Sunday Toughie No 232
by proXimal
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Many thanks to Mr-K for getting us up and running again. When I finally got to see the puzzle, I was pleasantly surprised but mentally challenged by proXimal.
I see from Phibs’ post that the other SJB (proXimal) has passed over editorship of the EV to Elgar. I hope that will give him plenty of opportunities to post more back-pagers like 31252 or Sunday Toughies like this.
All the trademarks are present – start with a Spoonerism and a couple of compound anagrams, but only one X today.
We have 14a and 14d clues today and I have hinted half. I hope you find the checkers to reach the end, but I will try to give a nudge if asked.
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 232 (Hints)”
Enigmatic Variations 1754 (Hints)
Block Letters by Nudd
Hints and tips by Phibs
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Today the EV community extends a warm welcome to our new editor, the cruciverbal legend that is John Henderson (Elgar, Enigmatist, Io, and editor of the Inquisitor puzzle in the i newspaper); at the same time, we bid farewell to Steve Bartlett, who has been in the editorial seat since 2019 and has by my reckoning brought 373 puzzles to us during his seven-year tenure – I’m sure you will join me in thanking him for a sterling shift, in the course of which, along with editing many fine puzzles, he introduced these ‘hints and tips’ blogs. Thanks, too, on behalf of all EV setters: there’s no doubting that when many of those puzzles were received by Steve they were significantly less satisfactory than their polished, published forms.
Continue reading “EV 1754 (Hints)”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3376 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where I express great thanks to Mr K for resolving issues to fend off Chinese bots and other DDoS attacks in the middle of my night which is why my blog is a little late this morning, it still is the middle of my night, and if you notice any errors have a Mars Bar and a 48.
For me, and I stress for me,© Dada symmetrically not so friendly today with two long ‘uns, six anagrams with five partials (I might have mis-counted), two lurkers (don’t forget the ‘if all else fails . . . ‘), and no homophones, all in an symmetric 28 clues; with 14 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 3376 (Hints)”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31283 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
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Continue reading “DT 31283 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 231
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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After Thursday I was hoping, but we haven’t seen a Robyn here in Sunday Toughie land since #175, 1st June 2025, over a year ago; however, Beam is a more than adequate replacement. The daunting castellated grid (nice description, ALP) soon filled itself as I watched a slightly laboured performance of England last night. I was able to turn in before Keane and Neville had their say.
14a and 14d clues and I have hinted half. Beam trademarks are there, under six words per single word solutions, no anagrams, Queens, sweethearts, and initialisms, although we have been spared a trip to the lingerie department today.
I can’t hint them all, but will try and give a nudge if you ask
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 231 (Hints)”
Enigmatic Variations 1753 (Hints)
Tomfoolery by Curmudgeon
Hints and tips by Gabriel
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Gemini wasn’t very helpful – basically, rewrote the preamble as a structured list (it loves organising information but isn’t it supposed to make it useful as well?). … Continue reading
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3375 (Hints)
Hints and tips by Senf
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A very good Sunday morning from Winnipeg where today begins a ‘run’ of three ‘close together’ blogging milestones for me which will end in mid-September. Today is my 600th blog overall – around 80% Sundays and the rest SPPs and weekday back pagers except for, as far as I can recall, and reworking a film title from 1960 starring Melina Mercouri, Never on Monday.
Another new, for me, meteorological term – Western Canada is under a Rex Block; don’t ask me to explain it as I have no idea other than we can expect thunderstorms today and tomorrow! Life was so much easier when Michael Fish mistakenly denied the existence of a hurricane!
For me, and I stress for me,© after a number of symmetric weeks Dada asymmetrically quite friendly today with one long ‘un, eight anagrams with three partials, one lurker (with one of the usual indicators), and one homophone, all 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!
Continue reading “ST 3375 (Hints)”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31277 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club
(hosted by crypticsue)
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Continue reading “DT 31277 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 230
by Silvanus
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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For Silvanus’s third Sunday Toughie (# tooth hurty) I may have expected a dental reference or even a reference to the summer solstice, which passed as I slept on the parsing.
I think the slightly niche British TV references should be widely enough known to those overseas.
14a and 16d clues today and I have hinted half. I hope you find the checkers to finish, but I will nudge if required and able.
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 230 (Hints)”
Enigmatic Variations 1752 (Hints)
Double Crests by Luxor
Hints and tips by Phibs
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After Claude’s problems with the primates of EV 1750, I gave him a chance to redeem himself, asking, “In a themed crossword puzzle, we are told that we must find the title of a work featuring ‘double crests’ and the name of the series of which it is part. Can you suggest what the work/series might be?”
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