Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26953
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
Hola from the Vega Baja, where it remains very hot and sticky. First a big thanks to Gazza for swapping days this week. I was being Mrs Mop again at our friend’s apartment yesterday and had got my dates wrong – I thought it was today! So far since I switched to the Thursday puzzle I’ve managed one out of three on the right day – I’ll be getting the sack if I don’t buck my ideas up!
Anyway, on to the puzzle. Not my favourite this week and a bit tricky. Seemed a bit of a slog and, like Dave said yesterday, I can only admit to a sense of relief when it was all over. All the clues are very fair but, for me, it somehow lacked the usual Giovanni sparkle.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26947
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Giovanni does vary the difficulty of his Friday puzzles quite a lot and I thought that this one was well towards the easier end of the spectrum. Easy or difficult, his puzzles always contain smooth surface readings and impeccable wordplay. Let us know how you got on with it.
I’ve followed the Scchua convention today by underlining the definitions in the clues – I’ll continue to do this for back-page puzzles unless there are significant objections. I’m not sure whether it’s something that’s needed or worth doing for Toughies as well – do let me have your thoughts.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26941
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
Most of this one went in fairly easily for me but I was held up in the NW corner for a while (I kept thinking of Ben and Charles for 1a), so I’ve given it 4* for difficulty. Let us know whether you had similar problems or whether you thought it was a piece of cake.
If you want to see an answer just highlight the space between the brackets under the clue. If you’re accessing the blog from a mobile device there is some help on how to do this in the FAQ.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26935
Hints and tips by Libellule
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Its a bit like musical chairs this week, Gazza is taking a few well earned days off, and I have stepped in to cover for him. Its always a pleasure to blog Giovanni, dissecting the word play makes you realise just how good a setter he is. This is an entertaining puzzle thats not overly difficult. The three long anagrams provide good access to the puzzle if you manage to crack them early.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26929
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
I was half expecting an Olympic theme today but perhaps we still have that in store. This was definitely a game of two halves for me – the left side went in without difficulty but I required an amount of cogitation for the right side. Let us know how you got on.
If you absolutely have to see an answer reveal what’s inside the brackets under the clue by highlighting the space.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26923
Hints and tips by pommers
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Hola from the Vega Baja. Pommette’s in the UK again this week so, as I’m at a loose end (!), Gazza has kindly given me the opportunity to blog this Giovanni puzzle. Not sure I really enjoyed it all though, which is unusual for one of his! I thought that there were some very nice clues and some enjoyable penny-drop moments but also some slightly dodgy bits (IMHO) and the gratuitous inclusion of some rather obscure words. Maybe it’s just me being a grumpy old man this morning. I’ll be interested to hear what you think of it.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26917
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
It’s Friday the Thirteenth but there’s nothing too frightening in today’s puzzle by Giovanni. Getting the three long anagrams quickly provides a good base for the rest of the puzzle. Let us know what you thought.
To reveal an answer just highlight the space between the curly brackets under the clue.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26911
Hints and tips by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Gazza reviewed yesterday’s back-page puzzle, so today I’m returning the favour. Typical Friday Fare from Giovanni – including his signature religious references!
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26905
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
This is a fairly gentle puzzle by Giovanni with none of his usual religious references. I’d never heard of the composer at 6d but the name wasn’t difficult to get from the checking letters. Let us know how you got on and your view of the puzzle.
If you need to see an answer just drag your cursor through the space between the brackets under the clue that’s causing you problems.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26899
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Last Friday’s Giovanni was, I thought, on the easy side but this week he’s given us a meatier puzzle with some cracking clues. Let us know how you found it and how you got on.
If you want to see an answer just highlight the spaces between the brackets under the relevant clue; if you’re accessing the blog from a new-fangled mobile device you can find some help on how to do this in the FAQ.
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