Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 30845 (Hints)
The Saturday Crossword Club (hosted by crypticsue)
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Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English
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Sunday Toughie No 158
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A treat from proXimal last night, compound anagrams and a Spoonerism to start. It didn’t need the byline.
14a and 14d clues and i have hinted half. I hope you find the checkers to complete today. I may be able to give a bonus nudge if you get stuck.
When the penny dropped on the Spoonerism it joined 8d on the top step of my podium, but what were your favourites?
Here we go, Folks…
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Hoping to make a flying start, I asked ChatGPT, “A puzzle involves two ‘double acts’ with a connection of some kind. What might these two double acts be?”
Another very good Sunday morning from Staines-Upon-Thames in Surrey, after a most enjoyable Saturday evening with my favourite niece, her husband, and a very pleasant claret, and now it’s almost time to pack my bags for my return trip to Winnipeg.… Continue reading
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Zandio very graciously provided me with an advanced copy of this puzzle. I imagine I will be a “bit under the weather” after the Big Bash and unable to give this puzzle a good blogging. By the time you read this, I should be on a train home but I will respond to comments if and when I can.
I hope I have transcribed the clues accurately, as I haven’t seen the puzzle in print yet. It is quite tricky and has lots of cross-references between clues. Big Dave’s advice when I started these hints almost three years ago was to hint first and last across and down clues with about half the clues hinted. I have stopped at half hints before I got to the end.
I have hinted at half of the 14a and 16d clues. I hope you find the checkers to enable completion, as the journey home from the Big Bash may make bonus nudges a bit tricky.
*Post Bash update*
All had a great time, and it was even better to see so many old and new faces. The Teams link was a little problematic, but I hope those who managed to log on could join in the fun a little. Many thanks to Steve C who got the ball rolling with a donation to the bar bill, even though he may have preferred not to be teased by those displaying “Mythical” Pens. Over the next few days, I hope to collate photos taken and put them in the gallery.
Here we go…
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I often wonder how pre-”everything is available online” generations managed to solve thematic puzzles. I suppose that the answer is that puzzle construction and puzzle decoding have co-evolved. Compilers must now assume that “full text” searching is at their solvers’ fingertips but in the past could only rely on access to hardcopy indexes. Or perhaps our ancestors were simply better educated and certainly had better actual libraries.
A very good post Birthday Bash Sunday morning from Staines-Upon-Thames in Surrey, it used to be plain old Staines, Middlesex when I was a lad and nothing seems to have changed. … Continue reading
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Sunday Toughie No 156
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Beam is back for his second Sunday Toughie and it is a treat, all his trademarks™ are there (sweetheart, The Queen, single-word answers and an average 5.375 words per clue) I found a lot of cycle parts but as a cycling fan I am probably a bit biased. It allowed me to tell a couple of old jokes too.
We have a generous 16a and 16d clues today and I have hinted half plus a couple of bonus pics. I hope you find enough checkers to fill the grid.
Here we go, Folks…