Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
Hints and tips for completing Daily Telegraph Cryptic crosswords
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In July 2022, I stepped in for five weeks to give the Numpties an extremely well-deserved break. Little did I know that in February 2026 I would be doing my 100th EV blog…
After a relatively brief visit to Baby Brother in Wincanton and yesterday’s excursion to BB17, a very good Sunday morning once again from the former Staines, Middlesex.
Thinking of BB17, another very enjoyable event so thanks to SJB for exhibiting his organisational skills again. A good attendance featuring a number of ‘old stagers’ including Weekend Wanda (I hope you found your way to Paddington Station without any problems), Gazza, and Rabbit Dave, and some ‘newbies’ as far as attending a BB for the first time is concerned including ALP, Steve Cowling, and Huntsman.
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada quirkily friendly with three long ‘uns, seven anagrams (three partials), two lurkers, and no homophones in the most asymmetric grid of 30 clues I have ever seen; 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, or it would be if I was not ecclesiastically socialising with my Big Sister, and the Naughty Step is OPEN! I imagine that crypticsue and Gazza could be standing by with their electronic blue pencils in hand.
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The first and most important thing I have to do today (even more important than providing hints for the Prize Puzzle and mentioning today’s gathering at Little Venice) is to wish Daisygirl’s husband George a very very happy 93rd birthday and hope that he enjoys the family celebrations of this great occasion
28th/31st January 2026
Big Dave’s 17th Birthday
Hello Folks,
Today’s the day. I hope to see as many of you as can manage the network rail chaos as possible, but for those that can’t be here I have a couple of puzzles and a Teams link for you.
https://teams.live.com/meet/9364709408706?p=jxqSsCNaPbQ87Pvvo3
is the teams link, I expect to be open from about noon.
BIG DAVE’S BLOG BIRTHDAY BASH, 2026
A puzzle from Rahmat Ali
Another from Prolixic to complement the NTSPP
A puzzle from me with help from Prolixic – please go easy on me it is only my 2nd puzzle. I am nowhere near as accomplished as Prolixic and Rahmat
Toughie No 3628 by Karla
Hints and tips by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Thanks to Karla for an entertaining and not too tricky puzzle.
I am hoping to see many of you at Bridge House tomorrow.
Continue reading “Toughie 3628”
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BD Rating - Difficulty *** - Enjoyment ***
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Friday. Continue reading "DT 31150"
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This puzzle was published on 24th January 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A nice, lovely Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback. Continue reading “DT 31145 (Full Review)”
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BD Rating – Toughie difficulty * – Enjoyment ****
I always enjoy a Django: fun definitions and smart wordplay. Very gentle from him today, kicking off with a straight-in Spooner that rather set the tone. No bad thing – I’ve long suspected that setting a gentle but entertaining puzzle is even harder than setting a tough one. Over to you.
