Friday – Big Dave's Crossword Blog

Category: Friday

Friday’s current setter is Don Manley who is also known as Giovanni, Duck, Pasquale, Quixote, and Bradman (all punningly connected with the name Don or Donald)

Toughie 3508

by Gazza  

Toughie No 3508 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza

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

Karla’s not too tricky today with no obscurities and is very enjoyable – many thanks to him. I can’t spot a Nina – can you?
Continue reading “Toughie 3508”

DT 30970

by Mr K  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30970

Hints and tips by Mr K

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

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. Today we have a very enjoyable puzzle featuring ultrasmooth surface readings, faultless cryptic grammar, and a shoutout to a Scottish football team. Thanks to our setter for a great puzzle to solve and to hint. Continue reading "DT 30970"

Toughie 3500

by Gazza  

Toughie No 3500 by Osmosis
Hints and tips by Gazza

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

Osmosis has brought his usual bag of tricks to this puzzle which I really enjoyed working through. He’s given us almost (but not quite) a pangram, a pleasing lack of anagrams and pairs of the more unusual letters juxtaposed in the centre of the grid.
Continue reading “Toughie 3500”

DT 30958

by Mr K  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30958

Hints and tips by Mr K

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

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. I thought this puzzle was just brilliant, with the laugh out loud PDM produced by 14d bumping the enjoyment score up to a rare five stars.  Thank you, setter! I’m afraid that work commitments meant a another late start to producing hints, and so sadly I had no time to search for suitable pictures.  I hope that the commentariat will provide a few. Continue reading "DT 30958"

DT 30952

by Mr K  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30952

Hints and tips by Mr K

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

Hello, everyone, and welcome to a fine Friday puzzle. Lots of glorious misdirection and penny drop moments in this excellent crossword.  Continue reading "DT 30952"

Toughie 3492

by Gazza  

Toughie No 3492 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza

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

I found this puzzle pretty tricky and my copy of the BRB had to work overtime. I did enjoy the struggle – thanks to Sparks. I can’t find any Nina in the grid – can you?Thanks to Odrum who has found the Nina – see Comment #3. Continue reading “Toughie 3492”