Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
Currently Thursday does not appear to have a regular setter, although since Autumn 2010 Ray T features frequently. During 2009 almost all of the Thursday puzzles were set by Jay.
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Another pretty gentle Toughie from Kcit. There is, I suppose, a spot of vocab (13a, 7d) but it’s very generously clued. I briefly flirted with adding an extra half on for difficulty but almost immediately recanted – it is, after all, Thursday. The floor is, as ever, yours to say I was right wrong!
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment *****
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where yesterday, I enjoyed watching England’s first game in the World Cup although it seemed to a be, as the saying goes, a game of two halves. Canada play Qatar at 5 o’clock this afternoon.
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), there is no doubt that this is the work of a very benevolent Master of Brevity with some lateral thinking required. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen, Ray T’s swEetheart, but not the plain sweetheart, in the back pager with an average of 5.09 words per clue. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty * – Enjoyment *****
What a joy to welcome Potoroo to the jungle party. A fine debut (here) that’s fresh and fun. Nothing too spooky – only 5d needed a spot of time travel (my Geography O level was 100 years ago) but it’s very fairly clued. The floor, as ever, is yours.
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31263
Hints and Tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** Enjoyment ****
Thanks to today’s setter for an enjoyable puzzle which provides a step up in difficulty from the earlier ones this week.
Continue reading “DT 31263”
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty * – Enjoyment ***
Bloggers have to keep their wits about them tackling Karla. Not necessarily because of the wordplay – which is very straightforward today – but because he often hides a subtle Le Carré-flavoured Nina in the grid. Well, I can’t really spot one of those. Perhaps you can? But … there is a four-letter word (plus “set” and, possibly, “it”) running diagonally from the top left corner which, when anagrammed with 1a’s second letter, should/could give you summat. I may, of course, be reaching. I briefly thought, on clocking 14d, that Smiley might be making an appearance, but the last three letters of the crossing 18a don’t quite get you there – unless you play with them. We’ve also got a flurry of names – Enid, Charlie, Juliet, Victor, Seal (possibly), Vogue, Oscar and Cindy – but it’s certainly not a band I recognise! The floor, as ever, is yours.
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment *****
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where thunderstorms are becoming more frequent!
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), Dream Team Thursday seems to be becoming a distant memory but there is no doubt that this is the work of a very benevolent Master of Brevity with some lateral thinking required. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen, Ray T’s swEetheart, and the plain sweetheart in the back pager with an average of 4.9 words per clue. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty **+ – Enjoyment ****/*****
I thoroughly enjoyed this. There’s a spot of vocab – 27a was unknown to me – but it’s all very fairly clued. I initially suspected we were approaching *** territory as – despite getting lucky with 1a, having recently visited Hungary – I found the top a little bumpy. But the second half eases up dramatically. Whether that’s because it really is significantly easier in the South or whether I’d just refound my Donny legs by then, I’m not entirely sure. Certainly, there is NO science, which always makes me sob. And there is an extremely helpful and literally comic mini-theme. So **+ (as in not quite a 2.5) it is … for a Thursday. As ever, the floor is yours to agree disagree. PS … I should add (ta lots Sloop) that this is apparently Donnybrook’s 100th Toughie, as perhaps alluded to by the 11 ‘C’s dotted about the grid. Hats off, sir: a tremendous achievement.
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31251
Hints and Tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** Enjoyment ****
Thanks to today’s setter for an enjoyable puzzle which I found slightly trickier than its predecessors this week but still pretty accessible.
Continue reading “DT 31251”
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****
As ever, one of the trickiest elements of blogging (apart from trying and failing to come up with musical clips that don’t enrage Jane!) is the difficulty rating. Talking of Jane, I know we all hope that no news is good news. Everything crossed. If you’re on Dharma’s wavelength (and, for some reason, I generally am) this should fly in, but, if you’re not, some of his typically wily wordplay might slow you down. I’ve gone with a safe-ish 1.5 – I hope that’s not too irritating. The floor is yours to agree … or not!
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BD Rating – Difficulty 1.5* – Enjoyment 5*
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where, while there is extreme heat and violent storms to the East of Manitoba, we are still waiting for Spring to start, this weekend perhaps, and it is supposed to be Summer in a months time!
For me, and I stress for me© (I have to say that for Terence), once again not half of a Dream Team Thursday, Silvanus was on Toughie duty yesterday, but no doubt that this is the work of a very benevolent Master of Brevity and, same as last week, there is not an error in my Difficulty rating. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and an appearance from the Queen but no swEetheart appearing in the back pager with an average of 4.97 words per clue. Also, like Dada, Ray T still seems to be making occasional use of a personal thesaurus. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!
Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!