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Hints and tips for completing Daily Telegraph Cryptic crosswords

Sunday Toughie 220 (Hints)

by Sloop John Bee  

Sunday Toughie No 220

by proXimal

 

Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee

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proXimal is here again with all his Sunday Toughie trademarks. I found this much easier than his last offering, but mainly because the Spoonerism leapt out of my mind within seconds of seeing the crossword at 23:32 last night.

We have 14a and 14d clues today, and I have hinted at half. I hope you find the checkers to get across the line. I will try and give a bonus nudge or two if you ask, but I don’t think this was as difficult as some from proXimal.

 

Here we go, Folks…

Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 220 (Hints)”

ST 3364 (Hints)

by Senf  

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3364 (Hints)

Hints and tips by Senf

A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where yesterday we enjoyed a double digit (positive) temperature, for the first time since 23rd November of last year, of plus 11 degrees  (plenty of double digit (negative) temperatures in the meantime).

For me, and I stress for me,©  Dada quirkily friendly again – four longish ‘uns (only one an anagram), five anagrams (two partials), two lurkers (one reversed), and no homophones in a symmetric 32 clues; with 16 hints ‘sprinkled’ throughout the grid you should/might be able to get some of the checkers to enable the solving of the unhinted clues. I hope you have your Crimson Tomes at hand!

Remember that Reading the Hints before commenting can be beneficial!

If it is some time since you read, or if you have never read the instructions in RED below the hints then please consider doing so before commenting today as my electronic blue pencil is at the ready and the Naughty Step is OPEN!

Continue reading “ST 3364 (Hints)”

Toughie 3668

by Gazza  

Toughie No 3668 by Luxor
Hints and tips by Gazza

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***

Welcome to Luxor, a new Toughie setter whose name will be known to those who solve the Enigmatic Variations puzzles. I was a bit apprehensive on seeing the new name but I needn’t have worried; this puzzle is pretty gentle for a Friday Toughie.
Thanks to our new setter for the enjoyment.
Continue reading “Toughie 3668”

DT 31205 (Full Review)

by Rahmat Ali  

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31205

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 4th April 2026

BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. A bit tough yet entertaining Saturday puzzle from Twmbarlwm that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback. Continue reading “DT 31205 (Full Review)”

Toughie 3667

by ALP  

Toughie No 3667 by Prime
Hints and tips by ALP

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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ***/****

This seemed quite tricky mid-solve, so I was surprised to look at the clock afterwards – it was actually pretty speedy. I think such contradiction was largely because it took me a moment to find a way in and most of the shorts needed at least one crosser to crack. There is a smidgeon of vocab (12a) and a dollop of religion (12d, etc) but nothing outlandish and all fairly clued. Over to you. Continue reading “Toughie 3667”