Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
Hints and tips for completing the regular Daily Telegraph Cryptic crosswords
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
This is the sort of puzzle that you come to expect in the Telegraph. Nothing too difficult, no awkward constructs, no obsolete or obscure words, no silly phrases, no proper nouns, no isolated corners, and certainly no sign of those love ’em or hate ’em unches! Just a good, honest puzzle. Well done our Wednesday setter.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
In his review yesterday tilsit introduced a phrase “double unch” (double unchecked square) which I hadn’t heard before and which I determined to remember for future use – well, I did not have to wait long, because today’s puzzle is full of them! It’s a bit of a curate’s egg really, with a few nice cryptic definitions and some attempts at misdirection, but some of the surface readings are pretty poor, notably 16d.
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment **
Very much at the easier end of the scale, the only thing that I suspect will hold solvers up today is the grid itself. What an abomination! Just under half of the clues contained a double unchecked square (known as a “double unch”). Indeed my record solving time for the Telegraph would have been beaten only for being held up with 5 down. I really don’t like grids with double unches and although I’ll tolerate a couple in a normal puzzle, surely this was too much.
When a previous Times Crossword Editor took over a few years back, he devoted a bit of time to revising all the Times stock grids. I think it’s time for the DT to follow suit.
Back to the puzzle. It being Monday we have the usual collection of cryptic definitions, which are fine, but I would rather have two or three a puzzle instead of the number we get. I always recommend the Telegraph and Guardian Monday puzzles as good places to start when solving cryptics but I sometimes fear that newer solvers are tempted to stick at this level when other puzzles adopted, shall we say, a more balanced approach. In addition, as my esteemed colleague Big Dave points out, sometimes the puzzle is weakened by these, 26 across is a good example.
That said, there are some lovely surface readings and constructions. Thanks as usual to our Monday Maestro.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Not too complicated, not too easy either. One new word for me, a french phrase and a couple of Big Dave bete noires, what more could you ask for. Comments as always appreciated.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
Started this off very fast but slowed down in the bottom half. A saying to ponder from one of the Times for the Times bloggers: “Some of the words in a clue are there for their meaning, and some for their content”. As a solver, it’s well worth asking “why is this particular word used”, and any passing setters will already have realised that concealing the words included for their content can be quite difficult.
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
This puzzle is one of the easiest we have had for some time, but it is full of cleverly-constructed clues with excellent surface readings. It would be a very good introduction for someone new to cryptics. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment *****
A superior puzzle with some very good clues and on the whole a really enjoyable solve. I’m left with the impression that the compiler wants you to do a fair bit of thinking outside the box with some of these main or subsidiary definitions.
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
This is another decent puzzle from our normal Tuesday setter, whose trademark is to have only single-word answers. Some will decry the layout of the grid, with each of the corners pretty isolated – but look on the bright side, you get four puzzles for the price of one!
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment *
Unfortunately Tilsit is not well enough to review today’s puzzle. After doing it, I know how he feels! I looked through to see if I could say a few nice words about it.
Don’t forget the Clue of the Week competition – cast your vote now. I don’t think I will be putting any of today’s forward for this week.
Tilsit hopes to be back later this week, and I’m sure you will join me in wishing him well again soon.
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
I found this one to be a lot harder than the other crosswords this week. Either I was having a bad day, or this really was more difficult. Comments appreciated.
