Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25930 – Hints
Selected Hints by Gazza
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Big Dave is taking a well-deserved weekend off, so I’ve been volunteered to provide selected hints for today’s and tomorrow’s prize puzzles. As usual a full review of today’s puzzle by Peter Biddlecombe will appear next Thursday afternoon. I enjoyed doing this one, especially the cryptic clues.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25924 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Without the obscure people and places this would have been a very good puzzle. There is quite a lot to enjoy and, for me at least, only one of those clues that give you that teeth-sucking moment.
Two small landmarks – this is the 200th post on the blog and earlier this week the view count topped 100,000.
Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 14th May.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25918 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
A better puzzle than last week, but still not good enough for the top slot of the week – the flagship Prize puzzle. The dreaded place name makes an unwelcome return, but at least there are no girls’ names, or even boys’ names.
Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 7th May.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25912 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment *
There’s not much I can say about this puzzle, other than this week there are no place names in it. Girls’ names feature twice in the answers and once in the wordplay. If it wasn’t for the self-imposed responsibility of producing some hints for this blog, I would be inclined to stop doing these Saturday puzzles altogether.
Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 30th April. I wish him well!
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25906 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **
Just as I thought things were getting better it’s back to the bad old ways. This weeks proper name count is five – two places, two boys and one girl. The usual few hints to get you started.
Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on St George’s Day – Thursday, 23rd April.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25900 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
Things are getting better – just the one place name this week. The puzzle is much the better for not having the names of any women, although one boy’s name does crop up in the wordplay. If we could just get rid of those place names that are better suited to General Knowledge puzzles …. but perhaps I am dreaming! The usual few hints to get you started.
Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 16th April.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25894 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ***
One place, one ship and a woman’s name this week, but they are nothing like as obscure as those of earlier weeks. The usual few hints to get you started.
Peter Biddlecombe’s full review of this puzzle will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 9th April.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25888 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment **
Lesser known places make an unwelcome return, along with a woman’s name – another of my pet hates. The usual few hints to get you started.
We will get Peter Biddlecombe’s view on this puzzle, in his full review – to be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 2nd April
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25882
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Nothing too obscure this Saturday, just a good honest prize puzzle. The usual few hints to get you started.
We will get Peter Biddlecombe’s view on this puzzle, and on the “cornery” grid that has been used, in his full review – to be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 26th March.
Next Monday a new reviewer joins the team. Tilsit will already be known to avid followers of fifteensquared, and his credentials include answering questions on Crosswords, as his specialist subject, on Mastermind.
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Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 25876
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment **
This is a moderately difficult puzzle, with one or two difficult words and a lesser known town in Somerset. The usual few hints to get you started.
A full review of this puzzle, by crossword blogging veteran Peter Biddlecombe, will be published at 12.00 on Thursday, 19th March.
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