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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2494 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Some time during today the view count on the blog will almost certainly reach 250,000 – all achieved in a day or two under 6 months. I’d like to thank all of you for your support over those 6 months and hope you will stay on for the next 6 months and beyond.
Many of you will be pleased to know that this puzzle is not as difficult as the one from a week ago.
Yesterday and today I am trying an experiment with a new WordPress feature. 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. Please remember you are assessing the puzzle and not my attempt to explain it! If enough of you use this feature then it will be retained for future puzzles, so it’s up to you – vote now.
At the moment the rating system can’t be turned on post by post, which means you can rate any previous puzzle. While you are welcome to do that (and some already have) it would seem unlikely that the numbers entered will be sufficient for a realistic rating.
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, 31st July.
Continue reading “ST 2494 – Hints”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2493 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
A Sunday puzzle that is tougher than some Toughies. Each answer must be carefully coaxed from the clue.
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, 24th July.
Continue reading “ST 2493 – Hints”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2492 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Once again, the highlight of the week. Excellent clues, and some tricky wordplay, for a puzzle that is ideally suited to a lazy Sunday morning.
A full analysis of this puzzle will be available at 12.00 next Friday, 17th July.
Continue reading “ST 2492 – Hints”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2491 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****
Last week I asked for more of the same, and Jed has done just that. I found it a little easier than last weeks puzzle, but just as enjoyable.
A full analysis of this puzzle will be available at 12.00 next Friday, 10th July. Continue reading “ST 2491 – Hints”
Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 2490 – Hints
Selected hints by Big Dave
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BD Rating – Difficulty **** – Enjoyment ****
After last week’s fiasco, today we have one of the best Sunday puzzles in a long time. Please Sir, can we have some more like this?
A full analysis of this puzzle will be available at 12.00 next Friday, 3rd July.
Continue reading “ST 2490 – Hints”