whybird’s back next week!
DT 31315
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31315
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ****
It looks like yet another scorcher on the golf course this afternoon at Centurion where I’ll be more than happy if I can get round in under 30 strokes more than Charley Hull took last week.
I thought today’s Anthony Plumb was a very enjoyable solve & maybe a tad trickier than last week. As ever concisely clued throughout with much to admire. Hopefully I can manage a 2nd week without needing to amend any hints but if so they’ll need to wait until later.
Our old Thursday blogger is over in t’other place with a delightful ‘floughie’ which I would strongly urge commenters to have a bash at as it really isn’t any more taxing than this one & is great fun.
As usual there is a selection of music to enjoy 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.
DT 31314
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31314
Hints and tips by Falcon
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from my lakeside retreat near Ottawa where we have had a beautiful sunny Sunday. No, you did not sleep through a whole week. I’m back this week while Smylers enjoys a holiday road trip with his family.
Today’s puzzle is perfectly pitched for a Monday although some solvers may be caught out by a few rather whimsical definitions. I’m wondering whether this might be an X-Type creation (as usual my predictions are subject to the caveat that they are usually wrong).
In the hints below, underlining identifies precise definitions and cryptic definitions, FODDER is capitalized, and indicators are italicized. The answers will be revealed by clicking on the ANSWER buttons.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought of the puzzle.
DT 31313 (Hints)
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31313 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
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Toughie 3736
Toughie No 3736 by Elgar
Hints and Tips by crypticsue
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BD Rating – Difficulty ***** – Enjoyment *****
If I hadn’t struggled so mightily to parse two of the clues, I might have said that I really enjoyed this proper Friday Toughie but I still can’t parse one of them (and none of the three crossword-solving ‘friends I phoned’ could help until I got an email just after the blog was published. I spotted the theme quite early on in the solving process – apparently it is the centenary of Britain’s first Grand Prix [the names of eleven British Formula One champions are to be found in the Across solutions, some of them crossing over two solutions, one name doing double duty for father and son with that surname]
DT 31312
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31312
Hints and tips by Mr K
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ***
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. Continue reading "DT 31312"
DT 31307 (Full Review)
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31307
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 1st August 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. An excellent Saturday puzzle from Chris Lancaster that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback. Continue reading “DT 31307 (Full Review)”
Toughie 3735
Toughie No 3735 by Django
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****
Solid stuff from Django today, with his usual flourishes. 1a tickled me from the off. I once filed a piece for The Independent about Britain’s “poshest” dump. There were working tumble-dryers discarded there willy-nilly – one still in its box, quickly snapped up by the hawk-eyed manager. There was even an on-site shop to sell the best of the plunder that included a W-reg Ford Fiesta (with MOT) and a speedboat. That’s Dorset for you!