Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26073
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
Friday’s puzzles seem to divide the solving community into two polarised camps, and I suspect that today’s will be no exception. I enjoyed it, although I have a couple of queries. I’ve given it four * for difficulty largely because those completing it on Clued Up seemed to take longer than usual.
Leave us a comment with your views. We’re especially keen to hear from our many readers who have not yet left a comment – now is the time to introduce yourselves – we’re a friendly lot and we don’t bite!
If you leave a comment please don’t just say “love it” or “hate it” – try to give reasons or examples, so that we can get a debate going (sorry if I sound like an examiner!).
As usual the answers are hidden inside the curly brackets under the clue. They are hidden so that you don’t see them accidentally, but if you want to see one, just highlight the white space inside the brackets.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26067
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
I look forward to the Friday puzzle, but I must admit to feeling a bit disappointed with this one. There’s one amusing clue at 7d, but otherwise I thought that it was fairly mundane stuff, compared to the usual Friday fare. Do you agree or do you think I’m being excessively curmudgeonly? – let me know via a comment.
As usual, if you want to see an answer you’ll find it hidden between the curly brackets – just highlight the white space to reveal it.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26061
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
I was guilty today of breaking rule #1 in the I-SPY Crossword Solvers’ Handbook, “Read the Clue Carefully”. On 17a I decided that the answer must be the name of a plant hidden in the clue, quickly scanned the letters until I found “ERICA”, wrote it in and moved on. Only later, when I couldn’t shoehorn the answer to 15d in, did I scratch my head and revisit 17a, to find that the clue specifies “plants” and not “plant”.
We have another delightful puzzle from Giovanni, full of amusing clues, but it’s no easier than last Friday’s (sorry, Barrie!).
The answers are hidden, as always, inside the curly brackets – highlight the white space if you need to reveal one.
We’d be delighted to get your comments on the puzzle or the review.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26055
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
It was all a bit like groundhog day. There was I, relaxing over a late breakfast and wrestling with today’s Toughie, when I got a message from Libellule saying that his communication problems have resurfaced so that he could not do the review. So I’m afraid that you’re stuck with me again.
Not that reviewing a Giovanni puzzle is ever a chore – it’s well up to his usual standard, so that means some excellent surface readings with a number of smiles, not to say guffaws.
We’d be delighted to get your comments as usual.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26049
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Having got used to the Friday puzzle being the highlight of the week, I must admit to being a tad disappointed with this one. There’s nothing specifically wrong with it, but I didn’t get the “wow” factor from any of the clues, and (I know this is subjective, and others may disagree) I thought that it was on the easier side of average in terms of difficulty.
I look forward to hearing your views, especially those of our correspondents who usually have problems on a Friday.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26043
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
It’s Friday already and we have another gem from our usual Friday setter, full of immaculately constructed clues with a few chuckles thrown in. I debated whether to give this three or four stars for difficulty, and ended up with four. I’m sure we’ll get comments ranging from “easiest of the week” to “total nightmare” – please do continue to give us your views; it’s the variety of comments that makes the blog so interesting!
As usual the answers are hidden inside the curly brackets – highlight the white space if you want to reveal them.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26037
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
Friday’s puzzle is more often than not both the most difficult and the most entertaining one of the week, and this one is no exception. I have reservations about a couple of the clues, but overall it was very enjoyable.
As usual the answers are hidden inside the curly brackets – if you’re stuck you can highlight the white space inside to reveal them.
As always we welcome comments. If you’re a regular visitor and have never left a comment, now is the time to introduce yourself and let us know what you like, or don’t like, about the blog!
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26031
Hints and tips by Libellule
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Back in the Friday slot, because Gazza is taking a day off and what do we have? Not an overly difficult puzzle today, but a little tricky in places. But otherwise perfectly enjoyable entertainment.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26025
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
A pleasant exercise, as usual on a Friday, with one or two more difficult clues thrown in to keep us on our toes. Getting 17a early is a big help in solving the other clues.
As usual the answers are hidden inside the curly brackets. Just highlight the white space inside to reveal them.
To our many readers who have yet to “come out” and reveal themselves – don’t be shy, we’re a friendly bunch here and we won’t bite, so introduce yourself via a comment. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an experienced solver or a novice – remember that everyone was a novice once!
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26019
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
This is my first Friday review and what a pleasure it is to do. Each clue is well crafted with some excellent surface readings. Some may quibble at the presence of five place names but each is very well known.
As usual the answers are hidden inside the curly brackets – just select the white space to reveal them. Also, please take the time to express how much you were entertained by the puzzle by clicking on one of the five stars at the bottom of the review. As always we’d be delighted to get a comment from you.
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