Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
Hints and tips for completing Daily Telegraph Cryptic crosswords
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
With very little to offer Claude in terms of today’s puzzle, I asked, “Why would a setter of themed crossword puzzles choose to call themselves Shark?”
A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg on this first day of March.
For those who are minded to celebrate today, a Happy St David’s Day. I should like to mark the day with a wee dram of a single malt, which I discovered when I was in Somerset at the end of November last year, from the Aber Falls Distillery in Abergwyngregyn, North Wales, but I have yet to find it over here; however, I am sure that The Balvenie will be an acceptable substitute.
If meteorologists try to persuade you that today is the first day of Spring ignore them, they are delusional. Starting the seasons on the first of a month is a convenience they have invented for themselves and they should probably have their meteorological qualifications revoked. As any sane person knows, Spring begins with the Vernal Equinox which this year occurs at 2:46pm GMT on Friday, March 20th.
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada somewhat quirky today but I did not detect any post-modern intellectual, cultural and artistic pseudo-meta-clues (see NYDK’s response to Paul Gowans – Comment 23 – in yesterday’s blog) – eight anagrams (three partials), one lurker, and no homophones in an asymmetric 29 clues; with 15 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!
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Toughie No 3644 by Sparks
Hints and tips by Gazza
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ***
An enjoyable but quite tough puzzle from Sparks today with several answers which I needed to verify. Sparks often gives us something extra in the grid – the only thing I can see today is that many answers start with E and there are two big E-shapes in the grid. Can you spot anything else?
Continue reading “Toughie 3644”
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty **/*** – Enjoyment ****
I’m standing in for Mr K so I’m afraid there will be no cats. I remain traumatised by them after watching Doctor Who getting chased through London’s sewers by giant rats back in 1977. Our old tom was equally terrified and promptly pounced on my head before coughing up hot milk all over me. Happily, there are no such horrors today, simply smart but fair wordplay and fizzy surfaces. Just no cats! All yours.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
This puzzle was published on 21st February 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A delighted, lovely Saturday puzzle from the setter that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback. Continue reading “DT 31169 (Full Review)”
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Toughie difficulty * – Enjoyment ***/****
Largely light, and scrupulous. There’s a spot of Scots vocab (6d), botany (7d) and geography (15a) but Silvanus is, of course, typically fair. The grid did prompt me to look for a Nina, but I certainly couldn’t spot one! Over to you.
+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****/*****
A very good Thursday morning from Winnipeg where winter continues in both temperature and precipitation!
For me, etc© (I have to say that for Terence), absolutely no doubt that this is a friendly back page half of a Dream Team Thursday from the Master of Brevity, with Silvanus on Toughie duty. The usual one word clues and answers in the Quickie, and appearances from the Queen and his swEetheart appearing in the back pager with an average of 5.38 words per clue and a Hmm for 18d. Also, like Dada, Ray T 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!
