Sunday Toughie No 185
by Light
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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As I was solving this last night the following popped up on Bluesky;
Hi John
Assuming you’re on prize Toughie duty today, the interactive puzzle (Firefox / iMac) has ‘Kova?i?’ at 7d. It should be Kovačić. Obviously, some software doesn’t like the diacritics.
It’s fine in the facsimile of the newsprint version, so hopefully fine in the actual newspaper too.
Thanks
Michael
I hope that misprint didn’t affect your enjoyment of some lovely surfaces, and once I had revised my grammar prep and musical notation, I enjoyed this a lot.
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 185 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 184
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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After the Centenary celebrations, we are back to normal with this fine Beam toughie. All his signatures are there, toilet humour, initial letters, underwear, queens and sweethearts and an impressive five-and-a-bit words per clue.
We have a generous 16a and 16d clues, and I have hinted just less than half, allowing me to provide a nudge or two if required.
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 184 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 183
by proXimal
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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A classic proXimal toughie, with a Spoonerism to start and a couple of compound anagrams that I enjoyed solving last night.
14a and 14d clues, and I have hinted half. I hope you find the checkers you need, but will provide a nudge if it keeps you away from DanWord and the like.
Over the last few weeks, we have had quite a few clues for which the data-miners suggest alternative answers. I hope my readers don’t rely on them. I have had reports of a large number of entries received at Telegraph Towers that prefer to believe DodgyDan and the like. The sole purpose of these sites is to sell advertising and other clickbait, maybe try the interactive guide to solving that the DT are doing for the Centenary instead.
For new solvers, there will be an interactive guide on solving cryptic crosswords published on the day of the centenary itself: July 30. On the same day, drop in to Waterloo Station if you happen to be near it for an immersive Telegraph Puzzles event. There will even be a Matt cartoon.
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 183 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 182
by Zandio
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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A veritable herd of Wildebeest today and I really enjoyed it. When we were heading across the plain with nyala and gnu’s, I was sure we were heading to the Serengeti.
Some quite tricky constructions have hit the cutting room floor, I will try and give a nudge if you are struggling. Zandio brought us some devious manipulation of Roman numerals in his Friday backpager, and a similar (unhinted) construction appears again.
5d and 18a share the second step on my podium, just below 15a – which did you like?
Lurkers and anagrams are largely unhinted, and I have hinted 6 across and 8 down of an even 28 clues today. I hope you find enough checkers to find the rest.
Here We Go…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 182 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 181
by Light
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Not as easy as last week from Beam, not as hard as the last from Light. I had to scratch my crumpet several times and slept on a couple of parsings, but I think I have them now.
14a and 16d clues today and I have hinted half. I hope you get the checkers to finish. I will try and provide a bonus hint if required and connectivity permits.
As you will see, I have been experimenting with spoilers – I hope they work
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 181 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 180
by Beam
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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Beam here with quite a friendly Sunday Toughie, all his trademarks are present, and apart from the sailors at 1d, I don’t think this will trouble THE LIST™committee or solvers too much. All the Beam trademarks are present with a fair bit of “ooh er missus” 17a double entendre.
We have a generous 16a and 16d clues, and I have hinted less than half, allowing me to provide a nudge or two if required.
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 180 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 179
by proXimal
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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I met proXimal at The George last Tuesday (among many others, Karla, Donnybrook, Weatherman, Eccles, Elgar, Kitty, Cephas, Shabbo being a few I can remember before the Small Beer and Sun on thinning brow addled my faculties!) and he promised me a quite tricky Spoonerism to start today. He was right! – It was quite late in the solve before the correct apostle revealed himself.
I also learned that his blogging name is from the Latin for in favour of pro and Ximal – Of or pertaining to the cryptic crossword style used and defined by “Ximenes” (Derrick Somerset Macnutt), whereby an acceptable cryptic clue must have a precise definition, a fair and strictly grammatical subsidiary indication, and no redundant elements beyond these. You can take it that all his clues follow these guidelines and are fair to the solver.
14a and 14d today, and I have hinted half, a few tricky clues hit the cutting room floor, so I will try to provide a nudge or two if the Brass Band competition on Wetherby Ings permits
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 179 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 178
by Zandio
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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A great Toughie from Zandio today, I managed to see it at about 11:30 last night and it didn’t take me much past midnight to fill the grid. Parsing it this morning took longer. The Spoonerism and nod to our new Tuesday Toughie blogger is probably my favourite today, but plenty of podium candidates.
I don’t think it is sufficient to call a theme but a couple of military units hit the cutting room floor, and another sneaks into 28a. I will try and nudge unhinted clues, if you identify some or all of the picture for 28a
We have 14a and 16d clues today and I have hinted half.
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 178 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie No 177
by Light
Hints and Tips by Sloop John Bee
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In recent conversations with Light/Twmbarlwm he says he has been permitted to be quite tough in this slot. He has certainly brought his A game today and I have reconsidered and re-parsed several clues overnight. It is hard to see beyond the sublime reversal of 1a for COTD but there are many fine clues here.
I have hinted at half of an even 14a and 14d clues today, but I will try and provide a bonus nudge if required, although I will emphasise the advice that when in doubt look for a lurker (backwards too)
Here we go, Folks…
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 177 (Hints)”
Sunday Toughie 176 by Beam
Hints and Tips by Gazza
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SJB is having a well-deserved day off to celebrate his birthday (Many Happy Returns, John) so I’m providing a few hints for the Sunday Toughie.
Continue reading “Sunday Toughie 176 (Hints)”