Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2499 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
This is the latest in a long run of excellent Sunday puzzles. Excellent surface reading and an underlying humour are two of this setter’s trademarks. Make sure that you don’t miss the allusion to Virgil’s Latin epic poem The Aeneid in 13 down that led to the popular saying “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts” among others.
Don’t forget that you can give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them.
Starting this week, Peter Biddlecombe is going to be reviewing the Sunday puzzles instead of the Saturday ones. His full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Friday, 4th September.
Continue reading “ST 2499 – Hints”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26020 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment: ***
Saturday’s puzzles have improved since the number of names has been reduced – just the one boy today! Let’s hope that future puzzles are as good or better than this one.
Don’t forget that you can give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. A full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 3rd September.
After reviewing the Saturday puzzles for over six months, this week Peter Biddlecombe is taking over the review of the Sunday puzzle. You have already seen that Gazza and Libellule have swapped the Thursday and Friday reviews. Next week Tilsit and I are swapping the Monday and Wednesday reviews. In addition Libellule will be doing his first Toughie review on Tuesday.
Continue reading “DT 26020 – Hints”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2498 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
There are some really excellent clues, yet again, today. I’m a little puzzled by the part played by “wanting” in the homophone at 21 across – if you have any ideas, please add a comment but, as Basil Fawlty might have said, “Don’t mention the Word”.
Continue reading “ST 2498 – Hints”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26014 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment: **
The girls are back in town – or at least one of them – and you still need to keep your atlas handy for this Saturday puzzle. The grid is one of those dreadful ones that only the Telegraph, among quality dailies, still allows. This is four puzzles in one, joined only by the two long answers.
If you are using CluedUp today, then check the printable version for the correct wording of 9 across. This problem has now been fixed! Just why this site can’t handle accented words and randomly drops apostrophes is a mystery.
Don’t forget that you can give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 27th August.
Continue reading “DT 26014 – Hints”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2497 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
I really look forward to Sunday’s puzzle every week. Excellent surface reading has become a characteristic.
At the bottom of the post you will see an array of five stars – use these to give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
For the weekend prize crosswords I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. A full analysis of this puzzle will be available at 12.00 next Friday, 21st August.
Continue reading “ST 2497 – Hints”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26008 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment: ***
You still need to keep your atlas handy for the Saturday puzzle, but at least there are none of those girls’ names to contend with.
If you are using CluedUp today, the quick crossword is a little tricky to find. The one offered up is actually last Sunday’s Quick GK 108, but if you go to the main puzzles screen and click the right arrow, you will find Q 26008.
Don’t forget that you can give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 20th August.
Continue reading “DT 26008 – Hints”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2496 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
A friend, himself a setter, emailed me today and described this as “A crossword for connoisseurs”. Who am I to disagree? I have given hints for those which I think will cause the most problems.
At the bottom of the post you will see an array of five stars – use these to give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
For the weekend prize crosswords I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. A full analysis of this puzzle will be available at 12.00 next Friday, 14th August.
Continue reading “ST 2496 – Hints”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26002 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment: ***
A better-than-usual prize puzzle that, for me at least, was a little spoilt by cluing a place as “in France” when the place concerned has historical significance that surely could have been worked into the clue.
Don’t forget that you can give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 13th August.
Continue reading “DT 26002 – Hints”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2495 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
This is a crossword for those who love crosswords. Comparitively easy, so it should be within the reach of most solvers, it has some excellent clues. I have given hints for those which I think will cause the most problems.
At the bottom of the post you will see an array of five stars – use these to give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
For the weekend prize crosswords I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. A full analysis of this puzzle will be available at 12.00 next Friday, 7th August.
Continue reading “ST 2495 – Hints”
Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25996 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment: ***
Once again we are presented with an easy prize puzzle. Don’t forget that you can give your assessment of the puzzle. Five stars if you thought it was great, one if you hated it, four, three or two if it was somewhere in between.
As is usual for the weekend prize crosswords, I will select a few of the better clues and provide hints for them. Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 6th August.
Continue reading “DT 25996 – Hints”