DT Cryptic Crosswords – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

DT 31228

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31228

Hints and tips by Mr K

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BD Rating  -  Difficulty *** Enjoyment ****

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. Today’s puzzle is a very enjoyable solve with nothing to obscure or technical involved in the clueing. I hope that our setter drops in later to claim it. Continue reading "DT 31228"

DT 31223 (Full Review)

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31223

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 25th April 2026

BD Rating – Difficulty **Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. A nice and brilliant Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback. Continue reading “DT 31223 (Full Review)”

Toughie 3679

Toughie No 3679 by Karla
Hints and tips by ALP

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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty */** Enjoyment ****/*****

Great fun from Karla today. Pretty friendly, I’d say, for a Thursday and no harm in that on a beautifully sunny day. Nowt that’s remotely obscure – the only arguably less-than-everyday 5d is served up on a plate. Smart, gettable wordplay and some well-worked, credible surfaces. Very enjoyable. All yours.
Continue reading “Toughie 3679”

DT 31227

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.
Continue reading “DT 31227”

DT 31226

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31226
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 found today’s puzzle to be about the same level of difficulty as yesterday’s, with some general knowledge required, but everything fairly clued throughout.  As usual there were many excellent clues today.  Amongst my favourites were 1a, 10a, 3d and 5d, but I especially liked the hapless president in 15d and the brilliant 9d.  Many thanks to our setter.

Continue reading “DT 31226”

DT 31225

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31225

Hints and tips by Huntsman

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

Well quite a weather contrast to yesterday’s glorious day here in Harpenden as it’s dull & overcast with maybe even a smattering of much needed rain due in the next hour or two.

Today’s Anthony Plumb (I assume) production is the usual gentle exercise that I suspect won’t leave many 17d. As ever nicely clued throughout & fun while it lasted. For those seeking a further challenge I see Hudson is over in t’other place so I’ll save that for an afternoon watching the snooker & nursing a poorly back.

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.

Continue reading “DT 31225”

DT 31224

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31224

Hints and tips by Falcon

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

Greetings from Ottawa, where spring has finally arrived – about a month later than the calendar would have one believe. In Canada, spring is Stanley Cup Playoffs season, the competition for the championship of the National Hockey League. I can now well empathize with those on the blog who have lately been bemoaning the fate of their favourite football clubs. The hockey team I root for, the Ottawa Senators, had a dismal start to the season falling to near the bottom of the league. The second half of the season was the polar opposite – the team had one of the best (if not the best) records in the league allowing them to barely squeak into the playoffs. However, that was the end of the fairy tale season and they fell in four straight games in round one.

Today’s puzzle provided a fairly gentle mental workout to prepare us for the more demanding offerings we will undoubtedly encounter later in the week. UK solvers likely had a bit of an edge on me as it took a few extra minutes to sort out the character from the British children’s novel with whom I was not familiar. As for the setter, the Monday rotation appears to be Weatherman twice a month (on Smyler’s shift) with Heron once a month and the remaining position (today) filled by a mystery setter or setters.

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.

Continue reading “DT 31224”