Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31117
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
A Typically Tuesdayish bit of Plumbing (I assume) that I’d rate pretty much on a par with X-Type’s puzzle yesterday in terms of difficulty. No particular favourite clue for me but as ever I thought it nicely clued throughout and perfectly enjoyable. For any looking for a stiffer challenge Donny is in the chair in t’other place & I’m sure Whybird would appreciate comments. As it’s my last blog before Christmas may I take the opportunity to wish all associated with the site festive greetings.
As ever there are an assortment of You Tube tunes & some Fawlty Towers to view if inclined.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31111
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
Well it’s another miserable 2d start to the day here in Harpenden but the forecast says the wet stuff might clear away around 2pm so there is at least a prospect of an hour & half walk before darkness descends.
For those bemoaning the trickier Monday puzzles there’s always a Typically Tuesdayish Anthony Plumb (I assume) production to rely on. Enjoyable as ever and pretty straightforward so I wouldn’t anticipate that it will cause many problems. For those looking for a stiffer challenge I’m sure Whybird would be delighted to hear your thoughts on the Zenas Toughie, which is also very accessible & well worth having a stab at.
As ever there are an assortment of You Tube tunes, sketches & a film clip to view if inclined.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31105
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty * Enjoyment ***
It’s looking like another thoroughly wet & miserable day in these & many other parts so a good job we’ve puzzles to entertain us.
Even by Typically Tuesday(ish) standards I’d rank today’s production on the gentle side. Perhaps it was a happy case of tuning in but it’s not often virtually all of the answers yield on the first read through – not I hasten to add that means there won’t be an error somewhere in the review. I assume Anthony Plumb is the setter & it was an enjoyable solve for the short time it lasted. After 2 days of crumpet scratching to no avail I was thankful for a Quickie pun even I could figure out.
As ever there are an assortment of tunes + a pic at 22a that some will understand the relevance of.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31099
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***
After a thoroughly miserable day yesterday the sun is shining here in Harpenden so I might actually walk up to Harpenden golf club for a lunch with a friend without fear of getting soaked.
I assume today’s enjoyable puzzle is an Anthony Plumb production though some of the clues were wordier than is the norm for him. I found it reasonably straightforward & a brisk grid fill so wouldn’t expect it to present much difficulty to most solvers.
As ever there are an assortment of tunes/clips to accompany the (hopefully correct for a change) wordplay analysis.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31093
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***
Distinctly nippy in these parts but bright & sunny so a walk around East & West Common in Harpenden looks on the menu for lunchtime.
Not sure what’s going on at Telegraph Towers but I’d suggest the person charged with pressing the button to load Tuesday’s puzzles onto the app undergoes further training. I think they eventually became available some time between 6.30am – 7am & just as I was about to set out to procure a dead tree version. Surely they can’t be that difficult to upload & that’s 2 weeks on the trot now.
Anyway I assume today’s offering is from Anthony Plumb. It certainly seemed like one of his to me but then so did last week’s puzzle which may well not have been. Either way it was certainly much gentler than last Tuesday though maybe a tad more challenging than yesterday.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31087
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** Enjoyment ***/****
Distinctly nippy in these parts but it’s sunny & dry so looks like the last chance for a decent walk before the forecast rains tomorrow.
I’m sure most will make much lighter work of today’s AP puzzle than I made of it. I usually solve the puzzle shortly before midnight so that all I then have to do is get up & write the blog. Unfortunately for whatever reason the puzzles were not loaded onto the app until early this morning, which I could have done without after a lousy night’s kip. Added into the mix a fire alarm went off at about 8am in our small block of 6 apartments so 30 mins of mild panic & investigation ensued. Still none the wiser as to why but I’m fairly confident I’m not in danger of being burnt to a crisp 🤞.
I thought today’s dose of Plumbing as enjoyable as ever. Maybe a tad trickier than usual but we’ll see what others make of it.
Error free hints last week but I fear it’s odds against a repeat performance this.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
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Toughie No 3581 by Weatherman
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
Whybird is away for a couple of Tuesdays and I have been entrusted with the responsibility of filling in for him. This is my debut on Toughie blogging duty, so please be gentle with me. I don’t know whether the DT uses different grids for Toughies, but I have never blogged a puzzle with only 24 clues. Sadly this and the lack of a Quickie Pun will weaken my negotiating position when I approach Gazza for a pay rise!
I got the four long answers first and then made reasonably steady progress until grinding to a halt in the SW corner. 17a, 16d and 18d delayed me for far too long but with hindsight, of course, they probably shouldn’t have done. It’s a good job the blogging deadline for Toughies is 14.00 and not 11.00!
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.
Many thanks to Weatherman and to the DT Crossword Team.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31081
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ****
It looks like there will be some prospect of a dry(ish) day in these parts after yesterday’s downpours & with more in the forecast for tomorrow. The Algarve is looking more enticing by the day.
I thought today’s Anthony Plumb production very enjoyable indeed. Not too tricky but with maybe one or two things to keep us on our toes. As ever elegantly & precisely clued with some neat witty surfaces.
It remains to be seen if the hints are error free & there are the usual selection of tunes to listen to or ignore.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31077
Hints and tips by Huntsman
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BD Rating – Difficulty */** Enjoyment ***/****.
After a couple of bright & unseasonably warm days it’s pretty dreary & miserable looking here in Harpenden so very much doubt I’ll be venturing far.
Shabbo is away to visit his mum but I do know it’s the opening night of a beer festival that is run by his brother so I expect a pint or two or three will be enjoyed. Anyway you’re stuck with me & I was more than happy to get a pretty gentle Ray T puzzle to blog. He has been a bit sneaky with his sweethearts but other than the music genre nothing really obscure. As you would expect impeccably clued & perfectly enjoyable.
As ever there are an assortment of tunes to accompany the (hopefully correct for a change) hints.
In the hints below the definition element of each clue has been underlined, anagrams are CAPITALISED & the crossword technique “indicator words” are in brackets. The answers are concealed under the Click Here buttons. Please leave a comment below telling us what you thought & how you got on with the puzzle.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31075
Hints and tips by Shabbo
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Good morning, fellow puzzlers.
Don’t worry, you haven’t lost a couple of days. I can confirm that it is definitely Tuesday today. Huntsman has kindly agreed to swap blogging days this week, as I am away on Thursday.
I really enjoyed this puzzle. I found it to be a straightforward solve, but it has some lovely smooth and humorous surfaces, proving once again that a puzzle does not have to be difficult to be enjoyable. My ticks are for 12a, 1d, 3d, 18d and 25d, but I could have listed many more. Which clues did you like?
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.
Many thanks to our setter and to the DT Crossword Team.
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