Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26168
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
You may have gathered that Giovanni is not exactly flavour of the week on parts of this site, but he invariably produces exceedingly good puzzles, and this one is well up there. Let us know in a comment whether you enjoyed it as much as I did.
For new readers, the answer to each clue is hidden in the curly brackets under the clue. Drag your cursor through the white space between the brackets to reveal it.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26162
A Year of Living Dangerously
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Libellule’s comment yesterday, about it being near the anniversary of his first review, prompted me to check through the archives to find my first, and, surprise, it was done on 12/02/2009. So I have been doing these reviews for a year, during which time I must have written about 140 – I’ve certainly learnt a lot and derived a good deal of enjoyment from doing them.
Today’s puzzle from Giovanni is full of cultural references, ranging from grand opera to nursery rhymes, via music hall and children’s comics. I enjoyed it – how about you? Leave us a comment.
As usual, the answer to each clue is hidden between the curly brackets under it. Just drag your cursor through the white space between the brackets to reveal it.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26156
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
We have another fine puzzle from Giovanni, with his usual impeccable clueing (well, with the exception of 20d). My initial instinct was to give it three stars for difficulty, but it does contain a couple of constructs which may be new to some solvers and Clued Up is currently showing it with five stars, so I’ve compromised with four. Let me know, via a comment, whether you agree or not!
For new readers, the answers are hidden in the white space between the brackets under the clue. Drag your cursor from left to right between the brackets to reveal.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26150
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
It’s Friday and Giovanni produces what is the highlight of the week for many solvers. I’ve given this four stars for difficulty mainly because of 3d and, especially, 24d. How did you find it? – comments, as always, are most welcome.
The answers, should you find my hints even more confusing than the clues :D, can be found between the curly brackets beneath the relevant clue. Just drag your cursor through the white space between the brackets to reveal.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26144
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
We have another entertaining challenge from Giovanni – what more can I say? Fridays and Sundays are definitely my favourite days for the Telegraph Cryptic puzzles. Let us know what you thought, and by all means criticise it if you don’t like it, but please don’t just say something like “it’s dreadful” – give your reasons and examples, so that we can get a debate going.
For new readers, the answer to each clue is hidden between the curly brackets under the clue (so that you can’t see it by accident). If you want to reveal it, drag your cursor through the white space between the brackets.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26138
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
I hope that you enjoyed today’s treat from Giovanni as much as I did. Do, please, give us a comment with your brickbats, bouquets, gripes or queries.
For new readers (and, based on the viewing figures we must be getting some every day) the answer to each clue is hidden inside the curly brackets under it. Drag your cursor through the white space between the brackets if you want to reveal it.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26132
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
We have another enjoyable puzzle from Giovanni today, which I found a bit more difficult than usual, but not quite up to the 4 stars level. How did you find it?, how did it compare with yesterday’s?, is it the hardest of the week? – your comments, as always, are welcome and appreciated.
If you want to see an answer drag your cursor through the space between the brackets underneath the relevant clue.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26126
A Happy New Year
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Those of us feeling a trifle fragile after last night and hoping for a gentle easing into 2010 may find this one a trifle more difficult than hoped-for. It’s well up to Giovanni’s usual standard and is highly enjoyable, but the 13a clue may be a total mystery to anyone who is not into rugby.
As usual the answers are hidden inside the curly brackets – just highlight the white space inside to reveal.
May I take this opportunity to wish everyone – fellow bloggers, illustrious setters and all our readers – a Very Happy New Year. Let’s hope that this year brings as many enjoyable puzzles as last year.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 100001
Happy Christmas, Everybody
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
On this festive day there are, of course, no newspapers printed, so this puzzle exists only in cyberspace on the Clued Up site. I understand that it should be available even to non-subscribers, but I cannot verify this.
Based on a comment left by Rufus earlier in the week, we can take it that this is another of his, so that for the second day running the Maestro has produced a gentle puzzle with a seasonal theme, designed no doubt with the thought in mind that many solvers may have partaken of a small sherry and may not be in the best shape for deep thought.
I hope that you are all enjoying a peaceful and happy Christmas, and if you do have time to leave us a comment, we’d be delighted to read it.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26115
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Another Friday and another treat from Giovanni – how does he manage to produce the goods time after time?
For new readers – if you actually need to see an answer they are hidden inside the curly brackets under each clue, to prevent your seeing them accidentally. Just highlight the white space inside the brackets to reveal the answer.
We love getting your comments, so please keep them coming.
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