Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30817
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***
I usually find Anthony Plumb’s puzzles a tad trickier than Monday but this one was certainly more straightforward than the X-Type offering yesterday. Having misjudged the difficulty rating last week there is a reluctance to risk a telling off from Brian so have played it safe with 2 *s. I’m prepared to risk a small wager that it’ll get more favourable comment from him than last week. As ever concisely clued & a very pleasant solve.
It’s looking like a rain free day so another lengthy walk around Harpenden Common & Rothamsted looks the best option given that the golf courses are still sodden & mine remains closed.
In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual. Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle.
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Toughie No 3401 by Dharma
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****/*****
An utterly charming puzzle from Dharma to see out the year in style: cunning misdirection, masked definitions and typically smart surfaces. Nowt outlandish here. My difficulty rating will, I’m sure, meet with snorts of derision as per usual, but Dharma’s style has always suited me down to the ground. Hopefully, I won’t be entirely alone! All yours.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30811
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
It falls to Anthony Plumb to provide us with the last back page puzzle of the year & as Senf would say it’s about as typical Tuesdayish as you can get. I’ll avoid 7 on RogB’s BD bingo card (see yesterday’s comments) & just award the one * for difficulty as I doubt many will need to refer to any hints. As ever concisely clued & an enjoyable solve.
The migration to the new puzzles site took some getting used to for those solving digitally but it has been another tremendous year of high quality DT guzzles. Many thanks to Chris Lancaster & all of the compilers who provide us with our daily fix. All that remains is to wish everyone connected with the blog a very happy & healthy new year.
In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual. Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle.
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Toughie No 3397 by Donnybrook
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** – Enjoyment ****
A fun Christmas Eve jaunt, this. Not terribly tricky, despite 14a (hence the extra half) which was certainly new to me and some typically cunning synonyms.… Continue reading
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30805
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning and happy Christmas Eve to you all. Our regular Tuesday blogger, Huntsman, is having some well-earned R&R near Loch Lomond where the Wi-Fi is apparently intermittent at best. When he told me about his break in the Trossachs, I thought it was a nasty medical condition, but I am assured that it is not. Either way, he has asked me to fill in for him today, which I am more than happy to do. It will, of course, cost him a pint when he is back!
I found this to be fairly straightforward, but a fun challenge. I hope you enjoyed solving it as well. Just a reminder that whilst there will be no dead tree version of the paper tomorrow, puzzles will still be available on the puzzle website. Season’s greetings to you all.
In the blog below, the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED and the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the “Click Here” buttons. Please leave a comment telling us how you got on and what you thought of the puzzle. Please also try to be positive – it’s only a bit of fun.
Thank you, setter and a special thank you to crossword editor, Chris Lancaster, as we approach the year end.
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Toughie No 3393 by Chalicea
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***/****
Huzzah! I predict total agreement for once. That must be a first.… Continue reading
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30799
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment **/***
A pretty dull & miserable looking morning here in Harpenden but it’s not raining & not cold. I’m off up to Tigh Mor in the Trossachs tomorrow for Christmas so no doubt it’ll be a darn sight colder up there.
I can’t in all honesty say that I’d rank today’s puzzle up there with AP’s best. Perhaps it’s just me but I felt it lacked some of his witty surfaces so it’ll be interesting to see what others thought. It was, as you would expect, precisely clued.
In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual. Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle.
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Toughie No 3389 by Dada
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ***/****
Very Tuesday-appropriate, I felt. A little trickery, of course, but nothing too spooky.… Continue reading
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30793
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***
Another fairly gentle puzzle to ease us into the new week. As ever with an AP production it was well clued throughout & with some nice touches of humour.
The wind has died down & at least it’s not raining here in Harpenden but still pretty miserable. A day for coats and woolly hats if venturing out. Alternatively stay warm & have a bash at Dada’s puzzle in the Toughie slot.
In the following hints, definitions are underlined, indicators are mostly in parentheses, and answers are revealed by clicking where shown as usual. Please leave a comment below on how you got on with the puzzle.
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Toughie No 3385 by Zenas
Hints and tips by ALP
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BD Rating – Difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
Pretty straightforward, I’d say. Some schoolboy French, a little GK and a smidgeon of vocab.… Continue reading